World 53: The Path We're Born On

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[Task 53: Complete Project SPOTS] 

[Task Description: Successfully overcoming a devastating outbreak of Zerg, the humans of the Lennon Empire managed to capture the Zerg Queen. A wide array of studies began in efforts to understand the genocidal Zerg aliens, and in particular there existed an underground project in a heavily armed military base to artificially induce the next Zerg Queen in such a way that she could be kept alive forever and underneath human control. If the Zergs do not get a new Queen that can command them, then they cannot organize assaults on human civilizations. 

Thus, their threat level will decrease significantly. 

The project was named SPOTS (Specialized Permanence of Target Sovereign) proved to be successful. However, a momentary lapse in security following the death of the Zerg Queen resulted in the test subject breaking free. Luckily, First Officer Alexander Whiting, a supposed Beta and rising military star, was on scene and successfully eliminated the threat of the Zerg/human/Queen hybrid. 

This achievement gained him international acclaim, and his popularity skyrocketed after he was revealed to actually be an Omega.] 

Fei Chuan ran a hand down the containment glass. "An ABO world...well. Can't say I missed this." What he felt for it was more like what one felt for the rip roaring drunk throwing up his dinner on the bar stools. Disgust didn't even begin to cover it. "Who's the male lead?" 

In his reflection, he could see his earring periodically flashing green. "Processing..." buzzed the system.

[Male Lead: Tyrone Alkan. Alpha. Second-in-Command of the Delant Military Outpost. Current Instructor at Solaris University.....] 

Fei Chuan blinked, and looked down at his lanyard. On his identification card, it read, "Arthur Vinyard. Researcher at Delant Military Outpost..." Before he could say anything about that, the system continued. 

[Male Lead: Julius Hunter. Alpha. Major Actor. Future King of the Silver Screen.....] 

"...."

[Male Lead: Moran Corona. Beta. Empiric Advisor to the Throne...] 

Fei Chuan's lips twitched. The system continued to spew out the generated information. 

[Male Lead: Richard Oxford. Alpha. Son of the Prime Minister of the Freedom Empire....]

 "...you're kidding, right. That many?" 

The system allowed a long and entirely too suspicious pause. "..." 

[Male Lead: X Terminator. Beta. Mercenary of the Ballou Republic...] 

"....I need to sit down." 

******

Fei Chuan stared, unfocused, at the ground, legs crossed and hands steepled. At his back was the thick glass of a cryogenic chamber. "I've thought this through," he said, finally. "And I still can't figure out how'd it work. Does every lead get a weekday? Does he ever get any sleep? What happens during his heat? Hell, what happens during the Alphas' heats? All three of them..."

"...Dr. Vinyard?" the lab assistant asked tentatively. She'd stumbled upon him and had been nervously shifting her weight for a solid minute. "What...what are you talking about?" 

Sighing, Fei Chuan picked himself back up. "No, nothing. I was just having a minor crisis." He turned back to the chamber and watched the cluster of cells floating peacefully inside. "How far are we from completing Project SPOTS?" 

She laughed a little. "Looks like that still happens to the best of us," she teased, before sidling up to his side. Her smile faltered a little when he casually took a step to the side and away from her personal space. The lab assistant cleared her throat. "Um. It looks like we're almost done figuring out how to induce mitosis in the cells, but correct cell specialization is still an issue. You know cryogenic chambers," she made an awkward motion with her hand. "No maternal effects, no homeoboxes. We have to do it all manually, which is where you come in." 

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