Parallel Portals

by kelly proudfoot

  “What’s happening?!” She yelled, sounding like a loud, monotone robot.

  She saw a door in the far right corner appear out of nowhere. A tall, male cyborg came striding in. He held a kind of crystal tablet in his hand, which he was tapping calmly. Then he looked up and over at Pauline while she backed against the wall, panting and crying in her metallic voice.

  “Please. Please don’t hurt me. I don’t know what’s happening!” She begged.

  His laser-blue eyes widened in their chrome sockets. She saw that his body had been modeled on a strong man in his prime, while his head was formed like a typical, ultra-modern robot: masculine but shiny chrome, without hair. She instinctively moved her hand up to her own head.

  It wasn’t like she sensed the smooth, metal head like a physical hand would. It was like rubber on metal. Then she looked at her hand and saw the chrome fingers. Turning it around she then saw the black, rubber-like skin - her knuckles fashioned with inter-connective, black cords.

  When she looked back up she saw the blue focal signals tracking the large male cyborg, who was walking quickly towards her. She held her hands out defensively.

  “No, no – please. I’m human!”

  Then he stopped and cocked his metal head. She nearly screamed when she heard his loud, controlled voice.

  “State your quantum entanglement!” He commanded.

  “Pardon?” She replied meekly.

  He looked back down at his tablet and tapped it a few more times. A hologram appeared above it in the shape of an inverted triangle. Another male cyborg appeared in the hologram.

  “Report.” He stated flatly.

  “Doela 9 is malfunctioning. There seems to be an anomaly in her behavioral program.”

  “Bring her to the base for a sweep. Initiate behavior inhibitors.”

  “Affirmative.”

  The triangle disappeared and the cyborg tapped the tablet once. Pauline saw more red lettering across the screen that she’d assumed was her mind’s eye. She now realized that she had entered a strange world run by robots and that this “body” she’d slipped into was another cyborg. The letters scrolled across the screen like the previous warning.

  “Behavior inhibitors initiated. Basic function mode responding. Reverting…Reverting…”

  Pauline tried to protest as the cyborg approached; his face passive yet determined. She felt her metallic body ignoring the screams in her mind. It was inert and responsive only to the cyborg’s commands.

  “Doela 9, you will follow me.”

  He turned and walked beside her as they both made their way to the wall, where the door had materialized. She found herself following the cyborg into a white corridor, which was windowless and seemingly never-ending.

  Every thought was targeted by the internal program, with responses scrolling across her screen.

  “Internal monologue detected. Inhibitors reverting and recording.”

  The urge to cry and scream was so strong that she felt like she would explode, like a lizard trapped in a tin with no oxygen. The internal program continued to advise that whatever she thought or felt was being recorded. She wondered, “For what purpose?!”

  They soon came to the end of the corridor, where a large entrance appeared, revealing what appeared to be a circular, silver pod. Once they walked inside, she saw that it was opaque and detached, suspended by black brackets. It was obvious that the pod was a vehicle, with supposedly random touch screens circling around the inside of the walls of the pod.

  The cyborg touched one of them and it flew out from the wall, hovering only inches in front of his face. He spoke into it with his calm, robotic voice.

  “Base station. Sector Seven.”

  A soft female voice responded. “Affirmative. Jinn 8 is waiting.”

  Then the touch screens evaporated and Pauline could see through the silvery walls of the pod. She gasped – with the internal program continuing to scroll messages advising that she was being blocked and recorded – as she looked down and saw a magnificent, futuristic city-scape. There were many glass domes, with some white and silver domes dotted throughout in a uniform fashion, like a beautiful, jeweled mandala. A huge, black dome was in the center – shiny like black glass – with a tall, black tower jutting out and reaching up to the white sky.

  She saw many orbs flying about and soon realized that they too were pods, darting around here and there to various destinations. She couldn’t move, so her eyes drank everything in, to her utter amazement. She saw that the sky was rolling like one, huge cloud. There were several towers in the distance, reaching for the sky, amid many different mandala-type, domed cities.

  The pod brought them to the first black dome and started to descend. The cyborg waved his hand across the silver wall and at first, Pauline assumed that he was waving at someone. When another screen materialized, she saw the other cyborg appear in it.

  “Tan 9, we are waiting at the dock-point.”

  “Affirmative.” He responded quietly.

  The screen disappeared and Pauline gasped again when she saw a sudden burst of electricity shoot out from the top of the black tower, connecting with the other towers in the distance, forming a beautiful grid of pure energy for a brief moment. Then she saw a small section of the black dome opening up at the bottom – like the entrance of a hangar – with little brackets opening up like hands appearing on a small platform.

  Once the pod had docked, the doorway opened up and they stepped out. Another male cyborg was standing to the side, but Pauline was distracted by the interior of the dome. There were a lot of opaque, black walls, in contrast to the white walls she’d seen at the previous dome. She could vaguely see through them, where several different cyborgs were walking around or sitting down at screens and strange machines.

  The other cyborg greeted them. “The Hexascan is primed.”

  “Thank you, Jinn 8.”

  Pauline looked up and realized that she was the smallest one, being at least half the size of the others. Then she looked over to one of the shiny, black walls and saw her reflection. She looked like a small, childish version of the other cyborgs. The eyes were blue like the others, but larger. The face was sweet and innocent, as much as a robot could look as such. She was simultaneously fascinated and horrified with her appearance and she wondered if she would ever make it back to her own body.

  The screen continued to scroll messages across her mind’s eye while she once again felt an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia building.

  They began to move along the circular corridor and soon came across a doorway which linked them to another walkway. As they continued, she saw that it led to a large room with several cyborgs moving around what looked like a six-sided container, approximately ten feet high and ten feet in diameter. It was silver and pulsing with a blue energy field.

  It was standing on a large, circular stage, with several small towers adjacent to each of the six corners. The cyborgs were looking down at a table in the shape of a crescent moon, tapping and talking among themselves in a quiet manner. They all looked up when Jinn 8, Tan 9 and Pauline entered the room.

  Without communicating verbally, Tan 9 brought Pauline over to the table and tapped on his tablet. She sensed a lifting of the inhibitors but she remained quiet – suddenly fearful of blurting out that she was a human trapped in the body of a robot. Tan 9 did it for her.

  “As protocol dictates, this is confidential. My student is exhibiting different behavioral modalities to what she has been programmed and instructed. It appears to be a type of quantum entanglement – although it is not apparent to me. Also…”

  He paused, like a human pondering the best way to continue. Jinn 8 prompted him.

  “Speak it.”

  Tan 9 looked down at Pauline and for the first time, she sensed a human element in his gaze, almost like he was trying to protect her.

  “She mentioned the word – Human.”

  There was suddenly a buzz of excitement throughout the room. One of
the female cyborgs walked over and held her hand out to Tan 9. He gave her the crystal tablet and she tapped it twice. A hologram appeared, projecting a recording of Pauline freaking out when she was running around the room back in the white dome. They all watched and listened to Pauline’s ranting. She was surprised and embarrassed to feel a sense of shame – which was immediately projected as an external alert from a space in her head.

  “Emotions detected. Downloading records.”

  While they all watched, the hologram started projecting all the gasps, screams, crying and thoughts Pauline had internally expressed since the cyborg walked her out of the white room.

  She’d never been so scared. All the cyborgs turned their heads to look at her. For a moment, she thought that it was fear on their faces. Now she couldn’t keep her mouth shut.

  “Please don’t hurt me. I can explain. This isn’t my body. I’m a human and I’ve accessed a portal. I think I arrived here by accident. See, I was trying to make my way home. I think I’ve stumbled across an alternate universe, or something. Now I’m trapped in this body – this cyborg body. I don’t know why this is happening but it is – so – please don’t hurt me. If you like, I can try to leave!”

  She suddenly remembered her Oversoul and grew excited over the fact that she could call on him to help, but Tan 9 grabbed her by the hand, making her gasp again.

  “Jinn 8, contact the Overlord. He must be advised.”

  “Contact initiated. Place her in the Hexascan. We’ll hold her there until he appears.”

  Jinn 8 waved his hand over his own tablet and a large hologram appeared, this time - in the shape of a hexagon. Pauline screamed, cried and pleaded while Tan 9 dragged her towards the Hexascan. The electrical pulse had died down and an entrance appeared, revealing a dark interior. She fought hard but Tan 9 was too strong. He pushed her in and then stood back, while a blue field washed over the Hexascan.

  With one last scream, Pauline watched the space over Tan 9’s chrome head, where a frightening image of a large humanoid face appeared in the hologram. Its eyes were like yellow fire in a blue visage that seemed to swarm like molten metal. When the door of the Hexascan closed over, a pulse of blue light shot through her system.

  She heard the words, “Specimen contained. Scanning commencing.”

  Once again she was rendered immobile as waves of blue energy began to roll over her.

  Then she heard a terrifying voice – booming, “Bring the intruder to me!”

  Chapter 5 – Teslantis

  In the darkness of the Hexascan, Pauline felt the blue energy waves rolling over her and the buzzing of electrical pulses feeding into what looked like millions of cells within the walls. The cells remained illuminated with a bright, golden light for a second until the energy moved on from cell to cell, creating a honeycomb pattern rolling continuously.

  She heard a voice reporting outside the Hexascan and assumed that it was feeding back to the cyborgs and the Overlord.

  “Parasitic entity interfacing with host Doela 9. Human consciousness detected. Female Earthling via unknown portal. Requesting permission to eradicate parasite.”

  Pauline started screaming, but a pulse from the blue waves shut the robotic body down once more. Now she felt a double-whammy of claustrophobia: being trapped inside the cyborg body at the same time that she was trapped in the Hexascan.

  Then she heard the Overlord’s booming voice from the outside.

  “Permission denied. Continue to suppress. Release the specimen.”

  “Affirmative.”

  At once, the scanning stopped and the Hexascan opened up. She saw Tan 9 standing back with the other cyborgs, while the Overlord – now fully materialized – stood in front of the Hexascan. He was at least twelve feet tall and terrifying, with a long black robe and golden eyes flashing. He appeared to be humanoid and was wearing black slacks and a black tunic. The only thing that appeared strange – apart from his height – was his swirling, silver skin and fiery eyes.

  “Step forward, Doela 9.”

  As much as Pauline tried to resist, she was not in control. The body stepped forward and bowed in obeisance. She then heard the metallic voice again.

  “I am at your service, Overlord Tesla.”

  Tesla. Pauline had heard that name before, back on Earth. She soon recalled the revered Electrical Engineer and Inventor and wondered if this was his spirit in another dimension. She felt like her human brain cells were frying inside the robotic body.

  “You will come with me.” He announced, then he waved at Tan 9.

  “You are her instructor?”

  “Affirmative.” He replied while bowing his head.

  “You will join us.”

  “As you wish, Overlord Tesla.”

  The Overlord then turned back to Tan 9.

  “Activate the Sentinel assigned to Doela 9. Have it meet us in the Hanging Garden.”

  “Affirmative.”

  Tan 9 tapped a few times on his tablet then took Pauline by the hand. They followed the Overlord through various walkways until they finally came upon a large archway. Pauline struggled against the program which had been keeping her in check. She wondered if – seeing as this body was that of a cyborg – she would have the same internal issues which she’d had in Julie’s body.

  Apart from the system alerting the other cyborgs to the fact that her soul had infiltrated the robotic body of Doela 9, she had yet to detect a personality or even a programmed behavioral system within the confines of this 'body.' Even though Doela 9 was a cyborg, Pauline – forever a dreamer – expected some kind of consciousness or awareness outside of the alerts and programming.

  The Overlord led them through the archway into a beautiful garden. It was the size of a football field and domed with a clear, sparkling crystal ceiling. There were many curved, silver rafters running along the ceiling which supported a vast array of hanging baskets. The plants were foreign to Pauline, but they were stunning, lush and of various colors and sizes.

  They walked past many koi ponds with silver, robotic fish swimming calmly in still, silver waters. Pauline marveled at the perfect symmetry of the strange leaves on the hanging stems. There were small trees which looked like mini tree ferns, but with alternating red and black fronds consisting of a strange feathering pattern, while the occasional flower bush sported yellow leaves with a neat fishbone design.

  Pauline so wanted to lean over and sniff one of the plump, blue-black flowers, but she was still under control. Then, something from the other side of the garden caught her attention. It was like flashes of silver glinting in the light, quickly passing through the garden, weaving through the plants and trees. The Overlord stopped and pointed to a section where two long benches ran parallel to each other.

  “The Sentinel has arrived. We will converse over there. Deactivate the suppression.”

  “Confirmed.” Tan 9 announced while tapping his tablet.

  The Overlord then turned to Pauline. She felt the program lifting the controls and her consciousness slipping around – like it was filling the cyborg’s body again.

  “Doela 9. We will sit here and converse. Be assured that your Sentinel will destroy you – and your intruder – should you move against me.”

  Pauline shuddered internally, like a leaf caught in a wind-tunnel. The Overlord was obviously onto her, but there was a glimmer of hope, even though he’d announced that she could be destroyed. She nodded and looked up at Tan 9, but stumbled backwards when she saw a large, silver dragon hovering over them.

  “Do not fear the Sentinel. It will do no harm, provided you behave according to my commands.”

  The Overlord then turned to Tan 9.

  “You will remain with us, but you will depress your receptors. Stay online until I summon you.”

  “Affirmative.” Tan 9 responded, before going over to the far end of the opposite bench to sit down.

  The Overlord then motioned for Pauline to get up and follow him. She was amazed at how easy it was fo
r this body to move.

  As she followed him, she saw the Sentinel descend and fly over to the area in the middle of the seating area. It was like a Chinese dragon but pure, animated chrome. It stayed hovering as The Overlord pointed to the bench.

  “Join me, Doela 9 – or is there another name I should use?”

  Pauline sat opposite the Overlord and looked over at Tan 9, who was sitting calmly down the end and staring into the bushes.

  “You know who I am?” She asked timidly, still trying to get used to her robotic voice.

  The Overlord smiled, although he was still terrifying to look at.

  “Let us say, I’m aware that you don’t originally hail from Teslantis.”

  “Teslantis?” She asked.

  “It is a long story; one I will be happy to share, but first you must answer my questions. Agreed?”

  Pauline tried to gulp, but this wasn’t a physical body. She ignored the scrolling alerts across her screen.

  “Agreed, but I’m having trouble with these messages. They’re distracting.”

  He laughed and nodded, before getting up, striding over to Tan 9 and relieving him of the tablet before returning to his seat. He tapped it a few times and the scrolling stopped.

  “Thank you!” She said.

  “Now, what is your name? I assume you are from Earth.”

  “That’s right! My name is Pauline Warbanks. I discovered a portal in the library, where I work. It was an accident. The first time, I traveled to the past – to the 1950’s – but when I was trying to get back home to my time, it seems I detoured. That’s how I got here.”

  Pauline could’ve bitten her metallic lip. She wondered if she had said too much. The Overlord didn’t seem to be surprised, but he continued grilling her.

  “What year are you from?”

  She didn’t want to answer. The paranoia was seeping into her like a slow-dripping leak. She sat and stared while the Overlord waited. He then turned to the Sentinel.

  “Let us show Ms. Warbanks what happens when we refuse to comply.”

  The Sentinel reared back for a split second then jerked its head forward, shooting out a white laser beam, which struck the spot on the bench only inches away from where she sat. It left a clean hole with no residue or smoke. Pauline was suddenly angry.