[K4 - Kwevron - PA] Project I71B

Col. Magnus Orkyd surveyed the churning black reservoir before him. Long had he waited for this day.

"And this tank is the first batch?" He asked, his voice emanating with a sinister undertone.

"Y-yes s-sir." Quartermaster Lewit said. He was shaking so hard Orkzyd was surprised that his brain computer wasn't shorting out.

It would have been better that way, Magnus realized, as Lewit bumped into the tank and sent it clanging to the ground.

"Be careful quartermaster!" Orkzyd shouted. "If that canister is breached, we are in serious trouble!"

"S-sorry sir! Its-s j-just tha-a-t my br-a-a-in is m-malfunctioning."

"No surprise there." Orkzyd said as Lewit hoisted the tank upright. "The chemical has a certain... effect on those who test it."

"All 128 of our test subjects died sir." Lewit said, adjusting a radial on his implant. "Are we sure this is ready to be released?"

"I think so." Orkzyd said smugly. He had waited too long for it to fail now, he thought.

"What do you think doctor?"

"I have no idea!" Doctor Wuldig cried from his station. "We have made the necessary refinements as the testing progressed."

He smiled.

"The real doctor is back anyways! We can always ask him."

The doors to the turbolift opened, and a tall, thin, and visibly aged Faust emerged.

"Ah! Doctor Vindi!" Orkzyd said, taking a step forward to shake his hand. Alien or not, this was the man who had made his literal pipe dreams possible.

"My good colonel! I do believe zat ze first batch iz ready for live tezting! You should have no problemz vhatsoever. I muzt zay it haz been an honor to vork on zuch a remarkable specimen!"

"This is all in good timing, doctor." Orkzyd said, a smile snaking itself across his face. "There is a crisis brewing in the Gyndine Sector. I have orders, and I believe that this will mark an excellent opportunity for a field test."

The Faust's forehead creased with concern.

"But what of ze New Republic, or even ze zo called "reziztance" here? Surely you do not expect zem to zit by and vatch you?

"On the contrary." Orkzyd said, his voice proud. For his many months of slaving away in this lab, the puzzle had all finally fit together perfectly, and the time had come for action.

"With what I and this project have in store, my good doctor, that is exactly what I expect them to do..."

TO BE CONTINUED.