The Silence Between the Stars

by Alan Davenport

  At the mention of her old friend’s name, Sandra became even more enraged. “So, now you are an expert on medicine as well, mister Minister of fast-food Secker?” she shouted. “How dare you come in here and say such things? You know as well as I do that there is no hope for her and that Jane’s days are numbered.” She took a step forward and raised her fist as if to strike him.

  Star took a step back and said, “Let me explain! Let me explain!” Sandra took another step forward and closed the distance. “Wait! We just received another hyper-probe from the starships Forgotten Hope and Silent Running!”

  Sandra was not mollified and continued to approach Star with her fists raised. “Oh? Just how is more information on improved warp drives going to help my patient?” she shouted.

  “It won’t,” he sputtered. “I mean, this information, it is medical in nature!”

  As Sandra opened her mouth to yell at him some more, she suddenly stopped herself. “Medical? Medical did you say?” All hostility instantly drained from her face and she excitedly said, “Tell me!”

  “Captain Katy Klienyan of Forgotten Hope was killed in an unfortunate accident. The ships’ avatars printed her a new body, revived it and then uploaded her old memories. They brought her back from the dead, Sandy! From the DEAD!”

  Sandra gaped at him and then said, “If this is some sort of a sick joke, Star…”

  “No!” he shouted. “No joke! The probe also contained the design specifications of the medical devices that they used to perform the task. We can do it. We can print the Director a new body and then transfer her consciousness to it!”

  Sandra gaped at him in shock for several seconds and then ran to the wall monitor. “Josh!” she said excitedly. “Show me those schematics!”

  Sandra studied the schematics with growing excitement. “Speed,” she muttered to herself in wonder, “Speed was the answer!” She broke from her revelry, lifted her head and shouted, “Josh! Get a team of maintenance and repair bots working on installing one of the new 3D printer/scanner/diagnostic machines in this medical bay, RIGHT AWAY!”

  Josh, recently updated to a version two avatar, instantly understood the significance of the order. “Shall I have another team begin to build the implants as well, Sandy?”

  “Yes, Yes!” she said. “You are right ahead of me. Do it! Have them deliver the first batch here as soon as it is ready.”

  Sandra sat down at a desk in the bay and began studying the data. “Genesis. They called the database Genesis,” she said in surprise. “Oh, how appropriate!” She rapidly paged through the data before looking up and saying, “Medical bot one zero four, Please review the data in the database entitled Genesis.”

  One-zero-four rolled up to her and said, “Certainly Minister of Medicine, Sandra…”

  “Oh for frack’s sake 104, call me Sandy!” she interrupted him in annoyance.

  The bot paused and said, “Certainly Minister… I mean Sandy. Reviewing the data now.” His cameras moved up and down for several seconds and then he said, “Data assimilated.”

  She looked the bot in the cameras and said, “Our first step should be to install one of the new implants and then get her memory backup up to date as soon as possible. Do you agree with this plan of action, 104?”

  “Yes indeed… Sandy,” the bot said. “I recommend that we do this immediately as well, given the Director’s current condition.”

  “Agreed!” she said.

  Just then, a maintenance bot arrived and began quickly installing a new wall monitor. Within a minute, another bot arrived with a tray of the tiny, silver, egg-shaped implants. She stared at them in wonder for a second before she took the tray from the bot and said, “Thank you!” before walking over and placing the tray next to the diagnostic table. She ran over to the wall monitor and said, “Director McCann, Please report immediately to medical bay one zero four.” She received no response. “Jane, can you hear me?” she asked with her face full of worry. “Josh!” she shouted, “Check on Jane’s status!”

  Josh’s face instantly appeared and he said, “Checking.” A split second later he said, “Medical emergency. Director Jane McCann is unconscious at her desk in her office. Nearest medical bot respond and bring her immediately to medical bay one zero four!”

  Sandra paced like a caged animal for the two minutes it took for the bot to arrive. “Put her on the table!” she said. The bot instantly complied and Sandra looked in horror at the display. Several of the biological indicators were in the red and the remainder of them were no higher than yellow. “One zero four!” she shouted, “Install one of the new implants, immediately!”

  One zero four instantly went to work. Forgoing anesthesia on the unconscious woman, the bot installed the implant at a pace that trumped the usual high speed that the medical bots worked at. The instant he finished, a window popped up upon the screen that said “Updating existing memory backup for Director Jane McCann.” Time seemed to stand still. Sandra watched in horror as the life indicators on the monitor dipped lower and lower. “We’re not going to make it!” she thought in panic. Just as that thought went through her head, another window popped up that said, “Memory backup update successful for Director Jane McCann.” Several seconds later, the bar graphs for Jane all dipped into the red and then settled down to zero. Her tired old body let out a deep exhalation and then became still.

  One zero four turned to Sandra and said, “I am very sorry Sandy. Director Jane McCann has expired.”

  “Did we get it? Did we get a good backup?” she asked excitedly.

  “Yes Sandy, the backup successfully completed just before Director Jane McCann’s life came to an end.”

  “Oh thank frack!” Sandra shouted. She reached over and hugged the bot. “Thank you One Zero Four. Good job!”

  Sandra did not stop pacing… not even to sit for a moment… in the two and a half hours that the installation of the new machine took. Finally finished, she hovered over the machine looking minutely at every square centimeter. When the bot that finished the installation said, “Applying power. Please stand clear,” she hesitated to move, her fascination was so great. She pried herself away and then the bot flipped a large, orange toggle switch on the rear of the machine. Instantly, its screen illuminated.

  3D medical printer, scanner, and diagnostic machine model Kelly 1 startup in process.

  Designed by Avatar Kelly and Maintenance Bot 1776 of the Starship Silent Running.

  Software revision 1.0.0.

  Priming print heads in process… Successful.

  Testing arm servomechanisms… Successful.

  3D P/S/D machine model Kelly 1 ready for use.

  The display blanked for a second and then the standard body diagnostic display appeared.

  Sandra’s mouth gaped in amazement. The whole startup process had taken just three seconds. She stared in wonder at the super high-resolution display. “104,” she gushed, “Isn’t this amazing?”

  The medical bot rolled over and scanned the device with his cameras. “Yes Sandy, I am excited to begin using it.”

  Sandra fairly vibrated in place. “What do we have to do in order to print the director’s new body, One Zero Four?”

  “Let us not be too hasty Sandy. I recommend that we do a test printing first. Avatar Kelly had printed a five-centimeter thick beefsteak as a test subject. I recommend that we do the same.”

  Sandra laughed and said, “Who am I to mess with tradition? Do it!”

  One Zero Four said, “Initiating printing.” Sandra stood close to the machine and watched with great interest. She jumped when it beeped and said, “Unable to print. All persons and bots must stand clear for their personal safety before printing may commence. Please re-try printing once the area is cleared.” Sandra and the medical bot quickly backed away and then 104 said, “Re-initiating printing.”

  Sandra drew in an involuntary breath and she stepped back further as, with a whir and a blur, the machine sprang to life. She blinked her eyes, disbeli
eving what they saw, as she looked and saw a perfect steak now sitting in the machine where seconds before, there had been nothing. It had appeared so rapidly that she had almost missed the whole thing. “Holy frack!” she said.

  The monitor display now showed a graphical representation of the steak. One- zero-four examined the display and said, “The bovine flesh is prefect in every way. No molecular or cellular abnormalities detected.”

  Sandra gaped and said, “I can see that! This display shows so much detail. I love this machine already for the new display alone!” She paused, a thoughtful expression on her face and said, “Just think of the potential One Zero Four. Just think of it!”

  Star Secker, who had remained in the room laughed and said, “Just think of it Sandy, you were correct before. Once I adapt this design to food production I truly will be the Minister of Fast-Food Production!”

  In a wonderful mood, Sandra laughed from down deep in her gut at his joke. She turned to medical bot 104 and said, “Do you see any reason why we should not proceed with the printing of the director’s new body?”

  “Negative Sandy. I have the procedure in memory. Shall I begin?”

  “Yes! Please!” Sandra said in excitement. “Please announce each step as you process it.”

  “Understood Sandy. I shall begin the process by clearing the machine and recycling the bovine flesh.”

  Star looked upon him sadly and said, “Do you have to recycle it?”

  Sandra laughed and said, “Relax Star, you can print as many steaks as you wish once you have your own printer!” She turned to 104 and said, “Please, resume.”

  The bot nodded and said, “The first step is to select a scanned body template for the director. Unfortunately, the scan of her youngest body that I have on record is from when she was over sixty-four years of age. I can perform retrograde data manipulation to achieve a much younger body. Is this acceptable Sandy?”

  Sandra nodded and said, “Make her new body the equivalent of thirty years of age. If we make her much younger she may have difficulty maintaining the respect of the other ministers.”

  Star laughed and said, “You are wrong Sandy. I bet if we made her a toddler she would still scare the pants off most of the ministers!”

  Again, Sandra laughed at his joking and said, “Yes Star, I agree!” She turned to 104 and said, “Please set an apparent age of thirty years and then please continue.”

  “Certainly Sandy. Data manipulation is process. Data successfully modified. I see that she has scarring on her arm from an accident early in her life. Deleting damage record and restoring body template to an undamaged bodily condition. Successful. The next step is to separate the bodies autonomic and conscious functions from the brain backup. Separation successful. Printing will be initiated with only the autonomic bodily brain functions pre-installed. This prevents emotional trauma to the patient upon revival. Conscious memory uploads are processed after successful body resuscitation.” The bot rolled over and removed the tray with the brain implants from the old diagnostic table. He carried it over and placed the tray next to the new machine. “An implant will be installed as a part of the printing process. This will negate the need to do it later.” The bot turned his cameras to face Sandra. “All preparations have been completed. Shall I begin?”

  Sandra nodded and said, “Yes please do, 104.”

  “Initiating printing,” 104 said and then the machine sprang to life again. Sandra and Star gasped. The process so amazed them that they had to hold onto one another. One second the tray was empty, seconds later it contained a stunningly beautiful naked woman with long, thick, wavy chestnut colored hair. Star gaped and turned beet red. Sandra stood, rooted in place. The next second the new body heaved and gasped and Sandra stood rooted in shock as all of the biological indicators jumped up and centered solidly into the green.

  Sandra finally lost her paralysis and she shouted, “104! Scan her! Report!”

  “Scanning,” 104 said. “Sandy, the director’s new body is perfect in every way. I do not detect any abnormalities whatsoever. In addition, this scan indicates that Director Jane McCann’s body has never been this good before.” He turned his cameras to Sandra and said, “Do you wish me to perform the phase two brain upload?” Numbly, Sandra nodded affirmative. “Beginning upload,” 104 said.

  Director Jane McCann remembered feeling herself fading away at her desk. She had briefly considered calling for help but then she thought, “Why bother. It will just prolong the inevitable. It is finally over. I can finally rest now. I can sleep.” Accepting her fate, she had laid her head upon her desk and allowed herself to fade into unconsciousness. Now awakening, she felt the complete absence of something that had been a part of her life for as long as she could remember; pain. “I am dead,” she thought. “This must be the afterlife. There is an afterlife after all!” she thought in wonder. She turned her head to the side and opened her eyes. The first thing that she saw was her old, withered and dead body. “Oh frack!” she said aloud. “I am dead!”

  Sandra gasped and said, “No, not quite, Jane!”

  Jane’s head snapped around to face the voice. “Sandy? What the frack!” She quickly sat up before she remembered to do so slowly. “Oh!” she said, “That did not hurt!” She looked down and noticed that she was laying upon an impressive new machine. “Sandy! What? How? Is that me over there?”

  Sandra smiled and said, “It is indeed. Your old body that is.” Jane gaped at her and she continued, “The genius dynamic duo avatars on Silent Running and Forgotten Hope sent us another hyper-probe. This time they sent us astounding new breakthrough medical technology.” She pointed at Jane and said, “We printed you a new body and transferred your consciousness to it.” Jane gaped even more. “How does it feel to be thirty again Jane? How do you feel?

  “Thirty!” she said in shock. She held her hands in front of her face. The hands, no longer wrinkled and covered with age spots, were smooth and perfect as on a woman in her prime. Her hands went to her hair. It was no longer thin and grey. It was the thick and beautiful, chestnut brown color that she remembered from so long ago. She held the hair in front of her eyes and said, “Frack!” Realizing that she could focus on it perfectly she said again, “Frack! Sandy, this is real?”

  Sandra smiled and took her hand. She gave it a gentle pinch. Jane yelped and quickly pulled her hand away. “See my old, or should I say, young friend, it is quite real.”

  Jane sat there, stunned. “Holy frack! I can read the monitor from across the room!” Noticing Star she said, “I can see well again. Star, I can see!” She looked down at her body with wonder. “My breasts don’t sag! I have a flat tummy!” She turned to Sandra and said, “How is this possible? I was always told that body replacement technology was impossible to achieve.”

  “Apparently not so impossible after all, given two determined and genius version two avatars.”

  “Two?” she said. “Oh yes, I remember now. The avatar on Forgotten Hope was updated.” She turned to Sandra and said, “Can I get up?”

  Sandra smiled and said, “Sure, but be careful at first. What your mind remembers and how this body performs are not going to jive. It will take a little while to adjust.”

  Ignoring Sandra’s advice, she slid on down off the machine and landed upon her feet. She bent her knees and hopped into the air. “It doesn’t hurt!” she said. She ran over to Star and gave him a big hug. “I can run!” Star turned beet red and then Jane suddenly realized that she was naked. “Enjoying the view?” she teased him with a laugh. Star sputtered and turned even redder. Jane ran over to Sandra and gave her a giant hug as well. “Oh Sandy, this is the most fantastic gift that I have ever received in my entire life. My entire first life that is!”

  Sandra smiled so much that her face ached. “Okay Jane, I need to do ask some doctor questions of you. Please calm down, if you can, and answer me as honestly as you can.”

  “Sure thing,” she said. “I’ll answer anything… after all, now I have
all the time that I need!”

  Sandra laughed and said, “How do you feel. Seriously, does anything feel not right? Any double vision, tingling in the extremities, anything?”

  “No nothing,” she said. “I feel great. I can see well again. I can hear high frequency sounds again. I do not hurt. As a matter of fact, I do not remember ever feeling this good!” She looked at Sandra and said, “I want to see myself. Do you have a mirror?”

  “Yes, in the restroom right over there.”

  Jane ran over and yanked open the door. She gasped at the woman staring back at her in the mirror. “Oh!” she said. “OH! You even got rid of the scarring where I burned my arm as a child!” She turned around and re-entered the medical bay. She looked at Star and said, “It is a good thing he is here however.”

  Sandra looked at her in alarm and said, “Why? What’s wrong?”

  “Because,” she laughed and said. “I need the services of the Minister of Food Production. This new body is FAMISHED!”

  They all laughed and then Sandra said, “Well, let’s get you some clothes and take you out to your first meal in your new body then!”

  “…so you are saying that this new implant is two-way?” Jane asked as they walked down the corridor.

  “Yes,” Sandra said. “It links into the ship’s Wi-Fi. Not only does it keep your memory backup up to date but also allows you to control any system you are authorized to control via thought alone.”

  Jane gave her a sideways glance and said, “If I were not standing here in this brand new body, I would think that you were all pulling an elaborate joke on me!”

  Sandra laughed. “I cannot imagine how this must feel.” She looked at Jane and said, “The data in the Genesis database states that in order to control a system you need only to concentrate and think hard about it. Think. Do you seem to sense anything? The database record says that at first it feels like another presence is in your mind.”

  “I do sense something,” she said. She looked up and said, “Well, I will have to play with this later. We are at the cafeteria.” Jane giggled and said, “I wonder if anybody will recognize me?”