PLANET MAIR
Year 2034
Distaan Forest
On a clearing nestled within a lush forest stood a quaint wooden cottage. The tall trees and vegetation surrounding the open space created a serene landscape.
Inside the cottage, a man with grey hair, ember pupils and average facial features relaxed on a soft reclining chair, positioned by the warm, crackling fireplace.
The room was softly lit by the flickering flames, which mingled with the gentle evening glow coming from the window to illuminate a braided rug and a shelf neatly lined with books.
The quite room felt even more peaceful, when a gentle, ringing chime suddenly echoed through the room producing a subtle harmonious note with the surroundings.
Tring~~Tring~~
'Must be that old coot' the man thought, enjoying the chime for a while before glancing down at his wristwatch.
He picked up the call, and immediately a hologram popped up displaying the caller's ID with the name William Berg.
"Hello," came a deep, baritone voice through the watch.
The man didn't bother responding. He simply leaned back against his reclining chair, closing his eyes in leisure.
"Ye hear me, AACE?" the voice inquired. Still no reply.
"ACE? YOU DEAD YET?" Finally impatient, the caller shouted in frustration.
Finally exasperated, Ace replied grumpily "Why did ya call, old coot?"
Now it was the caller who turned silent.
"Ya know Willy, I'll hang up if ya don't have anything to say" Ace threatened in a lazy voice.
This prompted William's to reply softly "I sent you the cryonic sleep capsul."
"Why are ye not giving yo location?"
The man's strong accent came out as he questioned Ace angrily.
Ace chuckled at his accent before saying nonchalantly "Give it to the terminally ill or somethin' "
The reply made William pause for a moment before saying unconvincingly " ya already know, the federation is responsible for that …"
Ace snorted derisively, interrupting his rant, letting out a sigh before replying
"Can't say I'm not curious about the future but even if I use the sleep pod, I might not survive Willy" Ace said while pulling up his loose T-shirt's sleeve and looking at the long cracks that covered his entire left arm.
"What do you mean?" Willian questioned in confusion.
After all the cryonic sleep capsul was supposed to freeze all the cells in a body while periodically supplementing it with oxygen and other essential nutrients required by the body, achieving a sort of artificial hibernation.
The technology slows down bodily decay to a crawl and achieve its goal of a prolonged life with a 100:1 time ratio meaning hundred years outside would only cause the person inside to age only a single year.
"My body is breaking down and I've already tried all the methods I could think of, only succeeded in delaying the inevitable" Ace replied
"How? I don't think you have any terminal illness, can you not deal with it using genetic replacements?" William was even more confused and concerned now.
"Yeah, I don't have any illness, I don't think there's anything wrong with my body. I've been delaying my body's deterioration rate by replacing gene cells regularly" Ace replied calmly.
William remains silent for a moment before saying " What if someone replaced your genetic cells for you in the cryonic capsul?"
"What if my body just directly shatters inside the cryonic capsul?" Ace retorted calmly.
"Alright, alright." William said decisively dropping the argument.
"Let's figure out a solution with the latest cryonic tech, where should I send it?" trying to pry out some clue to his location.
'Solve my problem?, new tech?. Yeah right, couldn't even think of a better excuse ' Ace thought sarcastically not bothering to reply. Continually roasted him in his mind.
As if he could guess Ace's thoughts
"Where a.r.e you ?"
William questioned in a deadpan voice.
Seeing him like this, Ace knew that if he didn't give him some meat, this bear of a man wouldn't let go, so after thinking for a while Ace replied cryptically
"I'm home."
"Home?…, the old courtyard, the bungalow, the suite near our gathering spot or ..." William rapidly starting listing Ace's hideouts.
"Will … Will" Ace calmly interrupted, "you won't find this one."
But Willian still didn't give up " Still not over her, ye know we.. we can…clone her"
William ended in a hushed note, but Ace nonchalantly responded him with a lazy drawl
"Nah, it's not about her…. may be a little" Ace added with an afterthought and continued
"But aren't ya curious about death an' after life?" Seeing his silence, he added
"even a little bit?"
'Is that a veiled invitation for scientific research?' William thought suspiciously.
But he didn't dare to voice out his inner thoughts.
Seeing his continued silence, Ace dropped the matter "Well, see ya" Ace cut off the line and continued "if fate allows" To himself.
'Well, I didn't lie, only incidentally cut off the line early' Ace justified to himself, his mind already drifting elsewhere.
"I hope he triggers pain trauma, fear of death or somethin' " William thought desperately.
But when he remembered the glint in the man's eyes, he felt anxious.
Unbeknownst to William or the Union Republic Federation agents, Ace had secretly modified his watch months prior, to display false vital readings.
During the conversation, Ace was also reviewing his memory at the same time to see if he left out anything that needs to be addressed.
He was able to remember and recall any or everything since he was born. He even remembered the passing of his mother when she gave birth to him.
He recalled her last glance filled with reluctance and love, he recalled how he was termed as a genius when his family found out about his memory and comprehension, of how he was treated as a little adult when he was six.
He recalled fondly how his grandpa treated him like a toddler till he passed away when he was 17, then his relationship with his father and other relatives strained due to the inheritance.
He remembered the moments he shared with his close friends, his short marriage life.
He also recalled all his close shaves with death, how he was kidnapped and almost tortured to death for his scientific research. The passing of his love and friends.
He recalled all the memories he considered significant or insignificant in his life and concluded :
' I've seen the highs and I have seen the lows, i've experienced familial love, had close friends I could trust, seen most of the world, made my contribution to my race, what more could someone ask for ' he thought.
While also thinking of all his regrets, breakdowns, depressions, fear, pain
and the forbidden research he did in his resentment.
A day has passed till now with Ace delving into his memories' I can feel it, not much time now' he thought with clarity while relaxing.
' Can't say if I'm wholly satisfied with my life but there's no need to linger and become a ghost of the past for future generations' he thought sarcastically.
An hour or so later, Ace felt his body weakening. His heart beat slowed, his eyes felt heavy, and finally his life force flickered like a candle about to be snuffed out.
Suddenly, Ace flicked his wrist, sending a final text message that read: Take care, old coot.
'Making me work, even now,' he thought, a final, weary sentiment before he finally closed his eyes.
Ace felt his curiosity and apprehension ablaze like never before, blending into a potent cocktail of anticipation that was about to be satisfied.
...….
At the same time, in a spacious office a bald dark skinned man was moving back and forth. He was 7ft tall, wearing a researcher's outfit mostly white with a lab coat.
Anxiety and distress could practically be seen written on his face. 'it's been a day already'
He thought.
Suddenly a holographic text message popped up on his watch that read,
Ace : Take care, old coot.
He glanced at it while pacing when it registered in his head, he froze abruptly and his face turning a little pale even with his dark skin.
He slammed a button in the nearby desk, immediately someone barged in from the office door saying "Are you alri…"
"MARTIN, ACE VITALS NOW" William anxiously shouted with out letting him continue.
The sudden, unexpected sound made Martin, his assistant, flinch but he immediately realized the urgency in his voice and went to work while saying
"Sir Ace's watch and other device couldn't be tracked" Martin said softly.
While he flicked his wrist, and a small, translucent green hologram flickered into existence above his watch.
"Just check now" William said urgently.
Martin glanced furtively at William, who was currently looking at the hologram in a last desperate plea, as Martin's fingers glided across the ethereal keypad, each silent keystroke retrieving information.
"Huh, found it " Martin exclaimed in surprise as a dot showing Ace's location appeared on a holographic map.
He didn't stop there but continued on his work and soon a graph showing Ace's vital signs appeared.
The graph displayed none of the vital signs William was hoping for; every parameter, from brain activity, heart rate to blood pressure, simply read as flatlined or absent.
Martin froze shocked, breaking out in a cold sweat. Simultaneously, William slumped onto a nearby sofa, asking weakly, "Location...?"
Martin immediately turned to check and in a few clicks relayed it to William who responded softly
"Get my hover car " while already moving out of the office.
'The whole government can't keep track of one man, How Pathetic' William thought in grief while his vision became blurry while trying to regain his composure.