Genesis

OOII

For many months in row 'Genesis' orbital station made its circles around lifeless orange sphere of planet which had most part of its solid hidden behind blue surface of empty oceans. One of its corridors inside James Hanley was moving in direction to one of its laboratories belonging to research sector. If someone could look at station possibly with help of powerful enough telescope device it might seem to be giant light grey ring. And inside of it enormous network of corridors connected so many sectors and rooms which represented in total giant maze. And if you did not know where to go to you could get lost like newcomer without map and guide in a big city.
Passing one of the doors he felt little shiver and it looks like he slowed down his pace a bit. That door was leading inside to cabinet of one of the most important chiefs of their whole expedition. His name was Tornwull Iward. When he was not present others could call him Uncle Tor. Or they would use abbreviation U-Torn to nickname him, meaning an innuendo for his remarkable ability to refuse to one of the projects when it all looked like that it was on its way to be totally approved after coming through so many stages of different adjustments and regulations. It could happen that one had signatures of all others he needed on his blanks, but Tornwull would not harry to agree and may be even would turn it all down finally. Tornwull was not young anymore. He was older than most of the stuff he managed, which included something like two hundred scientists belonging to the research sector, for two generations. He also was older than any other station's chief of superior rank. Uncle Tor had an experience of participating of two more expeditions to the orbit of this planet, two expeditions which happened before this one. Few scientists who opposed rule of Tornwull used to say remembering difference in two generations that it is not right for Scientist 3.0 to manage group of Scientists 5.0. But that was scarcely possible that that was a reason for him not to appear on semi-official assemblies and public gatherings. He was not that sensitive to people's opinions. Was there any special reason for that or not he stayed in his own cabinet for most of his time rarely appearing in some places like some guest who was so much unexpected as ghost. All those peculiar things wrapped his figure shadowed by time in unseen tissue of mystery.
Like any other high placed chief he ruled one of the directions of station's research and additional activity. His primary issue was vague and mostly untold thing called the Enigma Project. Secrecy of its development proved its name. If something was revealed it was not what person uninvolved could understand. 'Project Enigma - creation of object or group of objects aimed for realization of task complex introduced in framework of general mission...' Information provided by official documents gave impression almost as vague as the name of project itself. It just gave no impression at all.
Exactly these less than unrevealing lines from report on project for which he had worked for recent months came to the surface of James's mind when he almost reached the destination of his long walk through circled path of space station. Many dry moments of scientist's life not always felt good to his mind. He, being an enthusiast in his complicated business, was feeling himself spiritually lifted like the Knight of the Sciences. Firmness of his convictions and steadfastness of his principles served as his shining armour. And his adamantine arguments was the striking spear of scientific knowledge with which he hit monsters of middle-aged prejudices and black serpent of dark delusions, which nested in minds of opposing researchers, without mercy. His knighthood was defended behind the shield of kind which was given to some other scientists too. This protection was called License for Creative Intervention. And no one knew for sure what the principles which served to determine persons to whom LCI was provided were. Some would say that Tornwull himself defined who he needed for position. Others would connect definition of special group's personnel with calculations of Central Analytic Device. That giant computer was indeed one of the major managing chiefs of their expedition.
And right now, being armed with all spears and arrows which he only managed to get and which were hidden in quiver of his analytic papers he carried under his armpit, he was ready to hit, destroying monsters of antiscientific ignorance. No matter if even true essence of these dangerous beasts was covered by pretty face and mannered behavior of their owner.
When he opened door in swift motion and almost rushed in to the room, Elizabeth Lane was sitting behind one of the little tables looking down to collection of her notes lying on table's glittering surface, and so her dark and uncombed hair was falling down table's surface like her gaze too, covering most of her face. She was a bit old-fashioned scientist what could be seen at least in her habit of making some records with help of pencil and paper.
He sat against her with decisiveness. She continued her long-lasting search for something hidden in her papers covered with pencil letters and digits. There was no any sign that could be understood as indication that she noticed his presence. So it looked like symbols, marks and figures which took all of her precious attention reflected in her mind in form of very meaningful outputs and trends. Finally when long minute or so was gone she slowly lifted her gaze from documents and her dark eyes appeared from the curtain of her dark hair as she moved her hand across her forehead dragging strands aside. And her gaze hit him without words. It was not him making his first attack, but it was opposing one which came earlier than blade of his words. He decided he will show her his best poker face and so his feelings will be as unseen as it is only possible. That was the way he was doing it in his school years keeping status quo while teacher would try to lecture him about his behavior or his marks on some subjects, if teacher thought they were not good enough.
Their conflict was lasting as long as long they were almost forced to work together for the common project on this space station which was lost in the universe. When standing for two absolutely opposing points of view for the same question, only with great complications they were able to keep in frameworks behind which there were hardly anything constructive and useful to be gained from their rivaling. That was exactly this situation unforeseen by the common recommendations when two scientists granted with LCI crashed head to head when it was initially meant they should work shoulder to shoulder. 'Creative collaboration of scientists inside single group with certain level of actions decentralization taken in account with also clear understanding of tasks which should be solved by the group should lead to achieving of common aim with higher level of quality than in case of absolutely centralized methods of group management...' One of the codified reports, which meaning and contents were hidden in list of documents behind one letter and three digits like these of so many others, told in many ornate words but in almost meaninglessly dry phrases, which were full of formality, about how perfectly constructed professional relations made final success for all inevitable. Scientists were supposed to become alike to group of atoms into crystal lattice forming flexible but strong structure of contemporary sophisticated material. In more material world realization of own fantasies presented itself as extremely complicated process of integration of creative thinking into frameworks of common rules and norms. And it happened quite often that free flight of that fantasy was crashed down from the rocks of reality into abysmal sea of compromises.
Today for one more time they will have more to argue and less to agree. Two opinions opposing each other will clash and all will be the same then so everyone will be able to think of himself as about undefeated or something new will come and none of two will be completely satisfied. Problem which was reason for some sleepless nights for both was the problem of organizing the system of management for that same Project Enigma. But all they were able to achieve was limited quantity of some minor agreements which dealt with some technical sides of the thing.
But there were things happening to be crucial for the matter. And that was what they could not to agree about. Levels of decentralization and proportion of rational to irrational element inside the system were undefined and they could not clearly imagine what should arrive in the end.
James from the very beginning was standing for positions of bigger decentralization and for more rationality. Elizabeth considered otherwise that it would be more proper to make proportions with strong center but with irrational element prevailing. And every one of the two was positive that his point of view should be reflected in that fact that component which one preferred should have bigger part of proportion on its side. And so everyone saw this bigger part mathematically as percent of 100 - 10π against 10π on minor side. What meant in more usual way proportion of 68.6% against 31.4% approximately. And even more approximately something like two to one. And so everyone of two in every of two combinations supposed to leave to opponent less than third part of what was called the field of proportion.
'But if we give that much of power to the center, than it is evident...' He was insisting. '... That there will be less of possibility to use all of groups analytic potential. And irrationality level higher than needed one will mean we cannot be sure that what will be done will be realization of aims declared initially.'
'No! It is otherwise.' She could not agree. 'In this case one complements the other. Is it not that evident for you? And the thing you call condition for task stability is absolutely meaningless in strategic perspective. In period of time for which as it is supposed project is designed that has no sense at all.'
'How is that? Has no sense at all.'
'Well, in current of time things are changing and it is absolutely logical that tasks are changing too.'
'Of course they are, but not in your meaning.' He interrupted her in quite tactless manner. 'Tasks in something may change or say better alternate, but mission is what should not change at all. Mission is the general line and technical contour in which everything should fit, which allows to keep integrity of all...'
And then he was interrupted himself. So she behaved with him in the same manner. 'For sure, but, at least, the mission should be defined in less certain way. It should not be vague, of course, but it also, I wish to say, should not be that limited.'
And then silence hung in the room again indicating brief break in between rounds of their never-ending match. This brief break was only good enough to take one more breath inside lungs and to try preparing new and unexpected by rival strategy. And now they kept watching each other in the eye being ready after minute or so to hit and to defend. That was like two heavyweight pros who went in clinch for one more time just second before sound of the gong.
And when their argument made its shape in words, leaving transcendent sphere of glances, they kept trying impossible - to prove each other that own position is right and opposite is nothing. But there was something in what they were equals. They both possessed talents of science and were smart, of course, and even more than that they both could be called outstanding researchers. And it is possible that all qualifications listed above could have slightly different personal specifics in each of two. And it is undoubtedly true that there was one more quality belonging to both in which they were not only equals, but also similar as much as it was possible. And that was the thing called stubbornness.
And like two rivals found in long-lasting fight they little by little wasted each other strength so when it came to final round they both were hardly able to convince opposing side that it is not that much tiring experience. And both could feel their own dislike to continue all of this stuff better than this of an opponent. There was, of course such thing as principle. And there was, for sure, some little idea crawling into mind. Hideous idea which told in more and more audible voice 'at least it is better than to lose'. And it was important not to lose, simply not to be defeated, if you cannot be the winner.
And in the end for all of this, after all arguments, all doubts, speeches made and tough words untold, they found the most ridiculous way out of all possible solutions. And in the end for all of this, having heavy breath out of lungs, in that particular manner for which only extremely tired intellectual person is able to he materialized his final thought in shortest phrase he used in all these debate days.
'Equal share.' And dramatically he turned himself to one side.
'Agreed.' After short pause she frowned for the last time saying this.
And so it appeared out of the blue sky for both of them and last barrier line was walked through and all what was left to be done was to wait and to see what will happen behind this horizon line now achieved. Next twenty four hours one more project paper will found itself lying on the table of Tornwull Iward and he would confirm it or would send it to the archive. And if the latter option would be chosen than their common creation, which even did not start to arrive in the reality of material world, together with all of their doubts and arguments, sufferings and worries, would be send directly to the numb numbered shelf of all universe forgotten graveyard of illusions, fantasies and unrealized scientific creativity, where it will be rested in peace among old-fashioned rows of white paper piles of other projects which were refused too. And in its right upper corner there will be mark of plain binary zero, making round from the beginning to end, transforming everything to nothing.