Chapter 14

Andena was lying in her bed still fully awake. The fact that she was confined to such a small room troubled her. She had tried to get out, but she couldn’t open the door. Today’s training was not that strenuous for her, but it had been difficult. Keeping her balance on a small beam took most of the afternoon to master. It was only after she had concentrated on the beam that she was able to walk across it without falling off. She saw the two lines appear which had followed the contour of the beam and when she stepped on the beam, at any small unbalance her arms waved just the right way to keep her from falling. Andena knew something was helping her, but it only happened when she concentrated on something.

While in the shower, she had found out that if she focused on the water, her display showed the temperature and that the water was potable. Once she had glanced at one of her classmates and the information on her display confused her. It was telling her which kind of model the girl was, and the power supply was green. She remembered how strange it was when she saw the text of her first status report appear at her eye after Joshua had asked for it. She was wondering if she could let it happen again by querying it herself and asked softly, “What is my status?”

Nothing happened. Strange.

Maybe she had to concentrate on the question internally, and she asked the question by projecting the words in her mind, “What is my status?”

Again nothing happened, and she thought back to the training when the lines had appeared. She recalled that she had focused inwards to block any outer influences, and then looked intensely at the beam. She had to try again and brought her attention inwards and asked the question, “What is my status?”

This time her display showed, “Status: 100% fully functional, All systems: green.”

Andena was pleased it had worked, and she was even more pleased that she hadn’t been compelled to say it out loud. She wondered what else she could ask and without actually thinking about the implication of her question she asked, “Who am I?”

Andena felt a search of anxiety coursing through her body when her display showed:

“Hybrid: 00, Name: Unknown Model: Female Full upgrade core: H_UNICS/AI version: 2.124 written by Danette Williams.”

She had to ask the question again because she was too dazzled by the answer to fathom its meaning fully. It was completely unsettling that she still didn’t know her name and the answer raised, even more, questions. Her mind told her that she must have a name, but she couldn’t remember it. The other part of the message was telling her she had a core which was dampening her mood even more. Fighting against her rational precautions, she asked, “What is H_UNICS?”

She had to find out what those letters stood for, and she was somewhat surprised when her display showed, “Operating system: H_UNICS, Hybrid Uniplexed Information, and Computing System. Better known as UNIX or LUNIX.”

It became clear to her that she had connected with a computer. Her rational mind said she should be upset, but she found it interesting, and she wondered why she was connected to a computer. As curious as she was she asked, “What is AI version 2.124?”

“Main program running: Artificial Intelligence by D.W. version 2.124.”

Andena was confused, and she read the text once again. She was asking herself if she was part of the AI program. She vaguely remembered that scientists had come quite far with developing a good working AI program, but it had stopped when the Archon had banned all AI-based devices. She noticed that she was getting tired, but she wanted to know which other programs were running and she commanded, “Give me a list of programs which are currently running.”

She realised it was her first command, and she sincerely hoped that she would get an answer. Within a second she got a small list of programs with various names she couldn’t place, but there was one which could potentially be interesting: a program called ‘suppressor.’ Andena wondered if it might help her to think a little better and more coherently if she could stop that program. She asked, “What does suppressor do?”

“This program is used for suppressing the brain activity of the person. Installing the program is a lengthy procedure because of scanning for brain areas affected. For more information type: suppressor more.”

Andena knew she had found something which might help her to understand what had happened to her. She wasn’t able to recall anything from her past even though she reckoned she must have one. All this thinking and reasoning was tiring, and she yawned fighting her sleep as she commanded, “Suppressor more.”

The text appeared and she started to read, but it was very detailed with terms she didn’t understand at all. At the bottom of the text was the word ‘more’ and she knew she had to give the command to continue. Andena had lost count how many pages of text she had read already, but it was all as clear as mud. In the end, she couldn’t focus enough to give the command in the correct way to get a new page of text. She tried it once more, but her mind didn’t work anymore and totally exhausted she fell into a deep sleep.

Lunn walked into his quarters feeling totally exhausted but satisfied, wanting only a hot shower before crashing into bed. It had been an enervating afternoon in the new headquarters. The launch of the satellites was on schedule and had gone smoothly. Lunn was fascinated by how confident John was in monitoring the progress of the launch and when the satellites were released into space it had been amazing to see them joining the rest of the ring. The only moment when John showed some discomfort was at the point that the ring was to be completed. With sixty satellites fewer, all the others had to be readjusted which was a delicate job and after spending at least an hour double checking the positions, it had been time to initiate the ring. John had given Lunn the honour of pushing the button. Lunn knew if it didn’t work that the financier would lose several billion credits and his relief was palpable as the ring came online. It would be around forty-eight hours before the ring was fully charged and ready to be deployed, assuming that the systems at the headquarters were ready as well.

There was still a major issue with the secure connections that had been provided by Datanex because they were not stable enough. During the repositioning of the satellites they had lost their connection with them several times but fortunately, it had never happened at a critical moment.

That was reason enough to stop using Datanex immediately, and it had taken John a few hours to get the local network facility to start the procedure to reconnect the original data connections. The man at the facility had promised that it would be done within forty-eight hours. They had ended the laborious day with drinks John had brought with him, and it was way past midnight before the two had left the headquarters.

With a satisfied sigh, Lunn stepped into the hot shower and felt his tense muscles relax as the warm water streamed over his tired body. Memories of Danette caressing his body flashed across his mind, and he felt a stab of pain knowing he had lost her for good. He wondered whether Danette had dumped him because of his obsessional involvement with Andena. His reaction to her disappearance had even shocked him, and he couldn’t make sense of his feelings for her. There was no denying that she was very sweet and incredibly beautiful in every respect: a perfect body and mind-blowing sex-appeal. He regretted the fact that he had only ever had sex with her while under the influence of a mind-bending aphrodisiac. His recollection of the night with her was reduced to a shadow in his mind, and even though he knew what they had done, the experience was devoid of emotion.

Then Lunn’s mind was flooded by the amazing, intimate and pleasurable moments with Alice. Those moments had been more genuine, and he realised that Alice was always there when he needed her. It dawned on him that she had secretly been harbouring a crush on him for some time, and he knew she would never have admitted it to him openly. He sighed as the soothing warm water cascaded over his body: he hadn’t a clue what to do. He stepped out the shower and decided to sleep on it all because he was just too tired to do anything else. As he entered the bedroom, he saw a piece of paper lying on his pillow, and he smiled knowing it would be from Alice.

He unfolded the paper and started to read the text:

Lunn, I’m afraid I can’t stay with you anymore. That means, to my regret, I have to resign, and I hope you find a suitable replacement for my position.

All the best, Alice.

He gasped realising he was about to lose another woman that he cared for. He moaned softly as he tried to process the note. He studied the paper intensely, and he noticed she had written it in a hurry. Her handwriting was usually more curved. Something must have happened, and he decided against his own better judgement to pay Alice a visit. He jumped into some clothes and looked up her address. He was surprised by how close she lived. He thought it was funny that he had never bumped into her as he passed her door on a daily basis.

Within a minute, he was standing at her door pondering what to do. Just as he had gathered up enough courage to knock on the door, he heard a sultry voice behind him saying, “I knew you would come back for me Lunn.”

Totally flabbergasted Lunn let Lily pass him to open the door. She hooked her index finger, indicating that he should follow her and pressed him close against her voluptuous body. She nibbled on his ear and said huskily, “What do you want to do gorgeous?”

Lunn was pleased that he had bumped into her instead of being confronted by a sleepy and perhaps angry Alice. There were worse things in life than having to deal with a very hot and apparently incredibly horny woman. His groin reacted to her sensual assault, but he managed to keep a cool head and said calmly as he caressed her arms, “Talk.”

Lily instantly stopped bumping and grinding her hips against his butt and asked wearily, “About what Lunn?”

Lunn tried to turn around, and Lily let her arms go just a bit which was enough for him to turn. He felt her firm breasts in his chest and she moved her hips against his excited girth. Her eyes pierced his while she waited for him to answer her question. Lunn had to fight hard against his urge to kiss her beautiful lips. They were almost the same as Alice’s which brought his mind back to the present and he chided himself for being so weak. He turned his head away because he couldn’t look into her eyes anymore as he whispered, “Alice.”

She moved her hands to his chest and pushed him slowly away from her. He looked up and saw that her face had changed into an angry frown. She moved her hands to her hips and growled, “What the fuck did you do, Lunn?”

Lunn was taken aback by how hostile she suddenly looked. He sighed and said as he gave her Alice’s note, “I haven’t a clue.”

With her fingers trembling, Lily unfolded the paper and started to read the note. Lunn saw the emotions flashing across Lily’s face with each word that she read, and as she folded the paper several times, she took a deep breath.

She shook her head and whispered, “Oh dear.”

Lunn’s heart was in his mouth and asked hoarsely, “What is the matter, Lily?”