SHE GAVE NO INDICATION WHEN A SOLUTION MIGHT BE FOUND. WHILE SHE WAS SPEAKING, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION RELEASED A LIST OF AN ADDITIONAL FOURTEEN NATIONS WHOSE BIRTH RATES HAVE BEGUN TO SHOW THE INITIAL SLOWING THAT INDICATES THE PRESENCE OF THE SYNDROME.
MAY 9, 2034
MEMO TO: DR. JOYCE FREMM FROM: DR. VICTORWEBB KING
Joyce,
I don’t know how important this is, but it wouldn’t hurt to track it down. Out of the last three hundred couples I’ve interviewed, nearly sixty per cent of the men have met their wives and been married only in the past eighteen months. Out of this group, nearly half report occasional premarital visits to a joy house, and nearly a third of all the men we interviewed have had some kind of professional contact.
More important however, is that at least one partner in every couple has had at least one pre or extramarital contact with a partner other than wife or husband.
The former fact is way out of line with the statistical average; the latter implies a definite connection. Could the Xanadu Pleasure Corp be an active vector of the disease?
MAY 11, 2034
MEMO TO: DR. VICTOR-WEBB KING
FROM: DR. JOYCE FREMM
(1) We don’t know yet that it’s a disease.
(2) Make no public announcement of this—especially do not suggest that Xanadu or any other company may be connected with it.
(3) Check it out immediately.
MAY 11, 2034
MEMO TO: DR. JOYCE FREMM
FROM: DR. CARLOS WAN-LEE
Dr. Fremm,
I believe my section has come up with a clue as to the nature of the syndrome. Sperm from one hundred affected men has been compared with the sperm of one hundred unaffected men; i.e. men whose wives have been impregnated within the past two months.
There is a minor but definite difference in the enzyme output of the affected sperm cells. All of the affected men (excepting three with very low sperm counts) had this qualitative difference in their enzyme production. Ninety-three of the unaffected men had normal enzyme production.
We’re exploring this further and we’ll have a more detailed report at the end of the week.
MAY 30, 2034
REPORT TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
BY DR. JOYCE FREMM
TRANSCRIPTION OF REMARKS—MOST CONFIDENTIAL
Gentlemen,
We have discovered the cause of the infertility plague, and we believe that it is only a matter of time until we discover the cure.
The cause of the plague is simple: We have been hit by a new kind of venereal disease, a benevolent tyrant, so to speak. It has an incubation period of less than twenty-four hours, and its immediate effects are so mild as to be negligible; perhaps a headache or a mild sense of nausea, that’s all; but after that, the victim will pass the infection on to everyone he or she has intimate contact with.
Both males and females are carriers of the disease, creating an ever-increasing reservoir of active infection, with promiscuity its vector.
The disease has no effect on females of the species. To them, it is a benevolent parasite. It lives in the female reproductive tract and minds its own business. Unfortunately, its business is to infect that woman’s every male contact.
And each time it does that, it effectively castrates the man. Viability of the sperm cells is reduced to 7% of what is considered normal.
The causative agent is a virus. It is a new strain and related to nothing we have seen before. Were it not for the fact that artificial virus tailoring is still such an infant science, I would suspect a vast campaign of virological warfare is being waged against the human race.
The viral bodies live and breed in the cells lining the vaginal wall. During intercourse, the release of certain hormones cause them to become active, and the viral bodies migrate into the male organ—usually through the urethra, but occasionally through a mild, almost unnoticeable rash.
The virus then migrates to the testes, specifically to the sperm-forming cells. The viral DNA chains attack these cells, burrowing into the cell walls, throwing off their protein sheaths and becoming just another hunk of DNA within the cell. Impossible to discover.
The result is small, very small—but very noticeable. The sperm cell no longer “cares.”
The average human male ejaculation contains three hundred million sperm cells. Ideally, each of these cells has the capability of being the cell to fertilize the waiting egg; but after being infected by the virus, the quality of the whole ejaculation is changed. The sperm cells still race madly up the fallopian tubes to meet the ovum—but when they get there, they can’t fertilize.
You see, each sperm cell carries a tiny amount of an enzyme called hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase sub-one, that is. No matter what the enzyme is called, though—what does matter is that the virus changes the male so that he no longer produces that enzyme. Instead, he produces something else, some other enzyme. The virus adds a few little acids of its own to the amino chain of the enzyme, and instead of hyaluronidase1 we get hyaluronidase2—a very different creature altogether.
Hyaluronidase2 is not as active as hyaluronidase1. It takes longer to do its work. Much longer.
Although only one sperm cell is needed for fertilization to occur, three hundred million are provided in order that one will succeed. But because only one is needed, the other two million, nine hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine sperm cells must be resisted. For that reason, the cell wall of the human ovum is too strong for any individual sperm cell to break down. Hyaluronidase is the enzyme that breaks down or softens the cell wall, and it takes the combined effort of all the sperm cells to provide enough of the enzyme to soften the wall enough for just one sperm cell to break through. Immediately upon fertilization, a change takes place in the cell wall to prevent other sperm cells from breaking in, a calculated resistance to their pressure,
But, if all those sperm cells are producing hyaluronidase2 instead of hyaluronidase1, fertilization will never take place at all. (Except in very rare cases—statistically insignificant.) The changed enzyme is still an enzyme, and it still works to soften the cell wall of the human egg—but it takes at least ten times longer to do it. And by that time, most of the sperm cells are already dead, dying, or too weak to complete the task of fertilization.
In addition, the ejaculation will also have introduced enough viral bodies into the woman so that if she weren’t already, now she too will be infected and will pass the disease on to every subsequent male contact.
Insidious, isn’t it?
Other than that, the virus has no effect at all on living human beings—only on the unborn. They stay that way. Unborn.
MAY 47, 2034
SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT, VIRT 897
W.H.O. FILE BVC 675
SUMMARY: The virus, designated VIRT 897, seems to have made its initial appearance on the western coast of the American continent in June or July of 2032, specifically in the area of the Southern California Urban Complex known as Angeles. (colloq. L.A. or “Ellay.”) From there it migrated along the heaviest tourist routes, traveling eastward to Denver, St. Louis, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and scattered parts of the eastern seaboard Urban Complex.
Within six months, it had also appeared and made its effects known in Seattle, Portland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and scattered areas surrounding. It extended the complete length of the western coast, being specifically virulent in Frisco and Diego counties, as well as in the areas already noted. It spread to Tijuana, Mexico City, and Acapulco. The same trend occurred simultaneously on the eastern coast, with scattered pockets of sterility spreading out from the Boston, York, Jersey, Philadelphia, and D.C. areas of the Urban Complex. Also affected were Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec, as well as scattered areas surrounding.
At about the same time, it leapt both oceans simultaneously. Tracing the path of the falling birth rate, the disease showed up in London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Warsaw, Munich, Belgrade, Dublin, Saigon, Seoul, Hanoi, Tokyo,
Okama, Osaka, Beijing, Honolulu, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Sidney, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Panama City, Havana, and scattered points on the east African Coast as well as in the Mediterranean and Mid-East areas.
It is obvious that there are too many active vectors by this time, making it increasingly difficult to trace the spreading waves of infection. Not only does the disease move too rapidly, but once the waves of infection overlap, their directions blur.
There is no way to tell at this time whether the origin of the disease was deliberate or accidental or a combination of both.
Detailed analysis charts are enclosed.
MAY 50, 2034
INTERBEM CHEMICAL RESEARCH
MEMO TO: DR. LEON K. HARGER
FROM: SECTION SUPERVISOR VANCE
Dr. Harger,
I’ve just finished reading the WHO report on the sterility plague and a rather curious anomaly has caught my eye. I’m forwarding it to you to see if you catch it too. If you do, give me a buzz. If not, then forget I said anything.
MAY 50, 2034
INTERBEM CHEMICAL RESEARCH
MEMO TO: ALL DEPARTMENTS
FROM: DR. LEON K. HARGER
Urgent! I need all data pertaining to Dr. Dana Ledgerton DL 551-69-5688 and any and all research that he might have been involved in while he was employed here. Also, anyone knowing his whereabouts or the itinerary of his sabbatical trip, please contact me immediately. I cannot understate the importance of this information!
MAY 1, 2035
TO: SUPREME COURT JUSTICE DOUGLAS JOSEPH WARREN
FROM: UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL ALFRED G. WYLER
Dear Doug,
This is strictly off the record, and you might want to burn this note after reading it.
I’ve been talking to the President, and he and I concur that it would be extremely unwise to allow the InterBem Company to be sued merely because Ledgerton was an employee of theirs at the time he constructed the Ledgerton Virus.
Yes, I’ve studied the briefs in the case. I know that the appealing lawyers make a good case for the company’s negligence in not keeping tighter reins on their employees’ after-hours research. They also make a good case that Ledgerton would have been unable to construct his artificial venereal disease without the company’s research facilities.
However, no matter how good their case is, both the President and I agree that at this time it would be best for all parties if the appeal were turned down. The InterBem Company has been most cooperative with us in every area of our investigation, especially in our efforts to develop the artificial enzymes. To allow them to be sued now might destroy them as a viable corporation and would cost us a valuable ally in our fight against this thing.
I don’t know if you’re familiar with the fact, but my office has registered more than five hundred thousand separate actions against InterBem. That corporation can’t afford to be embroiled in this kind of legal feeding frenzy. If you allow this first appeal to be granted, you will be setting a dangerous precedent that might cost the United States a valuable natural resource—i.e., a commercially healthy corporation.
Yes, I know this smacks of pressuring, but this case is too important to allow you to make a decision without knowing the administration’s views on it. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call me.
(signed) Alfred
MAY 7, 2035
FROM:FIELD OPERATIVE JASON PETER GRIGG
TO:F.B.I. DIRECTOR WARREN J. HINDLER,
HOOVER CENTER,
WASHINGTON D.C.
FILE: LEDGERTON, DL 551-69-5688
Chief,
It’s my guess that the Paul-John Murdock lead is going to be another dead end and we’ll probably have to start digging backward. (I’ll try to get up to Manweather Complex before the end of the month, though I don’t think I’m going to find much up there.)
We located Murdock in South Frisco, where he’s working as a shoe salesman. He has neither seen nor heard of Ledgerton since their post-college days. Apparently, he doesn’t miss him either. I get the impression that the only reason they married was so that Murdock could avoid the labor-draft. The full interview tape is enclosed.
On the other side of it, there’s some evidence that there was an emotional involvement on Ledgerton’s part and that he’s been trying to contact Murdock, but without success. We’ll continue to monitor Murdock on the off chance that Ledgerton is still trying.
Oh, one more thing. The latest word on Ledgerton hints that he is somewhere in Africa and heading south. But I doubt it. Last week, he was in Scotland.
MAY 14, 2036
THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD CONGRESSMAN JOHN J. HOOKER; DEM, GEORGIA
Gentlemen, we are presented today with a unique opportunity. The development of the artificial enzyme insures that the human race will not die out—and it gives us the chance to end, once and for all, the population explosion.
We need not manufacture the enzyme indiscriminately, nor need we make it available to every member of the world’s population. In fact, even if we wanted to, it would be beyond our technology to service twenty billion individuals.
We are not geared for rehabilitating the human race; we can only provide enough enzyme for a fraction of the people. Dr. Fremm has stated that even if we began a massive synthesis program right now, we would never be able to reach all of those who are infected.
According to Dr. Fremm and others, it is only a matter of time until every man, woman, and child on this planet has the disease. When that happens, the only people who will be able to procreate will be those to whom we provide the enzyme.
Gentlemen, I say to you—here is an opportunity we cannot pass up—historians will condemn us if we allow this golden moment to slip out of our grasp—the chance to optimize the human race, to remake humanity. Therefore, I wish at this time to introduce this bill which would give the government the right to withhold the enzyme from those individuals who are judged to have undesirable genes...
(The rest of Congressman Hooker’s speech was drowned out.)
MAY 20, 2036
BERKELEY NEW PRESS:
U.S. PLANS RACIAL WARFARE
…Hooker (The Aardvark)’s plan would be only the first foot in the door. For instance, what would keep the establishment slime from declaring Negro-ness an “undesirable trait”?
In cities across the nation, Freedom Now groups are planning urban disturbances to demonstrate their opposition to any form of “optimization,” which would be only another word for genocide. The right to bear children is a right, not a privilege—and certainly not something that should be legislated. All right-thinking citizens are urged to come this weekend to the Free People’s Plaza...
MAY 3, 2037
FROM:FIELD OPERATIVE JASON PETER GRIGG
TO:F.B.I. DIRECTOR WARREN J. HINDLER,
HOOVER CENTER,
WASHINGTON D.C.
FILE: LEDGERTON, DL 551-69-5688
Chief,
The monitor on Murdock has turned up an interesting postcard (fax herewith enclosed) postmarked Brazil. Although there’s no name signed to it, the content and phrasing could be a code of some sort. Or perhaps a reference to a personal experience known only to Murdock and Ledgerton. It should be checked out by one of our Brazilian operatives as soon as possible. I would appreciate being kept informed on this lead.
2037.05.09/TIMEFAX
...THE RIOTERS FOCUSED PARTICULARLY ON THE SYMBOLS OF ESTABLISHMENT CONTROL. FOUR BIRTH CONTROL CENTERS IN HARLEMTOWN WERE SACKED AS WELL AS ALL BUT ONE OF THE AREA’S TEN ENZYME CONTROL CLINICS. THIS OUTBREAK WAS THE WORST RIOTING TO HIT THE CITY IN SEVEN MONTHS, AND ACCORDING TO MAYOR GILBERT ROCKEFELLER, “IT DOES NOT LOOK AS IF THE END IS IN SIGHT.” MEANWHILE, IN WASHINGTONTOWN, THE PRESIDENT DEPLORED THE NATION’S GROWING TREND TO VIOLENCE AND PROMISED IMMEDIATE STEPS TO HALT IT IN THE FUTURE. WITH THAT, HE SIGNED INTO LAW THE CONTROVERSIAL MANPOWER CONTROL BILL….
2037.05.11/DATELINE:BRAZIL. RIO DE JANEIRO. PRESIDENT GARCIA TODAY ANNOUNCED THE
CAPTURE OF THE NOTORIOUS RACE-CRIMINAL, DANA LEDGERTON (DL 551-69-5688) AT RIO DE JANEIRO AIRPORT. LEDGERTON WAS ATTEMPTING TO BOARD AN AFRICAN-BOUND FLIGHT WHEN BRAZILIAN AGENTS SCOOPED HIM UP. HE IS BEING HELD IN RIO INDEFINITELY.
THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED IT INTENDS TO TRY LEDGERTON FOR THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE, AS WELL AS OTHER CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. ANGRY CROWDS HAVE BEEN MILLING IN THE STREETS OF RIO EVER SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF LEDGERTON’S CAPTURE WAS MADE.
WORLDWIDE REACTION TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS IMMEDIATE. IN THE UNITED STATES, THE PRESIDENT SAID...
MAY 5, 2040.
REPORT TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION BY DR. JOYCE FREMM
MOST CONFIDENTIAL—TRANSCRIPTION OF REMARKS
Gentlemen,
Our recent studies on the enzyme synthesis program suggest that there is just no way to do what you ask—at least not without massive appropriations—and I, for one, am opposed to it.
(Pause)
If I may continue… If I may continue… I’ll wait….
If the delegate from Nairobi will stop calling me a racist slime long enough to listen, I will explain my position. Any appropriations for the enzyme synthesis would have to be made at the expense of other programs and the amount of money needed to do what the delegate from Nairobi wishes us to do would necessitate the closing down of almost every other United Nations Program now in existence, with the exception of the pollution board. And the pollution board is far more important than this!
If I may continue.... I believe that there is a way to save the human race, but enzyme synthesis is not it. In any case, a few years of minimal breeding will not hurt this planet any. There are about nineteen and a half billion too many people on Earth already.
2041.05.11/TIMEFAX
THE IRISH CIVIL WAR, WHICH HAS BEEN SMOULDERING FOR MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS, BURST INTO THE NEWS AGAIN TODAY WITH THE BURNING OF DUBLIN. THE CATHOLIC FACTION IN IRELAND CONTINUES TO CHARGE THAT THE NEOPROTESTANT GOVERNMENT IS WITHOLDING THE ENZYME FROM CATHOLIC MOTHERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CATHOLICS IN THE NATION. THAT CHARGE WAS ECHOED ACROSS THE GLOBE BY OTHER MINORITIES IN OTHER NATIONS. IN ISRAEL, ARAB NATIONALS CHARGED THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT WITH DELIBERATE BIRTH CRIMES. THE JEWISH MINORITY IN RUSSIA LEVELED THE SAME CHARGE AGAINST THE KREMLIN. THE CHINESE MINORITIES IN MALAYSIA AND INDIA HAVE ALSO CHARGED THOSE TWO GOVERNMENTS WITH WITHOLDING THE ENZYME.
In the Deadlands Page 18
