Tell me Ham, where could he possibly research this stuff and
who would he consult with?"
"Well, now you're being really silly
Regan, you know the boy is smart enough to get the best advice available; of
course he consulted with me."
Regan was wringing her hands in
frustration. "Show me the hologram thing; I want to see what you've
done."
"Of course babe, it was great, Leah
will tell you, everything went perfectly."
"To be fair Ham," Leah held up
her hand sheepishly, "I didn't have a clue what you were doing, I just
dabbed and wiped."
"Well, you could see there were no
problems."
"Not real . . ."
"Let's have a look then." Ham cut
her off before she could finish and with a wave of his hand, an image appeared;
standing upright in holographic form, it was Jared. "Now, you can see here
the boy’s form, I'll start with the head."
And immediately they could see a tiny
shape, like a rod penetrating the left brain, and from it fine strands extended
that appeared to be spread throughout both hemispheres.
"The strands are already making
connections as we speak and will continue to extend and merge with the brain
proper."
"No neural web?" Leah noted.
"Ahem," he coughed uncomfortably,
"well spotted Leah. No, Jared wanted to go with something more advanced,
something like Regan's original implant, so we've dispensed with the neural web,
instead we have a processor, power source and wireless device all encompassed
in that tiny tube, it's much more advanced than your model Regan."
Regan was speechless, struggling for words
and quietly fuming at Ham's actions without consultation.
"And . . . what is this for!" She
swept her hand in an angry wave up and down the boy's body. Ham completely
ignored the emotional reaction and as usual it was as if he hadn't even noticed.
"Oh this is where it gets really good
Regan; we've housed another power source under the ribs, you can see it
there," and he pointed. "it's well shielded, don't worry about that,
and from it there are the active strands you can seeee . . . now." and
with another wave of the hand more strands did appear linking the brain with
the rib power source and the limbs, then stretching further down to the
fingertips and feet. Ham turned to the two women with a look of genuine
excitement. "The boy will have incredible senses, and a power bolt touch
that will stop an elephant in its tracks." He suddenly dropped the
enthusiasm and became serious. "But only for use in defensive situations
of course."
Leah could sense Regan was winding up for something,
and she stepped back defensively. For a moment the air in the room seemed to freeze,
and then, before Regan could speak . . .
[Mom . . . I'm going to be fine.]
In a move that could have been synchronized
the three turned slowly to focus on the boy’s face. He was still comatose as
far as they could see, and yet the subbed communication had come clear and
strong to them all.
How could he do that?
And then it dawned.
Oh . . . my . . . god! He's already in
the processor.
* * *
Tihan Orbital, Gliese 667C
Tihan had chosen to manifest as the sage for
the meeting a move he was currently regretting. While it was his favored
avatar, somehow in the presence of the macho business tycoon Reubus, this
gentle sage look made him feel woefully inadequate. He quietly wished he had
chosen a military look as even though that was hardly businesslike at least he
wouldn't have felt so vulnerable. And at this moment, he felt particularly
vulnerable.
Of particular concern to Tihan was the
logic of his friend's arguments, and the awful feeling that if he resisted or
turned down the generous offers of assistance then he would in some way be acting
like a fool, hardly the wise Mind he perceived himself to be. Yet at the same
time he had the sense that to agree to the offers would trap him, although he
was unsure in what way.
"So that's agreed then?" Reubus
was saying. "You agree to contract me to manage the Tihan Orbital
who would he consult with?"
"Well, now you're being really silly
Regan, you know the boy is smart enough to get the best advice available; of
course he consulted with me."
Regan was wringing her hands in
frustration. "Show me the hologram thing; I want to see what you've
done."
"Of course babe, it was great, Leah
will tell you, everything went perfectly."
"To be fair Ham," Leah held up
her hand sheepishly, "I didn't have a clue what you were doing, I just
dabbed and wiped."
"Well, you could see there were no
problems."
"Not real . . ."
"Let's have a look then." Ham cut
her off before she could finish and with a wave of his hand, an image appeared;
standing upright in holographic form, it was Jared. "Now, you can see here
the boy’s form, I'll start with the head."
And immediately they could see a tiny
shape, like a rod penetrating the left brain, and from it fine strands extended
that appeared to be spread throughout both hemispheres.
"The strands are already making
connections as we speak and will continue to extend and merge with the brain
proper."
"No neural web?" Leah noted.
"Ahem," he coughed uncomfortably,
"well spotted Leah. No, Jared wanted to go with something more advanced,
something like Regan's original implant, so we've dispensed with the neural web,
instead we have a processor, power source and wireless device all encompassed
in that tiny tube, it's much more advanced than your model Regan."
Regan was speechless, struggling for words
and quietly fuming at Ham's actions without consultation.
"And . . . what is this for!" She
swept her hand in an angry wave up and down the boy's body. Ham completely
ignored the emotional reaction and as usual it was as if he hadn't even noticed.
"Oh this is where it gets really good
Regan; we've housed another power source under the ribs, you can see it
there," and he pointed. "it's well shielded, don't worry about that,
and from it there are the active strands you can seeee . . . now." and
with another wave of the hand more strands did appear linking the brain with
the rib power source and the limbs, then stretching further down to the
fingertips and feet. Ham turned to the two women with a look of genuine
excitement. "The boy will have incredible senses, and a power bolt touch
that will stop an elephant in its tracks." He suddenly dropped the
enthusiasm and became serious. "But only for use in defensive situations
of course."
Leah could sense Regan was winding up for something,
and she stepped back defensively. For a moment the air in the room seemed to freeze,
and then, before Regan could speak . . .
[Mom . . . I'm going to be fine.]
In a move that could have been synchronized
the three turned slowly to focus on the boy’s face. He was still comatose as
far as they could see, and yet the subbed communication had come clear and
strong to them all.
How could he do that?
And then it dawned.
Oh . . . my . . . god! He's already in
the processor.
* * *
Tihan Orbital, Gliese 667C
Tihan had chosen to manifest as the sage for
the meeting a move he was currently regretting. While it was his favored
avatar, somehow in the presence of the macho business tycoon Reubus, this
gentle sage look made him feel woefully inadequate. He quietly wished he had
chosen a military look as even though that was hardly businesslike at least he
wouldn't have felt so vulnerable. And at this moment, he felt particularly
vulnerable.
Of particular concern to Tihan was the
logic of his friend's arguments, and the awful feeling that if he resisted or
turned down the generous offers of assistance then he would in some way be acting
like a fool, hardly the wise Mind he perceived himself to be. Yet at the same
time he had the sense that to agree to the offers would trap him, although he
was unsure in what way.
"So that's agreed then?" Reubus
was saying. "You agree to contract me to manage the Tihan Orbital
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