Balls

32

The Anzac trip was a riot! Though Mrs Jogh made them took the van with her while Mr Evans drove the lab researchers in her new RV, Iqball, Ballqis, Aga and Micah had a lot of fun chugging through the six-hour journey.

The reached the research institute located near an estuary when it was nearly dark, but the festival atmosphere was dynamic at the exhibition grounds.

They parked near the RV where Mr Evans had already set up all the fish tanks for the one-day field exhibition tomorrow.

The researchers were especially careful with the specimen from Tank A.

"I heard it's the oldest specimen. It was Prof Jogh's legacy," said Micah as the younger trio observed the researchers handling the old fish. The old fish was massive compared to the latest generation. Its fins are much longer, unlike regular tilapias of its age. Put next to the fish in Tank B, a regular specimen of similar age, Tank A fish is almost 30 percent bigger.

Specimen from Tank 6, 7 and 8 were also brought and they settled happily at the exhibition corner allocated for their team.

"How are you doing, old boy?" Ballqis greeted T7 when the rest were still enjoying the packed meal delivered by the organiser.

The fish swam and ate without any protest, eventhough it was soy, not his choice pellet.

Ballqis whispered to the animal.

"I want to know how you feel about Mirna. Is she a good friend of yours? You said she's an old friend, but would you trust her to take care of you when the time comes? Do you think you would be happy with her?" she asked as she dropped a couple of corn pellets.

The fish stilled for a second.

Mirna is a friend. Not like you and Iqball. Not like me and the fish next to me.

The thought sneaked through her brain as the genetically-enhanced fish slide close to T6, Iqball's favourite jumper.

"What do you mean by that?" Balqis asked, confused at the mention of Iqball.

Mirna and I can't mate. The fish next to me and I can. You and Iqball can.

Ballqis dropped the pellet bag she was holding. Lucky for her, it no longer contain much, as she had fed the rest of the fish.

That's not what friends are for! People of opposite gender aren't  just made for mating! Goodness. Ballqis was appalled at T7's simplified deduction.

She tried getting the fish to talk more about Mirna, but T7 was done communicating.

"I can't even talk to Iqball about this! Darn fish," she mumbled as she cleared the floor of spilled pellets.

"Can't talk to me about what?" Iqball's voice crept from behind her.

The dirty pellets Ballqis had collected spilled onto the floor yet again.

"I thought you were a bear!" she hissed.

Iqball nearly laugh but the red face Ballqis was sporting told him to hold his tongue. But then he laughed anyway and so did she. He quickly put down the sour apples he had gotten from the organiser's fruit stand.

"Sorry. I just happened to walk in when you said that... Is it about me? Did I do or not do..."

Ballqis quickly smiled to cover her nervousness.

"It was T7. He said something that made me..."

"Blush? I hope the fish will tell me about it. You look cute when you blush. Maybe I'll look cute too," he quipped.