The Nano Experiment

by Wid Bastian

  “What is your hypothesis?” Dr. Leavitt asked.

  “There is a high density of nanos accumulating under her fingernail beds, see this?” Romero said, pointing to the display. Three dimensional graphics surrounded them in all directions. “It’s almost as if a secondary vascular system is developing in her body. It’s astounding. Notice how it centers just above her ovaries and spreads throughout her body before focusing at the tips of her fingers.”

  “Again, what is in the ovaries?”

  “Nanomites, Dr. Leavitt. Their exact nature is uncertain. We would have to perform a biopsy to remove them. Should we schedule surgery?” Romero asked his boss.

  “No, not until I meet with General Schaffer,” Dr. Leavitt said. “I am confident that Cassia will be able to reproduce soon. The only thing I am not quite sure about is whether or not she will do it asexually.”

  “Indeed that remains to be seen, but my guess is asexual. Whatever her body is producing will need to combine with a living organism.”

  “Do you think the high output of nano activity the microfiber is tracking will play a significant role in how she accomplishes it?” Dr. Leavitt asked, raising his eyebrows.

  “That’s almost certainly true. As we suspected, and we were right, her genetic makeup is ideally suited for this purpose. But what will she create? Will her release always result in the creation of a new hybrid? Could she be sterile? There are too many unknowns,” Romero said as he removed his thick glasses and wiped them on a cloth.

  “Perhaps we should isolate her. If she was to release those nanomites and they were to combine with another subject, the results could be detrimental.”

  “Or phenomenal,” Romero added.

  “This is very exciting. Schaffer can make a decision in the morning.”

  After fighting off dreams that were pornographically repulsive, Cassia dreamed of Ferris. She could see him sitting at home on their island, far away from the war and destruction in a protected zone. She imagined him going through the day eating well, playing and going to school. His full time caregiver was his mother now and she had no doubt that his every physical and educational need was being met. She could almost smell Ferris as the breeze from the ocean air carried his scent across the beach. He sat there looking out over the water no doubt wondering if his mother was ever coming home.

  In her dream, Cassia was not sure if Ferris had been told of her demise. As soon as Cassia underwent the nanomite injection process, her son was to be told that she had died in battle. If he had in fact received the news, Cassia wondered what he was thinking. Would he be overwhelmed with grief, would he be proud of her or would he resent her for leaving him? Would he seek revenge on those he held responsible for her death? Both of his parents fell heroes. That would automatically make him an honored citizen and shield him for the rest of his life.

  Cassia wondered how Ferris felt about the letter from her he should have received after being given the news. In the letter, Cassia explained how much she and Rolf loved him and how happy and proud they were to have a son. There were so many things she wanted to say but couldn’t.

  The last page of the letter was a heartfelt plea. Cassia begged Ferris not to join the military. She explained that given his parent’s sacrifice, Ferris could literally have his choice of careers. With his superior aptitude for both mathematics and language, he could choose from any number of professions that would keep him well away from the slaughter.

  “Grow up, get married and raise a family. Live in peace, Ferris. Your father and I sacrificed our lives to give you this opportunity. It is my hope that the war will be over by the time you reach the age of enlistment, but if it’s not, if the ruling cadre has started another war, do not sacrifice yourself for their benefit. You must promise me this, Ferris.”

  Cassia awoke with a start. Shifting on to her side, she noticed her right arm was tingling again, more specifically her fingers and nails. It took her a minute to realize what was happening. When she looked down at her bed, she saw a small amount of fluid. The pool of liquid was about the size of her palm. It was silvery and it sparkled in the light. There were remnants of it on her nails. Clearly it had been secreted from underneath them and onto the sheets.

  She looked at the cameras. They were focused on the silvery liquid. This was significant then, but what was it? Cassia picked up a bit of it between her fingers and started playing with it. It was warm and sticky. She checked her clothing and between her legs embarrassed at what she might find, but she was dry.

  Rising to clean up the mess, Cassia noticed something else.

  The pool of liquid was moving.

  Chapter Eight

  “What is your assessment?” Dr. Leavitt asked his colleague, as the three scientists gathered in the lab.

  “I believe the discharge is a naturally created hybrid of our synthesized nano serum. It is definitely designed for the creation of a new organism. It has not been tested yet, but in theory the response will be the same as what we have previously experienced in our lab – the nanomites combine with the DNA and attempt to create a new form of life,” Dr. Romero answered. He had been hard at it for hours. As soon as Cassia was removed from her sleeping pod and placed in isolation, the fluid was collected by a robotic arm and transported in a sealed container to the main laboratory.

  “The end result?” Dr. Black asked.

  “We do not have enough raw material or data yet to see what the end result would be. What are General Schaffer’s orders?” Dr. Romero inquired.

  “I just received them. We are to begin conducting experiments immediately. I believe a lower level mammal would be ideal. What do you suggest, Dr. Black?” Dr. Leavitt inquired.

  “I believe a dog would work best. Let’s select one from a normally docile breed, say a Golden Retriever or Black Lab, about one year old. We need an animal intelligent enough to give us a good indication and one small enough to be manageable in the high security enclosure.”

  “I agree, Dan. I assume you have selected a candidate?”

  “Yes, Raoul. Canine number 435001, a Golden also known as Smiles.”

  “Smiles?” Dr. Black asked.

  “Yes Smiles. She, and we definitely want a female, is the happiest dog in the kennel,” Romero explained.

  “Not for long,” Dr. Leavitt said. Smiles appeared in front of them on their screens as she was being strapped down in the high security enclosure. A tube was inserted into her mouth; at the moment it was feeding her drips of a very tasty liquid.

  “How much of the material are you giving her?” Dr. Black asked.

  “To be old fashioned ‘only a teaspoon full,'” Dr. Leavitt snickered. As usual he was the only person in the room who found himself amusing. After his long drawn out chuckle, he said into his headset, “Time on deck 13:47. Release the serum.”

  For a brief time, Smiles lay still looking almost content. Then she began to stir, which led seconds later to convulsions and howls of pain. Although the high security enclosure could theoretically withstand a direct hit from a large conventional explosive and remain intact, as a secondary security measure a group of five soldiers appeared and surrounded the enclosure – two armed with Light Rifles and three with flame throwers.

  Her fur was the first thing to go. It fell off in clumps as Smiles wrestled against her restraints. Then her snout began to grow and her teeth enlarged and elongated until they were far too big for her mouth. Smiles raged in her restraints until the first of them snapped off like ribbon on a gift box. Her body became increasingly muscular. A hard shell was forming around her entire body and three-inch long claws were extending from her paws.

  After only five minutes the new creature stopped shaking, growing and changing. It opened all of its four eyes and stared directly at one of the soldiers. It barred its teeth and made a loud hissing noise. It rammed its head straight into the glass; the former Smiles was now fully transformed and doing her best to break out. While she was not strong enough to accomplish an escape
, she did manage to scare the hell out of the five soldiers guarding her cage.

  “Comments?” Dr. Leavitt said, calmly.

  “If those nanomites ever gain access to the biosphere humanity would be doomed,” Dr. Romero offered.

  “Can we be certain that every new combination will result in the creation of a violent hybrid? Could this be an exception?” Dr. Black asked.

  “Possible, but not likely. Wait,” Dr. Leavitt said. “She can’t be… that’s not possible.”

  Smiles the dog was using her claw to scratch something into the transparent barrier of her enclosure.

  The scrawl read; “CASSIA”.

  ^^^^^^

  “How much longer do you have to be in isolation?” Alandreian asked Cassia, as they spoke remotely by video screen.

  “They haven’t said, or even told me why I need to be in here. I think they plan on killing me, General. I hope somehow, someway, this was all worth it. To go out like this, to become what I’m becoming, it seems such a waste.”

  “Don’t go there yet. We haven’t reached that point in the process. You know how cautious they must be, Cassia. Too much is at stake here.”

  “How is the rest of the group doing?”

  “Each is developing in his own way. Kano has become completely invisible, although the white coats have figured out a way to track him. He puts on a hat and a pair of goggles when he wants to be seen by us. Mason cannot stay out of the water; I think he’s developing gills. Carter is pretty much a gecko and Halverson moves quicker than the eye can see. All in all, I think the eggheads are pleased. The powers that be are hinting at weapons training in the near future.”

  “Then the nano experiment was a success? That’s the consensus?”

  “Yes, Cassia. So far, I would say that’s an accurate statement.”

  “Then what happens to me is unimportant… somehow I know that I won’t make it.”

  “That does not sound like the Cassia I know.”

  “Look at this thing,” Cassia said, holding up her right arm. “They put a catching device on the end of my hand. They are collecting whatever this fluid is. It’s a horror show and worse...”

  “Worse?” Alandreian asked because Cassia had not finished her thought.

  “There’s a constant calling, voices in my head, like whispers. They are driving me crazy.”

  “What are they saying?”

  “I don’t know. I can’t understand them, but I feel like they are pulling at me. I think I’m going mad.”

  “Have you told anyone else about this?”

  “Yes. I’ve told the doctors, but they are being very secretive with me and have increased the level of security around my quarters.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know what’s going on General.”

  “Don’t worry, Cassia. I’ll find out.”

  ^^^^^^

  On the surface level, a meeting was taking place. The main conference room had a spectacular view of Forged Bay and the sea beyond. The day was overcast, but there was no precipitation.

  “Are these results conclusive?” General Schaffer asked.

  “Our confidence is high, yes sir,” Dr. Leavitt said.

  “So, please tell me if I’ve misinterpreted your comments, your telling me if Cassia is ever set free she could conceivably infect the entire planet? How is that possible? What is she, some type of nano Eve or something?”

  “We suspect that the nanomites produced by Cassia given the opportunity can and will spread like wild fire, combining with other life forms to create new ones.”

  “Wait a minute,” General Lucas, one of the other top brass who was attending the meeting, said. “Are you trying to tell me that the nanomites have evolved?

  “Yes, General. The nano discharge from Cassia’s right hand is an entirely new form of life. Elements of her are present, but the molecular structure, the DNA itself… it’s difficult to explain this in plain English -.”

  “Give it a try, Dr. Romero,” General Lucas said issuing an order, not making a suggestion.

  “Cassia is releasing a new type of human-nano hybrid from her hand. While it will not combine with plant DNA, it will pair with literally any other species across the board. The results are always creatures with increased mental and physical functioning and they seem to have only one thing on their minds, which is Cassia, as if she is in direct control of them.”

  “So in a nutshell your saying you have created our own worst nightmare,” General Sanchez concluded.

  “Worse,” Dr. Leavitt said, “Cassia’s human-nano hybrid discharge is light enough to become airborne after it dries. It takes very little of the discharge, less than one milliliter, to transform a mammal the size of an elephant into what we are calling for lack of a better name a ‘nano monster’. When water combines with the dried discharge it becomes active instantly, seeking an animal host.”

  “How much of this discharge can Cassia create?” General Schaffer asked.

  “As much as two liters per day, but that’s an estimate,” Dr. Black answered.

  “Has Cassia become violent?” General Lucas asked.

  “No, not yet,” Dr. Leavitt responded. “She has retained all of her human moral precepts, at least so far. The idea of infecting others is unethical to her, but it also is becoming an ever more important urge.”

  “The other Supersoldiers, do any of them share Cassia’s ability to create this human-nano hybrid discharge?” General Schaffer asked.

  “No, and we do not believe they will ever do so,” Dr. Black answered.

  “How certain are you of that, Doctor?”

  “I estimate there’s eighty percent likelihood, General Schaffer. If we had more time to experiment, my estimate would no doubt rise to over ninety five percent”.

  “Cassia must be euthanized. I see no other choice. We created her to wipe out our enemies not to become a threat to us. What type of reassurance can you give us that none of these human-nano hybrid things have escaped into the world?”

  “We have taken every precaution possible, General. Cassia has been contained; it would be impossible for even the smallest amount of nano material to escape. But,” Dr. Leavitt hesitated, knowing his next statement would not be well received, “we must do more. We cannot take even the slightest chance with Cassia’s close relatives. They might also be able to produce the human-nano hybrid discharge. Her son, any surviving siblings, nieces and nephews must also be, a… well…, euthanized.”

  “You want me to order the deaths of people -.”

  “Yes. I would go down the genetic ladder all the way to second cousins,” Dr. Romero added. “Just to be sure.”

  “What is so unique about Cassia’s DNA? Why does she and no one else pose this much of a threat?” General Lucas asked.

  “It’s not her DNA per se,” Dr. Romero explained. “Three generations earlier, Cassia’s great grandfather was treated with experimental stem cells which at the time were being used to stimulate vertebrae regrowth in paralyzed patients. While almost all of these efforts failed, in Cassia’s great grandfather’s case the procedure was a huge success. He went on to produce children after his treatment, one of whom was Cassia’s grandfather.

  “Beginning with her grandfather, Cassia’s family began to exhibit a very unique trait. They could literally regrow internal organs. Cassia’s father famously regrew half a severed foot. We think exposure to radiation in her grandfather’s case –.”

  “Are you trying to tell me that Cassia is like a salamander? She can regrow limbs?” General Schaffer asked, astonished.

  “Not limbs, as far as we know, but she regrew half of a lung and an entire heart valve after she was wounded in Egypt three years ago. This is not fantasy, its documented science. Cassia’s family line has developed this regenerative trait and clearly the nanomites have taken full advantage of it.”

  “Dr. Leavitt, this sounds farfetched. Why have we not been told of this pre-disposition until now?” General Lucas asked
.

  “It wasn’t important until now. It was only a variable until it was expressed by the nanomites, nothing more. Less than one hundredth of one percent of the world’s population carries this trait, this ability, to regenerate and only a handful of people to the degree that Cassia does. But we can see what the nanomites are doing with her – she is a very unique host.”

  “Can you contain her here, Dr. Leavitt? Are you certain?”

  “Yes, General Schaffer. We can contain her, no doubt. Before she is euthanized we will have studied her physiology in depth and after she is deceased we will completely unravel any other biological mysteries through an autopsy.”