Like a Single Cell

By Marla Shin

Science fiction Novella
On a colony planet, xenobiologist Desmondia Petrillo learns a devastating secret that dooms the colony program.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marla Shin
• Release date: May 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310424328

Marla Shin

I've been a librarian for over twenty years, and a bookworm from the age of 3. Wichita, Kansas is my hometown, but I've lived in the Southwest for about the same time I've been a librarian. I'm currently living in Albuquerque with my husband and five cats.Friend me on Facebook.

Book preview

LIKE A SINGLE CELL

A Science fiction novella

Published by Marla Shin at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 Marla Shin

THORNYROSE BOOKS

Ebook Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold

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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Some locales are real but fictionalized, others are completely fictional. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

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LIKE A SINGLE CELL

By Marla Shin

Dr. Desmondia Petrillo staggered away from her microscope and collapsed into her desk chair. Dio, she whispered. Her lab, the walls of fresh shiny thermoplastic, all the beautiful, brand-new, state-of-the-art equipment that she could still remember caressing the first time she walked into the room, the thick window through which she had admired the swath of wild meadow outside, this room she had planned to spend most of the rest of her life in lost all color and became alien. Desmondia could barely see. Inside her brain was a roaring like a tornado. She put her face in her hands and sobbed. Oh, Dio, for me to find this! For me to have to tell all these people their dreams are doomed!

Finally she stood up, went to a sink, washed her face, and organized the pertinent research into her pocket computer. Gathering her courage, Desmondia locked the lab door, and headed for the governor’s office, still wearing her stained coveralls and steel-toed lab boots.

You must wait, Doctor, said his assistant, Lisette Beauchamps. He sends a message to Earth at present.

Desmondia thanked her and slumped into a chair, sinking deeply into thought.

G’day, Squirrel. What are you wasting time off sitting by the governor’s door when you could be out climbing the rocks?

Desmondia glanced up at her Aussie assistant and couldn’t even work up enough