Cenerea, 3rd planet from the star Letria, Regalius,

The Homeland, Central Region, The Capitol City,

Six Cenerean Months Ago

Jay tearfully observed the hoses as they snaked their way over Harold. He listened to the rhythmic hissing of the mechanical life support system that would keep the old man hanging on for the dwindling remainder of his time with Jay. This was because Harold had indicated he did not wish to be resuscitated. Jay watched helplessly as the nurses buzzed about initiating the shutdown process on all of the machines.

Harold's eyes fluttered open momentarily and looked weakly to Jay for reassurance as the supply of oxygen began to thin.

The young man pulled up a nearby chair and sat down, placing his hand in Harold's. It felt so cold. "Harold, buddy. I'm here. Gertie sends her love..." Jay shuddered as sadness rippled through his body. His lip quivered. "Harold? If you can hear me, you don't need to worry any longer; I've got this, okay? This is mine now." Jay wanted to be strong for the old man. It was the most difficult thing he had ever done "You can let go...it's alright, my friend. You are truly free now."

Harold mustered what must have been the last of his energy to lightly squeeze the young man's hand and take one last labored breath.

Jay witnessed the life leave Harold's body as the vitals machine began to play its single note requiem for the departed.

Jay tearfully left the room stumbling out into the hall. He barely avoided the overly eager Military medical staff as they quickly moved in to reclaim the much needed life support equipment and take it for the next patient to use. His legs buckled as he fell back against a white hospital wall, sliding down until he sat on the floor an emotionally wrecked mess. No one was there for him, now. He was officially all alone in a world full of enemies and strangers once again. It was an old familiar feeling, the same pain as the first day following his mother's suicide. An ache that he had thought he had forgotten and had really wished he did. This time, there was no one to protect him from any bullies, especially the one called The Homeland.

Jay felt someone watching him. He noticed through his tears what appeared to be a short woman in a Military uniform standing in a darkened hallway. He could not make out her face. She turned and walked away when she noticed his gaze.

...

As the days progressed, turning time into memories, Jay went about completing the final part of Harold's last semester at University. The activity was purely symbolic. Jay dispensed with lab assignments and passed everyone who just showed up to class so he would not have to deal with the issues that always arose out of damaging some self-centered asshat's ego. He just needed to make it till mid-year break and then he would have a few weeks off to get his shit together and find his groove in this new life of his...Well, Harold's old life. Call it what it was.

Time flew, class let out, and with the mid-year break upon him, Jay single-mindedly continued the work of repairing Geneticus by himself. With no one to distract him, he was able to invest all of his free time into the pursuit.

Harold fortunately maintained an amazingly large, very impressive stockpile of vintage bootleg liquor that helped Jay pass the time. He also had crates of bland, but sufficiently filling Military survival meals. Jay never had to leave the house unless he wanted to, for that matter, he didn't want to, so, when he wasn't coding or repairing, he was drinking...a lot.

Gertie would often alert him when he was overdoing it with the alcohol, forget to eat, or shower for days. Jay stayed in the lab so much he decided one day to drag his mattress down the ramp and sleep there. "It was more efficient", he had convinced himself. This self-destructive cycle continued for days and into weeks.

Soon, Jay realized it was going to be time for University classes to begin again and for him to assume his full role as Instructor of Artificial Intelligence Studies. The thought of it made him ill. He preferred to stay in the damn house, attempting to bring this A.I. machine back to life. A device that showed no interest in wanting to be resurrected it seemed. But, all things being equal, he was fine with that. The A.I. and he were just two peas in a pod.

No matter what sequences he ran or repairs he made, nothing seemed to bring the compression cube back to life. It did not want to interface through any connection. There seemed to be no way to start the transfer process and place Geneticus in its new 'body'.

Frustrated by his umpteenth attempt at jump-starting the transfer with another modified communication bridge, Jay decided to drink himself into oblivion once more.

"Jay?" It was Gertie. "You need to wake up."

"Yes. What is it, Gert? Jay responded sleepily and raised his head from a puddle of drool he created on his basement mattress.

"Class starts today. You need to get up now so you can make it early enough to prepare for your first year students."

"Dammit. Life sucks."

Jay showered, shaved, and donned his white Instructor uniform. He pinned his singular University Instructor Corps badge to his chest, admiring his reflection for a moment in the mirror. The young Instructor gave himself a thumb up and grabbed his briefcase as he headed out to his transport.

Claudia, the attractive Military Records Officer that lived across the street, waved as she left to go for her morning jog. Jay waved back and watched her bounce down the road. She made him think of Elle sans the ruby hair. He frowned, lowered the door on his transport, and started the machine. Adjusting the climate control and the seat, he backed out of the driveway and proceeded toward his new job. Jay realized he was just another wholly owned piece of property of the Homeland. Another slave training more slaves to enslave more slaves in the future. Wow, what a depressing life Harold lived. Especially when it was understood that he had to live with the thought he was partially responsible for it all.

...

Jay was not the only new hire at University this year. The old scandal-ridden Dean of University, who Jay understood still never forgave him, was unsurprisingly gone. The Homeland sent in an older woman in her early seventies or so, Elaine Browne he seemed to recall, to replace him. She was mysterious. Even with Gertie's help, there was not a lot of information about her on the networks. The woman was more or less a ghost with only a handful of pages of classified, redacted documents surrounding her. Apparently, Elaine Browne was someone to watch out for.

Jay assumed Ms. Browne either spotted him as he pulled into his assigned slot in the parking area or was waiting for him, judging by her proximity to where he parked.

The old woman darted up to the transport's alumiglass window and tapped on it impatiently. She leaned down and slowly rose in tandem with the door as it opened, speaking as she stood. "Jay, do you have a moment?" the woman asked and then stood even closer when the door was successfully over her short head.

"Yes, ma'am. Anything for you," Jay said reaching over to grab his briefcase from the passenger seat of the vehicle in an attempt to ignore her spastic behavior. She was standing so close to him he might not be able to get out.

"Oh, so, sorry." the jittery woman said, backing away from Jay as he stepped out of the transport. She smiled nervously.

Initially, she seemed to be a lovely, but somewhat strange old person. However, one look in her eyes told Jay all he needed to know about how far from the truth that might be. Jay could almost feel her scanning his psyche as she stared at him. Then again, that could have been 'nervous guilt' on his part since he was dealing with that A.I. at home and dabbling in illegal free thought and alcohol.

"Hello, Mr. Levant. I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm the new University Dean, Elaine Browne," the woman said jutting her hand out for Jay to take it.

He accepted the gesture and they shook hands. "Pleasure to meet you Ms. Browne. Thank you so much for renewing my Instructor application and giving me the wonderful opportunity to serve the Homeland this year by teaching."

"Jay, the thanks really should be for you. I understand you gave up a potentially successful career path to instead become an Instructor to our future citizens. It is rare to find someone so faithful to the Homeland. That is the kind of selfless attitude that should be held up as an example for the public to strive for."

"Thank you, Ms. Browne. I just wanted to follow Harold Bouri's example. He was such an inspiration to me."

"Harold was a real hero of the People as I am sure you know. I have monitored his career for quite some time. It was sad to hear he had passed..." The woman's voice faded slightly and she looked down. Jay could not determine if her reaction was real or not.

"Well then..." she glanced at Jay once more and clapped her hands together. "I just wanted to say welcome to the University Instructor Corps, Instructor Levant, and please call me Elaine, since we are colleagues now."

"Elaine it is." Jay smiled. "Well, I must be off to class to mold these minds," he said, imagining he might have sounded a little bit like Harold. The first year Instructor briskly walked away looking at his wrist for the time. Jay tried to understand the strange vibe she was giving off. The way she spoke to him so casually. It was as if she was aware he knew the truth about the past. Knowledge they were both privy to. Just like old colleagues.

"We will talk later," the small woman shouted watching Jay head to class.

"It will be a pleasure," he replied over his shoulder.

"Yes, Jay. There is so much more to talk about."

    Jay thought about Elaine Browne as he sat down at Geneticus' terminal later that evening. "Why did that name seem so familiar?" he thought to himself.  "Was it something Harold said? Hmmm, oh well."

...

    Four days later, the new Dean appeared in Jay's auditorium doorway from nowhere. It actually startled him. "Jay, do you have a moment? I know you are about to head out for the week end break. I won't be long."

    "Yes, Ms. Browne, erm, Elaine. I always have time for you," Jay said regaining his composure. He noticed her jittery behavior had disappeared.

    "I'm curious. Whatever happened to the young man with dreams of climbing the Military R and D ladder? The visionary who created the Hive Mind concept? What made you give it all up and decide to teach?"

    Jay did not have to pause. He had rehearsed this conversation several times in his head. "Harold, ma'am. He offered me what no one else had. I was living in the Capitol City Apartments, he took me into his home. He offered me a job, with a salary. He was kind. I wanted to be just like him."

    "Ah. So, those days are through. You are happy just being a plain ol' University Instructor, then? Your ambition is completely gone and you have no interest in advancing your career?"

    "For now, yes."

    "What about that wonderful Arcturan girlfriend of yours?"

    Jay was on high alert at this point. "C'mon Jay, be careful what you say here," he thought to himself.

    "Did you hear me? What about Elle?"

    "Well, she and I are just having a rough patch, you know. But, I think we'll work through it." Jay stood at his desk in the center of the classroom. He faked a smile and nervously continued to sort through several terminal pads stacked on its surface.

    The Dean moved closer to Jay trying to position herself into his line of sight. Jay looked up at the aging woman and placed his hands on the desk to keep them from shaking. She stopped advancing.

"I know those Arcturis women are notorious for latching on to superstars. I mean, that is what you are, aren't you? A superstar? Protected from the time you were 11 years old til' now."

    "I wouldn't say I am that..."

    The small woman cut him off. "That's a fucking lie and you know it Instructor Jay Levant! The Homeland doesn't protect little boys their whole life so they can grow up and become some worthless University Instructor like Meta...erm, Harold  Bouri."

    "Meta?" Jay cocked his head sideways in feigned confusion. He knew at that moment, Dean Elaine Browne was the same Browne from Harold's story and she was not his friend, she was something far more sinister.

    "Ignore an old lady's chattering...look, I will spell it out for you, young man. Cut out this idealistic bullshit, start putting your dick back in that beautiful flame-colored pussy, and get your head in the game. I, the Chancellor, and the rest of the Homeland Council are in need of your genius. Your Hive Mind project is on the top of everyone's list. That means you are on the top of everyone's list. This is a great place to be if you are cooperating and a fucking shitty place to be if you ain't. Got me?"

    "Yes ma'am."

    "Now, I am going to make this very clear. I will let you finish out this semester and live in that nice little house, but at the end, you will report to me and start your new life working for the Homeland Military.  You will marry that gold-digging Arcturan slut and make more gold-digging babies and then you will die a hero of the Homeland...just like Harold Bouri's crazy ass wife. Understood?"

    Jay wanted to scream. He didn't dare ask about the alternative. He already knew the answer. However, now he was concerned for Elle's safety. The Homeland might be using her as leverage just like Harold said they would. He had to speak to her and warn her.

    "Very well. I will do as the Homeland wishes. I am yours."

    The small woman stretched out her arms and looked into the air. She slowly turned in a circle, yelling at the top of her lungs. "See! This is why I always have to do every fucking thing myself. If I don't, it won't get done. HA!"

    Jay wondered how deep this strange woman's influence went. He imagined rather far judging from her outburst.

    Browne stopped her odd display and returned her gaze to the frightened young man standing behind his desk. She pointed a crooked finger at him and said, "Until this semester is over, I will be watching you very, very closely, Instructor Levant." With that, she turned and left Jay's auditorium.

    He plopped down into his gray office chair. Jay was a nervous wreck. Every muscle in his body was quaking from fear. He realized his work at home was even more important now.

"Alright, Geneticus, tonight you are going to wake up...even if it kills me."