by C. A. Fraser
He paused his pondering of the storm feeling a depression developing within him from reviewing the horrible event. He was at the edge of the forest facing out into the surrounding ocean. A rocky shore spread in front of him protecting the island from the unceasing waves of the Southern Ocean. The octopus was still wandering beneath the waves in front of him searching for food and a place to rest. He lifted his gaze out to the vast sea trying to see the barrier surrounding the island. He knew he could not see it but could still sense it was there. A bird flew into his vision breaking his focus. It was a crow. The species had been brought to the island as one of the initial test subjects. Its intelligence and opportunistic nature made it a prime candidate for the new nanid project. Stephen watched the bird wing past and could sense it through the nanids they both shared. He knew the bird was aware of him and regarded him with caution. It circled him once and then glided down to the shore landing just out of reach of the waves. Stephen observed it quietly as it began to search for food in the rocks.
The crow nimbly moved through the rocks pecking at unseen objects investigating each for the possibility of food. It picked up a small fish that had been swept to the shore in its beak. It turned towards him as he watched it, and then leapt into the air flying with the fish still in its mouth. It circled Stephen once more and then began to wing away over the sea. It had not gone far when another of its kind intercepted it to appropriate the precious food. In the resulting squabble the crow dropped its food losing it to the ocean below. With a final raspy caw both birds flew on continuing their search.
Stephen could pick out the small fish floating on the surface of the water. As he watched a particularly strong wave picked it up and slammed it against the rocks on the shore. A memory of the Maelstrom came into his mind. A large tree measuring several feet across was sheared in two by a piece of sheet metal the wind had ripped from a nearby building. The tree had stood for many years and in a moment, the hurricane had brought it down with nothing more than a thin piece of metal. An idea formed in Stephen’s mind as he turned his eyes back to the sea and the invisible barrier standing in his way.
TWO
The elevator descended quickly on its way deep into the ground beneath the NDP headquarters. Curtis had followed Tim on his way through the facility, and when the man arrived at the elevator Curtis quietly slipped on board behind him. His control of the adaptive camouflage was improving with each use. The two nanotechnologies worked together to damper any sound he made and blend into his surrounding so he was essentially undetectable. Curtis regarded Tim from the corner of the elevator where he settled trying to be as compact as possible to prevent accidental discovery. He was not particularly worried about being discovered. Tim had no reason to move to the back of the elevator. For his part, Tim seemed calm and showed no external signs of nerves or hesitation at the summons by ODIN. Curtis felt a deep respect for the scientist, and knew he was truly committed to saving humanity as well as the planet. The elevator slowed and Curtis turned his attention to the doors.
A flash of the confrontation with the Leviathan came to his mind. The battle to contain the strain he was infected with had been terrifying, and the image of the twisted humans in the chamber was etched in his mind. Curtis dismissed the memories as the doors to the elevator opened. Once the doors were fully open Tim stepped out into a large chamber that served as a staging area for underground facility where ODIN resided. Curtis moved forward exiting the elevator quietly before the doors closed. The room they were in was well lit with blank walls that gave no indication of the facilities purpose. The only feature in the room was a set of massive mechanical doors that guarded the entrance to ODIN’s chamber. The doors were flanked by two guards from the NDP. The human presence was not needed but the NDP was careful to ensure ODIN was well protected.
Curtis followed Tim as he slowly made his way toward the doors to answer the summons from ODIN. They were halfway across the room when Curtis felt his skin begin to tingle as if he were walking into an electric field of some sort. He stopped in surprise trying to understand what was happening. Tim continued forward showing no signs of what Curtis was experiencing. Curtis took another step and the tingle increased to an intense burning sensation. He stopped as he realized what was happening. The nanids and strain were reacting to some sort of quantum field technology he had not encountered. He stepped back knowing if he went further he would be detected.
Frustration welled up inside him as he watched Tim stop in front of the doors. The guards at the doors barely acknowledged the man. Without warning the enormous doors began to slide open giving Tim enough room to step through. Curtis felt tension course through his body. He moved back toward the elevator as Tim strode into ODIN’s chamber and the doors closed. He flattened himself against the wall near the elevator minimizing his presence in the room and resigned himself to waiting for Tim to reemerge from the chamber.
The ravaged land was receding below Wren. She carefully scanned the remains of the base as her airship pulled away. The base lay on the coast of what had once been the state of Florida. It had been a space port for the United States to launch various craft into orbit around the planet. Now abandoned it was quickly decaying. It had been little used for many years and after the Maelstrom Event it had been abandoned and forgotten. Many of the buildings remained upright the ferocity of the Maelstrom unable to bring them down. The buildings were now slowly succumbing to what plant life could survive the high temperatures and hurricanes that regularly came through the area. The gigantic launch pads that once sent man and machine into space were covered with debris and showing decay as well. Large cracks crossed them and Wren could see where the once uniform edges were crumbling and eroding away. Her mind turned to the last few weeks and how quickly they had passed.
Her nanid enhanced mind spun through the hours of searching. They were supposed to be finding ISIS. Wren had not understood why SIA had brought them here. The AI could not offer much except that there was something they needed to find. It had insisted it did not know what but Wren would know when she found it. Wren had searched everywhere on the base. At first she was surprised when they were unchallenged but as she found building after building empty of anything useful she knew there was nothing to protect. Day after day she had wandered the base finding nothing to guide them further. The larger buildings had been looted and the remains within were strewn everywhere. Not knowing exactly what they were seeking Wren had been forced to investigate everything. Even with her enhanced abilities and SIA’s help it was daunting. The AI from her father had been little to no help. Its programming was very specific as far as she could tell. Find Wren and deliver Stephen’s message. Beyond that it was an observer. Wren felt a rueful smile cross her lips. It was very good at observing. All attempts to engage it to help process data had been declined. The AI hovered near her at all times a silent presence that had initially unnerved her but she now accepted as a minor irritation at worst. Wren ignored it refusing to be distracted from her purpose.
She had been searching the remains of a library when the break had finally come. It was a large building that resembled a hanger for airships or some long gone space vehicle. It was dark and humid and overcome with the smell of decay. Books, furniture, and all manner of displays were in the large halls of the building. Many of the large displays remained. Space craft of various types had been hung from the high ceilings in the library while others loomed over smaller displays and shelving filled with rotted books. The metal of the craft was more resistant than the rest of the building having been designed to withstand the rigors of space. There were still signs of wear. The metal was dull and covered with dirt and mold. Wren observed rust beginning its slow march as well. Some of the suspended craft had seen their end not because of their own weakness, but the buildings inability to withstand its environment. The craft’s supports had torn free from the building, and sent them crashing to earth once more. Wren had cautiously moved around the craft that hung above her preferri
ng not to test the extent of her nanid’s recuperative abilities. She found little else.
Looters had taken anything of value over the years and had left behind graffiti, and other empty signs of their passing. The other levels of the building were office spaces or storage with some small rooms dedicated to events of the past. It all stank of mold. Most books she had searched fell apart at her touch, the humid climate destroying them. Any technology present had been without power for many years, and would not provide any information without extensive repair. That would take even more time, so Wren pushed on knowing she could return to the various data devices if she needed. She had searched as efficiently as possible through the building maintaining a quick but methodical pace to ensure she did not miss anything.
Her enhanced vision had helped tremendously. She could move through the darkest room with little trouble seeing as if it were the light of day. There was no evidence of power or AI anywhere in the building. The only AI she could detect were her current companions. She had moved into one of the small chambers at the end of the library. A large display case dominated the room. It was glass all around and streaked with grime. Even Wren’s enhanced vision could only pick up the vague shape of the display’s contents. She had wiped off some of the dirt with a filthy rag laying near the display. She still paused at the reaction of the nanids on her skin. They hardened instantly to protect her and prevent any external contamination. Her mind had turned to Simon but Wren pushed it away. She had no time for the memories until she found and freed her father.
Wren cleaned a section to see what was hidden under the haze, and stopped when it came into view. Her mind raced retrieving distant memories of the object she was observing. During what was collectively the most active space exploration period of human history the International Space Station had been one of the greatest achievements of the cooperation between the countries of earth. The model inside the case was still practically unharmed representing the actual station in almost every detail. Pod after pod connected to form living, and work spaces for the astronauts of the time. The large solar panels that supplied power to the facility were accurate down to the finest detail of the solar cells themselves. Wren felt regret fill her, a familiar friend she carried with her for all the choices humans had made, and chances they had lost. The ISS had lasted long into the climate crisis providing a distant view of the changes, and allowing for expanded study of the rapidly changing planet. Eventually however the crisis overwhelmed the governments of the planet and the station program was eliminated. She did not know what happened to the facility after that. She assumed it was either still in orbit, or had crashed years ago.
Wren took a breath and pulled her eyes from the preserved technology in the case. She glanced at the wall behind the case, and paused shocked at what her vision had revealed there. A large glass framed photograph of the ISS filled the wall, but that was not what caught her eye. Above the frame was the insignia for the station emblazoned on the wall with the initials ISS overlaid on it. It would be difficult to see due to the mold and dirt that had gathered over it but Wren’s vision filtered out the interference and allowed her to see the true nature of the insignia. The symbol had obviously been tampered with in the same way the photographs of her and her father had been. As she stared at it her eyes revealed one word overlaying the space station emblem. ISIS. Wren felt excitement fill her. She had found another clue after weeks of searching.
“SIA?” she queried.
“Yes, Wren?” The AI replied smoothly. Wren took a breath to steady herself before speaking. Her mind was reeling from the implication of what she was looking at.
“I don’t think ISIS is on earth.”
Wren’s thoughts came back to the present still pondering the ISS. The discovery of the clue had triggered another response in SIA, and now it was guiding her to the last known location of support for the ISS. She felt excitement surge through her again. She was getting closer she could sense it. She gazed out the front of the airship her enhanced vision revealing little of the massive ocean they were just encroaching. Wren leaned back allowing SIA to tirelessly guide them to their destination. She continued to run the clues she had found through her head. She yawned. The puzzle was exhausting to piece together. Soon sleep overtook her, the hum of the airship soothing her, while the craft sped over the dying ocean below.
Tim Reed stepped into ODIN’s chamber. The chamber was relatively unchanged from the day ODIN had been activated. The room was the original test chamber for the quantum project that had culminated in ODIN. The massive AI had been assembled in the chamber and it became its home. The room was brightly lit with white walls, and a sterile environment that reminded Tim of the surgery suites of old. He moved into the chamber turning his attention to the massive cooling tower which moderated the temperature of the quantum and served as its interface. He stopped short not believing what his eyes were telling him.
Natalie Fore stood before the tower with her hands clasped before her. She was a tall woman with long hair and a thin frame, which made her appear birdlike and fragile. Tim did not understand why she was here. Surely Wren had not authorized waking her? Tim composed himself smoothing his hair back once again and slowly moved forward. He focused on Natalie trying to piece together where she fit while approaching her. As he drew close to her he stopped regarding her momentarily before speaking.
“Natalie you’re awake? How are you feeling?” he asked deciding to take a straight forward approach to the reason she had been put in stasis. It was well known that after Stephen disappeared she failed mentally forcing Wren to put her in cryostasis until a way to stabilize Natalie could be found.
“I am and doing quite well, Tim. Thanks for asking.” The woman replied. Her voice was slightly deeper than Tim remembered and he wondered if that was a result of the stasis or if something else had occurred. Tim pushed his ruminations to the side observing Stephen Fore’s longtime companion.
“Why are you here, Natalie?” He asked. He could feel a thread of doubt working its way through him. Something was not right with this situation. He had expected a tense encounter with ODIN, but with Natalie here he was unsure what was happening.
“I am here to find my husband of course.” She replied with a terse smile. “I miss him and want him back.”
“So you know he is not dead then?” Tim queried preferring to continue the questioning to stave off any input from the massive quantum looming behind Natalie.
“Yes. I need him back and I think you can help me with that.” Natalie said taking a step forward. Tim resisted the urge to step back from the woman and silently held his ground. Natalie closed the distance between them leaning forward to peer into his eyes. “You know where he is at do you not?” she continued her eyes searching his. Tim focused on her eyes searching for signs of madness and only seeing calm in them.
“Of course I know where he is. I was part of the team that helped put his mission together. However, he is unreachable and ODIN knows that.” Tim hoped his answer would move Natalie to ODIN and prevent any further questions into his involvement. ODIN remained silent seemingly unaware of their conversation.
“Unreachable? Are you sure, Tim?” Natalie pulled back from him staring at him intently. Tim knew he had been found out in that moment. ODIN had discovered his communication and knew about Stephen’s attempts to free himself. He could feel his body responding to what was happening. His heartbeat was elevated and breathing shallow. Adrenaline was flowing in response to his fear. He wanted to turn and exit the chamber. He knew he would not be able to of course. Only ODIN and Director Worth could authorize the chambers opening. He forced himself to hold his position and slowed his breathing reestablishing control over himself. His mind raced as he ran through all the possible reasons for his current encounter with Natalie Fore. He focused on the only thing that made sense. He thought back to Simon and Wren’s encounter with ARES, and settled on the answer feeling a deep sadness for the Fore family. Clearing his throat Ti
m looked sternly at the woman waiting in front of him.
“I am speaking with ODIN, correct?” his question hung in the air. It was met with a flicker of surprise in Natalie’s eyes and then a light chuckle. As Tim watched Natalie straightened to her full height holding his gaze and then she began to reveal her true nature. It started in her eyes. In the middle of each pupil a white point appeared, and then quickly covered the eyes turning them bone white. It did not stop there, as he watched, he saw the nanids begin to spread across the woman’s face and to emerge across her body. Her hair began to change as well thickening with nanids, and turning the same white color as the rest of her body. As the nanids completed ODIN’s transformation it gripped the clothes about its frame, pulling them free and exposing itself entirely to Tim. The features of Natalie Fore were still there. The structure of her face, the swell of her breasts, mons and buttocks were all apparent but covered entirely with nanids. Tim knew if he touched Natalie, her skin would be hard as steel functioning as armor to protect the quantum.
Tim stood silently shocked at the change. He had seen Wren and Simon both, but it did not prepare him to witness the process. The change was astounding and disturbing. The creature before him had a cold bearing that showed its deep intelligence, but also its disregard for the human it had turned into its avatar. Tim verbalized the only thing he could.
