Carpathia IV: Episode 216 - Dr. Alka Freud
Engineering Lab, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Three hours passed and tension rose with every minute outside the Engineering Lab. Alka said about two hours before and the updates were of no help. "He's still working on it. Nothing is wrong." Little comfort to anyone who had no idea what was happening. Adell was now in the annoying yet understandable habit of asking completely random questions that had no connection to each other.
Adell: So, what is your first officer up to?
Aire: He's taking some time to reflect and write a 20,000 word essay on why he shouldn't stick his nose into other people's business.
Adell: That's a hard ask for a bat.
Aire: He went a little too far this time.
The door to the lab opened and everyone stood in rapt attention. Unfortunately, only Quenya emerged, the official updater.
Quenya: He's still going. The good news is that the data transfers are a lot less chaotic than they were a half hour ago. We all think things are starting to settle into place, but there's a long way to go.
Adell: That's more to go on than any of the other updates. I'm at least glad for progress, but this is so slow.
Quenya: For what it's worth, Dr. Leingod is pleased with the progress. He said that he thinks that Alka's estimate of two hours was too optimistic.
Adell: If Arty is happy, than I am too.
Quenya: I'll keep you posted.
Quenya turned and re-entered the lab, leaving the rest to wait again.
Inside Phobos
Alka grew weary. He didn't know how long this was taking, but it was surely longer than any other procedure he'd heard of or participated in. The urge to close his eyes and take a nap was strong, but he knew he had to resist. Falling asleep in someone else's mind ran the risk of getting absorbed into it. The good news, at least, was that progress was occurring. As he became more of a fixture in the minds of Phobos and Deimos, their own imaginations started to shift their perceptions of him. This meant that their own personalities were becoming more distinct.
Still, through it all, he hadn't seen Phobos and Deimos together in one place. He just kept flipping back and forth between them. Could they be avoiding each other? That he did not know.
Not knowing where he'd end up next or what he'd even look like to either of them presented new challenges. Alka girded himself for what might come next. This time, he found himself sitting in a winged, overstuffed chair topped with quilted leather. Before him lay Phobos, upon an equally luxurious chaise with his hands folded across his chest and staring into the sky.
Alka: Vell Mr. Phobos, vaht vould you say ist your greatest fear? In ozer vurds, ist zere anysink zat skares you zee most?
Phobos turned his head and looked at Alka, face so filled with confusion that every part of it was crinkled.
Phobos: Why are you talking like that? And what's with the moustache?
Alka reached up to feel his face and indeed there was a floofy wad of hair perched just under his nose.
Alka: I vould not know. Zis ist your mind. I look and schpeaken ash you vould like me to. You muscht vill it to happen.
Phobos nodded and faced up again with his eyes shut.
Phobos: Normal Alka... Normal Alka...
Alka reached up to his lip again. The moustache disappeared.
Alka: Is that better? I'm glad to have whatever that was off my face. What was that?
Phobos: I'm sorry. My mind is all over the place right now. That was a sort of stereotypical psychology treatment for humans and you were a stereotype of a psychologist.
Alka: And what do you suppose made you think of that?
Phobos: I don't know. I'm not even sure who I am anymore. I've been living with Deimos as a part of me for so long that I can't tell where she ends and I begin.
Alka: If you want the truth, I think there is some overlap, but that is to be expected, since you were created at almost the same time and grew up together. The question remains, though. What scares you the most?
Phobos rolled his head back and forth on his pillow, struggling to think.
Phobos: I don't know. Am I really alive? I'm not sure if that's a fear or just a question. If I am alive, what happens if I never die? Ten thousand years from now, everyone I ever knew is dead and I'm just rotting away in a field somewhere. Will I be dead then? If I die now, what will happen to me?
Alka: Those questions certainly speak to fear. As to whether or not you're alive, those questions aren't much different to what all sentient life asks at some time or another. It's one of the defining traits of sentience. Do you have a soul? I don't even know if I do.
Phobos: We've made friends with a few demigods. I should ask them.
Alka: Hmmm... I don't think they'd know, but it's worth a try.
Deimos: I WANT MY BODY BACK!!!
By the time Alka turned around, Deimos had already zinged past and tackled Phobos right off the chaise. Alarmed, though not surprised, Alka stood right away to find that Phobos and Deimos were already in a brawl. He expected something like this, though much sooner. There was always a point in the process where everything devolved into chaos and this was that moment.
Alka: Hey, stop that!
Alka ran towards the two brawling mind remnants, still shouting at them to stop, but they would not. He would have to physically pry them apart, but as soon as he tried, he took a punch to the face, sending him staggering backwards and falling on his behind. Phobos and Deimos stopped fighting immediately and rushed to his aid.
Phobos: What have we done?
Engineering Lab, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
For the first time since the procedure started, Alka appeared distressed and Sorchae immediately scanned him with Cyn watching the results over her shoulder.
Sorchae: Heart rate is elevated and irregular. Darius, 30cc Atrophin.
Darius: 30cc Atrophin, yes Doctor.
On the opposide side of the tables, the engineers in the room found something else to be concerned about.
Ramei: The data is going wild.
Minnie: Some of the banks I thought were locked into place are starting to shift too.
Cyn: It would seem that the two AIs have finally clashed. Late, but this is a milestone.
Artemis: Alka warned us about that, but I didn't think it would look like this.
Darius: 30cc Atrophin, Doctor.
Sorchae held up her hand and Darius plopped the injector into it. Right away, she pressed the end into Alka's neck and released the medicine. Then they waited.
Sorchae: Heart rate stabilizing.
Cyn: This part is where it gets the most dangerous for Alka. We need to watch him carefully.
Sorchae: Noted.
Inside Phobos
Alka sat up suddenly with a great, gasping breath, taking Phobos and Deimos by surprise. They quickly recovered and kneeled next to him.
Phobos: We're sorry!
Deimos: Sorry!
Alka: Well, that was a lot more than I expected at this stage. It seems your doctor got to me in time.
Phobos: Who?
Alka and Deimos went silent as their heads jerked to Phobos.
Alka: Dr. Teagan?
Phobos: I don't know anyone with that name.
Alka: Uh oh...
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
