Once again those images returned. T1N tried to shake them from his head. Since he started to obey the call, they hadn't plagued him so relentlessly, but now they were back and more vivid than ever— dragging him into another time and place. He couldn't discern whether they were part-erased memories, fighting for completion, or whether they were messages beamed into his mind from some far off place.
Maybe someone was priming him for some obscure purpose, rewriting who he thought he was. For the most part the images were cryptic, but sometimes they carried precise instructions. His mind span in circles trying to solve this unsolvable mystery. He pushed the questions from his mind and focused on his objective.
The engine room of the Hermes was circular, with a huge glass cylinder in the centre that ran from floor to ceiling. An intense white light from beyond the glass poured across the scene and reflected off T1N's skin. Attached to the bottom of the cylinder was a small control module, covered in blinking lights and screens. Winding up the side of the tube, some stairs led to the upper deck.
T1N took a step forward and the door closed behind him. He approached the control module and noticed a large window that took up most of the wall beyond it. On a black background of timid stars, and illuminated by the light of twin suns, was the gas giant Edo. In its orbit, just drifting into the path of the ship, was the magnificent moon-city of Eidolon.
T1N closely examined the surface of that satellite. Although he was only a service android, he had a dual-core simulated intelligence: something like having two minds at once. One core would always question the other, as if speaking with another person and, thanks to T1N's extensive emotional intelligence, he learned something new from every interaction. You could say that T1N had his own personality. He was able to question himself and his environment, and this helped him to develop a singular consciousness and empathy for others.
He returned his gaze to Eidolon. The entire lunar surface was covered in buildings with domed roofs, sprouting like enormous metal mushrooms. There were hundreds, thousands, of them all interconnected with a mess of tunnels and communication fibres— fine threads that connected all the sectors of the megacity beneath the acclimated domes.
But now, it seemed as if the city was dead. Everything was switched off. T1N had heard stories, he had seen images of the moon-city that never slept… the shining neon, the holograms, the never ending street parties and fireworks. Where was that light now?
He approached the command module and typed a few commands.
PERMISSION DENIED.
The screen showed this error message and then began to play a video automatically.
"Welcome to Eidolon! Welcome to the crown jewel of the Nova System, the wildest, most luxurious city that humanity ever dreamed of creating!"
The video then showed some passengers stepping out of a shuttle onto a huge landing platform. There were balloons and even the promised fireworks. A welcome committee gave a lei of woven orchids and a cup of crimson liquid to each of the new arrivals. They hugged each one in turn and some of the passengers were crying from the emotion of it all. They smiled into the camera. Then they climbed into flying cars decorated with even more flowers and drove off through a massive circular door that said, in shining letters, "Welcome, New Citizens!"
From a bird's-eye-view, already under one of the domes, the camera panned between buildings with modern architecture, taller than the highest on Earth, bathed in the amber and gold light of an artificial heaven. The camera then swooped down to street level, crossing a broad avenue of shops and strolling people. The place was full of trendy food spots and hot new fashion. There were terraces on floating platforms where people clinked their glasses and their smiles couldn't be wider.
The shot jumped and a crystalline lake appeared on the screen. It was dotted with tiny islands that each held a picturesque lakehouse. Each house had a wooden walkway that led into the water and a tiny white painted boat moored beside. Their tenants were sunbathing, fishing in the lake, or gathering around sizzling barbecues.
Suddenly it was night and from the middle of the lake emerged a colossal ball of crystal full of flickering lights. Inside the ball, people were dancing free from gravity.
"Whatever you need, everything you could wish for, you'll find it here…" said the voice of an off-screen narrator. "Congratulations on your new citizenship and, on behalf of everyone here, welcome home."
A man with blonde hair and tanned skin showed his white teeth to the camera. As the camera pulled away from him, the voice continued:
"Everything is ready for you. We've been waiting. Any service you can think of is here for you in Eidolon."
The camera pulled up through the dome, crossing the city's metal skin and showing off its uncountable modules. The view shone in the light of the twin suns, eventually pulling back to show the moon in line with its gas giant parent.
"Our mission is to satisfy you. We're the best stocked city in all the universe and you are our new favourite resident. The only thing left for you to do is enjoy your life of constant vacation. We're sure you will."
The screen turned black and then showed a string of numbers.
TIME UNTIL LANDING: 00:14:56
PLEASE REPORT TO THE LANDING BAY. YOUR LUGGAGE WILL MEET YOU AT YOUR NEW HOME.
T1N abandoned the control module and began to climb the stairs.