To start off, the doctor wanted to get a blood sample to run some tests. He administered several tests to track Syp's heartrate, breathing, and brain functions. Lonc Vallino, the anthropologist, gave Syp an interest survey, and talked about the Stafriez race. The team gathered in the center of the buildings of their facility and asked Syp to do some physical tests.

Syp began with an easy leap straight up. It went about four meters. Subsequent attempts to jump straight up were between eight and ten meters. When Syp told the Protector team that it could do the highest jumps while running, they looked at each other. Going its fastest, Syp’s average jump was fifteen meters high, and its stride was about twelve meters long. “Those muscles on the outside of the leg give it the ability to have such a long stride,” Dr. Toya Inoday remarked. Syp ran in widening circles around the group.

“The ones on its arms assist in its speed?” Lonc asked.

“I believe so.”

“I wonder what its endurance is.”

“According to my resources, it can run like this for several hours,” Solrio remarked.

Dr. Vallino said to Solrio, “Have you had a response from the Stafriez living in Nik?”

“I’ll check when we’re done here. I’ve also contacted the retired judge who is teaching in Kop.”

“Have you determined what that extra sheet of paper is that the child had in its identity pack?” Solrio looked at Lonc.

“No. I’m not familiar with that language.”

“I wonder if Syp would provide a sample of its hair,” Dr. Inoday mused.

“I should think it would. If it keeps growing at the rate it is, the child will trip over it.” Meera Pachar spoke up.

“I tried to obtain a sample, but when I touched it, Syp began to make odd noises. I thought it was crying so I stopped,” Dr. Inoday said. “Syp’s hair has grown six centimeters since its initial physical.”

“What are our next steps?” Lonc looked at the others. “I’ll work on the document. Perhaps the computer files will recognize it and can translate it.”

Solrio glanced at her electronic tablet. “I’d like to determine if we can address the visual challenges.”

Meera grinned, “I’m gathering data about the Stafriez diet. I’ve asked our colleagues on the mainland to help obtain food samples. I thought maybe we’d have a banquet of greens and bugs.”

“You’re teasing!” Lonc laughed. “I might eat a few greens, but bugs? No thanks!”

“I’ll see if there’s any physiological information in the databanks. If we could get a hair sample, it would be great help.”

“Have you done an EEG or EKG?”

“I have, but I’d like to do a nocturnal EEG.”

“We need to determine its vulnerabilities, so we can teach it how to defend itself.” They all agreed. Solrio motioned to Syp to come in, and it raced toward them and with one final leap, it landed in front of them, nose to nose with Lonc.

“That, my friend, is very intimidating! What would you have done if you overshot?”

“I apologize,” Syp said sincerely. “I won’t do it again. To you.”

“You’ll do it to someone else?”

“Only if I need to.”

“It seems that you like to run, Syp.”

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“I do.”

Once inside, Solrio asked Syp if it would like to freshen up. “Yes, please,” it nodded.

“What color do you prefer to wear?”

“I have no preference. My color vision is limited.” Solrio showed Syp how to use the facilities. It didn’t take long before Syp was dressed in a light blue tunic and jeans. “Solrio, here is a hair for Dr. Inoday.”

“Did you pull that out?”

“No.”

“Let’s get something to eat.” She led Syp to a small eating room and showed Syp the food replicator. “Solrio. Hydigian salad with cheese dressing and a glass of iced tea.” She removed the plate and glass.

“Bavarian pot roast and cabbage schnitzel,” Syp said.

“Please state who the meal is designated for,” a computer voice said.

“Syp.” A plate of food appeared and Syp took it. “Syp. Water.” A glass of water appeared.

They joined the others at a table. The conversation was limited during the meal, and Syp slowly chewed the food. It put its fork down. “Is something wrong, Syp?” Solrio asked.

“This doesn’t taste like Bavarian pot roast or cabbage schnitzel.”

“Our food is made from a base of protein, carbohydrates, and fats that are designed for each person’s diet. It is synthesized into a visual format that is appealing.”

“This isn’t really meat or vegetables?”

“No.”

“Is there salt or pepper?” The adults looked at it. “You know, flavorings.”

“Aha! I know what you’re referring to. Our last visitors brought some things with them.” Meera went to a small storage unit in the corner of the room. She brought back a tray. After a minute of searching, Syp sprinkled its food with salt and mustard. It picked up its fork and resumed eating. “Is it acceptable now?” the teacher asked.

“Somewhat,” Syp replied. “Is all the food like this?” There was a chorus of yeses from the group. “Do you have any bugs in your enclave?”

“There are bees in the garden.”

“Bees are active supporters of the weather balance on Zuphreon. I believe in letting them do their jobs. I was thinking of crickets, mosquitoes, and worms.”

“There are worms in the flowerbeds,” Meera suggested.

“Would you mind terribly if I captured a few later?” Syp asked hopefully. “I’ll only take a few.”

“What will you do with them?”

“Eat them.”

The adults looked at one another. “Feel free to help yourself, Syp."

All day, Syp was prodded, poked and questioned. The time passed quickly, with one test after another. Each person would often think of another experiment after Syp went on to another area. When the evening meal was over, Syp was exhausted. It was shown how to adjust the bed and environmental conditions in a room adjacent to the medical lab. Syp lay down on the bed in its clothes.

Dr. Inoday entered the room. “Perhaps you’d prefer a different set of clothing for sleeping?”

“I don’t know. I normally sleep in lightweight woven underclothes.”

“Is that what you’d like?”

“I don’t know,” Syp said tiredly. “I can’t think.”

The doctor left for a moment and returned. “Try these.” Without hesitation, Syp stripped and donned the sleeping clothes. It lay back down. “I’d like to study your brain patterns while you sleep, Syp.” When it agreed to this, the doctor placed electrodes onto Syp’s head.

Dr. Inoday was hardly seated in front of the computer when it registered that Syp had entered deep sleep. As the night wore on, the doctor watched as wave after wave of deep sleep went across the screen. Early in the morning, he watched as Syp got up and used the toilet. After Syp returned to bed, it assumed a fetal position on its stomach and positioned itself on its forehead and knees. The doctor studied the monitors as the Stafriez balanced motionless on the bed. It rose after two more hours, dressed, and found the electronic pad. Syp sat on the bed moving the pad to various angles, trying to read. Exasperated, it spoke. “I wish I had some blue light.” The light turned on with a blue filter. “Darker.” After six tries, Syp moved to a different position against the wall. The doctor opened the monitor that connected to the reading pad and watched as Syp read a section of Trazenean history. It turned off the electronic pad and stretched out on the bed. In moments, Syp was asleep again.

Dr. Inoday had expected that Syp would enter REM-sleep at this time, and it did. It began to talk in its sleep and moved its head rapidly from side to side. “Awaiting your instructions. Guardian four oh three point sixty-eight.” For the entire sleep cycle, it repeated this phrase over and over. Eventually it pulled the blankets up around its chin. “I’m so cold.”

“Increasing room temperature,” a soft voice responded.

Syp’s vital signs dropped dramatically as time went by. The doctor watched as the heartrate dropped and brainwaves slowed. The line across the screens was nearly flat and Dr. Inoday was ready to race in to Syp if its heart stopped completely. For two hours, Syp maintained this condition before its heartrate slowly resumed a normal rate. REM sleep resumed, and it wasn’t long before Syp woke.

At the breakfast table, Syp shook salt onto what supposedly was eggs and bacon. It was not impressed. “Please eat, Syp,” Solrio urged it. “We don’t know where we’ll be for meals today.”

Dr. Inoday finished chewing a bite, then spoke, “Syp, can you tell us what something means?” Syp looked at him. “Guardian four oh three point sixty-eight.”

“I have no idea what that means.”

“You said this over and over in your sleep last night.” Again, Syp said it had no idea. “We’ll follow up with it later. You’ll be leaving here shortly. Pin this to your tunic.” The doctor handed Syp a personal communicator.

Syp couldn’t contain its curiosity. “Where are we going?” it asked Solrio.

“We are going to Kop on Trazene.”