There is a saying, those who climb the highest has the furthest to fall.  Blair Sinclair thought of this saying as his hands hovered over the twin handles of hologram room four.  He had risen so high that he thought he was untouchable, but his wings were unexpectedly cut.  Now it was to see how far he had fallen.

He took a deep calming breath before pulling down on the handles and stepping into the dark room.  As soon as he took a step into the room, lights ran up a path to a circular platform.  Bringing himself to be confidant, he continued forwards, letting the doors close behind him.  The tail of his white lab coat hit the back of his calves of his dark pants.  The anxiety that was eating at his stomach earlier, now pushed aside.  This wasn't the first time he was fired, nor was it going to be the last.  He allowed a small amount of anger to build within his chest, just under his ancient gold tie clip.  The single blood red ruby at the center of carefully crafted rose was the only piece he kept throughout the ages. 

This was not his fault, and he was going to let the board know about it. 

As he stepped into the middle of the round platform the lights pulsed in the room.  Suddenly words scrambled in mid air to form a single woman.  Her hair was pulled back in a bun and was smartly dressed in an outdated flight uniform.  If he was still employed, Blair swore to update the holographic system.  "Connection protocol?"  She asked, her voice slightly monotone.

Blair fiddled in the chest pocket of his lab coat.  Pulling out a small paper he carefully unfolded it.  Usually he had an excellent memory, but when it came to numbers of the connection protocols, they escaped him like a flying bird.  "Three seven two nine seven one five nine two point three seven six."  He spoke clearly.

"Connecting to connection already in progress.  Please wait." The woman nodded her head.

Blair ran a hand over his black hair.  He tied it back to look as presentable as possible.  Suddenly the room filled with light, and Blair forced himself to stand up straight.  Wood floors filled the room and the seven members of the board stood in a circle, facing him.  "You are late." A sturdy old man growled.

Blair twitched.  He looked over to the old man and smiled.  "President Gutten, to the date records I am at most a moment late.  If we wish to continue to talk about this the meeting shall become even later."

The President's face grew to a dark red, extending up into his receding hairline, but he stayed silent.  The woman to his left spoke up.  "We apologize but the fact of the matter is that you are effectively an hour late, Mr. Sinclair."  Her hands folded neatly in front of her navy suit.  "It is the best interest of the board that you will be relieved of your duties."

"The fire was not my fault." Blair growled.

"Nonetheless, the lab has lost more than beakers and equipment.  The animals housed there that died is the reason that you are being relieved.  They were irreplaceable."  The secretary untucked her hands and put them behind her back.  "There is no more discussion about this matter.  Further details of your compensation will be forwarded to you.  Connection disconnect."

In a blink the room went dark.  Blair just realised how much he was shaking.  His anger was threatening to come out and attack.  He took a deep breath, and recaptured his inner beast.  There was no reason for him to lose control.  He could withstand this.

The hologram room flashed to life once again.  This time it was a richly carpeted room.  Blair turned to see a child, her blonde curls framing her chereb face.  "Cecillia?" He whispered.

She popped her head up, flashed a smile before opening her white eyes.  "Blair, I am going by the name Mayble right now.  You know that."

Blair took to a knee.  "I like Lia better."

She reached a tiny hand out to touch his face, but the hologram went through his skull.  "I know."  Her voice was sad.  "I also know that they moved the time of the meeting so that you couldn't attend."

Blair sighed.  "Figured as much."  He looked up to her white eyes.  "You haven't been feeding as much as you should.  Did something happen?"

She shook her head, the curls bouncing, but her smile told of a lie.  "I...You know that I can control myself."

He couldn't help but to smile.  He still loved her so much.  "I now." He said softly, reaching for her face, wishing that he could touch the real thing.  "I'm not sure where I'm going to go now."

"Wherever you go, you wouldn't be alone." 

Blair tilted his head.  "What do you mean by that?"

She sucked in her lower lip, giving it a small chew before looking at him.  "You will be getting one of them to be by your side, until the end."

Blair slumped.  "Have you foreseen this?"

Cecillia moved closer.  "I have my love.  I don't...I don't think you will survive this time."

Blair looked up.  "How can that be?  I have knocked at death's door many times and he has yet to grant me passage.  You are saying that after this time I finally get to rest?"

Tears ran down Cecillia's face, as the mists of white retreated from her pale blue eyes.  Blair finally understood how she knew it was to be true.  He wanted to hug her, console her worries and pain away.  He wished that he was small once more so that he could match her size again.  "You will not want to go."

His eyebrows raised as tears threatened his vision.  "Does anybody?"

"He will become dear to you."

Blair folded his hands.  "They are already dear to me.  They have a part of you within each and every one of them.  At least, on the ones I'm thinking that you are going to give to me."  His eyes suddenly widened.  "But there is so few of them like that left.  You don't mean?"

Cecillia took a deep breath.  "Reece and I are travelling back to Earth.  We will be on hand, but it looks as though he will be a child.  We cannot risk changing one as an adult, for they have proven themselves stronger than a human.  They are part animal, and animals cannot be changed.  I don't know if it will work or kill him."

"As a child yourself, you should know the cruelty of what you are going to do."  His voice broke.  "Especially since..."

"Blair!" Cecillia's voice interrupted him.  "Do not speak like that.  I am fine, and so will the boy.  I will personally oversee his records and choose him.  If the candidate isn't a good one then I personally will make sure that it doesn't happen.  But there will be a good one."

Blair took in a deep breath, realising he was crying.  He wiped his face with a hand.  His hands have become so soft.  He stared at the lines of his palms.  He had once created items of metal with them.  He had created a new life form with them.  He closed his hands.  "I trust you Lia.  I will take care of him like a son."

Cecillia nodded, folding her hands in front of her.  Blair looked up from his hands and just noticed that she was wearing a long white dress with jewels beaded in down the front.  "That is because he is your son."

"Will he know?"

"No."  She licked her ruby lips.  "I wouldn't tell him either.  He will be angry for a long time."

"I see."

"You have been alone for too long, my love.  If you had chosen another to be by your side or went back to Maure things might've been different."

Blair shook his head.  "She didn't recognize me, and I don't want another to replace you."  He sighed.  "If this is what you want, I will accept."

She came close and kissed his cheek.  Even though he felt nothing from the hologram he had a rush of hope flare through him.  "I will arrive soon. Connection disconnect."

"I will wait for you until the end of time." He whispered as the room faded and the main deck of the hologram room appeared once more.

Unit number 10150814 ran down the hallway, his sneakers squeaking on the waxed white floors.  His last assessment ran later than was expected and his final appointment was on the other side of the compound.

Deep voices rang off the walls ahead of him.  Skidding to a stop, unit 10150814 snapped to attention, the toes of his shoes pointing perfectly forwards, his back ram-rod straight, and his arms hard against his sides, palms on his thighs.  He tried to slow his breathing as his heart slammed against his small chest.  The voices neared, the soft clicks of heeled shoes walking along rang inside 10150814’s ears.  He tucked in his chin and pulled his dog ears back, trying to show submission, even though it was not part of his nature.

The voices stopped as the footsteps approached and stopped.  10150814 peeked through hooded lashes and spotted a pair of black dress shoes directly in front of his white sneakers.  The difference in size made his eyes flash fully open.

“Ah so you are awake.”  A deep voice chuckled over his head.  “Tell me your number.”

10150814 swallowed.  “One naught one five naught eight one four.”

The feet stepped back, out of sight.  “So you’re not the runt.” The voice rumbled with a growl caught in the speaker’s throat.

10150814 felt anger bubble inside him.  “No sir.  I am not.”  10150814 felt insulted being mistaken for that one.

“But you are part of that series correct?”

“Yes sir.”

“How many of you are left?”

10150814 thought for a moment.  “Three sir.”

“Kian.”  Another voice spoke.  “Leave that one be.  There is no reason to associate with it.  There is a mobile we have to catch.”

Kian hesitated, before patting 10150814 on the head.  “Of course Captain.  Forgive me.”  With those words the hand retracted and footsteps went away.

10150814 counted slowly to ten in his head before stepping away from the wall.  He looked down to where the two were and studied their backs.  One of the form fitting uniforms were blue, the other red.  They were evenly matched, heights the same, hair cut the same, even the black tips of the grey ears matched.  10150814 nodded, knowing that the two were brothers, matched from the same TNA, and if you looked at their faces the banded markings would match exactly.

10150814 frowned as he looked over the red uniform.  That was the Captain, or at least Captain in training.  10150814 knew that he would soon wear that uniform.  He paused.  His appointment!  Spinning on his heel he took off in a mad dash, and raced towards the other end of the compound.  He hoped that there would be no others out of class to stop him.

Luckily for him there were no others in the halls save for the scientists in their long white coats.  He skidded to a hault just outside the room marked 7526, and took his position between his brothers.

“Late again eight one four?”  The one on his left jeered.

“The assessment officier wanted me to go through another round of testing.  He didn’t believe my scores.  I guess they were all too good.  Your cheeks seem red as well eight two seven.”  10150814 spoke softly, trying to keep his voice and breathing steady, not to show any weakness before his peers.

10150827 snarled, his fangs showing.  “You wish you could do as well as I.”

“No one wishes to do as bad as the runt.”  The brother on the right commented, his voice steely. 

10150827 growled, “I dare you to say that again eight naught two.”

10150802 sighed heavily, the shoulders of his blue hooded sweater falling.  “Face the fact that since eight five nine died, you have inherited the title of runt.  You are the last born, and if you die then eight one four gets the title and then I would.  There is no way to avoid this, so accept your fate.”

“You only can say that because you don’t know what it’s like.”

“You’re right.” 10150802 said.  “But I never treated you differently.  I always treated you as the younger brother.  One in which I must out perform in every way.”

10150827 pulled up the hood of his sweater so that it hid his face.  10150814 was sure that he was crying again.  He sighed and pulled a book from his front pouch in his sweater.  Quickly he flipped through to a dog-eared page and began to read.  He felt that any down time was a good time to fit in any type of studing.  The door beside the three suddenly opened and a young woman stepped out. 10150814 barely had time to tuck his book back into his sweater before the woman spoke.    “Naught two, one four and two seven?”

Training kicked in as all three of them stood up, their heels clicking together as they all stood as straight as they could.  “Yes mamn.” They spoke in unison.

“Come in here and have a seat on the chair with your number.”  She turned back into the room, the heels of her bright red shoes clicking on the linoleum.  The three came in and quickly sat down on their assigned seats. 10150814 peeked up slightly to have a look at the assessment officier.  She was dressed in the classic doctors coat and light pink scrubs underneath.  He didn’t dare to look up further risking punishment if he did.  Instead he tucked his chin back down to his chest and waited.

The woman sighed and flipped open a file.  “I will start with the eldest. 10150802 your marks and assessments were strongest in the maths and sciences.  There is fault in your navigation and politics.  All other subjects were acceptable.” 10150814 felt his brother shift beside him.  10150814 frowned slightly.  If he had known he would’ve helped.  The woman continued.  “Your strength scores were generally average and your physical health is good.  We find you favourable for the engineering sector.  You will report in at room 246 at naught nine hundred hours tomorrow.”

10150802 bowed slightly.  “Yes, thank you mamn.” 10150814 could hear a measure of happiness in his brother’s tone, so dismissed his earlier thought.

“10150814, your academic marks were outstanding in all fields. Your strength tests were acceptable, but your health has been red flagged.”  She paused, reading. 10150814 couldn’t move, couldn’t react or it would look badly.  “It says here that when you get into the vocal range in which you need to present orders to others, your heart has an arrhythmia.  This disqualifies you for the application of being a Captain.”

His breath caught.  That one profession, the highest in all available positions for his kind, was now out of reach.  All his hard work, time and effort were for nothing.  What good was he?

“With these findings we find you favorable for the medical sector.  You are to report to Lab seven at naught six hundred hours tomorrow.”  She had continued, not noticing 10150814’s distress.

“Yes mamn.” 10150814’s voice gave him away.  He closed his eyes in a struggle not to cry.

“10150827, we are pleased at your results, ranking average in all sectors.  However, you are being dismissed and placed under a home program.”

10150827 stood so quickly that his chair was thrown backwards.  “You are saying that I’m to be someone’s pet?” 10150814 looked over to his brother.  10150827’s grey ears were plastered back onto his skull, barely visible through the thick, unkempt, black hair.  His lips were peeled back from his teeth, his fangs glistening in the light of the room.  The three dark markings on his cheek and the three that were on the bridge of his nose were distorted in his anger.  10150814 kept his eye on the two markings that came from each side of the eye, for those would tell where he was going to move to.

The assessment officer was unfazed.  “If you want to look at it that way, then yes.”

10150827 growled.  “I will not be someone’s pet!”  He yelled as he sprang.

10150814 sprang at the same time, bowling into his brother before he could reach the assessment officer.  The two crashed into the table, the files skittering off as they wrestled. As they twisted the two fell off the table onto the floor, 10150814 landed first with 10150827 winding him.  10150814 curled himself into a ball, coughing and sputtering.

Meanwhile fierce growls and pain filled howls filled the room.  10150814 staggered to his feet to witness his two brothers tearing each other apart with tooth and nail.  Quickly drawing breath in and out, 10150814 tried to remember the technique in which to activate the commanding vocal range.  He took in a deep breath, expanding his lungs.  His hair tried to spike, its length the only thing keeping it from doing so.  “Stop it!” He yelled, his voice hitting the perfect pitch.  Immediately the two stopped fighting, their wounds bleeding profusely. 

10150827 shook his head trying to clear the command.  With a snarl he lunged at the assessment officer as she made for the door. 

“Hault!” 10150814 barked his command once more as his chest tightened.  He struggled to breathe in, his breath a mere wheeze.  Pain ripped through his body as sweat beaded on his skin.  He coughed, trying to clear his chest, but it was no good.  He reached out to grab at a chair as his legs gave out and he fell to the floor.

Cecillia raced through the halls of the laboratories.  She had just docked when the word of an emergency came to her.  Fearing the worst, she raced down to the medical wing.  What awaited her was strict confirmation of her fears.  Medical crews worked feverously to revive all three of the half breeds that were from the last batch.  She wanted to know how this happened, but didn’t dare to break the concentration of those who were fighting to save the half breeds that lied on the tables. 

Finally one crew pulled up the cloth on one of the half breeds.  For a moment the stared at the small body, a few of them shaking their heads.  Blood covered the front of most of the crew.  Cecillia felt for the medical personal.  Most of them had been around for each one of these boys births, and only to see them die before them seemed like a waste of time and resources. 

A sharp metal clang drew the attention of all the personal.  One of the half breeds were on his feet, pointing a scalpel at the crew in front of him. “You can’t make me!” He screamed.  Cecillia heard the end of a mutter, but with no context couldn’t understand what was going on.

“Wait, no!” One of the masked women yelled.

The room filled with the scent of fresh blood as the boy stabbed the scalpel into his throat.  The personal rushed to his side as he collapsed.  Cecillia wasn’t sure if this situation was going to turn out favorable.  There was only one other.  She moved down the hallway.  The third was in a separate room where a medical team struggled to keep him breathing and his heart working.  Cecillia stepped to the window and watched the monitors. 

It didn’t look good for him.  The oxygen levels were too low, the heart beat was erratic at best and the numbers for his blood pressure were too close together.   Considering the state of the other two, he was the best bet.  There were no more options.  She lifted her hand and pressed a few buttons on her watch.  Hopefully it wasn’t too late. 

As she watched, the young half breed struggled for life; his cardiac system was shot though.  The medical crew was tiring.  It was time for her to step in.  She pulled down the front of her flight jacket and strode into the room.  At first the medical crew ignored her until she was right beside a doctor; he turned and walked into her, knocking each other over. 

“Why is a child here?” He bellowed angrily. 

Cecillia was on her feet in a flash.  “This child is here because I pay your pay cheques.” She said.  ”Now for this half breed how long will he survive without your assistance?”

The doctor glanced at the monitor.  “About five minutes.”

“Then continue to work.  There will be some secondary service personal coming down.  When they arrive that will be the signal for you to vacate the room.”  Cecillia ordered.

The doctor only nodded before turning back to the half breed boy.  Through the maze of arms and equipment Cecillia could only see glimpses of the boy’s face.  For a moment she felt a connection, as if she had dealt with this boy before.  As she left the room she thought back to her previous visits to the lab and training centre.  There were a few pups that she handled, even a couple in which she fed a few drops of her blood to.  She glanced back over her shoulder.  The probabilities of this one being one of the few were unlikely.  However, in her long life she knew that probability was always a chance. 

A middle aged man ran up to her, two black bundles in hand.  “Mayble!  That’s where you went off to.”  He bent over, trying to catch his breath.

“I told you and Reece where I was Fallo.”  She crossed her arms over her small chest.  “I know it’s not ideal but you will have to cut his hair right before he meets with Reece.”

Fallo held his breath for a moment before exhaling.  “I’m one of the best.  Where is my client?”

She pointed towards the medical room.  “He is in there.  They are working on him as we speak.”

“Then shouldn’t we wait until he is better?”

“No.  This is the best time that I have for him, and it has to be him.  I know that you probably don’t like this.”

“No I don’t.”  He knelt and pulled Cecillia close, lowering his voice to a whisper.  “Are you the one that will be attempting this Mistress?”

She ran a hand over his soft, bright teal hair, pulling him closer to her.  “I only need you to protect me.  This is a gift for another.  I want him to be stronger than what I can do.”

He shifted slightly, kissing the edge of her jaw before breaking the embrace.  “I will do my best.  What do you want for him?”

Cecillia smiled, her hand reaching up and playing with a loose curl.  “Something that will stand up to the test of time.”

Fallo rubbed his cheek with a thumb for a moment.  “He probably would like his ears to be protected as well.  I think I have something.”

“I knew that I could depend on you.  Let’s get this done.”

Fallo nodded and followed her into the small room.  With a few words and angry looks the room cleared and the door closed.  Cecillia locked it as Fallo spread his tools over the bed.  The half breed stirred as the bed was raised and the apron was spread.  With quick hands Fallo began to cut the long, black, wavy locks of hair that was grown to the half breed’s mid back.  Cecillia held the boy up so that Fallo could work the best he could.  After a minute Fallo brushed the cut hair forwards and undid the apron. 

Even just the hair cut made a drastic difference to the appearance of the boy.  Cecillia still wasn’t sure that he was the one that she had seen when she saw Blair’s future, but he was closer.  One of machines beeped once as the half breed’s vitals began to drop.  Cecillia began to wonder what was making Alarice take so long.

A light knock on the door made Cecillia jump.  Racing over she pulled it open.  There, standing in a black suit, was Alarice.  As she stepped through the threshold, her green eyes scanned the room.  For a moment she nodded to Fallo and then to the young boy on the bed.  “His time has come.”  Her voice was hallow.

“I know.”  Cecillia replied.  “That’s why I messaged you.”

Alarice sighed.  “You know that I shouldn’t be doing this.”

Cecillia nodded.  “We promised Blair that he would never be alone.  The council has thrown him from his position and has effectively made us break our promise.”

“Then he should be the one doing this.” 

Cecillia shook her head.  “He wouldn’t.  He has vowed that he would never share his blood to another.”

“I should make the same vow.  It would make my life easier.”  Alarice stepped towards Fallo.  “Get out.”

Fallo turned pale, grabbed his gear and raced out of the room.  “You shouldn’t do that to my protector.”  Cecillia stared at the door.

“Some protector you have chosen for yourself Lia.  He cuts hair, nothing else.”  Alarice ran her fingers through the boy’s hair.  “Useless if you asked me.”

Cecillia clamped down her jaw.  Alarice had never seen Fallo’s other talents, the ones in which saved her a few times already.  No, Alarice had a jealous streak in her so wide that she couldn’t see Cecillia’s companions for who they were.  Even Blair took years to prove his worth.

“But this one may be useful in the end.  You said that he matches all the requirements?”  Alarice twirled a strand of red hair between her fingers.

“Yes.  He is a carrier of the gene, but there is no definite proof that it will work.” 

Alarice nodded and turned off all the machines surrounding the boy.  Even in the middle of the wing, with other medical crews working in the adjoining rooms, the room became eerily quiet.  The half breed slowly wheezed, his body failing.  Cecillia closed her eyes and looked away as he gave a short, sharp yelp.  She didn’t want to be a witness to this.  Alarice would drain him of his life to give him a new one.  The thing Cecillia wasn’t sure if she was going to help the situation along or not. 

“It’s done.”  Alarice’s voice cracked. Cecillia looked up to the bed and shook her head.  There, lying on the bed, the half breed was pale faced, his lips turning blue.  No longer did he fight for breath, all signs of life had passed.  Alarice reached into the table behind the bed and pulled out a small machine. With experienced hands she hooked up the machine to the boy’s temples.  After a moment she sighed.  “There is no turning back now.  It’s the waiting game now.”  She stood.  “This is your deed Lia.  I will not wait here.”

“I understand.”  Cecillia bowed her head as Alarice passed by her and out of the door.  The resounding slam made the normal noises of the hospital wing come back.  She could hear the swearing of the doctors next door as a machine alarmed the passing of the last half breed.  She tried to block out the sounds as she went to sit near the head of the bed.

Blood oozed from a wound on his neck, staining the neck of his cut hooded sweater.  It looked as though he had died peacefully, mouth slightly open and eyes closed.  Cecillia sighed.  The fact that the wound was still bleeding was a bad sign.  Worried Cecillia ran a finger over her lower teeth.  Pain, sharp and unexpected, ran down her hand.  She retracted finding her hand getting coated with blood.  She glanced from it to the boy.

Without hesitation she lifted the boy’s chin and opened his jaws.  Blood, dark in the muted lighting, dripped into his mouth.  “This should help break into the bonds that should have remained untouched.”  She stroked his cooling cheek.  “If you die here I was wrong.”  She breathed, “But if you live then I’ve condemned my love to die.”  She pushed back the thick bangs and kissed his forehead.  Tears began to flow down her cheeks.

“I can’t have my boy die.”