"C'mon, doc, like, let me out already. These things like chafe. And I've got
this horrible itching, like all over."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Locksley," Khyron said from the laboratory -- that is, the
portion of the staging area not enclosed by curtains, and thus out of the
human's view. "I can't do that."

"Why not? I won't hurt you. I'm like totally over that."

"You didn't drop the remote again, did you?"

"No..."

"Well, it's not my decision. Chit gave the orders, not to let you up except
for... necessities" the exception had been added when the squirrels had
contemplated cleaning a human-sized bedpan "and then under strict supervision."
Khyron peered into the microscope. "I imagine he's afraid you'll step on
someone. 

"Besides, there are sound scientific reasons to keep you -- oh, that's wierd."
Khyron blinked a couple times, then peered into the scope again. 

"Like what?"

"This doesn't look like... oh, you mean why shouldn't we let you up? Tetanus.
The virus leaches the calcium from your bones and muscles, which manifests as
sudden siezures. All your muscles contract violently, snapping bones and such
until they stabilize in a new configuration."

"That sounds like it might, like, hurt. A bit."

"Oh, it'll be incredibly painful. [flick] In fact, I'm sure many of the deaths
due to conversion occur because of shock. It's probably the most painful thing
that a... mammal can feel."

"Er..."

"I imagine their hearts just explode from the stress. Or they go insane and jump
off a bridge or something. [flick]"

"Um, are you sure it's too late to --"

"But don't worry, you won't feel a thing. [flick] We have enough anesthetic to
keep you under for the duration. Okay, I give up. This doesn't make any sense
whatsoever." There was a click and a whirr, and Khyron scurried under the
curtains and hopped onto Robin's bed, standing right next to his head. "Is this"
he held a black and white photograph for Robin to look at, "Anything like this?"
He held up another picture.

"Er... they're both, like, pictures. Of little round blobby things. That help?"

Khyron swished his tail back and forth a couple of times. "No. [flick] I'll be
back shortly." 

He ran into Chit in the doorway. After they'd picked themselves up, he asked
Chit to look at the photographs.

"Well, this one is in color."

"That's not precisely what I'm referring to," Khyron said, looking slighty
peeved.

"I don't know anything about this, professor," Chit said, "You're the expert. 
That's why we asked you here. [flick]"

"Well... [chittersigh] very well. [flick] The black and white picture is
devilbunny tissue. The color picture is from a sample of converted tissue from
Mr. Locksley." 

"Okay..."

"The *problem* is, they don't match. [flick] In fact, this looks more like
*squirrel* tissue." Chit jumped. Khyron suddenly brightened. "You know what this
could mean?!"

"Er... I'm afraid so." Chit said, scratching at the ground.

"That has to be it! It's the only explanation! We weren't created from squirrels
by an alteration of the bunnyvirus! The *devilbunnies* were created by altering
the squirrelvirus! But traces remain, meaning converts *first* convert into
squirrels before --"

"There is... another explanation, professor. [cringe]"

"Oh, it couldn't be squirrelvirus contamination. [flick] I checked for it. Quite
thoroughly [flick] Do you know what this *means*, Chit? This discovery will
revolutionize the whole... the whole..."

"Revolution?"

"Yes! [bounce] It means that *we* are the rightful --"

"No," Chit said, "I'm afraid that's not it."

"Who's the expert, here? [indignantflick]"

"I'm the source of the virus, professor. I'm afraid that it... might... not have
been bunnyvirus. Quite."

Khyron's whiskers twitched in annoyance. "What do you mean."

"I don't suppose you were involved in the Homo Scuridae project..."

"The... oh, that thing? [flick?] Yes, I was one of the primary researchers. But
it was classified. [glower] How did *you* find out... oh dear. You don't mean
you..."

"Yes, professor."

"I was wondering how a squirrel could be a carrier. Who --"

"Sylvie."

Khyron blinked. "How?"

"Vanilla extract."

Khyron blinked again, twice. "Why?"

"Damned if I know. [flick] But the resulting infection wouldn't be bunnyvirus,
would it?"

"No... no it -- my god, do you know what Loren would *do* to us if he found out
about this?! [chitter] This line of research was *specifically* forbidden by his
*direct* order! He'd..." Khyron just stood there, staring at the wall.

"We won't tell him," Chit said. "But we'll have to tell Robin."

"Yes... yes, we will. How do you intend to do it?"

"Actually," Chit said, "We could just stand in the doorway and discuss the issue
in a normal tone of voice, so the human is certain to overhear."

"Yes," Khyron said, slightly dazed, "Yes, that would likely be best."

"Like, are you furfaces talking about me?" Robin yelled from behind the curtain.

Khyron and Chit looked at each other, and then reluctantly walked towards the
human to explain.

==
Chit