La scintilla Page #5

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about the girl

and her breeding possibilities.

Mathesis's ambition

continues to grow.

After years of disappointment,

it is like she is rushing

through this headlong.

I am concerned.

Argh!

He failed even the simplest

sight-recognition tests.

The two subjects

are a year old today.

As these two

look like surviving,

I've given them names:

Goethe and Ali.

Their eyes are still

very sensitive to light

and we have difficulty getting

the atmosphere mix right,

so they have been

in some discomfort breathing,

especially at night.

They ignore our presence,

but seem to have an instinct

and understanding

of one another.

The girl displays

maternal instincts

as a normal human child might.

The boy is... distant.

I cannot yet work out

what he is thinking,

if he is thinking at all.

Today I set the children

a hand-eye brain-coordination

and exploration test

with some simple toys.

The results, as last time,

are disappointing.

Goethe has managed

to put together

only a few of the pieces.

He shows little aptitude

or interest.

The girl, Ali, shows even less

invention or interest.

I will MRI-scan them both

to try and determine

the cause of this apathy,

but I have a growing fear

that they are just slow-witted

specimens.

You need to get in there now.

No, not you. Her.

- Nothing is working.

- I can't stop the pain.

We're gonna lose her.

No. No, we can...

- I warned you.

- Her physiology is too different,

too unknown.

You should've tested more.

Mathesis, you'll kill her.

You can't.

She'll bleed internally.

- She already is bleeding.

- For hours.

I've been monitoring her.

She's not going to survive

the birth,

but I at least have a chance

- of saving the offspring.

- You knew.

It was all I could do.

Is she dying?

Get out.

Is she dying?

- She's dying.

- Can you save her?

It's not a case of saving her.

She's brought the child

to full term despite everything.

- Can you save her?

- No.

- Can you stop the pain?

- I have tried.

Normal opiate analgesic drugs

don't work.

I've tried everything.

- So she's gonna die in agony.

- Look, just get out.

I don't have time

for a medical lesson.

She's in pain.

There's not much I can do.

You and I need to prepare

for a Caesarean section.

Without drugs?

Yes, unfortunately,

without drugs.

I'm sorry.

Have you any idea

of the billions of dollars

of research you've just...

- You f***ing b*tch!!!

- Calm it! Calm!

That's enough. Enough.

You can still do the C-section

and save the foetus.

Her physiology means

the foetus dies when she does.

It's too late.

Take a minute, okay? Calm.

Calm. Calm.

They're still out there.

- You okay?

- Yeah.

You sure? Okay.

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