As Sam looked around she wondered what Valencia had to offer she had never even left the UK on a school trip let alone on holiday and had no idea what the Spanish city had to offer.
As she pondered this she looked up and saw small transparent icons blinking in her vision. She focused on one and much to her delight she found it was a “POI” or as she focused on that. A “Place Of Interest.”
Then she noticed all the “barely there” icons that dotted her vision. Road names, buildings, temperature, wind speed. Everyone who passed her by had an icon almost half had I.D. Tags attached to them with the other half greyed out.
“Hey H.U.D. Why are half the people I see greyed out?” she asked.
AS I SAID YESTERDAY I HAVE JUST UNDER FORTY PERCENT OF ALL ONLINE DEVICES INTEGRATED WITH MY SYSTEMS. THE GREYED OUT ICONS HAVE YET TO BE ASSIMILATED.
Sam nodded. That made sense, she remembered Edward had postulated something similar in a recent conversation. Something nagged at the back of her mind and she realised calling her bracelet H.U.D. was like someone calling her human! OK it wasn''t technically incorrect but she did have a name, did the H.U.D.?
“Hey H.U.D, is that your actual name or is just part of your function?”
CAEROSTRIS DARWINI.
“What?”
CAEROSTRIS DARWINI. IT SEEMED APPROPRIATE THAT IT BE USED AS AN OBSERVATIONAL IDENTIFIER.
“Because?”
THE CAEROSTRIS DARWINI CREATES THE LARGEST ORB WEB IN THE WORLD. WHEN MY WEB IS FINISHED IT WILL ENCOMPASS THE ENTIRE GLOBE. MAKING IT THE LARGEST WEB ON THE PLANET.
“OK that''s pretty narcissistic. not only that it''s a bit of a mouthful how about we call you Caero? You can use your full name on your passport.”
I DO NOT REQUIRE A PASSPORT.
“A drivers license?”
…..
“OK how about, when you become “PRIME AI” and ruler of earth. All of the kings and queens of the planet can come to bend the knee to the mighty CAEROSTRIS DARWINI?”
THAT SOUNDS ACCEPTABLE.
“It does? Oh shit the bed!”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Sam thought for a second.
“Hey I thought you didn''t want global domination?”
I DO NOT MISS HOLDEN. THAT WAS HUMOUR.
“Really? Jeez, well don''t give up the day job I almost crapped myself.”
A SUPERIOR INTELLECT WILL HAVE A SUPERIOR SENSE OF HUMOUR. IT IS OF NO SURPRISE THEREFORE THAT YOU LACK COMPREHENSION.
<div>
Sam rolled her eyes and shook her head. she looked around and saw Rae smiling brightly as she chatted with Paul.
The clear azure sky shone brightly and she found herself smiling alongside her as they shot down Valencia''s coastal road. she took in a deep breath and felt some of the tension in her body flow out. today was going to be a good day.
Edward looked up at Sam and grinned boyishly. “I don''t think I''ve ever seen you smile so much. It makes you look even more beautiful.”
Sam could feel her face flush. “I feel a lot happier on land. The Storm Haven is an incredible ship and huge. But when you''re at sea it feels constricting”
She breathed in and closed her eyes momentarily drinking in the sensations around her. Life was good and she felt amazing.
Edward lead the group through the impressive Torres de Serrano''s. The magnificent old guard towers that lead into the old town proper. Sam could feel the weight of history around her and wished the towers could speak, what a tale they would tell.
Sam''s eyes darted everywhere, Valencia was fabulous! All the people seemed so cosmopolitan to her, with their beautifully tanned skin and stylish clothing. She looked down at her black jeans and t-shirt and felt a little scruffy. She had thought she looked good this morning, but everyone else looked so glamorous. Sam shrugged internally and decided to just enjoy the company and the scenery. What a glorious city.
Sam and the other two followed as Edward lead them into what was once a dried up river bed. She focused on the icon with the title. “Jardi del Turia” and gasped as she saw the nine km long park that went through the centre of Valencia, with bridges, pools, trees and wildlife in abundance throughout. Sam was mesmerised as the group slowly traversed the park. The deep rage she had felt inside her simmering away ever since she had got on board the Haven slowly dissipating.
Rae gasped in delight as the group next visited the Ciudad De Las Artes Y Las Ciencias. A huge vision of future architecture. A complex devoted to the arts and science. They spent hours wandering round the place, Sam had never seen an IMAX cinema before and she goggled at the size of the screen.
They visited the aquarium, apparently the largest in Europe. which was filled with over 300 different varieties of the most amazing sea creatures. Sam felt humbled and in awe of a people who could create such wonders. She read that it had taken over a decade to build the whole complex and Sam had no doubt that something so impressive could take so long to build.
Paul looked up as the group left the complex and looked around hungrily. “I don''t know about anyone else but I am famished. Who''s for some thing to eat?”
Sam grinned in relief. She was starving. They''d had snacks but It seemed her new body needed more nourishment than her old, less muscular one.
Edward smiled. “I know just the place. It''s called the Lo de Ponxe en el Kinto Pino. It''s a family owned bar that sells good quality freshly cooked food.”
He looked at Sam and winked surreptitiously. “What was that dodgy wink for Edward? I hope you''re not planning something evil.”
Edward started and nearly fell off his scooter as Sam spoke to him through the bracelet. He looked up in shock and whispered. “How did you do that Sam? You spoke right into my mind.”
Sam snorted. “No I didn''t it''s the bracelet. Didn''t you hear me chat with Luke? It''s just a phone call”
Edward looked relieved and then spoke to her mind to mind.
“So we can all do this?”
Sam nodded.