Lost in the Lab Part 3
Date Posted: October 18, 2025
This chapter was written in collaboration with Scylla.
The lab systems were coming online, though slowly over time. It had taken Amon much longer than he’d like to admit to get Syrcus Tower back in shape, at least in terms of booting up efficient work stations that were suitable for his future research.
What that would be, he hadn’t fully decided yet.
It was a weird feeling. For so long, his entire being had been focused on reaching the point where he was now – becoming the Master of the Tower once more. Of course, there had been some minor distractions (akin to a full-blown mid-life identity crisis) that had hindered his progress. But with that out of the way, he was now able to utilize the Tower for his work with much more freedom than he ever had, even in Allagan times.
And yet, here he sat, still empty-minded when it came to deciding what shape his work would take.
Amon had a few ideas, which he currently pondered while munching on something Tad had wrangled from the cookery in the Crystarium. Much like the elusive project he was about to undertake, the Allagan had little clue what he was eating at the moment.
Still, that had never stopped him before.
He jotted a few things down on a refurbished Tomepad he’d found in a rejected corner. The device was a bit slow in the uptake, but those who had nothing to utilize but the crumbs of a once-glorious technological nation could not be choosers. He’d add more memory to the Tome once he found a unit that provided a match for parts.
A soft, redundant beep began to sound from one of his many monitors, causing one of his ears to twitch ever so slightly. It was just loud enough, and annoying enough, to be heard above the Allagan’s open-mouthed munching. With a grumbling sigh, Amon un-shrimped from his lab chair, spinning it on its axis to bring the other screen within line of vision.
He’d really have to do something about screen mobility in this room. It was never built to be a lab station, and that had become quite apparent once he’d put the area through its paces.
It took a moment for Amon’s brow to furrow, questioning what he was seeing on the monitor. A few light taps brought up an unexpected notification from the Central Syrcus Lab.
“Specimen detained. Preparation phase completed?” Amon read from the monitor out loud, his tone hooking upward with a questioning sound. Then he flicked a glance over one shoulder with a query. “Node, have there been any tech logs of malfunctions in the lab notification system?”
“Standby.”
There was a short delay before the Node stirred from standby mode.
“Apologies, Master. The Tower’s circuits are still badly damaged, and communications are slowed.” Then, a happy tune played from the node, as it jumped with excitement. “I have added a new high-priority task to your schedule for today, Master!”
The node hovered to the other side of the room, as the doors slid open to Amon’s extensive wardrobe. “We will have to find suitable operating gear for your clone’s reduced size, but I have already located appropriate wear in the laboratory.”
The node came out with a small case, embossed with Amon’s initials along the top, speaking with almost a prideful voice.
“The patient is in the process of being prepared. Assistance Nodes are ready and waiting, and we have captured some candidate donor subjects for your review.”
The case opened, revealing several scalpels and small bone lasers, while holoprojections appeared around the room of different beasts, some of which were created by Amon’s own hand.
“What time slot would you like to schedule the procedure on your calendar?”