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First Written    Wed Jul 15 00:52:31 2020
File Modified    Wed Feb 14 18:32:26 2024
Latest Upload    Thu Sep 19 03:09:54 2024

2020-07-14

Dr. Kellyn Gen sat at her terminal, staring at screen recording of a simulation of a mass of undifferentiated cells in the process of becoming otherwise.

"Cancer," she mouthed, scraping the tip of her capped pen across one of the few printed documents still undigitized by her aides.

"The human body loathes cancers," began yet another memorandum from Dr. Young, disguised as a Republic science directorship white paper, "It seeks to eliminate them thoroughly and immediately. Quite unfortunately, as we all know too well, it routinely fails to do so. As such, it would not be inappropriate to refer to cancer cells as experts at surviving in the presence of hostile foreign materiel. In this paper, I propose the controlled application of Human carcinoma as a means of insulating bodily tissue from the more intrusive effects of cybernetic implants..."

"Useful cancer," she resigned, wetting her lips while she put off contemplating the implications of Young's latest endeavour and the amount of opposition she might apply to temper it.

Kellyn twirled the pen between her fingers, watching her prominent veins - a gift her parents had given her, to better supply the organs they had joined the party for - flex and wane as she extended them. A small burst of radio static preceded the room's ringtone, still unchanged from its grating rendition of the "Shanty of the Oversees".

"Just come in," she yelled, hoping whoever her guest was, was someone she was qualified to yell at.

"Will do, Dr. Gen," Chairman Yem replied from behind her, the sound of his armour's servos having been masked by the intercom that seemed to halt itself willingly just before he spoke.

"Chairman Yem," she greeted, "I would admit you surprised me, but I'd rather not denigrate myself any more than I already have reading Young's idea of an abstract. Sorry, I know he's your friend."

"No need to apologize, Kellyn. I'm well aware of Sergei's unconventional tone - after all, I am his friend."

"Thank you," she replied. "So," Kellyn motioned to a free bench beside her and nodded, "To what do I owe a visit from the good Chairman himself?"

"You've been doing a lot of good work," Yem announced, standing, "Dr. Amman seems to have taken a liking to you."

She feigned a smile, if only to conceal a smirk at the understatement.

"What a courtesy it is, for the Chairman to pretend he hasn't read every love letter in a former enemy of the state's brief booklet."

Yem chuckled as he took a seat, "I think you're mistaken, Dr. Gen. The Chairman of the Republic is indeed a paranoid snoop. Jay Yem, however, is none the wiser."

He continued, "Look, I'll be frank here. I know we haven't spoken much since you've, to euphemise, began your tenure here. And I know you're disillusioned with all the formalities of the Republic and its government, so I have to thank you for sticking it out as a part of my cabinet. And on that note, I have to inform you I haven't overlooked a pattern in your absences at said cabinet."

"My priority here is science, not politics, Chairman."

"So you know exactly what I'm talking about," he segued, "There are factions within the Republic that consider our stewardship of the former Coalition to be an act of illegal occupation, or worse, imperialism. I am not a censor, Gen, I know these people have their rights. But when those factions threaten to act on their beliefs, then it becomes my business. And, I would imagine, it should become the business of someone who has benefitted from that stewardship to at least come to meetings on the matter and present her well-needed opinion."

Kellyn sat up in her seat and clasped her hands in lieu of crossing her arms, "Chairman Yem, I mean no disservice to the Republic. As I'm sure you're aware, I have become a bit of a symbol to former Coalitioners. I think that puts me in a unique position to aid in reconciliation, but that to speak out on sensitive matters in a public forum would jeopardize that position."

"Let me read between the lines here, Kellyn. It would jeopardize your neutrality."

"You're not incorrect," she affirmed.

"No. But I think you are. Or at least, misguided. Are you familiar with the Marxist concept of dialectics?"

"Have we not just spent the last minute discussing my country of origin, the modern red menace itself?" she blurted, then tempered with apology, "I'm sorry. Formalities, like you said, Chairman."

"You're doing a good job, Kellyn. But I will not digress," he voiced, in a tone that indicated a shift from pleasantries to lecture, "In dialectical context, there are two sides to every issue. Two sides in opposition, I might add, sitting at opposite ends of a hill in no man's land where no one who's not a fool would sit for fear of rolling down, at best. Let me paraphrase the speeches you've missed: central ground is a synonym for support of status quo. An act of inaction is a penny paid to the path of least resistance."

Kellyn Gen interrupted, "Please pardon me the platitudes, Chairman, I'm not enamoured with alliteration as an affectation."

Yem picked up seamlessly, "Suppose the Vanguard police want to stop crime in your community, and the local murderer desires the opposite. Suppose you witness her and do nothing."

"Is the next question a hypothetical," Kellyn asked, assessing the nature of her interrogation.

Chairman Jay Yem ignored her remark and answered it, "Who's side are you on, Dr. Gen?"