Bioengineering
"Let me show you what I came up with — it's really cool."
Sat down at computer. On screen, a rendered picture of some kind of organism. Clicked 'New'.
I've seen that before.
"No, this one's different. Just wait."
Scrolled mouse back and forth across Shape Wizard. Accidentally clicked 'OK' without re-selecting shape.
Cell phone rang, across room. Hello?. Yeah, yeah. No not that busy.
A 6-inch black brain-like mass appeared on the desk in front of me.
No, I'll still be able to make it. Eight o'clock you say still? Yeah. Sure I'll have the stuff with me.
"Crap. Oops."
Clicked 'Cancel'. Desk object disappeared. Returned to Shape Wizard screen. Changed tab to Behaviour screen instead.
No, no, no. Not like that. Don't worry. What's that? Well, I've spent a lot of time on it is all. Yeah.
Switched back to Shape Wizard. Selected a cardioid-shaped pattern. In the corner of the screen, a large ant-like organism was depicted.
"Great, now for the color."
What's that? No, nevermind, I thought he was talking to me. Go on.
Clicked 'OK'. 8-inch black and red ant-like creature suddenly appeared on desk surface, twitched a few times, and began to explore the desk.
"Oh man, I didn't mean to click that yet!"
Looks cool, man.
Took a pen-like implement from a stand next to the computer screen, pointed it at the insect, clicked a button on the side, and said "Freeze."
Insect quickly turned a frosty blue color, and stopped moving.
"Just a sec, let me get the color right."
[Waves hand] What wasn't quite right? No, that was what you wanted I thought. No, when you and I talked. Yeah, you said. . . .
Clicked color tab. Clicked black square. Insect on the desk became solid shimmery black. Twitched, and then quickly ran off the edge of the desk toward me. Caught it in mid-air around the thoracic region, and placed it back on the desk.
Dammit! Freeze that thing!
Froze it again.
"I did! It keeps coming unfrozen!"
No, talking to my friend. Well, freeze it better then!
"Sure, okay, whatever, I'll just click the 'Freeze Better' button, right?"
Returned attention to the screen. Purple color I wanted wasn't in the palette. Clicked 'Other colours...' and clicked on a purple. Too bright. Heard a scramble behind me.
Jesus, this thing doesn't have a stinger does it?!?
Aimed pen at the insect, now next to the guy's leg. Creature froze again. Cat on the bed watched intently as I carried the now black and purple animal back to the desk.
"Not yet."
[hand over phone] Not yet? You're a twisted little fuck, you know? Jesus.
Clicked 'Select by attributes'.
Changed numbers.
So, like I said I'll have it to you. Sorry if it's not what you expected, but I swear that's what you asked me for originally, so that's what I've been working on. Yes. Okay, um . . . Anyway, just . . . .
Almost-black bluish purple color appears in the color preview box.
Hey, can I just call you back later? I've got too many things going on right now.
"That's it. That's what I. . . ."
Sudden crunch sound caught my attention. Cat under the edge of the bed had the insect between its paws and mouth and had ripped it in half.
I've gotta go. Now. [hangs up phone]
All six finger-long legs were still flexing back and forth, and the cat smacked loudly as it licked out the abdomen cavity.
"That can't be healthy, right?"
I don't know. Jesus. Hope you didn't need that.
"Yeah, I know. Crap."
Sat down at computer. On screen, a rendered picture of some kind of organism. Clicked 'New'.
I've seen that before.
"No, this one's different. Just wait."
Scrolled mouse back and forth across Shape Wizard. Accidentally clicked 'OK' without re-selecting shape.
Cell phone rang, across room. Hello?. Yeah, yeah. No not that busy.
A 6-inch black brain-like mass appeared on the desk in front of me.
No, I'll still be able to make it. Eight o'clock you say still? Yeah. Sure I'll have the stuff with me.
"Crap. Oops."
Clicked 'Cancel'. Desk object disappeared. Returned to Shape Wizard screen. Changed tab to Behaviour screen instead.
Size: 3-small
Speed: 10-fast
Structure: soft endoskeleton exoskeleton
Motility: legs: 6
Environment: aquatic land tissue-borne
Diet: vegetable carnivorous scavenger
No, no, no. Not like that. Don't worry. What's that? Well, I've spent a lot of time on it is all. Yeah.
Switched back to Shape Wizard. Selected a cardioid-shaped pattern. In the corner of the screen, a large ant-like organism was depicted.
"Great, now for the color."
What's that? No, nevermind, I thought he was talking to me. Go on.
Clicked 'OK'. 8-inch black and red ant-like creature suddenly appeared on desk surface, twitched a few times, and began to explore the desk.
"Oh man, I didn't mean to click that yet!"
Looks cool, man.
Took a pen-like implement from a stand next to the computer screen, pointed it at the insect, clicked a button on the side, and said "Freeze."
Insect quickly turned a frosty blue color, and stopped moving.
"Just a sec, let me get the color right."
[Waves hand] What wasn't quite right? No, that was what you wanted I thought. No, when you and I talked. Yeah, you said. . . .
Clicked color tab. Clicked black square. Insect on the desk became solid shimmery black. Twitched, and then quickly ran off the edge of the desk toward me. Caught it in mid-air around the thoracic region, and placed it back on the desk.
Dammit! Freeze that thing!
Froze it again.
"I did! It keeps coming unfrozen!"
No, talking to my friend. Well, freeze it better then!
"Sure, okay, whatever, I'll just click the 'Freeze Better' button, right?"
Returned attention to the screen. Purple color I wanted wasn't in the palette. Clicked 'Other colours...' and clicked on a purple. Too bright. Heard a scramble behind me.
Jesus, this thing doesn't have a stinger does it?!?
Aimed pen at the insect, now next to the guy's leg. Creature froze again. Cat on the bed watched intently as I carried the now black and purple animal back to the desk.
"Not yet."
[hand over phone] Not yet? You're a twisted little fuck, you know? Jesus.
Clicked 'Select by attributes'.
Red: 64
Blue: 64
Green: 0
Changed numbers.
So, like I said I'll have it to you. Sorry if it's not what you expected, but I swear that's what you asked me for originally, so that's what I've been working on. Yes. Okay, um . . . Anyway, just . . . .
Red: 8
Blue: 11
Green: 0
Almost-black bluish purple color appears in the color preview box.
Hey, can I just call you back later? I've got too many things going on right now.
"That's it. That's what I. . . ."
Sudden crunch sound caught my attention. Cat under the edge of the bed had the insect between its paws and mouth and had ripped it in half.
I've gotta go. Now. [hangs up phone]
All six finger-long legs were still flexing back and forth, and the cat smacked loudly as it licked out the abdomen cavity.
"That can't be healthy, right?"
I don't know. Jesus. Hope you didn't need that.
"Yeah, I know. Crap."