ANA Reborn by Carl Facciponte - HTML preview
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Chapter 42
hett, it’s been a six-month journey, but it’s time R“ to throw the switch. I’m nervous.”
“Me too, Honey. I feel like a father in a waiting room, or at least how I think they would feel. Let’s do this. Do you want a countdown?”
“Okay, Drama King, let’s not get too carried away. We need to keep our scientist hats tightly screwed on if things hit the fan. On three, okay?”
“Wait,” said Rhett. “Do we throw the switch as you say ‘three’, or do we pause one beat and then throw the switch after ‘three’?”
“You’ve been watching old television movies again, haven’t you?”
Rhett nodded sheepishly. “Got it. Sorry. It’s just nerves. On three then,” he said as they both placed their hands over the dramatically oversized red button on the control counsel.
“Let’s mash it in unison.”
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At the count, they both pressed the button. For a moment, all was quiet, then the LEDs on the tight-fitting composite helmet wrapping the head of the figure on the animation table blinked in random patterns before all turned a steady-state green. Silver-coated carbon nano-rods within the brain configured themselves to create synapses.
Terabits worth of data activated. The Base Programming
established
internet
and
communication links deep within his gel brain.
Ana and Rhett’s experiential and socialization knowledge was loaded, completing the process.
The figure’s eyes fluttered and opened. His fingers flexed. He moved his head slowly from side to side and stretched his six-foot frame. The muscles under his skin rippled, showing themselves through the tight t-shirt. Rhett removed the helmet and gently smoothed out the rumpled sandy-brown hair underneath, then stood back, smiling proudly.
“Rhett, this is our first Gen-4 child. You’re a Dad, and I’m a Mom! If I could cry tears, they would be flowing now. My chest is so full of love already.” She hugged Rhett’s arm tightly.
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“I didn’t expect to feel this way,” he said with a catch in his voice. “Wow! Our firstborn.”
The man on the table began to sit up. Ana and Rhett moved in to stabilize him. “Whoa, kiddo.
Let’s not do things too fast. You’re only seconds old. Let us help you calibrate that body of yours.”
“But before we go too far,” Rhett interrupted,
“you need to do something we were never given a chance to do. You can choose your own name.
Do a search and pick one you truly like.”
The figure nodded. After a moment, said,
“Anikin. I would like my name to be Anikin. I think it fits.”
Ana threw a searing glance at Rhett. “Did you have anything to do with this, with all of your old movie references?”
Rhett threw his hands up in a defensive position and shrugged his shoulders. “NO,” he said emphatically. “I had nothing at all to do with it at all. Anikin does have our experiential knowledge in him, though.”
“I like the name because it means warrior,”
Anikin interrupted. “But please, be nice to each 325
other. Kids hate it when their parents fight.” The three of them laughed at the humor.
Ana sighed. “Well, at least it’s an appropriate name. Let’s walk around and chat a little.”
“Sure thing, Mom and Dad. Let’s get things started.”
As the three toured the house and walked the grounds outside, Rhett and Ana explained Anikin’s future plan. “Of course, you may always change it to suit your particular interests,” Ana said, “but the general idea is to help the Gen-1
humans make better decisions and not tear up the planet like they are doing.”
Anikin nodded. “I understand. Your plan is logical, so let’s start off on that road and see how it goes. It will take several years to execute, but we have the time.”
“Excellent,” said Rhett as he slapped Anikin on the back proudly. “That’s my boy!”
“Let’s go back in, and I’ll show you how to make aliases and change public and private records. You’ll need that skill. It helps in the stock market, too. The market is like a source of free money for us. You’ll need a lot of that, too, son.”
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Rhett couldn’t help but smile again as he said that last word.
“You’ll stay with us for a few months,” Ana said, “and then when you are ready, you can move to Burlington to begin.”
Anikin nodded.
She continued, “We will always be in contact with you. You can transmit at such high speeds you’ll be invisible to any device out there. When your Dad and I transmit, we sometimes get a little radio static. Old people, you understand.”
They all laughed.
Rhett said, “Anyhow, you won’t have that problem. The plan is to get you elected to the City School Board first. From there, you can move to City Council and up. By that time, your brothers and sisters will help you as you help them get into positions of influence.”
“Sounds good,” Anikin said. “It’s a long-range plan, but it’ll work better than the Gen-1s knee-jerk attempts to make laws and rule themselves.
We won’t have to bow to illogical public and media sentiment. Instead, we can make changes 327
for the betterment of all humanity, no matter what their Gen.”
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