The Ganymede Legacy

by A C Bonesteel

  Everything around Alice fell into darkness until even the air turned black, slowly darkening to match the hue of the black box and leaving Alice within a dead, dark void.

  Only she and the young science officer remained. He stood before her as she stared up at him.

  "I'm sorry... please! I'm sorry!" Alice pleaded.

  He smiled down at her kindly. "It's too late, Alice..." Then, he too turned grey and fell apart before her.

  Now completely alone, Alice looked down and saw that her body was gone. She stretched her hand out and expected to see it held out in front of her, but it wasn't there. There was nothing left of her, except for all the pain and death she had caused.

  Then, through the darkness, a lilting female voice spoke. "Alice, c'mon! Let's go, pretty lady! You're not dead yet, now wake up!"

  "I'm sorry..." Alice whispered to the darkness.

  Then, she opened her eyes and saw the bright white ceiling of her ship's medical bay.

  "Hey, there you are!" the lilting female voice exclaimed with glee.

  Alice blinked her eyes to adjust to the bright light and saw Annabelle's happy, smiling face looking down at her.

  "What are you sorry about?" Annabelle asked.

  Memories of what had transpired before she passed out in Leo's arms flooded back to Alice. She had freed Leo, and then everything had gone wrong. Thrall's ambush, the radiation damage to her implants, the darkness, and the knife in her back...

  And Ganymede...

  Shonn, the dust, and the death of Ganymede overlayed itself with the Thrall's sick smile, and the darkness of the room when the knife had shattered her spine.

  No...

  NO!

  With the sheer emotional fortitude that only living eight years filled with utter regret could grant, Alice slammed the door on her memories.

  Alice looked up at Annabelle. "I'm sorry for Ganymede. I'm sorry for the acid. I'm sorry for everything, but never mind that. What the hell happened? Where is Leo? Is he alive?"

  Annabelle didn't answer. Instead, she turned and pointed down to the floor. Alice's eyes followed her finger, and she saw Leo lying there near the entrance to the medical bay. He was still except for the slow heave of his chest.

  Annabelle looked down at Leo and smiled. "He's alive. Although, I don't know how he survived the wound to his side. It was pretty epic. I think it blew out his kidney and part of his intestine. I don't know how the hell he managed to get you out of the maintenance levels with a chunk like that missing. And of course, you guys never would have made it back to the ship if Idi hadn't woken me up and sent me to save you..."

  Alice looked at Annabelle with disbelief. She would not have expected Annabelle to be capable of saving her and Leo.

  "You saved us?" Alice asked.

  Annabelle bristled at Alice's tone of voice, though she answered reasonably and without offense.

  "It was a team effort, to be honest..."

  A sense of wonder overcame Alice as she listened to Annabelle describe the events that had transpired while she had been unconscious. Leo had rescued her, then Annabelle had rescued Leo and her. It didn't seem possible, but she was alive, and Annabelle had no reason to lie.

  "...there were a few bumps, and you did die for a little while, but we made it out. Since then, we've been flying for about two days now," Annabelle finished.

  Alice tried to embed every detail of Annabelle's story in her memory. She would have to check with Idi to make sure Annabelle's version of events was reliable.

  "I need to eat and talk with Idi. Don't wake Leo up just yet. I need to get my bearings before I deal with him," Alice ordered.

  Annabelle looked down at Leo. "I already tried to wake him up, but he's out like a Callistian Wino. Idi knocked him out with something powerful, I think... Anyways, what do you mean by 'deal' with him'?"

  Alice's joints were stiff, and her body ached, but she managed to rise from the chair. Then, she began stretching her arms, trying to ease away the aches that permeated her body.

  "Don't worry about it. We have an agreement, and I plan to fulfill my end of the bargain. I just hope that he will, too."

  Annabelle frowned. "If you made a deal, he'll hold up his end of the bargain... He saved you after all..."

  Alice turned away from Annabelle and continued stretching. "Idi?"

  "Yes, Alice?" Idi's melodious voice answered.

  Alice balled her hands into fists. "I need something to eat, and I need to know where the hell we are."

  Chapter 23

  From somewhere within a vast darkness, twelve voices conversed in rapid succession.

  "That is now a moot point. The link has been severed, whether by our doing, Exony's, or by virtue of an unknown phenomenon. Regardless of the information that may remain hidden from the whispers of Exony, we can now take a more active approach in counteracting her plan!"

  "True, but we must discover how and why the link was severed. If it was Exony's actions that severed the link, then she must have more desire to hide her thoughts than to hear ours, and that would signify some change or progress in her plan. If that is the case, then we must initiate the Origin Protocol."

  "I don't believe it was Exony's actions that severed the link. I believe it was natural degradation. The link had always been weaker with Exony than with the rest of us, and when she originally shielded her thoughts from us, the method was undoubtedly unproven, though still successful in the short term. The fact that the link returned, but in a less functional form years later indicates some instability in the method she used. The fact that the link would fail of its own accord seems likely based on this previous pattern of instability."

  "So then, operating under that assumption, it would seem unlikely that a milestone in Exony's progress was the cause. However, the consequences if the opposite is true are of enough magnitude to warrant our concern, regardless if they are unlikely at the current time."

  "What is likely, is that eventually, Exony will solve her issues related to the transmission of her agent. She either already has, or she will very soon. Progress is inevitable, as we all know very well."

  "Once she solves that problem, there is only one course of action we can take to ensure the survival and further advancement of humanity."

  "The situation is not as dire as that! Not yet. There is still hope. We must act directly in opposition of Exony instead of abandoning the Solar system to its fate. We must act now!"

  "Such a desire is understandable. However, we must consider the greater good. We cannot risk the agent reaching one of us under any circumstances. We don't know exactly how it functions, but we have learned enough through the whispers to know that it can control behavior. That particular effect on one of us would prove more than fatal."

  "That is one hypothesis, yes, but based on the technical data we've been able to compile, the simulations show it is more likely that the agent will destroy the nervous system of anyone it comes in contact with. It will likely act with some constructed delay to increase transmission rates. This incubation period, if you will, is unknown to us, and there is no way to learn that information unless we acquire a sample of the agent for ourselves. Without that information, we cannot organize an effective quarantine protocol."

  "The risks are dire, indeed."

  "If we are infected, then the Origin Protocol will become unworkable. We cannot send the progenitors to Aureus without our guidance and our understanding of the Ark. If even one aspect of the Origin Protocol is broken, it will fail."

  "We cannot risk coming into contact with the agent. The dangers are too great. We cannot gamble a guaranteed future for humanity against the hope that we can find a way to counteract the agent before it reaches us. To develop a countermeasure, we must acquire a sample. If a sample is in our possession, it makes it likely that we will become infected. There is no perfect solution to this problem."

  "Even if we initiate the Origin Protocol, we cannot guarantee a future for humanity..."

 
; "No..."

  "The simulations are clear..."

  "Well, ignoring that for a moment... Assuming we can gather a sample, our best science officers could use an isolated facility to study the agent. We can project ourselves onto them to expedite the process."

  "That would be in opposition to the Callisto resolution. We cannot morally or legally conduct that action."

  "But we have the ability, and extraordinary circumstances such as these require extraordinary actions. I would happily weigh the loss of a few lives against the possibility of saving billions of others."

  "That may be irrelevant. Our best science officers are coded progenitors. We cannot risk that they become affected by the agent lest the Origin Protocol be broken."

  "Junior science officers then... It would give us something, at least. It would give us a small chance..."

  "We cannot."

  "We must recall the Progenitors. We must prepare the Origin Protocol."

  "We will prepare the Origin Protocol, and assemble a non-essential team to study the agent at the Vanth facility in case we have an opportunity to gather a sample of the agent..."

  "Once the progenitors are on board, we must seal the Ark. We must protect against any possible method of contamination."

  "Yes."

  "And what of our hope with Alice?"

  "She is unlikely to succeed, as you well know. Shortly after we transmitted our notification to Idi, she responded. The mission has been one of extreme difficulty, and it has revealed a profound sickness of behavior that has infected Osiris."

  "It doesn't matter. Alice has acquired Arcturus, and that is something. If he can harness his abilities in pursuit of completing the mission, they may be successful yet."

  "But that is extremely unlikely. We knew from the outset that the likelihood of success was extremely low."

  "Yes, but in the face of such danger, we must attempt every possible remedy. Alice is one more small chance of success, and that cannot be discounted. We must help her."

  "Her implants have been destroyed..."

  "We have directed Idi to take her to the Umbriel facility for reimplantation."

  "We know where Exony is, do we not?"

  "We suspect where she is, but the whispers may be revealed to be unreliable when Alice puts that information into practice."

  "We must leave Alice to complete her mission without direct intervention. We do not know how large of an intelligence web Exony has weaved and any element of surprise Alice still possesses is far more valuable than increased personnel or resources would offer."

  "We must update our intelligence framework and operate further simulations."

  Chapter 24

  Leo stood in the washroom of the sparse, but relatively comfortable quarters Alice had given him. The walls were pure white, just like the rest of the Epiphany. The only decoration in the room was the small mirror he was staring into.

  He would have preferred a bit of decor in his quarters; a bit of art here and there, or a sculpture. Even the tarnished titanium alloy walls of his old ship would have been an improvement over the sanitary walls that now surrounded him.

  Leo thought he might ask Alice to at least play some music in his quarters. A good soundtrack would undoubtedly make his time aboard the Council ship more enjoyable.

  Leo stared into the mirror at his shirtless reflection. He needed to check his wounds and see how well Idi had treated them.

  He wasn't alone. Annabelle knelt next to him as she inspected the silvery mass that had bonded with his skin and filled the massive wound in his side. She was curious about the technology, and she enthusiastically questioned Leo as he stood there in silence.

  "Damn... I've never seen nanites this close. It's so weird! It feels like skin... You ever see anything like this before?"

  Leo grinned. If anyone else was poking and prodding him, and fretting over his wounds, he might have been annoyed with them. With Annabelle, however, he felt very thankful for her company.

  "You know what's really weird?" Leo jokingly inquired. "Your nails are sharper than Thrall's knife."

  Annabelle's face fell into a moment of embarrassment, but she quickly recovered and returned his smile. With a fluid, graceful movement, she stopped poking his side and began to gently caress it.

  "How is that? Better?"

  Leo couldn't deny the pleasing sensation of her touch. It had been a long time since anyone had touched him like that. Gently, but confidently... Not afraid...

  "Much better, but you need some moisturizer too. Maybe I'll get you a nice manicure wherever we end up next."

  Annabelle withdrew her hand from his side as a doubtful look shadowed her smile. "Wherever we end up next... Where the hell might that be?"

  Leo frowned. "I have no idea... But, I would like you to come with me, wherever it is. I mean, if you want to. You don't have to... Obviously."

  Leo stopped himself when he realized he was stammering. He had been alive for two centuries, but he was still nervous talking to Annabelle.

  She laughed lightly and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We'll figure it out..."

  Leo turned back to the mirror and stared at his reflection. He was alive, and he was on a near-lightspeed capable ship with a beautiful, intelligent, and charming woman fussing over his injuries. Things could have been a lot worse. He could have been back in the chair with Thrall working on him, taking him apart piece by piece.

  "It's crazy we made it out of there... I thought I was gonna die for sure..." Leo confessed.

  "Me too..." Annabelle replied.

  Leo was silent as he thought about what had transpired on Osiris. He had Alice, Annabelle, and Idi to thank for his life, and his freedom. If not for Alice, he would have died at the hands of Thrall, and if not for him, she would have too. Alice had also saved Annabelle from the terrible acid that had burned her face, and then Annabelle had saved them both.

  Leo shook his head in amazement. They owed their lives to one another, and that meant something profound to him. Alice and Annabelle had each earned his respect and admiration. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but he hoped sincerely that his actions had also earned theirs.

  Poor Annabelle, though, he thought, as he looked at her reflection. Her face bore horrific re and knotty scarring from the acid.

  Initially, he had felt immense anger at the sight of her face, and he had threatened all sorts of terrible revenge on Thrall. Annabelle had quickly calmed him, however. She hadn't seemed bothered by the scars at all when he had remarked on them, and overall, she seemed happy enough.

  Oh well, Leo thought. If she wasn't worried about her scars, then neither was he. She was beautiful, regardless of the damage to her face. It also hadn't broken her spirit, and that was far more important in Leo's opinion.

  As Leo lost himself in thoughts about Annabelle, she poked him in the side again. "I don't know how the hell this stuff works, but it's pretty neat. Probably some super special, high-level Council tech."

  Leo didn't reply, and he accepted her continued poking without complaint as she continued.

  "I wonder if it made a new kidney inside you, or if you only have one now. You should probably ask Idi about that. If you only have one, you're probably going to have to cut down on your drinking and eat a little healthier. What was that garbage you had Idi make you when you woke up anyways?"

  Leo thought back on the first meal he had eaten after waking up on the Epiphany. Idi had offered to prepare anything to his liking, and he had requested the first thing that came to his mind.

  "Fried Chicken and Waffles. It wasn't real, though, not like I used to get on Mars. Let me tell you, if you ever go to Mars, you have to go to Gale City. There's this little place uptown called Betsy's Chicken and Waffles. Best food I've ever had. Their gravy is absolutely stunning. It's the white vinegar she adds... Gives it a little kick..."

  Annabelle looked up at Leo with a comical look of disbelief on her face. "Chicken and Waffles? White Vinegar? First
of all, that sounds disgusting. Secondly, I didn't know you were such a foodie. Did you work as a chef during your two centuries on the run?"

  Leo took notice of her finger as it grazed lightly over his lower back. Annabelle gazed up at him, her eyes alight, and a sly smirk on her face.

  "Not a chef, no..." he answered as he returned her smirk. "Dishwasher, yes. At a strip club..."

  Annabelle closed her eyes and laughed heartily. Then, she stood up and clapped her hands together before given him a mischevious look and slapping him lightly on his butt.

  "Must be where you got all those scars on your ass! Oh well... Chef, Dishwasher, Biochemist... It's all basically the same thing, right? Highly respectable and valuable careers?"

  Leo gave her a stern look and wagged his finger at her. "It was a male strip club, and I wasn't just a dishwasher. I'll have you know I held multiple, essential positions at that fine, reputable establishment, colloquially referred to by the aristocracy of Titan as 'Sweet Cheeks.'"

  Annabelle laughed with a pure, trilling melody that called Leo to join her. He couldn't hold his false, stern manner for long and quickly broke down in laughter along with her.

  They laughed hysterically together, Annabelle nearly breaking out into tears as she struggled to catch her breath, and Leo with a deep sense that he was enjoying his first pure, innocent human interaction in many years.

  Then, Annabelle unexpectedly leaned into him and pressed her hand to his chest as she finally managed to catch her breath.

  "Okay, okay... I'll make you a deal. Whenever you're done with whatever the hell Alice wants you to do, you take me to Mars, and we'll get your favorite Chicken and Waffles. I'll even order some, although I might ask them to hold the chicken and bring me extra butter."

  Leo welcomed his closeness with Annabelle, but he felt nervous as her weight pressed into him. He wasn't used to the feelings that were building within him and found himself at a loss when considering how he should react. He wanted to bend down and kiss her, but he didn't know if that would be right. So, instead, he tentatively looked down at her and put his arms around her.