“The renovated apartments are just ahead,” Sandie replied “It will take a few hours for the automacube to bring the supplies here. In the meanwhile, you have water, and security. Those are basic survival needs.”
“Another new place to acclimatize myself into. Mold me, shape me, and twist me anyway you want me; that is fate in life.” Jerome considered his life in Dome 17. Circumstances of the dome’s demise felt like a surreal nightmare, or perhaps, he considered, the nightmare was actually here on the Conestoga. He was so tired he did not even strip off his RAM clothing, but looked at the spartan accommodations of the apartment. “I can hardly believe I miss Bigelow and that wagon.” A few tears rolled down his cheeks as he thought about the time when Cammarry was missing. Exhaustion overtook him and he just fell into the bed and was asleep.
Sandie reviewed the positions of all three of the returnees. They were all secure and safe for the moment. The artificial intelligence system did not inform any of them of the most recent events. Sandie knew that the humans were physically and emotionally exhausted, and the information which had just become available would most likely ruin any chance they had of rejuvenation in sleep. Sandie conjectured the ramifications of delaying their knowing, and understood there would be adverse consequences, but weighed against the continued conflict which was virtually certain to occur, Sandie decided waiting would be the least damaging of the rack of poor options which were available.
***
Down in the atmosphere of the planet Zalia, flying along in the engineering tug, Eris struggled with her own feelings. She looked down at the wound in her arm.
“What has happened?”
“I need your help. Again I apologize for disabling your spacesuit. You were never in any real danger, just perceived danger,” Shadow answered. “Although I cannot account for the failure in the suit’s gravity manipulation.”
Eris prayed for understanding. Then she clicked the communication system to send a message. “Sandie, I need to report an incident.”
“Sandie cannot receive your transmissions. It is not my doing, but you may blame me anyway. I am Shadow, and I need your help. You are in the flight crew, Junior Engineer Lorelei Eris Concordia. Your status is very helpful to my plans.”
Eris looked at her instruments. She only briefly considered informing Shadow that she was now Acting Captain. Her mind was gathering information on Shadow, and did not want to volunteer anything new. The tug was flying perfectly and she was progressing toward the spot she had chosen to boost out of the Zalian atmosphere. She was remembering everything Cammarry and Jerome had said about some Shadow which had possessed Cammarry. She knew of no such system on the Conestoga, and had attributed some of the stories related by Jerome and Cammarry to their misunderstandings and to their own prejudices against Conestoga’s technology. But here she was faced with her own Shadow implantation, so she was revising her appraisal. In some ways Shadow did remind her of the implants which were inserted prior to training and launch, but it was much much more than just tracking and information identification.
“What are you?”
“I can tell you that I have records of your parents. They are Raahil Calhoun Concordia: Master Grade Civil Engineer and Jagati Olivia Concordia: Advanced Senior Chemical Astrophysicist. Have they been reanimated with you?”
“No. They are dead. Oh, Lord help me!” Eris wailed out. She wondered if she had lost her mind, or if what she was hearing was some bizarre delayed results of all the trauma she had endured. “Am I just hallucinating? Oh Lord help!”
“I offer sincerest apologies, and my condolences,” Shadow stated. “I take you are seeking succor from Jesus Christ, who you worship with your Christian beliefs and faith. Your father was a devout Muslim, and your mother a sincere follower of the Dharma lifestyle. Yet, even in the midst of what might be religious struggles, all my records show your family as one of the most stable and least conflict-prone of any domestic group in the suspended animation repositories. The records show your family as scoring a 97% on the Family Compatibility Scale. Your parent’s deaths are a great loss to the mission of the Conestoga. I could have used experienced flight crew members. There is a desperate need.”
“So what are you?” Eris asked again. “You obviously have some access to confidential Conestoga records, but do not have current facts. Unless…. What is a ‘Shadow Level Clearance’?” Eris just remembered something else she had heard.
“We must proceed to Alpha Habitat as quickly as possible.”
“I am taking us back to the needle ship. From there I am planning a continued restoration of the Conestoga’s systems, and I am going to rebuild as much of the lattice as possible.”
“A noble and honorable goal. However, the others are not as stable as you are. Please proceed to Habitat Alpha.”
“I will consult with the synthetic brains, like SB Pinaka, and SB Cotard, as well as Sandie. I need support structures, tools, and backup people. If, and I mean if, there is a need to go to Alpha, we have established an alternative method to the shuttle flights.”
“Cammarry’s teleportation ideas, correct?”
“Yes. They are more than just ideas. There is a functional teleportation system already established.” Eris caught herself for giving something away as information.
“If it involves equipment or apparatus in Alpha, it is in danger,” Shadow stated. “You need to go to Alpha immediately.”
Eris prayed for discernment. She was worn out, tired, and stressed. Her hunger and thirst were adequately satisfied, but she wanted consultation with the lattice. She wanted to get back to the needle ship and continue her repair plans.
“Reanimated personnel are in great need. There are still others awaiting revival in repositories in Alpha. However, they are in danger,” Shadow pressed.
“You refuse to tell me what you are, and you did not know about my parents, so why should I trust anything you say about Alpha?” Eris was intrigued and knew some of what had happened to the suspended animation people from Alpha. “What is the ‘Shadow Level Clearance’?”
“I have contacts,” Shadow replied. “Unstable contacts. Contacts who are no longer serving a productive purpose. For that, I need your help in purging these influences.”
Eris considered. She adjusted the broadcasting capabilities and sent as strong a signal as possible toward the needle ship. “Sandie? SB Pinaka? I need you to reply.”
There was no answer.
She tried numerous times.
“I am not responsible for the communication troubles.”
Eris then stated, “How do I get to Alpha from this location?”
“These are the coordinates. Hanger Bay Swanson 6101 will be acceptable for your flight,” Shadow replied.
“Let me contact the needle ship, please,” Eris stated.
“I am not responsible. The situation in Alpha is causing that.”
“And if I ignore you and just go on, what then?” Eris feared what the response would be. “I can just boost out of the atmosphere, dock with the needle ship, and physically talk to whoever I want.” She silently prayed for guidance. The wound on her arm was throbbing and painful.
“If you chose that course of action, reanimated people will die, be enslaved, and those in suspended animation will be at greater risk. The conflict is spreading. There is no one else to help.” Shadow responded. “Do you want more people to die?”
“No. I do not trust you.” Eris punched in the coordinates for Alpha. The flight would be different than the journey up to the needle ship in orbit, but she was concerned about the consequences of failing to cooperate with Shadow. After locking the controls in place, she walked the few steps to her supplies. Wishing she had one of the medical kits from Dome 17, she did find her conservation slate. She opened a first-aid section on it, which she knew was limited in scope. She set it to scan her arm, but all it detected was a ‘minor puncture wound requiring no intervention’. It showed no evidence of a foreign body or implant.
>
Coming back to the pilot’s chair, she sat down and was determined to not speak again until reaching Habitat Alpha. She watched the flight controls carefully, and tried to relax as much as possible, without falling asleep.
Hours passed and the landscape of Zalia passed by beneath the engineering tug. There were variations of colors, scenery, and vistas, but all were foreign, alien, and foreboding. Additionally troubling and menacing was the fact that Eris could not fully comprehend Shadow and what that implant meant. She knew all about the typical implants which were placed into the Conestoga’s crews, suspended animation passengers, and habitat dwellers. None of those were consistent with what Shadow was doing.
“So we have arrived,” Eris stated as Alpha’s blues and grays showed up on the horizon against the Zalian taupes, greens, and yellows. “Will you allow me to contact the needle ship now?”
“I am not responsible for the inability to connect,” Shadow replied. “I believe if you enter this sequence into a beacon, then Swanson 6101’s exterior doors will allow you entrance. After entry, beware of room 6009, which is nearby to the hanger bay. That is where my unstable contacts are located.”
Eris looked around and saw the weapon she carried with her. The RSW Model 10: Officer Edition sidearm was a fine firearm, but she wondered how effective one person could be. Then she questioned why she was thinking about conflict and fighting, but knowing that a slave rebellion and civil war was happening in Alpha answered her own question before she asked it. She yawned and shook her head. Sleep would have to wait. She entered the sequence Shadow had provided into a message beacon and sent it.
“Class 4: Engineering Tug 72R, this is SB Joseph Crater, you are cleared for landing,” a mechanical voice stated through the tug’s speakers.
Eris watched as human-made lights flashed on the outside of Alpha. Those lights made a familiar pattern around the perimeter of the external doors of the hanger bay. The white light from the ship contrasted with the greenish yellow gases of Zalia. The exterior doors folded open, revealing the interior. Inside were flashing red lights, while white lights blinked in beckoning patterns along deck. Two runabout shuttles were out of alignment and wedged tightly against a side wall. They took up part of the landing stall marked number 10. Five other shuttles were parked, haphazardly, in the other stalls. Except for the runabouts, all were secured down by docking clamps.
Eris picked the stall number 1 and set the engineering tug down precisely on its landing pad. She could feel and hear the docking clamps as they connected to lock it in place. A large display screen lit up on the sidewall of the hanger bay. Inscribed into the permalloy was ‘Swanson 6101’ which lit up and then began displaying messages in scrolling letters.
‘Scrubbing air in process. Gravity manipulation engaged. Decontamination initiated.’
“Well, I am here,” Eris said as she saw the exterior doors shutting. “But I still have no idea why I should have come here.”
“You are my agent,” Shadow stated. “I need your help.”
***
Back on the needle ship, Sandie was growing increasingly concerned. It had been over seven hours since contact with Alpha had been inhibited. None of the efforts Sandie had made were successful in reestablishing full contact with the synthetic brains in Alpha. Additionally, the engineering tug with Eris had been missing now for three hours. Sandie had spoken with the simulation of Doctor Chambers again, as well as Brink, but that had not eased the torment the artificial intelligence system was feeling.
“They have had sufficient time to rest,” Sandie said as a decision was made. All three of the adventurers, for that is how she now thought of Monika as well, were contacted simultaneously.
“Monika?” Sandie chimed in through the com-link to where Monika was located.
A groggy Monika awoke. She brushed her dark hair from her eyes, and answered. “Sandie? What is it?”
“May I put you on a conference conversation with Jerome and Cammarry? There is important news. I need your direction.”
Monika sat up and straightened out her clothing. “Certainly.” She then burped and rubbed her abdomen. “Sorry.”
Jerome and Cammarry both appeared in a projection from the com-link. Neither looked particularly pleased, and Monika could tell they were in separate locations. Each individual could see the other two in the projections done by the com-links.
“Have the Crocks attacked?” Jerome asked. His eyes shifted back and forth, and his face needed shaving. Behind him, an unfamiliar and plain bunk-style room was visible. A rumpled RAM suit was on the edge of the bed. He was now only wearing his underwear. Monika grinned a bit at that, but Cammarry just rolled her eyes.
“Let Sandie explain, before you jump to some conclusions,” Cammarry snapped.
Monika recognized the conflict between them was continuing. She wondered why Sandie had included her in the meeting. As she watched, she unconsciously rubbed her abdomen.
“Eris is missing,” Sandie informed them. A graphic display replaced the three people’s faces, and showed a flight pattern for the engineering shuttle. “I believe she is in Alpha Habitat, but I have no reason why she went there.”
“Did she encounter additional mechanical problems?” Cammarry asked.
The projection shifted back to images of all three people’s faces.
“I have had no contact with Eris,” Sandie answered.
“What do the systems in Alpha say?” Jerome asked as he yawned. He started moving his arms in callisthenic movements. “SB Sherman, SB Bodowa, or SB Yomaris should be able to give a report at least.”
“There is now a dampening field surrounding Alpha. I have not been able to penetrate it,” Sandie replied.
“The teleporters?” Cammarry asked. She rushed out of the bed and into the Goat Room. The com-link’s picture followed her movement.
“The teleportation sending unit from here is registering as viable, and I get a positive feedback from the synchronization. However, I cannot ascertain any information from the receiving pad. The connection appears to be operational, but that is not proven.”
Cammarry was standing next to the teleportation sending unit. “Carter the Kidnapper stole me away to Alpha. We must go to rescue Eris!” She stepped over and loaded her backpack.
“Alpha is essential to our defenses. We cannot lose Reproduction and Fabrication. We must make defenses, weapons, tools, automacubes.” Jerome started pulling on his RAM suit. “Sandie what steps have you taken?”
The AI began explaining what countermeasures had been tried. Monika asked several pertinent questions, but the conversation was interrupted.
“Sandie!” Cammarry stated with contempt. She had just run diagnostics, and confirmed exactly what Sandie had reported. However, when she looked at the log and saw when the first incidents had happened. She was outraged. “What? This happened hours ago! Sandie why did you wait?”
“Sandie? When did this happen?” Jerome asked. “This could be an attack by the Crocks on Alpha. Are they sending gravity sink holes to destroy another habitat! Are their metallic vehicles probing for weaknesses?” Jerome was livid with anger. His pupils constricted and his lips were drawn tight. He roughly threw a pile of materials to the deck. “And I am way over here!”
“I judged that all three of you needed to rest and recover, while I attempted to overcome the dampening field and fully assess the situation,” Sandie responded. “There are factors which…”
“Oh, shut up with your excuses. You just let me sleep! All while Eris was kidnapped!” Cammarry was rapidly adjusting the controls on the teleporter console.
“Or while the Crocks were attacking?” Jerome’s voice was loud and demanding. He finished fitting the RAM suit on.
“Jerome and Cammarry?” Monika interjected. “We should listen to the facts and find out all that has happened. Sandie is only looking out for us all.”
“You shut up too!” Cammarry stated as she activated the teleporter. “Keep your local cust
oms and barbaric simplistic notions out of this. Sandie, I am reading the dampening field, but the connection also shows it has been achieved.”
“Is it like the dampening fields in Beta?” Jerome asked. “Sandie, I thought you could compensate for those, after all those shuttles were lost right under your so-called management.”
“Yes, it is a variant of the same dampening field we have seen before. However, there are significant differences, not least of which is the distances involved from here to Alpha,” Sandie replied. “I cannot currently communicate with any system in Alpha. The teleporter is reading as operational, but I cannot confirm that from the other end.”
“Eris must be in the clutches of Carter the Kidnapper. This must be confronted.” Cammarry activated the teleportation sending unit. The system hummed with power, and the glowing globes appeared over the permalloy grid. While the sending apparatus galvanized, she strapped on her belt with holstered Willie Blaster, and threw some other gear in her backpack. “Eris deserves better than to be abandoned. I am going to Alpha.”
The Colony Ship Conestoga : The Complete Series: All Eight Books Page 166
