[Fiction] A Matter of Prespecitive

[Preston]

The Infinite Web stretched out before him as Preston wrestled with the decision to take an action in this matter. People were taking actions and these actions would lead to likely reactions … deadly reactions down the road for a good many people. Preston could do something about it. The mess caused by his intervention was at a manageable level still, even with another Precognitive being involved. Of course, dealing with someone capable of seeing into the future carried a greater level of complications, repercussions and extra dimensions to the threads … the possibilities that appeared before him.

Preston let the worry and hesitations go and acted. He answered the phone call, agreed to the meeting, and stood up. He stepped out of his enclosed office space.

“I’m going up to the roof,” Preston told Detective Sergeant Gleason. She was his social shield and ‘minder’. She was the funnel that much of the outside world passed through in order to take up a few precious minutes of his time, and she did her job well.

Once on the roof, Preston pulled out a cancer stick and lit up. He couldn’t smoke inside, but the roof was fair game. As he drug the nicotine into his lungs, Preston felt the meeting fold, unfold, and fold again in his Mind’s eye. The problem with meeting with another precog actively gazing into the same series of actions was that the probability threads jumped around, shredded and re-wove with frightening alacrity. Each argument came up and worked its way through their minds. They acted on their counter-arguments and then countered those. Back and forth, like verbal fencers, the two novas would argue the real problem that lay before them without really altering either one’s perceptions, yet they kept at it.

That was the reason for the conversation … those differences in perception. They had to face them, exchange them, and learn … really learn from each other. There was this fundamental belief in social reality that separated them and Preston had to relate his beliefs and had to confront hers. He didn’t want to meet her. Her pronouncements on the Opnet were like sharpened fingernails across a chalkboard for his nerves. Her babblings made his eyes want to bleed and transformed his stomach’s caffeine grumblings into a proto-ulcer. They were two very different breeds of Liberalism. Had she been in the opposition, it wouldn’t have bothered him so, but she was on his side, so to speak. Boston versus the Bay Area; how he hated the gulf that lay between them and their outlooks.

Preston felt her coming. He dropped it to the roof, stepped on it, and rubbed it out. He felt the quantum reaching out for his location before she actually appeared. He felt the probabilities cascade around him in a chaotic hue. The air trembled ever so slightly as reality was bent to another’s will and then she was here.

“Hello Ms. Mallory. Welcome to Boston.”

[Matryoshka]

"Well, it is pleasant to be here. I wish, bla bla. You know what I was going to say, and no matter how true it was, it would be a waste of breath. Now I do not mean to be rude, but I am sure you know the business I have to do is most urgent."

Walking calmly she radiated power. She had pure force in her being, the air around her bent it's self to her liking, and it caused a noticeable pressure to those around her. It was nothing bad; it was pleasant to most people if some what overwhelming to most. This woman who normally split her power between many bodies was now only in one. She was not alone, and yet the person next to her was hard to see. It was young woman, who would have been the center of anyone's world had she not be in the company of Signy.

" Preston, I know you are used to calling people by their last names, or some cases handles. I see it as a sign of servitude. I do not like it when my peers call me Malory. You may if you wish but I prefer Signy. This to my right is Exlaut. I do not think you know her, I do not think I need to tell you what she can do. I have seen that future too. Not pleasant."

She was dressed in her typical normal clothing. This was to say she was nude. The fact that her skin was pigmented and lightly molded to hide this fact would not fool anyone who bothered to look at details. Signy knew that Preston did not miss details. She wasn't being sexual she was being comfortable. Such was the life of Signy. She was just more comfortable nude. The real problem was with all the stress she was having this day she would have to keep her abilities in check unless she wanted to start something rather unkind.

"You know I rarely have to do this, but I am here hoping you will help me. I have problem. I can solve it by myself but I do not wish to go down that road."

[Preston]

Seeing her nude didn’t bother him. Hell, with the way Preston saw people, sliding back and forth through time, they were nude at one time or another. It was the carefully crafted arrogance and sense of self-importance that bothered him. When someone so desperately wanted to be crucially important that they began taking the fates of other people for granted, they began losing perspective. That thought brought him back to the present.

“Pleasure to meet you, Exlaut,” Preston said as he made eye contact with Signy’s companion.

Turning to Signy, Preston added,

“I have no problem calling you Signy. It’s only a mask you wear, after all.”

If she wanted to play that little power game, the three of them here up on the roof, so be it. He wasn’t here to find his place in some nonsensical pecking order. He didn’t give a crap about how either one of these novas felt about him, or what opinions they took away from this meeting as long as he planted some seeds of caution in Signy’s behavior. She didn’t have to like him and it was probably better for him if she didn’t. All she had to do is start to think outside her little box and start seeing the world beyond the spectrum of her own personal baggage and quirks.

“First off, I want you to consider the reality that there does exist a government based on the premises that basic human rights should be respected and that they are beholden to the Rule of Law. True, certain individuals abuse their positions of power and use governmental agencies to pursue their own perverse visions. What these people do is still considered wrong, though. That is why they hide behind covert practices and black book projects. This democratic republic does not stand for the rights of the few to be oppressed because of that those few might do. We are all innocent until proven guilty and that is the cornerstone of what makes us better beings.”

“Now, you and I know both know this society has stumbled and failed to live up to that promise in the past. It will stumble in the future too. We both see that. Still, we owe this society the same courtesy it has for so long extended to us. We owe them a belief in their innocence until we can locate and bring to light the guilty parties.”

“If we let the few perversions poison our vision of the better whole, it is our failure, not theirs. We do know better. We can see the good that is done, the freedoms that are nurtured, and the protections offered to those who seek the right course.”

“I know about the people in the Directive who want to take actions against you. They want to take pre-emptive action. They want to preserve the status quo which you hate. That’s not my fight. If they act against you preemptively, they are violating the Rule of Law and then it becomes my fight. The same goes if you move against them preemptively. You become my fight. We don’t want that to happen, but more important to me, I don’t want either one of you trying to tear apart this society because neither one of you elects to pack some Common Sense with your boxed lunches.”

“Signy, you won’t win. All you can really do is make sure that millions of others lose right along with you. DeVries wins. The Teragen win. Just about everyone else suffers. You don’t want that, or you wouldn’t be here.”

“Your turn.”

[Matryoshka]

"You see the world sometimes in black and white. DO you not udnerstand that Utopia is holding us back. The tech regs do not only hold back nova made toys and tools, they are making base line tech illegal as well. I mean look at Moore's law. With that you could have computer way faster than the ones we have now. Eufiber computers let us jump ahead of the cruve for a bit but they are slower than the normal one we should have had by now. Still that is not the main point of this meeting, that is just one the reasons that I have been forced to act the way I act."

She looked into his eyes and smiled oh so olftly.It was clear from the tones in her voice that she was trying not to over whelm him, not that she could do it.She just had enough control over her shrm to not use it. Preston most likely could tell that she was doing as such. She did not much care. She thought about telling him how they had broken the law, but she was sure he knew. She did her best not to remeber the pain she had when she was forced to die all those times. The idea that death was easy was all to false to her. People who said that never felt the long drawn out pain.

She nodded to Exlut asExlut smiled. The young woman opened her mouth and spoke in a siren's tone.

"Preston, I can assure you that I do not wish to cause harm to you, or anyone in your polity. I can asur you taht I will not cause harm to you or anyone who does no show themselves as clear and present danger to Signy,I or any other person. I hope this will set you at ease. I know this is not plesant issue or plesant meeting, but I assure you everything will be done to reduce harm as much as I can."

[Preston]

Preston shudders slightly as he struggles to resist the added effect of Exult's words. After a moment, he succeeds. Preston looks down and shakes his head slowly.

"Unrestrained technical innovation is about as healthy as unfettered capitalism. It appeals to a person's individual pride and greed, not to social responsability. Utopia is an horrific answer, but its the hand we've currently been dealt. What we should be doing, as novas, is looking for a long term alternative. Its our planet as well."

Looking over to Exult,

"You are a perfect example of power outstripping capacity. I wish you were somewhat closer to a unique example of our kind, but nothing could be further from the truth. Its a pity, re ..."

Preston's phone rings and he holds up a finger. Answering it,

"Preston ... yes ... okay."

A voice on the other end says,

"You were right. Its a cell of ours that backtracks back to an InterAgency Task Force. One Tomas Fenz to be precise. He's way outside the reservation ... I hope you understand that."

"I know that," Preston responds. "That's why I handed it off to you guys. I doubt your people want this devolving to a public blow out."

"We will deal with it," the voice as with a note of hesitation," but it will take some time to drag that California cell in."

"I understand. Also know this is now out of my hands. If the agrieved party wants to go public with this, its up to her."

"Well ... um, see what you can do."

"I am. Later."

Preston hands up his phone.

"The Directive has been set in motion, Signy. They will clean up this mess. Now, what are you going to do?"

[Matryoshka]

If Exlut cared what Preston said she made no sign of it.She simply watched and listen. Signy on the other hand looked to Preston, with a deep, and complex look, her eyes were saying much that nothing could said from them.

"I am here to make a deal with them. They hurt me. They killed me. They cost me a lot of time and effort, and I want..."

Pulling out a small box.It easily fit in the palm of her hand. She placed it before Preston.

"I died five times today, and I know who killed me. Not the people who pulled the triggers. The person who told them to do so. I think I know why. I want my pound of flesh. Still I don't think I will get that. You can see I am trying to do something peaceful, but there are a few reasons why I came here.Over say a court room. You are the main one. Do you want to know why?"

[Preston]

Preston looks saddened by the news.

"Signy, not to belittle the compassion you shared with your other selves, it is too much to ask the world in its current state to accept the totality of your shades ... your mirror-selves."

He looks down at the box. For things to progress, he had to ask the question.

"Why?"

[Matryoshka]

"I am not asking that. I knew they were going to die, they knew they were going to die.In fact three of them killed themselves in order to spare lives of others. The reason they died is because if they didn't die, well more blood would have been lost. I hate feeling death come into my house. I just know that it will only be time for me to repair myselves. I can repair them. I will repair me."

Her voice was soft, motherly and saddened.

"That box has video feeds of the combat and raids on my interests. It also has some medical notes that I am sure your son will like. He is a smart child. I hope he can understand my notes. They are not light reading."

Looking to Preston. She was clearly having trouble concentrating. It was her needs. She could feed here, but she did not like doing it to those who were unwilling or unknowing. She was also low on quantum.It has been a long time scene she was low on power. She did not like this.

" Why? Why I doing this. Well, as much as I hate them. the world needs them. Utopia is heading down a bad line, and will either fall apart or become something much worse."

Taking a deep breath.

"Forgive my well bad form. I am normally well more in control. You may as well know this fact. I am a vampire. Not the blood kind but I feed off emotions. Really sad ain't it? So, that is why I am always seen at those night clubs and parties. I need them. I will do my best to well be sane."

[Preston]

Preston nods and takes the notes. In response to Signy's distress,

"This will be handled. I know he is just one problem out of thousands, but with this evidence I feel he'll be heading for some dark hole for a very, very long time. I wish I could say it would end your problems, but we both know that isn't the case. You will keep on your mysterious path and they will keep trying to figure out what you are doing. The Directive doesn't like not knowing. Letting things be isn't in their protocols."

Looking at the box,

"I'm sure Neil will like the brain-teasers even if he doesn't initially understand this. I'll see he get them."

Preton's gaze moves to Exult.

"Its best if the two of you get out of here. Reality is a little less compressed, and that should be enough for now."

Looking back to Signy,

"Thank you for bringing this to me."

With that, Preston turns to the roof access and makes ready to leave. As he does so, the sights and sounds of the city become more omnipresent. Its much like the world held it's breath for a moment and is once more breathing. Maybe its just a trick of the wind on the old, refurbished police station's roof.

Already Preston is tugging on the link to Selena, dialing-up a ride to D.C. No special courier or ecrypted e-mail for this data. Its something he plans to deliver straight into the hands of someone reliable. Loathsome words like National Security and Covert Operations whirl through his head. They are anathema to the world he is striving for and the transparent government that is his heart's desire.

'But not today,' he mutters to himself. 'Not today.'

[Matryoshka]

Moving past Preston, Signy reached out to his side.

"Never talk about her that way again. You may not know her, but she knows you. She may know you better than you know yourself. Also that box is not a computer in any way you may think of one. It has a Universal Turing Agent. Subject mastery of Novas in,human, post-human, and trans-human cultures. It will also help your son in a few areas my studies of the node."

Turning away, she walked into nothingness.That was the end of it. She would let the Prestons figure out that the box was a relay net work that, taped into radio waves that were not used by anyone else. The wave legneth made it hard to track, and few materials could pick them up. It would normally mean that the speed was slow, but the waves were smart, coded, and many signil could could ride one wave. The computing power in that device was in the moon.