Arachnos Mutagenics Updates

Lusca: a gargantuan cephalopod (said “kephalopod” if properly using Latin pronunciation) that apparently lurks in Independance Port. Our ceaseless tracking of this organism has resulted in some of the first photographic evidence of its existance; additionally, we managed to obtain some of its genetic material from the resulting carnage as it was driven back. As these were taken in Paragon City proper, our Lab Assistant had to go incognito. Wearing a red shirt and black slacks tucked into his boots, he was able to infiltrate the city undetected; enough so to ride their monorail system to his destination.

The photographic body of work he produced, entitled tentatively “Calamarilamity,” is a study in the behavior and appearance of the gigantic cephalopod. We will use it and the samples to completely reconstruct the phylogenetic tree of this organism and trace back to suitable tissue culturing hosts. And then many a dream will be realised: an effective ink sac for all!

Okay, it’s official: Hoskins has got a position in Black Scorpion’s operation on organics countermeasures. Of all of the people to get it, I hope they are happy with that guy. He’s a sponge; sits there and drains the accomplishments of others while contributing little but procedural blocks to innovation. I’ve heard him yelling in his authoritarian tone many a time, and if Black Scorpion thinks he’s got a “team player” he’d better think again. I don’t think he deserves it, but maybe they’ll just have to come to that realization themselves. I’ve blocked his cell number as well, just so he can’t call me for “research suggestions” that somehow end up in his weekly reports on his progress.

Praise to your face, lies behind your back. Good riddance I say. At least he’s rigid enough that we’ll know well ahead of time what countermeasures he’s dreamed up.

Our current contracting arrangements are not looking good. Funding has been transferred to another corporate group (reputedly the “Blood Widows” – who knew they were part of a corporation: “Widow Shadow Cabal LLC”) for the upkeep of non-mechanical security for Arachnos. The continued reliance of Arachnos on robotics as well has us worried. While robotics have advantages, all it would take is a single informational virus to access all of their behavioral protocols. Biological entities, however, while they take more training time and care and feeding do not have a single-point-of-failure intellect.*

Unfortunately, the above circumstance has resulted in a hiring freeze, so we have to change the company culture to not treat Lab Assistants as disposable. This is difficult, as their break room is currently known as the “Paper Soldier” room. That reminds me – the newest and apparently last for a while recruits had their security training this morning. It consisted primarily of “Lesson One: How to Run Without Falling Down.” The second half of the course is “Using Your Injector.” We’ve invited some Arachnos bigwigs to witness this part of the training, as we will be demonstrating the injectors on a monkey. They turn anyone – or anything – into a fighting juggernaut. However, the effects are temporary and have some side-effects and drawbacks; but then, so do normal weapons (hearing damage, tendon damage, inhaled expended accelerants…). Ours just involve a few behavioral problems. And result in some discoloration. Permanent discoloration. Okay, they glow in the dark. But tell me: who wouldn’t want the ability to glow in the dark?

*Except Brute chassis models

Now that we are close to a release date, we can lift the lid on a few of the preliminary sketches. Mind you, the final product might look totally different:

Cute, isn’t he? This is one of the earlier sketches. Moving this to the production phase has required quite a bit of work, and included snake, monkey, spider, and even some Rikti bits. The blueprints (the layout and DNA design) have taken some six weeks, and now that we have the go-ahead to remove the Epehmeroptera bits, they will last longer than a few days. About time if you ask me: the earlier revs were really starting to clog the chipper and incinerator.

A few more designs are around from before in the Prototype Gallery, under the “Our Technology” heading. Our designers have been active for a while, but we really haven’t had the opportunity to showcase our designs other than at the conventions.

With the opening of the new West Wing, I’m hoping to see more counter space open up. As it is, we are still short-handed regarding lab assistants, and we’ve yet to get a new LAW.

My own projects have slowed a little, and specifically the batches of infected and non-infected monkeys have gotten mixed more than once. They are due to be marketed at a discount and marked as an “assortment” with a few rats thrown in for good measure. I really hope we get better quality control, but until we get a new LAW we can’t hire a new QA person. I’ve been pushing for more than one LAW, but management says they might come into conflict. I’ve been drawing up plans for territories and color-coding for lab assistants, so we might get more than one yet.

Today was new recruits day – the day our Lab Assistants arrive to start their duties. I’ll admit I was in a bit of a daze at first, seeing so many short-coats with their limbs still intact, five-fingered hands waving at me nervously. But they signed up, and soon enough they would show whether they merited a scholarship or disability leave. Disability leave was the norm for those that survived.

Our first reportable event occurred within minutes, with a fellow named “George” getting a little too curious around the cages marked “Keep Clear – BIOHAZARD.” Any parts of George that had not managed that were no longer apparent.

Once the cleanup was over, the first job at the lab many of them had, the Lab Assistant Wrangler, or as he likes to be known: “the LAW,” showed up. Let the shouting commence! So many were back to washing glassware that there was a crowding at the tub, even though many didn’t know what they were doing. Papers ended up “filed” in the autoclave (which can, I suppose, look like a safe…), agar plates ended up stacked and cleaned (ruining the cultures, I might add…) and the remainder of the researchers quickly covered their projects to make sure any random bits weren’t taken to be washed. We’ve had talks with the LAW before, but he doesn’t seem to get the difference between a culture and a dirty agar plate. News: a dirty agar plate is UNCOVERED, doesn’t have a DATE and TIME on it, and isn’t labeled with a SEAL saying DANGER: PATHOGENIC!

I am so going to have to have a talk with LAW one of these days. Still, he apparently is going to be transferred over to the West laboratory. So we’ll see how that goes.