Trellis II Ascension (The Lone Colony Book 2)

by David Byrd

  Elia laughed at the excitement her husband was showing for the device.

  “A boy with a toy,” she said smiling.

  “Oh…and who by the way has the control pad?” He asked.

  “I do because we all know that women make better pilots then men.” She said holding the small control pad tightly and daring him to try and take it.

  “Hey when you two are through…can we get this going?” Corin said over link. “I want to see this in action.”

  “Um Corin you slave driver…why don’t you let Althea run the main console?” Kai said.

  “Alright…you got me I’m just excited to see this work.” Corin said.

  The day was warm and bright but this close to the void everything in front and to either side as far as the eye could see was just a murky grey blur. Kai positioned the drone at the edge of void and then Elia active the drone. It ascended smoothly upwards about 3 meters and held position. She fed the drone a set of pre-planned instructions and then touched activate.

  The drone moved forward into the void and disappeared from view a few seconds later. The programming sequence was designed to send the drone 20 meters directly ahead and deploy the payload. A small self-powered device Hollis had constructed designed to shoot an old fashioned laser directly into space. A problem encountered early on was that no electronic signature could be detected inside the void. To that end Hollis employed old technology to use coherent light which would pierce the electronic interference created by the sub-atomic particles.

  “Ok, the drone should have arrived and dropped the payload. It’s programmed to return after that,” she said.

  A few seconds later the drone re-appeared moving backwards out of the void and stopped in the same position it was in when it started.

  “That’s it Corin…it’s all yours,” Kai said.

  Corin brought up the world display and made the adjustments Hollis sent over. He expanded the section where Elia and Kai had deployed the drone and then activated the nav program. Hollis had modified the entire orb energy shield to act as a kind of satellite GPS grid. The stationary laser deployed in the void reflected off the orbital grid and sent those coordinates to the central console. On the world display a red dot appeared with coordinate positions labeled indicating 20 kilometers inside the zone.

  “Yes! It works. We have coordinates on the map.” Corin said.

  “Great…mission success. Now I’m going to be busy for the next hour or so, let me know if anything comes up.” Kai said while plucking the drone control pad from Elia’s hand.

  Chapter 16

  Over the next several months a number of drones were built based on the original prototype that Max designed but with a much larger payload capacity. The drones were launched into the void in all 4 directions to map and provide coordinates. Gradually a grid pattern emerged that was downloaded to link so that every citizen could navigate out of the void if they ventured in and became lost. A large number of people were continuously scanning all of the materials brought from Earth as well as developing new templates based on combined use. After PlazSteel was digitized into the system, engineers were able to combine that material with others to create molecular templates of new substances and also to combine disparate parts into a whole. So not unlike putting a puzzle or model together, the combined knowledge of the colony came up with new and better uses for combining basic raw materials into complex assemblies. It would be possible soon to create a whole house, or a whole building from one template.

  Hollis completed the first device which combined a KT reactor modified to interface with the Plakorii system and link. For now the system was restricted to the original settlers plus Kai, Elia and Corin who had been tasked with testing the system since he was closest to the void boundary. A relay was setup 10 kilometers south of the Ascension complex to boost the signals from the void boundary.

  “Ready here,” Corin said in link to the group. Corin and Althea were at the void boundary with the Blink reactor as they were calling it since by using it objects would seem to blink into existence. Hollis of course objected since it was really a molecular recombinant device to coalesce energy into matter but that really didn’t roll off the tongue the way blink did so the name stuck.

  Corin accessed the template for a modified PlazSteel roadbed 3 meters wide by 1 kilometer in length and set the coordinates to begin at the void boundary edge extending due south. After ensuring that the reactor had the proper template he activated the device.

  In seconds a hazy blur appeared at ground level and the roadway materialized into being extending forward. They still could not see into the void since there were billions upon billions of sub-atomic particles still suspended above the roadway which were once trees, rocks, mountains and any other material had been deconstructed.

  Corin and Althea hopped into their rover and slowly drove forward on the road into the void. They knew that contact would be lost upon entering but the navigational beacons that were previously salted in the area would give them a fix if they became lost.

  Corin and Althea were both feeling a bit nervous about entering the void. Being firstborn, they had the innate senses to feel what others around them were feeling. Corin grabbed Althea’s hand and continued forward. About 30 minutes later they emerged from the boundary.

  “Well that was a complete success,” Corin said to the group on link. “I have some suggestions though. It’s difficult to see the road with all the particles above it since we are only reconstructing part of what was there before. We could possibly add to this template to create built in light posts and nav sensors. We need to find a way to use up more particles just above the roadway so that we can actually see where we are heading.”

  “Excellent idea,” Hollis said. “I’ll send that out to the link community to see what ideas we can come up with for that but I’d say that our first experiment was a great success.”

  In the months that followed, a great number of unique uses for the particles were streaming in. So many in fact that Faye and Jean had been tasked with vetting the ideas and assigning priority to survival and defense items while still keeping track of the rest. There were a few frivolous requests that came in such as the one to replicate a few dozen bottles of an early Earth antiseptic. A bit of digging however found that the submitter was none other than Max using an assumed name and trying to have a rare scotch from Earth duplicated. After that stunt Jean had Max cleaning up her classroom for weeks afterward.

  Some exciting things were happening in the Engineering departments as more and more complex materials were created. There were enough aeronautical engineering specialties to begin designing air vehicles. KT reactors supplied all the necessary power and vertical takeoff hovercraft were in the final stages for test flights.

  Roadways were constructed several kilometers in all directions and the Ascension camp was making great progress in building the start of a city just inside the void boundary. The firstborn were very creative in designing elegant tall curving structures of all colors using transparent PlazSteel and other combinations of the new elements. Like jewels, the towers gleamed and sparkled in the sun taking on brighter hues as the day wore on. They had learned from their previous experiences though and created an energy dome over the entire city. Everyone had moved from the camp to the city they were now calling Ascension leaving the bad experiences in the camp behind. There was a rotating assignment to guard the Plakorii complex though for a week at a time for every person in Ascension. There was no chance that they would be caught without taking precautions.

  “Althea this is beautiful,” Elia said looking at the octagon grass green tower. “I’ve never seen anything that looks as fragile and delicate as that new building.”

  “It’s great isn’t it?” Althea asked. “I have to say that was my design and I’m really proud of it. You would never know that is a hydro farming tower. It has 17 levels and when full, can feed over a thousand. Water is filtered and recirculated to every level. We’r
e only using one level right now but you know we have quite a few people expecting now.”

  Elia smiled at her friend and was truly happy for her as she seemed totally over the events that happened in the past. There was just the tiniest thought of sadness at the mention of the expectant mothers in the city because although they were not planning on having a child right now, she did want to have a child in the future.

  Plakorii Canyon Complex

  “Ready when you are my friend,” Max said as he sat in the morphing chair of the central control console.

  Hollis activated a control and the center display hung the in air of the void boundary. Max created a special drone to perform reconnaissance on Micah’s camp. It had been two years since their last communication and for all they knew some calamity had befallen the group.

  “OK here we go, Max said. “I’ve got GPS coordinates and video…setting the first waypoint now.” All we have to do is wait. It should be at the first nav in 3 hours so let’s go have a toast to a successful launch.”

  Max had come up with an ingenious method of displaying video in the void and relaying to the complex. Since they had seeded the void with navigational sensors, his drone would constantly tap into the nearest sensor and relay the information to the orbital shield. All they had to do was configure the central console to capture the data and video.

  Nearly 4 hours later the system chimed. Max and Hollis returned to the console and activated the view screen. They were looking directly at a navigational beacon. Everything else around the beacon was washed out in a blurry grey nothing but the process was working…they actually could get a signal bounced out of the particle field.

  “Impressive work Max,” Hollis said. I admit the thought of using the navigational beacons never crossed my mind.”

  Ah Hollis my friend…there is nothing that escapes that incredible brain of yours but I accept the compliment for the purpose it was given and I thank you.” Max said. We might as well get some rest because the next leg towards the South Pole is the longest.”

  With that, Max entered the coordinates of the farthest navigational beacon merely 5 Kilometers from the south Plakorii complex and activated the command.

  Seven hours later the central console chimed again letting them know that the probe had reached its final waypoint.

  “Alright here we go,” Max said adjusting the controls to display forward. What they saw was confusing. There appeared to be a solid surface directly ahead. Max panned the vid upwards and he could not see anything but the sky at 90 degrees.

  Hollis looked on with a thoughtful expression and made some adjustments to the control crystals. A superimposed grid of the area was now display on screen and after a few small adjustments he was able to calculate the distance from ground level to the end of the obstruction.

  “Hmmm…This is interesting,” Hollis said. “It seems as though there is a mountain of epic proportions in front of us and extending east and west on either side. If I had to make a guess I would say that Micah has erected the highest mountain range he could and has surrounded or at least blocked his area completely. It looks to be some sort of obsidian like substance…possibly rock melded with transparent PlazSteel or some other substance.”

  “I didn’t build the drone for extra atmospheric flight but let’s see if it can reach the top of these mountains.” Max said. Adding a new set of coordinates, the drone shot straight upwards but they kept the vid directly ahead so that they could tell when the drone had reached the top of the barrier.

  “I’m not sure we are going to make it…the drone structure was not made for this altitude,” Max said. Just then a dazzling light blinded them for just a moment…It was the Trellis system sun meaning they had reached the top of the barrier.

  “Astonishing,” Hollis said. The view ahead was of a large city…all the shapes similar but familiar as buildings and constructions. “Why would Micah build something so vast with his small band of followers?” Hollis asked.

  “Let’s put the drone in stealth mode and get as close as possible to that first blue building,” Max said. He put the drone in manual mode and directed it to enter stealth mode which used very low power and quieted any engine noise. The drone crept forward to the target area and stopped about 50 meters from the target.

  In the distance there were roads and sidewalks, vehicles and people moving about everywhere. They could clearly see the movement and discern the machinery on the roads. Zooming in on an incomplete section of another building, they could see a group of workers moving material from a transport vehicle. There were about twenty of them all working in unison.

  “Max…Can you zoom into that group a bit more,” Hollis asked. “There is something strange going on with them.”

  Max zoomed in to the highest degree and they were able to see the faces of at least 6 of the people performing the work.

  “Do we have problems with this data feed?” Max asked.

  “No,” Hollis said in a whisper the color draining from his face.

  “I don’t understand…there has to be something wrong with the equipment.” Max said.

  “Dear Lord! What has he done?” Hollis asked.

  Every face staring back at them through the drone vid feed was the exact same face. It appeared that all of the people in the group were the same individual.

  Chapter 17

  “I really don’t see why we are even out here.” Jep said as they neared the final nav marker on the road south. “I mean Hollis and Max mapped the whole circumference of the barrier 2 years ago and we haven’t heard so much as a burst of static from Micah.”

  Kai, Corin and Jep had volunteered for a trip to place special sensor modules around the entire barrier. A trip that would take at least a month using the specially constructed fast rover that Max built for them. The sensor module packs built by Hollis had special abilities to keep track of anything that happened outside the wall Micah constructed.

  “Aw…come on Jep,” Kai said. “When was the last time we were able to go camping together?”

  “Well if you can call it camping when there is nothing out here but road,” Jep said. “Corin you’ve been really quiet for a while what’s up?” Corin had been lost in thought looking ahead and with difficulty came out of it.

  “Sorry guys,” he said. “I was just thinking how close we are to Micah and with no way to bring him to justice.”

  Jep and Kai exchanged knowing glances and tried to lighten the mood.

  “So Jep, I heard in Ascension that a certain lady named Dina had been asking about you.” Kais said.

  “Dina!” Corin said. “She’s way out of your league Jep…she’s a lady and you’re well…I’m not really sure.” Corin said.

  The threesome burst out laughing and continued ribbing each other with just about every topic they could think of while they covered the last 20 kilometers. When they reached the final nav point they bailed out of the rover and stood looking at the wall ahead. It was black and glossy reflecting light as if made of shiny glass. As far as they could see it continued straight upwards into the sky.

  “That is some ugly piece of work,” Jep said. “You’d think it could be some other color than black.”

  “Come on, let’s get started,” Corin said. “It’s been a long day.”

  Kai accessed the special blink reactor through the network they built throughout the void and selected the pre-fab habitat. He specified the special coordinates using link to determine where he was standing and activated the program. In a few seconds a space about 20 square meters blurred and then the pre-fab came into being. Ground, a multi module habitat similar to the ones the original settlers used, two trees and even grass.

  “Wow that’s great,” Jep said. “I’ve seen the building pre-fabs in Ascension but this is so complex.”

  “Max and Hollis have been working on this one for a while. It’s fully stocked with food, water, med packs, you name it. Almost everything that the original habitats contained in case someon
e gets stuck out here.” Kai said.

  The men went inside and after having a meal, they checked in with Ancora. They were still not ready to bed down for the night and decided to play some poker. An old Earth game Noel and Max taught them which had grown in popularity with the firstborn.

  “Only 1 thing missing now,” Corin said.

  “Oh…right. “I’ll be right back in a second.” Kai said. He left the hab and walked into the void a foot or two and then accessed a special template menu that Max clued him into a few days before the trip. He glanced down the list and selected Moon.

  “Here we go gentlemen,” Kai said returning inside. “This is a case of what Max says is a very old Earth liquor called moon shine. He made it up just for our trip.”

  “What’s moon shine and why would the moon have anything to do with it?” Jep asked.

  “No idea except he said they made it by moonlight or something.” Kai said.

  Kai poured a round and the three men toasted and then downed the potent liquor immediately coughing and sputtering as the high proof liquid seared their throats.

  “Buddy…your uncle Max is the greatest,”Jep said. “Who’s turn to deal?”

  The next morning the men woke up with no hangover courtesy of a few components Max had added to the brew and they were on their way again. Stopping every 100 kilometers, they continued the sensor seeding project and built a new pre-fab habitat about every 500 Kilometers. The days started to wear on with the endless repetition and by the third week, they were all quite ready to go back home. Stopping for the night they setup normally and went to sleep right after having a meal. Fatigue was setting in and they had all run out of conversation a week ago.

  Corin was trying to wake up this morning but he was having a really hard time. He felt sluggish and tired and he just couldn’t open his eyes. It was almost like a feeling he had before but he couldn’t remember what it was.