Trans-Human (Post-Human Sequel) Read Free Page A

frankly, “You’re almost certainly about to be wiped out by an alien race of machines.”
    The room became deadly silent and even Gibson had nothing to say as he whirled around to fix his disbelieving eyes onto James. With no one willing or able to respond to his statement, James continued. “We have less than seven hours to evacuate the entire planet and the solar system. The faster people get out, the better chance they’ll have of escaping. The people on Mars will have even less time so you better issue the orders immediately.”
    Again, it was a long moment before Gibson finally let out a guffaw. “You want us to abandon the solar system?”
    “You have no choice,” James said.
    “We have no plan for a solar system evacuation. What do you want us to do? Where do you want us to go?” Gibson demanded.
    “It will be everyone for themselves. There will be no rendezvous point—the alien machines would be able to use that information to pursue us and kill the last of humanity.”
    “The last of...” Gibson couldn’t finish the sentence. In his worst nightmares, he had never dreamt of anything as horrifying as this.
    “James,” Thel began as she stepped beside him and laced her fingers around his arm. “What’s happening?”
    “You must be mad,” Gibson finally said as he leaned against a work station, his legs feeling as though they might give out on him.
    “I’m sorry, but you simply do not have time to debate this,” James said.
    “Why?” Gibson demanded. “How do we know you’re right? You want us to evacuate the entire species based on what? You’ve barely looked at our data!”
    “I studied the data you sent me on the way here and I’m telling you that there is only one explanation for what we’re seeing,” James explained in an even but urgent tone. “If I’m wrong, I’m sorry in advance. We’ll know in a few hours and everyone can return to Earth. But if I’m right, and I’m almost certain I am, then there’s an alien race of machines heading this way and their numbers are so vast that we don’t have a hope in hell against them.”
    “How can you know this?” Gibson asked, still disbelieving.
    “I have to confess, old buddy, I wouldn’t mind an explanation myself,” Old-timer said.
    James nodded. “It’s simple: you’re right, Chief Gibson. Nothing organic could possibly be moving that quickly towards us so, by your definition of living , nothing alive is headed our way. However, that’s a pretty damn narrow view of the definition of life.”
    “You’re an arrogant...”
    James cut Gibson off before he could finish his remark. “The anomaly wasn’t affected by gravitational forces so this isn’t a natural, mindless path that it is taking. It is heading towards Earth and it has a purpose.”
    “And that would be...?” Gibson asked, sarcasm and hatred dripping from the words.
    “To make contact with the A.I.” James replied.

6
    “The A.I.?” Old-timer responded, astonished.
    “How can you possibly know that?” Gibson demanded suspiciously.
    “The A.I. told me that he intended to find another being like himself in the universe and to join with it,” James related. “As far he was concerned, it was a virtual certainty that there was another being like him. Apparently, he made contact.”
    “With an alien?” Rich asked in disbelief of the absurd turn of events.
    “Then what do we do, James?” Thel asked, fear creeping into her voice.
    “We have no choice,” James explained. “If the A.I. told the alien A.I. that it had wiped out humanity and was reproducing, then it is in for a surprise when it finds out the A.I. is gone. We can only assume that, from that point on, its intentions toward us will be hostile. Our only chance for survival is escape.”
    “How do we do that?” asked Old-timer.
    “Every dwelling in the solar system can be cocooned in a magnetic field and become its own ship,” said James “The replicators on board can provide all of the