WebNovels

Chapter 600 - Chapter 600: “Do You Wish to Learn the Secrets of the Genome, Child?”

Upon hearing this, Leon brought up a holographic data panel via his handheld terminal and slid his finger across the screen, displaying the standard Imperial currency conversion chart.

"We can offer a 30% advance," he stated, "calculated at 150% of your standard clone soldier unit price." A figure appeared in golden numerals on the projection: 30 million cR (Credits) as a down payment. "The remainder will be paid upon successful delivery."

Tayla Ko's elongated fingers swept across the projection, the intricate lines on her fingertips subtly interacting with the data stream.

Her pupils noticeably dilated at the amount, and the translucent vessels in her neck glowed faintly—an involuntary physiological response of Kaminoans to surprise.

The offer was significantly more generous than what the Galactic Empire had ever paid and had been carefully calibrated—enticing enough to spark interest, but not so generous as to seem desperate.

"Very reasonable terms." She nodded with elegant poise, her silver markings flowing like liquid metal. "However…"

She deliberately paused, adjusting into a more formal negotiating posture.

"To meet your performance benchmarks, we would like to obtain physiological samples from your… specialized warriors." Her eyes briefly flicked toward the Spartans.

Leon's expression didn't shift. Not even his breathing changed.

This request had been expected, down to the word.

Before departure, Dr. Halsey had told him during a holographic briefing:

[Let them take what they want. If those clone technicians manage to unlock the secrets of the Spartan Program from a few tissue samples, I'll personally hand them the Empire's Technology Advancement Medal.]

"That can be arranged." Leon responded promptly, retrieving two prepared paper documents from his briefcase.

"But limited to basic sample categories—blood, skin tissue, and hair."

He put subtle emphasis on the word basic.

"Other samples fall outside the scope of this agreement."

Tayla's eyes glinted like a deep-sea angler's lure.

Her neck inclined fifteen degrees forward, "That's more than sufficient. Mr. Kennedy's understanding is most... moving."

Her voice trembled slightly with excitement. After signing the agreement, she activated her wrist comms and dispatched a team of technicians to the guest wing. Her tone became brisk and commanding:

"Prepare the quantum-tier bio-analysis instruments—use the latest series only."

Watching Tayla move with the fervent precision of a true scientist, Leon remained composed.

He knew that what made Spartans like John and Jerome super soldiers wasn't merely genetic engineering.

It was a crucible of trauma, battlefield experience, relentless training, and years spent surviving in MJOLNIR armor under impossible stress. None of that could be synthesized in a lab.

If the Kaminoans could glean anything meaningful from a few samples, it would only help future iterations of the Spartan program. In this game of genetic poker, Leon already knew who held the winning hand.

Tayla continued coordinating her team with near-religious dedication. Every gesture she made spoke of a passion both clinical and obsessive.

Leon understood what those samples would ultimately prove: that true super soldiers are never born in tanks.

When the preparations were completed, Tayla turned back with practiced grace.

"Mr. Kennedy, I've arranged for your party to stay in our finest ocean-view suites in Tipoca City. According to our meteorological forecast—"

She brought up a holo-weather map, "—tomorrow's storm will reduce to Class Three. I'd be delighted to escort you through our undersea agricultural domes and genetic vaults. It will give your team a fuller understanding of Kaminoan civilization."

Leon's gaze drifted through the panoramic window of the meeting hall, across the rain-lashed Kaminoan ocean where phosphorescent bioluminescence flickered like starlight.

"It would be an honor," he replied with a subtle nod. "The Empire has long held an interest in oceanic architecture."

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the guest wing was a bit… delicate.

A Kaminoan technician team stood silently before the Spartans, each member holding sleek sampling tools.

"We require several biological samples," their lead scientist explained in the Kaminoans' signature modulated tone. "This will enable us to better serve your empire."

Jerome turned to Malon and ordered, "Spartan 1337—you'll accompany them to the lab."

His tone brooked no argument.

"Me?" Malon spread his hands dramatically. "Last time I had a check-up with Commander Sigismund's tech sergeants, they nearly disassembled my arm."

Lucy's synthetic eye glimmered with amusement, quickly masked by a cough. David turned to examine a wall-mounted display of aquatic creatures with sudden interest.

"Execute immediately." Jerome added, flatly.

Muttering under his breath, Malon followed the Kaminoans through three layers of bio-authentication doors until they reached a softly glowing lab awash in cool blue light.

The lab's sleek equipment was neatly arrayed; a central sampling chair resembled the ones in Imperial biolabs.

"Please disengage your helmet locks," the lead technician requested calmly.

With a sigh, Malon set his LMG aside and disengaged his helmet with a hiss of pressurized air, revealing a youthful face beneath the armor.

The Kaminoans clearly didn't expect such a young visage under all that gear.

The sampling process went surprisingly smoothly.

A dermal scanner swept across his exposed skin. A needleless injector drew a few milliliters of blood. Even a single fallen eyelash was carefully collected.

Every motion the Kaminoans made was surgical—almost artful.

When Leon returned to the guest area, sampling was still underway.

He approached his team and lowered his voice, "The preliminary agreement is finalized. We'll rest here a few days while observing their tech."

Lucy gave a small nod, her ocular implants already using Malon's helmet as a proxy camera to record everything within the lab.

David added in a low tone, "Commander, their scanners are at least two generations more advanced than we estimated."

At that moment, a few waiter drones floated in—pearl-white spheres emitting soft blue glows.

They spoke in smooth, polite tones:

"Esteemed guests, your ocean-view suites are prepared. Please follow us."

"Understood."

Leon had no objections.

In the lab, Malon continued posing and flexing on command, allowing the scanners to record muscular response data.

Once the procedure finished, he re-helmeted and exited—Jerome and the others already waiting at the door.

"Done?"

Douglas's voice came through the encrypted comms.

Malon stretched exaggeratedly. "They almost scanned me down to my mitochondria."

He paused. "But they did give me some snacks—these seaweed biscuits that glow."

"Enough joking," Jerome cut in, already striding down the corridor. "Kennedy still needs protection."

"Right."

The Spartans took the elevator up, following luminous guide paths left by the drone butlers.

Kamino had prepared suites for them as well, positioned along the upper-level corridor—but the Spartans clearly had no intention of sleeping.

Jerome signaled.

Douglas covered the elevator exit. Ko'r and Alice swept the flanks. Malon stood guard over the corridor leading to Leon's suite.

Their MJOLNIR suits entered low-power sentry mode—only the occasional blink of visor data indicated their constant vigilance.

Elsewhere, Leon was ushered into the top-level panoramic suite.

As the door slid open, he raised an eyebrow.

The furnishings had been carefully curated—Curuscanti-style crescent sofas, pre-fall genuine silk bedding, even a rainfall-style showerhead mimicking those once favored by Coruscant's nobility.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, Kamino's storm was waning. Phosphorescent deep-sea creatures lit the room in a dreamlike aquamarine glow.

The servant drones silently exited.

Leon set his briefcase down, retrieved his agent terminal from his inner pocket, and pressed the scan key.

A silent pulse swept the room. The screen displayed:

[No Listening Devices]

[No Surveillance Nodes]

[Security Level: Green]

Satisfied, he activated a quantum link with the Rizhou.

The shipboard AI responded: "Establishing quantum comms channel. Encryption level: Gamma-9."

A moment later, his terminal emitted blue light particles. Slowly, a full-body hologram of Ada Wong formed before him.

As usual, her projection was even more flawless than reality. Every strand of hair shimmered, her smile relaxed, teasing.

"Well?" she asked.

Leon loosened his tie and sank into the floating chair by the window.

"Not bad."

He sent over a secured data packet.

"They value guest privacy. Very cooperative."

Just then, a massive bioluminescent sea creature glided past the building's lower levels. The silver-blue trail it left briefly illuminated underwater facilities.

Gigantic cylindrical structures, each over a hundred meters wide, were anchored to the seabed—covered in hexagonal pod ports.

"See something interesting?"

Ada leaned forward, her projected form so lifelike he could see her eyelashes flutter. A strand of blue-tinted hair brushed past his cheek and vanished as light.

"Their underwater infrastructure far exceeds what they've shown us," he said, lifting the terminal to show her the submerged structures. "Based on the energy signatures, those are likely secondary clone production centers—unlisted."

Ada's pupils flickered with flowing data.

She crossed her legs and reclined into her chair. Her uniform shimmered.

"Stick to the plan. Keep gathering intel," she said, suddenly more serious. "The Word Bearers just sent an alert—Chaos forces are active in a nearby sector."

A star map appeared in the air—three red points blinking where enemy fleets might be.

"To be safe, the Sons of the Wounded have dispatched several ships for Kamino's defense," Ada continued. "Tomorrow, make sure to inform the Kaminoans ahead of time. We don't want any... misunderstandings. The Empire now considers them and this system part of its sovereign assets."

"Understood," Leon replied firmly.

Ada stood. "I have other fires to put out."

Then, with a dangerous smile, she added, "Try not to get yourself killed like a rookie, Leon."

The transmission ended. Her image dissolved into light.

Leon stared at the empty space with a sigh.

"Women."

He shook his head, walked to the minibar, and opened it.

Inside, over a dozen color-coded drinks shimmered in cryo-fog. He picked an amber-hued bottle and returned to the bar, pouring it into a crystal glass.

For once, the nerves of a career agent allowed themselves to relax—just for a moment.

Meanwhile...

300 meters below Tipoca City, deep in the Clone Research Zone, a lone Kaminoan researcher sat in a sealed lab.

Pale lighting cast his elongated silhouette onto the curved observation glass, mirroring the eerie glow of bioluminescent sea creatures drifting past.

He was focused on analyzing the biological samples provided by the Imperial guests.

Suddenly, as his finger hovered over the display—

A whisper tickled his mind.

"Do you wish to learn more about the genome's secrets, child?"

The voice was soft—like a bubble from a hydrothermal vent. But undeniable.

He whipped around. Empty. Access logs confirmed no entries all day.

But when he turned back to the screen, a string of unfamiliar DNA code had appeared in the data stream.

Spiraling. Shifting.

Self-reconfiguring into something...

Something perfect.

Something never seen before.

(End of Chapter)

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