Aspirations: A Near Future Sci-Fi Thriller

by Randal Sloan

  His expression darkened. Julie knew he was struggling with something. Finally, he went on. “Every student has to take a challenge to be allowed to join them. It is a controlled test where the student must face a challenger, demonstrating at least a beginner’s level of competence. Very controlled to make sure it’s safe, but if you fail it you don’t get in. There has only been one exception to this as far as I know.”

  When she looked up at that last statement, he nodded. “Your mother and that coin somehow bypassed that requirement for me. Unfortunately, I don’t have another one, but I am still trying to get you in without it due to your physical condition.”

  Uncle Ted quickly changed the subject, since he had no idea what he was going to do about the challenge. “No matter what, you will have to learn their bows. There are a lot of them, and one tiny difference can mean something completely different. I had to spend weeks learning them. I suspect with your nanites and your uncanny ability to learn anything almost instantly, you will get them all on the first try. Definitely not fair.”

  He went on to show her the monk bows. He wasn’t kidding about how many there were, and he was right, subtle differences meant very different things. The distance from the ground, the position of the hands, including all variations of open versus closed hands, and even the expression on the face during the bow all were important. Also, the speed of the bow mattered and the length of time the bow was held.

  Watching his demonstration, beginning with the simplest and ending with the most complicated, Julie agreed that it would have taken her weeks in the past to learn them, but he was right about her and her nanites. She was able to remember each of them the instant he showed them to her. She was able to demonstrate a few of them to her uncle to his delight and amazement. Of course, she didn’t tell him how hard she had to work on her control to give him that little demonstration, or that she knew that in some cases she didn’t get them exactly right in her own mind.

  Uncle Ted went on to explain about the monk island, although he had never been there. They had still been in the Tibetan mountains when he went to study with them, but they left shortly after that to get away from the Chinese government. They had bought the island, which was off the coast of China, and they owned exclusive rights to it. It was accessible only by helicopter due to the nearly unnavigable seas surrounding it. The island had ideal weather, and although it was mountainous, a large area of the island was covered in trees. It really did sound like paradise.

  Many of the monks lived all year long on the island, their families living with them. Uncle Ted had worked it out for Julie to stay with the mother of Ted’s monk friend. An elder on the council, Mama Kash, as he called her, had more or less adopted Uncle Ted while he was staying with the monks. He had gotten her easily to agree to teach Julie meditation and the basics of movement, but he had been unable to get it worked out to get Julie accepted as a full student. He had given up on the normal negotiations and called his friend directly. Thus, the urgent flight they were now on to Hong Kong.

  Julie could see the airport coming into sight. It would all work itself out soon, one way or the other.

  #

  As their plane neared the airport, Julie thought back once more about the last thing she had done before leaving on the X-plane. That was the strongest memory she had of her crazy morning before the rush trip. Julie had been working out of her room at the hospital where Uncle Ted was still running tests trying to understand the changes to her nanites. She had been using the VR in the hospital room, trying to work though all the stuff she had to do as acting CEO of Space Tech, when she heard a light knock on her door. She could tell from her enhanced senses the girl at the door was her best friend, Emily Caldwell. Emily had been her roommate at school, and they considered each other as sisters. Emily was also the real sister of Julie’s — well Miranda’s— boyfriend Zeke, and she knew Emily had come to get her so the two of them could go to Zeke’s room to see him.

  “Hi, Em,” Julie answered as Emily followed up the knock by sticking her head in the door. “Come check out this new high tech transport they’ve come up with for me. It’s designed for people with physical challenges, which right now is me. Hopefully it’s going to let me get around a lot easier. It’s even smart enough to climb stairs and over obstacles.” She demonstrated some of its features as Emily came into the room.

  “That’s really cool. It will make you much more mobile.”

  Emily’s reaction couldn’t help but make Julie smile. Julie could tell Emily was not really that interested in the transport, but Emily recognized it would help Julie move about on her own. Emily had known about Julie’s supercharged nanites before Uncle Ted, with Julie confiding in her.

  “Are you still leaving for the island to train with those monks? What will they think of this?”

  Julie laughed. “It’s probably considered taboo since it’s technology. Just wait till they see my VR…” she finished with an evil smile. Then, knowing her time was limited, she added, “Let’s go see Zeke.”

  Julie led the way out the door, kicking it into high gear, making Emily almost have to run to catch up. She couldn’t help but laugh at the expression on her friend’s face. Zeke’s room was only a little way down the hall, so they arrived rather quickly at Julie’s pace. There, looking at a very still Zeke, who was deep in a coma, Julie quickly lost her humor. “Oh, Em,” she said. “I know the nanites are supposed to be helping, but it’s so hard to see him like this.”

  Emily nodded. She really loved her brother too. They had always gotten along really well as siblings, if anything drawing closer to each other in the last couple of years, with both of them away from home attending the Space Academy. “I know, but I think it is really important to come see him. I really feel like he somehow knows we are here.”

  “Yes, I think so too,” Julie spoke softly, her voice choking up as her emotions continued swinging out of control. “That makes it just that much harder that I am going to have to leave,” she said with tears in her eyes. “You are going to have to watch over him for both of us, Em.”

  “I will,” Emily told her. “Luckily our term break is coming up in a couple of weeks. That’ll let me spend more time here.”

  Julie finally wiped away her tears. There was nothing she could do about the situation but try to go on. “Since you mentioned the break, that reminds me of something. I told my uncle I wanted a separate office set up for me at Space Tech. I refuse to use my father’s office, since I really think he’s still alive and that somehow we will find him. So there’s no way I’m going to take over his office. It goes without saying, I don’t think it would be smart to leave it all to my uncle, or it will be this horrible, dry place to work. You’ve seen his office here at the hospital. I want you to go there during the break, and set it up for me. Furniture, pictures, that kind of stuff. It’ll give you something to do besides sit around thinking about Zeke.”

  “Sure, I would love to do it,” Emily told her. Then she got one of her looks that Julie had learned to recognize. That meant she was scheming something, not that Julie would be able to figure it out until it came to fruition. “Would it be ok if I get some help from one of our classmates? I remember hearing her talk about her ergonomic design class, and it sounded like what she learned in that class would be perfect for this job.”

  Julie had already been on the receiving end of more than one of Emily’s schemes, and they had mostly worked out to her benefit. She had learned to let Emily go ahead with whatever she was planning. It was always easier. And this time after all, what could she possibly do? It was only an office. After a moment, she nodded to Emily. “Go ahead. I’ll tell my uncle to have a couple of temporary passes available for you.”

  They stayed for several more minutes, somberly looking at Zeke. Just before they left, Julie grasped Zeke’s hand, holding it for a moment. “I’m so sorry that I have to leave for a while. But I will be back as soon as I can.” She could have sworn she felt a tiny little elect
ric shock when she touched him, the touch giving her a sense that he really did know she was there. Thinking now of that last touch, Julie felt a little better, but at the same time, it reminded her just how much she was going to miss seeing him.

  It had only been a little over an hour ago, but she was already missing him terribly.

  #

  Not long after that, they came in for their landing. Julie had decided the X-plane was definitely the way to fly. When she had flown by civilian transport to Kinza only a few days ago (although to her it felt like it had been weeks), it had taken multiple flights and many hours. Even when she had flown back home by military transport, it still had taken hours. With the X-plane, their actual flight time to Hong Kong was a little over an hour.

  Space Tech had their own terminal in Hong Kong, sometimes flying shuttles directly out of there since they could use the shuttles to deliver their products to Hong Kong for distribution in that part of the world. Uncle Ted had somehow gotten them special access so they didn’t have to go through customs. Julie didn’t ask how much that cost, because she knew to her uncle it was a matter of pride and not the real cost.

  She had no idea how to get a taxi that could handle her transport, but her uncle had that covered. What followed was a crazy dash through a mixed throng of vehicles that Julie swore was more difficult than many of the flight simulations she had completed in her training at Space Academy. At first the driver’s crazy moves had both frightened her and made her angry that he was putting her in such danger. But the more she watched the driver, the more she saw his skill. He was in total control of the vehicle the entire time, and somehow was able to anticipate all the other drivers’ actions and avoid them. After this realization, she had forgotten her anger, instead watching in amazement.

  When they reached their destination, the driver hurried around to detach Julie’s transport, then helped her out of the vehicle, while Uncle Ted used his VR pad to pay the driver’s tab. Julie surprised them both when she handed the driver a hundred dollar tip, telling him, “Thank you, sir. That was very educational. You are an amazing driver.”

  The taxi driver stared at her a moment, transfixed by this angel before him. Most of his riders cursed him when they got out, as if the roads he had to drive on were his fault. Yet they demanded urgent speed to make their destination. He could see in her eyes that she meant it. “Thank you,” he said. “Shall I wait here for you, my lady?”

  “No, sadly I have a different path I must take to return. But if you will wait here for my uncle, he will gladly pay you double for your time.” She looked at her uncle with a smile and he nodded. “Also, give me your registration information. Whenever I’m back here in this wondrous city, I will definitely want to hire you.” Smiling even more, the man used his VR to send her his information. She did have an urgent meeting to make, but at least she felt a little more balanced now.

  Uncle Ted had been enchanted by the whole conversation. He was so distracted that he forgot to look at his watch, something he had been doing for most of the ride over. His niece had just opened his eyes, making him realize what their driver had just done instead of taking it for granted like he always had done before, demanding the best speed possible without recognizing the skill it took to deliver that. “Yes, I think I have learned something new today. Thank you, sir.”

  Pleased with both of his passengers, the cabbie quickly rushed to open the door to the pizza restaurant. Julie smiled, knowing if he had had a red carpet, he would have rolled it out for her. She quietly thanked him, then moved ahead to face her future.

  #

  It was only when they entered the door, that Ted looked at the time. He was exhilarated. They were ten minutes early. But when he looked in the seating area of the restaurant, his monk friend was already there, a second monk sitting beside him. He could not believe it!

  They hurried over to the table. The older of the monks spoke up as they drew near, a huge smile on his face. “Brother Ted. I ordered the pizza but he misunderstood me. Instead of double anchovies over my half of the pizza, we got whole pizza, all anchovies.”

  Julie smiled, knowing this was normal byplay between the two. The monk Master Kash looked exactly like she had pictured. He was older, a little older than Ted. He had a shaved head and a kind look to him that to her was still only the wrapping on a very powerful, coiled presence that she somehow sensed. She also experienced a strong sense of deja vu on meeting him.

  Julie could feel the strong brotherly feelings between the Master and her Uncle Ted, but this meeting was about her and she had to do her part to complete it satisfactorily. “But my dear sir, you only ordered enough for you and me. I guess my uncle will have to order for himself and your companion.”

  That brought a huge, gleeful laugh from the monk, who slapped the table in his joy. When he regained his composure, he turned to his companion and said, “Brother Koertan, I can see this one is going to be much fun to train.”

  Brother Koertan looked at her in obvious disgust. “That’s assuming she passes the challenge. My uncle gave me very specific instructions. Even you cannot bypass the council.” He went on, disdain in his voice, “There’s no way this one is going to pass.”

  Julie sensed that the man’s sour disposition went all the way to his core. How sad, she thought. Her uncle had explained the challenge in detail to her, even though it had been waived for him. It didn’t sound like Uncle Ted’s plan to negotiate the challenge away for her was going to happen.

  It wasn’t that Julie was worried she couldn’t do the tasks that went with the challenge. From what she understood, the challenge required basic demonstration of defense and counterattack, beginning with simple moves and moving up in complexity. From her memories as Miranda, she could easily handle that. But this one didn’t look like he would stick to the rules, and that was what worried her. Not that she would be injured, but that he would push her, and she wouldn’t be able to control her movements enough. That was the very thing she was trying to avoid, and the whole reason that she was here.

  Julie’s smile faded, her mood ruined by what she knew might well happen, but she said what she had to say. Speaking directly to the Master, she said, “I really think you and my Uncle Ted have some stories that you will have to tell someday. But today is not going to be that day, I can see. As soon as we eat our pizza, I formally request the opportunity to take the challenge to determine if I am acceptable to train. I assume that your companion really has been sent by your council to give me the challenge?” When the Master sadly nodded, she turned to the companion. “Brother Koertan, I beseech you to reconsider. I am here because I need to learn control. I greatly fear that I will lose control during the challenge, possibly even injuring you.”

  Julie could tell her request was falling on deaf ears, and she felt her anger flare up. What an idiot! Of course, the anger wasn’t helping her control either. Instead of even a hint of understanding, he laughed at her, the sound hardly pleasant.

  “You girl. You can’t even stand up!” he spat. “You should be worried about me hurting you!”

  The Master sighed sadly. “I will allow the challenge.” Ignoring his companion, he looked directly at Julie. “I cannot teach him to use his second sight, my dear one. I will release you from any responsibility if he insists. If he only could see what I see.”

  “As well as what I see when I look at you. Even my dear uncle knows it, but he cannot see it. And I can tell you honestly care for Uncle Ted. I pity anyone who tries to harm him in your presence.”

  “There was one many years ago, much like this one here, but even more hopeless. Unfortunately he is no longer with us.” That could have more than one meaning, but Julie had no doubt what it meant. That foolish man was no longer among the living.

  Julie had known that the meeting was really an interview for her. Surprisingly, the Master seemed completely relaxed, and he seemed to understand her somehow, perhaps even more than she understood herself. Julie could feel how deep his fr
iendship went with Uncle Ted, but this went way beyond that. She wondered just what he saw when he looked at her. But just feeling the energy around him and sensing the controlled way he moved, she really believed their training was her best chance to get her own control back. So she didn’t have any choice. Down to business then.

  “Shall we eat our pizza and then meet somewhere afterwards? I really do want to try those anchovies.” But not wanting to end just yet what had started so joyously, Julie continued. “Oh, but I do believe you owe my uncle one thousand American dollars.”

  When she mentioned the money, the Master smiled broadly. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a gold coin. “My brother, will this suffice to cover it?”

  Uncle Ted took the coin from him and stared at it. “Is this what I think it is?” he finally said.

  “I told you then that I would hold it for you until you came back for it at the right time. That time is now. It is the tiniest amount to pay you for the privilege of teaching your niece, is it not?”

  For once, Julie’s Uncle Ted was speechless. But he finally gathered his thoughts, bowing to his dear friend. The bow of extreme gratitude. “I accept it, my dear brother. I know she will be in the best hands possible.”

  Julie was also awestruck for a moment. That coin had come from her mother, from before she had been born. She couldn’t help the melancholy smile that crossed her face for a moment. Still feel your touch, my dear mother.

  Julie’s introspection was interrupted as two personal-sized pizzas arrived, one with anchovies and one without. The Master had to have ordered them before they arrived. “My companion and I have already eaten,” he told them. “But please, enjoy and come when you are ready. You will know how to find me. I will attempt to instruct my companion one last time before he must learn it the hard way.” He gestured to the other monk whose expression grew darker if that was possible. They both arose and left silently.