Sarah Zettel: Under Pressure

“Fatty tissues,” said Doug promptly. “Oh my God. ...”

Marcy’s lips moved silently while she tried to work out what was coming next. “So when there wasn’t enough toxin coming through the fish’s digestive system from the lake water—”

“TDS, perfectly adapted to its environment, went after the one source of toxins it could get, which was the poison stored in the fish’s fatty tissues. It went from being a symbiote to a parasite and started munching through the fish’s body fat. Not enough body fat, and the fish become susceptible to cold.

“We were all right. The fish died of cold. Their condition was caused by the symbiote, and that lake did do it to us.” Ed set the test tube in the rack. “Superior cleaned itself up faster than anywhere on Earth because the Canadians are ten years ahead of the rest of us in terms of acid rain clean-up. The rain water coming across Canada wasn’t adding as much toxin to the system up here as the rain coming across the States. Add that to the fact that the organisms that died due to an increased intake of poison didn’t decay and release the poison back into the system. They sank straight to the bottom and are lying around the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in cold storage until erosion can do its tiling. Even then, it’s going to be another twenty years before that water circulates back up to where the TDS algae can have a crack at it. And if we want to run this all the way down to Lansing, we need to prove that all the water going into Superior is clean enough to tip the balance. Including the rain. Which is why we’re all wringing wet and why we need those acidity reports.” Ed raised his eyebrows meaningfully at Doug.

“It’s downloading, it’s downloading.” Doug ran both hands through his hair. “Ed, if Dr. Van de Carr was going to say it was the symbiote killing the fish, is knowing why it’s killing them really going to convince anybody that the project should be saved?”

Ed looked across at Danni. Ah, the innocence of youth.

“It’s the difference between saying ‘we don’t know what’s going on’ and saying ‘we’ve not only got an answer for you, we’ve got one we can do something about.’ It’ll mean Dr. Van de Carr can go into the committee with a solution found by program researchers.”

Ed hunched over an imaginary desk-mounted microphone. “We at the Waterways Restoration Project are proud to announce that due to the diligence of our personnel, we have found the cause of the current bio-crisis in Lake Superior. Thanks to the rapid changeover to organic farming methods, a reduced level of toxins has been making its way into the lakes from the rain water, causing the TDS symbiote to suffer what amounts to malnutrition and become parasitic in nature. The solution to this problem lies in expanding and accelerating the transitional program which is already being geared up by our collaborators at En-Gene. In essence, ladies and gentleman, what has happened is that Mother Nature has bumped up our schedule.” Ed gave a fair imitation of Jerry’s hearty laugh.

“And pay attention to this, you two,” Danette said. “It won’t be the last time. All the time talking about the ‘revolution’ we forget we’re not fighting a war, we’re creating a system. We’re never going to win this. We’re going to have to monitor, analyze, correct and recorrect our actions from now til Kingdom Come. We’re always going to have to be searching for a new balance.”

“Which means we got job security,” said Doug to Marcy. “My dad’ll be thrilled anyway.”

“It also means we’d better get the hand-thingy humming,” Marcy climbed up on a high stool and reached down another rack of test tubes. “Then, what do you think? Maybe we can see about rerouting three or four of the freelance buoys down to the bottom of the lake. God alone knows what’s going on down there.”

Doug sighed. “Sleep is for the weak." He flipped open his sketchpad. “How far down is 93...?”

Ed touched Danni’s shoulder and very quietly, the two of them backed out the laboratory door.

“They’ll get the numbers,” said Ed. “We need to work out how you’re going to present them to Van de Carr.”

Danni raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth. Ed didn’t even let her start. “You went out a lot further on this than I did, Danni. It’s been my hope, but it’s been your life. You should be the one to let those Lansing Land-Lubbers in on the reality call.”

Danni’s smile took on a softness Ed hadn’t seen in years, but had never forgotten. She looked him straight in the eyes. “Do I take the good news home in person or over the lines?”

Ed took her hand. “Over the lines, I hope. We never really got to finish dinner, did we?”

“Ed, didn’t you hear that lovely speech I made to your students? We’re never finished.” She squeezed his fingers gently. “We re always going to have to be searching for a new balance.”

Ed slid his arm around her shoulders. “I’ve already found my new balance, Danni.”

As she stood on tip-toe to kiss him, Ed knew she felt the same.