by Rashid Ahmed
Ásta and Stefán were already moving by the time Sven completed his instruction. They went to their bunk capsules, next to which their suits were plugged into the vessel’s systems.
While Ásta and Stefán were suiting up, Kei spoke to Jón and Isla. The AI said “The third drone has entered AL-I. Initial readings show gasses in the air are suitable for humans. The air closely mimics what you’re breathing in your suits. Aerobiology shows absence of any recognizable organisms.” Adding after a short pause, Kei continued, “Ásta and Stefán have just uncoupled Little Vestur and are on their way to you. They should be docking with Little Suður in six minutes.”
There was movement in the center of the hanger-like room they were in. Jón and Isla turned in unison and cautiously approached the area. A rectangular section of the floor was rising upward. The rectangle rose to just over a meter in height and began to change form. Screens larger than the one on the wall began to take shape. Indentations just under the platform began to form, shaping it like a table which looked a lot like the operations work surfaces on Átt.
Ásta and Stefán had docked with Little Suður and made their way into AL-I, in the time it took the work surface to completely form itself. Stefán announced their presence, “Hey you two. Thought you’d keep all the excitement for yourselves, did you?” Isla replied, “We’re glad to have you here. This vessel is adapting this area to suit our needs. This work surface just formed itself while you were on your way here. The materials tech here is extraordinary. Ásta, would you please study the surfaces and technologies here?”
Stefán suggested to Jón and Isla, “One of the screens on the work surface is also showing an animation of you two stepping out of your suits. Now that we’re here, you could remove your helmets, if you’re willing to be guinea pigs. I’ve gone through the environment readings from the drone while we were on route to you. The environment seems safe. You can go ahead and lose your suits too.”
Ásta began studying the surface of the floor. Their suits had initially been designed keeping in mind deep space exploration and resource mining. The early tools and systems had included chemical and materials analysis. These had since been upgraded each time the AIs Shun and Kei made systems and technology advancements. The Lýsi Group’s rapid manufacturing and fabrication capabilities had far outstripped known Earth-based commercial or defence capabilities.
Jón and Isla had opened their HSEVA suits and hesitantly stepped out of them. The suits remained standing, ready to accommodate their occupants again.
The work surface rapidly reconfigured itself. A pair of rings had fabricated themselves in the center of the work surface. The screens showed an animation indicating that the rings were to be placed on their heads. Jón and Isla glanced at each other, gave one another a quick nod and picked up the rings. They felt cool to touch with very little texture. Gently, each placed a ring on their heads. For a moment nothing happened. Then tendrils began to edge their way along each one’s heads, forming at the rings and working their way down to their foreheads, temples, behind their ears and upward. Both tensed while the rings configured themselves. A moment later, the screens on the surface flashed a series of shapes and colours, increasing in speed between changes. Then abruptly, when everything seemed a blur, it all stopped.
Jón and Isla were able to see images in their minds. The images appeared on the screen with an animation to touch the screens. Each time they touched a screen, a new image appeared. The interactions went on for barely a few moments, when these too stopped; only to be replaced by sounds. They went through the screen tapping process, each time they heard a sound. These then stopped. Now there were images on the screens, but nothing seemed to be appearing in their minds, so neither reacted.
Kei spoke to them while updating each member of the crew, “The drones are picking up electromagnetic, gravity and other wave activity including mild radiation being transmitted by the rings on Jón and Isla’s heads. They seem to have stopped interacting with the screens because neither are able to sense the transmissions.” A moment later, the screens went blank. It now showed four individuals, two without their HSEVA suits and two with them on.
It indicated that the two with suits on should go to the corner with the body scanning ring. Sven suggested, “I’d like you to remain in a suit. We’ll have you two interacting with the vessel soon. The faster this goes, the better. We’ll take turns at working four shifts of two each. While Jón and Isla are interacting, Ásta and Stefán, you get yourselves scanned.”
Isla touched the ring on her head and attempted to take it off. It immediately began withdrawing its tendrils and she was able to lift it off her head. She felt the detachment in her mind. It felt like she’d lost one of her senses. She mentioned this to everyone. Sven spoke soon after Isla. He stated, “It may be possible for Kei to interact in a different manner with AL-I. We’ll upgrade one of the drones with greater processing and memory; it’ll be like a mobile version of our AI. Kei, would you get started on that. We’ll pass the modified drone through the scanner during our shift.
Jón was studying a screen on the work surface. He described it for the rest of the crew, “Strands of DNA are showing up on the screens now. There’s a separate screen showing my outline, and a separate one showing Isla’s. The screen between the two is showing an animation highlighting the similarities and the differences between us. Stefán, this is your speciality. Once you’re done with the body scan, take over here. Isla and I’ll head back to Átt in your shuttle. We’ll dock at Vestur, go through decontamination and get an automated physical. Sven and Crystal can take the shuttle from Austur. When the two of you are back from your shift, get a physical, eat, shower and rest. I think we’ll isolate each team to individual SSEVs and the bio module, until we’re sure we’re all okay.”
They had the next five days to interact and learn as much as they could from AL-I. Fortunately, the vessel itself wasn’t hostile. They needed to understand it and find out what it was doing in the solar system. And, they had to do it quickly before it got further in-system.
Infiltrator
Kuril Islands, North of Japan.
Dr. Maksim Popov was genuinely concerned. ‘The priest’ as he was called, was feeling all but priestly. It had been a week since an intruder had infiltrated the Kuril Islands facility, a location he had spent over eighteen years secretly building; while conducting cutting-edge research and development. The priest was seething.
Rafael Borrego the third transhuman brought to term in Havana, five years after the twins Jón and Ásta, was at the base helping Dr. Popov now. Soon turning thirteen, he was only supposed to be training at the island facility, while undergoing a series of intensive and highly customized educational courses. However, after having brought down the intruder more swiftly than either himself or anyone else expected, Lýsi’s leadership team recommended that his skills be put to full use investigating the infiltration, while keeping him out of harm’s way. Pairing up with Shun, the group’s Earth-side AI, the two had made significant progress.
Shun was briefing Dr. Popov and Lýsi’s leadership team, with Rafael adding in where needed. “We’ve spent the last week querying global databases for our intruder’s identity, as well as researching the sources of the equipment he was carrying,” said Shun. Rafael presented after Shun, casting a series of images which appeared to his remotely attending audiences on their devices. “Our intruder has been associated to a security and defence consultancy called Rakkniv, a name which means Razor in Swedish. It’s an LLC based out of Malmö in Sweden. The intruder himself is registered as a private language tutor, and he doesn’t seem to have travelled much outside Europe. Very suspicious. He doesn’t seem to have left much of a fingerprint trail with any of the major agencies. He’s physically healthy. Two stab wounds. One between the ribcage and hip, under the liver. Another to the left thigh which nicked the femur. He’s undergone surgery to the left knee. There’s also scar tissue on the left shoulder, which according to our
resident surgeon is consistent with a bullet graze. Our mystery intruder is likely a clandestine operator. He was linked to Rakkniv for receiving tutoring fees off and on.” Rafael smiled and added, “He’s paid taxes on the income. His name is Max Andersson. You couldn’t have a more common name to blend in.”
Shun’s not so synthetic voice continued, “Some of our intruder’s equipment was traceable. The tactical communications gear was identified to a defence equipment manufacturer. I scanned and found production markings inside some of the processors, which were custom designed and sourced from Japan. Incidentally, the processor manufacturing technology and process, belongs to Lýsi controlled companies. From there, we investigated Rakkniv’s contracts. We’ve examined all the interactions the company has had over the last three years. While a lot of their dealings came across as suspect, what stood out was this. Just over a week ago, they signed a non-disclosure agreement with Univers Aerospace. Univers is a private Swiss aero-space multinational that’s at the forefront of conventional satellite sensor and equipment development.”
Dr. Popov asked, “I suggest putting resources in Europe onto this investigation. Also, since we don’t normally do anything underhand, I’d like permission to task Shun to undertake deep surveillance of both Univers and Rakkniv, electronically. Rafael could coordinate personnel tasking, to infiltrate Univers if required.” Lýsi’s facility operations heads had extraordinary leeway and authority. They were completely responsible for the success of their operations and the wellbeing of their staff. The leadership team agreed to the plan and requested that Shun remotely update each of them every day.
Later, Rafael walked over to the island’s hospital, while thinking about the location’s purpose. The island’s operations were disguised as a weather and seismic research facility. The entire island was leased by a consortium of global R&D organizations and agencies, all of which received actual research information from the island’s facility. Much of the group’s activities there involved atmospheric, ground and space data collection. It was all run on a need to know basis, with much of the operations being automated and robotically controlled. The few staff onsite who weren’t in on the island’s actual purpose, didn’t have the faintest idea. “It’s just as well,” thought Rafael as he arrived at the hospital.
He made his way to a restricted R&D section of the hospital, where he came in for a check-up every week. While he was there, the group’s finest genetics researchers were there to ensure his wellbeing. Rafael liked his two medical minders. They were the parents of the first pair of transhuman twins. Gylfi Hallgrímsson and Katrín Magnusdóttir, had taken on the lead roles spearheading Lýsi’s transhuman program. He was on his way to meet them.
Rafael ran into Katrín as soon as he entered the restricted section. She said, “Shun gave me a heads up that you were arriving. That AI seems to be just about everywhere. I’m often boggled at the amount of information it processes. And, it’s all individualised for each one of us.” She knew why he was there. The two walked towards the patient wards. The wards were a testing ground for the medical capsules, which were used aboard all their space-based vessels. Each room served as an all-in-one care centre, with invasive operations capabilities. The patients were placed in pods. Sensors measured their vitals, and internal imaging systems occasionally scanned them at the molecular level. Mobile robots and drones maintained the pods. The same equipment was also used to study Rafael, so he was used to it.
“How’s Gylfi?” Rafael asked. Katrín smiled and replied, “He’s been busy tending to your intruder.” She continued in her good-natured way, “You’re stronger than you look, so be careful when facing off with people.” Rafael nodded in agreement. His genes contained numerous DNA modifications. With AI assistance, the group’s genetics researchers had been able to push the boundaries of human DNA manipulation. They’d only cracked the complete functionality of twenty one percent of human DNA and were able to accomplish significant feats. Most scientists believed the reminder of the DNA wasn’t useful. Rafael didn’t think so.
They arrived at the wards. The intruder was in the second room, since the first one was occupied by one of the facility’s researchers who was down with pneumonia. Gylfi looked up when the door opened. He was studying a screen on the wall of the room which was showing various patient sensor feeds. He shook Rafael’s hand and gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek. He said, “Our patient is healing fast. Our New Zealand facility developed and successfully tested accelerated cell repair and regeneration injections. He’s been administered a daily doze the last five days. We didn’t have any of the serum onsite, so I had it flown in. We’ll keep them stocked at all our facilities now.”
“His name is Max Andersson.” Rafael announced to the two scientists. “He’s a Swedish private covert operative. We believe his company was appointed to investigate our operations by a Swiss registered organization, Univers Aerospace.”
Gylfi looked at his patient through the capsule’s transparent side and said, “Well he’s awake now. He looks like he’s in good spirits. I spoke with him yesterday. He wasn’t very forthcoming, so I updated him about his condition; and instructed that he’s temporarily restricted to the capsule.”
Rafael walked up to the capsule and said, “Hello! How’re you feeling today?” Max gave him a curious stare, then smirked in recognition. He said, “You’re quite strong. And quick.” After a pause he said, “You look like a child.” Rafael chuckled and replied, “I am a child.” Max continued to stare at him curiously, so Rafael went on, “You’re not supposed to be on this island. We’ve learned a little about you. Your name and where you’re from. Will you fill us in on what you were hoping to accomplish?”
Max Andersson wasn’t caught off-guard. After seeing what he had at the facility, he was confident the people behind the operations would have the resources to successfully investigate his presence on the island. But he had a job, and right now it was to learn about what was going on here. He smiled at Rafael and stated, “I wasn’t hoping. I have accomplished what I set out to do.”
It took Rafael a moment to process this. Shun was listening in through Rafael’s hidden in-ear communications device. The AI instantly understood the implications of what Max said and told Rafael, “I’ll look at how he got information out.”
Without expressing concern, Rafael spoke to Max. “Once you’re sufficiently healed, you’ll be transferred off-island. The research being conducted here is purely scientific, which is why its classified. This is not a commercial operation so your intrusion here surprised us. Your employers may have commercial gain or theft in mind. That would not be surprising. What we do here is meant for everyone’s good. Protecting it is paramount. You’re uniquely equipped to advice on security measures. Perhaps you’d consider siding with us.” Rafael had intelligent eyes and they had a glint in them now. He said, “I’ll let you ruminate on that. Hope you recover quickly. I’ll look forward to speaking with you again.”
Max felt oddly uneasy. He’d expected to be interrogated further. Also, he never expected the young boy who’d bested him, to come have a conversation; as an adult no less. He was curious now, more than his mission entailed. But he was sleepy too, so he chose to rest, recover and learn more later. He might even get a bonus once he was back at his company’s headquarters. Smiling, he let his mind drift off. Gylfi, saw his patient’s eyes close, looked at the monitors to affirm things were well, and left Max to rest.
Shun came in over Rafael’s earpiece, “I’m patching Dr. Popov in.” The AI spoke to both, “I’ve picked up a fuzzy shape on one of the personnel barrack’s external surveillance camera’s footage. The mission AI tasked to surveillance, categorised the blur as a bird, a pigeon to be precise. On examining the frames from the footage, there are a few hard shapes. Unnatural shapes. I’m afraid, Max may have dispatched a small fixed wing drone containing his infiltration data, prior to being subdued on the rooftop. I’m updating Lýsi leadership and stepping up efforts to get furt
her information on Rakkniv, the security consultancy, and from Univers Aerospace.
The AI continued, “There’s also an update on the deep-space mission I’ve kept you abreast with. Átt’s crew have been maintaining regular six hour shifts aboard AL-I. Following the initial interaction with the ET vessel, which provided Átt’s crew with a machine-brain interface to enable communication, the vessel scanned a drone-based version of my space-based AI counterpart Kei. It was then able to produce a basic translation interface which the drone is plugged into. Kei has taken precautions to ensure there is no subvert takeover of systems or AI abilities. This has been managed through a series of imperceptible encryption delays between the drones on AL-I, and the AI core systems on Átt. You’ll find the next bit very interesting.”
“Initially, the amount of information AL-I transmitted was overwhelming and undecipherable. The ET vessel then went through a series of communication tests with the drone, like the interfacing tests it conducted to sync itself with Átt’s crew. It began with single packets of data that it corelated with complex shapes, beginning with the human outline. The problem was that each packet contained massive strings of data which couldn’t be deciphered. Kei’s and my information systems were born from binary programming, a necessity for programming with older transistors. We still translate to binary to interface with traditional computing systems. It just takes longer to get information across. What we do is break our data down, so traditional computers can use it. Similarly, AL-I’s massive data packets needed to be broken down, for us to understand it,” Shun emphasized in a very human manner.