{"id":1562,"date":"2010-03-03T13:34:00","date_gmt":"2010-03-03T13:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2010\/03\/somebody-up-there-likes-us-a-short-story\/"},"modified":"2010-03-03T13:34:00","modified_gmt":"2010-03-03T13:34:00","slug":"somebody-up-there-likes-us-a-short-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2010\/03\/somebody-up-there-likes-us-a-short-story.html","title":{"rendered":"Somebody Up There Likes Us [a short story]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u201cSo what is it that makes this case so unusual, doctor?\u201d asked the captain of the Zog ship. <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you know this single-celled organism that we discovered? It appears to be \u2018unwell\u2019, and yet the exact cause of the \u2018ailment\u2019 is almost impossible to determine\u201d replied the Zog expedition\u2019s chief scientist.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, do explain further,\u201dsaid the ship\u2019s captain, genuinely interested in the life-form that they had discovered.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as we can determine,\u201d the scientist explained, \u201cthis life form contains many different molecules that interact in a unique way, sometimes according to patterns, at other times quite chaotically. We believe we have identified the molecule that controls the transfer of cell resources to those other molecules which are responsible for producing the energy that is distributed throughout the cell, enabling the complex molecules to continue to live, grow and function. Anyway, while we were observing this and getting ready to write up a report, something peculiar happened. This key molecule suddenly stopped increasing its distribution of resources to the other molecules in proportion to the needs of the energy-production molecules. Within a few cycles, the other molecules in turn ceased to produce energy for the rest of the cell. We have no explanation for what has happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure that in the process of your study you did not damage the cell or some important molecule?\u201d the captain asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not!\u201d retorted the chief scientist indignantly. \u201cWe took all the standard precautions. We simply cannot account for the behavior of the key resource-managing molecule, nor for that of the energy-producing molecules. The latter should still have had enough resources to continue producing energy for the cell, yet all their energy-producing activity has stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps they are on strike,\u201d quipped the captain.<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm! Must you be so crudely zogomorphic?\u201d the scientist replied, becoming even more indignant. \u201cThis is a serious matter. This situation has already been going on for 40 cycles, so the very existence of the life form may soon be at stake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if it is a matter of life or death, then you must intervene,\u201d the captain said. \u201cDo you have any suggestions, any intervention that you may be able to propose to remedy the situation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is one thing,\u201d said the scientist. \u201cWe observed in other parts of the cell and in other molecular functions a remarkable characteristic of this entity. When a molecule is removed or deteriorates, another molecule is found or produced to replace it. This suggests that, were we to remove the key resource-distribution molecule that appears to be the cause of the problem, it will be replaced with a healthy, effective one, and then everything should return to normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease doctor, do try it. It is our ethical duty,\u201dsaid the captain.<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, I\u2019ll send in a nano-probe with nano-tweezers, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, on earth:<\/em><\/p>\n

NEWS FLASH<\/p>\n

The workers\u2019 strike that has been continuing non-stop for the past 40 days at the World Energy Production Center ended abruptly today when the Center\u2019s director, who had refused to give in to workers\u2019 demands for an increase in salary, suddenly vanished from his office.<\/p>\n

The director\u2019s secretary, who was the only eye-witness, is being subjected to psychiatric evaluation. Her remarkable account of events is that the director, Mr. Evan Jones, was pacing around his office when what looked like giant tweezers came through the window, grabbed Mr. Jones and carried him off out of sight.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the head of the Energy Workers\u2019 Union, Mr. Stephen Simms, had this to say: \u201cWe consider this a satisfactory, if somewhat surprising, resolution to the crisis.\u201d When asked if he had any explanation to offer regarding this strange account of Mr. Jones\u2019 disappearance, he replied: \u201cI guess somebody up there likes us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cSo what is it that makes this case so unusual, doctor?\u201d asked the captain of the Zog ship. \u201cWell, you know this single-celled organism that we discovered? It appears to be \u2018unwell\u2019, and yet the exact cause of the \u2018ailment\u2019 is almost impossible to determine\u201d replied the Zog expedition\u2019s chief scientist. \u201cPlease, do explain further,\u201dsaid […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nSomebody Up There Likes Us [a short story]<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\""So what is it that makes this case so unusual, doctor?" asked the captain of the Zog ship. 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