Biosynth 10

It had been rather a while since Doctor Schroeder had done a Synth just because he'd gotten inspired. He'd almost forgotten all the time and dedication that had to go into commissioned Biosynths, though he enjoyed every one of them and never regretted the smiles he put on new parents' faces--disregarding the Hathydra calamity, which had turned out fine in the end and he wasn't going to let bring him down anymore.

The idea was given to him one day, as he checked in on the training of not-so-little-anymore Callidei Diemicana-Pariyani, the firstborn of that old Avengaean crossbreed clutch he'd done for Zero-Three. The Fire/Light mix was growing into a fine young lady, and the investigative and deconstructive tendencies of her childhood had matured into a sharp mind and delicate hands, ready to be taken on as a proper apprentice to his labs.

After helping her puzzle through a particularly convoluted passage in her biology book, speaking of genes, chromosomes, and genetic compatibility, Callidei had looked up at him with her bright red eyes and asked, "Do you think you'll ever Synth more Avengaeans, Grandpa?"

"Biosynth Nine had an Avengaean Earth in it," he'd answered.

"Oh, I know that... I mean, do you think you'll ever Synth another crossbreed clutch, like mine?"

"I don't know. Depends if more Avengaean parents ever come to me. Why do you ask?"

She'd shrugged a little, turning the page of her book. "I guess I'd like to see something like my Synth from the outside, sometime. Doing an in-species crossbreed must be different from making a multi-species hybrid, isn't it?"

"Oh, significantly. It's much easier."

Her questions had turned back to her lesson from there, but afterwards left Schroeder thinking. Callidei's Synth had been the first Synth since his return--and so far, the only Synth--that had been between the same base species. The Avengaean genetics had been delightful to work with, seeing the differences between the two elemental breeds, and merging them together into hatchlings that could've been born from regular Fire and Light parents.

Those thoughts had led to musings on the other four Avengaean elements and wondering what crosses between any of those would be like, and then to mild disappointment that the only pure Avengaeans in his Biopool were daemons, not dragons. Similarly he didn't have anyone on the crew to request samples of--Callidei was pure, but she was a crossbreed; Devika was a pure daemon; and the only other was Amigu Rufasilex, who was only half Fire.

But there was, however, nothing that said he couldn't actively request genetic donations from the public. He wouldn't steal genetic samples just to suit a whim, and surely there were adventurous Avengaeans out there in the Nexus who would be curious enough to participate. And he'd certainly done donation-request in the past, before he'd first left Star City!

He ran the idea past his team, and eyes went bright at all the elemental possibility available in Avengaean genetics. Airs, Fires, Earths, Waters, Lights... so many permutations to be made! And all the elements were compatible--just how often did you find an elemental species where something like an Air/Earth or Fire/Water was genetically feasible?

Within a few hours, they had an invitation drafted, wrote out multiple copies on the Destiny's characteristic blue stationary, and sent out couriers of all shapes and forms, from old-fashioned firelizards to agile little IHD cyborbots. Word would travel wherever it needed to go, and if the feedback was positive, he'd run a proper Synth and Hatching, with all the bells and whistles of collecting and approving bonders and sponsors.

In seemingly no time at all, the first of the Avengaean dragons--or Asandae, to use the native term--began to arrive, willing, cooperative, and equally curious.

Callidei hunted him out soon after, trailed by her dark bond, Battleworn Claw.

"Grandpa!" she exclaimed, eyes wide and worried. "Please tell me you didn't do this just because of what I said!"

"No, my dear," he soothed them both--Callidei for looking guilty, and Claw for looking ready to gut Schroeder for making Callidei upset. "I used to do Synths of my own all the time, and this is just the first opportunity I've had to get back in the habit. What you told me only inspired me to request Asandus genetics rather than pull some other idea off the backburners."

Callidei immediately relaxed, trusting him implicitly. "Oh, good," she sighed. "So... that means I'm not being selfish or greedy or anything if I ask if I can help, right?" Her expression turned timidly hopeful.

"Certainly not!" Schroeder laughed, putting a hand to her shoulder. "Come along then, we'll start by showing you the proper way to draw blood from a large dragon...."