Growing into the Job, Post 512: Men, Abandon Science (2)

“I’ll need you to remove your jacket, ma’am…”

Her day of strategy meetings coming to a close, the tall, well-built blonde woman rolled up the sleeve of her crisp, white blouse to expose an upper arm that had - she’d noticed - begun to fill out nicely again. Her loyal aide, Erin, had put her tablet on the table and started to prepare the syringe. The conference room here in the local party headquarters was not large but it was richly appointed, with a huge oak table dominating the space and a giant flatscreen on either end.

Inauguration day was two months away, but Marlee Martin wanted to be prepared. With everything going on in the world, especially the events below the US southern border, she wanted to appear as a powerful figure at her inauguration ceremony. The goal was to have herself taller than the Supreme Court Justice (regrettably still a man) that would be on stage bringing her through her oath of office, as well as taller than her husband, who would be standing behind her. That would mean adding at least three inches to her current 5’9” figure (and a smart pair of heels wouldn’t hurt, just for good measure). She pictured the scene, and how the cameras would capture her as the dominant figure.

As she mused on her Inauguration and Erin approached with the syringe, which was filled with an amber fluid, she again picked up one of the several news briefings that lay on the table. Ever since winning the election, Ms. Martin had been privy to these, given access to them generally before they were released to the press. 

She’d been following the revolution in Central America closely, and even though she wasn’t yet in power, Marlee Martin, President-Elect of the United States, knew she’d soon have to start her own dialogue with its enigmatic leader, Paulina Morales. The current administration was showing the expected response, taking a line that the revolutionary’s actions were a violation of international law and that the previous governments of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador must - despite the corruption rampant in their administrations - be restored. The RFC (República Femenina de Centroamérica) was still considered, in the eyes of the US, an illegitimate government. 

That, thought Marlee Martin as she skimmed through the briefings, is beyond naive. The events in Central America were in part being orchestrated by players larger even then Morales, and were just the first moves in a game that would have enormous implications in Martin’s own rise to greater power. There was no walking any of it backwards, that she knew. What she hadn’t known yet was what these briefings described: RFC forces had just taken Belize and crossed the Mexican border at El Triunfo. That woman works fast, the President-Elect marveled.

“Ow.” she complained, as Erin struck her strikingly impressive deltoid with the needle, and pressed the plunger. 

The President-Elect had also been kept up to date on the two bombings in Europe, each at an office building of Valkyrie Motors. The next briefing went into some detail about those incidents. Valkyrie was an automobile company on the forefront of electric-vehicle technology, owned and managed entirely by women and quite the darling of the Movement. Predictably, the bombing had been linked to one of the male terrorist cells in Europe, members of the so-called ‘Resistance’ - or, well, whatever they were calling themselves now. They apparently had a (more poorly-organized) network here in the US as well, she’d learned from earlier briefings. She read through today's classified memos quickly, and though the audacity of these male cells angered her, she did understand the positive implications of having an enemy, even one from within. It could be useful, here in the United States, to have something to fight against - all the more reason to make oneself stronger. She could use the threat of these terrorists to rally more women to the cause and further her party’s deeper agenda. 

The next news briefing was not something she’d been made aware of yet. She began reading as Erin dabbed at the injection site on her shoulder and applied a small bandage. 

+++

Classified Incident Briefing: Prion Research Facility Attack, Basel, Switzerland

Date: 18 November
Time: 08:30 CET
Classification: Top Secret, Level 4g
Prepared For: Senior Government Officials and Intelligence Agencies

Summary:
At approximately 03:15 CET, an explosion devastated the Swiss Institute for Prion Research (SIPR) located in Basel, Switzerland. The facility, one of Europe’s premier centers for prion and neurodegenerative disease research, was completely destroyed. Early reports confirm six casualties, including four male researchers and two security personnel, with others injured.

Details of the Incident:

The explosion originated from the facility’s central laboratory, where sensitive research was conducted. Preliminary investigations suggest the use of high-powered explosives, likely placed by individuals with significant technical expertise. Security footage shows a group of three individuals, possibly female, all wearing non-descript clothing and masks, entering the facility around 02:45 CET. The assailants disabled several security measures before detonating the explosives.

Message Left by Assailants:
As emergency services responded, a dramatic message appeared across the smoke and rubble. Using high-powered light projectors set up on nearby rooftops, the words “Men, Abandon Science” were displayed in bold, crimson lettering onto the billowing clouds of smoke, dominating the Basel skyline. The projection persisted for over 15 minutes before authorities managed to disable the equipment. Witnesses report the message was visible from several miles away, sparking fear and confusion across the city. Similar wording and techniques have been noted in recent incidents in Krakow, Singapore, and Johannesburg, suggesting a coordinated campaign.

Casualties:

Confirmed Deceased: Six individuals, including the lead researcher, Dr. Karl Weber. All male casualties were directly involved in ongoing prion research.

Injured: Ten individuals, including three women, were treated for minor injuries sustained during the evacuation.

Perpetrators:

Though no group has claimed responsibility, the attack aligns with a string of recent incidents targeting male scientists. Notably, the methods and messaging mirror previous events, as mentioned earlier. Intelligence suggests potential links to various radical feminist factions advocating female supremacy in science and medicine.

Broader Implications:
This attack marks the most brazen and deadly action to date against male scientists. Experts warn that such incidents could escalate, further destabilizing international collaboration in critical research fields. The targeted nature of the casualties has sparked fears within the scientific community, particularly among male researchers.

Immediate Actions:

Forensic Investigation: Swiss authorities, with support from INTERPOL, are analyzing the scene for evidence of the explosives and tracking the individuals captured on security footage.

Global Security Alert: Researchers in similar fields are being advised to review their security protocols and consider working in non-central locations, perhaps remotely.

Media Response: Swiss officials are preparing a controlled press release, emphasizing the importance of international scientific cooperation while downplaying the attack’s symbolic message.

+++

“Have you read this yet?” Marlee Martin asked her aide. Erin Shea was a smartly-dressed woman in her early thirties and a dyed-in-the wool operative in the Movement. Raised outside of Boston, she’d done most of her education in Europe and was recruited during her years at St. Andrew’s. She’d been ‘suggested’ for this position in the New Women’s Party from higher-ups in the global Movement. Though these briefings were classified FYEO, the President-Elect had no illusions that Erin hadn’t already taken a look. “About the lab bombing in Basel?”

“Yeah, tragic,” she commented dryly. She‘d put away the syringe and had drawn a stylus from behind one ear. With it, she began tapping on a large smartphone. “I’ve already started asking questions in Europe, the usual channels, seeing if we can understand more about who’s responsible. And why they’re only targeting the protein scientists so far.” 

“Does it really matter?” The President-Elect countered, rolling down the sleeve of her blouse, “Getting rid of these eggheads is good in the end. Less smart guys to worry about.” This, of course, was not something she’d ever say in a public forum. Though they came from different places, she knew she could trust Erin. 

“Respectfully, ma’am, I don’t think we need to kill them off, resort to the violence they’d use,” Erin offered, tapping again on her screen. “Like Representative-Elect Zazanetti from Texas was saying on Fox last night, our battle should be fought in Congress, in parliaments. Soon we’ll be able to restrict their funding more effectively, keep scientific research where it belongs - in female hands. We’ll officially be able to keep them from attaining certain positions - or remove them if they’re there already. We’ll have the ability to start limiting their access to education. The war of the sexes should be fought here across meeting tables, or in boardrooms and banks. Not with bombs. Again, respectfully, ma’am.”

Marlee Martin chuckled. Erin was an enthusiastic party member, to say the least. When she got going, she could actually be quite eloquent.  The President-Elect, though, had her own ideas on the ‘Men, Abandon Science’ bombings. ”I don’t know, Erin,” she began, “I think we should look for the value in these attacks against male scientists. It’s giving them something to fear, and if these lab bombings happen in the States, they’ll make the male eggheads look for something, or someone, to give them protection and offer safety.” 

Erin looked up from her enormous phone, and stopped tapping. 

She paused, and looked at the President-Elect. The two women shared a long glance. 

“I’ll see what I can do,” she said dryly, and went back to tapping her phone. 

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