The Cry of the Planet Chapter 6
The Scientists
By Edyn Cross
It was nine o'clock in the morning and Lucrecia arrived for work on time as she had every single day since she started working for Shinra. She hung her coat behind her chair, got her ritual cup of coffee and sat down at her desk ready to start another day. She didn't get much sleep the night before and stayed up thinking of the news that Gast had told of the Ancient in the Northern Crater. Her thoughts turned to Hojo every now and then, thinking of the dinner he took her to before. She didn't find Hojo to be physically attractive at all, his manners were horrid and he always smelled like a mix of ammonia and Designer Impostor Cologne, but there was the one thing she held great value of and had in common: The mind of a scientist.
Lucrecia had been a quiet girl growing up, her beautiful face always buried in one book or another with boys running circles around her trying to get her attention. She had always dismissed the attention without a second thought, which is what made the boys want her even more. Lucrecia wasn't plagued with insecurity, she just found that it was hard finding someone else who shared her same passion for knowledge and science. The one thing she ever wanted from a partner or friend was that passion for science… And that passion seems to be the one thing that only Hojo could offer.
They had talked a great deal over dinner the night before about their latest experiments, current theories, and most importantly, the upcoming Cetra and how it will open up their research. For the first time, Lucrecia actually saw that Hojo appeared to be happy, even excited over the upcoming project and for her to see that high-strung man happy over ANYTHING just warmed her heart. Lucrecia knew she had a sophisticated mind like Hojo's with which she could be able to see past his appearance, manners, and unpredictability. She could see him for that certain warm spot he felt for science, as it's the same spot that she feels herself.
Lucrecia picked up her pen and started to finish the remaining lab reports leftover from the day before. She looked up from her work just in time to see Hojo walk quickly into the lab, with a terrible sneer on his face and begin his work.
"Good morning, Professor," Lucrecia greeted cheerfully, but quietly sensing his aggressiveness.
"I'm in no mood for conversation this morning, little girl," Hojo growled. "So you'd do good to stay hell out of my sight."
Lucrecia's eyes widened and stung with tears as she stared at Hojo.
Hojo looked up from his work and saw her staring at him, "I THOUGHT I told you to…" He paused as if he just remembered something, then his mouth stretched into the queer smile that Lucrecia saw the night before. "I'm sorry, my dear. I didn't get much sleep last night and I'm afraid it's made me a bit cranky. Just give me an hour or so and I'll be all better."
Confused, Lucrecia nodded and then looked back down to her work. Professor Hojo had more mood swings than pregnant woman, she thought to herself. She figured he had such a complex scientific mind, that she would just need to try harder to understand it… He is, after all, a scientist like herself, and quite a good one at that. She quickly went back to her work, oblivious to Hojo's constant glances towards her, and even more unaware of his thoughts.
Professor Hojo, lost in his own thoughts, was pretending to work while thinking of his upcoming Experiment. The woman was an annoyance, yes, but he couldn't risk the success of the Experiment just because her every word and action irritated him to no end. The one benefit of having Lucrecia participate in this experiment is her physical beauty, which may benefit the final Specimen's appearance as well if he could manipulate the genetic material accurately. The thought of the final Specimen made Hojo smile his queer smile again and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead as his hands started to shake.
The Specimen will be accelerated, advanced and… Perfect. Professor Hojo sniggered to himself and slowly licked his cracked and dry lips while he looked over at Lucrecia. He examined her slender female figure, swallowing her body with his eyes thinking that maybe there was another advantage to her participation in the Experiment. Although she didn't know she was going to be a part of the Experiment, Professor Hojo would see to it. Convince her. Tell her that her participation in the Experiment will be in the best interest for her, for them, and for science.
Hojo took a step towards Lucrecia. It was time for the next step in the Experiment and he will need the Specimen very soon now. As he slithered towards her desk, he wiped the cool sweat off of his forehead with the sleeve of his lab coat and put his hands behind his back. Focused on her work, Lucrecia didn't see Hojo come up behind her and place his head by her ear. He spoke to her, his lips lightly brushing her right ear, and his left hand resting on her shoulder.
"Lucrecia," He hissed.
She opened her eyes wide and brought her head up slowly until she was looking straight ahead.
Hojo pulled back allowing Lucrecia to turn around in her chair to face him.
"How much do you love science, my dear?" Hojo asked.
To Hojo's disgust, Lucrecia giggled. "Well, very much, more than anything, in fact."
Hojo raised his eyebrows, "More than you love yourself, more than you love life?" This little girl may work out after all, Hojo thought.
"I…" Lucrecia had never considered such a question. "I consider science my life, if that means anything to you."
"It means enough," Hojo grinned. "Now I have a request of you, my dear. I am in need of an assistant for my latest Experiment, and you are the only one here who fits all of the requirements that I need."
Lucrecia's eyes lit up flattered by Hojo's scientific interest in her. "Me? You mean it? I would love to! But… What were the qualifications may I ask?"
Hojo pushed a greasy strand of hair out of his face, "Your employment history here at the Science Division, ability to follow orders, knowledge of how I work experiments, and most importantly… You are female."
"Female? What… does that have to do with the Experiment?" She asked.
Hojo looked at Lucrecia's stomach, "Everything, my dear. Let me explain."