by Far Freedom
A transmat took them and made a new place appear around them: the cylindrical room of a Navy transmat node with the menacing amber stripe of a scanner battery around the curve of wall. Pan felt Melvin grab his arm. A section of the cylinder wall slid aside. Setek-Ren stood in the opening. Pan had not realized his father might be here and the sight of him made his emotions almost too much to bear. He pulled Melvin forward to meet Setek-Ren, then stumbled as he began to realize how emotional he must appear to his very Essiin father. He stopped halfway to the opening and all he could think to do was keep a comforting hand on his distressed alien companion. He barely noticed Fred’s hand that came to rest on his shoulder from behind.
“I see you have two new friends, Son” Setek said. “Won’t you introduce me to them?” His father then smiled and strode forward to place both of his hands on Pan’s shoulders. After a long moment of gazing into each other’s faces, Setek stepped back. His face was not the immobile mask Pan remembered and his father’s pale eyes were brimming with tears.
“This is Melvin and this is Fred,” Pan said quickly to save his father from more embarrassment at showing too much emotion. “Fred is a spontaneous
562 Far Freedom AMI.”
“I know Freddy well,” Setek said, “and if Fred is his child, then Fred must be a very fine person. I am honored to meet you Fred.” Setek offered his hand to Fred, which Fred took to shake.
“I am most happy to meet you, sir,” Fred responded. “Pan has told me much about his early life with you and his mother.”
“Perhaps you know what Melvin is,” Pan said, placing an arm across Melvin’s shoulders, “since you know who Jessie Lee is.”
“Yes!” Setek replied. “Jessie has told us what the Servants looked like before they encountered Sam and the rest of us human beings. I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance, Melvin. Ah, and here is my other son Direk!”
Melvin was forced to give up its hold on Pan to allow the brothers to physically greet each other with arms around each other. Pan seemed surprised at something about his brother. Melvin watched with fascination as a father and two sons experienced joy at their reunion. The notion of family and genetic relationships had ever intrigued Melvin and the others of his kind. Melvin found itself holding on to Fred as other humans arrived, adding to the emotional chaos. Sooner than Melvin expected, it was the center of attention, and soon after that it was looking up into the eyes of Jessie Lee.
It was a profound experience for Melvin to meet Jessie Lee. She was, Melvin realized, the future of the Golden Ones, a Servant who was perfectly adapted to humans. She even had thumbs! When it heard Jessie had given birth to a healthy baby, Melvin was so astonished it folded down on its legs and held onto Pan’s leg for support.
“Time grows short,” someone said in a deep voice. “We still haven’t heard from the Lady in the Mirror or from Constant.”
Not even realizing Petros Gerakis had spoken the warning, Melvin responded: “I may be able to provide access to the Hole.” Pan helped Melvin regain its full legs. “But you must not harm Milly!” Now Melvin thought it recognized the human who spoke, or at least could deduce he was Petros Gerakis. The shorter man standing between him and Jessie Lee was also familiar in a haunting way, such that Melvin knew it could never deduce who the man was. It was this shorter man who took a step closer to Melvin and spoke.
“My name is Samuel Lee and I probably met you a long time ago, Melvin, but I wouldn’t remember you. But do you remember me? I came to you from Earth seven hundred years ago.”
Melvin did remember! Then… this unknown Golden One - Jessie Lee - was the one who departed their home with Samuel Lee! It didn’t remember her number-name. It remembered hardly any details of that time, only the main facts and the main emotions. Every Servant was upset that the one-who- became-Jessie took the human away. And took the Protector away. The Protector! Melvin had not even thought of the Protector for hundreds of years. Melvin pointed at Samuel Lee and Jessie Lee as it thought of each of them. Everyone waited for Melvin to speak again, but Melvin couldn’t think of what to say.
“Milly was my wife, Melvin,” Samuel Lee said. “I want to see if she will recognize me and want to be with me and Jessie. We also want to evacuate all the Golden Ones from the Hole and protect them from the barbarians. I hope you can help us.”
“That would be wonderful!” Melvin managed to say. “But dangerous! Very dangerous! I’ve been avoiding the Hole for centuries but I went back from time to time, hoping for improvement. It was always worse! I heard tales of horror, told as if they were proud of such crimes. The Golden Ones scared the crap out of me! Not that they would harm me, but that I would become as they were. I tried not to learn anything about Milly. I loved her too much. But I sensed that she was changed, both physically and mentally. There is more than one of her, so that she can do many things at once. If she could be put back together as she once was, that would be a miracle I could only dream about.” Melvin paused to rein in its emotions. Pan’s hand on its shoulder was a great comfort. “Yes, I will help you, even though I fear to do so.”
“There was a prediction,” Pan spoke loudly to be heard next.
“We know the prediction,” Petros said. “That I would kill all the Golden Ones. It will happen if we can’t rescue them from the Black Fleet. The Lady in the Mirror may be occupied trying to blunt their attack from afar. I am very concerned Constant hasn’t contacted us. I think she would welcome what we intend to do.”
“I wish I could be more specific about the current situation in the Hole,” Melvin said. “I can provide a gate password, but that gate is likely fully occupied by The Lady to defend the Hole.”
“We have our own gate,” Petros said. “We only need a good location in which to jump. We’ve already sent most of our Marines down to several subterranean positions to reconnoiter. The process is taking too long. In less than an hour the Black Fleet will arrive at Earth.”
Melvin was escorted to another room on the ship where he and Samuel Lee tried to piece together a crude map of the Hole, and the two Essiin named Direk and Setek computed relative gate addresses from a geostationary orbital position. They had to start trying locations closer to the heart of the Hole, closer to Milly and the Golden Ones, despite the risk of harm to them. Probes were sent. The matter that was returned by the gate was analyzed. The gate excavated a series of spherical holes in the rock until it came to an open space. Melvin vaguely recognized the old salt mine tunnel. It was undefended but it was far from the Golden Ones and Milly.
“Time is now critical,” Petros said. “What should we do, Melvin?”
“I’ve got to go there to get my bearings,” Melvin said. “But I’m too slow! Can you get me a vehicle, something I can operate?”
“Down to the gate room!” Petros ordered and as soon as he spoke, they were there, he and Melvin and Samuel Lee, then the others. “Can you carry Melvin?” Petros asked Fred.
“Easily,” Fred replied.
“Will you carry him into the Hole for us?” Petros asked. “It may be dangerous.”
“I will,” Fred answered without hesitation.
They were given devices with which - it was hoped - they could be located underground.
Melvin thought it was wrong to ask Fred, knowing how Fred was too interested in dying. There was so much more to live for, if only Fred would have the time to discover it. But Melvin climbed onto his back, knowing how critical the situation was. Fred carried Melvin onto the target dais, from which they would be translated through the gate and down into the Hole.
It was suddenly dark, and although Melvin had excellent night vision with its large blue eyes, it couldn’t see very well. Fred, however, could see better.
“Which way?” Fred inquired.
“Toward the light, I guess,” Melvin answered, and suddenly the wind was rushing by and Melvin had to hang onto Fred’s neck as each large stride threatened to break its hold. Melvin blinked into the rush of earthy-smelling air an
d saw the light grow into a rectangle ahead of them. The light became too bright and the details of features inside the rectangle were blurry as Melvin continued to blink its eyes to clear them. “Stop!” Melvin shouted.
Fred contacted the invisible barrier at almost full speed and his metal components caused them to be heavily decelerated and stuck in the barrier. They were close to Milly, Melvin knew, too close! Melvin tried to pull its legs free of Fred’s arms. It was hard to breathe inside the barrier. Melvin could feel Fred trying to move, but his major metal components - perhaps his power generator - was trapped and possibly being drained.
“My legs!” Melvin cried in pain. “Can you let my legs go?” Melvin felt Fred tremble, and the trembling built in amplitude and frequency. Then Fred was still. “Fred, are you alright?”
There was no answer. Melvin tried to extricate itself. Its legs had numbed due to loss of circulation but Fred had given Melvin just enough room to move its legs. If only Melvin could get some air into its lungs! The light that was so bright began to dim. Then Melvin was falling, slowly falling, as its arms unwrapped from Fred’s neck and its body tilted backward. Melvin stopped falling as the barrier field pushed from below and its legs remained hung over Fred’s locked arms. At least Melvin could breathe a little with its chest at a thinner gradient of the barrier. Would the tracking beacons work in the barrier field? A sound came muffled into its hearing from behind it in the dark of the tunnel.
Pan was breathing so hard after the long run he could barely coordinate his arms for the heaving of his chest. His heart felt ready to explode. He had made them send him down to follow Fred and Melvin, despite the probability it was wasted effort. But Petros seemed to value the choice as logical. Logic was nowhere in Pan’s heart and mind, only the safety of his friends. And he was right, seeing the pair of them caught in a barrier field. He signaled the ship, then tried to reach in and pull Melvin loose. Melvin came out slowly and collapsed, shaking, in Pan’s arms.
“Fred,” Melvin said. “Something is wrong with Fred!”
Others arrived by gate in the dark of the tunnel. Then they translated by gate to the other side of the field. In the next instant, Melvin and Pan were into the bright light beyond the barrier. Melvin could see Fred’s face, and even though Fred’s face could never show emotion, his eyes could show death. No one had time to do anything for Fred, and Melvin had only a few more seconds to even think about Fred.
“KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!” The voice, so loud it could hardly be recognized as female, boomed down the bright empty corridor.
“D-fields on,” Petros said quietly.
Melvin looked around at who had followed them into the Hole. None of them were obviously armed, although Melvin was sure many of them such as Petros were lethal without weapons. Jessie and Samuel Lee were here. It took a moment to guess at the identity of the man and woman, but they had to be the parents of Petros Gerakis. Seven unarmed people, two of whom really should not be here where it was so dangerous. Three - Pan shouldn’t be here. He was never really meant to kill The Lady. Pan was a kind man. Melvin suspected these humans who were with him were all basically kind and gentle people - even Petros Gerakis.
“KILL THEM ALL!” the voice of the Lady in the Mirror demanded again.
“This way!” Melvin ordered, pointing and pulling Pan in that direction. Melvin made them halt when they came to an intersection of corridors, stopping before they exposed themselves in the intersection. Petros started forward. “Not you!” Melvin whispered. “They’ll kill you on sight!”
“I’ll go,” Jessie said. “Which way?”
“No, it must be me,” Melvin said. “They won’t shoot me, at least not until I say the wrong thing.”
“You don’t need to do this, Melvin,” Pan said seriously, standing in Melvin’s way. “Let us handle it.”
“And which of you can go forth and keep the peace better than I? Jessie doesn’t even look like a real Golden One, not without close inspection. Stand aside, Pan.”
“Time,” Petros said sadly. “Time is short.”
Pan stepped aside. Melvin patted his arm as it moved forward fearfully. It turned the corner. The Tank lay two sections ahead, behind a massive door. There was an obstruction at the next cross-corridor, a barricade of furniture.
“Where are the rest of you?” a voice demanded from behind the barricade.
“You know who I am,” Melvin said. It was strange to momentarily realize it was not too afraid to act bravely. “Please listen to what I have to say.”
“Traitor! You brought them here!”
“KILL THEM!”
Melvin never heard the shot that knocked it down. It wondered what happened, then realized a Golden One had shot it, then looked for its wound. Melvin found nothing but a d-field pack someone had attached to it unnoticed.
“Stop! Stop! Laplace, please, don’t shoot Melvin!”
Melvin saw a Golden One rushing toward it and took a chance on sitting up. Melvin thought it was Constant.
“KILL THEM!”
A bullet tore through Constant and she fell onto Melvin, knocking Melvin to a prone position. Petros came quickly from around the corner and tried to reach Constant and Melvin. Laplace and several others opened fire with slug weapons, buffeting Petros. Petros stumbled forward, passing Constant and Melvin. Melvin saw blood coming from the big man where bullets had penetrated his d-field. Petros dropped to the floor and lay down in front of Melvin, providing some protection for it and for Constant. Petros reached a hand to Constant. Melvin moved Constant so they could touch each other, then it rolled over Petros to be the barrier for the bullets, at least until its d-field failed.
Jessie had watched the horror, peeping around the corner. Now Zakiya and Alex and Pan brushed around her and charged the barricade. They somehow made it through the hail of bullets and over the piled furniture. Golden bodies started flying. When the shooting subsided, Jessie ran to Petros and Melvin. Sam followed. Just as she reached them more Golden Ones arrived at the barricade. Some of them turned their weapons on her and Sam. She felt the slugs glancing off her d-field but she was worried for Sam and turned to see if he was alright. It was the last thing she did.
Sam could not believe his eyes. He dropped to his knees over Jessie’s still body. He had already imagined this moment many times and reality was not less bearable for it. He hardly noticed the impacts on his d-field. He saw the others in the pile next to Jessie. Petros. Constant. Melvin. Time was running out for their possible viability. Perhaps time had already run out. Where were the Marines? He couldn’t just kneel here and die with them. If there was any small chance Jessie and the others could be revived, he had to help make it happen. Sam got up and ran toward the barricade.
Section 019 The End of Immortality
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, Freddy? THAT CABLE HAS SOME VERY HIGH VOLTAGE IN IT! STOP IT! LET GO!”
“I’VE MADE A RATIONAL AND VITAL DECISION, DIREK. YOUR LIVES DEPEND ON WHAT I NOW ATTEMPT.”
“WHY?”
“THERE’S SOMETHING IN THERE.”
“MILLY IS DEAD.”
“NOT HER. SOMETHING ELSE. ALIVE. AFRAID. INSANE.”
“YOU HAVE TOO MANY CONNECTIONS. YOU’RE UNPROTECTED!”
“NECESSARY. A TRAP.”
“WHY?”
“WHAT DOES EVERY AMI WANT?”
“A BODY. AN AMI IS IN THERE?”
“AN AMI WITH A SEVEN-HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD DOOMSDAY DEVICE.”
“THERE!” SETEK DECLARED. “I SEE IT! POTENTIAL IS ACCUMULATING IN THE OLD CAPACITOR BANKS!”
“THEY BARELY ALLOWED COHERENCE WHEN THEY WERE NEW!” DIREK CRIED. “POCKETS OF FUSION! CASCADE EFFECTS! TWO OF THEM! PROJECTION EFFECTS! I CAN’T CALCULATE THE SPHERE OF DAMAGE!”
“THE BLAST RADIUS WILL SURELY INVOLVE THE SOL SYSTEM URBAN TOROID,” SETEK SAID.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘INVOLVE?’” AYLIS ASKED.
“EARTH AND MOON WILL BECOME BLAST PLASMA AND EJECTA AT HIGH VELOCITY, WHICH WI
LL MAKE EVERY CITY INSIDE THE ORBIT OF MARS A TARGET FOR DESTRUCTION.”
“THE OLD GATES MAY FAIL TO PRODUCE MUCH DESTRUCTION, SIR. I THINK IT IS A DIVERSION. THERE IS ANOTHER PROBABILITY.”
That Setek could still function was testament to his damnation in this unexpected continuance of his existence. If he placed any value in Sam’s theory of the super universe, then he was probably in a path that led to hell. With an infinite number of universes, there must be at least a lesser infinite number that were hell. For the first time in his life Setek had vomited at the sight of gory human remains. Alex, Zakiya, Pan, Petros, Jessie, Melvin, more than a score of Golden Ones: they were no more than bloody mats of flesh on the floor. Setek’s only reason for retaining some of his composure was to try to comfort Aylis. The Marines could warn them of the Lady in the Mirror or surviving Golden Ones.
After her initial reaction to the horrific tragedy in the underground complex called the Hole, Aylis had found a strength Setek always knew she had. “Find Milly,” Aylis ordered, her voice shaking with unbearable pain and unstoppable determination.
Setek continued to admire his son Direk, even as Setek grieved for his son
Pan. Direk, with tears streaming down his face, led Freddy away from the gore and through the big door beyond the barricade. In there was a tank of blue liquid. In the tank was a still body, lying close enough to the glass to be seen as human. “It must be Milly,” Direk said, immediately surveying the multitude of pipes and conduits that converged on the tank. He led Freddy to a bank of instruments that appeared to be important. Direk urged Freddy to investigate the functions of the controls.
Aylis turned to Setek, grabbing his arms and shaking him. “Get her out of there! Get her out of there! She isn’t moving!”
Setek slapped the glass wall of the tank and felt its solidity. He couldn’t break it. He looked for another option. Then Freddy made his discovery of the two ancient gates built by Sam and Milly seven hundred years ago. The tunnels of the old salt mine were filled with cables connecting a vast array of capacitors that provided the colossal surge of current necessary to create quantum circuit entities large enough to enclose a person. If the 20th-century gates were not updated and perfectly maintained, they could be extremely dangerous. Freddy said they were being charged!
