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Peach Bringer
a7a180
>follow the arrows!
>It's what you're on this planet for, after all
Some people might set aside their insatiable curiosity when trespassing in a tribe of killer ants’ territory. I am not some people.
We continue down the corridor, checking for room numbers and sentries every couple of feet. Or is it inches? I’ll stick with feet for my own sanity. 2212 is another laboratory, messy but free of broken shards. We know roughly where to look now and spot a familiar arrow straightaway. The message here says:
TAFL
go to 2125
So close…
That room number must be pretty far down the hall. I’m starting to wonder if we’ve run the clock out on our element of surprise.
Since we’re already here, we might as well check out this lab too. The look on Jaina’s face is hard to read as I motion to her to watch the door. Our search turns up nothing until we reach the back. There are two doors here, each leading to a room with a one-way mirror wall allowing a clear view inside, once we wipe some dust off. One of the rooms has been claimed by someone as a personal stash. Two beds are pushed together and piled high with pillows next to a makeshift vanity with handmade combs and curlers. There’s even a dataslate hung on the wall to use its polished backside as a mirror. Somewhere around here, there must be a Beformican whose hairdo is fabulous. Out of curiosity, I take the slate down while Anet searches the stash to see if it still works. Ah, yep!
–MSC Biology Division–
Electronic Messenger
Sent Messages: 3
***
To: intern2@teamspice.mscb4f
Subject: RE: Project Spice press release preview
This makes me want to die. Of embarrassment. Why don’t you read that again and then take a good, long look in the mirror.
-Dr. Hearth
–
Original message below:
To: Dr. Hearth
Subject: Project Spice press release preview
Here’s the latest copy for the information campaign! What do you think so far?
Is having fun getting BORING? Don’t you wish that fooling around was more productive? Why not be REproductive? Try Dr. Hearth’s Love Juice! This cutting edge mood enhancer is guaranteed* to lift your spirits and get you feeling excited to hatch some eggs, eggs that will lay faster and smoother than ever! Experience the joys of motherhood like never before through the power of science! Available for free(!) at your local creche.
“A little chemistry has greatly increased my chemistry with my partner...” -Mica Menthis
“Dr. Hearth’s Love Juice has got antennae turning my way everywhere I go.” -Samantha Chiron
“I want to have babies! So many babies!” -INSERT NAME HERE
Coming soon, you’ll be able to find Dr. Hearth’s Love Juices in several new products, such as bubble baths and perfume for men!
*=Projected results not guaranteed. Offer valid while supplies last. Ask your doctor before taking Dr. Hearth’s Love Juice if you are pregnant or nursing, as it is probably redundant. This message was paid for by the Overseer’s Office of Natal Technology Solutions.
***
To: Dr. Hearth@teamspice.mscb4f
Subject: Note to self
Ugh.
Ugggggh.
I am trying my best to run this project efficiently, but nobody else is taking this job seriously. Just because our testing process is about getting the subjects in the mood, my science team is treating this job as an easy way to get laid! Getting people laid isn’t the problem, it’s making them want kids as part of the deal. Fewer Formicans are undergoing the transition to queen, preferring their consequence-free lifestyle as a swinger worker. It seems even the once indomitable colony spirit of the Formican worker has eroded over the years we’ve spent underground. Worse yet, research on the second stage is failing to make any progress. The drug’s effects so far are barely distinguishable from the placebo.
All of the overseer’s hopes are riding on this project, but I fear she’ll be disappointed no matter what. You can’t concoct a magic potion to fix a society-wide issue. How are we going to feed these children? Who’s going to teach them the technical skills we so desperately need? We don’t know who the teams working on those issues are, but I sure hope they exist.
***
To: everyone@teamspice.mscb4f
Subject: Memo
Good morning, Team Spice. We’ve had a lot of fresh faces join recently, so it’s time to give this talk again. I get this question every so often from new team members: We already know what chemicals induce the physiological transition to queenhood. Why don’t we just add them to the serum, spike the water supply and call it a day?
The answer is quite simple: because forcing this change on everyone is not the answer. People would be surprised, upset, and might even abstain from copulating rather than deal with unwanted children. This runs counter to our project’s core aim to encourage population numbers, and would be a huge breach of public trust.
Frankly, I’m ashamed I have to answer this question, repeatedly. Even our “esteemed colleagues” at the gene therapy lab aren’t planning to surprise the populace with a one-way transformation. They’re quite up front about it. My lab won’t be the one to stoop to such underhanded tactics.
Try your best to think of solutions, people, the fate of Formicankind is depending on us.
“Hey, score!”
“Hm, what’d you find Anet?”
“A vial of pink stuff, and it smells really good!”
I take a whiff myself, but I don’t smell what the fuss is about. “...Is this the stuff they were working on in this lab?”
<And just what are you planning to do with a thousand year old love potion?> Pent asks.
“Hey, you never know.”
>Obtained: Serum Experiment X-0.X
We’ve done nearly a full circuit of this floor’s main hall. We just passed by the stairway, so we know where it is now.
>Use the stairs
>Follow the arrow, we have to know!
>Other: >_
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