The Colony Ship Conestoga : The Complete Series: All Eight Books

by John Thornton

  The drive wheels on EA-452 moved smoothly and the machine rolled out form its storage cubby. It rolled away and turned a corner entering a hallway which was only dimly lit. Sandie had the blue automacube activate a light on its front. The automacube did not need the illumination like a human might have, for it was able to perceive visual signals far better than the human eye could, but Sandie wanted to use every available option for assessing the ship’s status.

  The light shined on the wall, and there was graffiti there. It was somewhat smudged by the growth medium, and the water that was frequently found leaking out of the air ducts, yet it was clear something was written on the wall in neon green paint.

  “Hayward MacDonald 4 kilos sternward.”

  Another cryptic message found on the needle ship of the Conestoga. Sandie filed it away for future reference, as she had no other records of any Hayward MacDonald. Nothing in the historical records which she had maintained from Dome 17, had any reference specific to a Hayward MacDonald.

  EA-452 moved along on its mission. It used its own access codes to open doors, and removed several access panels with using the manipulation appendage. Rolling through small spaces allowed EA-452 to reach a point where it interfaced with a nine-section color control pad. The door slid back into a recess pocket, and the machine continued onward. It reached the distal end of the corridor where the other blue automacube, EA-118 was sealing the patch.

  The liquefied permalloy was being sprayed along the patch, as EA-118 directed the nozzles to coat over it for the third pass. Layer by layer, the patch was becoming stronger and more complete. The corridor now held 47% of normal ship’s atmosphere, and that level was rising.

  TA-008 was pushing and scraping more of the growth medium out of the stall in the hanger bay.

  EA-452 reached the pressure door. It was on the side of Pine 1407, but Sandie could not remotely open it. The blue automacube’s arm reached out and inserted a small tip of a digit into a slot. That allowed for a direct connection with the door mechanism.

  There was a negative function sound.

  Sandie used all of the perception devices she had available to her and assessed the physical world around the pressure door. Sandie also probed the nonphysicality, but there was a gap, a space, a void, a chasm, a nothingness, where the pressure door should have been. Even having the blue automacube connected directly to the door did not fill in that breach in the nonphysicality. Sandie conjectured how to open the door, figuring in all the known factors, and then sent a command to EA-452.

  EA-452 sent a minor charge of energy into the door.

  Kablaaaaaam!

  Something exploded.

  It was unexpected and not conjectured. Something detonated.

  The explosion ripped the pressure door to shreds. A fireball of immense heat shot out both sides of the ruined pressure door. TA-008 was incinerated, its drive wheels melting into mere bubbling slush as it toppled away and clattered into the wall separating that first stall from the other stalls in Pine 1407. The remaining plant life, growth medium, and debris were scorched into tiny flakes by the inferno of heat and pressure. Only thick multilayers of permalloy were able to withstand the conflagration. The exterior hanger bay doors groaned under the strain. An immense emergency compartmentalizing curtain slammed down and locked into the floor, separating Pine 1407’s first stall from the now missing pressure door.

  EA-452, the engineering automacube, did not last much longer than the transport automacube had. The fireball knocked it backward and it rolled down the corridor, smoke pouring from its ruptured sides. The manipulation arm was gone, lost in the explosion. Its inner mechanisms pounded by the forces which struck it.

  The thermal pressure wave rushed along, smashing whatever was in its way.

  The not yet hardened permalloy patch, which EA-118 had been so diligently installing, was ripped loose, and the partial atmosphere of the corridor was suddenly sucked out into the vacuum of space. The fireball was extinguished, but the blast, followed by the sudden decompression had wrecked many interior doors. Nearby compartments began snapping under secondary explosive decompressions. Their contents were sucked into the corridor. What had been ventilation, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical conduits were abruptly transferred into channels of destruction as the pressures sought to equalize and were unable to do so.

  EA-118 had a few milliseconds to report to Sandie what was happening, but it too was rumpled by the explosive pressures, and the residual heat. Its systems shut down as the inside of the automacube was fused into a molten mess. With a direct channel to the ship’s exterior and open space, cold flooded back into the stricken parts and froze what had been melted just moments before.

  A linkage section of the Conestoga’s gravity manipulation system lay under and along the corridor which just absorbed the explosive impact. Those mechanized structures split, and the needle ship was momentarily without gravity manipulation. This alteration of gravity was the final insult needed against the exterior hanger bay doors of the first stall in Pine 1407. Those exterior doors separated a tiny bit, making a connection between the pressurized hanger bay and open space. The charred and mangled mess that had been in that stall was pulverized into tiny particles which shot out of the opening. A second emergency compartmentalizing curtain slammed down, and locked over the exterior doors.

  The backup generation apparatus for gravity manipulation rerouted, reconnected and locked in. Throughout the needle ship the gravity manipulation was restored.

  Emergency protocols snapped on. Obstacles to further damage were deployed. Those shutters moved into place. Numerous huge emergency compartmentalizing curtains, constructed of tough permanent became nearly permanent barriers, locked down, across, and between places of the needle ship. Pressure was shifted, air was moved, and sections were sealed.

  Far away in a remote corner of the needle ship, a synthetic brain, named Cabta 3F awoke. This time its nap had not been as long as the previous one, but it was unaware of the passage of time. The old system, what people from Dome 17 might have been called an antique and primitive artificial intelligence system, but was called a tertiary synthetic brain by the designers of the Conestoga, responded to the emergency call. Cabta 3F’s central memory core fluids began to bubble and move, and its mechanical and synthetic brain started discerning the situation. It used its links and couplings that still existed to initiate the basic algorithm: assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation in that order.

  Assessment: a force of unknown origin had altered the needle ship’s orbital trajectory.

  Planning: reestablish safe orbital lane and course. Cabta 3F found twelve orbital adjustment rockets that responded to its inquiries.

  Implementation: Cabta 3F fired the orbital adjustment rockets in a pattern designed to compensate for the explosions and reestablish safe orbital flight.

  In various planes along the needle ship section of the Conestoga, those orbital adjustment rockets rotated on their bases, as aimed and directed by Cabta 3F. They fired.

  The entire needle ship shook. Deep vibrations and tremors shook every place in the needle ship.

  Goats bleated in fear and rushed down hallways.

  Chickens squawked in terror as their world around them quivered and shook.

  Small furry animals called cavies by the indigenous inhabitants of the needle ship scurried away to hide under whatever shelter they could find.

  Rats looked around blinking their beady black eyes and waited to see what might shake loose that they could eat, build a nest with, or use in some other way.

  Fruits trees in the orchard swayed under the pulsations which were felt deep inside the needle ship. Their hybrid fruits, not yet fully ripened, fell to the soil out of which the trees grew. The brilliant yellow orb which shone over the orchard quivered.

  The Goat People all felt their world shake. They heard the piano in their main living area make noises that were not musical.

  The Chicken People smelled the
fear in their chickens, and saw the breaking of eggs. They rushed around seeking to make sure no rats were breaking into the hatchery.

  The Fruit People grabbed hold of whatever was nearby, and wondered how they would make edible products out of the fallen fruits, if they survived this apparent apocalypse.

  The shaking continued as the orbital adjustment rockets fired, but then momentarily stopped.

  Cabta 3F ran its algorithm again. Twice more Cabta 3F went through the same process. Finally the evaluation showed, ‘Stable orbit achieved’ thereafter Cabta 3F drifted back to sleep.

  The shuddering stopped, but not before it had awakened Khin as he slept near his wizard friends. He smiled and chuckled a bit. “The Old One was correct. The wizards have shaken the world again. A new adventure begins.”

  2 call to action

  Cammarry rolled over in her bed, and bumped into Jerome.

  “What did I just feel?” Cammarry asked.

  “What were you reaching for?” Jerome replied sleepily. “I was dreaming about that beautiful biological habitat we visited. The flowers along that Loop River were so pretty.” He yawned and closed his eyes. “I want to watch the birds flying in my dream again.”

  “Jerome, something has happened. I felt something!” Cammarry insisted and shoved his shoulder.

  There was fumbling in the darkness, and then a light shined out from his side of the bed. Cammarry’s oval face, with its narrow brown eyes and medium complexion were suddenly illuminated.

  “Oh it is just you in bed with me,” Jerome said with another yawn. “I thought maybe it was some wild beast from the habitat.”

  Her long, straight and silky, dark-brown hair was parted down the middle. She smiled at Jerome’s wise crack. “Me a beast? What no witting saying from days of lore?”

  “I believe you mean days of yore, although lore does fit as well,” Jerome replied. He yawned while running a hand through his curly dark-brown hair. His hazel eyes gleamed in good cheer at Cammarry. “Lore means something archaic while yore means something from long ago. That is unless you are using one of those ridiculous contraction things.”

  “You mean like they did in the era before the Great Event. Then I suppose some weird contracted set of words could sound like yore, but mean most anything?” Cammarry sat on the edge of the bed and concentrated to see if she could feel some sensation again.

  “Right,” Jerome replied. “Those people way back then just smashed words together to force contractions and confused the language. It ended up as babbling. Yore, could mean lots of different things, depending on spelling and context. Homophones ran rampant. It is a wonder they were able to do any scientific advancement at all.”

  “They advanced enough to nearly destroy everything,” Cammarry added. “Why those people let language devolve like that is a mystery to me, and I am not the avid and voracious reader you are.”

  “They ignored the signs of their coming demise. Destruction seldom happens without warning signs. So what did you feel? Or does that remain a mystery as well?”

  “It almost felt like zero gravity, but maybe I was dreaming,” Cammarry replied.

  “Did I say I was dreaming of that habitat? It was so warm….”

  It was at that moment, the orbital adjustments rockets fired, and Cammarry and Jerome both felt the shudder and quaking of the ship beneath, beside, above, and around them.

  “Did you feel that, oh well-read and learned one? Or am I the only one who is perceptive enough to recognize rockets firing again?”

  “It feels like rockets to me as well,” Jerome stated quickly as he stepped from the bed. He steadied himself against the vibrations, and began dressing in his blue suit of radiation absorbing material. He pulled the supple garment over his lean and muscular frame, slipped his shoes on, and reached for the com-link which he placed over his ear.

  Cammarry too got dressed in her own RAM clothing, one sleeve of hers showed a basic but effective hand-sewn repair job. She activated her own com-link. “Sandie? Give us a report on what is happening? Should we try to get to the bridge again?”

  The artificial intelligence system, Sandie, replied via area audio on the com-links. “Cammarry and Jerome, there has been an explosion of unknown etiology between the corridor and hanger bay I was having repaired. I am attempting to assess the damage now. I advise you to remain at your location for the time being.”

  “Is the scout ship intact?” Jerome asked as he looked over the gear he had on the shelf next to the bed. The fusion pack with light was there, as well as his backpack, belt, and holstered weapon.

  “Yes,” Sandie replied. “No damage on the scout ship, however I have lost three of the six automacubes I was directing for the ship’s repairs.”

  “Radiation readings?” Cammarry asked.

  “Nothing dangerous detected by the automacubes prior to their destruction, however I cannot rule out residual radiation, as I have no sensors in that section anymore,” Sandie answered.

  There were several more shakes, and then the vibrations quit.

  “What was the name of that AI which stabilized the orbit after we first arrived here?” Cammarry asked. “Cabta 3F, if I recall correctly.”

  Jerome added, “The Conestoga people call them synthetic brains, or SBs, but I think that was the system. You only reached it incidentally and through the manual controls on the bridge.”

  “Yes, Jerome, and Cammarry, you are correct. The synthetic brain, Cabta 3F has again amended the orbital flight path of the needle ship around the planet Zalia. This time when it did so, I had more understanding of the nonphysicality, a better comprehension of the mode of operations for the needle ship, and was in a better position to observe. A happy surprise occurred, I am able to link to it. It is barely sentient and it revered to a dormant state after its operations. From what I can tell, Cabta 3F is the most advanced synthetic brain still functioning on the Conestoga, and it just made a minor adjustment to the flight of needle ship. The orbit was never in real danger, but the system Cabta 3F did make timely adjustments.”

  “It was not a minor adjustment. You felt it. It was from a deadly serious explosion. Great damage was done, and more is coming,” Shadow whispered to Cammarry. “Sandie is minimizing the threat, trying not to scare you. How do you know the ship is safe? How can you tell there is no radiation? More explosions will happen soon.”

  Cammarry bit off a response to Shadow. Obviously Jerome did not hear Shadow, so she turned to him and opened her mouth. She was about to tell him about Shadow, but, like had happened every time she attempted to speak to him about Shadow, something prevented her from doing so. Frustrated, instead she asked, “Sandie, how serious is the damage?”

  “The loss of the automacubes is a major setback. As you know they are difficult to locate, and now I have only three under my direction. I conjecture, from rough estimates, that the damage to the corridor and hanger bay may be extensive,” Sandie replied. “I am recalling the remaining automacubes so as to utilize them for damage reports.”

  “Have you been able to contact the synthetic brains in Habitat Alpha? Or the data stick in Reproduction and Fabrication?

  “I have routinely attempted to contact SB Sherman, SB Bodowa, SB Yomaris, and SB Joseph Crater, all to no avail,” Sandie answered.

  “You had previous contact with those systems, and we know that Carter the Kidnapper can at least transmit to orbit,” Cammarry said in reference to the synthetic brain Joseph Crater. “However, why we would want to speak to that Crater menace I fail to appreciate.”

  “Well, I read, that if you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to speak to your enemy, and then work with your enemy,” Jerome recited. “That transforms an enemy to a partner.”

  “I could do without partners of that kind. Jerome, there is….” Cammarry again tried to tell him about Shadow, but her throat tightened, and she had to gasp for breath. Taking a few more breaths she was able to alter what she was saying. “…. a danger from that Carter
the Kidnapper. But, what about our data stick? At least that is modern technology and not these antiques,” Cammarry asked.

  Sandie replied, “The data stick which was left in Reproduction and Fabrication had been responding with ‘repairs in progress’ but those signals quit seventeen hours ago.”

  “Cammarry? Are you ill?” Jerome asked as he wrapped his arm around her. He looked at her intently. “You had a bit of something with your breathing. You look pale and withdrawn. Shall I get the med-kit?”

  “No need. It was probably just some mold or dust. This place is filled with that,” Cammarry replied. “Or it was a reaction to some part of the food we have had to eat. I miss the ration bars. But back to the data stick. It sounds like the repairs on it are completed. Now we should just go back there and take some more of the data sticks with us. Having them repaired, we can evolve modern AIs and really get things done properly. The teleportation system did not suffer damage in this explosion did it?” She stepped away from the bedroom and out into the large chamber they called the Goat Room which was where the sending and receiving pads were located.