For a moment I hoped that maybe these experiments wouldn’t be so bad… Then I remembered he said the majority of the subjects would die and he would most likely have to do multiple trails...
This also meant they didn’t really know what they were doing, and when it comes to science, that usually means years, if not decades of experimentation. He was probably lying about how many of them would be harmed too…
As Kayin pointed out, the 4 year speculation comes from an estimate of mining done per month once the machines were set up. It could be a lot longer, or shorter depending on how accessible the chrysos is. If this planet has never been mined it may go twice as fast as anticipated… Maybe I wouldn’t really have to be here 4 years, because right now all I wanted to do was go home…
I couldn’t help but be angry. I had been so excited about the idea of meeting another advanced civilization like ours. Instead, we’re going to be kidnapping innocent, helpless people and performing the types of experiments that will actually kill them... I was still having a hard time believing all that just really happened…
Horus said they’re less than a million years behind us in evolution… That’s pretty close to what we are now. I wonder if they had discovered fire yet? That would most definitely show intelligence and I had a feeling they would have by now…
He’s obviously attempting to make us feel as though the indigenous people are beneath us, not worth our sympathy… The problem is the key word “people”… They are people, no matter what he says.
Just because they haven’t discovered electricity and mathematics doesn’t make their lives any less important than ours…
There are certain cities on Aeris that maintain the ancient customs of their ancestors… They don’t use any technology and reject science… Compared to the rest of the world they would be considered as “unevolved.”
Would that give us the right to consider their lives worthless and do whatever we want to them?..
The more I think about this whole thing, the more I’m sure it would be illegal on Aeris. And the more certain I became that I’m not ok with it.
If the public knew about this, there would be an immense outcry. It also means the government knows about it, and I have a hard time believing the ACI is powerful enough to get away with murder and violating human rights… Not without support from the government.
Although I could be wrong, after seeing the Aurora station and the Sirius in person it would be safe to say they’re far beyond the government in technology and wealth. This could mean they actually control everything…
I guess now that I think about it, they do have the power and technology to conquer all of Aeris. Without the help of their military and resources the Capital would have fallen long ago…. Maybe that’s when it happened…
I had to keep telling myself that everything going through my head was just speculation. I honestly didn’t know a thing, but just like Sara, I knew something was very wrong here and that we’d all been lied to… Tricked…
It had been hours since I’d seen Sara… Maybe I could try to find her and get some answers out of her, or at least see what she thinks about some of my theories. Maybe she’s calmed down by now and will be ready to talk… Either way, I was starting to get tired from walking so much and headed back.
When I got to the team quarters, Sara was nowhere to be found. She must be trying to avoid me…
I guess it’s only logical to assume we’re being watched and listened to… Everything on the ship is constantly monitored…
Of course… that’s why she said we could never talk again. I never even thought of that… I really have to start being more mindful from now on…
I went in my room and sat down on the bed. There were some books sitting on a shelf but I didn’t want to read them… What if it was just more deceit to gain my interest?
They had already lied… I have to accept that I can’t believe anything they say. There’s probably still a lot more that Horus hasn’t told us yet as well. And who knows what other horrible things they’ve been doing in secret over the years… If they’d do this, they’d do just about anything…
I did the only thing I could do; just lie there and continue to think about everything… There was no one I could talk to… When it comes to this, I’m completely alone…
Just as my eyes were beginning to get heavy, there was a knock on the door.
When I opened it, Horus was standing there.
“Let’s go, I need you a little early so we can talk.
There are different rules and information for you since you’re my assistant.”
I followed Horus down the long hallways, we were both completely silent. The only sounds were those of our footsteps on the hard metal floors, echoing for what seemed like forever.
His new demeanor was making it even more obvious that the Horus I met on the Aurora didn’t really exist… His warmth had completely vanished, and he no longer seemed like he wanted to be friends either…
Before he opened the door to the lab he turned around.
“Atlas, I promise you will understand how important this is once I give you the real information.”
The real information?..
So what did this mean? All the things I had been going crazy thinking about for hours were lies as well? This was getting infuriating but I had to remain calm and appear to be perfectly normal. I didn’t want to cross Horus… Not yet anyway.
He led me back into this private lab and said. “I’m sure this goes without saying but I’m going to say it anyway… Classified, between us… tell no one, understand?”
I nodded.
He went on to explain that the ACI did in fact know what was on X-451 all along. The original unmanned exploratory vessel had sent back images and video along with the data.
Little did he know I had already figured that out… At least he was starting to be honest with me now...
Though knowing that he’s telling me things no one else on the team knows started to really terrify me… At this point there was no asking to leave… I knew too much, and that’s probably exactly what he wanted…
Next, he admitted the real reason for attempting to advance their intelligence was to use them as miners.
“As large as the ship is, it’s mainly for storage, life support, water treatment and other things we need to survive. It would have been too large an undertaking to transport enough people and equipment to complete the task in any reasonable amount of time.”
He even admitted they already knew the chrysos would be difficult to mine. With the lack of man power and equipment, the real timeline was more like ten to twelve years.
Apparently the plan was going to be cancelled until Horus came up with the idea to give the primitive inhabitants just enough intelligence to be useful workers… Though really I was thinking the word “slaves” would be more appropriate.
So basically, he and his team were going to torture and murder people with experiments only to use them as slaves... While I watched… It was one of the most horrible things I had ever heard…
I couldn’t believe I was standing there having someone explain it to me as if it were the greatest idea in the history of mankind. I was so sure that if the people of the outside zones heard they’d either have to wait another six years or allow this to happen, they would chose to wait... Wouldn’t any decent person?
Then it hit me… Maybe it was all about money. The ACI didn’t actually care about the people outside the safe zones; they were only preventing wars and protecting themselves. Also, if they could mine extra chrysos they would have one of the rarest and most valuable substances on Aeris.
Maybe that’s what all this was about… money and influence over Aeris. Was Horus just a pawn too?.. Whatever he was, he disgusted me and I knew I couldn’t believe anything he said.
I also had to keep reminding myself that people who would do this are capable of anything and that life means nothing to them…
“W
e’ve actually been doing genetic enhancement trials on paid volunteers for years now. I believe I can create the start of an active workforce in less than a year. Within two years, I’ll have hundreds or even thousands working alongside the mining division.”
He coughed. “Once I perfect the process, we can do it on a mass scale without harming them.”
I stopped him and asked “What if they get so intelligent that they fight back and refuse to be slaves?”
He was silent for several moments “If we have to instill fear to get them to work we will… This is too important Atlas. Aeris could break out into war at any moment. Millions of lives would be lost, the Capital could be destroyed. We can’t risk that.”
I wanted to ask more questions but I worried that it would make me look suspicious so I didn’t.
I didn’t buy the reasoning he presented me. They already knew there was chrysos, therefore the mission will be a success unless we don’t make it home… They could have sent a second ship with more miners… There was still a lot more to all this…
The information alone should be more than enough to prevent war. Plus if the outside zones unite and the Capital is destroyed, along with its scientists and technology, the chance for everyone to be saved would be lost.
…He was obviously still lying to me, but at least I got some truth. I got enough to partially figure out what was really going on here.
Horus also casually suggested they would harm the natives if they didn’t comply; this most definitely meant I should fear for my life. I had to be meticulous about my actions and behavior from this point on. I had to offer full support and not question anything while I figured out what I was going to do about this.
If the ACI would attempt to enslave a race and then use violence to punish their refusal… They were dangerous… They were inhuman…
“I know you must be wondering what you’re doing here… Believe it or not you can help. If you simply do exactly as I say, everything will be fine. I’ll never have you do anything I don’t think you can handle... You can even leave the room if things get a little too messy. I understand that not being a scientist you aren’t used to things like surgeries or blood... So when that type of thing takes place I’ll allow you to step out… As long as I don’t absolutely need your assistance. I’d rather not have any of the other scientists know what goes on in my private lab. Only you.”
Even though what he just said had me in a state of pure shock and terror, I had to act like I appreciated it and was ready to start. It wasn’t easy. What I really wanted to do was go get Sara and Kayin so we could run away… but there was nowhere to go.
Even if we somehow escaped down to the planet they’d find us. I was absolutely powerless… All of us were, and that’s exactly the way they wanted it...
He continued - a look of immense satisfaction and downright joy on his face the entire time.
“I received word right before I came and got you. They’ve acquired the first eleven subjects and will be here with them any minute. So get ready to work, we have no time to waste... I’ll also expect long hours out of everyone; especially you... This is no normal job; we’re trying to save the world.”
I nodded and said “I understand. I’ll do whatever it takes… I don’t sleep much anyway. Never have.”
He smiled and put his hand on my shoulder “Too bad your parents couldn’t afford the science academy, maybe if things go well we could get you in once you’re back. Then you’d be one of us. Sound good?”
While that would have made me break into tears yesterday, today I only saw it as yet another lie. I had already figured out he was playing on my emotions and personal interests. I just had to allow him to think it was working…
I smiled and tried to look eager. “Of course!”
There was a knock on the door. Horus exploded with excitement and rushed over to open it.
Men with covered medical transports started coming in one by one. Eleven in total, one for each team and then one for Horus’ private lab... Then they left without saying a word and closed the door behind them.
I could see the shapes under the sheets, they were just like us. I bet they weren’t even as far behind on the evolutionary chain as he claimed...
As soon as we entered his personal lab I began to feel sick, I even thought of doing something to stop him. I just had to shut up and pretend I wasn’t feeling this. If I did anything, I’d just get myself killed.
Horus walked over and removed the sheet… He was lying… the man looked too close to us. If Horus were telling the truth he would have a protruding brow and substantially more hair; he would also be shorter, have a much broader jaw and a lot more muscle mass.
He was right on the brink of what we are, this was a person. His only fault was not being able to speak out or defend himself against our military… In reality, it didn’t matter what stage of evolution they were in… This was wrong… It was evil…
I began to feel enraged; I could actually feel a blistering heat building up in the center of my body… I felt my fists start to clench and my right eye begin to slightly twitch…
It literally took everything in me not to try and kill Horus and start setting them all free... There were plenty of things lying around I could use as a weapon... I had to snap myself out of it and just concentrate on controlling my emotions…
I stood there and repeated in my mind, over and over again “it won’t accomplish anything.”
Horus began examining him, looking at his hands, eyes, and feet. He used his thumb and index finger to force open the man’s eyelid… He wasn’t even gentle…
Then he walked across the room and pulled out a vile and an injector. He used to the vile to fill the injector and without hesitation, walked right back over and injected the man in the neck.
He turned to me “I’ll try and explain this as best I can…This is a semi-experimental drug that was developed during the species advancement trails done on Aeris. We were able to take a person and remove unwanted genetic traits. Things like baldness, organ dysfunctions, poor eye sight, etc... Through this achievement came the addition of genetic traits. We were able to make people taller, produce more muscle, and live substantially longer. The final break through was being able to add approximately 20 points to the subjects intelligence tests over a treatment period of 3 months.”
I interjected and managed to calmly say “It sounds like you’ve already been successful, why did you say earlier that the first rounds of trials are likely to fail?”
“Due to the slight genetic differences, the first few rounds of subjects will basically be sacrifice groups. I have to inject them and allow the treatment to kill them in order to perform a study into why. Testing multiple subjects at once will simply make a quick outcome more likely.”
What he had described is a senseless reason to kill eleven of them at once, instead of just one. Simply to save time and money… He and whoever else planned this experiment were monsters… They really didn’t value life at all…
The further I sank into this situation the more disturbing it was becoming… I was right on the brink of either breaking out into a panic, or a blind rage…
I heard the lab door open; the rest of the team had arrived. I saw Sara walk in but she didn’t even look in my direction.
Horus instructed me to go sit down with everyone. Then he stood up and gave another enthusiastic speech in the attempt to condone his actions; of course it was slightly different than what he had said to me.
He had to realize I knew he was a liar, that I couldn’t trust him, and that I wasn’t ok with all this… He just didn’t care, almost like he knew he had nothing to fear from my possible betrayal…
I could see Sara on the other side of the room. She still wouldn’t even glance over at me…
One by one he took each team into their assigned lab. I could only assume each time he went in one of those rooms another innocent person was being sentenced to death.
Whenever he was
in with one of the teams, I would look at Sara and try to get her attention but she still refused to acknowledge me... This had to mean she was just that afraid. She had to know more than what she told me…
Eventually he had briefed everyone and motioned for me to follow him into his private lab.
He callously started examining the man’s eyes again and said “Within the next hour we should see the subjects breathing rate increase substantially. Basically, the injection will be eating away at its cells and destroying the brain… As I said, the only way I can determine how to modify the treatment properly is to study the real time effects it has on the subject, especially the brain.”
As I listened to Horus talk, I realized he kept calling the man on the table “the subject” or “it”, as if he didn’t see him as living being. Horus truly was completely lacking compassion and any sense of morality…
He handed me a notebook and told me to sit down. I was to simply sit there, observe him, and write down everything he said.
Horus began wheeling over all these machines and laying wires all over the man. Then he turned to me – The same cold and devious look in his eyes.
“Well actually, I’m going to have to drill a few dozen small holes through his skull, so you can leave if you want. I’ll let you know when I’m done…It should only be a few minutes.”
I froze… I couldn’t believe what he just said to me… I was completely in shock…
He stared at me, and after a few seconds he said “Atlas, do you not want to leave?”
I heard the question but I still couldn’t react… I just stared back at him.
“Atlas, are you ok?”
“Y… Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking about something… I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet. I’ll step out.”
He nodded.
“I understand. It took me a long time to get used to this type of thing… It just comes with the job.”
I didn’t know how I was I going to be able to do this. How could I just stand there and let this happen? I was already in shock and it had only been a few minutes. I couldn’t help but feel like I was going to lose control at any moment and get myself killed…
The Experiment Page 6