Thank you. I can see that it feels tacked on. In the original draft, the scientist was approached by a sketchy little traveling snake oil salesman, selling genetech that was "close enough" to the protectorate Prime Battle Brothers mods. And no one cared to look further into it becusse they were so desperate. I had to cut that whole character and angle for length. But that let me at least save the Matriarch reveal for the end. So over all I'm happy with it.
In other words... close enough.