Ark II - 29. Further Preperations

They worked a few more hours. Scott looked at Joel and Hank.

“You can interact with Athena quietly,” Scott said. “Nonvocal communication.”

“I do now,” Joel said. “With the Stingers and everything else.”

“Yes,” Scott nodded. “I’m talking about talking with Athena while even awake and never say a word out loud.” He smiled and gave a slight shrug. “You could be interacting with someone and give instructions to Athena unspoken. Say it was someone suspicious. You could tell her to send help by the A1s or even a person. Raise defenses. Of course, you’ll need the Neural Interface attached more prominently.”

Leah smiled, “We can make it more attractive.”

Hank brightened, “A crown!”

Joel frowned and looked at Hank, “I don’t want a crown. I never wanted a crown. I am not king.”

Leah chuckled, “A decorative headband then.” She touched the Neural Interface still on his head, “You really don’t want to wear this all the time. Do you?” She asked knowingly. She pointed to his chest, “Why do you wear this?” She touched the image of the Earth covered by the Star and the word Ark. “And why gold color yellow?” She pointed at Hank’s sleeve that came from his throat, “Why is his coverall red?” She waved at herself, “Mine is blue. Why?”

“So we can find you in a crowd,” Joel answered. “Gold for me. Hank’s is red as an engineer. Yours is blue because of science and medical.”

“We have a lot of blue,” Hank said.

“Sara Beth’s is green,” Leah pointed out. “She is also a medical doctor.”

“Earth Science,” Joel shrugged. “There are a lot of green as well.”

“My point is,” Leah said calmly, “You need that contact with Athena to be as permanent as possible. We may one day implant the interface in your head, but until we do, the headband will be that connection.”

Nayef was grinning, “You wore a uniform when in service, right?”

Joel grimaced, “Technically I still am. I’m on assignment.”

Nayef nodded, “You wore a hat when in uniform?”

“You know I did,” Joel muttered.

“I bet you looked great wearing that hat!” Leah claimed.

Hank nodded, “But it wasn’t just one hat, was it?”

“No,” Joel answered quieter and almost muttered.

Hank grinned, “I’ve seen you in three of them. The one that is flat and round. I believe you call it a bus driver’s hat, the one that looks like a ball cap, and the cloth one you call a cunt cap?” Hank chuckled. “The last one because looking from above it looks like...”

Joel rolled his eyes and interrupted, “Yes.”

“Hey,” Hank chuckled. “You looked great! I sort of was turned on myself.”

“Good to know,” Joel muttered. “I’ll try to hold it down.” Then he looked more directly at Hank, “This will include you, too.” He pointed at Hank’s head. “You will need one!”

Nayef saw Hank’s eyebrows rise and laughed, “He’s right.” He looked at everyone in the lab. “That means everyone. Including me.”

Leah nodded and added, “You can of course refuse. Right now, we have direct contact with Athena simply by speaking on the Ark.” She shrugged, “But later on Gaea, you may need contact with Gaea like here. You will if you have the connection.” She cocked her head at Hank, “You and Joel are the first and we will see how it works.”

“Antennas!” Joel said loudly to Hank and saw Hank’s eyebrows rise more. Joel nodded vehemently, “Yes! Many lifeforms have antenna. Aliens used to show with antenna. That’s what we are here. Aliens!” He had the others laughing.

Leah held her hand up as she chuckled, “We don’t need to do that, but a greater connection with Athena may be needed. A simple connection is needed and secure.” She pointed at Joel, “What’s better, you can communicate with Athena, and she will answer back silently.”

“In my head,” Joel qualified.

“That’s right,” Leah nodded.

“There’s a movie here somewhere,” Joel told them. “Who determined the colors were Star Trek fans apparently.”

Hank frowned, “I won’t go down to Gaea were this coverall that has red! You know what always happened to the people wearing red in landing parties!”

 

Joel left the lab with everyone from the lab. When he entered the Communal Dining Area, he was greeted by the three excited males in his family. All calling his name. It was Jimmy that asked the question loudest.

“You were in a robot body!” Jimmy stated happily. “How did it feel?”

“Hi, sons!” Joel greeted smiling and touched each head. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

Jimmy rolled his eyes and looked again more directly at Joel, “Dad, Robbie said you were in a robot body! What did it feel like? You were in Rob and Robbie! Now, you were in an A1! What was it like?”

Joel chuckled, “Well, son that’s hard to describe. I was still in here.” He tapped his own chest. “I just could see and feel inside Robbie and Rob. Robbie feels things...well, he knows the temperature and if someone touches him. Now Rob feels more like we do. He can feel when something is soft or hard...” Joel threw his hands out, “I can’t explain it! Leah and Scott have programed Rob’s body to be able to do things like a Human Being does. You’ll have to feel it yourself!”

Jimmy frowned, “Which Mom won’t let me do!”

Joel touched Jimmy on both sides of his head, pulling him close he kissed his forehead and hugged him, “Your mother doesn’t want that beautiful brain of yours damaged. Neither do I.”

“But the Neural Interface doesn’t hurt.” Jimmy said sadly.

Joel nodded, “That we know of.” He smiled at his middle son. “Your Mom won’t let you handle a firearm of any kind until you are older. It’s her job to keep you safe. It’s also my job.”

“Is it hurting you?” Jimmy asked.

“Not so far,” Joel smiled. Then he saw something he hadn’t seen in a while. Sara Beth approached them in a dress! Not the coverall. It was a bluish green, aqua? And it was a flowing silky material that went just past her knees. Material that came up to her neck. Her figure wasn’t hidden. She even had on earrings and wore a necklace with a gemstone of the same color as the dress. Her hair was hanging below her shoulders and shaped attractively. She was wearing slightly elevated heels. “Sarah Beth!” Joel stated in a squeak in awe. She had moments she just took his breath away.

Sara Beth smiled and did a little turn, showing the dress. “I got tired of the same thing.” She chuckled. “Athena makes all our coveralls. I understand why, but she can make so much more.” She held the dress material out. “She did well.” She laughed bringing Joel in her arms and embracing him. “Don’t you think?”

Joel almost couldn’t speak. He managed to say, “Yep.”

“I gather you like it,” she grinned putting her forehead next to his. She shrugged and lowered her right hand and touched her abdomen and caressed it lightly. “I will be needing clothes that are loose because of Daylia.” She looked at Joel, “Am I in trouble, Commander?”

Joel shook his head, “No.” He managed. Then he grinned, “I like you out of uniform.” He said a little leering making Sara Beth laugh.

Ian touched his own coveralls, “This is a uniform?” He asked. “Why?”

“Several reasons,” Joel said smiling at his son. “The most important is to make everyone see that we are united. One group for one purpose. We are Ark II!”

“You look very pretty, Mom!” Jimmy said.

“Thank you,” Sara Beth said back.

“This is dangerous,” Joel said to his wife. “You look so good!” He laughed, “You always look good, but this...”

She spoke to his ear, “Why else do you think I wore it?” She asked near Joel’s ear.

Joel chuckled lightly, “You can tempt me without trying too hard.” He said softly to her.

“Is there anything Athena can’t make?” Jimmy asked. “She manufactures the robots, our food, and our coveralls every day.”

“Which helps me out as you grow so fast,” Sara Beth laughed. “She knows your sizes all the time.”

Kevin looked at his father, “You know, Dad. I’ve read and seen where the male animals are the pretty ones. He has to attract her.”

“You don’t want to see me in a dress,” Joel muttered.

Sara Beth laughed, “Oh, your father is very attractive. Especially in his uniform.” She nuzzled Joel’s face and kissed him lightly. “He attracted me very quickly.” She looked at Joel and looked concerned, “How do you feel?”

Joel knew she was worried about the filaments that were inserted, “I feel fine. I just had to adjust to it.”

“No disorientation?” Sara Beth asked.

“No,” Joel said and smiled. “I know you were worried about my brain chemistry and all that.”

“Well,” Sara Beth said, but her concern was genuine. “The filaments work great with patients suffering from nerve damage. The neural impulses are carried well with them. Your whole brain has had the filaments in it on a scale I need to be sure of.” She admitted. “You have a small window of time they can be removed safely. I need to be sure.”

Joel shrugged a small smile, “So far, so good.”

Sara Beth nodded, “I’m being overly cautious, I know but...”

“You care about me,” Joel kissed her. “I know.”

“This is more than putting on a pair of glasses,” She said. She touched Jimmy gently. “We’re talking about something in your magnificent head, your developing mind. I want nothing to effect that.”

“What’s the fill mints for?” Ian asked.

“Filaments,” Joel said to correct him. “They help when I fly the Stingers. I can communicate better and faster with the filaments.”

“And even communicate and operate the computer while just standing here,” Jimmy added. “With the added ban on his head, Dad can operate anything on the Ark from his mind never touching a computer! How is it dangerous for me or Kevin?”

“Because your brains are still forming,” Sara Beth explained. “The filaments are good conductors for the neural synapsis to travel. It’s done wonders for patients with nerve damage, allowing them to walk or use their arms again. I just don’t want the filaments to stop or hinder how your mind will develop.”

Kevin nodded, “We learned about the development of the Human Being. The neural electric impulses, and the way it travels in the brain. It also said our brain finishes in our late twenties.”

Sara Beth sighed, “Think of me as a mother grizzly bear. Something is encroaching on my cubs. I don’t know if their good or bad, but no one will harm my cubs.” She smiled at Jimmy. “The external neural interface may prove to be harmless.” She hugged Jimmy to herself. “I want you three to be the brilliant people you are going to be. I know all three of you...” she laughed touching her growing swell, “...soon to be four are so smart. I don’t want anything to threaten or change that.” She smiled at Joel. “I had Athena make this dress for me to see if my husband is still my husband.”

Joel chuckled, “Try me. He is.” He reassured kissing her.

Jimmy was fixed on the subject he started, “Athena makes everything!”

Joel broke just a little from Sara Beth and smiled at his son, “She can make a lot of things.”

“The coveralls are broken down and remade using the same materials,” Jimmy said. “Things such as sweat, and dirt are purified and reassembled for us to use. That’s for over two thousand people!” He shook his head, “She helps make the Stingers and even Robbie and Robot. Not to mention Rob and Apollo. The A1s and A2s!” He got a look on his face as he realized how much Athena was and did, “I’ve been studying about Athena. She is in control of the miners and the processors. She’s doing the terraforming on Gaea! She is manufacturing a world for us to live on!”

Joel smiled, “Yes, she is.”

“The Ark is Athena and Athena is the Ark!” Jimmy said in awe. “We are living inside Athena!”

“We are,” Sara Beth nodded.

Athena dressed in her flowing toga appeared next to them. No one was startled now, “I heard what you were saying and just wanted to add.” She smiled, “All of those things I do with pleasure. You include me as part of the process. I was created by man.” She waved at Joel. “He goes to great lengths to tell me I am not just a tool. I have emotions and I feel appreciated.” She looked at Jimmy, “Your mother loves you and I know both she and your father would give their lives to protect you. I’m looking forward to becoming closer with your father and your Uncle Hank. I look forward to becoming closer to other members of the Ark. I could not do this without Humans. This is a team effort.”

Joel smiled, “Yes, it is.” He clapped his hands, “I’m looking forward to some good Southern mustard based barbeque!”

“Mommy,” Ian began quietly.

“Yes, dear?” Sara Beth asked equally quietly.

“I’ve decided I don’t want any food made from animals.” He stated.

Joel smiled at his youngest. He was the most honest and thought so deeply about...everything! He was five! “Oh?”

“You’re giving up crawfish!?” Jimmy balked. “Shrimp?”

“No more fried chicken!?” Kevin asked in disbelief.

“Why?” Jimmy asked.

Ian shrugged, “I don’t want to be a predator.”

“Are you crazy!?” Kevin shook his head.

“No,” Sara Beth smiled. “He’s not. In fact he’s the least crazy of all of us.”

“But, Moooom!” The two chorused.

“No,” Joel found himself smiling even more. “He mentioned this before. Why are you doing it, Ian?”

Ian shrugged again, “They run away from us because they’re so scared.” He explained. “They don’t want to die. I won’t make them run. They won’t die because of me.” He looked at his father, “I love your cooking, Dad, but I can’t eat them anymore.” He shook his head, “I know, when you made us lobster or crab you put them in hot water killing them. You said they don’t feel pain like us,” he looked pleadingly at his father. “Are you sure? Even if they can’t...”

Joel held his hand out to stop him, “Son, that was truly magnificent of you. Honoring life is never a bad thing.”

“But these on the Ark are dead already!” Kevin justified.

“Why are we bringing more here?” Ian questioned. “Aren’t we supposed to be saving their lives?”

Joel hugged his youngest son, “Yes, we are.” He held Ian out proudly, “Don’t think badly about your old man, but I gotta have my barbeque!”

“Sure, Dad,” Ian answered proudly. “Don’t think badly about me because I can’t.”

“Never!” Joel declared. “You know, your Uncle Manu and Aunt Andrea might need some tasters for their meat substitutes.” He looked at his other sons. “No giving your brother a hard time for his hard decision!” He watched his other two look positively innocent. “Yes, you two. Act innocent, but we know the truth.”

“Yes,” Kevin tried to understand. “He’s giving up your Shrimp Etouffee! He loves that! I don’t believe anything could make me do that.”

“The other animals will be hunting, killing and eating them!” Jimmy protested.”

“Yes!” Joel agreed pointing at Ian. “Not this one. Which tells you just how strongly he believed it. What have you given up? Thank you.”

“I could never give up your cooking!” Kevin stated firmly crossing his arms over his chest.

Sara Beth looked at her son, “Ian, I will show you the foods you need for the protein needed. It can be very good.”

“Hey, “ Joel said brightly. “Manu’s substitute steak was damned good! I know the three of you can find the correct substitute for shrimp and crayfish.”

“You may find something better,” Sara Beth smiled.

Sara Beth took Ian to the food dispenser and showed him the best foods he could get while still getting the needed calories and proteins needed to further his growth. Tofu. It was a good source of nutrition for Ian.

“It won’t say anything if you include the occasional chicken or fish,” Sara Beth said as he chose his meal. “I do.”

Ian nodded taking his tray, “I’ll remember that.”

 

It was true! There were good foods that contained no animal products or even biproducts. Tofu has improved greatly in the past few centuries. It grew quickly. Soybeans! With the right spices it tasted great.

Sara Beth watched Ian really enjoy his meal. She leaned in Joel’s direction and said quietly. “Every mother believes her children are all brilliant.” She started. “All of mine are but I think Ian is a genius!”

Joel nodded, “A super genius. He can be scary at times. He’ll have the means to be that genius out here. He’s an artist, musician, and composer, reads on an advanced level. I agree. He is a genius.”

 

Rob and Robbie joined the family at the table. Conversations resumed as the noise-level rose. Joel’s and Sara Beth’s sons were acting like brothers, picking on each other, teasing each other, but they loved each other. The five years Kevin had on Ian, Kevin knew when to stop.

 

The next day was a further test for the Neural Interface. Hank and Joel were going to test the connection as Rob and Apollo were going down to Gaea. The two androids didn’t breathe, so they didn’t need an atmosphere. There were two of the A2s, the 002 and 003 were going in case of a problem that Rob and Apollo needed to be brought back to the Ark.

This was odd for Joel. He had flown for many years, even by remote. This was not remote. He was piloting using Rob’s body. They were flying just from the Ark to the Space Elevator. Joel would feel better having Nayef, Tom, Wei...Sara Beth and Rita with the Neural Implants to do this. Joel understood Sara Beth’s fear with the Interface. He understood the Interface affected the brain, therefore the brain chemistry. Would it effect their child? Sara Beth wasn’t taking the chance. Neither was Joel.

This time, Jimmy and others in the classroom were watching the experiment. The Interface worked fine. Rob’s and Apollo’s bodies worked fine, but would the bodies work with Joel and Hank at the control? Did Joel have the manual dexterity to operate the controls of the lander? Would the Interface work well a hundred kilometers apart from the Ark? Two hundred kilometers? On the other side of Gaea? Could Joel and Hank perform a set task?

As Joel piloted the craft to the top of the Space Elevator, Hank asked a question. “Do Rob and Apollo piss?”

Joel’s eyes widened and he looked at Hank, “Do you lay awake at night to think of these sorts of questions?”

Hank shrugged, “I don’t do it on purpose, but Rob and Apollo do swallow fluid to lubricate their parts internally. I know that fluid circulates. Do they piss?”

Scott’s laughter greeted them over the earpieces, “I haven’t exactly installed that feature. Maybe next time.”

“Inquiring minds want to know,” Hank said.

Technically, neither Joel nor Hank was going down to Gaea. Certainly not without environmental suits. They were in very sophisticated manufactured “crafts” that were very much like Human bodies.

“Here we go,” Hank muttered as the elevator car reached the bottom.

Joel knew if he were really about to walk out of the elevator car he would begin dying immediately. There was the fear that naturally was there. Like a vampire stepping out in the sunlight. “Let’s do it.” Joel nodded.

Hank activated the hatch-doorway and even held Apollo’s breath he wasn’t using.

Joel, like most creatures had a learned reaction to going “outside.” He stepped into the sunshine of Ran. He was expecting the warm rays on his skin. Did he say warm? It was swelteringly hot. Rob’s body read eighty-three degrees Celsius! That was hot!! One hundred- and-eighty-degrees Fahrenheit! That was hot! Yet, Rob’s body wasn’t bothered by it. The temperature registered with Rob’s body, but no warnings came up. Joel and Hank wouldn’t manage to function out here. As they prepared the atmosphere, the temperature would drop.

“Apollo will need to shower after doing this,” Joel said to Hank.

“Let’s get dirty,” Hank clapped once brightly.

 

They weren’t going to do anything complicated, but Scott, Ansh, and Rita had wanted to see if Joel and Hank could. These were major steps further. Coming within what would be the exterior wall of New Charleston, Joel felt a sense of pride well up inside him. Yes, an emotional reaction to the beginning of the foundation of Humanity on Gaea. He heard it before it registered. The tiller was busy sending clouds of dust and dirt into the air. It was bigger in real life. Three or four times his height was the length. It was heavy to sink into the ground. Those teeth sunk into Gaea as it churned the ground. The giant iron-looking robotic device that traveled in front of the tiller to break up the ground. The body Joel was in again told him what he sensed was not normal. Rob’s body could pick up things and told Joel what he sensed. A nonstop vibration reverberated in Rob’s body even several meters away. Yet, Joel did not hear anything, He wondered about sound. There had to be. Joel sent the question from Rob’s mind, even without Joel really having thought about it. Joel knew Humans could hear but not under twenty megahertz. Rob put sound at eighteen megahertz. That was low! Joel couldn’t argue the results. He saw the path the tiller was taking. He saw the broken ground left behind the tiller. Joel knew it was not earth, but broken Gaea. He knelt down picking up loose Gaea. Tiny grains of dirt could be seen. He knew that sonic device and another tilling coming again to break this down even more before nutrients and compose material was added. He saw the atmosphere reconditioner nearby. He knew the oxygen levels and the trioxygen, or ozone generator would cause the heat levels to decrease. Almost as large as the stinger lander, there were the intake ports. While Joel couldn’t see the generator was spewing reconstituted trioxygen into the sky, he could hear the machine working. Like a giant fan it was working steadily.

“This is working!” Hank waved at the tiller.

“Yep,” Joel nodded.

This was a walking inspection. The connection with the Ark and Athena was secure! That connection to here, or in another solar system had to work. Hank and Joel wouldn’t need to go too far. Beating that poor horse who was dead, Rob’s, Apollo’s, and Athena’s bodies were built using the way Human’s...and other animal life used their senses and would allow Joel’s mind to use that system. Yet somehow it just wasn’t...right. Joel knew the terraforming and the moving of what was from Earth would work. Athena was an amazing tool! But she was more than just a tool. She was also a relay from Human to computer. That exchange had improved a lot in the last fifty years on Earth...plus the travel time for the Ark.

“We’re going to try another thing,” Scott’s voice told them.

Hank in Apollo’s body...his head went back slightly. He put a finger in his ear like he was going to clean his ear, “How does he do that?” He asked no one really. “We aren’t wearing earphones or anything. Yet I heard him like I’m hearing you, Joel!”

Joel chuckled.

Scott came back with a reply, “The signal is routed through Athena. Naturally, you can hear it. What we’re going to try is switching while in the bodies. There may be a need for you to be in an A2 for maintenance or other need. Athena is running the A2s right now. Rob and Apollo will be taking their bodies back. It’s a necessary part of this experiment.”

Joel nodded, “Sure. When w...”

Without even a blink he was in one of two A2s there. A2-002! He was looking at Rob who turned to the A2-002.

“Damn!” Hank stated in the A2-003. He looked at Joel. “Warn a guy!”

“I did!” Scott shot back.

Joel nodded, “He did.”

Hank stood there amazed, “Is that my voice!” He touched A2-003’s throat. “Whoa! That is so weird!” He held his hands out. “This whole thing is weird!”

Joel chuckled again, “Yes, it is.”

“That change occurred in .05 seconds,” Scott reported happily. “Using Adel’s Boron Nitrate communications, it was almost instantaneous.”

Hank’s voice held annoyance, “Just say half a second or even less than a second.”

“I did!” Scott defended.

Apollo nodded, “He did.”

“Well,” Hank continued. “Give a count down or something!” He held the side of the 003’s head. “Geez! This will take a minute or two more.”

“The exchange may need to take place just as fast,” Scott explained. “If, God forbid, Rob or Apollo were damaged...”

“I got that,” Hank looked at this 003’s hands. “So weird!” He looked up toward the Ark in orbit. “And my body is fine on that couch in the lab.” He said to confirm.

“Fine,” Leah replied. “Resting comfortably.”

“Trippy,” Hank muttered.

“Yes,” Joel nodded again. “I’d like to say you’ll get used to it, but I haven’t yet. It’s less...surprising!”

Nayef’s voice came, “If, while in Rob or Apollo, or any of the A2s, if you are destroyed, you Joel or Hank will naturally come back to your bodies wherever they are.”

“But!” Scott added excitedly. “The situation may not be resolved, and your particular skill set is still needed. You can go to any A2 there!”

“Invasion of the Body Snatchers!” Hank marveled.

Joel laughed again, “Except you are the Body Snatcher! And no one is being copied or displaced from their bodies.” Joel grudged a nod, “Five films and yet I still prefer the 1956 version with Donald Sutherland.”

“I don’t know,” Hank said. “I think they did pretty well with the 2056 version in three dimensions. It was one of the first redone.”

“That was enhanced version of the 1956 film,” Joel objected. “Not a remake of the movie.”

“No wonder we haven’t struck disaster!” Nayef chuckled. “You two speak the same language. I doubt those in command of Ark IV or even Ark III did.”

“Joel’s is a bit Southern,” Hank countered.

“What did you think of Logan’s Run?” Scott asked.

“The 2076 version of the film was very good,” Hank said.

“There were positives about the 1976 version,” Joel argued. “It could have used some tweaking. A city of domes where they live for pleasure.”

“And die at thirty!?” Hank asked. “And how did anyone in a city, obviously in the United Staes because they were in hiking distance from Washington, D.C, have British accents? The 2076 film followed the books. There was no city of domes. It was world-wide and Sanctuary did exist on an orbiting space station! Last Day was at twenty-one, not thirty!”

“True, but...” Joel acknowledged.

“See?” Scott said. “Even if you disagree, you both know what’s being talked about!”

“As much as I would love to continue this debate,” Leah said. “We need to conclude this experiment. Back on task.”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Hank nodded. “Back on task, Joel. You heard her.”

“I’m not the one...” Joel again objected. He pointed at the body Hank was in, “It’s good we’re best friends besides our wives. I could really come down on you.”

“I’m shaking,” Hank muttered.

“Only if you’re suffering from a mechanical failure,” Scott said. “We’d have to see you in maintenance.”

“Just you wait until we’re alone on the Ark,” Hank said.

 

There were tasks they were asked to do simply to see if it could be done. Such as using tools and having the manual dexterity to do it. Joel was envisioning a whole new evolution for mankind. The merging of computer intelligence and Human intelligence. The organic and inorganic. It seemed perfectly logical and normal to Joel. He was both looking forward to it and worried. He also felt pride thinking this Ark was the best launched. For one simple reason. There were some great people assembled on this Ark. They took the elevator car back up and Joel was asked to pilot the lander in the A2-002. It was just a little odd, but he’d piloted in difficult positions before.

Joel and Hank walked in the A2s back to the lab. Then the Neural Interface was removed.

“Okay,” Hank said with a sigh. “That was...interesting.” He looked at those in the lab area. “Why were we doing that? If we’re using the Interface, shouldn’t Athena be able to pilot the lander...which didn’t land...using the Interface?”

“There are reasons for this,” Nayef smiled. “If, for some reason the Interface goes offline, you would need to be able to pilot it back using hand controls.”

“We would have no navigation!” Hank protested.

“You have your memory,” Scott pointed out. “Using Apollo’s or even an A2’s memory, you should be able to pilot back without the navigation assist from Athena.”

“We need to do everything we can to see that doesn’t happen,” Joel said.

Scott bounced, “Tomorrow, we try you outside on the Ark!” He smiled at Hank, “You do remember your zero-gravity training.”

“Yes,” Hank replied a bit testily. “I remember my zero-gravity training.” He jabbed his finger at Scott as an eye narrowed. “You’ll be doing this too soon, so laugh it up.”

Joel could see the A2s doing the risk-taking jobs from Humans being controlled often by Athena, but also controlled by Humans. The A1s, too. They were going to be for security if needed. It was difficult for Joel to think of using them on these people on the Ark.

Scott cocked his head, “Wanna see the A3?” He grinned.

“A3?” Joel asked.

In the air between them appeared something that looked similar to the A1 except it had four arms! It still had two legs, but it looked alien! The skin of this android was black. Not just dark, but solid black. The image of the A1 appeared with the A3. The A1 and A2 stood about two meters. This A3 was twice as big! He looked mean. The shape left the Human shape with the two extra arms. Now the lighted eye that roamed from right to left showed up sharply against the black skin. The muscular arms looked powerful as did the powerful legs.

“The need for this model will be limited,” Scott smiled at the image in the air. “It can travel approximately forty-five meters a second...”

“Damn!” Hank marveled. He looked at Joel, “That’s almost a hundred miles an hour.” He shrugged, “I know you don’t like the metric system.”

“Thank you, Hank.” He said sarcastically. “I’m good.” He looked at Scott, “I doubt we’ll need them with our people.” He grudged a shake and nod, “You never know the future, though.”

“And here is the A4!” Scott announced and another appeared in the air. It had six powerful arms and no legs. “This one can go with the Stingers, fly to any aggressor and literally tear them apart! They are very strong.” The two of the top pair of arms were larger then the middle two. The fingers of the lower two had sharp fingers that could dig into what it was attacking. The lower two appendages had fingers that looked like laser blasters. It too had the red eye that went from right to left.

“Daaaammn!” Hank said slowly and stepped backwards.

Scott pointed at Hank, “That’s just what we want them to do! Back off!” He waved at the A3 and A4. “The outer skin on both has a higher blend of the Boron Nitrate that will cause laser blasts to bounce off more. Impact resistance is high...in theory. We haven’t built it yet.” He shrugged, “This last one is obviously a combat model.”

“Obviously,” Hank nodded.

“We may not need this model right now,” Scott admitted. “If we need it...”

Joel held his hands up, “It’s better we have it and not use it.” Joel nodded. “I like it.”

 

Going down in the Habitat Ring Joel was again hit with questions and statements from his sons.

“You went down to Gaea without the suit!” Ian marveled. “It was hot!”

“It was,” Joel nodded. “With the reconditioning of the air, the temperature will drop.”

“You were in Rob!” Jimmy said excitedly. “We watched the whole thing! You never felt uncomfortable?”

“Not even once,” Joel answered. “I admit it felt unusual in Rob. It was very unusual in the A2-002.”

“What about tomorrow?” Kevin asked.

“Tomorrow your Uncle Hank and I are walking outside on the hull of the Ark,” Joel grinned as their eyes grew. “No suits, but in Rob and Apollo.” He grudged a nod, “Probably in the A2s again.”

“Why?” Jimmy asked.

“We need to see if the Interface works.” Joel answered. “These experiments are necessary for that.”

“I can’t wait to walk on Gaea with no suit,” Kevin said enthusiastically. He looked at his father, “We had a party before we left Earth and as we left the solar system. Are we having one on Gaea when we move to her?”

“Count on it!” Joel assured Kevin.

 

The next day they all gathered as Rob and Apollo were fitted with...jet packs? Concentrated air that could be shot out to give Hank and Joel direction in space. Their feet were equipped with magnets that would keep them attached to the hull of the Ark. Again, the A2-002 and A2-003 were going with them. There was no need for tanks of air otherwise.

“When are the others having this done?” Hank complained. “Why are we having all the fun?” He asked sarcastically.

“New equipment,” Joel shrugged. “We’ve all trained to do this in zero gravity. There will come the need for everyone to do something similar. We are just showing everyone how easy it is.”

The truth was, Joel had done this but not that often. There wasn’t as great a need for them to. When they stepped into the airlock, they heard the air sucked out. There was that momentary rush as Joel felt the slight panic as he knew what he needed to live was no longer there. His real body was again in the lab area monitored by the others. This was breathtaking. Then again, at the moment there was no breath to take.

“How are you doing?” Nayef asked. “Your vitals sort of spiked there. I assume that is due to the excitement.”

The angle they exited the Ark, Gaea loomed overhead.

“You guys need to see this,” Joel said in awe. “Words are not enough.”

“And you will do this,” Hank stated flatly. “Have those wonderful things shot into your head and come out here.”

“We will,” Nayef chuckled. “Walk toward the Habitat Ring. Wave to everyone when they come by.”

The Habitat Ring did stick out from the Ark as it spun to give gravity inside. The first and second levels stuck out. The Dining Area was on the lowest level of the ring. Seeing it rotate slightly was interesting. As the Dining Area rotated around, Joel could see many faces at the port-window, upside down, but watching them intently. There were more than the children at the window. All were waving at Hank and Joel. So, Hank and Joel waved back as they went by to do it again.

“This is kind of cool,” Hank laughed.

“It’s very cool,” Joel grinned and looked at the A2s. “How are you two?”

“We’re fine,” they chorused.

“Wait,” Hank said suddenly. “I can hear them. How am I doing that? Sound doesn’t travel in a vacuum.”

Joel smiled tapping the side of Apollo’s head that Hank was using now, “It’s really a broadcast. You just think you’re hearing it.”

“Oh,” Hank nodded.

They walked the full length of the Ark and back. They did the switch to the A2s and did it again waving at friends and family that went by again. They reentered the Ark from the airlock they left from. They again walked back to the lab and were greeted by those that saw them outside.

Once in the lab, the Neural Interface was terminated.

“Well,” Hank said a bit gloomy. “That was fascinating.”

“And very necessary,” Leah said. “Looking for problems or bugs is needed to ensure they don’t happen later.”

“We are doing this,” Joel said almost silently, then he shuddered.

“Joel?” Scott asked. “Are you alright?”

“We are resettling a world,” Joel said awestruck. He grinned at their puzzled faces. He grinned and said louder, “Every now and then, I just get a bit overwhelmed by the job we took on.” He grudged a nod, “And every now and then I realize we can and will do this. This was one of those moments. I’m excited!”