VirtuallyYours Read Online Free Page A

long-term
stasis. The current record for continuous stasis was two years, and most of the
test subjects experienced severe psychological problems when they emerged. The
enforced isolation without any human contact proved too much for them. “You’d
still have a problem with stasis,” she reminded him.
    “That’s what we’re working on, Ensign.” A white-coated
figure emerged from the ship and walked slowly down the steps. “Hi, Pete, I’m
sorry to drag you out here on the weekend.”
    Charley was dumbstruck. She was looking at Karl Hayes, one
of the best scientific minds of the century, now Head of Research for Fleet
Command. While other kids had admired holo-images of the latest singing
sensations, she had lain in her bunk looking at him. She clutched at Pete’s
arm, wondering if this was a dream. Nope, it was definitely real.
    “What seems to be the problem, Karl?” Pete asked.
    “Liston’s gone and the Array is down. Come and take a look.”
    It was like no ship Charley had ever been on. In the center
of the bridge were five seats, tilted back in a reclining position. Each seat
had two sensory plates for the hands and a visor which partially covered the
face. The bridge had no viewscreen and there were no consoles for the crew.
Colored lights played around the walls, merging together and separating again
like fractals.
    Pete lay back in one of the chairs and strapped himself in.
Pulling down the visor to cover his eyes, he pressed a control device beside
his right ear. “Initiating the Array, now.”
    Charley stepped back as thin beams of light crisscrossed
Pete’s body. Like the intricate pattern of a spider’s web.
    “Come on, sweetheart. Say hello to Daddy.” The lights flared
briefly at his words, and then disappeared. Pete tried again, but this time
there was no response. He rolled back the visor and slid out of the chair.
    “She’s not responding. How long has she been like this,
Karl?”
    “Three days. Liston was working on the Array last week and
he wouldn’t let anyone else in the lab. He said that he had made a breakthrough
and wanted to run some tests.”
    “Where is he now?”
    Karl ran his fingers through his hair distractedly. “We
don’t know, Pete. His quarters are empty and his terra-pod is still in the
parking lot. We’ve tried his home and his regular haunts, but no one has seen
him.”
    “Damn,” Pete muttered. “Can we access the security files
from the bridge?”
    “He encrypted them. That’s why we called you in.”
    Pete glanced apologetically in her direction. “This could
take some time, Charley. Can you amuse yourself for a while?”
    Charley nodded. She didn’t want to get in his way, and
besides, she really wanted to try out that com chair. After they left, she
walked around the bridge. Only two of the seats were connected to the Array.
She eased into one of them and felt it mold around her body. Nice. It felt as
if she was floating. She pulled the visor over her face and placed her fingers
on the sensory plate. It felt ticklish, like a small static charge. There was
no one around. Ah what the hell. Charley pressed her thumb lightly against the
visor control. “Is anyone there?”
    She giggled. As if anyone was going to answer. The lightshow
began again, colorful patterns swirling randomly on the walls, merging and
separating until a vaguely floral shape was formed. “Pretty,” she murmured.
    “Thank you. Please identify yourself.”
    Charley froze. The voice came from the earpiece. Someone
else must be on the com. She hoped that she wouldn’t get into trouble for this.
She probably wasn’t supposed to sit in the chair. “My name is Charley. I’m new
here.”
    “Char ley.” The voice repeated her name as if trying it out
for the first time. The light patterns on the walls changed again, becoming
more complex and elaborate. Charley watched as a crisscross pattern of light
appeared at her feet and moved slowly up her body. She wasn’t talking to one