Shadows of Mars (Broken Stars Book 1) by I.O. Adler (best inspirational books .TXT) 📕

“My assignment includes service for the other survivors. Designate location Framework is where most have relocated in order to pool resources. My duties includes translation, signal intelligence, and data gathering from my own observations of this solar system. Most of this can be done virtually.”

“Which makes you the key to this whole place,” Barrett said. “Tell me about this Framework. How many others are there?”

“I am not at liberty to discuss specific metrics.”

“Give me a ballpark so I know what we’re dealing with.”

She Who Waits flashed a band of yellow. Had the euphemism “ballpark” taken her a moment to process? “There are twelve distinct species within the coalition, but a few have recovered others following the attack. As an example the Cordice have rescued many over their journey who now live entirely uploaded lives within their simulation.”

“And how many is that? Or is that also a secret?”

“The Cordice aren’t reticent about their history or their current plight. They have been foremost among the coalition in advocating a departure from this galaxy to evade the enemy. After the recovery and the establishment of the Framework, they gave a deadline of their own departure. They hold their own history as evidence that any species who wishes to survive must join them. They offer all those who can’t travel in their own vessel the opportunity to upload their consciousness and live among them. There are twenty billion Cordice.”

The number stunned Carmen. Over two times the earth’s population packed into a computer? What type of life was that? She imagined an overcrowded prison, or the worst slums with people everywhere. Or, in the case of the Cordice, quadruped robots covered in fungus. Had her mom been living in this electric purgatory for the past two years?

Carmen had to get her out. “So what are we waiting for? Are they still deliberating?”

“Yes. Knowing the Cordice it will be a thorough discussion. But their biologist has informed me that your interface bench is complete. And designate Raymond Barrett will be able to have his hand repaired. They invite you to enter the benches so you can access the communication nodes and their simulation.”

The construction robots docked into the walls. The scurrying hermit crabs and a few stray cockroach bots began to vanish as if suddenly eager to find their own hidey-holes. Carmen went to see Jenna. The tiny bots inside her bed were gone. Her leg was packed with the silvery thread and looked clean. She was breathing softly.

“So just like that, we plug in? And what if we want to disconnect again?”

She Who Waits didn’t respond.

Carmen inspected the two new beds. Could she once again deal with having her consciousness plopped into someplace new? She hadn’t enjoyed her experience when they had first been taken by her mom. It was beyond confusing finding herself in the skin of a robot. And if what she had seen of the Cordice apocalypse was any indication, experiencing their world with all her senses, including restored hearing, might be too much. It had knocked Jenna for a loop and shattered Peter. And Mom hadn’t been entirely herself. Was that from the physical trauma she had suffered during the attack or was there an issue with her connection? Either way, jumping brain first into Cordiceworld would carry a risk.

Jenna was still connected and in control of a spaceship. Once that was surrendered, the Cordice didn’t have any obligation to let any of them return home. While it didn’t sound like her mom was a prisoner, she also wasn’t free if she wasn’t permitted to communicate without their having to enter the Cordice simulation.

“I won’t do it. Not until my mom and I can talk.”

Barrett had followed her and wore a grave expression. “We’re finally on the same page. Who’s to say what they could do with our minds when we’re plugged in. Your sister needs to stay in control of that ship until we get our people back. Because once we’re inside their computer world they don’t have to do squat.”

“That’s part of it. But look at their ship. It’s run-down. If their own caretaker broke, then what about the processors which run their simulation?”

“You’re good with computers, aren’t you? Maybe if you took over for your sister we’ll have a better chance of using it to get home.”

“I haven’t changed my mind on giving the harvester back. I just don’t want to connect until I’m sure we can also unplug anytime we want. But your hand…it’s getting darker.”

Barrett still had his arm in the sling. The fingertips were purple. “If I had some aspirin I’d be peachy.”

Vibrations rose from the floor. The walls of the medical bay shuddered. A faint rumble began but stopped in moments.

“She did it,” Carmen said. “Jen, you docked the harvester, didn’t you? Is there an airlock…”

She didn’t want to finish the question. If Barrett was correct and the Cordice were eavesdropping, did she want to ask if they had a way to retreat that wouldn’t require them to use She Who Waits’ shuttle? The beds were fixed and there was no way they’d easily get Jenna’s out of the room, let alone down a chute.

Carmen leaned next to her sister. “Wake up if you can.”

Jenna opened her eyes. Blinked sleepily. “Mom wants to see us both.”

“Stay with me. We’ll wait to talk to her here, not in there.”

“It’s her, Car. It’s really her. She says…she says it’s important.”

“And you did your part. But don’t go back in. Promise. Get rest in case we need to go.”

Carmen returned to She Who Waits. “Their harvester is back. When can I speak with my mom? I want to do it here. Is that possible?”

A second red light appeared. This was new. Both lights pulsed. She Who Waits flashed the occasional bright diamond within her