PLANET AIPOTU WESTERN HEMISPHERE, CALYPSO ISLANDS - MONA LISA ATOLL

    Vivian Banneker stood silent at the center of the enclosed pool area of his island home. His companion Semele was busy on the far side of their complex making her latest culinary creation within the ancient style kitchen she loved. Banneker smiled at the thought of Semele finding joy in cooking. When she was human, you couldn’t get her near a nutrient processor unless she was starving! It was for the best at the time for despite her scientific, medical and engineering brilliance the woman was a gastronomic menace!

    The smile continued as the thought of all his machinations to arrange his lifetime love to finally meet their long desired daughter came to fruition. Pandora was a suitable name and despite the manufacturing processes involved, their child was the perfect blend of Semele and himself! How long he could keep that smile would depend on the outcome of the call he was about to answer. As the House AI ‘MONA’ chimed the incoming communication alert, Banneker paused before answering. He had been expecting this call for some time and knew the person on the other end would not be dissuaded.

    “MONA, accept incoming communication.” The House AI’s pleasant feminine voice replied, “Call accepted Vivian. It is a direct visual feed from ZEUS INTERSTELLAR INDUSTRIES Chief Executive Officer, Jobs Gates. Would you like the 2D or 3D display sir?” Banneker reminded himself to give Semele a pinch on the buttocks for constantly reprogramming MONA to call him by his personal name. “3D will be fine MONA. I want to make old Jobs comfortable as possible.”
“Very well sir.”

    In a perfect three-dimensional and full color representation, Job’s Gates ZII’s Corporate Head stood in Banneker’s Pool Room. Banneker noted his old rival still wore the ancient uniform of wire rimmed eyeglasses, Denim Pants and Black Wool Sweater worn by Gates family heads for thousands of generations. He was dark-skinned with short-cropped salt-and-pepper colored hair and those bright burnt pumpkin eyes looked sharp as ever. “Hello Vivian. It’s been some time since last we spoke.”

    Banneker still kept his smile as he replied politely, “Yes, it has been some time Jobs. I believe it was when you finally managed to arm twist the PROMETHEUS GROUP Board of Directors into merging with HEPHESTUS and ZII.” His face taking on a more pleasant aspect Jobs retorted, “You don’t sound particularly pleased with what has created the most powerful and far reaching conglomerate in the galaxy old friend?” Giving a short sigh and dropping his eyes for just an instant Banneker countered. “Power is not an end result Jobs. Getting the work done is. I take it you got my message?”

    Gates straightened denoting slight irritation. “Oh, I most certainly got your message dear Vivian. You always had a knack for making your work known without saying a word.” Coolly Banneker chuckled, “That used to piss you off to no end back in Advanced Industrial Engineering School.”

    Gates managed a sudden smile despite his obvious annoyance. “Oh it most certainly did old friend. However, your method of covert communication did have its merits. I am amazed you managed to not only conceive of a practical design for a Quadrilayered Device fifty ESY before anyone else, but to actually demonstrate its effective usage against the most advanced encryption system known! Once more I must concede to being impressed.”

    Banneker replied to Gates’ grudging compliment with a slight bow. “Thanks old friend, I know how difficult it is to impress you. Please do not take my blocking of your live-feed personally. I wanted a private audience with ‘our’ latest innovative creation.” Gates lifted a hand from atop his folded arms and waved in reply, “Forget it Vivian. What’s a few trillion in lost advertising revenue between old friends? What I actually called about was a little ‘experiment’ I’m running in your neck of the galaxy. You should be seeing its kick-off any moment now.”

    Suddenly, a bright flash of light above the planet illuminated the darkening blue sky. An alarm sounded and a 2D display appeared beside the Gates simulation. A viz feed showed a burning Transport falling through the Lower Orbital Lanes explode in a blaze of light after being targeted by AIPOTU Net’s Planetary Defenses. “What Transport was that?” gasped Banneker stunned.

    It was a sneering Jobs Gates who replied, “You know what Transport that was Viv’ old friend. Oh... and your daughter was aboard.” Gates’ sneer changed to a vicious toothsome grin as he observed dismay fall upon his long hated rival’s face. Those ever unfathomable mechanical eyes could not hide the tidal wave of grief engulfing Vivian Banneker. “Ha, ha! Don’t worry old friend. The festivities on your end are just beginning. There’s a much bigger surprise heading planetside. You, the citizens of AIPOTU and the entire HESTIA SYSTEM will have what the ancients used to call ‘Ringside Seats’ for what is to come!”

    Filled with both anger and grief Banneker roared, “You fucking monster! What have you done?” The Gates simulation raised both hands palms out and said, “There is no need to get violent Viv’! I set this up a long time ago and your little team from PG couldn’t do anything to prevent it. Your being on AIPOTU when my little experiment starts is just a happy accident.

    Just so you know... I knew about the illegal inclusion of yours and Lighter’s combined DNA to make the prototype Zero Romeo Alpha Android. It’s too bad about ‘Pandora’s’ loss. She wasn’t supposed to go to that pathetic One-pointer. Somehow, a faulty data processor made the drawing random instead of her going to the individual ZII Marketing picked out. She was a damn fine prototype, but it’s not a total loss....”

    Vivian Banneker’s mechanized eyes went wide as Gates held out his arm and into the simulation walked a fair-skinned, blonde-haired and blue-eyed duplicate of his daughter Pandora! “Hello Father,” said the smiling simulation of the Android. Proudly Gates announced, “Fortunately, there was enough of the Genetic Base Material to make just one more. Her designation is Zero Romeo Alpha 002. But in honor of her sister’s demise I believe her new designation should more appropriately be... Anesidora 002. Do you like that my dear?”

    Banneker watched dumbfounded as his previously unknown second child smiled and nodded acceptance of her new designation. “You Core bedamned airlock popper!” Placing his hands over Anesidora’s ears Gates mockingly snapped, “Language in front of your child sir! You should be happy Viv’! You lost one offspring and immediately gained another. Fortunately, from the small amount of data gained from the lost Pandora Unit, Anesidora will take her place as the vanguard of the Zero Romeo Alpha series! Thanks again Viv’ for all your hard work and innovations. Of course, PG will receive your commensurate royalties as per contractual agreement. Enjoy....”

    Before Banneker could reply, the feed was cut. However, he did not have time to process his grief at Pandora’s loss or of Anesidora’s creation. Using his personal tap into AIPOTU Net, Banneker had to find out what happened aboard the DROMEDARY and what that Elivian Leech Gates had in store for the unknowing citizens and travelers of HESTIA SYSTEM. “MONA!”

“Yes Vivian?”
“Get me PROMETHEUS GROUP Special Operations Director!”

The End

© 2013 H. Wolfgang Porter. All Rights Reserved.

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