The Far Frontier

[arcanus]

Menagery-1, Local Year 1983, Quantum Band: 6.
Para-biological Research Facility - Mendal, Southern South Tropical Bhutan.
The subject sat on an examination table in a well lit room, he had finished his medical and tests around an hour ago and was now enjoying a thick shake, on the other side of reinforced Glassteel, one of Homeline Earths myriad of technological advancements all courtesy of a visited worldline via their dimensional travels. The steel restructured at a nanoscale to allow the passage of visible light, in laymans terms resulting in transparent metal.

Doctor Miriam Latham-Sharpe stood over the holographic console looking at three dimensional diagrams of cellular structures, readings and endless text, she absently chewed her pen as she considered the latest blood-works.
A short bulldog of a man dressed in jungle green cargo trousers and jacket, strolled into the polished control room, after a while she turned and smiled it was good to see a fellow brit.

Malcolm Baxter handed her an Americano in a tin cup with a grin and a wink, this made her chuckle, the station had numerous barista coffee machines yet a tin cup, although she had to admit the coffee aroma arising from the metal vessel was delicious.
"Hard to come by that" he said taking a sip of his "Local beans"
"We have local beans" she replied with surprised
"Naturally harvested, no plantations or anything, its who you know, so hows the patient?"
"Well subject would be more accurate, there's little wrong with him"
"That's what we like to hear" he replied
"Remind me where did we find him, its not on his file?" she returned her attention to the holographic display
"Huxley-1, Victorian world-line, fairly low risk just full of hybrid creatures and weird bred creatures!"
"Ah yes, that makes sense, we've seen a few specimens, highly adaptable mutagenic DNA!"
"In English" Baxter replied in his Northampton accent
"The significant divergence was that Reptilian and subsequently Mammalian and Avian species show an adaptability at a genetic level, cross breeding is usually impossible through simple husbandry due to genetic differences between species, on Huxley this mutagenic DNA allows significant rapid evolutionary changes which would either result in horrific cancers, degenerative disease or death on most conventional world-lines"
Baxter nodded "And our chap?"
"Ah well he's a bit different, a step further, out of curiosity where on Huxley did we find him?"
"Research lab, if you can call it that, place is full of pretty Frankensteinian labs!"
"Makes sense, his already mutagenic DNA has been modified by chemical compounds, which presumably has unlocked an ability to well, shapeshift!"
"And can it be replicated, HQs highly interested"
"We have a lot more tests to complete, it wold depend on whether we can introduce similar safe evolutionary mutagenic qualities in non-Huxley lifeforms and then replicate whatever formula was used, could we acquire further samples of the it?"
"Not sure, I'd have to get clearance and its a little outside the Scouts remit, but possibly"
Miriam looked back at the Scout and smiled expectantly