The Shrink Program

"Radio?"

As harmless as that sounds, I was actually starting to doubt that this brain sharing thing with Peri really only went one way.

Where I was mostly just confused, Peri actually knew how this stuff worked, so it made more sense if the growing panic in my chest originated from him.

Call it paranoia, but I was almost sure I could feel the supervisor freaking out on the other side of the mental link.

All the more reason to get answers out of her as quickly as possible.

"What's the punch line here?" I demanded anxiously, jaw clenching when the giant genius tsked at me.

"YOU REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DILIGENT WITH YOUR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE GIRL." She scolded mockingly. "HAVING TO EXPLAIN THE SIMPLEST OF THINGS WILL BECOME TIRESOME VERY FAST. I DON'T KNOW HOW VAIN HAS PUT UP WITH IT FOR ALL THESE YEARS."

Can't speak for Vain, but I'm pretty sure the sun will die out before you ever get sick of lording your superior intellect over me.

"A SATELLITE AND RADIO ARE SIMPLY TWO METHODS OF SENDING A SIGNAL MADDISON."

"Yea. I get that you are going to use a radio instead of the satellite to send a signal." I snapped, glaring at her in frustration. "What I want to know is just how is this going to screw me over."

Cassandra raised a hairless eyebrow, surprising me with the fact that her near mummified face had the muscles to move that way.

"HAVING ME EXPLAIN HOW THIS WORKS WILL NOT HELP YOUR FRIENDS AT THE SHRINK PROGRAM TO STOP ME."

Stupid smart people seeing right through me...

"IF YOU WEREN'T SO STUPID, YOU'D REALISE THAT IT IS FUTILE."

Okay, I'm officially done with being called stupid.

"If you're so confident, then tell me," I growled out between clenched.

Her lips twitched with mirth.

"SHALL I DO ONE BETTER?"

Another day screwed, thanks to me and my big mouth.

"AND SHOW YOU?"

".... I'd really rather you didn't..." I started, backing away from the insane woman, every single inch of distance put between us a much-needed victory.

"HMM" She just smiled knowingly. "IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, MY SYSTEM WORKS BY SENDING A SIGNAL UP TO THE SATELLITE, WHICH THEN SENDS DOWN THE COMMAND TO IT'S TARGET WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY. THIS IS THE PREFERED METHOD, AS IT ALLOWS PERFECT CONTROL."

Her hand moved, drawing my attention to the fact that the arm of her chair had buttons along its surface.

My vast powers of observation deduced that the buttons weren't there to help adjust her sitting position.

"ON THE OTHER HAND, A RADIO BROADCASTS A SIGNAL OUT IN A WAVE, AFFECTING ALL WITH THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE THE COMMAND. AS A MEANS OF CONTROLLING NANOTECH IT IS UNREFINED, AS IT ONLY WORKS IF CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN BEFOREHAND."

I raised my hands in front of me as if to placate her, but there was little doubt in my mind that nothing was going to get her to back out now.

"And the chances that you haven't thoroughly prepared for this sort of thing are....?"

"NON-EXISTENT."

"... thought as much."

"IN FACT, IN EVERY CORE I PROGRAMED PERSONALLY, I HAVE PUT IN PLACE... A SORT OF RESET. SO THAT, IF I WERE EVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY SYSTEM, I COULD RETURN MY SUBJECTS TO A STATE OF... ORIGINALITY."