Of Beasts and Men

[Chrysalis]

The new lab in the Y section was unevenly lit, some parts entirely in shade, while others were bombed by a constant exposure to light of several different wavelengths. Unpacked boxes filled with lab equipment laid scattered across the room. In the middle, between a pile of boxes and a lit table, stood a middle-aged man, shirtless and wearing only a set of white pants, rummaging through a set of schematics, rearranging and reexamining them over and over, as if it would somehow make the problems contained within any less daunting.

Bassam carefully navigated the maze of boxes towards the man, stepping lightly, making no sound. - "Hello, Doctor." - he said suddenly.

"Auuughh!" - the Doctor exclaimed as he stumbled back over and onto the boxes, knocking some of them over.

"Easy there, doc, settle down." - Bassam said calmly while the doctor observed him, eyes wide open, completely startled. He pulled a chair over and sat down.

"Oooh...do not sneak up on people like that!" - The doctor calmed himself, inhaled and exhaled - "What I mean to say is...we weren't expecting visitors. We're still unpacking as you can see. It's quite the mess."

Bassam crossed his legs and looked at the doc's hairy bare chest, then looked away at the distance, scowling. "Yes...it seems you've got quite a hairy situation down here." - He glanced back at the doctor's chest briefly, in an uncomfortable manner, before glancing away again. - "And I mean that in more ways than one."

"Oh! Right, sorry about that!" - The doc scurried off to find his lab coat he discarded earlier. He returned shortly, now much more presentable.

"So...about the project down on San Remo." - Bassam stood up. - "Is it progressing according to schedule?"

"In a manner of speaking..." - The doctor scratched his head. - "I take it you're the new supervisor that the Overlord promised us...?"

"Yes..." - Bassam replied with an impatient tone, offended by the fact that the doctor didn't recognize him immediately. The thought of killing him with a pen crossed his mind.

"Oh very well then. The modules were sent prior to the crews some months ago, and robots have worked on establishing the outposts." - the doctor started explaining, gesticulating in an eccentric manner - "The crews went down a week ago to set up a perimeter and explore the surrounding areas. However, they encountered a set of problems, mostly pertaining to the local wildlife."

"...Go on." - Bassam insisted in a similarly impatient tone, but this time with a hint of curiosity.

"Well, I'm no xenobiologist, but the wildlife there is some of the strangest yet encountered in the sector. Quite vicious too, we're talking nine-foot tall behemoths and a specifically nasty species of insectoid analog predators that have been attacking our scouting parties left and right. A sonic repellant has been installed around the base's perimeter, and it's been doing a great job at keeping them out but leaving the secure zone is still nothing short of suicide." - The doctor explained frantically.

"So what you're saying is that your personnel is being thwarted. By animals." - Bassam crossed his hands and stared the doctor down.

"Well you see the-..." - The doctor tried to explain, but Bassam interrupted him with a sharp inhale.

"Just stop. I've heard enough." - He paced left and right for a few moments and turned to the doctor - "Prep the shuttle. I'll go down myself." - With that said, he started walking away but stopped after a few steps. - "Oh and Doctor. Clean this pigsty of a lab up."