Errant Contact

by T. Michael Ford

  “I’m not following, Janneal.” I really wanted to know where all this was leading.

  “Kodo, you’re one of us now!” Janneal said with a big smile as she reached across and took my hand, squeezing it tightly to prove her point.

  “I’m what?!”

  “You, son, are a full-fledged, card-carrying synthetic now! Your parents found a way for you to live on should you ever perish. Your nanites have been storing all the information there has ever been about you and sent it to your backup unit, the nearest unused supercomputer available. They have had over a thousand years to record and compile everything, and they have done a marvelous job. Due to your computer and other implants, your brain was preconditioned to be compatible with ours, just not even close to the same power levels. Brain-wise, you have always been one of us.”

  “So I’m not dead?”

  “No, you aren't. We are currently in a sort of training world I created to allow you to stabilize before you are thrown out into the real deal. The silly cloud thing, though, that was all you.”

  “Why am I just finding this out now, Janneal?”

  “If I could have saved you the pain, I would have, Kodo. However, by the time you came to my attention, most of the damage had already been done. I also had to consider free will. Besides, I think you turned out to be an amazing young man!”

  “Ok, not to question all this or be rude, but how is it you are even talking to me? I mean, when we left, you were still on the planet, and I’m pretty sure it’s gone now.”

  “It’s a cool trick we can do for each other. Think of it as an interactive recorded message, if you will. And as far as what you know or don’t know, don’t worry, you will pick up all the new stuff soon enough. Besides, Kalaya will be more than pleased to teach you everything.”

  “Does she know?” I asked.

  “That you’re alive?” I nodded. Her eyes dropped to the floor. “No, she doesn’t. I have no way of contacting her like this. However, if you could give this to her for me, I would be very grateful.” She smiled and stood up, handing me a sealed envelope.

  “Of course. But how do I go see her?”

  “Soon, very soon. But for now, forgive me the luxury of looking at you one last time.” She looked me over, her eyes misting over, and she swallowed hard. “You have turned into everything I could have hoped for you, Kodo. I just wish I could still be a part of your lives. I wish you the best of luck with my daughter. I know she can be a willful pain in the ass sometimes, but she will be worth it, I assure you. But remember, if you break her heart, I will find a way to come back and kick your butt!”

  She hugged me gently one last time. “Now you better go find my girl. She will be devastated right now, and every minute she thinks you are dead is agony for her. Take it easy on her and make sure you two don’t let this golden opportunity pass you by.”

  “I have no intention of being far from her arms ever again, Janneal; you have my word.”

  “Good luck, then, my son. I hope to see you both again someday.” With that final word, she faded from sight. I looked around to find that I really was in the Level 18 lounge! I tore out of the room and down the passageway; every door control I touched seemed to work exactly as it had before. Only I could move my hand through walls now, so this wasn’t a dream. I really am a synthetic. Hurrying along, I could feel a mental tether that somehow connected me to the heavily shielded and armored room in the bowels of the ship where the supercomputers were quartered. I would be sitting alongside Kalaya for the rest of my days and the thought filled me with joy.

  I had no idea of where anyone was. Without my implants, I couldn’t talk to Kalaya anymore; at least, until I started to find my way around my new reality. I took a chance and stopped by the VIP lounge thinking to talk to the humans.

  I walked through the door…no, actually through the door! Without opening it…and I have to admit, it was kind of fun to see their reactions.

  “Kodo? Is that you?” Max coughed, practically snorting whatever he was drinking out his nose. The others perked up as well and surrounded me.

  “Yup, I’m back,” I said with what I hoped was a reassuring smile.

  “So you’re a ghost?” Hannah ventured, waving her hand through me.

  “Hey! You wouldn’t do that to Kalaya, would you?”

  “Well, Kalaya looks real,” she countered. “If you’re a hologram, you need practice. If you’re a ghost; well, I don’t know what to say then. Besides, Laree said you died, she saw it happen!”

  “Let’s just say I had a change of operating formats. I’m just like our favorite blonde goddess now. By the way, can you tell me where to find her?”

  Elleen walked right up and stood in front of me. Ever the perceptive one, she looked me up and down and finally whispered, “You’re really here?”

  “Yes,” I confirmed in an equally hushed voice, “for good.”

  “Oh, my God!” Elleen practically shouted. “This is big, Kodo, like really big! You need to find the two of them right now before one or both does something stupid! I think they’re both crazy.”

  “Where are they, Elleen?”

  “Probably in Laree’s room down the hall. If Jocko is blocking most of the passageway, you can be sure Laree is inside.”

  “Jocko?”

  “No more talk, just go!” She tried to give me a firm push but only succeeded in running her hand all the way through my chest. “Oops, sorry! I’ll have to work on that.”

  “Just so you know, Kodo,” Drik broke in as I was turning to leave. “You’ve been thought dead for two days in our time; it’s been tough on them both.”

  Two days? Seemed like less than an hour to me. “Noted, and thank you, Drik,” I said with a nod. A few steps down the passageway, and yup, there was a big shaggy beast that I assumed was Jocko in front of Laree’s door. I took a deep breath that I probably no longer needed, but it served to calm me as I triggered the actuator and walked through the doorway.

  Chapter 29

  Laree

  Two days! It took me two days to calm her down enough to get her out of Kodo’s room and interacting with the real world. Even then, she was maybe only five percent of her former self, but I didn’t know what else to do for someone that I can’t even hug properly. Presently, she was zoned out on the bed, not really paying attention to the world around her.

  I did get her to tell me that she was taking us, including the Jeff, back to Earth. After that, her plans seemed pretty muddy, and I was afraid it involved guiding the Aurora into the nearest blue giant star.

  I was fixing myself another drink in the antechamber when the door opened. I was so shaken, I tipped over the entire tumbler on the counter, drenching myself from the waist down. Of course, the water ran right off the nanite armor that I wore as everyday dress now. It was more durable, comfortable, and hot-looking than any other piece of clothing I owned and, dammit, I was going to keep wearing it. Stuttering a mild curse, I looked up expecting it all to be a figment of my imagination.

  It wouldn’t be the first time. For the past two days, Kalaya had been insisting that she could still feel Kodo’s presence on the Aurora. In her more lucid moments, we agreed that the old girl was probably haunted for real this time. But when I looked up, I saw an apparition. I blinked and he was still standing there. I pinched myself…nope, still standing there. I was about to whack myself in the head with the water glass when the apparition spoke up softly.

  “Before you do something really horrendous to yourself, Laree, let me save you some pain. Yes, I am really here.”

  It was Kodo’s voice, but that was impossible! I watched him die; hell, I’d killed him! There was no way he could be standing before me with that same crooked smile he always wore! Regardless, I couldn’t help myself; with a silent cry of joy, I threw my arms around him. But I sailed right through him and nearly collided with the door. Recovering, I turned and looked up at him, but he smiled and shushed me before I could say anything.

  �
�Yes, I’m back, but as one of Kalaya’s people now. I will explain it all later, but for now…” He glanced meaningfully toward the bedroom.

  “Yes, you need to go to her, Kodo. She needs you so badly!” My chest pounded as all the pent up emotions I had been suppressing hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt hot tears of joy run down my face as I stood back to watch what was about to unfold.

  Kalaya was curled up in a sad heap with her back to the door as Kodo approached. He slid onto the bed behind her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

  “I’ll be fine, Laree,” Kalaya whispered, her voice hoarse from crying. “Just give me…some time…” she stopped mid-sentence as if realizing that someone was actually touching her for the first time in over a thousand years. Startled, she rolled over and looked up into the face of the man she loved and who loved her more than life itself.

  “Kodo?” she squeaked.

  He smiled and reached across to brush her short hair out of the way, leaning in to kiss her gently. That is, until she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him down for the kiss he had been waiting a thousand years for!

  They were kissing and crying and kissing again. Kalaya tried to dry her tears, but every time her arms went around him, they started again. They embraced tenderly for a very long time. The thought occurred to me that I should leave and give them some privacy, but after the two days I just had, I needed all the vicarious pleasure I could find.

  “But how?”

  “Our parents,” he said simply.

  “Our parents?” she asked blankly.

  “Yes, long story. I have a message from your mom for you as well.”

  “Really?” Kalaya gasped, suddenly becoming rigid. “What did she say?

  “She said not to let this opportunity slip by. I have no intention of doing that.” He placed his lips on hers again and kissed her passionately. Kalaya returned it two-fold and slithered her lithe body up and over his, gazing down into his eyes with absolute love.

  With a sigh, my conscience finally got the better of me, and I nodded once to the happy couple and started to duck out. A as I was leaving, Kalaya looked up at me and her famous blue eyes were shining brighter than ever. She gave me a saucy wink, and just as I was about to walk into the corridor and greet Jocko, out of the corner of my eye I saw a pair of blue and white pompoms sail lazily out of the bedroom.

  Oh, yeah, this was going to be a fun flight home!

  Epilog

  Vittellius 6, Capital System of the Mexxak Empire.

  A short, extravagantly dressed functionary hurried through the halls of the Winter Palace. Stony-eyed sentries watched him pass, noting the elaborate metal scroll tube tucked under one arm. A few doors later, the entrance to the Emperor’s dayroom opened.

  The advisor bowed deeply as he approached the raised platform that approximated a work desk in this palace. The room was ornate by most galactic standards but was merely functional by Mexxak sensibilities. A rustling and a low growl from above signaled that the Emperor was in residence and testy.

  “You better have a good explanation for this interruption,” he warned, looking down. Pontificus the 143rd, overlord of sixteen star systems, was already growing weary of the paperwork and the politics this day.

  “Yes, Your Grace.”

  “Approach then.”

  The scroll bearer hurried around the side of the platform and, dropping to his pudgy knees, presented the message. Reluctantly, the Emperor received it and scanned the information quickly. Before he had even reached its end, he crushed the metal container in his hands and tossed it away. He took a long moment to compose himself.

  “Annonivite? This name sound familiar. Was he one of my favorites?”

  “Annonivite Gauis the 16th, Lord Emperor,” the advisor intoned respectfully. “Hero of the Battle of Semoni 4. Vice Ruler of the 47th Brigade of the Delaphros Light Infantry. Third Chair of ruling body of the Bartipholx hegemony. He was also married to Princess Awestriker, your fifth daughter by her eminence, Queen Amora. He died defending the Queen and her entourage from a rebel ambush on Regillius Two. A most high and revered warrior, as well as a loyal servant of the Empire.”

  “Of course.” Pontificus exhaled and then nodded to himself. “And these…humans? Are they a worthy opponent?”

  “I’m afraid not, Your Grace.”

  “Pity,” the Emperor snarled, struggling to keep his rage in check. “Launch an appropriate strike fleet immediately. Destroy this sordid den of defilers! Examples must be made!”

  The End