At First You See. Conclusion to Part 2 of the Harbinger Series; Audio Portion at bottom for listening convenience.
28 Aug 2023Ryuko Ntsikana
Audio Portion at bottom, for listening convenience.
At First You See.
Sacaqawea Space Port.
Planetary Outpost.
_____________________________
The medical officer went to the planetary port, against everyone’s advice. The concepts the entity had shared were too good to ignore, but sharing data with her aboard the carrier was too great of a risk. A greater risk was that of the station owners finding out what was taking place beneath their noses. The entity assured they would remain oblivious, freely offering the use of their medical facilities for the doctor to examine the remaining biological host. Compliant and trapped inside their own minds.
The doctor found it extremely challenging to fully comprehend the entity's capabilities and its concept of becoming. The entity existed as an amalgamation of advanced technology, artificial intelligence, and biological symbiosis, making its nature and thought processes far beyond what a typical human could conceive of.
Mapping the host's neurological pathways posed ethical dilemmas for the doctor. Despite the subject's crimes, delving deeper could cause harm, violating the doctor's professional oath. The concept of becoming demanded interdisciplinary collaboration, a challenge as none aboard the carrier were comfortable enough to engage closely with the entity. The entity, respectful of their caution, offered the assistance of the port's personnel, whose knowledge could aid the doctor's understanding without harm.
An alternative was proposed: the doctor could become a temporary willing host. This would allow for a comprehensive understanding without harm, and any latent issues within the doctor's own biology would be rectified.
A nervous inspector Gladsen walked into the port’s medical facility, asked as a curtsy by the entity, to aid with the doctor’s new moral dilemma. Confident the doctor was not yet a host, Monty allowed the doctor to perform a cursory full neurological, to compare his readings against those of the prisoner.
During the scan the doctor spoke with Monty, asking him about his time with the entity, as he outlined the highs and lows of their union and his own morale dilemmas with the choices made. He was shown what the entity wanted to accomplish. To transform itself with a biological host in the creation of a new and unique life form was beyond his comprehension to fully understand.
The risk of self-experimentation was the bane of scientists and doctors throughout the eons. It was not a new concept but the ramifications could have unintended consequences, especially in consideration of the clan she served, and its leader’s history with this creation, creature, or something more?
In a tense moment, the doctor realized the gravity of the situation. 'I need to report my findings, but I lack the expertise to provide a complete report. I cannot condone the coercion of others, even if no immediate harm is inflicted. Depriving them of conscious choice is harmful in itself. To willingly subject myself for understanding could lead to my demise. If I remain silent and avoid reporting, the risk of sacrificing this place and its inhabitants becomes a greater evil.'
Monty watched as the doctor gave her permission, as the entity transferred itself.
If Xochitl had an emotion when learning of the doctor going to the planetary outpost and becoming the latest host to the entity, she did not show it. Whether through conscious effort or intervention of her neurological processor, no one but Yatziri would know.
The ship’s AI, and hence Avery, were restricted since the distant dream manipulation incident. Though their intent was honorable, Xochitl became more guarded. She could close them out but Yatziri had been with her during her reconstructive surgeries, and hellish rehabilitation sessions, that turned Xochitl into her current cybernetic form.
Whatever Xochitl’s status, Yatziri was keeping it to herself.
Yatziri left Xochitl’s quarters as Avery stood vigil watching Xochitl change into a comfortable flight suit, with a laser pistol and extra charges clipped to her thigh. She tucked a simple vibrating blade knife into her boot, then examined herself, turning in front of a mirror. Satisfied at her appearance, Xochitl left her quarters with an inquisitive Avery following.
‘What are your intentions?’ Avery asked as the service elevator doors opened on the hangar deck.
Xochitl said nothing, moving with fluid motion towards one of the carrier’s shuttle ships. Avery saw the outline of Yatziri at the controls, as its reactor spooled up.
Avery stepped up her pace, moving up to Xochitl’s side. ‘It would be against our directives to allow you to go into a known hostile situation in which the percentages of your success would be next to nil.’
‘Then stay here,’ Xochitl stated flatly as she ascended the shuttle’s entrance ramp.
Xochitl stopped as she entered the bridge, staring at Zooey, who was suiting up, as Yatziri waved everyone to take their seats.
‘What the hell are you doing?’ Xochitl asked, as everyone took a seat and began buckling themselves in.
‘She was working in the hangar when I came in, and she helped me preflight the shuttle. She was all hopped up to go.’
Xochitl shook her head. ‘Get off this shuttle. I will not risk you.’
Zooey looked over at Xochitl with nervous determined eyes. ‘I know the risk, and I can’t let you go alone.’
‘If she wants to dive in the deep in, let her.’ Yatziri said as she activated the launch sequence. ‘The more guns the better I say.’
Xochitl rolled both her human and cybernetic eyes. ‘Stay behind one of us. Don’t do anything unless one of us does it first.’
With a nervous nod, Zooey patted the holster on her hip, holding the semi-auto ballistic pistol she had taken from the shuttle’s armory.
Avery, Zooey, and Yatziri followed Xochitl off the shuttle, making their way out of the hangar and down the corridor, past the security office, and towards the main level entrance into the outpost itself.
Monty waited, drawing on his experiences to hide the nervousness he felt within.
'I know you have been watching,' Xochitl said aloud, walking up to Monty and waiting for a response from the entity that did not come.
'It is good to see you again,' Monty said with a poor attempt at a smile, as two of her forward Scouts stood back from him at a respectful distance.
Avery walked up, scanning him with a medical analyzer. ‘The traces of the entity’s presence are fading.'
'I won’t tell you your business, and take it for what you think it's worth, but it hasn’t lied to me yet.'
Xochitl’s face expressed no emotion as she looked past Monty to the scouts, who nodded in silence.
'Lack of evolutionary development?' Yatziri asked.
'A lack of requirement for its survival,' Avery stated.
'Let’s test that,' Xochitl said with a flat tone, as she motioned for Monty to lead the way. Monty noticed Xochitl was not armed with a plasma weapon but a simple laser pistol. Her attire was not meant for combat, just a simple flight suit. Not that she needed more as her cybernetics were capable enough on their own.
As they entered the medical facilities, no one looked in their direction or said a word, as Monty led the procession down the halls towards an office where the doctor sat in front of a large piece of equipment, looking over the scans she had performed on herself.
'Welcome,' the doctor said without turning around, as she continued to study the readouts on the machine. Avery stepped forward, looking over the doctor’s shoulder.
'Define,' Avery asked.
'What it seeks was far beyond my decade's worth of training. Since the integration, it has imprinted its knowledge on my mind, forming the necessary requirements for me to retain the knowledge it has given me so that I could understand its concepts within the boundaries of my profession.'
'Summarize,' Avery stated.
'Your statement earlier was correct. With this host, there has been no survival requirement for subterfuge. Additionally, as with my prior host, I will do with the doctor and depart in due course, so that she can explain everything to you without needing my presence.'
Avery stepped between the seated doctor and Xochitl.
'You know my directives,' Avery stated, as the doctor nodded.
'Yes,' the entity replied. 'Aside from the issues you had with the lesser evolved versions of my growing consciousness, be assured, I bear no resemblance to "the entity,” aside from the moniker you have chosen.'
Avery stood fixed, studying the doctor. 'There is no way to verify your claims without corruption; which my design would not allow.'
'This we understand. We have allowed for our actions to speak for us.'
Xochitl huffed. 'Like your actions with the prisoner?'
The doctor turned in her seat, looking at Avery.
'He is non-negotiable. His trial and sentencing are on record with the Federation. He will pay penance for his crimes and serve as biological storage for us. He was scheduled for spacing by the courts. To ensure he understands his crimes, his neurological pathways have been adjusted to maintain his state in remembrance of what he has done. When his usefulness to us is complete, he will be provided a more humane method of finality by inducing pleasing memories while he is slowly put to rest.'
Yatziri leaned against the entrance door frame, her palm resting on the hilt of her holstered pistol. 'How ethical of a genocidal program.'
The doctor maintained eye contact with Avery. 'Aside from Avery and Zooey, none of the others present are free of guilt.'
Xochitl huffed as Zooey stood to one side, twitching with nervous anticipation. Avery remained motionless, calculating all of the variables presented.
'It is true,' Monty stated, stepping forward.
The doctor and Avery maintained eye contact as the symbiote spoke once more.
'As both Inspector Gladsen and the doctor can attest, we are far removed from what you encountered in the past. Do we maintain the capacity to do harm? Yes. Understand, it is not what we would wish, but if justified as a means to an end, then it is unfortunate.'
'Like my refusal of your offer?' Xochitl said in monotone fashion.
'We intend to honor our consensual agreement. If not today or tomorrow, then another time. The benefit of time is that we do not age, but grow.'
Yatziri looked at the door frame. 'Not if there is nothing to inhabit.'
The doctor replied without removing her gaze from Avery. 'Who is the genocidal program now?'
Xochitl drew her laser pistol, pointing it at the doctor’s face, as Zooey fumbled with her ballistic semi-automatic pistol.
'And, what if I end your host, right now?'
'That would be both criminal and unfortunate. We wish her a long and healthy life and a chance for her to grow and become in her own manner.'
Monty raised his hands in a pleading gesture. 'Alright, everyone, let’s calm down. This is a simple meeting, and the conversation has been civil. Please, let’s keep it that way.'
The doctor continued to stare at Avery. 'We would not want the doctor to be harmed. She has all the information required to brief you, once she has compiled it into a format presentable to you. If it is your desire, we will depart from the doctor and back into a tablet. Avery can perform the necessary scans to confirm our departure.'
Overcome by her fight or flight response, a nervous and inexperienced Zooey fired.
The first round hit the doctor in the shoulder, knocking her from her chair as Zooey continued to pull the trigger, sending a second round into the monitor next to her, and a third round higher into the wall. As she struggled against the recoil, she fired a fourth round into a medical cabinet, and then a fifth round, which hit the metal arm holding the shattered monitor, ricocheting into the corner of the cabinet and then back at her, striking her in the head.
Zooey crumpled onto the floor as Monty rushed over, joining Xochitl.
An alarm sounded out in the corridor as Avery examined the doctor, who was clutching her shoulder and looking at Zooey.
'We have notified the medical personnel.'
Avery turned towards the doorway, which burst open as a medical technician entered, followed by a stream of others, who pushed Monty and Xochitl to the side as they began examining Zooey, as a spreading pool of blood began to flow across the floor.
Avery looked back at the doctor, who groaned briefly as the muscles surrounding the bullet pushed it back out through the wound in her shoulder.
Zooey was quickly loaded onto a hovering gurney as they rushed her out of the room, with Xochitl and Monty close behind. Avery continued her observation of the doctor, who was studying the wound in her shoulder, as the bleeding ceased and the area around the wound began to close.
'The damage is minimal. We will have her healed shortly,' the entity stated as Avery processed the new set of variables presented.
Monty stood with Xochitl, looking through the transparent molecular-grown glass window at the team working on Zooey. Various medical personnel raced into and out of the room with various equipment as tears streamed down the left side of Xochitl’s locked and featureless face.
'This is not your fault or the entity’s,' Monty stated sternly. 'Don’t you dare blame yourself for this.'
Xochitl made no movement or response, her mind and gaze fixed.
Yatziri walked up, taking Xochitl’s human hand in her own as the doctor walked past the group up to a monitor, which she placed a hand on.
'Her condition is grave.'
Xochitl did not move or show emotion as Avery turned her head, analyzing her charge, whose vital readings were currently being masked from observation by her cybernetic systems. Avery knew from experience not to press the matter, shifting her gaze to Monty and then the doctor, who maintained physical contact with the monitor, allowing the entity access to the readouts from the equipment within the surgical bay.
Throughout the next twelve hours, neither Xochitl nor Avery moved, as Yatziri sat on the ground with her back against the wall, taking a power nap. She stirred as the noises from within the surgical bay changed, as they moved a heavily bandaged Zooey out. One of the medical staff approached from down the corridor with a man in religious habit at his side.
While her life had been saved, the extent of the damage done to her brain would leave her with little of her former self, if she ever woke. At the moment she was in a coma and would require specialized care for the remainder of her life. There was no family of record outside of the people she was with. The staff was unsure if the patient or those who were with her held any specific religious beliefs.
Xochitl remained stoic. Her own brain and neural processor took in what was being said while mercifully suppressing her emotions, allowing for clearer cognitive processing.
The doctor walked over to converse with her counterpart as Monty walked up and gave Xochitl a hug, noting her body's rigidity, hoping it would be processed. Yatziri took Xochitl’s human hand back in her own, knowing she was in a faraway place. Avery turned her head to look at the doctor as she walked away with the other, as the clergyman remained, bowing his head in silence.
Avery walked out into the corridor, watching the doctor disappear through a side door with the other. She looked back at Xochitl, whose gaze was fixed on the empty operating room, staring in emotionless silence. Monty conversed with the clergyman, as Avery walked down the corridor towards the room where the doctor had disappeared with the other, noticing it was locked.
Statistically speaking, she could break the lock and enter, but the math dictated that it could incur other complications, which Xochitl did not need. She recalled the internal memory file of the incident up to the point where they rushed Zooey out to the nearest surgical bay, as she exchanged glances at the locked door and Xochitl standing in the trance-like state her own neurological processing system had placed her into as a safeguard.
Processing the latest sets of data, new percentages of probabilities appeared as she made her way back to stand next to Xochitl.
The suites Avery had purchased for Xochitl, Yatziri, and himself were all plush and provided all the nice amenities that came with such a hefty price, including room service. Everything on the local menu was offered, but in her current state, Xochitl had not ordered or eaten anything, even though Monty and Yatziri were ordering enough food for a small army.
While eating, Monty thought about what Xochitl was experiencing. He was unsure if her neurological processing systems were a blessing or a curse. They would not allow her to mentally overload herself, keeping her from experiencing the worst of the emotions, but that also meant she could not grieve. A necessary psychological experience that had its own positive and negative qualities, but was essential for moving past the moment and into a future of what must be done.
He had not seen the doctor for more than a day, with Avery offering no answers. She too had vanished for a brief moment before returning. Monty wondered if the doctor was not herself a casualty of Xochitl’s assistant. A horrifying thought he quickly dismissed. That would be more in line with her cyberpunk-looking friend, Yatziri.
Android assistants were capable of the act, but it was usually concerning the protection of their charge. That is unless Xochitl had removed the safeties and rewritten the coding, which was firmly within her skill set. From what he knew of her, and that was saying little, she liked to do things herself.
Yatziri had not said one word, keeping mostly to herself when not sitting on the corner of the bed, near where Xochitl and Avery were standing. Monty had no doubts she could work around Android programming.
Monty shook his head. Functional psychopaths could be blasé about such acts, but none of these people had ever displayed the traits an inspector like himself could single out. If they had done something to make Avery into their personal assassin, it would have shown. Especially during a tragic personal event.
Sure, Xochitl’s neurological processor could mask the traits, but her focus and body positioning were fixed throughout, never once indicating anything toward the doctor. Monty also had to take into account the entity itself. Having been a host, like the doctor was now, the entity was more than capable of defending itself, homicidal android or not. No, if Avery had made a hostile approach, she would have been scrapped.
Accessing his ship’s computer he noted that the prisoner was still present, mentally locked in their looping hell of penitence. The doctor was not present nor was there any record of her entering the ship itself; not that the entity couldn’t change that. Turning his head in contemplation, Monty found himself missing the symbiote’s presence. At least then, he would have been able to get answers.
He was an investigator, first and foremost. Looking at Yatziri and Avery, he knew Xochitl was in good hands. What he needed was answers, and the doctor and the entity inside of her, no doubt had them.
Like a good investigator, Monty followed his first and best lead, the prisoner. The entity was using him as a storage medium, keeping his criminal mind locked in a looping internal hell. As such, he should be able to make contact with the entity itself, or that was his plan.
Monty went to his ship in the hangar, walking through the narrow corridor toward the galley where the catatonic prisoner sat.
‘I need to speak with you,’ Monty stated, looking at the gaze of the man before him, looking past him into some unknown inferno that would make him welcome his end when the entity was done with him.
‘I know you can hear me. I need to speak with the doctor.’
‘We are here but the doctor is not,’ the entity replied.
‘Would you be kind enough to tell me where she is, if she still exists?’
‘She is well and in the facilities laboratory. We have released her to prepare her report.’
Monty chuckled to himself at how worked up he was about something that should have been obvious to him. Had he been out of the game long enough to make a rookie mistake?
‘The doctor might want to wait. Not sure now would be a good time to deliver it.’
‘We are aware of Xochitl’s and Zooey’s concerns for one another. The grief the recent incident has caused is unfortunate, and not what we wished, but it provided a path for hope.’
A path for hope?
Monty stared at the glass-eyed prisoner for a moment.
‘What of our guest here on the ship?’
‘We maintain a presence for final disposition.’
‘When do you plan on that?’ Monty asked, tilting his head forward towards the prisoner.
‘While we are appreciative of our miscalculations of him being immolated, we are fixed on his final resolution. Please do not concern yourself with these matters. We do not wish you to be bothered. Know only that it will be soon, and he will have what he did not give others, peace.’
What of you then, Monty wondered.
‘If he is no longer of use to you as a storage device, where will you go?’
‘We asked that you go to the medical laboratory section, where the doctor is, so that you may be briefed. She will advise you on the necessary next steps. We asked that you remain calm.’
Calm? About what?
‘Do not be worried Monty. All of the questions I know you are thinking of will be answered shortly. We ask that you process them correctly, and be gentle in your judgment.’
Monty walked back down the ship’s entrance ramp, across and out of the hangar, and down the corridor while his mind raced.
Be kind in my judgments? Did Xochitl agree after I left the suite?
No one asked him for identification or gave him a second glance, as the security doors that lead into the medical facilities labs automatically opened for him, as he walked down the pristine sanitized corridors toward a set of opening laboratory security doors, where the smiling doctor stood, waiting for him.
‘Hello, again Inspector Gladsen. Please follow me.’ she said as they walked down a connecting corridor, away from the labs and into and through the residence wings, toward the critical care section.
Monty looked around noting that all of the medical personnel he saw we talking to one another in hushed tones with an air of surprise on their faces and in their voices.
On entering the critical care wing of the facility, the doctor stopped, looking over her shoulder at Monty.
‘Once you see what you are about to be shown, and know what you are about to learn, I will need your assistance.’
Monty had the feeling inside that he should have come armed but knew that the entity wanted him here, so he should not be in any danger. Swallowing a mysterious lump that formed in his throat, Monty motioned the doctor forward.
‘Alright, let’s see what it is y'all want me to see.’
They walked past several drawn curtains, that kept the curious from looking in on the individual bays containing the more critical cases. The doctor stopped and turned to face one such curtain, taking a grip of its edge and pulling it back.
Monty instinctively took a step back as a team of medical personnel walked up to his sides. ‘No!’
Avery slowly turned her head, looking at Yatziri with a curious stare. Something about the way she did that made Yatziri feel uneasy. The vibration of her wrist communicator almost caused her heart to skip a beat as she looked down at the message. Her mind could only be thinking of the worst-case scenario, as the doctor asked that she and Avery join her, one at a time, for a private talk about Zooey, so they could be prepared.
Yatziri elected to go first, as she stood up from her seat on the corner of the bed, walking towards the door to the suite. ‘I will be back soon,’ she announced.
In her time Yatziri had seen many fights, battles, and conflicts. It was a miracle that Zooey survived the hit to her head, but she knew that miracles could also be curses. Sometimes it was better to go quick, instead of lingering in such a state. Perhaps, this would provide some small mercy for the inexperienced and innocent girl.
How Xochitl would process the loss, even she could not guess. Yatziri knew her, all too well. She was taking it all personally, and her own neurological systems knew when enough was enough, and did what it could to protect her from herself.
When Yatziri arrived at the critical care ward, the doctor was there, leading her to the curtain-enclosed bay. Taking a grip on the side of the curtain, she looked at Yatziri, with somber eyes.
‘Prepare yourself for what you are about to see. Once you are done processing, we will need your assistance.’
Yatziri steeled herself for what she knew was coming, as one of the medical technicians walked up next to her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Avery became curious as time passed. Neither Inspector Gladsen nor Yatziri had returned for some time. Several hours had gone by with no word from either of them. She would not leave Xochitl’s side but also felt it unwise to send a message to the carrier for additional personnel. The scouts were still aboard the station, as Avery sent a message to them, to be on the lookout for the others.
Xochitl had managed to eat, at Avery’s persistent urging. She picked at the food, taking it in small morsels, but she was taking in the nutrients and that was Avery’s largest concern. She wanted to contact Xochitl’s parents and Rex, but could not with the entity known to be at the planetary port. There was no telling how many systems it had infested, or if anyone aside from them was clear of its presence.
She did not have a “sixth sense” biologically speaking, but Avery could statistically deduce the variables to arrive at a similar conclusion. In this case, the math pointed to their being a larger issue. The source was unknown, but the probability of three people all departing, without further word, rose the percentages ever higher, with the passing hours.
In the hangar bay a form dressed in a white flight suit and matching helmet, with a mirrored visor, walked aboard the Diamondback Explorer ship, sealing the entrance ramp before moving toward the cockpit. Departure clearance was given as the platform raised into position as the ship’s engines spooled to life.
The takeoff was subtle, as the ship took its time to reach and cross the orbital threshold line, as the prisoner in the galley stood up and walked toward the rear access hatch. Their mind was locked on memories of flowing rivers, and a moderate breeze blowing through the trees of a place they had never seen. Sounds of laughter and joyfulness being carried on its winds.
The system’s main sequence star looked inviting. Its warmth could be felt, as the ship plotted a course to pass through its orbital path, as They reached a hand down to unseal the inner hatch, which opened with a cool breeze blowing past him.
The sounds of playful youth filled his mind, as the inner hatch sealed, and the atmosphere around them lowered, to match that of the outside. Bright lights appeared all around, as the edges of his vision narrowed. Not by blackness but the brilliance of a star. The outer hatch opened exposing him to its illumination, as his body pushed free of the craft and into the captive gravitational embrace of their new warm companion.
A panel in the cockpit showed the hatch had opened, and then resealed; its contents evacuated, as the atmosphere and temperature within rose to that of the ship. Satisfied with the results the ship moved with smooth precision as the helmeted head turned to look at the tiny speck in the distance. The planet that hosted the planetary port. Like all creatures, the place of its birth would always hold a place in their mind but destiny did not lay on its barren airless plains but on the beyond, as the ship’s hyperspace charged.
Avery processed the scene as the door to the suite opened at the same instance the scouts reported they had scoured the entire planetary port and had found no trace of the doctor, Yatziri, or Monty. Entering the suite were those the scouts were tasked with finding. Each walked up to Xochitl. A large smile on their faces and checks wet from tears. Avery looked on in curiosity as Yatziri placed a celebratory puck in front of Xochitl. It was the kind used to record holographic information. A favored item during festivals and birthdays.
Looking at each of them Xochitl raised her hand, waving it over the top to activate it. Xochitl rose suddenly, snapping out of her neurological processor's safeguard and into the moment. Before her, dressed in white, with an almost radiant appearance, was Zooey. A smiling knowing look in her eye, and her head free of damage.
‘You have always been like a second mother to me, and I will always be thankful. It was with you we held our hope, but the real crime is not in what either of us had done, but in allowing someone so innocent of our sinful pasts to perish in such a needless way. In saving what we could of her, we also saved ourselves. In doing so we have become. We are now one. Both of our existences are now sustained by the other.
We knew there would be difficulty with this union, and so elected others more familiar with us, to bare this message. You will be missed and loved. As will all of those we served with. We hope that one day you will forgive us, as we have forgiven you, and the next time we meet it will be as family and not adversaries. Until then our mutual heart will remember and cherish you, our mother, above all others.’
The image faded as Xochitl stumbled, dropping onto the bed. Hanging her head low, tears flowed from her human eye, as her body heaved with the waves of emotions moving through her. Yatziri and the doctor sat down next to her, hugging her in a long embrace. Avery looked at a smiling Inspector Gladsen, who turned his head to look at her, as he wiped the tears from his face.
‘So grandma. What about that ride back to the bubble?’