by Rashid Ahmed
He tapped the pad thrice. Nothing happened. He said over the common channel, “No response on the ops pad. I’m going to head back to the central operations area.” Kei informed, “Unable to route control to the pad.” Unclasping himself from the ops chair, Stefán cautiously made his way to the central operations area. He closed the compartment off from the forward operations area. Getting to a grav-chair, he tapped the ops pad on it. It immediately came to life showing its primary menu. Stefán said, “I’ve got a pad working here. The forward section of the SSEV seems to be completely offline. Taking manual control of operational systems.”
They’d trained for situations such as this. Stefán gradually brought the vessel’s spin under control while Isla brought the two SSEVs into proximity. Isla updated everyone, “We’re still coasting on the last known trajectory of Sven and Crystal’s capsules. We’re in a foreign system in an altogether different galaxy. Norður bio module is unreachable. Vestur SSEV is partially damaged, extent unknown. We need to reprioritize tasks.”
Kei announced, “The attacking drone penetrated our external plating using high energy EM pulses, extreme heat and high atomic mass energized ions.” Putting their game faces on, the crew and AI put together a tighter plan to simultaneously track their lost colleagues while getting the damaged SSEV fixed. They initiated a series of EVAs, manufacturing and replacing damaged panels and components. They needed to take control of their fate and quickly.
Evacuation
Kuril Islands.
The gaupas on Austur and Vestur came alive simultaneously. The crew had hooked up ops pads to them to facilitate operations. They showed active connections, transmission status and provided an intuitive graphical user interface that was familiar to the crew, adapted from the more conventional communications software they were used to.
The gaupa on Austur showed an incoming connection request from Advisor of the Masked. Kei accepted the connection, while looping the processing module on Suður back in the solar system, for translation and data clarification. The AI alerted the team repairing Vestur, “The Masked are contacting us. I’ve opened the connection to receive. As usual, there’s a lot of data coming in at a high transfer rate. The processing module from AL-I on Suður is providing a synopsis like Eiji and Lei have programmed it to.”
By now, there was a continuously open channel with all platforms in the solar system and on Earth, so task-based teams could assist where needed. Everyone who could, pitched in.
Kei said, “We have been welcomed by the framandi.” Jón had used the word in conversation with Ásta while mentioning the alien species they were interacting with. Isla had overheard and asked what it meant. She was told it meant exotic, unfamiliar or alien. Isla began using the term as well. It stuck as a name.
“They say that we have been detected in the system by other potentially hostile drones, which are headed in our direction. There are three drones incoming. Two will arrive in sixty hours. We’ve been offered assistance to evade them. Correction, to hide from them.” Some in the team gasped.
Stefán said, “Repairs are almost complete. Sven and Crystal need to be located. We might never find them if we distract ourselves from that now. Most of this system is littered with debris, asteroids and planetoids. It will be increasingly difficult to locate them if we delay.” The team felt the same way.
Going on, Kei said, “Well, the framandi have already solved that problem for us. They’ve given directions for all our vessels to arrive at specific points in their system, within about twenty hours. The shown vessels include two tiny ones ahead of us on the same path, and another in a divergent course headed directly into the framandi system. I correlate the tiny ones to the capsules and the other to Norður, the bio module.”
Kei explained what the framandi expected. The AI said, “What we’re supposed to do once we arrive at the indicated points is elaborated in the message. ‘Advisor of the Masked’ has mentioned that for now, we need to maintain physical separation of our species from theirs, due to differences in our microbiomes. Until they can adapt their entire species to interact with ours, something we’re to do as well, we’re to keep separate.”
Jón said to the team, “I think we can finish repairs, re-link the SSEVs and catch up with Sven and Crystal in fifteen hours.” They all concurred. He said, “Lets proceed then.”
The crew had located numerous resource rich asteroids along their path. These were accelerated using focussed gravity and brought parallel to the trajectory Átt was on. The asteroids were harvested by the two AMCARs available and finally manufactured into the parts they needed. The crew replaced exterior panels, docking port parts and internal components. Kei and the drones took on a major portion of the grunt work. Distributed processing, using all Lýsi’s space-based platforms in the solar system, simplified the computing and AI requirements. The pace was frantic.
On Earth, Lýsi Group activated its entire network to draft all first contact and extra-terrestrial interaction information, into executable protocols. Additional experts were brought into the fold. They worked on various first contact protocols, with multiple scenario considerations. Everything was highly compartmentalized. Even with the buzz of activity, few outside key members of the group, even knew something momentous was occurring.
The group’s Earth-based AI ‘Shun’, was continuously bringing new processing online to deal with the coordination, tasking and evaluation requirements. It worked out a system of rapid packet transfer to and between its space-based counterpart Kei, to ease the pressure. The group had been manufacturing and deploying platforms and vessels at an increasingly rapid rate, keeping pace with its growing resource acquisition capabilities. Each platform and vessel lent quantum computing resources to Shun. By the time Austur and Vestur SSEV were linked, extra-terrestrial interaction protocols were in place. All of this was transmitted to the now functioning Átt and its crew. But someone had noticed and taken interest.
Unknown to Lýsi or anyone on the Kuril Islands facility, Univers Aerospace had been keeping an eye on them. Its satellite network was covertly observing activities on the island. Univers’ business intelligence team was led by a machiavellian operator, who had convinced the corporation’s chief operating officer, to grab the technology available on the Kuril Islands, by force.
Max was with Rafael. They were discussing the inputs provided by various groups, governments, militaries and agencies, regarding tactics for space-based defence. Shun interrupted them, “I’ve detected three cargo and troop carrier aircraft, coming towards our facility using an arctic-polar route. I’ve patched into an old military satellite to observe.” The image of the aircraft appeared on a wall display beside them. Shun said, “The aircraft look military. I’ve gone through archived images, from satellites in the region as well as our own space-based sensor resources. Each aircraft took off from a different airport in Europe. They’re all operated by Univers Aerospace or companies it leases from.”
Max was quite onboard with Lýsi by now. He had arranged for his family to be moved to the group’s residential property in Hlíðar, Reykjavík. Fortunately, his family was accustomed to moving if needed. His daughter revelled in getting to live abroad for extended periods of time, whenever ‘situations’ arose. Max’s self-preservation instincts kicked in. He said, “I recognize these aircraft. I’ve been in them. This facility is going to be attacked. It’s dangerous for anyone to be here now.” Turning to Rafael he asked, “Is there an emergency evacuation plan?”
Rafael answered, “While we’re very secretive, we realize being revealed has its dangers. Yes, there’s an evacuation plan.” He added, “We need to alert the priest,” referring to the facility’s operations head. “Shun patch us in to Dr. Popov please. Video conference.”
A moment later Dr. Popov’s face appeared in an inset next to the overhead video of the three aircraft displayed on the wall. He said, “Shun’s just brought me up to speed. I’ll initiate evacuation. All personnel are to enter their bunk ca
psules. These will be transported by the facility’s robots to the two aircraft onsite. Aim for take-off within the hour. All classified technology is to be destroyed with high-heat explosive. The buildings they are in will keep most of the heat in. Shun initiate the evacuation.”
Pointing to them, Dr. Popov said, “There’s an additional HSEVA suit in the manufacturing hanger. It’ll fit Max. The two of you don your suits and over-see the evacuation. Ensure all capsules are loaded and no one gets left behind. You’ll then come to the dock and leave with me, aboard our next generation submersible yacht. It’s like an SSEV, our standardized space exploration vessels, but with a hydrodynamic structure. A freshly manufactured gaupa has just been installed. Let’s go.”
Shun began using the gaupa on the yacht to transfer out all the data stored on the island. The AI’s own local processing power would become diminished once the facility’s infrastructure was melted and destroyed.
Getting to the hard-shell EVA suit manufacturing hanger, Max commented, “I never expected to be wearing one of these.”
Rafael said, “These are complex to manufacture. There’s a space operations specialist who’s been training here the last two months. Fortunately, he’s about your size, so his suit should fit you. I’ll help you in and guide you through its functions. It’s very intuitive.” Max stepped over to the suit they’d arrived at. It was hooked up to its power and data conduits.
Rafael instructed, “Step up to the suit, turn around, raise your arms to shoulder level and lean back. The base of your neck will push against a pad which will trigger the suit to begin wrapping itself around you and seal you in.” Max did as he was instructed. The suit took under a minute to completely envelop him. Rafael asked, “Can you hear?” He received a prompt response through hidden external parabolic speakers which directed sound towards him. Grinning he ran Max through the basic controls.
Shun spoke to both through speakers in the area. He said, “The aircrafts have increased speed. They may have caught a tailwind. I’ve calculated the effort required for the capsule loading activity to be completed, before the hostile force arrives and I’m coming up four robot trips short. I could do with your help retrieving four capsules in the lower residential barracks.”
Rafael said to Max, “You head there. Drag the capsules to the barrack exit. It’ll take the two of us to carry each capsule to the evacuation aircrafts. Shun will direct you. I’ll get into my suit and be with you in a few minutes.” He dashed off to a storage section of the hanger.
Forty minutes later, they had pushed the last capsule onboard. Shun ran a headcount and gave a go-ahead to the pilot of the first aircraft to take-off. By the time it was halfway down the runway, the second aircraft began to accelerate. Rafael turned to look. He froze and literally skidded to a stop on the airfield’s safety area turf. There was an incoming aircraft, heading towards the runway. It was directly in the path of the second flying wing aircraft, which was accelerating for take off. The flying wing aircraft banked right hard, heading towards the Pacific as soon as it was airborne. A string of rapid-fire tracers erupted from the incoming aircraft and hit the side of the second flying wing aircraft. It wobbled a little, straightened itself and flew on. Without warning, a section of its left wing ripped off and the flying wing aircraft began a sharp glide down towards the water below it.
Rafael and Max got to the yacht just as the aircraft went down. Rafael’s voice came in over their encrypted local communications net, “Dr. Popov, we’re aboard. I’ve unsecured the moorings. Let’s go.” The yacht began to move away just as the flying-wing aircraft hit the water. It disintegrated and sank.
Max shouted, “We have incoming fire.” A small missile shot out from the airfield. “I’ve identified it as a light surface-to-surface missile. Hug the floor,” he said a moment later. They both hit the deck. A second ticked by while they lay low, then another. Suddenly there was a jarring impact along with an explosion. Max slid a little across the deck when the vessel briefly listed. Dr. Popov came in over their earpieces, “That was just a scratch. We’ll dive and let them think they sank us. Our immediate concern is to recover the capsules and place them safely on level ocean-floor. I can only hope none of the capsules have gone over the continental shelf.”
They began a rapid dive with Max and Rafael still on the deck.
On Earth, the loss of assets was costly. Very literally. Plugged into the world’s tightly interwoven economy, Lýsi’s finances were built up over time, until it was able to take on capital intensive projects. It occurred to Rafael that it may be time to delink the group from the global economic infrastructure, so that it wasn’t curbed by it. He spoke into his suit’s headset, “Shun, remind me to work on a resource management model for Lýsi’s operations on Earth. One that’s not linked to the traditional economy.” Shun acknowledged.
They were descending at a fair rate. Dr. Popov said to them, “I’ve mapped out the locations of all the capsules. Most have remained on the downed aircraft. The pilots are not responding. Their cabin may have fragmented. There are a few pods which have broken through the fuselage and are scattered across the seafloor. We’ll scout for these. The Kuji Maru, our disguised merchant container ship is on route to take the capsules onboard. The two of you straighten out the capsules as we get to them. I’ll talk the occupants through.”
While the submersible yacht was working through its grid, locating and righting each of the capsules, activities on the island were ramping up. The intruding force’s actions were being observed by Lýsi. Regular updates were provided to the teams occupied with rescue efforts. They’d let the hostile force do what they had to on the island. But they’d be tracked. They’d be found.
Gogh spoke to Dr. Popov and Rafael while they were conducting their underwater operations. He updated them in a very conversational tone about the situation in the foreign system. He said, “There’s been a development on Átt. The crew has located the capsules with Sven and Crystal, which were ejected from Norður. Átt has sped up to retrieve the two capsules. However, they’ve been given instructions by the framandi to reach specific points along their present trajectory. We’re calling the first contact extra-terrestrials ‘framandi’, single and plural. Átt’s crew will have very little time to grab the capsules and make it to the designated rendezvous point. They’ll be cutting it thin.”
He continued, “I’ll keep you updated. Look forward to seeing you at our primary operations facility soon.” While the Kuril Islands operations were conveniently located, it was not the group’s only covert island facility. After a moment he added, “I’ll also want to keep the fact that Gylfi and Katrín are presently trapped in the downed aircraft, from Jón and Ásta. They’re in a very tight spot themselves and need to focus.”
Dr. Popov responded on their behalf, “We need to focus as well. There are still over a dozen capsules turned turtle inside the aircraft’s fuselage. The Kuji Maru will arrive in another three hours. We’ll handover and head over to you after that.”
They worked at breakneck speed, but carefully. All the capsules were righted, and their occupants reassured. The priest, Rafael and Max kept morale up. An engineer had suffered a few broken ribs and a chef had a shattered ankle. They had administered themselves medication with remote guidance from Katrín.
The Kuji Maru arrived in due course. The ship also contained one of Shun’s primary quantum computers. The AI ran the recovery operation with clockwork precision using a dozen autonomous deep-water submersible robots. Capsules were brought onboard through a moon-pool under the ship’s hull while it slowly sailed by the crash site. By the time the ship was a kilometre away, all capsules were onboard.
Max and Rafael entered the submersible yacht through an airlock which dried off their hard-shell EVA suits, before opening the internal hatch. The priest was waiting for them on the other side. He laughed and said, “The two of you look like you’ve wrestled the kraken.” Max replied, “I never thought I’d see this much action with you. Fi
gured this would be a walk in the park.” Rafael mumbled, “I’m going to bathe and count a few sheep.” Max followed Rafael to the lower deck were the personnel accommodations were located.
Awaking with a start, Rafael realised he had been having a vivid dream. They’d eaten, showered and slept. The yacht was travelling fast, skimming the waves with Shun maintaining course. Drawing his pad to himself, Rafael worked on a resource reorganization project which he wanted to share with the group’s leadership team. He held a continuous conversation with Shun while working. He asked, “What would it take to extract all the minerals and metals we require as raw materials, directly from sea water? Historically, we’ve been doing so with salt for centuries. Lýsi already has the technology to separate minerals and metals in space from meteors, which are crushed to dust and processed. We even use a molten material resource extraction process. Wouldn’t it be feasible to utilise similar technology here on Earth?”
Shun took a moment to respond, which was unusual given the AI’s vast computing and analytics capabilities. The AI said, “I’ve compiled a list of sixty elements we could extract. The most plentiful would be magnesium and aluminium. Various absorption methods have been research backed. These would be effective to extract nearly all the elements on my list. My analysis also points to minimal impact on marine fauna over the long term. We could begin extraction operations in three months and begin using highly pure mineral resources within five.”