Asterion by Kenneth Morvant Page B

engineering project. What would he do with the result? What would the result do to them?
    As the creature looks back at him from the cage-like crib, studying his face its eyes open wide as if in recognition. Taylor scans the creature from head to toe. Already a week old and weighing eighty pounds the creature’s head resembled the head of a bull, but had the teeth of an omnivore that is more bear-like than bovine. Stretching from its nap, the creature revealed its muscular arms that ended with large hands that are feline-like with extra knuckles that retracted sharp claws. Devoid of fur, the fingertips looked like “Z’s” and the arrangement left the creature with very dexterous fingertips like a humans. Scanning down he observed that its torso is very human, but its legs are bovine. The end of the creature is from the same species as the head. Ending with hoofs on its feet, the creature is a composite of several species. More than he intended.
    He wondered about the unexpected results from years of experimentation. What errors contaminated the AutoDNA instrumentation? Is it some sort of corruption? Is it software, hardware or something else? Did the nanotechnology not function as directed? What do you do with the results staring back at you from its bed?
    The creature incredulously seems to smile at Taylor and utters the word, “daddy.”
    Taylor looks on in shock. You can see the outside for yourself, but it is revealing what is inside.
    The alarm clock startles him from his deep sleep. In a cold sweat, he lays there in shock from the dream and what this day might bring him. Choosing his nicest suit and putting it in a garment bag, he heads out the door to the lab. It is still dark outside and shadows lurk around each corner. “Is that a bush or a person?” He thinks as he cautiously moves around the complex to his car. He grabs the door latch and freezes. Letting it go he whips out his keychain light and examines the underneath for tracking and explosive devices. Peering inside of the vehicle, he looks for anything out of place. He opens the door as his heart pounds and checks the controls for tampering. Looking at the hood and trunk latches, he closes his eyes and pulls the levers. The screech of a cat disturbed from his sleeping perch on Taylor’s trunk makes the blood rush to his feet and he feels lightheaded. “Get control man,” he says to himself as he attempts to calm down. “Trust God and know if the worst happens, you will meet Him face-to-face.” He lifts the hood and finds nothing amiss there. Getting into the car, his heart pounds as he turns the key and everything lights up like normal. Putting it into reverse he backs out and heads to the lab. He stays well below the speed limit. No sense taking a chance with speed related devices.
    Arriving at the lab, he sees a scene not unlike the one in the dream. He is kind of unnerved by the similarity, but chides himself for letting his imagination take over his thought processes. He enters the maturation chamber and initiates the process to transfer the fetus from the incubation chamber to the larger, portable chamber where he can undergo closer inspection. Maintaining a purified, oxygen atmosphere the uterine device transfers to the incubator for Asterion’s delivery. Splitting open from the bottom a small crack allows the embryonic fluid to gently release into the drains. Once drained, it moves over the conveyor where it opens wider from its top hinge and gingerly deposits a separate pad with Asterion on the conveyor. The conveyor moves the pad with Asterion to the larger bubble incubator. Through the isolation gloves attached to the bubble, Taylor aspirates the creature and its feeble cries let him know he is breathing. It strains as it adjusts its eyes to the light in the lab and focuses on Taylor face. It watches as he cleans him and examines the creature for the first time outside of the uterine chamber. Asterion grabs Taylor’s pinky finger with