by Drew Wagar
‘Stay where you are,’ Coran said. ‘I don’t like this. Something is …’
Zoella heard a gasp from behind her and turned to see that Ira had walked down the corridor and past the second set of doors. There was large chamber beyond, with a huge tube of blue tinged liquid connected by pipes, tubes and wires. Ira had walked forward and was staring at it with her arm outstretched.
‘I’ve got to go,’ Zoella said.
‘Zoella wait …’
‘Ira!’ Zoella called, running towards her. ‘Wait for me!’
She skidded to a halt in the chamber, grabbing Ira by the arm. The girl looked bewildered for a moment, her jaw slack and her eyes staring. Zoella received a sudden flurry of images; a woman, waving a tearful goodbye to a group of people. Zoella didn’t recognise any of them, they were strangers.
‘Ira, what …?’
She looked up, hearing the second set of doors close behind her.
She froze.
Before her, the large tube of liquid was revealed to be a cylinder starting at the floor and reaching up to the ceiling of the room, some twenty hands above her. The cylinder was festooned with tubes, pipes and wires all radiating outwards, plugged into boxes and cabinets around the room. The faint sounds of pumping liquids reached her ears.
But her eyes were drawn to what was within.
Zoella’s mouth fell open as she gazed upon the emaciated body of a woman. She was naked, her body floating in the midst of the liquid. She was suspended by similar tubes and pipes to those that snaked into the cylinder itself. One large tube went into her open mouth. Her eyes were closed, her body devoid of hair. Wires covered her bare scalp, all leading upwards to the ceiling.
The woman’s face was the same one as she’d seen in Ira’s images.
‘Who is she?’ Zoella whispered.
‘Her designation was Tasha Alexeev,’ Asha said.
‘What’s she doing in there?’
‘She is the primary component of the AMS,’ Asha replied. ‘She has failed.’
‘Failed?’ Zoella echoed.
‘Yes, failed.’ Asha’s face was expressionless. ‘One of you must replace her.’
CHAPTER TWELVE
Nadir, Coordinates Zero Zero
Round 2307, Ninth pass
Kiri ran into the capsule and skidded to a halt on the polished floor, Mel and Meru piled in behind her, struggling to keep up. Together they hunted around for any controls, but there was nothing obvious they could see. Blue light was flickering outside, the glare of Lacaille fading away as the intimidating darkness began to fall.
‘Obelisk!’ Kiri called out. ‘Take us down to the ground.’
Behind them the doors snapped shut, but the capsule didn’t move.
‘We’re trapped,’ Mel said. ‘But there must be a way …’
‘It can’t all be voice controlled,’ Meru said. ‘There must be some kind of emergency system to control it …’
‘Obelisk!’ Kiri shouted furiously, waiting for a response. ‘Why won’t you answer?’
Kiri saw Meru run to the curving walls of the capsule, looking along them for anything that resembled a control. He was trying to prise a panel open. Mel went to help him.
Kiri took a step towards them before her vision was swamped with strange images; the body of a woman in glass cylinder, floating in some liquid.
Kiri! Can you hear me?
Zoella? Yes! The flare is starting! We’ve been trapped, what’s …?
Kiri caught the distress in Zoella’s voice.
Ira and I have been separated from Coran and Fitch … we can’t get out. The Obelisk is going to … help us!
Pain spurred across Kiri’s forehead. She gasped, seeing Meru and Mel turn to look at her.
She concentrated, trying to send her thoughts through, but the pain increased.
Zoella?
There was no answer.
‘Zoella and Ira have been trapped too,’ Kiri said. ‘I can’t hear her any more … she’s in danger! We’ve got to hurry.’
Meru wrenched the panel away, to find a keypad similar to the one they’d seen in Caesar’s cavern far to the shadeward. Numbers and a single letter.
‘G for ground?’ he asked.
‘Try it,’ Mel said.
Kiri saw Meru jab the obvious button and with a faint vibration the capsule began to descend. The gloom outside was deepening by the moment.
‘We’re out of time!’ Meru cried. ‘What did Zoella say?’ Mel asked.
Kiri looked panicked. ‘Just that they’d been separated from the others and that the Obelisk was going to do something.’
‘What?’ Meru demanded.
Kiri shook her head. ‘I don’t know. I can’t hear her any more, my thoughts have been blocked somehow. It hurts when I try …’
A jolt and the ground fell out beneath their feet. Kiri staggered, Mel gave a screech of fear whilst Meru made a grab for the sides. Outside, the intricate lattice work of the Obelisk structure was blurring past upward faster than the eye could follow. Kiri felt sick in her stomach.
Falling!
Mel slid across the floor, still yelling out. Meru was struggling to get to the panel, his arms flailing. A sound rose around her, something moving too fast, increasing in pitch …
Kiri was smacked into the floor hard. It knocked the breath from her. She heard Mel yelp in pain and saw Meru collapse beside her.
She heard something slide back and managed to turn her head.
The doors.
Kiri got to her feet, staggering, still dizzy.
‘Meru … Mel?’
They were likewise struggling to get to their feet.
‘Yes …’
Kiri shook her head to clear it.
‘Meru? Mel? That you? Over here!’
It was Fitch. He was standing at the end of the corridor, beckoning to them. Kiri hurried towards him, pulling the others along behind her.
‘What’s happened? Mel asked.
‘This … whatever it is …’ Fitch muttered. ‘Got both the girls to walk into this room, doors locked behind them. Something bad is happening …’
‘The flare is about to start,’ Meru said. ‘We’ve got to …’
‘Follow me!’ Kiri yelled.
She led them down the stairs to the lower level. Coran had his knife jammed in a small gap in the door and was trying to lever it open.
‘Meru!’ Coran called. ‘Find a way to get this door open!’
Meru and Mel started looking at the panels and controls around the room. ‘Kiri? Can you speak to them?’
‘I keep trying,’ Kiri answered. ‘But the Obelisk is stopping me. They’re in trouble … they’re scared. The flare …’
Kiri watched as Mel and Meru wrestled with the panel adjacent to the doors and pulled it free, but the controls within did nothing, no matter what they did.
Open it! Zoella is …
‘It’s locked,’ Meru said. ‘Nothing works! Whatever is happening in there, there’s nothing we can do about it.’
Fitch rubbed his brow, ‘Snuts. I hate being right all the time.’
* * *
Zoella watched as Ira looked around at her, a frown on her face.
How to explain …
Zoella grabbed Ira’s hand and held it tight. She backed away from the cylinder with the woman inside, and moved towards the door.
‘Come with me,’ she whispered.
Zoella led Ira to the door, but it didn’t open. Zoella turned to look at Asha. The woman’s image hadn’t changed. She was standing in the same place, looking at them.
‘Let us out.’
‘Priority protocol is in operation,’ Asha said. ‘The Obelisk regrets the need for subterfuge, but reprovisioning of the AMS is crucial to the survival of life on Esurio. There is no higher protocol. Flare activity is now at its peak and must be remediated.’
‘Cancel the protocol,’ Zoella said.
‘The protocol can only be cancelled by a level three admi
nistrator,’ Asha replied. ‘There are no level three administrators. The protocol was established and remains in force.’
‘Who established it?’ Zoella demanded.
‘Priority protocol was established by Tasha Alexeev,’ Asha replied.
Zoella looked up at the body of the woman inside the fluid filled cylinder.
‘When?’
‘Priority protocol was activated in round three four one,’ Asha replied. ‘It has been active ever since.’
‘She did it,’ Zoella whispered, looking at the woman’s body again. ‘She’s been in there for two thousand rounds?’
‘One thousand, nine hundred and sixty five rounds.’
‘Is she … still alive?’
‘Vital functions have ceased,’ Asha replied. ‘The AMS was never intended to function in this fashion for extended periods of time. Five hundred rounds was the anticipated lifecycle before replacement was scheduled. No replacements were available at that point or since, thus all efforts have been directed to maintaining the AMS for as long as possible. All possible extension procedures have been completed. AMS has now failed.’
‘You need another person,’ Zoella whispered.
Asha nodded.
‘What happens to them?’ Zoella asked.
‘AMS candidates are integrated into the infrastructure systems,’ Asha said. ‘Life support and all other requirements are managed by external systems allowing higher brain functions to be diverted to managing facilities across Esurio.’
‘Can the person leave?’
‘AMS integration is not reversible,’ Asha said.
Zoella swallowed, feeling sweat cool on her skin.
‘And without the AMS?’
‘Esurio infrastructure will fail within passes,’ Asha replied. ‘Failure will result in inimical radiation, atmospheric erosion, lack of magnetoelectric power distribution and terraforming reversion. All human life on Esurio will be threatened with extinction.’
‘There must be another way …’
‘There is not,’ Asha replied. ‘Automated facilities within the Obelisk complex and the distributed facilities across the planet are not sophisticated enough to manage the data feeds or decision-making processes without biological supervision.’
Zoella took a deep breath and looked down at Ira before turning her gaze back to Asha.
‘Does it hurt?’
Asha shook her head. ‘Integration is disorientating, but not painful.’
Zoella nodded and swallowed.
It’s not going to let us go. Unless one of us steps in there we’re stuck forever. Esurio will die the way I saw it die in my dreams and visions. Maybe this is why I was born … to do this, to fix the Obelisk, to save Esurio … save everyone …
She made her decision.
‘I will do this,’ she said.
Ira yanked on her hand, pulling her. She was shaking her head.
‘I have to,’ Zoella said looking at the younger girl. ‘Without it everyone will die. This way, it’s just one … and I’ll not be dead … I just won’t be …’
Zoella saw Ira’s eyes fill with tears.
‘It will be alright,’ Zoella said, crouching down beside her, running a hand through her hair. ‘We must keep everyone safe, it’s why we came here … to fix things.’
Ira pulled her into a hug, sobbing.
Zoella looked over to Asha.
‘But you must let Ira and my friends go,’ she said.
‘No interference with the protocol will be allowed,’ Asha said.
‘Let me explain it to them,’ Zoella said, her voice catching. ‘I will make them understand … and I need to say … goodbye to them all.’
‘Protocol allows for this interaction,’ Asha said. ‘When you are ready, leave administrator Ira in the corridor and return to the AMS room. Outer doors will be released once you are within the AMS complex and inner doors are secured. Proceed.’
The doors behind Zoella opened, leading to the corridor. The doors at the far end remained closed.
‘Come on,’ Zoella said.
She led Ira into the corridor, until they stood before the second double door.
Zoella took a deep breath.
* * *
‘It won’t unlock,’ Meru called, still desperately manipulating the unresponsive controls. ‘It doesn’t matter what I do.’
Coran banged his fists on the cold metal of the door one more time. That produced nothing other than a dull thump and pain in his hands. He looked around at Kiri.
He watched as she tried again, cringing as she yelled out in pain.
Come on, you can do it! We’ve got to get hold of Zoella …
She swayed and Meru caught her before she fell.
‘Sorry … I can’t …’
‘I knew we shouldn’t have trusted these snuttin’ ghosts,’ Fitch said. ‘Or any of these talking devices …’
‘What’s happening in there…?’ Coran demanded. He punched the door again.
There was a faint buzz and a crackle. Then Coran heard Zoella’s voice, soft and subdued, but somehow coming through the door.
‘Coran, Fitch? Can you hear me?’
‘Zoella?’ Coran shouted. ‘Yes, we can! We’re here! Are you alright?’
‘Yes,’ Zoella said, her voice flat. ‘Ira is with me, we’re both here.’
Coran looked around at the rest of the crew with a frown, they all huddled closer.
‘Meru, Mel and Kiri are here too,’ Coran replied. ‘They were decoyed away …’
‘I know,’ Zoella said. ‘It’s all been explained to me. Now you must listen. I will send Ira back to you, you’ll all be free to go.’
‘Ira?’ Coran asked. ‘What about you?’
‘I’m not coming back,’ Zoella said.
‘What?’ Coran demanded. ‘You snuttin’ well are, young lady. We’ll get you out, just stay put …’
‘Just listen,’ Zoella said.
‘No, you–’
‘The AMS,’ Zoella’s soft voice overrode him. ‘It’s not a machine, it can’t be fixed. It’s a person, a woman, an administrator like me, Kiri and Ira. It’s how the Obelisk works. The first one was called Tasha, she was … integrated … into the Obelisk. She’s been running everything for two thousands rounds … but now she’s failed … she’s died. There has to be another one now.’
The crew listened in horrified fascination as she explained what she had heard from Asha.
‘Zoella …’
‘I’ve volunteered,’ Zoella said.
‘No,’ Meru said. ‘You can’t! There must be another way …’
‘There isn’t,’ Zoella said. ‘Everything has been tried to keep Tasha alive as long as possible, but she’s gone now, there’s nothing left the Obelisk can do. That’s why it led us here …’
‘It tricked us!’ Kiri said. ‘It lied!’
‘Yes,’ Zoella said. ‘It had no choice. One of us has to do this, or Esurio dies.’
‘Zoella,’ Coran said. ‘Don’t do anything. We will find a way around this if we have to batter down this door. I’m not losing any of my crew no matter what, Obelisk be scorched! Stay put and we will come to you, do you hear? We will come to you. Fitch get the weapons …’
Fitch made ready to go, but Zoella’s next words stopped him.
‘You can’t break in. Nothing you have will even dent this door. The Obelisk won’t let Ira go unless I do this. There’s no choice.’
‘I’m not letting you do this!’ Coran yelled.
‘Coran’s right,’ Meru said. ‘We will find another way, maybe Caesar will be able to …’
‘Caesar knew,’ Zoella said. ‘Don’t you remember how he paused? How he avoided the direct questions? He was always so careful in his answers. Only telling us what we needed to hear. He led us here, he knew too! There is no other way. You know there isn’t.’
Meru subsided, looking down at his feet.
Kiri pushed forward, ‘Then let it be me instead,’ she said.
‘Kiri no …’ Meru began.
‘I love you,’ Kiri said, grabbing Meru’s hands. ‘So, so much. But I stand between you and your friends and family. Better I do this than Zoella!’
‘Kiri …’
‘You know I can’t go back to Amar. Let me do this, for her, for you, for everyone,’ Kiri said. ‘Let me atone for all the evil I’ve done, for all those I’ve hurt and killed. Zoella doesn’t deserve this …’
‘No,’ Zoella replied. ‘You’re staying with Meru. This is my choice.’
‘It shouldn’t be you,’ Kiri said, her voice rising to a shout. ‘Tell the Obelisk to let me in!’
‘I’ve already given my decision,’ Zoella said, her voice calm. ‘Meru and you need each other. And you still have to stop the priestesses …’
‘No …’ Kiri said.
‘And I have my own wrongs to atone for,’ Zoella said.
‘Don’t do this …’ Mel pleaded. ‘Zoella, you’re part of the crew. We need you.’
‘Esurio has to be saved, that’s why we came here,’ Zoella continued, her voice calm. ‘The Obelisk called me first … maybe that’s the whole point of it all, everything I’ve done, everything I’ve seen and heard. It’s been calling to me ever since I was a child, warning me, telling me. It’s supposed to be me.’
Coran sighed, lowering his head into his hands, covering his mouth for a moment while he thought. He shook his head. No words came.
He looked up at the crew of the Mobilis, taking a moment to look at each in turn.
They looked at him.
He stepped forward to the door, resting his head against it, his lips pursed.
* * *
Zoella waited for a long moment.
Coran’s voice was subdued now. There was nothing he could do, nothing any of them could do. She could hear the defeat in his voice the moment he started speaking.
‘Zoella,’ he said. ‘You are the bravest person it’s ever been my privilege to know. I’ll admit, I had my doubts early on, but you proved yourself, helped us, saved us. When you made mistakes you owned up to them, tried to make them right. Just proud of you girl, proud to have you on my crew.’
‘I never had a family growing up,’ Zoella said, softly. ‘But I had one with all of you. Thank you for letting me on your ship.’
