Fiction Vortex - May 2013, Page 2

  If we could engage in higher-order speech functions with our test subjects, we could advance all the faster. 400.10 Hermione has already shown that GENMOD 401.03.223 is successful. The question is now whether this transgenic modification will transmit generationally. Ancillary to this genmod, Hermione’s communication functions are enhanced. She can point to words, show affirmative or negative responses, and in general answer the Exploration Service’s Psychological Standard Battery (see Appendix 2).

  ~~~~~

  UNIT 401 LAB REPORT 4.12

  Introduced subject mouse Edgar 10, a mega-Doogie equally responsive and intelligent to Hermione 10 for the purposes of creating a new generation, designated 401.10.11. This introduction is of particular importance, since this is the first generation of mice with transgenic material combined with natural developments. As mice become more sophisticated thinkers, will their sexual instincts remain keyed to biological cues, or will the subjects, for want of a better word, turn human, with all the agonies of mate selection, relationships, and sexual jealousy attending?

  ~~~~~

  Private Encoded RNA Marks AA – EG Required Year 4.12

  Hermione nibbles on smoked Gouda. She looks up at me, and returns to her cheese. She stops nibbling, cleans her whiskers. “He’s an idiot.”

  “You don’t like Edgar?”

  “He can’t talk. He stares at me.”

  “You’re telling me your instincts aren’t working?”

  Hermione stares at me. “Are yours?”

  “Sexuality is different in mice and humans,” I say. “We don’t go into estrous cycles. Humans also treat sexuality as a form of recreation.”

  She shakes her head. “For fun?”

  “So they say.”

  She nibbles more cheese. “I’m in estrous, right?”

  “It’ll be dark,” I say. “Tonight.”

  ~~~~~

  Private Encoded RNA Marks AA – EG Required Year 5.1

  It’s in front of me. My ESPSB and Hermione’s ESPSB. With the GENMOD 401.03.223, her score reflects the optimum profile of an Exploration Team member. Of course, no mouse will be on an Exploration Project. People like me will be. Better people than me.

  Ysyto buzzes me. “Can I come in?”

  I press the unlock button. My ESPSB in front of me, I hardly notice. The score never changes, and never will. Not in the five years since I stayed in Huntsville for the initial screening. Some got passed over for physical reasons, some for political beliefs, some for aggressive personality profiles, and some for minor mental tics. It’s like the last post she sent me. I read it over and over again, but nothing changed. How could it? I can make any living creature larger, change secondary sexual characteristics at will, increase strength, endurance, metabolic rate, hair, eye, and skin color. But no genmod can create or sustain love, or erase mistakes.

  I feel Ysyto’s mass behind me, a palpable force. “ESPSB?”

  “Hermione’s.” I hand her the tablet.

  Ysyto hums as she scans. “Okay.” She looks up. “And this one?”

  I kill the tablet. “Nothing. Old data.”

  “Hers?”

  “You ever take it? The ESPSB?” I turn my chair around and run into her chest, not deliberately. “Excuse me,” I say.

  She doesn’t back off. “You don’t have any human connections, do you?”

  “Ysyto.”

  She stands up, making me crane my neck. “Who is in that picture?”

  “Don’t you have research? Running any experiments? Observations?”

  “Yes,” she says. She crosses her arms.

  “I loved her.” My stare is hostile.

  “Her? When?”

  I shake my head. “A long time ago. She’s dead.” I look away and see Hermione perched behind the monitor post.

  If Ysyto were normal — if I were normal — a round of commiseration might commence, but we’re both scientists. I have just given her another point on the graph, another piece of data. Why did I tell her that? To get rid of her? Ysyto must sense that I don’t really have any sexual interest in her.

  Ysyto nods. “Human warmth. Intimacy. It has benefits.”

  ~~~~~

  UNIT 401 LAB RECORD Date: 5.1

  After the standard 20-day gestation cycle, subject Hermione 10 has given birth to six live-born offspring of subject mouse Edgar 10. (Unique designations to follow.) No complications to the births, or any observable defects to the infant mice. High-Security close observation protocols to be enacted as per Unit 401.20.

  ~~~~~

  Private Encoded RNA Marks AA – EG Required Year 5.3

  Hermione spends time with her litter, as all mice must do. I’m actually missing talking to her. It makes no sense to bond with a mouse, even a descendant of 1519 day Methuselah as Hermione is, though I curtailed much of the longevity of her genetics due to the need to move through generations. I regret this now, since I’ve come to care for her. She’s intelligent for a subject mouse, and maybe because of this, I find her company more compelling than with any human, lately. When I was younger I sought more human company, but now, since I’m in the lab all day, and sometimes all night, I can’t be diverted.

  I think about that night, about her, dying in my arms. Her name too was Hermione, named after some movie character her mother loved as a child. Her hair, natural, waved in the breeze, coronaed with sunlight, and her eyes shone with intelligence, but with an edge of daring, too. We met in genetics class before the war. Both ambitious, she more than I, ambitious enough to join me in my bootleg genmods, teach me the basics of eye color and retroviruses for secondary sexual characteristics. We made enough money to equip a good lab of our own in the house we rented. Women with small breasts and men with small penises started to come to see us, and those that wanted to change their genders without surgery. We charged less than Government Genmod Clinics, and performed the therapies without the standard mandatory waiting periods. We took in some questionable clients wanting total genscan revision, paying us with many credits, but we made sure these were only criminals and not terrorists. We did not want to be arrested for a federal crime, after all. Hermione handled the business end, vetting the clients, bribing the USGINet Locales, using her knowledge of human behavior and reactions to pheromones to devastating effect.

  I worked on my personality mods from the start, hoping mainly that Hermione and I would both go to Mars, something we talked about lying together in our bed, so eager, arrogant, so naïve. What bonded us was our claustrophobia. She could never stand to be in a closed lab for long. I hated flying and elevators. We could use anti-anxiety packs, but those made you disqualified for any exploration programs. Not that all long-trippers didn’t get a large daily dose of them once on their way. Typical USG hypocrisy.

  ~~~~~

  DAYBOOK — 28 August

  19:00 Dinner with Ysyto at her place.

  ~~~~~

  Private Encoded RNA Marks AA – EG Required Year 5.4

  Ysyto rises, the sheet catching on her genmod breasts. She turns to me. Maybe I shouldn’t have told her, but I’m a scientist first, not a spy, or a USGINet thug.

  “Talk?” Her eyes wide. Awe, disbelief, or hatred?

  “A complex interaction between the transgenic nature of the mice and my genmod. Nothing I planned.”

  She hugs the sheet to herself. “But you’ve told no one.”

  “It might be a fluke. An anomaly. One subject.” I have broken down and slept with Ysyto because thinking about the original Hermione, long dead, stirred up needs I usually met with less complicated outcomes. Look at Ysyto: thinking, calculating. I would like to give myself over to someone as brilliant as her, but any bonds to earth are not worth the fleeting pleasures.

  Ysyto moves forward, leaning her head on her knees. She blinks. “What did the subject say?”

  I shrug. “We talk mostly about cheese.”

  Ysyto hops out of bed, a sight to behold, all 2.3 meters of her. “Get dressed.” She pulls on an orange U
SG Exploration Spaceknit undergarment, stuffing her breasts into the tight fabric. “I must speak to your mouse,” she says.

  ~~~~~

  POLICE REPORT – MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE

  Examiner: Porus Troblim, MD

  Subject: Hermione Nasrim Gryffed-Alberts, aged 25 @ TOD

  COD: Examination showed no physical trauma to victim. All organs intact, at proper size & weight for a person of her age and gender. Gene scan showed anomalies as follows:

  1. Presence of an unknown genmod on DNA markers for personality.

  2. Evidence of numerous genmods common to the victim’s social status, however, none of the genmods had manufacturer’s encoding.

  This led to an examination of the victim’s brain, where sub-cranial lesions were found inconsistent with an organic pathology. The number and recent appearances of these lesions led to the victim’s death by inhibiting the cortex, causing the victim to lose consciousness and subsequently suffocate.

  Ruling: Death by misadventure, not homicide. Possible to perhaps charge whoever made the genmod, but with no markers, whatever killed the victim will be difficult to trace. Remains may be released to family.

  ~~~~~

  Private Encoded RNA Marks AA – EG Required Year 5.4

  Mouse and Ysyto face to face. The lab is empty this time of night, except for the USGINet Security Guards who know better than to stop senior research leaders. Except, of course, they note our entry. Now maybe I regret telling her.

  “Are you in estrous?”

  Hermione’s question makes Ysyto’s face open in surprise. “No.”

  “I explained,” I tell the mouse. “Humans don’t have an estrous cycle.”

  The mouse looks over Ysyto with her calm face. “So you did it for fun?”

  Ysyto has no answer for this. “What about you?” she asks Hermione.

  “I would like some Norwegian Blue,” she tells Ysyto.

  “So you think about cheese?”

  Hermione rubs her face with her paws. “I have to get my brood,” she says.

  Ysyto sits back, shaking her head. “Wow, you are something, Hermione.”

  The mouse ticks off to her environment, dark at this time of night. Ysyto watches her, then looks at me.

  “Well,” I say.

  “I need the genetics,” she says. Her brown eyes burn at me.

  ~~~~~

  UNIT 401 LAB RECORD Date: 5.8

  The fourth course of experimentation with subject mouse. (See previous 401 lab reports for introductory information and data).

  Results: See attachment 401.01.100.04 for data graphs. Subject mouse Hermione exhibited no signs of psychosis or anxiety during the 100-hour duration of the experiment.

  Conclusions: GENMOD 401.03.223 is ready for further testing.

  ~~~~~

  USGCA STERNBERG CENTER MEETING 400 UNIT AGENDA – 6 AUGUST

  1. Dr. Otross will speak on the need for Inter-project Cooperation.

  2. Old Business – Parking spaces for junior researchers. Cooperation with USGINet Agents.

  3. Project Updates – Projects 401.1,401.2, & 401.3. Project leaders will give short presentations on the status of their work.

  4. New Business – Incoming Interns; Lab assignments.

  5. Lunch in the Sarah Palin Dining Room. Speaker: Actualizing Your Goals for Interpersonal Achievement. Bob and Babbette Deinerweiner of Encouragement Technology Inc.

  NOTE: DR. OTROSS WOULD LIKE TO STRESS THAT ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY!!!

  ~~~~~

  Private Encoded RNA Marks AA – EG Required Year 5.4

  They stare at me, except for Ysyto, who looks at the table. Otross stares too, breaking away from his usual view of Ysyto’s chest.

  “You’re sure,” Otross says. “These results.”

  “The data speaks for itself.” I look down into his ferret eyes. Hair color hard to do.

  “Publish,” he says. “We’ll publish. That’ll bring some attention to what we do here at the Sternberg Center.”

  “Premature,” Ysyto says. “We have to do a lot more testing.”

  “We?” I ask.

  Otross and Ysyto look at me. Doe-X and the others shift in their chairs, looking at their agendas.

  “I’m the one they gave the grant to,” I say.

  Otross frowns. “Look, Pollinger, it’s a matter of…”

  “National Security,” Ysyto says.

  “Oh no,” I say. “It’s a simple genmod.”

  Ysyto stands now, towering over me. “No, Pollinger. It’s a talking mouse.”

  “A talking mouse?” Doe-X says. “You’re joking, right.”

  Ysyto turns to her. “No. I’ve spoken with the subject.”

  “Her name’s Hermione,” I say.

  Otross pounds his palms on the table, shaking all the glasses of water. “Look, ultimately, the decision to publish our results is mine and mine alone.” For a little waxed ferret, Otross comes on strong.

  “It’s nowhere near ready. And I don’t even know if the speech is transgenic,” I lie.

  “Are we talking about a personality genmod that doesn’t cause psychosis, or a breakthrough in human-animal relations?” Doe-X asks.

  Otross stands (not much different from sitting). “This meeting is over. Pollinger, come with me.”

  ~~~~~

  Transcript of a Private Security Capture

  Voice 1 (Identified as Hermione Nasrim Gryffed-Alberts): If we are going to Mars, we have to try this genmod.

  Voice 2 (Identified as me, Pollinger, A.F.): It’s not ready. The effects could be…

  Voice 1: I don’t care about the effects, honey. I want the genmod.

  Voice 2: No. I. Look, it’s not like changing your eye color, or even gender assignment, Hermione, you know this. It’s a personality mod. And…

  Voice 1: You love me?

  Voice 2: The genmod needs a few tests. We have the mice. I just don’t think…

  Voice 1: I thought you wanted me, you and me, to go to Mars. Exploration. That’s what we’ve wanted. Isn’t it? Pollinger, isn’t it?

  Voice 2: It’s bad science.

  Voice 1: All the shit we’ve sold? All the off-the-market genmods? Identity exchanges? Gender reassignments.

  Voice 2: That was to pay for grad school and equipment…

  Voice 1: …And the weekends in Paris and London…

  Voice 2: Okay, but you could die.

  Voice 1: If I don’t go to Mars, I will die. (cough) I mean, if we, you and me, don’t go to Mars, we will die. I will die.

  Voice 2: Not this way, Hermione.

  Voice 1: If you won’t give the genmod, I’ll take it myself.

  Voice 2: Hermione, please (Sound of door slamming, glass breaking)

  ~~~~~

  FROM: H.R. OTROSS, PhD, Director of USGINet Sternberg Research Facility

  TO: SAIC Barkus, Chief of Security USGINet SRF

  SUBJECT: Research Project 401

  1. You are to seize all materials related to Project 401, including animals. The lab is to be sealed and only opened under my sole approval.

  2. You are to remove Pollinger, A. F. from USGINet SRF and turn him over to USGINet Exploration at the location designated below.

  3. Security Protocol 540.24 is in effect regarding the above.

  ~~~~~

  FROM: H.R. OTROSS, PhD, Director of USGINet Sternberg Research Facility

  TO: Congressperson Varda Patel, chair of the House Science Oversight Committee

  SUBJECT: Breakthrough Results from the Team at Sternberg Research Facility

  Dr. H.R. Otross is happy to announce two important breakthroughs in genetic modification.

  1. The first wholly successful personality modification. Eliminating claustrophobia and other anxieties.

  2. The first mouse able to speak directly to humans.

  Both projects come from the research team here at Sternberg Research Facility, including Ysyto Grospardo, Doe-X, and some follow-up work by A.R
. Pollinger.

  I believe these findings will result in significant honors for us at the Sternberg Research Facility, possibly even the Nobel Prize.

  ~~~~~

  Private Encoded RNA Marks AA – EG Required Year 6.2

  Aboard the USIPTS 3028 JAMES MARSHALL HENDRIX

  I did the deal. I always do the deal. I did it for Hermione, and it killed her. I did it for the other Hermione, too.

  “I’m not going to live long, am I?” she asked. I had only a few minutes before the USGINet thugs carted me away.

  “It’ll be painless, if that’s any consolation.” Ysyto, I knew, would sacrifice Hermione to look at her brain.

  Hermione laughed. “You’re going away. Mars?”

  “They’re stealing my work. I’m letting them.”

  She raised herself on her small hind legs. “To get to Mars.”

  “I took the genmod,” I said.

  She lowered herself and looked away. “Please don’t let them get my children. And give them cheese. Mascarpone at first. Just grant me that.” She looked me directly. “I forgive you.”

  “Yes. I’m taking them to Mars.” I said. I looked at the picture of my dead Hermione, and then picked it up. “It won’t hurt a bit.”

  I am writing this after coming out of deep sleep. A bit groggy. The mice remain in stasis, all six of them. I am confused and angry.

  Before I entered the USIPTS 3028 JAMES MARSHALL HENDRIX for my journey, I transmitted the genmod, claimed by Otross and Ysyto, to the USGINet CID, still holding open the case of Hermione Nasrim Gryffed-Alberts. The genmod I created came from the strain I first synthesized in grad school, the strain that Hermione introduced to herself while I stood by. The strain that killed her. The USGINet CID will know whom to question now.

  Otross wanted the credit so badly he pulled some strings and got me Exploration, and now, on the viewer Mars looms, MARS 01 and her sister installations MARS 02-05 star out from the central base, spidering into the emptiness. I wonder which leg I’ll inhabit.

  ~~~~~

  Private Encoded RNA Marks AA – EG Required Year 6.4

  Aboard the USSPA Transitional Station ST-103M ALAN STUART FRANKEN

  Some days I stare out the window away from the sun, dimmer, colder. The stars burn brighter here, clearer, more vital with no atmosphere or light pollution to block them. Some days I stare at the hardcopy of the first Hermione that I’ve mounted by magnet against my monitor screen. At last she’s going to Mars, among the clear stars.