Exodus Read online

  “I accept, Chancellor,” Mann looks to Jim. “Just as long as Admiral Chopra takes the vote.” He smiles, his thick, dark eyebrows rising to meet his hairline. Chopra smiles back.

  “I wonder, Chancellor,” Labyrinth turns her feminine features toward Raymond. She is lovely, he thinks. A solid, leggy frame fitted with top-of-the-line body armour and a head piece which protects her from neck to crown. Short red hair falls from her helmet in bangs over her forehead. She’s chosen pale white flesh for her face, and large, green eyes. Armour covers the rest from chin to the bridge of what could be a nose. Like the mask of ninja, Raymond thinks, but composed of permanent plasteel. “Might I join you on your journey to Tyson 4?”

  Raymond notices the apprehension on Senator Quinn’s mechanical expression upon hearing this request. “As an AI Host you would require nothing, and as one of UE’s trusted council you have only to ask.” Raymond looks again to Quinn.

  “It is a long journey, Labyrinth,” Quinn speaks up, stepping forward. “You will be gone for a long time.”

  Labyrinth turns to her mentor. “Quinn, like you, I am Host, time does not factor into my decision. I am curious. I have never come across another soul living or dead that I knew when I was alive. I have given all for our cause here. Now I’d like to see what else is out there.”

  “Of course, you are a free Host,” Quinn says. “I will miss our talks.”

  “Then use your roaming lance,” Labyrinth replies with a smile. “No matter where we are in the universe, the ParaCom will always connect us.” The group laughs at this. It is true, the ParaCom is an extraordinary scientific innovation which will ensure all three new colonies are also tethered to Earth via audio and video communication.

  Quinn waves Labyrinth away as she hugs him around his carapace. “Yes, yes, we still have a few days, don’t we?” There is significant sadness in his metallic voice and a muted, sympathetic mirth from the council.

  “I’ll announce the immediate need for a vote to the Council of Chancellors today. Each party has their lead in place for this probability and from what I’ve been reading on the net, they’re ready to pounce. I will make my recommendation for a successor, and we’ll strategize our party’s campaign,” the chancellor announces, calling an end to this early morning meeting. “Jim, if I could have your ear in your office,” Raymond kisses Darla on her forehead and follows Admiral Chopra into the small office off the war room.

  THE INTERVIEW – JANUARY 2064

  Manuel sits in a hyper-train enroute to Trevor’s daughter. He sees on his EC that his local newscast has announced the murder of Luis Mendez and the decommissioning of Trevor - the enlightened Host who felt too much. Manuel pauses at this news and reflects on the Host’s good intentions. Is the road to hell paved with good intentions? What we sacrifice for our loved ones.

  It will take only minutes to reach his destination and he considers his options. He could just give the girl his ticket. The lottery allows winners to give up their number to another. He could also join the UE military and hope to get on one of the destroyers or corvettes being sent to protect the colonists. He’s considered that too and decided he’s not made for that life. It’s colonist or nothing. So why is he heading north to meet a dead man’s daughter with one ticket he’s not willing to give up?

  Manuel has a double seat to himself facing a wall. The holoscreen in front of him changes from the view beyond the train unexpectedly; a special report on the state of the union follows as an AI Host reads the announcement: CHANCELLOR BELLOWS TO GIVE SPECIAL INTERVIEW IN ONE MINUTE. This immediately implants panic in Manuel. What softens his initial reaction is seeing the chancellor of United Earth quietly readying himself on one of two comfortable looking armchairs with a smartwall behind showcasing a video of starships being manufactured on Mars station. Next a young woman, not an AI Host, but a flesh and blood woman, joins the chancellor and takes her seat after they’ve shaken hands. Manuel takes comfort in the careful and unhurried setup. He’d hate to think this was to announce another tragic event on the horizon.

  “Hello, I’m Susan Ryder and I’m here with Chancellor Bellows,” She turns to the Chancellor. “It’s a pleasure to have you here with me today,” Susan says. “We just want to begin with the statement that everything is alright,” she chuckles to herself, lowering her hands and returning her attention to her audience. “The Chancellor isn’t here to explain Allfather has returned or something’s gone wrong with the automated transit systems.” She turns back to the Chancellor who is nodding and smiling. Manuel hopes her comment doesn’t become ironic for him.

  “Chancellor, this is something entirely different than that, isn’t it?” Susan leans into the space separating the two, her tone lowering. Chancellor Bellows mirrors her aggressive stance and she backs off.

  “That’s right, Susan. I’ve availed myself of this opportunity to tell you all just how well everything is moving along.” He leans back into his chair. “United Earth is thriving!” He explains, now using his hands to illustrate his points. “Lawlessness is down to nearly one percent. This is thanks in great measure to your United Earth Policing Head: Captain Ursula Drake. Enlightened Host, human and Chimera share the world your government has made possible. But none of it is possible without the mutual respect every citizen has shown to one another. For that, I thank each of you.”

  “Wonderful to hear, Chancellor,” Susan breaks in. “But you had mentioned there is a personal announcement you’d like to share,” she turns back to her viewers, “do I hear wedding bells? We all know that you and Commander Tesla, responsible for Luna Base operations and the recent expansions have been engaged for some time now.”

  Manuel rolls his eyes at the attempt to pull from the chancellor something he clearly isn’t prepared to reveal.

  “You’re not wrong that Darla and I are engaged, Susan,” the chancellor supplies her that. “But what I would like to announce today, is that I’m stepping down as chancellor and encouraging a vote in the next few days.”

  “Oh, well, this comes as a shock! You’ve certainly served longer than any other Chancellor.” Susan looks thunderstruck. “I – Are you dissatisfied with your post?”

  “No, not at all, Susan.” Chancellor Bellows appears very poised to Manuel. “The state of our union is strong. We’re happy again. We have much to be grateful for. With the ships leaving soon to explore new opportunities in other star systems, I felt compelled to join in the adventure.”

  “So, you’re going to one of the new planets?!”

  “Yes, Commander Tesla and I – Darla, will be setting off to Tyson 4 to build a new life.” Bellows focuses on the audience. “In a short time, you will have a chance to decide who your next chancellor will be. I’ve alerted other parties and my own earlier today. I’m putting all my support behind your United Earth top military advisor and war hero, Admiral Jim Chopra.”

  “A military man?” Susan doesn’t like the sound of this. “Is that a wise choice after what we experienced when General August placed herself in power?”

  “The Admiral and I have spent an exorbitant amount of time together these past two years, I know he’d attest to that.” Bellows snaps off a whimsical smile. “He is a brilliant tactician and a wise leader. He will, of course, remove himself from military office to take on the role of chancellor.”

  “Now, if I’m not mistaken, the admiral’s son was killed in the general’s war.” Susan clearly wants to run this interview. “Can you tell us how he’s recovered from that loss?”

  “Jim Chopra is a man of integrity and a family man. Obviously, the news his son had passed was difficult. He mourned once he’d finished assisting your government in winning the war against General August. He has since experienced great growth from his, and his family’s grief. He won us the war six months ago and has overseen every detail concerning the restructuring and modernization of our UE military machine. There is none better suited.”

  “So, he would essentially carry on as though yo
u were still at the helm of United Earth?”

  “In virtually every aspect. Our party believes in the same objectives no matter who is running the show from the fortieth floor of UE Headquarters.”

  “That’s a comforting thought. When can we expect this vote to take place?”

  “In three-days time. Parties have their leaders in place. Every citizen can view their policies and become acquainted with them on the World net.” Bellows turns to the audience once more. “Remember, the past two years were not a result of your government’s mistakes, but they were resolved by your sitting government. Please take that into consideration when you vote.”

  “Thank you, Chancellor Bellows, for this impromptu and informative interview.” Susan turns to the viewers. “Watch The Independent News for dates and times the polls open. This is Susan Ryder.”

  Manuel gives his chancellor points for not bringing up Allfather and the potential for further dealings with it in order to sway the population to stay with a wartime government. The guy’s got class. Influencing the public opinion with rumors of fear is clearly beneath him. Manuel feels a sense of loss enter his heart with this announcement. Chancellor Bellows has been a familiar face to all, and an accomplished leader. Manuel knows who he will vote for in three days.

  A CRISIS OF CONSCIENCE

  The home of Trevor Boyd, second-generation, is as contemporary a residence as any. Every citizen or citizen family is awarded a sustainable home: human, Host and Chimera. Trevor’s is a large ground floor unit of a thirty-story housing complex. Manuel stares at the holo-number hovering over the doorway. He’s nervous. This is where Trevor’s family had lived since before the general’s war and remained after his death. They continued to live here even after Trevor’s wife and youngest daughter were caught up in the meteor shower, the Allfather offensive that happened after Trevor had returned. Happily, with his return he reclaimed his house and family. As a second-generation personality, sadly, he has also lived through the death of his wife and youngest. Not a fate Manuel would wish upon anyone. But with his surviving daughter, Udo, waiting for her father to come home, Manuel has tasked himself with explaining why Trevor would never be coming home. Not in his last incarnation at least.

  Udo is a cyborg. Half mech and tech. Some would call that a Chimera, but, as Trevor had put plainly, she hadn’t made the choice, the war had done that for her. So, she is a cyborg. How will she react to a Chimera relaying this dire news?

  The door to Trevor’s residence suddenly disappears into the wall and an enraged twelve-year-old girl with dark black hair, pale skin, clenched fists and wearing little more than a summer-style pair of pajamas moves at a hurried pace towards Manuel. “You!” She cries, pointing an accusing finger at him, tears streaming down her face. “You did this!”

  Manuel is at a loss. He hadn’t seen it going down like this. Udo is obviously irate with him. But she doesn’t even know me. His hands go up defensively in front of him. She isn’t slowing down. In two more meters she will run right into him if she’s not careful.

  “You,” she stops short of his position to further denounce his existence. She stands all of 1.2 meters, a good 60 cm below Manuel’s imposing frame. Her finger still pointing angrily at him she launches into a verbal massacre of his spirit. “That was my daddy! You miserable piece of trash! He is all I have left, and you took him away from me! You worthless bastard! You cruel, heartless thing!” She sends a tiny fist into his stomach. Thankfully it is the flesh and bone version and not the artificial fist, which he catches in his reinforced hand. Udo falls to her knees and weeps at his feet. Manuel lets go of the girl’s hand, thoroughly upset by this small child’s outrage. Her pain is palpable. He kneels down to comfort her. Udo pushes his attempt away weakly.

  “Udo,” Manuel greets her in soft tones as her sobs lessen. “Your father asked me to come. It was the last thing he asked of me.” He pauses, wondering whether he should apologize or just explain how he came to be here. “You’ve seen the thread,” he says knowingly, “I didn’t know your father’s story, but he had taken a life -”

  “I can’t do this,” Udo says, her expression full of pain, gasping for air. “I can’t do any of this anymore. I’ve lost everyone.” She steadies herself on the robotic arm, wiping her face with her other hand. “He did a very bad thing,” she agrees, head nodding. “I know that, but I want him back. I want him here. With me.”

  “Maybe he’ll come back one day, when United Earth allows more Host’s the enlightenment code,” Manuel explains, “And your mother and sister.” Udo looks up at him dismissively.

  “Why did you even come here?” She stands and Manuel mirrors her movements. “UE Police EC’d me and gave me the details. You’re the big winner!” Her arms go up. “I guess that makes me the big loser. I’ve lost my dad twice now!” Udo turns and begins to walk back to her apartment.

  Manuel watches her go. What she said was profound. He understands her pain, but perhaps not to her degree. He’s lost everyone to war too. He looks at his EC and pulls up the number. Could he let her go in his place? Shouldn’t he? Staying on Earth positions Udo to never release the memories of her lost loved-ones. He identifies with that all too well. He’s longed to leave Earth for that very reason. But she is so young. She could recover. He tells himself. He closes the lottery number on his embedded comm and turns back to face the busy street. Dusk is falling rapidly. The green of the buildings become crimsons and fuchsias in the dying light.

  He looks over his shoulder. This house will be granted an A-class AI Host to oversee the girl’s next ten years. It’s protocol when one is orphaned and has no relative willing to take them in. United Earth knows what they’re doing. Udo will be fine. Besides, there’s no way the lottery would ever return to his small town. This is my only chance to move on. But the nagging fact that she blames him for her father’s loss weighs heavily on Manuel. Maybe rightly so, as Trevor could have made off with the arm and had the old man’s EC chip placed in Udo’s bionic arm if Manuel hadn’t acted when he did.

  “Ah!” Manuel says under his breath. Ever the orator for his community’s moral centre, he turns back and marches toward the door of Trevor’s house. Udo has just entered. He knocks. Nothing. He waves his hand over the door’s sensor to instruct the bell to chime. He leans in and hears sobbing on the other side. Trevor had given him the code to open the door as well, but he is hesitant to let himself in. She’s suffering her father’s death all over again. Why did Trevor think this was worth potentially being caught and his daughter left alone?

  The door opens and Udo is standing there with accusing eyes on him. “What do you want?!” She yells at him. People and Hosts passing behind him look in their direction. He feels awkward. Guilty, even. He shows her the winning number. “Can I convince you to take the lottery number?” He can barely believe the words as they leave his mouth.

  Udo’s eyes change from scolding to tired. Manuel feels the sadness behind them. She blames him. He gets that. He believes he would feel the same. She is young and doesn’t truly appreciate the damage her father has done. He’s killed a man in her name. Perhaps it is wrong to now offer the lottery win to her. What would the dead man’s family think? He doesn’t have family, Manuel remembers. It’s why the win fell to him. So, fuck it. Give the gift to her and figure out another way for you to go.

  “You must want to go yourself, or you wouldn’t have accepted the number,” Udo says. She is a bright young thing, he thinks. Of course he wants to go. He has no one left either. He punches a combination of numbers into his EC screen and the sliver of a chip slips out of the tech in his forearm. He takes it with his other hand and presents it to her.

  “Your father made an excellent case for you to go. That he is gone now only cements the idea. I can’t go knowing that two men died that you may have this opportunity. Please don’t reject the offer.” He stands with his hand out trying his best not to look disappointed.

  “But you won it doing a good thing,” she count
ers. “I would win it for a very bad thing.” She stares at the gift. “I’m so sorry my dad killed a person for it. He’s always been so protective of me and my sister.” Her dark, yet whimsical eyebrows tremble along with her chin. “I’m sorry I blame you for his death. It wasn’t your decision.”

  “I’m sorry I interfered,” Manuel tells her in earnest, a tear tracking down his cheek. “It would have been better for all of us if I hadn’t.”

  “Not for the man who won the lottery.”

  “No, it wouldn’t have mattered to him.” Manuel pushes his open hand closer to Udo. She flinches at the motion.

  “Please, for your father.” He motions again with his hand, “I can’t use it now.” Udo timidly picks the small item from Manuel’s large hand. “You leave in three days. Pack only what you need. They are very strict about what is taken aboard. You can view the list on their site.” Manuel nods, smiles a pained smile, and turns to leave. He feels Udo’s warm hand on his. He stops. She squeezes and tells him thank you. He doesn’t look back. He releases her hand and moves into the crowded street.

  ____________________________________________________________

  Udo watches this venerable man disappear into the crowd beyond her. I don’t deserve this. She looks at the chip and slides it into her EC. It glows a muted blue. TRANSACTION AUTHORIZED. It reads. He must have sanctioned the switch already. Her heart skips a beat. It’s only done that once before, when her father returned to her family as an enlightened Host. This Chimera, Manuel, he deserves the win, but has given it freely. She retreats into her house, the door sliding back into place. She sits on her family’s couch in the impinging darkness and cries confusedly, and for so many reasons.