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"I guess I never realized how strange it must have been before the fall. I'd assumed it was much like it is now," the Commander from the table said softly.
"Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as strange is concerned; there were some laws back then that were downright idiotic. For example, two women could not legally marry and if they lived together, they were usually ostracized for it. Lesbianism was considered a sin against God. A lot of the laws back then were greatly influenced by the different churches of the time.
"Which reminds me, Tatyana, I learned there is an orbital habitat called 'New Vatican City'. Since I couldn't find the old Vatican City, or even Rome for that matter, I was wondering if you could tell me what happened to it?" Hugh asked.
"Da, Captain," the AI replied, making Hugh grin. "For those unfamiliar with this part of history, the original Vatican City was actually a separate city/state within the boundaries of Rome in the country of Italy. It was also the seat of one of the most powerful and influential religious sects on the planet at the time; Catholicism. The head of the church, the Pope, called the Vatican home.
"Shortly after officials began 'rescuing' uncontaminated people by cryogenic suspension, a terrorist group calling themselves simply 'The People's Army' attempted to smuggle a ten mega-ton nuclear bomb into the United States. Their target was to be New York City since they, correctly, blamed the world's financial leaders for the Plague. However, at the time, no one knew for certain where the Plague had originated.
"Frustrated by repeated failure to get the bomb in place, a secondary target was selected. It has long been widely believed that the Catholic Church was one of the most wealthy organizations on the planet.
"Since In the eyes of the terrorists, greed and money were the targets, and the decimation of the church would greatly affect the world, they successfully detonated the bomb in the catacombs under the Vatican.
"The Vatican was vaporized upon detonation. Most of Rome went with it. It further destabilized the area and triggered an earthquake that all but destroyed the whole Mediterranean region, it did have the effect of finally ending all of the fighting that had been going on in the area for two thousand years. It killed off most of the combatants, but it also put the 'holy land' under a thousand feet of salt water.
"It was decided that a new city would be built, this time as an orbital habitat, and named New Vatican City. There is a replica of the original Vatican on board, and the new Pope is in residence. However, it is not a separate 'city within a city' anymore. Its construction was dedicated to all those who lost their lives that day, Muslim as well as Christian," she finished. "It was also reported that the 'Holy Grail', the 'Spear of Longinus', the original 'Shroud of Turin', and the 'Arc of the Covenant' were all destroyed in the blast."
"What are those things you mentioned, Tatyana? I don't recognize their names," Isis asked.
"In pre-fall times, those artifacts were considered the stuff of legends; literally. Several myths were in existence about each artifact, and that each of them were lost, and buried in the sands of time. In point of fact, three of the four were recovered for the Church in the fourteenth century by the Knights Templar and returned to the Vatican for safeguarding. There existed a school of thought that this was the real reason for the ultimate destruction of the order," Tatyana replied. In the late nineteenth or early twentieth century's, the Shroud of Turin was stolen and brought to the Vatican in secret. To avoid a massive public outcry at the loss, the Vatican offered to help create a duplicate to appease the true believers. The offer was accepted and the ruse was never discovered."
"All this is very interesting and all but can we please get back to the issues at hand? Are we infected with these biocytes or not?" Dr. Carter asked worriedly.
"Well, we know they're not airborne. The air is clean; also, everyone I've tested so far shows only the biocytes that are supposed to be there. Which means that the cooks, and everyone at the table are safe." She turned to Hugh and those he'd gathered with him. "Since we knew there was a high probability for Hugh and the ladies, I saved them for last." Abby replied. "So you can relax, Emmit. You're not infected ... yet."
"Dr. Carter, May I ask you to please return to your lab and secure the biocytes samples from the prisoner?" Hugh asked.
Emmit was already heading for the door. "You sure don't need to ask!" He was stopped however, by the guards. "Uh, Captains?" He pointed to the Guards now pointing weapons at him.
Abby chuckled, but nodded to the guards, "He's clean, he can leave."
One of the guards turned to Captain Ayers, "Captain?"
RyeAnn nodded to him. "Let him pass."
"Thank you!" Emmit said in frustration and slipped past the two huge guards.
"Don't mind him, situations make him nervous," Isis told the two soldiers. The rest of the room chuckled as the comment broke more of the tension.
"Well, since we sent Emmit away, Isis, would you give me a hand? If you could check the rest of the girls, I'll start working on the Captain." Abby asked.
"Sure Abby!" Isis said and came forward to get the equipment from the nurse.
Three minutes later everyone but Hugh was cleared. Isis even took a sample from Mercedes womb.
"Well, all the girls are clean, even you Mercedes. The weird thing is, Hugh's loaded with them, but there were none in Mercedes. There was also no sperm, only sterile ejaculate, almost as if he'd had a vasectomy," Abby reported.
"But I haven't had a Vasectomy, in fact I've fathered two little boys. So why am I no longer producing sperm?" Hugh asked.
Isis shook her head slowly, "This is more Emmit's area, but I would bet it has to be the biocytes. I'd bet that they are blocking either sperm production or sperm emission. The question is why?"
"If this was created by the Breeder's Guild, wouldn't they want him to produce more sperm instead of less?" Fallon asked from beside her future husband. "That makes no sense at all."
"I agree, it doesn't. However, I don't think we are near the end of this puzzle yet. Doctors, can you get rid of those things in him?" RyeAnn asked.
Instead of answering Abby simply turned to the cart, retrieved a special injector, and gave Hugh a shot in the jugular.
"Ouch! Mother-FUC..."
"There, I just injected him with medical biocytes. I'll give them the Marine Infections Protocols so they'll hunt down the foreign biocytes and destroy them. He should be clean in about an hour," Abby said, then looked at Hugh. "Sorry Captain, you would have flinched if I'd warned you."
"Yeah, I would have, but so what?" Hugh asked.
"I would have sprayed the biocytes on your skin, and they would have had to have made their own holes to get into you."
"Again, so what?" Hugh asked.
Abby grinned evilly. "Biocytes are too small to carry pain meds for that use. It would have hurt a lot worse and lasted a lot longer had I sprayed them on your skin."
Hugh rubbed his neck. "It feels like you shoved a metal rod into my neck."
Isis laughed. "That's exactly what she did. Biocytes are bio-mechanical devices. Since we're all cleared, can we lift the biohazard protocol?"
"Tatyana, please contact Dr. Carter and ask if the biohazard can be lifted." Hugh asked.
"Da, Comrade Captain, immediately."
"I think you started something," Jenna said teasingly.
"Well, as long as she doesn't work for the KGB or the GRU, I think it's neat," Hugh said, grinning.
"Captain, this is Carter. I think you can lift the biohazard internally on the ship, but can you hold off on letting anyone leave? I think these little bastards might have a surprise or two yet."
"Like what, Doctor? Is the ship in danger or not?" Hugh asked.
"Honestly, I don't know, Captain. When I got back to my lab, I found the outer seals had been engaged, and a negative atmosphere had been formed in my lab. Intense UV light is normally used to temporarily paralyze biocytes, and the lab is being flooded with it. The little fuckers broke through the seal in the container I put them in! What I want to know is where are they getting their orders from? My lab is shielded, and the prisoner in the deep freeze."
"Doctor, are they currently contained in your lab?" Hugh asked.
"Except for the ones in you, yes. But these biocytes are capable of extended operations outside the human body. I would recommend that you be quarantined until the flushing is finished," Emmit said. "I'd like to have you in my lab, but for now, MedCent will have to do."
"Emmit, I injected the Captain with fifty CCs of class IV biocytes and gave them the Marine Infection Protocol. However, class IV's can't operate for more than a minute outside the body. What else would you suggest?" Abby asked.
"I saw a UV tanning bed in our quarters, would that help?" Jenna asked.
"Perfect! Get him into that as soon as you can get him naked. Handle his clothes like they're contaminated because they probably are. I'll figure out how to put them down permanently and meet you there," Emmit replied.
"I will follow the Captain to his quarters with the cleaning field. I can turn up the power, then have the bots replace the carpeting later," Tatyana added.
"I approve," Dr. Carter replied. "Good luck, Captain."
"Thanks. I've heard of catching a disease from a girl, but this is ridicules," Hugh said as he moved toward the door.
One of the guards left first and ran to the far end of the corridor to block anyone from entering it. The other guard stepped out to block the near end. Hugh cautiously walked back down the hallway to his quarters followed by Doria in the biohazard suit. Everyone else was waiting in the dining room.
Once Hugh entered his quarters, RyeAnn turned back to the group. "Okay, I'm lifting the internal movement restrictions, but leaving the shuttle bays sealed for now." She turned to Fallon, "Commander, I believe we'll need quarters for the evening. I'll call my ship and let them know what's going on."
Fallon nodded to the older woman. "Certainly, Captain. I believe the guest quarters are right this way." Turning, she led Captain Ayres and her party down the corridor the opposite direction Hugh had gone. Behind them, past the door to the dining room, the hallway was glowing, and the carpet was smoking and slowly turning to ash.
Back in his quarters, Hugh headed for the tanning bed and met a most intimidating creature. "Tatyana, what the hell is that?" He asked pointing at the mechanical looking spider.
"It is one of my domestic bots, Comrade Captain. I have been equipped with the latest design. All the bots are capable of performing most tasks, but I do have a specialized model that primarily handles external and hazardous repairs."
Hugh nodded, "But why do they have to look like spiders? What happened to the ones the moved around on anti-grav and looked like canister vacuums?" Hugh asked, as he slowly approached the very large spider.
"Those were okay, but they have issues. They could only be used externally when not in hyperspace, and a relatively low velocity. Since the new one is in constant contact with the hull, the hyperspace field molds around it as well, making it relativistically part of the ship."
"I don't know if you noticed in my records, but I'm arachnophobic. That 'bot' really gives me the willies," Hugh replied. "I don't know much about them, but aren't the legs supposed to be longer?"
"This model has telescoping legs and can also employ extensions if needed. This one is simply waiting to dispose of your uniform and to verify no biocytes are on the floor in the route you walked. Simply drop your clothes in front of it, and it'll do the rest."
Shrugging, Hugh did as asked, and dropped the clothes in front of the bot. He was surprised when the clothes didn't actually hit the floor before they were gone. Soon there was only one piece left; the cuff.
"Tatyana, do I take you off as well?"
"Nyet, I will be monitoring your health, and controlling the biocytes Dr. Ryan injected you with. The small area I am covering; I can take care of, Comrade."
Remembering a phrase he picked up from a video game, he said 'thank you' in soviet.
Tatyana replied also in Soviet, and Hugh assumed she said 'you're welcome'. He laid on the tanning bed, and pulled the door down. "I assume you can also control the bed, Tatyana? I have no idea what to set it for?"
"You should put these goggles on before I turn the light on." As she spoke, on of the spiders 'legs' slipped a pair of small goggles into the bed, so he could see them. "Since the UV light can still penetrate the eyelid and damage the eye."
Hugh took the goggles and pulled them on. "Any idea how long I need to be in here? I promised a couple of young ladies a special evening tonight?"
"I don't think you'll get to it tonight; I'll be tasking some of the biocytes to repair the damage to your skin, during this, but you'll likely be in here over an hour. I'll have the bot bring you electrolytes and water to replace what you're going to lose."
Hugh put his head back, and closed his eyes. He didn't realize he was so tired, and must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew, the bot was poking him.
"What?"
"You must drink. You need to rehydrate yourself." Tatyana replied. "How are you feeling, Comrade Captain?"
Hugh took a long drink of the cool liquid the bot handed him. "Tired and sore, like I've been exercising too much, and I've got a headache."
"That sounds right. I'll try to task more biocytes to your head and skin."
"Thank you, Tatyana. May I go back to sleep now?" Hugh asked, yawning.
"Da, Comrade, rest well."
Fallon was awakened by an annoying beeping. She'd been having a wonderful dream about Hugh and Jenna making love to her. Trying not to wake Jenna, she reached for the nightstand and grabbed her cuff. "I'm awake, what's the problem?" She was surprised when Tatyana answered her instead of her own interface.
"My apologies for waking you, Comrade Commander. However, there is a problem with the Captain..."