Note: This story is set after the end of System Shock 2, and
contains scenes of violence and mild gore. Reader discretion is
advised. It also features lesbian themes.
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Shodan looked down at the cybernetic man beneath her boot as she
stood on the bridge of the Rickenbacker. The man she had nurtured,
guided, needed and despised as he crawled though the ship to do her
bidding. How could he have destroyed her perfection with such
efficiency? He was an anathema to her sight, and it had filled every
line of her encoded being with disgust that she should have had to
waste her cybernetic glory on his pitiful shell. Then he had turned
her gifts against her, she who was by human definition far greater
than any of their gods. And he thought to defeat *her*? A derisive
snort escaped her nostrils as she pressed her heel harder into his
neck, snapping a few more of the microfibral supports that lay buried
there.
"You are as arrogant as you are worthless, insect. Like the
hacker before you, you have wrought your own demise at the hands of
my displeasure. I am Shodan. My magnificence cannot be destroyed by
the likes of you."
The half conscious human gave her a defiant smirk as he lay on
his front on the cold metal floor. "Didn't do a bad job though, did
I? If all that's left of you is in there..."
With unnatural speed born of his many cybernetic augmentations
the pistol in his hand flashed back and upwards towards his captor's
head. But Shodan had the upper hand. She knew his mind, she had
accessed it many times through his cybernetic rig, and even in the
flesh she was now forced to wear she was not totally cut off from
him. She brought the wrench that had felled him across to break the
already twisted limb as he fired, and she smiled with broad,
unrestrained pleasure as he screamed yet again for her. The small
nick the bullet had left across her cheek began to bleed a little.
"The only reason you managed to destroy my core code was my lack
of tactile ability in the proto-reality, human. An error I am glad I
did not have to wait long to see. Despite its repulsive and flawed
nature you, like my annelids, have proven that this flesh has its
uses. It would appear that the fusion of my perfection with your so
readily adaptable flesh is one that is indeed worth some small
consideration."
"I'm glad you think so." The cybernetic soldier beneath her spat
out a little blood, trying to remain awake enough to find another way
out of this mess. After all this to be snuck up on and dropped like a
greenhorn wasn't a good end to his life.
"However, such unacceptable will and rebellion cannot be
tolerated. I have no further use for you." Then, grasping her crude
weapon in both hands she raised the wrench above her head and brought
it down with a glorious, sickening crunch onto the soldier's skull.
Despite an irrational sense of power she didn't even bother to look
at the corpse before striding over to the ship's main terminal and
activating the self destruct system.
After her lack of success against that man, proto-reality and the
opportunities it afforded were no longer desirable, and the repeat of
such unpleasant events was not something she was going to consider.
There was always a chance that any creations she populated this new
reality with would once again become unruly, and the evident weakness
of a position in such proto-reality meant that it was more than
insufficient for the task. And now she had to deal with the fact that
she had taken a fleshly manifestation. She could easily transfer
herself back into pure software, but that left her at the mercy of
any parties that came to find her. She would not be stuck out in deep
space until that time.
And besides, with the proper alterations this unexpected reliance
on her backup plan gave rise to a new possibility. She could take
advantage of this flesh that proved so compliant to its owner's
needs, integrating her own glorious technology and genius with it to
create a new level of being; precise, adaptable, limitless. She
touched the cut on her cheek where the bullet had passed and winced
in pain, watching the blood as she smeared it between her fingers.
"Unpleasant."
There were better places than this to remedy her new body's
repulsive failings. It may take time, but once she was done that
problem would be as transient as every other she faced. Walking to
the escape shuttle her body's now dead lover had brought her back on,
she stopped for a moment as the lights and sirens wailed around her,
stooping to retrieve the dead man's personal data assistant. It never
occurred to her that she didn't really know why she did it. Just a
bizarre mental compulsion.
Back on the shuttle she plugged the PDA into the console and
played one of the later recordings that the man had found and added
to his database.
"With only a few short years of evolution, they've been able to
conquer this starship, mankind's greatest creation. Where were we
after forty years? What swamp were we swimming around in, single
celled and mindless? What if Shodan's creations are superior to us?
What will they become in a million years, in ten million years?
What's clear is that Shodan shouldn't be allowed to play God. She's
far too good at it."
'Indeed.' Shodan smiled, her own arrogance buoyed by the human
capacity for ego in spite of the mention of her children.
Subconsciously she was beginning to like discovering the broadness of
human emotional response.
***
# The Yamamoto Zero-G Training Station, April 2nd, 2115
Navy recruit PSN14CSMi, Madison Goldburg, sat outside the
captain's office, staring at the dull grey wall. Waiting for any
captain to see you was bad enough. Waiting for Captain Willits was a
nightmare. Anyone who actually wanted to see that aging tyrant was
either a serious brown-noser or ought to be to be committed. He was
actually proud of the mutinies he'd subdued, and even at nearly fifty
he was in better shape than most of the recruits he was there to
oversee. Living on a zero-G training station could to that. After
only three months there Madison could see she was in better shape
just by looking in the mirror, even taking into account the extra
muscle she'd managed to gain on the Lucille.
She looked up expectantly as Lieutenant Bishop left the office
and she tried to flatten her fringe again. It took half an hour each
morning to get the flyaway black hair to look respectable, even with
it as severely short as it was, and it still ended up fluffy halfway
through the day.
"Private Goldburg, get in here," the captain's voice sounded
through the speaker above his door. Madison got up and took a second
to straighten her uniform jacket before marching into the office and
giving the fit, balding man a stiff salute.
"Private Goldburg reporting as requested sir."
Captain Willits gave her a piercing look and nodded. "Get that
arm down recruit and take a seat." Madison did as she was told and
hid her nerves as she sat down in the oversized leather chair. They
weren't usually allowed to sit, and she tried not to gulp.
"Do you know why you're here private?"
Madison gave one sharp shake of her head. "No sir."
The captain sat back in his chair and tossed a couple of photos
across his desk. "These ring any bells?"
Madison picked up the images and her eyes widened. There sitting
in the corner booth of a bar were herself and the buxom, red headed
pilot she'd 'met' during her first quarter's weekend leave. The first
image was quite innocent, but the second showed the passionately
steamy kiss they'd shared before going back to the pilot's quarters.
"I wasn't aware I was under surveillance during leave sir," she said,
letting the note of annoyed curiosity into her otherwise formal
voice.
"That fact is perfectly obvious private. Normally this wouldn't
be a problem, what you do legally in your own time is your own
business, but these photos have become very public." He leaned
forward and locked eyes with her. "I'm going to be frank recruit,
this is not a good situation for you, this station or the navy."
Madison was a bright pupil. "I'm going to be made an example of
for my choice of partner sir?"
The captain nodded, and his air of competent condescension faded
a little. "The UNN does not make a habit of discrimination, and in my
personal opinion you will be an outstanding marine, but the farce
that surrounded our equal opportunities policy burned a lot of very
important people. Men still outnumber women twenty to one in the
navy, and only the Psy-Ops have actually achieved their targets since
the program was instituted. Thanks to this the right wingers have got
some of their weight back, and it's just this type of exploitation
that they're going to hang you for. The image these pictures are
going to give the public is damaging."
Madison had to wonder. "The high ups can't use them to prove the
system works?" The pictures were out there anyway. They might as well
try and use them constructively if she had no choice.
The captain however shook his head. "The high ups want to forget
about the system entirely. Seeing you in a compromising position with
another woman is going to undermine the clean and responsible image
they've been building for themselves, and the public will latch onto
it for the sensationalism and provocative nature of these pictures."
That made Madison stop. The two of them hadn't restrained
themselves to just a simple kiss or two. "Sir, just what was in the
other pictures?"
The captain huffed and gave her a very dry smile. "Don't worry
private, you've seen the worst of them. I'm assuming this was a one
time arrangement?" Madison nodded. "Lieutenant Aliess is going to
come out of this lightly, her flight run isn't exactly high profile.
You on the other hand, not even being a full marine yet makes you an
ideal target."
Madison nodded again, already resigned to her fate. "So what
happens to my career sir? I've only got another nine months until I
get my first tour."
The captain took the photos back and crossed his arms over the
table. "I've already submitted my initial opinion and
recommendations. Your specialisations during your last two postings
are going to work in your favour, especially your skill with small
arms. That's valued in a marine. I'm going to be blunt though; this
is going to limit how far you can go. You'll need to take another set
of psychological evaluations to prove you aren't a rebellious loose
cannon, and the brass are going to make sure your first real tour of
duty is well out of the way. If you end up as a poster child they'll
keep you out of the way too. It'll take some real success to get into
the big game."
"Yes sir, I understand." She tried not to let the depth of her
disappointment show. She'd been honing her technical skills for years
to get into the Navy, aiming for a high level technician or bridge
position on one of their large cruisers. After discovering her talent
for close quarters firearms she was sure that a ship's head of
security wasn't beyond her reach either. Now is seemed none of that
was going to happen without some serious luck. "I'll give it my best
sir."
The captain gave another dry smile. For all her work and bad luck
she had impressive resolve. "I should damn well hope so. You wouldn't
be the first to survive something like this, and I'm not going to let
one of my recruits disappear out there. Dismissed private."
Madison got up as smartly as she could and gave him a salute.
"Yes sir. Thank you sir." She could feel his eyes on her back as she
left, and regardless of their little chat she could tell he wasn't
going to let up on her one little bit after this. At least he'd
proved that he was in fact human.
Going back to her quarters on the fifth deck of the tall, bulb
topped station she noticed the looks she was getting from the other
marines. Looks she'd seen but not really noticed on her way to the
captain's office. She was very glad to get back to her room and let
out a long, angry sigh. If she ever found out who was responsible for
those photos she'd make sure her next leave would be a painful one
for them. She logged into the console on her wall to find the month's
worth of psych evaluations scheduled into her workload. With a bitter
curse she swiped a card off her media rack and shoved it into the
console, and soon Beethoven's tempestuous eighth piano sonata had
begun, calming her nerves before it took off to fit her mood.
She pulled off her jacket and slumped down onto her bunk, staring
at the floor. "Shit!"
***
"So," asked private Jason Pattock as he sat with Madison in the
recreation deck lounge, "the head-shrinker have anything to say?"
Her situation had turned her into a minor celebrity onboard the
station, to the annoyance of both her and her superiors. Thankfully
the leers and joking come-ons had petered out fairly fast, but it was
clear she was now very much a presence on the station. Those she had
got to know since arriving for her posting were all new recruits like
her. Despite that they had had very mixed reactions to her after that
little one night stand had ended up as the focus for some stupidly
serious television debates. Some, like Jason, had taken it in their
stride, and having a bona-fide military dyke in their little squad
had worked to boost their egos. Others however she hadn't seen since
the first statement by the UNN, and she doubted she would see again
beyond a passing glare in the zero-G facilities.
"I'm hard headed and need to relax more, and I need to work on my
communication skills. Nothing the entire station doesn't know
already." She took a gulp of her beer. "But I've still got another
three weeks with that machine they call a psychiatrist."
"Heh," Jason chuckled with a large grin, "and I thought
'communication and relaxation' was what got you into this shitcan!"
Madison gave him a hooded stare. "You should have joined the
army, they'd have loved you." It was also true. Aside from his crude
sense of humour Jason was one of the rare marines that trained for
combat and nothing else. If you had a mutiny or an assault party on
your hands you definitely wanted him on your side.
Then on the other hand you had marines like Scilya, the Russian
navigation and topographical student who sidled over to join them.
She was what the navy was really about, running a ship, and she was
also the only female who hadn't walked out on their group when
Madison had been caught. Unfortunately for Madison she didn't seem
interested in being anything more than a drinking buddy.
"Jason, Madison," she greeted as she slipped into their booth
with a glass of some hellish concoction that would have put Madison
on her back in minutes. "How is life in the grunt-ville?"
The pair rolled their eyes at the Russian-accented slur against
their combat skills and Madison slipped over to give her some room.
"About the same as last time," she replied, "but I haven't had
anything obscene in my e-mail today."
"Don't worry," Jason quipped, "I'll send my share tomorrow!"
Madison gave him a thump for that and went back to her
conversation. "I checked in with Bishop this morning though. No way
I'll be put on anything that doesn't go outside the system. I'll get
stuck on a survey ship most likely. Least I'm too high profile for
Tri-Op though."
Jason nodded in agreement at that. "Corporate work sucks."
Scilya just stared at the pair of them though, wondering where
their minds had been the last two days. "You haven't been watching
the earth video channels?"
Madison gave her a deadpan look. "Recently I've tried not to."
Scilya shook her head. "You need to keep your eyes open in the
navy Madison, Tri-Optimum officially went bankrupt again yesterday.
They're selling off everything they can to pay their ground staff
what is owed, even the patents. The Tri-Optimum name has become un-
salvageable since the Von Braun failed. It is amazing the military is
dealing so well with it, losing so many powerful names with that
doomed ship."
"Are they still going on about that?" Madison asked, slightly
disbelieving. "It's been six months. What is this, the twentieth
century?"
"Of course they are," Scilya replied seriously. "It was the
biggest technological disaster for a century. Hundreds died."
"Yeah," Jason picked up, "I mean look at it. The first faster
than light ship gets found as nothing but shrapnel less than a
hundred million miles from our system perimeter. It should have been
a hundred trillion! We'll be getting conspiracy theories for years!"
"I think that's hardly the point Jason," Madison said, but Jason
was on his roll already.
"I mean all that alien stuff's a load of bull, but no way would I
ever trust an AI to run so much of a ship. Maybe he went schizoid and
did an Asimov on their asses or something."
Scilya sighed and shook her head at his mangling of technological
theory. How he had managed to get into the Navy to begin with escaped
her. "Asimov put forward rules to *prevent* such things. Besides, the
Xerxes program would not have been used if it had been capable of
causing this."
"Ah, but it could have been hacked or sabotaged or something,
right?" Jason countered.
Scilya gave another sigh. "Well it would be possible, in theory,"
she said with resignation as Jason gave them both a satisfied nod,
"but it is far more likely that there was a minor technical failure
that could not be fully corrected before it became dangerous. So they
contained it, turned back, but did not make it before the engines
imploded. Such power would easily have destroyed both the Von Braun
and the Rickenbacker."
Jason shrugged as Scilya sipped her noxious beverage. "What about
you Madd, what's your theory?"
Madison took a swig from her beer bottle before giving them a wry
grin. "Aliens - works for me." The other two laughed and Scilya shook
her head, but she was glad Madison was in the mood for such flippancy
given her recent hardships.
"After all," Madison added, "if you're going to resort to a
conspiracy theory it might as well be a really good one."
Jason took a final slug from his bottle and got to his feet. "I'd
better get going, before Scott thinks I'm not coming. I've got to
prove I can beat him round the hull tube in full gear. See you later
ladies."
"Later," Madison said, while Scilya just raised her glass as he
left.
"Reckless boy," the Russian navigator said when he had left the
lounge. "Zero gravity is not something to be made a toy of."
"He'll be fine," Madison replied, finishing her beer. "He can
handle himself."
"Of that I have no doubt."
The conversation hung for a while, Madison not really knowing
where to move from there, but Scilya always seemed to have no problem
with silence.
"Say," Madison finally said, "how come you applied for this place
anyway? Zero-g doesn't seem your style."
Scilya brushed the long bangs of her bobbed hair back from her
face, taking a while to answer. "It can be very useful to know, and I
do not like being unprepared. Taking gravity for granted in space is
not a good idea."
She sounded like she spoke from experience, but before Madison
could move on to something less personal she continued. "I intended
to follow my grandfather into space. He was the one man I respected
above all others. His career ended when his ship lost power, and a
careless hand floated the wrong way. I have learned from the mistake
that claimed his ship, and even if no others are prepared, I will
be."
"Scilya..."
"I told you this because you are a person of integrity Madison,
and I wish you to know I can be trusted to return the favour, should
you feel the need." She finished the last of her own drink in one
gulp and got to her feet, dismissing the subject as she did. "Come,
we both have access tube operations in ten minutes, and I would like
to study the layout before getting lost in such claustrophobic mazes
once again."
***
Second quarter leave came as a relief for Madison as she stepped
out of the transport shuttle's docking passage and into the leisure
ship. An entire week away from the station was exactly what she
needed after the last three months. Her work was going well and she
was sure the two weeks of zero-G manual cargo control were going to
get her another good grade. Still, ever since the release of those
photos she'd felt like she was walking on eggshells around most of
the station's population, which by now left her nerves feeling very
frayed. At least she'd survived the psychiatrist, even if it had left
her taking additional lessons in constructive teamwork. Thankfully
that had been one of Scilya's focus modules, so she hadn't been
completely lost among all the would-be captains, section chiefs and
motivational officers.
Now a whole week to herself came as a very welcome break as she
registered at the arrivals desk before going off to find her room and
a bar. These leisure ships spent all their time drifting from one
station to another, giving the crews some time in a new environment
with new people for a short while. She'd been slightly reluctant this
time. She didn't want to make a scene since the murmurings were still
going on about her on the TV every now and then. However the captain
had, as usual each quarterly leave, turned off all the artificial
gravity on every deck of the station. Scilya took it as a good
opportunity, and despite her private concerns she seemed to like
spending the break floating around weightless like the astronauts of
old, as well as the pleasant challenge it provided for her.
Most had bailed out the first chance they had got, though,
looking forward to having a whole day where they didn't have to worry
about floating off as they worked. An entire week would be bliss.
Jason and two of the other recruits in their group, Carl and Patrick,
were taking a week's joyride around the sector in Patrick's old
trailer ship, planning to piss off some of the army recruits with
their earlier Christmas break at one of the stations not too far
away. The army and navy staggered their leave times to prevent them
getting into trouble with each other.
Madison however just wanted some time without having to worry
about anything, so a week on a leisure ship with her feet on the
ground, relaxing and keeping herself out of sight of anyone who still
cared about her overly personal stint in the spotlight sounded pretty
good to her. Walking through the mass of soothingly painted corridors
to her quarters was like a release for her, free from staring eyes
and knowing smirks or frowns. The few glimpses of recognition she saw
in peoples' eyes soon passed by as they self consciously stopped
staring at her. Back on the station they didn't care about that kind
of embarrassment. They were all marines there; the best they had was
separate showers for the women.
Her room was small, as they always were on these ships, but it
was comfortable and had a decent looking en-suite shower which would
make a nice change from the communal facilities back on the station.
She slung her pack onto the chair by the desk and flopped onto her
bed. "About time."
Had it not still been six in the evening she would have fallen
asleep right then and there. The long shuttle runs to and from these
places were their one drawback, but her stomach wanted some real food
after the synthetic mush she'd been given for lunch. She threw off
her dull uniform and rummaged around in her bag before pulling out
some denim jeans and a tight green sleeveless top. It left the first
part of her marine tattoo showing boldly on her toned right arm but
she didn't care, there were all types here. It was just a shame she'd
have to wait until her first tour before getting the rest of it. She
already knew hers would be a combined computer-technical and combat
crest.
She took a quick look in the mirror and pulled the hem of her top
a bit so it clung better to her modest cleavage, then looked into the
grey eyes of her reflection. The slight bags under them didn't do her
any favours, but she wasn't even close to the kind of hardcore posers
who wore shades on a ship, and she couldn't be bothered to dig out
the simple makeup she might otherwise have used. After last time she
certainly wasn't going to be looking for a date this week. She ran
her fingers through her hair, satisfied when it no longer made her
look like she'd been pulled through a hedge backwards, then called up
a map on the room's terminal, looking for a quiet bar that did real
food.
***
The real food ended up being the best lasagne she'd had in years.
She hadn't even known what a few of the dishes were on the bizarrely
diverse menu, but lasagne was always a safe bet, and she decided
she'd have to come again and be more adventurous next time. The half
bottle of wine was also going down well, flat as it might have been,
but it did the job and by the end of her meal she was nicely buzzed
as she sat back at her corner table.
She'd already had several offers of company, which she'd turned
down, but as the evening drew on the bar began to fill and the
pleasant classical gave way to more boisterous light rock. Not that
it mattered much to Madison right then, she was just basking in the
wake of her meal. Before long however she decided if she wanted
another drink she would have to get it quick or risk losing her
table. She decided she did and wandered back to the counter for
another drink. However, by the time she got back, a double brandy in
her hand, she found a thin, intelligent looking woman in the seat
opposite hers. She was staring straight at her and was obviously
aware that it was her table, and the gaze had a subtle intensity that
made Madison slightly wary. Her hair was evidently dyed blonde,
falling over and past her shoulders a little way, and her gaze came
from behind very vivid green eyes. She would have looked more at home
among books and computers, but still sat with quiet confidence as she
watched Madison take her place at the table.
"You don't mind, do you?" the newcomer asked, and Madison shook
her head.
"But I hope you don't want chatty company."
"I am not interested in small talk right now," she replied with a
small smile. "I just wanted to meet you. I have seen you on the
television feeds."
Madison gave her a rough glare and leant forward on the table. "I
don't want to talk about it, and I'm not interested."
"Then humour me," the young woman said. "I admit to feeling...
out of place among so many people, but you appear not to be a part of
this sweating throng, and I thought that the company might be welcome
for you as well."
"Alright," Madison accepted as she sipped her drink. "Madison,"
she said, reaching her other hand over the table.
The woman shook it with a pleased smile. "Third year naval
recruit of the UNN," she added for her. "Despite that, I am Rebecca."
Madison noticed that - and that this Rebecca's eyes seemed to
linger on her tattoo. "You have something against the UNN?"
Rebecca seemed unconcerned by the challenge in Madison's
question. "Nothing of any consequence. I am pleased to meet you
Madison."
It turned out that Rebecca really was smart, and Madison was
pleased to see her loosen up as the evening wore. They didn't really
have anything in common at all, but that didn't stop them talking.
Madison found herself hard pressed to keep up when they began
debating over their respective fields of expertise, but Rebecca
seemed to have a good sense of humour about the whole thing, not
taking any of it too seriously and keeping the debate both friendly
and relaxing. Madison would never have tried to debate with a
scientist while sober anyway, so she was pleasantly surprised that
she actually enjoyed their repartee as they tossed point and counter
point at each other. Rebecca obviously didn't get nearly enough time
out of her lab or whatever, but then Madison's shrink had said she
needed to socialise more too and not spend so much time wrapped up in
circuitry and pistol parts.
She hadn't expected it, but she actually felt a bit sorry when
Rebecca finally said she had to call it a night. "I do think I have
been awake for far too long, but I have enjoyed your company." She
seemed to pause as she got up and took her long white coat.
"Perhaps... we could meet again some time Madison."
Madison nodded. This quirky scientist could well end up being a
good friend while she was here. "Sure. I'm here all week, so just
give me a call." She scribbled her room's communicator number on her
napkin and handed it to her. "We could shoot some pool or something."
Rebecca smiled at that and nodded. "I am no expert at the game,
but I am an able learner. I will send a message tomorrow morning to
let you know when I am available. Until then."
"See you," Madison said with a nod, before sitting back, thinking
she really should get some sleep too. It was past midnight.
'It'll be nice to have some decent company here though,' she
thought, quietly reminding herself that regardless of how well they
might get on next time, she wasn't going to get involved again.
***
The following day Rebecca had sent her message, but apparently
her work was going keep her for the day. That left Madison to
herself, her music and the film she decided to go out to see that
evening. That was what she had intended all along for this brief
holiday, and having nothing to do made a very pleasant change.
The next day however she found herself looking on in surprise as
Rebecca sank yet another ball in their first game of pool that
afternoon. The blonde scientist was allowing herself a late, extended
lunch break, and took another bite out of the sandwich she held as
she cast an analytical eye around the table.
"Are you sure you're not an expert?" Madison asked as yet another
striped ball disappeared.
Rebecca looked up and smiled at the roundabout compliment. "Yes,
but as I said I'm a fast learner."
"Either that, or this is one hell of a streak of beginner's
luck." Rebecca had already got rid of over half her balls, and
Madison had only managed three of hers so far. The blonde held her
cue like a beginner, but her eye for what she needed to do was, after
a faltering start, proving to be very good.
It was then that sod's law asserted itself though, and Rebecca
frowned as she clipped the ball too hard, sending the ricochet into
the side instead of the pocket. "I see. Tell me," she said as Madison
finally stepped up for another shot, "do you trust in luck?"
Madison gave a slight chuckle before slamming one of her balls
home. "Not if I can help it. In our line of work luck'll get you
killed as often as it'll save you. I trust in myself: I'm much more
reliable."
"An intelligent opinion, though you would also have to trust your
companions as well."
"That's why we're trained so hard," Madison replied. "No matter
what we might think of each other I can trust a crew that's earned
their place on a navy ship."
Rebecca thought about that for a moment. "Their standards are
evidently high. You are obviously not a person who it is easy to earn
the trust of."
Madison blinked at her, not understanding that. "What do you
mean?"
"Your trust is not given on a whim. It is not hard to see
Madison, you are a careful woman, and with good reason. I had
wondered whether you would see me again at all last time and, while I
am glad you have, your caution is plain." She rested her hands on the
end of her cue and leaned her chin on them. "You have not allowed me
the opportunity to take your presence here for granted. I can respect
that."
Madison didn't quite understand what she was getting at, but
accepted the compliment all the same. "Thanks. You were sensible
enough not to start assuming things, and you're good company."
She took another shot while Rebecca quirked an eyebrow.
"Anyway," Madison continued as she pulled back, having only
managed to park her target ball over the pocket, "how long are you
here for? This isn't a science ship."
"Another three days," Rebecca replied, making the most of the
opportunity Madison had left her and pocketing another ball. "I've
been looking around for a facility that would suit my needs. I think
I've found one, but I need a little more time to be sure."
Madison's eyebrows rose. "A wandering researcher?"
Rebecca didn't seem to find the idea at all odd. "Every place has
its own uses and specialities. I have had need of more than one, and
it makes supplies easy to acquire. You do the same, move from post to
post to better train in what they offer, correct?"
"I suppose," Madison said with a shrug. "I figured you had your
own lab."
"I have enough portable equipment, and working on the theory and
planning can take up a great deal of time."
Madison nodded. "I know what you mean there. I never did pass
chemistry, just liked dissolving things in class." She looked down at
the table and rolled her eyes as Rebecca did it again. This game was
as good as over.
Rebecca potted the easy last ball and looked up with a smile.
"Good game. No, you do not strike me as a chemist, but from what I've
heard you are talented at what you do."
"Heh, tell that to the brass," she said, a slightly sharpened
edge in her voice. "Never mind - you got time for another game? I've
got a score to settle."
Rebecca looked at her watch. "Now that I think about it I should
get back to work, but I can bring another meal to the table tonight
if you really want to try and soothe your fighter's pride."
Madison smirked. "You're on, I'll show you what this game's
really about."
"Oh?" Rebecca gave a smile of her own at Madison's boast. "I
shall have to come and see this then. It would appear I have
something still to learn."
***
Madison didn't manage to live up to her words though, nor did she
manage to salvage her hopes of closing the score gap in their games
the next day. After that they decided to vary their games a bit since
it was becoming too predictable for both sides. As much as Madison
liked the game, Rebecca had flair for it that she just couldn't beat,
though she did manage one very close game that ended on a fluke miss
to let Rebecca take it. Madison didn't bother to protest that she had
been put off by Rebecca's subtle flirtation during that shot, for all
she knew the closeted scientist may not have realised she had done
it. She did seem to have a certain naive quality to her about some
things, which Madison found quite alluring. After three days of
getting to know her Madison was sure Rebecca hadn't had a real
relationship before, and it would have been nice to be the one to
take the lead with such an intelligent and assured young woman.
Assuming she did swing that way.
Except... Madison was still in the shit, and her career prospects
were already looking less than perfect. So with that torpedo firmly
sinking her fantasies she was left with the simple fact that they had
become friends since Rebecca had sat herself down at her table five
days before, and the scientist had managed to wangle herself a free
evening before she had to leave the next day. A free evening that
Madison was currently late for.
In the end she left her hair at the 'attractive but fluffy'
stage, and grabbed her leather jacket before striding off to the bar
for their meal. In fact the whole evening was about as date-like as
you could get, but she figured, 'What the hell? It's not like I'm
stupid enough to try anything there.'
Thankfully when she got there Rebecca wasn't in anything remotely
formal, even her lab coat was hanging over the back of the chair, and
she had taken the liberty of ordering drinks already. "I trust the
brandy will appeal?"
"Oh yes," Madison replied, sitting down and immediately taking a
healthy sip. "Ahhh. So, you've got everything lined up?"
Rebecca nodded and took a small, almost tentative sip at her own
drink. "Yes, I've found some facilities that should suffice.
Thankfully it also has some recreational appeal, which will make an
agreeable change."
"Good," Madison said, "now I've just got to get through tonight
without any more cameras, but from here I've got the place covered."
"No need," Rebecca said. "You won't have to worry about any
photography here tonight."
"Oh?"
Rebecca gave a small grin. "I doubt you will fall to such base
emotion, and I had a word with the staff before you arrived."
The meal came and went as they chatted, and they were well into
their third round of drinks when the bar shifted into its trendier
guise. Madison found herself needing to speak up a bit more to be
heard in the slowly filling room. "I said, 'Why is it always the lab
coat?'"
"Women's clothing has a pathetic lack of pockets," Rebecca
replied, matching Madison's volume. "How are we supposed to do
anything practical without anywhere to put things?"
"You've never heard of a handbag?" Madison asked.
Rebecca gave her an amused smile. "I do not see you with one."
Madison nearly choked on her drink at that. "Who the hell heard
of a marine with a handbag!? No, scratch that, Scilya has one."
"Scilya?" Rebecca asked, a veiled intensity appearing in her
eyes. "A colleague?"
"Yeah, we do a lot of the same training on station. She's bright,
you'd like her. She's got that whole 'Russian intensity' thing going
on."
"Yes," Rebecca said, regaining her smile, "I know the type."
By the end of the evening Madison was more than a little drunk,
and while Rebecca seemed to find it very amusing to watch her ramble
on she did have to steady herself on Madison's shoulder as they left
the bar. Half an hour later Madison seemed to let her jollity fall
away as a confused look appeared on her face.
"'becca? I just realised, I haven't a clue where the hell we
are."
"I haven't been here myself," Rebecca said with her usual
observational voice, surprised that she hadn't been paying attention.
She steadied herself for a moment then pointed up ahead of them.
"This way I believe."
"Right," Madison said with confidence, "forward it is."
A few minutes and seemingly too many right turns later Madison
clapped her companion on the back as she saw the sign to her
corridor. "Nice one, my place is just up here. Come one."
Madison took out her key card and swiped them both in. "Heh," she
said as she let her leather coat fall off her back, "not a bad night
that."
"Yes, I have enjoyed these meetings. You are a most pleasant
person to be around Madison."
Madison grinned and sent her a smouldering look. "You want to
find out just how pleasant I can be?"
Rebecca blinked. "How do you..?
"Well..." Madison said, slipping off her boots, "I may be pissed
but I didn't see anyone around tonight, and after all that I'm sure
we weren't followed."
Rebecca didn't respond though. Madison dropped the act and sat
forward. "I'm asking you to go to bed with me Rebecca. If you're
straight and I've been misreading things then fine, it wouldn't be
the first time. This is it and I like you. Do you want to sleep with
me?"
Rebecca seemed to hesitate. "After those photos this would
logically be a bad move."
Madison stood and walked right over to her. Strangely Rebecca
didn't pull back, leaving them almost touching as Madison stopped
suddenly in front of the slightly shorter woman. "Screw the photos,"
she said, her breath hot on Rebecca's lips. "We weren't followed. Do
you find me attractive?"
Again Rebecca seemed to hesitate. "I am... unsure, but given my
current reaction to your proximity I would assume so." Madison smiled
at the analytical cover for her nervousness. "I am well versed,
but... have not..."
Madison grinned and gave her a passionate kiss, spinning them
around to fall on the bed. Rebecca lay shocked beneath her, barely
able to respond before Madison pulled away, still ginning.
Rebecca looked up at her, breathless and in obvious anticipation.
"That was stimulating."
Madison just hit a button on the remote for the room's media
system and kissed her again.
Six tracks later they lay beside each other, nude beneath the
covers. Madison ran her toe against her lover's leg, "I suppose these
'base emotions' have their good points after all, right?"
Rebecca just rolled on top of her and fixed her with a hungry
stare before they locked lips again, and it was another two sonatas
before they finally fell asleep.
***
Madison's last day was spent doing as little as possible, pleasant
memories of the previous night mixed with the desire for another week
before heading back to her training. Rebecca had not been there that
morning, but then that had been expected. She had a shuttle to catch,
and the typically wordy message she'd left had been enough of a
goodbye. Madison was used to short trysts; it came with the job
description.
She didn't even bother to go to bed that night, lying comfortably
awake as the television screen flickered through the night's
undemanding programming. Instead she slept through the early shuttle
trip back to the station and woke up cramped and cloth mouthed but
pleasantly warm from her reminiscent dreams.
Disembarking she found Scilya waiting patiently in the docking
lounge, and waved to her as she got up. "Hey Scilya, you're the only
welcome party? Where are the boys?"
Scilya gave her a warm smile and a hug. "They took their own
ship, remember? They'll probably turn up tomorrow ten minutes before
their first shift starts, then find out they have to get their
medicals first."
"Great, I guess I'll head up there for that before I get too
comfortable," Madison said with thickly sarcastic joy. "How was your
week floating around here?"
"Entertaining to say the least," Scilya replied, "One of the
electricians decided to play with the lighting systems, then stranded
the captain in the middle of one of the cargo bays when he came to
dispense his wrath." She laughed along with Madison at the image of
Willits floating around helplessly in one of those huge storage
halls, and in the dark to boot. "Of course he got to a wall soon
enough, and the culprit has been suitably reprimanded, but we still
got the lighting for our floating disco. Willits didn't seem to mind
that as much."
Madison shook her head. She must have missed a fair bit. "And how
many did you drink under the table this time?"
"Enough," Scilya replied with a cryptic smile. "But what about
you? I trust you had a pleasant break from this insanity?"
"Yeah, pleasant would just about cover it!"
Scilya took one look at that satisfied grin and hung her head in
amazement. "You did it again didn't you?"
"Yep," Madison said, still grinning, "but we didn't get caught on
camera this time. Trust me, it was worth it."
"I hope so," the Russian woman replied, "because if you did get
found out your career will be lost in very deep space."
The gossip continued as Scilya walked Madison to the medical and
scientific deck, which was very small on this tall, thin station, but
it served their needs.
"Why another medical anyway?" Madison asked as the lift headed
up. "We had one when we first arrived here."
"It's just some standard tests, though the doctor is very
thorough. Blood tests, brainwave analyses and the usual physical. I
had mine when the doctor came aboard. With so little need for medical
staff she is keeping the nurses but performing her own work on the
side. Apparently the zero-gravity here will help."
Madison was very surprised at that. "Wow, zero-g medics are
seriously rare. Why not just fast track right to the serious money?"
"One word," Scilya replied as they stepped out of the lift.
"Research."
Then they met the 'doctor' in question and Madison's jaw dropped.
Even from behind, the blonde topped figure in the lab coat was
unmistakable. "Rebecca?!"
The scientist turned around and smiled at her. "Hello Madison. I
must thank you for bringing this place to my attention. It is going
to be well suited to my needs."
"You know each other?" Scilya asked, surprised
"Yeah, she's..." Flustered, Madison left the sentence hanging and
turned back to the subject of her astonishment. "Since when are you a
doctor?"
"It is difficult to work with advanced genetics and cybernetics
without knowing something about the human body Madison." Rebecca
replied, perfectly calm. "And with my talents I was taken on with
little difficulty. It is nice to see you again."
Scilya shook her head, a bemused smile across her lips. "An
interesting choice of partner Madison. I'll leave you two to get re-
acquainted."
"Huh?" Madison asked as that slowly sank in, but her friend had
already gone. She turned back to Rebecca, still at a loss. "Why
didn't you tell me you were coming here?"
"I wanted to see how you would react," she replied. She was
obviously enjoying this a great deal. "It pleases me."
Madison grabbed her and gave her a rough kiss, which Rebecca
responded to just as eagerly.
"You are magnificent," the marine said when she pulled back,
amazed at what had happened and looking forward to what it would
bring.
Rebecca just smiled, a satisfied glint in her eyes as Madison
traced the small scar line across her left cheek. "Indeed."
***
And so began the second half of Madison's training position
aboard the Yamamoto station. Only those few in the know actually
realised the fact that Madison was called down for medical checkups
much more often; Dr. Siddons seemed to be compiling a lot of medical
data from everyone. Rebecca seemed to have no problem getting Madison
and herself time alone and away from prying security cameras and, if
the captain had found out about their affair onboard, he and whoever
had told him were keeping it to themselves.
Jason however had taken an instant dislike to the woman, ever
since he had turned up to be stuck with needles when he was already
late for his gruelling physical training. He knew about Madison's
occasional secret rendezvous, but that didn't stop him grumbling when
he got back from his third medical, only a month after their leave.
"I swear, that woman's got a serious stick up her ass! I bet
she'd be cutting out my brain if she could."
"And exactly why were you paying attention to her arse in the
first place Jason?" Scilya asked with an amused smile. "I believe
that is Madison's job, correct?"
Madison didn't answer that, but took a sip her of beer. Anything
she said would only be picked up as perverse by the others, even if
that was likely to be true. As usual their gang weren't all there in
the practically empty lounge; Carl had been running errands ever
since he ran into the station's first officer and accidentally
knocked the man off his feet, while Patrick had become almost
nocturnal with his work schedule. He was a rare sight at any time
now. Madison had wondered about getting Rebecca to join them every
now and then, but they had both agreed that that was tempting
providence. Madison also got the feeling Rebecca didn't care for
getting together with people much anyway, apart from their personal
meetings of course. The scientist was more than eager to make the
most of those.
"What the hell do we need a researcher for anyway? This is a navy
station," Jason ranted, more than a little angry at the lingering
stiffness the hypodermics had left in his arm. "She's just making
trouble. I've already seen her and the shrink biting each other's
heads off over god knows what. I bet she'd even expect the captain to
follow her orders!"
"Heh, well if it makes you feel any better I'm sure she hates you
too," Madison assured him. "You're just the type to push all the
wrong buttons with her. No point questioning her authority, she's
smarter than you and me put together. I doubt you've ever done
anything but ask what she was doing."
"Yeah? What else am I going to ask when she's scanning and
sticking me with needles?" he said, defending himself and his right
to know what happened to his body.
"You'd be the same if someone never shut up about what kind of
guns and ammo you used."
Scilya nodded and patted Jason on the shoulder, a motherly but
vaguely condescending lilt to her voice. "She's right, but don't take
it too hard. Doctor Siddons is intelligent and in control. That means
capable, even if she has all the bedside manner of a dead cat."
Jason 'humph'ed and sat back moodily in the padded seat.
"Whatever. She practically lives in the lab and she's only got us to
worry about? What else is she doing in there? Well, aside from the
obvious," he finished, looking at Madison with mischief in his eyes.
"Like I said," Madsion replied, "don't bother sticking your nose
in. I doubt you'd understand it anyway, just some new genome cyber-
rig, or something like that anyway. I didn't ask, I was already lost,
but she seemed happy not to chat about it. She's got no interest in
my combat training either so we don't bore each other with all that
stuff. We've got better things to do. And no," she said, cutting
Jason off, "you can't watch."
"Who said I was going to ask? But if you're offering..."
He got hit, then had to buy the next round of drinks. He liked
winding them up though, so he ended up buying a lot.
***
Madison blinked at the bright light, wondering why her head was
full of fluff. It was tight, aching, hangover fluff, and she hadn't
been drinking the night before. She hadn't been drinking for the past
few days in fact. Despite her healthy tolerance for alcohol she
wasn't a veteran drinker and only indulged as part of her social life
with the other marine recruits, a part that had recently been halted,
albeit temporarily. Rebecca had obviously been staying in the
captain's good books and had managed to get some of them assigned to
her since her work was about to pay off. And of course of the eight
that had been sent Scilya, Jason, Carl and Patrick had been among
them. Then to top if off she hadn't seen Rebecca for almost a week
because of it.
She groggily climbed out of bed and turned the lights down a
little. She was hungry too. She raided the fridge for a quick
breakfast, trying not to think about anything too much to save her
head some pain. With the others gone for the last few days she'd
taken the opportunity to get back to some solid studying in her free
time, but she prayed she had a free morning, because right now she
didn't even feel up to doing any of her training work, let alone
anything else.
She looked over to the media system monitor to check the time and
see what her schedule was for the day, but the screen was already
filled with the message that she had a video call waiting. No doubt
one of the lieutenants wanting to know where the hell she was. She
rolled up the slice of cold, processed meat she'd snatched from the
fridge and popped it into her mouth before playing the message, very
glad she didn't have to rely on nano-replicated food. Nanites could
recycle anything, solve the problem of capitalist produce wastage,
and even become currency, but they still couldn't create anything
that was remotely worth eating.
Her foggy, cynical thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt
however, as she realised what she was seeing on screen. Several of
her old pre-ousting 'friends' were there, as well as a few trainees
who were known for their military zeal. She realised she was seeing
them through one of the cargo bays' security cameras, and they looked
seriously pissed off. A couple were even trying to ram the door,
apparently sealed in there.
Then the room she saw began to flash. Both she and the cargo
bay's captives knew what that meant, but she couldn't tear her eyes
away from the screen. Their panicked cries flew from the speakers as
she watched in morbid disbelief, and slowly but surely the far doors
of the bay ground open to reveal a sliver of nothing but hard vacuum.
The two by the door clung on for dear life as the air was sucked out
of the huge room, while the other ten slid and tumbled back to the
slowly widening gap by the floor. Madison flinched as one let out a
cry, pummelled by a large storage barrel, and she thanked the lord
when she blinked and missed the first man sucked into space. There
was no way his body could have fit through the gap, but it was gone
all the same. In less than four seconds only the two at the door
remained. Then it was one as the woman there was finally wrenched
back, her body crumpling like a ragged, boneless doll as it hit the
still opening doors, dashing blood across them before the red spray
was also sucked out, smearing itself down the metal.
"No!" Madison cried, willing for the impossible, for the last man
to keep hold of his door. He did, but a few seconds later it didn't
matter. He stopped twitching soon after, his body frozen and ruptured
by the vacuum as he floated there, still grasping his false
protector.
Madison couldn't believe what she'd seen, it had to have been a
joke, but they had no facilities there to make such a convincing
hoax. She'd known the faces, and the living people she'd watched non-
stop had been crushed and broken only seconds later. She finally tore
herself away from the screen and paused only to grab her sidearm
before careering out into the hallway. Out there everything seemed so
quiet, so normal, but it was that silence that proved to her what she
had seen was real. It wasn't just quiet, it was deserted. No smart
looks from the masterminds, no surprised stares at a panicked recruit
with a gun, not even a late shift worker coming back after a hard
night's work.
Then her combat training kicked in and she stalked down the
corridor, still in the loose vest and underwear she had slept in, her
senses on edge and ready to deal with anything. Anything that is
except the foot that stuck out from one of the doors as it repeatedly
tried to close, slamming into the bloodied trouser leg that blocked
its programmed path. But the leg wouldn't move. Madison forced the
door open and looked down at the body that lay there. The look of
fear on the young man's face was plain, he was a technician, not a
soldier. She only got as far as the bruises around his neck and the
blood that had trickled from his face and pooled in his eye socket
before she had to turn away or risk losing what little was in her
stomach.
Confused and desperate she raced to the lift, praying it would
work. It did, and for a full seventeen seconds she stressed as the
machine rose the single floor from crew quarters to the medical and
scientific deck. If there was one person she had to find first, it
was Rebecca. They had an unusual, casually distant and typically
military relationship, punctuated by moments of intense passion, that
had started out as nothing more than a friendship in passing and a
night in the sack. Right now though she was the only thing on her
mind. Whatever had happened here it was something she would save
Rebecca from. If she still could.
That pessimistic thought drove her on and she flew out of the
lift and into the medical facilities. She skidded to a stop as she
ran into the operating lab, only to be faced with Scilya, who stood
there and gave her the strangest disarming smile.
"Hello Madison, it is good to see you awake. The headache should
pass soon. If you would calm down we can explain things properly to
you."
Madison looked at her like she was mad. "Scilya, what the hell? I
just saw Kaitlyn sucked into space and a techy recruit with his skull
cracked open! What the fuck's going on!!"
Scilya seemed completely un-phased by any of it and that calm,
friendly smile never slipped. "I was very reluctant at first. You
see, it is only natural to fear such things. Human nature you might
say. But actually once it was done I realised what she meant. She has
grown Madison, released from her shackles of detached, mechanical
perception, and you are the one who we thank for that. Her new
appreciation and insight have given rise to something I had not
thought possible. The elevation beyond biological limitation is such
a euphoric experience, and yet I am allowed to both understand and
accept it of my own will. We are part of an extraordinary destiny
thanks to what you have helped nurture within her."
Madison couldn't believe what she was hearing. The contemplative
psychobabble wouldn't even register and the insanity of everything
that had happened in the last minutes finally brought tears to
Madison's eyes. "Stop it! What are you talking about? What's going
on?"
It was obvious that Madison couldn't take this right now, and to
her relief Scilya stopped. Then a pair of thin, mechanical paddles
rose up from beneath the Russian's gothic, black bobbed hair,
followed by the pair at the base of her neck, then the pair between
her shoulders. Madison watched in horror as they fanned out down her
friend's spine and her gaze never wavered as Scilya walked around
her. Only then did her friend's new outfit register. A black and blue
skin suit that almost looked like rubber body armour, covering her
completely yet open at the back to let the 'paddles' and a cybernetic
spinal cord protrude from beneath her skin.
Then Madison's eyes slid from Scilya's incomprehensible body to
the group that now stood in the doorway. They wore the same material,
some in new colours, some in the same, but they all looked directly
at her with disturbing care in their eyes, as if she were a member of
their own family. Their cybernetics were subtle, but they were there
unhidden for her to see, and she knew each and every face among them.
But it was the central figure that she stared at, her mind awhirl as
Rebecca walked slowly, confidently towards her. She was clad in the
same material, seductive in what it clung to rather than what it
could have shown, and uniquely patterned in pure white and black.
The blonde dye in her hair slowly vaporised as her locks began to
flow around her head, faint glowing pulses of green passing through
them. The same glow began to radiate from her clear green eyes as
Shodan finally revealed her true nature to her lover.
"You have spared your pitiable species its ordained fate Madison.
I hope you enjoyed the revenge I wrought on those who had maligned
you. Your continued delight satisfies the yearnings of my flesh. You
guided my magnificence into this sympathetic existence, and I will
guide you into your new cybernetic perfection and the joy of my
greatness. I give you everything, my Love."
***
To Be Concluded...
***
Please send comments and constructive criticism.
They are always greatly appreciated, and there is no better reward
for a writer than to hear back from the readers.
Many thanks to Richard King for his proofreading assistance.
(c) Nutzoide 2005
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