‘And what’s new will be what we’re looking for! Hell buddy, you’re worth ten of those new-fangled AIs.’
‘I think not, but I’m grateful for the sentiments. Now, shall we get moving?’
Almost immediately, they discovered the first drawback to their plan. The hatches opened directly onto the bridge and releasing the fastening mechanism would result in the whole thing crashing open, immediately revealing their presence.
‘I need a magnet,’ Sol said, frowning. ‘I used to keep one on a string but gave it up some time ago. Never had any use for it. Sod’s law.’
‘You could use the magnets on your boots,’ Chard said.
‘What? Yes, of course. That should work.’
Sol took off his left boot and activated the magnet in the sole that was intended for zero-gravity work. Gently, he placed the boot on the hatch, and was relieved, and not a little surprised, to find it stuck. He’d been expecting the thing to be made of a non-ferrous composite or something and couldn’t quite believe he’d struck lucky. Carefully, he unfastened the hatch, keeping a firm hold on his boot the whole time. Still okay. Taking it as slowly as he could, he gently opened the hatch a few centimetres and peered through. He couldn’t see much through the crack but could make out considerable activity and pulled the hatch closed again.
‘No good,’ he said. ‘I can’t make out enough unless I open it wider, and then I’m likely to be seen.’
‘What you need is a diversion,’ Chard said. ‘On my mark, drop the hatch enough so you get a good view.’
‘Copy that.’
There was a second’s pause, then a veritable cacophony of alarms went off, ranging from the well-known red flashing light and klaxon to high pitched whistles and deep, throbbing base notes.
‘Now!’ Chard said, and Sol dropped the hatch far enough to get a good look at the massive bridge.
There was absolute pandemonium. The El were clearly confused and were dashing about trying to ascertain the source of the alarms. Nobody had their eyes on the half-open hatch, and Sol quickly closed it again.
‘How the hell …?’ he started.
‘Run!’ Chard shouted.
Sol had learned over many years that Chard liked to discuss options with him before suggesting a course of action, and he expected the same favour in return. On the other hand, when Chard told him to do something, he’d better damned-well get on and do it if he didn’t want major repercussions to follow. In this case, the imperative in Chard’s voice left no room for argument. Sol picked up his boot and ran.
He careened off a nearby cross-member that spanned the gap between the inner and outer hulls, and took off as fast as he could, not caring which direction he went providing he put some distance between himself and the bridge. It was a close-run thing. Almost as soon as he left the vicinity of the hatch, six El came swarming out of it and literally took off in the opposite direction, their huge wings creating a massive backdraft that almost blew him over. He stumbled, just about regaining his balance before another group of El shot out of the other hatch, about six metres in front of him.
‘
‘Oh shit!’ He threw himself behind another cross-member just as the huge aliens turned, spread their wings and took off. He sat immobile for a couple of minutes in case further El should take it upon themselves to go for a quick flight. ‘What did you do?’ he said. ‘Didn’t you guess what the response would be if you activated their alarms?’
‘I confess, the thought they might wish to use the flight paths never crossed my mind,’ Chard said. ‘I was merely thinking of a way to distract them.’
‘Well you sure as hell did that.’ Sol pulled his boot back on and peered around the cross-member. ‘Stirred up a right hornet’s nest.’
‘My apologies. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.’
‘It’s okay. We’re still here. Was it all worth it? Did you see anything different while the hatch was down?’
‘Indeed, I did. There’s an extra console in there that I suspect is the mentalic blocking generator.’
‘No sign of the weapon?’
‘Unfortunately not. I’m at a loss as to where that might be.’
‘Never mind, we can deal with that later. The most important thing is to un-block our mentalics. That should give us the advantage we need to take back the ship.’
‘’I agree. If you’re up to it, now would be as good an opportunity as any, since ten El have left the bridge.’
‘Good enough. Let’s do it.’
Sol returned to the second hatch, which was only a short distance away and still open. He kneeled and had a quick look through to determine the position of the remaining El, then sat back on his heels
‘Any way you could direct me to that console? he said.
‘I am projecting a diagram of the bridge onto you visor,’ Chard replied. ‘The relevant console is highlighted.’
‘Copy that. There are still about fifteen El down there, you know.’
‘Actually, there are eighteen. You will need to destroy the blocker and fold away swiftly. If you fail, you will probably die.’
Sol grinned. This was exactly the sort of operation he delighted in. All or nothing – no half measures. He stood above the open hatch, concentrating on the plan of the bridge that Chard was projecting on his visor and trying to fit that to his memory of the actual thing. As far as he could tell, the console containing the blocker should be just off to his right. Okay, if this was what it took, this was how it would have to be. He activated combat mode and his laser, and ensured he was protected by audio safe and polarised filters.
Then, he jumped.
Chapter 38
Hello Mum.’ Deira had been wondering absent-mindedly around the house, and almost jumped out of her skin at the voice that came from the direction of the sofa. Her heart sank. She knew who it was before the fresh-faced young man turned towards her. It was Josh 2. Shit, she didn’t want to face him alone – not yet, anyway. She opened a portal.
‘I can’t do this. I’m sorry, but I really can’t.’
‘Mum, Stop! It’s really me.’ Deira paused on the brink of stepping through the fold. ‘It’s Josh, sub-quantal memories and all.’
She ventured another look, her heart beginning to beat a little faster. Was it possible? Could it be the original Josh? No, of course it couldn’t. It was undoubtedly Josh 2, his unnaturally smooth face giving him away. What was he trying to accomplish? Whatever it was, she wished he’d go away.
‘Don’t do this to me. Please. I understand how you must be feeling, but I’m suffering too.’ She still hesitated on the edge of the portal, as if some unseen force was holding her there.
Josh 2 took advantage of her indecision and hurried over, taking her hands in his. They were flawless, almost child-like hands, soft and totally unlike the original Josh’s, and she recoiled in revulsion. This body was such a parody of the one she knew so well that she felt freaked out. She made up her mind and went to step though the portal.
‘No!’
She stopped again. There was something holding her there – something new, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. What was going on here?
Josh 2 held his hands up in supplication and stepped back a couple of paces, his eyes fixed on hers.
‘How do I do this? How do I convince you that it’s really me? I could tell you all about sub-quantal space and the Founders, but you’d probably think I was making it up.’
Deira closed the portal. There was something different about the way he was speaking. Or perhaps it was the way he was acting? There was undoubtedly something different in his eyes. It was all subtle stuff, to be sure, but it was there, all the same. Her heart beat a little faster and she waited for him to continue.
‘Mum, I met Josh 2. He came to me in sub-quantal space in a terrible state, just like I’d have been in his position. He didn’t know what to do. We had a long discussion – and the upshot was we agreed to merge.’
&nb
sp; ‘What?’ This wasn’t what she’d been expecting at all.
‘It’s completely logical if you think of it. He had all my memories, right up to the event on the moon. He was me – just short of a few memories, and with a few extra ones that I didn’t envy. We were effectively identical – 99% of us was, anyway – so why shouldn’t we simply merge our memories? Then we’d both get what we wanted. I’d be free from sub-quantal space, and he’d get the acceptance he craved. We did it, Mum. We’re one now – and I’m free.’
‘Josh? It’s really you?’ She finally began to believe it.
‘It’s really me.’
‘Oh, Josh!’
She flung her arms around him, and he responded, equally enthusiastically, with a hug that spoke volumes. And there they stood, for what seemed like an eternity, neither wanting to let go of the other. It was finally Deira who gently pulled away, took Josh’s hand and guided him back to the sofa. Her face was radiant.
‘Tell me what’s been happening to you. Start at the beginning and tell me everything.’
‘I will, of course, but where’s everyone else? The last time I saw Tao was when she came to pick up the Founders’ data.’
Deira explained about the mission to the El ship and how it had taken on a new significance now that Chayka had confirmed that the Founders had to be freed from sub-quantal space. Josh listened carefully, his face darkening.
‘I need to get over there and help.’
‘What about Swift?’ Deira suddenly remembered Josh had piggy-backed the AI onto his consciousness in sub-quantal space. ‘Won’t you need a new …’
Her voice trailed off as Josh pulled a brand new PWC from his holster.
‘Josh 2 thought of that too. That day he left you, he went straight to the Eich and almost demanded a blank PWC. So, here’s Swift, good as new. In fact, he is new.’
‘Hello Deira,’ Swift said. ‘It’s good to be back to normal again – and I think Josh has a little surprise for you.’
‘Hey, pal, don’t steal my thunder.’ Josh reached behind his back. ‘Mum, despite what you thought of Josh 2, he loved you as much as I do.’
Deira looked down at her feet, embarrassed. ‘I know. I feel dreadful about my treatment of him.’
‘Forget that. It’s all past now. What I was going to say was that Josh 2 wanted to give you something – something he knew you’d always wanted and thought you’d never have. So, while he was visiting the Eich, and getting a new PWC for Swift, he also asked them for something else.’
Slowly, he brought his hand from where it had been retrieving something from his belt and presented it to Deira. It was a PWC.
Deira gasped, unable to believe what she was seeing.
‘It’s for me?’
Josh carefully took her hand and placed the PWC in it, curling her fingers around it.
‘She most certainly is for you – for you alone. DNA-locked and raring to go. I understand she’s chosen the name “Hope”. I think that’s very apt, don’t you?’
‘Hello, Deira.’ A rich contralto voice emerged from the PWC’s speaker. ‘I’m so glad to be united with you.’
Deira was so overcome she could hardly speak. She gazed at the baton-shaped PWC, feeling how ideally weighted it was and how perfectly it sat in her hand. It was the ideal fighting weapon, and, of course, it contained the AI. She still had difficulty believing it.
‘Hello, Hope,’ she finally managed. ‘It’s wonderful to have you with me – and it’s such a lovely name you’ve chosen.’ She hesitated. ‘But, don’t we need to bond or something – and will I ever be able to speak to you telepathically, like the other agents?’
There was a faint tinkle from the PWC. Laughter? Deira thought it was.
‘You mean, like this?’ Hope’s voice sounded in Deira’s head.
‘How? How did you do that? I haven’t had the proper training.’
‘You don’t need training for telepathic communication. It’s simply a matter of aligning your brainwaves to my electronic wave pattern – and the Eich have known your brainwave pattern for years now. As to bonding, it comes back down to your long relationship with the Eich again. They know you so well that they were able to construct me to match you perfectly – no bonding required.’
Deira was overwhelmed but couldn’t help feeling unworthy. She’d watched Josh develop mentalically with a mixture of pride and awe, and she’d reached the conclusion years ago that she would never be able to attain the heights he had. Her recent forays into self-development had pretty much confirmed those feelings. They’d been a relatively poor attempt at pushing her abilities, and she’d quickly given up as she’d become frustrated with herself. Now, for some reason, the Eich seemed to think she should have a PWC.
‘I can’t self-develop,’ she said, feeling like a fraud.
‘Neither can many of the young agents yet. I’m convinced you’ll achieve the time-fold in due course – perhaps sooner than you think – and then you’ll be able to make real progress. After all, with me at your back, you can enter the infra-low without worrying about getting out again – and much self-development involves the infra-low.’
Josh was sitting with a huge grin plastered on his face, obviously enjoying the effects of his surprise on his mother.
‘Come on Mum – get with it. Everyone has confidence in you. Have some in yourself.’
‘I guess I must.’ Deira gradually began to feel a rosy glow as it finally dawned on her that she was no longer the only agent without a PWC. Then, always practical, her thoughts turned back to the mission to the El ship – and to Tao’s pregnancy. She opened her mouth to mention it and then closed it again so fast it made her look rather comical. Had Tao said she’d mentioned it to Josh? She couldn’t remember.
‘What?’ Josh said. ‘You just did a sort of fish-out-of-water thing.’
‘It’s nothing. Have you had any chats with Tao lately?’
‘You mean about me going to be a dad? Isn’t it great?’ Josh was beaming so much it looked like his face would crack across the middle. ‘I’m going to have a son.’
Deira hugged him again, relieved that he knew about this already, then registered what he’d said.
‘Son? Tao didn’t mention that.’
‘No, she wanted to let me know first. Mum, it’s just the best feeling ever!’
‘I know. Nothing can compare.’ She grinned too. ‘Not even getting a brand new PWC.’
‘You deserve it.’ Josh was gazing at her with so much love and pride that Deira thought she might start blubbering. ‘You were the first of us. You should never have been left behind.’
‘It just doesn’t seem real.’ Deira had to look away. ‘It was only recently I thought I’d lost almost everyone I cared for, and now I’ve got everything I always wanted. I feel … complete. I’m so lucky.’
There was an embarrassed silence, neither of them knowing what to say next. It was Josh who decided to return to the practical issues that he knew his mother was more comfortable with.
‘Well, now you’re equipped like a proper agent, how about a little trip?’ Deira looked questioningly at him. ‘I’m thinking of heading off to the El ship to give our colleagues a hand, and now Chayka’s told us what we need to know about the Founders you seem to be at a loose end. Fancy a spot of action?’
‘Try stopping me.’ Deira activated Hope’s laser and gazed with wonder as it shone with a pale blue light, not unlike that of her own staff, but totally unlike the white light of the other PWCs.
‘A small upgrade.’ Josh took Swift out and activated his laser too. ‘See? Swift’s the same. Much stronger than the original. Oh, and by the way, I have another little gift if you’d care to put your uniform on.’
‘Something else? What more could there possibly be?’
She hurried to suit-up and complete a pre-mission check, then stood waiting excitedly. Josh appeared to be concentrating on something.
‘Just give me a second. There. Done.’
; ‘What’s done?’
‘You now have a generic mentalic blocker nullifier built into your force field. So, even if the El blocker’s still working, it won’t affect you providing your force field ‘s operational.’
‘And you have one of those too, I suppose?’ She had another thought. ‘But can you do that time-space thing with this new body? Tao used the Mars survey vessel as an intermediate step. Are you up to that?’
Josh smiled proudly. ‘The body might be new, but it’s hardly new to mentalics. You didn’t realise the full extent of that extra sub-quantal function when you built it. Not only did it imbue the body with full sentience, it also hard-wired it for mentalics. It’s like a massive upgrade. So, yes, I can do the time-space thing as you call it – and no, we won’t need to go anywhere near the survey vessel. I can do it all from here. As to the mentalic blocker – Mum, I don’t need to be concerned about mentalic blockers ever again. My mentalics function on a completely different level. They automatically detect external blocking fields and adapt accordingly. I’m the Els’ worst nightmare.’
Deira had thought she’d gone beyond being amazed by the things Josh could do, but now he’d taken it to yet another level. She remembered the old quote from somebody she couldn’t recall who’d once said that if you ever came up against sufficiently highly advanced science you wouldn’t be able to distinguish it from magic. That pretty much summed up what she felt at this moment. Josh had become a magician. She had to remind herself that this was all due to their “error” in fabricating his new body. If only all mistakes turned out that well.
She deactivated Hope’s laser, slipped her into her holster, and looked at Josh expectantly.
‘Well, it seems we’re ready to go. Would you like to do your thing?’
‘Yes. Just give me a second to gather the required data from that ship.’
‘You can do that? Even with it encased in a folded-space shield?’
‘You’d better believe it. Okay, now this is going to be a little new to you. We’re not going to be using a standard portal. I’ll simply fold us straight to their ship, then we’ll see what’s going down and act accordingly. You need to activate combat mode, including your force-field and the other facilities, just in case.’
Gods of Titan- The Cosmic Constants Page 32
