Page 25 of Experimental Voyage
My eyes widened. After five minutes of enduring needle pricks and some poking and prodding, he opened the mirror and pointed it my way.
I remained me with the exception of a pair of ears similar to Palta’s although not quite the same. Mine were darker, matching my hair. I twisted around for a look at my tail, which was a darker version of Palta’s, matching my natural coloration. “I thought I’d be the same colors as her.”
Alban resumed observing the pair in the quarantine bay. “We modified the genes slightly to better adapt to your personal biology. It’s part of the hybridization process. While Palta contributed the genetics, we took those genetics and made them yours. They’re her tail and ears, but they’re your colors. We’ve found basic color matching during hybridization is easier on the patient. Children with hybridization that kept their animal’s natural coloration tended to have issues with the coloration. Their adaptations didn’t feel part ofthem, so we modify all hybrids now to account for that. Your eyes see that your furis the same color as your hair and eyebrows, and it feels more natural, as though it truly belongs to you. You should be able to look in the mirror and understand that Palta contributed the genetics but the fur isyours. The difference may appear small, but it’s an important part of sentient psychology. There are some individuals who are tolerant of hybridization as an adult. They’re evaluated through a more minor modification to test their tolerances. And well, there are those who have given themselves completely new bodies through the art of science, altering their genetics so completely they are no longer their birth species.”
“That’s really an issue?”
“Mhmm. You have already associated yourself with Palta, your donor. You are hesitating to indulge in something you would like and beginning the initial stages of isolation, as you fear a lack of separation between you and her. This is not the case. All Palta donated was a small sample of blood and her genetics. You are not her, and she is not truly a part of you. You share certain genetic traits now, but her genetic material donation is just a sliver of the entity that is you. Felines like Palta share 90.2% of their DNA withhomo sapiens.This is why we’re able to modify your genetic code with hers. There are already so many underlying similarities in your genetics. And as such, we can tweak your genetics to allow for the growth of a new set of ears and a tail.” Alban whistled. “Now they are fighting about how you could possibly be comfortablewithoutat least two cats of your very own to pet and dote over, as they have both noticed that you will shower Palta with affection at every possibility. To them, the only solution is more cats.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. Here. I will put an end to this matter in a way that will make you comfortable with the situation and see the truth of the matter.” Alban inhaled, and he honked, an explosive sound that rattled my brain in my skull and triggered a headache.“Enough, both of you. Before you become too enthusiastic in your discussion, it is wise to consider that young Camellia will need to undergo an apprenticeship with other species. Palta is unsuitable for such a venture into space. It was already planned as part of her experimental voyage. We do need to resolve this planetary exploration issue promptly, as we had already made arrangements for her to have such an opportunity. Palta and her kin would not fare well on that leg of her journey, and she has missed much of what the universe has to offer on her backwater world.”
Waldren’s eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms over his chest but said nothing.
Herserael relaxed, and something about the way his feathers ruffled on his crest gave me the feeling he held something back, although I couldn’t guess what. “This is quite true. The Deltans and Cremorans have offered a venture through our connections with the Crimson Crests. If we go by the original schedule, we will have her for the duration of her recovery, after which she’ll be introduced to the allied species of the Cremorans and apprentice in the field of her choice. She’ll return to her home world for a visit, after which we will be in rotation to host her again should we desire.”
Waldren’s eyes narrowed further. “Palta is perfectly capable of handling Cremorans. And Deltans? Pushovers. Friendly pushovers, but pushovers all the same.”
The Veloc bobbed his head, and I wondered what he meant to express. “They are influential pushovers who can help Camellia establish herself with otherhomo sapiens. Palta will have plenty of company. You need not worry yourself about that. It will take you time to find her an Andean companion. The idea of partnering Palta with another female is a good one, and if you acquire her companion as a kitten, Palta will not have an issue—or you could keep one of Palta’s daughters for yourself.”
“That won’t diversify the lines,” Waldren muttered.
“Then trade one of Palta’s kittens for a companion for her. Another option, one that won’t damage your ability to purchase an upgraded ship much.”
Alban bounded into the quarantine bay, careful not to bump into any of the storage boxes or equipment set up throughout the room. “Her six month venture would be plenty of time to look into the issue of kittens.”
“Perhaps Camellia would enjoy accompanying us when we search for a companion for Palta,” Waldren stated. “And it would give her time to decide for herself if she would like a pet of her own. The Deltans would make arrangements. They have a ship with foxes already.”
Puzzled, I regarded the man with my head tilted to the side. “Foxes? You mean the Earth canines?”
Waldren nodded. “Yes. The Deltans are typically a mixedhomo sapienssubspecies, but a purehomo sapienshas entered their lines. She’s from the straggler generational ship, and she was hybridized before birth to pick up traits of thevulpes vulpes.Her parents gifted her with a fox, and she received a second fox later. They’re being overrun with foxes, although most of theirs are being spayed or neutered unless entering a breeding program and living out their lives as beloved pets. Thevulpes vulpesare not endangered, and they inhabit numerous planets, ours included.” Sucking in a breath, his eyes widened, and he turned his attention to Alban. “Paltalovesfoxes. I could get her a fox, and Camellia could get a female Andean and a fox as well. If we both get female foxes, we can work on thevulpes vulpesdiversification project as well.”
The Veloc glared at Waldren, and as one, they began to hiss.
“What about that suggestion is making them dothat?” I blurted.
A rather playful grin made an appearance on the man’s face. “They’re cat people, and foxes are cat software on dog hardware, and theyhateit. They love fox behavior, but they look at a fox and think about dogs, and they arecatpeople. If it’s an animal, I love it.”
“That’s the appropriate attitude to have. I’ve seen pictures of foxes, but I’ve never seen one in person. We don’t have them at our school, but I think we have some in one of the zoos.”
“They can be a bit rambunctious, which makes space travel hard for them. The Crimson Crest foxes are modified for higher intelligence, and they can still be a bit problematic.” Waldren laughed, and he went back to his work, sorting through the storage boxes to preemptively set up quarantine sectors for everybody should the venture off the ship not go to plan. “The Deltan foxes are highly trainable, useful for salvage ventures, and excellent companions. However much I love Palta, she’s hard to train, and it took me a year and a half to get to the point Icouldbring her into space safely. It takes a month to do the preliminary training of the Deltanvulpes vulpes.I could take another Andean into space now, but only because I can install the special cages of cat containment for sketchy situations. I had to start Palta with the cage for situations, but now she’ll go into her nest when ordered, as she knows it’s either go to her nest or get tossed into the cage. I set up cages in most major sections of the ship in case of emergency. It only takes a few seconds to toss her in, close it up, and start up the cage’s life support system. Her nest is more comfortable, and she knows it—but the cage will keep her alive during an emergency, too.”
I turned to Alban, who joined Waldren in sorting through boxes and assembling the temporary quarters we’d need in case of quarantine. “Perhaps Waldren and Palta could come with me during the apprenticeship period?”
After a moment of hesitation, the Veloc replied, “He would become quite bored, likely. He loves to fly. He is not all that keen on learning about plants and the many ways they might kill him. He might be game to take you to places where the plants might try to kill you, however.”
The glare Waldren shot at the Veloc implied the large predator would come to a brutal end sooner than later. “I could take up an apprenticeship to set up a botany lab in the new ship. If I can afford something larger, a botany lab isn’t out of the question.”
Alban hooted, and he winked at me. “That’s a sneaky way of saying he wouldn’t mind having a garden in his next ship. But he is not at all capable of caring for plants at this point in time. Watch him the first time he gets dirt under his nails. The beast emerges. He will tear his nails off making sure his fingertips are clean.”
“Wear gloves,” I suggested.
Waldren scowled at me. “I don’t like feeling dirty.”
With a loud snort, Alban returned to work, shaking from the effort to keep from making some other sound, likely explosive hoots of laughter. As I was far from innocent, I joined the feathered murder machine, snickered, and resumed my task, which involved moving boxes to the appropriate place, guided by anyone who happened to know what I was supposed to be doing.
“Wrong kind of dirty, you perverts!”
