Colossus

by John Ricks

  “Thank you, Freddy.”

  “You deserve a lot of praise, Shop, for the way you calmed people down and for helping me get to the sight of the injured. I’m going to double your abilities after this.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Do we have a spare generator, Freddy?” Susan asked.

  He looked up and said, “No, but I have something new I can put in its place. If they can burn out this generator then I think I need to upgrade anyway.” Kicking at it, he added, “This is junk. I’ll get it removed and have the new unit set up and running just a few days after we get back. I want to know why the safety circuits didn’t trip during an overload. If someone bypassed them, I want that person removed, please.”

  “Done. Now, Freddy, I’m told you healed five people who were torn up very badly. I can see the loss of blood and some guts on the floor. Want to explain how?”

  “No, I don’t. Still, you’re going to find out anyway, so come this way. There’s not much we can do in here right now.”

  He motioned for Susan to follow him and led her back into the special area reserved just for him. It was supposed to be just a small build area, but Susan could see Freddy had changed things quite a bit. It was nearly as big as the build area they’d just left. He wasn’t using much of it, but right in the middle was the longest, sleekest, fastest-looking craft Susan had ever seen. It was beautiful—about a mile long, a quarter-mile wide, and standing easily ten stories. The hundreds of window lights; smooth, gleaming hall; and sleekness made it look like the fastest vessel ever conceived.

  He said, “Stop staring, and come here, please. This is an AutoDoc. Step in, please.”

  Susan looked skeptical. Freddy was pointing to a large reclining ship’s seat, similar to the kind seen in spacecraft. Behind it was a mass of computerized equipment and, in front, two arms. One arm had a scanning device on it, and the other arm had a unit that looked like a fancy laser rifle. He smiled and said, “Come on, Susan. Have I ever let you down?”

  “There’s always a first time,” Susan said.

  When she had settled in, Freddy asked, “Comfy?”

  “Actually, I am,” The couch adjusted itself around her form to perfection, and she felt almost weightless. “Yes. This is great.”

  He smiled and said, “AD, please analyze the patient. Her title is captain, and her name is Susan James.”

  A low-level pale green light played over Susan’s body, and a baritone voice said, “Analyzing. Completed. There is nothing major wrong with Captain James. She does have an ulcer. Would you like me to correct the issue?”

  “Please.”

  Susan felt a slight tingle, and then the AutoDoc said, “Captain James is now in perfect health.”

  “Good. AD, please arrest Captain James.”

  “Compliance.”

  “Freddy, thank you for fixing my ulcer, but what are you doing now?”

  He held up a picture of Tammy, saying, “I’m going to miss her, aren’t you?”

  “Tammy? Not really.”

  “She’s so little and frail. I don’t think she has any muscle at all. No, she is all softness.”

  “Yes, she’s the perfect picture of a frilly little girl. Now let me go.”

  “Stop struggling, Tammy.” Freddy said.

  “Tammy!”

  “I really love your small voice; your long, soft hair; and your innocent look.”

  “Freddy, you’re scaring me.”

  “AD, how long will it take to change the captain here into a perfect replica of my Tammy.”

  “Freddy!” Susan screamed.

  “Three minutes.”

  Freddy nodded. “Please start.”

  Gray exclaimed, “He is messing with a Black! Is he crazy?”

  Green said, “I think these two have some kind of bond. This Tammy has a weapon that can drive their men mad.”

  Gray said, “They are already mad. We don’t need them any madder.”

  Blue said, “I do not think he is actually harming her. More interesting is the fact that he has a device that can instantly heal.”

  A voice in the air said, “We want that technology.”

  All the others except the Yellows went to their knees. I looked and focused on the area where the voice came from, and standing there was a creature of every possible color, which were radiating in ripples. It was nearly translucent but easy to see with my abilities.

  I said, “A little late for exchanging technology.”

  It looked directly at me and seemed surprised that when it moved, I followed. “It sees me. This creature can see me!” It left in a panic.

  Little Yellows smiled and said, “Royalty does not like it when someone can see them. It is its most protective ability to be invisible. Without that ability it is vulnerable.”

  I said, “Oh well. Let him know that our scanners can easily pick him up. Back then, we might not have been able to see through your cloaking device, but we can now.”

  Little Yellows shuddered. “Perhaps we can come to an understanding.”

  I said, “Not up to me. I am just an inventor. Would a Red or top scientist have the power to make a treaty?”

  Green said, “Of course not. We will continue.”

  Chapter 4

  AD

  I smiled as a light blue glow played over the captain’s body. She started screaming.

  “Freddy! No! Shop! Don’t do this! Not that little tramp! Every lovesick man on this base will be chasing me! Stop! Please, no!” Her pleading went on for only a minute.

  I couldn’t hold it any longer and just about died laughing. When I could finally get myself together enough to talk, I said, “AD, end the Tammy-tease program. See, Shop? I told you that’d be fun.”

  “Freddy, I’d run!”

  Too late—I was laughing so hard I couldn’t move fast enough. Captain James had me and was beating the crap out of my right arm before I knew what was happening.

  She laid into me, and I was screaming for her to please stop when Shop said, “Freddy, some day you’re going to have to explain why two minutes of what you consider fun is worth the hours of pain you will endure after she gets through. I will never understand the human person. Oh, that’s going to black an eye.”

  After what seemed like a long time, Susan picked me up and placed me in the AutoDoc. She stood there looking at me and then said, “AD, arrest Freddy.” After a moment, she added, “AD, can you do something to ensure that no damage was done to Freddy during that beating, but do not decrease the pain?”

  Darn, she was getting too good at using my equipment.

  “I can fix the bruised bone but leave all the weakened muscles. Shop has just asked me to weaken the bladder muscles also. Is this permissible? He will not be able to control his bladder for months.”

  I tried to get out and said, “AD, cancel that request!”

  “I am sorry, but you programmed me not to take orders from the patient. Captain James?”

  “Do it, AD. Freddy, I think you’re going to enjoy wearing diapers for that childish prank.”

  The beam started playing over my body.

  “Yes, diapers and a little pink baby frock. Sucking on a pacifier and wearing a baby bonnet. Just think how cute you’re going to look on TV tonight when we finally put that dome over Luna City.”

  I screamed, “No!” I struggled as much as possible, but my own equipment was keeping me very secure. Finally, the bean stopped, and AD let me go. I got out, crying. The last thing I needed was to be in public view dressed as a baby girl. Yuck!

  “You’re right, Captain. That was very satisfying.”

  I asked, “What? Shop, what did you say?”

  Susan said, “See how it feels, Freddy, to be teased like that? Now do you understand why I keep telling you not t
o play jokes on people?”

  “Yes, but I can take the joke. It’s the beating that hurts.”

  “Good. Shop, please inform all the team that Freddy just got another beating for pulling a prank on me. Let them know his right arm is very sore.”

  “Oh, thanks. Every one of them will be looking for reasons to smack my arm.”

  “You’re welcome, Freddy. Now stop with this fun of yours, or next time I will change you into a baby.” She waited for my body to calm down and for me to stop rubbing my arm where she concentrated most of her anger. “Let’s talk about your new invention.”

  “The AD is a molecular reorganizer that takes the normal body as a base paradigm and then scans for dissimilarities. If solicited, it takes the divergences and reorganizes the molecules to fit a precise pattern. At the equivalent time, it eliminates any damaged molecules and grows new surrogate molecules through an accelerator that presents a semblance of instantaneous reconditioning.”

  “Okay, I caught most of that. The team coming out said you repaired them with a small unit. This is fairly big.”

  I frowned, forgetting that not everyone thinks like I do. I went over to the workbench and picked up the portable. “Susan, this unit is a PAAD—Portable Auxiliary AutoDoctor. It’s tied into the computer on the ‘fairly big’ AD. It gives the doctor using it the ability to quickly scan and fix. The computer to run the AD is large, as it takes quite a bit of memory and programming to make it compatible with all humans. The actual scanner and molecular reorganizing beam can be very small, as you can see. I wanted to do something to help ensure that no one gets killed out there on new planets. I figured that we could put the ADs at the bases, and then the scouting or working teams can take a portable with them. Also, you can put one on each ship and then use the portables for emergencies when the patients can’t reach medical facilities.”

  “Freddy, will this fix all diseases?”

  “Should fix anything that puts the body out of normal, and if the unit has previously scanned a person, then it can bring the person back to that state or near to it, if necessary. It cannot correct death, but it can help regeneration of old age or a body-damaging issue, like cancer or spinal damage.”

  “Freddy, this is great. When can we have this unit?”

  I thought out loud, saying, “I need to test it more, but after that it should be ready. I’d guess in about a year.”

  “Why so long?”

  Her question upset me, and I wondered if she could see it in my expression. It was such a silly question. I said in a rather matter-of-fact tone, “I have work to do. This”—I pointed to the AD—“was just a fun side project.” I pointed to the new ship. “That’s my new toy.”

  “What type ship is it?”

  “Not ready to say yet, but it’s going to be really fun.”

  “Can I get a tour?”

  “Not yet. I have a lot of work to do on the design and at this time, it’s rather dangerous.”

  “How long will it take you to complete this ship?”

  “Another year at this rate. I have other things to do, you know. Schedules are getting busy again.”

  “How long would it take to complete the AD and PAAD if you concentrated on them?”

  I had to think about that. “A week at most, Susan. Two weeks to complete the paperwork and any fixes before patenting. Why?”

  “If I clear your schedule for, say, six months, could you finish the AD first and then finish your ship?”

  “Yes. I could do that. Why?”

  “Freddy, this AD”—she patted the unit—“has a lot of potential. Every hospital and most homes will want an AutoDoc, as will schools, major businesses, fire departments, and every ambulance. This could cut the cost of medical care down to a reasonable level, here and everywhere. Freddy, this could be considered your most important invention yet.”

  “Won’t the president be mad at me if we put this out?”

  “What? Why?”

  “She’s worried about the population issue. This would increase that issue a lot. That’s why I only considered it for the bases and ships. If we let this out to the general populace, then they will live longer, and the only way to die early would be in a fatal accident. Also, you can change your appearance with it, including your fingerprints and retinas.”

  “Amazing.” She sat in thought for a minute and then said, “You’re correct, but it will take several years to get that many built and out there to the public. By then, we’ll be colonizing other planets. Besides, with the help of our new scanners we can identify people no matter how they’ve changed themselves—unless they can change their mental patterns and DNA.”

  “Oh, this won’t allow changes to mental patterns or DNA, but it does do birth control.”

  “Birth control?”

  “Sure. The unit is programmed to make you incapable of having children, if requested, and reversing the effects whenever you want. I made it possible to simply not have children unless you actively want to have them. It can clean arteries so bypass surgery is no longer necessary. A complete physical with repair of any issues will take approximately five minutes, and that includes a print-out of the results.”

  “Freddy, this is great. Please work to finish this project first.”

  “Very well, but I’m going to need someone else to do the mass building and design. And my space program comes first. I want priority on all units coming off the line.”

  “I’ll have it set up. Same company that’s making your computer units now?”

  “Yes, they’ll be good for the computer system, but I think we need someone else for the seat and for the scanning and repairing equipment. The last company started going downhill on quality.”

  “I’ll give them warning and one more try.”

  “No. Please find someone better and more honest. I want it commonly known that if vendors don’t keep quality at 100 percent then we will drop them. No excuses; no second chances. The people on my ships won’t have a chance if something fails in space. I won’t have people dying because some company skimped on quality. If it means we start building the equipment ourselves, then so be it.”

  Little Yellows said to me, “We wish our ships were built that way. You would not believe the problems we have.”

  I said, “I already know.”

  Yellows took a better hold, and Green didn’t even notice the exchange.

  Susan said, “I know the issues. I’ll take care of everything. You finish this project so we can patent it. Freddy, you’re a pest sometimes, and I will be angry at you for a long time for that prank. I’ll probably have nightmares. I can’t think of anything worse than turning into a sweet little frilly girl like Tammy. At the same time, I love you for the things you do for others.” She gave me a hug and kissed my forehead, but as she was leaving she swatted my right arm.

  “Ouch!” I healed myself and went back to work.

  It wasn’t long before Shop reminded me that I needed to prep for going to Luna. So I got up and left for home.

  I went to my room and stripped out of my dirty jumper, took a shower, and combed my hair. It’s down below my waist and causes me all kinds of problems, like choking me when I sleep and getting in my mouth when I eat. If my hair didn’t store energy in the protein I can use for healing, I’d cut it all off. At least I don’t have problems with tangling or split ends. Using my healing talent, I keep my hair straight and healthy. Laid out on my bed was a new jumper, so I picked it up. Whoever dropped it off picked up my old one for cleaning. This one was dark blue with a bright white collar and about half an inch of white on the ends of the short sleeves. On the left pocket was a four-inch embroidered insignia of home base, complete with waterfalls. Looking closely, I realized how intricate the insignia is. On the right collar was an embroidered insignia that looked like a golden eye. The golden eye indicates that I’m a “special.
” Yuck. The last thing I need to do is advertise that I can read minds. On the left collar was another insignia that looked like a planet with a long, thin ship crossing in front of it, with two tiny letters underneath: ES. The last time they did this to me, they used pins to attach the insignias. I took them off and refused to put them back on. I remember the argument like it was yesterday …

  “Captain,” I said, “I am not in the military, and I do not need any rank.”

  “Freddy, you’re the boss of this gang, and people need to understand that you’re who you are.”

  “Okay, then, I’ll wear a name tag.” I stomped off.

  Now I had a name tag, all right. It was embroidered over my left pocket in gold. I really don’t mind all the decorations, but they snuck in six gold stars in a circle around the letters ES. This says that everyone has to salute me. It makes me equal to an admiral!

  I went to the closet and dug around for something else to wear. Everything had the emblems. How embarrassing this was going to be. I had to put the dome on Luna, and I was stuck with these stupid badges. I tucked the collar inside the jumper and finished getting dressed. As I walked down the stairs, Colleen stopped me, and she untucked my collar.

  “Freddy, you leave that out. We have a lot of new personnel, and there are a lot of children on the base. It’s hard enough identifying people without you trying to hide who you are.”

  “Ah, come on, Colleen. They can still see my name tag.”

  “Not good enough. We have three Freddys at the base, and one is about your age. He had everyone saluting him and giving him anything he wanted until he tried that with Personnelman Second Class Dorothy Pendelson. She nearly had him shot when she yelled, ‘Imposter!’ So, no way. You wear that collar on the outside, young man.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” I resolved to tuck it back in as soon as she was out of sight, but every time I did, someone was there to untuck it. Everyone, even the other specials, were in on the game. Several of the youngest ones even followed me. Every military person we passed snapped to attention and saluted—most with amusement written all over their faces. This was going to be a long day.