Chapter 5: Memories

Caleb was aware. He just didn't know where he was. He couldn't feel his body either, but he was aware.

"How did you get here?" Al asked in surprise, appearing in front of Caleb as a wraith-like reflection of himself.

"I don't know," Caleb answered. "I was talking to Kim, and suddenly my head hurt, and then I was here. You tell me! You're supposed to be the brains behind this partnership. Why do you look like me?"

Al's attention shifted, and Caleb could see that he was studying an image of Caleb's brain. Different areas of the brain image were different colors. Caleb wondered what the different colored shadings in the model meant. Al answered his unasked questions.

"My 'appearance' is a function of your self-image. As for your brain, the shadings are for different functions. The large green area is where I reside. The smaller, different shades of blue show where you reside, along with your bodily functions. The moving red lines are the nanites. Look," Al instructed, and Caleb's attention was drawn to a tiny structure deep inside the brain.

The green that represented Al and the blue representing Caleb were both touching a structure of neurons from opposite sides. The edges of the blue were slightly mixed with the green, creating a dull yellow color.

"We are supposed to be distinctly different. That mixing is what happened the first time that you made love to JJ," Al explained, agitation clear in his thoughts. "The power surge was so strong that I was fused to you. Now, the nanites are changing something," Al continued, his agitation changing to alarm, as he sharpened the image.

The red lines representing the nanites were moving through the tiny structure that seemed to be a substructure of the hypothalamus. Their movements were blending the blues and greens, and spreading the dull yellow at the edges of the connection to encompass the entire structure. Then the dull color began changing to a rich, golden yellow. The structure seemed to swell, too, as if it were growing. As the color changed, Caleb became more and more aware of Al, and his memories.

If Caleb had been aware of breathing, his breath would have caught in his chest. Al's memories from past hosts were opened up before him. Creatures, intelligent beings, had come from every type of environment and society. They ranged from hive minds, to fiercely independent individuals. There were other carbon-based hosts, as well as silicon-based, hydrogen-based, and many others. The varieties of life the alien had encountered in over thirteen billion years was astounding. The body of knowledge they represented was mind boggling.

Caleb found Al's previous host, and discovered a species whose hallmark was their curiosity, as well as their ambivalence towards other intelligent beings. Still, Al and his host had been a good fit. Caleb was startled when he followed the memories of their approach to earth. The crash had not been an accident!

Caleb had asked questions about the crash, but Al had always been reticent to discuss it. Caleb's attempt to get details of the crash always seemed to turn to the sacrifice of the small alien that had been Al's host. Al had never mentioned the proximity bomb from the military satellite they had been investigating. That bomb had caused the crash.

"Why didn't you tell me about the bomb?" Caleb asked.

"It had no bearing on our working together," Al replied morosely.

"Do you know whose satellite it was?" Caleb queried.

"Do you see it in my memories?" Al asked, suddenly angry. He sighed before saying, "It was designed by a human. That is all I know, and that is the message we sent before we crashed."

Caleb was silent for a moment as he considered the information. There were ramifications here that were far beyond simply impacting his life, and those of his family and friends.

"You said that a rescue ship will come for you, or to check on the status of the ship," Caleb said carefully. "Just out of curiosity, what frame of mind will this rescue mission be in, when they arrive?"

"They will not be happy," Al replied drily. "Exploration vehicles are considered nearly sacred. It is unusual for an indigenous species to attack and destroy one, but it has happened. There has seldom been a good outcome."

"Great," Caleb breathed. "So we have a madman after us on earth, and angry aliens coming for us from space. Any idea how long we have, or how to handle the situation when they get here?"

The image that was Al shrugged, before saying, "I have no idea as far as the time goes. That depends on how close the nearest ship is. The nearest star is only four and a quarter light years away. There are fifty-four star systems within about sixteen light years. A ship could be traveling nearby, and be here next week. A ship could be exploring one of those systems, and be here any time between nine years and forty years. Or, we may need to wait couple of hundred years, if we need to wait for the signal to reach their home planet. It no longer matters to me, because my future is tied to yours."

"What happens if they are really angry when they get here?" Caleb asked. "What happens if they decide humans are a pest, and need to be eradicated? Do you have any suggestions?"

"Have a defense prepared that will make them want to talk before attacking," Al replied.

"How do we do that?" Caleb asked.

"I have no idea," Al reluctantly said. "My goal right now is to ruggedize you and my childrens' hosts to increase your chances of survival."

"Okay," Caleb said with a sigh. "Another disaster that we need to avoid, or resolve. Any idea of how I'm supposed to get out of here?"

"I don't know how you got here in the first place," Al said with a snort.

"What does that structure do, where our essences are mixed?" Caleb asked.

"That controls the quantum interface that connects you to other humans, and maybe other things," Al replied. "No previous host has had a structure like it, but you aren't unique. All humans have one. I've checked."

"Can you give me a clue as to what 'and maybe other things' means?" Caleb asked dubiously.

"I really don't know for sure," Al replied. "There are hints of other things that could only be caused by a quantum interface, but no actual proof, and I can't think of a way to test them."

"Like what other things?" Caleb asked.