//------------------------------// // A Preliminary Report: 12 // Story: Streaming, Unintended! // by Ponyess //------------------------------// . I had compiled all the data, for my preliminary report. Obviously. I had reached the stage, where I had to present progress, for me to be able to continue this research project. If I fail, the project will be canceled. I had known, this day would come; since day one. The research director of the University had explained it to me. My secretary had kept tabs on everything, for me. She had documented everything we did; from the very first thing, the first day. She does have a large stack of photos, of everything; just as she do have clips and sound recorded. While I know she has been enjoying her time as secretary, for my project her accreditation depends, on her doing her job to the letter. I don’t know if the success change anything for her; or if the subject, or result is important. Though she can only have accreditation, if she performs her job flawlessly. In a sense, this is a watershed moment for my project. The accreditation itself, is not my goal; it is the result of my project, in the hopes of helping people. What more could there possibly be? I know my assistant jumped me, for the opportunity; both for the accreditation, but also the joy of the project I was just initiating at the time. I had seen her, at work; seen the joy, with which she is performing her job. Doing everything I had ever asked of her, and more. While it is my project, I guess it would be acceptable for her to follow me in. She had booked the time, confirming the time I had to be there; for me to present my preliminary report, in person. Even knowing she would know exactly what I had requisitioned, in the name of my project; every mouse, every doll and every minute I had logged in the room. I know, she had everything at her fingertips. It is my results; my evaluation and my conclusions she is going to evaluate. Of course; we had gone over the details, as well as the material before we walked down to the office. Now, we are sitting outside the office; waiting for the research director. Just a few more minutes, but I do want to be on time. Being punctual is important to me. Anyone else could watch and tend to our ponies. I don’t have to be there in person. Besides, unless anything critical comes up, no-one needs to be there. My assistant is holding the folder, containing everything, every last detail. Technically, I guess I had not needed her to be here; but she had asked me to permit her to follow me in, so I had permitted her to be with me. The seconds are ticking; ”Tick, tock; tick, tock..”; as we are waiting. I am watching the clock, mounted on the wall. ”I guess it is time!” my assistant suggests, as she is raising to her feet; walking over to the door, pushing the button. I can clearly see the light turning yellow, as the sound is buzzing inside the room. While I have no idea, as to what she is doing; I know she is in, in order to be there at the booked time. The seconds, ticking by; the light is turning green, just as the lock snaps open. ”Enter!” is heard on the speaker. ”That is us!” my Assistant announces, and I follow her over to the door. She opens the door, and we step right into her office. The research director is sitting behind her desk, just as I had been expecting. Nothing else, could even be thinkable. ”Have a seat, please; make yourself comfortable, so we can dig into the review!” she points out. I step into the room, with my personal assistant in tow; and we do pull our respective chairs out, before comfortably sitting down. My Assistant is opening the folder, pulling out a picture of the habitat; such as it is currently looking, with all the ponies outside. The ponies, lined up. ”As I am sure you are aware, the duplication of the incident has worked flawlessly time and time again; the ponies are in excellent health, and the process is perfectly reversible!” I open up. ”Excellent, excellent!” she responds. ”Then it was not a once in a lifetime accident, I am glad for you!” she points out, matter of fact; ”now I expect, you to be eager to follow through; expanding this project, to its natural conclusion?” she inquires, after a moment’s pause. ”But of course!” I declare. ”Based on the preliminary findings; it appears we opened up Pandora’s box, presenting a new field of studies!” my assistant suggests, with confidence. ”In order to understand the process, and ascertain the safety concerns; we do need more test subject and a wider range, before we can continue to the next stage with larger animals!” I propose; ”Furthermore; I can open up the project for additional lines of inquiry, in order to explore previously unexpected potential!” I continue. ”Since you have proven that your project is viable; I will permit you to keep your current room, as well as offering you a second adjacent room for now!” she responds. ”This could prove most interesting; despite the risk of potential backlash, further down the road!” she ponders. Of course; she had taken the time, to read up on the premise of my project as well as reading through the data I had generated. With that, she had managed to familiarize herself with the project, as well as the current status. ”To make sure, you do understand the situation; I have prepared a few clips, so you can see in more depth!” my Assistant offers, as she is casting the clips for her to see on her screen. ”Thank you!” she responds, as she is activating the screen. She is watching the first clip in silence, watching the initial experiments while the mice are turning into ponies. Once the first clip had played, the next clip follows suit; demonstrating a pony turning back to the mouse it had been. Another clip follows, where the veterinarian examines a set of mice; giving them a clean bill of health, giving us clear bill to proceed. She does recognize the performing veterinarian, of course. Now she is pausing the play-back, scribbling down the report number; before she is pulling up the file, critically reading it for herself in order to ascertain everything is on the up and up. Once she had red the report, and verified the content; she is closing the file, before she returns to the playback and watch the remainder of the clip. The next clip depicts the veterinarian examining a small set of ponies. She once more pause the playback, then scribbles down the report number; before she calls up the file, scrutinizing it with deliberate care. ”Excellent, excellent!” she offers; ”Everything seems to be in order. ”This does look, like a very interesting little project!” she offers. Now my Assistant present a series of images of the inhabitants of the village. Pinkie Pie, Rarity; Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash; Nurse Redheart, Mayor Mare, Vinyl Scratch, Dr. Whooves, Fluttershy and Applejack. ”Why does that pony look like Dr. Who?” she inquires, puzzled by the apparent similarities. ”His name is Dr. Whooves!” my Assistant explains; ”He is the main cause of the expansion of this research; outside the scope, of the initial project!” my Assistant continues. ”I believe, he is partially based on the Dr. Who; which is prompting some curious ideas, that may be of interest to investigate!” I point out. ”If he is indeed based on the Dr. Who, I can see potential for interesting research; in Physics, and some interest on the part of a few Physicists!” she offers. ”That would be the idea, yes!” I confirm. ”On second thought, I believe he is a very interesting contribution to the community of ponies!” my Assistant puts forth. ”If I recall my Dr. Who correctly; I guess he could indeed be an interesting contribution, to your ponies village such as it stands!” she confirms, with a jovial grin creeping onto her face. ”Technically speaking; I believe we could have picked any random ponies, for the project!” I suggest; ”But, what would be the fun in that; other than limiting the scope, and potentially limiting the chances of success for no particular reason!” I continue. ”Of course; these random ponies are harder to come by, than the central figures of the community!” my Assistant clarifies further. ”Since my sister introduced me, I am warming up to these ponies..” I ponder; ”this project, initiated by the incident; is clearly making me invested, in the fates of the ponies I am making my friends!” I conclude. How could I not become invested; as I see these ponies as people, building up and developing their village with the items I provide them? Of course, I will have to provide them with everything; even if they are working, on providing for themselves. I had not asked them to; it is simply in their nature, to provide for themselves. There is little to no real greenery, in the habitat; but I could not acquire anything fitting, within the short span of time I had been focusing all my efforts into my project. Maybe now, I could and should put some limited efforts; into providing them with the green plans as part of the project? These ponies are not just living creatures I am providing for; they are sentient, and I still do have the final responsibility for each and every one of them. While I do send them through the process, of transforming them onto ponies and reversing the process; I can’ just go and repeat the process willy-nilly just for the fun of it. I have to consider the consequences on each mouse and pony each and every time. Even if the process has not been harming them physically. Yet. I don’t even know, if there is a set limit, on how many times one can perform this process on any one individual. I just minimize the exposure, for now. Maybe I should be extending the project, into proving how many times it is safe? Considering, I now have extended time and resources at my disposal; I can run new tests, I did not have time or resources for before. First of all, I do have a second room in which to continue my project; just as I have another month, in which to continue exploring what I had started. Now I can expand the village further, just as I can explore further avenues; examining what made this work, in the first place. Establishing how and why. Why did my sister turn into a pony, specifically? Could she have turned into anything or anyone else? Would this work, with just a mirror, or a regular telescope? I have no idea, but I will have to explore every possibility; until I have exhausted the options, in pinning down exactly how and why this did happen. With a second room, small as it may be; I should be looking for more students to employ, in order to explore what I had set out to perform. Who would I ask, and who would even consider accepting the offer? On second thought; I could always ask my personal assistant and secretary to help me, exploring how to further the project. The more progress I could manage, the better my chances are, to continue the project. I will need more people helping me out. However; I could as well keep my assistant, trusting her to following me to the end. Unless she resigned, or gave me sufficient cause to fire her. I hope, she will follow me through; but you never know, until the project is concluded. ”This is going well, but I guess that had been to be expected!” I ponder, as I consider options of expansion for the project. Some additional information had been presented; raw data and images of the habitat and its inhabitants in every stage of the development. She is eagerly going over, what she had been presented. In the end, she had read everything and viewed all the pictures. My assistant and I had been explaining the conclusion drawn. The time of the appointment finally does come to and end. ”Interesting.” she points out, as she is putting the file down; ”Fascinating!” she concludes. My assistant picks up the folder, as the presentation is concluded. ”I am looking forwards, to see your progress!” she admits, with a jovial grin playing over her face. ”Thank you!” I respond. ”I expect to see you, with further development in about a month or so!” she offers. Of course, she had placed the key to the second room in the folder; at some point, after she had granted the project’s continuation. I raise to my feet, just as my assistant does; before we walk out. My assistant just stops, before the door; opening and closing after we had walked out. This concludes the report. ”I will be compiling a list of who and what we need, for you to go over!” she offers, as we are walking from the research manager’s office. --- --- ---