A Difficult Choice

Gladys almost died five years ago.

That on its own is not unusual; Atlantis has numbed you and most of the people here to sudden deaths and losses. No what’s unusual is the creature that attacked.

Zerxes has spent years studying it and has lately requested that you come to his lab so that he can personally report his findings which he called “of utmost importance “.

You arrive to see that the recently healed Gladys is here too, saying that Zerxes had asked for her too. Odd , you think to yourself while taking your first good look at the creature , restrained in a sealed chamber . What you first notice is how disturbingly human like it is : between its posture, the positioning of its limbs and its face which looks weirdly like that of a human woman though distorted. You look into its eyes and for a brief moment you see what seems like…. recognition?

Your gazing session is interrupted when Zerxes arrives at last , with his serpentine familiar by his side . After exchanging some pleasantries you ask him on why he requested oth you and Gladys to be here and what did he uncover about the beast?

He begins by saying that after thorough examination and genetic testing, the creature is certainly a hybrid between a human and a snatcher. You are shocked , snatcher/human hybrids! How is that even possible? Zerxes answers by showing you his scans on the cogi… computer screen . The inner organs of the creature with a few minor modifications on the skeletal structure are most certainly human and the DNA extracted from them is a 100% human . However as Zerxes explains the epidermis and skin layers have been heavily altered and the dna extracted from cells there resembles that of the few snatchers caught and dissected . The brain is also heavily altered and with assistance from Marwyn , its confirmed that it possess minor psychic talents.

This is shocking, if snatchers are kidnapping humans to turn them into these then… omnissiah there might be millions of these things running free and…. no it all makes sense now , why Zerxes wanted Gladys here , but it can’t be .

As if on cue the heavily disturbed Gladys asks why she is here and not someone like Talios who is better suited for dealing with this. Zerxes silently has the computer display the genecode of none other than Theresa (ever since Talios arrived you have had a policy of annual DNA checkups on all advisors to ensure there wasn’t any hidden warp based mutations) and beside it a sample of the human dna from the creature. They were identical.

What you think is nausea and disgust pass through whatever remains of your digestive system. To know that your friend has been turned into this monstrosity. You see Gladys feels the same but she descends into denial until Zerxes points to a strange marking on the the hybrid’s forearm which matches a tattoo Theresa hands. Zerxes says he asked for both of you so that you can decide whether you want to put Theresa out of her misery or keep her alive on the chance he might discover a cure .

Gladys is conflicted and looks to you, begging you to make the choice . You understand that she doesn’t want to do what might be necessary to her mentor but you yourself are conflicted.