my eye — the one that functions— remains fixed upon the work surface .yes , yes … great alliance commander , reduced to primordial pulp. i apply my gloves — thin , but serving purpose . cannot allow what remains of the asset to taint my skin .tainting , tainting— it taints so distastefully— others’ blood .
i look to the ally .ally ? no , not ally.customer. customer’s lackey. i feel a smile. should i be smiling? most likely not . she has a supportive frame .❝ under -stand?❞ i giggle . can’t help it .❝ i quite understand , representative .❞ your superior is droll . banal .basic in his desires .lacks creativity. perhaps a machine ? no . too boring.
i’d like to dissect him .it . whatever .
❝ what remains of the asset is …minimal.❞i grin .❝ disappointing , but not unworkable.❞ i search through my omni - tool — fingers fast .impressive , viln . tutor solus would be proud .❝ i’d recommend looking into deoxyribonucleic acid extraction and extrapolation . preparation for recreation . so as to avoid difficulty , if organs cannot be reassembled from …this .❞
my scar feels heavy. has it ruptured ?❝ you are quite beautiful , representative .❞ imperfectionless skin . peculiar . unusual .why so imperfectionless ? why here ? incentive ? unlikely . will assess at a more convenient time .❝ what is your business working for your employers ?❞ employer singular ? unknown .
SHE’S ENCOUNTERED ECCENTRICS in the past . the job demands it , plying scientists who would be geniuses if not for their — distasteful habits .
one must be able to maintain a certain level of compartmentalization , tuck their smaller morals into a box to be turned over later , like broken china . some might even consider her mad for this attempt : playing god , for the sake of humanity , for a good cause . nature in reverse , turning back as time pressures ever onward . time . never enough of it , snarling through everything with its slow - inching rot . faster , still , for shepard , grey and lifeless , little more than a slab of meat – hardly humanity’s savior , the way she is now . failure is unacceptable . it will not be a lack of resources , credits , or wit that fails this mission , it will be time , and her patience runs thin with this wicked salarian .
representative . the upper corner of her lip curls , a wolf crawling behind the white cut of her teeth . ❝
minimal , yes . but we were lucky to receive commander shepard’s body so quickly – before decomposition could really set in .
❞ her tone holds a careful edge ,
almost daring for him to question the weight of her authority .
❝
we’ve already begun scans of the commander’s organs . as far as we can tell , the brain can be saved , as well as the heart and lungs . we’re less certain about the other organs . whole areas of skin will need to be replaced .
❞
her arms cross , and she leans away from the table , tilting her head toward the cadaver , mealy and ashen atop cold metal .
❝
but my question is : is the body itself salvageable ?❞
the subject change is abrupt , but not entirely uncommon . a placid , blank expression results – the arch of a slender eyebrow , the slight sneer of her lips . if this is intended as flattery , she remains unmoved .
❝ yes , i know .
❞
curt , giving nothing , holding everything .
❝
all you need to know is i’m heading this operation . do you need more information than that , dr . ieys ?❞
