excerpt from Chapter 2 of Salvation Sky
"...Davina McFyen shuffled her papers with her bandaged hands and continued the speech she was delivering to the hundreds of medical professionals gathered in the imposing classroom of Harvard Medical School.
"In the past, cancer was typically considered to be an acute disease, treated with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Right now, we are able, with help of drugs my preceding speakers discussed, turn some types of cancer into chronic condition, not unlike diabetics and in some cases, flu."
She raised her hand to move her dark bouncing hair off her glasses. She looked down on the public and continued:
"But there is a long road ahead to fully control the genetic mutations that occur and accumulate daily in our cells and which are the crux of cancer. I do hope that we the humans..."- her tongue pushed those words slowly as they were heavy with meaning "...instead of being seduced by the promises from the aliens, will continue working together on a comprehensive approach to the disease."
She stopped to allow the audience to simmer with a humming of hushed whispers and protests that were an indication that the gathering did not welcome her cautious approach. It has been over 10 years since aliens (or Twolings as they were commonly called to annotate their origin on an Earth like planet (Earth 2) and the fact that they were in a way are our cosmic siblings) contacted humans about the possibility of collaboration on cure for cancer.
As a President of the American Cancer Society, Davina was invited to all types of events discussing the issue, if not to give a stamp of approval to the process, at least to add a professional veneer to the controversail issue. It did not hurt that she was a former Miss Teen USA.
"Just like with cancer, we do not have all the answers about the 2lings' origins and objectives. Allowing them to treat humans might be akin to sending the most vulnerable to a Mengele Medicine Center..."
The audience did not wait for her to finish her thought; the last statement made some people stand up and begin shouting. Others, not paying much attention to anything around them, were furiously typing on their Smartphones, most likely spreading the news of the hate mongering 2ling-phobic nature of her speech.
Waiting to close the speech or open for Q &A was pointless. Instead, she just started to retreat down the backstage stairs. No amount of eyelash batting could help now. Davina put on a orange cashmere sweater over her tight pink sheath dress as she stepped down the halls leading her through the conference area's underbelly.
She threw aways her conference pass on her way to the car that was awaiting to whisk her safely to her hotel.
"Ah, that will be a last confrence I attend for a while' - she promised herself. Being 37 years old, single and childless would mean many more years she could devote to research only, and stop being a token diversity/ woman scientist.
"I could not take the popular position just to keep my job" she started to justify her speech to herself as her car speeded down the streets. "Once we agree to working with the 'saviors from the skies', the only way is to be compliant on other projects they might have for us."
She sipped on the water and looked through the window. 'How did the world change and yet how did it stay the same' - she though as the car was approaching the hotel.
copyright 2011 M. Morris
"...Davina McFyen shuffled her papers with her bandaged hands and continued the speech she was delivering to the hundreds of medical professionals gathered in the imposing classroom of Harvard Medical School.
"In the past, cancer was typically considered to be an acute disease, treated with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Right now, we are able, with help of drugs my preceding speakers discussed, turn some types of cancer into chronic condition, not unlike diabetics and in some cases, flu."
She raised her hand to move her dark bouncing hair off her glasses. She looked down on the public and continued:
"But there is a long road ahead to fully control the genetic mutations that occur and accumulate daily in our cells and which are the crux of cancer. I do hope that we the humans..."- her tongue pushed those words slowly as they were heavy with meaning "...instead of being seduced by the promises from the aliens, will continue working together on a comprehensive approach to the disease."
She stopped to allow the audience to simmer with a humming of hushed whispers and protests that were an indication that the gathering did not welcome her cautious approach. It has been over 10 years since aliens (or Twolings as they were commonly called to annotate their origin on an Earth like planet (Earth 2) and the fact that they were in a way are our cosmic siblings) contacted humans about the possibility of collaboration on cure for cancer.
As a President of the American Cancer Society, Davina was invited to all types of events discussing the issue, if not to give a stamp of approval to the process, at least to add a professional veneer to the controversail issue. It did not hurt that she was a former Miss Teen USA.
"Just like with cancer, we do not have all the answers about the 2lings' origins and objectives. Allowing them to treat humans might be akin to sending the most vulnerable to a Mengele Medicine Center..."
The audience did not wait for her to finish her thought; the last statement made some people stand up and begin shouting. Others, not paying much attention to anything around them, were furiously typing on their Smartphones, most likely spreading the news of the hate mongering 2ling-phobic nature of her speech.
Waiting to close the speech or open for Q &A was pointless. Instead, she just started to retreat down the backstage stairs. No amount of eyelash batting could help now. Davina put on a orange cashmere sweater over her tight pink sheath dress as she stepped down the halls leading her through the conference area's underbelly.
She threw aways her conference pass on her way to the car that was awaiting to whisk her safely to her hotel.
"Ah, that will be a last confrence I attend for a while' - she promised herself. Being 37 years old, single and childless would mean many more years she could devote to research only, and stop being a token diversity/ woman scientist.
"I could not take the popular position just to keep my job" she started to justify her speech to herself as her car speeded down the streets. "Once we agree to working with the 'saviors from the skies', the only way is to be compliant on other projects they might have for us."
She sipped on the water and looked through the window. 'How did the world change and yet how did it stay the same' - she though as the car was approaching the hotel.
copyright 2011 M. Morris
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