New Breed

Titan Feather

“I have a few things for us to go over today.” Amelia sat at the table with a stack of files. She was at what could be considered the head of the table. It was oval and she was positioned at the smaller arc. “First, I want to thank everyone for the work on the new alloy.”

The office filled with applause. Everyone around the table wore large smiles. There were sidebars and laughs between the groups as well.

“I know,” Amelia held up a hand. “It’s great and we pulled off something amazing.” She picked up a document. “The next step is to choose prototypes and we had an in office vote on the animal references.”

“Bring the Big Cats back!” A young man in the back of the room yelled.

Amelia grinning as the team chuckled. “I have the vote results and…drum-roll, Shawn.”

“No,” Shawn sat back in his seat. “I’m just here to get watch and report back to the board.” He locked eyes with Amelia. After a sigh, Shawn leaned forward and drummed on the table.

“The Big Cats are back!” Amelia yelled to the research and development team. She let the noise level diminish. “Yes the Tiger, Lion, and Puma are returning to BioPets. They haven’t been in production since Type 1 and were limited then. Most were lost in the first war.”

Sadness filled the member’s faces with her Amelia’s reminder. These people studies the past wars and were here to end them. Many died during the first war, when BioPets could not be produced fast enough to stall the slaughter.

“Also returning.” Amelia cleared her throat. “You voted for the bear. Of course the large dog, house cat, bat, and raccoon. Those are always favored among the customers and the company.”

Shawn glanced at the group behind him. “If first line production does well, we can include many other animals. Maybe add some more cute ones, but with enough power to do their tasks. The board will love the projected profits.”

The mood became light again. Many people in the conference room smiled politely and lifted their packets. They flipped the pages to the next point of the meeting.

“Thanks Shawn.” Amelia lifted her packet. “Our next discussion is the companion production to the Titan Feather line. Working name is BioPet Transfer System.” She waited to see nods from her team. “Once all of the past BioPets have been reproduced with Type 5, Titan Feather, we will launch this project. It will allow BioPet owners to switch the memory chip from the previous BioPet Types to newer models.”

“You talked about this at the board meeting.” Shawn stood to also address the room. “It allows the bond between BioPet and owner to strength through time and loyalty. I have done some research on this to add to your debate.” He withdrew a notebook and flipped through it. “The transfer system would be prebuilt into the new line. It would cost less than a new memory board within a new BioPet line. “

Amelia nodded. “The drawback is that we have to create a product or service that takes the old memory chip from the previous BioPets and convert the files to a chip for the new model.” She glanced at the documents. “That could be costly for the company or to the consumers.”

“What do we do?” A woman folded her hands on the table. “Do we still launch Type 5 BioPets? Even if they don’t have a memory chip?”

Amelia glanced at Shawn. “Yes. The Type 5s will have an area for a memory chip that is smaller than the old models. But it will be the same size and specifications as the output from the Transfer System.”

“It will allow the buyer to purchase a new chip or a converted chip for their BioPet.” Shawn placed a hand on the table and tried to charm the crowd.

“It’s perfect.” Amelia nudged Shawn out of the way. “Consumers can have multiple BioPets or an old one that they grew up with. It also paves the way and opens options for Type 6 BioPets.”

Shawn frowned and opened his mouth. “Type 6?” He shuffled through the packet. His steady fingers lingered on a laminated page. “You already have a projected prototype for Type 6?”

“Yes. I had the designers improve some sketches.” She tapped the wall to turn on the presentation board. Images of humanoid BioPets and the schematics were displayed in front of the team. “BioPets that can walk and talk like humans. These BioPets can fight, care for their owners, and become members of the family.”

A woman raised her hand. She was biting her lip and squirming in her seat. “Won’t people worry that this new line is headed toward artificial humans? A lot of people are worried about the company creating androids.”

“The board is looking into AI for lost limbs and improving comfort of life.” Shawn shrugged to the group. He held out his hand to Amelia.

She squinted at Shawn. “Thank you.” Amelia swept the bangs out of her eyes. “He’s right. But you are also correct. Popular opinion is that AI is something negative.” She laced her finger and squared her shoulders. “We might have to sway the public with facts on the benefits of advancements in AI research.”

“Type 7,” Shawn whispered while taking a seat. “Will not go well, if Type 6 fails.”

Amelia shot him a glare. But he was right. Type 7 would become the most difficult BioPet to sell if AI was not viewed in a positive light. “We move on to Type 7. Development on nerve and skin growth has increased dramatically. This will allow us to add real skin to the BioPets.”

The room filled with chatter. Some of the voices were anxious while others were cheerful. “They’ll look like real animals?” The nervous woman waved a hand.

“Yes.” Amelia smiled. “It will be another step to make them appear like an organic pet.”

No one moved or spoke a word. Their eyes may have shifted to each other. Realistic pets would create a problem with the public. The company could not find a way to market a product with the current situation.

“The next page.” Amelia cleared her throat. “The next page is less controversial. It is the science behind the new alloy.”

Shawn walked beside Amelia and tipped his shoulder to bump her. “They love you. But that doesn’t mean they love your ideas.”

“What movie did you get that out of? A romantic comedy?” Amelia frowned up to her friend. “They’ll support the idea. They have to. If I can’t get the team behind Type 6 and Type 7, then I can’t get the public to support the new models.”

He bumped her again. “What’s your plan?”

“I don’t have one.” Amelia bit her lip. “This is the lab.” She motioned to a giant glass door at the end of a wide hallway.

Shawn tried the door, but it only shook. “It’s locked?”

“Of course it’s locked.” Amelia was to the side with an ID card. She scanned the card and there was a hiss. “The research that happens in this facility is expensive and competitive. The board demanded that the latest security be added to this wing.”

He smirked while stepping out of the door’s path. It swung past him with a smooth motion. “How is a self-opening door a level of security?”

“It’s not.” Amelia brushed past to lead the way. “That is an added feature for scientists with too many objects to carry.”

Shawn’s eyebrows knitted. “But you had to scan a card. Wouldn’t that make opening the door difficult?” He tilted his head with a grin.

“No more questions.” Amelia c****d a pistol.

He jumped out of her way before following once more. “A gun?”

“What did I say?” Amelia glared over her shoulder. “Cover your ears.” She fired the gun at a distant sheet of metal. The bullet bounced off without leaving a scratch.

A wrecking ball sung over them and collided with the metal. Again, there was no damage to the metal sheet. A man lifted the metal and carried it to Amelia. He held it like it was poster board.

Shawn stared at the metal. “Titan Feather.” He ran his hand over the new design. “How is it made?”

“Beryllium alloy.” Amelia smiled as she placed the gun in a box. “To increase the armor, we covered it with a AlBeMet shielding.” She smirked past her shoulder. “Tell the board that the new lines will be indestructible.”

“You think you’re cool, don't you?”

She squinted at him. “You ask a lot of questions. Just report back to the board all of your amazement at the new line and Titan Feather.”

“Make the prototypes,” he whispered into her ear. “We can take them to the board together. I’ll back the production.” Shawn towered over her again and turned to walk away. “Amelia? Who are those men?”

Amelia had to push Shawn out of the way. At the lab door, stood two men in suits. There were many men in suits throughout the building. Half the company was made of businessmen. Even Shawn was dressed in business casual.

These men stood differently. The taller one gave Amelia the impression of staring at a soldier. He kept his back straight and shoulders even. His pivot was mechanical, like the robots Amelia was use to creating.

One of the lab workers led the two men toward Amelia and Shawn. “This is Ms. Curta, sir.” The lab worker motioned to Amelia with a fearful gaze at the men. “She knows everyone and is in charge of our department. That’s Mr. Beaumont, he does something on the board.”

“I’m head of the sales and marketing department.” Shawn held his mouth crooked. “Shawn Beaumont, Head of the Sales and Marketing Department.” He held out a hand to the men.

The smaller man pulled a badge from an inner coat pocket with his left hand. He shook Shawn’s hand. “I’m Detective Sparrow. This is my partner, Detective Howels.” He pointed to the tall man with the corner the badge. “He’s not friendly.”

Detective Howels clicked his tongue. “We’re not here to make friends. A serious matter has brought us here today.” A photo appeared from his pocket. “Do you know this woman?”

“I don’t recognize her, but I don’t know many of the people in this building. It’s a large company.” Shawn pinched the bottom corners of the photograph. “Amelia?” He gently laid the picture in her small hands.

She held the image as if it would crumble within her grasp. “I’ve seen her here.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “She works in the lab. But she’s not a regular. She is new and only works a few days a week.”

“What’s your full name?” Detective Howels scribbled in a notebook.

“Amelia Curta. Head of Research and Development.” She allowed the picture to be lifted from her hands. “I run the lab and the office for my department.”

Detective Howels withdrew a small plastic bag with a red label. Inside the clear bag was a document. The words “Titan Feather” could be made out through the blood drops.

“Do you know the name of the woman in the photograph?” Howels frowned over his notebook. “And anything else you can tell me about her.”

Amelia bit her lip. “Cindy, but I don’t know her last name. We hired her a few weeks ago. I think she has worked around 8 days in the lab.” Amelia looked around the lab. “Her information should be in the hiring center.”

She led the men through the glass doors and up the stone steps. “Is it okay for me to ask what this is about?”

“We can’t say at the moment.” Sparrow followed them. “We have to keep some information undisclosed. It’s better for the investigation.”

Howels glanced down the staircase. “Sparrow, you don’t have to explain everything like your reading from a notecard.” He nodded to a door. “This the place?”

“Yes,” Shawn opened the door for them. “The lady is rarely in her office. We can shuffle through the files.”

Amelia gently closed the door and switched on the blinds. “We can look through the files as long as she doesn’t catch us.”

The two detectives shared a look. “It's for an investigation. I’m sure she’ll understand.” Howels tapped the top of the desk. “Show us the employee files. New files, Cindy from Research and Development Lab.”

Tone. “Cindy Ferbaugh. Hire date: March 17th, 2076. Works in Research and Development, position: lab assistant. Scheduled on Mondays and Thursdays of every week.” The desk dimmed once more.

“Victim’s name is Cindy Ferbaugh.” Sparrow dropped his shoulders as he jotted down the note. He followed Detective Howels out of the office.

Amelia gripped the door-frame. Her head wiped out into the hall with her hair bouncing. “Victim?”