Mercury - Part 1

Part 1 – Research Subjects

01 Bio-Tech report:

23/01/2025

This new recom series is coming along nicely. Already, at a mere six years old, most are already showing the desired traits we have tailored each individual to have.

-Neptune is already showing an incredible ability to acquire and retain information, excellent leadership skills and the desired obsessive qualities (EXPERIMENT112).

-Uranus is sensitive, caring, empathetic and seems willing to do anything to keep the other subjects from harm (EXPERIMENT135).

-Saturn is strategically brilliant, quick to pick up on rules and very goal oriented. It can also concentrate on several tasks at once and under extreme pressure (EXPERIMENT147).

-Jupiter has presented an extraordinary mathematical and spatial ability, rivalling the DG-AI from our competitor, Dynamic Genetics (SEE IQ TEST RESULTS FOR 01JUP).

-Mars has proven strong, fierce, fit and disciplined (EXPERIMENT 114).

-Venus is submissive, friendly and will likely be as beautiful as hoped upon taking up this project, despite being an androgyne. (PERSONALITY TEST RESULTS FOR 01VEN)

-Mercury is marked for destruction upon a final approval. This subject is not a complete failure, and some of its genetic material will be harvested, for alterations. While the traits that we have selected for Mercury are all present (high intelligence, perception, reflexes, attention to detail, memory and skill learning capacity), it presents flaws that were not typically programmed into the Sol Series, such as: Mythomania, obsessive compulsive disorder, selfishness, depression and vindictiveness. (EXPERIMENT190  to EXPERIMENT 204) Upon your approval, Mr. Erikson, we will euthanize this subject.

***

I put down the report.

It was not an unusual day for me, at least at the beginning. My coffee was slowly getting cold in front of me, next to the keyboard of my home computer, my papers scattered absently on my desk, my nametag displayed openly for nobody to see in the dim lighting and lonely isolation that my home contained, shining dimmer than the day I first got it, coated in a fine sheet of dust: 'MR. DARRYL RACER'. I knew I needed a partner for the contract I was being signed onto, and any of these new up and coming mercenaries would have killed (in most cases, literally) in order to have the opportunity to work with me, to boost their reputations. Despite only being 30 years old, I was considered one of the best in the colonized system.

My old go-to partner, dependable Rusty, apparently got too rusty in his older age. He was shot and killed when a Lunarian politician caught him rifling through the garbage. It turns out that Errol Olne is not fond of raccoons going through his garbage. The sad part is that in the time I had spent doing research on the new partner I was supposed to meet that day, I had learned more about Olne than Rusty could have possibly found in the trash.

There was a rattle at the door, probably just the recom I had invited over. After scrutinizing all of the answers to my request for aid, this one admittedly caught my eye. While there were not many details available on this Tamara Mary Olsenfheimer and the background checks I ran were incomplete, I managed to piece together thousands of little bits of facts together into a complete story. The difficulty of assembling the story is actually what intrigued me the most about this person: While finding out details about people is why I'm so good at my job, this person actually presented some level of a challenge. Of course, did I forget to mention how good I am at what I do?

A snow leopard recom, 20 years old, a prodigy from the Space Defense Force (SDF).  Samara Samuel Olmer. A clone commissioned to be birthed by a poor family, after realizing their genetic structures were incompatible. The clone was created from genetic materials that the father had inherited, a piece of ancient history. The child, born an androgyne, was proficient at the learning tasks in school, but also accumulated a hefty disciplinary record (most of the discipline was over simple mischief, teachers theorized that it was because the child was bored with school). Despite all of this difficulty, the child graduated young, and was quickly recruited into the SDF after taking some aptitude tests and showing exceptional results. After leaving the SDF a year ago, that's when the details get fuzzy. That's when Samara adopted the identity Tamara Olsenfheimer. It seems that 'Tamara' has been picking up a bit of mercenary work here and there in the meantime, and has thus far met with positive results. While this Sam is by all reports a flawed creature, I think as potential protégés go, there was no better choice.

I reviewed all that I had learned about Sam as I went to open the door. As soon as I cracked it open, I saw that face. Time froze as I looked it over, analysing, comparing it in my mind. It was identical to that child from the ancient video of experiment 194, down to the impatient scowl, facial spotting and the involuntary eye twitch. Mercury.