Astrum was born on a remote terraforming colony on Mars, where her human mother worked as a scientist and her Terraforming "father" was a genetically engineered organism designed to facilitate the planet's habitability. As a child, she exhibited extraordinary abilities, which led to her recruitment by a top-secret organization dedicated to exploring the frontiers of human-Terraforming hybridization.

The Human Hybrids in Terra Formars serve as a narrative vehicle for exploring what it means to be human.

For over half a century, the Martian Terraforming Project has been defined by a single, horrifying irony. We sought to make Mars a cradle for humanity, but in doing so, we awakened an apex predator born from our own genetic arrogance. The Terra Formars —those hyper-evolved, bipedal cockroaches—are not merely monsters. They are a mirror. Possessing the strength of hundreds of men, the resilience of extremophile bacteria, and a collective, silent intelligence, they have turned our colonization dreams into a slaughterhouse.

An evolution of the BUGS surgery used during the Annex I mission. This procedure has a higher success rate (roughly 67%) and expands the genetic pool beyond insects to include birds, fish, and other animals. Recipients must consume or inject a drug (like a tablet, liquid, or even gum) to activate their "Mosaic Organ" and manifest their powers.

The committee asks if we should continue the Hybrid Program. I ask you a different question: given the extinction-level threat we face on Mars, can we afford not to become the monsters we fear?