Chapter 22 Cyber Soul

Chapter 22

Cyber Soul

  While the ship flies toward Wayferra, I reconfigure Penny’s bedroom, remaking it into a body-altering chamber.

    She is so eager to make the change, especially after I told her I was going to use Kia’s original genetic blueprint for a model. When the three -day process is complete she should be able to fly through the water as easily as the air. Her body will also possess a molecular sturdiness, Kia’s never had, as well as a reserve of dormant nano bots that will instantly heal her body should she suffer injury, keep it comfortable regardless of the weather conditions and endow her with ten times normal human strength and speed.

    In short, I’m turning her into a super being. However, if she can’t handle it I can easily freeze her body and undo all her ‘improvements’ and turn her back into a normal mortal girl. She knows this, so I trust her to be the good girl I know she is. Maybe I’m wrong, but she’s suffered so much loss, maybe now she’ll never suffer again…

   Kia was embarrassed; Alex however thought it was deeply respectful. Most of Wayferra’s inhabitants did not survive the Karkin’s initial attack, Roman the centaur was one of the few that did. Ever since Kia’s return, he had been pestering her ride his back.  It was something she has long ago swore she would never do. Now here she was swaying out of the redwoods down the dusty gristmill path straddled over Roman’s back like some sort fantasy cowgirl utterly convinced she was humbling the proud Centaur, who felt exactly the opposite.

   “This is silly Roman,” she said as fitful breeze made her long golden hair flutter. “You’re not a beast of burden, or any other kind of beast. This is just not dignified.”

  “You drove the Karken away Kia,” Roman said as trudged up the dusty hill that led gristmill.

 “But the Karkens were just Company puppets, fake and…”

  “Just like us,” Said Alex, who glided airborne along aside of them like a leaf on an invisible stream, “The Company made us just like they made them, but you saved us, you and Kian. Let him thank you let him honor you.”

  “By dishonoring his self, this is a form of worship. Kian would never approve.” Kia said as she rose from his back and flew over to her husband, “If you wish to thank me, then bake me some of your sweet bread. That is your gift not your back.”

  Roman said as he watched the long shadow stretch out before them. “Very well Mistress Kia.”

  Kia rolled her eyes, “You’re calling me mistress again.”

  “You get angry when we call you your majesty. Like it or not Kia, you and Alex are our new leaders, our saviors our royalty. Our hearts tell us so. And if Kian were here we would call him King, but only because he would not allow us to call him God.”

 Kia kneaded her brow with her fingertips, “Very well, call us what you will, but we failed you. Many died from that failure. You should curse us.”

  “It was destined. We understand that now. But because of you and Kian, we learned the truth, and such lessons are always costly. However, those of us that survived got to live another life, learned to appreciate what we have here.” He stopped and looked back at the towering redwood forest rising up behind him, joy rippled off him like heat from a flame. “The Moon was a desolate prison; our Lunan bodies were weak and fragile. We lived in bowls beneath a black deadly sky. But Kian gave us back our true selves. He gave us back Chimera and you and Alex avenged our loss, and drove our enemies away. We will worship you with our silent hearts if in no other way. You are our Gods. No mortal can do would you did, teach the lessons you taught. The three of you have done the work of Gods. You have earned our worship. We will not deprive you.”    

  Kia and Alex looked straight ahead; peering into the cave like shadows of the great oak wood as Roman’s words burned deep into their hearts. Both could now plainly see this was not good. And neither of them knew what to do about it…