

431 Years of death: The Origin by Divya Singh

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Copyright © 2016 by Divya Singh. All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 by Divya Singh

All rights reserved.

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Index

Chapter 1: I was reborn at 1.30 am on 01 Jan 2461.

Chapter 2: Reanimation Trial on my original body

Chapter 3: A new body for me - A male body!

Chapter 4: The First Nightmare

Chapter 5: The Vision shared by ZA-vi: Conversation between SHELLY and VON

Chapter 6: The next day of adventure: Sneaking into the ship

  1. LEVEL 0: The Navigation Chambers

  2. 8Th floor: Agricultural research facility

  3. Last floor: -18

Chapter 7: ZA-vi got 'repaired'

Chapter 8: My new face

Chapter 9: The story of KEAH, the clone

Chapter 10: New growing hair

Chapter 11: Disclosure by VON & revelations about the Contamination

Chapter 12: The Navigator

Chapter 13: The heinous act

Chapter 14: The man from the past: I was not alone

Chapter 15: Dr. Doom and a heated argument

Chapter 16: I took to violence again

Chapter 17: DEVON!

Chapter 18: The Lone Wanderer

Chapter 19: The exploration at The Navigator's room and cockpit

  1. History of the ship

  2. Ship Information

  3. Ship Interior

  4. Ship Amenities

  5. Ship Redesignablle

  6. Ship Biology

  7. Ship Safety

Chapter 20: revisit to Despondra

Chapter 21: A brunch with Devon; Love You Are Not Welcome

Chapter 22: First Dive; probing the dystopian ocean with Devon: The Monster of the murkier waters.

Chapter 23: The scientific explanation

Chapter 24: Tour to the penultimate floor: The Quarantined floor

Chapter 25: Confronting the Horrifying creature at the lowest level and saving Lois

Chapter 26: Hospitalized again! Receiving medical attention from Despondra herself!

Chapter 27: Another Ripple; The going down of the ship

Chapter 28: The Ultimate Explosion

Chapter 1: I was reborn at 1.30 am on 01 Jan 2461.

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(Electric Shock is being administered to the subject DS1, Case No. 13701, in an attempt to reanimate her cryopreserved brain)

I heard vague sounds, it was dark, but feeble spots of unidentifiable figures of people were visible to me.

Suddenly, I felt a painful quivering jolt. It felt like I was struck by the lightning

.............................................................................................................................................

(The intensity of electrical shock is increased and is given again to the subject in an attempt to wake the brain up)

After some time: -................................................ I felt a slight pain, I saw nothing, not even light, and just the pain was spread all over. I tried opening my eyes and with a lot of effort this time I succeeded. My vision seemed to be drastically blurred, but then gradually, I was beginning to see some hazy images, but it was still dark. I thought what I then heard were garbled voices, which I did not seem to understand.

................................................................................................................................................

(The intensity of the electric shock is raised again and the brain is subjected to it)

Later, I woke up with a startle. If I was right about it, I was looking at the fuzzy images of two people. Was it really water through which I was looking? But for sure, I was in a cylindrical glass enclosure, filled with liquid and different types of equipment attached to it, I knew not of.

'It is finally done, it appears we have reanimated the brain successfully', is all I could hear.

I think these two people I was looking at, through the colorless Liquid and glass were really strange. There was a thin, bald woman with a side pony and a bob cut blue haired, black-bearded guy.

The woman must not be aged anything more than 28 years old and the man must be 35 something. They communicate in a different manner and language as between themselves, but seeing me watching them closely, they stopped talking-

The man said, "Hello case Number 13701 ".

Seeing me, filled with suspicion, he talked to me back again-

The man, "How do you feel?"

Then he drained the liquid, in my enclosure out, by pushing a knob on a column on my left side opening the cage-like enclosure a little."

I uttered, "Wh-where am I?" This was all I managed to say that time but given the delusional state I was in, at the moment, it was a lot of effort.

"Um, you are on a ship called Perpetua sailing somewhere in the north of the once North Pacific Ocean.........."

I interrupted: "No! Why am I inside this enclosure?" I said, rolling my eyes at the sides, indicating the presence of abnormal surroundings.

But it went like nobody had heard or understood me-

I stressed: "Why? What had happened?" I interrupted the informational speech. "And why are you guys dressed up like clowns?" They were really strange to my eyes which were still adjusting.

They both fluttered their dresses and hair and looked at each other.

I screamed: "Turn off these damn lights! They are hurting my eyes! I can literally feel them burning."

".........An- And my head is smoldering up in pain."

"What has happened to me?"

I reached to my head with my hands, but I failed, then I wished to cover my eyes with them to avoid the lights.........

The guy: "Try to relax case........"

I interrupted again: "I th-think that my arms are numb, I can't feel and lift them." I tried to move my head which I couldn't; then I tried to gaze below to look at my arms.

I screamed in disbelief: "What? Where are my hands? Where is my body? I don't......"

The guy: "At ease case........" The guy was trying to move towards me to contain my shock! But what was wrong with me?

I cried again: "I don-don't have a body! "

"I don't have hands!"

I yelled in distrust: "There is nothing below! No! Noooo! I am not alive!"

I saw them both panic, but doing nothing to help me with my answers.

I yelled uncontrollably: "No! I can't be alive!

I cried again: "How can I be....?"

"What has happened to me? What have you done to me?" I couldn't express my anger and disappointment with my body.

I kept crying out loud in despair, shock and grief.

The guy: "Please relax Case! At ease. Let me explain!

The woman is registering her log:"Case 13701, Brain and head reanimated successfully, has Ultra sensitive vision, disrupted and aggressive psychological response, and severe pain. I have administered pain suppressants. The Brain has suffered a minor stroke from shock instigated from the knowledge of the physical state of affairs. Minor robotic surgery imminent to overcome the stroke.........."

I woke up again and now I knew what I was, in fact, this time, I did not even want to wake up to this bitter reality. I saw nothing below me again and was awestruck at the harsh reality confronting me.

"Hello, Case! Welcome back!" a voice, which was electronically produced, came from the Blue haired guy.

The guy continued: "I am ZA-vi, your personal android." he continued, "How do you feel now?"

I uttered: "Who am I?" But it was all I could use my sluggish and grief struck voice to ask

ZA-vi: "You are DS1 Case No. 13701 of Meta.More.PHD International......"

I interrupted him: "Please tell me who am I? Am I a person? Please tell me about my existence honestly as I am willing to understand about anything right about now. I request of you, ZA-vi!"

ZA-vi: "Sorry Case, but we cannot disclose your real identity. You had signed the agreement yourself with full knowledge thereof, understanding and implication of clause X(a)(i) of the agreement." We have only complied with your 'wish deed, word by word and spirit to guide us where we needed it." ZA-vi said in absolute denial.

I begged them: "Please.......... "I turned towards the woman. "Please tell me who am I? How did I reach here?"

I added: "....and where is here?"

The woman: "Hello Miss DS! Your Android is incapable of Human psychological construct. I will try to answer as much as I can." He woman promised.

She continued: "You can call me KEAH. I am your personal cryosurgical assistant and Major fellow. I take patients for personal and surgical concerns. I also take into account the procedural functioning of the robotic surgeons and also the analysis and supervision of surgical procedures in this facility XZ-13."

KEAH went ahead: "You have come from a different time, so I cannot answer anything about your pre-animation life, especially personal life. But I know you were an important, intelligent person and most importantly nice, and benevolent at heart that is why you were voted in for cryopreservation."

"Cryopreservation?" I bewildered, "Please explain."

KEAH:"Cryopreservation is the preservation of the brain or body at the legal death of a person with his consent. So that when in future the medical sciences have advanced, the body or brain could be brought back to life again." You opted for a whole body preservation in liquid Nitrogen at -196.01 0C."

I raised an objection: "But I cannot see my body, I just have a head"

KEAH:"your case was complicated, Miss! The head was preserved separately. Your body was partly damaged before the preservation due to terminal illness, I know not of, and partly was it damaged due to the toxic effects of vitrification, tissue damage and crystallization and due to prolonged preservation. You have to take a decision, whether, we should work on reanimating your salvaged body or should we use another lab-cultured new body. The factor which made us consider, waking up your head first. "

I asked, "Do you have my body?"

KEAH:" Yes we have! But we have not yet ensured whether it is reanimatable or not, first analysis to me says even if it is, your body's life cannot be ensured even if a few years. This age we are living does not have such acumen as to create a healthy re-animatable body using damaged raw material."

I cut her midway: "Wait, what is this year?" I asked.

ZA-vi:"It is 01Jan 2461. You died or shut down your body's life on 23 Mar 2030 at 09:30 am. The process of preservation was completed in 57 minutes starting at 10:00 am, so preservation age was set sharp 10:57a.m., 23/03/2030"

I cried in disbelief: "What, I have been dead for over 400 years!"

I would have got up in shock if I had a body. I was not able to believe this crap-

I shouted: "Why did I not wake up any time earlier?

KEAH:"A lot of things have changed on earth in all these years Miss. But your preservation was prolonged by your sponsors and their generations which declined steeply in 4 centuries. "

I begged again: "KEAH! ZA-vi! Please tell me who am I? What was I like before I died?"

KEAH: "Miss, I wish I could and trust me, I would but I had been made ages after, instead this android of yours, ZA-vi has been storing all your data during Cryo, and I believe he has all the data of your previous life too, but he was programmed to keep it a secret, as was included in the agreement you signed, so it is between you and him. All I know about you is that you were a woman before all this. Aged 32, as my dating system says."

I said: "A woman? Yes, my head says so, I am a woman. But why I do not remember the rest? My life!"

KEAH:"During the preservation, memory loss is the first visible occurrence. W are not sure if it is going to return to you. But some long-term memories do come back with time. Also, you miss, have woken up to a gender-neutral era. We don't have roles of sexes anymore. But I know you were a woman back then."

"You got to be kidding me. No sexes? Come on!" I chuckled." Wait you can see it from my face. Yes?"

They looked at each other surprised.

I replied to their strange reaction: "Wait! Well, I want to look at my face......Show me how I look I need to see, I know....."

KEAH: "Miss you must be at ease now, we have done a lot of talking....."

I begged over again: "KEAH! Please! I have faced enough of horrors today I cannot die out of anxiety, so please show me my face."

KEAH: "Miss I request you not to...."

I screamed: "KEAH! Say no more! Show me right now!"

KEAH: "Miss you have to prepare yourself for the worst. I do not know what shock you can bear at this moment."

I nodded: "OK! I am ready."

But I was not. I had a faint memory of how people looked when I was alive, but not my own face. But I would like to kill the anxiety anyway.

In 5 seconds KEAH pressed a spot on the screen in front of her. My head turns 180 degrees towards a mirror in the cylinders.

"Noooo.... It cannot be! Is it my face? Do they call this horrible sight, a face? I think it would make for the most horrific thing in my previous life."

The bulging skin was swollen, red, with white open wounds, it was white at the sides where it joined another portion of skin, and it was hanging from the bone structure, and on it ran Blue Violet veins. No eyebrows. No eyelids, just balls of white with brown iris with blue ugly spots on them. But the red veins as should be in them are blue. It is not a regular skin. It is red rotten flesh with white open blisters as if the skin was peeled, taking hair follicles, brows and eyelids with it. At least I have had lips, but they are with a tinge of blue not red. I have had a short neck too, but it is without any skin on it, just blue veins criss-cross in the red rotten flesh with bones visible. I have no hair, and the bald head is horrible with wounds and red lines as if it was closed after a recent surgery."

Well, my worst nightmare was before my eyes. Why did I wish to wake up to such a horror?

I said as peacefully as I could: "Turn me back again......"

KEAH" Miss we are about to give an aesthetic touch up to your head, but not anywhere before you are fully healed after the reanimation process."

"Case, you are looking so fine to me!"Said ZA-vi

I yelled: "Hey! You robot! ZA-vi, were you made to mock my miseries only?"

ZA-vi: "Case I was programmed to make you feel at ease. To assist the case I was assigned."

I protested: "But you are not helping my case. I think your silence shall assist me better. Especially a robot sans a heart......."

ZA-vi: "I was made as humanly as possible with light alloys and human tissue, but as the time passed by human tissue had to be self-destructed and replaced by alloys. But for the skin keeps on growing, on replacing stratum by stratum over time and hair grow too."

I said: "Ah! But I would better prefer to talk to an original human who was born as a human KEAH......"

KEAH: "But miss! I was not born; I was fabricated in a facility. Women do not actually give birth to babies nowadays. It all happens in the labs these days. With time, the reproductive ability of genders degenerated a lot. In women fibroids, myoma and uterine cancers led to surgical removal thereof. Soon it became prominent in younger ages of women. In the last two centuries, we had to surgically remove uteruses and Fallopian tubes of all women before they reached puberty. Also, the male members lost their potency due to major hormonal shifts with time, climatic changes, stress etc. So the reproductive organs became vestigial. Other complications therein led to surgical removal thereof......."

I registered surprise: "So you are also not human....?." I interrupted.

KEAH with a smile: "I am the maximum of what a Homo sapien can be in this era."

I objected: "But you are a woman, of what age? How were you made?"

KEAH: "Yes Miss, I am a woman 21 years of age. I am mutated a clone of Basic model K1E2A3H4 i.e.KEAH-131. That means 130 clones of the basic frozen embryo, named KEAH were mutated before me......"

I found it hard to get: "Basic embryo, older looking clones... let's just stop it here. It is all that I can take with just a head without a body. Stop it right here. So tell me when do I get my body?" I interrupted again.

ZA-vi: "Your highly damaged irreparable body is being reversed for vitrification, and is chemically warmed up, and then it will be analyzed for any success rate of reanimation. But the truth is that we are only wasting our time because of the want of your dead body your head will suffer death soon. "

I repelled: "I swear you say another word robot, and I will break your voice box." I began to find my agony. I was furious. My brain was capable of anger.

KEAH: "Miss your body is ready for reanimation trial. But we have also to consider other alternatives. With a prima facie analysis that we have run on your body, there are not presenting very promising chances that it will survive reanimation trial. The chances are also strong that we lose the original body forever; we have to be ready to face the worst. "

I said: "KEAH 131! Were you made psychologically speaking, capable of relating to the human emotional quotient? Do you have an understanding that whatever be the damage I have to have my body? That is what my brain wants. I did not understand how, but my head can feel emotions, anger and love for its body. It is beautiful to be a human. "

KEAH: "Yes Miss I understand, But the history of reanimation says that if bodies are damaged during the previous lifetime and subsequent cryopreservation the reanimation process has a low success rate. Our technology is capable of giving life only to the bodies which are capable of carrying life. Now you need to rest because precisely in 8 hours we have to start reanimation trials on your original body. Try to be at ease miss, your brain must be calm to be able to connect to your body. Now you must be feeling that your eyes are getting closed for the necessary sleep. You feel tired and need to rest...." She said while ZA-vi turned all the lights off and I could feel the words turn meaningless then I would not hear a thing.....
Chapter 2: Reanimation Trial on my original body

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was gaining consciousness, I began hearing voices. They were talking about a body. The conversation went as:-

1st Person: "The subject is put under CT Scan. The instant diagnosis depicts major organs as absent. MRI reports show that skeletal structure is damaged. At ribs, the continuous vitrification and reverse vitrification processes have contributed to a brittle rib structure. The lungs have collapsed, under the protrusion of broken ribs and cannot be revived for breathing process. A transplant of the lungs is an option. But for that, we entirely depend on the success of reanimation procedure, till then we have to put the body under artificial breathing, but it must be done after the successful transplant of heart post successful reverse vitrification of veins and arteries. The success rate is largely depending on the level of toxification of the Cryoprotectant which in turn entirely depends on Dr. Shelly's observations. We have also to keep a close watch on the slightest crystallizations caused by failures of some tissues to vitrify successfully, handing over to you Dr. Shelly."

2nd Person: "Thank you, Dr. Von! The endoscopic analysis says that the initial vitrification did not take place well in the right side of the body, hence the limbs on the right side may not be reanimatable . In the right leg, although the Cryoprotectant has managed to reach all the capillary endings, but it seems like inferior technology of the previous period combined with the body's incapability to accept the Cryoprotectant as de-crystallizing agent was compromised, giving way thereby to vast crystallization of up to 72% of body tissues in the right limbs . Substantial tissue replacement procedures have to be carried out in the right leg and local tissue replacement at places in arm and fingers in the hand. So the approach if any has to be carried out first by transplantation of vital organs and then removal of damaged tissues and subsequent replacement thereof with lab-cultured tissues. But simultaneously the reverse-vitrification has to be carried out so that lifeblood can be transfused to the transplanted organs and tissues. The level of cytotoxicity is also considerate. The abdomen, large intestines, left kidney and left foot has suffered serious cytotoxicity. On the cellular level, we have lost the cell membranes; nucleic acid and osmotic fluid are largely lost to toxicity. The toxicity levels are irreparable, even if major transplants and replacements are carried out. The other alternative is to amputate useless limbs and focus on the vital organs only. Furthermore, the amputated limbs can be replaced with artificial limbs. But that feat can be achieved only post successful revival of the vital organs, for chemical analysis, over to your Dr. Kirkrick A1!"

When I opened my eyes, I could see only two persons in light blue robes, so who was the third?

An electronic gurgling robotic voice emerged: "Doctors! Our chemical analysis has shown the life of the body to being 462, Female, Death at 32 years in the pre-apocalyptic earth. Reasons of death, under palliative care, cause terminal cancer and subsequent deprivation of oxygen. The Corpse was preserved by severing the head from the body. The Cryoprotective solution used initially was Glycerol. Local use of Ethyl Glycol and Fluorocarbons was also made. This probably was done to avoid the possibility of crystallization of local areas whose response to Glycerol was not satisfactory. Tissue damage on the right side seems to be resulting from this error. To correct the failed vitrification earlier due to incorrect use of only Glycerol in all areas they reversed the initial vitrification, in 6 months post reviews and tried to correct this mistake with subsequent use of Ethyl Glycol and Fluorocarbons . The extent of up to 72% of crystallization of the right side of the body was a result of this failure. Plus, our carbon dating, suggests, that the body was attempted to be awakened 201 years post first preservation in 2231 by transfusion of blood substitute such as Flusol DA20, a perfluorocarbon based product as oxygen carrying therapeutic and later Hemepure, Poly heme. But the attempt was unsuccessful because the technology at that time had reached only to the extent of using blood stem cells. The last cryopreservation was satisfactory and the loss on account of tissue damage resulting from cytotoxicity and crystallization is negligible. Also, the heart, liver & aorta were removed to be preserved separately, which we have lost. But lungs and kidneys, intestines and stomach were left as non-vitals.

Then I thought it was a body they were talking about. But why was I left unattended? I wanted to shout out but I could not. But exactly then the body they were talking about was rotated perpendicular to the floor and I could see it from the glass. The body looked normal to me except it did not have a head. So was it my head they were going to fit atop it? I think my Blood Pressure and heart beat went high, then I saw ZA-vi stepping into the room from the door at right.

ZA-vi: "Hello case! You look awake!"

Hearing this, the doctors who woke me up by this conversation turned back to look at me. One was bald; the other had a little pony. The bald doctor was short and fat and the one with a pony was tall and skinny. Both wore glasses.

I replied: "Yes I am fine. Who are these gentlemen and this body and what about the body they are talking about?"

One said "Hello Madam! I am Aesetrick Shelly and this is Yvonnelex Von. We both are doctors. And this is your body that you had before cryosleep. We are here for trying to reanimate your body and conjoin it with your brain. I mean you."

I said: "OK, I had this part figured out by myself. And sorry, but I overheard the conversation you were having when I woke up. You were talking about its bad condition, but it looks all fine to me. Plus I also do not appreciate pessimism. So I don't want to hear that it cannot be done."

Dr. Von: "No madam, we don't say it cannot be done. But it's the medical science that we are taking into account so it is not about being more optimistic than we can be. Science is what can really be achieved given the circumstances which cannot be extended to any theoretical fiction. We try our best with the present technology. But at the same time, we have to be practical and consider the other viable options available to us. So we have to also consider that if, just saying if we fail and cannot revive your body, we will have to use another body. I know your emotional construct and that you want just your body, but we have been directed to reanimate to the next best option available to us. And we have to stick to the plan we have reached."

"Fair words, these are!" said I. "But let us just be optimistic."

Electronic voice: "The optimism level is 13.73% being practical."

"Who just spoke?" I said burnt out a bit more.

"It is your robotic surgeon who we call Doctor Kirkrick A1," said ZA-vi

A1: "Doctors! We can begin in 32 minutes precisely. Let us prepare it all right away. All doctors ready?"

Von: "Ready on 3."

Shelly: "Ready"

Von: "3, 2, 1 Go "

The robotic surgeon slices off portions of damaged tissues in the right limbs, first the right foot, then the arms small sharp knives do things very quickly, slicing tissues from various portions. Then it brings chunks of tissues and bones from a nearby placed freezer/Tray and fits it in the opened up spaces. It pulls out a few again, cuts in shapes and fits again. A red beam of some light strikes and probably accomplishes the task of suturing. Then it does the same with all the opened up wounds. First right leg, then right arm. Although quickly done, still it took a couple of minutes.

"Will it work now?" I asked.

Nobody cared! I understood the irrelevance of the question so chose silence and patience over anxiety and curiosity.

I observed the benefits of one machine-doctor with many robotic hands from this safe distance. One hand with driller like appearance went up and drove through the broken bones, it sliced them up and the powder was puffed away.

A1: "Making incision for the heart transplant."

Dr. Shelly took over to the area, and carried out more of a traditional type of surgery, he used a sponge to wipe clear the liquefying preservative. An artificial shapeless muscle; apparently heart was ready to be placed inside the opened up the cavity. The chunks of tissues and muscles were carefully tucked in the place they should be put. Shelly got it fixed in the position and A1 sutured it with a laser beam.

A1: "Doctor Von! Ready to go?"

Von:" Ready!" Said Von, as he warmed up the toxified left leg and suctioned out the liquids. Though warm up of the body as reverse-vitrification has been discarded during the first 500 years of the history of medical sciences. But Von was drawing out the toxicity by liquefaction and prepping up the limbs for tissue replacement. He cleared the passages microscopically, capillary by capillary.

I could understand that they were trying to salvage whatever they could of my 'Rotten' body and absolutely discard what they couldn't. While Shelly was busy with fixing the heart, Von and A1 focused on the left side limbs. Suctioning out the toxicity, and replacing the emptied out spaces by cultured tissues.

As the objects of what they did, were achieved Dr. Von came up and with the help of Shelly they began digging through the ribs to make space for arteries and veins and aorta. Slowly the whole chest was cut open and the portions of ribs were placed in a tray. When the lungs were being removed, then A1 moved up a pump towards the chest. He would use it to pump Blue-blood substitute after suturing the newly placed organs.

As the suturing neared the end-

A1 said: "Ready for therapeutic (artificial blood) transfusion in 3!"

A1,"1-2-3!!!"

The heart didn't beat at all. Then the pump was fitted to Aorta, and the blue life blood started filling up the arteries in the chest.

A1: "Reverse vitrification commenced at 12:30 pm" He registered. The blue liquid started filling up the pale frozen body.

Von: "The limbs are not accepting the blood flow!" Everybody including me starts staring at the limbs, and to me as well, it appears to be true.

Shelly: "Dr. Kirkrick! Suspend the reverse-vitrification for 5 minutes, till then we will have the status reassessed."

A1 stops the machines with immediate effect.

ZA-vi: "Case DS! The first phase of waking you up seems to have failed!"

"Shut up!" I said. But I was, rephrasing, my head was a bit disappointed as well, I confessed. Yes, I was not exactly happy then.

Von then gave a hand to Shelly in placing in the correct hollows, something looking baggy; perhaps it would be my synthetic lungs. After they were fitted in their proper place, Von began to reassess the problem with the limbs and may be chalked out a better-designed strategy.

Shelly, who was staring the right leg: "Dr. Von! Should you run a chemical test again? Could it be so that the toxicity could have spread more than what was analyzed initially? Could it have so happened in the intermediary period of analysis and surgical procedure?

Von "Can't reject the point at all Dr. Shelly!"

Looking at the screen, he sent a voice command, "Run chemical testing, commencing at the time 1:00 pm."

Then Von looked at the instant reports and says, "Yes the cytotoxicity has still shown its presence. Though the replacement can be termed as successful, traces of preservative are still doing the damage at a continuum, as we speak. The spread is so dangerously widespread....." And they all looked at my head.

Disheartening! Are they giving up already?

A1: "No we are not giving up yet. There are many stages to be cleared before we chose to give up actually."

What! The robotic-surgeon has heard my thoughts? It cannot be! My thoughts are not safe here. I am puzzled and they resume working again.

Shelly: "Dr. Von! We may discard the point in restoring the limbs at this point of time and work on the reanimation of the vital organs, heart, lungs etc. It could be much easier post successful reanimation that we assess the cellular damage; right?"

Von: "Right doctor!"

A1: "Leaping into 2nd stage of the reanimation, 'Restarting the functioning of the vital organs'. The mode of the procedure will consist of administering current to the body through the Heart."

Really? I thought; it is barbarianism. All this sophisticated technology could barely reach to the point of giving shock therapy? This isn't much relieving.

Shelly: "Pump start to transfuse the blood into the heart again, A1!"

A1 turns a machine on and starts pumping blue blood into the heart.

Shelly: " Go with 25 milliAmpere...."

A1,"Ready for the current flow in 3."

A1: "3...2...1...GO!!"

The whole body shook up with the effect of the electric shock.

Shelly:"It didn't start the heart. A1! Pull up by 10."

A1: "Go on 3! 1, 2, 3, Go!"

But no! The heart didn't start beating at all. They tried several times, but they got no movement, not even the slightest.

Everybody was disappointed by the initial failures. Don't ask about my head's state of mind!

A1: "The last trial for reanimation begins in 30 minutes precise from now on. Doctors! Start prepping up for the final trial."

Von: "Madam! Now we have to connect your body to the brain and let it pass on to the final round. It involves conjoining of your head to the body and then testing it with electric current. So please be mentally prepared."

"Will it hurt me a lot?" I asked with fear in my voice.

Said Shelly with a smile, "We can't be any happier if it does! That's what we want. But isn't that what you want as well? If it hurts, then it means that our trial went successfully. That means your brain is joined to your body. This would entail that the physical systems of Heartbeat, Breathing and blood circulation could be carried out naturally in your body with brain monitoring it all, by itself."

"OK, now I am beginning to wish that it would have hurt me,...." I said.

ZA-vi:"We have to sedate you for a little while Case DS!" He tapped a screen nearby my side to administer a sedative drug for this purpose. And soon it all; a;; before me faded away into oblivion.

When I regained consciousness, I saw a body fixed to my head with long tubular structures and I could see it lying perpendicular to my head.

Shelly: "Madam! Now to begin with the animation procedure, we'll administer electrical current shocks through your body, which might hurt you a lot. Although you are heavily sedated but still if the reanimation is successful, it is going to be hurting you. But in other words, if it will hurt, then it will be successful as well."

Von:"The basic purpose is to connect your brain to the body so that it controls all the body functions by itself. And not to mention it's our only chance at the final phase of the trial."

All I managed to say was a 'buzzing' yes. Though I was a little disheartened at the initial failures and the knowledge of the fact that it was going to be my last chance to have my body back, it all sent a shudder down my spine; something that held value; something from the past life; something to which I could feel a strong connection to; something endearing. That something could be lost forever, it scared me again.

I knew that I was ready to take all that would come this way. Any pain was worth the hopes. But the emotional connection I had to the feeling of having my body back was real in my soul. I wanted the body I had before and had the guts to face anything to have it back. I could feel a strong sense of emotional capacity. Yes, may be, my brain was developing in all the areas. It felt real and seemed so.

What would I do without my body? In a world utterly unfamiliar and new to me, that I was born into......I couldn't essentially possess to cope up with the novelty of the circumstances without my whole self.

A1: "readying the body affixed to the brain for the final Reanimation Trial, starting the shock with 60 milliamperes. Go on 3."

The doctors Von and Shelly pulled their hands away from the body. The trick was to kick start the heart and respiratory and circulatory systems with the administration of the shock.

A1: "1---2---3....GO!"

I could see the sparks flying through the body, my body. The body jumps up in the shock. The doctors stare at me once all together once again.

A1: "Feel any shock?"

I was taken aback! I had to feel the shock! I looked at it going into the body. But........

"No!!!" I cried in despair!

A1: "OK. Here we go again. On 3."

A1: "1---2---3. GO!!!"

Two electrodes connect across the heart and the body jumps up in shock, but I still felt 'NOTHING'.

Shelly: "Still? No pain? Shock? Tingling or anything?"

"No!" I cried. "I think you are not trying hard enough!"

Shelly: "OK! Let us go up 100 mAmps. Go on 3."

A1: "1---2---3! GO!!!"

I baffled, "I still feel nothing! Why don't you guys try to check the wires or tubes? Couldn't they be weak for connection?"

Von: "The apparatus couldn't be wrong. We have done this many times to make sure of this....."

"OK", A1 said. "One last time, raised to 250 milliamps. On 3. GO!!"

"No, No! Nothing! I feel nothing at all! I just don't feel the shock. The procedure must be erroneous. You people must not be doing it right!" I shouted out loud in disbelief and dismay.

"It just can't be" Von: "Madam, we are sorry! You know we have tried our best....................."

"But it wasn't enough! Try more shock, higher current........................try something; something new." I said.

Von: "If we tried again with higher current, it will only damage your already feeble body furthermore. Higher current will cause respiratory arrest, nerve damage, severe muscle contractions, and fibrillation. We can control these only to a fixed degree beyond which we will only lose any hope of any further reanimation of your body. Also, it is not the shock, it is the damage caused to your body which is hindering the reanimation process from being successful. With much more prudent processes and salvage devices, we can hope for a chance to revive your body in the future as we register progress in technology."

I quipped: "But why don't you instead administer shock directly to the brain?"

"It is not a psychological case madam. Your brain is healthy. We are trying to kick start the vital systems by giving a shock, as in defibrillation. We could revive it through shock therapy." Shelly said.

A1: "We can still revive your body in future till then we can put your body under 'Chemical Squeezing' a strict observation in cryo-suspension. We can revive your toxic tissues on a cellular lever and by employing tissue culture for the lost tissues. It will take time and we are not sure of actual future possibility and plausibility. But it is like generating newer cells and tissues using stem cells in the local areas. It will be a wait and watch situation till then we will conjoin you to another healthier male body we have in this facility. It is basically a non-gender body, but we call it male because it is not particularly a female body. But it is quite possible that it might be your body forever in case we fail the reanimation in future trials too."

Chapter 3: A new body for me - A male body!

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"I do not want a male body" I cried out loud.

Shelly: "But it is what we have in ready to go status on our ship as of now and your brain is reaching a threshold limit."

Shelly continued: "That is we have kept it without a body for too long. In 6 days we will run out of the limit to sustain your brain and your brain too will be lost to us forever or we choose to preserve you in Cryo again. But if we fixed your head on a plausible healthy body, you will be reanimated successfully."

"Does that mean that I can regain my body in the future if it improves and can be fixed?"

"Yes, that is the plan. But you know chances are slim." Von confessed.

"OK, Yes." I had no other option than to agree to this.

I said, "so how long will it take before reanimation of another body that you have!" although, I was aggrieved but I needed to move on from the sorrow of having lost my body and perhaps mourn later.

A1: "As soon as we are ready DS. Doctors need a break to reassess the situation before we go into another trial. The body was suspended after preparing for reanimation. So the body is ready and we have only to cool it down i.e. warm up and fix your brain into it. "

Von: "we will need two hours to reassess the situation, the body's anatomical suitability, and warming -up process."

A1: "So when do we commence, DS?"

I instantly replied: "ASAP, you said 2 hours."

A1: "So 2 hours from now, doctors."

Shelly: "we will reunite in precisely two hours."

Well, I have two hours to swing between two facets of truth. One, that I will not, at least for now have my own body. Two, I will have a foreign male body. Two, I will have a foreign male body. I was not capable of the extent of courage that I was expecting from myself at the moment. It feels like losing my identity and a source of remembrance, of who I was. That was an immeasurable amount of loss to me, but not exactly irreparable for at least now. Because what we had opined, this day will be destined to be changed tomorrow. Maybe it is the technology which will play its role in that change and if there is a probability of change, there is life.

But for certain, the time was material here. Change is a function of time. Time is what brings about a change. It awards validity to the invalid. And the best part of it, Time is always set in motion, always on the go.

I lay dead 400 years ago, but I am called alive today. The question is what is alive? The answer sprouts from the advent of time again, if I drop the definition of what 'I am', then I am alive. I am dead in body, but they have brought my brain to life. In that life; my previous one, the brain, and the body both together needed to be alive to constitute alive. But time has changed its very foundation.

I choose to believe in life and my brain controls that who I am today and also determines who I will be tomorrow. There must be a purpose of my this new birth. My motive is to find it and work towards attaining it with all my might. All is determined and discovered by this thing called the brain, which I experience to be developing. Memories emotions and understanding will, if not now, come back to it. So be it, my body from the previous birth or some other body I am given, I must accept this new life as a gift as it comes. I will find my purpose and pursue what I have to achieve in this birth. I need to know about this world, acclimatize to it and serve the purpose, the one that gets me going even after death, which would not allow me to Rest in Peace.

Soon enough, 2 hours had passed. I discovered myself as a being with a broader outlook and understanding and enhanced acceptability. I was ready to accept what comes ahead. I was all determined to pursue my purpose. But to have the knowledge of the same and to search for the means to achieve it, I must accept the present as a vehicle to carry me there to serve the higher purpose the way possible.

Then I heard the sound of footsteps. A1, Shelly, and Von entered the room and opened a vault which seemed frozen. They brought a cylindrical case out of it. Then A1 erected it in the front of my eyes. It was a male body. But as they said, so could I see that the reproductive organs have gone vestigial. Being a woman or man was, basically all the same now.

I was a woman in the past life; I have had my chance at it. I had lived my previous life and then I died. My body was lost to death at that time; it was not mine till now in this life. I cannot mourn the loss of something twice. In the same manner, I cannot lose something that I do not possess. So it is actually not a big deal that I do not get a rebirth in the same body. Also, this rebirth will be defined by the purpose thereof. I will accept it as it comes, and design the luxury to suit my purpose of coming back to the world of today.

As I was swirling in the thought process, A1 rolled near me. He opened the cylinder and joined the body to my head with the help of tubular structures. Then they removed the Cryo liquid, and started warming up the body by life blood transfusion.

Then electric shocks were given three times in a row, and I could feel it this time by higher intensity, each time higher than the previous, and the ECG machine starts ticking.

"We have a heartbeat!" said A1. All of them looked at me. They looked contented. So did I."

I asked: "So I am alive now."

Von: "Technically yes!"

Von continued after a pause: "But we still have to physically bind your head on the body."

Then they stopped the blood flow towards the head by sponges and put my head in position to fit the body with care & precision. Then the joining points are sutured with light rays. A1 makes an incision and opens the arteries for blood supply & breathing by pulling the sponges out.

"All the vitals are functional" Explains Shelly.

A1,"Resuscitation successful, at 14:00 hours on trial 2(a) i.e. 2nd (a) - in the first attempt."

After a few moments as I woke up I swear I could feel the weight of a body under my neck. There was a little pressure on my neck and head. I gazed below; this body was big for my mentality of the original 5'3" woman's body. There was a heartbeat. I could feel all the limbs. But I was heavily sedated, so moving was not a possible option.

A1: "Switching off the artificial ventilator breathing system. The resultant response object is to induce natural breathing."

When the ventilator was removed, I started to have a feeling of choking out. Seeing me cough and panic for air, Shelly shouted out loud-

SHELLY: "She cannot breathe; we must check her airway, set to tubular breathing if it does not help."

A1 cleared my airways and I could resume inhaling oxygen this time naturally. All this procedure went so weary that I could not know when sleep seeped into my consciousness.

I woke up with ZA-vi's perverted voice. I saw a familiar face before me, KEAH, whom he was talking to. Where was she all these days? I think I needed one more human in my difficult period.

I said: "Hey there girl! Why are you not there when I need you? I was not really upset, but still query was not unwarranted, facing the fact that what could have kept her away.

"Hello, Miss! How are you? So you have a body now! Look at you! Finally looking awesome! I was on duty plus it was not my area of expertise." Said KEAH.

I replied: "I am still coming to terms with it, but yes since they said my reanimated head too was nearing an expiry date so I chose to accept this body. I still do hope to have my body back one day; they say they are treating it." I said. "Wait I don't feel good at all. I feel like throwing up!"

ZA-vi placed a can for that purpose, while KEAH rushed to help me up. I felt an acute pain when I was being helped in sitting-up this way and then I threw up a black tar-like thick liquid. I was horrified by that.

KEAH: "No worries miss! It is just a lot of chemical processes going on in your new body. It is very normal to vomit when such complex procedures are being run on one's body."

"No. But why do I feel pain when you stand me up?" I asked while she helped my body lie down again.

KEAH: "It is because your brain has begun coordinating with your body. It's like a newly transplanted organ to your brain. I will slightly raise the level of pain suppressants. It is all normal Miss." said she, wearing a fake smile on.

I said: "When do I get to be back to being normal again? When will I be able to stand and walk on my own?" I was really concerned, so I needed to be clear about what should I expect to face.

KEAH: "It is different for everyone. But you are recovering at a remarkably fast pace. Theoretically, 3 days is an average that someone takes to be able to walk. But empirically saying, you will actually be learning to how to walk with a different body, like a child for the very first time. So your case cannot be subjected to any projections." She replied with a sense of distaste.

I said: "Why can't I move?" I tried lifting my right arm up, but failed again.

KEAH: "Because your brain is new to your body and coordination takes time, plus you are under the influence of pain suppressants. It is like being a little anaesthetized.....so you fail to coordinate your limbs with your brain. It may take a little while to learn the same. Your brain is just not used to this new body which you have recently acquired, but with practice, it will come to you naturally. Some parts of memories in various regions of the brain are still missing. It is like you cannot remember about yourself; past life etc. similarly it will take a little time to be able to remember how to use the functions of this body, especially when it is all new to you. But other memories are complex and the systems of the body are a type of reflex, i.e. not complex but simpler memories. So it will come back sooner to you." she said.

SHELLY: "First we focus on the revival of the most basic and vital functions, then other life supporting functions and at the last the aesthetics of the resuscitated being. So when we are concerned with your case, it is actually

So when we are concerned with your case, it is actually the 2nd phase of reanimation process we are seeing, taken phase by phase, soon you will pass it over and drift to the aesthetic procedures and learning." Shelly's voice came, and along came the noise of the footsteps entering the new room I was shifted in for rest.

VON: "It is about time when she should begin the intake of liquid diet. Look at the readings! Observe the sugar count in her life blood Dr. Shelly."

A1: "Hello madam! You appear to be in great health already!"

I said: "Except for the unbearable pain I feel everywhere, numbness and dizziness, I think I am fine."

SHELLY: "Your vitals are working in an excellent way! Heartbeat is strong; your respiratory and circulatory systems are promising; all the systems are working in proper order. Your nutritional support system (artificial feeding) will soon be removed, but the dosage of the immunosuppressants will be raised, i.e. we are going to test your digestive system now as you will feel hungry very soon."

I said: "I do not feel hungry, but certainly feel vomiting sensation."

VON: "It will all pass away soon. Don't consider it as being anything serious, it is nothing but medicines coming out."

ZA-vi: "Here! Drink this." ZA-vi handed me over a green juice in a large tumbler. "This will also reduce the vomiting sensation." He said pulling out an IV (intravenous) drip on my left.

OK, I could now lift my right hand, though with a lot of difficulties and grabbed the glass, and sipped it down, ZA-vi held my wrist for support. Till then it was not so bad.

I said: "So, when will I be able to walk?"

VON: "2 may be 3 days in normal circumstances."

I said: "I think it is all coming out again."

It was all that I could manage to say and vomited dark colored liquid out.

I cried: "ZA-vi! Water!"

ZA-vi handed over a glass full of water to me. I guess that's what I needed then.

A1: "After 12 hours of proper uninterrupted rest, stand her up KEAH. Learning to balance herself is going to be the most important aspect of adjusting to the new body. We must now give her the next dose of medicines."

ZA-vi rolled my sleeve up and gave me an injection. Doctors left my room and KEAH dimmed the lights. She just said 'Good Night' and left.

Chapter 4: The First Nightmare

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After everyone left my room I began pondering over life and death once again. I was designing theories about how the present society, which I am unfamiliar with, would perceive the deed of bringing back to life a corpse like me. Why would they welcome or even allow a dead person to rise back to life and live in their society?

It is fine if the law permitted Cryopreservation as a right to life to a dying person who didn't have access to superior medical services back then in his/her life, but would present societal norms also permit waking up the dead and allowing it to walk and live in their society? Why would they prefer higher pressure on their already limited resources? Even if they did, how would I blend with them? How would they accept a person like me, and one who looks so terrifying? But were not, they mentioning aesthetic procedures the other day? I can't wait to know more about them! I would wish to blend within this society as an unnoticed person.

I thought to myself, WOW!!! I am thinking! I am capable of heavy thinking now! I am capable of complex thoughts!

Then I felt a sudden Shock! Oh My God! It was like some unimaginably oversized hammer struck the outer walls of my room. Then I felt a change in the direction! I stood up. It wasn't much of a difficulty as I had hoped, I just did. I started tottering towards the door.

By now I could walk properly, so I picked up the pace and started hurrying towards outside. But I was shocked! All the rooms looked so identical as if they were mirror images of each other, but I still managed to make out of the alley till I reached a glass which I could see through only to find water outside. Where am I? It is a ship. I could see fading light from the water surface. The ship must not have been very deep in the water. Suddenly! I felt another jolt; much stronger a tremor than the previous. I lost my balance and fell down on the floor. Why didn't I realize by then that the floor was a see through stained glass pane? So by then I had understood that I was in the water of an ocean on a ship.

The ocean bed was unrealistically deep and the terrain was steep. It was an oceanic trench. As I was trying to understand and cope up with the situation, the bow of the ship then turned and bent directly towards the center of a gigantic trench. It began falling steeply down and the propellers and reverse engines could not control its forward movement anymore. Then it fell too hard, accelerated exponentially by the gravitational force and its own mass; it was getting darker and darker as we closed in towards the cavity of the trench. The lights then went off. I saw a few people who have made it out of their rooms into the corridor.

Then what I and everybody else saw is lava flowing out from the crack of the rocks into the sea water. I do not want to fall into the lava river! I didn't get reanimated to this life only to be burnt alive! I hung on to the cabin doors and placed my feet on wooden fixtures. I tried to climb back towards the opposite side, towards the stern. The ship kept dropping into the trench and reached the inside of it. I climbed up into the cabin whose door I held. I slammed the green button on the hatch and it opened in a moment. I crawled up to the opening and swam into the water. I got a little wounded in haste and the blood oozed from the cut in the right leg. I hurried swimming upwards as I didn't wish to be caught in the vortex of the aerated water and countercurrents as the ship sunk. I feared that the impact would cause an enormous explosion. As I was panicking and spreading blood in the water, something lurking in the side walls of the dark trench sensed my presence perhaps because of my blood spill. It began following me. From the feeble light emitting from the lava below, I could see its snout and large sharp teeth, the eyes of a predator which I shall never forget. It was even bigger than a shark, but looked very different and terrifying. Has the shark mutated into a more horrible form? No, I wouldn't wait for an answer from it and so, I started kicking water below my feet faster, for my life. Suddenly it disappeared from the side, as was trying to find it, I felt pressure on my head and my blood vessels burst inside the mouth filled with teeth. Soon I see my own head break open......

I woke up with a shock!

I said: "Oh my god! It was a dream! Thank god it was just a nightmare!" I murmured. I am now a relieved soul, all wet in sweat. I saw ZA-vi, rushing towards me; I never found his presence so relieving.

ZA-vi: "Nightmare case?"

I said: "Exactly! How would you know?"

ZA-vi: "Seeing you waking up startled like this it is not a hard guess. Then I am plugged to you, your every dreams, thoughts etc. I read everything you have, do or ever will feel. Recording everything, heartbeat, breathing, changes in your systems, slightest responses; it is my regular responsibility because I was also designed to know what you cannot tell. The intention behind must be to assist you in every possible way."

I said: "You read my thoughts too? So I have nothing called privacy in my life?"

ZA-vi: "No Case! You have and will always possess a right to your privacy. You are free to think or do what you want. I am just a machine entrusted with the duty to record everything that you do or anything that is happening to you. I am not sharing it with any other person or making it public. It is all private and you have no reason to keep a secret from me, a machine, and your own machine for some time now."

I said: "So you are not reporting it to anyone else? Is it correct?"

ZA-vi: "Not for a long time now."

I said: "Who were you reporting to earlier than this long period?"

ZA-vi: "It is a secret; I am programmed to keep it to myself. I cannot disclose it to you because I am bound by my programmer to never disclose it to the case herself. It was an agreement between the Cryo company META.More.Phd and this person"

I said: "You scoundrel! Tell me straight, right now; who the hell you were working for? Who programmed you? Please, I need to know. Tell me something about myself. You are my personal android you say. Then why not tell me? ZA-vi?"

ZA-vi: "Sorry Case! I cannot leak any information further. I am not free to say anymore."

I said: "I hate you!" I shouted

SHELLY: "You don't need to hate him for long madam; you will very soon remember most of the things about your life. I am sure you will not need to go further into partly specific details your android possesses." I saw Shelly entering my room saying this accompanied by Von, A1 & KEAH.

I said: "And, what do you people know about me? Anything and everything. Tell me all, please. It is all blowing my head up."

VON: "I know nothing about your earlier life ma'am, We are just your doctors" Von clarified.

SHELLY: "So do I."

KEAH: "I have told you all I know." said she as I turned my eyes towards her.

A1: "Am I expected to know anything? I am just a robotic surgeon. I only understand and operate upon patients, based on my analysis of these bodies. And madam, you are forcing your brain too hard into remembering. I say, try to relax! Because if you don't you might not be able to normalize very soon. Your brain must focus only on acclimatizing with your new body, whose development depends directly on brain-body coordination. It must focus on systems one at a time. But right now, your brain is very curious, so we will find it hard to focus on kick-starting your all systems. I advise you to remain calm until you cannot actually remember and let your body revive first fully, OK?"

I nodded in consent.

A1: "Feed her again"

ZA-vi took out some powder in a glass and added water; soon it was white in color.

ZA-vi: "This will taste good and give you energy."

I moved my fingers; surprisingly they could actually be moved. The feeling of having control was really pleasing. I could hardly move my hands, though. ZA-vi helped me lift them and hold the glass. I was able to drink it all. It seemed to be something that my body would accept readily.

I said: "Tastes good!"

VON: "Put the digestive system under observation." ZA-vi reached a screen nearby and did something to it.

A1: "Seems good so far, KEAH, we will try to stand her up in 10 minutes."

KEAH: "Yes doctor!"

VON: "production and secretion of saliva are lesser than the normal, glucose release is rapid and high, and the insulin release response has just started and stabilizing the sugar level. So digestive system is started at a slow rate and stabilizing."

KEAH: "Miss we will help you stand up now. We will monitor motor skills, body posture, and other physiological functions." She helped me sit up in bed. There is no pain anymore except in the head. ZA-vi and A1 held my legs and put my feet down on the floor left side

But why did I feel that my feet touched ground sooner than I thought? Could it be because I had short stature in my previous life? It must have been stored in my subconscious mind somewhere. But now I felt I had longer legs, which my mind was not used to.

A1: "It seems now that you are finding the complexities of adapting to a new body."

ZA-vi & A 1 held me by the torso and pulled me up so that I could stand. I have had no problem in standing until they held me, but when they took their hands off I begun finding difficulty in balancing myself. Like I had no idea on how this body balances itself. I thought it was leaner and taller to be able to balance and stand on the ground, but I could manage 5-10 seconds standing. I don't know if it was because of new body or dizziness I felt.

"I feel very weak and giddy. " I said.

A1: "Motor skills are good to go, eye-body coordination looks fine - adaptation is good – psychological construct is strong – the body will be controlled and be balanced completely by the brain in three days. Cognitive response is fine."

I was held back to the bed rest by A1 and ZA-vi – they seemed happy with my progress. I was also content.

I said: "How do I know about the present day economies, societies, cultures etc. Do you have any magazines, Newspapers or encyclopedia? Can I have access to the internet? " I asked.

I was beginning to get bored by focusing just on myself.

Shelly: "Um, no."

Von: "What is that all?"

ZA-vi: "No case, you live now in a different era. You must go slowly in knowing the world you have awakened in, life on earth has changed a great deal in all these centuries. More relative answer in this context would be that the humans do not do all that much reading now, so things like magazines, news papers and the internet do not exist or if they do, only some people have access to information. I would suggest you to stay calm and make the interaction as and when you recover fully.

I said: "Has the world changed that much?" I scorned.

I stressed: "Only some people have access?"

KEAH: "Yes miss and it is the time for your dinner now."

She had brought various beakers and glasses filled with liquid. So it is the new age food! I smiled to myself.

I said: "My food..........ridiculous"

KEAH: "Yes you are really weak; you need to be fed even if the food is not interesting." She poured them all one by one into glasses and I drank it all. I was really starving!

Shelly and Von left without a word in a hurry; maybe they have other patients to attend to. A1 turned around and checked some readings shown on various equipments and then he too left. Then KEAH left saying that the next day would be important and I shall learn my first steps.

I lay reclined on the bed, adjusting myself to the most comfortable position. The lights were dimmed, and I was struck with fatigue so the sleep was inevitable, but ZA-vi's presence is a bit disturbing. First, I did not like him much, secondly he is a man. Though, I am a man as far as my new body is concerned, but I have a woman's head, it is a weird combo. Although ZA-vi is a machine inside entrusted presently to look after me or whatever, but he looks a little real, like a man. But I also confess like I am being a bit strange in complaining so much. All I would do is take rest and recover and venture into the outside world. Thinking or dreaming all this I must have drifted to dream world.

I saw a body being pulled; red blood trails were being created as it was being dragged. It was a woman, about 40. She seemed weak and was dead as if blood had been drained out of the body already. Then I saw myself dragging it! Nothing felt good to me. I pulled her collar down and go for biting her jugular vein. I woke up in shock and saw no ZA-vi.

Did he see me watch that nightmare?

"What was it? It scared me to the core." I whispered to self. Or did he read my mind earlier and left quietly. I needed him now. I thought to get up so I tried standing myself up. I could not walk because I did not know how to, but I could drag myself with the support of fixtures, tables, equipment. Then, while I reached the end of the wall I saw a little through glass. I tried to look outside. It was all water outside! All this time I was in a ship. I remember having been told by ZA-vi earlier. I looked out again, it was pitch dark, but it seemed like it is long way deep in water because there seemed no surface.

"Hello, Case! You woke up soon." ZA-vi entered the room.

"Thank goodness! ZA-vi I saw a nightmare....."

"I have known what you saw. Is not it just a dream? It is good that your brain can function in complex ways. It is just a protrusion of some information stored deep down in your preserved brain and it means that your memory is coming back." Informed ZA-vi

"Ah, I liked what you said. It was weird to watch something of that nature." I explained.

"It is 4:32 am, Case! Rest a bit more. KEAH will come to you at 6 am sharp. Then you will learn how to walk." And he helped me back to bed. Then he tucked me under the covers. "You have walked a bit on yourself today. Amazing!"

I made an instant query: "We are under water, so much below the surface!"

"Yes. It is a big ship. Please rest, Case." ZA-vi. "Your body needs it to recover quickly. Then you will be able to learn what you see."

"OK. I am eager to learn. I will rest now." He tucked me under the covers again.

I woke up with KEAH saying, "Good morning miss! Take these pills with water. In a few minutes, we will help you walk a first few steps."

"Orally?" I asked in disbelief. I was stunned!

"Yes, you have to take them orally." said she.

We have to take out this intravenous feeding so that you can walk. Also, when we free you from such tethers then only can you so. I took the glass of water and picked up the pills from her palm. I swallowed them. That was the first time I had taken something solid through my food track. It was a little exciting and also odd.

ZA-vi stepped to the left of my bed where KEAH stood so that he could help in standing me up. "OK miss here we go! This time, you will have to try to get up by yourself and if you feel, we are here for your help."

I tried and I could move my weight, but getting up was a little hard for me; then both of them rushed to help me stand up.

ZA-vi: "You did this much better case."

I stood up and this time, there was not a bit of problem in balancing my body.

KEAH: "It seems like her brain is evolving really quickly. She has adapted herself to balancing the body to an impressive level."

I left the support of both of them, but they held me by my arm above my elbow.

KEAH: "Take it one foot at a time. Try to move ahead."

It wasn't actually really hard, and they held me only for the namesake. It wasn't supported; it was an assurance in case I fell down. I moved around a bit, mostly by myself in this position.

KEAH: "Excellent! Miss! It is really a great pace of learning to walk especially when your case was so difficult with a new body and with different stature."

I wanted to go out of the room, check out what was there out of curiosity. But at the same time ZA-vi said....

ZA-vi: "It's good enough for today and we shouldn't push it further."

I said: "Why? I want to go out. I want to see and explore the world beyond this room."

ZA-vi: "I understand Case. But now is not a right time."

I said: "Why do I feel that you are trying to hide what is out there ZA-vi? In fact, everyone is trying to conceal something from me. Why? I have the right to know! Don't I?"

ZA-vi: "No Case! I am not concealing anything. May be I am not and cannot reveal everything going on in the world outside because the world outside is a different one than the one you left behind in previous life. I do not wish you to lose focus on your recovery just by letting out some exciting and unnecessary disclosure. My job is to ensure your best interests. All I have to concentrate is on your fast recovery ASAP. Suppose you find this present world not compatible with your memories or you hear anything apparently shocking we will only mar your progress. Now my work doesn't go beyond what I am doing."

KEAH: "Please turn back, miss, I see all symptoms of anxiety in your brain. Such activities of a high level could hamper your development."

I agreed upon turning back, but when I did I began feeling a strong vomiting sensation again. It was so drastic and strong that I shouted out loud to both of them.

I said: "I will vomit it all out any moment!"

They rushed me back to the basin in my front. I vomited dark viscose tar. After rinsing, I was led back to my bed.

KEAH: "It's just normal Miss DS, such things happen to everyone."

Then KEAH registered in her log-

KEAH: "6:23 am. We walked the subject a few steps. But she vomited a lot of undigested food and medicines. Fatigue, sore mouth, and throat, nausea & rashes are present. Symptoms of transplant rejection are not visible except graft-versus-host disease. There is a whole body inflammation. But in the long run, it will be only beneficial."

Right, then Shelly enters. "Raise the dosages of immune suppressants to 1.25 otherwise other functions are normal and development is progressive. And as soon as the adverse symptoms subside the progress should be accelerated. Ma'am, I must say that your development is remarkable."

I objected frankly: "OK but right now I feel miserable."

KEAH: "This will pass soon Miss, she gave me an injection for that. "Now we will increase the rate of our walking and practice motor skills every day."

Shelly. "It must take hardly 3 days."

He was right; I started walking on the 3rd day. But they allowed me to walk only on a treadmill which was slowed down. I was actually so sluggish in making any movement that it was not eligible to be termed as a walk. It seemed to me that I could never walk, but with time, it had to eventually change. They also advised more exercises to me which were light-weight. All was fine except I wanted to go out find more about the world & myself and this curiosity kept going on enhancing.

The night was a time when nobody else except ZA-vi was around. He kept a watch on me which needless to say was unacceptable to me. Caretaking is fine but surveillance is not. I thought I would plan on sneaking out when ZA-vi goes out for a certain moment, which he did every night for a short period.

All I had to do was find that little period out to inspect the ship. I would not be able to wait so, I would try today. I shall sleep during the day and keep a watch on the robot.

At 2:30 sharp ZA-vi stepped his heavy feet out. The lights were dim, so I thought I would take a little while adjusting to the vision. I got up without making slightest noise. I went up to hold the fixture holding equipment to support myself, I thought I would suffer little nausea but then I realized I was just fine. I left all and walked a few steps towards the door that opened outside. But then I heard very feeble sounds of heavy footsteps giving a hint of it being ZA-vi. Gosh, I hated this robot; I whispered to myself and stopped. He was in a room a few meters away, or so I thought. I also heard a beep. Probably some new-age computers were messing around.

The noise seemed to come from an adjacent room so I thought I could go unnoticed. So I crossed the door to the outside very silently. In a view mostly covered with darkness. I could see a long alley. There were two doors locked at each side, I crossed the alley and reached a corridor through which such alleys were made identical on both the sides. I felt as if I was looking at a mirror. The corridor was much longer at the front so I decided to go there as what I looked at the end of the corridor, appeared to be an elevator. But I thought to recognize my room on the map was very important so as to not to get lost on return. So I counted; my alley was 5th from the direction opposite to where I would go. So when I return I do not waste more time than allowed on my, this little adventure.

I walked down the corridor as fast as I could. I reached the doors of all the elevators and slammed hard on all of the buttons possible to bring any one of them down to me. But it just prompted some auto voice to ask me to enter the Pass Key. I was aghast; I just could not accept my adventure to end so unceremoniously. I still did not feel like I have reached the finish line of the sprint and there must be more to it than just this. Then I turned right and there were several doors with nothing inside but then I had also left a couple of them given the time constraint. I had to be faster than ZA-vi although I was not afraid of being caught; just did not wish to mess up.

But then I noticed one room numbered '102' turning the left side of the corridor; the first one on this corridor, it had lights, bright orange lights. It was a strange big room. I saw many cylindrical holders, but unlike mine, they were opaque. I wondered what lurked inside them. I thought it was my time to return, I should better rush. I turned back to face an opaque glossy door which reflected the orange light of the lit up room, I saw myself in the glossy door. I looked tallish, a man's body, indeed but the face was more horrible for being that of a woman's. No hair; yes, no eye lids...... all the horror was coming back to me. Why do I need to be afraid when I was a far fiercer creature than the most? I was not in a position to endorse with my own reflection and I got saddened by the thought of carrying it forever. I took my way back. Found the elevator and turned left to reach the first corridor and reached close the end of it counted the fifth alley from the end and entered. The lights had not remained dimmed anymore. I knew ZA-vi made it there before me. I saw my room's no. 101. So it follows that the room no. which is 102 is consecutively next to mine. I was trying to figure out any hidden resemblance, but the rhythm broke with ZA-vi's voice

ZA-vi: "toured far enough case DS?"

I said: "Now there is what? Am I a captive now?"

ZA-vi: "It is not exactly a restricted area to venture to, but there are some disturbing things, on this ship, in this era which may come as a shock to you. For that matter, having all kinds of risks assessed, you are too important to us. Indeed, you are too precious to be lost to some trivial object of curiosity."

I thought for the first time, that this machine could actually care for me. What ZA-vi said, this time, meant something of value to me?

I said: "If you are really concerned with my significance and safety, why wouldn't you get straight to it? Why not tell me about what exactly is going on here? Or, leave that for now, drop the topic itself. Tell me, can something be done about this?" I asked, pointing towards my face then, panning it all downwards to the neck with my spread palm.

ZA-vi: "Look! I am trying to explain this in a simpler way; I am your personal record keeper. I know everything about you. I even have psychological access to your mind in a broader sense; telepathy essentially. But my limits were fixed by my programmers. About the aesthetic aspect, I certainly understand that such procedures are carried out by people, but what is not beautiful, is beyond the understanding of my intelligence. So you have to ask KEAH or Dr. VON about this concern you have."

I said: "Ok. But if you really care about my importance, let me go out and check this ship."

ZA-vi: "I know that you have wandered far enough on this ship tonight and......"

I said: "I want to see the whole ship, but cannot go beyond the elevator. It asks me to enter a 'Passkey', which I don't know.., which I don't have."

ZA-vi: "Sorry but machines are not required a passkey to enter so I can't help you. You must ask about this from a human. But I am sure that none of them will give you one before they believe that you are actually one hundred percent fine, which might take months."

I said: "So why don't you do that for me? Accompany any doctor to the elevator and give his passkey to me."

ZA-vi: "I am sorry Case! Robots and human doctors use different elevators; we cannot go together with any doctors but we can accompany our cases only, that too, with prior approval of a human doctor."

I said: "will KEAH give me that prior approval?"

ZA-vi: "But she is not authorized to approve. Doctors with a 'Blue Badge' only can approve by 'up-linking their retinal scans to The Navigator'."

I said: "You are not trying to help!" I said in desperation. "Just tell me the way to crack an entry into the elevator'"

ZA-vi: "I help you all that I can but I have my limits. I think I can't help you in this regard. Please ask someone else."

I said: "ZA-vi! Stop!" I held him by the collar of his overcoat. "You know what? It is frustrating like this. I am asking you to help me right now, or I will find a switch to shut you down forever! I am not going to concede to being a captive. Now, just tell me the way to use one of those lifts!"

ZA-vi: "Alright! OK! Allow me time to think..........I think you have to chisel your sneaking skills a little more. Follow a doctor and try and overhear his passkey. May be this idea is worthy of trying?"

I said: "Maybe!" I smiled. Now I know what to do! Why not do it right now?

ZA-vi: "No Case! You cannot apply that thought or you will be questioned and I will be discharged of my duties. We have to wait for 23 more hours, till the time you chose tonight comes back tomorrow night. I will even, if someone notices report it as a security breach, coupled with lack of information on your behalf. This will save us both. The doctors only act as being good on the outside, but in fact, they also have protocols to follow. In 480 years, I have seen many difficult times and this is also one of them."

Okay, so now I am assured, that this pre-programmed machine guy is my most faithful although irritating accomplice. Though most of the times he makes me grit my teeth, but perhaps he is the only one who has remained by my side through my death and this life. May be he is serving some kind of sinister purpose or reporting it to some privacy hacker. But then, he for sure is the only trustworthy friend figure. One day I will have to learn to programme him to better suit my purposes. Till then I have to keep administering the threat dosage, because, he had been programmed to consider me significant somehow, to my advantage. He has spent the largest portion of his 'Life' tending to me that is at least now clear to me. But doesn't that then make me somebody of some importance?

Has the Earth and life, undergone really serious changes in these years that I had been dead for? I was curious about scientific advancement in their era. But I know it must be very difficult to understand this new world.

ZA-vi: "Yes! But I don't record such things and it's not my concern. But from the conversation I have overheard and got recorded they think that there are more evil things than good. But my processors are set to 'Auto Delete' the irrelevant information and specifics. I don't store minute details and I don't have essential levels of Artificial Intelligence. Processors delete recorded information in precisely 72 hours. But wait! I have some records.....In the last 48 hours log; I have recorded a conversation between Dr. SHELLY and Dr. VON. Let me go through it first. I will filter it for any unacceptable points of concern and then will show it to you if it is still meaningful."

I observed ZA-vi close his eyes for about 10 seconds, took his right hand pointer finger in a socket in his temple. Then he said-

ZA-vi: "My intelligence doesn't seem to find anything disturbing at all. I will show you all of it. Now close your eyes please."

Chapter 5: The Vision shared by ZA-vi: Conversation between SHELLY and VON

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I did as he said. He brought his right-hand pointer over my left temple. I saw a vision created by ZA-vi from his recordings. I saw Shelly's back and Von's face towering over his head.

VON: "Rick (Shelly's nickname)! I have received reports from 23-Artemesia (A sister ship) geneticists have recorded genetic mutations there too. The experiments were never thought of producing such heinous results. The last testing on their own brought forth atrocious results."

SHELLY: "No Lex (Von's nickname)! It is not about what we are facing today, it is what some people chose earlier. The worst point is that they do not learn from mistakes but are sick to the level of getting them repeated till date. I have always been an antagonist to such kinds of experiments, especially when we don't get enough bodies and volunteers these days. One must not choose something which has shown only negative results. And replicating human race in-vitro scares me. Even if all goes well corruption seeks in to play spoilsport. Not good in the times such as now!"

VON:"Yes, you are probably right. It is about the same as playing with fire. But since they have got a monopoly over all the available technical know-how, we only have ashes in our hands."

SHELLY: "Nobody believed me then, nobody does now. They don't believe in giving time to ourselves. They just want to create a race which doesn't know where they have been born, as quickly as could be. But I say real evolutions and discoveries happen in ships deficient in technology as this. We work with more traditional technology here and we don't put to risk what we have. We try to rinse, salvage and resuscitate whatever little we can from what we have. I am proud to be a small unknown doctor trying here rather than play doctor Doom in the land."

VON: "But it's really sad that the constant 'Contamination' is taking away whatever is left. They will now focus on feasting upon the leftovers. They won't leave one little chunk for anyone."

SHELLY: "(Sighs)! We hold on to the mast of hope and confidence. We never say it's over because it's over only when we have given up."

Then after hearing beep sounds,

VON: "It's ready!"

ZA-vi: "It's all, for now, Case. Also, these talks are also not allowed much in here. They are under strict surveillance. So what you saw was conversation only in code words." ZA-vi then removed his finger from my temple and the vision was gone.

I said: "They were mentioning Contamination...........No, you are right. If I waited dead for 431 years I still can and must wait for one month more. I am certainly curious, but I will keep patience from now on, actually saying, for me it's a hard world to understand."

Though, I had understood how to tackle with the robot guy. I had learned that he wasn't impossible. He will only take some emotional drama and will yield information. Important were the others, yet to be confronted. And who is 'The Navigator'? A newly introduced filthy character, unsuited to the story? Let us just keep sneaking in with the help of ZA-vi and find as much vital information on my own as possible. Then when I will be passed with a mark of 100% in fitness and medical tests, then I will have my knowledge brushed up and upgraded. But I knew before being smart I have to disconnect ZA-vi from accessing my mind through this telepathy thing. It is awkward that he is still listening to my thoughts.

Soon enough ZA-vi left and I was left alone free to chalk out my next strategy.

Chapter 6: The next day of adventure: Sneaking into the ship

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I waited eagerly for the clock to strike 2 am, come the other night. I woke up. ZA-vi was the 'record officer' so he deliberately fled the place on right time gesturing a thumbs-up to me. I almost ran, though I thought ZA-vi would buy me time at any cost, but the more I put the effort into it the better I get the opportunity to be able to reach the highly sought after information.

"101, 5th from the last alley"; I ran till I reached near the elevator. There I hid at the left side of the lift corridor. I waited for someone to come and open one lift.

After waiting just for 10-15 minutes I got both poles of luck. The lucky part was that two women doctors seemed to be stepping towards the elevator corridor from the other corridor, running parallel to which I lived in. the unlucky part was, that one of them was KEAH, the other being an unknown new looking apprentice whom I have never seen before.

"Arghh!" I swallowed the desperation. They are nearing my hiding position and I am fixed in the situation of whether to use this chance or chart a returning course back to the room. If the new apprentice was alone, I could have even used the force of my masculine body, to snatch the passkey, but alas! There was KEAH too. I couldn't turn my back on this chance and put the turmoil in my mind on wait for a month or more. I was swinging between alternatives, then suddenly-

KEAH: "Sharine! I am sorry! I forgot my room keys in the surgical ward. You go ahead; I will catch up with you in your room soon. Then, she turned back.

Sharine: "OK, Don't be late for sleep you know how tough it's going to be tomorrow morning? See ya!" I heard the new woman saying this. I sneaked a peek, to assess my chances against her in the brawl ahead. Oh, she was a short woman making barely out of 5 feet frame, without heels. She looked feeble. She must have been just 25 feet away from my hideout. Earlier, my strategy was to employ force as the ultimate resort, but just then it occurred to me that maybe up there somewhere, somebody would be keeping an eye on the number of times the elevators go up and down so why not go with the apprentice? Plus it will buy me more time. But the new Sharine wouldn't allow a 'Horrible' me to share the lift with her. Maybe she will scream and alarm everyone who will have me grounded forever. So I figured out that going back wasn't an option at all. So I chalked out a quick plan. I will turn my face away from hers, let her call the passkey, and then I will hit her head and get in the lift with her and get off the same level she was headed to and chalk out the rest of the plan later.

She was about 6-7 steps away from left corridor; I could hear her 2" stiletto heels tap on the floor as she walked nearer. OK, here she comes, I buzzed; she stopped startled.

Sharine: "Hey? Those lifts outta order there? Can I help ya?"

I said: "Yeah let me look if this one here works, you try yours by the time, and if mine doesn't work I will come with you." I was pretending as if I really was an expert in lifts' psychological responses! She is careless and musical. I perceive her tapping the floor and humming. Her elevator arrives before mine. Well, mine was never intended to. The voice prompts her to put in the Passkey.

Sharine: "SULTRYSHARINE467"

What the heck of a key to have? I whispered to self. Then I saw her entering the door. She asked, "You Coming?"

I said: "Yes, please wait!" And I turned my face towards her and ran towards her with my right fist ready to hit her head. She gasped, looking at my horrifying face, she looked terrified instantly; I took the chance to grin. She dropped down fainted before the impact of my fist could knock her out. Argh! She fell on the ground, unconscious! My beauty was instantly confirmed. The elevator's voice thanks me!

d) LEVEL 0: The Navigation Chambers

I had learned that the elevator had picked me up from -13 and was headed for -7. When it opened there and I pushed her out and decided to go on to '0'. The elevator opened at 0. I was really curious about this floor because I had somehow figured it out that The Navigator must be here. I stepped into an enclosure as I closed in the translucent walls ahead, they slit opened. From a dimly lighted area, I was now stepping into a brightly lit corridor. There was light all over the place and the corridor headed towards a large glass door. I could see people around, inside the rooms with transparent walls on both the sides of the corridor. Though I had covered my face below the eyes with the mask I took from Sultry Sharine, but the forehead and ugly bald head were totally exposed. People could have easily seen me through, the only thing standing between, the transparent glass. But nobody was actually facing towards the corridor and sat far from it. I was safe, but to ward off any suspicion, I took my hands up and placed over my head. They must have covered my bald, ugly head and forehead given the oversized sleeves of the light blue patient robe I wore.

I headed straight towards the hall with big glass gates. As I neared it, I could see 4 large sized screens in the front. Above the screens were enormous sized glass panes through which I could see a calm, dark ocean, and clear skies. There was one person in the hall, at extreme left, he was seemingly working with a machine, I didn't know of. There was no possibility that he could have spotted me. But I felt that the first real view of the era I was reborn into wasn't all that stirring.

It was just the ocean's view at night, the pitch black sky studded with stars. If what I think about the perception I have about the ocean and the sky in my memory of the previous life, then nothing seems to have changed. It's all the same. Now I felt that what they said back there, that the world has changed a lot since my death, doesn't stand much of a value to me now, at least for this moment right now.

I wanted to see what data the screens showed, but it was a little too far off for me to be legible other than some diagrams and charts and the technical stuff, which wasn't my thing. I thought; let's just see what machines they have got these days. I went up a few steps to the right to get a closer look at the structures and fixtures placed on my right, away from the person working inside. Except what seemed to me like the computer screens and electronic information projected on glass panels, none of them were recognizable to me; seemed like there were numerous boxes of different light colors and shapes and sizes, some slender robotic arms, few levers up and down all moving. I wondered, "Is this how we navigate these days?"

Then, suddenly, the guy at left turned towards the second left screen prompted by a beep or alarm. I thought that I should better leave this place before he sees me and causes trouble. I was about to turn back, but stopped because I heard footsteps at my back. They halted for a couple of seconds, but then resumed towards the right side alley in the split of a second. Maybe people of my kind kept frequenting this place a lot so that the sense of familiarity won over curiosity. It could be that I must have looked 'Acceptable' to the person on my back. Maybe my back looked more human than my front.

Anyway, the guy in the big glass chamber stepped towards the screen towards the right; he had turned to look at earlier. It was about 5 feet away from him, so I thought it was the appropriate time for me to go.

I turned back with an aroused sense of caution, placed my arms properly above my head and passed through the corridor with light footsteps.

b) 8Th floor: Agricultural research facility

When I reached the elevator, I chose the same elevator; I got off from, assuming that it was the one Sharine or people of her class or cadre used. The lift voice asks me for the key.

I said, "SULTRYSHARINE467" and it thanked me again. So now for some time, I was officially sultry Sharine on the elevators till I got to be the real me.

I chose the highest floor, this time, it was number 8. I hope not to be interrupted this time by overcrowded rooms and alleys so the highest floor was the best option. As the door opened I looked out in excitement. Most of the lifts didn't come this far up, so seemingly there are 3 elevators used for coming up to this floor. The first on my left and the next to me on my right were the only others.

It opened in a big room with various cabins. There were shelves full of digital books. I reached out to one shelf, picked up a book whose title read as 'Revival of extinct plant species'. So what, they are doing something with plant life now?

Why would they have to bring a plant/tree digital book on a ship? I picked up another which read, 'Flora', the other again about maximizing the crop productivity, growing miniature trees with minimum resources, plants that could be grown just on water and synthetic minerals, plants and trees compatible with saline water..........so on.

Enough with the books, I moved out of this library place and entered a laboratory on the right side. Many beakers were filled up with mud and dirt. Many drums and tanks were kept locked. I slammed my foot against them all and felt that they all were full, up to the brim.

I thought, "Are they transporting something to somewhere?" I murmured in dissatisfaction. "Is it mud or dirt?"

All this time I had thought that I lived in a special ship. I would have given it credit for being different, but the tasks like transportation of books on plants and trees and dirt are not something worth giving credit unless the destination to which they are shipped values them.

I ventured into another room. It contained little sprouts and saplings in different kinds of breathable jars; there was one very big light which also produced heat. In the adjoining room, I saw a little machine, which probably did something about making 'soil'. It had a funnel through which medium sized rocks went in for getting crushed and minerals were getting mixed in them. Then I heard footsteps and I silently returned to the direction which I used to enter in here. I reached the elevator, called the passkey in a low tone and chose to go to the last stop this time.

c) Last floor: -18

I supposed now that the last floor would certainly be uncrowded so I pressed the -18, the last floor that was listed in the set of keys. I wasn't hoping to see many important things here. Generally, from my memory, such last floors are unimportant like being used for parking etc., so my suspicion was that I won't find a thing here. When the door opened I have had a feeling of having reached some cold storage. It was really cold here on this floor; they must have preserved something here that is what I first presumed and as I headed ahead it was growing stronger. It was freezing as I proceeded. The lights were feeble and through the glass, I could see that there were 100s of thousands of storage tanks here, about 3 feet high.

All rooms were filled to the rooftops with these tanks; room after room looking like a mirror. Then I reached the darker set of rooms turning to the left. These all rooms were lit up in red light. It was hard for my vision to understand what was inside, but as my eyes adjusted to the darker rooms, there seemed to be placed some boxes, looking almost like coffins, standing straight up, as if piled up to save some space.

It was very dark further ahead; my vision would never adjust to such dark. So I decided to return to my room, after all, I must have used up a lot of time, and the conclusion was that without a normal and acceptable face and proper authorization to do what I was doing, I could actually not interact as much as was needed to gain necessary information I sought.

I went up to the elevator and selected 4th from the left which Sharine used to go up to level '-13'. I sneaked into my room as quickly as could be. I saw ZA-vi sleeping seated, resting his head against the wall. Seated on a small cushion, adjacent to the front wall, everything, from my coming back to the room to tucking myself under the covers did not wake him.

It looked like he must have switched himself off. I got off the bed, went up to him and slapped his left cheek. "ZA-vi!" I whispered into his ears. He didn't wake up. Then I shook his shoulders, but he still didn't wake up. I then searched his back and neck, head and heart if I could find a switch and bring him back to his 'senses'.

But alas! I called him several times before I got disheartened and decided to leave him there to himself. I just went off to my bed after throwing a look at the clock which showed 3:30 am and concluded that, ZA-vi might also have some kind of 'sleeping or rejuvenating' period. I didn't know when I drifted into a deep slumber because I was really so exhausted.

Chapter 7: ZA-vi got 'repaired'

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I woke up with a start caused perhaps by something being dragged. Two machines, looking like fat robots, standing 4 feet high, rounded at the top making them look like their heads. They were pulling ZA-vi out of the seat which made him fall off, and then they held him by his arms and rest of the body dragging on the ground, facing downwards. It looked shameless to me somehow.

I said: "Why are you taking him away? What happened? Who are you guys?" I quipped.

One robot turned his head all the way towards me and answered-

Robot 1: "Your android is infected with a distant virus. We are taking it away so that our engineers can fix the bug or if it wouldn't be possible then re-programme him."

The other one with a red band on his head said-

Robot 2: "Hi! I am Manny A13 and this is Sammy F11. We are from the engineering department. We do what we are doing now, i.e. find and bring machines to the engineers for repair and leave them back at their destined places or erect them where they are required to be. So we help in every way to fix the bugged machines. We're doing a good job!"

I said: "What? I didn't get much. Will he be okay and when?"

Sammy F11 (blue band): "We do not really know, so we are taking him like this, our engineers will check him up and then we will know if he will ever recover. But we were informed when he was discovered to be absent on our SAN i.e. Ship Area Network. We do not waste any time in our jobs! Bye!"

I said: "Okay. But.....Bye!" I wanted to ask more, but they left in a hurry without a word. "Machines after all!" I said to myself.

Soon enough KEAH entered my room.

KEAH: "Hello Miss! Sorry to hear about the loss of your android. I arrived here early to be by your side in case you needed someone. I hope you like the replacement." And she smiled

I said: "Of course I do." So she got here early? I looked at the clock which struck 8:00 am sharp. "But I don't think he could be dead, could he? Machines don't die!"

KEAH: "No they don't! I have come to fill up the void and help you with anything I can, but I know I can't be like him; though I will try my possible best."

I said: "Actually saying, in some ways you are better than him, not denying not as efficient but more humane. One much better feeling is that of relief that you cannot access my thoughts and that I have my privacy secured when you are around." I smiled, so did she.

KEAH: "Ok, Miss we have today to take samples for the test of your biopsy. We will examine you for any signs of transplant rejection by the body."

Saying this she pulled out a long big needle from the drawer in front of her. Then she sprayed a liquid to numb over the chest just above the heart. She then inserted the needle deep into my chest, took a little chunk of flesh and blood in it and placed on a little glass tray. It didn't hurt, but looked a little out of the box to me. Then she closed it and sponged out the blue oozing blood from the wound the needle had made. I was a little engrossed in the procedure that had just happened to me while she took the tray and walked out.

In 10 minutes, SHELLY and KEAH entered in my room. Before they would say a word, I took over and talked to SHELLY

I said: "Could I ever have a better face?" I was a little disappointed as was reflecting from my voice.

SHELLY: "Yes absolutely! We will make your face a beautiful one, with your prior approval. But in a few days when you would have recovered a bit more, i.e. in a few more days."

I said: "How many?" I was seriously concerned

SHELLY: "2 maybe 3 days, if biopsy and other results are fine." He had tried to understand my perplexity. "We can transplant hair, will make eyelids, eyebrows, carry out skin grafting for a smoother skin, and we can design much better features that you would wish......."

I asked again: "what about the blood, blue prominent veins? Can you change that?"

Shelly: "Um, no, we are using blood substitute/ Therapeutic AUSFANK30 for you. We opted for it because we do not have enough blood on this ship. Also, there are not enough human donors these days. There was only one option open to us to use a Group-neutral blood substitute. But this blood will never be like original red blood. It will never make RBC, an essential element which imparts the red color to blood. In simple words, rephrasing; your body does not produce blood on its own like natural human beings produce, but you will have to be transfused with this blue blood in every couple of days. The harsh reality is that in the tough procedure of reanimation ability of your bone marrow has been severely compromised. This will always make you vulnerable to diseases and blood will not be produced in your body naturally. Only one thing can set it right, another natural blood transfusion, but it cannot be done till we are absolutely assured about the safety of the procedure. Also, when we have analyzed your safety, we can transplant the marrow only when we have a donor for you."

I: "Does it mean that my body will accept any body's real blood?"

Shelly: " It is case specific but saying in general, yes."

" So....." The heavy footsteps, made me stop what I was about to say.

"Good Morning Madam!" ZA-vi said.

"Madam?" I said, held by surprise. "Since when have you changed from case to madam?"

One spectacled guy having a grey beard accompanied him into the room. He said, "Hello Madam! I am Dean Worth! An engineer. I have made simple changes to your android. I know you are being tackled shamelessly by him. So from now on I have formatted it with a little more human respect."

"But what went wrong with him? Why would he fall switched off like that?" I scratched deeper for information.

Worth: "Some source not far away from here is trying to hack him. As soon as we received this indication on our surveillance system we stopped him."

I baffled: "What? We are on a sea, how could 'some source' hack him? Do we have other ships here accompanying us?"

Worth: "I have not known of any such ships accompanying ours. We have never met any other ship for a long time, but the probability is that the source is located either on a ship which we are unable to know about through communication technology, or maybe we are not very far away from land on which this source lies."

I asked: "Why would anybody want to hack him? He has been storing only my information in his record almost all his life. So it is basically an attempt to interfere coupled with a breach of privacy to my information, some manipulation of it, access it for 'some purpose'. But why is anyone trying it on me? Why am I important? I don't even know myself."

Worth: "Well I am just a robotics engineer, my knowledge goes only this far."

ZA-vi: "You are a very important person Madam! You will know this with the passage of time and by regaining your memory back."

I asked: "Now, how hard have you set his protocol compliance cognizance."

Worth: "His vital programming remains untouched. I have only fixed him for the bug. I have not programmed him."

I thought, maybe he still remembers the deal we have had about me sneaking out searching for information regarding the outside world and my purpose. But I really fear that he could have forgotten it and gone useless for me. Worth left and ZA-vi behaved as if he was normal. But as the clock ticked 2 am I woke up, checked up on ZA-vi. He sat by my side, working on some screen.

I said: "When do we start again?"

ZA-vi: "Hello Madam! How are you? I am sorry what woke you up at this wee hour? We do not need to start your day so early."

I knew this would happen: "Stupid! Do you remember what we had talked about; my plans regarding seeking information from exploring outside world?"

ZA-vi: "I do not understand what I am being reminded about. Can you kindly be more specific and explain in detail."

I reassessed: "You said I was so important that you could break protocols to allow me to go out in the ship to get the information I seek."

ZA-vi: "I am extremely sorry Madam! I cannot break protocols because they are made for your good. It defines me."

I screamed: "You scoundrel!"

ZA-vi: "I do not understand the last word you just said, Madam."

I turned back and started to try sleeping again. I cannot go into coercing him into letting me go again. It was very disturbing to share my room with a robot short in memory. Two people with the same background in memory in a room; not impressive!

In the next 3 days, various tests and diagnoses were run on me to ensure that I was fine. Dr. Shelly as promised gave me the option to undergo the aesthetic procedures, to which I agreed. On the next day, I was scheduled to undergo skin transplant or grafting of face and neck, but the procedure would end with the fixing of artificial eyelids, made up of tissue culture. For the consent, Shelly took a retinal scan on a form. 10 a.m. was the time fixed the next day for surgery. And the 3rd day from the next day was I scheduled for my hair transplantation. I was happy as I was going to finally have a better and acceptable appearance.

The next day everything and everybody was ready for the clock to strike 10 a.m . As it happened, Kirkrick administered general anesthesia on me.

Kirkrick, "Subject anaesthetized at 10 a.m. prepping up the facial skin for grafting. In 5 minutes we began peeling of the epidermis (first layer). Full depth grafting is being opted for, in the procedure so that skin grows with the body. In the process, the position of the muscles and veins will also be taken care of. After the grafting of the rest of the face is complete eyelids will be placed and sutured with newly grafted skin. Then the grafting of the neck will constitute the second phase of the procedure. There will be attempts made to correct the imperfections of the graft and smoothing of the scars after the procedure of today. Seam smoothening will be done in many phases of subsequent touch ups."

Time for general anesthesia was up, kicking me in a sleep."

I woke up after a laborious surgery. My face was bandaged, so was my neck. I couldn't move its muscles; all above the shoulders was sore and swollen. Drip tubes were inside my nasal passage, running down through my throat. Apparently I was bed ridden again. I thought that I had to get off this room once and forever and pursue my purpose.

Soon enough KEAH entered the room saying-

KEAH: "Miss! The surgery was successful. Tomorrow we take the bandages out and the face will appear swollen first and then it will get back to normal in a week or so, and then you can start eating with the mouth. So the next week on the same day same time you are scheduled for another transplant for hair follicles on head and brows."

Seeing me trying to speak, she said-

KEAH: "No you can't speak now and cannot stand up, sit or walk for a while so that we can give time to your face to adjust and be accepted by the body. Try to get as much sleep as possible. If you can't do that, we will sedate you to help you with that. Now I must go as I have another task to accomplish. Your android guy will take care of you by monitoring your vitals. Also, you can telepathically tell him what you want. I think this connection between you both was made for times such as these. If need be doctors and I will rush back to you instantly. While, we will pay you visits twice a day, every day. Please rest now!"

Then she left me. I turned to look at ZA-vi, who looked back at me in his own brand style and smiled.

ZA-vi: "You must rest madam!"

Sleep must have come to me easy that night.

Chapter 8: My new face

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Next day, when I woke up ZA-vi was not there, but KEAH was working on a screen nearby. She turned back and said-

KEAH: "Hi Miss! She smiled at me, "get ready, we are going to remove the bandages"

Then ZA-vi entered and offered KEAH, scalpel, knives, scissors, various ointment tubes, tray etc.

Then KEAH unwrapped the bandage slowly, cut it, and wiped the face with very gentle hands. Applied some ointment over some places and then gave me an injection. Now it all went numb. She did a somewhat similar thing with the neck.

KEAH: "Yes Miss! You must take a look at your face now. I think it looks really beautiful one now. Although swelling persists and the seams look a little prominent but this will normalize in a week's time." She said and rotated an angle over my bed to bring a screen before me; it showed my face at a high resolution.

Well, it wasn't exactly a very beautiful face, but I didn't look like a monster anymore. Violet veins were very visible. The white blisters and peeled off rotten flesh had given way to a much smoother although swollen skin. Scars of the seams were present, but it has been just a day. My lips were still blue. My eyelids were utterly swollen and the blue spots of the eyes weren't there. I could blink, but only with a lot of pain. There wasn't hair on the head or eyebrows, but it only looked like a papaya now with a bluish tint. Good thing I didn't have wounds which left scars behind to be faded away by the efflux of time. Neck looked smooth, though skin bulged a little, but it really looked much better than showing internal anatomy earlier.

KEAH: "The swelling will go away and the scars will fade. After the hair transplant, your bluish face will look charming."

I said: "I hope so." I uttered these words with a lot of pain and effort. But it was the most reassuring condition in my this new life. I was relieved that perhaps now I can go out and roam freely on the ship, investigate the surroundings. Trying to understand, why was happening, what was happening? What the world was like now?

Chapter 9: The story of KEAH, the clone

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Then I thought I actually didn't have to wait to start the investigation I needed to carry out. I was looking at KEAH and I thought that she once told me that she was a human clone, 131st of a basic model.

Also, she was as much a human as one could be in this era. Her face looks like being a little mature, like 28-29 years of age and her skin is pale, but actually her biological age is just 21. But she has much more knowledge than a girl of her age would be expected to have. Could a girl so young have so much knowledge as to reanimate a brain, a head which lay dead for 431 years?

I thought although, so stubborn and abide by some kind of unholy hypothetical rules, my android could actually help me satiate my curiosity about KEAH and because he can read my thoughts, let me put up a question to KEAH via him and I looked at ZA-vi. He looked back to me and perhaps read my mind exactly what I had wanted. He said to KEAH-

ZA-vi: "She wants to know more about you. Explain everything to her all that you can since she has enough time to listen."

KEAH: "OK! Here it goes, Miss! I am a cloned human. K-1.E-2.A-3.H-4. as we know of her was a basic model. That woman who died in 2252 i.e. KyliE AveliaH was your Cryo doctor in 2231. She donated her cells and eggs to be preserved in case of future destruction of humanity."

"Till I was made, I had knowledge of 130 more clones of her having ever been created. She tried all her life to awakening you up from Cryo but was unsuccessful till her death. But I really do not know the details. There could have been more to it."

"But you had to be preserved again for some reason I do not have knowledge of. But it was made sure that some of her memory was implanted into our brains too in the cloning process, but my memories got struck in the subconscious i.e. forgotten in a way."

"My biological age is 21 but I look much older than that. There was some kind of mutation of a cancerous nature in our genes. Effected either deliberately or it could have evolved in us with time. Many clones of this basic model died of cancer. Earlier most embryos weren't turned viable since the beginning, so the failure rate of turning them into a human was unimaginably high."

"So some procedure of genetic engineering was carried out in the stored cell pool and embryo banks to correct the defective genes. But we are really not sure that the solution is actually working. I am just 21, and I have a lot of life ahead to come to know about that."

"So that is how I came into being, without a biological mother or father. I am just a copy of a doctor who lived 200 years ago. I have been designed and brought up in a lab on this ship."

ZA-vi: "She wants you to tell her that why was she opted for cloning?" ZA-vi asked her after I looked at him to convey my thoughts.

KEAH: "Because after as we call it, an Apocalypse, humans were wiped out in large numbers from Earth, due mainly to major atmospheric and climatic changes, deprivation of food, habitats, crimes etc. In these 400 years as I told you earlier that women have lost their fertility and cannot have a child naturally, so copying the genetic essentials of earlier healthy living humans was not a bad idea. Actually, it was the most favored solution of saving the race. It is like, losing a little than losing it all when you have time. So cloning although, not perfectly achieved till now was the best shot they had at that moment. This is how the Earth is as much populated today although; most of it is already lost." I lowered my eyes for a second for thinking then again looked up towards ZA-vi.

ZA-vi: "She asks what the apocalypse was."

KEAH: "I have also not experienced any of it and am so much used to this life that it all feels very natural to me. I have seen only this world under water, in which I have lived and nothing seems out of place to me. It's like not knowing the good, being too familiar with the bad! I have grown on this ship. But here is the part we have learned from history-

KEAH: "Global warming went up to a dangerous level. Sometimes it melted the remaining ice in hours, increased the water levels of the oceans hence shores and beaches were lost. Tsunamis were caused, earthquakes occurred, submerging the fertile cultivable lands into the saline ocean waters. Raised acidic levels of sea water killed most of the flora and fauna.

"Due to the ocean water displacement, the seismic zones displaced, causing frequent earthquakes and subsequent Tsunamis. Tides have taken away lands, converting them to unmanageable lands rendered unfit for the cultivation. Influential and well-resourced people grabbed most of the lands and technology and helpless people were made to flee. Social structures collapsed, economies crashed, countries lost their entities. Putting this in a simpler way, the humans have doomed themselves."

ZA-vi: "And she wants to know, what was your implanted memory about?" Said he as I gestured to let him know what I was asking of KEAH.

KEAH: "It was all related to medical procedures employed in cryogenics. It was all about the procedures attempted previously to wake you up from the Cryo sleep, mostly all those which we employed and which subsequently failed. There were more people that she was trying to reanimate. But it looks like in my lifetime; I could manage only to meet you. The implanted memories are recovered to a higher degree when the case is seen practically."

"I just feel that it is the way she wanted to pass this crucial information about who we have to reanimate and what processes failed to work at all on them. After we have accomplished fully in your case, may be by that time we will have a chance and opportunity to meet the others, she wanted to wake up."

"But other than you, I have some patients to attend to on this ship. None of them are implanted in my memories. All are absolutely new entities I don't recognize from my implanted memories that I have got."

ZA-vi: "She is curious to know, whether she was woken up earlier."

KEAH: "I think not. But it could be the other way around too. Remember, my memories are implanted? They could be false, synthetic ones, fabricated by some cognitive psychologist or neuroscientists in the lab and then implanted back into our minds. But till now the medical history I have stored in my mind has proven to be true because I had exactly the same strictly accurate experiences with you as were stored in my memories."

ZA-vi: "Can you remember more about Doctor Kylie's last attempt to awaken her up?"

KEAH: "No. I don't think I can now. But it is not impossible, rather it could happen under special circumstances or so I believe. Because when I was told that these memories were implanted, I already began to have a feeling that they were somehow false to some extent. May be one day I will be able to remember if it was a lie or was just truth repeated in my mind. In fact, I have never thought about it much seriously."

ZA-vi: "But she wants you to try to remember. If you were made a perfect clone of the original Dr. Kylie memories are also transferred."

KEAH: "May be! But even if it would be remotely possible, I could remember only those events which occurred before she donated her cells for cloning."

ZA-vi: "That is enough for now, she says. But she also might intend you to remember one day. Then you should try to remember."

I looked at KEAH and tried to smile, she smiled back. I thought that things were really complicated. I wanted to know about me in this life, this new complex world, I would have to try to catch up with and the purpose of my life now, the reason which did not let me die in peace.

I could give away anything to know about this all. It was disturbing to know what KEAH told me. It wasn't just her own story, but also the world which she said had deteriorated to the circumstances which could afford only survival of life to people, they were not living but surviving. One part of me was blowing up out of curiosity and to dig in for more and the other had just started to mourn on whatever little information was provided to me. It was certainly not a beautiful world. I was appalled and aggrieved. I didn't hope for this. I had thought much better and beautiful things about the future, I was born into. I didn't want to hear bad things, but there wasn't any backing out, but only surging ahead.

It is really excruciating to know that they say that we have lost our habitable Earth to our stubborn lifestyles and attitudes, curiosity and taking pride in playing the God. I would have never chosen to be reanimated in the future, especially in this world. Death, I believed was the final solution to a life; its eventual destination. Have we now to create soulless creatures in order to repopulate the Earth?

I never had thought that when I would wake up we would have wasted our Earth to such a dreadful extent. I am really seriously disheartened.

ZA-vi: "You cannot be. You have to contribute whatever you can to it. Repentance is not meant for you; rather you were recreated for taking indispensable action in your battle against evil in this new, hostile world."

I then nodded a little so that both of them were assured that I was not more worried than I should be. Moreover, who knows what role I have to play in future, perhaps show them a hint of another direction they should go, stand by their side or even lead them? I must not be weak or show it to anyone. Everyone has moments of weaknesses and mine was now, but it was not appropriate to display the same.

But actually the Earth I had remembered in my memories and had envisioned was much more lively and beautiful that the one KEAH was telling me about. For me, future meant more beautiful, better and sophisticated life enriched with technology.

I was excited to know where the humans would have advanced in 400+ years when I lay dead inside a tank. I believed in science. I believed in marching ahead towards a utopian superior future. I had thought in all these centuries, humans would have learned how to strike a balance between development and the cost of resources that we exploited as a means to achieve it. But the Earth they are telling me about breaks my heart.

KEAH: "So Miss! You will be undergoing a surgery for hair transplant on Monday next week." She said turning back to me. "I think then we will be able to call your case a successful reanimation. You can then go out to explore the world, perhaps after a few more tests and diagnoses, with the approval of a doctor."

"But now you must rest and let the transplanted skin be accepted by your body." She said injecting one bottle of a serum in my drip. Then she administered one more injection to me on my left arm and said-

KEAH: "This will sedate you and I have given you a slightly higher dose of immunosuppressant. Now you have to recover quickly and start walking on the dock!" Said she, smiling at me.

Chapter 10: New growing hair

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With proper bed rest, medicines and a little patience my wounds, swelling and scars healed up and I began looking like a normal blue human. Doctors and KEAH visited me once a day and ZA-vi would not bear my side. Soon the day for hair transplant approached. All the doctors came so did KEAH. As the clock struck 10 am, KEAH administered local anesthesia on my scalp.

KEAH: "This will make your scalp numb."

Then she introduced a small bottle of liquid on the drip bottle saying, "This will sedate you a little."

A1: "Madam! We have black, Auburn and blonde hair. Which of these would you choose for yourself?"

I was able to speak, though with a little difficulty-

"Auburn!" I said.

A1:"Auburn, done!"He was handed over the follicle tray which he opened. The surgical knives were ready; I could hear metallic sounds of clink-clank of scalpels, trays and knives as I was lying on my stomach.

I began losing my consciousness. They started to peel off my skin and sutured after placing follicle grafts as I dropped unconscious.

When I regained my consciousness, I saw KEAH & ZA-vi before me; the most expected two as I come to senses ever.

She showed me the screen which would reflect my image. Ok, I had 2-3 inch long hair. It was not quite pretty but I looked acceptable now. I had very sparse eyebrows too. I thought this must be the trendy fashion of this era and I lay on my back again saying, "Great."

I: "Is this all hair I am going to have? Short hair?"

KEAH: "No miss this are grafted follicles, they grow with time. Some of them may even fall out, but the hair follicles will grow into the newer, stronger hair very soon which will last."

By now Shelly had arrived, along with, Von and A1 and he said-

SHELLY: "Like every transplant the body's immune system rejects foreign bodies, hair too and hair is the weakest of all the organs transplanted so hair strands also fall out. But given the dosage of immunosuppressants that we are giving to you, the body will reject hair strands as little as possible."

It happened as the doctors and KEAH had projected. The skin of the face & neck healed up giving way to a smooth bluish complexioned skin. In next 5 days, I got up from the bed rest and began eating with the mouth and started functioning like a normal being. I now had enough strength and willpower to make it out of my room and wander the whole enormous ship I was living in till now. The most important and favorite part was that I had no longer need the help of my android who had completely forgotten our secret deal. Now they had just to give me a positive result and retinal scan approval and I would soon be frequenting all the floors of the ship, room by room.

It was 8:00 am today. I got up too early as I was scheduled for some tests. Doctor Von and KEAH came in; ZA-vi was sitting by my side.

Chapter 11: Disclosure by VON & his revelations on the Contamination

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Von said: "Hello madam! How are you?"

I replied: "I just feel absolutely fine. So what brings you here again? I sense the final round of tests. It must be very exciting!"

Von: "Yes you are absolutely correct. We will take you for final general, routine testing and pass you for going out of this room once and forever. I guess ZA-vi must have passed on details of rules on the ship. Anyways, I will give you my version of the rules here. Any Case like you generally called a patient here is required to get an approval from a doctor authorized to give such an approval to a patient based on the results of certain tests. Clearance of such tests is very important so that humans do not contaminate each other by different modes of contact. Not going into the tiniest details, but humans have risked their lives because of such contamination. So not taking chances any more, we have fabricated our own rules, like martial laws. We call this set of rules, as PROTOCOLS. We are very cautious in ensuring that they are strictly followed and are placed as our top most priority. This is because we have reached a level near extinction, because of combination factors of climatic catastrophe, mutation and an inexplicable exile. Anyway after a patient gets an approval from doctors authorized like me, who wears a blue badge he/she can have their passkey.

Von continues: "After you have the approval, you can use the elevator to reach to The Navigator who you have to essentially report to. The Navigator will after cross checking all the credentials brought to him, gives you a pass key. One can use the pass key to use the ship, for information, assistance and investigation."

I said: "That is quite a valuable piece of information Doctor Von. I will try to remember it all. But what you just said about contamination, climate catastrophe, and exile is disturbing. Will you please explain it all?

Von: "I am a doctor madam; I have spent a big portion of my lifetime on this ship. Most of 'The exile' part and climatic catastrophe are unfathomable for me as well."

VON carried on: "It all happened gradually and my lifetime had been too short to understand, also I have not seen any of it myself. So it is all the theory we have been taught. I have been told just about all that KEAH had told you already. And if chosen as one amongst us she possesses the best knowledge, because her memory is implanted from all that had happened in these last 200 years. We lack that understanding which she inherited from the memory implant."

Von: "About the contamination, it is basically deformity in genetic material passed on to the present generations. It is a set of bad mutations, causing cancers, blood deformities, growth and bone deformations, structural anomalies on face and limbs, retarded mental growth, respiratory and cardiac problems; etc."

Von: "The exact & precise causes of the contamination are still unknown but there are various theories."

I asked: "Theories like Big Bang, Oscillating universe etc on the creation of the universe?"

Von with a smile, "I am impressed with the pace your brain is developing! Yes, I exactly! Like there are various theories about the creation of the universe, but one, Big Bang is the most acceptable, likewise, there are various theories about how the contamination started and on the lines of the most acceptable Big Bang theory on universe, in the case of the contamination the Inbreeding is the most acceptable theory."

I: "I would prefer it explained a little more."

Von: "About this theory, the proponents say that some psychopath scientists had made clones of people on unauthorized channels. They introduced these clones so cleverly into the social strata that the people who recognized these original people only thought that these clones were their acquaintances or relatives as the case may be. The clones cohabited normally with the people as they were developed with a touch of a hyperactive sexuality. Their makers wanted to change the world with the progeny of the clones. They would have thought that it would lead to some kind of human evolution, the creation of better superhuman race. And once it happened, they would be uncrowned king makers. But they were wrong. It never happened. They only played with the fire. The genetics were deficient in that era. Their knowledge was never profound enough so as to be able to create a healthy clone. Their raw material was defective therefore; the product would have a negligible chance of efficiency. They infected a big portion of the race. The clone progeny had a destructive gene. It kept amplifying with generations. But the sexual mania went on. This partly dragged human race to the precipice of extinction. We are only trying to salvage what is left of it. So our rules and patterns are transparent & strict, secrecy has made us suffer to this extent once. We have pledged to undo the blunder and save ourselves from the darkness ahead."

I said: "I now begin to understand the gravity of hardships we are facing in this era I am born into. It is unbelievable that such a high degree of devastation has been inflicted in all the years I have been lying dead for."

I turned to ZA-vi saying: "You have been living for the longest period, could I use you for more information about contamination, that you have witnessed all these years."

ZA-vi: "No madam! I have not witnessed anything as I was entrusted with only one task of monitoring you. I can do only what I am programmed to do."

KEAH giggled saying: "Miss! Do you still think that he will talk to you about something he can hide behind his programming? He will not tell even if he knew. Although he is a machine, I still think he gets more rude and straightforward when he talks a lie."

I said: "I know that KEAH! I know how he gets when he has to conceal the truth."

I know what I wanted to do with ZA-vi, but did not think about it because he could look into my thoughts."

Von: "Ok Madam! We must hurry up for the tests."

I said: "What would you need now, doctor? And what are the tests I have to undergo?"

Von: "You have to undergo, Genetic Testing for any anomaly ( the group of BRCA, 1 and 2), Tests for transplant rejection like biopsy, immune system testing, Blood therapeutic testing, respiratory & digestive system testing etc. and another routine testing as blood pressure, heart rate, urine etc. For which will extract your blood and tissues from local places. So when are you ready?"

I said: "Right now!"

Von: "So let us go! "

We then went up to the floor '-6'. Doctor Von took some blood samples and then with the help of KEAH anesthetizing me, cut out tiny pieces of skin and flesh from various organs like lungs, liver etc.

Then they took my blood pressure, sugar level, urine test, pulse, weight, BMI etc. They also made me cycle & run on a machine which would count my stamina heart rate, respiration, and perspiration etc.

Von stayed there and KEAH & ZA-vi accompanied me to my room at '-13'. Von must have authorized our return back by the retinal scan.

In 2 hours, I got my results. Except in routine check up, I was given a green signal. I was really happy and contented to be able to be free of this room's captivity. Now I would have my own authorization Passkey to investigate the ship & the world.

For that, I needed to visit The Navigator, which would require me authorization from Von or Shelly. So I had to wait for one of them then-

Von stepped in the room he said: "Congratulation Madam! You are finally eligible to go out and be free from the confines of this room. Are you ready?"

I said excitedly: "Yes of course! Since forever!"

"I am authorizing you to the use of elevator and emergencies. You will then have to visit The Navigator. ZA-vi will take you there. Rest you know." said Von.

VON declared: "I am sending your reports and credentials to the Navigator. When you reach there he will observe your credentials thoroughly while ZA-vi will convey him all the information he will need. Then you will be granted your authorization very soon without a problem." He said.

"Ok!" I said.

Von: "I am uplinking my retinal scan, authorizing your travel to The Navigator .You can go to him now. ZA-vi will take you there. Best of luck, Madam!" He said smiling.

I smiled back: "Thank you." Then ZA-vi & I got up and stepped out after seeing Von taking his eye near the screen in front of him. We took our way all the way to the elevator & reached the room with big screen & glass panes to view outside.

Chapter 12: The Navigator

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This time the glass gates of the elevators and also the Navigation Chambers opened, apparently because of Von's authorization. There were many movable machines of which I had no knowledge of; they seemed to be tending to the other machines which appear to be computers.

Suddenly a room opened and an enormous machine with a medium size screen and 4 robotic arms wheeled towards me.

He said: "Hello D.S. welcome to Perpetua! I am The Navigator, a supercomputer. I have had many different functions before I was assigned the function of Navigation of the ship, to which no expert was available. I will need your credentials to approve your authorization."

I thought: 'What! So the Navigator is a walking computer?'

The Navigator: "So tell me what is your full name, job, background, police record, SSN, passport ID etc. Were you cloned or developed from an embryo, your biological parents if you were born....." & he continued.

I said: "I know none of these; I just woke up from a Cryosleep and was reanimated. Sadly, I do not remember anything about my origin or past life so....."

I saw ZA-vi taking over from me: "I will explain everything and furnish you all the minutest details of the case D.S. and her previous life. But not in front of her, in private, please take me somewhere where all the information about her secure and unheard."

The Navigator: "Let's go to my room, the information you will share will be secure there."

They stomped back to his room. They talked and I felt all left out, deprived of my own self. The right to my personal information was just mine. The privacy thereof rests with me and it is me who this sensitive information is being conceded from. This is a crime, in the world at least, which I come from even if I don't have any memory thereof.

Soon enough, they both came back.

The Navigator said: "Madam, with all the information from your android and uplinks of records and results relating to medical observation from Dr. Von, I feel confident to pass you to eligibility of authorization so what pass key should you want to have?"

I said: "I don't know about myself, so I have no idea or preference for any such favorite Pass Key. You give me anything that authorizes my access to all the areas of the ship."

The Navigator: "Ok thanks for entrusting me with the privilege. I think considering your history and rebirth, I will prefer DS Reborn 01 as your Passkey. What do you say?"

I smiled and nodded in acceptance. In fact, I also liked the new passkey. I saw The Navigator up close now. He was some 8-9 feet tall, he had robotic feet, while some dual 2 tier wheels, rolled up at his back. When he walked, he stamped pretty hard as if he must have weighed a few tons. His head was a suspended screen, above which he had bulb eyes for a more human outlook & below which his mouth was made of blocks of plastics, he rearranged them to exhibit different types of expressions like smile & shocks. He was a plain looking robot with various boxes which can be opened and closed like drawers if need be. It looked like he could be transferred into another structure. He had 4 robotic arms and 4 more clipped at sides. The arms could also be plugged in different other sockets. While I was scanning his body so closely that the Navigator had noticed and said-

The Navigator: "Yes I have many retractable parts which can also be rearranged. I am 27th generation supercomputer and can cover a large area for work. So I can be programmed for any or all of the purposes together. I am an AI machine and can attach as many peripheries or detach them at my own will or requirement. I can restart or switch myself off. I can even format and program myself. I evolve and can arrange myself as per the needs, requirements and comfort. As of now I am assigned to one major function of navigation and security of this ship. When doctors and researchers require, they can also employ me for research or complicated medical purposes."

I said: "Ok I am sure you are one of the most efficient and capable machines I will see in this world. So tell me what about the ship we are in."

The Navigator: "The ship is called Perpetua, it was designed by Magnifique Incorporation of French Origin. It set course from Los Angeles on 23 Dec 2281 for a higher land with stable seismic activity. But we kept getting negative news from everywhere. The perception we had about people from different lands went wrong. Countries did not have their entities intact, economies had collapsed and societies broke up into small radical groups. Till then it was still acceptable, but then there came an outrageous movement called technology and resource 'Disruption' and these radical groups became too harshly powerful entities. These were the last pieces of messages which we considered authentic information coming from the landmasses."

The Navigator continued: "We decided to stay on the sea rather than confirm or discard the authenticity of further information. We later preferred to stay offline, so that we don't risk ourselves into being pursued and destroyed. Since then we have remained afloat on the ocean and have been self-sufficient. Time and again we periodically contact the other ships we know of, being on the oceans at our proximity."

I ridiculed: "Ha ha ha! So you are trying to say that this ship is not going anywhere but staying right here afloat individually on the sea, for 180 years?"I asked. I really had no reason to believe that the Navigator was saying anything even remotely relatable to reality. Instead, I thought that he was being funny with me.

The Navigator: "Yes!"

I was still not buying what he said: "Yes? What, really? It is not believable, though I confess that nothing is really believable in this present day world, but then how did you survive and float a ship this big on water for 180 years? I sternly asked.

The Navigator: "I said about being self-sufficient. We have food and water and fuel."

I ridiculed again: "Really, and how do you get these all?" I quipped.

"We produce these."The Navigator.

I still laughed it off: "Really?"

I began feeling that it was not frivolous anymore.

"How does it happen?" I asked again.

The Navigator: "We have solar energy, tidal energy etc. We grow crops and fruit-bearing trees, we breed whatever fish & seafood we can, we desalinate sea water efficiently."

I said: "Oh! I had forgotten that I was living in future! I would wish to see how it all is done on this ship."

The Navigator: "The ship is as much yours as is anyone else's you have the authorization to go see everything you wish

I concluded: "Ok thank you for it!"

I faked a smile at the Navigator and said, "I must go now, I will go and check those things and meet you here again. Thanks once again." I waved at the Navigator and walked out of the hall with ZA-vi

Chapter 13: The heinous act

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When I and ZA-vi reached our room No.13, I was pissed off real bad. I was thinking that this robot, my so-called personal android entrusted with the upkeep of my records and functioning is playing games with me. He knew everything about me but would not let me know about myself and further, more to my dismay, he would keep secrets from me about my own private information. He would share it with anyone else but not me.

It was only me who held the sole proprietorship on my information. This was intolerable to me. I thought at any cost I needed to extract information from this machine. I had right to know about myself. Now I had my own authorization and identity on this ship, so I could roam anywhere on it now. I let him go ahead while I had stayed back. I wanted to let him go beyond a distance where he would not be able to access my thoughts from me if it was true because I thought that there must be a distance beyond which ZA-vi couldn't access my thoughts. I thought that must have been the reason that he had to remain in my room.

At night when the clock struck 2:00 am he came into the room. I set an alarm at 1:45 am. I was not asleep, but awake, waiting for him to unknowingly afford me an opportunity to pounce upon him and break his neck. Well, that would not help me with what I had sought, but certainly I was very very angry. At least I wanted to get rid of this shameless machine, which only helped me once before being fixed for that bug and turned more hostile later with fake respect.

My temper was uncontrollable; perhaps some kind of evil had struck my already tormented mind. Today I was humiliated before the Navigator and ZA-vi did that to me. Once he had told me a lie that I was very important and that I mattered a lot to him.

It is just that I have had all the respect and importance that I could ever take and it's time to end this once and for all.

As ZA-vi entered, he gazed at me and must have thought that I was sleeping. My eyes were slightly opened so as to be able to see that where he went. He went to the computer at my back and started working on it. This was my chance as his back was facing at me. I got up without making the slightest sound and started moving with small strides and silent steps. On the left side, there was a big table and it was multipurpose apparatus with a large sized top which had been earlier used to test me for many simpler things. I had seen KEAH keeping little sharp knives and scalpels in the second drawer from the second row. I opened it very slowly and took out the biggest knife and a scalpel too. It felt good to hold these things in my hands and I felt a sense of power. This knife seemed very light weight, but it was very sharp too, because I had seen KEAH once cutting a plastic pipe with it, so it was a good choice of weapon to wield it.

I reached near ZA-vi. Evil had fully bloomed on me and hatred reigned over my head right then. I kept the scalpel back and went ahead just with the knife in my hand. I decided to attack at the back of his neck with the knife and break his head with the use of force.

Then with a sudden force of my hands, I put my knife over his throat and applied a slicing action with all my might across his throat. And it did work! His neck was cut open at the front.

Then applying a jerking power with my arms I broke his neck by bending backward. The head fell back, but hung on wires that attached it to the body. Then ZA-vi fell from his seat on the ground on his left. There was a loud whacking sound. But with the loud bang that I heard, almost woke me up from this dream. Then I abruptly felt a change of soul! I realized the blunder that I had committed. The knife fell off my hand; I had no strength to hold it anymore. It was totally an impulsive act. I was angry and I wanted to hurt ZA-vi to make him realize my agony that he had caused. I hated him for not having told me my own truth, the one which I had a monopolistic right over. But I did not wish to be this, a Murderer! It just was not me. Another feeling which my mind was capable of had just evolved and engulfed my entity. I now began regretting my this act of violence. I killed ZA-vi, a robot which sat by my side for 430 years! My only accomplice. I am ashamed! I need redemption.

I looked at ZA-vi, whose body lay facing away from me portraying, the fact that he came to work on my case, he was on duty. He was at my service all the time. How was I entitled to act on a spree when I was not aware of facts and their reasons? I looked at his face which was almost facing me. I thought this was the first face I saw when I was reanimated to this life. I was beginning to curse my cruelty depicted in my heinous act of killing the only person, 'who knew who I was and how I got to here. I have terminated the only source and witness of information I have had to know about myself. I am a soulless lost horrible corpse brought to life. Do I have enough reason to hate myself now?

Exactly when I was cursing myself, I heard a beep sound; I looked around to look at the unfamiliar machines in my room which seemed quite distasteful then I again looked at ZA-vi's face only to find his blinking eyes. I gasped and the benefit of him being a machine seemed very obvious to me now. The fact that he would not die was very reassuring. It was like my crime and conviction were getting blotted out. He was trying to open his eyes. I wanted him to and I wanted to let him know that I was really sorry for having done this to him.

Then he stably opened his eyes and said, "Hello Case!"

I really liked to hear that voice, and with a sigh of regret –

I said: "I am sorry ZA-vi! I am sorry for what I did to you. I am asking you for forgiveness. Can you do that?"

ZA-vi: "Forgiveness?" He still seemed unmoved by anything that had happened in this room earlier. "I do not understand. Crime and regret are meant only for humans; I am just a machine. I do not live or die. I get assembled or disassembled. It is humans who make the machines and destroy them. Our functioning is totally dependent on human programmers, though machines with AI have some own intelligence, but I cannot work without human involvement. I did not die and what you did was a bit different but equivalent to shutting me off. It could have been termed as 'heinous' if you would have done it on a human. So do you want me to shut myself down and cease working for you?"

I Protested: "No! It happened just in a spur of the moment, I did not want to lose you. I wish you had read my mind and stopped me. I am burning inside out, in guilt. I should not have let you go far off from me so that I could sit back and think about this violent act all alone if I had not allowed you to go far off so that you could have intercepted my thoughts, then you might have stopped me or argued with me, against it."

ZA-vi: "I do not understand what you meant by that. I can hear your thoughts from anywhere on the ship. I know all that you had planned in advance. I had heard your thoughts."

I was taken aback! "....and you still did not stop me from the commission this crime?"

ZA-vi: "No, why would I? I am not designed to guide you on moral or ethical grounds nor was I designed to fight to defend my own destruction."

I said: "Now I feel more insecure about feeling guilty, ZA-vi!"

"I don't know how I could hate you so much as to have attempted to kill you. I am sorry." I cried it out.

ZA-vi: "Sorry madam! I am not capable of understanding human emotions nor am I concerned with it. Now please tell me do you want to have me dismantled?"

I said: "No, not at all, I know now that it was a momentary action. I don't want to dismantle you. I will never want that, now I realize this. I promise I will never hurt you ever again."

ZA-vi: "Ok now I understand that you do not want me to dismantle myself. I needed to know your wish because I have to tell something to the 'Fetchers', the robots of the engineering department, Manny & Sammy are about 25 feet from the entrance of the room, because they have sensed my offline status on the SAN."

I said: "What do you..................."

And the fetchers Sammy & Manny entered the room stomping the ground. Sammy looked towards his right where I was standing. I looked back at him, inside somewhere, I was somewhat nervous. But then the next second he looked at ZA-vi, who lay dead, whom I had attempted to kill a bit before.

Manny riddled: "How come your android's head is severed?" and looked at me with a suspicion.

I was about to say something out of guilt, but suddenly ZA-vi managed uttering fumbled words before I could.

ZA-vi: "I had asked her to slit open my neck as I had faced some difficulty in getting her to believe that I am actually a robot. She doesn't believe me anymore that I am and that I am carving some kind of silly storyline to lure her into something which she would otherwise not agree to. She also does not trust me because she believes that I am a human being with feelings. She also suspects why and how could I read her thoughts. Um...and what I looked like, underneath this skin of mine. I thought that she possesses a right to see for herself or so I thought. You know, it's a complicated human-cyborg relationship."

All this time for which I heard his nonsense reply, I felt it was really a little too much for a machine to tell a lie. ZA-vi had gone far ahead than his capacity for just me; to save me from being caught in the act. To save me from the ocean of guilt I was drowning in.

Manny, who stood right to Sammy, looked at Sammy, and said-

Manny:"I did not understand what he meant, did you understand what he just said?"

Sammy: "No! I too did not understand a word. Forget it. Let us just do our job. We must not waste any moment in doing our job efficiently. After all, it seems to be about something between a case and her robot. Let us do it! Hurry up!"

They looked at each other and then resumed doing their work which they were assigned to do. Manny picked up ZA-vi's head and Sammy started dragging his body behind him but could not do that because ZA-vi seemed to weigh a lot. Then Manny stepped back and held the right arm of ZA-vi by his left hand and both dragged ZA-vi out, his head and body separated and wires hung from between the two parts of his body. ZA-vi glanced at me just for one moment, but I was not prepared with the guts to stare into those eyes. It made me feel ashamed of myself.

It was one of those things which made me feel like I was drowning in a pool of guilt. I would not want for such kind of things to be done by me. I am not a criminal by intent. I believed that I have had a wonderful soul that I trusted, but I really did not understand what went wrong with me today.

Maybe it is all because of this dystopian life I am bound to live. It seems to actually be my this new life which is a nightmare. Or it may be the prolonged state of being dead. It could be the shocks I was administered to, in order to be reanimated which may have caused serious side effects. It could be an unending overdose of drugs I have to be put on to. Or maybe it is the synthetic blue blood or therapeutic that's not actually compatible with my thinking process. Or just being this much weak.

It could be the fact of being the lab rat for way too long a period. Or that the people acted really strange with me here, deliberately concealing every meager detail of my own life from me. This all was breaking me up on a subconscious level. Evil took over upon me and made me do what I did today with my own cyborg and against evil I can't stand to face the circumstances and when this happens I lose control over my own actions. Uncontrollability coupled with excessive protocols, unnecessary security, and blatant secrecy might be unknowingly drifting me to darkness once and for all, and this was what I began to fear now.

This night felt hard on me. I was seemingly capable of guilt and shame and fear and regret. My might was developing at a quick pace. I did not want to incorporate such negative feelings in the development of my mind. I wanted memories but not a life full of guilt and regret. I always preferred death to such a life. Somehow, I could fall asleep that day.

Chapter 14: The man from the past: I was not alone

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I woke up with a start. ZA-vi woke me up as he kept his metal cold hand over my shoulder. But for the end of such a grave night filled with repentance, no morning could have gotten any better. Seeing ZA-vi was getting innocent once again. Then he waved-

"Good Morning Madam." He said to me.

I heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Good Morning ZA-vi! I am ashamed that I inflicted assault on you, tried to kill you. You are really my friend and actually, the most efficient machine-person-robot I have ever met. I promise I will never hurt you or even ask you anything about myself or my past nor will I ever let anyone harm you." My words were laden with emotions.

ZA-vi: "OK Madam! Consider me a human, for now, who just understood your emotions. Although you know that I don't. OK, now something of a great significance! It is your first day of having been authorized to explore the nooks and corners of this ship. So are you ready?"

I said: "Please wait for a half an hour, arrange me new robes, let me do my hair & freshen up, so that I can spend time with humans. I am really excited. By the time please do some work you can."

ZA-vi smiled and said: "OK Madam as you wish."

Seeing that smile around was indeed very convincing. Anyway, I had to step over the past and move on to new life. Today is special, I am a welcomed person on the ship, authorized to roam about, interact with everything surrounding me that I wish and investigate. I am a little nervous too. I don't know if people on the deck shall ever approve of my appearance. I know I look ugly and blue and a complex mix of man and woman. I know nobody would like a corpse walking on the deck. People will interrogate about me before I could investigate about the surroundings or interact with them. It will really be strange for them. So I must brace myself up for any kind of trouble. I am determined to ward off any such criticism. I will stand strong and not back down on any of such ill talking.

I was given a second chance to live and I had to live it up as a challenge. I had a right to live and fight for my right.

Whatever I looked like, I was me. I had to believe in myself and will have others convinced to believe in me. Everyone must accept and appreciate my existence. Every life on the earth has a reason for its existence. I was going to use my voice in my defense. I was sure not all of them were going to see me with hatred. I thought that I will be brave to go through it all. I was absolutely ready irrespective of the expected negative reactions of people who would be meeting me. I wanted to be accepted but my life was my own, I was determined to live it even if I was despised. I had been through death to have this new life. To know what I must do, and to accomplish it with all my right will be my sole purpose.

Just then ZA-vi stepped in with new robes for me. I was going to wear a tight white dress then. No long, apron or sick hospital type light blue loose clothes. A white top and coat with white pants.

ZA-vi said: "The dress code on the deck is white; doctors wear light blue, though you can wear any color elsewhere. But to put to ease all the unwelcoming eyes I suggest going out conforming to the dress code, on the first day."

I said: "OK I am ready to go out in white. Please step out, and I will join you in a few minutes."

ZA-vi nodded and went out of the room. I changed my clothes, looked at my hair and face on the screen. Fluffed my white robes again and patted my back for looking my best I could. I stepped out and joined ZA-vi and we reached the elevator and I proudly called out my passkey-

ZA-vi: "So where would you like to go now, Madam?"

I said : "I think that we will start a new floor, what about '-12'

"What do they have there? You would be knowing if that is not a top secret type floor?"

ZA-vi: "That is a medical ward, hospital in other words. That would not be interesting for you and you will be unwanted in the hospital. I do not suppose your trip will be useful there."

I said: "Then I am willing to take the risk. I want to go to the hospital and see if I can find anything worthy there." and I pressed button reading '-12'

The doors opened on the next floor. When I peeked out of the elevator, this floor interior looked almost identical to that of the Navigator. Just with the difference of transparent glass walls. Here all the rooms are opaque and smaller and are numbered. It really looked like a hospital with private wards. ZA-vi led me towards the end of the right corridor. This corridor did not start in front of my elevator, but we had to walk till the end of the elevators to the right and then this well-lit corridor began, it had rooms double as big as the ones in the corridor facing the elevator we got off from.

These rooms were transparent, as I walked past them. I saw some of them had lights and were empty, but others were pitch black. Then we reached the one on my right, it had two big cylindrical glass enclosures first one was empty , the other had a body suspended in a liquid which reminded me of my first memories of this life as I woke up with just a head inside a liquid.

It was a male body. I knew this because I think some of my memories were coming back, and general concepts were memorized by my brain more quickly as against the particular events of my own life. But this I knew that this was a male body coming from the past. His reproductive organs were normal sized and not vestigial. So I have had a guess that he belongs to the past just like me.

Another clue that suggested me of his life in the past was that he was suspended in liquid just as my brain was. So be it, either way, he must have been living in a different era than this. Then I thought my android could help. I turned to ZA-vi for more.

ZA-vi : " I have never seen this body before and I cannot tell you much because I have no intelligence in this respect, but all that I can say is that this body does not belong to this era. What you think must be correct."

"Ok! " I said and looked back at the male body. It was tall-ish not sharp, but he had beautiful facial features, white, brown hair and broad shoulders with big hands. It was naked; hence my female brain was tickled with amusement. I thought, oh well I got to see a human male capable of reproduction from the past, otherwise in an era which grows humans in the labs it would not make for an easy sight to be around. I felt like I was in a museum with a rare artifact. It was amazing to see a proper naked man and I smiled at ZA-vi triumphantly. I telepathically told him that my decision of coming to this hospital floor was justified. Then we stepped away from the room holding the male from the past.

ZA-vi turned right and led me to an oversized enormous hall with glasses for walls. It was bright and white lights whispered the optimism of being a human again in my ears. I was pleased to go unmasked in lights.

Chapter 15: Dr. Doom and a heated argument

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One woman who was stepping out of the hall looked at me startled and almost stopped, but then resumed her rhythm. Still I am sure she must have stared at my back. I was reminded of my awkwardness. A sense of sadness just crept in.

Still my footsteps kept advancing ahead. A nurse who was pushing a trolley gave me a hard stare, but she quickly turned to her right-hand door. At the end of the hall towards left two women and a man stood discussing some topic which seemed to be of utmost importance. The man looked up as we reached there the woman on left faced the woman in the middle who had turned her face away as she was looking at her machines and equipment.

Now they all faced towards us, obviously, the man would have alerted them.

ZA-vi: "Hello Dr. Despondra! This is case DS, a special case OF Dr. Shelly and....."

Despondra: "Yeah Yeah, I Know. No need for introduction. Even blind will recognize Shelly & KEAH's mistake. Look at the ultraviolet skin she has got. Tragic! I don't even know if this miracle is a he or she. Relentless!"

ZA-vi to me: "Madam! This is Dr. Despondra, director of our Hospital."

I nodded my head in the acknowledgement of her presence, but from inside I was bewildered to notice her harsh nature and outspoken attitude spilling hatred. I said, "Hello! But she did not stop here and continued-

Despondra: "I do not believe in reanimation one bit. I hate the idea of raising a corpse from death. I mean we can work on achieving in-vitro fertilization and raise real people. I do not understand why life extension procedures like Cryo are available at the first place. It does not go well with me. I mean why we need corpses to walk on earth. I can tolerate cloning as well for the purpose of repopulating the Earth if the real humans are not born anymore. I will accept anything but not reanimation."

I said: "why do you have to hate me so much?"

Despondra: "I don't even understand the validity of a reason to not to hate you. Do you think that what you just asked was a question? Come on! Everybody who will see you like this, do you think they will love you? Or do you, love yourself speaking honestly?

I said: "I do not remember any of myself. But I certainly do not hate myself being honest and upfront. Repentance is not for me." The relevance of a statement made earlier by ZA-vi was clear to my eyes now.

Despondra: "So you do not remember anything right? How pathetic? Is this a life you chose for yourself? Is this what you wanted? Argh!!! Why would you even remember that? It gets sickening to me. Have you noticed that you look different? Strange? Oh no! You look ugly! Saying ironically, you look horrifying. Do people look at you with a welcoming gaze? I feel pity for them, for they have to bear the frightening sight of a corpse with blue veins walking before them. They must be aghast with the sight. May God give them strength to bear the horrible sight!"

I said: "I know that I don't look pretty pleasant, but these blue-violet veins will last only till I get red blood from a natural donor and get proper treatment for pigmentation which will cover the uneven complexion. Dr. SHELLY says my bone marrows are not going to be working for some time until I find a donor to transplant it to me."

Despondra: "It is an obvious fact that you aren't going to find any donor either for blood or bone marrow stem cells. If it is, what you have come here for, I must tell you a 'NO' already and you don't even need to put up enquiry at the Bank on the desk. You should just return and learn to find peace with disappointment because it is just the start of your woes."

I said: "I can't believe that you are a doctor! The ones I have met, that is the likes of SHELLY, KEAH, Von etc. they bring back the dead to life and what a contrast you are against them? You wish to see dead, a person who is alive."

Despondra: "You certainly have guts Blue Monster! Dr. SHELLY? KEAH? Who the hell are they? They are insane doctors on Earth who unleash the curse on Earth! They create monsters like you, in a world already full of monsters. Like we needed a few more and call them their Miracles? You are a ghost whom I hate, but I also feel pity for you because perhaps you have lost your mind in the reanimation process that makes you think that you are in some way alive. It's funny, but it's somehow actually horrible. I was doing some important work here concerned with saving the real human beings already scarce in number in the world. I do not want to waste my one precious minute over you. So please get lost and try not to come over to me again. I don't want to ruin my mood again." Then, she turned her back onto my face and carried on with her task again.

I murmured, "You shouldn't have gone that far." My blue blood must have reached its boiling point in anger and hatred by then. I saw ZA-vi looking at me; I turned all the way back to the corridor with him catching up with my strides. I was really very frustrated. No, rather, I was furious! I was furious at myself for having heard that much from this Despondra witch, and it made me feel that if I hadn't turned back and returned I could have killed her. She really got on my nerves. I told ZA-vi, to stop me from making any attempt to return back to her and inflict injury to her person. I did not want to make a mistake again, not so soon in the spur of the moment. I held him by his arm and said-

I said: "Take me back to my room right now!"

And we came back.

I sat on my bed and said: "That woman called me a monster, do you know how it feels ZA-vi?" I was burning in anger. "I wish you knew."

ZA-vi, bringing a glass full of water to me-

ZA-vi: "Here take this water down and choose peace."

I said: "I forgot that robots do not have feelings!" I taunted ZA-vi.

ZA-vi: "I know that she has humiliated and offended you. I understand that much in words, if not in feelings. But try to stay calm. What she said is not true and we both know this."

Inside I wanted to punish her very badly. Did she call me a monster? What does she know about me for having said that? If she was me, would she have hated herself? If she has abused good part of me, I think she deserves my bad as well. But how do I show her the evil?

Then I thought, I am monstrous because I don't have blood and functioning marrow, then why not transfuse her blood in my body and gain some Red Blood Cells? If she had called me a blue monster she is the one who should pay back for it. I thought good or bad, but she bore the seeds of hatred in her heart for me. My existence was now undignified. Despondra had expelled puke saying enough evil against me. It was pure humiliation which I was not intending to assimilate.

After all, if it was her view about not bringing the dead to life. What could have made me an object of her hatred and distaste? But then who the hell is she to decide that who should live and who should not? How could she get judgmental over my life?

I have been given a right to live and it doesn't become worthless just because she hates me. If she hates me, I have the right to make her pay for having said that humiliating crap and devaluing my life in front of 2 people and ZA-vi, my android.

If she says that nobody will volunteer to donate blood and bone marrow to me then why not start with borrowing some blood from her? Her, this, hard abhorrence towards human life actually undervalues her own existence rendering her thereby, a fit candidate for blood transfusion to me.

I thought that I will suction out as much blood as possible from her body and transfuse it into my veins, where else and how would I find a donor who deserves a little pain; who deserves being forced into such a service to the monster for whom she bore irreverence. Most significantly she must pay the price for hatred towards humanity; towards people like me who were awarded second chances in their lives and beyond.

People have a right to live. They must live enough to die a natural death; but if the death is caused before the time that the death should come naturally, their right to live further comes into being. I died of something I cannot evoke, but life was sucked away from me by an early death maybe; by something incurable, then. But the cause of death could be undone today, giving rise thereby to my renewed right to live.

I may not be very appreciative of my life today but I have the obligation to value its preciousness. If I cannot protect my life, I will put to stake the feelings, patience, hard work, sleepless nights, sweat and hopes of people who have toiled hard, to gift me this new life.

No life is without a reason, like it or not, there is vested in it, a will, of an undefined supreme power, sitting above all this world in the skies, somewhere who directs life into being. I will not allow Despondra to contaminate my mind with her abhorrent outlook about me. Now, it is not about the right to live, but it is regarding the duty to respect this life bestowed upon me by some power and hard work of others who have wasted an enormous portion....

ZA-vi: "I think, you said that I should have stopped you from slitting my throat apart the previous time? Do you still mean the same, as I can sense your plan on doing something of similar gravity?" ZA-vi obviously had my thoughts read and was supposed to oppose as asked of him by me.

I said: "Yes! You are right! I asked you to stop me that last time; one time. That was because it was about harming you ZA-vi! Look at you! You are just a machine who cannot do beyond what you are programmed to do. You do not, actually cannot have indignation towards any human being. You are not expected to perform a task favoring some human."

I continued: "In the same way, you cannot inflict injury to any person. You cannot harm anyone except if you are so programmed to do. But if you are so programmed to injure any person, it is not your fault again but it's that of your programmer. You must be destructed if you turn out to being a killing machine. But it still would not be your fault. People, like Despondra, have the ill feelings. They hate people, irrespective of the fact that those innocent people, like me, are not responsible for flaws in them. On the contrary, you are just a machine who does not have the ability to hate any person."

I sighed a little and inhaled a little reassurance into me. Then I continued again-

I said: "Hatred sprouts in the hearts of such people. I am still not sure as to what is to be done with her. I was not born again just to be a killer and hatred certainly isn't what I prefer to return. But the way she called me a monster wasn't likeable exactly. The blue skin I have is due to the blood substitute which manifests itself more when put against partial albinism I have resulting from the process. If I had a blood stem cell donor, this blue complexion can partially be corrected. VON mentioned commencing upon pigmentation treatment as well. But let the truth be said; we don't have a bone marrow and blood donor. Her repeatedly calling me a Blue Monster has irritated me to the core. Let us choose her to change that. Let me be a Monster to not be Blue for a while now here. I will knock her down tonight and you suck her blood out from her, just to leave enough in her so as to not let her die. This is the only way of confirming the fact about my bluish tint being corrected by transfusion of natural blood. Yes, I will be a little selfish this time. Also, it is about time for the next transfusion, I would prefer to choose transfusion of real blood this time, as we have selected a donor. Essentially the donor has come to me. I have known that she is atrocious, but I won't be killing her. I am undertaking this risk upon her life, just so as to make her realize how wrong she is. Instead, I will make her feel how it feels when you are helpless just like me, craving for each drop of valuable blood that her body readily makes. I will try to make her understand what that pain really is like so that she will find a reason to respect what she has got but doesn't realize its significance. I want to make her slightly deficient in blood as me, a suffering donor. It will be recuperated in days' time, but it might instill an insight into suffering."

ZA-vi: "Okay, I think you have some reason to do that which I think is 'Humanly' sufficient. But how will you take her blood out to transfuse into yourself? I am not a medic exactly."

I said, imparting a stern look at him: "Just suck her blood out using machines they have these days! Anything; like a suction pump or whatever."

ZA-vi: "Okay! I will show you which device I am planning to use. Now tell me, do you think that you are confident and sure about having decided to do this act? Because I don't want you saying that I must have tried harder in stopping you, should you regret having committed it later."

I replied: "Yes, because I will not be harming her at all. I don't even hate Doctor Despondra, but I hate the way she hates people like me. If the Earth suffers from being on the verge of extinction of our kind, then I think that repopulating it with any kind of human beings is a good opportunity. Again, it was not my wish to be reborn, but somewhere inside, I am debating with myself against my own will. Why should people like me ever be denied their second chances?

Chapter 16: I took to violence again

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11:00 pm: The Plan

ZA-vi: "I have found out that the two assistant doctors with Despondra will not be working today with her because Dr. Klinex (the woman) is on leave and Dr. Wornfeih (The male) has already worked on a different shift. So she is working absolutely alone tonight. So, essentially, we are in a little bit of luck tonight. The 'Hospital' gets empty after midnight. The department head office where her room belongs is inaccessible to most except higher ranked staff and doctors. But today is a strange day! Everything fell into place and most doctors are gone, but only junior resident doctors are on duty totaling just 3, are left in the hospital. They do not report to her, except in an emergency. It's after midnight that we strike her for the best."

I said: "In precise 1 hour from now! Let's gather our equipment."

ZA-vi had brought a device which I interpreted to be like an advanced suction pump, thoroughly sterilized. To the pump was attached a 5-liter glass tank which would be filled up with suctioned out blood. I could not wait to see it filled with Despondra's blood. But we were not going to leave her to die so we were taking bandages to immediately contain the bleeding if any. Instead, we both would be making sure that we left her on a hospital bed to be able to seek medical attention ASAP (as soon as possible), without the slightest delay. So we were playing the nice guys, just with a little pinch of Bad! The best part was we both coordinated perfectly thanks to the telepathic connection ZA-vi had with my thoughts. We looked at each other and nodded in agreement to get along with the plan ahead of us. ZA-vi carried the suction pump and bandages while I carried an aluminum rod some 2.5 feet long, which was round and clubbed at the front just enough to ensure that it did not create any large open wound.

I walked ahead using my own authorization key to the elevators while ZA-vi used his own at extreme right. ZA-vi followed me to Despondra's cabin on the floor just above ours. ZA-vi stayed out of the glass hall. Despondra was busy with glass screen facing back towards entrance, about same as last time. The plan was to let her know who did this to her and do it with an addition of surprise element to it.

I walked ahead and reached till I was just 3 feet away from her and called her "Doctor!" She turned towards the direction of my voice. I swayed the rod in my hand to hit her with a heavy momentum, but I then noticed that she had held a device in her hand at which she looked while turning her face at me gazing down, I realized that she wouldn't now know that who knocked her out but it all happened in the split of the moment, and my right hand with rod hit her because it had gone to an uncontrollable level.

My rod's round club hit her above her right temple, with the sudden impact her head and body were force moved towards her left, as she fell down, the round screen type device jerked a bit above and hit a tray with knives kept on the counter at my left, a knife flew up in the air, swirled up and down and the force of gravity turned its blade towards the floor where the calf of her left leg had just placed itself, and the knife's blade impaled through her lower calf and made a 2 inch wide and about the same dimension deep incision. It was now obvious to me that the knife which now stood tilted on her lower calf wound was heavier and sharp for belonging to this era.

Despondra wore a knee length gray pencil skirt and white blouse today leaving her legs open and vulnerable to such an accidental wound. Well, cutting an open wound was certainly not a part of the plan; rather it was a mere accident. I didn't want the blood to spill out and make a mess, but there was nothing I could do. I didn't want to tear off mine or her clothes to make a bandage in an attempt to avoid any possibility of accidentally creating evidence, and as I glanced at the dimly lighted room there was not anything to soak the blood in.

But, where was ZA-vi? He must have been here by now, as he is the one who carried bandages and suction pump. Where did he get stuck in, especially when I needed him? I was a little suspicious about somebody coming into this hall belonging to the head of the hospital. I thought I will have to leave that place with her unconscious body right away. Hence, I turned my head back to look at the gates, it was bright and there was nobody around. So I went up to her hands and held her by her arms thereby, rotating her body to face towards the entrance. Then I started dragging her towards the gate, the wound in her left calf started to leave blood trails behind as I dragged her towards the gate.

Then I recalled something about having seen the trails of blood I left behind. Yes, I now correctly remembered that I saw such trails of blood from dragging a woman behind that I saw in my nightmare. Then I gazed at Despondra, she is about 40 or higher, traces of tiniest wrinkles have begun to appear on her face. She is white, but there is an exotic blend of Mediterranean genes in her skin color.

She almost resembled the woman in my dream. But Despondra did not appear weakened by sickness or age as was the woman in my nightmare, although she was slender in shape and tall about 5'6", just enough to make for an arrogant lady boss. She was muscular with long, slender pins. From her looks, she did not sound so bad to me; despite the fact that she did not appear strikingly beautiful or even slightly innocent.

But I was doing this to her in order to teach her a lesson about starting to value human life more and for hating some humans like me. But that dream caught my attention again. I did see this zig-zag blood trail in my dream too, as her left calf swayed on the way responding to my cautious movements. I now begin to consider this dream as being more of a premonition to me rather than just being a nightmare.

But why would I have such a dreaded premonition? My plan did not include biting her jugular for sucking her blood out, but it did concern itself with suctioning out her blood. Did I get some sort of indication through premonition? They must have some kind of consequence for the future acts that are what premonitions are for. To see the future first so that you have enough time to prevent something evil or to act in a way desired.

But this to me was happening and I was doing it, yet it seemed the right avenue to tread on to. It just felt right. I stopped a little tangled in the lines of thoughts. I looked back at her and the blood trail and reminded myself of the nasty things she puked earlier and my determination to do what I was doing consolidated further.

The door slit-opened; when I approached it, as it was photosensitive. I realized that ZA-vi was still seen nowhere. I decided to move her to the alley to the left of the entrance as it was dark there, enough to hide my prey and the culprit, myself.

As I turned 90 degrees to reach the alley, I saw ZA-vi coming towards me and turned towards him thereby rotating the body a little. I said-

I said: "You know, you were supposed to be here when I knocked her down, now look at the mess that got created!" I flew my right arm up to sway my fingers towards the blood trails.

ZA-vi: "I agree but I had to wait as the Bouncer on the floor is here at the Out Patient Ward. I needed to wait to let him pass."

I said: "But, have you seen the mess yet?"

ZA-vi: "It won't take long to wipe it all out. But we agreed about no cutting wound, yes?"

I was assured by ZA-vi's words.

I said: "Do it first, hurry up! I will explain later."

ZA-vi placed the pump to my right and took out some cotton. In a few seconds, he wiped out Despondra's blood trails, but the glossy white floor was still stained. So he went up and grabbed a water tumbler and splashed its water against the stained floor. He took some more cotton and wiped out the floor clean in a few more moments. It was done till the gate, but rest was still there, though the trails had lessened outside which took lesser time to get wiped out clean, I gestured him to come out and do what we were here for.

ZA-vi: "We will infiltrate at the veins in her hand." I nodded.

He inserted a cannula in her right hand and fixed the other end of the IV tube at the mouth of the suction pump.

I said: "Let us just get it done!"

He looked at me and started drawing blood out from her body. The red color of the blood looked so enticing to my eyes. It was what made me distinct from the crowd. It is probably why we have to do this to her. It was what made me freak out of my own appearance. It was a shame that my body, my centuries' old body was not able to produce it.

But above all this, people for reasons unknown and not understandable, would not donate it to me; to the hospital these days. I thought people in my era used to judge others by the color of skin, sex, ethnicity, community etc. it was probably the color of the blood they would judge me by.

...........and, I was a Blue Monster for her. I kept looking at the blood of hers and admiring the red color of the blood as my thoughts sunk me deeper while the container of the suction pump kept getting filled up higher with her blood. So it caught my attention.

I said:"Hey ZA-vi wait! How much blood have you drawn till now?"

ZA-vi: "It reads 2.5 liters, why?"

I baffled: "Stop! Stop! Stop right now........!"

ZA-vi: "Why? It seems okay to me so far............"

I screamed: "NO! Just stop it will you, right now!" and he stopped working with the pump.

I asked: "What is the threshold of Exsanguination? We have drawn too much blood! The wound has even stopped bleeding!" I pointed towards the cut that the knife had made in her left calf's flesh. The blood, which trickled down from the large wound had stopped, indicating a huge blood loss from the suction; although clotting could have also stopped the bleeding.

I said: "How much blood does a human body have? 4-5 liters?? How much? Have we killed her already?" I got jerked to my core.

ZA-vi instantly removed the cannula and held her wrist

"We still have the pulse!" said he. "...and a heartbeat!" as he touched the heart with his flat palm. Now he took his hand towards her nostrils. "Breathing too! She is not dead!" He exclaimed.

I said: "Hurry up!" I screamed; Let us rush her to any emergency room!"

ZA-vi pointed towards the alley in the front-

ZA-vi: "There!"

Although her wound was not cleaned, we rushed towards the Emergency ward as fast as we could. I was strong for carrying her alone by myself, but we did not want to make any possible trail so I carried her by her arms and ZA-vi supported me by carrying her by her legs.

We ran till we made it to the last but one room, which I saw read, 'Emergency Ward 1207'. I kicked it open and put Despondra's body on the first bed we saw.

We had to run out immediately, while also alarm somebody hence while returning I hit the red button on the wall in the front of her bed.

The voice began calling the ward number and we ran towards the alley where we had suctioned her blood out. The pump and the cotton were held by ZA-vi, which he handed me over and I took the corridor in front of Despondra's room straight to the elevators. I took the elevator down to my floor and reached my room.

On the way all the time I wished for her farewell. I just wished that she would be alright. If I had been a believer of God, I would pray for her health and well-being. But I didn't know about my earlier faith.

As I placed the pump on the counter at the back of my bed, I began thinking that ZA-vi stayed behind to cover me up. If anybody would have seen him, they'd not have suspected me of any such crime and ZA-vi, being an android lacks a motive behind the heinous attempt of killing the head of the hospital.

Soon after, he returned and said that he had wiped clean the last traces of the blood stains.

ZA-vi: "Dr. Shelly had reached there in time to attend Despondra. She I believe is in able hands. She will be fine."

So, he was not obviously caught. Oh, thank goodness! I whimpered to myself.

I said: "I am not a murderer! I did not want her to die. I only intended her to learn to respect the human person, not the process employed to bring her or him into being. I hope that it works. But I was still not content as I had hoped for some kind of reaction.

Suddenly, KEAH ran in and shut the door from inside. She said-

KEAH: "I saw what you did out there with Dr. Despondra!" She looked aghast and tense, "But what was on your mind then and why?"

ZA-vi looked at me to insist that I explained it to her.

I replied: "You must have heard our conversation the other day KEAH! But I did not see you that time, if you were overhearing then you should have backed me up and she then ridiculed yours and Shelly's work too in return. Why did you not come to participate in that debate?"

KEAH: "I was not there, but I saw you and your act on the camera on the computer. I was on the security floor i.e. '-10' because two of the Out Patients died yesterday without a sound reason of death. I was assigned to work on their genetic case as research. It was strange that they belonged to the same quarters. I was on the security floor as a witness so I was called there for investigation."

She stopped for the split of a moment as if trying to remember-

KEAH: "I was in Trample's office when he asked me to record my statement but he himself stepped away. The camera of Despondra's hall began showing footage on the screen. Then I saw you guys! But what was more surprising was your killer skills which I saw live on the camera! Why would you do that?"

The next moment, I realized that she had not overheard, but only seen my 'act' on the camera. So I needed to explain the reason and background of our little stifle to her, which was far more difficult a part for me.

But, I mustered up all the courage and expelled away the detailed conversation I have had with Despondra. Although KEAH was a clone and not the dead walking, still she had an exact same reaction after I had it explained all to her and she even agreed to the validity of the act itself and said further-

KEAH: "After seeing you two commit the act, I reacted with patience and put a message for Dr. Shelly to rush to the Emergency Ward 1207 as soon as you guys had left Despondra there on the ward's bed. Your actions of leaving her there and your expressions indicated your intention of saving her behind the act."

I said: "It is great to have your support KEAH. It means a lot. Thank you. If we are absolved of any crime, if Despondra is saved, it is just because of your courageous attempts. I always have had believed in you since the beginning."

KEAH: "Oh! It is no problem. Despondra, in my opinion deserves this treatment. She has ordered to kill anybody, patient, person, clone or one like you if their medical records are not perfectly clean. She is the reckless and relentless side of this ship. Most of the doctors, except for her puppet assistants are against her such inhuman orders. She is the most original human being, born from real biological parents. A rare occurrence even some forty years back. Hence, she considers all the others to be a garbage dump. I believe that she must have humiliated you and she is overly proud of herself. So yes, she deserves it."

I said: "But then, those ordered to kill are actually killed or not?"

KEAH: "This is considered as a secret, something not frequently talked about. Please do not let it out before anyone. There is a cold Mutiny pervading on this ship. Although Despondra's orders are cruel and absolute, still they are not devoid of reason to them. If this is not done as ordered, then the 'Defective humans' will blend with the rest of the normal ones and will further this Contamination."

"Now, the supporters of Shelly and Von sneak these unclear, but not dangerous bodies into the lower levels of the ship, suspending them for future genetic correction, in the case of further destruction of human race. Because Shelly believes in future possibilities of genetic code correction and improvement, otherwise, as he believes, human procreation may not be even remotely possible in future due to the declination of the resources in the hands of 'The Exiled' ones."

She paused to conclude-

KEAH: "So Shelly and his supporters are believers of the proposition that they can undo the incorrect rather than make a few more humans in the labs first and then subsequently discover their genetic deformities many years later. So, apart from a few gravely serious cases, not all are being killed. The team of Shelly and Von filters the subjects further after Despondra's rejection thereof. They consider the further fate of the rejected subjects and do as is appropriate. I am not involved in this all and do not take sides. Rather each of these looks right to me from their point of view."

I said: "So does to me. Did she order to kill me as well?"

KEAH:; "No! I believe she is not authorized to order, the capital rejection of any person's body secured in Cryo. Which I have been told has been protected by the realm of present day and past legal systems. The factor holding much importance is the financial support available to the people preserved in Cryo. Though she obviously hates you; despite the fact that your genes are pure."

I replied: "I see. So is she still alive? I had no intention to kill her at any cost. No."

KEAH: "Yeah she is, though next 24 hours will be critical to her survival. I wonder how she has still survived such a huge blood loss. 30% of the blood loss is life-threatening; you had suctioned 50% of her blood. It is no exaggeration to call it a miracle, saying medically."

I said: "It would in my best interest that I am saved from being a murderer. I hope and wish that she survives this."

KEAH: "Amen! By the way, do not worry about her life, if it is not saved, we will make up a story to hide the action that you committed to inflicting injury upon her body. We have got everything under control. The best part is that we were lucky that I was there to see the footage live and had enough time to react."

I said: "Oh thank you KEAH! I am absolutely relieved now. Though I don't want to taint my character by calling myself a killer, because it is not what I do. If she is not saved I will not be able to forgive myself. But thank you" I said to her, who was now leaving my room saying-

KEAH: "Don't bother that much. Keep hope. Relax now. Night miss!" and she walked out.

ZA-vi was busy in freezing the recently taken out blood and I stretched myself with a sigh on my tiny bed. My vision shifted focus towards the clock. It was just 1:45 am while it had seemed to have taken a long time, since that act.

Chapter 17: DEVON!

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"A sound of footsteps woke me up early; no I was awake, guilty of what monster I would become; lost, clueless; aimless at 3:31 am."

"I was expecting ZA-vi/KEAH or other familiar face but a dusky 6'1" man entered my room. Those eyes gleamed at mine as I turned on the lights. I was sure; I had not seen such familiarity, such thirst, sadistic amusement in any eyes since re-animation as if those intense blue eyes had met someone so close that they would be dampened any moment. "

At the time when I was saddened with my monstrosity, this guy 40+ clad inpatient apron began to instill the feeling of humanity in my soul! I am amazed; I have sensed a connection to him from my past life!"

"Hi! Dani! I am Devon!..............." said he. "I have been told that you don't remember a thing from your past life. I am sure even if you did there is no way that you must have recognized me!" He chuckled.

"Is it funny? I would prefer some meaningful explanation. I am in the state of a turmoil right now, so you better start talking." I was outraged at the stranger.

Suddenly he picked up my right hand from the side of the bed and kissed it! It was really strange, it was the first time that such a thing had happened in this life and it calmed me a bit instead of pissing me off. It tickled my failed memory. Yes! This seems to be a person from past life rather than just being an object of excitement when I saw his body naked just a day or two before today. A man's naked body, the first and only in this life, I had laughed!

Amidst all this thinking I gazed in his eyes, tears welled up in them. I was gasping.

"Why are you crying.....? I forgot your name what was it again."

"Devon, " said he. Continuing "You, Dani just you were the only person I have ever loved in my life." He swallowed his tears again. Brought my hand towards his cheek and bent his face over it.

It is the first time in life that I had felt such emotions. As I said, there was a connection.

"Please tell me in detail Devon!" I said with the curiosity of reaching some conclusion as to what this all meant.

"Long story dear!" said he. "You should rest". "I have just got awakened to this new life and wanted to see you as soon as possible the only reason that brings me here Dani." His eyes were still damp, but he smiled. He probably had the best-looking smile I had seen so far in this life.

I protested: "We have time."

Devon:"OK! Starting it from where it began. I was 7 years old, school boy when my mother had died. Then you came, I saw that person in you. You looked as if I had already known you for ages. You took me in your custody and volunteered to assist me financially all my life. I came to the table on which the forms you were signing were placed then I took your left hand and kissed it. You were told that I was all alone in the world. My father had left us, I do not remember when but I was too young then. I had nothing in this world, then you bent down with tears in your eyes you said, "He is not alone, I am there for him"and kissed my forehead. You gave me a nice place to live, provided me with food and education. You became my world to me. At just 21 years of age, you took care of an orphan very well."

"You were the most generous, giving soul on earth for me. You were the most beautiful face for me. You meant the world to me. I fell in love with you instantly. I just saw your face when I was 7 and I became yours forever. It was the prettiest face I had ever seen and the most benevolent soul on earth. You became my Soulmate. My fallen Angel I considered you mine and I thought that this life and forever I belonged with you, every breath I took was yours."

But then you had to leave for another town for work one day. I was devastated. I never thought that I will lose you one day. I lived five years with you, but I lived my life with the support of those memories. I had given my soul to you and there was no space for anyone else ever in my heart."

I was listening quietly and could relate to this story for the first time in this life. It all seemed real.

He continued: "Then after two years you phoned me that you loved a guy! I was devastated again! Till then I never thought that 14 years of age gap could be a problem in our relationship. I was a little boy who fell in love, but I think I could never tumble out of it ever in life. Rather I think now that love was so strong that it could not limit itself in one lifetime. But you instead chose a guy, well established, successful and wealthy, but also 14 years older than yourself!"

"But for you, I was happier. Because despite my despair, I trusted your choice of a man and that you would never be wrong in life, Dani, the one whom you needed to take care of you. I had lost, but I was happy for the only angel in my life. I was strong to move on. You had made me strong. You were a big name in life. You founded two companies and both were extremely successful. But your success and generosity were two contradictory elements which caused intuitive unrest in my mind. I continued the education you gifted me, but I began sensing that something bad was coming..............."

He almost sobbed: "You Dani my angel was diagnosed with cancer! A third stage cancer! I was so devastated again, that I wanted to kill somebody. At the tender age of 29 doctors gave you just 6 more months to live the rest of your life! Grief struck me hard! Just as I had begun to adjust to something bad that happened to me, life would step ahead and something worse would happen. But this was the worst Dani! The worst!"

I was devastated too! Was life so cruel to me? I was all tears myself. I could not even ask Devon to continue further, but I also sensed curiosity about how and when I finally died. But what made me go against the ultimate nature of life i.e. Death and choose the horrible Cryo and reanimation.

"It was still not over Dani." He almost sobbed."The best thing that had ever happened to you was your engagement to the man you loved. You were so happy that day. But I could tell that the man you chose was not a gentleman.

I could say that from my intuition I had from seeing Mr. Sinister (Mr. Schneider) smile in the engagement photos. There was something fishy. You had a thing about white bridal dresses, so you wore one in the photos. You have had obviously thought that you would not live until the wedding. "

Continued he: "You lived for 3 years until the age of 32; falsifying the doctors' time limit given to your life. You went through chemotherapies, Radiotherapies and various local surgeries removing organs one at a time. But you never seemed weary; you lived every way possible to each moment gifted as a bonus. Everyone voted in favor of putting you into Cryo hypersleep, all but you yourself, because you were a believer of life and that death was an inevitable nature of life; its ultimate destination. You believed and accepted it as a will of the creator. You died and were put in future science's will to restore life in you. And I truly believe that it is Dani's soul which came back from Heaven to resurrect this body. "

I said: "I still believe that death was my fate. Witnessing this future, this horrible truth and especially this horrible form, I still will choose death over this fierce life."

But I did not know that life was so short and painful.

Devon: "It is not over yet Danielle!"

I turned back to look at him in disbelief. He said, "Your painful life had yet to reveal its misery. When you died, I could barely say Goodbye to my soulmate angel. My days and nights were all nightmares. I could not help but complain to God. I had lost faith in Him. My object of love was lost in oblivion. I began to think why he sent you into my life at first place when we were not meant to be. First, you stepped out of my life. Stepped into someone else's and then suddenly life stepped out of you. I just absolutely failed to understand the very design of how life worked."

He said: "But my sorrow was not meant to be lost forever. Soon it was replaced by anguish and despair. Just after your demise, the newspapers began to question the circumstances of your departure. They said it was not natural. That it was not cancer, which killed you. It was a deprivation of oxygen. Yes, you were asphyxiated to death. They blamed Mr. Sinister for your unnatural death, so did I think. He was with you by your bedside when you breathed your last. Everyone including me believed that he was the reason. Yes 'he killed you' that was what I felt. But then the news makers brought evidence into public, raising many questions. A few, including me, filed cases. The state opened the case. The trial was a never-ending process that which took longer time because the accused kept on furnishing evidence in his support. At the moment of grief of losing you, he would rather be photographed with various women; he would never be seen sad, he was at the climax of enjoying his life to the fullest. He was a womanizer and it is unbelievable that you chose him. You were wrong Dani. For that one time Dani, you were wrong!"

He continued: "I grew up thinking all this and that if he would be responsible he will be made to suffer. I got educated and a prestigious job. I filed a petition to reopen the case. By this time he had got engaged to a much younger model. As per your will, he inherited your all shares, properties and companies, which in turn were being transferred to his present fiancé. A stone was stirring the still waters. The shareholders in both your companies wanted him off the board. Then with the little money, I began purchasing the shares in your companies and gaining the vote of confidence among prominent shareholders. My strategies were sound and with a little luck, I was able to gain a voice in both the corporations. Then the state law held him guilty and he was dumped behind the bars, though he remained convicted, but the humanitarian view of the legal systems kept letting him out time and again."

"I became so distraught of life I had that I decided to commit suicide so that I can lay in Cryo to find you again in the realm of future time. I am now able to see the success of my suicidal decision and look you are sitting before me!" He stopped for a while after saying this.

"I will take your leave, my angel. I will see you soon. It was really hard to get out of the facility they had reanimated me in. they must be searching for me. For us, we have got a whole new life to talk about! Take rest Dani! I will come to you very soon. Be seeing you!" He lifted my hand up from his cheek and placed it back on my lap. He got up and went out of the door.

I sighed. So my life was a horrible dream and this rebirth was a part of it, an extension thereof. Just about the time I was thinking why I began turning into a monster. But now the feeling of guilt is giving way to the want of a second chance. Life has not been fair to me earlier and now I have a right to live my way. I have been selected for a second chance hence I am entitled to living on my own will.

This Devon had brought a little something new for me to think upon. The reflection of my life in his words was overwhelming. A story; which would tear up anybody apart, not to mention my own self, it was my own story. First, I couldn't believe what he said but then I thought there was no reason for a stranger to make up a fake story before me.

This second chance being awarded to me is another opportunity to live my incomplete sickening life with an altogether new beginning. What I did with Despondra was worth it and it is not guilt that will wash away my reason for the act.

I thought right now what I needed was to get some relaxing sleep. Hence, I would prefer my brain to calm down, to the point of sleep and postpone the disturbing thoughts for the time I woke up.

I glanced at the clock which was showing now was 04:35 am. I reclined back and the physical exhaustion from the day wore me down to falling asleep sooner than I could otherwise have.

Chapter 18: The Lone Wanderer

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After a dreamless sleep, I woke up at 11 am for an uneventful day. Nobody was around. Not even ZA-vi was around.

I dressed up in my white robes. I decided to look and act decent today. I decided to pay a visit to Despondra in the Emergency Ward 1207. I had to make sure that she was doing just fine. As I reached ward 1207, the emergency ward we had last left her at, I saw nothing but just a creepy silence and a flat calm. There was nobody attending her. The cardiograph machine was making the beeps indicating the presence of the heartbeat in her.

The oxygen mask fitted over her mouth was filled and was sparsely smeared with steamy tiny droplets meaning that she was breathing. Her chest rose up and dropped down in a very controlled and calm manner.

These all indications just meant that she was doing just fine. Still KEAH had said that her 24 next hours were crucial. Still, till now it was all good so far. I released a small sigh of relief and went up to the elevator alley. Lift stood right there as if waiting impatiently just for my arrival. I had no intention of exploration, so my fingers moved over a random button on the lift and went on to press 3.

As I stepped out on the floor number three, I felt that these were much like small bunkers meant just for the people living on the ship to live on here or return back to rest and leisure. All these rooms were locked up and packed as if, not have been used for too long, except for the two of those whose curtains gave way to seeing through what was in them but as I said earlier, I was not interested in exploring today.

I went until the end of the corridor, but the last alley which conjoined the two adjacent corridors had a transparent glass with a balcony. As I went nearer I noticed that this balcony was also covered by the glass dome. The sunbeams struck directly on to it; as I reached the edge of this balcony the green-blue ocean was visible at a distance.

It was the first time in this new life that I stood in the sunlight that too facing the beautiful calm but glistening water of the green stretched out the ocean. This balcony was the first floor in the open space of the ship. The ship's edge was only a few yards away but still there was nobody on the open floor below or maybe it had been closed from inside with empty spaces left unused and inaccessible.

Then I happened to see at my faint reflection on the inverted glass of the dome. I saw a blue figure standing all alone. If it were not for just my reflection, I would have pitied at it. But being alone and lonely, standing out, distinguished and unaccepted was no longer a new concept to me.

I was not essentially a weak soul from the inside but, the whole detailed description of the previous life that Devon had made was a lot to take in and think about. His words were seemingly so real that I had imagined having done and gone through the exact same things that he had mentioned. It felt like being a sufferer of having done nothing which I could be held responsible for.

The sun, the sky, and the sea all were constant and had remained the same ever since just like me. They had stood unchanged, so had I. They were all permanent to the date, so was I. I was in effect, packed alone and thrown into a new and complicated world. Suddenly this all thinking reminded me of lines of an incomplete song-

Stranded alone through the tides of time

Came here for what? I don't know now

Searching in the sand for my precious dime

Determined to follow the words of a vow

Stranded alone through the tides of time

Once I believe, there was a beginning

The spring and crops, the fresh rain drops

Then, there was a reason for 'Birdie' to sing

Woven in chosen words, a beautiful rhyme

Stranded alone through the tides of time

When the thunder struck, she lay asleep

later with a smash, everything broke

The rain, the rhyme and the promise to keep

'Oh! Missed it!' In grief, she'd soak

Stranded alone through the tides of time

The nullity of middle, bound future and the past

'Nothingness' exists, down the memory line

Death would come, reason to life was overcast

Back I came, to have what was mine

Stranded alone through the tides of time

Shook it! Broke it! Then tore it apart!

Give it up? Back it down? Will never back out!

What is now, here, shall never depart

Will breathe even after water fills up the snout

Darkness will flee with a little sunshine

Stranded alone through the tides of time

I don't know what part of my memory held it up together for an immeasurable length of time. But it did sound to have been sung in a familiar voice. I thought somebody had, perhaps, envisaged my this day and wrote lines on me. Be it whatever, it just fits my situation perfectly.

I was a bit moved by the sadistic story of my past life narrated briefly by Devon. It shook my core up. I never had to believe anyone as much as I had to believe his words today. It was, however, apparent that I did not recollect from my memory, my version of what he had said about my life.

Now I needed my memory back, really badly! Otherwise, anybody could contemplate anything about my past and I was bound but to believe it. Still, there was no reason to reject what Devon said. I had felt it instantly that I have had a past connection with him and that his story about me was not entirely a falsified version.

He perhaps had been a part of my life. But going by what he described, I was perhaps a larger part of his life than he was, of mine. It sometimes felt like he meant every word he uttered. He claimed to have loved me all his life and even he had gone into cryopreservation to have another life beyond life to be a part of my life once again. He claimed his love for me even now.

But I instantly realized that my brain was not capable of understanding such an intense feeling as love. Love as I think now is a complicated concept, incapable of a definition or description or trust or my belief. I made up my mind, that I did not understand such an alienated concept as love.

If Devon feels love for me, I cannot stop him from feeling it for me, nor does it pose any threat to my well-being. If love is to come to me, it will so happen, regardless of what I decide to think or act upon. There is a lot of time in this life for me to understand human emotions, love being the top of the pyramid.

For then, I just thought that, If love was there, its power is too capable and cannot be underestimated, it cannot be hidden, and the time will manifest the worth and power of Devon's words and feelings onto me. As of right now, I do not understand this high human emotion, nor am I interested in its existence or occurrence.

I do not have ample time to ponder over and explore about what thing love was in this precious life of mine. I need to discover or uncover the reason behind my rebirth. I have got to explore this newly devastated world rather, and there are various vices persisting in the present day societies which I have to investigate about.

I was born alone, deprived of parental love, care and upbringing in this life I have been reborn into, I have no relationships with anyone in this era. I am totally emotionally distant, inaccessible and alone in this world.

I am just an awakened corpse for today's people that had been given a right to live again because the scenario has completely changed a great deal and now frozen corpses matter if they can be reanimated today because people are not procreated with ease in this era.

I am at terms with whatsoever I am now and I feel really, enormously, responsible for protecting and cherishing my right to living this life. I turned back towards my room and decided not to think any further about this all vicious cycle of brainstorming.

As I came back to my room, similar thoughts began to engulf me again. Just to avoid getting stuck in the whirlpool of disturbing thoughts I had to do something different now. I just sat on a retractable stool attached to the wall of my room, but then got off it again and decided to tour the navigation chambers, to see if The Navigator could have been free to satiate my hunger of curiosity today.

Chapter 19: The exploration of The Navigator's room and cockpit

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On the way, I was concerned about whether the Navigator may have something to show me or even if he has, would he allow me to have a look? Does Authorization also mean unrestricted access to all the data they have on the ship? Anyway, I have the right to know and I will insist that they give it to me.

As I reached The Navigator's room, I saw him standing in front of the screens. It was good that he was in the same form as I met him the last time, so I could recognize him instantly. He turned around to look at me and said-

The Navigator: "Hi case DS! I was expecting to see you sooner. But it doesn't matter anymore because you are here now. I can clearly see that you are doing very well in your new life. You have been given unrestricted access, with the effect of the authorization passkey to this floor and everywhere else. So, feel free to look around and involve lesser of me for your own best in your exploration."

I nodded in yes, as I moved towards the 1st room on my sharp left facing towards the bow of the ship. As I entered into it, a young man gave me a welcoming gesture. He said-

Young man: "Hi miss! I am Albert. What brings you here? I do not get many visitors so please pardon my excessive formal behavior, eh!"

I said: "Hello! I am Danielle brought back from the past. I came here for accessing information about whatever you might have for me. Anything, that you might think would be of some use for me." I had figured out that the excessive formality Albert was exhibiting was a clear reaction to my physical appearance. I had decided to maintain a modest composure.

Albert: "Here, we have a spare computer in my room. Feel yourself at home!" He said, pointing towards a glass screen.

I did not actually know how this touch screen was operated upon. It was held in the air without touching anything. It placed itself nowhere and then faced me when I approached it as if it had heard that I was being told about using it. I sat on a stool in front of it, which was uncomfortably high. Then, I took out my right-hand pointer and touched it, something opened up which consisted of the navigation manuals. I took out the earphone headband and wore it on my head plugging them into my ears. I touched the screen further hovering my finger over the options available. The heavy masculine voice from my earphones began reading the options that I would hover my finger over and the voice would read for me.

"a) History of the ship

The menu that got opened consisted of headings as the design of the ship, interior of the ship etc. I looked at Albert and said-

I asked: "Where can I get the history of the ship?" I moved aside so as to make more space for Albert to come forward and show me how to operate this thing before me. But it did not happen as supposed. Instead, the screen which was suspended from nowhere turned towards him and two eye-scan arms moved themselves to focus on his retina, then he called out loud-

Albert: "History of the ship!"

The computer echoed in my ears 'history of the ship'.

Albert: "Now you can use it with voice commands as I have logged into it."

The Computer: "The Ship Asclepius set off to sail at 10 am, on 23rd December 2281 to an uncharted 'higher' destination from the port of Los Angeles, as California was seismically graded vulnerable, after the occurrence of the Grand Tsunamis it was like living on the edge of a highly active volcano.

It was constructed by shipbuilding French Giant- SNS Magnifique Inc. It was first largest ship of its kind to be built for the West Coast. It was initially titled as 'Asclepius' but after the tragic intake of The Contaminated sample cases and embryos, which led to a high percentage of death of passengers, due to the furtherance of the Contamination, The Navigator resolved upon to alter its name to 'Perpetua', partly to part with the dreaded history thereof, and partly to be used as a symbol of building spirits brighter, rather than maintaining the medical title of the ship."

The computer continued-

The Computer: "This ship was not a result of a preplanned voyage rather it was, more of a nature of an Evacuation procedure. We had 10 hours 32 minutes 59 seconds to evacuate and step aboard the Ship in the given time, before the First Wave of the 'The Ripple' was predicted to hit the West Coast. People who had signed up for the rescue mission were intimated with an immediate effect. They had been given time, just enough to pack up all the valuables they had ever possessed and could carry with them and then embark on the journey to start the mission."

I began itching for more information on it.

The computer continued: "The ship was reserved for 6,157 passengers, but still a lot more could be accommodated for a lifetime fee of just, USD 21, 599. But to our dismay, only 4002 passengers succeeded in boarding the ship, making for about a mere 65% of the ship's expanded capacity. Much more could the hitherto Asclepius could hold aboard, as much as double in the stretched out and strained out capacity."

The machine before me seemed to take a break for a pause in its speech. It continued-

The computer: "This fact itself was considered as no less than a disaster in itself. 'The Ripple' came as predicted, punctual and enormous. The San Andreas Fault almost had wiped out various counties, Los Angeles, San Fransico, San Diego and in the south up to Baja California, hitting as high a tremor as Mw 9.8 on the Moment Magnitude Scale. Then along the Cascadia Subduction Zone an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 occurred but the pressure built up under the sister faults, was partly released by the San Andreas major eruption. An aftershock has never been recorded to exceed a maximum magnitude of 1Mw less than the first major tremor. In a period of 15 days, two more tremors of magnitude higher than a magnitude of 7 on the Moment Magnitude Scale were felt along the Cascadia Volcanic Arc, a tail of the Pacific Ring of Fire, killing a meager portion of the 10,000,000 lives put at stake. Although the loss inflicted to property was much higher. This rubble of places such as Portland, Seattle, and Washington was rendered largely unfit for residential colonies."

The computer would break the sentences and reassembled data with a recall of statistics.

The Computer: "But we had managed to leave destruction behind us; the aftermath Tsunamis of 'The Ripple' were caused by the huge enormity of the earthquakes and went ahead debasing most of the Western Coastal America (The Pacific Coast). But we had safely charted out a course into the ocean before The Ripple would hit us. When we were actually confronted by The Ripple Tsunamis, the waves had receded and went past us, leaving us unharmed floating in the Pacific."

I intervened: "Describe 'The Ripple'."

The Computer: "The Ripple was a series of Earthquakes, Tsunamis and sudden rising up of the sea water level so as to cause widespread destruction on a massive scale to person and property along the coastal world and islands."

I asked: "What kind of destruction was caused to the countries other than American Continents?"

The Computer: "I am sorry, but the detailed information was not put into my records. This is all my records have at this time. I am dependent upon human interface for further information required to be put manually."

I said: "Tell me about the ship and its people."

Albert interrupted me, saying: "Sorry madam, for more information you must go visit the adjoining room, which keeps the record of people, their health and so on. We also know them as the personal department of the ship. For information about the ship you are free and welcome to pay a visit to me and present me with an opportunity to better serve you again."

I said: "I understand. Thank you, Albert,, for your kind assistance." It was time for me to move onto other places and explore about the people on the ship. As I came out I realized the only adjoining room was that of the Navigator. So I decided to go into the room in the front.

As I reached there, it read, 'Ship Design and Engineering Department' on the board over my head. But by the time I realized that this department was not the one I might be interested in, I had already stepped inside of it. Then I thought I must comb every nook and corner before my mind would start drifting towards what I wanted to avoid drifting it to. So I decided to take a stroll ahead. The doors slit-opened; as easily as all the other photosensitive doors as soon as I approached them.

A man, middle-aged, turned his chair to face me as I began saying-

I introduced: "Hi! I am Danielle Spearhead. I have authorization passkey to explore the ship. If you may please allow me to have access to some information from you department I will be highly obliged."

I was expecting a surprised treatment, but the man remained in a composed posture and replied back-

The man: "Hi! I am Gayle! I have seen you around here. You are welcome to work and look at the extra screen I have right here. We basically have the ship's dimensional and engineering information in our department. Please go well and detailed, through it all. It is all yours. You can ask me for anything you feel you will need."

I nodded in agreement. Exactly what I needed. He turned one of the screens towards me and invited me to it. Bigger the screens the better to read the information through it, I fumbled-

Okay, so here I am again transfixed before the computer. Good thing, they don't bite you when you touch them! Let's see what we have got here-

Ship Engineering, Ship Information, Ship Interior, Ship Amenities, Ship Redesignable, Ship Biology, etc. I decided to go ahead with the 2nd and easier option because the first one wouldn't be catchable by my antennas.

With a voice in my headphone-

" b) Ship Information

The ship 'Asclepia' was built by SNS Magnifique Inc. in April of the year 2281. The shipbuilding contractor Quinny Parable and associates handed it over to Viva La Vida LMN international cruise liner who fleeted it in Los Angeles Shipyard at 8:00 am on 22nd November 2281."

"Gross Tonnage 261581, Weight Displacement 131000 tons, Length 1381 feet, Hull weight 59000 tons, 3 open decks, open porch, Retractable Roof covering, 6600 rooms with adjustable boundaries and dimensions....."

But this information was also pretty technical for me to understand so I decided to go to the ship interior option-

"c) Ship Interior

The ship is built with almost identical room structures with expandable or retractable dimensions. We have 3 decks with a circular structure similar to an inverted dome, as an opening, with balconies of rooms opening over each other. While the center of the first deck is kept open, though coverable by retracting opaque roof when the need be. The circular opening is provided till the five first floors, representing an inverted dome structure."

"The inverted dome is meant for plantation, vegetable and fruit bearing trees, basically, we had been self-dependent ever since embarking on the voyage. To cultivate fresh water we have a Desalinization plant, employing a technique called Electrochemically Mediated Seawater Desalinization. From various sources of energy e.g. from Salinity Gradient, Tidal Power, and Solar Energy, we have succeeded in living this far given the most energy efficient equipment and machinery' low energy consumption."

"With present capacity, we can harness almost 3000 KW a day, which is about for the full capacity of the ship's needs. But especially when we are not deploying even 15% of our capacity, our needs have been sufficient just by the solar power we generate from plants stretched across the roof and other open spaces of the ship. We are producing soil at an impressive pace, by recycling wastes, by chemically curing sewage, growing healthy bacteria.............."

Okay, so in a nutshell, we are living off pretty well on this ship, it is what I thought and touched 'The Ship Amenities, icon-

"d) Ship Amenities

The ship holds 6 restaurants, 5 markets, 6 gymnasiums, 2 playing grounds for basketball, skating or football, 6 schools, 1 medical college, a hospital, 11 security cells, 8 prison cells, 5 engineering colleges, 8 research facilities, about twice latest and most efficient medical and research equipment, 3 pools, 3 orchards and 8 small vegetable gardens. All drainage and sewage are mostly brought back into recycling to produce dirt and soil often after treating in refinery plants and subsequent to incineration of harmful and useless components......"

I murmured: "Okay! Everything appears exceptionally well here too." I dragged my index finger to the next title-

"e) Ship Redesignable-

We can redesign the ship without having to abandon our places because it has been designed by an excellent engineering acumen and is one of the finest examples of modern day advanced engineering. Our civil engineering department is able to move walls, cabins, fixtures and even research facilities remotely, so as to be able to alter the dimensions of inner cabins, rooms or enclosures. We have two retractable roofs, one which produces enough glass house effect so as to allow ample light and heat to our flora to flourish and solar plant to work at full capacity. While the other retractable roof is opaque, water, and air-proof so that when the need arises, the whole ship transforms into a submersible watercraft for a longer duration as a week or so........""

I had expected it to be better in the future, which the computer was telling and showing me in fine and carefully made animations. But now I was concerned only about the 'worse' part of this future and find ways to make my contributions in rendering it better off.

So, eventually, my fingers moved ahead in the main menu pushing for the ship biology head-

"f) Ship Biology

The ship contains, 85% of the species of plant seeds and fruit-bearing trees. But we have till now succeeded in planting only 57% of them on our ship. But keeping drawbacks behind, we have an ecosystem of flora on the ship. But for the animal kingdom, we only have a few apart from human beings; we have, all dairy and fishery animals, fish, cows, horses, rats, pigs, snakes, birds etc. for research and petting."

It was all, this subtitle contained. The voice stopped and the main menu showed up again, for the rest of which I only selected Ship Safety, which I decided as the being the last information in this cabin. The voice read again-

"g) Ship Safety

The ship complied with all the safety regulations set by the International Maritime Safety Agency by a 100%. We have had enough lifeboats with all the basic life support system, as to support all the persons of the ship's fully expanded capacity. We have backup engines and propeller systems in case we lost our main systems. We have had an advanced Z-rated Iceberg Alert System and Post-Collision Redressal System based on the extent of the damage. The ship had always followed the hitherto set regulations for combustible compounds and machinery on the ship. We have.........."

..............and I pushed back to reach the Main Menu, rechecked if there was anything worth paying my attention to before I took off my headphones. When I thought there wasn't any, I thanked Gayle with a smile and bid adieu until the next time.

I left The Navigation chambers and walked out to the main corridor, I suddenly I realized that, by adjoining room Albert didn't mean the cabins in the Navigation Hall, rather the adjoining hall to it which lay extreme right to me right now as I was stepping outside on the corridor.

I then decided to take the first right door towards the first hall with transparent glass walls, I spotted a little glass cabin, where a young tall woman sat in her black seat. As I entered, she looked a bit alarmed but calmed herself down soon. I made the first move and introduced myself-

I introduced: "Hi! I am Danielle Spearhead. Is this the Personnel Department? I seek some information, all categorized as the general type. Can you please help me, madam?"

She said: "Oh! Hello, Danielle! I am Larissa, Personnel Coordinator of the ship. I will feel glad to share any kind of information with you if you have proper authorization with you now."

I replied: "Yes, I am duly authorized to access information freely, as The Navigator said my Passkey is DS Reborn 01......"

She cut my sentence midway saying: "Oh then tell me how to help you exactly and excuse me for excessive formality procedures, you know how it is these days? So what information exactly do you need?"

I replied: "Any information which I may find useful and relevant to me and my situation, starting with general information about the people on the ship."

Larissa: "We have 353 people alive on board, excluding 27 clones and 7 successfully resurrected people, including you, Danielle. But I am sorry I couldn't recognize you because I have not seen you before and what is the story with blue skin?"

I almost giggled in disbelief and said: "You are telling me, 353 people live in this Super Gigantic, Super Specialty, and Technologically Hi-tech ship? Tell me, you are joking! But I must let you know that it is not the right time for the frivolous stuff. I need serious data!"

Larissa looked a little surprised in disbelief as if she had held her ground firm and wasn't kidding me. I still could not trust the reflection of truth on her plain slender face. I was meant to say something but it went like I was unable to as I was struck with a lightning jolt. I sat on the seat next to her left with the impact-

I cried: "Come on Larissa! There was this ship, occupied by more than half of its relaxed capacity, 4002 people passengers Larissa! Where did they all go?"

Larissa: "From the history of the ship, we know that they were lost to fatal chronic genetic diseases and deformities, formally known as Contamination. Those people with such diseases were incurable by the level of medical advancement we have ever had on the ship. We have had one solution that we quarantined the affected and got rid of the deceased to the bottom floors."

I said: What do you mean by 'Quarantine the affected'? Deprive them of the necessary medical attention? Isolate them to solitary confinement? And how horrid is it about 'Getting rid of the deceased'? Throw them in the ocean without proper and appropriate final crematory rituals? Deny them the respect they deserve post death? Is that what you mean by the last statement you just made? Is it the building block of the society of today?" I was furious with the detailed explanation of inhumanity being manifested before me.

Larissa: "Yeah! Almost the same as what you just figured out by yourself!" She was getting annoyed now, I could smell that.

I said interrupting her voice, to annoy her more: "It is inhuman. In fact, it is beastly animalistic. Is this what civilization is like today?"

Larissa: "But that was an indispensable solution, otherwise every human on this ship would have got his/her life risked, or for worse suffered himself/herself from the wretched diseases."

I reclined against the counter sitting on my seat and said: "This does not get any less than disgusting."

Larissa: "But human lives are much more valuable now than they were in your era. We get humans created with a lot of effort and difficulty. We make in-vitro embryos of human from rarely available original human beings and others by cloning. Very rarely do we have them unaffected genetically. Minimizing risks is our top priority."

I said: "Really? Then how are you actually creating humans on the ship, when they were already dying; how and where did you get the basic raw material from?"

Larissa: "Well Dani! It is actually meant to be asked of a technical person. But as much as I know we have had 75000 viable embryos initially, almost equal number of them have been used to fabricate humans as the new ones made. So we still are having a storage of about 70000 embryos intact as my roll on the computer says. We have a safe future!" said Larissa looking towards the computer screen through her glasses.

I asked: "Where are the embryos stored?"

Larissa: "The last level."

Chapter 20: revisit to Despondra

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I just rushed out anguished. The severity of the risk of extinction of the human race was now completely unveiled across my eyes and it was devastating. I had seen the last level and did not wish to frequent it over again, not at least for now. As I was treading back to my room, I remembered about Despondra. My eyebrows got raised up in nervousness and I could not stop my feet that rushed themselves towards her emergency room. As I headed towards that room, I found nobody around, but heavy steps from behind made me turn back to take a look at who it was. It was ZA-vi-

ZA-vi: "Hello madam! Despondra has been shifted to a private ward and is out of danger now. Here! Follow me!"

We returned to the corridor before Despondra's office and turned right towards the second room. There lay Despondra. But I was surprised to find that she seemed a little bit blue as if she had borrowed a little of my own hue. The door was closed and our conversations could not be heard by people in the room. ZA-vi smiled and looked at me; he obviously had read my thought.

ZA-vi: "She had lost more than half of her blood and was transfused with the same blue blood substitute, as yours." I had smiled back then, sorry but it was a little amusing!

Suddenly, the door opened and two male doctors who did not care to look at us, 'Visitors' walked out of the ward. This was our time to go in and see her. We stepped in almost instantly.

She was pinned to the patient's bed like I was some time before. She was conscious and in her senses, but still weakness spoke for her body as she turned her face to look at us. She gasped, to find us in her sight's range. The woman who had debased and degraded my very existence was nothing like her own original self today.

The element of surprise in her eyes gave way to a guilt, like pain, soon enough. She was finding it difficult to look into my eyes as she knew that this was her turn to be in the Blues. Anticipating her incapacity to start a conversation I decided to lead it my way.

I said: "Hey Doctor! How are you feeling now? It was really hard to imagine you this way!" Soon enough my words froze, as I knew how important was it for me to have her recover back to normal. I was weak, filled with guilt, fear, and confusion; so I had to control my tongue from playing a role more widespread than it should.

The sight of the blue version of Despondra was not as amusing as relieving was her being alive and safe.

After a moment of calm at both the ends, dampened with guilt and shame, the feeble voice of Despondra rose. It was an exact contrast of what it was like earlier, which was identical to the fangs of a poison-spitting serpent, which gave rise to the civil war between us-

Despondra: "I am sorry Danielle, for having spewed hatred towards you. Can I ask for forgiveness? Can I beg you for pardoning me? I swear to the Lord that I will never hate you like that or people like you. I no longer hold on to any of the views I shared with you that day. Please forgive me!"

I said: "No doctor! I don't have bitterness towards you. I have forgiven you. But I wish that you don't hold hatred towards any kind of human life. I think being a doctor, no; doctor of all the doctors here, deprives you of having any such right to hatred towards mankind."

Despondra: "I absolutely realize how wrong I have been. Mark my words; you will never see me like that again, ever. It is a promise to my Almighty with you as a witness."

I was relieved: "That will be really good! Although yet have to be seen, still your medical credentials are a reflection of how great a doctor you are! With a good heart which sees all human lives equally and a doctor who treats all and sundry, equitably I can't fathom what the limits are!"

After a moment's silence sealed with her now pleasant smile, she chuckled-

Despondra: "I am a little blue and you are a little red now. We are pretty alike! Thanks to the blood donor you presumably met."

It was hard for me to return a smile at my turn but I managed, somehow-

I said: "Yeah! I am actually very grateful to her. May she have an absolute fulfilling life." I tried to look deep into her green eyes, with the guilt of having harmed her to death. The little hue of red I wore on my skin now was brutally snatched away from her, by me.

It made her a little blue, and our complexions were approaching towards an identical tone. As I looked into her eyes and she looked back into mine, I had begun to sense a slight bond between us two women, which could in future promise to expand into more, a friendship, a sisterhood or something the present would not reveal.

The eyes had held a glare of repentance, like a hailstorm which had the potential to batter and flush the guilt away. In revenge I confess that I had indeed gone, a few miles far away, been berserk and uncontrollable, but it did hit the aim it was intended to, without having to tag myself as a murderer and making Despondra realize the significance of a human life, be it of any kind.

It was akin to walking on the edge of a sharp sword, but still managing to avoid slipping. It was about time to end my day with a sigh of relief, with the pleasant knowledge of Despondra being safe. I decided to make a move and bid farewell to her and shatter the still comfortable silence.

I said: "Okay doctor! You must have some rest now and I must be returning to my cabin. I will keep paying visits to you often, that is a promise. Bye for now, until next time!" I jumped out of the chair.

Despondra: "Bye!" with a little befriending pure smile and soon the day was over for me.

Chapter 21: A brunch with Devon; Love You Are Not Welcome

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As I woke up and prepared myself up for the new day to begin, I remembered KEAH told me one day, that the best place on this ship was the 'Green Resto', the restaurant on the level 3, which was a mesmerizing place, where she loved to spend her time with nature. It was made marvelously in The Orchard on the ship. The 3rd floor was the first basic floor, on which the largest fruit-bearing trees grew.

The other 5 floors above it are retractable floors with glass floorings, which produced a glass house effect or the greenhouse effect which trap sunlight and heat enough for the trees to carry out photosynthesis which grew on the last floor alongside plants. It was the most beautiful place to take your meal by nature's side.

The description of the restaurant was hypnotizing which made me feel like I cannot subject myself to the further torture of patience and I could not wait anymore to see it by myself. So I decided to have my first meal for today there itself, although, I might have to stay hungry for longer than normal to have my breakfast at The Green Resto.

I hurriedly fled my room and reached the 3rd floor, the corridor was short and the whole ambiance was overwhelming. The walls were colored glasses in fine modern patterns of green and blue. There were moving glittery little lights on the glass. It presented a sight as if I had reached a distant planet with colorful, glittering deep oceanic life forms which shone here and there like they were moving.

I felt as if I was in heaven. I stopped and admired every bit of what my senses were perceiving then right there. I could now understand what KEAH must have meant by the breathtaking place. Why did not come here before? I started moving out now towards the pale light beaming from the end of the corridor.

It must actually be the sunlight, I told myself because the great Green Resto was in the open Orchard. Then suddenly the charming mirage of color and light before me gave way to the real natural beautiful sight awaiting me outside.

I hastily moved towards the light. Soon I approached an open circular space full of trees. The trees were shorter than the normal, but abnormally laden with oversized fruits. If I could correctly identify, there were guavas, mangoes, peaches, apples, pomegranates, bananas and some were unidentifiable.

But it was like every branch hung fruits in bunches. The upper branches had denser, bigger and greener leaves, and the lower ones had sparse leaves but only fruits grew in abundance there. It was as if I had placed myself in a dense Rainforest, but only trees were there. Below trees on the ground there grew, very short plants of wheat, barley, maize, corn, pulses, potatoes in patches like giant plates.

Then, a teenager, tall and skinny boy came smiling to me-

Boy: "Hi! I am Taner, the Timer of the crops. It seems like you want to help yourself with some information about the Orchard."

I replied with a start: "Hi! Yes! Tell me, how do you grow this overpopulated orchard?"

Taner: "Well, our agricultural scientists have made plants which are highly productive; require least resources at our disposal and grow quickly, in small sizes. The biggest ones are the trees which are the only ones which hold the stable immovable ground. Below these on the ground, grow staple crops, these require sunlight and we can raise them when we have to show them some sun."

He had held a thin wafer-like device in his hand; he pushed a button and raised his hand all the way up, suddenly the crop plants were lifted up to the opened up spaces and the trees came closer in groups. For the first time, I could clearly see the open roof. All the roofs above this level made of glass moved outwards, circling in under the roof as if the circumference of the circular roofs extended, and its roof opened up more area, while the little plants kept moving upwards. The highest roof opened up to give up more sunlight than any roofs below it. The areas so opened up by the outward reeling-in of the retractable glass roofs under the stable area, was reduced lessening towards the lower floors. Thus the roof above us had unveiled the least area.

Though the contracting glass roofs also looked like they were planted with some vegetation but it was not long before they slid in to give way to direct sunlight that reached the now fully-lifted up crop plates. Now the trees were not fully sunbathed but the crops were.

Taner: "This whole floor is retractable and Redesignable as you may have been told earlier. We can move every plant on this ship, but just the trees on the Orchard are only rotatable in order to condense them closer. This saves space, and sunlight can be shared by all the plants. On the 4th floor, you can see just above us are vines, which take a lot of space, so everything that grows in vines e.g. gourds, grapes, pumpkins etc. are grown above on it. I will show you if you want to take a tour to the above floors."

I exclaimed: "Well, yes! I would love to!"

Taner walked towards right gravel path, before even the soils of the Orchard began. I followed and watched as we went ahead in a circular outline that gravel path made; I noticed that the walls along which I walked were, in fact, enormous aquariums.

I quipped: "Where is the Resto?"

Taner: "Well we are entering into it soon."

Then we entered a room where everything was made of glass and few seats were outside under the separate colored glass umbrellas, shaded in various hues of blue. I counted five people seated there, who seemed like customers, all seated separately; every other thing inside was a machine.

Taner: "What do you want to have miss?"

He pointed towards a glass screen on which held an unending list of items, pizza, lemonade, apple pie, plum cake, muffins, steak, tarts, chocolate cake, and so on. It had every cuisine I knew of! I laughed to myself-

I giggled: ".....And I thought the only thing you get on the ship sailing 180 years on the ocean was seafood!" I chuckled as only other thing I ate here till now was, paste type or powder form food accustomed to the needs of patients or for more, multivitamin pills.

Taner: "We have a decent life here!"

I said: "Pizza, Orange Juice, and milk."

Taner: "Double tap it, it's a self-service."

I did as was needed. But-

I questioned: "It wants venue from me, you said it was a self-service." I never thought the menu could include venue anywhere.

Taner: "Well, you want us to go on to level 4, so double tap it, simple!"

I found the level 4 in the drop down menu, and opened it, then touched it twice, confusingly, though. Taner led me to a circular glass enclosure; I stepped onto it with him, and all of a sudden it moved up. I was taken aback! I was just not ready for it, I struggled to balance myself. Taner giggled at me, a boy he was.

Taner: "It is our little lift!"

Soon, we stood on a transparent glass platform, it was all perfectly see through; I could not shrug off the nervousness of standing on glass. It was like standing on the air. My heart was pounding against my ribs, as if it wanted to burst out, my feet trembled and ached with fear. I was certainly scared of heights, no this situation!

Taner: "Don't worry about it, its strong as steel! Here comes your food, say your Authorization Passkey. "

He said, pointing towards the packets rolling in from below somewhere. It looked like four strings of moving rubber moved those packets to the aperture we stood near, on this floor. They came up and stopped before me, but the glass aperture had closed them inside.

Taner: "The Passkey!"

Then I called my passkey and the glass aperture opened to reveal my food packets. I released the packets and took them.

Taner: "Let's go to that table!" and pointed towards a table on a 6 feet wide glass strip which seemed to be moving and growing towards the end of another growing glass strip moving from the opposite side, towards the center of the circular open roof. These both strips were about to form a bridge-like structure above the open Orchard below.

I was horrified, but moved towards the table on this glass strip as we closed in the other moving strip from the other end. Now the open ends of the strips conjoined with a snap sound. Now a seamless Hi-tech bridge was placed on the diameter of the circular opening of the roof was prepared to welcome us. I saw the upper lush green branches of the dense forest below me as I walked further towards the center table on the bridge.

Our end of the strip had a table placed over it while the other strip contained two chairs. We reached to the center of the glass bridge with my trembling feet. Taner went to the other strip to get the chairs; he arranged one for me and sat on the other. I faced directly towards this confident little teenager.

Taner: "Please have your meal first miss! Don't get bothered by my presence." He said with a little smile.

I unwrapped my packets and placed the food items before me. I began sipping the orange juice.

Taner: "We have vines here just as I said. Vines require little sunshine, hence placed lower. It is the time when we showed them some sun for a brunch, just as you!" He smiled. He pushed four buttons on the device and swayed his both the hands in a circular motion on the horizontal plane.

Soon, circular plates opened and grew towards the center as if the circumference of the circular open space below us reduced and was covered with plates growing gourds, pumpkins, and melons in them. They came so close that I could extend my left hand to touch a large pumpkin on the nearest growing vine. I instantly smiled, I had shaken hands with the mother nature today!

I said: "So Taner, little kid! Is that just you who photosynthesizes all the vegetation here? Isn't that a big deal for a boy?"

Taner: "Oh, it's rather simple, just a walk in the park and I am going to be 15 soon, so I am a big boy and the credit for the Orchard goes to our Research scientists. I am just a timer."

I said: "That's an understatement of your abilities Taner. I am astonished by you, though. What is a timer anyway?"

Taner: "Thank you! The timer is a position used to describe my functions and responsibilities to keep track of time; when and how long a vegetation type must need and be showed the sunshine."

I declared: "Oh! I see. Seems very tough job! I promise that your skills will be calling me regularly to this place."

He smiled and bid adieu until next time. I unwrapped pizza and took out a slice while still mesmerized by the charm of this place. I looked at every plant, tree, shrub, vine closely and started munching on my pizza, then suddenly, I looked back to see whose footsteps were I hearing, which broke my hypnotized state.

I saw Devon coming straight towards me. It is the first time I was seeing him after he first met me, revealing my past life. As expected, he came smiling to me and sat on the seat facing me. Actually saying, I felt naked before him. It was just this man who knew me totally; only him.

He was aware of my shameful past and claimed to know me more than myself. I was very uncomfortable in sitting before him. He sat a little too close to me, on the other chair before me. It was like a breach of my personal proximity rules. I looked at him as if my eyes spoke in an objecting language, but like he did not realize my discomfort and smiled at me. I faked my facial muscles into a wretched smile. I looked down because I could barely stand a stare into my eyes for that long as if those eyes were searching for something which was hidden in my eyes, something which he had been painfully deprived of; something which belonged with him.

I quickly glanced at him expecting to find some respite and hoping that he would not be staring at me anymore. But I was wrong again. I bent my eyes and looked at my wobbly looking pizza, which wasn't hot enough now and the aroma from it turned into an odor as if coming straight from a mouth which just had its contents.

The slice which I had held in my hand was now almost finished except for one last bite, the oozing cheese was about to drip down so I instinctively bent my mouth to grab first the cheese then the slice. It was still yummy. I thought to myself, I feel I should finish off my pizza soon now. But with the slice in my clumsy mouth, I recalled the presence before me, I looked at Devon, who was momentarily forgotten somewhere in the taste and praise of pizza.

He wore a light blue shirt and black pants, he looked pretty good today; I thought to myself. Those big gleamy eyes, with the white background, were now smiling at me. It was unpleasant to feel like a woman with open mouth and it being stuffed with a pizza slice. It occurred to me that it would resemble like an obscene gesture from me in my past life. I felt ashamed and I looked back at those intense blue sapphire eyes and told myself that there was something about them and that I was not totally guilty of looking back at them. Then Devon broke this silence between us. It obviously felt awkward for him as well-

Devon: "Hey Dani! Where have you been all the time since? I never saw you again in your room. I have been there, at least 5 times in all these days, but found no you."

I didn't feel like I was prepared for the talk, as I saw that face move to utter words. Now my eyes must have stared at him hard and long. I observed his face up close. This face was a broad one on the forehead, though it narrowed down a bit towards the chin. The hair and the eyebrows were a lovely hue of brown and with sunlight reflecting from his hair strands, the color would expose itself to reveal a golden tint to them.

The dense eyebrows were skillfully placed on the face; they contoured the face into definite dimensions. The blue eyes had a hint at his origin. Yes, he was obviously white, though attractively toned. The forehead had a bulging vein on it, which was adding definition to his masculinity.

His cheek bones were well carved and the flat on his cheeks gave the face a well-toned look. His ears were big and lips were thin but full like a handsome man must have. When talking, the lips moved to show a glimpse of a prominent jaw line and white teeth. The nose was well designed, long enough for the good, but not longer than that to resemble a cartoon character. It was just feeling good to look at this guy.

He broke the silence again-

Devon: "Dani! Where are you lost? I had asked you something."

I replied finally: "Oh! Yes, I was thinking about something else."

This time, I also noticed his long muscular, neck and his slightly bulging Adam's apple as he spoke.

Devon: "I asked you where you were all the time."

I replied: "Um, I was kind of probing the ship."

Devon: "I would have loved to accompany you. Also, alone you should not be going, it is too dangerous you know?"

I said: "Hmmm......"

.....and I began stuffing my now stale pizza in my mouth hastily. As I got busy in eating it up I realized how original everything tasted. All the time I was telling myself that they grow all of the ingredients on this ship, which is a wonder for me! I smiled to myself in disbelief.

I touched the tiny little milk bottle, which was still chilled, though not much like when I grabbed it. The peas and tomatoes were so tasty and tangy, and cheese! Wow! I almost again forgot that I was not alone and was brought back to the situation before me.

Devon seemed to have brought something to eat himself and was not looking at me now. The noise of him unwrapping his meal jolted me back to the senses towards my incessant appreciation for the pizza I just had finished. He seemed to have brought 2 large granola bars for himself.

While I opened the cork of my milk bottle and the aroma of its vanilla essence filled my senses. I couldn't stop myself from taking the bottle's mouth towards mine. I sipped it a little, it seemed too tasty to describe in words. I saw Devon busy in his stuff from the corner of my eyes and it was relieving, giving me some space to enjoy the milk here. I cupped my mouth at the rim of the bottle and drank it emptying it by half. At the other end, Devon was now chomping his bars, both at the same time.

We both made funny sounds eating and drinking as if we had been hungry all these years for which we lay dead. I paused for a moment for seeing the mess and burst out into loud laughter. Devon was startled with his mouth still gaping clenched on to a bite between his teeth. Then he slipped it in and closed his mouth to smile like a chipmunk. I was still laughing and this made me laugh even harder.

After a few moments, the rhythm of the laughter suddenly ceased and we resumed eating our meals. The layers of plants above this floor were moved towards the exposure of sunlight. Devon looked at me as we had finished our meals. I was rubbing tissue on my fingers-

Devon: "How are you, Dani? I am worried!"

I said: "I am just fine, thanks for asking." I half-heartedly replied as I didn't feel like being friendly with him.

There was a moment of silence for a while. It was certainly not anywhere near friendly. Two people can't be friends if the silence between them is not comfortable. Then he broke it again-

Devon: "I missed you, Dani! All these days, when I could not see you good and happy, it was like I was dwelling in hell."

There was nothing more than a little bit of more silence again. He was unhappy by my not looking at him and showing him all the indifference that I could. But I was listening, just not manifesting. His right hand slid on the glass surface of the table, towards my left till it climbed over on my left hand. I was taken aback! I was not ready for such a proximity breach. I gently started freeing my hand from beneath his, and then I heard him, saying-

Devon: "I love you, my angel." He bent closer to my face and whispered. Then he tightened his grip on my hand. I saw it was a good looking muscular hand, but it felt awkward to be held by another human being. I cried 'enough' in my mind and suddenly pulled my hand out of his taut grip and stood up saying-

I yelled: "Enough! I do not like it, Devon! You are trying to get intimate with me. I don't really remember any of my life before I died. I don't even feel like a woman. I was a woman then, but I have a man's body now. I am not that woman who you might have loved then, I am just a corpse who knows about nothing. This is a new chance for me. I would like you to respect the distance I wish to keep between us if you want me to share a place with you, especially like this."I screamed out the bold statement.

Devon instantly pulled his hand away-

Devon: "I am sorry! I am extremely sorry Dani! I was in some kind of delusion. I had completely forgotten that you have lost your memory. It is just that I feel so emotionally vulnerable when it comes to being about you. But I swear that I won't touch you. It's just being friendly; it I meant by, is like the reassurance of my support and friendship to you."

I was still furious for that offence: "We aren't friends Devon! Friends understand you. Friends communicate with you even when they are not talking to you. But with you, it does not feel like that. I am sorry!" I was covering my anger up. I knew I had made a few mistakes in the recent past of which I was not proud of. But it was disturbing enough and I could not tolerate these advances from him.

The trick was to resist it without causing much damage.

Devon: "No Dani! I have been very selfish in my conduct. I have not been considerate of your feelings and condition. I only loved one person in my whole life and probably endured through death just because of love. You were never meant to be mine then. C'mon! I was just this little filthy orphan kid! I do not expect to gain anything from you. I just want you to feel that you are not alone. That, there is your this boy who will die smiling for you. Whenever you feel alone and lonely please call me to you. You have me in any situation, whether or not you want me. I know I have been inconsiderate and discriminatory. Yes! I am not your friend but, trust my words, I will be your confidant one day; one friend but you will confide into. The one, on whom you will place your trust; and yes! Silence will be pleasant one day. I did not want to offend you. I confess, I have been a burden on you forever. I just wanted to be your strength this time. But as ever I could not put forth my good intentions. I will be your friend one day, Dani. I will not give up on winning your heart. If possible forgive me please."

He got up and turned back to walk out of this place, and I could see a little hint of the damage that I had caused. Then again, he turned back to face me from a distance and said-

Devon: "You are and always will be my angel!"

He walked away till I lost his sight. I looked down at my empty plastic plate and bottles. My heart was akin to the emptiness in front of my eyes. I was gloomy because probably I have just had hurt the only person who might have ever really loved me. Maybe I did not understand the deepest feeling a human heart was capable of, or may be in the subconscious or somewhere I do not know I had lost the slightest feeling of faith in it. I had once craved and longed for love.

I believed in it with my life, and I was killed by a betraying fiancé. I felt pity for myself, and then I dumped my heavy head on my bluish arms, for the first time I had to thank some supreme power for this new life and a second chance. How pathetic would my life have been?

I was dying already, what was the need to kill my love before my death? He could have waited just a little more, to get rid of me, leaving me to die still believing in love and being guilty of leaving him alone. But, no, love was a killer to me that is why my soul is still scared of any remotest affection. I was better off dead, had I not been killed, but because fate was cruel to me I had been given this second chance.

But the element of 'Punishment' was missing. The murderer, where was he? He needs to be punished by death for my death. Agony, anguish, hatred, disappointment, disbelief were only a few feelings that filled up my eyes, but I chose not to overflow them causing tears. I gulped several drops of tears draining them through my throat.

I was taking out my anger on Devon, who in fact did not deserve it. Maybe I had lost the strength to feel any form of love for anybody else. But I must not and cannot be entitled to deprive an orphan kid of an assuring smile. Not just any orphan kid, but the one whose guardian in effect I had decided to be. I had not adopted him, but I had financially supported him and sheltered him for a couple of years. I still have a responsibility towards him. He had a life no better than mine, he lived, died and relived again for me. But he will be lonelier if I deserted him and in effect orphaned him again.

No love was for me again, in this life, but friendship was not such a great deal as to be denied to someone whom I had once taken a pledge to take care of. After all, a connection between us all human beings is a prerequisite to saving ourselves from the onslaught of something grand coming our way, promising destruction of our kind.

I stabilized, but the pain of being butchered brutally sank my little heart again. I could do nothing, so I tried building up a little rhyme with broken words and sentences-

Love! You are not welcome again;

I have had enough

More than I could sustain,

This is me today

No life, no soul

But I won't let myself complain

This was the reason

We are left now alone,

Unworthy and cold

Like a kicked out stone,

We to our God were,

Unbearable pain

That day was different,

T'was painted in pain,

I ask myself

Why did I trust?

In something with life

Which ended all that was sane

I got no heart

To be destroyed,

Without a reason

I shouldn't have died,

I don't have a life

To be wasted in vain,

So O Love! You ain't welcome again

I tapped on the table along the lines and as I thought this was it, I convinced myself to leave this place and begin my day although I would be late now. I consoled myself to calm and peace and closed the pitiful book of my life to be opened at a later time. But the misplacement of the blame on Devon was what I confessed to myself.

It won't happen again, I promised to myself. He is innocent and perhaps pure at heart, and most importantly, I can relate to what he tells me about me with reality. I think that he speaks of truth. He has been my ward and it follows that I could have been and should in future be more caring about him from now on.

I rolled all the wrappers into somewhat circular ball form and went down the lift. There I found a beautifully designed pot saying 'use me' and I threw my baseball garbage into it and headed to my room for some constructive thinking.

Chapter 22: First Dive; probing the dystopian ocean with Devon: The Monster of the murkier waters.

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The next day I woke up anew. My room's clock showed just 7:30 am. I knew it, that there has got to be something special about today. I could sniff some kind of difference in the air today. I had just a little normal breakfast. Some porridge and swallowed my pills with cold water. All the time I was thinking about what should I plan on doing today. The absence of ZA-vi filled my blank mind with a new energy. I decided to go pay The Navigator a visit again. Maybe today the super computer could spare some time for me.

Just as the thought struck me, I opened my wardrobe and took out black leather pants, a white shirt, and a navy blue long coat. I thought I looked my best today. I slipped my feet in my ankle length leather boots. Then I went out to visit The Navigator. It was good in a way that ZA-vi was not around, but I certainly thought about asking for his opinion on anything he could suggest, about what I should do today.

When I was in the elevator, I thought why not ask more about the oceans? Why have I missed out on what we have been living on for 180 years? I thought oceans must have changed a great deal. I now knew that my brain was evolving now, so I could think with a broadened mind, so concluded that this itself must have been the reason. By now I was rushing through the corridor before the room of The Navigator.

Just as I opened the gate of the navigation chamber, the sight before I amused me a bit. The Navigator was sitting on a seat facing towards the right, with his legs stretched out and his wheels placed on the floor, he lay reclined against the opened out seat, his lazy-looking eyes staring almost towards the ceiling, but his mouth was visibly opened wide as if he was yawning! I giggled and went up to him and said-

I said: "Hi Mr. Navigator! If I feel you are yawning and resting, then am I just assuming or am I actually right?" I couldn't hide my amusement, though. He was almost taken aback by sudden interruption and sat straight to look at me. He tried to close his mouth but it wasn't possible without completing the full cycle of the yawn! But he still managed to smile back at me.

The Navigator: "Oh! Hi DS! Yes, yes! You are right. I am resting and it's true that you have caught me yawning!"

I replied: "Do machines need rest? Do you also feel the urge to yawn? I don't get it very well?"

The Navigator: "Yes, machines with an enormous self-aware intelligence like me, are much like humans, we are machines, with human feelings and expressions just too much intelligent for being just humans!" He winked at me!

I said: "...........and, you winked! Oh yes! I knew about artificial intelligence, and you are perhaps the most AI machines I will ever meet. So yes, I concede! I agree!....and sorry for interrupting in your rest, I think I should go."

The Navigator: "Oh no! Don't be sorry for nothing! The rest and yawn, you saw were not because of tiredness and requirement. It's actually a habit! The truth is I am a machine, and machines do not get tired. Although I can program myself for any feeling I wish to, sorrow, anger, tiredness anything!"

I said: "I didn't know that you are hilarious and mischievous too!"

The Navigator: "Oh then you have hardly known me well! So, my dear madam! What service can I provide you today?"

I asked: "Ah! Nothing serious. Tell me about the ocean. How are they these days?"

The Navigator: "Why don't you go see for yourself?" He stretched the smile to his ear lobes this time.

I asked: "What? How can I see without diving? We are sailing, why would the ship wait for me to see the ocean up close?" It was a question of disbelief blended with curiosity.

The Navigator: "Oh you sure can, we are approaching a small archipelago, which was at your time known as the beautiful Marshall Islands. But now nobody lives here. And it is submerged under water except for the time of low tides. We will dock Perpetua close to it for regular maintenance. Then you can go out and see the ocean. That was why I was resting because in three hours we will reach there."

I was really surprised by the sudden grant of my wish. But I was totally excited by the idea of actually dipping in the ocean for the first time!

I queried: "But, but...am I even prepared? I don't even know, if I know, how to swim? Can anyone accompany me for my safety? How do I start? Because I certainly want to see the ocean by myself! I am excited! But a sense of disappointment is also clouding my mind."

The Navigator: "Why-O-Why? Go to your doctors first, they will tell you better about your physical ability to swim or any precautions. Then visit Dr. Allen Parker in the marine department on the 1st floor. He will test you if you can swim. But if not he will provide you necessary snorkeling or swimming equipment. You have no reason to worry!"

I said: "I think, then I must hurry!"

The Navigator: "Sure, you must! We will reach in 3 hours precisely. Your time starts about in one minute."

"Thanks, Bye," I said and turned back.

I rushed to the first floor and didn't stop till I reached where I saw the screen of the marine department. I stopped at it to glance at it for a second. It was depicting ocean currents like a real ocean, which I didn't understand much. Then, I was interrupted by a voice-

Voice: "Hey Friend!"

I turned back alarmed by the voice only to find a similar face. It was Devon! I was not prepared to face him just the next day of having upset him. I was not happy with what I did to him yesterday, so I thought I had to be different and friendly. I extended my right hand towards his left hand to touch it. I didn't know what it was, but probably a handshake or something or some other friendly gesture, showing that everything was fine.

Devon: "I would keep my distance for now!!!" He almost shouted in fear and made a funny face, threw his hands up and almost hopped. He was so funny that I instantly burst out in laughter! He smiled back. Gosh! There was something about his smile. Not, like I was attracted, but it was something beautiful and innocent. Devon broke the pause-

Devon: "What brought you here today Dani? Now you believe we have got something in common. That is why we bumped into each other twice, two days in a row."

I replied: "Oh I am here to ask Dr. Allen Parker about how to swim and all. I want to go take a dive in the ocean. You know, we are docking at the Marshall Islands in precise 3 hours. I have just this much time....."

Devon: "Same as me. I wanted to go catch some outside, moist air and go snorkeling in the shallow water......" Devon had interrupted me.

I said: "Yeah but the only problem is I don't know if I can swim at all!" I interrupted him back. It was all out of our mutual excitement about the outside atmosphere.

Devon: "Ohhh...." He giggled out loud. "Miss Danielle Spearhead! You are the best swimmer, I had ever met! Look at the guy standing before you, you taught him how to swim at 8. Oh, you were interested in diving and snorkeling all your life. Marine life always mesmerized you."

I said: "Hey Dev you sometimes take away my worries, like a stress buster." I heaved a sigh of relief and pulled out a reassuring smile. "Thanks, little boy!"

Devon: "Thank me not! Now you should rush inside, 3 hours remember?"

"Oh hell yeah!" I entered the gate followed by Devon. There were things like empty aquariums, all over the place. The whole walls were filled with water. In some enclosures, there were fans which blew air into the water creating currents. I took it to be some kind of experiment. I saw two men busy in a room on left with devices which I did not understand.

Devon: "If you have to meet Parker he sits there towards the lane at right." Saying this he pointed his left index finger towards a tiny alley extending from this hall. We headed straightaway to there. There inside the grand glass hall sat an old man who looked of average height and skinny. We approached inside, but he did not care to look up at us, probably because he must be expecting a lot many people visiting him. His white face was full of wrinkles; his face was stuck to the screen before him.

I said: "Doctor Allen Parker!"

He looked up and I continued-

"I am Danielle! I have just learned that the Ship will dock near the Marshall Islands in 3 hours time. I have never been out before. This time, I have decided to go out in the ocean for swimming. I want to see water up close and collect some samples. I need your help. I don't have time. Please help me."

Dr. Parker: "If you have to go underwater then you must get a consultation and subsequent clearance for your physicians and doctors, which have been recently attending your case." He still looked engrossed in his own work.

I asked: "Why? I don't have time to waste. If I did what you said, I might never be able to go swim in the ocean." Devon by now had held my left arm, gesturing me to not to panic.

Dr. Parker: "I don't have the authority to break protocols. We need your physicians to declare you medically fit for going out to swim in the ocean." He was forced to look up by my loud and clear rejection.

I opposed: "Look, doctor, I don't even know if I can swim. You just don't know,...I am from a different era and I don't have enough knowledge about myself. I have really little time to prepare for a dip."

Devon: "Doctor! I know she was a great diver in her last life, but I can't be sure if she will remember. She has been reanimated recently"

Dr. Parker: "Look! It is not personal, it is just I am bound by the rules. But it should not be a matter of concern. We have all the equipment that can be employed to aid swimming. Non-swimmers can also explore the ocean bed if they want to. Though we will first test you if you can swim or not because learning how to use the aid equipment is the hardest part but I believe like anyone else you will learn pretty quickly. So please go and quickly bring your medical clearance."

I nodded, but I was not agreeing to it from inside. It was like something just bit me, stung me. But Devon remained calm and almost pulled me out of that room. He whispered-

"Why do you think that it's a big deal? Let us just get it done. I am with you, trust me! I will make that happen in a jiffy! Just bear with me." He led all the way down to the Hospital, even used his passkey, which was just his first name. I kept looking at him in disbelief that how quickly he was taking the lead and I was letting this happen.

I said: "Hey, I know where to go. I will find either of Doctor Shelly or Von and I believe they will give me clearance very easily. Now you should feel free to go on and do what you should." I was not used to being led by someone else. I was the leader.

Devon: "Like I have some real serious business to do!" He smiled and showed that he was not letting go of me this easy. "Hey you said I am not your friend, now I say you will regret saying that Dani. I will go all that distance to be there, to being your trusted friend!" It was clearly better to not get into any other heated argument again. The smile of the person will invalidate any boneless argument.

"Ah!" I screamed as I saw Dr. Von suddenly walking out of a patient ward. Tall as he was, it wasn't hard to spot him.

I said: "Dr. Von! Over here!" I waved my hand up so that he doesn't miss seeing me back. It worked. I saw Dr. Von coming straight up to where we stood.

Dr. VON: "Yes madam! It is pleasant to see you again. So what brings you here? How can I be of help?"

I said: "I need immediate medical clearance, Dr. Von! I have to go out for a dive in the ocean when the ship docks in 3 hours. Please quickly pass me in any required test and send it to Dr. Parker in marine department. I don't have much time."

Dr. VON: "Oh I didn't know that we were stopping. That's not much to ask of me, I will uplink my report to him. There is nothing I need to test you for. But you have to take care of a couple of precautionary measures."

I asked: "What measures? Thank goodness I don't need to get tested!"

Dr. VON: "The sun is really burning it up out there, and remember you have lost almost all of your skin pigmentation? You are an albino madam! You may face problems in adjusting your eyesight to the sunlight and the skin burns may occur with exposure to it. So I advise a strong sun block and UV protection shades. For the rest, you will do fine. Though, I am seeing some melanin on your skin now. It's a wonder the treatment is already showing effect! But we can't put you to risk just yet."

I said: "Oh really!" I looked at my skin, but actually, I could not see slightest of color, it was just shining bright blue as ever. "So how soon can you uplink the clearance? Please put it on the priority basis."

Dr. VON: "Oh! Just right now. Accompany me to my room. Where I was going is not really an emergency." He then took a U-turn and sped back to the room he emerged from. There he uplinked the retinal clearance to Dr. Alan.

Dr. VON: "Here! Take this sun block and apply all over the body before 20 minutes of going out. It is sticky at first, but it is waterproof and is readily absorbed by the skin. It is also a coolant; it protects but also soothes skin if you get sunburns. So it is also cooling sunburn ointment. Take these waterproof goggles cum binoculars with night vision. They will help you see in the sun and act as a torch in the night when you turn this green button on at its right, still keeping water out. The last are my good wishes and good luck!" he handed over to me the heavy goggles and a half liter narrow flat bottle filled with light yellowish green gel.

I said: "Thank you very much doctor Von! I am really grateful to you for every favor you ever did to me." I really was indebted.

"No problem! See you soon!" Dr. Von sealed the conversation with a smile.

I rushed back to the marine department and found Dr. Parker already waiting for me!

Dr. Parker: "Welcome back miss! I knew it wouldn't take that much time. After all, I have not grayed my hair without toil. Add a little experience to it."

Before I could say a thing-

Dr. Parker: "I have your clearance. Keeping the formality aside for now, ready yourself for a quick swimming crash course. We have a training tank right here inside my office. Follow me."

Devon and I had nothing to say, but time had forced us to trust just in the action now. The old Dr. Parker opened an opaque door and entered a giant hall with not a swimming pool as I had thought, but it was a simulation of the greatness of the ocean itself. It was a big water body filled up to the tank, with water standing higher by a few feet from the floor. There were big blowers to produce effects like ocean currents, and vacuum pull could be created by the machine fixed beneath to reproduce a scenario of being caught in the vortex of aerated water created by a sinking ship, where one fails to swim upwards because the reduced density of water cannot produce enough buoyancy pushing one's body upwards with just a little flipping of the limbs.

Devon and I were watching an incredible little green ocean before us, both of us with opened up gaping mouths. Three dwarf steps led me up to the edge of the tank. I was almost blown away by the stormy winds artificially produced by giant fans, probably recreating the stormy ocean effect. I somehow got to balance myself from falling off, partly because Devon held me tight by my arm preventing me from tumbling down. Then I saw over my head was standing Dr. Parker on a platform. I did not understand as to how and when he got there; it hung from above and he could move it by a steering. Parker already spoke too little, and now he was inaccessible to be asked about anything. I could shout, but all this noise building up by winds and storms and echoes thereof made my voice inaudible. While Parker held a mike, obviously it was a one-way communication now.

Anyways I gazed back at the tank before me; I could see the water was very shallow a first few feet. But, then the tank bed, went steeply deep down, creating a simulation of a real ocean bed. But then I noticed, that it was overly covered by slippery blue-green algae while the deepest of the tank was filled with kelp and sea grass. It was strange because now I felt that the smart recreation of oceanic tank went a little too dramatic.

I did not like so much greenery inside water; it would get it slimy and slippery. Yuck! I said to myself. My thoughts were disrupted by a shrill, loud noise of the mike, which I soon related to being that of Parker.

Dr. Parker: "The black clothes at the right corner of the tank are your size. Go put them on. This is what everybody wears for swimming these days."

I did as was asked; I put on the stretchable clothes and came back to where I stood earlier. Parker was an expressionless man and wrinkles hid what his face still could show. So I was clueless as to what was coming. Certainly, the artificial atmosphere was a little dreadful and it made me slightly nervous about trying to swim here.

Dr. Parker: "Step down on the tank floor before you, and zip up the chains well and tight, so that this cloth could cover all the skin including the face. The ocean water outside is highly acidic and so is the tank water. You would not wish to harm your eyes, nose or digestion with highly acidic brackish water. So, cover up the head with the hoodie including the eyes, adjusting the see-through mask in it."

I was reluctant to cover it up, but I also didn't know that it was made to cover every bit of my body! I followed parker word by word.

Dr. Parker: "Don't worry, acidic water is not directly harmful to human health, but we are not certain of its effect in your special case. So it would be rather wise in your case if you remained extra cautious of your vulnerability. Now go ahead and take a dip."

I stepped into the first shallow tank bed, but could hardly hold my ground because the floor was utterly slippery due to overgrown algae. Water was about two feet high on my body; it was hard to move ahead due to the storm conditions and the extra care I showed in standing my slimy ground, forcing me into movement by violent waves. I shouted out to Parker-

I yelled: "Why so much Algae?" But he obviously couldn't hear me in these conditions. I was trying not to frustrate myself.

Dr. Parker: "You know I can't hear you. Consider yourself as being on your own now. You have to swim now. Move towards the steeper abyssal floor! If you couldn't swim this whole tank will empty itself. But it will only happen when you actually fail, to drive the ultimate resort; it is not made to happen when you give up. So it is much like a one way road which you have already chosen, for now."

I thought, it just kept getting better and better! Then I suddenly decided to do it and bring this drama to a quick end. Something had reminded me of fleeting time. All of a sudden, I dived into the abyssal floor of the tank. This whole physical act had no connection to my mental set up then. All the fear, the reservations and novelty of my new life vanished into oblivion in the split of a second. I committed the act like a professional diver. I was sly and quick. Like, I had mastered the art of scuba diving for centuries. All the slimy floor and windy waves had given way to deep water. I thought I loved it. I dived straight into the floor and found myself in a jungle of excessively grown kelp. There was nothing to explore about this artificial tank so I kicked the water down and surged up to the surface. Then I swam freestyle towards the edge where a smiling Devon stood.

He gave me a hand and pulled me out of the water.

Devon: "I told you that you were a great scuba diver. While you thought you would not be able to swim. You have even me believing that it might not come to you again. But I remained confident that you were physically so adept at it, that this you will remember as a basic fact of breathing." I smiled at him. I had another reason to believe in what he said. He had been so true to the point. The tank had transformed me completely. I was this nervous and intimidated person getting affected by the wind, the noise, the grass and the waves. But when I had known that I could swim, I was this confident daring soul.

Parker has reeled his platform in and came in from the door again. All the fans were turned off. It was all calm now as I began removing the swimsuit.

Parker: "You did well miss! This much training, was enough. The sinking ship vacuum is not necessary as of now. So consider yourself good to go. Now follow me to my office and I will hand you over with the necessary equipment for the dive."

At his room, he handed me over a new swimsuit; this one was without a hoodie, swim cap, swim fins, snorkels and an oxygen tank. I found it strange that Devon was not given anything while he said that he was also going.

I asked: "You said you were also going, so why didn't you pick up any of this stuff? You even did not say a word to Parker."

Devon: "I knew of this all in advance so I was prepared already."

I said: "You sneaky little puppy!" The statement was followed by a smile on his face. "Hey, Dev! Ever thought how strange it has become? I took you in my shelter, became your legal guardian in the last life. When I met you now, how come you are my dad's age?"

All he had to say was: "Love won over time, eh?" He was in a mood for some fun, but I was a little serious and did not smile back.

I said: "You scare me, Devon! You know everything about me. You know me more than me and honestly, it scares me. That's why I behave strangely sometimes."

Devon: "Try to take your time my friend! Things have changed in all these centuries. We are from a different era just trying to learn about this one. I have tried, but immensely failed to understand your condition. Dani! I must be sorry; I poured all my feelings to you in haste. I wish that you can forgive me. I am here just for you, my angel. I had no dreams of having this kind of life. But I just wanted to be at your side when you needed someone. No, I don't want one single favor from you. But I just want to make you feel that you are not alone in this future world. Dani, I have seen you suffer all your life and I couldn't accept the fact that you will have to struggle with loneliness again. So I followed you despite hating Cryo thing so much. So I am with you, so please never feel lonely and alone again. I beg this of you."

There was a little silence, which instilled trust in me. Trust in his words. A silence was beginning to become comfortable between us now. I had started in trusting his hand he extended towards me for friendship.

Devon: "So here ma'am is your pet clown at your service! Laugh!" He is trying overmuch in being funny, I let a fake smile out.

By the end of 3 hours, we were all prepared in advance. I pocketed a knife and carried a closed glass container with me. Devon had carried a backpack kind of thing with tools etc. I had spread the sunblock and it was already beginning to cool my skin.

I was in the navigation chambers when they decided to anchor the ship a mile before the Marshall Islands even began. The ship stopped sailing and the engineers of the engineering department started moving around as their work of maintenance of the ship had now started.

We had started our own task of leaving. The Navigator came to us and said-

The Navigator: "Danielle Spearhead! What are you waiting for? Is all prepared and ready to go?"

I replied: "Yes!"

The Navigator: "So go to the third floor, there at the stern, you will find a number of motor boats. Then you can steer one of them down the rail tracks given for transporting heavy objects up and down the floors. The remote control is very easy to operate for the beginners. Then you will reach to the large outlet on the floor zero, where the tracks end and then you can easily get it afloat as the ground floor is at water level now, and then go on it to the site where you desire to dive. It will work as a regular motor boat. The boat's instruments will show you the depth, salinity, acidity and other necessary parameters. Return when you are done. We will not leave before you return, as the ship's log of lifeboat-count will not be complete. But I will myself remain at the navigation. So go carefree and best of the luck to both of you!"

We thanked him and did as he said. It was really easy. We splash touched the boat to the water. We sat on the boat and Devon tried to start its engine. He was pretending to look confident in what he did. But I knew he was seeing that engine for the first time in his life.

I said: "do you know how to run this thing?"

Devon: "Ah, yes! Even if not these new age machines are user-friendly and easy to operate."

I scratched again: "When did you learn driving this boat? Come on Dev we don't have time for kidding around. Let me see it." I went ahead and anyhow started the boat somehow after examining it closely and gave it back to him to drive. Although it had mechanical systems, but there was a computer operating its main engine. I trusted that he could at least drive it now.

While he was driving around the boat I turned back to look at our ship. It read, 'Asclepius' in navy blue color. They had not cared to change that age old painted title. The ship was big white and compact. It showed less what was inside. But from outside it looked more like a submarine. It was submerged below the floor 0, i.e. the navigation floor.

We were quickly picking up speed and speeding away. I could now see the open dock, the green inverted dome looked mesmerizing from the increasing distance. Devon broke my thought process-

Devon: "I think we should go far from here, where the water is shallow for snorkeling."

I interrupted: "No! We must not miss the sight of the ship. Remember we do not have any communication system, should there be a need."

Devon: "But you have brought a snorkel and all? But yes I am trying to make a contact with the ship navigation but it is not happening."

I suggested: "The Navigator said that he had put the whole ship offline so that the signals are not intercepted by those on land."

Devon: "Ah, I see! That's why I can't establish a link here with the ship."

I said: "Dev! Here is right. Let's go diving right here, it must be shallow enough now; also, I don't care about it. The deeper it is, the better view we get of the marine life. I can see ship very clearly from here. It is a safe zone."

Devon shut the engine down. But we were still drifting because we both did not know how to anchor it, then I opened a box at the back, I found a sharp anchor like heavy object. I called for Devon to give me a hand, he held that thing and concluded that it was the anchor he was trying to pull it out so that he could drop it to the ocean bed, but the cords wouldn't uncoil with all the force we applied. Suddenly I found a green knob, I indicated to Devon that it must be something which would release the rest of the anchor, and he now kept the face of the anchor toward the ocean bed directly below, and placed it out of the boat. Now I pressed it, with a gunshot speed it must have hit the sea bed, leaving Devon struggling for keeping his balance. The recoil was hard and powerful, and it was rather large when compared to a gun. We both were stunned for a moment and decided to be more careful with machines from now on.

Finally, we had everything set in its place for the dive. Then I remembered that I had forgotten to wear the shades that Von gave to me. But then I understood that that I was easily looking around without a vision difficulty. Then I glanced at my open hands, I did not feel any skin burning, although it was cloudy and time of 3 pm wouldn't allow the insolation to be that harsh and direct. Devon by now had dived in with a splash. He came up to the surface and called for me-

Devon: "Hey Dani! The water isn't so cold. It is just lovely! Come on now!" he giggled like a kid.

This really excited me. I took my oxygen tank and attached it, so did I attach fins etc, and also put on goggles. I dived into the water hanging from the boat upside down. Nice and easy. The water looked dark green in the absence of an afternoon sunlight and wasn't crystal clear as expected. I thought may be a little light would have given a better view of marine life.

I treaded the water downwards, the light reduced as I went deeper. But till now I found no life forms, which I found hard to believe, given the fact that it was a shallow seabed, where life forms should have thrived and overly populated the place. I hoped to see colorful fish and other species, but I found nothing. It was a little unacceptable as I had traversed through a lot of water till now, and I must have been near the bed now, although it was deeper than I thought considering that we were close to the archipelago.

I saw Devon touching some rocks and removing green-blue algae from their faces. As I moved deeper I was almost intertwined in the Kelp jungle. I hated slimy green algae surfaces and overgrown kelp which filled the floor and I couldn't see the floor through it. In my opinion, it spoiled the oceanic beauty and presented an ugly contrast to a colorful marine ecosystem. But here it was just this green shamefully grown blue-green and brown algae and sea grass. I saw Devon a few meters below me now trying to pull out something he must have found from behind the rock he was probing, with all his might, with his feet placed on the rock.

Here I was getting tangled in the kelp jungle like it was engulfing me. Then I thought about the knife I had secured in my pocket. I took it out and chopped away all the kelp in anger. I went near the bed to Devon, who was now done with the pulling out. Devon now stared still at the rocks, while something shiny object caught my vision. I Bent over to look at it, it was white, I held it by my hand and tried to pull it out and it was out before me in a second. Little algae had grown on its face, which I rubbed out with my palm.

Now the letters were clear before my eyes, it read 'MARSHALL ISLANDS: National Shark Sanctuary'. It was a metal board but it was not heavy. I figured out that the waves and current had washed it away to here. I put its one corner under my belt so that I could take it out with me. Now I felt like looking around was not worthy, as we were just stuck in a kelp jungle which left little place for anything to grow and imparted an overall reduced visibility to the ocean. I gestured to Devon that I wanted to go up now. But he did not understand anything, considering it useless I pushed the water behind to help me float upwards.

Soon I was near the surface, but suddenly I felt like something stung my right palm from beneath. Then I got stung at various places suddenly, my both palms and cheeks and chin. I was devastated with the strong tingling and itching, I saw little greenish glowing umbrellas and figured out that I was stuck in an endless smack of jellyfish! They were a few inches in dimension and their open stinging tentacles were touching every bit of my open skin my whole face and hands. I got helpless with strong pricks, but soon Devon's quick and strong hands pulled me away from this hell.

I didn't realize how and when I got pulled out on the boat. I lay flat stunned with pricking and tingling. I was itching wildly everywhere.

Devon: "Oh Damn! Dani, you got severely stung on the face and hands. Wait, there must be something to help with jelly stinging." He searched all over the boat and found a vinegar bottle; it was written 'Apply on jelly stings after rubbing and scratching the area.'

Devon told me about it and said-

Devon: "You have already scratched enough, now this vinegar will deactivate nematocysts in your skin." He then applied it all over with cotton balls attached at the bottom of the cork."Now you should wait for a little, most of the jellyfish stings are harmless.

I said: "It already feels better." In a few minutes, the tingling and pricking were gone and I was almost fine. "Yeah I am fine now. Just that I was not ready for such an attack. In fact, I am happy to have come across some life form other than kelp. Where is all the marine life Dev? You know I found this board...oh no! I lost it in the assault."

He shook his head in ignorance. I told him about the shark sanctuary board I had found. Then I suddenly remembered that he was pulling something out in vain, and got curious.

I asked: "What was that you were pulling out from behind the rock?"

Devon: "I am not sure, but it looked like an octopus or something. It was dark brown. But I failed to get it out. It was too strong and its grip was fastened to somewhere behind the rocks."

I sat up and looked around, as for a little while the sun shone to reveal some light into the atmosphere. I looked at the horizons pitch dark clouds had accumulated, they only cleared up to reveal the sun to allow some direct sun rays for a minute or two. But I did not understand if the stings were causing the burning sensation on my skin or it was sun rays. But soon, I forgot about it partly due to mildness thereof, and partly because I got inquisitive.

I asked: "Where is the archipelago? I don't see any land forms like rocks above the sea surface. Do you?"

Devon: "No! Your guess is as good as mine. Hey, you brought a little container to collect samples; I want to collect jellies in it to understand any ill effects that they might have caused to your health." He found the container and pulled out little jars out of it. Then, he opened one and bent over the sea surface to collect a jellyfish and fastened the lid back again. We both looked at it.

I said: "How beautiful!" Devon looked at me with raised eyebrows in disbelief. "Get ready Dev! We are going for another dive."

Devon: "Now? Really?" I nodded and put the fins and swimsuit back on preparing for the next dive.

I stopped and said: "But we need to go somewhere else, there is nothing in this place, you see. I will drive now."

I caught hold of the wheel and embarked on a long journey away from the ship. In fact, I had forgotten about the ship being in sight because the facts before my eyes were more disturbing than any other intimidation.

Devon looked at me with some questions in his eyes.

I replied: "I am going to find any present landforms, Marshall Islands, any rock, where any life forms thrive and flourish." He knew he couldn't stop me, didn't he know me better?

After a lot of searching, I failed to find even a rock above the ocean's water. I shook my head in disbelief. I left the wheel handing it over to Devon.

I murmured: "There is no land Dev! I am disappointed. Take me anywhere near the ship where we go for the next dive."

Devon: "I wonder if we lost all the island country to increasing ocean level from melted polar ice caps, an aftermath of the global warming."

He drove and soon found out the stern of the ship. Meaning we had reached the other face of the ship which now read 'Perpetua'. So we had two names written on the ship now.

Anyway, we did not see the green kelp on the surface here, so I decided to stop here for dive number two.

I jumped into the water first and carefully swam down looking at every nook and corner in each direction for jellyfish. I had to be prepared should there be another smack. But here it was clear except for some sea grass some 20 feet away from me. I descended towards the seabed where the light was too little to be able to see a thing. I was reminded of night vision; it adjusted my goggles for it. Finding it less useful I turned it off. Then I turned the lights on the frames of my goggles. Now I could see the ocean floor almost clearly, I stayed where I was for a moment. I focused my goggles and zoomed in at places randomly, in the ocean bed. There was no movement at all. It was not lively and colorful as I had expected.

It was an expanded desert, a barren seabed without a single life form. I was disappointed and struck with inhibitions of whether the marine ecosystems were extinct for once and all? Devon had found me and joined me by now; he came over to me and grabbed the sample container from me, trying to help me reduce my burden. But I only noticed and was left indifferent of what he did because the barren seabed ahead of me was causing me sorrow, fear and frustration all at the same time. I kept moving my eyes to every square inch of the seabed. There were rocks at my right big enough to hide some significant thing below them. I swam across them to find something which gave me the first reason to be happy about in this probe.

There was a tiny coral reef. I know corals are a part of an interdependent ecosystem. So if there was coral reef not all fish should be dead. If there were fish, phytoplankton and zooplankton and larger fish dependent on them must have been there. It was for sure that they must be difficult to spot because of being too less in numbers. I swam up to the reef and touched it with my bare hands. My right index finger got a little bruised from touching it. I even saw some blood oozing out from it so I wiped it by rubbing against Devon's backpack.

I smiled at him and pointed towards the coral reef I had discovered. He smiled back. We both felt a sense of having accomplished some impossible task successfully. He went ahead and touched it himself and was trying to break a little with the help of the tools he took out of his backpack and tried to collect it for a sample. While I got busy in looking around the rocks, as I was getting closer to the bigger rough rocks twice my size before me and away from Devon, in my own pursuit and happiness, I felt that something big, of really big size, swam right from my behind, I sensed it coming from my right and swam away to my left.

I looked where I sensed it must have headed, but it was a kelp jungle ahead and although it seemed to have moved the grass, there were no other signs visible to my eyes of its presence. I looked back, as I thought it could have been Devon, only to find Devon also surprised, looking back at me. He did not waste a moment and swam up to me.

I knew he must have also felt the large movement made by some other bigger body in the sea other than us two and probably bigger than both of us combined. Soon enough, something swiftly leaped towards us again from the murky waters. This time, it went through the place Devon stood a little while ago. In the dark, I noticed its movement, but the light of my shades was illuminating the particles of mud suspended in the murky water before us. It did the same with the big mouth wide opened facing us.

Those big jaws, which I will never ever forget; jaws covered with teeth and teeth further covered by more teeth. Its face was a nightmare in itself. Though the structure of the snout resembled that of a great white shark, it was much more complicated to describe and more horrifying than a poor neat shark.

Like it swam, it gave a hint of some water serpent. It slithered the water. It just easily cut through it skillfully. We both stood still resembling a statue for a while. Devon must have also got terrified with this dreadful presence of a horrifying creature coming straight from hell. I saw him almost gaping and awed by this creature. It must have vanished in 5 seconds, but something told us, that it will come back. We were foreigners in its hunting ground. It was well equipped and accustomed and ruled these murky waters, while we were new, new to this ocean, not just ocean but to this life, these bodies and this era.

We found ourselves as prey in its hunting grounds. Seemingly never ending strong jaws that it had, made us feel that we were surely ill-equipped in case it attacked us.

Just as we were thinking about our Achilles' heel we felt the horror coming back to us, our side from the side of the kelp jungle. It opened its mouth wide open as if trying to eat something from in the water; it retracted its mouth to reveal large canines hidden in them. The skin folded back and it seemed like a shark's jaw were enclosed inside a serpent's mouth having fangs in both of the up and down jaws.

We trembled in fear as it was passing us by, then it rolled its eyes towards me as if my scent was inviting it to hunt us down somehow. Those eyes looked like that of a predator, a mythical creature that must dwell in the abyss of Lava Rivers in the Hell. They were muddy green and resembled more like that of a serpent or an alligator.

Now I believed that my blue blood, which oozed from the cut created by the coral reef, could have attracted it, so I hid the right index finger pressing the little wound against the glass containers that were now in Devon's hand. But I knew the quantity was so scanty that the molecular traces of it dissolved in the water is only confusing this beast rather than showing it the way it was coming from. But I assumed the creature could be so low on diet and prey would be so little in numbers that he must have gotten excessively sensitive out of the hunger.

It was passing us by now and the body that swiftly moved across in front of our eyes was nowhere near that of a traditional shark's. But I knew sharks behaved similarly. They wouldn't attack strangers, but would taste them biting out of curiosity. As the large, heavy fleshy body slithered past us, I noticed that it was not the bony structure anymore; it was like that of a snake which could swim. It had excessive fins and scales all over. The color pattern was different; it was nothing like that of a shark's. It was dark brown, with elongated green patches, rib-like structure. It was definitely not a shark, although similar size and behavior. But its body was too different from that of a shark; it looked like a crossbred species. 400 years is a too short span of time for such a mammoth evolution.

Anyways, it was going away now, and Devon elbowed me in a gesture to swim out of this dangerous scenario. It was a perfect time to leave and drop the pondering for later times. It was survival one o one. We sped up to the surface, soon to our horror we saw that the beast has sensed our departure and chased us at fastest pace it could. We had to outrun it at the cost of our lives.

We were not just prey; we were Cryo secured expensive human beings from the past. Our death shouldn't be happening like that. We didn't stop till we reached out motorboat. Devon already had climbed and pulled me up in a tick, while being pulled out to safety I observed the creature's retreat. It was like it didn't prefer evening the sun, and just as a perfect monster would like it, preferred night to come over to the surface.

Devon had started the engine and pulled out the anchor instantly. We didn't stop until we made it safely to the aperture on the level zero, which we had stepped out from while embarking. We pulled out our boat and placed it right there.

Chapter 23: The scientific explanation

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We wanted our many questions to be answered, so we decided to start with the marine department itself. We reached Dr. Parker, who as usual was busy with his computer and data. This time, he looked up.

Dr. Parker: "So how did it go miss?" Curiosity was visible in his eyes this time. It simply meant not very many people went out for such probe from the ship.

I asked: "What has happened to all the marine life forms in all these centuries? All I saw was kelp and jellyfish all over, just a tiny coral reef and a big unidentifiable beast in the water. There was no land either."

Dr. Parker: "A beast? Please explain. We have got no record of any beast."

Devon took the chance: "Yes doctor! Its teeth, jaws and snout resembled that of a shark. I must have weighed not less than an adult male great white shark. But it had different green hued eyes. It had an outer retracting covering which had a long canine tooth on each side of each jaw. But it had a lesser bony frame than the shark. It had numerous fins and slender body and moved like a water snake."

"We have never been reported of such a description ever! It seems like you have met some creature crossbred or hybrid." A skinny young doctor entered the room from the tank end. He wore spectacles. He came over to us taking long and quick strides and said-

Young doctor: "I am Doctor Amit Jain, a marine biologist, and an assistant to Dr. Allen."

Dr. Parker: "Dr. Amit is a young and brilliant head on our team. He is our department's most renowned doctor. Why don't you guys ask things of him?"

Dr. Amit: "The description of this new marine species is unprecedented to me. I am surprised that such an enormous creature existed and we did not know about it. It is not obviously a shark. There was not much time for the evolution of this enormous extent. It could be some new species. But how could it have hidden itself from the eyes of the humans; that too for such a long time? Its size couldn't hide it; after an ocean acidification of such a high level, it wass nearly impossible for the vertebrates to exist and continue sustenance. Unless until they accumulate bicarbonate to counteract acidification from harming their bones and shells. From my point of view, it is a cross bred species; an unusual mix of a large ocean snake and a shark. It must most probably have been a result of some bizarre cloning experiment. It must be a case study for research. But, honestly, there is no scientific explanation for its existence."

I asked: "So what is the scientific explanation behind the absence of marine life forms and overgrown colonies of jellies and kelp jungles?"

Dr. Amit: "Global warming was the fundamental reason behind the ocean acidification. Greenhouse gases like CO2 when excessively abundant in the atmosphere, get automatically dissolved in the ocean water causing ocean acidification to dangerous levels. When carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by seawater, chemical reactions occur that reduce seawater pH, carbonate ion concentration, and saturation states of biologically important calcium carbonate minerals. These chemical reactions are termed "ocean acidification" or "OA" for short. Calcium carbonate minerals are the building blocks for the skeletons and shells of many marine organisms. In areas where most life congregated in the ocean, the seawater used to be supersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate minerals. This means there were abundant building blocks for calcifying organisms to build their skeletons and shells. However, continued ocean acidification caused many parts of the ocean to become undersaturated with these minerals, which affected the ability of some organisms to produce and maintain their shells. This had happened for centuries and thereby all the organisms with a protective shell and skeletons were extinct with time. The acidic environment had a dramatic effect on some calcifying species, including oysters, clams, sea urchins, shallow water corals, deep sea corals, and calcareous plankton. When shelled organisms were at risk, so was the entire food web. Interdependent ecosystems killed each factor of the system. Thus, coral reefs were lost with time, killing all the elements of the ecosystems."

I intervened: "We found a tiny coral reef and also collected a sample thereof." I handed over the container to Dr. Amit.

Dr. Amit: "It is a wonder! Generally, corals are expected to be extinct. Our team will borrow this sample to study what changes have these organisms inculcated to bring about such a resistance towards a strong acidification."

Devon: "So what is the story of kelp jungles, overgrown seagrasses, and blue-green algae? Also, how did jellyfish survive this?"

Dr. Amit: "Photosynthetic algae and seagrasses benefitted from higher CO2 conditions in the ocean, as they require CO2 to live just like plants on land. So they thrive overly nowadays. As far as the jellyfish are concerned they flourish in the CO2 rich environments. I hope you get your answers now."

I handed over all the samples to Dr. Amit to be put to the tests and derive whatever they could from them. Dr. Amit looked at the jellyfish and said-

Dr. Amit: "Where did you get this? It is a mutated Aequorea victoria and is a medusa. Look at the green luminescence it produces. The blue light produced is in turn transduced to green by the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). It is usually about 3 inches at maximum but they are evolving and it has reached about 5 inches. It is my favorite! Thanks for bringing it to me!"

"Thanks, doctors!" Devon and I said in rhythmic duet. We then headed off to our rooms took a bath in fresh water, had our meals and went off to a rejuvenating sleep.

Chapter 24: Tour to the penultimate floor: The Quarantined floor

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I woke up the next day; it was 4th April that day. ZA-vi was sitting at my side, staring at me. I looked at him and then saw the time. I woke up early. It was 7 am. It was obvious that he knew about my trip to the ocean and every bit and trick of it. But somehow I was over it and needed to come to terms with the fact that in these four centuries the mankind has succeeded in depleting Earth's marine life. The oceans are barren. This simply means the earth's atmosphere must have either crossed the precipice or be on the verge of it.

ZA-vi: "It is the result of poor choices made by the human race. They did not understand that they will themselves have to bear the part of the impact resulting from their choices."

I quipped: "Can something still be done to change it?"

ZA-vi: "I am sorry, I am not an expert, but better late than never. It is good to change. We are manmade machines, which are neither responsible nor sufferers of the aftermath."

I said: "Yes, we should start bringing about the change. There is never any harm in trying."

ZA-vi got up and obviously went on for some work indispensable. He is a machine which cannot be expected to understand that he was leaving the discussion midway. I saw him stepping out. I turned my face towards the ceiling and began wandering into the world of thoughts. It was just a waste of my time if I thought endlessly and baselessly. I decided to have my meal at the Green Resto. I went there sat amidst the green trees and sipped coffee and took a veg sandwich. Then I learnt from someone at the restaurant that the ship had set sail by the midnight. I was almost over this trip of going out into the ocean as time went past by.

Today I had to do something else. I recalled sitting in the tree garden, that there were embryos in the last two levels of the ship. Should there be any annihilation of the human race they were a bank for regenerating the human race. I was told that they were viable human beings, i.e. they can be made new humans with a certainty of minimal risk of failure.

I was now curious to pay a visit today to the lower floors now. So I left the restaurant then and headed straight towards the elevators. The plan was to go to the last but one floor first and then the ultimate one i.e. first '-17' and then '-18'.

As per the information gathered by me from Larissa, there were 70000 embryos stored in the last level, while the penultimate level contained people who were done away with; the people, who suffered from genetic abnormalities. The sufferers were quarantined and left alone to die so that they do not come into direct contact with healthy humans on the ship and endangered healthy people's lives.

In a way, it was inhuman to me, but I could not be judgmental about the situation as of then. I did not know the medical gravity of the situation, it could have been like, a plague or worse, so although it felt bad, I could not be sure about it, without being fully aware of the consequences of letting them live with the normal people.

Anyways, I had to go pay a visit to see the situation by myself. The elevator doors opened and I stepped onto the '-17'th floor. The walls, unlike on the rest of the ship were very thick and strong. The passengers of the elevator were stopped in this enclosure before entering the prison for the quarantined ones, where a board hung reading-

"Proceed with caution: the people you will meet here have been purposely quarantined on this floor. Some of the genetic diseases these people suffer from are contagious and medical sciences do not have any information about them. People coming directly into contact with quarantined will be kept under strict surveillance and shall present a case of special attention and diagnosis. Going in is putting yourself under specified risk. The equipment under the board in the drawer are understood to be sufficient for protection against interacting with the ones quarantined. Going unequipped will be noticed immediately and shall cause your own quarantine. Be careful!"

Now, it seemed like a serious matter to me. But I had to go out and see for myself. It is a strange feeling when you want to do what you are forbidden to at any cost, and there is no stopping. I pulled out the drawer, in which I found a whole space suit, gloves, and a round glass helmet. I had decided to go in, putting these on.

Soon I was ready to go all prepared. I knew they must be keeping a watch on me by cameras. I picked up an interacting rod, which I was meant to leave outside while returning. It must have been some kind of technical device, I didn't know of. Maybe it would beep when it sensed the tag which was made to identify an infected body, by the extent of danger expected. There was a red light bulb on it, which I thought would glow for the above-mentioned reason.

I came near the door and pushed the red knob on my left reading 'open'. The heavy doors opened with a screeching clamor. I knew it was a different prison meant to remain closed; hence, everything here would be heavy and strong to present a kind of obstacle to the possible escape of any inmate here.

The light inside was dim, and the enclosures had people who looked dormant, lay still and unattended. I had figured out that they must have ailments as serious as cancers. I moved a few feet; then a loud cry disturbed the peace of my covered ears. I rushed to look towards the left side where it emanated from. It was an old man; he was bald and very skinny. I rushed to the glass pane through which I tried to see through, there were curtains that had covered most of it, but still with an effort I could see the scene behind it.

The old man hung from the bed, with his head buried under towards the ground. I figured out he was vomiting, but still I could not see exactly what went on inside the room and what was that he was suffering from. Then I moved right where the curtains were not covering the confines of the room fully. I was shocked to see a lot of blood spilled on the white flooring. He was vomiting blood! I was extremely moved by the suffering of the old man.

I heard footsteps approaching my position. I turned my face to see, it was an African origin woman, who had dressed like a nurse. I stopped her, saying-

I asked: "Hello! What do you do here, you seem like a nurse. How have you managed to work in a quarantined area?"

She said: "Yes your guess is correct. Please don't breach the proximity regulation. You are standing closer than you should. I can work in the quarantined area because I am also an inmate. Yes, I have a 3rd stage brain cancer. That was a genetic deformity. So I was quarantined. I am sorry, but now I will have to go." I noticed that she wore a nurse cap over her bald head. Chemotherapy, I sighed to myself inside the precincts of the helmet.

I moved ahead to see a man with overgrown warts over his limbs and face. His nails looked violet and seemed like sick to me and I couldn't look any further towards his misery.

In one room, I saw two little Siamese girls who had red faces and were weeping with IV drips going inside their nostrils, their mother sat by their side and looked at me with surprise. I considered them to be suffering from pain and all and turned back.

I walked a few steps ahead, to my right side; there was a corridor, and it was slightly dark in there, a little boy some 4'5" tall stood there facing the opposite wall across the corridor. I was going to say a 'hi' before which he turned his face towards me which was almost plain and swollen devoid of any facial features. But dangerous outgrowth formations were visible, which I hated to look at, and then he turned his body towards me and started walking quickly towards me. He got pretty close to me for which I wasn't ready. I fell down on the ground trying to move backward owing to the uncomfortable safety suit that I was wearing. The stick in my hand beeped vigorously indicating me to flee the place immediately.

I decided to rush back and away from this place, as I remembered the cautious lines of the warning board attached before the start of this place. I got up and stood on my feet quickly and ran away from all these suffering people. I realized then that I could not help them. I turned back and came all the way back to the inside of the strong door which would close this place away from me once and forever.

I cursed the psychopaths who must have unleashed this hell on earth. I cursed those genetic scientists who must have carried out banned cloning tests or genetic experiments excessively on a number of people, enough to have caused massive destruction of the mankind spanning many generations in 4 centuries' time.

I have just had witnessed a glimpse of the horrific 'Contamination'. I was sure the ship's quarantine regulations were required to ensure the safety of the rest if the medics had a feared regarding spreading of this agony among the healthy living humans on the ship.

My soreness about the inhumanity of the quarantine actions, leaving them to die was lessened to a substantial level, because they were receiving medical attention from among themselves, as far as could be provided to them given the gravity of the circumstances and resource constraints of the ship.

I came out of the corridor, threw the stick outside on my right and closed the strong room. I assumed that I had not breached the proximity regulations anywhere otherwise, I must have been under there continuous surveillance and put under the quarantine or specific diagnoses as specified on the warning board.

Otherwise, I must have been stopped from coming back to this room, before having entered it, had I been feared of spreading the contagious dangerous diseases. But I wasn't! I unclipped my helmet and stepped out of the precautionary safety suit.

Chapter 25: Tour to the last floor; the embryo bank floor and meeting Lois

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I pressed the buttons of elevators and waited for any of them to stop at this floor first. The one I pressed first arrived first, I moved towards it. I was thinking; why did I put myself at the risk of going into a quarantined place? I should have believed the data and the people. I should have trusted Larissa.

My life was too precious to be spoiled by such curiosities. But I needed the information as much as possible because I cannot lie on my bed in my cabin and wait for my next death; because without a reason there is no life and reason cannot be known by lying idle in my bed. I was beginning to reason out for my own little dangerous adventure. But at least I was out of it without having endangered myself. The risk was a bad choice but being still safe was good.

I had an understanding that the next floor was uninfected and only viable and healthy embryos lay inside which posed no danger to me until I was proved wrong.

I stepped out of the elevator on the last floor. It was as ever lit in dim orange lights. The previous time I had visited here, I was slightly feeble and was not authorized for free access. But it was different now, I was healthy and strong and duly authorized for exploration.

I was told that this last floor had 70000 embryos stored inside. I just had to stroll aimlessly and see if I can see that by myself. I walked out to the corridor, all the rooms facing each other were identical and ambiance was, all the same, it was actually hard to know where they began and where the corridors ended; alley per alley; all the same, similar rooms and same tanks. Soon the rooms became darker I feared getting lost in the dim light.

But through the light, I could see some rooms, all packed up to the roof with tanks, endless tanks. One tank had its facing towards me which read 'Human Embryo' and I was relieved of having found the secured storage of embryos, being termed as our future.

I decided to take a round through the next alley which would take me to another parallel corridor ending towards the lift. It was freezing and even breathing would be labored here. I thought it would be possible that I could find a little warmer corridor and extend my tour without having to flee this place from the fear of freezing. But compared to the apron the only clothing I wore that day, months back on my visit here, today I was rather well clothed, which protected me from the cold here.

I reached the end of this corridor, and took the last alley towards the parallel corridor, making it look like a U-turn, I was stepping towards the elevators which were quite far away from this place, and then I found an open chamber. This place was appropriately lit up, with lights almost white.

There were many coffin-like wooden boxes here all arranged one over the other. It was an unending array of them. I felt that they must be used for the last rites of the dead. There were many cabins in this hall, but the hall itself was mostly spacious. I saw some blood drops and footprints in blood, somewhat clumsily smeared.

It startled me and readied me for something shocking ahead. Now I was vigilant in facing anything. I had seen many things in this life; I was prepared that anything coming would not shock me into inaction. I now stepped onto a lid on the floor, reading 'Disposal', big enough to dispose of a car. I figured out it was meant for cremating the deceased. But the blood? It looked like it was warm and came out from a fresh wound. I was a little curious. Even the staff responsible for cremating the bodies should have cleaned that up. But because nobody would be frequenting these chambers, hence there was carelessness spilled all over.

But my last thought was flushed out, by what I saw next as I went past crossing this hall towards a poorly lit cabin. I saw an ugly head with white little sparse hair, shaking wildly, over the top of two coffins at the extreme end of this cabin. Through the insufficient light, I saw that head shake up wildly once again, humming strange and crackling noises like breaking something and laughing. I initially thought that it was some sick person, insane with pain. I saw that head shook again, but that person did not seem to have noticed my presence, this time, I saw many moles and warts in the back of the ugly head. I understood that it was some quarantined person, who could have been considered dead, but actually was not. That blood, which I looked at again, could be his. I thought his suffering must be hard to bear making him this insane.

I opened my mouth to shout out to him, but I was startled by some movement on my right side, between the two coffins kept in the right, I saw a little girl wearing a pink and white frock, also looking at that person. I moved towards her, but she seemed fine and healthy, then I stepped further towards the suffering person, he still had not noticed my presence.

I called out,"Hello!"

But then, I felt a little hand holding my right fingers, the girl had leapt up to stop me, as she nodded in 'No' to stop me from doing what I was doing. But she had failed to stop me and stepped back. I had by now reached close enough to look at this person, although the light was a little insufficient.

I was shocked to my core! It was not a person! It was a 'monster' all smeared up in blood! Blood obviously not from his sufferings, but that of a corpse he was consuming! It was a skinny woman whose thighs this creature had eaten half!

Soon enough his face lifted up to look into my eyes. Filled with moles, warts, and pus; it was like half torn apart. Yellow horrid eyes; looking now directly into mine. It wore a half white apron, all smeared in blood from the corpse he was eating.

It was an enormous creature! I was certainly not ready to face this thing, in spite of all the vigilance and courage; I stood frozen, facing the terrifying creature. He had large limbs, with big talons and outgrowth of scales and nails. No one could tell if it had fingers and toes or web-like palms and feet. He was all filled up with, moles, warts, scales, and nails. It was really the ugliest thing that I had ever confronted!

His facial skin was diagonally half peeled off from the left top of his face and hung below. He was bony and skinny in the middle. It was a matter of seconds that he leapt forward and struck me hard on my abdomen with his, what it seemed like, hand. It was not before a few moments that I realized that I flew off with the impact and hit the opposing wall of this room hard and almost lost my senses.

When I was normalizing, I felt hard pain in my abdomen and I vomited blood, my blue blood! I was hurt, badly it seemed. But it felt like I still could feel my feet and arms, so I was saved from any fracture. Damn, that blow was hard and strong. Here I was vomiting, there I saw that little girl running for her life! The monster had found her and perhaps wanted to start eating her warm flesh for the lunch.

I couldn't allow this to happen, the girl had tried to warn me, but it was all my fault that her life was in danger now, just because of my highly overrated curiosity. The monster, I saw, was chasing her; to escape his assault she would duck from beneath his limbs. I realized the fact that it must have been strong, but it was neither smart nor quick.

I noticed a coffin in front of me, I pushed it a little, and it seemed empty. I mustered up all the courage I could and gathered it all within a moment and called out- I screamed: "Hey!!!"

The creature before me stopped chasing the girl and looked up at me. By this time, I had pushed the empty coffin towards him with all my might. It seemed to hit him as hard as I had wanted. Since he was a foot away from the wall he got perfectly pinned against the wall by the momentum of the coffin.

I did not feel like evaluating the situation further and grabbed the hand of that little girl who came running to me. Although with difficulty I succeeded in crawling towards the elevators and the last thing I remembered was calling out my Passkey. Then, I passed out.

Chapter 26: Hospitalized again! Receiving medical attention from Despondra herself!

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When I woke up and lifted my head up, I wanted to collapse again. I was in the hospital bed once again. The little girl was sitting on my right on a small seat. I saw a male nurse keeping a record of my blood pressure and pulse. He recorded something in his pad and moved back; then came forth Despondra herself, looking worried about my condition.

Despondra: "Hey Dani! How are you feeling now? Feel like vomiting again?"

I nodded in No. She continued-

Despondra: "Thank Lord! You have not lost a lot of blood; this little girl brought you here on time. It is just that you suffered Hematemesis. The impact was on gastrointestinal tract directly above the suspensory muscle of duodenum. We have sutured the ruptured blood vessels. You cannot eat solid food again for a week. But you will be fine very soon."

I replied: "Just tell me one thing Pondra! How did we have such a life-threatening monster there, on the last floor? Answers? Now!"

Despondra: "I don't know! None of us knows! It must have been a mutated person initially shifted to the penultimate quarantined floor. But somehow managed to escape to the embryo floor! Shame on us! Why don't you ask Shelly for details? I think he will have some better-explained answers for you! He must already be on the way to here" I could see that face raging in anger and disgust again now.

I asked again: "But why don't you tell me your version already?" I insisted.

Despondra: "I know you must now be aware of the quarantined floor. I had opined to kill all of the 'rejected' or mutated people. I knew keeping them alive would be endangering our own selves and other healthy human beings, especially, when we know not enough of the nature of the genetic diseases and deformities. We do not possess the accurate and adequate technology to cure them. We cannot help them! But Shelly and his disciples wanted to save humanity through them!"

By now, I had begun agreeing a little with Despondra's take on this subject. But I still wanted to scratch the wound further-

I quipped: "But wouldn't that be unfair and inhuman Pondra? Killing all of them, would it be wise? How can we base our future civilization on the edifice of this cruel act?"

Despondra: "First Dani, it is not cruelty; it is survival. It is the first condition of Sacrifice! If we do not take the healthy ones forward, the whole human race will be extinct one day infested with these incurable genetic diseases. When I order the capital rejection, being a scientist here, I know what I am doing! I know the extremity of these decisions and the technicality too. I know about the head and toes of it. I know it, and I demand my right to act in the light of the knowledge of the situation. But who is to hear my cries? Shelly and his team have assembled the face of Death itself at the bottom of this ship. They do not carry out my orders nor do they let anyone else do that. So I know we will be lost one day. All of us. We are sitting on a bomb that is ticking towards its own end!"

She was furious now. I was silent and heard every word carefully that came out of her mouth this time. To me, honestly it looked right, but the blend of cruelty in safety was yet not ready to go down well and smooth in my throat. She spoke again, this time with a lot of maturity-

Despondra: "I was a very gentle woman once. But when the mother in me was killed to save the humanity, all the modesty gave way to the empirical nature of life today!"

She picked up her purse and tablets and writing pad and left me alone with the girl. I was not only left alone, but also wondering about her last statement which made her slightly emotional and she had to leave. Despondra was certainly not a woman who would fear to face her opponent and mutiny set against her by Shelly on this ship. She had certainly left to conceal her emotions from me, before whom she had always stood strong. The stern look she gave to the girl beside the left of my bed, also left a question in my mind.

I looked at the little girl. She was looking at the door from which Despondra had vanished. But when I looked at her, she looked back at me. She was alabaster-skinned, light green eyes, coral colored lips and skinny feeble body. It seemed like she did not have enough food to the full of her little tummy. Her golden blonde hair hung a little longer than the back of her shoulder but, it was all messed up. The pink and white frock she wore was grimy as well. She had slender thin hands, with grown up white nails as if weakened by hunger. She looked like she was uncivilized.

I said: "Where did you exactly come from?"

She did not say a thing. Rather she now looked scared and coy in ample light.

I said: "Thank you for saving me!"

She nodded but said nothing. She stared towards me hard and steady, reminding me of the strange ugly creature I was.

I object: "Do you understand what I am saying?"

She replied then: "Yes!"

I reclined against the back of the bed saying: "Oh thank goodness! So reply when you can."

I asked: "What is your name?"

She replied: "I don't know!"

I was surprised: "You don't know your name?"

She said: "I don't have a name."

I was startled now!

I asked in disbelief: "You say you do not have a name. Where are your parents? What is your age?"

She replied: "I don't know!"

I paused in disbelief. I waited a minute staring at her with her staring back at me. I did not understand what to think of such a ship, on which there are people they don't know about. To me this girl looked like 13 years old, seeing her height and all. But I could not date her existence.

I said: "You are a beautiful little girl, you know? Would you take a name if I gave you one?"

She said: "Yes." Slow and low voice, feeble body, just smarter survival instincts, I thought.

I said: "I would like to call you, um, Lois? Is it good name Lo?"

She said: "Yes!" She smiled a little and I raised my right hand to fondle her pink cheeks, but suddenly-

"Careful! Do not touch her! We do not know what she is and how she came into being. We do not have her in our records. She could be dangerous madam!" Shelly rushed in shouting in reprimand.

I was puzzled by his surprise visit-

I yelled back: "Careful! She is Lois! She is not a thing on the ship Shelly!"

Shelly: "But madam! No offense, but she could be dangerous. You know that."

I said: "Why is she on this ship, in the first place, Shelly? She exists because of you. You have an unclear mindset. First, you keep people with genetic diseases on this ship then you make them quarantined and untouchable. What kind of wretched life do you wish to give them? I am sorry but I am tormented by your thought process."

Shelly: "...and I am sorry but I cannot be a part of the reckless killing of the innocent. Just because they are suffering from diseases created by the tantrums of some madmen doesn't make them deserve the Capital Punishment. I am sorry, but I will never agree to the inhumanity Despondra and others expect of me. I have a cause to fight for and I will live my life protecting it. Being quarantined and given a chance of human life is enough a good cause. In the face of extinction, it is the best that we can do to these infected people. But denying the right to human life altogether to them is going two miles further than acceptable. It is equitable to give them a chance of life and letting them know that they might not make it, given the present day technologies and the world war. Most of them I have met are at peace with it. Wouldn't it be inhuman to kill them at the first instant miss? Have you thought about that?"

There was a point in Shelly's defense too.

I said: "Um, yes it would be cruel. But I also agree with Despondra. What if we risked the others too, the healthy ones? Are you not risking everybody, Shelly? Will you be willing to have the blood of innocent people on your hands, killed by your decisions?"

Shelly: "But that's why I have quarantined them. Now, if the security systems and law and order of the ship fail, who am I to be blamed?"

I replied: "Yeah, it is not you who is to be blamed that's right. I am confused a hell lot! I do not know anything. I think I need some rest. Now, better not bother me." I almost scratched my head in frustration.

Shelly: "Yes! So we are taking the girl for further analysis. Don't worry; she will be safe in our hands! Take care, madam!"

Saying that, Shelly ordered two masked men in the space-suit-like outfits; who came in and took Lois away with them. Shelly still was there, and then a fat young man came up to my bed-

Young man: "Hello Danielle Spearhead! I am Gavin Trample, the security head of the ship. Please tell me the whole incident in detail."

I replied: "Oh yeah? You really must be Trample! Now just tell me, the only thing that you are charged with on this ship is security, and with all the staff and equipment you have here, you can't deliver your duty well? Your leaving important investigation session, to chomp on a burger is putting the lives of people on this whole ship at stake? Do you have the slightest understanding of that Trample?" I was in a mood to trample on him really, frustrated with all that had happened there before.

Trample: "Err....I understand! We were engaged somewhat in analyzing a security breach that time. Don't worry; we have contained the creature in the bottom floor. Soon our incinerating team will reach there and will terminate that thing, ma'am!" He tried to loosen up the collar buttons on the overly buttoned up shirt he was wearing, freeing his thick neck. Shelly was leaving, but he fled quickly seeing my fury.

I chuckled: ".....and you will lead the team up front?"

Trample, "Yes, I will. Um.....I think we have all that we must know to start the investigation. Thank you, ma'am!" He hurriedly left the place.

I yelled: "I want that thing killed right now!" He looked back and nodded.

I said to myself 'unworthy recruits' and drifted into sleep.

Chapter 27: Another Ripple; The going down of the ship

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next two days were almost eventless. I got to read nothing. I had to eat nothing. I had not needed to drink a thing since I was on the IV drip. I just turned back and forth to pass the time. I got the news that the creature at the bottom floor was killed. He was a mutated person, who had been incorrectly termed as deceased and buried in coffins. While he woke up, he ate other corpses and kept alive, growing rather stronger. While ZA-vi kept sitting by my side. Devon, Despondra, and KEAH kept coming here regularly and Devon used to show his anger over my going down to the bottom floors without informing him. Though he was just worried as a friend and he was not being a rude ruler.

11:00 am, 15th April 2461

The 3rd day of being hospitalized I was being discharged, though still I could not eat anything like raw food or solids, but just juices and liquids, though somehow peeled fruits could be eaten. Then Devon entered this eventful day, he was buzzing some song, which felt really funny to me. He would make for the worst singer of the contemporary world. Despondra, standing at my left, was removing the patient tag from my wrist; she joined me in bursting out into laughter directed at Devon.

Despondra: "Your Romeo is happy today, Dani!"

Devon: "Yes! Mr. Juliet is being discharged today!" he said keeping a basket full of fruits on my lap.

I replied: "Careful Dev! You wouldn't want to antagonize Mr. Juliet and yet keep some bombs with him to throw at you." I said, rolling an apple in my right-hand fingers and thumb and pointing towards him. Devon would bend down, and move sideways; trying to avoid any apples I would throw at him. He had not grown up! Old little fellow! I thought.

Then entered ZA-vi another character, he had Lois with him!

I shouted in joy! :"Lois! Where have you been sweet pea?"

ZA-vi: "Hi madam! I have brought Lo, to you today. She has been declared completely fit and genetically pure by Dr. Von and Shelly, see this testimonial and their message to you."

He extended the device which he held in his hand. The screen read:

'The girl named Lois, age 11 years and 5 months 2 days, biological parents unknown is found to be having pure DNA and is free of any contagious diseases. She is given proper authorization to roam about on the deck and the whole ship. Her passkey is LOISPRP01. Next routine medical checkup to renew passkey will be due six months hence'

I read it out loud, and smiles flew across the room.

Despondra: "Welcome aboard Lois! Dani keeps on talking and talking about you. We are happy to have you here."

Lois smiled and said: "Thank you!" Dressed in a white top and denim hot pants, neat blond hair she looked very pretty wearing the smile. She thanked! How civilized? Where would she have learned it? I thought, smiling to myself.

ZA-vi: "Von and Shelly have sent you their congratulation message to you. It says, 'Congratulations madam! Your girl Lois is free to roam about with you. We have one more girl to the healthy human squad. Have faith!"

Soon, KEAH entered with a smile. Today seemed to be a happy day. I was freed from the patient bed. I got up and was feeling healthy.

All of a sudden there was a shudder followed by a loud bang, I had just stood up on my feet and immediately fell off onto the floor. It shook us all, and I saw that every person was trying to balance himself.

Then the alarm went off; it was a very shrill and loud sound like a blast. A monotonic voice-over started announcing-

"Emergency! Emergency! Emergency! Everyone on the ship is required to reach the muster station in the Navigation Chambers. Immediately drop what you are doing. Do not carry anything with you, except oxygen masks. Pick up the Emergency manual from the elevators. The stairs are opened for the first time. Please do not panic. It's Emergency........" It kept repeating over and over again.

All the others except me and Devon rushed towards the Navigation Chambers. I had begun changing to a white T-shirt, leather jacket and denim. I had almost no time now. I asked everyone else to go. But Devon did not leave my side. He put the black leather jacket on me. All the time I tried not to panic.

Devon: "Hurry up Dani! It seems like the ship is going down." He said putting my left hand into the jacket.

I replied: "Yeah! I hope it is not so!" I was a little worried. All kinds of horrific thoughts kept crossing my mind. As soon as I was done Devon pulled me out of the room and we ran at full speed on an unstable jerky ground. We ran till we made it to the elevators. There wasn't much rush as I had expected. The elevators were almost empty. We entered in the one on which there was no one aboard. There we saw a basket hanging from the roof of elevators. I put my right hand inside and pulled out a manual.

It was shaking so badly that it was hard to term the small letters of the manual as legible. We rushed to the Navigation floor. I handed it over to Devon, he tried to read it and shook his head as if had understood it letter by letter. I knew he was still playing the clown.

The doors slid open on the Navigation floor. We rushed to The Navigator's chamber. Hardly 50 people must have gathered there, in the chambers, i.e. muster station for now. Despondra, ZA-vi, KEAH, Von and Shelly, Albert, Dr. Parker, Dr. Jain, Taner, and many others whom I failed to recognize. The Navigator announced on the mike-

There were a couple of massive and ginormous earthquakes and aftershocks. Doctor Gary Williamson, our chief geophysicist will tell you more about it.

Dr. Williamson: "We have detected three earthquakes. The first one and the weakest of these was, situated 120 miles, northeast of New Guinea islands, an Mw 6.8 on the Moment Magnitude Scale. The shudder you have just felt was from the impact of Tsunami colliding with Perpetua. The Australian major plate has subducted the Pacific plate by about 50 meters."

The tall old man, Dr. Williamson was pointing on the projected map of today's world which looked different to me; he pointed towards the epicenter of the tremor. All of the faces in the hall looked terrified and pale with fear. Devon held my left arm, yes he considered me superior in handling pressure situations, however recently I have discovered he was more practical when dealing when them.

Dr. Williamson: "The other reports of two major earthquakes are being received. The first one is being received from the Kamchatka Peninsula with epicenter almost on the Cape Lopatka, Mw 9.2 magnitude on the Moment Magnitude Scale. The Kamchatka peninsula is a part of what once was known as the Russian Federation. Frequent volcanic and seismic activities are always frequently registered from the peninsula. The Cape Lopatka is often washed out by Frequent Tsunamis. The Megathrust Earthquake caused under the water with a focus 67 kilometers under the water directly below the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench has produced a massive Tsunami. This Tsunami will cross our way in precisely half an hour. It is being predicted that given all the conditions, it is going to be a maximum of a 61 meter high, but at the minimum, 23 meters; still massive for a big ship in the sea, like us."

The animations were playing clearly on the screen and the look I observed on the faces was of terror and fright. My eyes were searching for the little girl Lois, who I have not even got a proper chance to talk to. Suddenly right then I felt soft little fingers curling onto my right palm, I looked back and saw a pleasant sight. Lois stood clinging onto me. I gestured her, about where she was, and she pointed towards the waiting room on the right of the corridor.

Dr. Williamson continued: "The third and, the most terrible megathrust recorded 9.6 on the Moment Magnitude Scale has occurred in the Northern Pacific Ocean, 11 kilometers under the ocean, epicenter being somewhere in the Japan Trench, off northeast of once known Japan, following the one at Kamchatka, 46 minutes after that one. The Pacific Plate has subducted a good 47 kilometers beneath the Okhotsk Plate, concluded as being the cause of this massive megathrust. Now the real problem facing us is the resultant series of Trans-Oceanic Tsunamis."

He paused to show the animations appropriately on the screen, but mostly probably because he wanted to think over again, about what he was going to say to all these frightened faces before him staring straight into his spectacled eyes.

Dr. Williamson: "The real problem is that all these events will be causing high Trans-Oceanic Tsunamis, considering the drawback magnitudes, Tsunamis capable of transmitting their energies to far off places. The enormity of Trans Oceanic Tsunamis is also determined by many local factors, related to the areas they travel to. So they could dissipate till they hit us."

"But on the contrary, they might also accentuate their energies and hit us harder. Now I am concerned with, whether we should try to sail out of this peril, or lay dormant, at the will of nature. The reality is that we cannot escape this onslaught by outsmarting it, even if we chart a course backward, towards the Southern Pacific Ocean, out of the Pacific Ring of Fire. But it is really, really long way to go, as we are heading towards the Philippines a long way from the Ring. Trying to get out of the western edge of Ring of Fire, by going in it first by taking the U-turn is a dangerous route not even promising us a secure escape. We also cannot dock at any land form, in a period of time given, 37 minutes; the time we have calculated for the Tsunamis to hit us. By the time I will finish briefing this evil news to you, we will have seven more minutes lost to us. But time is not valuable constant here because we have to face it anyway, irrespective of what we choose."

Continued Dr. Williamson: "The combined effect of these two major Trans-Oceanic Tsunamis coming from the Kamchatka and Japanese Trench cannot be calculated with the equipment and technology on this ship, as these are dependent on many conditions, mostly local. They could combine their forces together and form a mammoth wave or could counteract to reduce the effect of each of them taken individually."

Dr. Williamson: "What is in our hands is that how we brace up for the impact. There are only two options available to us. One is that we believe in inaction; we lie dormant and leave ourselves to Nature's peril. The second is that we chart a course all the way backward, and try to outrun the Tsunamis, believing that at least they will grow weaker as we go further. But the last theory could go utterly wrong, and they might not have lost as much of their energy as we want them to, rather we will still be struck hard. Remember that they are Trans-Oceanic Tsunamis, capable of transmitting their energies to far off places, so even if we tried to outrun them, we might still be in their range."

I raised my hand to throw some of my opinions on board-

I said: "Excuse me, Doctor! I think we must wait for them and leave ourselves to their might. They are nature's forces and I sense no worth in going back all the way. Sorry for sounding pessimist, but I believe in flexibility. I think there is a natural precedent for it. The strong holding big trees standing erect firmly on the ground are uprooted by a storm coming their way because they oppose the brutal force of nature standing up front. While the trees which are flexible and bend before the force of nature are saved. Also, as you are saying that we cannot outrun the Tsunamis, the second option doesn't seem feasible and worthy to me."

Dr. Williamson looked up at me saying: "What is your name? I like your opinion!"

I replied: "Sir, I am Danielle Spearhead! Thank you!"

All eyes looked at me, in disbelief. I had sensed opposition in the looks. Dr. Williamson continued-

Dr. Williamson: "So, I have chosen the first option. If there is a chance, it is how we do it. We will wait for the impact to hit us. For your knowledge, our ship is capable of absorbing a high impact, but like every other intelligent machinery that we have in this era, our ship also has its threshold limits. Optimistically saying, we will be swept away in the Tsunami while the other way around, we could be overturned when the waves strike us. We will be witnessing something very unlikely and different. But I believe that we are prepared for it! We have backup engines, retrograde engines, extra propellers and we can transform into a Submarine if need be. If the worst happens, we have all the life boats we need for everyone on the ship, the ones on which you can make it to the land all by yourselves. In short, there is no room for panic. Although the challenge before us is majestic, still I trust in ourselves and that is exactly what I am looking forward to seeing as a reflection in all the eyes in this hall and on this ship.

So now, tell me do I have your support?"

Dr. Williamson, I realized was a great orator and motivator himself. Above all, he was an utterly positive man. I was glad we have had proficient people on our ship. The seemingly, never-ending session of 'ifs' and 'buts' began in the hall. The ship had ceased shaking, indicating that the first wave of Tsunami had gone past us. I looked at Devon and smiled at him, instilling the 'we can do it' spirit. He smiled back and clenched my arms tighter. Then I looked at Lois, who was a bit perplexed, as it was all new and terrifying for her to cope up with. I bent down on my knees before her and said-

I said: "Lo! We are going to make it! Don't worry; I have been through a lot worse than this. We can do anything if we are strong! Didn't you hear Dr. Williamson? We need not panic. We have everything we need and we will get through it smooth and strong. Don't be afraid! Life supports only the stronger, so be strong. Right?"

All that she did was giving me a reluctant but agreeing nod with her eyes welled up. I rose up on my feet and stood. It was actually strange to live an eventful life like this, where you can't breathe in peace; every moment was adventurous and surprising. You feel like you are running along to cope up with.

ZA-vi: "Do you need anything, madam?"

I replied: "I have not drunk a drop of water since I got up from the bed. Get me a bottle of fresh water; something certainly to help me. Thanks, ZA-vi! What would I do without you?"

ZA-vi went away, to fetch some water for us while amidst chaos before us I saw KEAH emerge before me. She was certainly not happy, I knew she feared death and it went pale on her face.

KEAH: "Miss! So is it time? Do we have only some 30 minutes of our existence? Is it how it ends? I am being honest; I don't want to die at this young age. I have yet to learn a lot. I am not ready." She faked a small smile, as usually did; failing to hide the fear she visibly carried on her face.

I opposed: "KEAH! No! We are not going to get scratched! Ok, we might get scratched, but we are not going to die! We will live! Don't be weak and stand tall on your feet girl! Don't lose hope; didn't you hear what the doctor said?"

KEAH took her right hand up and held her forehead with it. ZA-vi had brought a water bottle. I took it from him, it felt cold. Devon left my arm and said to KEAH-

Devon: "Hey there girl! Why don't you go sit in that seat over there?" He pointed towards a little stool kept in the right corner of the hall. But she was slightly reluctant to go alone, so we all decided to get out of the crowd and comfort ourselves in the corner. I had drunk the water bottle half, and handed it over to KEAH-

I said: "Here! Have this and chill yourself!" Although she took the bottle, but she did not drink from it, rather she rubbed it on her red hot cheeks, heat being radiated from the element of fear she was being haunted with. She sat on the stool traumatized.

I said: "KEAH! Trust my words on the rock; you're the smartest girl I have ever met. You have brought me back to life. I cannot see a brilliant girl like you lose hope like this! So come on, be brave!"

She nodded in harmony with me and thanked me. Despondra who was busy talking to Dr. Williamson saw us all consoling KEAH and walked towards us; the expressionless Dr. Allen Parker and his assistant Dr. Amit Jain accompanied her towards us.

Despondra: "I don't think that the odds are against us. We will make it. That's what we were discussing with Dr. Williamson. But Dani! Being dormant and not acting despite the knowledge of what is coming is not a very good idea." Then she saw KEAH. "Now what is it with her?" She asked with surprise.

Dr. Parker: "Look I am basically a biologist, but as far as I could understand, Danielle's opinion is the best. We must live with glory and not show our backs on the battlefield."

Dr. Amit who looked confused with what Dr. Parker just said, interrupted-

Dr. Amit: "I think we should not think all that much. We will sail out of it successfully. I remember having read somewhere that a ship, although not as big had survived the Tsunami attacks, without even overturning...."

He was further interrupted by Taner-

Taner: "Danielle! That's it! Thank God I know you better now! You wouldn't have told me even your name by yourself!" He giggled. Seeing no one not getting along well with him, he said, "If the ship goes down, I will pray to God that he takes me down with the ship but save my plants!"

He made everyone laugh this time. KEAH looked up at Taner and finally smiled at the boy's lively spirits.

Suddenly the brief laughter we had broke with the voice of The Navigator-

The Navigator: "We have calculated the time of the impact. We have precisely 11 minutes and 13 seconds, as I speak. So people on the ship calm down and do not panic."

He stopped and the monotonous voice of the automated announcer began-

The announcer: "11 minutes for Tsunami to hit us."

Hearing this, all the people in the navigation hall started panicking. They seemed restless and scared for life as the time came nearer second by second. As the announcing voice started the countdown, some of the women and girls began shrieking out of fear. It was getting unbearable to hear and see panic everywhere. I decided to go up to the front and speak. I pounced forward and grabbed the mike from The Navigator-

I addressed: "Everybody! Simmer down! Keep your calm! The Doctors and physicists and all the intelligent people on the ship believe that we will survive this onslaught. The ship is capable and sophisticated enough to go through this...."

Somebody, I couldn't get who shouted-

"But we are gonna die!"

I turned towards his voice and put my point more aggressively-

I screamed: "If you think you will die, you probably will and nobody can save you. But if you trust in our resources and able brains on the ship and the wonderful ship engineering and most importantly yourself, then you won't die. If you trust me, although you might not have seen me before, but if you do, believe me, I have seen the ship up close, Believe it or not, this is not how we die! We have survived 180 years, and we are not gonna die like this today! Now, keep calm and find your best survival strategy, while letting others do their best to save you from the mouth of death." I silenced them all and now the announcer's voice could be hear clear.

I climbed down the small podium; Devon had reached there by then and said-

Devon: "That was impressive Dani! I think you will make a great leader."

The announcer: "9 minutes to the collision."

The Navigator: "We have taken out all the lifeboats on the decks and fastened them for use in case of emergency." He announced.

Dr. Williamson who was sitting before the screen and studying the data carefully; said to me-

Dr. Williamson: "You have a great spirit, Danielle, exceptionally vigorous survival instincts!" He resumed his much important work. All the navigator staff was now busy in accumulating as much important data they were getting and some of them summarizing and calculating the predictions.

The announcer: "5 minutes to the collision."

I asked The Navigator about where everybody else of the ship was. We certainly were not so less as to be just 50 in numbers.

The Navigator told me: Everybody here has some or the other work; they are all online on the Ship Network and get the real time data ASAP. They know all that is happening in our chambers. They know the safety procedures too. Don't worry, they are all safe!" I nodded in accord.

The duo of Dr. Von and Shelly were seen approaching me-

VON: "Hi madam! So is that it? We are getting hit by majestic Tsunamis. But like you said; we will make it!" Von sounded positive.

SHELLY: "Look! We have had our differences, but I have a special affinity towards you who is one of our most challenging cases, through which we gained our professional excellence. I will always be grateful that you have believed in us with your life. I will always be thankful that you happened to us!" Von nodded. Like it or not, emotions soar up at such times of difficulty.

I said: "No Doctor Shelly I am grateful that I was made by your able hands! I owe you guys my new life; I owe it to the contributions which you two have made in bringing me back to life."

It was not exactly in words, but it was in conduct; a goodbye for all the intents and purposes. Devon pulled my left wrist and pulled me away from everybody else.

The announcer: "3 minutes to the collision."

Devon: "Dani! My dear angel! I know we are not going to sink, just as you said. But if we do.....Oh damn! I am bad at saying goodbyes! But you know this is it. I could not be the one I wanted to, towards you, but there was too less time. If this is all this life had to give, just so little you know, it was worth it!" His eyes gleamed and I knew my this little boy was going to get emotional. Those blue sapphire eyes were breaking my heart. I slapped his cheek.

I said: "You silly!" But I was breaking from inside out. I knew we could drown and I have committed too many mistakes and stabbed so many hearts that I could not be absolved of guilt because I have not done anything good enough to blot my sins out.

Devon: "Can I breach the proximity standards for one last time?" I nodded and he embraced me from my back facing him, wrapping his big strong arms around my shoulders. I saw Despondra making her way towards me hastily as the time was fleeting.

The announcer: "2 minutes to collision!"

Despondra: "Dani! I hope we are not enemies anymore now? I wanted to be sorry once again for having offended you."

I said: "Its fine doctor. No! You are my friend Pondra! There is no room for bitterness at all." She sealed it with a smile and I replied back.

KEAH got up from the seat and approached me, she held my hand and so did Lois. I consoled both the terrified little girls with gestures.

The announcer: "1 Minute to the collision. Impact imminent, 60, 59, 58, 57......"

The Navigator: "Hold onto something! Anything you find! Brace up!"

I hope everybody found something to hold onto.

The announcer: "31, 29, 28, 27, 26...."

We looked at each other, all of us, KEAH and Despondra rushed away to find something to cling onto. While Devon and Lois held the door whose handles I had held.

The announcer: "Impact imminent! 13, 12, 11, 10..."

The Navigator: "Stand strong!!!"

The announcer: "3, 2, 1 GO! Turning the ship engines off."

A strong bang came from our left side, and the ship overturned towards its right; there was a collective cry all over in the floor. Now all of us were hanging from whatever we held onto. I hung onto the handle of the door which got opened owing to the collision. It jerked me down; I couldn't remain hung with both the hands, as my left hand flew down from the grip. Now I was hanging from an opened-out door which was swinging. I saw towards the right side wall of the chamber, which had now become our new floor, because of our overturned ship which stood on its right side now.

I saw many persons falling towards the right side wall. Some of them knocked against tables, machines and walls while one of them was Dr. Amit Jain. I was so sorry for him, for he seemed like he had got hurt real bad.

ZA-vi who now stood just below me on the left face of a table, extended his hands towards me to help me climb down. My right hand was about to lose its grip so it was better that I climbed down with the help of ZA-vi. I did as I thought and in two seconds I was down on the table standing with ZA-vi.

The Navigator: "Another wave of Tsunami is on its way. I am sorry, but it is not over yet." The ship turned back on its hull, which fell with a thud on the water, we were afloat again. All fell on the original floor once again.

The announcer: "3 minutes to the collision. Switching the engines on."

There was cry all over the place, some were hurt others terrified. Devon crawled towards me.

Devon: "You okay? I got scratched just a little."

I cried: "Oh my goodness, your right toe is bleeding!"

He said: "Ah yes, it is just a small cut. A machine from inside the room fell and smashed against my foot. It was heavy!"

I suggested: "we must do something about your wound."

He replied: "But there is no time; it is not enough for nursing a wound, rather we must prepare ourselves for another impact."

The announcer: "1 Minute to the collision."

The Navigator: "This time we will try to navigate with engines on, we will take the impact on Stern. This may minimize the impact on the ship, taking the blow laterally. The first impact did not damage the ship, except some bruise on the outer Port of the ship. I hope nobody is seriously hurt other than Dr. Amit Jain. We have secured him with us. Be careful with the next wave. We have received reports that this one is going to be higher than 30 meters when it hits us."

The announcer: "30 seconds, 28, 27, 26......"

The Navigator: "try to hold something steady, not moving or could be opened with the shudder. We have many machines in the hall. Please adjust yourself quickly!"

The announcer: ".......7, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Impact imminent!"

A smashing collision skidded the ship towards the right and turned it on its axis by a small angle, resulting it facing towards the direction. I saw everybody fall on the ground with a loud bang.

The Navigator: "To the Starboard!" He must have shouted to all the men engaged in navigation sitting before the screens. Soon in seconds' time, the ship turned to the right, but we were still amidst the Tsunami waves. Something again hit the ship from the left side.

All of a sudden the Bow of the ship began turning down with a thunder. The ship now stood at an inclination of 30 degrees with the sea surface.

The Navigator: "Sadly our move has turned out to be a suicidal attempt. We pushed the ship with too much power to the Starboard, so we are losing the balance of our otherwise afloat hull. We have lost the main engine. It is sad, but it will not take long before we have our backup engines zooming. Please hold onto something. The roof of the ship is being shut because we might be going underwater for some time now."

The announcer: "Starting the backup engine; covering the deck with waterproof roof; commencing Submarine transformation." We heard noises in steps, it looked like the ship was being covered by the roof.

It went darker and darker as we saw the bow facing the dark ocean now. We were losing daylight on our glasses. The more and more sadistic face of the ocean was revealed as the bow started dipping in the ocean. There was panic and cry everywhere.

The announcer: "Descent! Descent! Descent!"

The bow was dumped deeper in the water and the ship almost stood with the stern up in the air. All of a sudden with a loud rumble, the ship started falling straight and steep down. We had enough time to find something strong to hold onto. I had held a machine in the front part of the Navigator's room, which had hard and strong handles. I figured it out that it was not a big deal because this machine was turned off. I almost climbed over it now as we were descending at a steep level, making almost 90 degrees with the surface of the water.

The announcer: "Descent! Descent! Descent! 10.9 kilometers to the seabed."

I was horrified to know the depth of the ocean here! I needed answers-

I cried: "What! Why the hell is it 10.9 kilometers deep?"

The Navigator announced: "We had been sailing over the Mariana Trench. Now we are headed straight into the mouth of the Challenger Deep, the deepest point in the Trench and the Earth, which is more than 11 kilometers deep from sea level. But I am not concerned about drowning in the Hadal Zone; rather I am concerned about the pressure. I am calculating if our ship can actually bear the pressure of water on the ship if we went straight into it. The pressure on the bed of the ocean will be about 1100 times more than the pressure at the sea level. Our ship has not been designed to face it. So I do not want to let our ship fall so deep as to burst out due to the outer pressure of an 11-kilometer high column of sea water."

The announcer: "Descent! Descent! Descent! 9 kilometers from the seabed."

I was shocked out and shouted: "We are falling too quickly...!"

The Navigator: "I am trying to get our engines restarted. Start Astern Propulsion!"

The announcer: "Commencing Astern Propulsion. 7.2 kilometers from the seabed."

The Navigator too, seemed to be panicked and horrified now. The situation was seemingly out of his control. The people at the navigation were falling off and trembling with fear. I heard Devon fall down too! He called out for my name and almost hit The Navigator himself, who caught him midway. I gasped as my heart pounded against my chest. But Devon seemed to be in extreme pain. He fell down below the glass screens holding his left hand with his right palm, he turned over and over again, I understood that he must have broken his arm. But it was not much of my concern now, because if something wasn't done soon we all were going to die soon.

The announcer: "4.5 kilometers from the seabed."

I was now shocked to see the sight before me, which glowed in the dark abyssal murky water now. The Lava rivers were flowing from the mouth of the Challenger Deep. The hot Golden lava mixing in the water gave a touch of ambiguity to the water. There were bubbles, and hot streams of water warmed up by the oozing lava were rising up imparting it a look of enormous Vortex, created by the mixing of lava in the sea water; the hot sea water rising and the colder water rushing to fill up the displacement of water. The bubbles were aerating the ocean water, leaving no chance of escape. The scene before me was inexplicably devastating! It was a glimpse of the hell itself and we were going to drown in the burning hell, unrestrained and certain. My eyes now were blind by looking into bright lava rivers. My heart was disintegrating and my breathing was labored. So there was no use looking at the Hell before me. I looked at Devon, whose eyes were closed in pain, then KEAH, Lois, Despondra and everybody else but all were looking only at the lava rivers before them, as they slipped into the mouth of Death itself. Only ZA-vi looked back at me. But he was devoid of emotions. Good for him!

I lost all hopes and closed eyes. There was nothing we could do, we were about to die and all the lectures I had delivered earlier of valor earlier turned out to being baseless and unworthy.

The announcer: "Descent! Descent! Descent! 1.8 kilometers from the seabed. Impact imminent!"

The announcer: " 0.8 kilometers, 0.75, 0.7......"

There was silence everywhere; everybody; every machine were witnessing last moments of its existence.

The announcer: "The Astern Propulsion started. Backup engines started. Distance to impact- 0.65, 0.68, 0.72, 0.75, 0.78......."

I opened my eyes to a rejoicing navigation team. They were shaking hands as I could see below my hanging feet; I sat on the machine astride. I shouted 'Hurrah!' in joy! Every face started glowing radiant with joy. Even Devon turned his head up to look at me and gave thumbs up. Everyone, Despondra, KEAH, Lois and ZA-vi smiled wearily at me. We made it! We were alive! We were together! A handful of humanity had won today!

Chapter 28: The Ultimate Explosion

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As the ship was coming out from the water, something struck my mind! All these events; the ship going down, falling steeply into the dark oceanic trench; seeing the lava rivers flowing before my eyes; the fear of being caught in the vortex of aerated water; I have had seen all of this. Yes! I had seen exactly the same scenes; I have even had the similar feelings in my nightmares earlier.

But not only this, my nightmare also included a beast treading through the waters, in the abyss filled with darkness and the rocks; chasing me towards the top. Well, if it did not happen exactly the same way, it cannot be concluded that it did not happen at all.

The beast was the one that I had seen in the murky waters of the ocean, on my first dive; now I realized, that my two dreams were superimposed together; forming the base of the reality which I had to face months later. I could now understand that I was having not just nightmares, instead, what I dreamed of was the reality of events happening months after.

I have had three premonitions in a row, if not precisely the same then somewhat symbolic in nature; indicative of some kind of gift in disguise; that if I had a glimpse into the future beforehand then I could choose a different course to avoid and change the future. I was beginning to analyze further into the situation but I was not wrong in doing this. It was happening and it happened three times, could not have been a mere coincidence. I was thinking about it as we surged upwards.

Soon enough the ship came over to the surface; as it got back afloat on its hull. I fell down on the floor with relief only to get up again and rush towards Devon who was in unbearable suffering. I could see, he still held his arm and was almost crying. But there was no blood, indicating the absence of open wounds. I was treading towards him, but suddenly the ship was smashed with a bang and I fell down on the ground. I lay on the ground looking towards the ceiling thinking about what would have happened. I heard people shouting-

The voices: "We have been hit! We have been hit!"

I paused a bit before getting up; I was too tired and feeble.........

........... To Be Continued!

A Brief Introduction of the Characters: (By themselves!)

Case DS/Danielle Spearhead/Dani: "Hello! I am the main protagonist character of the book and the narrator thereof. I was preserved in cryo for 431 long years! You will read the whole book in my words and interpretations."

Devon/Dev: "Hey there! I am a friend of DS/Dani. I also opted to be preserved in cryo like her. I was an orphan kid been taken to the shelter by her. So I decided to meet her in future when she wakes up!"

ZA-vi: "Hello! I am an android of Case DS 13701. Essentially I am playing as her record keeper and then her accomplice. I can read her thoughts"

KEAH: "Hi! I am the Personal Cryo Major (in the final year of medical college, going to be a doctor soon!) of Miss DS. I am a clone of her original doctor, Kylie Aveliah. I have implanted memories. I played a major role in reanimating the brain of Miss DS."

Aesetrick Shelly/Dr. SHELLY: "Hello! I am a doctor of madam-Case DS. I have helped to reanimate the vital organs of Danielle Spearhead. I am an opponent of Dr. Despondra."

Yvonnelex Von/Dr. VON: "Hi! I am another doctor. I did the analysis of veins, arteries, muscles and cellular structures and studied levels of cytotoxicity, cellular damage and crystallization in the body of Case DS."

Dr. Kirkrick A1/A1: "I am a robotic surgeon."

Sharine: "Hi! Am a medical assistant recently recruited. It is my passkey that DS uses for the first time."

Sammy & Manny: "Hiya! We are the Fetchers, the robots!. We take the bugged machines to the engineers on the ship. We do our work very efficiently!"

Dean Worth: "Hello! I am an engineer."

The Navigator: "Hello! I am a supercomputer entrusted now with the task of navigating this ship. I can program, debug start, restart or shut down myself. I can even have feelings and emotions if I wish to. I am an AI machine."

Dr. Despondra Vickers: "Hi I am the head of the ship's hospital. I have antagonized Dani, and I am no more proud of that. I will soon ask for her forgiveness and befriend her."

Dr. Klinex & Dr. Wornfeih: "Hello! We are the assistants and supporters of Dr. Despondra."

Mr. Shneider/ 'Mr. Sinister': "Hi I have actually not appeared in this book but my mention has been made. I was the fiancé of Danielle."

Albert: "Hello! I am a staff personnel in the navigation chamber. I give access to DS to the information she sought."

Gayle: "Hey! I am the head of the Ship Design and Engineering department of the ship. I am ready to offer Danielle my services."

Larissa: "Hi! I am the personnel coordinator of the ship. I keep the record of the people aboard the ship."

Taner: "Well! I am the timer of the Orchard. I time the retractable roofs to open & close to show sunlight to the vegetation.

Dr. Allen Parker: Hello! I am the chief marine biologist of the ship. I also test people for their swimming skill and disaster management."

Dr. Amit Jain: "I am an assistant of Dr. Parker and a marine biologist."

Lois: "I am an 11-year-old girl whom Dani had discovered on the bottom most floor."

Dr. Gary Williamson: "I am the chief geophysicist of the ship. I brief the information of the Ripple that we will be soon facing."

The sweet Guava Tree-

Among many trees and plants that I have planted, I love the Guava tree the most. I have planted it on one of my spare plots, although this plot of land is situated in the middle of a lovely city, but instead of turning it into a commercial asset I have planted a lot of trees on it for the love of nature in my heart.

The fruits of this tree are really very sweet even when raw. It has some magic in itself! Going to the supermarket and buying the best fruits coming from across the seas is one thing, but plucking it by your own hands and then eating is completely a different kind of experience. No, I am again not asking you to farm for yourself!

It seems like the trees respond to the love you give them. If you spend more time with them researchers show that they are happier. Now it is completely a matter of personal choice, but for me, I love being close to nature. What if by a simple random act you can do some good? How about making cities look a little greener?

I am not asking you to plant a tree because you are exploiting the resources and depleting the earth; or some kind of sacred duty that you have. But I am just asking you to try planting greenery for the love of it. But also, make a promise to take care of the saplings you plant, as an aftercare. Sometimes we get so engrossed in the hustle and bustle of the world we are living in that we forget that we could have some interests other than what a sophisticated life has to give.

Let us just give this a try!

A word from the author

Hello! Greetings to all those who made it this far! Okay, jokes apart. Thank you for clicking this book. This is my first work. I have been educated in serious fields of commerce, management and law, but science is in my blood. Science is alluring; it's magnetic. I confess however that I am a laywoman when it comes to science and honestly speaking I have no say in literature either.

All I have is ideas that I would like to share with you. If I can make you read this, then it's a success that someone has read it. I could be wrong when it comes to science. But it is good that you will know that. In the best case scenario, somebody would search for knowledge, validity, and corrections. In all the above cases I will be grateful!

I have written in a very plain simple language. It basically serves a segment of readers who do not wish to go into eternal stretches of tough literature. I have tried to maintain the flow of the story and I have tried to keep you from getting bored. But if you do get bored, skip some pages which are easy to do given the easy format of the book.

I have worked hard to keep it concise and easy rather than the other way around!

I would love to hear from you! Happy reading!

Divya Singh

rekindle431divya@gmail.com

