A Genetic Defect

Chapter 2

by deadkitty1

"Back here again, my lady? I must say, I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Forever isn't such a long time."

Her highness, Seraphi greets an old friend who isn't old by physical standards. The queen stands as an entirely different story though with her tired old bones barely supporting the weight of her wrinkling skin. The two have not seen each other in such a span of time, and yet while one stayed the same, the other has changed entirely.

"It is true then. You have stopped taking it?" the young woman enquirers as she searches the wise queen's face for an answer.

The queen's lips turn up in a soft smile as she walks inside the laboratory and dismisses her handmaidens and bodyguards.

"I am more interested in the genetic work you're doing than talking about my wrinkles," she states with an unbreakable fortitude over addressing the subject.

The scientist flusters and bursts out in full regalia about the many dozen of splices and experiments with genes she garnered just within the few weeks. Her enthusiasm is catching. It's a well worth breather from the constant interrogations from the Queen's family and companies concern for her general mindset and well being.

"What's this?" the Queen points at a revolving picture of a four-legged animal snarling gruesomely at the screen.

"Oh! It's only a batch of Lycanton splices I made earlier today. The Aegis requested more when the first group did so well. Lord Balem has definitely gained their favor!"

"Is that so?" Seraphi looks anything but proud at the mention of her son's accomplishment.

The scientist didn't pick up on the distance the Queen put herself on the subject of her own son as the admiration keeps spilling from the excited woman's mouth.

"Why yes! Lord Balem has gathered up so many species for perfect splices in so many planets that helps fund so much of our work. Why he practically has the military working under his – "

"Would you mind if I present the military with one more Lycanton splice?" The queen interrupts.

Her old friend fixes a stare on her with a curious expression, "One more, your highness?"

The queen bypasses her companion as she opens up the consoles and devices with the simple touch of her hand. Seraphi always had a knack for creating splendid creatures. Her interests are limitless as is her talents for creating life. Many of the creatures she made has blossomed and thrived in a planet of her own. While the process of splicing genes takes immense practice and intelligence, the Queen works for more than an hour configuring data by hand when she could have used the formulas already installed. Her friend watches closely, trying to get a semblance of what's going on in her old friend's mind. Feeling her eyes prickle while she work, Seraphi gently asks for some refreshments.

"Of course, your highness!"

The scientist up and leaves and the minute she returns, the new splice has already emerged from the birthing chamber and into the loving arms of the queen. She looks upon the newborn with fascination while rocking it back and forth in the sweetest lullaby. The clumsy scientist runs in, forgetting about the drink and sharply panics at the scene.

"Your highness! Put it down. We don't know the strength of that splice. Lycantons are a feral breed. It can easily rip you into shreds!"

"It will not harm me," she answers sharply that her friend can only look up and down between the Queen and the splice in conflict over what to do. Seraphi sweeps her gaze up to meet her friend as sadness paints in her eyes. "But he will harm others, won't he?"

"Y-yes. Lycanton are equipped to kill, my Queen."

"So young to have his destiny chosen for him. So, so young."

The scientist notices the tears glide down her friend's cheeks as she continues to gaze upon the newborn in desperation.

"Look how he sleeps. Each creature sleeps like this, unknowing of the future for tomorrow. Peaceful and serene. Let him sleep for now because he'll spend the rest of his life awaken to each atrocity life offers."

"Your highness?"

The concerned woman put a hand on Seraphi who snaps out of her troubled thoughts. Gently, the scientist takes the splice and places it along with the others as she sees for the first time how the skin of the newborn is whiter than the others.

"A genetic defect?" she voices out loud.

As if figuring out the reason for the queen's tears, the scientist fires the consoles up again and starts typing away in a hurry.

"Oh your highness must not be down about performing a mistake or two. I knew it from the very second you spent so long just typing down the gene sequencing. Don't be embarrassed. Even I'm known to mess up batches of splices and the good thing is that we can always start from the drawing board. So with a couple quick fixes, we'll be able to make a correct Lycanton splice and throw the other one away."

"No!" Seraphi screams as she grasps her old friend's hand in hers. "No! Life needs to be given a chance to live. He is not a mistake. He is a miracle. He will do what needs to be done when I'm gone. Promise me. Filia, promise me you'll protect him. He needs to live. Please!"

Filia pats her old friend's trembling hands and agrees quickly so the Queen's mind will be at ease. Seraphi sighs in relief as she kisses the woman on her head and retreats back home. As far as Balem knows, his mother came to visit an old friend and the splices, along with the Queen's Lycanton, was sent to the military.

Filia never had a chance to question the Queen on what her words meant or her sudden need for an albino splice to live where scientific odds go against it. The confused scientist never had a chance to ask because in just a few weeks, the Queen passes away on accounts of murder. Soon after, Filia ensures the young pup's life so he grows up destined to do what her dear old friend meant for him to do. She didn't know that the Lycanton's so called destiny meant tearing out the throat of Seraphi's eldest son. She didn't know that the event would cause such public distrust between the military and the Abrasax family over who's responsibility lies in the attack, his genes or his training. She didn't know the embarrassment Balem would suffer when the news came through that the defect in the splice's genes came from his lab. She didn't know the blame would go onto her as she dies with Seraphi's secret locked forever on her lips. She didn't know, yet she made the promise and wanted to keep it for her old friend.

Author's Notes: I love love love this movie! For all it's flaws, I think it makes it all the more reason to write and just daydream about what would have and could have happened.