Inhuman(6)

“Copy,” James replied.

Djanet turned to Rich and let loose a long sigh. “It feels weird, huh?”

Rich nodded. “Really weird.”

“You know, we don’t have to be a part of this. There’s enough going on in our personal lives—especially yours—to keep us busy enough.”

“I know, but that’s the kind of ‘busy’ I’d like to avoid,” Rich replied.

Djanet’s shoulders slumped, an overwhelming guilt weighing them down. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to put you through—”

Rich forced a smile and looked up at her. “Nobody twisted my arm to do anything. I made a major life decision, and there’s no going back. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I’ve got no choice. I can’t turn back time. James can, I can’t. And I wouldn’t want to if I could anyway.”

Djanet’s expression brightened. “You’re sure?”

Rich sighed. “I’m sure I’d rather be surrounded by a trillion androids that are plotting to kill me than be at home with Linda, who is probably also plotting to kill me.”

Djanet frowned. “It’s that bad, huh?”

Rich shrugged. “What’d I expect? It’s only natural.”

Djanet looked out the front view screen at the awe-inspiring, yet repugnant image unfolding before her. The ship was being guided by its navigation system to the coordinates that had been agreed upon with the androids, a destination that it was becoming clear was too deep within the bowels of the structure for comfort. Androids were flying through the open space, groups of them stopping to hover and stare as the post-humans’s ship flew past. In the distance, other androids stood on an endless series of walkways built to connect various structures in the interior. In totality, they appeared like webs of neurons connecting the innards of a madman’s mind, and Rich and Djanet were being sucked farther and farther inside the madness. “I don’t like the look of this.”

“Me neither.” Rich turned to her as he licked his lips nervously. “Maybe you’re right.”

Djanet turned to him with a quizzical expression.

“After this,” Rich continued, “we’re out. Someone else oughta handle this stuff from now on.”





4



“We’ve touched down, Commander,” Djanet relayed to James as the spacecraft James had engineered for the mission landed.

“Good work,” James replied. “The A.I. and I are both monitoring through your mind’s eye feeds. I know it’s probably pretty scary for you two, but, trust me, you’re not alone.”

“That’s reassuring, Commander,” Djanet replied, “because I don’t know if I’ve ever felt so small.”

“It looks like they’ve provided an atmosphere,” Rich said as he checked the readouts on the screen in front of him. Suddenly, movement in the corner of his eyes caused his head to snap up; it was a welcoming party of nearly a dozen androids, floating down to a soft landing on the dull, metallic platform in front of the post-human ship. Rich’s eyes immediately zeroed in on a face he recognized.

“Of all the…Jesus. Why did they have to send him?”

“Neirbo,” Djanet whispered.

The stone-faced android stood at the center of the android contingent, his mouth in the same, thin-lipped, expressionless line that was emblazoned in both Rich’s and Djanet’s traumatic memories. He looked up at the front window of the ship and waited for Rich and Djanet to emerge.

“It’s possible that he’s the interim leader in the absence of 1,” the A.I. suggested.

“Either that, or they’re just trying to piss us off right off the hop,” Rich countered.

“They don’t know that you and Neirbo have ever met,” James reminded Rich. “Neirbo has no memory of you. Try your best to keep your cool.”

Rich sucked his lips back into a tight ball against his teeth as he tried to bottle down his fury. “Trying. No promises.”

The bridge of the craft suddenly lowered, becoming its own platform, setting Rich and Djanet down on the surface of the android landing platform. Rich and Djanet stood up from their chairs and walked the two dozen paces, to the waiting androids.

Neirbo’s lips suddenly twitched slightly, a look of disappointment flashing on his face before being replaced by his usual annoyed, stony countenance. His eyes moved from Rich and Djanet and up to the ship, which Rich noted most of the androids were exploring with their eyes with a certain fascination—Rich thought it mirrored lust.

“That’s an impressive ship,” one of the androids commented.