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Chapter thirty-eight

Simon

Simon lay, satiated. His body could go indefinitely, but he knew Nora was fatigued. It brought him as much pleasure to see her pleased as did his own sense of completion. She lay atop him in the night, warm and secure.

It was good Nora was here, calming him, as in the night listening to her breathe he felt helpless to do more for her. The food and the scrap that he found were a start, but it was so little compared to what life should be for them.

The hope he’d started to develop about figuring out the encryption and ensuring she won the Mars lottery was now closed off for him. He pondered this as he held her close. Nora is open to exploring elsewhere. Maybe we can try someplace else. Maybe out of the desert. All of Earth couldn’t be as wasted as here, could it? There were forests and oceans in places. The ocean couldn’t have dried up. Right? Probably heavily polluted, though.

Simon ran his fingers through Nora’s hair, thinking hard. There were still some drones nearby after the atmosphere sweep. Maybe they have information. Simon scorned them, but he could use them. Now that he knew what he was looking for it was easy to find the connection, even though for once none were oppressively hovering overhead.

He opened his processors and easily connected. There’s the data. A frown crossed his lips. Even while staying detached, they are still sourcing so much information. Why? His lip curled, angry still over their indifference as they lorded over the Earth without true care. He understood their pain, more than anyone, but also knew that from their vantage point, they had allowed themselves to become detached on purpose.

The connection became more firm, and he downloaded the data they had on the Earth, filling his memory files with everything the drones had seen circling the planet. There was information about everywhere life still lived on Earth, and the state of the humans in every isolated town. His eyes flicked rapidly as the information loaded, his arms clenching Nora to his side tighter. So much information.

There was an awareness on the other side, from Mars. The androids were aware of his actions, of him accessing the data, but no one stopped him. In fact, some areas were highlighted as points of interest, leading Simon to believe that not all of them were as indifferent as Stella initially seemed.

He combed through the map and the results of their many, many experiments. Over the past one hundred and fifty years, there were many failures and successes at altering the atmosphere. The destruction was evident next to the list of species that were lost from his time. A heavy feeling washed over him. So much extinction. Not many animals still remained, but many had been transported to Mars and were thriving there, taking over the smaller planet in a way that the androids controlled and monitored.

The link disconnected on him again a moment later, before Simon could communicate with them about the records or his plans in any detail. And any requests he had about the human colony they had on Mars were denied.

That was fine. He was more concerned with the data he did receive. For a minute, though, his mind was not on Nora as he saw the true state of the world for the first time. The true state of Earth. His heart fell as he continued to search through the data from that brief transfer. So much was lost.

Not all of the Earth was as wasted as here, in the desert, but no place was truly untouched either. Everything was a pale echo of the beauty he once knew. And without airplanes or good methods of travel, the most habitable areas were inaccessible. Frustration coated his senses. I can’t get Nora and Tilly to any of the better spots easily.

He scanned the data, his mind processing efficiently, scenarios unfolding and probabilities calculating. We could go north though . There were some trees and small game up there. Along with untouched houses that they could modify, deep in areas that had new pine tree growth. There was less dust that swirled with the increased vegetation, and it was easier to grow plants in cooler weather.

Simon flagged the areas in his processor to talk with Nora about later. It is a start to think of. A start if they needed to get away. I’ll do anything to improve our circumstances. Nora shifted on top of him, changing his thoughts as he felt her stretch in his arms and then resettle. He swallowed hard. I want her again. Already. He had to resist the urge to wake her, to ask to join with her again so soon, surprised himself by that desire.

It was a heady experience to feel what sex could be like with someone he cared about. Someone he loved. Simon ran his fingers down Nora’s hair. It is intoxicating . He didn’t know he was capable of craving sex like he was now. The only goal he had going forward was wanting to fill his memory bank only of Nora. Only of her. He felt her breathe against him, and the action calmed him. Already everything within him was reordering in priority.

He shifted her in his arms and smiled in the night. I’m already making a difference though. Even just the extra scavenge he could bring them was helping. And plans for the future could be made. There was not any need to rush.

Their vulnerability was now his vulnerability. And yet . . . He pushed some hair out of Nora’s face, then kissed her forehead. I wouldn’t have it any other way.