Free Allie's War Season One by JC Andrijeski Page A

plays the memories, as one plays a film excerpt, or a video from television.
    Ah. The voice sighs as its owner watches, but the emotion behind it feels complex, a flavor of pride mixed with regret. His words remain all business. Are you checking for anomalies each time our Terian returns to a new body? Each and every time, Xarethe...no exceptions?
    Yes, she says, her voice stiffly certain. He is not resurrected without a thorough examination, father Galaith. There are no anomalies. No irregularities of any kind.
    There is another silence while he thinks about her words.
    She breaks it, her voice cautious that time.
    Sir, if you don’t mind my asking. Dehgoies. Is it strictly necessary that he—
    I do mind, Xarethe, Galaith’s voice holds the faintest of warnings. Ensure that our friend Terian remains stable, happy and free of any disturbing thoughts with which any good and loyal friend of mine should not be burdened. And ask him to contact me as soon as he is able...
    Of course, she sends.
    ...As she speaks, the voices begin to fade from Terian’s hearing, drifting from his consciousness like a boat blown further and further away by a cool breeze.

    THE NEXT TIME he woke, the old doctor was there in person, bent over the main monitor.
    How long have I been out? he sent to her.
    She made a few final adjustments before she glanced down at him, smiling. “Approximately thirty-two hours in total, brother.”
    Terian blinked, tried to move his jaw. It remained sore.
    Tracking has continued? he sent.
    “Of course.”
    How many?
    “Three squads. And we have utilized the human media.”
    Where is he now? he sent. Dehgoies.
    “We are still compiling the last set of memories,” Xarethe said, rather than answering him. When she looked over next, she smiled. “Your diligence is noteworthy, brother. But your recent imprints of his light will have to be collated before we will have a realtime track. Until then, the usual channels are being utilized.”
    So you haven’t found him. Terian stared at the ceiling. Did anyone recover the body? ...My body, he clarified.
    “Of course. The team is already working on it, brother. Estimate 141 days minimum to clone and reconstruct.” The old doctor sat in a chair beside the bed, looking oddly anachronistic as she squinted at readouts over cat-shaped bifocals. “Full re-load in 167 days.” She smiled at him again, taking the glasses off her veined nose, exposing pressure marks from the frames. “You won’t be disappointed, Terry.”
    Is this one a temp? Terian sent. I don’t remember it.
    “A temp,” the woman said. “Yes.” She smiled at him in a grandmotherly way. “Would you like the same personality structure as the body he killed? It is no trouble at all. I have the base characteristics loaded now.”
    What’s available?
    “This is a seer’s body, so you have access to that biology and the requisite skills—”
    Intelligence? Problem-solving? Can I boost them at all?
    The doctor made a low clucking sound, a modulation of the sharper, more aggressive clicking common among seers.
    “There are limits, Terry. You are fairly well dispersed right now.”
    I can’t lose any of the others?
    The old woman chuckled, even as she gave him a sharper look. “All are on assignment, Mein Herr. If you remember, you are using a significant amount of your problem-solving skills with body number nine already.”
    Terian frowned inside his mind, staring up at the ceiling.
    He could see no solution, and it bothered him.
    The doctor offered, “I can add creativity. A slight warning...it would be associated with a form of sociopathy that can be a bit unstable.”
    Terian didn’t hesitate. Do it, he sent. If he could have moved his lips to smile, he would have. And if he kills me again, I’ll blame you this time, Xarethe.
    She smiled, but when she turned that time, her eyes were hard as glass.
    “Whatever story keeps you hard at work, my fragmented little friend.” Rising to her feet,