"Now everyone… eat up, drink up and be in bed by… 01:30 hours. Greg and Trish may be field commanders, but on this mission… I’m in charge!” he said simulating ferocity. They all dug in and had a great time before Hestia dimmed the lights and announced 10 minutes to lights out. They hugged each other then went off to their assigned quarters for a good night’s sleep.

The preparations for the rescue were both overwhelmingly fast and painfully slow. Even with all of the tools in place, you could not construct a spacecraft in a matter of days or even weeks. Having the prototype space frame helped, as its aerodynamics were already fully tested, however it was merely the shell of the craft. It was the avionics, skin and control systems that were going to be problematic.

Aside from the ship itself, there was an ongoing and spirited debate about crewing. One person could not pilot the ship and run the rescue mission on their own even if that one person was Shadowknight. Lia was training diligently to be the co-pilot, but still needed her nanomechs brought out of dormancy in order to fit her with a space-capable ACM. Unfortunately, there were some fears of reactivating her powers and defence systems and surprisingly these came from Julian himself. Although he had forgiven her, as had most of the crew at Saber Base, he still maintained a small amount of mistrust.

“…all I’m saying Greg is that trust has to be earned. Lia has been a great help to us during the last 2 months and I respect her courage and believe that she is truly repentant, but still, there is no bond partner to keep her… for lack of a better word… honest,” the Professor said by way of explanation.

“Well then, isn’t there some way to create a bond for her? It’s not like we lack any available AIs, and it’s obvious that she craves some sort of mentor,” Greg interjected. “I’m pretty sure that her neural rebuild is more than complete after all this time. It seems to me that she wants some kind of, I don’t know, sensei or teacher to guide her on her path… like her father had been before the ugliness of his death.”

The Professor sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“I wish it was that easy. We have… what, seven AIs here?” he inquired.

“Nine,” responded Greg.

“Nine? Oh yes, Solomon and my neural backup that you all call the Prof…” Julian acknowledged.

“Well, why not the Prof? Lia respects you in a manner bordering on worship and you’ve had the Prof in its female mode since you got here, so it wouldn’t be a gender mix-up like me and my Gal Pal now would it?” Greg replied a little flippantly.

Trish jumped in.

Greg thought tenderly.

agreed Trish.

“I really think that Lia would benefit from having a bondmate Julian. She needs guidance and having Trish with me has always saved me from making some really bad choices,” pointed out Greg.

“This is what you honestly suggest then Greg?” reiterated Julian.

“Well, I do remember being told that the other would and could act as an override and stop the enhanced from causing harm. How could this hurt anyone? That is if Lia is agreeable,” Greg remembered aloud.

“You’re quite correct on that point Greg, but how do we approach Lia with the idea, so as not to hurt her feelings?” Julian worried.

blurted Trish.

Greg smiled and continued his thoughts aloud.

“Trish will handle this one, Julian. It’s probably for the best,” he advised the Professor.

It was around 9:00pm that Trish approached Lia in her room. Stopping at the door, she knocked gently.

“Lia, can I come in? I’d like to discuss something with you,” she inquired.

“Oh, hi Tricia, c’mon in… I was just studying the emergency procedures for the ship and could use a break. What’s up?” asked Lia pleasantly.

“Lia, what I have to discuss with you is at least as serious as the procedures, so it won’t be much of a break, but it is very important that you consider what I’m about to tell you without letting too much emotion overwhelm you.”

“OK open mind it is then. Geez Trish, I take everything seriously, sometimes too seriously. What’s the scoop?” Lia smiled.

“In a nutshell Lia... we’d like you to bond with one of the AIs,” Trish laid her cards directly on the table and Lia was more than a little shocked at this unexpected development.

“Wha… I mean… I thought that wasn’t possible in the design of my enhancement unit. I’m not even sure I understand the bond…” she trailed off in confusion.

“All right then… Lia, you know something of my origin, right?” began Trish.

“I can sort of get my head around it… you were originally an AI, right? Then you… downloaded? Bonded with Greg?” was her tentative response.

“That’s about right, Lia. At first I was just a very complex series of computer programs, but then I started living within Greg and learning about humanity through him and… voila! But my primary mission profile and then the enhancement allowed me to interact more directly with other people. I’ve ‘evolved’ I guess you could say,” Trish smiled as she recalled her journey.

“I’d say you had. When I first met you Trish, I mean, I couldn’t believe that you hadn’t always been… I mean weren’t born… I mean…” Lia stumbled.

“Thank you Lia, that’s the nicest thing that someone’s almost said to me,” Trish grinned at the younger woman and then continued. “For you however, and for any other enhanced that’s bonded with an AI, the process would be more like having a friend, a teacher or a mentor. They would always be available to listen and offer advice but they would learn about humanity and being human… from you, through your eyes and senses.” Lia considered what she had just heard and finally began to comprehend the process.

“Sooo, I would be student and teacher all at once? There would be someone who was always there for me?” she sounded more intrigued now.

“Someone who you could grow to respect, become friends with, even love in time. Greg and I had an advantage, Julian designed me to be… um… let’s just say compatible with Greg from the get go,” Trish explained further. Lia was slow to respond.

“I… I’ll have to think about this Trish… I’ve been alone for so long… ever since my parents… were murdered. I need time to… can I see you and Julian about this whole thing sometime tomorrow?” she pleaded.

“Sure Lia… anytime tomorrow will be just fine. Do you need anything now?” asked Trish pleasantly.

“No, nothing right now, thanks.”

Mid-afternoon the next day found Julian sitting in his study reading when Lia knocked on the open door. He looked up from his reports.

“Hmm… oh, come in Lia. How may I help you?” he asked.

“Well Professor Saber… Sir, Trish came and talked to me about… bonding… and I need to know if it’s safe. You designed the AIs and the systems, but you never bonded yourself. May I ask why?” she inquired timidly.

“Certainly Lia, a very wise question too, if I may say so. By the time I had the enhancement technology to a point where it was safe for humans to bond with, and also the AIs to a feasible size capable of transmission and storage… and this was well before Tricia of course… I just simply and honestly didn’t think I would survive the initial procedure. I was well over 70 years of age at this point my dear and I wanted to live long enough to see my children make a difference in the world,” Julian concluded.

“I understand, I think Profess… I mean, Julian. I would be honoured to carry one of your children with me. In fact, I’d really like to have your AI, the one that everyone calls Prof. But Julian, can you update her with your neural patterns to this point in time? I’d like you… the you that I know, to be my bondmate, if that’s alright with you I mean,” Lia spoke hesitantly.

Later that afternoon in the kitchen, Julian discussed his earlier conversation.

“Well, honestly Greg, you could have knocked me over with a feather…” he said.

“Why, Julian? Didn’t you realise that Lia has a crush on you?” Greg was quite surprised. “She told me that when you were in New York, she felt that you were sincerely sorry and worried for her when you handed out the instructions for the bonds.”

“Not for the others, just for a young woman who seemed desperately out of place with them. I didn’t know how she had ended up with them, but I felt she really wouldn’t have been there if she’d had any choice in the matter,” Julian recalled.

“Well, you seem to have struck a chord with her,” Greg then changed the subject. “How are the preparations for her bond going?”

“Prof has been updated with my neurals up to half an hour ago and was busy correlating the data when I left. Lia is in her room getting ready,” he reported back.

“Julian, this is going to work, isn’t it? I don’t want to lose Lia or have her hurt in any way,” Greg sounded naturally concerned.

“Her physio-neural interface suit was the same design as yours, her neural enhancements are as complete as yours were, and all she lacks now is the resident AI. It’s like a microcomputer sold without an operating system. The hardware works, but there’s little or no user interface,” Julian explained. “We’re installing that operating system and user interface now. In 24 hours, Lia will have the same advantages and disadvantages that you and Trish share. There are eight AIs and three humans monitoring the process and we’ll be able to deal immediately with any problems that might come up. I won’t let anything else happen to that girl, not on my watch, I guarantee it. Ultimately, she is now completely my responsibility, and it’s a responsibility I take very seriously,” he finished soberly.

At 5:30pm on January 30th, 2011, Lia lay down on the monitoring bed she had recuperated in a little over three months earlier. She was nervous, but also very excited.

“Sit up for a moment please, Lia. Access code 548… dataport... OK Trish, connect the cable there please,” directed Julian. There was a cool sensation near the join of Lia’s left shoulder and neck, then a faint tingle. “And there... OK Lia, lay back and raise your wrist please,” he requested. Julian released the restraint bracelet and set it aside.

“Now, Lia we’re going to activate an alpha-wave rhythm that will place you into a deep sleep. Just relax and we’ll see you soon,” he continued soothingly. Lia shut her eyes and her breathing steadied. Julian looked at Trish.
“
She’s under. Solomon, activate Lia’s physio-neural interface unit and bring it to full capacity,” he commanded the AI.

“Subject Lia Tang, physio-neural interface, standing by…” replied Solomon.

“Authorization code 0-2-5-4-1, Saber comma Julian. Begin uploading AI codenamed Professor.”

“Code accepted. Link established. Upload commencing. Completion estimated in 23:59:30,” the machine announced with undue gravitas.

“Thank you Solomon. All operational AIs are to monitor status in multitasking mode with alerts to myself, Betina, Greg or Tricia if necessary. Let’s go Trish, all we can do now is wait,” he said as he gestured towards the door. The two exited the basement antechamber and went upstairs to the kitchen where Betina had made coffee. It would be a long 24 hours before they could relax.

Lia woke up to the hum of machinery and noticed that the lights were dimmed.

“What happened… hello?” Lia’s voice broke the static drone in the room. She heard a pleasant female voice.

it said.

“Who’s there? J-Julian?” she asked of the dimness.

the voice chuckled.

“It worked? I can hear you… in my head?” Lia continued to speak aloud.

reassured the pleasant voice.

she squealed in her thoughts.

Alerted to Lia’s awakened state by the monitoring AIs, Trish, Julian and Betina rushed into the room and crowded around her. Lia looked at Julian and beamed.

“It worked Julian, it worked! You’re in here… I mean she’s in here… I mean…” she stopped in confusion and tapped her head. Julian smiled.

“OK Lia, let’s get you disconnected, then you two can have some time to get acquainted. Solomon, disconnect the data line. Professor?” Julian inquired. The AI responded through Lia.

“On-line…”

“Close the dataport please,” he commanded.

“Sealed. OK Lia, I’m going back inside your head for a while,” it was Lia’s voice but the cadence was somehow different. Lia blinked and shook her head gently.

“That was weird, the Prof spoke… through me,” Lia said startled.

“Well Lia, I’m sure you and ‘the Prof’ can work out some rules for living in close quarters, just like Trish and Greg did,” Julian smiled at Trish, who stuck out her tongue at him. Trish offered her arm to Lia and led her from the room.

“Solomon, I’d like a study projection please and give me a summary of the upload procedure for future reference. If it went this well with Lia, then The SIX can safely be upgraded too,” mused Julian.

“Understood,” the machine responded.

Trish took Lia to her room and settled her in. Giving her one last hug, Trish turned to leave.

“Trish?” asked Lia with a hint of trepidation in her voice, “Did I do the right thing?”

“Lia, I can honestly say that I think you did, but ultimately, that is a question you and your bondmate will have to work out on your own. The bond between Greg and I gives me strength, every single day. But I do know one thing for sure… in a world of lonely people, you’ll never be alone again,” she consoled her then turned and exited the room, leaving Lia to get used to her other.

asked the Prof.

Lia reasoned.

Lia thought sheepishly.

responded Jules.

probed Lia.

Jules wanted to know.

Greg studied Lia as she walked through the kitchen a few days later.

“Do I get that look on my face Julian?” asked Greg.

“What look Greg?” Julian responded absently.

“That blank look on my face when I talk to Trish. I’ve noticed that Lia gets it when she pauses to talk to Jules,” he explained. Julian stopped to think for a moment.

“I’ve never noticed, but the 2 of you have been bonded for a much longer time. You probably did at first, but sharing has become second nature to you now,” Julian pointed out.

“I guess after a while, a sort of autopilot takes over,” Greg mused. “When Trish and I first joined, just in the first few months before the mental bond completed, I had to keep reminding myself not to speak out loud to her. It was the oddest thing that I could hear her clear as day, as if she was standing right behind me. I would be working on something, she’d speak, and I’d jump. She'd always have a great laugh at my expense… until the first time she took over in the physical form. I spoke and startled her too,” Greg smiled, recalling the moment. The Professor looked up from the diagram he was pouring over and chortled.

“Oh my, what I wouldn’t have given to be a fly on the wall during your adaptation period. All kidding aside though, it would have been a wealth of scientific data on the bonding process.”

Trish grumped.

chimed in Greg.

Trish added facetiously.

“Nice blank look, Kids…” Julian laughed. Greg cleared his throat and deftly changed the subject.

“On a more serious note Julian, how’s the ship coming?” he asked.

“Well, the spaceframe is completed but the delay is in the ACM skin. As you told me, it takes a very sophisticated and powerful computer system to control the matrix. We may need to build a ship-wide AI from scratch to operate it. The problem is however, although we have templates, we should have a ready made personality or it will be… how shall I put it… stunted,” Julian reasoned logically.

“And it would take too long to build a persona from the ground up?” Greg asked.

“Heavens yes! It took nearly two years to program Trish,” Julian’s response was quick and brooked no argument.

Greg sat and thought about the problem for a few minutes. He knew that all of the current AIs were dedicated for other purposes and slowly he started to understand the magnitude of Julian’s dilemma. There were just three options he could come up with, and he didn’t like any of them. He glanced up at Julian who seemed lost in thought as well.

“Julian, there are currently three unique neural patterns available to us. Hestia, Betina and myself, although I don’t know if my pattern qualifies as unique anymore. There is a fourth, Lia, but she’s undergoing enough right now without asking her to mother an AI. I don’t know whether my pattern would work, because I’ve been bonded with Trish for so long. That leaves Betina and Hestia, but I don’t know where to take this line of reasoning. Betina has been hurt because of her involvement with us and I refuse to jeopardize her again. And Hestia? She’s like my daughter… I’m not sure I could risk her, even a copy of her,” Greg sounded defeated. Julian gazed over the rim of his coffee cup for a moment before responding.

“Greg, I know this is very difficult for you, but I want you to remember that I sent my own ‘children’ off to defend the world. As difficult as this is for you, it was even harder for me. Even if they didn’t end up where they were supposed to, every one of them was ready and able to do their job. Won’t you give these two women the opportunity to help? There doesn’t have to be any pressure involved, just a simple request with the option to refuse for any reason whatsoever. Just give it some more thought,” the Professor urged Greg.

To Be Continued