Solaria - S1 (20 page)

Solaria found it interesting that Jain had expressed the same reluctance to have offspring as Carley. Biological imperatives had apparently been altered in some way as humans evolved. In most species this would eventually leave to extinction.

"If women continue to have fewer children like they have over the past one hundred years, humans will eventually cease to exist," voicing her thoughts.

Jain snorted.

"As far as I'm concerned it wouldn't be a great loss. Look what we've done to the planet. Now we're in space and trying to set up habitats on Mars and for what? To spread our pollution and genes somewhere else?"

Solaria was confused. Humans were biologically predisposed to insuring the success of their species. Wanting the opposite wasn't logical.

"You want humanity to become extinct?"

"Well, not really. I happen to like my life. I just wish we took better care of our world and each other but sometimes I think we're doomed to extinction. Anyway, it's not like I had a button that I could push that would just make us disappear."

"You would push it?"

"Probably not. Sometimes though, I think I would, but I doubt if I'd really have the guts. Now, how did we get onto such a depressing topic?"

"You were talking about your friend's child."

"Oh yeah. Listening to them, you'd think Tess and Mary had given birth to a genius. Parents always think that."

"They are lesbians?"

"I guess I forgot to mention that. You don't have a problem with that do you?"

"No, I've just never met a lesbian. At least I don't think so. Carley may have been one but she was rather vague about her sexual preferences. I tried to talk to her once, but she didn't seem too eager to discuss it at the time."

"I can imagine. Even though it's pretty much accepted now, there are still some who like to keep their personal lives... well, personal. She struck me as the type who would be that way."

"You knew Carley? I remember you mentioning her being a guest speaker at your university. Did you get to spend much time talking with her back then?"

"Not really, but she was quite inspirational. For awhile I followed her career but eventually lost track of her. I take it you two were close."

Solaria nodded slightly.

"She was my mentor."

"That's it?" Jain asked, perceptively.

"No, she was more. She saved my life."

"Dr. Branson didn't strike me as the hero type. She was so cerebral."

"I know."

Solaria grew silent thinking about her last few minutes with Carley. It brought up uncomfortable feelings she wasn't ready to deal with yet. Watching the emotions playing across Solaria's face, Jain decided to change the subject and successfully diverted her attention to other things.

After finishing off the pizza and cleaning up, Jain invited Solaria into the living room to discuss the day's events.

"I managed to get into Future Dynamicon's top secret files today. I can't believe it took me this long to get back in. I must be getting old. Anyway, they put up a few more firewalls. I had to be even more careful."

"I'm not in a hurry, Jain. It's important that we remain unknown if I'm to accomplish my mission and keep you safe."

Jain nodded. She didn't like the thought of disappearing into the dark abyss of Homeland Security's or Dynamicon's mysterious network.

"Yeah, well, I downloaded a couple of files but didn't want to open them at the library."

Pulling up her skirt she gently pulled the taped chip off her thigh.

"Ow...ow...ow!"

Solaria wanted to laugh but couldn't decide if it was appropriate considering Jain was in obvious pain. Keeping her face expressionless, she waited patiently for the librarian to continue.

"Next time I'll tape it to my butt; less feeling there," Jain complained and put the disk in her laptop. "Let's see what these are about."

Sitting side by side, they waited for the information to upload. Once finished, Jain opened the Hubot Project file and began reading.

"Whoa! Dr. Branson really played a major role in this program."

"Yes," Solaria agreed. "She was the top scientist in her field."

For about thirty minutes they scanned the pages until one in particular caused Jain to sit back and stare. Before her was a pictorial sequence of the Hubot project. Pictures of the skeletal designs, the bio-mechanical merging of human tissue to the trabecular frame and the final product confirmed her suspicions; a product that was, at this moment, sitting next to her.

"This is you." Solaria gave a faint nod. She knew this moment would eventually come. "I knew it!" Jain exclaimed excitedly, putting the laptop on the coffee table. "Can I touch you?"

Again Solaria nodded. Reaching out, Jain ran her fingers down the Hubot's cheek and then touched her hair.

"This is wonderful! You're perfect!"

"Far from it," Solaria replied. "You aren't bothered because I'm not human?"

"What's human? It's just a word as far as I'm concerned. Besides, I'd say you're better off the way you are. Dr. Branson must have been proud of her accomplishments and you."

"I think she was. She said the same thing about me. You remind me of her. In time, she treated me more like a... a..."

Solaria wasn't sure how to describe those final months. Their relationship had grown beyond mentoring to something more. Jain could well imagine how Dr. Branson felt.

"I bet she thought of you more like her child than anything else. She helped create you, helped you through your formative period and watched you grow intellectually and emotionally."

"Yes, that is it. She was like a mother. In the end she sacrificed her life to save mine."

Jain patted Solaria's arm.

"She must have been very proud of you."

Picking up the laptop, Jain examined the photos of each stage of Solaria's development.

"Your trabecular skeleton must really be something. I knew it was being used for bio-prosthetics but never imagined science had progressed this far. Look at the way your tendons and tissue have interwoven with the porous bone structure. It's absolutely perfect. No wiring or stitching. I can't believe science is so far advanced without some of us knowing about it."

Solaria wasn't sure how to respond to Jain's awe. Glancing up, Jain blushed slightly.

"You don't mind talking about this do you?"

"No, why should I. It's the way I am."

"That's true but it is sort of personal. I mean it's not like we were discussing the repair of a broken bone or something. This is so... sci-fi."

"I can see where you would think that. I'm state of the art even though I'm already obsolete."

"Obsolete? How can that be? Look at you!"

"I'm sure the Company already has a newer model in the works. The latest CPUs are half again as fast as mine."

"Fast doesn't necessarily mean more efficient or smarter."

"True, but the potential is greater. That's why I need to destroy this particular project. Companies like Future Dynamicon could wreak havoc on humanity if they were to misuse Hubots."

"And they'll do that for sure," Jain agreed, closing the Hubot Project file. "Let's just see what they've been up to in this other file." She suspected the Hubot Project file could make Solaria uncomfortable. Jain couldn't begin to imagine what the woman was going through trying to cope with her new existence and the array of emotions she must be trying to understand.

"Displacement activity," Solaria said.

Catching her meaning, Jain chuckled.

"You got me."

An hour later, Jain turned off the laptop and put it aside. Neither she nor Solaria had said a word while they read the contents; Jain, because she didn't know what to say and Solaria because her processors had gone into hyper-drive.

"There's another Hubot out there. Maybe more and it looks like your company has some pretty nasty plans for all of you."

"Yes, I overheard a transmission about other betas and told Carley. She knew I would have to find it or them and do something."

"Something? You mean destroy them?"

"If necessary."

"I don't think I like that idea."  Jain sighed. "What a fuckin mess! Well, let's just take things as they come. Until we find this one, there's no use jumping to conclusions. At least we know his plans for this girl and her father. I've never understood how some people can become so fanatical in their religious beliefs."

"Actually, from a logical perspective, it makes sense to want everyone thinking alike. Society would function more smoothly."

"You mean like a well-oiled machine. That sounds boring enough," Jain replied and then realized her faux-pas. "I don't mean that the way it sounded."

Solaria gave her a quizzical look.

"You are accurate in your assessment. Humanity couldn't survive under those circumstances. It's your diversity that keeps your species going."

"Exactly! Unfortunately, it's also what spawns these nuts."

"The random mixing of genes has limitless possibilities. It's natural to expect a certain percentage of humans to be defective."

Jain snorted at the description.

"Defective is putting it mildly. I'd say more like perverted. Okay, back to our problem. We need to rescue this girl, Reina, and capture the beta. That'll be a good start to disrupting Stalling's plans. The Hubot will be programmed to resist and could be dangerous if what the report about you is true."

"It's true."

"I was afraid of that. Well, let me see what I can find out about the hotel and we'll go from there."

"You don't need to do that, Jain. I can check it out while you're at work tomorrow. You've already put yourself in enough danger."

"Listen, Solaria. You're a logical person. These people have pictures of you. We don't know who else they've given them to which means someone might recognize you. Let me scout the place out, get an idea of the floor plan and see what it will take to get the girl. It's a good thing the Company is so anal about details. Having these pictures of her in the file helps a lot, especially since it looks like she's changed her hair style and color so drastically. No one who knew her as Princess Reina would probably recognize her now."

"True. She looks entirely different. Fortunately Dynamicon's penchant for thoroughness is also their weakness."

"In this case for sure. The only thing I don't understand is why take her to a hotel if she's being held against her will. It would be too easy for her to attract someone's attention."

"Maybe it isn't against her will. We have to consider all the possibilities."

"Okay. Let's say it isn't. That's going to make it even harder to get her out of there. Even if she is cooperative, the beta will probably come after her. Of course that could solve the problem of trying to capture her."

"You're in the wrong field. With your mind, you should be in espionage."

"Naw, I just have a good imagination. Now, tomorrow I'm going to make a reservation for a room at the hotel. You buy a wig and get some good sunglasses. Your eye color is too unusual to be easily forgotten."

"What about your work?"

"I'm playing hooky for a few days. Amy will cover for me. Oh, it might be a good thing for you to move in with me for a while. It will be easier to make our plans. The neighbors will gossip but that won't last long... speaking of which..."

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the piece of paper Tilly gave her.

"This is for you."

Taking it, Solaria looked slightly confused.