Jimmy followed the instructions Pollux gave him. After five minutes of riding a moving sidewalk, he stepped off in the middle of what felt like an abandoned city. Jimmy was just guessing, but he figured he was roughly in the center of the Citadel complex.
On Pollux's instructions, Jimmy pressed a small stud on the inside of a potted plant. Right in front of him, a section of the wall pulled in about an inch, then slid sideways into the wall revealing a small elevator car.
"At times it is necessary for us to make a subtle entrance. Once we are re-established, there will be a certain amount of notoriety put upon us. As such, getting around by more public means might be difficult," Pollux replied to Jimmy's question.
"If we're going to have that much of a celebrity status, why would we need to come out and mingle?" Jimmy replied.
"For the same reason we have two residences; we'll need to maintain some direct contact with other beings. If we lose our, uh, 'humanity' then we'll become ineffectual, and the laws we enforce won't carry any weight with our people."
"I guess I can understand that. If we have no contact with the people we're supposed to protect, how will we be able to relate to them? I'd think that's going to be difficult enough once we find different races," Jimmy said.
"Exactly. We must also remain 'available' to the common people. Our presence and cooperation will help ease the inevitable tensions that will crop up when new races come into contact. If we can do it effectively, we can potentially avoid a destructive and wasteful war," Pollux explained.
Before getting on the elevator, Jimmy was looking around the vast, open, promenade surrounded by deathly silent, closed up shops, cafes and salons. The silence was deafeningly eerie. "Well, I for one look forward to getting more people in here. Walking through what amounts to an abandoned city just smacks of those post-apocalyptic movies I've seen. A beautiful city like this, with no one in it is just ... obscene."
"I have to agree with you there. Out in the eco-sphere, there are miles and miles of empty fields, and more overly quiet towns and cities. I've been asleep for a long time. I went to sleep shortly after we arrived here, so for me, the incident is still fresh. Just two months ago for me, the entire Citadel was teeming with life. Then, all for the insane depravity of a delusional megalomaniac, it was all just ... gone. Hidoku, my last avatar, was the only one that knew what was happening. She knew there wasn't time to get to a shielded area, or even warn the population. No one felt anything, one minute they were all here, living their lives, the next, they were gone." Pollux said, sadly. "You know, ironically, Hidoku was human, too."
"There were humans in the other universe?" Jimmy asked as he stepped into the elevator. The shops had looked like they'd been built for humans, or beings that were built a lot like humans.
"Yes, there were. Actually, they were a larger, more advanced group then what is in this universe. Like your people, they still fought amongst themselves, but it was on a much smaller scale. They had long before united under a single ruling body so most issues were dealt with internally. Rarely did they request we intervene," Pollux said.
"Hmm, Hidoku sounds like one of our Asian names; was she oriental?" Jimmy asked.
"No, she was what would be called African, though no such continent existed there. The only issue skin color had been was that they were more susceptible to cold weather injuries although the same cannot be said of their contemporaries here."
The lift doors opened revealing a comfortable looking den/office/library. It did seem to have a female touch to everything, but given what Pollux had told him of the last Arbiter, it wasn't surprising.
"Once you pass the tests, and enhancement, we can redecorate however you'd like. Hidoku tended to like the old wood furnishings, and the trappings of a long ago barrister's office. A good portion of the texts you see are in the various dialects of the other universe, and would be of little to no use here," Pollux explained.
"Don't get rid of them though, please. It just seems wrong to me somehow to carelessly destroy anything that is from the other universe. If we just get rid of this stuff, then there will be no memories of them. It would be like erasing all trace of them," Jimmy said.
"Little of what's in those books are relevant to this universe, Jimmy."
"Although I doubt that's the truth, that's not the point. Simply as artifacts of now extinct peoples they're priceless. Besides, I don't remember who said it, but there is a saying on Earth that goes; 'Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them.'
"Perhaps we can have them translated to English, or galactic standard, or whatever language will be most prevalent here, and make them available to scholars and students," Jimmy said. "Even if I don't make the grade with you, Pollux, please consider doing that with them?"
Jimmy didn't notice, but there was a smile in the AI's voice when she replied. "I will, Jimmy. What about the rest of the furnishings, do you think you will want to change it?"
"I don't think I can honestly answer that yet, Pollux. I like how this room has a warm and welcoming feeling to it; I think I could relax here and still be able to get some work done." Jimmy looked around again. "Uh, but I was actually expecting something like the medical room we left Tammy in."
"Oh, we'll get there, I'd like to get to know you a bit more before you go into the tank though," Pollux replied in amusement. At least he wasn't scared of what was coming.
"Sorry if I seem a bit anxious, I guess I am a little bit nervous," Jimmy admitted.
"Oh? What is there to be nervous about?"
While Pollux was talking to Jimmy, several subroutines were running and analyzing everything about him since coming aboard. They were working up as complete a psychological profile on him as they could. Via the Citadel's network, Sheba was questioned for her information, and that too was added the building pool of data that would become what was used to make her final decision about Jimmy, although her instincts were telling her that he was going to be a great Avatar.
"Well, it's a new and, to me, alien place. I'm a little worried you won't like me, and a little worried you will. I'm nervous about my family, and what'll happen to us now. I guess the easiest way to explain it is that there are still too many unknowns yet," Jimmy replied.
"Fair enough. How about we agree that nothing happens that you don't understand, and aren't ready for. Also, at anytime you may contact any member of your family that is not incapacitated by one of the medical tanks." Pollux offered.
"I appreciate the offer, but I got the impression that they'll all be in the tanks for at least a day. However, I'll take you up on the understanding what's happening part. I'm not really afraid of it per se, but like I said; it's just more I don't understand," Jimmy replied. "I also have to make some adjustments, like speaking to you like this."
"That one's easy. The truth of the matter is we are currently talking through the internal communications system. On your planet, I believe you would call a similar system an intercom."
Jimmy looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, I didn't think of that. That does help quite a bit. I guess since this place looks so different, I didn't stop to realize that parts of it might be familiar."
"Since you are in the office, and there is a refreshment station, would you like anything to eat or drink? I do believe it's past lunch time for you."
"Do you have anything up here I can eat?" Jimmy asked reasonably.
"We have quite a bit actually. Since I decided on this system for our repairs and recharging, it was assumed that our first crew members and residents would be from your home planet. So, as soon as Grista set up the data links, most of the information on various foods became available. They did, however, send a small drone to either scan, or take physical samples of some items."
"Really? Do you have a Bacon Cheeseburger, with fries and a Pepsi? Better yet, an A&W Bacon Cheeseburger, with a small side of Onion Rings, and frosty mug of their Root Beer!" Jimmy asked, smiling hopefully.
A disguised panel on one wall slid open to reveal a cupboard with an A&W bag and a frosty mug of dark brown liquid.
"Don't tell me; a replicator, right?" Jimmy asked, indicating the small niche.
"The science of replication is not that far above what your planet is at now. In fact, I think I remember seeing a comment about how close Earth Scientists are to a major breakthrough. It was rather sobering when one also considers the still very warlike nature of your people," Pollux replied.
"How so?" Jimmy asked.
They talked for another three hours before Pollux made her final decision and led Jimmy to the enhancement room. This is where she expected Jimmy to balk, if he was going to, and she said as much to her new Avatar.
"Why? Is this going to be that bad?" Jimmy asked, as he took his clothes off.
"Well, you won't actually feel any part of the procedure, however, the procedure itself is rather involved, and requires some very sensitive work in potentially fatal areas. As per our earlier agreement, I'll describe it all to you.
"Down in the medical center right now, your loved ones are in tanks just like this one. Both tanks work the same way, however, your treatments are going to be much different. To begin with, the nanos that are being used on them are basic, generic, multi-purpose, molecule-sized robots. They can only be used while a person is in the tank because the person's immune system has to be basically disabled for them to function inside the body. Once the immune system is reactivated, the nanos are quickly destroyed as most any infection would be.
"The nanos I am going to use on you are being custom designed for you and should be accepted by your immune system as a natural part of your body. That should enable us to leave them inside you, basically giving you the ability to regenerate. They will also help you adjust to different environments, and can even recycle oxygen for a limited time.
"A series of small bio-crystals will be implanted along your spine and be connected to certain areas of your brain. These small crystals will be where I will live, and the connections are what will join us together.
"There a number of other devices that will be implanted inside of you. As an example, we will have a personal shield generator. As our influence spreads, you will become more and more of a target for criminals, pirates, and even some governments. I'm sorry to say that I believe if your own government knew of, and believed this to be the truth, they would not hesitate to try kill us if they couldn't control us. The shield is protection against assassination.
"I will be implanting ocular, aural, scent, tactile and muscular enhancements too. These will greatly increase your current senses as well as increase your strength and endurance. Of course in order to do that, your skeletal structure will have to be strengthened as well. As far as the other enhancements, we will have to learn how to control our new strength together, and I will help you process and interpret the increase of information from your senses.
"In addition to the personal shield, you will have one defensive weapon; a small electro-magnetic pulse generator. It will be capable of interrupting communications and other electronic devices within a small area around you." Seeing the look on Jimmy's face, she asked. "Am I overwhelming you?"
"Kinda, this is a lot to process, and I'm not as fast as you are," Jimmy replied.
"Actually, I suspect you're considerably faster than I am, the part that you might be having trouble with is in the conversion of the data, not in the processing of it."
"Huh? What's the difference?" Jimmy asked.
"In order for you to understand, or process, data you must first convert that data into an idea. In this case, the idea would be your mental image of the information, or data, I just gave to you. For example, when I told you about the shield generator, I assume you imagined a small electro-mechanical device. You formed this image in your mind, and implanted it in your body somewhere. Then you had to imagine what it would feel like, how you'd operate it, and so forth.
"You do all of that, usually during the slight pause between concepts while I'm explaining them to you. To put that into perspective for you, if one of your planet's supercomputers when you were born were given the first concept I mentioned to you, it would still be trying to process it sixteen years later," Pollux finished. "Your mind does that many times every second."
Jimmy was thoughtful for a few moments, before he nodded to himself. "Okay, I think I got a handle on all of that. I do have a couple questions?"
"Ask, I will answer to the best of my ability," Pollux replied.
"When you talked about the shield generator in your example, it sounded like my assumption of a small electro-mechanical device was wrong. What is it then?"
"All the devices being added to your body are bio-electric. They are machines only in the same sense as your body can be called a machine; none of it's 'mechanical'," Pollux answered, but added, "They will contain meta-crystal, but that'll be as close to metallic as they'll ever get, which isn't even on the same elemental chart."
"So if none of them are mechanical, how will we power them? I'd assumed something like a small fusion battery or some such."
"No, although if they were mechanical you would be correct in that they would need a similar power source. Since these are, mostly, biological, you will be the power source; just like you are for the rest of your body."
"Ah, so if I use the shield or EMP too much without resting..." Jimmy began, Pollux finished for him. " ... You could cause permanent damage to our body, and eventually it would kill us. However, the new uh, 'organs' can be strengthened just like a muscle. I would recommend we begin such as soon as we're recovered from enhancement."
Jimmy seemed to think that through before nodding acceptance. "I think I can live with that. Do you want me to get in the tank now?"
"There are a couple more things I need to tell you about. The first is that we will live a very long time together, Jimmy. I know that's been mentioned to you before, but I need you to understand exactly what is meant by it. Unless you develop a terminal affliction we utterly lack the knowledge to correct, you will be effectively immortal. That doesn't mean you can't die; it only means you can't die of natural causes."
Jimmy grinned. "Does that mean I'm going to be sixteen forever, or will the nano's let me grow a bit more?"
"Ah! You have been paying attention! In order for the physical enhancements to work, your body must be finished growing and maturing. So, you will be advanced as far as needed. I'm guessing, based on our experience with Hidoku's people, that should put you at about twenty-one years of age."
"Will Tammy and the others be adjusted like this?" Jimmy asked.
"Not in the same way, but the end result will be the same for the older ladies. Jamie, Janie, and Holly will slowly regress to the approximate age mentioned earlier, simply due to the nano treatment. Although, for them it'll take more than one session in the tanks.
"Tina, Tammy and Donna will grow to maturity naturally and pretty much remain that way, unless the profession they choose will require some form of enhancement," Pollux replied.
"Such as?"
"In the event any of them wish to join one of the combat forces, specific enhancements are required dependent on the equipment they will be operating. There are enhancements needed for some civilian positions as well," Pollux explained, before getting back on topic.
"The last thing I need to mention to you is the CMIU that will be implanted with my crystals. It will give us the ability to wirelessly connect to most of the computer systems, and computer controlled equipment in the Citadel as well as the eco-sphere."
Jimmy looked thoughtful for a moment and asked, "Will we be able to interact with any Earth technology?"
"I should think so; as long as the processor or the bus isn't shielded."
"You know, I think I'm actually looking forward to this. I only wish I could see what you look like. You sound like a very beautiful lady," Jimmy said and stood. "Let's do this."
In her virtual world, the beautiful blond woman smiled as she watched her soon to be lover, mate and avatar move to the tank. She knew he'd be joining her here while his body was in the tank; she was looking forward to their meeting as well.
"Be careful what you wish for, handsome," she said softly.
He paused and turned around. "Did you say something?"
"Yes, I was telling you to just walk out to the middle. The gel will remain solid under you, then..." she went on to explain to him how the tank worked. Soon he was floating in the middle of the gel, and she initiated the enhancement program.