Ends and Beginnings
Jason Hamilton
An Argoverse Novelette
Copyright © 2018 by Jason Hamilton
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Jason Hamilton
www.jasonleehamilton.com
Story Hobby Media
www.storyhobbymedia.com
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Contents
Ends and Beginnings
About the Author
Ends and Beginnings
Adam burst into the room where Eve was sitting. She jumped then kicked herself for not being used to it by now. She could tell by the excited look on Adam's face that this time it was something important. Their apartment was small (it had to be on a moon-ship), and they didn't have many possessions. But now it seemed that her husband filled the room with pure excitement. Suppressing a smile she closed her book and stood up. Her husband bounded toward her with his, I-have-to-tell-you-something-life-changing look on his face. She kissed him gently, content that he would be so eager to tell her whatever it was that seemed so important to him.Adam was a tall man in his early-thirties. His face sported several wrinkles that suggested excessive smiling. His sandy hair was currently somewhat disheveled in his haste to get home, and he was somewhat out of breath.
Observing him she said, “Slow down. What happened this time, have you finally found the scientific proof to explain why I love you?”
He blinked, then laughed. “You knew I had something to say didn't you?” He said finally.
She couldn't help but giggle. “It's a bit obvious.” she said, then, noticing that he wouldn't be able to hold it in much longer, added, “So go on, tell me.”
Relieved, he began, “The Lab has discovered an unknown tissue in the brain, like a system of veins throughout the sensory data receptors.”
Now it was her turn to blink. She wasn't a scientist, but she knew enough to detect something out of the ordinary. They were members of the Aldar, the most advanced civilization in the galaxy. They could bend space, transport molecules, and they were only now discovering a simple anomalous brain tissue? But then again, even the Aldar continually discovered new things. It seemed like the more you knew, the more questions you had. Answer one of those questions and ask three more. She was a journalist, so she knew exactly how it felt to have questions.
The idea stirred a deep curiosity in her. Such a breakthrough thrilled her. She would probably be able to cover the story too! But...she wasn't sure this was the real reason she felt so excited. Does this have anything to do with my recent mental...anomalies? She pushed the thought away.
“Why has it remained undiscovered so long?”
“The veins are small, only one cell thick, and they are almost identical to other neurons. We sort of stumbled across them by accident. I'm going back in a few minutes to perform a more thorough analysis.”
She sighed. There he goes again. She wouldn't let him go that easily though.
“Not so fast.” she said with a knowing smile. “I've got my own surprise for you. It's another scientific phenomenon.” She put a hand on her belly for emphasis.
He stared at her for a moment. Then realization showed in his face and his eyes widened.
“So...you mean...really!” was all he could manage.
She snuggled up to him. “I'm due in eight months.”
Adam whooped and swung her in his arms. Then realizing what he was doing he hastily set her down, like a porcelain tea cup.
“I'm sorry. Do you need anything, like...uh food, dinner...why are you still standing. Sit down.”
She pushed him back. “I'm fine. No need to fuss. You go on and do your thing. I'll have dinner ready when you get back.”
He shook his head with a smile. “Uh-uh, this calls for a celebration and I don't want you anywhere near the kitchen. That's going to be my job as soon as I finish my work. I even have a fresh shipment of meat from one of the planets in this system, some kind of large animal with long tusks. S144-3 is the planet's designation, I think. You just sit quiet and enjoy yourself. I won't be long.”
“Adam.” He paused mid-step. “Do you think I could do a write up on your project. I mean, it could be important for...you know.”
He paused, “I don't think it's a good time. To be honest, the council itself is involved in this one and, until we know more, they don’t want us telling anyone about it yet. I only told you because you’re my wife.”
“I’m flattered!” She smiled, but hid her disappointment. Ignoring it, she watched as he sped out of the room without another word. She stared after him. Stars, she loved that man. Loved how he would get so excited about his work, but still found time to spend with her and support her goals as well...most of the time. He always said that he had been lucky to marry her, but she knew better.
* * *
Kalil walked down the ship's metal corridor towards the dormitories to see Adam practically skipping towards him. Black suns, but that man is transparent. Adam spotted him.
“Kal! I'm going to be a father!” and barreled into Kalil with a rib cracking hug.
Sputtering Kalil patted him on the back. “That's...great Adam.”
Adam let go of him and the two stared at each other not exactly knowing what to say. Finally it was Adam that broke the silence.
“What are you doing here, Kal? Shouldn't you be with the council?”
Kal suppressed a grimace, “Actually they sent me to find you. They want a report on your discovery by seven-hundred hours tomorrow.”
Adam was silent then with a low voice he said, “But I'll need more time. I don't think I can have a full analysis done by then. We don't even know what we're working with. And besides, I promised my wife dinner tonight.”
Kalil hated putting him through this, hated that the council had made him do it, but the council's word could not be excused. Sometimes he wished otherwise.
“I'm sorry Adam. Try to get it done early. I'll send some other scientists to help if you like. You'll be done in time for your wife.”
Adam looked him in the eyes, then grinned, “No need for the others, Kal, you think I want someone else to take the glory.” Then the twinkle in his eye was lost, and he spoke as serious as Kalil had ever seen him. “This is not something that should be made public, not yet. Some of the possible implications of this discovery are...controversial. I'll explain tomorrow.”
Kalil stood with a hand on his chin for a moment then slapped Adam on the back. “Until tomorrow then.”
Adam only nodded and turned toward the science deck.
“And Adam.”
“Yes”
“Congratulations. For you and your wife.”
Adam smiled then, the cool and appreciative smile of a dear friend. “Thank you, Kal.” Then he turned and sped up the passageway.
Kalil stood there watching him go. Controversial. He sniffed. If only Adam knew how true that was. As he returned to the council deck he found himself worried for Adam's safety. Why would he feel like that? What could happen that would put Adam or his family in danger? Confused and a little upset, Kalil marched back to report to the council, hoping that it would all be over soon.
* * *
Adam continued down the hallway thinking absently about Kalil. The man had seemed a bit.
..apprehensive. Odd. As he moved towards the science deck he found his thoughts straying to his wife and unborn child. Would it be a boy or a girl? He hoped for a boy of course, someone to guide and shape in his own image. All at once the significance of this hit him. They were going to have a child! What would they call it? Would it be a scientist like his dad, a journalist like his mother, or something else entirely? Questions flooded his mind and he pushed them out of his mind and tried to focus.
Within moments, he found himself at the door to his lab. He’d have to work fast to return in time for dinner. He walked through the door and began his preparations, setting up his equipment and the selected samples. His hands moved automatically as if he had done this thousands of times before, which he might have at that.
Still thinking of Eve he allowed himself a smile. She was still everything she had been when he had first seen her. They had met a little over a year ago on this very ship. While Adam had been skeptical of love at first sight, he wasn’t so sure now. They had bumped into each other on the market deck. He had been trying to select some new clothes, something for which he had no taste. She had observed and offered her opinion. Then one thing led to another and they spent almost an hour talking. It was only a few months later that they were engaged. But it hadn't helped that the two of them were exact opposites of each other, at least in first appearances. He was a scientist specializing in micro-biology, and she was a writer for the local news. None of their friends had been able to see the connection, but their careers said little of their personality and so far they had made it work.
Turning his attention back to his equipment he focused on the tissue sample. This sample had come from a cadaver several years old. It had been preserved and maintained in an active state. The activity allowed the brain to function, continuing cell replication and electrical impulses. The machine acted as a human body, fooling the brain into thinking it was still alive, even though it wasn't.
The samples they had collected varied. Adam had tested himself and found the same tissue, more of it even. On a hunch Adam had tested some well-preserved cadavers from several hundred years ago and found nothing. Well, that wasn't exactly true. He had found a few cellular anomalies which could imply evolutionary growth. It would explain a few things.
Turning, Adam looked into the microanalysis scope. As he observed he hummed to himself; a tune he had picked up from the natives of another system and found his thoughts drifting to Eve again. He shook his head and tried to concentrate on the scope. Everything looked normal. A basic neuron anatomy, with electrical potential energy, but it wasn't doing anything. That puzzled him. There seemed to be no particular reason why the cells should remain inactive. The only proteins it created were for maintaining the cell and they had no interaction with the rest of the body. Shrugging, he proceeded with a standard DNA analysis. Maybe that would clarify the problem, though he doubted it. DNA was the same in any region of the body, and this wouldn't be any different. Still, it paid to be thorough. When the analysis was complete he took another look at the results. And froze.
He ran the analysis again with the same results. That wasn't right. The cells had fifty-eight chromosomes. That was impossible! No cell had more than forty-six. He checked the gene count for each chromosome, but they appeared normal. What was going on? How could their species suddenly have twelve new chromosomes? That just didn't happen. Could it be evolution? Checking the rest of the brain he discovered that it held the standard forty-six. So only the mystery tissue has the extra chromosomes. Standing up he walked around the room aimlessly, as if he needed to do something and had forgotten what. All thoughts of family were gone now, lost in the importance of this new discover. He sat down again and got to work.
He worked well into the night. Several hours after first arriving he sent a hasty note to Eve informing her of his problem. He wouldn't be home tonight, and she shouldn't wait up for him. He felt a stab of guilt as he sent the message. He'd have to make her dinner tomorrow, and maybe the rest of the week. He shouldn't have made any promises with an experiment like this on his table.
Some time later he had made very little progress. All he knew was that the tissue was inactive, served no visible function, and that he was tired beyond reasoning. He checked the chronometer and realized that it was nearly two hours past midnight. What was he missing? He sat back and thought about it for a moment.
The sample didn't do anything. It didn't produce proteins, nor did it interact. Viruses and harmful bacteria had little effect on them, in fact they had been repelled for no reason. That told him something though. The cells somehow had a way of repelling invaders. Yet it was some unseen force. Perhaps the cells had some electromagnetic charge. He sat up straight and wondered. If the cells hadn't existed several hundred years ago then the evolutionary change was progressing at an alarming rate. Maybe it hadn't finished yet, and that was why the tissue remained dormant.
He decided to perform one last experiment and then call it a night. The council wouldn't have much of a report tomorrow. Pulling out an electro-stimulator, he began running controlled currents through the tissue sample. Then he checked the monitor.
Nothing happened.
Adjusting the flow, he tried it again. This time he used a stronger burst.
Nothing. But. The tissue appeared unaffected; completely unaffected. That wasn't normal. It should have – at the very least – caused some minor tissue damage.
He ran his hand through his hair in frustration and adjusted the flow again to include a damaging dose of electricity. A dose that large might burn the sample and render it useless. But it was the only thing he could think of. He ran the flow and watched the monitor.
Something happened. He moved his chair closer to the monitor to see. It showed protein creation in several of the cells. Tapping a few keys he focused on the chromosomes. Squinting he realized that only one chromosome was producing proteins, one of the twelve.
He observed the cells for a few minutes then gave it up. Nothing exciting was happening. He would have to run an analysis on the individual genes in the chromosome before coming to any conclusions. But that would take weeks and he didn't have that kind of time.
There was only one way to find out what was happening. There appeared to be no negative side effects of the stimulation, so this should work. Without another thought he took out the electro-stimulator and settled it over his own head.
* * *
Kalil sat in his office observing Adam through the security cameras. He hated having to spy on his friend like this, but orders were orders. He needed a vacation, soon. The other members of the council were beginning to get on his nerves.
Suddenly he noticed what Adam was doing. He was placing the electro-stimulator on his head! Kalil almost stood up to stop him, but he paused. Theoretically, there was nothing wrong with what Adam was attempting. The electricity was well controlled and wouldn't cause any neural damage. It was the idea of stimulating the tissue that set Kalil on edge. He wasn't sure what that would do, and he guessed, neither did Adam. Kalil had seen what happened to the tissue sample and he didn't know what to make of it.
Adam turned the Stim on and shivered from the electromagnetism. Kalil shivered too, but for different reasons. Peering at the results, anxiety nearly overtook him. Again the monitor showed increased activity in the twelfth chromosome. Kalil was still having trouble comprehending that. As the science representative on the council, he was the one everyone came to with their discoveries. But he had never seen anything like twelve extra human chromosomes, and in only one part of the body. The implications of that were enormous. He didn't even know where to start.
He focused his attention on Adam, trying to make sense of his reactions. He didn't seem any different, however, he seemed...disappointed. Had he expected more? Kalil glanced one more time at the lab results to confirm that nothing else had happened. Nothing had. The interaction with other cells remained minimal. Only one chromosome was active.
Adam turn
ed off the equipment as well as the lights, and headed out the door. He didn't even bother to put everything away. Must be tired, Kalil thought. Glad for the break he shut his own equipment off and headed for bed. Nothing happened he kept telling himself nothing happened. But something had happened. The proteins had started replicating. They didn't know what that did, but even so. He was not looking forward to the meeting tomorrow. Cursing himself again for playing the spy and cursing the council for making him their pawn, he changed and settled himself in bed. It was a while before he fell asleep.
* * *
Adam returned home late that night. Eve was already asleep. He would have to apologize for not making dinner and make it up to her the next day.
Falling asleep that night was perhaps the hardest thing he had ever done, but in the end his fatigue overtook him.
The next day he woke to see that Eve had left. It sounded like she was preparing breakfast.
Some husband I am, he thought with a grimace. His wife was pregnant and he was still letting her do the chores in addition to missing dinner last night. He got up, and walked over to the kitchen. Standing in the doorway he watched her for a moment.
“Have a nice sleep?” she said without turning around. How did she do that? He managed to mumble something half intelligible and stood there uncomfortable. Finally she turned.
He tried to say, 'I'm sorry' or something like it, but the words didn't come. Shifting his feet he looked at her, embarrassed. Then she moved toward him and wrapped him in a big hug. Relief flooded through him and he hugged her back.
“Don't worry about last night.” she replied to his unspoken apology.
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