Starship Armstrong - Season 2

Part 4 - The Last Refuge Of A Scoundrel (IV)

13 Years Ago...

Inside a tiny little conference room, tucked away in a hyperspatial nook virtually cut off from normal space/time, the conspirators who ruled the core of human civilization bickered.

"What right could we possibly claim, to have done what we have done, if we do not share the ultimate fruits of the project with all of our species?" Dr. Mujuru's ancient hands were shaking, and he was beginning to lose his composure "This is the cornerstone of our entire ethical framework. Who do we think we are to even propose keeping this to ourselves?"

"Who we are, are the greatest living human minds," said Dr. Dresden, wearing the fresh new body of some unlucky athlete.

"Hear hear!" added Dr. Egorov.

"The next incarnation of human development cannot be weighed down by the genetic detritus of our childhood," said Dr. Sheikh "The first step in transcending the human condition was to spread our species far enough across the galaxy to create the critical mass of human population that could produce a council such as this one. That's not to say the rest of humanity does not have a part still to play but we are a separate breed. We are the homo erectus to their australopithecus. We can't take them with us because they can't go where we're going."

"Well put!" Dr. Egorov exclaimed.

"Let's be honest with ourselves," said Dr. Kang "What is being proposed is to use human civilization up, to drink it all up and abandon the empty cup. It is ugly, sordid business we'd probably rather not be discussing, but natural selection often is. It is perfectly proper to sacrifice a lower form of life for a higher form of life, or have the rest of you become photosynthetic since the last time we met?"

"Ha!" laughed Dr. Egorov "Photosynthetic!"

"I can't believe what I am hearing from people I consider my peers," said Dr. Po, her brow furrowed in disbelief "Dr. Kang, that is the single most callous thing I have ever heard in more than a century of life."

"How naive could you be to not have yet have considered these options?" sneered Dr. Dresden.

"Callousness is not the issue," said Dr. Sheikh "We must consider every option, every angle of approach!"

"Consider, perhaps," replied Dr. Po "We might consider abandoning human civilization after usurping control as we have, but after careful and detailed consideration we should abandon the idea as morally repugnant."

"You're blinded by a limited perspective."

"That was uncalled for!"

"Enough!" yelled Dr. White "It is childish to argue about something so specific when our work is in such early stages. We don't even know what the final phase of Project Apotheosis will look like, how can we argue about who will be included? What a childish waste of intellect."

"In that case I think it would be in the best interests of the project if we all returned to our very important work," said Dr. Dresden.

* * *

"The Hatshepsut is hailing us, Commander," said Marceaux.

"Put it on screen," said Commander Gibson, standing from the command throne.

Captain Sandström, sitting on the bridge of the nearby battleship, appeared on the screen looking serious.

"Hello, Captain Sandström," said Gibson.

"Where is Captain Littlecrow?" asked Sandström, who waved his hand as though to take the statement back "I apologize if that came off as rude. I was hoping she would have had time to verify the authenticity of my warrants by now."

"Captain Littlecrow is currently in the Science Department getting Dr. Kang's side of the story," explained Gibson.

Mitzner cringed visibly.

"I would appreciate it if you would page her and tell her I would like to speak with her immediately," said Sandström.

"I'll do that," said Gibson.

"Thank you," said Sandström "End transmission."

"What the hell was that?" demanded Mitzner, as soon as the communicate link had cut out.

"What?" asked Gibson.

"Why did you tell him all that?" asked Mitzner.

"Because he asked," said Gibson.

"We don't know what the Captain is going to decide to do yet. Where's your loyalty?" said Mitzner.

"To the Huxley Foundation," replied Gibson "Where's yours?"

"To the Captain!" snapped Mitzner.

"That's good to know," said Gibson.

"It certainly is," said Mitzner.

"Oh just kiss already!" yelled an exasperated Guildenstern.