nexus_crossings | Blinded (with Science?)

Blinded (with Science?)

Furious, flustered and frightened, Isamu didn’t stop running until he’d reached the plaza. Out of breath, he sunk down behind one of the larger walls.

“Of all the… it is preposterous. That is what it is…” he huffed to himself, trying to gather his thoughts. “If I were actually collecting data without consent, or in direct violation of consent, that would be one thing… but a meta-analysis? A review of pre-existing literature? How can anyone object to that on ethical grounds?!”

Someone had, though. And that someone happened to be his brother’s girlfriend. Of course, it was not a question of if Minoru would find out about an argument heated enough to make the Anthean’s eyes glow. Just a question of when.

But at the moment, Isamu wasn’t even thinking about that.

“Is curiosity, in and of itself, a crime? If learning something new is satisfying or even pleasurable, does that automatically make it as reprehensible as getting high?” He pondered loud enough for any passersby to hear him. “Is science, simply because it requires empirical evidence, ideologically unethical? Where, between theory and practice, is that line drawn and who, if anyone, has the right to decide when it is crossed?!”

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The fact his brother's girlfriend isn't human doesn't faze Adia, nor that he's intersex. Even if her world didn't have sentient robots, she's met all sorts in the Nexus over the years. All she bothers to do is make a mental note of the preferred titles and pronouns and nods at Isamu to continue.

"You felt hurt, being accused of such things," she says when he's done venting, a faint questioning lilt at the end to see if she's understood him. "And I'm sure it doesn't help that this anger came from someone who your brother cares about very much." She gives him a sympathetic look for that alone. And yet, she can't help but feel bad for the girlfriend, too, who was likely traumatized by what had happened to his family member, and perhaps afraid of the same thing happening to himself.

"Some things are just... they're like triggers, they'll upset someone no matter the context. I think trying to frame this as an argument about what is ethical in science is kind of missing the point?" She worries her lower lip, wanting to help resolve his conflict. "Maybe your brother can talk to him on your behalf? Are you two close?"

“Yes!” He confirmed emphatically. “Yes.”

There was something refreshing about talking to another scientist. Isamu wasn’t very good with emotions. But Adia phrased it in such a way that it began to make logical sense.

“This was not the first time we have engaged in conversations about scientific studies, with varying degrees of comfort. This was by far, however, the most heated.” He added. “The response… I suppose it took me very much by surprise as well. No one enjoys their character and their livelihood being questioned. I… may have acted just as defensively…”

He felt a bit guilty now for calling the Anthean petty.

“My brother and I are extremely close. We are twins, cohabitating for longer than we have technically been alive. He compares our bond to two halves of a single soul. Which is also part of the problem.” Isamu sighed. “I… do not want to put Minoru in the middle of that. Or make him feel as though he needs to choose…”

There's another brief smile on Adia's face, that she helped put into words how he's feeling. She's not an empath by any means, but she's always tried to understand where someone else might be coming from. It's like second nature to her now.

"It sounds like you both felt disrespected, especially because you've been able to talk about this sort of thing before. That's a hard thing to walk back from, but it's possible."

She hopes so, anyway. She can tell how much Isamu cares about his brother, and the desire to not create drama for him is all too relatable. "Maybe you just both need a little time to cool off," she suggests instead. "You're already starting to see things from his girlfriend's point of view, he might be doing the very same thing. You two got along alright before this?"

That would definitely be a best case scenario.

“I would say that we did.” He nodded. “I must admit, I initially had my reservations about the type of lifestyle he led. But overtime, I have had many of my preconceived biases broken by statistically significant data to the contrary. And would call many of his eccentric companions at least acquaintances, if not friends.”

His voice was softer now.

“I do not want to lose those relationships either. Nor the friendship I have with his father. Speaking to a fellow scientist about topics of interest brings me tremendous joy. We have already collaborated on one project, a biochemical analysis of plant species from his wife’s planet. I sincerely hoped that we would work together on a number of things, but if Zi…” Isamu paused, realizing that he had not yet named names, and did not want to start now, “…if he makes real on the threats he made during our argument… not only would that never happen, but I may very well lose that friendship as well.”

It's interesting to Adia that Isamu comments on this person's lifestyle, but not the fact that he isn't human. The two must not be related, then.

Her eyebrows go up a little at that near slip of a name. She's more than a bit curious about who this mysterious girlfriend is, but knows that if Isamu wanted her to know, he's say so. It's too bad, though, if she knew that it was Ziggy, she'd be a lot more optimistic about their reconciliation, or at least could offer more specific suggestions on how to make up with the alien rockstar.

"I like doing scientific collaboration, too," she says with a small smile. "If his father has already worked with you and seen how you handle yourself professionally, I don't think he'll jump to the same conclusions. My husband is... well, he's not human, either, and his people were once at war with mine, but he's a scientist, too, and still working in our lab with the same people we worked with before. It just took some time to build that trust up again."

Edited (pronoun problems) 2021-10-12 14:31 (UTC)

It was surprising where people hold their biases, but that would be a more interesting discussion some other time. At the moment, Isamu was quietly listening to Aida’s reassurance and experience.

As much as Tom knew Isamu personally and professionally, he also knew how protective he was over Ziggy. And the more he thought about how harshly the Anthean reacted, the more he was beginning to better understand why.

“He is not human, and his people were at war with yours? Then he or his loved ones… did they experience trauma at the hands of humans? Did this…” he wasn’t entirely sure how to ask it, “did this trigger any, well, outbursts, arguments between you, misunderstandings with others? And if so… how did you navigate it?”

"He's a Cylon," Adia elaborates. "A biological robot. Humans used to treat them as slaves, denying them basic rights, and refusing to believe that they were sentient at all. Then the Cylons rebelled and..."

She trails off a moment, expression even more subdued as she revisits her memories. It's only been a few years since both humans and Cylons made peace and settled on Atlantis, but that's not much time in the face of all the trauma that has happened in the years before.

"There were atrocities committed on both sides," she continues quietly. "I think it's pretty safe to say that everyone involved was traumatized in one way or another. I was so happy to be reunited with Caspar after the war that I think we both tried to pretend that we were okay for the sake of the other. Caspar is especially stoic, he kept all of that inside for the longest time, not wanting to upset me. We never fought about it, but we did have to learn to not pretend that it doesn't exist, either."

Isamu had encountered the term Cylon only in passing. There were papers in the IRIS archives, he noted to himself as Adia spoke, that he could look up for additional context. It might help.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Ziggy, too, was pretending he was okay through many of their other conversations. And through the study he conducted in all the band members.

“I see…” Isamu mused quietly. “I know only a few vague details about what his uncle endured as he was being studied - and the inherent danger associated with being an alien on a human world. The times my brother and I have visited that world, we must watch our tongues closely and pretend his girlfriend is human. With a few chromosomal anomalies, of course, but human…”

Maybe there was a lot more pretending going on than he previously thought.

Careful as Isamu is not to name names, Adia feels another pull of familiarity as he describes the things that his brother's girlfriend must do to not attract the wrong attention.

"Considering what happened to his uncle, I can't blame him for being careful. Caspar doesn't have that option because his face is so recognizable. Each Cylon model had many copies, and his was the first to be found out. They're indistinguishable from humans except for a few physiological differences... but, anyway, keeping part of your identity hidden like that can take its toll. And maybe it scared him that being authentic around you opened him up to a conversation that reminded him too much of what happened to his uncle."

Indeed, if such a thing were to get out, Ziggy’s face would be all too recognizable too. He was a famous celebrity on his world, the kind of person who couldn’t go out to eat at a restaurant without fans and paparazzi alike. (As Minoru had relayed to him after their first date, along with how fun it was to climb out the roof of a limo.)

“Oh, I doubt I have ever really seen his authentic self. Or experienced it, I suppose, would be the appropriate word. It is… complicated.”

But the uncomplicated fact of the matter was that Adia was most likely right. It probably took a tremendous amount of courage to reveal the things he had revealed, and for Isamu, that never seemed to be enough.

“And my authentic self just wants to know everything about everything. Which, before you say it, no… probably did not exactly make him feel any more comfortable around me.”

Adia's eyebrows go up a little at that. "Do you mean his non-human side?" she guesses, unsure what Isamu means by complicated, but not wanting to pry if he's unwilling to explain.

After he says aloud what Adia had most certainly been thinking, she gives him a brief, somewhat sheepish smile, her expression sympathetic. "No, it probably didn't. But then again, you said that he comes from a family of scientists? I'm sure he's seen that drive in them, too. What I mean is, I don't think all hope is lost there."

He nodded. “It is still very much an enigma. And to sum it up in something he said, before things got exceptionally heated actually, I could never understand. I do not possess the capability to understand.”

That was like ‘triple dog dare’ language to a scientific mind. He shook his head, laughing a little at the realization of that fact.

“Of course, I took that as a personal challenge. Of course I did…”

The study he’d just completed had three days worth of biometric readings on Ziggy. He knew Antheans communicated with empathic abilities, and data suggested that the energy expenditure required to do so was substantially more than any human could endure. But it didn’t explain the mechanism of action, how or what made the energy needs so great. Minoru had told him that Ziggy’s cocaine use was medicinal in nature, to make it easier to process sensory information. While he observed and recorded levels of that and other substances in his blood, it didn’t explain how or why that worked either, or even what normal Anthean senes can detect. There was so much he didn’t understand, but wanted to understand.

“I hope so.”

"His paranormal ability," Adia replies in understanding. "And that's when you hypothesized the experiment?" She shakes her head a little. "That might have been why he felt that it wasn't in good faith, because you saw it as a challenge."

When Isamu expresses his own hope at reconciliation, she smiles at him encouragingly. "You know, you already have a lot of insight into how you handled things. That's the hardest part, in my experience. I wouldn't be surprised if your brother's girlfriend is doing the same thing. And if not, some time to cool off may be enough to put him into a more receptive mood."

Realizing that she knows his brother's name, but not the name of the man she's talking to, she offers her hand for a shake, if he's amenable. "My name's Adia, by the way. Adia Costas."

Isamu just sighed. That really was the root of it, wasn’t it. What made it so personal (and perhaps also so offensive) on both sides.

“… yes.”

But while Isamu honestly wished to make amends, he also wanted answers. Or at least to follow the thought exercise to a logical and satisfying conclusion. If the hypothetical experiment wouldn’t work, why wouldn’t it work? Why wouldn’t it be visible on an Anthean brain scan? Is the device they used not sensitive enough? Is it measuring the wrong thing? It was like an itch he needed to scratch. And maybe that was why Ziggy kept saying he was acting like an addict…

“Oh! I beg your pardon…” the outstretched hand pulled him back from his thoughts. “Isamu. Isamu Uchiwa. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

While Adia might understand that drive to find scientific answers, she has come to peace with the fact that there are some things beyond her knowledge, or at the very least, there are not enough hours in the day for her to learn all she can in order to satisfy her curiosity. Not that she doesn't try, on occasion. The number of books in her enchanted messenger bag are evidence of that.

"Likewise, Isamu," she replies warmly. "You know, sometimes I feel outnumbered by all the magic users in the Nexus. It's nice to meet another scientist. If you ever want to talk shop, you can do it with me. I'll let you know if there's anything I'm not comfortable discussing."

Adia has had far more awkward collaborations in the Nexus, and Isamu seems pretty reasonable. Plus, she's genuinely curious about his own research.

He smiled. “I would very much enjoy that.”

He would probably also enjoy learning where to acquire an enchanted messenger bag. Because the number of books in his perfectly normal bag is set firmly between too many and never enough.

“Have you considered applying for a grant to research at IRIS? It is a top-notch institution, possessing both high standards and boundless opportunities.” He encouraged. “While there are certainly those with magical abilities and many more studying those abilities, there are just as many, if not more, who do not possess such things.”

There are many benefits to being friends with a powerful witch, specifically Hermione Granger. An enchanted messenger bag is one of them.

"Oh... you know, I thought about that, but I already have my hands full with the research I'm doing on my world." Not to mention the medical volunteering, the farming, the beekeeping, and the several subcommittees she's on to help run a nascent colony on a new planet. "But if there's something you're working on there, I'd love to take a look. I've done a little biochemical work, although it was very heavy on the bio part of it."

Isamu nodded. That was a problem he didn’t have, as he’d chosen to study and work here instead of immediately pursuing his Ph.D. in his.

“I am certain there will be some potential for collaboration regardless.” He offered a soft smile. “Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to assist chaotician Dr. Malcolm in a cross dimensional survey of worldwide extinction events. And to work with Tom Jones on what later became my paper on ‘Phenolic Compounds in Anthean Flora and their Relationship to Essential Nutrients.”

Not all of his work was wholly biochemical either. The latter, he hoped to turn into something closer to a comparative study of essential nutrients in human versus Anthean plant-based diets. But what he was most fascinated with were neurotransmitters and brain function.

Adia is not familiar with either of those scientists, but there is a spark of recognition at the word Anthean. Perhaps later, she'll connect the dots on who Isamu argued with, but right now, she's more interested in his research to speculate.

"Were you trying to see if an Anthean's native diet has something to do with their longevity? I don't know much about phenolic compounds. My background is in infectious diseases, although our lab also occasionally runs microbe identification in water and soil samples. I was doing a lot of field work when we first arrived on Earth."

“Oh, now that would be a fascinating followup study for sure.”

His voice seemed almost giddy at the thought of connecting the dots in this new way. It was innocent, of course. But it was the same tone that came out during his discussion with Ziggy, and one the Anthean found particularly distasteful.

“The intent behind cataloging the available nutrients in Anthean plants was to later compare them to what is available for humans, to discover potential nutritional deficiencies that might occur if one species had to subsist solely on a diet from another world. It may also help when examining human food that is toxic to them, and perhaps whether something could be done on a biochemical level to alleviate that toxicity.” He explained. “Preauthorization for that analysis is currently in progress.”

It sounds like innocent scientific curiosity to Adia, but that tone coupled with an insensitive hypothetical experiment could certainly be taken the wrong way. She listens to his elaboration with interest, thinking about the practical implications of such a study for Anthean people.

"I know that they have toxicity to several things that are fundamental to a human diet. That'd be really useful to find a way to alleviate that. If anything to keep them from getting accidentally poisoned."

Context mattered, but it also demonstrated just how natural that curiosity was for Isamu. He was often rather stoic when he spoke, but when it came to figuring things out, the excitement was there. He probably wasn’t even aware of it most of the time.

“In our culture, it is customary for men to give gifts of chocolate to women on Valentines Day. Minoru certainly made an attempt. Which, while even I thought we might have found something possibly edible due to the types of sugars it lacked, it was most likely never consumed.” He nodded. “Received gracefully, of course. But better safe than sorry.”

Unintentionally poisoning your new girlfriend is not the best way to spend Valentines Day. And it probably went the other way as well.

Isamu may not realize it, but he's giving away quite a bit about who his brother's girlfriend is. An Anthean, and although Adia isn't sure how many of them are in the Nexus currently, the mention of Valentine's Day makes her think of Ziggy. Although the thought of the pacifist rockstar getting angry enough to frighten Isamu is hard for her to imagine, so she keeps her suspicions to herself, as she does with most things.

"I think that's very sweet of your brother to try, although I agree, it's better to be safe than sorry." She frowns thoughtfully. "Being able to share a meal or exchange food is such an integral part of human culture. I hope they're able to find some sort of common ground."

Unfortunately, Ismau did not realize it. At least not consciously. His conscience might have wanted to share it while the rest of him clearly did not. He was well on his way to mentally processing some common ground himself. And either way, he would be thankful that Adia kept such suspicions under wraps.

"Metabolically speaking, it is a fair bit easier for a human to consume Anthean foods than the other way around. At least, in the short-term. I have had the privilege of tasting a variety of items as part of my initial research. Though some were certainly bitter to the point of being completely unpalatable." he noted. "If there was a place to find common ground, there is a high likelihood of it beginning with food, though..."

Perhaps there was something to that.

Maybe there was a way that he could use science to make amends.

Adia is not the type to insert herself into other people's conflicts, not unless someone is insulting a friend of hers or being completely unreasonable. For the sake of his brother's relationship, she does hope that he and Ziggy can come to an understanding.

"I know that they like salty and sour foods," Adia remarks, thinking back to her conversation with Ziggy about his diet. "Sugar is a real problem, though. But there are enough things that both humans and Antheans can eat. Enough to make a meal, albeit a simple one."

Sensing that his comment is trailing off to another thought, she falls silent, though still obviously listening, curious what might be on his mind.

Blinded (with Science?)

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