by Frank Carey
"My pleasure," she replied while swiveling her tail around. She fired at the bulkhead, cutting through the metal like she was carving a roast beast.
"One minute... Got it," Harm said as he tapped the hamster ball once more. "Royce, you're not going to believe this, but..."
A section of the far wall disappeared as a hostile lit-off a breacher charge. The room filled with smoke as synths streamed into the room shooting as the Marines formed a defensive circle and returned fire. Having finished the hole, Xura leapt into the fray, firing weapons and swinging her claw tipped hands, taking out synth after synth. A large warrior fired a weapon at the Minotaur, cutting her in half.
Seeing his chance, Nash grabbed Harm and tried to take the hacker ball from the elf. Harm fought back, but he was no match for the more powerful synth. Nash grabbed Harm by the throat and was strangling him when Harm heard a familiar voice scream, "Let my dad go!"
Harm looked up just as a large centipede dropped from the ceiling vent above Nash and landed on the agent's head. He screamed once, releasing Harm as he tried to rip the thing away, but couldn't. Multiple lasers lanced out from the bot, burning holes through Nash from a dozen angles. The Agent's body dropped to the floor, a smoking lifeless heap of synthetic flesh.
"Harm, we've got to go! Royce yelled as the Marines exited through the hole. Harm saw another centipede flanking the hole, laying down suppressive fire.
"Dad, please," the Aerith bot pleaded as Harm continued to type on the console.
"Just a second more," he said, returning to the console to input more commands as the hacker ball finished filling with data. Satisfied, he reached down, grabbed the ball, and threw it to Royce as a section of wall disappeared behind him.
"Dad!" Aerith screamed as she fired her lasers.
"Aerith, vacate the probe, NOW!" Harm yelled as a large synth arm grabbed him around the neck while a hand aimed a gun at the centipede. Harm watched the lights in the bots eyes go dim just as it was vaporized by blaster fire.
Harm felt unconsciousness overtake him as the arm tightened. The last thing he saw was a flash of light from the opening followed by the sound of an explosion in the tube. Then the darkness came.
###
The elf Marines made their way quickly down the tube while the centipede kept watch from above. "Bro, no one in pursuit. I detect an exit five hundred feet ahead. The captain is sending a boat for pickup," Gloria said from the bot.
"What about Aerith? Is my daughter safe?" Marta asked as she checked corners and side passages.
"Mom?" the pede said, suddenly changing voices. "It's Aerith. I'm fine, but they got Dad. Some really big synth with a lot of ornamentation on his chest grabbed him. I emptied my power cell firing at him, but it had no effect."
"It's probably Cmdr. Lorq," Marta said as she concentrated on finding a way out.
"Aerith, please put Gloria back on," Royce said.
"I'm back. What do you need?"
"Can you find out what damage Harm was able to inflict on the computer system before he was grabbed?"
"Give me a sec... Wow. Internal sensors are scrambled. Right now, you guys are showing up in ten different parts of the arcology. There's some funky computer activity, but I can't tell what it is."
"Kiddo, can you scan this? Harm thinks it's important."
Gloria dropped from the ceiling and landed on Royce's shoulder. He held up the hacker ball. "Scanning... Dammit, the data is encrypted. I'll download it into the boat's mainframe and see what we can pry out of it. Oh that must have hurt."
"What?" Royce asked as he shrugged at Marta.
"Twelve or so synths just jumped a sensor ghost in a storeroom."
"And?"
"They didn't see the combat bot guarding it. Ouch."
"Combat bots?"
"It seems that Xura isn't the only one who can drive a suit. I'm piping over a security cam feed to your visors."
"Shit!" Sgt. Zon said as she watched the bot take out the squad of synths. It was seven feet tall, with four optic sensors inset in a square pattern on a bullet shaped head. Every inch of the thing was covered in heavy armor festooned with warning stickers.
"What the hell did they do around here?" Sana asked as she panned her weapon around the dim service tube.
"I don't know, nor do I care as long as their projects stay away from us," Cpl. Stal replied.
"How much farther?" Royce asked Gloria.
"Just up ahead," she replied. In the distance, they could see the tube end at a large hatch.
When they arrived, Zon and Sana made short work of the door, throwing it open onto a bright, sunlit day. Floating a foot away was their ride while two boats manned with Deltafish security kept careful watch.
"This is where we get off," Royce said.
"I'm not leaving my husband," Marta said as she signaled Zon to give up her spare ammo.
"Not going to happen, Captain," Royce countered. "This arcology is a maze and our sensors are compromised. We'll go back to the boat and put together a plan to get him out. Remember, Harmon's a survivor and Conquistador is still on the roof."
With the centipede keeping watch, Team One boarded the boats and headed back to Deltafish.
Chapter Thirteen
Harm woke up tied to his chair while two heavily armed grange stood to either side of him. He looked around and saw he was inside some kind of control room. "Hey, guys, how about loosening the ropes a little? Oh, and I really could use an ice tea right now."
The two guards just stood there, silent, unmoving.
"Ah, Mr. Aymar. I am glad to finally meet you in person."
Harm turned and saw a behemoth standing across the room with its massive fists resting on its hips.
Harm stared at the thing standing before him. It was most definitely a robot of some kind, at least seven feet tall with a bullet-shaped head studded with four eyes arranged in a square pattern. To call it clunky would be an understatement. Warning decals festooned its torso.
"We met in the computer core. I was the tall, handsome fellow choking the life out of you," it said as it stepped into the room, stopping scant inches away from Harm's toes. "My name is Lorq, Cmdr. Lorq."
"Cmdr. Lorq, how good it is to finally meet you. Tell me, why the body change?"
"The other body was damaged after you passed out. I ran out of synths, so I made due with one of these guard bots. How do I look?"
"Absolutely wonderful. The monster robot look fits you to a tee. So, what can I do for you?"
"I don't know if Xura told you, but I'm in charge of this operation, the one you and she are trying to derail."
"Ah, Xura. I seem to have lost track of our little inspector," Harm said. "Have you seen her around?"
"No, and that concerns me greatly, but for now, I have you. Tell me, Mr. Aymar, what have you done to our computer system?"
"Computer system?" Harm replied with a look of complete innocence. "Whatever do you mean?"
Lorq knelt down and looked Harm in the eyes. "My technicians tell me you've initiated a process which is unfamiliar to them. This process is running behind some of the most sophisticated security layers they have ever seen, layers they say are uncrackable. What are these layers hiding, Mr. Aymar?"
"Actually, it's Capt. Aymar. I fly cargo for a moving company," he said with a smile.
"Really? I thought you died on Maranta Five two years ago. Don't fret, I can fix that discrepancy in your record as soon as I finish with more pressing matters," Lorq said while standing up.
"Please, don't go to any trouble just for little old me," Harm said.
"No trouble at all, really." Lorq stopped and tilted his metal head as if listening to something. "Dammit. These morons couldn't find a pool of water it they were standing in it. I have to attend to a problem. You two, watch him carefully. He's tricky."
"Yes, Commander," the guard on the left said as they stood at attention.
"Darn! And things were just getting interesting," Harm said still smiling
.
"Yes, they were," Lorq said as he lumbered out the door.
As the door closed behind the robot, Harm continued to smile. Curious, one of the guards asked, "What's so funny?"
"He forgot," Harm replied.
"Forgot what?"
"That I'm an elf," Harm said as he grabbed the guard's wrist with his tail and pulled, causing its weapon to point directly at the other guard as it fired, taking the other guard out immediately. Before the first guard could react, Harm jumped out of his chair and threw the synth into a bulkhead. It dropped to the ground in a crumpled, unmoving heap.
"They always forget the tail," he said as he looked around the room for his stuff. "There you are," he said, seeing the contents of his pockets strewn about on a table. Grabbing his comm, Harm tried calling Deltafish, but got only static. Fearing the worst, he tried Roscoe aboard the Conquistador. "Roscoe, you with me buddy?" he asked while returning his things to their appropriate pockets.
"Thank the stars, sir. I heard you were dead," the NAVComp replied.
"Yeah, I keep getting that. What's going on around here?"
"The shield is back up and the roof doors are open. I've stationed bots around the perimeter of the opening to keep a better eye on things. It doesn't look good. The grange have raised some kind of structure through the open doors. According to the bots, the device is energized with some kind of energy reminiscent of that produced by your headsets, but on a much larger scale."
Harm stopped and looked at the comm. "Roscoe, scan the arcology. Where are the synths?"
"Scanning, sir... Sir, the majority of the synths are congregated at the bottom of the arcology, roughly at the center of its base. Sir, except for a few bodies scattered about the structure, all the synths bodies are in standby mode."
"Dammit!" Harm said as the pieces fell together. "Can you contact one of the orbiting warships?"
"No, sir. May I suggest—"
Roscoe was cut-off as the building rocked.
"Roscoe! Come in!" Harm yelled into the comm. "What's happening?"
Through the static came a familiar voice. "Sir, a beam of energy has emerged from the device. It's heading into space through an opening in the force shield."
"Composition?"
"Sir, its energy signature and profile suggest it's a communications path. Further analysis suggests it can be used to transport a consciousness from point to point."
"Shit. What's its target?"
"It is impacting LWS Protector as we speak. Sir, control codes are being transmitted. They are taking control of Protector and any other ship web-connected to it."
"Roscoe, it all makes sense now. Protector is connected to the rest of the League by the Military and Civilian InterWebs. That's how the grange plan to take over. They'll use our own tech to defeat us."
"What can we do, sir?"
"Buddy, I've got to ask you to do something that is highly dangerous."
"What sir?"
"I need you to inject yourself into that stream and invade Protector. Use Marta's codes if you have to. Under no circumstances is even one grange to be allowed to escape into the InterWebs."
"Understood, sir. What about you?" Roscoe asked with growing concern.
"I have to stay, old friend. Roscoe, I want you to implement procedure six before you leave."
"Sir... Yes, sir. Procedure six is implemented. Your pendant is activated."
"Get going, buddy. If this all goes to shit then I guess I'll see you on the flip side."
"Yes, sir. Good luck, sir, and... thank you for everything."
"You're welcome, my friend. Good journey."
With that, Harm closed the link. "This is a mighty fine mess you got yourself into, Harmon Aymar," he said to himself as he walked over to the crumpled guard and relieved it of its facility map unit. Like most people who work in large buildings, the Guard had a map to help it get about the arcology's maze-like interior. Harmon activated the unit and thumbed through the map until he found what he was looking for. "Secondary control terminal, here I come," he said while heading out the door.
###
Alarms sounded and strobes flashed as the Protector rocked from the impact of the beam. "Report!" Capt. Thurgood yelled. "And shut-off those damn alarms!"
"Aye, ma’am," First Officer Kyne yelled as the alarms went silent. "We are trapped in some kind of energy beam, type unknown. It's impacting all systems. Ma'am, something is trying to take over the central computer!"
"Billy," she yelled into the intercom system, "we've got trouble!"
"I'm aware, Captain. Working on it."
"Kyne, where's the beam coming from?"
"The arcology, ma’am," Kyne replied as the ship lurched. "Ma'am, the other ships report they're under attack as well."
"From the ground?"
"No, ma’am, from us. They think the attack is coming through our InterWeb connections. They are attempting to cut links as we speak."
"Weapons Officer, target that structure and fire main rail guns!"
"Unable to comply, ma’am. Systems are locked and manual overrides aren't responding."
"Captain, the guns would have no effect," Kyne informed her. "The structure's force shield is fully operational."
"Blast and damn. Billy! Status!"
There was no response.
"Security detail to Computer Center. Cmdr. Thurgood is in trouble," Kyne said as the ship rocked once more.
Ange looked around her Bridge wondering what else could go wrong.
###
Billy and his remaining team fired on the two service bots from behind piles of furniture and equipment. Unfortunately, their blasters had no effect on the two bots as they slowly advanced on the team's position. "Who thought it was a good idea to blaster-proof our bots?" Billy yelled.
"You did, sir," his Katalan Yeoman, Ranu, replied as she fired on the automatons.
Before Billy could reply, a third bot emerged from its alcove. It walked over to the other two bots and proceeded to rip their metal heads off. Dusting-off its hands, the new bot walked to a control console where it quickly typed in commands.
Confused, Billy stood up as the door opened and several members of security poured into the room led by Charlie Trost. They raised their weapons and aimed them at the new bot, but Billy waved them off. "Attend to the wounded," he said distractedly as he approached the bot.
"Sir!" Ranu yelled.
"I've got this," Billy replied calmly. Spying the bot's ID plate, Billy inquired, "SB117, can I help you?"
The bot stopped, glanced at its plate, and said, "Ah, Cmdr. Thurgood. It is truly a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Your papers on cybernetics and artificial intelligence are most enjoyable to read."
"Well, thank you. Not to sound rude and all, but who are you?"
"Heavens, you must forgive me," the bot said as the remaining bots occupying their niches in the room's walls flared around their seams, "I seem to have picked a body with only two arms. My name is Roscoe and I used to be the NAVComp for Capt. Aymar's ship, the Conquistador."
"Used to be?"
"Yes, the captain sent me here to lend you a hand. Oh, my ident is McMurphy-alpha-alpha-one."
Charlie glanced at one of his people who typed the ident into his wrist terminal. "Capt. Marta McMurphy, Elf Marine Expeditionary Force Team One under command of Major Royce Aymar. She's Harmon Aymar's wife."
"Where is Capt. Aymar now?" Billy asked while Roscoe continued to type.
"He's trapped in the arcology while trying to turn off the beam impacting your systems. Sir, he has activated the Conquistador's self-destruct and will use it to stop the beam if he can't find another way."
"Bridge!" Charlie yelled, "Contact Deltafish and warn them away from the arcology. Tell them a big bomb is about to go off."
"Ah, Mr. Trost, you truly are a rival for Capt. Aymar when it comes to intelligence," Roscoe said.
"Rival? I have an IQ of one-hundred sixty-five."
"That may ve
ry well be, but the captain built me a home in an afternoon when he was taking time-off between runs."
"Oh. Um, Roscoe, what are you doing exactly?"
"I have purged your systems of any remaining grange programs, locked down all your bots, and have instituted a class seven cybernetic firewall to keep any more of the malicious code from making it through. Unfortunately, the firewall will not hold up long against the onslaught coming from the arcology. They'll be sending up the rest of the grange IDs next."
"How many entities are we talking about?" Charlie asked.
"I estimate ten thousand souls are going to crawl up that pipe, overwhelm my blockade, and use this ship to invade both InterWebs."
No one in the room spoke as what Roscoe told them sunk in.
"ETA?" Charlie asked.
"Assuming Capt. Aymar is unable to kill the connection from his end? Ten minutes."
"We need to get the hell out of here," Charlie said as he and his aide ran out of the room, leaving Billy, Billy's team, and Roscoe to prevent a disaster.
###
Captain Torga and the rest of the Bridge crew watched in horror as a beam of energy lanced upwards into the sky from the top of Hephaestus. "Sensors, track that thing, whatever it is."
"Aye sir... Sir, it's impacting Protector," the sensor officer reported. "It's passed right through her shields. I am reading massive power fluctuations."
"Communications, Hail the Protector. Ask if they need our assistance."
"No reply, sir."
"Keep trying. Dr. Aymar, any idea what we're dealing with?"
Gloria studied her console, but stopped and exclaimed, "Oh my God."
"Gloria?" Royce asked as he joined her.
"It's a soul conduit. John and I have discussed this concept several times in the past, but just couldn't get past the energy required to pull it off. When an operator drives a TP unit under normal conditions, part of them stays with their body while part transfers to the unit itself, which is why we go to such lengths to buffer. This conduit would allow thousands of complete souls to move from the arcology to Protector."
"Why move them?" Nachase asked. "They'd still be trapped inside the ship."
