Therefore I am
Disclaimer: Checks pocket I own about a dollar thirty eight in change, a fruit loop, and some pocket lint but I don't own the TMNT.
Chapter Ten - Think of it!
Michaelangelo :
Days, over a week now, and still nothing of Rama, and all possibilities had been searched. It was as if my daughter had dropped off the face of the planet had, for all intents and purposes vanished as if she had never existed.
I listened to Jessie as he stumbled over questions of where she was, and if we had learned anything, and I couldn't give him any answers, because I had none myself. I choked back a bitter response to his many demands and sighed wearily, " Jessie if we hear anything we will let you know." I promised him, " We are doing everything we can to find her. It just doesn't seem to be helping" I confessed sadly, I raised one hand to rub at my temple.
Finally, realizing he'd get no further Jessie bid goodbye and hung up and I wearily did the same. I shook my head sadly.
I wanted to find Rama, hold her, and never let her go. I wanted to blame Leo for sending her out on solo patrol to begin with, I wanted to know that she was alive somewhere and not dead, or suffering some terrible torture at the hands of enemies. I wanted so many things, and none of my wishes or desires could ever be made true while the answers to all our questions remained forever elusive. Even Splinter, was using all his meditative skill to learn something, and getting no where fast.
I felt something churn inside me, rage, anger, disappointment and found myself heading for the dojo where I suddenly unleashed a fit of insane fury upon the punching bag, kicking, punching and striking it so it swung wildly and I dodge its movements and hit it harder as if getting revenge on it for trying to get me.
"RAM-MMMAAAA!" I yelled and collapsed to the dojo floor in sobs.
I was so afraid that the worst case scenario, the very things I didn't want to think of was exactly what Rama was going through, and I may never ever know the answers of what happened to my daughter.
XXX
Jerry:
The most important part of any intelligence test was to see how much a subject understood, could it problem solve, or use tools to get what it wanted. The most important part though was not to taint the experiment in any way, vocal command, or body expressions could reveal hints that one might subconsciously give, without intending to, could throw out years of hard work. So, I had to be extremely careful when testing A-23 for her knowledge of comprehension.
Think of it, like a dog which you could praise in a harsh authoritive tone, and the dog responds as if being scolded though the words say other wise. Tone and emphasis of words often cause a very different reaction of words spoken.
When I worked with A-23 it was highly important to insure the test subject could only respond if she clearly understood what was being said, which meant no hints in any way shape or form. A-23 had probably grown up around New York City, hiding and fending for herself, picking up words from humans and possibly learning the intentions of certain gestures and tones to let her know certain beings might be trust worthy and others were best steered away from.
Catherine, remained as clinical, but it was hard not to notice that certain things she said or did after these tests almost gave me the feel that she had more or less come to the conclusion that A-23 was intelligent. The first day we had run the intelligent tests and Catherine had asked A-23 about taste in books or music, had been a clear sign that A-23 had enough information to base an opinion on such a thing, when it was quite likely that might not be the case.
This was only one of many instances and one evening I took Catherine aside to question her motives and, more importantly to remind her that it was important to stay clinically detached from A-23. " Catherine , A-23 isn't human, why would it matter if she likes a certain sort of music or story? For all we know she has only heard or seen snippets of things and not enough to base any logical opinion on such things."
"Jerry, she still might have heard enough to have some basis of what she likes," Cathy countered, " Besides it has been proven that different styles of music does have an effect on animals, it has been proven that classical music can boost milk production, while harder music tends to decrease the milk flow. I was just intrigued to know if she does have a preference, since it is for her own enjoyment and stimulation then I see no harm in catering to what she says she enjoys. If it was the basis of a scientific test I wouldn't."
I snorted a little, but finally shrugged, " I wonder with all A-23 human traits and characteristics if she is more capable of human like intelligence. She might end up testing higher then the apes when all is said and done." I murmured.
Cathy nodded as she gathered some of the recordings from night time, which she studied, " I've suspected that myself. It makes it all the more incredible having a chance to be part of this learning process, to be able to study and exam her. As time goes on, I suppose we will be able to see how much she does know and is aware of." We've all ready learned so much in the first week with her," She pointed out, " A-23 shows potential in so many things. She is truly the once in a lifetime species. I'm glad I made the team, and of course it is the main reason why David wants to take as much advantage as possible."
" It is also why David has no intention of killing her, long as she behaves herself A-23 will have a nice long life." I chuckled, " it would be a waste to kill her."
Cathy nodded as she gathered the last of her things and we left securing the room behind us.
" I hope though that if it gets to the point where we have to kill her, that we have taken the opportunity to breed her first." I declared.
Cathy stopped and gaped at me, "Why are you so keen to breed her?"
" She has enough human traits she ought to be compatible. If she is intelligent, and the father is also intelligent think of the possibilities for the child." I replied, " Of course many mutations are sterile."
" All right I will give you that point along with the elements of learning gestation period and other things we have no way of knowing. But as you point out it would be remarkable if she can even conceive" Cathy permitted.
I smiled as we headed out to the parking lot, " There are other questions we could answer to, such as would she lay an egg, or would it be live birth, would she follow reptilian instinct and abandon the child, or protect and defend it, not to mention what she would feed it as she can't breast feed. Then there is studying the child to learn the growth rate. The only way we will know the answers to all of these questions is by taking a chance and breeding her as part of the scientific study."
" She isn't ready to breed yet, might even be too young for it." Cathy reminded me, " We have to learn her cycle first, that is if she has one and there is no need breeding unless there is a good chance of her catching." Cathy pointed out, " She did well on her work this afternoon with us."
" Yes, she has I think with the last few days work we can figure out exactly where A-23 is at intelligence wise in being able to comprehend what she is told and communication both of which is essential for intelligence." I agreed.
Cathy laughed, " I believe the words she got wrong were the ones she had no idea what they were or what they meant." She challenged she stopped by her car, and gave me an anxious look " You said earlier we ought to breed her before killing her..."
" Yes I did. Face it Cathy, once we learn what we can of a mutation we either breed it if possible, or dispose of it. On living specimens autopsies are performed to see if there is an anomaly in the brain or other part of the body that might have assisted in the mutation of that species." I said. This was standard procedure and Cathy was as aware of it as I was, so I was surprised how she acted when I brought the matter up now.
" Sure Jerry, on regular animals that have become mutants. A-23 doesn't act much like an animal, she is a higher more evolved mutation then what we normally see." Catherine argued.
" We are in the business of learning and educating. Once a specimen has taught us all that it can, it isn't effective to keep it around. Perhaps if A-23 can earn her keep somehow, we could make an exception to the rule. Breeding her when we have learned everything else, or at least attempting to, might be enough to increase her life span." I smiled at her, " Your not getting attached to A-23 are you."
Catherine shrugged, " Sometimes it isn't easy keeping a professional level with her. She sometimes acts far too human in most aspects." She shook her head, " I don't know. Maybe I just feel that A-23 being such a different form of mutation could change so much, and I'm not talking about just the scientific level. She could be in some instances almost a missing link, or a new link but of what and to what remains to be seen. Of course she can increase all types of funds and that is why we have to be careful about how we test her not to mention documenting everything extensively." Catherine explained, " A-23 might always be far more valuable to us alive then dead. We could always put her on display, or sell her when we are done."
I understood what Cathy was getting at, " A-23 is an incredibly complex critter. Her anatomy is between human and chelonian and her appearance is almost human, other then the shell, facial features and the colouring of her skin. We are now just trying to figure out the level of intelligence she has. David will keep her for a long time, if only because A-23 has a great deal to offer us, but in the end he will most likely see her bred, in hopes of learning from the child as well."
Catherine nodded " Sooner or later I suppose we ought to answer those questions. However if she is one of the few mutants that happens to be fertile, working with the child might cause it's own inherent problems. We can't run test on humans without their permission. The child would be far more human then animal, due to the fact A-23 is partially human. We are bound by the laws Jerry and no one would condone us keeping and researching a human." She raised one hand, " Yes, A-23 has chelonian in her and that plus the fact we have no idea how intelligent she is, happens to be enough that we can study her without breaking any laws. But A-23 child will be more human then she is, as we don't exactly have a male of her species, or a giant sea turtle to breed with her, that leaves a human father."
I smirked, " Catherine all we need is permission from a parent giving us leave to study the child. A-23 wouldn't understand the legal ramifications of such a document so the father would have full right to sign for both parents." I stated, " If the father happens to be one of us, who are on the team, then the father will know exactly what is happening to the child in the name of science." I beamed, " Just think of it Cathy, it could be the science experiment of a life time!" I declared.
Catherine chuckled, " Good night Jerry." She got into her car.
I headed for mine, as far as I was concerned only good could come of breeding A-23. If studying her could offer us so much then studying any child she produced could only be that much better. I was going push to have A-23 bred in the name of science if nothing else.
TBC