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Taria’s Lab

Words
Neal Ulen

When : Where
259 DE (2569 CE) : TerraFollowing the Transcendence Wars (2300-2310 CE), Terra became an inhospitable world compared to its pre-war state. Regardless, huamnity was forced to eek out an existence there with most survivors of ... More / TechspirePlaceholder Faction: Transcendentalists Exists in: Realspace More / The TangleThe term "Tangle" refers specifically to the mass of humanity on Terra that resides between the three mile tall Techspire and the Barrier which acts as the final dividing line between the Tangle and t... More

There’s a misconception among Spirelings that the TangleThe term "Tangle" refers specifically to the mass of humanity on Terra that resides between the three mile tall Techspire and the Barrier which acts as the final dividing line between the Tangle and t... More is a dependent fiefdom, wholly beholden to the TechspirePlaceholder Faction: Transcendentalists Exists in: Realspace More. Extensive field research has brought to light entirely new and diverse economic and social ecologies. Centuries of slow and controlled growth has given rise to unforeseen adaptation and resourcefulness—attributes that cannot be contained or predicted.

Preceded by Void the Light – Part 5.
Taria’s day had been frantic and tedious at the Third Circle Ward. This far out in the TangleThe term "Tangle" refers specifically to the mass of humanity on Terra that resides between the three mile tall Techspire and the Barrier which acts as the final dividing line between the Tangle and t... More she had seen it all over the five years assigned there, everything from the daily cases of dehydration and malnutrition, the disturbing fruits of a serial killer’s labor, to the inhumane treatment of IntegratorsIntegrators are organimechanical constructs of the Triocracy that are deployed in any location where Citizens have to be monitored or subdued. They are also used by the Triocracy to communicate with a... More hunting their prey.

She spent the final hour of her shift reviewing records of the services provided to Citizens. Her eyes scanned the screens in front of her, their pale blue glow illuminating her cluttered corner of the cramped triage room. Nothing out of the ordinary stood out to her. Heat exhaustion. Various viral infections. Broken limbs. Several stabbings. She continued to scan and swipe through the records. Just a typical day in the TangleThe term "Tangle" refers specifically to the mass of humanity on Terra that resides between the three mile tall Techspire and the Barrier which acts as the final dividing line between the Tangle and t... More. She usually didn’t put this amount of focus on reviewing daily operations, but she was doing so to take her mind off the fact that she had not heard from MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More since early that morning. It was unlike him. He always connected or sent a message during down times, even if it was a quick, guarded intimation of “I love you.”

Today, nothing. Now that the daily frenzy had diminished in the Ward, she couldn’t help but feel her old friend apprehension creeping into the back of her mind. She quickly tamped it down. She excelled at it.

Taking a deep breath she swept away the displays hovering before her and leaned back in the chair, closing her aching eyes and rubbing them gently. In fact, her whole being ached as of late. All the more reason to keep unjustified apprehension in check. It dulled the mind and frazzled the nerves. The dangerous game she and MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More were playing was beginning to physically manifest itself. There was no time for that.

The background din from the avenue outside seeped through the walls of the Ward. The white noise lulled her and tension slowly melted away as she sat, face pointed up at the antiseptic gray ceiling. Just as a blanket of drowsiness was about to fall upon her she heard the telltale chime of an incoming call.

She sat up quickly, the fatigue instantly washed away. One of the floating displays automatically hovered back into her view. Discretely looking over her shoulder she knowingly smiled and thumbed the glowing ACCEPT button. But that brief smile haltingly vanished when Martos’ battered face appeared on the display half out of frame. Her eyes grew wide in horror and her hands shot instinctively to cover her mouth lest a scream escape of its own accord.

“MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More! What’s happened?! Where’ve you been?!” The words leapt from her mouth in an whispered scream. She shot a quick glance over her shoulder a second time to ensure no other Ward workers had heard her outburst.

MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More only looked back at her from the floating display, his head twitching left and right as if searching for something. TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More could see citizens milling about behind him. He was obviously calling from a public terminal.

She slowly lowered her hands away from her face. “MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More, say something. Tell me what’s happening. You’re scaring the shit out of me.”

He looked down as if he were leaning tiredly against the terminal, then looked up at her. His one good eye was wet with tears.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked quietly, arms stretched forward as if now grasping the terminal booth for both moral and physical support. “Why did I have to find out this way?!”

“Tell you what?” A chilling fear began to infuse her.

“Stop … just, stop.” he sighed. “No more games, no more lies, no more deceptions. We can’t afford it anymore.”

“I don’t understand.” She could feel her own tears of fear and confusion beginning to well up in her eyes.

“You’re pregnant?” MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More hissed at the screen.

The color rushed from Taria’s face. “I am?”

On the screen Martos’ hands went to his head that was shaking from side to side in disbelief. What was going on? He was losing control of their carefully constructed ruse. What was the point of carrying on? It was over. He turned to walk away from the terminal hoping to find a bottomless pit to swallow him up.

The background din from the avenue outside seeped through the walls of the Ward. The white noise lulled her and tension slowly melted away as she sat, face pointed up at the antiseptic gray ceiling. Just as a blanket of drowsiness was about to fall upon her she heard the telltale chime of an incoming call.

“MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More, wait!” TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More reached out in a panic to try and stop him, but her hand only went through the image, grasping at nothing but air.

MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More stopped and returned to the terminal, his face sliding back into the frame.

“How did you find out? I mean, I wasn’t sure myself so I tested myself this morning but haven’t looked at the results. What the hell’s happened to you?!”

“You tested yourself? At the Ward?” He asked.

“Yes.”

“The Ward that is overseen by the SpireSpires is a term for the more specific Techspire, Warspire, and Lorespire that are the three arms of the human Triocracy. In a broader sense a Spire is the center of power on a given planet and/or sys... More?”

“Yes.”

“The SpireSpires is a term for the more specific Techspire, Warspire, and Lorespire that are the three arms of the human Triocracy. In a broader sense a Spire is the center of power on a given planet and/or sys... More that controls all aspects of our lives?”

Eyes cast down, TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More didn’t reply.

“What were you thinking?”

“MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More, no one saw me. I have complete control of this Ward and everything I need is here! Where else am I supposed to go?”

He smiled ironically back at her. “The only thing in control here is the SpireSpires is a term for the more specific Techspire, Warspire, and Lorespire that are the three arms of the human Triocracy. In a broader sense a Spire is the center of power on a given planet and/or sys... More.”

“You still haven’t answered my question. How did you find out?”

“Look at me TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More. How do you think I found out?”

MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More spent the next several minutes recounting all that had happened to him that day … BenizeSummary: Benize-73CQ4M44-X, a Terran Triocracy Citizen under the protectorate of the Techspire. Citizen has been involved in many legal and illicit enterprises since a child. Possesses slightly above ... More, the IntegratorsIntegrators are organimechanical constructs of the Triocracy that are deployed in any location where Citizens have to be monitored or subdued. They are also used by the Triocracy to communicate with a... More, the encounter with the SpireSpires is a term for the more specific Techspire, Warspire, and Lorespire that are the three arms of the human Triocracy. In a broader sense a Spire is the center of power on a given planet and/or sys... More. He also speculated all that was about to happen to them. He culminated the conversation by holding the back of his hand up discretely to the terminal.

“Do you see this?” he whispered. “You know what it is. It’s the Mark of the TriocracyWhen the entirety of Earth was plunged into literal darkness and chaos in the years following the Cold Boot, humanity reverted to its most base form ... survival of the fittest and strongest. The near... More … the mark of a criminal! The mark of the end, our end! I’m an Uncitizen, branded a criminal for trying to be … human! FUCK!!”

TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More watched as MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More slammed his fist repeatedly into the terminal off screen. His image shook violently on her display with each strike. Citizens walking by in the background began to take notice of his sudden outburst.

“MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More! Shhhhh … stop. Citizens are watching you.”

Taking a deep breath he composed himself and re-wrapped his marked, and now bruised, hand in the impromptu strip of cloth BenizeSummary: Benize-73CQ4M44-X, a Terran Triocracy Citizen under the protectorate of the Techspire. Citizen has been involved in many legal and illicit enterprises since a child. Possesses slightly above ... More had handed him earlier.

“What are we going to do TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More?” He was asking out of a sense of confirmation and validation, because he’d already worked out the first steps of a highly sketchy and dangerous plan. But what choice did they have?

“We run,” she said, confidently, wiping a lone tear from her cheek.

“Run where?” The tone of his voice expressed he didn’t share Taria’s faux confidence. “You know what that means, right?”

She nodded at his words.

“We’re alone now,” MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More continued. “There will be no one there to pick us up when we fall, or to feed us, or to shelter us. We will be fugitives and outcasts, not just from the SpireSpires is a term for the more specific Techspire, Warspire, and Lorespire that are the three arms of the human Triocracy. In a broader sense a Spire is the center of power on a given planet and/or sys... More, but from our friends. No one will help us. Our chance of survival is next to nil.”

TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More smiled back at his worry worn visage and said, “We’ll pick each other up when we fall.”

His face softened. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes, what choice do we have?”

He mustered a chuckle at her rhetorical question, but answered anyway. “None, as ever.”

“There’s a first time for everything,” she said.

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do … short term at least. We’re going to have to figure out the rest as we go. You’re going to leave the clinic as soon as we break connection. Go to our cube and gather clothing, food, medicine, your shardInvention of the Shards date back to the mid-21st century when the age of computing required high density, low latency data storage. Information is stored within an engineered crystalline nano-matrix ... More … anything you can stuff into two packs, one for each of us. Do it as fast as possible, okay?”

TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More nodded silently but vigorously.

“Then make your way to the Inner Hub transfer station. From there we will take the mag-rail.”

“To where?” she asked.

“I don’t know yet, but by the time I get there I’m hoping I will.”

“The TangleThe term "Tangle" refers specifically to the mass of humanity on Terra that resides between the three mile tall Techspire and the Barrier which acts as the final dividing line between the Tangle and t... More is an enormous place, surely there are people that can help us MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More.”

“Maybe, but I don’t know of any offhand. Oh, and when you make your way to the transfer station don’t take a SpokeSpokes are the great central avenues that radiate from the base of the Terran Techspire (the largest of all Spires), travel through the Rise, and radiate out into the Tangle stopping short of the Barr... More. Take side streets and back alleys. I’ll do the same.”

“I understand.”

MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More glanced at the time piece on his wrist. TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More always thought it ridiculous that he wore such a battered antique. But there was something in the sentimentality of it that she understood.

“We only have about thirty six hours to somehow disappear inside this enclosed prison we live in. After that time we’re no longer citizens of the SpireSpires is a term for the more specific Techspire, Warspire, and Lorespire that are the three arms of the human Triocracy. In a broader sense a Spire is the center of power on a given planet and/or sys... More. Everything we know or rely on comes to an end.”

TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More could feel the dread welling up in her again. Her right hand instinctively went to her belly, out of sight of Martos’ vision. She had just learned about their child herself, and was months away from showing, but her maternal connection was growing stronger with every beat of her heart.

“I’m ready,” she said.

“I’m glad one of us is. Okay, see you in a few hours.”

MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More turned as if to leave, then looked back into the terminal.

“TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More.”

“I’m still here,” she said.

“I love you. And I’m happy that we’re going to have a child.”

“I love you too!” The words caught in her emotionally constricted throat. But it was too late, she was responding to a blank frame. MartosSummary: Martos-TD849J93-X, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed average intellectual aptitude, and was assigned infrastructure maintenance training.... More had already broken the connection and was gone.

TariaSummary: Taria-T145VI33-O, a former Triocracy Citizen under the stewardship of Techspire, Terra. Citizen possessed much higher intellectual aptitude than average and was assigned advanced training. Un... More burst into tears. By the time she’d gathered her things and stepped out onto the soiled streets of the TangleThe term "Tangle" refers specifically to the mass of humanity on Terra that resides between the three mile tall Techspire and the Barrier which acts as the final dividing line between the Tangle and t... More they were already gone and replaced with burning hatred for the SpireSpires is a term for the more specific Techspire, Warspire, and Lorespire that are the three arms of the human Triocracy. In a broader sense a Spire is the center of power on a given planet and/or sys... More.

Continued in Void the Light – Part 7.

More Spaces to Explore . . .

Images & Words: Void the Light – Part 2 Images & Words: Void the Light – Part 7 Images & Words: Void the Light – Part 10