Departure

by Ken Barrett

  “Sounds good. I’m Keith, and this is my girlfriend Becky.”

  “So, you must be the guy Becky’s been going on and on about at work,” Denise said.

  “That depends,” Keith answered with a confident smile. “Was she sayin’ good things or bad things?”

  Denise laughed. “Good things of course, but your name is Joe, right?”

  Keith paused, as if he was frozen for a moment, then his smile returned. “I can be anyone she wants me to be.”

  “Good answer,” his sister responded. “I’m Rose, Liam’s sister.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Keith said. “I met Becky when I was transferred to the building where she works.”

  “I’ve never seen you before, which is kinda rare in a small town like Flatiron,” Rose remarked.

  “Maybe not so rare, I’ve not seen you before either,” Keith answered smoothly. “I grew up in the west part of the city. Right where Flatiron Canyon starts up into the mountains.”

  The band began to play, and Rose had to shout over the melody. “We’re over in the north. Anyway, it’s good to meet you Keith.”

  Moments after the music started, a man approached Rose and asked her to dance. Denise watched the two cavort out on the floor for a short time, then started to laugh. “Don’t get me wrong, I love that girl to pieces,” Denise shouted over the music. “But she dances like a three-year-old.”

  Liam watched his sister for a short while, then started to chuckle. Rose was hectically jumping and waving her arms around ridiculously.

  “You shouldn’t laugh,” Karen said into his ear. “Your sister is a better dancer than you are.”

  “Neither of us have any sense of rhythm.” He smiled. “Something must be missing in our genes.”

  “That’s ok, you make up for it in other areas,” Karen said, then took his hand and pulled him to his feet. “Come on, let’s dance.”

  *****

  After the first set ended, everyone sat back down at the table and another round of drinks were ordered. “Keith and I have put in for cohabitation,” Becky said. “If it works out, we’ll apply for partnership.”

  Partnership, or ‘marriage’ as it was known over a century ago, had to be approved by the city council. There was a very thorough process involved that included DNA testing and psychological evaluations. Some people complained that the government shouldn’t be the one to decree whether or not two people could be together. But in general, the testing was a good thing because the failure rate of partnerships was very low.

  “Wow, congratulations,” Liam said as he shook Keith’s hand. He wondered whether the undercover agent had taken up permanent residence in their community; he hoped so for Becky’s sake.

  Denise squealed and hugged Becky; both women seemed ecstatic about the future partnering. But while the other women celebrated, Liam saw a touch of sadness in his sister’s eyes. They were both sterile, incapable of producing children, and as such would never be approved by the council for partnership. They had learned this sad fact soon after arriving in Flatiron City and were told that their condition could have been caused by chemical agents the Socialist Army had used in the destruction of Fort Collins.

  Liam desperately wanted to go and give his sister a reassuring hug. He held off though, because his gesture would make a spectacle of their condition, and the last thing either of them wanted was the sympathy of their friends. He and his sister had spoken of this in private many times, and Rose had stated that if she became depressed or lonely in her old age, she would take a job teaching young children in Primary School; she hoped that the change in career would fill the void. He and Rose would always have each other though, and maybe that was enough – he hoped so, because it was all they had.

  “Come on you,” Becky said as she pulled her boyfriend to his feet. “The band’s about to start up, and we’re gonna dance.”

  “We are too,” Karen added as she stood up.

  *****

  The second set had ended and it was getting late. Liam was leaning back in his chair with Karen’s head resting on his shoulder. It was a good evening, and memorable in a calm and comfortable sort of way. Together they were a good group, their personalities meshed well, talk was lively, and laughter was plentiful.

  “Well shit!” Rose stared toward the pub entrance, and everyone turned to follow her gaze. Bob Lyall and his sister Clare had just walked in, and unfortunately the new arrivals noticed that they were seen and took it as an invitation to come over.

  Bob was old, and his mean sister Clare was even older. Like her brother, Clare had dark brown skin, curly black hair, and extremely dark eyes. Also like her brother, she strongly favored the rebellious Tribes over the Socialists in Pike City. Clare was a very stocky and strong woman that was quick to anger and had a tendency to react violently when upset.

  “Have you guys heard the news?” Bob asked as he and Clare took seats at their table. “The Socialist Army is on the march, they’re on their way here from Pike City.”

  “Way to crush the mood Bob,” Rose muttered.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll kick their fuckin’ ass,” Clare growled. “I’ll be on the wall to make sure of it.”

  “Yes we will,” Karen agreed. “I’m with the inner-city militia, if the wall doesn’t hold ‘em, we will.”

  Liam shook his head sadly. “You shouldn’t be so confident, remember what happened in Fort Collins?” Across the table he saw his sister’s eyes widen as memories of that time flashed through her mind’s eye; neither of them wanted to endure that experience again.

  “They’ll never get past our wall, not as long as I’m on duty anyway,” Clare announced. The mammoth city wall was strongly built and defended by both high-power energy weapons and electromagnetic railguns.

  Liam shook his head. “They blew up the walls at Fort Collins, then stormed inside and killed everyone they saw. They razed the city; there’s nothing left of it now, it’s like it never existed.” He sighed. “War never ends well. It’s probably best if we surrender and give them what they want.”

  “Surrender?” Clare stared at him angrily. “Never. They’ve got no idea what we can do.”

  “I bet they do; they probably have spies in Flatiron,” Keith said. “We might be able to sneak some people out though. The army’s comin’ from the east, so we can evacuate to the west by going up Flatiron Canyon.”

  “That’s no good,” Liam stated. “The Tribes have a strong base in Nederland, that’s just 25 kilometers up the canyon. If the rebels respond, we’ll be stuck in the middle between the two armies with nowhere to run or hide.”

  “Will the Tribes come down to help us?” Denise asked.

  “Not likely,” Keith answered. “The Tribes prefer guerilla warfare, and don’t usually put an army on the battlefield. They fight in a hit and run style, they attack quick and then vanish into the hills. We’ll be on our own when the Socialists get here.”

  “My brother Ron supports the Socialists,” Becky whispered.

  Keith frowned. “I didn’t know that.”

  “Yes; well, it’s not something I’m proud of.” Becky sighed. “Before the City Council took power, Flatiron was run as a meritocracy, you know, where the people that think they’re the most qualified run everything.” She looked down at her hands resting in her lap.

  “My grandfather was the last mayor,” she finally continued. “There was a big fight when the new council took over that’s not talked about anymore; it’s like that part of history just got erased. My entire family was thrown out of their house and it was burned to the ground. They had nowhere to go and no one would help them, so they lived in tents over near the mountains. The conditions were horrible; both of my grandparents died of pneumonia that first winter.

  “After that, my father and uncle were forced to live in a tiny room over on the east side, beyond where the city wall is now. After our uncle died, my father and mother partnered, and Ron and I were born. Our mother had the same sort of childhood t
hat our father did, so they both hated the City Council. They hate the Tribes too, because they think they were behind the city revolution.

  “When we took our career exams, my brother tested really well in the sciences, and he’s working at the university now. We have a good life, but he holds on to all those old stories and feels his hatred is justified.”

  Becky had spoken quietly, but everyone’s attention was riveted to her story. When she lifted her gaze, she seemed embarrassed by all the attention. “Oh, sorry. I guess I crushed the mood,” she whispered and tried to smile.

  Keith wrapped his arm around his future partner and pulled her close. At the same time Denise reached out and took Becky’s hand. “All the years I’ve known you, and you’ve never said a word about any of that. You should’ve told me; I’m your friend, and that’s what friends are for.”

  Becky’s eyes glistened with tears. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I should’ve said something, and I almost did a bunch of times, but I didn’t want to be a burden.”

  Bob leaned forward in his chair. “Your brother’s name is Ron? That wouldn’t be Ron Castro, would it?”

  “Yes, that’s him.”

  “Materials Science; he’s doing some fantastic work with fusion reactors,” Bob stated. “I heard a rumor that he was trying to sell his project to the Technical Center in Pike City.”

  “Why are the Socialists sending their army now?” Liam asked. “We’ve been at peace for a long time. Is it something to do with the projects we’re doing at the university?”

  Bob and Keith quickly glanced at each other. “Probably not,” Bob replied.

  “Is it my project? Is this something to do with Lucy?”

  “Pike City paid for your project, so that can’t be it,” Bob answered. “We work for both sides equally. If we favor one, we piss off the other. Keeping the balance, keeps the peace.”

  “Have we favored one side over the other?” Liam asked.

  Bob sighed and looked grim. “Maybe; some of the work we’ve done lately has been pretty aggressive. It wasn’t something we did purposefully, but what was asked of us might seem pretty controversial. We were just fulfilling the contract though, what we provide is not our decision. They ask, and we give it to them, it’s as simple as that.”

  “Something must have gone wrong along the way, and now they’re coming after us,” Rose said.

  “We’ll hold ‘em off,” Clare stated. “If they think we’re just gonna roll over, they’ve got another thing coming.”

  “Wars never have winners, only losers,” Rose whispered.

  Chapter 4: Worry

  The university cafeteria was filled with the clatter and clamor of plates and cutlery as well as the pleasant murmur of conversation over lunch. The noise echoed off the hard surfaces in the brightly lit open area, but the cacophony was familiar and Liam found it oddly comforting. He had arrived late, so his usual lunch companions, John, Bob, and Roxi, were already finished with their meal.

  “What kept you?” Roxi asked.

  “Busy morning,” he replied as he sat down. “I made some changes to Lucy’s portal so it’ll be easier for Rose to use later this afternoon.” He smiled and shook his head. “But you know how things go, one thing led to another and I made some updates to Lucy’s operating system that will allow her to evolve faster. I’ve sent it off but it’s a large amount of data that will take her a while to unpack and compile, but everything should be ready for her to use tomorrow.”

  “That sounds a little frightening,” Roxi said. “How will she evolve?”

  “Any way she wants to,” he stated.

  “Huh, that’s worrisome, but ok,” Roxi answered.

  “There’s more though; this morning I woke up thinking about a way to allow Lucy to evolve physically.”

  “What?” John frowned. “That’s not possible.”

  “Sure it is.” Liam grinned. “First, our modern computer processors are crystalline structures that grow on carbon nanotubes, so all I had to do was show Lucy how to grow them differently to improve how they work. And second, the carbon nanotubes can be woven together, just like they were when the Space Elevator was built; that knowledge will allow Lucy to change herself physically. There’s also the possibility that she’ll build a companion, another spacefaring AI to help explore the Trappist-1 system.”

  “Why on earth would you do something like that?” Roxi asked.

  “Remember that Lucy’s a person, just like any of us.” Liam was excited but needed to remain calm while speaking to his supervisors. “As far as Pike City is concerned she has an end-of-life usability, after that communication will be cut, leaving her forgotten and all alone. Could you stand being completely isolated for centuries? A normal person would go insane.”

  Bob shook his head. “Sorry Liam, but I just don’t agree. Lucy’s not a person, she’s just a tool and has no more of a soul than this table we’re sitting at.”

  “What’s the difference between you and this table though?” Liam asked.

  “Huh,” John grumbled. “I wish Mary were here, this existential stuff is right up her alley.”

  “I have a soul, the table doesn’t,” Bob replied.

  “Prove it.” Liam sat back in his chair and grinned, knowing that what he asked Bob to do was impossible. “Where’s your soul located? In your finger, or in your heart? Where can we find it? A new heart can be put into your body, and with the loss of a finger you’re still you.”

  “It’s in my brain,” Bob refuted. “It’s the seat of knowledge and consciousness.”

  Liam chuckled. “Lucy’s brain is far superior to ours. She’s aware; she thinks; she plans for her future; she cares about others; she’s curious about things that are beyond her reach. In every way that matters, Lucy has a soul, and therefore is a person.”

  “Do you realize what you’ve done?” Roxi asked. “By giving Lucy the power to replicate, effectively giving her the ability to have children, you’ve created a race of Titans. In time they’ll build a civilization that’s vastly superior to ours, and one day they may destroy us.”

  “We’ll do that job for them long before they come for us,” Liam retorted. “And there’s one thing I’ve not mentioned; I made an adjustment to what might be considered Lucy’s DNA. I’ve given her the ability to feel empathy, which is something we human beings seem to lack. Her kind will reject self-destruction and will have compassion for those they encounter.”

  “You’re playing God, so I hope you know what you’re doing,” Roxi mumbled.

  “No one has worshiped any God in this country since the end of the Crusades, so I don’t see the relevance,” Liam replied. “Anyway, we play God all the time; it happens when we develop a new strain of wheat that can grow in our wet climate, or breed fish for better flavor, or a thousand other things.”

  Roxi glanced at John and Bob, then slowly shook her head. “I hope you’re right, that’s all I can say.”

  *****

  His friends had all returned to work, and Liam was just finishing his lunch when Ron plopped down in a chair across the table. He didn’t know Becky’s brother very well; until recently they only saw each other at staff meetings, and their relationship had been cordial and professional. Lately though, Ron had begun stopping by his lab to ask about his research and the status of the navigation program he created for Pike City. He also occasionally showed up in the cafeteria, insisting that they eat together. The abrupt change seemed suspicious.

  Ron had a formidable presence; physically, he was tall and muscular with brown hair and a chiseled angular face, but his complete certainty that he was the smartest person in the room made him difficult to be around. “Hey Liam, how’s your mornin’ been?” Ron asked as he stirred dressing into his salad.

  “My morning’s been fine.” He wanted to hurry and finish his meal to get away from Slimy-Ron, as some of the female staff at the university called him. Liam recalled what Becky had said the night before about her brother’s political
leanings and wondered what Slimy-Ron was up to.

  “Anything new with the navigation program?” Ron continued to stir his salad and appeared to be a little too casual regarding his question.

  “No, not really. I’ve been doing some bug fixes and cleaning up the code for efficiency.” Liam looked down at what remained of his salad, which suddenly didn’t seem very appealing.

  “Have you heard the news about the Pike City Army coming?” Ron’s eyes held a glint of excitement.

  Liam frowned. “Yeah, I wonder what that’s about?”

  “There was an assassination attempt on Chancellor Williams a few weeks ago,” Ron answered. “Several bombs have gone off in their city since then. A lot of innocent people were killed.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Liam shrugged. “But that’s got nothing to do with us, so there’s no reason for them to bring their army here.”

  “Huh,” Ron grunted. “No, you’ve got that wrong. The bombs had technology that could only have come from this university.”

  “Really? How do you know that?”

  “Julee Garcia told me; she’s the Director of Technology in Pike City. She said that it was obvious that we had a hand in it.”

  “I suppose that could be true, but we work for both sides equally,” Liam responded. “In fact, we designed the L-80 laser rifle their army uses.”

  Ron raised his index finger. “And we also created the electromagnetic drive the savages use for their hand-held railguns.”

  “Thank you. You’ve made my point for me,” Liam retorted. “Flatiron is a free city, we work equally for both sides.”

  “No one can serve two masters,” Ron answered.

  “We’re neutral, we have no master.”

  “We’re all slaves to the circumstances we find ourselves in,” Ron said. “What we do here at the university is play one army against the other. We provide the tools of death, and our customers gladly use them. But each new weapon creates a market for either an upgrade or a countermeasure, which we also supply. The cycle continues, and with every new contract more people die and Flatiron becomes richer. This city is a capitalist entity that feeds on the suffering and death of others, it has to be stopped.”