The Recurrence Series, part VI "Fire I Am" Written by and(c) Mar-2003 Ralcor (me), Do not redistribute without permission. This is the sixth part of the "Recurrence" series, all five parts before this one are available on VCL or Furnation. General Masters sat behind her desk in her office, she was watching a screen on a wall to her right. It showed security camera footage of one of the many cells in the detention area, sat quietly in one corner was Eric Draks, his legs were crossed with his paws cupped in his lap and his eyes closed. A knock at her door caused her attention to move from their captives actions, at the door stood Tyler. “Yes, Colonel?” She motioned for the otter to come in. “What is it?” “I was wondering, what’s going to happen to Eric, ma‘am?” He asked, looking to the screen on the wall. “He‘ll remain on base indefinitely.” She answered simply. “Will he ever get out of that cell?” “There is pending questioning by the Ra’val.” She paused. “And there has to be full medical examination, it’s planned for tomorrow morning. We need to check he’s the real thing and that he isn’t carrying any kind of virus or any other potential threats.” “I suggest you take the medical stuff to him, ma’am, I don’t think letting him out is a good idea. And I’d like to be there when they check him.” “Very prudent, Colonel. I’ll inform the medical wing of the change of plans.” “I’ll can do it, ma’am.” Tyler suggested. “I was on my way there, Major Archer and Corporal Fyn have returned from the Victorious, I’d like to check on Leo.” “Very well, dismissed Colonel.” Tyler threw a quick salute before leaving the mouse’s office. * * * * * Leo was lying on one of the beds in the medical wing when Tyler entered, he stepped over to where his team mate was sleeping. Tyler flagged down a passing nurse. “Is it okay to wake him?” The nurse glanced at the display that was measuring his vitals. “It should be, would you like me to do it?” She offered. “No, I got it.” He said, the nurse nodded and continued on. Tyler turned back to Leo’s sleeping form, he brought a paw up to the his muscular team mate’s face. He pinged the end of Leo’s muzzle with a ‘thwat’ sound. With that less than subtle wakeup call, Leo slowly roused into consciousness. “Good evening, Major.” Tyler said in a sweet tone. “Enjoy your nap?” “Yes, sir.” He answered, still sleepy. “A slight pain in my chest, but I’m sure it’s nothing.” “A joke?” Tyler asked in surprise. “Jade will be devastated that she missed it.” “Yes, sir.” He placed a paw lightly on his bandaged torso. “What’s happened while I was out?” “Oh, you know, the usual. Jade, Sarah, Becca and me chased Eric for awhile, we met some interesting people, got to see the base before it was renovated.” He summarised their travel through time without revealing anything he shouldn’t. “Eric’s sat nicely in a detention cell now.” “Sir?” Alex had turned up at the end of Leo’s bed. “I think Major Archer should be getting some rest, we want those ribs to heal as fast as possible.” “Right, you get some rest then, that’s an order.” Tyler said as he and Alex went off to talk where they wouldn’t disturb the injured otter. “Eric’s medical is to carried out in his cell.” He said bluntly. “Sir, I suggest it be carried out here, this is where all my equipment, I can do a better job here.” She protested. “Well that’s all good and all, but security is my main concern.” Seeing her about to complain again, he swiftly continued on. “I’m sure you can take some equipment to him.” * * * * * Tyler helped Alex heft a trolley loaded with medical equipment down the last flight of stair onto the third sub-level of the underground detention area. The racoon wheeled it along to Eric’s cell and waited while Tyler swiped a security card and punched in an access code. Inside, the arctic fox was still sitting in a corner in exactly the same position that Tyler had seen on the screen in General Masters office. He opened his eyes as Tyler entered with Alex, watching indifferently as she pushed the trolley in and prepared for Eric’s examination. Tyler unshouldered a rifle and stood guard in the open doorway. “Would you stand up please?” Alex asked, treating the fox as any other of her patients. Slowly he got of the floor, aware of the rifle and its owner who would be willing to shoot him again. Alex placed several sensors over Eric’s upper body and a couple of on his neck and head, all of them attached to a small device which began measuring statistics. “Please extend your right arm.” Eric did so willingly, letting the racoon take a hypodermal needle to the pit of his elbow and extract a blood sample. “One last thing.” She removed the equipment from the top of the trolley and extended the ends, making it long enough to lie down on. She gestured to it with one paw whilst pulling a medical scanner from her pocket with the other. “This will only take a few seconds.” She assured. Starting at the vulpine’s footpaws, she slowly and methodically moving the device over his body, finally reaching his head. “All done, that wasn’t too painful was it?” She said in a friendly tone, almost out of habit. Eric got off the trolley and went back to his corner, crossing his legs and placing his paws back in his lap and closed his eyes. Alex glanced to Tyler, giving him a slightly confused look before packing up her equipment. She left the detention cell and taking everything she had brought in with her. Tyler began to follow his team mate out, the fox called out to him. “I’ll be seeing you soon, my dear otter friend.” Eric said in a charmingly friendly manner, with a distinctly menacing undertone. Tyler stopped in mid- step, something in the Eric’s manner was unnerving, he looked to where the fox was sitting, he appeared perfectly calm with his eyes still closed. The otter stepped out of the cell, letting the cell door slide close. * * * * * “What’s up?” Tyler asked as he walked into the medical wing, finding Jade and Alex standing in front of a computer. On the monitor was all the data from Alex’s scanner, it showed Eric’s body. “From my scans, it appears that Eric Draks is in perfect health.” The racoon reported. “I sense a ‘but’ coming on.” Tyler said. “Yes, sir.” She admitted, she altered the picture shown on the screen, it now showed his internal organs. But down the fox’s left arm there was some kind of device built in under his skin and fur, it was twisted around the bones of his lower arm and extended right down to his clawtips. “What the hell is that?” He asked in an confused tone, peering closer to the screen. “It’s a biotechnological apparatus, built with a sophistication I’ve never seen before.” Alex answered. “That’s why I called you both here, I was hoping you might have some idea what it does.” She raised her eyebrows expectantly. “Oh yes, of course.” Tyler said, pretending to know what he was talking about. “This would be a nanotech…um…_thing_.” He gave up then and looked to Jade. “You’re asking at me?” She imitated Tyler’s voice and tried one of his blank expressions, but her face cracked with a smile when she looked at him. “Sorry, sir.” She turned back to Alex. “Have you asked anyone else yet?” “Not yet. Becca is off-base, Sergeant Hope is somewhere on base but I haven’t found her yet. As for anyone else, all other S.O. teams are on missions to…” “To squaltch whatever’s left of Arctic Fury’s forces before they can regroup, and so on.” He interrupted, utterly bored of the subject. “Getting back to the point, what is that and is it dangerous?” He tapped the device on the screen. “Without knowing what it is, I can’t say.” Alex answered. “I’d like to bring him into the medical wing and giving a complete series of scans.” Tyler let out an annoyed groaned, he had wanted to keep Eric from seeing any of the base, and especially to keep him from having any chance to escape. “I’ll talk to General Masters.” He turned and left the medical wing. “I’ll go and find Sarah.” Jade said. Alex placed a paw on her shoulder to stop her a second. “Did he say ‘squaltch‘?” * * * * * Once again Tyler stood in Eric’s cell doorway as Alex entered, this time she only carried a needle and a vial of sedative. The fox was once again sitting in his corner. “Please stand up and extend your right arm.” Alex said. Eric opened his eyes and slowly rose to his footpaws, looking from Alex to Tyler and back again, his gaze was calm and seemingly unbothered by his treatment thus far. “Have you lost my blood sample already?” Eric asked in a disdainful tone. “Nope, it’s already been sent to the lab.” She prepared the sedative. “We just have a few follow up tests to conduct.” “And _you_ didn’t want me to give me a chance to escape.” Eric said, glaring at Tyler. “No, I just wanted to shut you up.” Tyler retorted. “Extend your right arm.” Alex insisted. Eric did so, allowing the racoon to inject him. Gradually the effects of the serum over took his system and he slumped to the floor. “Let’s make this quick.” Tyler said as he stooped down to help Alex get the fox back to the medical wing. * * * * * “Do we know what it is yet?” Tyler asked. After placing Eric on an examination bench which was retracted into the MRI chamber, the otter became very bored with waiting for the machine to finish its scans, he had paced back and forth a few time and now was lying on one of the absently beds tossing and catching a screwed up piece of paper. “Almost, sir.” Alex she answered from the MRI‘s monitoring terminal, some of his impatience rubbing off on her. Jade was standing behind the racoon, looking over her shoulder. “It definitely has a lot of electronics built into its structure.” “It doesn’t seem to provide any skeletal support for either his radius or his ulna.” Alex added. “There are links to his nervous system.” Jade said, pointing to several of the connections shown on the screen. “So maybe it’s controlled directly from brain signals.” “Fascinating.” Tyler said sardonically. “But what is it, is it dangerous and can we remove it?” With a click and a beep, the scans finished and the bench that Eric laid on slowly emerged from the internal chamber, he was breathing steadily. “I don’t think I could remove it without severing his lower arm.” Alex said thoughtfully. A nurse, the same one as earlier, walked up to Alex. “The lab reports on the blood sample, ma‘am.” “Thank you.” She took a folder and opened it, leafing through the pages within. “His blood work shows traces of some abnormal substances, they appear to be enzymes, I think.” She finished doubtfully. “And what are _they_ for?” Tyler asked from where he lay. “Combating tranquillisers.” Everyone turned to see Eric jumping from the examining bench and already heading for the nearest exit. Tyler jumped from his bed, picked up the rifle from the foot of the bed and gave chase. He paused only long enough to slam his clenched fist against a red emergency button, lights and warning sirens blared around the base, all the screens they passed in the chase displayed ‘Level Four Lockdown’ in large bold print. All the metal blast-doors around the base started descending from ceiling to seal off each section of the base from all others. Tyler used his security card to get from one section to the next, expecting to find the fox not that far off. However Eric had his own way past the heavy doors, he pushed his claws into the keycard lock and closed his eyes, the locking mechanism sparked and the door opened. Seeing that he wasn’t getting any closer to his quarry, Tyler changed his course, now heading for the armoury and equipment room on the level below. As soon as he entered, the otter went straight for the cabinet housing the radio earpieces, most were gone due to all the mobilised teams. Grabbing one he placed it in his ear and pressed his paw against it. “This is Colonel Roe, is anyone receiving me?” “This is Sergeant Ferrin in the control centre, sir.” Came a response. “Do you have a location on Arctic Fury?” “Yes, sir. He’s on level eleven, he appears to be trying to get to stairwell B.” The Sergeant reported. “Can you stop him?” Tyler asked, already heading for the stairwell. “No, sir. He’s overriding the security protocols.” “When he gets to the section next to the stairwell I want you to cut all power to the blast-doors on levels one, eleven and twelve, don’t reactivate it until I say.” He ordered. “Yes, sir.” Eventually, after a lot of door opening and running, Tyler came to the last blast-door before the stairs. He swiped his card and the door began to roll into the roof, before it reached halfway up it ground to a halt and the lights on the keycard lock diminished. The otter rolled through the gap left under the door and ran up the stairs to stand on the opposite side of the section that Eric was trapped in. The barricade between the had raised about an inch from the concrete floor, Tyler had got there just in time. “Turn on the power.” Tyler ordered over the radio, raising his rifle to look down the barrel to where he expected the fox to be standing. But he wasn’t there, Eric had backtracked to an further away section, he was standing with his eyes closed and his left paw pressed against a control panel which still blinked with the lockdown warning. “Step away from the panel!” The otter yelled, approaching cautiously. Eric didn’t move, or even open his eyes. Tyler fired a round into the fox’s extended arm, not powerful enough to kill but sufficient to knock him unconscious. However the energy from the blast seemed to run down his arm and straight into the panel, which flickered and sparked before exploding outwards, throwing Eric back in a shower of sparks and glass shards. He was quickly upright again, glaring at the otter, his shirt had slice marks through it and there were several red cuts on his face. “Next time I’ll say _please_.” Tyler said menacingly. “Hey!” Eric was starting to back away. “Stop!” But he didn’t, Tyler shot again, this time avoiding the fox’s arm. The laser charge struck him in the chest, causing Eric to grunt and double over slightly. A growl rumbled in his chest, growing in intensity as he stood up back to his full height. He threw his left arm forward, a bolt of electricity burst from his claw tips, flying across the air and striking a very surprised Tyler, he fell back onto the concrete floor. Eric took the opportunity to run past the writhing otter to get at the stairwell, pausing only long enough to take Tyler’s weapon, then ran upwards making his escape. Tyler groaned, trying to get off the floor, but collapsed back down. He reached a paw to his ear. “Ferrin, you there?” “Yes, sir.” “Cut power to all blast-doors above level eleven and open them all on and below level eleven. Dispatch a security team to apprehend Arctic Fury, make sure they don’t shoot at him. And get Corporal Fyn here now.” “Yes, sir.” Tyler let his let his arm drop from against his ear and groaned again. Within a few minutes Alex and Jade came running down the corridor towards him, Alex stooped down to Tyler’s aid. “What happened?” Jade asked, offering a paw to help him back up. “He sent my shot straight back at me.” He took her paw and stood up on shaky legs. “It’s that damn thing in his arm.” Between Jade and Alex, Tyler eventually got back to the infirmary and was laid down on a bed. Alex began checking him over carefully, eventually stepping back. “You show all the signs of being struck by a class 2 laser discharge, the effects will wear off within the hour.” “Great stuff.” He said in a resigned tone. “Jade, there’s a security team on it’s way up stairwell B, make sure they get Eric and throw him _roughly_ into his cell.” “Yes, sir.” She said with a hint of a laugh. “Alex, go find Sarah and General Masters, bring them here.” He ordered. “Yes, sir.” She too left, leaving Tyler three beds down from the sleeping Leo. * * * * * “Is Arctic Fury back in his cell?” General Masters asked. “Yes, ma’am.” Jade responded. “Roughly?” Tyler added. “Yes, sir.” She answered, smiling. “Is there anyway to remove the device in his arm?” The General asked, her question directed at Alex. “No, ma’am. Having examined the scans, there is absolutely no way I can remove it.” Alex reported. “All I know is that it’s connected to his nervous system, that would explain how he can overcome the security systems, the brain is much more sophisticated than any countermeasure. And the shock he sent back at you…” gesturing Tyler, who now strong enough was sitting on the edge of his bed, “…the laser blast is designed to send shock through the nervous system of the victim, somehow that device absorbed the discharge and sent it straight back.” “Great stuff.” He stood up from the bed slowly, still slightly unsteady. “Someone should check the computers, Eric had access to them for at least a minute.” “I will, sir.” Jade offered. “I’ll do it from my lab when we’re done here.” “We’re done now.” General Masters finished. “Yes, ma’am.” Jade said, turning to leave. “Ellis, I’m coming too.” Tyler said, hobbling along after her. She waited and gave him a supporting shoulder until they reached her lab. She cleared a stool for him to sit on before powering up her computers. “How can you work in here?” He asked, referring to the utter mess her lab was constantly in. “My son’s room is tidier than this.” She smiled sheepishly. “It’s easier to find things this way, sir. And does it really matter, after all it is _my_ lab.” She responded. “That’s what my kit says.” “Your son has a lab?” She asked incredulously. “Well the first part then.” Tyler corrected himself. Jade looked to one of the computers, setting it running on self-diagnostics. Turning to another she brought up details of the base networks and mainframe. “So what am I actually looking for, sir?” Jade asked, briefly looking up from the screen. “Anything, Eric had access to the computer network and he had that arm thing.” “The statistics seem normal,” her gaze scanned down the screen. “Hang on, there’s an increase in data on the tertiary backup drive, it’s small but it’s definitely there.” “What is it?” Tyler asked, trying to make sense of all the details flashing around on the monitor as Jade worked at her breakneck pace. “It’s not there anymore.” Jade said confused, pausing slightly. “It’s moved, it’s in the primary backup now.” “What is it?” Tyler repeated in a more insistent tone. “It’s moved again.” She pushed away from her desk, rolling on her chair to another computer. “It’s in the main secondary drive, how is it doing this?” “I wouldn’t know.” Tyler said, still looking at the first computer screen which was still working through assigned tasks. Jade bared her teeth and growled at the computer, rolling back to the first screen. “Moved again?” “_Yes_.” She practically spat the word at Tyler. “Sorry, sir. I don’t understand how this is happening. It’s now in the main primary drive and it’s…” Everything around them shut off, the lights, the computers, the monitors, all gave out with a electric whine. “…expanding.” She looked up to the ceiling and around them in the darkness. “Everything tied into the mainframe is down, even the backup power, that’s unusual to say the least.” “You got a torch?” “Yes, sir.” She felt her way across the pitch black lab towards a centre bench, pulling out a drawer and retrieving two torches, the beams of light cutting through the darkness. “What now?” Tyler asked. “By now the technicians should have a grasp of the problem and will be sorting it out.” As if on cue the lights came back on and the computers started up again. She immediately sat down and began again. “Whatever it is, it’s already five times its original size…” Her screen went blank for a few seconds, short flashes of numbers, letters and coding appeared in short bursts and a voice began talking from the speakers. “My enemies, if I go down, I take you with me.” It was Eric. Tyler rolled his eyes. “Oh, I am _so_ sick of that voice.” He looked to Jade. “What’s he trying now?” “I think this computer program was meant to be some kind of virus.” She paused for thought. “Did something interrupt him, sir?” “Not that I know, I mean I shot him a few times and the panel exploded, but nothing else comes to mind.” “That would probably explain this,” she gestured the screen, “the coding is erratic, maybe if Eric had completed his ‘revenge’ this would probably seal our doom, but as it is it’s gibberish.” “Then why is it expanding?” “The erratic code could have combined in a way it wasn’t supposed to, to complete a task it wasn’t supposed to.” “Which would be?” Tyler asked expectantly. “Anything, sir. I couldn’t even guess.” * * * * * General Masters and the four capable members of Alpha Team sat in the upper conference room. “So will this program disrupt base operations?” General Masters asked. “I think that’s all it will cause, ma’am.” Jade answered. “As the virus expands it’s using more and more of the computer processing power, all base operations will be slowed, but I don’t think there’s any sort of threat…” Her voice trailed off as the lights around them dimmed. “Well this is ominous.” Tyler said. The two projectors in the room powered up, one created a 3D representation of Tyler standing off one side of the table, the other was an overhead projector, it displayed the otter’s personnel record on the wall beside the representation. “Okay, so that’s me.” A buzz from one corner of the roof caught the groups attention, a camera that had been aimed at Tyler moved to face the racoon sitting beside him. The projected screen changed from Tyler’s file to picture after picture of the base personnel, the list scrolled downwards until it came to Alex’s image and her file appeared in its place, the representation changed as well. “And that’s me.” “Just what’s going on?” General Masters asked as the camera moved onto her. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the program is trying to learn.” Alex guessed. “Learn?” Tyler echoed in disbelief. “It’s a computer virus! How could it learn?” “The smallest animal of mammals has a tiny brain. No offence, ma’am.” Alex paused for General Masters approval, getting it in the form of a nod, so the racoon continued. “They have the ability to learn.” “So a computer program with a few million tetra-bytes of drive space could possibly form some kind of intelligence.” Jade theorised. “Wait a minute.” Tyler spoke up. “It’s a computer virus, doesn’t anyone else get that? It doesn’t matter how many terra-bits…” “Tetra-bytes, sir.” Jade corrected him. “Whatever, it is _still_ just a computer program.” Tyler stressed his point. “Actually it is a possibility, sir.” Jade corrected him again. “The theory of proper artificial intelligence has been alive for a long time, but ethics have come into the argument and most research into it stopped,” realising she had strayed she got back to the point, “but it is entirely possible, sir.” “What can we do about removing this ‘intelligence‘?” General Masters asked. Before anyone could answer, the lights returned to their original illumination and the projectors turned off. A warning noise sounded out from the computer panel beside where the representations had stood. Jade quickly got up from the table and ran to the panel. “What’s happening, second lieutenant?” The diminutive General inquired. “The program is accessing our communications array.” She answered. “It’s trying to leave the base?” Sarah asked, surprised. “Stop it!” General Masters ordered. “Yes, ma’am.” Jade responded, already working quickly over the panel. “I…” Her voice stopped dead, and her body froze, both of her paws seemingly stuck on the cool glass. Her slowly began to tremble, increasing in intensity from tip to tail. “Ma’am?” Sarah asked with concern. The otter’s body convulsed and the panel exploded off the wall, throwing her across the concrete floor. But she didn’t get up, or move at all, her body remained limp. Alex and Tyler ran to her side, General Masters and Sarah stood up in shock of what had happened. “We need to get her down to the infirmary, now!” * * * * * Jade gradually returned to consciousness, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings. She was lying on one of the beds, the only noise around her was a steady rhythmic beeps in time with her heartbeat. She opened her eyes, expecting to find Alex by her side or at least a nurse, but there was nobody. She raised herself up on an elbow to see look at the rest of the room, she was completely alone, there was no patients, there was no medical staff and there was no base personnel. She sat up on the side of her bed, removing the sensors on her chest, the steady beeps ceased leaving an oppressive silence. “Hello?” She called out, her words echoing around her but eliciting no response. “Hello?” She tried again, but still answered by her own echo. She hesitantly walked out into the corridor which was equally abandoned. She made her way for the nearest computer panel, it showed the same flashes of coding that the computer had done in her lab. She reached out tentatively and touched the glass, she felt her body being sucked into the panel, she closed her eyes in fright. Eventually the world stop moving around her, she slowly opened her eyes again but saw nothing, literally nothing, her world had become blackness. She waved a paw in front of her muzzle to check she actually had her eyes open, she did, but her surroundings were still black. “Hello?!” She yelled it out this time, no echo came nor a response. She tried to take a step forward, though there was a feel of physical ground under her footpaws she couldn’t tell if she was actually moving since everything was still black. “Is anyone here?” She suddenly felt as if she were falling, falling faster and faster. And suddenly everything stopped, she was standing in an operating room. In the centre of the room was an operating table, a group of doctors and nurses gathered around it, obscuring the patient. Looking on from an observation area on a higher level was Tyler and Sarah, an air of anxiety around them. The head doctor at the table was Alex. Nobody in the room had noticed her. “Alex.” Jade called, but no voice came from her throat, she tried again but could only mouth the words. The racoon turned to take two small connectors from the defibrillator, placing them on the unseen patients chest. “Clear!” Alex warned, pressing a button. A shock ran through Jade’s chest, she fell to the ground in with the pain. She gripped at her chest with one paw, the other resting against the floor. She breathed heavily as the pain died away, but her breaths made no noise just like her words. “She’s stable for now.” Alex said, everyone let out a combined sigh of relief. Jade shakily got off the floor, slowly making her way towards the table. She tried to place a paw on Alex’s shoulder to nudge her to one side, but her paw passed straight through the racoon’s body. She recoiled back, ‘what is going on?’ she thought. But her curiosity got the better of her, she had to be sure who was on the table, despite already knowing. She walked between two of the nurses and froze at what she saw. Herself. She was lying lifelessly on the operating table, the defibrillator connected to her chest and a tube in her mouth to assist breathing. Jade clutched her chest and stumbled backwards onto the floor again, her breathing shallow and rapid. She closed her eyes, trying to make sense of the _insane_ events going on around her. The room around her had again gone silent, she opened her eyes, there was again nothingness, blackness. “Is anyone here?” Her words once again sounding out. “You are here.” A thousand voices murmured from the darkness. “Who are you?” Jade whispered nervously. “I am.” The voices murmured again. “What?” “I am.” They repeated. “Where am I?” “Where you always have been.” “I don’t understand.” Jade confessed. “I am.” “You’re _what_?!” Jade yelled out, getting impatient with who or whatever was around her. “I am…” This time there was only one voice, coming from behind her. She turned to see herself, not a mirror image, just another self, a copy. “…Jade Ellis.” * * * * * Tyler was once more in General Masters office. He hated having to be there every time something goes wrong or badly. “According to Sergeant Hope, Jade managed to activate the level five lockdown with full quarantine field, our entire base is cut off from the rest of the world until you give the order, ma’am.” Tyler reported. “The computer program?” “We think Jade managed to delete all traces of the virus before the power surge in the computer terminal.” “I’ll wait before deactivating the quarantine field just in case. What about second lieutenant Ellis?” “She has a few electrical burns and the shock stopped her heart, but she’s recovering now. Alex is hoping she’ll regain consciousness soon, ma‘am.” “Keep me posted, Colonel.” “Yes, ma’am.” He saluted and left. * * * * * “I don’t know what you are, but you’re not Jade Ellis, I am.” She rolled her eyes at having used this beings catchphrase. “Wh…what makes you think you’re me?” “You’re not you, I am.” “Stop saying that.” She snapped. “Why, what are you?” The being’s body dissolved and in it’s place floated a green haze, the familiar coding flashed within it. “You’re Eric’s computer program.” “I am.” “Do you have a name?” “Jade Ellis.” “No you’re not, what makes you think that?” She was falling again, not knowing how far through the infinite darkness. Again her descent stopped abruptly. Now she was standing in corner of the medical wing, the green haze hovering by her side. She looked along the row of beds, Leo was sleeping in one nearby, further down she saw herself again, this time lying limply with a monitor attached to her chest, at the foot of her bed Tyler and Alex were talking. Jade walked towards the pair, her footpaws falling silently on the concrete floor. “We have another problem, sir.” Alex reported. “She’s slipped into a coma…” “What?” Tyler interrupted in disbelief. “That’s not the worst of it, her brainwave pattern has changed.” “What does that mean?” “Well, the pattern now matches whatever was in the mainframe. The computer program has taken over her body, sir.” “What can we do about it?” “Nothing, sir. Despite extensive research, the brain is still the most mysterious part of the body.” “Is she still in there?” “I can’t tell, sir. I’m sorry.” “Colonel, I’m here!” Jade shouted to Tyler, but her words again wouldn’t come. “I’m going to see Eric, he did this, and he’ll _fix_ it.” He said menacingly and he stormed out of the infirmary. Jade went running after him, but as they got further from the medical wing his body seemed to fade away until it was gone. She looked around herself desperately for him, but not finding him she traipsed back to the infirmary. She glared at the haze that hadn’t moved from the bedside. “Why can’t I talk to them?” “You have no influence here.” “What do you mean?” Jade blinked and she was once again in the empty darkness. “Here is where you are.” “In my own mind?” Jade asked. “Where you have always been.” “You’re going to repress me in my own brain?” “Yes.” * * * * * “What the hell have you done?” Tyler yelled angrily into Eric’s face. “Nothing.” He responded calmly. “I have one of my friends on a hospital bed because of your _nothing_.” He shook his head, trying to clear it so he could think past his rage. “What were you doing to the computer when I caught you? And if you say ‘nothing’ I will _harm_ you severely.” Eric narrowed his eyes, giving the otter an icy stare. “I was trying to manipulate your mainframe to aid my escape and destroy you.” “And how did putting an computer virus in my friend help your escape?” His anger rising again. “Interesting.” Eric said thoughtfully. “Answer the question.” He commanded. “It was not my intention to deliver a virus. You could blame yourself for this, if you hadn’t interrupted me we wouldn’t be in this situation.” “Can you remove it?” “No.” He answered calmly, returning to his corner and closing his eyes. Tyler leant down and grabbed the fox by the neck, lifting him so they were muzzle to muzzle. “If she doesn’t survive, I will _personally_ remove that thing in your arm, that’s a promise.” He threw Eric back down and left the cell. * * * * * “You’re obviously intelligent.” Jade stated. “I am.” “You fear death?” She asked. “Yes.” “That’s why you’ve chosen to inhabit my body?” “Yes.” “What about me? By doing this you’ll basically be killing me.” “You will live the way you always have. You will survive in your mind.” “I’ll be a prisoner in my own body, which will be controlled by you.” Jade confronted the haze. “What sort of life is that? If you’re intelligent you should realise that taking a life to survive is wrong, how could you live with yourself?” The haze seemed to shrink away at the question. “How else can I live?” “What about the computer mainframe? You lived there for a short time.” “There is insufficient capacity to support me in your mainframe, I require something as complex as a brain.” “You’re in my mind now?” “I am.” “You can see or recreate anywhere I’ve been in my life?” “Yes.” “Let’s go on a journey, there’s something I want you to see.” * * * * * Alex was making her last rounds for the night, checking on each of her few patients. As she rounded a corner to come to Jade’s bed she found Tyler sitting by her side. “Colonel, I didn’t expect to find you here so late.” “I’ve heard that even people in comas can hear those around them. I came to speak to her, but now I’m here I don’t know what to say.” His voice trailed off and he looked back to Jade. “I’m sure she’d be happy to know you’re here for her. But I suggest you get some rest, there’s nothing we can do for her, I’ll call you immediately if there’s any change.” “Alright, just give me a few more minutes.” “Yes, sir.” * * * * * “Why are we here?” The haze asked. “I wanted you to see an alternative to repressing me.” Jade stood with the computer program by her side, they were in a huge glass biosphere to one side was a cage with a partially glass floor covered in blood stains, outside the air had a pink hue to it. “This is the setting.” Jade said. “Now show me my memories of this mission.” Suddenly there were seven furs in the metal cage, she was one of them. From one of the many corridors Eric Draks, Sal and a group of furs walked into the main area of the biosphere. “Skip ahead a few minutes.” The room remained the same but the characters in her recreation moved, there were now only six furs in the cage, Sal was standing to one side and two cyfurs were standing in the centre of the area. “Right there, stop.” Everything froze. “Those are my alternative.” She pointed to the cyfurs. “What are they?” “Cybernetic furs.” Then they were in the upper conference room, Alpha Team, General Powell were sitting around the table and Dr Gener was standing beside a representation of a squirrel cyfur. “Well, it seems that Eric is trying to produce cyfurs, either machines with a fur appearance or furs enhanced through use of cybernetics and mechanisation.” Dr Gener said. “That’s right.” Jade said to the haze. “Won’t these cybernetic creatures have lives?” It asked. “No. A leopard named Sal controlled everything that the cyfurs did. Without her they are empty vessels, we have three…” Now they were then standing on the swampy marshland of PX5-814-223 watching Alpha and Beta Teams escaping from the biosphere, between them they carried three of the cyfurs. “A female ferret, a female fox and a male rat.” It finished Jade’s sentence. “You could have your pick of the three, I’d get my body back and we’d get on with our lives.” “What would I do? What purpose would I serve on your world?” “Well I’d say that a lot of computer programmers and scientists would want to speak to you, but after that you’d be able to do whatever you want.” She smiled, things were starting to look up. “We just need to get the message to my friends.” “There’s a problem with that, Jade.” “What is it?” “In unconsciousness, when the brain is mostly idle we can both survive. But if one of us was to wake up it could destroy the other. “What if we’re only conscious for a short time.” “Maybe.” “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Jade said solemnly. “You shouldn’t have to, I’ll stay dormant.” “Are you sure?” “It’s your body. Just keep it short.” “Thank you…um.” “What is it?” “I’ve just realised I don’t even know your name, do you even have a name?” Jade asked. “Arctic Fury called my program Wildfire, so that would be my name.” “Thank you, Wil. How do I wake up?” “Close your eyes, now open them.” * * * * * Jade opened her eyes to see Tyler by her side, an unusually pensive look on his face. “Colonel.” She said, her voice hoarse, so she cleared her throat. “Jade, you’re awake.” He said in surprise. “Sir, this is important and I don’t have much time so just stay quiet. You have to drop the quarantine field and get the cyfurs we retrieved from PX5-814-223 and bring them here. Wil can use them to get out of my mind, so please make it fast. I have to sleep now.” Her eyes closed slowly, leaving Tyler slightly dumbfounded but he soon ran off to do as Jade had said. * * * * * “They should have the cyfurs in the infirmary soon.” Jade stated. “Which do you think will suit me?” Jade turned to see that Wil had taken the form of the female ferret. “Or maybe.” It changed to the vixen, giving a twirl to show herself off. Finally Wil took on the form of the rat. “Nah, don’t like this one.” It returned to its original green haze. “Which do you think?” “It’s really not up to me, you have to be happy with your own body.” “I like this one.” Wil had once again taken the form of the ferret. “It’s almost as fitting as yours.” She joked. “Oh, don’t say that, it makes me sound like a piece of clothing.” Jade protested. Wil laughed lightly, but stopped to looked upwards then back to Jade. “They’re here. Are you ready for this?” “Of course, no offence but the sooner I get my body back the better.” “Tell you’re friend Tyler to place your paws into those of the cyfur ferret’s. This process will increase the severity of the electrical burns already present on your paws. But if you’re sure, then close your eyes.” * * * * * Tyler wandered through the underground labyrinth of the base, having finally completely shaken off the shock he had gotten from Eric, he was on his to Jade’s lab. He found her in her usual place in front of a computer trying hard to get work done, but finding it difficult with the bandages on her paws. “Aren’t you supposed to be resting?” Tyler asked, causing her to jump slightly in surprise and turn. “Oh, sir. No, Alex gave me the all-clear.” “What are you _trying_ to do?” He gestured towards her bandaged paws. She laughed. “I’m helping Wil, she’s in stasis while I configure her new body.” She looked back to the computer. “I think I’m done now.” A cylindrical chamber, specifically built into the side of her lab, opened to reveal the ferret cyfur. With a push of a button the stasis field around her dropped and she stepped out of the chamber which closed behind her. “Colonel Roe, meet Wildfire.” Wil flexed her new body a bit before extending a paw in greeting towards Tyler, He shook it hesitantly. “You’re scared of me, aren’t you?” Wil asked. “Well the last one of you I met picked me up and through me against a glass wall.” Tyler said, removing his paw from her strong grasp. “And how is it you talk?” “The cyfurs we met on PX5-814-223 we’re basically remote controlled automatons, but Wil is alive and has full control over her new body.” “As long as you don’t throw me around, I’m sure we’ll get along fine.” He looked to Jade‘s computer which had a picture of Wil‘s internal organs shown on it along with a lot of extras. “So, what neat tricks do you have hidden up your sleeves?” “You mean as a cyfur?” Wil asked back, getting a nod from Tyler. “I have a similar device to the one built into Arctic Fury’s left arm, I have a personal shield generator in my right. I have a network built into my muscles that siphons out lactic acid and supplies energy. My cardiovascular system is reinforced to increase efficiency and endurance. And having started my life in a computer program, my mental acuity is greatly increased.” “Oh. Wow.” He said in amazement. “Well I was just checking how you were doing, so I’ll be going now.” He pointed to the door then left, leaving Wil and Jade alone. “I’d like to apologise for how I treated your consciousness when we first met.” Wil said regretfully. “It’s okay, I forgive you.” She said sombrely but her mood soon lightened. “If I were in your position I may not have handled things the same way, but I understand you just wanted to live, and now you can. On that topic, what do you want to do with your new found life and body?” “I want to be a part of this Division, I know you do important work for the good of your world. And I know that you enjoy it, I’d like to be a part of your world seeing as I can’t be a part of your body.” “Ha, funny.” Jade said. “I’m sure we’ll all enjoy working with you.” “Really?” Wil asked, hope alight in her voice. “I’d have to run it past the Colonel and the Generals, and you’d have to take some aptitude exams, probably some of the Division training. After all that you could probably get a place on Alpha Team, if your lucky.” * * * * * “She’s done what should have taken a week and a half in just four days, and she aced everything. She’s amazing, someone like that belongs on my team, ma’am.” Tyler reported to General Masters. “A temporary replacement for Major Archer and Corporal Fyn?” She asked. “Fyn? Why do I need a replacement for her, ma‘am?” Asked back in a confusion. “Seeing as Major Archer is both a friend and a patient of hers, she requested to remain on base until he has completely recovered.” “Oh, okay. Then yes, Wil would make an excellent replacement for them.” “Permission granted, Colonel.” “Thank you, General. I’ll go tell her now.” * * * * * “Why would Wil be in here?” Tyler asked as he descended the stairs onto the second sub-level of the detention area, his and Jade’s footpaw falls creating metallic echoes around them. “She said something about ‘meeting her father’.” Jade answered. “That’s a scary thought, having Eric as your dad.” He feigned a shuddered and couldn’t suppress a smile. They heard rapid footpawfalls, Wil was running towards them at an extraordinary pace, she stopped in front of the two otters. “Hey slow down.” Tyler said. “What’s up?” “Arctic Fury has escaped.” All comments are welcome, ralcor1@hotmail.com. If you’ve been enjoy my stories, then you should check out my site on Furnation, www.furnation.com/Ralcor, you’ll find all the Recurrence Series instalments there as well as short stories that aren’t found on VCL.