Novo Cetus

Chapter 14

Melinda scribbled "Do Not Disturb" on a piece of paper, added a skull and crossbones for emphasis, and taped it to her door. With just a few phone calls, she excused herself from her current project. A near complete research portfolio and a detailed outline would await her successor. Leaving this project resulted in forsaking any byline on the research. Of course, quitting a project at any time was toxic for a researcher's reputation. However, her reputation would more than survive if what Braso said was true.

She recalled all she had on Project Nano as she waited for Brasco to send her the report. Originally tasked with developing innovative ways to repair equipment, the Nano Project began as a government research project. The military's fascination with the Middle East generated billions of research dollars in arid climate repair.

Once the government got the bugs out of repairing military hardware damaged by sand, heat, and wind, a researcher named James Tillman pulled her and several others together to investigate the use of nano-machines in repairing underwater equipment. James was a "wunderkind," the kind of researcher that comes about very seldom. His research on robotics was stunning. Frequently, found a few steps behind James in the research, was Hank Hardin. The two worked closely on the project. Though obvious to others, James did not notice the acrimony developing between himself and Hank.

Melinda's laptop chimed; an e-mail from Brasco. The preliminary data suprised her. These nano-machines' functions far exceeded the prototypes she'd worked on. The research Brasco sent her hypothesized these nanos' could alter biological material. The original nano program was to fix broken hardware. She remembered the prototype nano's had the capacity to link with wireless computer technology. Could that explain the change in the nanos' program?

Still sitting in her small, nautical cabin, she turned her attention on the whale. Should she even call it a whale? The report contained a pixilated image of some variety of Cetacean. The file offered no information on biological material in relationship to nano material; but outlined the discovery of nano-enfused whale skin. This project needed a whale specialist. Whales lived in communities, had family units and communicated. If the hypotheses put forth by Nash Laboratories were correct, this transcended any ethical slippery slope.

Melinda stopped her thoughts from wandering to what the whale might be experiencing. Over the years, she managed to avoid projects requiring extensive animal research. However, during graduate studies she witnessed scores of them. She'd told herself that the ends justified the means, but couldn't look one of those animals in the eyes without sensing fear, hatred or loss. She supposed a marine biologist would be able to shed light on what the whale was experiencing and how to proceed humanely.

A break in the weather allowed a military helicopter to land and retrieve Melinda from The Shackleton. She packed light, one duffel bag and her laptop. She emerged from the interior of the ship and stopped to appreciate the beauty during the moment of rare Arctic light illuminating the horizon. Blues and greens waved and wobbled where the earth met the sky. This latitude was in its third week of darkness, and the last few days had been awash in a vibrant aurora borealis. Several times during the past few weeks, they'd experienced a humming and crackling in the air when the colors deepened into red and purple. Sailors called this the aurora guovssahas, or "the lights that can be heard." Taking time now to appreciate this breathtaking part of the world gave her pause to regret her time spent below deck, consumed by research. Dragging her attention away from the horizon, she struggled to take a few steps forward into the raging wind; a nearby sailor grabbed onto her petite frame and anchored her as she made her way to the chopper. She hoped to snag a window seat and take in the last bits of the ocean scape as they headed out. Inside she spotted three military types and who she guessed was another researcher sitting next to a window. The seat beside him was empty. Curiosity overcame natural beauty - she gave up her desire for a scenic view and plopped down next to him.

Making a wild guess she said, "Are you the marine biologist, or can I hope, a whale guy?"

He looked at her and said, "Maybe I'm military muscle."

Melinda shook her head. "Nope, you're traveling with a duffel bag and a laptop - you look like a researcher to me," she said, nodding to her own carry-ons.

He laughed. "OK, busted," said the man wearing a thick, woolen sweater and glasses. "I'm Dan Peterson, Whale Guy."

Melinda smiled. She introduced herself. "Alrighty then Dan Peterson Whale Guy. I'm Melinda Davenport, and for the last several weeks, aboard the Shackleton, I have been Research Girl."

Melinda explained to Dan that while she had spent the past several weeks in the Arctic, she hadn't taken the opportunity to enjoy the beauty surrounding her. She excused herself and moved to a window seat across the chopper. The sky was unusually clear and the scenery breathtaking. The robin's egg blue of the winter sky provided a stunning backdrop to the alabaster-white bergy bits and growlers - small and mid-sized icebergs jutting up from the dark-blue Arctic. Viewing the ocean icescape from above, in the helicopter, allowed her the extraordinary view of more than the tip of the iceberg.

This bird's-eye view gave her greater respect for those that navigated through this ocean. Many large icebergs jutted up through a pool of blue-green. The beauty of the turquoise water camouflaged the danger below - an ice mass ten times larger than what showed above the waterline.

The scenery couldn't hold her attention for very long; Project Nano kept crashing into her consciousness. She bounced back to the seat next to Dan.

"Why'd they pick you for this project?" she asked.

"I'm a Navy Seal and a marine biologist. I've worked several covert operations with Brasco," Dan explained. "Pirates are not the only danger on the water; bio-terrorism is a huge threat on the open sea."

"What we needed was a Cetacean specialist," Melinda complained aloud.

"Whales and Dolphins? Loved them as a kid," Dan said, "studied them as a grad student . . . provided groundbreaking insight into whale family and social structure, blah, blah, blah." Dan was also going to be cautious. Brasco provided sketchy information on the project and no information on Melinda Davenport, Research Girl. He didn't always trust Brasco. Nothing bad ever happened - the guy always ended up transparent, for the good of the country,- however, Dan's gut prompted him to be careful around Brasco's projects.

"Well," said Melinda, "we could waste a lot of time trying to figure out who knows what and how much, or we could just dive into the research I've been doing. I'm kind of stuck at this point." She smiled and continued, "I need a good whale guy to fill in some blanks." Dan and Melinda spent the next several hours reviewing her research.

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