Book 6 - Chapter 3 The Labs (1/2)

Greenland’s laboratory was several years old by this point. It’d been put together even before Cloudhawk had come to take over.

At the time, Wolfblade was using the Dark Atom’s resources to keep Greenland Outpost under control. Part of that involved creating a lab for research and experiments. Although not particularly large it was well equipped and laid a fine foundation for Cloudhawk and his people to build upon.

After the inception of Greenland as a territory, the labs were given special consideration.

Within two years this system of rooms and experiment chambers had gone from a typical wasteland lab to a place where world-changing discoveries were made. Greenland was a peerless center for scientific research, the largest Seeker conclave in the wastes.

Scientists from the Dark Atom, Sandspire, Nox and all other corners of the wastelands dreamed of working here. After all, Nucleus was no longer as safe as it once was and the same could be said for Nox. Sandspire was even worse off.

Little by little, Greenland was becoming the political, military and scientific center of the wastelands. It was at the heart of the Green Alliance and boasted powerful defenses. Its unique situation and policies attracted the best of the best. That was why in only two short years Greenland was teaming with peerless men and women from far and wide.

Investments in the laboratory proved worthwhile.

Results from the lab had been especially striking in the last year or so. From eboncrys weapons to utility armor; from genetically modified soldiers to genetically modified food – they all were concocted right here.

It was no exaggeration to say that Greenland’s labs continued to collect inventions and achievements that improved life for everyone. Its existence was a benefit to all the millions of wastelanders who’d lived in squalor. Countless souls were saved from starvation, dehydration and death.

Greenland’s labs were separated by scientific pursuit; biology, robotics, military hardware, energy research, materials science and more. The most brilliant scientific minds were chosen as lab directors.

Bug worked in the robotics lab. The name hearkened back to when she lived as a small, humble scav in the ruins around Sandspire. In those days her and her brother risked their lives digging out old tech and repairing it for scraps. But their luck changed and they found themselves in Greenland where Bug’s talent with machines was recognized. Rather than waste time learning things she already knew in the Institute, she was immediately given a position in the laboratories. Fate had really changed the track of her life.

There were a lot of people with stories like hers in Greenland these days.

Gratefulness and joy filled them, because if Greenland hadn’t come around weak folk like them would still just be scraping by – or long dead. If Cloudhawk hadn’t changed the wastelands for the better, where else would there be such an oasis?

Bug absolutely loved robotics research. It was reflected in her diligent and ceaseless work.

She knew she would never wear a green cloak like the soldiers of the Green Alliance. It wasn’t her place to take up arms and defend their home from outsiders. All she could do was continue to grow the talents that she had and do all she could for her home.

Her hard work paid off. There were a number of important inventions and discoveries attributed to her. Not long ago she was recognized for her genius and promoted to junior scientist.

Greenland boasted more than four thousand accomplished scientists of many disciplines. For organizational purposes they were separated into interns, junior scientists, senior scientists and lead scientists. Interns were ninety percent of the total and most came from various corners of the wastes. Junior scientists were those interns which rose above the crowd. There were only about three hundred or so at present.

Senior scientists were even rarer. They were erudite figures numbering only about twenty, each doggedly chasing success toward some goal or another.

Lead scientists numbered only five. Achieving this station was reserved for people of exceptional genius, drive and ability. None were inferior to the likes of Academician Roste or Three-Eyed Spider.

For Greenland to have five such scientific minds spoke volumes to its power.

Bug was the lab’s youngest junior scientist, but despite that she was already well on her way to another promotion. She was gentle, approachable and whip smart, all of which made her a rising star in the robotics department. Even the lauded Hellflower held Bug in high regard. From time to time she even came to give Bug personal instruction, which was almost too flattering for the young girl to bear.

For indeed, who was Hellflower? She was a legend among scientists and engineers! In the eyes of Ordinary Seekers she was the ultimate authority!

Hellflower’s remarkable contributions to the wastelands were the subject of universal appreciation. To Bug she was an idol, a perfect role model to emulate. No one knew this teenage girl’s enormous ambitions for she held them close to the vest, but in her heart of hearts she dreamed of one day being a world-renowned scientist. Just like Hellflower.

Lately the labs were busy as a beehive.

As a junior scientist Bug had the freedom to work on some of her own interests. She had ten interns working under her in addition to a number of assistants, and students from Greenland Institute. These young faces were the future of Greenland’s science departments so they were often wandering through the labs to learn.

“Research specimens are precious, make sure you record every detail.”

Bug was busy deconstructing a robot in the middle of the robots lab. She meticulously picked it apart piece by piece; from its outer carapace, to its limbs, to its inner circuitry. No matter how many times this process had been repeated it was always a shock. The construction of these machines was a work of art.

One of their limbs contained thousands of components.

As Bug continued to work with a number of specimens, she found that those components all fit together with incredible precision. It was less like they were parts made in some lab and more like they were just a natural, perfect product of these creatures. Their neural networks were complex and fully integrated, giving the creatures total control over their bodies. Judging by their research these creatures even had advanced tactile senses and could differentiate smells. Altogether they were capable of a magnificently lifelike existence.