The Golden Circuit (The Smith Chronicles)

by John K. Irvine

  The faces of Quince and Mitchell were not smiling now. They could feel that something had gone wrong; that the power balance in the room had shifted, from them, to Mikita.

  Mitchell pressed a button on his tablet and the high-pitched noise stopped abruptly as the guard entered the room.

  The strength within Mikita soared. She could feel an absolute potency unlike anything else she'd ever experienced, more so than during any other of her conductings. Then she was on her feet, pushing the guard-mutant backwards out of the door and into the hallway, crashing him into a trolley full of office equipment. Mikita dashed over to him, ripped off his name pass and started running down the hallway, as alarms began to go off throughout the entire building.

  As Mikita stumbled down the corridors, her thoughts filled with the horrible images she had just seen. Mother on a slab in the morgue! Father, too! Then she realised she was adjusting the flow of the energy within her! Relaxing and compressing the memento mori; the photos, in and out of focus, she found that this was controlling the potency of the inner mounting flame! In her own small way, she was harnessing the Golden Circuit!

  Down the hallways she ran, using the pass to get through the doors, on and on, aimlessly running. She felt the throbbing energy rise and fall, again. Mother! Father! On and on, and on she went, blindly searching for a way out; a way of escaping Sempre’s hellish maze of anonymous doors and never-ending hallways.

  But, her efforts were futile. She didn't know where she was headed, and, soon, Mikita began to feel exhausted. The exertion was simply too much – just as she'd been warned by Gildan.

  She felt so tired, so very tired.

  She wanted to lie down and sleep.

  To go to sleep and forget about everything.

  She sunk to her knees in an all-consuming, nauseous dwam.

  Mikita turned around, and saw David Sempre’s face. It looked like it was melting, dissolving in on itself. His mouth was moving, but she heard no sound. Mikita felt her thoughts distancing again, reaching out to her future and onwards to that elusive place where she hoped she would find her true self and the inner peace she so desired. But things were getting dark… and darker still… she could barely see through the miasma. Then, finally, that black hole came into existence - and swallowed her up.

  Chapter 23

  20:31 - Sunday, July 29, 2187 (TAPCON Buildings, Muhaze, Tapi-36)

  When Mikita awoke, she found herself alone in a brightly lit room. Her head ached and her body was raw. She didn’t know how long she'd been asleep, but it felt like years. Her clothes had been removed and she was now dressed in a green hospital gown. She was also strapped to a bed with electrodes attached to her entire body.

  She noticed that the flesh wound from the agent’s bullet had been newly bandaged. It still throbbed, uncomfortably, but it was nowhere near as bad as yesterday. She lay there wondering what was going to happen to her next. She had a feeling it would not be something pleasant.

  Mikita looked around the room. To her right she saw a small, white box that had wires coming out of the back leading directly into the wall behind it. On the box was a dial with numbers all the way around ranging from 0-500. Within the dial was a black chicken-head knob. At the side was a single red button with the words ‘Apply mA’ underneath it.

  Then she realised where she was.

  Oh, fire! This is an electro-shock torture room!

  Mikita tried to free herself from her shackles, but it was no use, they were tightly applied and she couldn’t move an inch. She slammed her head up against the plinth below her in frustration.

  The door opened and in walked Sempre with Quince and Mitchell… and Dr. Tamashito.

  Sempre had on a delicious grin. “Ah, so you recognise your old mentor, Mikita? Well, you’ll be pleased to learn that he has come to assist us with the next stage in your commissioning. Isn’t that kind of him?”

  Mikita said nothing. Commissioning? Fire! Sempre wants me to work for TAPCON!

  Tamashito looked very nervous. He sat down at the table with the small, white box on it. He was to be in charge of administering the electro-shocks.

  “Hello, Dr. Tamashito,” said Mikita.

  “Hello, Miss Smith,” replied the Doctor, quietly.

  “Well, then. Now that you both have exchanged pleasantries - and if the good Doctor is ready?” asked Sempre.

  Tamashito nodded, then raised a shaking hand towards the dial, and waited.

  “Then let us continue. Mr. Mitchell?”

  “Thank you, Mr. Sempre. Now, Miss Quince. The spray, please.”

  “Of course, Mr. Mitchell,” she replied. Quince had a small, plastic spray bottle filled with liquid that she aimed at Mikita. She squeezed the trigger and a fine mist of fluid covered Mikita’s body.

  What’s this? Water?

  “Ah, Miss Smith,” said Mitchell. “You’re wondering what the H2O is for? Well, let’s put it this way - it helps the ‘flow’. It allows the current to get to the heart quicker, you see. Ha, ha! Now, Miss Smith, there is only one last question in our process… Do you agree to work for TAPCON?”

  “Never,” she sliced.

  “10,” said Mitchell.

  Tamashito turned the dial to 10 on the box and, reluctantly, pressed the red button.

  Mikita felt a gruesome, mind-numbing vibration surge throughout her body, and groaned in agony.

  “Good,” said Mitchell, with a smile. “Now, let me ask that question again, Miss Smith: Do you agree to work for TAPCON?”

  “No.”

  “20,” said Mitchell.

  Tamashito turned the dial to 20 and pressed the button, again.

  This time, the shock was worse. Almost as if her spinal cord had been attached directly to the mains. Mikita let out a terrible scream of pain.

  “Excellent! 30,” said Mitchell. “Oh, sorry, I haven’t asked the question yet… Miss Smith, do you agree to work for TAPCON?”

  “N-no…”

  Tamashito pressed the button and hung his head in shame. Mikita screamed again. Louder this time.

  She’d never felt pain like this before. Never. Emotional pain was one thing, but this sort of physical torment was new to her. She wasn’t sure she could take any more.

  She tried to reason with herself.

  Couldn’t she just go along with Sempre for the time being, say yes to everything and see where it led? What did she have to lose? It was inevitable that Sempre would crush her down further and further if she carried on like this, defying him. And what would that accomplish? Nothing, except more pain and suffering. No, those plans were gone now. She would play along, one more time, pretend to be putting up a fight, then make it look like she'd given up and let him have his way - until her time came to act. Mikita only hoped she would be able to recognise that moment when it came.

  “Drain you, Sempre,” Mikita said. Oh, that was convincing, she thought. If I can just hold on a bit longer.

  “Hmmm. Carry on, Mr. Mitchell,” said Sempre.

  “Miss Smith, do you agree to work for TAPCON?”

  “Nnnn-no…

  “40,” said Mitchell.

  Tamashito pressed the red button. There was a horrific sound of electricity buckling in on itself followed by an audible rushing of energy as it blazed through Mikita’s nervous system. It ripped through her body taking an almost gleeful pleasure in her pain and was soon followed by the smell of burning flesh. Mikita hadn’t uttered a sound - a pyrrhic victory for this last - though she knew this final shock had cost her dear. It was all too much. She was beaten. Her heart was still working, but Mikita knew she had only narrowly escaped death.

  “Miss Smith, do you agree to work for TAPCON?”

  “Nnnnn… Yes…” she whimpered. “P-p-please… S-s-stop.”

  Mikita slumped, unconscious.

  “Oh, that was quick,” said Quince, disappointedly.

  “Well, thank you, everybody. Thank you, that is all,” said Sempre. He knew Mikita would crack eventually. They
always do, he reminded himself.

  Mitchell and Quince gathered up their equipment and left the room.

  “And thank you Dr. Tamashito, in particular,” said the TAPCON leader, moving round to stand in front of Tamashito’s desk.

  Tamashito was staring at the ground, sick with himself.

  “Your family are looking forward to seeing you again, Doctor?’ said Sempre, attempting to ingratiate himself. “When is it you go to Reis-91, next week, I think?”

  “Yes, Mr. Sempre, next week, sir.” How I hate this man, thought Tamashito.

  “And you’ve bought the presents for the children and Mrs. Tamashito, too?”

  “Yes, sir. Toys, perfume - flowers on the day.” Hate him, with every fibre of my being.

  “Good. That’s good. And the work is going well I trust? Making progress, are we?”

  “Yes, sir. Just a little more time and it will be done.” I must have my revenge!

  “How long, Doctor?”

  “A month. Maybe two. Soon, sir.” If I had the courage, I’d do it now!

  “Hmmm. Well, I hope for your sake that Air Marshall Sashan lasts that long, Doctor,” said Sempre, as he turned on a built-up heel and exited.

  Tamashito looked over at Mikita. She was still unconscious, as far as he could tell. Nevertheless, he tried to make contact.

  “I’m sorry, Mikita, truly, so sorry,” he whispered. “If you need me, for anything, my meta-file is always on. Message me. So very sorry.”

  He only hoped Mikita could hear him.

  But, by this time, Mikita was in another world of agony, though somehow she’d managed to make out some of what Tamashito had said: ‘message me’ - ‘sorry’ - ‘meta-file’…

  Two TTF agents entered the room.

  “She’s out cold,” said one of them.

  “Yep, looks like it,” said the other.

  “So, what did she get up to, 40 was it?”

  “Yeah, not bad.”

  “Yeah, yeah… um, so… is that a lot then, yeah, 40?”

  “Enough to fry your tiny brain, Zeus. That’s for sure. Ha, ha, ha!”

  “Hey, can it, Fitz, you shizzer! Let’s get this done and get back to the match, eh?”

  The agents detached the electrodes from her body and wheeled Mikita’s bed down the corridor and into a large, empty ward.

  Mikita had gained some form of awareness of where she was, and through squinted eyes it appeared that she’d been taken to some kind of recovery area.

  That was good, she thought, and, through gritted teeth, she waited.

  And waited.

  And waited some more.

  Eventually, a nurse came and took her pulse. She typed the reading into an electronic tablet then gave her a shot of something in her arm.

  She fell asleep faster than you could say: ‘Sempre is the devil’.

  Chapter 24

  09:03 - Monday, July 30, 2187 (TAPCON Towers, Muhaze, Tapi-36)

  “So, Miss Smith. Here we are. A glorious view, is it not?”

  Mikita and David Sempre were in his office at the top of TAPCON Towers. Sempre was gesticulating at Muhaze and generally showing off in front of his new protégé.

  “Yes, Mr. Sempre, a truly majestic sight,” said Mikita. She could not believe she was standing there, exchanging idle chit-chat with the TAPCON boss - but, her decision was made. She’d see this through to the end, whatever the outcome.

  One of Sempre’s many faults was that he denied that he could ever be wrong. Mikita was still an unknown to him, but there was none of this ‘should I trust her, should I not?’ business. She’d been a Primo for many years and, now that they had seen her ability with the Golden Circuit, he simply had to have her working for him. There were no two ways about it. He demanded it, in blindness to any consequences. And there will be no consequences! he insisted to himself.

  “The commissioning process is complete. You will be pleased to know that there will be no more painful tests. Not now that you have agreed to work for me. Unless, that is, you decide to change your mind at any point in the future, then we will have to review things,” he said, stroking his fat chin. “Now, this episode with our Mr. Jones. A most unfortunate incident, that. But I’m willing to overlook certain things in return for your cooperation and service; for your dedication to my conglomerate. You see, I need to discuss something with you of great importance. Something you did when you were in Room 77. Mr. Quince and Miss Mitchell have informed me that during the sound test you seemed to undergo some kind of… how should I put it… ‘transition’? They told me that you appeared to tap into the Golden Circuit. Is this true? Do you possess the skills to access the Golden Circuit, Miss Smith? Are you a ‘conductor’?”

  He looked at her with a wild, penetrating gaze. What was she going to say? Sempre knew! She couldn’t cover it up.

  “Yes, sir. But I don’t know how to control it, Mr. Sempre,” said Mikita, trying in vain to put him off.

  “Yes. And you have been visited by the Guardians, as well, I gather?”

  Mikita looked stunned. A bead of sweat broke out on her upper lip. How did he know that?

  “The footage from Lojikaal Parc, you see, and the rather ‘interesting’ artillery you were carrying?” he said, as if he'd just read her mind.

  “Yes, Mr. Sempre, I see.”

  “So, how many of them were there… two?”

  “Two, sir. Yes.”

  Sempre paused for thought. He looked at Mikita and dreamed of conquered lands and vanquished planets throughout the entire Michael 6 Quadrant. After several seconds, he shook himself free of his delusions and said: “As far as I know, we have never had a Golden Circuit conductor on Tapi-36. You are the first one I have ever come across. Not many people even know of this ‘talent’, Miss Smith, never mind actually believe in it. To most of us it is but a fairytale, a myth. But Miss Quince and Mr. Mitchell have always propounded its existence, despite my own natural suspicions. And now, here you are, about to enlist with TAPCON. Indeed, it is remarkable… You are aware, Miss Smith, that this is a lifetime agreement?”

  “Yes, I am fully aware of that, sir. I have decided TAPCON is where my future lies,” fibbed Mikita. “I was a Primo, and now I want to prove myself worthy of that great honour, Mr. Sempre.”

  “Good. That is good! Well then, you will need to sign here.” Sempre produced a document from behind his back and let her use his favourite pen.

  Mikita, didn't think twice. She signed the contract - and joined Janeee in hoping for a miracle.

  “Excellent, Miss Smith. Now, to business,” he said, putting the document into a folder on his desk. “Normally, you would have a period of training given over to your induction. But you seem to be capable enough around firearms and I have a pressing problem that only you can solve for me. I want you to go to Kloq-888. I want you to meet with Jon-7 and make sure that he knows that he is a necessary part of my plans. That he remains valuable to TAPCON and that I still his support his… efforts.”

  He said this last as if he was getting a tooth extracted. But Sempre knew he'd gone too far during their video-link and he was having to backtrack.

  “I want you to butter him up for me, as it were. Make him feel good about himself. Dissuade him from attacking Muhaze full bore. Can you do this, Miss Smith?”

  “Of course, Mr. Sempre, but I thought the Froome carried out their attacks on their own? Independently from TAPCON. How can I stop them from carrying out their raids?”

  “Miss Smith. You must realise that the Froome and TAPCON, we have a certain ‘arrangement’. Do you understand me?”

  “Oh, I see,” said Mikita. Of course she did, she'd always suspected it.

  “Good. And he appears to have an interest in you... personally. So, I’m sure that you will not have much trouble with him.”

  ‘Personally?’ thought Mikita. How could Jon-7 be interested in me?

  “You leave on the Argon in a little under three hours. I would send you separately, on a different
starship, but times are hard. Anyway, good luck, Miss Smith. I will be watching your progress very closely. When you arrive back I want to know more about this ‘Golden Circuit’, yes?

  “Yes, sir. Of course, Mr. Sempre.”

  At that moment two TTF agents came in. Two women not much older than Mikita. They escorted her out of the building and into a waiting TAPCON vehicle that drove her out to the airbase.

  It had been many years since she was last at the airfield - many lonely years. But she put those memories aside as they dressed her, fixed her hair and refreshed her bandage.

  She was briefed with her job description re: Jon-7, and also on the background of the Argon mission in general - the crew disobeying orders, finding the NIT. And how the Codes would be attacked during the hand over of Zanthu and Spoolu.

  Mikita was horrified.

  She was not told about Plan B. It wasn’t necessary. She would be on Kloq-888 by then.

  Had she done the right thing?

  On meeting Sempre, she'd thought that he was even more of a lunatic than she'd initially figured, and very unpredictable with it. She wished she could contact Janeee and tell her everything. Janeee would be able to tell her what to do.

  She needed to keep her act up, not let her guard down for a moment, and hold on tight. This was going to be a very bumpy ride.

  Chapter 25

  11:48 - Monday, July 30, 2187 (Starship Argon, Muhaze Airbase, Tapi-36)

  In place of Flying Officer Cox, Sempre had sent two androids, Shannon and Soupy.

  Shannon was a beautiful (on the outside), flame-haired droid, while Soupy was tall and dark-haired, with eyes that showed no recognisable feeling: cold, blank and machine-like - they seemed to follow you around the room. Both robots had been specially developed for missions such as this.

  In comparison to real humans, their personalities were not what you would consider ‘pleasant’. Their lack of a soul, or any distant attachment to a mammalian spinal cortex, rendered them… well, alien to homo sapiens. Built by humans, yet without the most important part of a human - the spirit: intangible, immeasurable and unduplicable.