Читать книгу Diary of Darkness - Norman Willey - Страница 6

Eric Oakley sits staring out the window at blackness, nothing but black space unbending. Wisps of cold drifting past; it is hard to believe the vessel is cruising at 60,000 miles an hour. If one could measure speed with no reference point other than a white dot here and there, white dots that never move. Cold black empty space 459 degrees below zero, nothing but artificial light beaming off his reflection on a window kept warm from artificial heat. Dimming the lights with a push of a button, this is how it has been, the journey to nowhere, just somewhere, hopefully not as void of life as has been for the past ten years. The search continues infinite space looming ahead if that means forward. Now Eric doesn’t know, being confused, as to how much further or how much longer this trip will take, the captain at the helm should know, and that’s what matters, but every planet surveyed has yielded nothing.

Eric never thought he would become extra-terrestrial, but when he was terrestrial, he felt a normalcy about planning a future.

Nevertheless, when his planet became unstable, the One World Government decided to send out several vessels deep into space looking for another habitable planet. He never thought they would travel this deep and what happens when they find a habitable planet this far away from home? I guess that is what the commanders decide when and if the time comes. Eric is a master with DNA forms and even created a new mammal for his final government exam for the journey. He created several failures until he got a mammal that resembled an otter, but Eric is an apprentice with many talents, learning the craft of creation.

Eric does some number crunching and concludes that the vessel is 5 billion 256 million miles from home. Knowing that the ship has jumped through several wormholes he scratches through his calculations.

The captain at the helm probably knows and that’s what matters. Eric knows that the ship keeps moving, never stopping-into darkness.

Eric's videophone blurts out; “its Timothy calling,” He prefers Tim. Pressing the button to answer, "What's up Tim?"

Tim's image shows him riding his stationary bike "What's it look like man? Have to stay in shape in deep space."

Eric turns the lights up and moves to the kitchen "I know, but I prefer to lift 12 oz's!" Grabbing a beverage from the refrigeration unit on the wall noticing his unit is empty except for beer.

Tim Continues "we have it pretty good considering that we are like a couple billion miles from home."

"5 billion 256 million miles and counting to be exact." retorts Eric like a smart mathematician, “not including the worm hole jumps, which I can’t calculate that far or random.”

"You always were good with numbers and science," returns Tim while breathing heavily.

"Well I have to be knowledgeable in those and most all other areas to be a DNA master," smiles Eric as he takes a long drink from his beverage container.

"Well, I have to know math and be in shape as a master fighter pilot in deep space."

"Touché, master flight man Tim." Moving to sit down again, Eric continues "Are you done with the bike man, I want to get out of this room and go see Janelle, and get my mind off things."

Walking down the wide corridor of the hallway, looking out the windows into deep black space, Eric is headed toward the restaurant to join Janelle, his girlfriend. Tim runs up alongside, “It’s amazing!”

“Dang, don’t you knock first; you startled the hell out of me.”

“Sorry dude, but I still am amazed at the size of this ship. Fifty restaurants; a mall of stores, 100,000 people with babies being born, 4 hospitals and police stations, Fire hazard response teams for the nuclear ion regionalization engines.

Eric stops walking and turns to face Tim, “Do you understand that it has been the same for the past 10 years?”

“We are going to need all of these things and people to colonize a new world?” Walking again, “That is why we have a payload of fighter, and transport ships and that is why we send out scouting ships to survey deep black space.”

“Sorry man if I hit a nerve, but I heard a rumor from those scouting pilots saying that we are getting closer to a habitable planet.”

Eric Stops again, “What are you saying?”

“I am saying that the scouts took samples in space somehow and brought the samples back to the scientists. The scientists analyzed the information and either determines that the elements are favoring habitable area or not. I don’t know, it’s like a needle slowly moving from red, to yellow, then to green.”

“That is crazy, there is no sign…”

“Dude, are you a scientist?”

“No, but…”

“I’m not either, I fly craft but they are scientists and study this information and they should know what is going on, that’s their job.”

“Ok, but don’t tell Janelle or Stacy!”

“I won’t tell them,” the two continue to walk to the restaurant in silence.

Janelle and Stacy sit on opposite sides of the table in the booth with music blaring, “I wonder where they could be, they’re late,” coming from Janelle. “There they are” pointing, Cher frowns “it looks like they are engaged in a serious discussion”.

Eric walks into his lab preparing for some experiments when he notices Dr. Fintao, his superior.

“Dr. Fintao do you mind if I ask you a few questions,”

“Good morning to you also Eric,”

“I’m sorry, good morning, it’s just that I heard a rumor last night and want to se if you know more on the subject.”

The Doctor pulls up two chairs.

“Sit and let me guess,” The two sit down and the doctor rubs his chin.

“You are friends with Tim who is a pilot, he heard from the scouting party talk about our voyage possibly nearing the end, is this correct?”

“How can you know what I was going to ask?”

“Eric, I get paid, so to speak, to do my research and know all that is going on. You will learn to put, what did they used to say? Two and two together,”

“So what do you think Dr.?”

“I think that the scientists have a grasp on what they are doing and they will know more after conducting further research, and will let us know when they have more solid and direct information, till then we continue our own research.”

I am just excited and apprehensive at the same time to think that we can be so close after such a long journey.”

“I feel the same way; do you ever stare out the window into the blackness of space Eric?”

“Every night there are no planets and very few stars, no life, this can mean that we are approaching another solar system with more planets and possibly, the scientists believe, that at least one is habitable.”

“I sure hope so Dr. but that will be the day when the hard work really begins.”

“You are right about that, speaking of work…”

“I know sir; we need to continue with our human DNA research.

At the Helm of the Ship

“Sensors are picking up planets in sector Bravo Zero Nine and Alpha nine X-ray seven!”

The captain on the helm suddenly has an attack of goose bumps. “Excuse me ensign, did I hear you correctly? I don’t see anything.”

“That’s correct sir we are still far out but thanks to those worm hole jumps we are approaching a new solar system,” pointing to the long range radar.

In the Situation Room

“I believe we are approaching a new solar system,” opens the meeting, Dr. Darren Knight, “we have seen nothing but darkness for so long, it is refreshing to learn that the probe ships have returned with compelling evidence.”

“It is indeed excellent news,” coming from Dr. Mathew Steward PHD. But we must continue our testing to be sure,” Speaking with a lisp.

“We need to make sure the area consists of at least one sun and the astronomical objects bound to it by gravity, at least one planet has to be oxygenated by diatomic gas,” putting in his two cents; the 80 year old Dr. Ron Munsee lee. The other scientists nod their heads and rolling their eyes, knowing the obvious.

“Yes, we have to be able to breath, snickers Doctor Knight.

Don’t Mess With DNA

Dr. Fintao and Eric continue with their research, they have grown a test tube baby which was birthed by one of the volunteer women. The human body was a mixture of DNA injected into the egg; trying to create a worker human for the new planet.

Dr. Fintao working with chemicals and speaking into a comm. Recorder continues, “I am experimenting on what I have labeled ‘New Worker’, which demonstrates that genes from different chromosomes can be bound together in the nucleus, and that this may facilitate and speed up their coordinated regulation, “stepping to his right slightly bumping into Eric, like a bull in a china shop.

The Dr. continues as he mixes some more chemicals together, “The human Genome is often represented as a one dimensional sequence, but an entirely different perspective is required for understanding how the Genome actually functions.” Pointing at a chemical mixture for Eric to hand to him, “The Genome is the entirety of an organism’s heredity information. It is encoded either in DNA, or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The Genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of DNA/RNA.”

Eric looks at the doctor reminding him of a mad scientist in some old movie he remembers watching as a child.

“Roughly 2m of DNA is contained in a nucleus and this maze is negotiated by features, like chromatin proteins. Machines that remodel chromatin transcribe DNA into RNA, process RNA transcripts or replicate DNA in preparation for cell division. Far from being chaotic these activities appear to be ordered, with particular direct activities like transcription or replication this taking place at specific locations within the DNA or RNA for example, ‘transcription factories’ churn out multiple different transcripts and “replication factories’ initiate DNA replication at several origins.” Adjusting his comm. Recorder as Eric looks at the doctor’s sweat beading face. “While the spatial organization of the Genome within the nucleus has been described in considerable detail, the outcome is not fully known at this time and what functional significance it has, and with moving DNA signatures around, with and between different species will cause.”

The Doctor removes the recording equipment with Eric’s help. “Now we need to find a human test subject and inject the DNA.”

“But doc you said the outcome of this is not known.”

“How will we know, until we try Eric,” Again reminding Eric of a mad scientist.

“The doctor speaks further, “Don’t you see that we can replicate DNA and RNA? RNA contains amino acids which turn into protein? We can also mutate a virus through the RNA, I wouldn’t do it, but I am just saying that we could inject a virus into the RNA strand to kill a creature, or a hundred creatures!”

“Or on humans” Eric butts in.

“Yes, humans could be attacked in this way also, but we wouldn’t let our research fall into the wrong hands. This is for creation not destruction, I am just pointing out the many ways in which to use this.”

“I am here to create, not destroy and that is the only thing that I want to focus on.”

“We are creating, but with creation comes much responsibility, and we have to be made aware of all of the possibilities not just one, the body is a maze of changes like the sands of the desert, or the tides of the ocean, when testing we have to be prepared for a tidal wave.

Especially on a hostile planet, son you have to be willing to do both when you are testing subjects, now get me a test subject from our DNA database.”

“I won’t do it; if you’re talking about killing someone!” Eric storms out of the lab.

“We need two test subjects,” talking to himself, Dr. Fintao scrolls the database.

Dr Fintao injects the DNA into test subject #1 along with the DNA accelerator. It starts to enter the blood stream slowly like a locomotive then speeds like an angry bullet coursing through the subject’s veins, organs, and muscle flexors.

The subject shakes and jolts as his body spasms. It’s a good thing the other subject is sedated as not to see this.

The first test subject continues to convulse as the Dr. speaks into his comm. Recorder the entire test, which is far from over-The first test subject is strapped down to a table in a separate room with Plexiglas viewing windows.

As the first test subject stops flailing and becomes motionless, Eric enters the lab to stand beside the Dr. just looking in bewilderment, astonished over what he is seeing.

“Help me move the second test subject into the same room, I want to inject him with another DNA strand and see how they interact.”

“I am not going to help you kill two people,” Eric rejects the notion of helping, yet again.

“Eric, this is what we do, we were sent along specifically to conduct and succeed with these tests, and when we get to a planet, we will do more tests on any life forms found, you will do these things that I ask of you or you will be relieved of your duties! Am I making myself clear?”

Eric finally agrees and pushes the test subject’s gurney into the same protective room as test subject 1. The Dr. injects a different DNA/RNA concoction into his main artery. Then the two men seal the room and observe from the observation booth.

The test subject which is labeled #2 convulse and foams at the mouth and as the accelerator kicks in, the subject’s form begins to change immediately, his ears stretch like angry appendages. His mouth opens to reveal his regular incisors falling out, blood spewing as fangs grow in place. The test subject’s eyes open to reveal blue ovals with blood dripping from the corners. Muffled screams emanate from the throat like a bloody gurgling. Muscles twitching as they become ponderous, his chest heaves upward as the tissues expand with muscle-All muscles expand like steroids surging through his entire body.

“Dr, what the hell is happening, what was in that mixture?” Eric yells stammering about the room as the creature writhes in pain. “I simply recreated wolf DNA and RNA with an accelerator, “calmly speaking.

Blood spatters the Plexiglas when subject 1 opens his blood-shot eyes; his body showing changes also, his muscles start to expand; his biceps pulsate and rip through the gown he is wearing.

“It is hard to judge these actions when experimenting, “ the doctor is interrupted by test subject 2 ripping off his restraint fully naked as he grows 3 feet taller with fangs and blue oval eyes, blood trailing behind as he heads straight for test subject 1 who was beginning to break free from his bindings.

Too late for that, the beast grabs the other and sinks his fangs into the neck severing the carotid artery, neck blood pumping out like a heartbeat-the beast then reaches his hand with sharp nails through the rib cage, sounds resembling snapping twigs rips the heart from its home. The beast howls an ear shattering yell releasing the neck of the lifeless victim, turns toward the onlookers and starts chewing into the heart, it still slowly beating.

Dr. Pintao punches a button on the wall which releases a deadly toxin into the room, the beast falls to the blood soaked safety room floor.

“My god,” expels the words while looking into the blood filled room. Eric faces the Dr. “That was a complete failure. You’re just mad or crazy with power!”

“I said it before and I will say it again, this is what we do.”

“No, this is not what we do, we start off with the test tube project over there,” pointing toward the test tube baby in the incubator, “and then we work our way up to more increased testing!”

“I am keeping pace with the baby, but that takes a lot of time, I wanted to speed up the tests.”

Eric sits down, “Just promise not to use wolf DNA again.”

“RNA Eric, I used a replication strand.”

“Whatever, just start out slower please.”

“I agree, now we have to clean up, notify the family and document everything.”

“You mean notify the two families! Yes these are good times,” speaking with sarcasm, “but a lot learned today I guess. I am sure to have nightmares for weeks,” Eric begins to clean up the bloody mess.