Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom
Phone Call Part 11 Ethical Exigencies
"It's been a lot better since my parents invented the 'Fenton Lock'," Danny protested.
"If what you say is true, then even when locked, the portal makes it possible for ghost to cross to our world," the man pointed out.
"The Fenton Portal isn't the only one. Vlad also built a ghost portal. In fact, since my parents' portal isn't working right now, you can't put all the blame on us," Danny objected.
"Of course not, but perhaps it would be in everyone's best interest to put Fenton Works under government control," the President said in a carefully concerned voice.
"My parents' inventions, made it possible to beat Pariah Dark, keep Amity Park safe and save the world," Danny reminded him. "If their creativity was stifled under government control, it would be like killing the goose that laid the golden egg."
"Not to sound ungrateful, but I am concerned about the type of experiments conducted at 'Fenton Works'," the President said gravely.
Danny had reason to agree, but he wasn't about to tell the President that. "Sir, after my accident, my parents tightened up on safety measures. The lab is no more dangerous than sitting at the family dinner table."
.
.
Jazz choked.
Danny threw her an annoyed look, "Well, it's true," he whispered to her. All-in-all, it was a good thing the President hadn't seen the Fenton family's Thanksgiving dinner.
Uncovering the receiver, he asked the President, "Do you really think that my parents would put their own children in danger?"
"You had an accident in your parent's lab," the President pointed out.
"That wasn't their fault. I knew I wasn't supposed to be there. They did everything they could to make the 'on' switch inaccessible and I circumvented the fail safe. You can't blame them for that," Danny protested.
.
"Assigning blame might be counterproductive," the President said in an attempt to smooth over Danny's indignant tone. "Perhaps your accident was a stroke of serendipity."
"What do you mean?" Danny asked bluntly.
"Is it possible to repeat your accident on purpose?" the President speculated.
Danny felt himself go cold. Because the question had been asked, he knew that others were thinking about it. Someone would try it, thinking only of the possibility of power. People were going to die.
He tried to swallow but it took a few tries before he could get his voice to work.
"No," he croaked.
"You have done so much for all of us. Just think what could be done if you weren't alone?" the President said.
"I survived on the most remote chance. One in a million? A billion? How many people are you prepared to murder on the chance of imparting ghost powers?" Danny accused.
"The data confiscated from Vlad Masters indicates that the chances might be much better," the President said. "We'd make sure before any actual trials."
"Then you need to take a closer look at the data," Danny said bitterly, "It was a mercy most of his 'experiments' died quickly."
"But surely…" the President began. "If we avoid his mistakes…you wouldn't have to bear the burden alone. "
"Merciful for us," Danny interrupted. "You have no idea how lucky we are that things didn't go far, far worse."
It was not the logic of the argument, but the intensity of Fenton's voice that dissuaded the President from the idea of creating super soldiers.
"It only took a second, but I will be paying for that mistake for the rest of my life, if not after."
What Danny left unsaid was his fear that others could have paid the price, too.