Solaria Series: Solaria Part 16

"I'm not in a hurry, Jain. It's important that we remain unknown if I'm to accomplish my mission and keep you safe."

Jain nodded. She didn't like the thought of disappearing into the dark abyss of Homeland Security's or Dynamicon's mysterious network.

"Yeah, well, I downloaded a couple of files but didn't want to open them at the library."

Pulling up her skirt she gently pulled the taped chip off her thigh.

"Ow...ow...ow!"

Solaria wanted to laugh but couldn't decide if it was appropriate considering Jain was in obvious pain. Keeping her face expressionless, she waited patiently for the librarian to continue.

"Next time I'll tape it to my b.u.t.t; less feeling there," Jain complained and put the disk in her laptop. "Let's see what these are about."

Sitting side by side, they waited for the information to upload. Once finished, Jain opened the Hubot Project file and began reading.

"Whoa! Dr. Branson really played a major role in this program."

"Yes," Solaria agreed. "She was the top scientist in her field."

For about thirty minutes they scanned the pages until one in particular caused Jain to sit back and stare. Before her was a pictorial sequence of the Hubot project. Pictures of the skeletal designs, the bio-mechanical merging of human tissue to the trabecular frame and the final product confirmed her suspicions; a product that was, at this moment, sitting next to her.

"This is you." Solaria gave a faint nod. She knew this moment would eventually come. "I knew it!" Jain exclaimed excitedly, putting the laptop on the coffee table. "Can I touch you?"

Again Solaria nodded. Reaching out, Jain ran her fingers down the Hubot's cheek and then touched her hair.

"This is wonderful! You're perfect!"

"Far from it," Solaria replied. "You aren't bothered because I'm not human?"

"What's human? It's just a word as far as I'm concerned. Besides, I'd say you're better off the way you are. Dr. Branson must have been proud of her accomplishments and you."

"I think she was. She said the same thing about me. You remind me of her. In time, she treated me more like a... a..."

Solaria wasn't sure how to describe those final months. Their relationship had grown beyond mentoring to something more. Jain could well imagine how Dr. Branson felt.

"I bet she thought of you more like her child than anything else. She helped create you, helped you through your formative period and watched you grow intellectually and emotionally."

"Yes, that is it. She was like a mother. In the end she sacrificed her life to save mine."

Jain patted Solaria's arm.

"She must have been very proud of you."

Picking up the laptop, Jain examined the photos of each stage of Solaria's development.

"Your trabecular skeleton must really be something. I knew it was being used for bio-prosthetics but never imagined science had progressed this far. Look at the way your tendons and tissue have interwoven with the porous bone structure. It's absolutely perfect. No wiring or st.i.tching. I can't believe science is so far advanced without some of us knowing about it."

Solaria wasn't sure how to respond to Jain's awe. Glancing up, Jain blushed slightly.

"You don't mind talking about this do you?"

"No, why should I. It's the way I am."

"That's true but it is sort of personal. I mean it's not like we were discussing the repair of a broken bone or something. This is so... sci-fi."

"I can see where you would think that. I'm state of the art even though I'm already obsolete."

"Obsolete? How can that be? Look at you!"

"I'm sure the Company already has a newer model in the works. The latest CPUs are half again as fast as mine."

"Fast doesn't necessarily mean more efficient or smarter."

"True, but the potential is greater. That's why I need to destroy this particular project. Companies like Future Dynamicon could wreak havoc on humanity if they were to misuse Hubots."

"And they'll do that for sure," Jain agreed, closing the Hubot Project file. "Let's just see what they've been up to in this other file." She suspected the Hubot Project file could make Solaria uncomfortable. Jain couldn't begin to imagine what the woman was going through trying to cope with her new existence and the array of emotions she must be trying to understand.

"Displacement activity," Solaria said.

Catching her meaning, Jain chuckled.

"You got me."

An hour later, Jain turned off the laptop and put it aside. Neither she nor Solaria had said a word while they read the contents; Jain, because she didn't know what to say and Solaria because her processors had gone into hyper-drive.

"There's another Hubot out there. Maybe more and it looks like your company has some pretty nasty plans for all of you."

"Yes, I overheard a transmission about other betas and told Carley. She knew I would have to find it or them and do something."

"Something? You mean destroy them?"

"If necessary."

"I don't think I like that idea." Jain sighed. "What a f.u.c.kin mess! Well, let's just take things as they come. Until we find this one, there's no use jumping to conclusions. At least we know his plans for this girl and her father. I've never understood how some people can become so fanatical in their religious beliefs."

"Actually, from a logical perspective, it makes sense to want everyone thinking alike. Society would function more smoothly."

"You mean like a well-oiled machine. That sounds boring enough," Jain replied and then realized her faux-pas. "I don't mean that the way it sounded."

Solaria gave her a quizzical look.

"You are accurate in your a.s.sessment. Humanity couldn't survive under those circ.u.mstances. It's your diversity that keeps your species going."

"Exactly! Unfortunately, it's also what sp.a.w.ns these nuts."

"The random mixing of genes has limitless possibilities. It's natural to expect a certain percentage of humans to be defective."

Jain snorted at the description.

"Defective is putting it mildly. I'd say more like perverted. Okay, back to our problem. We need to rescue this girl, Reina, and capture the beta. That'll be a good start to disrupting Stalling's plans. The Hubot will be programmed to resist and could be dangerous if what the report about you is true."

"It's true."

"I was afraid of that. Well, let me see what I can find out about the hotel and we'll go from there."

"You don't need to do that, Jain. I can check it out while you're at work tomorrow. You've already put yourself in enough danger."

"Listen, Solaria. You're a logical person. These people have pictures of you. We don't know who else they've given them to which means someone might recognize you. Let me scout the place out, get an idea of the floor plan and see what it will take to get the girl. It's a good thing the Company is so a.n.a.l about details. Having these pictures of her in the file helps a lot, especially since it looks like she's changed her hair style and color so drastically. No one who knew her as Princess Reina would probably recognize her now."

"True. She looks entirely different. Fortunately Dynamicon's penchant for thoroughness is also their weakness."

"In this case for sure. The only thing I don't understand is why take her to a hotel if she's being held against her will. It would be too easy for her to attract someone's attention."

"Maybe it isn't against her will. We have to consider all the possibilities."

"Okay. Let's say it isn't. That's going to make it even harder to get her out of there. Even if she is cooperative, the beta will probably come after her. Of course that could solve the problem of trying to capture her."

"You're in the wrong field. With your mind, you should be in espionage."

"Naw, I just have a good imagination. Now, tomorrow I'm going to make a reservation for a room at the hotel. You buy a wig and get some good sungla.s.ses. Your eye color is too unusual to be easily forgotten."

"What about your work?"

"I'm playing hooky for a few days. Amy will cover for me. Oh, it might be a good thing for you to move in with me for a while. It will be easier to make our plans. The neighbors will gossip but that won't last long... speaking of which..."

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the piece of paper Tilly gave her.

"This is for you."

Taking it, Solaria looked slightly confused.

"A phone number?"

"Not just a phone number... my neighbor's phone number. She wants you."

"Wants me for what?"

"Well, if you call that number, you'll find out soon enough. Personally, I suggest you throw it away, unless, of course, you want to get laid."

"Laid?"

Jain smirked.

"s.e.x! Tilly wants to have s.e.x with you."

"Oh."

Crumbling the paper up, she tossed it in the trash can.

"I don't think I'm ready for that."

As if having a second thought, she pulled the crumpled slip from the trash and put it in her pocket.

"Maybe I should call her when I am, though."

Slapping her on the shoulder, Jain laughed.

"When you're ready, call me," she teased. "Seriously, you won't have any trouble finding plenty of volunteers a lot better than her. Besides, I'll never hear the end of it if you two ever did the nasty. Tilly can't keep any secrets."

That was all Solaria needed to know. Pulling the paper from her pocket, she threw it back into the trash can.

"I'd better go and get a few things if I'm going to stay here. I'll be back in an hour."

"Great! That'll give me time to get the spare bedroom ready. Be careful."

After Solaria left, Jain took a shower and then quickly dusted the guest room and made sure everything was neat and orderly. When her stomach grumbled a little too loudly, she decided to put together a light meal for later. There were still a lot of plans to be made once Solaria returned.

CHAPTER 21.

THE HOTEL WAS one of those high cla.s.s establishments that catered to the wealthiest and most powerful. Some of the rooms cost more than a month's salary for the average worker. When Jain made the reservations and was told the exact price, she almost choked. Fortunately, her credit card was paid off. Hanging up the phone she turned to Solaria and grimaced.

"They charge $1800 dollars a night!" she exclaimed. "Can you believe that?"

"Is that a lot of money?" Solaria asked, having no real concept of dollar value. All she knew was that she had billions sitting in off sh.o.r.e accounts, not to mention a few million in a local bank that had been transferred anonymously into her name a few days after Carley's death.

"You're kidding, right?"

"No."

"Well, that's almost a weeks pay for most people... just slightly over minimum wage."

"Oh. If you'll give me your account number I can transfer the funds into it. There's no need for you to use your funds for this."

"That might not be a good idea. I don't want any unusual sums appearing in my bank account in case the Company is monitoring it. They're watching the library so I wouldn't put it past them to check employee bank records."

"Won't it look suspicious for you to be spending this much money on a hotel room then?"

"Hey, I'm not exactly poor you know. I have a nice size nest egg tucked away and I'm ent.i.tled to spoil myself now and then. It's not like I've taken a real vacation recently."

"I didn't mean to insult you..."