Millions and millions died. Whole cities became deserted virtually overnight. Civilization collapsed.
Carl informed Jan at this point that there were no more news tapes.
Jan had been profoundly moved by what she had seen during her two days of watching the screen, but what had most affected her had been a report on Minerva shortly after it had been established as an independent state. Jan wept as she saw what Minerva had once been and what a sad remnant of that once great society her Minerva had been. She also saw, reluctantly, that the early Minervans had made use of Old Science. In fact, as Milo had told her, the very creation of a society where women could overthrow the natural inequalities imposed by their sex rested on the work of the genegineers.
But though it went against all she had been taught by her religious teachers, she found she could now come to terms with this knowledge. The important thing was the ideal behind Minerva itself and she felt a huge weight of responsibility descend on her as she realized that she had been cast by fate, or the Mother God, to be the last, living embodiment of that ideal. It was up to her to keep it alive. Not only alive but to see it somehow flourish again. …
Some hope of that, she thought bitterly.
As two more days passed Jan began to suspect, from the evasive way Carl reacted to her requests to be set free, that it might not be him that was keeping her prisoner but Ashley.
The idea made sense. Ashley seemed to have control over Carl in all other areas. She was determined to keep Jan with her but blamed the situation on Carl so as to not attract Jan’s anger. Presuming that this was the case Jan realized she would now have to concentrate on trying to persuade Ashley that she should be set free.
But how?
It was the morning of the sixteenth day and Jan was in the bathroom cutting her hair. She had decided that the long Aristo style was too big a nuisance and that it would be better to have it cropped short. She was staring at her reflection in the mirror when a possible solution to her problems occurred to her. She froze as the plan unfolded in her mind like a seed sprouting. The seed grew … it put down roots, leaves spread and, finally, a flower opened its petals. She had the solution.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Trying to conceal her state of intense excitement, Jan walked back into the living room and said calmly, “Ashley, are you there?”
“Of course,” came Ashley’s voice and she materialized in front of Jan. Today she was wearing a long back dress that left one breast bare. She looked very beautiful. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Flying.”
Ashley’s face lit up. “My favourite subject!”
“I know. What would you say if I told you there’s a chance you could fly again?”
Ashley stared at her. “What do you mean? There’s no possible way I can fly again. I’m trapped down here. Like you. No, I’m more trapped than you. I’m in a computer. You know that.”
“Yes. I’ve been learning a lot about computers. First from Milo and now from Carl. I told you about Milo’s plan, didn’t I? How he intended to enter the Sky Tower in the city and use the computer within it to summon down the Sky Angel from space?”
“Yes, yes,” said Ashley impatiently. “But what’s that got to do with me?”
“You and Carl can be separated from the computer, can’t you? The essential bits of you, I mean. The programs.”
“Of course. We’re on the same piece of software. Why?”
“The type of computer here—are its parts interchangeable with other computers? Such as the ones in the city?” Jan asked her.
“Most likely,” said Ashley. Then after a pause she said, “I’ve just asked Carl and he said yes. All the bio-chip computer systems were compatible.”
Jan said, “So if I were to take your ‘software’, take it into the city and insert it in the computer in the Sky Tower you and Carl would come to life again—inside that computer?”
“Yes,” said Ashley doubtfully. “Provided that the computer there was still working. …”
“It is. Milo established that from the Lord Pangloth’s control room.”
“So?” Ashley shrugged. “What good would it do me to be transferred to this other computer? I wouldn’t even have my holographic projection facilities.”
“I haven’t finished yet. Once inside that computer you and Carl would be in control of it, right? You would be able to take over its functions?”
“Yes,” said Ashley with an impatient sigh. “Provided you removed the original software first.”
“Good. Then you and Carl could do what Milo planned to do. Make the Sky Tower computer send the signal that would bring the Sky Angel down from space?”
“Well, Carl could, I suppose,” said Ashley, frowning. “But I still don’t see the point.”
“If I had access to the Sky Angel I could then take your software from the tower’s computer and insert it in the Sky Angel’s. And what would happen then?” Ashley didn’t answer for some time. Jan guessed she was in communication with Carl. Then, with eyes wide with excitement, she said, “I could become linked up with the Sky Angel’s every sensor. I could control its every movement. I could be the Sky Angel!”
“That’s what I thought,” said Jan with satisfaction.
“So what are we waiting for?” cried Ashley. “Let’s leave right away. I’ll show you how to remove the software.”
“Calm down,” Jan cautioned. “You must know that everything I just told you is out of the question.”
Ashley looked stricken. “Why? Why is it out of the question?” she demanded.
“Well, for a start I can’t leave here, can I? Carl won’t let me.”
“Oh, is that all?” said Ashley, relieved. “Don’t worry, I’ll soon sort him out.”
I thought you would, thought Jan in triumph.
Jan was almost ready to leave. But now that the moment was near Jan was suddenly unwilling to return to the surface. It was safe down in the shelter while the surface held nothing but dangers. And even with the weapons that Ashley had supplied her from a hidden compartment in the main bedroom she knew her chances of reaching the Sky Tower were not good. There was also the strong possibility that she would succumb to whatever plague viruses or spores still lurked in the city itself.
When she’d expressed this latter fear, Ashley had conferred with Carl, then said brightly, “Oh, you can wear an anticontamination suit!” Another previously concealed panel had opened in the main bedroom to reveal a row of hanging, one-piece suits made of some smooth, white material. Jan took one of them out and examined it. It had a hood that would completely cover the head. Like the old clothes of Ashley’s that Jan was now wearing in preference to the smelly rags of Ezekiel’s people the suit seemed to be in good condition despite its great age. She asked Ashley about this.
“Oh, it’s probably to do with the lack of air,” she told Jan uninterestedly. “Carl pumps all the air out of the shelter when I don’t have, er, visitors. He lowers the temperature too. Go on, put it on.”
Jan had obediently climbed into the anti-contamination suit and closed all the seals. She peered out through the visor on the head-piece. Below the visor was a protruding nozzle which admitted air whenever she breathed in. She presumed the nozzle contained filters to keep out harmful organisms. Ashley confirmed this.