Asterion (2 page)

The central government ran everything. Businesses are no longer private enterprises. For the good of all, Leader Burnsom decreed that if the government ran everything, the economic cycles of the past would remain a part of the past. The masses, insulated from the vicissitudes of employment, money, healthcare and other catastrophes felt comforted, but it took their freedom and choices away. Therefore, the latest crony of the bureaucrat up the food chain ran the businesses. You are lucky if they had a clue what was going on, other than how they could find the next step up the ladder of government overlordship they called success and the masses called maintained misery. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, slavery in Egypt seemed better than the unknowns waiting for them in the wilderness of life. Taylor had to be careful with those thoughts.

The intercom startles Taylor out of his musings. “They are ready for you sir.”

He briskly walks down the hall past the pictures of the past directors of the lab. They are a reminder of the fact that whether your projects are a success or failure, you would never be here long. He entered the lavishly furnished conference room. It greeted visitors with the best face the lab had to offer with cushioned high back chairs and a huge table constructed of the finest woods, forbidden to the masses but exploited by authority. It exuded warmth where the rest of the laboratory represented clinical asceticism. Real plants occupied this room. Devin Chambers, the laboratory director is making a few remarks. Devin, another government climber of dubious reputation and questionable intentions is tall, lean and highly-strung. He wore tailor-made suits, sported slick back jet-black hair, and smiled mostly at those he deemed important. A big wide cheesy grin that reminded one of the great chrome grilles cars had in the mid-twentieth century. Bureaucrats survived well when they exhibited the qualities of a good salesperson. Able to sell the sizzle of a frozen steak he managed to get what he wanted, but obsessed over the outcome he promised. After the obligatory greetings, Devin gives the floor over to Taylor.

Stepping to the head of the table, Taylor begins his presentation. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am excited to present to you Asterion, a project that will change everything.” Displaying the familiar DNA model on the screen he continues, “genetic engineering has always been plagued by the unintended characteristics introduced when engineering genes in the lab. Introduce a gene for one characteristic and additional, observable characteristics are in the result. Research has shown that sequencing alone is not the only factor at play here. There is a timing mechanism that turn attributes on and off. Some based upon proteins from other genes and environmental forces that are introduced into the gene group, but some of these processes still elude discovery”

A few yawns from the audience tell him he must move along quickly or lose them altogether. Jumping to the next slide, Taylor reveals to them the instrument that will change all the game. Taylor, points to the device, “The AutoDNA turns the process of splicing, timing and replication of the experiment into a consistent, repeatable process.” Revealing the instrument at least garners some attention from the assembled group. To them, a toy of sorts with dials and buttons that makes noises and blinks. Taylor observes their interest and knows the instrument is a shiny thing, capable of capturing their attention, like a fish drawn to a lure.

Taylor suppresses a smile. “The AutoDNA mimics the processes through different wavelengths of light, radiation and chemical processes and we can achieve greater precision in our results.”

One of the visitors interrupts, “So we could make designer pets! That would be very profitable.”

Taylor smiles, “Well, that could be a possibility, but one with unknown consequences if introduced into the pet world. Reproduction could result in unintended and uncontrollable results. We have a better use for this technology.”

An acerbic bureaucrat interrupts Taylor’s pitch in an attempt to appear concerned. “We see a lot of equipment with neat bells and whistles, what will this actually accomplish?”

“That’s not a bad question and the perfect opportunity to present the real purpose behind the project. The instrument is just a scientist’s toy without a real purpose. It makes possible a project of immense value to society that revolutionizes agricultural processes and further reduces our dependence on hydrocarbon-fueled machines to plant, nurture and harvest the food we desperately need. We can now engineer a creature that is smart and dexterous enough to perform many tasks and strong enough to take the place of the engines that drive the machines that prepare, plant, maintain and harvest crops of all kinds. This will also reduce our dependence on fossil and synthetic hydrocarbon based energy sources.”

For the first time Taylor has a wide-eyed attentive audience. Approval of this project would launch them up the government ladder like a rocket. With the prospect of answering two critical issues facing the populace as outlined by the Leader, they knew it would garner a lot of attention. Their consensus is that they must fund this project. It would have all the resources it needed to succeed in the shortest amount of time.

Devin worked the crowd reinforcing his importance as director and cementing his future relationships. He gives an approving nod to Taylor, and continues rubbing elbows with his own kind. They are already in party mode, having moved on from their last self-interest to the next one.

Taylor slips away and heads for the lab. He felt most comfortable there despite its sterile workbenches filled with the usual lab equipment. Glassware of various shapes, containers, electronic equipment to observe and take measurements, glass door cabinets that formed the walls filled with various chemicals, compounds, and organic material filled the lab. It is a place of solitude to think and challenge the boundaries of nature.

Devin meets Taylor later that day in the lab. “Congratulations Scott, your project will catapult you to stardom with the people and further enforce Burnsom’s favorability among the people. His critics won’t be able to stop this project.” Devin examines a squib-shaped separating funnel as if he had never seen one before. “It’s a win for everyone associated with this project.”

Taylor knew what Devin is happy about and it is not the benefit to the people or Burnsom’s popularity. It is how he could use this to achieve his own goals. “Thanks for your support.”

Devin sets the funnel down, and walks toward the door. Without looking back he cautions, “Don’t disappoint me” in his usual cold, stern voice.

“So much for a warm moment,” Taylor thought and shook his head.

Equipment and supplies start to pour into the lab through the shipping doors. The lab has to expand it space within the facility, which required major remodeling. Construction began on additional sterile chambers to form the incubation and maturation areas. This would be the model for assembly line genetically modified creatures. Technicians assembled, set-up and tested equipment to verify its function and calibration.

Screening, interviewing and hiring of personnel began. Directing all these efforts occupied Taylor’s time for the first few months of the project. He hated not being able to focus all his attention on advancing the research, but the devil is in the details.

Devin seemed overly interested in the hiring process for someone supposedly above the fray. He made it known that he was not into the day-to-day operations and these tasks are for low-level managers. Devin liked the thirty thousand foot view of things, both literally and figuratively. He had shown little interest in the past for these tasks, as these are mundane and boring.

Taylor, stuck in his office, poured over the hundreds of resume’s the lab received. One-by-one, he interviews the qualified candidates in his office and narrows down the field to several who might fit the bill. Taylor hires two scientists to assist with the project. Trent Boseman has specialized in electrical and software engineering for most of his career including work with nanotechnology. A lot of work still needed to done to integrate the multiple super computers and the instrument. Devin pushed for his inclusion on the team. Trent is the typical computer engineering type. Pale and used to working in isolation, his social skills are not always the best. He could be frustrated and temperamental most of the time and occasionally upbeat and happy when things worked out in the lab. Despite lacking in the social graces, this is what you got with the best in their field. Slightly overweight with skinny arms and legs, he is the poster child for the quintessential computer person.

Christine Summers came highly recommended from Taylor’s Alma Mater. With red hair touched with blonde highlights that cascaded to her shoulders, she is the most attractive woman he had ever seen. At least he thought so. He is enamored with her wide-open blue eyes, cute nose and full lips. She reminded him of old photos he had seen before where women were less athletically build and more curvy. Difficult as it is, he soldiered on and stuck to the task of interviewing her to determine her ability to fill the position. It did not take Taylor long to choose her as the other scientist on the project. She would help him fine-tune the nuclear, laser and chemical processes needed to perform the precise engineering, incubation and replication processes. Devin is convinced Taylor chose her because of her attractiveness and gave him a hard time continuously about it. Taylor needed a qualified person and she is certainly well qualified and motivated to meet the needs of this project. However, Taylor could not say that her looks and personality did not affect his final decision.

Trent would free him from the drudgery of banging out lines of code for the project. Another government research lab did the initial coding, but the programming still needed many changes. Now Taylor could focus his time completely to the progress of the project.

Assembling his team in the conference room, Taylor introduced them to the details of the project. “We will create a creature that is more than just a beast of burden. Part bovine with dexterous hands and powerful legs, this semi-intelligent creature will be able to work and pull the equipment in the field. Pick crops by hand and some may be able to maintain equipment and facilities. This will free the lowest of our populace to perform jobs of greater benefit to society thus increasing their contribution and their credits for housing, food, healthcare and other needs. That is our start, where we go in the future is only limited to our imagination. Our success will insure that we will increase our benefit to society and insure each of us enough credits to live comfortably.” Taylor looked over his charges and ended with, “Any Questions?”

They sat stunned at the revelation for a few seconds, until Trent said, “Only about a million or so.”

Christine piped up, “At least!”

Trent continued, “What are some of the other uses of this technology?”

“We are a long way from the intended results. We’ll worry about the future after we’re successful in this immediate endeavor.” Taylor thought it odd that Trent seemed more interested in other applications instead of the immediate concerns of fully integrating, testing and developing the applications past the beta stages to a release. “One of our main issues is the telemetry between the system and the Nano-mechanisms. We must have complete control over the nanotechnology to insure nothing goes wrong.”

Christine interjects, “Once we study the notes and assess where we are, the questions will be more relevant.”

“Good”, replied Taylor, “we have much to do.”

CHAPTER 2 - BEGINNINGS

Devin insists on weekly updates to assess the progress of the project. They are usually the subtle cracking of the whip as his grasp of the project is limited at best and probably faked in reality. Waiting for Devin in his office, Taylor took stock of his boss’s office. Large and elegant with furniture of exquisite detail from rare and expensive materials, it is as he expected for a climber. Taylor is used to the typical bureaucrat managers that infested the modern society. Pictures of him with all the right people at the right parties in the right places adorned the walls and shelves. A collection of important books that are just that, a collection on the shelves along with other artifacts Devin thought important for all to see. As predictable and transparent as any Taylor has met. Devin walks in, closes the door and without a pleasantry asks, “How is Trent doing?” He seems to be grooming Trent for something, but Taylor can’t quite put his finger on it.

Taylor hesitated for a moment. “He is grasping the technology well and contributing significantly to the advancement of the project. He does seem to be overly concerned about future implications and I frequently have to refocus his attention, but curiosity is a scientist’s weakness.”

Devin smiled. “Good, Trent needs a mentor and you would be the best one he could ever have. Teach him the ropes and that will be another feather in your cap. He can contribute to society in many ways.”

Taylor did not really care about the accolades, but helping someone grow in their career is something he enjoyed doing. “Okay.”

Devin showed almost no interest in Christine’s progress and Taylor thought that was unusual. Taylor went over the timeline and expenditures with Devin and he agreed that they are on schedule and progressing well. Once Taylor finished, Devin showed him the door and quickly returned to issues that are more important to him.

As time progressed, the team worked out all the bugs between the systems and the AutoDNA instrument. In order to verify the complete system, Trent sent an email to Taylor requesting DNA samples from different species, various proteins, and other chemicals. Taylor walks in with the inventory request in hand. “Why are you requesting stuff we don’t use in the project?”