To Touch the Stars (Founding of the Federation Book 2)

by Chris Hechtl

  She set the thought aside to consider implants. Instinctively her right hand went to the button embedded under the skin behind her right ear. She tugged on the lobe, playing with her earring. She, like every Lagroose employee, had an implant. Some had just a basic identity implant, a rice-sized electronic package that identified them to equipment and doors … and allowed security to track their movements and location at all time. A few had more sophisticated implants, these monitored their health or allowed them to access more advanced equipment.

  She, like everyone on the board and she suspected Aurelia, Jack and others, had more advanced implants. Hers could link to the station's computer through an embedded WIFI link. The tiny molecular computer would allow her to receive calls through it. She'd hear it through a direct connection to her auditory nerves. She'd even see it too, but using the visual system was prone to all sorts of problems. For one she got headaches if she used it for more than a few minutes. For another she had some swelling issues to deal with.

  Like a lot of people who had implants they'd realized early on that there were limits to the technology. They were cyborgs, but not like Hollywood projected they would be. Most people preferred discrete implants. They also preferred to use tablets as much as possible. Throwbacks like Charlie had implants, but he had a jack! She shook her head trying to imagine what life with that would be like. Keeping it clean so the tissue around it wouldn't get infected would be tedious … She frowned again. Charlie was also an anarchism; he insisted on paper. He liked to doodle, usually on paper while in meetings. But he also liked to draw on paper; something about the tactile nature of it appealed to him. She snorted.

  She'd heard that a few people had had trouble with encapsulation and tissue rejection. She knew they'd had that problem with a few of the older dolphins who relied on implants to talk or work equipment. She wondered how often they had headaches or other medical issues. She made a note to ask Aurelia about the subject.

  It was funny about the Neo Uplift program, she thought, playing with the tip of her nose again. She pulled up video feed of the dolphin pod on her main viewer and watched them playing. How could people … her thought cut off when a dolphin startled her with a spectacular leap … then her thought train restarted. Mankind had been changing their bioforms in various ways for over a thousand years, some of the ancient methods were quite horrific, like the neck extensions or head binding … some were minor to moderate … she tugged on the piercing in her ear. Man had no problem altering their ears, eyes, or covering their epidermis in tattoo art … And don't get started on all the virtual bioforms out there! But when it came down to genetically engineered bioforms, she shook her head darkly, people freaked. It was really the mob she thought, the unthinking, uncaring mob. Individuals would have an atavistic fear, but if they sat down and talked with them, observed them …

  Dolphins, chimps, and some of the other Neos were still alive on Earth, mostly in zoos and aquariums. They were no longer being experimented on, which she considered a good thing … until she remembered what Aurelia and the other genetic engineers were doing on station 32. She shook her head and put the thought aside. Those animals that were in the wild were still endangered and would probably remain that way … if uncaring people didn't go ahead and wipe them out like they had many other species over the past couple of centuries.

  It was … funny, she thought, lips pursing in an almost smile as she realized she was trending that phrase a bit too much. Funny that people would accept a talking dog or other animal as long as it was in cartoon or CG form. She smiled. If they only knew how many times the Neos participated virtually on the web. They didn't use cameras of course, but they did monitor social and news sites and many times participated in a favorite online game. For instance, the chimps loved online combat games.

  She scowled as another thought came to her. She remembered the scandal over the lion fish eradication project of the middle of the second decade of the 20th century. The invasive lion fish had proven to be a danger to all reef life. They'd even been found in estuaries and fresh water. A bounty had been put on their heads and governments had put up massive fines if anyone was caught releasing the animals back into the wild but the damage had already been done.

  A genetic engineering company called Gia R&D had tried to solve the problem by creating a chimera out of an electric eel and a bull shark. The animal shocked its intended prey, then scooped them up. The creature had been engineered to eat just the lion-fish and was immune to its toxin. Like some other fish it could store the toxin up to use in its own defense. Not only that, but the bull shark could go where many other sharks couldn't; they could follow lion-fish into estuaries and up rivers, tolerating fresh water for long periods of time.

  Gia had been so sure of itself, so sure they were right … so fearful of what the invasive species was doing … and so zealous that they had released their animals into the wild without extensive testing or even getting authorization, something that haunted genetic engineers to the current day. Sure they'd applied various tracking devices to the animals, but they hadn't taken into account repeated shocks from the animal. The devices had fried one by one.

  They had finally come forward with the news release when the animals had been sighted or caught. That had been only the start of their problem as public consternation and then backlash had started. It had gotten worse when they realized the company had released a genetically modified man-eater into the wild. The American government had come down on them harshly.

  Gia had insisted that the problems people were complaining about were marginal. The chimera had been programmed to only eat lion fish. They would only attack people if provoked. Some complained that the sharks harmed other fish with their jolts, but once they recognized that the chimera were indeed clearing the reefs of lion fish, there was an outpouring of relief.

  That changed when the chimera finished with the lion-fish. When they cleared an area of lion-fish, they moved on. But if there were no new prey they did something Gia hadn't expected, they hunted and killed other fish. Apparently Gia hadn't taken into account the bull shark’s nature; it was after all, a shark. Eating fish and other animals turned out to be better; they didn't have to deal with the prickly poisonous barbs. Over time they lost interest in the lion fish they'd been intended to control or eradicate.

  So yes, there was some … reason for people to be wary of genetically engineered creatures she thought. That to her meant they had to be well thought out and very thoroughly tested and monitored. Very thoroughly, she thought with a pang.

  Hysteria over genetic engineered crops had proved unfounded over the past century though, but that still didn't stop people from having tizzies over them even in the present time period. Or imagining that ailments were caused by them. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes. The papaya fruit example alone made it moot but still people hadn't listened. Botanical engineering companies still sold cornucopia trees groundside, but only those that were made from grafting not genetically engineered. The L-5 habitats exported fruits and nuts from their cornucopia trees. Also carbon fiber, bamboo … the list went on and on. She set the thought aside.

  Half of the world’s crops had to be genetically engineered in one form or another, not only to resist drought, disease, or pests, but also to provide high yields, yields the high population of mankind desperately needed it seemed. There were quite a lot of mouths to feed, and more every year. She got to her feet and headed out.

  Not only that, but growing animal protein by selectively growing just the part you wanted to harvest you spent way less in resources. Most of the protein in the orbital habitats and on Mars were grown in a lab these days. She shook her head as she continued down the corridor. If the fanatics only knew about what else they did up here. She slowed as she frowned. Just as well they didn't, she thought. Not only would they do their best to kill everyone on board, but they'd also kill genetic engineers on the ground … or any Lagroose employee for that matter. She shudd
ered.

  They really did have no idea how far they'd come … and how humane the entire process was. For instance the selective growing of body parts had been taken to new extremes with the geneticists and the Neo projects. Computer simulations could only get you so far after all; eventually one needed the real world experiment to see if it would work or what wouldn't work. They could force grow an appendage or part of an animal or person to see if it would grow as designed and function as desired … Her thoughts chopped off as she reached her destination. She swiped her wrist with its ID implant at the security door and then stood there patiently facing the camera as it did a facial and retinal recognition scan.

  The Neos were getting to the stage where they could and did take an active hand in their own species development … or at least that of their progeny. She'd heard Aurelia mutter a few times as the dolphin pod leaders took a vote on one feature or that, that she proposed instead of automatically accepting it. It felt a bit like someone offering upgrades to a tech toy from time to time, Kathy thought.

  Jack had insisted they treat the Neos as people, and she realized now he'd been right. Kathy was certain her boss had agreed out of reflex, but when it came down to it, she still had that air of paternal “because I know best” aura from time to time. She still couldn't shake it, though she was getting better at hiding her disapproval over a decision the Neos made on their own behalf. She was pretty sure that would change though; already the next generation of Neos were attending college courses and moving into new fields. A few of the older chimp Neos had been given lab assistant jobs. Paying jobs with benefits beyond what they received as Neos. That was starting to sound appealing to the Neo community.

  She was woolgathering again, she thought, but she realized she'd broken out of it when she'd entered the dolphin habitat. She paused and took a scrunchy out to put her hair up. She shook her hair, then gathered it up with both hands and twisted the flexible rubber band around her hair in a ponytail, then tucked the tip in to another loop to form a bun. Hopefully the mischievous brats would leave it alone she thought with a pang. She didn't make any bets though; they loved to play and sometimes played rough. Well, it was time to see if the coders had finished. And if they had screwed around, then it was time to find out and light a fire under someone's ass, she thought as she moved in to the habitat.

  -*-*-^-*-*-

  Whistle'Tr'ck'ka't recognized the Abrams two-leg entering their habitat. Her timing was unusual; she was expected in the morning for breakfast feeding. Occasionally she came by if a health issue cropped up. Whistle'Tr'ck'ka't and the other pod leaders had insisted recently that Squee'clock'ch'tk and other neo-dolphin healers take over for light duty.

  “How are you doing today?” she asked them politely. “Are you still interested in more jobs in deep space?” the two-leg asked.

  That attracted some attention from those without jobs or who were off shift. A crowd began to gather around her viewing platform. She played with her watch device, taking control of the view screen above and behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to it a few times to make certain she had control. It was displaying an image of Earth. She clicked the remote, and it changed to show the shipyard.

  Some of the pod showed mild interest. She smiled to her audience. A few jockeyed for a better viewing position. It was like a wall of dolphins in front of her, somewhat unnerving to see all those eyes and sharp teeth.

  “You have our attention,” Nak'nak'chick said, in almost perfect English. Kathy was proud and pleased with the young seventh-generation dolphin and let it show in her delight. The young male spun a bit as other dolphins squeed in appreciation or made a show of waggling their flippers.

  “Okay, here goes,” Kathy said. She launched into an explanation about man through the company was going to see new seas and worlds. Whistle'Tr'ck'ka't took an interest in the project, but he'd heard it before. A few of the fins were starting to lose interest. He whistled at them sternly to pay attention.

  “Now though, we’re getting close to actually doing it,” Kathy said, showing rising excitement. “I know you know me as a healer, but I also do other things. I've been serving on the design board of the ships,” she said. “For a long time, the seat was rotated around the medics and the healers. But for the past seven and a half years, I've kept the seat warm,” she smiled again then cleared her throat. “Anyway,” she paused cocking her head. “We're getting close to starting to build the first ship. But we've run into a snag,” she said.

  “What?” Nak'nak'chick asked. He rolled his eyes at her.

  “Well, glad you asked that,” she said, bowing to him. She was nervous; they could all tell from her smell and sonic image. “We have been sending probes out for a while now. They work, but we have discovered that the computers can't steer the probe properly. I looked at the feed, and I immediately thought of it as swimming,” she said.

  “We swim!” Click'ck'a said, now excited. She broke away from the audience to swim around the room. When she came back, she chattered loud and fast. “See? Sssseee?” She said.

  “I do indeed. Good,” the Abrams woman said, smiling politely.

  Kaku eyed the human. “We fly?” he asked.

  “That's what I'm here to ask you about,” the Abrams woman said. “You won't just be passengers; you would pilot the ship if this works. But we have to test to see if you can do it first,” she said. “We're working on the software now. But before we get too ahead of ourselves, we decided to ask you if you were interested,” she said looking at Whistle’Tr’ck’ka’t, and then surveying the crowd to find the other alpha and beta males and females. “This is a serious decision. It is a future for your people if it works, but it is very dangerous. It is very risky,” she said, trying to get the warning across to them.

  Whistle’Tr’ck’ka’t tried to understand her. He cocked his head and listened with his brain to the chatter as the other half replayed her sounds over and over. He turned as the chatter drifted into frequencies the two-leg couldn't hear without machine aid. From the sound of the chatter, the younger set were excited about getting a chance to do it. Even some of the older fins were excited about the prospects. He studied the two-leg. He judged the younger set would most likely be the ones chosen. Younger and inexperienced, but they had the latest gene graphs and had better reflexes.

  “Fly ship?” Ch'nn'k asked. “We go!” he squeed, nodding enthusiastically.

  “Well, that's one vote,” the Abrams woman said with a laugh. She explained again that it would be different than piloting a robot; they would be given a chance to fly the ship there. That sparked the gathering's imagination, Whistle'Tr'ck'ka't judged. He rolled, mulling the idea around in his head.

  She turned and used her remote control on the screen above. All eyes turned to it. She showed the pods images of other worlds. “One day the world we are orbiting … Mars by the way, it will one day have seas for you and your children to explore,” she explained. She then tempered that idea with a warning that it was still at least 20 years away if not longer. “That's just the time it will take for the atmosphere to be warm enough for the water to stay wet. It will still have ice on top, and the water itself may be poisonous for many years. You will be old by then. Some very old or no longer with us.”

  The group was excited though at the idea of seeing new things. She could see it in their body language, hear it in the chatter. Some of the older set were interested in the seas, the second and third gen had a lot of experience with them. A few even missed being in water and requested a dip in a pool from time to time. The younger set not so much though, they had grown up in null G. They feigned interest well though she judged. She wasn't sure if it was for her benefit or their elders. They just wanted adventure she thought. Just like any youngling full of life.

  The pods were shown a virtual simulation of the ship. The 3-D simulation ran, spinning around the outside of the ship then showing some of the interior. “The problem is, we aren't sure if you can handle flying the ship,
” Abrams warned. Whistle'Tr'ck'ka't nodded wisely. “So, we didn't know if a habitat for you was needed until now. We still don't know; as I said, we need to run some tests,” she cautioned.

  Whistle'Tr'ck'ka't eyed Kaku. The young fin was definitely interested in seeing new spaces and people, just like all of them. He judged Kaku would go; he had the most experience. He snorted a raspberry at himself, surprising those around him into looking at him. He shrugged it off.

  Kathy tried to warn them they would be in the ship for long periods of time, and parts of it would be inaccessible to them. They didn't seem to mind that. The pod leaders glanced at each other. Whistle'Tr'ck'ka't recognized the agreement in their body language. A few were resigned; they refused to stand in the younglings’ way. A few seemed resentful of their going. He reasoned it would be good for the pod; it would give them something new, a new adventure while making room for more to be born and raised within the habitat.

  He rolled again, drifting. His mate came over and nudged his side gently. He rubbed her, then rested his head on her back briefly. It was a hard thing to decide, troubling. He did come to one decision though. When the waters on the world below were ready, he would go. He and others of his generation. They would clear the way for the younger generation who didn't want the seas while getting their own adventure.

  “You don't have to make the decision right now, think about it. Sleep on it as we say,” Kathy suggested. “Take your time like you have before and discuss it. Look it up,” she suggested.

  “Will,” Whistle'Tr'ck'ka't sputtered, then flitted off to play with the others. The dolphin squeed as he chatted with the others in a mix of primal and pidgin English. It was too fast for Kathy to follow along, and some of the conversation was in audio ranges beyond her hearing she suspected. They were also most likely exchanging sonar images.