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CHAPTER SIX

1130 Hours March 09, 2525 (Military Calendar)

Epsilon Eridani Systeence Medical Facility, in orbit around planet Reach

"I want that transrave;

"The encryption scherave; with a hint of irritation in her norlass-smooth voice "I don’t even knohy they bothered Who else but Beta-5 Division even has the resources to use this data?"

"Spare rave; I’m not in the mood Just concentrate on the decryption"

"Yes, Doctor"

Dr Halsey paced across the antiseptic white tile of the Observation Roo terns of the children-- test subjects, she corrected herself They displayed drug uptake rates and winking green, blue, and red status indicators: EKGs, pulse rates, and a hundred other pieces of medical data

The other side of the observation room overlooked dozens of translucent doical bays on the level below Each bay was a sealed environeons and biotechnicians that the Office of Naval Intelligence could drum up The bays had been scrubbed and irradiated and were in the final preparation stages to receive and hold the special biohazardous materials

"Done," Déjà announced "The file awaits your inspection, Doctor"

Dr Halsey stopped her pacing and sat "On lasses scanned retinal and brain patterns, and the security barrier of the file lifted With a blink of her eyes, she opened the file

It read:

United Nations Space Command Priority Transmission 09872H-98

Encryption Code:Red

Public Key:file /excised access Oa

From:Admiral Ysionris Jeromi, Chief Medical Officer, UNSC Research Station Hopeful To:Dr Catherine Elizabeth Halsey MD, PhD, special civilian consultant (civilian Identification Nu factors and relative biological risks associated with queried experimental medical procedures

Classification:RESTRICTED (BGX Directive)

/start file

Catherine,

I am afraid further analysis has yielded no viable alternatives to ate the risks in your proposed

"hypothetical" experimentation I have, however, attached the synopsis of s as well as all relevant case studies Perhaps you will find them useful

I hope it is a hypothetical studythe use of Binobo chimpanzees in your proposal is troublesome

These anier bred in captivity I would hate to see such valuable specimens wasted in some Section Three project

Best,

yj

She winced at the veiled rebuke in the Admiral’s communiqué He had never approved of her decision to ith the Office of Naval Intelligence, and made his disappointment with his star pupil evident every tih to justify the morality of the course she was about to embark upon Jeromi’s disapproval only ritted her teeth and returned to the report

Synopsis of che procedures are classified level-3 experih UNSC Quarteramma code biohazard disposal protocol