Transhumans

Chapter 9

“Art, as far as it is able, follows nature, as a pupil imitates his master; thus your art must be, as it were, God's grandchild.”

– Dante Alighieri

 

 

“Am I allowed to proceed?” Luke asked looking at Raja; they were both in the meeting room, but without the Council, and Luke was ready to make a call to his pupils.

“Yes,” she replied. “Proceed.”

He pressed the green button on the phone and put it on speaker.

“You know, it has been some time I don’t hear from them.” He smiled excitedly. “I miss them.”

“Just proceed.”

 It rang three times until a female voice answered.

“I am sorry. The owner of this number is currently unavailable.”

“Then you tell her that that from a little sparkle may burst a flame.”

There was a silence, and Raja poked Luke, demanding to know the meaning of that sentence. He mumbled to her ‘security password’.

“Professor,” she finally said with a sigh of relief. “You are alive!”

“I am!” he said laughing. “Why would I not be?”

“You’ve been missing for a week now,” the female voice replied; Raja thought she sounded young, perhaps she was sixteen or seventeen years old. “We were all very worried about you!”

“I am sorry, I could not contact you earlier,” Luke replied. “But I am alive and well. And I am with them. I am with them, and I think they even trust me.”

He winked to Raja, who remained still.

“Anyway... Tell me. How are the others? Are you alone?”

“I am alone as we speak, but the others are not out of reach, Professor. Do you need me to summon them all now?”

“No need,” he replied. “I can make business with you now. Listen carefully, I will introduce you now to the leader of the Resistance.”

“Now?” Her voice squeaked. “You are with him now?”

“Her,” Raja corrected coolly. “I am Raja, the leader of the Resistance.”

“Forgive me, Raja,” the girl said. “It was foolish of me to assume you were a man. I am RM-170897.”

“What the hell is wrong with normal names for you guys?” Raja asked, looking at Luke, who simply smiled. “Anyway, girl, it is my understanding that you are a Transhuman girl who sympathise with our cause. Is that correct?”

“Yes, ma’am,” she replied promptly.

“And it is correct that there are more of you?”

“Yes, ma’am. We are 57 students under the guidance of the Professor.”

“I would like to arrange a meeting,” Raja said. “Between your group and my Council.”

“We would be honoured, ma’am,” the girl said with a merry voice. “May I ask when do you wish to meet?”

“Tomorrow,” she said without hesitating. “At 3 in the morning.”

“A last-minute arrangement, but I suppose it can be done. Do you have a preference of location?”

This time, Raja turned to Luke.