by Eliza Green
‘Yeah, I guess it does. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw you,’ said Bill.
‘I’m still the Simon Shaw you knew, but a better design. My memories are still intact. I remember where I came from.’
‘What happened to the people who disappeared from this location?’
Simon wanted to talk and Bill wanted answers.
‘We took them.’
‘Where?’
‘Back to the caves. We hadn’t eaten in a long time.’
Bill felt Laura shudder beside him. His own stomach swirled at the thought.
He shook off his disgust and said, ‘Why are you stealing power from the grid? What do you need it for?’
‘I will explain, but not here.’ Simon looked around. ‘Tanya wants to see you. I’m to bring you to her.’
Bill glanced at Laura, who looked as surprised as he felt. This was too easy.
But his curiosity won out. ‘Okay, where?’
‘The caves. It’s a ten-minute walk from here at your pace. I will walk with you while the others run ahead and prepare for your arrival.’
‘Prepare?’
The three that had accompanied Simon disappeared in a blurry haze while Simon and Laura matched Bill’s slow pace.
‘Yes. We live in isolation. We don’t get many visitors.’
Bill said, ‘So what’s changed, Simon? Why are we to be your guests of honour tonight?’
‘Tanya wishes to talk to you about the Elite’s changes. They—we—need your help.’
‘Help how?’
‘I’d rather not get into it out here. The caves offer protection from prying minds and you brought company.’
Simon looked around and Bill knew he referred to the Indigenes who followed.
‘They aren’t with us.’
They walked in silence. Bill found it odd to meet Simon in this new guise. His former boss had helped him and Laura out on more than one occasion. He wondered if the morals of the man he once knew still existed.
‘How are you, Simon?’
Simon frowned at him. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘Because you adopted this way of life very fast. I was too busy with my new position to talk to you about it. My interactions with Tanya were to update her on the treaty, nothing more. I haven’t spoken to you in years and now I want to know how you are.’
‘I’m fine, Bill Taggart. I feel like I have a purpose,’ said Simon.
‘Really?’
Simon’s glare was so fierce, Bill shank back from it. Laura, who watched the ground while she walked, hadn’t noticed it. He hoped she was putting her Indigene abilities to use. No better time to start.
‘My purpose is to support the Elite and GS to achieve evolution. We are working to perfect the code that could eliminate disease. That is a decent purpose.’
Bill agreed, but he didn’t buy it. ‘A noble one, if it can be achieved.’
Simon’s reply was clipped. ‘It is within reach.’
The entrance to the caves appeared—a large arch with a door inset back from the stone. The door was closed. Bill tensed at the idea of entering a space no Indigene could read and no human had left.
‘Don’t worry, Bill Taggart, we can control our urges. An earlier genetic experiment messed up our code, starved us to the point where we needed human blood. Now we eat something else.’
‘What?’
Simon left Bill without an answer as a DNA scanner similar to the ones the Indigenes used bathed Simon in a blue light. The door opened and he led Bill and Laura inside the caves. The first corridor was small and hewn roughly from the rock but it led into a large room of contrast. Smooth, rendered walls met the equally smooth, tiled floor. Large lights hung overhead that brightened the space more than the Indigene districts or any space in New London. Bill noted one wall was covered in screens that displayed images of the outside. Two of the tall figures that had accompanied Simon pointed to objects on the black screen that Bill could not see.
The camera footage gave the GS 100 a perfect view of their surroundings. Even if Simon hadn’t detected them, he would have seen them from the moment they climbed over the boundary boulders.
A platform or altar marked the back of the room. A white, privacy screen behind the altar covered a third of the wall space but Bill saw a gap that indicated the space carried on. His suspicions were realised when three figures appeared from behind the wall.
Laura gasped. Bill stared at three bags of skin so old and withered, he couldn’t be sure they contained people.
‘Hello, Bill.’
While she looked nothing like her former human self, Tanya’s voice and gaze were as distinct as ever.
He stepped closer to the frail figure held up by two young males. Her skin was so wrinkled it almost swallowed her appearance.
‘What happened to you, Tanya?’
‘The genetic transformations have weakened my body,’ she said with a smile.
‘Shouldn’t that be the case for Simon too? Yet he looks okay.’
‘The Conditioned have had less aggressive tests to the Elite. Our mortal bodies can take no more experiments.’
‘So what was the point in all of this?’ Bill didn’t understand. ‘Why do you need power from the grid?’
Tanya clasped her hands to the front, an action that reminded Bill of the late Charles Deighton, Tanya’s predecessor. ‘We need it to power a machine that will heal our bodies. We don’t have access to the Nexus like the Indigenes do. But as you see from my appearance, we need it.’
‘The Indigenes heal naturally,’ said Laura. ‘The Nexus just speeds up that process.’
Tanya’s eyes cut to Laura. ‘Our bodies are transforming faster than they can regenerate. That’s why we need a little power, to stop time.’
A plausible excuse, but Bill suspected this was just the beginning of their power drain. ‘I’m afraid I can’t allow it. What you’re siphoning off now interrupts the feed to the city.’
Tanya slid her eyes back to Bill. ‘Do you see Tanya Li through this withered, dead shell? Because I haven’t for some time. We need the power to heal—that is all. If you won’t give us more, then we must make another request.’
‘What?’ Bill feared Tanya’s next words.
‘We want access to the Nexus. We’ve made do with our own version, but the Elite grow weaker by the hour and we need a more stable way to heal. So far we’ve drawn a small quantity of power, which we’ve amplified using the gamma rock. It’s certainly not enough to interfere with the city feed.’
Bill smiled. ‘I’ve known you long enough, Tanya. Do you really expect me to believe you’re using the power just to heal?’
‘Believe what you want, Bill Taggart, but that is the truth,’ said Tanya.
‘I want you to remove your cable from the main feed.’
‘No. Without that power, we will die.’
Bill was no monster. ‘Then I’ll agree to a daily draw of power less than what you’ve taken so far. No more.’
‘I don’t know how much the Elites will need. I can’t agree to a specific number.’
‘Then I’m sorry, Tanya, this arrangement won’t work. The city needs every watt of power with none to spare. If you need power, we can provide you with the materials and labour to create a grid separate to ours.’
‘We are fine with what we have, Bill Taggart. But thank you for your concern. What about access to the Nexus? You haven’t answered my question.’
Bill couldn’t see Stephen and Serena agreeing to it. ‘It’s not my decision, but I highly doubt it. You were responsible for the Indigenes’ creation. You represent everything they despise in humans.’
‘We are no longer human.’ Tanya pointed at Simon. ‘And you gave this Conditioned access to their district.’
He glanced at the altered man stood off to the side. ‘That was different. Simon was human then and a friend once.’
‘He’s still a friend, Bill Taggart,’ said Tanya. ‘That’s why you came here, becaus
e you trust him. And we can be friends too, if you drop your prejudices. We wish to live without constant pain. Would you deny us comfort?’
‘Under normal circumstances, no.’
Tanya nodded to Laura. ‘I hear congratulations are in order. You two were recently married.’
Bill nodded.
‘And yet your wife is one of them.’
Laura growled. ‘I am human, Tanya.’
‘As were the Elite and the Conditioned once. And yet you both commit your time to preserve the Indigene way of life. Well, look at me. I’m a new species—we all are—and we demand the ITF’s help.’
‘The difference is the Indigenes have earned our trust,’ said Bill.
Tanya nodded. ‘Then so must we. Tell me what it will take to earn it.’
He could think of nothing. ‘I’ll let you know.’
Movement on one screen caught Bill’s eye. Simon studied the image that showed several figures about a mile out from the cave.
Simon spoke to Tanya. ‘They brought company.’
‘I told you, they’re not with us,’ said Laura.
‘Please leave now,’ said Tanya. ‘Your presence here has drawn too much attention.’
But Bill had more questions. ‘We’d like to come back, to keep in touch with your plans.’
‘Unless you return to grant us access to the Nexus, we have no further business.’ She nodded at the Conditioned pair beside her, who stepped towards Bill and Laura. ‘You know the way out.’
Bill attempted to stall their exit. ‘We really should discuss the peace treaty and the rogue elements attempting to destroy it.’
He didn’t know when he’d speak to Tanya again.
‘The Elite will relinquish all control to you if you’ll grant our request for more power. The Nexus or the power grid, it doesn’t matter.’
The Conditioned pair pushed Bill and Laura towards the exit.
‘Wait! I want your help to maintain the treaty.’
Truth was, the treaty held on by a thread and Bill had no idea how to stop the rogue group activity from breaking it apart.
Tanya held up a hand and the pair stopped pushing. ‘How?’
‘We need your voice of support. If the rogue humans and Indigenes see us working together, they might back off.’
It was worth a shot. The rogue human groups with a loyalty to the old World Government regime would listen.
‘I’ll speak to the other Elite. But to be honest, there is only one thing we need. Grant us our request.’ She nodded to the pair. ‘Please see our guests out.’
‘We know the way out, Tanya.’
Bill and Laura returned to the entrance without assistance. Simon released the door and let them out.
‘Time for you to go,’ said Simon. ‘Unless you’re willing to meet Tanya’s demands, we’re done here.’
‘What’s the power really being used for?’ said Laura.
‘To heal, just as Tanya said. Their bodies are too frail to regenerate on their own.’
‘Nothing else?’ said Laura.
‘I would tell you if there was.’ Simon glanced behind him. ‘I’ll be watching you on the monitors to make sure you clear the area.’
Laura and Bill re-entered the black night. Bill gripped Laura’s hand as she relented to her ability and navigated for both of them. Neither of them spoke until they’d made it over boundary line.
‘Tanya’s reason for the power sounded genuine enough,’ said Bill. ‘What did you make of her?’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘Please, Laura. I need you to use your ability.’
She shook her head and sighed. ‘I can’t read her. Her mind has transformed beyond her physical body. But I’m certain she’s lying. Whatever their reasons, they need the power for more than its healing properties.’
11
Exits to the left and right of the platform led to a large, excavated space containing the remainder of the habitat for the GS, including their domiciles. Simon watched from the screens while Tanya’s two assistants helped her off stage and through one of the exits.
He glanced back past the screens to the only entrance to the cave. One way in, several ways out.
The omicron rock vibrated; it felt like a buzzing in his mind.
One screen showed Laura and Bill returning to the boundary line to an area the cameras didn’t cover. What areas the cameras couldn’t see the Conditioned took turns to patrol. He moved closer to the screen and the buzzing intensified enough for him to fight off the intrusion. As a Conditioned, omicron sucked.
Simon had sensed Bill scepticism over Tanya’s explanation for the use for the power. Laura had been harder to read. She’d been an Indigene once, if only for a brief time, long enough for her to retain Indigene abilities. But if she had any skills, he couldn’t tell.
Take me back. He heard Tanya’s order moments before she returned to the observation room in her hover chair. Her two assistants followed but Tanya still had enough strength to commandeer the vehicle. The Elite had yet to test the power from the machine to see if it could reverse some of their ageing. Simon had only been gathering it for a few days. If Simon could get the machine to work, Tanya might drop plans to beg the Indigenes for access to their Nexus—a more complicated solution.
Tanya’s gaze, still sharp despite her frailty, met his.
‘What do you make of those two?’ she said. ‘I’m unable to read either of them. Damn side effect of superiority, I suppose.’
‘Bill is sceptical, but that’s no surprise. He’s always been hard to convince of anything. He was a difficult employee when he worked under me.’
‘And Laura?’ Simon shook his head, to which Tanya nodded. ‘No matter. We don’t need to convince her, only him. If the power we have isn’t enough, we will take more power from the grid.’
‘If you assist with the peace treaty, Bill may be more amenable. That’s why he came here.’
‘The Elite has no interest in that agreement.’ Tanya waved her withered hand. ‘To be honest, I’m surprised it lasted this long. We only agreed to it to keep the Indigenes off our backs when we moved to this planet.’
And it had worked well. But Tanya missed the point.
‘You don’t understand, Elite One. By keeping the treaty alive, you gain his trust and access to more power. If you don’t show an interest, Bill Taggart and the ITF will cut you—us—loose.’
Tanya nodded. Her neck bent too much for it to support her head.
‘I’m sure I can invent something else to keep Bill Taggart interested,’ she said. ‘In the meantime, the minimal draw of power will not stop us from proceeding with our plans. Dr Jameson will soon tell me what I already know—that my body won’t last much longer. And I’ve got nine bedridden Elites. Our shells won’t support the next phase of transcendence.’
‘The machine is as ready as can be,’ said Simon. He hoped the machine would use the gamma amplification to attract the Nexus to the stored grid power. ‘The Indigenes said the Nexus is organic, so it doesn’t have the same constraints as a manmade machine. We may be able to coax it away from its confines.’
Tanya shifted in her chair and her head lolled to the side. ‘It has to work. The Elite are out of options.’
They were also out of time.
‘I’ve no idea how much power we’ll need to make this work,’ said Simon. ‘But be prepared that what we have might not be enough. We may need the Nexus after all.’
Tanya laughed but it came out as a growl. ‘I’d rather die than ask the Indigene vermin for a favour. They killed one of my bodyguards without any thought. But my survival trumps my pride on this occasion.’
Simon had read the report from eight years ago about the time when Tanya and several board members had travelled to Exilon 5 to meet with the Indigene leaders. Simon had secured Bill an audience with Tanya which led to both Bill and a sick Laura travelling with the party. The battle on Exilon 5 had come close to shifting the balance permanently in the Indig
ene’s favour.
She continued. ‘Before I lost my ability to read minds, I could sense the Indigenes would rather die than to speak with us. And some wish we were dead now. While I don’t enjoy doing anything for that race, I agree it’s prudent to keep Bill Taggart on side. The Elite will pretend to support the treaty. No matter anyway; it will fail on its own. By that time, the Elite will no longer exist in corporeal form.’
Simon wondered what would happen to the Conditioned when the Elite transcended; Tanya had promised him longer life but he had no cast-iron proof that his altered code honoured any such promise. When he’d asked to see the research, speak to the doctors, Tanya had refused him access. Simon was beginning to think his purpose stretched only to protecting the Elite until they reached transcendence.
Tanya slipped down in her chair. When she couldn’t adjust her posture, her assistants helped her.
She groaned when they pulled her up in her chair. ‘This is humiliating. The sooner we use the machine the faster I can reclaim my dignity.’
Her body was frail, not her mind.
‘Have the doctors considered a new body for you, just until the process is complete?’ said Simon.
Tanya shook her head. ‘I’m stuck with this body until the end. They don’t know how to integrate a live consciousness in another’s mind.’
‘But it was done before by Charles Deighton, when he invaded Anton’s mind.’
‘That was an imprint. We’re talking about swapping out an actual consciousness and making it work with another brain, not sticking a bland copy into a mind that’s already occupied.’ Tanya pushed on a lever and her chair moved past the screens, closer to the front door. Her two assistants followed. ‘I want to try the machine now. The others are too weak to try this so I must be the guinea pig. We have no choice.’
Simon agreed with a nod. ‘Let’s go.’
☼
Simon sprinted ahead of Tanya to the environ while Tanya’s assistants accompanied her in her chair. He unlocked the door and held it open while Tanya steered her chair inside the space. Her assistants entered with her.