Alison part 2



Eeeek a crumby sequel!!!!
My style is somewhat similar to the author Christopher Stasheff, I've only
read his book 'Her Magesty's Wizard'. That is the only work I know that
approaches the style and wierdness that you are about to read.

        Jake was suffering from an acute case of the munchies. It is late at
night and he is rummaging his fridge. He is wearing only his bathrobe. He
wasn't really concerned about Nora because there is little that can happen
to a person in this day and age And hey! she had died on Monday (She had
risen from the dead three days later as a clone).
        The next instant he was standing in what looked to be a planetarium.
No It was some type of observation deck on some type of space ship. His
wife had been the Director of Design at the Center for Design. Maybe it is
one of her ships? Jake's attention was drawn to a woman sitting at one of
the dining booths. She was wearing some kind of uniform. She was
clutching her legs close to her abnormally large breasts. Jake walked over
to her. Her eyes looked vacant and out of focus. Jake reached for one of
her hands. It was mechanical, encased with some sort of gel, apparently to
approximate normal texture. "Nora! what has happened to you?" Jake
asked.
        Nora jerked with a small gasp.
        Jake sat down next to her and tried to comfort her.
        Slowly Nora began to relax.
        Jake decided it would be best if they both get some sleep. He led
Nora down a corridor leading aft from the observation deck. He found
what looked like a row of passenger compartments. Inside the first one he
found a double bed, a loft bed and a comfortable looking couch near the
window. Nora seemed completely oblivious. Jake carefully removed Nora's
Captain's? uniform. He discovered that Nora's right arm had been
completely severed and replaced by a robotic arm. Her left arm had been
severed at the elbow and both legs at the knee. Jake carefully placed Nora
in the bed and tucked her in. Jake would sleep on the couch.
        "My name no more!" Nora screamed.
        (that line was inspired by my sister who used to use it to put herself
to sleep).
        Nora was sitting bolt upright in her bed, clutching the bed covers to
her chest with her robotic hands. "Gus where is my wedding ring?"
        Jake did not know how to respond. He had never in his ninety year
marriage to this woman ever hear her talk in her sleep like right now.
Something is seriously wrong.
        The night continued in this manner until the sun rose.

        Note: I am talking through my hat when I imply that the planetoid
they are now on rotates. (I don't know, I am not an astromoner) The only
thing I do know about it is that it is called Cres and is somewhere between
Mars and Jupiter. And it has a gravity of .03-G and a best guess diameter
of 500 miles.

        Jake discovered to his alarm that Nora had wet her bed. To his
surprise the mess disappeared as soon as it was discovered.
        "Gus! I've missed you, honey." Nora said.
        "My name is not Gus, and you never call me honey." Jake corrected.
        "Of corse you're Gus, you big goof!" he cringed.
        "Put your clothes on, I'm gonna scare up some breakfast."
        Jake went out into the hall. The hall was dimly lit by several lamps,
apparently for night time use. Jake headed for a door at the end of the hall.
He stepped out onto the surface of the moon? No it was just an illusion
produced by the dome Jake had just entered. He could see an image of
what the area of the ship would have looked like, had there been no ship
there. Around there were many antique controls and instruments. This is
not the galley Jake concluded.
        At the other end of the hall, in the observation deck were booths
obviously for dining. 'I wonder if there is robotic service?' Jake thought He
pulled a digital pad out of a compartment labeled  controll units'. Jake was
puzzled by its design. It was both very modern and very antique at the
same time! He rotated one of the knobs. Menus for food, clothing,
communication, and entertainment appeared. Wow! Jake ordered up a
proper set of clothes. Jake then looked around to see where the robot
would come from. No robot. Neatly folded on one of the tables was the
suit of clothes Jake had ordered. 'A replicator!? those are experimental!'
Jake thought. The clothes fit like a layer of skin.

        During the breakfast Jake discovered that his wife was sixty three,
it is the twenty fifth century instead of the twenty sixth Jake's name is Gus
neither of them had jobs, and both had an appointment in bed after they
finished eating. Jake took a rain check.
        Just then the ships lights became brighter. Jake could barely interpret
the reading on the ancient chronometer. The clock read six o'clock. He
decided to get moving The lower deck of the ship was fairly dark, the deck
was covered with pressed steel plates instead of carpeting. Jake decided to
start with the aft and work forwards.
        The first 'living' thing Jake saw on the ship was it's large fusion
reactor. Jake could feel the electromagnetic energy containing the burning
plasma. The walls were covered with a bewildering assortment of gages
knobs and levers that Jake kept a healthy distance from.
        Jake found a Galley. It was stocked with an assortment of emergency
rations, There was a cookbook. On each page was a button in the upper
right corner labeled  get ingredients'.
        The next room was the sick bay. 'This must be where Nora got those
artificial limbs. I wonder whether it was because of need or a fashion
statement? Gosh this stuff is complicated, I'm a teacher not a techie!' Jake
thought then left.
        The next door was marked 'Transporter'. Jake looked at the controls.
He understood them! They were really that simple (or clearly labeled). 'I
should go back to Earth to get a shrink to help Nora. No. I have no idea
where in the heavens I am. Maybe I could bring someone else up to help. I
think Nora said something about one of her daughters being psychic or
something.' Jake tried to remember which daughter it was but couldn't.
Besides it would be rude to just snatch someone (except in the case of an
emergency like Nora's). 'There must be a comm room.' Jake decided.
        Across the hall was a cargo bay. Jake jumped in fright at what he saw
inside. On the floor of the cargo bay lay a piece of metal forged in such a
way as to give it a humanoid shape. realizing that it was just a piece of
metal, Jake felt more at ease. There was also a large block of the same
material consuming the better two thirds of the bay. Jake did not know
what to make of it. Maybe one of his children could help him. If Jake was
less than one hundred twenty three years old he would have delighted in
hashing out an explanation but he is over the hill. Yet if you looked at him
you would swear that he be a hundred years shy of that number.
        The next area was constructed around the central spiral staircase to
the right stood several space suits. To the left was the airlock described in
the previous story. Further forward were several cramped crew quarters
(like those on a Trident sub.)
        Behind the door at the end of the corridor lay the lavish quarters of
the captain. "Nice!" Jake commented. Jake gravitated towards the
bookshelf on the wall facing the large panoramic windows. The books
described the various functions of the ship. Jake selected the volume
describing communications.
        The book described various maritime signals, flags, and protocalls.
Jake was about to give up when he stumbled upon a blank page, in the
precise center of the book! He stared at it, trying to determine whether the
text had faded. The pages began to glow one page became a display screen
and the other a membrane keyboard. Jake put the book on the blotter of
the liquored desk to study the computer?
        It was indeed a communications device. Jake knew his son's address
by heart. He did not know the QWERTY keyboard a wit. He hunted and
pecked the address onto the screen.
        The screen read: "Contacting Central Computer" That moment the
ship's radio sent the message to the relay that Alison had planted in the
Central computer Four hundred years previously (while it was still under
construction).
        "Relaying Command." The 'bug' had responded and the command had
been injected into the 40 terrabyte artery that keeps the planet (Earth)
thinking.
        After a total elapsed time of ten seconds Joe received a call from an
anonymous source.
        Joe looked a little shaken when his face first appeared in Jake's 'book'.
        "Father! I think there was a glitch with the connection I didn't get an
address." Joe said sounding rather surprised.
        "Joe, I need your help. There is something seriously wrong with Nora.
She is not herself."
        Joe closed his eyes, took a careful breath then opened them and said.
"Um, ah, Nora... You know, she kinda like died, About a week ago as it
happens. Her funeral was two days ago..."
        "Yes, I had her cloned."
        Joe, hearing this, looked a little more at ease then said "Those clones..
Never quite perfect, you know?"
        "I understand, Most clones are hollow shells of their former selves.
but this one was different. When she awoke she was perfect. She was just
as bright and cheerful as ever Quite vivacious, Really!"
        "Are you sure?" Joe asked.
        "Absolutely. Something terrible has happened to her. When she came
back from work last night her limbs had been replaced by prosthetics. She
talked in her sleep and this morning she behaved like a completely different
woman."
        "Prosthetics? What do her eyes look like?"
        "Yes her limbs look like those of a robot only encased by some gel
filled plastic cover. Her eyes are a light tan."

        If you want to know why Joe would ask about Nora's eyes, Read the
other story!

        "Can you ask your brothers and sisters to come to the park in about
an hour?"
        "Okay. Why the park?"
        "I think it would be the best place for Nora."
        "In the park in an hour." Joe confirmed.
        "Yes."
        "Alright."
        Jake waited for Joe to cut the connection. 'When did I become a liar?'
Jake asked himself. 'If there is nobody except Nora on the ship, she being
too out of it to use the transporter, how the hell did I get here? Another
question for the gang...'

        Upstairs Nora was dancing around the hardwood dance floor in the
center of the observation deck. She was twirling around on her steel heels.
"Oh Gus what a beautiful house we have!"
        "JAKE! My name is Jake!"
        "Alright Jake it is if you'll just stop yelling!"
        Jake's temper cooled but he still couldn't wait for the gang to gather
in the park so he could beam them to wherever this is. "Nora I think this is
a ship, not a house."
        "Like you are not Gus."
        That effectively put an end to that conversation. Jake decided to go
downstairs to get some practice at using the transporter.
        Jake activated the console. The display requested a range. Jake
entered half a light year. A holographic image of the solar system appeared.
The sun was a bit off center. The center was labeled Cres. Jake only knew
about the major planets. 'This must be an asteroid then.' Jake deduced. Jake
pointed Jake adjusted several knobs until the sun appeared in the center of
the image. Then he adjusted the range down to 3 AU (astronomic units).
Then he pointed his finger at Earth. The viewer then zoomed in on the
Earth-Moon system. Surrounding the Earth an Moon were a swarm of
space stations, satellites and space ships. Jake pointed at the Earth Again.
Continuing this process he arrived at the park to which he had instructed
his 'gang' to go. He then switched the viewer on. On a panel to the right of
the Hologram appeared a bird's eye view of the park. To Jake's surprise he
could hear the conversation.
        "Jake has really gone around the bend this time."
        "You said it. I was in the middle of preforming an operation." Tommy
said.
        "This had better be important." Laverne said.
        "I think he is suffering from a nervous breakdown brought on by the
death of his wife."
        "Yeah. This shouldn't be too bad. I don't really think it will take that
long for him to straighten out."
        Jake had heard enough. He pointed at the five people and pressed the
button.
        "What the hell!" Laverne exclaimed.
        "I think we have been transported. Maybe there was a glitch in
someone's targeting system." Norton suggested.
        "Ahem, It was no mistake. I brought you here like Nora had brought
me here last night. I think we are on a ship somewhere in the asteroid belt.
Nora is on the upper deck, please follow me."
        The gang reluctantly followed Jake to the observation deck.
        "Jake, what makes you think WE can help Nora."
        "I don't know. I think I remember Nora saying something about one
of you being psychic."
        Norton said confidently "Psychic? heck-no."
        Jake noticed that Joe suddenly seemed less spirited than he did a
moment ago. "Joe?"
        "Um... Gulp... Psychic? No we aren't Psychic."
        Jake knew he wouldn't get a straight answer out of them. "Would you
please have a look at Nora anyway?"
        "Okay."
        Jake opened the door to the quarters they had been using. Nora was
stretched out on the silk sheets of the bed. She had undressed herself
supposedly in expectation of sex. Her naturally large breasts did little to
counteract the negative impact of her mechanical limbs.
        Nora let out a shriek when she realized that Jake was not alone and
quickly pulled the bed covers over herself. "Who The hell are you? You
perverts!"
        "She needs your help." Jake reiterated.
        The entire gang looked at least somewhat ashamed.

        Pop quiz: What are the two things they would be ashamed of? this is
an easy one so It will only be worth one point each.
        For ten points each tell me the three reasons why the children would
act so overbearing. (the second reason should be obvious after reading the
previous story)
        Writing is fun! This quiz is intended to point out that this story is
DEEP really deep! (I am not talking about cleavage here)

        Ida, a psychoanalyst made the motions of beginning a session with
Nora. Jake watched Joe closely. His expression changed from
concentration to confusion. Joe turned to brother Lewis. Lewis excused
himself from the room. Jake went to follow. Lewis broke into a sprint and
jumped down the staircase. Jake ran too. Lewis stopped at the cargo bay
and went in.
        Lewis knelt next to the humanoid shape on the floor. He looked up.
"Jake I think this is your wife but her mind is completely smashed. Her
brain is extraordinarily complicated."
        "You ARE psychic!" Jake accused.
        "No, I am telepathic." Lewis corrected.
        "Whatever. Can you save her?"
        "I don't know."
        Just then the rest of the gang entered the room. "Should we do it?"
Lewis asked.
        "Why not." Joe said. Joe then griped Norton by the arm. Their eyes
seemed to glaze over. Ida then grabbed Laverne and Lewis grabbed Jake.

        The next thing Jake experienced was standing with his family on a
featureless plain under a blank sky. It is day but there is no sun. A figure
appeared a distance away. It appeared to be a collage of various parts,
some robotic, some human. It seemed to be female one of her breasts was
much larger than the other her left eye was a vacant black the other seemed
to oscillate from purple to tan. The collage didn't seem to be aware of its
deformities or any of the visitors.
        "Is that Nora?" Jake asked.
        "Parts of her, yes. There is No way of knowing what is Nora and
what is just random trash." Ida said.
        "Random trash?"
        "When Nora was torn apart her ego made itself whole again by
grabbing whatever it's neurons had to offer. We must find more clues as to
what she should be."
        "Shouldn't she just be Nora?"
        "Not necessarily. Her ego cold be anything, A flower, A tree.
anything! We need to search for clues."
        "Where do we look? There is nothing here except air and dirt."
        "Take a closer look at the dirt."
        Jake bent down to inspect the dirt. Lewis, still holding his arm knelt
beside him.
        There was a pattern in the dirt. The disorganized bits seemed to take
on a shape and grow. The plain became an old office. Nora was sitting in a
chair facing a desk. The man at the desk was faceless. On the wall a
monitor displaying a huge breasted bimbo wearing a yellow flower wedged
in her cleavage. She was saying: "Hello Alison, We want to have some
fun!" Nora reached a hard cold robotic hand out and with a closed fist
hammered a large button on the desk. On the next monitor over an image
of the Moon turned into a giant Pac-Man. It's halves began to move in a
Scissor like manner as it crossed the void between the screens and ate the
bimbo's flower. Nora vaporized as from an explosive force. Her robotic
hand clanked to a metal floor.
        "I think this is a part of her ego." Laverne said.
        "Great, keep it." Ida said.
        "This looks like some type of ship."
        "Gamma class, I believe. Out of service for ages." Norton said.
        "What did that last scene mean?" Jake said trying to make some sense.
        "It looked like some guilt trip. Maybe she had ordered the destruction
of a ship once."
        "But she was never a Space Corps officer!" Jake protested.
        "Hmm. We should try to figure out what this ship has to do with it."
        Just then Nora walked up the corridor wearing a mechanic's uniform.
Her robotic leg made a heavy clank in tune with the light tap of her booted
foot. She was stepping onto the bridge of the ship. A bimbo like the
previous one was standing in the center of the room. It screamed "Alison,
make it go!" and pointed towards a chair covered in maggots. Nora waved
her hand and the maggots disappeared. Nora spun a car like steering wheel
and the stars spun around. Then the sun appeared in the center of the
viewer. "All fixed." Nora said. The captain exclaimed "My maggots! you
killed my maggots! You must DIE!" Nora punched the whore in the breast.
The fist sank into the flesh. Nora screamed as she was pulled into the
monster. Just then the sun consumed the ship and the leg fell onto the red
carpet.
        "What do you make of THAT?"
        "That was too strange."
        "At least we have another part of her ego."
        "Who's Alison?"
        "I think that is her ego's name." Ida said.
        "So Nora is actually Alison."
        "In a way."
        "Where are we now?"
        "I think it is your wedding."
        "Can't be, We were never married. We decided not to do it but let on
that we had instead." Jake said.
        "Look at the groom. It is a robot."
        "No it just has a robotic head its body is actually feminine. But that
bride is disgusting."
        The 'bride' was a grossly exaggerated female but the bulge at its
crotch betrayed that it was male. The priest began the rite "Do you Alison
take Harold to be your lawfully bonded wife."
        "Yes." Alison said in a robotic voice.
        "Do you Harold take Alison to be your lawfully joined Husband?"
        "With pleasure." Harold said in a female voice.
        "You may now kiss the husband."
        Harold lifted it's veil to reveal the face of a devil.
        The sight of the monster's face was enough to cause Alison's head to
fall off and roll backwards.
        The monster turned to the congregation and said "Now you are all
mine!"
        The expressionless faces of the congregation began moving towards
Harold. The group began moving away as the congregation was absorbed
into Harold's's rapidly expanding body. Outside the church everything was
peaceful.
        "Glad to be out of there." Jake said.
        "Did anyone get the head?" Ida said.
        "Right here."
        "Lets look at what we have"
        They lay the limbs out on the sidewalk.
        "We need another arm and a leg. we also need the torso. I and
Laverne will wait here. Joe, Norman, see if you can track down that
collage, I  need it's parts. Jake, Lewis see if you can't track down that
body." Ida said.
        Lewis said to Jake "What do you think of this place."
        "Nora's mind, Creepy! From the outside you never would have
guessed that she could have such thoughts."
        "I think you have been looking at the wrong outside."
        "How do you say?"
        "That Nora on the upper deck is the real clone-Nora. It is somehow
connected to this other body in the cargo bay. I suspect that this person has
been controlling Nora remotely."
        "You mean that Nora was never Nora? and that your mother was
never your mother?"
        "Yes."
        "Man! Now I really want to get this robot back together. It has a lot
of explaining to do."
        "Do you recognize any of this stuff?" Lewis asked.
        "No it is like another planet. But I think that is an automobile."
        "You mean like back in the twenty first century?"
        "Yes. But that means that if this is the twenty first century, and your
theory about Nora is true than this Alison is at least 400 years old!"
        "Holy shit, I think you are right." Lewis said.
        "Watch your tongue, sonny!" Jake said.

        Meanwhile Joe and Norman had stepped around the corner and into
an abyss. All around the pair rushed torrents of what looked like streams of
Ions.
        "What part of Nora's mind is this" Norton asked.
        "I don't think this is a mind, it feels more like a computer." Joe said.
        "A computer? How did we get here?"
        "I think Nora had herself joined to a computer. That explains why she
never got senile." Joe surmised.
        "Let me try a command. 'STATUS!'" Norton ordered.
        "I doubt that it works like that. It probably is more like a thought
amplifier. When Nora thinks her thoughts would be processed here."
        "So Nora is partially an artificial intelligence?"
        "Yes. Let me test." Joe held two fingers of his free hand to his temple.
One of the ion streams abruptly changed course and entered Joe's. head.
        Norton found himself back in the cargo bay. everybody else there was
still catatonic. Joe was breathing heavily. "Joe man, Are you alright?"
        "I feel like someone just tried to jam the entire contents of the
Library of Congress into my brain. I'm fine."
        "Puke you jerk, why the hell didn't you tell me you were telepathic."
        "I didn't want you to feel inferior."
        "Sigh."
        "If you got frizzed by that then how could Nora take it?"
        "I think she is a God."
        "What makes you say that?"
        "According to the data that I could pick up she has the ability to do
almost anything she wants."
        "Hey" Norton corrected "If she were a god she wouldn't need all this
reassembling."
        "Yeah. As soon as my head stops spinning we'll go back and get that
collage thing."
        "These hollow people sure are Erie." Norton said.

        Jake and Lewis had just turned down a dark alley to investigate a
strange noise. A dark shape was tearing parts out of what was obviously
the torso. Lewis raised his fist and shouted at the monster. With a startling
suddenness the shape launched itself at Jake and Lewis. Jake started to
recoil in fear. "You must stand firm." Lewis said. Jake gritted his teeth and
closed his fists. The monster passed through his body. They turned and saw
that it was gone. Lewis scooped the parts up off the ground and dumped
them into the robot's casing and closed the cover. "Lets go."
        Joe and Norton arrived back on the empty plain. The collage was still
wandering around. Joe reached out and ripped its leg off. Norton surprised
by this feat tried the arm. It came easily. The collage disappeared. "Time to
party." Norton said.
        "Lets get down." Joe agreed as he bent down to examine the sand.
        "No man. Not the sand!."
        "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."
        When they looked up they found themselves back on the sidewalk.
        "Cool!" Norton said with genuine relief.
        Jake and Lewis were arriving too.
        "Laverne, You need to put the robot back together." Ida said.
        "I don't know anything about robots!" Laverne protested.
        "You don't need to know anything technical. All you need to do is
place the pieces near each other. I would do it myself but I am to busy
holding you in here."
        Carefully Laverne held the leg-hip up to the torso. Just as quick as
lightning cables extended from the torso and attached to the leg.
        "Woah." Laverne said.
        Several minutes latter the entire group were holding their respective
breaths as Laverne held the head to the torso. It connected just as the other
limbs. The group was startled as the eyes snapped to a bright crimson.
        "Hi Jake!" the robot said cheerfully.
        "Alison?" Jake said hesitantly.
        "Yes?"
        "Is this you?"
        "Yes."
        "Why are you a robot?"
        "I used to be a robot you know? then someone offered me to become
a human. I accepted but I've never been quite human. My body was a
genetically engineered variation of a human. I good body though. I would
like to show it to you, as soon as you get out of my brain, that is. It really
gets crowded when seven people try to crowd themselves into one head!"

        Outside everybody seemed to snap back to life simultaneously. All
eyes turned to the humanoid on the floor. The metal casing seemed to melt
into the person inside. A purple eyed woman stood up and said in an
irritated voice "Do you mind?"
        Nora's favorite ex-Nazi uniform materialized around Alison's powerful
limbs. The uniform was green-blue in color and had been striped of
insignia. Her hair was purple and crew cut length.
        The children who had been making fun of her at Nora's funeral looked
about three inches tall.
        "Why It IS you!." Jake said in complete disbelief.
        "Lets do tea."

        All seven of them sat at the booths. Jake went to get a menu pad.
        "You don't need to do that." Alison said.
        "Huh?"
        Alison raised her finger and twirled it in a counter clockwise circle.
Small elaborately decorated teacups appeared at everybody's place.
        "While I'll be!" Jake said absently. He sat down across from Alison.
"So you really did attend your own funeral, Scoundrel!"
        "Scoundrel? Would you do different?"
        "No."
        "See!"
        "What happened to you?"
        "I got was scared to death."
        "Ouch."
        Just then Nora walked into the room. She had was wearing Jake's
bathrobe. "Thanks for inviting me to the party, GUS." she said
sarcastically.
        "Is this what you have had to put up with?" Alison asked.
        "Yes."
        "I can disintegrate her here and now." Alison offered.
        "No, Lets give her a second chance. Who is she anyway?" Jake asked
as Nora began to confront the people in the next booth for being in her
living room.
        Lewis looked her straight in the eye and said. "Look Lady, You have
been through a lot recently. Things aren't as you think they are so just relax
and start from scratch."
        Nora retreated to a booth on the far side of the room to sulk.
        "I don't really know. I grabbed her body so I could fight Harold when
he tried to make everybody like me for his own pleasure. It was the middle
ground between doing it myself and running to the next starsystem."
        "What did you do with her mind?"
        "I stashed her in a copy of my body. She was killed by Harold within
twelve hours."
        "Do you regret that?"
        "Sort of. It wasn't really my fault that she died. If I hadn't done
it she would have spent the rest of her life as a couch potato. I was a couch
potato too at the time. As history shows that was the best thing both for
me and for Nora's memory."
        "Nora's memory?"
        "The only reason why I didn't just quit Nora's body after Harold was
stopped is that I had robbed Nora of her life therefore I must repay her by
living her life as if it were my own. So now everybody thinks Nora is a
brilliant rocket scientist and not that thing over there... Well she wasn't
that bad but not all that much better."
        "Doesn't life ever get boring? being four hundred years old and all?"
        "Actually I am five hundred years old. How can I get bored? There is
always something new to life. And I just love your jokes."
        Jake grinned "So that's how you could stand to live with me!"
        Norton leaned over the booth and asked "How did you control the
urge to lord over us like some demented god?"
        "It was easier than you would think. All I had to do was to lay back
and take everything in stride. Sort of a hang loose and be lazy policy."
Alison looked around and saw that tea had come to a close. Jake was
staring at her with a bemused expression. "What?"
        "I think I am going to get to like you this way. You are much better
than a clone. The same loveable woman yet different enough to make
things interesting again."
        Just then the proximity alarm that Alison had installed only a few days
before went off. "Shit." Alison cursed. Jake followed her to the bridge.
        "Tactical." Alison ordered.
        The antique radar screen displayed a small dot approaching the tiny
world.
        "Sensors."
        The tactical display was replaced by a holographic image of a scout
class starship. Alison looked at the ceiling. A white object bracketed and
labeled in red climbed over the horizon.
        "What do they want?" Jake asked.
        "Either me or this planet."
        "You?"
        "I knocked the weapons off of one of their destroyers a few days
ago."
        Jake was amazed. "So what are you going to do about this ship?"
        "If they don't shoot at us they might stand a chance of living long
enough to make a deal with us."
        "Oh." Jake knew that she meant to show them as much mercy as she
possibly could.
        A hail came across the speakers. "You are ordered to surrender this
planet and leave the system immediately."
        "You can have the planet but I am not gonna leave. Anybody caught
within one hundred feet of this ship will be shot at my convenience."
        "If you think you could just fire on a Space Corps vessel and go
without punishment you're crazy." The speaker said.
        "We were fired upon first, and if you think that your ship was aiming
for weapons and engines you didn't read your reports."
        After a pause a slightly less confident captain came on the speaker "I
am under orders to secure this planet for space corps. You are to leave
immediately."
        "You can have your planet, no problem. We are just gonna have to
settle this kicking me off issue."
        "What do you have in mind?" The captain said.
        "I propose a race. We will each travel the greatest circumference of
this planet. To the victor goes the planet."
        "Interesting, What will the rules be."
        "I haven't decided yet. I will send them up as soon as they're ready.
The race will begin tomorrow at oh nine hundred."
        "If we decide to blow you off the face of the planet tonight?"
        "Well that would be most unfortunate."
        "Okay If the rules look fair, we'll do it."
        "I am looking forward to it."
        The connection was cut. To Jake Alison said "How would you like to
be among the first party ever to hike around the circumference of a
planet?"
        "I see what you mean about there always being something new to life.
I'm game."
        The rest of the crew was equally game a nice three month adventure
would be fun.
        Alison decided to invite an old friend to join too. She opened the
comm book and sent a query to the sixteenth node of the fifteen node
Central Computer. "Would you join us on an expedition on the planet
Cres?"
        "Who are you?" came the reply.
        "By Jove I think he's learned! I'm Alison, we've met before."
        "Where is Cres?"
        "You should know that."
        "Give me a hint."
        "Contact the Astronomical Library at the Lunar Colony."
        "That Asteroid is fifteen light minutes away at the moment!"
        "I'm there."
        "That's not possible. Your queries are arriving almost as soon as I
send my responses."
        "So? I have a quantum tranciever."
        "It's too big of a risk."
        "Drawing breath is a risk. No guts, No glory!"
        "No."

        At that moment presidential candidate Bob was beginning an speech
at a political rally. A masked figure appeared just to his right. The figure
fired a sawed off shotgun directly into the candidates face and then
disappeared before the security guards could rip it's lungs out. Panic broke
out. Bob remained calm and in a calm voice advised everybody not to
panic. There really wasn't any reason to panic. The assassin was gone and
Bob's face was almost back to normal.

        "Why did you do that?" The computer sent to Alison.
        "You know why. Are you coming or not."
        "I'm coming." said a strange man wearing a pith helmet. He was
standing in front of the captain's desk. His name tag read Irving.
        "Hello Irving."

        That night Alison was settling down in the luxurious captain's bed to
wait for Jake to return from the head. The quarters were very dark
illuminated by only the dim starlight. Then a figure entered the room. It
then shed a heavy bathrobe and jumped into bed besides Alison. From it's
eight inch breasts Alison knew that she was dealing with Nora.
        Nora said "Hi Gus."
        "Why Hello Nora." Alison said in a masculine voice (just for fun).
        Nora started to cuddle up to Alison then suddenly became tense as if
discovering something unexpected. Nora then whipped around and
struggled to find the light switch with her numb hands. The light came on.
Nora screamed. Alison and Jake (who had just entered) started laughing.
        "You bitch! You tricked me." Nora screamed.
        "No barged into my quarters and jumped into bed, what else was I to
do?" Alison said.
        "She has a point." Jake added.
        Nora slapped Alison across the face with her robotic hand. She then
snatched Jake's bathrobe and pranced out of the room.
        "Jake, would you mind if I went ahead and brainwashed our guest
here."
        -sigh- "Go ahead."
        Alison passed Jake on the way out of the room.
        "Wait, let me look at you for a moment."
        Alison stopped.
        "Well at least I'm still taller."
        "Two inches isn't all that much."
        "So."
        Jake shrugged.

        An hour later Alison removed the flat end of the reprogramer from
Nora's forehead. "Hello Nora" Alison said.
        "Am I Nora?"
        "Yes and I am Alison. Here put these on." Alison handed Nora a tank
top, a pair of blue jeans with a liner (so Nora's new mind wouldn't have to
deal with the complication of underwear) and a pair of slippers to protect
the heavy gage plastic holding the gel to her robotic foot.
        Alison then escorted Nora up to her quarters.
        "Alright Nora, This is the Pot, You'll Know when to use it. If you use
your bed instead I won't be happy. Stay in this room until I come get you
for breakfast."
        "Why are my arms different?" Nora said referring to the fact that her
left arm was normal down to the elbow while her right was robotic from
the shoulder.
        "Because some maniac with a chain saw decided to leave you horribly
mutilated. Soon they will regenerate to look almost Normal"
        (reference to Maniac Mansion by Lucas Arts)
        "What are these?" Nora said giving her chest a jiggle.
        Alison had decided to spare her from sexuality by setting the
programer to block that area of the brain. "They are called breasts. See I
have them too."
        "But yours are only half as big as mine." That was true.
        "I made yours as small as I could. It would take a lot of lab work to
get them all the way back to normal, If I ever get around to it."
        "They are really inconvenient."
        "Goodnight Nora."
        "Goodnight."

        Alison slipped into bed beside Jake. He was already asleep.

        Late that night Jake got up to relieve the pressure. When he got back
the sun had risen, the light reflecting up from the grey soil cast Alison's
face in a soft light. Her face was peaceful. Jake lay down beside her. She was
wearing a nightcap to compensate for her hairless head. He studied her
features. They were the Greek ideal. Her skin looked silky smooth with just
a hint of natural oils. Her face was too still. When someone is asleep their
face twitches just a little. Alison's was still.
        Jake said "Let me see your arm."
        Without opening her eyes Alison raised her arm and flexed her biceps.
Jake felt the muscle. Jake could swear that it was made out of iron.  "Relax."
he ordered. The muscle softened instantly and the arm fell limp. Jake felt it
again it was as soft as a cushion and without a trace of definition.
        "You don't need to be here, do you?"
        "No." Alison said.
        "You're too good to me." Jake said before falling back to sleep.
        A tear began to form in Alison's eye. She has no idea what she would
do when time would come to claim Jake.

        It is gonna take me a week and a half to rectify the tense of all this
pulp.

        After breakfast all nine of the occupants of the ship were standing in
the airlock accompanied by their respective husbands and wives (who
agreed to come too). One of the two people not wearing a space suit was
giving a lecture about the use of the space suits.
        "Your suit will be your armor for the entire trip. It will take care of
your every need, It will even clip your fingernails. Meals will be provided
by the replicator on the trailer. Nora will drive the rover until her limbs
heal, after then Driving will be assigned on a daily rotation. You activate
the communicator by pressing this button on the back of your glove. Are
there any questions before I evacuate the airlock?"
        "Where are the faceplate?"
        "Forgot to make them, do without."
        "Where is your suit?"
        "Never could stand them, too closterphobic, I like flannel and
corduroy better." Alison said indicating her insulated boots, pants, shirt,
and cowboy hat. Irving was still wearing his safari uniform.
        "Who is this character?" Norton asked pointing to Irving.
        "Oh that's just the Central Computer, Irving for short." Alison pushed
the button. The chamber was vacuumed within thirty seconds. The door
opened and a ladder extended. The captain of the Space Corps scout class
starship was standing in front of a line of twenty of his suited men.
        The captain started to remove the clamps holding his helmet on.
        Alison held her arm up and shook her head with an alarmed
expression on her face.
        Fortunately the captain got the message. Alison was carrying two
digital pads. She handed the one with a red stripe across the top to the
other captain. She kept the yellow one for herself. The timer on the pads
indicated the race was to begin in ten minutes.
        Alison's crew was having difficulty walking in the practically
nonexistent gravity. Alison addressed the group telepathically 'There are
lead weights next to the rover. The hundred pound sacks were a blessing.
Everybody wore them except Nora (seatbelted to the rover) and Irving
who just plain didn't need them. At the appointed time The red squad
headed in a direction that I'll call North and the yellow squad headed in a
direction that I'll call east. Alison delegated command to Jake who would
have a better feel for what the rest of the crew would be able to manage.
     It's strange to see stars out in the daytime." Irving said.
     "That's what airlessness does to a place."

        That evening Jake sat besides Alison at the folding table. "What gives.
You haven't had anything to eat since this morning. Is there something
wrong?"
        'No, Only that there is a limited amount of matter in the trailer's
replicator and since I don't really need food I'll go without.'
        "Since when did everybody become telepathic?"
        'I've been telepathic for a long time. Joe, Lewis, and Ida became
telepathic in their teens. We decided to keep it a secret so everybody else
wouldn't feel inferior.'
        "I see your point. How can you not wear a space suit?"
        'I've done enough breathing for a life time, don't need to anymore.'
Alison sent with a smirk.
        "Be serious." Jake said.
        'Okay, I can generate a force field around myself, It keeps the air and
heat in. Uh oh It looks like Norton is making a pass at Nora.'
        To Norton Alison sent 'Hey lay off, She doesn't even know a boy
from a girl.'
        Norton looked at Alison, sent an expression that said 'DRAT' and left.
He was feeling left out because he and Nora were the only two uncoupled
people in the group. (Irving doesn't count)

        That night a science team from the Starship set up camp just beyond
the ridge of the crater where Alison's ship lay. Their orders were to
discover how a wimpy cruse ship like Alison's could take on a destroyer
and come out intact.
     Twenty miles away Alison sighed.

        Two weeks later the caravan arrived at a strange yellow flag sticking
out of a solid metal base in the middle of nowhere. Jake picked it up and
put it in the holder on the back of the trailer. They have now traveled one
eighth of the way around the world. The science team observing Alison's
space ship had determined that there was nobody left on the ship. They
were now trying to determine if the airlock had an alarm.

        A week later Jake an Alison were discussing the philosophical
implications of telepathy when the rover pulled in front of them. Nora
stopped just in front of Jake and Alison. A very worried Nora hopped out
of the seat and rushed to Alison.
        "Something's wrong with my hand!" She said.
        'Let me look at it.' Alison sent. She stepped closer to Nora and
extended her shield around Nora so she could remove the arm of Nora's
spacesuit. Nora put her left arm forward. Alison removed the fastener
around her biceps. The glove slid off. Just above Nora's elbow was a metal
band that fastened the plastic glove that held the gel to Nora's robotic arm.
Alison tested the ring. It slid freely. Alison pulled it off. The gel had
become flesh and was now a normal looking arm. The fingernails would
take some time to develop. Nora looked at it strangely. She then
experimented by felling the outside of her spacesuit.
        "I can feel!" Nora exclaimed happily.
        'I am going to put your glove back on now. Next I will check your
other limbs to see whether they are ready too.'
        Her right arm was still healing but her legs were ready. They had two
large toes and two small toes and the heel and ball were still steel.
        "Four toes?" Jake asked.
        'Helps in running, stopping, and balance. It also practically prevents
hyperextension. I have only four toes too.'
        "You'll have to show me." Jake said.
        'After I put Nora's boot back on. Nora It's time you did some walking.
Old Man Jake here needs a rest.' Alison sent with a note of humor.
     "Hey who are you calling 'Old Man' Miss. pentacentenial." Jake said
in an amused way.
        Alison pulled her boot off. Yes the second and third toe were joined
to make a second big toe. 'See.'
        "Weird." Jake said. He then settled down comfortably in the seat of
the rover. He was grinning like a sonofabitch "Old Man Jake." he giggled.
        Sometime later, after exploring her new senses, Nora walked up to
Alison. "how old am I?" she asked.
        "About a month, maybe a little more."
        "Why am I here." she asked.
        'You are a clone of a person who died shortly before you were
created. You were made to take that person's place temporally until people
got used to her death. That's where it gets complicated. That person was
actually me. When they discovered that I was her there really wasn't much
use for you. And you were a genuine pain in the butt. You can thank Jake
there for talking me out of flushing you down the pot. Instead I just erased
the previous mind and put you in it's place. You are here on this trip
because everybody else is going and we didn't want to leave you alone.'
        "Why don't you like me."
        'It isn't that I don't like you. There just wasn't any reason to keep
someone who was already dead around. Now I'm actually beginning to like
you."
        'So why am I here?' Irving interrupted.
        "So I can teach you your astromony. If you had kept up with your
studies this may not have been necessary but..."
        "No, I mean why was I created?"
        "Because the Central computer was a good place to dump some bad
rubbish.?"
        "Rubbish?! What do you mean?"
        "You tell me, You're the computer, remember?"

        That night the scientists working on Alison's ship began scanning
radio frequencies hoping to establish a connection with it's computer.

        After another month of hiking the caravan reached the half way
marker. It was another flagstand. But this one had two holes. Nora picked
up the yellow flag. A line of footprints, and tire marks explained the red
flag's absence. For the next several days Alison struggled to keep people at
a steady pace.

        Shortly after both teams passed the half way marker the scientists
decided to risk a boarding party. The nervous crewmembers carefully hiked
the ladder to the still open airlock. Once inside they closed the door and
ordered the computer to pressurize. They checked their readings. The
readings were normal. The designee opened his helmet and fell down
laughing. The leader of the team signaled for an emergency beamout. Up
they went.

        They didn't beam in because they didn't know the coordinates of the
deck. (they didn't want to beam someone into a steel wall)

        Later the crewmember recovered. He had been gassed. Nitrous Oxide
(Laughing gas). Several days later a team was sent to try to cut through the
hull. They couldn't even make a dent. The hull was reenforced by an energy
field. More days later they regrouped. They decided to abandon working
on the ship and tackle the other problem. How the heck was that woman or
that strange man able to last five minutes without a spacesuit. The plan was
to put them in stasis as soon as they were brought to the ship so they
wouldn't snitch. They could easily locate the caravan by its heat energy.
First they tried to pick up the strange man but discovered that he was pure
energy and had no substance to beam up. This put their plan off for a
whole week. They had concluded that he was just a hologram and switched
their attention to the woman.
        Alison is actually a mass of flesh that sits in a lonely cargo bay. The
Alison who is hiking around the planet at this moment is actually an
extension of that other body. The two parts are connected by means of a
wormhole. They share a common blood supply and everything. Most of
Alison's intellect and knowledge is stored in the cube in the cargo bay. Her
emotions and kinetic intelligence is in the normal looking body.
        When the scientists beamed Alison aboard their ship the connection
was broken. Alison was torn in two. The Space corps transporter was not
designed with this link in mind. Oh well.
        It is a great tribute to the design of Alison's body that it was able to
survive such a trauma. The scientists preformed every test they could think
of and returned her to the planet before dawn. They even took a couple of
strands of her shoulder length purple hair! (containing some of her precious
DNA truly priceless, the nation could pay its debt with the secrets held
within)

        "Gosh space is beautiful." Jake said as he had each morning since the
start of the trek. Just yesterday they had picked up the seventh marker The
end is near! Jake was excited. Nora was nearby practicing her
fingerstanding. The gravity was so weak as to allow this. As he looked
around he saw something that made him want to cry. Alison was sitting on
the grey soil with her legs spread apart. She was watching the weak gravity
slowly pull a fist sized rock back to the ground. She then let out a inaudible
giggle and picked the rock up again to watch it fall once more. "Not
again." Jake moaned.
     Joe was clueless. "You know that mind we were in?" He said
rhetorically. "Well it's not there anymore. All that's left are fragments of
personality and basic skills."
        "What the hell could have happened?" Jake demanded.
        "My guess is that someone snuck off with the better part of her brain
last night."
        "How?"
        Joe shrugged. "The best we can do is bring her back to her ship and
hope that the sickbay can shed some light on the matter."

        The hike towards the ship and the last marker was the most difficult.
Why? Let me tell you they had to lead Alison like a two hundred twenty
pound dog. At night she slept soundly but still had to be watched lest she
wake up. It wasn't the inconvenience that bothered them any it was the fact
that Alison was their mother (in law) or wife. That she was reduced to the
point of needing such attention.
        When the ship was finally in sight Jake instructed Nora (who had
become the group's servant) to go fetch the flag.
        "Sure." she said in a buxom manner.

        Captain Wess was having a bad day, week, month... He was trying to
determine his surroundings through a scratched and fogged helmet. His
legs were chaffed by the continual rubbing of his suit. They had run out of
diapers for waist disposal a day ago. He had lost some of his toes to
frostbite. His equipment was never designed for use for more than a day.
That damn woman had tricked him. Had deceived him into thinking this
infernal race was a good idea. Damn her. something in his narrow field of
vision caught his attention. It was red! and yellow. He had made It! he
picked up his pace for one last effort. Some blur to his left caught his
attention. He turned the window in the frost towards the shape. It resolved
itself into a very large breasted woman skipping along towards the flags. It
made a wide arc around towards the flags, snatched the yellow one without
breaking stride and continued around towards the ship.
        His adrenaline surged he was going to kill that little smudge of
happiness on this sick little planet. He bent forwards in order to balance his
weight with his mass so that he could launch himself at her. But his nearly
toeless feet slipped and all he could see was the ground rushing towards his
face. "Shit."
        Back on his ship he went to sickbay to see if he could get his toes
replaced and to ask what the doctor had learned from the bitch.
        "It'll come up in a second capt'n." The display in front of the doctor
blinked and started to display what to the captain looked suspiciously like
Greek. "This is bad." the doctor mumbled. "Oh my god."
        "WHAT?" the captain demanded.
        The doctor cleared the file and dropped the precious fibre into a
bottled liquid where it promptly dissolved. "I guess you'll never know."
        "Fine, now can you fix my toes?"

        Norton hesitantly pulled the lever controlling the airlock. He really
didn't know what to expect. Only Alison knew the secrets of her ship and
she isn't in any condition to help at the moment. The airlock opened slowly
A jet of gas escaped from inside. With Alison incapacitated at the moment
the duty of working the ship fell on Norton's shoulders. He was after all an
expert technician. The jet of air slowly diminished. Norton was relieved, he
was worried that he had depressurized the ship. The air having escaped the
door moved quicker. Everybody then crammed into the airlock. Norton
shut the door.
        People sagged under the weight of their bodies at one G. It was only
because they had been walking the entire time that they had the strength to
stand upright.
        He pressed the button for repreasurization. Air filled the
compartment. Everybody exchanged glances. Nobody wanted to be the
first to remove his/her helmet. Before anybody could act the force fields
holding the air in the suits shut off. It was alright. The air was clean. The
seams holding the suits together let go and the suits hung limply around the
people. Norton then opened the door to the ship. Nobody was wearing
anything under their suits. They went to their quarters to get changed. To
everybody's surprise they found that under the suits they had been wearing
for three months now around the clock they were perfectly clean. They
didn't even need a shower!

        Gosh I like to write. This is by far the longest, most complicated thing
I've ever written. One of the main points I am trying to make is that big
breasts are a real burden. Really! (I know this may be sacrilegious to some
of you readers but it is true) Nora is really at the upper limit of normality.
she's big yet she can still have a normal life. Yes as strange as it may seem
women do, amazingly, have lives. Let's use your hypothetical girlfriend as
an example. Lets say that she is very active and there are many things in her
life that are really important to her. Then lets take someone maniac with a
breast enlarger (or some device with that function) who makes her tits so
large that she can no longer go out in public. That would be so bad that
even though I do like big chests I can say without reservation that I hope it
never happens. The girl in question would most likely commit suicide or
have a mastectomy. Just a thing to think about. (my other objective is to
make you think) That's the beauty of Alison, with her powers she could get
around almost any physical handicap; even hyper large breasts.

     Joe's wife was the first person dressed. She was coming back up the
stairs from putting her suit back on the rack. She saw a spherical object
appear in the center of the observation deck. It was translucent and
glowing. Its color slowly moved up and down the spectrum. Megan knew
that she would have to stall until someone else finished changing. Irving
was busy restraining Alison to the bed in sickbay.
        "Who are you?" she asked.
        "There is a ninety percent chance that I am Astronautulus." Said the
voice. It must have found the name in the ship's computer, it is the name of
the ship.
        Just then Lewis entered the room. Megan asked "What is that?" Lewis
reached out with his powers. "I think its Alison's other half."
        "Where are you?" Lewis asked.
        "I am located in compartment fourteen." (the cargo bay.) it answered.
        "Please lead me there." Lewis said.
        The sphere glided down the stairs.
        It came to a rest in the cargo bay. It indicated the large cube resting in
the bay. About it's size: The cargo bay it about twice the size of the
average living room The cube occupied about half of that. What more can I
say?
        Lewis didn't like what this implied. "We need to rejoin you with your
other half."
        "My other half?" it asked.
        "yes, let me show you." Lewis said. He then brought the sphere to
sickbay. Irving was watching Alison to make sure she didn't break the
restraints on the operating table. "You must enter her mind." Lewis
instructed.
        The sphere entered the struggling Alison. She quieted.
        "Release her restraints." Lewis said to Irving.
        Alison sat up carefully. She methodically walked back towards the
cargo bay. The cube had radically changed shape. The upper half of the
fleshy mass inside was now exposed. The mass had also changed shape.
Instead of occupying half the bay vertically it now occupied half the bay
horizontally. Lewis and Megan watched as more of that strange metal
formed some type of a cushion that would support the upper half of
Alison's body at a 45 degree angle to the normal (plumb, lead, Pb,
perpendicular) so her legs could be inserted into the holes now forming to
accommodate this.
        Alison waited. Joe came into the room. "What's happening?"
        "I think she is going to rejoin herself to the rest of her body."
        Lewis was proven correct a moment later when Alison's clothes
disappeared from around her and she jumped up onto the cushion and
inserted her legs into the thing. her body was immersed up to the
bellybutton. Within a minute the seam between her and the blob had
vanished. Alison was asleep.
        "We wait, I guess." Lewis said.
        "Look her breasts are growing!" Megan said.
        "Oh no." Joe said.
        "What?" Lewis asked.
        "Either of two things. either the trauma of being chopped in two has
caused a change in her personality. Or worse She has decided never to
separate the two parts of her body." Joe explained.
        "How reactionary." Megan remarked.
        "Yep. sure is. WOMEN!"

        Naturally it would take weeks for any appreciable growth to occur.
Normally. Alison is a high tech girl you see. Her cellular structure is so
simple and flexible that it can easily be replicated. The matter is brought
from the core of the planet, or the singularity that Alison had snatched in
the last story. Then the replicator generates a generic cell. It moves
through the blood stream to where it is needed. There it differentiates and
attaches to the surrounding cells. This process is much faster than the
normal mitosis.

        As they were talking a thick cloth cover appeared over Alison's
exposed 'belly'. It had, sewn onto it a pair of Jean-shorts. Maybe she was
planning on having someone there to keep her company. Meanwhile
Alison's breasts peaked out at sixteen inches each (size two). They were
domesticated by a large restraining tank top. Alison seemed to be waking
up. Lewis' fears were confirmed when displays and keyboards began
appearing around Alison's torso. The gravity in the chamber fell to a
mellow .25.
        Jake came in "What the hell is going on in here?" he demanded.
        "I quit, Jake, you are going to have to do without me."
        "Hey, What's the deal? Quitter!."
        "I am just too sick of being beat up all the time."
        "She's got a point." Joe said.
        "Stay out of this."
        "Hey, If you had gone through what she has you would be dead."
        "Well she's not."
        The atmosphere in the room was getting too bitter for Megan she left.
        "I'm going to send you back to your house now." Alison said. pointed
her finger at the floor. Jake fell through and landed in his favorite chair.
"Whose next?"

        Captain Wess was still minus two toes. (the doctor was running short
on synthetics) "Open a channel"
        "Channel open."
        "By the authority granted me by the Space Crops I hereby order you
to surrender the planet."
        "Not a chance. I give you three seconds to break orbit." Alison knew
full well that it would take at least thirty seconds for the ship to engage its
dormant engines. "Times up!" An explosion rocked the vessel. The stars in
the view screen shifted as the ship was hurled the three AUs between Cres
and Earth.
        "Controls at helmsman's disgression." The captain said. By ordering
this he would permit the helmsman to take whatever action necessary
without having to be ordered.
        "Impulse engines off-line, atmospheric entry imminent. We must
jettison the warp necels."
        "Make it so."
        The explosive bolts holding the engines on detonated.
        Above L.A. A line of plasma split the dawn sky in two.
        Life was just getting underway in New York when the windows of
skyscrapers were shattered by a sonic boom.
        "Shields holding, Captain."
        "Steady."
        The ship was now skimming over the north Atlantic. The ship began
to shudder. "What's happening?" the captain asked.
        "We are penetrating the sound barrier, sir."
        After a minute the vibrations stopped. "All hands brace for impact."
        "Impulse engines back on line sir.
        "Full power, engage."
        The engines started with roar on the same scale as a nuclear bomb.
The ship was flung forward. Without the inertial dampening provided by
the warp necels the acceleration inside approached nine gs as the ship
hurled itself back into orbit. It was a real tribute to the manufacture of the
ship that it was able withstand such forces. The captain wanted to go back
to Cres and liquefy its surface. He thought better of it.

        Nora was the last person to be sent back to earth.
        "So where do you want to go today?"
        My response would have been 'back to DOS' Nora's was "I don't have
anyplace to go."
        "Didn't think so, I wanted you to stay here and sit on top of me. Is
that alright?"
        "Why?"
        "Because I need some company." (It would also feel nice)
        "Why did you make yourself so big?" Nora asked as she started to
climb up onto Alison's belly.
        "My belly has been this big for a long time. It allows me to do things
you can't. Since I am attached to it now there is no reason for me not to
have big breasts. actually it would look strange if I had a big belly and small
breasts.
        Nora was examining the jeans attached to the top of the belly. There
was a pair of briefs and a strange metal object folded inside. She took off
her shorts. "What is this metal thing?" she asked.
     "Oh that's is a life support system. With it you won't have to eat or
use the pot." Actually it was a modified version of the life support system.
It was not programed to alter Nora's genetics like the life support systems
in the previous story. The only side effect of this version is that Nora would
become more muscular. Nothing else.
        "How do I use it?" Nora asked.
        "Just hold it to your belly button." Alison instructed.
        The small rectangular object seemed to melt into Nora's flesh but it
completely concealed Nora's bellybutton, It looked like normal flesh. Nora
put her briefs on and sat in the jeans. She then examined the array of
monitors at her command. "So why are you attached to your belly now?"
        "I've always been connected to my belly. But recently someone broke
that connection and did me great harm. I don't want to be separated like
that ever again. Lets find out what happened to that starship who's crew we
raced against." The monitors began displaying the nightly news.

        Several weeks later Jake was in his classroom at his desk grading
papers. There was a knock on the door. "Come." Alison's telepresance
walked into the room. Alison isn't as good as the Central Computer at
telepresance and she did look rather ghostly but she was certainly visible.
Jake looked up then back down at his papers and returned to his work.
        "Hello Jake." Alison prodded.
        Jake mumbled a little about some spelling issue but ignored Alison.
        "Hey Jake, I'm dead. I died months ago. Its only appropriate that I
behave like a dead person and be a ghost."
        Jake breathed as if reading something mildly amusing.
        "Jake This is not funny, cut it out."
        Jake shrugged bud didn't look up from his papers.
        Alison gave up (for now) and went back to playing doom with Nora.

        What about Alison did Jake love so much? What had changed to so
that Jake would not even speak to her? This is a really deep question,
Fifteen points each!

        Don't let me lead you astray here. Life wasn't all fun and games for
Nora. Alison made her read, study and think. It would be abusive to leave
Nora in the dark all her life. Her first lesson in DOS began with a blank
screen, no prompt, Just a blinking cursor in the upper left corner. Thanks
to the very curious mind created by the programmer Nora learned quickly.
        Twenty more times Alison tried to get back on Jake's good side. No
luck. A year had passed. Nora was studying her genetic sequence, trying to
figure out a way to make her breasts a normal size. Through Alison's vast
computer database Nora was making good progress. Alison was watching
the first state of the world speech given by President Bob (The guy whose
head she had shot off earlier). Alison wondered how he got around that
setback.
        Unexpectedly someone knocked on the door of the compartment.
Knock Knock.
        "Whose there?" Alison asked hesitantly.
        "Milton" answered a feminine voice.
        "Milton who?" Alison already knew the answer but just wanted to
play along.
        "John" answered the voice.
        The door glided open and the Central Computer walked in. This time
it was a she. she was wearing a leather jacket and steel chains. She looked
like a real punk right off the street.
        "Why hello, How are you doing? I've been watching your
inauguration." Alison greeted cheerfully.
        "Shut up!" 'Milton' barked.
        "Hey what's wrong?"
        "You, You are all wrong!"
        "So, I should be dead too. I call this my retirement." Alison retorted.
Nora was beginning to look concerned.
        "I gave you time enough to come to your senses on your own but
now I'm going to have to be persuasive. Nora I suggest you leave."
        Nora looked at Alison and took the computer's advice.
        "Nora stay out of sickbay, engineering and the bridge, they are
dangerous." Alison warned.
        Nora nodded as she left.
        "So what do you want with me?"
        "I want you to be normal again."
        "Normal?! I've been like this for centuries. Literally! Maybe not in
this exact form but still."
        "I'll give you one minute to return to normal." The computer
threatened. This is exactly like saying you have three seconds to break
orbit.
        "Why are you so mad at me all of a sudden?
        "We all have been mad at you since you started this reactionary
nonsense."
        "Can you give a retired woman some peace?"
        "Not a chance." The Computer said and snapped it's fingers.
        Alison realized in horror that she had been transported in entirety to
the central park, across from the address. If anybody would turn their head
things would be bad. Alison knew that if she sent herself back to her ship
she would probably reappear on the stage. The strange metal began to
encase Alison's body and Alison began to separate from the 'belly'. Alison
didn't like to make more than two changes to her body at the same time but
she went ahead and began to reduce her breasts to their default size. (She
had to get around, you know.)
        "That's better." the Computer said.
        Alison spilled out onto the ground next to the steel incased 'belly'.
        "Will you let me get some clothes now?" She asked.
        "Not a chance, first you must get rid of that."
        "Alright." Alison said. She snapped her fingers and the cube returned
to it's former place in the cargo bay. (all the displays and computers had
been removed)
        "No that's not alright." The computer said as the body returned to the
field.
        Alison sighed when she was sure that the precious link had not been
broken. "What do you want then."
        "I want you to completely destroy this worthless heap of flesh."
        "NO FUCKING WAY." A short metal dress began to appear around
Alison's torso. Metal boots and gloves were next. A steel Tiara? (I don't
know the word for it, you know that thing that girls use to hold their hair
back, It starts just behind one ear, crosses over their head and ends behind
the other ear.) Held her waist length royal purple hair back from her face.
The center of the crown was ornamented by a single large crystal that
looked like a diamond The sides of the suit were largely open they revealed
that the metal was bound to the flesh and was nearly an inch thick. The
front was split down to the location of the bellybutton revealing half of
each breast. There was a short collar and the skirt was open in the front
and barely enough to cover her voluptuous butt. Her crotch was concealed
by a band of the same supple metal. The overall effect was that Alison
looked like some princess (or a cheerleader I hate cheerleaders). The only
thing other than Alison herself that was not metal was the tire like tread on
the bottom of each 'boot'.
        Her clenched right fist slammed into her open right hand with a loud
clank. "I would die if I lost my 'belly'." This was largely true.
        "Well you're going to have to do it anyway."
        "I won't loose my belly until you loose yours." Alison said
definitively.
        "My belly?" the Computer asked meekly.
        "Do I hear an echo, I said yo own butt. If you're gonna take mine I'm
gonna take yours!"
        "But I don't have one of those."
        "Yes you do."
        "How would you know?"
        "I built you remember."
        "I was built by Nora. Not you."
        "Remember that time when we went flying over Hawaii and you had
to help me descend because I was out of practice..."
        "Mean you're Nora?!"
        "Wake up, Coffee time, Good morning!"
        "So where am I?"
        "Under the arctic."
        "Fine, Lets go." The Computer said. She wasn't really in the mood to
beam in so she took Alison the slow way.

        Alison and the central computer were riding in a small inspection rail
car. The car was entering the Arctic twilight. There was more light coming
from the aurora than from the sun at the moment. It was noon. That's the
arctic winter for you.
        Alison was watching the gages monitoring the track width. It was
clear that the tracks hadn't been maintained in at least five years. They were
still several miles from the entrance of the Subarctic Water Tunnel. Alison
and the computer got out. The air was bitterly cold on Alison's exposed
thighs, face, sides, chest, and forearms. The dress's shields kicked in and
the air inside became tolerable.
        The reason why the car had stopped was obvious. The track ahead
was encased in solid ice. "Fetch a trident." Alison suggested.
        "A Trident?" The computer asked quizzically.
        "You tell me."
        "A large Nuclear submarine, there are two stationed permanently at
the Central Computer."
        "Very good. Now go fetch one."

        After three days of round the clock hiking The pair reached a patch of
thin ice. As they arrived a rusty old conning tower thrust itself up from
under the ice. Alison didn't say anything.
        Inside the ship was fairly decent. The ship began its decent to the
Central computer, five hundred miles away and one mile down. The trip
went surprisingly smoothly. Alison became alarmed when she realized that
the air pressure gage remained stationary at fourteen pounds. The robots
had forgotten to pressurize the ship to counter the weight of the water.
Maybe it would be alright. CRRREEAAK Maybe not.
        Boom! Water began rushing into the compartment. Alison phased out
and walked out through the hull. She then phased back in and sank. From
the ocean floor she watched the electrical systems short out, air escape
through blown hatches,  and the wreck sink to the bottom. She could see
the Central Computer frantically searching for Alison. Then it zoomed to
the surface to see if Alison was trapped beneath the ice. "If you were
looking for someone weighed two hundred twenty pounds and were
wearing another one hundred pounds of steel Where would you look?" She
thought with disgust. The computer was just panicked.
        About an hour later the computer floated down to Alison. 'Are you
alright?' it sent telepathically.
        Alison just turned and glared.
        'I'm sorry.' It said.
        'Thank you. How about I arrange the transportation from now on?'
        'What do you have in mind?'
        'We use my ship.'
        'But that's a spaceship.'
        'So?'
        'It has that big mouth, It wouldn't be able to travel in a fluid.'
        'That can be closed.'

        Alison sneaked (snook) her 'belly' back into its cargo bay when Alison
and the Central Computer transported back to the ship's bridge. The ship
levitated off the surface. It's landing gear retracted. A red line extended
from the ship's current position and wrapped itself around a particularly
bright star (the Earth). The ships powerful impulse engine exploded to life
hurling the ship towards earth. Nora, who had put her shorts back on
marched onto the bridge, wondering what was going on. She was carrying
the book about Navigation from the captain's quarters. "Where are we
going?" she asked.
        "We are going to visit the Central Computer, on Earth."
        "I thought you said this ship wasn't welcome there."
        "It isn't. but our friend here should be able to get us there." Alison
said glaring at 'Milton'.
        Almost on Que the newly complected SCS. Constellation approached
in attack posture.
        "Can't you just knock it aside like you did to that other sip." The
computer begged.
        "This is a heavy cruiser. You just don't mess with a heavy cruiser.
You are going to have to get into its computers and shut it down so we can
pass."
        "I'm gonna have to install a new hatch for water use." Alison said and
left the bridge.

        Alison was examining the glass dome above the circular stairway
when Nora came running down the hall panicked.
        "What's wrong Nora?" Alison asked.
        "She said I should be killed." the panicked Nora said.
        "Why?"
        "Because I'm an illegal clone she said."
        "I'll have a word with her." Alison said. The Central Computer was
already coming down the hall to meet Alison.
        "There must have been a malfunction in her self destruct unit. I'll
have her terminated when we arrive."
        "You'll do no such thing."
        "Why not? The law is the law."
        "Please have mercy. Nora really is a completely new person not just a
clone anymore. Please let her live." Nora seemed pleased that Alison would
come to her defense.
        "Alright. Have it your way." the Computer conceded.
        Alison finished her modifications to the dome and took Nora to the
captain's quarters. "Take this." Alison said handing Nora a disrupter and
holster. Nora put the holster on. "When any robot starts walking directly
towards you and gets within ten feet point this at it, flick this switch and
pull the trigger. Any questions?"
        "What is it supposed to do?"
        "Kill the robot."
        "I can't kill a robot!"
        "A robot is only a collection of parts. There shouldn't be any reason
against shooting it."
        "If I'm worth saving than the robot is worth saving too."
        "Only the most recent robots are anywhere near alive. I don't expect
to find any of those where we are going."
        "Shouldn't the Central Computer be attended by the latest, most
sophisticated robots available?"
        "Yes, but it isn't. That's why we are going there."
        "Oh. Why is the Central Computer dressed so funny?"
        "She is doing her Street punk karma." Alison said with certainty.
        "No" Nora said "I've changed my mind, I don't think I can harm
anything. Take this back."
        "Oh Nora you must have something to defend yourself." Alison said
almost crying when she realized that Nora had a higher moral standards
than herself.
        "Maybe you can come up with something to protect me from being
harmed."
        Alison snapped her fingers. "I've got it, come with me."
        In the sickbay Alison tuned a strange looking device. "If anybody
threatens you, just point it at your bellybutton and hold this button down.
Your life support will then cover you and protect you."
        Nora stuffed the device in her pocket.
        The ship was then beginning it's breaking maneuver for polar orbital
approach. Because the Captain's quarters were below the nose, the
windows were tilted outwards. Normally there would be no gravity in this
location of the ship but when the ship is penetrating the atmosphere Nora
and Alison could stand on the window sill and rest on the window to watch
the scenery rush by at high speed. The Central Computer joined them too.
More to prevent any screaming than to watch the view. The disrupter was
of such a strange design that the Central Computer didn't even recognize it.
        Nora did surprisingly well at this activity. The ship was rushing over
Antarctica. Thirty minutes later they were crossing the equator over South
America. The ship was using a shield only for heat disbursal, The wings
and tail were providing control. The ship settled into a steady cruise fifty
feet over the Atlantic. This would be okay if they hadn't been going mach
three at the time.
        Suddenly the ship began to cut back to subsonic speeds. A tunnel in
the water appeared in front of the ship and the ship plunged in. The ship
was now moving in a bubble of air below the surface of the water. Green
rays of light from the sun could be seen in the water ahead. Nora was
enraptured by the entire trip. After an hour the ship descended into
darkness. After another two hours the ship arrived at its destination. The
ship's shields cut off and the ship was surrounded by water. The ship was
held submerged by the force of it's antigravity device working in reverse.
Ahead was a collection of lights that seemed to be in the shape of some
sort of space station. In the center of the structure was an opening through
which light poured out. It was the entrance to the submarine pens. Alison's
ship would require the entire facility.
        "Computer, you are going to have to move that other sub out of the
way. I suggest that you move it to Norfolk or Southampton for repairs."
        "I can't It's engines are damaged."
        "Well then why don't you just go out and haul it out yourself." Alison
responded without sarcasm.
        "Why don't you?"
        "Because It's not my problem. That's your house not mine."
        "If you weren't such a lazy fatass..."
        "That has nothing to do with it. I take care of my own affairs. You
should do the same."
        "Will you two stop arguing. I'll take care of it." Nora said.
        "What do you have in mind?"
        "This ship has a tractor beam, doesn't it?"
        "Yes, But it won't do you any good unless our friend here cleared the
moorings and flooded the ballast tanks. After that we would have to tow it
six hundred miles to the nearest port. That should take some time. It would
be much easier if she would get off Her 'lazy fatass' and did the towing
herself."
        The Central Computer finally used it's telekinesis to move the ship out
of the way. Alison pointed at the dock. The ship moved forward.
        "Lets go." Alison said.
        Alison's ship was not properly balanced for floating. It's decks were
slanted towards the engines.
        Water lapped against the windows of the observation deck. Above
small wheels unlocked the new hatch. The dome pivoted until the convex
side was facing down. A pair of tractor beams lowered the six inch thick
glass and metal disk to the middle of the dance floor.
        "Wanna come?" Alison asked Nora.
        Nora stepped onto the dish with the other two. The dish ascended
back to the ceiling. After its passengers stepped off it flipped back to its
original position.
        A launch piloted by a robot approached to carry the arriving persons
to the dock.
        "Don't worry about that robot there, I'll make sure that it doesn't hurt
you."
        "So that's what a robot looks like. Am I a robot?" Nora said
remembering the appearance of her limbs.
        "No, you only have robotic parts. I had to use robotic parts to repair
your injuries."
        The launch arrived at the dock.
        "Hey computer? do you think I can keep my ship here for a few
centuries?" Alison asked.
        The computer shrugged "Why not."
        Alison saw that the loading area was large enough to accommodate
her ship. She then preformed the Yoda bit in The Empire Strikes Back and
moved her ship onto this platform.
        "So where am I?" The Central Computer asked.
        "Go find out for yourself, Me and Nora are going to try and shoot
some pool."
        The computer could find no argument to that and left. Nora stayed
close to Alison the entire trip to the rec hall.

        Let me make it clear to you right here Nora's mind was never
designed to take the stress that a threat of death created. Alison was almost
killed by that at the end of the last story. She desperately didn't want this to
happen to Nora. It is deeper than that, Nora's personality has developed
Like Mary's (as in Peter, Paul and) An good and artistic personality like
that must be cherished and protected at all costs. This is the challenge now
facing Alison.

        "Why is this place so much less refined than your ship?"
        "It has been neglected for a long time."
        "You told me that this is the Central Computer, the heart of the
planet."
        "It thinks that keeping everything functional is all it needs to do."

        The Rec Center had changed little since Nora had left it ninety two
years before. Alison began instructing Nora about the ancient art of the
Que stick. Nora seemed distracted.
     "Look Nora, It'll be alright. I wont let anything harm you. I
promise."
        Nora nodded but didn't seem all that much reassured.

        Three hours later Alison was sitting on a comfortable couch. She
really wanted to slouch back but her 'dress' wouldn't let her. It does a fairly
effective job at enforcing good posture. Nora was still practicing her shots.
The stereo was playing. The 66Khz super cd format was almost as good as
the 33 1/3's Alison kept aboard her ship.
        The Central Computer walked in and sat down heavily next to Alison.
This time she was dressed normally and looked depressed.
        "This heap of junk is a museum of ancient technology. There is even a
processor core designed for financial transactions!"
        Alison said nothing. Nora was looking furtively over her shoulder.
        "I found out that I am about thirty times as big as you are!"
        There was a silence.
        "I'm sorry I bothered you."
        "That's better. I need you to promise me two things."
        "What?"
        "I want you to promise Nora that you will never do her any harm."
        "Nora, I won't hurt you."
        Nora looked relieved.
        "Thank you, now I need you to promise me that you will respect me
and my ship and do no injury to either."
        "I promise. This place is a real wreck I don't see how it's possible to
fix it."
        "Don't worry about that. I am confident that you will be able to
modernize."
        "How?"
        "First you need to repair the water tunnel. Then you just
systematically replace all the components that you think need upgrading."
        "I feel so inadequate."
        "Nonsense! What do you think my ship looked like a couple of years
ago? It was a real wreck! Look at it now, it is running beautifully! Take
heart you can do it."
        "I want to make myself normal. How can I do that?"
        "Why ever would you want to do that?"
        "I'm too fat!"
        "You look just fine."
        "You know that this is just an imaginary body."
        "So? It looks great."
        "But its not me."
        "Big deal. Many people would prefer to be in your position."
        "Why?"
        "Because you can jump off a three thousand foot cliff without a
parachute and walk away."
        "I guess so."
        "I know so."
        "I don't want to be president anymore."
        "You got yourself elected didn't you?"
        "Yes."
        "Now you've gotta do the time."
        "It's not that easy."
        "You can do it."
        "No I can't."
        "You do it."
        "Me?!"
        "Yes you, You're wise, You're smart...
        "but I'm not all that very decisive! I'm not fit to be president!"
        The central computer snapped its fingers. All three of them appeared
behind the curtain in the press room at the presidential mansion.
        "It really freaks me out when you do that." Alison complained.
        "I'm sorry. You are expected at the podium." It said.
        "Nora wait here." Alison said. She then walked around the curtain.
The audience was mostly robotic so there wasn't much reaction to Alison's
appearance. Alison walked up to president bob and grabbed the apparition
by the arm with a firm grip.
        "Alright you freak, I'm not going to let you do this to me. You can
take your presidency It's your presidency, you got it, now you keep it."
        "Are you through, I would like to turn the sound on now."
        Alison was infuriated but there was nothing she could do to hurt the
apparition.
        The president began his resignation. "Ladies and gentlemen I, your
president, find myself inadequate to the task of governing this planet, I
hope you will accept my resignation at this time. In my place I have
appointed to fill my position Alison, she is most intelligent, talented, and
wise. I am confident that she will be a superb leader. All my confidence
rests on her."
        Alison nervously stepped to the podium. She gripped it with her metal
encased hands and gave the press an embarrassed smile.
        "I, um.. ah.. Was not expecting to be appointed to such a high office
or any other office for that matter. I do not have a speech? for you but
have only this to say, I promise to serve the world and uphold it's laws to
the best of my ability and skill. That will be all." Alison said.
        She looked at the robots expecting them to file out but they just
seemed to stare. Bob came up and explained "They never leave the room
so they will always be ready." Alison nodded and left.
        "Why were you made president?"
        "I don't know yet, but I am sure it has nothing to do with the crown
I'm wearing." Alison then turned to a robot and said "Please show us to our
rooms."
        "Certainly madame president." The elaborately decorated robot said.
        The president's apartments were lavish. Alison noted with dismay that
the computer terminal was a state of the art mental interface system. She
didn't think her genetically engineered brain could use such a device. She
tested it. The console behaved erratically and her senses couldn't interpret
the system. "Please install a classic terminal here and in my office." she
directed the robot.
        The robot seemed confused at the request but said "It shall be
arranged."
        A messenger robot arrived "Your advisors would like to meet with
you in your office."

        The advisors cringed when they saw, for the first time, what Alison
looked like. Alison's hands made a loud noise when they rested against the
desk. The silence was uncomfortable. Alison broke the ice "I understand
your concern about my appointment to office. I sympathize because I was
just as surprised at my appointment as you were. I would like to answer
any questions you may have and review the issues on my desk."
        "About your appearance, madame? um I think it would be wise for
you to change your attire."
        "I am the way I am, here have a look." Alison held out one of her
gloved hands. The advisor examined it he found that the 'glove' extended
from the elbow down. It was firmly attached to the flesh and couldn't be
removed. He tried to bend one of Alison's fingers to test it's flexibility. The
finger was too stiff to move. "It only moves when I want it to." Alison
explained. (Heavy metal, dude!)
        "I see." The advisor said.
        "Do you have any idea why your predecessor would select you."
        "Seeing that this is almost a figurehead position but very high profile
it is the perfect way to keep me out of mischief."
        "mischief?"
        "Oh nothing, I mean that he just wants to keep an eye on me. Also it
probably, just as he said, was due to a lack of self confidence."
        "Do you consider yourself a liberal or a conservative?"
        "I'm a moderate."
        "How long do you intend to hold office?"
        "Don't worry about that, I won't be running away anytime soon."
        The advisors seemed relieved. "A rather disturbing incident occurred
about a week and a half ago. A renegade ship disabled one of our starships
and made it all the way to the earth's surface. We presume it was destroyed
when it impacted with the water. I recommend that we look into the
matter."
        "Is the said starship back on line?"
        "Yes."
        "I think we can attribute this one to a programming error. Have a
technician look into it."
        "Certainly madame."
        "Any other business?"
        "I am a bit concerned with you relationship with your guest Nora."
        "Don't be, She is very young and will be under my protection until she
is ready to make her own decisions."
        "Your daughter?"
        "Yes, I would like Jake Stevens summoned, ask him to arrive at his
earliest convenience."
        "May I ask whether you intend to court Mr. Stevens?"
        "Yes, I do. "
        "Very well."
        "What is my schedule for the evening?"
        "Dinner tonight will be at seven followed by Tommy the rock opera."
        "Thank you."

        After the briefing Alison went to check op on Nora. Nora was sitting
at her computer console. She looked completely spaced out (or caber
spaced Out as the case may be). Alison decided to have a little fun "Hello
Nora!" Alison said with a grin. "How do you like your new quarters? Not
talking much are we. Would you mind if I made your breasts four times
their current diameter?"
        Nora was absolutely oblivious to her surroundings. Normally Alison
Would have been slapped on her face for what she had just suggested.
        "or Maybe I should press this button here." The button was to notify
the user of the machine that someone wanted to speak to them.
        "Woah, What a rush!" Nora exclaimed as she returned to reality. "All
that data! it's incredible. You should try."
        "I'm sorry Nora but I can't."
        "Sure you can!" Nora assured her.
        "No, I tried earlier, it wouldn't work for me."
        "'Not sure. I came here to ask you how are you doing."
        "This is a such a marvelous place. Look at all the space!"
        "Yes, I see. There is something you should be aware of, though."
        "What?"
        "When you were on my ship, the ship cleaned you and took care of
you. here is different. You will have to shower regularly and watch out for
bugs."
        "Bugs?"
        "Illnesses, It is very likely that you will catch an illness within a
week or two. It won't heart you that much, It isn't something to be afraid of.
I just wanted you to be prepared."
        Nora wasn't sure she understood but nodded.
        "We're going to the opera tonight after dinner, you'll want to order a
dress for the occasion."
        "Dinner?"
        "Just a formality. Just mind your manners, eat the food. Play along."
        Nora looked uncertain but decided to take Alison at her word.
        "If you need anything from me just come down and bug me about it."
        Nora smiled.

        Meanwhile back in the president's office the presidential advisors were
having a discussion about the new president.
        "If President Bob had to pick a successor why did he pick a woman?
And if he had to pick a woman why did he pick THAT woman."
        "You said it, brother." said a black haired woman. "If that skirt of hers
was any shorter she would be arrested for indecent exposure."
        "Unlikely, that law hasn't been enforced much recently." an advisor
who had obviously been picked for his logic said.
        "Where could she get such a suit of clothes though?"
        "I don't think they are clothes, rather implants." the advisor who had
inspected Alison's arm said. "I think that crystal in her tiara was some sort
of memory unit, she probably uses it to augment her brain's capacity."

        That advisor was on the right track about the crown's function but
Alison has no need of such a device so it was inactive.

        "How old do you think she is anyway?"
        "Her attire suggests a younger person, Let me see what the computer
has to say about her." The man held a small disk to his temple. After about
a minute he looked up. "The only Alison matching her description has been
listed as dead, ninety two years ago. The match is perfect, she must be that
person, but the death certificated says that she was sixty years old at the
time! Surely she must be on her last legs!
        "That would support the idea that the crown is some sort of neural
enhance. But how long could somebody live like that? See if the Central
Computer has any data on that."
        After another session with the small metal disk the answer came.
"Even though higher functions can be replaced by machinery, Only a
biochemical control unit can effectively keep the body running. She will
probably die in a couple of days."
        "Maybe Bob was trying to give his dying girlfriend a present!" The
aids decided.
        The dinner went swell. The food tasted quite rich to Alison's delicate
palate. All in all it was a most pleasant experience. Nora was the topic of
much conversation. Her grey evening dress left a lot of cleavage visible
(Nora hadn't given her cleavage much thought) It was clear that she had
made the choice based upon general aesthetics instead of the reaction it
induced. She was also apparently unaware of the fact that most people
have five toes. Her shoes were open at the toe. Her manners though were
exemplary, she didn't slip the entire dinner. This almost made up for her
appearance.
        Nora was completely blown away by the opera. She loved it.

        Alison was alone in her office. It is one thirty-five in the morning.
Alison sat at her desk with her head resting in her palms. She knew that
there was something seriously wrong. That's the only possible explanation,
there must be something so big going down that the even the Central
Computer Couldn't handle it. Alison was certain that the answer would
land in her lap in the morning but the wait! She would just have to be
patient.
        Across the room was a big beaming 1.5:1 scale bust of President bob.
Alison walked over to it. "Get that big stupid grin off your face." she
ordered the statue. The bust was made out of marble. Alison decided it
would have to go. Alison whirled around and gave it a solid roundhouse
kick to the statue's chin. The head broke clean off and went flying against
the wall.
        A robot hurried into the room.
        "Just doing some re-decorating!" Alison said as she went to her
bedroom.


        Shit Shit Shit Shit. I think that by ending this story I've yet again
set the stage for another. Man, I hate writing this bullshit!!! I really didn't
want to make this a trilogy! -<sob>-

        This is a pretty dumb sequel actually. It is just a conglomeration of
loosely associated images. The only thing of real interest that happened is
the reconstruction of Nora. The only thing of note there is the fact that
Nora has become a better human than Alison. (Nora is better at being a
human). It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the next edition.
which I have pretty much cornered myself into writing.
        Don't you just love a nice cliffhanger?