The scientists at Mieni had a lot to worry over with regard to what had come out of Teela's uplifting. On some level, things were working out for Teela, as she did gain the ability to move on land, just as Kirana was able to move on land. In that, the uplifting was successful, but they hadn't expected Teela to have clawed hands the way Kirana and other uplifted snakes did, and they didn't expect Teela to gain Kirana's black bands on her tail. In this, it gave an indication that the crossing of different DNA patterns was opening room for more surprises regarding the Animalia Virus and its uses, which they would need to sort out.
Many could well classify the Animalia Virus and its outbreaks as an accident of "mad science," but many also failed to realize just how much "accidents" had actually played in making things better. The discovery of penicillin and antibiotics, for example, was an accident. And while the Animalia Virus's discovery could be classed as an accident, Horizon Labs wanted very much for the accident to become new "penicillin" of the generation. They wanted it to be the accident that would ultimately make humanity better as a result. That, however, meant they needed to have full control of the Animalia Virus's effects and know what it could and couldn't do and why. This was especially necessary because of the fact that the Animalia Virus could not only "uplift" animals but transform humans as well, which had the potential for opposition on many levels. They needed to figure out what exactly caused the surprises in Teela's uplifting and determine whether or not there were safety issues because of what had happened with Teela.
The following tests and research had meant getting more samples from both Kirana and Teela in order to double check their research and check their theories on the cause of the surprises in Teela's uplifting. The best guess that they had was that Kirana had already been uplifted and thus the introduction of Animalian DNA into mundane animal was a factor that they hadn't really used before. That had often been necessary for transforming humans, as the human transformation at the present time still needed the animal DNA mixed with the Animalia Virus, which meant that it needed an Animalian only to work. However, outside of the second dose, most Animalian's exposure to the virus with regard to the uplifting was the standard virus which had changed little since the initial accident that got Animalia started.
"Have you found anything?" came a female voice from behind the man leading the team Horizon had sent to Mieni.
He turned to see that it was Kirana, herself. He'd actually found the uplifted Sea Krait to be very interested in many of the things his lab had been working on and showed a lot of curiosity and things that tended to considered typical mammal behavior and further showed just what the Animalia Virus could do. It showed that Animalians were not lost instincts or incapable of integrating with human society. A part of him wondered if Kirana actually had an interest in science and wanted to work with his team or if she was still simply curious about the new world she had joined. However, at times like the present, when he'd actually stayed beyond the normal working hours, he didn't mind the company. Especially in the sense that in the swimsuit that she was wearing, Kirana looked very beautiful.
"Well... all our testing with the samples you and Teela provided have been helpful in trying to set a baseline in how your DNA as an Animalian interacted with the virus and how that then affected Teela when we uplifted her," he answered with a small smile, "the big thing is going through the sample by sample testing with potential future mates for you and Teela."
Kirana looked up toward the tank that Teela had been in when she was uplifted. Inside it was another Moray of the same exact species as Teela, but this one was male. There was a smaller tank on a table beside it now that housed a male Sea Krait in it as well. The smaller tank had an area where the snake could come on "land" if it wished and Kirana had noted that the scientists spent almost as much time keeping the animals comfortable as they did researching them. In that, she found the scientist and his team to be very caring, which she liked, particularly about the leading scientist. This was especially true when he provided answers to many of her questions, even if it came as more of a "science class" than anything else.
"Did you confirm what you said was the likely reason for the surprises?" Kirana asked.
"I've found more evidence that would lean in that direction," the scientist nodded, "testing on the samples from the un-uplifted eel has produced genetic markers that are similar to the way Teela's are now..."
"So... if you did it again..." Kirana asked curiously.
"We'd likely have the same surprise," the scientist nodded getting the gist of what Kirana was getting at.
He then gestured to some of the projects on his computer and Kirana did note all the the tabs that seemed to map a lot of information. One included information on tests on samples she and Teela provided and tests that the Animalian Virus used to uplift Teela on samples taken from the un-uplifted Moray. Kirana figures that the data did indicate what the scientist had told her. However, there didn't seem to be any test of the virus using DNA from un-uplifted Sea Krait for snake portion of the specific Animalia Virus, or perhaps serum was the better word for that which would be used to uplift an eel.
"So... I take it you haven't gotten to figuring out a comparison with the samples?" Kirana asked.
The scientist nodded, "Yes... We've found data with your samples to match the results we had with Teela, but we haven't been able to isolate the specific gene that would translate into your hips as an Animalian in the un-uplifted Sea Krait... and that's ultimately a difficulty."
"Tough difficulty," Kirana mused.
"Yes," he nodded, "as with when we uplifted Teela, we need to isolate the specific gene so that we don't end up turning the eel into a true snake/eel hybrid. There would be too much room for either errors or surprises, that could be things we don't want. In uplifting a snake on land that's easy, as we'd let it uplift naturally... but since eels are sea creatures and aren't naturally amphibious, it would not respond that way and why we need to isolate the specific genes that would form your hips..."
Kirana watched as the man shook his head and ran his hands through his hair. He gave a heavy sigh that made it clear that he was frustrated. She sat quietly and let him reach his conclusions and explanations in his own way and his own time. She figured that rushing him would only frustrate him.
"And with Sea Kraits and many land snakes, that could be difficult," the lead scientist finally finished, "as while snakes did evolve from animals that had legs at one point, most have evolved to the point where actual hips or indications of ever having hips. With most uplifted land snakes, we've noted that their "hips" in Animalian form appear around a certain set of vertebrae in their spines. However, identifying them in the un-uplifted snake before uplifting is a bit more difficult because of the fact that they've evolved to a point where they have no hips."
"If a Sea Krait is too difficult to isolate the specific gene you're looking for... why not use something else?" Kirana asked, "could there be something else?"
Kirana looked to him and watched him blink with some surprise and then he smiled.
"Kirana, you're a genus!" he smiled.
"Okay... what's a genus?" Kirana asked back.
"A very smart person," the lead scientist answered, "we may not be able to easily isolate it with the Sea Krait because of the fact that the DNA for their spine isn't going to be too different from any other snake... with the exception of one group. Pythons... they're an older snake species and generally land based, BUT many pythons do have signs of snake's past ancestors having legs. It's a pelvic spur... now, in these snakes the spur is really only there and isn't connected with the spine, but from what we know from a Reticulated Python that was in the Lyre Zoo, the development of its Animalian hip, which is part of its spine, was in the same area where the genes for those pelvic spurs have been found and mapped. So... perhaps we can't use a Sea Krait, but maybe a Python would do... at least until we can go through the mapping procedures needed with Sea Kraits and with other snakes that don't have pelvic spurs, to get the right vertebra where their Animalian hip would develop!"
He then leaped up and hugged Kirana for helping him with the breakthrough needed to help solve the pieces to the puzzle. There was a lot of work still to do and a lot of tests to confirm things, but he felt a major breakthrough was reached. As he moved away to share it with the others, even if they'd gone off duty or gone to bed, he failed notice Kirana following him with her eyes and with her hands clutched over her chest and hoping that her scales hid her blush.