The Crucible: Leap of Faith
Page 16
It was when Jane had almost finished her work, and was finally getting ready to leave, that the building shook. It was very slight at first, and she hardly noticed it, but when the Central Intelligence – an interconnected computer system that ran throughout the entire Galactic Force – began to blare with a warning, she realized that something serious was up.
“Ci, what's going on?” she asked the computer. She always called it Ci for short – its full title being Centralized Intelligence Unit, but Ci being far shorter and far cuter. Now that was perhaps another thing that set Jane apart: though Ci was just a computer, Jane liked to treat her as something more. Yes, she was simply an artificial intelligence, just a system of computer banks and interconnecting panels; she did not have real intelligence or emotions, and in fact, one could simply say “she” wasn't real at all. But Jane liked to think she should treat everything – from a tree, to a human, to an alien, to a rock – exactly the same. With perfect dignity. Well, maybe everything except stones. Lucas Stones to be more specific.
“Depressurization has occurred in containment chamber one,” Ci replied quickly, her synthesized voice expressing no emotion.
While technically Ci did not show any outward feeling, Jane always liked to think that there was a certain warm efficiency about her.
“Thank you, Ci. Is it serious?” Jane asked quickly.
“Containment has been re-established. Correct personnel have been notified. There is no risk to life or property,” Ci advised, voice maintaining a perfectly even tone.
“Thank you, Ci,” Jane said with a sigh. Which was a little silly really, because she shouldn't be sighing at the rather pleasant fact that the building and everybody in it were fine. Perhaps a deeply buried mutinous part of her personality had wanted something a little more exciting, something more adventurous for a Monday night. Yet Jane buried that voice, said good night to Ci, and walked out of the office.
It was when she was walking across the campus to one of the transport hubs that the thing attacked her. She had no warning, she had nowhere to run, and she had no chance.
The end of the excerpt. This series consists of three books (A Plain Jane Book One, A Plain Jane Book Two, and A Plain Jane Book Three), all of which are currently available.
Check out the first book here.
Odette C. Bell is the author of over 60 works ranging from sci-fi to fantasy. If you’d like to check out her catalogue with plenty of free samples and full-length books, it’s available here.