Orphans Beloved: "Attack of the Fifty-foot Clones…"
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…
Note-There are always these minor consequences to any great advances in Science.
PS. Sorry for delay in updating. Other things intruding, including the real world…
(PS-It's an AU with divergence from S-3 in that Aldous did not…Yet…while in mine Cal left without Kyra and engaged to Sarah, to resolve the pesky problem of a murdered police officer, and Ally is not going in for breaking somewhat bad. (And of course the ladies are not yet18-50 feet tall…Yet). And Seth is not…Yet…Dead. But we need Seth. The Castors deserved their own road trip, right?)
Part XXVI…
Dyad Institute…
Office of the CEO, currently "Dr. Aldous Leekie" in silvered metal lettering on the door…
"Susan…" Leekie, taking his chair, just in from the containment area where Rachel had been demanding considerable amounts of his time and attention, eyeing the onscreen image before him … "Nice to hear from you. Hope you're not too disappointed at finding me alive." Smile.
"And you, Evie…" he eyed the now split screen's other image. Evie Cho regarding him coolly from her own office's chair behind rather Rachelian pre-incident glass desk. "How are things at Lysenko Central?"
"Your disdain for our work doesn't make it any less valuable, Aldous. And Topside will sooner or later realize that." Evie, coldly. "Even if for the moment you and Marion Bowles have won a respite for Project LEDA, Brightborne is the true future of Neolution."
"Jumping from some useful advances in gene therapy to Mengele-style experimentation, not to mention playing in the human germline? I'm only sorry I haven't yet been able to shut you down, Evie." Aldous, keen-eyed stare.
"Aldous…" Susan cut in. "We've developed very clear boundaries with Dr. Cho and I remain guarantor that the boundaries will be respected for the greater good. As to your survival, naturally I'm pleased. I never supported Rachel's move against you, you should know that."
"I won't bother asking dear Evie how she feels, I'm already quite aware of her regard for me." Smile to Cho who gave frosty smile back.
"If we're done with back biting…Shall we proceed to the key issue at hand? The new and rather stunning manifestation of unusual growth among a number of our LEDAs?" Susan urged.
"Growth that I must point out violates much of what we know about biological development and even fundamental biophysical principles?" she added, glancing to each.
"It is a rather neat development…We're having to go right down to the quantum level for any explanation." Leekie smiled. "But your email concerned something more specific, Susan…"
"It did. But that is part and parcel of the matter…What's the latest development among the clones in your custody? Particularly, Cosima?" Duncan asked.
"They're here as our guests at my and Dr. Cormier's invite, Doctor." Leekie shrugged. "I must take issue with the term 'custody'. The ladies are free to leave at any time, I've no intention of holding them or restraining them."
"Letting them just up and 'walk' would be rather foolish, Aldous…" Evie frowned. "Just the potential publicity consequences, let alone the science at stake here…"
"Nice to know you have decided the LEDAs have some value yet…" he smiled. "But I'll pursue this in my own way for now, with the ladies' cooperation."
"That is admirable, Aldous…"the screen split to three frames, the wizened features of "P.T. Westmoreland" now visible, his own rather antique desk before him, old prints behind him on the wall.
"John, a pleasure as well as an honor…" Aldous nodded.
"But while I always bow to a gentleman defending ladies…" Westmoreland continued, mocking smile. "I think it should be remembered here that our primary interest in continuing the LEDA project has been what we can learn by studying their development, the effect of the introduced sequences, and the variations among them in course of development due solely to nuture vs their genomes. This is of course quite a major development and the variations…" smile… "Are remarkable in and of themselves."
"We need to sample the LEDA genome in detail and in comparison between the affected and unaffected…" Susan noted.
"Indeed…" Westmoreland leaned back… "But just how do we do that, most efficiently?"
"We ought to sacrifice one of the affected clones at least…Either Rachel or Krystal would a suitable candidate…And no kiddies and husband to leave behind to create potential problems." Evie noted firmly from her screen side.
"No." Aldous insisted. "That will not happen, Evie."
"John? This is up to the Board?" Evie, grim look to Aldous' screen.
"I think, at this time, we need to leave such decisions up to Drs. Leekie and Duncan…" Westmoreland noted quietly. "We're still early in studying this phenomenon, there's no reason to throw the potential baby out with the dead lab rats. Of course, while that is my recommendation to Topside, the Board may choose otherwise." Benign smile. "They are, after all, free individuals."
"Who believe that you are 178 years old…And their hope for immortality." Evie eyed him.
Aldous rolling eyes…Susan looking a bit distressed…
To have to rely on such scientific ignoramuses as the Topside board…And one or two of them are actually doctors…Shameful, really, the statue of modern Western education.
Rather like the Nazis' or Stalin's imbecility in Science, one must admit. But one cannot always choose the tools with which one must work to create a new world.
"I have a certain 'influence' as Westmoreland." Smile. "It's served us well in the past and remains useful."
Freaky Leekies…Wacky Westmorelands…Evie sighed.
When do I get Crazie Chos? Seems racist or at sexist or both that I don't have a few…
"Thanks for the support, John." Aldous, calmly. "Always appreciated."
"It does have its limits, Aldous." Westmoreland noted.
"Incidentally…" Evie spoke up. "What about your Dr. Norris? I see from the reports that he suggested something might be coming some time ago based on analysis of Ethan Duncan's synthetic sequences, but was ignored?" ironic smile. "We might want to encourage such talent in the future."
"He stumbled, rather cleverly I admit, on to certain of Ethan Duncan's sequences that he felt might become activated under certain conditions and associate in unexpected ways. I felt it best to be cautious…But as the reports note we did pursue and monitor for such signs, none of which manifested, outside the infertility and its sad side effects, until this week."
"Yes." Susan nodded. "I agree that Norris should be given his due, but Aldous maintained his usual careful watch on this with the LEDAs. My question then is, what has changed to produce such a dramatic effect? What about Cosima and Delphine Cormier? What is their take here, given their very specific concerns…"
"Still reviewing the data, though Cosima has been very willing to cooperate with testing samples…We're just beginning to comparatively review." Aldous noted.
"And Helena…? And the material she took from the Proleithians?" Susan asked, urgent tone. "It's vital we recover that material. Has the Director shown any willingness to cooperate here?"
"CASTOR remains determined to its own goals, saving its subjects and determining their best employment. The Director has been rather firm that he prefers the material, if recovered, be kept with them." Aldous noted. "And while Dr. Coady and the Deputy Director might have been somewhat more amenable, they are no longer involved with the project."
"Yes, sadly, that was my own experience…" Westmoreland cut in. "A bit unreasonable I'd say. And Dr. Coady a true loss…"
"Helena has eluded them for now…" Aldous noted. "I'm hoping she'll come to us, for her sisters' sake. And she would have the material with her."
"Interesting that the feral rogue murderess is now so protective of the LEDAs…" Westmoreland smiled. "We have Sarah Manning to thank, I gather."
"Indeed. She's played a remarkable role in Helena's recovery." Aldous noted.
"Twins…Always fascinating how they bond. Even if Cyril Burt's work was hogwash and lies." Westmoreland, slight sneer. "I hope you can recover her and her children, along with the material."
"I can tell our allies that we will share the material with them?" Susan cut in. "We have their cooperation so long as I can do so."
"You may tell those…Freaks…Whatever you like, Susan." Westmoreland shrugged. "If it will keep them quiet, we may be able to allow some portion of the material to go to them. They're not without some scientific ability, after all. Indeed, they succeeded where we have so glaringly failed…" mocking smile at the group.
"If we'd had the material to be begin with. If Johannsen hadn't betrayed me…" Duncan frowned.
"Yes. We'd have a whole raft of Kiras potentially to study…" Westmoreland nodded. "But, now it appears we may soon have three in any case. Unless Helena's 'children' fail us. What a pity that daughter of Johannsen's couldn't manage to bear her implants."
"It seems only LEDAs can carry these embryos to term, suggesting they are unique, even to the LEDA clones." Susan noted.
"And only more so, given the latest developments…" Westmoreland agreed. "Lets hope Helena does choose her sisters and comes in out of the cold. If she does, Aldous, I want Susan to handle her…And the material…Though…" he put up a hand at Aldous' stare... "I also want Dyad to receive the bulk of the original CASTOR genome matter. It's best studied there."
"I'd want some for our work as well…" Evie insisted.
"The data will be shared, Dr. Cho. But lets keep the boundaries properly distinguished, shall we?" Westmoreland, calm smile.
"I agree…" Susan, quickly…Evie regarding her with hard glare. "But all data will be shared, as it becomes available."
"Good. Then we're settled. Please keep me informed on the results of the comparative analysis, Aldous. I think it should prove fascinating." Westmoreland smiled. "Ladies…" nod as his image went black and clicked off.
"Don't cut me out of this, Aldous." Evie glared. "Boundaries or no." she clicked off.
Aldous regarded Susan who sighed…
"My top priority will remain determining the cause and curing this, Susan. I hope our friends, if listening in still, understand that."
"You know they are, as best they can…" she shook head. "You're right and I support you, Aldous, but don't let escaping Rachel's plot go to your head. Cho and Westmoreland, and Topside as a whole, will not be bound by any fond memories of childhood regarding you."
"I always bear that in mind, Susan." He eyed her.
"Yes?" she stared.
"You've no interest in seeing Rachel? Maybe even speaking to her?"
"Aldous. Hardly useful right now. I've seen your footage of her." Shrug.
"I see." Bleak stare.
"You are far too attached to the LEDAs, Aldous. You need to cultivate a little of Rachel's feeling."
"Or sad lack thereof…Until now…She misses you and Ethan, terribly. She's back to the girl who thought she had a reasonably normal life despite her specialness. It's only a short time since she lost you, for her."
"What good would it do her to see me now? For her to learn that I'm still alive, that I betrayed her father and abandoned her to your care, decades ago.?" she eyed him
"Probably no good at all…" he sighed. "Nor would it for her to know that you would've killed him to stop the destruction of the original LEDA genome."
"Not killed…" Susan shook head. "But I would have prevented him, by any means. Or gotten him to divulge where the LEDA/CASTOR chimera was, even if I'd had to pretend being subjected to torture. I do mourn his loss, Aldous. And I am grateful, in the end, you concealed his escape after the fire."
"He was too brilliant a mind to be killed once the damage was done, Susan. I don't regret my decision."
"Nor do I. He was too weak for our vision and the work but he was a dear man and I cared for him, in my way. And you're right…His loss would have been tragic." She eyed him.
"As was his loss this year…"
"Yes." Aldous nodded. "I only wish I could have prevented it."
She nodded but regarded him carefully…
"Young Norris does seem able. Perhaps he'll crack Ethan's sequences in more detail."
"Perhaps…But I doubt even Ethan realized the implications of some of his test modifications." Aldous noted.
"Well, in any case you have my support with Topside…And with Marion to back up, for now, you should be able to keep the dogs off."
"For now." Leekie nodded.
"Aldous? It's important that I know I can count on your objectivity here. I care about the survival of the LEDAs as a whole, but we can't be wedded to individuals." Firm stare.
"Susan…I love all my girls equally." He smiled.
"That may be the problem." She noted, slight sigh. "You know that Chevalier is on his way, to evaluate the situation."
"Without extreme prejudice, or so I've been informed." Aldous, careful glance.
"Don't count too much on that, Aldous….Well, please keep me informed. As to everything…" she eyed him, her image winking out a moment later.
"Yes?" he clicked on to a buzzing box on the screen.
"Dr. Leekie? Containment lab requests your return as soon as possible. Ms. Duncan is asking for you."
"Tell them I'm coming at once…" he told the image of his secretary on screen…A brown-haired, anxious-looking young woman in vague approximation of Rachel's style, having been her secretary, briefly.
"And your cousin wishes to speak to you…" she noted. "As soon as you can manage."
"Please tell my cousin I'll have to see him at home tonight unless it's an absolute emergency like we're out of wine." Smile. "Thanks, Diane." He clicked screen off.
…
"What do you think?" Westmoreland on Susan's screen as she sat facing the monitor.
"I think Aldous might have managed it, just as he stage-managed his own death for Rachel." Susan noted.
"Ethan alive…How wonderful. How pleased you must be." Sly tone.
"We need him, John…If this it's true. He could be the one person able to tell us what is going on here."
"Well…You always were able to wrap him round your finger, Susan." Lewd smile.
…
