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Changes in Circumstances
Sunday 09/05/2094 9:50 pm
Later in the evening most of the crew had assembled in the top
suite. They all concentrated to help Charlie link with Jennifer.
Jennifer said via Charlie. "Tun Wong and I are having a great
time. Roberto, Susannah, Kate, Boris, Suri and Jean are with us.
Jean and Kate are preparing dinner.
We told the guards that we were feeling lonely without our friends
with us. Tun Wong used a communicator to call Marcos to pass on
an invitation to dinner to Roberto and the rest. The guards were
amazed that the six appeared within five minutes. Tun Wong said
that Leonov had activated Admiral Chang's civil protection service
as soon as the escort had taken us away. Roberto and company were
part of the protection service. The guards do not know that they
are Spacer cadets. Suri informed the guards that all transport
within 100 kilometres was being monitored and others were keeping
watch for intruders on foot within a 10 kilometre radius of the
farmhouse. They could relax and join them until they received
new instructions. The guards said that they had used their detection
equipment to watch for intruders but had seen none. Boris said
that their equipment was useless and he could prove it.
When the guards tried to follow Boris with their scanner as he
walked away, we made them see Boris's image fade so that they
could not detect him at 100 metres. When Boris came up behind
them and tapped two of them on the shoulder, they nearly jumped
out of their formfits. We made them feel happy about relaxing
and persuaded them to share with us. They do not know about our
powers and are happy to be with us. We will party on until dinner
is ready. Then we will party some more until the guards are worn
out.
Pietro reports that the Councillors have decided to meet tomorrow.
All of them except Anne-Marie feel tired and are going to bed.
Frederica has been taken to the Spacer clinic. Nobody knows what
has happened to her except Anne-Marie. Anne-Marie is going to
the College to meet those of us who are still there. She suspects
that we know everything that is going on.
Gail and Kjell have tracked a civilian who was trying to call
Frederica Olmos. He does not know what has happened to her. Anita
redirected the call so that it went to Anne-Marie's answering
service. He was informed that Anne-Marie was on her way to the
College. Gail and Kjell have made him think that he should see
Anne Marie when she gets there. After dinner Suri and Jean will
take our places as Kerstin and George. Tun Wong and I will go
to the College to see Anne-Marie. Now relax and get sharing! I
will call you later when it is morning for you. Share and sleep
well!"
Jennifer did not wait for a reply.
Monday 10/05/2094 9:15 am
The following morning George and Kerstin were woken by the arrival
of breakfast. The robowaiter spoke with Ivan's voice. "Since
you two are not supposed to be here, I suggest that you stay out
of view until Tun Wong has gathered some answers. Everything points
to an order given by Admiral Frederica Olmos. She is now totally
non compos mentis. A civilian at the Spacers College called
David Mankovitch is in custody on the authority of Tun Wong. He
has refused to say verbally who gave him orders and what those
orders were. Jennifer has probed him unofficially and found that
Admiral Olmos called him on the vidcom. Anita will be checking
vidcom records later to find out who he contacted to produce an
apparent command from the Council.
The four escorts and six guards received their orders from Commander
Wright. He received them by coded fax apparently from the Council.
Suri and Jean have placed a bet with the guards that their next
orders will be to return to base. In a few hours time they will
win their bet.
Tun Wong has convinced Commander Wright that the order he received
was faked. All the Council members were either in Britain or in
transit when the order was issued. The only recorded vidcom link
to the USA from any Council member was from Admiral Olmos to David
Mankovitch just before she left the Club. The recorded links in
transit went through Euro Control when the pilot and Admiral collapsed.
The link to Marita from Admiral van Wijk was not recorded. Undepoldus
detected no other links.
Tun Wong will ask the Council to convene in closed session later
today to hear his report on security. Jennifer will be present
as his personal assistant. A team from the College will check
for possible bugs and snoopers. Nearly everyone is asleep there
at the moment so we are unlikely to hear any more before lunch.
I will keep you posted if there are any new developments. Have
a good breakfast. Clearing,"
Marita said. "Undepoldus wants to give Frederica Olmos some
or most of her mind back. It will be difficult but he thinks it
is possible. He needs to link you and me with Jennifer and Tun
Wong. He will make contact with Frederica Olmos in Undepoldus
House. We have all looked into her mind to some degree so we may
have enough information between us to enable her to lead an independent
life. Undepolus has checked what I know. He can give her back
her ability to speak in English and Mexican Spanish. He can provide
her with a knowledge of basic skills from an amalgam of our own
knowledge. She will never be an Admiral or a Councillor again.
She will have no knowledge that she was ever given the gifts or
what happened to her. If we can give her enough basic knowledge
she can be told that she has been in an accident and has permanent
amnesia. Then she can retire as an ex Spacer."
George said. "The entities that made Undepoldus certainly
knew what they were doing when they gave him Asimovian style programming.
It almost makes one think that they told Isaac what to write in
his stories. If someone deliberately tries to contravene the laws,
it is tantamount to suicide. With no memories or consciousness
of oneself, there is effectively no existence. It is the opposite
of your state Marita."
Undepoldus considered giving me Frederica's body but he thought
it would be unethical. I agree with him. I do not really need
one at the moment because Kerstin lends me hers, mainly for having
fun. In any case, it is nice being with Undepoldus and being able
to use his powers while I am effectively here with you at the
same time. At times I think that Kerstin is almost jealous of
me because I can have the best of both worlds. I know that if
I do get a new body of my own sometime I will miss being with
Undepoldus. Then I think of how I was before my body died and
what Kerstin's body is like now. If I could have my old body back
with the powers that Kerstin has, there would be no argument about
what I would want. I wondered if the way the two of us use the
same body for sharing will wear it out somehow. Undepoldus does
not think so. He has checked many times since I have been with
Kerstin and can find no signs of deterioration. If anything, Kerstin's
body seems to have adjusted itself as if its main purpose was
sharing during waking hours. You and I use to love sharing but
we had to concentrate to make the peaks of pleasure last. Now
both Kerstin and I can do it without concentrating at all. For
Kerstin, before she joined us, the peak of a share lasted fifteen
to thirty seconds if she was lucky. Now both of us expect fifteen
minutes at least. When we are with you, it is often half an hour
or more. I know that you can set pleasure levels with the precision
of a vernier. That is one of the many reasons why Kerstin and
I love you so much George. Nobody can share with us like you can.
Now I have caught myself babbling on. Kerstin should have her
say now."
Kerstin said. "Marita has already said a lot of what I would
have said myself. I worried about my body being worn out with
sharing before Marita joined me. When I knew that Undepoldus was
continually checking how my body was doing I knew that I did not
have to worry any more. It is like knowing that you can eat your
favourite food all day long and will never get fat. If Marita
does get another body of her own, I will miss having her with
me. In the past I talked to myself when I was trying to work out
how to do something. Now I can discuss things with Marita, knowing
that she has had different experiences and has a different point
of view. I would feel lonelier if she wasn't with me. I hope that
she still feels the same to me when Undepoldus has gone away."
George said. "I think that I am the luckiest man in the world
to have you two lovely girls together in one beautiful body. Careful!
I know it is lovely to extend and link while we are having breakfast
but it is hard enough to drink a cup of coffee on this zero gee
bed as it is."
"In a minute Marita wants to try an experiment while we are
alone like this. After Jennifer made me keep going as a male while
I was asleep, Marita wants to try to take you over as you are.
She wants to know if you can sleep while she is using you to please
me with you extended. While you are asleep you will dream that
you are doing it if it works. Marita and I will make you fall
asleep first. Is that OK?"
"OK you girls, I know what you are thinking. You want to
be able to have a share without waking me if you wake up in the
middle of the night, don't you? Just to make things easier for
you I will pay a visit to the hygiene station first if you will
let go of me. If you come with me, you can take control and do
it for me. It will be good practice for you."
"Ok George, its a deal. We promise to be careful with you."
"What have I let myself in for? May Asimov protect me!"
George felt as if he were floating as he sensed Marita taking
control. He could observe the proceedings with amused detachment
as Marita took charge of his bodily functions. She showered and
dried him with gentleness and delicacy then walked him back to
the bed. As she laid him down to sleep he felt her extending him.
Then he had a most beautiful dream of bliss.
Some time later he awoke to feel that Marita was still controlling him. Then he realised that Kerstin was now fast asleep. She was responding as if she were awake. George was happy to let Marita carry on with her fun and games for as long as she wanted to. It was lovely to have the pleasure without any effort. He and Kerstin had become willing puppets for her prankish voyeurism
Monday 10/05/2094 1:00 pm
George and Kerstin were disturbed again by a robowaiter for lunch.
This time the voice was Gurprit's.
He said. "It is time that you two found something better
to do than sharing although I have no idea what that might be
at the moment. Tun Wong says that you can show yourselves again.
The guards that were guarding Suri and Jean have been recalled.
The council meeting will not take place for another hour or two
yet because it is still early morning over there.
Frederica Olmos will be transferred to a special clinic in London
where an attempt will be made to help her recover from her stroke.
Can you guess whose clinic it is?
Tun Wong will inform the Council that he will take full responsibility
for your security. Anne-Marie will tell the other Councillors
exactly what happened to Frederica. She will tell them that a
minor attempt to contravene Asimovian type laws will cause an
immediate loss of their powers. A major attempt to contravene
the laws will result in a total memory wipe as well.
The civilian David Mankovitch confessed when he heard that Frederica
was now permanently disabled by a stroke. She has lost her memory
completely. Tun Wong and Anita have closed the loophole that enabled
one Council member to appear to act for the whole Council. It
will need six Councillors to authorise any Council ruling in future.
That is the news for now. After you have had your lunch you will
find us in the suite upstairs. Bye for now."
Monday 10/05/2094 2:00 pm
When George and Kerstin arrived at the suite they found most of
the crew there playing some sort of game. Rachel, Gurprit and
Sil were on one side and Lan Fang, Mike and Martha were on the
other. They were having a mental power contest. Rachel and Sil
were sending bolts of phantom comfort to Mike while Lan Fang and
Martha were doing the same to Gurprit. Jane was acting as referee.
As George and Kerstin watched the contest they sensed that it
was not as simple as it seemed. Gurprit was sending bolts of phantom
comfort to Land Fang and Martha while Mike was doing likewise
to Rachel and Sil. Rachel and Sil were trying to protect Gurprit
and defend themselves while they attempted to give Mike phantom
comfort. It was a complicated contest. It wasn't a question about
who was winning or losing, it was a way for everyone to tune up
and strengthen their powers. George and Kerstin were happy to
watch until all six focused on Kerstin and himself. Then they
felt the power that was being used. George had had some practice
with Jennifer. Kerstin had not. He selected the girls in turn
until they went pink and collapsed. Kerstin did not resist but
Marita took over. She dealt with Mike and Gurprit together slowly
and exquisitely. Jane pronounced George and Marita winners for
the time being.
Rachel said. "George, that was brilliant. Your ability
to block us out is something that we all should learn. Jennifer
has shown us what is possible. We were trying to find out how
we could improve what we have. Kerstin has an unfair advantage
with two minds at her disposal. Have you any ideas about how we
can develop our potential for our mutual advantage?"
George answered. "Rachel, I am a bit like Undepoldus. Most
of the time he did not know what he could do until he needed to
do something. I have found myself in much the same situation several
times now. When Jennifer tried to control me, I was able to block
her. When I wanted to extend myself, I found I could. Neither
Kerstin nor I have needed to link directly to the vidcom net but
we knew that we could give that ability to Charlie. Jennifer is
special. When she was linked with me, I wanted her to be happy
and confident in her new situation. I also wanted her to be closer
to Charlie so that the two could give each other mutual support.
I thought that they might feel a bit out of their depth with us
Spacers. I wanted them to be happy to be with us. I am delighted
with the result. It seems that Jennifer can be close to Charlie
wherever she is in the world. I felt that I had somehow given
Jennifer more mental power than I had myself. - that is until
she tried to control me. Neither Kerstin nor I have had any desire
to link to vidcoms because we have had Marita to do it for us.
As you have seen, Kerstin seldom tries to use her powers much
because Marita can do anything that is needed. I think that the
best thing Kerstin and I can do is to concentrate on accentuating
the powers that you would like to have most. If you want to be
able to link like Jennifer, we will try to help. If you want to
use vidcoms like Charlie, just say so. If you want to be unnoticeable
at any time, tell us. Think carefully what powers you would have
a use for. It would be good for our group if several of us could
do what Jennifer can. A few more vidcom linkers would also help.
Most of all it would be good if you all could do what Kerstin
and I can do. Whatever you want must be tempered by Asimovian
style rules. If it was in my power I would add a fourth law. Make
others happy when you can and it is appropriate. Kerstin and I
are ready to start when you are."
Martha said. "Even if we gain the same powers as you two,
we will still think of you as our seniors. You two are the closest
friends that Undepoldus has. You are very special to him. We would
like to think that we are your closest friends. We will
be at one remove from Undepoldus and therefore always slightly
junior to you in that respect. Apart from that we know that if
we can improve on what we can do now, all of us will benefit."
Jane said. "We have already seen how our talents can be of
use. At the moment they are spread rather thinly. It is fortunate
that we have a talented backup group in the USA. We could not
have dealt with the Councillors without their help. We cannot
replace them and we would not want to. We just want to be as effective
with our powers as they are with their integrated way of working
together."
Lan Fang said. "It has always been a Spacer rule that each
of us must attempt to improve our competence. I think that it
applies to our powers just as much as it does to the occupations
we trained for."
Sil contributed. "When I helped to save Undepoldus and Marita,
I was very conscious that it needed so many of us together to
achieve what we did. We were lucky that time. Next time there
may not be so many of us together to deal with a problem that
is just as serious. We need to be able to achieve comparable results
with only two or three of us together."
Gurprit said. "At lot of what we have achieved has been through
Marita's link with Undepoldus. Undepoldus will be leaving us soon
and we will not have him around to provide so many of his talents
when we need them. We will have to do our best to duplicate his
abilities between us. Every extra facility we can gather will
help."
Mike said. "You dragged me into your group because you wanted
my medical skills. I think that I was lucky to have the training
that the rest of you lacked and to be around at the right time.
Now I am a member of the most exclusive club ever.
Before, my job was to save lives when people were injured or ill.
Now, I find myself in a community that wants ultimately to save
everyone from all the ills of the world. The more powerful we
are, the sooner we will be able to make things better. George
and Kerstin, please do your best to make us stronger in such a
worthy cause. I would love to have the power to help people to
grow new limbs that have been lost in accidents. All I can do
now is remove damaged parts to prevent worse things from happening.
If I had the power, I could do a proper job of making people whole
again instead of helping them to survive in a disabled way."
George said. "Thank you for all your tributes and your faith
in us. We cannot guarantee that we will make any improvements
but we will try to do our best."
Kerstin said. "I cannot think of a better thing to do than
to try to help. Now let us stop talking and start improving. I
think it could help if those of you who are not sharing with us
at the time added your wills to our efforts. Then we might achieve
something."
George said. "We can also try to treat you all twice, first
as natural gender and then as reversed gender. Then all of you
will have shared with both of us."
Monday 10/05/2094 4:00 pm
George thought that sharing had never been undertaken with so
much intensity before. Both he and Kerstin felt that their own
powers had increased as they shared with the others for the second
time.
The world was a different place now. Everyone knew what everyone
else was thinking. Everyone could talk with Marita and Undepoldus
mentally. Jennifer and Tun Wong were in the suite with them in
spirit. It was as if everyone had the same thought at once. Ivan,
Leonov, Eva, Sarah and Charlie could all benefit in the same way
- now! Boku and the 24 would also need to be improved as soon
as possible. Then Undepoldus could fly away knowing that he had
left behind a group big enough to take his place in almost every
way except one. They would not be able to perform Hairy Undepoldus
Music.
Monday 10/05/2094 5:00 pm
Leonov, Sarah, Ivan, Eva and Charlie were improved later in the
evening.
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