//------------------------------// // |0|-Just Another Experiment in Eureka // Story: Just Another Day in Eureka // by The Grey Pegasus //------------------------------// || 0 || Just Another Experiment in Eureka "Okay, what freak experiment-machine are we testing today?" "Well, Jack, today's our first full run of our Abstract Organic Printer." Jack and Allison were walking down one of the many halls of Global Dynamics. It was nearly a routine sight for them. These endless halls weaved through the large facility, which was home to the greatest minds and most advanced technologies on Earth. The complex itself was located in the small town of Eureka, set deep inside a forest in southern Oregon. Everyone in the town had a very high intelligence even from a young age. Most people except Sheriff Jack Carter, but despite not being on the same level of intelligence as most of the town, he was relied on to resolve the random occurrences and problems that plagued Eureka, which usually meant saving the town from complete destruction in the process. "So... it makes random organic stuff? Sounds simple enough. Nothing can possibly go wrong with that, now can it?" Jack said, emphasizing with some gestures with his arm. Still, one couldn't blame him for speculating about that, as many experiments that supposedly were going to run perfectly ended with Jack getting his work cut out for him. "It's not as simple as that, Jack," Allison started. "While your explanation is technically correct, it doesn't do justice to what the project is actually made to do. The Abstract Organic Printer was designed to create any organism possible. And not just existing ones, either. It can be entirely fictional, and it'll find a way to create it. I'll explain it more to you once we get down there." "Right... totally nothing can go wrong." ==+== "Hey, Zane, how's it going?" Jack greeted. Zane Donovan was a long time companion. He was among Eureka's top minds, despite having an unruly attitude much of the time, and was the current head of Section 5. He was tasked with many high-priority projects, and as it was, testing of the AOP landed on him as well. At the moment, he was sitting in front of multiple computers and a large window. "Oh, hey Jack, Allsion. Nothin' much really. Been here since, oh... I don't know, 8 in the morning, regulating the AOP, for about six hours... yeah, not much," Zane answered. He checked the the computer screens for information. "Fortunately though, it's around 98.5 to 99% finished. It's in the finishing stages, so it should be done in a couple of minutes." "Great! So you mind explaining to me more about this machine? Allison gave me a general outline of it, but it was pretty brief," Jack asked. Outside of the window, there was a spacious room. In the middle was a contraption with three large metal arms hanging down from the ceiling. They were slowly rotating around a center, but what was being created was obscured by light. "Okay, so the Abstract Organic Printer is actually a pretty basic concept. Out there is a bio-printer, and it was designed with ability to create any type of living entity. Now, the information that's fed into the AOP comes from computers that calculate what should be there. If there's not enough information on the object being created, the computer will do everything to figure out how to make it work and be able to live." "Got it," Jack said as he processed the knowledge. "So what's it creating?" "Well, I can't tell you the specifics because I've been sworn to secrecy by the person. All I can tell you is that it's a living thing." Jack rolled his eyes. "Descriptive. How long is this supposed to take?" "It depends on the size and complexity of whatever it's making. So, by the time elapsed, it is a generally well-sized and complex creature." "And you're not telling us what it is." "I said I'd keep it a secret." "Whose secret are you keeping anyways?" Allison spoke up. "Seeing that we wanted to test this project to the fullest, GD had a town-wide competition for all those that wanted to enter and get a chance to win the right to have their idea printed. This was done so that we could get the most creative idea that would push the prototype to its fullest." "So who won?" As if on cue, a very familiar person walked into the room. "Hey Jack. Hey Mom." "Kevin? You won the competition?" Jack wore a mixed look that expressed that he didn't want to believe it, but knew that it was easily a reality. It was Eureka after all. The unexpected is always expected. "Yeah! Pretty sweet, isn't it?" Kevin replied. "Alright, what'd you tell the computer to make?" "Well they told me to use the best thing I could think of, and preferably have a good amount of information about it. It was also recommended that it'd be a fictional creature, like out of a cartoon-" "Like out of a cartoon? I think I've had enough of cartoons wandering around Eureka after last Christmas..." "Well this one's perfectly safe and there's nothing to worry about for anything going wrong." "Kevin, what did you choose? Because I don't feel like having to deal with a cartoon monster made into reality." "The entity can't be hazardous," Allison informed him. "There were guidelines against creating any possible threats." "Don't worry Jack, it is perfectly safe. Besides, it's bound to the laws of physics and biology, so again, it's nothing crazy." "Well, not necessarily," Zane interjected. "I mean, it's made to be able to make any living creature possible." "Zane- not helping," Jack deadpanned. He pointed at Kevin. "You are the one that made me run from a giant evil snowman, so I hope it's not anything remotely dangerous." Allison spoke up. "Can you at least tell us where you got the thing from?" "Fine. It's from a cartoon." "Come on Kevin, I want to know what we're dealing with here." "... And it's from a peaceful magical land. It's sentient, and acts like a human being, meaning it's only dangerous if provoked. Personality maturity ranges from teenage to adult. And in fact, she's probably smarter than Jack," Kevin described. "What?! And- and this is a cartoon character? That's smarter than me?" Jack exclaimed. "Why couldn't you pick some sort of mouse or something?" "That would be so boring!" "And it's female?" Kevin's mother asked. "Yeah. Look, all I'll say is that you'll be fighting her for who gets to ask the questions." "We'll deal with existential crisis immediately then-" "I mean after the existential crisis problem is solved." Jack pushed for more information. "Kevin, can't you tell us anything more about it... her?" "Look, it'll be perfectly fine. Just wait until it's done," the teenager answered. "Well, it looks like you can finally stop asking questions for now," Zane announced. "It should be finished in a couple seconds." The group curiously looked out the window, and were somewhat stunned at what the saw. The newly-created being was in the middle of the three arms, which had now stopped rotating, and held standing by mechanical support arms, as it was currently unconscious. Jack spoke first. "Is that... a purple unicorn?"