Arriving at their rescheduled meeting in the cavern the following week, Tom met with six billionaires who really believed in the project. Robert Clark, who had secured their second meeting, listened to Tom and Bob as they shared the result of their meeting with the president. Robert explained that he’d had a chance to get the president’s attention on projects that weren’t normally on his radar before. He’d hoped the same would happen here before he made a larger commitment. While he seemed like he might pull out of the project, he was willing to sit through the meeting before he made his final decision.
Tom appreciated Robert’s patience. “We won’t let you down. Promise.”
They detailed the next steps and how the funding would be used. The funding being entertained in the millions would allow them to purchase fifty per cent of the materials necessary to work on the project. These materials were needed to build the state-of-the-art medical labs, cryo-preservation units and cloning area. In addition, all of the finest materials needed to construct the propulsion system in engineering would be procured. The rest of the funding was steadily coming in from their global technology stock portfolio percentage figured into several wealth flagship asset and investment management advisors’ pitches and their Amazon-like platform used primarily for crowd sourcing, and it was projected to continue to, since interest wasn’t waning.
They were also promised they would be included as passengers on the ship. It was determined that anyone that was married could bring their spouse with them as well as their children. However, unless the grandparents were involved in working on the ship, they would be left behind. No pets of any kind would be allowed on board the vessel, although DNA samples could be collected for cloning when the time was right. They all agreed that it was going to be an arduous process to select the thousand individuals for the ship. It weighed heavily on Tom. He knew he also needed to employ experts in many different areas.
Anyone who was hired in the first few years or who was invested would have to swear to keep everything a secret.
“Now when it comes to our families, we certainly know how important it is to not let anyone feel that future decisions as large as this are being made without the consent of our partners. Naturally, we understand, but again, if you at all feel like your spouses will not be interested in this or will somehow breach our agreement, then it is best that you make the right decision for everyone involved. It will be unfortunate to lose you and your investment and involvement in the project, but I’m sure you understand.”
Everyone nodded.
“I have told my wife about our plans but not my children. We want them to live healthy lives until Sam graduates from high school in 2027. Sam has shown the most significant promise for being a future commander of the ship. Sophie is not interested in math and science. She seems to want to follow her mother’s career as a nurse. That will be useful. Robert is our youngest, and I am still not sure what Robert wants to become. He is only a baby.
“At least one parent in each family at Sam’s school is working on the spaceship and our plans. They are all eager to meet you and work alongside you. There is much to be done. After putting together, our team of engineers and construction people, our next step is to acquire the expertise of the top medical doctors and researchers we can find. I’m happy to share with you the most current reports related to DNA studies, cryopreservation, and stem cell research, as we determine how to find the best experts and medical protocols for the voyage.
“And I am pleased to make an announcement. You are among the first to know, since you are an integral and a crucial part of this groundbreaking stage of our voyage. I have decided that Dr. Helen Sato will be our next recruit. Dr. Sato has been at the forefront of medical research to prolong life and an advocate of DNA and stem cell research. She has published over a hundred articles related to research on those very topics. If I can convince Dr. Sato to join the team, it will be easier to convince other experts to follow. I have taken the liberty of providing you information about her in the packet we have put together for you. I am hoping to give you much more encouraging news when we speak next.”
This seemed to please the investors, all of whom were willing to contribute to the voyage at this stage. Even Robert Clark had become supportive despite seeing the challenge of changing the president’s mind fail.
Before the investors left, Tom informed them that he had made an appointment to see Dr. Sato in Chicago the following Monday. Eager to return home, all the investors were pleased that they would be involved in most stages of the preparations and construction.
Driving back to Aurora, Tom couldn’t wait to meet Dr. Sato in person and smiled when he wondered whether she would really mind that he’d left her out of the meeting at the Oval Office.
Chapter 8 – The Amazing Dr. Sato
Tom Burns, Chicago, IL
Tom arrived at the University of Chicago where he was to meet with Dr. Sato. She led the adult cellular therapy program. Her work had led to many innovations in stem cell and DNA research, including the first stem cells that had been created in a nuclear transfer with the potential to treat diseases.
Tom had first seen Dr. Sato at a lecture in 2003 at a worldwide symposium on stem cell research. Dr. Sato was one of the first physicians to advocate for using stem cells to find cures for various diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well as many kinds of cancer. She explained that stem cells are cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Under the right conditions in the body or a laboratory, stem cells divide to form more cells called daughter cells.
She had been lecturing in front of an audience of nearly 500 people that included many of the leading medical researchers in the world. Fifteen minutes into her lecture, a group of hecklers had started to interrupt her continuously to the point that she could no longer deliver her address. It was clear that these protestors were vehemently against embryonic stem cell research.
One heckler had stood up and asked Dr. Sato, “Why would you want to destroy an embryo that is only three to five days old? This embryo is the beginning of life and must be given the opportunity to grow into a human being. Why do you want to kill babies?”
Another protestor had stood up and added, “Do these embryos not constitute life? How can you, Dr. Sato, decide to kill someone?”
Dr. Sato had not seemed surprised by the hecklers, and she had remained very calm.
The head of the symposium had come up and asked Dr. Sato if she wanted the protestors removed from the lecture, but Dr. Sato waved him off.
Instead she had returned to the microphone and said, “I appreciate your questions and your right to protest your feelings about this controversial topic. I would like to give a response to what you just said if you will promise not to interrupt me during my response. If you do interrupt me, I will have no choice but to ask that you be removed, as I would like to address this issue and I think the audience would like to hear the response. As you know, many of the people in the audience are also interested in the use of stem cell research to eradicate diseases in the world. At the same time, they do need to understand your position, so I am asking you, will you be quiet while I give my response?”
The protestors had looked at each other and had come to a consensus that they would remain quiet while Dr. Sato resumed talking. A few of them had just decided to walk out.
Suddenly the entire room had fallen into complete silence. It was obvious to Tom that Dr. Sato had been able to gain the trust of everyone in the room, at least for the moment, so she could respond to this vital conflict.