Deep Underground

The leader was wearing pajamas and a dressing gown. As he explained:

"I have been pulling so many late nighters lately, trying to cope with all of my normal work that kept being pushed back by this Teylon stuff, that I flaked out this afternoon and had gone to bed very early."

So he was not too impressed by having to jump back out of bed and rush to a meeting to deal with this latest crises.

Teresa was in trackies and had a towel wrapped around her head.

"I was in the shower when it all started happening."

The others were not quite so casually attired, but they had all been yanked out of their domestic routines to attend to this matter.

Right now, having gotten through the acute phase of the emergency, they were taking a breather.

"Bloody hell, now we have to deal with the paperwork!" said Prakash.

A groan from some of the others.

"Not to mention all of the public relations." said Terrence.

While doing this, they were all watching a live feed of Teylon and his crew at his apartment discussing the event. They listened without much comment until Teylon said he was going to bed. The leader entered some commands into his terminal to close down the view.

"That's enough of them for the time being. It's all recorded anyway."

"Well, they were certainly right, it was total insanity for the Futures Group to retaliate in that way." said Prakash.

"Unfortunately it is our fault in a way for letting this happen, after all we did have clear indications of the type of control that Ajaeren had over them. We, well at least I, just never fully thought through the consequences." said Teresa.

"We never had enough time to do that!" said Arnold.

"Yeah, yeah, I suppose I agree." said Lenny.

He yawned and slumped over his terminal, head being supported by one hand.

"Remember when we first heard of Teylon? We were hoping for an interesting fight, weren't we?" he said.

"We're certainly getting that!" said Arnold, "For a certain value of interesting.”

"Forget that! What are we going to be telling the public?" said Prakash.

"God knows. We will just have to spin some story about investigating the matter and delay any release for a few days, to give us some chance of contriving something moderately realistic." said Lenny.

He looked at Arnold.

"Just as well you managed to talk Francesca out of tracking them down. At least we avoided the embarrassment of a messy public execution. Instead, we were able to get Orbital Defense to shoot them down. It certainly avoids any troublesome public awareness of how we can sometimes kill people who are a menace to our society."

"Thanks. Although we made a small mistake, when we overrode the space craft’s orbital computer to cut the burn, we should have aimed for something slightly off centre, instead of dead smack bang in the middle of the dome."

Lenny scratched his head. "I suppose so, but it's too late to do anything about it now. Hmm, do you think Adalace will realise that we used a backdoor access to the space craft's mission computer?"

Shoulder shrug from Terrence. "Who knows? But, it is just the sort of thing she would love to have herself."

"Let's make sure she never gets her hands onto the master passwords, OK?" said Lenny, "My God, that would be a disaster."

"Now that's a worry, remember she has already managed to get password access to Napoleon’s account, which Sarsaparilla claimed came from Esmeralda." said Teresa.

An unpleasant silence as they thought about such things.

"Let's worry about that when the time comes." said Lenny.

"Yeah, that's all we do, isn't it? We wait until Teylon and his group cause us some aching headache, and then we scramble frantically to cope with it!" said Arnold.

"Well, what else can we do? We've tried to assassinate Teylon and Sarsaparilla, only to get our own operatives killed. We tried to recruit Maggie, and it just reinforced her bond to her group. And our use of Shane in an attempt to push Maggie over the edge has resulted in Shane's conditioning being thoroughly disrupted, and now the Girls in Pink are all on Teylon's side! Every fucking thing we do is defeated, and sometimes they don't even appear to be aware of it!" said Prakash.

A moment’s silence.

"I have to agree. In spite of Teylon thinking that he hasn't done anything, we really are losing whenever we try to be proactive against them. So what do we do?" said Lenny.

Sigh, "Just keep on being passive and see what happens, I suppose." said Teresa, "In fact, at the going rate, they will probably actually carry out their suggestion and gatecrash one of our meetings and demand a discussion."

"Now that could be interesting. Do you mean we might finally get to meet this Esmeralda person?" said Arnold.

There was a lot of sarcasm in his voice.

"You mean, meet Esmeralda the Angel of Death?" said Lenny, "If we do, wouldn't that have rather unfortunate implications?"

There was some desultory discussion about tying up the loose ends.

"Here's an idea, since it appears that both Maggie and Jaydonen have somehow exceeded their known capabilities, what say we drag them in for an updated scan of their power levels?" said Terrence.

"Sure. Could be interesting if nothing else. It also gives us something extra to tell the public. You know, our brave students fighting heroically and exceeding their own limits to protect thousands of people. Or something." said Teresa.

"Well, they did fight bravely; you must admit." said Lenny, "So, yeah, if you can do that?"

"And how is Ajaeren?" asked Prakash.

"Still sedated and isolated. I suppose we can't keep him like that indefinitely, so what do we do?" said Lenny.

"Kill him," said Arnold, "He's of no fucking use to us, and an immense danger to anyone around him."

"I've got a better idea," said Prakash, "How about mind wiping him? It's poetic justice, and if anyone deserves it, he surely does."

"Hmm, I guess for once I have no objection to such a course of action." said Teresa.

"Fine by me." said Terrence.

There was no counter suggestion from anyone else, so Lenny nodded his head.

"We'll get the remaining Futures Group staff do it first thing tomorrow."

"By the way, don't we have to keep a close watch on them, also?" said Prakash.

"Oh, shit, that's right. Hopefully they aren't going over the deep end, also. But, anyway, we can't get them to mind wipe Ajaeren. We'll have to arrange things and get some of our own medical staff to do the duty." said Lenny.

Eventually they decided to hand over for the night to their own small group of workers, the ones who were entrusted with the information about how Mars was ultimately controlled.

"Let's sleep on this, and get back to it tomorrow morning." said Lenny.

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Prakash:

Prakash tried to get to sleep later that night, but a familiar memory ran through his mind. Thirty years of replaying had leached out most of the emotions and all of the colour, and yet it still played to its audience of one.

Flashback time for Prakash: First esp implantation attemp

He, and the others, were standing in a hastily constructed pressurised shelter, on the floor of the cavity, right where the artifact was. It was just big enough to enclose the artefact. The artifact itself was softly glowing, six metres above their head, its orange light lighting up everyone's faces as they looked up at it. The shelter, an inflated high strength balloon, surrounded it.

"Antigravity?" said Terrence.

"If it's that, then it is already big news. Not to mention the construction of this cavity." said Lenny.

"Come on you lot, stop chatting and help me construct this scaffolding." said Prakash.

They laid out the pieces on the ground, assembled several five-metre towers, then levered them upright. When they were finished, the framework surrounded the floating rectangular shape without touching it.

Everybody's looking at me, just because I was the one to suggest this... Well, might as well.

So he hauled himself up, hand over hand, and stood on the top.

Soft orange glow all over, smooth surface, ah, what if I touch it?

Gingerly, he poked it with a finger. Nothing happened. He put his hand on it. It didn't move in any way. He tried to shove it to the side, but it ignored his efforts.

By now, his wife Lucy was also up with him. She wandered around, hopping from the top of one tower to the next.

"What is this thing supposed to do?" she said, "Ah, bloody hell, there's a USB port at the end!"

What?

An hour later, they were all gathered around a portable table on the ground, under the artifact. On it was a laptop, and a USB cable snaking up to the artefact. Terence had just spent half an hour eliciting a response from the thing. After a few final swear words, he gave a grunt of satisfaction.

"Ha! I've got some sort of screen..."

"Hmm, kind of a minimalist User Interface, I must say." said Laura.

There was some text on the top, a blank area labelled 'Parameters', and another blank area labelled 'Analysis'. There was also a big red button, labelled 'Go'.

There was some jostling around as the spectators all tried to read the text over Terrence's shoulders, without much success. So he read it out aloud.

"Esp Implantation"

"Enter the parameters to select the kind of esp to be implanted into a 100 day old foetus."

"Mother lies with head towards the USB port."

Terrence stopped reading at this point.

"Well, come on, what more does it say?" said Laura, standing at the back and thus not having any view at all of the screen.

"That's it. There ain't any more." said Terrence.

"Well, what about the next page?" said Lenny.

"As far as I can tell, there's only this page."

Silence.

"That's stupid. How are we supposed to use this thing without a manual?" said Lucy.

Later, in the middle of the night, Lucy had a little discussion with Prakash.

"I'm three months pregnant, why don't I try it?"

"Err, what? Risk your life, and our baby's, to some alien machine of which we know absolutely nothing?"

"Really, I don't see too much risk, I mean, whoever or whatever the aliens are, they are definitely extremely powerful. Just look at the fact that they built the cavity in the first place. And the antigravity effect of the artefact. Our science hasn't a clue on how to do that. And, then, if they can actually implant some esp ability into the brain of a baby, then they must have extraordinary knowledge about humans in general and brains in particular. Lastly, why would they go to all of this trouble if they didn't want to help us? If they wanted to kill us or something, I'm sure, with their technological expertise, they have a million options at their fingertips. Assuming they have fingertips, that is."

Oh crap, what if something goes wrong?

"Well, perhaps we can talk it over with the others tomorrow?"

"And, just think, our baby might be the first human to ever have esp powers! Although what sort of power is a good question. And how do with set the options... Now that is something that is weird, why shouldn't they give us more information?"

"Don't know. Maybe it's just part of their psychology not to give more help than is absolutely necessary?"

"Well, if it is, then they would have obviously put in safe guards to prevent harmful combinations."

"How can you be so sure?" said Prakash.

"If they didn't have our best interests at heart, why would they have given this to us in the first place?"

I can't think of any reason to disagree with that... I suppose. Wait, what about...

"But, you're three months and two weeks preggers, and that thing said 100 days."

"Ah, I can't see it makes all that much difference. Why should it? And if it does, they thing would just shut itself down, wouldn't it?"

OK, OK,

The next morning, after a rather robust discussion about all of this, the consensus of opinion had, somewhat tepidly, converged to an agreement to try it out.

It took Terrence two full days of fiddling with the Parameters entry screen, to produce something that showed in the Analysis screen.

"Bloody hell, they certainly didn't make it easy!" he said.

"But, at least, we now know how to enter the parameters - we have to make sure that all the round brackets balance, and obviously they couldn't be bothered to use descriptive names for anything, so every parameter value and its label is inputted solely using numbers."

He indicated the Parameters screen, which currently contained the text

(1:1 3:10 5:1)

"I don't have the slightest clue as to what that means, but at least it produces something in the Analysis window. Course, I don't have any clue as to what the bar charts in it mean, either."

The Analysis window showed two horizontal bars. One was labelled 'A' and the other was labelled 'B'.

"And, this is the first entry I have managed to find that produces anything at all in the Analysis window. Everything else results in a completely blank Analysis screen."

"So, do you really want to do this?" said Prakash.

"Certainly. I just cannot believe that these aliens would go to all of this trouble, and then allow something bad to happen." said Lucy.

"Ok."

Lucy was lying on the artifact, head towards the USB port as specified.

Lucy, together with Prakash, had climbed up to the artefact. She looked very awkward and uncomfortable.

"I'll be alright, don't worry!" she said.

"OK, I'll climb down, no telling how upset the thing might get if anybody else is too close." said Prakash.

He held her hand for a moment.

"I'll be right back down with you in a jiffy!" said Lucy.

She's nervous too, but isn't prepared to admit it.

He got to the bottom. Just to be on the safe side, they moved the scaffolding out a couple of metres.

"Well, I suppose I push the button?" said Lenny.

"Yep, do it." said Terrence.

He clicked on the beg red GO button. There was an orange flash.

"OK, Lucy, it's over!" shouted Prakash.

No reply.

"Lucy!"

Unfortunately, she was never going to reply ever again to anyone.

That night, Prakash lay in his lonely bed. He could not sleep. But he couldn't cry either. He lay there, is thoughts in turmoil.

Lucy, the first girl who ever took a notice of me. Me, the typical nerd, without much in the way of social skills. She might not have been a beauty, but she fell in love with me. My first, and only, girlfriend. The best thing that ever happened in my adult life. The first girl to laugh at my jokes - well, some of them. The first girl to taste my cooking - just as well I'm a good cook, as she certainly wasn't. The first woman, and the only woman, to come to my bed.

He made a grab for the hanky; it looked like he was going to start crying after all.

We were actually going to have a baby. I would have been a father! We would have watched our own child grow up...

He spent the next hour in the drowning in his grief, before getting some restless sleep. He was awakened by the sounds of some of the others moving around in their compartments in the Mars surface vehicle.

What do I do now?

I was happy - well we did argue a lot - but I was still happy.

And now it's all been taken away from me.

He felt bitter. And hollow. And resentful.

All because of some horrible alien artifact that was supposed to be of benefit to us.

Why should I be the one suffer? Why me? Why Lucy?

Why couldn't it have been someone else that suffered.

Should we even continue with this experimentation? Won't it cause more suffering?

He sat up, and looked at the pile of clothes and processions that cluttered the small area. Most of them were Lucy's, of course.

I don't care.

Why should I care about anyone else?

I don't care anymore.

Why should I be the only one to feel this pain?

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Jaydonen: Manning up and making a formal apology.

Jaydonen and Lily may be attending different schools; however they had worked out how to coordinate at least some of their daily commute. Right now, they were at the turn off to Jaydonen's school. Lily gave him one last hug.

"Ring me at lunch time to tell me how you went." she said.

"I will. But don't worry, all things considered, I'm quite happy with this."

Nonetheless, I'll be glad when it's all over.

He got to his classroom. Which appeared to have about three times the normal number of students. They were mostly standing, leaving a small space at the front.

Big nervous grin. "Hello, everyone!"

"Hi!" plus various variants came back.

Jaydonen waited at the front, while his audience, visibly enjoying themselves, also waited patiently.

The door opened again, and in came the girl they were all waiting for. She gazed around at the unusual crowd, but did not appear all that surprised. She walked up to Jaydonen, and stopped a good arms distance away.

Well, here goes.

"Maggie, I would like to offer a formal apology, in front of this audience, for me doubting that you had a friendship group. Obviously you do, and what's more they all stayed behind to support you and the others, whereas only Lily stayed behind to support me."

Maggie found herself blushing. As usual, no one was able to notice.

"That's fine, I'm glad that was all cleared up. And, err, I don't wish to imply that your friends are any the worse for not staying, after all it was dangerous..."

"Nyah, that's fine, I've already talked it over with them. In the circumstances, it was the sensible thing to do."

An awkward silence, then the observing students broke out in applause. The teacher, who had been waiting outside, came in and gave a meaningful look at all the extra students. Those extras all filed out and the class commenced. Ten minutes later than usual, but the teacher had no complaints. After all, he had been at the theatre night, also.

At lunchtime, after ringing Lily, Jaydonen approached Maggie.

"Say, I've gotten a request to go to the testing institute to have my esp ability tested." he said.

"Actually, so have I, except I'm to report to the Number 1 Test Range facility." she said.

Later that evening, he skipped down the steps from the testing institute.

So, I'm no longer Mr Two Percent. I'm now Mr Twenty Percent. That's quite a jump, in fact it starts to make my ability actually useful.

But I still don't know how I managed to increase it.

The next day he found out from Maggie that her esp ability had jumped up to 835.

So, we have both increased our levels.

But I still don't want to do anything like that ever again.

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Sarsaparilla: Now it is her turn to propose a holiday idea.

A week or so later:

Due to lack of any other viable option, Kaydence and Juniper still lived at Teylon's. Which meant that Sarsaparilla and Devina also had a very strong motive to remain. Adalace and Tamara sort of went with the flow and also kept on living at Teylon's. Right now, Sarsaparilla and Adalace were sitting on their respective beds, opposite each other, and kicking their feet in time so that each foot gently tapped the other's foot on each swing.

"Hey, you missed!" said Adalace.

"Oops, I lost track of the cadence. Hmm, you know, this is very nice, living with you. But, it's also embarrassing, if you see what I mean." said Sarsaparilla.

They stopped kicking their feet, the more to concentrate on what they were saying.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. We might be a couple, but we haven't actually gotten to do anything, ah, physical, as yet."

Both of their faces went slightly red.

"No, and all things considered, I'm don't really want to take our relationship to that next level, quite yet." said Sarsaparilla.

"I agree. We need to work a few things through. Like this Angel of Death business. And then there's Kaydence and Juniper to worry about, well, most of the worry is for Juniper. Not to mention we are living in a man's apartment, with a dozen other people following our every move..."

Adalace shook her head in a show of irritation.

"It's all so complicated, isn't it?" said Sarsaparilla.

"Bloody hell it is. So let's continue the way we have been, for the time being."

Accordingly, Adalace got up, grabbed her pyjamas and dressing gown, and went to the main bathroom to change. And also to clean her teeth and brush her hair. When she came back, it was Sarsaparilla’s turn. After a while, they were both in their separate beds, with the lights off.

"Juniper's condition is a real worry, isn't it?" said Sarsaparilla.

"Yeah. Although I suppose the worry also extends to everything else that involves Teylon. People have died, we have saved people from dying; just what is going to happen next?"

A groan from Sarsaparilla. "All I ever wanted to do was to find out what my ability was and to get a girlfriend."

"And you've done both!"

Another groan from Sarsaparilla. "I sure have. But it's so anxiety provoking, this whole situation."

After a few minutes, she spoke again.

"I know, the next school holiday is coming up soon, this time let's go to the Blue Ocean Dome for a holiday! And, let's make it for the whole two weeks!"

We can go swimming. So I get to see Adalace in a bikini!

"Hey, I like that idea. But, you realise, we can't just go in the same group as before, we now have responsibilities."

"Fine, fine, all of us go. Even Sarawatch, if she wants to. After all, Teylon is paying." said Sarsaparilla.

A giggle from Adalace. "You really love the idea of someone else paying, don't you?"

"Well, of course. I've had to scrimp and save and work at tedious part time jobs to get by, so I'm making the most of the opportunity!"

The next evening meal Sarsaparilla floated the idea. Naturally, Teylon was completely agreeable. Nobody else objected either. Even Sarawatch was happy to join in.

"In actual fact, since the little incident that resulted in me joining the Neighbourhood Watch, I haven't had a single holiday. So it will do me good!"