Discovery on Borneo

[Zentor]

The possibilities were endless.
Miles was feeling jittery with excitement. He paused a moment at his lab station, closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. He needed to calm down. Miles looked through his micro-analyzer once more to verify it was true. He’d done that already half a dozen times, each time amazed at what he saw.

He sat up and glanced around, knowing no one was there but checking anyways. The cramped metallic fabri-lab he worked in was empty and silent save the minute whirring of the centrifuge running across the room.

It’d been this way since the beginning.
Nine months ago, the Crayterian soldiers that had helped move his facility and equipment here to this remote spot on the island of Yvandros had done so with silent efficiency but a decided lack of enthusiasm, which stood in stark opposition with the giddy young scientist they were moving in.
But who could blame them? He mused to himself. This area of Borneo to the naked eye was as boring and uninteresting as there ever was. He was just one of a few dozen scientists tasked with establishing a more critical analysis of the biosphere that made up Planet Borneo.
It had been nearly 2 years since the planet was recolonized by the Republic and many settlements were fast becoming boom towns. It was a sight to see with so many diverse cultures coming to dwell under the Phoenix Flag of Crayter. Not only were there members of the Colonial Remnant, but former citizens of Kusari, Hispania, Bretonia, Liberty and more all choosing to stake their claim here on Borneo. Exciting times indeed. With the growing population, the Ministry of Research and Development has ordered the creation of a new scientific exploratory mission to fully map out the diverse, and sometimes deadly flora and fauna of the planet to divine suitable implementation into commercial and military applications.
Miles Orrenyn, fresh from post grad was one of the first to volunteer for the mission. Those that had briefed him were very solemn in their warnings that the local vegetation and overall biosphere would be hostile in some places, but it didn’t matter to him. This was the work he was made for.
In his time in near isolation, he’d studied and catalogued hundreds of observed micro organisms and species of plant life around Yvandros before he made this discovery. This one, he believed, was a game changer. It had the very potential to put Borneo on the map so to speak. Miles knew, however, he needed someone else to corroborate his findings and bring him back to reality... or confirm this enormous potential to be true. And he knew just the person.

Dr. Avatari Chattopadhyay, the senior microbiologist at Sabah Research Station, had been in their briefing before the expedition left for Borneo. She was well renowned for her work in isolating organisms making their way to Planet Yuma and investigating all manner of cellular-based life from across Sirius in her vast laboratory wing. Chattopadhyay was also well known for being a bristling conversationist and somewhat terse to get along with. For months now, Miles and the other scientists had been sending interesting bits of data gathered back and forth to each other, and often Dr. Chattopadhyay back in Coronado would interject with a snippet here or there, almost mocking in her tone.. Her responses were often critical and snappy, but the camaraderie in the group chats and vid calls felt by the other scientists was worth it.
Though he was somewhat reluctant to work with her, Miles knew there could be no other preeminent microbiologist in the Republic to go to. Miles keyed in her comms code in his data viewer and requested the call. A few moments later, the call window came to life with several items being brushed off the screen and the middle aged female scientist coming into view.

Hang on! she said hurriedly, as the screen jerked and whirled around the room she stood in as she was clearing wresting the comm viewer from the piles of stuff on the desk where it had been laying.
Dr. Chattopadhyay pulled off her lab goggles and brushed her hair back out of her eyes.
Dr. Orrenyn, I believe? What is it? She asked
Miles smiled and responded,
Dr. Chattopadhyay- he attempted
Please just call me Avatari she interjected, rolling her eyes, though trying not to be too obvious.
Avatari, ma’am, I wanted to present something to you and have you consult on it. It is truly remarkable, at least as I’ve observed so far. Something like this can have massive ramifications and the potential commercial uses seem numerous, I’m truly fascinated with its properties-
Miles, slow down Avatari said, irritation emerging on her face.
Miles cleared his throat and smiled awkwardly, realizing he was getting carried away. He started again:
Right. It is an extraordinarily unique cyanobacteria I’ve discovered dwelling on Yvandros in small isolated pools.