What do you think about GenTech putting Project Tau and Kata in the same cell

[Jajachris]

I think putting project Tau and Kata in the same cell was a dumb move from a group of scientific intellectuals, but I love to see it as the human factor to a scientific age.
Humans are prone to mistakes, to poor decisions.
It haunted them in the long run, it's refreshing to see the human factor come into play in the book.

[Shena999]

I have two theories on this. One, that they believed that Kata would learn how to be a better project just like Tau, kind of how you put puppies with older dogs to train them easier. The second theory is simply that the scientists were so egotistical in their own believed genius that they didn't think for a moment about how this might impact the two. Just put the two "lesser beings" together and it'll be less hassle all around. You can see at the very beginning of the book how the scientists are so caught up in what they believe to be right that they make some REALLY dumb decisions.

[Ariely 20]

Two reasons, the first is that they took for granted the influence one would have on the other by believing that the project Tau was perfect. The second reason is that as scientists they might have wanted to test the influence the two projects would have on each other; however, they got more than they bargained.

[BrianCollins]

I've already found it strange that Kata and Tau are even allowed to interact, given that every time they do it only leads to them wanting to rebel a bit more fervently each time. Of course, we know how the Projects being allowed together eventually turns out.

[Kenesha Latoya Fowler]

Being scientists, I think keeping Project Tau and Project Kata in the same cell is the single most foolish thing GenTech did. Dr Dennison was aware of Project Kata trying to corrupt Project Tau’s mind but he did not separate them. I wonder why

I thinks so, too. I mean, it's not as though they didn't have any other rooms to spare... But maybe he didn't separate them because he wanted to test them, see how far one was able to corrupt or influence the other. Well, we know how that ended.

[Jude Austin]

I thinks so, too. I mean, it's not as though they didn't have any other rooms to spare...

Actually, it is From my post on P2:

2. It's a laboratory and research facility. We know that Projects are a very new and expensive development; most labs wouldn't have the budget to go into Project creation, and they're far too expensive and prone to failing (ie, dying) before completion for any lab to make more than one at a time. This means that there would only be one room suitable for containment, and that's Tau's. Even if that weren't the case, efficiency is the name of the game, and every single room in the laboratory would have its own purpose. Dennison can't just dump a bunch of equipment in the corridor and reassign the people working there for the purpose of giving Kalin his own room, however much he might want to.

3. While GenTech could conceivably build another room on the outside of the station (as someone pointed out, they're in space, after all!) it would take a large amount of time and money, and Kalin would still have to sleep somewhere while it was being built. Granted, going in with Tau on a temporary basis would work, but Dennison would still come under a lot of suspicion from his coworkers for blowing a chunk of GenTech's budget on another room when they already have a perfectly good one available.

GenTech also can't extend into the station for much the same reason. Remember that the borders between GenTech and the public areas are very clearly marked. Also, from Dennison's POV, Kalin is a huge flight risk, particularly after he knows he's not going to be allowed to go home. The more securely he's contained, the lower that risk becomes.

Also bear in mind that Dennison is committing a crime (albeit on Mason's orders) and he knows that. His only hope of getting away with it is if everyone else in the lab buys into the story of Kalin being a Project, and his only hope of that is to behave exactly like he would toward a real Project. The less he treats Kalin like a 'real' Project (ie, by giving him his own, non-approved room instead of putting him in a Project-proof room; in GenTech terms, sort of like putting a lioness in a paddock with post-and-rail fencing instead of a previously built lion enclosure) the more suspicious people are going to get and the less chance he has of getting away with it

[Veronicaadto1]

Putting them together in a single cell gives the story a strange effect, no matter the other is able and the other is not able yet in the end being the creators of their mind everything goes well.

Nice Book Reviewed
Thanks you.

[Diana Lowery]

I found myself questioning that right away! While the interaction between Kalin and Project Tau was one of my favorite parts of the story, I couldn't quite see it as realistic that the scientists would mix their experiments - especially if there were no cameras to monitor the two subjects in their room interacting alone. I was very skeptical and I thought it pretty convenient, but, after reading some of the comments on this discussion, I can see that it could be just another dehumanizing act to deprive the subjects of privacy. I guess it is just another way that the author is showing how unconcerned the handlers and scientists are about danger from the Projects - because they are not considered human.

I agree with your assessment that the handlers were unconcerned and unaware of the danger because the projects weren't considered human. I guess it is like buying a cute tiger cub (thinking it is a kitten) and being unaware of the fact that it is going to become less adorable when it matures.

[Kenesha Latoya Fowler]

I thinks so, too. I mean, it's not as though they didn't have any other rooms to spare...

Actually, it is From my post on P2:

2. It's a laboratory and research facility. We know that Projects are a very new and expensive development; most labs wouldn't have the budget to go into Project creation, and they're far too expensive and prone to failing (ie, dying) before completion for any lab to make more than one at a time. This means that there would only be one room suitable for containment, and that's Tau's. Even if that weren't the case, efficiency is the name of the game, and every single room in the laboratory would have its own purpose. Dennison can't just dump a bunch of equipment in the corridor and reassign the people working there for the purpose of giving Kalin his own room, however much he might want

Okay. Open mouth, insert foot. I apologise. I hadn't read that P2 post. I was thinking more along the lines of how much funding the facility has. ("Kata whistled softly. He didn't like to think about the kind of money involved in building something that size in space.") This gave me the impression that they could afford to have multiple rooms. That's what I meant. Still, I see that that's not quite right or the point, given your other explanations. Thank you for addressing these details.

I have to say, this plot is much deeper than I thought. I'll have to keep that in mind as I continue with Homecoming. I'm a few chapters in. Good stuff, by the way.

[Shelyce]

Being scientists, I think keeping Project Tau and Project Kata in the same cell is the single most foolish thing GenTech did. Dr Dennison was aware of Project Kata trying to corrupt Project Tau’s mind but he did not separate them. I wonder why

This choice is one that confused me to no end when reading Project Tau. I think that the scientist that are responsible for the cognition of clones would know not to place a human in a projects cell- especially one you want to keep naive. I think maybe the guards were trying to intimidate Kalin initially and Mason just played along. Or the GenTech facility only had one holding cell and Mason didn't want to build another because he'd had to show his books to the broader GenTech. He wanted to make as much money as possible off of Kata so I wouldn't be surprised!

[DEEPA PUJARI]

Being scientists, I think keeping Project Tau and Project Kata in the same cell is the single most foolish thing GenTech did. Dr Dennison was aware of Project Kata trying to corrupt Project Tau’s mind but he did not separate them. I wonder why

This choice is one that confused me to no end when reading Project Tau. I think that the scientist that are responsible for the cognition of clones would know not to place a human in a projects cell- especially one you want to keep naive. I think maybe the guards were trying to intimidate Kalin initially and Mason just played along. Or the GenTech facility only had one holding cell and Mason didn't want to build another because he'd had to show his books to the broader GenTech. He wanted to make as much money as possible off of Kata so I wouldn't be surprised!

Well said. Cheers!!

[Jude Austin]

Okay. Open mouth, insert foot. I apologise. I hadn't read that P2 post. I was thinking more along the lines of how much funding the facility has. ("Kata whistled softly. He didn't like to think about the kind of money involved in building something that size in space.") This gave me the impression that they could afford to have multiple rooms. That's what I meant. Still, I see that that's not quite right or the point, given your other explanations. Thank you for addressing these details.

I have to say, this plot is much deeper than I thought. I'll have to keep that in mind as I continue with Homecoming. I'm a few chapters in. Good stuff, by the way.

Thank you so much I hope you keep enjoying Homecoming!

For the most part, I don't spoonfeed my readers; what seems strange on the surface actually makes a lot of sense if you stop and think about it. It's like Amy's undercover role as PA; it makes perfect sense for her to be in that position. She's there to spy on Mason and feed information back about his private correspondence and meetings. As a scientist, she'd have no reason to enter his office and, since she doesn't have a scientific background, she'd most likely be found out very quickly. As Mason's PA, not only can she come and go more or less as she pleases, but reading/writing/filing his private correspondence and information about meetings is her job, meaning GenTech is effectively paying her to spy on them

[maxiphemmax]

This was a questioning move. It might be they want to see the interaction between both projects. However, kalin being human is bound to have spree movements of his emotion which Tau couldn't.

[a_r_egerton]

I was also initially baffled by the decision to put Kata and Tau in the same room - until I remembered how new Projects are. Even a big facility like GenTech would have only one or two cells designed to hold Projects. Their only choices were either Tau's cell or Epsilon's cell -- and Epsilon is a homicidal lunatic. He would have quickly killed Kalin, which would have defeated the purpose of making him a Project.

[Lea_Henderson]

I thought this was interesting too and initially thought it might just have been a means to make the plot work - how better than to make Tau Kata's ally than to bunk them together?
But there are also a bunch of other possible reasons, many of which have already been stated, including how little the scientists thought of Tau and Kata's intelligence. Also, Kata's acquisition was very sudden and Mason not very smart, so the scientists likely didn't consider that it would be an issue.
Also, the lab is mentioned several times as being low on money, as struggling to survive and to fund research. So maybe they really do have a very limited number of rooms build to enclose someone who could slice through metal with their claws!
They certainly paid for their complacency...