ARTIS PRIME

by Tobias Roote

  Replacing the chips in the pouch, she issued an internal command, prompting a lump to pushed out from her abdomen. As if materialising through her skin, it resolved into a flesh-coloured egg-shape. As RIGA caught it in her hand, it opened across invisible seams, exposing its empty interior. The black pouch fitted snugly inside, whereby it closed again. She offered it up to her abdomen, pressing it against her flesh. The container was quickly reabsorbed, and within a few seconds, all trace of its existence vanished.

  Hidden behind her ribs, it was protected by the indestructible, but lightweight teutranium cage that held her vitals. This unique bodily function was instrumental in her acting as a secure courier to governments, royal families and diplomats. She had a second egg, filled with all manner of objects useful in a tight spot. There were other surprises secreted around her body.

  RIGA dressed, removing additional items from her cylinder, closed it, then holding her hand pressed against the plate on the outside, sealed the container. Perfectly manufactured joints disappeared to merge as one with the metal casing. Upon further commands via an interface in the heel of her hand, it glided on internal anti-grav motors across the room to an alcove which, on receiving it, closed. When it re-opened ten seconds later, the cylinder had vanished, returning to her ship via the underground network.

  Entering the small two person lift from within her apartment complex, RIGA inserted the room chip that had been handed to her by the RORI (Restricted Operational Robotic Intelligence) on arrival at the hotel. The elevator door closed and the journey to reception began.

  Designed to travel along the internal corridors to each room, the elevator vehicles would only move where the hotel AI sent them, carrying out a complex three-dimensional dance routine a million times a day. The AI was capable of sending guests to their rooms, dining areas and entertainment suites on demand, as well as keeping them clear of the VIP areas. Those like RIGA, who had privileged credentials, were never required to come up against the normal commercial guests. The hotel AI saw to that - discreetly.

  Despite sophisticated inertial dampers, RIGA's finely tuned balance sensed the slight movement as the elevator vied with others on the magnetic rails to reach a descent tunnel. She had priority, so there wasn't much of a delay.

  Before the elevator began the final run to reception, RIGA took out a thin flexible overlay from her pocket. It was the same size as the inserted room chip, loaded with additional software code. It slipped into the slot on top of the existing chip, effectively over-riding all other protocols.

  As the coded overlay was read by the elevator chip reader, the lights flashed to signify acceptance of the new commands. The servos whined and hummed quietly as the transport capsule tried to halt the current action, then changed speed and direction. Frequently switching from horizontal to vertical motion, the elevator now travelled to her newly coded destination, unrecorded by the city AI.

  The hotel AI would no longer concern itself over the misappropriation of the vehicle, which now showed up as a service elevator from the maintenance company. The hotel AI ignored it as it left via the basement turnstile. The lift would automatically return when RIGA no longer needed it and re-attach itself to the AI's elevator register, with no record of its recent journey.

  For the moment the hotel elevator was her personal security transport whilst in the city. It would use the city’s sophisticated transit system to take her directly to the door of her secret meeting. Any security tails, drones or assassins waiting for her to exit from the safety of the hotel would no longer be able to detect her presence. She would not be leaving through the front, or rear of the hotel. There would be no opportunity to ‘TeeTag’ her with a temporary electronic echo that would show up on specially designed hand-held monitors. As an AI, RIGA had no concerns about such things, but as she was impersonating a human female, it would have been difficult to avoid a device that a human was unable to detect.

  RIGA scanned herself in the reflection of the full length elevator mirror. Her diminutive frame and long black hair contrasted keenly with her pale flawless skin. Her enhanced green eyes sparkled. Her soft red lips completed the appearance of having applied make-up, but these were her natural colours.

  The business suit she wore was not her usual style, she preferred her black Armillo leathers which fitted her like a glove, but this assignment called for a corporate executive and she needed to blend in. The black trousers were plain, but the white jacket looked good on her; gold thread in the weave of the cloth shimmered.

  RIGA needed to disguise herself, so began internal re-programming of her appearance. It was part of her continued success where frequent missions could mean easy identification and possible interception. She continued to examine her features while they changed. Her skin tone darkened until it represented the Rentil-4 look. Their sun was stronger than Epsilon-Gamma's and their people were almost permanently a light brown. RIGA's lips changed to a brighter more vibrant shade, her sparkling green eyes morphed into a soft azure blue. Her facial skin tones replicated a look she had acquired from a recent fashion magazine cover on Rentil. The pale white shades complimenting red and gold flecks around her eyes, which helped to accentuate altered cheekbones, furthering her disguise.

  As she finalised her Rentil-look, RIGA's hair changed colour as if dye was dropping out of the ends, until bleached to a pure white with a wide band of blue to match her eyes at the tips. The line of blue sat flawlessly at her neck as her hair settled at a now shortened length, just above her shoulders.

  Her fingernails, always kept long for in-close fighting, were now coloured to match her eyes. The long slender fingers of her left hand bound together with her fring, a long thin Pirdinium braid wrapped in a set form around all the fingers of her hand, inset with exotic gems. It could be removed easily and maintained its shape no matter what. Only women of high breeding could wear such an item. They were prohibitively expensive to fashion and highly sought after.

  This one was also a concealed weapon. One of the inset jewels was a crystal power supply, while another activated an electronic pulse which, when switched on, forced the wire to lose it’s pre-formed shaped, converting the long wire into a plasma whip. The weapon, if handled correctly, was capable of cutting through personal armour. They had been banned for over a century, but secretly the technology had continued to advance beyond official detection. This one was a personal gift from the Emperor himself, in gratitude for services rendered. When switched off, it would remember its pre-formed shape, becoming her fring again.

  As a finishing touch, a curled iridescent bar-code raised up from within her synthetic flesh to decorate her wrists, validating her membership of the Rentil royal family. A gold and silver choke band, a gift from her new client, Osachi, adorned her neck and finished her transformation. She was ready.

  Whilst preparing her new identity RIGA had noticed that things were not quite as expected on the elevator network. She began to pay more attention to what was going on beyond her dress-code. Her external monitoring sensors detected the direct approach of an elevator that was not following a computed route. The capsule’s direction and motion disturbed her. She double-checked the AI’s routing requests and confirmed the other elevator was not on it. Had someone else learned to use the elevators in the same way as she had? It was aiming straight at her and for no reason RIGA suddenly thought of the tracking of her and her ship the last few weeks.

  RIGA’s tracking sensors calculated that at its current direction and speed, the two elevators would intersect in forty-two seconds. Not good. It meant her ghost protocols for the elevator weren’t working. The interception could be official, but more likely she thought, it was a new attack by her enemies. They must have been alerted by something in her coding, which meant someone, or something, was monitoring the Warden AI looking for potential hacks. In either case she could not afford to be caught, the repercussions would not be good news for her mission.

  Recognising the need to act, RIGA’s left hand connec
ted with the elevator chip. Fine tendrils of wire erupted from the contacts in her hand, inserting themselves into the chip’s slot. There was no manual control in the elevator system. AI’s didn’t need it, and humans could never compute the three dimensional routing. The system had run accident free for decades, and was now five times the size of the original grid.

  RIGA was therefore very concerned at any potential intercept. The only way for her to escape was to over-ride the system again. So having plotted the actions of the approaching elevator, RIGA programmed an evasion routine that would keep her offset by at least one set of rails from the other car. She then pre-set the elevator ID to spoof another elevator as soon as an opportune moment came about. Her tendrils remained connected to the control box ready to provide updated instructions.

  She was using a program set up on her last visit to Artis Prime, having discovered the elevators could be redirected. Others must have discovered her hack and then lay in wait for her, or was this the official Helis Warden’s response? As the elevator bucked at the rapid changes in direction, RIGA’s sensors registered an approaching opportunity; a group of elevators were converging ahead of her at a main junction.

  At the intersection with the three other elevators, they momentarily mirrored her movements from their own direction. As they all came together, the ID on her car electronically switched with them in a fast rotation, so that not only were the elevators dancing, but their identities changed too. They all ended up with the same code. RIGA’s car took the route of one of the others, all leaving the party at the same time on their reprogrammed routes. The passengers would be most surprised when they turned up at the wrong destination. The Warden might step in before then, if it discovered the problem in time.

  RIGA continued to watch carefully while the hostile elevator tried to identify her car. Then, as she arrived at the next junction, she switched Id's again as well as route, leaving the other car heading in another direction. After four more changes, all sign of pursuit had vanished.

  Finally, RIGA re-routed the car to its original destination, which by design, was now only a short distance away. She watched carefully for any form of reception committee. It was all clear for the moment, but she always expected another attack. The bounty hunters never gave up easily and they nearly always had back-up plans.

  It was time she made one or two of her own.

  ‘Gossie,’ she called on her secure comms network.

  ‘RIGA?’

  ‘Launch the ship and zero in on my location. Apply stealth and remain within immediate intercept range. Prepare for a hot exit - I have hostiles tracking,’ she advised.

  ‘Course laid in, stealth initialized, intercept protocol acknowledged. In range in... three minutes and twenty-two seconds,” Gossie confirmed.

  ‘Acknowledged.’

  The ship knew what to expect, this wasn’t the first time RIGA had need of a fast exit. The Zeta Nine encounter had been a good example. RIGA wondered if this was connected, and berated herself. No, she was certain - they were all linked. LEXON Corporation would not give up.

  Now she had her escape route planned all she needed to do was reach a point where she could be extracted. Meanwhile, she was approaching her destination, so prepared herself for a possible attack on arrival.

  As the elevator slowed towards its programmed exit, RIGA could follow her progress on the tracking overlay grid inside her head. There were two cars now converging on her location at high speed. It was going to be close; she hoped the defences inside the Council offices were up to date. She wasn’t allowed to enter armed, so wasn’t carrying her usual range of weaponry, a few secret items hidden on her person. Not much use in a ‘full on’ assassination attempt.

  The EXIT light turned green. The door opened and RIGA walked out into the large reception area, devoid of anyone except the robotic attendant at her desk, positioned fifty feet from the entrance. The attendant looked more alert than the usual RORI, RIGA thought. Mentally she accessed her elevator control and locked it in the open door position, intending to reduce by a factor of one the possibility of hostile entry behind her. That would leave only two lift doors available.

  Walking swiftly towards the desk, RIGA announced herself. “Ambassador Rigel to see the Council – they are expecting me.” She continued monitoring the incoming lifts behind her.

  “Yes, Ambassador. I am instructed to take you through immediately you arrive,” the attendant confirmed beginning to move from the desk to intercept her. As she spoke, warning lights on her desk began to flash, diverting her attention momentarily and sending her back to her control panel.

  RIGA, already anticipating the reason for the distraction, heard the doors open behind her. As she ran the remaining short distance and leaped the desk to gain cover, the receptionist continued to deal with the lights and flashing warnings as if it were an every day occurrence.

  3. The Artis Council

  RIGA turned to face them as they poured out of the elevators. Flechette rounds flew at her as the six human hostiles fanned out. They weren't giving the appearance of trying to take her captive. So, probably not LEXON then. RIGA couldn’t see if they were a military unit, or pirates. Either way they intended to kill her. Dammation – what was going on around here lately.

  Several rounds flew past her face, always off-target as RIGA's super-fast reflexes not only saw the rounds coming, but allowed her to make the slightest of moves to ensure they 'just' missed. She also tried not to give the cameras, saturating the reception area, the opportunity to see her as anything other than Ambassador Rigel.

  The attendant turned to RIGA and said, as cool as if it was offering iced tea, “it seems that you were followed. I have apprised the Council that you will be delayed momentarily.” With that the RORI attendant pressed a button on the fascia and stood in front of RIGA, as a blockade, deflecting the flechettes which bounced harmlessly off its metal body.

  Mounted weapons had appeared out of the walls and ceiling, ranging and preparing to fire on the attackers. Unexpectedly, the guns did nothing except follow the intruders, leaving RIGA, who had anticipated an immediate outpouring of laser fire, preparing to expose her own high-speed reactions to remove the threats.

  Meanwhile, the attendant continued to flash its fingers over buttons in an attempt to override the stubborn ‘STAY EXECUTE’ command that seemed intent on ignoring all efforts to counter it on the vidscreen. The gleaming chromed barrels poking out of the walls became agitated, as if unable to decide whether or not to shoot on the targets.

  Although only a few seconds had passed, with only the RORI defending her, RIGA prepared her own plan knowing it would blow her cover. It would, however, allow her to escape this trap that had been obviously set in advance; how else could the defences have been disabled?

  Unarmed for her meeting with the Council, as per regulation, she could only hope to outrun the flechette fire and gain cover. With no protection to be had, the assailants ignored the guns aimed at them as if aware they were safe from retaliation, and proceeded towards the reception desk and RIGA. Pulling off her fring, she prepared to press the jewelled stud that would release the whip and activate the plasma field.

  The first of them had almost reached the desk and would soon have a clear shot. RIGA prepared to leap over his head and take her chances with the others, while turning back to remove his head with the plasma whip and gain his weapon. Her abilities would be no match for them, but her actions would result in serious problems with the Council and Artis Prime law. Her options were currently, very limited.

  A deep male voice cut into her neural comms unit, the tone was authoritative.

  “Do not engage – remain where you are,” it warned. The click of the closing connection told RIGA any attempt at conversation would be futile. The warning had stopped her - long enough to make a difference.

  As if the commands had finally worked their way through a data bottleneck, the laser cannons, which had so far followed the assassins as they moved t
hrough the room, opened fire. Pulsating brightly coloured beams instantly cut a swathe through the armed assailants. Confused and showing visible alarm, the assassins briefly attempted to take out the defences, but with flechettes against lasers they were completely out gunned.

  One by one they fell in smouldering heaps as the laser defences poured fire into their bodies, even after they were disabled. Had RIGA been on the other side of the desk, the crossbeams of fire would have caught her whichever way she ran, or jumped - the timely warning had saved her. She wondered who it was, and how they had known. Then remembering the sudden change in the laser behaviour and she realised they, whoever they were, had over-ridden the sabotaged defences. She owed them.

  The RORI who had not attempted to avoid any fire throughout the conflagration, continued working at the screens as if nothing untoward had occurred. The Council’s mounted weapons, as one, now retreated behind their hidden panels leaving the room looking harmless again. Only the dead bodies provided evidence to the contrary.

  RIGA turned and questioned the AI. “Why did the weapons refused to fire until the assassins almost reached us?”

  The AI looked agitated as if reconciling conflicting instructions. “There was an external lock on firing that had been coded in when you arrived. The assassins were expected to succeed. The lock was neutralised by... an unknown external source.”

  RIGA looked across at the remains of the bodies on the floor, each headless with smoke rising from multiple holes in their chests. That they were non-humans was now evident, pieces of android skin and frame were scattered around her feet. They had been disguised as humans though, and RIGA wondered about the subterfuge. No AI on Artis Prime would concern themselves over an android hit team any more than a human. Why would her enemies use androids looking like humans, unless they expected to be successful and get away, leaving humans to take the blame.