by Ray, Joseph
“Then what are we waiting for?” Vanessa asked, springing from her seat. “We should leave this place now and be on a transport tomorrow.”
“No so fast,” Keenan replied. “There’s around five hundred years of history lying within this facility that no one has seen since they sealed the place. I wouldn’t be doing my job as a historian if I were to leave in such haste.”
Vanessa frowned but nodded.
“I guess a full day here wouldn’t kill me. I think we should stop for a meal, though, maybe figure out where the bathrooms are, and then pool our resources to aid Mr. Kohl. I’m guessing you want to take as much with you as possible?”
Sanchez returned to the harrier, then came back twenty minutes later with a bag of supplies. In his absence, Vanessa had managed to find the bathrooms. They were disturbed to know that there were only two in the entire facility, but thankful that they were operational. They ate in groups, the military escorts keeping together in a corner while the scientist ate and discussed what they imagined life had been like in the facility.
“So why did Gabriel leave?” Vanessa asked a chunk of fiber bar still in her mouth.
“No one knows for certain,” Keenan replied. “The records of the archives show that the Cybers and the scientist of the many governments had a dispute about how to best save the planet. The original idea was to use aircraft carriers, or floating islands, and line them with rich soil in order to grow crops. The governments laughed at the idea, but the plan wasn’t to feed the billions that were starving on the planet. The food was intended for key personnel, should the world ever collapse to famine or war.”
Everyone in the room had stopped talking, their attention on Keenan as he gave them a lecture on Earth’s history. Many knew of what the history archives told them, but there were always untold portions of stories to be known if one listened to the right person.
“It wasn’t until the United States fell under attack that the Cybers thought to reach to the stars. The Americans started pulling back their resources, taking away from the program. The group of scientist looked to one another and realized that the minds needed for such an expedition were not within their group. So, they branched out, started taking people against their will. The first was an engineer from the American space program. The man was making a breakthrough get the space shuttles to reach farther out into the system, in a shorter amount of time. The obstacle he faced was the breaking of light speed. He found it to be achievable, but not survivable. Breaking light speed would cause the object to turn into pure energy, thus destroying the vessel and its crew. Somehow, he needed to encase the ship in a structure that would allow for the dispersion of the energy, allowing for the vessel to break the speed of light without destroying it. The poor man was forced to undergo the surgery, becoming a Cyber.”
Jones paused, the words of Keenan weighing on him. He had been attempting to reach the stream with one of his data pads, but the facility had no outside access. Their message to the capital had been branched through the ship, but doing so would alert the pilots.
“A mathematician underwent the procedure as well. The two Cybers broke the code to the dilemma, and thus, space travel was born. The rings went under construction as four countries converged on the United States, bombing them with everything they had. They broke the Geneva Convention, using various forms of chemical bombs that spread disease throughout the country. The Americans had been on the verge of solving the cultivation and germination issue that the world was facing, but the facilities were destroyed in the war, leaving the world in shambles.”
“Was Gabriel the mathematician?” Vanessa asked.
“No, he was the space engineer, drug away from his family by the military, his children screaming as he was forced onto a helicopter and taken to this place. I can’t imagine a worse terror than stealing a man from his family in the middle of the night, their screams echoing in your ears as you are brutally taken. It’s no wonder he disappeared.”
“So then what?” Sanchez asked. “Not that I don’t care about poor Gabriel, but I’d like to hear what happened next.”
“A terrifying realization,” Keenan replied. “The first ship reached the next system, only to discover that none of the planets were suitable for colonization. They sent a message back to Earth, but it took dozens of years for the news to reach the scientist. The ship tried to return, but the trip would take generations before it would reach home. The fuel cells dried up long before the ship made it out of the system. Luckily, Gabriel had been calculating from the moment the ship passed through the ring. He knew the possibility of there being no life-sustaining planets in other systems. Before the message reached them, he had already perfected the terraship. The first was sent through the ring and Taurus was born. Other ships were sent, beginning the construction of another Gabriel Ring in order to make the return trip to Earth possible. The two crews were in a race, forming the new planet and constructing the means to get home simultaneously.”
Keenan took a moment to drink from the cup he found at the facility before continuing.
“Unfortunately, the efforts were not in time for the Americans. The government, as well as many of her people, had fled the country in despair. Other governments took them in as the United States became a vacant lot to be pillaged and desecrated. Their armies still remained but had little left to protect. The warring nations celebrated their victory over the wretches from the west but soon found that they needed the Americans in order to survive. The destruction of the allied country was met with a harsh vengeance, seeing millions of innocent people killed as ally nations rained down upon the four countries. By the time Taurus was complete and ready to be populated, the world had nearly destroyed itself. Many of the American refugees were the first to board the ships to Taurus, forming the city known as Bullsrun. The flow of agriculture went through the rings, bringing food to a starving world. You would think that peace would follow, but it seems our species had long forgotten how to make do with what they have. Other nations protested, claiming that they would never share a planet with the Americans. So, more terraships and Gabriel Rings were constructed, in an effort to bring peace to the people.”
“I don’t get it,” Vanessa interrupted. “Why would they just cave like that? If these other countries were creating more problems, why award them with their own planet?”
“You’re not thinking of the situation the Earth was facing,” he replied. “The import of food wasn’t enough to sustain the planet. It took years of development before Taurus was able to sustain their own population and send the majority of their produce to the Earth. It was ten years before Taurus was able to allow a million people into her fold. The fact that other countries wanted off the planet was a blessing. The new United Nations took it upon themselves to solve the problem, forming Mesa. All the warlords from the four countries, as well as much of the population of the Middle East and Africa were sent there, even though the planet had no ability to sustain their population. Millions died in the first year alone, from starvation, disease, and internal wars. They started to build ships of their own to send people back to Earth or to Taurus. That is what led to the formation of Eden and Parasus. Eden was the first planet discovered that had a breathable atmosphere, but it took the construction of more Gabriel Rings to make such a discovery. The richest families in the world wished not to be on the Earth when the warring countries returned, so they bought their way into ownership of the next planet. Eden was first, comprised of the wealthiest of families. Then came Parasus. By the time, the warmongers of Mesa reached the Earth, the wealthy families of the world had already fled to safety. By then, the militaries of the UN were forced to put weapons on their spacecraft. They destroyed the ships from Mesa long before they reached the Earth’s atmosphere. Seeing the carnage that space exploration was creating, other countries declared their claim to new worlds. Korea and China took Draeden. Much of Australia, England, and, for the lack of a less offensive term, white countries of Africa too
k Humana. Other planets were formed, such as Taryon, though they were little more than refugee planets. The galaxy became a mess as some planets focused on their militaries, preparing to conquer other worlds should the need arise. It seemed that even putting billions of miles between people wasn’t enough to create peace.”
“What did the Cybers do during all of this?” Sanchez asked, collecting his trash. “Did they just sit there and do nothing?”
“Oh no,” Keenan continued. “The Cybers worked for decades to continue solving the problems of mankind. It’s the entire reasoning behind the second gen Cybers. They were the peacekeepers of the galaxy, keeping the planets from destroying one another. That took over a hundred years to accomplish, but they eventually managed to keep the planets at bay. Everything went relatively smooth for another century and a half, but the planets found other ways to become angry at one another. Taxes grew higher as planets shipped their products from one to the next. The monopoly of Eden nearly tore the galaxy apart as no one could afford NOT to use their artificial gravity technology in their spacecraft. Draeden started producing ships that used Eden tech, selling them to everyone as they wished. Eventually, laws had to put into place concerning the use of weapons on ships. Now, only a few militaries are allowed warships in space, a thinly disguised veil of peace. Then the third gens came along to settle disputes between the planets when it came to criminal activities that spanned multiple planets. Now, with the attacks of the third gens, one can only imagine how the planets will react. Somehow, I doubt that the I.I.U. will be able to sustain the peace. Mark my words, war is coming once again.”
“Let them,” Jones muttered.
“Excuse me!” Vanessa snapped, turning to the tall man in the corner. “You think this is a good thing?”
“I do,” he replied, standing from his perch on the floor. “As a former MA tech, I assumed you would see this as well. There can be no peace without the use of the Cybers. Our prejudice and beliefs are burned into our souls at this point, with no salvation to be found. If the lack of Cybers is what leads to war amongst planets, then let it happen.”
“How can you say that?” Keenan cried out. “After all, that I’ve JUST told you.”
“Look at this room,” he replied. “The six of us barely know each other, so we place distance between ourselves. The military boys have taken the corner by the exit, the scientists have taken their own perch in the middle of the action, and I’m all the way over here in the corner. Even with the distance between us, we have still managed to start a conflict. The same can be said throughout our history. Man founded the new world over a millennium and a half ago. Did it bring peace? No, of course, it didn’t. The Americans grew different from the rest of the world. Britain and France wanted their claim of this territory, and more wars broke out. When they were unsuccessful, they started warring with one another in world wars. Placing distance between nations did nothing to create peace. In fact, I dare say it did more harm than good. Do you think that placing these warring nations on other planets will solve the problem? Granted, it can delay the process due to the complexities of space travel, but it’s only a matter of time before governments grow restless from sharing the same system as other nations. More wars will break out. Planets will be conquered, billions will die, and we will be right back in the same boat we were in since our first recorded words. It is still within our blood, our very being, to destroy one another for various reasons. Without the Cybers, our people are doomed to continue destroying one another.”
“Do you really think the Cybers could stop it?” Haynes asked, deciding to join the conversation. “From where I’m standing, they just showed they’re as deadly and nasty as the rest of us.”
“That isn’t fair!” Vanessa snapped. “They had no control over their actions.”
“Precisely,” Jones continued. “Someone harnessed their power because they were designed to be tools. The second gens were the answer, but the governments were too afraid that they would take over. The second gen Cybers didn’t have wireless controls built into them. They were governed by their programming, but no one could hack into their systems and take control of them. Their hatred, prejudice, and warring ways had been blocked from their minds. If peace is ever to be achieved, then the second gens MUST be returned.”
“You’re insane,” Sanchez muttered. “No one in their right minds would go for that.”
Jones kept quiet. It was clear that the governments of the various planets would never commit to bringing back the second gens, especially after the attack on the courtroom. Thankfully, their commitment would not be necessary for much longer.
*****************
“Just hack into the system already!” Bearden snapped.
“It isn’t the same as the Tower,” Janys muttered. “The system is completely different. I only knew that one because I worked with it every day.”
Bearden ran a giant hand through the dark red mess that used to be his flat top hairstyle. Somehow, the events of the last two days had left his hair a mess, making him desire to avoid a mirror at all cost. He watched the Corporal, desperately trying to fulfill his order by hacking into the Divinity security grid. He wasn’t a computer expert himself, so he had to take her word that she would not be able to access the grid in a timely manner.
“Alright, let it go,” he muttered. “We need to stay focused.”
She slapped the screen and turned around, her light red ponytail slapping her in the face. Her mind didn’t accept failure as an option, but it was difficult to ignore the Sargent’s orders.
“Why did they stop?” she asked. “It’s been fifteen minutes and we haven’t seen a soul. Where’s the next team?”
“I don’t know. This place isn’t finished, so maybe they’re low on manpower right now. If you can’t access the cameras, then I guess we’ll just have to go see for ourselves.”
“And what about the Cybers, why didn’t they send them after us? Those two at the Tower mowed down ten of us like we were nothing. You’d think they’d, at least, send ONE after us by now.”
“You’d think, but maybe they’re spending their resources on Lache. I’m guessing they won’t leave him exposed for a potential hostage situation.”
Bearden snapped alert, a new thought forming in his mind.
“Okay, so you can’t access the grid, but can you access anything else?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she replied, looking back at the terminal. “What type of file were you thinking?”
“Anything from yesterday?” he replied. “We have the data pads, so we can show that they were going to kill us, but we need evidence of what happened yesterday. We need to show that Divinity was behind the whole attack.”
“You think they just have that stuff lying around?” she asked, her voice oozing with sarcasm. “We’d be better off going after Lache.”
Bearden swore to himself, realizing that the Corporal had a point. Still, he knew there had to be some trace of evidence from the attacks on the Tower, something to show the Earth’s government who the real enemy was.
“I guess I do have this?” she muttered, pulling a tiny chip from her hip pocket.
“What is it?” he asked.
“The memory chip from my data pad. I snagged it before Divinity claimed our weapons and gear.”
“I love you, seriously. Wish you would have said something sooner, but I’ll ignore that for now. Let’s just get the hell outta here.”
The two returned to the stairwell, checking both directions before descending to the next floor. Bearden peeked through the tiny window, noting that the floor seemed unoccupied. They silently stalked to the next floor, waiting for the next group of suited men to riddle them with bullets. They reached the next landing with no signs of human life.
Bearden looked through the window of the fifteenth floor. His brow furrowed as someone caught his attention.
“I don’t fucking believe it!” he snapped, pulling the door open.
Jan
ys tried to stop him, but the towering man shrugged her hand from his shoulder. She stepped through the doorway, realizing what had the Sargent in an uproar. The wall across the stairwell was clear plastic, showing a man sitting at a desk, seemingly hard at work. She instantly recognized the man, sharing the same rage that plagued her superior.
The Sargent smashed the clear door open, his pistol trained on the man sitting at the desk. The shorthaired man snapped alert, reaching for a gun that rested on the corner of his desk.
“Don’t even try it, Major,” Bearden snapped, closing the distance between him and the startled man. “Just keep your hands where I can see them.”
Janys stormed around the desk and lifted the gun from it, holster and all. She slung it over her shoulder, keeping her pistol aimed at the man’s face. He was an older man, his short hair turning gray with faint wrinkles on his brow. The eyes were nearly black, his iris’ holding such a dark brown shade. The Major’s face was locked in a permanent scowl as he looked up at the towering man before him.
“Sargent Bearden, Corporal James,” Major Xavier noted. “It seems you two have been stirring the hornet’s nest something fierce.”
“Can the crap,” Bearden snapped, annoyed with the calm tone of the Major. “Where the hell were you yesterday?”
The Major’s stern eyes looked to both of the battered soldiers, his expression never changing.
“I was ordered here,” he replied. “So here I am. Now, why don’t you two lower those guns and we’ll see if we can make sense of this mess?”
Janys looked to Bearden, uncertain if he would go with the suggestion. She fought her training, her body automatically attempting to follow the order from her superior. It seems the training was more effective than she anticipated.
“Don’t see that happening,” Bearden muttered. “So why don’t YOU start. Tell us what you know and maybe I’ll fill in the blanks.”
