Sharvie said, "I was able to talk with several of my friends. They were happy to contribute while staying out of the spotlight."
"I've been meaning to ask you about them," said Harris. "They got us that huge horde of credits. I don't think we offered them anything for their help. We could easily give them all comfortable lives."
Sharvie waved. "Pfft. You don't have to worry about them. They skimmed 5 percent from all those accounts. None of them will ever have to work again. Not that they worked anyway, but you know what I mean. They're sitting on their own fat mountain of credits. And just so you know, they're continuing their crusade against the Earther spy networks. I think they've located a new stream of accounts. You may have even more funds coming."
Harris chuckled. "That has to be driving the Earthers nuts."
Trish said, "I know I don't have to say this, but anyone else hungry?"
Harris grinned. "Best first mate I ever had."
"Only first mate you ever had."
The group broke out the MREs, taking a moment to reflect as they came across the last of the meals supplied by the pacifists from Jebwa. Runs to Domicile would have to be made to replenish their stockpile. Trish, Gandy, and Sharvie were more than happy to volunteer.
Harris took a large bite from a bogler rib. "Farker? Does Alex have anything new for us?"
Three farks were returned.
"Open a comm."
An image of Alex floated in the air. "Hello, Harris, Tawn, others. I have good news."
"You finished working on whatever you took those scans for?"
"I did. If you would kindly come into the complex, you can each meet with your new assistants."
Harris looked up from a chew. "Assistants?"
— Chapter 2 —
* * *
Harris walked through the door to the scanning room. A holo-image of himself was floating just above the floor.
"Hello Harris."
"Uh. Hello?"
"You just finish eating an entire bogler or what?"
"What?"
"Look at me," the image said. "I bet I weigh five kilos less than you. You must have had a big week." The image grinned. "Or a big something."
Tawn snorted a laugh. "Alex? If you're listening. You nailed him. That is Harris."
A second image, this one resembling Tawn, appeared beside the first.
Harris chuckled. "Well simulated Harris, who's your big friend?"
Tawn growled. "Har, har."
"We aren't gonna take that from the likes of you," said the second image. "Go ahead, Tawn. Give him a good beat-down."
"I'm seriously thinking about it."
The image of Harris replied, "So two slugs walked into a bar..."
Trish shook her head. "I don't know if I can take a second one of him. This is seriously messed up."
A third image appeared. "Tell me about it. He thinks he's the better pilot too, but we can fly circles around him, can't we?"
Trish turned slightly red in the face. "I didn't say that."
Harris returned a stare. "We'll have to put that to the test some day."
The simulated Harris added. "Always full of herself that one."
"No." Trish shook her head. "I didn't say that. It was the hologram."
Gandy spoke next. "I'd say he got the three of you exactly right."
A holo-image of Gandy displayed. It gazed longingly at Sharvie.
Sharvie stepped back. "OK. That's a little unsettling."
An image of Sharvie was next to show. "Hello everyone."
Sharvie smiled, pleased with the friendly avatar showing before her.
"Alex," Harris said, "I hope these aren't the assistants you alluded too. If so, you have a lot of work to still do."
Alex replied as his image popped into view. "Say hello to your virtual assistants. Using the responses and recordings from the different levels before you arrived here, I reconstructed virtual yous. I believe you will find them both fun and infuriating. During this level you will be required to spend time conversing with them. This will allow your assistants to fill out their programming."
Harris asked, "Can we assign them a different avatar than ourselves?"
"If you wish. Although, you may want to wait as this level will offer a good deal of self reflection. If you feel something is annoying about your avatar, chances are others feel that same way about you. Think of it as a chance to improve yourselves."
"Can we change the avatars of others?"
Alex replied, "Why do you ask?"
Harris chuckled. "I just think a better representation of Tawn might be a Domicile sloth. I'd make Gandy an Earth chimp. And Trish one of those parakeet birds that chirps all the time. And Sharvie I would leave as Sharvie. Everybody likes Sharvie."
"I believe I will leave the avatars as they are for the moment. Should the point come where they are turned over to you fully, you may decide to alter their appearance at that time. I'm certain this is distracting to each of you and your assistants, so I would now ask that you step back through to the previous level and return to your rooms to get better acquainted with your virtual selves."
Harris shook his head as he turned toward the door. "Why do I get the feeling this is going to try my patience?"
The virtual Harris replied, "Your patience? I'm the one that has to put up with you. If you get tired of me, you can just leave. I don't have that option."
"I don't see that as being an issue. You're spending time with me... that's a pleasure for anyone."
Tawn laughed. "Alex? Any way I can just watch the two of them go at it for a while?"
The virtual Tawn smirked. "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little."
The virtual Harris followed its likeness. "Domicile sloth. Good call."
"Wasn't it though?" Harris grinned.
Each of the pairs entered the separate rooms, taking a seat as the doors closed behind them.
The virtual Harris sat in a virtual chair beside its original, kicking its boots up on the console and placing its hands behind its head as it leaned back in the chair. "So... this should be easy."
"Easy for you. You get to be with me."
The virtual Harris nodded. "I see. Gonna be like that is it? I tell you what. Just so we don't get confused with each other, why don't you call me skinny Harris and I'll call you fat Harris."
"Uh. No. How about you call me Harris and I'll call you... mmm... Clone. Clony. Yeah... Clony. Sounds a bit like clown."
The virtual Harris chuckled, followed by a chuckle from the real Harris.
"Well, I will say this, at least we should be able to keep ourselves entertained."
The replica replied. "True. And if I'm going to be entertained by someone, who better to do that than myself?"
Harris nodded. "You know, a few minutes ago I was skeptical about this. I think I'm starting to warm up to it though. Two of me has to be better than one, right?"
"Exactly. Yep. And think about the problems we can solve. We have twice the brainpower as we did before. I mean, yours is real and mine's virtual, but still. I bet between us we could solve all of Domicile's problems."
Harris chuckled, causing the virtual Harris to also chuckle. "Yeah. Like the Domers are gonna run out of problems."
Within minutes, loud laughter could be heard coming from the Gruberg room. Twenty minutes into the interactions, the virtual assistants abruptly said goodbye and shut off.
An image of Alex came up on the consoles of each.
"Harris? What do you think?"
"I think I crack myself up. I'm hilarious. And Clony is funny too. You do good work, Alex."
"I see. And thank you. It appears you are bonding with your virtual likeness."
Harris chuckled. "How could I not?"
Tawn opened the door to his room. "I think I might strangle myself before this is all done."
Harris turned in his chair. "Trouble in paradise? You find yourself irritating?"
"Actually, yeah, I do."
&
nbsp; Harris grinned. "Now you know how I feel."
"Yeah, but you're an idiot."
Harris nodded. "I'll admit to sometimes being that, but at least I can live with myself. You on the other hand, you need to loosen up. Don't let you... get under your skin. Just accept that you're irritating and move on. I have."
Tawn scowled. "This is serious. How could I not get along with myself?"
Harris sat back in his chair, crossing his arms. "I think what you need is a mission. Something you can both share or resolve. You need that common bond. I have it with snarky humor, mostly because I'm funny, and the virtual me knows it."
Tawn sighed. "It was like it was in my head. I don't like that."
"Who would like to be in there?"
Tawn leaned against the door frame. "Maybe you're right."
"That you find yourself irritating?"
"No. That I need a common goal. Something to solve. Alex, can I assume we'll be having another session?"
Alex nodded. "You can begin whenever you like. Once in your room, just ask for your assistant to come online."
Harris stood.
Tawn asked, "You leaving?"
"No. I just thought I'd come over to watch. Alex? Is that permitted?"
"It is."
"Come on, irritating one. Let's go see if we can get this straightened out."
Tawn sat in her chair, commanding the virtual assistant to return. Harris stood behind her. A virtual chair with the avatar sitting appeared next to them as a hologram.
"You again? And I see you brought a clown with you."
Tawn nodded. "I like her better already."
"How could you not like me?"
"Last session you were just a bit too much me. So let's see if we can do a reset. Baxter Rumford... give me your assessment of how we should be handling her."
The virtual Tawn stood and began to pace the room. "The red witch. How many times has she almost killed us?"
Harris said, "And saved us."
Tawn and her assistant both turned at once. "Shh."
The assistant said, "This is our session. You want input you go back to your room or wait until you're asked for it."
Tawn nodded. "What she said."
Harris held up his hands. "I'd say all you needed was a common enemy."
The assistant replied, "Actually, no. Alex made a few tweaks to my algorithm while I was shut down."
Tawn said, "I knew something was different. Something looks different too."
"I'm a mirror image of my last self. I now look like what you see in the mirror. What's on the right is left and left is on the right."
Tawn nodded. "Yeah. I like it. Makes a difference."
Harris opened the door.
"Where you going?"
"I think you've found yourself. Have fun."
The door closed. Gandy was standing in the hall.
Harris said, "Tired of yourself already?"
"I'm a dweeb. I mean, I knew I was a dweeb, but now I really know."
Harris chuckled. "First, you are a bit of a dweeb, but who cares? Just go with it. You have a whole lifetime ahead of you to grow and change. Recognizing that you want to is the first step. And besides, who here doesn't like you? Maybe being the team dweeb isn't all that bad."
"Team dweeb? I don't think that makes it better."
Harris said, "I sense there's more. Here, step into my office. Have a seat."
As the door was closed the virtual Harris came online. "Who brought the dweeb?"
"Now." Harris held up a hand. "He's kind of sensitive about that at the moment."
"He does know that we all like and respect him for who he is, right?"
Gandy looked up. "You do?"
The virtual Harris laughed. "Man, you fell right for that. What a dweeb."
Harris sighed. "OK. Let's not smash what's already broken. He needs fixing not destroying."
"I see. So what would you propose, doctor?"
Harris rubbed his chin. "I think what the boy needs is a date with the woman of his dreams."
Gandy looked up with concern and nervousness. "Whoa. Where did that come from?"
"I'm betting she consumes a large part of your thoughts. Am I right?"
"Yeah, but—"
"But nothing. I can see it every time you look at her. Right now you lack self confidence. And that lack is making you and others look at you as if you are a dweeb, which right now you are."
"So you have a fix?"
"I do. Make a move. Pack a couple MREs next time we sit for lunch and ask her if she'd like to go sit by the ocean and eat them. Nothing more, just hang out. If she goes, just hang out. Eat, and talk. If there's chemistry between you it will bubble up. If not, then worst case you are just a dweeb, which you already are."
The virtual Harris nodded. "I like that plan. If the two of you are compatible, you can have a nice lunch and conversation. That gives you something to build on going forward."
Harris smiled. "Well said."
"Of course it was, we're genius."
Gandy winced. "So the plan is to either make a move or make a fool of myself?"
Harris said, "That attitude is exactly the lack of confidence I was talking about. You have to act. Make the leap. Otherwise you leave yourself stuck in dweeb-limbo forever."
Gandy stood. "I'll do it. Thanks, Mr. Gruberg."
Harris chuckled. "You going now? As much as I'd like it to be lunchtime, we have a couple hours to go."
"I'm going back to my room to talk to myself. I'm gonna need conversation starters so we both don't sit there in silence."
Gandy left the room.
Harris reclined in the chair. "I like the kid. Just don't know if he'll be successful. She's a sweet girl, might not be into dweebs."
The virtual Harris replied, "You mentioned lunch back there. Now I'm getting hungry."
"You're a program. You don't get hungry."
"Hmm. Maybe that's why I'm skinny and you're fat."
"You are far from skinny my friend. But you do bring up a good subject. We're not in good fighting shape. Might be time we started in on some training."
The virtual Harris smirked. "You mean like a trip back to Chicago Port Station and the Emporium? That kind of training?"
Harris drew in a long breath, letting it out slowly. "I hope you're not trying to discourage me on this. We need this, you and me. What do you think people will be saying if they see your plump avatar walking around?"
"That I'm thinner than you?"
Harris nodded. "That right there. That gives me incentive. Alex said we could change our avatars at a later date. If you'd like to be made thinner, fine, help me to do that as well. Otherwise, I will bloat you up to be twice my size, no matter what that is."
"I wouldn't call that playing fair."
Harris grinned as he stood. "Neither would I."
"Where are you going?"
"For a jog. Shut yourself down. I'll probably be back in a half hour."
"Not much of a jog."
"Can't lose it all at once. But I guess a good start would be to lose about a hundred thirty kilos of virtual weight. Alex, shut him off."
The avatar disappeared from view.
Forty minutes later, Trish emerged from the bunker. Harris was lying on the grass beside the supply hut.
"You OK, Mr. Gruberg?"
"I just attempted a run for a half hour. Managed fifteen minutes. Wasn't pleasant. Giving myself a rest and then I'm heading out again. You have enough of yourself in there?"
"Yeah, I was getting kind of pushy."
"It happens. Which is why I'm out here running."
"To be honest, you have packed on the weight of late. I know Tawn bugs you about it, but she's right. Who knows what we have coming in the future. And we need the two of you to continue to be ass-kickers and not ass-draggers."
"Thanks for being so blunt."
Trish held up her arm and made a small muscle. "This doesn't scare anyone off. What's under all that flubb
er you're sporting does."
"Which is why I'm taking on this new mission. My target will be to get back to a hundred kilos."
"Wow. That would put you on par with most of the stumps out at the Retreat. That's what... about twenty-five kilos to lose?"
Harris sighed. "Thirty-one. That binge last week has caught up to me. I dropped a couple kilos on Eden, but they didn't stay off long. But don't worry about me. When I set my mind to accomplish something I stick to it. Kinda like you."
Trish chuckled. "Sometimes that's a curse though, isn't it?"
Harris nodded as he stood. "It will be for at least the next half hour. Wanna go for a run?"
Trish smirked. "And ruin this perfect body? No thanks."
"You heading back into the bunker to chat with yourself?"
Trish frowned. "Yep. Left a few things unfinished in our last conversation. Just want to clear them up."
Harris laughed. "You know it's just a program, right? Alex is messing with us."
"Is he? Maybe he sees this as something we need. Something to help us grow. You know, I actually feel kind of disadvantaged in there."
"How so?"
"The virtual me has all of Alex's data instantly available to it. I have to stop and think."
"Which is your advantage. That machine doesn't think. It decides based solely on it's programming."
"Isn't that what we all do?"
Harris shook his head. "We can instantly change our mind, based on a whim or a fancy or on some other experienced fact. Maybe even on what we hope to have as a future outcome. That machine doesn't have hope, or whims, or fancies. It's a machine."
Trish stood with her fists on her hips, contemplating the moment as Harris turned and jogged off across the compound.
— Chapter 3 —
* * *
Trish returned to the bunker to chat with herself. Two hours later, she emerged at the same time as Tawn. Both greeted a resting Harris at the supply hut.
Trish asked, "You the only one out here?"
Harris shook his head. "Gandy and Sharvie. They grabbed a couple MREs and went for a walk."
"Went for a walk?" Trish pulled her head back in surprise.
Tawn asked, "When did this happen?"
"It's been happening. Gandy finally took the first step."
ARMS Eden Lost: (Book 4) Page 2