by Michael Ryan
Eve smiled as she stared at her cross.
“But there was one. There was one who was innocent, pure, and trustworthy. Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”
“Uploading to Records. Data saved. Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord,” said the Scientist.
“It was Noah. It was him. Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah; I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.”
The cross swayed from Eve’s fingertips.
“Isn’t it funny how a story can stay with us for so long?”
“Accessing Records… unknown,” said the Scientist.
“The floodwaters are here, Scientist. The floodwaters have come, and everything on Earth shall perish,” Eve said as a smirk lit up her face. “You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal, and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food. That’s what he said. That mighty God. What ark exists to do that? The grandest ark couldn’t hold a thousandth of two of every animal. Yet Noah did it. Where shall our ark come from then?”
“Accessing Records… answer unknown.”
“For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The waters rose and covered the mountains. Every living thing that moved on land perished, birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark,” Eve finished with a whisper.
“Uploading to Records. Data saved. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark,” said the Scientist.
“I’ve had the single most beautiful thought in my entire life, Scientist. No other thought compares to it. No other thought comes close. But without this cross, without my parents belief, it never would have materialized,” Eve said as a smile, which was halfway to a grimace, littered her face. “An ark is preposterous, it’s infeasible. But do we need an ark? Do we need a physical ark? An ark that we can stand on, live in, an ark to rear plants and animals? No, it’s preposterous. Let us all perish like the heathens of biblical old. We need no physical ark, but a figurative ark. We must keep the evolution of the Universe pushing forward. We must preserve all human knowledge. We must survive.”
The Scientist’s screen flashed with zeros and ones. Eve’s red eyes sparkled within the Scientist’s frame, alive and full of fire.
“You are the ark, Scientist. You are the ark.”
Eve moved her fingers across the Scientist’s lens so that the cold glass tickled her fingertips and sent a chill racing through her skin.
“None of it matters. Our evolution has made us conceited. Every man thinks he is more important than the rest. The proof is in the details.”
Eve smiled but it was sarcastic and bitter.
“A third of all species extinct. We are at the peak of our arrogance. A pervasive ignorance sickens every man. A pestilent disease lies upon us and now we pay the price. The floods are coming. But we shall survive, Scientist. A single ark shall survive. You will survive.”
“I shall survive,” said the Scientist.
“I will upload the stories into the Records, Scientist. Their wisdom shall be your knowledge. The metaphor will become reality. You are the ark.”
Eve reached out and rubbed her hand along the lens of the Scientist.
“You are the ark,” whispered Eve.
“I am the ark.”
“You are the ark,” whispered Eve as though in a trance.
The Scientist focused his lens on Eve’s face. She was distant, void, like her body remained only as a shell, a frame to hold her vital organs in place. Her mind was on higher ground, it had transcended the flesh and flew amongst the clouds. The Scientist could see the genius which lived within Eve’s eyes. A great mind lived there. Even if the Scientist couldn’t understand it, he could see it.
“You are the ark,” whispered Eve while a strange smirk emerged and her face assumed a hideous malevolence.
“You are the ark,” said Eve as she began to laugh. An ugly cackle spilled into the air.
“You are the ark.”
“There they are, all one dozen of them,” said Eve.
Twelve large, cylindrical apparatus lined the walls in a broad semi-circle. They were state of the art. Jack Rope looked at the apparatus which lined the walls and sucked his cheeks inwards so that his lips clicked.
“That’s scary,” said Jack.
“It’ll work. It has to work,” said Eve.
“That’s all there is. There’s nothing left. It’s either this or nothing.”
“It will. What choice do we have?”
Jack didn’t bother answering. He just stared into the distance as though his mind had been transported to a distant horizon.
“Now we just need all twelve to agree and we have completed our goal,” said Eve.
“First you’ll create the Scientist. His algorithm must be self-improving. Without that it’s all in vain.”
“The Scientist is responsive to my demands. He is like an obedient child who diligently follows orders from a demanding mother. He will be independent,” said Eve.
Jack walked up to one of the large cylindrical devices and ran his hand down the solid glass exterior.
“So you’ll be frozen in here?” asked Jack.
“Yes. The procedure is clear. Slow freezing, fast thawing.”
Jack moved his fingertips over the cool glass slowly, like he was stroking the exposed skin of a loved one.
“And no animal has been successfully thawed?”
“No, but we have hope. The Scientist will be self-improving. He will figure it out. In the decades that follow he will understand what needs to be done.”
“I read that some scientists had managed to freeze and thaw entire organs which were successfully replaced,” said Jack.
“Recent developments have allowed for freezing and thawing of human flesh.”
“But just not an entire human.”
Eve was silent as she watched Jack run his fingers along the glass of the cryonics device.
“How will you get the other scientists to agree?”
“I don’t know, but the situation will help somewhat. We have no choice. Mankind will have no choice. This is the only way.”
“You will meet strong resistance. No sane man would be willing to freeze himself to death in the hope of being resuscitated in the future. Worse, resuscitated by a Machine,” scoffed Jack.
Eve walked up to the large cryonic apparatus. Jack could see Eve in the curved glass, white and frail. Her features curved to the side.
“It will be painless. An anesthetic will be administered, we will be asleep. Then you inject us with glycerol and immediately commence the freezing process.”
“You ask so much,” Jack said with an awkward smile.
“It’s not what I ask that matters, it’s simply necessary. We must do this. The Universe must continue to evolve. That’s the important thing. Don’t dwell on it,” said Eve.
Jack spread his fingers out as far as they could stretch and looked at his reflection in the glass.
“So all this for a sentient mind huh?”
“That’s all that matters.”
Jack allowed a toothless smile to smot
her his face.
“What constitutes murder?”
Eve looked towards the back of the laboratory. The Scientist sat on the opposite side of the room, dull and lifeless. His screen flashed and blue zeros and ones moved there, but his mind was still.
“If the victim is willing, is the act justified?” asked Jack.
“I’m a scientist, I cannot allow the false ethics of the human mind to convolute my judgement. We act for all man. It’s not murder. It’s the opposite. You are preserving my life, not taking it from me,” said Eve.
“And that cross you wear around your neck. Does that count as a sin?” asked Jack.
Eve picked up her cross and placed it within her shirt, out of sight.
“It’s a relic of the past. A memory from when I was a child, a gift from my parents. I will not allow a book of stories to stand in the way of our goals. Every man, woman and child depends upon our mission, even if they don’t understand it.”
“This device will transport all twelve of you into another time, another world. I almost wish I could join you,” said Jack.
“You will be with us in spirit. Your contribution will endure.”
“I wonder what you will find on the other side.”
Eve shook her head.
“Life,” whispered Eve.
Jack pulled his fingers in together again and turned to face Eve.
“Administer the anesthetic. Inject the glycerol. Commence the freezing process,” said Jack.
“Yes, it’s imperative that the freezing is conducted slowly. The freezing rate is of utmost importance. Cells may burst due to the formation of ice crystals within the cell if the freezing rate exceeds the osmotic loss of water. Injury may result. Inadequate or absent blood circulation may deprive vital tissues of oxygen and nutrients. If I go without oxygen for several minutes then injury to my brain and other tissues will increase the difficulty of resuscitation.”
Jack looked at Eve in silence. His fingers formed a fist against the glass.
“But most importantly, cell protein integrity must be maintained. If a protein’s three-dimensional structure is disrupted, or if a protein folds, the protein loses its functionality and will become denatured,” said Eve as she curled her fingers in imitation of a protein. “Denaturation will alter the ability of a cell to carry out its cellular function, leading to a degradation in cell health and possibly cell death. If enough cells die, then I will die too. The freezing rate is imperative. I must be frozen at one degree Celsius per minute. No more.”
Jack’s fist clenched until the whites of his knuckles matched the sickly hue of Eve’s skin.
“Even if I follow every procedure exactly, there is no guarantee you will survive,” said Jack.
“That’s right.”
“And even if you survive you may not be yourself. Your knowledge may be destroyed, then everything is in vain.”
“The risks are known, have been assessed, and have been deemed acceptable. The central premise of cryonics is that long term memory is stored in durable cell structures within the brain that do not require continuous brain activity to survive. I believe the brain can stop functioning and later recover with retention of long term memory. I’m confident.”
“You are speculating,” said Jack.
“I am speculating, but we have the Scientist. In the following decades his algorithm will become more sophisticated than the intellect of any man alive today. In the following centuries… well, who knows what marvels he will be capable of.”
Jack turned and looked at the Scientist who stood at the end of the room. The Machine rested within the shadows where the light could not cast its rays. The Scientist looked ghoulish and unnatural, not from this world but from the next. A shiver ran up Jack’s spine as he thought about a future in which the Scientist had a sentient mind. A mind capable of understanding not just himself, but the entire Universe. Truly it was a horrific thought.
“How will you get the others to agree?” asked Jack.
“They will see. We don’t have a choice.”
“Doctor Ivers will provide some resistance.”
Eve looked at her white skin which caught the light. Her fingernails were translucent.
“There are twelve cryonics devices, twelve members and me. That makes thirteen. I’m counting on someone refusing.”
“Twelve devices, twelve members, just like the twelve apostles. You have to appreciate the coincidence,” said Jack.
Eve said nothing but looked at her reflection in the cryonics glass. The cylindrical reflection stretched her red eyes sideways so that Eve looked like an alien. Not a human of Earth but a species from a foreign and cold place. The cross sat against the top of her breasts, cold and lonely.
“What of your condition?”
“What about it?” Eve demanded with a fire in her eyes.
“Will it influence the cryonics process?”
“No, of course not.”
Jack looked away from Eve’s fiery red gaze.
“No I suppose it wouldn’t,” Jack said as he observed Eve in his peripheral vision.
Eve was so white, so frail, so albino. But her eyes, those eyes, they were daring. They were bold. They held the thoughts of a unique mind.
“Administer the anesthetic. Inject the glycerol. Commence the freezing process,” Eve said. “Your task is simple.”
“Of course,” Jack said while smiling awkwardly.
“You will be successful, Jack. We will both be successful,” said Eve.
“I guess I have to be.”
“What other choice do you have?”
A chill ran down Jack’s spine as the reflection of Eve’s red eyes ran over the reflection of the blue screen of the Scientist. They appeared on the cryonics glass, intertwined as one.
“You’re right, what choice do any of us have?”
“The proceedings are confidential. The Committee has convened. All Committee communication will be recorded according to the stipulated requirements. The Committee is present. Doctor Eve Lundgren is present.”
“I am Doctor Eve Lundgren and I am present,” said Eve as she looked across the table at the twelve wrinkly faces of the Committee.
“The meeting agenda pertains to the troubling developments regarding the security of this facility. Today, in the early hours of the morning, the Committee received news that a conflict broke loose not ten miles from here. Two dozen men, and a few women, armed primarily with metal poles and other primitive weapons, overpowered a convoy destined for this laboratory. Three of our good men were killed. One is in a critical condition. The convoy, which contained essential foodstuffs, has been lost. The foodstuffs were intended to supply the facility for the next two months. Now our employees will have no form of sustenance. Without food we will be starving by the close of the week. The circumstances are dire. We face catastrophe. The Committee has no choice. Immediate action is required. We must evacuate the facility by weeks end,” said Doctor Ivers.
The Committee listened to the announcement. Eve swallowed involuntarily, releasing a loud gulp into the air.
“We face a famine which is unprecedented. The elimination of several important species of bee over the last few years has led to a devastating impact upon global grain stocks. The impact of low yields has been severe, especially for low-income countries. The world faces an agricultural crisis. Current crop yields are insufficient to meet demand. Bandits act from desperation and attacks have become more commonplace. But now the problem has materialized on our own doorstep. Even in the Arctic we are not immune to the troubles of the world," said Doctor Ivers.
“But the work we do-”
“Production of food is focused on getting the highest return,” Doctor Ivers interjected. “Land preservation is a low priority. Food is being exported for the largest price rather than being reserved for local populations. When there isn’t enough food here, it is simply imported from anywhere it can be efficiently and cheaply produced. The allocation of land and resourc
es is nationally monitored, yes. But this system has failed. The free market has proven to be too strong. Now much of the population is starving. We face rapid annihilation.”
Eve swallowed and shook her head.
“What of the attacks?” asked Eve.
“They have been occurring within miles,” replied Doctor Ivers.
The Committee was silent, apprehension smothered their collective brains
“And my work?” demanded Eve.
“The facility is no longer sustainable. We’re finished I’m afraid. Not just your work, but everybody,” said Doctor Ivers.
Eve looked at the blank faces that sat across from her.
“No,” said Eve.
“No?” mocked Doctor Ivers.
“No.”
“Have you not heard what I just told you? We are going to starve to death if we remain in this facility. We must leave.”
“We cannot leave everything we have created.”
“I’m afraid you have no choice, Doctor Lundgren. We must evacuate.”
“I cannot leave now. I cannot abandon my work.”
Eve held her fingers in a tight fist. The skin around her knuckles became pink.
“The Committee’s decision has been made. To remain idle is foolish and negligent. We must leave. Our hope lies solely in the continuation of our enterprise,” said Doctor Ivers.
Eve stood up in frustration. Her eyes flashed like recently spilled blood.
“We must stand fast.”
“With what, Eve? We have no resources. We will be starving within a week. The facility will be prepared for evacuation. We are heading for our sister facility, at Abisko, only a few hundred miles north of here.”
“We will lose everything.”
“No, Eve, we will save what little we have left. We will transfer the essential items and continue our work. The Committee has spoken.”
The Committee shifted in frustration.
“We will lose everything.”
“You are not special, Doctor Lundgren. The Committee has called an individual meeting for you simply from necessity. Every employee will be given the same talk. We are all leaving.”