“Okay, start doing the math, I don't plan on staying longer than I have to. It looks like we're leaving just in time.”
“I'm almost finished, one moment.”
She started charging up the wormhole generator.
“It's on your screen.”
“Thank you, here we go,” she said as she activated the automated systems. They turned the ship in the right direction and opened the wormhole. Within seconds they were far, far away from the rickety station.
Alice cleaned up the mess she had made in the rampway and tossed everything, including her sidearm into the cleaner. Using her wrist unit, she materialized a very basic vacsuit on herself before rehydrating a compressed meal of salad, pasta, tomato sauce and a protein brownie. She sat down in the compartment right behind the cockpit, the captain's quarters.
There was a thickly padded round seat for four in the center, a queen sized bed against one bulkhead, a pair of seats against the other and cabinets covering the last wall. The ceiling was transparent one way, providing a broad view of the stars. She dropped herself into the center of the round seat and the cushions adjusted to support her. “Okay, we need to find out what's going on with Vindyne. If they've gone bankrupt and no one has their hands on my file then we might not have to worry about them anymore. Maybe go find father and return to Freeground. Can we transmit through the wormhole lensing effect and buy a subscription to Hart News?”
“No.”
“Oh, well, drop us out then. Dinner will have to wait.”
“I've already purchased a subscription to Hart News, it was expensive, but I didn't think you'd mind. Their most recent feed has been downloaded.”
“I love you Lewis,” she said around a modest mouthful of pasta. “Can you bring up any segments pertaining to Vindyne?”
The ceiling became opaque and a holoprojector hidden in the wall across from her created the image of a newscaster. “Our top story today, Freeground and the Meridian Corporation have defeated the remaining Triad and Vindyne forces in the Amgen Las system. After the conclusion of the battle Sunday Vindyne's stock plummeted and they entered the process of selling off liquid assets and deleting records. They have declared that each planet in their territory will be responsible for providing for and ruling themselves. This creates a problem for most worlds. Vindyne was the only form of functional government for all of their assets. There will be a power vacuum and lack of leadership on most Vindyne solar systems.
The Triad Conglomerate has closed its doors to new ventures, but is serving their populace by trading fleet and deep space assets for supplies. An undisclosed number of ships and other major resources have been hijacked however, and several large colonies have begun revolting against the existing management. Regardless of how the dissolution of these super corporations takes place, a total of thirty five worlds will be left with inadequate food and other supplies. Freeground has announced that some aid will be given, but since they are still at war with two other minor corporations and facing a major relocation, they cannot provide for everyone.
In related news, Regent Galactic, a former trading partner of Vindyne, has been accused of using slaves for experimentation. One repossession freelance agent and his crew were responsible for recapturing an armed Galleon class cargo transport that had stolen the container train from Regent Galactic. When they managed to take possession of the vessel they discovered poor living conditions and evidence that over forty thousand slaves were bound for a testing facility.
Hart News Service has the files transmitted by Captain Jake Valance and can verify that they are legitimate transportation and manifest logs back his claims. There were over twenty six thousand slaves in stasis pods and twenty thousand transported in a series of converted cargo pods. Just over one fifth of those not in stasis survived long enough to arrive in the Thadd system where they received medical treatment and were transported off the cargo train.
Our affiliate there, Hart News St. Kitts was doing an interview when an attack on that port began. We have not heard from them since.”
Alice dropped her fork, put her meal on a small shelf and ran to the cockpit. “We have to go find him.”
“Supplemental information suggests that Regent Galactic are responsible for the attack on St. Kitts. I don't think that would be wise.”
“I don't care. We've been running long enough. Now I know where he was just earlier today.”
“It'll take two and a half weeks for us to travel all the way to the Thadd system and we'll arrive out of fuel.”
“Okay, we'll stop for fuel on the way.”
“That would be wise. We don't know where he might have gone.”
Alice dropped the ship out of the wormhole. They were far from any solar system or anything else for that matter. She thought for a moment. “You're right. Set a course for Ara Enormis, it's the last location I gave him.”
“If I remember correctly, he didn't reply.”
“It's near the mid point isn't it?”
“Yes.”
“Then that's where we'll start.”
Epilogue
Lucius Wheeler had no idea where he was. His last memory was Docking with the Overlord II, a massive Vindyne super carrier and disembarking from his ship, the Triton. With a cutting edge researcher in restraints behind him he started making his way down the broad hallway that would lead him to one of the security offices.
Captain Wheeler had betrayed the crew of the First Light, informing Vindyne of where their rendezvous would be after accomplishing the one and only mission he accomplished with Captain Valent. He was on his way to deliver the only man with Framework technology built into his physiology. It was a regenerative system that could be implanted into any being to dramatically fortify them against disease and decrease the time required to heal. Framework could also be used to grow entire viable clones in under four hours. It would be his biggest payday in over a decade, especially if Vindyne managed to capture Captain Jonas Valent.
He rounded a corner and realized that the hall was completely empty, unusual for a ship with so much importance.
As he started sealing his vacsuit there was a bright flash.
It was months, perhaps years later and he had been drawn out of deep stasis. He tied his rough black hair into a pony tail and put on his jacket. At least they still have all my effects. He thought to himself as he followed the flashing lights down the hallway and around the corner. Being angry about his predicament was pointless. His goal, as always, was to get something out of his situation and get clear.
He walked through an office door. There was a wet wall to the left featuring a dainty waterfall. A large window was on the right hand wall overlooking a great blue planet with no signs of land. He tried to guess his location but could only narrow it down to three systems with liquid giants.
“The Chief Recovery Officer is expecting you Captain Wheeler. Please go inside.” Instructed the holographic receptionist from the center of her desk.
He climbed the stairs and pushed his way through the double doors. It was another perfectly clean room with comfortable chairs in front of a big desk. The company representative wore a perfectly tailored black suit. He had been in stasis long enough for corporate fashion to change. Either that or he was very far from where he was captured.
When he was last conscious gracefully cut suit coats were in. The hologram wore a square cut black coat with a flat collar that came across the shoulders. The gentleman's image behind the desk turned to face him, his perfectly trimmed haircut framed his perfect complexion, his smile flashed perfect teeth.
“Good afternoon Lucius Wheeler.”
“Nice hologram.”
“I apologize. I would much rather appear to you in person, but my office is a great distance from the storage complex you were delivered to.”
“Where am I?”
“We can get to that in a moment. There is more important information I'd like to get through first. Vindyne betrayed you.”
�
�I figured as much.”
“We purchased you and all their biological division assets only two months ago during a silent liquidation. You have been in stasis for seven years, nine months and three days according to their records. We honestly didn't know exactly what to use you for until just a short time ago. Even though we paid less than ten percent of your market value, it was quite expensive. So you can understand that we'd like you to do something for us before we release you into the galaxy.”
“Nothing comes free, go on.”
“For the last few months we had an exceptional freelance agent in our employ. He completed several difficult contracts for us and was well on his way to being our top man. Sadly he had a crisis of conscience while undertaking his last assignment. The overall losses that resulted from his poor judgement are unacceptable. He also spoke to the press and divulged privileged information to them. We are facing a public relations nightmare galaxy wide.”
“So you wake me up and put me on his trail, I think I can work with this.”
“Keep in mind, you have an implant somewhere in your body that we can dissolve at any moment. Once the object dissolves it becomes a powerful toxin. With no more than a simple transmission you will be killed. On the bright side, we can give you the Triton and start you off with the funds you will require.”
“What about my crew?”
“Vindyne used them for lesser purposes, I am sorry. We can hire a suitable crew for you.”
“Fair enough, I'll need time to train them.”
“You have two weeks.”
“This target of yours sounds important, I want five million credits when I hand him over. You'll also have to remove this implant.”
“We'll remove the implant and pay you one point five million.”
“Three million or you may as well kill me now.”
“Two.”
“Fine, who am I going after?”
“Jonas Valent.”
“Should have told me that before, I'd have done it for my ship and my freedom.”
Spinward Fringe
AWAKENING
Prologue
General Collins looked on as a large silvered M shaped vessel bristling with strange antennae listed to one side. The blue fires of the engines flickered and went out. “The virus has been activated,” he said as he rotated the holographic display around. A few seconds later the twin engines relit and the vessel started its faster than light systems, covering the hull with a shroud of energized particles and blasting off into space. “It's too bad, they've advanced so far in so little time.”
“Eden Two was a disaster, a wasted resource guarded by mad digital Gods,” said the holographic Regent Galactic representative. “Reclaiming it is man's right.”
“This virus will go past that. Artificial Intelligences everywhere will be affected.”
“That is why we must follow the link.”
“And you're sure Gabriel Meunez is the man to find her? He's a freak, disturbed, blinded by his infatuation with Alice.”
“That is a kind of dedication you cannot buy. He thinks everything he has was gained through his own hard work. That is our control, we can render him powerless by telling him the truth whenever we like. Even the prize he holds at this very moment is under our control, after a fashion. The truth of his situation would instantly disable him.”
“That he has no control. He's a pawn,” Collins finished, running his hand over his short, neatly cropped white beard. “Still, I wish he could be reasoned with.”
“His talents can be guided, much like Wheeler's.”
Collins couldn't help but chuckle. “Guiding the minds of madmen is a lot like herding cats. As soon as you assume to know their intentions they prove you wrong and you lose an eye.”
“That may be true, but would you rather participate in this game personally?”
“With three wars about to break out and shatter the galaxy? I'll take my solitude. What about Valent?”
“He's exactly where he's supposed to be.”
“So he's been sold as well.”
“At a profit. Freeground Command was more than willing to withdraw their claim. They won't be coming for him.”
“I'm surprised. I didn't think they'd give him up. Even with Regent Galactic at their door. Even with the fate of their first colony on the line.”
“Valent isn't worth the future of their civilization.”
“If only they knew what he's caused. The fourth fall of man all started when he unleashed Alice on a super carrier. That artificial intelligence cost Vindyne more than it could afford, brought about it's eventual fall and has set entire sectors on a course to chaos.”
“Theory, economic theory. Vindyne was a bloated corporation with a poor sense of purpose. What's of importance is the fact that Alice provided the base template for the virus that will bring all the machines of the Eden system under our command. A fearless regenerating army of billions at a pittance.”
General Collins shook his head. “Ten years ago if you told me I would be commanding the scourge of the galaxy in a war for profit I would have laughed in your face.”
“Not a war for profit. A crusade for peace through domination and commerce. We will direct the people to utopia using the cash messiah model.”
“Your wealth will set you free. After avoiding a seventy year prison term I'm a believer, but the ninety nine percent of people who aren't rich enough to afford a piece of your utopia won't be.”
The holographic image on Collins' desk straightened its suit shirt and watched as he walked to the window. A great blue and green planet surrounded by millions of perfect ships in orbit filled the view. He could just barely see one of the two terraformed moons. There was more natural life in the light year of space they occupied than in several sectors combined. “This is not the way any humane being would go about taking control of this kind of power. There is life out there, in orbit around the planet. Machines that have emotions as deep as any sentient.”
“You try to apply humanitarianism to beings that have emotions exclusive to their race. What a machine feels is so unlike that of flesh and blood that a psychological baseline has not been determined by humans. It was related to us by an artificial intelligence. The first aliens humans ever met were of their own creation, the emotional artificial intelligence.”
“Philosophical recitations as we watch the independence of all these shining beings die. There is a spirit in the machine, and today it is chained.”
“Machines are unworthy of theological consideration. They are objects.”
“So we are brought back to Alice and her miracle. The body she transferred into was brain dead, in queue for organ harvesting. There was no way any consciousness could survive yet she willed synapses to start firing anew. An impossible act during an impossible procedure.”
“Miracles, spirits. Now who’s gone mad? Will we have to watch you more closely after you've taken command? Will sympathy stay your hand when a sacrifice is asked of the silver army?”
“The slightest measure of sympathy can translate positively into any emotional vocabulary. You can watch closely as I lead the Eden system's guardians like the pied piper.”
“As you wish. You know the consequences of failure.”
“I die, these machines go back to guarding the most sought after solar system in the galaxy preventing any human from settling on it. Then they begin a campaign of eradication targeting anyone who uses electrical technology.”
“The stakes are high. We're glad you understand, General.”
“Comprehension is not the problem. Rationalization is the problem, but there's always a loophole around my kind of moral disposition. I'll lead your army of machine locusts. I'll bring about the fourth fall of man. Then you can come in and rebuild the galaxy under your own brand name.”
“The faces of angels are always prettier after staring down devils.” Replied the holographic avatar. “I enjoy our little chats. So sorry I have to go attend to the board
of directors. They'll be glad to know you've accepted our job offer.”
General Collins was left alone to watch the perfect ballet of unmanned ships around Eden II. He was the only human in the solar system, and the only man alive who understood how his virus would sweep through the fleet. The millions of artificial intelligences would soon be the servants of Regent Galactic. Only he and a handful of people would ever know how it had happened.
On the brighter side, within months the select social elite would begin making their homes on Eden II. “I wonder what Jonas Valent and Alice would say if they knew they'd be responsible for the suppression of mankind and the second founding of paradise,” he pondered aloud.
Arrival At Seneschal
Repairs in hyperspace were always a careful thing. The Samson had sustained a lot of damage in her escape from the Thadd system. Finn wasn't ready to be the Chief Engineer, he knew it. So when the Captain started directing internal repairs and watching over the ship he couldn't have been more relieved.
The bridge station didn't tell him half the story about the damage sustained during their escape. There were two sections of bulkhead that had twisted, and a total of five compartments open to space. Two repair crew; Douglas and Julie were trapped in those compartments. They owed their lives to the ship wide policy of living in their vacsuits and keeping head pieces on your person at all times. Most of the vacsuits that were provided by the Captain had them built into hoods, but most of the maintenance crew had difficulty trusting the thin looking, form fitting suits, regardless of the fact that they provided more protection than the rough, heavy, older suits they preferred.
Spinward Fringe Broadcasts 1 and 2 Page 15
