by JC Ryan
Telestra and Dekka looked at each other. “I wonder what that’s all about?” Dekka whispered.
“Whatever it is, I don’t think it’s good,” she replied.
Within minutes, Soltan and Viktor returned with a bewildered, and terrified young boy between them.
Telestra took a sharp breath but refrained from saying anything.
“Who is that?” Dekka asked.
“We don’t know. He doesn’t speak our language. We found him at the entrance,” Soltan said.
“Do you have a translator?” Viktor demanded.
“Yes, there is a program in the control center. If we can access it, we should be able to train it to understand each other,” Telestra said.
“Let’s go,” Viktor ordered.
Telestra could see the boy was frightened of Viktor and his men. She smiled and slowly offered her hand, beckoning for him to follow her. He glanced around uneasily and then stepped closer to her and took her hand.
They traversed the ruined corridors to the control room where Rauel was still working to restore full power.
“If we can get him talking, the translator will analyze his speech patterns and syntax to provide a language translation for us,” Telestra explained as she started the program.
“What’s your name,” Viktor asked abruptly causing the boy to step away from him in fear, closer to Telestra.
Viktor grabbed him by the arm, pulling him back to stand before him. “I asked you what your name is!” he said in a low, menacing tone.
The boy began to tremble but said nothing.
“You’re frightening the boy,” Dekka broke in. “I’ll talk to him.”
Viktor flushed with anger and shoved Dekka away, but Soltan stopped him.
“Let him try, Viktor, the boy is afraid of us.”
Viktor let the boy’s arm go and allowed Dekka to approach. He gently took the boy by the arm and led him to a chair, indicating that he should sit down.
Dekka sat in a chair across from him and looked to Telestra, who nodded confirmation that the translator program was on, and she was ready for him to proceed.
Patting himself on the chest, Dekka said “Dekka,” then pointed to Telestra saying “Telestra.”
The boy looked at the two of them but remained silent.
Dekka repeated the gestures and names and then pointed to the boy who still said nothing.
“Maybe he can’t speak,” Viktor said with an edge of frustration in his voice.
Dekka ignored Viktor and tried again; patting his chest and said, “I am Dekka.” He looked at Telestra.
“I am Telestra,” she spoke.
“What is your name?” Dekka asked, pointing at the boy.
There was a pause before the boy moved his hand to his chest and said, “Petya.”
Dekka grinned broadly, “Well, it seems we have made a start!”
***
The strangers were speaking, but Petya didn’t understand them, everything was strange; their clothes, this place, the machines, the lights. The tall one that appeared to be the leader frightened him, but he tried not to show it. The woman was beautiful and seemed kind, and the voice of the man before him sounded kind.
Petya gathered that the man’s name was Dekka and the woman’s, Telestra. A pretty name. Beyond that, he didn’t understand anything.
When the one called Dekka spoke, it sounded to Petya like, “Wh erea rey ouf rom.”
Petya shook his head “I don’t understand you.”
“Wh erea rey ouf rom.” He repeated.
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand you.” He touched his chest and said. “My name is Petya. I’m from Moga Village. It’s nearby—if you let me go, I can get home quickly. My parents will be worried about me. I won’t tell anyone about you—I promise!”
Telestra, following the translator screen, asked, “Where a rey ou from?”
The boy looked at her, paused for a moment as he was playing her words over in his head and smiled.
“I – I – I’m from Moga Village.”
“Morg Vilge?” Telestra asked.
“Mo—ga. Vill—age,” Petya said. “I’m from Moga Village.”
“Moga Village,” Telestra repeated to make sure she pronounced it correct.
The boy smiled and nodded his head.
“Petya, from Moga Village.” Dekka had moved over to the translator screen. “I am called Dekka, and this is my associate Telestra,” he said. “These are Viktor, Soltan, and Rauel.”
Petya looked around at all of them in surprise. “How can you learn my language so quickly—just a few minutes ago, I couldn’t understand you?”
“We have a translator to help us.” Telestra smiled as she pointed to the screen in front of her.
Looking around Petya asked, “Where am I? What is this place? Did you cause the fire in the sky?”
Telestra recognized immediately that the boy was from a less advanced culture and shook her head slightly at Dekka, indicating that he should reveal no more.
Telestra drew near and questioned, “We can answer all your questions later. First, tell us about yourself.”
Petya nodded.
“Tell me about your life, Petya, what is it like?”
“I live in the village, not far from here, with my family and I hunt for food in the forest, I have two sisters and a brother, they are younger than I am.”
“Are there many people in your village?”
“Not a lot, maybe a hundred or so.”
“How do you travel between villages?”
“We walk mostly; those who have donkeys or horses sometimes ride.”
“How do you communicate?”
Petya looked at her questioningly. “We talk; just like I’m talking to you now.”
“But how do you talk to people in other villages?”
“Some people can write, and they send letters. I think some of the bigger villages and towns have a way to send words over wires but I don’t know how they do it.”
“I see,” Telestra said. “Do you have aircraft—machines that fly in the air like birds?”
“I have heard of them but have never seen one.”
“How many people are there in the world?”
Petya scoffed, “everyone knows there are millions of people in the world.”
“Soltan,” Viktor interrupted. “Take Dekka back to the infirmary, have one of the soldiers escort Telestra to the pod corridor, she can help them clear the hallway, and then return here to me and bring a soldier with you.”
Telestra motioned for Petya to follow her.
“No,” Viktor stated. “The boy stays here.”
Petya looked to Telestra with fear in his eyes.
“He’s no use to you,” Telestra said.
“Leave him here I said,” Viktor ordered.
She smiled at Petya, “it will be alright.”
“You, Rule, or whatever your name is, where is the reanimation center?”
***
Soltan had only just stepped back into the control center with the soldier when Viktor grabbed him by the arm and steered him back out the door, ordering the soldier to guard Petya and Rauel.
“Viktor, what has happened?” he asked with alarm.
“This isn’t our world or our time,” Viktor replied excitedly as they strolled down the hall. “I asked the boy for the calendar time and he gave an answer that indicates this is the year 1908. I don’t know what that means except that this is not even close to the world we left.
“We were put into deep-sleep in the year 26,000 of the Eighth Cycle—I have no idea what cycle this is.
“These people are just beginning to develop basic technology—they are primitive by our standards—most of them are probably uneducated, simplistic beings—easily exploited and controlled.”
Soltan stopped suddenly. Viktor’s mind was sharp and Soltan realized he was up to something. “What are you planning?” he asked with a slow, suspicious smile.
<
br /> By the time Viktor finished telling him, Soltan wore an expression of wicked glee.
“Marvelous,” he whispered almost to himself. “We will rule the world—”
Chapter 6- Birth of the Re’an
In the days after Petya’s arrival, Viktor drove the soldiers and scientists alike to clear the passageway to the pod cavern as quickly as possible. He ignored injuries, refused to let them rest, and provided little time to eat the green, foul-tasting mush that had become their only sustenance. He also had Rauel working feverishly to restore power to the entire facility.
Two of the soldiers had mysteriously disappeared at about the same time. Telestra and Dekka questioned Viktor and Soltan about the urgency to clear the hallway and the missing men, but received no answers. In their private discussions, Dekka pondered the possibilities and Telestra expressed her fear that nothing good would come from it.
A shout rang out from one of the soldiers. They’d reached the entrance of the pod cavern but could not trigger the door’s opening mechanism.
One of the scientists hurried over to the access panel and triggered the mechanism manually. The door opened, and Viktor stepped through, followed closely by Soltan and Santosh.
“Deszik!” Telestra shrieked and ran toward the opening. Viktor stopped her as she forced her way through the door.
“Keep her out of here!” he shouted.
“I want to see my son!”
Soltan stepped to Viktor’s side and whispered, “Perhaps it would be useful to let her verify her son is alive. If he is, we will have total control over her; if he is not, we can reprogram her.”
Viktor turned to Telestra who, restrained by the arms by two of the soldiers, was struggling to free herself. He smoothed his finger across her cheek and down her jaw line and neck to her shoulder. “What is it worth to you to see your son, hmmm?”
Telestra froze and fixed Viktor with a hateful scowl. “You’re despicable.”
Viktor snorted, releasing her shoulder. “You have no idea how nice I can be.”
“Soltan, Santosh, start the waking cycles on the pods of all the soldiers. Leave the L’gundo for now.”
“I will take you to see your son Telestra, but we will not wake him.”
“Thank you,” Telestra whispered with tears in her eyes.
They made their way down the rows of pods to the one that Telestra knew held the body of her son. She closed her eyes before stepping beside it. Please let it still be functional. Please let him still be alive.
Slowly she opened her eyes and saw the face of her beloved son. “Deszik,” she whispered, “Oh, Deszik; you’re alive!” she cried as she leaned her body across the top of the pod.
A strong hand gripped her arm. “Okay. I’ve let you see your son. Now tell me which of these pods contain scientists that are familiar with the reanimation process and equipment. I want only the ones that are capable of performing a re-animation.”
“Why would you want that?”
“It doesn’t matter why. Just answer my question; I think you know the consequences if you don’t,” he nodded significantly toward Deszik’s pod.
She sighed. “Dekka is the lead reanimation scientist. His assistant was killed in your attack. Tellek and Baynor are under-assistants. They are in the two pods on the end,” she indicated the row next to the far wall. “There were others, but Dekka will have to tell you who they are, I don’t know.”
“So, you lied to me when you told me that you needed Dekka in the control room before the explosion.” He folded his arms over his chest. “Did you do that to cause the explosion?”
“No. The explosion was inevitable; there was no way to stop it since the flow regulator valves couldn’t be opened. He is head of our medical unit, and I wanted to be sure he remained alive.”
“I see that you are capable of, and skilled at, deception. I won’t bother asking you what else you’ve lied about. However, understand that I have noted your deception and will take it into consideration when dealing with you in the future. Now, get out.” He shoved her toward the cavern door, the soldier assigned to guard her followed. “Take her to the reanimation chamber. Don’t let her talk to anyone.”
“Soltan!” he shouted.
“Yes, Viktor,” Soltan dashed to his side.
“Wake the scientists in those two pods,” he pointed to the ones that Telestra had shown him. “Place two soldiers with them as guards. The woman says they are reanimation scientists, but I don’t trust her, she has been lying to us.”
Soltan nodded and started to move to the pods.
“Also, get the boy,” Viktor ordered. “Bring him to me in the reanimation chamber and don’t let him talk to anyone. Before you go, tell the guards to bring the scientists to the reanimation chamber when they awaken.”
“On my way.”
Viktor strode out of the cavern, pausing at the entrance to speak quietly with Santosh, and then he crossed the hall and stepped into the reanimation chamber.
He turned to a tall, stern-looking soldier. “Bring the L’gundo called Dekka in here.”
The soldier nodded and hurried to do Viktor’s bidding.
Viktor slowly paced the chamber while he waited, examining the equipment. When he heard footsteps in the hallway, he stopped and faced the entrance.
Telestra and the boy Petya stood before him, each with a guard at their side. He did not speak to them.
“What’s this about?” Telestra wanted to know.
Viktor resumed his pacing without answering. Her eyes followed him around the room, but he ignored her.
Soon he heard more footsteps, and Dekka entered the room.
“Dekka; Telestra admitted she has been lying to me, that you are not a geoscientist at all, but rather the head of this facility’s medical unit and the lead reanimation scientist.”
Dekka looked to Telestra, who gave him a slight nod.
“Is this correct?” Viktor asked.
Hesitating for only a moment, Dekka answered, “yes, it’s true.”
“So, you have been part of the deception. With your silence, you lied. I don’t like liars. Fortunately for you, I have need of you, or I would kill you where you stand.”
Viktor circled Dekka like a predator, allowing his words to sink in.
Dekka and Telestra looked at each other in quiet apprehension.
“Tell me, Dekka, what do these machines do?”
“This is the reanimation chamber; they make it possible to reanimate a person after death, provided that no more than half a day has passed.”
“Idiot!” shouted Viktor. “I know what the reanimation process is, I am a Re‘an. I want to know the purpose of each machine—what part it plays in the reanimation process.”
Dekka cringed, “How much detail do you want?”
“Just tell me what each one is used for; you don’t need to explain the technical details.”
Moving to a floating table that adjusted to waist height as he approached, Dekka began describing the equipment in the room.
“The body is placed on this table. The brain is connected to the Itran—Identity Transfer Unit—and the person’s memories, identity, full brain analysis and record of synaptic pathways are removed and stored here,” he indicated another machine, “in the Synastor. This is done using the PHS—Proton Hydroxyl Scanner—adjusted to a setting that allows glucose and radio waves to cause the information in the brain to move through specially designed fibrodes into the Itran unit which then transfers the information to the Synastor.” Dekka held up a few micro-thin thread-like wires.
“Those look like the strands of fiber in the fiber-optic cables that were once used to transfer information at faster-than-light speeds,” Viktor commented. He was fascinated in spite of himself.
“Yes, they are very similar, but also quite different,” Dekka, agreed.
“Once the identity transfer is complete we use whatever medical devices are appropriate to treat the cause of death, restoring the body to heal
th. Then the identity can be returned.”
“Or another identity can be placed in the body. Is that not correct?”
Dekka swallowed hard and looked at Telestra. “Yes, that also is correct.”
“Continue.”
“Part of what the Synastor does is repair damage and deterioration that may cause changes in memories, personality, abilities, and such that begins at the moment of death due to lack of oxygen to the brain. If we just brought the person back, they would most likely be severely brain damaged if the Identity transfer process were not used.”
“I see. So, after you’ve repaired the physical damage, you put the memories back and reanimate the body?”
“No, not quite. In order to put the identity back in the body, a microchip has to be inserted in a specific place in the brain and then the body must be reanimated first. You can’t put an identity into a body that has not been reanimated—the body must be able to breathe and circulate blood without mechanical support—the brain requires oxygen to function, and oxygen is carried by the blood.”
“Hmmm.” Viktor nodded as the guards brought in the two awakened reanimation scientists. He wandered around the room again stopping behind Telestra and the boy. “Is all of this equipment fully functional?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“Be sure of your answer, Dekka. Telestra and her son’s lives depend on it.”
“What are you going to do?” she asked nervously.
Viktor ignored her. “Well, Dekka? Is it all fully functional? Is there even one minor piece that is not functional?”
Dekka cleared his throat. “Yes, Viktor. I am sure. All of it is functional.”
“Fully functional?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” and with a quick motion, Viktor grabbed Petya and twisted his head—they all heard a snap as the boy’s neck broke.
Telestra screamed.
“What have you done? Why?” Dekka yelled in horror.
Viktor let the body drop to the floor. “I need another soldier.”
Dekka shook his head. “I will not help you.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely not. Never.”
“Santosh!” Viktor called.
“Here!”