Part 4
“To Kalin!” chorused the lively group of people. Kalin smiled awkwardly as she was congratulated and hugged yet again.
“Now, now it was nothing”
“Nothing! My God you stood up to him” cried Laura, who flung her arms around Kalin hugging her tightly.
“Seriously Kalin, I for one and very grateful you did stand up to him” said a softly spoken young man.
“Tom, it’s ok really, please no more fuss. If the Commander hadn’t come down when she did who can say what would have happened. You just take care of Laura you here. Or you’ll have me to answer too!” this comment was met by peels of laughter and Kalin was able to make her way to the bar. Unasked, the barman Pete placed a drink in front of her, dismissing her proffered credits with a shake of the head. Kalin raised the glass to him in reply and took a sip feeling like a fraud. If the Commander hadn’t arrived when she did? Kalin suppressed a shudder; she should be more careful, can’t go bringing attention to herself. He burst my lip, does he have my blood? But the Commander, my God the Commander! She was stunning, like an angel…a dark angel.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Across the city, Jerryn sat engrossed in the data she had collected from the archives, marvelling in the knowledge possessed by these so called ‘primitive’ people. Primitive they were not. These documents proved what Jerryn had suspected all along. The arrival of the Aesir and the subsequent occupation had succeeded due to surprise. The Natives had not anticipated an invasion or indeed any hostile action. From the documents Jerryn had viewed, the Natives where more advanced in many aspects, especially science. Space travel for them, was in its infancy, but the medical and scientific knowledge was bountiful. The chirp from the communication system startled Jerryn from her studies. Walking over to the consol, Jerryn entered a short sequence to activate the monitor.
“Commander Helkovaara, good evening”
“Good evening Lieutenant, to what do I owe this interruption?” said Jerry icily.
“Eh...Ma’am, this afternoon you reported one of my men, Sergeant Lehman. You cited…”
“Private Lehman now Lt”
“…ah yes Ma’am. That is why I contacted you” he began “Lehman has assured me he was only toying…”
“Save me the excuses” interrupted Jerryn, “you have called me at home and are directly question an order. I shall not rescind it. The demotion stands as does his transfer to the patrols”
“Yes! A transfer to the Restricted Zone! He was only toying with a savage for Gods sake…”
“Savages you say Lt? Is it not savage to attack a woman who says no, Native or otherwise? In the future Lt you shall stick to protocol. If you have a complaint, go through the official channels otherwise you shall be joining him. I shall contact your CO, Lt Cmdr Brellier. Telfor is still your commanding officer is he not?” The Lt’s face flushed red with embarrassment and anger.
“Rules and regulations Lt, are what separates us from savages” replied Jerryn closing the link. Sighing she rubbed her temples and again marvelled at how a people so advanced could so readily devolve.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Still standing at the bar Kalin spotted a familiar face. Picking up her drink she pushed her way through the crowd to the darkened corner of the bar and sidled up to the dark figure at the end. Starring straight ahead, Kalin waited.
“Long time” rasped the figure.
“I need to see him. I need to see the Doctor” There she had said it. As the words escaped her lips she hurriedly looked around in case someone had overheard her.
“Many seek him out” he answered cryptically.
“Cut the crap Tobin. You might look exotic with you inked face, but I remember when you were a lawyer! Now take me to him!”
Tobin muttered under his breath.
“Oh and Tobin, you might want to stop smoking the Cherook. You sound terrible!”
“You never do change do you Kalin?” muttered Tobin “Follow me”
Kalin followed him through the back of the pub and out into the back alleyway. The cold hitting Kalin, and not for the first time, she rued the state clothing they were issued. How woefully inadequate they were. Thin and threadbare, even the extra layers she wore barely kept out the chill. They disappeared into the labyrinthine back alleys, poorly lit, Kalin couldn’t see where she was stepping and more than once she was grateful for small mercies. After six blocks they came to an abandoned warehouse. Entering they walked to the far corner and took the steps down to the basement. At the foot of the stairs Tobin stopped:
“Follow the corridor round, third door on the right”
“Third door, OK” replied Kalin and she began to walk but a tug at her arm stopped her.
“What happened to you?” whispered Tobin reaching up to caress her cheek.
“They came,” sighed Kalin reaching up to take his hand in hers “ and you gave up” dropping his hand she continued down the corridor. The pal strop light flickered above her head, footsteps echoing all around barely drowning out the sound of Tobin retreating back up the stairs. Reaching the third door on the right, Kalin hesitated. Taking a deep breath she rapped on the door. Silence rang out. She knocked again and was greeted by the sound of metal scraping against metal. A laser shot out scanning her eyes. Blinking the door swung open. Kalin entered.
Inside the room Kalin was grateful for the warmth. Removing her coat she approached the balding man working at a bench.
“Doctor, I need the serum.” said Kalin looking lazily around the laboratory. The man didn’t respond. Clearing her throat, Kalin asked again.
“I heard, I heard! What is it with you people these days, can’t you see I am busy!” he fussed. Turning round he walked briskly toward her. Grabbing her face in his hand he inspected her bruises.
“Hmm, in the wars again?” and began looking in a drawer.
“I was struck by an Aesir Sgt. He may have some of my blood. Hence I need the serum”
“Your blood, are you sure?”
“Yes he may have my blood. Is he smart enough to check it? No, but I cannot take that chance. The serum now” replied Kalin tersely.
Kalin caught the container thrown to her and pressed it to her neck, closing her eyes at the contact. The contents injected into her with an audible hiss. Kalin through her head back and inhaled deeply, eyes flying open.
“What is it like?” he asked his voice filled with awe and wonder.
“What is it like? Where to begin; It’s a rush, yes a rush. My senses are heightened, my skin tingles, my blood is flowing faster in my faces” said Kalin, turning to look at him. Her face flushed, eyes sparkling, almost glowing…almost.
“Go on” he urged.
“How can I explain how it is to hear and see more clearly? To hear the blood singing in my veins” Kalin stopped and cocked her head to one side. “How do I explain how it is to feel more than alive to someone who is not?”
“That was unnecessary” he said, his face breaking into a scowl.
“Unnecessary, but true” Walking toward him Kalin drew two clear bags from her pocket. “Oh now I have hurt your…feelings. Well maybe these will cheer you up?” and handed them to the Doctor.
Taking them from her he held them up to see better in the poor light.
“Nail clippings and two strands of blonde hair” he stated quizzically.
“Well run them through the sequencer then!” a small smile played on her lips as she watched him realise what she had just given him.
“Aesirian?”
Kalin chuckled as he quickly moved to a large machine on the bench. The smile faded when she remembered how old and simplistic it was. She had the most up to date machine at her institute. Her institute; it wasn’t her institute anymore. Shaking such thoughts away, she patiently waited whilst he ran the samples. After a few moments the machine beeped.
“Let’s see what we have here”
A few keystrokes caused the monitor to flicker. The Doctor thumped his fist against it, and suddenly it came to life. Coloured, intertwined lines crossed the screen.
“This is from the clippings. OK Doctor, isolate and delete my sequence.” Said Kalin and the Doctors fingers flew across the keypad, “now that leaves the Sgts. Now call up the sequence from the hair” A second set of intertwined lines came onto the screen.
“They are different!” exclaimed the Doctor, “I thought you said both samples where Aesirian?”
“They are both Aesirian, now run contig.” Said Kalin. As the computer followed the commands the contiguous sequences where aligned.
“The hair DNA….that can’t make sense?”
“It’s bigger isn’t it?” asked Kalin, voice bubbling with excitement.
“You mean…”
“Yes, the Commander whose hair this is has significantly more genetic information; I have always suspected hierarchy, if only I had access to the institute I could verify it properly”
“Well I can do that here!” cried the Doctor, the hurt evident in his voice.
“And it will take you months, if not years!”
“Well time is not an issue for me”
“No, no my friend, it is not”
The Doctor was a marvel. An automaton, engineered to fulfil any role. This prototype had been programmed for bioengineering and medicine. A remarkable achievement for Kalin and her colleagues, when they had created him, the mould had truly been broken; literally. ‘They’ had arrived and in the panic during the initial invasion many technologies had been scuttled rather than allowing them to fall into enemy hands. Kalin and a few of her most trusted friends and colleagues succeeded in hiding him al this time. His medical knowledge proving invaluable as the Natives did not receive the care they had previously been used to. Kalin shook her head as she recognised the old jealousies creeping in, jealous of the Doctor…the automaton. Jealous of how truly oblivious he was to the true nature of their predicament.
“You keep analysing Doctor, I will see you again” and with that Kalin turned, picked up her coat and left him engrossed in the samples she had given him.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jerryn sat back in her chair and stretched her arms above her head, neck tense from pouring over the data she had spent that last few hours analysing. The work was outstanding. The bioengineering knowledge was outstanding. Not for the first time did she wonder what had happened to the people behind this work. Flicking through the names again she came across one of the most prominent. Morvern, Kalin Doctor of medicine, bioengineering, and genetics. One of the most lauded scientists amongst the Natives. A frown clouded her fine features. Morvern. Reaching for her terminal she called up the Native data base and entered the name. A moment passed and data filled the screen. Scanning it, Jerryn had to read it again. Kalin Morvern, renowned scientist and physician was alive and reassigned to Central Archives! The picture contained on the database was of the auburn haired woman with the striking eyes! The woman who the sergeant had struck was the renowned scientist. She had found her!
“To Kalin!” chorused the lively group of people. Kalin smiled awkwardly as she was congratulated and hugged yet again.
“Now, now it was nothing”
“Nothing! My God you stood up to him” cried Laura, who flung her arms around Kalin hugging her tightly.
“Seriously Kalin, I for one and very grateful you did stand up to him” said a softly spoken young man.
“Tom, it’s ok really, please no more fuss. If the Commander hadn’t come down when she did who can say what would have happened. You just take care of Laura you here. Or you’ll have me to answer too!” this comment was met by peels of laughter and Kalin was able to make her way to the bar. Unasked, the barman Pete placed a drink in front of her, dismissing her proffered credits with a shake of the head. Kalin raised the glass to him in reply and took a sip feeling like a fraud. If the Commander hadn’t arrived when she did? Kalin suppressed a shudder; she should be more careful, can’t go bringing attention to herself. He burst my lip, does he have my blood? But the Commander, my God the Commander! She was stunning, like an angel…a dark angel.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Across the city, Jerryn sat engrossed in the data she had collected from the archives, marvelling in the knowledge possessed by these so called ‘primitive’ people. Primitive they were not. These documents proved what Jerryn had suspected all along. The arrival of the Aesir and the subsequent occupation had succeeded due to surprise. The Natives had not anticipated an invasion or indeed any hostile action. From the documents Jerryn had viewed, the Natives where more advanced in many aspects, especially science. Space travel for them, was in its infancy, but the medical and scientific knowledge was bountiful. The chirp from the communication system startled Jerryn from her studies. Walking over to the consol, Jerryn entered a short sequence to activate the monitor.
“Commander Helkovaara, good evening”
“Good evening Lieutenant, to what do I owe this interruption?” said Jerry icily.
“Eh...Ma’am, this afternoon you reported one of my men, Sergeant Lehman. You cited…”
“Private Lehman now Lt”
“…ah yes Ma’am. That is why I contacted you” he began “Lehman has assured me he was only toying…”
“Save me the excuses” interrupted Jerryn, “you have called me at home and are directly question an order. I shall not rescind it. The demotion stands as does his transfer to the patrols”
“Yes! A transfer to the Restricted Zone! He was only toying with a savage for Gods sake…”
“Savages you say Lt? Is it not savage to attack a woman who says no, Native or otherwise? In the future Lt you shall stick to protocol. If you have a complaint, go through the official channels otherwise you shall be joining him. I shall contact your CO, Lt Cmdr Brellier. Telfor is still your commanding officer is he not?” The Lt’s face flushed red with embarrassment and anger.
“Rules and regulations Lt, are what separates us from savages” replied Jerryn closing the link. Sighing she rubbed her temples and again marvelled at how a people so advanced could so readily devolve.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Still standing at the bar Kalin spotted a familiar face. Picking up her drink she pushed her way through the crowd to the darkened corner of the bar and sidled up to the dark figure at the end. Starring straight ahead, Kalin waited.
“Long time” rasped the figure.
“I need to see him. I need to see the Doctor” There she had said it. As the words escaped her lips she hurriedly looked around in case someone had overheard her.
“Many seek him out” he answered cryptically.
“Cut the crap Tobin. You might look exotic with you inked face, but I remember when you were a lawyer! Now take me to him!”
Tobin muttered under his breath.
“Oh and Tobin, you might want to stop smoking the Cherook. You sound terrible!”
“You never do change do you Kalin?” muttered Tobin “Follow me”
Kalin followed him through the back of the pub and out into the back alleyway. The cold hitting Kalin, and not for the first time, she rued the state clothing they were issued. How woefully inadequate they were. Thin and threadbare, even the extra layers she wore barely kept out the chill. They disappeared into the labyrinthine back alleys, poorly lit, Kalin couldn’t see where she was stepping and more than once she was grateful for small mercies. After six blocks they came to an abandoned warehouse. Entering they walked to the far corner and took the steps down to the basement. At the foot of the stairs Tobin stopped:
“Follow the corridor round, third door on the right”
“Third door, OK” replied Kalin and she began to walk but a tug at her arm stopped her.
“What happened to you?” whispered Tobin reaching up to caress her cheek.
“They came,” sighed Kalin reaching up to take his hand in hers “ and you gave up” dropping his hand she continued down the corridor. The pal strop light flickered above her head, footsteps echoing all around barely drowning out the sound of Tobin retreating back up the stairs. Reaching the third door on the right, Kalin hesitated. Taking a deep breath she rapped on the door. Silence rang out. She knocked again and was greeted by the sound of metal scraping against metal. A laser shot out scanning her eyes. Blinking the door swung open. Kalin entered.
Inside the room Kalin was grateful for the warmth. Removing her coat she approached the balding man working at a bench.
“Doctor, I need the serum.” said Kalin looking lazily around the laboratory. The man didn’t respond. Clearing her throat, Kalin asked again.
“I heard, I heard! What is it with you people these days, can’t you see I am busy!” he fussed. Turning round he walked briskly toward her. Grabbing her face in his hand he inspected her bruises.
“Hmm, in the wars again?” and began looking in a drawer.
“I was struck by an Aesir Sgt. He may have some of my blood. Hence I need the serum”
“Your blood, are you sure?”
“Yes he may have my blood. Is he smart enough to check it? No, but I cannot take that chance. The serum now” replied Kalin tersely.
Kalin caught the container thrown to her and pressed it to her neck, closing her eyes at the contact. The contents injected into her with an audible hiss. Kalin through her head back and inhaled deeply, eyes flying open.
“What is it like?” he asked his voice filled with awe and wonder.
“What is it like? Where to begin; It’s a rush, yes a rush. My senses are heightened, my skin tingles, my blood is flowing faster in my faces” said Kalin, turning to look at him. Her face flushed, eyes sparkling, almost glowing…almost.
“Go on” he urged.
“How can I explain how it is to hear and see more clearly? To hear the blood singing in my veins” Kalin stopped and cocked her head to one side. “How do I explain how it is to feel more than alive to someone who is not?”
“That was unnecessary” he said, his face breaking into a scowl.
“Unnecessary, but true” Walking toward him Kalin drew two clear bags from her pocket. “Oh now I have hurt your…feelings. Well maybe these will cheer you up?” and handed them to the Doctor.
Taking them from her he held them up to see better in the poor light.
“Nail clippings and two strands of blonde hair” he stated quizzically.
“Well run them through the sequencer then!” a small smile played on her lips as she watched him realise what she had just given him.
“Aesirian?”
Kalin chuckled as he quickly moved to a large machine on the bench. The smile faded when she remembered how old and simplistic it was. She had the most up to date machine at her institute. Her institute; it wasn’t her institute anymore. Shaking such thoughts away, she patiently waited whilst he ran the samples. After a few moments the machine beeped.
“Let’s see what we have here”
A few keystrokes caused the monitor to flicker. The Doctor thumped his fist against it, and suddenly it came to life. Coloured, intertwined lines crossed the screen.
“This is from the clippings. OK Doctor, isolate and delete my sequence.” Said Kalin and the Doctors fingers flew across the keypad, “now that leaves the Sgts. Now call up the sequence from the hair” A second set of intertwined lines came onto the screen.
“They are different!” exclaimed the Doctor, “I thought you said both samples where Aesirian?”
“They are both Aesirian, now run contig.” Said Kalin. As the computer followed the commands the contiguous sequences where aligned.
“The hair DNA….that can’t make sense?”
“It’s bigger isn’t it?” asked Kalin, voice bubbling with excitement.
“You mean…”
“Yes, the Commander whose hair this is has significantly more genetic information; I have always suspected hierarchy, if only I had access to the institute I could verify it properly”
“Well I can do that here!” cried the Doctor, the hurt evident in his voice.
“And it will take you months, if not years!”
“Well time is not an issue for me”
“No, no my friend, it is not”
The Doctor was a marvel. An automaton, engineered to fulfil any role. This prototype had been programmed for bioengineering and medicine. A remarkable achievement for Kalin and her colleagues, when they had created him, the mould had truly been broken; literally. ‘They’ had arrived and in the panic during the initial invasion many technologies had been scuttled rather than allowing them to fall into enemy hands. Kalin and a few of her most trusted friends and colleagues succeeded in hiding him al this time. His medical knowledge proving invaluable as the Natives did not receive the care they had previously been used to. Kalin shook her head as she recognised the old jealousies creeping in, jealous of the Doctor…the automaton. Jealous of how truly oblivious he was to the true nature of their predicament.
“You keep analysing Doctor, I will see you again” and with that Kalin turned, picked up her coat and left him engrossed in the samples she had given him.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jerryn sat back in her chair and stretched her arms above her head, neck tense from pouring over the data she had spent that last few hours analysing. The work was outstanding. The bioengineering knowledge was outstanding. Not for the first time did she wonder what had happened to the people behind this work. Flicking through the names again she came across one of the most prominent. Morvern, Kalin Doctor of medicine, bioengineering, and genetics. One of the most lauded scientists amongst the Natives. A frown clouded her fine features. Morvern. Reaching for her terminal she called up the Native data base and entered the name. A moment passed and data filled the screen. Scanning it, Jerryn had to read it again. Kalin Morvern, renowned scientist and physician was alive and reassigned to Central Archives! The picture contained on the database was of the auburn haired woman with the striking eyes! The woman who the sergeant had struck was the renowned scientist. She had found her!
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