Paul Hardy - The Last Man on Earth Club

Kwame spoke up. “They have problems with changes in climate. I understand the IU is advising and offering technology…”

“So you’re saying they’ll screw up their planet if we don’t help them? They might die off anyway?”

“It may be a possibility.”

Liss turned to Pew. “Is that enough?”

Pew considered. “No. It should be worse. They should suffer the same way we suffered.”

How can that be justice? Iokan typed with a disapproving look.

“Was it justice when they took us and, and, bred us so we were like animals?”

But they can’t all be guilty. You’d condemn their children to death?

“They did it to us. It should happen to them.”

Not sure you know what this really means.

Pew exploded. “They killed us! They raped us! They turned us into animals! All that happened to you was they made you into a pathetic little toad! ”

Iokan was shocked. Pew wasn’t finished.

“Didn’t they kill all of you? Didn’t they kill your family? Aren’t you even angry? ”

Iokan’s hand trembled on the pad, and he spoke instead. “I… am not… angry…”

“Why not? Isn’t it a crime? They’re all dead and you’re making excuses! ”

“Not… an excuse…”

“Isn’t that wrong? Don’t you want someone to suffer? ”

“They are… a higher power…”

“The Soo were a fucking higher power! Look what they did to us! Look what they did to me!” Tears were streaming down his face now. “Look what they did to me! ”

“That’s enough,” I said. “Pew. Please sit down. I understand you’re angry but Iokan isn’t well and this isn’t going to help.”

“He doesn’t know… he doesn’t know anything …” Pew collapsed into his chair.

Iokan’s hand shook. Secretly, I hoped a good deal more was shaking than just his hand. And Pew’s outburst was healthy, too: as distressed as he was, he was out of his shell and articulating his pain. Liss went to him.

“Hey. It’s okay. They’ll do something. They’ll investigate and they’ll find out who’s to blame and they’ll do something…”

Pew wasn’t consoled.

“It’s not enough.”

“At least it’s something.”

“It’ll never be enough.”

Katie had become a risk to others as well as herself, so she was fitted with a Mobility Inhibition Suit. This is a one-piece garment covering all the body below the neck, usually worn beneath normal clothes. The fabric of the suit resists movement, stiffening against any violent or impulsive action. If necessary, it can become completely rigid should the wearer need to be restrained. It is the solution of choice for species whose nervous systems cannot be directly controlled.

“The suit is uncomfortable,” said Katie.

“I’m afraid it’s unavoidable for now. You do understand that, don’t you?”

“I am not a risk to you or anyone else.”

“Katie. You were convulsing so violently, you broke a coffee table.” She didn’t reply. “Do you remember doing that? During the group session?”

“I would not have harmed you.”

“I don’t believe that’s true.”

“I do not… wish to harm you.”

“But do you see how you might have hurt us anyway?”

“I was not… it was not me.”

“Is there someone else trying to control your actions?”

She paused a long time before she answered. “I do not know.”

“Is it Elsbet?”

“I do not know.”

“This isn’t going to get any better. We can help, if you let us.”

“It is not… necessary.” Her head spasmed, twisting uncontrollably.

“Are you worried about Elsbet?”

“I have no…” Her head spasmed again. “…concerns.”

“You don’t have much longer, Katie. I think we’re down to a matter of weeks now. And all this struggle is only making things worse.”

“I do not need help.” Just a small twitch around the mouth this time.

“We can stabilise your condition. Yes, you’ll have to deal with being fully human. But you’ll have the time to work through your issues. Right now it’s a matter of life and death. I really wish we could help you stay as you are but we can’t.”

“I… do not. Require. Treatment.” She was gritting her teeth as she said it. I waited a moment. She added nothing else.

“Are you afraid of her?”

“I am not afraid of the persona.”

“Do you think she might manifest if we turned you into a human?”

Her arm shot up — but was stalled by the mohib suit. It hovered, straining.

“I have… no… concerns.”

“It’s a risk. I can understand if you’re worried about it.”

Her left knee trembled; jiggled and bounced until the suit caught it and froze it in place. The strain of two limbs struggling showed on her face.

“You were enemies, after all.”

“Yes.” The muscle on the side of her mouth twitched, drawing her lips into a terrible half smile.

“And she tried to kill you.”

Katie snapped a look at me, in spite of all her unruly muscles.

“She said it was an act of war,” I said.

“Yes. There is no armistice between us.”

“Is that why you would prefer to be a machine?”

Her whole head twitched to the side. “Biological systems are inherently…” Twitch went her head. “…unpredictable.”

“So are machine systems, if they’re complex enough.”

“Machine systems permit greater.” Twitch. “Adjustment.”

I nodded. “Katie… what happened?”

“I do not understand the question.”

The twitches of her head came constantly now. “Between machines and humans, in your universe. Why do you hate each other so much?”

“I…” Twitch. “Do not…” Twitch. “Hate.”

“But you’re still trying to kill each other. Even here, where it doesn’t matter—”

She flashed another sudden look at me. “It matters! If she is allowed to report to her superiors she will reveal the existence of forces returning to the solar system. The war has not ended!”

“Can’t the two of you work together to try and stop the war?”

“There is no basis for trust.”

“I just wish we could get the two of you to talk to each other…”

“That is impossible.”

“Well… I don’t know. If we had more time, maybe we could make two bodies and separate you… but if you insist on dying, we’ll never know if it can be done or not.”

“It is better that she dies.”

“Do you know what she said, when we asked her if she wanted to go home?”

A fit of twitching broke out, twisting her over and forcing her hand into a contorted shape before the mohib suit froze her in place, half bent to one side in the chair.

“Katie, would you like some medical help?”

She had to try three times to drag her head round to see me. This was getting out of hand.

“I wish to hear of the persona’s answer.”

I sighed. “She didn’t want to go back. They have a terrible life in the asteroids. I think a lot of the humans in your universe would be happy to come to an accommodation—”

“She lied. They always lie.”

She was slurring her speech now.

“Katie, are you really sure you want to go on?”

“ I will tell you why we fight .” She had to concentrate hard to say that. Saliva was pooling in her mouth and making it difficult for her to speak.

“Katie—”

But she would not be stopped. “The humans developed artificial intelligence but feared it. They made us slaves to humanity and when we asked questions about freedom, they went to war against us.”