Genetic Agriculture part 2

The two picked up where they left off the day before, going over the status of hardware, and discussing the various strains tested and the resulting yields. "Our most successful variant includes a protein that acts as a pesticide."

"Is that the sources of the metallic taste"

"Indirectly. When its cooked it breaks down into complex molecular structures that can have a taste"

"Do they do anything else?"

"We did extensive testing, you can get your PA to pull the reports, that show no side effects."

"Carey, Can you get me those reports please?" There wasn't a reply. "Carey" CE waited. A generic PA appeared in the room as a surrogate for Carey. He was small formal looking young man dressed in a non-descriptor uniform that looked like something stolen from a Catholic boys school. "Carey is unavailable. Critical data for her primary routine is currently inaccessible. I am Dell. Can I help you?" He looked on with an enquiring affect, hands clasped behind his back, waiting for his orders.

"There's some kind of problem with my PA." CE glanced toward Greg and then back to Dell. "This has never happened before." CE squirmed, not sure how to interact with the new assistant, and becoming increasingly concerned that something may have happened to his friend. A knot grew in is stomach as he worked through scenarios of how to get things right. He reminded himself that all the data for Carey was in enough places and backed up regularly enough that he could get her back. This was all little consolation. He didn't trust this new helper and wanted things back the way they were supposed to be.

"Liam, can you get those reports to CE?" Greg offered. "You can show for CE." Liam materialized at a computer console at the side of the room to both CE and Greg. "Do you know what's happened to CEs PA?"

"There has been some interference from malicious agents recently. Some of her critical routines might be isolated. I'll make those reports available." Liam made the security adjustments and added the links to CEs reference base.

CE had never unintentionally lost access to Carey. He was a little bit at a loss for how to proceed.

The visit to the genetic engineering facility didn’t lead to any new information on the side-effects from the plantains. It didn’t take much imagination to connect the alleged side effects to GT. It was clear to CE that he was going to have to look into this a little more closely. Without Carey along to temper his bad judgment, this seemed a good time to get a better look at GTs establishment.