Eric 754

by Donna McDonald

  Aja snickered. “How do you know she didn’t do just that before we got here? The man could barely walk up the stairs even on cybernetic legs. I would wager Lucy caused that condition.”

  Meara giggled at the observation and then sighed. “Sweet mother of all. Hell itself must be freezing over today. Captain Pennington is saying thank you to me and Shiva’s handmaiden is making dirty jokes.”

  Aja grinned as she walked back to the couch. She listened to the women talking in the bathroom and felt the first tiny glimmer of genuine hope for their futures. Maybe they really had survived the war and all the horrors that followed it. Maybe the worst was over at last and their running days were indeed ending.

  She leaned her head back, resting it against the fabric of the comfortable couch. If their fortunes really were changing, she might have to find something else to do for a living besides kicking ass.

  Chapter 20

  Kyra looked around the table and glared at the two bickering women until they stopped and fell silent. The female cyborgs were as contrary as any two people she’d ever met, especially with each other. She had tried to keep them out of this discussion because she had enough distractions to contend with.

  Luckily Nero would be doing most of the work. If there was a bright spot in the current chaos, it was that Nero was absolutely positive about what they were planning to do. Usually she was the one insisting a questionable procedure could work. Instead, she was the hesitant questioner while Nero was hell bent on trying to modify the woman’s existing code.

  It wasn’t that she thought it couldn’t be done. She’d just never done a partial restoration before that was successful. So much can go wrong by allowing a hacked secondary processor to continue running the show.

  And though Nero didn’t agree, Kyra didn’t think Aja and Meara were really proof of the possibility since he’d replaced their primary processors. There was also the fact Captain Pennington had been altered significantly more than they had. At the moment, her secondary processor was the only thing keeping the woman both functional and alive. What if something went wrong? The woman would die… and in less than four minutes everyone within a significant distance would die along with her.

  Kyra wished for the millionth time she could send them all away so she could think more clearly about what they were about to do. She was glaring when she brought her full attention back to the only woman who really mattered.

  “Captain Pennington, are you sure you want Aja and Meara to be a part of this discussion?”

  Lucy turned to look down the table at the women who had helped her fix her hair. Reaching up, she ran fingers through her now very smooth tresses while they smiled. It was not a lot of evidence to prove the two female cyborgs could be trusted, but it seemed enough for her to lean in that direction.

  She turned back and offered the irritated and worried cyber scientist a small smile. “Yes. I wish them to remain for this discussion. Though I do not have perfect recall of them from before, I am convinced Aja and Meara are my friends.”

  Kyra nodded, and nearly snorted, as the two women laughed and high-fived each other over Captain Pennington’s friend comment. It pleased her greatly to know human friendship could persevere through so many cybernetic alterations.

  “Okay then. Nero has come up with an interesting solution to your potential restoration. I’ll let him explain the details.”

  ***

  Nero nodded to Kyra, pleased to be able to speak at last. He was fairly vibrating with excitement. What he’d learned opened so many new possibilities for future restorations and adjustments.

  “First—I must give credit to Aja Kapur for putting me on this knowledge path. Her work to reprogram herself and Meara was brilliant in its simplicity. Using a similar limited approach is a viable answer to our dilemma concerning Captain Pennington’s weapon.”

  Nero paused and looked around to make sure his audience was still paying attention. It was critical that they took in the details.

  “Aja did not remove any code from her or Meara. She just changed the end result of every individual task. Studying it made me ask whether or not it would be programmatically possible to change the code that controls detonation. Test results have been excellent and detonation was prevented in all scenarios. The only unsatisfactory circumstance is the secondary processor must remain until it becomes possible to surgically remove the bomb.”

  Lucy nodded. She looked at Eric, thought about last night, then brought her gaze back at Nero. “I have a question, Dr. Bastion. What if I wanted to keep some of the New World Companion protocols in place… including the current end results? Could we limit the extent of my changes to those I wish no longer to have?”

  Nero considered it and then nodded. “Given what we know about the New World Companion programming, I would advise against keeping the code as it is currently programmed. Perhaps the acts it prompts you to do feel normal to you at times, but I assure you they are not. My medical and scientific suggestion is to shut all protocols off. We can do this by making them either innocuous as Aja managed to do, or ignorable as I did during Aja’s and Meara’s more complete restorations. We will of course leave all accumulated data behind whenever possible. This might satisfy the concerns I sense are hidden in your question.”

  Lucy stared at Nero, hoping she could find words to make him understand—words that would not further embarrass Eric. “My concerns are multifaceted, but one surfaces more than others. How dramatically will I be changed by the restoration process? I specifically wish to know how my personality will change.”

  Nero released the breath he’d been unconscious of holding. Hers was a common query he could never answer sufficiently for any questioner.

  “I think the most honest answer is that we cannot know until your changes are assimilated, Captain. Each restoration is its own miracle of a cyborg’s humanity taking back control of both the mind and body. What a human recalls during the rebuild process is what their human mind chose to keep despite the programming they were following. Even when you are unaware of your human side doing so, that part of you has been alive all along and collecting data. We have seen it in one hundred percent of restored cyborgs. The real you exists. Restoration will uncover what it can of it.”

  Her head was shaking before she caught herself. She could feel Eric’s intense gaze on her.

  “I might be the exception, Dr. Bastion. Creator Omega informed me that he removed the part of my brain which stores human memories. It was written in my files several times. However, it was also suggested in the files that I not believe the statement literally, because he was prone to manipulative lying. When I synthesize data about that event from all the stories though, I conclude there is a ninety-seven percent possibility of it being correct.”

  Kyra cleared her throat to interrupt. “I have to disagree. Though I’m not questioning your logical conclusions Captain Pennington, I will say science doesn’t know all the answers about where information is stored in the brain. A brain injured person is told he will never walk again, and yet his body finds a way to walk. Another is told she will never speak, but somehow she does eventually.”

  Kyra shook her head. If she ever got her hands on Creator Omega, she’d rip the lying bastard apart herself. He was worse than even Jackson had been about jumping to unsupported conclusions just because they suited his views.

  “And here’s one more fact to consider—what a cyborg remembers of their humanity has proven to be much more than science ever believed would be the case. Anyone could argue cybernetic programming is a widespread failure on the whole because the restoration process has proven it is temporary.”

  Lucy shook her head, not in denial, but because believing was impossible. “What you’re suggesting is that my brain might have somehow grown back. Or that what was left of my brain after my surgeries might have reassigned cognitive and memory tasks to suit its own purposes.”

  Kyra shrugged. “Yes—I guess that is exactly what I am suggesting.
Depending upon how long ago your additional removal surgery occurred, your brain could have already adapted and developed its own unique coping strategy. I believe the fact that you have recall at all proves my point. In my opinion, cyber scientists have always underestimated the human mind’s desire to exert itself.”

  Stalling, Lucy studied the table and then her hands. Her nails were in bad need of a manicure. They were in noticeably worse shape than her hair had been. Why had Eric never mentioned the state of her nails? He was very unpredictable for a cyborg… and as a human male.

  Raising her gaze, she glanced down the table at him. Eric was ignoring everyone to stare at a point in the ceiling far over Dr. Nero Bastion’s head. The static of his concern for her kept her from accessing his thoughts. The block was just one item on a growing list of secrets she had begun keeping from everyone. Was this an example of what Dr. Winters meant?

  Lucy agreed that some long buried part of her was breaking through her current code, even without the restoration occurring. She even thought she knew which part, and celebrated the Other’s eventual return, in some form at least. However, it was the most fragile part of herself, the current version who wanted only to spend time with Eric, whose existence she wished most to protect today. Before him, she’d detested who she’d become. Now she hated the thought of losing touch with her companion side.

  “Captain Pennington? You went totally silent on us. Do you have additional concerns we haven’t addressed?”

  Startled to be caught not listening, Lucy pulled her gaze away from Eric. Dr. Bastion’s question reminded her of her responsibility to herself… as well as to others. Were her and Eric’s memories together reason enough not to liberate her mind from Creator Omega’s control?

  She had made recordings of their time together, created a file specifically about them. Even now, looking down the table, she craved his kiss, his touch, his body surging into hers to find solace. What if she lost her desire for the man?

  She wasn’t sure what a life without Eric would be worth. But then again—the man couldn’t have any sort of normal life living with a woman who would forever be restricted to a bomb shelter. They would not be able to go out with friends, or go shopping for a chair to match the couch. She could never go anywhere with Aja and Meara. Was that really a life?

  It served no one for her to remain a prisoner of her poor life choices. It was not a life she could imagine having, anymore than she could have imagined what happened to her.

  But she didn’t want to think about giving up Eric either. She suddenly wasn’t sure enough data existed in the world to help her make a rational decision.

  Lucy lifted her gaze. “I need some additional time to accept the logic of what I see must be done. I would definitely like to make a list of what I want to retain of my current programming if possible.”

  Kyra looked at Nero. He seemed disappointed in the captain’s answer. She shook her head at him before he started a more prolonged argument. The former captain needed to be handled just as carefully as they had handled Rachel. Illusions were hard to lose—even for a cyborg.

  She smiled as she nodded. “We understand it’s a lot to think about. How much additional time do you think you will need before giving us an answer?”

  Lucy let her gaze drift to Eric again. His gaze back now was steady and communicated more clearly than any words would have that he would accept whatever time limit she chose. She didn’t have a proper place in her files to store such loyalty from another person. Faith and hope were too abstractly human to provide factual data. She would just have to remember him in a different way.

  “I need one more night,” Lucy replied firmly, not caring how it was interpreted by anyone but Eric.

  Nero looked between Captain Pennington and Eric. “One more day is certainly understandable. In addition to the safety measures Kyra mentioned, it will also allow us time to investigate the mystery of Bradley 360.”

  “What mystery?” Lucy asked, her instincts going on alert.

  Nero stood and considered what he could safely share. “The New World Companion virus removed all data from his chips. We know this because we checked them and they were all blank. Now some data has mysteriously returned. We do not know how or where he had stored enough information for a system wide reboot, but nevertheless, it has happened. We also see evidence his body is healing from the poison as well. He seems to literally be coming back from the dead. So Kyra and I are investigating.”

  “May I see for myself?” Lucy asked. “I am capable of scanning the code of most cyborgs. Perhaps I can gather some information you might not get with your technological investigation.”

  Peyton shook his head. He’d been silent long enough. “Regretfully, I must answer no, Captain Pennington. The risk of your exposure to Bradley 360 is too high. We know he was programmed to kill you—specifically you. What if his miraculous resurrection is just some sort of Phase II attack plan? Your presence could activate it. Your continued existence may be the very reason he still lives.”

  Lucy nodded. She didn’t like it, but she understood. “Very well. I accept your logic. If the bomb within me gets removed, then may I see him?”

  Peyton tightened his jaw, hating to be boxed into conceding. “I agree that would remove the primary obstacle. There may be other considerations which need weighing. I would prefer to discuss it again after the bomb removal has become your reality.”

  Lucy stood and looked at Nero. Bradley 360 was not their biggest threat. Whoever created him was and she had her own theories about it. If the man was able to resurrect a mostly human cyborg, what else could he do?

  “Given my attacker still lives to do more harm, my answer must then be yes to the restoration. I will spend some time this evening making a list of what I do not wish to be changed. Before you do anything to me, I want all my current files downloaded and backed up. In case of my death, complete copies are to be given to Eric, Aja, and Meara.”

  “As you wish, Captain,” Nero replied, bowing his head once.

  ***

  Eric rose and walked to where Lucy waited for him. He held out his hand, happy when she took it in one of her own without hesitating. She’d bargained for tonight… bargained it for them, he knew. He would not waste their precious time worrying about what had not happened yet.

  Tomorrow he would have no choice but to support the decision she’d made and the outcome from it. He wasn’t going to spend what could be their last night together as a couple being pissed about his lack of control.

  “Come on, Princess Lucy. Let’s head back to the dungeon and check on the dragon,” Eric teased.

  Lucy turned to him and smiled. She was getting better at understanding his joking. “I believe I will hide in the galley and cook, Prince Eric. After you have slain the beast, perhaps we can watch the wall com and have dinner.

  “Best offer I’ve ever had in my life,” Eric declared.

  He dragged Lucy out of the door before anyone could say something to interrupt to their game of pretend.

  ***

  Kyra looked around and sighed tiredly when the room had finally emptied. Only Peyton remained.

  “I felt you seething across the room. If you stayed back to lecture me, please don’t. I assure you an uncontrollable waterfall will be the result. You know we have to try something that will let us eventually disarm her, Peyton. Otherwise the war the woman sacrificed herself for will never truly be over for her.”

  Peyton nodded unhappily as he pulled his wife into his arms. “I know. I love you, Kyra. Let’s go home and I’ll make you some tea. Tomorrow will have enough challenges. We both need a break tonight.”

  Kyra nodded against her husband’s chest as she hugged him tightly.

  Chapter 21

  Sitting cross-legged on their bed, Lucy used the nail file Meara had magically produced. Meara seemed to giggle with pleasure over every request she made. The woman would disappear briefly, and then shortly return with the item. One day she might fol
low her just to see Meara’s magic in action.

  The nail file was helping, but only a little. A close study of her hand revealed her nails still looked very bad. But at least they weren’t sporting jagged edges anymore.

  “Why have you never commented on the condition of my nails, Eric? They were practically weapons. I could have scarred you with them.”

  Eric lay back on the pillows watching Lucy studiously perform the simple task. She looked very female and very young sitting there. He could happily watch her do simple things like this for the rest of his life and never get bored. The realization was just as surprising as the last seventy he’d had about her. Maybe it was the extraordinary sex. He’d like to think that at times like this. Sex you could set aside. Feeling responsible for someone and wanting their true happiness was not.

  A tiny bit of Lucy Hellcat shone from her eyes as she stared at him intently waiting pseudo-patiently for him to answer her question.