AL Clark, Jonathan G. Meyer [the little red hen ebook .TXT] 📗

as I say it, and you will begin to feel a transition. Give yourself a few minutes to get used to the change before you try and stand up. I believe your enhanced mode will take some getting used to.”

Edward looked around and silently asked permission to proceed. When the others nodded their approval, he asked his friend, “Are you ready?”

Al said, “Doc, I’ve been waiting for this since I found out what I am. Yes...I am ready.”

“I want you to understand something. The time you spend in enhanced mode will subtract significantly from the lifespan of your body’s power-pack. The twenty-year span is based on being in human mode only. When it gets depleted to a certain point, it will have to be replaced. Hopefully, by then I will be able to build a new one. Is that acceptable?”

“Come on Doc, let’s get on with it. Oh, wait, what if I can’t handle it? What if it’s too much for my puny human brain?”

“You are controlling a very sophisticated computer that in turn controls your body. It can recognize high levels of stress and immediately take you back to human mode. It is one of the many fail-safes built into the system...um, your body.”

Al was resolute. He had to know. “All right, let’s do this.”

Edward smiled and said, “All right, sit perfectly still. Here is the phrase: The metal of a man is measured by what is inside.”

“The metal of a man is measured by what is inside,” Al repeated.

No human being had experienced what Al now went through. The feeling of power steadily ramped up until it was ringing in his ears. Something changed, and the ringing went away. Everything he saw became crystal clear for a moment and then exploded into a blinding light. Then the light went out, and so did he. Chris had to reach over and grab him to prevent Al from falling out of the chair.

Thirty minutes later Al woke up and asked, “What just happened?”

Chris was the first to answer, “Tobias says the transition was more than you could process, and you passed out. How do you feel?”

Al looked around, “Well, I think I’m okay...my head is a little fuzzy. Otherwise, I think I’m good.”

“I don’t believe you were ready,” Edward said, “You were too nervous, and you need to be relaxed. Maybe even close your eyes until everything else boots up. Do you want to try again?”

“Yes...how about we give it a minute—okay?”

An hour after Al passed out he tried again. This time, he cleared his mind and sat perfectly still with his eyes closed, and the transition was less traumatic. The power ramped up much as before, and when the ringing went away this time, Al could hear as he had never heard before. He quickly discovered he could tone it down and make the overwhelming input of sound more bearable. For a moment he just sat there; adjusting.

Chris started the timer about the time Al opened his eyes. For a half second, his eyes struggled to focus, and then everything became clear. There were small, discreet indicators on both sides of his vision providing essential readings of power, temperature, and distance. In-between the information tell-tales was the sharpest, brightest, and most detailed world Al had ever seen. He found that if he focused on a particular spot and concentrated, he could zoom in and out at will.

“I can hear you now,” the captain pointed out.

The sounds the mechanisms inside him made were indeed slightly louder. He slowly stood up, hearing each motor and feeling each actuator react to his commands.

“Man...this is unbelievable. I can see better, hear better, and it feels great! Let’s do some testing.”

He took three steps forward and fell on his butt as his legs ran out from under him.

Chris helped him up. “Maybe you have to lean into it or something...you think?”

“Ha! Now why didn’t I think of that?” Al brushed himself off and laughed at the same time. He had a good feeling about this. “What’s the first test?”

In a large flat area nearby, Chris marked off forty-six meters (fifty yards) for a track and placed a marker at both ends. The captain stationed himself at the far end, and Chris stood by the starting point with Al. Edward prepared his data pad to record the occasion.

Al staggered to the far marker the first time and then walked on the way back. Each consecutive trip became a little faster until he thought he was ready for the clock.

He felt so good he decided to test his new ability unrestrained, and picked a tree in the distance, waved at his friends, and took off running towards it. His enhanced eyesight allowed him to see every rock or branch in his path, and he was there and back before anyone had time to complain. He was extremely fast and already enjoying his newfound freedom immensely.

The fifty-yard dash he did in a little over four seconds. Almost a second faster than the fastest human ever recorded.

“Now we have to see if you can jump,” suggested Chris.

As it turned out, Al was also good at propelling himself upward. When he tried hard, he could clear thirty feet straight up. It wasn’t long before he figured out he needed to bend his legs when landing. He left dents in the soft soil and almost fell.

He was amazed how much was visible from thirty feet up, and he jumped three and then four times, each time looking a different direction. On his fourth leap, he spotted something move behind the shuttle. A flash of gold caught his attention where gold should not be. Something was watching them from the other side of the aircraft.

Al motioned to get down and pointed to the rear of the shuttle. Chris and Edward ran for cover while the captain took two steps to his left and picked up the rifle from where he left it; pointing it in the direction Al indicated.

The cat-like animal sensed something wrong, and came around the shuttle at a full charge, pouncing for the closest victim—the short, wild-haired roboticist. Unfortunately for the beast, it was not fast enough.

Al didn’t take the time to think, he reacted by knocking the creature out of mid-air, and threw it twenty feet into the open. It took the captain a second to realize what had happened, but he quickly gathered himself, aimed, and shot the thing several times with the laser.

“We should have checked this place better when we got here. Let’s have a look around now,” suggested Al. “To make sure we don’t have more visitors.” He reminded himself once again. Never let your guard down.

After a thorough search of the surrounding area, Captain Effinger stood staring at the large white cat and its golden stripes, with the rifle nestled in one arm. “It looks like a saber-tooth tiger, except with white and gold fur. Look at the teeth on that thing. I’ll bet it weighs at least a hundred pounds!”

Chris said, “I wouldn’t want to run into that thing anywhere without a rifle...by the way, nice shot, and thank you. It was headed for me next, umm...after he finished with Doctor Florida.”

The captain looked at Chris. He then shook his head and replied, “Don’t thank me, thank Al. If he hadn’t been here, Edward would probably be dead. If I couldn’t get a shot off fast enough, maybe you too.”

“I am really happy, Al, that you are my friend and not my enemy,” exclaimed Chris. Al just grinned while the rest silently agreed.

At precisely one hour into his first foray in enhanced mode, a timer somewhere wound down, and he became normal again. Well, as normal as he could be. Al could feel the power slipping away, and he noted again how good it felt. He wanted it back.

On the way back to the settlement, Edward chuckled and said, “Dr. Hawthorn even spelled it m-e-t-a-l, instead of m-e-t-t-l-e, in the phrase we used to take you to enhanced mode. He was a genius with a sense of humor. Incredible.”

****

ANA TRIED IMAGINING what it would be like to run like the wind and jump thirty feet into the air. There would be no sprained muscles or stomach aches or any of the myriad other things associated with being human. To never have your body grow old.

“What was it like, Al...in enhanced mode?”

“It’s hard to describe,” Al answered. “You know how sometimes you wake up refreshed and rested, with every fiber of your being telling you to get up and do something? It’s kind of like that—only times ten.”

It was beginning to get dark, and they had gathered at Elizabeth’s place. When Chris moved out to a place of his own, she was allowed to keep the double sized quarters they had. Rank does have its privileges.

“How do you like having a place of your own Chris?” asked Al.

“Oh, it’s great. Nobody is bugging me to do this or do that...no offense Mom.” Chris couldn’t help but laugh, and they all joined in.

“Seriously though, it is nice to have my own stuff in my own place, and...it’s so much quieter.” Chris was enjoying his new freedom, and could not resist kidding his mother.

His first friends in the new world watched a beautiful sunset, and afterward, they retired inside to eat—and to talk. It was early evening, and the original six: Chris, Liz, Ana, Kayla, Cody, and Al, gathered for support.

The conversation turned to Tammy Shoemaker’s trial. Al asked, “What do you think will happen at the trial this weekend?” He had visited the prisoner several times and found himself feeling sorry for her. She seemed more and more to be a victim of circumstance.

Liz had doubts about whether or not Tammy Shoemaker would be allowed to live.

“There are people here that want her head put on a stake and placed at the gate. I heard some say we should stone her. It will be a tough fight for the defense.”

Al pointed out, “I hope the jury realizes that we are already down to eight hundred and thirty people. For a healthy community, I think the more people—the better.”

Chris appeared uncomfortable and did not join the speculation.

To change the subject, Doc Cody asked Al, “Have there been any more sightings of the dinosaurs...the Riktors?”

“Actually no. Nobody’s seen anything but a few tracks around here in a while. Although, we did find a pair of smaller ones pulling rocks from the entrance to the Sansi caves during one of the Watcher’s rounds. The man on duty made the watcher drone visible and tapped them on the head a couple of times. They ran away, and the natives could be heard cheering from inside their caves.”

“Do you think the beasts have learned their lesson about attacking us?” asked Chris.

Al thought for a second, “I would like to think so, but I don’t believe it. It would be wise to keep our guard up. I have four armed men continually circling the compound, the two watchers a little further out, and Robot Nine roaming all over. I think we’re as safe as we can be.”

Around the village, Al had seen the visitor from the caves following behind Rahul