Video file “Nanite early trial run 1”

The subject is injected with the serum. They soon start groaning, clutching their skin, and then vomiting. They fall down, curl into a ball and scream, apparently in great pain. Their body starts ejecting fluid from every orifice and their flesh discolors rapidly. 

Soon their breath leaves their body in a rasp, and they stop moving altogether. Several moments later, from out of frame, Dr. McKeyla cautiously prods the body with her pen. There is no response. She sighs, and after scribbling down some notes, uses her pen to slide the little body across the table and out of frame. There is a sound of an object landing in a trash bin. After some sounds of rummaging, she reappears with a spray bottle of cleaning fluid and some tissues, which she uses to clean off the tabletop.

The serum containing the nanites and other chemicals to affect the body will be injected intravenously to the test subjects. The nanitess, well, micro-nanites to be precise, should attach themselves to multiple cells, and the goal is to hold the cells together so the subject doesn’t go “squish,” as we say in technical science jargon.

The process up to that point will require a lot of trial and error. There are many impediments to overcome. For one thing, the body doesn’t naturally like little foreign objects floating around in its blood and will try to defend itself. 

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Video file “Nanite early trial run 45”

The subject groans, twitches. Their face contorts into a grimace as their muscles strain, their fingers curling like claws. They twitch all over, and then freeze completely, like a statue. 

After a long moment, Dr. McKeyla brings her face closer, looking for any sign of movement. FInding none, she gently prods the man with her pen. He topples over, still rigid as an action figure. Dr. McKeyla sighs.

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I have found the correct mixture of drugs to relax the body’s immune system just enough to allow the nanobots entry into the bloodstream. The body should then remember the nanobots and not treat them as a threat, for future doses, if I ever get it right - so far there have been few opportunities for a second dose.

An unforseen problem I’m dealing with is that I need to program the nanobots to attach themselves to body cells quickly and gently, without immediately disrupting the body’s basic state. Yes, the state - solid, liquid… goo…

~

Video file “Nanite early trial run 12”

The subject’s flesh begins to sag and then drip like honey. They look at their arms aghast as they melt. A scream tries to escape but turns into a gurgle as their face melts into their body. Soon they are nothing more than a flesh-coloured puddle.

Dr. McKeyla, with curiosity, uses her pen to stir it.

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Video file “Nanite early trial run 119”

The subject looks around in panic as they start to sink slowly. Their flesh stretches, wobbles, as they droop to the ground. Their body slowly forms into a rounded, oblong lump, like a slug. Their eyes dart around fervishly, and they seem unable to speak.

Dr. McKeyla gives them a poke with her pen. They jiggle slightly like pudding. She pokes harder. They retain their shape, like rubber.

Dr. McKeyla takes several notes, mumbling about “possible uses”.

-NOTE ADDED-

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Okay, I’ve finally got the introduction into the bloodstream right - subjects injected feel no physical change whatsoever. The nanobots attach themselves to the cells quickly and without issue. The serum is essentially balanced at this point.

Now to program the little robot spider arms to hold the cells together under pressure. More trial and error to come.