Free Thunder by Bonnie S. Calhoun Page B

and food grains with no problems.” Stemple ran a hand across his hair. “You’re saying we need something to bridge the gap.”
    Everling smiled. “A union.”
    Stemple looked confused. “I’m not sure I understand.”
    Everling stared at the board. “We need a child from a Lander.”
    â€œWell, since that is obviously not possible I suggest—”
    â€œOh, but it is possible.” Everling rubbed his chin. “Never had a clue they’d be this important to my work.”
    â€œYou know where there are Lander children?” The color drained from Stemple’s face.
    â€œGet me a security team. I’ll key in the biometrics and location of the subject,” Everling said as he tapped out the details on the halo-keys.
    â€œWhat kind of team—JetTrans or AirStream? How far are they going?” Stemple asked as he manipulated the security screen to order a team.
    â€œAirStream. They’re going to Dominion Borough.” Everling moved to the far side of his lab and stared at the screen as the scanning microscope read the samples and built a 3-D model on the work surface.
    â€œDoctor, I’ve done this experiment two dozen times. The telomerase in the Lander sample degrade when I introduce our DNA,” Stemple said. He flipped the test results onto the counter with a hint of frustration.
    Everling kept his eyes on the layering model. “I’ve told you our only recourse is—”
    â€œI won’t accept it as the only recourse. We need to have other options.” Stemple ran his hand through his hair and paced.
    â€œThen solve the Hayflick Limit. In the meantime I’m offering a bigger bounty for Landers and sending a team to claim the child.”
    â€œHayflick can’t be solved. Telomeres only divide maybe a hundred times,” a female voice said.
    Everling and Stemple swung in her direction. Treva Gilani stood near the doorway leading to the confinement quarters with her hands shoved in her lab coat pockets. Her auburn hair was still tied in the tight bun at the back of her head.
    Everling looked over the rim of the glasses slipping down his nose. He figured a first-year lab worker was only as good as their experience time. “What do you know about telomeres, young lady?”
    Treva squared her shoulders and stepped forward. “What do I know? I know the Hayflick Limit is the number of times a human cell will divide. I know the end caps on those cells are called telomeres, and every time the cell divides, those end caps get shorter until they die—thus bringing about the Hayflick Limit, which by human standards is about a hundred replications per cell. That’s why we age. And I know that in Lander DNA, telomeres replicate forever.”
    Everling took off his glasses and laid them on the counter. “Aren’t you the lab tech who brought in the body? And the one who ushered away Ganston?”
    Treva cleared her throat. “Yes, sir, I’m Treva Gilani. I have a bachelor’s degree in genetics and I’m about to complete the same degree in microbiology. I could be an asset to your project.” As she flipped her head, the ponytail started to slip. She quickly maneuvered it back into the bun.
    Stemple moved closer, his expression blank. “I haven’t cleared you for those experiments.”
    â€œAs my professor used to say, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what you’re doing.” The young woman stepped closer. Her hand rested on the computer table as she fingered the holographic keys. Several files opened, and she flicked her finger to virtually push the pages up to the screen on the wall.
    â€œYou’re studying laminin, which holds organisms together.” She tapped the keys, opened another folder, and moved it up to the wall screen. “This experiment is for the telomerase enzyme to add DNA sequence repeats and keep those pesky telomeres