"Restoring extinct animals... as in as themselves," Heather commented to Jeremy from the section of the lab that had been set up for her to practice her art in when there wasn't anything that Jeremy or Doctor Stein needed moving.
"That's a part of what Project Cenozoic will work with," Jeremy commented, "I THINK they're only working with regard to things like the Mammoths and Mastodons that went extinct. They won't be recreating the more predatory animals from the prehistoric era."
"As anything other than an Animalian," Heather finished for him.
Jeremy nodded, "but it's something that would still have some kinks to work through. To my knowledge, the attempts to recreate the Mammoth haven't had much success, yet."
"Do you think it will?" Heather wondered.
"Given the advances that have been made... it's possible," Jeremy answered, "the biggest single hurdle is whether or not an African Elephant could be successfully implanted with what would essentially be a Mammoth clone embryo. And some of the things I've read have shown that standard artificial insemination has had limited success with many animals. The theory is to get it running. The big thing will then be to provide some means of protection... that goes both ways."
"Both ways?" Heather tilted her head.
"Even if only the herbivorous megafauna is restored and can somehow survive in the modern era, which could be a conservation question, there is the fact that they aren't going to naturally stay in one area," Jeremy gave a shrug, "and if they can survive... there is the concern to make sure they don't outcompete the wildlife that is naturally there now... Especially considering that many of the animals that are being brought back... or planned to be brought back... may not have been killed off by man."
"Man did hunt mammoths," Heather commented.
"True, but we really don't know how often or how effective they were," Jeremy commented, "and we know that at the end of the ice age as the world warmed there were conditions that the Woolly Mammoth couldn't easily adapt to... and it wasn't so much the warmth, as many places, particularly in the northern hemisphere still had cold winters, but more that the slight warmth allowed for more precipitation... and in the winter, snow. I've seen one documentary that made the case that many of the ice age megafauna were not either adapted to or capable of pawing through deep snow to get at the grass underneath and thus couldn't survive the change in climate. In that sense, they might have faced extinction ANYWAY and about all humanity did was help it along. Thus raising the philosophical question over bringing back extinct creatures..."
"Like Ian Malcom in Jurassic Park," Heather comments, "he says dinosaurs had their shot and nature selected them for extinction."
"Well... I suppose that reflects the question," Jeremy chuckled, "but if they can keep the ice age megafauna contained to an area... they might do okay... Might end up being the thing that any Cenozoic Animalians will end up being tasked with... keeping the herd contained and away from other wildlife refuges..."
Heather gave a slow shrug to that and resumed what she'd been working on. And Jeremy resumed his going through some of the numbers that were being presented for some of the things related to Project Cenozoic. Though, at times he did make some glances to her when he thought she wasn't looking, and it did present some odd feelings in Jeremy that he was surprised he had and still had him surprised that Heather was one who'd triggered them or that she'd had interest in him as anything other than a friend.
After Halloween and getting cleaned up from being held prisoner in the sewers, Jeremy had managed a few small dates with Heather, mostly taking her dinner simply going for a walk. It had allowed for Jeremy to reconnect with Heather in a way that he never had before, though he had to admit that a lot of his "attention" in the past was so focused on wanting to save Polly that he'd never noticed that Heather had any attraction to him. Some of it was reflective of his own past, as there had been a girl he'd asked out once in high school, but she'd pretty much laughed at him for that. That had also helped him focus more on his work than dating. That kept his relations with Heather as something very new and something he was essentially playing things by ear as he went.
But it did feel nice, even with all the surprises that had come about with regarding to learning about Heather being interested in him as anything more than a friend. But that raised questions of its own, and Jeremy knew that would relate to his own future. For, if Heather, once her probation ended, wanted children of her own and children that were her own, he would need to become a Syntixisaurus Rex Animalian as well in order to retain following Animalia's edicts. That was something that he and Heather hadn't talked about, but then it was also early in the sense of dating, but it was still something that remained on Jeremy's mind...
And had actually frightened him while he'd been Mary Piper's hostage. While at the time he hadn't been seriously considering becoming an Animalian, be it a Polar Bear for Polly or Syntixisaurus Rex for Heather, that didn't mean that the implicit threat of being infected with the proto-version of the Animalia Virus didn't frighten him. After his release, that had lead to some return visits to Doctor Jones' clinic and as he looked to Heather as she practiced, his thoughts did go back to that session.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"It is good to see that you're healthy, Doctor Green," Doctor Jones spoke politely as he welcomed Jeremy into his office area, "particularly after such an exciting Halloween."
"You can call me Jeremy," Jeremy answered, preferring a more informal tone and avoiding the term "doctor." Technically he did qualify as he did have a PhD in science and particularly in genetics, but he wasn't a medical doctor and to Jeremy the only ones who were "doctors" were those who cured the sick and the lame. "And yes... I am glad to have made it through Halloween unchanged."
Doctor Jones nodded, though he detected a half nervous tone in Jeremy's voice as he spoke. For the moment, he didn't say anything on that. He ushered Jeremy to a chair and then moved another to sit down opposite him.
"And how are things going with Heather?" Doctor Jones asked, "Learning new things? Or at least finding fun?"
"I did have fun with her at the Carnival... but a lot of that was also to be there for Polly," Jeremy answered, "We haven't had much chances for a real romantic date... Yet."
"Ah... so there's hope," Doctor Jones smiled, "and you do like her?"
Jeremy pulled his lips back and nervously scratched his head before he answered, "well... I suppose so. We WERE friends in college and all... but the fact that she is... or was... romantically interested in me was a surprise. Though, I'll have to admit that in terms of social interaction... I really haven't been the most attentive. So... Heather could have been far more flirtatious with me than I actually remember her being and I simply never noticed as I was so focused on my studies to gain the skills to help my sister."
Doctor Jones slowly nodded, "Well... things are clear now. I'd think that by talking together... you can both be honest with each other and build on the friendship you have and see if love is there. It's something that many Animalians are rather quick with... especially if they had some past with the one they took as their mate after being uplifted... but it's still something everyone needs to focus on from time to time... And there is NOTHING wrong with taking things slowly to find out how it develops."
Jeremy nodded, as that did fairly well with regard to where he stood with Heather. He wasn't necessarily ready to become an Animalian or even fully sure as to whether or not Heather was the love of his life, but then, he'd pretty much only just learned that Heather had romantic feelings for him and had only just considered being involved with her in a way that would reflect dating her. In time when things between them could be better determined and talked out, that decision could be made. For now, Jeremy figured he had the time in that, and for the moment he just looked down, staring at his feet, and eventually Doctor Jones caught on.
"That isn't why you came to talk with me, though, isn't it?" Doctor Jones said slowly.
"No... it's not," Jeremy answered, "it's more to do with what happened on Halloween. You see the person that kidnapped me carried the threat of infecting me if I didn't go along with what she wanted..."
"That doesn't sound right..." Doctor Jones commented.
"It didn't and did make me somewhat afraid," Jeremy answered, "both that my being would be violated and the fact that it did add some concern that it might ruin my relationship with Heather as well."
"That she might turn you down if you down if you become a Rat Animalian?" Doctor Jones asked carefully.
"I don't know," Jeremy sighed, "I don't think so... but that's still relative to how new things like dating are for me. I only asked a girl out once, and that was to the Prom in High School. She laughed in my face and after that, I put all my focus into my studies... leading me to miss what Heather left as clues to her attraction."
Doctor Jones slowly nodded and gave a gesture of his and for Jeremy to continue. He gave a sigh before speaking.
"But that doesn't mean I WANTED to become a Rat Animalian or that Heather wanted me to be a Rat Animalian," Jeremy spoke, "There's actually a lot that at the moment is an unknown to me in that regard... but they'd forced that change on me... it wouldn't matter whether or not I wanted to become a different Animalian or not... It'd be a problem of regardless of whether or not I was dating Heather."
"And this frightens you?" Doctor Jones asked.
"A bit... I'm sure it's not justification to go through with conversion into anything," Jeremy said nervously, "but that doesn't mean that I wasn't afraid then..."
"That is understandable, from what the news reported, you were kidnapped and taken to an area that wasn't well lit and where you wouldn't be safe," Doctor Jones said slowly, "that sort of experience is often traumatic. But it is over, and your choices are still open to you. You can still join Heather... you could still be there for Polly... and doing either is not necessarily exclusive. And if you're concerned about Heather may think of you over what happened... talk to her. If she truly loves you, she won't care as to whether or not you were "macho" or not."
Jeremy slowly nodded. In a way it was something he needed to hear. Coworkers had been supportive and encouraging it wasn't quite the same. The talk might not have been earth shattering, but it was something he needed to get off his chest.
"I'd think she was about as stressed as I was," Jeremy managed after a moment.
"Which could well mean her feelings for you are genuine," Doctor Jones answered, "Which means everything could work out in the end... so long as you work together."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
And what Doctor Jones said to him did make sense and did help him and Heather move forward. Especially as she revealed some of her own fears of what might have happened while Jeremy had been held hostage. In a way, Jeremy was seeing that she was genuine in her feelings. It might be new and different from anything in his past, but a part of him figured it was more real than anything else.
He might not be ready for conversion, yet, and there was still the likely "meet Tyra" as a boyfriend rather than as a Horizon scientist, but as Jeremy looked to Heather practicing, a part of him realized that she was worth it, despite everything. Of course, that'd then mean some conversation on what Heather expected.