“Termination does not warrant execution!”
“You’re a lawyer, Michael, you know how open to interpretation the English language is.”
“This is not a joke.”
“Am I laughing?” asks Caufmann.
“What kind of work is so sensitive that you have to shoot anyone leaving?”
“This installation is the foremost of its kind. Our experiments involve some of the most dangerous materials and pathogens known to this world. Some of these experiments would reach untold material wealth.”
Gainsford doesn’t seem convinced. “But—”
“I can explain it all to you but you’d never be allowed to leave the lower levels of the lab,” interrupts Caufmann.
Gainsford leans back almost as if slapped, “The rumours are true, aren’t they? The illegal research, the viruses, it’s all true.”
Caufmann’s smile makes his strong features look gaunt and nearly diseased, “If I tell you, you’ll become a permanent resident.”
Gainsford says his brief goodbyes and exits the room leaving Rennin with Caufmann.
“Sir?”
Caufmann grunts. “I’ve told you not to call me that, Ren.”
“Either way, I have a question, Billy.”
Caufmann arches an eyebrow and sighs, “Sir it is.”
“There is a Beta HolinMech unit in city.”
“I know that.”
“They also want to apprehend the Progenitor-class,” says Rennin unable to stop himself.
“I know.”
“I should have mentioned this a while ago. They have a backup objective.”
Caufmann’s eyes become infinitely more focussed.
“They’re after someone codenamed: ‘Arbiter’.”
Caufmann doesn’t move but something in his eyes turns sharp.
Rennin isn’t sure if he should tell Caufmann anything more, but his mouth just keeps talking without any real permission, “They mentioned you.”
“Did they?” Caufmann’s tone is becoming cold.
“Well it might have been in passing,” says Rennin quickly, “only to say that you said Arbiter was the pinnacle of something.”
Rennin is sure he’s imagining it but Caufmann’s presence seems to be throwing a cold chill into the room.
“You didn’t think to mention this before?” asks the doctor, boring a hole through Rennin’s eyes.
The watchman is feeling very anxious now, “Look, sir, I just thought you’d be interested in—”
“I am. Continue.”
Rennin takes a slightly shaky breath. This is ridiculous, he’s a war veteran and shouldn’t be so scared of someone he describes as a desk jockey, “That’s about all, really. I’m guessing you didn’t give them the mission.”
“Not the secondary mission.”
Rennin decides not to push for any more information since he’s already feeling a little underwater, “I should leave you to it, sir,” he says making a move to stand.
“Sit.”
Rennin is back in the chair before he even registers the word.
Caufmann remains silent for a moment, just taking his time to eye Rennin closely. “I don’t know who gave them their secondary objective but I imagine it was the Progenitor-class posing as me. They have the ability to mimic voices and it’s not difficult to fake a hologram of another person. The only thing I find strange is that if it’s the Progenitor-class unit I think it is, it already knows where the Arbiter-class is.”
“It’s Forgal Lauros isn’t it?”
“Yes, he is an Arbiter-class.”
“What about Saifer Veidan? He was one of the commanders, too,” asks Rennin.
“Veidan is a different model, he has his own division.”
“Do all androids have their own class to play in?”
Caufmann smiles, “Only the early ones. They made a lot of changes from unit to unit during the implementation and test phases. Most of the following units were assigned to the same class.”
“How do you know all this? You’re a little young.”
“I’m a geneticist.”
So what? “Why are you even telling me this stuff? I’m not ending up in the lower levels like those other prisoners.”
“If you think this is sensitive information, I pity you,” Caufmann pauses and his expression turns distant for a moment, “Or do I envy you?”
Rennin decides not to answer, “Sir, I think I’ll return to my post,” he says standing up and walking out.
Caufmann stares at the empty chairs on the other side of his desk for a moment, “That Progenitor wants Beta HolinMech to uncover Forgal Lauros. Why? Do you think Beta HolinMech will destroy the remains for you?” he smirks, “Is there any Forgal left?”
Caufmann buzzes his assistant and summons Doctor Talati Hillon to see him. His assistant is about to protest but Caufmann cuts the line. He does not have time for pointless arguments right now. He has too much to do.
He muses a while longer before the door to his office flies up into the bulkhead, revealing a haggard looking scientist with blonde hair and blood stains on her coat, “What is it, William? This had better be important,” she says walking over and sitting down.
“Very well, I shan’t mince words. The experiment is nearly complete but the vaccine has come too late. The Progenitor has already released a contagious disease that gestates a parasite capable of terrible things. There are dozens of bodies in the lowest level of the lab being dissected. Some of them were brought in once the infection turned fatal but others had turned and attacked others.
“The infection from the original toxin takes a long time to fully complete its incubation cycle. When the infected person then contaminates another person, it implants a strain already adapted to the human body, hastening the process,” says Caufmann.
“There are dozens of bodies in the lowest level of the lab being dissected. Some of them were brought in once the infection turned fatal but others had turned and attacked others. How widespread is the infection?”
Caufmann sighs, defeat printed across his face, “Current estimates put contamination at over half of the city total.”
“How is that possible? It’s not airborne,” says Hillon.
“It is a synthetic DNA that’s been adjusted to be a contagious mutagen. We still haven’t found a sample of the original pathogen. We only know what it does, not where it comes from,” says Caufmann.
“The vaccine should work for those who remain uninfected, but there is a chance that it may do nothing or even accelerate the infection in those already exposed,” asks Hillon.
Caufmann’s jaw visibly clenches. “My organic shipments of test subjects were denied by the Portmaster, I haven’t field tested it. We have no one here to test it on.”
“What about more convicts?”
Caufmann laughs, “Because their lives are worth less?”
“No one misses them. It isn’t like they’re a considerable loss to society,” says Hillon.
“Justification any way possible? I don’t draw those distinctions, a test subject is a test subject. I will kill one to save two, thousands to save millions. That’s the only logical way to deal with this.”
“You find it that easy?”
“I no longer feel required to feebly grasp at tattered ideals to remain sane.”
Hillon blinks a couple of times, “Then what are you going to do?”
“I’m field testing it in the city. It’s the only way, we have no time to test it in the lab in a controlled environment. By the time we get the results we need, the infection will be total.”
“You may have just killed an entire city!”
“Raddocks Horizon is one city next to an entire planet. This city is already dead.”
Hillon remains silent for a long moment, “So there’s not going to be an evacuation?”