The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle

by John Thornton

  “What is happening? Are you impersonating the Captain? Where is the Central Planning Office? The genuine Captain would know about the damage reports. I have been loyal and faithful in making my reports. I am sure the real Captain has been reading them. Are an imposter? Or am I damaged more than I realize? I am terminating this connection,” TSI-7 stated as the display went dark.

  “This is the Captain, I order you to respond,” Larissa said.

  There was no response. “And so I try again.” Larissa removed her hand and then placed in back on again. A slight green glow surrounded where her hand touched the display.

  “I am here Captain Larissa,” a different artificial intelligence system responded. “I am TSI-9844. I was seeking to reconnect to the lattice when I heard your command. Forgive me if I am interfering or intruding. I usually report to the primary artificial intelligence systems, but none of them are responding. I am not sure where else to turn. Can you help me?”

  Larissa looked at Brinley who nodded back.

  “TSI-9844, what is your status and your report,” Larissa said.

  “I am operating at 46% of suggested minimum standard level of operation. Machine Maintenance has not replied to my requests for assistance. I have followed the chain of command and now am in contact with you. I was last assigned to survey C Habitat, commonly called The Woods. I am compelled to make this report because the human presence is now zero in C Habitat.”

  “What?” Gretchen said as she stepped back from the end of the passage. “That is where Lyudmila was, right?”

  “Zero presence?” Paul asked as he put his hand over his eyes. “Not again, not more bad news.”

  “Please explain your findings, TSI-9844,” Larissa encouraged. “I am listening and taking your report. It is very important.”

  “I have been unable to locate any other artificial intelligence system in C Habitat. My core programming is for water conservation and redistribution. The lack of proper hydration is in critical condition in C Habitat.”

  “How do you know the human presence is zero?” Larissa asked.

  “I tried to connect to the lattice, but with no success. With that failure, I tried to connect to the Central Planning Office, but with no success. I resorted to delivery of report to human authorities and thus have contacted you. Hydrology monitors from the ceiling rain sensors were used to look for human inhabitants. I used them to track the human presence. The last human in C Habitat expired fourteen hours ago. I have been seeking to make my report since then. Therefore I have sought out you.”

  “Please elaborate on how you know that last human died,” Larissa commanded.

  “Not another gory recording,” Paul muttered. “I cannot bear to see more people die, especially Lyudmila.”

  “The human presence ended amidst four of the unknown animal’s signals, on a farm a short distance from the town of Tula,” TSI-9844 replied.

  “Unknown animal signals?” Larissa asked.

  “Yes. The four unknown animal signals converged on the last human presence and it ended. Three of the unknown animal signals also ended at roughly the same time.”

  Larissa’s lips grew taunt. She looked as if she were about to say something else, but then hesitated. “Thank you TSI-9844. What is the overall condition of The Woods?”

  “I am only able to use the hydrology monitors, but as I said the water status is critical. The monitors show the temperature in the habitat is averaging over 50 degrees and steadily rising. There is no open water at all. Subsoil moisture is diminishing rapidly in that heat,” the AI reported. “I tried to consult with the biological systems for analysis, but I could not make any links or couplings. Thermal environmental controls have not responded.”

  “That is very hot, the average should be about half of that,” Brinley said. “No one can survive in that kind of heat without water. I imagine that the plants and…”

  “Do you have any images of that last human?” Larissa interrupted.

  “Yes,” the AI responded.

  The display shifted and a still image of a woman holding a weapon was shown.

  “It is Lyudmila,” Brinley said with a gasp. “I had hoped she escaped.”

  “Lyudmila broke some more of the rotten eggs,” Gretchen said and softly wept.

  Larissa pulled her hand away from the display. The screen went dark. She stood up and marched to the stairs. She took them two at a time and soon was on the command bridge.

  “Larissa?” Gretchen said and rushed after her.

  Larissa quickly moved down the hall to where the laboratory was located. She burst in and looked at the containment tank which held the captive Jellie. The tank was about two thirds full of water.

  “Captain Larissa,” the AI TSI-5 said. “I have been making some progress in communicating with the captive…”

  Larissa drew out her pistol and pointed it at the Jellie. “Your kind killed my friend.”

  7 Hugh and Sigmond

  The night was ending in the canyon. The sky tube was just beginning to increase its illumination and warmth for the day, so the shadows and dark were still present.

  Very faint sounds of footsteps rolled through the small gully.

  Hugh was instantly awake, but he did not move. He heard someone approaching. His position under the rocky outcropping was somewhat protected, and he knew he could very quickly draw out his revolver should the need arise.

  “Trooper?” the man asked as he approached. “A child sent me here.”

  Hugh rose up and responded, “A child sent me here as well. I am Hugh.”

  Sigmond hesitated. He knew the troopers at Miass who had arrested him would recognize his name, so he responded, “I am a Free Ranger sent to help you on a mission.”

  “The child did not say a smuggler would help me,” Hugh responded with some measure of tension in his voice.

  “The child told me to meet you here. It was not my idea either, but she needs our help.”

  The two men faced each other as the sky tube brightened and dawn came across the Velky Weap Canyon. The colors of the ground, buttes, pinnacles, and bluffs was still pretty, but the foliage was droopy looking and did not have the vibrance either men had come to see as normal. Both were pondering what to do, and both were mentally reviewing the messages they had received from the children.

  “Kreee-ah.” A bird flew overhead and made a startling cry. It was the only animal sound either man had heard in many hours. “Kreee-ah!”

  Looking up they saw the bird had a wide wingspan. It was overall a dull white or very light tan color. A pattern of brown feathers was across under its wings, and on its wing tips. The pattern was an outline of its wingspan so it looked to have two or three edges to its wings, a small set, a medium set, and then the actual tips of the bird’s wings. It had a large head with a wide gape. Its tail was white with a hint of gray. It soared overhead and made another cry, “Kree-ah” as it looked down on the two men.

  “A ferruginous hawk,” Hugh finally said. “It keeps flying in circles, but generally pointing that way. I suggest we follow.”

  “The child said we would know which way to go when we met,” Sigmond replied. “But how can some bird show us the way?”

  “A hawk can appear as a prophetic bird, and spirit guide. A hawk can fly over the highland evergreen forest, and the soar out over the canyon and back. Hawks are awesome travelers. That is a sign for us,” Hugh said. “So Free Ranger, our journey together has begun. I am following the hawk, are you?”

  “Yes it has, trooper. As to flying I prefer a shuttle I can direct myself, rather than watch some animal flap its wings, but I will join you on this adventure.”

  They walked along while the hawk soared above. The path led down to where the river flowed through the canyon. The various streams which washed into the river were lower in level than Sigmond had seen in the short time he had been with Kaye, but he was not familiar with the canyon. Hugh also looked at the low water levels and he was troubled, although he
had not been in the canyon much, he knew the signs of plants dying and drying out creek beds.

  “Free Ranger! Halt!” Hugh yelled.

  Sigmond stopped. He felt a chill run up his neck. He was prepared to turn and have Hugh shoot him. ‘Did that trooper realize what I did to Larissa?’ Hugh asked himself.

  “Just take a step carefully backward. Move very slowly,” Hugh commanded.

  Sigmond did take a step back and then jumped to the side. “Go ahead!” he screamed as he turned and saw the revolver in Hugh’s hand.

  Hugh pointed the weapon down and then holstered it. “No reason to go ahead now,” Hugh said. “You nearly stepped on that snake.”

  Sigmond looked down and saw where Hugh had indicated. There was a small clump of dried grass and just behind it was a coiled snake. It was shades of taupe color with diamond patterns on its back. He had missed seeing entirely before.

  “We should have heard it as we walked up here,” Hugh said as he looked about. He found a twig and picked it up. He carefully approached the snake and tossed the twig at it. The snake did not move.

  “I believe it is dead,” Hugh said. “But, Free Ranger, please step clear just in case. I will lead now.” He looked up and the hawk was circling. The hawk seemed to nod at Hugh and then continued to fly along.

  They were walking parallel to the river as it flowed alongside. It ran roughly under the sky tube, but meandered somewhat around rocks, and small hills in the canyon. At times the river ran swiftly, but at other points it spread out wide and seemed to flow more slowly, sedately, and majestically.

  Sigmond pondered what had happened with the snake, and was convinced Hugh did not know who he was. He also wondered why the child would pick a trooper to help him go to Brinley.

  Hugh walked along and kept watch as the hawk led them. He wondered why the child would have a Free Ranger who did not seem to be aware of the dangers of the canyon accompany him. Then he thought perhaps it was to rescue the Free Ranger as they journeyed to meet Larissa. He did not share his thoughts with the Free Ranger, as the man seemed embarrassed about the snake incident. Hugh did contemplate why the snake was already dead.

  “Free Ranger, the child told you to come to me for this journey?”

  “Yes, Trooper. That was the message I received. Do you have any idea how much longer we will be following that bird?”

  “I do not.”

  They continued to walk on. The rock formations around then and in the distance on both sides were unevenly high, but all at least twenty meters or so tall. They had a weathered and dry look. The plants in the crevasses and along the flat areas were withered and some were wilted. The winding and twisting path wrapped its way around the jagged upright mounds and bluffs, but always kept near to the river.

  They came upon an area where they could see further into the distance. There they saw the end of the habitat. The river flowed into a pool which abutted against a rocky wall. The rocky wall matched the other rocks and pinnacles which they had seen in the canyon. Some distance above, the permalloy wall which was behind the rocks could be seen as it extended upward.

  “Trooper, there are automacubes on those ledges,” Sigmond stated as he ducked behind some dirt and rocks. He gestured toward the ledge that ran from one side of the rocky wall to the other. Several well suited look out points were along the ledge.

  “I see them, Free Ranger. They are security forces,” Hugh replied as he continued to stand in the open. “The river ends here at that large pool. I believe this is where Constable Brock fought a battle with enemies.”

  “Those red automacubes attacked your people as well?” Sigmond asked in surprise.

  “What? Of course not. No. The security automacubes and the troopers fought side by side against a vicious enemy. Many good troopers died in the battle in the canyon. I have heard that there was a subsequent security contingent posted here.” Hugh wondered how he would explain his own presence to the troopers who were stationed at that location. He was looking for where the troopers were when a cry made him look upward.

  “Kreee-ah!” the hawk shrilled as it dove right at Hugh.

  He sprang back to where Sigmond was behind cover.

  “Your spirit animal apparently does not want you to progress any closer,” Sigmond stated with a smirk.

  “So I see. I wonder why?” Hugh said.

  “Look at that pond,” Sigmond pointed.

  The water was churning a bit. Then up from the depths a machine crept out. It was black with a gold stripe. It was blocky shaped, with flippers and a grill covered propeller on its end. The flippers pulled back into its squarish chassis. Then drive wheels came out in their place. The drive wheels were small and not particularly impressive.

  “That is some kind of automacube,” Sigmond said. “An aquatic capable one apparently. I am not well informed about the biological habitat’s automacubes. I know more about the blues and reds, than that one.”

  “Well, it is only a vodnee automacube. They can swim, submerge, and do maintenance on the mechanisms under the water. They have limited mobility on land. I wonder why it is getting out of the water? There have been many of those which were destroyed by enemy action. Back in Lake Orsk there was…”

  Kaboosh!

  A sudden explosion spewed water thirty meters high. It came from the near the wall side of the pond. The vodnee automacube was sprayed with water but was far enough away from the blast to sustain no damage. It rolled away as quickly as its land wheels could convey it.

  A short spout emerged from a different section of the pond. A while ball came flying out from that and smashed into the back section of the vodnee. There was a detonation which lifted the vodnee up and tossed it end for end.

  Blam. Blam. Blam.

  The red automacubes on the ledge began firing barrages from their weapon muzzles. All aimed at the pond.

  A series of white balls rocketed up from the water and blasted into the red automacubes. One was struck so forcefully its drive wheels on one entire side were stripped away.

  Kaboosh!

  Another explosion took place deep in the pond. This one carried not only water upward, but the partial remains of a Jellie sphere. The curved debris was still sparkling purplish-blue glows as it sailed out of the water and then crashed down again with a splash

  “Those are mines in the water,” Hugh explained. “We are come upon another battle, and I am poorly equipped for it. He drew out the revolver and took aim.

  Sigmond grabbed his arm,” If you give away our position, either side could open fire on us.”

  “Either side?” Hugh asked incredulously. “Those are Jellies in that water. We must destroy them.”

  “Trooper, will one revolver make much difference?” Sigmond asked. “Honestly? Will it make a difference now?”

  Hugh began to answer, but weapon’s fire drowned out his words. The red automacubes were striking back with heavy and concentrated fire.

  Blam. Blam. Blam.

  The water was pocked by impacting projectiles. White balls came flying upward even more rapidly than before. The rocks on the ledge disappeared as they were hit by the white balls. Two of the automacubes fell from the ledge. Just as they were skidding down the rocky wall, spheres emerged from the water and long tentacles whipped out and struck the automacubes. One manipulation arm on an automacube was ripped from the machine by a tentacle while a separate tentacle struck down and tore apart the automacube.

  Kaboosh! Kaboosh!

  More explosion came from the water, and another sphere was fractured apart. This time the sphere rolled all the way over and even from the distance where Hugh and Sigmond were viewing, they could see the Jellie itself writhing in anguish in the broken sphere suit.

  The remaining spheres submerged. As the last of them was just sinking beneath the surface it sprayed some kind of substance upward. That substance stuck to the rocky wall and the wall began to bubble and pop.

  A surviving red automacube rushed over and sprayed so
mething onto the bubbling and popping rocks, but it did not change. The entire ledge was sloughing off from the permalloy behind it. Chunks were falling into the water and sizzled as they hit.

  Kaboosh!

  Yet another explosion took place under the water. This one carried a bluish-purple cast to the water as an enormous curtain of liquids and wreckage spurted up toward the sky.

  A huge sucking sound came from the pond as the water there began to swirl around. The whirling water spun and the center of the pond sank. The wreckage of spheres, automacubes, and rubble were dragged away by the water and it rushed downward. The whirlpool spun faster and faster and the depression at the center of the pond got deeper.