Quoted By:
<span class="mu-r">“Warren, you were able to clone people with their memories, personality, everything. Is there any reason you wouldn’t be able to ‘revert’ the changes in her mind after the nanites have been flushed out?”</span>
Warren scratched at the stubble on jaw and made a thoughtful hum. But before he could answer, you rushed to amend your statement.
<span class="mu-r">“No offense to you, Ada, but I’ve seen what he can do firsthand.”</span>
She waved a hand dismissively, as if to say “none taken”.
<span class="mu-g">“You’re asking for a transplant, as opposed to growing an entirely new brain.”</span>
Warren clarified.
<span class="mu-r">“Her body’s resisting the changes being made to her mind, right? Otherwise, we wouldn’t be talking about altering her body right now.”</span>
Both Warren and Ada nodded.
<span class="mu-r">“Well, do you think you can help a part of her to repel the changes so that you can have a clean slate to draw a sample from? Something far from the infection site; maybe part of an organ that the nanites haven’t altered because the Acanti don’t have it. Then they’d have no reason to try and reprogram that part of her biology.”</span>
Warren and Letty were giving you skeptical looks, but Ada seemed to be seriously considering your suggestion. You took that as encouragement to press further.
<span class="mu-r">“I can ask around for reference materials on Acanti biology. I’m sure someone has had to deal with spacefaring bugs and the horses they rode in on before.”</span>
You proclaimed. Ada nodded her agreement.
<span class="mu-r">“Anything you can get us raises her chances of making it through this. I have to warn you though, an operation on this scale has never been attempted. Well…not by <span class="mu-i">me</span>, anyway.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Whatever you have to do, do it. I told her that I’d find a way to bring her back, and I intend to do just that, no matter what it takes.”</span>
You looked from Ada to Warren, making it completely clear that you expected them to try their absolute best to save her. Warren’s ability to transfer memories through genetic samples was an innovation that should’ve been impossible, but you’ve seen the results of his work in both Abe and Letty. And the two of them are fully functioning sentients, with a few quirks here and there.
You didn’t know anything about Ada, but if Gloria trusts her enough to operate on your friend, then you’re willing to believe that she isn’t some quack.
And if there was anything that could make you feel even slightly better about this whole situation, it was the fact that neither of them argued with you or talked about how impossible it would be to pull this off. Because for them, it was a challenge.
—----------
Unsurprisingly, no one other than Warren, Ada, and a few assistants that they hand-picked were allowed inside of the OR while the operation was taking place. This didn’t help to ease Joyce and Glass’ anxiety, and you wouldn’t dare claim to be any more secure in your state of mind.
(Cont.)
