by Brian Lewis
“The tunnels below the surface of the Jena. I saw the schematics of the island.”
“The mechs are the only things that will save us. Anyone that comes will not be prepared to fight Taseti and his small army of autonomous androids.”
Natia doesn’t push back. As much as she doesn’t want to admit it, she knows Khalil may have a point. She tries to think of the last time she saw more than one hundred C.O.M.M. soldiers at once. No event comes to mind that doesn’t involve a ceremonial celebration. Mandenites are not a warlike people, they don’t strive for combat.
The two of them exit the building and head towards the barrier gate where Captain Jeska and the C.O.M.M. Commander await. I pray I don’t have to get into one of those things, but if there are no other options, well this day could end worse. It could be me, and my husband’s last day on Earth. Mech or not, I cannot allow that to happen.
Chapter 19
Reunion
Node One—Manay City, 2082—Isle of Khalil—Outskirts
Khalil hates that he has to walk with a gun to his back. Much more than he hates having to confront a ghost from his past he always knew he’d one day have to face again.
Taseti Enduri.
The name hovers in Khalil’s mind like a fog that hovers over the grass at dawn. They approach the barrier. Khalil sees the puzzled looks on everyone’s face as he and Natia appear in the unfriendliest of ways.
They stop right in front of a slit in the barrier that can slide open to let someone through. Captain Jeska comes sprinting down a side stairway that leads from the upper deck to the ground where the soldiers stand. The C.O.M.M. Commander stays at the top with the rest of the soldiers, giving commands to hold.
Odd. Khalil wants to wonder why The Commander in charge refuses to speak with him in person. Deep down, he knows the truth. It’s clear everyone knows the truth, and Khalil has lost a tremendous amount of influence.
Captain Jeska stops in front of Khalil, eyes him and without nodding defers to Natia. “There are over two hundred of those androids hiding behind those trees in the distance. We got through the private network, ETA on EVAC and C.O.M.M. air support is thirty minutes.”
“We can’t stall for half an hour,” Khalil says. Interjecting himself into a conversation is not something he’s used to having to do.
“Well, no disrespect to a Founder but you’re way outside safety regs being this far from the General Collective, anyway. You better be lucky we don’t have time to talk because my men and I don’t even know what we’re here protecting.” The Captain barks at Khalil.
“It’s a turtle mech, two, actually. They’re tucked away deep in the belly of this Jena with something else I haven’t yet seen.” Natia says. She gives Khalil a look to make sure he knows not to question why she told Jeska. They’re way past keeping that a secret now.
“Oh… my.” Jeska puts his hands on his hips and sighs, but at the same time, his eyes brighten with relief.
“That’s why we need some time,” Natia says.
“The Alpha.” Khalil points to his weapon in Natia’s hands. “The rifle you stole from my compound has a self-destruct command.”
“I’m not blowing up my only weapon! I bet you’d like that.”
Yes, I would, in fact. Khalil thinks and says. “In the New American States, gifting someone your weapon is a sign of respect, even more, if done by an enemy. My hope is he takes it. That rifle is my life force, but we have no other options.” He looks at Jeska, “once you see the explosion provide us cover fire to get back in.”
Jeska looks at Natia who doesn’t object, then back to Khalil and nods.
Turning to look up to the soldiers above, Jeska waves his hand and shouts, “open up!”
The steel barrier splits apart.
Natia and Khalil walk, now side-by-side, towards the distant visage of Taseti. Khalil sees Natia’s bound husband shaking with his knees on the ground. The towering android that brought Adan forward remains beside Taseti. Its synthetic skin is cream-colored, and it carries a small rifle over its shoulder.
Khalil observes Natia’s expression as they near their target. Her eyes are angry, steady, and brooding. She grips the MX-Alpha with such intensity, he can see the veins protruding from her hands.
“He’ll be ok Natia.” Khalil attempts to say anything to make sure Natia doesn’t do something reckless.
“Shut up, just shut up.” Her head remains forward.
“Stop right there.” Taseti extends his armored arm with the palm of his hand facing them as they draw closer.
Khalil cringes and swallows spit that goes down like a lead ball as Taseti’s head shifts towards him.
“Khalil. I bet you never thought you’d be seeing me again when you left me for dead fifty-two years ago.”
How did you know? Khalil wants to say so bad but knows it isn’t the best way to respond given the circumstance, Adan’s neck and all. “Not really. I’ve been on your trail for decades now. If you came all this way for an apology, you wasted your time. We built a whole new society, a new culture based on cooperation and unity, not dominance and control. You chose the wrong side.”
“Don’t antagonize him.” Natia cuts in.
Taseti turns to look at Natia. He holds his stare before saying, “your nation was founded by a murderer. That’s why you family has suffered so much.”
“Khalil is but one of many Founders. They all founded New Manden as one. My family has suffered because men like you only want to control others and murder those who say no. This nation was founded by people who said no.”
Stepping away from Adan, he stretches out his arm, holding the blade over his neck.
“If you want the data-file, release Adan.” Khalil steps forward.
“You believe you’re able to make demands!?”
“I have this.” Natia steps forward the same as Khalil. Khalil looks and sees her shoot him a disgruntled gaze. “It’s an MX-Alpha, very rare. They don’t even make these anymore because they’re deemed too messy.”
Taseti’s head stays pointed towards the weapon, Khalil knows that behind the mask his eyes fixate on it. He lifts the blade and lowers it with the point touching the ground. “An admirable weapon.”
“You should know I wouldn’t be giving this up if it weren’t to save a life.” Khalil shoots an angry glance at Natia. “Thief.”
Taseti stands there thinking for what seems like ages. He speaks finally and says, “this is acceptable. Mandenite weaponry goes for a lot of cryptos in the NAS.”
Taseti removes Adan’s blindfold and orders him to stand and begin walking towards the barrier entry. Khalil watches as Natia steps forward to make the exchange with Taseti. Natia and her husband enjoy a quick embrace and Khalil turns his head as he watches the barrier open to allow Adan in. Unbeknownst to Taseti, the barrier remains cracked open just enough to let him and Natia slide through.
Great. He’s out of the way. Now we just need Natia to hand him the rifle.
Natia makes the exchange. She begins stepping backward. Taseti turns to hand the weapon to the android which looks at it awkwardly.
“Now, hand over the data-file.” Taseti demands as he turns back around.
“Sir. They armed this weapon!” The android alerts Taseti.
Khalil and Natia sprint back towards the barrier and in an instant, a loud explosion lifts them off their feet. The explosion blasts them closer to the barrier so hard, the two of them lands with a violent thud on the ground. Khalil’s ears ring, and his vision is momentarily hazy. He looks to his side and sees Natia rolling on the ground in an attempt to lift herself up.
Daring to look back, he sees the explosion has blown the android to pieces. Taseti lays face down on the ground with smoke rising from his back. For a brief moment, Khalil smiles. Until he sees Taseti’s arms move as he tries to lift himself up. The nano-materials built into his exoskeleton begin reforming and rebuilding the damaged parts of the suit.
Laser fire streaks above Khalil
from atop the barrier. The C.O.M.M. soldiers are firing at a line of androids making their way forward through a haze of smoke.
“Natia! Natia get up!” Captain Jeska has run out to aid Natia and Khalil. Helping both to their feet and sprinting back to momentary safety behind the wall.
“Blow up the gun huh!” Natia says with a sarcastic tone. She looks to be in a lot of pain, but Khalil doesn’t see any noticeable life-threatening injuries. At least not externally.
“That happened quicker than I expected,” Khalil responds.
“You two are lucky to be alive!” Jeska barks as he runs to the top to fire on the incoming androids.
Despite the danger of the moment, Natia and Adan embrace and begin kissing as if it will be their last. While they exchange loving words, Khalil looks and notices Subject Alpha standing in the middle of the path leading to the wall.
He runs up to the boy, “what are you doing out here? Where’s Araba?”
As soon as he asks, Araba sprints around the corner and begins screaming as she sees the firefight up close.
“We saw the explosion on the screen.” Araba weeps.
Natia and Adan make their way to them. Natia’s arms are covered in bruises from the blast, her knees a maze of grazes and cuts.
“I’m not leaving you anymore, you hear me!? I don’t care what you say.” Araba hugs Natia. For a brief moment, Khalil’s heart softens.
“Well if you all want a front-row seat to the battle we’re about to fight follow me. We have to make our way into the tunnel system and get into the Turtle mechs. We have little time.” Khalil yells above the sound of laser fire.
A massive explosion rocks the island from just beyond the border. Smoke, dust, and debris sweep over the entire area. That’s when Khalil sees it. The airship that brought the androids to the island is now airborne and firing down on the barrier.
“No! They’re going to get slaughtered.” Natia attempts to go back but is held back by Adan.
“You can’t help them, Nat!” He pleads for her to stop.
“He’s right. If you want to help them Natia, fight alongside me in the mechs. It’s our only hope at this point.” Khalil speaks fast.
He sees Natia look down at Subject Alpha, knowing the Farima is down there too. He knows she doesn’t trust him but has no choice but to go along with his plan. There’s nothing Taseti came with that could go up against not one, but two turtle mechs.
“If I get the impression that you’re going to sabotage us, I promise you, I will leave you in that mech by yourself and we all die here today.” A dark impression spreads across Natia’s face as she speaks.
Khalil nods. You have no idea what you’re up against, Natia. None at all.
They hear a sound from behind them, a group of Aren 7’s break through the barrier with ease. One of them spots the group up ahead and begins firing at them. In a flash, Khalil sees Captain Jeska jump through the smoke and shoot the android in the head.
“Run!” Jeska yells.
Khalil sprints towards his compound. The others follow him as more androids flood through an already overwhelmed defensive position. Looking back, Khalil sees the aircraft take notice of them and fly towards their location.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry!” Khalil yells to the top of his lungs. They’ve made it to his compound and jump through the open doors.
Araba is the last to run through as the vehicle fires on them. The shots from the armored aircraft destroys the entryway, preventing anyone from coming through.
“We need to hurry and get to the Battle Arena.” Khalil coughs from the smoke.
“The what?” Natia looks puzzled.
“The tunnels you saw on the schematic, that’s where they lead. It’s submerged underwater in a secure bunker. That’s where the mechs are. All of them.”
“Well let’s hurry up. My heart is beating like a drum in my chest right now.” Araba winces as she favors a wound in her leg. “Must’ve happened when that thing shot at us just now.”
“You’re bleeding!” the boy gasps.
“It’s not bad. I should be fine.”
“But you’ll slow us down too.” Khalil’s face is expressionless and cold. He wants to care about Araba, he actually likes her, but not enough to get killed over.
Walking up to him, Natia says, “just show us where we need to go. I’ll carry her if I have to.”
Khalil sighs. “Follow me. Remember when I told you there was only one way out of that subterranean basement you guys were in earlier? Well, I lied.”
They hear the sound of automation coming from the other side of the rubble that now blocks the entrance. Taseti’s voice echoes through the rocks, “you killed my sister Natia. I know it was you. The shot she took matches the gun you used to try, and fail, to murder me. I will make you pay dearly for that. I’m coming for you Khalil, Natia, Adan and yes… even your creature. You all will die. I will slaughter everyone on this island and in that Medibay and make you watch before I kill you. Just like I killed your father.”
“Hurry… now,” Natia speaks with rapid breaths as the group runs as far away from the entrance as quickly as possible.
Part 3
RISE OF THE FARIMA
Chapter 20
Battle Arena
Node One—Manay City, 2082—Isle of Khalil—Jena Interior
Natia is haunted by the familiar sight of the subterranean labyrinth filled with pockets of empty labs. She doesn’t trust Khalil and a deep-set frown covers her face. How did the shields come down even after I stopped Acacia? Everything has happened so fast; she’d forgotten about the suspect change of events.
They follow Khalil down a winding maze of identical left and right turns. Khalil wants to make a quick stop in an otherwise unremarkable lab. Unremarkable except for the custom energy weapons of all sizes that line the walls. Khalil grabs a few weapons for everyone and a bunch of small circular devices no larger than the palm of his hand.
Every few dozen feet, Khalil places these smart sensors along the walls. They blend in with their environment undetected using camouflage technology. Using his Orunmila, Khalil begins tracking each one he places.
“We’ll know how far behind us they are with these.” Khalil moves in a hurry. “The weapons shouldn’t be necessary if we can get to the mechs. There’s enough room for everybody in one, but Natia will pilot one; the other is mine.”
At the end of the maze of twists and turns, they come to a nondescript door. It doesn’t appear to have any buttons, knobs or identifying marks to open it.
“Some things aren’t meant to be seen,” Khalil says as he presses a button on his Orunmila. A hidden retina scanner is revealed that’s protected behind a cloaking case. Khalil leans forward, allowing it to scan his eyes.
The door slides open. A winding staircase appears on the other side of the door. Natia is once again haunted by the black and silent abyss that she can look over the rail and see. She grips her plasma rifle even tighter in one hand; she holds Subject Alpha’s hand in her other.
“Before we continue, there’s something I have to do before it drives me mad.” Natia stops and looks at Subject Alpha. “I’d like to introduce you to Adan. If you can trust anyone, it’s him.
Adan walks over. “So this is Subject Alpha?”
The boys eyebrows raise in confusion.
Natia explains, “before you were born, we gave you a codename. That codename was Subject Alpha. I think it’s time we gave you a name. A proper name.” She looks at Adan. He simply smiles and nods. He doesn’t need to do anything more. For as long as they’ve been together, she knows what that signal means.
Natia looks at Khalil, who is seething with anger.
“You’re going to need a home Ameer. Do you like that name?” Adan asks the child.
After thinking about it for a second, he looks up with a smile on his face and nods his head.
Natia holds back the tears from her eyes as she smiles at Adan. “Ok then, Ameer it is.”
&n
bsp; The staircase curves deep down into the bowels of the Jena. Into the watery depths below the surface half of the worker-made island. On all Jena’s the subterranean half is larger in volume than the surface and can hold more people. Natia thinks of the last time she was on a resort Jena called the Isle of Bliss. It gives an exotic inner ocean view where guests can see whales and sharks as they swim by. On the Isle of Bliss, the subterranean depths offer tranquil delight across a dozen floors. It was the happiest she’d ever been while with Adan. Khalil’s Jena is without a doubt the worst.
Khalil stands in the doorway as Araba, Ameer, and Adan step through. Natia stops as Khalil stands in the entrance with his hand extended out.
“You first.” Natia points.
Khalil slowly turns and begins walking down the stairway. He slaps the last tracker on the wall and turns to Natia. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
She ignores him, and they continue their descent.
Natia now sees what caused Khalil to lose his mind. Endless solitude for years left to his own devices as he fed off of SAR. Large crews occupy the underwater depths of most Jena’s. They can guide the worker-made island wherever they want in international waters—in theory. Yet Natia heard no talking, no laughter.
“Khalil where’s the crew?” Natia wonders.
“I was going to ask the same thing but don’t know if I want to hear the answer,” Adan says. He looks up at the single lights the line the stairway.
“An artificial intelligence that I had custom-built commands this vessel.”
“This whole time I thought you had to at least have a crew of one hundred people down here—maybe more. But A.I. on this scale? That’s a risk.” Natia shakes her head.
“It gives me complete control.” Khalil admits, “you know I have to maintain control.”
They continue their winding descent deeper into the Jena.
