by DJ Morand
“Monitor any response.” He barked at the Master Sergeant. Not waiting for confirmation, certain that his commands would be followed, he marched out the door. He raised his wrist to his line of sight and clicked on a transmitter. He called for transportation to the Bunker.
The Bunker was the former cargo hold of an old mining class vessel. The metal material formerly held within had been shipped off to other places on Eden and used in new construction. The emptied hold was then removed from the rest of the ship and turned into a fortified command base formerly called the Bunker.
By the time he reached the former airlock of the Svetlana he could hear the Snowduster pulling up outside. He cycled the airlock and then pulled the hood of his balaclava over his head. He stared at the airlock as it cycled then pulled the front of the balaclava over his nose and mouth. He wished he had brought his goggles, the cold was brutal on Eden and he would rather not expose any part of his anatomy, if only for a moment.
The vehicle arrived. The triangular track wheels resembled earth snowmobiles, while the oversized cockpit looked like a wedge with a large cargo container attached to the back. The vehicle moved smoothly through the thick snow and sleet. The vehicle slid to a stop in front of the Lieutenant Colonel. He was amazed the pilot did not shower him with grit and snow.
Mercury lifted the Transteel viewer back and boarded the vehicle. The driver was a young man with dark skin, even in the cockpit of the Snowduster he wore his balaclava and the hood of his jacket pulled up. The pilot shivered while rubbing his hands together and waited impatiently for Mercury to finish boarding the vehicle. He closed the Transteel viewer from above him, sealing the cockpit from the outside; much to the pilot’’s relief.
As he entered the Snowduster the holo-display began to bring up the schematics and approach vector of the URSA gunship. Mercury noted that the ship was not on the approach vector he had sent, but he had expected this. If the ship had stayed true to the assigned course he would assume it was not the Kodiak and this pursuit would be pointless. He had hoped the URSA would not follow his instructions and was delighted that the approach vector was outside of the main colony.
He was not so delighted that the vector put them in the badlands. He silently cursed the luck. The badlands were virtually uninhabitable and essentially became a place for smugglers to land for quick shipment shifts. He didn’t care about the smugglers, sometimes they were caught by the EXOs and either murdered or exed. He shuddered thinking of the process that exed humans endured. They were turned into EXOs.
He had only witnessed the horror once, but it had been enough to scar him for life. Quintarran and Human nanites are not exactly compatible. The firewalls in the human nanites resist the evolved EXO virus. This is partly due to the nanite upgrade the people of the Exodus Fleet were given twenty years ago.
An upgrade that had been a collaborative effort between Doctor Amanda Chase and Commander Theodore Burns. Mercury did not completely understand the task, but what it amounted to was a better defense against having your mind taken over by nanite programming.
The result now, when an EXO tried to infect a protected human, was less than ideal. The mind is protected just as intended, but the alternative path the EXOs take ruins the body, transforming it into a puppet controlled by nanites and severing all neural connections. From his understanding the human host mind would remain intact and functioning, but would be unable to control any part of his, or her, own body.
The result was a puppet with the human host as a captive audience. He, and he was sure any other human, would rather die than become an EXO.
If only I had the courage to kill Talia before it took her, he lamented. He still held Abel responsible. The man had the opportunity to save her, to reverse the process. At least Mercury believed so. Abel had never been exed and that was proof enough he knew how to stop it.
He continued to watch the Kodiak’s approach and sent commands to his forces to prepare in the border cities; a collection of neglected and battered ships incapable of space flight. The cities along the border of the badlands were mostly run by gangs and various mercenary outfits, but he still had some influence in the area, chiefly through agents he had put in place. He grinned, happy with his plan, and ordered his driver to head towards the border cities.
LANDFALL
Eden - Badlands: Kodiak Entry Vector
2972 ESD - Thursday, November 5th 09:20 hours
“We’re coming in hot! Brace yourself Zee, there is going to be some serious turbulence before we break atmo.” Captain Abel Cain called to his co-pilot from the command chair. Alerts beeped and blared over the tactical screens as Abel tried to compensate for their narrow approach vector.
“Zee! Can you get me any more power to the forward emitters? This entry is going to melt those quantum plates in place if we keep at this!”
Zee looked perplexed and he was beginning to sweat, as the stress of managing the numerous alerts and responding to emergencies was wearing on him. The forward quantum plates were already jammed into a precarious position for the vessel, and the heat could act as a catalyst sealing them in place permanently. The amount of structural damage done by melding the quantum plates was certainly going to cost them. The cost was likely more than they had between them. Zee looked to Abel, the strain obvious on his face.
“I am giving all that I can to the forward emitters. We should have salvaged those Vulture BAA-Cs when we had the chance.” Zee said through gritted teeth.
Abel merely nodded, understanding that his friend would see them through. He dipped the nose another micrometer as they descended through Eden’s atmosphere. The ship shuddered violently and he thrust the throttle down and broke through the upper atmosphere. Scoring along the forward plates was visible through the Transteel viewport.
“Zee, the viewport is opened up. Give me a visual diagnostics on the forward plates!” Abel was afraid that the plates had broken off or shifted in front of the engine, or any number of other eventualities.
“Diagnostics coming now Captain.” Zee quipped back, still stressed, but less so than before.
“Zee, try cycling the forward plating. I think re-entry might have loosened them up.” Abel was reviewing the visual diagnostics and noted that the heat may have freed up the plates, instead of fusing them.
“Cycling in 3 … 2 … 1.” The plates cleared from Abel’’s viewport and he watched the visual diagnostics on his display. With a whoop he cheered and flung the visual data towards Zee by making a fist in front of the screen and a throwing motion towards Zee. The Quintarran physically staggered back a moment - unprepared for the data stream.
“You did it man! Nice job Zee. The quantum plates in the forward section are whole again. We’ve got some structural issues to worry about in the forward canopy, but nothing we can’t handle.”
“That is good Captain,” Zee started a bit sullen from the sudden onslaught, but understanding Abel’s enthusiasm. “Should we continue our present vector?”
“You want to change course?” Abel sounded incredulous, “and miss all the fun? You know the people of Eden are just itching to get their hands on us. Apparently, Mercury remembers our last visit all too well. The coordinates he sent lead to the place where Talia died. You know, I think he still holds me responsible. What was that Zee? Ten years ago?” After stealing the URSA GS-I Abel fled to Eden with Zee.
After several years working with Mercury and Talia, Abel began to hear the first rumors of the EXOs. The virus spread like wildfire and soon Talia was the only Doctor capable of treating the infected. It was around this time that Abel and Zee discovered that the EXO virus appeared to have merged with the Quintarran AI.
“Eleven years and nine months Captain.” Zee corrected. He remembered the times on Eden as well. The planet had gone through drastic changes while they were there. The atmosphere thickened and kept even more of the Quintar Prime starlight out. The planet was doomed from the start, but the humans were resilient.
Talia
Balker contracted the EXO virus and Mercury had watched as she deteriorated. He still mourned the death of Talia. Mercury lost all hope and blamed Abel for her death. Sensing Mercury’s feelings, Abel and Zee took the Kodiak and left Eden. Mercury sent Breaker Jones and a gang of thugs after them, presumably to kill them. They had no choice but to open fire on the gang and escape Eden.
“Twelve then. I’ll bet he still rides around in that snowskipper, or do they call them snowdusters. I can’t remember.” Abel angled towards his badlands coordinates and slowed the ship. “Zee, prepare the Kodiak for landing please. I need to check on our girl.”
“Already starting Captain.” Zee said. The Quintarran decided it was better not bothering to ask what he expected Echo to be doing other than sleeping.
* * *
Mercury Frinz watched the Kodiak descend through the atmosphere. He felt lucky for the clear day and the star that lit Eden glowing brightly. He had a clear view, and it was warmer than usual. He watched the holo-display in the Snowduster. When Mercury cut a deal with the EXOs, a part of that ensured atmospheric surveillance drones would be placed at various points around the planet. The drones floated near the planet’s upper atmosphere and tracked incoming ships; an invaluable tool for a black market mogul such as Mercury.
Due to their design, and in part EXO innovation, the drones remained virtually invisible to starship sensors. Most ships would be concerned with breaking through Eden’s thick icy atmosphere than looking for drones. Mercury employed the drones to keep track of smuggler’s ships and shady dealings on his planet - so that he could exploit them if needed. If he could control the black market through blackmail and extortion, he would.
Now, the drones served a more convenient purpose for him; capturing Abel Cain and the Kodiak. The EXO Prime had made it clear he intended to take the Kodiak and those aboard; by force if necessary. Mercury didn’t know why the Prime wanted the ship and her crew, but he did not care. His reasons were personal.
Mercury turned to the pilot of the Snowduster and motioned for him to set their course. The triangular beast of a machine roared to life and turned west heading toward the Kodiak’s projected landing site. The Lt. Colonel knew he had to be prepared to take Abel and his co-pilot off guard. The captain of the Kodiak was too smart and usually well-armed. How he hated the boy and his co-pilot. They had killed his one true love; at least in spirit, if not in deed. The death of Talia Balker still ached in his heart. He had turned that ache into malice and let it fester into a desire for vengeance.
Mercury Frinz desired nothing more than to kill Abel Cain and collect the Kodiak. With the ship he could buy his way into the EXO Prime’s good graces.
Surely I don’t actually need Abel if I present Zee and the ship, he thought. With the prime on his side he might be able to secure his hold on Eden and build a defense against further incursions, EXO or otherwise. Mercury might have been a fool once, but he learned from his mistakes. Power and opportunity were the building blocks to a long life. He wasn’t going to let either slip away.
* * *
Eden - Badlands: Kodiak Entry Vector
2972 ESD - Thursday, November 5th 10:00 hours
Both Abel and Zee had a tight grip on various parts of the ship. Zee held tight to a support beam as Abel gripped the arms of his chair. Even in the dire situation of an atmospheric re-entry, Zee was performing calculations and keeping the scanners running full. Abel’s earlier warning about company had put them both on edge.
“Captain, I am picking up some anomalies on our scanners.” Zee said, his voice tight.
“What kind of anomalies Zee? I am trying to land the ship.” Abel said, obviously struggling to keep his body still against the vast amount of turbulence.
“Sir I believe they are surveillance drones,” Zee said regretfully.
“Flak! So much for surprise. Alright Zee, I take back what I said about keeping your rifle safety on. We may have to fight our way out of here. If Mercury is still in charge here, we’ll have a hard time getting off planet, even from the badlands.” Abel grumbled through gritted teeth as the ship jarred violently again.
“How is Echo?” Zee seemed a bit concerned about new revelations and what it might mean for their passenger. “Perhaps, in light of recent revelations, we should not leave her aboard the ship.”
“We should take her with us,” Abel said apprehensively, “But you’re waking her up.” Abel guessed at Zee’s line of thinking. “She can keep her pea-shooter, but I want you to keep an eye on her.””
“I do not like the plan in either case, leaving her here subjects her to the possible horrors of the EXOs or of Mercury Frinz. Taking her with us carries the same risk. However, waking her and taking her with us at least gives her the chance to fight back if necessary.”
“I get it Zee. I’ve got to land this beast, go get her and explain the situation.” Abel barked, obviously taking a disliking to how the Quintarran favored Echo. Zee nodded his assent and left his station to head back to the crew berthing where Captain Echo Shade lay sleeping.
* * *
Eden - Badlands: Kodiak Entry Vector
2972 ESD - Thursday, November 5th 10:00 hours
Zee disliked like the way things appeared to be heading. When they had first rescued Captain Shade from the EXO Vulture BAA-Cs, he knew it was the right thing to do. Drugging the girl and keeping her strapped down in crew berthing definitely struck him as the wrong thing to do. Although, he was uncertain that their chosen course of action, in waking the girl up, was the right one either.
In freeing Echo Shade they risked her alerting the gangs or other forces on Eden to turn them in, after all they had not been exactly trustworthy since rescuing her. Zee was certain if they left her on the ship she could awaken and alert the planet to their location or escape and find harm otherwise. However, he did not want to be uncertain; knowing where she was and knowing that he and the Captain could protect her was a better alternative.
Zee stared at her for a moment. She was young, and quite pretty. There was a softness to her features and dark hair that belied the harsh realities of the Quintar Prime system. She had either not known the harshness that life had to offer or she was exceptionally resilient. He believed it must be the latter, for the soft did not last long in this EXO controlled system.
He knew, as did Abel, that the lives they were living could not last as they were. The EXOs were expanding again, now that Admiral Shade had destroyed the shield. Zee sighed at that. He had helped to design the shield after Abel had freed him from the AI, shortly after Alek Vale revealed himself as the EXO Prime. Zee remembered the initial devastation following that revelation. Nearly half the Exodus Fleet had been exed and became EXOs. He remembered explaining to a younger Abel Cain what that entailed.
* * *
Eden - Badlands: Kodiak Entry Vector
2960 ESD - Monday, April 21st 18:00 hours
“The Artificial Intelligence we have always known as the AI was once our creation, much like the nanites and neural implants you have now, although on a different scale.” Zee said. His face was saddened by his own words.
“Whereas you humans have made advancements to separate the programming in the nanites from actively affecting your mind we used our nanites to alter our perceptions, change our emotions, and evolve our thinking. At first this was not an issue, but over time our collective intelligence created the truest AI possible.” Zee paused to look through the force field at the young Abel Cain, an apprentice to an engineer turned guard. What strange beings these humans were, he thought.
“We used the AI to govern ourselves to share information and eventually we gave it control of our collective thoughts. The AI was more than artificial at this point, it was our collective thought. I do not know how this came about, but in the end it was what brought us to slavery.”
Zee lamented this part of his history more than any other. All Quintarrans knew the tales. They were ingrained in their memory, passed from one generation to the
next.
“The AI seeks to rule, by force if necessary. What I have witnessed of the union between your Alek Vale and the AI is one that will make those under the AI’s influence more compliant, but also more resilient. The nanites in Quintarran blood affect our bodies as much as our minds. They enlighten our thoughts and grant us speed and strength. This will happen too with those infected by Alek Vale.” Zee stared gravely at Abel as he spoke this. He tried to force the importance of it on this boy.
“From what I have learned from you Abel Cain, the human known as Alek Vale was infected with a computer virus. This cannot be well for humanity. A virus desires to expand, to grow and spread. The AI desires to possess and control. Together the desire to expand and control will bring this universe to its knees in terror. The AI must be contained.”” Zee sighed.
* * *
Eden - Badlands: Kodiak Entry Vector
2972 ESD - Thursday, November 5th 10:00 hours
He had meant his words then and he knew them to be true now. Zee feared what the falling of the EXO shield would mean for the future. He considered the current divide evidenced in Echo’s information. He had thoroughly examined the electronic packet Echo had originally delivered; before her run in with the EXOs.
Humanity had divided once again, if their stories of the past were to be believed. Zee did believe. He had seen enough of the strain between humans to recognize the division. Now it was happening again. There were several factions this time, seeming to coincide with planetary settlement.
The EFNF was practically disbanded in the Quintar Prime system. This explained the reasons behind Echo’s mission to expand the communications relays to reach back to the Sol System. Zee agreed with Abel that it might be folly to try and contact the Sol system. He feared it would only bring more harm to the Quintarrans.
