It had been two days since Clemens and Jenny had left Columbia Falls and they’ since set up camp in the Montana Glacier National Park. Given its size, they were well aware that they wouldn’t be able to see all of it, but had decided to at least visit a few key locations. And right now they had their tent up by Two Medicine Lake with the lake itself facing the front.
The Sun was beginning to set as they settled down to enjoy the view, and with nothing else for them to do at the moment, they began to talk about things.
“Clemens? There’s something I’ve been thinking about.” Jenny spoke. “Well quite a few things really.”
“Really? Sssuch asss?”
“A lot of things, like what do, kid-wise.”
“You mean what they would be like?”
“Yes. Given the episode with George and Molly, I wonder if it would be right for them to start life as, well, you know.” She referred to their instant ‘identification’ of Clemens as a predator and there subsequent reaction to his presence.
A concern that had a greater meaning for them, since reptiles generally didn’t rear their young. And with the Animatrix Serum was still being very new, there simply wasn’t enough information relating to this critical area to make a solid assessment of the facts to determine whether or not such kids would behave in a manner similar to their equivalents in the wild or carry more of the parents human traits. Additionally, most reptilian species laid eggs and again, the lack of hard information was something to be factored in.
As it was, Mammalian species were the single-largest group for which the Animatrix Serum was used for, and by far the dominant group for offspring, over 90% at this moment, with Avian species taking up close to all of the rest. This resulted in mammals having the best pool of information to draw from, and strongly indicated they were born with instincts being the dominant factor in their infant minds, though this was the same with humans.
“But that wasss one reassson why I ssset assside that insssuranccce policccy.” Clemens replied after some thought. “That would mean that it ssshould not be a problem.”
“True, though that means one thing.” Jenny started, not needing to finish.
“I know. But newsss isss that they’re making progresss with that, ssso there isss a good chanccce that it won’t be a problem for very long.” Clemens spoke of the ongoing efforts to design the Animatrix Virus to make certain it could not be transmitted from one individual to another.
“Perhaps, but even if everything goes right, the trials wouldn’t begin until sometime the following year, at least.” Jenny pointed out.
“You’ve been thinking about usssing it yourssself?” Clemens asked.
“The thought has occurred to me, but I don’t know as much about it as you.”
“Well.” Clemens began as he recalled the information. “From what I know, Female African Rock Pythonssss have an unusssual maternal care, at leasssst for the sssspeciessss, guarding the eggsss until they hatch, which isss usually about ninety daysss for a normal African Rock Python. And recccently, they were ssshown to guard their young for a time after their hatching to protect them from predatorsss.”
“Then that is one thing that holds.” Jenny determined.
“Yesss, but they don’t protect them for nearly asss long, and with ssso little information to go on for thossse like myssself with regardsss to parenthood, there isss a lot of risssk there.”
“And then there’s what you said earlier, about your family’s tendency to start late there.”
“That’sss correct. In fact, my father wasss just passst forty when he firssst became a father.” Clemens confirmed. “And I think I’d be much the sssame. A few yearsss of jussst you and me, then kidsss of our own.”
“And by then, there might be enough information to make a decision on it.”
“True, true. But I think that that’s a deccccisssion that can wait, at leassst for a while longer.” Clemens offered.
They continued to watch the scenery in silence for a short time before Jenny spoke again.
“Say, Clemens? Just how much did change when you took it? Besides the obvious parts?”
“Hmm? Quite a bit, although thisss tail is jussst mussccle and bone, with everything elssse needed to hold it together. Why?”
“Just curious. It tells me it didn‘t change you as much as Molly and George were by there injection and transmission of it.”
“That might be the cassse, but the inssstinct isss ssstill there.” Clemens tapped the top of his head. “Which doesss take sssome getting usssed to.”
“I see.” Jenny sighed.
“Jenny. I know thisss isssn’s easssy, there’sss a lot of thingsss to take into account. That’sss why we both need to be cccertain of what it meansss no matter what decccisssion isss taken.” Clemens wrapped an arm around her. “And besssidesss, thisss isss sssupposssed to be a relaxxxing vacatttion for usss. Ssso let’sss worry about it another time, and enjoy now.”
“Yeah, I think we should.” Jenny agreed as they prepared for sleep with the Sun now set.