The Experiment Ch 03 04

(More of Chloe's unwilling participation in a crazed scientist's experiments involving human/alien reproduction)

Chapter 3

The rest of the week passed quickly for Chloe. She went to as many tutorials and lectures that were scheduled plus also spent almost all of Thursday night in the library researching a presentation she had to give on Geriatric and Palliative Nursing Models in the EU. There were a few shifts at the old folks home that took her off campus, and she had a good gossip with her room mate Mel about the new man in her life. It turned out that Melinda's new boyfriend (if you can call someone who spends 48 hours doing nothing but fucking a boyfriend) was a local lad and reservist who had been just called up for service in Afghanistan. Mel went into every lurid detail of her two days of mad crazy sex with Kurt, and after hearing all the gory hot parts about how Mel had even given the guy a head job whilst they were in the toilets of a local burger joint whilst he was on the can, Chloe had had enough of anything gross or lewd. She just wanted to finish off the semester, get the necessary accreditation for completing her degree and start her adult life where she wanted, how she wanted.

As usual on the evening of her first lab session with Professor Dalkeith Chloe's room mate was down the local bar slash nightclub drinking and trying to find a new friend with benefits. Melinda had obviously put Kurt the kinky soldier to the back of her mind and Chloe had to giggle at the her blatant promiscuity. Chloe never felt any desire to follow in Mel's footsteps, and unlike her room mate who made a point venturing out in the tightest of t-shirts and short skirt Chloe was dressed sensibly for her research appointment. The same barette she wore to her interview was holding her blonde locks in place whilst she also had on a simple purple polo necked shirt over her torso. Jeans and sneakers finished her ensemble, and carrying a back pack filled with the requisite tools (pens, paper,memory stick, mobile phone and some chewing gum) Chloe looked like Miss Average as she trooped over to the Ripley Biology Block.

Although it was dark and late there were still students and teachers around in the courtyard and on the path leading up to the lab block. A couple of Indian kids passed Chloe by, excitedly discussing something in what was probably Hindi. A security guard lazed against a lamp post smoking his cigarette watching a tall fair haired student wander past with his girlfriend. A small gaggle of astronomy students were taking notes by flash light as a teacher read out readings he took whilst staring up through a telescope into the night sky. It was a tranquil, bog-standard night on campus, and Chloe felt fairly good. She was looking forward to the money and to the delicious tea and shortbread biscuits she hoped Professor Dalkeith would provide during their first session.

Returning to that same imposing office door five minutes before her appointed time Chloe rapped hard on the door. Unlike her previous visit this time she only had to knock once before it swung open revealing Professor Dalkeith standing in the entrance. Smiling at the pretty nursing student he ushered her in to the same dark lab she'd visited earlier in the week.

"Greetings Miss Jones. I see you've arrived on time. Good, good; I do like punctuality in my assistants. Are you ready for some work?"

Chloe answered the Scottish scientist's question; "Yes Professor," putting down her bag on a cleared bench top nearby "and I hope it's not out of line for me to ask if you still have some of those yummy biscuits?" Grinning as she asked Chloe then looked around the lab trying to see what her research work might entail. The same security locked section was there but this time it was open. A slightly musky smell seemed to drift in from a darkened corner of the lab that Chloe hadn't noticed when she last visited.

"Aye lassie," Dalkeith spoke breaking her momentary reverie "I've a couple of biscuits left. Shall we say a small plate of those and a cup of tea before I brief you and we begin our work?"

"That would be good thanks Professor."

"Excellent. Whilst I make our tea and get the short bread please," at which point the biologist motioned towards a second bench to the left of Chloe, fully kitted out with chemical instruments, PC, bunsen burner, microscope and opened specimen jars "there's your work station. If you can go over there and log in to the computer using the following username and password." Rattling off the details as he stalked off to his desk Chloe reacted quickly, moving to her bench and doing as the Professor instructed.

After about five minutes Professor Dalkeith came over to Chloe, bearing a bone china cup of tea and a small plate. "Here we are lass, enjoy." Chloe gave her thanks, took the refreshments and then looked to the biologist for further instruction.

"So what exactly do you want me to do Professor? I can see here," indicating the computer screen "that I have some data here relating to what looks to be medical charts for 'Subject A', but if I read these figures right they don't seem normal. For example this line here if it represents blood pressure seems way too low. And this column here looks to be about glucose levels in blood plasma, but that percentage looks almost non-human. Is 'subject A' a person Professor?"

"No, it isn't. And well done for spotting those details. I'm glad I selected you." Chloe smiled at this compliment. "Subject A" is a hypothetical model I have developed using some information I have received from NASA. I canna go into the details now my dear as to what the original data is, as it's under some kind of security provision. But I can tell you what we will be working on will change the way current medical thought approaches some fundamental biological issues."

All Chloe could answer was a smiling "Okay" as she wasn't really that interested in the underlying reason for Dalkeith's experiment. She was focused on following instructions, getting paid and sorting out those financial hassles which were distracting her from her studies. Plus the aroma of the delicious shortbread biscuits and brewing tea was wafting through the room.

"Now while ye have a sup of my tea and biscuits lassie I want you to enter the following figures into column C1, just below where those glucose figures are." The Professor handed over a folder containing several pages of numbers, percentages and sample IDs. "I know the software isn't MS Office standard Miss Jones but the basic cell and data manipulation is very similar to Excel. And if you have any questions just call me over."

"Okay Professor; I'm sure I can do this without any problems. Is there anything I should know about the data, like its origin or meaning?"

Dalkeith's eyes were hooded as he mumbled a "Nay lassie, just do what I ask please" and then he turned away from Chloe, striding away to his office. Though he left the door open he was out of sight for now.

Chloe started entering the information on her PC and in between a few dozen keystrokes she gnawed her way through a couple of biscuits. The soft buttery crumbs melted in her mouth and none fell on her work station or the keyboard. Then as she swallowed another tasty morsel she felt her throat was a little dry so she picked up her tea cup for a mouthful. Then another. Then another. Then with a slurp the dregs were reached and she had drained the cup.

"Mmmm, that was yummy" Chloe said to herself and then returned to typing in the Professor's information. However within two or three keystrokes her eyes began to swim. Her brain fogged over and her fingers stopped typing. Trying to stand the young student nurse lurched dizzily from her chair, yelped out a semi-strangled "Professor Dalkeith" before she slumped to the floor. Her limpid body fell in a heap, laboratory equipment on her bench scattering noisily. As her eyelids closed and her hearing died Chloe thought she was being approached by the Professor, smiling and talking to himself about something called a "Xeno". Then all became nothingness.

Chapter 4

"I know Colonel, the project needs to be finalised soon; but this kind of reproductive experimentation doesn't just get finished in a day"

The Scottish accent speaking a small distance away from Chloe's face was loud enough to make some sense to the pretty young student as she started to emerge back into consciousness. It wasn't that easy to comprehend the import of the words as Chloe was still feeling horribly confused about where she was, what was happening and who was with her and speaking in such a determined voice. Her brain was shrouded in a blanket of uncertainty, plus a pulsing headache had the effect of keeping her eyes closed.

"I have a new subject for insemination with me now. Can I call you back in about three hours time?" Chloe noticed the pause in the voice and perhaps a hint of pleading too. "I can? Good, and let me reassure you Colonel...your funding is making a world a'difference. Thank you." The sound of a handset being replaced in its cradle indicated to Chloe that the phone conversation between the strange man near her and the 'colonel' was over. Then as she gradually adjusted her hearing to the sound of the man's footsteps she could also feel the ligatures around her arms, and the bindings around her ankles. The room's air seemed unnaturally cooler too, and it slowly dawned on Chloe that she was now clothed only in her underwear.

With growing awareness Chloe also found that her mouth was ball-gagged, and the associated sensations scared the living crap out of her. The pain of opening her tightly shut eyelids was hard to bear, but she had to get some kind of visual indication of her circumstances as right now all she could understand was her feeling of being trapped. There were some hazy ideas, half-remembered things slowly forming into understandings. These inchoate memories, her bound and gagged position and the now silent Scottish voice gave Chloe a deepening sense of barely bridled fear, bordering on panic. She had to see where she was, who it was that was talking about impregnation. Could it be her the Scotsman was talking about? Why was she tied down, a hard rubber ball lodged in her mouth? Why was she exposed, semi-naked in only her cotton panties and bra?

"Aye lassie, I think it's time you opened up those beautiful eyes hmm?" The same Scots voice she heard on awakening, and perhaps was familiar with before her current predicament if only she could remember roused Chloe from her reverie. "I'm sorry ye have to be kept in this rather degrading position Miss Jones but ye have tae understand that the experimentation you are helping me with needs such 'preparations'. The young student felt a cooling wet cloth wiped over her forehead and eyes, and even though her gag and ties were bordering on painful she felt an overwhelming sense of physical relief. Her headache began to subside and her eyelids unglued enough for them to open up, taking in what were at first formless, dim shapes and colours. Within a few moments those indistinct visions coalesced into a man in a white medical coat, a white tiled room with no discernible decorations or fixtures on the walls, and Chloe's own body lying semi-upright on what was similar to a gynaecological exam table. Chloe's ankles were secured by plastic ties which were knotted into the metal stirrups, whilst her wrists were tied with medical gauze to bars that rose at 90 degrees from the sides of the cushioned table.

Chloe's eyes widened and her muffled questions indicated to the mystery man that she was getting agitated and that her predicament was sinking in. The ball gag in the student's mouth stopped all bar a few grunting sounds coming out, and securely bound there was little more than a few inches of movement afforded to the young woman. "I expect you would like to know what your doing here hmmm lass?" The Scottish voice attempted to sooth Chloe's growing fears. "Do you remember what you were doing before this?" The 'doctor' (as Chloe guessed who the man was) made a sweeping gesture with his right hand. "Or even who I am?" Chloe was able to shake her head enough to indicate a 'no' to both queries. "Good. The short term memory loss I induced with the serum in your tea has had the requisite effect." The reference to tea and a serum, as well as the implied familiarity with the doctor were all meaningless to the young blond student. All she could think of was the painful and embarrassing position she was in.

"Now I am going to take the gag out of your mouth so you can have some water. I must warn you Miss Jones that any yelling, screaming, crying or attempts at physical harm while I give you the liquid will not be in your interest." A look of cold calculating evil seemed to spring from nowhere behind Chloe's tormentor's eyes. The almost tender and apologetic manner he had shown as Chloe emerged from unconsciousness was gone in that instant, replaced by a cruel demeanour embodied in the manner by which he yanked the ball gag out of Chloe's mouth. She coughed and yelped with the discomfort as the 'doctor' swivelled, grabbed a beaker of lukewarm water to her lips and tilted back.

"Drink it all Chloe...that's a good girl. Drink it all down."

The water almost choked Chloe yet she was also glad for the drink, the fluid dissolving the last fetid taste of what was left over from the period she was blacked out. Splashes hit the floor as well as her neck, chin, shoulders and cleavage, causing more discomfort for her. Yet the Scotsman who was obviously holding her captive was nonplussed by the mess.

"Many a spill twixt lips and mouth," murmured the strange man to himself "but I guess there'll be more spills later." Chloe wondered again what the hell was the Scotsman babbling about. She had to say something.

"What...how...what am I...um, doing here? Who are you?" The words tumbled out like stones thrown in a pond, echoing against the hard undecorated walls. "Why am I like this? What's going on?" Chloe's mouth ached with every word she uttered, and her tongue felt as fuzzy as cotton wool.

"Well I guess there's no harm keeping you informed of your vital role in my experiment Miss Jones." Chloe wasn't familiar with being called "Miss Jones", but it must be her name. The partial amnesia she was experiencing was almost as frustrating as her exposed, barely clothed position. "You see, I have been charged by the boffins at NASA tae help with a project they have been working on since, well the late 40s." Pulling up a seat the scientist (as Chloe vaguely understood him to be now) continued, all the while examining Chloe visually, without a single touch.

"You've probably never heard of Area 51 lassie," to which Chloe indicated she had no idea of what the Scotsman was talking about "but it's the most important centre for xenobiology and what has been called the military industrial complex ever established in human history. Now I'm not saying there aren't many other locations like Area 51. There is one supposedly in Russia, somewhere around Petrapavlovsk, and the CIA think the Chinese may have also encountered xenoforms in the last 10 years. But thanks to NASA, NATO and the American and British governments we have a long term, highly productive relationship with our 'guests'. And please forgive me if I ramble as I explain your predicament; I tend to enjoy this part of the process."

Chloe was mystified by the details given by the scientist so far, but the reference to him enjoying the process indicated to her this was not an isolated incident. She wasn't the first. She wanted to ask more questions, like what the hell is a Xeno. But before she could say something the Scotsman continued.

"You see when our guests arrived at Area 51 just after the war they were the last of their species. The crew were a mix of what the scientists of the day considered to be male and female, however the crash that led to their discovery fatally injured the two most reproductively capable Xenos who upon autopsy seemed to possess female organs. There was some discussion at first amongst the military and the scientific community that the remainder of the vessel's crew should be euthanised so we could take advantage of their superior technology. Well, that was tae be the plan. Until one of the wee beggars actually spoke in a language we understood."

As the story unfolded Chloe was given insight into a secret that was both unfathomable to her slightly befuddled mind as well as a distraction as she tried to find some degree of dignity and comfort in her position. The rambling voice of the Scottish doctor described events that were before the young student's own lifetime, and words like "cold fusion" and "Tachyon drive" meant nothing to her. All she wanted was to be warm again, clothed in something more than her underwear, and in a far more comfortable, less scary place. It was if she was suffering the sensory dislocation of being drunk, but she had little real life experience to draw an accurate comparision. The grey bearded scientist caught her attention again with what seemed like his final words for now.

"So ye see lassie, in exchange for all this wonders of modern science our guests...the Xenos...have asked us to provide them with breeding stock. They are just like us when it comes right down tae it; they want to perpetuate the species, keep from dying out, leave another generation when they're gone. And," at which point the scientist leaned over Chloe and smiled a paternal grin dripping with a now open glee "you're just the kind of young human woman that can help the Xenos live on."

"Do you mean...?" Chloe's steel grey eyes looked at her captor's face, searching for some kind of answer that she actually already had, but couldn't bring herself to say.

"Aye lassie," came the reply, again soaked in a Scottish brogue "an alien is going to breed with you. Plant its progeny in your body."