Characters in the Cosmos: Meet Zera
Meet Dr. Zera Lewin. You won't find her in a published book yet. Author A.J. Super (yup, that's me!) is just starting to query her book Seeds of Green, in which Dr. Lewin, also known fondly as Zee, appears.
Who are you? What do you do?
I am Dr. Zera Lewin, a geneticist on the Attis Combine space station. My project is part of the terraforming team that was set to do a small scale experimental terraform on Jupiter's moon, Ganymede. I was working on a way to 3D-bioprint adult species from a genetic ark gathered by the AC via a cell differentiating hydrogel seeded with stem cells. The gel works in tandem with an algorithm programmed into the bioprinters which, in simple terms, tells the gel to turn specific genes in the stem cells off or on in order to print specific parts of an organism
What is your greatest fear?
Losing everyone I know. Not having family.
What's the worst thing that's happened in your life? What did you learn from it?
The destruction of Earth. I think that it was the worst time in many people's lives. Lots of us lost everything. Including our families. What did I learn? That you can't rely on family. That you have to rely on yourself. But blood doesn't necessarily make a family.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Bacon. My mini-pig. He is the most loyal and sweetest little pig. And he knows when someone is not right. I should really pay attention to Bacon more often.
When and where were you happiest?
When I was on Earth with my family. Having family barbecues.
What is your most treasured possession?
My rainbow afghan. It was knitted by my grandmother as a college gift. I've taken it everywhere with me.
What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty. Family is loyal. I expect that out of friendship as well. Friends are just an extension of family.
Tell me about your best friend. How did you meet? What do you like about this person? What do you think they like about you?
Dr. Terrek Kelley and I didn't speak much on the day we met. He started rearranging my lab and I was shuffled away so I wouldn't strangle him. He was very efficient, and he'd do anything for his husband, Akio. I admire that. I hope he liked that I'm intelligent and loyal to him.
What's the worst thing you've ever done to someone? Why?
I shot someone. A friend. He shot first. They shot a friend. It's my biggest regret. Of course, if I had stopped the incident that caused him to shoot first, I suppose it all never would have happened.
What is your ideal world?
A world where basic humanity is praised over blind ambition and superiority. A world where kindness and friendship and hope replaces base striving and deceit and hatred
You can find A.J. Super (aka me!) on Twitter, @AllBrevityWit, here on this website, of course, and occasionally on Facebook.