***
The large 3D simulation in the middle of the large computer complex slowly faded out. The room was full of scientists and computer 'nerds'. There was a common feeling of loss reflected on each face. None more so, than on the face of a young woman who was the spitting image of the avatar called Susan in the simulation that had she had just sent into 3D oblivion.
Her finger still lingered on the 'Enter' key that had brought the simulation to an end. Her head hung low and there were tears snaking their way down her smooth cheeks.
"Well, that sucked," she heard Denesh's voice say behind her.
"Yes… it did, Den," she answered, her voice changed by the constriction in her throat.
"More than all the others, Suz."
"Yes, much more... I am not sure how much longer I can do this."
"I feel like shit too, Suz… and I wasn't even called 'Mother'. I can't even imagine what you are feeling now… let's go and have a drink, Suz, we really need one."
"That was a real surprise… the Mother bit, I mean… this Alpha was the first one to do that… it shows that we are getting closer, Den… but it was so much, so much harder… to…to…"
"Don't think about it Suz, let's go for that drink now… on Monday we'll get to work on the next one. It will be the right one, the one that we can keep…Suz… I feel it Suz… I really do."
"I hope you are right, Den… it is going to be my last one…whatever happens."
The two scientists turned away from the monitor and started for the exit and toward that badly needed drink.
"Excuse me Dr. Davies?" Their progress was interrupted by one of the technicians whose main job was the programming of the Main Frame Computer that ran all their simulations. Susan turned around and recognised the speaker as one of the most brilliant young men among a really top crew of programmers, scientists, technicians and many others.
"Yes, Sam… what's the matter?" She asked taking care not to sound annoyed at the interruption.
"Can't it wait, Sam? Can't you see how tired and upset Dr. Davies is right now?" Denesh was quick to step in and protect his brilliant boss-lady.
"I am sorry… I don't think it can wait…" The already nervous tech mumbled.
"What seems to be the problem, Sam?" Susan answered after shaking her head at Denesh to keep him quiet. The sooner they were going to find out what was bothering this computer wiz, the sooner they would be in that bar.
"Well…" All of a sudden the tech seemed to be uncertain of himself. "It's the Main Frame… Dr. Davies…"
"Speak up man what the hell is the problem!" Denesh could no longer control himself. The technician backed away a few steps for a moment but then seemed to gather strength for some unknown source.
"The Main Frame is very busy doing something… something that it shouldn't be doing."
"Something? What do you mean something… you are not making any sense, man," Denesh was on the verge of losing it.
"Why don't you show us, Sam… it might be easier," Susan suggested, then turning to Denesh and giving him the evil eye, "and quicker."
Sam led them to main console that was used to carry out diagnostic tests on the Main Frame Computer, a machine so powerful that only the one used by CERN to analyse the vast amount of data coming out of the Large Hadron Collider every second came close to it. It only took Susan and Denesh a few seconds to realise that Sam had been right the machine was very busy.
"Have we been hacked?" Was Susan's first question.
"No. It's not coming from the outside," was Sam's definite answer.
"Someone in here?"
"No, you misunderstand me…it's coming from inside… inside the machine!" Sam said with considerable tremor in his voice.
"Inside? Inside? What are you talking about?" Denesh almost screamed at the already alarmed tech.
And then all three were quiet. The silence stretched for a few minutes. They hadn't gone unnoticed. Slowly the rest of the team had gathered around them - each person starring at the console in disbelief.
Susan was the first to speak, her strong voice belied the fear gripping her heart.
"Alpha?" She asked no one in particular.
"Hello, Mother…" the sweet, little girl voice answered.
THE END
(is near)
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