Omega Lab

The Cooling

Chapter 17 The Cooling

Static danced across the screen distorting the face in front of the blue background. "How long before the next batch is ready for delivery?"

Bashir sighed. Monthly reporting via satellite was irritating. "Another three weeks or so. This batch had ten M's that we are going to be withdrawing."

"Have their partners been notified?"

"Yes."

A heavy sigh. "You seem to be producing more and more each cycle."

Bashir took off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. "Human evolution can't be helped.  Even in a controlled environment, there will be some mutations."

"I suppose that is true."

He looked at the picture on his desk. Tenpo and Sena's faces smiled at him. "I'm going to be short staffed soon. We may have to close down the lab for a while."

"What?! Why?"

"The lab assistant is pregnant and two of us doctors will be out on nurturing leave."

"Who and who and who?"

Geez! Nosy old goat! Bashir sighed. "I will be out with my two who are due within two weeks of each other. Cash, the lab assistant, and Dr. Jamison, his partner, will also be out."

"That will leave Doctors Esson and Watanabe."

Bashir was silent.

"I heard about Watanabe's stalker. Is he gonna be alright running things by himself?"

Bashir lit a cigarette. "It's part of why I suggested we shut down after the last batch comes out."

"I see. Let me talk it over with the others. I'll get back to you."

Bashir disconnected the call and leaned back in his chair. The stalker isn't the only problem here.

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Cash and Kira looked up as Kevin slipped into the lab. Bashir peeked in from the spawning chamber with a curious look then went back to work. Peter got up from his desk and left the lab.

Kevin sighed and flopped into his chair. He suddenly felt drained of all energy. It's been two weeks since that incident. Cash is almost healed but my relationship with Peter is still broken. He sighed.

Bashir crept up behind him."You can't keep hiding at my house, yanno?"

He looked up at Bashir. "I know."

"I love having you with Tenpo and Sena but you and Pete need to settle this."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know, I know." He looked up at the ceiling. "I just don't know how."

Kira touched a strand of his silky black hair. "Everyone in here needs a haircut for starters."

He chuckled. "We have all let ourselves go."

Cash looked at his shoulder length curling copper ends. "I really haven't given it any thought. I've been too tired."

"And my hair has always been long," Bashir smiled.

Kira picked up a chart and looked over the data. "Maybe you should do the romantic thing."

Kevin looked up from is laptop frowning.  "What do you mean?"

She winked at him. "Wine him and dine him."

Bashir and Cash looked at her. "What?!"

She shrugged and turned on a microscope. "He's feeling down as a man. Wine and dine him and show him you still love him and find him desirable to you regardless of what happened."

Bashir rubbed his beard. "Wouldn't hurt."

"Good point," Cash agreed.

She looked up from the scope and jotted something on the chart. "He's always treating you special." She turned and pointed her pen at him. "It's your turn."