The Andromeda Strain Page #8

Now, wait a minute!

We're not playing Ping-Pong.

We just got through

telling the president...

For God's sake, go back!

It grows when exposed to X rays

or any source of energy.

Tell him no nuclear device

must be detonated anywhere near it.

We just found out Andromeda works

like a little reactor:

Converts matter to energy,

energy to matter directly.

Then the bomb would only provide

a fantastically rich growth medium.

Understand?

No, but I'll pass along

the recommendation.

The boss will be pleased to know

that he made the right decision

on 7-12 in the first place.

Congratulate him

on his scientific insight.

And, Robbie?

You'd better get the

atomic self-destruct in here

disarmed as soon as possible.

Right. I'll start on the clearances now.

It'll be done by morning.

No, no, no.

That won't work until

the damn thing's going.

All the molecules

appear to be the same.

Yes.

Andromeda isn't composed

of different substances

like a normal cell.

All the subunits are the same.

Damndest thing I've ever s...

Boy, a single substance.

Then how the

hell does it operate?

How does anything so simple

utilize energy for growth?

No way of telling

from that structure.

Yes, there is.

With this new data,

we can get a computerized version

of how Andromeda functions.

They're not uniform.

Could be mutations.

What the devil?

The computer's overloaded!

Too much data coming in too fast.

Dividing and mutating

at the same time?

And nothing to stop it.

Normal Earth checks and

balances don't exist for it.

We'd better get a biomath mapping

of its new growth potential and spread.

According to this,

there'll be a supercolony

of Andromeda over the

entire Southwest...

Jeremy, these are

biological warfare maps.

Why, yes, so they are.

Oh, but simulations, Charlie.

Defensive. It's just a scenario.

That's not the point,

for God's sake!

Wildfire was built

for germ warfare!

Wildfire and Scoop.

And you knew, Stone.

You knew it!

That's not true, Ruth.

I learned about Scoop

the same time you did.

They already have

Andromeda programmed.

The purpose of Scoop was to find

new biological weapons in outer space,

and then use Wildfire to develop them.

It stinks!

You're blowing your tops.

We have no proof.

The map!

Don't be an ass!

That map only shows what Andromeda

could do in the hands of an enemy.

Enemy? We did it to ourselves.

Perhaps, but this is hardly the time

to organize a protest.

Another giant leap for mankind!

I wish I could believe you.

Whether you do or not,

the only important thing now

is to find the antidote.

Let's get on with it, Charlie.

Test the cultured organisms

for biologic potency.

All right, I'll run them

against a rat in autopsy.

I want to seal up the capsule.

Watch it.

Andromeda's altered.

Its effect might be radically different.

I'll try to get us a photo

of the mutated form.

Photo lab to red map.

The offbeat access reference

reads at 649-F, 1.500.

Please copy.

This may be the key

to beating Andromeda.

How, by starving him to death?

No, but don't feed him until I tell you.

Contamination!

A seal has broken in autopsy.

A seal has broken in autopsy.

Emergency procedures are in effect.

What's the matter?

Infection spread. Autopsy.

Is he alive?

I should've been with him! Dr. Dutton!

It's no use. It's sealed off.

Dr. Hall!

She's in trouble.

Ruth, are you...

She's got the germ!

Someone bring 100 milligrams

of phenobarb in a syringe fast!

There's no danger.

She isn't contagious.

There's no danger!

...to L-5,

P. I. E. And E. T. E.

Your second quarter rest

period has been canceled.

Time R.A. Has been reassigned

according to crash program "E".

Come on!

Come on. She can't hurt you.

Wasn't she with Dr. Dutton?

No, it's epilepsy.

Give her the injection.

She'll be all right.

Good girl. Thanks.

I'm scared.

Oh, Lord, I'm scared.

You'll be okay, Charlie.

We're pumping pure oxygen

through your lab now.

We know Andromeda

doesn't do well in oxygen.

He's alive!

Where have you been?

Leavitt had a seizure.

What?

Epilepsy. The red light

flashing at 3 per second

brought on a fit.

Why in the hell didn't

she tell us about it?

No top lab would have her if they knew.

Insurance, prejudice, all that crap.

From the Middle Ages.

Amazing he's still alive.

Well, it's been three minutes.

He's on pure oxygen.

I don't know how long that can hold him.

We're, working on some ideas, Charlie.

Ask your germ warfare friends.

They have lots.

Try to stay calm.

What happened?

Seal must've broken in there.

They had the same thing at the lunar lab.

That's why we use polycron gaskets here.

At least the rest of Wildfire is secure.

Poor devil.

Look at the way he's breathing.

He's scared to death.

That oxygen should relax him,

slow down his breathing.

No, we want him to breathe fast!

In Piedmont, Jackson

was crocked on Sterno.

Sterno acidosis.

Acidosis:
Rapid breathing.

What the hell you doing?

Turn off the oxygen.

Put him on room air.

The baby, he's normal.

Cries all the time.

Can't catch his breath.

Rapid breathing?

It just can't be that simple.

It isn't.

Dutton, I think rapid breathing helps.

Don't let the bug in

your lungs long enough

to penetrate blood vessels.

I want to turn off the pure oxygen,

then you start breathing

room air as fast as you can.

No! No.

I was running a test in here.

The air is thick with Andromeda.

Experiment with your own life, damn it!

We won't do it, Charlie.

Take it easy.

I know I'm close.

I'm sure it has something to do

with blood chemistry and breathing.

Dr. Hall. May I please

feed the baby now?

He's been crying steadily...

That's what I want. Keep him crying.

Run another blood value on him.

Get his pH measurements.

Yes, Doctor!

With all the yelling,

blowing off carbon dioxide,

the kid should have too little acid.

Alkaline:
A blood condition just

the opposite from the old man.

Too much alkali.

Well, what good does that do Dutton?

Karen, where's the blood test?

It's coming through now on your console.

Hell of a way to run a hospital.

Just what you expected.

Opposite blood chemistries,

the baby and the old man.

One of them should

be a dead opposite...

But he's not.

There must be a connection!

They both stayed alive at Piedmont

breathing the same air.

One's blood too alkaline,

the other too... acid.

Yes. Yes!

Dutton, I'm turning off the oxygen.

Breathe fast and hard.

No, Jeremy!

Don't let him cut off my oxygen.

No! The air in that room is loaded...

Air doesn't matter.

Blood does. That's the answer.

I need 30 seconds

to run a growth program.

He could die in 30 seconds.

Besides, Leavitt checked

all the growth programs.

She might have missed something.

Epileptics blank out.

I want to see how the

growth of Andromeda

is affected by blood

chemistry. The pH...

Oh, damn!

You do it.

Excellent.

The graph's practically

straight up and down.

That means Andromeda can only exist

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes