Colossus By Design: Season 2 - Log 76

[March 16, 2166]
["The Ocean Crawler" - STRQ Industries Mobile Oceanic Rig]
[Pacific Ocean]

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The Ocean Crawler. A rather innocuous nickname for STRQ Industries' largest research and development station in the world, larger than even the most titanic of aircraft carriers and dreadnoughts.

Not only is it the largest, but it's also the only fully mobile base of operations, capable of sustained travel across the seas without resupply. Despite the station's main purpose being scientific innovation, the Global Union of Divisions has made a deal with the company to use the rig as an official airstrip and marine retrofitting pit-stop, should the need arise.

But something else is going on at the Ocean Crawler. Things have been set in motion, and for reasons unknown, STRQ Industries has withdrawn from its contract with the G.U.D., rescinding all previous services that the mobile base provided.

The airstrip itself now only allows passage of aircraft identified with the company's unique encryptions and signals, thus preventing unwanted visitors from landing on the facility.

On this particular day, a large black hover-jet, quite unlike the standard civilian and even militarized variants, makes a landing. All of the personnel on the deck are rushing to pass the vehicle through. As the aircraft comes to a halt, its cargo door opens up; a large team of mercenaries, all equipped with a new type of combat armor that's similar to but different than the FE-AR suit system, escorts another team of very prestigious scientists, all garbed in white HAZMAT suits.

They, too, are escorting something: a large cryogenic chamber, housing a single unidentifiable individual within. The pod is extraordinarily advanced, with several backup fail-safes and power supplies, hardening against electromagnetic pulses, Titanium-B Laminate armor plating, and even hard-light shielding. This package is clearly a top priority among the most elite of elite within STRQ Industries' leading circle of executives and researchers.

The whole group steps onto a large hexagonal platform. As soon as everyone is within the platform's area, the whole thing starts to lower itself down, passing through several levels of the entire facility before eventually reaching Sublevel 9.

The whole of Sublevel 9 is clean and conservative, yet still highly advanced compared to the average G.U.D. research laboratory. All of the research personnel present are garbed in full-body white HAZMAT suits, and the private security are wearing the same armor variation as the cryogenic pod's security detail.

As the whole escort group moves down the hall, all the personnel they pass by salute diligently, clearly in respect for the individual within the pod. The escort group, however, merely continues to march towards the end of the long main hallway.

Soon enough, the escort enters the largest room on the whole level: a large laboratory decorated with glass tanks that are filled with glowing green fluids; they serve as the main source of illumination. In some of the tanks are powered-down Synthetics, whilst others range from containing whole P.E.M.F. spawning pods to pieces of unidentifiable chunks of flesh.

The whole room has a feeling of eeriness, and the unsettling atmosphere is only furthered by a large screen at the back of the room overlooking everything. Beneath the screen is an indentation, clearly meant to house something.

The escort for the cryogenic pod moves across the room, soon reaching the large screen and the port underneath it. As the mercenaries keep watch, the research team assigned to the storage device carefully slots it into the indentation. Gases hiss as it's placed into the opening with the glass side facing forwards.

As soon as the pod is fully slotted in, the screen comes to life, showing a digital rendering of an elderly man with piercing brown eyes and an aged look to his skin. The rendering begins to speak with a cultured yet booming voice.


(Jacob Hargrove): Ahhh...... it is good to be back home.

(Dr. Wei Ho): Welcome back, sir. How did you enjoy your trip?

(Jacob Hargrove): I'll be honest.... I was quite sick of flying all across the world. But now I'm back in my element. So, tell me how much progress we've made.

(Dr. Wei Ho): Well, Mr. Hargrove, we've managed to isolate the pods' genetic structure, although freak mutations are still occurring occasionally.

(Jacob Hargrove): That was to be expected. But how has the bonding process gone?

(Dr. Wei Ho): Unfortunately, results have ranged from mixed to unsuccessful. The P.E.M.F. tissue doesn't bond with the Synthetics' mechanical endoskeleton as well as we've hoped. Ms. Kano seems to have been an exceptional case.

(Jacob Hargrove): That's perfectly fine, Mr. Ho. I have remained patient thus far. I can wait a few more years, if necessary. I hope you will continue to try and make my Androids a fully realized proposition.

(Dr. Wei Ho): Of course, sir. My work for you has been most intriguing, and I wouldn't give it up for anything else.

(Jacob Hargrove): That's good to hear. Now..... I realize that your team has had troubles in the past with the bonding process, but I'd like a live demonstration nonetheless.

(Dr. Wei Ho): As you desire, sir.


Dr. Ho and his team get straight to work, manning stations at several of the tanks. In particular, the researchers are focused on one tank containing a P.E.M.F. spawning pod, and another one with a deactivated Synthetic. After tinkering with the settings, Dr. Ho gives the signal; on his mark, the rest of his team siphon tissue from the pod in one of the tanks into the one containing the synthetic.

As soon as the fleshy mass enters from the bottom of the Synthetic's own tank, it begins to engulf the artificial individual's endoskeleton structure. At first, all that can be made out is a fleshy lump, but after a few seconds pass, the lump begins to take shape, forming a vaguely humanoid shape. Unfortunately, the shape doesn't hold, and the flesh separates from the mechanical structure.


(Dr. Wei Ho): I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Hargrove.

(Jacob Hargrove): *chuckling* HAHAHA! It's fine, my friend! Progress is progress, and I never get tired of seeing the process in action!

(Dr. Wei Ho): Uh...... sir?

(Jacob Hargrove): Yes?

(Dr. Wei Ho): About those freak mutations...... some may have escaped custody.

(Jacob Hargrove): That won't be a problem. Our giant Atlantean friend will handle them, I'm sure.