Brain Vials

“We got four uploads today. Two old men and two old women. Do you mind picking up the labels for me?” Bill asked.

“No problem.” Jack went to the printer and turned around just as Janice walked by. “Oh, um, ah, Hi, he stammered.

“Hi yourself, Jack,” Janice cooed. “Have a nice day.”

“Ah, yeah, you too.” Jack turned and walked into the door frame then watched as Janice turned a corner. He walked backwards to the archive room and into Bill. “Here’s your labels.”

Bill looked at the labels. “There are three here where’s the fourth?”

“What?”

Bill grabbed Jack and turned him to himself. Jack’s gaze stayed fixed on the corner Janice has disappeared behind. "Oh, Janice walked by and you went stupid. Just ask her out and get it over with."

"That body would make the Pope stupid."

"You've got a head start though. Where's the other label?"

"Label? What label?"

"We downloaded four minds to crystals. You got three labels."

Jack looked at the labels and then back toward the printer. A label lay on the floor. "There," he pointed. An automatic floor sweeper spotted the paper and sped toward it. Jack dropped the other labels and dove for the one he had left behind. It was half way down the suction tube when he grabbed it. After a bit of a tug and war he pulled it free. "Here it is," he handed it to Bill.

"The bar code's all wrinkled and the last numbers are missing."

"Ah, it's got error checking. Right?" Jack asked.

"I suppose."

"Just slap it on. I can't afford another write up." Jack looked at Bill. "Please?"

Bill grumbled and Put the labels on the storage crystals. He tried to smooth out the last one but it still had a crease running through the bar code.

# # #

The cloned body lay on the table. It looked like a first generation clone. After a few times the cloning began to degrade and you might as well keep your old body. Janice looked at the body on the table. Aside from the red hair and lack of a tan it could be her double.

Janice adjusted the helmet and activated the self test. She watched as the lights changed from red to yellow to green. She took the crystal from the cabinet and checked the serial number. It was missing the last four numbers. Still the system operated on the bar code and the other twelve numbers matched. She opened the procedures book but couldn't find a protocol for a damaged label.

She smiled and put the crystal into the loader and started the download. In a few hours the thoughts and memories that had been pulled from the old body would be loaded into this new clone. She watched the progress bars and frowned. She liked to help the new revival get up and discover their new body but this wouldn't be done until the next shift.

# # #

Raschid slowly became aware. The last he remembered was laying on a table as some tech put a helmet on his head. "Don't worry sir. The drugs will kick in and the next thing you know is that you'll be waking up in a nice new body. Basically yourself at twenty years of age. Hope you get back into football the Giants could use a good line backer."

Raschid tried to push himself up on his elbows. His body felt funny but this was his first revival.

"Don't rush it ma'am. In a couple of days you'll be dancing in high heels again."

"Ma'am? High heels? What are you talking about?" He looked toward his feet but there was something on his chest. He pushed himself up and stared at his feet. They were tiny little things and the nails were bright green.

"Hope you like the color. We thought it would bring out your eyes."

END