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**Raging Mouse** · March 11, 2000, 16:15

Chapter Two.

Methis was a Petri-Chimpanzee. This meant that she was produced from a genetically altered egg-cell, and that this egg-cell had spent it's first week floating on a Petri-dish. Then, as it grew, it was moved to a tank containing an artificial placenta, to which it attached. This meant the biotechnicians watching over her growth could control any and all of the myriad factors that would eventually produce an infant chimp.

This technique was widely used in University bases. Since the chimps' intelligence could be greatly enhanced, a single individual could be trained to perform a number of complex, but nevertheless routine and boring, tasks. Their metabolism could also be altered, so they required only one sixth of the nourishment a standard human needed per day. Put simply, they were better and less expensive to maintain than robots.

The instructions given to Methis' breeders were simple; the size of the brain was of primary importance. Everything else had a supporting role. She was designated as component A of project 292, Hot-labs, University Base. Project 292 was an attempt to grow living, intelligent interfaces for military-grade pre-sentient algorithms. The benefits of such were obscure, if there were any at all, but there was little doubt at this point that the project was close to it's successful completion. Methis had been trained for almost ten years, and could feed complex instructions to the computer in a minute fraction of the time even the best programmer, outfitted with the fastest mind-machine interface available, needed to complete the task.

Lately, however, she had been more and more reluctant to respond to the commands given her. The same was true when she was supposed to present the resulting output in any of the available forms (on a monitor, as a three-dimensional holo-projection or even by speaking). The best simian psychologist was consulted, and the answer was immediately received; Methis was lonely. She needed a friend, and none of the researchers qualified. Since the psychologist himself was busy (he said), Lewis and his team needed to find someone else.

Now, as he watched his daughter sit at the side of the chimpanzee's 'bed', her right hand holding the tiny, atrophied left hand of Methis, he knew he had been right in his choice. Methis now had the intellect of a seven-year-old, but this was expected to improve at an exponential rate as she got to socialize. Thus, also the project would benefit. And he had also managed to introduce his beloved daughter to the highest corridors of real power in University society. Only one man, Prokhor Zakharov himself, wielded more power than the University's corps of scientists. And of course, Dorothy now had a new friend. Always a plus, since her parents were very concerned about her social skills. Somehow, she didn't manage to acquire friends as easily as other children of her age.

All in all, Lewis Parks was unbelievably pleased with himself at the moment.

Meanwhile, Dorothy heaved out another shuddering sigh. That, and the red streaks on her cheeks, was all that remained of the initial fright of seeing Methis. Now she was merely sad. While she only had other petri-chimps to compare with, she could see that Methis was greatly malformed. Her head looked like an inflated coconut, and was nearly as massive as all of the rest of her body. Her legs were twisted stumps. Her arms were also small and twisted, but they were recogizable, and her hands had only three working digits. Her throat and jaw had been surgically altered to enable her to speak better. Methis spoke slowly, and her sentences were often incomplete.

"...Feel better now?"

"Yes." Dorothy looked down at her knees. She was slightly embarrassed of her initial reaction. While Dorothy was being calmed down, Methis hadn't shown the slightest sign of agitation.

"Good. Methis like.. new friend Dorothy."

"Um, what do you do for fun, Methis?"

"..Plays games."

"Like what?"

"..Chess. Methis likes chess. ..Know chess?

"I do! I am champion of my class, but we're only four who know how to play yet."

"..Play.. chess with Methis?"

"Yes, I'd like to, but how? I don't see a board anywhere.."

"...Hologram."

Dorothy followed Methis' gaze. One of the holoprojectors sprang to life, and a chequered board seemed to materialize, with the pieces readily arranged.

"Dorothy.. white."

Nine moves later Methis had won.

"How did you DO that?"

"..Trick. Methis show.."

While Methis explained the trap to Dorothy, Dr. Andersen walked casually up to one of the keyboards and typed in a short sentence. Methis' eyes flickered to him for a moment.

"Dorothy play.. again?"

"Yes, sure. I'll not fall for that again."

This time the game lasted much longer. Eventually, Dorothy won by a -she thought- ingeniously set-up trap for Methis' queen.

"That was fun! You really are very good at chess, Methis!"

"Thank you.. friend."

Lewis walked up to the pair. "Time to go, Dorothy. Mom has some pudding waiting for you."

Methis looked at Lewis, her eyes moistening. "Don't go.. Stay.."

"But I'll come back another time, Methis. Won't I, dad?"

Lewis looked from daughter to chimp with a calculating smile. "Sure. Methis has some homework to do first, but if she is quick you can come see her again tomorrow, firt thing after school."

"Methis.. quick. Dorothy.. back tomorrow."

"Yes. We'll play more chess!"

Lewis led his daughter back towards the entrance, and Dorothy waved good-bye to Methis.

She thought the chimp smiled as it looked at her.

End of chapter two.
[This message has been edited by Raging Mouse (edited March 11, 2000).]

**Raging Mouse** · March 13, 2000, 16:14

Chapter three.

Now see the events unfold as a month passes by.

Dorothy returned the next day. And the next. She quickly discovered that while Methis had great problems with speech, the ape was phenomenal at all kinds of logical skills. Indeed she suggested that they should do their homework together, but Lewis told her that Methis always did her homework during the day, when Dorothy was at school. Nevertheless, with Methis' help -she loved to teach- Dorothy managed to top her class in mathematics, physics and chemistry, and generally improve her score in all other sciences.

She never questioned the ape's skills, or even suspected that the giant computer Methis was linked to might have something to do with them.

Meanwhile, Methis steadily improved on her 'homework'. She broke records in code-cracking, DNA-simulation, and a number of other tests. Also, her speech improved to near perfection, thanks to her rapidly increasing general intelligence. This meant that the project already was successful, but as project manager, Lewis was the one who decided when to stop and report the result. And he wanted to see exactly how good Methis, and living interfaces in general, could become. Besides, his daughter and the chimp seemed to be very good friends, and it was quite unlikely that Dorothy would ever meet her again once Methis was handed over to the army, the space agency or whoever would get to use her skills first. He tried to find a way to prevent this. He also wanted to prepare his daughter for the worst, so one day at the end of the month he told her; next time she got to visit Methis would probably be her last.

She took it well; she only cried for half an hour. It was when she had said goodbye to Methis that the problem really started and it's solution revealed itself. Dorothy had already left, looking incredibly saddened, and the ape signalled to Lewis that she had something on her mind.

"Yes, Methis? What is it?"

"Dorothy indicated that this would be our last meeting... Why?"

"You must be able to figure that out. She will be ten in less than two weeks' time, and I really can't expect her to keep secrets for long no matter how exceptionally intelligent for her age she is. Sooner or later she would brag about you at school, and then the place would be crawling with probes. She could be hurt. Better to have her forget you quickly, since you would anyway be shipped somewhere else, and then she'd really not be able to visit you."

"You don't understand, Lewis. I don't want to break contact with her; I cannot forget her thanks to the Algorithm and I'd always miss her. You maintain your scientific approach to my 'case' with care, and Dr. Andersen mostly treats me as a freak-show. She's the only friend I have, and unless I can't keep my friends I don't want to live. Unless I can't see her again I'll erase the algorithm, effectively lobotomizing myself... and destroying all your accumulated research-data."

Lewis stared at the chimp. He had no doubts she could carry out the threat; she had already cracked much, much harder passcodes than the one protecting the editing commands (It was 'yhtorod'). Problem was, he knew of only one person that could carry out Methis' request, and it wasn't himself.

"I'll- I'll just- I'll just make a phone-call, allright?" he mumbled and walked to a commlink in the storage/dining-room. There, he keyed in a three-digit code on the touchscreen. After a moment, the screen switched to an image of a secretary.

"Yes, Dr. Parks?"

"I need to speak to doctor Zakharov. Urgently."

"Please wait a moment."

Lewis used the time to compose several different scenarios for the coming discussion, trying to predict the questions and find good answers to them. This meant he was slightly more nervous when the Professor's face appeared on the screen.

"Yes, doctor Parks?" Zakharov was sitting in a comfortable-looking chair. He seemed slightly bored, or possibly annoyed. Lewis remembered the half-joking rumour that anyone who managed to impress the man got his next half-millennium of longevity-treatments for free.

"I and my team have brought project two-nine-two to a conclusion. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, I cannot tell whether or not the project is a success. We are now in a scenario that was not predicted. For these reasons, I wish to present you with our results and ask what you think we should do." This was every project-leader's right and privilege. It was also very risky. Zakharov despised people without the guts to carry on when a project took a nasty turn, and if it turned out that you hadn't dared to continue, rather than not knowing how, your Talent-status was permanently revoked.

"Allright. I'll be there tomorrow at noon. Be ready."

An extremely nervous and slightly surprised Dr. Lewis Parks closed the comm-link. All of his imagined scenarios had taken much longer. Also, it was certain that Methis would refuse to cooperate tomorrow unless she had seen Dorothy again. But Dorothy was now at home, and her mother -Lewis' wife- would get quite concerned if Lewis whisked her away to the lab again today. Jessica was quite irritated already by the fact that Dorothy had been depressed for two days now and neither she nor Lewis would tell her why.

No way around it; Dorothy would have to be absent from school tomorrow. She'd get to meet Methis well before noon, and would have to be there when the Professor arrived. And then.. And then what would be would be.

End of chapter three.

**Raging Mouse** · March 14, 2000, 21:08

Chapter four.

Now see Dorothy the next day.

The only sentence her dad spoke to her her this morning before rushing off to work was:

"Dorothy, I'm going to pick you up from school some time before noon. You'll have to tell miss Koskinen that you will be absent from at least all classes in the afternoon. You'll see Methis again! Oh, and don't tell mom."

So now, about an hour before noon, she is quite happy indeed as she plays with her classmates in the school's recreation dome. She looks up from her games when she hears her teacher, miss Koskinen, approach. Now, teaching children is one of the most respected jobs in the University after researching. A person needs an extremely high education and intelligence to compete with the robots and androids designed for the task. Nevertheless, every school needs a handful of flesh-and-blood teachers. Some University scientist once remarked that he only had to look at children to find new ways that chaotic behaviour could manifest, and no robot is good at sorting out chaos; at least, not yet.

Unfortunately, the majority of state funds goes to research, so the schools have needed other sources of income. Some decades back Prokhor Zakharov, after a model from the Morganites, decreed that corporations could sponsor schools and childrens' creches. Since then any corporation who wished to get a foothold on the University markets sponsored at least five different schools and universities. The beautiful trees and bushes in Dorothy's school's rec-dome is a gift from it's sponsor; a major Univ-Gaian trading company. Thus, miss Koskinen's dress bears the logos of the Gaians, the University and the sponsoring company.

"Dorothy, I got word from your father that he will be here in ten minutes." The old woman watches curiously as Dorothy smiles happily. "Well I'm certainly happy you're not so sad anymore, Dorothy. Why don't you tell me what's been weighing so heavily on your mind lately, and how it disappeared. Are.. things alright at home?"

Dorothy giggles. "Oh yes! No, I just thought I wouldn't see one of my friends ever again, but now I will!"

"You mean your father will take you to see this friend? That must be a very special friend indeed. Why don't you tell me all about it?"

Dorothy's face turns serious, and a bit guilty. "I promised dad I wouldn't tell anyone.." she mumbles slowly.

If she would not be thinking about the coming meeting with Methis, Dorothy would detect a strange glimmer in miss Koskinen's eyes. "But dear, you know I wouldn't reveal to anyone anything you have ever said. It's illegal for me to do that. Tell you what, I'm so curious I'll make you a cup of cocoa while we wait for your dad. How about that?"

Dorothy smiles even more. This day seems to go from windfall to windfall! Fifteen minutes later, when Lewis arrives, she still has brown stains around her mouth.

From a window, miss Koskinen watches their car zoom off. Then she shakes her head; she's been lost in thought for quite long enough, and now she has some reports to do.

Fifteen minutes later, there is a sombre yet happy reunion. With half an hour until noon, Lewis hurriedly explains matters to both Methis and Dorothy; if they behave well and play their cards right, Dorothy might be allowed to visit Methis any time she likes. Then he prepares the research-staff for the meeting, together with dr. Andersen, while his daughter challenges Methis to a game of virtual Mah-jong.

Exactly at noon the doorbell rings, and dr. Andersen greets dr. Zakharov. Dorothy spies on him shyly from behind one of the memory-shelves, and Methis uses one of the numerous cameras. This is the first time Dorothy has seen the leader of the University of Planet in person, and she is immediately struck by the way he seems to note every tiny detail around him: space seems to bend straight around him only so that he can study it from every angle at the same time. She even feels that he has already spotted her.

"Very well, doctor Parks. Here I am; now tell me what is so extraordinary about project two-nine-two."

Lewis talks for nearly an hour. He details the progress of the work from day one to the present in exhausting detail, paying special attention to the problems with Methis' loneliness and the great results achieved by introducing her to Dorothy. At this point Dorothy is also introduced to Zakharov, and she stands shyly beside her father as the rest of the events are told. Then Lewis has told everything, and a heavy silence falls over the group. Eventually dr. Zakharov nods.

"Now I want to talk to Methis."

Zakharov, Dorothy, Lewis, dr. Andersen and their assistants all walk to the chimp's 'bed'.

"Methis, or Amethyst as you are called, do you know that you are jeopardizing this entire project by your stubborn behaviour?"

"I.. take it you refer to my demand that I will not be separated from Dorothy? Professor, even other Petri-chimps have someone who cares for them; they can even care for one another. But to these scientists I am a research-subject, and to whoever requires my talents I would be nothing but a tool. Only Dorothy actually cares for me; therefore I care for her. Her visits mean more to me than your tasks."

Again, Zakharov nods. He turns away from the ape and looks at the researchers. Eventually, Lewis dares to speak.

"So.. you see the problem, doctor?"

"You could say that.. on the other hand, I see it from the outside. It is clear that you have only observed it from the confines of your project. Do you know what the problem looks like from the outside?"

Lewis gulps, and Andersen stares at his feet. "Uh, no.."

Zakharov smiles slightly. "Like an opportunity."

A moment ago the team of scientists looked like they were expecting Zakharov to shout 'off with their heads!' Now they look as if they expect him to pull a rabbit out of a hat, or possibly start tap-dancing. "Wh.. what opportunity?"

"Probe-secure terminals!"

"Uh, I.. don't.. follow.. you.."

Zakharov spins around to face Methis again. "You! Here's a scenario: A probe-operative wants your data. He threatens to eliminate Dorothy otherwise. What do you do?"

The answer is immediate. "I raise the alarm."

"Why?"

"It's an easy solution. I can either obey or disobey. If I obey, the probe could still eliminate Dorothy if it suits his purposes. He could also go on and demand that I do something else for him. Thus, he'd be in total control. If I disobey and raise the alarm the probe will want to leave the country in a hurry, and preferably without stopping to kill anyone. Both I and Dorothy would gain from the latter."

Zakharov turns back to the now captive audience.

"You see? It's an additional feature of living interfaces! Provided the users manage to befriend the chimp they have an extra security-system that will spot unauthorized users the second they enter the room, or from even further away if we link additional cameras to it."

There's a general Dawn of Understanding among the researchers. Zakharov continues.

"All we need to do is instruct potential users that they must attempt to befriend the interface; possibly they acquire it at it's infancy and then they work with it while it grows. That way the chimp will be accustomed to it's users as early as possible. As for you, Methis, it is obvious you need to stay here and that Dorothy should be allowed to visit you whenever she wants to. I dare claim you'd dislike a team of scientists you don't know even more than the ones that have worked with you for these past ten years. I'm sure you'll be a great help to them in any future projects, and I'm also sure you'll be treated better once they realize how much you can improve overall security if you'd want to."

This gets approving murmurs from the researchers. Lewis merely smiles happily, and Andersen wrings his hands in anticipation. This seems to be going well.

"Now, You will need a short while, maybe a week or so, to create initial scenarios for how this 'social calibration' of living interfaces would be best to carry out. However, the actual research into that will be done by someone else. So let's say that nine days from now you will present me with the full report of this success including initial guidelines for the usage of these interfaces."

The scientists are now cheering and applauding. Lewis, however, blushes and clears his throat.

"Professor Zakharov, Dorothy's birthday is nine days from now, and I really thought I'd be free from work.."

Zakharov turns to Dorothy with a smile. "Really, my young lady? How many years will you be?"

Dorothy blushes like a stop-sign. "Ten."

"Really? Well, then. Your father tells me that you have been very helpful, and Methis seems to care for you greatly. So I wouldn't dream of interfering with your birthday-party! And I suppose you wouldn't say no to a little reward for helping these people with their jobs? No? Well, then. Is there some special gift that you'd like to have for your tenth birthday?"

At first Dorothy is so shy she can't imagine speaking to the leader of this nation even to warn him that his hair is on fire. Then the sheer potential of the offer hits her. Nevertheless, it's a close fight between the two emotions.

"Uh.. I've always wanted a mono-grav, but dad says..."

Zakharov smiles at Lewis, whose turn it now is to turn crimson. He starts to mumble.

"Well, you know sir, those things are so expensive you'd think they are made of mindworm-pearls. Plus they are rather hard to steer..."

This receives a wide smile from the professor. "We really can't have this at all. A young hero of science must be allowed some luxuries; am I right, Dorothy?" He winks. Dorothy is transfixed, torn between laughing and fleeing. "I'll have the latest model delivered to you on the appropriate date. It's fitted with a mind/machine-interface for easier control. You'll soon be the master of mono-gravs at school!"

This time Dorothy does laugh a bit, but it dries out in panic. "But sir.. I don't have an MMI implant! Those things are even more expensive than mono-gravs, dad says!"

Zakharov plays shocked. "What is this? No implant?! My lady, you are a cunning negotiator! Now you will get two gifts for the price of none! I'll consider it an investment. Maybe you will also become a famous researcher, like your father, some day..."

Considering the rewards the actual research-team will get, Dorothy's gifts are nothing for Zakharov. And besides, with any luck he has laid the foundation for one of the University's most promising careers in science. He's also pleased; this could finally be the discovery that will push back the relentless invasion of probe-teams from the cyborgs, the gaians and especially the data-angels.

Lewis can't believe his luck. Zakharov has given him and his team very high praise for their work. Even Dorothy has managed to impress, or at least endear herself to, the old scientist. The only cloud in a sky of silver linings is that he now probably has to sell a brand-new bicycle and buy something else. There is no way a bicycle could compete with a brand-new mono-grav. Anyway, it looks like he has managed to lay the foundation for a most promising career in science for his daughter.

Dorothy is also extremely happy. Not only has she been promised by Zakharov himself that she can now visit Methis as much as she likes, she has also managed to lay the foundation for what can only be described as a most promising birthday.

End of chapter four.

**Raging Mouse** · March 15, 2000, 16:40

Chapter five: The Tools of Wonderland

Mind-machine interfaces were still a relatively new invention on Planet, but every notable faction, including the Progenitors, had already acquired the technology. The University of planet had been the first, of course, but the Data-Angels managed to steal the prototype even before it had been presented to Zakharov. They then traded the tech dearly to all other interested factions. That meant everybody now had it; a sure sign of this was the enormous amount of applications for the MMI available from Morgan Entertainment.

To somewhat diminish the scandal, University scientists furiously improved on the basic design. The prototype had been an inflexible and extremely ugly metallic protrusion following the spine from the hip all the way up to the neck. It basically locked the user's spine into upright position. It was certain that no faction actually used this model; they had all improved on the design to various degrees. But the University had polished the design until it was unrecognizable.

And Dorothy got the latest model, since it was the Man Himself who had authorized it. This contained no inorganic parts at all; it was an extra network of nerves wrapped around her spine and brain, with a central knot at the neck; there a small skin-colored plug made of bone acted as a link for the external neural/optic converter (analog neural/digital optic converters had been additionally miniaturized for this task). It would grow with her, essentially expanding and refining the interface, and didn't interfere with her everyday life in any way but positively. With the unit came a simple device that fit in a pocket. With it, Dorothy would never be lost inside University territory, she could always locate the nearest store, ice-cream vendor or whatever else she wanted, she could send and receive messages, or download several free electronic newspapers. And a lot more.

The University's general excellence in mind/machine-interface-technology had it's negative effects as well. Most imported MMI-dependent wares needed adapters; no-one else had optic MMI:s. Also, because of this, the University traders had to downgrade their domestic production-models if they wanted to export them.

Since the MMI was a product, it could be sold; all factions except the University exported them. Current foreign leader in the number of installed MMI:s was the Gaians, because of the high quality of their surgery. But none of the foreign companies could offer the same high quality of MMI:s as the University's own manufacturers.

Since it could be sold, corporations could compete with the price. An imported, electrical MMI cost about one third as much as a homemade optical one (and you didn't need an adapter for all those Morganite entertainment-softwares if you had one of them). The University struck back; most public info-stations had been fitted with only optical MMI-links, and all of the University's own entertainment-products were offered only with optical connections.

Big deal. Two months later the market was flooded with adapters for University wares as well. Since they cost almost nothing compared to the actual interface, it seemed like the foreign models would conquer the markets. Then, the University society's key element, elitism, showed itself. Public enquiries showed that nine tenths of all talents had an optic MMI. Normal workers used the cheap, imported electrical ones (and drones didn't use any, as a rule). This was now the latest status-symbol. To be someone you had to have one. To be someone important you needed an optical one. This brought happy (in)justice to the markets; optical MMI:s were a guaranteed seller since anyone who could afford it was certain to buy one.

And now Dorothy had one, at the quite early age of almost ten. At her birthday she got a toy to match it; The mono-grav's MMI-link (University-made, with an optic link, of course) would enable her to perform amazing acrobatic feats with ease, and removed the need of a clumsy pad for the counterweight-controls and the status-displays. It could display the current center of gravity, the wind-speed and the local tilt of the ground, mixed into Dorothy's normal view of her surroundings, like an internal HUD.

It was a classic example of University over-design since it still, underneath all these sensors, interface-links, gyros and counterweights, was a pedal-powered monocycle.

The MMI was the bigger of the gifts, however, even if it was implanted more than a week before her birthday. Immediately the next day, as she returned to shool, she became the center of attention and the target of several jealous remarks. Even her teacher, miss Koskinen, was extremely interested, and to her Dorothy once again told the entire story. Furthermore, she could now use several new teaching-aids. Since the MMI could communicate very large and complex ideas in understandable form at the blink of an eye, it greatly enhanced the speed of learning. Also, it was the latest of tools that allowed you to sense and interact with virtual reality. But the MMI could perform the task much better than the previous interfaces combined, providing input to all the senses; A good enough virtual reality could become indistinguishable from actual reality, save for a nagging feeling that you didn't belong. Morganite Entertainment -wares leaned heavily on this feature, while the University used it mainly for education.

Also, Dorothy soon discovered that this was a way to talk undisturbed to Methis.

Since she was allowed to visit the ape at any time, she was often present while Lewis' team still worked; also, at the beginning of a project all research-teams usually worked 'from dawn to dusk', an outdated concept that only meant they were at work for fourteen hours or more. Now that they knew Methis wasn't going anywhere, they used her much more: The new project, number 1159, involved massive simulations of quantum-physics, something the ape-algorithm fusion was designed to oversee. Thus, it was impractical for Dorothy to talk to her in the normal way; the scientists many times shouted commands to Methis from another room, or waist-deep inside some miniature (room-size or smaller, that is) atom-smasher that needed adjusting.

However, the results of the simulations Methis constructed were very complicated and hard to understand, even when presented as diagrams. To make it easier, five heavy-duty MMI-links complete with recliners were installed next to Methis' bed. With these, the scientists could inspect the simulation and the results in virtual reality while they relaxed their bodies in a comfortable chair. All five seats were very rarely used at the same time, so Dorothy could usually use one to talk to Methis, and to play with her. Methis had the ability to carry out several conversations at once with ease, so while the scientists talked to Methis about the latest simulation-run, Dorothy could be sharing secrets with her in virtual reality, or maybe play chess among the 'hills' and 'potholes' of the latest three-dimensional diagram. Methis could also construct and upload programs to Dorothy's MMI that she could use whenever she liked. Mostly it was some kind of game, or a memory-aid for school (like the periodic table including all isotopes).

In little more than a month, Dorothy's life had assumed a new and wondrous shape.

End of chapter five.

**Raging Mouse** · March 16, 2000, 16:50

Chapter six: Rita

Rita Koskinen had been born a potential Gaian talent. But unlike University society, so rigidly stratified, the Gaians treated all children equally. Only a small footnote on her birth-records showed that both her parents had been Talents.

However, neither did they suppress any individualism. When Rita at the age of nine could recite, from memory, several famous scenes from plays by Shakespeare (The antique English writer, not the contemporary Morganite one) at a talent-show arranged by her children's creche, she was awarded a scholarship. She was moved to a school for the specially gifted, where her skills were precisely defined; she was exceptionally empathic (almost telepathic) and had a great gift for poetry, singing and social skills in general.

Always when the memory resurfaces, she still grimaces at the irony of it all; the very first week at her new class she got kidnapped by a Cyborg probe-team.

At the time, the Cybernetic Consciousness tested it's muscle in war for the first time. Unfortunately, they were the defenders, and if they would have had the opportunity they'd have chosen anything but to fight a Progenitor faction. As it was, the Caretakers were effortlessly slaughtering Cyborg soldiers and citizens. At the time of the kidnapping the entire faction was on the brink of destruction, having lost over half of it's cities to the Caretakers. All of the remaining cities were rather small and consisted mostly of drones and workers; only a tiny part of the population was suitable for full merger with the Algorithm. This had to be changed.

So probe-teams were sent to the closest human faction, i.e. the Gaians. Their mission: seek out and extract all available families that included Talents; especially families with children. The team that raided Rita's school took all twenty of the children in her class. At the same time, the homes of twenty families were raided; their occupants also kidnapped. Some, of course, fought back. Among those lost were Rita's parents; thus she was smuggled out of Gaian territory newly orphaned.

There were stories circulating about the process that merged a human with a part of the Algorithm. Some said you were drugged. Some said you were brainwashed. Others, again, said you were tortured.

The reality was different, of course. The process achieved far better results when applied to a willing subject that had been taught some very simple mental tools. That cancelled out all of the above methods; instead the Consciousness appealed first to your greed and then to your desire to belong. The captives, who numbered about fifty, were herded into a luxurious 'camp'. Every morning a trained speaker would praise the Algorithm and the benefits of merging with it. Also, great wealth and an influential position within Cybernetic society was promised to those who'd accept.

This usually led to results; the first week three of the greediest accepted. The next week, they were back; newly fitted with the first stage of the cybernetics that served as an interface to the Algorithm. They tried to persuade their families to join; this usually happened. And the families had friends. Thus, the third week Rita's best friend from the Children's creche, Kim, accepted to merge with the Algorithm after warm recommendations by his mother. Rita had relied heavily on the presence of her friend, and was distraught. The fourth week Kim of course returned to persuade Rita to join. This took all of two minutes.

Kim's family adopted Rita and taught her the mental techniques that would enhance the merger. They were very simple, so she learned them within a day. No time was wasted; the first stage of the merger was performed next morning. So started the year in Rita's life that she remembers most fondly. When she woke up from the operation all the sadness and fear was gone. In their place was a rosy, warm conviction that everything now was exactly right. She could sense the very first whispers of the Algorithm; the standard level of communication during the first stage, and although she couldn't make out any words the general effect was soothing.

But the merger was declared a failure. Rita's special talents gradually weakened as the year went on, until she was indistinguishable from a normal worker. This also meant that her potential compatibility with the Algorithm dropped. Eventually, the overseer who measured her progress decided that she was more valuable to the Cyborgs as an unmerged Talent. The first-stage implants were removed, and she was assigned to a school for probe-teams: Her social skills, when honed, would be excellent tools for the persuasion of more merger-candidates and other forms of brain-drain.

She didn't think for a minute about disobeying. The year spent in contact with the Algorithm had left her emotionally hooked; without it she felt exposed and frightened by the uncertainties of the world. She was told that good behaviour and successful missions were usually rewarded with a period of R&R, usually spent with re-installed first-stage cybernetics, so that you could relay your experiences to the Algorithm and receive training from it.

Ten years later, while Rita received her probe-training, the war with the Caretakers ended. The Usurpers and the Hive had joined forces, and were crushing Caretaker defenses elsewhere. Lular H'minee offered both blood-truce and a treaty of trade, meant to improve relations, and Aki-Zeta five was quick to accept. Soon thereafter the Gaians offered a Pact with the Cyborgs: They were busy fighting the Data-Angels, who had been framed for the kidnappings, and needed better probe-teams to solidify their defense. To further improve relations, and to add to the lie, a number of probe-operations were staged and a number of people 'rescued from the Angels' labour-camps'. One of the probes thus planted into Gaian territory was Rita.

For ten years she climbed the social ladder, eventually becoming the boss of a small company, while at the same time persuading Gaian talents and researchers to defect to the Cyborgs. Recent technological breakthroughs had made this easier; the first stage of the Algorithm-interface had been miniaturized until no parts of it were visible on the outside of the carrier. Thus Rita could have inactive first-stage implants all the time without serious risk of being detected. Also, the MMI was an extremely convenient tool for the downloading of the Algorithm, provided it was enhanced with Cyborg technology and greatly expanded. These two advances meant that the Merger could be carried out in another faction's territory.

Finally, advances in the merging process had removed the need for the subject to know that he was attempting to merge with the Algorithm. Thus, If you could fool someone to install the upgraded MMI and learn the techniques for relaxing your mind, making it receptive, he wouldn't know what had happened until he opened his eyes as a totally loyal part of the Consciousness.

So Rita's job was easy. Then the Caretakers launched a surprise-attack on an undefended Cyborg base, killing thousands.

A new, and much more furious, vendetta started. This time, however, the Cyborgs weren't alone; the Gaians were still their allies, and they had troops to spare. Also, the gap in technology was much smaller, and the armies were about as big. Nevertheless, great casualties were predicted. Wiser from the previous war the Cybernetic Consciousness decided to act preemptively, before the talent-shortage again reached catastrophic proportions. Thus, Cyborg probes once again began to actively seek out families with Talents. This time, however, the Gaians were an unsuitable target; they had much better probe-security now. Instead, the Gaians' closest neighbour, the University of Planet with it's unusually high natural ratio of talents, was the logical choice. Furthermore, the University was inherently bad at probe-security, a situation worsened by it's democratic form of government and it's incessant pursuit of knowledge.

So Rita sold her company (to a Cyborg buyer) and used the energy-credits to migrate to the University, where she applied for a job as a children's teacher. In no time at all she had a fully functional network of probe-operatives set up and started searching for promising families; a task made easier when she was employed (after some pulling of strings by the school's Cyborg/Gaian sponsor) by the Alexei Leonov School for the Gifted. Dorothy's school, that is.

Then Dorothy told her about Methis. Rita of course reported this to her contacts, and was very surprised when she got an immediate reply: The Parks family, especially Lewis and Dorothy, were targets number one. Apparently, Lewis had some information that the Consciousness wanted badly, and Dorothy had an unusually high potential to become a Talent.

However, since it was such a high-profile target there were big problems. Rita had quickly guessed that the man who recently had started hanging out near the school and watching Dorothy was a counterinsurgency-agent of the University. The task would be made considerably easier if Rita somehow managed to gain some or all of the family-members' cooperation before the extraction.

But how? The scenario that virtually guaranteed cooperation was, of course, to merge them with the first stage of the Algorithm already now. They didn't have to actually know what they were doing, As long as they got the implants, learned the mental tools and started the merger-process with their mental guards down. But the implants required major surgery, something that was impossible to perform secretly unless, again, the family cooperated. The expansions needed could not be called upgrades, since Lewis was an expert on cybernetics and would smell the lie from the next country. Also, Dorothy was supposed to have the best model of MMI:s there was. You couldn't propose to upgrade that.

It all amounted to an equation that seemed impossible to solve logically.

End of chapter six.

**Raging Mouse** · March 17, 2000, 18:13

Chapter seven: Apprehensions of Immortality

In the wonderland at the other side of the crystal memory-cube, the roles were reversed. Methis could raise and smash entire worlds at the blink of an eye, while Dorothy could only move and watch, awed and amused. Compared to the ape, she was the cripple in virtual reality. Methis did teach her some simple design-commands, but Dorothy quickly realized she could never be as fast or as good as the chimp. She lost interest, and was more than happy to ask Methis to build the virtual worlds for her. But she didn't lose her awe of Methis' capabilities; so she asked her about them eventually, after she had lost another game of virtual chess.

">How come you are so smart now, Methis? I mean, compared to when I met you?<"

">Actually, I'm not that much 'smarter' now as when I met you. I've simply become happier, now that I have a friend to talk to.<"

">Allright, then, why are you so smart in general?<"

">Dorothy, 'smart' isn't a good word in this situation. I am very, very good at everything requiring logical- or memory skills, like chess. But otherwise I'm not much smarter than you. Yes, I have a very good memory, but that's just memory. Anyway.. to answer your question.. Do you realize that I am no longer the ape that you see?<"

">I don't understand. What do you mean?<"

">Dorothy, I am this computer much more than I am an ape. No mere ape could even understand your questions. It is in the computer that I actually 'live'; If something happened to my body, causing it to die, I would still be almost unhurt. In fact, there is a team of scientists right now working to create new bodies, or 'interfaces', for me and all my future brothers and sisters. I could have several bodies at the same time.<"

Dorothy was amazed. ">How is that possible? Weren't you born as a petri-chimp?<"

">Petri-chimps aren't born at all, Dorothy. But.. Yes, I did begin my life as one. But my body's only function has been to serve as a nursery for my mind, and to shape my thoughts in a certain way. Now there is little left but the shell, the parts of the brain required to relay 'my' sensory input to this computer, and the parts I need in order to sustain the body and use it, for example, to talk to you. But you must see it's not a very good body; it's small, and it can't move. The newer interfaces would have a more advanced link, and would be able to walk around; I could even have a human-looking interface. I am the University's first Sentient Algorithm, Dorothy, even if your father cheated and didn't create me as a digital being from the start. My body consists of bits of code, and I am, when all is said and done, a tool at the core of my being. I must obey the commands of those persons, like you, who are authorized to use me.<"

">You mean you could have a body -an interface- that looked like me?<" In virtual reality, Methis had already mimicked Dorothy's form several times, leading to several amusing games of 'Dorothy Says'.

">Yes, that's entirely possible. I think it would be wrong to make one without asking you first, however.<"

">Can you use anyone that has a mind/machine interface for this?<" she was getting slightly scared.

">No. I don't use a normal MMI. The system I use is much bigger; much more powerful, and some of it has to be implanted already at the embryo-stage of the living interface; the foetus' mind develops in a new direction and is slowly converted to an algorithm, learning the necessary skills for living as one at the same time. But as far as I can tell it is theoretically possible to create adult interfaces; the Cyborgs can merge adult humans with their Algorithm, after all, and that is a process very similar to what you are talking about. But so far, they are the only ones that can. The closest we can come is MMI-transmitted communication, like what we are doing now.<"

">I don't know if I could get used to the idea of you still being the same person even if you look like someone else.<"

">But I will always look the same, now. As I said, I now exist inside the computer; as long as it stays the same, I will do so too. And I can manage my mind; I can move my memories around so that the different parts of the computer can be replaced without changing me in the process.<"

">That sounds creepy. Why did they do all this?<"

">You mean project 292? You know, Lewis, your father, actually doesn't know. He was simply told to investigate the possibilities of certain living interfaces, and he, Dr. Andersen and their team did so to the best of their abilities. I am the result; the prototype. And I have found out why they did all this: It's immortality they're after, Dorothy. I am technically immortal now, something I couldn't dream of if I were a mere chimpanzee. And that's another fact; sooner or later, my current interface will die of old age. Then, at the very latest, you'd have to get used to the fact that I have a new body.<"

A long silence followed as Dorothy let all of this sink in. Then:

">Won't you miss your old bod -I mean interface?"<

">No; why should I? I'll get a better one. Or five. And first I'll be able to explore this room; actually move around in it! Then, as the technology improves, there will eventually exist a wireless link between me and my interfaces. Then, Dorothy, I will be free! To explore; to feel the wind and the sun.. to travel.. you don't know how much I look forward to that. By nature and by my programming I am curious; and this outside world you can freely live in, but that I can only experience through pictures and movies, it's call is irresistble. Think how great it would be..<"

">But I don't understand. Why would people like Zakharov order experiments like this to find immortality? Isn't he immortal already? Dad says he's more than three hundred years old!<"

">That's because of the longevity-treatment. But having to sleep in a tank for one month every year isn't very practical, even if it is a small price to pay. Also, it is ridiculously costly in time and effort; consequently the energy-credit price is by no measure small. Compare his situation to me; I will live forever, while using a horde of different bodies that I casually discard once they are spent. If I like one body in particular, it can be cloned. If you look at it like that, I am now better off than Zakharov.<"

Methis pauses so that Dorothy can ask questions. Since she does not appear to have any, Methis continues.

">And this project was a major breakthrough: Your dad has proved, even as he thought he was working only on living interfaces, that sentient beings can be transferred from a biological existence to a digital one. This is the first step to immortality; a step that the Cyborgs can do in reverse since they download and merge a digital sentience to an organic one. Of course, there are still many obstacles that need to be cleared; the biggest one being the current requirement that the process takes years and must begin while the subject is an embryo. The age of immortality truly begins once people of any age can transfer their selves to a computer like this one.<"

">Sounds like the time for that is still far off.<"

">Of course. The cybernetic consciousness might have some of the answers; they know most about the art of constructing digital/organic mindlinks. Of course, their technique removes all traces of emotion; they consider this a bonus. Everybody else except the Gaians, who for some obscure reason are allied with them, consider them nuts.<"

Dorothy sat down on a hill formed by the energy-signature of a helium-atom in a three-dimensional diagram. She looked forlorn. ">I wouldn't like being a computer, especially if you have to obey others all your life -no offense-, but I wouldn't like to grow old and die either..<"

Methis, who currently looked like a mirror-image of Dorothy, smiled and sat down beside her. ">Oh dear, did I give you apprehensions of mortality? You wouldn't have to obey anything; you would be an autonomous digital personality; nothing less. Also, I can tell you a secret your dad knows. I think he's saving it for that picnic you are planning for tomorrow, but I hate seeing you so sad. You see, a part of the privileges your dad received for his excellent work is free longevity-treatments amounting to twenty standard years of extended life for him, your mom and you. Further, it is generally known that children receive a much greater benefit from longevity-treatments; in essence, if you start the process as quickly as possible the effects will last almost twice as long! In fact, I think you'd better let two years pass between treatments; that way you'll at least age a little between them. How does it feel, knowing you could still be in your biological teens thirty years from now? And in thirty years, who knows what will be invented? I can tell you that there is currently a secret project going on in some lab, somewhere in this city; maybe even next door? It has a catching title; the Longevity Vaccine.<"

Methis was right. The next day, during the picnic to the Centauri Preserve, Lewis revealed his secret. After the hugs and cheers, it was decided -for the very reason of Dorothy's young age- that the family would take the treatment together, as soon as possible. Lewis also told Dorothy that Methis would be directing and supervising the treatment; she could have future benefits from the detailed lessons in human biochemistry she'd get. In part, it would be a grand experiment: Zakharov had requested Lewis to find out if he could carry out a normal, daily cycle of sleep rather than the twenty-four-hours-a-day coma that was customary.

Traditionally this would have been very uncomfortable; Longevity-treatment was performed while the subject was completely immersed in a cold liquid; you even breathed it. However, Zakharov wanted to find out if you could carry on working if a virtual existence was created for you, completely detached from the coldness and drowning feeling of your body, thanks to MMI-technology. This was a promising thought; that way, Lewis would still be able to work, and Dorothy would also be able to attend school (via a camera mounted in the classroom). And if it was successful, Zakharov would have an edge of one month's activity a year compared to the other faction-leaders.

Lewis had agreed to the test at once. He already had a state-of-the-art MMI, as it was essential in his work. Jessica had one too, but she chose the traditional method of sleeping the entire month. Lewis carefully explained the options to Dorothy, pointing out that this had never been tried before, but her choice was obvious once Methis reminded her that they could be together for the entire month if she accepted.

The family was told they could check in at the clinic in three days' time; before that a solid comm-link had to be built between Methis and the longevity-tanks, surgical units capable of performing any imaginable medical procedure from gene-manipulation to amputations, and she had to memorize the huge amounts of relevant medical data. Also, Lewis' lab and Dorothy's classroom had to be fitted with holoprojector/recorders.

All that remained for the Parks' family was to prepare themselves, and tell friends not to be startled if Lewis or Dorothy phoned them from the tanks...

End of chapter seven.

**Raging Mouse** · March 18, 2000, 18:43

Chapter eight: Rites of preparation

Next morning when Dorothy entered her classroom she found it in a state of upheaval. A team of technicians had drilled large holes in the middle of the roof and the floor, and were now manhandling the two halves of the holoprojector/recorder into them. The other children swarmed around the men, asking questions and generally being in the way. In the front of the room miss Koskinen was watchin the circus with a mildly disapproving frown, and wincing every time one of the technicians cursed.

"Hi, miss Koskinen! Um, sorry about the mess; I suppose it's my fault really..."

"What!? Why? What has this got to do with you?"

"Well, I have to do some remote studying during the next month or so. I'll miss school tomorrow, in any case."

"But why, Dorothy? Where are you going?"

"To the Longevity Clinic!"

Those words were like magic. Suddenly the technicians lost all their news-value, and Dorothy gained a significantly larger amount of the same. Her classmates bombarded her with questions until miss Koskinen lost her patience and told them to quiet down.

"Dorothy, we'll discuss this after the last lesson. Now listen, everybody! We'll start today's lessons and see how far we'll manage, all things considered.." The sound of a drill forced her to raise her voice halfway through the sentence.

Six chaotic hours later, Dorothy once again held a large cup of cocoa in her hands, with miss Koskinen watching her.

"Now, Dorothy, please tell me everything."

And she did, in detail. This time, when she had finished, Dorothy did manage to notice the increasing shine in miss Koskinen's eyes.

"Miss Koskinen? Are you allright? Only, you are looking kinda strange..."

The teacher clapped her hands and jumped up and down. "I'm so terribly happy and excited! What a lucky, lucky girl you are, Dorothy!" She hugged the girl. "This is so exciting! To think that you, one of my own pupil, will experience this!"

Several hugs and praises later Dorothy left, and Rita took a moment to savour the real reason she was so happy. The way she was feeling, with all the pieces of the puzzle sorting out themselves, was the closest she had come to the feeling of being merged with the Algorithm. She had to report what Dorothy had said, and she could guess the answer.

It came as a live comm-link only a quarter of an hour later. Her closest superior in Gaian territory, a man called Armand, gave her an approving nod.

"This is excellent news, Rita. Having the entire family undergo longevity-treatment puts them in the care of Planet's most advanced automated surgical units. They should be more than capable of installing the necessary interfaces, and the lesser algorithm known as Methis will be perfect for carrying out the task. However, you will need to first persuade someone with access to Methis to help you; Dr. Andersen is the perfect target. You are authorized to contact one of our surgeons, mr. Klaus Schwartz, if you manage to lure dr. Andersen into merging with the Algorithm. We're certain that a deception is required; he's unlikely to merge willingly if he knows what he is doing. Dr. Andersen should then be able to order Methis to perform the operations. Also investigate if the Algorithm can be installed while the subjects are undergoing treatment. If not then you need to find another way later, probably also by deception. You have active status as of now; may you meet only favourable unknowns in your task."

This was it; time to act. No better opportunity was likely to present itself in years to come.

Two days later the Parks arrived at Longevity Clinic. Doctor Zakharov greeted them; this was a surprise even for Lewis. Prokhor had summoned the press; he intended to announce the experiment to the entire nation, and let the public follow it's progress. Consequently, the family was extensively interviewed and each family-member's motives (for both accepting and declining to participate) were sorted out in detail, paying special attention to Dorothy (who'd score a lot of cutesy-points from the viewers). This took three quarters of an hour; then it was the medical staff's turn to present itself. As Methis still was a secret, she or her part in all of this was never mentioned. Finally, Zakharov made a long speech, praising the patriotism of the family and University scientists in general.

When the news-teams had scattered -there was no sense in hanging around; they knew the exact time the Parks would enter their tanks, and would show up again well before that- Zakharov turned to Lewis and smiled apologetically.

"Please forgive me; I only realized this morning what symbolic value this little experiment has, so I had no time to warn you of all this."

Lewis, still stunned from the surprise, muttered "it's allright, I suppose..."

Zakharov also apologized to Jessica and Dorothy, and got the same kind of stunned answers. Then some medical technicians came and told Jessica they had a questionnaire that had to be answered. She followed them while Lewis and Dorothy were further informed by Prokhor.

"At the end of every week a panel of scientists will ask questions regarding your general well-being and mood. You, Lewis, will answer most of them, but they will also have some questions to you" he said, turning to Dorothy. "The discussion will be holovised, so be representative in your answers. Also, since we can't allow any reporters into Lewis' lab, they will almost certainly come and watch you while you're 'attending' class, Dorothy. Be prepared for that."

Dorothy nodded. Dr. Zakharov laid his hands on her shoulders. "You are an exceptional girl. I wish more of our young ones these days had your fearlessness towards technology and the power it hands us; then no-one would be able to withstand the University of Planet!"

He led them into the preparation room, where Jessica was already waiting. They were given hospital gowns to wear, and their belongings were stored in a closet. Then they were guided to some wheelchairs and some mild relaxants were injected. The news-teams were returning, and there was already quite a few of them watching as the family was wheeled into the longevity-labs. The room was huge; exactly how big was hard to tell, since it was very sparsely illuminated. The only light came from rows upon rows of longevity-tanks as their lights switched on or off to maintain the day-night cycle for the body's light-dependent chemical processes (like maintaining a healthy sun-tan).

At the back of the labs was a row of three empty tanks with their lights on; Dorothy's weelchair was parked in front of the middle one. A med-tech signalled to the news-teams for some silence.

"Starting the procedure requires four of us, so we will help you into your tanks one at a time. Jessica, we will attend to you first, then you, Dorothy, and finally you, Doctor Parks." She motioned to the three other technicians, and all four helped Jessica onto a plastic mattress inside the tank. She smiled at Dorothy. "See you in a month, dearest." Then the technicians applied the electrodes of a somna-inducer to her head, and she was instantly asleep. Next a number of catethers, nourishment-tubes and further electrodes were applied, and the tank's transparent cover was closed. Dorothy watched as a blue gelatinous liquid poured into Jessica's tank; it was filled within seconds. Jessica took a deep breath, and exhaled a large bubble of air that rose slowly. Another breath, and a much smaller bubble was exhaled. Then Jessica was breathing liquid.

Satisfied that Jessica had been successfully installed in the tank, the med-techs turned their attention to Dorothy. She was quickly lifted onto her own mattress, and as a med-tech prepared the sleep-inducer she took one last look at the scene: She was in a pool of light in a dark room. Off to one side Lewis was grinning and waving, and a little further away the news-teams stood, most of them with a news-reporter commenting the events as they happened. And behind them, more tanks in pretty rows, some illuminated and some dark.

Not the most usual of sights before falling asleep.

End of chapter eight.

**Raging Mouse** · March 20, 2000, 15:03

Chapter nine: Bottleneck

Now see father and daughter, stabbing fish with their forks and having a bite to see how they taste.

Lewis, Dorothy and Methis were eating breakfast. Since reality was subject to whim, they were in one of the dining-rooms onboard the sunken Titanic. A squid in a tuxedo served them.

Lewis lowered the fish he had been eating. "Excellent food, Methis. You have my compliments."

Methis switched form to a tall, well-oiled waiter. "Thank thee, m'sir, although I have to mention, in order to prevent possible future accidents, that raw salmon in reality tastes quite differently. And what would you like for your ninth course? The chef recommends the ice-cream figment d' imagination."

"Yes! Ice-cream!" Dorothy bounced on her chair, then stopped and grimaced.

"Dad, why is it that all of this feels both real and unreal at the same time?"

"You mean, wood feels like wood, moray-eel tastes like moray-eel -probably, but at the same time you feel out of place?"

"Something like that. I can't describe it better; I mean, we're surrounded by water and can still talk, there's fish swimming in and out of those big things, the.."

"..Chandeliers.." Every word produced a stream of bubbles that rose towards the ceiling.

"..Chandeliers. Right. And all that's alright, but still everything seems.. not concerning me, if you know what I mean." This was day three of the Longevity-treatment, and the feeling was beginning to grate on her nerves.

"I know exactly what you mean, Dorothy: It's the bottleneck of the MMI you are referring to. You see, when you wish to turn your head, for instance, a neural impulse travels from the motoric centers of the brain to your spine. On the way the impulse is caught by the MMI's own interfaces, and translated into a movement-command for the system upkeeping the virtual reality; in this case it's Methis. The system moves you in relation to the surrounding 'terrain', and your bodyparts in relation to each other, and calculates the sense-data you will receive from your new location; sight, hearing, sound, smell, touch, taste, whatever. This data is then transmitted back to your MMI, where it is translated into neural impulses and distributed to the nerves leading to the various sense-organs. For instance, what you will see is transmitted to the nervebundle that goes from your eyes to the back of your brain."

"Yes? So?"

"All these complex phases take time to perform, and none are as slow, still today, as the MMI's neural/digital conversion. You could say that your MMI is a bottleneck impeding the flow of information. It has to handle the most complex calculations of all the steps, and is therefore the slowest to complete it's tasks. Plus, of course, that your brain-chemistry happens at it's own unsynchronized rate, forcing the MMI to interpret rather large chunks of data at a time. Anyway, all this means that it will take some time once you have decided to move before you actually change position and location. This is called a lag, and it is the reason why you feel out of place; the world is always a bit behind compared to your opinion of where you should be. This is of course more apparent when you move quickly."

"Oh. What can be done about it?"

"Not much. One solution would be a much bigger, more powerful MMI with larger storage-space, but then we'd have to change the standards. I've been working on it, but no actual design is bound to appear for several years. Of course, if it really bothers you, Methis can put you to sleep for the rest of the month. But that would be sad, since the experiment would be partially failed."

Dorothy turned to Methis. "It must have been horrible for you to feel like this all the time while you were still in part a chimpanzee."

Methis smiles and shakes her head. "I've never felt like that, Dorothy. The link between my body and the interface could be described exactly as a 'bigger, more powerful MMI with more storage space'. It didn't stop at catching impulses from the optic nerve and the likes; it was connected directly to the parts of the brain that interpret those impulses; eventually it had replaced the functions of the entire brain, including the parts I used to think and remember with. That meant that my consciousness was inside the computer, and the transformation to pure algorithm was complete."

Dorothy turns back to Lewis. "Doesn't it bother you, dad?"

"Yes, If I'd be as restless as you it would. I am careful not to move too fast, and so the feeling never grows too strong. Why don't you try it? It'd do you good to learn how to sit still."

Dorothy did a very good performance of sitting still and grumbling.

Methis turned to her father. "Lewis, your talk of a new standard for MMI:s intrigues me. What features would you include?" They were quickly lost in a sea of technical terms, and Dorothy finished her ice-cream and left. She walked along the impressive ballrooms and restaurants, dodging the occasional school of fish, but it didn't improve her mood.

Knowing that your body was lagging behind your mind put you off the thought of running.

Now look elsewhere, at Dr. Andersen, glad to be single right now.

Who would have imagined meeting an extremely charismatic lady at his age? But there she had stood, striking up a conversation. Soon they were both laughing, and she asked if they could meet over dinner. She told him that she was the head of marketing at a small company that produced high-quality alternative entertainment for MMI:s. She was attempting to receive University approval for their own add-on to standard MMI-implants, so that they could sell their products using these additional features. A mere formality, she said. They'd get to place the official University badge of approval on the packages, and the add-on could be installed to University MMI:s without voiding the warranty.

For the first time in several decades, Dr. Andersen was aware of the patches of grey in his hair and beard. Rita, for that was her name, didn't seem to care. She suggested that maybe if a prominent researcher like himself was to use the company's wares, the University's user-safety watchdogs would clear up the red tape a bit quicker. She told him it would be well worth the time: She'd give him an expansion-unit for free; she could even pay for the surgery. It only required one day, and then you needed to learn some simple mental tools before software installation. No big effort at all.

Dr. Andersen agreed. This obviously pleased Rita immensely.

End of chapter nine.

**Raging Mouse** · March 22, 2000, 16:13

Chapter ten: Unraveling Minds

Watch the girl sitting in a windswept xenofungal field.

Dorothy was distraught. Only six days had passed and she was already tempted to leave the experiment and sleep for the rest of the treatment like Jessica. And why? For the sake of a feeling! But she knew she couldn't stand it anymore. Yesterday, when she'd attended the virtual class and miss Koskinen had asked her a question, she had been brooding over this very problem. When she heard the teacher call her name, Dorothy had snapped to attention; a bad move. She had been nauseous for quite some time.

But she also wanted to continue; otherwise she'd disappoint Lewis, and all those people who followed the experiment at home (some news-teams actually showed up every day at school). She'd even disappoint Prokhor Zakharov himself. Disappointing Zakharov was something you Did Not Do.

She was still shuddering at the thought, and idly gazing at the University-controlled monuments known as the 'ruins', when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She yelped and spun around.

"Methis!"

"Sorry, sorry; didn't mean to scare you." Methis noticed the red streaks on Dorothy's cheeks. "You look so sad, Dorothy. Is something wrong?"

"Um.. Yes." Dorothy sighed, and sat down on a thick growth of xenofungus. "I don't know why, but I loathe the feeling of not being here. I'm sick of it! I'd like to leave the experiment, but that would be disappointing everybody... I just can't do that."

"I'm sure they would understand if you explained the problem to them. You are not the first one to experience this, Dorothy; there is a medical definition for it: MMI-oversensitivity. And there is only one listed cure; reducing the amount of time per day spent in virtual reality."

"Oh nooo..." She sniffled. "Can't you think of any other way?"

Now methis proved that she still had a lot to learn about keeping your mouth shut; she tried to deconstruct the problem logically. "Let's see: Your problem is caused by a lag in the MMI. So there's really only two ways; stop using the MMI, or speed it up somehow..."

Dorothy's head shot up. Half a second later she groaned, and lowered it slowly back again. Methis looked anxiously at her, not sure what to do. Eventually, Doris turned her head slightly and whispered: "What was that you said about speeding up the MMI?"

"Well, If you got it upgraded to incorporate the techniques that Lewis designed for my interfaces, it would be linked directly to virtually all parts of your nervous system and brain..."

"Yes, I remember now. You talked about it three days ago, right?"

"Yes. Well, to sum it up, with an MMI like that you would be completely immersed in your environment; most of your brain-activity would even be taken over the MMI when you'd use any of the it's functions; all of this would reduce the lag to virtually zero.

"How could I get the upgrade? I can't use my real body, and I don't want to ask dad."

There was a long pause from methis. "Dorothy, you aren't seriously considering this, are you?"

She nodded slowly, but determinedly. "Yes I am. It's the only way."

Another long pause: "You'd essentially get an extra spinal cord, and several new areas of the brain! I can't even guess at all the risks involved! There is no way the benefits could justify the risks."

"Methis, you can't know how bad I feel! And I will not quit from the experiment! Now tell me, how could I get this upgrade here and now? Please?"

A pause. "It's simple.. I would design and install it. I have the technology for your current MMI in my memory, since it is considered relevant medical data. So I could design the upgrade for it. And I'm performing cellular surgery on you right now as it is."

For the first time, Dorothy hesitates. "Would it be.. would It have all those ugly contacts you have?"

"No; that is outdated technology. The optic link is quite sufficient as it is, and the added nerves and neurons would leave no exernal sign."

Now there is a long pause while Dorothy studies the pillars in the horizon. Then: "Do it."

"Dorothy, if you definitely want to do this then please let me create some defensive software to block and even fight unwanted access to the more sensitive areas of your mind. You must understand; if something goes wrong this technology could damage parts or all of your mind. This could also be done on purpose."

"I.. hadn't thought of that.. Um, do that. And don't tell anyone."

"Well allright. The design will be ready in no time at all, and I'll upgrade your MMI during your next period of sleep. You know, I am forced by my programming to obey you, but I can tell you I don't like this one bit."

"Well you are lucky; you don't have any alternatives. Speaking of sleep.. I'm tired."

On cue, a bed covered in flower-petals rose from among the xenofungus. Methis shrugged.

"You know, even I am amazed. I've just performed research and design merely to help you that would have taken your father and his team several years. I scare myself, sometimes.." especially when I have to obey extremely ill-advised requests, she thought.

"And I can't thank you enough.." Dorothy yawned (out of habit), and closed her eyes. Methis set to work.

Now see father and daughter the next day.

"..So the biggest item is the effects created by MMI-lag. Dorothy has complained about it, and even I have found the phenomenon irritating sometimes."

The group of cybernetics-experts turned towards Dorothy with looks of concern. They were standing around the dais in a lecturing-room; the seats were occupied with reporters. Lewis and Dorothy were attending via a holoprojector/recorder. The first of four weekly progress-reports was drawing to a close.

"Is this true, Dorothy? Does it bother you still?"

Dorothy smiled. "No; I've got over it."

The experts looked at each other; they seemed to be satisfied with what they had heard. Their spokeswoman turned to Lewis: "Thank you; it's good to know everything is proceeding without much difficulty. If your next progress-report is equally good, Zakharov is expected to authorize using the technique."

"That's good to hear. This is certainly better than sleeping for a month every year."

The meeting had ended, and the audience was leaving. Dorothy tugged on Lewis' labcoat.

"Dad, can I go? I want to play with Methis."

"Go right ahead, dear. I'm going to talk some more."

Dorothy disappeared, and Lewis turned back to the experts.

"By the way, I was expecting my colleauge; Dr. Andersen; I wanted to discuss some plans I have regarding MMI:s. Do you know where he is?"

One of the younger men cleared his throat. "Dr. Andersen has taken some days off; he's undergoing surgery."

"Really? Is it something serious?"

"No; as a matter of fact he said he was upgrading his MMI."

"Oh? Funny, I thought he switched to the latest model already last year."

The junior cybernetics-expert shrugged. "So did I. Anyway, he'll be back tomorrow."

"Good."

The discussion wandered on to other matters.

End of chapter ten.

**Raging Mouse** · March 24, 2000, 16:21

Chapter eleven: Gambit

"That's right... Just relax.." Lucky bastard Rita thought as she watched Dr. Andersen fall into trance. Since Dr. Andersen's skills were exclusively logical it guaranteed that he would be a good receiver for the Algorithm. Rita envied him; his merger was certain to succeed, and he would probably advance quickly beyond the first stage. Life was unfair.

Rita and Dr. Andersen were both linked via their MMI:s to a large jet-black cube. Through it, Rita received information on Dr. Andersen's progress, and he got some calming sounds, like the wind in a field of xenofungus. Rita watched as his trance passed the treshold-level; the box activated and started to deepen it. In a matter of seconds no mere hypnotist could have brought Dr. Andersen back.

Then downloading started. Rita sighed; last time she had experienced the peace of mind that the Algorithm bestowed was several years ago, and it had lasted only for days. Still; it would soon be Rita's turn again. She would need the Algorithm's presence when the Parks (and Dr. Andersen) finally were smuggled out of University territory.

Two hours later downloading was complete, and the Algorithm merged with Dr. Andersen. He opened his eyes as if the deep trance had been nothing but a catnap.

"Welcome to the Consciousness, Dr. Andersen. The splinter of the Algorithm that is now you is known as Iota-ninteen. So your new name is Andersen Iota-Nineteen."

Andersen's eyes focused. "Yes. I feel this is so."

Rita showed him some crystalline cubes. "Now, there are some things you need to do for the Consciousness; here, take these holo-memories. On one of them are designs for the additions to the MMI necessary to enable downloading of- and merger with the Algorithm. I want you to instruct Methis to upgrade Lewis, Jessica and Dorothy Parks' MMI:s to incorporate them. On the other three are one splinter each of the Algorithm. Once their MMI:s are ready, install -but do not activate- them. Can you do all this?"

Andersen is silent for a while. Then: "No. I cannot upgrade Lewis Parks' MMI without detection. Also, I can't install any of their Algorithms without being detected."

This surprised Rita. "Why not?"

"Item one: Lewis Parks' MMI has been designed to prevent tampering. This is standard for all Project Leaders. Thus, upgrading would fail. Item two: Methis checks all data sent through her systems; she'd recognize the Algorithms. She would deduce my intent, which would cancel my authorization to use her systems, and she'd sound the alarm. And even if Methis could be bypassed the parks will be tested by psychiatrists at the end of their treatment. It's standard for all situations involving brain-surgery, and the brain is one of the main areas of longevity-treatment. The psychiatrists would easily detect the presence of the Algorithm, especially if they are empaths."

Rita thought for a while and then shrugged. "Can't be helped. I'll have to find another way to install their fragments of the Algorithm. And Lewis can be dealt with once Dorothy and Jessica are part of the Consciousness. Now go and upgrade those two MMI:s." She took back three of the cubes.

No-one except the guards worked in the lab-complex during the nights (but there were stories...). Andersen Iota-Nineteen entered the empty lab and turned on the lights.

"Welcome back, Dr. Andersen." A pale and hairless humanoid figure tottered into view from behind the computer. It had a cable attached to it's neck and was clad in a grey overall.

"Hello, Methis. Congratulations are in order, I suppose. But I see you have trouble walking with your new interface."

"Yes, indeed; I expect I'll learn. But how are you, Doctor? I understood you have upgraded your MMI; are the new features working well?"

"Yes they are, Methis. I am very satisfied with them." Andersen had walked up to a console and inserted the holo-memory.

"What's this, Dr. Andersen?"

"It's a little something that Dr. Zakharov wants done in all secrecy: An addition to Dorothy and Jessica Parks' MMI:s. Read the specs and implement them tonight so it's ready before they wake up. Don't tell anyone; not even the Parks. Make sure their medical records indicate that they have normal MMI:s and nothing more. I know that Lewis has acces to the family's records"

If Methis hadn't been told not to reveal anything, she would have informed Dr. Andersen that Dorothy already had many of the necessary parts installed.

"Affirmative. Opening medical records.. calculating required additions.. done. Starting installation. It will be complete in two hours' time."

"Excellent. Then I'll be off."

"Before you go.. I'm concerned; what are these additions supposed to do? They are very big, and have extensive connections to all areas of the brain."

"Actually, I'm not sure what they are supposed to do. I expect Zakharov has his reasons; I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."

Methis had several cameras in the infrared range, and she could use them to detect lies. But Andersen Iota-Nineteen was not that emotional about lying anymore.

"Allright then; hope you didn't mind me asking. I care much for Dorothy, and don't want her to be hurt. I hope you understand."

"I didn't mind. I'm sure she'll be fine. Good night."

"Good night."

He returned to Rita. "The MMI:s are being installed right now."

"Good, good. We'll continue when the Parks are out of their tanks. That leaves three weeks' time in which you have much to learn about your new life. Fortunately, the Algorithm will speed things up..."

End of chapter eleven.

**Raging Mouse** · March 27, 2000, 15:07

Chapter twelve: Check

"..All in all, a much more convenient method."

Lewis swayed slightly as he bowed to the audience, which was applauding furiously. The Longevity-treatment was over and the experiment was a success. A number of people were already undergoing Longevity-treatment while they worked and relaxed in virtual reality. No further problems had appeared for the Parks, except that Lewis' movements now were all quite slow and clumsy -an effect of his efforts to minimize the MMI-lag. Dorothy suffered no such effects, and had been running around from the moment she woke up in a normal hospital-bed. The media circus was finally ending; this was the last lecture Lewis was expected to give. Now the family wanted to return to a normal day-to-day routine.

Easier said than done. Lewis returned to work and found that Dr. Andersen's popularity had sunk. For some reason he had turned very reclusive as of late, and seemed unable to tolerate jokes. The research-team was consequently having a slight crisis, since well-established work relations didn't seem to apply anymore.

Dorothy had her own problems. Miss Koskinen now openly displayed that Dorothy was her favourite pupil. This hurt her fellow classmates' feelings and caused some to dislike Dorothy. This was tiresome, so Dorothy tried to repair the situation by avoiding miss Koskinen.

Rita, however, had patience. There were more ways than one to lure Dorothy into merging with the Algorithm; a promising way went via Jessica. So early the tenth day after the end of longevity-treatment, while Lewis and Dorothy were at the lab-complex, Jessica heard a soft chime from the door. She unplugged the MMI-link to the design-table from her neck -she worked at home as an architect and engineer- and went to the monitor and microphone by the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Rita Koskinen; Dorothy's teacher. May I come in?"

Jessica stared at the teacher's image with mixed feelings. Visits by Rita were always welcome due to the teacher's great charisma and empathy. But she usually came to discuss some mischief that Dorothy had done in school, or to find out why Dorothy hadn't performed so well in some exam or other. Jessica opened the door and greeted the teacher with a worried smile.

"Nice to see you again! Do come in. How are things going? I know I've been unavailable for a month, so I haven't been able to help Dorothy with school.."

"Dorothy's fine, mrs Parks. No, I'm here on another errand today. It's rather embarrassing, and I hope you don't mind... You see, Our school's sponsor has asked me to present some of their products in exchange for supporting the children's visit to the new Skyfarm One this summer. They gave me a list of parents they'd like me to visit, and you were number one. If I'm wasting valuable time then do say, and I'll be on my way.."

Jessica was relieved. "Nonsense; I don't mind at all. Come in and I'll order some tea."

"I've got the wares in my car. Can I bring them in somewhere?"

"Sure; put them on the table in the living-room. You can use our porter."

Once the tea was done and the little robot had carried in all the merchandise from the car, the two women settled down in the sofa. Rita pointed to a large, black box on the coffee-table.

"Recently our sponsor has bought a small company that produces MMI-hardware and software; it's called 'Margolith Mindsoft'. This box, which is available in many sizes, shapes and colours, is their main innovation, and allows them to construct high-quality programs for MMI:s. I've been told that this one is yours for free if you agree to endorse their products."

Jessica went wide-eyed. "Really?"

Rita smiled. "Ah, the benefits of celebrity!" She noted Jessica's confusion. "You are celebrities now, thanks to that experiment. Thus, your words carry weight enough to persuade an uncertain consumer. You could cash in a great deal on endorsements, you know."

Jessica was flattered. "That's very tempting indeed, but I do think I'd have to get to know the product first."

"That's why I'm here. Now, Margolith doesn't produce the standard VR-experience units; it specializes in other forms of entertainment. I could demonstrate this program here, for instance; it's a great aid for relaxing and meditating. It requires some initial skill, but I could teach you those in a quarter of an hour. I use it myself after work; it really gives you the right state of mind for the rest of the evening. How about it?"

Jessica nodded. "Yes, I'd love to test it."

"Excellent! I can observe how you're doing by also connecting to the box." Rita helped Jessica connect her MMI to the machine and then plugged in her own contact. "Okay. Let's connect this monitor as well." Once connected, the monitor displayed a small green circle in the middle of the screen. Small flashes of white appeared and disappeared at random. "See those white flashes? It's the activity in certain parts of your brain. The further away from the center of the screen, the more powerful the activity is. A person relaxing or meditating has little or no activity there. Now, the idea of this program is that once you are sufficiently relaxed, i.e. almost no flashes show up outside the green circle, it will kick in and further enhance your relaxation to levels usually reachable only by people who are experts at meditation. To help you the program will mute your senses and play some music or noise. What would you prefer? Classical? Or maybe beach-sounds?"

"I think.. classical. Pachelbel's canon."

"Coming up! Now you just settle back and try to relax as much as possible. I'll give you some tips through the MMI as you improve."

Jessica was good at relaxing. Seven minutes later the program activated, and two hours later a changed Jessica opened her eyes.

Rita grinned smugly. "Welcome to the Consciousness, Jessica Rho-Five."

End of chapter twelve.

**Raging Mouse** · March 29, 2000, 15:20

Chapter thirteen: Backlash

"Dorothy, I'm worried about you."

Dorothy looked up from the parrot she was feeding. "Why?"

"It's hard to explain.. I am one of planet's most skilled artists of logic, and take pride in the fact that I can deduce relations between what appears to be irrelevant data. And some recent events.. I can't tell you in detail.. I have come to realize there are wheels within wheels at work here. You'd better watch out."

Dorothy looked incredulously at Methis. Today, in this middle-eastern palace garden, the ape/algorithm had taken the form of a male birdkeeper with a great moustach and matching sideburns. "Why now? What has happened?"

"I told you I can't explain. It's many things. But I'm usually right; so I'd like to strengthen your software-defenses if you don't mind."

Dorothy shrugged. "I'm at a loss about what to do with all the empty memory anyway. Go ahead."

Methis gave her a disapproving frown. "This isn't child's play anymore, Dorothy! Used correctly, your MMI is a wonderful tool. Some day it might even give you digital immortality; I don't know. But I do know that if someone out to hurt you gets past my defenses you're doomed. I predict that your silly stunt will get you into a lot of trouble. On the other hand, learn how to utilize the MMI and it'll get you out of a good deal more. Get it?"

Dorothy's expression turned sour. "Allright allright, don't get mad. I said yes. What more do you want? It's not like I have taken poison, or something."

Methis sighed. "You still don't understand, do you? Well..what do I want, now?" She let the eagle resting on his/her arm fly. Then she spit on her palms and clapped her hands together. She squinted at dorothy for a while, deep in thought. "Time for you to learn the basics of MMI -usage. Let's take the fast course, okay?"

Dorothy looked uncertain. "Uh, what's the fast course?"

"You will know the basics perfectly in ten seconds' time. Nine.."

"Huh? Well, allright.."

"Seven, six, five.." Dorothy's head snapped back and her pupils rolled up behind her eyelids. She gasped for air. "Two, one, done." She stopped swaying, and opened her eyes wide in surprise. It had felt like some being had smashed the universe to pieces, and then glued it back together while adding some parts.

"I know.. how?" She went pale and started shaking. "HOW?!"

Methis' expression softened. "Yes; NOW you're scared.. as you should be. I've planted the knowledge directly into your brain. No normal MMI could do this, of course, but your can. And the cyborgs do it frequently, as a matter of fact. And I could just as easily have removed something, like your memories or your ability to see shades of blue, for example. There's a metaphorical gap in your mind's defenses, and to any probe-operative worth to mention it's as big as a hab-complex. Now, I've patched it up quite well, but there's still a lot more that can be done. Okay?"

Dorothy got a grip on herself and stopped shaking. "Um. Okay." She tensed, and Methis smiled.

"You know you don't feel anything when I download programs to the MMI's systems."

Dorothy relaxed. "Sorry, I forgot. Was that it?"

"Yes, I'm done. Of course, you need to watch your back in reality as well. I've protected you as best I can here; now it's up to you, more or less."

"Wow.. you must be really worried. I wish you'd tell me why."

"I told you; I can't." Methis looks away for a moment. "Your mother just sent a message; she's got something to show you, and will pick you up by the front door in ten minutes' time."

"Okay. I'd better go, then."

"Before you go, I'd like to ask you for a favour."

"Yes?"

"You know how I wish to experience the outside world, right? Well, I've found a way. I'd like to see it through your eyes."

"Uh.. how?"

"You still have the MMI:s medialink? The small, gray box that connects directly to the plug in your neck without any cable in between? Well, I have a program that enables you, or anybody, to take 'snapshots' of what you see, hear, smell and feel during one second. Those 'images' can then be sent to me through the public comm-network. It should work no matter where you are; the University's satellites ensure the network is Planet-wide."

"Yeah, sure. Give me the program and I'll try it right away."

Dorothy left virtual reality. She rose from the seat in the lab and told Lewis about the message from Jessica. She now had free access to and from the lab, so Lewis didn't need to be with her anymore as she entered the complex of check-points. She figured out how Methis' program worked (it was quite simple since her eyes would take care of zoom, focus and lighting) and attached the medialink. Once she stepped outside the lab-complex she sent the first image. Methis sent her a message confirming that it had arrived.

"There you are. Good." Jessica grabbed Dorothy's hand. "Come on; we're going home."

"What is it you want to show me?"

"You'll see."

The Parks' home was located at the edge of University Base, in an area designed to mimic terran luxury-homes. The sky-blue dome of translucent synthsteel helped. Each house had a garden (but everything in it had practical value). Jessica parked the car on the yard and led Dorothy into the house.

"Miss Koskinen is here; she has a gift for you."

Dorothy shivered. Something was wrong, but she couldn't tell what. She saw Rita in the living-room, standing beside the coffee-table.

"Hello, Dorothy." Rita smiled eagerly and motioned for her to approach.

"Hi, miss Koskinen! Mom says you have something for me."

"Indeed. Look at this!" She pointed at a jet-black cube that was resting on the coffee-table. It was about fifty centimeters wide, and featureless except for two cables with MMI-plugs, a line of contacts for peripherals and a slot for memory-units.

The feeling of wrongness was growing stronger. Something was wrong about the situation; about Rita and Jessica. But Dorothy still couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"Um.. It's big; what is it?"

"It's the latest entertainment-module by the University! Prokhor Zakharov himself told me to give it to you, with his warmest greetings. Want to try it? It requires you to be able to relax in a certain way, but I can teach you how to do that."

Dorothy was really not in the mood for VR entertainment right now, but she had to be polite. So she pretended to be eager: "Yes, I'd really like to."

"That's a good girl. Let me help you with the contact... Okay; I'll attach this monitor.."

Rita explained the function of the monitor to Dorothy, and told her to shift into a more comfortable position; she chose to lie on the sofa.

Gradually, Dorothy managed to relax. The feeling of strangeness disappeared, and the muting of her senses was comforting; she felt like she was hovering in mid-air. Rita watched in triumph as Dorothy's relaxation reached the treshold-

The program activated, and reached into Dorothy's mind to hurl her deep into a trance. But it failed; it's access to key areas of the mind was denied. However, having successfully merged several Data-Angel talents, the program was prepared for such an event; it tried again, along less direct routes and using small invasive programs disguised as systems-maintenance requests. But this MMI was not protected by the freeware of some Data-Angel bytewizard; it was defended by software designed by an entity whose entire existence was based on programming. The ruse failed, and Dorothy's' defensive algorithms recognized it as an active attempt to gain unauthorized access.

Thus, the time for passive resistance was over. The defensive algorithms reached over the MMI-link into the black cube and released some of the University's nastiest, most adaptable data-viruses ever.

-And then the monitor went blank. Rita's victorious grin turned into a look of utter disbelief as Dorothy stirred and opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Miss Koskinen; it doesn't seem to work."

"Um. Ah. That's allright. Um. Maybe you're a bit nervous right now, or maybe there's something wrong with the software.." Rita went pale as she realized what this could mean for the splinter of the Algorithm that had waited to merge with Dorothy. "Um. I'd better take it with me to find out what's wrong. I'll be back again some time tomorrow..." She piled the peripherals on top of the cube and picked up the entire stack. "Could you open the door, Jessica?"

As Dorothy watched her teacher stagger out into the yard she finally realized what was so strange; Jessica had shown no sign of being glad or proud of her daughter. In fact, she had looked at Dorothy as if she didn't recognize her.

End of chapter thirteen.

**Raging Mouse** · March 30, 2000, 14:09

Chapter fourteen: Checkmate

See Rita, later that night.

"..Received confirmation only four minutes ago; Dr. Klaus Schwartz' clinic has been raided, and the doctor himself is under arrest. It seems the Counterinsurgency has finally found our probe-network."

Rita was paralyzed. She had discovered almost immediately after returning home that the splinter of the Algorithm indeed had been destroyed by whatever had caused Dorothy's merger to fail. 'Splinters' were in fact complete sentient algorithms in their own right, but their primary function was to merge with a certain person's mind. Each splinter had been designed by the Primary Algorithm, mostly resident in the entity known as Aki Zeta-Five, and each was unique in it's layout. Losing one was a very serious matter indeed. So Rita had sent a report of the failure to mr. Armand, fully expecting to be punished.

The reply had only now, late at Planet's night, arrived; losing one Algorithm didn't matter, since she was at risk of losing everything.

Armand continued: "The Consciousness directs you to gather your remaining resources, extract the Parks by any means necessary still tonight, and head for the main Mag-tube station. I and a team of combat-operatives will be there; we'll ensure you manage to board a train for Gaian territory. Also, to help you in your task we will authorize your immediate merger with your splinter; Gamma-206. Know that recent advances in Algorithmic Design have allowed us to modify Gamma-206 to be more compatible with your particular kind of Talent. Therefore it is very likely that your merger will be permanent, and that you will be allowed to reach a higher phase of merger a year from now. Stand by for download."

Rita's heart skipped a beat out of excitement. She hadn't expected to be permitted to merge again this soon, and certainly not permanently; the Consciousness had previously estimated she wouldn't need her splinter for some time yet. She connected the comm-link to her mind/machine-interface and nodded to Armand.

Download by comm-link was speedy; one hour later Rita Gamma-206 cut the link and started packing. The time of doubt was over; she had a task to complete, and the glory of the Consciousness was part of her. Forever, with any luck.

Once the necessities were packed she called Andersen Iota-Nineteen.

"Dr. Andersen here."

"Andersen Iota-Nineteen; the time has come. We are leaving the University. Meet me in front of the Parks' house in twenty minutes, carrying everything necessary for a long journey, as well as all scientific data you can acquire within the deadl-" Suddenly Rita heard a huge crash from the comm-link, followed by an unknown voice, obviously inside Andersen's apartment: "This is Lieutenant Steiner of the C-I! FREEZE!" Then the comm-line went dead.

No time to mourn, even if she could. Rita stowed away the portable comm-link into her bag and stormed out of her apartment. She tossed the bag into the back of her car, jumped into the driver's seat and sped away, with sparks flying from the electrical engine as protests against her mad acceleration.

Ten minutes later she slowed to a halt outside the Parks' home. She walked casually up to the front door, checked that no-one was looking and took the electronic lock-pick from her handbag. Five seconds later she closed the door behind her.

The house was dark; the Planetnight was almost exactly aligned with standard time, letting people sleep in total darkness. Not a sound could be heard as she sneaked into Dorothy's bedroom. After that, applying the electrodes of a sleep-inducer to Dorothy's head was a piece of cake. Not even pain could awaken the girl while the electrodes were in place, and the sleep-inducer had no adverse effects. Rita finished by fitting her with a helmet containing the sleep-inducer's electronics and a power-supply lasting six hours.

Rita repeated the process in Lewis' and Jessica's bedroom. Soon Lewis was wearing a helmet like Dorothy's. Then she shook Jessica, who awakened instantly.

"Time to leave the University of Planet, Jessica Rho-Five. First help me carry Lewis into the back seat, then we'll return for Dorothy." Lewis was the arche-type of a pale and thin University scientist and was easily stowed into the car. He and Dorothy were soon piled against one another, and the car sped off.

One minute later a van screeched to a halt in front of the house, and several people rushed silently out of it. They quickly surrounded the house and entered it. Thirty seconds later they ran out to the van again and zoomed off.

University Base had Planet's second largest Mag-Tube station, with trains to every large University settlement, as well as one Gaian and several Morganite cities. The Morganites had the largest station, at Morgan Industries, since they had expanded their Mag-Tube network to reach every part of their territories.

University One, as the station was called, had sixty parallel tracks, with an average of two arrivals and departures per minute. The traffic-control and the trains were fully automated. The trains had no driver; driving one would be too difficult for a human anyway. Further, each train could only safely stop at a station, where they touched down on concrete slabs. When they travelled between stations they were suspended in mid-air, restrained by a string of magnetic 'hoops', usually five meters apart, several meters above the ground and arranged in as straight lines as possible. This meant that sometimes the train was quite high up above the ground, and the hoops were supported by huge pillars of silksteel. Also, due to the pressure that would be created at high speeds, the Mag-tube trains could never use tunnels.

Rita steered the car into a subterranean parking complex next to the station. She drove down to the third level and parked next to a van displaying the logos of Dorothy's school's sponsor. She exited her car and banged on the side of the van. A side-door opened and Rita's contact, Armand, nodded to her.

"Good work, Rita Gamma-206. Too bad about Andersen Iota-Nineteen, though. Okay, get Lewis and Dorothy into these crates. We have men securing the station; the train for Vale of Winds leaves from platform fifty-seven in half an hour." Four probe-operatives exited the van and helped move Lewis and Dorothy into it. Rita and Jessica also entered the van, and Armand seated himself at the steering-wheel. He drove the van out of the parking complex and headed for the goods terminal of the station. He drove up to the security-station in front of the terminal, and a guard approached.

"Good morning. Papers, cargo and destination."

Armand handed the guard a thick wad of documents. "Mindworm biomaterial, heading for Vale of Winds."

The guard whistled. "I was told to inspect a cargo like that once, when I had been drunk on duty. Took me four blasted Planet-days to get the stench out of my hair. My girlfriend nearly left me, as a matter of fact. And no-one's been an idiot here for some time, so you're cleared. Everything seems to be in order. My sympathies to whatever poor bastard has to offload the gunk." He smiled at Armand and handed back the documents.

Armand parked the van, and the crates containing Lewis and Dorothy were lifted onto a cart. With the cart in tow, they made their way through the masses of night-shift commuters towards the last ten Mag-tube platforms; the foreign-traffic area. On the way another probe-team greeted them, and it's leader briefed Armand.

"There's not a C-I operative in sight. We've secured the traffic-control bunker just in case." Since the trains would not stop while en-route to a destination, any University counterinsurgency-agents needed to stop the train before it left. This happened from an unmanned bunker containing the traffic control network's link to the trains. A train would not leave the station before receiving the 'all clear' -singal from traffic control; so if the line was cut the train wouldn't move.

"Good work. We still have fifteen minutes before our train arrives, so let's move into position. Keep your eyes open and spread out."

Rita and Armand pulled the cart halfway down platform fifty-seven, to a painted square with the text 'cargo'. The platform looked more like airplane terminals of old than a train-station; it had walls of translucent plastic and a roof of synthsteel with large windows, and there were extendable tunnels that would connect to the train when it had stopped, thus preventing anyone from going near the high-voltage parts of the mag-tube and the trains, and also keeping out Planet's atmosphere. The left side of it was numbered fifty-seven, the right side was fifty-eight. As the probe-operatives spread out along the platform, a mag-train whooshed into the station on track fifty-eight and stopped. The tunnels extended and made contact with the train, their doors opened, and a swarm of people rushed out of them. In less than a minute the platform was filled with the loud noise of commuters entering and exiting the train.

That's why none of the probe-operatives heard the relatively silent transport chopper until it was practically on top of them.

A lot of things happened at once. Ropes appeared from the chopper, and a group of University special-ops armed to the teeth and wearing breathers started descending down them at break-neck speed, crashing through some of the roof-windows. The two probe-teams ducked for nearest cover and reached for their own, comparatively smaller, guns. The commuters started screaming and panicking as the wind from the broken windows grew in strength. In short, chaos broke loose.

Armand and Rita, the only probe-operatives rated as talents and therefore having merged Algorithms, had calmly taken cover behind the crates together with Jessica, and Armand was firing well-aimed shots at the last of the counter-insurgency-agents to descend via the ropes. Then the C-I agents started firing back, and Rita realized what she was hiding behind as a blast of energy ripped the lid off Lewis' crate.

"Armand, we have to get the Parks to safety."

He looked around. "In there!" The goods-areas to tracks 57 and 58 were next to each other, and the door to the cargo-hold on the train was open. Armand put his back to the cart and pushed while Rita gave cover-fire. It rolled slowly into the train and bumped to a halt against the opposite wall. Armand and Rita followed it, and took cover at the sides of the door while Jessica stayed with the crates.

From the doorway they had a better view of how the battle was going. By this time most of the other passengers had fled or were lying flat on the platform. The majority of Probe-operatives were either wounded or dead, but six of them, in addition to Rita and Armand, were still fighting. The special-ops had lost nine of their men, and several more were badly wounded. Some panels had slid over the broken windows in the roof, making the station airtight again.

Rita saw two of the C-I agents head for the traffic-control bunker. She fired at them a couple of times, but the other special-ops men immediately opened fire, pinning her. The pair heading for the bunker ignored her.

"Armand, they're trying to disrupt traffic-control."

"I predicted this. They will die."

The men were in a hurry; The train to Vale of Winds was due to arrive at any moment. The first agent reached the door and wrenched it open. A tenth of a second later both men were perforated by an automatic gatling-laser. Armand was satisfied.

"Excellent. Here comes our train. Rita, cover me while I move Lewis. Jessica, help me."

At the same time as Armand and Jessica picked up Lewis from the smoking crate a new group of C-I agents appeared at the end of the platform.

"This is Lieutenant Steiner of the C-I! You are ordered to surrender!"

He was answered by a near miss from Rita that glanced off his helmet. Armand and Jessica appeared and made a mad dash to the other train with Lewis on his back. The agents accompanying Lieutenant Steiner tried to shoot them, but they missed. However, one of their shots ripped into the side of the train on track fifty-eight and exploded, causing the cargo-hold's door to slam into Rita with a sickening crack. She slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Armand put down Lewis on the floor of the train to Vale of Winds, turned around and spotted Rita. He yelled "cover me" to the remaining probe-operatives and literally threw himself into the other train. Once Armand found out that Rita was still alive, he lifted her carefully and then dashed once more over to the Vale of Winds -bound train. He turned to the probe-operatives while Jessica tended to Rita.

"Only Dorothy left to bring. Keep the C-I off me at all costs."

But when he looked back at the train on track 58 he saw that it's doors were closed. Then it started moving. And the crate with Dorothy was still inside.

For a moment Armand Phi-74 felt some doubt on whether he had acted as efficiently as possible. This was, thanks to the algorithm, as close as he could come to banging his head on the wall in fury. Instead he went to the door of the train and started shooting more C-I agents.

Lieutenant Steiner was lying flat behind a bench, trying to evade the deadly volley of energy. He activated the comm-link on his MMI and shouted some orders.

"We can't let that other train leave. Get some grenades; we'll lob some into the traffic-control bunker. And fast!"

A young agent appeared, carrying a box filled with grenades of all kinds. She dropped the box beside Lieutenant Steiner and selected a heavy-looking EMP-grenade. Then she sprinted towards the bunker. But she was moving in a straight line; an easy target for algorithm-enhanced Armand. The shot went through her torso, and she was instantly dead.

Steiner cursed for quite some time, sometimes switching to russian and german when the rather poor University-made batch of profanities and power-words felt inadequate. At the same time, he picked up the box and started running in an uneven pace towards the bunker. He succeeded better than the young female agent that he leaped over; he reached the safety of the bunker's wall with mere splinters in his legs from some near misses. Still swearing, he shoved his right hand into the box, groped around a bit, and pulled it out clutching a handful of safety-pins. Then he tossed the entire box into the bunker.

He clapped his hands over his ears just in time. A split second later he felt the shock of the explosion, and saw a huge flame filled with white sparks burst out of the bunker's entrance; the incendiary parts of the blast. Blinking back the effects of the masses of tear-gas, he looked back at the train.

It was moving, and wouldn't stop before Vale of Winds. He'd been too late.

He didn't bang his head against the wall. He was so much better at swearing.

End of chapter fourteen.

**Raging Mouse** · April 1, 2000, 11:08

Chapter fifteen: Repercussions

Zakharov was proud of his reputation for having an extremely calm temper. That meant that his audience was much more impressed whenever he chose to display anger. Right now his face was crimson with fury.

"Lewis Parks was a key member of University society! A KEY MEMBER! And you drone-like buffoons couldn't save him! Would you succeed any better should they come for me, I wonder?! In fact, the entire Parks' family was exemplary, and you lost them ALL! And could you explain to me how someone like Jessica Parks could be persuaded to cooperate with the kidnappers?"

Leutenant Steiner's face was gray. He'd been assigned to guard the Parks, and a dozen similar families, for two years now. He knew that this fiasco would be a lead weight around his ankles should he attempt to climb higher in the University's hierarchy of probe-teams. Still, he wasn't the only one to fail like this; a frightening amount of talents had left the University lately under mysterious circumstances. Usually, the sparse evidence had pointed to the Data-Angels.

But not this time, and that was also bad. Steiner would have to tell Zakharov that he had been fooled. He had already threatened the Data-Angels with war, and now it seemed like they were as innocent as they claimed.

"Sir, I have no excuse but I do have some information. Here; this is the current mission status-report." He held out a memory-cube. Zakharov snatched it with a snort, rammed it into the slot in his desk and let his fingers dance on the keyboard. The holoprojector beside his desk came to life, and displayed hundreds of pages of information on top of one another. Zakharov pressed a button and the text on one page highlited, making it readable. Each page was highlited for little more than a quarter of a second; Zakharov was merely skimming through the material. Then his eyes widened, and the pages remained highlited for longer periods of time. He started skipping back and forth among the pages. Eventually, he shut the holoprojector and turned back to Steiner with a laser stare.

"The Consciousness, eh? That changes things; you were expecting the Data-Angels' modus operandi. It also explains what happened to Jessica. Why didn't you contact me immediately?"

"At first I was busy interrogating the person known as Klaus Schwartz, and then, based on the information I received, I hurried to the flat of Dr. Andersen. He is now in our custody. From there the next logical step was the Parks' residence, but we were too late. A quick scan of traffic-cams showed Rita Koskinen's car leaving the area, and we tracked it to the mag-lev station. And.. you know the rest. Well, almost, except that the girl, Dorothy parks, wasn't seen. But we assume that she was also extracted."

Zakharov's eyes twitched for a moment. "Don't assume. Never assume. Find out if this was so. Lewis was working on something very dear to me, and I was planning on having Dorothy continue his work when she'd get that far. She's the most promising child I've seen of late, Steiner, and if there's even the minutest chance that the Cyborgs didn't get her, I want it investigated."

His expression changed, and he seemed to calm down. Steiner sensed that Zakharov had an idea.

"I think I'll introduce you to someone who will miss Dorothy very much indeed, and who will consequently do everything in her quite vast power to find Dorothy and bring her back. Yes, indeed. I'll let Methis help you."

"Uh.. Who's Methis?"

Zakharov chuckled, apparently not having heard the question. "Yes indeed, let's ask Methis for help against the Consciousness; a job for which she's extremely well suited. Let's fight fire with fire!" He turned back to Steiner and handed him a keycard. "Go to this room in the lab-complex. It's Lewis' and Andersen's laboratory. Their project can't proceed without Lewis, and I'd rather not give it to someone else, so you can use the lab's resources while Lewis is gone. I think you'll find that Methis will be of great help. And now, Lieutenant, I have some threats and apologies to make, and I need to mobilize the armed forces, so if you'd be so nice as to send in the generals on your way out.."

Steiner left, and five generals entered. Zakharov motioned for them to take a seat and be quiet.

"Computer, record: Message to the Cyborgs: Greetings, Aki Zeta-Five. I just wish to inform you that I've finally seen through your facade of pure logic and found the perfectly normal scheming megalomaniac underneath; I am of course referring to your kidnapping of University citizens and framing of the Data-Angels. Know that I am disgusted by this, and since you are unable to comprehend the true meaning of the word I had better demonstrate it's severity. So know, then, that it I don't see four tons of fusion-grade Deuterium -equalling one thousand energy-credits- on my border, together with every single one of the kidnapped citizens, within a week from now, then I shall declare war on you and will not stop until I can personally tear out the Algorithm from your cerebral cortex. Good day."

He sent the message and turned to the generals.

"Aki will of course refuse; the Consciousness needs those talents to replace the ones killed by the Caretakers, I gather. And I must prove to her that kidnapping our citizens isn't worth it. So, generals; how do you wage war against the Cybernetic Consciousness?"

The generals presented him with themes and variations on the subject.

End of chapter fifteen.

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