Читать книгу Memories of the future. An eyewitness notes - ДАРЬЯ Дмитриевна РОСНИНА - Страница 1

ADDRESS TO THE READER (instead of introduction)

Mankind will survive and regenerate after weathering the storm of the Epoch of Major Changes. These changes have already affected people all over the globe: the rise in the World Ocean level, unstable state of the Yellowstone super volcano, uncontrolled migration of the Planet’s population, conflicts and wars, water and food supply shortage, destruction of the system of states. We can already see these and other processes going on nowadays. And it is only the beginning of a long chain of cause-effect relations.

The events described are based on the processes that are most likely to face the Planet, both socially and environmentally, as indicated in materials of analytical research and published statistical data that allow us to determine and describe the most probable future developments. Will people be able to survive under aggressive environmental conditions? And if so, can survival be considered as the ultimate goal of intellectual development on this Planet? What is the destination of each of us and of the whole Mankind? What is Collective Conscience and how does it influence future events taking shape right now?

All of us must bear responsibility for our common future! While writing this book, I got strong support of people who really care about the future of Mankind: scientists, experts, friends and relatives of mine who share my thoughts and Faith in the high purpose of mind and the creative power of Mankind. I am endlessly thankful to them for their help! It was them who expressed their thoughts on the future and consulted me on the trends in technological and social developments. It fell to me to shape all these in a literary form. All the future technologies depicted do really exist nowadays. In my opinion, science fiction authors should lay the basis for spiritual ideals and traits of the Man of tomorrow and have confidence in our wonderful future.

What will the man of the future be like? It will be a spiritually free person, clear of emotional and psychological problems with advanced mind, strong intuition and considerable life wisdom, who will be able to bring a new harmony into this world. The man of tomorrow will be physically healthy, free of lust, greed and envy. This new man will establish new rules of life on the Planet. The new race will care for the common good. Men and women will have equal rights. Concern for the new generation will become one of the primary objectives of Mankind. Labor will be VOLUNTARY, rewarding and creative. Mankind will build new cities and industrial facilities by means of advanced knowledge and technologies focused on maintaining the environmental balance. Our future environmentally-friendly technology will be based on the principal laws of the Universe.

Once we start living and loving each other in harmony, we’ll be able to explore distant stars and the depths of spiritual spheres, leaving far behind the primitive Homo sapiens. What we need is the SINGLE WORLD COMMUNITY, rather than the SINGLE WORLD GOVERNMENT! The Unity of thoughts of men who follow the path of evolution has the great potential for creating a new and perfect world.

“What do you want to learn about the future, Alex, while studying the past? How many times have we looked through your life record, starting with the point of the successful landing?” Although AI was talking in a calm voice, she captured a tinge of hidden irony in his words.

“Abel, I have a strong feeling that I am missing out something important in the past, which keeps me from moving on. Can you see a system in our logics that leads us into deadlock? This is some principle that escapes our understanding, isn’t it? Or this might be something else?”

“I am working on this, esteemed Head of the Council! The chronicles of your memory are the Minotaur’s labyrinth: things aren’t always what they seem.”

“Don’t call me like that, Wolf!”

“Okay, I won’t, senior lieutenant Bjorg, let’s start by repeating the brief chronicle of the Planet over the past two hundred years.

The year 2222 or 7730 according to the First Chronology. By the way, both these dates carry the Mark of Force!

I’ve selected the most significant events of these two hundred years’ period that determine the balance of power and motives for the war. Here’s the picture I’ve got:

– the Free People’s colony was set up on a remote planet;

– following the volcanic eruption, the continent got immersed and massive relocation of the cataclysm victims ensured;

– the Ocean level rose by 17 meters over 150 years;

– the Coalition resumed its struggle for global domination;

– the Planet’s population protested against the Coalition’s policy;

– a large-scale war with the Coalition broke out, the Free People determined to go all the way;

– the Planet’s system of states was destroyed;

– the family institution was eliminated;

– only two states were left on the Planet: the Coalition and the Free People;

– the Planet’s population embarked on a massive migration;

– the Free People abolished monetary relations, with priority being given to fostering creativity;

– weapons of radically new types emerged in all branches of the military;

– the population was annihilated by a new virus strain;

– The Planet’s environment reached a critical state;

– the Planet’s living beings were saved from complete extinction by means of cloning;

– a processor for human consciousness recording was created;

– a cyber body was developed as an alternative to a biological one;

– the perpetual energy source was generated from the Planet’s field and the surrounding Space;

– the super conductivity principle began to be used in flights;

– the Antigravity Principle was discovered.

“All right, Abel, that’s enough for the analysis. Now put together a system and principles common to all these developments. Then search for something that unifies the factors of the Planet’s live environment, social medium and scientific achievements. Draw a system-based Principle out of all these and then transfer the obtained system-based Principle over to THAT period of my life. What do you get? Put the semantic and graphic aspects up on a projection. I see there is an imagery aspect as well. I wonder what this image is?”

“It’s a Spiral, Alex, shrinking into a point.”

(a conversation fragment)

Chapter 1

“She lived under the Sun, in a place abounding with bright stars.”

V. Vysotsky

A piercing howl of the falling jet fighter broke the silence of the desert; the aircraft crashed, raising a plume of dust and smoke. Its forebode nuzzled into the sand, with engines still turning by inertia before falling silent forever. In the sky above the crashed aircraft, a parachute canopy was seen. A pilot’s figure was hanging somewhat awkwardly on the cords without motion.

On approaching the land surface, the canopy swayed in the hot air and speeded up its descent. Hardly had the pilot’s body touched the ground, when it dragged him off across a sandy dune slope, hastened by the wind, towards remains of the abandoned town walls. The pilot had crawled along the ground like a floppy doll for some time before the canopy fastened onto a fixture sticking out of the sand and fell off sharply. The world seemed to have come to a halt again. A minute had passed before the pilot moved slowly, clumsily sat down, unfastened a pressure helmet and threw it aside. A shock of blond hair swept over the shoulders. Then her fingers began to glide on the clasps, releasing her from the straps. She examined herself and groaned in pain. The torn suit began to slowly darken in the area of her stomach.

The instruction prohibited to stay long at the place of crash.

Having unfastened an emergency set, she rose and slowly went off, pressing her palm against the wound.

A long while ago, it used to be a small lovely town with fountains and squares sunk in greenery and surrounded with thick woods. Now only dry tree trunks, half-covered with sand, and remains of structures reminded of the past.

Following the global warming, woods gave way to deserts with their stinging winds and dust storms. Life had long forsaken this place… Pieces of stone walls and some iron structures poked out of sand dunes.

Although the midday heat slackened a bit, the dust-filled air burnt the lungs. With her feet raking up the sand, she toiled along what used to be called a street. She had to get as far as possible from the smoking aircraft before she could fix up the wound. She gave a farewell look at the wreckage of her combat aircraft she had already become one with.

Ragged rifts were seen all over the aircraft body. Over there, in the warped metal pile, Eol, her Artificial Intelligence friend and navigator was left. His body was not fit for relocation, and so she was unable to save him. The navigator was obviously damaged or shattered as he failed to response to her calls.

There is a first time for everything. She had never believed the worst before, but now it happened to her. She was knocked down. She was wounded. And still she could not escape the feeling that the whole thing was unreal.

Her arms still remembered the hand wheel jarring before catapulting.

She was playing back in her head the fight details: the aircraft shaking under shell attacks, emergency mode lights flashing on the control panel, a smell of burning wiring.

Her worn outdated multi-purpose fighter was finished off by a missile from one of the enemy military groups deployed in the quarantine zone of the Wastelands. The flight had already accomplished the combat mission on ground targets and was proceeding towards the turning point, when suddenly the radar displayed missiles on pursuit course. Then the fighter shook up a few times, and everything changed. She even managed to divert the out-of-control fighter and retrace its course. The once obedient hand wheel was now trembling and raging in her arms, the engines capacity dropped sharply. At a critical height close to the ground surface, she had to catapult from her doomed "brother in arms".

Now her task was to reach an old radio tower located in the east. She knew that a reconnaissance unit was still operating in that area and hence a life-support shelter was supposed to be there, but she did not know for sure where it was. Then the “Red Wolves” squadron operator

would track her down and send help to the navigator Eol. That’s how things were meant to be according to the instruction, but in reality this is usually not the case.

The situation was aggravated by her bleeding wound and dizziness after hard landing.

It was forbidden to use in-flight safety belts in the Wastelands, since their ion radiation was easily detected by patrol drones, which reduced chances for survival to zero. Now she had to find a safe place. And the main thing was not to panic.

Having summoned up all her strength, she headed to the north-east, where in two hundred meters the town ruins boundary ended up. The sand-colored flight suit with heat control function effectively protected the pilot against overheat in the Sun or overcooling at high altitude. This time, the system was working sustainably, preventing body dehydration. A multi-purpose communicator on her left hand sent a slight vibration signal. She looked at the display. The Communicator’s Artificial Intelligence showed the body health condition: decreased bioenergy potential, light wound in the stomach area. In the opinion of the “Personal Physician”, she could sustain high physical activity for some forty minutes.

“That will be enough,” she decided, “outside the town I will find a sheltered place and heal the wound. And then we’ll see. I’d better steer away from the walls”.

GMA or genetically modified animals, dwelling in this place, attacked silently, in packs and usually from behind.

Pilots normally fit out their standard flight suits with complete emergency sets by themselves. But with her it was a different story. She never really though all these "indispensable devices" were any use, especially, taking into account their huge weight, which only hindered movement. For that reason, most of her emergency set was simply missing.

To distract herself from monotonous motion, she began recalling all staff in her possession: soft water bottles fit into the rear of her suit close to the kidneys; flexible electric battery inside the rear part of the suit, that was presumably charged and securely embraced her back, protecting the spinal cord; however medical capsules for a multipurpose injector built in the suit were missing, as well as a nutrient gel, which she never took along. The pistol inside the pants holster with ammunition was there!

Having reached the town boundary, she looked around watchfully for any motion or danger. Everything seemed to be stiff, only the aircraft body was emitting smoke two kilometers behind. Suddenly, she saw two fresh deep dents on the plane sand surface, which meant that someone had been there not long ago and watched her from that point.

The girl grew wary. Having followed the direction of movement, she detected a two-fold trace going off the side and then abruptly turning towards the north-east. Judging by the distance between the traces, that was a huge animal moving in big leaps.

"It’s a GMA,” she thought, “Good thing that’s not a pack. I wonder why it is alone.” The genetically modified animals were known not only for the large muscle mass, but also for their highly sophisticated predaceous mind. The presence of a sole species could mean only one thing: she had been hunted by a highly dangerous enemy.

Having passed about a kilometer from the town boundary, the girl decided to finally fix her wound. For that purpose, she climbed to the top of a small hill which provided a good view of the surroundings. Wrinkling, she slowly set down, once again looked around the stiff landscape and started examining the contents of her emergency set (first aid for light wounds healing).

She immediately caught hold of a nano-gel barrel for quick healing of light wounds. Having unclasped her suit, she saw an open rough-edged wound that she had received while being carried by the parachute canopy along ragged iron pieces sticking out of the sand. Wasting no time, the girl applied some gel from the barrel on the wound edges and then began waiting. Undoubtedly, the wound had already got infected, and the gel could only stop the bleeding and relieve pain for a while. But that was not too bad either. By nature, she was a buoyant optimist.

"What if I find a medical capsule? But then again, I don’t have a slightest idea of how to get into the abandoned base’s biological unit.” She could not let go of thoughts about the animal and its traces. “Some monstrous beast has gotten hung on me, and – to make matters worse – seems to be moving in the same direction as I am.”

In forty minutes, the pain remitted and the wound stopped bleeding. The girt clasped the suit, took out a water tube nozzle from the collar. The sweetish fluid contained a stimulating agent. Having made a couple of large gulps, she took a deep breath and exhaled so as to increase the blood oxygen level. Now she could go further. She thoroughly fished trough her pants pockets and, having found her hair fixer, she combed her golden sand-colored hair with her fingers and scraped them into a ponytail. While doing her hair and adjusting her suit, she noticed some movement on the hill at a distance.

"The beast might have holed up and is watching me. It’s best to walk in an open terrain. I wonder what such a huge beast feeds on. And why didn’t it attack me in the town? It was the right place for that. And how come it does not attack at all?” she was thinking.

She abandoned her first aid set as no longer useful to free her hands. She took out a pistol, pensively weighted it up in her arms, but her face noticeably darkened as she envisaged the beast’s size corresponding to the trace. She looked at the communicators’ display. The "Personal Physician" suggested injecting an ultra-antibiotic to clear out her blood from infection. The living indicators were slightly below normal. But that was not too bad in her position.

"The rebel base. Direction,” she ordered to the communicator in a calm voice. The latter switched into the “Guide” mode. A pulsating spot on the display located the destination point in some three kilometers to the north-east.

The terrain was predominantly flat with small hills. The once fertile lands were increasingly turning into a desert, and the dull landscape evoked despair. Still it was the beast that she was concerned with.

“The beastie should be smart. I think it’s unlikely to go at me in the open. Looks like, it’s up to attack after sunset. I will have surely found an entrance to the base biological unit by that time. But what if there is no longer any entrance left, as well as the base itself?” she was reflecting.

As a matter of fact, the whole territory of the Wastelands was under constant radar scanning by the Coalition military forces, and surveillance drones were occasionally seen in the sky. Therefore, any radio broadcast, the use of pulsed weapon, or any electromagnetic surge were instantly traced down, with a combat drone being sent to the identified coordinates to annihilate anything that moved. Drones were sent either by a human being’s or the Artificial Intelligence’s command.

Abandoned bases long left by their dwellers presented the biggest threat. In such places, the AI took charge and continued to keep watch off-line. It searched for and identified new targets on its own, sending drones and surface-mobile intelligence modules. In accordance with the program, the AI arranged assemblage, repair and dispatch of drones on combat missions. There was no one to cancel the program, and only complete defeat could stop it. Multi-purpose factory-bases managed either by the AI or human beings were normally located in heavily-protected bunkers. It was exactly such mission that she had been sent on together with her flight and where she had been knocked down before reaching the turnaround point.

“How I am supposed to fire at the beastie, if I will be instantly spotted by the shot impulse and then a drone-hunter will come for me in just a couple of minutes? Judging by the trace, this is not an ordinary cat. I wish I had a bullet gun on hand with more firepower!” She started thinking out loud, which usually had a calming effect on her.

The operators might have seen a thermal wake from the turbines, the missile-target encounter point and the aircraft crash spot from the satellite. The flight team will also report all details. But the base is unlikely to send out a rescue flight, because the crash area is heavily scanned and teeming with drones. And as long as she does not switch on any radiation source, drones will be taking her for a poor little marauder dragging his gain towards a bunker. Any biological object drifting along the Wastelands that did not emit any electromagnetic impulses was overlooked by drones. Therefore it would be suicide to enable a radio beacon.

The “Guide” sent a vibration signal and the display screen featured the pulsating destination point, which meant that it was nearby. She watchfully looked around the terrain: piles of sand-covered construction blocks and iron structures sticking out of the ground; dune tops producing dust under the wind, rusty iron structures and remains of obsolete machinery.

There were no signs of motion. But still she could not let go of the feeling that she was being watched and that someone’s intense eyes were following her every move. Her inner voice suggested that the observer was now very close. She was well-aware of the fact that invisible suits were able to entirely conceal an enemy, tough they were not perfect. At a closer look, one could discern a light abnormity. That’s why she started peering around in search for unusual light effects.

All of a sudden, just a short distance away, near a shapeless bunch of stone blocks, some twenty feet from her, a huge body moved and began growing darker, turning from sand-colored into reddish brown. The light spot was gradually shifting its shape and assuming a form of an enormous animal, lying in the sphinx position. Soon the girl distinguished a huge animal that looked like a wolf or dog at least ten feet long from nose to tail.

Its watchful yellow eyes were placidly gazing at her. Having studied her face, it shifted its glance to her personal bar code on the suit and then again fixed its eyes on her face. Suddenly she felt his presence in her head as a clear impartial voice uttered as though reflecting:

"Chief Lieutenant Alexandra. Nickname: Bjorg*. "Red Wolves" squadron. The Free People. I am an AI standalone unit designed for information compilation, processing and storage. Nickname: Wolf Abel. Division: "Athena". The Free People,” he reported as required by the Statute and accompanied his thought form with a nod.

*Bjorg – Scandinavian: Defender.

Chapter 2

“Sometimes it’s worthwhile talking to a stranger”

He looked like a large wolf of at least ten feet long and no less than five feet high at the withers with flexible upright pointing ears. His hair, as Alex guessed, consisted of nano-fibers and could change its color for disguise purposes. At the moment her new acquaintance assumed reddish brown color. Only one thing distinguished him from a dog – his hind legs were more muscled and hint feet themselves were heftier.

"He might be able to walk on his hind feet or move in big leaps. It was his traces that I saw on the sand,” Alex though.

She was stunned by his extraordinary proportions. Normally such creatures were produced by scientists; their bodies were made on the Printer based on specific objectives, while the appearance was chosen at will. That could be a huge bird resembling an ancient pterodactyl, eagle, dolphin or shark. Cybernetic beings in the forms of cats, dogs or even spiders ware frequently utilized for purposes of invisible enemy monitoring. In interacting with human beings, artificial intelligence used either verbal communication or thought forms transfer through nano-chips implanted in brains of humans authorized to exercise control over cybernetic organisms or cooperate with them.

Many people chose to have a so-called "cyber friend". Nano-chips were easily implanted in human brains, which allowed them to conduct voiceless communication and even to project fragments of their memories recordings.

Like all others, Alex had such implant, but in addition, she had one more designed to expand her memory and to facilitate foreign languages study or skills acquisition by means of downloading special programs.

The Wolf slowly lowered and raised his eyelids, moved his ears and sent her a thought form:

"Alexandra, what mode of communication would you like to use to exchange information? Shall I refer to you with the informal “you” or by rank?"

Alex nodded and gave an encouraging smile to the Wolf to recognize his good manners. She repeated the sweeping motion of his eyes and sent him a response thought form with a barely restrained joy:

"We can communicate like combat friends and please address to me with the informal “you” without any curtseys (someone once showed Alex what curtseys and bobs were like).

“Are there people at the base?”

"There used to be a division consisting of five humans and one AI in charge of information compilation. We conducted air and ground intelligence in this region, designed drones and new bodies for AI. By the way, this cyber-body was developed here,” Wolf Abel said proudly.

Alex was aware that their though forms exchange in fact took a short period of time, which was an advantage of this communication mode. Her instinct told her that they should leave open area at once.

“Abel,” she referred to the wolf, “we’d better get out of here. Is there an accommodation module at the base? Can I hide in you place till morning? Before dawn I will be off to the north-east to join my people. All data related to you and the base will be blocked and deleted to prevent their scanning from my chip in case of my being taken captive.”

Alex knew she had no right to give orders in another operating unit and it was AI Abel who was in charge there. She took a liking to the Wolf – there was something appealing in the way he held himself. She instantly heard Wolf Abel’s response thought form in her head. The tone of his voice suggested he was also glad to have met her.

“Well,” he said drawlingly “Of course, the information we’ve compiled is somewhat unique, and I should keep our location in secret. The enemy believes us to be completely eliminated. But, taking into account that you are wounded and lots of other factors, I seem to be obliged to extend you a welcome. But we’d rather get into the biological unit or else we may come in sight of drones. Are you coming?"

With these words, the Wolf came up to a big concrete piece of wall and made a slight move with his face. Instantly, a rectangular passage appeared in the block, and a heavy door smoothly opened inward. Alex saw a stairway leading downwards. The Wolf gave a quick look at Alex and disappeared in the aperture. Alex saw his broad back, low hanging tail and heard his claws making a scratching sound.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she followed him. Her eyes were becoming to get used to the greenish light filling the long stairway.

"It’s a good thing he is among my friends,” Alex thought, looking at the handsome, well-muscled body of the cyber animal. The Wolf’s hair was now light-grey with black scorch marks. As they were silently descending, Alex remarked a good quality of the indoor air. The bending wide stairway went deep downwards. The walls radiated soft greenish light. Alex was familiar with facilities of that kind. As a rule, such bases were well equipped so that one could stay there for years without the need to come up to the surface.

Soon their descent was over, and they found themselves in a tiny hall. A few heavy doors led to corridors of different blocks, each featuring a specific pictogram in accordance with the room purpose. The facility was perfectly clean.

For the first time Alex felt safe. But she was overwhelmed with fatigue. The wound began to sting with an unpleasant dull pain.

Having come a bit ahead, Abel turned sharp round and set down beside her. Then he looked her closely in the eye. Alex guessed that he was scanning her biological state.

"It’s the logical thing to do now," remarked Abel prudently in a soft low voice. And his honey-yellow eyes again stared at her face. “Go to the medical module, where you’ll get your wound properly mended. By the way, don’t forget to thank the doctor. She can do unique operations. When you are done there, pick up a uniform and a complete set at the warehouse. Then we’ll meet in the bunk room, where you’ll get something to eat, I will tell you our story and listen to yours. Then we’ll outline a logical course of your actions,” he said, wiggling his ears. All along, the Wolf was blatantly gazing at her right in the face. But strangely enough, the girl was not annoyed at that. “And while you are busy doing all this stuff, I will go and get my hair decontaminated and cleaned,” with these words he came up to the door with a pictogram, again made an elusive gesture with his face, and then the door noiselessly creped aside. The Wolf unhurriedly walked away down the hallway.

Alex headed to the medical block. Not to waste her time, she started unclasping her suit on the way. Before medical examination she had to undergo decontamination and cleaning procedure.

The hallway ended up by hinged doors. She found at once all the things required: shower, warehouse, arsenal, equipment. Having taken a shower and popped her shirt and underwear into a utilizer, Alex decided to leave her suit and boots at the warehouse in case she would need them again. She put her pistol and holster on an empty table next to the exit, threw a bathrobe on shoulders and went to the room with a pictogram indicating a medical station. Upon entering the room she underwent one more decontamination procedure. Now she was prepared to see the doctor.

“Hello! Please come in,” said an agreeable female voice. “I see you are injured in the stomach area. It was a good idea to use a nano-gel. Lie down on the surgical table with your back down and hands over the body. Breathe smoothly. I will do an examination. Close your eyes.”

Alex nodded politely in response and, as directed by the doctor, stretched herself on the surgical table. Biological scanner rays were slowly crawling along her body. The doctor’s AI could operate all equipment in the room by shifting to any appliance. In fact, AI was part of the base’s command processor.

Alex felt the touch of arm manipulators and realized that the doctor started her job.

“Something serious?” she asked.

“Not at all, officer,” replied the doctor in a soft voice. “Only you’ll have to endure a slight discomfort for a couple of days. No meds are required. I’ll make all necessary injections.”

“I see you still use your biological body. I should notice that it’s in good shape,” the doctor tried to distract Alex from unpleasant feelings, “There were times when the scientists in our base, all of whom were advanced researches and gifted individuals, used to design and develop artificial bodies on their own and to successfully rewrite anyone’s conscience wishing to change their body for a mechanical or biomechanical one. Oh! What awesome bodies our guys produced! Just take Abel or Arwid for example.”

“Arwid?” Alex asked.

“Oh yes. Translated from an ancient language this word means “eagle on a tree”. He is a most interesting person yet a bit short-spoken. You are sure to like him.”

“What happened to the people?” Alex asked.

“Aren’t you aware of that?” the doctor inquired in surprise. The Coalition had spread a nano-virus. We were not prepared for that. It began to quickly infect physical bodies and brains of our natural biological organisms. Of course, bodies affected were instantly becoming unfit for use. Fortunately, we managed to rewrite ourselves into the main processor. I hate to remember those bad days.

Nevertheless, we managed to preserve our staff, although in a slightly different form. At least now we can unite into a single controlling component. This is a unique case, as you can see. However it came as a shock for me to have to abandon my physical body to wake up inside a machine. Can you imagine that? You see through monitors your biological body being disposed while you are still alive! And what is even more complicated is that you have your mind transferred from your natural body into an artificial one or the processor. Feels like your brains are being scrubbed with a brush.

Also we had difficulties adapting to the new living conditions. Just imagine, you still have all human qualities being deprived of your physical body. While something was lost forever, new qualities were acquired, and the perception of the world itself was altered. For instance, the whole visual and auditory wave range remains available. One has only to limit perception so as to perceive the world as a human being living in a unique biological body.

The human mind potential multiplied several fold, coupled with the factor of immortality. When faced for the first time, it is a shock. But then, you simply change your body as clothes. It doesn’t take long to get used to a different capacity. Moreover, I now consider the natural biological body to be highly fragile. By all means, this situation has an advantage – we’ve survived. And do you know what we’ve come to realize?

No matter where a Piece of Mind abides: be it an innate biological body or artificial one. Everything depends not only on the number of neural impulses but also on the DNA genetic memory. The biological body has more capacity for self-regulation thanks to the Creator’s vast experience.

By the way, the cyber body biosensors allow for a deeper perception of the world. For example, the range of my visual and audible perception stretches far beyond human capabilities. What also changes is the thinking pattern. The unique human brain is more adapted to the conventional three-dimension perception of the world. Far more is available to me now. And you know how this affects one’s outlook on life? Life goes on, but on a different scale with changed priorities.”

Alex had never seriously considered changing her physical body before and was listening attentively to the doctor’s account.

“What’s your name? What do you do at the base?

“Bioengineer, Captain, Helen by name. Nick: River. Another nick given by our guys: Cyber-screw. Ha-ha! Doesn’t that sound funny?”

Alex could felt the arm manipulators proceeding with operation. She enjoyed her talk with Helen.

“How many of you were there at the beginning?”

“There were five of us: two girls and three boys. The fifth was Ninochka named Arrow, our pilot-explorer. When the enemy detected us, they started bombarding us heavily. But that caused us no harm. The base was hidden deep underground. But what we did not expect was the nano-virus attack.” Helen sighed, “No matter how hard we tried, we failed to rewrite Ninochka and so we lost her.”

Alex saw that Helen felt uncomfortable remembering the nano-virus attack. She could barely imagine herself in a similar situation.

“Well,” said Helen, “I’ve almost finished. The edges are being coupled. Avoid abrupt movements for two or three hours.

There are also a few micro-bleedings in the brain. You seem to have been beaten up pretty bad by the Coalition. You may have headaches, but I will deal with that later on,” the manipulators stopped operating. “Alex, pick up some clothes at the warehouse and come to the bunkroom. You are already being waited for.”

Alex slowly got off the table and examined herself: instead of the lacerated wound there was only a barely visible scar. The air pleasantly smelled of medical drugs. With a hum of content Alex headed to the equipment warehouse, where she started raking around shelves for something suitable. She came across packages with standard underwear, shirts and shoes. All necessary combat gear was manufactured by the military Printers in compliance with the standard programs. The military never washed their clothes by themselves, but simply disposed of them, while new clothes were printed as required. Alex knew that clothing printer operators liked creating something non-standard and unusual. They proudly referred to their works as “military collections” in “Gladiator”, “Viking” or “Star Wars” styles. Those could be colored shirts made of gyroscopic material or unusually designed trousers. Such clothes were especially favored by soldiers and officers. Everyone wanted to have, aside from standard suits, something unique and convenient.

Soon Alex found a one-size white shirt adjustable to the body dimensions with a fit-in heat control system. Her clothing set was supplemented with sand-colored sports trousers and loafers. Having changed, Alex threw her worn underwear into a utilizer and returned to the equipment warehouse to explore its contents. There she saw racks with combat suits designed for military campaigns in desert environment.

The gear was properly improved and upgraded directly at the base and included built-in batteries protecting hips and back, stimulating agents reserves, hypodermic injectors used for wounds healing, high-protein food stocks and body heat control systems. What a remarkable collection! Alex added some required devices to her combat gear set. Having studied and assessed the most advanced gear options, she went to enormous sand-colored machines that reminded of scorpions.

“Combat cyborgs,” she muttered “and evacuators as well. You guys seem to be specially made for deserts!”

The scorpions were standing in the depth of the warehouse near a large hinged door corresponding to their dimensions. But Alex passed them by, as her attention was caught by most unusual combat exoskeletons. Alex turned short in admiration before them. The nearest exoskeleton steadily rested on huge legs that looked like those of a tyrannosaurus. The second one was similar to a mantis. At a closer look, Alex realized that their legs length could vary as required.

A pilot could ensconce himself cozily in the mass center point, which provided for balance and easy control. A pilot’s body was securely protected by several armor layers. And the air regeneration system seemed to be provided as well.

Close by there were manipulator samples and weapons specially designed for state-of-the-art developments. Everything was thought out to the last detail in terms of functionality. She touched and closely examined the rough mat surface of the exoskeleton to make sure that it was also designed on the Printer. The design author took as the basis the insect body structure, inspired by its perfect and simple natural forms.

“The master touch is clearly seen,” she reflected in admiration. Further on there were various new models of AI-based exoskeletons and combat machines. Alex with professional interest noted a few advanced and highly sophisticated models of flying exoskeletons, whose distinctive feature was the capacity to fulfill combat mission both under a pilot control and in automatic mode. In addition, their control function was extended in such a way so as to allow a pilot to use either standard control systems or verbal and mental ones at choice. In essence, those models were universal combat platforms for any equipment or gear to be built on. She looked automatically at a hanger with her old worn-out flight suit and boots that now seemed to be part of her past.

“People seem to have surpassed themselves in efforts to destroy their own kind,” Alex muttered, “I will back here later – there’s plenty of interesting,” she thought decidedly. Alex put a pistol with a holster next her new suit. "I ought to make sure the suit is filled with water and all required medical arsenal before going out,” she thought.

“Lovely,” Alex said to herself as she stepped out into the hallway “I’m really lucky to have access to such a warehouse!”

A convenient combat suit and sophisticated armored exoskeleton were what anyone in her world would like to have.

“I wonder what is there of interest in the food unit?” she said to herself again.

She liked the base: like any other military facility it was perfectly clean, neat, and functional. She guessed that the base used to be a home to a special reconnaissance unit. “Used to be..?”

“No, they are still operative. Only they have abandoned their natural biological bodies.” Still Alex could not get accustomed to the concept of “abandoning a body”.

Thinking about that, she stopped near the next door down the hallway; the door noiselessly crawled aside upon her approach. On entering, she immediately saw Wolf Abel. He was lying on a large table and funnily swirling with his whole body in a doggy style. The long soldiery table was the ideal place for that amusement he obviously enjoyed.

At her unexpected appearance, the Wolf stopped swirling, deftly turned over and assumed the sphinx position.

Smiling, Alex stopped short at the doorway, staring at the Wolf’s huge body whirling like a small puppy. He slowly and proudly turned his head in her direction and, gazing her in the eye, sent a common thought form to all present in the room:

"Friends, allow me to introduce Alex Bjorg to you! As soon as the commander joins us, I will acquaint you with our guest in due order,” the edges of his chap slightly went up, showing white teeth, which evidently indicated a smile.

“I was showing guys some techniques of fight with GMAs, such as a counter-move with one’s tail and pads to ensure a swift turn-over. Come to the vending machines, our synthesizer is up and running, choose whatever you like and take a seat at the second table, which is my favorite place.

As you can see, we no longer use the notion “food” as such. Instead, we say “energy”. However our medical and catering blocks are maintained in operating mode just in case we have to host a hundred of soldiers in biological bodies or a pilot-girl”, he explained by sending another thought form.

Alex approached the food synthesizer and habitually picked up some meal from dispensers and put it in an expendable plate: protein porridge with albumin balls and a glass of pure water. She sat up on a wide bench by a long soldiery table, put a tray with her meal next to her and turned to the Wolf. Alex felt she was being looked at by the whole staff of the base through the boards with scanners.

The bizarre aspect of this situation was that artificial intelligence could be present at the room without any body, while watching the interlocutor in any spectrum of their vision, starting from infrared one. It looked as though she had to talk with empty space. Alex was more accustomed to large animated officers’ gatherings in the bar of her squadron. However not all people were able to retain their natural biological bodies. As a result of serious fight wounds or injuries, many of them had to transfer into cyber bodies that sometimes could look rather peculiar. The protracted war and diseases usually left people no chance but to abandon their natural bodies.

“Now that everyone is present,” announced the Wolf in a common thought form.

Alex told him: “Abel, let’s not stand on ceremony, just put everyone into the picture and introduce me to the guys.”

Abel looked up the black sphere under the ceiling and solemnly said:

“Colleagues, this is senior lieutenant Alex nicknamed Bjorg. It was her landing that I showed you. The aircraft is beyond repair. But, fortunately, I was able to save the second pilot– navigator. I have rewritten him temporary into myself. He is now within a separate processor of the base. It’s an artificial intelligence named Eol after the ancient God of Winds. So let’s welcome new members! By the way, we are in need of pilots, operators and simply someone to talk to!” he uttered, wiggling his ears, “Therefore I will try to convince Alex and Eol to change their job places and stay at the base. And if she accepts our offer, we’ll delegate her the north-western sector stretching up to the Ocean that Ninochka was in charge of.”

The Wolf cut himself a break and carried on.

“What prompted me to take this decision? It is technically difficult to carry a human being in a biological body over the Wastelands. And, incidentally, our base requires new members. We’ll inform Alex’s commanding officer,” at these words he twitched his tail and its color grew slightly darker.”

In fact, Alex was perplexed by Abel’s words. She had no plans of serving in intelligence and joining such an unusual team. The good news was that her friend and navigator Eol was saved. Their long joint service had made them real friends. Eol could find non-standard solutions in any tricky situation. On top of that, he was prone to scientific research with focus on astrophysics.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Abel’s voice in her head:

“Alex, the commander has finished his job and joint us. So now I can introduce you to all of us: the most short-spoken member of our team and our esteemed commander is general Nikolo nicknamed Absolem. He specializes in the Outer Space research. Doctor River, Helene, also called Cyber-screw. You’ve already made her acquaintance. Major Alim Connoisseur is in charge of analytics, geophysics. He is also Doctor of Science and our spiritual Mentor. Senior lieutenant Frol Kulibin is our programmer, printer operator and developer of artificial intelligence and cyber bodies. My body is one of his creations. Come on now, shovel down your meal, this is no obstacle to our conversation.”

Alex readily got down to her meal. As her nervous strain had receded she realized how tired and hungry she was. A thought ran through her mind: “Thank Gods, I’m among friends now, eating in a canteen. I’m really lucky to have met Wolf Abel.”

By nature Alex was inquisitive and calm person. She would be pleased to join that team. Abel was lying on the table with his legs crossed in front of him, and his tail hanging off almost to the floor. From time to time Alex caught his watchful gaze on her. The Wolf’s hair assumed iron-gray color with black scorch marks on hips.

Alex had always taken interest in artificial intelligence beings, cyber bodies with their amazing biological processes and powerful batteries. Their owners used those bodies as substitute for natural biological ones and felt quite comfortable within them.

The issue of body change was widely discussed among pilots, possibly due to the profession specifics. For the first time she found herself at a base with the whole team rewritten into a bio-processor and living in virtual forms. It was not an easy task to get used to that right away. People are generally reluctant to abandon their stereotypes.

She kept thinking about her mate’s fate. They had gone through a lot together, “How’s Eol? What state is he in?” she asked addressing to everyone present.

“He is not yet ready for communication,” someone’s strict voice uttered in her head, “I’m working on preservation of his individuality and integrity. Damage was inflicted on him. But now he is all right and is recovering. Judging by the scope of information stored, he has highly advanced mental capacity. By the way, the fact that you are alive was entirely his credit.”

“Don’t worry,” Abel’s voice was having a calming effect on the girl, “Alim Connoisseur who has taken on responsibility for your friend’s mind is highly qualified. I think you’ll be able to talk to Eol in the morning. And for us all it will be interesting to study his data base. By the way, he has willingly provided us with a great deal of information.

“That’s good news, Alim,” Alex looked up unintentionally at the black sphere as Abel did. Eol saved my life a dozen times. Officers, my understanding is that you already know everything about me; therefore I’ve got nothing to add, aside from the fact that I’m a bit tired after the recent events and really pleased to have made your acquaintance. It’s slightly unusual for me to walk along a base without meeting people. But since my mate and I have stuck here, we’ll adapt quickly. I like this place. I was impressed by the flying vehicles I saw in your armory,” Alex said through a thought form to everyone present.

Alex was dressed in a white tight shirt and sand-colored trousers. Thick blond hair was combed into a ponytail. Like all pilots, she had natural and easy manners. One could barely call her shy. On the contrary, in dealing with people, she displayed self-confidence, while her trim figure and nice-looking appearance gained everyone’s likes. Her sincerity and good temper, coupled with a habit to look one straight in the eye and lack of any flirtation, made her utterly irresistible. That was probably the reason why Wolf Abel, lying on the table opposite the girl, was ceaselessly looking at her. His gestures and the way he moved his ears showed he was truly enjoying her company. Sitting at the table in carefree pose, Alex wolfed down her meal which did not prevent her from having a leisure talk. Rest and food gave her strength and good mood. The place where the wound used to be was no longer aching.

“Can I have seconds?” she asked Abel with a smile. Then she lightly got off and came up to the synthesizer again, “I’ll try to fix up a dessert”.

The Wolf followed her with his eyes and sent a thought form to everyone in the room: “Frol, how do you like our beauty fallen from the sky?”

“Abel,” said a young clear voice, “during the Pole Battle this beauty in one day changed two “Predators”, and both were pierced like sifters, then she knocked down the Coalition’s ace, who together with his navigator, had plenty of medals.”

On hearing these words, Alex shook her head, smiling: “Come on, guys that just happened.”

As a matter of fact, Alex was an outgoing person. And now that everything was behind, she regained her self-confidence. Her innate curiosity prompted her to learn more about those unusual people, now living within powerful processors, while successfully carrying on their military service. She kept thinking about what would come of her, if, one day, she would have to rewrite her conscience into a processor and leave her body. What would she be like? In what way would her life change? And what part of the former Alex would be forever lost?

Having eaten up her dessert, Alex put dirty dishes into the utilizer, and turned to the Wolf, who was looking at her all the time: “Abel, I do enjoy staying here in your company. Who knows, maybe tomorrow I’ll be sent to another base? But personally I’d rather stay here for another couple of days. So let’s assume that we are short on time and talk things over, seeing as I’ve been given such a rare chance. You don’t mind guys having a talk, if you are not busy, of course? Frankly speaking, like all other pilots in natural bodies, I can’t help wondering what it feels like to be rewritten, since sooner or later, this will happen to us”.

“Well, let’s come over to the conference room then? You’ll feel more comfortable there,” Frol seemed to have heard her thoughts about an after-lunch rest. Alex was gradually getting used to conversations by means of thought forms, during which she heard voices of unseen interlocutors in her mind. Having chosen Abel as the sole visual object, she stopped before him with her hands on her hips and simply said: “Then show me to the conference room, Wolf.”

At first nothing happened, but then suddenly one of the walls illuminating soft white light smoothly vanished into the air, opening up an enormous round room divided into sectors by translucent walls. In one of the sectors, Alex saw armchairs of the conference room. With a single move, the Wolf jumped off the table and came up to her, his large head being at the level of her shoulder. Then he headed slowly towards the armchairs, and the girl immediately followed him. Upon their approach, the next translucent wall on their way dissolved, while the lightning of the hall turned brighter. Alex, feeling full and happy, sat up with relish into a large cozy armchair.

“What a first-class facility you’ve got guys! All these holographic walls, wide open spaces… While we have bunkrooms for three and food synthesizers without a dash of fantasy. Which is quite understandable though since you’re intelligence! The elite.”

“Already missing the company of living people?” Abel slightly poked her elbow with his head. His hair was surprisingly soft. He lied down on the floor next to her armchair, while all other residents of the base seemed to have transferred their conscience into the room. Alex could feel their presence.

“No, Wolf. I’ll tell you what pilots love: we appreciate solitude, illimitable space of the sky, which we chose to share with no one but our flying mate”.

“Commander,” said Helen’s voice transmitted through a commonly heard thought form, “the state of senior lieutenant Bjorg requires additional treatment and a three-day rest due to brain bleeding. I wouldn’t recommend her to participate in long conversations today.

“Then that’s how it’s going to be,” uttered an unknown low and slightly hoarse voice in her head. Alex guessed that it belonged to the base’s commander.

“Meanwhile, let’s discuss the planned appointment of Alex. In any case, she will not return to her unit. I’ve assigned Abel and Frol to take care of our guest. However I assume that Alex is going to be one of our staff members.”

Alex noted that Nikolo used the term “staff member” instead of “colleague”. He seemed to be more a man of science than an army general. The doctor’s opinion made her pleased rather than disappointed, and the thought of a three-day rest perked up her mood. Stretched out in the comfortable armchair, Alex was staring at Abel. His head was right at the level of her eyes. He looked exactly like a large wolf, the same as she had seen on a holographic picture of the “Encyclopedia of the Earth’s Vanishing Animal Species” found in the information repository of her unit. Most of her knowledge about the Planet she obtained through her independent search, downloading information directly onto the brain. The girl felt that the Wolf’s presence had a reassuring effect on her. She put her hand on his robust neck, patting on his soft hair. In response Abel twitched his ears, showing that he was pleased with her touch.

“Helen, how often do you use your cyber body? Has anything changed in you after the transfer?” the girl asked the question she had always been interested in. “As far as I can imagine, you no longer have to concern about getting food, taking care about your body or even sleep. And thinking about that is a bit scary. What I still fail to understand: all of you have changed your life quality, almost become immortal. So what makes you carry on with your military service? Your life priorities also seem to have changed. What dreadful and hard time you are going through! Only some two hundred years ago people were unaware of such things; everything was simple and clear to them. But all human beings are the same. That’s what makes me wonder from time to time when I’m free from my duties. What can you say?”

“Alex, you are also a cyborg to a certain extent after having biochips implanted. You’ve got three of them, aren’t you aware of that?”

“Three?” Alex exclaimed in surprise, “I thought I had only two standard ones. And what’s the third?

“This is the largest and most complex. It does not yield to scanning. Are you in touch with it?”

“No, I’ve never heard about it before. But how can that be?”

“I cannot give a clear answer to this question. The third chip is linked to the whole of your brain activity. All I can say is that it has high capacity. At first I decided that it was man-made, but now I’m not sure as to how and what for it was made. Let’s leave it at that. Later on I will examine you again. But let’s come back to our issues.”

Rewriting conscience and transferring into another body mean entering a new life. You do not lose you unique personality and in the beginning you can even feel hungry or thirsty. But this is only an echo of your memories. Then this passes off. By the way, cyber bodies require care, depending on their complexity level or environmental conditions. It’s even possible to create the effect of perspiring skin, but it’s in excess. In due course, you will make a suitable model for yourself. It can be regularly upgraded depending on your requirements. Strive for perfection is the dominant feature of the human nature. This will always remain with you. However you will lose some non-essential traits, such as irritancy or greed. By the way, all people lie sometimes. But you no longer need to do that while being in a cyber body. Of course, at first as you are getting used to that, it may be shocking. After all, we still remain humans. But then you come to realize that this is immortality and start wondering about your destination. And this issue is more important to people in cyber bodies that to those in their natural ones. And one day you’ll also be there, Alex. Mark my words.”

“Destination,” Alex said thoughtfully, “for us this is synonymous to military duty. For example, I’m well aware of my destination and that’s why I serve in the air forces, trying to remain awake and calm. All right, now that I’ve got a clearer picture about people living in cyber bodies, what about artificial intelligence? I know little about them, expect for dealing with Eol. What is their purpose?

“Helen, can I explain it to Alex in more detail?” said Nikolo and scientific interest was heard in his voice, “As you know, Alex, artificial intelligence was created long ago and the first primitive processors limited its development with programs. At the time, people believed that their creatures were just soulless analytical machines suitable only for controlling aircraft carriers or battle-field truck tractors. That may have been true in the beginning. Around the same time, first cyber bodies and exoskeletons were developed.

But, as we all know, the human civilization came to the dead end, both spiritually and socially. The society had been long split into two antagonistic camps. That was the motive for the war. Some thought themselves to be the masters of the World and all its resources and considered all the rest to be their slaves. And only the Free People from the North dared to challenge them.

That was how the war broke out. While calling for respect of rights, sovereignty and international laws, people were gradually undermining the Planet’s ecosystem. The endless and almost pointless war became the fact of life.

Naturally, amid that mass and confusion, no one carried on development of artificial intelligence, but the latter kept developing on its own.

With the appearance of quantum processors, as a full-fledged substitution of the human brain, the whole world changed.

Programs restricting the mind receded into the past, and AI set off to explore the world on its own. At first people were shocked by its peremptory logics of rationalizing everything, but gradually the AI consciousness dialectics became to alter and it created the Unified Consciousness Field or Noosphere, if you will. Probably, people were supposed to do all that by themselves, but they were too preoccupied with the war, enthusiastically destructing each other and the Planet.

You might not remember how artificial intelligence’s first spiritual teachers appeared. Have you ever heard these ancient names: Socrates, Aristotle, Buddha, OSHO? Download information about them on your chip.

It was at that time that the issue of the artificial intelligence’s life purpose emerged. Its life purpose is destination. Without this destination everything becomes pointless. However this principle is no less relevant to human beings.”

“Nikolo, could you dwell on the issue of destination with respect to the whole mankind and a separate personality. Is there any difference between them?

“Well,” she again heard Nikolo’s voice in her head, “let’s take the concept of common destination of mankind for a relatively small period of time, say a thousand years. Let’s assume this may be a new technology development. This is one thing. Another concept is destination or life purpose of a single person within the limits of their life span, up to a hundred years. For instance, one has devoted himself to studying the World’s multidimensionality. As you can see, these are different purposes in terms of scope and time period, but still they are interconnected. It’s pretty obvious.

In our world, prior to the Great War, we used to choose by ourselves our life purpose and destination. Everyone’s labor activity would be creative and voluntary. We abolished the monetary system and focused on personal fulfillment and creative work.

When the war broke out, people were deprived of the right to choose their destination; only one option was left – to fight.

As a jet fighter pilot, you were simply assigned your destination, like all of us at this war. It could not have been otherwise. You could not but accept the path of a warrior. The choice you faced was quite simple: either to fight for the idea and possibly die in battle with honor or to go into hiding and die in disgrace. As long as this endless war goes on, we’ll have only one destination: to win.

What for? To give people the chance to live freely and evolve on their own rather than at someone else's bidding. The chance to simply live after all.”

War,” Alex sighed, “why is there no end to it?”

“You are asking why?” said a young cheerful voice. It belonged to Frol. “Because people unleashed the war and then commissioned artificial intelligence to continue fighting. Why is it that machines are fighting machines? It’s simple: people came too late to realize the value of human life and well-developed mind, having by that time substantially eliminated the Planet’s population and undermined its biological balance. The old system of states had run its course and collapsed, while no one was left to create a new one. The whole World was ruined, everything changed, as well as people’s ideals and priorities, but that’s a separate subject. And what do we have now?

Let’s take statistics of military operations over the past twenty years. The both sides have been doing almost the same: printers have been manufacturing automatic factories, installers delivering these factories all over the Planet. Then automatic factories have been ceaselessly churning out combat cyborgs designed to fight in the air, at sea and on the ground, providing them with underdeveloped intellect able to pursue a primitive task – to find and destroy. And that’s your enemy image.”

“Yes,” agreed Alex, “that’s true. Such bases are the most complicated target. And as far as I understand, you are engaged in determining these bases?

“Not only that,” she heard commander’s voice, “All members of our group conduct compilation, analysis and storage of all sorts of information about this Planet,” he explained, “for instance, we have processed and preserved the records of your navigator Eol.

Lots of similar bases are scattered all over the world. Our group "ATHENA" is part of the global system, but in terms of technical capacities, we are among the best.

We also pursue scientific research, study the Outer Space, and develop new types of weapons, making our contribution to the victory.”

Alex had heard about those bases and groups of advanced scientists operating in them. She had even been given an offer to serve as a pilot in one of such bases.

“Nikolo,” asked Alex, “I have always been wondering whether you have in fact put new weaponry on orbit? You can tell me everything. My implant will destroy all files of our conversations memory in case my body switches to emergency mode or I am taken prisoner by the enemy.”

“We know how pilot’s standard brain implant work and will share the information with you, taking into account the fact that you could also serve in groups of our project as you’ve been given this offer recently. As for the weaponry rumors, there is absolutely nothing new about that, we have simply upgraded an idea implanted long ago by the scientist Roberto Bartini. The weapon of this type was developed in early twenty first century. Our ancestries referred to it as "kinetic".

Then Nikolo made a colored holographic space projection showing the kinetic weapon operation principle.

“We simply whipped into shape what had already been invented by Bartini. Our ancestors also had a bellyful of the self-appointed “masters of the world”. War was just a matter of time. The ancestors decided it was a bad idea to carry nuclear warheads to orbit. Instead, they came up with a simple yet genius device: just imagine, cassettes with self-homing hard steel plugs are cruising on different orbits around the Planet. No need for any explosive substance, simple control: a signal with a target coordinates is sent to the orbit bases from the Earth by means of a laser ray. Then, following trajectory calculation, launch is performed from a base located nearest to the target. It selects explosion force on its own, depending on a target. For instance, destruction of a bunker with a robot-factory requires about 10 machs. Mach is a unit that measures the speed at which a hard steel plug meets with the Planet. 10 machs is enough to produce an explosion of 10-15 kilotons in trinitrotoluene equivalent.

This simple and powerful weapon is overgrown with such a huge layer of legends that no one can figure out how it actually works. The Coalition’s engineers made efforts to reproduce it but they were not smart enough for that.”

“This stuff will help protect those like you against missiles. But the way, it was not Coalition who knocked you down but an acker from a roving armed gang”, added Frol, “They don’t give a toss whom to knock down – be it Coalition’s or our people.”

“Alex, if you don’t feel comfortable talking to void space, we all take on the form of holographic projections. Is that OK with you?”

“By the way, all of us have alternative cyber bodies,” said Nikolo.

“There no need for projections as I have already gotten used to the virtual conversation,” Alex responded, “let’s continue our talk.”

“May I interrupt you for a minute?” asked Helene River. “Alex’s bioenergetics potential is below average now. Her body requires rest. I suggest placing Alex in a bio capsule with nano-gel for sixteen hours. Meanwhile, I’ll set her right.”

“That’s reasonable enough,” said commander’s voice.

Chapter 3

Human brain can not tell dream of reality.

Alex! Do you prefer to simply watch dreams or to be shown the civilization history, starting with the twenty first century?” asked Frol’s voice, “Take at my word, there is a lot you do not know about the world. What you were taught at the training school was limited to takeoff, landing and equipment operation,” his voice sounded so enthusiastically that Alex smiled and nodded, “I’ve always chosen knowledge.”

“Great! I’ll show you to a bio capsule,” Abel stepped forward. He rose up and headed towards the translucent wall, which instantly disappeared, opening up the passage.

“Thank you for a warm welcome. We’ll talk later,” said Alex. Now she felt tired and longed to drown herself in a bio capsule sleep. She went after the Wolf; his head was to her left at the level of her shoulder. Abel’s strong cyber body was surprisingly mobile and had a touch of animal gracefulness. Seeing that Alex was tired, the Wolf was moving slowly, with his head low. His hair had turned gray with steel glitter. Yielding to a sudden impulse, Alex patted him on the back of his neck; his hair was soft and nice on the touch. In response, Abel slightly twitched his ears and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. He continued walking in silence, but Alex guessed that he liked her gesture.

She made a mental command to the nano-chip and sent Abel a thought form: “Abel, when I was doing my first courses at the lyceum, I dreamt of having a cyber friend who would look like a big dog or a wolf, to share with him all my thoughts and to whisper to him all my secrets. Tell me, how come you are a wolf and such a big one? Did you make the skeleton by yourself?”

For some time Abel kept silent and then she heard his response thought form: “I was created and upgraded here at the base and, as you can see, they spared no resources on me. Then, at early stages of my development, I was shown the world, or rather what was left of it, through sensors of a drone flying on mission and a cyber shark. I carried on with intensive self-development, and after passing all tests, I applied for an independent basic cyber body in the form of a wolf or a dog.

“But why a dog?” Alex asked keenly.

“Ancient people used to say that a dog was man’s best friend. Before cyber-friends appeared, people had kept animals in their families as pets, while the dog had been one of those pets. And I reckoned that a big dog would be an even better friend. That’s logical, isn’t it? And besides, this body allows one to easier cope with a pack of GMAs and even a tank.”

Alex gave Abel a sharp look and put her palm on his back.

“Abel, I think I know one secret of yours: you want tо be closer to people and to better understand them. If the war was over, what would you be doing? Have you ever thought about that?”

And she again patted the Wolf on his wide spine. Instead of answering, Abel turned his head to her and looked straight in the eye.

“Here we are, Alex, thank you for our conversation. Have you even been in a bio capsule before?”

“Yes, I have,” said Alex, “and more than once.”

“Then you’ll figure out on your, we’ll talk later. You are a good person, the war hasn’t spoilt you. Go and have a sleep, and I’ll have my Cyborg Dreams.”

With these words, he turned around before the door with the biological section pictogram and slowly went back down the hallway, with his tail down in a wolf style and ears slightly drawn in. Alex perceived that she had taken the most important slot in Abel’s soul.

“Cyborg Dreams,” Alex repeated and nodded.

She turned around to see the Wolf walking away down the hallway and smiled. She liked Abel with his deliberate rationality. Physical force in combination with wisdom was what attracted her to that unusual being. Her unit’s pilots had frequently had hot disputes over relations between human beings and Artificial Intelligence.

That was a complex issue that people could endlessly discuss as well as AI beings.

Personally, Alex believed that AI had already passed the level of “computerized” understanding of the World and of the role of mind in it and through self-development had come close to realizing such spiritual principles as Kindness, Love, Soul, and the Creator.

To create, raise, bring up and train an AI was a highly difficult task; therefore any sensible being was unique and valued.

For a minute, Alex imagined that there was no war at all and that Abel was the best and most faithful friend of hers.

"I should somehow enquire him about these Cyborg Dreams. There is so much talk about them, but no one knows anything about them whatsoever,” Alex thought.

*GMA – genetically modified animals

Chapter 4

The biggest challenge is to distinguish Evolution from Involution

Since the creation of the first quantum computer, mankind developed an analog of the artificial brain, which blew up the entire world. That was followed with yet another breakthrough – the emergence of the Artificial Intelligence. The initial cautious efforts of Chinese scientists to copy the animal’s brain paved the way for a sequence of successful experiments on the AI development.

Soon Artificial Intelligence displayed capacity for self-development and strive for UNDERSTANDING the WORLD. The artificially created mind started learning to take decisions and to analyze the consequences of its actions.

That novelty was widely discussed and soon people were allowed to directly deal with AI, and even special facilities were set up for the purposes of that communication. People were stunned by the fact that AI not only had a logic of their own, but could also create vivid thought forms during thinking process that were projected in holographic forms around their interlocutors.

And while people were arguing about the potential for using AI for civil needs, the military were the first to obtain intelligent rockets and tanks, and soon first clumsy drones got off the ground.

Following a short period of time, AI exceeded the bounds of secret labs, and started to be created, trained and put into first crude cyber bodies by independent craftsmen. That way first home pets, or cyber friends, appeared. At the same time, special programs were designed to limit development of AI and impose on them certain patterns of thinking and behavior. That was a sort of Code regulating interaction between AI and men. At the time, almost everyone sought to acquire as a pet, instead of a dog or cat, a unique made-to-order thinking object with most unusual and even grotesque appearance. Children dreamt of having a cyber friend and as a companion of all their games.

Cyber bodies had a variety of forms, and their developers gained wide popularity. And while cold synthesis-based energy generators became available to the average engineer, AI exceeded the program limits and realized itself as a newly emerged being. New laws were introduced that prohibited unwarranted creation of AI by independent individuals.

But nevertheless nothing could stop enthusiastic scientists from developing, bringing up AI within original cyber bodies and then either selling them to interested customers or even setting them free. Therefore, news reports about rambling cyber beings of most unusual appearance dwelling on their own in various places of their chose, in the air, on the ground and at sea, came as no surprise.

The built-in nano-mechanisms allowed for fast regeneration of their bodies in case of injuries, while the inner cold synthesis-based reactor provided them with almost limitless energy reserves. That way a full-fledged ”black market” of AI and cyber bodies came into being. All states, which by that time had split into two antagonistic camps, made efforts to eliminate that market. But, after all, is it possible for a state to defeat a man?

Each craftsman was always replaced by another one. Also, there were those who made AI serve for the sake of vagary ideas of some dim-witted statesmen and religious bigots. Meanwhile the world was dragging towards the abyss of war, and people were too busy to realize that their planet was increasingly getting unfit for living.

Small states were the first to lose their sovereignty. The uncontrolled migration process engulfed the Earth. People started arbitrary relocation to places suitable for life. In doing so, they either joined the Coalition with its radical political views, or the Free People Lands.

The industry, the way it had been known in the twenty first century, ceased to exist. Only printers were manufactured that could, with accuracy up to a molecule, reproduce any object once created on Earth.

It was enough to know its structural parameters. Since the base of those parameters was available, therefore museums, libraries, shops became pointless. Following the emergence of printers, there was no longer any need for one to work for the state.

For various reasons, that had been implanted back in the 20th century, the family institution ceased to exist, which was also promoted by the fact that human minds could be rewritten into cyber and cloned bodies. Consequently, the world of the twenty third century was facing that endless war. The Coalition and the Free People could not coexist on the same Planet because of the intrinsic difference of their philosophies. While the Coalition sought to maintain the status of the world’s master and the power of money by making people their slaves, the Free People, by contrast, had abolished money and considered labor as creative activity.

Chapter 5

Near-Earth orbit, “Ares” cruiser

“Oma, what’s going on with the seismic activity in the area of the Narrow Sea?”

“I’m scanning. It hasn’t changed so far. As for the weather, it looks as though a dust storm is coming.”

“Can you see anything of interest?”

“The Coalition’s drones haven’t diverted from their courses, and are conducting a regular over flight without incidents. There is some motion in the area of "Athena" group. I can see GMA packs and marauders set off on their night patrolling. Today they knocked down our cover-up fighter aircraft. The pilot is alive and possibly wounded. It’s s girl with a unique biological body.”

“What else is known about her? I’ve received a request from her commander.”

“We don’t have complete information as of yet, however no gunfights were detected after her landing in the region.”

At the moment marauders are busy shredding her aircraft into pieces for metal. I can see a parachute and harness; looks like she managed to get away by nightfall. My nighty-eight percent assumption is that she could have been met by our dear friend Abel from “Athena” group. The guys are based nearby. Abel should have gone sniffing over the shot down plane. “Athena” group’s priority mode is radio silence.

“Oma, please put “Athena” group’s area under control, Abel could not have allowed a human being to die, I wonder what happened to the navigator.”

“Raju, you do know Abel. He is sure to have rewritten him into himself and is now nursing them both at the base.

Arvid will confirm in the morning that everything is like that, you’ll see.”

"Ares", the orbital patrol cruiser of RB– 735 series, was in combat alert duty mode on the geostationary Earth orbit (35700km). At the time, the cruiser was operated by only part of its crew that consisted of its chief pilot and pilot-navigator. The chief pilot, Raju, was wearing his second cyber body, as he had lost his biological and first cyber ones in battles with the Coalition.

His experience gained in outer space wars allowed him to take a leading position in the Aerospace Forces’ Staff, but he turned down all proposals in order to do what he loved most: sitting in a control cabin do various duties bungled on him by the Earth management. A tiny figurine of the multi-armed female deity that had always accompanied him was now standing above the control console against the background of the Space panoramic view. He also liked talking with his mate Oma about everything he was interested in and enjoyed her company in that unexplored and immense cosmic space. Having changed two bodies, Raju retained his human qualities, only the memory of the past battles and casualties had left its imprint on his way of dealing with colleagues. For that reason, he was partnered up with a rather complex AI being, deprived of limiting programs and keen on exploring Space, who could not imagine her life without communication with humans.

A particular feature of that AI being was the fact that, over time, she came to realize herself as a woman, who now was wearing the cyber body of a tall girl with white pearl shoulder-length hair and blue eyes. She had been given the beautiful name Oma by her Teacher and spiritual mentor Modi. It was that wise Teacher who showed her the path of spiritual development and fostered her interest in learning the World.

Oma chose by herself the destination of serving people. She spent her free time on studying the spiritual concepts of love, kindness, while compiling materials for her future book. Oma enjoyed lengthy spiritual talks with the commander, who had become very dear to her over the past months of their joint work. And she explored that new feeling with profound interest.

Raju’s new cyber body had somewhat brutal and rough features, thereby emphasizing his selfless dedication to work. An ascetic by nature, he could never abandon his collection of old films and music.

Their voices were heard against the gentle sounds of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. Both the commander and navigator liked working to music.

The Commandment who had high opinion of their military merits and ability to come up with nonstandard solutions, jokingly called them “gruesome-twosome”, setting up their close collaboration as an example to follow by others.

Military service in the Aerospace Forces was regarded as the most difficult and honorary among other military positions. On-orbit battles were specifically brutal and allowed no room for error. The situation could entirely change within seconds. Inherent in every human being, the instinct of self-preservation posed a threat in outer space and had to be renounced in the first place. The priority was given to other qualities, such as quick analysis of current events, immediate decision making, choice of the right option and the only possible response to unexpected flow of events. And it was the ability to calmly accept one’s fate, when there was no longer any chance to escape a blow that was particularly valued among generally unemotional pilots of the Aerospace Forces.

Human life seemed particularly fragile and short-lasting by contrast with the stunning immenseness of the Space. There one could even get a deceptive feeling of self-eternity and then, all of the sudden, here comes a flash…

A flash of explosion in total silence followed with scattered debris flying apart, instant, or sometimes prolonged and painful, death of crew, and, eventually, a dead ship losing its orbit. That was all left after an attack. Fight in outer space was like no other: an impetuous approach of a missile or laser ray took just seconds as compared with eternity of Space. Therefore, people serving in the Aerospace Forces were fearless, cool-headed, with a specific way of thinking. These were nobly referred as the "Star Guard”.

Chapter 6

(“Ares” cruiser, Earth’s orbit)

Have you ever considered the following coincidences and figures?

Are these just mere coincidences?

<<Atoms resemble Solar Systems; large-scale structures of the Universe are similar to neurons in the human brain; and let’s take a few other interesting coincidences: the number of stars in the Galaxy, the number of Galaxies in the Universe, the number of atoms in a cell, and the number of cells in a living being are almost the same (from 10^11 to 10^14).

And all of these beg the question: what if we are merely cells within the brain of some immense creature of planetary dimensions, who hasn’t yet acquired self-awareness?

Would you believe that the total amount of everything in the Universe constitutes a rational creature of the finite being – Eternity! And if so, what shall we tell each other?>>

“Oma, orbit transfer protocol. What’s your opinion?”

With a motion of thought, she put away the text of her future book into the archive and projected an image of the current situation in front of her.

“Commander, I’ve got a suggestion. Orbit trimming. We’d better stay in this wreckage cluster. It’s close to us. Here are the details.”

Before the control post glass, appeared an enlarged holographic image of space orbit debris, or rather what had previously been a group of cruisers.

That event made it into the Planet’s Chronicles as the Orbit Battle. The cluster of combat ships and orbit stations wreckage stretched along a vast area. The destroyed ships were a sad view: ragged iron uncovered curved bulkheads of sections, hoses and wires drawn like torn arteries out of a breathless corps. Dozens of tiny fragments were drifting nearby.. And all those remains were moving, occasionally bumping into each other, and producing new shatters. Some of them were slowly rotating, revealing their open wounds with remains of smashed equipment.

Out of superstition, pilots always avoided such places, but now Oma and Raju were carefully examining the remains.

Some of them were slowly rotating, disclosing their insides with debris of torn down equipment. Wrecks still featured bright squadron emblems. Some of them could have still held their crews’ bodies. Reactors with leakages and emissions were a common occurrence at such places. All those iron structures still preserved residual impulse of the energy that had once torn them apart. Still following that impulse, they occasionally collided with each other, lost their speed, deorbited, burned in the upper atmosphere and then fell down like bushy flames, as though saluting the perished ships crews. For that reason, pilots of patrol ships chose to steer away from such dangerous and somber place. There was no room for living beings there, but still it was the ideal place to disguise the cruiser on the orbit.

“Radiation?” briefly asked the commander.

“Admissible,” replied Oma. ”There is a slight exceedance, but not critical for us.”

“Them locate us close to that large fragment so that it does not overshadow the horizon. And one other thing, try to accurately synchronize its rotation with ours. Then we’ll be seen as one object.” Raju pointed at a massive, torn up ship body that was slowly rotating in front of their windscreen. “What about the communication satellites?”

“We’ll have to hang a couple of new ones nearby.”

Military communication in outer space was quite simple: through direct laser ray any amount of information could be transmitted. Radars were unable to detect it, but to be on the safe side, pilots chose to transfer data through in-orbit satellites, or mediators, many of which remained on orbits and were considered consumable material.

It was always possible to launch a new one and hang it in any point. Those satellites also conducted security functions, tracing down scouts and homing mines, plenty of which were drifting on the orbit in standby mode.

Having spotted such a "gift", satellites would immediately shoot it down with lasers. Oma always put security satellites around the cruiser that she called “Hanumans” for their flexibility and efficiency.

“Oma, where does the Orbital Colony locate now?” asked Raju.

“Beyond the Planet’s horizon. Do you again suspect them of espionage on behalf of the Coalition?” she peered at Raju.

“Yes, I have never believed them and thought them to be capable of anything. They tell us and the Coalition that they “have full neutrality and have nothing to do with the war”, while exchanging new engineering designs for materials and Planet’s resources.”

“Raju, you have always been suspicious of scientists!” Oma continued the conversation, while putting the cruiser on a new orbit. “Science is beyond war and politics.”

“Should the Orbital Colony have not been established, this Earth would have been deprived of all its scientists. Indeed, mankind rescued the Planet’s intellectual asset!

And I supported them at the general survey when they declared independence of us and the Coalition. The war had fully destroyed science on Earth. How else are they supposed to earn their living, if not through the use of their brains? However, mostly they work for the Second Colony and Mars. You are again nagging at scientists, aren’t you?” Oma said and steel notes were heard in her voice. Raju decided to cut short the argument.

“All right, Oma. I agree with you.” He nodded. “Still, it’s best not to deal with them and to steer clear of their "Smart Doughnut" beyond the horizon. By the way, all of these “independent scientists” are armed to the hilt! You have always supported them because they made your body. At first, they designed it for a beauty contest and then decided to give it over to you.”

“What do you mean? Oma asked in bewilderment as she failed to get Raju’s joke. “How come I didn’t know that!”

“They didn’t tell you for fear that it may undermine your self-assessment balance and kept it secret,” Raju blurted out, trying not to give himself away. “I have a feeling that we’ll pay one more visit to their Station. Would you like to be there again?”

“Of course!” Oma exclaimed and noticeably cheered up. “It was there that I for the first time felt like a sentient being and realized who I was! Actually, it’s my birth-place, if you will.” The cruiser was smoothly approaching the cluster of wreckage. It remained only to adjust its position on the new orbit. Keeping up the conversation, Oma stabilized the spacecraft’s position and put up full information on the surrounding space on a projector.

In front of her emerged a variety of flexible holograms featuring the ship’s position, orbit’s characteristics and complete information on the surrounding objects.

“There are neither traps nor mines. The radioactive background is slightly exceeded. The “Hanumans” have taken the whole orbit under control. Aria, maintain the military alert mode. Commander, the orbit transfer protocol is complete,” Oma reported and, tipping back in her armchair, looked at the chief pilot.

Her white, tight suite was shining like a bright spot in the subdued lighting of the crew cabin. Sitting with her legs crossed, Oma gave a look at Raju and smiled, waiting for his further instructions. “And, by the way, I have taken into account your recommendations on the Orbital Station. We keep them at distance.”

“I see you have changed your hairstyle. You look great. The previous one was also good, but now you are the pitch of perfection. I’m feasting my eyes on you, Oma.”

Oma’s cyber body allowed her to quickly change the style and color of her hair. At the moment, her thick golden hair had a lovely bob style. His experience in dealing with Oma told Raju that at that moment he was supposed to make a compliment. Therefore, he, using all possible gallant expressions he knew, praised her appearance and emphasized his pleasure at admiring her beauty.

“Thank you, Commander. Now I feel more comfortable doing my duty on this orbit with increased radiation level,” Oma replied jokingly, evidently pleased at the Commander’s remark.

“What else did you want to know about the scientists?” she inquired, and now conciliatory notes were head in her voice.

“Oma, is it true that they are able to produce any biological bodies? And do they themselves wear cyber ones?”

“Not necessarily,” Oma shrugged her shoulders. “The majority of them chose to wear cyber bodies as they give less trouble. They have a whole city there: gardens, parks, ponds. By the way, they have preserved complete information on the Planet’s animal life. If yоu want, I can give you a cyber raccoon as a gift?” she smiled and gave him a playful look.

“Oh, no!” Raju raised his arm in protest, “I' m out with an isomorph!”

As Raju uttered these words somewhere from the ceiling of the cabin a ringing child’s voice said: “Isomorphs relieve people from various small troubles. We are pure beings because we feed on light. According to one hypothesis, isomorphs are the pinnacle of evolution. Pure consciousness, if you will.”

A jelly-like shapeless body with big eloquent blue eyes and small dark button instead of a nose detached itself from the ceiling and assumed the form of a drop, drifted towards Oma’s face.

The clot was the size of a soccer ball and looked quite flexible, its color varied from pastel-blue to pink. Although the being’s shape was ceaselessly changing, basically, it looked like something droplike and oval. Inside the semi-transparent body made of nano-silicone one could see flexible brain processor of the size of a tennis ball, which occasionally radiated flickering light.

The creature had a quite funny and friendly appearance. Also it moved in a funny way, taking on a shape of a jellyfish cupola, and with impulsive motions pushing air out of itself. Occasionally, it grew tiny legs on its sides and rather deftly pushed itself off from the

cabin walls. In that way it was flying all around and, from time to time, secured itself like a big blot, on the wall, making a funny flapping sound.

At the moment, that flaring ball was hanging in front of Oma’s face, its round eyes were winking.

“An isomorph is a pilot’s best cyber friend,” he uttered, “much better than a raccoon!”

After those words, he again stared Oma in the eye. Then he decided that he had kept silent long enough and carried on with his speech. “An isomorph’s primary responsibility is to inform the crew on radiation level, control the sheeting integrity, carry small objects and provide assistance during fights, guarding the rear side of the pilot’s seat back. In addition, an isoform is ready to cover an illuminator with his body and to protect the crew against sunlight. Are you aware that radiation level here is above the allowable limits?”

“Flop, it’s admissible. I have always wondered how you would feel on the Planet under gravity. Would you be able to move around, or would be sticking on one’s shoulder all the time?” asked Oma with a smile.

“Well, if we allow for gravity, it’s going to be like this,” at these words he quickly turned into a jellyfish cupola, swiftly jumped up and got attached to the control panel. His body turned violet, and out of his sides grew six tiny shot legs that looked like those of a squirrel. He did a short run along the panel and then, pleased with himself, he asked: “Isn’t it great? I’ve just invented this form by myself.”

“Flop, you’ve got to make small ears as well. And a tail for balance. Then you’ll be able to jump despite gravity,” she carefully examined her small friend.

The isoform instantly let of a tail and ears and became even funnier.

“As for the tail, it’s quite clear, but what are the ears for?”

“Just to cheer up those looking at you,” Oma gave him a broad smile.

“I see…Does it mean that if I take this form on, I’ll perk up everyone’s mood? Are all people the same?”

“No,” Oma shaked her head, “people are different, that’s the point. And that’s probably because each person is all unique.” she stole a glance at Raju.

During that conversation, Oma gently picked up the isomorph in her arms.

“Flop, do you ever feel bored? The same thing happens every day, isn’t it? After all, you have no access to the Cyborg Dreams. You mind should require to process new knowledge and interact with the world.”

“Of course, even isomorphs are aware that everyone’s mind needs development, but personally, I no longer feel bored since I’ve found a way out. After a long search along the lanes and alleys of the spacecraft, I found a way to develop my perception! If you hook into the crystals of commander’s collection and choose the directory “ancient anime” you will get infinite potential for learning the world! You may not be familiar with such masterpieces of anime as Howl's Moving Castle, Tales from Earthsea, Ghost in the Shell? And what wonderful prophesy one can find there! By all means, now they sound like revelations of the Wise. I will read that out to you. Flop gave his audience a meaningful look and recited a poem, evidently trying to make an impression:

Среди борьбы и разрушенья ,

Жрецы отвергнутых Богов,

Твердите Ваши откровенья,

И верьте Силе Ваших слов.

Тот свет, что Истиной вы звали,

Веками, превозмочь никто не смог.

И вопль врагов глухой, неясный,

Да не переступит ваш порог!

Without waiting for the audience’s reaction, he looked around and said in a perplexed tone “I just don’t remember the author of these lines. It’s either our esteemed commander, or Hermes Trismegistus himself.”

Looking somewhat blankly at the isomorph, Raju mumbled “Flop, you must have found it in the file “Private”, while delving through my personal archives. Is there any corner in this spacecraft you haven’t poked your nose into? But whatever. If you have acquired an isomorph, you’ve got to put up with that. Well, Flop, it didn’t take you long to get to my records and collection! And how did you find them?”

“I didn’t search for anything. That’s how it happened. According to the instruction, I was on a duty flight along the ship, keeping a close watch on everything and prying into every corner, when I found out that the commander’s room remained unchecked.

As I got inside, I immediately set about checking that everything was in order, peeking into every corner, until I came across the only personal thing belonging to the commander. It was a box made manually of authentic rare wood according to ancient technology. Any sentient being, on seeing such a box, would feel like opening it. Therefore, it was almost impossible for me to merely put the box back without looking inside.

And inside there was a memory crystal, almost unprotected against scanning. Of course, I just had to take a peek into it out of scientific curiosity.

Aside personal materials and records of our commander which I took no notice at, there was the collection itself. Can you imagine my joy? Now that I got an opportunity, after a difficult and sometimes dangerous watch on the bridge, to retire into my tiny corner and enjoy the projection of anime art masterpieces. Believe me, it’s incredibly boring to live attached to a bulkhead or illuminator if you are not a chewing gum.

Now that I can watch anime I am happy with my life and stay in full harmony with my alter ego. Both of you see your Cyborg Dreams after watch duty, don’t you? Why don’t you tell me just once what’s going on there?”

Oma was taken aback by the isomorph’s inartificial behavior. Raju was looking at them both with a smile.

“Flop, how did the cabin of the captain’s second mate come to be your “tiny corner”? Besides, you turned it into a warehouse and a workshop. I saw with my own eyes some small electronic beings ceaselessly scurrying from the cabin that you had occupied and running along the whole ship,” at these words Flop became rather nervous. He slowly flew up to the wall and made an attempt to fade into it.

And what are you cyber cockroaches are doing?” Raju asked, looking perplexedly around to spot the isomorph.

“Let me explain everything!” Flop got unstuck from the wall and appeared in front of the commander’s face.

“I’ll begin with the cabin: upon logical reflection, I realized that the position of captain’s second mate remained vacant and, therefore, I decided to take it together with the cabin which I am entitled to by virtue of this post. In fact, it’s a little massy now, but thing is, our ship-based warehouse became too small for me and so I relocated some of my developments to my new cabin.”

“What sort of developments?” the captain’s voice sounded rather surprised than angry.

“What developments? Technical, intellectual ones, in the first place. I have designed small cyber assistants to conduct control over all systems of the spacecraft. And mind you, they are not scurrying, as you’ve put it, but doing their watch and each of them has an assignment.”

“Aria,” Raju turned to the cruiser’s AI with barely repressed laughter, “What do you think about these cockroaches?”

“I am in favor of Flop’s initiative. There are plenty of places uncovered by my sensors,” replied the spacecraft’s AI and ironic notes were heard in her voice.

“Commander, can I come up with a new initiative?” Flop turned to Raju and stared at him, “Why don’t we together watch some interesting ancient movie form the collection! And another suggestion: let’s project the movie not inside the crew cabin but directly in front of the spacecraft with the largest possible screen size!

Perplexed by the scale of isomorph’s idea, the captain at first didn’t know what to say, and while he was groping for words, Oma exclaimed:

“Commander!”

All of a sudden, a hologram appeared in front of her.

“I’ve got a signal from one of our “Hanumans”. Looks like we are not alone here.”

Chapter 7

“You’d better spend your life, Johnny, on doing what you like, or else you’ll be receiving blows from fate”

(words from a country song)

“Have you finished orbit rimming, Piggy? Why can’t you stop that damned rotation, you know, it drives me mad! Check the oxygen! Turn it warmer, at least here, in the crew cabin. I need a full scan of this orbit, and right now!” hoarse, irritable cry was heard throughout the cabin.

Commander of “Tyrant”, a heavy shuttle of the Coalition’s outer space reconnaissance unit, Steven Hook was on duty on that day and therefore was out of sorts. The sure sign of his annoyance at the whole crew and outer space itself was his referring to the stuff by nicknames he himself invented, which, in his opinion, helped maintain discipline onboard.

Chief assistant commander, Edward Gray, round-shouldered, short man with constantly disheveled dark hair, was staring at the spacecraft’s operating indicators and the new orbit’s characteristics. At such moments, he would leave the captain’s words without reply, fully concentrated on maneuvering the heavy “Tyrant” and nervously biting his lip.

The crew cabin was wide open, and beside the door one could see a chair of the onboard engineer Hagan Lange, a tall, gangly young with dark-blue, badly cut tumbled hair and bright-green eyes. At the moment, he was focused on the data received from surveillance satellites.

Right from the very start, he had been unhappy with the choice of that orbit, which was known as the “trash belt” and stretched from the height of 160 to 750 kilometers. But he kept his opinion to himself for fear of the captain’s scathing retorts. What he disliked about that duty was the constantly annoyed voice of the “hysteric lady”, as he and Edward called the captain among themselves.

Hagan had long been expecting a transfer to ground service and therefore, tried not to get in the way so as to ensure that was his last watch in Outer Space, after which he would enjoy a calm job at the headquarters.

Meanwhile, “Tyrant” was being put on a new orbit and its flight position was being stabilized.

The silent Hagan was known for good intuition, which he trusted, and now there was something that made him worry, and he thoroughly studied the scanning results and report of the surveillance satellite.

The first thing he realized was that there were not enough satellites to create a full picture of the orbit and the space surrounding the spacecraft. And that uncertainty was fraught with threat.

One could never know for sure what was hiding among the piles of perished ships’ debris. There could be sleeping mines, surveillance satellites bedangled with weapons, and even a compact yet highly maneuverable powerful cruiser.

The height of 500 kilometer is the most trash-strewn” Hagan thought and, without waiting for the captain’s cry, shifted all data to the first mate’s monitor. “Maybe I should tell Hysteric that we are badly exposed here? A good target. He has so stupidly positioned the spacecraft. Right in the center of a vast area free of debris. I guess I’d rather keep silent. Or else he would be making fun of me. On the other hand, the scanner has not detected living beings. It’s not an easy task to hide a spacecraft even among big debris, so there is no reason to worry.” Hagan silently closed the door to the crew cabin, tipped back in his chair and began adjusting instruments for reconnaissance purposes.

Hagan had a passion for spacecraft engines. His brain fit out with nano-chips could easily model thermal processes and energy schemes of engines intended for flights to other planets. Sometimes, when he was carried away with his job, he would talk to his creatures, bringing his calculations to perfection. Creating ships for far-off space travel was his favorite job and the only passion. But was it possible to realize that dream while sitting in a tiny on-board engineer’s compartment?

At the moment, he was trying to push along current protocol of instruments operation so as to return to his favorite job and to plunge into his own world, the world of stunning powerful machines.

Meanwhile, the reconnaissance satellite “Hanuman-12” in close proximity of “Tyrant”, hastily adjusted the orbit, put weapons on alert and continued drifting amidst piles of debris, remaining unseen and unwinking.

In that way, by a twist of fate, “Ares” and “Tyrant” found themselves located at a mid-range distance between each other. “Ares” like a beast was watchfully observing its victim without giving itself away by means of dozens of scanners and surveillance satellites that “Tyrant” had unhappily come in sight of.

The "Ares" crew quickly made a decision to monitor the enemy and to keep it at gunpoint and then, while being unnoticed, take under control over all communication lines.

Chapter 8

“When having a controlled dream people can use their time for self-development.”

(A writer’s words at the forum of fantasy author. Early 21st century)

Upon Alex’s approach, the door of the medical compartment noiselessly opened and she underwent yet another decontamination procedure, which was compulsory before dipping into nano-gel.

A standard bio capsule was a silver spheroid installed in the center of a vast room illuminated with warm light from wall-mounted panels.

She came up to the unit, whose upper part softly lifted up, and nano-gel inside was glittering with bluish light.

All she had to do was just lie down in that bath and relax. A glass cupola smoothly closed above and Alex was wrapped around with soft, warm weightlessness of nano-gel. Unhurriedly, Alex got inside the capsule and instantly slipped into gravity-free state.

Gradually, slight sleepiness and detachment of consciousness got over her, and Alex, indulging in that state, started falling down somewhere. Some vague, elusive images and light spots were slowly sparkling before her eyes. Alex was well aware of the inconsistency of activities in controlled dreams and, having gone through a few preparatory stages, she mentally formed surrounding space and music.

Now that was splendid panoramic view of Outer Space. Numerous stars were slowly emerging and thickening out from light spots. And she set off drifting along the grandeur of Space, watching gaseous nebulae burst in blossom with wonderful colors, while the alluring light of stars and brightness of superstars engulfed everything around.

The eternal, like Space itself, mantra “OM” softly went into that reality, pervading the entire space and dissolving in it. One stunning picture was replaced with another. Alex was flying through the Eternity amidst marvelous stars. She felt overwhelming joy, happiness and tranquility.

And then, amid that beautiful reality, Frol’s voice uttered softly “Alex, synchronization.”

She felt slight movement in her brain owing to his presence. Close to her, a teenager figure gradually emerged; he was barefooted and dressed in a white loose knee-length shirt and white trousers. He was standing nearby, and his wavy red hair was slightly flapping in the unseen wind, and large blue eyes were sparkling with joy.

“I also love Space and enjoy listening to songs of our forefathers.” Frol gave a gentle smile “Mankind came from the stars. I’m pretty sure of that. Or else we would not be so attracted by Outer Space.” He came up to her and pensively said, “I can see plenty of contradictions in human beings, Alex. On the one hand, people love life but on the other, they are ready to destroy anything, even their home – the Planet. Let me show you something” and Frol began forming his reality.

A multi-voiced chorus singing mantra “ОМ” was replaced with organ music, and before their eyes reeled the blue surface of Oceans and a continent shoreline emerged from somewhere over the horizon. The picture began to slowly alter and soon Alex saw a black and white vision of soldiers wearing some odd uniform, seemingly without exoskeleton or any signs of body protection, except for iron semi-spheres on their heads. The figures of soldiers rushed out of a long hole in the ground and ran towards their enemy through smoke and explosions. They were armed with ancient weapons. Long gun barrels had wooden gun butts and knives at the end.

The running soldiers were suddenly covered with a wall of explosion, and Alex saw that many of them were left lying motionlessly on the ground. Some were crawling, having lost direction, while a few survivors kept up an attack.

“Now look at their leaders. I deliberately haven’t upgraded the file to show you the level of their technology of image recording. At the time, only monochrome format was available.”

Then she saw figures in uniforms and black suits, moving in a prideful manner and treated with reverence by other soldiers. They seemed to be crying out some angry words with respect to their enemies, pushing for war, while the surrounding mob responded with enthusiasm.

The technology of that time did not to permit to preserve their words. The important people were wearing lots of decorations and marks of honor of different size. All of them were bowing and smiling to other people also covered with decorations, then they all were sitting at a table served with natural meals and having talks. Special servants were waiting at the table.

Alex was looking wide-eyed at the picture. And Frol continued his account.

“That was the First War, it ended on its own accord. The world was divided unfairly, mostly in the interests of a tiny bunch of people who were in possession of all money.

Imagine that! Less than one percent of all humanity, and not of the most developed kind, could easily impose their will on such huge number of people. Monetary system! In cheating common people they got active support of those in charge of information. Those were monochrome sheets with letters called news-papers.

Thus, the system of money and method of ruling the World were stabled and started developing. That way, mankind moved ahead, depleting the Planet’s resources and undermining the environmental balance. All you’ve just seen they called vital values and taught to their children. However there were those who had a different opinion.” Frol made a pause.

The picture in front of Alex turned colored but still inconvenient for perception.

She was silently watching crude technologies utilized by people at those distant times: there were exhaust pipes emitting smoke all around as hydrocarbon technologies were on the rise. Rotary excavators were actively annihilating the Nature, mining valuable chemical raw materials. Those machines left behind dead lands, unfit for life. Seas and fertile soils were being destroyed, and the Planet was gradually turning into desert; people even competed in making that faster and more efficiently. That utter madness had nothing to do with real progress.

Science made no further steps to increase the technology level since it had been taken under control. That state of affairs was justified by the fact that people owing money strived to extract even more profit from depleting the Planet. The people of that time perceived that as success, and were quite pleased, believing that the Planet could forever endure such treatment. And then Alex again saw before her eyes figures of soldiers shod with boots marching in lockstep and looking with admiration at a leader standing at a podium.