The Pod

The offspring has been placed in a maturation pod. For good or bad I have decided to give it the chance at life. Although it seems the offspring is adapting to the pod it appears there are some complications with some of the pod’s secondary systems. I was able to adjust the settings for the hybrid DNA but I don’t know how long the offspring will be able to develop in the chamber. The overseers ordered him to be given the same programming I received while I was maturing in my pod. As long as he completes his maturation cycle he will have the knowledge and skills as I do and he will be able to join me in my research. I discovered the offspring is male, an interesting aspect of the offspring of this culture. There is no way to create an androgynous offspring with the DNA of this species. These subjects take eons to adapt and evolve and I doubt the overseers have the patience to take all the necessary steps to manipulate the DNA sequencing of these species.

The pod is accelerating the growth of this offspring. It usually takes a period of nearly ten months to develop to the stage of being able to survive without the aid of its host. Even when the offspring has reached this stage in development it still requires constant care in order to ensure its survival. The pod will accelerate the growth of the offspring so it will reach the point of maturation to survive in just a few rotations of this species time frame of days instead of months. It will achieve full maturation in 30 of this species rotation of days. The overseers won’t tolerate any variation from this cycle.

I am left to contemplate the fate of this offspring. If he had been left to mature at the normal rate of his species what would his future be? Would he be a researcher like me or would he choose a different path for himself? Half of his DNA structure was chosen from the stock DNA used to create researchers, but the other half is from a species designed to be self-guided and self-aware. My research has shown our species used to have this mind-set, before the overseers came.

The overseers may yet decide this species is worthy of their guidance and influence. I must return to my research to determine the future of this species and complete my report to the overseers. Our research subject has been admitted to a medical facility for treatment. According to the medical records we were able to appropriate she has been diagnosed with a disease referred to as “cancer” and will undergo treatment. If I were to be diagnosed with such a debilitating illness I’m sure I would be scheduled for termination.