School Time for Death: Resurection (Death Dealer Saga Book 5)

by Jessie Wolf

  “How does one enter this life after death thing?”

  “Oh my dear Celina I could spend the next ten years teaching you about all the different ways of entering the afterlife. I swear there are more ways of entering the afterlife and the rewards or punishments there than there are religions. When we get back to school I want you to go to the library and look up the number of religions and types of afterlife. Then once you have done this bring me a… oh I don’t know… let’s say three page paper on what you learned. This is not a punishment, but a learning exercise in tolerance and acceptance of different cultures. This is something that you’ll need when it is time for you to go out into the Empire with your partners. While you’re at it you might want to research funeral and burial customs of the different races of the Empire.”

  “Yes ma’am. I’m just trying to understand all this to the best of my abilities.” The girl was almost crying as she told me this. I could see that she was lost and had no real grasp of what a cemetery meant. I had a hunch that there was more to this than she was letting on and I think I know what it is.

  “Are you afraid that you’ll be punished in some way for not understanding what this place means Celina?” right away I knew I had guessed correctly. I decide to talk to her as mama would to me or any other young woman in her care. “Oh child, you are not in trouble. The fact that you wish to understand something you were not exposed to as a child or is a part of your planet’s culture is commendable. You have nothing to fear so long as you try your best to understand the customs of others. I believe that you’ll become one of the greatest Daughters of the Dragon. The fact that you would care enough to ask me about something like who is buried here and what they mean to me shows me this. Now, dry your tears and let’s go join the others.”

  “Thank you for explaining this place to me and why it is so special, Mrs. Nakatoma. Can I ask you one more question?” I nodded my head yes. “Are you and the Lady Alison what they called married?”

  Once again her question took me by surprise until I remember where she was from. Thanks to my time as a young man on Ironhold I knew that they didn’t practice marriage in the same way as most of the known Empire. “Yes, Celina, the Lady Alison and I are married. Before you ask this was by both of our consents. The Nakatoma family doesn’t practice arranged or contract marriages. Now, this is not the same with a lot of the High Families who do follow these practices. I know that on Ironhold they select your mates by genetic matching and you have little or no choice in the matter. So I can understand how the idea of having a choice in who you share your life with must be strange. Am I right about this?”

  “Oh yes ma’am. I watch as the other girls at school chase some boy or hope they ask them out on a date. I get kind of frustrated when I don’t understand what is going on. Then there are times when I see some boy in town or one of the other girls at school and… please don’t think bad about me, ma’am.”

  “Celina, I understand whole heartedly what you’re going through. Remember I’m the same age as you are. The only reason I’m a teacher at our school is my grandfather was able to bring in all these tutors for me as a little girl. When I was allowed to become the proto type for the second generation of the Death Dealers my AI made learning that much easier. I earned my Master’s degree shortly thereafter. Why do you think my baby sisters are all in advanced classes? You’ll soon find that you will also learn a whole lot faster and easier. Once you learn how to work with your new Death Dealer AI the way they do you find a whole world of information at your beck and call.” When I finished she looked at me as if I was pulling her leg. That was until she got this faraway look in her eyes.

  I knew without a doubt that she had just made her first ever contact with her AI. I quickly ask Dee De to confirm what I am seeing. What she tells me is a surprise though.

  Maiha, all of the new Death Dealer AIs are coming on line. (Dee De)

  “Are you telling me that they are all awakening at once?”

  In a word. Yes. (Dee De)

  “How is this possible? They should be awaking individually, not all at once.”

  Don’t ask me. All I know is that it started with one of the Nightingales and spread to the rest within a matter of nano-seconds. (Dee De)

  Commander, I think I know what has happened. (Charlie)

  “Well don’t keep us in suspense. Tell me already.”

  From what I can tell when the nanites were programed the program set a timeframe for the activation of the AIs. Also they all came from basically the same batch with the only variation for the Nightingales being a non-combat unit. When the Sisters used them at the same time it was like linking them all tighter across a Wi-Fi network. So when the first one awakened it triggered the rest of them. (Charlie)

  “So what you’re saying is they used the combat net to bring their sister AIs all on line at the same time. Just great. Dee De is there any sign of splintering?”

  Scanning now Maiha. (Dee De)

  I waited for what seemed like an eternity, but in truth only seconds. I sent up a silent prayer that I would not have to put down one of the new sisters. It will always be one of the great fears when it comes to the Death Dealers and their AIs. The splintering of their personality was the first sign of an unstable and dangerous person. The last known case of AI rejection or splintering happened just less than one hundred years ago. That young man went on a ten day killing spree that left twenty-one people dead and over fifty crippled and that was a first generation Dealer. The second generations have far more firepower at their disposal. Anyone of these girls would make those ten days look like a spring time cold.

  All clear commander. No signs of rejection or splintering. I have a possible reason for this if would care to hear it? (Dee De)

  “Hell yes, I would. If we have been able to put a stop to splintering then I want to hear it.”

  I have scanned all of the new Death Dealers and Nightingales as you asked. I also scanned your family. (Dee De)

  “Ok what does that have to do with it why there are no signs of splintering?”

  The nanites repaired the brains of each of the new hosts before making the Death Dealer upgrades and installing the AI. (Dee De)

  “You mean to tell me that if there was a potential problem with the host’s ability to integrate the AI they corrected it?”

  That is exactly what I am saying. Remember that the nanites were originally an emergency medical device. Part of their base programing is still there. (Dee De)

  “Holy shit, that explains why so many of the former Silent Sisters regressed in age. The nanites automatically repaired their bodies and minds before going on with the rest of their programming. The nanites took them back to a time when they were the healthiest. In Simon’s case they cured his lifelong Transgenderism before giving her the Nightingale upgrade.”

  Exactly old friend, the more I study this the more that I believe that as long as we do not make any changes to the base programing of the nanites we will never again have the problem of AI rejection or splintering. (Dee De)

  I thought about what Dee De just told me. It all made sense to me. If you fix the problem before it becomes a problem the better off you are. The only problem I had with all this was my own rebirth. I knew that I did not have any desires to be a female not even in my boyhood days. Why had I become so young and female? Before I could ask her Dee De gave the answer.

  Maiha, no James, I have never lied to you in all the years I have been your AI. When you went through your own cocoon and reconfiguration I had no control over the nanites. All I could do was to tell you what they were doing. I’m sorry for the pain it has caused you. (Dee De)

  “Dee De, you tin plated pain in the ass, how many times do I have to tell you that you have nothing to be sorry about. Sure I question my transformation every now and then, but that is human nature, you dope. Sure I have had a few bumps along the way, but you know something. I won’t change a thing since that day to now. I have gained far more than I’d
lost. Now quit worrying about what might have been.”

  I will quit worrying about you when you quit putting your ass on the line every time someone needs help, you rotten bastard. (Dee De)

  I have to giggle to myself at just how much Dee De has become far more than just an old friend or self-aware computer. Ever since her reactivation she has become more like a big sister to me. One of the things I will always love about her is her ability to keep me grounded in real life. I am brought out of my reminiscing by Celina shaking her head then tilting it to the side. I could tell she was having the first of many lifelong conversations with her AI. After a few seconds she looks back at me and starts to apologize for zoning out on me. I stop her before she can get started.

  “No need to apologize, Celina. I know all too well what it is like the first time your AI starts talking to you. Trust me I say the first time it happened to me I damn near pissed my undies. After a while you’ll get used to having someone talking to you that no one else can see. In time it will become more than just a computer in your head. It will be your closest and most trusted friend.” The more I tell her about the relationship of Death Dealer AIs and their hosts the calmer she becomes.

  We started walking back to the entrance of Fiddlers Green and the rest of the Sisters. We talked about what it meant to be a Death Dealer. I told her some of the stories from my youth; of course I changed the perspective so that it was of a grandchild talking about their grandfather. As I told her these stories I saw a light come to her eyes. I believe for the first time in this young girl’s life she saw that she didn’t have to follow the orders of her parents. That she didn’t have to be the ‘robot’ her planet’s society demanded.

  That was one of the major problems with Ironhold Four and the surrounding system of planets. When humans first founded the system we started with Ironhold Three. It is an M class planet in the third position from its Solo type sun. What no one knew about was the rare radiation known only as solar reflex and what it would do to humans. Within five months of their arrival on planet every adult above the age of twenty was sterile. Within a year only teenagers were found to be fertile.

  In order to save their colony the founders resorted to cloning, but to find viable genetic material they had to harvest the eggs and sperm of teenagers. The process left both the boys and girls sterile. By the time the founders found out that if they had to shift the colony to another planet in system it was too late for their children. With no way to reproduce naturally the colonies restored to using clone technology to keep their colony going. At first this was not a problem until some jackass thought about making a few modifications to one batch of embryos. What came out of that was the ‘perfect child’ or so they thought. Over time these children became the norm because they did whatever they were told. Blind obedience to their elders was programed from birth into them. They became more and more a society of biological robots.

  The fact that Celina now had choices in her life was a strange and fascinating prospect. I wondered how many more of these young girls at JES would feel this way. Without really thinking about it I access the schools records for the students. It took Dee De a total of fifteen seconds to compile a list of girls for Ironhold Four and the surrounding system. I was surprised to see there were fourteen other girls from the Ironhold system. They were in just about every class within the school. That wasn’t the only breakdown that Dee De gave me. Within minutes I have a breakdown for the entire student body, all three hundred and sixty seven members.

  She didn’t stop there with just the students at JES; she also gave me the breakdown for the JS student body. I was surprised at the total number of students from some of the more closed minded systems. In fact it was as if every one of the hard core conservative systems had shipped all of their problem children to Hades. I have Dee De and Charlie do complete background checks on all the students enrolled at both schools. For some reason I have this sinking feeling that the Imperial Temple has been using its influence in these systems to get rid of the freethinkers or possible threats to their control.

  Well they wanted to get rid of them so I am going to use them. I total up the numbers between the two schools and find that I have seven hundred and eighty seven possible members for the new orders. That is if they all join. When I add in the seventeen members of the Nightingales I’ll have just over eight hundred troops. If I break them down across the board equally it well give me two hundred for each of the orders. With all of them having the Death Dealer second generation up grades these young men and women will be a force for justice that has not been seen in over five hundred years.

  I put my thoughts on this aside for now as the rest of the Sisters of both orders join us at the main entrance to Fiddler’s Green. Once everyone is back we head back to the main compound. As they walked back the girls were all very quiet. Every last one was deep in thought and I left them to those thoughts. Once we are back at the main house I turn them all loose to go and get cleaned up and into their school uniforms. When the Nightingales asked if they could return to the school with us I told them to hurry and get cleaned up. When one asked about what they should wear I told them to wear their robes until we could get them uniforms for the school. For the adults I smile at their looks of ‘WTF’ before telling them just bring something casual with them as they would become teachers for all the new Sisters who would be joining soon.

  Once everyone was on their way to get cleaned up I joined my family and headed inside to do the same. Once we were cleaned up and dressed in our uniforms we headed out to the front of the house to meet the rest. I was surprised when mama joined us dressed in a very stylish three piece dress suit. The fact that she would have something like this in her wardrobe just showed how little I really knew about my adoptive mother.

  “I must say you look extremely nice mama. When did you get the new duds?”

  “I haven’t always worn just kimonos Maiha. There have been times when I have had to present a more contemporary appearance. Now, shall we greet our students and get them home?” from the look on mamas face there was to be no argument.

  Once our students and new Sisters arrive outside in front of the house I was slightly surprised to see that they were all standing in neat orderly groups. They had arranged themselves the way they had arrived by the transports. Each girl had her overnight bags with them and their swords wrapped in silk lined cloth. When we approached them, they all turned and bowed as one. As they stood back Susan stepped forward. “Class is assembled and ready to return to school Mrs. Nakatoma.”

  There was something in her smile that I had not seen before. “Susan, are you feeling ok?”

  “Lady Nakatoma, I am feeling just fine. In fact I feel great and complete for the very first time in my life. I’ll tell you all about it on our way back to the school in the MCU.” I could tell that she was excited about whoever was making her feel this way.

  “Very well then, you can tell me once we get rolling. For now get aboard with the rest.” Turning to the rest I call out. “Ok, ladies let’s get loaded up and headed back to school. Remember to follow the directions of the drivers. They are in charge and I don’t want any bad reports. Am I understood?”

  “Yes Ma’am.” They all called out and then began getting aboard the transports. I was surprised by the turnaround of these girls in the last two and a half days. There was not one who had not been affected by their time at the Valley or here at the compound. It was as if they had been reborn as more than just Daughters of the Dragon. Something had changed in all of them. It was as if they were now committed to something far greater than just themselves. I don’t know what it is yet but I will find out before we get back to school.

  I had no sooner climbed into the back of the MCU than I was mug hugged by Cissy and Susan. Both girls were saying over and over ‘thank you’. I couldn’t figure out what they were thanking me for. Once I was able to extract myself from their arms I turned and looked at them both. “Ok, will one of you please explai
n to me why you’re thanking me and for what?”

  It was Cassidy who supplies the answer. “Oh Maiha, thanks to you and the nanites both Susan and I are whole.” what she said didn’t click with me at first and it must have shown on my face. “We’re both girls now.” I still didn’t understand what she was getting at. “We’re real girls now. Don’t you see? The nanites fixed us all the way down to cells. We’re just like all the other GGs at school.”

  When she finished it hit me like a drop ship coming out of a full combat burn. Along with the implications for how this technology could be used and abused. Not only could it repair lifelong medical disorders, with the right programing it could be used to change a person’s appearance much the way it had mine. With this realization I knew that I had to take steps to make sure it was not used for illegal or clandestine purposes.

  As we started to move the forward view screen came on. I was slightly surprised to see besides the seven heavy transports there were two of the mobile medical units, one of the portable fabrication units, and what looked like a forge on the back a trailer as well in convoy formation waiting for us just outside the main gates on the road. It was only then that I realized that I would need all of this if I was going to restore the Temple of Ida-ten orders. I quickly sent up a silent prayer to the God for his blessing in this indexer. I may look like a teenage girl, but I was in reality a ninety seven year old man with far more experience in building armies of this type. Small well organized and mobile, these were the traits that make a guerrilla force so deadly.

  Only this force will have a central base of operations and will consist mainly of teenagers. However these teens will have an edge that no other military force in the Empire, except one, will have. They will all be the first of a new generation of Death Dealers. Ones that will combine all the traits of the various Death Dealer classes. They will have all their strengths and none of the weaknesses. Unlike the Death Dealers though these new Knights of the Republic will not be just a military force. They will be Healers, Investigators, and so much more. With the addition of the Sisters of Saint Nightingale I only lack one order to bring them all back. How do I bring up the Brothers of Balance? They were the smallest of the orders as they were more often negotiation specialists.