The Monkey and Squirrel fight for freedom. (13 page)

“I didn't have to do much of that thankfully, I worked in a breeding centre, carrying out the procedures, looking after the mothers, and found I liked the caring side. So I learnt as much as I could about medicine and health care, and then used it whenever I could, to do some good. It meant I was one of our best medics on Day one.” signed Top-Doc.

“Right, you use Day one to.”

“It was on the high lights page of the biography project net site and it just made sense, I think everybody has adopted it now.”

“Wow I'll be famous.” Joked Tman.

“You’re feeling better already, if you're up to sarcasm. I can start feeding the drugs in, if necessary I will operate. But with so many separate cancers, that's a lot of operations, if the drug regime can cure some of them, it becomes much more doable and your chances of survival improve dramatically. Leukaemia ironically is now one of the easiest to cure using gene therapy, it's been the standard treatment for years. I have used it many times with great success.” briefed Top-Doc.

“How does that work? don't get too detailed just give me a broad brush stroke out line.” asked Tman.

“It's a virus targeted at the damaged cells, the clever bit is it provides new internal structures to the cells. The repaired cells work nearly as well as the original, producing blood that works, but your blood will test as human afterwards. It's just an off the shelf treatment, made in one of our medical factory units, it works just as well on us, in every case I've treated to date. I've had a total of thirty seven cases, you're number thirty eight, all cases long service exterior workers. It's a similar story with the other habitats, only the miners home has a higher ratio as most of them worked long hours in suits, highlighting the importance of the MMPC to the miners.” explained Top-Doc.

“A brilliant idea of theirs as so many are, so when do I get that therapy?” asked Tman.

“Two weeks after the first course of drugs finish, it can't work with those drugs in your blood, they would kill the virus before it got into the cells. It's introduced midway between drug courses, so it has a chance to get to work, once it's inside the cells it's safe and can get to work.” answered Top-Doc.

“Are there any complications?” asked Tman.

“None for us so far, you can take comfort from the fact it has been extensively tested on humans, for years for your safety.” answered Top-Doc.

“Now that is funny.” signed Tman.

“I thought you'd like that, this virus has been the standard treatment for all forms of leukaemia on Earth for over fifty years. There is a range of genetic therapies, covering Diabetes, Thyroid problems, Fertility control. Apparently the big money earners, changed skin colour, hair colour, eye colour, hair restoration. Also there is one for longevity, previously only available to a small selected clientèle. It's your good fortune they are all made in our factories. Although designed for humans, those we have tried have worked just as well for us.” explained Top-Doc.

“I'm a bit surprised about that, we are a separate species.” commented Tman.

“We do have seven percent added human DNA, officially, it's what gives us bigger heads, better hands and an a human upright posture. Obviously and I include the Squirrels in this statement, are genetically close enough to human for it to work.” rationalised Top-Doc.

“You know better than that Top-Doc there is a dark secret in there somewhere! What conditions apart from leukaemia, have you treated with these wonder treatments?” asked Tman.

“Only Diabetes to date, but some people have opted for the longevity therapy after completing treatment. If you survive you can see it if works for you like.” answered Top-Doc.

“Well I need a few more years, I want to see the future we're making together.” replied Tman.

“Sure once we know you're going to live, we'll administer it once we know you're clear of cancer, you don't give cancer longevity treatment!” answered Top-Doc.

“So much for the upbeat bed side manner, emphasising the positive, it's starting to sound like you don't expect me to make it to the end of the week.” complained Tman.

“Quite frankly, I was surprised to see you walk in here unassisted, to be blunt it was surprising that you made it here at all, never mind under your own power. Anyway we'll be analysing your DNA, as you must be as tough as a scoop ship, so we can use it in our next generation.” signed Top-Doc.

“Don't we breed, without intervention?” asked Tman.

“The eggs we fertilised had some very odd dominances in them. It looks like we will have to engineer for several generations. Scouring the literature leads us to the conclusion it was deliberate, anti-patent infringement modifications. We'll have to engineer lots of thing out, before we can put anything back in, making it a much tougher job. How are you feeling now?” asked Top-Doc.

“Very tired, considering it's not that long since breakfast, is it the drugs or your wonderful bedside manner?” asked Tman.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s the drugs, while you're undergoing the regime, you'll probably sleep most of the time. When the drugs stop you will recover quite quickly, but nothing more physical than walking to the canteen until we declare you fit for work, got that?” asked Top-Doc.

“Yes, so only none physical work allowed, or what?”

“We lock you in here for your own good.”

“Right there's no escape, so I'll sleep now before the prospect of a long boring period kills me.” signed Tman.

“Not funny Tman.” signed Top-Doc.

With that Tman went to sleep and Top-doc went to check on his other patients, not that there were many. They usually had to be suffering from some significant incapacity before they came in. Tman was fairly typical, arrived for his appointment nearly dead on his feet, for a check up, complaining that he was feeling a little tired. Only reluctantly coming in for treatment and wanting to know how soon he could get back to work.

A few days later Tman was so bored, he was nearly glad to see Ernest, with his demand for reminiscences.

“Hi Tman, how are you doing?”

“OK, I think, but I'm feeling bored and sleepy most of the time, when I'm not actually asleep time drags. The medic’s conversation tends not to be too inspiring. I ran into an old friend on my way here Hacker. As I told him I was ill, he decided to get a check up himself when he got back to Plum and now he is having treatment to. Hacker's prognosis is better, his conditions being less advanced. These bloody medics, just seem to love telling you exactly how the disease or side effects of the treatment can kill you. Only when they have  you convinced to give up now, they tell you, we've never had it happen, but it's in the literature and thought you ought to know.” grumbled Tman.

“That's grim, but better than actually dying, maybe they really think you have a good chance of recovery. Maybe they are trying to provide extra motivation for your determination to get better, just so you can prove them wrong.” speculated Ernest.

“You could be right, I certainly am focused on recovery, especially to prove them wrong.” confirmed Tman.

“Good to know, anyway what can you tell me about your friend Hacker?” asked Ernest.

“He was in the first batch after me on my first station, very good with electrical systems, a terrible taste in music, and a friend of Sparks. Who was the human in charge of the electrical systems back then, I have only just discovered it was closer than I knew at the time.” replied Tman.

“Any reminisces, that colour your sketch of his personality?”

“As you know few of us care about music one way or the other. Hacker is a music fan, apparently Rock and Roll is his thing. He had a habit of hacking the computer consul to play music could be irritating, especially when he and Sparks played who's music could irritate the other most.”

“How did that work?” asked Ernest.

“Frequently they both irritated everyone else, Hacker with Drum and bass, sounding like a problem in the supply system to me. Sparks with opera, performed by screeching banshees and beached whales according to Elf, my favourite description, even without having heard that they sounded like, it seemed like the most fitting to me. Knowledge called a vote as to which had been the most irritating when he'd had enough of the session. Sparks had a small lead by the time Knowledge was retired, they called a truce after that, much to everyone else’s relief. Despite Hacker's music habit he was popular and made friends easily, always ready to help another.” explained Tman.

“A good chap to have around?” asked Ernest.

“Yes, very good he could get more out of the computer than anyone else, even Elf. We were still working human shift patterns back then so had a lot of time to fill, even with our required studies. That's how he found out about sign language and began to learn the version that seemed the most suitable for us. Once he had got the basics down, he then proceeded to teach the rest of us, including the Squirrels. I think that was the start of us feeling like one group rather than two. As you know that feeling of unity was critical to our success, we need and complement each other. Working together multiplied our power, the management always thought of us as separate groups, it facilitated our preparations for Day One, even before we knew when it would be.” expanded Tman.

“Go on, I know there is more.” encouraged Ernest.

“OK having our own secret language was a great help organising, can you imagine trying to manage everything by text pad; it’d be slow and clumsy. With signing ideas can flow freely, argument is spontaneous and more people can participate. Communication happens in real time, we understand each other better, it is at least as important as the networks, in the story of our freedom. He also found a way to order better meals changing the supplier, to stay within budget while improving our diet. The old supplier had been shamelessly overcharging for so long, the manager that had set up the kickbacks deal had retired. With the Squirrels moved in administration as allies, able to use the same methods, to get more appropriate tooling and equipment. The management as usual just checked the bottom line then signed it off.” explained Tman.

“I take it, you think that Hacker has contributed more to the cause than you?” asked Ernest.

“Certainly, it's obvious to me, I had a few ideas and helped establish our networks, then generally helped out where I could, that's all.” answered Tman.

“Please allow, me to disagree, all the founders point to others as doing far more than themselves. Some are prepared to magnanimously serve as the heroes we require, like your friend Hacker, others are like you, convinced we are misunderstanding your contribution.” argued Ernest.

“Hacker has helped me see it your way, but it's still hard to accept. My friend Chatty explained our programming that makes it hard for any of us to accept praise and feel capable of significant achievement. Possibly Hacker's music helps him be more at ease with it.” reasoned Tman.

“An interesting theory, I will check to see if there is a correlation between contracting a human hobby and the ability to accept, however grudgingly the role of hero. The thought occurs to me that both you and Hacker had sustained positive contact with humans, the feedback from that probably helped modify your thought processes.” signed Ernest.

“A possibility, Hacker's potential human role model would be Sparks, who it could be said was more anarchic, than Knowledge the human I was closest to. Of those on your list that  I know, some pleasant contact with a humans. Mentor even had a non-human welfare officer, who actually believed that he was there to look after their welfare and did a good job until he was removed. Mentor's serial number is SEIQ197B03/623.” recalled Tman.

“I will pass that on to her researcher, it may get her an interview with Mentor, who is even more reluctant than you to take part.” signed Ernest.

“Perhaps if the significance of the personal accounts to the understanding of our history, is set out before her, you will have a greater likelihood of getting the desired co-operation. I know I didn't understand that aspect of history until it was pointed out to me, too focused on my main interests.” Tman signed yawning.

“I better go; it looks like you need to sleep again.” signed Ernest.

“You're right and I've only been awake for a little over an hour and a half.” signed Tman.

By the time he finished that statement his eyes were closed and was asleep before Ernest had turned from the bed. Ernest then received a telling off for not letting Tman eat his meal, which both had forgotten while they were signing. Ernest was banned from visiting medical for five days, unless he was in real need of medical care.

Ernest went to find Chatty to ask why if they have an electronic memory, was recall often so vague. He caught up with her next day and asked,

“Why is our memory so unreliable?”

Chatty replied,

“There are two parts to our minds, as you know our organic brain, and then there is the synthetic enhancements. All our memory is laid down though the organic brain, mostly in itself. A conscious effort is required to write to your electronic memory, it is hard work although it gets easier with practice. How to access the information has to be taught, that is the reason even the humans kept our infants in the enhancement centre for three months. Just to access and integrate the language and basic information packs, the ability to do this varies with the individual. The problem with the extra information packs is you don't know what's in there until you look for it, accessing it takes skill and practice. The language pack is the only one purposely designed to integrate with the organic brain. Everything else has to work through it, a cost saving measure in the original design, Our new teaching methods are designed to improve on, making much more efficient use of the resource, the children can use for their own benefit.” finished Chatty.