Unrecognized Expression
The car sped silently along its designated light-rail, allowing its sole occupant a brief moment of rest before he arrived at his final destination. The switch from light-rail to the old electromagnetic-rail jostled him awake as it did every time. It wasn't surprising: Anna had always teased him for being such a light sleeper.
He sighed and rubbed his chin as he glanced out the window, searching for the storm clouds that congregated around almost every rocket-yard. A brilliant lightning strike illuminated one he did not recognize on the horizon, but before he could spot which company's logo adorned it, it slipped back into the early morning darkness - veiled like an passionless bride on her wedding night.
It seemed like a new yard appeared every day, each rapidly ascending to the heavens like shining bamboo. Whether they were monuments to mankind's ingenuity or foolishness, he could never say. Rocketeers had begun to call them Metal Forests; a name the Earthists hated because it "corrupted the word forest".
He felt the car slow as the innocuous building drew near, giving him a bit of extra time to adjust his clothes and stretch his worn body before work. There must have been a big breakthrough in one of the projects if they were calling him in this early.
The sleepy guard saluted him and waved him in quickly. The garage was fairly empty this early in the morning, which didn't really matter to him since he had a private space.
It bothered him that they still hadn't changed the name plate from "Issac Inmouth" to "Isaac Immouth" like he had requested some time ago. He had heard plenty of "in mouth" jokes during his school years and he didn't need a parking space mocking him. He chastised himself as he realized it was fairly trivial in the grand scheme of things and vowed not to get too worked up about it. Isaac yawned and rubbed his eyes one last time before he ducked down and stepped out of the car.
He was a tall man - always ducking to avoid hitting his head on the things most people ignored. Isaac had been tall since he was young and by now he was used to the stares he got in public. It wasn't like they lasted long anyways; none of his other features were very interesting. Even his face was completely forgettable. Isaac often wished he had been born in an era in which people still wore glasses. He thought they gave the faded people in the ancient photographs such a dignified and intelligent look. He sometimes daydreamed about the way his face would have looked with the definition that those thin frames brought.
Isaac jaunted through the building at an easy pace, mind only half-focused on getting there on time. He followed the little robot sent to retrieve him warily, knowing how subject to malfunction it was. That little metallic spheroid with two horseshoe magnet arms and screws that jutted out had almost brought VectorSystems into bankruptcy when they had released it. As chief engineer, Anna had taken a lot of the blame for the failure, although she was cleared when they found out the problem was in the supplier's parts rather than the software she had overseen. VectorSystems decided to shelf the project until the bad publicity died down.
He had always thought it was a creepy little thing. The way it floated there unperturbed by anything around it. How it looked some poor electrician's creation, cobbled together with old screws that protruded out hectically without purpose. The massive unblinking eye that silently followed unquestioningly and unceasingly... eerie.
It stopped by the main work lab and hovered there for a second before bouncing off. Isaac entered the dark room filled with old looking computers that smelled of sweat masked by strong detergent. Every station was identical, save the few personal touches that VectorSystems employees were allowed, a stuffed animal or picture of family – inane stuff like that. It was sad to see them without the people who made them personal.
"Back here!" Terry called from the break room. Isaac made his way towards the room, picking up a doughnut on the way so he'd have something to chew. "You're two minutes late Isaac. Are you too busy to come down from your huge office to visit an old friend?" Terry joked. Isaac sat down and shook his head as he laughed.
Terry and Isaac had been friends for as long as either of them could remember. Terry had always been a joker, but he was sharp as a knife and fiercely loyal. He had been the best man at Isaac's wedding.
"Don't be so rude," Melanie chided in her characteristically thick accent.
It wasn't surprising given that Standard was her second language. She had been hired out of one of the smaller providences to work on some software for some project without knowing any Standard. She was an excellent programmer, despite her difficulties with the language, and had rapidly picked Standard up. Melanie rarely spoke in her native tongue, and when she did it was only to swear.
"Yes," Isaac said as leaned back in the chair, "You ought to have said, 'You're two minutes late sir.'" Terry did a mock salute and the two laughed, with Melanie eventually joining in even though she didn't really get the joke. "Hey, did you see the newest Forest?" Terry asked with a smug grin on his face. Isaac knew that grin only meant one thing: Terry had earned another point. "I didn't really get a good look at the company name," Isaac said casually. "It's Smooth Sailing," Terry said. "&#$%!" muttered Melanie.
They had a secret bet going on the names of new rocket-yards. They kept a tally of which clichés the companies would be named after. Isaac was in third with 67 named after "journey-like terms"; followed by Melanie with 29 names that didn't fit in the other's groups. Terry had 145 points for yards named after "nautical terms", one point in front of Anna and "space-y terms".
"Well let's get to work. What have you brought me in for at this lovely hour?" Isaac asked sarcastically. The air conditioner kicked on with a loud thump. Terry poured some sugar into his coffee and stirred it slowly. A pungent rubbery smell of filled the air as it splashed over the mug's sides and seeped into the flimsy fiberboard table.
"The boys over at ArcLabs have finally got their acts together and sent us that sample they've been asking us to work with," Terry said. ArcLabs was probably VectorSystems' biggest competitor. The companies were notoriously fierce rivals, but they occasionally coordinated with one another on larger projects when both companies could benefit. This was one such project. "I think you should see this for yourself sir," said Melanie. She had a habit of playing with her mother's necklace when she got excited.
Isaac walked beside Melanie as Terry talked. Once you got Terry excited about something it was hard to shut him up. A little robot stalked behind them, massive eye fixed upon them.
"Ever since mankind first transmuted matter into energy he's dreamed of instant transportation," Terry lectured.
Isaac and Melanie just rolled their eyes and let him speak. Terry was legendary for his hatred of interruptions, once even making a six-year old cry during a guided field trip of the facility in what had become known as 'The Oatmeal Incident'. "Imagine it Isaac, to be in one place one moment and another the next, imagine how revolutionary it would be!" Terry continued, "Unfortunately, that is beyond our grasp at the moment, but with this we have certainly chalked our hands."
The Laser Bay was tucked away in one of the far corners of the building, a massive vault door serving as its only point of entry. A woman waited impatiently in front of it, her hair done up in a dorky ponytail that looked silly on an adult. She had a small frame, but always made very precise, yet somehow awkward movements. Isaac admired that in her for some odd reason.
"Chief, I thought you weren't going to be here," said Melanie. She had been feeling nauseous over the last few days and this morning had been no different. She had a huge smile plastered on her face, something he hadn't seen for a while. She was the kind of person that didn't smile often, but when she did it made other people want to smile with her because of how goofy she looked.
"Isaac!" she shouted. She ran to him and gave him a hug. "What's gotten into you Anna?" he laughed. The question only made Anna smile more. She brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face and took a step back. "Isaac I have great news," she told him. "Can't this wait chief," Terry said, highly irritated. She knew not to stand in Terry's way when he was on a roll, so she stood aside and let him do his thing. Her news could wait just a little longer.
Anna had to suppress the urge to shout to the Heavens every time she thought about it.
"We received the sample today chief," Melanie informed her. Her eyes suddenly lit up with that curious excitement that Isaac loved as Terry pulled out a vial of pinkish goo. "Isaac why didn't you tell me!" she said slapping him on the arm. "I thought I'd let you sleep a little more," he replied defensively. "Awww, how sweet," Melanie sighed. "I didn't mean to hit you," Anna said apologetically, looking down.
Terry tapped his foot impatiently, leaving tiny scuffs on the newly polished floor. "Less chit chat more science," he growled. Terry punched a few dozen numbers into the vault's security pad. It beeped and hissed as it opened for them slowly, as if it were aware of what they were about to do.
The antechamber was built for viewing the laser in action. A single row of cushioned chairs faced an enormous tinted window, behind which the laser itself lay. It looked like such a simple machine despite the decades of development that had been poured into it. It was shaped like one of the rockets. The bleach white gloss made it look diffuse and frigid like a rolling glacial river with water trickling so slowly that it does not seem to move. It had an output equivalent to two grams in the old antimatter lasers, although - thanks to careful manipulation of several principles - it cost far less energy to run. They never ran it over 1% output anyways.
The laser's room was sealed by something that appeared to be a submarine door ripped from its bearings with a dull knife. Terry opened it and hurried everyone in, excited to begin the demonstration. It was always unnerving to be in a room with something created for destruction, even though they all knew that doors and walls would not protect them from disaster.
"Pick a color," Melanie said as she manned the controls. "Let's go with red, that's always a classic," said Isaac as his eyes watered in the light. The laser was colorized so that casual observers could see whether it was on or not. They didn't always have to turn the color on, but it did add some excitement to the more mundane endeavors.
"Let's begin," said Terry, pulling out a half-eaten doughnut. He punched a button and the stand for holding test subjects rose out of the floor nonchalantly. It looked like a wooden post set to stand in the path of the mighty glacier. Terry took one last bite of the doughnut and looked at it sadly. Then he to laser cool as ice, walked and did not falter. He placed his little sacrifice upon the little altar.
"Now, there are three main problems that we have been faced with," Terry droned as Melanie hit more buttons. The laser made bizarre gurgling noises as it adjusted itself, a praying mantis aching to strike.
"One – Converting matter into energy," Terry said as the laser hit the doughnut. It began to dissolve into the red light. Isaac shuddered; there was something intrinsically frightening about watching something physical fade away.
"Two – Storing that energy and retaining structural information," Terry said as the laser seemed to suck the light back into itself. It had actually already stored the energy during the first phase, but the illusion of 'sucking the energy in' helped people understand what had happened. "Heisenberg is rolling in his grave right now, eh Anna?" Isaac teased. Anna brushed off her husband's odd compliment.
"Three – Reassembly," Terry finished as the laser shot out again. The ghostly doughnut warped and wobbled disturbingly, a bright light enveloping it as it took form. Terry grabbed the doughnut with a pair of tongs and put it in the hazardous waste chute gingerly.
"The problem's in reassembly. While we can more or less subvert uncertainty during energy-capture, the theoretical limit of certainty during reassembly is about 90% and it starts to really drop exponentially as the distance increases," Melanie said. Funnily enough, Standard was only constructed to cover the common vernacular, so Melanie's pronunciation of the more complex words was always much better than theirs.
"Yes, we all worked on the project," Anna said sarcastically. "Big told us to practice our spiel for visitors," Terry explained, noticeably less enthusiastic as the company president was brought to mind. Almost everyone at VectorSystems called him "Big". No employee had the audacity to address him by name for a simple reason: they feared him. There were no questions asked when Big wanted something done. It was just done.
"Please continue," Isaac said as he rolled his eyes. Terry looked at them and scratched his stubble. "Um yes… That's why this is so revolutionary," Terry clumsily went on. He held up a vial. The pink goo within gleamed invitingly in the muted light.
"What is that?" Isaac asked. "It's genetic material," said Anna, "from ArcLabs." "Is that what they used to create that plant-animal hybrid they were raving about a few months ago?" Isaac asked with an intense curiosity. Terry nodded and poured the goo out in front of the laser.
"The problem with using this technology for light speed matter transport - um, I mean 'teleportation' - is the reassembly part. DNA and RNA based life-forms are impossible to send through without significant damage to the genetic structure. The brilliant part of this is that it is not DNA," Terry stated as the laser hit the pink goo. It dissolved much faster than the doughnut. "Though I suppose you could 'wrap' it around DNA..." he muttered in a brief afterthought.
"I can't believe how caught up we were on getting DNA to work," Anna mumbled to herself as the pinkish goo rapidly reassembled. She could be pretty hard on herself when she failed at something. "I guess it's only human nature to think everything complex and evolved must be like ourselves," Anna sighed. Terry scooped it back into the vial after it reassembled. "So what do you think Isaac?" Melanie asked. Isaac glanced at the goo, oozing like murky honey in its container.
"Why did ArcLabs give this to us?" he asked suspiciously. Terry chuckled, out of his science-mode now that the deed had been done. "They got a big contract with some of the rocket-yard companies for their biological specimens. When we told them we might be able to offer a containment system they immediately agreed to send some of genetic material over," Terry explained.
Isaac smiled to himself. This little vial of pink goo would keep VectorSystems funded for years if his math was right; they would finally be able to resume all the projects they had put on hold. "This is great," Isaac beamed. "We know," Melanie replied. Anna and Terry just smiled proudly at him. Terry broke his smile to hand him the vial.
"I'm picking you to talk to Big about this," Terry said seriously. Terry rarely looked more serious than when Big was mentioned. "Sorry Isaac," Terry added.
The terms of the bet were this: the winning person got to choose who had to talk to Big. "Isn't it Melanie's turn?" asked Isaac. "No, she did it last time remember," Anna reminded him. Isaac sighed, and took the vial reluctantly. It was still warm from the laser.
"I could go instead," Anna squeaked. The room filled with a thick and palpable silence. Nobody forced Anna to talk to Big. "Anna no," Isaac insisted. "I need to talk to Martin anyways," she said quietly. She smiled and looked into Isaac's eyes. "I have the sample," Isaac said, "I'm going." He planted a light kiss on her cheek and gave her a little hug before leaving towards the elevator. A little robot followed him.
"Weren't you going to tell him something?" Melanie reminded her as Isaac disappeared around the corner.
Anna blushed and told them all about her news. "&$*#%!" Melanie shouted, a huge smile growing on her face. Anna smiled and giggled. "Isaac, you old dog," Terry smiled to himself. One of the little robots floated beside them idly.
The elevator served little purpose. The building was patterned after a big wheel with spokes going out into the different sectors of VectorSystems. The elevator only went to two floors: the floor immediately above, which was Isaac's office, and Big's office, which was located at the very top.
The first thing any employee saw as they commuted to VectorSystems was the wicked glint atop that erect phallus silhouetted against the morning light; lurking, scowling at them with impassive disdain.
The elevator was a tiny glass thing that eschewed the standard light rails in favor of the old lifting mechanisms of gears and cables. It was designed to make its occupant feel uncomfortable by attacking the senses. Its glass walls reveled in the dizzying heights to which it ascended, it reveled as you watched with dread when the little beloved trappings of the earth below became blurry and unrecognizable. The glass made it like a greenhouse: by the time you were at the top the sauna would have roasted you and the walls would drip with your sweat. The elevator would occasionally stop as a mechanism slipped or failed. You'd hear the gears gnashing and groaning for a while, then they'd stop and the elevator would lurch down for a split second before continuing to make its way up to the office. Right before you'd arrive, the elevator would go inside the building. Darkness would oppress you; the walls would begin to bear down on you as you realized how small the elevator truly was. You'd be spit out into his office a sweaty trembling mess.
Isaac had been through the elevator many times, but there was always that small feeling of terror as he stepped out into Big's office. He wiped the sweat off of his forehead as he took in the office once more. It was a minimalistic room, just a desk on top of the VectorSystems logo that was emblazoned on the carpet. The desk was an antique, haphazardly crafted with some dark, heavy wood. On it was a small brass lamp that barely gave off any light and a bleached photograph in a delicate silver frame.
"Sir," Isaac said, his voice slightly raspy from dehydration. Big continued to stare out the wide window. "Sir," Isaac said. He heard the clinking of ice cubes as Big shifted a little. Isaac waited for a response.
"Isaac," Big said; his voice a rumbling volcano always ready to burst. "Get over here," Big said. Isaac moved towards the window cautiously and peered out. "Look at those fools!" Big scoffed, glaring at the newest rocket-yard. Isaac glanced over at his face. He was an imposing man that wore an eternal sadness.
"Sir we came up with some very exciting results," said Isaac. Big looked at him skeptically. He fingered the vial of warm goo in his pocket nervously. "I think you'll be rather –"" – Just spit it out!" Big barked. Isaac swallowed the lump in his throat. "We've managed to successfully reassemble," Isaac said. Big's eyes lit up with an unquenchable fire and his mouth curled into a devious grin. "Excellent, excellent!" Big exclaimed.
Isaac smiled in relief and followed Big to his desk. "It's all thanks to this," Isaac said as he set the vial down on his desk. Big grinned as he held the vial up to the weak light. "What is it?" he asked greedily. "It's from ArcLabs," Isaac explained, "It's the same stuff they used to engineer those creatures." Isaac watched as Big's grin evaporated.
"Creatures," Big said quietly. He knocked the vial away. Isaac watched as it bounced across the carpet like a skipping stone and winced. "Creatures? What about people dammit! I do not care about those abominations!" Big bellowed. "B-but sir, this contract would set us with enough profits –" " –Profits!" Big yelled, "Is that all there is, profits? You waste my time for pottage!" Isaac swallowed his fear.
Big took another sip of his drink as his fury subsided. His brow became deep set into his forehead as he walked back over to the window. "Nothing has changed," Big sighed sadly. Isaac remained in his place. "They say they are instruments of peace, but I hear only the drums of conflict," Big said, "They will only be no more than beasts of battle." He swirled the ice in his glass.
"There is good and evil to be had with any innovation," Isaac said. "No, there is only evil and more evil," said Big. Isaac could never tell whether Big loathed him or loved him.
"Look at those fools," Big mumbled again. Isaac glanced at the photograph on Big's desk, a ragged thing. A happy woman stood with a child next to a young, cheerful man. "They call themselves brave explorers – Hmph! Cowards," Big scoffed, "They think they can hide from it in space - fools! All of them, fools. And the Earthists are the same, they're all the same, just a bunch of fools and cowards." The sun loosed its first ray on the horizon. It illuminated Big's face in a luminiferous gloom.
"And what happens when they leave? The Earthists, those squabbling morons, will outnumber all the sane. They call it Progress, ha! They'll take us back to the stone age. They're like a virus that cannot help spreading their ignorance. The Earthists and the Rocketeers: they're both fools. Fools! And what of those between! Damned if you go! Damned if you stay!" Big shouted. He paused for a long time, as if weighing some ornate dagger in his hand.
"Isaac, did you know that a cell loses a little part of itself every time it duplicates?" Big asked gravely. "Yes," replied Isaac. Big chuckled."That's the problem with modern medicine, Isaac, no matter how many advances we make we are only delaying the inevitable." Isaac stood there, trapped like a ram caught in the thicket. "Death… we can defeat it, we must defeat it!" Big said.
"You cannot bring back the dead Mr. Wake," Isaac said solemnly. Big's shoulders dropped and he shuffled back over to the desk to set his glass down. The ice was almost completely melted at the bottom. Isaac watched as Big's eyes paused on the photograph before looking into his eyes. "We can protect the living," Big replied quietly. His face contorted into an unrecognizable expression as he placed the photograph inside his desk. He poured himself another drink.
"Show me our Progress," Big said scornfully. Isaac scuttled over to the vial and picked it up. They squeezed into the elevator.
"We got a call from some Rocketeers," Isaac said, trying to make conversation. Big's face remained expressionless. "They offered me and Anna a free spot on the Moriah and leadership positions in the colony," Isaac said, "She really wants to go." "So is this an official resignation then?" Big huffed. "No, it's going to take years to build everything and fill them up," said Isaac. He probably shouldn't have mentioned it.
The elevator finally came to a stop and they bustled out. Anna was waiting at the bottom. "Go home, it's Global Peace day, you shouldn't be here," Big told her, his voice filled with contempt. "I need to talk to you," Anna said firmly, standing her ground. Her legs wobbled slightly. "Go on ahead Isaac," she added. "Anna…" "I said go on ahead," she smiled to him. He nodded slowly and walked towards the Laser Bay followed by one of the little robots.
"What do you want?" Big asked angrily. Anna bit her lip nervously. "I wanted to t-tell you that me and Isaac, w-w-we… I'm taking maternity leave," Anna stuttered. Big scowled as his face lit up with rage.
"Whore!" Big struck her across the face. A meaty thud echoed in the hallways, but Isaac was too far away to hear it. Anna cowered on the cold floor.
"Please, not here," she whimpered as she held a hand to the stinging skin. He grabbed her by the forearm roughly and pulled her up. She winced and prepared herself for another blow.
"Silence!" he bellowed as he struck her again. "Stop, Isaac will hear," she whispered. "I said silence," he growled. His hand slid up her thigh. "I'm s-sorry, I'll be quiet," Anna mumbled, eyes glassy and unfocused as she struggled not to jerk away from his touch. The hand slid down a struck her again. Anna curled into a ball and began to sob quietly as the blows fell upon her.
He eventually stopped and left the whimpering flesh on the floor. Anna tried to use the coldness to keep the swelling down, hoping that Isaac would believe she just had had another allergic reaction. Big massaged his swollen hand as he made his way to the Laser Bay.
Isaac was already there waiting for him, none the wiser. The laser was already adjusted and honed in on its target. Big sealed the door behind him as he took the controls.
"So what did Anna want?" Isaac asked curiously. "You'll find out soon enough," Big said ominously. "I haven't seen her this happy since before Lisa died," Isaac commented idly, "Sorry, I didn't mean..." Big frowned at him. One of the little robots hovered curiously above Anna. She picked herself up and stumbled towards the Laser Bay. Her right eye was beginning to swell shut and blood oozed out of the places where the swelling had split her skin.
"I think it must be broken," Big said. "Are you sure? It was working just fine earlier," Isaac said. "Why don't you just go check to make sure?" Big suggested. Isaac shrugged and moved towards the laser. The diffuse light gleamed in Big's eyes. "Isaac!" Anna shouted as she pounded on the door, "Isaac!" Her words were garbled and muffled by her swelling face. Isaac inspected the laser carefully but couldn't find the fault. Big sighed, "I'm sorry Isaac, sacrifices must be made." Big turned off the colorizer and held his finger over the button. "ISAAC!" Anna wailed, her fists pounding weakly against the door, "Stop... please stop."
He would not hear his daughter, but raised his blazing knife. He carried out the slaughter and ended Isaac's life.