Koban (28 page)

“The maximum life span of a Krall seems to be roughly half that
of a modern genetically enhanced human, about sixty to seventy years. When their
breeding capability wanes with age, at about fifty years old, they often opt to
challenge younger warriors just out of novice training to help weed out the weakest
and least skilled. That continues until they eventually lose a death match.

“It is the mature Krall’s restraint and respect for the warrior
potential
within their cubs which is the slender protection we have now from
challenge and random attack. It is a powerful cultural taboo against killing unproven
cubs, and they rarely challenge a novice still in training. The blank oval tattoo
we received is the marking for that novice-in-training status.

“Once humanity has been classified as suitable to be prey, food
animal, slave labor, or useless, we will change status as a race. If we are deemed
useless, they will exterminate humanity and take whatever planets they like best
for their own colonies. If considered fit only as food animals, we would be treated
like the Raspani. Luckily, we don’t taste pleasing to them, so we are only ‘rations’
in a pinch.

“The most optimistic option, and naturally this is from a Krall
point of view, is to find us suitable as prey, and start a war of slow attrition.
I happen to think this is our best option as well, since it delays extinction or
enslavement, and leaves us hope for a long-term solution more in our favor.

“Koban is the world they most desire because the gravity is about
fifty percent greater than most Earth sized planets, and contains a larger and denser
iron core and higher percentage of heavy elements in its outer crust. The native
animal life is not only adapted to the higher gravity, which is bad enough for us,
but has developed a nervous system that is significantly faster reacting than even
what the Krall have evolved. One of your scientists, Doctor Kraven, said it sounds
as if Kobani animals have a nervous system based on organic high temperature superconducting
material.

“I also have some hopeful observations to make. The Krall, in
my opinion, are too arrogant and overconfident, and have relied so much on their
obvious physical advantages and stolen technology that they display less intelligence,
on average, than we do. They underestimate us, don’t appear to employ the same degree
of sneakiness and subterfuge that we are capable of using. On the darker side, I’m
sure that they could easily wipe us from the galaxy if they want.”

He looked around. “The floor is open for discussion.”

Aldry spoke first. “The Krall limit us on what we can do to them,
no nukes, chemicals, disease, gas and so forth, but did anyone ask them about what
we can do to ourselves?”

“Like what?” asked Dillon. “We can’t go gas or nuke ourselves
and hope it hurts them as well.”

“No, No. Not like that. I mean what we can do to enhance our
own abilities. Not better-armored suits and weapons,
better us
! Such as performance
enhancing drugs, adrenaline boosts delivered at appropriate times to keep an edge
or enhance strength and alertness.”

Mirikami had a contribution for this idea. “The Flight of Fancy
is a long Jump ship, visiting backwater worlds. Because of that, we have quite a
complex medical pharmacy that can produce many standard drugs, and it can be reprogramed
for making others if we have the raw ingredients.

Noreen chimed in. “We should also ask the Krall to let us use
our machine shop to improve the armor or weapons they will give us.”

“We can try to make some silent weapons they won’t think we would
use,” Mirikami suggested. “Like crossbows for a quiet low tech ambush capability,
or possibly explosives. The machine shop and pharmacy use may justify keeping the
ship powered up in Telour’s mind. That’s an important factor, if only to keep our
friend able to communicate with us, and we to one another.”

“Tet, you have a devious mind. I like it!” quipped Maggi.

“Thanks. I think. I’ve asked my engineering section to consider
how we can permanently disable our ability to lift the ship, with as little destruction
to the power systems and electronics as the Krall will find acceptable. As much
as I hate to propose that step, I want to keep as much of our resources intact as
possible.”

Dillon had been struggling with his conscience after Aldry had
mentioned performance enhancements. He decided he had to broach a dangerous subject
that the other members of Midwife’s secret inner circle would not like, so he rushed
to get it out fast.

“Maggi, if we save the ship and its stores, we have equipment
for multiple complete science labs. We would have power and space for the equipment
and computers. We might be able to do some things to make a significant physical
difference. Such as making ourselves stronger, faster, and needing less sleep. Try
to narrow the gap, so to speak. In all of the human sphere of influence, the people
here on the Flight of Fancy are the only people that know of this threat, and are
also capable and equipped to do this.”

He saw that both Mirikami and Noreen were giving him startled
looks, while Maggi and Aldry revealed tight expressions of their own. In the latter
case it reflected the fear of a betrayal he appeared about to make.

Everyone knew Planetary Union law proscribed any recombinant
DNA methods; the death penalty still applied if employed on humans. Yet gene control
and manipulation had been one of the secret undefined goals of the Midwife Project’s
inner circle. To apply forbidden technology to create hybrids of Earth evolved plants
and animals. To produce inheritable gene modification for selected plants and animals
on new colony worlds, where the next generation of those plants and animals would
be better able to survive, even flourish in their alien environments. It was technology
that was standard practice several hundred years ago, but not since the Gene War.

“I can see that the subject scares you,” He continued. “However,
doesn’t extinction of the human race at the hands of the Krall, who have twenty
five thousand years of self-modification behind their own genetic superiority, scare
you more? We don’t have thousands of years to come up with any other technological
solution.”

Maggi shrugged her shoulders and added a covering remark, “Assuming
we can even relearn the science that was lost.”

Fisher wasn’t against Dillon’s surprise proposal, but she wasn’t
prepared to let the Captain and his First Officer know that the knowledge needed
was already contained in their carefully hoarded and encrypted databases.

Sounding more formal than he intended, Mirikami decided to delicately
probe deeper, concerned how his First Officer might react.

“Doctor’s; and I address all three of you; is it at all possible
that we might be able to do more than simply give ourselves adrenaline, or drugs,
to temporarily boost our energy and awareness?” He had been careful to add the “we”
to imply he was included.

“If we can’t convince the Krall that humans can fight back effectively
on Koban, the rest of the human race may never get a chance to fight for their own
survival.” Noreen indicated agreement with a nod.

Mirikami asked, “Is it possible to get results quickly enough
to make a difference? Assuming we get the opportunity to do so?”

Aldry, who had been intimately involved with obtaining some of
the old biological files and records from forgotten or hidden archives, was cautious
in her own reply.

“Tet, we know, if only from the old Tri-Vid dramas, that it was
possible to introduce genetic changes in animals that took effect within weeks,
even in a few days if the story lines are believed.” She knew the stories were
true.

“Those scientists used some sort of injectable biological carrier,
such as a modified virus to transport the desired genes to implant, which then entered
living cells and inserted the new gene in the cell’s DNA. There it would activate,
and be passed on to new cells through normal cell division. To be of use, we’d have
to learn how to do that again, and learn what changes were safe and quickly beneficial.”

Noreen, nervous, but anxious to show she understood the risk
and danger of what was being danced around so delicately, had a question more to
the point. “The lab equipment you brought with you, to study evolving primitive
Newborn life. Is it refined enough to even do what you are discussing?”

“Noreen,” Maggi assured her, “the quality of our modern equipment
is far superior to that of three hundred years ago. Even though it wasn’t purpose
built for gene alteration, we certainly intended to examine the genetics of the
emerging Newborn life forms. Equipment capability isn’t a problem, but know-how
and technique are certainly things to overcome.”

“Gentle People” interjected Mirikami, “I think we need to clarify
our position on this subject while we can do so in our relative privacy. Dear Doctor
Cahill has tried to catch my attention twice now, and surely will join us soon for
more ego grooming.” He studiously avoided looking in her direction.

“Let me pose a number of questions, and please be frank. I give
my word to keep whatever answers I hear confidential, and just between us, unless
we
all
agree to do otherwise in the future. Will each of you give your word
to do the same?”

All murmured their agreement, quickly glancing around the room,
making sure they were still isolated from the closest group discussion in the center
around Cahill.

“Very well. First, do we have the actual hardware capability
to do gene manipulation with your equipment?”

“Yes, we do.” Maggi answered.

“Second, if you learn how to make the genetic changes that might
be desired, can you implement them, such as by injecting a modified transport virus?”

Maggi looked to Dillon, who she knew had done considerable study
of the “forbidden” records.

He started this, so he couldn’t hold back now. “I believe we
could. However, knowing what genes are worth enhancing is as important as how to
introduce the change. It once was done easily.”

Mirikami resumed. “Third, could we obtain results quickly enough
to matter on Koban if you can create the modified virus?”

Tougher to answer, but all three scientists looked at one another,
and Maggi answered for them all. “A lot has to happen first, but probably the testing
would last for a couple of months. So I’d say your question has a conditional yes
answer.”

Nodding, Mirikami continued. “Fourth, is this a course of action
that we want to pursue farther, and to implement if it seems possible and useful
to our survival? I’d like each of you to state your position by a simple yes or
no, and I’ll go first.

“Yes.” He stated firmly.

“Yes,” answered Maggi.

“Yes,” spoke Noreen and Dillon almost together.

Aldry’s own “Yes” made it unanimous.

“We are agreed.” Mirikami let out a breath he hadn’t quite realized
he was holding. It was a slender hope, but he hadn’t even felt that much previously.
They might convince the Krall to enter a prolonged fight with humanity, but he didn’t
see how humanity could win that battle when they were both physically and technologically
inferior to the Krall. New technology would come, if they could delay how quickly
they lost.

He looked at them all. “I certainly know that I don’t have to
tell you how dangerous this decision can be for us personally. The Krall would probably
kill us outright if they knew we intended to ‘cheat’ and bypass the slow selective
evolution on their Great Path. However, even more likely is our being condemned
and exposed by some of our fellow captives. I believe we need to keep this information
extremely limited, perhaps just to the five of us for now, though there may be other
members of your scientific community you can trust to participate.”

Fisher bobbed her head. “There are a few others that I’m sure
will share our viewpoint, but I don’t see a reason to risk expanding our small circle
yet. We need to see if we even get a chance to set up our labs to explore the possibility.
However, circumstances on Koban may well push others to think of this idea on their
own, once the killing starts.”

Aldry gave them a heads up. “Ana is heading our way.”

They all looked up to see Cahill moving towards them, with a
number of people in tow.

“Tet, I’ll speak with you about our last topic later. I’m sure
our Vice Chairfem wants to discuss her committee selections with us. I don’t see
why you need to be here for this, other than to butter her up some more, and I’m
not sure I could hold down my gorge a second time. Noreen, this will be dreary infighting
dear, I’m sure you can find better things to do as well.”

Mirikami grinned. “Maggi I’ll take you up on that talk and a
meal when you have time. I will also accept the opportunity to leave while I can.”

Turning to Noreen, “Please see if Mister Rigson has picked up
any significant new piece of trivia about the Krall while we were talking here.
Then feel free to find some other duty and leave the meeting if you so wish.”

As she acknowledged him, Mirikami smiled and waved to the approaching
Cahill, then quickly opened the door and made good his escape. Cahill’s brightening
smile at the Captain’s cheery wave turned into a disappointed frown.

Shit!
She thought.
Now I have to deal with that Fisher
bitch.
Moreover, she noticed the glint in the Chairfem’s eyes, and her little
satisfied smirk. At least Fisher couldn’t destroy the committee work she’d started,
following the Captain’s direct orders. That was something for which she would be
remembered for a long time.

Maggi politely stood up as the Captain arrived for their lunch
in the main dining room, pulling out his chair and waiting until he was seated to
return to her own. She wondered how long the formal social customs would last, once
they reached Koban.