While Clara and Robbie were most interested in the people who were most likely to be their new mates, they had to appear impassive and not be selecting favorites, at least not yet. There were plenty of other volunteers for the second batch that they had to meet. They probably wouldn't be getting as personally familiar with them as with Richard and Martha, but it was still their duty to greet them.
Clara and Robbie were walking towards the large waiting room where the volunteers were waiting. Before they entered the room, they were met by the main people behind the project; Mr. Wallace, Mr. Qvite, and Judy. "You people have done quite well with this project," said Clara.
"We can only accept part of the credit," said Mr. Wallace, "If you hadn't started that ambassador webshow, no one would have shown up."
"I think you give people too little credit," said Judy, "They would have come whether there was bad press about us or not."
Mr. Qvite cleared his throat and said, "Giving credits due asides, you do have quite a few people to meet here."
"How many precisely?" asked Robbie.
"Including Martha and Richard who you've just met," said Mr. Wallace, "There are twenty volunteers wanting to join Animalia." Robby and Clara exchanged glances at that. While it was good that there were many people wanting to help with Project Phoenix, twenty people was still a lot for them to deal with all at once.
"Don't worry, you won't have to deal with all of them individually," said Mr. Qvite, "Most of them are already cases we've seen before. Cancer, diabetes, those are things we've all treated and don't need as much attention. You'll have to focus on a few high-profile cases if you need to."
"Such as?" asked Clara.
Judy looked at her clipboard and said, "Well, there is one boy who's been in a coma for six months following an accident. The doctors think he may be brain-dead, but his parents hope that our virus may be able to wake him up. Considering he is incapable of making a choice, his parents chose an otter, which was apparently his favorite animal. We also have a young man who's suffering from ALS. As you might know, ALS has no confirmed cause, genetics or otherwise, but we're hoping that the Animalia virus can cure it. This volunteer chose to be a cheetah. And also there's this young lady who lost her leg in a car accident."
"We've already seen someone regain their legs from Project Phoenix," said Robbie.
"Yes, but this young lady specifically asked to become a rattlesnake," said Judy.
Clara and Robbie both raised their eyebrows at that. "She is aware that she'd lose her remaining leg, right?" asked Clara.
"I believe that was the idea," said Judy, "You might want to ask her about her decision regarding that."
"Well, it certainly warrants a look," said Robbie, "Is there anything else we should know about?"
"You recall our Animalia Aquatica project?" asked Mr. Wallace.
"That's the one where you're testing if fish can be uplifted, which we thought couldn't work," said Clara.
"Not quite as directly as with other animals," said Mr. Wallace, "The virus was waterborne when it was first released and the fish could filter out the virus from the water they breathed. But we think introducing the Animalia virus directly into the bone marrow may allow it to work. We already have the lake trout to test it on, but we'll be receiving the great white shark that will also be tested by next month."
Robbie frowned a bit and said, "I understand you uplifting a trout, but I'm not so sure about the great white shark. Those sharks have a very bad reputation and I doubt many people would like the idea of giving a shark legs and the ability to breathe air."
"Don't forget, the whole point of Project Phoenix is to show we're not dangerous to the outside world," said Judy, "The humans shouldn't have to fear us. And if we can make one of the greatest predators on Earth into a sapient, law-abiding being, that shows that we can be trusted."
"An interesting point," said Clara, "Though I'm not sure how many people would want to become fish."
"You'd be surprised," said Mr. Qvite, "Anyways, you have several volunteers to greet, better get moving."
Clara and Robbie nodded before heading into the waiting room. Several people were waiting for them. Some of them did look rather sickly, in desperate need of a cure. They all turned towards the mayor and deputy mayor with hopeful and expecting faces.
"Hello and welcome to Project Phoenix," said Clara, "I am Mayor Clara and this is my deputy mayor, Robert. You are all here to take part in a very important project. You are most likely feeling extremely grateful to have whatever health problems you have cured, but truthfully, it is us who should feel grateful."
"As you may have already heard, the politicians who will be assuming office next month have been very vocal about their disapproval of Animalia," said Robbie, "Their leader claims that these sentiments are not nearly that extreme, though I understand if many of you do not trust this. Still, there will still be many people who will staunchly oppose any radical decisions that might be made. Even so, Animalia may be in for a rougher ride than anyone would have expected."
"And that's why you're all so important," said Clara, "Your willingness to join us shows that we are no threat to the rest of the world, that Animalia is a good thing. Not everyone will see that giving up your humanity to be cured of another otherwise untreatable condition would be worth it. But the first steps you make may help the lives of countless others in the future."
"With every health problem we cure here, we learn more and more what the Animalia virus is capable of," said Robbie, "We will be able to improve it with each success here. Perhaps one day, we can find a way to cure all diseases and heal all injuries without the need to change one's species. That day may be one that will be a long time coming, but it will never arrive without the help of people like you. So thank you so much for all your help."
As soon as the speech was done, the volunteers applauded as enthusiastically as they could. Clara and Robbie smiled. No matter what some people may say, they were doing good work here. They were giving these people a chance to live a better life. These people will soon be moved into different rooms so they can be treated. There were a few people that Clara and Robbie wanted to see, starting with the one-legged woman.
++++++++++
Sylvia Tratlerton was a very pretty young woman, though she couldn't have been older than 20. It was a bit hard to determine her age readily because she had such a slim figure. Not an unhealthy kind of thinness, the kind of thinness of a woman who was devoted to sports of agility. Her blonde hair was kept in a tight braid which led to more hints that she was an athlete of some kind. However, her athletic days were obviously behind her, what with her having to lean heavily on a crutch while her empty left pant leg was tied around her remaining leg.
She smiled as Clara and Robbie walked into her room. "Mayor Clara, Mr. Robert, it's an honor to meet you," she said, extending her right arm.
Clara shook her hand gently and said, "The pleasure is mine. Now, I've heard you asked for a rather unusual request."
"Is it really that odd for a handicapped person like me to want to be able move without crutches?" asked Sylvia.
"No, but one would have expected someone like you would want to take the virus in order to regrow your leg, not lose your other one," said Robbie.
Sylvia nodded and said, "Of course, that would catch interest. I'm not doing this to regain my life, but to escape it. I don't suppose either of you would know how some parents can put pressure on their children."
"Before I was uplifted, I urged the cubs I had to learn how to hunt and survive," said Clara, "I doubt it's the same thing here."
"No, humans have a different kind of competitiveness," said Sylvia, "For some, it comes in the form of sports. My parents wanted their daughter to become a champion figure skater. They've had me training and competing in skating competitions since I was six. And I have to say I was good, really good. I've won enough medals to fill every crown if I wanted. Everyone said I was the best figure skater they've ever seen. And I don't have the words to properly express how much I hated all of it."
"Why would you hate something you're good at?" asked Robbie.
"Just because I have a talent for something doesn't mean I enjoy it," said Sylvia, "All the fun goes out of skating when you have to practice it every day. I never got to hang out with friends, go to parties, or even date because it would cut too much into my practice schedule. And my parents never seemed to get how much I hate the cold. They just tell me to bundle up or the exercise will warm me up. All they ever really seemed to care about is that I'll be able to play in the Olympics one day. I promised myself that as soon as I was old enough, I would run off and never ice skate again."
Clara looked down at Sylvia's missing leg and said, "You didn't actually..."
"No, I didn't cause the accident on purpose," said Sylvia, "Just a result of driving too late at night on an icy road. I might hate ice skating, but I wouldn't have cut off my own leg to get out of it. I would have been content with the end of my skating career, but my parents won't stop making a fuss. When they heard about how Bennie Till regrew his legs, they told me to come down here and take whatever dose I need to get my leg back and my career going. They're probably expecting me to become an arctic fox or something." She looked at Robbie and said, "No offense."
"None taken," said Robbie, "So, instead of complying to your parents' wishes, you're going to splice yourself with a species that not only has no legs, but is cold-blooded and unable to thrive in ice environments. But why pick a rattlesnake specificly?"
"Well, I figure as long as I'm moving down here, I might as well becoming a species that's indigenous to this area. I'm also planning on changing my last name to 'Rattlerton'," said Sylvia.
"Have you really thought this all the way through?" asked Clara.
"As thoroughly has I can," said Sylvia, "I'm of legal age so I don't need my parents' permission. I brought all my stuff with me and I can afford a hotel room until I can get a job. My parents won't know what's going on until I tell them I'm never coming back."
"That seems rather like cutting off your nose to spite your face," said Robbie, "Isn't there some way you can make your parents listen to you and let them see what you want to do with life?"
"I've tried and I'm afraid I never got anywhere," said Sylvia, "I know Animalia is a peaceful community, but you don't know how some human families just aren't functional. People can be really selfish and they put their desires ahead of others, even if it means forcing them to do something they don't want to do. If I do get my leg back, they'll start pressuring me to train for more ice skating, even if I couldn't get into the Olympics as an Animalian. The only way I can be free is as a snake."
"I'm sorry you feel that way about your parents," said Clara, "But if your mind is made up and you've prepared, we won't stop you."
"Have you thought about what your career will be down here?" asked Robbie.
"Would you believe that I'd like to become a private attorney?" asked Sylvia. Robbie and Clara exchanged glances at that. "Yeah, yeah, I know. The lawyer jokes practically write themselves. But I'm not planning to work for some creep who'll use my services to keep finding loopholes to exploit people and keep himself out of jail. I've got a lot more self-respect than that."
"Well, I wish you good luck," said Clara, "I'll see what I can do help you with your transition. Having your legal name shouldn't be too hard."
"Good, I'm already taking an online college course to get a degree," said Sylvia, "I probably won't be able to go to a college unless one appears in Lyre."
"I hope not. We've already got enough trouble without more lawyers," said Robbie with a chuckle. The girls stared at him. "What? I wasn't making a joke about you. It was just a joke about lawyers in general."
"You might want to work a little on your delivery," said Sylvia.
"Anyways, we have more volunteers to see. I hope your conversion won't be too hard," said Clara before she and Robbie left the room. They were quite a few other volunteers that warranted their attention before they helped Martha and Richard with their conversions.