50. The Golden Opportunity

        As the lab lights blurred and Zara slipped into unconsciousness, Malodon removed the nozzle, checked her eyes and felt her pulse; all vital signs were good. "Okay, she's out."

         On cue, Adon rolled her down the hall on the chair, following the doctors into Lab 5, lifted her off and strapped her onto a table, opening her robe to expose her tummy as the doctors gathered their tools. 

         "Not much to work with yet is there." Malodon grunted, scanning the slim waist, doubtful this test would yield any significant results.
         Adon placed the crown on her head, connected the wires and positioned the Crystal Skull on the stand beside the bed.

         "Let's start with the moth!" Doctor Seton and Malodon took their seats beside Zara as Adon retrieved the moth, placing it on a stand between the Crystal Skull and Zara's tummy. Doctor Seton turned toward the new machine, adjusted some of the dials, flipped a switch and the machine hummed to life, channeling a current through Zara's body. Zara twitched, so did the dials on the machine but the moth remained still. It was a start."Cockroach!"

         Adon exchanged the moth with the cockroach, Seton tried the experiment again, but once again there were only results on the dial. "Starflies!… Lights!"

         Adon exchanged the cockroach with the star flies and snuffed out the lamps as Malodon adjusted the dials accordingly, but there was still no signs of any electrical frequencies being transmitted through to the skull.
         "Why?" At a loss he turned the dials up higher, increasing the intensity of the current gradually until suddenly, a faint glimmer of light illuminated the jar!

         "Look!" Malodon jumped up, pointing at the dim glow.

         "Wow..." Adon and Seton exclaimed in unison, but the Starfly quickly flickered out.

         "Did you see that?" Malodon was overjoyed with the results. "It works! We can prove the electrical properties exist, and can transfer to the skull, which means the reverse transmission will most likely work too!"

         "But I thought you had already proven that?" Seton was confused.

         "Ah" Malodon replied, seamlessly. "That was experimental, it was done through an artificial womb!"
         "Ahhh..." Seton wondered now...
         Adon nodded in agreement, buying the theory, too.

         "Take her away" Malodon handed Adon her red folder. "Publish the results and give her a room!"

         After classes were done for the day, Nolan made his way upstairs to the lobby of Headquarters, feeling amazed by the opportunity he had been presented with. Nervous, he paused to check his freshly auburn tinted hair in the dark glossy walls, straightened his collar then headed to the directory standing at the base of the stairs. The Headquarters was neatly organized by departments, it only took moments to locate Orius's office. With a snap in his step, he trotted up the stairs to seize his big day.

         "Come in" Orius answered, he could tell by the feeble knock that Nolan was nervous.
         Nolan tried not to gasp, the office was amazing to behold! Between the wall to wall picture window framed views of the layered lands beyond, spanned huge bookcases laden with all kinds of sculptures, prototypes, awards and even some ancient looking books. There were architectural drawings and models everywhere, it was an engineers paradise, he immediately identified with the environment.
         The god of Technology wasn’t alone, either. Halos the god of War was also awaiting Nolan's arrival, yet amidst all the attractions, a large Crystal Skull perched on the corner of Orius's desk, beaconed his attention, above all.
         "Your Honor, Your Honor" Nolan greeted the gods respectfully, trying to ignore the skull.
         "Nolan, I’d like you to meet General Halios, God of War. Halios, this is Nolan." 

         Halios and Nolan shook hands. 

         "Have a seat" Orius gestured to the empty chair in front of his desk.

         Nolan hadn't mentally prepared to meet such an important figure as Halios, feeling nervous enough to throw up, he sat down right away, only to find himself in the direct line of sight from the Crystal Skull, now staring even more intensely his way...

         "I invited you to my office because the Firmary is looking for a new Intern" Orius began. "Both Dell and I think you may be too green, however King Atalon seems to disagree with us. According to Dell you’re the best explosives designer we’ve seen so far."

         Nolan wondered if he was hearing right. The best explosives designer? An Internship? It was nice to earn such high recognition so early in the program. He shifted, straightening in his chair, feeling the crystal eyes staring at him...
         "I’d like to offer you an opportunity to work with General Halios on a classified project." Orius explained.
         "A classified project?" Nolan had to hide his excitement, tingles were breaking out all over his body just thinking about the idea.

         "Unless you’d rather switch to the Fashion Industry" Halios chuckled. "Dell tried to sell you to Dion for your looks, Haa-haaaa!"

         "Fashion Industry?" Nolan echoed, lost now.
         "Are you interested at all?"
         "Yes!" Nolan almost leapt from his chair. "Yes, Your Honor!"
         "You will be required to pass an initiation test in order to qualify" Orius continued, serious. "It's a challenging position but I can assure you, if you qualify, if you do the job well, you will be generously compensated."

         Generously compensated? Nolan was liking the sound of the opportunity more and more as Orius explained the opportunity. Was there a catch? "Is there a commitment involved?"
         "Of course" Orius assured. "It's a Lifetime Commitment, but don't worry, once you become a god, you will never want to leave the position, the gold is too good, the lifestyle too plenty and the excitement is much too addictive. You'd be bored."

         Nolan pondered the pitch, was this for real? A god? Both Orius and Halios were smiling, they had to be sincere.

         "Don’t worry, the offer isn’t too good to be true" Halios hinted towards the catch. "The position is dangerous. It will require working closely with the other departments in a highly classified manner. You wouldn’t be able to get away with the sorts of things you can get away with as a student" he warned. "We can’t afford the embarrassment of negative Public Opinion. Would you be capable of handling that sort of... Delicate scenario?"
         Nolan's gaze returned to the skull as he digested the offer, it really did sound too good to be true... He liked 'delicate scenarios' just not the Vine Club sort of 'delicate scenarios'. The Crystal Skull seemed to be smiling... Was it encouraging him? "What does the initiation test involve?"