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Scientific Progress

By Cimmaron Spirit

Request for Spriggan

**WARNING: Contains transformation, dragons, weird science stuff and the brief mentions of genitalia! If any of this offends you, especially the genitalia bit, then bugger off!

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The study of genetics was one of the more "glamorous" fields of scientific study. After all, tapping into what made one creature different from another, and possibly fiddling with it, was exciting in this world where disease and hereditary defects were seen as part of a long distant century, and not for the enlightened present. The possibility of being able to isolate and alter the very essence of humanity was the toy of the Gods of yore, and the dream of idealists that saw a world without suffering from something your great-great-great aunt three times removed on your mother's father's side had.

The problem, of course, was the potential chaos and anarchy this could create. If someone had control over the tiniest fibers of humanity, and can control them, what was to stop them from blackmail, murder or simple world domination? For that reason alone, the efforts to change genetics was either tightly controlled by so many layers of government red tape and bureaucracy that nothing was accomplished, or in the darkest corners of the private sector that no one dared lurk.

Dr. Kent Stevens was one such figure in the secret underworld that sought to build a better world. Hidden underneath the deserts of Arizona, where the workers joked that Area 51 was right down the road, his lab was one of only a handful that worked on the genetic research, and even he knew nothing of where the other places were, just in case something happens that the labs cover was blown. Security and paranoia, rolled into one.

Dr. Stevens looked over all of that. After all, he had all the resources he needed for his research from a benefactor he didn't even truly know, all in pursuit of a goal for a world without pain and misery, a goal that had lead him to being ostracized by the larger scientific community, and even divorced from his childhood sweetheart because of his increasingly single-minded pursuit.

But he didn't care. This was much more important than love or acceptance. There was time for that when he succeeded. For now, this was more important.

This happened to be a fossil that made its way to his hands. No one knew of these relics of the past yet, because their discovery in China had been kept under wraps due to the astounding nature of the fossils. They seemed to be of a creature as large as the dinosaurs, yet not as old. Also, the bones were surprisingly strong, able to withstand huge stress and nearly ruining diamond tipped saw blades. Trying to carbon date the fossils was also inconclusive: one test said it was only 700 years old, while the next one said over 10 trillion, and the one after that putting it somewhere in the 30-50 million year range. After that, no other tests were taken, as much more important stuff was needed to be done.

Although Dr. Stevens did not have the full skeleton, what he did have was... interesting. First of all, it wasn't a dinosaur. The way the bones were shaped made it a four legged carnivore, with a large tail, claws and paw pads, all covered in fairly thick fur. But it wasn't fully canine, though, despite evidence of thick fur and a sheath, because the body was sleeker, more streamlined, a smaller, longer muzzle, and seemed designed more for stealth than brute strength.

The good doctor was currently pondering that, as he had been for a few days since he managed to, at last, get something to study the genetics of the thing. If the rumors and myths of what this was were true, maybe these fossils were the key to his studies.

After all, dragons lived for a long time, and seemed to have few health problems. They must have something going for them, if they were real, and this was a dragon!

Stevens sighed, pulling off his glasses to rub his eyes. Three years here, with every need taken care of, had packed on a few pounds on his body. He wasn't exactly fit before, but the occasional bit of exercise had kept him a healthy weight. Now, he was starting to go bald, his eyes sight was deteriorating, and to top it all off, he was getting fat. Not obese fat, but it seemed to be getting closer and closer. At this rate, he was more likely to kill himself than to save others.

The computer off to the side of the lap chirped, and a printer whirred to life, bringing his attention back to that work. The computer tests of a fragment of the genetic code of the beast was complete, and now Stevens could read the DNA of what he was looking at. He rolled his chair over to the other side of his white, clean lab, and pulled the paper from the printer, and began reading it as it came out.

"Oh my God," he gasped as he read through the pages as they came out. The readings were off the charts! No living creature had these kinds of statistics, and yet, he got it from studying a dead creature of un-determinate age, bones that were tougher than steel, and was undoubtedly the strongest predator of its food chain.

"What happened to you?" Dr. Steven mussed, as he gathered up the information to file it. This was a breakthrough: he can now isolate that DNA, and use it to his advantage! No, not just his, the entire worlds!

The doctor sat as his desk, and began jotting notes down of what he noticed, and what strands to extrapolate. After all, if he could isolate certain genes, the ones that granted strength and resistance to disease, then he would have the ultimate scientific and medical super weapon, able to allow humans to live dozens, if not hundreds of years longer. This was what he was hoping for so long, and now he finally had the chance to make his goals a reality. All he needed to was to find the right genes...

Hours passed, but the doctor never noticed, so infatuated with his research. It wasn't until he felt a tap at his shoulder that he suddenly started, and nearly jumped out of his seat. Stevens turned around to see his young intern, Sam Clive, the he suddenly realized how wrapped up in his work he gotten, and how the time had slipped away. The doctor looked to the tall, lanky young man, with messy red hair and a face that was handsome and geeky at the same time. Stevens also knew, thanks to private investigations and general observation that the young 23 year old man was gay, but not that he held that over him. He was more concerned about his search into genetics than morality and such. And he was bright, and had helped much with the research.

"Dr. Stevens, it's 5 o'clock," Sam said, pointing to the clock on the wall. "Aren't you going to call it a day?"

The doctor chuckled slightly. "My, my, my," he muttered, and sighed. "Time sure does slip by, huh?"

The intern smiled in return. "Yes, you've been here for hours, and security is preparing to close up the lab for the night."

Stevens nodded. "Well, I'm going to stay here tonight, and work longer. I have that cot in my office, you know."

Sam smiled again, but this time it was more forced than before. "Sir, you haven't left this lab in days... are you sure?"

The doctor's face turned into a frown. "Yes, I'm sure. I'm so close to a breakthrough in this research, and if I quit now, the momentaum goes with it."

"Doctor..."

"NO!" he barked, standing up suddenly and forcing his office chair back. "I've made myself clear! I'm not leaving tonight!"

Sam recoiled, surprised at the sudden flare-up of the scientist's anger. "Uhh... yes sir..." he whispered, before hastily retreating to the door.

Dr. Stevens sighed after the man left, and he flopped back into his chair with a groan. He did his best to keep his anger under control, but even here, the slightest provocation was enough to set him off. It might be the long hours he was putting himself through, or the pressure, but he didn't mean it... after all, that was another reason for his divorce...

Kent Stevens turned back to his notebook, and continued to jot the notes that he needed. He can apologize to Sam tomorrow, and he was very forgiving, he knew.

But science and progress never sleeps, and a few cups of the strongest black coffee money can buy is enough to keep him going. It wasn't like he was performing heart surgery or anything like that, so he could afford the shaking and the twitches... if anything, he managed to get over most of them.

For a while longer, he continued his notes, until he had gone through the results three times. Confident he had everything, Stevens rose, and headed back to the computer.

With the new technology he had, he could order the computer to pull out the genes he wanted, and then merge them with other genes, and then test to see if they could survive and thrive. He hoped, with this "dragon" DNA, and human DNA, that they will successfully merge, and result in a breakthrough.

Furious typing echoed through the lab as he punched in the commands for his computer. After a few minutes, and a quick check, he was confident he got what he wanted. Stevens grinned as he hammered the enter key, and looked over to the machine the computer was hooked up to. Inside it was the classic "move liquid from a row of tubes to another" machine that was always shown in movies and TV, but much more complicated. It was actively pulling certain strands of DNA out of the fossils that was believed to be a dragon, and putting it into human DNA (how the lab got it, Stevens didn't know, nor did he want to know).

As Dr. Stevens watched, a yawn split his face, as the caffeine rush he had started to ebb, and the full weight of the 18 hour day started to wear on him. But he was so close now... another cup of coffee wouldn't hurt. He poured himself more, and waited as the machine did its job.

As it continued, he went through his notes again, and the plan for the next few weeks, once he had this altered DNA. He jumped when he heard the machine buzz, letting him know it was done its assigned task.

Stevens stood up and walked over to the device, coffee cup in hand. He was shaking more now, from the caffeine and adrenaline coursing through his body... and he couldn't help it! He was so excited, and he was sure this breakthrough was just the start. In a few weeks, he would know if this was the true Holy Grail he had been searching for so long.

He set the cup down by the computer, and donned the plastic gloves that were required to pull materials out of this machine. Although shaky, he pulled them out and moved them over to his research station. Only after the vial was placed in the refrigerator for future study did he take another drink of coffee.

However, as the doctor swung the vial over his cup, drops of the altered genetic substance, splashed up the shaky hand, managed to escape the vial he was holding.

Dr. Stevens sighed as he downed the cup, and debated getting another one. He thought for a minute, when a yawn split his face open. Maybe now was time for some sleep.

With that, the doctor made his way to the makeshift bed in his office. He had been working, eating and sleeping in here for weeks now, but he didn't care. Sleep was sleep, but his work was so much more important. But before he could even think about changing his clothes, he passed out, and drifted into slumber.

It might have only have been ten minutes, might have been hours later, but the doctor started awake, as a loud, persistent buzzing sound echoed through the clean white lab, signifying the completion of the formula he set the computer to do. He groggily sat up, the realization that he wasn't 20 anymore, and those twenty-hour work days he had been doing for months wasn't as healthy slammed into him right then and there.

It was almost a mechanical routine Stevens was doing: getting up, changing his shirt, shambling off into the lab, glasses placed into their proper spot without him thinking of it. Something in the back of his mind told him to stop, to go back to sleep, or at least get coffee or breakfast before going back to work, but he would have none of it. He could rest after his work was done.

But in his half-awake state, mistakes were bound to occur. The fact that they hadn't yet had to be a fluke, the gods of luck and fortune smiling down on Dr. Stevens. But today they must have left him, or maybe were still asleep.

First, he didn't bother putting on the protective gloves, forgetting that the machine heated the vials to ensure that they would still be viable and useful, even if left in the machine overnight, as these ones were this time.

Just gripping the tray holding the glass vials, and their heated state was enough to shock Dr. Stevens' system into alertness, but that only caused him to drop the tray, the glass vials colliding with the stainless steel desk hard enough to shatter, and their contents being released, and all of which poured onto the desk, and from there onto the floor.

And then the next stage of the comedic, but painful, production took place, with the Kent Stevens, PhD in Genetic Studies, slipped in the fluids, and crashed to the floor, as the little waterfall continued, splashing over him, and dousing him in the hybrid dragon-human DNA.

The scene, all of which occurred over 15 seconds, was over, with months of work gone to waste and now in a puddle around the dazed scientist. It took a few moments for Kent to get his bearings, and realize what happened, and even more for him to finally get up.

"Fuck," he muttered, looking at the mess, his anger starting to rise again "FUCK!"

Stevens turned away, furious at what just happened. At this point, he had no idea if he could even salvage it.

"God damn Jesus H. Christ," he swore some more, stomping off to the washroom. If his backers found out about this, he might not be getting a second chance to fix this. This lab would be turned over to someone else, and he would, if he was lucky, be able to at least continue working here, but most likely as a lower intern like Sam, or else as a janitor, or, if they just wanted him gone, he would be forced out, and would be screwed. No university, no government agency, would want him, the man that wanted to play God and change the very nature of humanity.

"Fuck!" he shouted again, slamming the door of the small bathroom attached to his office, throwing the white lab coat and t-shirt off to the side. He was screwed. He might as well just give up and go find some minimum wage job in Idaho, or else go to Eastern Europe and see if he could switch his identity...

He splashed some water on his face, and sighed. No... this might not happen. He might just get a scolding, and told to get back to work. Maybe.

Dr. Stevens reached over for a towel, and furiously scrubbed at his face. He could feel the stubble on his face, longer than he remembered it. Well, it had been a while since he shaved last.

The scientist pulled the towel away, and looked up at the mirror and froze. The reason his beard felt bushier was that it was: thick, coarse hair that now covered his entire lower face, a messy beard that he didn't have before.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" he muttered, leaning closer to the mirror. Dr. Stevens looked closely, trying to see what it was. But he couldn't tell, only that he now suddenly had more facial hair than he had a few minutes ago.

He also noticed that the hair on his head was also longer, and his chest hair, while normal for a guy his age before, was now spreading across his chest. He absent mindedly scratched at his chest as he looked in the mirror but suddenly stopped, and looked down at his hands.

"What the... how is it..." he gasped, as he noticed his fingernails growing longer, and turning black, and sharper.

The doctor cringed, as he felt fire race through his body, seemingly centered on his bones and muscles. He fell forward, his forehead smashing into the water fixture and smashing it, sending a cascade of water shooting into the air and drenching the bathroom and Dr. Stevens.

But, the funny thing was, it didn't really hurt. It registered, but it wasn't painful. Dr. Stevens cautiously looked up again, and gasped, as his normally dark brown hair began to lighten as it grew longer. His beard also began to change, becoming fuller, and turning a creamy white, which then continued down his neck and onto his chest.

The scientist stood up, bracing himself as the heat continued to run through his body. Everywhere it went, his muscles grew larger and more powerful, his entire body feeling like it was growing bigger. Sudden pain brought the doctor down again, this time to his knees and arms. His bones seemed to be snapping and realigning, his legs shifting, his ankle seemingly moving upward while he was forced up on his toes, which felt like they were melting and reshaping inside his shoes, similar to his hands. Another shot of pain, and three toes burst through the footwear, sharp claws like the ones on his hands growing out. One final shot, and his legs outgrew the pants he wore, leaving him naked. He now had two digitigrade rear legs, much like a wolf or a dog.

"Am I... am I... changing?" the doctor cried out, incredulous to this development. He brushed a clawed hand through the rapidly growing brown fur, and the fluffy neck crest that grew out, while the whiter fur covered his stomach and groin, which then wrapped around his cock to form a sheathe, which quickly hid itself away. He tried to stand up again to see into the mirror, but he couldn't: his legs refused to support his entire weight anymore.

"Have to fix this... can't do..." the doctor groaned, trying to push open the door, which wouldn't work. Unable to use his changing hands to pull open the door, he grunted, backed up, and ran straight at the door, which came crashing down from the power of the changing human.

Dr. Stevens struggled back to his work station, and forced himself up to look at the papers he had spent so much time on. But as he looked, all he could see was letters and numbers, which seemed to be moving around and going fuzzy. The changing human growled and batted his glasses off, leaving them dangling from one ear, which immediately improved his eye sight. With a grin, Stevens looked back at again, but his grin faded. He could see clearly now, but all he saw was incomprehensible words and numbers, equations and formulas that no longer made sense.

"Why can't I think?" he mumbled. "I'm a smart person! I can solve this! I can fix! This easy!"

But as he tried to concentrate, it felt like his mind was escaping him, no longer the mind of a genius level researcher, but devolving quickly to a more primal, bestial nature.

Another wave of pain washed over the dragon/dog/human, which made his cry out. His body was now big enough to allow him to stand over his old desk, and look down at the papers that no longer had any meaning to him. The doctor... or, rather, the former doctor, roared out as he could feel the bones in his face crack and reform, giving him a long, pointed muzzle, where sharp teeth designed for tearing and cutting grew in, replacing his human teeth. His point of hearing shifted to the top of his head in new, longer and pointed, able to rotate to hear everything around him.

His arms began to shift, growing longer and stronger. The palms seemed to move away from the fingers, now morphed into four claws, restricting the former human to a quadruped stance. Another shot of pain, this time from his tail bone. Muscle, bone and flesh pushed out, covered in the brown fur at the same time, until it was almost as long as he was again, and tipped with a white tuff of fur similar to his chest. After a long, painful trip, the human known as Dr. Kent Stevens

Not that the new creature minded. After all, he was trapped in a large room, with weird things, and he needed to get out.

The smell of meat, both raw and cooked, suddenly wavered through his nostrils. That would be a good place to go.

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Sam Clive was startled awake from his slumber by the sudden screeching of sirens, and the flashing red lights. If something goes wrong (like it must be now, for they were all blaring out), the facilities Public Address system could easily reach everyone in the building in an instants notice. Which didn't help if you still wanted to sleep when that happens, though.

"Attention, all personal; Code Red! Code Red! Unidentified creature in Sector 4! Security please report to stations. Cod Red! Code Red!"

Sam bolted upright. Sector 4 was where Dr. Stevens had his lab! What happened down there?

He jumped up and threw on his lab coat, and opened the door to his room. People were racing through the halls, while security guards, all in black Kevlar like usual and now armed with high powered weaponry compared to their usual pistols or batons, escorted and directed people around.

"Hey!" one of them shouted as Sam ran by. "This area is in lockdown!"

"I need to go check on Dr. Stevens," Sam shouted back.

"Why don't you let us do that, just to be on the safe side," the guard said, before speaking into his headset about finding the scientist.

Sam paused, waiting for the answer. The guard frowned as he listened. "Huh, looks like the Doctor hasn't been..."

A massive roar shook the room, freezing both the guard and the intern in their spots. The looked to where the bestial cry came from, and they both started running to the source.

The turned a corner to see a a few guards running the other way. "Shit! The thing is huge! It just swiped at us! We can't stop it!" one panicking guard shouted.

Sam and the new guard were confused, until the vibration of heavy foot placements, and the silent screams of the guards began to strike fear into the two newcomers.

"We can't let that thing go any further! We cannot allow it into the living quarters," the guard with Sam said, resolve in his voice. The other guards, while scared, nodded, and they all took up positions to hold off... whatever it was.

Sam cowered behind a couple of them behind a wooden crate, and closed his eyes as the footsteps came closer and the guns were cocked and loaded. Another roar, which made everyone flinch, was all the warning they had when the creature burst out.

Sam looked up, and noticed the familiar glasses, still tucked up in the ear of the creature, though way too small for it. "Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

"What the fuck, kid?" one of them shouted back.

"That's Doctor Stevens!"

Sam jumped over the box and walked toward the creature, who nervously shuffled about.

"Hey, hey, it's me... Sam, remember?" the intern said, as he slowly approached the dragon. The creature sniffed the air, and then surprisingly started wagging its tail, and used its long tongue to lick over the human, making the intern chuckle.

"What mad science have you done now?"

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Sam sighed as he leaned back from the computer, the massive dragon looking over his shoulders. The intern chuckled, before scratching at the underside of the dragon's chin, making the beast pant excitedly. He was just like a big dog now, Sam chuckled, even though he looked like he could tear apart a human with a swipe of his fearsome paws.

The computer binged, making both pairs of eyes look over at the machine, which was filling a vial with an antidote. Apparently, the hybrid DNA that splashed on the doctor overpowered his normal human DNA, so all that was needed was too rework the process, to push human DNA back into Dr. Stevens. However, computer tests were clear that, no matter what, the dragon was here to stay. But, if this worked, at least Stevens could regain his human intelligence...

Sam stood up, and pulled out the syringe. He carefully took it into his hands, and looked to the dragon, who's ears flattened and whimpered.

"Just a little prick," Sam reassured the beast, and quickly jabbed it in, pushing the formula in.

The dragon winced and growled slightly. "Grrr...grrr....Thrrrr....thaaaa.... tharrrt hurrrrt," the dragon stuttered, trying to form words with his muzzle undersigned for such a thing. "Tharrrt warrrs norrrt lirrrle prrrrick."

Sam laughed. "Well, it was that, or you eat, sleep and play all day, and who would want that?"

The dragon forced a laugh, though it was more a roar than anything. "Berforrre we worrrrk," Dr. Stevens said, "I'mm harrving a naaappp..."

The intern smiled. "Told you that you should have."