"We have to, Luke. Otherwise everyone is going to die a slow, painful death. I'm sure you don't want that."
A murderous, irrational and powerful, Zarking rage surged upwards inside of me. I heard myself scream, high-pitched and female; Kiera's scream. I dropped and began pounding the deck with my fists. I screamed and screamed and pounded and pounded.
Jack's strong arms wrapped around me from behind. He wrenched me over backwards, snapping me back into sanity. Exhausted, I struggled up to a sitting position. Jack sat down in front of me, the only sounds our heavy breathing. I inspected my knuckles, they were a bloody mess. Kiera would kill me, Kiera…Great Universe…Kiera, my beautiful, vibrant, loving Kiera. Where the Zark are you?
Jack eyed me warily. "The nanocytes will take care of your injuries, but we need to wash the blood off and put some bandages on."
Nanocytes; I'd forgotten about them. Before we'd left Earth, Tiani and Julian had been given infusions of the most technologically advanced brew. The rest of us had been infused post being uploaded into our un-imprinted clones.
Jack pushed himself to his feet and held out his hand.
I waved him away. "You'll get blood all over you." With some effort, I managed to stand up without his help. "I'm alright. I'm…sorry, for what just happened."
"That's okay." Jack's expression remained neutral. "The first aid supplies are in the bathroom."
As I followed him across the deck, I began to feel stronger. I became enveloped by a strange tranquillity. Perhaps everyone should have a good scream now and then. Kiera would probably say something along those lines. I shook my head…oh Kiera.
Jack opened the door to the bathroom. The muted pastel pink room held a shower, a separate toilet and a sink. The floor, in contrast to the deck outside, had a spongy texture that made it pleasant to walk on. Shelves set into the left-hand wall contained emergency medical supplies, whilst the wall opposite held a large full-length mirror. Kiera's cherub face, framed with her short brunette hair, stared back at me with her dark-brown eyes. I had to turn away.
"Sit," Jack commanded, as he pulled a seat out from the opposite wall. "On second thoughts, come over to the sink and wash your hands." He went to the basin and turned on the tap.
I placed my hands under the warm running water and watched it run red into the sink. I ran my hands over one another until the water cleared. Jack patted them dry with a paper towel. He inspected both palms, followed by my knuckles.
"They're not too bad, are they hurting?"
"Not yet." Hit by an unexpected wave of embarrassment, I had to look away.
Jack unwound the end of a bandage and expertly wrapped each hand in turn. He pinned the ends in place with a small clip. His face held an expression so tender, and his touch had been so gentle, I became almost overwhelmed by a desire to burst into tears and put my arms around him. Great Universe! Kiera would probably do something like that, under the circumstances. I had a weird thought. Perhaps some sort of residual effect remained present in Kiera's body. Would I gradually become Kiera after being flooded by her hormones? How ridiculous! I had to pull myself together. Thoughts like those were the path to madness.
"Probably no need to bandage them, but better safe than sorry." Jack stowed the kit neatly back on the shelf where it had come from. "I've an idea. If it's to work, we have to act bloody fast. I need you to check the other modules in case Logan has organised any other nasty surprises."
"What's your idea? Two brains are better than one."
We walked back out to the deck.
"I need to check it out. There's no time to explain, so do as I asked, Luke." He strode to the nearest console and sat down. He pressed the link button, and the headband began to engage.
Shut out again. I sighed and went over to module one, our module, and quickly flicked through its other occupants. My thoughts were distracted. I wondered which lucky three had been moved to our module from module three. With the search completed, I repeated the procedure with the remaining modules, apart from the damaged one. Everything seemed normal and operating as it should.
The deck, made up of ten sections, held five modules with twenty people in each. Redundancies were inbuilt for safety, but a small percentage of failures over the lifetime of the voyage were expected. Why the Zark did it have to be one of ours?
Just as I finished checking the last module, I saw Jack disengage from the console and stand up. He grinned and gave the thumbs up signal. I trotted over to him.
Chapter 27
When I reached him, he said, "Sorry, Luke. I needed to check out some things before I got your hopes up."
"So you sent me off as a distraction so I wouldn't bother you?" My mind reeled, spinning downwards into a spiral of anger and despair. I struggled not to direct it at Jack.
"It was necessary. I've checked my idea, and it's viable. I've already set up the protocols." Jack's expression conveyed calm and confidence.
His calmness fuelled my anger. "This better be good, Jack. I don't like being sent off on a fool's errand." I glared and clenched my fists.
"I thought it would stop you from thinking about things too much." His expression softened.
That surprised me. At times Jack showed remarkable insight, probably a throwback to his stint as a youth counsellor during his first lifetime, before his nano-gen extensions. I kept quiet, waiting for him to continue.
"I want you to go into Virtual and link directly to Julian and Tiani. I need to know they are in their own bodies. I also need you to check who's in your body. It's risky. Direct linking hasn't been done before, but I've gone through the data and it should be possible. Will you do it?" He paused, waiting for me to react, his face cool and composed.
"Yes, but what happens if their bodies are occupied by other people?" I frowned. The thought of other people in my children's bodies chilled me to the core.
"We don't have time to check the other seventeen occupants. I'll initiate shutdown. The pods will flood with carbon dioxide, inducing anoxia, resulting in a quick, painless death," Jack said, matter-of-factly.
"And if they are in their own bodies?" I couldn't believe we were having this conversation; to anyone listening it would have sounded absurd.
"I'll isolate them from the module's other occupants before initiating the process. When that's complete, it will conserve enough energy to proceed to the next step."
Great Universe, how could Jack look so bloody serene? These weren't inanimate objects. They were human beings, they were my children. I struggled to control my breathing as I tried to keep my anger at bay.
"If we can't find them, couldn't we save three other people? If we've…"
"It's bloody dangerous, Luke. I wouldn't be taking the risk if you and your children weren't involved," Jack snapped. "Just get on with it. Now!"
I reflected back on our pre-flight training. It had included graphic details of what would happen in the event of pod failure; pain, fitting and slow suffocation. Each module had its own independent power supply. Individual pods could be shut down in the event of an irreparable fault. However, a fault occurring in the whole module, our current scenario, necessitated a total systems shutdown.
The pods held their occupants in a low temperature, hiber-sleep. Although the metabolic rate was markedly reduced, breathing still occurred at a low level. Cold, oxygen-enriched air saturated the pods. This, along with nanocytes and various bio-conditioning agents, enabled the brain to remain alive and functioning at a minimal level. The heart pumped around twice a minute. Intravenous lines supplied nutrition and fluids. We became something akin to hibernating bears or naked mole rats; barely alive but still completely viable. The state could be maintained, according to experimental results, almost indefinitely, an absolute necessity for long space voyages to distant systems in our own Milky Way Galaxy.
"Luke!" Jack's shout jolted me back into reality. "We're running out of time."
"How long do we have?" I glared at him.
"Three hours, m
ore if I initiate the shutdown promptly." Jack's expression remained cool.
Bloody Zark, how does he do it? Focus…focus. I took a deep breath, "Okay, I'll go and link now." Halfway to the console's chair I turned back to him. "What happens after that?"
"I upload their consciousnesses into the ship's main computer."
"What? Bloody Zark, Jack. I thought you were going to wake them up."
"The energy is too low, Luke. Uploading them is the only way I can save them."
"That means they become sapioids. It's the end of them as biological entities." My voice broke, "They will never have their own children. Kiera will be devastated." Shock, anguish and a sense of utter helplessness exploded like a min-shrap grenade into my brain. "Is uploading them even possible, Jack?"
"Yes, not without risk, but considering the alternative there's no choice."
"So, they'll stay there until we reach our destination?"
"Not exactly."
"What exactly, Jack?" I folded my arms and stared at him, wondering what was coming next.
"We'll need to bring some blank androids up from storage and upload them into those."
Why can't they be held in the computer?" I shouted.
"Have you forgotten, Luke, that it's illegal to copy and save a person's consciousness to a computer?" Jack's expression remained calm.
I had forgotten.
"After sixteen hours, the computer will regard them as viruses and delete them. It's a safety measure I designed to prevent illegal activity plus any external tampering while we're asleep. You never know what we may encounter during the voyage, aliens for example."
"If you designed and programmed it surely you can disable it?"
"No. I specifically designed it so it couldn't easily be meddled with, even by me."
"Zark Jack! What a Zarking stupid thing to do."
Jack flinched.
"Zark! Zark!" I exploded. Right at that moment, I could have killed him.
"Time." Jack pointed at the wall clock. "Link now, otherwise we'll lose everyone. I've set a timer. You'll have ten seconds once you see the 'out of time' start to flash."
I stormed to the nearest chair and slammed myself down into it. This time, after the headband had engaged, the computer immediately requested my bio-electric password. It took a full minute for me to calm myself sufficiently to be able to form the thoughts necessary to establish the link.
––Army of mice.
––Password verified––proceed.
––Link to module two, six, P, seven three.
––Linking––state name or position in pod.
––Link to Julian John Masters and display position.
––Position two.
––Direct link.
––Direct linking inadvisable due to high risk of fatal error or instability. Do you wish to proceed?
––Yes––direct link.
––Linking.
Seconds passed until, momentarily, I became enveloped in a suffocating blackness. I fought to control panic. A small green message began blinking reassuringly in the right-hand top corner of the blackness. It read 'time okay'. My anger evaporated and dissolved into relief. Jack. Just knowing I wasn't alone gave me the courage to try to reach Julian.
––Julian––it's Dad.
I paused and listened as the darkness smothered me. I heard… Something.
––Julian, Julian––it's Dad. Answer me, it's important.
Seconds passed…I caught a faint thought whisper.
––Hey…can't see anything…Dad?
Relief washed over me. It was Julian's voice. The 'hey' confirmed it, but I still had to check, to satisfy Jack.
––I've linked to you in your pod. That's why you can't see anything. Don't worry, just listen. Tell me what your password is.
After a pause, a faint thought whisper came.
––Hey…Easy…Hitchhiker.
Now came the hard part.
––Listen carefully, your module has failed. Jack's going to upload you to the ship's computer. Because of the ship's security systems, he can't leave you there. You'll have to be transferred into an android.
I waited.
––Ship's computer…That's…forever…it? Julian's thought replies drifted into my mind like pieces of flotsam on a beach. They were jumbled and indistinguishable. What was he asking me? I couldn't spend any more time, so I guessed.
––No. We will upload you into your identical android, later. You'll be a sapioid.
––Become me…
More fragments. I struggled to decipher what he meant. I could only hope he was hearing my thoughts clearly.
––Will we go ahead? It's either that, or you die with the rest of them.
Silence.
––Julian, I need an answer.
––Mum…Tiani?
––Tiani is with you. I don't know where your mother is.
––How?
His response was fading.
––Can't explain now. Yes or no?
Again silence.
––Julian?
––Yes.
––I love you. See you soon.
––Love….
––Break link.
––Terminating link.
I repeated the process to link with Tiani.
––Tiani, it's Dad.
A clear response came immediately.
––Dad, what the hell is going on? Why can't I see anything?
––You're in your pod. Listen carefully.
I quickly explained the problem and what her choices were. She, unlike Julian responded immediately.
––Yes.
––I love you Tiani. See you up top.
––Love you.
––Break link.
––Terminating link.
A running argument raged inside my brain. One part of me didn't want to know, but I had to find out who occupied my body. Jack's message, 'time okay', still flashed green in the corner of my vision. I took a deep breath and swallowed fear.
––Link to Luke John Masters, and display position.
––Linking––Linking––Linking.
I held my breath, as I waited for the response. Seconds passed––still nothing. My heart exploded in my ears as a message finally materialised.
––Error––brain bio-parameters do not match body parameters––upload error––try again.
––Ignore all bio-parameters, give position.
––Error––cannot give position––access unauthorised without parameter match––check with administrator.
Something niggled at the back of my brain. We'd been given a critical code to bypass the administrator, to be used in a dire emergency. I struggled to recall it, so I deliberately slowed my breathing. The code popped into my mind.
––Critical code override capital letter c, numeral two, capital letter x, numeral one, zero, eight, one, lower case o, lowercase p, numeral six, five, one, lower case x.
––Critical code accepted––state request.
––Give position of Luke John Masters using body parameters.
––Position four––module 2673 P.
––Search brain bio-electric parameters of occupant.
––Searching.
I waited. Precious seconds ticked by. Jack's message flashed green in a sea of blackness. I remembered to breathe.
––Occupant Kiera Susannah Proud.
My heart leapt. So, Kiera was in my body. Logan Williamson had lied, but I still needed to make sure. Knowing Logan, it could be some sort of trap. My pulse jumped and my stomach clenched, as I fought to stay focused.
––Link to occupant Kiera Susannah Proud.
––Linking.
––Kiera?
My heart juddered. My breath caught in my throat. I could hear only the thump, thump, of blood pounding through my ears.
––Luke?
Faint, but it sounded like Kiera. Could thought sound
the same as a person's voice?
––Yes. I need you to give the computer your password for verification.
I just hoped she didn't argue.
––Why?
Bloody Zark. I tried again.
––We have an emergency, Kiera. Give your password now.
––How do I know it's you?
––My password is 'army of mice'. Tell me where that comes from.
A faint sound––a thought giggle? Was that possible? Again, Kiera's voice, a little louder now.
––It happened on the first day we met; you wore those shoes that squeaked all the way down the hallway. And I won't remind you of what happened with the android on the lab tour.
I remembered. It was like it had happened yesterday, and it still made me cringe.
––Okay, I still need you to confirm your password for the computer.
I waited.
––Locate password for Kiera Susannah Proud. I heard Kiera think. After a short pause the standard response appeared.
–––Password located––please verify.
––White mouse.
I checked the screen.
––Password verified.
Halfway through my sigh of relief, Jack's message became a beacon of red exploding out of the darkness.
'Out of time' Flash. Flash.
––Kiera, you become a sapioid, or you die. Your choice––now.
––I…Oh God Luke…The children?
––I'm out of time––answer me, Kiera.
I heard an unintelligible whisper. Suddenly, the screen went dark; Jack's message had disappeared.
––Terminating link.
The link had automatically terminated. I hadn't even had time to tell her I loved her.
Chapter 28
I stared at the blank screen. Kiera's last thoughts echoed through my brain like bullets ricocheting off metal. Anger surged through me, but I swallowed it down. No point in raging at Jack. I had taken too long.
I willed my legs to move and tottered over to where Jack stood working with the damaged module's screen. He heard me approach and turned. Worry transformed his face. He spoke in a quiet whisper.
"What did you find K…Luke?"
I told him.
"Did they agree to be uploaded?" He said, quietly. His hands were shaking, and his face had turned pale.
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