Miserable. Katherine had never been more miserable in her entire life. Veronica played the part of self-satisfied dictator well, and Katherine took the brunt of her terror. Veronica, as predicted, had kept Katherine from seeing the Selkie for weeks now and Katherine was going stir crazy worrying about them. Every other day Veronica asked everyone for progress updates and happily scorned Katherine for not having any. As for the other scientists everyone went along as it always had, except now all of their equipment had been upgraded to the best quality money could buy. It was as if Veronica was warning them, stick with me and get the best of the best, go against me...
It was working too. Noam, Yamato and Joham had tried to stick together against her but the threat of bringing Major Buzzcut back had silenced them. Even being seen talking with Katherine was greeted with a harsh stare and raised brow on Veronica's part. Isolated from the others and her Selkie Katherine felt like she was being crushed into a small box. Katherine honestly couldn't blame them for falling under Veronica's dictatorship given the circumstances, it just would have been nice to have someone in her corner. Joham still visited her room every now and then just to talk whenever Veronica wasn't around. The visits starved off Katherine's loneliness.
Still, slowly but surely Katherine became invisible to the facility. The pitying and I-told-you-so glances disappeared into barely noticing her when they walked by. Conversations were held with her sitting at the table but not in the circle. When she spoke she startled them, as if it was the chair she was sitting on had spoken instead. When she walked in a room no one's head would even lift to see who it was. She didn't just feel like a ghost, she felt like she was bleeding on a crowded street and no one could see her or hear her scream.
Veronica still made sure Katherine was included for every little meeting she held. Katherine wasn't sure if it was to keep up appearances or torture her with the helplessness of not being able to say anything at these meetings. Veronica spoke of the Selkie every now and then and Katherine clinged to each snidbit of information she got on them. They were depressed as far as Katherine could tell. Veronica spoke of their "attitude" towards the scientist. They splashed them, growled at them, ignored them. It took mere days for Veronica to destroy what Katherine had built in weeks.
"The test subjects are too aggressive." Veronica said. "They've practical reverted back to the stage they were when I first arrived here. This means we are moving backwards not forwards people. We'll have to begin implementing the techniques we used before when they behaved this way so we can reassert control and dominance and move forwards."
They all sat at their usual spots at the table, with Veronica and Katherine at the heads of the table. Only now Katherine spent most of the meetings with her head down or leaning over the back of the chair.
"Also I've recently gotten news from Major Marston that our three new test subjects will not be arriving for another three months."
Chatter erupted at the table. The arrival of the new Selkies had been pushed back a number of times now but this was the longest stretch of time.
Veronica held up her hand and everyone stopped talking. "I know we're all eager to see the new test subjects but Major Marston is having difficulty changing the previous plans of our old director. Mr. Harley had set a number of plans into action that we cannot change and so have to wait out."
Jeffrey, Katherine thought. He had kept his promise and made sure that her plans would be carried out.
"But what about observing the aging process of the test subjects." Dr. Mullens said. "At this rate by the time we get infant it will not even be an infant anymore. We would have missed a very important stage of growth."
"Exactly," Veronica said. "Lucky for us there is a plan B."
"What plan B?"Joham asked.
"Test subject #2." Veronica said referring to Kym.
"The female?" Sergio asked. "She's already like 10, what would observing her do."
"As those of you who spend time down in the pool area may have noticed she's suddenly experienced an enormous growth spurt. In a matter of weeks she went from looking like a six year old to a 12 year old. I believe this sudden growth spurt is a sign of her maturity. She may be able to reproduce now and if we can impregnate her artificially then not only will we be able to observe the growth of the test subject from infancy to adulthood but we will be able to observe the pregnancy and birth of it as well."
If Katherine had not already been lying down on the table her jaw would have dropped. Impregnate Kym! Was Veronica mad? Kym was a child, a baby. Even if Kym was physically mature enough to carry a child she wasn't mentally mature enough. Something like that could scar her for life, she wouldn't understand what was happening much less how it happened. And how could Veronica possibly think she could successfully impregnate Kym? She would have to get the sperm from Ler who has already proven he will not tolerate any kind of operating table. Then she would have to jab a needle into Kym a creature whose anatomy she knew nothing about. It was crazy, it was madness but Katherine was glued to her seat to shocked to move.
"Sounds like a mad scientist's plan to me." Joham said quietly.
"Yeah, last time we tried to open up the Sel... the test subjects it didn't work out so well." Noam added nervously.
"Who said anything about opening them up?" Dr. Moon said. "We're simply going to impregnate the female. It requires no surgery at all."
"How are you planning on getting the sperm from the test subject?" Yamato said. "Strap him down to a table, jab a needle in his balls."
"Everyone I'm sure Veronica has a plan for how to do this." Dr. Beausoleil said. "We haven't even let her finish."
"I for one would love to hear about this plan." Katherine said lifting her head. Katherine brushed her hair back with her fingers. "So let's hear it Veronica."
Everyone was quiet for a moment before Veronica cleared her throat to grab their attention.
"Well, how nice of you to join us for once Katherine. It's been quite a while since you've so much as spoken..."
"Skip the pleasantries Veronica I'm not in the mood." Katherine snapped. "I want to hear about your genius plan to impregnate a young girl by stealing sperm from a reluctant man. Tell me how that's going to work out because honestly I can't even picture a scenario where this doesn't end in disaster."
Veronica narrowed her eyes. "I think you should go Katherine."
"I think you should stop avoiding telling us about this brilliant plan of yours."
"Watch your mouth little girl. Or I'll have you shipped out of here on the next boat." she threatened.
"I came to this country on a plane you racist bitch." Katherine smiled dangerously.
"I think you should just tell us about the plan Veronica." Joham stepped in. "Katherine's obviously not acting like herself right now." Joham said giving Katherine a warning look.
"I think she's only just begun to show her true colors." Veronica huffed. "As for the plan I do have one. The male will be tranquilized with two cups of Flunitrazepam immediately. Every five minutes we will give him another ounce until we've collect the semen. When he begins to come to we'll release him and tranquilize the female with a cup of Flunitrazepam and give her an ounce every ten minutes until we've successfully injected the semen. Now are there any flaws in that plan, anything I've missed." Veronica said calmly.
