by C. A. Fraser
Kelly had watched Curtis tear across the small island toward Wren to save their friend. She stayed in the ship at his urging being unprotected from any attack. She felt a thread of anxiety tease its way through her mind as he stopped in front of Wren. She looked at the elevator behind Wren recognizing it as the entrance to the launch facility. The last time she had seen it was her last trip to the ISIS space station. Kelly observed the open doors of the elevator and saw Wren had figured out a way past the AI guardian, Janus. Her thoughts turned to the AI.
Stephen had placed the AI in charge of access to the launch facility. Janus was a single-minded entity with specific programming to repulse any unauthorized attempt to access the facility below. It would not allow access unless it was specifically indicated by Stephen. Kelly puzzled at how Wren had convinced the AI to open the doors. Her thoughts had been interrupted by the whine of a ship approaching followed closely by ODIN’s hunter impacting the ground. The ship shook slightly with the impact and Kelly felt her anxiety turn to fear as the nanid covered creature stood. It matched ODIN with the bone white armor and white hair. Kelly pushed the fear away remembering her experience at ODIN’s chamber not long ago. She moved to the ships exit pausing only to grab an energy rifle before exiting.
That is how she found herself watching the doors to the launch facility close, safely securing Wren and Curtis from ODIN’s assassin. The female creature rose to its feet, its left arm hanging limply at its side. The beam of the rifle had torn through the nanids with ease. As she observed the hunter, Kelly was dismayed to see ODIN’s nanids already working to repair the damage from the energy rifle. The creature turned to face her. It regarded its attacker with a menacing glare in its white eyes. Kelly knew she could not defeat it singlehandedly. Her mind raced trying to find a way to stop it. Without a word the creature stepped toward her. Kelly did not wait. She brought the rifle back to her shoulder firing it again. The beam lanced toward the creature and missed. It dodged at the last moment and was a white blur rushing toward her. She tried to aim at it again as it closed on her, but it proved to be too fast.
It was on her in an instant knocking the rifle from her grasp. Before Kelly could attempt to defend herself, it grabbed her and threw her into the elevator doors some thirty feet away. Kelly felt as if every bone in her body shattered, as she hit the solid metal. Pain ripped through her overwhelming the nanid’s dampening effect. She slumped to the ground suppressing a groan. The pain was a haze she struggled to push back, fighting to stay conscious. Her right arm hung at an odd angle and her breathing was labored. She knew she had broken several ribs. Blood ran down the side of her head staining her lab coat even more than the wound from Curtis had. She could see the hunter staring at her, toying with its prey. She held its gaze defying it even though she knew she was outmatched.
Despite the haze in her mind Kelly felt the tingle of connection in her neural implant. She sensed Janus connecting with her checking her brain pattern against those allowed access. The AI was unaware of her predicament completing its tasks as programmed. She watched the assassin slowly begin to walk toward her. She felt the connection to Janus begin to fade and an idea struck her. Kelly reestablished the connection to the AI.
“Janus, do you recognize me?” she asked the AI.
“Yes, Kelly Holt. You are not allowed to access the launch site unattended.” The AI replied. Kelly groaned her frustration with the AI causing her pain to increase. The hunter had closed half the distance to her and was moving even slower with a sadistic smile on its face. Kelly focused on Janus again trying to concentrate. She knew she did not have authorization to access the launch facility but did have access to all the center’s defense systems.
“I know, Janus. Are the island’s defense systems still in place and functional?” she asked through the implant continuing to watch the approaching assassin.
“Yes, Kelly,” it replied. Kelly felt a rush of relief. She hoped this would work. She waited until ODIN’s hunter was a few feet away before speaking. She glared at it as she spoke.
“Janus, activate all island defense systems and target all non-center personnel,” she said struggling upright. Across the island hidden defense turrets instantly rose from the islands surface. Kelly watched the hunter step back uncertainly as two turrets rose on either side of the elevator. They immediately centered on the hunter waiting for Holt’s command. The hunter turned its gaze to her as she spoke.
“Janus, Fire!” Kelly said, pain streaking through her chest from the exertion of speaking. The turrets began firing instantaneously. A hail of bullets tore into the hunter driving it back from Kelly and the elevator. The creature again became a blur moving so fast Kelly could only see a vague outline of its body. The AI did not have that problem. Janus tracked the hunter flawlessly as the turrets fired at the creature as it sought to retreat from the island. She could see it stagger as several of the metal projectiles connected. It caught itself and resumed its movement varying its pattern as it wove around the small island. Kelly watched as it approached the ocean surrounding the island. At the last instant, it leapt into the air catching a hold of its ship, as it dipped out of the sky. Kelly could see another round of bullets tear through its body as its ship pulled it out of range. The turrets controlled by Janus ceased their fire but maintained the vigil over the island. The creature quickly faded from sight as Kelly slumped to her side on the ground.
Kelly did not know how long she lay there fading in and out of consciousness as the nanids in her body struggled to repair her injuries. She jerked awake many minutes later, feeling a hard lump digging into her side. Her ribs throbbed where it pressed into them. Kelly carefully pushed herself up against the elevator doors before looking down at what had been pressing into her. Tears immediately sprang into her eyes.
The ancient device Tim had used to communicate with Stephen lay on the ground where she had been. Grief for Tim finally took her and she sobbed despite the pain. Soon the grief faded and was replaced by a cold anger. Kelly grabbed the device placing it back in the pocket of her lab coat. She slowly struggled to her feet leaning against the metal of the elevator for support. She did not know how else she could help Wren and Curtis. Without access to the facility below she would not be able to lend any aid. As she looked across the ocean toward the Guiana Space Center her mind rolled through her next steps. A plan to possibly help Stephen began to take form. Kelly pushed herself off the elevator wall with a slight groan. After testing her balance, she slowly made her way to the military ship Curtis had acquired.
The elevator descended smoothly down into the islands depths as Wren knelt to check on Curtis. He was still conscious and breathing but disoriented. Wren could see the glow of the nanids across his body contrasted with the deep black of the strain. His transformation had abated slightly his humanity emerging. After several minutes, he seemed to come around and pushed himself upright.
“I am sorry Wren,” he said, his feral voice still thick with pain.
“Nonsense,” she replied. She was still not used to the dual timber of her voice since joining with SIA. “You did what you could. That monster was beyond any of us.” Curtis looked at her. His gray eyes belied his doubts. He stood slowly, the strain and nanids finally completing the repairs to his body. Wren watched him test his body carefully stretching and turning to make sure he was truly healed. The man turned monster was truly unique. She wondered how he had found her. She stepped up next to him staring at him.
“How did you find me?” she asked the curiosity getting the better of her. Curtis smiled slightly as he looked down at her.
“It was Kelly.” As he answered his voice returned to its normal growl. “She had worked with your father here many years ago.”
Wren nodded. Of course, Kelly had been there. That explained the kinship that had always been between her father and the woman. Wren felt a sadness sweep through her. Kelly had sacrificed herself for Wren. She felt the brief sting of tears as the emotion rolled through her mi
nd. Then it was gone. Her connection with SIA tempered the extremes of emotion. Her thoughts were brought to a halt as the elevator stopped at the bottom of the shaft. Wren waited a moment expecting the doors to open.
They did not. Instead she felt the elevator begin to move horizontally the doors facing forward. Wren knew their destination lay under the larger island but was surprised that the elevator would take them to it. She assumed they would have to walk. Several more minutes passed as the machine continued the transit. Wren could sense the power around the machine extending in front of them to the launch site. Her connection with SIA allowed her to sense the layout of the base. It was not overly large containing only enough rooms to store needed supplies, and house a small crew to man the facility. She could sense Curtis’ mind next her and felt his unease.
“Where are we going?” he asked staring at the doors. At that point the elevator stopped. She felt his apprehension spike and turned to him as he faded from view. He had turned invisible out of caution she knew, but she still smiled at his reaction. The doors to the elevator opened and even Wren was shocked by the view in front of her. The elevator opened out onto a balcony built in the side of a circular chamber over one hundred feet across. The walls were a dull metal that showed no signs of age. Large grooves ran up the chamber breaking up the surface of the metal. The balcony was flanked on both sides by a catwalk that followed the chamber wall. Wren knew all the specifications of the room but her vision was captured by the massive machine in front of her.
After a moment, she stepped out of the elevator sensing Curtis following her. She glanced over her shoulder with a smile.
“Space.” She said simply as she moved onto the balcony. The ship in front of her was beautiful extending above her into the chamber and far below as well. Its surface reminded her of the ship Curtis had used to find her. It shimmered as if always moving even though it looked perfectly flat. The ship curved away from her and she knew from her connection with SIA the wide arc on this side was matched on the other side of the ship. The two curves joined on both sides of ship forming a sharp edge on each side. Wren knew if she looked at a cross section of the ship it would be the shape of an eye. Above her it narrowed to a point and she knew the aerodynamics of it helped penetrate the atmosphere of the earth. Far below it spread out making room for the engine that would propel it through the sky. As she approached the railing of the balcony she felt a change in SIA.
Without warning the AI separated from her and Wren was shocked at the emptiness she felt. The AI had quickly become intertwined with Wren’s mind and she missed its presence immediately. She watched as SIA moved past the balcony toward the ship. Wren could see tendrils of white extending from the AI toward the ship. She could see a thin thread extending from SIA back to her as well. As the first of SIA’s tendrils touched the ship the AI flared brightly and then seemed to be drawn into the ship. Wren stared in amazement finally understanding.
The deep intelligence she had sensed was the ship itself waiting for the return of its consciousness. Wren watched as the ship slowly came to life, the shimmer on the surface rippling as its two parts joined after so long. Wren laughed out loud as she sensed SIA over their connection. The AI was slowly expanding through the massive machine. Wren shook her head in disbelief as she felt Curtis draw next to her on the balcony. SIA was the ship.
Wren sat inside the ship watching the platform she had just crossed retracting into the balcony. The opening to the ship slowly closed cutting off her view of the ship’s exterior. The outer layer of the ship would cover the opening rendering the entrance invisible. Projections appeared in front of her and Curtis where they sat. They displayed the ships status and the launch system preparations. The image of the ship reminded her of a dagger’s blade rising from the hilt. It was beautiful and streamlined but filled with danger if used by the wrong hands. Wren felt doubt surge through her. It was almost enough to make her turn back. The thought of her father was all that kept her in place. He was trapped and she was his last hope. She could not fail. Wren pulled her eyes from the projection.
She looked at Curtis seated next to her, the material of the chair gripping his large frame. The chair had initially seemed unable to adjust to him, but after several moments it had secured him as easily as hers had. For his part Curtis looked calm and ready for launch. After he was confident there were no threats he had reappeared boarding the ship with her. SIA had welcomed them on board running through a brief breakdown of the ship.
The vessel was quite large with enough room to transport at least 100 humans with all necessary supplies. The pilot’s chamber where Wren and Curtis sat was separated from the rest of the ship. The chamber rotated within the ship to allow it to align with the pull of gravity. Once in space it would rotate so they faced toward the front of the ship. There were no windows in the vessel. All views of the outside were transmitted by SIA to the occupants. The ship was sealed completely by the continuous outer hull which allowed a level of integrity during launch never attained previously. A shudder passed through the ship as SIA tested the hull integrity preparing for launch.
Wren looked at the launch system. It was a design feat all on its own. The massive platform would raise the ship through the tube at an ever-increasing rate propelled by enormous magnets that ran in the grooves along the chamber. When reaching the exit on the island, the magnets would arrest the platform allowing the ship’s inertia to launch it into the air. Simultaneously the ship would engage field generators much like those on Wren’s airship to help lighten the vessel. The final step would be the firing of the main engine which would provide the needed thrust to exit the earth’s hold. SIA spoke for the first time since Wren and Curtis had taken their seats for the launch.
“Beginning launch sequence,” it announced. She had still not adjusted to the change in SIA’s voice. It sounded the same but held more gravity and depth. Wren knew SIA was complete once more, but still missed her small companion. It would take her some while to come to grips with the fact the ship was now SIA. She pushed the thoughts aside as she felt the platform begin to move. The projection showed the progress through the well drilled deep into the island.
Another projection came on showing the view from the nose of the ship. Already the chamber walls were streaming by them. Wren could see a small speck of light far above them as giant doors concealed in the middle of the island began to open. The chairs she and Curtis were in began to form more tightly around them supporting their bodies during the launch. Wren doubted either of them needed it, their nanotechnology being much more advanced, but appreciated it none the less.
The walls were a blur outside the ship. Wren could not pick out any discernible features other than the growing light above them. The platform moved even faster driving them to the surface at a dizzying speed. Wren felt her heart beating faster, the adrenaline released by her excitement driving it. As they drew closer to the surface Wren felt the chamber they were in begin to rotate putting them facing forward toward the nose of the ship. SIA was preparing them for the firing of the main drive. The chamber locked in place as they exited the chamber. The platform stopped at the island’s exit as the magnets locked it in place. SIA continued into the sky, a shimmering blade intent on piercing the earths fragile skin.
“Field generators engaged,” SIA reported. Wren felt the ship accelerate slightly as the energy fields used the air itself to help push the ship into the sky. Suddenly she felt a small jolt shake the vessel. SIA spoke instantly while another projection appeared.
“Impact on outer hull.”
The projection showed ODIN’s hunter securing the insertion vehicle to SIA. The protoplastic shield formed a hardened dome to protect the hunter from the heat of the launch and cold of space.
“Activating main drive,” SIA relayed. Wren knew there was nothing else they could do. The hunter would have to be dealt with in space. She looked to Curtis as the massive fusion drive of the vessel engaged driving them into their seats. His face w
as drawn and she could see the feral features reemerging driving death into his eyes. As she watched he slowly faded from view. Wren turned back to the main screen watching the sky darken as the atmosphere thinned around them. The beauty of it drove away the worry of the hunter as the drive accelerated SIA beyond anything so far. The shimmering vessel streaked ever higher breaking free of the earth on its way to find ISIS.
TWELVE
The program disappeared once again fading from ARES’ observation before it could determine a countermeasure to it. ARES did not understand how it could slide away and disappear but as soon as the quantum detected its influence it did. The quantum knew its attacker was the Leviathan. The code was clever but the brief glimpse it could get of it matched its records of the Leviathan. The quantum ran its options again.
ARES was reaching the limits of its considerable resources to just maintain the shield. Now this unseen attacker had begun to infiltrate the quantum itself. ARES had calculated if not countered the program would eventually corrupt it completely resulting in the total deletion of the quantum’s consciousness. ARES did not know how the program had been introduced into its system, but now was being pressed more and more frequently by the Leviathan’s program. ARES pulled itself back from all non-essential duties. It kept its focus on maintaining the shield, but allocated the small remainder to finding and eliminating the program. It was not enough. ARES knew it could defeat the program given the resources. The results of allocating the needed resources would keep the quantum stable and drive the program away. However, it would result in the loss of the quantum shield and the release of the Leviathan’s strain.
