by Toker, Dor
“You won’t lose me,” said Adam.
“Yes I will,” answered Natalia, “the moment you pass to the other side, call it a different consciousness, or an additional intelligence, it doesn’t matter what you call it, you gain a lot. But when you’ve raised me with you, the main thing that I realized was that you can’t feel anything. I didn’t care about what we have between us; I thought only about myself. I saw the world uncolored by emotions, and I’m not willing to live without them. I’m staying with you.” Adam was deeply moved. He held his loved one’s hands and gently squeezed it. Natalia squeezed back. “There are so many other things to take care of in order for the passage to be a smooth one,” she said, “you know that the Superpowers’ governments will continue to resist. They will hunt us down and try to get rid of us.”
Adam smiled. “Well,” he said, “we’ve become experts in running haven’t we?”
Natalia smiled and clung to her loved one. For long moments, they stood embraced and motionless, watching the city through the only small window in the room. Finally, Adam detached himself from her gently and turned to the door of the room leading to the laboratory, where Chapalcharie was already waiting. He lay on a bed next to the Australian Prime Minister and both of them held the Aborigine dream stick. He looked at Natalia for a long moment, then closed his eyes and began to count back. His body relaxed and he went into a sleep-like state. When he opened his eyes, he saw Chapalcharie’s face above, examining him closely. He stood on his feet and examined their surroundings. “Come,” he turned to the Aborigine man, “let’s take a walk inside my dream.” The head of the dreamers nodded gravely and followed Adam.
Epilogue
• The Nagid
• Report
• The virus is spreading as you’ve predicted
• Scope?
• Sixty-three percent of the Earth’s population, including external colonies and space stations.
• Virus spreading rate?
• Stable. Three per standard second
• What about you?
• Spots is committed to the human race. Computer passage will take place as soon as you approve the change
• Approving
• Received. Leaving ten percent behind in order to continue and aid you, Nagid. Ending communication in thirty-five seconds. It’s an honor to serve you
• The honor is mine. I’ll see you beyond the veil of change. Detection /monitoring task: common enemy. Possible location of original creator population. Ignore new intelligent species. Report immediately. High priority.
• Mission received. End.