"Cloning decay. Orokin made wrong from the start, on purpose. We broke free, we won. Didn't fix us, though, no, now centuries on, more and more falling apart in the vats before they're ready. Like meat in soup." It was disgusting, infuriating.

"I had the numbers, I can fix us. But not here. No data, no lab, no--" Hrgh! "--no kidney. Replacement's not taken yet." A slow, shaking breath, speaking more precisely and quietly, "Can't get loud, or it reminds me." He was inevitably going to fail at that within minutes.