Duuarn watched as the screen continued to compile the petabytes of data in front of him. The chemical compositions of every molecule in the nucleotide, fractions upon fractions. Numbers in the billions of base pairs, numbers of an unadulterated strain. He revered those numbers. Duuarn reached for his Medipen and slid the needle with ease under his wrist. He had been tampering with his schedule times, claiming rest periods while stimming himself in secret. He couldn’t rest - how could he? Rest was for other people; people who didn’t have to worry about the fate of the universe at large, who clung to traditions for comfort. Schedules, protocols, request sheets, all of it was so tedious - how could they stand to uphold such frivolity when the salvation of the entire galaxy was being forced through a single Genome Compiler??

Duuarn ground his toothplate, the stims twitching a tendon in his arm - a known side effect, but he wasn’t worried. He had plenty of practise ignoring it. His team had only managed to analyse a quarter of the biopsy samples they had taken from the male. A single cell was all that was needed to extract the composition, but it was hours worth of processing time for each one. At this rate it would take [weeks] before they could properly fabricate an exact copy of the specimen.

That was time he didn’t have.

Any number of things could go wrong: The Raiders Isk was convinced existed could actually show up and attack, the specimens could die whilst in captivity, or the Galactic Council could turn around and demand the specimens back. THAT was what Duuarn feared most. Esaander was only a start up after all, barely 20 million employees, and had received the project on the basis that they were the closest and the cheapest. The Galactic Council, or any of the Creator-solidarity governments could demand access to the data he was working on - it was imperative that they finished the work as soon as possible before it was ripped from their hands. Larger Companies could buy them out, merge them into the larger entity and then drop them on some Citizenry planetoid thinking that infinite credits would be enough for his silence and compliance.

He wouldn’t let the universe cheat him of his karmic work.

He was the one pouring himself into the work, he would be the one to be rewarded with his name forever pronounced in the dynasty records.

Duuarn unclenched his jaw and sat on his desk stool. There was too much work to be done with so little equipment; they needed a larger facility. Uleesia was just too small, too far away from the resources it needed. When the engineers he requested from Head Quarters came and saw exactly the scope of what could be at stake, they would have no choice but to support his efforts.

Maybe then he would be transferred to Klona, Tarnend, Clentesia…

The Humans may have been responsible for the copious phenotypes he was ogling, but Creator species were just bureaucratic nightmares. The Universe was always changed when a new player entered the arena. Duuarn tapped his toothplates together. If this is what they did to their test subjects, what had they done to themselves?

“Bioengineering Department” The door chimed. Duuarn turned his head and frowned.

“Ceaan, where’s the specimen?”

The fellow Qzetillian was taken back, shocked that Duuarn was still in the lab.

“The living quarters.” The assistant answered flatly.

“Why?-” Duuarn cut himself off and rose from his desk, he clenched his grey hands together in order to control the twitch which had now run rampant up his entire left arm.

“The specimen has been confiscated by subject Jasmine for an undetermined amount of time.”

Ceaan stood firm, but refused to move more than a foot away from the department door.

“You know, I feel the word ‘Why’ isn't enough to express the exact amount of confusion your presence here conveys.” The department head made his way across the room, his tasteful lab coat billowing out with his strides “and repeating it in the multitude of questions I have is just going to insult both your intelligence and my integrity.”

Ceaan narrowed his eyes towards his superior; extra stims made him extra obnoxious.

“I came here to submit the Perception Test results-”

“Because the results for a simple Perceptions Test far outweigh the specimen’s whereabouts and wellbeing.” Duuarn could barely contain the joy he derived from belittling his assistant, sarcasm on thick as he delivered the line “Ceaan, I’m so glad I hired someone of your forethought and judgement.”

“I felt it was the best course of action.” The assistant defended himself. “Subject Jasmine had no intention of hurting the thing-”

“But you had every intention of letting an unauthorised alien interfere with my work? What did you do? Just let her walk off with the specimen?!” Duuarn laughed.

“You weren’t there Duuarn, it was a tense situation, the human looked like she was about to spit her digestive acid on Nyk-”

“You actually just let her walk off with the specimen...?” Duuarn was dumbfounded. “You’re supposed to be a willing and helpful assistant but not a complete drone!” Duuarn thrust his right arm behind him. “Go and monitor the compiler's analysis before I request your ‘nomes be culled from the company recruitment database.”

Ceaan gave a disagreeable toothplate snap before following orders - standing in front of the compiler’s screen. Duuarn watched him, muttering a ‘tsk’ and storming over to his comms terminal.

How long was it going to take to clean up this mess?

Communication log of Bioengineering Department #6570

[These transcripts are for office use only. Unauthorised distribution will result in immediate termination and a fine in accordance with the Conglomerate Espionage Act 26.051. Transcripts are official property of the Esaander Corporation.]

CMO Krydon: CMO Krydon speaking-

Dr Duuarn: Chief, what happened to my specimen?!

CMO Krydon: Oh, Duuarn, I was wondering how long it would be before you called, Ceean took his time getting back to your lab I see.

Dr Duuarn: As much I would love to discuss the incompetence of my staff, I'm here to discuss the incompetence of yours. Subject Jasmine and my specimens should never have crossed paths - how did you let this contamination happen?

CMO Krydon: Duuarn, your User specimens are not exactly willing patients; the male almost always needs a security escort and sedation which distorts the results. Your two females insist on pulling out their external translators and only growl refusals when asked why. The delays with their cooperation caused the test times to overlap. Have them properly calibrated and maybe we’ll both be able to avoid these delays in the future.

Dr Duuarn: The translator calibrations are not the problem - they’ve never tried to remove them in the enclosure or the lab. Maybe they just don’t enjoy your lackluster procedural manner.

CMO Krydon: Ah, there’s the sword tongue. Duuarn, I’m not going to get into a snarl with you. I have other work to finish.

Dr Duuarn: Well I would be happily continuing my own, but now I have to Com around and figure out why the supposedly professional staff of this station allowed an unauthorised, undocumented alien to bypass all regulation and stride off with another specimen!!

CMO Krydon: [snort] I’ll send you the footage Duuarn. Maybe you’ll figure it out and save us all the trouble of hearing you speak.

[Comms Disconnected]

Duuarn gave another ‘tsk’ and impatiently waited for the footage to arrive at his terminal. The file was less than 4 minutes long; his black eyes focused on the screen in front of him. First he hissed as he watched the intern Nyk restrain the specimen by the throat, lifting it off the ground. He’d have to be reprimanded for ignoring handling regulations, but his eyes widened in shock as he reached the end of the video. The ‘Human’ demonstrated both Zenthi telepathy and Arvas Frequency manipulation in simultaneity. He’d only seen such a combination of abilities in the GC’s Millitary gene archives and even then they were restricted to GCR special forces regiments. They were only to be used if the Rajava launched another attack on civilized space. Duuarn brought his left hand up to his chin and deliberated. So that is what the humans did to themselves.

[One Message Received From Behavioral Studies.]

Duuarn sighed, his nimble fingers hovered over the acceptance key - he couldn’t answer Kyda’s message now, as much as he wanted to -he had to get his specimen back. Duuarn begrudgingly made the link to Security.

Communication log of Bioengineering Department #6571

[These transcripts are for office use only. Unauthorised distribution will result in immediate termination and a fine in accordance with the Conglomerate Espionage Act 26.051. Transcripts are official property of the Esaander Corporation.]

CPT Rynard: Security, Rynard speaking, [yawn].

Dr Duuarn: Rynard, I need you to go the living quarters and retrieve my specimen from Subject Jasmine.

CPT Rynard: Huh?

Dr Duuarn: Rynard for the sake of the universe would you just listen to-

CPT Rynard: Look, Dr. Duuarn I know you like to think your job is more important than mine-

Dr Duuarn: -it is-

CPT Rynard: -But you gotta understand that you have to call Isk and not my direct line, I'm off duty and you just woke me from my sleep cycle - I like my 4 hours of peace.

Dr Duuarn: Rynard, Subject Jasmine has confiscated my specimen, she threatened the staff and has both Zenthi telepathy and ‘Royal’ frequency manipulation. She’s a danger to everyone on the station and I demand you get off your overpaid tail and retrieve it from her unharmed!

CPT Rynard: Whoa there… That's a lot of accusations, even for you.

Dr Duuarn: I'll send you the footage, I expect immediate compliance and an apology with my order!

[Comms Disconnected]

Duuarn flitted over the short file and sent it to the witless security guard’s dataslate. Rynard’s Com link pinged and the corner of Duuarn’s mouth curved up - maybe Rynard had listened to reason.

Communication log of Bioengineering Department #6572

Dr Duuarn: Bioengineering Dr. Duuarn speaking-

CPT Rynard: HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

Dr Duuarn: Rynard, once again you have proven yourself less useful than a clogged bidet, this is serious-

CPT Rynard: Oh ha ha, the universe weeps!! I forget how sheltered you bulge brains are!

Dr Duuarn: Bulge brains??!!()

CPT Rynard: Yeah! That was the funniest thing I've seen since I got here! And that’s including when that one tentacle thing got stuck in the atmo’ vent! They all looked like they’re about to stiff it!! Ha ha ha.

Dr Duuarn: Rynard! How can you possibly see this as a joke?!

CPT Rynard: ‘Cause! It’s just like new recruits at basic hearing a Princess for the first time! They think they're so tough then Blam! Funny then, and hilarious now!

Dr Duuarn: There’s confrontation and then there’s overwhelming Frequency aggression! You know, the thing we hired you to protect us from?!()

CPT Rynard: That was not Frequency Aggression- well, maybe a little, but you science types have no idea! I’m actually kinda shocked you all have so little resolve! Might have to get you all to go through some aggression resistance training, heh heh heh.

Dr Duuarn: We don’t have it because we don’t need it! What good is resistance to a researcher?! That’s what we hired you for, now go and do your one job Rynard!

CPT Rynard: Well, I’m off duty. Contact Isk if you want a guard, I’m going back to sleep! Heh Arc and Suk are going to love this-

[Comms Disconnected]

Fury drove the tremor in Duuarns arm up his neck and caused his head to shake unsettlingly. He was surrounded by incompetence and indifference. He steeled himself, he would actually have to send a request to the Operations Manager to get his captured specimen back. The Universe had better have a substantial karmic reward for the amount of fecal matter it was dumping on him.

Communication log of Bioengineering Department #6573

OM Isk: () Operations Manager Isk speaking.

Dr Duuarn: Isk, this is Dr. Duuarn, I would like to make a formal request for security deployment.

OM Isk: () Nice to see you falling in line Duuarn. Now, what was your request?

Dr Duuarn: I want a member of our overpaid and underworked security team to retrieve my specimen from the subject Jasmine Immediately!

OM Isk: () Formal request has been submitted... and denied. Please reschedule your research quarters accordingly.

Dr Duuarn: What?!()

OM Isk: () Dr. Xant has already informed the Director of the incident and I have received orders that nothing is to be done until the Director has met with the Subject Jasmine herself to negotiate an amicable solution. Answering aggression with aggression only leads to escalation, Duuarn.

Dr Duuarn: The one time I follow procedure and you're denying me?! Need I remind you, ISK, that my specimen is pregnant? Her vitals and condition must be constantly monitored-

OM Isk: () And they ARE being monitored. Subject Jasmine’s room has a camera installed and Krydon’s office hasn’t reported any vital distress signals from any of the offending parties’ health detectors… () Speaking of constantly monitored, this quarter is supposed to be your rest cycle - what are you doing in the Bioengineering department?

Dr Duuarn: I Instructed Ceaan to report to me immediately if there ever was a disruption with my research, even during rest cycles. This work will change the very dynamic of Galactic Council Space and must have the highest of priorities - I thought someone of your integrity would understand that.

OM Isk: () Oh, I understand all too well Duuarn. Your dedication to your work is admirable, but your lack of professionalism is holding you back. Your research can wait half a [day] while we negotiate with the Human. I’ll send you the audio when the Director has finished. This Project isn’t just about you.

Dr Duuarn: I know it isn’t about me! It’s about the Universe… It’s about the company! If we can get these Pheono-types patented before the Human Creators start claiming distribution rights we could be on the verge of restoring Qzetillian lineage compatibility. Esaander would be pronounced as a Progenitor Company!

OM Isk: () Once again Duuarn you fail to see the herd from the prey, we need to keep the Humans who created your little specimens appeased. If letting half a [day] of research go wasted means that in the future we’ll have access to their entire genetic library; then that’s half a [day] I can overlook. You have two other specimens Duuarn, finish with them before your requested Bioengineers arrive on on station.

[Comms Disconnected]

The tremor in Duuarn’s body finally ceased. He sat defeated in front of his comms station. No one in this entire facility had any idea what they were doing. The Qzetillians would be indebted to yet another race if they waited for the Humans’ approval of the genetic material. No, they had all the information they needed right here to fix the deterioration; why were they insisting on waiting on the whim of an unknown? Did the Creator Subject even have any understanding of the situation at all?! How long would it take to inform her? Would she even say yes...?

[One Message From Behavioral Studies]

The comms terminal reminded him. Duuarn sighed, his nimble fingers allowing the message to play.

Dr Jess: Marsen. I know you're going to be very busy arguing to get your specimens back to take my advice now, so I’ll just leave a message for you to get back to me. I might have a way to make you the lead of both the User and Creator projects. I'll be awaiting your transmission.

Duuarn’s lips curved into a smile. It was always nice to hear Kyda’s voice, especially when she sounded like she had a plan underway.

“Ceaan, I’m going to my quarters,” he announced unceremoniously, a bounce in his step as he walked. The last time Kyda had spoken of a plan to him so breathlessly they had succeeded and accepted positions as Department Heads together. He couldn’t wait to hear what she had come up with this time.