A Legend of the Future by Agustín de Rojas

Author:Agustín de Rojas [de Rojas, Agustín]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC028000, science fiction, Cuba, space travel, utopia, communism, FICTION / Science Fiction / General, FIC028020, FIC056000, FIC037000, FICTION / Political, FICTION / Science Fiction / Hard Science Fiction, FICTION / Hispanic & Latino
ISBN: 9781632060105
Publisher: Restless Books
Published: 2015-03-09T16:00:00+00:00

“This is the last one, Gema,” said Thondup, with obvious satisfaction. Gema did not respond.

The micro-needles finished joining the terminal to the left optic nerve. Gema straightened up stiffly, revealing her swollen eyes; the viewfinder had left two circular purple welts around them. She staggered across to the nearest chair and collapsed into it. Closing her eyes, she smiled weakly:

“I only hope I didn’t get any of the connections wrong… or anything else.” She felt for the arm of the chair, and it immediately tilted backwards. She went on talking, now lying flat. “You’ll have to finish the job yourself; I don’t think I can move for another two hours… Put a pair of gloves on…”

The man’s fingers awkwardly pushed into the white material.

“Ready, Gema.”

“Take the brain in your hands… Carefully now, don’t drop it, whatever you do. Carry it to the container…” She listened carefully to Thondup’s footsteps across the polyfoam. She instructed him again: “Put it in upside down, with the terminals facing upwards, otherwise it won’t fit… Done that?”

“Yes, that’s done.”

“Can you see two blue conductors next to the container?”

“Yes, I can…”

“Get hold of them and push the needles on the ends into the dura mater. Don’t worry, they won’t reach the brain, it’s all been calculated… Try to place them as far apart as possible.”

Holding a tube in each hand, Thondup hesitated. He asked,

“What’s this for?”

Gema opened her eyes and stared at him, irritated.

“Stop asking so many questions and do it.”

Thondup agreed reluctantly, and Gema’s gaze softened slightly.

“Silly idiot… We need to replace the cerebrospinal fluid between the membranes and the brain; that’s what the tubes are for. We have to do things properly or not do them at all… Cover the container. You’ll see there’s a semicircular hole on the outside; lay the terminals and tubes there.”

She watched him doing all this. She said approvingly,

“Very good. Now open the regulator switch on the green tank.”

This time Thondup did not ask her anything but did as she said. A yellowish liquid slowly filled the container. The brain wobbled, turned, was covered… then floated, swaying slightly, in the liquid.

“Now seal the hole with lisosol… Yes, I know it’s not ideal, but there’s nothing else. Or am I mistaken?”

“No, you’re not mistaken. Anything more?”

“Yes, keep an eye on the dials for a few minutes to make sure all the readings are normal… Then take the body away.”

“To the refuse chute?”

“That would be best. It’s going to decompose very quickly.”

“Alright, now get some rest…”

“Wait, then come back and keep watching the brain…”

“Yes, I know, until you’re restored.”

“Correct.”

Thondup saw her face suddenly relax. He looked at her closely; her skin looked even more pallid, making the petechiae dotted all over it even more conspicuous. He let out a sigh. “It’s a normal reaction. Too much tension. Even if she had been healthy, she wouldn’t have been able to continue.” His gaze transferred to the monitor. “Everything fine up to now; as long as Isanusi doesn’t discover that… No, there’s no reason he should realize.

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