by Skye Ryan
“Wow. Soliciting information. Nice. Well, at this time, I am researching ways to integrate biology and machines and, if machines can develop a consciousness. I am also studying some other things quite important to the Empire. I can discuss all this at length with you later.”
Lia mulled that over a bit and then nodded. “Some of those are not Empire approved activities.”
“I suppose not. I suppose the Empire would frown upon the things I do. But we won’t tell them, now will we?” he winked and Lia resisted the urge to smile once more.
“And call me Corvan. Calling me doctor makes me feel old.”
This time Lia did smile and Corvan chortled. “You adapt quickly, Cara.”
“Thank you, Corvan,” Lia tested his name on her tongue, and found she liked the way it rolled off. Her programming rejected this as illogical and having had enough she told her programming to shove it. All was quiet in her head for a while, and for the first time in forever, she felt vaguely human. They quickly crossed the vast distance of space and began to cross back into territory controlled by the Empire.
“What region are we in, D-...Corvan,” she corrected and he threw her lopsided grin that made his handsome face light up.
“We are headed for the planet Aries Prime, which is nestled in the Orion cluster of the Empire.”
“I see,” Lia said as they began to descend into the atmosphere. Corvan deftly angled the ship through the thick blanket of clouds and over sharp ridges of mountain. They flew until they reached a large mansion surrounded by a high wall, landing atop a roof with a slight thump. As soon as they made contact, people began running out and Corvan released the doors to greet them.
Lia hesitantly stepped out. She walked behind Corvan, her eyes taking in the people before her.
“Dr. Jax,” a man dressed in a black tuxedo said warmly, “Welcome back.”
“Thank you, Davis,” Corvan replied and took his outstretched hand. “How are things?”
“Oh good, sir. The initial tests are quite promising. We just need a test subject.”
“Oh well,” Corvan told him, “We have one. Davis, everyone, meet Cara.”
Lia didn’t know what to do and her programming was still silent. So, she went with the first thing that popped into her head.
“Hello,” she greeted.
Davis grinned, “A new girlfriend Corvan? Nice to meet you.”
Corvan laughed. “She’s not human Davis.”
Davis sputtered. “Well, I’m not against interspecies relationships but the Empire does frown upon--,”
“She’s an AI, Davis.”
Davis stopped short, his eyes widening. “You don’t say.”
“I am model number B-185 serial code X5431.”
Davis came to stand in front of her and began examining her.
“Wow, she’s so—realistic,” he said as he prodded her and pulled at her skin.
Despite her programming, Lia felt a sliver of irritation spiral through her and she found herself slapping his hand away.
Davis looked taken aback. “Hm. Feisty.”
“Apparently, these new models are adaptable,” Corvan stated and Davis nodded, looking not quite convinced.
“Yeah, I see.”
“So,” Corvan began, “let’s get started on some of those amplifications.”
Corvan turned to the other two people who stood nearby, a portly, smiling woman in an apron and a matronly looking woman with glasses and a severe bun.
“Mrs. Danvers and Ms. Tran,” he said with his arms outstretched. They embraced and grinned warmly at him.
“We’ve got dinner cooking for you.”
Corvan nodded. “How’s Rhyssa?”
Both Mrs. Danvers and Ms. Tran frowned. Ms. Tran adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat.
“She’s—well—she’s in one of her moods.”
Corvan’s face fell and he looked despondent a moment. “I’ll go talk to her. Davis, can you take Cara to the lab?”
Davis nodded and led Cara to a door that housed a long set of spiral stairs.
She followed him down and heard the telltale tap of Ms. Tran, Mrs. Danvers, and Corvan behind them. He led Cara through a large sitting area and out a set of double doors. They walked past an entryway and over to a large elevator. He pressed a button and they entered. The elevator took them down to a lower level and when the doors opened, Cara could see rows of beakers, equipment, microscopes and a clean area lit by bright interior lighting.
Davis turned to her. “Do you—eat by any chance?”
Lia, unsure, quickly checked her programming. “I can use food as an alternative source of energy, but I derive most of my energy from a dirithium battery.”
Davis nodded. “Well dinner will be on soon. I supposed Corvan will want you there. Make yourself at home. I’m not quite sure what it is AI units do.”
Lia nodded and Davis dismissed himself and rode up on the elevator. Lia let out a breath, happy that she had figured out how to simulate breathing. She looked around, taking in the look of different gadgets, his sloppy handwritten notes and finally a series of drawings of different creatures, many of them in varying stages of birth, life and decay.
Lia was studying several tanks of swimming animals when she heard someone walk up behind her. She turned and saw Corvan.
“Dinner is—uh—served so I thought I’d like to have you there.”
Lia nodded and Corvan continued. “Do you--,”
“Eat?” Lia smiled, “Davis asked me the same thing. And yes, I can.”
Corvan studied her for a moment. “You’re a strange creation, you know that?”
Lia carried her gaze to the floor. Did he suspect? Perhaps she had let too much of her humanity leak out. She tried desperately to change the subject.
“What is being served?”
Corvan snapped out of his reverie and thought a moment. “Oh, um, some sort of seafood bisque and Porovian rice. Very tasty. Mrs. Danvers makes some very fine food.”
Lia stared back at Corvan. “I have no preference for foodstuffs.”
Corvan chuckled. “Yes of course. It’s just that—when I’m talking to you, sometimes I forget I’m talking to an AI unit.”
Corvan then led her to the elevator and they ascended. He sauntered out as the doors opened and Lia followed, taking in the massive home with its high vaulted ceilings and heavy elaborate furnishings. They strolled to a set of doors that opened to a long heavy cherry wood table with matching chairs along the sides. The table was topped with various foods. A hearth sat on one side and roared merrily along below a mantle holding various bric-a-brac. Davis was seated opposite Ms. Tran. Corvan bade Lia sit and Mrs. Danvers came from a side door, and began to fill up bowls and pass around bread.
Lia looked down at her bowl, not sure if she should try to eat it or not. She stared at it a bit longer and then grabbed a spoon, pulled it through the hot liquid and place it onto her tongue. There was no taste; there were only indicators of properties, temperature, and texture. She frowned. She began to overlay her programming with memories of how the soup should taste. A faint taste began to fill her mouth, but it felt—washed out somehow, as if she were getting an aftertaste and not the real thing. Corvan watched her curiously as she sipped.
“Do you—taste anything?” he asked.
“Taste is subjective. I do not have an opinion,” she answered and Corvan smirked and dug into his soup with gusto. Everyone sat eating amicably, conversation was swirling about the room pleasantly when a tall, thin blonde in a gown traipsed in, her face heavily made up and sporting a deep scowl. She pulled a chair back and sat opposite Lia who began busily studying her soup.
“Who’s the bitch?” the woman asked and everyone stopped eating. The room fell quiet and Corvan stiffened.
“Must you always be so crass, Rhyssa?” he asked and she shrugged.
“It’s loads better than being some sedated Empire dog, I’ll tell you that much.”
“Rhyssa, please,�
�� Mrs. Danvers begged and Rhyssa rolled her eyes.
“Alright. Whatever. Who’s the girl, then?” she queried and Corvan gave her a sharp look.
“Her name is Cara.”
Rhyssa sniffed. “Cara. Hmm. Are you his newest flavor of the week? The last girl he brought home he banged her for three days and sent her packing. He doesn’t have that long of an attention span.”
“Cara!” Mrs. Danvers exclaimed and Rhyssa sighed heavily.
“I’m not a girl,” Lia answered slowly, her eyes lifting to meet Rhyssa’s gaze.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Some of the resistance fighters don’t like the term girl. They say it’s degrading. Let’s go with woman,” Rhyssa said and giggled.
“I am not human,” Lia told Rhyssa.
“What are you? Some kind of hybrid? I got nothing against the interspecies thing, --“
“She’s an artificial intelligence unit. A ‘droid if you will,” Corvan informed her.
Rhyssa said nothing for a long moment. The she let out a short bark of laughter.
“What? Really? Wow Corvan. I thought even you wouldn’t stoop so low.”
Corvan banged his hand against the table. “Enough! She is critical to my research! You will start showing some respect and stop being so damn insolent.”
Rhyssa snorted. “Alright already. No need to get all in knots. I wouldn’t mind having her around. She can clean for me. Especially since you won’t hire any new staff.”
“Oh, you mean the staff you ran off? And how I’ve had trouble keeping anyone on board? Yes, Rhyssa, I am such the mean old man,” Corvan retorted. He then narrowed his eyes. “Are you drunk?” Rhyssa smiled and shrugged nonchalantly. “I may have had one or two drinks before dinner,” she slurred and Mrs. Danvers harrumphed loudly.
“Hey, it’s not my fault that the staff doesn’t want to stay. We’re all going to die anyway, so what’s the point? The virus is going to ravage everything and the Empire is going to do shit about it. So, I may as well just enjoy it while I can. The only one who will be around to do anything will be her anyway,” Rhyssa said and pointed to Lia.
“I can’t do this,” Corvan said angrily and dropped his spoon in his soup. “If anyone needs me, I’ll be in the lab. Cara, come,” he commanded and Lia stood. She followed him down to his lab and watched as he moodily inspected samples and tested his equipment.
“You’re very angry,” Lia observed and Corvan scowled.
“Whatever gave you that impression?” Corvan said crossly and slammed down a beaker. He then sighed softly. “I’m sorry Cara. That was uncalled for. Yes, I’m angry. My sister can be a bit of a pain sometimes. Ever since our mother was taken--,” he stopped short and Lia waited for what seemed like forever for him to continue.
Corvan shook his head and sat in a huff on a stool. “It doesn’t matter. It’s the past and the past can’t be rewritten.”
Lia stood and watched as he seemed to come to some great conclusion, his face alight with an emotion akin to resignation. “I suppose she’s right.”
“Right about what?” Lia interjected.
Corvan stood and began to set up a holovid. “I was going to ease into this but there’s no way around it. The virus is spreading too fast and I haven’t been able to synthesize a cure or a vaccine.”
Lia furrowed her brow. “I do not understand.”
Corvan nodded. “Of course you don’t. Let me show you something.”
Lia watched as the holovid was engaged and images began to smoothly flow from the device. Lia was taken aback as images of people with horrific blisters that popped and oozed showed up, along with images of Empire backed military groups gunning down crowds of those infected.
“The virus works in four stages. First, the infected gets sick. Nothing unusual. A sneeze, a cough they can’t shake, a runny nose, congestion. Then stage two: the skin begins to peel as the virus infects the layers of the epidermis. The peeling gives way to large blisters that are prone to bursting, revealing patches of muscle and organs beneath, setting up the perfect scenario for secondary infections. The third stage is the virus moves to the brain, making the infected want to go out and infect other healthy people. They can bite and spit, either of which can expose a healthy person to the virus. And the final stage is death. As the virus moves through the brain, it shuts down critical operations and organ failure is imminent.”
Lia continued watching in silence as footage of entire worlds were devastated. Survivors were left to fend for themselves against hordes of the infested. Empire troops executed many on some worlds, only to take their resources and leave.
Corvan pointed to a group of heavily armed Empire troops. “See that. They’re stationed on Pythos. The Empire relies on this world for most of its mining. After the virus decimated the population, the Empire imported healthy workers to mine the planet’s resources. They either succumbed to the sickness or ran off. So, the Empire began trying to employ mining bots. Rebel forces were picking off troops one squad at a time, so reinforcements were sent to deal with them.”
A dawning sense of horror began to wash over Lia as she considered the images. “What is the Empire doing to halt the spread of the virus or eradicate it?”
“That’s just it. The Empire is doing nothing at all. Truthsayers are saying that there’s no such thing as the virus. The official doctrine is that many on these planets are simply rebels with an axe to grind. They don’t even have a name for it. Many are simply calling it the Red Plague.”
Lia considered this information for a moment and then looked over at Corvan. “That’s why you were in rebel territory. You were looking for help in finding a cure.”
“Yes,” he agreed, “I’ve done some statistical analysis and at the rate that the virus is spreading it will reach this sector of the galaxy in three weeks, it will reach many others much sooner than that, and it will cause an epic collapse of entire systems.”
“Why isn’t the Empire doing anything?” she asked and he shrugged.
“Who knows?” he told her. “Greed. Corruption. Complacency perhaps. The Empire doesn’t want to seem weak or unable to handle this situation, so they avoid it. Instead of them employing their best and brightest minds in dealing with this crisis, they run from it.”
Lia snorted. Typical. Corvan looked over at her in surprise. “Did you just--,”
“How do I fit into your research?” Lia hurriedly interrupted.
“Well, I wanted to use a vector, something to deliver a “cure” to infected cells without disrupting a person’s natural immune processes. I am developing a delivery system using replicating nanites and AI technology that will destroy the virus in the body, cell by cell. The problem has been stability. The cure itself works, but only if it is properly injected into the cells. The nanites for the most part work well, but they have a habit of being overzealous, and they can often damage the very cells they been primed to help.”
“Cara,” he continued, “Your body, what you’re made up of will help me to decipher the link between the nanites and the eradication of the virus.”
Lia nodded. “I will assist you in any way, I can.”
CHAPTER FOUR
C orvan grinned fetchingly and Lia found herself thrumming with a sort of excitement, as if the feeling were akin to attraction. She considered this a moment and then dismissed it.
“I have been testing something here and I think that it will go a long way in developing nanites that are a bit more sentient and sensitive to the cells they’re trying to repair. But--,”
Lia cocked her head to the side and gazed at Corvan. “I need to inject you with the nanites,” he continued.
Lia said nothing for a long moment. She mulled over his statement a bit. She looked down at her AI body. It wouldn’t matter, would it? She wondered. She was only in this body for a short time. And now that she knew about the virus…she resisted the instinct to shiver. She needed desperately to retrieve her body, but if she did and she contracted the virus—
&
nbsp; She closed her eyes a moment and then opened them. She was as good as dead if they didn’t find a cure. Her programming coupled with Corvan’s analysis revealed to her that the virus would infect the star system where her body was housed in less than a month. She was surprised the virus hadn’t already hit The Probity. But as her central processing unit culled and put together the information, she realized the virus was probably already there. The Empire was doomed if they didn’t find a cure.
An insistent beeping interrupted her musings. Corvan tapped a button and someone appeared on screen before them.
“Corvan,” a man warmly called out. “How are you?”
“Lanis, nice to hear from you. I’m as well as could be expected. How are things?”
At once the man’s jovial face fell. “I called to ask for your help. I know you’ve been trying to work on a—on a cure,” the man said the last part in a whisper, as if he were afraid someone would overhear him, “And well, I’d like to help. Things are pretty bad here.”
“How’s Alexandra?” Corvan inquired and the man’s eyes filled with unshed tears.
“She died yesterday morning.”
Corvan said nothing for a bit and then he replied, “You have my condolences.”
“Yes, thank you. We’ve tried going to our Council for direction. They are no longer accepting petitions. Last week, they shut down the Embassy and council members pulled out and left the planet. We’re on our own here. And you’re the only one I know who is actively doing anything, I was hoping you’d had some progress,” he told Corvan who sighed heavily.
“I’m trying here and I think I may be close. I have some promising leads. But if it’s bad there, my advice to you is to stay inside. Lock up your compound and restrict staff from going anywhere outside the grounds. Like you say, we’re on our own, and we have to--,”
Suddenly a shout and a shot rang out.
“Hold on Corvan, I don’t know what’s going on,” the man could be seen stepping out of the field of vision and off-screen Lia could detect shouting. The shouting became intense and then Lia detected bloodcurdling screams.”