Grailem by Gary L Beer (top 100 novels txt) 📖

Grailem carries on his impersonation of Martin Maseeve for five weeks in which he constructs and programmes even more microchips. The chips have a multitude of uses; improving and expanding the repelling shield even further, and as extra memory and functional microchips which he inserts deeply into his skull. The memory chips expand his intelligence as he integrates them into his brain by a multitude of nerve connections.
When Grailem first installed the new microchip that he had programmed to receive all transmitted messages. Such was the quantity being transmitted the microchip instantly started to heat up, the temperature increasing rapidly as it started to overload and he quickly removed it and re-programmed it to only detect abnormal or unusual transmissions. The microchip cooled quickly in response to his thoughts as it then shut out ninety-nine percent of the transmissions.

Finally finished with the computer factory Grailem returns to the apartment and removes every trace of his presence. Going back to the sewage cover where he had left Martin Maseeve's body Grailem lifts the cover. The smell from the rotting body would have made a normal human sick and very ill, Grailem has no such problems and climbs down the ladder.
Reaching the bottom of the sewer pipe Grailem unties Martin's body from the ladder and carries him out of the sewage system. Replacing the cover he picks up the dead body and hurries up the stairs to the apartment. Luckily all is quiet and opening the door Grailem carries Martin Maseeve into the apartment, shutting the door behind him.
Going into the bedroom Grailem lays him on the bed and covers him to the neck with a thick bed cover. Checking around the apartment Grailem can see no evidence of him ever being here. Waiting patiently for the microchip in his head to transmit its information he prepares the microchip he is to insert into Martin Maseeve‘s head.
During his time at the factory he had also made a duplicate copy of the microchip of Martin Maseeve. The only alterations he had made was to programme it to transmit healthy life signs for seven days by use of a dissolving battery. Once he fitted it into Martin's head the microchip would be able to receive and transmit, giving him a week before the chip detected he was dead and transmit the information and the battery dissolve.
The dissolving battery was not his invention as it had been used extensively on his home planet. When integrating some computer chips into human bodies an initial extended electrical force was needed. The dissolving battery supplied this energy and by dissolving as it gave up its energy, it created space for nerves and organic material to grow. This dissolving process also applied to his tampering - and would also ensure that no trace of his alterations would be detected.
Grailem feels the faint temperature increase from the microchip in his head as it receives and transmits. Before it cools he turns his attention to Martin Maseeve and wipes the wound with a soft piece of cloth. With his microchip now cool he turns on the new microchip for Martin Maseeve and seals it inside its casing. Pushing the microchip into his head he uses the pressure of his fingers to weld the skin together. Using a small amount of very strong glue he covers the scar and sticks Martin's hair carefully back on. If anyone were to remove the microchip by surgery his handiwork would remain undetected; he hoped.
Using the mirror from the bathroom to see he cuts out the microchip from his head and installs the modified one. The microchip is larger than the one he has removed as it consists of three microchip devices that incorporates his modified designs. Using the pressure of his fingers and the strong glue he seals the cut, adding hair to cover it. Looking directly into the mirror Grailem alters his facial structure to make a thinner face, like the one he was created with; and that in no way resembled his dead victim.

Leaving Martin Maseeve to his eternal sleep Grailem walks out of the apartment shutting the door firmly behind him. Using the lift he descends to the ground floor, walking across the foyer boldly and aware of the cameras, he keeps his eyes and face looking at the floor. Moving quickly as he approaches the main door he looks away from the camera so that it cannot see his face as he exits the building.
Walking casually through the district Grailem soon loses himself amongst the maze of streets. As he approaches the western end of the city he finds what he is looking for; an old fashioned library that contains ancient manuscripts and books made of paper. Books made of indestructible carbon also adorn the shelves and Grailem can see that further in are the computer and communication consoles.
Taking a handkerchief from his pocket he pretends to blow his nose as he enters the building. The handkerchief effectively covers his face from the camera and guarding robot and he walks in as if he owns the place. Making directly for the computer consoles he sees that it is three quarters full of people; mainly youngsters under the age of twenty.
Sitting himself at a console in a corner where he cannot be overlooked Grailem connects to the system. Taking a memory card from his pocket he inserts it into the machine; the memory card contains all the data of his new identity. Calling himself Grailem Almond he is employed at a large department store; and has been for the last forty years.
The memory card also contains the data needed to hack into the department store network and the computer network that covers the planet. It is easy installing himself onto the system and fabricating his employment history. Programming the department store to pay him credits into his account every month will enable him to buy his requirements; rather than steal them and attract attention. Using the camera integrated into the viewing screen he takes his photograph and sets up his new identity.
With crime being non-existent on this planet his new identity and addition to the population should go un-noticed. He had given his home address as a building that was crammed between two giant skyscrapers. He had come across the old building on one of his walks near Martin Maseeve's apartment. The building was not described and no ownership given and had only been marked with a number on any of the maps he had studied.
Satisfied he is now secure on the system and part of the population, Grailem removes the memory card and disconnects from the system. Standing proudly Grailem walks confidently through the library, no longer concerned with the cameras, he walks boldly out of the main door.
The street before him is fairly empty of people and robots and Grailem makes his way to the nearest train station. The spaceport is several hours away and the easiest route from this sector is by train. The trains are fast and comfortable as they run on a magnetic field and easily achieve speeds of five hundred kilometres an hour. Grailem was not worried about the comfort but the time it will take to get there; compared to the robot driven cars, he will be there in half the time.

The train station is composed of the same shiny material that all the buildings on this planet are made of. The apparently metalloid material may last for thousands of years but to Grailem's eyes it is becoming boring. Different coloured buildings do exist spread out in the city; but the same uniform surface remained.
Entering the huge building Grailem looks around at the multitude of people that fill the station. Robot servants carrying luggage mix in amongst them as they make their way to the trains. The trains, about fifty metres inside the building wait in an orderly line as people and robots board them.
The trains look sleek in dark blue, with a bullet nose shape to the front and back to cut down on the wind resistance. Grailem looks at the sign above each train and sees the train for the airport is ten platforms along. Below its destination a time is displayed for when the train is due to depart. Grailem sees that he has twenty minutes to wait, so casually makes his way towards it.
Security cameras are located above the entrance to each platform and with no way of avoiding them Grailem walks through the entrance for the airport train and along the platform. That he had been photographed was a certainty; as was the deduction of the fare from his account. The carriages are crowded with people and robots and Grailem walks past twenty five carriages before he finds one that is only partly occupied.
Sitting down Grailem adopts a frown of annoyance and stares blankly out of the window. Several passengers and robot servants enter the carriage; on seeing his annoyed face the people hurriedly sit down as far away as possible. Grailem needed to think and the disturbance of noisy people was what he could do without.
The train appears too crowded for a touring party of the spaceport and Grailem wonders what is going on. Not sociable enough to go and talk to the other passengers and ask, he continues staring out of the window. The city is vast and the train passes through industrial and residential areas for a half hour before the scenery changes to fields and woodland. The fields are planted with crops of green and the woodland looks ordered and cultivated as the trees are all planted in straight lines.
Listening to the people talking softly in the carriage he learns that the Starship he saw being constructed only a few months ago is now complete. The destination is a star system four hundred light years away that is reputed to contain ten worlds suitable for human habitation. This coming voyage is the first to explore these planets and free land is offered; with a guaranteed no population control system in operation.
Grailem turns his head and looks at the other passengers; mainly consisting of young couples in their late teens and early twenties, they all look to be prime specimens of their race. There are several older passengers and these can be no more than thirty years of age and all have a superior look about them.
Their presence alters Grailem's plans drastically; if the starship was going to leave soon, he was determined to be on it.


Chapter Ten

The silver spaceport appears in the distance and Grailem can make out the huge bulk of the starship next to it. The ship looks ready as no robots crawl over its light absorbing surface. Grailem loses sight of it as the train enters the large building of the train station.
Getting off the train along with the other passengers he anxiously looks at the robot guards at the exit gate. If his disguise did not work, now would be the time when he would find out. Removing the caps from his fingertips he also manoeuvres a grenade into each cheek. Keeping in amongst the crowd he walks effortlessly through the gateway with the robots paying no attention to him.
Flushed with success that his new disguise and identity works well Grailem hurries