MENTAL ESSENCE
PAGE 75
    "The transfer will take approximately 90 hours.  Therefore, we will sign off and begin transmitting again when the transfer is complete," said the voice from the monitor.
    "Why such a long time to transfer?" asked Aukous.
    Pace pulled him by the arm to where they could not be overheard.
    "He is being taken to a forest on Tropa.  They are going leave him there until he can control the body," Pace answered.
    Aukous made a funny face and rotated his head, then said, "OK."
    On Tropa the technical staff placed Trent's bed in the center of a narrow valley. 
    "Stop the tranquillizers.  Is the transmitter functional?" asked one of the techs.
    "Up and running, and we are out of here," said another.
    An hour later Trent's new body began to quiver.
    Trent thought to himself, "This is not what I consider as pleasant.   I can sense different parts to this body.  This shaking comes with what I guess is the sense of cold.  I believe hot would be a quite different sensation.  There is a definite heart beating.  I guess I have not opened my eyes.  That's better, must be the sun light.  Feels calmer, warmer.  I want to open my mouth and say something.  Must be something profound.  How about a, no not that.  I can't think of anything good enough.  Perhaps later.  Hand.  I can move my hand.  Great, my fingers as well.  Raising my right arm.  I can smell different scents.  Scents seem like colors.  Oh.  There we go.  I can see.  The sky is a color.  That must be blue.  Those are clouds.  I hear noise.  Those must be birds.  Yes, those are birds.  Ok, think of what comes through the link.  Noises.  Colors. Shapes.  Ok, look around.  Turn head and look around.  Trees.  Grass.  I hear myself breathing.  I feel wind.  Moving legs.  Let's sit up.  Use arms and stomach muscles.  Sit up.  There we go.  So far so good.  Wave to the camera.  Open mouth.  Say something.  Ok, make a noise than.  Let's see, how about saying hi to the camera.  Hi!" Trent tried to say to the camera.
    In reply Dr. Mollaty said, "Hello.  You seem to be functional."
    "Yes, so it seems," Trent thought he was saying as he sat on the edge of the bed and slowly looking around.

    "You do not show signs of pain.  If your senses work, raise your right hand," said Dr. Mollaty.
    Trent raised his right hand, and thought to himself, "I guess my language skills need tuning." 
    Trent slid from the table and stood swaying.
    "Try raising your arms over your head," asked a tech.
    Trent raised his arms, then performed a series of coordination exercises.
    "Try opening and closing you mouth," the tech asked.
    Trent spent a minute or so moving his lower jaw, and taking deep breaths.
    "Go ahead a make some sounds.  We will guide you through the correct volume and pitches," said Dr. Mollaty.
    An hour later, and Trent could speak somewhat coherently.
    "I think I will walk around this valley.  And smell the flowers," Trent said.
    "Over to your right there is a namable fruit tree.  Try eating one." suggested a tech.
    Trent walked in a stiff limb amble to the tree.
    "Wow!" Trent exclaimed while jerking his head back, "This taste sensation is great."
    "The best part for you is that you can't get fat unless you really want to," joked a tech adding, "Can you pick up that rock to your left."
    Trent looked around, then picked up a rock.
    "Good.  That's not the one I meant, but that's very, very, good.  Now throw it to your right," the tech said.
    "That rock must have weighed 500 pounds.  Did you feel strained?" asked Dr. Mollaty.
    "No. No strain.  I believe my strength will be as predicted.  My vision is good.  I can see individual tree leaves on the other side of the valley.  I can even see insects on the flowers next to the trees," Trent stated.

    Trent began walking through the reeds lining the creek running through the valley.
    "My mind feels as though it is throbbing.  The wind, the smells, the sounds all at once.  My sensory centers seem overwhelmed.  My feet are wet as well.  The water is cold.  My feet are cold and my face is hot.  I am smiling.  This is a great emotion.  I am crying.  There are tears running down my face.  I am not sad.  I am happy.  Is this an expected set of phenomena?" Trent asked.
    "There were no expectations regarding feelings.  Just the concerns as we discussed before the transfer," said Dr. Mollaty.
    "Try jumping," suggested a tech.
    Trent looked around, then up, bent his legs and jumped.  The wind carried him just enough for him to land in a small lake fed by the creek running through the valley.  He sank to the bottom.  Trent looked around and seen a few aquatic life forms then sort of swum to the shore.  As he emerged from the water, he saw the beach and it reminded him of Minn beach, Cree, Semma and Emmer, MB and the others who had died and suffered to get him that far.  Trent clenched his fists and pressed them to the sides of his head and screamed as loud as his body was capable of.
    "Aaaw.  No.  No," Trent screamed as he began running through the forest.  He tore through trees and huge rock formations as if they were made of air.  He continued screaming as he ripped trees from the ground and used them to knock down dozens of other trees.  He through huge boulders across the valley and simply crushed others.  This violence continued for more than an hour.  Finally he stopped, and sat in the sand gazing at the lake.
    "I am glad we brought you here and did not subject the lab to your apparent getting to know yourself adjustments," Dr. Mollaty said in a kind of humerus tone.
    Trent did not reply.