Quadrant: Eastern
Time.
Sector: 19.
Civilian Center: 192.
District: Residential.
1005 hours.
Senator Ulysses
Sterling DuPonte—PRO-T-EN Corps Savant, Department: Congressional, Job Title: Legislator—had
just finished his morning swim. Waves rippled out from his waist, diminishing
halfway across his heated, Olympic-sized Hydro-DeZign pool as he moved through
the shallow end toward the steps. Warm sunlight cascaded through the large
windows overlooking his property. Drops of water fell from his torso back from whence
they came.
At sixty-seven
years old, Ulysses still looked fit; lean, muscular, with naught but gray hair,
liver-spotted hands, and varicose veins in his calves to give away his true
age. On any other day, he would’ve emerged from his pool with a smile on his
face, ready for the work at hand. But today, he wore a stern expression; eyes
narrowed, lips taut.
The hard look of a
man on a mission. Not a mission he wanted to undertake, but a mission he
couldn’t avoid, nonetheless.
“Well, now, Jeeves
… think I’m ready for a soak in the ol’ hot tub.”
“Splendid,
Senator.”
Jeeves, a DomIcile
Systems X-Series MechAttendant, stood at the edge of the pool, waiting. Molded
to the shape of a thin adult human-person, synched to Ulysses’ private
neural-net, Jeeves stood erect and obedient, its synthetic, ivory surface
glistening in the sunlight. The ovular bubbles in its face glowed a soft blue, ever
trained on the senator as he neared.
When Ulysses
reached the second step, Jeeves extended its right hand and took hold of his
left, both supporting and guiding him as he moved.
“Thank you, young
fella.”
“My pleasure, Senator.”
Once out of the
pool, Ulysses no longer needed assistance. Jeeves fell into step behind as
Ulysses sauntered toward the Hydro-DeZign spa bubbling in the corner. “Ah, yes …”
he sighed, sinking down into the hot, soothing water. “Best part of my day!”
Jeeves retreated
to the wall, alert yet unobtrusive.
Resting against
the spa’s cushioned rim, Ulysses closed his eyes, took a deep breath.
Won’t be long now.
Time, my ultimate enemy upon this mortal earth. It steals my life away, moment
by moment, and drags me toward this unholy duty …
Face still taut, Ulysses
sighed.
But will they see
it as such? As a duty? Will they understand why a man must stand tall when
those about him cower and run?
The heat, the
water, the jets; it all felt good and calming as Ulysses stared into
self-imposed darkness.
I wish with all my
heart that it didn’t have to be this way … but what good does wishin’ do? They
won’t listen, so it falls to me. I just have to be strong, to follow the
truest, purest interpretation of The PRO-T-EN Precepts. Pride. Trust. Commitment.
That is all I’ve ever known—
“Incoming holo-cast,
Senator. Sender unknown, neural-net encrypted.”
Ulysses opened his
eyes with a heavy sigh. “Accept,” he replied, sitting up as if called to
attention.
Wordless, Jeeves
moved to the front of the spa, then knelt with its right hand extended over the
roiling water. The PRO-T-EN HoloCaster embedded in its palm glowed a bright
blue, then a beam of light issued forth. Within this conical beam, particles
swirled, then congealed into the form of a small, cloaked figure hovering above
the water.
“Are we in for a
time?” Ulysses asked.
“We are,” the dark
figure replied in a deep, modulated voice; one designed to obscure his identity.
“The traitor has made the announcement. Do you still doubt?”
“No.”
“Good. Everything
is now in place. I just need confirmation that your mind is set.”
“My mind is set.”
“Your PRO-T-EN
mind, Senator?”
“Precisely, son.”
“Then I will see
you at the rendezvous point.”
“You will.”
The figure
dissipated as the light faded and the HoloCaster dimmed. Jeeves drew its hand
back, then stood. Grunting, Ulysses leant forward, letting the water flow over
his hunched shoulders. The Senator looked into the glowing blue eyes of his
mechanical manservant, wondering for a moment at the artificial intelligence
inside of its artificial skull. Wordless, Jeeves stared back, waiting for any
command or sign of movement.
“Well now, Jeeves.
Time to go to work.”
“Yes, Senator. In
service of The PRO-T-EN Objective.”
“Yes, Jeeves. Of course.” Ulysses rose, stretched his arms wide. “The PRO-T-EN Objective.”
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