System

22. A Night on Cards (3)

Emily Post-Redwood was planning a serious night out. She took time to prepare herself, combing and brushing her fur thoroughly and picking out a fairly provocative outfit. She padded through her suite of rooms as she selected a few items to take with her. She purred when she caught a glimpse of her reflection and instinctively turned back her ears.

She grinned at herself in the mirror and her sharp teeth protruded briefly. She looked quite predatorial, which seemed strangely appropriate for a night at the gaming tables.

After a quick look around the room she slipped outside and closed the door. There was no need to lock it since the ship would only allow access to those who had permission, which was a fairly limited group.

Emily tucked a small bag under her arm and made her way along the corridor enjoying the way her feliform body moved with cat-like grace and sensual curves. She caught a glimpse of herself in some glass and smiled again. There was a twinkle in her eye as she contemplated the night ahead.

The ship's lights had been automatically adjusted to indicate the setting of the sun. They flickered like gas lamps, which made the corridors feel warm and mysterious. Emily climbed a small staircase and stepped out onto the deck.

Emily's apartment was in the starboard hull, so it was a bit of a walk to the entertainment district. She selected a scenic route which took her across one of the taller bridges. The view of the setting sun was quite spectacular from this height so she paused by the rail for a while to admire the view.

Two men were standing under a nearby lantern. One was short and was dressed in a smart blue suit. The other was taller and wore a brown cloak. They watched her as she looked out to sea, but she didn't acknowledge their presence.

'Who is she?' the tall man asked in a quiet voice.

'Not sure,' the other replied. 'But she seems familiar somehow.'

'I feel that I know her, but I can't quite place it...'

Emily stood for a while and looked around her. For a moment she appeared to be staring straight at the taller man but then she turned on her heels and walked away, nodding to a couple of passengers who she seemed to recognise.

The men spoke to each other and then followed her over the bridge. They seemed to be occupied with their own thoughts and didn't notice the two dark figures on a balcony who were watching them carefully from above.

'That was us, wasn't it?' Swan said to his friend.

'It would seem so,' Watcher replied. 'We're back in the recorded file and there are now two versions of us wandering around at the same time...'

His companion nodded but didn't seem at all worried. Up to this point it had been Watcher who had been taking the lead but his human friend was now beginning to take charge and he was more than happy with this. Perhaps it was a sign that their journey was coming to an end...

'What's the plan?' he asked.

'We've got a while before the system crashes,' Swan replied. 'I think we need to go back down to my room.'

'Okay,' Watcher shrugged. 'Fine by me.'

Swan seemed to have no trouble navigating through the immense ship. Watcher suspected that his memory was beginning to return as he spent time in a familiar place. It didn't take them long to reach the door to the suite of rooms where they had last seen Travis Petros.

The door opened by itself as they approached.

'I guess the ship recognises me,' Swan said as they stepped inside.

The apartment was just as it was when they last visited. The doors were still functioning however, and slid open automatically while the lights adjusted themselves as they moved from room to room.

They found the sleeping body on the couch where they had left it and Swan stood for a while contemplating himself.

'I don't remember any of this,' he said thoughtfully. 'But I guess I had a life here.'

He looked back at Watcher.

'How is my body connected with the system? There are no wires or physical links.'

'It's all done through electromagnetic fields,' Watcher replied. 'You literally upload your conscious mind. It takes a few minutes because you have to transfer the processes not just the information.'

Swan brushed the hair from his own sleeping forehead.

'It's not a matter of duplication but of mental motion,' Watcher continued. 'You slide from one world to the other while your conscious mind continues to function. Some people say that your very soul passes from your body into a virtual equivalent.'

Swan nodded.

'I seem to have an interesting job...' he muttered. 'I wonder what I was doing before things went wrong...'

He turned away from his lifeless body and smiled.

'We're not here so I can look at myself though,' he said decisively. 'We're here for the key.'

'You know where it is?'

'I'm pretty sure of it,' Swan replied. 'If I'm right, it's back in the main room.'

Watcher followed him through the sliding doors to one of the simple shelves where a number of ornament were on display.

'There it is,' Swan declared as he pointed at the small china model which they had noticed on their previous visit.

Watcher was about to reach for it when there was a short beep and the the main door slid open.

Both men span round and found themselves facing two strangers.

A short man with dark hair and a petite girl stepped into the room. They seemed equally surprised to see Watcher and Swan and stopped still in their tracks.

'You did it!' the short man exclaimed and took Swan by the hand.

'I did?' Swan replied

The girl nodded.

'You created an escape route,' she said happily. 'You gave yourself a way out - and planted clues so we could find you.'

'I did?' Swan said again.

'You most definitely did,' the man replied warmly. 'You made a hidden file which could act as a bridge between the damaged zone and the rest of the system. You, Travis Petros, are a genius!'

'I'm sorry,' Swan said, shaking his head. 'You obviously know who I am, but I'm not sure who you are I'm afraid. My memory is a bit patchy.'

'Of course,' the man said. 'You erased your own memory so you could hide in here. Brilliant!'

Swan shook his head again.

'I'll take your word for it,' he said in a bemused tone. 'I do seem to be Travis Petros but I don't know who you are?'

'Sorry,' the short man apologised. 'I'm Adreaus Certaine and this is my agent, Esther. We're really pleased to have found you!'

Watcher was beginning to feel relieved now that his task had been completed. He had guided his friend through a complex history lesson and rescued him from a mysterious threat. He was pleased that things seemed to be working out well, but he still had a few questions.

'I'm glad you found us,' he said to the newcomers. 'But I'm still not sure what this was all about - and how do we get Mr Petros back to his body?'

Certaine gave him a puzzled look.

'This is all about you, my old friend,' he said as he took a step towards him. 'It's all about you!'

Watcher shook his head.

'I'm not sure, I understand,' he said in confusion. 'I thought I was just a guide.'

Adreaus Certaine laughed.

'Hardly!' he said as he held Watcher by the shoulders. 'Your name is Arden Crittis and the whole world has been absolutely desperate to know where you've been!'