Red Dust (V series)

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The Red Dust, also known as "Biological Toxin", "Cherry Tang", "Red Powder", "Red Stuff" and "The Toxin", Is a fictional biological weapon in the NBC science fiction series V. It first appeared in V: The Final Battle and is a plot point for the weekly series.

Contents 1 Specifications 2 Discovery 3 Usage 4 Further Research 5 Code Delta 6 Immunity 7 Versions 8 Status

[edit] Specifications

The Red Dust is a biological germ that takes the physical and tangiable appearance of a red-coloured powder. The germ reacts with its environment, being reduced to small piles of powder in a sterile or sealed environment, and turning into red-tinted gas when exposed to the atmosphere. It has the capability of entering and becoming part of every chain of nature within three months, effectively covering the world with the germ. However, it is sensitive to its environment, and cannot survive in warm climate areas, only in areas below the "frost line" of the temperature scale, as it needs a cold environment to become dormant, and multiply and regenerate its life cycle. The Dust causes near-instant death to Visitors, but can cause mutation, sterility and ultimately, death, to all life in excessive amounts.

[edit] Discovery

The Red Dust originally formed as a spontaneous germ as a by-product of the blending of human and Visitor DNA. When two such hybrids were born, enough of the Dust clustered together inside the intestinal tract of each hybrid, eventually causing the death of one. After examining its corpse, humans were able to obtain samples of the Dust and Doctor Julie Parrish's research into the Dust discovered its toxic effect on Visitor physiology.

[edit] Usage

The Resistance, humans who were fighting the Visitor armies in an effort to free their world, realised the potential of using a biological weapon to drive the Visitors from Earth and had their scientists cultivate and grow more of the Dust and teach other Resistance cells to grow their own supply, making a considerable amount of the germ, but not near enough to render the Earth toxic to Visitor habitation at a 100% level. Desperate for assistance, The Resistance contracted Science Frontiers, whose CEO Nathan Bates, agreed to mass production of the Dust and distribution to other Resistance groups.

[edit] Further Research

Following the expulsion of the Visitors from the planet, Bates secretly expanded Parrish's original research into the Dust and discovered its horrifying secrets, such as its weakness to warm climates, effects on life in the long-term, and that another load of Dust couldn't be used without destroying all life on Earth within three months.

[edit] Code Delta

Hoping to keep these disturbing discoveries hidden, Nathan publicly agreed with the government that a contingency plan against another possible Visitor invasion was to launch another load of Red Dust into the air. After Science Frontiers scientists cultivated a new brand of Dust, their entire supply of it was placed in storage tanks, and the entire facility wired with explosives designed to rupture the tanks and cause the Dust's release. Bates programmed the explosives to respond to a signal sent out by a pulseometer wore on his wrist, that in the event of his death or the device's theft, the signal would be broadcasted, forming the Code Delta plan. When the Visitors indeed began the Second Invasion, Bates used Code Delta to make the Visitors withdraw their troops from Los Angeles. Code Delta was never used despite multiple threats to do so as, shortly before his death, Bates sent his son Kyle to disable the storage tanks so the Dust wouldn't destroy all life on Earth. The tanks themselves, along with all remaining supply of Red Dust, were promptly seized by the Visitors and removed from the facility.

[edit] Immunity

A temporary antidote was formed by Resistance scientists to protect the Fifth Column, Visitors loyal to Earth's cause, from death by exposure. This antidote was in the form of a pill and lasted for 12 hours at maximum. The market for production of the pills was controlled by Science Frontiers, and was shut down and all supplies of the drug destroyed to prevent the returning Visitor armies from accessing "The Free Zones", areas of the world still protected by the Dust. A permanent immunity to the Dust resides inside the DNA of the surviving hybrid, Elizabeth Maxwell, though there has been no opportunity for further research.

[edit] Versions

The original Red Dust takes several days to take initial effect, and a minimum of three months to toxify the atmosphere and nature chains. However, a new version of Red Dust was made by Science Frontiers to turn immediately into gas and affect the entire world within minutes (though the only supply of this version was seized by the Visitors). A new version of the Dust, one that is harmless to life on Earth, can be made from Elizabeth Maxwell's DNA, but there has been no further research into it.

[edit] Status

Even though the Red Dust cannot be used again, its effects are widely seen around the Earth, with it protecting mostly northern areas of the planet; making 50% of the world safe from Visitor habitation. These areas have since been organized into "The Free Zones", where refugees regularly come to escape the Visitors, and is controlled by the remnants of the U.S. Military forces, under General Curtis Morgan's command.

v • d • e The 'V' television franchise Creator Kenneth Johnson Films Original Miniseries • Final Battle • Second Generation TV Series The Series Universe Los Angeles Resistance Cell • World Liberation Front • Red Dust Characters Resistance • Visitors • Fifth Column • Collaborators

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