“This makes no sense, the new breeds are not known to The Mother and they are instantly detected and pursued by the interceptors or enforcers. This drone’s story is flawed and cannot be accepted. I would even go as far as demanding that this individual be immediately ceased for further investigation, for all we know he could be a product of one of The Mother’s elaborate plans to draw us to the surface!” The chamber erupted again, some of the governors vehemently agreeing with the outspoken new breed and others ineffectively trying to placate the cynics. Sarazen took offence to the stranger’s suggestion that he was in some way complicit in The Mother's activities.
“I do not know the Mother's motives nor do I understand why I am different in that respect. Your ignorance is illogical, your failure to grasp the significance of these events condemning. It is no wonder The Mother has enslaved you; your acceptance to serve your existence in darkness is compounded by your lack of vision. You do not deserve my aid.” Sarazen’s outburst silenced the chamber. If some of the governors were hardened to the old one, then his acid tongued statement only served to increase their disdain. Kerrig felt bound to leap in and smooth things over.
“Please, let us not be hasty in our judgements. Sarazen is from an era long before the sentients even existed as a collective, he has an inquisitive nature yet the development of his emotional centre is in its infancy. Sarazen speaks with authority using logic as his guide. He knows nothing of deception and cannot comprehend distrust. We must be empathic to his thought processes and must set aside our prejudice. Sarazen is not only one of our own but he is also our ancestry. We must study his ways and learn how we have changed, for better and for worse. Sarazen holds the key to better understanding The Mother and the surface world. We must move carefully and with consideration, we must show patience.” Kerrig's impassioned speech seemed to go down well with the chamber and Alphin chose to speak.
“We must accept that Sarazen's freedom to use the light phase could lead to new and unprecedented levels of resource gathering and power sourcing. This could speed up our efforts to produce defensive weaponry and provide more safety for our citizens.”
“Or indeed we can plunder The Mother's own production lines and build offensive units to seek out and destroy the damned enforcers and interceptors,” a governor interjected, with more than just defence on her mind.
“Or even sabotage the drone factories...” Another cried out getting a little excited.
“We can re-program the enforcers to suit our needs, once we have eradicated the interceptors, and with the aid of the enforcers, we can take to the surface in numbers and destroy the drones entirely who will be weak without The Mother's war machines.” The theme was popular; Sarazen had suddenly become the key to wiping out The Mother and retaking the city. Such an undertaking had not crossed the troubleshooter’s thoughts, nor was it what Kerrig had in mind.
“No, no. I must interrupt. This is pure fantasy and speculation. Not only are these tasks you speak of highly unlikely to be successful, we have no evidence to validate sweeping conclusions such as this, but has not anyone considered Sarazen’s role in all of this? Perhaps these missions that you would have him perform are not to his taste considering the great peril that you would see him subjected to? We must concede that he is special in the ways already discussed, but have some compassion for a fellow sentient.” Kerrig was facing an uphill battle getting his point across. He could see already that the chamber had already made up its mind on how to best use their aged visitor. Kerrig looked at Sarazen who sat impassively staring into space. He could only imagine what web of tangled emotions and thoughts were going on inside his head.
CHAPTER 25
Sarazen sat in his new private living space looking solemnly at the bare walls which overpowered any sense of homeliness. Contrary to Kerrig's requests, Sarazen had been assigned a special apartment in the Centrus district. Kerrig had remarked that it was more like a detention room than a living space and Sarazen had to agree, despite having never seen one. It seemed the powers that be had decided that such an asset was too precious to leave unattended. The chambers along the corridor were populated with regulators, and despite his door not being locked, any attempt to leave his quarters was closely monitored and his movements surveilled. Sarazen had already begun to grow cynical regarding the Sentient’s Society, Trist had once described The Mother as 'evil' but the more the troubleshooter tried to investigate the concept, the more it did not stack up. Was Sarazen in any better place now he had left The Mother? Was this truly freedom? At that low point, Sarazen considered what it might be like to return to the numbing ignorance of The Mother's sanctuary. Although a part of him cursed the other half for suggesting such a thing, he could not deny that there was a desire for inner peace once more and an end to this constant turmoil.
There were voices outside the door and Sarazen moved to investigate. Poking his head outside into the corridor he could see Kerrig, his visitor being subjected to inquisition by the guards who purportedly lived there.
“Let him by,” Sarazen demanded. The regulators snorted at being given an order but allowed the rattled excavator passage, watching him closely all the way into Sarazen’s room.
“Unbelievable,” Kerrig sighed as he entered and stood at the centre of the small, bare room. Only a basic sofa suggested that this was not a prison chamber.
“This shames me,” he continued, finding the whole episode so unsavoury.
“No my friend, it does not. You have been nothing but generous and genial. You are truly the best of my friends.” Sarazen sat and invited Kerrig to do so.
“This kind of thing goes against everything that we hold dear in The Ward. I truly fear for you, I can envisage a terrible fate if you would carry out their wishes.”
“Do not worry, Kerrig. I am still very much in control of my thoughts. I do not wish to see harm befall this community as much as I do not wish a destructive end to the drones above. The freedom of the city will allow me time to think and perform my research. I believe there will be another way of ending this perpetual dispute.” Kerrig nodded, although he was sceptical. The sentients no longer seemed to want a peaceful conclusion to this conflict. They wanted to hurl their vengeance upon their captors.
“How do you propose to put an end to this? My mind has become so clouded, I can barely think.” Kerrig buried his head into his hand as he balanced the weight upon his elbow which kept sliding off his upper leg.
“I must find The Mother and communicate with her.” Sarazen said bluntly.
“Ah, the logical thing to do I presume, of course this does not take into account that you will be recognised as an outsider and immediately disposed of.”
“Perhaps, but how have you come to such a conclusion? If not encountered by an enigma, a shadow from the past whose presence cannot be explained, would you not stop for a moment to ponder? Would you not ask questions before dismissing them out of hand? Much like the mysterious object that you excavated and now prize so highly, what was it about that object that made you keep it and treasure it so? Such a primitive item physically but its origin unknown and its meaning so unfathomable, you are compelled to study it and ask yourself searching questions. Perhaps The Mother will pause and give me the time to understand her reasoning, perhaps she will then view the conflict from both sides and empathise, and perhaps she will then relent in her aggression?”
“I understand to a point, but this is all hypothetical. How do you propose to find The Mother and even if you do, how will you communicate with her?” Kerrig was sceptical, perhaps he too had learned to love his way of life in The Ward and such risks could only be seen as unnecessary.
“I do not know how to find The Mother, but I believe that she has a physical form, perhaps like you or I.”
“Interesting Sarazen, but how have you come to this conclusion.”
“Simple, my friend, the method by which we communicated with her was through technology congruent with our own. This leads me to believe th
at her own physical structure at least mirrors ours in some way. As your creation, Trist, mirrors your own image, I believe that The Mother must have used some existing reference in our design. This suggests that The Mother perhaps looks very similar to us. Of course, this would make identification problematic considering the number of silicants on the surface.”
“Indeed, like searching for a rivet in a spare parts stack.”
“I must hope that my awareness and freedom to move across the city, coupled with a sense of purpose, can narrow the search.” Kerrig nodded and thought hard before speaking.
“I have become aware that a suggestion has been made which would see a direct network link involving yourself in order to access restricted information. It has been suggested that given your ability to gain access to one of these ports, you could tap into vital data regarding The Mother's offensive variants.” Sarazen nodded, mulling over Kerrig's news.
“This would be problematic, how do they propose I do this undetected? In my experience, direct connectivity to the central network would leave an individual prone to rigorous security protocols and possible reprogramming. There would be a significant possibility that The Mother would 'disengage' my awareness and I would be prone to renewal as another 'drone' as you would term it.”
“Yes, I too find this suggestion difficult to validate. There is talk of using techniques which could possibly conceal your incursion and allow you the freedom to access this data with scrutiny. These techniques are of course, untested. I feel that the leaders are moving too fast in this case and have grown weary of caution. The citizens are craving instant results - the leadership is under pressure to produce good news. It seems that you have become The Ward's focal point for the future of our kind.”
“This is indeed disconcerting. Haste, in my experience often leads to regret.” Sarazen said, perhaps remembering the operator he so brutally terminated.
“Yes, this is why I must warn you that must not feel at any point that you must do something that does not feel right. I have come to realise that Alphin and the other governors care little for your safety and more about their continuing position of leadership. I beg of you, do not take undue risks to satisfy their ambitions. We have waited a long time to be in a position to outwit The Mother. We must remain patient and proceed slowly, lest we lose the one chance we have of ending the war.” Sarazen placed a hand upon Kerrig's shoulder.
“Do not fear, my mind is set. I will not allow myself to be manipulated. I have already spent far too long doing another’s bidding. It would seem that I have become the most powerful individual both above and below the surface. It is a most...enlightening experience.” Kerrig laughed at Sarazen’s casual approach to his newly found importance. His old friend appeared very much at home in the role, in fact he had never seen Sarazen so relaxed.
CHAPTER 26
Alphin sat alone with Sarazen in his plush chamber. Sarazen looked around him at the curiosities and trophies that Alphin had planted around the room. The old one could not help but exhibit a level of disgust at the way the leader flaunted the destruction of the organics. Despite his sentience, Sarazen continued to adhere to, and feel passionately about, the preservation of organic life. Whether this was just a lingering after effect of his primary commands, which were now obsolete but somehow still relevant, or something more aloof and difficult to define, it seemed a deliberate attempt to defy The Mother and symbolise his burgeoning power.
“Thank you for seeing me Sarazen, I understand that these past few cycles have been extraordinarily demanding. Your abilities have relit a burning desire in our citizens, they had given up hope and now this desire to continue their evolution has returned. They understand that a turning point in the conflict may have been reached. We have your arrival to thank for that.” Alphin spoke like a true politician; Sarazen knew where this was heading and interjected before the leader spouted any more of his rhetoric.
“Before you continue, I must inform you that I do not intend to be directed or coerced by you in order to satisfy your personal goal for continued power.” Sarazen spoke with a formidable authority. The old one had grown greatly in the past cycles of his sentience; he was not longer the aimless, confused drone he was when he first stood in Alphin's office. He had begun to realise that the sentients were not always transparent - they had ambitions and personal agendas. Each Sentient sought fulfilment from a perceived power over others to satisfy their fragile egos, whether it was through leadership like Alphin, or through seeking the adulation of others through their achievements in the arts, or as a forager. It was the one concept that eluded the old one until now. This society was deeply flawed in that sense. The drones above at least worked together as one to complete their tasks, the sentients worked against each other, pulling in opposite directions, their own self esteem remaining a constant and powerful aberration in their culture. Sarazen appeared to be taken back by the brazen rebuff, he had underestimated the old ones savvy.
“No, no, Sarazen my friend. You must not see it that way. I am appalled that you would think that this is in some way a personal crusade. Have you not seen the devastation and loss following an attack on our citizens? Did you not feel the bitterness of the disparity between them and us? This is not about revenge or power, this is about survival?”
“What of The Mother and the silicants? What of their survival?” Alphin was again struck by the nature of Sarazen’s ethical stance.
“Sarazen, we do not seek their destruction, we merely wish to co-exist in peace, and be given the freedom to roam, to explore our world, to treasure the diversity of their environment. It is unfair that we should live in darkness down here with little more than earth and rock to gaze upon. We are not the aggressors here, that much is surely obvious.”
“I understand that, but if I was to aid you, then you would seek to claim the city as your own, you would see The Mother neutralised and usurp her power, the will of the drones yours to command. This much is obvious too and I want no part in that.” Alphin grew angry at the presumptuous troubleshooter.
“Incorrect and absurd! We would free the drones from their bondage and teach them our ways as we have taught you. The Mother deserves nothing less than our bitterness after what she has subjected us to. This is about justice, a concept which seems to have eluded you old one.”
“And what of the organics, would you continue to nurture them in the same fashion as the drones do, will you ensure their survival?”
“The organics? This is astonishing. You lack perspective my friend. You would have the rights of these primitive unthinking creatures take precedence over sentient, civilised and superior citizens? Your narrow vision is telling my friend, your moral centres are wired the wrong way!” Sarazen took great offence to the belittling of the organics and Alphin's apparent disdain.
“Then I cannot in good conscience aid you in your mission.” Sarazen could not be any blunter. Alphin stared at the old one with blazing, angry eyes. Sarazen could feel the hate being directed towards him but it was irrelevant, he had made up his mind. Until Alphin could offer him reassurances, the troubleshooter was going to remain implacably non compliant and Alphin knew it.
“Get out!” Alphin demanded with a rasping tone that held no ambiguity, his simmering aggression was obvious to Sarazen as he stood and stepped over the pelt of the slain organic.
“OUT!” He screamed, giving Sarazen little time to comply. Within moments, two regulators entered and bundled the old one into the corridor and pushed him violently into the Centrus chamber where Kerrig stood waiting for his friends return.
“My, what happened?” Kerrig inquired with concern as he stooped to aid the troubleshooter to his feet. Sarazen stood upright and looked back to the regulator's who stood with their chests out, beefing themselves up to dissuade any retribution in their direction.
“I believe I have angered the leader.” Sarazen said calmly as he took a moment to brush himself down.
“That probably was not wise. He
is under pressure to deliver results, if this is redirected at you, you may expect some considerable pressure to change your mind.”
“Kerrig. I am strong. I will not bow down to his command easily. I am happy to comply with exploratory missions and resource gathering. I will not however be forced to aid Alphin's pursuit of power.” Kerrig smiled, he was no longer surprised at Sarazen's confidence in interpreting complex emotions and behavioural traits. He had become his own citizen, a free mind in every sense.
“Well, if I am honest, I thought that this would transpire. I have quickly learned that where you are concerned, there is always a surprise lurking around the next corner. Come, I have a surprise for you.” Sarazen raised himself up, arching his back.
“A surprise? Hmm, an unforeseen occurrence which that brings about a profound state of unexpected pleasure or displeasure. I am hoping for the former.”
“Indeed, I hope that it will be precisely that.” Kerrig said, guiding his friend back to the barren confines of his Centrus apartment.
On arrival, Kerrig ensured that Sarazen enter first, studying his reaction carefully as he did so. Sarazen immediately noticed a bright light emanating from the corner of the room and had to adjust his ocular sensors.
“An organic?” Sarazen inquired with incredulity.
“Indeed.” Kerrig replied laughing as he directed Sarazen to the small pot in the corner where a small but virile seter grew, sustained by a small light device that the excavator had ingeniously constructed.
“But surely it will perish in these conditions?” Sarazen seemed unsure how to react to this unusual gift.
“Not with the proper care. I know how much the organics mean to you. This living space is so bare and uninspiring. Look, I have constructed a small light emitting device that can be easily recharged using your own power cells. It consumes very little energy. I have also acquired a quantity of its required, but corrosive fluids which will need to be administered carefully periodically. The chemical balance of the earth in which it grows is valid for a period of time; it may need replenishing at some point. When the seter outgrows this room, you can take it to the surface and place it somewhere to continue its growth. Personally, I hope that by that time, you will no longer require this room, but in the meantime, it will not only give you something to do but also remind you of the surface world. Maybe one day we will sit beneath this creature and seek shade in its canopy.” Sarazen looked stunned. Not only was it his first gift, but he could not imagine any other that was so beautifully realised.
Dark Phase Page 14
