Answers:
One cold December evening Lydecker paid me a visit. I was, as I often was, sitting at my desk, reading files and updating lists.
"Evening, Jones." Lydecker said as he tapped on my door.
"Good evening, sir." I smiled and motioned him in. He sat down.
"How're my X5s?"
"Let's check." I flipped on the monitor and found them in a classroom, learning about nuclear physics. They all stared straight ahead, absorbing the information. Lydecker nodded, smiling.
"They're a good group."
"That they are, sir."
"Wonder how X6 and X7 will turn out..." I nodded. X6 had been born three years ago; right now they were in the preliminary planning stages for X7.
"Will those generations be much different?" I asked.
"Oh, X6 will be specialized in group training -- like X3, only current. But X7 will be like X5 -- clones of them, actually, but a bit more advanced. All the decisions on X7 have yet to be made." I took in this information, nodding. Nothing shocks you after working at Manticore for as long as I had.
"But that's not what I came to talk to you about, Jones." I looked up and caught Lydecker's eye, he continued;
"Do you remember way back in the beginning, you asked 'why you, sir?' and I told you that would have to wait?" I nodded -- of course I remembered; I'd always wondered why Lydecker was in this. He continued.
"Good. One more question, then I'll explain. When you first came to this site, did the locals tell you any stories about the area?"
"Oh, plenty of them sir, you know folks and their traditions."
"Did one of those stories stick out in your mind?"
"Why, yes sir. The story about a young man who was attacked by a mountain lion and who then saw a girl who looked to be part feline."
"Good. That's the one, Jones." Lydecker leaned back in his chair, obviously lost in a memory.
"What does that story have to do with you, sir?" Lydecker started back from memory land at the question. He paused before answering;
"Well Jones, that young man in the story, he was my great- grandfather." 'Whoa' I thought, my jaw must have dropped because Lydecker laughed a tiny laugh;
"That's right Jones, my great-grandfather."
"So it is true..." my voice trailed off.
"Yes, it certainly is. When I heard that story as a boy, I knew someday I would make more, just like her. Manticore and my X5s are the realization of the dream." I nodded, but my mind was racing through all the tales, encounters, and dreams I'd had of her -- the legend. I shuddered at the memory of her sly, cunning smile and the vision of the X2s' gleaming eyes shinning behind her.
Lydecker patted my shoulder, standing to go.
"Now you know." He gave me a rare half smile and slipped out the door, leaving me to my mind's wanderings.
One cold December evening Lydecker paid me a visit. I was, as I often was, sitting at my desk, reading files and updating lists.
"Evening, Jones." Lydecker said as he tapped on my door.
"Good evening, sir." I smiled and motioned him in. He sat down.
"How're my X5s?"
"Let's check." I flipped on the monitor and found them in a classroom, learning about nuclear physics. They all stared straight ahead, absorbing the information. Lydecker nodded, smiling.
"They're a good group."
"That they are, sir."
"Wonder how X6 and X7 will turn out..." I nodded. X6 had been born three years ago; right now they were in the preliminary planning stages for X7.
"Will those generations be much different?" I asked.
"Oh, X6 will be specialized in group training -- like X3, only current. But X7 will be like X5 -- clones of them, actually, but a bit more advanced. All the decisions on X7 have yet to be made." I took in this information, nodding. Nothing shocks you after working at Manticore for as long as I had.
"But that's not what I came to talk to you about, Jones." I looked up and caught Lydecker's eye, he continued;
"Do you remember way back in the beginning, you asked 'why you, sir?' and I told you that would have to wait?" I nodded -- of course I remembered; I'd always wondered why Lydecker was in this. He continued.
"Good. One more question, then I'll explain. When you first came to this site, did the locals tell you any stories about the area?"
"Oh, plenty of them sir, you know folks and their traditions."
"Did one of those stories stick out in your mind?"
"Why, yes sir. The story about a young man who was attacked by a mountain lion and who then saw a girl who looked to be part feline."
"Good. That's the one, Jones." Lydecker leaned back in his chair, obviously lost in a memory.
"What does that story have to do with you, sir?" Lydecker started back from memory land at the question. He paused before answering;
"Well Jones, that young man in the story, he was my great- grandfather." 'Whoa' I thought, my jaw must have dropped because Lydecker laughed a tiny laugh;
"That's right Jones, my great-grandfather."
"So it is true..." my voice trailed off.
"Yes, it certainly is. When I heard that story as a boy, I knew someday I would make more, just like her. Manticore and my X5s are the realization of the dream." I nodded, but my mind was racing through all the tales, encounters, and dreams I'd had of her -- the legend. I shuddered at the memory of her sly, cunning smile and the vision of the X2s' gleaming eyes shinning behind her.
Lydecker patted my shoulder, standing to go.
"Now you know." He gave me a rare half smile and slipped out the door, leaving me to my mind's wanderings.