by Don Viecelli
Scientists discovered that whenever biochemical machines copy DNA, some of the DNA material on one of the chromosome strands is left off. The strand becomes shorter and shorter until it can no longer be copied. The length of this strand is determined by a person’s genes at birth. The longer the strand, the longer a person lives. This strand of nonsense letters is called telomere and it appears only at the very tip of each end of the chromosome. It is the job of the biochemical telomerase to repair the missing telomere ends in those cells that must continue to divide.
Unfortunately, telomerase is made from many proteins. For most cells, the biochemical proteins that make telomerase are switched off at birth. The biological clock starts ticking. Cells will continue to divide and grow until the telomere strands become too short to replicate and the cells grow old and die.
Ivan knew that the biggest problem up to now was that genetic scientists had not been able to find the mythical genes that make up the complete telomerase code. Thousands of genes in the human genome were involved. Sure, they had found many of the genes, but not all, and they certainly had not found a way to turn the right combination of genes on for any length of time. So far, human life has been prolonged by curing genetic defects, diseases and applying non-genetic solutions such as improvements in medicine, food and the environment. Aging and death had only been delayed, not defeated.
Ivan never expected the breakthrough to happen in his lifetime. When Doctor Leif Johanson had confided in him that he and his daughter had discovered the complete set of “immortality genes”, Ivan knew what must be done. He immediately set plans in motion to gain control of the discovery. It did not matter whose lives he had to destroy. The only thing that mattered to Ivan was that the discovery must belong to him. When Doctor Johanson tried to keep the discovery for himself, Ivan eliminated him. He would do the same to Ingrid and anyone else who resisted his control. Ivan had not achieved the level of power he possessed by letting others interfere with his plans.
Ivan’s attention returned to the present. He turned to Doctor Tanaka as they inspected the lab and said, “Show me take the most recent samples of the drug”.
Doctor Tanaka walked to the end of the first biochemical processing line that was filled with various chemicals, tubes, separation machines and other production apparatus. Approximately twenty biochemical technicians were working in the lab. The process started with human DNA that was broken down to the chromosome level. Thousands of long hidden genes were isolated, extracted and replicated to produce specific amino acids that in turn produced the life enhancing proteins.
It was an agonizingly slow process. Base chemicals were added in a micro-gravity environment to purify and grow the solution. The proteins were slowly synthesized to produce telomerase, only this telomerase was different than that found normally in the body. This telomerase repaired and extended telomere strands in all cells that needed to divide to live. Itresetthe biological clock in all living tissue. And it went one step further. It reversed any damage caused by aging cells. It was truly a modern day miracle, the fountain-of-youth as it were, but there were limits to its efficacy.
It wasn’t a complete cure for old age. And it couldn’t grant human immortality. The drug could reverse the ravages of old age, but the effects were limited. The new telomerase only partially lengthened the telomere strands in each cell, and it took multiple doses at weekly intervals to repair the telomere strands. It was a biochemical process and the effects were not completely understood yet. It would take many more years of scientific study to understand its effects and how to improve the process. But it was still a giant leap forward in the revolutionary chain of discovery and it would have a profound effect on human development. Life would be affected in unimaginable ways. No one knew where it would lead or what it would do to the human genome, or even how DNA itself would adapt or change. Life is still a mystery, thought Ivan.
At the end of the production line, the final solution floated out a tube one drop at a time into a clear glass beaker. The purified liquid was deep blue in color and had a mild viscosity, very similar to pure distilled water. It was odorless and tasteless. It could be swallowed as a liquid or injected directly into the bloodstream. Only the dose mattered. Too little would have no effect and too much would not speed up the regenerative process. The drug simply went to work to stimulate long dormant genes in each cell to begin to replicate at a normal pace again.
Ivan watched in fascination as the blue liquid was forced into the beaker. He knew, better than anyone alive, the power of this drug and how much it was worth to human kind. If only I could make more of the drug, he thought, I would become the richest man in the solar system!
“Has this batch been tested yet?”
“Yes, the results are over here.” Doctor Tanaka stepped over to the computer and requested the results from the last sample tested recently. The image filled the monitor screen. Ivan looked at the results. In the test, a single drop of the drug was placed in a petri dish of living cells that contained shortened telomere. Within minutes the cells began to repair the telomere strands and the cells began to divide over and over again filling the dish. The miracle of life was shown in living color.
“Has anyone else found a way to speed up the process?” Doctor Tanaka asked. He assumed that other SpaceMed researchers were working on the problem. He didn’t even know who invented the formula. Ivan had told him it was a SpaceMed discovery.
“Not yet. But soon, Doctor, I will have it. We’ll be able to mass-produce the drug. Then I will build a large manufacturing plant and you will manage it for me.”
Doctor Tanaka looked pleased. He wanted to try the drug himself, but he knew Ivan would never permit it until they found a faster method to produce the drug. They were working very hard to discover it, but he knew it would not be easy.
“I’ll take the latest vials and lock them in the safe. I’m planning to stay on the space lab for a while. We’ll talk more later, Doctor,” Ivan said and departed.
Ivan picked up two vials that were ready to be locked away. They were coded with the date and unit numbers. He carried them back to his office and unlocked the safe where the drugs were kept. There were twenty-eight vials of the drug inside the safe. He placed one vial inside with the rest. He kept the second vial and walked over to his desk and sat down. He had to think.
Ivan knew the authorities were on to him. They couldn’t prove anything yet because Ivan was always a step or two ahead of them. But time was running out. He was getting too old to keep up the pace. His body was wearing out. He could feel it deep inside. It was time to take that next step in his plan. He needed to make a change and he now had the power and resources to do it. Ivan planned to create a new identity and start another chapter in his life. The old Ivan would disappear and a new front man would be appointed to run SpaceMed. He could do this by patenting the new anti-aging drug and creating a monopoly. No one could stop him. He just needed more time to make it happen.
The solution to all his dreams was in his hand. Ivan held up the vial and removed the cap. He drank the blue liquid without hesitation. He would take four more vials of the drug over the next five weeks, and would reverse fifty years of aging. He would be forty all over again. He felt invincible. Ivan stood up and retired to his small bedroom. He knew he would sleep deeply for the next twelve to eighteen hours. He would wake up with a ravenous appetite. It was the start of a brand new life.
Chapter 21
The trip back to Mars was far more exiting. Jack and Ingrid booked a flight on a space cruise ship named ‘The Intrepid’ leaving the last week of March. They decided to reserve a cabin during the thirty-day journey. They wanted to spend as much time together as possible and enjoy each other’s company before they faced what they knew would be a very dangerous situation on Mars.
Jack bought two tickets under the names of David and Susan Sims, with new identity papers supplied with help from Captain Stiles and Inspector Madison. They changed their appearance
. Ingrid dyed her hair reddish brown, let it grow longer and used makeup to appear older. Jack cut his hair short, dyed it dark brown and lost some weight to look younger than he was. They would wear hats and sunglasses to hide their faces from the surveillance cameras. When they were done, they looked liked everyday tourists on their way to visit Mars. Jack hoped the disguises would work.
The first two weeks on board the ship passed slowly. They enjoyed the cramped quarters in the cabin. It was very cozy. They spent most of their time in bed. It was just big enough for two people and they acted like honeymooners. Jack could easily imagine spending the rest of his life with Ingrid and he was sure she felt the same way about him. Jack thought he was in pretty good shape for an older man, but the truth of the matter was he could barely keep up with Ingrid’s newly found sexual energy. She was re-experiencing the prime of her life. Jack was trying his best to keep her satisfied. It was an uneven match, but Jack was not complaining, even when he felt totally exhausted from the effort. This time was no different.
Ingrid sat up in the bed beside Jack. It was time for dinner and she was famished. “Come on, Jack. Let’s go eat. I’m starving.” She pulled at the pillow that was on Jack’s head.
“Okay, okay. Give me a minute to recover. I’m an old man, remember?” Jack tried to catch his breath. He knew he was in heaven and just wanted to enjoy the moment.
“I’ll get the shower ready. You have two minutes to get out of bed. I mean it, Jack.” Ingrid playfully pulled off the covers.
Ingrid got out of bed and went into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and let the water warm up. She could see herself in the mirror and admired the reflection. Every curve of her body was firm and youthful looking, from her smooth taunt skin to the shining texture of her hair. But more than the outside appearance was the beauty she felt on the inside. She had regained the feelings and desires of youth, with optimism and hope for the future. It was indescribable sometimes, and she so wanted to share it with Jack.
Time was up. Jack slowly rolled out of bed and joined Ingrid in the shower. It was a small shower. There was barely enough room for one person let alone two, but they had fun in it. They scrubbed each other’s back and cleaned up for dinner. Jack shaved while Ingrid dried her hair. They dressed casually. Ingrid put on a short leather skirt and silk blouse while Jack selected a comfortable long-sleeve shirt and dress slacks. It was time for dinner.
A trip aboard a space cruiser was very similar to a trip on an ocean cruise ship, except on a space cruiser, no one could venture outside on deck. Everything had to be done inside the ship until you reached your destination. This ship was large enough to offer certain amenities such as a dining hall, a coffee shop and lounge, an entertainment complex, a jogging track, a health facility, a swimming pool, retail shops, medical facilities, various sized accommodations and numerous activities to keep busy. After all, deep space voyages took a considerable amount of time and people get bored easily. It was best to make friends to pass the time.
Jack and Ingrid joined two other couples they met recently for dinner. The first couple, Fred and Irma Livingston, was planning to visit their son who had a family living on Mars. The son’s wife recently had a baby boy they were going to hold for the first time. The second couple, Jim and Nancy Parker, was retired and they always wanted to visit Mars. Jack and Ingrid enjoyed the company of both couples.
“How’s your grandson doing, Fred?” Jack asked as they waited for dinner to be served.
“Oh, he’s just fine, thanks. They sent us a video message this morning. We can’t wait to see them,” Fred replied.
“Did your son say how the weather was on Mars?” Jim Parker asked. Jim was a former engineer who used to work on solar panels for a large company on Earth.
“He said there was a big dust storm covering the whole planet. You live on Mars, Dave. What’s that like?” Fred asked Jack.
Jack and Ingrid had a cover story. They told people they were returning to Mars after honeymooning on Earth. Jack was a sales manager for a large manufacturing company that sold machine tools to mining companies and Ingrid was a science teacher. Jack and Ingrid had practiced their cover story over and over so as not to make a mistake.
“It gets pretty bad this time of year,” Jack replied. “The storms start in late spring and last until the end of summer. You probably know that the seasons on Mars are twice as long as on Earth. A Martian year is 669 days long, and each month varies from 47 to 66 days. Our calendar is based on the signs of the zodiac, following the constellations just like on Earth. Right now on Mars, it’s the end of northern summer, so things should start to clear up soon. Besides, the atmosphere on Mars is so thin, the wind doesn’t affect us as much as it looks from space.”
“I’ve been hearing about plans to terraform Mars. Won’t that change the weather on Mars?” Nancy Parker asked.
“That’s the goal,” Ingrid responded. “We have a government committee working on the plans right now. Mars is the only other planet in our solar system that can support life. We have all the water, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and most other natural resources we need. All we have to do is increase the temperature and atmospheric pressure on Mars by warming the frozen carbon dioxide at the poles by just 4 degrees centigrade. We can do that with mirrors in space, or we could build factories that release greenhouse gases such as halocarbons, or we could release certain types of bacteria that produce natural gases. Anything that warms up the atmosphere will increase the temperature on Mars and start the terraforming process. Water will flow again on Mars some day, and we will be able to breathe the air eventually.”
“How long will that take, Sue?” Irma Livingston asked.
“We think at least three hundred years,” Ingrid answered.
“Well, that certainly won’t happen in our lifetimes,” Jim said matter of fact.
Ingrid looked at Jack and they smiled at each other. If only they knew what she and Jack knew, they would be shocked. They continued the discussion until dinner was over. The Livingston’s and Parker’s were frequent quests at the dinner table for most of the trip. They promised to keep in touch after their trip to the red planet.
One of the pleasures aboard the cruise ship was strolling through the observation deck. Jack and Ingrid enjoyed looking out the wide, curved windows at the universe around them. The sight of so many stars and galaxies in the universe made them wonder what surprises and discoveries lay ahead. Each night after dinner, Jack and Ingrid would take that walk and talk about the future. The time passed quickly as they approached nearer to Mars. Soon they would have to face their fears.
Jack was obsessed with reviewing their plans until the details were ingrained into their brains. The night before the ship was due to dock at the Ares space station, Jack lay in bed with Ingrid and went over the details one more time.
“When we get off the cruise ship, don’t look directly at the surveillance cameras,” Jack repeated. “Stay close to me and act normal. We should be safe with all the people around. We’ll walk to the locker where I stored my badge and weapons and your ID. Then we’ll board a shuttle to Mars. If we stay in a crowd, we should be all right. As soon as we get to the space depot, you walk to the locker and get your things. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Do you think the police will spot us?” Ingrid asked.
“After all this time, they’ll be sloppy. The cameras have to get a clear picture of our faces to make a positive ID. Besides, even if they spot us on the cameras, it will take them a few minutes to react. You should have plenty of time to remove your things and hop on the next shuttle back to Ares. Inspector Madison will meet you and take you back to Earth. Once you’re safely gone, I’ll take the drugs and go to my friend, Stan’s, place.”
“Are you sure you’ll be safe?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Stan left Mars before we did and won’t be back. I offered to help him sell the place. Don’t worry. Nobody knows about this place but me.”
“Okay, Ja
ck. I’m just worried about you. It seems risky to me. You know Ivan. He’s ruthless. You could get hurt.”
“I have to do this, Ingrid. It’s the only way to clear our names. Ivan won’t harm me as long as I have what he wants. He’ll make a deal. I can make this work. You have to trust me.” Jack looked closely at Ingrid. He could see tears in her eyes.
“It’ll be all right. I have a hidden microphone and transmitter. Everything will be recorded by the space marshals. They’ll start tracking me as soon as I land on Mars. If anything goes wrong, I’ll send the alarm signal and they’ll come for me. I promise.” Jack tried to sound more reassuring than he really felt. He knew it was too late to turn back now.
“Okay. I believe you. I’m tired. Let’s go to sleep.” Ingrid closed her eyes and snuggled close to Jack. He turned off the lights. Tomorrow they would reach their destination. Jack tried to get some rest, but his mind refused to cooperate. He faded slowly into a restless sleep.
The space ship docked with the Ares space station on the last day of April, Earth time. It was a different month and a different season on Mars. Down on the red planet, it was impossible to see much of anything. It was late summer on the Mars calendar and most of the surface was covered by multiple, swirling dust storms. Only the white frozen polar caps could be seen through the ship’s observation deck windows. Still, the view of the red planet spinning through space below them was stunning.