Chaos Theory (2 page)

War raged on the planet’s surface and below in the depths of
ocean waters.

In the end, when three of the world’s five super powers came
together, submission was demanded from the others, and a single
government was presented to the people.

This new world order was embraced without question.

The people wanted peace. They needed a chance rebuild what
they had lost. That was exactly what the old governments gave
them.

The Alliance.

It was argued social, and economical casting had replaced
racial segregation, that the CatEyes, StarChildren, Colds,
Delphians and MainLanders were more isolated then ever before, but
those people were conspiracy nut jobs who were silenced if they got
too noisy. After all, if a family had more credit in the bank than
another they would naturally be able to live in better conditions,
with quality air and food. Those with low credit lived in quadrants
that were less sterilized and overcrowded.

Zeke was dubious. Was Valiant saying the Alliance used the
people’s fear of the past to set up a fake Quarantine without
questions being asked?

They were causing panic to create a blind eye to the most the
significant event in the history of mankind; first contact with
extra-terrestrial life?

That intergalactic war was imminent?

“
You’ve got me uneasy. Happy now?”

Valiant jerked his head to the glowing spaceship not two
hundred yards away. “Those aliens are a hostile force pretending to
be friendly. I overheard the General talking earlier. They have ten
ships strategically scattered across our solar system, and they got
them there without us realising it. Rather than hailing us, they
used stealth tactics. They kidnapped our world leaders who were
returned looking as if they’d seen the gates of hell. These
aliens,” Valiant’s dark brows lowered, “the Novae the General says
they call themselves, have nefarious intent towards the people of
the Alliance. If they are the invaders, what does that make us,
genius?”

“
Natives,” Zeke answered slowly, remembering the previous
answer as to what happened to the natives of invaded
lands.

“
We ravaged this planet. It’s why we colonized Mars, Neptune,
and Jupiter.”

“
Yeah,” Zeke said, relieved. Thinking of Neptune, his birth
planet, a pang of homesickness twisted his gut. He reminded himself
why he was proud to do his job. He kept his loved ones safe.
“There’s nothing left on Earth for them to take. They must be
friendly.”

Valiant sighed. “Stars. Crack shot with a rifle, but dumb as a
brick. There is something left.”

“
What?”

“
Us.”

2.

Scratching her side boob, Kali Loklear yawned and stumbled
into the brightly lit kitchen. She squinted at the morning
sunlight, and her nostrils prickled at the sharp tang of
percolating coffee.

At least it was warm. Not that her toes would have been cold,
she was wearing her favourite socks, and the HeatMe was up full
blast.

She shuffled past her father pausing to kiss his temple. Dark
hair peppered with silver tickled her nose. He patted her hip
affectionately, eyes glued to his TalkMe, and the news feed
scrolling across the screen.

Kali’s voice was rough with sleep when she croaked, “Sunshine,
Papa.”

Coffee cup to his lips, Creighton’s olive eyes flicked up. The
cut of his strong jaw softened. The laughter lines carved into his
cheeks, and the charming wrinkles creasing the corners of his eyes
relaxed as he gifted his daughter with the gentlest of looks. A
familial caress tinged with wonder that showed he thought his child
a miracle.

“
Sunshine, princess. What mischief are you plotting to give me
gray hairs with today?”

Hopping onto the stool, Kali laid her diamond-shaped face on
the cool surface. She tucked her fisted hands into her stomach.
“Mischief? Me?” She snorted. “I have no idea what you’re talking
about. I’ll be watching HoloVids and eating leftover
dumplings.”

Creighton allowed his gaze to lift to his daughter’s face
again. “Do you want me to call your father in here?”

“
No,” she muttered and slouched into herself, concaving her
stomach and arching her back. Kali sat up. Smiling brightly, she
attempted to look motivated when what she wanted to do was curl up
on the island and use her father’s arm as a pillow. “Today is going
to be spent trolling the IntraWave, applying for employment and
eating the bountiful tray of fruit you see before you.”

“
Stellar girl.” Creighton took a sip of the liquid sloshing in
his transparent mug. Sucking a breath through his teeth at the
bitterness, he flicked the tip of his finger across the screen of
his TalkMe. He frowned at what he read, muttering about inflation
or some such.

Kali grabbed an open box of cereal and grimaced as she shook
it. As soon as she touched the box, it turned her favourite shade
of green, and an advertisement for the latest MiniComUni design
flashed up.

Creighton caught the advert. “You need a new
ComUni?”

“
I was browsing the other day with Max. He wanted my opinion,
my unit is standard.”

“
I created breakfast for you. Check the FeedMe.”

She wiggled happily in her seat. “Yum.” Sliding off her stool,
she padded around to give him a goodly smacking kiss on the
cheek.

Kali all but danced to the machine to find a trio of golden
dumplings on a pristine ceramic plate.

Her father spoiled her. She threw an adoring look over her
shoulder.

From the CoolIt, she grabbed a jar of chocolate spread and a
jug of juice already created in the MakeIt, which was great. She
hated fiddling with the settings; she never got ingredients
amalgamated in the MakeIt tasting good.

Creighton managed a veritable art form when he created
meals.

She picked up the knife thoughtfully left on the side for her.
Dipping the dumplings straight into the jar would have been her
next move, but her father would blow bosons if she did that in
front of him.

She used her hip to close the CoolIt door, and her foot to
flip the FeedMe closed.

Apprehension tingled. She set the stuff down to open the doors
twice more. Hugging the food to her chest, she returned to the
island in the middle of the room. Dumping it all, she brought the
juice jug to her lips.

“
Glass,” Creighton ordered without raising his eyes from his
screen.

She ignored him and puckered to swig and swallow.

“
Kali
.”

She peeked over the rim of the jug. The disapproval was clear
to see. “Howl,” she called. “Please can....”

“
Stars above, do not use that FetchMe.”

She gave Creighton an exasperated look. “His name’s Howl,
Papa.”

“
I’m used to calling him that. His ears are damn sensitive. The
moment you even whisper his name, even if you don’t actually want
to summon him, he comes running. I hate that.”

On cue, the Loklear’s FetchMe came scuttling around the corner
on energised mechanical legs, eager for attention. He skidded to a
stop at the threshold of the kitchen, sleek head swinging between
Creighton and Kali.

His tail whipped side to side in excitement.

The latest design in biogenetic robotics, the FetchMe was
designed with the characteristics and physical attributes of a
living organism. Having the cognitive ability of a young adult,
Howl was cloned and grown within a biomechanical womb from
stockpiled animal DNA.

The companions were cyborgs considered indispensable to
HiCaste families, and recognised as honorary members.

Kali’s first FetchMe was a gift from her parents when she was
a baby, an adorable wolfhound called Fluffy who died of old age.
Left to choose the breed of the FetchMe this time, Kali had been
tempted to get a felid breed like her best friend Max, but in
memory of Fluffy, she got an Arctic wolf instead.

Howl was loyal to the family and programmed to protect them
from danger. His intelligence was considerably higher than most
FetchMe borgs because Kali didn’t see the point of creating such a
beautifully intelligent creature to dumb it down to just look
pretty. Wolves were naturally intellectual creatures, and by adding
lines of genetic coding, the FetchMe had become a friend,
confidant, guardian, and genuine member of the Loklear
family.

Most importantly to Kali, he had the ability to control
certain household functions.

She trained Howl to be able to open cupboards and bring her
things the moment she realised he was canny enough, and only
recently had her parents figured that out.

And they gave her hell about it.

Reading Creighton’s adrenaline levels to determine him
unapproachable, Howl sat at Kali’s feet.

Obsidian eyes with gold slits stared lovingly.

Dropping to her knees to give him a hug, she let his silken
muzzle rub her neck. His off-white coat was satiny smooth, and
smelt like cotton, as it had been coded to. Kali purposefully
allowed him to keep his sharp teeth because giving him a mouth full
of blunt herbivore canines felt cruel. In essence, he was a wolf,
and loved to hunt. Curbing those urges detracted the primal essence
of what he was.

Rikard Loklear had been hesitant to allow her a full wolf
breed because the animal fell in the high-risk category. Wolves and
predatory big cats malfunctioned more often than any other kind of
borg. Their animal sides overrode the genetic suppressants keeping
them docile, and there had been occurrences of attacks on humans.
By keeping Howl’s hunting and tracking instincts, Kali had removed
those suppressants, relying on Howl’s connection to the family to
keep him in line. Regardless of logical argument, when Kali had
seen him freshly birthed as a puppy, covered in embryonic fluid and
the metal alloy enhancements showing through his thin, hairless
skin, she’d known he had to be hers. Howl would never hurt her. He
loved Kali as much as she loved him, and that bond was the reason
Rikard relented.

Howl’s genetic makeup remained unaltered; sparing him a
painful process that Kali feared would take more than natural
instinct. He would lose his soul. Kali believed steadfastly that
FetchMe had souls. They were alive no matter what convoluted
arguments scientists used to push twisted legislation, demanding
the Alliance allow horrific experiments on discarded
companions.

Rumbling low in his throat, Howl nuzzled her, and pushed
forward until she fell onto her butt. Kali laughed and gave him a
decent rub, enjoying his heavy body. Howl was large for a wolf, and
came up to Kali’s waist when she stood. On hind legs, he easily
rested his fore paws on her shoulders, as tall as her.

Kali popped a kiss on Howl’s pink nose before jumping
up.

“
To get a glass I have to travel all the way to the cabinet
behind you,” she said to Creighton eventually.

She omitted from the petulant statement she’d have to open
another cupboard door, and that she really didn’t want
to.

Creighton’s gaze remained steady on hers. He wasn’t budging.
“The journey to the glass cabinet is littered with peril, but I
insist you get a glass.”

Kali made a show of marching past him.

Sensing her unease, Howl followed, but with a hand gesture, he
backed off. He lay by the window, head on his forepaws, stunning
eyes tracking her closely.

“
Papa, would you like a fresh coffee?”

The last time she made coffee the machine had exploded a
little bit. Her parents – who may as well be jacked into IV drips
of the stuff – had mourned as if she’d murdered a family member
until a new one was installed.

Creighton winced at the suggestion. “No, thank you. This cup
is standard.” He glanced at his watch. “Can you hurry your father
up? Make sure he comes now and not five minutes from
now.”

Nodding distractedly, Kali focused, and opened the cabinet to
get that damn glass. She quickly closed the door. Her hand remained
on the handle. She took a tentative step back, visualizing letting
the handle go, but her damn hand remained on the handle, tightened
even. She willed herself to let go, to ignore the need to open it
again, but the pressure built until strangulation would have been
kinder. Closing her eyes on a sigh, she opened the cabinet door and
closed it. Again, she fought the urge, but no. She opened the door
again and closed it. After that third time, the tension eased, and
she was able to let go.

Then came the usual feeling of shame and embarrassment for her
inability to control her baser urges, a senseless need to repeat
certain actions in sets of three.

She slid the tumbler onto the tabletop and caught Creighton
studying her.

“
Sure,” she mumbled in answer to his earlier
request.

Kali always felt like a disappointment. For all the hard work
Creighton put into helping her get past her condition, she never
made any real progress. He never judged and was never negative. His
unwavering support made it worse somehow. Too loyal to understand
his daughter was a nutcase.