Weslan could almost feel his intestines writhing like snakes as the cage’s remote locks disengaged, and the door swung free. The first of three monstrous creatures slowly emerged into the sealed experimentation room. It was a lithe beast that made Weslan think of a big cat, but with much sharper horns, and spikes along its armored tail. Two smaller animals joined the larger one, and they seemed more relaxed than before their operations. Instead of tearing around in a rage, they sniffed the air cautiously, before dropping onto their bellies and waiting patiently.
Even so, Weslan was still reassured by the inch thick reinforced glass that protected the observation booth.
Conscious of Rayker’s dispassionate gaze, he triggered another mechanism. A compartment in the wall pushed a towel into the room that immediately attracted the animal’s attention. As they sniffed it with interest, the creatures seemed to become confused, looking around and making keening sounds.
Weslan cleared his dry throat. “The towel is laced with a scent that triggers a rush of dopamine in their brains,” he explained.
His skin was grey and his eyes hollow with fatigue, but a spark of passion remained in his raw voice. He was proud of his incredible breakthrough in bioengineering; one he knew would change the world.
The creatures continued circling and sniffing the towel aimlessly.
“They know the control object is giving them a strong sense of motivation,” Weslan continued, “but they have no idea what it means. They could follow it around until they die of starvation.”
Standing next to him at the window, Reed watched dispassionately. “Like a religious man, with no prophet, no texts, and no inspiration,” she said.
Weslan nodded. “Quite an unpleasant experience.”
Rayker said nothing, and continued to watch.
Weslan took an aerosol can and sprayed it on a caged rat. He lifted the cage up to the wall compartment, opening the door to release the tiny animal as he triggered the transfer mechanism, and the rat scurried out into the experiment room. The creatures abandoned the towel and began to follow the newcomer. Once the rat calmed down, it allowed the creatures to approach closer. They were curious, sniffing it at first, then gently licking it with affection.
“A few days ago,” Weslan said, “these specimens killed every rat they saw immediately. But this rodent carries a scent that triggers a release of oxytocin in the creature’s brains, giving them a sense of love and attachment.”
“But if it didn’t have the scent, they would still kill it?” Rayker asked. “You haven’t interfered with their normal levels of aggression?”
Weslan nodded. “They would certainly kill it. I’m not sure how that could be changed without a much greater understanding of their neurological architecture. But this is still a wonderful breakthrough—”
His cheeks flushed as his mind caught up with what he’d said. He shouldn’t presume to congratulate himself. “I mean, Madam Rayker, I hope it meets your expectations.”
Rayker grabbed the aerosol can and sprayed herself with it. “Let’s find out,” she said, as she turned to leave the observation booth.
“No! Madam, please wait!” Weslan said to her retreating back, but he was ignored.
He tried to chase after her, but Reed stopped him. “Don’t bother,” he said. “She won’t be satisfied until she’s tried it firsthand.”
Weslan watched in horrified fascination as Rayker unlocked and opened the door to the experiment room, before stepping inside. The creatures spun around and raced over to her. Weslan’s heart stopped as the largest of them leaped into the air. It collided with her, but she caught it without trouble, the animal sniffing and licking her face like an excited puppy.
Weslan began to breathe again. All was well, though the scientific part of his mind made the quiet observation that Rayker was much stronger than she looked. An expression of genuine amusement appeared on her face—the first he had ever seen.
When she returned to the observation booth, she was smiling. “Good job Weslan. I’m glad to see you rose to the challenge.”
Weslan blushed, and his pride swelled. “I am grateful for your praise, Madam Rayker. However, I must explain further. This modification was only possible through extensive surgery. We had to graft artificial glands to the creature’s circulatory systems in operations that required the team’s medical researchers. It’s certainly a satisfying proof of concept, but we are no nearer to finding a way to affect one of these things in the wild.
Rayker looked at him with a puzzled expression, then she appeared to realize something. “Oh yes, of course. Well, time to show you the next part of the problem Weslan. Reed, be so good as to send a team down to the cages and fetch a new beast. Weslan, bring your aerosols, unless you want us to be eaten alive.” She laughed happily. “Oh, I’ll also need samples of the glands, and one of the surgical reports.”
Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
She led them through the tunnel that had previously been off limits to him, until they arrived at a large hall filled with machinery. At the center of the hall stood a trio of glass chambers. As they approached, Weslan stared in awe at the sophisticated looking technology.
“Do you have those samples?” Rayker asked him, as they reached an observation booth at the far end of the hall. When they entered, she activated a bank of computers and took the artificial organs that Weslan had brought. She placed them one by one into a scanning device.
“Those chambers over there,” she explained, as her fingers ran across a keyboard, “have the power to modify organisms without the need for surgery.” She looked up with a peculiar smile. “They are one of the medical breakthroughs we’ve been working on.”
“That’s incredible,” Weslan breathed as he stared in wonder at the devices. “I suppose this is what Doctor Kazran has been working on? How does it work?”
“Nanite reconstruction at the cellular level,” Rayker said. “The machines are programmed, then released into the chamber as vapor to infect the host. We can, as you will see, introduce an animal into the tube, and within minutes the modifications will be complete. Weslan, please describe to me the exact anatomical locations of the glands you want to install.”
He talked her through the anatomy of the creatures, and how the glands could be wedded to the blood stream and nervous system, thus making them a part of the organism. As he talked, she worked furiously at the console with a level of determination that he truly admired. Despite the pressure she had placed upon him, Madam Rayker was obviously a great woman, and her team was going to change the world.
A furious burst of screeching and howling broke out at the other end of the hall as four of the lab’s guards brought in one of the smaller creatures. It was lashing about in a rage, and they were struggling to keep it under control with their electrified leashes. Weslan stepped out of the booth as the monstrous thing was dragged up to one of the glass chambers and shoved inside, the leashes disengaging as the door snapped shut. Though the animal leaped at the glass, trying to pummel its way out, its claws didn’t even make a scratch.
Rayker didn’t look up or pause as she continued her work. Weslan wondered if he would one day be able to attain the same level of tireless focus.
She stopped tapping and gestured to Reed, who had been waiting by the chamber. He moved to a mounted panel to tap a switch, and the tube began to fill with a pale gas. The creature ceased its attack on the chamber’s wall, collapsed to the floor, and started to writhe around, apparently in pain. Weslan watched in horrified fascination. Even considering how vicious the things were, he didn’t like to see one suffering.
“Weslan?” Rayker said. She pointed to his spray cans. Weslan dragged his gaze away from the appalling spectacle in the chamber. He quickly applied the scent to himself, Reed and the other men in the room.
“Kid, if this doesn’t work,” one of the guards said as he drew a pistol, “I’m making sure you don’t get out alive.”
Weslan stared at him. “It should—I mean it will work,” he stammered, though suddenly his confidence had evaporated. Was this man serious? How could Rayker have hired someone so volatile?
The guard raised his eyebrows and tapped the pistol against his leg.
The chamber emitted a high pitch shriek, and Reed stepped forward to open the door.
The creature leaped out immediately, spinning around and growling. It sniffed the air, turning this way and that, as Reed backed away. It ignored them all, though the guards didn’t relax.
Rayker approached the creature and reached out her hand, but it snapped its jaws at her. As she crouched down, it began to calm until she touched its neck. The men in the room watched in awe as it began to purr while she patted its back and rubbed its head.
“Good job kid,” said the guard, holstering his pistol.
Weslan forced himself to smile. What a crudely unpleasant joke.
Rayker looked up at Reed. “Move to phase three,” she ordered.
Reed’s eyes flickered to Weslan. “Right now, Madam?”
She flashed him a look of annoyance, and Reed stiffened. “Of course, Madam.” He beckoned to several guards, who turned and left the lab.
Rayker played with her gentle, but terrifying new pet as though she adored it. She made baby noises and lifted its claws as though to perform a handshake. The creature sat patiently, apparently content to be the center of attention.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Weslan was surprised by the question, and had to make eye contact with Rayker to be sure that she had spoken. “Sorry, Madam?” he asked.
“This creature,” she said. “A thing of beauty, when it isn’t trying to kill you.”
“I suppose it has a charm,” he said, even though he hated the evil thing.
“They’re darlings really. Of course, you fear them, but that’s because you don’t control them. Or rather, you haven’t developed the confidence in your breakthrough needed to override your instincts. Once it serves you like a pet, you will find comfort in its ability to kill others.”
Weslan didn’t know what to say to that. He didn’t want to see any of the creatures ever again, much less use them to kill or hunt, or whatever Rayker was talking about.
She began jabbing at the creature, provoking it to play fight. The animal caught her hand in its mouth, and held it, apparently without biting down. It quickly let go, and she repeated the game.
“Every living thing must kill to survive, in one way or another,” she continued. “You’ve forgotten that, living your comfortable life in Rackeye, protected by the people you disdain.”
Weslan hesitated. Rayker had made a mistake—the first he had ever heard from her; plants or algae didn’t kill anything. But he also felt insulted by her accusation. “I don’t er… disdain anyone, Madam Rayker.”
“Certainly you do. You despise those who oppose the Helvetic League because they threaten your social network. You turn to the League like a son to his loving father because it provides you security. You don’t want to think about the men who have to kill to make that happen, because then you would have to face your own hypocrisy—that your world is built on the corpses of your enemies.”
Corpses? Killing? What was she talking about? Weslan’s mind reeled, but he tried to remember the respect he owed her.
“Many have had to die to make the League a reality, Weslan,” she said as she scratched the creature’s head. “And you wanted to serve the League, didn’t you? Make it stronger—make the galaxy a better place under their guidance?”
“Y-yes, Madam.”
Rayker left the creature and walked up to him, until her eyes were inches from his. He tried to ignore her intoxicating scent as her unblinking gaze mesmerized him.
“It’s time for you to grow up, Weslan,” she said firmly. “You must be a strong man. You must serve the league and do what is necessary. Will you be strong for me?”
He hesitated, but there could only be one response. “Yes, Madam. I would do anything.”
She smiled. “Good.” Then she moved back to the observation booth, and began inputting something into the computer.