Breakthrough

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The university students, buzzing with anticipation, filed into the auditorium for the afternoon lecture. Rumors had been circulating for days about a possible breakthrough with Dr. Chathavisouk’s research project. The students who were assigned as part of his team had been sworn to secrecy and this only heighten the speculation of a possible announcement of major proportions. Added to this was the fact Dr. Chathavisouk had remained incognito and not been seen for days. As the students found their seats, they could not help but notice the photographers and reporters who were also present for the event. This was going to be much more than the usual bland lecture on some homogenous philosophical hypotheses. Now the wait was over as Dr. Chathavisouk approached the stage and adjusted the microphone. 

He looked out over the audience and noted the eager faces giving their undivided attention. After clearing his throat he addressed them, “Thank you for coming on such short notice. I know you’ve been keenly interested in our findings and I’m now happy to share them with you. As you know we’ve been expanding on the work of my predecessor, Dr. Helix, who was a pioneer in the field of ethology. His papers on animal cognition, especially the ones on interspecies communication through semeiotics, have been invaluable to our research. My colleague, Professor Sittig, an expert in linguistics, and I have reached a breakthrough which is, I believe, quite remarkable. Without further ado, I am proud to announce the success of our latest endeavor: The communication with a lower species through interspecies translation.” 

The audience broke into unbridled approval as they arose and applauded the good doctor as he was joined on stage by Professor Sittig. Cameras clicked and reporters hastily made notes as the doctor and professor shook hands, smiled, and bowed in appreciation to the adoring crowd. Some of the students whistled in support while others yelled. 

After a prolong celebration, the audience finally took their seats as curiosity overrode the desire to applaud. 

Dr. Chathavisouk spoke into the microphone again, “I would like to ask Professor Sittig to explain the process further, and then we’ll have a demonstration of our findings.” 

The Professor adjusted his glasses and then addressed the crowd, “Thank you, Dr. Chathavisouk. This is indeed, a momentous and exciting day in science. To bring you up to speed, I want to remind you of the accomplishments of Dr. Helix. Ten years and some months ago he stunned the scientific community, and in fact, the whole world when he demonstrated the first communications with a lower species. Though, at first, there were skeptics but it was not long before everyone recognized his success in actually talking with primates. He not only showed communication through semeiotics but developed a lingual connection with his subjects. Now, as you have learned in your textbooks the language is quite rudimentary at the best. This has surprised no one as primates are a lower species and it would be foolish to expect them to converse on our level. 

Now, we come to the research of the past four years. We recognized the hard work and difficulty Dr. Helix had in breaking through with primates and realized the difficulties would only multiply as we approached even less intelligent species. Without being braggadocios, it is a simple fact we are too smart to communicate well with anything below primates. 

This was a roadblock which would have stopped us in our tracks if it had not been for the theory developed by Dr. Chathavisouk. He believed lower life could be reached through interspecies translation. We were already communicating with primates, and had been for a few years, so it was a matter of teaching them to talk with the next species down the chain. The intellectual gap would be far less than it was for us. Once a link could be established between the two groups then the primates could actually serve as translators for us. In this way we would be communicating with a lower life form in a more efficient manner than if we tried the conventional method of direct contact. Now, we are ready to show you the culmination of our work.” 

A student led the primate onto the stage. The audience broke into applause when they recognized the animal. “I believe everyone knows Sarah,” declared Dr. Chathavisouk. 

The animal looked out at the students and then grunted while pointing and shaking her hand. “Yes, that’s right, Sarah,” replied Professor Sittig as he gave a responding sign. “There are a lot of people here.” 

The students giggled at the sight of the renowned professor flailing his arms in mimicry of a primate. Ignoring the audience’s laughter, Professor Sittig swung his arms and hands and asked, “Are you ready to translate for us?” Sarah nodded her head up and down. 

Another student brought out onto stage a smaller animal locked in a cage. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Susie,” declared Dr. Chathavisouk. The students clapped in eager anticipation. “This creature is not as docile as Sarah and therefore, we must keep her caged,” explained the doctor as the primate waddled over to the cage. 

Professor Sittig joined Sarah at the cage and started shaking his arms again, “Please ask Susie what she thinks of all the people here?” Sarah nodded her head again and turned toward Susie. The two grunted, howled, and shook their appendages at each other. 

Finally, Sarah turned toward the professor and relayed the answer. With a smile on his face Professor Sittig walked to the microphone. Dr. Chathavisouk spoke, “You asked what Susie thought of all the people here. What was her answer?” The professor replied, “Susie said, ‘They look tasty.’” The audience roared with laughter. 

After the students had regained their composure Dr. Chathavisouk continued, “As you can see Susie’s intellect is very basic. She knows her needs and that is what she communicates. Over the last week or so, since our breakthrough, we have learned a lot of details from her about what she thinks. It is far more primitive and basic than what Sarah has been able to tell us over the last few years about herself. This is not surprising, in fact, it was expected. We believe this will become even more noticeable as we breakthrough the communication barrier with even lower species.” 

The two students escorted the animals off the stage amid the roar of approval from the audience. Dr. Chathavisouk and Professor Sittig smiled and waved as the reporters’ cameras clicked to record the historical event. 

When everyone had quieted and returned to their seats the doctor continued, “There is much more work needed to be done. As we progress down the chain of life we will face challenges that cannot be imagined today. No doubt it will become increasingly difficult to train lower intelligence the tools they’ll need to be our translators. This work will take years. We’ll have successes and we’ll have our share of failure. But this is a very important work and I’m proud to be part of it. Can you imagine being able to talk with microorganisms? The possibilities are almost mind boggling. I know it’s almost impossible to anticipate what lies ahead in this field. Only time will tell. But, I do know the more we learn the thoughts and intellectual capacity of lower species the more we will learn about this thing we call: Life.” 

Professor Sittig invited the reporters to his office where he could answer their questions and show them the documentation and the case notes from the experiment. The students left the auditorium amid the chattering of what had been observed and headed toward their individual class rooms. Dr. Chathavisouk joined the professor and reporters as they continued with the news conference.

############### 

Thirty-five years had passed since the breakthrough of interspecies translation had occurred. Dr. Chathavisouk had passed away the year before and Professor Sittig, now an old man, was continuing the painstaking work. His assistant, Dr. Fosvedt, had been a student in the audience when the first successful link between a primate and a lower species was announced. Over the years links had been made all the way down to the microscopic level. The last few attempts had been with microbe but had proved unsuccessful. 

Professor Sittig and Dr. Fosvedt were busy in their laboratory when one of the students came into the room. He excitedly exclaimed, “Excuse me, professor, but someone from the government is here to see you.”

“Who is it?” asked the professor.

“The name is Jarnigan,” replied the visitor as he brushed by the student.

“You can’t come in here without the professor’s permission,” protested the student.

“I just did, didn’t I,” barked Jarnigan. “Professor, please tell your little lap dog here to stay out of my way.”

“There’s no need to be rude,” declared Dr. Fosvedt.

“Look, we’re very busy here,” explained Professor Sittig as he turned his attention back to the microscope. “Make an appointment and I should be able to see you tomorrow afternoon.”

“Professor, you will see me now,” exclaimed the visitor. The professor looked up from his desk and asked, “What part of the government do you represent?”

“I’m with the Bureau of Scientific Investigation.”

“I see,” pondered the professor. “What happened to Walstodd?”

“He’s no longer with the Bureau,” offered Jarnigan. “It’s now my duty to review and approve all scientific inquires.”

“This university receives no funds from the government,” protested Dr. Fosvedt. “You have no interest here.”

“Oh, but I do, doctor,” smiled Jarnigan. “We may not provide any funding, but we do issue the license that allows this university to exist. So, what I see and observe will go a long way toward the renewal or rejection of that license next year.”

“What are you on? Some power trip or something?” asked Dr. Fosvedt as his anger rose from Jarnigan’s perceived insolence.

“My ego has nothing to do with my being here,” continued the smiling Jarnigan. “I am only interested in what is good for the scientific community and, of course, for the safety of the nation.”

“I’m sure you are,” offered Professor Sittig. “What is it you would like to see or know?”

“I’m interested in your interspecies translation program,” replied Jarnigan. “Over the last few years there seems to have been limited results.”

“The successes have slowed as we reach further down the chain of life,” observed Professor Sittig. “The intellect of lower life-forms are very basic, dealing mostly with everyday survival.”

“This makes it very difficult to teach them to communicate with a higher life, even one slightly above their own intelligence,” interjected Dr. Fosvedt.

“Then it appears to me you have done all you can do and your work is through,” declared Jarnigan.

“I beg to differ,” protested the professor. “Just because the work proves to be complicated is no proof it should be abandoned.”

“There are still so many life-forms left to contact,” inserted Dr. Fosvedt. “It would be the height of scientific foolishness to quit now.”

“I’m not convinced of that,” offered Jarnigan. “After thirty-five years of research what results do you have to show? How many times have you got to find out a lower species is hungry and wants to eat?”

“There’s been much more to it than that,” protested Professor Sittig. “Scientific journals are full of the amazing results from our experiments.”

“And don’t forget all the advancements our nation has made due to what we’ve learned from other life-forms,” declared Dr. Fosvedt.

“Professor, you’ve been at this a long time,” offered Jarnigan. “I don’t want to be unkind, but I believe your advanced years are affecting your good judgment.”

“I’m not that old and I totally agree with the professor,” snarled Dr. Fosvedt. “His faculties are far better than any dimwitted bureaucratic numbskull!”

“Well, it’s this numbskull who’s going to decide whether you continue this nonsense or not!” yelled an angry Jarnigan.

“Now, everyone calm down!” ordered Professor Sitting. “I’m sure we all can make our points without bickering.”

Jarnigan and Dr. Fosvedt silently glared at each other until the professor spoke again, “Doctor, if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk with Mr. Jarnigan in private for a few minutes.”

The doctor nodded his head and left the room followed by the student. After a moment of reflection the professor turned to Jarnigan and said, “You know the last time Walstodd was here he told me something very interesting.”

“What was that?”

“He said there were elements in the bureau that were very fearful of our studies into interspecies translation,” offered the professor. “They recognized our ability to learn from lower life-forms and had become afraid of the interchange of knowledge that would invariably take place. Are you aware of such ones?”

“I know of those concerns,” replied Jarnigan.

“Walstodd did not have such fears,” declared the professor. “He did tell me the person who was positioned to take his place was a member of the Pure-Intelligence PAC. Is that person you, Jarnigan?”

“Yes, I’m a member of the P I PAC,” he responded. “We believe you have gone too far too fast and now it must stop before any real damage occurs.”

“Your fears are unfounded,” offered the professor. “And to allow that fear to cloud your judgment as part of the Bureau of Scientific Investigation is irresponsible.”

“It is not, professor,” protested Jarnigan. “You, Dr. Chathavisouk, and even Dr. Helix are the typical scientists who throw caution to the wind and forge ahead with your little experiments no matter what the cost may be.”

“We gave just due to the potential dangers,” objected the professor. “Safeguards have always been in place to prevent any mishaps that would be harmful to us or any species we deal with.”

“How can you be so sure?” asked Jarnigan. “Knowledge does not flow just one-way. When you knock down communication barriers then knowledge starts flowing down a two-way path. What we know invariably becomes known to whomever we’re talking with. Look at the aborigines of our own world. They’re smarter today because of communicating with us than they ever would’ve been if there’d been no contact.”

“That’s why we put in the safeguards,” declared the professor. “Yes, there can be dangers, but the results outweigh the risks.”

“How can you be so sure?” asked Jarnigan. “Take at good look at where you’re heading, professor. In a few years you’ll be talking with viruses. And what are they intent on doing? They consider us their host and they want to eat us. Now they have the ability to mutate when we treat them with antibiotics. They become stronger and resist our efforts to protect ourselves. What is going to happen when they have access to that two-way path of knowledge? Don’t try to tell me that when they learn more about us they will pose less of a risk than they do today!”

“But Jarnigan, you know it’s a fact of nature the more we know about each other the less threatening we become,” offered the professor. “The natural order will move each of us toward a medium of respect for each other.”

“I don’t believe that for one instant,” declared Jarnigan. “I’m not the only one. There are many great scientific minds who feel the same as I do.”

“Then, all I can say is you’re wrong,” stated the professor. “Do not try to interfere with my work!”

“Professor, if you continue your research in this area then I’ll do everything in my power to shut this university down,” promised Jarnigan. “Don’t let your arrogance deny students of an education.” 

Professor Sittig stared at Jarnigan as he turned and left the room. Shortly he was joined by Dr. Fosvedt. The professor told the doctor of the conversation and the threat made by Jarnigan. Later in the afternoon the dean of the university came to visit them. 

“You had a visitor this morning,” declared the dean.

“So, he came to see you, too?” asked the professor.

“Not only did he come to see me but he made his intentions perfectly clear,” replied the dean. “He’s a powerful man with many allies. So much so, we must proceed with the greatest of caution.”

“Are you thinking of stopping our work?” asked a startled Dr. Fosvedt.

“You can’t be seriously thinking of that,” declared the professor. “We’ve come so far and accomplished so much to be stopped by such foolish conjecture.”

“Well, there’s a lot to consider here,” offered the dean. “I called an emergency meeting of the board, and we’ve made our decision.”

“So, it’s over?” asked a dismayed professor.

“No, not necessarily,” replied the dean. “We feel like we can hold off any action so long as we continue to produce results. Even the Bureau of Scientific Investigation could not go against the public outcry that would result from shutting a successful program down.”

“That means every attempt will have to achieve success,” reflected the professor.

“I’m not sure that can be done,” offered Dr. Fosvedt.

“This is the only choice we have,” explained the dean. “All of our necks are on the line. That’s why the board and I will be here for the next attempt. So, you two make sure it works as advertised.”

############### 

Over the next few weeks Professor Sittig and Dr. Fosvedt worked around the clock as they prepared for the next experiment. One of them would rest when they could while the other would continue with the science students assisting. Finally, the day came when they were ready to proceed. They were joined by the student assistants and the dean and board of directors of the university. 

Tension filled the air as Dr. Fosvedt gave the commands to the primate. The primate acknowledged the instructions and proceeded to pass them on to the next species.

“How long will it take for the information to reach the microscopic level?” asked the dean.

“It will take the better part of an hour,” replied the professor.

“I never knew it took that long,” said a surprised dean.

“Well, it’s not only the matter of the information being passed down, but we must wait for an answer to come back up the chain,” explained the professor. “Also, not every species can communicate verbally with the next lower life. We’ve actually had to help them build tools to use and this increases the delay in receiving information back.”

“I see,” offered the dean. “What about this new contact?”

“Yes, we have to use the tools,” continued the professor. “The species we’re attempting to contact definitely does not have the means of communication that the translating species has. This is what has me worried.”

“Why?”

“Tools are the least stable programs we use,” declared the professor. “The less the stability of a program, the greater is the chance for a failure.”

“Then we will hope for the best,” offered the dean. 

Dr. Fosvedt and the students closely monitored each species as they received the communication and passed it on down to a lower life-form. “So far, so good,” exclaimed the doctor. 

Professor Sittig turned to the dean and the board and explained, “We’ll soon be down to the species that we last made contact with. They are used to communicating with us and now they will receive instructions on how they can talk with the next species below their intellectual level. Once they understand what they are to do, we can expect immediate results as they communicate with a lower species for the very first time. When contact has been established the greeting will work its way back up the chain of life until our primate relays to us what was said. This will start a two-way path of communication between us and a microscopic life-form. Over the weeks ahead will flow a continuous stream of information as we get to know a life we’ve never known before, and they get to know us.” 

“We’re getting very close,” declared Dr. Fosvedt as he peered into his microscope.

The silence was almost unbearable as everyone in the room held their breath awaiting the results. Finally, the doctor let out a disgusted sigh and without looking up said, “It crashed!”

“What?!” asked a shocked professor.

“It crashed,” repeated the doctor as he looked away in disappointment. “The program just crashed. The only thing left is debris.”

“What went wrong?” asked one of the students.

Professor Sittig hung his head and muttered, “It doesn’t matter. It’s over.”

The dean nodded at the board and then offered, “I’m sorry, professor. I really am.”

############### 

The professor stood alone staring silently out the window. He felt tired. Dr. Fosvedt and the students had left him to his thoughts as they tried to deal with their own disappointment. He had given his life to this research project and now it was over. There would be no more attempts at interspecies translation. He probably could find another university which would be willing to fund more research, but he was too old to start all over again. Besides, with the Bureau of Scientific Investigation opposing any effort he would make to continue, it could be decades or even centuries before anyone would be willing to take up his work. He would have to be content with what was accomplished and not dwell on what could have been. The program had simply crashed. There was nothing else to be done.

############### 

It was early in the morning when people looked into the sky and saw a strange blue light. A few days later a rancher by the name of William “Mack” Brazel, at the urging of his neighbors, came to the office of the local sheriff in Roswell, New Mexico, George Wilcox, to report he may have found debris from a crashed “flying disk.” 

On July 8, 1947 the head of the Eighth Air Force in Fort Worth, Texas, Brigadier General Roger Ramey declared the object retrieved to be a weather balloon with hexagonal radar target attachment. He described it as “remnants of a tin foil-covered box kite and a rubber balloon.” 

The Air Force explanation has been rejected by many who believe the debris spread across Brazel’s ranch was the remains of an alien spaceship which crashed and killed its occupants. To this day many still wonder what the Air Force and the government are hiding. What could have really crashed outside of Roswell, New Mexico in 1947? One can only wonder.

THE END

Copyright ©2006 by Jerry W. Crews