A pill for what ails you

A few days ago, Virga, the leader of the Vuduri on Helome had "borrowed" Rome and Rei to help her solve a genetic mystery, namely, why were there variations in the number of chromosomal content of the banished Darwin Project members. 20% had exactly the 23 chromosome complement she expected. However, 80% had an extra stub of a chromosome, which Virga dubbed the 25th chromosome. She knew this stub would end the curse of the Onsiras forever but her scientists were unable to figure out how to introduce it into the Vuduri population.

     Rei looked at Rome who nodded. Rei touched his temple. With a whoosh and a pop, MINIMCOM’s all-black livetar appeared, holding a white bottle which he handed to Rei.
     “What is this?” Virga asked.
     Rei unscrewed the top and spilled the contents onto the table. “This is your delivery system,” he said.
     Virga reached over and picked up one of the white pills. “What are these?” she asked. “Where did you get them?”
     “These are the pills OMCOM made back at Skyler Base to help my crew overcome 14 centuries of degeneration in their backs. Our instructions were to give one to every member of my crew but some of them evidently refused. I guess that’s the 20% you’re calling the normal ones.”
     Virga held the pill up to the light. “Do you realize what this means?” she said, almost giddily. “This is the salvation of the Vuduri.” She looked down at the pile of pills. “We do not need all of these,” she said. “We will be able to replicate them.” She looked up at Rei and Rome. “You must take the rest of these to Earth. There must be uncounted Onsiras loose there. This would put an end to any possible threat from them forever.”
     Rei gathered up some of the pills and put them back in the bottle, leaving a pile on the table. “I guess we could,” he said. “But we’re not really supposed to go there. We were banished, you know.”
     “Yes,” Virga said. “Our opinion now is the same as it was the first time I met you. The Overmind of Earth treated you horribly. You two are heroes many times over. They should be honoring you, not exiling you.” Virga cocked her head. “Rei, the last time you were here, you told me that MASAL injected you with his version of the 24th chromosome. Did you take one of these pills?”
     “Uh, no,” Rei said. “I sort of took a different kind.”
     “What do you mean?” Virga asked.
     “Well, old OMCOM had other plans for me. The pill he gave me was yellow and I guess you’d say I got some superpowers from them.”

Superpowers, huh? Like a cell-phone in the head and sonar-vision? Plus a brand new back as well. Rei was pretty super before he got the magic yellow pill but outside of Rome, MINIMCOM and OMCOM, nobody really knows the extent of what he became. We'll explore this more tomorrow.