The Digital Revolution was a turning point in technological prowess. No longer did companies make their profits off the brawn of steel and iron, born from molten furnaces and molded by mighty machines. Now, computing conglomerates, dot-com companies and semiconductor manufacturers - the high-tech jewelers that made all this possible - plied their trade in information compilation, information processing and information access.
With a click of a button, a mere child had access to what could aptly be described all the libraries, museums and parks of the world - and then some.
But even the longest reigning monarch must abdicate the throne eventually. And the next in line to the throne of technological prowess was biology. Aided by the Digital Revolution, scientists began to understand the world's oldest language. The language of life itself: DNA.
And with greater fluency in this language came numerous discoveries: cures for previously untreatable diseases, greener manufacturing processes, better crops and more. Of course, the Biotech Revolution followed the same trajectory as every other technological revolution. Whether it was the vanity projects of the Industrial Revolution or the Internet connected juicers and wine bottles of the Digital Revolution, it was only a matter of time before the once groundbreaking technology was put to more frivolous uses.
The Biotech Revolution was no exception. And de-extinction, the once impossible dream of resurrecting ancient creatures from the past to walk the Earth again, became a talked about subject. And that was when Lawrence Taylor founded Paleogenics to bring this vision to reality.
And he succeeded with Prehistoric Worlds Resorts. A combination zoological garden, nature preserve and island resort where guests got to see the Earth of the past. Animals ranging from wooly mammoths to trilobites called this island home. But no talk about de-extinction would be complete without dinosaurs. And Prehistoric Worlds had them in abundance.
But there was something missing. Despite the resort's instantly recognizable logo consisting of the letters ``PWR'' along with the silhouetted bust of a dromaeosaurid emblazoned on an ammonite shell, and the company's equally recognizable logo of a dragonfly with a DNA double helix for an abdomen, the resort had no ``face'' as it were. It was just one of the many faceless resorts around the world.
Seeking an edge over his competitors, Lawrence set out to rectify that glaring flaw. For his choice of mascot, he chose the most intelligent and fierce of all dinosaurs: the raptors. And deciding that it was best to ``go big or go home'', he chose the largest raptor of all — Utahraptor ostrommaysi. Mindful of the admittedly, unfair stigma surrounding the raptors, he also chose this species to show that raptors were not mindless killers.
But that was just the beginning, seeing as Paleogenics had brought back once extinct animals, Lawrence had decided to do the impossible.
Use cutting edge biotechnology to bring their mascot to life.
Unfortunately, like all sciences, you had to keep trying and trying until you got it right. While they got closer and closer each time, they had to push the deadline for the creation of their mascot further and further back.
But after numerous pushed-back deadlines, billions of dollars and an uncountable number of hours, all the scientists had to show were numerous highly intelligent Utahraptor. While they had nearly human-level intellect, they were governed by their instincts, making them far too dangerous to free-roam with the guests as originally planned. But ever the optimist, Lawrence had seen each failure as a lesson for the scientists as what not to do.
But the board of investors saw it differently; they saw a colossal waste of money, time and resources. And that's when they collectively shook their heads and cut funding to the research project over the scientists' impassioned protests that they would get it right this time.
Not wanting his dream to wither on the vine, Lawrence privately asked the scientists how his project could proceed. All of them told him the same thing: he had to start with a human.
Seeing as this was his sole chance, Lawrence took it. He told the scientists to do whatever they could, even if it meant stretching ethical and moral boundaries.
In the meantime, he wrote up a job posting and posted it on every job board he could lay his hands on:
Paleogenics is looking for a dedicated individual to represent Prehistoric Worlds Resorts. Full benefits including room and board are included. All transportation expenses are covered if the candidate is selected for an interview.
Please send all resumes and cover letters to taylorL@prehistoricworlds.com. All details will be provided during the interview.
It was a sparse job posting but he dared not reveal exactly what the candidate would have to go through.
***
"I understand Mister Gibral. I wish you luck on your future endeavors.'' Lawrence shook the well-dressed man's hand as he escorted the latest job candidate out of his office.
He then shut the door and sighed as he looked out the office and over the crystal clear waters surrounding the island. Manicured trails wound their way through the tropical greenery of the resort.
It had been the same story for every candidate. Some stopped at the mention of the five-year contract. Some stopped at the mention of being required to live on the island. And those who continued promptly stopped at the mention of the transformation.
"Maybe I did 'go too big'," he muttered, looking at the Utahraptor model on his desk. He shook his head. Perhaps he'd have to go the old fashioned way: a man in a costume or animatronics.
He was then broken out of his reverie by his secretary knocking on the door. "Come in," he said.
"Mister Taylor, someone is here for the job interview," she said, as she opened the wooden door.
"Yes, please send them in." Lawrence braced himself for the inevitable declining of the job offer.
It was then that a medium height man dressed in a tasteful and conservative black business suit entered. "I presume you are Mister Taylor," the man said.
Lawrence shook the man's hand. "Please call me Lawrence," he said.
"My name is Aurora," the man said, handing over a copy of his resume and cover letter to Lawrence.
"Well, Aurora," Lawrence said, reading over the cover letter and resume. "Tell me, why do you want to work for Prehistoric Worlds Resort?"
"Well," Aurora began. "I've always loved entertaining people and I admit, the regular nine-to-five job wasn't just for me."
"I see. Now, before we continue, I would like to clarify that this is not a regular nine-to-five job. You will be working for us for a contracted five year period with the option to renew at the end of the contract. As such, you will be required to live on the island. However, all room and board will be paid for and you will get full healthcare at company expense. We will also cover all relocation expenses Furthermore, you will be considered a full-time employee and will be eligible for a pension at the end of the contract.
"And you will be paid 250,000 dollars each year with a lump sum of double that at the end of the contract. Furthermore, you and any immediate family members receive lifetime free lodging and admission to Prehistoric Worlds. This starts immediately six months after your contract. However, early job termination will forfeit all benefits."
Aurora raised an eyebrow. Something inside him told him that he was being set up and that he had just walked into a scam. A pension paid that early? A starting wage of over two hundred grand? Free admission and lodging at a luxury resort for life? That all seemed too good to be true. But at the same time, Paleogenics was a well-established and famous company. "My, that's quite generous of you."
"Yes. The job is very difficult on the body and mind." Lawrence wisely decided against mentioning that even with the generous benefits, there were no takers, lest he come off as desperate to hire
The other man waved it off. "I used to do gigs at local bars as a musician. I'll be able to handle this."
Lawrence nodded. Perhaps this man had what it took. And now the kicker. "I see. Well, the job entails being transformed into a Utahraptor who will be the park's new mascot."
That was too much; Aurora burst out laughing. "You have a great sense of humor, Lawrence,'' he said. ``But seriously, what is the job?"
Lawrence's expression grew serious, almost offended. "Aurora, I am the founder and CEO of Paleogenics, I do not joke about such matters. That is the job."
Aurora wanted to say something but the expression on Lawrence's face, the way he spoke and the confident energy he gave off suggested that this man was not joking. He immediately stopped his laughter cold.
"You are free to back out at any time until the actual signing of the contract."
"So, Lawrence, are you uh, going to show me the transformation ray?" Aurora said with a chuckle.
"We do not use a 'transformation ray' and until you sign the requisite paperwork, you will not be permitted to see the laboratories." Lawrence handed over two pieces of paper and a pen to Aurora. "This is a standard non-disclosure agreement as well as a waiver stating that you will not hold us responsible for any injuries you incur in the laboratory should you disobey the safety instructions."
Aurora quickly read over the papers and signed them. "Okay, so now what?"
Lawrence then started dialing someone on his phone. "I'm calling someone from the labs to come get you. Once the laboratory tour is complete, you will be brought back up here to make your decision."
"That quickly?" Aurora raised an eyebrow.
"You have until tomorrow."
The door then opened, revealing a woman dressed in casual clothing. The only thing that identified her as an employee was her badge. "Mister Taylor, is the new candidate ready?"
"Yes, Doctor." Lawrence then turned to Aurora. "Aurora, I leave you in the capable hands of Doctor Janice Washington."
"Pleasure to meet you, Doctor Washington. I'm Aurora." Aurora then shook the scientist's hand.
"Well, Aurora, it is a pleasure to meet you as well. And I hope that you will enjoy working at Prehistoric Worlds Resort," Janice said as she opened the door, letting Aurora through first.
The walk to the laboratories took them outside the executive buildings and into the humid tropical air of the island. As they were in an area off-limits to the public, Aurora made sure to have his "business guest" pass visible at all times.
The man looked around, even though this area was never intended to be seen by guests, it was still as lush and as beautiful as the rest of the island with looming trees that gave the whole island the feel of a tropical rainforest.
"And we are here." Janice tapped her badge on the imposing gate and watched as it slid open to admit the duo. Aurora looked at the fences and gate surrounding the complex and wondered exactly what was going on in those low slung buildings that necessitated such prison-like confines.
As if reading his mind, Janice spoke. "Don't worry, there's nothing too dangerous in the building we're going to, just the usual laboratory stuff. The fences are just to ensure we can use this place as a shelter if the animals are loose."
Aurora let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding as he followed Janice inside the smaller of the buildings. The sudden coolness was as much a shock to him as the sterile appearance of the lobby. There were almost no decorations save a single wall hanging that depicted the Prehistoric Worlds Resort logo in full color. The furnishings were sterile plastic and metal chairs that seemed to be scientifically formulated to be as inoffensive and boring as possible.
Janice then led Aurora through another set of doors. The hallway was equally sterile and branched into numerous rooms that contained scientists hard at work. "So," Aurora asked. "Is this where the animals are made?"
"Well, we do the DNA synthesis and egg construction in here. The hatcheries are in the same area but in a different building," Janice replied. She stopped at another set of doors. She took out a set of goggles from a wall mounted dispenser as well as a lab coat.
She then pulled out two shoe covers from another dispenser and donned them as well. "Okay, put on the PPE before we go in." Janice then donned the goggles and lab coat.
Aurora followed her lead and buttoned up the lab coat just as his guide did.
Once the two were properly gowned up, Janice tapped her ID against the wall mounted reader. The doors slid open, revealing a lab larger than any of the others they had seen. Scientists and technicians congregated around what could only be described a large metal shipping container that was hooked up to a truly dizzying array of computers and instruments. Sterile white LED lighting provided ample, cold illumination.
The man blinked. "So, what am I looking at?"
"This —" Janice said, sweeping her arm around this room. "—is where we bring our CEO's dream to life.''
Aurora's jaw dropped. Either Lawrence decided to take the scam/prank farther than he had thought...or the man was completely serious. "Wait, you mean to tell me that Lawrence was not joking about transforming me into a raptor to be the park's mascot!?" The question came out as a half-shout that echoed around the room.
"No. What you see in front of you is the results of five years of research and billions of dollars in funding."
Aurora only blinked as he looked at the machine. "So, uh, how does it work?"
Janice's eyes lit up as she cleared her throat. "Well, you know how homeobox genes control development, right? And how they're evolutionarily conserved."
The man shook his head.
"I guess we'll go with the layman's explanation then. Well, with our engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system, we edit those genes and replace them with our Utahraptor DNA. We'll also use nanomachines to resculpt your skeletal structure and other large scale changes as well to kill pathogens that may find their way into your body. Of course, the DNA and body plan we will be using are the specialized ones that were originally going to be used to grow our mascot but, it didn't pan out."
"Okay." Aurora nodded.
"Of course, the homeobox genes are tightly regulated otherwise you'd end up with extra limbs or a tail. That and your cells are already differentiated, which makes the whole transformation thing more difficult, if not impossible. Thankfully, we can essentially 'factory reset' your cells using various cytokines and proteins. With the degree of changes being made, it's best to have the cells undifferentiated, that and the body itself does a lot of the work too. I can go into further detail if you're interested."
"I'm already barely following along as it is. Wait, what about my brain!? Is this thing going to wipe my memory!? Will I be stuck as a raptor forever!?" The man was already deciding that proceeding was not a good idea.
"Absolutely not! We will take a sample of your DNA and digitize it. When your contract is up, we will use the same process to reverse your transformation. Just with your stored DNA instead of raptor DNA. And we also have a digital backup that can be used to synthesize new DNA if the original sample is lost." Janice then let out a breath as she began to speak the last part. She hated talking about this as it was an admission that she still did not know the ins and outs of the transformation process but scientific ethics demanded that she reveal everything about it.
"As for your memories and intelligence, for some unknown reason, they persist across bodies even with 'ordinary dinosaur' DNA. We are currently attempting to elucidate the mechanism behind it."
Aurora then sighed as he tapped his foot against the sterile concrete floor. "Then why use special DNA?"
"Well, your intelligence persists but you will gain the instincts of the animal you've transformed into. Now, obviously, your intelligence overrides the instincts but they can still come out. That and of course, we wanted to make the raptor have a more human-like range of motion in the hands and arms."
"Okay, what else is in that DNA you're inserting into me?"
"Well, it's the same DNA as the Utahraptor you see in the zoo but we've also made some changes. According to our computer simulations, the raptor will have no hunting or prey drive, minimal to no sex drive and be extremely docile. There's also the fact that development-wise, the raptor will always remain at the mental age of an elementary school aged child."
Aurora fixed Janice with a theropod-like penetrating gaze. "This is reversible, right? If it's not, I'll sue everyone into oblivion."
"It's reversible."
"What makes you so sure?"
Janice pointed to everyone in the room. "We've tested it. Multiple times."
Aurora's jaw dropped at the revelation. He looked at the scientists and technicians, expecting to see a tail, a toothy muzzle or some other saurian feature. Or maybe flashes of dinosaurian behavior. But nope, everyone looked like a boring, regular human and was busy doing their own thing. "Prove it," he said, the words coming out weaker than he expected.
Janice went over to a computer, and logged on. She then opened a folder located in the main shared drive that was labeled "Transformation Footage". After clicking a video file labeled "JW Parasaurolophus Initial.avi", she then turned to Aurora. "This should tell you pretty much everything you need to know about the process."
The video began with Janice stating her name and verbally consenting to be recorded for research purposes. "I'm sure you just want to see the transformation," she said, pausing the video. "I should let you know that the transformation takes place over several months and that it is sped up dramatically." She then skipped ahead.
Aurora's jaw dropped as he watched Janice's face slowly stretch out and morph into the distinctive long muzzle of a Parasaurolophus. As the video continued, a bump on her head began to extend into the signature crest of the genus. As the transformation further proceeded, the woman's deep brown skin began to take on a more pebbly texture and shift into a vivid leafy green hue.
Janice then paused the video. "I assume that is enough to convince you? Or do you wish to see the rest of the video?"
Aurora looked at the time stamp on the video. Four more hours to go. "I guess I'll just see the end then."
The scientist moved the playback bar to the end of the video. As the video skipped, Aurora could make out some other changes like the beginnings of a tail starting to form and her legs changing their morphology but the video was skipping ahead too quickly for him to make out other details.
Footage of a small, green and brown speckled Parasaurolophus being unloaded from the shipping container and then moved to one of the paddocks on a stretcher was seen. Said dinosaur was then gently placed on the ground and allowed to recover with several staff watching them. It soon regained consciousness, took a few wobbly steps and began sniffing around.
The man then watched in awe as the dinosaur began pointing to an oversized letter board and a keeper began transcribing what was being "said" on a whiteboard. The camera then panned over to what was on the whiteboard: "My name is Janice Washington". Aurora could only blink in surprise. Finally, he spoke. "You...you weren't kidding, were you? So, uh, how long did you spend as a dinosaur?"
Looking just slightly offended, Janice spoke. "There's a lot more where that came from. And every person here has spent at least six months as a dinosaur. But the time allotted to me for this is coming to an end and I shall bring you back to Mister Taylor."
As Aurora removed his PPE and was escorted back to Lawrence's executive suite, he pondered if this was what he wanted. The benefits were enormous and he was now absolutely positive that they weren't scamming him. But at the same time, they were going to change his body to better suit their needs. And he was going to have to live in that body for five years.
And before he knew it, he found himself on the comfortable leather chair that faced the desk of the Prehistoric Worlds Resort CEO. "So, Aurora," Lawrence said as he looked over the man. "Have you made your decision yet?"
"Uh, not, yet, Lawrence," Aurora said as he looked around the room.
Lawrence folded his hands and fixed Aurora with a stern, penetrating gaze. "That is to be expected. I would indeed be a little concerned if you immediately accepted. This is a serious decision not unlike enlisting in the armed forces and it is not to be taken lightly. I suggest you think it over before you accept. Remember, you have until tomorrow when your pass expires to make your decision."
Aurora got up from his seat. "Thank you for the advice, Mister Taylor," he said, slipping back into the formal address. "It was a pleasure speaking to you." He then firmly shook the CEO's hand and exited the executive suite.
As Aurora left, Lawrence looked at the man. He only hoped that he would accept. Who knows when he'll get this far with a candidate again?
***
The rest of the day was no different for Aurora than any other Prehistoric Worlds Tourist. The first thing he wanted to see was the raptor paddocks. As he looked through the reinforced steel bars of the Dakotaraptor paddock, he noticed several bright orange raptors looking back at him as they ate a carcass. Mindful of the sign that warned against staring at the raptors, he did so.
He then looked around as the crowd jockeyed to take pictures of the raptors. As strange as it sounded, he felt...jealous? Aurora recalled the last gig they played at; some dive bar at some Podunk town where a gas station with a ratty convenience store, a diner that looked like a relic from the mid 1940s and the aforementioned bar that stank of cheap alcohol, cheap cigarettes and grease all jockeyed for the precious few customers. And for that entire eight hour shift, not one person acknowledged the band's existence.
Sighing, the man whiled away the hours as he wandered from exhibit to exhibit, seeing everything from the wooly mammoth to the majestic T. rex. After a dinner of seafood pasta at the seaside restaurant Tethys, he returned back to his hotel to wash up and head to bed.
Once Aurora had hung up his business suit, bathed and changed into his more comfortable nightclothes, he slid into bed.
But sleep eluded him as he stared at the ceiling of his hotel room. The faint sound of footsteps and laughter echoed outside the hallway as some rambunctious children got up to some nighttime shenanigans.
He recalled Lawrence's words: "This is a serious decision not unlike enlisting in the armed forces and it is not to be taken lightly."
And like the armed forces, he thought. The job can permanently change you. Only instead of saying to a grieving mother, "Ma'am, I have bad news to bring. Your son was killed in action overseas", instead you're saying "Ma'am, I have bad news to bring. Your son has been turned into a raptor and he will have to live in a zoo for the rest of his life."
Aurora sighed again as he rolled onto his side. What did he have to lose? The band gig barely made him enough money to live in a shabby apartment. His other bandmates were barely functional alcoholics (which explained why practically every gig was at a bar and not a classy one either).
He then rolled onto his back and shut his eyes as he slowly began to drift off to sleep.
***
The next morning, Aurora slowly got out of bed and washed up. Once his morning ablutions were done, he got dressed and headed downstairs for the complimentary breakfast.
As he slowly ate his syrup soaked waffles and mushroom omelet with a healthy splash of salsa, he looked around the lobby. The lobby had what can only be described as a miniature forest with a river, lake and waterfall. He took in the earthy scent of the forest and the clear, refreshing scent of the water. The man sipped his hot coffee as he looked around. The rough hewn stone architecture of the lobby mixed with the minimalistic black tile and marble of the breakfast area didn't clash but instead, it projected an air of classy prehistoric ruggedness. Like a Neanderthal in a three piece suit, Aurora thought as he finished off his meal. Once that was done, he checked his ticket. Check out was 6 PM today. Aurora then got up, bussed his dishes and headed out to the park itself, seeing as he wanted to make the most of his time.
Stepping out into the tropical sun, he took a deep breath of the salt tinged air. Already, people were exiting the hotel and heading straight for the main thoroughfare. Once there, he noticed that while the park was technically open, the guests from the mainland hadn't arrived yet.
It was then he noticed a cardboard cutout of a cartoony Utahraptor dressed in a collar and working dog vest waiting to greet visitors. He figured that this was the mascot they were talking about. Printed on the sign was the phrase "Sigma welcomes you to Prehistoric Worlds Resorts!"
Aurora rubbed his chin and headed down the main thoroughfare. The scent of various fast foods tickled his nostrils as he strolled down the road. Already, it was well packed with guests. He passed by a gift shop. The centerpiece of the display (which sadly, was labeled as not for sale) was a large plush of Sigma. Plushies, t-shirts and other knickknacks depicting various dinosaurs, including their mascot were scattered around and available for sale.
Deciding to get a memento to memorialize his visit (after all, it wasn't like he could afford to go here very often...if at all), he picked up a plushie of Sigma and went to go pay for it. His wallet feeling lighter and a Prehistoric Worlds Resort branded reusable cotton bag dangling from his shoulders, he exited back out onto the main street. As he walked, he saw people with assorted memorabilia depicting Sigma. But one thing he noticed is that there were no costumed performers in sight. Surely they'd use a man in a Utahraptor fursuit to portray Sigma while they got to work on bringing the real one to life? After all, what theme park worth its money didn't have a meet-and-greet with the characters?
And Aurora could pick up that disappointment that radiated from the guests. The energy and excitement that he remembered feeling at other theme parks, ones where people could meet the mascots and characters was absent. Soon, he made his way to the Utahraptor paddocks. It was one of the most popular exhibits with throngs of people jockeying to get the best shot of the deadly theropods. A sign warned against sustained staring and flash photography. Another forbade throwing anything into the enclosure.
As he read an informational placard about the raptors, he noticed one looking at him. The iridescent gold plumage shone in the tropical sun and when Aurora made brief eye contact, he could see the intelligence behind those brilliant green eyes. The raptor then chirruped and walked away, long feathery tail swaying in the sun.
Aurora blinked. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach. Not of fear but of something he couldn't quite describe. Longing?
Was he jealous of a raptor? He looked and watched people photographing it. Memories of his childhood dream to be a famous musician and have hordes of adoring fans photographing him as he performed on stage resurfaced. The man shook his head and continued watching.
Eventually, after far too much time watching the raptor pack, Aurora decided to check out some of the other exhibits.
The rest of the day was a blur as he drifted from exhibit to exhibit. Aurora could still feel the guests' disappointment that hung in the air over the tropical island like the clouds of an impending storm. Even though he had arrived for business that disappointment was getting to him and he wondered if they would even select him. What could he tell his family and "friends" if he didn't get the job? Or worse, if he did get the job?
As he sat at the open air picnic table, having finished his lunch of chicken nuggets, Aurora pondered, was sacrificing five years of his life worth it to become filthy rich...and likely world famous?
After finishing his drink, he threw his trash away and let out a sigh. He had made his decision.
***
Aurora, his heart pounding, stood at the entrance to Lawrence's office. He reached up and knocked on the door.
"Come in."
The man did just that, finding Lawrence seated at his desk. The tropical sun was up despite the clock on the wall reading 5 PM.
"Aurora," Lawrence said. "I assume you have made your decision?"
Aurora nodded. "Yes."
"Very well. I trust you understand what this entails?" There was the shuffling of paper and a piece of paper was placed in front of the man. An elegant metal pen was placed in front of him.
"Read this contract carefully," Lawrence said. "Once you sign, there is no going back."
Aurora looked at the contract. The contract was the usual dense, dry legalese that practically every contract was mandated to contain:
By signing, the client understands that they will be in service of Prehistoric Worlds Resorts Hospitality Group ("Prehistoric Worlds") a subsidiary of Paleogenics Incorporated ("Paleogenics") for the duration of five (5) years. For the duration of the service, the client is required to live on Prehistoric Worlds owned premises. Room and board as well as medical care will be provided to the client at company expense for the duration of the service. Each year, the client will receive compensation in the form of two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000). Upon completion of the five (5) year contract, the client is eligible for a full company pension and is compensated with a lump sum equivalent to double the yearly salary. The client and all immediate family members (defined as parents, spouse, siblings or children) will also receive lifetime free lodging and admission to all Prehistoric Worlds properties, subject to terms and conditions. Early termination of this contract by the client will forfeit all benefits and salary. Paleogenics reserves the right to modify or terminate this contract at any time.
Aurora read over the contract again. "You're not going to suddenly change it to ten years part way through, right?"
"Absolutely not!" Lawrence replied, sounding almost offended. "We can extend the contract or even extend you a permanent job offer at the end of the five years, though."
Aurora fiddled with the pen and took a deep breath. "No turning back now," he muttered as he placed pen to paper and signed his name and dated the paper.
"Excellent. Now, there are some more papers to sign regarding the transformation process." Another stack of papers was slid in front of the man.
"Wait," Aurora asked. "What about my family and the stuff I brought to the island?"
"That will be shipped back to your home — or whatever address your desire — at company expense. You will be given the opportunity to call and get your affairs in order. However, you are not to go into details about the job other than that you will be required to live on the island."
The first piece of paper was a bog-standard non-disclosure agreement that Aurora skimmed over, signed and dated.
The next piece of paper was a contract regarding the transformation. He nervously looked over the contract and read it:
By signing, the client agrees to undergo an experimental medical procedure under the care of Prehistoric Worlds Resorts Hospitality Group ("Prehistoric Worlds"), a subsidiary of Paleogenics Incorporated ("Paleogenics"). While Paleogenics has extensively studied and tested the procedure, it is still an experimental and invasive medical procedure, which carries with it the unlikely but possible risk of death or long-term disability. In the event of such, Paleogenics will pay due compensation to the client and/or next of kin.
Aurora gulped as his hand trembled.
"Aurora," Lawrence said. "The team behind this procedure extensively tested it on themselves."
The man then recalled Janice saying that every member of the team had spent at least six months as a dinosaur and they seemed perfectly healthy. And if things went horribly wrong, he didn't see anything that said he — or his family — can't sue the company. Hand trembling, he signed and dated the contract.
"And now, the last contract." Another piece of paper was slid in front of Aurora.
His mouth went dry as he read it:
By signing, the client agrees to place themselves under the custody and care of Prehistoric Worlds Resorts Hospitality Group ("Prehistoric Worlds"), a subsidiary of Paleogenics Incorporated ("Paleogenics") for the duration of the contract. In doing so, they consent to undergo all medical procedures necessary for their health and welfare. Furthermore, they agree to be bound by all laws, park regulations and protocols that govern the care, keeping, and welfare of the park animals. Furthermore, the client also agrees that the likeness of their transformed state "Sigma" is copyrighted to Prehistoric Worlds and may not be used without express consent. The client also agrees to be featured in media and public appearances.
He understood being placed under the custody and care of the park since in his transformed state, he'd essentially be reverted to childhood and the keepers and staff would be acting as his parents for five years. What Aurora was less keen on was that he'd be bound by all the laws, park guidelines and the like relating to the dinosaurs; to him, that sounded like he was giving up his rights.
"Lawrence, I'm not sure about this," Aurora said, fiddling with the pen in his grasp.
"Well, we do want to keep you as healthy as possible once you're transformed so you'll get the same medical care and diet as a regular animal of your transformed species" Lawrence replied.
"No, I get that but the laws and park regulations..."
"Well, that... It's just standard legal boilerplate. You'll be treated as if you were a regular animal of your transformed species. But you'll still legally be a person, so that means we can't sell, euthanize or breed you. However, keep in mind that waiver allows the staff to restrain you if your instincts take over."
Aurora let out a breath. "Must I?"
"If you don't sign, the whole job offer is void. Think it over carefully."
Aurora tapped the pen against the table as he pondered everything. The metronomic sound of the pen tapping melded with the ticking of the clock as the man weighed everything out. Did he want to continue dealing with his joke of a band or did he want to bask in fame and fortune? And fulfill his childhood dreams of celebrity.
He then steeled himself and gingerly put the pen to paper. "All right, I'll do it." With those last few strokes, he sealed his fate for the next five years.
Lawrence then took the papers away. "Excellent, Aurora. Now then, here is a list of the instructions you need to follow before the staff will pick you up tomorrow. Please read everything inside and sign all the paperwork."
A folder was then given to Aurora, who took it. "Thank you, Lawrence," he said, shaking his hand.
"You are welcome. I look forward to meeting you in the future." Lawrence then opened the door for Aurora.
As the man exited the building and headed back to his hotel, he noticed how much his hands were shaking. His heart fluttered and his head swam as he tried to keep himself from collapsing due to the roiling cauldron of emotions that was his brain. He took a seat on a nearby bench and leaned back, enjoying the sunset and tropical breeze as he tried to process everything.
He really was going to do it! No more playing songs in smoky, alcohol soaked dive bars. No more dealing with his dysfunctional bandmates.
All it would cost him was five years of his humanity. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that it was dinner time but he decided that he'd better get back to the hotel and get everything in order first.
The first thing Aurora did upon entering his room was to unlock his cell phone and call his parents and bandmates. Predictably, they were busy, so he simply opted to leave them a voicemail stating that he was going to be working for Paleogenics for a five year contract and that he was going to be living on one of their research campuses for that time. And of course, he made sure to state that visitors were not allowed on the campus. He sent an email to his parents telling them that he would be mailing them the key to his apartment and that they could take everything out. Another email was sent to his landlord, saying that he was moving out of the apartment in the next two to three weeks.
It was a bit of a lie but he really didn't want his family or worse, his bandmates finding him on Prehistoric Worlds in his transformed state. Once that was done, he opened up the envelope Lawrence gave him and tipped out the contents. Inside were several neatly folded pieces of paper. He unfolded them and carefully read them.
The first one was a letter that congratulated him for accepting the job and welcomed him to the Prehistoric Worlds team. The second one was a form that he had to fill out and give to the front desk so all his belongings would get shipped back home.
The final form was the one that intrigued him the most. It was a list of instructions he had to follow before tomorrow. They were nothing major: no consumption of drugs (except medically prescribed ones), no alcohol for the entire day; no food or liquid eight hours before the transformation; no oral medications for eight hours before the transformation; wear light, comfortable clothing; leave all valuables in the hotel room; shower/bathe before the transformation; no dentures, contact lenses or glasses.
At the end was a disclaimer stating that if he ate or drank anything within eight hours or used drugs or alcohol within the past day, the transformation would be rescheduled and he would be responsible for the hotel expenses. And of course, there was also a clause that stated if the transformation was rescheduled more than two times, the job offer would be rescinded.
Aurora then signed and dated the form, acknowledging that he had read and understood the conditions for the transformation.
His body tingling with fearful excitement, he placed everything back in the envelope and headed out of his hotel room for a "last meal", as it were. Like any resort/theme park, evenings were just as busy as the day with tourists heading to dinner or just enjoying the sights of the tropical sunset.
Aurora's restaurant of choice for dinner was Paleos, a high-end gastropub on the main thoroughfare. Like the other buildings at Prehistoric Worlds, the architecture of the pub was "classy prehistoric" with its rugged stone facade but elegantly furnished interior. He requested to be seated outside as he wished to savor the cool evening air.
A basket of rolls with butter was placed in front of him along with a menu and a glass of ice cold water. Aurora delicately buttered the roll and took a bite as he let the warm, creamy butter and soft, delicately toasted bread wash over his tongue. He was keenly aware that it would be five years before he could taste something like this again.
The man took another bite of the roll as he looked over the menu as he pondered what to get. In the end, he settled for something vegetarian, seeing as he'd be on a restricted diet (controlled by the park) for the foreseeable future.
Aurora swirled his glass of water and took a sip. "You're really going to do it, huh?" he muttered as he looked around at the other guests. "Going to give up your humanity and live in a zoo enclosure for five years for money?"
"What would you like?" the waiter asked, snapping Aurora out of his thoughts.
"I guess the mushroom and vegetable risotto," Aurora said as he handed the menu to the waiter.
"Very well, your dinner will be out shortly. Would you like some more water and rolls?"
"Just some more water."
The waiter took away the empty basket of rolls and refilled the cup with some fresh ice water. Aurora swirled the glass, listening to the ice clink. Had he made the right decision?
He shook his head. There was no way back now...not unless he wanted to face a lawsuit for breaching his contract...or he could constantly disobey the instructions he was given and have the job offer rescinded.
But then again, easy opportunities to get filthy rich with fat benefits didn't exactly come around every day. And really, could he handle one more gig helping his drunken bandmates to their car or choking in smoke and alcohol filled bars?
Aurora was so consumed in grappling with his thoughts that he didn't even notice the waiter coming by. "Enjoy your meal." His cup of water was refilled and the steaming plate of the creamy risotto with the vegetables and mushrooms mixed filled the air with a delicious, earthy odor.
His stomach rumbling, the man used his spoon to scoop up a bit of the risotto. The moment he placed it in his mouth, the rice exploded with the rich flavor of butter, cream, broth and the dark, earthy flavor of the mushrooms.
A grater with some parmesan cheese was placed next to him as well. Taking the opportunity to add even more flavor to the already flavorsome dish, he turned the crank, causing flakes of the pungent cheese to settle onto the steamy rice.
Taking another spoonful of the risotto, Aurora savored the flavor. Despite eating as slowly as possible to extend the delicious meal, he had consumed the sizable dish in what seemed to be mere minutes. After cleansing his palate with some ice water and watching the plates get taken away, he browsed the dessert menu.
In the end, he opted for a scoop of hazelnut gelato and the check. Tiramisu was off-limits thanks to the copious amaretto that drenched the pastry.
Soon, the dish of the dark confection was placed in front of him along with the check. He gingerly took the spoon and placed a mouthful of the rich, decadent dessert into his mouth. To his surprise, the gelato wasn't as sweet as the usual ice cream he was used to but it didn't matter when the purest essence of hazelnut filled his mouth.
Savoring the flavor, Aurora took another small spoonful. But just like the risotto, the dessert was finished in disappointingly little time.
Without even bothering to look at the check (he already knew it was going to be quite expensive since it was an upscale restaurant), he placed his credit card on the small wooden clipboard and let the waiter take it away.
After one last drink of water and a sizable tip, Aurora slowly headed back to his hotel. It was now evening and the cooler tropical air carried with it the scent of the ocean and the animals at Prehistoric Worlds.
Back in his hotel, Aurora flopped down on the couch. He turned on the TV and idly channel-surfed until he decided that he should probably go wash up and go to bed.
Clad in his last set of clean pajamas, Aurora slid under the soft covers of the bed and closed his eyes. But try as he might, sleep eluded him. Faint voices telling him he was making a big mistake echoed within his head.
The man tossed and turned as he tried to ignore the fact that these were his last hours as a human being. Eventually, after what seemed like hours of fidgeting, he was finally able to banish those thoughts into a deep, dreamless slumber.
***
The ringing of the phone jolted Aurora from his sleep. He looked at the clock. Despite having slept a full eight hours, he was still groggy. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he picked up the phone.
"Yes?" he asked, struggling to keep the tiredness from his voice.
"Aurora, it's time."
As if a switch had been flipped, all the fatigue evaporated and Aurora practically threw himself out of bed, knocking the blankets onto the floor. His heart pounded in his chest as he practically sprinted to the bathroom to wash up and get ready.
Once he was washed up and freshly showered, he quickly threw on his clothes from last night, hoping that he looked at least semi-decent. He then got to work packing everything up.
As he zipped up his suitcase, there was a knock on the door. He peered through the peephole and saw that it was Janice accompanied by a bellhop with a cart.
"Aurora, are you ready?" Janice asked.
"Just a second," Aurora replied. He went back to pick up the Sigma plush he had purchased two days ago. He had to admit, it was a little childish to be taking something like that with him, but he was soon to undergo an extremely invasive procedure.
Once he had the plush in hand, he followed Janice. The bellhop loaded up his luggage.
The elevator ride to the lobby was suffocating in its tension. He returned the keycard and the signed shipping form to the front desk.
The walk to the science building was one of tension. Even with the tropical atmosphere, Aurora felt a slight chill that he couldn't help but think was akin to what a death row prisoner walking the last mile would feel.
I guess it really is the last mile for my humanity, Aurora thought as he looked around at the palm trees and perfectly manicured gardens. He clutched the plush he held in his hand in an infantile yet calming manner.
Once inside the sterile interior of the science building, Aurora was quickly ushered to the back room. It was similar to what he had seen during the tour two days ago, except there was a gurney with a blanket on it along with several additional staff members standing by.
"All right," Janice said as she looked over Aurora. "The medical team is here. Please sit down while we prepare the necessary tests."
One of the medical team handed a clipboard and pen with a questionnaire to Aurora, who was now sitting on the gurney. The man read over the questions. They were the usual medical related ones like asking if he had any preexisting health conditions, any implants, allergies and the like. But there was also a section that asked the same questions in the form he had to fill out yesterday.
Once the form was filled out and the clipboard returned. Janice spoke up. "All right, I'll turn you over to the medical team for now," she said.
Aurora nodded as the group wheeled him out of the room and down the hallway into a private room that looked like a doctor's office.
"Okay, the doctor will be in shortly."
There was then a knock on the door. "Come in!" Aurora said.
A young Asian man in scrubs entered and approached Aurora. "I'm Doctor Tai. I'll be running some tests to see if you're healthy enough for the transformation."
Aurora shook the doctor's hand. "So, what are you going to do?"
"First, we're going to run an EKG to see if you have any cardiac problems. Then we're going to draw some blood. If everything passes and you sign the paperwork, we'll place an IV and then that's when we'll get you prepped for transformation."
So much signing of papers, Aurora thought as he lay down on the gurney.
Doctor Tai wheeled over the EKG machine that was near the back of the room. After donning some gloves, he retrieved a pack of electrodes and began to stick them on Aurora's chest, arms and legs.
To his surprise, the expected rhythmic beeps of the EKG that Aurora had grown accustomed to via medical dramas was absent. Instead, all he heard was the whirring of a printer.
Once all the leads were disconnected and the electrodes removed, Doctor Tai took the printout and exited the room, leaving Aurora alone with his thoughts.
He was then acutely aware of his dry mouth as he looked at the raptor plush next to him. ``I guess I'm really doing it. The next time I'll wake up, I'll be a raptor.''
As expected, the Sigma plushie did nothing but stare with its lifeless fabric eyes. Aurora sighed as he lay back on the gurney. No sooner had he done so, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" Aurora said.
Doctor Tai entered with the printout. "Well Aurora, you have no cardiac conditions that preclude you from the transformation. Now then, we'll draw a few vials of blood for testing as well as DNA banking."
Aurora nodded as a nurse tied a tourniquet around his left bicep. After palpating for a vein, she quickly drew three vials of his blood, removed the tourniquet and bandaged the puncture.
Then she and Doctor Tai left the room once again.
Sighing, he lay on the gurney and stared at the ceiling. A digital clock on the wall slowly counted the seconds as he waited.
Lulled by the sheer boredom of waiting, Aurora closed his eyes. Soon, he began to drift off as he lost track of time. An unknowable amount of time later, in that liminal state between sleep and wakefulness, he heard someone knocking at the door.
Bolting awake, Aurora told Doctor Tai and the other staff to come in.
"Well Aurora," Doctor Tai said. "The tests are all perfect. You have no conditions that would preclude you from transformation. Now then, please sign the paperwork and we can proceed."
A nurse handed him a clipboard.
Aurora read over the paper, it was a form similar to that in any doctor's office, consenting to medical treatment. He signed and dated it.
The next form was one informing him off all the risks of the procedure. Having already been informed of such by the previous form he had signed in Lawrence's office, he skimmed over it, signed and dated it.
"Okay, I think we're ready now. Please disrobe and then we'll get your weight and start the IV," Doctor Tai said as he adjusted the gurney to place Aurora in a sitting position
The staff gave him privacy to remove all his clothes.
Sighing, he did just that, tossing them on the nearby table. He then stepped on the scale, which recorded his weight. The man then got back on the gurney and covered himself with the previously provided blanket.
There was then a knock on the door.
"Come in!" Aurora shouted.
The door opened and Doctor Tai entered, accompanied by a veritable pack of medical personnel with several pieces of equipment that he didn't recognize. "All right, we're ready to go."
Aurora gulped and nervously bit his lip. "Okay, go where?"
"We're going to insert the IV and then sedate you. Once that's done, we'll intubate and artificially ventilate you. Then we'll place you inside the transformation tank and infuse all the required nutrients, proteins, cytokines, the viral vector and the nanomachines. After that, it's just waiting and monitoring."
The man sighed and nodded. "Okay, I guess it's time then." Despite the calm in his words, he could feel his heart racing.
Doctor Tai looked at the gathered medical team and nodded. "Okay, we're ready."
One of the staff noted down Aurora's weight on the scale and reset the device.
"Arm please," a nurse said.
Aurora obligingly presented his left arm. The back of his hand was swabbed with alcohol and he felt a sting followed by a cold sensation running through his veins as the IV was placed and the fluid infusion started.
"Good boy, Sigma!"
Aurora wrinkled his forehead at the misnaming and condescending tone. "Getting ahead of ourselves, are we?" he muttered. Of course, the Sigma plushie clutched in his right arm didn't help matters.
"Place EEG and EKG electrodes and leads," Doctor Tai commanded. With near supernatural fluidity and grace, the pair of nurses got to work placing the electrodes and leads. By the time they were done, Aurora was so covered in wires that he looked more robotic than organic.
Doctor Tai did a quick scan of Aurora's wire covered form. He looked at his clipboard and checked to see that all the electrodes and wires were properly in place. "Okay, wires are in place. Now onto the next step."
Another nurse handed him a capped syringe. He compared the amount in the syringe with the previous calculations made using Aurora's weight (which were checked by two other staff).
Satisfied that the calculations were accurate, he gently tapped the syringe and squirted a bit of the liquid out to ensure there were no air bubbles. He then turned to Aurora. "We will be sedating you now. Count backwards to zero from ten."
"Okay," Aurora said, watching as Doctor Tai connected the syringe to the IV port and pressed the plunger. The man didn't even get to begin the count before he practically turned off.
Doctor Tai waited a bit and then checked Aurora's pupils and reflexes. Once it was determined he was sedated deeply enough, he stepped back to allow the second doctor and their team to intubate Aurora. Soon, the mechanical hissing of a ventilator filled the room.
"And we are done," Doctor Tai said. "Good job, everyone!"
He held the door open as the gurney and the ventilator were rushed into the transformation lab.
***
The transformation lab was abuzz with activity as scientists and technicians alike scrambled to get Aurora transferred into the chamber as soon as possible. It was a symphony of practiced movements as wires and IV lines were temporarily disconnected and reconnected to the equipment.
Once all the preliminary preparations were completed, the staff transferred Aurora to the chamber's built in metal bed and sealed the hatch shut. Once everything was completed, the chamber was filled with sterile liquid media that was designed to mimic blood in its concentration of solutes and minerals.
Janice then went over to the main computer and looked over everything. Aurora's vital signs were perfect. She watched as one of her assistants emerged from a storage room. In their hands was a glass vial no larger than their thumb. It was completely unremarkable except for the label on it: Sigma vector. Several others were hooking up additional bottles containing the proteins and cytokines required for dedifferentiation to the fluid line. The last bottle contained the nanomachines. That infusion was automatically controlled to keep a constant level of the nanomachines in Aurora's blood as the machines would wear out, break down and be excreted over the course of months of remodeling the man's body.
She then took the vial in her gloved hand and held it up to the light. Inside, a water-white liquid sloshed about. Janice took a syringe, drew up the vial's contents and made sure to get all the air bubbles out.
The scientist then injected the first dose of the Sigma vector into Aurora's IV line. Once everything was properly disposed of, she looked at the computer screen.
``Great work, team!'' she said, looking over the veritable pack of scientists, technicians, doctors and nurses that had made this entire endeavor possible. ``In just six months we'll see the fruits of our labor. But for now, all we can do is watch and wait.''
***
One month later...
Janice entered the transformation laboratory. As usual, it was crowded with scientists and technicians monitoring every little aspect of Aurora and the transformation system. Just like they had been since Aurora was placed into the transformation chamber.
"How is everything going?" she asked.
"His oxygen levels, heart rhythm and EEG readings are within normal parameters,'' a scientist replied, reading off one of the monitors. "The second and final dose of the Sigma vector will be administered next month."
"Video feed?"
Another scientist brought up the video feed. Aurora was floating inside the liquid media. His face was slightly elongated but it was still recognizably human. The beginnings of a fine feather coat that was a variegated mix of shades of blue-grey along with some light blue highlights could be seen covering his body. The beginnings of a longer ``mane'' of black feathers could be seen growing out of the back of his now bald head and neck. Aurora's legs and feet were changing slightly with them taking on a more digitigrade stance. The man's hands were now the distinctive three fingered configuration of a Utahraptor but lacking the claws. His torso still remained humanoid but the beginnings of a tail could be seen forming.
Janice nodded. "The transformation seems to be proceeding at the predicted rate. Now then, I have a meeting to attend. Please let me know if there are any problems."
The head scientist then exited the lab and headed over to the main office of Prehistoric Worlds Resort. She quickly made her way to the conference room she had been told was the site of the meeting.
"Ah, Doctor Washington finally joins us," a man with sharp, almost theropod-like features said. Despite the calm, almost soft way he spoke, there was a commanding presence around him.
"Sorry, Buck, but I had to stop by the laboratory to ensure the transformation was proceeding properly," Janice said.
The aforementioned man, Buck, nodded. "Now that everyone is here, Doctor Miller, please begin."
A tall woman with sandy blond hair in a ponytail stepped up to the front of the room. She cleared her throat and turned on the projector with the remote in her hand. With the hum of the fan starting, the projector began to warm up and an image of a concrete paddock similar in construction to the ones for the other Utahraptor was projected on the whiteboard.
"As you know, I was one of the scientists who worked on the original Project Sigma. The paddock in question was designed to house the original 'Sigma' — the one who would be designed from the ground up instead of originating as a transformed human. As you can see, it is based off of the paddocks for the standard Utahraptor.'' She then clicked over to the next slide.
This slide showed what looked to be a tiny hotel room complete with a bed and a bathroom. "There is also a furnished guest bedroom for a zookeeper to sleep in, in the event of an emergency involving Sigma."
Another click and there a slide showed a concrete wash stall with what looked to be an oversized squat toilet in the back. "We have also added a wash stall and a toilet for Sigma's hygiene purposes as well."
The next slide showed a semi-enclosed outdoor kitchenette not unlike the one seen in some expensive houses. The final slide showed a large, secluded, enclosed grassy 'backyard' with shrubs, tall grass and small trees. Only the high concrete walls and wires at the top of the wall indicated that it was an enclosure for an animal, not a country club. "The kitchenette is mostly for storage and preparation of meat and the like for Sigma as treats. The other area is for Sigma to sun himself and enjoy the fresh air with some privacy. Any questions?"
"Yes?" she said, pointing to a man with his hand raised.
"Lex, if I may," the man said. "Aurora might take offense at living in a paddock like an animal. He may look like and sound like a Utahraptor but at his core, he is still a human being."
"He will not take offense," Janice said. "Due to the mental changes caused by the DNA, he is highly susceptible to suggestion. Once the transformation is complete and we refer to him as Sigma, he'll take on that name in a similar manner to avian imprinting. Furthermore, the instincts will take over and he'll accept the paddock as his home. I have personal experience with this as I was one of the first test subjects for the transformation process. During said transformation, I lived in a paddock designed for a Parasaurolophus; at no time did I feel offended nor did I miss any human comforts."
"Jackson," Lex replied, turning to the man who previously voiced his complaints. "This paddock is completely unfurnished. If Sigma complains, we can decorate it to his liking or we can call it something other than a paddock."
"Fair enough," Jackson replied. His expression suggested that he was not entirely satisfied with the explanation and he was just waiting for the shoe to drop when Sigma was shown to his new home.
Lex then cleared her throat. "Now then, onto the Apatosaurus in the room." She giggled at the dinosaur themed spin on the old phrase. "What exactly do we consider Sigma and how do we comply with all laws and park guidelines?"
The room grew silent as everyone looked at each other. Seconds, then minutes ticked by broken only by the sound of the projector's fan.
"Well, why don't we follow the guidelines we established for the original Project Sigma?" another man said. He brushed away some of his black hair from his face.
"One problem," Jackson said. "The dinosaurs we created under Project Sigma — even the hypothetical ones with human intelligence — would be Paleogenics property since we created them. Aurora is an employee and we didn't create him."
"Actually, in a way, we did. He's no longer 'Aurora' but 'Sigma'," Janice said. "Besides, if you tested his DNA after his transformation, it wouldn't be fully human."
The black-haired man spoke up. "And Sigma's likeness is copyrighted to Prehistoric Worlds. This is a sticky situation." He let out a breath as he processed the whole situation. "At this point, Aurora and Sigma are so closely intertwined that they can't be separated and Aurora signed papers granting us custody of him and binding him to all the rules, regulations and laws that govern dinosaurs in our park. I think the best situation here is to consider Aurora-as-Sigma legally a person but treat him as property of Paleogenics...at least for the time he's transformed. It's the best way to comply with Mister Taylor's order to keep his origin a secret."
"And what does that mean, Tomás?" Jackson glared at the man.
"It means we can't sell, euthanize, trade, neuter or breed him. However, we'll refer to him as property of Paleogenics and we'll act like he's property of Paleogenics."
"And now, the biggest obstacle...ReTAT implantation," Lex said, already dreading the responses.
Jackson scowled. "Absolutely not! We cannot violate his privacy and bodily integrity in such a manner!" he shouted, leaping to his feet.
"He signed papers agreeing to be bound by the rules, regulations and laws that govern park dinosaurs!" Tomás countered, standing up as well. "Besides, our policies mandate ReTAT implantation for any animal with a Creature Danger Rating of one or greater or is mobile and has the capability of escaping the enclosure."
He then glared at Jackson. "And before you go there, Sigma's CDR was calculated to range from 1.5 to 2.5, over the threshold value. And he will be roaming among the guests, which fits the mobile requirement and for all intents and purposes, he's considered to be capable of escaping his enclosure."
"Was he told of the rules, regulations and laws that govern park dinosaurs?" Jackson's voice was cold venom as he glared at Tomás.
A stifling pall of silence descended over the room. As if reading the tense atmosphere in the room, the projector shut itself off, the whirring of its fan slowly fading away.
"Jackson, Tomás,'' Buck said, glaring at the two. "Sit down. Despite your strong feelings on the matter, I expect you both to behave with professionalism and refrain from yelling at each other."
The two employees did so. Satisfied that order had returned, Buck continued. "We do not have a choice. Our TrooEye AI system will detect any new dinosaurs and bring up an alert if they are not in the system. It cannot distinguish between our 'normal' dinosaurs and this new transformed one. Likewise, any inspectors cannot distinguish between 'normal' and transformed dinosaurs. If they notice any discrepancies in the number of dinosaurs in the system, we will be in serious trouble."
"Buck has a point," Tomás said. "We will have to tell Sigma about this once he is fully transformed. Hopefully, he won't make too much of a fuss about it."
"He's required to get the implant, regardless if he wants to or not. I'm not interested in getting on the bad side of the government inspectors." Buck's tone brooked no argument.
"It's not that bad," Janice said. "I got my ReTAT implanted after I transformed and grew to a full sized Parasaurolophus. You don't even know it's there. Of course, I had it removed before I transformed back. I even had an AID number, which if I transform back into a Parasaurolophus, will replace my EID."
"There's also the safety issue," the speaker was a stocky, muscular tanned woman with a buzz cut. "The ReTAT implants are more for the safety of the guests and the staff but they're also for the safety of our animals. And 'animal' includes transformed employees...and guests, if it ever comes to that. Remember what happened during the first tests?"
Janice winced. The ReTAT implants had prevented a potentially serious disaster during one of the earlier transformation tests. She had spooked at one of the other transformees who had taken the form of an Achillobator and bolted off. Unfortunately, that triggered the raptor's prey drive, which led to a frantic but short chase before the keepers sedated the two humans-turned dinosaurs via their ReTAT implants.
"Carson," Janice said, looking at the muscular woman. "We've muted Sigma's instincts. Our transformed forms had the full instincts."
"He's still an animal," Carson said, crossing her arms. "Besides, the ReTAT implant is the least bad option. We can stop him without any injuries to anyone."
"Besides," Tomás cut in. "The waiver Aurora signed allows us to restrain him if his instincts take over or if he becomes dangerous. It's either the ReTAT implant's sedation option or we dart him."
"And what of the overdose, geofence and full-lockdown functions?"
"As Sigma will be roaming the park and interacting with the guests, the geofence feature will be disabled. However, the overdose and full-lockdown functions will remain active," Buck said, crossing his arms. "And Tomas, before you say anything about how we can't euthanize Aurora/Sigma, think of the overdose function as no different than the ability of the security team to shoot a human attacker."
``I don't care,'' Jackson said. ``We can't treat Aurora like this, regardless of what the law says!''
Janice scowled. Jackson seemed fully intent on invalidating her work by referring to the transformed human by his old name, completely ignoring how drastic the changes would be. "Sigma—"' she said, emphasizing the name "—is not human. He is to be treated with respect but due to the mental alterations that Aurora will undergo during his transformation, Sigma is to be treated like a pet, not a human."
"So you're brainwashing him, is that it?" Jackson's voice had suddenly taken on a cold, threatening tone. "I understand that our CEO said to do 'whatever it takes' to complete Project Sigma, Doctor Washington, but have you even remotely considered how far you should take things before you should stop?"
"It is not brainwashing! As I stated previously, the instincts of Aurora's new form will be at the forefront of his thoughts and actions but he will still have human intellect. And as for getting Aurora into the role of Sigma, that's what the classes and training are for. Finally, he'll take on the name 'Sigma' in a similar manner to avian imprinting. It's completely harmless."
Seeing the impending fireworks between Jackson, the bioethics lawyer and Janice, the scientist, Buck spoke up. "Jackson, Janice, arguing over this is pointless. Sigma has already been in the transformation chamber for a month and as Janice stated in the reports, the process cannot be reversed midway. Now, that topic is out of the way, the meeting is adjourned." The way he spoke indicated that there was to be no more discussion about the ethics of transforming Aurora into Sigma, ever.
The gathered staff filed out of the meeting room. Janice and Jackson glared at each other as they exited but they said nothing.
***
Six months later...
Janice's heart raced as she made her way to the science building and swiped her ID to enter. The cool air felt refreshing against her face as she stepped into the lobby and made a beeline for the laboratory. Those years and billions of dollars in researching, testing, building and yet more testing were about to come into fruition...or crash and burn in truly spectacular fashion.
She made her way back into the area where the transformation chamber was located.
"Doctor Washington, Sigma is complete," one of the scientists said.
Janice said nothing but looked at the monitors. All the vital signs displayed were now within the proper range for a Utahraptor, not a human. Already, this was a good sign. "Show me the live feed."
A few clicks later and the live feed showing the inside of the tank was displayed. Floating in the liquid and connected to a variety of wires and tubes was an unconscious Utahraptor. Janice looked at her tablet that showed a computer simulation of what Sigma would look like.
She looked at the creature in the tank and then at the display. The variegated plumage in shades of blue-grey was a perfect match, as was the mane of black feathers along the animal's head and neck. The tail was also a perfect match with the distinctive dromaeosaurid tail fan of black feathers. Unfortunately, upon closer examination, the feathers on Sigma's body were down feathers, not the thicker normal plumage that was on his head, neck and arms. There was also the unusual light blue striping that marked Sigma's body. Those two changes where the simulation diverged from reality.
Janice noted those particular abnormalities down despite it being far too late to fix them. After all, diligent note taking was a key part of science and if Aurora decided five years as a raptor was enough, they could tweak the DNA sequence in hopes of getting a Sigma with denser, normal plumage that was more accurate to the plumage of a Utahraptor.
Several minutes passed as Janice looked at the raptor's morphology and compared it to the simulation. All of it was a match. Everyone watched and listened with bated breath as the scientist went through her notes and all the data from Project Sigma.
Shaking with excitement, the scientist cleared her throat. "Everyone, step one is completed. The raptor's morphology is good!"
Cheers and applause broke out in the laboratory at the momentous occasion. It was then that someone spoke up. "What about the plumage? It doesn't match the simulation!"
The gathered group grew silent as they pondered the words. They crowded around the monitors showing the simulation and the live feed of the tank. Murmurs went through the crowd as they realized the person who spoke up was right.
"Damn it, we have to go back to the drawing board!?"
"We were so close too!"
"Man, the investors are going to be pissed."
"I think we should just give up on this."
"I knew we shouldn't have used Asian Glossy Starling DNA!"
"Another year!?"
Janice held her hands up for calm as protesting voices echoed around the lab. "People, I know Sigma didn't come out exactly how we envisioned him. But we mustn't overlook how big a step this is."
That did it; the dissenting voices quieted down. Janice then looked at the scientists clustered around another set of monitors displaying Sigma's vitals. "Is Sigma ready to be hatched?"
"All vital signs are good," a scientist said.
"Okay, begin the draining process and get the vet team here!''
A few beeps were heard as the media was slowly drained from the tank and the metal bed slowly raised up to support the raptor's inert form.
By the time the vet team arrived, the media had been drained and the hatch opened. On the bed was a perfect Utahraptor soaked in the media and still unconscious. With practiced hands, the vet team disconnected Sigma from all the wires, probes and the IV line and switched over to manually ventilating him as they transferred him onto a specialized stretcher made for raptors. Of course, as he was still a raptor, they strapped him down and muzzled him.
Soon, the vet team wheeled Sigma out of the transformation laboratory. Janice turned to the rest of the group. ``I have to meet with Doctor Miller to see if the second part of Project Sigma is working. For now, just clean up, start the chamber's self-clean and sterilize cycle and prepare all the data for a report. If there's anything important, call me.''
Janice then exited the lab as the staff got to work following her instructions.
***
Sigma was ferried over to the recovery paddock not too far from the science building and right next to the veterinary facilities. The tropical sun quickly dried off the media on Sigma but left a slight salt encrustation on the raptor's downy plumage.
Janice, Lex and several members of the vet team were all watching with bated breath. The only sign of movement was the rise and fall of Sigma's flanks as he was manually ventilated.
A vet tech checked the breathing tube and once they confirmed Sigma was breathing on his own, they removed the tube. The rest of the team then used the stretcher's built in hoist to lift Sigma off the stretcher and onto the soft grass.
They then unmuzzled him and exited the recovery paddock as was usual protocol for returning sedated animals to the enclosure.
***
Aurora groaned as he slowly began to awaken. He could feel the warm rays of the sun beating down on him. Had he fallen asleep outside after a wild party? The first thing he noticed was the scent of grass but it wasn't merely the scent of grass. It was strong, almost pungent; the purest essence of grass. That and he could also smell a sweet-salty metallic scent that reminded him of blood. Multiple other scents that he couldn't place also filled the air.
He opened his eyes and was greeted by a practically kaleidoscopic display. Indescribable, unnamable colors bathed the morning landscape; colors that he could name and describe were almost supernaturally intense.
Aurora then got to his feet. Or tried to. He pitched forward as he tried to push himself to his feet. His head felt unusually heavy and it seemed like he was leaning forward and hunched over at the same time. That and there seemed to be something heavy stuck to his rear. Had someone pinned his pants to his bed as a prank...again?
Back on the ground down, Aurora got a good look at his arms. To his shock, they were covered in soft blue-grey down feathers and he had long black feathers growing out of his elbows. To further top things off, his hands had morphed into the three finger clawed hands of a raptor.
Aurora began to hyperventilate before he recalled what he agreed to seemingly a few days ago.
Okay, he thought. I'm going to be fine. I'm not losing my mind. I agreed to a raptor transformation to get stinking rich.
He then carefully got to his feet. Despite being the same size he was as a human, he felt so much more powerful. Coils of powerful predator's muscles rippled under his skin. And that weight he felt on his rear? The newly transformed Utahraptor looked behind him and saw a long, stiff tail with a fan of black feathers at the end. He flicked his tail and gave it a few wags, confirming that it was part of him.
So this is what it's like to be a raptor? Aurora thought as he gently ran his clawed hands over his newly acquired body. Despite not being able to feel things as well as he could as a human, thanks to the scutes on his hands, he knew that he had a soft coat of down feathers all over his body and had a long raptor's muzzle as well.
Aurora then looked at his feet. He had the signature three-toed digitigrade stance of a raptor, complete with the signature toe claw held up off the ground. A simple flex of his powerful legs tapped the curved talon against the ground.
It was then that he saw the group of scientists and vets standing outside the paddock. Loping over to them (an action that was far easier and faster than before, thanks to his newly acquired theropod body form), he simply sat back on his haunches and waited.
***
Lex continued observing Sigma. So far, the raptor seemed docile and curious but there wasn't any sign of the desired human-level intelligence. "Doctor Washington," she said. "You said that the simulations would show Sigma to be at human-level intelligence and the size of an adult Utahraptor, right?"
Janice nodded as she looked over Sigma. "Yes. We did make some changes so his growth rate is accelerated. He's predicted to reach full size in about three months. As for intelligence, our predictions show that as he matures, the 'Sigma' persona and behaviors — including the more childish aspects — will become more apparent. Right now, he's still Aurora but referring to him as 'Sigma' will help speed up the process."
"It is safe to approach him now?"
Janice nodded as two guards with tranquilizer rifles flanked Lex and escorted her through the airlock.
"Hello, Sigma," Lex said, looking at the Utahraptor in front of her.
***
Aurora instinctively turned towards the speaker, a tall middle aged woman with sandy blond hair in a ponytail. He took a slow step towards her and began to sniff at her, taking in her scents. The human-turned-raptor chirruped.
***
Lex allowed Sigma to sniff at her. She then offered a hand for him to sniff, which he obligingly did. Upon him gently nudging at her hand, she began to stroke the raptor's feathery head.
"Good boy, Sigma. Welcome to Prehistoric Worlds," she said, petting him. Internally, she was pleased; the science team had done so well that one would never know that Sigma used to be human.
***
Aurora's tail twitched at the petting as he rumbled in contentment. The Utahraptor closed his eyes as he took in Lex's affection.
Sigma...that was a nickname he could get behind.
His mouth and syrinx struggled to get the words out but eventually, Sigma was able to say his first word: "Seeg-ah".
***
Lex gasped as the raptor spoke. ``Sigma! You're talking!'' she exclaimed.
Sigma nodded. "Meh name ees Seeg-ah!" he said. It was clear that he was trying to tell the others his name but his saurian anatomy made speaking difficult.
Cheers broke out from the personnel outside the paddock as they realized they had succeeded in making a fully sapient talking Utahraptor for their park mascot. Lawrence Taylor's dream had come true.
Deciding to further imprint Sigma's identity on Aurora, she continued. ``Sigma, I'm Lex Miller, your zookeeper and caretaker. But you can call me `Mom'. Now come on, let's bring you to your paddock.''
She then took Sigma's clawed hand in her own. Despite Sigma looking like a hatchling, she knew that he'd grow rapidly in the next few months and soon, she'd have to look up instead of down to look him in the eye.
***
Sigma allowed Lex to lead him out of the paddock. As she led him through the manicured pathways like a small child, he wondered what the next steps would be.
He was no longer Aurora of The Northern Lights (the name of his barely functional garage band); he was now "Aurora, as Sigma, the Utahraptor".
siggyraptor on FA about the origin of his 'sona, Sigma the Utahraptor. 
