No Man Is an Island

Vo was busy copying data from Dr. Todt's computers to removable drives and sorting them in some appropriate form so they would be easier to use once they get to their lab on the Vigilant. Shirra was helping him in connecting to other terminals throughout the compound and several observation posts throughout the island so that they wouldn't have to run in circles between each of them. Like many scientists, doctor hadn't paid much attention to keep his data in order, so Vo and his EGO had to spend some time writing off duplicates and older versions of the same file and gathering parts of the research that were seemingly connected with each other but scattered throughout different computers.

"Hey, that's something familiar I've found here," Shirra noted, "It's an archive of the data we've found on the Votacide virus in the laboratory of Red Deer where you've been kept. I have a copy of it but I think it wouldn't be a chore to copy this one too. Guess Fiel wasn't as discreet as he promised after all."

"Eren has a copy of this archive too," Vo mentally replied, "There's no need to keep this information away from scientists. It's a guarantee that people around the world will be ready if this virus surfaces up again. Besides, Fiel only promised not to share the information about me and Lu. Is there anything about us in that archive?"

"Guess you're right, I haven’t found anything on you here… yet. Wait. Something is not right. The data seem slightly changed but in a strange way. The folder structure is the same as in my copy of the archive. File sizes and their dates are the same too. But the content is slightly different, just several groups of bytes in each file. Those areas are not filled with all zeroes or all ones like it happens when a download or a hard drive fails. The data seems legitimate but different."

"So it looks like someone changed it, but we don't know who, when and for what" Vo summarized.

"Exactly," Shirra confirmed, "Which got me thinking… Vo, what if it's our version of the archive is corrupted? And if not, then what if all he data we're downloading is corrupted the same way? How we're going to restore it without being lucky to have the original content like we were with the Votacide part?"

"We'll think of it when we finally get to the Vigilant. Your task for now is to scan through those files we have copies for and highlight their differences. I'll present them to our Doctor and we'll see if he'll be able to determine which the right one is. Then, if we'll have to restore all this data… have you hear of artificial neural networks? I think Lexy and our EGOs combined will have enough calculating power and flexibility to build one. Now let's get back to copying."

After the copying process was finished, Vo looked around to see what Dr. Todt was doing, and to his surprise he found him standing next to a pile of lab equipment he managed to gather.

"Is all this really necessary?" Vo asked, thinking of how they would have to transfer the entire fragile load into the Riot under time constraints.

"You see, young man," Dr. Todt stated in a matter of fact way, "I've heard that given the circumstances time is the essence. Your equipment can be no worse than mine which I'm still not convinced of yet, but it will still take us some precious time to get used to it and it could be a source of unfortunate mistakes if I had to continue my research on different equipment than I'm used to."

Vo sighed in surrender hoping his ATV that was stored on the Riot was still functional and capable to work as a transport for it.

Leaning on a wall in the complex, Lena Marr watched Dr. Euthanasius/Todt pile his equipment with unblinking sky blue eyes, and when he was finished she asked, "So you're really going to bring all this shatko, are you? Think I may be able to help you with transport there, Doctor... ? Hey, what should I call you now, Dr. E or Dr. T? Aw, I guess it doesn't matter, I'm terrible at names and as I'll probably just call you whatever I feel like at the moment. However, don't forget Abbie! I've grown attached to the little bugger! Get it? She's a leech, she was in my uterus, and I said I'd grown attached to her?"

Lena uttered a huge dramatic sigh before adding, "Never mind, NOBODY ever gets my jokes!" Then she sauntered to where Lady Christianna stood hugging Atticus Batman after they returned from the Garilu's wreckage and remarked with a wicked grin, "Hey Lady, you don't seem to be doing much, so come with me to the bedroom," Seeing the alarmed expression on Lady's chalk white face and Atticus' stance change to even a more protective one than before, Lena laughed merrily, reassuringly explaining, "Don't worry, it's nothing of a sexual manner, although with your new ghostly powers, some girl-on-girl action WOULD be fun, but both our guys are such wet blankets as to stuff like that, so that ain't going to be happening. I just need you to help me make something that can help us all haul the good doctor's crap out of here more easily and quickly when our ride arrives."

As Lena led Lady back to Doris/Boris' bedroom where she had just come from with her dress, she chuckled as she remarked, "Wet blankets... and we're going to a bedroom! Get it? I am such the jokester today, even if my jokes only amuse me! But then... that's all that matters, right? ME!"

Lady raised one white eyebrow and pursed her thin lips into a pout but said nothing, watching Lena intently with her striking pink eyes. Lady was always miserly with her words, not wanting to waste time even uttering them if at all possible, whereas Lena was just the opposite, throwing words around like they were confetti. Lady sometimes wondered if it was because Lena liked the sound of her own voice so much, or if it was because she had been alone without anybody to love and trust for so long before Marcel that Lena had gotten used to her voice being her only companion. Lady didn't wonder long about such things, for Lady was not one to worry much about the past, nor about the future much either, preferring to live in the present, although since she had married Atticus and birthed their twins, she was thinking more about the future than she had ever before in her young teenage life.

When the two Castithan woman reached the bedroom, Lena immediately began stripping the bed of it's bed sheets, ordering over her shoulder, "Check the drawers for more bed sheets, and anything we can use like a rope, like maybe belts or straps. If we can't find anything like that, we'll have to tear up some clothes to make some."

"Whatfo?" Asked Lady, although she did as she was asked, soon finding some more bed sheets in a drawer filled with clean linens.

"We are going to make makeshift backpacks for everyone out of sheets and the struts from this bed, so we can keep our hands free for weapons in case we are attacked on our way to our taxi," Answered Lena cheerfully, "Don't want to have your hands full when your'e being chased and shot at, don't you know!"

Actually, Lady didn't know, for although she grew up poor, her father Bocar was like most traditional Castithan parents who sheltered their daughters, hoping to marry or indenture them off to a higher, richer caste when they were grown. Lady knew that was not true for Lena who had grown up in an orphanage that was a front for a child brothel in Lima; however, Lady was curious and asked, "Where?"

"Where did I learn to make makeshift backpacks?" Lena talked as she finished her first backpack and began a second, reminiscing, "When I was only a little younger than you, I was a pretty good cat burglar as well as a sneak thief. You have to diversify your skills if you are going to survive the mean streets of Lima. Anyway, when you are burglarizing a home or business, you would often find more good stuff than you could carry out, and you really wanted to keep your hands free in case the homeowner or businessman or law keeper suddenly appeared on the scene. True, I could have wore a backpack into a place, but it would be mighty suspicious strolling down the boulevard wearing an empty one, and at that time I had Officer Kima hot on my trail, so I liked to travel light for fast getaways. SOOOOOO as a matter of practicality, and with the help of a horny native basket maker, I learned how to make bush craft backpacks fast but sturdy."

The two Castithan women, the same in some ways but different in so many others, worked quickly as they engaged in the type of talk girlfriends do when they are together. They talked about their men and families, their homes, and their plans for the future, although Lena was careful not to mention her plans of future genocide. As they worked, when Lena moved one of the mattresses, a book fell out on to the floor. Lena winced at the loud sound the book made when it fell, knowing there was no way Lady could not have heard it so that Lena could just safely pocket it.

"Huh," said Lena nonchalantly, "Looks like Doris the Boris kept a journal... and its in some kind of code! Who knew? Probably just about whether she slash he was going dress for the day as a guy or as a gal, but it might be fun to break the code after we get out of here! Can't have little Lena getting bored, can we? Idle hands are the Devil's workshop and all!"

Once they had finished a dozen backpacks, Lena and Lady took their work product to the control room and placed them next to the stack of equipment Dr. Todt had collected. Lena threw up her hands afterwards and with a wicked smile took a ta-da stance, as Lady went back next to Atticus, hugging him tightly around his midriff while whispering to him, "Lena found a book."

Lena dusted of her chalk white hands as if they were dirty, then pranced back in forth in front of her lover, Marcel Lestrange, like a model on a runway stage, saying with a pretty pout, "Pooh-bear, You never told me how beautiful my new outfit is! Flower prints are SOOOOOO in this year!"  

"My precious Honey Pot," said Marcel Lestrange with a grin. "I am guilty as charged but let me say a word on my defence. You are so stunning in that dress that I could not do anything else than stand there speechless and admire you. And then you already left with Madame Batman and I am most impressed by your idea of creating backpacks out of nothing. I know that it had to be YOUR idea because you were the one who asked this young woman to join you. That meant that you had a working idea and I am most pleased to see the results."

Before Marcel could continue, he could hear Volodja Uljanov's voice who said decisively to himself, because he was still staring out of the window and not at anyone in the room: "You have my permission."
After that Marcel could hear noise of tearing stitches of Volodja's khakis when his body grew and turned green as he was turning into Incredible Hulk. But transformation lasted only for a brief moment. After that Volodja regained his normal size and colour. Except his eyes which became turquoise.



"Is this infamous case of the Nerd Rage?" asked Marcel Lestrange mockingly. "Not very impressive, I must say. But how did you..."

Instead of replying right away, Volodja rose his hand and made a slight move which caused nearby potted tato plant bend it's vine and threw the fruit at Marcel.

"Quiet, disrespectful Manling," said Volodja's voice. "We are the island. Manling who owns this body opened the door for us when he swam in our pond, but since he didn't dank the water, he resisted us long enough to enable one young woman to convince us that taking over someone's body without asking first would be inappropriate. This time we asked his permission and he agreed to let us in while he plays poker with another personality in his body, although he would prefer chess. But enough of that.

We are here because that young woman told us that one hour is not enough to gather your wounded. From our point of view it was a bit unexpected request. In nature most of injured specimens either live or die without much outer care, but you, humans and Votans seem to take care of your kind when they are disabled. Only most sophisticated and social life forms will do such things. Wolves or whales for example. Preserving lives of your own kind is another new thing I learned about humanoids. Mostly thanks to this young woman who was willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of others. At least on some levels you are dedicated on preserving lives, although in general sense humans have done everything possible to destroy natural environment and themselves along it.

We also decided to come here because that young woman and her Manling didn't knew that there are not only wounded to take care of but also that we are sealed off from the rest of the world by some sort of electromagnetic filed when they negotiated with us. Nature is not cruel. That is why we are just towards you and give you time to gather your crew members, remains of your...destroyed aggregate and find a way to get rid of this unnatural energy shield. It would be fair to you. Try to avoid cause more harm when you are doing that. Our patience has it's limits." Volodja Uljanov's body looked at them with serious look in his turquoise eyes.  

Volodja ended this short speech by saying: "Since we are done here we will go and inform this young woman that her voice was heard. And watch the evidence this Manling wanted to present us when he spoke about ecological edutainment. It is a strange piece of evidence indeed. Just as strange as this Manling is. A cartoon, called "Capten Planet and the Planeteers." Before anyone could respond anything, his body jumped out of the window, landing to his feet and as the next thing he was running towards the pool.



"One thing I can say,"commented  Marcel Lestrange after Viral was out of their sight. "This nature has the same annoying habit to toss words at us just like Volodja. And not only words. Maudit légume! Damned vegetables!"

Vo nodded in agreement on Atticus's words and rushed in blur to the radio. To his joy, it took him mere seconds to hear Taffer's voice after he called.

"Glad to hear you again Taf," he transferred, "But I'm afraid we have some more things to do before we can get away safely. We'll have to disable the shield completely and we better take the remains of Garilu with us. Viral demands this as a returning favor in exchange of giving us more time to gather for the evacuation. Who's Viral you ask? Well, I'm not quite sure who she is, but she's very powerful and we decided that making her angry is not a good idea. I hope others will explain it better than me when we finally meet in person."

"Is it familial for them?" Thought Taffer as he glanced behind his back where he expected Lu was resting and shook his head in disbelief. But out loud he said, "Okay Vo, I got an idea for that. But I'll pick you up first anyway. I'm sending you the coordinates of our meeting place. It's not far from the compound and it's the place where the central shield generator is located. The explosion has cleaned us a suitable landing area and we'll be able to work on reprogramming the next generator while you're closing in to us. The idea is simple. We already have one generator working in antiphase. Now we'll reprogram the central one in a similar way, and then the one next to the Garilu wreckage. This way we'll have a straight line of antiphase generators cutting the protecting shield in half. Those generators are programmed to work in sync with each other, so when they lose the signal from more than half of other generators, they will throw an error and shut down. The antiphase ones will follow them after. This way we'll have all of them shut down without the need to reach each one of them. Next, we'll collect the remains of Garilu with your help and I hope we'll be ready to go after."

As Vo blurred back to finish packing his part of Dr. Todt's equipment and share the coordinates of the meeting place and the details of his new plan, Taffer addressed the Riot team through the intercom.

"Attention team," He voiced, "We have a change in plans. We're following our path to the meeting place, but we're not going to be just waiting there. We'll go reprogram another generator. And then, after we get our team together, we'll make another short flight and pickup the remains of the Garilu rover as well, reprogramming another generator on our way. As you remember, those generators were buried underground with a series of explosions. It means we'll have to go some quick digging. Lu, if you feel better now, I'm afraid we'll need your service again. You're the best Pulverizer operator and what is more important, you seem to know exactly where to hit with it. That's what we need, unless we're going to use Riot's pulse cannon which I'm not inclined to as the result might be devastating."

Upon hearing that, Lu threw up her hands and said, not really caring if Taffer can hear her or not, "Oh come on! Someone have just disabled my EGO, poisoned me with some nasty tranquilizer, forced me to this bed and now he says, Lu would you be so kind to help me do the hard work. You know what — I knew where to hit when I had my EGO scanning the surface. Now I'm mostly blind thanks to your special medicine. The Pulverizer is over there and if someone with functioning EGO takes it and plays with it for a while, I won't be crying thief."

One possible way to prepare oneself for dealing with major problems is probably begin with smaller ones, like packing another makeshift backpack. That's what Volodja Uljanov was doing, although he could not get lifeless glance of Sandy's beautiful blue eyes out of his mind. Yup, it was his mind again because Viral kept her promise and left his body as soon they reached to Sandy. Yet it didn't brought along any inner peace because....because that dead blank look in Sandy's eyes. They used to be so lively, so warm when they looked at Volodja. To be honest - sometimes they used to be upset as well, but even that was way better than lacking any kind of emotion...

Small sized book, tossed at him by  the white hand of Lena Marr, caught his attention for a moment. He automatically lifted his hand, caught it and nodded absent-mindedly at Lena's remark about Sandy. Volodja slid his eyes over written lines which at moment didn't made any sense to him. Then he closed the book, put it into chest pocket of remains of his khakis. "Will take closer look later," was his only short voice comment.

To lift his heavy load in most effective way, Volodja used one of his hands to grab pack's haul loop and with bent knees, slid the pack up to his thigh and let it rest for a moment. As a next thing he steadied pack with one hand still on the haul loop and slipped his other arm and shoulder through one of the shoulder straps, pushing his shoulder in as far as possible. Avoiding making any abrupt moves, Volodja leaned forwards, swung heavy backpack to his back and slipped his other arm through the other shoulder strap. Done! His load was heavy indeed but not as much as burden on Volodja's heart when he looked his beloved Sandy. 

His physical burden was about to increase as well, because Marcel Lestrange stepped by his side and patted his backpack with his heavy arm, saying recognisably: "Strong like a horse! And stubborn like an ass! Let us put these two together and we get a pack mule."

"It's going to be a long trip," thought Volodja when he begun to move, but didn't told it out loud. Quite opposite - Volodja became unusually quiet and measured ground with his strong long feet head lowered. From time to time he lifted his glance to Sandy. Silently. But every time when Sandy looked at him and he noticed that, Volodja tried to smile encouragingly to her, hoping that it has at least some use. Since Sandy refused any attempts to help her when she almost fell, smiling to her was only kind of support Volodja could offer...