Note: this takes place prior to Untold Tales #240 or so
The holographic artificial intelligence known as Hallie had been given an android form to inhabit by two of her friends: Al B Harper and Yuki Shiro, both of whom are active members of the Lair Legion. The body granted the young woman enhanced attributes and senses, yet she only rarely inhabited it, that is, until later, when another Legionnaire, the former government “super soldier” known as Mr. Epitome, encouraged Hallie to make more of an effort to use the robot body. At first she found herself enjoying the abilities and opportunities the “suit” gave her, including a briefly rekindled romance with the aforementioned Paragon of Power. Hallie soon had to deal with several other problems, however, as a variety of menaces attempted to manipulate her or the technology she used for their own gain. The most powerful, a genocidal alien computer known as Brainattack, crippled Epitome with a severe stroke and nearly destroyed Hallie before it was defeated. Now both heroes have returned home in an attempt to heal from the variety of wounds their adventured had inflicted on them.
For Dominic Clancy, each step was a Herculean effort.
He grasped onto the set of parallel bars and slowly shuffled one foot in front of another, sweat pouring from his body, soaking his dressing grown. For a man used to flirting with breaking the sound barrier when he ran relearning how to walk was slow torture.
A flash of green pixels foretold Hallie’s arrival into the physical therapy room. The holographic intelligence smiled.
“Have I come at a bad time?” she asked.
Dominic’s trainer answered for him, “Not at all. We’re done,” Uhunaluna Amadayla Excelsior! brought a wheelchair to the end of the bars and waited for Epitome to sit.
“Not finished,” he muttered, his speech distorted. Dominic slowly turned to shamble back the way he came.
Uhunaluna would have none of it, “Yes you are,” she gave the chair a rattle, “Now, please sit so we can get you to your bath.”
“Later.”
“Mr. Epitome, if you don’t come back here I’m cutting you off. No C-Span, no C-Span II, no Sportscenter.”
Dominic slumped his shoulders, a defeated man. He began to circle around. Hallie took pity on him.
“Uhuna, do you mind if I take Dominic for a while? I want to show him something.”
Later, as she wheeled Epitome towards the labs, Hallie couldn’t help but tease, “You know, most men wouldn’t be so averse to a sponge bath given by a nurse who’s also an Abhuman Sex Princess.”
“Not into… fetish,” he labored to reply.
“What about the ones involving pleated skirts and pom poms?”
The Paragon of Power’s eyes widened, “Ahm.”
The hard light hologram cybernetically commanded the lab door open, “Do you mind going into the Virtual World with me?” she asked, her tone suddenly pensive, “I want to show you something I made.”
Dominic nodded.
Hallie, relieved, mentally began opening the appropriate files that let her control her own separate reality.
*****
The scene Hallie had sent within the digital world was one Dominic remembered well from his youth, “This is Seagull Beach,” he announced with some surprise, a condition was compounded by the realization that his speech and equilibrium were normal, and that his joey had been replaced with a muscle tee and shorts. He looked over to the green-skinned woman in the white unitard, “Amazing.”
Hallie smiled, “It’s Seagull Beach, circa 1981.”
The Paragon of Power scanned the parking lot. He didn’t see a car with the make or model later than that date. Nor could the man spot a single person anywhere, “We’re alone?”
“Yup. I can edit some crowd scenes in, if you want.”
“That’s unnecessary,” Epitome suddenly realized he could do more than see the beach-grass dotted dunes before him or hear the gulls that wheeled overhead; he could smell the salt from the sea and feel the heat from the sun, “Amazing,” he found himself repeating.
“Glad you like it; I designed this setting for you a while back,” the digital intelligence explained as she activated the scenario’s snack bar program. A rickety looking trailer flanked by several picnic tables materialized beside the pair.
“How far back? Before my memory loss?”
She nodded. It had been meant to be a birthday gift for the man, prior to the point where his age became a matter of contention, “Do you want something to eat? I’m buying.”
“Uh, sure?”
As Dominic sat Hallie walked over to the unmanned counter and returned with two hot dogs and sodas.
“I don’t recall the snack shop selling Coke in glass bottles,” Epitome stated in a tone that was glibly pedantic, “Sort of ruins the illusion of place.”
Hallie parked herself on the bench opposite and scowled slightly, “I made an artistic decision to go with the bottles: The algorithms required to construct them have a symmetrical elegance I appreciate. And Coke from a can tastes funny.”
“Understood. Though if an artist is to correctly represent her subject-” the big man continued to tease.
“Oh, get real. You don’t know jack squat about art,” Hallie huffed good-naturedly.
“I know what I like.”
“Uh huh: Norman Rockwell. Now there’s an artist who was a hundred percent faithful in characterizing his subjects,” Hallie paused. What she asked next carried with it a surprising tone of vulnerability, “You like this, though, right?”
“Yes, I do. This has been an entertaining, thought-provoking experience,” Dominic smiled and finished off his soft drink.
The young woman decided to file away her query on what made a twenty five year old beach scene ‘thought-provoking’ for the moment, choosing instead to address her primary reason for their journey, “I have something else to show you, another anachronism that will probably offend your aesthetic sensibilities, but you should be able to get some use of it,” she gestured and a laptop appeared on the table.
“That looks like my computer,” Dominic said, not incorrectly.
“It is. Well, a digital representation of it, anyway. I figured I could create a workstation for you here in the Virtual World so you’d have an easier time reading and keeping up with your correspondence,” Hallie didn’t need to mention how the injuries Dominic had suffered had wrecked his communication and fine motor skills, “You can keep up with all your online research, any hard text you want to look at I can have scanned into the mainframe.”
The big man with the Army regulation crew cut looked uncomfortable, “Thank you, Hallie, this was very considerate of you-“
“Well, to be fair, I have my selfish reasons for doing this: I’m as eager to track down Illusionous and his two goons as you are, not to mention what exactly the Hell Brainattack was talking about when he captured me looking for that ‘Ultimate Weapon’ of his, so helping you with those investigations is also helping myself,” the sentient computer program couldn’t resist prying, “Though why you’re spending so much time researching corporate law is beyond me.”
Dominic was ready with his excuse, “That is work I’m doing for the woman we rescued on Apocalyspe. Dancer’s friend. Miss Allen.”
“The one Lissette and Mumph are helping start up a business in Paradopolis. The weaver.”
“Yes,” the Man of Might quickly scarfed down the rest of his chilidog, “Could I have another Coke, please?”
After she willed the beverage to materialize Hallie went on, “She seems nice.”
“Miss Allen? Yes. And a person with a remarkable story, actually: she managed to survive alone on that hellish world for months without any special powers, skills, or equipment.”
“She should write a book.”
“I’ve suggested it, er, well, actually, it was suggested, but not by me, I was present—well, heard about it, ahm, secondhand…” Dominic’s voice trailed off as he tried to organize his thoughts, “But it’s a good idea; the book. What she was able to accomplish was quite admirable. I don’t know if any of we so-called superheroes could have managed in identical circumstances.”
“That was quite a feat,” Hallie admitted before making a somewhat tortuous observation that bordered on a confession, “There might be some Legionnaire who could do what Miss Allen did, though. Sir Mumphrey. Lisa would probably wind up running all of Apocalyspe if she found herself stranded there,” she turned to look out over the water, “And, if you think about it, Visionary is kind of like how you described Kat: no real powers, or skills, or – well, the point is, he’s just an average guy, but he manages to come through when it matters. Don’t you think?”
Dominic suppressed the urge to launch a half dozen arguments why such a comparison was not even close to being appropriate, and instead quipped, “Possibly.”
Hallie’s gaze snapped back to confront the Star Spangled Splendor, “That’s a ‘fake’ reference, isn’t it?”
“Possibly,” Dominic repeated, a smirk on his lips before turning serious. He knew his joke at the expense of someone’s veracity would be an awkward segue for what he was to do next.
The Paragon of Power absently turned his empty Coke bottle around the table’s wooden top, “I’m going to have to decline your gift though, Hallie. It’s too much of a distraction.”
“Well, I can change the background if it’s the beach that’s bothering you.”
Dominic shook his head, “No, that’s not-” he sighed, “While I appreciate your offer to help me with my work, the reality is this type of aid will slow my recovery process.”
“Oh. All right,” the holographic intelligence stated.
But the Exemplary Man wasn’t sure, “It’s just that, by forcing myself to confront my infirmities continuously, I should be able to recuperate quicker.”
“You don’t need to paraphrase Nietzsche, Dominic; I understand what you’re trying to say.”
“Good. Speaking of recovery, how have your exercises been going?”
Hallie watched a digital tern drift with the currents high overhead, “Hm? Oh, I put the suit in storage. Haven’t used it for over a week.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“May I ask why?”
Hallie brought her focus back to Dominic, her blue eyes staring at him levelly, “Because it wasn’t me.”
“I don’t follow.”
“It doesn’t fit with who I am.”
Epitome still was nonplussed, “How does something that helps you not ‘fit in’ with what you are?”
“I think you meant ‘who you are,’” Hallie replied somewhat icily, “And there are several reasons. One, I don’t think the suit makes me in any way better like you imply.”
“The robotic form had enhanced strength, speed,-“
“So? I don’t plan on entering any triathlons anytime soon.”
“It gave you senses of taste, smell, and touch,” Dominic continued.
“Things I can replicate here in the Virtual World.”
“Yes, but those stimuli aren’t real.”
“They’re real to me. And right now, they’re real to you to.”
“It’s not the same,” Epitome began to argue before realizing the hole he was digging for himself. He wisely moved on; “You said you had other reasons for discarding your android body.”
“Yep,” the green skinned woman smiled, “I like being unique. There are other computerized, holographic life forms out there, maybe some even as sophisticated as me, but I can see how much I’ve changed since I first gained sentience. I’ve evolved, and improved as a, a person,” Hallie spoke with an intense earnestness now, and a pride that caused her pixilated cheeks to go flush, “With the suit I’m just another inorganic life form. A pseudo-Robo American. Maybe it sounds vain to say this, but that’s a step back for me.”
“That does sound vain,” Dominic agreed, “And very similar to the argument Dr. Ulz Hagan proffered when she infected you with the virus that debilitated your motor functions.”
Hallie’s gaze became very hard, “Just because Rikki is an obsessed, scheming witch doesn’t mean she’s wrong about everything.”
“So you’re content to let her win, then?”
“She hasn’t won. What is there even for her to win anyway?” she snorted derisively.
“Hagan succeeded in manipulating you,” Dominic pointed out.
“Big deal. It wouldn’t be the first time,” Hallie noted, “Which brings us to reason three. You. Hagan may have tried to manipulate me out of the robot body, but you plotted to get me into it.”
“I did no such thing,” Epitome protested.
Hallie gave the man a sad smile, “Sure you did. You are the one who brought the suit up way back in the Paradopolis University cafeteria, and who kept encouraging me to wear it to ‘better’ myself.”
Dominic Clancy may have kept quiet, but there was no way he could silence his body language. He looked angry, and ready to demonstrate that ire.
“I don’t want to sound like I was some reluctant dupe in all this. There were times that I was… more than willing, to use the body. And maybe your reasons were good…”
“Maybe? Maybe?!” Epitome spat, “I’m sick of your paranoia.”
“Dominic, please relax.”
“Right. I should be calm and sit here with a fucking smile on my face while you once again make me out to be some kind of Svenjolly!”
“I think you mean Svengali,” Hallie deadpanned.
“Whatever!” Dominic stood and hurled the bottle towards the horizon before rounding on the holographic woman, “I haven’t given you a single reason not to trust me.”
“Before your memory loss-“
“I said me!! Not some past…future… whatever version of me that you claim betrayed you. And you know what; you keep saying I did something awful to you back then, but maybe I had just cause. It’s not like you or the Lair Legion stick to playing by the rules! Remember helping Hacker Nine?”
Hallie did, but didn’t feel like dwelling on that particular misadventure, instead choosing to explain her stance further, “I’m sure you thought what you did was necessary, just like now. You always have a motive. Always,” she looked at him shrewdly, “Like all your research into corporate law. Do you really expect me to believe you’re doing that to help some small business owner? You’re up to something with that, and I’m sure you had some plan when you encouraged me to use the suit.”
Dominic Clancy looked tired as he folded his arms across his chest, “So you gave up on your body for the same reason you gave up on the two of us.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Hallie admitted, before hurriedly adding, “Plus the other things I said.”
“Right: you don’t want to be mistaken for a robot and have no interest in track and field.”
“Yeah.”
There were several moments of awkward silence before Dominic’s composure returned and he spoke, “I think we’re done here then. Can we go back?”
“Eager for your sponge bath?”
“Actually, I should be able to slip past Miss Excelsior! and return to the gym for more PT with little difficulty.”
“Very ambitious of you,” Hallie observed as she text messaged the Abhuman nurse a heads up, “I think I’m going to stay here a while. Maybe take a swim.”
“So soon after eating?” Epitome chided with just the slightest hint of sarcasm, “Be sure to create a virtual lifeguard just in case you cramp up.”
“OK. Whenever you’re ready to go back just say Pixar. That’s the recall word.”
“Pixar.”
Hallie watched the broad-shouldered figure discorporate into electrons and vanish. She sighed. It could have been worse she knew, but it was hard to imagine how. With a thought she willed the rest of the program she currently inhabited active. Suddenly the beach was full of sound and motion. Children raced through the low dunes tugging kites behind them. Families waited expectantly around sizzling grills for their share of barbecue. Radios blared a surprisingly harmonious medley of the J. Geils Band, Devo, and even Kenny Rogers. Young couples lay on the sand as close to one another as the heat would allow and talked in hushed, intimate tones.
“The man doesn’t know what he’s missing,” Hallie announced to the rest of her digital world, as she picked up her shoes and walked to the water’s edge.
*****
When the Paragon of Power removed the VR helmet he saw Uhunaluna Amadayla Excelsior! waiting for him with her hands on her slim hips.
“So, you’ve been sneaking off for additional exercise, despite what Dr. Whitwell told you?”
“ ‘m a… doctor too,” Dominic managed to mutter in an attempt to justify his subterfuge.
“You were a doctor. Then you lost your memories. Now,” Uhuna set her elfin jaw into something resembling resolve, “Let’s get you to your room so you can rest, before you lose more than that.”
“….”
“Mr. Epitome,” she warned.
“Fine.”
For the second time in the day the Man of Might relented, and let his crimson-tressed custodian wheel him away. His head lolled back on his shoulder so he could take a last glance at the Central Processing Core that dominated the lab.
Pft. And she said she can’t trust ME, he thought, not unkindly.
Really, Truly, Totally, Finally, The End.
Posted from U.S. Company using Microsoft Internet Explorer 6/Windows XP
