Page 54 of Obsessed

"Don't look so surprised, Dr. Watson." Chen's smile doesn't quite reach her eyes. "You've proven yourself... resourceful. Though in the future, we expect you to stay within assigned parameters."

"Unless," Voss adds dryly, "you happen to stumble upon another stock shattering discovery."

"When can I start?" The words tumble out before I can stop them.

"Tomorrow." Chen slides a data pad across the table. "Your new assignment will have remote capabilities, in case you're needed to deploy to a new research location. Don't make us regret this decision."

I take the pad with steady hands, though my heart pounds. "You won't regret it. I promise."

"We'll see." Voss rises, signaling the end of the meeting.

"Before I accept," I lean forward, gripping the data pad, "I need one condition met."

Voss's antennae twitch. "You're hardly in a position to make demands."

"This isn't a demand." I pull up an image of Meltor IV's canopy on the holoscreen. "It's environmental protection. The extraction process needs to preserve the ecosystem."

"That will increase costs significantly," Chen interjects.

"The profit margins can handle it." I highlight sections of the jungle. "These areas host complex symbiotic relationships we barely understand. Traditional clear-cutting would devastate centuries of evolution."

"Dr. Watson-" Voss starts.

"The plant's properties are linked to its environment." I press on. "Destroying that environment could compromise the very thing we're trying to harvest. I need complete control over the extraction process."

The board members exchange glances. Chen's fingers tap against the table.

"Full control?" Voss's compound eyes narrow.

"Yes. From cultivation to harvest." I meet his gaze. "I've spent a year studying this ecosystem. I know how to work with it, not against it."

Voss's mandibles click. "And if we refuse?"

"Then I'll decline the position." My voice stays steady despite my racing heart. "And publish my findings independently."

Silence falls over the room. I can almost hear the credit calculations running through their heads.

Finally, Voss's antennae relax. "Very well. You'll have complete oversight of the extraction process."

"In that case," I smile, "I accept."

I practically float down the pristine hallways of Nova BioTech, my heels clicking against the polished floor in a joyful rhythm.

The spaceport's observation deck gives me a perfect view of incoming ships. I settle into one of the curved benches, pulling up the arrival schedule on my pad. No sign of him yet.

"Your ship's not scheduled," a port officer approaches, his uniform crisp and official. "If you're waiting for transport-"

"Oh, I'm meeting someone." I smile, remembering Davrik's last message about his new acquisition. "He'll be here."

"All incoming vessels must be registered forty-eight hours in advance."

"He's... spontaneous." I tap my credentials on my pad. "But I have clearance for unscheduled arrivals."

The officer's eyebrows rise as he scans my newly updated security level. "Dr. Watson. My apologies."

"No problem at all." I turn back to the viewscreen, scanning the stars.

A flash of movement catches my eye - sleek and dark against the station's lights. The ship glides into view, all smooth lines and predatory grace. Nothing like the clunky transport that brought me here. This is a hunter's vessel, perfectly suited to its new owner.

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