Gardens of Destruction
CHAPTER 18

Throughout the night, the weight of their recent conversation loomed heavily over Jana, Professor Bernstein, and General Patterson. Each wrestled with insomnia, the far-reaching implications of their theories refusing to be silenced in their minds. The aspiration for pure science had evaporated, replaced by an unnerving realization that they faced something unexplainably vast, something that stirred not only curiosity but also fear—a fear of encountering a force too immense to be confronted.

At dawn, the trio found themselves converging in the courtyard, each drawn by a need for fresh air and the comforting touch of the sun’s rays, hoping to regain some semblance of confidence. In the distance, the colossal asteroid stood, observing them with an almost disdainful gaze.

“I guess none of us had a good night,” General Patterson observed, scrutinizing their weary faces.

“I barely managed to close my eyes,” Professor Bernstein confessed, his voice heavy with fatigue.

“Same here,” Dr. Petroff added, her tone mirroring the professor’s exhaustion.

A meaningful look passed between them before Bernstein ventured, “What do we do now, General?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” the general admitted, his gaze drifting toward the looming colossus. “I spent the night considering our options, but I think it’s time we end our cordial approach to the object.”

“What about diplomacy? Sending a robotic emissary?” the professor suggested, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“We saw what happened to the last one.”

“Maybe this time will be different. Perhaps it was an error initially? We might not face the same outcome.”

Bernstein’s idealism was met with a stern look from the general. “Will you ever stop being such a naive idealist?”

“Probably not,” the professor conceded, his head bowing slightly. “I just don’t want to start something we might regret.”

“Consider this: did we start it?” the general countered. “We haven’t shown aggression towards them, yet they experiment with animals, and as of yesterday, we suspect they’re taking people. Is that what you call peaceful?”

“General, do I need to remind you that we were the first to attack them, with a nuclear weapon no less.”

The general fell silent, contemplating this truth.

“That’s correct. I’d completely overlooked that. But it still doesn’t justify their actions. Doctor, what’s your take on the situation?”

“I don’t know,” Jana replied, her gaze hesitant. “Personally, I prefer a peaceful solution. Perhaps sending a message into one of the crevices, but I’m unsure of the format—audio, visual, or written. Would they understand it in any way?”

“That’s an idea!” the professor exclaimed, his enthusiasm reignited. “Let’s do that, Sir. Messages like those on Voyager, something to explain that their actions are wrong and painful for all of us here. What do you say?”

The general looked skeptical, his head shaking slightly. “If you insist, we’ll do it, but I’m warning you, I think it’s a waste of time. And this is the last time. If this fails, I’m calling the president and initiating the plan to destroy the object. No more discussion.”

“Yes, General,” the professor smiled weakly. “Thank you.”

“And you, Dr. Petroff, continue your research. I want as much information as possible about this structure and how it can be most easily destroyed. Obviously, we have a problem with conventional weapons.”

Jana was uncomfortable with being a tool for the military to destroy an unknown intelligent species. She still had doubts about the theories she presented to Patterson. Even she wasn’t sure of their validity. But now, her words had been taken too literally, and the general was a step away from initiating a destructive operation.

“A distasteful task, isn’t it, Doctor?” she heard Bernstein’s distant voice and snapped back to reality.

“Oh, Professor, I thought you had left.”

“No, I’m still here. But you’re somewhere else,” he said with a smile.

“Yes, I was thinking deeply about the confrontational path we’re on.”

“This time, I’m almost ready to agree with the general.”

“Really? What changed your mind?” Jana looked at him in surprise.

Professor Bernstein returned Jana’s surprised gaze with a sense of grave urgency. “Doctor, that thing out there is beginning to look far too dangerous to leave unchecked.”

“I thought you wanted to study it?” Jana spread her arms in a questioning gesture.

“Not anymore. I believe the danger it poses is far greater than any potential knowledge we could gain.”

“Are you overreacting? We’re just at the beginning of our research.”

Bernstein sighed deeply, his eyes reflecting a turmoil of thoughts. “My dear doctor, let’s call it an instinct, something that has guided me through my life, often right, sometimes wrong. But now, it’s screaming at me to run as far and as fast as we can.”

Jana shook her head, amused yet concerned. “Paranoia seems to be catching. You’ve infected me too.”

“This isn’t paranoia. It’s a primal fear, the same that drove our ancestors to hide in caves from the beasts outside.” Bernstein began mimicking a monkey, leaping around with inarticulate sounds, leaving Jana wondering if he was serious or attempting to lighten the mood with humor.

“What’s gotten into you, Professor? You might need some sleep.”

He approached her slowly and whispered in her ear, “Do you know what happens when a highly advanced civilization encounters a less developed one? History has plenty of examples.”

Without waiting for her response, he continued, “One of them perishes. Doctor, if we don’t handle this thing correctly, I fear we might follow in the footsteps of those extinct animal species.”

“You’ve gone insane!” Jana smiled ironically, shaking her head, and walked towards the bungalow to check on Valentina.

Valentina was already waiting at the door. “Mom, where have you been? I was about to come looking for you!” she complained.

“Sorry, my dear. I was nearby. No need to worry, not even about that.” Jana nodded towards the colossal asteroid.

“I wasn’t worried. You know I’m afraid of nothing. I’m big enough now!” Valentina proudly lifted her head, prompting laughter from her mother.

“Of course, you’re big. Now, let’s the bravest Val in the world have breakfast with her brave mom.” They held hands and walked together towards the dining area.

Most of the scientists were already up, occupying the tables. Jana and Valentina had to join a table already occupied, though Jana preferred solitude with her daughter.

The other scientists laughed heartily at some silly joke, unaware of Jana’s troubling conclusions and the general’s fears.

“Mom, why are you so quiet?” Valentina complained. “Smile, you were laughing just outside the bungalow.”

“Like this, is it good?” Jana stretched her lips into a forced smile, then made a funny face that sent Valentina into giggles.

The table erupted in laughter, joining in with Valentina’s infectious energy. In just a few days, Jana had become everyone’s favorite, pampered excessively. Jana didn’t approve but had little choice since she had brought her daughter here.

“Dr. Petroff, we’re going to the nearby town for ice cream this evening. Would you and your daughter like to join? It will be fun!” Dr. Chu, the geologist, invited her.

Jana hesitated, not in the mood for socializing and about to decline.

“Mom, mom, let’s go, please!” Valentina squealed with excitement.

Unable to resist her daughter’s enthusiasm, Jana reluctantly agreed, warning that work might keep her away.

“You’re the best, mom!” Valentina jumped from her chair, planting a kiss on Jana’s cheek.

Everyone laughed again at Valentina’s antics.

“Come on, Valentina, let’s find Maria. I have a lot of work,” Jana apologized and stood up.

“Again, mom? When will you stop working?” Valentina pouted.

“I can’t help it, dear. That’s why I came here. Bear with me; you’ll be going back home soon.”

“And when will you come back, mom?” Valentina asked with a sad expression.

“I don’t know, dear. We have a lot to do here. But I don’t think I’ll stay long.” Jana’s words were uncertain, mirroring the unpredictable nature of their situation.

Jana recalled General Patterson’s plan to initiate the destruction of the mysterious object. She realized that if it were set into motion, she would be returning home much sooner than expected. Yet, the lump of apprehension in her throat seemed to have no expiration date. A nagging intuition tugged at the back of her mind, hinting at something elusive she couldn’t quite grasp.

After handing Valentina over to the babysitter, Jana trudged towards the dimly lit lab. Her task was to continue examining the animal specimens, focusing on the intricate network of modified nerves that wrapped around their bodies. She reminded herself to call the biologist for assistance with the dissection. A pang of guilt and a hint of shame washed over her as she remembered her own experiments with Professor Johansson on animals, experimenting with brain implants designed to control their actions. Those experiments were halted due to inconclusive results, proving to be a challenge too vast for their capabilities.

Inside the lab, Jana wondered how her past experiences could apply to these hybrid creatures. The ‘why’ behind their creation eluded her. Could their goal be to understand the brain structure of living beings to manipulate and control them?

Shaking her head, Jana abandoned this train of thought. She faced the daunting task of continuing the dissection. The resilience of these ‘new’ organs posed a significant challenge; they were remarkably robust. Just the day before, Jana had requested a special cutting tool to dissect the metallic tissues. Her goal was to uncover the function of these extra organs and how they operated. To her disappointment, when she managed to open what resembled a miniature lung, it didn’t reveal the mechanical innards she half expected. Reminding herself to avoid stereotypes, she noted the small crystalline formations within, shimmering under the lab lights.

Time flew by unnoticed as she delved deeper into her research. Professor Bernstein came in to see her discovery. “What in the world is this?” he exclaimed with a hint of revulsion, clearly uncomfortable with dissections.

“This is one of the organs with an unknown purpose,” Jana replied, pointing to the crystal structure. “Do you see these crystals here?”

“Yes, intriguing indeed. You know, when we lost the robot inside the object, it briefly captured a similar crystalline structure, but much larger in size.”

“Do you think these crystals play a significant role in their biochemistry?” Jana asked, surprised by his observation.

“At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised by anything.” Bernstein grimaced slightly.

Jana slumped into one of the swivel chairs, staring blankly ahead. “We’re banging our heads against a wall,” she lamented, echoing Bernstein’s despair. “Guesswork within theories leading to more guesswork and theories. This isn’t science; it’s self-deception. We delude ourselves into thinking we can understand anything and mislead the general that we can explain it, right?”

“Yes, sadly, they believe we have a clue about what’s happening. Worse, they rely on us to tell them what to do. The irony is that now we are the new church,” Bernstein continued.

“How so?” Jana looked puzzled.

“If this had happened centuries ago, rulers wouldn’t ask scientists; they would consult the church on what to do. Now, science has been elevated to a cult. Nothing is done without scientific justification, even trying to define faith scientifically. People imagine we know much more about life and the universe than they do, simply because we have scientific titles. It’s a guarantee of wisdom and knowledge, but most scientific concepts are imaginary and often provide no concrete information. And here we are, expected to give competent advice, when we’re clueless, damn it!” Bernstein lost his composure.

“Why don’t you go get some sleep? You’ve been up all night,” Jana suggested softly to the visibly stressed Bernstein.

“Maybe that’s wise. I do feel quite overwhelmed,” he murmured.

“Yes, get some rest. It’s afternoon; a nap will do you good. We’ll discuss today’s findings this evening. Don’t worry.”

“I’ll head off then. And you, don’t overwork yourself. I doubt we can change the general’s decision now; it’s already made, trust me, I’ve known him for a long time.” Bernstein left, his steps heavy with resignation.

The professor exited the laboratory door, leaving Jana alone with her thoughts, all assistants having also stepped out. Deciding now was the moment to fulfill the general’s request, Jana prepared to test the durability of the material constituting the modified organs and sought to clarify the role of the internal crystal formations. She knew it was getting late but was reluctant to postpone the task to another day. Just then, there was a knock at the door, and after a moment, she went to answer it.

Jana turned to find Dr. Chu standing timidly, hesitant to step inside.

“Yes, what’s the matter?”

“I’m not sure if you remember, but we agreed to go to the nearby town this evening?” Dr. Chu said, clearing her throat nervously.

“Oh, right!” Jana remembered her promise to Valentina, but there was so much work left undone.

“Are you coming? Valentina has been ready and waiting for you outside for the past half an hour.”

“Poor thing!” Jana vocalized her thoughts, feeling sorry for Valentina.

Torn between her responsibilities and her daughter’s expectations, Jana walked towards the entrance, finding Valentina exactly as Dr. Chu described.

“Mom!” Valentina exclaimed joyfully and hugged her. “Are we leaving? Everyone is waiting.”

“Val, I have... a lot of work. I’m not sure if we should go, it’s really important!”

Valentina’s face fell, her disappointment evident.

“Mom, you promised! It’s not fair!” she protested.

The lump in Jana’s throat grew, torn between pleasing her daughter and completing her work.

“Okay, sweetheart, here’s what we’ll do,” Jana proposed. “You’ll go with Maria, Dr. Chu, and the others to the town, and I’ll stay here to work, okay?”

“But Mom, I want you to come too. Come on, enough work, you’ll finish everything and there’ll be nothing left for tomorrow...”

Jana smiled affectionately at her daughter.

“If only it were that easy, Val, to finish everything and then have no work left, life would be so much simpler!”

“You’ll come, won’t you?” Valentina pleaded in her sweetest voice.

“No, Val, I really have important work to do, but if you want, go ahead.”

Jana called over the babysitter with a wave.

“Maria, you’ll be with them, right?”

“Yes, madam, of course. I won’t let her out of my sight.”

“We’ll all take care of her, don’t worry!” Dr. Chu reassured, having overheard their conversation.

Jana eyed them skeptically, but after a moment of hesitation, she agreed to let Valentina go.

“Don’t be late. It gets dark quickly, and it’s not safe to drive back on these roads in the dark.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll use the military transport, one of their jeeps.”

“Alright then,” Jana finally conceded. “Come here for a kiss, and I want you to listen to Maria and the others, okay?”

“Yes, Mom, I’ll be the most obedient, I promise!” Valentina flashed her most charming smile.

Jana watched the vehicle disappear over the horizon, taking her precious little treasure away. Her heart felt squeezed and sorrowful, as if part of it had been torn away.

Returning to the lab to continue her work, Jana’s experiments with the mysterious material proved frustratingly fruitless. The material resisted all attempts at destruction, responding only slightly to carbon steel and diamond scalpels. Jana grew increasingly irritated. Why was she even bothering with something outside her specialty? Sure, she knew enough about chemistry, but preferred chemists to handle such matters. Despite her unsuccessful attempts, she turned her attention to the crystals found in one of the organs, suspecting they played a crucial role in the entire organism. Long known for their information storage capabilities, could these crystals be serving a similar purpose?

Deciding to slice open another strange formation with the diamond knife, she found more miniature crystals. Under the microscope, nothing more was revealed. Everything seemed fused together, not artificially placed. Time passed with no concrete results or ideas emerging.

“Damn these cursed beings, why did they have to enter my life!” Jana vented her frustration and left everything as it was.

Soon after, Jana began to feel an unsettling sense of unease. Unable to focus on anything, she grew irritable with her own actions. It was unlike her. She sank into one of the soft chairs in the laboratory, alone again as everyone else had called it a day. Maybe it was time for her to rest too. The overload of work and emotions was taking its toll, and she didn’t want to succumb to a quiet madness like Professor Bernstein. Perhaps a good night’s sleep would do her good as well. She regretted not heeding Val’s plea to abandon everything for ice cream in town. Gradually, she drifted off to sleep in the comfortable armchair.

Startled awake by the blaring sirens that scraped her brain like a razor blade, Jana felt her head ready to explode from the relentless noise. She heard people running through the corridors and decided to step outside to see what was happening. The corridors were crowded with frantic scientists trying to get out. Jana managed to reach the door without serious injury, though she was stepped on a few times.

The base courtyard was filled with staff members looking around to understand the commotion. It had darkened outside, and the lights from the military vehicles’ headlights illuminated the scene, ready to move out. Professor Bernstein, with his shirt unbuttoned and hair tousled, still drowsy but visibly frightened, dashed across the field, looking around bewildered.

“What’s going on, what was that?” he approached Jana.

“I have no idea, I just came out of the lab myself!”

It seemed the alarm was real. Military personnel were scurrying back and forth, jeeps, tanks, and armored vehicles tearing through the air with their powerful engine roars. Soldiers in full combat gear were boarding helicopters and trucks, heading somewhere urgently. Jana spotted Captain Davidson nearby and rushed to him.

“Captain, what’s happening? Can you tell me?”

“I’m not authorized, ma’am, only the general can inform you,” he replied, scanning the surroundings like a predator.

“Please, is it serious?” Jana insisted.

Mark leaned close to her, whispering in her ear, “I can only tell you this - take your child and run far away. This is no place for either of you.”

Overwhelmed with anxiety, Jana almost choked as she watched the captain board a helicopter. At that moment, she felt an outburst of despair, cursing herself for letting Valentina go. More than anything, she longed to embrace her daughter and follow the captain’s advice.

“What did he tell you?” Professor Bernstein approached, noticing her ashen face.

Jana just shook her head, not hearing his question, murmuring something to herself.

“Pull yourself together, Doctor!” he nearly shouted in her ear.

“Oh God, help me, don’t take her away from me!” she whispered, oblivious to the chaos around her.

“Where’s the child?” the professor inquired.

“With Maria, Dr. Chu, and others. They went to the nearby town for ice cream,” she said faintly, her voice trembling with panic.

Professor Bernstein grasped her shoulders, shaking her firmly.

“Look at me, Jana!” For the first time, he addressed her by her first name. “Stop praying, nothing has happened to her, calm down.”

She looked at him blankly, then threw herself into his arms.

“Professor!” she sobbed, “I feel something’s not right, I can sense it. Something’s happened to my little one, God, where are you, help me to hold her again!”

The professor tried in vain to soothe her.

“We don’t know what’s happening yet. Calm down. I hope the general will come out soon and explain everything. It might have been just a drill.”

“No, it wasn’t! The captain just whispered in my ear to get Val and leave this place as fast as possible.”

“Really? What the devil is going on?” the professor began to get angry. “And where is the general to calm everyone down?”

As if summoned by their conversation, the general emerged from the base entrance, surrounded by armed guards and several senior military officers.

“Please, no panic, everyone back inside. It’s for your own safety!” his commanding voice thundered.

Seeing the scientists hesitating and unwilling to go back inside, someone asked, “Won’t you tell us what’s happening?”

“This was not a request, but an order!” he shouted. “Remember, this is a military base, and you are under my command. Don’t worry, anyone who needs to be will be informed about the situation.”

Slowly, the crowd began to disperse, whispering theories among themselves.

“Let’s go inside,” the professor gently urged Jana.

She sat immobile on the lawn, staring into the void. The professor had to take her hand and start pulling her to move somewhere.

“General, what’s wrong with Dr. Petroff?” his voice reached them.

“She let her daughter go to the town with Dr. Chu and others. They haven’t returned yet. She imagines something has happened. Can you tell us more?”

The general approached and cursed under his breath.

“Damn it! We still don’t know anything for sure. The operation is underway, and when the soldiers return, we will have full information. For now, I don’t want to cause panic, but the situation is serious. Get inside!”

“Good luck, General!” the professor wished, looking him in the eye. “You’re going there, aren’t you?”

“Let’s keep that a secret!” he requested.

Then he walked a few steps away, turned back, and approached the professor again, whispering so that only he could hear.

“Joseph, take care of her,” he nodded towards Jana, sitting on the grass, burying her face in her hands.

“Now she needs to be strong!”

The professor sighed heavily, understanding the uniformed man’s hint.

“There are no survivors there, are there?” he asked with a cold voice.

Patterson lowered his eyes, not answering. He then looked at his long-time colleague and friend and murmured.

“God help us!” and rushed to the helipad where the helicopter was ready for takeoff.

***

They sensed it; everything had begun. They needed! They required! The new ones were not ordinary. But that didn’t worry them, or did it? They didn’t know yet, but they heard. The garden would have new inhabitants! Excited!

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