Corinth: A Battle for the Homeland

IX : Dalikamata

A/N: HALLO EVERYONE!!! So umm... I've added and changed some stuff so BEFORE U GO, Read the chapter "Excerpts from Corinth's Basic Must-Knows" to be oriented with the change of the names of the Nations :D. Enjoy reading ❤❤❤

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Cretil 24, 2095

Earlier...

Fiona knocked three times before Snow opened the door. She flinched at the sight of Fiona that her glasses fell. The laboratory was found at the end of the hallway, a bit far from their entry point.

"I, uhh... I'm pretty sure this is the lab?" Fiona said, breaking herself from the confusing riddle of the hallway.

Snow bent and picked up her glasses. While she was picking up her glasses, Fiona had a quick glimpse of the lab, and from the looks of it, it was the the world's organized lab she'd ever seen in her entire life. Snow, then stood back, grunted and wiped the lenses of her glasses. "Um... Yeah! Obvious, ain't it?" Her finger was pointed upwards towards the sign "laboratory". Fiona chuckled at her answer. "So, the guy placed you here? He's desperate, ain't he?"

Fiona, knowing that what she meant was Alex, had nothing else to say but, "yeah, I guess." Snow replied with a smirk.

"Oh sheesh, you don't have to use the word guess. I've been working with him ever since I came here which was like a year ago, and I've seen him desperately wanting to increase the number of people working under his department for months! Would you believe me, he tried to have a computer queen join our team when all she knows was random bits of binary numbers and random hocus pocus. What a–" Snow stopped and clasped her mouth. "Argh, never mind." Her words, muffled. "Let's just get started." She waved her hand towards Fiona, indicating her to get in.

The most noticeable thing about Snow, was when she tried to voice out her opinion, something took her aback. Fiona tried to forget about it while she was being oriented around the lab.

Once inside, the humid air in the hallways abruptly switches to somewhat fresh, cold and relaxing. But besides that, the spectacle before her kept her mouth ajar. The laboratory was wide! But not as wide as the ones she saw in Minaden. There were two tables, both were covered with marble tilings. At the far end of each table, there was a shallow sink. Cabinets lined up the wall of the laboratory, containing various appartuses, all organized and shining. Like as if they were always used. But at the farthest wall, a steel door with nothing except some handle and the sign "pull" remained closed and cold. Above the door, a red light shone dimly. Beside it, a card reader kept on beeping.

"So, this is the laboratory. It used to be Alexander's old laboratory before the Colonization. His researches became illegal; ranging from illegal drugs to possible bio-terrorism the plants hold because of the very diverse biodiversity, so he devised a way to keep it hidden. Hence, the Con-ALC stronghold! Only this laboratory is the oldest room.

"So Alex's references are kept up there." Snow pointed at the catwalk above where books were neatly arranged. At the end of the mini-library, a sturdy desk had its own lamp lit. "And behind that door is what we're gonna study." Snow pointed at the steel door.

Fiona nodded. It was her first actual research regarding some unknown species, let alone alien! As a failure, she was not trusted to do such research back in Minaden. Excitement started pouring down unto her body and she can't help to be happy for being useful.

But then, what if she became infected. What if she also became like those crab-like monsters. Or a weapon with feelings and memories but had no control of what she was doing. What if...