The future, as one could guess, humankind has made various triumphs of science humankind has made much advancement in various scientific fields, ranging from terra-forming to space colonization to advances in computer and robotic sciences.

But the most notable advancement was in the medical science and biological fields, humanity had finally unlocked and to an extent mastered the DNA helix, and through that many of the world's diseases were able to be cured or lessened to a degree as far as detrimental effects, but the most astonishing breakthrough was that of cloning, where before only minor things could be cloned, such as mice or a fingernail, breakthroughs in cell manipulation and similar gene therapies have allowed for things such as whole human hands or hearts to be cloned in a matter of days.

While these advances were all well and good the powers that be were fearful of the darker side of cloning. They were honestly justified, albeit a bit paranoid. The thought of such possibilities like someone cloning Hitler, someone making a massive clone army and other such fear caused many lawmakers to take pause and write new laws to ease the publics as well as their own fears. The biggest safeguard in effect was an international law stating that cloned material could not be beyond a certain weight, that weight varying from country to country.

In an odd way this law played into one particular corporation’s plans perfectly......

The labs of the Kumori foundation, a company known for its contributions to the medical science community in ways of bio-research as well as medical cybernetics, but as of late they were in financial straights. The current CEO pushing her staff to come up with anything that might push the company away from the red and back into the black where they belonged.

But a solution had been found and the finder of that solution was confidently striding her way down the marble floored halls of one of the building's R and D facilities. The only sound coming from her being the clack, clack of her open-toes heels. She paused at the retina scanner and went through the motions of gaining access to what lie behind two large metal doors and as she entered several lab coated individuals stopped what they were doing to turn to her and nod.

The woman in question was one Naomi Reynolds, head of the Kumori foundations R and D and bio-technological research hub. The woman was a genius of her field, she entered it fresh from Nekomi University at the age of 25, she was pushing 32 now and had lost very little of her youthful looks. She peered at the other technicians through her wire rimmed glasses, her amber eyes scanning the room, the only sound was her heel tapping impatiently as she held a clipboard close to her modest chest.

"Well, I'm waiting" she said with a huff, causing the technicians to snap out of their silent moment, one going to a lab table, and typing on a keyboard, the other adjusting his coat.

"W..Well Miss Reynolds,” the man began, rubbing at his balding head, "The prototype’s preliminary and secondary testing is finished. He's also active and fully aware, just as you'd designed...but well, we're not sure if he meets what you intended"

Naomi raised an eyebrow, a slightly curious, yet pleased look in her eyes, "What do you mean?"

"Well we're not sure if this was intended, but the prototype, Deis...is exhibiting full freewill, which given what the plans for the product were, is an unacceptable number"

Naomi smiled, and nodded, "I see, it's an easy problem to fix, just re-code his bio-rhythm and start from scr..."

The technician interrupted her, "He rejected the re-encodes twice ma'am...but from his matrix we were able to make a decent base for others."

Naomi tensed a little, the smile still there. "Very well then, we'll use the new base you came up with as a start for the production types.

"But, what should we do with the prototype?

She smiled to herself as she walked over to a table on the far end of the room, several monitors streaming data and a small cylindrical item rest on it as she typed in a few things on a keyboard.

"I think we can leave him as is for now since it seems his core programming is still there. We’ll just go ahead with your suggestion, just catalog him as prototype 01, and use the data you gathered.

"But ma'am, that still doesn't help us as far as ...er dealing with him."

Naomi sighed, "Whine, whine bitch moan. I'll take care of the specifics, as well as handle actual field data; since I'm sure he's bored to death with you two."

She nodded to herself as she gave the order, eyes looking downward "Is he awake?"

One of the technicians nodded, "He is, and has been fairly social and complacent...but seriously, back to the free will problem ma'am...."

Naomi sighed again and stomped her foot, her hand slamming flat on the table, jostling various instruments from the force.

"Alright I get it already...look as long as the core obedience is there, there's not a problem...now is it still there?"

The tech shrunk back and nodded.

"Okay then...now where was I...oh yes, have you done any actual field testing yet?"

"Outside of just simulated interaction, and the subject's interaction with you and the lab staff, no ma’am.”

"Then I see no other problems, you guys count well enough for human interaction so we can move on to mass production. Well once I talk to Kumori," Naomi sat on the counter, letting out a sigh as she relaxed.

Both technicians nodded, and then stifled a few laughs as Naomi jerked in surprise as something landed on her shoulder noiselessly.

Naomi smirked a little, “Hello Deis. Get bored running around the lab already?” She turned her head to the being in question and gently patted a small, caramel complexioned feline like creature on the head with an index finger.

The creature known as Deis smiled in response and blushed at the gentle pat, a long feline tail swishing and swaying behind him.

One of the technicians sighed, “Ma’am I still think making him look like something from a girl’s comic was silly.”

Naomi rolled her eyes as she stood, being careful enough so as not to dislodge her passenger.

“Well given one of our target audiences happen to be in that same demographic, I don’t see it as silly at all. Now are you two going to get to work? Or are you going to sit and make comments?”

She continued to walk towards the exit as the technicians mumbled and returned to their work.

Deis watched this exchange with a yawn, not saying a word as Naomi exited the laboratory and headed down the hall. The small being taking in these new sights with a sense of curiosity one would normally reserve for a ferret.

“Interesting isn’t it little one?” Naomi cooed as she nodded to a secretary, pausing only to see what her passenger’s response was.

Deis nodded enthusiastically in answer, "Better than being in there.....I was so bored" his voice was soft, and at the moment whiny, Naomi could sympathize.

This elicited a small giggle from Naomi, “Well in time you won't have to see these dull walls ever again, you'd like that wouldn't you?"

Once again, an enthusiastic nod.

“Miss Naomi? Miss Kumori will see you now.”

Naomi nodded, straightened her lab coat and thanked the secretary.

“Well Deis, its show time. Let’s hope you impress.”

A tall, athletic looking woman paced the spacious office, doing laps around her large white marble desk as she looked out over the city. The creature known as Deis held in one hand, her free hand absent mindedly stroking him with a finger, a soft, content rumbling noise coming from him.

“I will admit this, doing this is rather relaxing Naomi. You seemed to have hit gold this time, good work,” the CEO said as she sat down, gently setting Deis on her desk, watching with amusement as he walked around, messing with various things before she turned her attention to Naomi.

Naomi smiled, watching, “Thank you. Here we have the finished product, and at the end of the week we’ll have a 100% flawless base to begin mass production Ayane, like I promised. Only problem is advertising and public relations.”

Ayane nodded as she thought, a finger resting under her chin as she spun her chair to face out towards the city and beyond that the ocean, “Shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Accounting and Public Relations has already gone through the motions of advertising in a few gaming magazines as well as a few Anime and Sci-Fi magazines, which reminds me. Do you have any problems going on television?”

Naomi blinks, and then smiled, “Not at all. Plan on having me pull a Jack Hanna? Go on TV with a few of the little guys and speak about them? Maybe answer some questions?”

“Jack Hanna?

“20th century animal conservation big wig, but sure I’ll do it, any reason why?”

Ayane nodded, “Yes, if they have a physical presence before release, the accounting and PR departments feel we’ll get a better initial turn out. So to that end you’ll be going on Otaku Now, on that new science fiction network network.”

Naomi groaned inwardly, “Okay, let me get things together so I can prepare. Also did you still want a set of them for your daughters?”

Ayane nodded, “Ever since I told them, Chieko and Kameko have been waiting for the release day. So the sooner you can get them ready the better.”

Naomi smirked a little, “Sure thing, then you don’t mind me giving Deis to my daughter then?”

Ayane shrugged, “Not at all, now if we’re done here, I have a meeting with one of the heads of state.”

“Fine, fine, come on Deis”

Deis looked up from Naomi’s desktop, the sound of multiple “Nuclear Launch detected” voice samples heard “Awww, but I was winning” he whined as Naomi’s hand grasped him and carried him off.

Ayane laughed a little, smiling as they left, then clicked her intercom button. “Carol, you can send in the defense minister now.”

 End Prologue.