Asterion Read Free Page B

predictable and transparent as any Taylor has met. Devin walks in, closes the door and without a pleasantry asks, “How is Trent doing?” He seems to be grooming Trent for something, but Taylor can’t quite put his finger on it.
    Taylor hesitated for a moment. “He is grasping the technology well and contributing significantly to the advancement of the project. He does seem to be overly concerned about future implications and I frequently have to refocus his attention, but curiosity is a scientist’s weakness.”
    Devin smiled. “Good, Trent needs a mentor and you would be the best one he could ever have. Teach him the ropes and that will be another feather in your cap. He can contribute to society in many ways.”
    Taylor did not really care about the accolades, but helping someone grow in their career is something he enjoyed doing. “Okay.”
    Devin showed almost no interest in Christine’s progress and Taylor thought that was unusual. Taylor went over the timeline and expenditures with Devin and he agreed that they are on schedule and progressing well. Once Taylor finished, Devin showed him the door and quickly returned to issues that are more important to him.
    As time progressed, the team worked out all the bugs between the systems and the AutoDNA instrument. In order to verify the complete system, Trent sent an email to Taylor requesting DNA samples from different species, various proteins, and other chemicals. Taylor walks in with the inventory request in hand. “Why are you requesting stuff we don’t use in the project?”
    “The system needs to identify foreign matter and other aberrations accurately that could arise during the course of the operation. These have similarities to what we are using and I wanted to see if the instrument could differentiate the samples. If it can’t, then we may have problems.”
    “Okay, that is not a bad idea. We can’t be too cautious.”
    Each subsequent experiment of increasing complexity revealed problems that the team studied, tested their solution, and progressed to the next level. The failed experiments are not always dead and ending an animal life, even a short-lived one is not a pleasant task. You felt responsible for making them and if it is not right, you not only failed yourself, but the creature also.
    The systems lab, filled with computers and associated equipment is separate from the other, sterile rooms. This is where Trent spent most of his time. Trent always looked like he is looking over his shoulder. Like someone doing personal tasks at work who is trying to prevent discovery.
    Taylor and Christine worked closely on the technology that interacted directly with the engineering, replication, incubation and maturation parts of the project in the main laboratory. Taylor noticed that she is not like the other female scientists he had ever worked with in the past. Beside her attractiveness, she displayed tendencies of caring genuinely for others and not just for herself. A side effect of the government learning centers that raised the children of this society is a lack of compassion caused by not forming familial bonds and neighborhood friendships. Achievement, cooperation, and adhering to the principles of the society are encouraged. Individuals formed relationships out of mutual benefit for the parties involved, be it procreation, pooling of resources, recreation and other needs rather than feeling of love and camaraderie. Delinquency resulted in special reeducation at an early age. The children who went to those learning centers seldom came back and if they did, they are never the same. The underachievers or lazy, went to their own reeducation centers. The central authority is successful with most of these individuals. It seemed to find just the right motivation to help them make a fundamental change in their lives, which is somewhat scary when you think about it.
    In the course of casual conversation in the lab and the break room, Taylor could tell that