Fantastic Children 2 Ch.25

25: A Warm Light

The sunset was beautiful from Kuril Island, the sky glowing orange and the red sun sinking into the mist of the horizon. It was visible from the window, which was thrown open.  A soft breeze drifted into the room.

The Rugen Institute had a hospital on the island, one which not only served the needs of its workers and researchers, but offered experimental treatments to those willing to take the risk involved.

Agi put his hands in his pockets and looked out the window. The man lying in the bed had a swath of bandages covering what remained of his nose. More bandages encased his ears and his hands. And his feet really ought to both have been amputated.  

But there was no point, Agi knew.  Dumas would not be using this body for much longer.

"It wasn't my fault," Dumas said sulkily through the bandages.

"Of course not."

"How was I supposed to know about the robots?"

"Nobody blames you, Dumas. We've contacted Greecia, and Goto has promised that production of the cores will stop immediately. All the cortical centers at the Rugen institute are being destroyed and the souls released into the Zone."

"But won't that make the Orsel imbalance worse?"

"There is no Orsel imbalance anymore.  Earth's Zone and Greecia's Zone have merged. Our planets share a single Zone, now."

Dumas was silent for a moment. "Explain to me exactly how that happened again," he ordered.

"Exactly, we don't know," said Agi. "It's possible that our passages from Greecia to Earth through the Zone actually did weaken or damage the barrier between the two Zones. Or at least brought the barriers in contact. Or it could be that the imbalance, the displaced souls trying to return to the proper Zone did the damage. It's even possible there was no original damage at all.  In any case, as far as we can surmise, when the generator on Sei Station projected a beam of Orsel energy into the generator Hasmodai claims was on...on the Atalanta—" Dumas snorted "—it closed some sort of circuit or opened a portal which resulted in the barrier between the Zones collapsing, resulting in their conjugating into one."

Dumas sighed.  After a few minutes of silence, he said, "So, how are you planning to fix it?"

"I'm not," said Agi. Even if they had a clue how to separate the Zones, Agi would not have wanted it done.  He cared for too many people on both planets.  He hoped the union would be permanent, that they would all share their worlds and their afterworlds together, forever.

"Can't get used to your hair being white again," Dumas grumbled. Agi only smiled. They had all emerged from the Enma's quiet shore with their Greecian appearances restored.

"How did I get here?" Dumas asked. "I was going down with the ship, last I remember."

"Hesma managed to drag you out of the pod and onto the ice," said Agi. "Castor and Pollux apparently have some sort of mental bond between them, and Palza knew his brother was in trouble, and where to find him.  Mel flew him out to you in the utility skimmer—"

"Mel?" said Dumas. "The skimmer has a cockpit that would make a rat feel cramped!"

"She stepped into it without even flinching," said Agi.  The thought still amazed him. "Maybe because Palza got in first."

"And about the crisis on Greecia…"

"It's ended. The moment the barrier between the Zones broke, the imbalance ended and everything normalized. You're considered something of a hero on Greecia."

"And what do we do about Brightwater?  Someone's got to do something about Hesma's patents."

"Between the destruction of their Antarctic facilities, and the fact that there's no more need for their climate control services, Brightwater is on the ropes.  Mel's been buying up stock on your behalf at bargain prices, and thinks we should be poised for a hostile takeover within the month."

"I could get to like Mel. Explain to me again," Dumas said, "how the Zone problem got solved."

Agi did.

"I still don't understand it," Dumas grumbled.

"Well, you're not a scientist," said Agi.  And we don't really understand it either, he didn't add.  "Besides, you're tired. We can talk again in the morning."

"I still think everyone should go back through the Zone," said Dumas.  "Just in case."

"It won't make any difference," said Agi.

"It will make me feel more secure."

"Dumas, we don't all plan to return to Greecia."

"Well, some of you, anyway."

And since Dumas was too ill and too untrained to really understand, and because he was the ruler of Greecia, and because he had been willing to give his life for Hesma's, Agi did not argue any longer.

Soreto had been waiting outside. Her eyes were the blue of the Greecian sea again, too, and her hair silver white.  "How is he?"

"Not well at all," said Agi.  "But he's only got another day to hold on.  The spirit portal is almost complete."

"You're not planning to return to Greecia, are you?"

"Of course not," said Agi.  "Are you?"

"I chose to stay last time, I don't know why I would change my mind," she said.  A look of confusion crossed her face. "I did choose to stay last time…didn't I?"

"You did," said Agi.  "We all did. I'll explain it to you later. How is Hasmodai?"

"Palza wants him kept under observation, but I don't think anything's particularly wrong with him. He seems a bit distracted, though.  You should talk to him."

"I never know what to say to Hasmodai any more," said Agi. "Do you think that could actually have been the Atalanta? Do you think that's where he was when he was missing?"

"I asked him straight out," said Soreto. "He just smiled at me."

They walked up a flight of stairs, past a darkened room. Agi looked in, and saw Hasmodai silhouetted in the window, leaning against the frame. He was no longer staring at the sea, but up at the first appearing stars of the night.

Agi walked on.

He entered another room, where another man lay on the bed, an array of complicated machines hooked up to his body.  

"Inspector Cooks," said Agi.  "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," the detective said. "Can't see what the point is of all these machines.  It's going to end the same way in any case."

Agi couldn't argue.  "Is there anything I can do for you?  Anything you need?"

"Answers," said Cooks. "Tell me what's going on.  What it all means.  Don't let me die still wondering."  

Agi sat down by the bed, took the detective's hand, and looked into his desperate eyes.

"Far away, on the other side of the Pleiades, two hundred million light years away, there is a beautiful water planet called Greecia. That's where I was born. On that planet is a new body, waiting for me.  I won't be needing it.  Would you like to have it?  I think you'll find all your answers on Greecia, and probably quite a few new mysteries."

The silence went on so long Agi wondered if the detective had understood him.

Finally Cooks said, "You know, I always planned to travel after I retired."


Agi, Mel, Soreto and Tarlant worked all the next day to build the spirit portal.  It was not very different from the transference devices they had created so many times on Earth, and it was easy to fall into the familiar patterns of teamwork that had kept them moving forward through their long first quest. Palza's objections had to be dealt with repeatedly, though, and they kept assuring him that this would be, absolutely, the very last time.

In the evening, when the Institute's researchers and workforce had gone to their homes for the night, they gathered on a grassy hill under the stars, around the portal, its light reflecting off their faces.  They held hands, as they had on the dark shore, standing together silently. Not far away, the waves crashed on the rocks, and the moon slowly rose over the sea.  

"Well?" said Dumas at last.  In spite of his injuries, he was dressed in one of the elegant silk suits he favored, and wore his wrap-around dark glasses over his bandages. He could barely hobble, but had refused crutches or a wheelchair or even a cane.  "If nobody trusts me, I suppose I could go first."

"You said that there are bodies prepared for each of us?" Agi asked.

"Yes, an approximately eleven-year-old body for each of you, created and artificially grown from your own natural genetic material.  A real body, not a second-rate construct made of artificial matter. I think we all know that technology was a dead end."

They stood silent a moment longer.

Hesma stepped forward.  He walked to the beam of the portal, and as he stepped into it, he turned and opened his mouth as if to speak. But he was too late: the body of Castor Weaver slumped gently to the ground, empty. The robot Bubble lifted the child's body and gently laid it on one of the carts they had prepared.

"That should probably be destroyed," Dumas said. "Someday, someone might start poking around and trying to find out what became of the Weaver twins."

"No," said Agi. "Hesma's body will be preserved."

"Ten to one he'll spend a month on Greecia and be homesick for Earth again," said Tarlant.

"I don't know," said Palza. "He feels pretty happy."

"Do you still have your connection to him?" Soreto asked.

"I suppose once you're connected, you're always connected," said Palza.  "Hesma's my brother now.  Mel?"

Mel and Soreto shared one last hug, and the couple made their farewells.

"There's no need to preserve our bodies, I will never be doing this again," Palza said firmly. They stepped into the beam.  Pollux Weaver and Gherta Hawksbee slumped to the grass.

"We'll preserve them anyway," Agi said. "Just in case. It's good that they'll have a chance to spend their lives together at last."

"I notice Mel didn't say she wouldn't visit," said Soreto. "I hope they don't fight over it.  In any case, I have a body on Greecia, I can always visit them."

"Inspector Cooks, are you ready?" Agi asked. Cooks didn't answer.  He was unconscious, his body already slipping into death.  They wheeled him under the beam, and Nguyen Hue Cooks breathed his last breath on Earth. He had signed papers during the day requesting that the mechanical life support be ended.  In the morning he would be found in his hospital room, dead of terminal cancer.

Agi hoped he would be happy on Greecia.

"Anyone else?" Dumas asked.  "Tina?"

She smiled.  "You know my answer, Dumas."

"Lord Seth?  I know your father would love to see you again. He's been good to me."

Seth looked at Tina.  Then he looked out to sea, toward the island with the 200-year-old shrine, and the couple who were waiting for their son to return.

"Tell him, maybe in a couple of years," said Seth. "Hey, I can't leave now—I have my own boat!"

Dumas looked toward the remaining scientists.

One stepped forward.

"Ah, Hasmodai, no!" said Tarlant softly.

Hasmodai turned back, and they could see from the pain in his face how difficult this was for him.  "I'm sorry," he said.  "I think Greecia needs Hasmodai more than Earth needs Teo."

Soreto stepped forward and put her arms around him. They held each other for a minute.  Tarlant hugged him next, saying, "You're the only one around here who knows how to have any fun."

"I'll miss you, too, Tarlant."

Agi took Hasmodai's hand, shook it firmly.  "Thank you," he said, "for all your hard work." He meant it, meant more than that, and he felt sure Hasmodai understood.

Hasmodai moved toward the portal.  Halfway there, he stopped and looked back.  "After just a couple of years on Greecia, you'll be…you'll be…" Tears started running down his face.

"But think how much comfort it will be for us, knowing that Hasmodai will be living on, carrying our memories for centuries after we're gone," said Agi.

"And you can always visit us," said Soreto. "You can take a couple of weeks off from Greecia and spend an entire year."

"We'll be glad to see you any time," said Tarlant. "Don't wait too long."

Hasmodai turned away again. When he reached the portal, he looked at them once more, wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand, and said, "The time difference between our planets is really created by the relativity between time and speed of motion. Given modern matter-transference technology, it shouldn't really be all that difficult to adjust the positions and orbital velocity of our systems without throwing off anything else particularly significant, and bring our rates of temporal progression to a more analogous state."

Hasmodai turned to look at the spirit portal.  In nine years, the Atalanta should reach Greecia.  He would be twenty years old.  It was a good age.  He stepped into the light.

Teo's body slipped to the grass.  They would preserve it.  Hasmodai would definitely be back.

As Squeak collected the empty shell, Dumas slowly peeled off his dark glasses to reveal an expression of horror.

"Did that man just declare an intent to rearrange the foundations of the cosmos in order to spend a little more time with his friends?" Dumas demanded. "I can't tell you how grateful I am that he will be on Greecia, where I can keep an eye on him. Anyone else?"

When nobody else moved, Dumas said, "Just me, then. Tina?"  He held a hand out, and Tina stepped forward, hugged her brother. Then Dumas turned and hobbled toward the portal.

"You needn't preserve this wreck," he said.  "I won't be using it again.  But don't think you won't be seeing Damien any more. I will have a new Earth body constructed as quickly as possible, even if I'm forced to resort to artificial matter. I'm not leaving you here entirely unsupervised. You all bear watching. You're like…children."

"Yes, your Highness," said Agi, suppressing a smile. "Thank you."

And Dumas stepped into the light.

The night's work was not yet over.  With heavy hearts, they returned with the bodies to the Rugen Institute, and Agi and Soreto began the preservation process.

Tarlant took Bubble and Squeak to a quiet place on the shore of the sea, Wonder waddling along behind them.

"Thank you," Tarlant said, "for staying with us until the end." He deactivated them then, removed their cortical centers, and freed the souls within.

---

Ian Cole slept late the next morning.  As he got dressed, he heard his sister pounding on the door. "Hurry, Ian, you'll miss the ferry!"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Belle, I'm coming," he said. Quickly packing his things, he left the guest room.

As they walked to the dock, Ian turned back to look at the Rugen Institute.  It felt like a warm and familiar place, now, as if he had a second home.

"Come oooon, Ian!" Belle said, rushing onto the ferry.  "I can't WAIT to get home.  I can't believe how BORING this place has been."

Ian smiled slightly as he walked onto the boat. Captain Thoma looked up from Helga's sketch, and said, "Whoa, another one with white hair!  What, was it like a gang initiation or something?"

"Or something," Ian agreed.  Thoma's hair was black again, Helga's its usual brown.  Ian looked around, and saw Flo and Kalie sitting together with Kalie's old dog.  Both of them had hair like snow and eyes like the sea.  

"So, how did the scholarship thing go?" Captain Thoma asked.  "Did you have to take a lot of tests?"

"I…I don't really remember," said Helga, frowning.

Ian walked to the two white-haired children.  He sat beside Flo.  The minute he did, Belle caught his arm. "Ian, come look, there's a sea turtle on the beach!"

"Not right now, Belle," Ian said.  "Why don't you go ask Captain Thoma to teach you how to drive the boat?"

Belle made a face, but moved off, saying over her shoulder, "By the way, Ian, you know my friend May?  I really want you to meet her big sister.  She's the vocalist and lead guitarist in a rock group, and she's really cool and she's a great artist, too. She designed all her own tattoos."

Ian managed to keep a straight face as Belle walked away, and turned to see Flo and Kalie were doing the same.

"You remember?" Agi asked.

"Everything," said Tarlant. "How long do you think it will last?"

"I don't know."

"I don't want to forget," said Soreto. "I don't want to lose you again—either of you."

"Even if we do forget, we'll meet again," said Agi.  "We're the new co-directors of the Rugen Institute."

"Why do you think we still remember?" Tarlant asked. "Do you think it's a reward from the Enma for fixing the Orsel imbalance problem? Or that they're maybe keeping us ready for more work?"

"Or maybe they think we do more damage when we don't realize what we're doing," said Agi.

"We don't really know anything about the Enma," said Soreto. "We don't know if it's a they or an it, or if it thinks or feels or plans…"

"The more we learn, the more we know we don't know," said Agi.

"Maybe that could be our next research project," said Tarlant enthusiastically.  "We could study the Enma, find out more about them, maybe learn how they…what?"

"I think that's just a little more ambitious a project than I'm ready for at the moment," said Soreto.

"Right," said Agi. "I hear Doctor Mellish is running some sort of study on algae growth patterns.  I may see if I can get in on that."

Tarlant sighed.  After a while he said, "I suppose I ought to drop out of the Robot Wars competition this year. It would hardly be fair."

Agi quietly thought about Ian's plans…his goal to study astrophysics, his intention to find a part-time job on Sanceli Island. If his memories persisted, then his two lives, like the Zones, would have to merge and become one somehow.

Agi thought…Ian thought it might be a very interesting way to live