Human (24 page)

Phil flicked through a newspaper, looking annoyed. “My stocks have dropped again.” He pushed the paper aside and rolled back to his computer.

Orrin took the newspaper, desperate for a minute's distraction. He sat forward with a jerk.

“What the hell is this?”

“What's what?” Phil sighed.

“This thing on the front page?” Orrin demanded.

Phil looked over with disinterest and shrugged. Dale glanced up nervously from his computer and wandered over to read. Photos of a burning high-rise dominated the front page.

Hobbit Shame - Violent Riots Sweep Nation

Melbourne, Victoria
-
Political pressure has increased this week as riots continue to plague capital cities around the world. Public outcry over the use of so-called “hobbits” for pharmaceutical research is at an all-time high. Wildlife conservationists are calling for a ban on all invasive research in light of the appalling conditions brought to light by the recent downfall of a Melbourne-based pharmaceutical company.

Cosmitech, the pharmaceutical giant behind the allegations, was in a state of receivership during the time of the investigation and has now been foreclosed. Yesterday, rioters in Victoria's capital ended a violent rally with the burning of Cosmitech's corporate headquarters. Two office workers died in the fire and six more casualties are in a serious condition at St Vincent’s Hospital with burns and smoke inhalation. Fifteen protesters were arrested at the scene on charges of wilful damage and arson. Court hearings are scheduled for later this month.

“It's a storm in a teacup” quotes sacked Cosmitech CEO Darrell Mayer. “Animal research has been accepted in the scientific and medical community for decades. These wildlife crusaders are suggesting scientific advancement should take a backseat to subjective moral ethics purely because this animal happens to share some DNA with us. It's absurd. Research is needed for advancement of the human condition; there will always be costs to progress. This is just one of them.”

However, allegations that Cosmitech had deliberately ignored regulations for the management of pain and distress in experimental practices have sparked outrage in the wider community. Spokesperson for the Animal Research Regulation Department, Mr Alex Kraymer, says the company had been under investigation for some time before the claims were made public.

“This is a case of extreme conflict of interest between key government and corporate players. Major corporate investors have corrupted the decision-making process for direct financial benefit. I believe manipulation of political procedure has resulted in the prolonged illegal suffering and abuse of these animals.”

Regarded widely as a pest in their native South-East Asian islands, “hobbits” have long been targeted for experimental procedures due to their biological similarities with modern humans. The Homo floresiensis species is widely accepted as the closest genetic relative to modern humans and are controversially suggested to display a primitive social system. As the alleged inspiration for iconic author J. R. Tolkien's work, the severely reclusive nature of Homo floresiensis has historically done little to promote a positive public image.

A leaked version of the damning report on Cosmitech was made public earlier this week. Although no claims have been made to the source, Government officials deny the use of Homo floresiensis in illegal experimental procedures. Claims of practices involving the permanent removal of skull bone to allow electrode manipulation of sensory perception have emerged, sparking heated debate on the ethics of such severe physical manipulation on live and un-anaesthetised animals. Other common practices include cosmetic and poison irritation testing on eyes and facial areas, as well as injections of pathogens and cancer causing agents to develop vaccines and medication for human use.

Animal rights activists are pushing for a full-scale departmental inquiry to be launched. For related stories - see page 4.

Orrin dropped the paper on the desk in front of him. Dale had finished reading and was standing back, looking confused.

“What is this thing, this ‘hobbit’? I've never heard of it,” said Dale.

Orrin looked up mystified. “I have no idea. An entirely new animal? They're saying it's genetically related to humans.”

“No, not new, they mentioned Tolkien. His books have been around for over 70 years.” Dale shuffled self-consciously, “I took a few undergrad courses in English lit.”

“Well this is mental - whatever this animal is, it can't have caused so much trouble so quickly,” said Orrin. “Riots, arson, two people dead…it's desperate altogether.”

Dale stared at him mutely.

“How could they find a new
Homo
species?” Orrin muttered. “They all died out millennia ago. It sounds like a load of gaff to me.”

“Well …” began Dale thoughtfully, then shook his head. “No, it's probably some publicity stunt.”

Orrin nodded vaguely at his suggestion, confused into silence.

Phil suddenly ducked between them, grabbing a doughnut from the paper bag.

“It's just the damn hippies again with the same old crap about hobbits. They push it because they're
Homo
- barely - it always settles down. Forget it.”

Astonished, Orrin and Dale both stared Phil down.

Phil frowned under their gaze. “What?”

“You've heard of this hobbit thing before?” Orrin pressed.

“Of course I've heard of it, why the hell wouldn't I?”

“When did they find it?” Orrin asked.

“What do you mean, find it?” replied Phil. “They've always been around. In South-East Asia. They're bloody pests.”

Orrin stared, dumbfounded.
Pests? What the hell?
His mind searched for ways to accommodate its apparent inadequacies. Maybe Phil’s Asian heritage accounted for his familiarity of these creatures, while Orrin’s European background stunted it?
Not a chance.
Phil was born in Melbourne, as Aussie as the next guy and certainly not a wealth of traditional Chinese folklore. Or anything cultural for that matter.

Dale broke the silence. “I've never heard of this thing and my parents are… were, biologists. There must be some mistake…”

“Seriously dudes, there's no mistake,” Phil interjected, “Hobbits have been around forever, Charles Darwin even wrote about them in The Origin of Species. Everyone studies it at school. Hobbits used to be all over the place, hell, my grandparents even eat them in China - it's a delicacy. Pretty expensive though, tastes a bit like pork…”

A wave of disgust hit Orrin. Dale blanched.

“You're joking!”

“No joke,” Phil answered. “They're as common as koalas– well, maybe not the best comparison these days, but you know what I mean. You guys need to get out more.” He sauntered off, dusting sugar on the floor, doughnut in hand.

Dale retreated to his roller chair and stared into space, clearly grappling with the terrifying thought of being so uneducated.

“I don't care how common they are,” Orrin said. “This is the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. You can't claim another species has been on the planet my entire life and I just wasn't paying attention. I'm a god-damn scientist.” His earlier frustrations rose again. “Hold up - did they say '
floresiensis
'? As in from Flores in Indonesia?”

“Yeah man,
Flores
,” said Phil. “The little flower people - according to the hippies and eco-tourism pushers.”

“Well, Ivy will know all about it then,” Orrin said. “She's studying stone tools from Flores – from these
extinct
hominids.”

“Whatever man, it's your funeral.” Phil shook his head smirking. “Did you kiss and make up yesterday, by the way - after your problem here with the chimp?”

Already irritated, Orrin nettled at Phil’s casual intrusion.

“No, apparently Ivy doesn't exist,” Orrin said. “I couldn't find her at the lab and no one seems to know anything about her. I couldn't even find her office.”

“Serious? Man that sucks,” said Phil, his lips twitching. Then after a brief pause, “maybe she's ditching you.”

Orrin threw the remainder of his sandwich back into its plastic wrapper. “Jaysus Christ Phil! It's a wonder you get any women at all, you're so god-damn tactless!”

“Woah dude, I’m sorry, okay,” Phil rolled his eyes. “I'm sure she's not that sort. I never even met her.”

“Well Dale did, and she
does
exist whether she's ditching me or not,” said Orrin.

“Actually, I never met her either, Orrin.” Dale said apologetically. “I mean, you told me about her, but I never actually saw her or the chimp.”

“She bloody well existed, okay!”

Phil and Dale exchanged a harried glance.

“Course she did, man,” placated Phil. “She'll come round - chicks always do. Just go buy her something; jewellery works best.” Phil turned back to his desk, busying himself with a new scan. “I didn't even know they had chimps here,” he mumbled.

Orrin collapsed back into his chair with a sigh. “Yeah, in the Biology labs apparently, for behavioural research.” Flashes of Kyah in the great court needled at Orrin’s guilt. He jumped to his feet.

“Jaysus! You know what? You're a genius Phil! All I have to do is go to the chimp lab - Ivy visits Kyah all the time so I’ll leave a message for her there!” For the first time since all day, Orrin's smile was matched in his tired eyes.

Phil kept typing. “You're the doc, doc.”

Ivy’s shoulders were stiff and her mouth set in a hard line as she followed a tiny hobbit woman from the cave the following morning. She had refused to speak after Gihn had offered her a sleeping mat and some water the night before and instead, lay awake all night staring at the hearth coals glowing in the dark. Cyclic imaginings of her quiet, comfortable life shattered by this dangerous primitive one had rollercoasted her through grief and fear until daylight found her exhausted again.

Her ankle throbbed and her eyes burned. An aching loneliness had settled in Ivy’s chest, punctuated constantly by the sharp bite of loss and the memory of Orrin’s voice.

Desperate to escape the smell of bodies, Ivy had let the woman coax her from the cave at daybreak. Ivy kept her distance though, studying her guide with almost paranoid intensity.

The woman’s wide face was haloed by a mess of glossy hair that reached her shoulders in a thick tangle, falling unevenly down her back. Her body was naked to the waist and she supported a heavily pregnant belly with her free hand as she moved. A utilitarian hide slung around her hips swayed as she walked, bulky with hidden objects. Despite her burdens, the tiny woman had an undeniable grace. Her long arms were muscular but lithe and her forearms covered with a dusting of hair. Her knees were rough and scuffed light with dirt. She walked slowly and flat footed across the grass, muttering soothing words that Ivy didn’t understand. Ivy threw a glance over her shoulder, to make sure Kyah was still following in the branches.

The forest opened onto the grassland they had crossed the night before. A river terrace was cut into the valley. The morning sun flecked silver across the surface of the water as they approached and Ivy noticed a handful of hobbits already gathered by the edge. The stomach of some large animal was being filled with fresh water and a pile of roots and shoots sat on the flat edged rocks. Ivy's pregnant companion walked to them and spoke. After throwing wary looks toward Ivy, the others gathered their provisions, knotting and carrying the distended stomach by its adjoining vessels and disappeared into the greenery.

The pregnant woman returned and gave a tentative smile. She reached out and pulled Ivy’s arm downward. Ivy allowed the soft insistence and lowered herself to the grass, finally meeting the pregnant hobbit at eye level.

They stared at each other. Ivy had never expected to see the characteristic bone structure of this species so fleshed and vibrant. In fact, this woman’s face was the only feature of the Homo floresiensis
human
- as there was no doubt in her mind that this was indeed a
human
- that even her imagination had never done justice to. The woman's face was a beacon of kindness.

“Sha-ahn.” The pregnant woman's fingers touched her own short forehead. “Shahn.” Her thick eyebrows pinched for a moment at Ivy’s silence. The woman touched her own forehead once more. “Shahn.” She glanced at the amulet dangling from Ivy's wrist, hesitating.

She's being polite.
With the realisation, Ivy pulled the amulet into her palm and held it out, inviting conversation. The hobbit curled her petite hand over it.

“Hello Shahn,” Ivy said.

Shahn’s face lit up. She suddenly drew in, placing her hands on either side of Ivy's head and bringing their foreheads together. It was warm and intimate and Ivy flushed under the woman’s palms. Shahn smelt of earth and aromatic herbs and her belly pushed into Ivy's arm, surprising her with a distinct nudge.

Shahn pulled back, apparently delighted. She took the amulet between their hands again. “My unborn child likes you, Hiranah.”

“Apparently so,” Ivy smiled. As miserable as she felt, it was hard to be rude to this woman.