Field Trials - Update 2

So thanks to a very generous donation from someone wishing to remain anonymous, we have enough for 3 more pictures by Solios to portray the transformation of RhondaMcCampbell.  

We are in the process of developing this sequence now and hope to have it ready for posting next week.  Stay tuned!

The Rehabilitation of Princess - 11

"Whas goin' on downstairs?  It's 3 in the mornin'...."

Story by thrandrall, art by zanfadar.

Solios - Field Trials 5

15JUL15 0800 GMT (H+12)

{AI recognizes voiceprint of Chairwoman Francesco - automatic recording systems activated}"Well, I just finished the conference call.  The board has decided to hold off on any final determination regarding Heinrich till the next official monthly meeting."

"Well, that was the general consensus in CIC as well Chairwoman.  Forensics is having a heckuva time deciphering the notes we recovered for these and other substances - and Chems isn't having much more luck reverse-engineering the samples.  We'll probably need to debrief him *fully* on the back end of this incident before taking any of these further."

"You read my mind Shelly.  What's the status here now?"

"Well, all three subjects have displayed next to no reaction to being moved again from the container to their current holding cell.  Best we can tell, they're still totally high."

"Any further changes from the last report?"

"Well, nothing has been noted in the last hour - it appears that even a serious overdose for any of these three substances (individually at least) is not enough to be fatal - but obviously we only have the single cases to base this judgment on - although frankly, they weren't exactly the picture of good health 12 hour ago either."

"Sounds good.  I'm officially closing out emergency event I3BXXXY071315-1.  All further research will follow routine corporate protocols. Good work all of you.  We'll handle Ms. McCampbell in a few days. {voiceprint ends, pause recording}

Field Trials - Update

Thanks to a very generous donation, we now have three more stages in the forthcoming sequence, bringing us up to a minimum of five pictures for the entire project.  Donations like this (with feedback) also allow us to target our designs in directions you'd like to see.  (since I never get comments here anyways).

Appreciate the support.

Pic 5 of "Field Trials" will be posted tomorrow.

The Rehabilitation of Princess - 10

"Gotta get a look at myself."

Story by thrandrall, art by zanfadar.

Field Trials Interim - Poll 2

Thank you very much to everyone who voted - now is the opportunity to put your money where your mouth is:

We'll start with a timeframe of 1 week and see if we can't build any momentum from that - I'm hoping it's enough time, but it may be open a little longer than that.  Initial Deadline: Midnight EST Wednesday 26 Aug.

Based on your votes:

You're donating to support images portraying the transformation of chief of security Rhonda McCampbell from this:

To something potentially closer to this (although we're finalizing details right now...I think we'll have a few new surprises this time).

I have already paid for the first and last image in this sequence.  The interim images are up to your generosity.  $60 for every stage - and I will pay the balance for a partial stage. 

Currently: 2 Images.

All donations will be counted towards the total (I'll eat the paypal fees), but for easy addition, each donation should be at least $1.  I'll post updates every couple of days (as my schedule allows) - on a little sidebar section - so stay tuned.

Donations can be made via my paypal account - the same as my donation art project.  Just leave a note letting me know it's for Solios!  Of course, if you'd like to donate for another art project at the same time - that's too easy - just drop me a line via email afterwards!

Solios - Field Trials 4

14JUL15 0200 GMT (H+6)

{AI recognizes voiceprint of Chairwoman Francesco - automatic recording systems activated} "So you've got her secured?  Good.  She's still a valuable employee and we have plans for her."

"Chairwoman?  We've regained visual.  Should be a solid feed from here on in."

"Glad to hear it.  Wow!  Just wow.  Did they accept the transition to the transport just like that?"

"Well the retrieval team reported no issues - other than a few nosy neighbors - easily tranked."

"It was a pretty simple transfer apparently - the forklift was the only equipment required - the container was just the right size."

"Let's hope the central one doesn't pack on too much more in the next couple of hours."

"The holding facility is more than equipped to handle anything up to a couple of tons with what they have on hand."

"All that activity, movement...and practically no physical reaction whatsoever.  Looks like Heinrich was on to something at least.  I guess we can add that to the list of side effects for each one....although the one on the right sure does look a little freaked."

"Well, the retrieval team wasn't able to pry the controller out of her hands - she's got a grip like a vice.  Makes things a little weirder since we couldn't fit the TV or console in the container....so we're not exactly sure what she's looking at."

"Well, the next time they stop for gas, make sure they give her some eye drops or something - we're not looking at permanent damage here."

The Rehabilitation of Princess - 9

Waking up in the middle of the night.  Something feels different.

Story by thrandrall, art by zanfadar.

Mertail - Containment Breach 5

 

Containment Breach

 

Story and Images by Mertail

 

Part 5: Conclusion

 

    Katie Oswald worked as one of the many junior accountants at TransRepo Industries.  Normally, that meant she and her team stayed pretty much in the sixth and seventh floors of the main building.  Today, something was different.  She was touring part of the newly developed Nanite Containment Facility.  There were some minor irregularities in the cost reporting and they needed to be rectified before the monthly reports could be completed.  Her, along with two other junior accountants, and her immediate supervisor were in a group of temporary cubicles just outside the Biological Level 2 Containment Zone.

    She caught as strange flicker in the air but it had vanished when she turned her head towards it.      After looking around a while, she decided it had to be some kind of hallucination or something.  She returned to the pile of invoice slips that had become her duty to reconcile.  She really wished these scientists would take better care when doing the accounts.  Didn’t they know how important it was?

    After a few hours, she noticed an itch at her waist and absentmindedly brushed the dark hairs away.  Sheena’s hair, she noted mentally.  How could that dog lose so much hair chasing frisbees and not end up bald?  When the hair didn’t brush away, she tugged at it.  It was solidly attached.  This was strange.  She walked over to the women’s washroom for a closer look at the hair.

Mertail - Containment Breach 4

 

Containment Breach

 

Story and Images by Mertail

  

Part 4:  Reactions

    Betty Kowalski was working in the computer server area.  She was helping on of the technicians thread a new fiberoptic bundle through the already crowded collection of cables that already filled the cable bay.

“There should be an easier way,” she muttered.

“Not without breaking the containment seal on the other side of the wall,” the technician responded.

“Are we that close to …”

“Level 2 is on the other side.  We’re just running an line to the virus lab.  Good thing.  They’d kill us all if we had to shut down level 2 like we did last time.  Seems even a few days is more than they want to give up.”

“We’re not in any danger?”

“No.  The virus side’s been virtually shutdown for months.  Nothing hazardous in there any more.”

“Oh.  Was there?  Before?”

“Don’t know.  All I know is we had to work in the damned hazmat suits ten months ago when we recalled the building.”

    A jet of silvery mist caught Betty in the face.  Unconsciously she inhaled, lost consciousness and fell from the ladder she was standing on.  Her partner, hearing the crash, quickly came to her aid.  She was barely breathing but a quick first aid assessment showed no apparent broken bones.

Mertail - Containment Breach 3

 

Containment Breach

 

Story and Images by Mertail

 

 

Part 3:  Visitors

 

     Imogene Bellamy wasn’t even a member of the staff when this had all started.  She’d been visiting her Mom at lunch.  She’d been working with a company a short distance up the road as part of a work partnership program associated with the local technical college’s Work Placement program.  She’d not seen but smelled a strange metallic scent as a fine silvery mist poured from an overhead ventilation duct.  Neither she nor her mother thought anything of it until her mother got home that evening.

“Mom,” Imogene began with a slight whine in her voice.  “I feel terrible.”

Mertail - Containment Breach 2

Containment Breach

Story and Images by Mertail

Part 2:  "Human" Resources

    Tammy Rothschild had graduated from the local technical college only five weeks prior.  She’d done very well in the office management course she’d taken and was pleased to be able to give her notice at the dead end job she’d worked in since high school.  TransRepo paid ever so much more and, in a few years time, she’d be able to work her way up and make even more!!

    Her first few days on the front desk were pretty normal.  Aside from having to get another of the office managers to cover for her whenever HR decided she needed to fill in yet another form, it was pretty simple.  The fourth day, she and the other new hires were put through the Corporate Introduction Session.  It covered all kinds of things that her diploma hadn’t covered such as evacuation drills and shelter-in-place drills and where the emergency biosafe areas were.  The trainers made much of the fact that, though such events should never occur, the release of one of the biologically active agents from the secure labs might happen.  They needed to know what to do.  Even if no one ever expected to actually have to do it.

Mertail - Containment Breach 1

Well now, I've got to get more content posted while we're waiting on the next set of voting results.

This week I am very happy to present my first full commissioned story (with illustrations) by Mertail.

So, without further ado (tune in all week for updates) - after all....what's a normal day at TransRepo Industries without a little mishap?

Containment Breach

Part 1:  Release in the Lab

     It started as a normal day in the Biogenetics Lab of TransRepo Industries.  The current project, under way now for nearly two years, was a simple one to describe but fiendishly difficult to implement.  An unexplained, as yet, rise in the number of people needing service dogs with increased capability was fostering feverish research into genetic methods to increase canine intelligence.  The original work had been with virus carriers for the new genetic material.  This created some interesting small steps in the first few months.  The unfortunate problem was that you had to wait for the puppies to be born and mature a bit before you could see the actual effects of your genetic tinkering.  That all changed with the creation of the first DNA compatible nanites.  These microscopic machines, working in tandem, could completely restructure the adult animal based upon the changed DNA that the viruses had introduced into the animal’s cell nucleus.  Instead of waiting for the next generation, you could get good indications immediately (or at least a few days).  Of course, the puppies would be a step beyond that having actually grown up with the modifications and would have the advantage of learning to use the enhancements completely.  Regardless, it did speed research considerably and ensured that the puppies would be good candidates for further enhancement even if they didn’t meet the final requirements.  The results had been so spectacular that some of their canines had doubled their intelligence in only three generations.

The Rehabilitation of Princess - 8

Time to de-stress.  Tomorrow's another day.

Story by thrandrall, art by zanfadar.

Field Trials Interim - Poll

So, we've reached the point where we handle the next poll - and it's up to you to decide which way we go with this.

Obviously we have the possibility of exposing Chief of Security Rhonda McCampbell to JY89BR or HE36YU (right and center characters respectively).  

However, looking at TransRepo Industries recent lines of testing, we have a few other options available:

Exposure to substance from Parallel D4E - no idea what specific effect it'll have on her but we have some previous indications.

Cosmetics Testing - it turns out that just as the Beauty Department is looking for a cheap, rapid means of producing high-grade ambergris, Custom Biologicals may have a solution (of sorts).

Agricultural Operations Support - multiple options available, leave a comment.

Agricultural Production Support - again multiple....if similar options :)

So please feel free to vote, leave feedback, etc.  If you can't see the poll, enable permissions for the site.

And please be ready to put your money where your mouth is on this project - the more donations, the more arts in the sequence!

Solios - Field Trials - Interim 1

{AI recognizes voiceprint of Chairwoman Francesco - automatic recording systems activated}  "They're on the way in - excellent.  Well now, speak of the devil, Director Heinrich and let's see....local chief of security Rhonda McCampbell."

"Madam Chairwoman, I can explain everything."

"Shut your hole right now Peter.  You're damn lucky you got promoted to Director last year.  The board will render judgment on you at the meeting next week.  Get him out of my sight."

"Right away Chairwoman."

"You though...Rhonda....you're the one I'm interested in.  I guess you thought you had a pretty good thing going on."

"I'm not sure what you mean Ma'am."

"You will address me as Chairwoman.  And I'm pretty sure you know exactly what I'm referring to.  We've had a couple hours here to go digging while waiting for you to show up.  What did we come up with Shelly?"

"Well Chairwoman, it was hidden well enough to evade a surface scan, but once forensics was given direction to investigate, it was pretty simple - blackmail of senior members of HR, embezzling to finance non-vital cosmetic surgery, improper/illegal use of company cybernetics for personal reasons."

"There was something else wasn't there?  (And as an aside, I can't say your surgeon did you a lot of favors - I mean, with a figure like that....- you could have at least gotten the uniform re-tailored)"

"You mean, aside from the fact that she was completely unqualified to even be hired as a level one security guard, much less supervise anyone?  (We'll be submitting a list of additional cautionary measures for future hires - including revising our 'veterans' preferences)."

"Give it to her straight."

"Hiring her ex's drop-out junkie kid to manage security for a lab handling class 1 materials."

"That's right.  We know it all.  If you look on the screen above your head, you'll see the same jackass currently overdosing on substance TP06MN."

"Oh shit....Cameron!"

"Trust me, they can't hear you.  But really, I wouldn't be too concerned about him (her...at this point, I'm not sure if it matters) - it's you we're interested in now.  Just what are we going to do with you?"

"What are you talking about?  I've got rights, my contract...."

"...Was voided the first time you engaged in illegal activities."

Cobalt_k - Portraits (1974)

Mistress Arianna keeping it classy all the way downtown!

Art by Cobalt_k.

Solios - Field Trials 3

14JUL15 0000 GMT (H+4)

{AI recognizes voiceprint of Chairwoman Francesco - automatic recording systems activated} "Ack!  That's hot.  Watch where you're pouring - not what's on the screen Shelly!"

"Sorry Chairwoman, let me just wipe that up."

"Never mind that now - in this light it matches my suit anyways.  I just need the caffeine.  Now where were we?"

"Retrieval team is set in place Chairwoman - awaiting your direction."

"Take them now.  Let's get this mess cleaned up and stashed in a safe place for further direction ASAP."

"Roger that - breaching in progress."

"Excellent."

{voiceprint ends, pause recording}

The Rehabilitation of Princess - 7

If it's mail from TransRepo Industries, it must be good news.

Story by thrandrall, art by zanfadar.