ataraxion | 001

[ ENCRYPTED 75% TO MEDICAL AND XENOBIOLOGY/GENETICS STAFF + BRUCE BANNER: ]
I took the liberty of checking out the blood samples we were able to get from the creatures at the end of the maze. Some of them seemed to have bacterial infections, which isn't surprising, but I also checked them against known DNA samples from Earth.

I don't want to alarm anyone, which is why I've encrypted this for now, but so far the results are all coming back in essentially the same manner. The DNA of these creatures is a mix between Earth creatures -- the lion is a large component, and there are also what appears to be genetic material from the Australian dingo and some sort of crocodile. However, at the present time it appears as though the largest genetic contribution comes from human beings.

Obviously the samples may have been compromised, as I've really only been able to work off their blood and some hair. I'm going to request a larger sample, preferably an entire specimen -- dead, obviously. Hopefully we can get more answers, and hopefully the human genetic material was just cross-contamination.

[ OPEN: ]
I've heard a few things about people returning to the end of the maze to clear out the rest of the creatures, in addition to a possible salvage operation. My name is Elizabeth Ross -- I'm a cellular biologist and university professor back home. If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to request a mostly intact -- though definitely dead -- specimen of the creatures. I'm sure there are a lot of people who are wondering just what they are and how they got here, not to mention how they've survived the jumps, and I'm hoping that an entire specimen might be able to give us some answers.

How is everyone feeling?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I guess the question becomes why would we reverse engineer them, so to speak. For us, or for them? And then, what are the potential gains versus what they'd have to endure.

My vote goes to allowing whoever the poor bastards were a little dignity, but I also understand we're not in the best position here.

So far it seems to be for them. But that... I don't know that there's anything human left, not from what I've heard. Intelligence, yes, but animal intelligence. [ Different from him. She hopes he realizes that. ]

No, we're not. There's already a crew planning on going out to clear them out.

All we can do is hope there aren't more secrets with sharp teeth laying in wait for us. It's one thing to be stuck here, another to not know what's around us. Someone told me they'd guess this place is the size of a small city. The odds of all these undiscovered areas being harmless is... well. [ not great. ]

I saw. [ and grieved a little, disgusted with people. extermination is an ugly, foul business. that much glee at destruction displayed seems obscene.

he could be over-identifying. ]

From what I've heard, nothing about this ship is harmless.

[ It's not visible, but Bruce knows her well enough that he can probably tell the point when Betty starts to rub her temples, elbows on the nearest raised horizontal surface. ]

I'm going to run a few more tests, see if I can't pin some numbers down. I also have someone coming by who was bitten by one of the creatures, but then I'll head back. How are you feeling?

Agreed.

[ he clears his throat, shrug audible. ]

A little weak, nothing I can't push past. It seems like those of us who were newer lucked out, as far as statis sickness allows for luck.

That's good. [ Pause. ] Do you want me to bring you anything?

001 | video

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voice | locked 98%

voice | locked 98%

voice | locked 98%

voice | locked 98%

voice | locked 98%