The Tartarus Directive

Chapter 5

The United International Foods laboratory was the largest and most active chemical and agricultural laboratory on the ship. The scientists there produced artificial meat, conducted agronomy experiments, and produced the vast majority of the ship's pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. Not all of what the scientists did there was directly related to the residents' daily necessities, of course.

Griff showed his badge to the guard outside the lab entrance and was escorted inside. The lab was cleaner and whiter than the Zhao-Chen lobby, if that was even possible. All the chemists and researchers wore the same white smock, and some wore tight caps, facemasks, and elbow-length blue gloves in addition.

Griff asked one of the researchers where he could find the supervisor and was pointed to the work station of Dr. Ira Finkelman. Dr. Finkelman was a short, young man of no more than thirty. His dark brown hair was cut short and neatly parted. In no way did he stand out from the rest of the researchers going about their business. Griff introduced himself and Dr. Finkelman shook his hand graciously.

"What can I do for you Officer Markham?" he asked.

"I'm looking into whether this lab ever produced or tested any psychoactive drugs."

"Oh!" he said with wide eyes. "You're here about that Krys- what's it called?"

"Krysalis."

"Yes, yes, that nasty Krysalis business. No, sir. I can say most definitively that as long as I've been chief chemist in this lab no such thing has even been talked about except in passing."

"Is it possible that it might have been developed by one of your chemists outside the lab, then?"

"Possible? Yes, but highly unlikely. All our chemicals and resources are kept inventoried at all times, and the lab is guarded twenty-four-seven."

"Has a sample of the drug ever been studied here?"

"It's most certainly possible. Give me a moment to check our records."

Dr. Finkelman disappeared for only a few moments behind a clear automatic door before returning.

"I can confirm that such a test was conducted," Finkelman said with a smile.

"What does a test like that consist of?"

"Well, without getting into the weeds with the scientific mumbo-jumbo, it's quite simple. We test tiny samples of the drug for chemical reactions with other compounds, and chemically separate it into its constituent parts in order to determine its composition."

"Did it have any matches in the database? The records? Whatever it is you call it?"

"It did indeed!" Finkelman said almost enthusiastically. "In fact we have records of experiments being conducted on Earth with a similar drug in the sixties and seventies. Nineteen sixties and seventies, that is."

"And on the ship?"

"It seems that additional studies with a drug that matches almost one-hundred percent in composition were being experimented with about twenty-five years ago."

"Who by?"

"The experiments were overseen by doctors Garson and Lofgren but conducted by Dr. Mavros."

"Any of them still living?"

"Dr. Lofgren was my predecessor and I his apprentice. Sadly he passed just over a year ago. As for Dr. Garson, he died before I was even born."

"And Dr. Mavros?"

"He's still with us, at least as far as I know. He moved to part-time research after the accident-"

"What accident?"