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Description

Dr. Pendervaun nervously shuffled past the security guard as he entered Janus Rivkin's Office.

"Mr. Rivkin, may I have a word?"

The young, ruggedly handsome CEO of ChemStar didn't bother looking away from his sudoku puzzle.

"Is something wrong, Doctor?"

"Uh...no...I mean...perhaps..."

With a impatient sigh, the young billionaire threw the newspaper down, staring at the much older scientist.

"What is it, Doctor Pendervaun?"

"It's about my work..."

"Your mind control device? I thought it was working?"

The old scientist stammered.

"Oh! It is...but...even so, It's clear to me that the subject is very aware...of it's...situation."

Rivkin nodded thoughtfully.
"Well...it was to be expected. The same increase in mass and intelligence was seen on that armadillo creature your people captured. Well, your former employers, to be more accurate.

"They didn't need my machine to control the animal. It...well, it volunteered. My device was no longer deemed necessary."

Janus Rifkin smiled crossing his arms across his desk.

"How admirable. But It also DID put you out on your ass, didn't it?"

"I don't have any regret-"

"Then what are you doing in my office?" , Rivkin cut in. "I'm a very busy man." The sudoku puzzle beckoned.

"It's...It's in pain, Mr, Rifkin. Agony, to be more precise."

Janus Rivkin cocked his head.

"What about the Neuro-interface? Can the pilots manipulate the cyborg without sharing the creatures pain stimuli?"

The doctor removed his spectacles, wiping them on his jacket with a sigh.

"As long as the neurobuffer functions properly, it is no different than operating a machine, but...when I began working on this project, I was told we would be able to negate any discomfort the subject experienced with the proper sedatives."

"Yes, well, we had not anticipated the resulting fatalities the sedatives would cause in the creatures. It was eventually decided to forgo any sedative until we can create something that won't result in the subject's organ failure."

"Is it ethical to let it just suffer? To take away control over it's own body?

Janus Rivkin drummed against his desk, sighing deeply.

"Dr. Pendervaun, your work will be instrumental in ensuring the future of Mankind's safety. Need I remind you of the world we find ourselves in? Monsters are appearing across our planet. ChemStar is at the forefront of creating the first mass produced cyber-organic kaiju deterrent system. Soon, every country on earth will be able to purchase it's very own, completely loyal, completely controllable, kaiju.

Janus Rivkin rose from his desk, putting out his cigar.

"That is of course, assuming you haven't run into any more snags other than your sudden and, dare I say, poorly timed misgivings. We can't allow sentiment to cloud our view of the bigger picture. What is the pain of one creature, weighed against the lives of thousands, perhaps millions? It is a necessary sacrifice."

Dr. Pendervaun stared at his shoes.

"Yes...I suppose your right."

Rivken patted the elder scientist in the shoulder, walking him to the door.

"I can understand what your feeling, really. It's not easy to watch a innocent creature in pain. But we must keep our focus on our goal. The protection of mankind from rampaging kaiju. We can't just put our lives in the hands of one giant rodent, can we?"

"Warmadillo isn't a rodent. Armadillos are dasypodidae. They are the only surviving members of that otherwise extinct group!", He said even as he was all but pushed out the door.

"Good day, doctor. I have a conference call in just a few minutes. Please excuse me."

Dr. Pendervaun was left standing in the hall, door slammed in his face. He stole a glance at the imposing security guard and quickly turned and headed for the elevator.

Rivkin pressed a lit button on his desk.

A voice crackled from a hidden speaker.

"Is there a problem?"

Rivkin chuckled.

"Sorry for the interruption. It seems our lead scientist is having moral issues with his ...our project."

"Perhaps an accident should be arranged?" The voice suggested.

"No no-at least, not yet...he is still useful...at least until we learn enough to replicate the device successfully. A gifted mind after all, is a terrible thing to waste..."

Somewhere nearby in an underground containment tank, something massive could not stop screaming.

Description

Dr. Pendervaun nervously shuffled past the security guard as he entered Janus Rivkin's Office.

"Mr. Rivkin, may I have a word?"

The young, ruggedly handsome CEO of ChemStar didn't bother looking away from his sudoku puzzle.

"Is something wrong, Doctor?"

"Uh...no...I mean...perhaps..."

With a impatient sigh, the young billionaire threw the newspaper down, staring at the much older scientist.

"What is it, Doctor Pendervaun?"

"It's about my work..."

"Your mind control device? I thought it was working?"

The old scientist stammered.

"Oh! It is...but...even so, It's clear to me that the subject is very aware...of it's...situation."

Rivkin nodded thoughtfully.
"Well...it was to be expected. The same increase in mass and intelligence was seen on that armadillo creature your people captured. Well, your former employers, to be more accurate.

"They didn't need my machine to control the animal. It...well, it volunteered. My device was no longer deemed necessary."

Janus Rifkin smiled crossing his arms across his desk.

"How admirable. But It also DID put you out on your ass, didn't it?"

"I don't have any regret-"

"Then what are you doing in my office?" , Rivkin cut in. "I'm a very busy man." The sudoku puzzle beckoned.

"It's...It's in pain, Mr, Rifkin. Agony, to be more precise."

Janus Rivkin cocked his head.

"What about the Neuro-interface? Can the pilots manipulate the cyborg without sharing the creatures pain stimuli?"

The doctor removed his spectacles, wiping them on his jacket with a sigh.

"As long as the neurobuffer functions properly, it is no different than operating a machine, but...when I began working on this project, I was told we would be able to negate any discomfort the subject experienced with the proper sedatives."

"Yes, well, we had not anticipated the resulting fatalities the sedatives would cause in the creatures. It was eventually decided to forgo any sedative until we can create something that won't result in the subject's organ failure."

"Is it ethical to let it just suffer? To take away control over it's own body?

Janus Rivkin drummed against his desk, sighing deeply.

"Dr. Pendervaun, your work will be instrumental in ensuring the future of Mankind's safety. Need I remind you of the world we find ourselves in? Monsters are appearing across our planet. ChemStar is at the forefront of creating the first mass produced cyber-organic kaiju deterrent system. Soon, every country on earth will be able to purchase it's very own, completely loyal, completely controllable, kaiju.

Janus Rivkin rose from his desk, putting out his cigar.

"That is of course, assuming you haven't run into any more snags other than your sudden and, dare I say, poorly timed misgivings. We can't allow sentiment to cloud our view of the bigger picture. What is the pain of one creature, weighed against the lives of thousands, perhaps millions? It is a necessary sacrifice."

Dr. Pendervaun stared at his shoes.

"Yes...I suppose your right."

Rivken patted the elder scientist in the shoulder, walking him to the door.

"I can understand what your feeling, really. It's not easy to watch a innocent creature in pain. But we must keep our focus on our goal. The protection of mankind from rampaging kaiju. We can't just put our lives in the hands of one giant rodent, can we?"

"Warmadillo isn't a rodent. Armadillos are dasypodidae. They are the only surviving members of that otherwise extinct group!", He said even as he was all but pushed out the door.

"Good day, doctor. I have a conference call in just a few minutes. Please excuse me."

Dr. Pendervaun was left standing in the hall, door slammed in his face. He stole a glance at the imposing security guard and quickly turned and headed for the elevator.

Rivkin pressed a lit button on his desk.

A voice crackled from a hidden speaker.

"Is there a problem?"

Rivkin chuckled.

"Sorry for the interruption. It seems our lead scientist is having moral issues with his ...our project."

"Perhaps an accident should be arranged?" The voice suggested.

"No no-at least, not yet...he is still useful...at least until we learn enough to replicate the device successfully. A gifted mind after all, is a terrible thing to waste..."

Somewhere nearby in an underground containment tank, something massive could not stop screaming.