Fury (The Quantum Wars Book 2)

by C. A. Fraser

  After the nausea had eased, she opened her eyes surveying the rest of her squad. It was not good. Several were dead. Their bodies had been thrown about during the crash and now rested at odd angles not possible for a living human. She turned to the closest to her and found dead eyes staring at her. She looked for the cause of death and found a large piece of glass embedded in the man’s throat. Blood was everywhere; a dark stain barely revealed by the weak light. Worth felt the nausea return in a wave. There was no fighting it. She leaned forward as far as the restraints would allow and retched ridding her body of any food left in her system. She hung limply in the restraints breathing hard waiting for her composure to return. When her breathing had slowed, she began to take stock of herself keeping her eyes down to avoid the carnage around her.

  She seemed to be in fair condition. There were no obvious injuries besides minor cuts and bruises from flying debris. Her short hair was matted with blood from a large gash in her head. She could feel blood on the side of her face slowly drying. She gingerly began loosening her restraints, reviewing her next steps, while she worked. She had to get out of the ship. The gases were slowly building up in the space and would eventually be too much even for her nanid enhanced physique. She removed the straps across her chest and felt her lungs fill with air completely. She had not realized how tight the straps had pulled to keep her safe. The gas tainted air burnt her lungs and she immediately began coughing. Pain ebbed through her, the nanids staved off most of it to keep her from losing consciousness again. Worth recovered keeping her breathing slow and shallow while she freed herself of the lifesaving devices.

  When she was done she slowly stood testing her body once more. When she was satisfied, she began moving slowly to the squad members she could not tell were already gone. Bending to check their vitals she found one dead and the other barely hanging onto life. The woman was still in her seat held in by the straps but also by a piece of the ship piercing her side. The shrapnel was metal from the front of the ship and where it entered the woman’s side it was almost a foot wide. Worth had no idea how far it had penetrated but knew the only reason she was alive was because the metal was still in place. The wound was fatal in this situation. Normal nanids could not repair that level of damage quickly enough. It would require surgical assistance. While she was staring at the woman rage slowly filled Candace. Her mind raced trying to think of who would do this to her and her people.

  Who or what? She did not know of any human or agency that would have the resources to shut down an AI controlled airship remotely. She ran through the list of known organizations hostile to the NDP. Her mind traced through the names and stopped at Nathan Landis. It did not make sense because the man was dead. His quantum gone with him. She stopped short horrified at her next thought. What if it was a quantum? Dread filled her. If one of the remaining quantums was responsible that meant all of humanity was in danger. Worth felt her pulse increase and breathing quicken. She had to get out. She turned to the closest hatch in the airship. Twisted metal met her gaze. Panic began to ebb slowly as she turned to the hatch on the opposite side. It was intact!

  Worth rushed to the hatch stumbling over debris from the crash. When she arrived, she punched the manual release, hope driving her panic away. Nothing happened. She pressed again. Nothing. Worth felt despair rising. She was trapped. If she did not figure something out the ship would be her coffin. The scream that tore through the ship from behind drove all thoughts from Candace. She whirled around to see the squad member awake. Her eyes glazed with pain and shock. Horror was etched in her face and Worth knew her pain must be unbearable.

  The scream ebbed to a low moan. The woman was too weak to maintain it. Worth rushed to the woman, her mind racing. Sweat was beading on the woman’s forehead and her breathing was shallow and rapid. Candace had to help her. She felt years of training click into place. She knew there was little she could beyond bring a measure of comfort. Worth moved to the back of the ship searching through the shadows, the woman’s moans echoing after her. Moments later she found what she was seeking. She pulled the ship’s medical kit from the wall, moving back to the woman searching through it. The kit was outfitted with the latest first aid technology but was still woefully inadequate for the woman’s wounds.

  She sifted through the contents stopping when she found the pain management packet. She ripped it open knowing it only contained one thing. Nanids took care of normal pain like headaches and sprains. Pain medicines that existed currently were only used to treat extreme traumatic injuries such as the woman had sustained. Worth looked at the vials in the pouch. Protoplastic vials with a pressurized delivery system eliminated any need for needles and allowed for shelf stable medicines. The amber colored liquid within it was another advancement entirely. A twist on the anesthetics of the past, it was engineered to render the injured party unconscious with no side effects and could be reversed in moments if needed. It was still as dangerous as prior medications of its type with misuse causing death or brain damage.

  Worth lifted her eyes to the woman. Her head was lolling from side to side, her eyes vacant. Worth could see fresh blood wetting the side of her uniform once more. Candace made her decision in that moment. She leaned forward softly touching the woman’s forehead with her hand. The woman’s eyes remained unchanged the pain preventing her from normal thought or perception. She did not even flinch when Candace pressed the vial to her neck in line with her carotid artery. The effect of the medication was instantaneous. The woman went limp as she sank into the oblivion offered by the drug. Candace did not hesitate. She injected another vial. Then without pause a third.

  Tears came to her eyes. Two was enough. She wanted to be sure, thus the third. The tears began to fall as she retrieved a monitoring unit from the med kit. Candace placed the monitor over the woman’s chest. The small screen displayed her vitals and nanid activation status. Worth stared, tears rolling down her cheeks, while first the heart stopped, then breathing, followed by brain activity, and finally the cessation of all nanid activity. Worth stepped back, letting the monitor fall, a sob finally escaping her. The woman was dead.

  Candace stumbled away, her vision blurred by tears. She slid down against the jammed hatch, grieving her fate as much as the squad members. There were three more vials left. Candace felt her thoughts darken and a depression began to envelop her. She knew before the end she would use them. Her thoughts continued their dark descent as her grief over her team held her in place. She did not get to descend any further.

  An impact hit the hatch behind her shaking the entire ship. Before she could move the hatch was ripped from behind her. Candace fell back catching herself against frame of the hatch. The sun’s light from above filtered through the low hanging pollution giving a sickly yellow cast to everything. The smoke and gases in the air made it difficult to get her bearings. Her nose was assaulted once more with the toxic gases of the desolate land. Her eyes tearing from the air, Worth’s mind spun as she tried to stand. She never made it to her feet. Before she could pull herself up a deep red hand emerged from the haze jerking her from the ship.

  The earth spun in front Wren, the continents and oceans clearly on display. She had been staring at the projection in front of her trying to understand everything that was happening. The moon was orbiting the earth, its path clearly defined by a faint blue line. There was movement everywhere in the projection. Thousands of independent craft were orbiting the earth all serving to produce the web. The speed at the AI controlled craft were moving astounded Wren. She had known the basis of the project to create the web but had never imagined the scale until now. Even the moon served a purpose lending energy from its gravitational pull to help the craft stay in orbit. Six rings of the ships encircled the earth moving at an incredible speed. Each craft was a point on the web that surrounded the earth. The web that even now Wren could sense AI using to move around her curious to see a human after so long. Her vision caught the AI moving in and out of her view some passing through
the projection right in front of her. She smiled.

  Their curiosity was a marked improvement to the tense moments when she had first arrived. She was still not sure what would have occurred had her father’s AI not intervened.

  After it had communicated with the military AI in the drones there had been several moments of silence while they waited for a response. Wren had felt tension all over her body, the nanids responding to her stress, preparing her to fight if necessary. Just when she thought they had been denied and would be eliminated, a clipped reply came from the military drone.

  “The AI here will comply.” Wren felt the tension slide from her the nanids responding to the change, and easing her defenses. Stephen’s AI seemed satisfied and retreated leaving her standing with the drones hovering in front of her.

  “I need to find ISIS.” She said. “Can you help me?” The reply came after another pause and was just as clipped.

  “ISIS is not at this facility.” Wren felt frustration bubble within her. That was not what she asked. AI could be difficult especially military types. Much like their human counterparts they had little patience for anything not critical to their primary mission. Wren paused for a moment before asking her next question.

  “Is there anything remaining at the facility pertaining to ISIS or the web?” She asked staring at the drone. The drone shifted lowering closer to her. Again, there was a pause before it replied.

  “Yes. Have your navigational AI store your ship in the hangar and proceed to Administration Building A.” After communicating its instructions, the drone swept up and away from Wren blowing dust all around her and the ship. The drones surrounding them departed just as quickly returning to the hanger. Wren retrieved a pack with a small amount of food and water before instructing SIA to stow their vessel in the hangar. Wren began walking toward the building they had passed over when they arrived. SIA joined her minutes later having secured the vessel in the hangar. The birdlike AI flitted around her cautiously, ever on the lookout for any source of danger.

  Wren observed AI moving around them quietly as the programs went about their duties. She could see machines of all sizes moving around the airfield. She now understood why everything looked so well maintained. Caretaker AI were still following instructions from long ago, keeping the facility ready and prepped for use. Wren was not surprised. Some of the AI here were among the first generation of AI and were programmed to a specific task. They would ensure it was completed time and again endlessly regardless of human interference or neglect. Wren kept moving toward the building her thoughts prompting a question.

  “SIA, why are you here?” she asked glancing toward the administration building looming in front of them.

  “It is my purpose to keep you safe.” the AI replied. Wren wondered if SIA had its own urges or desires but did not know how to ask. The AI seemed to sense her trepidation.

  “Wren you and your task are vital to humanity and AI alike. Our fates are one. It is my duty to protect you as much as I can, but it also serves my own self-preservation.” SIA continued. Wren let a small smile come onto her face. SIA was not a base AI. Wren did not continue the conversation instead she studied the building they were approaching. A squat structure spread across the field that was two stories high with windows all around.

  “Standard government design. Utility before anything else.” She thought stopping in front of the main entrance. Her eyes revealed two AI waiting for her. One was her father’s AI. The other was one of the strangest AI she had encountered. She took a moment to study it mildly surprised at its form. It made her think of bacteria she had seen under high magnification. Oblong in shape with hundreds of small tentacles of light extending from it. The AI was a sharp contrast to the image of her father next to it. Wren stepped up to the entrance stopping just before the two AI. The new AI seemed to retract from her momentarily before moving back to its original position.

  “Welcome to Guiana Space Center Ms. Fore.” It spoke. “I am Lynx the custodian AI for the center and will be assisting you as needed.”

  “Thank you, Lynx.” Wren replied. “Can you show me any records on the web or ISIS please.”

  “There are no specific records pertaining to ISIS at the center.” Lynx replied. “There are records for the technical aspects of the web as well as its history and integration with ISIS.” Wren sighed. She had felt certain this was where she would find ISIS and a way to free her father. Now it looked as if she were wrong.

  “There is also the monitoring station.” The AI volunteered. Wren looked at the AI curious what it was referring to.

  “What does it monitor Lynx?” Wren asked perplexed.

  “The web Ms. Fore.” It replied. Wren wondered why there would still be a need to monitor the web from an abandoned station. Her curiosity peaked she made her decision.

  “Take me to the monitoring station Lynx.”

  Now she stood in front of the massive projection table in the darkened room, watching the web in action. The room was deep within the building shielded from the outside by several layers of AI controlled security. She wondered if anyone else had seen this in recent memory, or had humanity just given up any care to know. Did humans prefer to let the AI and quantums run the world for them? Wren exhaled dismissing the thoughts knowing she would not like her conclusions. She turned her attention back to the projection watching the spinning rings once more. The more she observed the projection the more it revealed. She could now see the flow of energy from each craft. All the lines of energy linked together to form a massive network that covered the planet.

  As she watched she could see lines extending beyond the rings. Curious she expanded the view of the earth and its surrounding space. The lines were coming off each ring and extending to four points farther from the earth. One was between the earth and the sun while the other was the same distance away but on the opposite side of the planet. The other two points were positioned much farther away on the earth’s orbital path. One traveled in front of the planet and the other behind. Wren did not understand what she was seeing. She turned to the custodian AI its many tentacle moving slowly through the air.

  “Lynx what are those four points?” She asked. Lines extended from each point to the other points as well forming a much larger but less complex web around the planet.

  “Those are Lagrange points. They are points of stable orbits near the earth. They are also where the monitoring stations for the web are located,” it replied. Wren continued gazing at the points in relation to the planet and web. She needed to know more about the web. To find ISIS, she would need to dig into how the information was relayed and controlled through the web. She changed the view on the projection to bring up the specifications for the web and the points for the monitors. She began studying the specs proceeding slowly when she stopped not believing what she was seeing. Below the point farthest from the sun labeled as L1, the coordinates from her father’s pictures were displayed. Wren could feel her breathing quicken and she struggled to contain a happy shout. Wren looked at the numbers again confirming she was correct. She was right. She had found where ISIS was located.

  SEVEN

  Stephen stood at the hill overlooking the airfield on Thurston Island. The ocean was a green band in front of him. He knew if he went east from the island he would reach the main Antarctic continent in minutes. He turned away from the ocean gazing at the newly grown forest that covered the middle of the island. As he watched, the airships that carried the nanids intended to remake the world, began passing over him. He was relocating the fleet to the center of the island. If what he planned did not occur as expected, he wanted to have them as protected as possible. He used the AI military drones to clear a large section of the forest to make room for the fleet. He grieved the loss the forest had sustained. Stephen could feel the wound still. The nanids passed the impact of his transgression to him. It was a built-in consequence that would allow balance to return to the planet.

  He continued to watch the ships
pass. It was a quick fix but should be adequate for what he had planned. As the ships arrived at the clearing, the AI would arrange them into a matrix of sorts. They would link the ship’s field generators together to create a shield that would protect the ships and nanids alike. Stephen used his link with EA to survey the clearing. The ships were falling in line as directed slowly creating the configuration that would protect them. There was no rush but he felt impatient none the less. His mind moved to the encounter with ODIN.

  He knew ODIN was serious when it said it would stop Wren. Cold rage seethed back into Stephen hardening his resolve and spurring him to check the progress of the drones. The AI drones at the project were military in origin and under his command. This was purely precautionary in case the shield were breached in some way by another government or entity. Instead of defense he was going to use them to try and breach the quantum shield imprisoning him and the project. His connection with the AI in the drones told him everything was moving forward smoothly. The drones were moving into position all around the island just outside the effects of the shield. Stephen nodded satisfied with the progress so far. He studied the inventory that each drone carried. Long range energy and projectile weapons were the main offensive weapons but he loaded every drone with as many explosives as possible.