SYSTEM SEA-Z: Saving The Scientists

Jill Alexander slumped over onto his arm, which was laid across the front desk at the police station. Except for the hum of the fluorescent lights overhead, and the periodic groan of the old building, the room was quiet. Things in Northern Ireland had been bad for quite some time now, more crime, growing tension, the air seeming to thicken further with each passing day. It had been a heavy few weeks for Jill, a twenty-two-year-old police inspector fresh out of the academy.

He tossed fitfully in his sleep, exhaustion finally overcoming him after another grueling shift. The station was quiet now, except for him and his colleague Mike, who was dozing at the other end of the desk. Jill's mind, however, was anything but still.

His body jerked and his breathing came in ragged gasps while this nightmare played out. He dreamed the world was spiraling into chaos: scientists and technologists were being murdered one after another, each of the deaths shrouded in mystery. He envisioned his country in a tussle with its military forces weakened by a lack of weapons and medicine. With each passing minute, it got even worse: other nations circled like vultures, ready to give the last blow to Northern Ireland in its weakest state.

His dream now changed into him being in a battleground where many soldiers had fallen, and far ahead, he saw himself, lifeless and cold. The news reached his parents of his death, and the pain in their eyes tore him; he had gone against them to get into this force, and now their worst fears had come true.

Jill! Wake up!" A voice pierced the haze, and Jill sat bolt upright, his heart racing in his chest.

Mike was standing over him, concern etched across his features. "You okay, man? You were shaking like a leaf," he said, passing Jill a cup of water.

Jill took the cup with trembling hands, still fighting to delineate the real world from the vivid images. "Mike. you're alive?" he asked in a hoarse tone.

Of course, I'm alive. What kind of question is that?" Mike shot back-a puzzled expression crossing his face.

"It was. just a nightmare," Jill murmured, rubbing his temples. "It felt so real."

"Nightmares usually do when you're stressed out," Mike replied, though his tone was laced with skepticism. "You need a break, mate.

Maybe you're right," Jill conceded, though an untouched unease sat in his chest like a stone. "Can I head out for the night? I'll cover your shift if you need it later this week."

"Fine, just remember, you owe me," Mike agreed, his mood brightening at the thought of finally taking his girlfriend out.

She thanked him and headed out of the station. The chill of the air seemed to settle in his bones as he walked down the dimly lit streets. His house wasn't that far, small comfort against the feeling of foreboding clinging to him.

This nightmare had been recurring, but tonight it was more vivid than ever, more like a warning than a dream. Every little detail now replayed in his mind as though he was reliving it. The scientists, the deaths, chaos. Could all that be mere coincidence, or was there something buried in his subconscious?

By the time Jill reached his home, his head was throbbing. He undressed quickly and went into the bathroom, hoping that a hot shower could wash off the unease. As the water poured on him, he closed his eyes to try to push away the haunting images of the faces of his parents, which were marked by devastation.

The silence of the bathroom was suddenly torn apart by a voice.

"Hello, Host, this is System 010. Say, 'activate' to complete the process."

Jill jumped; his heart was racing with great bounds within his chest. He whirled around, and his gaze scanned space devoid of everything. "Who's there?! If this is some kind of joke, it isn't funny!"

"Activate in ten seconds. Ten, nine, eight...

"What the-?!" Jill's heart was racing. He could feel a tingling sensation spread across his chest, a pressure that mounted with each second. Panic surged as the counting continued.

"Activate!" he exclaimed as the voice reached nine, the word stumbling from his lips as if pushed by an unseen force.

Activated," the voice replied, as smooth as silk. "Greetings, Host. I am System 010 from the future. It is time to save the future before it happens. My core is within you and linked to your life functions. If it be more convenient for you, I'd appreciate it if you give me a name."

Jill's legs buckled beneath him, and he slumped back against the wall. He blinked as his vision began to blur and darken, and a shaking whisper escaped his lips, "Inside.me?

The world had faded to black before he could find the strength to scream.

Jill Alexander startled from a dead sleep by the loud, shrieking alarm across the room. His eyes snapped open and he groaned, reaching out an arm to quiet the din, only to close his fingers over cold tile. Blinking in confusion, he sat up-stiff and sore. He wasn't lying in his bed; he was lying on the bathroom floor.

What the...?" Jill muttered, rubbing his eyes. He attempted to work out how he'd come to be here as, muzzy-headed with the peculiar dream still clinging to him like a shroud. Events of the night before suddenly cascaded into his mind: System 010, the voice, the weird activation. Was any of that real?

Getting clumsily to his feet, he cast furtive glances around this small apartment for signs of an intruder. His pulse quickened as anxiety mixed with skepticism in his frantic searching. The only sound in the apartment was that of the still-blaring alarm.

Exhaling heavily, he jabbed his finger onto the alarm until the noise finally subsided. "Get a grip, Jill," he muttered to himself. "Must've been a nightmare... just a really vivid nightmare."

Before he could get himself to believe that, however, a voice pierced the air.

"Good morning, Host. Are you ready for today's mission?" The voice was clear and calm, echoing through the room as though it came from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

Jill's breath hitched in his throat, and he whipped around, wide-eyed with incredulity. "What the hell? Where are you?!" he yelled out, trembling, as he stepped backward, scanning every corner.

No cursing, Host," the voice chided; its tone was almost that of a scolding parent. "I am System 010 from the future, now integrated with you. Please assign me a name for easier communication."

Jill's legs felt unsteady, and he sank onto the edge of his bed, his mind racing. "This is. this is insane," he stammered. "You're telling me this is real? That you're real?

The voice answered evenly, "Yes, Host, this is neither a simulation nor a dream. You are to be the host for System 010. I'm here to help you avoid the future you saw in your nightmares."

The room seemed to close in on him, and Jill rubbed his temples, trying to steady his breathing. "So. those nightmares--they weren't just bad dreams?"

"They were projections, Host. A view of what is to happen if present course is maintained. The prospects of your country look grim. There are processes already set in motion. Scientists, technologists, and other key individuals are targeted. This is a plot to destabilize and destroy the country."

Jill's gut twisted in fear. "You mean the nightmare will come true?" his voice cracking.

"Yes," the system said. "What you saw was just the beginning-about ten percent of the full extent of the devastation that awaits."

The blood ran from Jill's face. He felt that his nightmare had been so real, which by the confirmatory from another source now caused to run shivers along his skin. "Why me?" he asked, desperation clinging to his voice. "Why was I chosen for this?

Because you have what it takes to get the job done, Host. Your determination, your law enforcement background-a perfect combination, not to mention you had these visions. So, you were the man for the job. With a little help from me, we can change the course of events."

Jill's fists were balled up, his gut a pot of simmering fear and anger. "What am I dealing with here? Some sort of AI program? Why was this chip planted inside of me against my will?

I am a highly advanced artificial intelligence from the future, created to help avert doomsday scenarios," System 010 explained. "My implantation into you was necessary to directly interface with your neural pathways for the most superior response and to assist you effectively."

Jill shook his head; his mind was reeling. "This is too much. I mean, how am I supposed to stop some grand conspiracy from unraveling?

"Step by step, Host. First, we have to find out who orders these attacks on the scientists and start securing the potential targets. I'll instruct and advise as necessary."

Jill swallowed, getting her head around it all. "Okay, but you're getting a name. I'm not going to say 'System 010' every time I have to refer to you."

"That would be agreeable. What name would you like?"

Jill thought for a moment, then replied, "How about. SEA-Z? Sounds spacey enough."

"SEA-Z it is. Now, Host, let us begin. Time is not on our side."

Jill took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He didn't know whether he could trust this System or if he even had a choice, but if his nightmare was indeed a glance at what was to come, he didn't have any time to waste.