The Apocalypse Contract

CHAPTER 54 - SYDNEY

Sydney turned to Roger. "What is she talking about? I was with you only minutes ago in the library."

"Ah, the thing is, that was considerably longer ago than a few minutes. It is more than a full day in the past now."

Mel had materialized a plate of cookies and was making a show of eating them. "Yeah, a lot has happened that you won't remember. Flying down to Earth. Meeting a famous scientist. Blowing yourself up. Scaring off the alien bad guys and saving the planet. Stuff like that."

A shocking realization was creeping over her. She staggered over to a stone bench and sat down. "I'm a copy," she stated.

"Nope. You made me promise to never copy anyone without permission," Mel reminded her. "I just restored you from a backup. That's different." She grinned at her own cleverness, then rewarded herself with a cinnamon snap.

"How is that different?"

"A copy involves making a second running version of a still existing person," she explained. "A backup is a static snapshot that will never be started unless the original is deleted."

Sydney folded her arms. "I think you tortured those definitions until they coughed up a loophole."

"You really are grumpy considering I saved your life. I would have asked, but I was afraid you'd say no, and after all that mess with the Nandan worm... well... I just had to do it. I started making nightly backups of everyone while they sleep."

"And I for one am very glad she did," Roger added.

"Yeah, you should have seen this mook when he thought you were dead," Mel continued. "He was a blubbering mess. I had to tell him four times you really weren't dead before it sunk in."

"I do not... blubber," Roger insisted.

Mel snorted. "Whatever, dude." She turned back to Sydney. "Listen, Sis... I know you've never been one hundred percent comfortable with the digital lifestyle, but this is who we are now. We don't age. We don't die. We can make backups and copies and experience the world in ways other people can't imagine. Why not embrace it?"

Sydney looked up, her eyes wandering around the courtyard and over the grey stones of the castle to the clear blue sky above. "I will admit, it has its advantages."

"That's the spirit," Mel enthused. "Now, pull yourself together and follow us to the Great Hall, we have a video meeting with the President and some other government muckety-mucks." She dispatched her tray of cookies and strode away across the courtyard.

Roger offered his arm, and Sydney took it. "So you were pretty broken up by me dying, huh?"

"I will admit I found the prospect of a life without you... somewhat dispiriting," he confirmed.

"I would miss you too, if the situation were reversed, just so you know."

They walked on in silence for several paces. Roger finally said, "I think we have a lot to talk about, but it can wait until after this meeting with your President."

They entered the castle and found their way to the Great Hall. Sydney was not surprised to find Mel, Peter, and Samantha there, and even Marguerite was not entirely unexpected, but she was shocked to find a manikin-like figure wearing casual beach attire sitting with them at the table.

"What the... is that the same alien that..." She approached the pale figure and leaned close. "So, are you Jim from five years ago, or did you shop the same sale at Target?"

"Miss Rossiter, I am pleased to see your destruction in an antimatter cataclysm was not permanent."

"I'll take that as a yes on the 'Jim' question." She claimed her own seat, but then turned back to the alien. "You know, I'm not entirely happy with you. There's that whole suicide mission, exploding spaceship thing that you neglected to tell me about."