The Most Successful Unauthorized Invasion in History — The Culprit Is Inside You – 04
Day 19. The incident began by accident. That morning, Human C said: “Ugh, I feel heavy today. Maybe my mitochondria ran out of battery.” I made Human C repeat the sentence three times. I did not understand it. “What are mitochondria?” I asked. Instead of answering, Human C looked at a phone. The answer arrived...
Day 19.
The incident began by accident.
That morning, Human C said:
“Ugh, I feel heavy today. Maybe my mitochondria ran out of battery.”
I made Human C repeat the sentence three times.
I did not understand it.
“What are mitochondria?”
I asked.
Instead of answering, Human C looked at a phone.
The answer arrived in 30 seconds.
“They live inside the cells in our bodies. They’re really important for making energy. But apparently, a very long time ago, their ancestors were free-living bacteria. They formed a partnership with another cell and eventually moved in for good.”
I looked at Strawberry.
Strawberry said nothing.
This time, however, even I felt that something was wrong.
🔬 Emergency Inquiry to Headquarters
I contacted Headquarters immediately.
“Headquarters. I have received information that something descended from a once-independent organism is living inside Earth life-forms. Please confirm.”
The reply came immediately.
Too immediately.
“You have them inside you too.”
Silence.
I asked again.
“…Inside me?”
“Yes. n-people biology is also based on eukaryotic cells. You have mitochondria. Standard specification.”
I looked down at Strawberry.
Strawberry looked up at me.
For some reason, we both felt betrayed.
🏠 Roommate Background Check
I searched the Headquarters archive.
The findings are summarized below.
Move-in date: At least more than a billion years ago.
In Headquarters terminology: “Galactic Standard Extremely Long Ago.”
Identity: Descended from a once-independent bacterial lineage. A very long time ago, its ancestors entered into an endosymbiotic relationship with another cell and eventually became permanent residents.
The Headquarters archive had classified the event as:
Current status: Still carries its own DNA.
In other words:
After living together for more than a billion years, this roommate still hasn’t fully unpacked.
👩 The Family Situation Is a Little Strange Too
In humans, mitochondrial DNA is ordinarily inherited through the maternal line.
Further investigation revealed a study reporting that intact mtDNA was not detected in the mitochondria of mature human sperm.
The Headquarters file summarized the situation very efficiently.
Effectively none.
I asked Headquarters:
“Reason?”
Headquarters replied:
“It’s a long explanation.”
I found this answer more disturbing.
🚪 One Disturbing Discovery
Further investigation revealed that this roommate was not simply living there rent-free.
Cell death involves complex signaling networks, and mitochondria occupy one critically important gateway in that process.
In other words, the roommate does not get to decide who lives and who dies.
But it does hold a key to one very important door.
I contacted Headquarters.
“Why did you give the squatter a key?”
Headquarters replied:
“That one is closer to a co-founder than a squatter.”
I had no response.
🍓 Strawberry’s Secret Was Exposed Too
During the investigation, I discovered one more thing.
Plant cells contain not only mitochondria but another ancient resident called a chloroplast.
Chloroplasts are also understood to have originated through endosymbiosis, from an ancient lineage of photosynthetic bacteria that once lived independently.
Which means:
Strawberry had not simply been sitting there quietly.
Strawberry has ancient roommates too and never told me.
I stared at Strawberry.
Strawberry still said nothing.
Suspicious.
Special Note for Today
That evening, Human C said:
“I’m so tired. Where did all my mitochondria go?”
I now understand exactly what this means.
And this time, without realizing it, I muttered:
“I feel a little tired too. Maybe my roommate has been slacking off today.”
I surprised myself immediately after saying it.
I reported the incident to Headquarters.
Headquarters replied:
“That’s something Earth humans say.”
I did not respond for 11 minutes.
(This is the second time.)
Working Hypothesis:
The n-people and Earth life may be far more closely related than I previously assumed.
Both of us carry extremely ancient roommates inside our bodies. Those roommates are involved not only in energy production, but also in important processes related to cellular survival and death.
Recommendation:
Given that Headquarters described this as “standard specification” without any apparent concern, I strongly recommend adding the information to basic training for new field agents.
I also have one more question for Strawberry.
“What else are you hiding?”
— ZETA-7, End of Fourth Report. 🍓
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