LAND of the FREE

by Michael W. Huard

  Her important robotics conference had been announced a year in advance, and she was scheduled to be the guest of honor. As she took her flight there, she could not help but hope that her fellow sisters were going to be successful back at the stadium she had just left.

  Back at the Old Fenway, once the scientist had left, a quick break for everyone was in order. A television screen is displaying, R-Bel News Commercial Interruption Broadcast: Bringing action as it happens. Your health is a number one concern in all that you do. At Y-Wood, rest assured our team of medical bots never make a mistake. Surgery is a pinpoint skill and you will never find a shaky hand at our facilities. When health is your concern, we are here for you.

  ***

  Sinaye was happy to see Zaey and Envy doing their thing. Those two were better with people than she would ever be. She found herself lost in thought as she traveled. Things were never easy for her. The only real escape she had was that of her training. She was not a people person, but the other girls seemed cool with this, and in time, they had all become friends. But, on the outside of the sisterhood, Sinaye was often teased. Her body had been physically overdeveloped from a very young age. Not many girls were wearing a 34dd bra at nine years old. She was often the target of jokes and jealousy. Her nerdy side was another area where she was mocked. If it wasn't for the girls in the group, she would have actually considered suicide. However, the martial arts training, the breathing techniques, and the ways to calm her spirit, or as her sisters called it, "the one spot," had pretty much saved her life. The study of science, particularly robotics, had talked to her. She was able to avoid most people and really immerse herself in the field. Talking to people would never be her strong point, but good habits and her know-how in science had helped her to overcome the fear of public speaking. That confidence, combined with her Mystical Slayer training and her close relationships, had made her what she was today.

  Chapter 6

  As noon arrived the next day, Mahira, with at least a few surface wounds, came back into the fighting pit. All the sisters had several scars, but she was the top prize winner for blemishes. She always used IHF, an instant healing spray that her friend, Dr. Jansa, had invented a few years ago. Thanks to this, most of her wounds were fully recovered, but a few of the worse ones still remained. The final match was at hand. Mahira's opponent had been a champion for many years. He stood close to seven feet tall, had four arms, each of which carried a razor-sharp, jagged blade weapon. His head was that of an insect, yet his body was robotic steel. The audience, who had been waiting anxiously for the final, rose to great excitement and Y-Wood’s President Marcou stood proudly to wave. He was acting as if he was just as important as the match itself.

  She took her ceremonial kneeling posture. A brief prayer followed. "Live free, or die!" she reminded herself with her well-known motto. This was the grand final. It was now or never.

  The small blond, unknown to the onlookers, had just injected herself with the Starigen 6280 drug. She was as sly and nimble as a cat. The giant insect man strode right toward her. She would be no match to his strength. Even her amped up system could not handle such a monstrosity. She would step back in retreat, drawing the monster forward, then another step back, and another. Now with space between them, she took a quick left angle and set herself up for the first hit. A slice of her double bladed axe struck hard. The beast coiled back and sparks of electricity erupted from his side. But he was not done. He spun in rage and all four arms flailed in attack. Mahira jumped away, but not before one of the blades sliced at her leg. She landed in pain, blood spilling from her right calf. The huge audience roared in excitement.

  The robot beast was charging after her again. He hoisted his body in the air, spinning and landing before her. She circled to avoid his blows. He cut furiously at the air, over and over, missing the Mystical Slayer by mere inches. With an array of feints and spins, Mahira sliced at the beast before he could counter. Again, a metal sword from her opponent bit into her, this time on her side. He was a Corporation champion and it showed. She was hurt, but still in the fight. The robot dropped its weapons and lunged at her, wrapping all four arms around the small frame of the warrior woman. This meant for big trouble. Mahira tried to avoid the vise-like grip, but to no avail. He had her. She kneed, elbowed, and head-butted the beast, but still he squeezed her small frame tighter and tighter. Her breath was leaving her now. The bloodthirsty crowd was going crazy.

  She had dropped her axe. But she had one last hope. Her long knife was still in her side sheaf. She inched it out and with every ounce of energy she had left, she drove the blade into the beast's chest. Pulling the blade back up high, she drove it down again, this time carving away at the robotic insectoid's midsection to his throat. Electricity sparked and fire erupted from his body. He could no longer keep his hold on her. The Q-Jin battle sister dropped to the arena ground. She tumbled backwards and reached for her trusted battle axe. The beast was damaged. At half tilt, its wires and electrical functions slowly failing, it turned to face her. With another mighty effort, the slayer brought her axe up above her body, and then crashed it back down into the insect head of her adversary. Steel split, sparks flashed, and the beast, now with Mahira's axe embedded in its metal skull, was no more. The crowd was shocked at first. Stunned. No one moved. After a moment of silence, the clapping slowly began, becoming louder and louder until it reached a crescendo. They were in absolute awe of this tough little fighter. She was amazing.

  She had won entrance into the grand ball that evening. This made her the happiest of all, and she smiled in excitement. The crowd thought her smile was because she had won the fight. They were wrong. It was her entry to the grand ball. And at that very dance, the sisters would make their big move against the Corporation. That’s what made her smile!

  ***

  Standing at the stage podium for more than an hour, Chaya looked ever the studious type. Her thick, brown hair now tied up in a bun, her librarian glasses resting on her face, and even her attire somewhat reserved, still could not hide her feminine beauty. A flowing dark green dress with flared sleeves added a nice touch of class for the guest speaker of the day. Her calm voice had echoed throughout the entire auditorium. The Q-Jin’s presentation was now coming to an end.

  "Schools are using neural implants to brainwash our youth into this weird, forced, one-entity ruling of the world. If parents refuse, a child is often set under attack, unable to afford to pay for medical help for their injuries and ailments unless they follow this so-called world-wide leader, Y-Wood. Spiritually, this is not sane.

  "The children of today are our most precious resource. Tracking implants are one thing, but this bantering on spiritual belief is something all of you need to give deep thought to." The assembled group of woman nodded in agreement, and Chaya went on.

  "So what is spirituality? Is it something we’re taught? Or a feeling from within? I feel it’s a universal response to all the things we truly love. It’s a search for life’s meaning, and how we can discover hope. Nowadays, God is not the same in the eyes of those who acknowledge such a thing. It can be but a feeling of strength, or just a crutch of courage, but that does not make him untrue, right? Spirituality is a strong belief in the human spirit and its positive emotions of love, kindness, and compassion."

  The crowd applauded and appreciated Chaya’s wisdom. She was young for such a wise woman. "Our spirit offers the power of forgiveness, recovery, and seeing the good in all human beings. It’s a search of happiness for our future. Thank you, all, so much."

  And with the future spoken about, her speech ended. The audience clapped once more and began to depart. A lone older lady came up to Chaya as she began packing her notes into a brown leather case.

  Reaching out, she took the pretty speaker's hand, and nodded in thanks.

  "I know who you are," said the older lady with a smile.

  "And I know I’m running late," Chaya returned the smile, but she had no intention of re
vealing her true identity.

  "It’s you and the others who give us hope." Chaya gazed at this woman closer and nodded. She turned to leave.

  Chaya looked back at the older lady, "I’m glad you liked the speech."

  As Chaya departed, the older woman whispered under her breath, "It’s so sad that such a glorious freedom fighter must conceal her true self. So sad."

  Chaya made her way through a nearby door and up a flight of stairs to the rooftop. A welcome breeze came to greet her on top of the tall skyscraper.

  On the rooftop, Chaya removed her green dress, slipping that too into her leather case.

  The black leather pants which had been concealed by her dress were then rolled back down to her ankles. Her leopard-print halter top had also been hidden away underneath her green dress. A sparkling rhinestone jutted from her belly button as she rose to look for her ride. As if right on cue, a cool flying machine made its appearance through the clouds and landed on the rooftop. This was a silver hummer space flyer, a sky truck which looked the part of a real mean machine. Flying transportation was somewhat the norm these days, that is, if one could afford it.

  The raven-haired pilot, brandishing several streaks of blue on her pixie cut hairdo, peered out of an open slanted window. "Need a ride? Jump in." The jump up to the now opening door was not an easy one to make, even for the athletic Chaya. Still, the pilot grinned and beckoned Chaya to leap in. This sky pilot was Blu, a skinny, yet fit girl, marked by many tattoos and piercings. Her most noticeable trademark being the funky hair cut and its blue color. Once the door was fully opened, Blu motioned again for her friend to jump in.

  Slipping her hair tie out of her bun and tossing her brownish-red locks free, Chaya removed her glasses and leaped into the flying hummer. "Thanks for making it easy on me," remarked Chaya.

  Blu laughed, "We have a party to go to, my friend, let’s rock out." Blu hit the dashboard dial and heavy metal tunes suddenly blasted to life. The flying machine could move. Blu was a master at aerial flight and Chaya knew it, so she had already buckled up tight as soon as she had sat down . . . and it was a good thing that she had. Off they flew like a rocket!

  Chapter 7

  The grand ball at Old Fenway Park was a smashing affair. Centuries ago, the building was once a sports stadium, not for fighting, but for a strange sport called "baseball". Baseball was a game of no real value, and really didn’t make all that much sense. Yet in days long before, it had been a popular pastime. Old leisure sports had a way of coming up with mellow competitive events which somehow amused the masses. The old stadium had now been rebuilt in metal, and slanting shapes formed massive structures of granite and dark steel. These combined into a gorgeous business and entertainment center in the heart of Greater New Boston.

  The grand ball had begun in the building's main section, and the decor was amazing. A huge variety of nano-produced foods were laid out everywhere; quick, nutritious and delicious. Any dish one could imagine was created almost instantaneously, and the guests indulged themselves.

  As each guest entered the party, a small tracking device was embedded under their skin. Computers monitored each partygoer. No one needs fear of any nasty surprises at such a prestigious event. Machines also detected unwanted items at the door, so people knew when walking into the event they were safe from rebels and thieves. Not that anyone was all that worried with the infusion of associates wandering the event. These skin-covered cloned things with amazing senses were hard to fool. To get into such a big event, meant you were someone. You were a big shot, or better yet, one hell of a fraud.

  Associates were nothing like the robots of the Corporation. One could hardly tell the difference nowadays as to whether or not they were actually human. Technology had come a long way as to the look, feel, and overall realism of these associates. Through trial and error, the Y-Wood conglomerate had spent billions of dollars and put in years of research to create what was now a synthetic human. Fake-ness at its highest level. Yet, these were super powerful and smart creations. Tonight, inside the ballroom, they lingered. Mostly all were males; handsome males, with strong, fit bodies, thick hair, and many features designed to be pleasing to the eye.

  The women of the sisterhood would each enter the grand ball separately. As yet, no such tracking devices had made it into their flesh without the necessary alterations. The graceful Q-Jin keenly placed their own chips on top of the Company’s brand, one which contained a scrambling unit. The sisters were unable to be monitored. They were virtually invisible.

  Perhaps the most interesting sights at the ball, aside from the unique robotic band, were the acrobatic metal dancing monkeys, the exotic and marvelous fake food, and without a doubt, the virtual reality stations.

  At every corner of the ballroom, there were archways to wonderment. For example, one could enter just about any land of vacation. A voyage to anywhere in the world would await the guests. One could also enter a booth to see the latest in anything and everything from titanium devices. Highly designed and much improved versions of days gone by. Creations such as jaws, skulls, hips, arms, legs, organs, teeth, and sexual organs, all made from the best materials and guaranteed to never fail. A human could now physically live forever. Even tonight, a quick upgrade was possible. Needy guests with lots of money sat in robotic stations, drape covered, for personalized tune-ups.

  The weapons and armory sector was a sight to see. With advanced technology, old school firearms were all but obsolete, even to the most rural of areas. The discovery of powerful body enhancing and skin strengthening drugs made new age laser guns the weapon of choice. Armor was cool and could be used to fend off these types of laser guns, but the global warming of the planet made for very hot weather, so extra clothing or heavy protection was often not used for fear of heat stroke and muscle fatigue. Still, this room was filled with very neat laser rifles, guns, and the latest in armor and protective clothing. Even a virtual shooting range added to the attraction. Hopefully, none would get too excited turning about and wind up shooting any of the patrons at the ball.

  On a nearby wall mounted television screen, a giant broadcast came up, R-Bel News Commercial Interruption Broadcast: Bringing action as it happens. At Y-Wood, machines build machines to make the world a better and safer place. A revolution of fully enhanced smart robots now work in the most dangerous places in the world. Y-Wood is your leader in world technology, making life better for all.

  There were more sideshows, but none more risky than the virtual sex shows. Here, brave patrons might get risky and decide to participate. And you better believe that they did! For sex in the current era was bolder than ever. Plus virtual sex was free of disease and commitment, and it took little time to get the participant excited. Anyone or anything you could imagine was available behind these special red velvet Corporation curtains.

  Another booth took patrons to a cancer curing station. A long-time-coming moment in history, the year had been such a huge scientific and medical success story. A sign read, "See for yourself, how nanobots took to making the world a cancer free society. Witness how our very own Y-Wood team, always the leaders in breakthroughs, cured the world of cancer."

  In truth, this was a lie. The Q-Jin, in particular, was responsible for such a discovery. A partial cure was discovered by the Y-Wood’s team years back, but a full cure was created by Mystical Slayer, Dr. Jansa Davin, and her team five years ago.

  Serving the food this evening was a bevy of delightful machines, the fembots. Of course, several servers were also real females working for the Y-Wood Corporation. They certainly have a liking for the true female species. One of these bargirls was Envy, a cat-eyed redhead, with a slender, yet strong body. She made no secret of her great figure and wore a full black outfit with a stocking and garter lingerie ensemble for the delight of all human and machine eyes. Her bustier hid very little, as she, a Q-Jin top level spy, served cocktails at the ball.

  The ultimate death winner, Mahira, now entered th
e room. The games champion wore an all leather tiger-print cat suit. She cared little for the glamour, but this tight fitting outfit, along with her rock hard fighter’s body, awarded her no shortage of looks from the gazing patrons of the ball. Cheers erupted from the hundred or so guests filling the huge chamber, all showing their appreciation of her. The patrons knew she was a true fighter and one who lived by her own rules. That was also a great attraction to many of the associates in the room. After all, half-clones love to mate too. They could not reproduce yet, but were programmed to feel something. Love being that which had instilled something within their programming. Mahira would not touch anything metal. The older human men here tonight could only dream of having such a stunning little doll as their arm candy for the evening.

  The jazz and blues music wove its weave of seduction as the party went on. Y-Wood was the leader in everything now, and they gave the party of all parties with no expense spared. Drugs, alcohol, and beautiful, mostly fake people were everywhere.

  Zaey, the lawyer, was present at this grand affair too. She wore a classic, thin-spaghetti-strapped black gown. Her womanly features molded the garment to her curves. She made her way around the room, enjoying the party. She was searching for something. What she was searching for was yet to be determined. A black feather face mask concealed her identity.

  President Marcou was at the ball in all his grandeur. He wore a long, flowing jacket made of purple and black velvet with silver edges, making his tall form stand out in the crowd. His entourage of bodyguard associates drew quite a lot of attention from the crowd. He walked with only the strongest and best of soldiers. The ones with the upmost technology, combat prowess, and dazzling physiques. Every move he made and every place he ventured, they accompanied him like his shadows. It was almost comical, yet menacing at the same time.