Mindlink (2 page)

Ashley eyed her. “Why did you enter the contest then?”

“Oh, I didn’t.” She shrugged. “My brother. Big joke. ‘You don’t
get out enough. Always hanging out with animals instead of people. Since I can’t
get you to the bar down the street, let’s send you to the other side of the
universe.’ It wasn’t funny.”

If none of the others would speak to Natalie, Ashley should
probably take the hint, but being ostracized sucked, especially on such a long
trip. And no one else had smiled at her during the introductions. “Then why show
up to claim the prize? Surely you have the option to say no.”

“Well, they drew my name on national television, then hounded
me, constantly. Reporters camped out on my front lawn. I couldn’t go anywhere,
not even to the grocery store.” Her buddy’s mouth pursed. “You remind me of
someone. I can’t put my finger on it. Have you ever been on TV or in a movie,
maybe?”

Heart pounding, Ashley tossed her fake hair. “Movie? I don’t
know what you mean. The last movie I saw was
The
Matrix
with Swedish subtitles. I don’t have time for
entertainment.”

Natalie squinted. “There’s just something about the way you
hold yourself. You weren’t an actress when you were younger, were you? I swear
I’ve seen your face somewhere.”

Big, jagged puzzle-like pieces of her revived career and Oscar
dream started falling out at a rapid pace. David Renner had been clear. She had
no shot at the part in
Vertigo
Society
without the free publicity. She had to get
on that ship as a scientist, not a movie star. Actress wasn’t on the alien’s
specific list of candidates.

“I’m just a scientist.” Had she said something wrong? She
hadn’t, she knew she hadn’t. Three months of practice could not have failed
her.

Natalie looked dismayed. “Oh. Well, sorry for the confusion. I
watch a lot of movies and except for the accent, you remind me of an actress I
like.”

It had been a long time since someone said they liked her.
Natalie was a
fan
, one she hadn’t lost over the
arrests and bad karma and she couldn’t revel in it or sign an autograph or
anything. Fans meant everything to her, and gave her precious validation of her
acting skills. She had to fix her career to earn back their trust.

Natalie searched her features, and leaned in, dousing Ashley
with a blast of vile knockoff perfume. Which went well with her clothes, hair,
shoes and handbag.

She shoved a hand under her leg so Natalie couldn’t see it
trembling. “I’m sorry. I’m Dr. Astrid Jonsson, an astronautical engineer.”

And she was. For six more weeks. Ashley V didn’t exist.

* * *

The transparent polycarbonate panel dividing the
Acquisitions workshop from the spacebarge bay whirred, and with a high-pitched
whine, ground to an unexpected halt halfway to the ground. Uniformed workers
filed toward the offending machinery and began diagnosing the issue with
handheld scanners. A pair of workers conferred verbally, indicating the
readouts, while the other pair examined the hydraulic mechanism designed to
raise and lower the massive panel.

ZXQ
-
One
observed the workers from his office on the second floor—the most efficient
viewing area in the pyramid-shaped building. Half of the Acquisitions building
housed administration and the other half, currently empty, held the spacebarge,
which had been sent to Earth to retrieve the volunteers who fulfilled the
requirements of the king’s list. The entire city of Kir Barsha awaited its
return with great anticipation.

The panel’s inability to operate correctly posed a challenge,
but his team would prepare the spacebarge bay to receive the subjects from Earth
on schedule. No question. He did not allow failure in his division, especially
not so close to the culmination of his inexhaustible efforts to secure a
promotion.

Without warning, the panel slammed to the ground, pinning
Twelve
beneath its weight.
One
rushed for the door, his heart racing.
Twelve
might be hurt. In pain...

One
inhaled and commanded his body
to cease the pounding in his chest.
Twelve
’s
inability to perform must be the focus of his concern.

Results were his top priority. Not his subordinates.

By the time
One
stepped onto the
inclinator to descend, he was in control again.

When he arrived on the receiving floor, the panel had been
raised enough to release the worker. The acrid odor of metal-against-metal still
permeated the bay and the smell would have to be eliminated.
Twelve
sat clutching a hand darkened with bruises, but
not bleeding. Praise the Ancestors it wasn’t worse.
One
straightened his uniform and halted two meters from the
worker.

“I will accompany you to medical and ensure you receive proper
care,”
One
said to
Twelve
, then turned to the other workers. “Continue. I will return
for the status.”

One
kept his gaze trained to the
floor until
Twelve’s
shadow straightened. The worker
followed him to the medical center on the second floor without uttering a sound,
though he must be in considerable agony.
One
spoke
to the robo-medic and once satisfied
Twelve
would be
treated for both pain and injury, left his subordinate in the center’s care.

The High Chairman must be informed.
One
tapped the screen of his handheld and paused outside medical.
The High Chairman’s face appeared.
One
inclined his
head and waited for his superior to speak as he fixed his gaze on the lower left
corner of the handheld to anchor his face.

“Are you well?” the High Chairman asked.

“Very well, High Chairman.”
One
lowered his chin slightly in acknowledgement. “The spacebarge will be received
on schedule according to the wishes of the king, but I must report a minor
mechanical failure with the sealing panel. Additionally, a worker sustained
injury. I escorted him to medical.”

“A breach of protocol. Return to the receiving bay at once and
attend to your responsibilities. I require a full report,” the High Chairman
ordered.

“The workers and the panel are equally my responsibility. A
full report includes the status of a worker’s results.”
One
couldn’t have left
Twelve
to his own
devices, but it didn’t change facts. The workers weren’t his concern, despite
his argument to the contrary. If he wanted to succeed, he must suppress his
bothersome inclination to care about the welfare of others. “The schedule will
not be compromised. Be assured, my team is giving the matter full attention. I
will update you in one hour.”

“I shall inform the king you are on schedule. He will be
pleased.” The High Chairman’s voice remained even, betraying nothing. A fine
example of leadership
One
strived to emulate.

One
nodded and tapped the screen to
end the transmission, then lifted his head as the screen went black. A burst of
pleasure warmed him, but he snuffed it. The High Chairman’s admonishment lay
fresh in his mind. Professionalism only, especially now.
One
planned to be the youngest worker ever to be appointed High
Chairman of Research, just as he was currently the youngest Director of
Acquisitions.

He returned to the workshop where his team continued to assess
the malfunctioning panel. The king might appear at any moment to inspect the
docking apparatus and the Acquisition resources assigned to process the Mora
Tuwa subjects from Earth. Everything must be in place before the king’s
arrival.

For centuries, the Telhada had acquired Mora Tuwa research
subjects through various methods such as a pickup from sparsely populated areas
of Earth or more complicated and costly remote acquisition. The quality of these
random subjects was appalling. Most were illiterate, many exhibited signs of
mental degradation, and all possessed inferior genetic material.

Yet the subjects’ memories contained evidence of technological
advances in science and engineering. Space travel. Cloning. Disease eradication.
Where were the initiators of this progress? These were the minds needed and the
Telhada couldn’t afford to spend limited fuel resources to continue acquiring
deficient subjects.

No one had ever considered providing Earth with specifications
and permitting the humans to simply volunteer. No one until
One
. The king’s quest to solve the fuel crisis would finally be
fulfilled. Without fuel, the city of Kir Barsha would come to a halt,
threatening the way of life the Telhada had preserved for hundreds of years.
Resources were scarce, but not exhausted. They had little time to find an
alternative and Earth’s scientists were their last hope.

One’s
list would pave the way.
Pride wasn’t as easily contained as pleasure and required extra effort to curb
before he reached his workers.

“What is the status?” Head inclined,
One
halted by his second-in-command.

Two
swiveled and mirrored the
stance. When
One
received his promotion,
Two
would become
One
. The
transition would be streamlined due to meticulous preparation over the last six
months.

“A rupture in the power circuits caused the failure,”
Two
said to the floor. “It will be repaired within
minutes.
Fourteen
is testing the docking clamps and
power grid in Receiving to ensure the break did not extend to that sector.”

“Excellent.”

“The Mora Tuwa will be well cared for upon arrival.
Seven
and
Four
have the
final checklists and will perform a trial on the test subject procured from the
Security Division. They will have the results to you by the end of the day.”
Two
’s shadow nodded.

The report so pleased him,
One
spoke without censor. “You will be an exceptional addition to the Director-level
staff. I look forward to witnessing your results.”

His subordinate’s shadow jerked, likely in surprise. “If I am
successful, it will be due to your exceptional leadership. I could not have
learned under a better mentor.”

One
cut the conversation short.
Other workers performed their duties but five meters away and he could not allow
them to overhear such familiarity.

He sent an update to the High Chairman and scrolled through his
agenda, noting he’d been scheduled for his annual haircut later in the day. He
ran a hand over his bristly hair—it
had
grown at
least two centimeters since last year. How inconvenient. However, rescheduling
might cause issues.

Issues were to be avoided.

Beep
!

He glanced at his handheld.

A message from
ORU
, the king’s
assistant. The king was here. In the most extraordinary event of his life,
One
would be granted an audience with the king of Kir
Barsha.

Before the message faded from his screen, he rose and strode
out of his office to greet the king. A tingle traveled across his skin,
accompanied by a slight tremor to his hands. A trip to Medical might be
sensible, once his team processed the Mora Tuwa and removed them from
Acquisitions. The king would not appreciate a Director of Acquisitions whose
hands shook.

Through the glass of the inclinator, he watched his team rush
to form a straight line as he descended to the first floor. He snapped into
place at the head of the line, noting every worker stood in perfect formation to
receive the king.

ORU
appeared at the main entrance.
Despite wearing the uniform of a worker,
ORU
exuded
rarified authority in his role as special liaison between the king and his
citizens. “His Majesty King Kufu the Second. All bow,” he cried.

One
bowed his head and followed the
shadows as they passed along the walkway.
ORU’s
unadorned head came first, then four Security workers marched by with absolute
precision. The king’s distinctive profile, with the larger nose and lips, and
tall headdress next, then four more Security. High Priest
UBA
, Director of the Afterlife, with a shorter headdress and pointed
emblems, swept by.

Interesting. The High Priest should be preparing for The
Festival of the Ancestors tonight, the most important of holy religious events.
Why had he accompanied the king?

An unrecognizable shadow slid past. He raised his head a notch
to glimpse feminine sandaled feet, accompanied by an exotic, spiced scent.

The queen.

The Telhada honored his team with not one, but two esteemed
members, an unprecedented occurrence.

After the queen’s security passed,
ORU
cried, “His Majesty King Kufu is present. Account for
yourselves.”

One
gave a slight nod. “
ZXQ
-
One
is pleased to be a
subject of His Majesty. All hail King Kufu. May you rest with the Ancestors in
eternity.”

On his left,
Two
nodded and
repeated the traditional greeting. Then
Three
,
Four
and the rest of
One’s
team paid respect to their king. Formalities complete,
One
broke ranks and approached the king. He stopped two meters away
and went down on one knee, eyes fixed on the floor.

“Rise.” The king’s voice carried a trace of satisfaction.

One
stood and forced himself to
meet the king’s gaze, the highest form of respect. His muscles tensed, braced
for the agonizing zap of a completed link.