Regan's Reach 4: Avarice
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And then she turned to see Ham was sprinting toward her, chased by an inescapable wall of all engulfing flame. Eerily calm she stood tall to face the inferno knowing immediately there was no way they could escape - they weren't going to make it.
* * *
Marin and Leah stumbled through to control with not even a look behind and as the Saucer door ratcheted shut, their eyes were already glued to the screen. From there they watched in anguish as the android Ham neared Regan, but they could see it was far too late with the flames already on his back. He didn't slow, his body slamming into Regan with such force that he drove her backwards, and as he did so he seemed to take her head in his hands, his fingers digging deep into her temples.
* * *
Regan braced as he hit, she felt the searing heat, felt the hands and the pressure on her temples as she rocketed backward in his arms . . . and then she felt the powerful killing jolt that blanked everything before they hit the deck.
* * *
From the safety of The STEIN Traveler Jared anxiously followed the Saucer feeds with his eyes wide in shock and fingers gripping the control chair, the knuckles white. At his side a Ham avatar looked ashen and equally shocked at the inconceivable events playing out before them. And as they watched the flames swallow both Regan and android he began muttering in despair. "Jared . . . the displacer in the Saucer . . . it wasn't working remember? I'm so sorry, I couldn't do anything - I couldn't get them out."
Already he had the saucer retreating from the deck, and accelerating away to safety.
Jared wasn't listening; instead he was already winding back the video feed and zooming far down the deck to the Pod, and on a figure he had seen there. It was too distant to be recognizable but he could see it was a tall humanoid form casually leaning there. Nevertheless, he thought he knew, and he burned with anger.
* * *
Dahlia Orbital
In a slow, soft emergence two avatars materialized. Nothing was said as they regarded Regan's android scrunched on the floor with knees pulled up tight against the chest, head buried in the arms. There was no movement or acknowledgement of their entrance and no sign even of life. Nevertheless they knew they had found her.
"I thought we'd find you here." Hilary spoke with gentleness and compassion as she crouched beside the forlorn figure, extending an arm around Regan's shoulders and then seeming to engulf her in the embrace, not physical but deeper than that, something all consuming. For many minutes they stayed that way, in a silence that said so much, and then Regan's head lifted as she raised one hand to massage the android temple in an action that seemed to surprise even her. She dropped the hand in front of her eyes to look at it as Hilary sat back, a sad expression on her face. Regan looked at the moving fingers, playing with them as if it was the first time she had experienced such a thing, and then she looked at Hilary, ignoring the beautiful man.
"Ham killed me."
"He saved you Regan, from the pain of an awful death."
"But he did it, he killed me."
"No my dear, you are here."
She shook her head, "Not me . . . not my flesh, not my right brain, they'll never be here again."
Ham dropped to his knees. "Babe, when you ran away from me - to save Marin and Leah - it meant there was no hope, no way out, I had only seconds - and the flames . . ." He looked as if he was lost for words then quickly recovered. "I can only guess that I couldn't stand to see you suffer, and it was certain there was no chance, you would have died horribly."
She reached for him and stroked the avatar arm. "I know that Ham, and how I feel right now is so selfish and unfair, it just seems so unbelievable, so inconceivable, I always felt that you would always save me."
"Regan, I saved what I could, you know that."
"I get that Ham, I really do, but right now, all I feel is loss;" She thought for a moment, "I mean, what am I without my body?"
Hilary and Ham exchanged looks before the gracious lady, after much thought answered for them both.
"Why sweetheart, you're just like us now."
Regan seemed to rock back at the words, at once recognizing the truth and the reality.
Then Hilary continued. "Regan, Marin and Leah are here, and they're grieving even though they knew you would still be somewhere. You need to see them sweetheart, but not like that, at least not the first time." and she gestured to Regan's android form.
Regan looked down at herself and suddenly felt revolted by what she saw. An ability that had seemed exciting before now suddenly felt far from it, like being trapped in an alien machine. And she could see that the android although like her was much taller, a true Amazon figure and quite intimidating. She nodded to Hilary and seemed to slide out of the form, her much more familiar avatar appearing and staring down at the now lifeless husk before turning to the doorway.
Leah and Marin stood there, crestfallen. It was Leah who approached first and Marin followed. She reached out a hand as if to stroke Regan's hair, gently completing the action in a gesture so tender it seemed real. They both had tears in their eyes.
"Regan," Leah shook her head in wonder, "You gave your life for us, what were you thinking?"
Suddenly a burst of confidence flooded Regan that seemed to replace the grief and self pity. She reached out too, to touch Leah's arm and made eye contact at the same time with Marin. "Babe, I wasn't thinking anything except a galaxy without you in it was unbearable. At some level, I knew I'd still be here. I couldn't bear to see you suffer and die."
As she spoke the words another thought occurred to her and she turned to the beautiful man, drawing him in with a warm smile. "I guess Ham and I aren't so different after all."
Marin looked hopeful. "Babe, we can get you a new body, an even better one."
She just smiled sadly in response. "I kind of liked my old one."
Leah smiled with sudden hope. "Maybe Hilary can make one just like your old body, only a little younger maybe, imagine that, perpetual youth."
And Regan summoned a warm encouraging smile to lift them; it would take a while but she could do it she knew. It would be a new beginning, a new normal.
* * * * *
Epilogue
Regan sat comfortably in the speaker's chair, in her place as Titular Head of the Gliese star system. She scanned the delegates in attendance, a full house she noted with pleasure, and glanced to either side acknowledging Marin and Leah who were alert and watchful flanking her like guard dogs. She could see Jared had taken a seat in the lower gallery and wondered again how he was feeling. He hadn't revealed much, perhaps more adjusted than most to her continued cyber presence. Nevertheless she could tell that much was on his mind.
This wasn't the First Orbital Chamber; that was on Reubus Orbital, but under the circumstances it was felt the Tihan palace would be best suited for this meeting; plus it was of a similar size and grandeur.
Three hundred and thirty elected representatives of the various system tribes were buzzing with conversation as they waited, and above them floated the circle of the big six Minds, Reubus looking bold and defiant, Tihan looking somewhat cowed by his neighbor but nevertheless appearing as the Sage; Acura, typically the brazen beauty with somewhat punk leanings; Titan, representative of the system and interstellar fleets; Hilary as always the most gracious lady and Ham. Regan chuckled. He rarely did anything to enhance his standing, and always presented as the same beautiful man, confident in his powers; he had no need to impress. She felt for him there and saw he was looking toward her. She could see the love in his look and felt pangs of guilt over the things she had said to him.
[Ham]
[Yo] And he smiled.
[I'm sorry, about the . . .]
[Stop babe; there is nothing to apologize for]
[You gave a life too Ham, one of you died there and you gave it to save me pain . . . I was so ungrateful]
At that moment a buzz signaled the decision had been reached, the votes had been counted, the delegates checked. Regan
sat up straight as did most in the chamber, all eager to hear the results. There were two motions before the council. The first, a motion of censure against Reubus, for his actions leading to the death of Commander Tyrian Juno in the Earth system, and his likely participation whether by direct action or omission of care, in the bodily death of Regan Stein.
The second motion was to enact anti monopoly legislation which effectively meant no, one individual, company or Mind could hold majority shares in strategic industries such as energy, transport or primary produce.
The buzz which had filled the chamber died away and soon all that could be heard was the gentle hiss of air conditioning.
Regan looked down to her screen and felt a quiet thrill at the result which she would soon announce. Not surprisingly the first motion had failed. There had never been enough hard evidence of Reubus's direct involvement in the death of Commander Juno, despite the obvious being apparent to anyone. And as everything from the energy plant had been destroyed including the bodily Regan and the Android Ham, no one had any idea what happened there. Nevertheless, in her heart she knew, and so did Reubus. She knew he had gotten away with murder. Still, she was at peace; the debate over Reubus culpability had been humiliating, and his reputation was shattered.
In addition the second motion had passed, and she delighted in the role she would now play; that of the deliverer of the result to the assembly, and to Reubus himself. She knew all eyes would be upon her and she rose confidently to speak - only to be rudely interrupted by the voice of Reubus, booming from the circle.
"Delegates, before we hear the results of the voting, I would like to raise a matter of procedure."
Ham rose angrily from his seat, only to be stilled by Regan's voice, calm and reasonable.
"We have time delegates; the Chamber recognizes Reubus, of Reubus Orbital. She resumed her seat.
He stood. "Thank you madam chair," Reubus paused for effect, drawing the attention of the chamber. "With respect to our Chair Regan Stein, the present head of the Gliese system." He bowed in her direction. "The holding of this Titular position comes by virtue of her unique personage, that of being both humanoid and Mind, making a bridge between the biological and the digital. It grieves me to point this out, but since the unfortunate accident far out in our system, it appears no individual now exists with this ability. I question therefore the validity of this role in the future and call for its abolition."
Regan tensed at the words and rose, considering how to reply. She hesitated for a second as she composed herself, a moment in which she looked down to notice someone walking to the speakers rostrum. She zoomed closer and to her shock realized it was Jared. This will be interesting. Trusting her instincts she waited as the boy reached the rostrum and stepped up confidently before pausing to scan the chamber slowly.
"Madam Chair, Representatives of the tribes and you great Minds of this system, many of you will not know me; I am Jared Stein, the proud son of Regan. With respect to Reubus of Reubus Orbital . . ." and he paused to nod in Reubus's direction. It was only a brief pause but enough time for the great Mind to stand quickly and make to protest.
But before he could do so in a stunning development Jared simply raised one hand and pointed in the great Mind's direction - and Reubus froze with mouth still open, cast like a frozen screen, his avatar taking on an uncertain shimmer with his words locked.
"As I was saying" Jared continued, "The once great Reubus has suggested that as there now exists no bridge between the biological and the digital, there is therefore no longer a place for such a role as my mother holds. I am happy to declare, that his assertions are false."
Stepping aside from the rostrum brought him in full sight of the chamber and he stopped there, with another figure taking one more pace. In that moment before them appeared the human Jared, and the avatar, and both bowed to overwhelming applause.
And as Regan waited for the applause to die out her eyes seemed to roam of their own volition - to Ham in the circle, then to Jared and then to his avatar; and a thought dawned; a thought that was inescapable.
. . . Are you Jared, or Mori . . . or are you Ham?
And as she pondered the question and her own digital state in this new scheme of things another thought arose unbidden in her mind . . .
Oh Ham - my man - is this what it was all about - is the transition complete?
* * * * * *
Other books by this author
Regan's Reach
Orbital Envy
Confluence Point
Avarice is fourth in the series and will be followed by 'Enforcer, the Nature of Evil' as the ideas for it are already flowing in my mind. Each book is a complete story in itself and I won't leave you hanging; I hate that myself. To really enjoy the books though, I do recommend reading them in order. Have fun on the journey and may you find your own Ham.
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