Deep underground in the Imperial Capital, deadly experiments are performed by Star Corps scientists.

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Adorrion was officially the capital planet of the Empire, although the title was honrific more than practical. Although the Imperial Palace was here, in the city of Frios, the Royal family owned palaces on two dozen other worlds. Queen Dahlia herself spent much of her time in space, aboard her palace ship the Red Flower. But Adorrion was still recognized as the imperial capital, and so it was fitting that Star Corps should have its headquarters here. Overlooking the Imperial Palace, Star Corps Tower rose three hundred floors into sky. The building went underground also, going hundreds of metres down and expanding underneath nearby buildings. This hidden superstructure was home to some of the most top-secret research and experiments in the galaxy. High security offices, storage vaults and laboratories filled the lower levels. In one of these labs, a conversation was taking place between two scientists.

“The virus has terminated all of the subjects. No immunities have been found.” The speaker was a small feliform doctor. His golden fur was greying, and he wore glasses perched on his muzzle. The security I.D. around his neck read “Dr. I. Ficklestein.” His companion, a tall, dark-furred Pantheroid, shook her head. “No immunities found, yet. I still say the test pool is too small. We should introduce the pathogen to all the subjects we have.” Dr Ficklestein responded, “My dear Dr. Henson, you fail to appreciate the situation. In order for the experiment to be successful, the virus must spread from one subject to another unaided.” Dr Henson consulted her tablet. “There are only twelve healthy patients left. How do you wish to proceed?”

From their vantage point behind the wall, Dr’s Ficklestein and Henson observed their experiment. The wall was special. On the doctors’ side, it was transparent, allowing them to see into the room beyond. The other side was coated in a special white film, which prevented anyone inside the experiment room to see in. The experiment room was painted white, and had only one door. Cameras around the walls recorded everything that happened in the room. Currently it was empty save for its occupant. He was a Saurian, covered from head to foot in shiny green and yellow scales. He was sitting dejectedly in the middle of the floor when the door opened. He rose as two people dressed in full hazard protection suits pushed another Saurian into the room, then departed, sealing the door behind them. The two Saurians spoke to each other, using their own language that no one in the observation room understood. The recording would be sent up later to see if it could be translated.

Doctor Henson manipulated one of the camera’s to zoom in on the newcomer. His skin was a few shades darker than the other Saurian’s; she made a note of this on her pad. It was an indication that the pathogen was working. He’d been infected with the virus before being placed in the room. Over the next few hours, the scientists observed the two Saurians, occasionally making a note on their tablets. Within three hours, the infected Saurian was dead. Dr Fecklestein spoke into his tablet’s voice recorder. “Subject 161 died sixteen hours after infection. This makes it three hours after being introduced into the proximity of subject 170. Notes on expiration of subject 161: Patient showed increased susceptibility to pathogen 280 and expired quicker than expected. A more detailed analysis of his body may indicate a reason for this. Experiment will now continue with subject 170.”

The surviving Saurian was handcuffed by two suited guards and led from the room. He was taking to another lab, where a blood test was taking. Observation under a microscope showed evidence of the pathogen in his blood stream. Then the unfortunate subject 170 was led away to another experiment room, where another healthy Saurian was waiting. This second observation would show the scientists the manner in which the virus moved from one victim to another, and how it affected those victims. If these experiments proved successful, Ficklestein and Henson could begin to mass produce the pathogen, and once the military developed an effective delivery system, the Empire would have another weapon with which to fight the war.

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A quick story thrown up for the Thursday Prompt. I seriously wrote this in an hour and a bit.

In case your wondering: Feliforms - otter type creatures
Pantheroids - Resemble any one of the four big cat species
Saurians - Lizard type things