Geosynchron (69 page)

Magan enlists the help of Petrucio Patel, commanding him to use
the "MultiReal-D" programs he brought to demonstrate. The two
track Natch down just before he leaps onto a hoverbird with the group in black robes. Petrucio fires his dartgun at Natch. However, because
of Jara's earlier deal with the Patel Brothers, Natch is not able to use
MultiReal to triumph over Petrucio, and gets hit with the black code
dart as he escapes.

The people in black robes turn out to be apprentices of Brone, the
bodhisattva of Creed Thassel and Natch's childhood enemy. They take
Natch to a decrepit hotel in Chicago, a city ruined hundreds of years
ago in the Autonomous Revolt and now occupied by the diss (the indigent). The Thasselians hail Natch as a hero. Brone explains that the
black code he implanted in Natch was a cloaking device to keep him
hidden from the Defense and Wellness Council. He has brought Natch
here to participate in his "Revolution of Selfishness," which will be
brought about by enhancing MultiReal to its next level of functionality-a level Brone calls Possibilities 2.0.

Brone has discovered a way to use MultiReal to not only calculate
multiple realities at once, but to actually experience multiple realities
simultaneously. Using Possibilities 2.0, one can actually run parallel
tracks of consciousness. According to Brone, this can eliminate "the
tyranny of cause and effect" forever, giving humanity ultimate and
irreversible freedom-and completely eliminating the dominance of
the Council.

Seeing nowhere else to go, Natch Joins Brone's group in trying to
complete the programming of Possibilities 2.0. But as Natch's black
code tremors grow in severity and Brone gives him elusive answers to
his questions, Natch grows suspicious. He accuses Brone of killing
Margaret Surina in an attempt to get hold of MultiReal. Brone claims
that he threatened to kill the bodhisattva, but she committed suicide
before he could follow through. Natch is unsure whether to believe
Brone, but he moves the MultiReal databases and cuts off all access to
the program as a safeguard. Finally, haunted by a late-night vision of
Margaret, Natch flees.

But his flight from Brone into the ruined city of Old Chicago is short-lived. Pursued by the diss and plagued by Brone's voice in his
head, Natch collapses on the street and falls into total blackness. His
senses are completely cut off now. Brone admits that this is, in fact, the
real purpose of the black code that was planted in Natch. He tells
Natch that he did sincerely want to join forces, but now he realizes
that Natch cannot be trusted. He threatens Natch with horrible torture until he hands over MultiReal. Natch refuses Brone's request; he
feels his death approaching, and falls into darkness.

Meanwhile, Jara and the fiefcorp await the Prime Committee's
ruling about the fate of MultiReal. Despite the fact that the program is
gone, the Committee votes to seize it from Jara's fiefcorp. Confused and
unsure what to do, she winds up finally getting together with Horvil.

As the fiefcorp tries to figure out what to do next, Magan Kai Lee
approaches them and proposes they make a deal to try to find Natch. Jara
refuses. She's confident now that she can make her own way forward.

Magan leaves in disappointment. He has effectively declared his
intention to start a full-scale rebellion against Len Borda; the key is
finding Natch and getting hold of MultiReal before Borda does. As
MultiReal comes to a close, Rey Gonerev asks Magan if Natch is even
still alive. Magan replies that Natch is definitely alive; he is absolutely
certain of that fact.

Geosynchron is the concluding volume of the jump 225 trilogy.

For more comprehensive definitions and background articles on some
terms, consult the Web site at http://www.geosynchron.net.