Paradigm City - Fan Fiction - Eve of the Hurricane

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Eve of the Hurricane

EPILOGUE

Dorothy was careful not to awaken her husband as she got out of bed in the middle of the night.

She briefly wondered about the foolishness of wearing a nightgown, never mind a dressing gown. After all, she did not mind the cold and lacked sweat and other secretions. But it was customary, a social convention. Which was still odd, since no one but Roger ever saw her in her lingerie, and only Roger and Norman (and now Tami) would ever see her in a dressing gown.

She pushed that thought aside as she entered the elevator and traveled down into the hangar. The thought that replaced it was along the same lines - her current actions were not sensible, would accomplish nothing.

But something in her needed this confrontation.

Getting out of the elevator, Dorothy was unaffected by the vast emptiness and daunting feeling of crushing enclosure the huge underground chamber elicited in most people. She walked over to a point about ten yards from the great bulk of Big O and looked up into his impassive steel face.

"You did this," she stated in a clear voice devoid of any emotion save anger.

The Megadeus was unresponsive.

"I know what you did," she continued. "Roger is not a man to make snap decisions, especially emotional ones. Not even alcohol can erode his self-control that much. But he spontaneously decided to marry me on the spur of the moment. You did it to him. You're the only one who could."

The silence was almost solid.

"I will not accept this," Dorothy stated. "Roger does not love me - you have manipulated him for your own reasons. I will not live a lie. I will take Tami and leave this place until Roger is restored to himself."

Big O's face turned to her, his eyes illuminated from within.

In a silent wordless soundless whisper on a level she was not aware she could perceive, Dorothy heard him speak ...

' ... no ... you would destroy him ... '

Dorothy gazed into the gigantic mask. "I would liberate him from outside control."

' ... the will of the Dominus is his own ... '

"Then why did he change his entire life? Why overturn everything he had built just to call me his wife? Why go from dedicated bachelor to devoted family man in a matter of days? This doesn't make sense!!" She was unaware that she had been screaming until the echo from the walls of the vast chamber sounded in her ears.

Big O's gaze seemed to carry shame and guilt, despite the basic immobility of his face.

' ... the restraints were loosened ... the alcohol weakened them and a slight pressure loosened them ... '

"What are you saying? That Roger wanted to marry me, but wouldn't let himself?"

' ... the Dominus did what his soul told him to do ... '

"How is that different from controlling him? Stop 'weakening his restraint' at once! Let him decide with his judgment intact!"

Dorothy's angry glare seemed to sadden the giant machine.

' ... the loosening only lasted one second ... no further pressure was applied ... '

Dorothy was taken aback. "You mean ... the weakening of his self-control that made him propose to me ... lasted only one second? It took more time than that to cross the room! Why didn't he stop? Make some excuse? He was drunk - I would have accepted almost any excuse when he was in that state. And why did you do it in the first place?"

' ... he needs you ... you need him ... as always ... '

"I don't understand."

' ... the emergent property ... the whole is greater than the sum of the parts ... '

Dorothy put her hands to her still-flat belly, feeling the life within. Somehow she knew Big O referred to the baby. And to something else as well?

"Roger ... needs me?"

'... the soul of the Dominus is not complete without you ... as always ... '

"'As always' ... " An association occurred to her. "You mean Dorothy-Prime and Major Smith."

' ... as always ... '

Dorothy peered into the great machine's eyes, seeking some sign of emotion, some clue to feeling. She saw none.

"Did you lead me to Dorothy-Prime's diary?"

' ... the desire was there ... the barriers weakened under pressure ... '

"So ... Roger marrying me ... the finding of the diary ... that was you weakening the barriers in our minds." Her eyes narrowed. "And Tami? Did you make us decide to keep her, too?"

' ... no ... '

The flat denial, so unlike its previous answers, had a ring of truth. She nodded. "Very well. I shall believe you for now. But why did you do these things?"

' ... the emergent property ... the whole is greater than the sum of the parts ... '

Dorothy scowled. "What do you refer to?"

' ... predestined free will ... the gift of the living soul ... apocatestasis .. '

Dorothy almost asked for more clarification, but the Megadeus' head turned back to its normal position and the eyes went dark.

For a moment, she gazed up at the great machine, then turned and left it alone in the dark.

Had she possessed infrared or starlite vision, Dorothy might have seen a tear on Big O's faceplate. Or not.

To Be Continued

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