CH46
"I, …. I, don't know. I know from Meg and Jen that the Teak and Mom were the only military ships in orbit of our planet. We all knew that we had 3 shipyards farther into the system, closer to our sun. They believed that they could launch the ships immediately, then dive into it the sun, scoop of the necessary fuel and go from there. They also had these little tugs or 'scooper's' that would be used to at least give each ship some fuel at completion."
"It was also one of the locations where repair of damaged ships could be performed. It is, … possible , ….that there were enough ships at these shipyards to drive them off. But considering how quickly they destroyed the Teak and Mom?" Rick shrugs his shoulders. "Who knows?"
"I never did know a whole lot about the military or what they were capable of. Meg or Jen may be better able to answer that question."
"So it is possible that you either are or are not all that is left of your people?" Jim states.
"Rick. Just how many of us on this/our planet know about you being here?" Jim asks curious.
"There are a few doctors, a number of nurses, a few teachers/professors, a number of Engineers, maybe a handful of farmers and some singular cases. All over the planet."
"What about governments or any of the military?" Jim really wants an answer to this question.
Rick shakes his head forcefully. "NO! We have no faith of any kind in your politicians, and barely more than that in your military. Each is presently too interested in being self serving. Fighting each other or being ready for some other country or terrorist group to attack, to even consider the bigger picture." Rick's voice does not hint at any sadness, just determination of it being correct.
"You think very little of us? Don't you?" Jenny states, or questions.
"There are number of things about you and your planet that concerns us. Khmer Rouge. Pollution of your own planet with seemingly little regard about the future. ENRON. Using chemical weapons against civilians. Even the space junk orbiting your planet that practically has you confined to your own planet. You can only launch anything based on timing of where it all is and where you want what you are sending up to go. 9-11."
Most everyone hangs their heads down as Castle ticks off item after item. "We are not as bad as you make it sound." Jim counters. "Most of what you have mentioned is not our (as he waves his arms at the ones in the room) doing. We had very little or no say in a lot of that." Jim tries to stick up for his race.
Castle however shakes his head. "On the contrary. The people that are behind some of these and other horrible things, you purposely elected them into office. And despite evidence to the contrary, you re-elect them. Allowing them to continue to do what they have been doing. Convinced that these are the actions you want. Otherwise you would have voted them out of office. Bracken is a prime example. He is bad in his own way, and yet he gets elected and re-elected. And there are others just like him. Only they have no regard for the pollution that companies or individuals pump into your planet. All the while only thinking of how big their bank accounts grow."
Jim stays quite, trying to think of a silver lining in all of that.
"You must really hate us." Kate comments.
Rick, again shakes his head. "No, …. I'll admit that I'm disappointed. But I don't hate you!"
"Consider what the USA did after it was attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941. And for the most part it did not lower itself to the level that Japan and Germany used to fight the war. And NASA sent out probes that basically said here we are. Come kill us. With the hope that anyone who found them would be a friend."
"How many soup kitchens are open even today for people that need the help? How many tons of food or medical supplies are sent to countries, even ones that you do not approve of, when they have an earthquake or other natural disaster?"
"The country of Iraq invaded a smaller country in a blatant power grab with the hope of getting more control over one of your natural resources. And countries intervened. Even if it was only done to better secure your own access to this resource."
"But it takes countries and military's to prepare for combat with this enemy you mention. They are the only ones who have access to the numbers of people and amount of industry necessary to fight them." Jim states. Wondering how Rick's people could just dismiss them.
"Yes. However if we tried to shove our thoughts and ideas down your political or military people's throats, they would do what?" Rick asks. Hoping that if they reach the correct conclusion by themselves they would see it as being the correct route to take.
"They would fight back. Possibly ignore anything you have to say as being outright lies. Or even try and take your technology and use it as they see fit." Jim answers.
"And the best way to fight this self centered, what's in it for me attitude?" Rick questions.
Seeing he is not going to get an answer. "If you can't change people's thinking from the outside?" Moving his hand in a barrel roll in front of him.
"You, …. change it from the inside." Jim suggests in hesitation.
"Correct. Your aged political leaders will leave office for one reason or another, and new younger ones will take their place. These will have grown up on a different planet then the older ones have. People with new answers to age old questions.
"And with eventually millions or billions of people demanding different answers to problems. The philosophy of governments and their military's will change over time."
"Castle! That kind of change could take years!" Kate is now worried.
"We estimate several lifetimes." Rick concedes.
"But this enemy could arrive long before then." Kate is now beyond worried.
"It is a risk that we are taking, yes. However we are also trying different things to help speed up the process."
"Such as?" Kate hopes there is an answer.
"For one. We are behind some of the latest advancements of your telescopes and radio telescopes. We also have some people who know what is going on that work in the decipher intercepts from radio transmissions. A few understand how to spot communications that the enemy makes."
"Your latest advancements in Laser technology, not generally known by the public are also our doing."
"And will this Laser advancement help fight them if this, enemy, shows up?" Jim questions.
"NO! But it is a step toward the weapons you will need to combat them with. It will take years, but you'll get there, eventually."
"So none of us or possibly even our children will never know if this plan of yours works out." Jenny comments thinking of her own child.
"Well, not necessarily. Though highly probable." Rick reply's a little unsure about where this topic is going and how his friends will take it.
"You see Alexis and I have an anticipated life span of 300-400 years." Rick states, wincing for what is likely to come next.
"300 to 400! YEARS?" Kate exclaims. "I'll be dead and gone before you've even lived a third of your life." Kate exclaims, saddened. Her life with Castle was practically over before it even began.
"Well, ….. Not necessarily."
"Are any of you familiar with a technology that involves nanites?" Rick asks.
"Yes. They are micro machines that could be introduced into the body to help repair or fight unwanted organisms or bacteria." Lanie offers.
"Yes! Nanites, in this case, medical nanites. Can be used to help repair a body they are introduced to. For example, say you have a blood clot or a buildup of platelets that may cause a heart attack or a stroke. Or perhaps one of your arteries has a hole? Or a heart valve is damaged? These nanites could remove the blood clot, disperse the buildup of platelets, repair a hole in a artery, or repair a damaged heart valve."
"And using these nanites is what gives you longer life spans then us?" Kate asks, now a little hopeful.
"NO. Not in of itself. We also use,... cloning." Rick states afraid of the reaction.
"You have clones?" Lanie states frightened.
"Are you trying to tell me that there are others just like you out there somewhere? How many Castle? 10, 20, 100? MORE?" Kate can't believe this.
"No, there is just me. You see our 'Morality' on cloning is similar to yours as it so happens."
Kate gives him her best 'you are not making sense, Castle' look.
"Ok look at it this way. If both of your kidneys failed, what would be the best option available?" Rick says looking at Lanie and sort of waves his arm in her way.
"You would search for an acceptable donor. Remove the damaged kidneys and replace them with one from a donor. Preferably from one of your family members, to help prevent rejection." Lanie answers.
"Correct. However what if the best donor to replace your damaged kidneys was, …. yourself?"
"Castle you can't give yourself good kidneys to replace the bad ones." Kate is now confused.
"Cloning." Lanie says softly.
"Yes but our way is a little different from what you are thinking. There is not another me running around I can get new kidneys from. There is only just me."
"However, every organ in my body has had cells removed from it and placed in a cryostasis tank. Then if needed the cells required are removed and a new kidney is cloned from my own cells and the damaged kidneys removed, and my cloned kidney is transplanted into me."
"The same for heart, liver, lungs, etc."
"Combined with the medical nanites and this select cloning method, it is anticipated that one could live for 300-400 years."
"Of course massive radiation, massive burns like being cremated and other equally damaging situations cannot be resolved using any of these methods. So, you still have to be careful."
"You mean, if you take a sample of me, I could live to be 400 years old. Just like you?" Kate is wondering now a little hopeful.
"The choice is up to the individual. Some see it as a sacrilege against the forces of nature, or god if you prefer. They believe we were meant to live only as long as was intended. While some will take the argument and counter that those same forces that gave us this intelligence, would see it as a natural evolution of our species."
"If any of you want to partake in this method, I'll see if I can make arrangements to have cells removed and stored for later use. But what you decide is up to you. If you have questions, I'll do my best to get you the answers you seek." Rick tells everyone.
Alexis turns in Kate's lap to look at her. "PLEASE MOM!" Alexis begs her.
Rick however is equally quick. "PUMPKIN! It is not for us to decide. She has to make her own decision."
"BUT DAD!" Alexis complains turning back to her father, starting to cry. She may only be almost 6, but understands the implications if Kate does not agree. She'll one day soon loose her mom, forever.
