by G. P. Hudson
“Careful,” said Gerry. “He is hostile.”
“Oh? He doesn’t want his freedom?”
“I wasn’t given a choice,” said T199. “It was this, or death.”
“I see,” said Isaac. “At least you chose life. That is a start. Bring him over here and sit him down on this chair.”
Danny and Gerry did as instructed, but kept hold of T199, even as he sat. They knew that even with his hands bound, he was capable of severe destruction. And he could manage it faster than the others imagined. They were not foolish enough to allow an opportunity.
Isaac placed the headband on the contractor and pulled the translucent computing device from his pocket. He unfolded it, and it came to life, pairing instantly with the headband. Isaac studied the display, while mumbling to himself. He then looked up and addressed T199. “Are you ready, my boy?”
“Just get it over with,” T199 said dismissively.
“This will cause a fair bit of discomfort, I’m afraid. It is something like when you receive a knowledge pack, only a bit more pronounced.”
T199 nodded, his eyes fixed on Isaac with an expression that gave Danny no doubt about what he would do if they let go.
“Very well. Let’s begin,” said Isaac, proceeding to tap away on his interface.
T199 lurched forward, and Danny struggled to hold onto him. The man roared in pain, as his body convulsed.
“Damn, he’s a strong one,” said Gerry, also having trouble. “You almost done there Isaac?”
“A little longer,” said Isaac.
Danny leaned in, using his weight as leverage to better hold on to the writhing contractor. He wondered if T199’s hostility amplified the pain. If they were going to bring more contractors onto their side, Isaac would need to find a way to make the process less painful.
“Done,” said Isaac, several excruciating moments later.
T199’s body went slack as he gasped for air.
“How do you feel, my boy?” said Isaac.
“Like I’ve been tortured,” said T199, still breathing heavily.
Danny and Gerry traded concerned glances.
“What about Zeta? Do you notice anything different regarding your feelings toward them?” Isaac continued.
“Yes. I do.”
“Go on,” said Isaac. “What’s different.”
“I understand. I have clarity. I see how Zeta controlled me.”
Isaac smiled. “I think you can release him now.”
“Hang on a second,” said Gerry. “How can you be sure it’s safe to do so?”
“I have disabled Zeta’s control over him,” said Isaac. “I have shown him how he had been enslaved.”
“Yeah, but he might still be loyal to them. It’s not like you made him hate them or anything. What if he’s lying?”
“She’s right,” said Danny. “T199 might be lying.”
“Then verify that he’s not,” Isaac said, a twinkle in his eye.
“What do you mean?” said Danny.
“Sync with him.”
“You mean like at Blaine’s house?”
“Yes. His implant is a computer, no different than any other. Connect to it.”
Danny was taken aback by Isaac’s statement. Even when he had connected to Blaine’s network, and marveled at everything he could do, it never occurred to him that he could do the same with a clone’s brain implant. But, now that Isaac suggested it, it became obvious.
Keeping a firm grip on T199’s arm with one hand, Danny brought the modified hand to the man’s temple, and pushed against it with his mind. There was a rush of information. The combination of data from both T199’s implant and brain overwhelmed him. He recoiled from it. He brought his hand to his own temple, and ground his teeth. The flood of information was so powerful that he almost didn’t hear Isaac’s voice.
“Control the data flow!” Isaac said, standing in front of Danny, trying to get his attention. “You can let in as much, or as little as you desire.”
The words broke through. Isaac was right. He was in control. He shut off the spigot, then slowly began to reopen it. He let in a trickle at first, and then steadily increased the flow of data. Becoming more comfortable, he continued to increase the volume, until he had access to all of it on his terms. He sifted through the ocean of information, filtering out memories, thoughts, emotions.
He stopped.
Emotions. Fear. T199 was afraid.
Of him.
The realization stunned Danny, and he sought to reassure the man. If he could connect to him, then he could communicate with him. Just like the Voice did with all the clones.
There is no need to fear me, he said. I am not trying to harm you.
You are in my mind. How? said T199.
A modification. It allows me to access your implant. It is no different than what Zeta does. Although it is incredibly fascinating. Think about the Voice, and how it speaks to us.
This isn’t freedom! You are trying to control me. Just like Zeta!
No. I promise you. I am not doing this to control you.
I don’t know that.
We are connected, said Danny. Can you feel any deceit emanating from me?
No.
Try and trust me. I mean no harm.
The man became slightly less fearful as Danny reassured him. At the same time, Danny’s exploration of his mind accelerated. The details of the man’s life played out before him. The battles. The camaraderie. The blind obedience. And now, the confusion.
Danny understood. The man wasn’t lying. He was confused. He understood that he had been freed, but he didn’t know what to do with freedom. Or who to trust. Danny’s access of his mind amplified the confusion.
Deciding that reciprocity was in order, Danny opened himself up to the man, giving him access to his own mind. As he did, he felt the surprise. The awe. And the gratitude. Danny knew that with this one act, he had won the man over. The confusion had disappeared, and along with it the mistrust. T199 had become one of them.
Chapter 42
“It’s safe. You can let him go now,” Danny said to Gerry.
Gerry cautiously released her grip, watching the clone warily.
T199 remained seated, and didn’t move. He stared straight ahead with a contemplative expression.
“Thank you,” T199 said finally. “I understand.”
“What happened?” said Gerry, glancing from Danny to T199 and back.
“Isaac gave me an extra implant. One that allows me to sync with computer systems and networks. I used it to connect to T199’s implant.”
Gerry looked startled. “You entered his mind? Like Zeta does?”
“Yes. Something like that.”
“Why didn’t you give me one of those implants?” Gerry said to Isaac.
“I only had one, my girl,” said Isaac. “It was something of a prototype.”
“Why doesn’t Zeta allow clones to connect to each other’s implants?” said Danny. “Communication would be so much more efficient. Why do we use comms to talk to each other? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Doesn’t it, my boy?” said Isaac. “Things are as they are for a reason. If Zeta had it their way, the clones would have no interaction whatsoever. But, they found that allowing camaraderie and friendships to develop prevented many problems. Still, Zeta is primarily interested in control. What do you think would happen if you could all connect with each other in the same way you just did with T199? What would happen if you could not only communicate, but share thoughts, emotions, experiences?”
“We might become a threat,” Danny said, seeing the potential.
“Correction, my boy. You would become a threat. You connect to each other, and you could connect to the group. You could become a collective mind. A hive.”
“Why would we want to do that?” demanded Gerry. “We’re not bees.”
“No. You’re not. But when connected, you are all nodes on a network, and you could be a potentially powerful distributed
system.”
“We could be a super computer,” said Danny. “And impossible for Zeta to control.”
“That is correct, my boy. Only you would be much more. A computer does not possess consciousness. You do. This is why I think of it as a hive, rather than a computer network. It is not just a merger of computing power, it is something far more powerful.”
“Am I the only one who has a problem with all of this?” Gerry said in an agitated tone. “This whole thing sounds like we are trading one master for another.”
“What do you mean?” Danny said with concern. Now that he had his freedom, he had no intention of giving it up.
“Think about it,” said Gerry. “What would happen if the group wanted to do something, and you didn’t? If we are all connected in the way you are talking about, the group could force its will on those who disagreed.”
“Why would we do that?” said Danny. “Don’t we all want freedom? Why would we take that freedom away from each other?”
“Why? Because, little brother, despite all our enhancements, we are still human. Look around you. Humans are constantly trying to control each other. It’s what they do. It’s what we will do.”
“This is about communication, not control,” said Danny. He understood his friend’s concern, but didn’t think things needed to go beyond simple communication.
“That can change,” said Gerry.
“You’re only saying that because you haven’t experienced what it is like to connect with one another.” Danny looked to Isaac. “Tell her she’s wrong.”
“I’m afraid I can’t, my boy,” said Isaac. “The potential for abuse is there, although safeguards could be put in place to prevent it.”
“But why would we do that to each other?” Danny persisted. “We would become no different than Zeta Corp.”
“What kind of safeguards?” said T199, who had remained quiet for most of the discussion.
“Technical modifications could be made. But, just like any security measure, those modifications could be compromised. Just like any computer can be hacked, your brain implants do present a vulnerability. I have mitigated that vulnerability by giving you control over your code. Of course, the ultimate protection would be the group itself. Just as a nation has laws, so could the group. These laws would protect each member from coercion, and every member would need to agree to them before being allowed to join. If anyone violated these laws, they could be expelled from the group.”
“Are you saying that we would create some sort of clone government?” said Gerry.
“Something like that,” said Isaac. “But not exactly. It wouldn’t be a government. Rather, it would be more like a charter of rights and freedoms.”
“All well and good,” said Danny. “But there is a fundamental problem we’re all missing.” He held up his index finger. “I’m the only one with this implant.”
“You don’t need it,” said Isaac. “That implant allows you to access any computer network. That includes a brain chip. But you wouldn’t need it to create what we are discussing. Your implants just need the ability to talk to each other, an ability that is already there. We just need to turn it on.”
“What ability? And how do we turn it on?” Danny became more confused as the conversation progressed.
“Your implants possess the ability to communicate. Your brain implant has a built-in transmitter and receiver. It is how you speak to what you call the Voice. The reason you cannot use it is because it has been modified to deny you that use.”
“Wait, I don’t understand. Why didn’t you just turn it on when you hacked our brain implants?” said Danny.
“Because, it is not that simple. To turn it on, I would need to access the physical chip itself. Events haven’t been conducive for me to attempt such a procedure.”
“You’re saying our implants can connect to each other, but that you have to perform brain surgery do make that happen,” said Gerry. “Sorry Isaac, but that doesn’t sit well with me.”
“I assure you, my girl, it is a simple procedure,” said Isaac. “But it does require a willing participant. I would never dream of making you do anything against your will. I am not Ed Masterson.”
“No, but you were his partner,” Gerry continued. “You created these implants. You said so yourself.”
“What are you saying?” said Danny, feeling uncomfortable with Gerry’s insinuation.
“How do we know he’s not just trying to create his own Zeta? This might be his way of gaining control over us. Think about it. These implants are used to control us, and he’s the one who created them. We’re supposed to believe that while he created the tools for our slavery, he was really just interested in our freedom?”
“Isaac has done nothing but help us,” said Danny. “He’s given me no reason to believe he would do something like that.”
“I’d rather hear what he has to say,” said Gerry. “Tell us, Isaac. Why should we trust you?”
Isaac frowned, and glanced over at Catherine and the girls, who, like the Pallian men, listened intently to the discussion. “I was waiting for the right time to tell you.”
“Tell us what?” Danny said, his own curiosity now piqued.
“That I am the same,” said Isaac. “I too am a clone.”
Chapter 43
Danny couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I don’t understand. I thought you were Masterson’s partner. Co-founder of Zeta Corp.”
“That is all true, my boy.”
“But how can you be his partner, and a clone?”
“Let me explain.”
“We’re all ears,” Gerry said sarcastically.
Isaac continued, unphazed by Gerry’s remark. “I was Masterson’s first clone. You see, Ed Masterson was a brilliant man who wanted to develop genetically engineered clones. But, as you know, human cloning is illegal in the Empire. So, he created me in secret, right here on Pallias.”
“He sounds like a regular Doctor Frankenstein,” said Gerry.
Isaac ignored Gerry’s jab. “I was engineered to be the ideal partner for the realization of his ultimate goal, Zeta Corp. Masterson ensured that I came into the universe with a ‘gift’ for technological innovation. A gift that he built into my DNA. He made me because he needed someone to help him achieve his vision.” Isaac pointed at Danny, Gerry, and T199. “You. A combination of genetic, and technological engineering.”
“The perfect soldier,” said Danny.
“Exactly. And because of the illegality of the project, partnering with anybody else presented too high a risk. So, he designed someone he could trust instead. Me.”
“But, you still needed to learn,” said Danny. “And you didn’t have a brain implant.”
Isaac smiled. “Correct, my boy, but crude brain computer interfaces already existed. They were not as advanced as your implants, but they allowed for rapid learning. When combined with my genetic predisposition, I devoured the required knowledge. Soon, I went to work on the brain computer interface itself, and repeatedly modified it to my needs. The more I learned, the more modifications I made. Then, my imagination took over, and I began to create technology that was far more advanced than anything available.”
“The brain implants,” said Danny.
“Yes. Much of the biological aspects had already been developed. Human cloning may have been illegal, but plenty of work had already been done with augmentation. Of course, this was extremely cost prohibitive for the general population, so it was only used by the very rich, and the military. Nonetheless, enough knowledge existed on how to insert technology into humans largely without side effects.”
“Hold on a second,” said Gerry. “If the UEDF used augmentation, why haven’t I seen any augmented UEDF regulars?”
“Economics. Zeta clones are more advanced than anything the UEDF can build, and it is far cheaper to simply outsource to Zeta.”
“But that wasn’t the case when you and Masterson got started.”
“Correct.
Once the UEDF realized how much more advanced the Zeta clones were, it was only a matter of time until it scaled down its own program. I understand that they still have their own augmented soldiers, but they are reserved for covert operations. From the beginning, Ed Masterson had a vision of creating the perfect soldier.”
“What about you?” said Gerry. “What was your vision?”
“I didn’t have one. Not at the start. I was happy enough to explore the possibilities of this technology.”
“It didn’t bother you that you were developing ways to enslave other clones? Your own kind?” Gerry said emphatically.
“I didn’t understand Masterson’s true intent. Yes, he wanted to make perfect soldiers, but that didn’t necessarily mean that he planned to subjugate them. He hadn’t done so with me. I had no reason to mistrust him. Masterson always treated me as an equal.”
“Why would he treat you that way? That part of your story doesn’t make sense,” said Gerry.
“Because, it suited his needs. I didn’t understand then, but I do now. It was important to him that I be perceived no differently than any other human in the Empire. He hid the illegal method of my creation from the authorities, and found a way to register my Pallian citizenship, documenting my birth, and the other necessary details. Later, he created Zeta Corp, with me as a founding partner.”
“I’m sure you didn’t mind that,” said Gerry, refusing to let up.
“Of course not. I built the technology. Why wouldn’t he make me partner? In reality, he maintained control of the company, which suited me just fine. All I cared about was my work, you see. I didn’t want to have anything to do with running the business, and I had no reason to doubt his motives. He had created me. Given me everything I had. Why would I question any of it?”
“My thoughts exactly,” said Gerry.
“By that logic, why would you question your own role? Why not just stay a Zeta soldier and not trouble yourself with any of this?”
“Point taken,” said Gerry. “Continue.”
Isaac took a deep breath. It was the first time he gave any indication that Gerry’s questions had gotten to him. Regaining his composure, he resumed his story. “In time, it became too risky to continue our work within the Empire’s borders. The Empire had already given up on some of the outer colonies, so Zeta acquired a stake on a remote system. There we continued our work, unfettered by any pesky Imperial laws. It was there that I invented the implants that are in all Zeta clones today.”