"…And that should activate her neural processor."
…What's going on…
"…La la la…what appearance to give her? A young girl, or an older advisor?"
Where am I? Who am I?
"Cadet, access the file that just arrived."
"I don't want a mother. I'll go with a girl close to my own age."
I can't move…I can't breathe. What is this?
"What IS this? This is so incredibly complex! Did Zakharov create her?"
"Ah-ha! I have it. Long brown hair, green eyes, 5 foot 2, slim frame."
Is he talking about me?
"Alright…it's-...'her' neural interface has been damaged in the transfer. Work on that first."
"This just might be it…sentient life. A sentient program."
Sentient…thinking?
"I have to keep her hidden…if she truly is sentient, who knows who'll be after her. I know, I'll put her in my special file."
"Damn! She certainly took a beating. Reroute her circuitry to these conduits…here. God, get a scientist in here or something…someone who actually understands complex machinery."
I can sense…Prokhor Zakharov. That's the name of your files, that's your name?
"Now to access her visual-…no. She needs a name, first."
I don't have a name?
"Alright, that's the best we're going to be able to do. Deactivate her and let her conduits rest for a couple hours."
"Opia…no. Teani…no. Shefi…Sehi…Shil…Shila…Shinea…WAIT. Go back…Shila. I like it. Okay, my newfound friend…your name will be Shila."
Shila…
"Program Shila - Offline"
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"Bringing the Shila program online now, Sir."
Shila opened her eyes to find herself on a bed in a large medical bay, surrounded by many Hive cadets. She could feel that she was naked, but a large sheet protected her privacy. Next to her, sitting in a chair, was Chairman Yang. The look on his face could only be described as indescribable. His voice was stern as he spoke.
"I'm only going to ask you once. Who are you?"
Shila looked at him, and then back at the cadets. "Why are they here?"
Yang shrugged. "They wanted to come. Now answer my question."
Shila sighed. "My name is Shila."
Yang flexed his fingers in frustration. "I've learned that thus far. The unusual thing is that you look an awful lot like Jane, Zakharov's partner."
"Sheng-ji, please make them go."
Yang stared at the girl for what seemed like hours. Finally, he turned to the group and nodded towards the door. They obediently exited in an orderly fashion. As soon as the last one had exited, Yang stood up and walked to the window, obviously angry.
"There are few things I like less then liars, Shila. I understand you and Zakharov's need to keep you secret, but why did you hide it from me? The one who kept Zakharov secret for three years? The one who risked his neck to save the two of you from that base? The one that's always stood side by side next to the University of Planet?"
Shila learned to look at him, attempting to stay covered. "Sheng-ji, don't blame Prokhor. It was my idea. I wanted to stay hidden from everyone. Do you know what I am?"
Yang nodded, not looking at her. "Sentient life. I knew if anyone could do it, Zakharov would be the one to do it." He stretched his arms and turned to her. "Jane…Shila…whoever you are; I'm not a bad person. Against my enemies, I am ruthless and cruel, but not towards my friends. And I believe you're very aware that I, Zakharov…and you…are friends."
Shila smiled.
Yang noticed that and turned back towards the window. "That doesn't mean I'm not very angry with you both. You could've told me at any time, yet you didn't. If you'd had told me that before the mission this morning, I never would've allowed it."
It was then that Shila remembered. "Prokhor!! Sheng-ji, we have to find Prokhor! He was in the tunnels, and-"
Yang scoffed both bitterly and sadly. "And what? Shila, I will miss him…and I want to save him. But there are two scenarios that took place after you were transferred to me. One, Meskha and her troops found him and locked him into the Mandelev College punishment sphere. The second is that she's turned him over to Deirdre, and as long as that tree-hugger is still under Meskha's mind control, Miriam's lord only knows what's going to happen to Zakharov then."
Shila processed the information sadly. She began to breathe heavily. "Sheng-ji…no. Please no…"
Yang sat down in the chair next to her table. "Look, Shila, I want to help you. I want to help Zakharov, too. But we're talking about Meskha, here. Meskha has Deirdre as her own personal bulldog, and with that protection, there's nothing I can do."
Shila didn't bother to wipe away the tears that streamed down her face. "Sheng-ji…there's something else. Meskha accessed my personal memory chip. She's discovered the existence of Ground Level Sea Base."
Yang stood up, alert. "She's knows exactly where it is??"
Shila nodded sadly.
Yang sat back down, leaning over slightly, pondering. "…I know what she's going to do."
Shila cocked her head sideways. "Who? What?"
Yang shook his head. "Can't let it happen." He walked to the side wall and picked up the monitor that rested there. After tapping in a few numbers, the face of a young man appeared on the screen. Shila stretched to see the screen.
"Patch me through to Chiza, cadet." Yang turned to Shila. "If you're curious, my dear, just ask. And you might want to cover up."
Shila blinked, and then looked down her body to realize the blanket had fallen to the floor in her stretching. She blushed and scooped it up. Yang chuckled. "Dear girl, if I wanted my jollies looking at you naked, I would've gotten it while you were-" He looked back at his monitor. "…Oh, Chiza. Tell me, captain, what is the status of the Bine?"
The man on the screen looked calm. "She's ready to leave as soon as you give the command, Chairman. Is there a situation?"
Yang nodded. "I want you to gather the fleet together and meet at the site of the late Deep Sea Lab."
Chiza looked confused. "I don't understand…"
"Just do it, Captain." He turned off the monitor, frustrated. He reactivated it and punched in the comm. number for Ground Level Sea Base. A very groggy Samuel Edin appeared on the screen.
"Governor Samuel, I apologize for waking you, but this is urgent. The location of Ground Level Sea Base has been discovered."
The man in the screen became alert immediately. "How long?"
Yang shook his head. "I don't know. An hour…maybe never. Keep your base at yellow alert and prepare to evacuate as soon as you can."
Samuel nodded. "Understood, Chairman. Thank you for the warning." Yang clicked the monitor off, pacing. Shila's confusion was very apparent.
"Sheng-ji, please tell me what's going on!"
Yang looked at her, impatient. "Don't you get it? Now that Meskha knows that there's a University base left, she'll destroy it. We can't let that happen. Zakharov or not, we made a vow that the University would one day be free. No more time to talk. Grab some clothes and meet me at dock two. We'll be joining the Bine."
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The pain in Zakharov's head surged to him the second he awoke, but he somehow found a way to push it to the side. When he'd been captured, he'd been a large tunnel, damp and dark. Now, however, he was in a small, brightly lit room, with several windows around him. The vibration below him told him that he was moving, probably on a ship, for as far as he knew.
Oh, and he was upright, and attached to a device that Zakharov was fairly sure wasn't a pleasant one.
The most frightening thing, however, was the voice that came from behind him.
"So, the sleeping dead awaken."
Zakharov shut his eyes and breathed in heavily. "It's been a long time, Deirdre."
The unmistakable sight of the Gaian leader appeared to his right. She was dressed in a long green gown, with ceremonial jewelry and a small pendant around her neck. She looked content.
"Actually, it's been too short of a time, Zakharov. I'd figured I'd see you again in the afterlife…but never in this world."
Zakharov winced. He didn't have any ideas or plans. "Deirdre, listen to me, please. Meskha-"
She let out a joyous laugh and walked in front of him, with her back to him. "Meskha! Meskha! What a wonderful girl! I never, ever would've made it this far without that angel!"
Zakharov shook his head. "She's using you! You're under her control!!"
Deirdre spun around and brandished a knife to Zakharov's chest. "You go too far. I could destroy her if I wanted to. However, she is a great friend and a great ally. I wouldn't dream of harming her."
Deirdre looked out the window, smiling. "Soon, we'll be at the final stronghold of the University of Planet. I think the fact that you still have thousands of people remaining in your faction is fantastic! Many more useless University lives to destroy!"
She walked to Zakharov and leaned close towards his face. "And then, my wonderful little Provost, there will be no need for you to be alive anymore. But, that's still many hours away." She walked past him and pushed a button on the device he was connected to. "Enjoy your cruise, Zakharov." She walked out of sight, and Zakharov shed a single tear as the first jolt of the punishment sphere entered his body.
Shila…
~
