"Pulitzer Committee, here I come." "Artelligent." "Top secret lab." "Dozens of machines that look exactly like human beings." "All identical." "Welcome to my castle." "It's good to see you again, Da'an." "For a bio-engineer, you make one hell of a venturous quest." "The devices on my head are galvanic skin detectors." "They interface directly with my brain and let me communicate." "Da'an is in Artelligent." "Does that pose a problem I am not aware of, Agent Sandoval?" "It shouldn't." "Security will not allow anyone into our secured area, including Da'an." "I assume Da'an is visiting Sparrow again." "That is correct." "Da'an had the right idea in moving Sparrow's research forward." "He just did not understand the proper application of that research." "When are you planning on informing Da'an about the... enhancements you made to Sparrow's research in your bio-surrogate program?" "After President Thompson and the Joint Chiefs endorse the program." "Say cheese." "I formed a partnership with Artelligent because of Sparrow." "With the help of Taelon science, he has been able to break the barrier in computer aided assistive technology for the disabled." "Software for the human brain, downloaded into virtual experience conduits." "Conduits?" "Vehicles, light years ahead of this four-wheeled dinosaur I use." "My software allows the transfer of an individuals' identity out of their bodies." "All their memories, ideas, perceptions, their consciousness." "Into what?" "A piece of Jaridian inspired hardware." "You can't be serious." "Taelon technology only allowed Sparrow to proceed so far." "However, with information taken from the Jaridian replicant, we have been able to manufacture humanoid bio-surrogates." "Subtitled by Axarion" "They are the Companions." "Aliens come to Earth on a mission of peace." "Their true mission, the secrets they hide, forever alter humanity." "Caught in the struggle between these Taelon Companions and the Human Resistance is Liam Kincaid." "A man who is more than human." "The mysteries of his past hold the key to Earth's future and the fate of mankind." "On Earth Final Conflict." "What happened here?" "One of the bio-surrogates has been activated." "I thought it could only be activated when a human consciousness is downloaded into it." "Or if exposed to sudden burst of energy." "That's why this facility is shielded against electromagnetic radiation, photoelectric emissions..." "And what the hell went wrong?" "This man disrupted the shielding by taking a flash picture." "What programming was installed in the missing bio-surrogate?" "Along with its ANS programming, full complement of Jaridian weaponry including language and enemy recognition array." "ANS?" "Autonomic Nervous System instincts like feed, fight, flight." "Without a human consciousness to guide it," "I'm loathed to predict what might happen." "With the technology downloaded from the Jaridian replicant," "I was able to take my research on assistive technology for the disabled into a whole new realm." "Has the procedure been tested yet?" "We are about to try our first transfer." "And whose consciousness will be transferred?" "Mine, actually." "Zo'or, there's an urgent message for you from Agent Sandoval." "We've had an accident." "One of the bio-surrogates has apparently been activated, and escaped." "He killed a security guard and took his uniform." "Track it down." "I advise we hold the program until we can contain the bio-surrogate." "No." "Neutralize the bio-surrogate before it causes any damage that can jeopardize the program." "Neutralize?" "I thought that all of Da'an's bio-surrogates were harmless." "They were." "Until we added a few enhancements." "Major, one of the bio-surrogates has escaped." "Use whatever resources you have to locate it." "Why are you at Artelligent?" "This is Da'an's project." "You understand me, Major?" "We have to contain the bio-surrogate before it endangers human life." "The bio-surrogates in Da'an's program don't pose any threat to human life." "This bio-surrogate doesn't come from Da'an's program." "The bio-surrogate technology was not intended for war." "We're fighting for our survival." "I acted in accordance with my responsibility as the leader of the Taelons." "If you have a problem with that," "I suggest you raise it with the Synod." "I most certainly will." "In the interim, we cannot predict what will occur if the bio-surrogates are used as fighting machines." "That is true." "It is therefore imperative that we proceed with the first consciousness transfer to determine the feasibility of this program." "I demand to be present for the transfer." "That will not be necessary." "When we know the results, you will be informed along with the rest of the Synod." "I am not interested in the results of the transfer." "I am concerned about the level of safeguard on this project, that could endanger human lives." "That is not an issue." "Adequate safeguards are in place." "Then how do you explain the bio-surrogate that has escaped, and has yet to be recovered?" "They say a picture's worth a thousand words." "But that's..." "What's it saying to you?" "Try the yellow pages, "G" for garbage removal." "Oh, really?" "Well, I've got an idea." "Why don't you..." "On the contrary, It's quite magnificent." "Abstract meets Memphis." "I don't think I've seen anything quite like it." "Augur, meet Sparrow, a fellow cyberphile." "Yes, and obviously someone who appreciates fine art as well." "Likes this ingenious computer." "Well, yes, it's like everything I own, sir." "One of a kind." "Augur, we need your help." "Really?" "Well, try the yellow pages, "C" for churches." "Go with me on this, Augur." "You won't be sorry." "Especially when you see the technology that Sparrow's been working on." " Amazing commercial potential." " Why didn't you just say so?" "Mi casa e su casa." "So what do you want, the regular?" "An interesting usage for a holograph." "Holo Lili, my idea for the perfect woman." "I thought Lili permanently reprogrammed her." "Give me a break!" "Could hurry it up, please?" "Because I haven't got all day." "Okay." "Read in these design parameters." "Tapping to all known satellites tracking facilities and scan for a match to the activated bio-surrogate." "Serve it up when it's hot." "She likes it when I play along." "Well, well." "What do we have on this screen?" "The Flat Planet Cafe." "I like to keep a tab on my investments." "What do you want in a man?" "Handsome, intelligent, sensitive, 6' 3", 190 pounds, muscular, funny, mysterious, successful, kind eyes, good with kids and dogs, athletic, loves his mother and slightly unattainable." "That should narrow the field down to one or two." "One's all it takes." "And after I finished with my accountant, we'll need to discuss the commercial potential of your research." "But right now you're just a guest, so, anything you want, okay?" "Can I get you something?" "I would like to have been briefed on you bio-surrogate program." "What you would have liked and not liked is of no concern, Captain." "As always, you're on the need-to-know basis, and in the instance you have no need." "Capt. Marquette has a point, Agent Sandoval." "Unlike you, she has combat experience." "She can understand the logic behind this program better than you." "Why is my combat experience relevant?" "You have reviewed the Jaridian files in the Taelon archives?" "Do you honestly believe that humanity has the capability to defeat the Jaridians?" "Not currently, but we will do whatever is necessary to survive." "If the data on the Jaridians was made available to the appropriate military personnel we could devise a very effective strategy." "That data has already been made available to the President and the Joint Chiefs." "They've not responded." "Defeating the Jaridians will require more than will to survive." "You need the tools to defeat a race with superior capabilities." "Do you deny this?" "No, do not." "This is so good." "You're just gonna love it." "You'll see." "Does my appearance upset you?" "No." "It's just that I've never seen anyone like you before." "Then you must not have been looking very carefully." "Where I come from, people like you just don't exist." "The North Pole?" "We'll save that story for another time." "So, what do they do with us, where you come from?" "Children born this way are left to the care of nature." "Older people simply walked off across the plains and disappeared." "Well, that's certainly one solution." "Liam, Liam, come here, it's important." "Come on, come on." "Holo Lili just told me that the series of flights landed on the mother ship originating from the Pentagon." "They must have something to do with Zo'or's bio-surrogate program." "I'll let Da'an know." "Have your scans on the bio-surrogate turned anything up yet?" "No, not yet." "But not to worry, Holo Lili's on the case." "And the same galvanic skin detectors that I use in my speech program, also allow me to write." "I am a poet." "Table three's up, Kat." "Hey, what the hell's up with my steak and eggs?" "Could've killed the beast and barbecued it by now." "Laid the eggs too?" "I like when you talk dirty." " It's okay, pal, we're legal." " Yeah, maybe in Tijuana." "What do you think you're doing, pal?" "That's my food." "Can you believe this?" "Don't worry about it, Vince, I'll fix you up." "You got a problem with your hearing?" "Okay, pal, get up." "Real slow." " You're late, Mr. President." " I wanna talk directly to Zo'or." "That's not possible right now moment, Zo'or says he'll see you at the presentation for the Joint Chiefs of Staff." "One of your killing machines escapes you have no idea what it will do, and you want me to endorse this program to the JCS?" "We will find the bio-surrogate before it causes any harm." "The technology is ready." "There's no need to delay." "And what happens if you don't find him in time, huh?" "This program's gonna be difficult enough to sell to the American public." "The last thing I need is be in a defensive posture." "I don't believe Zo'or would consider that his problem." "Zo'or doesn't run this country, I do." "And would you like to continue, Mr. President?" " Is that a threat?" " No." "Just a subtle reminder that we still live in a democracy, and just in case you've forgotten, Mr. President, our leaders have to be elected." "You and your party will be escorted to the meeting room." "Stop where you are!" "Now, hit the ground face down, hands behind your head!" "I said, hit the ground face down!" "Stop or we will shoot you!" "He must be reconnoitering." "Reconnoitering?" "Self-programming." "One of those Jaridian subroutines that kicks in if a bio-surrogate is exposed to a new environment." " One of?" " I'm afraid so." "The Jaridians embedded the whole myriad of complex programs we haven't been able to override yet." "Like its automatic cloaking response after a confrontation." "And while it's cloaked, how do we find it?" "You won't." "Unless it needs to defend itself again, gets hungry, or runs into an enemy, which is highly unlikely, considering..." "Considering what?" "The only enemy he's hardwired to attack are Jaridians." "Open e-mail." "Send "Butterfly" file to Augur, with the following message:" "Please, deliver to Maiya." "They lied to us." "What are you talking about?" "Our bio-surrogate prototype has been confiscated by Zo'or." "But the transfer is set for tomorrow." "It still is." "But it's not going to be you." "The whole project is now under the jurisdiction of the Joint Chiefs." " Why the Joint Chiefs?" " It's now a military operation." "You have all you the data on the Jaridians." "You know that in order for us to successfully defend ourselves against the Jaridians, we require a weapon system that includes the best of both Taelon and human technology." "These bio-surrogates are the perfect conduit for the fighting spirit and military expertise of your men." "Once we transfer the consciousness of a trained combat soldier into the bio-surrogate, nothing will stand against it." "Including the Jaridians." "The bio-surrogates are programmed to instantly evaluate any opposing force." "We will not risk the lives of our men with this theory." " There's no risk." " It's not the way I see it." "Not as long as it utilizes the minds of our enlisted men." "The bodies of the men are kept in stasis, General." "If the bio-surrogate sustains injuries, the human consciousness will simply be downloaded back into its original body." "As it will be at the completion of this operation:" "War without death, gentlemen." "The prayer of every soldier's mother." "And what happens if one of our men gets blown away and that chip goes up with him?" "It is time to proceed with the first consciousness transfer." "We have addressed all of your concerns." "Except for one." "What about that bio-surrogate that escaped from Artelligent?" "Why have you failed to retrieve it?" "So you're telling me that the bio-surrogates are hardwired with these survival instincts?" "Yeah, under Sparrow's program the bio-surrogates bodies are programmed to sole experience sensations for physically challenged people." "Now, the concept is that once a consciousness is transferred, that person's motivation controls the actions of the bio-surrogate." "And under Zo'or's program?" "Bio-surrogates are now programmed with autonomic nervous system instincts like fight or flight, and with Jaridian weaponry." "And the theory is that when a human consciousness is transferred into the body, that consciousness will control these instincts and weaponry?" "That's the theory, but the bio-surrogate we're looking for has no human consciousness." "It has no purpose, other than to act on its most primitive animal instincts." "Well, it's got no agenda, I mean, we can't even guess where it'll go, because it has no idea itself." "No, not yet." "And like the Jaridian replicant from which it was conceived, it's programmed to study and learn from everything it sees and experiences exponentially." "With no moral high ground to guide its actions." "No." "Sparrow understands this technology better than any of us." "We have to bring him in on this." "You, by the newsstand." "Hold it right there!" "That's right." "There's something that's troubling me about the bio-surrogate program, Zo'or." "Another disaster to report?" "No, no, nothing new." "Then what is your problem?" "The cadre of men, not to mention resources, that will be required to care for millions of soldiers in stasis." "One must always be conscious of the allocation of resources." "Especially in a prolonged war." "When a soldier's consciousness can be downloaded from one bio-surrogate to another bio-surrogate, just as easily as..." "It can be downloaded from one bio-surrogate to its human donor." "Now I understand why you had the Taelon imperative implanted in all the bio-surrogates." "As I said, Agent Sandoval, one must always be conscious of the allocation of resources." "Especially in war where acceptable losses are a fact of life." "And death." "Yes?" "The bio-surrogate has struck a newsstand on Cleveland Street." " There's been a killing." " Why are you telling me?" "Giving you enough time to make the 11 o'clock news." "That's really lovely." "I don't remember poetry being one of your requirements in a man." "Well, that would fall the talented and sensitive category." "But I cannot believe that one of these guys wrote that." "Excuse me." "Excuse me, please." "Excuse me." "The poem was beautiful." "Thank you." "One moves in their mind and heart if not in body." "I don't know about that." "From what I can see, you move very well in that chair." "Everything but cart wheels." "In that case, care to dance?" "Excuse me." "Please." "Let me through." "Please." "Let me through." "Shame, that was so sweet of you." "No, it was stupid." "I should have known better." "Just stand back, please." "Come on, back up." "It doesn't make any sense." "There's no reason to believe the bio-surrogate would uncloak to attack a police officer." "He didn't." "He uncloaked to scan the news." "Your humor escapes me, Major." "Well, he's learning, at first the cop in the diner, the one here." "Looks like he's added a new enemy to his program." "Any knight in blue." "I think he's right." "Right or wrong, I want this area cordoned off within a 5 km radius off this point." "There's no reason to believe that the bio-surrogate is trying to flee the area." "Oh, and Captain, as far as the press is concerned, this is just another random killing." "In 3, 2, rolling." "The Taelons, with the full support of the Thompson administration, were attempting to create the perfect warrior..." "Maintain this barrier." "No one is to come near the crime scene." "Captain." "You heard him, everybody!" "Move back!" "How the hell did Doors find out about this?" "Ronald Sandoval, one of those who is actively cooperating with the Taelons in this obscene violation..." "This is the matter of national security." "Vacate the premises or you'll be arrested." "Does freedom of the press still exist in the Taelon dominated America?" "Apparently not!" "Mister Doors, you won't see it coming," "but you're a dead man." "You're saying what?" "What I'm saying is that these bio-surrogates may be our only way to defeat the Jaridians without sacrificing..." " You're supporting Zo'or!" " No, no, no, what I'm saying is..." " I can't believe this." "Can you believe this?" " If you would shut up for one second..." " She is supporting Zo'or!" " You would see that I am supporting humanity, not Zo'or!" "The bottom line is yes, we need this technology, not to defeat the Jaridians, but to drive the Taelons off our planet." "No, the technology has to be destroyed." "If soldiers can't be killed, war becomes a game." "Destroyed?" "!" "It's a profitable game!" " A game that never ends!" " I can't believe you just said that!" "Quiet!" "We can't move backwards." "The technology exists, either we have is or the Taelons do, and that is our choice." "No, Sparrow is the only one who has the technology is his head." "We have to destroy the Taelon lab and convince Sparrow never to recreate it." "I won't be party to destroying anything we can use against the Taelons." " I'm asking you to." " Neither can I, Liam." "Fine." "Then I guess I'm on my own." "I'm really sorry about last night." "Asking you to dance, I never should have." "Turned tail and ran." "But I couldn't help myself." "I know." "No, you don't." "You're right." "How could I know what it feels to be..." "That's not what I meant." "When I was 18, before I got sick," "I was one hell of an athlete." "Football, baseball, basketball." "Really?" "That's why I ran out last night." "Thought of dancing with you and not being able to." "For now." "Until you transfer your consciousness into one of your bio-surrogates." "After which, I'll expect the first dance." "It's a date." "Let me guess:" "You're still here because they want me to be the press spokesperson for your campaign, right?" "Yeah, sure, you're exactly the image I want..." "Hey, you could do a lot worse, believe me." "You know, your relationship with Sparrow could help us both." "I'm all ears." "Even if Liam convince Sparrow to destroy his research," "Zo'or still threw him out of Artelligent." "Which means he doesn't have access to his files." "Right, and you think that I'm brilliant enough to hack into Artelligent databanks and access Sparrow's files." "Is that it?" "Well, guess what?" " I am!" " Good!" "Then we are in agreement!" "No, we're in agreement about how brilliant I am." "But from what I can see, that's as far as it goes." "Look, we both want this technology, but we want it for different reasons." "You wanna own the world, me, I wanna save it." "Stall the rhetoric for the campaign trail, Doors." "But let's assume for a minute that you're right." "Why the hell do I need you?" "You don't!" "But why not hedge your bets?" "If you steal the technology, then sell it to me, for a non-competitive use, you win all round." "Okay, well, then let me ask you a question." "You know that Keifer that you just bought?" "How much did you pay?" "3.7 million." "Why?" "What I was thinking it would look really nice right there." "I guess I'm not gonna have much of an art collection left." "The price you pay for dealing with the best." "Yeah." "Your lackey just gave Doors the sound bite of the year!" "You would have preferred that Agent Sandoval allowed the press to view the aftermath of the bio-surrogate's attack?" "Why did you try to cut a deal with Doors behind my back?" "I think you're laboring under a false impression." "Oh?" "Then why haven't you and the Synod endorsed my campaign?" "It is immaterial to me who is in the White House." "My only priority is my own agenda." "How dare you!" "I have constantly supported the Taelons..." "Do not humiliate yourself." "You know that you cannot win the election without my support." "Order General Cromer to provide the trained soldiers for the consciousness transfer, and I will consider a formal endorsement of your candidacy." "With that bio-surrogate on the prowl, you've got a loose cannon, which Doors can use against me, so until it's defused," "I'm not gonna order Cromer to do anything that he hasn't deemed appropriate for the welfare of his men." "Hacking into Artelligent files was the easy part." "But if you want Liam to destroy your research so the Taelons can't use it, we've got to find a way to get past the security block on your files." "My expertise is in the creation of artificial intelligence, not breaking and entering." "Well, you're going to have to broaden your interest now, are not you?" "What was the filename for your search?" "Castle." "The consciousness is transferred into the bio-surrogate, which I consider the castle." "Okay, let's run the code by everything and everyone who lives inside the castle." "No doubt, I am the best." "It's only the first step, Augur." "Will you help me?" "Help you with what?" "John?" "John, is that you?" "I'm sorry, I thought you were my boyfriend." "He's supposed to meet me here at 11, but I guess he's running late." "Mel." "John." "Hey, man, why don't you take a picture?" "You've been standing there long enough." "Who is this guy, Mel?" "I do not know, he's just a guy." "Hey, man, beat it." "I take over from here." "What, are you deaf, man?" "John?" " You're dead, dude." " John, leave him alone!" "John, John, just leave him..." "Please, don't!" "Please, leave him!" "Don't hurt him!" "You're gonna kill him!" "Stop it!" "What do you mean, they've all been destroyed?" "They've all been vaporized, there's no trace of them." "And the intruder that did this also broke into our computer system and erased all the program files." "Is there anything missing?" "One of the bio-surrogates is missing." "Are you telling me that there's another bio-surrogate out there without a consciousness?" " Maybe..." " What do you mean, "maybe"?" "Our security system indicates that one of the Artelligent employees performed a consciousness transfer." "Which employee?" "Sparrow." "Can you tell me about the guy who strangled him?" "He didn't touched me." "I mean, he didn't even move until John attacked... him..." "I just... noticed... it's like his hand just crushed his neck and then he just walked away." "Is this the guy?" "This officer will help you get cleaned up and take you home." "Thank you." "The bio-surrogate killed again." "Who?" "A young kid in the park." "There's been a break-in at Artelligent." "Another bio-surrogate is missing, and this one has a consciousness that's unaware of its weaponry." "Whose?" "Sparrow's." "Sparrow?" "And although most Americans dismissed" "Jonathan Doors' accusations as campaign rhetoric, this latest murder in Carlsbad Park seems consistent with the details of the secret Taelon bio-surrogate program outlined by Mr. Doors." "Mr. Doors now contends that yesterday's brutal slaying of Sergeant McGuire is also related to this Taelon program." "So you and Sparrow destroyed the lab at Artelligent?" "No, no, no." "My criminal activities are limited to breaking and entering." "Oh, and stealing." "Sparrow destroyed the lab after I helped him and his associate transfer his subconscious into the bio-surrogate's body." " Where the hell is he now?" " I don't know." "We brought this thing back here and then he just took off." "Sparrow doesn't know the full extent of the technology that Zo'or had implanted into the bio-surrogate." "He may not be in control of himself now." "Maybe." "But if he is in control" "I bet I know exactly where he's headed." "Scotch neat?" "I'm ready for that dance." "Gee, I've never heard that one before." "What will you have?" "Only what you promised me." "The first dance." "Look, I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about." "Yesterday, in the park." "Sparrow?" "You remembered." "You did it!" "How does it feel?" "I hope you're wearing your dancing shoes." "Maiya!" "No, Liam, it's okay." "It's Sparrow." "Don't try to talk." "I haven't felt this much pain since before I got sick." "How fitting I should feel it now as I die." "You are not going to die." "I'm just sorry we didn't get that dance." "We gotta get you back to the lab." "No, there's no time." "I won't make it." "How long do we have after you die to transfer your consciousness back?" "What do you mean?" "Zo'or told the Joint Chiefs that if a bio-surrogate is killed in battle, they can download the consciousness back into the soldier's original body." "No." "Zo'or lied." "There's nothing you can do for me." "Subtitled by Axarion"