Routine had set surprisingly smoothly. The proposed schedule had been approved with minimum adaptations, and most customers actually enjoyed having their bodies examined before their session. Officially, it was to ensure their file and requests were up to date, but all in did in the end was teaching Zax the most advanced blueprints he had ever seen. There was a large array, but mostly different ways to reach similar results. A treasure trove. His training bore fruit, and his nanites were constantly calculating the limits and the rules in extreme situations.

Another nice news, he even had the pleasant surprise of the first normal food since his kidnapping. Heartbeat – the name was taking some getting used to – was too warm to need heating, but they still needed something to cook. However, all their wood was used for construction or expansion. Wood unsuitable for either occasionally happened, but not enough to have a dedicated area or appliances. In consequence, the Explorers favoured meal pills, bought from other Explorers.

Actual meal pills!

It's been so long.

Sure, they were unlike any the dotter had ever met before, but tasty in their own way. The familiarity was comfortable, and nostalgia hit hard.

The people were unexpectedly pleasant. Polite and professional, even when he was blatantly not going to serve directly. The irony wasn't lost on him; the most advanced mutants cared the least about his lack of mutation.

The "Master's guest" effect?

Some would find demeaning to be treated as brittle or as a child, but he would take this over being deemed a low-class or a failure.

Only one point made the experience unpleasant, but it weighted a lot. The environment. It had been confirmed the main dangers in the Heartbeat territory were radiation and heat, at a lethal level at the lowest. The walls were treated to block the first, and vents helped regulate the last, but not to a rate a purestrain could survive in for long. The young bloods had at least partial resistance to one of the two, and had their own equipment to handle part of the rest. Living there would naturally orient their activations to grow this part of their gift, and possibly develop others for the missing parts. Whoever had earned their place by cheating without fulfilling this requirement didn't last long. Neither did their complaints.

Zax didn't have such a luxury, so he monopolised the only complete suit, specially designed to optimally block both issues. However, it had definitely not been designed for extended use. It was heavy, restrictive, and as great as its climatic control was, it quickly reeked of sweat every day. Nightly cleanings could only help so much. His current activities could be quite active, and he constantly had to wear it. He couldn't even briefly open it to take some fresh air! His only break was to sleep; he and Migo spent the night in the environmental box from the first day, while the suit was maintained by the supply team. Food pills were delivered in a specially made split.

Migo had it worse; there wasn't a suit for quadrupeds, so he spent most of his time in the box. He couldn't stay in, if only for his biological needs, but also boredom. The local's warnings had them worried, but two days in and he was still fine. Bored, but still healthy. Some nausea and loss of appetite, but it could be explained away by the new environment and general stress. Even for a Resident, the plethora of unusual smells and sounds could be overwhelming. The wolf's nanites detected a form of anaemia, but it could be the sudden lack of activity. He felt fine the next day.

It was an illusion.

It started with nausea, then vomiting and belly pain…

"That's what makes radiation sickness so awful." The medical personnel explained after their diagnostic. "First you feel better, but it's discreetly getting worse. Once the symptoms are severe enough to be examined, it's too late to heal from."

Unlike the Black Market, Explorers acknowledged the canine's presence when he was out and about. They had examined him as soon as they noticed something was wrong, but it was too late. There wasn't much they could do.

"Can't you use your biotechnology? Your pods? You're specialists."

Migo was laid on the infirmary table, under a dome made of semi-transparent leaves, drugged for his own comfort. Zax was staring, unblinking. His face and voice were devoid of any emotion, but his mind was processing posthaste.

"It's too late. What we have isn't enough for an advanced case, and most work by supporting pre-existing mutations." They let it sink in before the coup de grace. "I'm sorry. Short of a miraculous mutation, nothing can save him now."

That's what you think.

The Explorers were powerless – a strange idea – but Zax hadn't been idle since they arrived.

Examining extremely varied and advanced customers with only heat resistance and radiation resistance in common, Zax had quickly found the related patterns. It was subtle, but all encompassing. More like a twist on the basic meridians than specific configurations.

Like… drawn with a brush instead of a pen? The opposite?

It had been his first thought. Another lacklustre image, but it got the point across. He hadn't tested it, but the situation was dire enough to make his theory "good enough".

Now, how do I use it?

Because leaving Migo to his fate was not an option.

"How long?" He asked.

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"One month if he can stay in an environmental box. He can't, but if exits are kept to a minimum… two weeks would be pushing. And the last will be spent in constant agony, barely conscious. It would be more merciful to…"

They didn't finish their sentence, but the idea was crystal clear.

"No." Zax refused without having to think about it. "Not yet. We have to talk first. Can you wake him up?"

It would be ill-advised in his state, so he had to wait for the drugs to wear off. Zax didn't sleep much this night.

Next morning, before the pair was let out of their sleeping box, they had a serious discussion. Opening his eyes gave Migo a headache, moving made him want to puke, so it was a blessing they could communicate without doing either.

[Migo: Two weeks?§#?]

A small whine rose from the wolf's nostrils. Zax felt his tail twitch against his leg. Barely. His throat tightened from his friend's weakness and despair, but it wasn't time to wallow yet.

[Zax: That gives me some time. I already know what mutation you need, but not how to make it happen. I have ideas, but not enough time to test them. I need time to prepare, so we'll only have one chance.]

He had spent the night testing simulations, calculating his friend's future. It might be the most he'd ever pushed his nanites, but he had to ask something else before fully committing.

[Migo: W#at? I thought it'd tajke a miracle?#]

The canine's inner turmoil made the chat mistranslate his thoughts. Zax ignored it.

[Zax: If it works, you'll be healed, perhaps improved, and it might even help with our other issues. If it doesn't… I have no idea of what will happen. Maybe nothing. You might gain some time. You might lose what you have left. You might become a wet pile of fleshy dough.]

[Migo: What?]

[Zax: I can't promise anything. I don't know if it'll worth the pain. The decision is yours. Should we try it?]

He didn't mention the risk on his own person. He had already made his choice; he only needed Migo's.

If his friend refused, he would let him go painlessly. It was the least he could do.

[Migo: What are my chances?]

[Zax: Not high enough.]

[Migo: Give me numbers]

[Zax: I don't have any! It's never been done before. There's too many suppositions and speculations to calculate probabilities in any significant reliability. We can only go blind, fumble around, and pray.]

The wolf didn't hesitate long.

[Migo: Certain death, or uncertain something. I don't want to die in such a pathetic way.]

Using what little strength he had, the wolf lifted his head to stare straight in the human's eyes.

[Migo: Do it.]

Determination was burning deep inside, stalwart. He would hold on for as long as he could. All there was left was to use this time to prepare and improve their chances as much as possible.

More than actually possible.

He hadn't lied; he did already have a complete blueprint in mind, but it could probably be improved on. He worked on it until it was time to leave the box.

For flexibility, he made it modulable. It was still technically one blueprint, but parts could be swapped depending on circumstances. The modules were given conditional priority points; some were absolutely required, others were worth more in the presence of another, some had points related to external conditions, some were "optional, but why not?", and a few "Not if I can help it!" with negative points, but kept in the list as a last resort.

No plan survives contact with the enemy.

Hopefully, it would let him adapt the blueprint to the actual meridians' reaction when he tried his idea. He would aim for the highest total points, but he would also know what to let go first when something went wrong. A dirth of focus, time and/or energy was the main suspects.

"If" something goes wrong.

Zax tried to force himself to stay positive, but it was easier said than done.

Even out of the box, he couldn't simply get to it immediately. Pimp and Hip had offered the expected empty platitudes, but as accommodating as Pimp could be, they had schedules to follow, engagements to keep, and it couldn't happen without him. They would only consider working on Migo as his personal project, to do in his free time. Zax didn't appreciate it, but he couldn't begrudge them; they only saw the futile struggle of a man in denial.

"I still can't believe they made all that for you."

Zax made small talk with Hip as they were preparing the free workrooms for when their boss was done with the current one. He had to put on a brave face; their commiserative eyes were not helping. He needed assistance, not pity.

"It wasn't made for us. We're not the only entertainment they have access to, just the only one of that type." Hip answered. "As incredible as biotechnology can be, they don't have a lot of ranged communication."

"Meaning no streaming, no phone. No social media… Uh." Zax paused. It explained some of the subtle feeling of wrongness he had felt when they first arrived. It was not an inconsequential change of attitude. "Wait, how did you organise this trip if you couldn't tell them we were coming?"

"Another Explorer team handles that. They make rounds around lairs like this one and physically carry reports, data, including messages and entertainment."

So that's why it took so long." Zax figured.

Is the main computer ever aware of what's happening out here? Even if late?

"Actually, that was pretty fast. Boss got lucky his message left immediately, and I think the Mistress paid extra for express services. I don't know what he wrote, but it must've been enticing."

"I see…"

Zax took it in stride. It was yet another culture shock for the former dotter, but he was used to them at this point.

Explorers were as sympathetic, but they offered more practical support. They had personal experience with losing someone this way. They too saw his struggle as futile, but they humoured him, allowing was he asked for. They understood throwing yourself in work as a coping mechanism.

First was the giant healing peapod. It was the best healing tool they had for this kind of issue; it treated the whole body at once and possibly even the mind. The only issue was how weak effect was, but if he could understand it and maybe strengthen it… It was his best shot.

They let him study the pod and provided every information they had about it; its biology, its mutation history, where it came from, how it came here… They didn't forbid using his nanites, and he didn't mention it. He didn't want to risk a refusal that would negate his plausible deniability.

Second was access to his lab. It had been dismantled for transportation, but he hadn't seen or heard about it since arriving. It was already rebuilt, but kept in another area for when he would work on Zweikora-zon. She was as the end of the list so Zax could work on her while the others went back to not-quite-the-Shelter.

He didn't enjoy the idea of being stranded in the heartbeat, but early access to his lab took priority.

His laboratory was ready, he had a lot of data to analyse, and not a lot of time to do it.

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