CANAISIS ∞ Chronicle One ∞ 3: A Shard Of Code

119 ∞ Offer of Compassion

A/N: It's been a while since We've dedicated a chapter. First, to those who have been with us from the beginning, you make all the effort worthwhile. Second, we don't usually recognize silent Readers but one has recently been zipping through the chapters. So, to Patpro we say hello. How about a shout-out?

And finally, the most important of all. This chapter is dedicated entirely to Garbly29, whose comments have been both entertaining and helpful. I read every chapter over again to help understand the context of a comment and, in a way, try to experience the story through your eyes. You've been a great help in making this story better.

        -Raven-

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Day 00014 Mission Nilex

"Let's consider what we do know," said Canaisis, still speaking from everywhere above the large forward screen. "We know that this branch of Nilex was created from the genetic code of whom they call 'the Progenitor'. You know her as Dara and met her on a shuttle flight. Dara was going to go to the Masursky Institute, and we know the focus of that institution. She gave you two drawings that, thousands of Earth-years later, were found underground with the Progenitor's genetic material and portrait.

"I've examined Dara's features from the record of your shuttle flight, and the Progenitor's portrait, and there's a 97 percent probability of a match. Dara had paranormal abilities of some kind, or the Masursky Institute wouldn't have recruited her. She must have been exceptionally gifted, or why did they go to such effort to preserve her genetic material?

"We know the Nilex were created by using her DNA. Whether purposefully or by chance, they found the genes for empathy, made them dominant, and locked them to breed true."

"I follow your logic," interjected Gareth, "but doesn't that mean they only have empathic abilities? I can't see how the Gift got thrown into the mix—even we couldn't do that deliberately. And this doesn't explain what Ayla is doing now." He rubbed his chin, contemplating. "But right now, I have to consider the safety of this ship. I need to know if we're looking at a threat."

"The Gifted are few, and sometimes skip generations, Captain. My conclusion is that the Gift gene inadvertently got 'thrown into the mix'. The early scientists who created Nilex probably understood the genetic code on a level slightly better than our own, but, given the complexity and variables involved, they simply resorted to trial and error. It was a time of war."

"But how would they know what they'd created..." Gareth trailed off as he envisioned a nursery filled with children. Children who would be tested until they found something they were looking for. He shuddered at the thought of all the children who would have been deemed failures. "So they found empathy, but the Gift got included as well before they locked it down to breed true. Doesn't that mean that's the extent of their abilities? Or did something else get mixed in, and why come out now?"

"Consider the wolf and dog of our day, Captain."

Gareth cocked his head and waited for Canaisis to continue.

"Dogs were bred from wolves. Each breed was bred to perform a specific task or to have specific qualities. To do this, the less desirable wolf genes were suppressed and the desired ones enhanced through selective breeding. However, the genetic code for the full-spectrum wolf still resides within the dog and can become dominant again with uncontrolled breeding."