NOVEL NEXT Chapter Four: Morality Bites
Day 3
Laboratory Room 12
Science Wing
United Space Systems Vessel California
11:13 hours
Dr. Boyd studies several digital readouts on her computer screen. Bess enters Dr. Boyd’s lab room with two steaming mugs of tea. She sets one in front of Teresa with a kind smile. Teresa lifts the mug from the desk in front of her and takes a long whiff of the steam wafting over the top. While not a huge fan of tea, she can appreciate its finer qualities. Putting the mug to her lips, she takes a tiny sip.
“Lovely,” Teresa says. “Thank you, Bess.”
“No problem, Dr. Boyd,” Bess replies and takes a sip of her own tea. Planting herself in a nearby chair, Bess glances at the screen Teresa was studying only moments before.
“Any changes?” Bess asks.
“Nope,” Teresa answers with a sigh. “I still can’t seem to get the proteins to bond like we theorized. I think we‘ll have to scrap what we’ve got and try again. From the ground up.”
“Oh no,” Bess cries in disappointment. “After all your hard work?”
“Our hard work, Bess,” Teresa exclaims. “Our hard work. I may be the scientist in charge…But we’re all a team. Don’t forget that!”
“Yeah…But it won’t be my name on a Nobel Prize,” Bess says sullenly.
“Hey,” Teresa exclaims. “If I have anything to say about it…Everyone gets accolades. Including you, Bess. This is some great stuff we’re doing here. It could revolutionize modern warfare. No more sending troops in to die. We can send our mutant super-soldiers in to do all our bidding instead. No more human casualties. At least, not on our side. Not for a while. But, as per usual, I’m sure the bad guys will eventually figure out what we’ve done and start their own bioweapons super-soldier program. Corporate espionage ensues. Money changes hands. Then, it’ll be back to the drawing board. Dr. Tyler…She was onto something. But these babies…Even the ones that didn’t survive the initial testing phase…They’re the real deal. If I can get the protein bonds to work. They’ll be nearly indestructible.”
Bess appears conflicted. She circles the rim of her mug with a solitary finger and stares into the liquid within.
“Do you think what we’re doing is right, Dr. Boyd?” Bess says softly.
Teresa is honestly unsure of how to answer. She has asked herself this same question many times.
“I don’t know, Bess,” she responds. “I don’t know. But I don’t like the idea of humans killing each other by the thousands every day either. Just so some rich prick can call him or herself a patriot. I’d rather something else died for a change. No one cares about cockroaches. We kill them by the millions every year. With pesticides, newspapers…Hell, even our shower slippers. No one is going to care about some humanoid-sized cockroaches being killed in the middle of deep space. Would you?”
“Yeah, but…” Bess says haltingly. “Do you think we should be playing with things like this? What if something goes wrong? What if they can think? Maybe even reason? The company…They were so hush-hush about what all happened with the last Judas Project. What if we’re not being told everything?”
For the first time since awakening from cryosleep, a shiver courses Teresa’s spine.
“Well. In that case, I suppose there will be hell to pay,” Teresa utters. She looks toward the viewport opposite her desk. “But in space…Would anyone hear us scream?”
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Day 7
Laboratory Room 12
Science Wing
United Space Systems Vessel California
05:46 hours
Theo inserts a small USB device into a slot on the front of Dr. Boyd’s desktop computer. Overriding the identification protocols, he accesses the files most recently opened. He copies the files to his device, not bothering to read them. He cannot risk anyone from security—especially Crews—catching him in here.
Sure, he can always make up some excuse about work orders and yada yada. But why take chances. Better to read the documents in the security of his own quarters. Anything not immediately useful can be squirreled away with all the other stuff he’s used as blackmail fodder throughout the years. Out of sheer curiosity, Theo begins exploring other less relevant files in Dr. Boyd’s computer. He happens upon several folders full of what looks like journal entries. Personal journal entries. With a wicked grin, the chief engineer pirates these folders as well.
He glances through her photos, hoping to find real treasure. The most he finds is a picture of Dr. Boyd side by side with Chief Crews in what looks like New Vegas. Security Chief Crews is not yet sporting his mechanical arm. So the photo was obviously taken many years ago. Like they always say: ‘Pictures or it didn’t happen.’
Finishing his dirty work, Theo shuts everything back down. He glances over at the holding tanks, where the Judases will be housed, with a sly grin.
“Until that time,” the engineer says under his breath. “Until that time.”
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Day 8
Habitat Wing
Teresa’s Quarters
22:36 hours
Teresa lies awake in bed, watching simulated animals traverse the ceiling of her quarters. Putting both hands under her head, she focuses on a mother hippo with her offspring. After a moment of staring, Teresa’s eyes narrow to thin slits. Suddenly, it is as if a gun has been fired. Teresa sits up in bed, her eyes widening.
“The proteins,” Teresa whispers into the darkness. “I know how I can get them to bond.”
Teresa leaps out of bed. Not even bothering to dress, she throws on her robe and heads for the lift which will take her to the science wing of the ship.
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Laboratory Room 12
Science Wing
United Space Systems Vessel California
01:21 hours
“Yes,” Teresa cheers. She stares at the screen in front of her—joy written all over her face. “Yes! I knew it!”
A loud crash behind her causes Teresa to turn around in her chair. She expects to find Bess, Harold, or maybe a janitor. She does not expect to find Chief Engineer Theodore McAvoy.
Teresa pulls her robe tighter, glad she is at least wearing undergarments underneath. What had she been thinking? Coming here alone? And after hours? When most everyone would be asleep? She had been in such a rush to test her theory, she had thrown caution to the wind.
“What are you doing in here, Theodore?” Teresa says, trying to keep any sign of fear from seeping into her words.
Theodore takes a step closer, stepping into a beam of light from the adjacent room. In that single beam of light, he resembles a demonic villain. His eyes appearing sunk in and completely void of color.
“Computer…Lights,” Teresa says.
The room’s lights immediately click on, causing both Teresa and Theodore to flinch from the sudden brightness. Theodore shields his brow with one hand and gazes in Teresa’s direction.
“Bess told me you were having some issues down here,” Theodore says. “Said maybe some faulty wiring was messing with a few of the computers and systems. I came down here to check it out. Wanted to wait until no one was using ‘em. Better that way. Didn’t know you’d be in here.”
Teresa has no choice but to accept Theodore’s answer. The science team has been experiencing a few technical problems of late. With a delicate—dangerous—project like the Judas Resurrection Project; they can ill afford any screw ups. Dr. Boyd shifts in her chair.
“So are we good?” Teresa inquires.
She casually minimizes the files open on her computer. A game of classic pinball is now displayed on the screen.
“Seems like it,” Theodore says in a dry voice.
“That’s wonderful,” Teresa replies with more enthusiasm than she feels. “Thank you, Mr. McAvoy. Good night.”
Teresa’s breath catches in her throat when Theodore takes another few steps in her direction. She casually looks around for a weapon and comes up with nothing much—except a small paperweight, some beakers, and an empty glass soda bottle. Theodore stops beside her chair, and looks down into her face. Bending forward, he pretends to be interested in what’s on her screen. Teresa knows he is intentionally trying to rattle her—and most likely staring at her cleavage.
He turns his head, and their faces are less than six inches apart. He fixes his gaze on her lips and then raises his eyes to meet hers.
“You let me know if you have any other troubles, ya hear?” he says wryly.
“Sure,” Teresa says, keeping her eyes on his face.
Without another word, the chief engineer rises to his full height and strolls from the room. Teresa takes a deep breath and then begins to shake. Common sense tells her that she has barely averted disaster. Keeping cool is probably the only thing that saved her from an unfortunate situation. The engineer has not forgotten about the beating he took on her behalf. And one day, he will remind her of that. Teresa is sure of it.
She considers sending a message to Security Chief Crews. Then, reconsiders. And tell him what? She will just have to keep a closer eye on the chief engineer from now on.