Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Scientists.

Despite the hostility of Doctor Jensen, I really did want to discuss my theories with other professionals. Proper science demanded rigorous testing before a theory could be considered sound- and putting that theory out there to be dissected by other scientists was the best way to discover the flaws in one’s own theoretical model.

“Very well. To begin with, I must stress that there is still much practical research to be done. What I have collected are various observations and experiences related to the nature and behavior of the infected, commonly called ‘zombies.’

“Over the seven years I spent observing the planet below I was only able to note several common patterns of behavior. Those primarily being hunting behavior, rudimentary cooperation in groups, and migration based on food and water availability.

“The more important discoveries, I believe, occurred after I left my lab and encountered the infected up close. The first of which occurred after I was first bitten-”

“Bullshit, son. Nobody survives a bite.”

That immediate dismissal irked me, I will admit.

“One man most certainly did. I saw the bite marks myself when I first examined him.” Doctor Delveccio responded hotly. “He’s been bit at least three times so far.”

Then she got up and made me take my shirt off, pointing out the mostly healed bite mark on my shoulder. I rolled up my pants leg to show the two on my calf muscle as well. That done, I put the slightly too tight shirt back on.

I really needed to find one that fit properly soon. This one tended to rub at my scars more than I liked.

“I don’t care about any love bites you may have given him young lady. This whole thing is a farce. I thought there might actually be something to this story, but-”

“That’ll be enough, Doctor Jensen.”

Another voice cut him off. This time it was a woman’s voice, heavily accented and sharp.

“Doctor Zolnikov, my name is Doctor Selena Vita. I would very much be interested in hearing more about how you survived the infected’s bite. And whatever else you might be willing to share.”

“How do the nanites connect to zombies, though?” The auburn haired woman, whose name I still had not gotten, broke in. “You mentioned that before, and I’m curious as to what you meant by it.”

“That’s right,” I nodded. “The ‘zombie virus’ was initially presumed to be completely biological, like the bioplagues that were created during the tail end of the gene revolution. Towards the end- or rather, just before everything really started to come apart, a few researchers posited the idea that it was both a nanite virus and a biological one.

“This much, I believe, is quite true.”

“How so?” Doctor Vita asked.

“When I was first bitten, I thought that that was the end for me. Like Doctor Jensen, I believed then that no one could survive the bite. I had seconds of sanity left, at best.

“So I forced my nanites into the infected, hoping to be able to analyze the colony within the infected from up close. At least, I might learn something in the brief moments before I became a monster.”

People can do strange things when they think they have nothing left to live for. That much I now knew for certain.

“Instead of death or zombification, my nanites harvested a sort of energy from the infected. It also caused my colony to grow, eventually to the point that I was carrying a dangerous amount of nanites in my body. I did not reach that level until much later on, though.

“At that point in time I was heavily injured, but I was somehow able to overcome several other infected by draining them, as well. That is what I called the process.”

“Fascinating. How were you able to control your nanites to the point that you could direct them so?” The doctor asked.

“I am- or I was- a nanite researcher. In between observing the hordes sweeping the globe below, I spent my time refining my control and further training my nanites to perform certain tasks.

“Training your colony takes a singular sort of willpower. You must be aware of what your colony is doing constantly, and reinforce the behavior that you want to train, and discard behaviors that are contrary to that behavior.

“This creates a new instruction set that can be utilized by the colony at will. My research papers on the phenomena were part of my dissertation, and that led to my accepting a position at the Rhytherm Company. That is how I came to be on Walker during the last days before the collapse.”

“So the zombie virus is both biological and nanite driven.” I’d heard an accent like that before. The description was just on the tip of my tongue, but I could not place it yet.

“What implications do you see for this in how the virus spreads? We were never able to pin down quite how the infection seemed to escape quarantine and pop up in places that did not have a discernible patient zero.”

“As to that, I now believe that whatever rogue program that infects the nanites, it suppresses the immune system almost completely. This may explain how individuals that are bitten so rapidly are changed- the virus attacks a body with absolutely no defenses against it.

“Furthermore, I have since uncovered evidence that may show that there is a second path for infection. After encountering rogue colonies of nanites in two different ships- specifically, their engine rooms, when I used my nanites to explore their systems.

“I believe it is possible that the nanites infect those that come into contact with infected systems. How this translates to full infection, that I am not yet certain. I still want to get put an infected individual in a controlled setting where proper scientific experimentation can be performed.”

“I see,” she replied. “Doctor Delveccio, you said that you examined Doctor Zolnikov at least once before, correct?”

“I did,” the catgirl beside me replied in a curious tone.

“Did you find any evidence of infection? Were you able to perform a full diagnostic scan that you can share? I find myself most curious to know more about your friend’s body.”

The auburn haired woman, who had been saying something softly to someone off-screen, abruptly whipped her head around with a ‘what they hell?’ expression on her face.

“I think Doctor Vita saw you with your shirt off, Z,” Doctor Delveccio said, sotto voce. I blinked. What did that have to do with anything. She sighed, muttering something that included “hopeless...” somewhere in it.

“As to your question Doctor Vita, I was unable to complete a full diagnostic scan. Doctor Zolnikov’s own colony is highly territorial. My every attempt to perform a more thorough scan were thwarted, leaving me with what I could discover with less precise equipment.”

Now the auburn haired woman’s gaze was fixed on Doctor Delveccio accusingly. It felt like there was some sort of subtle conversation going on with looks and expressions that I was not privy to.

“Specifically, the instruments I used seem to indicate that he was in the latter stages of fighting off some sort of infection. The doctor informed me that he had been feeling sick for a few days prior- this being after he had been bitten.

“I was unable to confirm whether or not the infection was specifically the zombie virus. My training may be at fault- my degree and practice has been in animals, both exotics and domesticated, rather than humans.”

“Well, I do not see that as a great problem in this case. Humans are animals, no? There are many things we share, broadly speaking.”

“Humans and animals are quite different, I assure you. But, for basic and general health, I believe I can tell you whether or not an individual has been sick in the last few days, even with less precise equipment.”

“She can also patch up wounds quite effectively,” I added, not at all certain what was going on between the three women.

“Doctor Zolnikov, thank you for the information you have shared thus far. If there is anything else you wish to speak on, anything at all, you may contact me personally on Pegasus Two at any time. I must leave to continue my work soon, but I must ask you something before I go.

“When you die, may I examine your corpse? I am quite curious as to what changes your various adventures have created in your body. Carrying an overpopulation of nanites, surviving infection not once but at least three times- I find myself fascinated. Will you allow it?”

This time everyone I saw had identical ‘what the hell?’ expressions on their faces. I nodded, and those expressions turned on me in an instant.

“If it is possible, I have no objection to the procedure. My only reservation is that at that point I would not be alive to find out myself.”

Several people’s mouths dropped open. At least one person- I do now know who- was heard to mutter ‘scientists’ in what sounded like a carefully neutral tone.

“Thank you, Doctor Zolnikov. I hope, if you should find the opportunity to perform those experiments you mentioned in a controlled setting that you will share the results as well.”

“Of course. I only hope that others will find the opportunity to do so as well. It is not science if the experiments cannot be replicated.”

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“Indeed. Thank you for your time, and farewell Doctors. Pegasus Two out.”

The silence stretched for a few long moments after the military doctors left the com.

“Well now. That was... Interesting.” Doctor Delveccio said. “Sam, Magnus, how are things going with the ship?”

“Glad you remembered us,” the old man laughed. “As it happens, we are just about ready. You can go ahead and undock the ship, the engines will be spooled up and ready for a test fire shortly.”

“That is significantly less time than you initially expected, Sam. Well done!” the catgirl in the captain’s chair replied.

“Okay, let’s see here... Undo- hello. What’s this? We’re going to be impounded for lack of payment of dock fees?” She laughed. “Are they going to send Station Security after us? I’d like to see them make it through the horde-”

“Del, that’s going to be a problem,” Sam said.

“What?”

“We can’t sail if we can’t undock.”

“And we can’t just undock without paying the fine? How mu- Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.”

“How much is it? I might have some interest earned in my account, if I can access it-”

“Sam, nobody has that much interest. The fine is set at 2.4 billion. You can buy entire yachts for less than that.”

“Okay, fair enough.”

“What exactly is holding us in dock? I mean physically.” I asked.

“The docking port feeds the ship with power, water, and reaction mass. It’s located on the same arm as the airlock, but we can’t cut it. That would cripple the ship.”

“Okay, the docking port- I’m assuming it is a physical connection that runs off of some sort of command signal, so it knows when to grab hold and when to release.”

“Yeah, but what does that have-”

“He’s going to trick it into letting us go. Aren’t you, Z?” Doctor Delveccio said. I nodded.

“I am. Is the docking arm accessible from inside the ship?”

“Not really. You’d have to remove a few panels. Take too much time.”

“So I need to spacewalk to get to it.”

“Yeah.”

“Not in that exosuit with the shattered visor you’re not,” said the catgirl in the captain’s chair. “Take my space suit. It’ll fit you. We’re almost the same height.”

Space suits were adjustable. And yes, we were similar in height. Width was what I was concerned about. My companion was even skinnier than I was.

“Okay, I’ll give it a shot. Where is it?”

“I left it back in engineering. Never could sleep in a suit.”

“Ah. Well, best I get to it, then.”

I left the bridge, stretching my legs as I hustled down the stairs and out into the cargo room, vaulting over the railing near the bottom. I had to slow down there, as there was still a lot of blood on the deck pretty much everywhere.

A stocky figure met me as I reached the stacks of crates near the back.

“You must’ve run to get back here this quick. I got the suit for ya.” Sam handed me the bundled up space suit. “Help ya get it on?”

“I might need your help, thank you.” And I did. As I feared, the suit was quite tight. But the seals mated up.

“Okay. See you in a bit.”

The airlock closest to the station side turned out to be in engineering, fortunately. The Wampus Cat climbed down out of my hair as I put the helmet on and started to cycle the lock. She swam around in the low gravity, bouncing off the inside of the helmet and off my head.

That reminded me that it had been several days since what used to be my regular exercise routine to keep in shape. Going back to ship gravity bothered me less than I’d been afraid it would. I wondered how Earth gravity would feel after so long in space.

Perhaps I would find out someday.

The exterior hatch released and I climbed outside. The docks were in shadow again, but the too-tight space suit turned on its lights automatically. There was nothing for them to illuminate but the ship itself, this far out on the spine.

I flew over the hull slowly. In absolute darkness I had no confidence in my ability to dodge anything going any faster. Cargo arms loomed out of the black like giant trees. For some reason that made me think of the other humans out there that were still alive after the collapse.

The surviving colonies out there had to have a way to get fuel, food, and other things like spare parts and supplies. That meant the gas mine on Saturn was still in operation, most likely. There was talk of another one opening up on Jupiter, but I didn’t know how far along it was before Earth fell.

We were effectively quarantined on Walker, but what if there were other stations out there like us? What if there were surviving humans there, too, that couldn’t get supplies because the station or ship they were on was infected?

Those would be some hard decisions to make.

It made me understand the standoffish military officer on the Durandal a bit better. They did not know about the nanites hiding in other ships, or how they might infect people. They could not risk infecting a healthy ship. What would people do in that situation?

They would probably do what I assumed Sam and Doctor Delveccio did. They would climb into stasis pods and hope the power held out.

That meant that there could well be more people out there that could still be saved. We still hadn’t even woken anyone up from the stasis pods on Walker and the ships in the dock yet.

It all came back to determining when a ship was safe and when it was infected. The military was going by whether or not zombies had ever been on the ship, judging by what they had said so far. If we could find a way to figure out how to detect the presence of rogue nanites, that could change things.

But first, we had to break the ship loose. I finally reached the docking arm. A thick bundle of pipes and cables was connected to the ship. The station side looked to be where the control module would be located.

I anchored myself to the station with the suit’s mag clips. With floating away no longer a concern, I pushed my nanites into the module.

Rather, that is what I intended to do.

What actually happened was quite different. Immediately, rogue nanites began trying to force their way into my body through my connection with the station.

This time I did not have the advantage of overwhelming numbers on my side. The pressure only increased as even more rogues began to assault my colony.

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