[ WP ] When children are born , parents have to roll for stats .

Colin and Felicity were the proudest of parents. Little Rupert had been born in perfect health. They had held each other and beamed as Rupert was transferred by the doctor into the genetic coding chamber. 
 
 `` Are you ready to program your son?'' Asked the doctor with a smile. 
 
 Colin and Felicity looked at each other nodding. `` Yes,'' said Felicity, grasping Colin's hand. `` Yes we are.'' 
 
 Rupert was placed in the gene manipulation chamber. The machine had put an end to genetic disease overnight, as it allowed the traits of newborns to be selected by the parents. However, while dangerous genomes would automatically be modified,'luxury alterations' ( as they were known ) were effected by means of chance. 
 
 Excessive populational perfection was deemed dangerous and undesirable by various governing bodies. So, parents would roll dice to determine how their child would develop. 
 
 `` OK,'' said the doctor. The contraption looked like a vending machine, and he motioned to a hole that looked like something for dispensing change. `` Collect the dice from here,'' he said, `` and drop them in the hole up here. The machine will reveal the number of the roll, and that score will then represent the ability of your child in that particular area. Once you have the score, press next here and the dice will drop again.'' The doctor puffed out his cheeks and laughed. `` Any questions?'' 
 
 `` No,'' said Colin, looking at Felicity. `` I think we've got it, thanks.'' 
 
 `` Then over to you,'' he chirped. 
 
 Alone in the room with his wife and child, Colin walked over to the machine, pressing his palm against the glass. Rupert looked perfect already. Felicity watched on from the bed. 
 
 `` What is the first trait?'' She asked excitedly. 
 
 `` Beauty,'' said Colin. He took the dice from the tray. `` Ready?'' He asked, looking back at Felicity. 
 
 `` Yes, do it.'' She made a high pitched whine of excitement. 
 
 Colin dropped the dice into the slot, heard some clicking, followed by a small rattle, and then a gulp. A digital display behind Rupert read'6'. 
 
 `` Yeah!'' Shouted Colin. `` Six out of six! Our kid is going to be a looker!'' 
 
 Both parents celebrated and wooped, they high-fived and hugged, and after a minute or two, having pressed'next', Colin was again collecting the dice. 
 
 He turned around with a look of seriousness. Fiona looked suddenly concerned. 
 
 `` Is there a problem?'' She asked. 
 
 `` This next one is intelligence,'' said Colin soberly. 
 
 Felicity gasped. `` Make sure you roll it well,'' she warned, and put her hands together and began to pray. 
 
 Colin nodded, and turned back to the machine. He exhaled deeply. He dropped the dice in the hole - click, rattle, gulp - and the machine read'3'. 
 
 `` What is it?'' Cried Felicity. 
 
 `` Three,'' said Colin. For a moment there was silence. 
 
 Felicity looked up with concentration. `` You know, three is n't too bad, Colin?'' 
 
 Colin pondered the score. `` No, I suppose not.'' 
 
 `` After all,'' said Felicity, `` Jerry's boy rolled low for intelligence! Margaret told me so'' 
 
 `` Jerry's boy?'' Said Colin incredulously. `` Well he seems perfectly bright to me...'' 
 
 `` Well exactly,'' said Felicity. `` And our Rupert has a three! That's not even low! It's middle of the road!'' 
 
 `` Middle of the road...'' Parroted Colin with wonder. He suddenly felt quite pleased with himself and pressed'next' with renewed optimism. 
 
 A four followed for empathy, which was greeted at first with a cheer from Felicity, and a dubious expression from Colin. But as Felicity pointed out, Jerry's boy rolled low for empathy, and he was quite the unfeeling trouble maker. The smile quickly returned to Colin's face. 
 
 Then for narcissism Rupert received a five. Belinda had positively bragged about her girl scoring a two for that. Felicity was certain about it. And here was Rupert scoring a five! Both parents were utterly joyous. 
 
 Duty came in at one, and both parents agreed that to have a stuffy dutiful son would be a crying shame. Rupert would play with wild abandon, just as nature intended for the child. Joy began turning to rapture. 
 
 Next was happiness which scored at three. At this both parents agreed that constant play could be a little tiring after all, and that the occasional bad mood might come as something of a relief. And plus, joy and sadness were both pigments in the painting of life, and much beauty could be missed for the want of one of them. Their elation was sustained. 
 
 In their eyes it could not have gone more perfectly. At that point Colin and Felicity agreed to press the glowing red button. It read:'Leave the Rest to Nature'. 
 
 As the doctor returned to the room, the happy couple lay blissfully in each others arms, chatting airily about their beautiful son who was intelligent enough, unshackled by duty, and perfectly narcissistic. 
 
 `` We want to take him home,'' they said to the doctor. 
 
 `` He'll be ready to go along with you in no time at all,'' he replied benignly. `` These machines are really very fast nowadays.'' 
 
 `` Thank you doctor,'' said the couple together, heads resting on one another. 
 
 They had just began to doze off when the machine let out a soft ping, and the perspex shield slid across. The doctor lifted Rupert, wrapped him in a white shawl, and handed him to Colin and Felicity. 
 
 The new family, now together, shared in a few minutes of total contentment, before leaving with hearts that overflowed with love and promise. 
 
 Once they were gone, the perspex door closed again. As it quietly clicked shut in the empty room, a second dice came unstuck, and fell next to the first in the tray.
