On The Origin of Xe

Ectogenesis

Chapter Eight

While their human counterparts were busy with their behavioral preparations, the androids began their part of this critical part of the mission. The androids were not exempt from this whole plan to reestablish humanity in a different part of the Universe. They too were part of humanity now. They too, would be sharing in the responsibility of raising the first generation born on Goldilocks-P3.

Their task was two-fold. The first part was constructing an addition to the habitat that would house the children. Otherwise known as the Children's House, this would be the center for all things related to the children. The Children's House was to be split into two sections. One for the artificial wombs that would nurture the fetuses. The other, for the nurturing of the children themselves after having exited their artificial environments. In other words, all things before and after their birth.

The second task was going to be the more difficult of the two. It involved assembly of the necessary equipment required for the onset of ectogenesis. Without the successful completion of this task, there was no point in even building a Children's House. There would be no children. What is ectogenesis?

Ectogenesis is essentially the growth of an organism in an artificial environment. The point here is that it is the growth of a human fetus or embryo completely outside of a mother's body. This was the key that the scientists had been looking for. Ectogenesis would solve the problem of the biological parents being too old to safely procreate on Goldilocks-P3.

In order for ectogenesis to even have a chance at success, you have to start with a viable egg and sperm. The condition of the egg and sperm effectively determines the eventual outcome. Producing the egg and sperm on Goldilocks-P3, and their eventual combination, was not an option. It was not even an option to do so in transit to Goldilocks-P3. One would still have the problems associated with time and age, as explained earlier. No. In order to achieve success, the sperm and eggs of the human astronauts would have to be collected prior to the mission itself. Based on the behavioral match ups of the best candidates. While the astronauts were still young. While the eggs and sperm were still at the height of their viability. There was no question. They would have to be frozen. Frozen for the entire flight. Until landing on Goldilocks-P3, where the process of ectogenesis could begin.

The decision to go with ectogenesis was not made lightly. There were many bioethical and legal considerations that had to be taken into account. Mainly, the moral and ethical issues that arise in relation to a given medical policy and practice. Ultimately, involving control of the human genetic code. Ectogenesis could change the whole way motherhood is viewed. Mothers would no longer be needed. They would no longer be required for the creation of a human life. That could change the whole definition of life in general.

The question at the time became, how does a society deal with this? In the twentieth century, the answer was to completely ban the possibility of this happening. Religious and political restrictions made it nigh impossible for anyone to even explore the topic, let alone apply its techniques experimentally. Supporters of ectogenesis supplied their own arguments in favor by showing that, like it or not, society was already heading in that direction anyway. Ectogenesis had already started, for example, with the introduction of in-vitro fertilization. Whereby the egg is fertilized outside of the mother's body in a growth medium. Only later to be reinserted back into the mother's womb. Then too, there was neonatal intensive care, whereby the minimum gestation age of human fetuses was increasingly being pushed to earlier and earlier times. The benefit? To save the unborn. To further the species.

In the end, ectogenesis won out. The myriad of ethical and legal concerns were deemed to be Earth related issues only. These types of questions did not really apply when talking about human speciation on a distant planet. At least, not yet. Of more concern to the mission scientists was the effect of being born outside of the womb. What would that do to later development? In other words, would something be missing, such that, some essential bond would not get created between a mother and child? Between a father and child? This was certainly a concern worth noting. There had not been any research done on this since ectogenesis had not been allowed experimentally.