The Expanding Universe

by Craig Martelle

  "And they won’t. These calculations are just not realistic. You won’t find a successful test without stepping over that line.”

  “Then what am I missing?” Aaron asked.

  Mr. Allen smiled.

  “You are a brilliant young man, Aaron. Don't throw it away for some manifested idea that will compromise your morals to make it work."

  "Sir.... I need this tenure." Aaron felt his voice crack. "The university prizes innovation. I...." He faltered.

  The silence hung in the air for a moment.

  "Good Luck, Mr. Walters, I hope you find what you’re looking for."

  Aaron watched numbly as Allen shifted his bag up on his shoulder and brushed passed him.

  Chapter 4

  The city transit station was far from being the most comfortable thing to grace the streets of New Ark, but it was certainly a faster mode of transportation than walking. The tri-city area covered roughly an eight hundred kilometer range. Built and reformed over the ruins of what the old world had called New York, the city was one of the few reinstated after the complete deterioration of the old world order centuries before. In some parts of the city the old world veneer definitely showed.

  The stations, however, were well-kept and managed. All of them had been designed for transparency. Shatter resistant glass made up the roofing systems that kept the frequent rains and snowfall from the waiting public, but the frame design was solid metal. Chrome, titanium... steel…

  Hard.

  Unyielding.

  Like most everything else in life.

  Aaron brushed away the water that had come into contact with his hair. The simple act spiked the short auburn strands. He watched as the rain slashed gently against the cold concrete. The flat gray color of the buildings, the shine of the metallic designs, mixed with the neon lights to present a surreal feeling. The intended purpose was to appear clean.

  Polished to perfection,

  But for Aaron the atmosphere held something else, something bittersweet.

  He experienced it every time he allowed his mind to quiet. To really look at the world humanity had created.

  Most of the time he pushed it away, this time he welcomed the feeling.

  It was better than realizing that his entire future had been turned on its head.

  Being a Professor at SCS had been everything he had ever worked for. The field of genetics was a competitive one, with the regulatory restrictions placed by the NSTA, there were only a handful of companies that would need a genetics tech, and most would hold on to them for years if they found the right person. But to land a teaching job with the university would have offered him an excellent compensation, as well as access to funding for his own projects. That had been his real goal. Most companies restricted funding. They needed the cash flow for their own projects, but the university had always been more lenient. They encouraged their professors to expand, to broaden humanity’s horizons.

  If anything, his goal was a bit grand in stature, but it was still his goal. He knew what he really wanted. He wanted to have a hand in fixing the broken systems that humanity lived with day after day.

  His eyes brushed over the other occupants of the transit station. An older woman with a small child, a few teens, and a much older man, all sat in quiet reserve. Almost as if they too realized that life could be so much more, but somehow were unaware of how to reach it. Possibly not even knowing what it was.

  Then again... that could just be his outlook. His views and ideas were different than that of the general public. Most people who were forced to rely on the City Trans were those well under the poverty level. Perhaps, that was the reason for the appearance of broken dispositions.

  The sharp ring echoed through the dead air of the Trans station. Pairs of dull, lack-luster eyes, turned to look at him and he realized almost instantly that the sound came from his Call Com.

  Aaron drew the small, thin lined, technology from his pocket and quickly silenced the sound. Thankful when he stole a glance upward that he had lost the attention of the gathered Trans riders. Breathing a sigh of relief, he stared in confusion at the Call ID.

  GenisCorp LLC,

  The image presented was a company logo. A replication of a blue neon globe covered with matching blue lines as if every corner of the world were connected through some sort of energy conduit.

  He pulled the ear piece, a small device not much bigger than a button, from the Call Com and placed it in his ear before sliding his finger across the accept button.

  "Call connected." The automated male voice chimed.

  The image flicked to a young woman. She wore a dark feminine business suit with her raven black hair pulled back into a neat, sharp, well-groomed bun. Heavy black lashes framed serious dark blue eyes. Her light skin seemed pale against all the dark colors. The thing that really ruined the image though was the sharp, emotionless features.

  "Aaron Tray Walters?" Her tone was clipped and all business.

  "Yes." He answered. "And you are?"

  "My name is Abigail Mills. I am contacting you on behalf of my employer. We have an offer that we feel may intrigue you."

  Aaron watched the screen, simply attempting to battle his confusion as he listened. It must have shown on his face.

  "Please pay attention as I will only give this information out once. My employer represents a large corporation. We are in the middle of a unique project and realize we need to add an exceptional geneticist to our team. Due to your unprecedented work on your final thesis you have certainly demonstrated your understanding of DNA mirror imaging. As a result, our founder would like to invite you to join our team here at GenisCorp Labs. Should you decide to accept, your annual income will more than triple your current stipend at SCS University. You will have access to our state-of-the-art labs and optional funding for personal projects after six months of continued employment."

  The more she spoke, the wider Aaron's eyes opened. He half expected to discover the entire call was just an illusion to sooth the fact that his future had crashed and burned.

  "GenisCorp is a company that prides themselves on taking in inspiring, creative minds and our efforts focus on projects that make a difference. We change the world, Mr. Walters. Are you willing to change it with us?"

  Aaron felt his hands shaking as he stared at the screen. He was so lost in thought he almost didn’t notice the Trans arrival.

  "Mr. Walters?"

  "Count me in."

  Chapter 5

  Aaron could hardly contain the pure wonder pouring off of him. He had been impressed with the SCS campus labs, but nothing could have prepared him to experience the sight of GenisCorp. It had taken several agonizingly long days to ensure all the proper paperwork was in place, but now Aaron Walters was officially a member of the GenisCorp team.

  He had been astounded at the amount of tight security. His new clearance had been issued before he arrived; he hadn’t expected the first security pass to be any harder than swiping a badge. He had been wrong.

  The small reception area reserved for clients and business partners seemed to echo the overall GenisCorp design. In sharp contrast to most muted corporate choices, the labs had chosen a different motif. The most obvious choices being white or ivory with hues of green and brown in the form of tastefully placed vegetation, beautifully done works of art with vibrant colors added character to the walls. Comfortable, aesthetically pleasing chairs were arranged in the reception area to give it more of a lounge appearance than that of a waiting room. After a rough half hour of waiting, Aaron turned to the sound of the inner door opening.

  Abigail Mills stood in the doorway; her eyes leveled on him.

  "Welcome to GenisCorp, Mr. Walters."

  She didn’t wait for his response. Her heels clicked lightly as she turned away, apparently expecting him to keep up.

  "As I am sure you will remember from your information packet, the project is anticipated to last for the next six to twelve months. For security purposes, you will be
required to stay on site and enjoy GenisCorp hospitality." Abigail began stiffly, as she guided him down the interior hallway.

  Aaron nodded. After realizing how irrelevant the action was when combined with the fact that she was walking ahead of him, he quickly resolved with a verbal confirmation.

  "You will be sent your arrangements for living space to the company provided Call Com that you received with your security pass."

  Aaron hurried to keep up as she made a quick turn down a set of forked corridors.

  "Furthermore, GenisCorp would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the documents you signed giving us full control of your work including any projects done with GenisCorp funding. The only exceptions are the discretionary funds that will become available to you after your term of employment.”

  "We expect you to keep in mind at all times that you did sign a non-disclosure agreement. This is a legally binding document and will restrict your ability to discuss the project with anyone outside of the employ of GenisCorp."

  Aaron had signed every stitch of documentation in the agreement. He expected the company would take their contracts seriously, but something about the way Abigail spoke made him a bit restless.

  "Security levels are assigned based on rank. You will not have full access to the system. If your work requires you to perform a higher security task, then you will need to clear it through an appropriate security level holder."

  "Interesting… why so much confidentiality?" Aaron asked without thinking.

  "As I stated before, GenisCorp is a company that prides themselves on changing the way the world interacts with itself. Some of these things are not generally understood by the public. Thus, we protect ourselves and our people from others willing to destroy what we work for."

  Aaron fell silent. He wasn't expecting the answer to make that much sense. It was a situation he felt he could relate to.

  The hallway ended abruptly; or rather it cut off sharply into a new one that half circled what appeared to be a monstrous column.

  Abigail suddenly halted in front of what first appeared to be the column wall. Yet under scrutiny, Aaron could see the thin lines that revealed a pair of sliding doors. Without effort Abigail swiped her badge along the card reader and proceeded without waiting.

  "This is the Security Tower." She said.

  Slim-lined surveillance monitors lined the ceiling. Rows of high-tech computers skirted the outline of the circular room, silently working to capture information and run the large corporation that was GenisCorp.

  "Wow," Aaron muttered light-heartedly, "You could rule the world from here."

  "Almost; all in all there are about three hundred servers connected to this lab alone."

  Aaron about jumped out of his skin when the unfamiliar voice took him by surprise. He glanced around until he found a half-hidden figure posted up in front of the control panel. Unlike most of the others, people Aaron had met in lab coats or business dress, this guy could have walked out of this office and fit right in with modern fashion. Old denim and a baggy long sleeved blue shirt offset his blond hair and sea colored eyes.

  "This is Carl Dolton. He is our cyber security tech." Abigail offered in the introduction.

  Carl tipped a finger in the air in greeting without breaking his concentration.

  As he did, Aaron caught site of a barcode tattooed on his wrist. It was an unmistakable mark on the streets.

  "You’re…a hacker." He said with a knowing look.

  Carl glanced over with an interested, caught-off-guard vibe, cemented to his features.

  "Old life," Carl admitted. “It was either work here… or go to prison.”

  "What were you up for?" Aaron asked.

  Carl grinned at the irony.

  "National security breach,"

  "We thought his talents could be put to better use," Abigail said.

  No sooner had she spoke when the private lab door, opposite of their entrance, hissed open to reveal an older man with wire-rimmed glasses and an austere set of features.

  "Ah… Professor Newman, founder, and proprietor of GenisCorp as well as the spearhead for the current project." Abigail said sliding to the side.

  "Mr. Walters!" He toned. "I have heard a great many things about your work."

  "I wish I could say the same, sir," Aaron answered, as the two clasped hands.

  "I have a certain affinity for privacy, Mr. Walters. I'm sure you will come to appreciate the same after spending some time with us."

  He glanced over at Abigail before turning his attention back to Aaron.

  "Welcome to the Gemini Project."

  Chapter 6

  "The Gemini Project has been the centerpiece of this organization for the last several months. Although only a select portion of our team is aware of the project at all.”

  Unlike Abigail, Newman walked at a meandering pace. His hands tucked behind his back; he frequently turned to look at Aaron while they talked.

  "We were contracted by a very high profile client. We were given the outline for the project and our team have been hard at work ever since." Newman explained.

  "So what exactly is the project?" Aaron asked. He found himself to be a bit more comfortable around the old man for some reason.

  The old man glanced at him with a twinkle in his eye.

  "Why don't you see for yourself?"

  Aaron felt his jaw unhinge for a moment as the high-tech lab opened up. A handful of college-aged students moved around the lab like a well-oiled machine. The only odd thing seemed to be the dim neon lighting.

  "This..." Newman said, "Is the pinnacle of the project."

  Aaron soaked it in as Newman trailed his hand in display.

  His eyes caught sight of a large incubation tank and for a moment his brow furrowed. Inside was a woman; about his age. Curves swept along her body in perfect proportions. Long silvery strands of hair framed her face.

  "You mean her...?"

  "Yes," Newman answered with a chuckle.

  "What is she?" Aaron asked moving slowly forward.

  "She is the Artificial Y Life Infrastructure. However, the staff has come to know her as Aylin."

  "Aylin…" He repeated.

  "She is made completely from biological material. She is as much a human as you and me, but with one key difference. She is a complete shell, a host if you will; we intend to integrate a particular strand of DNA into her molecular structure."

  "I’m guessing a Y strand," Aaron muttered.

  "You are brilliant, Mr. Walters," Newman said evenly.

  Aaron glanced at him to scan for a clue of sincerity or sarcasm. He came up empty handed.

  "A male donor was a purposeful choice, of course. But, so far, my staff has had better luck making pigs fly."

  "So that’s why you need me."

  "Precisely," Newman chirped.

  Aaron ran his hand over the glass.

  "Who will she be when she is complete?" He asked

  "Now that would be telling, Mr. Walters," Newman said with a light chuckle.

  "Suffice it to say, that our client has envisioned a grand future. This project…this woman… will do great things."

  Aaron pried his eyes away from the glass.

  "I can’t," Aaron said quietly.

  He met Newman’s gaze.

  "My theories are… incomplete. I haven’t been any more successful than your team. There has been some doubt that it can be done within the realms of moral science and regulations."

  "Moral science is simply a term Mr. Walters. It cannot be determined by numbers or restrictions. It is the outcome that determines such a title. In addition, your test scores were next to perfect. Your theories may well be the last hope this project has." Newman explained.

  "I told you, Professor."

  Aaron glanced up at the new arrival. A clean cut man, no older than his early thirties appeared beside the professor; the white lab coat marked him as a tech, but Aaron wasn’t convinced.

  "Mr. Andell i
s the coordinator for the Gemini Project," Newman noted lightly.

  Tension sparked as the two shook hands. No words were spoken, but Aaron was fairly sure this was not going to be a smooth transition.

  "I’m sure Mr. Walters will be a valuable asset to the team. After all, he has already signed an employment agreement."

  The hydraulic hiss of the doors caught his attention but not before Aaron caught the stern look over the wire-rimmed glasses that accompanied the words.

  "Can we get the lights turned down by at least six percent, please?"

  The clear bell-like voice, mixed with the appearance, stopped him in his tracks. The speaker was a woman. Deep red hair pulled back away from her face, and dark green eyes stood out against the white lab coat.

  "Please remember the host is still at a delicate stage." The woman said out loud as she moved to check over the shoulders of a few techs, "As a result, any over exposure to LED could be damaging in this state."

  Aaron couldn’t help but track her movement with his gaze as she finished her equipment check and made her way to the professor’s side.

  "Right on schedule; Mr. Walters.... Miss Brighton, she is our life and biology expert. You will be working closely with both her and Mr. Andell in finalizing the project."

  "Well... then," Aaron muttered. "I suppose the gang's all here, when do we start?"

  Chapter 7

  A frustrated sigh escaped him. Aaron pushed himself up on his feet, running his hand over his tired eyes. It had been nearly five months since he had joined the project. Nothing, not a single test, had produced results.

  His vision returned to the holographic DNA image that danced over the modification table in the lab. DNA modification was a microscopic event; the modification table enlarged the process and allowed the tech to make alterations at an acceptable size. Once finished, microscopic arms would transfer the work from the concept designed into a finished strand. The issue was on an entirely different level.

  The general DNA strand, a double helix as it was called, resided as a base for every ounce of genetic work he had ever seen.