End of the Dream by Wylie Philip;

Author:Wylie, Philip; [Wylie, Philip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION
ISBN: 1642544
Publisher: UNP - Nebraska Paperback
Published: 2013-09-06T04:00:00+00:00

The origin of the distant and much-altered stonewort relative, Peterkinsis, was demonstrated by a brilliant young biologist, D. D. Wilson. His imaginative and resourceful efforts to that end elicited a tale which, even then, was becoming a ritual. For the horrendous green pest was virtually handmade by man. That synthesis began after the great public brouhaha in 1970 over the creation, stockpiling, storage and transport of chemicals and other materials designed for “germ” or “biological” and poison-gas warfare.

Nixon ordered a halt to all such diabolical effort excepting what was required for defense against those weapons. To create in the laboratory a defense, whether against bacteria, viruses or poison gases, it is first necessary to obtain, breed or fabricate the living or inorganic “weapon.” So the Nixon fiat did not stop the ongoing experiments with such lethal agencies. But there was so much continuing outcry, by “environmentalists,” against similar war agents, the “defoliants” used in Vietnam to strip jungles of leaves and thus render the foe naked, that a certain part of the continuing research into exotic weapons (and possible counters) was transferred to other federal bureaus and the work was mingled with other projects as disguise.

For the motive of concealment the Department of Agriculture erected a very extensive research facility in the remote, little-populated southwest corner of Cherry County, Nebraska. Ten square miles of wasteland were triple fenced with guarded openings only for a new road and rail spur. To this posted quadrangle were brought a large number of scientists, aides, engineers and others, all of them having been cleared by the FBI and sworn to secrecy.

The fact that a dozen discoveries of benefit to man came from this “plant and insect research center” is beside the present point. What is of moment is the work of Johann Pollenni Schuckebber, a world-famous algologist. His project was so secret that only his superiors in Washington knew its purpose. That was to develop a strain of algae which would do, if seeded in enemy waters, just what Ulla’s actually did do.

Starting with five hundred species of algae, Dr. Schuckebber created mutant strains in thousands, using chemicals of the many varieties then known to induce gene changes, as well as a cobalt source, and other less ordinary means. He developed several strains, species, perhaps, with hard, enduring cell membranes. But none of his long lines of altered plants had all the properties he sought, and his work ceased with his death in 1976 from a heart attack at his benches.

No one was found to replace him, which terminated the project. The Nebraska center was crowded for space, and the research director was relieved to get Schuckebber’s many large rooms. These were cleared and the thousands of glass containers of algae mutants were disposed of.

Inside the fenced and guarded compound, as well as beyond its boundaries, there were many small “soda lakes,” as alkaline ponds were locally called. These had served Dr. Schuckebber perfectly for the disposal of his myriads of mutant colonies that were unpromising.

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