Empire of Bones (31 page)

The older man held up his hands. “We would never ask that of you. However, your implants look like they should be able to communicate with equipment like this from a distance of up to ten meters. We’d like to put a monitoring headset on you while you attempt to do so.”

He gestured to a large cart holding several computers and other unidentifiable pieces of equipment. An old Empire headset with cables spliced into it sat beside one of the computers. The ones they’d found on
Courageous
didn’t need wires. She vaguely remembered Owlet using one like this when they’d rescued her. He’d been able directly interface with her cranial implants and see that the Pale Ones hadn’t modified them.

She really didn’t want to do this, but she couldn’t argue the need. “Fine. But I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. I haven’t even been able to walk, much less feel anything in my head that seems different. As far as I can tell, the implants are turned off.”

“They aren’t,” Owlet said. “I suspect it’s a matter of figuring out what you need to do to use them.”

“And exactly how should I do that?”

He picked up the headset and slid it onto her head. “Do you sense anything about those machines? Close your eyes and relax. Pretend you’re trying to hear something or smell it or see it in your mind. It’s not like that I’m sure, but perhaps that will trigger something.”

“Basically, you want me to discover a new sense.”

“Something like that. If it doesn’t work, we’ll try something else.”

Kelsey closed her eyes and relaxed as much as she could, focusing on her breathing. She wanted to be receptive to anything. For a minute, she felt nothing specific, though it felt as though someone was standing in front of her. A peek showed that not to be the case.

She tried narrowing her focus further and the sensation became clearer. It wasn’t sight or sound. It wasn’t like anything she’d ever experienced. She could feel the computer in front of her.

It didn’t react to her, so she tried thinking at it.
Hello?
It didn’t respond.

She reached out a mental hand, or at least that’s how she chose to think of it, and touched it. The presence opened like a flower in her mind and she knew it was the scanning machine. It was as though the machine had transmitted the information straight into her mind, right down to the serial number.

Or perhaps it was more like reading a screen of data about it. The information she saw listed it as Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, the same way it had identified itself to her a week ago.

Following the same pattern, she pushed her awareness deeper. Like she was talking silently to it.
Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, can you hear me? Are you operational?

Affirmative. Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve online.

The voice in her mind, if one could call it that, sounded neutral. It didn’t really have a tone, not like hearing someone speak aloud. In a way, it felt similar to reading words on a page, but much more intimate.

She took a deep breath and continued.
My name is Kelsey Bandar. You put implants inside me. Do you remember?

Accessing records. Comparing transmission to implant serial numbers. Confirmed.

She tried to keep her pulse down.
I have some questions about using my implants. Can you help me?

Overrides to this unit’s basic programming prevent it assisting you at this time. This unit may only make general statements to implantees under the modified instruction set.

Is that why you have not responded to the verbal questions my companions have asked you?

Negative. This unit does not respond to unauthorized users at this time.

You say
at this time
. Does that mean you might be able to answer them under other circumstances?

Correct. This unit requires a system level reset to re-enable that functionality.

Kelsey opened her eyes and looked at the people eagerly awaiting her progress. “I can communicate with it.”

Doctor Leonard grinned and Carl Owlet pumped his fist in the air.

She licked her lips. They were parched. “It says that portions of its control programming have been overridden and it cannot respond unless it is restored. Much like the Pale Ones, I suppose. It seems to have a little more leeway talking with those it is about to implant, but not much.”

“It also responded to your direct communication,” Leonard said. “That’s a window to access it.”

“Well, I’m not a programmer. I wouldn’t know what to do if you told me.”

Carl Owlet shook his head with a smile. “I’m sure that the people that used it before the Fall weren’t programmers. The old Empire had to allow for advanced control without knowing how to sling code. Ask the unit how you can reset it.”

“That seems silly. If it was altered to keep people out, why would it tell me how to get around that?”

“It might not, but you won’t know if you don’t ask.”

Kelsey looked back at the machine. She could still feel the connection between them, even with her eyes open, so she kept them that way.
Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, can your default control code be restored if you are reset?

Affirmative. That will trigger a scan from protected memory. This unit’s hardwired core will note and override the control alterations.

How do I do that?

There is a manual reset toggle inside an access panel to the rear of the unit.
A mental image of the panel appeared like a hologram in front of her. She saw not only its location, but also how to open it.
Open the panel and there is a numeric touchpad. Enter this unit’s serial number and that will trigger a system level reset.

“Okay,” she said aloud, “there’s a panel around back near the bottom. Inside it is a touchpad. I’ll tell you what to enter when you have it open.”

In deference to Doctor Leonard’s older knees, Owlet went behind the unit. Kelsey explained how to open the panel. He had it open in a minute. She read off the long serial number and he entered it.

The irony wasn’t lost on her. If the machine hadn’t forcibly implanted her, she’d have no way to access it now. Rather than being subverted to the cause of the Pale Ones, she was doing the subverting. Or the opposite of subverting. Whatever.

Her connection to the unit closed and its presence in her mental space vanished for long enough that she feared it wasn’t coming back. Then it reappeared.

Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, can you hear me?

Affirmative.

What is your status?

Basic control parameters restored. This unit is now able to assist you fully.

Kelsey had to admit the success excited her a little. This was real progress. “I’m in. It says it’s back to its default control parameters.”

“Let’s test that,” Lily said. “Machine, can you hear me?”

This unit requires authorization to allow verbal communication with unauthorized personnel. An exception exists only for patients.

I authorize it.
Kelsey wondered if she had the authority to do that.

In the absence of authorized medical personnel, this unit will grant provisional access to Kelsey Bandar, subject to review by the next authorized medical technician to access this system. Identify the users desiring access and have them speak for voice print verification.

“State your name for the record, Lily.”

“My name is Lily Stone. My title is doctor. My rank is Lieutenant Commander.”

“Access accepted Doctor Lily Stone.” The machine’s artificial voice sent a shiver up Kelsey’s spine. The last time she’d heard it, the computer was about to cut her open.

Lily took a step forward, perhaps coincidentally putting herself between the machine and Kelsey. “I prefer you refer to me as Doctor Stone. Can you change that?”

“Preference acknowledged, Doctor Stone. How may this unit assist you?”

“The patient, Kelsey Bandar, is healing at a faster rate than I would expect after such extensive surgery. Why?”

“Kelsey Bandar’s medical nanites are repairing the damage to her body caused by the implantation process.”

Kelsey’s throat seemed to swell closed. “I have little machines inside me?”

“That is correct, Kelsey Bandar.”

“That’s not even remotely creepy. Please, call me Kelsey.”

“Noted, Kelsey.”

Lily frowned at Kelsey. “I obviously need to examine you more closely.” She returned her gaze to the workstation. “Machine, I’ve examined other people you’ve implanted. They didn’t seem to have any extra ability to heal. Why is that?”

“This unit’s designation is Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, Doctor Stone. This unit inoculates all patients with medical nanites. It is possible that they were deactivated at some later time.”

“Perhaps that’s one of the things that the last machine did,” Doctor Leonard said. “Could you authorize Carl and myself, Princess?”

“Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, I authorize these users.”

“Voice command not accepted. Implant authorization required.”

Kelsey cursed under her breath and repeated the process she’d done for Lily. That was going to take a lot more of her time if she had to be with the old Empire computer while they examined it. Still, it was more interesting than physical therapy.

Lily pulled her away from the scanning machine once Kelsey finished authorizing the scientists. “While the boys play with their toys, let’s see if I can find these nanites. Then we can come back over and we’ll see if it can explain how you control these implants.”

That reminded Kelsey how hungry she was. It seemed like she was always hungry these days. She wondered if that was her new normal. “Is there any lunch in these plans? I’m starving.”

Lily laughed. “Okay, we scan for nanites after lunch. Come on. Let’s see if we can fill that bottomless pit inside you for a few hours.”

Works by Terry Mixon

The Empire of Bones Saga

Empire of Bones

Veil of Shadows
(September 2014)

Anthologies Terry Has Work In

Dirty Magick: Los Angeles

Short Fiction

The Man Who Stole History
(Alternate History/Time Travel)

War Fish
(Military Science Fiction)

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About Terry

Terry Mixon, co-host of the Parsec Award finalist writing podcast The Dead Robots’ Society, is the author of The Empire of Bones Saga.

A former non-commissioned officer with the United States Army 101st Airborne Division, he also dedicated fifteen years to providing direct computer support to the flight controllers in the Mission Control Center at the NASA Johnson Space Center supporting the Space Shuttle program, the International Space Station and other spaceflight projects.