Chameleon

Others thrived, going beyond their imprinting to become something akin to independently thinking life forms.

Unsure how such intellectual growth had occurred in their failed and outdated experiments, and more than a little concerned of the implications of their survival, BioGen Discovery Labs hid these facts from the world. In addition, they worked diligently to eliminate all possibility for independent thought and action beyond imprinted instructions in the current product lines to limit future liability; they sought to perfect their imprinting technique.

By the year 2050, this goal was believed to be achieved. Imprinting allowed for life forms to do the most repetitive and dangerous tasks, or even the most complex tasks requiring decision-making skills. Imprinting instructions were complex enough to handle most any task, and the top of the line models were only distinguishable from humans by the characteristic bluntness of features, all black eyes, and complete subservience to their human keepers. Like the fictional Asimovian robots, the first instruction of imprinting was to serve, and never harm their human handlers.

The physical characteristics of the Sims had long been a concern of the company. The possibility of a Sim life form that could truly simulate a human being in form and function had long been a goal of the Company. Such a product was in tremendous demand in the areas of personal service, security, and governmental secret services. Late in the year of 2051, BioGen Discovery Labs created the genetic materials from which this dream was to be realized. By late the next year, a prototype Sim had been developed and grown in the development tanks. The initial imprinting had been done, but the model had not been activated. Going beyond the initial desire to perfectly simulate the human form, this prototype was developed to imitate any human, instantly able to assume most physical characteristics of a human subject after only minimal study of the subject. This product line was developed specifically for infiltration, espionage, and personal security work. It was expected to be the most profitable product ever created at the labs.

The First prototype was named Chameleon, and the specifications were released at the February 2053 shareholder's meeting. Chameleon was to receive its final imprinting and be awakened by mid-year, and after in depth testing, the growth tanks would be converted for full production.

Never before had the company been so profitable. Never had the world seen a more politically influential company. Governments lined up to garner favor, and politicians could be made or broken by decisions of BioGen’s board. For BioGen Discovery Labs, things were going very well. They were going well, that is, until the first old style radio broadcast was received from the back lot by the communications department of BioGen.

An emergency meeting of the Inner Circle, the senior executives of BioGen, was called to discuss both the contents of the message, and the implications of the broadcast.

May 15, 2053 0800 hours

Emergency meeting of the Executive ‘Inner Circle’

The inner circle of BioGen Discovery Labs consisted of two of the world’s most powerful people and one the brightest and most highly paid. The first two consisted of James Tarre III, the grandson of the founding father of the company and current Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Board, and Henri Wright, the President of BioGen for the last seven years. The third, though less well known, was more crucial to the company. Nancy Tiel was Executive Vice President of Research and Development, and had personally developed most of the innovations that had led to the companies greatest successes over the last fifteen years.

The meeting began in silence as the power trio of BioGen awaited the replay of the radio transmission. After a heavy silence of about two minutes, the recording began.

"Attention BioGen Laboratories.