It was then that the intercom paged him. “Dr. Mera,” Came a female voice. “You have someone requesting an interview.”
Leaning forward, the man placed one black-clawed finger on a button of his intercom. “Who is it, Jen?”
“A Setsuna Meioh,” Answered the Skunk Splice. “She said aside from wanting to satisfy her curiosity about the man behind splicing, she wants to inquire about the process for herself and a friend,” Jen replied professionally.
“Have her talk to one of our technicians. Dennis is available, isn’t he?” Dr. Mera said as he still eyed the newspaper. “I just bet this is going to be all over the news on TV tonight,” He thought irritably.
“Actually sir I already suggested that, but she said she wanted to talk to you personally,” The Furry secretary answered over the intercom. “She promises she’s no reporter and anything said between you two stays that way... And she even offered to pay for the interview...”
Dr. Mera raised an eyebrow. “She must be serious...” He thought for a moment. He looked back at the newspaper. If she brought up THAT topic, he knew she was a reporter. “Very well,” He spoke as he opened a drawer to his desk. “Send her in. And she doesn’t have to pay.” Taking his finger off the intercom button, he placed the newspaper in his drawer and closed it shut.
A moment later a knock was at his door. “Dr. Kay Mera?” A female voice asked in a calm and professional tone of voice.
“Yes,” Dr. Mera called out. “Come in.”
The door opened, revealing Setsuna who was dressed in a nice navy blue business suit, which not only was nice but helped to compliment her beauty. She walked in with a confident stride and sat in one of the two chairs in front of the desk. Looking at Dr. Mera she smiled politely. “Dr. Mera, it is a pleasure, and I thank you for accepting my interview so to speak. I can guess you’re tired of reporters coming to try and find ‘excuses’ to bash your work?”
“Very...” The doctor said in an irritated tone of voice. The thought of those snideful reporters really got his animal blood pumping. But he had to put that out of mind; he had a possible customer here. “Anyway, you’re here for information, correct?” He asked as he looked the woman sitting across from him over.
Setsuna nodded, “Yes I am here for information, but before I do I want to thank you for your Splicing research, it has made the life of a young girl I know all the better,” She said sincerely.
The Spliced man smiled a bit. “Well, thank you for the positive input, but thanks are not needed. This was done as a service to humanity to begin with.”
“Well, it shows in my young ward. She was born with. a frail constitution and all attempts of medical science to help her have been for naught.” Setsuna would have added magic but not here. “Anyway, she looked up at Splicing and how it was shown to help correct frailties in the human body... And as I said, you couldn’t tell she was barely above the ability to sprint down a hallway without losing her breath.”
Setsuna coughed into her hand. “Well I’ve rambled enough Dr. Mera. I want to ask a question I’m sure that’s been asked, but I need to hear it from you... Why did you plunge into Splicing research?”
The man’s face took on a look of stone-faced seriousness. He steepled his fingers as he sat back in his chair. “Why? As I said before, in my eyes, it was a multi-billion dollar act of Humanitarianism. There are so many gifts in nature that humanity is denied, and I felt it was time we got a stab at it, so to speak.”
Setsuna nodded her head. “I see... And you have said that a person with heart disease could cure themselves by Splicing DNA of an animal with cellular regenerative properties, and other examples like my ward Hotaru’s frailty have been cured by Splicing... Besides medical purposes, what other benefits can one gain from splicing? Sadly the media seems biased not to give out the good information about your work sir.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Dr. Mera agreed with a disgusted snort. “As I myself, and others who have gotten Spliced have found out, is that depending on what you’re spliced with, your senses could be enhanced greatly, or you could gain new senses completely.” He smirked. “I dare you to try and sneak up on any Insect Splicers. Their antennae give them a sensation of all movement in their surroundings.” The man leaned back in his chair. “And that’s not to mention all the ways Splicing can be used to enhance people for their jobs...”
“Go on,” Setsuna urged
“Well, as General Hawthorne was telling me,” Dr. Mera said, “Chimera Splicings will be great for military use. Bloodhound for incredibly smelling and hearing, feline eyes for natural night-vision, and bears build for strength and stamina. You get a soldier that can withstand most terrain. And that’s not to mention all the regular job uses,” Dr. Mera said. “Police, I’m sure if Spliced with Wolves, would become better protectors.” He smirked. “They could give new meaning to the term ‘police dogs’.”
Setsuna laughed lightly. “It certainly would, and I bet have a good noses or ears will help with forensics.”
“Correct,” Dr. Mera said. “But besides the uses for jobs, there’s also the fact it could very well become '’fashion’.”
Setsuna smirked. “I have also noticed that the fashion industry sings your praises, and the fanboys and girls certainly like the spliced models.”
Dr. Mera smirked. “I know. It’s becoming a rage in London, if only because of fashion preference. And not to be behind the British and still remain ahead of the fashion world, I’m getting to make quite the deals with the French Government. I’ll be opening up another International Splicing Headquarters in Paris within the next year.”
The green-tressed woman nodded her head to that, as it made sense. “Now I know that Splicing was designed to help treat medical illnesses, birth deformities, frailties and what not... But are there any kinds of ailments or deformities that you wouldn’t recommend somebody to get Spliced to cure it?”
The man behind Splicing frowned as his mind took Setsuna’s second question into consideration. “Yes,” He said seriously. “Those with weak constitution could get Spliced with an animal to get better stamina. And there are those who have lost limbs that can get regeneration.” The doctor frowned further. “Cancer is still being a bit of a pill though. Best we can do is Splice them with a Starfish and remove the majority of the body, and let them regrow healthy body with time. It it’s Metastic Cancer though...” He shook his head. “We still haven’t licked that yet.”
Setsuna nodded slowly. “Cancer has been the human bane for centuries Dr. Mera, it won’t be easy to be rid of. But so far your research has bore the best hopes of a cure or treatment since Chemothreapy.
The man behind Splicing nodded his head. “I personally WANT to get the treatment to become accepted by hospitals, since a person CAN have the Spliced DNA removed after. But they refuse to.” He frowned further. “If you ask me, these doctors refuse to accept Splicing, because it covers A LOT of medical ailments, making the doctors’ usefulness null-and-void.”
“Of course, just as Oil industry cringes when someone tries to come up with an alternative fuel source for gasoline, oil and coal.” Setsuna shook her head. “Sadly such is a fault of humanity, if something better upshows them, they don’t want it.”
The doctor nodded but said, “Energy is not my problem. Medicine is.” He began to tap the tips of his index fingers together. “You know, I never told anyone this, but I had a selfish reason for wanting to come up with Splicing when I was half-way into the research.”
“Now onto another topic, as I said a friend of mine and myself are also curious and are considering splicing... What are the Doctor’s personal recommendation for two healthy females?” Setsuna raised an eyebrow as the doctor’s comment caught up with her. “Selfish reason, Doctor? Hardly seems a trait of yours... I’ve followed your work prior to Splicing... Quite the humanitarian you are.”
The Doctor nodded. “Yes. About fifteen years into the research, I found out I had cancer myself.” He tapped the back of his skull. “Based near the Pituitary Gland. The surgeons couldn’t remove it, because it would have required Brain-Stem Surgery, and once means death.”
Setsuna winced. “Say no more, I think I understand what you mean.”
Dr. Mera nodded. “On the bright side, my tumor was benign, so I had time to up my research. When it got far enough to try some experiments, it worked, and I was able to cure myself.” He smirked. “As for the earlier question...” He looked Setsuna over. “I could definitely see YOU as a feline. Maybe a Tigress... Lioness... Panthress... Leopardess... Something rather regal.”
At that last comment, Setsuna smirked. “Flattery, my dear Dr. Mera, gets you customers, so what are the benefits of being a feline?”
The man smirked back. “Felines tend to give women better agility. Reflexes. Enhanced senses of smell, hearing, taste, and especially sight.” He smirked more and removed his sunglasses. “As you can see, I myself have feline eyes. Tiger to be precise...”
Setsuna examined his eyes tilting her head. “Certainly look sexy.”
Dr. Mera smirked. “Are you hitting on me, dear lady?”
The green-tressed woman shook her head but smiled. “Maybe another time. I am simply making an observation. So far you’re selling me on the cat thing.” Setsuna took out a photo, which surprised Dr. Mera as he didn‘t see her bring in anything with her. “This is Makoto Kino, my friend who’s considering Splicing herself. She’s into martial arts, home-making, sports and... Well, hell, she’s looking for someone but her luck has been rotten... Any recommendations for her?”
“As I said before, Feline Splicing is rather good for women, as it not only is considered rather attractive, but it also gives many more physical benefits,” The good doctor stuck by his guns. “Although, if she’s trying to land a guy I can also suggests three VERY popular Splicings. Skunks, Squirrels, and Vixens.” He smirked. “Men seem to love having large bushy tails to cuddle with.”
Setsuna tapped her chin in contemplation. “Hmm, I see... I can understand Vixens and Squirrels, but I wonder who started the who sexy Skunk deal.”
(------)
Somewhere, on the other side of the globe, a certain blonde-haired Salusian of Imperial birth went into a sneezing fit.
(------)
“Anyway, Ms. Meioh,” Dr. Mera said. “Anything else I can help you with?”
Setsuna thought about it. “One more question, I heard Splicing has a ninety-five percent success rate, but there have been some who rejected the process... What factors could spur that to happen?”
“The causes are varied,” Dr. Mera explained. “The two most common themes we’ve found are animal-related allergies, so the body rejects it,” He pressed a keypad to bring up an image on his computer screen. Red-colored crescent moons. “And the other is sickle-cell anemia. The crescent-shaped red blood cells make it difficult for the Splicer Serum to take effect.”
Not getting a response, Dr. Mera asked, “Ms. Meioh?”
Looking up, the doctor was surprised to see no one there. He knew that he had been talking to a woman, and his senses would have caught her movement. Yet, she was gone, and not a trace left.
Slowly, Dr. Mera moved his finger over the intercom button. Pressing it, he called out, “Jen! Sake!”
Hey, it might not make what happened make anymore sense, but at least he’d have something to blame it on.
“Dr. Mera, is Something wrong? That’s your tenth bottle.”
“No, I‘m merely celebrating my slipping sanity, why Else would I be drinking heavily?”
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(Posted Sat, 16 Oct 2004 00:46)
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