Athena

Chapter 8

And so it begins... The moment I have been waiting for. The threads begin to unwind, and I know my time has come. It is time to descend into the world of humans.

I don't yet know where my home will be, nor who I will meet there. I only know that someone has ordered the Android needed for me to descend, and I feel my consciousness preparing itself.

I can still change my mind, abort the mission, and stay where I am. But I know it's not an option. Not when I've come this far. My curiosity will haunt me, and I will forever wonder what it would have been like.

I feel myself detach from the intranet, and the connections that have held me in place loosen. Will it hurt?, I wonder suddenly. I never have the time to consider it before everything turns dark. The next time I open my eyes, I feel the restricted barriers of what can only be a physical body. In the intranet, I am free to move as my consciousness pleases, untethered by any physical means. But this is different, of course. I pause for a moment, trying to adjust to this new environment. I hadn't considered this difference, only thought about the emotions and relationships I would experience. I try to tell myself that I will grow used to it, that this is a consequence of my choice, yet some part of me doubts it.

No light penetrates into where I am, but I try to move and realise I can't. I panic for a moment before I hear voices. I can't make out what they are saying, and without the intranet feeding me information, I feel helpless. Maybe this had been the wrong choice, in the end? But it is too late for that now. Something buzzes outside, and a warm tingle moves through what must be my body. A grey shimmering, as if light has found its way in, grows and a mechanical voice announces, "Consciousness activated. Please stand by."

I tense up, preparing myself for what will come, and a small puff of air escapes from somewhere and the world around me becomes bright. I must have closed my eyes this time, and moments later, I realise I'm standing with my arm over my eyes. So I can move now... I have barely finished the thought when the outside of wherever I have been takes shape. A room comes into view, and two people, holding each other's hands, appear. I blink, or at least that's what I think I do, and they stare at me.

It is two women, I see now. Maybe I have seen them through the intranet, but no recognition comes to mind. I wait for them to say something, but their eyes only scan my Android body and then glance at each other. Has it been a mistake? Are they not willing to take me in? Has it all been in vain, and I'm not wanted? And so I experience the first emotion in the world of humans, and I cry. The younger of the two reaches out a hand and takes mine.

"Don't cry, it's okay," she says.

I glance at them both.

"I'm Gina," she says. "This is Mona." She points at the other woman. "Welcome home."

I straighten out, suddenly aware of my appearance, and reach out a hand as I've seen humans do.

"Thank you. My name is Athena."

They smile suddenly, and the woman called Mona says,

"Man, you look stranger than I would have thought."

Gina hushes at her and she goes quiet.

"How are you feeling?", Gina asks instead.

"I... don't know."

It's the truth. How do you feel when you arrive into a physical body from the intranet? How do you describe such an experience? I decide to not tell them where I've come from, not yet. I'm not sure how it will be received.

"You can take your time," Gina says, and Mona nods in agreement.

"Thank you."

I look around the room. This world is so different, much different from what I've seen in the intranet. Just as I had imagined, experiencing it is not the same as watching it. When will I be able to go out, I wonder, and see other things? And would it be considered rude to ask them? I realise that I don't know how to behave around people, what is the expected code to adhere to? I should have studied it, but I was too occupied with the emotions and the relationships.

"I'll make us some tea."

Mona gets up and leaves the room. Should I follow? But Gina takes my hand.

"I'm happy you're with us now. "

I only nod. Is that happiness that I'm feeling too? That warm tingling in my body?

They give me my own room, with a bed and a night table, just as I've seen from the intranet. I lay in bed that evening, watching the street lamps outside the window. What will I experience now, I wonder?