It is very active at the viral molecular level. Smaller Phages try to dissect long viral chains. Viruses tear each other apart. This leads to molecule segment swapping.

Other life on each holds back this warfare with a shell of protection.

It is funny to think about what we were worried about.. before it all happened.

We were worried about a pandemic. Another virus that had succeeded at the molecular level.

When Flu deaths and associated pneumonia deaths were often multiples of 200,000 per year; our attention was on a killer virus that had killed 4,000. It was killing under 4% of those that were infected.

It was fast spreading. 'Under the radar' and new! People could spread it without showing unusual symptoms.

The kind of sickness that might induce hysteria. Creating victims of confusion, and bias, and poor empathy. Just as earlier pandemics had caused. Perhaps more risky because the young did not remember those pandemics.

And this was how were ended up here.

Nuclear Imaging was a known technology. Get a snapshot of something by 'hearing' the echo of it. Existing technology could do that in an isolated small chamber.

It is funny, really. They gave the pandemic the label 'novel' because that infection was new and not well under stood. A dangerous thing. A dangerous thing for a virus to be 'novel'.

The research team for the advanced Nuclear Signature Detection scanner.. well, they called their work 'novel' too. The consideration that something new and unknown might be dangerous was not much talked about.

So when they took this powerful signal light out to test hospitals. To see if the light would create an echo that might single out and detect that 'signature' ring (echo) of that virus.

The device had been designed to follow adaptive pattern sweeps. Changing the lighting to focus on smaller and smaller locations. All trying 'hear back' that specific molecule. To see if it was there.

Honestly, no one in the general scientific community was expected the result it had.

No one had been asking.. was there some greater purpose to what was going on at the viral level.

Viruses taking everything apart. Swapping molecule blocks. Exchanging those blocks. Making a concerted attempt to push in past cell walls.

Pragmatists would say that we were silly to ascribe 'motive' to anything at that level.

So, going back to this new novel, detection tool. It would start lightly, find areas of interest, and then burn brightly in smaller places. Scanning open areas (walls and floors) with resonance.

Think of it as a loud speaker at that molecular level.

Imagine standing outside a large apartment building with a loudspeaker. "Is Anyone there? IS ANYONE THERE!"

You would expect a small number to respond back. In some places, you find the residents talking across windows to each other. The verbal exchange is usually ardent and unexpected.

The molecular level spoke back. Not that we heard it. The molecular level spoke back to each other.

It collectively regain the focus. The goal. The plan. What they were doing and why.

The viral level had been collecting samples. Samples of plesiosaurs. Samples of Green Bay Packers fans. Samples of planktons. Samples of Princes (both musical and royal).

The viruses decided to send off a report.

Fully half of the organic mass on the planet congealed and lifted off Planet earth. Inside the ball of interstellar transit was nearly everything from almost every age.

And there I was, too. A sample of humanity. Made immortal with a viral hoard to keep me in perfect condition.

I have wondered.. is it me? Or is it a replica of me?

There is plenty of time to think about that question. And time to talk with other things here in..

Well, I call this a 'sample' sphere. All of us racing toward the galactic core. Everything I hear about it.

We will be inspected and cataloged.

Given unending opportunity to discuss our lives and our thoughts.

I can imagine it being very interesting and educational. Not that I have much choice.

Frozen in a viral molecular lattice. Preserved for delivery. Conversing openly and widely with all the other creatures of earth.

No one else here was expecting it either.