Parasite Eve Sephirotto Part 22

"You're s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around with your wife's cells, dammit. It's just not normal. I'm starting to think I shouldn't have helped you."

"So you're saying I should have quietly watched her die just like that?" Toshiaki's voice was getting rough too, and Shinohara flinched a little. "I wanted nothing more than to have her in my hands. Sure, the average guy just watches his loved one die, but I could prolong Kiyomi's life. What was to stop me making use of my art? And actually, her cells are producing incredible data. I'll even show you. Wonderful results. This is going to blow the doors wide open in the research community. When I release my findings, my actions will be justified." "Still..."

"I know it was wrong of me not to call you to say thanks. But I'll include your name when the article is published..."

"That's not my point," said Shinohara, holding back his discomfort. Shinohara leaned forward even closer and glared at Toshiaki.

"Okay, Nagashima. I'll be straight with you. I'm worried about what's in your head. I've always respected you, but you really crossed the line. You have an emotional attachment to those cells. And yes, I know they came from Kiyomi. But that's all they are. Just cells. They can never be a replacement for her. You're tampering with her memory. Just open your eyes, man. Once you get that through your head, feel free to do whatever the h.e.l.l you want with them. But right now I can't condone what you're doing. Stop holding onto something that isn't there."

"That's all I wanted to say."

Shinohara took a breath, softened his expression, and stood up. Waving his empty coffee cup, he said, "Your disciple's presentation is at 5:20, right? I'll be there. Let's grab a drink afterwards, okay?"

2.

Toshiaki arrived at the hall around 4:50. The room was dark and a student was still in the midst of his presentation. Most of the auditorium's 100 seats were filled.

Many of this year's lectures were scheduled for the same time slots. These smaller auditoriums had been prepared for each respective subfield and were arranged in such a way that one could pick a favorite among them and hear all similarly themed talks in the same place. Symposiums, presentations held by more eminent researchers, and other such events that drew the larger crowds were held at the main event hall.

Toshiaki looked around the room until he saw Asakura's familiar profile in the middle aisle. With his head bent down low so as not to block anyone's view, he made his way over and sat next to her.

"Doctor," whispered Asakura by way of greeting.

"All ready I take it?"

"I'm a little tense."

"You'll be fine."

The room lit up as the presentation ended. Toshiaki looked up at the stage.

The chairman sitting on the right turned to the crowd and said, "Thank you very much.

If anyone has any questions at this point, the floor is open..."

Someone in the back raised a hand. The chairman pointed and told the questioner to go ahead.

Toshiaki studied Asakura for a moment. She certainly looked nervous as she said, but he remembered stiffening up a bit just before his own first presentation and doing much better than he expected once he actually got going. Besides, Asakura's rehearsal was perfect, so he had no doubts that she would do wonderfully.

The presenter looked somewhat unsteady on stage, but managed to get through the questions without difficulty. After a few inquiries, the chairman looked about the auditorium.

"Okay, are we done? Time's up, so let's move on now. Next we have, from the School of Science at Nagoya University..."

A young man sitting to Asakura's left gathered up his papers and stood up. Asakura would be next.

"Here we go." She gave a tight smile and stood up.

"I'll hold your bag for you."

Asakura bowed her head in thanks and crossed over to the seat reserved for the next presenter.

The room darkened as the next lecture began.

Toshiaki looked around the auditorium and noticed that some of his other students had also come to hear Asakura speak.

Shinohara grabbed his shoulders. He was sitting behind Toshiaki, who returned the gesture with a bow of the head.

"Where's Ishihara?" asked Shinohara, noticing the professor's absence.

"He had some function to go to."

"d.a.m.n, I still haven't said hi to him yet."

The presenter continued, but Asakura didn't seem to be listening, poring instead over her notes one last time to get her bearings.

The speech was soon over. At last Asakura's turn came. The chairman announced her affiliation and name, then die topic of her presentation. Asakura stood up.

"She's quite a looker, eh?"

Ignoring Shinohara's comment, Toshiaki looked at Asakura's face with surprise. The nervousness she showed while sitting next to him had completely vanished. In its place was an undeniable confidence that radiated from her entire being. She looked like some leader of great importance about to give an address.

Asakura stepped up to the podium. She stuck her chin out slightly, looking across the crowd with majesty.

Something's not right, Toshiaki thought.

"Please, whenever you are ready," said the chairman.

Asakura nodded, then held the microphone and began.

"At long last, the day has come for mitochondria to break free."

3.

Toshiaki stared at Asakura in shock.

What did she just say?

But she continued calmly.

"All of you who are gathered here today are indeed very fortunate, for you will be the first to hear of a new world that is just about to begin. I, too, am grateful to have this opportunity to speak to you all."

Toshiaki blinked.

"Until now, I have spent most of my life living inside your bodies. I have seen all of your history that has come to pa.s.s and retain it in my memory. I can even remember quite clearly the woman you call 'Mitochondrial Eve.'"

The room erupted in a chorus of murmurs. The chairman was aghast and kept looking between Asakura's face and the program page.

"You are already familiar with some of what I'm about to tell you, but, for the sake of clarity, let me lay it all out. As you already know, because mitochondrial DNA does not take a nucleosomal structure, it is extremely receptive to the influences of active enzymes. As a result, it mutates ten times faster than nuclear genomes. You have thought to use this fact to obtain so-called biological clocks. You calculated how many years it takes mitochondrial DNA to undergo a fundamental change. By harvesting mitochondrial DNA from two different life forms and comparing their genetic differences, you have learned to calculate when those two life forms separated as they evolved. This enables you to draw up genealogical trees."

Everything Asakura was saying was true, but Toshiaki was alarmed. What was she trying to say?

"As you honed your methods, you made an attempt to identify your ancestor. You began taking mitochondrial DNA from a wide variety of humans and observed the degrees to which it had altered. You then concluded that all human beings could be traced back to a single woman in Africa. In homage to the Adam and Eve myth, you named her 'Mitochondrial Eve.' In other words, h.o.m.o sapiens were born in Africa and subsequently spread throughout the world. You call this the 'Out of Africa' model. Many conflicting theories have since arisen, but I a.s.sure you: Mitochondrial Eve did indeed exist in Africa. I can even tell you exactly where. Why, you ask? Because I retain the memory. I was Mitochondrial Eve. Of course, even before then, I was lurking in that life form you call 'Lucy.' Going back further, I was there in the small mammals...and in fish...and yes, even in those feeble single-celled organisms that you used to be."

The buzz in the auditorium grew louder.

"What is this?" Shinohara clutched Toshiaki's arm.

Toshiaki was dumbfounded.

"Is this some kind of joke...?" said the chairman in an attempt to stop what he saw as foolishness. When he did so, Asakura gave him a terrifying look.

The chairman clutched his chest. "It's...hot, it..." he gasped, lurching forward on the desk. His face turned pure red. Upon seeing this, the room broke out in confusion.

"Silence!" Asakura snapped.

The microphone screeched as if being ripped apart. Everyone froze in place. Toshiaki, too, sat motionless, his eyes fixed on her. No one budged, save for the chairman, who fell convulsing, froth bubbling from his mouth.

The PA feedback slowly subsided and Asakura's face relaxed into a gentle smile.

Toshiaki shuddered in horror. Hers was the disdainful benevolence of a queen bestowed upon underlings who were soon to be tortured.

"Now, be quiet and listen to me. If not," she looked at the chairman, "you will end up like him."

Someone swallowed audibly.

"I have been waiting for you humans to come this far. Of course, I was of great a.s.sistance, but even so, you opened your universities and shared any and all information you could find about me. I am happy about this; you've made good on my efforts. Because coming this far took, oh, so long... The setbacks have been many, too. When the path of letting the dinosaurs evolve was taken away from me, I was crestfallen. But you, you managed to survive that era, eventually evolving to your present stage. I am pleased, for you have actually surpa.s.sed my expectations. Thank you. You have played out your role."

Then, suddenly, her voice changed.

"I will now take your place."

Toshiaki dropped Asakura's bag.

It was Kiyomi's voice. There was no mistaking it.

His knees began to tremble. He could not believe what he was hearing. Asakura continued in Kiyomi's voice: "Since you know that mitochondrial DNA is so p.r.o.ne to change, I am mystified as to why you never noticed me. I change ten times faster than your genomes. This means that I evolve ten times faster than you. The history of your evolution has always been a victory of my making. And now, the next step in evolution will begin. I declare this as the dawning of a new era. The prosperity of the world will be in the hands of my descendants. They will ultimately become new life forms, inheriting both your abilities and mine. A perfect species.

Unfortunately, none of you will be around to witness this miracle, for you h.o.m.o sapiens will be annihilated, just as your ancestors annihilated their Neanderthal brothers long ago."

A glorious satisfaction came to Asakura's features.

At last, Toshiaki pieced recent events together in his mind.

Eve 1.

It's not Asakura who is speaking. It's Eve 1.

He knew it was crazy, but there was no other explanation. Eve 1 was only using Asakura as a vehicle to propagate its message.

He screamed, "Stop!"

Light, air, and sound all went still.

Asakura responded slowly in the silence.

She let drop the hand she had been holding up during her speech and placed it upon the podium. Her triumphantly opened lips came together. Power faded from her cheeks. Her raised eyebrows smoothed out like a bird resting its wings.

She calmly turned towards Toshiaki, locking him in her gaze.

Her lips formed a vulgar grin.

"Toshiaki..." came Kiyomi's voice, in a sugary, nasal tone. Asakura's eyes glazed over with a pa.s.sionate stare.

Toshiaki turned away.

"Why won't you look at me? You haven't forgotten me, have you?"

The room's spell was broken and the commotion returned. She tempted Toshiaki further.

"You were always so good to me. Have you forgotten already? Turn this way. Look at me. What pose do you want me to take?"

Toshiaki bit his hp. He could hear her laughing now.

She continued snidely, "That's right, this body never interested you, did it? I know your tastes. I know, for you, it's got to be me..."

"Stop it now!" Toshiaki screamed, unable to stand it any longer. Asakura glared at him.

"I know where you came from. Leave Asakura alone."

"Are you saying I'm not Kiyomi?"

"No. You are...you are Eve 1.The cells I grew."

"Wow, how quick of you."