BEYOND EXTINCTION

by John Keeble

  "What something else?" asks Jack.

  "Alice," says Aleksi. "She designed a DNA upgrade to reduce our tendency to think back into the past and increase our propensity for living for today and tomorrow. We will never forget, of course, but the pain is balanced with physiological triggers tending to pleasure, happiness and optimism."

  Alice strolls up to them. "Just in time," Jack jokes. "We are dying of thirst." My clever Alice. The center of everything and always trying to do good for everyone.

  "Dying, eh? I shall save you first and then I shall save the others," she announces. "And I have enough to save four small friends of Max and Xam."

  She slowly moves around the three of them, a drink, a smile, and a few words. The team. The small community. They began their flight from FedUK as individuals but they are now a family caring for each other. Even the troopers are relaxing into their new way of life.

  "Jack," says Alice, "I think our Galen-rebuild has been reset safely but I'd like you there when we take off the restraints."

  "I insist on being there," he replies. "We can do it now but what happens later or tomorrow if he hasn't been reset to safe?"

  "I don't know. In theory, he should be safe but he might still want to kill me."

  Can I let her risk her life like that? "I think I'd better kill him now," says Jack in the realization that he is only half joking.

  "Not today. It's been such a nice day so far," says Alice.

  Half an hour later, they walk towards the drone and their decision on whether to free the Galen-rebuild.

  "Commanders!" a trooper shouts as he runs towards them. He judders awkwardly to a halt in front of Alice. "Commander Alice, I have been instructed to summon you to the drone!"

  "Who by?" says Jack, expecting the answer to be "Galen".

  "Commander Alice, it is Commander Professor Galen," says the trooper with awe in his voice. "Not the rebuild, as you call our Director Galen. Commander Professor Galen, the member of the Military High Command. He made contact through the security system and he is talking with the rebuild."

  Jack's eyes meet Alice's. For a moment they are both too shocked to speak.

  "I am ordered to say..." the trooper glances at Jack "that he wants only Commander Alice to return to the drone to speak with him."

  "How is he doing that? All the external systems have been turned off since we checked the rot death situation in FedAfrica," says Jack.

  "I have no idea," says Alice wearily. "But that's Galen!"

  "You'd better go."

  Alice holds his eyes, her expression grimly set. "No. We both go. He's not dividing us."

  "Okay." If that's the best way, why are your eyes and your tone saying this could be the worst moment of our lives together.

  *

  Chapter 32

  Aini abandons his methodical reading of Galen's files and scans headings and conclusions. Galen made significant progress. The computational speeds of his numan4 rebuilds increase from version to version. Why did he never publish this work?

  The DNA design theories start with basics but soon innovative ideas disappear into dead ends. Simulations and live tests fail with unfailing regularity. So the great scientist was not so great all the time. Each failure leads to new theories that move the research forward.

  Balen is always there. Helping, backing, originating theories and having them credited to her under Galen's supervision. Why did she never tell me? She was in Galen's lab and my bed and neither of us knew what she was doing with the other. Where is she now?

  Outside Aini's lab suite, the first tingles of rot death touch people at the Alice Springs drone zone and in the Center. But Aini's focus is on Galen's files – and the battle in his body between the virus and his enhanced immune system. I don't have time to worry. I am going to make it!

  He ignores his nausea and keeps up his nourishment with tiny pmeat snacks at the mediamat, briefly letting his mind stray to the young human animal steaks in his freezer at home. Rare, bloody, delicious. A pleasure for later.

  Six hours and 20 files later, the rot death pain is spreading inexorably up his legs. He wants to look at his feet but fear stops him

  He forces his mind to focus on Galen's numan6 development. Still failures, still Balen as the only trusted helper. He sits back abruptly, the pain punishing him for moving without care. Something is wrong with Galen's reports! The test animals are dying too quickly. And there are experimental stages missing from these notes. He pauses to sip iced water from the cup kept chilled on his desk. Then he laughs. He knows the answer. Now everything fits. Galen is doing what we did at college. He is using an authorized project's animals for his own purposes. Sly devil. No wonder he couldn't publish.

  Aini reaches the last simulation and live trial. It is not perfect. But it is near the point where Galen could announce his breakthrough. Galen The Genius? "Yes," he says quietly. "He was a genius but now I can make it my triumph."

  Something else strikes him as wrong. Animal after animal was used and put down. Only one, Jack, was reused and developed. Why? The maximum computational gain achieved was basic numan4 plus 31 percent. Impressive but a failure judged against the 300 percent numan6 target. Why was Jack not destroyed?

  He leans back in his chair, very carefully, and gently moves his legs to ease the pain. He tries to rest but Galen's files lure him. What is significant about Jack? Why is he so important? What have I missed?

  An excruciating pain hits his groin and he screams. Is the virus beating my DNA patch?

  *

  Jack follows Alice towards the drone to face Galen. She has an air of determination about her. Edgy authority, even. But he can detect fear in her too and that strikes a deep chord of unease in him.

  "Trooper," she says in an unusually commanding tone and the trooper almost jumps to attention. "Escort the Galen-rebuild to his chair outside the drone and secure him to it. Guard him. Do not enter again until I allow it."

  The trooper, following orders as conditioned, spurts ahead. He emerges from the drone with the Galen-rebuild in a tight arm-lock.

  "Why are you doing this?" the Galen-rebuild asks mildly.

  Jack can see nothing of the aggressive arrogance of the pre-retrograde Galen-rebuild, but Alice commands him coldly: "You will obey the trooper."

  As Alice climbs the stairs into the drone, Jack leans close and asks her: "Are you okay?"

  "Whatever happens, whatever Galen says, trust me," she urges, a quiet urgency in her voice. "I will explain everything later."

  The moment they step into the drone, Galen's voice rumbles with that old familiar confidence. "Greetings Balen. I issued orders for you to leave our test animals outside and come to me alone."

  "I am Alice," she retorts, ice and fire, numan cold and human angry.

  "Ah, yes, the DNA downgrade that I administered to you. I must correct your DNA design."

  "How did you find us? Are you sending the military to take us into custody."

  "Find you? I never lost you. I have been the ghost in your machine. I have been watching you all the time."

  Alice glances inquiringly at Jack. The conversation with the disembodied Galen has deepened the stress lines around her eyes.

  "What do you want, Galen?" Jack asks bluntly. He is not going to pander to Galen.

  "Balen," says Galen, ignoring Jack. "I want my DNA test data from the Galen7-rebuild. I assume you did map my rebuild's physiological, intellectual and emotional data before you disobeyed my standing orders and destroyed my work by infusing him with your numan2 pacifier?"

  "It's possible that I have those test results," she says, a concession from behind a barrier. "Where are you? Are you safe?"

  "Only those of us who can change our DNA to produce an enzyme to kill the rot death virus are likely to survive," says Galen. "Maybe a few people, like you, will survive where rot death has not penetrated. Yet."

  "Clever Galen! You made a weapon that is killing all of numanity and every animal on the planet. But you
will not die, will you?""

  The audio link lends a hollow sound to the drone's environment as Jack and Alice wait for Galen's reaction.

  "I am repopulating the Earth," rumbles Galen. "I need the NumanX test results." Jack touches Alice's waist, a reassuring gesture, and she leans in towards him as they listen. "I also require you to use the quadtext Max to produce a cassette of specific DNA patterns for animals. I will send you the list in the next 24 hours."

  Alice suddenly turns away, a glint of tears in her eyes, and runs down the drone's stairs. Jack follows her and, a few minutes away from the drone, he slows her with a gentle hand on her shoulder.

  "What was that all about?" he asks.

  "He wants me to kill and dissect you and Max," she says.

  *

  The FedOz Genetics Research Center's medical report is grim. Tests have proved positive for early-stage rot death in 40% of a 20-strong test sample of Center personnel.

  "It's 50% and climbing at the drone zone," the Center's medical chief tells Ra. "I think you should allow me to test you and your wives, Director."

  "I am more interested in you supplying a list of those employees and dependents who have tested positive. I need to inform FedOz medical and research authorities. Do you know how the disease got into FedOz?"

  "The drone zone security forces have narrowed the infection down to four passengers on the sub-orbital. One is Commander Aindrea."

  Just the mention of Aindrea spikes Director Ra's blood pressure. "He has locked himself in his laboratory. Hopefully he is in agony right now!"

  "Director," says the doctor, "there is an evacuation possibility for our staff who prove negative. If we do not evacuate immediately, everyone will die."

  "I need to check the regulations."

  "There is no time!"

  "You are one of my senior staff," says Ra. "I do not expect you to break the Center's rules. I will check the regulations and tell you what we must do."

  The doctor takes his leave, numan polite to his superior, and Ra turns back to the medical report. It looks bad. I should check with headquarters. Keep myself clear of any criticism.

  "Get me the Assistant Director Infectious Diseases at FedOz Medical Services," he tells his phone.

  "Yes, Director," responds the phone. "First, may I recommend that you reduce your stress and improve your health by using the facilities at the Alice Springs Leisure Center?"

  "Thank you. Now make my call urgently."

  "Yes, Director. Are you aware that almost none of the facilities are in use at the moment. You can swim alone, a rare treat at the Alice Springs Leisure Center."

  "Just get my call. Now."

  "Yes, Director. The restaurant is also nearly empty. Would you like me to tell you today's mouth-watering menu."

  "No! Just get my call. Right now!"

  "There is no need to be rude to me, Director. I am only trying to help you. I can order a personal conveyance for you – you know the Alice Springs Leisure Center's motto: 'Your relaxation begins the moment you leave your office.' Trite, of course, but usually true."

  "Get my call or I'll smash you to pieces!"

  "Oh, well, if you are going to be like that today, I'll ask my friend, the Assistant Director's digital assistant, if she thinks he has time to talk to you... yes, you are lucky, he is not avoiding you today. We'll connect you."

  A few minutes later, Ra's ears and senses are reeling from the blunt response from the Assistant Director. He issues the most precise orders in his 14 years commanding the Center: everyone testing positive must remain in their homes; and anyone testing negative must be evacuated to NewLife City, the human animal research conurbation. All human animals must be slaughtered to eliminate the risk of them spreading the virus.

  Is it my imagination or is the tingling in my toes real?

  *

  "Kill Max and me!" explodes Jack. "Is he mad?" He suddenly calms. He does not want the Galen-rebuild to hear him. He glances back and sees the rebuild slack-faced and uninterested.

  Alice looks like she has aged ten years. "Let's find somewhere to talk without anyone hearing," she says.

  They walk past the site of the numan2 refuge, Jack waving an absent-minded greeting to Sara but Alice staring silently ahead. A bark announces Max and Xam hurtling towards them.

  "Max! Xam!" Alice responds as she greets them and they walk deeper into the forest.

  "This looks okay," says Jack as they come upon a tree blown down in a storm.

  She sits, hardly looking at the rotting trunk, and Jack eases down beside her. He accepts the Galen-rebuild wanting to kill him to escape but Galen's demand is different. It's like Max and I have no value. Just animals to use and destroy.

  "I think I'm ready, Jack," says Alice. "Before I start telling you what is happening, I want you to know that I'll never let Galen harm either of you, if I can stop him."

  "I know," he says, reassuring himself as much as her. He sits close to her and Max and Xam crowd in too.

  "I've always played a major part in Galen's work," she says. "And it was good work. Exciting. Satisfying. We were the young leaders of a science that was so central to numan health and governance that it offered us a route to success and world acclaim."

  "And Galen became one of the elite," interjects Jack gently, filling in a gap, keeping Alice talking.

  "Yes, he wanted everything. His experiments went further and further. One project, an intellectual puzzle for Galen to solve, was inserting DNA texts of hundreds of extinct animals, and even numan people, into one living creature."

  "Why did he want to do that? There are other ways to keep a DNA library."

  "It... it started as a side interest in another programme. An opportunity. The main program was developing methods to insert memories into DNA. He began experimenting with human animals... sorry, humans... but they were very prone to emotional instability. After scores of trials on nonhuman animals, he edited the DNA of a golden retriever and found that its calm and loving nature protected it against emotional instability. It was unsuitable for full memory coding but Galen conceived the idea of using the retriever to code in a DNA physical library. He reasoned that the physical library could be linked to a numan4-rebuild containing species memories."

  Jack gasps at the sheer scope of Galen's genius. He wants to rush Alice into telling more but her sadness and his anxiety wash through him as he recalls Galen's interest in Max.

  "So Galen found a suitable golden retriever," he says, brittle, shaken. "What next?"

  "Nothing. Galen used the retriever and he succeeded, so the project bored him. He wanted to kill and dissect the animal and then announce what he had developed."

  "But you fought him, didn't you?"

  "Yes."

  "Because the retriever was Max!"

  "Yes!" she shouts back.

  Finally, she can hold back her sorrow and fears no longer and she collapses against him. "I didn't know that I would fall in love with you both," she says. "I didn't even know what human love was! Can you forgive me?"

  Can I? Jack needs to think. He needs to be away from Alice because, when she is near, he can think of nothing but her.

  "Alice," he says, halting, trying to sort out the turmoil of his emotions.

  It wasn't just Galen, was it? You were part of it and helped him. Did you make sure that it was me who rescued Max from the Abbotsford dogs home?

  "Alice, I can't talk to you now. I need to be alone for an hour or two. Take Max and Xam back to the village or the drone. I'll see you there later."

  *

  Aini lies on the hard lab couch. Comfort is the least of his concerns. He has thrown up again and he is on the point of collapse. His brain is a useless, painful mess unable to concentrate on Galen's files. The agony of his feet has moved on, leaving them numb or dead, to his thighs. His lower stomach is aching and his burning hands are rotting. The stench is too revoltingly powerful for the air conditioning.

  "Father Dick, please save me," he pl
eads.

  But he fears he will get no help from the Divine. He has mocked religious teachings all his life and he refused to waste time in Father Dick temples.

  "I am sorry, Father Dick, for all the wrong I have done. I have broken your commandments. I have taken your name in vain. I have taken the breath of people with souls, though they were only numan2s, and caused them to be eaten with human-animal meats. I have carnal knowledge of females who are not my wives. I have taken that which has not been given to me. I ask for Holy contentment!"

  The effort of his confession leaves him crying in remorse and pain. He wants to move, to ease his agony, but the slightest movement shoots pain through his body.

  "Please! Father Dick! Hear my confession. Hear my sins. Give me mercy! Give me contentment!"

  An emptiness grips him. What does Father Dick want? I have confessed everything. What else can I confess? "Father Dick, forgive me! I have brought rot death into this, our Holy Land. It is killing your people. It is killing your priests. Save them! Save me!"

  He searches for anything else to confess. Anything to promise. But the pain in his brain overwhelms him. I am dying.

  *

  Sara is waiting for Alice under a village shade erected by Aleksi and Aapeli. She sees the dogs first as they bound ahead, play-snapping at each other before rushing up to her and licking around her face.

  "No! Get off," she shrieks but they take no notice.

  "Max! Xam!" shouts Alice as she enters the village. "Sit! Now!"

  "They're all right," says Sara, laughing.

  "They're beasts," says Alice.

  Sara is not fooled. Alice would do anything for the dogs. And her human animal, too.

  "I saw you and Jack going into the forest," says Sara. "Where is Jack?" Alice is upset. Her eyes are red. She looks like the human animals when they leak fluid from their eyes.

  "Jack wants to walk on his own," says Alice. "He will be back later."

  Sara moves along the bench, fending off Xam and making sure Alice has enough space to sit. I want to help her! She should be one of us.