Pelsiar, in his duty as the Primary System Research Agent for Sector MWVAE, watched his interface update as a new notification from System Primary Nexus Outpost MWVAE-22009- Monocerotis Station came in. The priority target located within the Local Isolation Screen had been terminated. Bringing up the report, Pelsiar frowned, his tendrils drooping as he read it.

A class-3 exception error. Deletion of the subject despite them having purchased the Restoration ability. The local System had sent a full analysis of the event. Inevitable deterioration after direct exposure to the core of a spatial rift during a mana-storm.

Pelsiar gurgled in frustration. If he hadn’t chosen to visit sector MWVAE-20 before coming to sector MWVAE-22 he’d have arrived in time to stabilize the anomaly. This was what the Spatial regulation improvements he’d advocated for were supposed to prevent. Still, he couldn’t be blamed for a sapient throwing themselves into a mana-storm. Not even if it had been his idea to implement the Spatial VEX-332 procedure. It had been a space-time matrix. Not implementing such a restriction would’ve meant it could’ve been gone by the time he got there. And he’d convinced that fool, Trokk Elnite, to issue it, so his tendrils were clean.

Besides, the stop at MWVAE-20 had provided him with a truly rare specimen for his collection. More important than a mere matrix, he reminded himself.

It had also allowed him to enlist several of the locals for his research team.

Slithering away from the deep-space Ripple-wave communicator, Pelsiar considered examining his latest specimen. He had the time now. And it was so rare to come across one that didn’t kill themselves on System contact.

A blaring alarm caused Pelsiar to turn back to the communication pod. He oozed his way over to the console, staring at the new notification. It appeared the System had designated the anomaly’s species as a soon to be integrated-elvenoid. Pelsiar gurgled in excitement. The user’s home System was expected to reach a minimum of class 5. And while there were bids for the planet's future, he could pre-empt them if there was sufficient reason. And according to the information he was looking at, their species hadn’t just had the one anomaly. There were three other prime matrices all borne within the same species. Not as unique as the anomaly, but still worth studying.

Pelsiar’s excitement was dampened when he read the accompanying note from Trokk. The thlock-head wanted Pelsiar to travel to this… Earth and secure it in the name of Menas. Immediately.

Rolling his eyestalks in amusement, Pelsiar sent a confirmation to Trokk. Then he sent another message to his true patron, the Creator Doloth. Pelsiar had been elevated by Doloth directly. A fact that would’ve caused jealousy amongst the other agents if Doloth wasn’t a god who preferred his privacy.

Doloth responded in a matter of seconds. He’d approved Pelsiar’s request. Pelsiar gurgled in satisfaction as the System informed him the bidding had been suspended. Earth had been reclassified as a research sanctum. Until such time as Pelsiar was finished with it, it would be off-limits.

And Trokk wouldn’t even be able to complain. Once the research sanctum classification was lifted, the planet would be under Menas’ protection, just as Trokk wanted. As the ship adjusted course for this ‘Earth’ Pelsiar considered. He’d have plenty of time before they arrived. It was rather far out, and not encompassed in mana yet.

Shivering to himself, he decided to indulge. Pelsiar slithered down the hall, pulling himself into the test chamber where he’d left his specimen.

The Phothen stared at him, her crystal blue eyes tracking his movements as he retrieved his tools from his dimensional storage. He laid them out next to him as he prepared. He disliked accessing his storage while working. It was important to set things in order. To be clean.

He turned back to the Phothen, gauging the colour of her fur. “Hmm. Alsik-three. To preserve the coat.”

“Disable subject Phothen-two’s pain receptors.”

The Phothen started shaking and pulling at their bonds when he approached, ready to cut. Then she suddenly went slack. Pelsiar nodded in satisfaction as he reached out to cut.

Then the Phothen melted, her body turning to a brown sludge that stuck to everything.

Pelsiar cursed his luck. He should’ve started while she’d still been unconscious instead of giving her time to come to her senses. Ah well, it wasn’t his fault. Clearly, she’d been better prepared than he’d expected.

As Pelsiar scrubbed the annoying brown sludge on his fingers, he consoled himself with the fact that he had billions of new test subjects waiting. And they’d be much easier to deal with than a Phothen. He was sure of it. And Pelsiar was never wrong.

…

Well, not twice.

Then he noticed the brown sludge was eating into his deck platings. Despite all the enchantments that should have prevented such a thing.

As the liquid tore through the delicate mechanisms of his ripple-drive, Pelsiar drew a tentacle across his belly in frustration. A second before the drive went critical, erasing him from local space, he had one last thought.

He really hated Phothens.