Novo Cetus

Chapter 22

       

In the lab, Melinda studied Crabbo – that was what she called the nano-transformed crab.

After reviewing the information provided by Nash Laboratories on the spider crab and its transformation, Dan and Melinda developed a plan for their initial research. They asked Moto for a large basin to house the mutated crab and an assortment of decapods to create a simple vivarium. He delivered a large aluminum tub and two more spider crabs.

"I purchased pet-quality hermit crabs with delightfully decorated shells," he said, gently dropping several into the tub.

The nano-altered crustacean was in a cold-induced coma. They retrieved it from cold storage and placed it into the tub to awaken. Melinda's work with the initial nanos and the information she'd garnered from the Virginia Labs' research enabled her to calculate how and when the sample would awaken or more accurately, come back on-line.

Dan had never thought about crabs once in his career and needed simple biological data on the species. The two researchers set up shop next to each other; Melinda worked with a tablet and a laptop while Dan needed only a laptop and skittles. He discovered two things: one, crabs were simple and boring creatures, and two, he really liked sitting next to Melinda while doing research. She was very communal about it. If a particularly colorful image popped on his screen, she scooted herself closer to him and oohed and ahhed over it, lamenting each time on how lackluster her own research looked compared to his.

It was impossible for him to reciprocate because her research was tedious. Melinda's search on nano technology provided little more visual stimuli than an occasional blueprint or an uninspiring complex design.

The clacking of shells bumping into other shells from the tub pulled them away from their screens. They moved their research closer to the tub to study the awakening crab as it bounced around in a drowsy condition.

"Look Melinda, the left legs and claw show signs of epibiotic snarling organisms – but the right side does not!" Dan marveled at the creature. He slowly paced around the tub, referencing each visible difference. "The left carapace is dressed in debris and small invertebrates; however the right mutated carapace is unadorned." He made his way around the tub and stood next to Melinda. They stared at the crab as it calmly groomed its eyestalks.

The complex changes to the crab fascinated Melinda.. The carapace, or shell, on the right side of the crab was denser, which made sense since several of the right legs and the right claw were also thicker and longer. This was no mechanical prototype, this was a live creature enhanced by the nanos.

At a glance, all parts of Crabbo appeared operational. In fact, it behaved quite crab-like. However, they did observed new functions. When Melinda kicked the tub threateningly, instead of retreating, its posture became aggressive. Dan suggested they "attack" one of the other crabs in the container and note any reaction from Crabbo. Melinda searched the lab and found nine-inch surgical tweezers. She poked at a nearby hermit crab, sheathed in a shell painted with a bright-pink peace sign. Crabbo remained uninterested, tapping three of its mutated walking legs on the bottom of the tub.

"Poke at Crabbo," Dan recommended. Without much thought, Melinda turned the tweezers on the mutated crab. With lightning speed, its reinforced claw telescoped outward, menacingly snapping its pincer. Dan's reaction was swift. He grabbed Melinda around the waist, yanked her backwards, and they tumbled to the floor. James and Moto walked in to see Melinda sitting on Dan's lap.

"No funding for a conference table?" kidded James.

"What's going on?" Moto surveyed the scene. The nano crab appeared agitated, its right claw extended and flailing about the tank like something from a cartoon.