Learning about the Units

"Sure," Sammy responds, resuming her history lesson.

"There are 26 units in Project: Breed, each named after a letter of the alphabet. Most of them have 8 crew members. So, just like we are Unit X, there are also Units A, B, C, and so forth."

She adds, "There wasn't any particular reason for the number 26. It just came down to the resources Earth could muster and the number of nearby habitable planet destinations."

You do the math in your head. "So, there are about 208 Project: Breed participants?"

She nods. "Yes. Most participants were selected through an intense screening process. Health, age, personality, intelligence, and special skills all played a part."

You mutter softly, "No wonder everyone is crazy smart..."

She giggles and tells you, "Well, Unit X is a little unique."

"Oh right, I remember DOT mentioning that," you reply.

"Most units have a crew of 4 men and 4 women," she explains. "But Unit X is one of Project: Breed's contingency teams."

"What does that mean?" you ask.

"After HFH determined that the ideal crew size was 4 men and 4 women, they built most units around that number," she explains. "However, to plan for unforeseen events, some crews were designed a bit differently, either in terms of the type of crew members or the crew composition. These are the contingency teams."

You take a moment to process that information.

"So all these different units, they're on their way to different planets right now?" you ask.

She nods, confirming, "They all departed at different times, and our unit was one of the final ones to leave."

"Why isn't Project: Rescue an actual possibility?" you ask after a brief pause.

Samantha replies, "HFH calculated the likelihood of encountering a civilization advanced enough and willing to rescue a completely foreign species is almost zero."

"Even though I don't remember anyone from Earth, I feel bad about lying to the whole world and abandoning them to their deaths," you admit.

She nods sympathetically. "I understand. I feel the same way. But Earth is practically beyond saving, and this was the only viable option we had left."

You ask her what the odds are of a unit making it alive.

Samantha responds, "The odds vary slightly for each unit, but based on our calculations, there's about a 50% chance that a unit will even reach their destination safely. Then, there's another 50% chance that the unit will make it past the first year. And yet another 50% chance that a unit will survive for an entire generation."

She pauses before summarizing, "If everything goes well, about 3 or 4 units should be able to successfully start repopulating the human race."

"Only 3 to 4 units..." you mutter to yourself, feeling the weight of her words.

You ask her what she thinks their odds are.

Samantha gives you a reassuring smile. "While the public is skeptical about the abnormal sperm gene working and even some HFH staff have doubts, I believe in the research. We've looked extensively into the gene, and it should function as expected. In fact, it was Maria who discovered this gene while testing for healthy male crew members."

"Oh wow," you say, your admiration for Maria growing even more. "So how was Unit X formed exactly?" you ask.

"Unit X was actually among the first units to be formed," she explains. "It was built around Maria and her exceptional medical expertise. Destiny, another standout candidate, joined soon after and was appointed captain. She helped recruit Kira and Aneni, establishing the initial core of Unit X's female team."

"Given that this unit was uniquely centered around four women, there was a more intensive focus on selecting the male crew members who would complement their skills and dynamics. Despite being one of the first units initiated, it ended up being one of the last ones to be fully assembled due to the meticulous selection process."

"While going through the selection process, Maria discovered the abnormal sperm gene, and together with Destiny, they proposed an idea to the higher-ups. Initially met with skepticism, Sergey eventually approved it, leading to Isabella joining the team. Shortly after, Camille joined to assist in selecting the final male candidate, who turned out to be you."

"I actually joined last," she adds, reflecting on her decision. "Despite having several invitations to join Project: Breed in the past."

Curious, you inquire, "Oh, interesting. Why did you decide to join this crew in particular?"

She meets your gaze with a knowing smile. "You'll find out sooner or later."

"Stop being so mysterious," you tease.

She chuckles softly. "I'm not trying to be. I have my reasons," she says sheepishly.

"So what's the deal with all 7 of you being virgins?" you ask, unable to hide your curiosity.

She giggles softly. "Honestly, it's just a crazy coincidence."

Raising an eyebrow in disbelief, you reflect on the uniqueness of the situation. You can never get over the fact that all 7 of these beautiful women were virgins.