Marcus

Origin
Devastated by World War V, the people of Earth flee a dying sun to settle on an asteroid in another solar system. In the year 2701, this is called Earth-2 by the inhabitants.

Dr. Jon Flyk is commander of the satellite orbiting. Earth-2. He returns to the satellite after an expedition to the planet Pharaoh. He carries with him a flower of Pharaoh found there. If it can be shown the flower can live in an environment suitable for human life, the overpopulation issues on Earth-2 can be diminished or even alleviated by migrating to the planet.

He delivers the plant to the botanist, Marcus. Marcus moves into seclusion in the laboratory with his wife Julia and their son Noah. There, he plans to study the flower. The flower sprouts tentacles and attacks Noah. Marcus cuts the tentacles with a sword. Dr. Flyk demands the examination of the flower continue, despite Marcus's suggestion the flower be destroyed.

Dr. Flyk checks on the progress of the experiments, finding the dead bodies of Marcus and Julia. Noah is still alive. Dr. Flyk adopts the orphaned Noah. It becomes apparent why there is no other form of life on Pharaoh but the flower. It kills all other life.

The plant grows wildly, causing those on the station to abandon it. They return to Earth-2. While the exhausted Dr. Flyk is sleeping, his adopted son Noah removes a small box his deceased father Marcus gave to him. He pours out some small seeds contained in the box, pretending to plant and water them in a pot as he'd observed his botanist father doing with seeds. The seeds proved to be examples from the flower of Pharaoh, which quickly grows. Noah wakes up Dr. Flyk, but the flower keeps him from using his videophone. Dr. Flyk tells Noah to flee, but they are both killed by the flower, which continues to grow, soon to threaten the populace of Earth-2.

Public Domain Appearances

 * Space Adventures #8