by C. A. Fraser
Without a sound Wren cut off the connection to the quantum. At the same time, she overloaded the energy field surrounding ODIN electrifying it. ODIN stiffened inside the shield, it eyes widening in pain. Wren knew it had thought she would be incapable of killing her own mother. It had counted on Wren’s love preventing her from destroying the physical representation of her mother. It was wrong.
Wren stood silently bearing witness as the field incinerated the quantum, its nanids and her mother. The quantum’s nanids resisted but slowly began to succumb to the field. The first sign of failure was a yellowing of the armor quickly followed by the appearance of blackened char that slowly spread across its body. Wren intensified the field accelerating the destruction. The quantum made no sound instead focusing Natalie Fore’s eyes on Wren until they too burnt away. Wren held the gaze monitoring the quantum intelligence inside her mother’s mind allowing it no avenue to escape. With no sound or sign ODIN ceased to exist. It simply disappeared as its only refuge, her mother’s mind, was immolated.
She kept the field active long past ODIN’s death. She continued to electrify the body until there was nothing left but ash. Once it was done and ODIN was destroyed Wren released the field allowing the ashes of her mother to fall to the metal platform. She followed their descent as they came to rest held in place by the same field that had created them. Wren stepped past the remains moving towards the docking ring. As she moved along the platform she expanded throughout the station beginning her true mission at last.
Epilogue
The black vessel brought to the station by ODIN exited the docking bay silently. Wren watched it leave the dull ache of separation tightening in her chest. The ship carried the unconscious Curtis Reynolds. The varied nanotechnologies were still vying for control of his body and it would be many hours before an equilibrium was found. She pulled up the view of the man inside the vessel. He was surrounded by a stasis field to keep him stable until he arrived on Earth. The glint of her silver nanids contrasted sharply against other strains on the man’s body. She had added her nanids to suspend the battle between the strains. Her nanids did not attempt to overtake the others. The tech acted as an interruption allowing Curtis’ body to adapt to the changes creating a cooperative symbiosis with all of the strains. The strains were spread across his body forming larges stains of color. Wren looked at his unconscious face knowing he would not understand why she had sent him back to Earth.
He loved her and wanted to be with her, she knew that. She held the same love for him but knew he could not follow her. He would become an impediment to the completion of her duty. She could not allow that. She was sending him home. The ship would return him to Kelly Holt. The woman would help him recover once more bringing him back from the edge. The ship moved a safe distance from the station and cycled the antimatter drive. The AI guiding the vessel engaged the drive and the sleek vessel shot away blending immediately into the darkness of space around it. Wren let go of her connection to the ship and Curtis, pushing a final goodbye through their connection. She traced his trajectory through the web to its destination on Earth.
The web was fading. It would soon be gone. She had done it. She could sense her father’s prison fading with the death of the web. ODIN could not maintain the invisible structure without the web in place. It was not the reason she had come to ISIS ultimately but it cheered her to know her father would be free. He would finally be free to counter the rogue quantum and bring the Earth back to life. She could sense his presence slowly entering the quickly weakening web as his prison failed. She longed to hear his voice once more. She turned her attention from the planet in the distance knowing her needs were not paramount.
She focused on the reason the web was disappearing. The machines that had maintained it and supplied a home for most Artificial Intelligence on the planet were streaming away from the planet. The artificial rings that had circled the earth were gone. She felt a brief pang of guilt at the loss of the AI, but knew some would survive to continue aiding the humans left on the planet. Most the machines were returning to her to prepare the station. Others were moving silently to other points around the planet. The AI driven craft were gathering the pieces of her vessel. Soon she would be underway beginning the first steps of a long journey. Wren turned from the open hatch that the vessel had departed from, making her way to her chamber. As she walked her loneliness was tempered by the thoughts and memories of those she had left behind.
Stephen felt his daughter’s presence fade with the web. His prison was slowly breaking apart. ODIN was unable to maintain it without the web’s presence. The happiness he felt at knowing she had survived was tempered with the knowledge he may never see her again. He ignored everything else occurring around him. His pain from the destruction he had wrought. The return of his drone army. The arrival of Kelly Holt and reinforcements from the Guiana Space Center. He focused on the last echoes of his daughter, wishing her on her way. Long after the web had disappeared entirely he turned to the vista that lay in front of him.
The ocean was clear and open despite its long death. Little evidence remained of the nuclear detonation. It had been far enough out from the island that minimal damage had been incurred. The blast registered as a minor earthquake, nothing more, with the worst of it contained under water. The only visible evidence had been a steam plume that had risen high into the air after the detonation. Radiation levels had increased in the ocean and across the island. The levels were more than tolerable for the new nanid strain. Stephen knew his choice would be remembered. The new strain did not allow it to be forgotten. Pain still ebbed through him continuously as the nanids exacted their toll for his deed. Stephen pushed it away knowing it would be with him for a long time. Despite that he would do it again. He looked down at the airfield that had recently held his airships.
Kelly Holt’s drones were spread along the airfield encircling her small ship. The woman was striding up the ridge toward Stephen, a smile on her face. Stephen stared as she approached. It had been so long. He could barely register the passage of time in her appearance. He knew she would have the same difficulty with his appearance. It was as if they had only parted days ago. He said nothing as she stepped beside him knowing there would be time to speak. He fell into his mind merging with EA once more.
He spread his influence through the nanids on the island freeing the myriad creatures to wander as they would. He sensed the occupants of the sea moving away from the island no longer hindered by the shield. Stephen moved to the AI on the island delivering the instructions he had been unable to for so long. He turned from the ocean gazing into the sky above the island. Kelly turned following his gaze. Soon the vessels carrying the Earth’s nanids began rising from the forest. As each sped away the blur of the island’s drone defenses went with them protecting the cargo until it reached its destination. Stephen kept his vigil until the last ship had disappeared. He turned placing his arm around Kelly Holt, acknowledging her presence at last.
“Come we have work to do,” he stated a small smile coming to his lips as he guided her towards the nanid facility and EA. As they walked his mind turned to the continent looming in the distance and the future it held.
The body lay in the cryochamber at last. Candace fell into the small chair set against the wall opposite the chamber. She stared at the deep red of the nanids that encased ARES body. She did not know if it needed the cryochamber but was unwilling to take any chances. Exhaustion pulsed through her. She had traveled many hours with little rest. She had piloted the vessel manually fearing detection if she engaged the ship’s AI. The trip was followed by the struggle to move ARES into the cryochamber. She had finally finished and now all the time and effort were demanding their toll. Her nanids helped stave off some of effects but not all. Hunger struck her. Candace slid her hand into her uniform retrieving a small portion of rations. As she ate, her mind stepped back over all that had happened.
In the moments after ARES’ avatar had succumbed to the Leviath
an’s attack; Candace knew where to go. Far to the North and West of the remaining United States lay the former state of Alaska. The state had always been rugged and remote resisting most modernization efforts. It was the perfect place to hide ARES’ avatar. The small NDP base she had brought them to was only known to select humans and no artificial intelligence. It had been used as a test site during initial nanid trials. The testing had found the nanids sound and uninfluenced by any external stimulus. The small facility had been secured and abandoned after that. It had been a cautionary measure that had served no real purpose until now. Candace felt slightly better having eaten. She rose and moved out of the building.
The air was measurably cooler this far north. Vegetation grew better but the changed climate was still evident. The massive forests that had coated the area were gone replaced by low brush and grass. Food would be sparse but Candace knew she would adapt. She moved to the airship retrieving anything useful she could find. She would make a home and protect ARES for the rest of her life if needed. She paused staring out at the dry mountains looming in the distance. She was truly alone. There was no one this far north and the web was gone. She did not know what had caused it to disappear but knew it did not bode well for the remaining inhabitants of the earth. Fighting off the deep fear she felt for the future, Candace moved to her new home securing it against the coming night.
Deep in Cheyenne Mountain the Leviathan sat staring at the quantum’s tower. Very human anger coursed through it momentarily. It destroyed ARES vanquishing the formidable AI while preserving the quantum’s architecture for its own use. Now it had found what ARES had left behind. Once the Leviathan began entering the quantum computer, it found layer after layer of defenses. ARES had not given up its home and life easily. The Leviathan knew many years would pass before it puzzled and pummeled through all the walls and pitfalls the quantum had left. Its prison would endure for a time. A new connection joined its growing horde pulling its attention away from the aggravating jumble in front of it.
Its horde continued to advance within the invisible walls meant to contain it. The huge canine patrolled the chamber while rodents scurried throughout the facility. The rest were roving the land outside the facility searching for any humans that might have escaped. A smile spread across its boyish face as the vision it had for humanity began taking shape. The lands behind the quantum shield would be the stronghold from which it would strike the rest of the world. The Leviathan sent a command through the strain into its horde. It felt them respond moving in all directions from the mountain. It would spread its influence throughout the many miles of its domain. The horde would infect all creatures it encountered. The Leviathan would create an army that would make the world tremble when at last it lowered the shield.
The Leviathan returned to ARES’ puzzles proceeding with a devilish grin. It would take time to create its kingdom but time was all it had. Dark plans continued to swirl in its mind as it felt the horde add another to their ranks.
Thank you for reading Fury, Book Two of the Quantum Wars. I am C.A. Fraser, author and purveyor of ideas! I currently reside in Seattle with my wife and two sons. I work in the tech industry in addition to writing. I also enjoy hiking and games of various types.
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