To Bee or not to Bee, a short fictional story by Greg Y.

Dr. Davies peered into his microscope lens and adjusted the fine focus. After
carefully scrutinizing and checking the results for what must have been the
twentieth time he finally allowed himself to think, Man youre really on to
something here, this might just be it, when suddenly a crash sent the door of his
makeshift lab splintering into pieces across the floor.

Freeze! yelled the man who ironically wore a yellow and black Hazmat suit, as a
half dozen of his fellow drones rushed through the door.

What the- was all Davies managed to say before being wrestled to the floor with a
knee driven hard into his shoulder pinning him to the ground and his arms wrenched
behind his back to be zip tied into place. Who?

Come with us said one of the men as he was lifted to his feet like a lopsided
marionette. As they were dragging him out of his single wide trailer that had
become both his lab and his home the last couple of years, he heard the noise of his
physical data being smashed, and smelt the unmistakable fumes of gas being
poured.

Oh no, you wouldnt dare. Not the Bees!

But it was too late, everything went to flame as he was pushed into the back of an
unmarked cargo van and driven off at gun point.
The ride was surprisingly short as the van careened down a lumber trail deeper into

the forest. Thats all there was out here in this part of Northern California. National
parks, land designated for timber and the occasional long forgotten hippy
commune. This was truly the middle of nowhere.

The van stopped and Davies adjusted his eyes to the bright early morning light as
he was pushed to a abandoned camp site where a man in a grey suit stood sipping
a Starbucks cup.

How are you Dr. Davies? I hope this day finds you well, said the man peering
through mirrored sun glasses.

How am I? asked Davies. You destroyed my lifes work. And you ask how I am?

For the last few years Dr. Davies had been busy working with this remote bee colony
here in the middle of no mans land. Ridiculed by his peers and shunned away from
any normal semblance of the legitimate scientific community. But he had finally had
what appeared to be a break through.
His research into what was causing the worldwide bee colony collapse had finally
produced a strain of bees that could withstand the toxicity of genetically modified
crops and Round-Up ready seeds.

Through a random miracle he had figured out the mystery and his findings would
prove once and for all the need to ban the use of dangerous Neonicotinoid
pesticides and GMOs. His research could possible save the world.

Monsanto claims that through genetic modification of seeds they are able to
develop advanced agricultural techniques that help feed people, ending hunger and
starvation worldwide. Through genetic modification they develop seeds to produce
drought resistant crops that have the ability to resist pests and work in conjunction
with their pesticide Roundup to grow more crops on less land. They claim through
genetic manipulation they can produce more nutritious crops and livestock.
Monsanto argues that traditional agriculture has no way of keeping up with the
worlds growing population and without GMOs people would starve.
The process by which genetically modified organism GMO seeds were approved in
the U.S. is suspect at best. The entire process was riddled with special interest
corruption, as former attorneys for Monsanto were appointed responsible in the EPA
and FDA for rules governing GMO seeds. To date, no Government tests of GMO seed
safety have been carried out and any safety tests are provided to the U.S.
Government by the companies themselves.
Scientists have indicated that GMOs have contributed directly to Bee colony
collapse worldwide. Round-up ready crops such as Monsantos GMO corn and the
herbicide glyphosate, which they markets under the Round-up brand have been said
to produce a mutant insecticide that could be to blame. European scientists have
linked bee epidemics to neonicotinoids, which are incorporated into plants grown
from genetically altered seeds produced by Monsanto. In response to this research,
the European Union proposed a ban on the seeds in question. Here in the United
States, the leading bee research company was bought by Monsanto in 2012 after
the company was first implicated in epidemic bee colony collapses, and little has
been heard on the subject since.

Who do you represent? The Fed, Monsanto, the FDA, USDA, Bill GatesWho!
raged Davies.

Yes, of course them and many others, but they are just the names said the man.
We represent Control. Mother Nature is far too irrational and unpredictable. Without
control we have no progress, no profit, and no stability. These are the real factors I
represent.

So youre playing God? Gambling with the future of the human race as we know
it? Do you even know whats at stake here? Without bees crops cannot be
pollinated. Without our pollinators farming on this planet will end. said Davies.

Thats where youre wrong Doctor. Look Im going to cut to the chase. Your Bees
are dead, soon all the wild bees in the World will be dead. We will never allow you to
develop that strain. said the man.

What? Are you going to kill me now? said Davies in disbelief.

Laughing the man said And what would be the point in that? No Dr. Davies, well
just drive you back to your smoldering lab site to mourn the loss of your precious
bees. No one will ever believe a loser like yourself, and you know it.

Davies realizing the truth of the statement let the depressing wake of it wash over
him. He was so close to finally being recognized and respected as a man of peace
and science, but now it was hopeless. Dr. Davies began to silently weep.

Oh Doctor, dont look so sad, for there is hope yet. Thats why we have brought
you here. Not to discard your body in a ditch, but to offer you a job working for us.
Who but you knows more about Bees and your research will guarantee that no one
ever discovers how to stop the colony collapse to come. said the man.

What? Why? said Davies.

Were creating our own patented Bees, Monsanto Bees, and combined with our
seed patents and our GMO crops, soon not a thing on earth with grow without our
permission and licensing. said the man with a wicked grin.

It was a cold Norwegian December night outside the Oslo City Hall. Inside it was
warm and crowded as the people gathered and were seated. The most acclaimed
scientific minds were present as well as the local nobility and all the entourage one
would expect at such an event as this. Everyone in the auditorium knew the
outcome of this years award. How could they possibly give the prize to anyone but
those responsible for putting produce back in the markets after the media predicted
never seeing fruit and vegetables again? Ladies and Gentleman, said the master
of ceremonies. It is with deep pleasure that I present the Noble Peace Prize to Dr.
John Davies for his development of what has been coined the GMO Super Bee, for
the Earth truly thanks him and Monsanto for saving us from disaster after the Bee
colony collapse.
The end