Issue 18, Page 12
Trnscript
1: The three watch, lit by screens.
Xijo: You are certain it is safe to observe this sample? To watch on the screens?
Sedjet: At this dilution, we’re safe. All the tests show that it’s inert in this state: no effects on observers.
2: Sedjet types on a keyboard.
Xijo (off-panel): Sedjet Ahmes, is the alignment correct?
Sedjet: Damn, they’ve slid again. I’ll need a few minutes.
But uh… yeah, we’re safe with it like this, as long as we don’t touch it.
3: Vidali leans back in her chair as they wait. Xijo stays focused.
Vidali: Dr. Xijo, have you got family waiting at home?
Xijo: I affirm, I have two daughters. They are, ah, very young.
Vidali: I bet they miss you, it’s not exactly a short trip, huh?
Xijo: I agree. I miss them, but this study must be done.
4: Vidali speaks candidly.
Vidali: You didn’t travel two hundred million kilometers just because you’re good at it, though, right?
5: Xijo leans back in his chair and sighs, adjusting his hair. Sedjet quietly watches him over his shoulder.
Xijo: [untranslated martian]
6: They return to concentrating.
Xijo: I have reasons. For now, focus is required.
Diluted. Like the water Julia drank.
Her “development” was rather unique, in that the whole alien planet was “inert”, and her own seems to have been the only mind exerting an influence on the Black Star matter, up to the point the portal opened and the apparently telepathic thing felt other fragments, or maybe just expectations that it should be tentacly.
“no effect on observers”, heh? What of the opposite? Sure feels like observer bias could be taken to new heights here. I feel that some experiments should be performed specifically with observers who have strong expectations of what should happen (e.g. fabricated “footage of previous results” – “and now, Mr Intern, please press the “grow into a petunia” button”). No idea how to isolate it from ambient thought, though, aside from using the gate again