The Cupel Recruits by Susan Willshire

organic, but if you examine those organic components, they comprise every necessary element for a computer, which is really just a machine for processing information. So, the universe is as you know it, organic, with chemicals, lightning, particles, many types of waves (radio waves, ultraviolet rays, etc.) but the properties of all those things provide the foundation for what is actually an amazingly powerful computer. Think about any computer: It needs instructions or a system on how to process, or code, like DNA or the Krebs cycle or any other multiple coding instructions we see in nature. It needs a mechanism to transmit information, multiple ways of getting it around, like - electrical conductivity, the principles of harmonics and frequency, and finally somewhere to store the data when it’s finished processing, like all the billions of particles in our universe, each of which stores, carries and transmits information. Think back to your own life, haven’t you ever heard a neurologist say the brain is really just a computer, with neurotransmitters, connections, storage capacity, and more processing capability than you even use. That is a microcosm of what I’m talking about on a much larger scale. All the properties of the universe function like a computer like a brain does, but much more broadly.” Saraceni glanced around the room to be sure his recruits appeared to be following before continuing.
    “So, putting all this together, the universe is an interaction of matter, space and time for the purpose of creating life to process and transmit information at a rate exponential to anything that could be achieved artificially.”
    “So, people don’t have real lives, their lives are just illusory to keep them processing information?” Jane continued.
    “No. People have real lives, and they go on living them, but through that process an underlying purpose is the gathering and transmission of information. Again, the principle is efficiency. Any engineer will tell you that it’s a basic principle to make as many elements of your design do double or triple duty as possible. So, a person can have one purpose, to live their life, as well as a second purpose, to gather and transmit information while doing so. The two are not mutually exclusive. Haven’t you all felt at times that your life served a greater purpose or design?” Saraceni paused in his explanation and then finished, “As I said, I’m simply reframing what you already know.”
    “Assuming that’s true,” Juliet began,” why does the universe need all this information and why does it have to be processed exponentially fast?”
    “I’m sorry to say we have to table that question for two days from now, when you’re ready to hear the answer,” Saraceni disappointed the group.
    A rap at the door drew Saraceni’s attention. He strode over and once again spoke with an unseen visitor.
    “Everyone, we’re going to take a five minute break. I’ll be right back,” and with that, he was gone, leaving the recruits to think about what they had just synthesized.

Chapter 7
    A week had passed since the funeral and Lela was doing a very good impression of someone returning to their normal life. She had found it surprisingly easy, in fact, especially since she had spent the week largely alone. A stark contrast to the constant activity surrounding her in the few days before the funeral, it was as if a light switch had been turned off and everyone from the outside world simply stopped speaking to her. “Giving her space” she presumed. Bianca had gone away on business, a trip she had already pushed back a few days. James had returned to his duty station and she hadn’t heard from him since, not surprising given their awkward goodbye. They never seemed to leave things on a definitive note, like there was a giant invisible cartoon bubble over his head that read “to be continued…”. Even Mr. and Mrs. Charles had become instantly unavailable. So, she was on