“Yes, sir. If I may, I would point out that the refugees may try to make for the docking arcs.”
“Good thinking, Officer, and quite correct. Let them. We won’t stop them from attempting to get away by ship. If some of them do, then all the better. Everyone else will be held back by the ship’s own security systems and our airlocks. Send a general notice to every ship docked at the Enone Hub and inform them of the incidents. Advise them to disengage and seek another docking arc.”
“Yes, sir.”
Obragon Vax closed the channel and then brought up his forearm, which popped up a display with large icons.
The gloves of these armored suits were always big; some means of interfacing with its systems and other communications were necessary. He could manipulate icons on his collar using his chin, but those were a few options to be used in battle, usually.
He manipulated the icons to set up a secure channel to another squad and then opened the line. An officer’s face appeared in seconds.
“Commander Vax, sir!”
“Report.”
“Yes, Commander. There has been no response from the Devourer vessel, sir. We have succeeded in gaining entrance to our side of the airlock door, but the other side is still locked. We have detected and neutralized several security systems embedded in the lock of the Devourer vessel and are proceeding to remove the last three.”
“Good. How long?”
“We expect it to take another hour, sir. It is slow work. The technicians have also advised that there are a further three doors beyond this one in the same passage, sir, all likely to have the same configurations and security.”
Obragon Vax was both pleased and troubled to hear that the Devourer ship security was intact. He was pleased because it meant the Devourer ship was of the standard agreed design and that the seals were in place to prevent any spawn from escaping.
He was troubled because spawn had obviously escaped, which meant they may not have come from that ship.
“Proceed. Advise me as soon as each door is breached. And Officer…”
“Yes, sir?”
“Take care. We do not know why that ship is dormant nor why we have no response to our attempts to communicate. The Devourer should be well aware of what your team is doing. That it has not opened communications is most troubling of all. Stay vigilant.”
“Yes, sir.”
The channel closed. Obragon Vax monitored the events on the Enone Hub while the outline of the massive structure began to grow in his vision. They would be there soon, but before that, he was again interrupted by a priority communication.
“Yes,” he answered.
“Sir, the monitoring alert advised us that it has found the humans again. They have left the tunnels and are proceeding through the park.”
“Show me.”
A holographic projection showed inside his collar. In it, he could see the humans walking quickly along the pathways through the park. What interested him was that they still carried the sample case, but now it was completely sealed, not transparent at all, but rather a matte-gray color.
“Have you scanned them?”
“Yes, sir. We do not detect any Devourer biology, and their capacity to travel together also illustrates that they are not infected.”
Very clever, Obragon Vax thought.
If they did get a sample, then it was likely very well shielded. And that they had gotten one while not being infected was also a good sign of their capability.
“Very well. Monitor where they go. I expect it will be back to their ship. Let me know if they deviate or leave their ship again.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And Officer, what happened to Engestine and the Lanillans who entered the tunnels shortly after the humans did?”
“The Antonasas and one Lanillan came running out of a tunnel entrance on the far side of the park five minutes after the humans exited their more central tunnel, sir.”
“Good work, Officer. Get back to it.”
Obragon Vax considered what kind of busy days there were in the galaxy. The implications of what had happened in the tunnel were not lost on him. They needed to get as much source material away from the Devourer in those tunnels as possible.
* *
The five humans made their way back to the Enone Hub, and up the elevator in silence, each of them wrapped up in their own thoughts about what had been happening: risking their lives for the second time in as many days for some unknown abductors and a hidden ultimate goal.
For her part, Lekiso was just thinking about the fighting.
It never seemed to let her escape, the need to fight, to kill, to survive. Every battle would be a strain on the psyche, she had learned in officer training. They taught the methods to focus other troops just so that they could keep going, keep moving, stay on mission.
It distracted them from what was going on and allowed the subconscious to process everything.
As a coping mechanism, it worked, even though she felt it wasn’t really fair to the people it was being applied to. In this case, she was with at least three other people who weren’t in the military. They hadn’t chosen this kind of life.
Not that any of them had chosen to be in this situation either.
They left the elevator on their docking arc, and Marc got more animated. He said, “Uh, so now we have the sample.”
He held up the sample case they had to illustrate.
Everyone was glad it had a setting to hide the contents.
“So now that door should open. Either that or we keep our eyes on this thing until whoever or whatever comes to fetch it. They have to get it into the ship somehow, right?”
Lekiso didn’t really know what to say, but Connor said to the short man, “Okay, bud, we get it. And yeah, we’ll keep an eye on it. We all want to know what’s going on, right?”
Marc didn’t respond. He was practically bouncing when they got to the airlock door. Lekiso watched him press his hand to the panel, and the door opened. Marc pranced inside, followed by Ormond and Meriam.
Connor looked at Lekiso, but she just shrugged and followed the others in.
Marc went over to the door on the far side, looking over the doorframe to see if anything had changed, but it hadn’t.
“Uh, okay, you lot, so here is your precious sample. We risked our lives, and I almost died! But we got it. So let us in!”
Marc just about shouted out the last part. But still, nothing happened.
“That’s okay, really. Uh, I can wait you out. Look, I’ll put this down right here in the middle so you can come and get it, alright?”
Marc put the sample case down like he said he would, in the middle of the room after moving the bunk bed aside.
Then he stood over it triumphantly with his hands on his hips.
“Uh, what do you think, guys? Nice and visible so we can see what comes for it, hey?”
The others didn’t say anything. Marc looked around at all of them to see.
“What?” he asked, puzzled.
“Nothing, mate. We are just tired. Let’s wait it out and see what happens,” Ormond said, trying to calm Marc down.
“Uh, okay, sure. Just don’t fall asleep. I don’t want to miss this.”
“Hey, Marc.” Lekiso had been watching the case, and she pointed at it now. Everyone looked from where they were situated around the room. Marc looked down.
The case had a violet glow that was spreading over it. From two corners towards the middle, the brightness spread quickly until it engulfed the entire case.
Then the whole thing just disappeared, gone in an instant as if it never was.
“Uh, what? What! No no no no no, you can’t just pull this shit!” Marc put his hands on either side of his head, shaking uncontrollably.
Connor moved towards him, holding his hands out in a calming gesture. “Hold it together there, Marc. Come on now.”
But the short man wasn’t listening. He looked all around the room, and then his face t
ook on a mask of fury. He looked at the door, which had stayed resolutely shut this whole time, and stalked over to it.
“You will let. Me. In!” Marc cried.
Then he disappeared.
The other four all jumped up and hurried over to where he had been a moment ago.
Then they spotted him: Marc was on the other side of the door. They could see him clearly, his back to them, through the little rectangular slit of transparent material.
Automated log update.
Subject Marc Umber has successfully translocated using Gravitonics.
Colloquial terminology in use by Gravimetric junior users refers to effect as teleportation, as noted in the file. Further terminology reference shall attempt to establish understanding congruent with subjects’ references within their time period.
Analysis indicates that subjects have grown together as a team within the supplied variances.
Scans and subjects’ behavior indicates a high congruency with parameters for Gravitonics usage among all five.
Mission parameters now met for full discourse under guidelines of establishing initial contact.
Discourse is now required as the circumstances in the Puzzle Box have changed due to Devourer organism reaction to Subjects’ removal of sample.
Establishing interaction with subjects while monitoring continues.
* *
Everyone muttered their own version of swearing.
Lekiso and Meriam’s were both in another language, while Connor and Ormond spoke English, something along the lines of “Holy crap!”
Marc looked more surprised than any of them.
The little man seemed frozen on the other side of the door. From the limited view of the transparent rectangle, Connor couldn’t see much, if anything, of what was going on inside the corridor that Marc had appeared in.
But he didn’t want to wait and see if there was a reaction.
Thinking quickly, he messaged Marc over the private channel, which still showed him connected.
“Hey, Marc. Buddy, can you hear me?”
“Uh!” Marc’s body slumped slightly as he got hold of himself again. “Uh, yeah, yeah, I think so, Connor.”
“Great, bud. Now, look at the door from your side. Do you see a panel or a way to open it?” Connor said quickly, trying to keep Marc’s attention before he could freeze up or do something they couldn’t help him with.
“Uh, hey, yeah!” Marc started to walk to the door, his voice getting a bit stronger on the private com. “I can see a panel on this side. Well, it’s like glowing icons hovering above the metal surface. But there is a clear set of controls.”
“Great, mate. So, pick the one that opens the door already.” Ormond was gritting his physical teeth, and his mental voice was a bit strained because of it.
The door slid aside silently, only a very slight movement of air betraying the motion as it just went away. The barrier that had plagued them since they had woken up moved aside just like that. Connor could scarcely believe it had happened.
Even Marc, still standing in the doorway with one arm outstretched to allow him to reach the access controls, looked a little shocked that it had been that easy.
And he had been the one to teleport inside in the first place!
“Everyone in!” Connor said out loud. Adding action to his words, he was already barging past Marc to get inside the corridor beyond the door.
“Uh, woah!” Marc hustled to one side as the other three humans followed Connor in.
“Sorry, mate, but we don’t want to be left out there any more than you would,” Ormond apologized.
Lekiso put a hand on Marc’s shoulder to comfort him. “Yeah, sorry, but it’s also better if you aren’t the only one stuck in here, right?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess.” Marc looked from Lekiso to Meriam, who gave him a gentle smile to reassure him.
Connor was already at the T, where the corridor curved to the right and the left in both directions.
“It’s big. The corridor, I mean. Up to that door and down both these passages, wide enough for a few people. But the height is pretty normal for us.”
“You must be from construction, mate. We finally get in here, and there you are, checking out the way it has been built?” Ormond wasn’t mocking; he seemed more curious as he made his way down to where Connor was standing.
“Uh, hey! Waitaminnit. I got us in here, so I get to have my answers now, right?!” Marc took two steps further into the corridor, speaking loudly and looking around. He was earnest enough to leave Lekiso and Meriam to wait by the still-open door.
Connor and Ormond turned to watch the small man vent his anger and frustration.
Marc stomped further down the corridor towards the other two men. “Hey! Are you listening?”
He paused and looked around as if expecting something to happen.
“Uh, anyone? You abducted us! Where are you?”
The five humans all jumped out of their skins when a voice spoke all around them.
“I am here, Marc Umber. Welcome on board the Vector.”
“What the frig?” Ormond exclaimed. Connor had almost gotten it out before him.
The voice spoke with quiet confidence and some sort of flat accent that Connor couldn’t place. But it wasn’t being translated, so it was speaking English.
Marc seemed to feel better that he finally had a target. “Uh, hey, who the hell are you!”
“I am the ship artificial intelligence. For conversation purposes and to establish ongoing dialogue, you may find it most useful to refer to me as SAI. It is both accurate and easy to pronounce.”
The acronym came out something like cutting short the word “sigh,” but Connor got the point. So did Marc, but it had not calmed the small man down too much, just distracted him a bit.
“Uh, okay, but that doesn’t really answer my question. Why are you answering me? Where are our abductors?”
“You are correct. My answer was only an introduction and not meant as an explanation. That will take some time, and I ask for your patience, as the explanation will be long. Please follow the corridor you are in and turn right. Go down the passage until you reach the large doorway on the right from there. All smaller doorways are locked and will not allow you passage. Through the doorway I have described, you will find a holographic room and chairs in which you are to be seated so that we may continue this dialogue.”
“What the hell?” That was Lekiso. She was looking around the walls, floor, and ceiling as if to see a camera or something else. But the features were as blank as they had viewed from the other side of the door.
Connor decided to get Marc focused—and, hopefully, the rest of them too.
“Hey, Marc, can you get a scan in here now? See if this voice is telling us the truth about where to go?”
“Uh, sure, hang on.” Marc was also looking around. He had stopped in the passage with the two other men, but at Connor’s words, his gaze unfocused so that he could manipulate his display.
Connor looked for some other tasks to keep the rest busy. “Ormond, watch the corridor behind us.” He pointed down the left passage, which was away from where the voice had told them to go.
“Ladies, if you wouldn’t mind, let’s stick together?” He gestured for them to come over, and they did, looking up and down the passage with its gleaming silvery metal walls that had absolutely no seam or join in sight.
Lekiso gave him a look, though. “Don’t crack now, Connor. Keep it together?”
“Yeah? Stay on mission, eh, boss lady?” Ormond gave his comment out loud.
“It’s worked so far, Ormond.” She turned to face the paler man and put her hands on her hips. Connor recognized the reprimand he had been due but didn’t want things to get out of control.
He didn’t interject before Ormond spoke, though.
“Yeah? Well, to hell with that. I’m with Marc on this one. It’s time to get some friggin’ answers, yeah!”
“Guys, please.” Con
nor stepped up, so he was visible to both of them.
“Get a grip. We’ve worked well together. Whatever is going to happen next, we’ll deal with it better together.”
Ormond did have the decency to look embarrassed, passing his gaze down at the spotless floor and up around the smooth passage—anywhere but at Lekiso.
“Yeah, mate. Sure. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Right?” Connor gave Lekiso a stare and a raised eyebrow.
She also looked away. “Yeah, sorry, guys.”
Connor realized he had his hands up, ready to keep the two away from each other if necessary. He slowly let them relax down at his sides again and then turned to find Marc waiting for the confrontation to blow over. “Got anything?” he asked.
“Uh, yeah. This corridor is an elliptic ring. It goes both ways from here and joins again on the other side of the middle rooms. I can detect several open spaces and equipment areas all behind these walls. But the only open door is down that passage on the right, as the ship said.”
All five humans jumped when the voice spoke out from all around them again.
“Correction. I am the ship artificial Intelligence. I repeat you may refer to me as SAI. I am not the ship itself. I utilize the ship to perform my functions, as will you.”
“We will?” Connor asked.
“Affirmative. Please, I repeat my request that you make your way to the briefing room for further discourse.”
“Damn thing’s polite. I hope it has a body for me to punch,” Ormond muttered to the rest of them.
“I think we should do as it says.” Connor moved slowly up the corridor. For as far as he could see, there was no doorway, so the room had to be a bit ahead. The map displayed on his vision from Marc’s scan showed him that they were halfway along the length of the ellipse that made up the ship.
“Sure, okay, mate.” Ormond started to walk along, staying to the right of Connor and slightly back. The other three made various sounds of agreement and followed the two men.
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