Doctor Johanna seemed to absorb the information rather well as if she had prior knowledge of it. After the first half of his assignment was discussed, Alexander felt a little more relieved, one less weight on his shoulders. However, another weight was added onto him as the doctor continued with her teases. This time, Alexander was little less prepared. The man choked for words as he tried to follow up with her wits. "Th-There were surely better ways to describe it, yes, but again, for the marines, I just went with the simplest description." Alexander looked away from the doctor, the blush remaining on his face. She was backing him into a corner, and Alexander could not calculate how he had ended up in such position, or perhaps he put himself here intentionally.
In the split second that Alexander became lost in his thought, the doctor had snuck behind him and dipped into his pocket, pulling out the chip that he had been fidgeting with in his hand. How insightful, Alexander thought as anybody else would have surely passed it off as merely posture, but the doctor perceived as further information. How keen. "Y-Yes," Leon responded, clearing his throat again as the pink hue had subsided from his cheeks. Alexander exhaled again as he went on to explain, "Yes, this is rather vital and confident-"
The blushed returned as Alexander was cut off mid-explanation as the doctor had suggested that he was here to ask her out on a date, a real date. Alexander gulped at the idea as he stared at her quizzically. He questioned whether this was the time and place for such conversations, but Alexander also did not reject the idea of it. "I'll have you know that was the third piece of information I was planning on sharing with you, doctor Jo." Alexander tried to play it off, nervously chuckling. A bead of sweat trickled down the side of his head.
"But any way, doctor, now that you have the thing that I was planning on handing you, I suggest you plug it into a data pad," Alexander suggested as he watched her handle the chip. "I haven't had the chance to take a look at it myself, but it was handed to me personally by the Commander. He says it's vital and confidential. He believes you might have had some connection to a lead scientist there?" Alexander's voice rose as he ended the statement like a question.
If the doctor activates the microchip, it will unveil a series of confidential logs, the oldest log being approximately five years ago and the most recent log being a little over two months ago. They are all voice recordings that were transcribed into digital text.
Spoiler: Confidential Logs
Spoiler: Data Log #004
Date: April 8, 2X19 Location: Federation Science and Medicine Division Headquarters, Earth Logger: Chief Scientist Malik Mushani Log Entry #004: I'm given the green light for Project Unity.
Even if it's only five percent of the Science and Medicine Division's expenditure, it's more than plenty to get me started.
I will ensure this is the Federation's greatest scientific advancement.
I'll be handpicking my staff tomorrow.
Spoiler: Data Log #059
Date: November 9, 2X19 Location: Federation Science and Medicine Division Headquarters, Earth Logger: Chief Scientist Malik Mushani Log Entry #059: Success! The trial stages showed great signs of success among the experimental groups.
Doctor Johanna Godwin is a genius. Her ingenuity is spectacular. Only if others were like her.
The rats seem to think and behave in synchrony. More data is required, however.
We'll be live testing this on humans in seven months time.
Spoiler: Data Log #109
Date: September 19, 2X20 Location: Federation Science and Medicine Division Headquarters, Earth Logger: Chief Scientist Malik Mushani Log Entry #109: I've lost all my staff. Everyone except for Doctor Johanna Godwin. She's the only one that remains.
The Federation has labeled my project unorthodox and inhumane and has ordered for an immediate shut down of my project. Doctor Johanna Godwin doesn't know, for her own safety.
We'll be relocating the research facility to Luna Orbital Research Station.
Godspeed.
Spoiler: Data Log #203
Date: December 18, 2X21 Location: Luna Orbital Research Station II, Luna Logger: Chief Scientist Malik Mushani Log Entry #203: Doctor Johanna Godwin failed to show up today. I will assume she will no longer pursue this project. Her passions always lied elsewhere.
I don't suspect she's caught wind of the true intentions of my project and will not be alerting the officials of the Federation.
I will now officially be conducting this research and project on my own and away from the watchful eyes of the Federation. Fuck the Federation.
Spoiler: Dat Loga #407
Date: January 13, 2X24 Location: Ophiuchus Research Station, Ophiuchus Prime Logger: Chief Scientist Malik Mushani Log Entry #407: After years of advertising, I was finally able to get three hundred volunteers for this project. Labeling it as codename: Whole, nobody suspects anything. I don't think.
Here are my findings in the last few days.
Among the three hundred participants, over two-thirds of them received a bioluminescent fever within the first twenty-four hours. This fever is like any normal fever, only they cause the affected to glow in some weird color. I could not even tell you the color.
Within forty-eight hours, I've come to witness that all participants lost all sense of time. When questioned, all three hundred participants reported that hours felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours, a physical and a mental disorientation. Few experienced paranoia.
Within seventy-two hours is where things started to get fascinating, my grand design bearing fruit. Anyone affected in the proximity established a telepathic link that caused them to experience each other's thoughts and emotions involuntarily. Yes, access each other's thoughts. All three hundred participants lost sense of reality and began hallucinating.
None of them survived beyond one hundred hours.
Spoiler: Log Entry #440
Date: March 18, 2X24 Location: Ophiuchus Research Station, Ophiuchus Prime Logger: Chief Scientist Malik Mushani Log Entry #440: Like moths to a fly. What people would do for even an inkling of money. This is why I do this.
Three thousand volunteers. I will use three hundred at a time, allowing me ten efforts.
Same procedure.
Godspeed.
Spoiler: Log Entry #451
Date: April 1, 2X24 Location: Ophiuchus Research Station, Ophiuchus Prime Logger: Chief Scientist Malik Mushani Log Entry #451:
[inaudible recording] I fucked up. I fucked up. I fucked up.
There was a leak in the air vents in the participants' chambers. The toxin was released to everyone, even the control groups. [inaudible recording]
Mind you, I'm safe. For now. I am in the emergency hideout.
I'm praying to God they all fall and die by the one-hundredth hour like they always have.
Spoiler: Log Entry #453
Date: April 3, 2X24 Location: Ophiuchus Research Station, Ophiuchus Prime Logger: Chief Scientist Malik Mushani Log Entry #453: Shit. They're still running around... [inaudible recording]
I can't tell for sure, because my data pad is outside, but I believe everyone affected might have established a hive-mind connection. I think my project was a success, only it's out of control.
Goddammit. [inaudible recording] I'm gonna try and access the communication array from here... Okay, got it.
God, I'm so hungry. Okay, here we go.
This is Chief Scientist Malik Mushani of the Federation's Science and Medicine Division. If you are receiving this, this is a warning message to stay the fuck away from the Ophiuchus Prime. A science experimentation has been compromised. No one is safe if you come here. You will endanger everyone if you come. DO NOT COME! No one. Oh, shit. The log is still-
"So it is for me." With the chip in hand Johanna nodded and moved to collect her datapad from the examination table on which she had left it. "Take a seat." She offered motioning to one of the chairs as she popped the chip in and began to browse the drive. "Files. Data logs by the look of it." The original audio was intact and would be accompanied by the transcription, her eyes grew wide when she saw the name of the author. "Oh..." Was the first thing that escaped her pallid lips as she took a moment to recall the man. "A connection... that is correct Ensign."
Johanna could feel her stomach drop, a sense of guilt plaguing her, weighing her down almost. "These belonged to Dr. Mushani. Malik he was a friend... and a colleague. I haven't heard from him in years." At first Johanna was hesitant to say why, or what their connection truly was but she suspected the voice recordings would give enough of it away. "Alright, let's do this." She nodded her head as she began to play and read along with the first log entry, then the second, third, etc... stopping briefly after #440, appearing to need a break. "Mushani was a brilliant scientist. Truly visionary, revolutionary even." She stared blankly at Alexander as she spoke.
"My primary background is not surgery or practical medicine, it's virology and epidemiology. Research." She offered a weak smile, one that she didn't truly believe in. "Is this what the preliminary results are from the distress call?" Johanna didn't need to know the answer, she already knew it. She began to play the remaining messages. Upon their conclusion her hands were trembling and she placed the datapad back down before she dropped it. "This... cannot be." The look on her face was one of shock, pain, anguish, disappointment.
"You... I... I did this." Johanna had realized she hadn't even explained what this was, or why it is important, or how bad this could be. "There exist in nature certain species, a strain of mushroom for example which build a sort of neural network, a hive mind, a collective existence. Though they do that through a vast system of roots that are intertwined beneath the soil. But what if that connection could be applied to people?" Johanna realized the question sounded inherently dangerous because it was. "I... developed a virus in conjunction with Mushani. The Federation bank rolled the whole thing, but when Mushani went rogue and developed a new strain... he tested it on one of our colleagues... when the Federation found out they pulled out. They allowed me to stay for a time... and then eventually pulled me out and returned me to service on military vessels."
Johanna sighed deeply. "Imagine it, an entire army of super soldiers.... connected by their mind, all of their information, all of their knowledge, all of their awareness of a situation transmitted and shared within an instant. Always accessible. But to do so... is incredibly costly. Borderline unsurvivable. You'd kill far more people than you could ever connect. And that is assuming the virus had no other side effects..."
The Doctor swallowed hard and rose to her feet. "Three thousand people. Three thousand souls. If this gets out... it could destroy everything, if Mushani was funded by non-Federation entities it is only a matter of time before someone goes to look for him. Mushani might not be dead... he might be one of them. Which means that bolstered by his success they will want to spread, a virus wants to survive. You need to take me to the commander right now. We cannot go there, everything must be destroyed."
Alexander followed the doctor, accepting her gesture to take a seat. A prickling of unease tingled through the officer's nerves, pondering what kind of intel the Commander deemed fit to disclose to such a limited audience. As the doctor slotted the chip into the data pad, a set of data logs unfurled, and the pair delved into the transcripts together, either listening intently or scanning the transcribed text.
As they sifted through each file, Alexander felt his heart plummeting, sinking towards the end of the process. Doctor Malik Mushani seemed like a madman, Alexander mused silently, careful not to vocalize his thoughts to Doctor Johanna. A heavy silence settled between them as they let the weight of the information they had absorbed settle in their minds. Eventually, it was the doctor who broke the silence.
"Jo, there must've been a misunderstanding," Alexander attempted to reassure her, sensing her self-blame regarding the chaos seemingly caused by the chief scientist. "There's no way you could've known. Excuse me, doctor, I've known you for a day, but you did not come off as someone that was interested in ... mind controlling a whole population." Alexander cleared his throat and apologized for the bluntness. The gravity of the situation seemed to have over-encumbered the usually witty demeanor of the doctor; surprisingly, he missed it as a chill ran down the officer's spine, contemplating the prospect of an entire army of super soldiers connected by their minds. Such an idea seemed like science fiction, yet if those data logs were true, then this was, in fact, reality.
"You're right," Alexander said as he rose from his seat following the conversation. There was no point in discussing it any further. If what they had read was true, then it was vital that the Sovereign and its crew do not get near Ophiuchus Prime. "Come on, Doctor Johanna. I can grant you clearance to the upper levels. Follow me," Alexander suggested as he clicked his heels and lead the way. "I guess me asking you out on that date will have to wait 'til later," the officer wittily added.
The pair briskly paced through the halls, their urgency apparent as they waited for the elevator to whisk them to the higher levels. "This Doctor Mushani, Jo," Alexander began, lowering his voice to a discrete murmur to avoid drawing any unwanted attention. "How did you end up working for that man?" The elevator couldn't arrive any slower, Alexander thought, each passing second feeling like another moment of jeopardy for the entire Federation. "
"Not a misunderstanding." Johanna lamented as her hands trembled slightly. "I knew what he was doing, and I helped him do it. My work is the foundation for his ultimate success." Johanna was rather brutally honest. There was nothing good that would come of glossing over the details, or underplaying it. "But to answer your question, or rather... address the comment. I personally am not interested in mind control, but also to call it mind control is a bit of a misnomer."
Pausing for a moment to carefully consider her words. "You can't control it, that is part of the problem. A collective mind has its own agenda and makes its own decisions. They are not many voices, but rather one large voice. A singular entity compromised of individual bodies." The good doctor, he never stood a chance of succeeding, not when they were enough components of the hive mind. "Mushani was, or rather is, a genius. If he is part of the collective now, they have his entire body of knowledge at their disposal." Another prolonged sigh from Johanna. She hated this. This was a significant problem.
"As for how." Johanna began, she was now sort of avoiding Alexander's gaze, she was not entirely proud of this particular achievement. "I was selected by Mushani personally, myself and four others." Though Johanna was the last one to go. Always the last one to come to her senses. "The Federation funded the experiment, and once we were selected... well we were more or less ordered to comply. And while you are correct, I am not a member of the Federation's armed forces, that makes little practical difference. We all answer to the Federation."
The Doctor scratched her head in thought. "I would be lying if I said that I wasn't interested in the work. I loved it, I did. But... then things got complicated. And when they pulled the plug I left. "And now... we're on track for a universal disaster if this situation remains unchecked." Johanna finally looked up at the man. "I'm sorry. I thought this chapter of my life was long over. But apparently... it's here to haunt me."
Alexander's view and opinion of the doctor begun to blueshift. As she explained her involvement in the matter, the gears in his mind began to whir and spin out of control, as if somehow he had expected the doctor to be the sweet and innocent kind. No, no. It wasn't that. In truth, Alexander wasn't exactly sure what he initially thought of Doctor Johanna, but it wasn't this. He strategized to leave the conversation alone for now, until it was brought up again when he was hopefully more mentally recuperated for this conversation.
Nevertheless, aside from the doctor's involvement in the science experiment, Alexander still understood the gravity and urgency of the situation. As the elevator had arrived, the officer let the doctor in first before entering himself and shutting the shaft quickly before anyone else could enter. "I don't suppose I have to tell you this, doctor, seeing as how you've probably entertained yourself with higher-ups before, but I thought it would still be a kind gesture to let you know that the officers do not appreciate any non-officers visiting their operation centers. Any way, my point is, please stick close to me unless you would rather see yourself in a world of trouble," Alexander decided to remind her, his demeanor evidently having shifted since the pair had found out about the situation at hand.
Upon the elevator's ascent to a higher level, the duo strode side by side together towards the commander's quarters. Upon arrival, they found the door already ajar, as though anticipating the officer and the doctor's arrival. "Commander Falls, sir," Alexander addressed the seated commander, announcing their presence.
"Ah, Ensign Breakersfield. I presume you are Doctor Johanna Godwin," the commander greeted, extending a welcome to the Sovereign, him not having done so since her arrival. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of an introduction yet. I assume you've read the files, yes? And you're here to confer with me about them, correct?"
Johanna followed closely behind Alexander and did not so much as shoot a glance in any direction other than forward, squarely on the man's back as to avoid catching sight of anything she was not permitted nor welcomed to see. She regarded the commander with a warm smile and extended her hand to shake his in introduction, an old custom to indicate their friendly intentions. "You presume correctly, Commander. Allow me to apologize for intruding in your space. You are correct regarding my intentions, and in fact I would not have asked Ensign Breakersfield to bring me if it were not of the highest importance."
The military elite often did not see Johanna as more than a simple civilian, someone who got in the way more than they assisted. Unless of course they were injured, in which case they paid her a modicum of respect, a meager portion of gratitude to occasionally be bestowed upon her. Most resented her further when they discovered that she rejected the invitation to become an Officer upon her graduation from the Academy, no small feat. "I appreciate you taking the time sir." Johanna added as she took a small step back.
"To make it brief, Dr. Mushani believed he could create a hive or collective mind through the development and propagation of a virus. The Federation funded this, and he brought myself and a team of other doctors and scientists aboard. Ostensibly the purpose is to create a super soldier army. If everyone's minds are connected and all possible knowledge is shared... the advantages are manifest. However, when the doctor's work began to... deviate from the plans and approved testing procedures the project was terminated and my involved was ended." Johanna took a brief moment to pause and gauge the man's reaction.
"However he kept working, and it seems that at this remote station on the edge of Federation space he was successful, though not without mass casualty. So to answer a question perhaps before you may ask, yes. I created the foundational framework for the virus he used to accomplish his means, and it would seem likely that he himself fell victim to the hoarde of his creation, so now if whatever out there has all of his knowledge, it will do as virus' want do and spread. Whatever is out there was admittedly beyond his control, and indeed beyond all of our control. If it falls into the enemy hands, or somehow spreads it way onto another ship, the Sovereign included... it would indeed be very, very bad."
Johanna turned to look briefly at Alexander, it was clear from the look on his face that now he too thought of her differently. But this was her job. "My professional recommendation would be the destruction of the remote station and everything on it. But I dare not tell you how to handle this, I will be available as a resource for whatever you need." Johanna was not a monster, but rather a scientist, and this was just the tip of the iceberg of work she had done for the Federation. She was brilliant, kind and beautiful, but certainly not a saint.
Commander Falls reclined in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, as he absorbed Doctor Johanna's account of the unfolding crisis. Somewhere during her explanation, he closed his eyes, nodding along with the cadence of her words. "Well, well," he chuckled, his tone seemingly light-hearted despite the seriousness of the situation. "This is quite the peculiar predicament we've stumbled into, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir," Alexander replied promptly. "Sir, if I may inquire," he continued respectfully. "Were you aware of this intel before delegating it to me?" There was a moment of silence as the doctor and the ensign waited on the commander to answer.
"No, I was not aware of this, ensign," the commander affirmed. He exhaled softly through his nose, shifting his posture to sit upright. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on the desk, fixing a calm gaze on the doctor. "Yes, yes. I agree. The immediate destruction of the station seems crucial. I shall inform the Captain of this. Thank you, doctor. And you, ensign."
As Alexander began to rise from his seat, he was halted by the commander's voice. "Ensign, await further orders. For now, I will put you in charge of ensuring the doctor's safety. Doctor, if you have a moment, I would like to discuss further matters with you," the commander ordered, his tone decisive yet composed. Alexander saluted the commander and nodded towards the doctor, trading a quick glance with her, as he waited outside the commander's quarters..
Johanna didn't understand what she had walked into. The Commander's voice was light, airy, almost entirely dismissive. Yet his words indicated he was at the moment taking the situation seriously. When Alexander posed his question, Johanna pondered the motive behind it. What would be the point of fetching her if he already knew this? Would any of that make a difference? One of her truths had been revealed and it was certainly not to the liking of everyone in this room. Judgment felt particularly cruel today. Or perhaps it was nothing of the sort.
And then she was held behind. "Commander, sir. I can assure you I do not need protection. I am a Doctor, a scientist. I heal the sick now, there is no one coming for me." At least not that she was aware of. Johanna moved to take a seat in one of the two chairs that sat before the Commander's desk. "How can I help you sir? I must admit I did not expect you to agree with my assessment. At the very least not without sending in a team to retrieve the research first. To know how he did it. Or, a more extreme approach, to retrieve samples of not only the virus, but of the brains of the infected."
Johanna's tone was deathly serious, her legs crossed at the ankles as she leaned forward watching the man, waiting for him to ask his questions, or bring up whatever matters he had in mind but that were beyond her. Or perhaps his interest lie in something else. Perhaps he would ask her to come up with some sort of anti-virus, or perhaps a vaccine. Perhaps he would inquire about how she spent her nights. "You must forgive me my tone, I've always had a desire to fight against authority figures." She chuckled lightly and waited to find out why she had been kept.
After the ensign left, a brief silence filled the room as Commander Falls contemplated his next words to the doctor. Or perhaps he already knew what to say, but wanted to gauge the extent of the doctor's knowledge. The doctor, displaying a streak of disobedience with her defiant words, triggered a smirk from the commander. The elderly man crossed his arms over his chest, settling into the same relaxed posture as he had during their previous conversation.
"I must admit, Doctor Godwin," the commander began, "for someone of your caliber, not many doctors would have reached the heights you have. I've thoroughly reviewed your personal file, as I do with all personnel aboard the Sovereign." With a flick of a switch, he summoned the official personnel records file, projecting it between them in a holographic form. Scrolling through a list of names, some familiar to the doctor, he paused over 'Johanna Godwin.' With another flick, the hologram expanded to reveal the doctor's detailed dossier. "But yours, doctor, is truly exceptional, standing out above any files I've encountered in my forty-plus years of service with the Federation Navy."
"It's a compliment, doctor," the commander assured sincerely before continuing on, not allowing the doctor a moment to interject with her thoughts. Despite his relaxed demeanor, the commander's words carried a weight of seriousness. He proceeded to outline her remarkable achievements, "You were top of your class at one of the best Federation academies on Earth, yet you declined the offer to become an officer. Numerous times you were nominated for prestigious scientific and medical achievement awards for your breakthrough researches on virology and epidemiology, and each time you turned them down. Quite intriguing, no? Even more remarkable, top Federation scientists and physicians have attempted to recruit you with enticing offers, only to meet with more rejection. And that seems to coincide perfectly with your association with Doctor Mushani, a former Federation scientist, according to our timeline here." Leaning back in his chair, the commander switched off the screen, leaving a heavy lingering air of either importance or insignificance.
The commander took a deep breath before exhaling as he sat upright. "Doctor Johanna Godwin," sternly said the commander as his dark eyes gazed into the doctor's. "You're not here for the prestige, the awards, the money. Hell, you probably don't even like the Federation. That's fine. We're far from perfect. No, you're here for something greater than that." There was another moment of silence before the commander continued on, "You're a pioneer, doctor. You will do whatever it takes to obtain knowledge, no matter which team you're on. I need someone like that on my side. Someone who is not afraid to take a step into the void." Another silence.
"Have you ever stared into an abyss, Doctor Godwin? Ever wonder what it would be like when the abyss looks back?" It was increasingly obvious now that the commander had a hidden agenda, but he was not willing to reveal it, at least not yet. The commander rose from his seat, his hands behind his back as he began to help the doctor out. "The wheels are turning once more, Doctor Johanna, and I need you on the right one. We will meet again very soon, doctor. The Sovereign will need your expertise on the matter. I've assigned Ensign Breakersfield to escort you back and provide you with whatever you may require. Until then, doctor."
The door to the commander's quarters hissed open to reveal Alexander leaning against the wall, waiting for the doctor. His arms were crossed in front of his chest as he picked up his head as if he was taking a micro-nap. "Ah," Alexander said, smiling upon seeing the doctor return. "I'll assume the conversation was confidential and won't pry you about it... as curious as I am." The officer chuckled as he escorted the doctor back to the lower levels. "Though I am curious how the commander and the captain will approach this, now that they know."
Was it possible the Commander had Johanna figured out? She sat there silently and unflinchingly as he pulled up her file and read from it, commented on it. All of it true, she routinely declined recognition for her achievements which were considerable. Dr. Godwin was an impressive find in the universe. She worked hard, she was brilliant, naturally gifted, things others struggled with for their entire lives seemed to be of little trouble to her. Was Johanna truly selfless? Or was she in fact the most selfish? Did she act in pursuit of knowledge? Of nobility? Of truth in power and knowledge?
The truth was that Johanna did not simply stare into the abyss, no, not anymore. It had already seen her, years ago it began to creep back to gaze upon her down to her very soul. The abyss had consumed her and now she lived there. IT was cold and lonely, it was dark and empty, devoid of all things except her, and apparently others who chose to remain hidden in the shadows. Who was Commander Falls and what was his true agenda? This weighed heavily on her mind as he concluded his speech and wasted no time in showing her out of the office.
"Your presence is not necessary." Johanna responded now rather cold in tone to Alexander as she breezed past him leaving the Commander's quarters and heading to the lift which she called rather impatiently, knowing that he would be behind her anyway. "And you needn't wonder how they will approach this, the answer is obvious." Johanna scoffed, her entire demeanor had changed, was that all due to the Commander? No, but he was part of it. The crushing realization that when people learned the truth about her and her work that their opinions changed. "They will do as all men do. They will seek to acquire it, tell themselves just one or two... just enough to control and experiment on. Why let all that precious data go to waste? And then... clean up the evidence." Johanna did not have a pleasant view of the Federation's armed forces, or of the Federation, once again the Commander had been correct.
"I have work to do." Johanna stepped inside the lift as it came her arms folded before her, brow furrowed deep in thought. She needed to get back to her lab, her private world hidden away within the medical ward. She didn't wait, nor would she stop Alexander from following her as she moved with ease and determination. Once within the confines of her space she would pull out a device from within the drawer of her desk, an old model datapad, something she had clearly kept, booting it up, and scrolling furiously for her old notes and files.
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