The Face of Earth Read Online Free PDF Page A

had stagnated. They had reached a point where they could manipulate DNA, and were playing with their own DNA in an attempt to improve individual attributes. Mutations were remedied in the womb to avoid any change in the Earthling species.
    Megg sighed. The whole point of the experiment had been to create a new intelligent species with the capability of retaining a soul beyond corporeal limits. Instead, many Earthlings were born without souls, and none born with souls were able to keep those souls beyond the death of their bodies. They needed to continue to evolve to reach that point, but they had taken steps to ensure their DNA would remain the same, believing they were already at the pinnacle of their evolution. Megg knew from experience that a species evolving technologically without evolving biologically would be a danger to other species.
    Scrolling down the screen, Megg examined the forecast charts that predicted what would happen if the Earthlings continued on their current path. The results made her shudder. If the Earthlings managed to leave the Olympian Solar System before evolving immortal souls that could reincarnate and mature with each life, they wouldn’t be prepared to deal peacefully with extraterrestrial species. Their innate violence would never be bred out of their mortal bodies, and they would wreak havoc on the galaxy. As head of the project, she couldn’t allow that to happen. She would have to terminate the experiment.
    Megg sighed again and sat back. Although her government would support her decision, an underground movement in Stelairian society fought to gain rights for experimental species. They believed it was wrong to annihilate a species, even if their creation had been orchestrated by science. It was becoming increasingly difficult to discover the sympathizers who infiltrated the experiments and used guerilla tactics to halt the termination of experimental species.
    Megg thought about her assistant, Luvian. He had come highly recommended, and had passed all the tests involved in becoming a research assistant, including the loyalty tests. But this particular project was never in danger of termination before now. Luvian was a recent addition to this experiment, and had only joined her around three hundred years ago when she had lost her last assistant to a promotion. Forced to find a new assistant quickly, Megg had allowed herself to be swayed by Luvian’s family, an ancient and revered line of Stelairians. Although Luvian was descended from that noble line, it didn’t necessarily mean he could be implicitly trusted. She still waited to see where Luvian’s true loyalty lay.
    Megg leaned forward and resumed her work. She had lived for billions of years, but her eons of experience didn’t prevent her from making mistakes. She must have overlooked something when she created the Earthling DNA chromosome. She turned on the holovision next to her screen. After tapping a few commands onto the screen, a 3-D diagram of a DNA chromosome appeared, floating above her work console. She tapped in a few more instructions and it began to slowly rotate. The image of the chromosome seemed to mock her, hiding its flaw. After examining it from all angles for several hours, she rubbed her eyes and tapped the screen, shutting the holovision off.
    Sitting back, she rubbed the base of her skull, running her fingers through her hair. The occipital fontanel indented slightly with the pressure of her fingertips. She paused, touching it gently. It had always bothered her to have a vulnerable point on her body. Stelairians were immortal in that they could potentially live forever, but they were mortal in that they could be killed. She found this juxtaposition ridiculous.
    Stelairians had a solid and indestructible skeleton that completely protected their internal organs, but it had a flaw that allowed them to be killed instantly. The soft spot at the base of their skulls was the only opening to the inside of the