‘Hold on a moment though. Just as a quick aside before I go boring you all with tales of my life so far, you said you already knew of my reasons for being here?’ He asked her jovially.
Praia nodded her affirmation of the fact.
‘Well, there was no obvious monitoring system in that room you had me in when I told your friend here about my escapades. Then he brought me up here directly from the room and was with me every moment and step of the way. So how do you know? I’m betting on an open comm. line which you were sneakily monitoring?’ His query and suggestion of how they could have achieved it was first to Praia but Maddox turned after a few moments to raise his eyebrow to Marcus sat opposite him around the table. ‘Not that it’s desperately important as it saves me time repeating myself, but I have to admit I am burning with intrigue as to how it was done.’
Marcus furnished him with a thin smile, then turned to regard the faces of his fellow council members in turn, finally turning back to Maddox and nodding slightly.
‘As I said earlier Captain, we worked hard to survive and make our colony as efficient as possible for the good of all involved. We have therefore adapted the rather crude digitisation technology which was present on the colony ship to both refine and produce a much smaller and personal device which each one of us carries with us and allows us to share our knowledge and thoughts almost instantaneously.’
‘A personal portable headset of sorts?’ Maddox asked, as he quickly glanced about the occupants of the table.
‘If you like to think of it that way Captain,’ Marcus replied with a smile, much like a teacher being proud of a rather slow student who had grasped a basic skill.
Marcus turned his head to the door and used his right hand to lift the mop of hair from the base of his neck, revealing a rectangular protrusion from his skin.
‘These implants are fashioned after proposed design concepts the Martians were working on for pilots of their star fighters, to allow much closer interaction between pilot and vehicle. We simply adapted their proposed designs and utilised the technology for our own needs.’
Marcus turned his gaze back to level with Maddox’s own, allowing his hair to flop back down as his hand returned to the table before him.
‘We are all interconnected here Captain. Our words spoken outwardly are for your own benefit here in this room, whilst I have been conversing with my fellow council members quite freely in the past few moments through our interlink. The same is true for the Artificial Intelligence and it allows us closer interaction with the mainframe and more cohesion as a society as our experiences and knowledge are pooled for the use of all.
‘You’re all cyborgs?’ Maddox enquired, looking towards Praia at his side and an expression of sorrow and disbelief overcoming his calm exterior. ‘Even you Praia? Are you linked in with this shared mental network?’
She nodded in response.
‘As will you be Captain when we process you and decide whether you are fit to join and contribute to our community here.’ Her smile which accompanied her words did not fill him with confidence.
Suddenly the sorrow that she would not experience the joy of imaginative play, the process of learning and the wonderment which went hand in hand with childhood and the whole exciting adventure of growing up left Maddox as he realised that there was more to this whole situation than even with his experience of the workings of the wide Solar System he had even suspected. Suddenly he felt rather exposed and threatened.
‘Me?’ he enquired tentatively turning his gaze back to Marcus. ‘What does she mean Marcus?’
Very conscious that all the council were staring at him intently, Maddox hoped like hell Marcus’ reply was not the one he was now expecting to hear.
‘She means Captain, that once we have determined that your nervous system and cognitive processes can undergo the process without too much disruption, then we will proceed with the implantation and you will then share your experiences with each and every member of our group,’ was the reply. ‘It is by far the most efficient method by which we may experience your own memories and knowledge of the core worlds to date and gauge our efforts to return in light of our new information.’
Hopes dashed, Maddox realised at that very moment how sorely he had misjudged his predicament and how much danger a bunch of impulsive children could actually be.
12 Interface
‘Now wait just a moment,’ Maddox quickly said as he realised his situation, ‘I’m sorry, I’ll happily talk to you about everything but I’m not going to allow anyone to stick a computer chip or whatever that thing is in my head. That’s most definitely out of the question.’
Maddox was on his guard now more than ever, the threat of this procedure very real and his only hope now being to try and convince Marcus that he was plain unsuitable to be plugged in.
‘Listen to me, I have memories in here,’ he said sincerely as he tapped the side of his head, ‘that would be very unsuitable for young minds to have access to.’
Almost as if trying to reinforce the unspoken nature of the memories and their unsuitability, Maddox nodded sideways towards Praia sat beside him whilst he kept his gaze firmly locked on Marcus.
‘You refer to adult themed memories?’ Marcus replied. ‘You need not concern yourself Captain, our shared consciousness already contained experiences and memories of an adult theme so your own endeavours will not be the startling revelation that you infer.’
‘Adult memories?’ Maddox asked, intrigued despite the impending threat. ‘I thought you said there were no adults here. In fact, that’s a question I’ve been wanting to ask you, what happened to the alliance of Martians and freedom fighters after they worked so hard to establish this place?’
‘They are in here,’ Marcus said as he tapped the side of his head with a forefinger. ‘It is their drive and experience which we have drawn upon so far to develop our strategies and to these we will add your own knowledge and memories to further our tactics.’
‘What about them?’ Maddox asked, not quite satisfied with the answer provided and wanting to press the issue. He glanced around the faces of the council members, finally coming to rest upon Praia sat beside him. ‘I mean what about them individually? Where are they?’ He asked, holding his hands out with palms upturned before him.
Praia glanced over to Marcus for a moment and then at the receipt of a nod, she seemed to consider her response for a moment before speaking.
‘Some were injured during the tunnelling and excavation to lay down these passageways, genuine accidents for which we had no hope of saving them as their bodies were too badly injured for them to survive. It was one of the first drives towards utilising the digitisation technology and developing the database within the core computer. We did have the technology for digitisation on board, albeit a relatively new addition to the arsenal of tools on the colony ship. The Artificial Intelligence on board the colony ship had been reactivated once we had established the active computer core here within the colony itself and it was through it we learnt how to save the memories of those we lost early on. Further research allowed us to utilise modified head adornments which amplified brain wave activity to allow a certain level of wireless interaction, allowing the wearer to access the computer core without the necessity of a terminal, but the big breakthrough was by tapping directly into the brain-stem using neurotransmitter technology utilising technology under preliminary development within the bowels of the Martian research laboratories.’
‘You stole the technology from the Martians?’ Maddox asked with a raised eyebrow, returning his gaze towards Marcus. ‘Sorry, but I thought you had only a tenuous link to the core worlds?’
‘The AI already had extensive detail on cybernetic replacement technology as well as the digitisation technology and it was able to utilise specially encoded search bots to filter through the Solar network and retrieve the relevant detail required for subsequent upload to its own existing data-banks, albeit slowly and only when we were able to
establish contact. It took time for the computer to retrieve the data, but the results were worth the delay,’ Marcus countered. ‘We simply adapted the existing technology and put theoretical designs into reality with the help of the AI.’
‘So what of the adults who survived the early days of colonisation here then?’ Maddox asked, his mind already racing on the possible alternatives. ‘You still have not explained what happened to them.’
‘They were resistant to the idea of joining our developing network through implantation just as you are now, but in the end they were joined and their experiences were shared for all,’ Praia replied from beside him.
Maddox suddenly felt cold.
‘You mean you forced them?’ Maddox said slowly and carefully as he glanced towards the young girl, then back to Marcus.
‘Forced? No Captain, the AI presented scenarios for the furthering of the colony and demonstrated the benefits quite clearly of them providing their knowledge and experience to the pool of information which was being formed. It was for the betterment of the whole community Captain. There was no other choice open to them,’ Marcus answered.
‘No choice? That sounds like they were forced.’
‘You are twisting the words Captain,’ Marcus said with a slight shake of his head. ‘Each and every one of them volunteered for the process, as they understood the benefits to the whole community as presented in the scenarios posed by the AI.’
‘What about now then? Can I go and ask them how they feel about it?’ Maddox asked, pressing for information on the ultimate fate of the adults as he was becoming concerned that Marcus had inferred they were simply in his head. Once again, he glanced about the assembled group, resting his gaze upon Marcus as he waited for the answer.
There was a definite pause before he received a reply.
‘I regret you cannot speak with them, Captain. Their consciousness and memories were uploaded, but the technology used was primitive and prevents full interaction,’ Marcus admitted with a hint of regret in his voice.
‘Full interaction? No Marcus, I mean out here in the real world and not in this shared mind thing.’
‘As I said, Captain, they exist within our shared mind, but sadly their corporeal existence is no more. The technology used was salvaged from the colony ship and during the process there were unforeseen faults which were regrettable but unavoidable.’
Maddox had already realised that even though he was facing a mere boy in physical terms, the thoughts that were in his mind most probably far outweighed the Captain’s own in terms of experience and it was no longer a case of befuddling a group of misbehaving malcontent children, but outwitting a group consciousness.
He levelled a serious stare at the young man.
‘So this process you all elected to subject them to actually killed them?’
‘No Captain. The facilities and headsets utilised in the process were old technology and …’ Praia offered as a response.
‘You killed them!’ Maddox cut across any attempt to sugar coat the explanation, feeling himself not only becoming more furious the longer they discussed the issue but also much more concerned with how he could get out of this place with his own marbles inside his own head. ‘However you try to explain the issue, you forced them through whatever persuasive tactics that were used into this shared mind thing and they’re now dead. Personally, I don’t think that’s an encouraging sign when you’re about to do the same with me!’
As he spoke, Maddox retained his level stare at Marcus.
‘Captain, please understand that we do not wish you any harm. We simply wish to have all the relevant facts available for proper analysis to determine how best to effect our return and re-integration into Earth’s society,’ Marcus explained. ‘However the importance of this far transcends any individual concern you may propose. Our intent is to bring our technology to Earth for the betterment of all there and resurgence of Earth within the Solar community.’
‘Marcus, you just said bring your technology back to Earth for the betterment of all. By that, do you mean your implant technology and this shared mind?’ Maddox asked suddenly very concerned that he had sorely misjudged the entire scope of the problem before him. Up to now he had been concerned about his own fate, but he had a horrible suspicion that he may have to add the entire surviving population of the Earth to that roster.
‘Yes. We want to go home, drive the Martians out and share our combined knowledge and intelligence for the whole of humanity on Earth to benefit from. Together we can be stronger than any Martian invasion force, stronger and smarter and more able to drive them back into the confines of their own colony.’
‘Marcus if you mean what I think you mean, and that is to plug these implants into everyone on Earth, then I am telling you this with absolute sincerity that there will be many people on the Earth who will resist these supposed gifts you offer. Those who will rather die than join some form of hive mind and become a swallowed part of some greater conscious entity. I am just one individual faced with this prospect and I do not want your technology in my head. If there are thousands, millions? You could face a revolt from those very people you mean to save.’
‘That is your own narrow-minded opinion Captain, your lack of vision and imagination of what the Earth can achieve given our technology,’ a familiar voice retorted.
Maddox levelled a stare at Marcus and then glanced quickly about the room at the other council members, eventually returning to meet Marcus’ gaze.
‘Either you are a good ventriloquist or we have unseen company you have not yet introduced,’ Maddox said quite carefully. The voice had not emerged from any of the council, rather it was from up above the table.
‘My apologies, Captain, may I introduce the Artificial Intelligence who resides within our computer core and has been monitoring our interaction alongside the council members.’
‘A pleasure I am sure. I do believe we are already acquainted from the ship myself and Maia arrived on,’ Maddox replied almost genially before returning his attention to Marcus and a serious tone to his voice. ‘However, despite your ideas over the future of Earth I am telling you that you are proposing driving out one force of oppression on Earth only to replace it with your own brand of forced subjugation. Can you not see that? Can you not understand?’ Maddox urged insistently.
For a moment Marcus paused before replying, which Maddox now understood was his silent thought sharing with his peers and the AI in this rather twisted community.
‘What you call subjugation others see as collaboration and cooperation. When the mass of the population are forced to starve amidst the rubble and ruins of towns and cities do you not think they will gladly accept the offer of a better life and prosperity? The chance to survive? And for what price? A cybernetic implant, which allows you to collaborate with everyone else for the greater good of humanity as a whole? Would you now deny them the chance at a healthy long life? Are you not the one who is now proposing that humanity remain under sufferance and starvation when the opportunity is available to achieve so much more? We offer survival and freedom, whilst you are offering suffering and oppression. Can you not see that, Captain?’
Maddox had just about had enough of the smugness he was encountering as Marcus twisted the whole argument around to make him the bad guy in the mix.
‘I fought in the war, and in the years that have followed. Don’t you even dare to suggest I am on the side of mass oppression. I have lost people very close and dear to me whilst those pulling the strings spouted words such as the greater good and now here you are uttering the same nonsensical crap that caused many good people to die needlessly,’ said Maddox forcefully and he stood abruptly, kicking over his chair in the process as he began to back slightly away from the table. ‘You are going to get a load of people killed Marcus! You and your little council here are going to be responsible for the deaths of many innocent people! Get that through your thick skull and into that shared mind of yours. No way am I going to help you
make it happen, I’d much rather go out trying to stop you right here and now!’
The door behind him was flung wide open and four boys all slightly younger than Marcus piled into the room and grabbed onto Maddox, their combined force enough to make him stumble slightly towards the meeting table before he tried to fend them off him and retain his footing. It was not the first time he had been the focus of a group brawl, but even though he could hold his own quite admirably against such odds and had proved so historically, the sudden jolt of pain in his neck as a small device was pressed roughly into his flesh was a precursor to his head beginning to swim slightly and the blows he wanted to land squarely on target falling wide of the mark.
His legs and arms began to weaken, even though he still did his best to drive off his attackers with movements now less precise and more akin to drunken flailing, but gradually he was forced to succumb and went down under their repeated assaults in an attempt to restrain him.
‘A foolish act Captain,’ Marcus chided as he observed the struggle, standing from his seat and straightening the front of his tunic and jacket. ‘We have spent years surviving out here on this rock, quietly developing and evolving, watching and waiting. Do you think that our whole process of rebellion against the Martian creatures that abducted us from our homes and families would be restrained to a simple explosion or two? Vague threats and a few obscene slogans appearing on Martian installations? No Captain, our return to the inner worlds is not a question of if, more a question of when. In preparation for this and our further push against the Martian oppressors, our play is already underway and your efforts to try and change the outcome by ill-considered pugilistic force simply proves why the Martians were so successful in their attack on the Solar Alliance and Earth all those years ago. Whereas they faced a whole empire of fighters such as yourself, this time we shall out-think and outmanoeuvre them and drive them out.’
Children Of Earth (Tales from the 23rd Century Book 1) Page 12
