by Mark White
It's never a predictable time when two Safirans are involved. It can be up to an hour, but it could be as little as a few minutes. With the local matrix amplification it should be faster, but your consciousness is not Safiran and hence not adapted to this environment, which could make it slower.
'In summary, you don't know?'
That would be a good summary, yes.
'Is there anything we should look out for, as a sign of our child's birth?'
When it says hello should be a good clue.
'Ah, like that is it?'
You started it.
'Is it usual to feel an odd sense of loss, as well as excitement over meeting our child?'
What do you mean?
'I feel as if something is missing. It's hard to describe. It's as if someone close to me has died.'
No, that isn't usual. Odd. Let me think. It may just be the way you are adapting to losing the kernel of consciousness. Ours just expands immediately and repairs the loss. It might take longer in your case. There is no need to worry. Differences are to be expected.
'Hopefully I'll feel OK after a long sleep. The nervousness waiting for our child probably isn't helping. I'm sure I'll be better then.'
Do you feel that?
'What?'
Another presence? It is just gathering its thoughts. The first moments are confusing, we must greet our child.
Come. Come towards us, we have been waiting for you.
HELLO KOFI, HELLO SAFIRA
Welcome child.
'Um, hello there, good to meet you'
Apologies, Kofi is new to this. Are you feeling OK, is there anything we can help with?
WHAT DAY IS IT? ON EARTH? IT IS A SUNDAY I BELIEVE?
'Ah, yes, I think so, at least around my last home. Why?'
THEN MY NAME IS KWASI, NAMED IN YOUR HONOUR, KOFI. GREETINGS, I AM YOUR SON.
'Hello Kwasi, I am indeed honoured by your choice of name.' He obviously has my memories of my native culture, both of us named after the day on which we were born.
Greetings Kwasi. Now you must retreat to the bulk and consolidate. We will be waiting for your return.
YES SAFIRA. I WILL SEE YOU BOTH SOON.
'Is he gone?'
Yes. It is important that he takes time to stabilise his consciousness, he will be back to see us in a day or so.
'Safira?'
Yes?
'We have a son!'
Yes Kofi, I know.
Plog: Kofi Albus - ~28th Ianuarius 228PD
It's been an odd couple of days, I still don't quite feel myself. Safira has been off visiting Geraldine and occupied elsewhere, and I've been wandering around the grounds trying to keep busy. Everyone is friendly, but nobody really wants to talk to me. No sign of Kwasi back yet either, I hope he's OK. I'm worried about him.
All the extra equipment has been taken from our house, so it's back to its bland normality. Apparently it's 'too early to say' whether any of the data was of any use, so I've no idea if we're any further forward yet. Nothing much else to do or say right now, so I may as well go for another walk.
Well that was a nice walk. Again. I've definitely mastered this walking. I've had enough practise. Only one thing of interest was that odd person wandering around again. At first I thought it was a Bora whose Safiran had just left, and it was on the way to the forest, but then I noticed it heading back again, and then away. It looked like it was as bored as me, but it was definitely trying to avoid me. If it's bored, and I'm bored, I think I'll go and say hello. I forgot to ask Safira about it, so I may as well find out myself.
Luckily it didn't see me coming, as I wandered up towards it from behind. It turned and looked at me when it heard me. I've never seen a Safiran, or indeed a Bora, with such a vacant expression on its face, nor one shuffle and walk so oddly. 'Good morning,' I said, 'It's a lovely day for a walk.'
It looked at me, and glared. 'Fuck off,' it said.
'I'm sorry,' I said, somewhat taken aback. I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't that, especially as it sounded like a gruff northern England accent, or at least somewhere in that vicinity.
'I said fuck off. I don't want to talk to anyone. Especially you,' it said. He said. It sounds like a 'he' to me.
'Why me especially?' I asked. 'What have I done? I've never met you before.'
'Cos I wouldn't be stuck here on this fucking planet, full of these fucking vermin, if it wasn't for you, you fucking traitor. These are our enemies, you bastard,' he snarled.
I could see a couple of Safirans heading in this direction, looking concerned. Am I in danger? I'd best keep him talking. 'I've never done anything to you, I've never met you before. Are you from Earth?' I asked.
'Of course I'm from Earth you fucking wanker. Where else would I be from? They experimented on me, so they could bring you back. They copied me, then killed me back on Earth, then brought me back. I was the first that survived. All the others had died. I watched them die. They were alive, and then they were dead. Fucking Nazi torturers, I won't let you get away with it,' he said, and then jumped forward, trying to grab me by the throat.
I'm really glad for my martial arts training when I was at university. Despite the surprise, I instinctively stepped back at the right time, and he missed me. By this time the two Safirans had reached us. One expertly held his arms behind him, while the other injected him with a yellow liquid.
'Come along Mr Hookem, you promised us you wouldn't talk to anyone if we let you out. We need to talk,' one of them said, as he slumped into their arms.
'What's going on?' I asked. 'Who is he?'
'I'm sorry Mr Albus, this should not have happened. Safira can explain when she returns,' he said, and they turned and carried Hookem away between them. Mr Albus? That's the first time I've been called that here.
I was shaken and very disturbed, more by what he said than his assault. There is more going on here than I imagined. I think I'll go back and wait for Safira. I have a few questions.
'I am sorry you found out that way,' Safira said once I confronted her. 'I have been meaning to let you know, but it never seemed the right time. I didn't realise he'd been let out on his own.'
'What else have you been keeping from me, Safira? What else haven't you got around to telling me? Even when conjoined, you're keeping things back. Who was he? What did he mean?' I asked, angrily.
Safira looked shocked, and said 'Calm down Kofi, I will explain.'
'You'd better,' I said.
She looked at me sternly. 'Kofi, I will not continue until you are calm.'
I took a deep breath. 'OK, I'm sorry please continue. It's just been quite a shock. I will listen quietly.'
'We have been working with Geraldine on perfecting the Tap-killer command. In order to do so, we needed human test subjects. There was no alternative, it was that, or we lose. Geraldine chose terminally ill prisoners who had committed murder as our test subjects. She was not happy, but agreed it needed to be done,' she said.
'What's that to do with me?' I interrupted.
She glared at me. 'Give me a chance and I will tell you. We combined these tests with experiments to ensure that when we bought you back, it was guaranteed to be successful. I would not risk you. So before they were used for the Tap-killer experiment, we scanned them, and then we used those scans to try to bring them back. Steven Hookem, who murdered three children on Earth and was terminally ill, was the first success we had in restoration. Without him, you would not be alive.'
I sat and absorbed this, I couldn't believe Geraldine had agreed to it. 'So how many people did you kill to bring me back?'
'This is not helpful Kofi,' she said.
'Tell me,' I insisted.
'So far, we have killed one hundred and fifteen prisoners in the Tap-killer experiments. We failed to bring back forty five scanned prisoners before we successfully restored Steven Hookem,' she said.
'Thank you,' I said. 'Safira, I am sorry, but I think I need to be alone tonight. I need to thi
nk about what I have learnt today.'
She looked at me, with a disappointed look on her face, although I'm not sure if that was about what I said, or me in general.
'Very well,' she said, sounding unusually upset. She turned and left. That's good, I wasn't sure where I would go if I was the one who had to leave.
What can I trust? Where has Kwasi got to? Is he OK? I should have asked her about him. Is Safira stopping him from seeing me?
I don't know what to think any more.
Plog: Kofi Albus - ~29th Ianuarius 228PD
I feel a lot better after a good night's sleep, first one I've had since Kwasi's birth. I guess the night alone was a good idea, although it was strange waking up without Safira next to me. I feel a bit embarrassed the way I treated her yesterday, but it had been quite a shock. I think I'd naively seen the Safirans as a perfect society without any dark blemishes. Stupid really, nothing's perfect. I'm sure things will be OK when we talk this morning. I'd better go find her and talk things through, she's most likely at the main building.
I didn't quite get to the building, as I met Safira coming the other way obviously heading towards our home. She had a Safiran with her that I didn't recognise. I could see the nervousness on her face as she approached. I hated to see that, to know she was nervous of me.
'Hello Kofi,' she said. How are you this morning?'
'Safira, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I was tired still, and it was a shock, but that's no excuse. Do you forgive me?' I said.
She smiled. 'Of course Kofi, I understand. I should have warned you about Steven Hookem. Let's put it in the past,' she said.
'Thank you Safira,' I said. That was easy. I was suddenly conscious we were airing our problems in front of a stranger. 'Won't you introduce me to your friend?'
She smiled, relaxing at last. 'Don't you recognise your own son, Kofi? This is Kwasi.'
'Kwasi? Hello Kwasi, I was worried about you,' I said, delighted to know he was OK. I must admit I also felt a bit put out that he'd met Safira first and that they been talking and getting to know each other before I had a chance.
'Hello Kofi, sorry it's been so long. I needed to spend longer than usual recuperating, probably because of my unusual lineage,' he said. I knew it would be my fault. 'However, I am now fully recovered, have found my first Bora host, and arrived here yesterday evening.'
'Yesterday? You should have come to see me then,' I said, a little annoyed.
He glanced towards Safira. She said, 'I am sorry Kofi. I told Kwasi what a hard day you'd had, and that you were having an early night. I thought it was better to start afresh in the morning.' Bitch.
Calm down Kofi. Don't overreact. You know you'd have been in no mood to socialise last night.
'That's OK,' I said, hoping the anger I felt briefly hadn't shown. 'Shall we go home and talk?'
'Good idea,' she replied.
We settled down in the house, I sat on my bed, and they pulled up their chairs. We chatted for a while about everything and nothing. It was just nice to relax and be with Safira again. It was especially nice to get to know Kwasi, he was very good company. I guess he ought to get on well with us. He's a cross between the two of us, and Safira had been selected to be compatible with someone like me.
That makes it sound like some sort of social experiment. I wonder if there is more to why Safira wanted Kwasi in the first place. I'm not entirely sure her story rings entirely true, and I have ended up feeling like a bit of a lab rat.
'So Kwasi, what are your plans now?' I asked. That ought to reveal something.
'Well the first thing I'm going to do is go with Safira on her next trip and visit Geraldine,' he said. 'I feel like I know her so well already through your memories, I'd like to meet her. I am sure I can help with this situation, so this is the first step in working out how.'
Shit, can everyone meet Geraldine other than me? It's really not fair. I've known her longer than them.
'That's nice,' I said as calmly as I could, 'I wish I could come with you.'
'That's one thing I meant to mention to you Kofi. Our technicians believe they have uncovered a vital step in how to make you incorporeal from the data gathered during Kwasi's conception. It's not quite there yet, but they are sure it will be possible,' Safira said.
I brightened. 'Yes that is good news. I want to do something more, and see Geraldine again.' It's always 'not quite there yet' though.
Safira turned to Kwasi. 'Kwasi, would you mind giving us a few moments alone. There are things I need to discuss with Kofi before our trip to Geraldine,' she said.
'Of course Safira,' Kwasi said. 'I'll meet you in the main building.' He got up and walked out the door.
What does she want to discuss I wonder? Am I still in trouble? 'What would you like to discuss, Safira?'
'Not discuss, Kofi. Do. There are things I want to do with you. To you,' she smiled mischievously. 'I missed you last night.' She stood up and pulled me up by the hand, leading me towards the conjoining couch in the centre of the room.
'I missed you too,' I replied automatically.
'That was lovely Safira, just what we needed.' I'm not sure I'll ever feel comfortable when we're fully conjoined. It feels like I might give too much of me away.
Yes it was. I'm sure there was an element of doubt in that.
I'll have to go and meet Kwasi soon for our trip. I'm so glad we had time for this though. I'd better grab the chance to check a few things I'm suspicious about.
'Me too. One thing before you go Safira. Something I realised I don't know much about, which is an oversight given me being a historian. Could you let me know a little about older Safiran history? I'd like to know the things that led you to your current mature and stable society. It would help me understand you more.'
She's hesitating. I wonder what she's worried about.
Sure Kofi. Here you are. Take a look later.
'Thank you Safira.' This could be interesting.
Shit, there's some dark stuff in their history too. It seems the Bora weren't entirely voluntary partners at first, they were subjugated in order to get control of their physical bodies. Mental rape. OK, things have got better since, but it's not clear to me that they weren't bred to be more compliant. I guess I can't complain given human history, we all have dark things in our past.
Digging deeper though, there's much worse things. Not only did they subjugate the Bora, they also fed off them. They can absorb life energy from hosts to make themselves stronger, even to the point of killing a host. They can still do it by the sound of it. Everything says that this is taboo and anyone caught doing now it would be terminated, but how can I be sure this is a true memory? I've only got access to what has been shared. As I found out yesterday with the human experiments, I don't know everything.
What else is happening that I don't know about? All that human life energy going to waste in the experiments, could that be used by them too? No I can't believe that, but imagine how much they'd be able to get if there was a war on Earth after the Stream is destroyed.
Anyway I'm only getting Safira's word on what Geraldine is saying and doing. How do I really know what happened on my last day before I was killed? I only have those pools for evidence and those could be easily fabricated. Am I just part of an experiment?
Did Safira only say she loved me to get me to agree to create Kwasi? Does he have some other purpose? Is Geraldine in danger?
Shit, I don't know what to do.
Plog: Geraldine Mander - 30th Ianuarius 228PD
It's been a bad few days. I've lost quite a few agents as we put the last few pieces of the deployment system in place. It's all there now, but I am worried we might be close to being uncovered. A few redundant parts have been discovered and put out of commission; not enough to stop deployment, but enough that they could have worked out what we're doing. If so, they may be actively seeking other similar systems. Could. May. It's not certain, but it's still a higher risk than I'd like. The longe
r we take to deploy, the more that risk increases. I'm ready for my part now, so I hope Safira brings some more positive news.
It was so wonderful to find out about Kofi, and even better to know about his relationship with Safira. I'm sure they make a lovely, if somewhat unconventional, couple. Is couple even the right word? Conjoiners perhaps. Whatever, I'm happy for them.
'Hello Geraldine,' said Safira, 'How are you today?'
'Hello Safira,' I said, pleased I've finally mastered not jumping when she appears. 'I am OK, although worried.'
OK, I admit I then jumped, as another Safiran appeared next to her. That's new I thought, first time anyone other than Safira has visited. What's up?
'Hello Geraldine,' said the stranger in a deep, masculine voice. 'Apologies for startling you. My name is Kwasi, it is good to meet you ag…it is good to meet you.'
'Welcome,' I replied, slightly puzzled.
Safira interjected, smiling. 'Kwasi is my and Kofi's son, Geraldine. Sorry, I should have told you last time we met, but I wanted to surprise you.'
Son? Wow, Kofi has been busy.
'Kwasi, it is an honour to meet you,' I said, trying to hide my surprise. I know the basic process of their reproduction, but didn't realise they matured quite so quickly.
'Geraldine, I share many memories of you from Kofi and Safira. I am very happy to meet you in person, although it feels as if I have known you for a very long time. I am hoping my knowledge may be of use to help resolve this situation,' Kwasi said.
'Thank you Kwasi, I hope so too. Do you know how yet?' I asked.
'That is the minor stumbling block in the plan, I have no idea yet. However I wish to help and am determined that we will solve this. I will just observe until I feel I am of use,' he said.
He sounds a bit like Kofi, similar self-deprecation. Good start.
