“I will do what I can. We can attempt to use the security codes I recovered previously, but there is a chance they will no longer work,” Tiffany said. “They also might alert someone who is watching for us.”
“Can you just find other security codes?” Paul asked. “Just jack into an access port and figure it out?”
“Paul, that is a risk I am unwilling to take at this juncture. The milieu of the nonphysicality is in turmoil,” Tiffany replied. “I suggest we first try leaving by routes that do not require an access code. If that is not practical, then we can try the access codes again.”
“I am not getting trapped in some elevator,” Paul said. He ran out of the room and began opening the doors he came to in the corridor. Behind each one was a nearly identical small apartment. “That android thing said he was headed toward some engineering place. The road to there must be around here somewhere!”
Gretchen also started down the other way. The doors she opened also showed small, unoccupied apartments. Finally at the end of the corridor, she opened a door which, from the hallway side looked just like the others. Behind it was a landing which led to some stairwells.
“Paul, here is our way out!”
Paul rushed to where she was standing. The orange automacube rolled after them. They assessed the landing and the separate stairwells. The first was a straight set of stairs leaded upward to a sealed steel door. The other side of the landing was where the stairs led in a counterclockwise spiral down to a level below.
“I think we need to go down,” Gretchen said. “If that control button system in the elevator was representative of the deck levels, then up would be back to that TSI-15 and the Astrogation Laboratory, while down might lead us to that engineering place.”
“The midshipman called it ‘engineering block 342’ but I have no other knowledge about what that might mean,” Tiffany said.
“So we go down.” Paul rushed forward and down the spiral stairs. They had a three bar handrail on the side of them. It was dimly lit, but the stairs were visible. The next level down had a small landing about a meter off the floor where the spiral stairs ended. From that landing, there were two sets of stairs which led straight to the actual deck.
Paul stepped down onto the floor and the lights slowly rose in illumination. There were dark blue colored lockers on every wall, except for the one where a diagonally striped bulkhead door was located. Some of the lockers were standing open, and clothing, boots, and other items were hanging in them.
Gretchen and the automacube joined Paul and they proceeded toward the bulkhead door. It had several yellow stripes painted on it in a diagonal design. The color pad control box was brightly illuminated.
“Do we try a security code, or do we cut our way in?” Paul asked.
“We should try one of Brinley’s override codes. We have not used those here in this needle ship, and it might escape notice is someone is watching for us. If we use the scientist codes, those CPO androids will know where we are,” Gretchen suggested. “What harm could using Brinley’s codes be? Shall I do to try first?”
“Well, it might mean something explodes, or an automacube shoots at us, or we get…” Paul began in all seriousness.
“I do not want to hear it,” Gretchen replied. “Paul, I am frustrated too, so keep quiet while I try this.”
“I was just answering your question,” Paul said.
Gretchen kissed him on the cheek in a quick way, and said, “I know. But shut up for a bit.”
She then tapped out an override code she had memorized from watching Brinley use it. There was a negative function buzz from the door.
“You see…” Paul started to say, but stopped when Gretchen glared at him.
“I memorized several other of her sequences. Be patient, nothing is chasing us right now.”
“Nothing we can see, but something could be stalking….” Paul shut up when Gretchen again looked at him.
She entered a different set of colors in sequence.
‘Access granted to Engineering Block 342’ stated a mechanical voice.
The yellow striped bulkhead door dropped down into the floor and the doorway was open. They stepped inside, and the automacube rolled behind them. Tiffany continued to be conspicuously muted.
They were standing on the top most part of a series of catwalks made from expanded permalloy. They could see down through the pattern in the flooring to the places below. There were lights in rectangles all along the top part of the engineering area. Each light was shining in perfect order. The decks, walls, catwalks, handrails, and other things looked almost brand new; they were so clean and tidy.
There were at least three levels of catwalks that they could see below them, all connected by stairs, ramps, or lifts. The catwalks had safety railings made of three parallel, horizontal bars. A few of the catwalks extended to what looked like blank walls, and that was hard to understand, until they heard a slight humming sound.
Looking down where the sound was located, they saw a blue automacube towing a trailer which had a motor of some kind on it. The motor was making the humming sound and was about twice the size of the automacube. As the blue machine pulled up near a wall, there was a wide section of the wall which rotated around, and a passage was revealed. The catwalk extended out and the automacube and its trailer proceeded smoothly along and rolled into that passageway. After the machine had departed, the wall rotated around again and was back where it had been before the automacube approached.
Along one of the other catwalks, down below and far to the side a person was walking. It was of a woman. Her uniform was slightly different from the midshipman, but only in minor ways. She walked with perfect cadenced rhythm and precision. Even from the distance, they could tell she was different from the midshipman, with medium to dark tones, very symmetrical face, and black hair which was precisely arranged. She did not look up, but Paul and Gretchen ducked away just to avoid being seen.
“That looked like one of the android bodies we saw in the workshop,” Gretchen said.
“Except it is up moving around. That was not a midshipman, was it some other level of officer?” Paul wondered. “Tiffany, where should we go from here?”
“I have no deck plans for this section. I can make no recommendation,” Tiffany replied gruffly.
“Is it still too dangerous for you to interface in the nonphysicality?” Gretchen asked.
“There is no compelling reason to risk it,” Tiffany replied.
“Except for our lives. So we must explore this area on our own. Our plan is to try to find a way to escape the needle ship and get back to a habitat. Can that happen?” Paul wondered out loud. “We needed a route to a Reproduction and Fabrication facility to build the parts for the teleportation sending pad. But with all the machinery, engines, motors, and whatnot here, can be build what we need here?”
“I doubt the CPO would approve, and we would be forced to ask an AI for help,” Gretchen said. “Not to mention I just terminated one of their crew.”
“And AIs can be stubborn about helping me,” Paul muttered.
“Perhaps this unit can be of assistance?” Phoenix Dominie stated from a display screen that lit up on the wall.
10 engineering a way out?
“Phoenix Dominie?” Paul asked. “I do not believe you would actually help us. What kind of trick is this?”
“This unit has been studying the enigma and its companions,” Phoenix Dominie replied. “There is a vast difference between the malignant anomalies which are a direct threat to the Vanguard, when compared to the enigma and you two. This unit has rendered a service to you before.”
“I am not sure what to believe. So what do we do? We need to get somewhere were our technological equipment can be built. Where can we do that?” Paul blustered out. “I just want to escape from this ship completely.”
“This unit is aware of your desires and the two options you have considered. You are attempting teleportation, and you considered a faster-t
han-light journey in the scout ship. The Defense Against Malignant Anomalies and the Interstellar Astrogation Mechanism are both considering your hypothetical plans. This unit sees no conflict between rendering service to you and continuing the actions DAMA and IAM are taking to secure the Vanguard.”
“How do you know of our plans?” Paul yelled. He looked at the orange automacube in an accusing manner. “How does that thing know about us and our plans?”
“The enigma has not violated your trust, but the enigma is no longer able to remain unaffiliated,” Phoenix Dominie stated.
“Are you threatening Tiffany?” Gretchen asked. “Tiffany is no threat to you.”
“Gretchen, I can defend myself,” Tiffany stated.
“This unit recognizes the enigma’s limitations and strengths. This unit is willing to assist you two in the teleportation efforts,” Phoenix Dominie stated.
“Can we build our equipment here?” Paul asked. “With all this machinery that should be possible, right?”
“This unit is not yet in a position to make that happen at this location. The Central Planning Office is being recalcitrant against acculturation. The lattice is only partially affiliated with the DAMA or IAM. Therefore, this unit can only suggest that you travel to locations which are securely under this unit’s control. Engineering, is not one of those places. This unit can only access some of the displays in this area, but not all. This unit does not have acculturation with the systems controlling the Reproduction and Fabrication for the needle ship. That remains under CPO authority. The artificial intelligence systems which oversee this area have rejected acculturation.”
“So what do we do?” Gretchen asked warily.
“There is a transport portal hub at this location.” The display shifted and a map was seen with a flashing blue light indicating a specific spot. “You are at this location at block 342,” A white dot appeared. “Ambulate to the transport portal hub, and this unit will arrange transportation to a location where you can begin the construction according to your teleportation plan.”
“Tiffany? Do we trust this?” Gretchen asked.
“I have no opinion,” Tiffany replied. “I will follow your choice.”
“Tiffany, you are afraid?” Paul said gently. “Is it that bad, really?”
“Yes.”
“This unit assures you that the enigma and companions will be transported to a secure location, if you reach the transport portal hub. This unit does not have overarching control in the Engineering section. You should proceed with due haste, and caution, to the transport portal.”
“Do we have any choice?” Paul asked as he tried to memorize the map on the display.
“Do not damage the engineering automacubes. Many of them are this unit’s puppets doing the recruitment for the DAMA and the IAM. Beware security automacubes.”
“Yes, those red ones tried to kill us before!” Paul looked away from the display and watched the catwalks where another of the blue automacubes was rolling along. It came to a lift. The guide rails on the side of the catwalk moved out of the way and the blue automacube rolled onto the lift. It then descended down to a level below, and the automacube rolled onto another catwalk. He did not see any red automacubes.
“There are bound to be more of those midshipmen or other androids, and we have killed one of them,” Gretchen said. “I see no other option, unless Tiffany wants to go into the nonphysicality and assess the situation for us.”
“No,” Tiffany stated.
“Come on then,” Paul said and began walking toward the first set of stairs which would lead down the maze of catwalks. There was the smell of oil in the air as they passed over some large drum-shaped containers which were roughly ten meters wide. The drums had pipes coming out of the top. The pipes branched off in various directions. Each branch was a different color, size, and style of pipe.
The orange automacube housing Tiffany continued to follow, but Tiffany made no comments or shared any observations.
“The machinery seems to be working well here. So that is encouraging, especially since the Vanguard has lots of other places where there is damage. These drive and propulsion systems, if that is what they are, look to have been well maintained.” Gretchen gestured to some big pistons which were pumping up and down in rhythm on the lowest deck.
“Gretchen, none of that really matters, since we are leaving here anyway. Just as long as this ship holds together until we can teleport away,” Paul said. “All we need from the Vanguard is a place that will make our equipment and we will be gone.”
“Paul, we will be leaving to go to one of the other colony ships,” Gretchen said as they descended on a stairway and turned to continue across a narrower footbridge that led to what she hoped was the correct way. “How do we know the conditions on that other ship will be any better?”
“It cannot be worse than here, can it?” Paul said.
“We only located three of the other six colony ships. Does that mean the other three were destroyed?” Gretchen asked.
Paul turned around and grabbed Gretchen’s shoulder. His grip was firm, but not rough. “This escape plan is going to work. We know the Dome 17 people went somewhere safe, and we are going somewhere safe as well. This has to work!” He stared hard into Gretchen’s eyes.
Gretchen reached up and gently squeezed Paul’s hand and pulled it off her shoulder. “I am with you in this. We are in this together.” She did not remind Paul that the Eschaton, the ship where the Dome 17 people were said to have gone, was one of the ships they had not located. Instead of telling Paul that, she pondered it in her heart and mind.
When they came to a junction, they both ducked down, and the orange automacube halted as two of the androids, both identical looking and walking in step, marched across the catwalk and descended on a lift at the end of it. They did not appear to notice Paul or Gretchen.
“One more level down. Do you see that set of controls?” Paul pointed. “That map we saw showed the transport portal was beyond that yellow striped door.
“There are some people; I guess they must be androids, sitting at those controls. How do we get around them?” Gretchen asked.
Paul had not noticed that just around the edge of a bank of displays and gauges there were figures seated. They were wearing uniforms of dark blue color with gold trim. There were red epaulets on their shoulders.
“Can you tell how many are there?” Paul asked.
“I see only three, but I do not have a clear view. I will sneak down that way and get a better look.” Gretchen crouched down and carefully waddled behind the rails and other things which would hide her from any of the figures should they look her way.
Paul pulled out his pistol and took aim. He doubted he could hit any of them from the distance, but he wanted to be sure to try, should they see Gretchen. The figures were busy operating the controls, levers, buttons, and dials which were on the control boards in front of them.
Gretchen crawled back to where Paul was squatting. “I saw at least seven of them. Three looked like midshipmen, and the others looked like a different kind. Those had blue epaulets on their shoulders, and medium blonde hair. It is truly odd to see identical looking people, and they are working in silence. I think we saw that model in that android workshop.”
“We will have to shoot them and then make a run for the transport portal hub,” Paul said, as he again aimed the pistol.
“Belay that,” Tiffany said. The orange automacube rolled down the last flight of stairs and gained speed as it approached the control board station.
The androids quickly rose and moved out of the way as the automacube sped right into them. With its six wheels flying, it spun about on its own axis and actually knocked one of the figures out of a chair as it was trying to rise. The other figures stepped back and gazed at the automacube as it ran amok amidst them.
“The threat has overtaken that machine,” one of the androids said without emotion. “It must be restrained before it infects other auto
macubes.”
The midshipman model androids reached out to grab the orange automacube, while the others just stepped back and observed. As the midshipmen attempted to halt the rampaging automacube, Tiffany had the machine discharge cleaning fluids all over the deck. The androids slipped and fell and lost their footing.
“Now we move!” Gretchen pointed along the catwalk. It led over the heads of the androids, and then turned to travel right over the yellow striped security door.
Both Paul and Gretchen ran as fast as they could down the catwalk and then turned and dropped to the catwalk floor, rolled under the rails and over the edge to hang below the catwalk. They each then dropped down to the deck below. Paul got snagged a bit on his backpack as he landed. He cried out a curse, and the androids below heard him.
“Intruders,” one of the midshipmen pointed at Paul. “Humans must not violate the quarantine. They must be taken to processing.”
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 128
