"They're about as unsavory as you might expect from a group of people who genetically engineer slaves," says Pearl, with more bitterness and venom than Tarn has probably ever heard out of her before.

"That's the motivation. Genetic engineering. They want to extract and replicate what dormant powers they can from the genes of exotics, and then experiment on incorporating them into their own people. Exotics who volunteer for the therapy are just convenient guinea pigs. 'Safer' test subjects, I think they said."