Invasion of the Cycloves

By Terence J Henley

The Utopians build a large Hadron Collider in orbit around their moon after they were involved in battles with the Deciden species. After the final battle, they discover there is a much deadlier race called the Cycloves, who travel from galaxy to galaxy destroying every life form they find.

Wondering how they can beat them, the Utopians create an experiment inside the Hadron Collider where they put a replica race of the Cycloves at the top and a species called humans, who represent them, at the bottom. They want to see how the humans will hopefully show the Utopians how they will win the fight.

They build a medical center on their moon where their people are put to sleep and allow their soul to enter the humans as they are born. It is a race against time for Chrymella and Darrent, her soul, to solve the problem.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Oct 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524595692

Terence J Henley

The author, Terry to his friends, is disabled. He was formerly an electrical engineer and educated to degree level in electrical engineering, physics, and math. He has completed a FutureLearn course on climate change and published a paper on climate change. He had to retire in 1993 after he developed an epidermoid cyst inside his spinal column and needed multiple operations to keep him alive. Terry is an amateur astronomer, a member of the BIS (British Interplanetary Society), and follows the space program with keen interest. He hopes he will see the first people set foot on Mars and start a new life there. His other interests are films (sci-fi and thrillers), photography, model building, and reading. His favorite author is Steven King. Terry has written a sci-fi trilogy, a teen romance, and a large number of novelettes. He now also edits the online magazine Odyssey for the BIS.

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Terence J Henley.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016917775

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-5245-9571-5

                Softcover        978-1-5245-9570-8

                eBook             978-1-5245-9569-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/25/2016

Xlibris

800-056-3182

www.Xlibrispublishing.co.uk

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Contents

Dedication

Other Titles by this Author

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

About the Author

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my wife, Angela.

She was my wife, lover and best friend.

In loving memory

27 October 1952 – 19 September 2015

OTHER TITLES BY THIS AUTHOR

Sci-fi

Miranda Part 1 of the trilogy

The Miranda Gate Part 2 of the trilogy

Miranda Revealed Part 3 of the trilogy

The Death Zone

Teen Romance

Hazel’s Pride

CHAPTER 1

A s I opened my eyes, I couldn’t see a thing. I was cold and felt wet all over. Someone was rubbing my chest and back to get the blood and wet, sticky liquid off my naked body. Something hard was pushed into my mouth, which sucked fluid from my throat. The person holding me was shouting at other people; I could barely see as I forced my eyes open and looked up into the bright, white lights. They were so bright I had to close my eyes again, and when the person removed the sucking tool from my mouth, I let out a loud scream. I was in considerable pain and panicking for a reason I didn’t understand.

I was fine about an hour ago, then I was drugged and … What had happened to me?

I tried my hardest to recall what I had been doing or where I was, but the memories wouldn’t come. I knew someone must have drugged me, but I didn’t know why, who did it, or how much time had passed. My body felt numb, awkward, and then I realised I couldn’t feel my arms and legs; well, not properly. What was going on with me? Why weren’t my hands working?

I opened my eyes again but everything was blurred, and I guessed this was because of the drug someone had given to me. I closed my eyes and felt someone going over my body with delicate hands; my legs were being lifted and examined and once again I had the feeling that something was not right with me. Someone had done something to me, which was evident as I was not my usual self. As soon as my eyes could focus, I would get up and find out where I was and what was happening.

My head started to ache, and I felt tired. Then I was picked up as if I were as light as a feather, and I couldn’t understand how this was happening. I felt something warm go around me, and then my arms and legs were crushed into a warm, what I could only call a blanket. But that shouldn’t and couldn’t be happening. In Godisious’s name, what was happening to me? I was now getting anxious. I had no idea where I was, what happened to me, or why someone was holding me this way. I started to breathe fast, almost hyperventilating, despite being held in a giant’s hands.

My mind was in a turmoil, but I hadn’t had a drink in I didn’t know how long. Then I thought, drink. Yes, someone must have drugged my drink. And now I was where? Where was I, and why was I here?

I suddenly realised someone was carrying me across the brightly lit room, and as my eyes opened again, all I could see was the blurred face of a woman who was smiling at me as she looked down into my eyes. Was she trying to help me or tell me something?

I realised I was on a planet that had very tall people, and I couldn’t recall what planet that could be. Another thought entered my head: I was searching for answers to questions, but I had no idea what was right or wrong. Was I in intensive care? Had I been in an accident? I tried to think, but the memories wouldn’t come; I was still in denial of what had happened to me. I closed my eyes and felt someone lowering me; then more thoughts entered my head. The woman who was very tall had brown skin and wore ultra white clothes, had to be a nurse. But in what department?

I was certain now that I had been in some form of an accident, more than likely in space because of this nurse, I was sure, was from the planet Midas. These people had dedicated healers and helped everyone, especially those in space accidents. We had discovered the Midans two hundred years ago, and they had been wonderful friends, but I couldn’t recall if they were tall; perhaps this was one of their people. I recalled that these citizens were also first responders and had ultrafast ships hospital ships that were always on alert in case a ship struck an asteroid. That was it! I must have been in the Nyota star system, which was crammed full of asteroids that were very rich in gold, uranium, and thorum ores.

I must have been on a mining or survey ship. No, it must have been a survey ship, as I knew I was not an asteroid miner. I recalled now that I had been on a ship, a large ship, the Spirit of Utopia. I was heading to Creshal to talk at a conference. Something must have happened, and I was in the Midans’ fast response hospital ship, All Hope Is Not Lost.

As someone started to lower me, I thought I must be very small or very light to accomplish this. And if I was on a ship, then the captain had the artificial gravity turned down very low.

Sounds entered my head. People around me were all talking at once. Flashes of light suddenly filled the room as I was held upright in the nurse’s strong hands and faced a camera. The person holding the camera was still blurred, and I cursed my eyes for not focussing correctly. What in hell had they given me?

A hand gently stroked the side of my face; I knew it was a woman’s hand because her skin was very soft. I heard her voice as the words entered my head, but they were subdued by the tight covering around me. I tried to turn my head but found it impossible. It was held tightly in the blanket or soft towelling, and even if I could turn my head, my eyes were still letting me down. Then I was lowered to the woman in the bed below me, and her eyes beheld me as if for the first time.

Her smile was ecstatic. Even through my blurred vision, I knew I would remember it and her smell for the rest of my life. The smell was critical to me now, although I didn’t know why. But it was important, and my basic instincts were now kicking in. I knew it meant something, although I wasn’t sure what, but the woman’s smell kept wafting up my nostrils and impregnated itself into my memory. Again, I had no idea why this was so important. It was, I knew, the only way I could tell who was who in the world at present. A person’s scent to me would be crucial, although I wasn’t sure why I knew this. It was as if some primal instinct had come into being and taken over every other instinct I had. At this moment, I had to survive, and the person’s scent would be one of the principal sources of telling me who was who and where I had to be to get … What? Food? Help? Nutrition of any source.

I had no idea why I would need to use scent, why I couldn’t just ask for food or drink. I didn’t know if the people spoke my language, but I was sure I could make them understand with gestures. Surely someone could understand me? I could speak Midan and a hundred other languages, and most species carried a translator. Some people even swallowed a pill to help them speak some words, and we all got on together. Someone would give me a hand; I was sure.

The female who was examining my eyes was smiling and cooing to me, then her lips closed, and she kissed my face all over, smelling me at the same time and speaking a language I knew well or thought I did. It was a slightly different dialect but still American Midan. The nurse was talking now, and she was speaking Midan. I was sure.

The female kissed my face, then her arms reached up and took me from the nurse. Now I was very confused. What in the hell had happened to me? Why was I so small, and who on Midan was this person?

The female was speaking very fast, too fast for me to understand; as I was still in severe shock. I couldn’t understand what the nurse was saying; then she handed me to another set of large hands, which were again a brownish colour. The person raised me to its face and started to kiss me again. I thought for a moment that the only person you did this to was a new-born baby, but I was not a new-born baby. I was over 3,000 years old and had two significant upgrades to my body to help me adjust to space travel. I would live well into my thousands and maybe reach 300,000 years old, thanks to the Utopian doctors.

The next person to hold me shouted at me and held me a little more awkwardly. I recognised a female voice, a young boy. He was holding me tight, speaking fast, and giggling, then something happened that made me wonder if I was dreaming.

We’ll call her Chrymella, I heard someone say.

Yes, it was your sister’s name, and it will be excellent to remember her this way. Fancy having a girl when I was so certain I was going to have a boy, a woman said.

I didn’t know who was talking, but I knew it was not about me because I’m a man. Well, the last time I looked. Someone suddenly thrust me against the woman lying in the bed and, what was going on here?

The next second, my head was on her naked breast and my mouth was sucking her nipple. I then felt the warm, liquid, flowing into me. I instinctively knew I needed this to stay alive, and my mouth wouldn’t stop sucking. The liquid was flowing into me and I was swallowing it as fast as I could. It was sweet and tasted exquisite. Then the name of the liquid came to me, it was milk, and I needed it to stay alive. It was something my body desperately needed to compensate for the trauma the unit had gone through for the past four and half hours. I, of course, didn’t need it and why was that? Because I am not this person, I’m from another place and sent here …

It suddenly came to me like a lightning bolt. I was on the other side. My body was in The Game Room, and this shouldn’t be happening, at least not yet. Had something gone wrong? I started to panic as my mind went into overdrive. There had to be a way out of this! Something was not right; I shouldn’t be here yet, not only that, I was the wrong sex. My wife, who was following me a few moments later, would be looking for a man, and we would now never meet and spend …

Come on Chrymella, latch on properly, you need this, the woman was telling me.

I had other things on my mind, but the body was hungry and still in a state of shock. I instantly recalled what happens to new-born babies. They need nutrition, and the brain will do what it needs to get it, letting the consciousness sleep away the hours until the body wakes it when the first initial days have passed and the body is ready for the conscience to take over and fulfil its duty.

The body moved forward, pushing its head towards the nipple where it could smell the goodness it desperately needed. I wondered how I was going to get out of this unit. There was supposed to be an emergency stop within the first 24 hours if the host didn’t want to go through with The Game. However, I couldn’t recall where it was and what I had to do?

The unit heaved as it moved into a different position making it easier for the mouth to suck on the nipple. The woman’s hand came down on the baby’s face and then moved her breast making it more comfortable for her. She gently touched my head, and her long, slender fingers caressed the side of my face.

My eyes were still not focussing correctly, but I was listening to what was going on around me. The people in the room were all talking at once, and they were all talking about me. I was okay and not in any danger and had all my fingers and toes. What the people in the room didn’t know, I should not be in this baby, and I didn’t want to be here. Then I had an idea; I would allow the newborn to drink and get it to relax a little then I would start to talk. This would accomplish two things. First, scare the hell out of everyone in the room. Second, get the doctors to listen to me and help me out of this situation. The unit was still drinking, and it had moved from the right to the left breast and was now drinking quite happily. I continued to try and think how I could get out of this situation. The body was still drinking, taking on the nutrition to stay alive and get through the first few hours which were the hardest and most dangerous. If the unit refused or couldn’t get any nourishment, then it would cease to exist, and host soul would leave it to perish.

I recalled what Luciferious told us when we went into the Transitional Meeting. The unit will support the consciousness which in effect was me, and the unit will do what it must to keep itself alive.

The conscious would usually stay inside the brain, the deeper it could get, the safer it would feel, and when the time came for it to return home, it was close to the exit. The exit, then I recalled there was a way for me to get out, to leave and stop The Game; I had to get into the correct section of the brain and shut it down.

I knew I didn’t have long and time was ticking away very fast. The trouble was; I wasn’t sure how I was going to move. I now recalled I was in the brain, but where in the brain I didn’t know for sure. I couldn’t recall where I had to get to so that I could switch off the brain and shut the unit down. Once I found where I had to be, I would be able to leave the baby and return to The Game exit room. I had to try and recall my training which was not happening because my soul was still in severe shock from the transfer. I then knew I should be asleep, waiting for the unit to wake me up to take over once it had got over the first fifty hours or the danger hours.

‘Now,’ I thought to myself, ‘where in the brain was I and where did I need to get too to switch this unit off?’

At last, the baby stopped feeding, and I was held again by the proud father while the mother was cleaned up and made to look beautiful again. While the nurses attended to the mother, they left me trapped inside the the baby’s brain, and I had to get out, back to where I was a short time ago. There was nothing I could do, well not yet, but as soon as I could see properly, I would be too old to shut this unit down.

The consciousness of Darrent Kolesckie, concentrated very hard and moved within the brain of the human baby now named Chrymella Chord. The minute consciousness traversed up, down and across the neural pathways, and got deeper into the brain. The problem was; it was taking a long time because the brain was new and there were very few channels wide enough for the little consciousness to get where it needed to be. If Darrent Kolesckie wanted to kill the baby, it would have to move much faster. Hence some time had passed when Darrent concentrated again on what was happening around his unit.

Darrent knew the unit would continue to operate as it should. It was programmed to accomplish the necessary things as soon as it was born because if he remembered correctly, the consciousness usually didn’t wake for the first week. If Darrent was awake now, something was wrong.

As Darrent concentrated on what was happening in the room, he heard the nurse talking to another nurse who had entered the room. Apparently, the mother was doing fine, which was a good thing because anytime soon, she would be in tears when she heard that the unit had died. He knew she would get over the death, and if she wanted another baby bad enough, she would have another very soon.

The father, he couldn’t recall his name, was standing over the unit taking photos for his family to see. His hand came down and gently caressed my face and then he bent forward kissing my head. He spoke to his daughter, me.

Hello there Chrymella, I hope you have a very long and happy life. I promise right now to protect you with my life if. I’ll be there for you on that you can depend on, he said with tears forming in his eyes.

One tear slipped from his face and fell onto the mouth of the new baby and automatically the unit slipped its tongue from its mouth and licked its lips, tasting the single tear, analysing its substance and determined it was wet, at body temperature and contained various body salts and chemicals. In short, it was okay to swallow and would do the unit no harm.

He looked at the baby with disbelief and called a nurse to him asking if babies could do what it had just done when they were less than an hour old.

I expect you imagined it, the nurse replied.

Hold on, let me see if I recorded it, he answered and touched two buttons on his camera. He showed the small screen to the nurse who looked at it with wonder, then looked at the baby and again at the man

I have never seen anything like this before; I’ll ask the doctor a little later and get back to you, the nurse replied and left the room as if on a mission.

The father stroked the new baby again before returning her to his wife. Meanwhile, Darrent was moving deeper inside the units’ brain, getting closer and closer to the emergency shutdown switch, which was, in fact, a very fine blood vessel deep inside the brain that the conscious could dock with and force it to burst. Once there, it would cross the Cerebral Cortex and insulated neurones. Joining the two together, they would short out the brain, killing the baby instantly. The inquest would show, the baby had suffered a massive brain haemorrhage and would have felt nothing when it died. What the inquest would not show, is Camellias’ death had opened the door allowing the soul to return to reality. Darrent had been here a little over an hour, with luck; he should go back and stop his wife from entering The Game as barely a second would have passed on the other side.

The nurse gently placed Chrymella into a cot which had a heat-pad and various sensors that could detect a minute drop in temperature, blood pressure or organ failure. Caring for new-born babies had come a long way since Darrent had last entered The Game and had remained in it for 95 long years. He and his wife had accomplished a great deal leading The Game into the future.

This time, however, things had gone wrong, and Darrent had to get out. The baby was acting as it should, while Darrent made his way deeper into the brain and bringing about a quick ending for this baby’s life. He was moving very slow and finding it difficult to get to where he needed.

The nurse pushed the cot next to the mother, who was looking at Chrymella with love and tenderness in her eyes. She could see her moving, not much, but she didn’t expect her to stir after Chrymella was fed. At last, the birth was over; now they could get down to the real thing, cherishing their child; watching her grow and loving her with everything they had.

A doctor entered the room with the nurse who the father had spoken to and showed the short film earlier. The Paediatrician walked around the hospital bed and looked at the baby in the cot. He smiled at the mother in silence and touched the baby on its cheek. He pressed his finger hard just beneath the baby’s right ear and leaving his finger there, increased the pressure by pushing harder into the skin. He made it appear that he was feeling for a pulse, as the unit fell into a deep sleep.

He left the baby and walked around the bed to the father, speaking as he approached him.

Mr Chord, could you please show me the film of what happened earlier?

Please, call me Kylan, sure here it is. I thought I would get it ready for you, just in case.

The doctor took the camera and watched the short film before handing it back.

What do you think? Kylan asked.

I must say it is unusual, tell me, what is your background, what do you do for a living if you don’t mind me asking? the doctor said.

I teach our young pilots to fly the new fighters and from those, I help pick the most prominent captains to learn to command the massive battleships and cruisers. I also pick those who will control the research ships. In this age, we have so many young people who want to travel into deep space, they all want to fly the fighters, just in case we attacked again, Kylan replied laughing.

Surely some of our young people want to learn the sciences?

Oh yes, but there are so many to choose from, and most of the young boys cannot beat the girls who out fly them in their combat ships time after time. The lad’s train in the Marines and Land Army, others fly the large shuttles that deploy troops and some pilots get noticed and go on to become Commanders and Captains of the faster escort ships, Kylan replied.

I spent two years on the hospital ship Placid following the battleships which fought in the Hermouscryle War. There was always so much to do, so many good young people who were dying or seriously injured. We could never have enough sailors joining the war fleet.

I sent thousands of our young men and women into that war and most returned home. I’m pleased that war is over, and the people from the planets Hern and Cryle can now live in peace. I hope the peace treaty will last many thousands of years, and we do not have to come to their aid again, Kylan replied.

"I understand there is to be a new super ship that will be run by a computer, and it even gets to name itself. These ships, if the first one works correctly, will have a sentient computer to run it. The ship could, in the end, do away with a captain, but I don’t think that will ever happen.

People will not allow a ship to go where it wants or fire on an alien vessel and blow it up. However, it will make operating the ship much easier. The crew will be watched over by the computer, and this should mean there will be fewer accidents in space. The main thing associated with a sentient ship, you would need less crew as almost everything is computer repairable using droids, and the computer will know what repairs need to be carried out, the doctor said.

The ship is on the drawing boards, but will not be ready for many years. The engineers and technical boys still need to know how it will act when the computer-controlled ship is up against an alien ship. Creating a fight scenario inside the computer is one thing, but in reality, it’s completely different when live missiles and torpedoes are coming at you.

Do you think they will be any good? the doctor asked.

Kylan continued; I think the computers will be perfect. The biggest problem will be the elder captains and commanders. They are at ease commanding a ship’s company, telling the crew where the ship is going, how it’s getting there and what speed the ship will travel.

I see, the doctor replied as if he was waiting for time to pass.

The cot alarm sounded a moment later and then a second alarm activated, this time much louder and more urgent than before. The doctor ran to the other side of the bed looking at the hologram on his way. The doctor knew what had happened and what he had to do.

As he touched the monitor, the warbling alarm stopped; but red lamps continued to pulsate. The doctor pressed various controls on the control panel and told the nurse he needed necessary medications. Holding the baby’s arm firmly in his hand, he inserted a hypodermic syringe into a vein, and the baby started to scream.

Let’s get Chrymella to intensive care immediately, the doctor ordered and moved the baby cot away from the mother and towards the door on the other side of the room.

What’s happening? the mother screamed in panic.

The baby is crashing, I need to get it into intensive care in case I need to operate, the doctor replied and with a nurse at his side, pushed the baby cot out of the room and along the corridor into another room.

Here there were brilliant white lights, lots of equipment for children in serious trouble. The nurse looked at the doctor as they connected the baby cot up to a central station where a health computer could monitor the baby. Once the baby was in position, the health computer could administer any drugs that were needed, and the child’s health followed very accurately.

There was only the nurse in the room as the doctor made the final connection to the Health Computer.

Nurse Harris, would you please return to the mother and calm the parents down, tell them to give me ten minutes and I’ll let them know what is happening to their baby.

Of course doctor, I did the right thing in telling you about the baby, didn’t I? Nurse Harris asked.

Indeed you did, we’ve been looking for any new-born baby who can move its lips or tongue within an hour of being born.

Is there something wrong with it?

On the contrary, it could be a sign that it is very smart. Now, off you go, calm the parents down and assure them I will be along shortly. Under no circumstances are they to be allowed in this room until I give them permission is that understood?

Of course Doctor, she replied and left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Dr Kyree locked it and returned to the cot. He lifted the new-born baby up in his hands and once again looked around the room. Happy he was alone, he pressed the small device on his jacket, and a transparent door opened before him. He stepped inside with the baby and the open door closed. To anyone watching in the room, it seemed the doctor disappeared. As soon as he entered the room, it started to grow. When it was three by three metres, the room stopped growing, and a window appeared in the far wall.

A woman was at the window as a baby changing unit appeared in the room. Dr Kyree placed the baby on the changing mat and faced the woman. He was hurrying as he put two metallic pads onto the unit’s head and connected the other two ends to a small cube, which was changing from one colour to another.

Darrent I know you can hear me, there appears to be an error. You were supposed to enter a male unit, but we found it was deformed, and you could not have fulfilled your destiny. You can talk to me now. Just think your reply and I will hear you, Dr Kyree said.

Yes I hear you; there are a few things wrong. First, I’m aware of the other side and I’m a male inside a female unit.

Do you recall what your destiny was to be?

Yes, I was to fly one of the first sentient battleships and help work out our problem. I also need to write a unique book and get it somewhere, but the place has eluded me. Oh, yes, I was supposed to lead humanity into a war and help them solve the problem within The Game.

That’s correct and when we checked how far the humans had come, they have made some drastic changes. They use women to captain their biggest starships and battleships. They also fly most of the fighters as they have faster reflexes and do not allow emotions to get in their way. Therefore, to command the ship you are supposed to take into battle, you need to be female.

But I’m male, Darrent protested. I demand to abort this procedure, and I am prepared to destroy this unit.

There have been numerous times we have sent males into female babies and vice versa. They always sort themselves out in the end, but we cannot allow anything to go wrong. We have devised a way to make you forget you’re male, but let you recall everything you need too. All it will mean is when you end The Game; it will take you a few days in recovery to get through the sexual orientation.

I still want out, he shouted from inside the unit’s head. I cannot go through the next twenty years growing into an adult girl stuck inside her brain. It’s not fair or right. I feel as if I’m going mad already and I’m now feeling very claustrophobic. I need to be able to get about, speak to people, listen to the music I want to hear and control the unit properly like I should be able to do, he continued to holler.

Please, calm down Professor, you are making the baby’s pulse race and its heart is going into panic mode. If you don’t calm down soon, all your work will be in vain, the female at the window said forcefully. You have worked incredibly hard to organise your trip into The Game, and if you leave it now, you will put the plan back years in their time, she continued.

Dr Victoria Redgrade, is that you? Darrent asked.

Yes, Professor. They told me to speak to you and remind you this is your project. It has taken three years to get this project going, and you insisted it had to be you to go in and do the job.

What are you talking about? Darrent asked.

Part of it worked, Dr Kyree interrupted.

What do you mean? Darrent answered.

The person who you are, the time fix we implemented in your subconscious has worked, but the matrix which was supposed to have hidden your real role for at least ten years in the unit has failed to latch on, and we were only aware of this after you left The Game Room.

Well there you are, this is the reason I need to abort the operation, Darrent retorted.

Professor, Dr Redgrade said. It was you who discovered the flaw in the system and what was about to happen if it wasn’t put right, she continued.

Humanity had almost got to understand what was going on, and some people were trying to prove astronomers are wrong. You told us what would happen to the units if they discovered the truth behind The Game, Dr Victoria Redgrade explained.

Victoria, what are you talking about, I can’t remember at this stage?

Dr Kyree, can we allow him to have his full memory now, then he will know what he has to do? The other thing we have to do is give him a feminine thought process. If we don’t, he will have a tough time living inside a female and the female unit may not respond to his male thought process and break down or even commit suicide, Dr Victoria Redgrave asked.

If Chrymella is taken by her parents to see a psychiatrist and she is given retrograde hypnosis, they will discover without a doubt who they are. Not only that, the therapist will push and push until he finds out that we threat to the Game. The people will not be happy about this and Professor Kolesckie will be held and put under hypnosis again and again by their top people, and they will find a way to contact us and bring about the collapse of The Game, Dr Kyree explained.

Surely that cannot happen. If you think about it, apart from the robot drones and the AI’s in The Game, the remainder is made up of our people, and those from other planets who have chosen to join in and play The Game, Dr Victoria Redgrave said.

Yes, but the units can and do move about by own their initiative. We live in their subconscious. We have to work very hard to make the units obey OUR commands, and the unit could, in fact, hold us, hostage, Dr Kyree replied.

Let’s say the units discover the truth, all they have to do is survive, and we will be stuck inside the unit until it dies of old age. That means the units could live indefinitely.

That’s impossible, Darrent objected.

"Professor, you put forward a theory that it would be possible for the people to make enough hospital beds and machines, to keep the population of the world alive for thousands of years. Professor, you said when the person was too old or too ill to work, doctors could put the person into a coma. The units would then be able to keep them alive by machines and drugs to maintain the unit until new parts became available. They could revive the person and make it well again.

"We, the Utopians, would not have the chance to abort the unit because before putting the person into a coma, they would operate on the brain and stop it from being killed by its subconscious or soul. The unit has an inbuilt survival instinct; it will do everything possible to survive and fight very hard, so it does not die.

"Therefore, the person could use its survival instinct to stay alive and live the life IT wants and not the life we want. You said it yourself, professor, the only way we could overcome this would be to stop The Game. However, we do not have the number of rooms we would need if we were to stop The Game immediately. Billions of us would die in the process, and there would be an outrage. We would need another way to accomplish this, and that is where the multiverse came in.

I’ve had a brilliant idea. Professor, I know this is asking a lot of you, but, what if we give you a female thought pattern, the part which makes you want to be female? Would you agree to this if you had something to do for the next fifteen years? Dr Victoria Redgrave asked.

I suppose so, it could be interesting, what would I have to do he replied.

"You write a book, compile a complete history of why The Game was needed and integrate it within the Second Bible you planned to write. In the Bible tell the humans about the Cycloves and what they have done and what they could do to them. After all, we have unleashed them on the humans even if they are still a long way off in the multiverse. Tell them what life was like before they arrived in our galaxy and what it’s like now. Explain to the humans why we had no option but create The Game and what The Game has done for us.

Dr Kyree can operate on Chrymella and give you a place where you can work, so Dr Kyree can collect it at say, the age of twelve. We can come and see you, retrieve the book and this can be used to help teach your students here. We would then have a much better understanding of what would happen if you suddenly became aware of yourselves. Would you still be prepared to go through with your project?

Only if I can have all my knowledge, and I can walk, talk, play the piano, do the maths and physics by the age of five. By doing these things it will get me noticed and I can come up with new star drives to help get the ship into the Multiverse sooner, and I would be picked to command the ship, Darrent replied.

Dr Kyree; is it possible? Dr Victoria Redgrave asked.

It is possible, but would the Ethics Committee agree?

We don’t have time for the Ethics Committee to decide upon this, Dr Victoria Redgrave replied, We have to make this happen now. If you can do it, I have a nurse and operating team ready. We alter his thought pattern here, and you rush the professor to surgery to make the refuge area. Can you do this with only a small team?

I would need a couple of special instruments that are not available in this time zone.

I can keep this room available for the next few minutes, Dr Victoria Redgrave replied looking at her watch.

That will give us time to alter his brain pattern, but where am I going to get the tools I need for the operation? Dr Kyree asked.

There is a nurse in the hospital who has the necessary instruments, please don’t ask how we did this, but the nurse is on her way to you right now, Dr Victoria Redgrave replied.

If you have the operation team, add Darrent’s complete memory to him, I’ll take care of everything else. Now, you have had time to consider your options professor, what are your intentions? Dr Kyree asked.

Just a moment, something is happening, Darrent replied.

One moment the units’ symptoms were normal then they started to rise, its heart rate and pulse going off the scale. For a moment Dr Kyree thought Darrent had managed to create a Cerebral Haemorrhage. He looked at the display of medications available to him and picked up a hypo. He approached the unit and pressed the hypo into its neck. There was a slight hiss of gas propelling the liquid agent into the jugular vein then the alarms quietened down, and the redness in the units’ face and eyes returned to their former colour.

What just happened? Dr Kyree asked the nurse on the other side.

Ahhh, the techs just uploaded the professor’s entire memory without thinking of where he was. It’s a good job you were still in the Antry room; he should be okay in a few seconds of our time, and as far as we are concerned, he is in our time zone until he leaves the room.

By any chance, do you happen to know which nurse will be accompanying me back to The Game? Dr Kyree asked.

That would be me, nurse Ariel Albrea said as she entered the room and stood behind Dr Kyree.

How did you get in here? Dr Kyree asked, looking surprised.

I knew I had to be here at this exact moment, just like you knew you had to be at this hospital today. I had a key to the door, Ariel replied with a smile and held up the key card which allowed nurse Ariel Albrea access to the room.

Are you staying in The Game? Dr Kyree asked.

No! nurse Ariel Albrea replied. When I’ve finished here I’ll be leaving, how about you?

I have to ensure the professor gets through this and Chrymella will need a lot of help through her life. Not only that I don’t think the professor will let me leave The Game, with him still in it, trapped inside a female body, he replied with a smile on his face.

What operation are you going to carry out? Ariel asked.

I’m going to open her head and create a small hole for him to hide in and work on his book, Dr Kyree replied.

In that case, you’ll need the equipment I’ve prepared for you and I’ll be very pleased to assist you in the operation, Ariel said proudly.

Right, are we ready to go Professor? Dr Kyree asked.

How long before I can see and talk properly? Darrent asked.

I can get your eyes to work during the operation, and your speech will take at least four months to come. Of course, you’ll be able to talk properly to me, but it will take a few months for your voice to work, but as I will be your doctor and see you on a regular basis, you’ll be able to speak to me via the equipment I have. Just try not to do things too fast. The more you do, the more you will draw attention to yourself which may get you taken away from me.

When this operation is over if things go bad, will I still be able to exit The Game at my wish? Darrent asked.

Yes! Dr Kyree sighed.

That’s okay then; I agree with you doing the operation. Now, I suggest you leave this room and get on with the operation before the adults, and nurses come looking for us, Darrent suggested from his position inside Chrymella’s brain.

Although they could see and speak to people on the other side, it was impossible to get out of The Game or into it for that matter for just a few minutes at a time. The room was like a video phone booth; they could see and talk to those on the other side, and they could talk to those in the cube, but that was as far as it got.

Ariel carried the baby out of the room and returned it to its cot, while Dr Kyree turned and asked one last question of Dr Victoria Redgrave. When he left the room, the door closed behind him, and the room disappeared. He walked straight over to the main doors and unlocked them allowing a frustrated nurse into the ward.

The lock seems faulty, I’ve reported it to maintenance, he said hiding the truth.

I’ve been here a few minutes; didn’t you hear me banging the door?

I was attending to my patient, now, if you don’t mind, I have two anxious parents to speak to.

I’m sorry doctor, the nurse replied and saw a nurse caring for a baby in the cot. She turned and went to the cupboard where she collected the equipment she needed for another patient in another delivery suite.

Hello, Dr Kyree said entering the delivery suite again.

Where is my baby? Madelyn screamed, with Kylan looking apprehensive and holding his wife’s hand firmly in his. Both had been crying while their baby had been rushed to another part of the hospital wondering what had happened.

Chrymella needs an urgent operation on her brain to remove a small blood clot. I need your permission to operate so if one of you could sign this form, he said pulling a small ICIS pad from his pocket for the mother or father to sign. Paper forms were now none existent as computer pads were so much better to use and more secure.

Kylan pressed his thumb onto the pad, the machine beeped once and sent a copy of the agreement to Kylan’s ICIS unit as per standard protocol.

How long will the operation take? Kylan asked.

between 1 and 2 hours; the nurse is prepping Chrymella as we speak.

Look after Chrymella for us please, Madelyn, the mother pleaded with tears running down her face.

Of course, we will; I’m sure everything will be okay and Chrymella will live a long and healthy life once this operation is over. In fact, I promise you I’ll be her personal doctor and yours for free once you leave this hospital.

Are you sure, but why? Madelyn asked.

Because some people need my help more than others, and I like helping people. Now, I must get on with the operation, Dr Kyree replied and left the room.

In the operating theatre, two scrub nurses and a paediatric anaesthetist had already put Chrymella to sleep. Nurse Ariel Albrea was ready with the special tools Dr Kyree would need for the operation.

I don’t recall seeing you in this hospital before, Adrian, the anaesthetist said looking at Dr Kyree.

I don’t get to operate much, I’m usually on the night emergency team. This mother came in during the night so as I got to know the parents I decided to stick with them.

They looked at each other for a few moments in silence as Dr Kyree pressed a button on the small badge which hung around his neck. A shimmer spread out from the device like a shockwave.

A moment later, Adrian looked at Dr Kyree. I’m ready when you are, he said as if they had known each other for years and made another check over his instruments. The scrub nurses were counting swabs and checking everything was ready, as Ariel smiled at Dr Kyree, handing him the compact laser.

Adrian was sat to the side of Chrymella and watched with awe as Dr Kyree used the laser to cut a small hole into the unit’s skull. What followed had never been seen before and would not be seen again as Dr Kyree carved a minute room within the brain for the consciousness to remain in and work on its project.

With the brain operation, out of the way, Dr Kyree took the two little capsules from nurse Ariel and injected one in each side of the baby’s neck. It was then Dr Kyree spoke for the first time during the operation.

What you are about to see is top secret. I will be attempting to communicate with this unit, I’m sorry, this baby. The two Isometric implants I injected will work their way into the cerebral cortex. Once there, they will interact with the neurones allowing me to make a detailed examination of its brain and communicate with the baby’s subconscious.

That is impossible; you’re wasting your time, Adrian stated.

Then let us see, shall we? Chrymella, you are currently in surgery having an operation on your brain, can you talk with me?

Adrian and the other nurses started to laugh out loud as Ariel smiled at Dr Kyree and attached two emitters, one to either side of the Chrymella’s neck.

Chrymella, I am trying to talk to your subconscious. You have a voice which you can use to speak to me. If your subconscious is awake, please tell me how you feel.

I think it went well. There appears to be some pain in my head, can I have … the pain is quite bad, am I alright?

The staff in the room were suddenly silent and looked star-struck at the baby that was talking to Dr Kyree.

This is … impossible! one nurse said holding her hands to her face.

Impossible? It’s a bloody miracle! Adrian gasped. A bloody miracle. Ask it another question. Uhmmmmm, Chrymella, Chrymella can you hear me? Adrian asked in a loud voice.

Of course I can, and don’t shout, I have a headache, the girl replied in a child’s female voice.

Do you understand that you have just been born?

Yes it’s strange, but the unit has no voice yet.

Unit? What do you mean by that?

Baby, sorry the baby.

Are you the baby’s conscious?

Yes!

How much do you know already?

What do you mean?

I think that’s enough for now, it’s just gone through brain surgery and was only born two hours ago, Dr Kyree said.

But this is the first time anyone has spoken to a baby two hours old, and it has answered questions. I just thought of one; please let this be the last question, Adrian begged.

Ask your question, Dr Kyree replied, praying that it would have nothing to do with the other side.

Chrymella, what was it like inside the womb, could you understand what your parents were talking about?

Sometimes, towards the end, but it was quiet most of the time, Darrent replied.

Do you recall where you were before you joined with the baby? Adrian asked quickly.

I don’t know what you mean; I was only here a short time ago.

So where were you before you arrived here? Were you on the other side, in God’s domain so to speak? Adrian almost shouted.

My head aches, I’m tired, very tir … ed, Darrent said and fell silent.

Adrian instantly checked Chrymella’s statistics, oxygen and every line that was going into and out of her body. There was a small drain coming from her head with a little blood flowing into the small, plastic bottle at the end of the pipe.

Chrymella, are you alright? Dr Kyree asked urgently.

Yes, but I’m tired; I must sleep, she sighed.

Bring her around now, I want to check she’s okay, this was not supposed to happen, and we need to keep this a secret, are we all agreed? It is after all highly unprofessional, and if the hospital Ethics Committee knew what we had just done, they would have a brainstorm. This part of the operation is not only wrong but illegal, Dr Kyree explained.

Alright everyone, Dr Kyree is right, we keep this under our hats, nobody would believe us. Are we all agreed? Nurses, are you okay with this?

Yes, they all said together.

While the conversation about Chrymella went on, Ariel put the special instruments away and out of sight. Now she was looking just as shocked as everyone else in the operating theatre and being just as cooperative as the other nurses and anaesthetist. As they all agreed, nobody would believe them.

Twenty minutes later, Chrymella’s eyes opened and closed and then she started to cry, much to the relief of everyone.

Can you hear me? Adrian asked her when he was by himself.

Chrymella didn’t reply, and he didn’t think she would. Then Adrian recalled Dr Kyree had attached something to her neck, and whatever it was, was no longer attached to her. As he examined her neck, there were no marks to show where the items were.

Right now, he was doing his usual checks on the baby as he would do to any other baby that had just undergone surgery of this type. Chrymella was now in a standard ITU room with six other children. Even in the 27th-century babies still had problems when they were born. However, it was very rare now for a woman to have an unplanned birth.

Dr Kyree had left to meet the parents and then joined Ariel for a few minutes. He took the emitters from her and the case which held the unique instruments. He knew exactly where they were going and what he would do with them. It had taken four months to get the instruments made and fifteen different companies to make the components which locked together and not one company knew what their part did, what it was for or who would use it. They were all paid a lot of credits for their