Dear father,
I am sending you a letter enclosed with an unconventional file. I fear that what you read in it may not be to your liking, but I have decided to take the risk and use this paper to explain my idea to you. Because it is an idea that, on the one hand, dismays me and, as unbelievable as it may sound, I want you to understand.
I saw a film called Metropolis, by the director Fritz Lang. It is a German futuristic film whose ending you would have liked. What is relevant about this work is that there is a character called Maria who acts as a kind of Delacroix's Marianne. This Maria is replaced by an automaton who takes over her leadership. The role played by the two Marias is opposite; the original Maria reconciles the proletarian and bourgeois forces, while the automaton Maria tricks the proletarian forces into destroying the city. It was the automaton Maria that inspired me to develop the idea that I detail in the file.
The idea is to use my knowledge of genetics to create you, father, a continuation of your legacy. You always loved me, you gave me all the love a father can give his son; and I never knew how to repay you. And that saddens me. I am ashamed to detail that I write this letter with tears in my eyes because you always tried to be the best father; while I harbour doubts about whether I have been the best son. Maybe it's a consequence of my low state of mind, but this is all I feel. I want to do something for you; something that I can reciprocate in the best possible way because I don't want my inexperience to hinder you.
I love you, father.
The working title of the project is Code: Veronica.
My idea is the creation of a cognitively gifted embryo to ensure its future scientific competence. The main model I will use for the creation of this embryo will be Veronica Ashford. She was a cognitively gifted person who was in good health and was also noted for her physical appearance and insight. With her as a model, my success rate is around 50%. As exact replication of a human being is impossible, I will use various methods of genetic engineering with which I am familiar to, firstly, sequence the complete or partially complete genome of Veronica Ashford from her remains; and secondly, select a number of viable eggs and modify their DNA according to Veronica Ashford's genome. The final step would be to fertilise and hope that one of them is successful. If successful, what would be born would be a reincarnation of Veronica Ashford; an automaton Maria manufactured in the image and likeness of the original.
A precise work that admits no mistakes, but for which I am willing to sacrifice myself if you consider it so.
PS: I won't tell mum or any other Stuart until you decide.
Sincerely yours,
Alexander Ashford