Bad News

.

## Usage & preview

Type in this:

```
{{FicletMeta
}}

```

to see this:

 Date
 Timing
 Setting
 Arc / track
 Initiating author
 Inspired by
 Notes

Click here to refresh the preview above
</noinclude>

Lightcap, examining the latest scans from Los Angeles' Golden Boy, makes a frustrated sound at her monitor.

Another screen buzzes, 'incoming call'.

"Not now!"

""Call transferred,"" drawls the switchboard.

She squeezes her eyes shut and takes a deep breath. "Level head, Doctor. Child brains are very different from adult brains. There's /**plenty** of time for the pathways to d—"

A knock on the door.

"Doctor?" apologizes the lab monkey. "Rucker from Likely's on the phone for you. She sounds kinda, uh, freaked out?"

Lightcap rolls her eyes. "Thanks." Swings around to a monitor. "Transfer call."

""Call transferred.""

The screen flickers to life.

""Doctor Lightcap, I-I ... have some bad news.""

"One-nineteen's not having twins after all?"

""No ... no, the twins are developing as expected. It's, well, the Bud.""

Lightcap's heart sinks. "Miscarriage?"

""Noooo ... we, umm, lost the mother.""

"Lost?" breathes Lightcap. "She's dead? Please tell me you preserved some—"

""No no no! She's not dead! As far as we know! She just, uh, /**vanished**.""

"Vanished."

""There was a fire so we evacuated and, then, absolutely nothing. She's just ... gone.""

"You're supposed to be a secure facility! How did this happen? When—?"

""A little over twenty-four hours ago. We're still trying to reconstruct—""

"We need. Them. Back," declares Lightcap. "We've only had one other Ranger-Ranger baby! We need this data!"

""We know, Doctor, and we're doing everything we can, but whoever organized this is very, /**very** good. Intelligence isn't sure they'll be able to track her. She may be gone for good.""

"And the Bud with her." Lightcap taps a fingernail against the desktop. "Are there any other Potentials available?"

""Nothing on our radar except Jones and Darling in Sydney.""

"That's /**it**?"

Rucker sighs. ""You /**know** how hard it is to find and recruit proper XX donors.""

Lightcap's lips thin. "Guess I'm calling Sydney." She swings away from the screen. "Disconnect call."

""Call disconnected,"" drawls the switchboard.

Lightcap takes a deep breath and counts to three. "Switchboard, call Donnelly at Sydney DriftSci," she orders.

""Connecting.""

Lightcap drums her fingers against the desk, mutters, "I can't be/**lieve** this is happening. Not /**now**."

""Call accepted.""

Donnelly's image blinks onto the monitor.

""Doctor! To what do I owe the honour?""

"How soon can you implement one of the Jones-Darling contingencies?"

""Wha— I mean, it shouldn't take long, but why the rush—""

"Jim, the Bud and their XX were just stolen from Likely by parties unknown—"

""The fucking—""

"—Intelligence is saying she's out of reach, and I've got Brass on /**my** back to show some tangible results from DCaMP before the next funding cycle—"

""What about the Golden Boy? Could we—""

Lightcap throws up her hands. "He's /**useless** without a point of comparison! At least until he's at an age we can compare him to his XY!" Lightcap glares at the screen. "Unless you were about to suggest something /**stupid** like sacrificing him or testing him solo already—which amounts to the same thing."

Donnelly attends something off camera. Chews his lip. Turns back. ""Umm, I think I have just the approach. We can actually get started on it tomorrow, since, uh, we have everything we need in place.""

"Great!" Happy Lightcap returns. "How soon can I expect good news?"

""Now, even with our best efforts, this sort of thing is very hit-or-miss, as you know, but I /**think** we may be able to have positive results for you by February or March.""

"Good." Lightcap exhales.

""While I've got you, Doctor, do you remember Andrea Hill?""

"Uh, no? I've got a lot on my plate, Jim."

Donnelly flutters. ""Of course, of course."" Glances aside. ""She's this wisp of a thing with a sky-high HSP we found at the Academy. I just sent you her file.""

Lightcap opens the email, scans. "Oh, /**her**." Squints. "Weren't we trying—"

""We were and then there was that ... incident—""

Lightcap cringes.

""—and the project was shelved. ""

"I hear a 'but' coming."

""/**But** now she's, umm, /**involved** with the Rangers Jones' youngest brother. His file's the other attachment.""

Lightcap reads, frowns. "Well, maybe what we're looking for is recessive?" Tilts her head. "At least his HSP's decent ...."

""We /**could** wake Sleeping Beauty, restart the project.""

Lightcap taps her thumbs against her mouth. "What's the likelihood of him coming out in the kind of shape we need for that?"

""Any residual damage will probably be minor and the required physical therapy will give us control of his movements and schedule. We've mapped Hill's routine so it should be fairly simple to have them cross paths.""

"Hmm. Who's in charge of Sleeping Beauty these days?"

""The Corps' Surgeon General has the case.""

"Give them a call." She turns to another screen.

""Yes, Doctor. As soon as we're done.""

"And get started on the Jones-Darling thing right away."

""Of course, Doc—""

"Disconnect call."

""Call disconnected,"" drawls the switchboard.

Lightcap pushes her glasses up onto her forehead, rubs her eyes. "When we find out who did this, I'm /**personally** gonna strangle 'em." Pulls her glasses back down and returns to analyzing the Golden Boy's scans.

She clicks about, stretches the graph, tilts her—

Freezes, finger poised above the mouse button.

"A point of comparison ...." She swivels her chair, yells, "Switchboard! Get Donnelly from Sydney Drift Sci back!"

""Connecting,"" drawls the switchboard.

Lightcap scrubs her face. "Why didn't I think of this right away?!"

""Call accepted.""

On-screen, Donnelly's eyes shift nervously. ""Yes, Doctor?""

"Jim, does your CDL have space for another two- or three-year-old?"

Donnelly blinks. ""Of course."" Attends another screen. ""Who should I tell them to expect?""

"The Golden Boy," smirks Lightcap.

""Wha?""

"We need a point of comparison for him, right?" purrs Lightcap. "The oldest Jones-Darling's about the same age. Let's put them in the same room and watch them interact."

""That's— That's /**brilliant**!""

"I know." Lightcap preens. "I'll start the transfer proceedings; you get everything ready on your end."

""Yes, ma'am.""

"And don't forget the Jones-Darling thing. If you have the resources, start on Sleeping Beauty, but the—"

""Uh—"" Donnelly clicks around. ""The 'Ingot' project?""

Lightcap nods. "The Ingot project is our top priority.""

""Of course, Doctor.""

"Disconnect call."

""Call disconnected,"" drawls the switchboard.

Lightcap glows.