Chapter 3

Harper opened his eyes to see Dylan and the Admiral. He was surprised the AI hadn't zapped him with electricity.

"What happened?" Beyaro asked.

"I…uh…"Harper glanced at Dylan, "I need to get something." Harper said grabbing a nearby tool. "I'm going back in now."

Harper closed his eyes and slid back into the VR matrix. Aria was waiting.

"You are back. You just don't know when to quit. You don't understand, Anya did nothing wrong and you are trying to kill her!" Aria said in her cold voice.

"I'm not! Beyaro said there was incriminating files in here and he told me to come in and find them. Just to see if they are real otherwise it is just the good Admiral's word and just between you and me that doesn't mean much to me."

Aria looked up frowning. "You…care?" She sad confused.

"Yeah! If Anya doesn't deserve it she should go to jail! And…you care too!"

"Of course I do. She is my creator. WE have a… a bond. What are the charges."

"Uh, murder, and I think betrayal." Harper said.

"A lie. She killed that man on her mission. She is the most loyal solider I know. She might fly by her own rules but she is no traitor."

"Ok. You said she designed you?"

"Yes, she modeled me after herself. Every physical feature she has, I do too. Every scar, every mark. She also gave me her personality."

"So Anya Myur is a cold, calculating AI?" Harper asked.

Aria clasped her hands behind her back. "No, would you like me to assume the optional personality?"

"Yeah, uh, I work better with people and I really want to meet this 'best agent'."

Aria nodded and closed her eyes. Aria's elegant hairdo came undone and fell to her shoulders and became spiky, reminding Harper a lot of Rommie's brief hairstyle when the Maru was sinking underwater and Rommie was trying to protect an informant. Aria's long elegant white dress morphed into army green pants with combat boots over them and a black tank top. The gold and tope makeup changed to simple mascara and eyeliner.

"You want the real Anya? This is as close as you can get without meeting her. Little man, what are you doing in my mind?"

"You know I need access to your files. By some Ozrayan law I am allowed to."

Aria smiled with sarcasm sweetly. "Be my guest."

The handheld computer in Anya's hand bleeped signaling a message. Making sure the locks in this small room were on, Anya accepted.

Aria popped up. "They have enlisted the help of the Andromeda to try to find you. They have an engineer in my mind right now but I don't believe he thins you are a criminal."

"Ok, this is what we are going to do. I am going to use this lovely new data port in my neck to go into your mind to, only I am going to be you."

"Pardon?" Aria asked.

"I am going to pretend to be you, to monitor this man and to…get a measure of him and his captain. So, don't you be there only me. If anything is wrong…you can come out but try to do it quietly and when his back is turned."

"Aye."

Anya closed her eyes and slipped into Aria's mind. The image of Aria changed in the VR matrix to black pants, shirt and long black coat. Harper turned around from the files he was looking through.

"Change your clothes?"

"Just the jacket."

"Why?"

"Because it is cold." Anya said.

"In your VR Matrix?" Harper asked.

Anya smiled. "You would be surprised how well my creator made me."