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Life and Production: S1 E8: The Highest in Their Actions

Lesane works through the power outages.

By Skyler SaundersPublished 6 years ago 5 min read
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Deserved Its Title

A pinball machine illuminated and boomed noises in an apartment. A player standing about four feet nine inches struggled to see the action of the steel ball. She was good. Her wrists responded with the constant rotation of the silver sphere(s). With every slice of the finger into the button of the game, she garnered point after point. As her score reached into the thousands then the millions and then as the score approached a billion points, the electricity failed.

“What the...” the pinball player said, remaining a statue in the darkness. She spun around to view from where the possible outage originated. She didn’t know nor did anyone else these days. Rolling blackouts. Gas lines cut. Who knew what fossil fuel would be targeted on any given night? And it wasn't the electrical storms. Those are natural. This was a more nefarious element.

No fear for Trevor Lesane. His laboratory came equipped with backup generators and a reserve of gas to keep his burners going. Lesane kept working through the momentary darkness before the lights returned to their luster. He focused on the task at hand. He sat with an upright posture found in the position of military cadets. His hands glided over surfaces to animate matter. Close to three ounces of cocaine remained in a beaker resting in his palm. The substance appeared as fresh snow; it glistened under the lights that had been restored. The snow-like stuff looked flaky and shiny and it deserved its title fish scale. This residue would one day be in the form of a pill to be administered to the addict looking for a way out of the terrors of craving cocaine. Lesane would ensure that this day would arrive. He considered the heroin specimen. One day he would devise a patch which would fend off the horrors of heroin. The door to the lab swung open and in walked Barber and Knight. Soaked in rain, the two shuffled off their watery accessories and plunked down in chairs adjacent to Lesane. Barber spoke.

The Tenacity

“Well, sir, we’ve gathered enough,” he gasped in some air, “material for you to complete the experiment,” he wiped his forehead and sniffled.

Knight stood up from his seat again and added, “Yes, we’ve retrieved a significant amount of data to back up your research and continue with the process.”

“Good. I’m pleased to see that you two can do something right. Now, where is the results of the paper that I issued?” Lesane said.

“We have them right here, Mr. Lesane,” Barber leaned forward and handed Lesane a tablet showing the information which they collected. Lesane leaned back a bit and peered at the figures and characters before him. He tapped to find the next bit of numbers and letters which illustrated a portrait of certainty. While other drugs performed the task of curbing the want for narcotics, Lesane Laboratories fought to establish a drug which would stop the desire for taking the substance altogether.

“Barber. Knight. I appreciate your efforts. But what else can you discover about the process? Look past all of the data. I need to know the specifics of all of the cases for people who’ve experienced relapses, and convulsions, and other adverse effects from taking drugs designed to counter the want for more,” Lesane said.

Barber and Knight looked at each other with a sense of finding and acknowledging a challenge. They both knew that Lesane meant business and that the lives of millions remained the focal point. But Lesane knew that the development of the drug would mean that he and Barber and Knight would have faced down a monster and slayed it. To act in error may jeopardize the entire endeavor Lesane thought. He issued his orders to the two candidates and sent them on their way. He provoked them to do more, to be greater. Their results would stand as testament to their fidelity to reason and science. Lesane brought down his fury on them in order to motivate them and encourage them to strive. His studies, conducted by himself, brought him to understand the natural world. He exhibited the tenacity of a race car driver hugging a curve. And with just as much speed. Before this super laboratory, he burned through textbooks and fashioned his makeshift laboratory in the basement of the local library. At this point in his current life, he demanded of his subordinates the highest in their actions. With Barber and Knight showing promise, Lesane appointed them to engage in further research on behalf of his laboratory.

Springboard

The freedom of having all substances legalized, untaxed, and available to consenting adults gratified Lesane. The Great Transition in Delaware proved to be a fantastic springboard for Lesane to counter the inevitable drug issues which arose in the wake of the decision. He viewed his work as a viable way of shaping reality to fit his vision. The patients were secondary; their cure remained an afterthought to Lesane. No, he trained a laser like focus on the case for crafting the world in his own image. And he did this with the assistance of his doctoral candidates, Barber and Knight. Their diligence shone through more than ever once Lesane assigned them a task. Their problem solving skills would demonstrate their resolve in embarking on whatever adventure Lesane sent them.

As the generator buzzed in the corner, Lesane switched his attention from the glassware which populated his work station. He raised himself from his seat, straightened his tie and smoothed out the surface of his ivory white laboratory coat. He drew nearer to the generator which offered a smart feature which displayed the amount of energy in use, where the electricity coursed, and an estimated time for the power to be restored. Lesane tapped the screen which read: “forty five minutes until full power.” He grinned. He had his doubts as to whom would cause these lapses in electricity. The fact remained that these little setbacks only propelled him to do more work. The GT provided the businessman and the scientist in him to discover, to produce, to earn. No flaws in its writing and application could deter him from his quest for fashioning drugs to fit his idea of what treatment looked like.

science fiction
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