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Water bubbled noiselessly up the sides of the submersible, as it settled on the ocean floor. The crew inside prepared the equipment to take samples near the methane seep. Long tubes would be sent out via a mechanical arm and inserted into the ocean floor. The samples would be studied back at the bio-lab on shore, searching for archaea, bacteria and viruses. The life in the ecosystem of a methane seep was unique. Any number of life-changing discoveries could come from a single sample. They collected twenty tubes before returning to the surface.
Back at the lab, Dr. Tricia Blankenship removed one of the numbered tubes from a crate. She took a tiny sample from inside the tube and placed it beneath a light microscope, to look at larger organisms before putting the sample under an electron microscope to try to detect viruses. Placing her eye against the eye piece, she turned the knob to adjust the focus. Slowly the organisms inside came into view.
Tricia paused, stood up and pulled the slide from the stage. She looked at it carefully, then replaced it. Putting her eye back to the scope, she fiddled with the fine focus, making sure it was perfect. But there it was again, something that looked like a virus, but was ten times the size. She called one of the research assistants over to get a second opinion. Surely her eyes were playing tricks on her.
But, no, the assistant saw it, too. They hooked up the digital camera attachment and saved some pictures. Then Tricia picked up the phone to call her supervisor, Dr. Benton. She definitely wanted his input before she took any further steps.
Eventually, the entire lab was consulted. It was, by all accounts, the biggest virus ever recorded. This could be ground-breaking, world-changing even. Dr. Benton named it megavirus tricianensis. The staff was absolutely giddy, and Tricia was thrilled.
As Tricia studied the virus further, she was shocked to discover it could target one of its own genes for mutation. This meant it would be much more adaptable to new environments and new hosts. It was an incredible discovery.
Tricia left several samples on the work table and returned to her office to collect her notes thus far. While she was gone, one of the assistants came into the room, arms loaded down with files. The folders began to slip, and as he struggled with them, he bumped into the work table and knocked some of the samples on the floor. The lid popped off one as it slammed into the table leg, and it fell face down.
"Damn it! I don't have time for a decontamination today. These things live in methane. I doubt they can even survive in oxygenated air. I'll just mop it up. No one will know the difference."
He picked up the sample, replaced the lid and set it on the table. Then he grabbed the mop and bucket, gave the floor a lick and a promise, and returned his attention to his files.
