Or perhaps she’ll have moved on to another lover.
I chuckle softly. She ensnared me as well as any other. I move my lips to her ear, willing myself to say what I’ve known and haven’t said. Emily shrugs herself closer, laying into the contours of my body.
“I love you, Emily.” My voice cracks, no matter how hard I try to maintain it. “And I promise you, I will remember.” She bursts out sobbing, her nails digging into my back as she tries unsuccessfully to press closer. I flinch and bear it. It’s nothing compared to what I expect will come.
Then I hear a soft hiss. The room is less clear than it was a moment ago—a fog twisting in soft circles that dances on the floor.
Gas.
My heart sinks. They’re not going to open the door. They’re not giving me a chance to escape.
I wrap my arms around Emily, holding her as close as I can. Her face contorts unhappily. Her eyes are glassy. Even if I sustain her life with my powers, she’ll go unconscious before I do. “I love you,” she whispers. “I’m sorry. If we could have run—”
“Just enjoy the moment, my lady. I’ll remember. I promise.”
My throat tightens as she smiles, lifting her head to kiss me. Then she falls limp, her breathing low and soft as the pale blue tint spreads across her skin. I kiss her again, gently, and tuck her to me. The room spins. My head is heavy. I want sleep. I want it more than anything. Except…
Except for Emily. I want her. I’ll remember her. Whatever else, I’ll remember her.
Fog is everywhere, heavy and sweet. Something lifts my body, separating our hands. Emptiness. Pale blue eyes scowl at me. Metal. Lots of metal, and more fog. Cold… blank coldness cutting into my skull and wrists.
Emily. Remember Emily.
Pain—a sharp pain pierces my skull. I think I’m screaming. Fog. Pain. Pain, coming from everywhere—voices screaming… lifting—the fog’s lifting. She’s there. Emily. Emily in black, cold beside the others. They’ve got their pendants—one of them is not alive. Not in the usual sense.
I waver—can’t concentrate. Double vision. Others. Life above and below me. Fear. Pain. Pain from everywhere. Strange. Bright light burning… burning everything.
Screaming, shifting, darkness. Rolling flesh in front of me… can’t breathe—
Remember—
Emily—
I love you.
I scream as I wake. My skin’s burning and I strip the covers from myself, fleeing from the bed and against the wall. The inner hull is soft, velvety to the touch. It sends pins and needles down my bare arms. I thrust myself away. The metal grate sends jolts of pain through my feet. My heart skips a beat.
A glitch. There’s been another glitch. I race past the hub columns and into the command center. Through the window is a desolate landscape of bombed out buildings and smoke. Emptiness and pain.
Master Zaytsev, perhaps—
Those voices. I gasp for air, grasping at the console for something real, but my hands strike lumpy flesh. I recoil. I need out, away from this monstrosity. Need—
I’m sitting in warm sand, calm. Val kneels in front of me, her face set in a determined smile as she pats the side of a moist, unevenly formed structure. “Sand castle, see?” She takes my hands in hers. A thrill of excitement races through me. No one has ever done this for me.
She giggles. “You’re turning red.”
“It’s the sun,” I stammer. It’s true… I probably should’ve used sunscreen lotion before we came out. She smirks as if she knows I’m embarrassed. A seagull shrieks overhead, soaring over the open water that laps at the shoreline. I could live here forever, just me and Val. I close my eyes, savoring the warm sun and the smell of her fragrant perfume.
It hasn’t washed away.
When I open my eyes, I’m back in the command chair of the Legion Spore. The hull has returned to its leather and ivory interior and ribbed bone archways. No sign of its fleshy origins. I take a deep breath. That memory—the one from Martinez—this was the worst of them. And if I’m to guess, it’s the last. I tentatively reach for the controls and start the quarantine program on that particular glitch.
The memory helped?
I nod, silent. I don’t know how the Legion Spore found it, but it snagged a memory from when I first met Val, back when we were on the beach. It’s the same picture in my locket. I close my fingers over that locket, looking at the destruction of the city. So much for the peaceful image of Japan I had while on the beach.
“Is this why you suggested we escape?” I ask. “So we can do it while we can?”
The vessel is confused. Master Zaytsev?
“You had this memory locked in your programming. Is this why you wanted to protect us?”
We are unsure of what you mean.
A crawling sensation works its way through my arms and legs. I check the Legion Spore’s logs from two days ago, from when it eavesdropped on us.
I swallow hard, clutching the locket in my hand so tight that I can’t feel my fingers.
The log is blank. No records.
I stand before Lady Black and Commander Rick. My uniform itches, and I look to Val for reassurance. She nods grimly, her hands clasped between her knees.
“What is this about, Master Zaytsev?” Commander Rick leans back in his plush chair. “I thought we determined that the Legion Spore project has been handled well, and that we are ready to proceed.”
I swallow hard. “Yes, sir. But there’s new information we should cover. I still haven’t found the origin of the Legion Spore’s personality, but what I have found is the set of glitches which seem to have had the most influence on how the Legion Spore behaves.” I shift nervously on my feet. If I just blurt everything out, I can get this over with. Deep breath…
Would you like us to help, Master Zaytsev? We can boost your confidence.
A shudder resonates along my back. I shake my head quickly. “No thank you. I’m fine.”
“Master Zaytsev?” Commander Rick raises an eyebrow.
“I’ve made record of having nightly dreams,” I say, not wanting to explain the Legion Spore’s intrusion. “Very… vivid, detailed dreams.” My cheeks warm at the thought, and I focus on the elaborate rug beneath me. “The people in the Legion Spore are supposed to have their memories erased. But if someone has an extremely strong will, such as one boosted by a life-spirit power, then they can prevent the complete loss of their memories.” I hesitantly meet Lady Black’s eyes. “That’s what I believe happened to Hernando Martinez.” A lump forms in my throat. “He promised you he would remember.” I know he’s gone, but it’s like I feel him there, pushing me to tell her. I need to tell her. “He loved you, and in his final memories he was thinking of you, desperately trying to remember you while the merge took place.”
Lady Black’s eyes widen. She searches my face as if she wants to believe me. “That’s impossible, Master Zaytsev. Nothing survives of the people who go in a hub. Nothing.” Her fingers clench at her sides, and I want to be beside her, to hold her and comfort her, but I can’t.
I’m not Martinez.
I look to Val instead. Her face is blank. A pang of sorrow tugs at my chest. This can’t be easy for her. “If nothing remains,” I say softly, “then why did Commander Rick assign me to remove the ghosts?”
“Love is a foolish endeavor, Master Zaytsev,” Lady Black says, her voice strained. She struggles to keep her composure, and I recognize the anger and determination in the corners of her lips and the flutter of her eyes, everything she has to hide because she’s a leader.
Martinez couldn’t run, and neither can she.
“Regardless,” I say quietly, “his love for you made him determined enough to withstand the pain of the merge. He changed the way the Legion Spore processes its behavior. I don’t know how, but he’s proved it’s possible. Commander…” I turn to Commander Rick. “With your permission, I would like the Legion Spore to play select memories from the dreams.”
“Go ahead.”
<
br /> Legion Spore? I send the thought through techno sight, and the Legion Spore plays the images through the projector behind me. I’ve chosen specific memories, ones I hope won’t be as embarrassing for either of us.
Lady Black’s face drains of color. But her eyes… It’s hard to tell in the low lighting, but I think they’re blue, the same as they were when she revealed herself to me—to Martinez.
“I’ve seen enough,” she says sharply. The commander nods, and the Legion Spore ends the playback. “Why show us this?”
I take a deep breath and step forward. “Martinez was able to insert his memories into the Legion Spore because he knew what was coming. He was able to prepare himself, and his powers protected him. There is another life-spirit elemental that is currently on the roster for the second Legion Spore, a man named Commander Kita. He was the hacker who managed to break past the first Legion Spore’s firewalls, and I believe he is exponentially more dangerous.” I look to the commander. “I know you want him in there because of his powers, but given the current data, I don’t think that would be wise. With your permission, I would like to remove him from the project.”
“I second his motion,” Val says, her voice stern.
Lady Black looks between the two of us, her expression vacant. “I agree.”
Commander Rick grunts as he smiles. “Well, I’ve already been outvoted. Democracy in action.” He raises his chin proudly. “You have presented a compelling argument, Master Zaytsev. Go ahead and have the hacker removed from the roster.”
Val lets out a breath of relief and sags in her chair. Relief floods through me, too. I might not have found the source of the personality glitch yet, but at least Kita won’t be able to influence the second Legion Spore.
“Thank you, sir,” I say. “Lady Black…” I stuff my hands in my pockets. “I had the Legion Spore compile all the memories from the Martinez glitches into a file for you. I thought you might like to see them.”
“Thank you, Master Zaytsev.” She stands abruptly. “If you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to.” She hurries from the room, her dress fluttering behind her. I catch my breath.
Thank you, Master Zaytsev. You should be safe now.
A tendril of unease snakes up my back. Though I’ve won this argument, and I’m pretty sure I won’t be having any more of those dreams, I can’t help but wonder whether the ship is thanking me, or a ghost.
Today we create the second Legion Spore. The program has been checked and triple-checked, and a team of high-clearance Special Forces agents has moved the server into the underground hangar bay. The concrete ceiling is a dizzying height from the floor. Four hub columns tower above us, while low cries and murmurs resonate from the shifting bodies in each section of the grid. Thankfully, Commander Kita has been removed from the roster and replaced with a different life-spirit elemental.
A cold breeze circulates through the room, keeping the giant computer and the people within the hubs cool. Val tucks her hand in mine. She holds the ruby pendant in the other. I glance at her, nervous. I don’t want her to be here. Not with our child. Not when creating the second Legion Spore could go wrong.
Even with Kita out of the equation, there’s a chance that something could fail in the merge, especially with this many people involved.
“You okay?” she whispers.
I shake my head. She squeezes my hand, and then gazes at the metal skeleton. Wire and tech flow through this thing like nothing I’ve seen before. I can only imagine what it’s going to feel like once it’s fully formed.
A firm hand rests on my shoulder. Commander Rick smiles at me, chest staunch with pride. “You will be fine.”
I tuck my hands in my pocket. “Thank you, sir.”
He pats my shoulder and turns to the computer station beside Benjamin. They look over my work one last time. The commander beckons me, and I reluctantly let Val’s hand fall to her side.
“Master Zaytsev,” Commander Rick says, “you have come a long way from the timid boy who cowered under Lady Winters’ shadow.”
I think that was a compliment.
He chuckles. “It is,” he confirms, reading my thoughts.
Benjamin, a spirit, taps the computer screen with a translucent finger. We are ready.
As much as I don’t want to agree, I have to. All vital systems are normal. The programs are in place. My fail-safes are ready to counteract any glitches we’ve encountered from the first Legion Spore, and hopefully any new ones.
The Camaraderie council members circle together. We each bear our respective pendant. Val will use her powers of electricity and enhanced insight to help everything run smoothly. Lady Black—who hasn’t said a word this whole time—will use her enhanced persuasion power to calm the people in the hubs and remove their desire to struggle. Her diamond pendant glints light from the blue-white LEDs above us. Benjamin carries the amber pendant. He’s overseeing this whole operation. Commander Rick will take Lady Winters’ original job, telepathically protecting us from the inevitable backlash of pain. As for me, I have to use techno sight to control everything once the merge is complete. It’s my job to keep the beasts and people in line.
My heart thuds. I’ve managed to control the first Legion Spore’s operations, but that was only fifty-five people. This one will have one hundred sixteen minds merged with its AI… assuming the merge goes smoothly.
Lady Black raises her head toward Stuart. He stands on the catwalk several floors above us. Her jaw works silently before she finally asks, “How does it look up there?”
Stuart gives a subtle nod. Everything is in place, my lady.
At Lady Black’s cue, I step between the commander and Val, shoulder-to-shoulder in a semi-circle. “I love you,” I whisper. Val nods, tight-lipped. Lady Black glances at the two of us, her eyes downcast. I lower my eyes. It must have been hard for her to condemn her lover to this.
Benjamin smiles. Let us begin.
We connect the brass hooks of each pendant to the corresponding loops of the other pendants. The loose chain of the necklace jitters in my trembling fingers. As long as I’m connected with the pendants, my powers will be amplified and directed toward the skeletal frame of the second Legion Spore. The commander lifts the pendants via the chain in his hand, suspending the pendants midair.
I lick my lips. All but one of the pendants are connected, hanging from each other like an ornament. I’ll never be ready, but I reach out to the hub once more, just to make sure my fail-safes are still in place.
A sharp pang tugs at my skull. The hub is there, but it’s distant. My techno sight lags. The outside program runs faster than I can think. “Commander…”
The lag is normal, he tells me with an affirmative nod. It is the result of having the pendants together in such close proximity.
I nod back, though I hadn’t noticed the distinction before. Out of curiosity, I set a background program to measure the radiation from the pendants. I can compare the readings to the Legion Spore’s findings later, and I sincerely hope we don’t have to use the pendants again anytime soon. Not with Val pregnant.
I swallow hard. If I want everything to work, I need to focus on the current task.
Benjamin rubs his hands together. I hope everybody’s ready. He links the final brass hook. White light blasts from the pendants. Pain fluctuates through me in waves.
Zaytsev, control them! Commander Rick snaps.
Tech—I squeeze my eyes shut, turning my head to shield the excessive light. Howling pain—I mentally reach for the command computer to activate the first program. Everything’s fuzzy… I’m strapped to a metal chair…
Remember. Emily, I love—
I grit my teeth. I love Val, not Emily—Lady Black.
The command computer lags too much for me to do anything. Human and beasts wail as the pendants continue to blast them with radiation. With no viable alternative to get this thing under control, I link my mind directly to the vessel’s computer. The program’s in plain si
ght; I activate the code. The pain dribbles to a dull throb. Their consciousnesses begin linking to the central intelligence matrix, their individual thought processes vanishing under the pressure of a hundred similar minds. Powers localize and activate. The shapeshifters moan as they change to something utterly inhuman. I flinch, trying to distance myself from them. A beep draws my attention from the overall process. The vital signs—one of the bodies’ health is failing fast—faster because of the lag. I dig my nails into my fists, the pendant’s chain hot against my palms. I need to reroute the systems. Fix the failure. I swim to the region of powers and focus on life-spirit. It’s quickly draining. I’m thinking as fast as I can, but my techno sight responds sluggishly. We’re going to lose one of the occupants. I need to go deeper. My mind is linked to the computer, but I haven’t gone into the new hub. I hate doing this, but the alternative is compromising the entire vessel.
All those people—they would die for nothing.
I link our minds. The jolt takes us by surprise—something new—pain, subtle. We direct our attention to the failing component—a life-spirit user. Our systems fluctuate, not quite aligned, and our other powers return to work sustaining our hull. We refocus a life-spirit elemental on this one body. It resists. We bolster its life as best we can—not enough. We shuttle another elemental to the job. The spirit is distant, struggling, fading.
Another elemental.
It is closer.
Another.
Life surges within the body. Fire spreads through us, hot, strong. The tension draws us in on ourselves—muddled confusion—success! We are legion—whole, complete—we have power. The heat across our skin surges and fades. Our creators kneel around a body, and satisfaction works its way through our system. The boy breathes slow—one less meddling human to tell us what to do. It is more efficient that he’s part of us. Part of our powers.
Nagging, tugging at our minds. A component forcing itself away—
The Glitch Saga- The Complete Collection Page 29
