IIKK - main

When Mystech corporation decided to delve into the genetic splicing arena, they knew that their task would be a difficult one - but not because they didn't have the ability, expertise or machinery available to them.

But rather because the whole field had been inundated by spliced-this, half-that. Finding the right set of subjects, finding the right creatures to work with, was where the scientists at Mystech Labs spent most of its time during this project.

Manager of the main Mystech research and development teams, a woman named Catherine Torbert - codenamed "Wyldfyre" due to her superheroic abilities - determined that they ought to use a set of four subjects, and use domestic feline dna for their first batch of work.

When asked why - she shrugged and replied "I like cats."

So cats it was.

The nature of domestic cat genes allows for a tremendous amount of flexibility for purposes of appearance, while maintaining a certain kind of high-level physical prowess and caniness in the mental arena. The emotional aloofness of felines and their incessant desire to either mate, play, sleep or groom, however, had to be worked on after the basic splices were created.

The first to wake from her creation-slumber, was a Turkish Van with luxuriously long creamy white fur, and orange-marmalade markings on her ears and tail. True to the Van's personality she was soothed easily and her attention was kept for a good long time before distractions set it.

Second to wake was a motley Calico whose weight seemed to be a bit low and continued to be that way the whole time. Her loud voice alerted her still-slumbering sisters to wake.

Third in line was a beautifully marked Siamese chocolate point, whose huge aqua-teal eyes danced with amusement.

Lastly, and almost predictably so, was a mostly black slightly-marked brown shorthair. Without the big furry plumes of her eldest sister, and no great voice like her second, and no markings to prove her heritage like her closest waking sister, this last one almost crept off to hide.

The room was designed for the 'opening' ceremony and little else, being roughly square and having the requisite counter top with sink, cabinets and a couple mirrors on the sparce walls. There were hard lights set into the ceiling, and the group had wheeled in the splicing pods to this room. It was warm, when the kitten's pods opened up, so they wouldn't be uncomfortable. They all had thick fur, but it was slightly damp from having been in the fluids of their conception.

They sat up, stretching, acting somewhere between young children and curious kittens.

Four subjects, four successes. Mystech had launched their animal-engineering project with a bang. But what to call them? While they knew that other such groups had already gotten a leg up and were naming their creations after brilliant composers, artists, tough-guy actors and the like, these four creations were female, so they required a little more appropriate naming.

Catherine decided on some slightly unconventional names.

"A Van comes from Turkey. And what better name to show off that exotic locale," Catherine told the felines, "but Kashmir? You're soft as cashmir too, so I like that name."

The fluffy kitten purred in response, understanding every word.

Next up, "Since you're a bit motley, and it looks like your fur tried to be one color but someone came along and spray-painted it, your name is Grafitti." The calico nodded, and rubbed up against her creator's hand.

"And you, there's a mark in music for a look like this," she announced to the Siamese. "It's called a 'Coda'. It brings you back to another place, and starts over again," Catherine turned to see the black cat trying to sneak away again.

"Which leads us to you. Now..." The fully-human superpowered woman stepped between the doorway and her last kitten, as the other scientists and attendants chuckled, looking on. "Now I think it's time to surprise the bunch of guys here by calling you Sith. Why sith?"

"It's a Star Wars thing," one of the chubby goteed engineers commented with a grin. But his grin faded quickly when Catherine shook her head.

"Nope. It's an abbreviation. Any guesses? Come on guys, you're supposed to be the biggest brains on the planet that Mystech uses for smart ideas. You've got to have sensed a pattern... Other than the ones I've already given."

Catherine certainly loved to play with her engineer geeks.

"Okay, it's not completely an abbreviation. It's ... a shortening, a combination..." She waited, while the guys looked at their hands, at the ceiling, at each other, furrowing their eyebrows and trying very hard to think of what she meant.

When the black kitten, hardly aged beyond what could be called a "five year old child" in Human terms, abruptly stood on her hind paws (shakily) everyone looked to her.

"It means Stairway to Heaven, stupidheads," she spat. She sat back on her butt, and held her tail down because it was twitching and she really wanted to chase it.

Mutterings of "how did she know ... isn't that a ... what did she say?" Rippled through the room.

"Yes, it's a Led Zepplin song," Catherine smiled and scratched the black kitten behind her big ears. "And she knew it was her name because she read my mind. Didn't you?"

Nodding enthusiastically, the black Sith fell onto her back and laughed.

From the engineers, was complete silence.

"Now come on," Catherine said, "we've been researching it, and you know I can do things without any... cybernetic enhancements or parlor tricks." She held up her hand and a small pillar of flame crept from her fingertips. "Is it any surprise that she's telepathic?"

"But ... I thought we were just making splices... Just..." One guy said.

"Do you disapprove?" Catherine asked.

"No - no, just that I wasn't expecting this..." The engineers made their way around each kitten's pod, and introduced themselves. They wouldn't really become a family, but the girls certainly would never forget them.

Catherine then put on a couple Led Zep discs and showed the kittens - and the engineers - what it was all about. Coda: a best of! Kashmir: the best song ever! Grafitti: an album of madness! Sith: the most overplayed tune in the world... given new life.

***

Five years later, the Kittens were physically matured to a mid-teen state. They would slow down in their aging, and probably live nearly full human-length lifespans.

Of course, Catherine reminded them, if they wanted to follow in her shoes, which they did, they'd have to watch their step or they'd wind up quick-fried by an enemy or put out of comission by a villian.

She was a superhero, remember?

The Kittens demanded training, and the R&D department kept up with their needs. They learned art, math, sciences. They read up on philosophy, and they played on the internet. But their physical needs were so much more demanding, and their telepathic abilities had to be trained by specialists.

Kashmir kept herself at the top of the kitten heap. She was clearly the leader, the instigator of all things interesting. Plus, she was the biggest of the bunch by a long shot. None of the Kittens were taller than a bit over five feet, but they were able to make up for their small stature by being able to leap, jump, twist, and tumble better than any human.

Grafitti managed to get into trouble. Constantly. Not that she really wanted to, but somehow or other she'd wind up in the Mystech Wind Tunnel, or up on the helicopter pad, or running through the CEO's quarters chased by a pack of robotic/magically aided guard droids. She does in fact look a little worse for the wear - especially since she was always small to start.

Coda turned in performances as the group's comedienne. Though she took all her studies seriously, and was often finished before the others, she would always then turn to poking fun at the slow humans, climbing the walls and doing pratfalls, and generally getting attention.

And Sith. As the more silent, sulky type she naturally took to hiding in shadows, getting in the way of people who were in a hurry and... Being a bad luck black cat. No one could ever tell where or when this icon of Murphy's Law would show up. But they always knew when she had been there. Read their stories by clicking on them below (they are in order, linked), or skip right to the big Bonding bit!

When Mystech corporation decided to delve into the genetic splicing arena, they knew that their task would be a difficult one - but not because they didn't have the ability, expertise or machinery available to them. But rather because the whole field had been inundated by spliced-this, half-that. Finding the right set of subjects, finding the right creatures to work with, was where the scientists at Mystech Labs spent most of its time during this project. Manager of the main Mystech research and development teams, a woman named Catherine Torbert - codenamed "Wyldfyre" due to her superheroic abilities - determined that they ought to use a set of four subjects, and use domestic feline dna for their first batch of work. When asked why - she shrugged and replied "I like cats." So cats it was. The nature of domestic cat genes allows for a tremendous amount of flexibility for purposes of appearance, while maintaining a certain kind of high-level physical prowess and caniness in the mental arena. The emotional aloofness of felines and their incessant desire to either mate, play, sleep or groom, however, had to be worked on after the basic splices were created. The first to wake from her creation-slumber, was a Turkish Van with luxuriously long creamy white fur, and orange-marmalade markings on her ears and tail. True to the Van's personality she was soothed easily and her attention was kept for a good long time before distractions set it. Second to wake was a motley Calico whose weight seemed to be a bit low and continued to be that way the whole time. Her loud voice alerted her still-slumbering sisters to wake. Third in line was a beautifully marked Siamese chocolate point, whose huge aqua-teal eyes danced with amusement. Lastly, and almost predictably so, was a mostly black slightly-marked brown shorthair. Without the big furry plumes of her eldest sister, and no great voice like her second, and no markings to prove her heritage like her closest waking sister, this last one almost crept off to hide. The room was designed for the 'opening' ceremony and little else, being roughly square and having the requisite counter top with sink, cabinets and a couple mirrors on the sparce walls. There were hard lights set into the ceiling, and the group had wheeled in the splicing pods to this room. It was warm, when the kitten's pods opened up, so they wouldn't be uncomfortable. They all had thick fur, but it was slightly damp from having been in the fluids of their conception. They sat up, stretching, acting somewhere between young children and curious kittens. Four subjects, four successes. Mystech had launched their animal-engineering project with a bang. But what to call them? While they knew that other such groups had already gotten a leg up and were naming their creations after brilliant composers, artists, tough-guy actors and the like, these four creations were female, so they required a little more appropriate naming. Catherine decided on some slightly unconventional names. "A Van comes from Turkey. And what better name to show off that exotic locale," Catherine told the felines, "but Kashmir? You're soft as cashmir too, so I like that name." The fluffy kitten purred in response, understanding every word. Next up, "Since you're a bit motley, and it looks like your fur tried to be one color but someone came along and spray-painted it, your name is Grafitti." The calico nodded, and rubbed up against her creator's hand. "And you, there's a mark in music for a look like this," she announced to the Siamese. "It's called a 'Coda'. It brings you back to another place, and starts over again," Catherine turned to see the black cat trying to sneak away again. "Which leads us to you. Now..." The fully-human superpowered woman stepped between the doorway and her last kitten, as the other scientists and attendants chuckled, looking on. "Now I think it's time to surprise the bunch of guys here by calling you Sith. Why sith?" "It's a Star Wars thing," one of the chubby goteed engineers commented with a grin. But his grin faded quickly when Catherine shook her head. "Nope. It's an abbreviation. Any guesses? Come on guys, you're supposed to be the biggest brains on the planet that Mystech uses for smart ideas. You've got to have sensed a pattern... Other than the ones I've already given." Catherine certainly loved to play with her engineer geeks. "Okay, it's not completely an abbreviation. It's ... a shortening, a combination..." She waited, while the guys looked at their hands, at the ceiling, at each other, furrowing their eyebrows and trying very hard to think of what she meant. When the black kitten, hardly aged beyond what could be called a "five year old child" in Human terms, abruptly stood on her hind paws (shakily) everyone looked to her. "It means Stairway to Heaven, stupidheads," she spat. She sat back on her butt, and held her tail down because it was twitching and she really wanted to chase it. Mutterings of "how did she know ... isn't that a ... what did she say?" Rippled through the room. "Yes, it's a Led Zepplin song," Catherine smiled and scratched the black kitten behind her big ears. "And she knew it was her name because she read my mind. Didn't you?" Nodding enthusiastically, the black Sith fell onto her back and laughed. From the engineers, was complete silence. "Now come on," Catherine said, "we've been researching it, and you know I can do things without any... cybernetic enhancements or parlor tricks." She held up her hand and a small pillar of flame crept from her fingertips. "Is it any surprise that she's telepathic?" "But ... I thought we were just making splices... Just..." One guy said. "Do you disapprove?" Catherine asked. "No - no, just that I wasn't expecting this..." The engineers made their way around each kitten's pod, and introduced themselves. They wouldn't really become a family, but the girls certainly would never forget them. Catherine then put on a couple Led Zep discs and showed the kittens - and the engineers - what it was all about. Coda: a best of! Kashmir: the best song ever! Grafitti: an album of madness! Sith: the most overplayed tune in the world... given new life. *** Five years later, the Kittens were physically matured to a mid-teen state. They would slow down in their aging, and probably live nearly full human-length lifespans. Of course, Catherine reminded them, if they wanted to follow in her shoes, which they did, they'd have to watch their step or they'd wind up quick-fried by an enemy or put out of comission by a villian. She was a superhero, remember? The Kittens demanded training, and the R&D department kept up with their needs. They learned art, math, sciences. They read up on philosophy, and they played on the internet. But their physical needs were so much more demanding, and their telepathic abilities had to be trained by specialists. Kashmir kept herself at the top of the kitten heap. She was clearly the leader, the instigator of all things interesting. Plus, she was the biggest of the bunch by a long shot. None of the Kittens were taller than a bit over five feet, but they were able to make up for their small stature by being able to leap, jump, twist, and tumble better than any human. Grafitti managed to get into trouble. Constantly. Not that she really wanted to, but somehow or other she'd wind up in the Mystech Wind Tunnel, or up on the helicopter pad, or running through the CEO's quarters chased by a pack of robotic/magically aided guard droids. She does in fact look a little worse for the wear - especially since she was always small to start. Coda turned in performances as the group's comedienne. Though she took all her studies seriously, and was often finished before the others, she would always then turn to poking fun at the slow humans, climbing the walls and doing pratfalls, and generally getting attention. And Sith. As the more silent, sulky type she naturally took to hiding in shadows, getting in the way of people who were in a hurry and... Being a bad luck black cat. No one could ever tell where or when this icon of Murphy's Law would show up. But they always knew when she had been there. Read their stories by clicking on them below (they are in order, linked), or skip right to the big Bonding bit!


Kashmir, Grafitti, Coda and Sith - the Immature Irradiated Karate Kittens!