Chapter 5- Enter the Commander
An inspection? Today? Good thing Dr. Aireen was always prepared.
Commander Sage San waltzed in through the automatic doors, and instead of announcing her presence like usual, she just waited silently, smiling, seeing who would be the last to pay attention. This Commander- oh, sometimes she was considered more dangerous than the leader himself. But she was eternally loyal to the man who saved her life, as she likes to think. So she was dangerous, yes, but not without Commander Tartar's say so. Other than that, she had the presence and following something like that of a movie star- she's dramatic in everything, tall and strong with curves in all the right places, more outfits than anyone in Kamabo, a chopped haircut that framed her face all too well, and always long, painted, even cut to be weaponized claws.
Soon the murmur in the room died down as one by one, each scientist stood rigid and to attention. Her presence was undeniably villainous, superior, even playful. Sadistically waiting to see who would lose her game.
Aireen was in fact not the last to notice, but rather one of the first, gathering the notes on their clipboard with an anxious deep breath. They walk up to meet Sage- if she was here, he couldn't be far behind, right..?
She smiled at Aireen in an anything but friendly way, clapping her hands once, sharply, to catch the attention of the rest of the lab. Aireen flinched.
"Listen up, my dears! The NILS deadline is soon approaching, and if each of you aren't on schedule, well~ our esteemed Commander will decide what to do with you."
Almost like the two rehearsed this- there he is. The Commander, the quiet clicks of his 'feet' ringing sharply through the lab, as if the clap from Sage already wasn't enough. Tartar existed in the phone, a symbol all too known across the Metro. But being a phone wasn't exactly convenient for commanding an army, or little things like travel. So, improvements, improvements must be made- and they had. The phone was mounted on a robot of sorts, tripod-like in appearance, with three pole legs and two clawed arms. It stood just a little above six feet at resting, the ability to look down on people was a must.
"Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and those between. As Commander Sage here has already informed you," he doesn't have a tie, but if he did, it most certainly would be straightened during the dramatic pause, "with the NILS deadline nearing by the second, those of you who are falling behind will be deemed… no longer necessary, to the project. Understood?" ...Oh, boy.
A "Yes, sir-" was muttered across the lab, without the usual unison of the soldier units.
Aireen… stares into their clipboard. They dislike this part of their job so much. The Commanders were so… scary.
"O-of course, I hope you'll find everything satisfactory. Right this way-" Their voice was quieter than usual, but in the near dead silence of the lab, it could be heard clearly.
Tartar follows them wordlessly, but the mechanical clicks of those 'feet' are still just as clear- and all the more stressful to any without experiment records up to date. While Aireen knew their own position as lead scientist is safe, a thing like that could mean a quick, but very painful death to anyone else here. Though, scientists weren't exactly the easiest to replace, they did need a particular grade of intelligence. But those who aren't doing their job aren't particularly important, anyway. It's a common rule of the system- If your job isn't getting done, your spot will be just as helpful empty until we have a replacement.
They show the Commanders through all sorts of different tables, presenting new formulas of sanitizer and samples of sludge, recovered blender material and such. Ever since Project Promised Land started, they really had the best and strongest DNA to work with- even if thinking about how they got it for too long made Aireen sick.
Sage even takes a few free samples~ yes, she drinks that stuff. Only someone like her, with strong enough genes as hers, could handle so much sanitizer in her system to have it taken so directly and renewed so often. The only bad side effect she got was diluted taste- which to her, was great. Food in the Metro wasn't exactly five or even four stars, plus that's how she could take sanitizer straight up like that.
Aftergeneral progress, is personal reviews. And Aireen stops in front of Ena's workstation after avoiding it for a bit, knowing this is where something could go wrong.
"The process of replicating your own DNA has been going quite well, Commander-'' Aireen nods to Ena, they better stay in line right now.
"We haven't started subject testing yet, b-but-"
"We're right on track to, very soon sir." Ena speaks- legitimately politely for once. They know where to draw the line when needed.
Tartar will challenge that statement, however. "Your reports were late, as of the last turn-in, were they not? Care to explain?"
"Just a test not going according to plan, had to be resolved due to a factor not being accounted for somewhere along someone else's line. Everything should've been there, however, and it was a one-time thing, I can assure you." Damn, they really had this planned out.
Aireen doesn't move, but would've shook their head. That wasn't entirely true, but they don't want to see anyone dragged away today, either, even Ena. Sage glares at Ena though, trying to catch them in an act or force something out. Hoping just the opposite, she really wanted to drag someone away today.
Tartar glares similarly at Ena- more a 'you're on thin ice' glare, which is quickly moved on from. It's funny how despite not being able to emote, you knew what Tartar meant when he looked at you.
Ena glanced back at Sage, (they didn't dare return Tartar's look) but kept their mostly blank expression. Inside, they're relieved that a few dirty looks is all they got let off with, unless Sage says something- but otherwise, they get to live, joy to the world.
Aireen brings the attention back in from the close call. "We'd like to implement one tank of this mind-control parasite into NILS, b-besides the sanitizer, once it's been successfully tested. But, yes, moving on- has everything been up to standards, sir?"
"Indeed, as of so far." He replies, seemingly satisfied with everything else.
"O-oh, right, then, well-" They both were and weren't expecting that. But as stated before, scientists were harder to replace.
"Well Tartar, I'm impressed~ this department is actually on top of things, for once." Sage ran her claws up a desk, leaving marks that would drive at least one person in this clean lab crazy, then leaned on it. "But isn't it a shame? We didn't get what we came here for, after all."
"There'd be no point dragging off anyone today, Sage. Ridding of anyone has the possibility of delaying the project." He reasons, likely much to the relief of Aireen- and the whole lab.
"While there are some… weak links..." more glaring at Ena, "It isn't necessary. That is, for now… expect another inspection before the deadline, understood?"
"Yes sir-" Aireen gives a respectful nod. They would be ready for then, too.
"Always so wise, Tartar sir~" Sage butters him up as she follows him out. As soon as they were gone through the doors, the tension in the place dropped considerably- mostly from Aireen's shoulders. Everyone is still sort of on edge, though- and they really don't have a minute to relax.
"Alright everyone-" Aireen states despondently while it was still quiet enough, "you heard our Commanders. We need real progress next time- so back to work."