Chapter 20

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Sarah stretched out her hand and touched the chain link fence of the ranch a moment before Michael did. They were completing a routine training run, but during the last mile they had accelerated faster and faster into an undeclared race until they were in an open sprint towards the wall.

Sarah leaned over and held her knees as she panted to get her breath back. Besides her, Michael sat down in the orange dirt and gulped in air.

Unable to stop herself, Sarah grinned at him. "Slow poke."

"Whatever," he said, laying fully back in the dirt and squinting his eyes in the sunlight. "I let you win."

"You're such a jackass," she complained, kicking a cloud of earth towards him, not sure if she was angry or just playing angry.

Michael extended a leg and hooked a foot around the ankle that was supporting all her weight, yanking her off balance and into the dirt next to him. He guffawed loudly until the dusty air got into his lungs and he started choking.

Sarah pushed herself up by leaning on his shoulder. "OK, can we start talking to each other again?"

"Sure," he said through gritted teeth. "You're the one who started it."

"I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have locked you out like that. I was... it was a tough time for me."

"Look, this is hard on me, too. I thought we were... you know." He didn't meet her eyes. He was staring across the ranch towards the dormitory where they'd first met. "And then you and Nick Lal... I thought..."

"Let's forget it ever happened." Sarah didn't want to get into a discussion with Michael about whether she really had feelings for Nick. Of course she did. Only it was stupid and pointless because she was never going to meet him again as a friend. She could only observe him from afar, as a spy. It made her feel like a stalker. She wanted to put it behind her, and behind Michael as well.

"All right," he said noncommittally.

"He thinks I'm dead."

"So?"

"So nothing's going to happen. Just forget about it."

"I said all right," he said, dusting himself off and turning towards the ranch.

She realized he was going to just turn away and run back to the ranch without saying another word. Her effort to break the ice had failed, and their relationship would stay bad, maybe even get worse. When would she get another chance to make things right? It might be never. No, she had to do something to end the tension. "Michael?"

"Yeah?" he half turned back, but he was still stepping towards the ranch.

"Michael!"

Now he turned and faced her, a look of impatience on his face.

"Wanna get dinner with me? I know this great place called the ranch mess hall."

He grinned despite the lameness of her joke. "All right. Let's get back and hit the showers."

***

"Nice move!" Laura called to Kobus.  The two had teamed up against Nick and Abril in a two-on-two basketball game. Kobus had just received a high pass from Laura, faked left and, displaying remarkable dexterity for a polar bear, slipped between Nick and Abril to score with a slam dunk on the fifteen foot high basket.  The crowd of thousands of artificial fans cheered enthusiastically, while beaming cheerleaders deftly climbed into a human pyramid.

"Ay Dios mio, that's the game. Fifteen to twelve, to the combined might of Laur-Bus," groaned Abril. "I'm hungry. Why don't we check out my new restaurant?" 

In an instant, the four Aeons were sitting around a table in a luxurious banquet hall, with soft classical sonata playing from speakers hidden in the high ceiling. The music was strangely disorienting to Nick, who associated it with his parents' home.

All of the Aeons present wore fashionable formal attire, except Kobus, who came as a bear wearing a red t-shirt emblazoned with the words, "The gods must be crazy."

"Nice place," mentioned Laura. "I like what you've done with the colors in the wall paneling and the carpet."

"Thanks," said Abril with a smile. "I remembered something like it from a hotel I stayed at in San Juan as a child."

Kobus grabbed a chocolate cookie from a tray in front of him. "It's too bad we can't do this more often. If the networks weren't stukkend, we wouldn't all have to stay in the same place to play sports." He was referring to the fact that all of the Aeons present were sharing a suite in the Diamond Vista Hotel on the resort island of Martha's Vineyard, where they had arranged their physical bodies in a circle and interconnected their MindWaves to allow for lag-free interaction.

"Tell me about it," agreed Abril. "My MindWave is fine for stuff I imagine myself, which doesn't require an internet connection.  But I need the internet for anything interactive, like business.  I can barely get my work done anymore. Much less hang out with you guys like this."

Laura leaned forward over the table. "Some level of network disruption is unavoidable because we're reliant on nats to run our infrastructure, and we all know how unruly and lazy they can be. More alarmingly, there's a lot of nat scum - government agencies, radical students, and followers of the damned National Unity Church - actively trying to hack in and obstruct our network access."

Nick took a long drink from a frosty mug of beer. Sarah had died just several weeks ago, and his emotions were still raw. And he was quickly growing weary of hearing the Aeons complain about how the nats were a scourge. Not after he'd seen the secret files that were nearly stolen by the mysterious invaders who attacked the Sparkwise servers.

It was Laura who was funding the student protests against the Aeons, Laura who'd made large anonymous donations to the NUC, Laura who had supported politicians who vowed to fight the Aeons. She had created the very opposition she used as a means of tightening her control over the other Aeons.

But he had found nothing he could really incriminate her with. It wasn't illegal to fund a protest movement or a church. Maybe her actions would be enough to turn the other Aeons against her, yet he had no proof, just his own memories of documents he'd seen for a few moments. He still needed something more damning before he could go to the government. "Yeah, basically life just sucks, and then you die," he grunted.

"Don't be so sure..." began Laura.

Abril gestured energetically with her hand. "It's so frustrating - we have the greatest capabilities the world has ever known, which should make location irrelevant. But because of the bad internet infrastructure, and meddling by the nats, we're still constrained by physical distance. Kobus and I have been trying to buy up internet service providers around the world so we can control the networks. However, the problem is not really with the ISPs, it's with the physical networks themselves, and the power supply, and so on.  And in so many countries, these industries are protected by the state so we can't buy them, not even with envelopes stuffed with cash."

Laura stood up. She paused to look around the table. "I have been working on this problem and I have some solutions. I've thought them through in detail and they are ready to share, so why don't I tell you all about them now?"

Nicked watched guardedly as Kobus nodded and Abril inclined her head inquisitively.

"Things are going to get a lot worse before they begin to get better. The world will be an increasingly chaotic place for the next few years. I have a plan.

"First, communications are our lifeblood. We need to protect communications at all costs. And I'm speaking literally: this is going to require some ambitious projects, so everyone's going to have to invest. The first step is to build our own cable system. If we operate our own private network, there will be many fewer places for hackers to hide. We might not be able to bring cables inland in some countries, but at least we can lay cables to coastal areas, and use line of sight microwave uplinks for the last few miles to shore."

"As we build the cable networks, we should also launch our own aerial and orbital networks, to provide coverage in areas our cables can't reach. In some areas, we might be able to use solar powered blimps and drones. In countries where we are neither allowed to lay cable nor operate drones, we can rely on satellites. Satellite uplinks are much slower than cable connections, but we could go anywhere and still connect to our own private networks. And I really mean anywhere - it's easy enough to put powerful antennae on our MindWaves, to directly connect to the satellite network."

"Wazzat?" interjected Kobus. "Antennae? In my kop? Is that... safe? I thought MindWaves don't have antennae because having them would fry our brains!"

"Don't worry." Laura smirked and waved her hand dismissively. "That was just a liability insurance issue. People have been wearing devices with antennae for almost a hundred years. MindWaves are more powerful than a smart phone, but the problem is still manageable. The antennae will be external, with ample shielding, so radiation won't be a problem."

Abril spoke up. "I trust you to figure out the safety issue, but, well, aren't these giant antennae going to look kind of goofy?"

"As for how they will look..." Laura spoke carefully. "Well...unfortunately that's not easy. We can't have subtly hidden antennae like people use for phone and internet networks, because for satellite reception we need something more directional. So, what we have in mind is something like this..."  Two large antennae sprouted diagonally out of the back of Laura's head, each about twelve inches in length and connecting directly into the MindWave ports at the base of her skull.

Abril made a face, but Laura was not deterred. "I can't say they look great at first, yet if you add some fashion sense..." Laura's antennae morphed into golden horns, and then into a crown, and then into supports for a glowing golden halo. "...They can be a lot of fun!"

"How much is this going to cost?" asked Nick, barely believing the ambition behind Laura's plans. He closed his eyes while he accessed the data to answer the question. Behind him, numbers popped out into the air, for all four Aeons to see. Every mile of undersea cable would cost more than a new luxury car, and a typical intercontinental cable would take a full year to complete. He began looking into the expense of launching satellites.

"Never mind that stuff, bra, it's easy," interrupted Kobus, literally waving the numbers away. "I want to know how we shut down these fokking miggies who are interfering in our network. We can build network nodes and launch satellites, but we'll never know peace if there are a billion desperate miggies out to get us."

"I've got some ideas for that, too," Laura said assuredly. "The easiest way for us to start defending ourselves is to identify the most aggressive hackers and go after their money. People who have no money to pay rent or buy food won't have time or energy to hack into our communications. And going forward as we build our own networks, we must ensure that network security is absolutely first priority. And, we should of course take legal actions against hackers, file suit or press criminal-"

"Ek se, Laura!" interjected Kobus. "Would any miggie judge or jury ever take our side? Nooit. You don't really believe we can depend on the courts?"

He glanced at Nick and continued, "In fact, since that bladdy preacher Cruz inspired the riots over Christmas, governments all over the place are coming after us. What's the point of all that cash we slip politicians every month if they're intimidated the first time a church full of nats complains about us? The Federal Trade Commission and practically every other government agency coming after Sparkwise Energy and the Congress is reviewing a bill prohibiting MindWaves in securities trading. They call it 'leveling the playing field.'  Ek se, I call it 'stifling competition.' What the hell happened to free enterprise?"

Nick wondered whether Kobus knew that Laura was diverting Sparkwise's own profits to fund the very initiatives he was complaining about. Even if he didn't know about Laura's activities, he must realize that Sparkwise's repeated increases in energy prices were driving people to desperation. Couldn't the other Aeons understand their own role in creating the hatred and fear they now faced?

Nick said "Can't we do anything to make those billions of people who hate us a little less desperate? My dad is wealthy but everyone loves him because he works hard to restore people's hope. Can't we do the same?"

"Yo no sé, Nick," replied Abril cautiously. "You saw the riots in New York. And did you hear about what happened to my friend Pierre in Paris last week? A bunch of nats broke into his house to steal food and fuel. In the chaos they started a fire and Pierre barely made it out alive, and lost his whole family estate and all of his cars. When he went to the police, the Captain called him a Marie Antoinette and said thieves like him deserved the guillotine!  It's loco; Pierre is the biggest employer in all of France."

Kobus joined in, "Nick, I think you're being a little naive. The miggies are at our throats and we need to fight back."

Laura held up her hands. "No, Nick has a point. There are eight billion humans and just dozens of Aeons. I've prototyped several tactical weapons systems that we can use to protect ourselves if it comes down to it. But even we Aeons can't take on hundreds of millions of humans each. We do need to bring some humans over to our side."

Nick noted that Laura was increasingly using the term "human" instead of "nat." He wondered whether she was trying to imply that Aeons were something greater than human.

Laura continued speaking. "We'll need to recruit acolytes. Devoted followers who will defend and serve us. We'll need to offer them a place to live and work. I suggest we build small communities designed to house acolytes and ourselves. These facilities will be called havens.

"A haven must be a place of comfort to deserve the name. And so, at each haven, we will build facilities specifically designed for the needs of Aeons. The facilities will include full medical and MindWave maintenance labs staffed by trained acolytes.

"Even more than comfort, a haven must offer safety. Offshore islands and peninsulas offer a strong defensive advantage. We'll have to fortify them properly, and develop our own sources of food and power." She gestured towards Nick. "And Nick's idea of having human allies will be critical in making these fortified havens safe. We'll train some of the acolytes as security guards."

For once, normally compliant Abril flashed Laura a skeptical look. "And how are we going to get nats to serve as acolytes? They seem to enjoy biting the hand that feeds them."

"We give them material goods they need. Food and energy," said Laura firmly, with a glance at Nick. "And beyond that, it's like Nick said. We need to give them some cause for hope. A belief in a higher power."

Kobus rolled his eyes. "A nice oupa in the sky is going to make everything alles beter? Reverend Cruz already owns that story."

Laura shook her head slowly and leaned forward, placing both palms on the table. "No, not some grandfather. Us. We are gods."

Nick stood in surprise. "No, Laura, you're twisting what I said. I didn't say we should create a fake religion. I said we can be a force for good! For one thing, Sparkwise needs to lower its prices so the people can afford to heat their homes and deliver food to the markets." He looked imploringly around the room at the other Aeons, who in turn looked to Laura.

Laura's eyes flashed with anger. "Nick, you fail to see the big picture because you're so focused on your own emotional needs. I'm sure you blame yourself for Sarah's death, and your childish emotional pain is clouding your vision. Nick, we are Aeons. We must not let simple human emotions distract us from our tasks."

Before Nick could protest, Laura continued. "Sure, if you'd like, there are enough carbon reserves to string things along for another decade or so. Artificially low energy prices supported by government subsidies. Dwindling stocks of oil, gas and coal being sold off as fast as they can be brought to market. Let the nats burn all the fuel, leaving nothing, and make no plan for what comes next."

"There must be some kind of technology, renewable energy..." Nick interjected. Even as he spoke, he realized that Laura had turned the momentum of the confrontation against him, deflecting his anger into a tangential argument he wasn't prepared to have, making him look foolish in front of Kobus and Abril.

Laura shook her head. "Nick, there's been a technology race for decades to develop renewable energy. Solar and wind never got there and uranium was too dangerous. Thorium reactors looked like they were going to save the day but then the Hurricane Reactor disaster derailed that idea. Now time's up. Humanity lost the energy race."

Before Nick could formulate a response, she continued, "And if you think the current chaos from high prices is bad, it's nothing compared to what will happen if we let the nats burn up the last drop of oil. You saw how mindless they are when they attacked you in the streets of New York."

Nick needed to get the conversation back on track. Kobus and Abril might not care about the plight of humanity, but they did care about their own self interests. "These are real people, billions who know they will suffer and die unless we lower our prices. Either we lower the prices ourselves, or they'll rise up and force us to."

Laura shrugged. "One way or another, the human population must be reduced by billions within twenty years. This is the great destiny for which we Aeons were created."

Laura's last statement caught Nick off guard. He was used to her making grandiose statements about Aeons, and showing callousness and contempt towards natural humans. But this was beyond anything she had ever said before. He stared at her in outraged disbelief. "What, are you mad? Are you now suggesting we commit genocide?"

Laura narrowed her eyes. She spread her arms and a powerful wind kicked up inside the closed ballroom, sending her bright red hair streaming almost vertically up. The floor shook and the walls fell away. Chandeliers crashed down onto the table and shattered.

The wind tore away all remnants of the banquet room, revealing Laura's mountain peak. Instead of the normally sunny weather, the sky was overcast and dark, with lightning flashing between the clouds. Laura stood at the very pinnacle of the mountain, with the other Aeons kneeling in a semicircle below her.

Laura pointed an outstretched arm at Nick. "Stand!" she roared.

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