Emma stood and moved toward him, putting a consoling hand on his shoulder. “I have various reports I have to filter and get to the Council. Please let me know if you need anything and I’ll instruct the robot attendants to slide it through the outer delivery cube.” She gave him a squeeze and a little smile. Then she exited the room.
• • •
Jason watched Emma leave, knowing the woman was only doing her best to try and make him feel better. “Well, I guess this news is mostly what I expected to hear. Although, sitting in a locked room for the rest of eternity seems awful, no matter how well furnished.” Jason didn’t need his nannies to know Emma thought he deserved much of his punishment, despite the details she possessed. “At least I will get in a lot of reading.”
Tarien didn’t say anything, he just ran comforting fingers through the hair at the base of Jason’s head as they sat there, each immersed in their own thoughts.
• • •
Several weeks later, they staged a video feed for the Council. Emma made Jason look as if he were still badly injured and unconscious. They faked the medical information of his vitals and then broadcast live from his bed. Jason lay there as if in a coma so the media could see him. They did this a few times, before the time came for Jason to “wake up” and face his sentence.
Emma moved Jason to another space, preventing further meetings with Seven or with anyone who discussed the truth. Outside the Faraday cage, he was observed at all times.
From the comfort of his unnecessary hospital bed, he sat without comment as the charges were levelled against him. They asked for him to make a statement, demanded explanations, urged him to defend himself in some way, but he just stared down at his blankets until they gave up in disgust. With an awful finality, they declared he would be permanently imprisoned. Jason heard the screams of outrage coming from the balcony below the Council. It pained him, and he agreed with the sentiment. He winced and then closed his eyes when they included “for life” in his punishment. As he couldn’t die, the especially brutal sentence hit him harder than he had thought it would.
Immediately after sentencing, they formally arrested Jason. He faked weakness as they chained and cuffed him. An amusing precaution, considering his abilities, but they had no way of knowing that restraining him could prove entirely futile if Jason decided he disagreed. They then escorted him to the armored transport. The thought of escape occurred to him, since it would be entirely too easy, and he could get away and remain hidden. But he met his punishment with resolve, staring out the window as they flew over the wreckage of the Sector.
The flight to his specialized prison took a while, but eventually they landed in the courtyard. Jason shuffled out of the vehicle and the guards urged him toward processing.
After a while, they finished putting him into the system and recording all his data. He did not undergo a medical evaluation, as Emma had sent over those records to keep his rapid recovery secret. She’d used her authority to skip over this process.
At long last, still wearing his hospital whites, they moved Jason to his cell and his hands and feet were unshackled.
While luxurious in comparison to most prison cells, it was still a single small room in the heart of the complex. For entirely different reasons, because the Council feared people from outside would potentially try to contact him, and because they worried he might figure out a way to communicate himself, they had built another Faraday cage. Without knowing, they had cut Jason off from the potential of the outside world. The room sat within massive sets of steel doors with encrypted access systems and cameras.
His twenty-four foot by fifteen-foot cell had a chair, a bed, a toilet and sink. Some shelves and drawers for whatever personal belongings he would be permitted covered one wall. An archaic display unit had been embedded in the same wall above the shelves, presumably so he could watch news of the outside world. He smiled in mild amusement. Having gone from the most technologically advanced and connected person on any of the worlds, Jason almost laughed at how he had been reduced to an antiquated display unit for information.
He settled in and slept.
Twenty
FOR A MONTH, HIS days and nights blurred together. It didn’t take Jason more than a couple of days to become bored. Since his mind worked far faster than that of an average person, this boredom felt a million times longer.
Some books and articles had arrived, courtesy of Emma. Director Garbine, he corrected himself. He’d read through the old printed materials quickly and voraciously and now had nothing left to distract him.
On the twenty-ninth day of his imprisonment, his personal prison communicator chimed, announcing a visitor. It lit up to indicate he should make ready. Much to his initial surprise, visits were conducted in his cell, instead of the visitor’s hall where all other prisoners received guests. He wasn’t allowed out of his cell for any reason, as they feared his ability to connect to technology the moment he stepped outside. While not entirely sure he still retained this ability, they were taking no chances.
Tarien entered and grabbed him in a rough hug. They held each other for a long while. Finally, they sat next to each other on the bed.
“You are not okay.” Tarien touched Jason’s face, and Jason felt a strong yearning.
“It’s just incredibly boring. The thought of an eternity of this is already overwhelming.”
“It is difficult to see you and only your blocks you left in place within my mind prevent me from disclosing my visits with you to the Council. I am grateful for your changes to my involuntary systems, so I may suppress any knowledge of the true cause and our involvement. I have kept all the other Techs ignorant, as they wished. They know something happened, but we agreed long ago they would not ask so as not to be forced to tell.”
“Surely your visit compromises the secrecy? I mean, they’ll see the logs.”
Tarien smiled, an expression he wore often with Jason. “They will not. I have changed all surveillance and all security logs to ensure I am not noted. I entered through a service location and then came directly here. I have . . . distinct advantages in knowing exactly where everyone is located in the complex and can gauge a one-hour window in which to visit with you before they make rounds. I am cut off while in here, so there is a small chance of discovery, but nothing I can’t handle.”
Some hope flared within him, staving off his anxiety. “Will I see you often, then?” At least this, he prayed. This one thing would help him endure all the ages of imprisonment.
“More often than you might think, Jason. I am here to talk to you about leaving.”
What? Jason sat for a moment, stunned. “Leaving? I can’t leave! Even if I wouldn’t be discovered or found, which is almost impossible, I am serving out justice.”
“You still believe you are guilty? That’s unfortunate, as it is not relevant. You must leave.”
Jason’s breath caught. He felt both disturbed and puzzled . . . but at the same time, a bit of hope crept in. He folded his arms defensively. They sat there for a long moment and then Jason flung one hand up in exasperation. “Well? Are you going to explain?”
Tarien looked troubled. “Yes. I must warn you, however, what I am about to ask of you is more than we have any right to do. It is possibly worse punishment than this prison cell.”
Dread overcame Jason. “They’ve found the research.”
“No. No, they have come nowhere near. But it is for the prevention of this discovery that we must ask you to leave.” He raised his head to stare at the ceiling, an odd gesture from someone who normally had relatively few human characteristics. The evolution of emotions in his lover continued to fascinate Jason. He couldn’t help but observe the corded muscle of Tarien’s neck, the lines of his jaw.
“Jason, the other Techs cannot act to prevent the eventual discovery. They cannot guide or shape what it will mean. The danger is still there. Our methods are in the use of technology which is well-known. In order to protect against the abuses, we need
someone in a place which is hidden, who is unrestrained about taking action. An unknown force with unknown technology to be used to steer the course of humankind’s discoveries.”
“I don’t—”
Tarien lowered his head and put both hands on Jason’s shoulders. A gesture that meant Tarien was serious. “Jason, listen please. I have only a brief amount of time and I wish to spend some of my time with you in more intimate ways.” This sent a thrill through Jason. “You will replicate your nannites out, just as you did in the bunker, and tie yourself back into the grid. You will instruct your organic nannites to reach every human settlement, permeate all our technology. Even all enhanced life. In this way, you will gain the ability to ensure you are not surprised. You will suppress the discovery of the immortality drugs and enhanced bio-nannites specific to the individual. You will guide us safely through these times until you work out acceptable safeguards, which you will implement. Your subtle intervention will carefully allow the progress which needs to take place, but will prevent the inevitable wars and guaranteed destruction of the human race.”
Jason’s mouth opened. He was appalled. “Are you saying I’m supposed to become the—what? Supreme Galactic Leader of humanity? The hidden puppeteer? Some corrupted horrible nightmare looming in the background? That’s exactly what we wanted to prevent!”
Tarien shook his head. “No. It is not. We wanted to prevent the wrong person from becoming central to humanity. In you, we saw the promise of someone who would have the right morals to interfere as little as possible. Someone who could be trusted to exercise restraint. I still believe this completely, as did we all, even if my fellow Techs have had the data erased from their memory storage. We all agreed to this before we began this long journey to save humanity. I believe in you, yet I’m afraid of what it may do to you.”
“Afraid? You mean, I’ll turn into Faust? Or whatever evil being Faust had become when he took over Nine’s mind?”
“No. I’m afraid of the hurt it will cause you. Jason, I don’t think you have any idea what it means to stand back and watch humanity be subjected to, or be the cause of, so much harm. We Techs are constrained to prevent interference, but you will know you can do something about it and still you must not. It might ruin your mind. You may despair of yourself and have no end to the torment. You will be torn between choosing to ignore the death of a young person, or intervening to stop it, therefore taking away free will. These choices could bury you.”
This comment struck a chord deep within, but he could not place why. It seemed oddly familiar, like an old wound long forgotten. For a moment, Jason could do nothing but stare at the floor. He still thought at inhuman speeds. He could postulate Tarien’s vision of the future, of what would happen if the technology was not suppressed and the memories of it controlled or wiped. Humanity would likely not survive. “You’re right. I don’t know what it will mean. But I think I understand what you need me to do. Honestly, it seems a lot more appealing than stagnating in here, where I know I’ll lose my mind anyway.”
“In time you may come to resent or even hate me for this.”
This took Jason off guard. How could he ever feel hate for Tarien? He felt nothing but love for the Tech and longed for a chance for them to have some sort of normal life together. Still, Tarien seemed to know something Jason did not. Some secret Jason could not fathom. “Will I be with you?”
Tarien smiled. “For a time. I will be busy, as will you, but we can find ample chances to see each other. Eventually, I will become too old for my position, and I will retire with you if you still care for me.” He took another deep breath. “And you will have to watch me die, Jason. Unlike you, I will not live beyond the natural span of my already enhanced years. I cannot be changed, or the discovery will become apparent to the other Techs and they will no longer be able to pretend ignorance. You must be okay with watching me grow old and eventually pass on. This will become a common thing for you, as you continue down a path of immortality. You will outlive everyone you care about.”
This thought pained Jason in an obscure way. Would it change him, watching everyone he loved pass away? This problem was so far off. Maybe he would work out a solution. “You waited to tell me all of this so Emma wouldn’t hear, didn’t you?”
“Yes, she must believe she holds most of the information, and you must ever so slightly change her so she adheres to false knowledge and acts accordingly or, more accurately, doesn’t act.”
He nodded. “I can do all of this from here, inside this cell. Why leave? How do I hide my leaving?”
“You must be free to move about the known galaxy as humanity expands. There may be unforeseen issues requiring your direct observation. We cannot know what we will encounter, and how the unknown may burden you further. It is unwise for you to remain stationary and imprisoned. If anything, you must be free to protect yourself and escape disaster. As to how, we will bring one of the cloned humanoid units Faust used to test the transferal technology in his experiments. You will alter the clone to match your own DNA. The clones were never alive and are merely inanimate organic tissue, so you will not be killing one. You will leave it here, in this cell, and it will appear as if you committed suicide. Emma will know you have the ability to alter your cells to make them vulnerable, so she will be convinced and deeply hurt you took this route.”
“I thought Faust’s clone lab had been burned?”
“Yes, we destroyed the lab. However, I moved a clone to an unknown location. I have secreted away the last of Faust’s work for this purpose.”
“Wait. So you knew all of this even before we started?” Jason stared at Seven, stunned. “Tarien, how much more do you know that you aren’t telling me?”
“Yes, we knew. We calculated the need for a body as part of the timeline of possible successes. The probability of achieving what has been done was low, almost negligible. Yet we still planned ahead. We had to plan for afterward, no matter the improbability. I am the only one who still retains this knowledge.” He touched Jason’s face, leaning in to kiss him. “I know many things, Jason. I have spent most of my life as a Tech, and we are unlike others. We see far. As you know, our minds work at incredible speeds. After years of being exposed to this, I have thought about a great many things. There is much knowledge I have not conveyed to you. This is, however, the last relevant information in regard to this crisis. I will always tell you what is on my mind, or what I know, whenever you need information or ask it of me. We couldn’t be sure of your survival, or my own. Only if both conditions were met, only if we both survived, could I disclose it. At the time, you had other concerns. We could trust no other to have my knowledge. The other Techs would have been forced to expose the plan.”
They sat there staring at each other for a while. Finally, Jason closed his eyes and bit down on his lips. “Okay. I won’t pretend to understand the ramifications of what you are asking, but I’ll help. When do we proceed?”
“Tonight. I have placed the clone in an area where your nannites were already replicating prior to all of this, so it should be completely integrated. You need only open communication to the outside world through the walls, just as before, and start the process. It should not take long. Once it is done, and since you will control a corridor of changed material under your influence and permeated with new nannites to the outside world, you can simply open a hole through the wall, then close it behind you once we have left him behind.”
Jason considered. “I’m guessing you have a place in mind where I can hide while my nannies continue to reach out across the planets. Until I can alter the master record at the Hall of Vital Statistics and create a background identity for myself, including proper digital travel documents, any enforcement officer or robot might easily guess something is wrong without some form of cover story.”
“We have it figured out. You will become Jason Fade, a slight enough alteration to escape notice and a personal affectation I am particularly excited about.”
Jaso
n burst out laughing. “I’m taking your last name, huh? Are we going to be legally married? Then when do I get a proposal, you jackass?”
Tarien gave an unexpected laugh, realizing he’d assumed too much and knowing full well how human courtship worked. “We cannot be legally married, as this would make hiding you difficult. No Tech has ever formed a relationship, let alone married another person. Our marriage would stand out far too much. But it is a private thing, and one I had hoped would please you.”
Jason punched Tarien’s arm lightly. “You better ask me at some point.” He touched Tarien’s face. “To answer your unasked question about it pleasing me, yes. It does. I love the idea of being Jason Fade.” He smiled mischievously. “Now, Mister Fade, would you like to spend the rest of your limited time talking? Or would you enjoy a little fun first?”
In answer, Tarien leaned in and kissed Jason in a serious way.
Later, after Jason had thoroughly worn out his husband, Tarien left. Jason followed the plan and his nannies replicated throughout the cell and into the surrounding areas. By nightfall, he had re-established connection with his huge and growing network throughout the Sector. He had never given instructions for them to stop replicating, having had no time during the battle. A flood of information that dwarfed his previous experience came flooding in. Jason had grown familiar with and prepared for this, however, and dealt with the data accordingly. Some of his nannies had reached other Sectors through flying vehicles and were forming small pockets of infiltration. Purposefully looking, now that Jason knew it was out there, he sensed the clone Tarien had spoken about and issued the necessary orders for it to assume his identity. Rewriting the entire body would take hours and a lot of energy for the clone. In anticipation of this need, Seven had hooked up the clone to various life-support systems, which included nutrition.
By midnight, Jason established his nannies throughout the area. With his increased perceptions, Jason noted his cell sat in an isolated section which had, apparently, been built entirely for the purpose of keeping him contained. A huge amount of security and armed robots protected layer upon layer of corridors.
Sector Seven Page 35
