"I've been taking time to read up on your papers, your work and studied on the topics. I heard your and Burt's conversati0ns on gravity unification with electromagnetism, how it's necessary to cross into the fifth dimension, and wanted to understand it."
"You are certainly smart enough to read up and become educated on a topic, but you don't just have the knowledge. In there, you had a proficiency with the knowledge, confidence with what you were saying, and such a deep applicable understanding that you even spontaneously came up with an experiment I should have thought of, but didn't."
"What can I say, Walter? I'm a quick learner and...," looking into Walter's eyes that don't believe her explanation, Dr. Black gives in, "I may have used the telepathic implant headsets you created to gain that knowledge."
"That explains everything, but why? Mr. Nix forbade the staff from using it."
"He did. I tried evaluating the intermeshed organic-inorganic sample I had, but I didn't possess the knowledge necessary to understand what I was dealing with."
"Why didn't you ask me for help?"
"Because you needed to put all your efforts in what you were doing: creating a data receiver and transmitter that could traverse time. You can't look me in the eye and tell me you could have finished the blueprints while distracted by helping me."
Walter looks at her, but says nothing.
Dr. Black continues, "I could never solve the problems in front of me with my limitations. Failure was in my future. I saw it. There was no meaningful contribution from my research on how to fight back against the Greys. I couldn't accept it. I was having a breakdown, dreaming again and again about you and me facing death, and I did nothing nor could I do anything to help us. Using the implant headset, I gained the knowledge of all your work, the fundamentals of physics and quantum mechanics, and you saw in there what I can do. I'm sorry, but I am doing the only thing I can to avoid failure."
"Well, I can't be angry with you. I've been wanting to test it on intelligent individuals. I understand your desire to succeed. You showed that you retained the knowledge and possess a capacity to utilize it. That experiment in there has me thinking in new ways. But I have concerns. Has the use of the headset and implantation affected you in any way, other than giving knowledge?"
"I don't think so. There were moments I was getting angrier and became short-tempered this past month, but I cannot say if that is from the headset, or just dealing with the stress and anxiety of the Greys trying to destroy humanity."
"I see. To be sure, could you do me a favor and get a scan of your brain, then forward it to me? And since you are the most qualified to interpret a brain scan, could you include your notes? Not that I think anything is wrong, but if we take an occasional scan, we can make sure you are healthy, that the device hasn't harmed you, and so I can collect the data I need to prove the device is safe for our scientists to use. With your scans, I could convince Nemolopolus to allow his staff to use the telepathic headsets for data implantation, making data sent back from the future instantly accessible and useable."
"Thank you, Walter. For understanding and being here to talk with me. You are the only person I trust my life with right now."
"I won't let you down, Dr. Black. Go catch up with the captain. I'll finish here getting the transmitter ready for deployment."
Unexpectedly, Dr. Black gives Walter a kiss on the cheek, then leaves the room to join Captain Nemolopolus. Smiling, Walter touches his cheek, enjoying the affection before returning to the task at hand.
The Yin of Ying
Chapter 32
Engine Room, The Barge.
Dr. Black follows Captain Nemolopolus deep into the bowels of the Barge. The hallways and doors show no style or finesse, just layers of tungsten carbide alloy. Pipes and conduits line the walls, journeying to a more industrial section of the ship. The doors are heavy, solid, with wheel locks resembling those of a submarine to close off flooding rooms. Passing crew in gray uniforms monitoring ship engines, they come across scientists in light blue surgical garbs, hats, masks and gloves who are leaving the room. A scientist hands the same light blue outfitting to Captain Nemolopolus and Dr. Black, who put it on to cover their bodies, mouths and hands before continuing deeper into the engine room.
Dr. Black sees portable tables holding medical equipment and drugs. Two untapped oxygen tanks sit next to a tall stand holding unused intravenous drips tucked in a large nook.
"Dr. Black, I want you to remain calm, and keep an open mind," says Captain Nemolopolus in a preparing tone.
"Your prepping makes me nervous."
As she rounds the corner, Dr. Black sees a creature that causes her to pause. It's a massive being, eight feet tall, shoulders half as wide. Very muscular, with huge chest pectorals and long arms. Its legs are short and stocky yet powerful. The creature's full mass must weigh over five hundred pounds. Upon a stout neck is a huge head resembling a Grey head, with an enormous cranium and black eyes. However, it bears a few features that cause it to looks of Asiatic origin in the lips, nose, brow and cheekbones. The jaw is low and heavy. Dr. Black's first thoughts are its biological characteristics appear part human, part Grey, with the body strength and proportioning of a gorilla. It appears sick. An oxygen mask covers its mouth as it labors breathing. Large bandages cover its arms and legs, stained with blood and puss seeping through. Rash red skin extends beyond the edges of the bandages.
The creature is awake and staring at Dr. Black and Captain Nemolopolus. His body rests on a metal welded framework supporting two mattresses bent into an inclined position. An IV sticks in his arm. The remnants from a huge meal of simple cut vegetables and meat sits on the side.
"Dr. Black, meet Ying. Ying, this is Dr. Black."
Dr. Black hears inside her head "Dr. Black, an honor to meet you."
"What the hell...did you hear that? Or am I hearing things?" asks the surprised Dr. Black.
"Actually, you didn't hear anything, but you understood him. Ying has the telepathic skills of a Grey. When Ying telepathizes thought to you inside your head, respond to him vocally as if you are having a verbal conversation, because he can't read your mind," explains Captain Nemolopolus.
"Dr. Black, my appearance may surprise you, but do not fear. I am a scientist," communicates Ying.
"Ying has wanted to meet you for a long time, Dr. Black. He is a big fan of your work transforming humans into hybrid similes," says the captain.
"How does...he...know that?"
"I was the scientist who mapped the hybrid genome from the Grey skin spawns decades ago. My work was the basis of your work. I am a geneticist and not a surgeon," explain the thoughts appearing in Dr. Black's head.
"This is very weird. How did you...what are you? Was this thing a person?" asks Dr. Black, having trouble imagining this beast as a man.
"Dr. Black, please. Ying was formerly Dr. Ying. When he was a young brilliant hotshot geneticist starting with us, he deciphered the hybrid genome. However, his research here, which we supported, was not to create a human hybrid. Ying believed someday if Grey and human confrontation occurred, humans could only defeat the Greys if we had their intellectual power. So, he spent the last twenty years breaking the Grey's genetic code, and how to combine it with human genes. The goal of his research was to take adult humans and put them through a genetic transformation treatment until they became an amalgamation of both," explains Captain Nemolopolus.
Ying interjects into Dr. Black's head, "In time, I realized that if I succeeded, I could only make us equal to the Greys at best. But all things equal, the Greys had the technological tools from a millennium of advanced intellect, and if human intellect and Grey intellect where identical, their tools would be the advantage. Humans needed an advantage to make up for the advanced weapons and devices of the Greys. I decided that advantage must be a physical one, going off the hypotheses that if two Einsteins battle, being intellectual equals, the physically stronger Einstein wins. In addition, the genetic transformation from h
uman to Grey hybrid requires extreme physical toughness and resiliency to survive the painful and taxing mutation. So, I added in the muscular build and bone strength of a Silverback gorilla," communicates Ying.
"That explains everything I see, except why you, Dr. Ying? Was there an accident that caused you to undergo the transformation?" asks Dr. Black.
"No, this was intentional. When I finished the research, I needed to test it on a human subject. It could be deadly to the subject, so my conscience didn't let me test it on an innocent unknowing person or one of the crew. In deadly tests, we use death row prisoners donated from countries who contract with us. But if the test was successful, I would transform a morally corrupt and criminally dangerous person into a hyperintelligent being with super strength. Creating a super criminal was worse than killing a test subject. The only person I could risk my research on was myself. If it killed me, then I die by my own ignorance. If it transformed me, then I would understand what I was becoming, and use this body for its intended purpose: the protection of humanity. Of course, I did not expect to be disabled by illness," telepathizes Ying.
"What is wrong with him? With you?" asks Dr. Black.
A doctor behind a mask responds, "We are unsure. A virus or bacteria or genetic defect? Tests and bloodwork come up clean for viruses. His organs are weakening, but not diseased. We can't even determine if the problem is in his system or on his skin's surface."
"Did x-rays, blood tests and biopsies, I imagine."
The masked doctor replies, "Absolutely. No one has found anything."
Captain Nemolopolus interjects, "That is why we needed you, Dr. Black. Ying is not only a brilliant geneticist but one of our family. No one here, or anywhere, has your medical skills and experience with human genetic alterations. We're hoping you can save and cure him."
"How long has he been in this condition?"
The masked doctor explains, "He started his genetic transformation treatments two months ago. His controlled mutations only took five weeks. His genetic code stabilized, and his transformation was complete, no longer generating mutated cells as a rapid rate and settling on his current physical structure. But Ying began to have breathing problems, and soon his epidermis started to blister and crack, leaving open sores. His body has the regenerative abilities of a Grey, but can't heal as fast as this condition is affecting him. After three weeks, he worsened to this state."
"I will take more blood and biopsies to test, if ok with you two," says Dr. Black.
Dr. Black removes the mask from her mouth.
"Dr. Black, what are you doing? What is affecting him could be harmful or deadly to us!" warns the masked doctor.
"Your fear and lack of knowing isn't improving his condition, Doctor. I have an idea what your body is reacting to, Ying, though I am uncertain of the cause," states Dr. Black.
Dr. Black unwraps the bandage covering his right forearm, exposing the red splotchy skin. Removing the last layer of gauze causes the open wound to bleed and the sores to pus. She goes over to medical equipment on a portable table, grabs a needle, a drug vial, a scalpel and an empty sample vial. Dr. Black fills the needle with the drug and injects it into Ying's arm.
"Anesthetic to kill the pain while I take a skin sample," explains Dr. Black to Ying.
She then uses the scalpel and cuts a small deep skin biopsy from the wound, and scrapes a surface epidermal sample from the wound's edge. After placing the two the samples in individual vials, she caps them. Dr. Black then takes a blood vial and sticks it in a vein at his elbow joint. Once full, she removes it and sets it on the table. She then puts salve on the wound and bandages the arm with fresh gauze.
"I need a complete list of everything he has ingested since this has occurred: food, liquid, pills," orders Dr. Black.
"I'll compile the list myself. What do you think, doctor?" asks the masked doctor.
"I believe he is having a protracted anaphylactic reaction to one or more things," says Dr. Black with certainty.
"What is that?" asks the captain.
"Allergic reaction," telepathizes Ying into their heads.
Dr. Black smiles at Ying, "Correct, Ying. I can't say if what you are experiencing is environmental, dietary, or if the medical treatment you are getting is triggering these reactions. But your labored breathing, swelling, and skin rashes fit an acute anaphylactic reaction, short of going into shock. It also explains why none of you found any bacterial or viral causes, and why no one else in the crew is being affected. I'm sorry this is happening to you, Ying. However, I don't want to give you epinephrine until I can run tests to make sure my diagnosis is correct, and that epinephrine isn't harmful to your new...hybrid...mutated biology."
"Is there anything we can do for him until then?" asks the masked doctor.
"Put him in a microbiologically sterile bubble, keep him on an IV of saline and electrolytes, and don't let him eat anything for the next twenty-four hours."
"Does that include my supplements?" telepathized Ying.
"What supplements?" asks Dr. Black.
"Ying makes his own supplements of vitamins, minerals and herbs to keep his body healthy. He's taken them as long as I've known him," says Captain Nemolopolus
"Yes, it includes that. And give me a list of the ingredients in the supplement when you give me a list of the foods he has eaten. I need to get to a lab and analyze these samples."
Captain replies, "Sure, I'll take you to the lab we set aside for you right away."
"Thank you. Hang in there, Ying. I'll do my best," says Dr. Black, placing her hand on the cheek of his enormous head.
"Thank you, Dr. Black." telepathizes Ying.
Dr. Black puts her samples on a tray and carries them as she follows Captain Nemolopolus out the room.
"Why are you keeping him in the engine room?" asks Dr. Black as they leave Ying.
"With his height and weight, it was the only room big enough for Ying to move around and exercise in when he first transformed. Once he got sick, it was easier to set up a space for him here, than try to move him around the ship," explains Captain Nemolopolus.
"Well, get a team to set up a bubble around him. If something in this room is making him sick, we need to isolate him from it."
"Will do. We need him healthy as soon as possible, Dr. Black. He is the only one who can give us more information on the Greys."
"Because of genetic similarities to them? It seems highly unlikely that his genetics gives him their knowledge."
"It hasn't. But it gave him their intellect. We captured a Grey craft recently. Ying taught himself the Grey language in a day just from studying basic data in the ship. And a pleth0ra of data is on that ship. If he gets well enough to be on his feet and breath without a respirator, he could tell us how the ship works, how to fly it, and information on the Greys and their locations stored in it."
"No offense, Captain, but the patient's health is my concern, not what he can do when better."
"Mine, too. However, his survival could mean our survival."
Dr. Black stops to face Nemolopolus.
"If his survival is so important, why did you let him do that to himself? He can never show himself among humanity again!"
"First, I did not let him. He did that on his own. He is a scientist who made a discovery and had to find out if it worked. I won't lie. He was valuable before, but he is invaluable as who he is."
"You think he's more valuable as a freak! A specimen! Other than an experimental oddity, tell me, what makes him more valuable now?" demands Dr. Black.
"I'll show you," says Captain Nemolopolus as he turns and walks along a small side passage, leading Dr. Black.
"I need to process these samples."
"This will only take a moment. I'll have someone run the samples to your lab."
Captain Nemolopolus grabs a crewman wearing a green uniform passing by the machine room door. "Redrick, could you please take these samples to Ying's bio lab. Thank you." Captain takes the tray from Dr. Black
and hands them to Redrick.
"They'll be waiting for you. Follow me," says the captain, continuing to lead her.
Captain Nemolopolus leads Dr. Black to a small sealed room in the back of the machine room. He opens the heavy alloy door and enters. Dr. Black follows.
Inside are massive power cables connected to a mounted clamp holding a Zeus Box cuboid. Each small side of the box is clamped by polyurethane anchors, with both small square ends touching metal plates welded to connecting rods mounted on turbines, spinning against its surface. A crewman in a gray uniform is inspecting the turbines and making notations on a digital pad.
"This is..." starts the captain.
Dr. Black interrupts, "I've seen that before. The cuboid. It was in videos. They are Grey, right? I remember, we had those in the Grey bunkers. Taken from the Grey crafts. In the footage I saw, the Greys who overtook those bunkers recovered those and took those cuboids with them."
"Walter calls them a Zeus Box. We acquired a leaking one from Walter a couple decades ago, who deduced that it was a perpetual motion power amplifier created from a supersolid. We encased that one with a silicate alloy molecule we created here on the Barge. It was the only thing that kept the remaining superfluid inside from leaking out. We got this one from a Grey craft recovered a few weeks ago and mounted it here. By itself, this Zeus Box provides enough power to run this ship's engines, making our nuclear reactor backup power. It is currently powering every electronic device connected to it, with energy to spare."
"That is amazing, but how does this relate to Ying?" asks Dr. Black
"He built this setup, and that," points Captain Nemolopolus to a cluster of computers interlinked together.
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