Part - 2
Abhirup could now see Seventh Heaven Metropolitan up close. The display screen on the vehicle showed the height as sixty-five thousand feet. From here, the entire floating city looked enormous. Abhirup noticed that the whole city was inside an energy-generated protective screen. Their vehicle slowly started floating towards a specific part of the city. Sirin spoke through a small earpiece:
"Requesting entrance to Zone One Six Nine, Valhalla. Authentication, Sirin Two Five Beta Epsilon..."
A mechanical sound responded immediately from inside the vehicle:
"Initiating DNA verification..."
Curious, Abhirup looked at Sirin, and she said:
"Only Ascenders and their employees are allowed to enter Seventh Heaven Metropolitan. The energy barrier you're seeing cannot be crossed by anyone. The Ascender Council has registered a special serial number in each of our DNAs. Only by identifying this number can anyone enter here. Otherwise, any living being that comes into contact with this energy barrier will be annihilated in less than a second. Since you are the ancestor of the present-day Skyborn, the same serial number has been embedded in your DNA."
"So basically, my home, Valhalla, is now in this floating city? Is it so? My God, I never thought I’d ask such a strange question," Abhirup asked sarcastically.
"No, actually, the Valhalla you knew no longer exists. Now, Dart Walkers reside there. Later, your descendants built a second Valhalla here in your memory. Currently, Valhalla is not just a home, but the name of the entire estate of the Chattoraj family. I will give you the remaining answers in due time," Sirin answered in a very respectful and sweet tone.
The Cloud Thopter carrying Abhirup and Sirin passed through the energy barrier and entered inside. The interior was even more astonishing. The architecture, craftsmanship, and even the weather were different from one part of the city to another. Some areas were painted in autumn hues, while others had the freshness of the first rain, and still others were covered in snow, radiating a pure, serene whiteness.
Finally, their vehicle entered a special area. Amidst many unfamiliar buildings, there was one familiar place—Valhalla. It looked just like the Valhalla where he used to live, only much larger in size. Abhirup understood that this was their destination.
The Cloud Thopter slowly landed on a terrace of the uppermost palace-like part of Valhalla.
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"Firstly, I need to know everything. What is happening to me or going to happen? Why was I revived? And how did I even die? I have thousands of questions."
Abhiroop bombarded Sirin with questions impatiently. It had only been an hour since they arrived in Valhalla.
In her usual calm and composed tone, Sirin said:
"Look, Mr. Chattoraj—I mean, sir—it's not possible to stand here and tell you the entire 390 years of history and socio-economic changes. And you wouldn't be able to process all of it either. There's another way for that. I will come to that point later. First, let me briefly explain the entire situation as best as I can...
In 2020, you were working on a project with the government. The project was primarily focused on controlling the country's growing population. You were assassinated in your home the day before the official public announcement of this project. According to the Ascender database, a section of the public strongly opposed your project at the time. An anti-government faction had formed, and they were the ones who carried out your assassination.
Secondly, at that same time, you were also involved with the 'Incarnate Program' of Biogenesis Corporation. In this program, participants had their basic memories digitally extracted and stored in a memory account, which had to be updated weekly. Unfortunately, when you were murdered, it was during the time between your last update and the next one. As a result, your saved memory has no record of your final week. That's why you have no memory of how you died.
A hundred years later, in 2121, Biogenesis Corporation developed 'Cellular Regenerative Technology' and began reviving the Incarnate Program participants according to their contracts. Many people of that era were also attracted to this technology and participated in it. However, a section of society couldn't fully accept these revived individuals. They began calling them re-animates or deadmen as a form of disrespect. Still, since these revived people were from the highest tiers of society at the time, no one could directly harm them. Property laws also had to be modified under these new circumstances, allowing a revived individual to claim inheritance if no living descendants of the family remained.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
According to your contract with Biogenesis, you were supposed to be revived 150 years after your death. Somehow, none of your descendants ever filed a revival petition, which is why you remained in Biogenesis's lab all this time.
In 2203, a massive war broke out across the world. It was primarily fought over the issue of overpopulation and its control. The solutions proposed during the war were based on your original project. Even then, a significant portion of the population opposed it and engaged in violent resistance, which eventually escalated into war. This war was called 'The Purification War.' It ended in 2205. That's when today's social divisions were established. Due to genetic purity, a section of humanity abandoned Earth and moved to various Seventh Heaven cities, now known as Ascenders. Yes, there are many other floating megacities across the world like this Seventh Heaven Metropolitan. Those who lost or compromised in the war were given the rest of Earth's surface. They are now known as Turfers or Dirtwalkers. One of the conditions was that Dirtwalkers could never approach the Ascenders, and Ascenders would never descend to Earth. Even if the Dirtwalkers wanted to, they couldn't come here, nor could they fight. Those who refused these conditions were denied even the land. It's said they now live in the maze of tunnels deep beneath the Earth. They are not even counted in the population. These are the Subterrans. From the day the Ascenders abandoned the Earth, a new calendar began. Although it's 2410 in the rest of the world, here it is 205 AY (Ascending Year).
Currently, no Ascender descends to Earth. Their assistants and workers are all from here. The natural resources of Earth were exhausted long ago. Now, all resources come from other planets. These are the private properties or colonies of the Ascenders. So, as you can understand, it's impossible for anyone to wage war against the Ascenders. Although, nowadays, small rebellions occasionally break out in the colonies. The Chattoraj family owns 209 such planetary colonies. There are no internal conflicts among the Ascenders. A council governs all activities here. The Chattoraj family is among the most respected.
Now, your last descendant, Rituraj Chattoraj, died a month ago. Since he had no heirs, according to the law, all property would have been equally distributed among the other Ascenders through the Council. That’s when I found your record in the database. The Incarnate Program is now obsolete. Due to advancements in medicine, people naturally live for a very long time now. Therefore, you are the last revived individual still held by Biogenesis. According to the new inheritance law, a revived individual can claim ownership. So I mentioned your case to the Council and revived you. I must present you to the Council within fifteen days. Tomorrow is the last day. And to help you learn about the current technology and everything else quickly, please attach this learning-knowledge chip to your neocortex. Any information or technological usage from the Ascender Global Database will instantly be uploaded to your brain. You’ll feel as though you’ve always known or could do these things."
Finishing her explanation, Sirin extended an extremely tiny chip towards Abhiroop. When she noticed that Abhiroop seemed unsure about what to do with it, she gently placed the chip behind his right ear herself. Within a moment, a slight jolt of electricity coursed through him, and suddenly, the knowledge of 390 years of history and technological advancements embedded itself into Abhiroop’s brain. For a few moments, he drifted into a daze.
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Abhiroop stood before the sprawling family tree of 390 years of his lineage. Countless unfamiliar faces stared back at him. And yet, he had to accept—they were all his blood. People he was never meant to meet, whose photos he never even expected to see. Only one among the long list was familiar to him. Even though the picture shown was from an age Abhiroop had never seen him reach, he could just about recognize the facial features—it was Abhiraj Chattoraj. His son.
Unknowingly, tears welled up in Abhiroop’s eyes.
At some point, Sirin had come and stood behind him. Abhiroop hadn’t noticed.
“So, Sirin… how long? I mean, you’re also an Ascender, right?”
Composing himself, Abhiroop asked.
Sirin gave a faint smile and replied:
“Technically speaking, yes. But I am more of a property of the Chattoraj family. I’ve been serving this family for the past two hundred and twenty years...”
“What do you mean?” Abhiroop asked, surprised.
“You probably haven’t fully processed the data uploaded to your brain from the chip…” Sirin answered calmly.
“So what are you? An android?”
Abhiroop asked again.
“No, sir. I am a genetic Incarnate—or to put it simply, a clone. Specially designed to be a secretary. I myself haven’t been serving the family for 220 years. Rather, different genetic versions of me have served the Chattoraj family over time. We’re all developed from the same mother DNA, which is the property of the Chattarajs. The Ascenders use many such clones and genetic technologies. Androids are used for more menial tasks. Our DNA contains a serial number which, when expired, triggers the creation of a new version to replace the old one. The role defined by that serial number determines our function. A genetic Incarnate cannot do anything beyond its programmed purpose. If it tries to, cellular degradation sets in rapidly, and the clone self-destructs…”
As Sirin spoke, Abhiroop noticed a brief change in her expression—subtle, but familiar. It was the expression of existential dread… the expression of someone bound to their purpose.
After a short pause, Sirin said:
“We are good to go.”
She and Abhiroop walked toward a vehicle that resembled a floating cloud-thopter. Once seated, Sirin gave a voice command:
“Destination: Zone 296, Council.”
Their destination—The Ascender Council.
Abhiroop thought to himself, silently.
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Eight Hours Later
Abhiroop had no idea how long he’d been unconscious. Since arriving in the year 2410, he still hadn’t quite adjusted to the flow of time. But one thing was certain—wherever he had been attacked, or wherever he was now lying, there was no trace of Sirin or anyone else in sight.
A sharp weapon had slashed open the left side of his chest. On top of that, he had fallen from at least twelve feet. The excruciating pain made it impossible for him to move. He had no clue how to call Sirin. Despite having all the knowledge of technologies from the last 390 years uploaded into his brain, he still hadn’t managed to apply any of it.
Suddenly, in the flickering dance of light and shadow, he saw a silhouette approaching him. Perhaps the assailant was coming back. This was it. Barely twenty-four hours after being revived from death after nearly four centuries, he was about to die again.
The silhouette moved closer to Abhiroop. And now… he recognized her.
“Sirin…” he whispered her name, barely audible.
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“How long was I unconscious?”
Abhiroop slowly opened his eyes and asked.
“Almost nineteen hours…”
Sirin answered briefly.
“What happened to you? What were you doing alone at the ranch?”
Sirin asked, visibly concerned.
“Someone attacked me… or rather, I must say someone actually tried to kill me.”
Abhiroop replied to her question.
“Well, I’m sorry to say this, but that’s impossible.”
Sirin’s voice carried disbelief.
"Why? Why is it impossible? I’ve been murdered before—why can’t someone try to kill me again?”
Abhiroop asked, his voice filled with frustration and confusion.
"Because, sir, in the 205-year history of the Ascenders and the 289-year recorded history of humankind, not once has a Reborn been attacked…”
Sirin replied.
(To be continued)
