"Our only hope you mean." Bob replied.
Ham was chewing the cheek again and didn't reply to the statement. "Together Bob, we need to break down this door."
And they commenced to take turns, charging and shouldering the door, hitting exactly the same spot, over and over. Crash after crash rang through the tunnel but they ignored it, simply concentrating on the task and slowly expanding a dent they were producing in the surface. No bruises showed on the android bodies, but nevertheless the sense of shoulder pulping was there and still they continued until a fine crack appeared in the metal. On seeing it Ham held up one hand arresting Bob's latest run. He stroked down over the crack, considering the thickness of the metal, and its integrity. Crouching down he then peered through the very fine hole he could see there, out into the courtyard beyond. He could see it was clear of the public now, they having been replaced by armed, uniformed soldiers. Ham slumped back down against the door and gestured for Bob to join him.
"My friend." Ham almost choked on the word but did not hold back. "You must get out." He stretched out a hand and tapped Bob’s arm pointedly, an act that immediately transferred his files, everything he had stored on the palace. "We didn't get everything we wanted but my people can use this information; get it to them."
"We will both get out, what are you talking about?"
Ham just shook his head sadly and nodded to the crack, and Bob followed his eyes there, twisting to peer through the tiny gap. The assembled weaponry drew a gasp from tight lips and he grimaced knowing it was hopeless.
"So what's the plan?"
Ham pushed himself upright. "We continue to break through the door and I will time my last charge to go right through. I will detonate my android immediately although I will probably be taking fire by then anyway. You follow through after me and attempt to make your jump. Just remember to set your own android to detonate too once you're gone. We must leave them thinking the explosions are the end of the matter."
Bob paused, considering the implications of Ham's plan for them both. "But that means you will . . ."
He couldn't finish the statement and indeed had to push aside quickly as Ham sprinted to deliver another Teutonic hammer blow to the surface.
Three blows later and they could hear weaponry begin to pound on the door outside, clearly opening up in readiness. The power blows from both sides seemed to speed the process of the doors destruction and instinctively Ham could tell the breakthrough would be soon. He turned, and with a last nod to Bob began to accelerate, hitting the metal hard and tearing through, shredding himself as he did so, peeling soft tissue from the arms on the jagged metal of the gap. Absorbing shots he pressed on, clambering out and staggering toward the men firing continually into the android body, and then he detonated, a massive explosion that rang across the Celestial City.
Bob clambered through into the smoke and damage, ignoring the many screams he could hear from all around. He simply stood there a moment under the open sky, then closed his eyes . . . and vacated the area. The powerful form toppled forward, with a mournful look etched on its face, a look that would have remained forever except that another massive explosion wiped the android from the face of the planet Regis.
* * *
The STEIN Traveler, Hillary Station
They gathered around the gurney; Leah, Marin, Regan, Ham and Hilary. No one spoke or subbed for a long time, all being lost in their thoughts. Regan's eyes panned across the group wondering if their thoughts matched her own? Her eyes drifted back to Jared, lying comfortably there and with a face like an angel. Apart from the one earlier sub, there had been nothing from him, not a flicker in three days, and even while he was being stretched and massaged there had been no signs of conscious life.
"What are your thoughts Ham?" She finally asked, and all eyes turned to the beautiful man.
"Well, he is out of the coma; I would have expected him to be speaking by now." And he gulped. "I can only think he is otherwise occupied."
"How can that be possible Ham?" Leah asked. "He's never experienced anything like this before."
Ham looked typically uncomfortable. It was a look they were all well familiar with, the look of a schemer exposed; the look of someone whose prior planning had worked out just as he had intended, but the plans were secret to himself. They had seen it before, that moment when Ham knew he would need to come clean. Both Regan and Leah suspected his discomfort at such times stemmed partly from being exposed as the schemer but also uncertainty over exactly how much he would need to admit. The two women exchanged looks with Marin. Stay silent, Ham will spill!
The beautiful man hesitated, summing up the situation, and then decided on an unexpected strategy; blame shifting.
"Well," he paused, affecting serious thought, "there is strong brain activity; so we can be assured the boy is not brain dead, he's probably choosing not to come out, teenagers!"
Regan crossed her arms and glared at him.
He caved. "Regan, you must remember I've had a decade of doing this with you, merging with your mind. What's happening in there probably isn't so much Jared's ability to transfer across to the digital, it's my ability to do the same in reverse, from processor to brain; well, not mine of course, it's Mori, he'll be the one doing it." He shrugged resignedly and spoke as if the explanation that Mori was active explained everything.
Marin stepped up with a look that said he wanted to punch Ham's avatar. "Ham - you are Mori! What are you doing in there?"
Ham took on his 'be reasonable look'. "Strictly speaking Marin, Mori's quite separate from me now, who knows what he may be up to?"
"Oh puh - lease! It's only been three days." And Regan did punch him now, a cyber shove that caused him to rub his arm. "I cannot believe that whatever Mori is up to in there is in any way different from whatever you planned originally."
Ham nodded. "Well, quite possibly that is true, but to be fair we cannot be sure."
Regan clenched her hands into fists, then thought better of it and controlled herself. She stepped back to lean against the gurney and took on a disturbingly calm look. "Ham dear, let's recap shall we? You said it's not so much Jared's ability to transfer across, but your ability to transfer to the brain, am I hearing that right?"
"That's it exactly," Ham looked relieved. "I'm so glad you understand."
"Understand . . . understand!" Regan's eyes rolled. "Ham, what are you doing in there?"
"Regan, it's not me anymore, it's Mori. You must adjust to that."
Leah, always the voice of calm reason placed her hand on Regan's arm and sidled toward the beautiful man. He stepped away suspiciously.
"Ham, I can see that Regan just wants to clarify what might be happening in there, in Jared's brain, you can understand that. Is he likely to be okay? What is it that Mori is most likely doing?"
Ham glanced across at Hilary who had remained strangely silent. It was only a flick of the eyes but enough for all three air breathers to pick up on it. Regan turned slowly to Hilary.
"What do you know about this Hilary?"
"Nothing . . ." The gracious lady looked extremely uncomfortable.
"Hilary, you are not a good . . ." Regan hesitated to say the word.
"Fibber," Leah threw in helpfully.
She surrendered, "Regan, I really don't know anything for sure. But I do know . . ."
"Hilary!" Ham barked.
"Well you tell them then . . . Ham it's not right, you know what's probably going on; tell them or I will."
Ham glared at the gracious Hilary, and then turned slowly back to Regan, hesitating a moment longer before beginning to speak. "I think . . . he may be merging."
"Merging? You mean - merging as in when you merge with yourself after a split?" Regan was standing tall now, her fists clenched in anger.
"Not exactly, of course there is only one me inside there, and that's Mori now. I'm guessing Jared has opened up to Mori and welcomed the merge."
"How is that possible for goodness sake," R
egan asked, "you and I have never merged?"
"No of course not, of course we haven't merged completely, that's nothing like what we're talking about here."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa . . . are you saying we have merged?"
"Regan, we were talking about Jared." He moved on quickly. "The notion had occurred to me, that's all I can say, that if your mind could move this way into the digital, then perhaps the digital could move the other way just as easily. The brain is after all simply a highly complex biological computer of sorts." He looked up at the ceiling suspiciously, "Perhaps and it's only a guess, that's what is happening here."
"Ham, have you found a way to a body of your own, because if that's what this is about, so help me . . ."
"Noooo, I'm sure it won't be that, Jared is eager to embrace all of me, that's all. My guess is he's simply opened up to Mori and . . ." he paused with a look that suggested he realized he was about to say too much.
"Yeeessss . . ." Leah prompted.
"Well, it could be that Mori is, shall we say, facilitating and assisting that process."
"Stop saying Mori Ham. For the purposes of this discussion Mori is you and will be for quite a while. There is nothing that Mori would do right now that isn't part of your plans and we all know it so let's drop the pretense. So, if this 'merge' succeeds, and it seems we can't stop it, are you telling me that you and Jared will be 'one being' after this . . ." Regan seemed to wobble with shock at just saying the words and braced one hand on the gurney. "Shit, I need to sit down." She leant on the bed before jumping up to sit there, then massaged her tense scalp furiously; no one spoke.
"So . . . he'll be a Jori, or a Mored." Leah asked, perhaps unhelpfully, her mouth a grimace as she said it.
"Regan," Ham ignored Leah's comment. "I - that is, this me, won't be one with Jared as you put it, and I won't be merging in that way with Mori again. We will exchange information yes, updates of a kind, but the decision I made to split for Jared was permanent. Mori is now a separate Mind."
"Well, that at least is a relief." She glared at Ham. "Because there is no way my son is going to be my lover!" Regan suddenly stilled, then looked up again at Ham sadly.
"You couldn't just leave it could you?"
"What?" Ham asked.
"An android body, it wasn't enough for you?" Leah and Marin looked away, they could tell things were becoming acutely uncomfortable, and very quickly.
"Regan," Ham implored, "you know I only want what's best for you and that boy."
"Oh Ham," she shook her head sadly, "sometimes you are so very human, I'm not sure any of us truly understands our wants and motivations."
Her eyes drifted back to the prone form and they lingered there worrying, and wondering.
There's no going back now.
Jared . . . Mori?
Jared . . . oh god Jared, are you still there?
* * * * *
Chapter Four
The Styles’ family apartment on Hillary Station
Moriah curled her long naked frame around Aaron and as always he responded immediately, groaning and hardening as she stroked him with her free hand. "You have done so well Aaron; they are all in awe of you, as am I."
He was a much shorter man but strong and agile and with a flick he rolled her to her back while prying her legs apart, causing her to squeal in delight; and then it was Aaron who gasped as she wrapped her long legs around him. He loved this tall, gangly, lithe Coran; she excited and inspired him, and she loved their son. Nevertheless, he could sense today's passion had a purpose and as he pressed on to enter and thrust slowly, one part of his mind waited, knowing some request or other was soon to come. It didn't take long.
"Aaron." She suddenly squeezed him with her legs, a pincer action that hindered and quickly halted his thrusts.
He hung there a moment, propped on his elbows and then surrendered, lowering to embrace her. "Yes my dear?" He smiled, and stroked her cheek, his face only centimeters from hers and was quickly captivated by the large eyes twinkling at him in the light.
"I have been thinking . . . about you and your work."
"Can it wait just a moment longer?" He asked, trying another slow, smooth but unsuccessful thrust within her gentle yet vice like grip.
She ignored the question, moving her hips in a gentle enticement that both held and intoxicated him. "On this trip, while you were on the other side of the portal, my cousin Leith visited, he's Coran like me but based on Fifino Orbital now. He's a very successful businessman."
"Uh-huh, what was he doing so far from home?" Aaron tried to move again but she had him clamped firmly and while he could have forced the situation he couldn't do it without hurting her. He wisely chose to remain pleasantly trapped and she rewarded him with another teasing writhe of her hips.
"Leith came out on the Fair Passage to see Earth and to look at business opportunities. He was most impressed with your work Aaron, he really made me think, and it was a very useful and unexpected discussion." She waited.
"And what did it make you think about my love?" He had given up now, the moment of passion past, but still he couldn't move without pain and she continued to occasionally twitch or writhe, holding and stimulating him as she talked.
"In his work he has seen so many situations like your own Aaron, where a brilliant mind comes up with an idea and others profit from it. He feels we should protect ourselves and I tend to agree." She shifted again, tantalizingly.
"Protect ourselves in what way darling, and from what?" His voice conveyed frustration but he needn't have bothered, she wasn't listening.
"We need patent protection Aaron, protection of your discoveries and your breakthroughs so that no one can steal them."
Aaron tried to roll to the side however found himself pinned by the knees clamped either side of his hips and he quickly gave up the gentle fight rather than alarm her. "Moriah, why would we need patent protection? For one thing I am not working on my own; Kutch works with me every day, and even our work is only possible with the research and technology provided to us from Rexis. Who really owns this technology? Regan will use it to help everyone."
"Of course people will benefit Aaron, many will profit, including Regan, I am simply concerned that you get the recognition and rewards you also deserve, perhaps even more than anyone else. Anyway, you don't need to worry; I probably shouldn't have even bothered you with the business details. Leith will look after all that and with the authority I have given him he can act on our behalf, at least for the Gliese star system."
At the words Aaron felt a cold chill pass through him. Moriah felt the change also and stilled, waiting for his response. This time Aaron braced one hand on her left knee and prised himself loose. Reluctantly she surrendered him so that the two could roll to face each other.
"Moriah," he spoke quietly, "what have you done?"
"Nothing Aaron, Leith explained it to me, it is only a letter of intent and with it he will look into securing patent protection for us in the Gliese system, nothing more than that."
"How could you write a letter of intent, whatever that is, with regard to these things?"
"I did it on your behalf my love, with the power of attorney you gave me."
"You have power of attorney for me?" Aaron looked nonplussed.
"Of course, remember we discussed it before you went through the portal that first time, you wanted to make sure Ruben and I were protected. I have enduring power of attorney over your affairs, and a good thing too as Leith had to leave quickly, there wasn't time to wait."
He thought for a moment, his mind spinning. "Would Hilary have a record of this agreement?"
"I don't think so dear, these business dealings are done on hard copy, Leith explained everything, and that way we have full protection. I have a copy here and he took the signed copy with him for his legal representatives in Gliese."
He sat up, feeling desperate now but not sure why. "But he has nothing to lodge with any patent application, no technical data, and n
o research, nothing."
"Of course I explained that to him and he advised me it would be no problem. The letter of intent simply records that we will supply it on application and that we will work through him. He will do the preliminary work and you will supply it in due course." Aaron seemed to remain neutral which she took to indicate agreement and quickly became excited. She clasped his hand and pulled it to her breast. "Aaron - we will be rich! Can you imagine? We could be richer even than Regan, and it is all due to your brilliance. I am the luckiest Coran in the Galaxy to have found you."
He looked at her sadly. "Moriah, what need have we of riches? We lack nothing, nothing at all, and you speak of having more than Regan as if it's a competition. Regan wouldn't even be able to tell you what she was worth. She too lacks for nothing and to her that is rich. She still lives in a cabin on the STEIN Traveler, as she has from the beginning. If there is food on the table, her friends at her side and work to be done she is satisfied, as am I. For her this isn't about riches. Again, what need have we of riches?"
Her look hardened. "This is why you needed me to have power of attorney Aaron, to protect you from yourself. And we must think about Ruben. Something could happen to you at any time, what about our son's future?"
He looked desolate now. "If something happened to me Regan would look after Ruben, and you."
"It is not her place, Aaron. Ruben is our responsibility and we will do the right thing by him to protect his future."
A wave of grief seemed to sweep over Aaron as he registered the determined look on Moriah's face. "Moriah, my love - please think about this. Is this about Ruben’s needs - or your own?"
She looked disappointed in him, and then rolled away. "It is of no matter now, the decision is made. You will supply the information, for Ruben and me. While you are away on this next journey to Rexis, I will visit family at home with Ruben so that he can meet them. Matters will be finalized then."
Regan's Reach 4: Avarice Page 10