Dreaming in Static

Chapter 11

Ali

Polaris was onto him. He was sure of it.

Of course, it was more important to keep Andromeda at ease, which was why he'd lied about "damaging her nerve centers." However, already Polaris had realized that the entity--was it even an entity?--that she called Victor was responsible for her newfound difficulties. She must have easily seen through his lie.

And now he knew that Polaris would never again trust him completely.

Ali tried not to think about it. He'd wanted a reckless adventure, right? Well, now he had one, and he shouldn't be complaining. Still, sometimes he questioned his motives.

Like right now. He was taking Polaris and Andromeda out into the city for a much-needed break, and Polaris had invited that Wei guy to come with them. Watching the three of them laugh and talk together, Ali had to reconsider his entire mission.

Why not just leave it like this? Why go to the trouble of fixing this enormous problem and traveling back to the future? Why not stay here, building their own future (or their own past)?

He knew the answer, of course. So as they boarded the shuttle to downtown LA, Ali shoved these thoughts from his mind and tried to enjoy a day with his friends.

Polaris

Victor was soon forgotten, or at least ignored, by Ali and Andromeda. For Polaris, however, he remained stuck in her mind. It was nearly impossible to focus on or think about anything but that empty face, that looming figure. She wondered if these incessant thoughts were Victor's doing.

It felt so wrong to have him occupying a space in her mind, able to control her movements and alter her memories. And Polaris was so confused. Was Victor some sort of virus? Had he simply spontaneously spawned out of the depths of her mind?

Another possibility hit her, this one so real and absurdly possible that she actually stopped in her tracks, making Wei bump into her as they stepped onto the shuttle: What if this was how those androids in 2217 had died?

Had they been driven to their own demise by something controlling their brains?

It was a crazy thought, but Polaris couldn't help but worry.

"Are you okay, Polaris?" Wei asked, sidling up next to her. Polaris blinked, remembering where she was.

"Oh...yes, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired from last night," she said, grinning apologetically.

"Winning at chess wears you out that much, huh?" Wei laughed.

Polaris rolled her eyes but smiled back. She looked out of the window at the myriad decorations hung up around the lampposts.

The 25th was this weekend, and the streets were decorated with enormous wreaths of holly and giant red bows sparkling with gold glitter. Christmas lights flashed on every wall, and of course a Christmas tree as tall as a building stood in the center of the city.

People had been even more festive in 2217, but Polaris still appreciated the beauty. Besides, she'd never fully experienced Christmas; she was always serving her owners, cleaning the house in preparation for guests or cooking and baking (since her owners had always insisted on handmade food instead of the housemade stuff most people settled for).

"So what are you doing for Christmas?" Polaris asked.

"My cousin is coming home for Christmas," Wei told her, "so I'm going to my aunt and uncle's house to celebrate it with them. What about you?"

"I'm just staying at the dorm, I guess," Polaris said, shrugging.

"Are you sure? You'd be welcome to eat Christmas dinner with us," Wei offered.

Polaris smiled at him, and despite knowing that she was going to regret this decision very soon, she nodded. "I'd love to."

And of course, she wished she hadn't said that about two seconds later. She couldn't even eat, for heaven's sake! What was she thinking to accept that invitation?

Actually, she knew her reasons. The allure of real, human friendship and companionship, untainted by the stress of whatever situation she, Ali, and Andromeda were in was too tempting. Just one carefree relationship; was that too much to ask for?

It was too tantalizing an offer to pass on. Polaris would figure out a way to savor the experience. She knew she would.

***

The shuttle took them to a Japanese garden, where koi fish abounded and cherry blossoms modified to bloom all year fell lazily on the pavement. Ali had insisted on coming here and relaxing for a while, and maybe it was because of Polaris's precarious condition, but Andromeda had agreed readily.

Whatever the reason, Polaris was glad for an excuse to simply stop thinking. She and Wei fed the koi in the lake together, Polaris giggling whenever the fish ventured close enough to touch her fingers. Ali fangirled over the half-moon bridge and started spouting about how he felt like he was inside an anime, while Andromeda sat on a bench looking bored out of her mind.

For Polaris, the afternoon felt like something out of a dream: peaceful, idyllic, the life of a human being. When she and Wei parted ways at the end, she was happy. And for the first time, she was glad that Victor was taking control of her mind, because Polaris certainly wouldn't have been able to stop the tears spilling out herself.