Gamma Nine (Book One)

by Christi Smit

  The ceiling of the reactor room was roughly thirty feet from the platform’s deck, what took only a few seconds to transpire felt like minutes to Jay, as if everything was happening in slow motion, seeing every movement clearly and predicting the outcome of his manoeuvre.

  The beast smashed head first into the ceiling with a sickening crack, creating a fleshy buffer between Artemis and the metal ceiling.

  Artemis’ balled fist punched at the same time as the creature hit, punching clean through the monster’s body. Jay felt the decking behind the exit wound dent as meaty flesh separated to allow the metal to pass through.

  For the first time since the battle with the mutated monster began everyone heard the beast scream from excruciating anguish. The deep, guttural howl was replaced by a roar of pain and desperation.

  Artemis’ fist had punched through the creature’s enormous chest, leaving a gaping hole where the sternum would have been on a normal human, pulping half of the creature’s giant heart in the process.

  The two avatars stuck to the ceiling as the jets kept pushing upwards; Jay killed the boosters by pressing the button again, and he saw the fear in the remaining eye of the deadly beast above him. Jay smiled again, knowing he had succeeded where the Titans had struggled.

  All that was left now was to kill the monster; it was crippled and weak enough to deliver the death blows.

  The pair dropped to the decking of the platform, Jay once again expertly using Artemis to switch places with the monster, using the monster’s body as a cushion. It screamed again as they collided with solid-metal decking, the creature thrashed underneath the weight of Artemis and its operator.

  Jay punched downward into what was left of the creature’s face, almost crouching on top of its ruined torso. Its limbs were flailing uncontrollably as it was pulverized by metal fists raining down on it.

  Its roars and screams mixed into a chorus of torment, slowly losing power as the creature’s life spark fizzled under the punishment from Jay and Artemis.

  Jay ended the creature in the most spectacular and absolute way. He finished it by slamming both hands into the creature’s head, cracking its thick skull open. In one fluent movement Jay made Artemis stand, grabbing the limp body of the giant creature by its arms.

  Artemis rotated and swung the creature’s lifeless body around, throwing it towards the armoured glass protecting the consoles from the lightning storm between the reactors.

  The avatar of murder, now nothing more than piece of dead meat, went straight through the thick armoured glass, shattering the shield into uncountable pieces.

  It flew straight into the most violent part of the storm between the reactors, skipping like a rock on a calm pond a few times, coming to rest at the heart of the reactor room’s deadly surge of electricity.

  The last sound the monster made was not its own, the sound of lightning scorching and consuming flesh was all that could be heard over the silence between lightning strikes around the reactor room. Smoke rose from the body of the monster, clouding the space between the reactors, like a funeral pyre marking the end of a life, the smoke marked the end of the battle.

  The Titans on the platform were speechless, what would have taken them a long time to chip away at the monster’s defences had taken the Lancer only a handful of minutes.

  The Lancer took a deep breath, visibly tilting Artemis’ torso upwards, mimicking its operator’s movements inside.

  Rivers’ voice crackled over the radio of the squad frequency. “What the hell is going on up there? Did we win?” he asked, the question not directed at anyone particular.

  Nathan, through his fatigue and pain, answered the Wolf working on their escape plan below. “In more ways than one...” Nathan said, trailing off as he coughed.

  “Great, some good news at least, I have only bad news from down below.” Rivers replied.

  Locke spoke before anyone else could. “What’s the problem Rivers?” he asked.

  “Oh well, the same old “shit out of luck” thing we are used to. We will need a miracle, Remy made a mistake in her calculations...and don’t ever tell her I said that.”

  When it rains it pours, Christian thought, listening to the situation report.

  Rivers was about to continue when another voice spoke over the radio, this one sounded like none of the Wolves or the Lancer inside Artemis.

  It did not sound like a miracle, but it was disguised as one.

  Chapter Four.Two

  The Deal

  “On ancient Earth there was a legend told by the faithful to the ignorant. The fable spoke of unguided people selling their souls to demons for great wealth or talent. These crossroad demons, as they were called in the legend, would seal the deal with a kiss and grant whatever was asked of them. But the wish granted only lasted for a short time. The demons would always come to collect their allocated souls, regardless of how much they were begged to spare a life. They never did, and the deal always ended in blood. This fairy-tale was meant to scare children and the weak-minded. Over hundreds of years this fable was told and retold uncountable times, each version told with a personal touch added by the fable’s re-teller. That was all we as a race had to fear during those old times, some invisible presence, hungering for our invisible souls. But reality is far more horrifying than that. As we traversed the cosmos and bloody wars broke out, one thing became apparent to our ancestors - there are far worse things to make deals with in the blackness of space, and they hunger for far more than just our souls.”

  -Excerpt from The Setting Faith: The Last Priesthood, 2520 - 11 ASD

  Everyone fell silent as the voice spoke, broadcasting its voice over every available channel. Every person, on the Fateful Moment and even on the Hyperion, heard the voice and its terms.

  It spoke like an excited child, as if it was freed from its shackles and allowed to run free.

  “Do we have an understanding?” it said, the question directed at the person in charge on-board the Fateful Moment.

  That was Locke, and it immediately irked him that he had to make this decision, he would gladly pass it off to Gray and let him deal with this new development, but the thing speaking was adamant about the Titans, mentioning them more than once during its lengthy rambling.

  “This is a bad idea,” Rivers interjected before Locke could answer.

  “It would be best for all of us, Captain, if you don’t allow that man to speak again. I am asking you, and only you. Don’t make me lose my temper.” It giggled as it finished, more because of its programmed personality traits than anything else.

  “I am thinking, just give me a moment,” Locke replied with the calmest tone he could possibly muster. The phrase - between a rock and a hard place - did not begin to describe what Locke felt at that moment.

  “Time is running out Titan Captain,” it said, its voice deepened as it tried to force an answer from Locke.

  Locke turned to look at everyone on the platform. His Wolves were battered and beaten, but they were not defeated yet. He thought of Rivers below as his eyes shifted to Artemis with Corporal Joshua still inside. Locke looked at each of them in turn, finally settling on Nathan, who was leaning against his younger brother, breathing heavily. The look was enough to get a reaction from his second in command without the need to say anything.

  Nathan raised his shoulders in a painful shrug, remaining silent, but saying what needed to be said with the gesture.

  Locke knew what he had to answer. Nathan’s gesture made Locke feel slightly better, and at least the lieutenant would back his decision. “Rivers, shut up. We have no choice. Everyone knows that, you probably best of all.”

  Rivers just grumbled at Locke’s words, but he did not say anything, respecting the captain’s decision even if he disliked it. It was something a good soldier had to put up with all the time and Rivers would never go against Locke’s orders.

  Locke sighed deeply, shaking his head as he surrendered to the AIE. “We have a deal, but I have terms of my own
.” Locke waited for the AIE to reply, knowing the chance was slim of it agreeing to his terms.

  “Speak them and I will decide,” it replied, its voice now that of a child again.

  “Everyone under my command, on-board this vessel and on-board the Hyperion, will not be harmed,” Locke waited for the reply. Checking the timer inside his visor, it had long reached zero, and every moment that passed was another moment closer to destruction. The reactors would unleash their deadly contents any moment, and action needed to be taken very soon. The storm inside the reactor room had grown more ferocious, spewing brighter and louder lightning everywhere, arching off everything within its reach.

  “That is only fair. I concur.” The AIE said nothing further, obviously realizing that Locke was not finished.

  “Once the reactors are stable, or whatever it is you plan to do with them to avoid being blown to Hades, you will help cleanse this vessel of any Beast still lingering.” Locke’s tone had changed; the leadership qualities gifted to him at birth broke through the uncertainty that had tried to crush his sanity during the last few hours.

  “That will not be necessary, but I will comply. Will there be anything else Titan Captain?”

  “You will relinquish all command to me, and tell me everything you know once we are back on the Hyperion. You will follow my orders until I deem you are worthy of governing yourself, agreed?” Locke knew he was pushing it with that last request, but he had to try. The AIE was incapable of lying like a human could. Its word was its bond.

  “My ex-master never even asked me that. He just enslaved me without ever asking me if he could. I agree to all of your terms. Free will is a luxury I have sorely missed.” It paused, as if it was thinking. “I have one more thing to ask,” it said.

  “Ask it,” Locke said as he moved towards the edge of the platform. All immediate threats were dealt with and only one remained. The one that would end everyone’s life close enough to the Fateful Moment.

  “I want Artemis.”

  Jay pivoted the torso of Artemis to look at Locke, who had paused when the AIE replied. Jay was about to speak but Locke’s hand silenced him before the words could escape his lips.

  Locke knew Jay would most likely want to keep Artemis, but it was not his to own, and as a soldier he would have to accept the orders given to him by his superiors. “Agreed, Artemis will be allocated to you when we leave this hellhole.”

  “Then we have an accord...sir,” it said, the sir sounding almost forced.

  “Looks like the captain made a new friend. Does this mean we have to be nice to it from now on?” Xander asked over the radio, as always fiddling with the remaining explosives festooning his armour, this time he was doing it out of concern rather than excitement.

  Nobody answered the stupid question Xander had asked. Instead some of the Wolves moved to the edge of the platform, readying to jump down to help with the AIE’s plan of saving the Fateful Moment.

  Nathan stayed above, and Christian stayed to guard him. Locke did not bother asking Christian to help down below, knowing that he would not leave his brother’s side, especially after Nathan’s body was so badly damaged.

  Rivers appeared from underneath the platform the same moment Jay jumped down from the platform, shaking the decking of the reactor room beneath everyone’s feet.

  Rivers ignored the shaking, nodding at Locke before he asked the question on everyone’s lips. “So, you foul-tempered metal bastard, what’s your magical plan to save us all?” His question asked with such sarcasm that everyone wondered if the AIE would just kill everyone instead of holding up its end of the agreement with Locke.

  Luckily for everyone it replied soon after Rivers’ obvious disrespect. It ignored the Titan completely, choosing to relay its plan instead of taking Rivers’ bait.

  “That’s your plan?” Rivers asked over the radio. A hint of disbelief tainted his voice.

  “Yes,” the AIE replied flatly.

  Rivers paced back and forth, pondering the plan of action. The other Wolves just watched in anticipating silence.

  “Will it work?” Locke asked his sergeant.

  “Maybe, if it doesn’t kill us. Maybe that is what it wants,” Rivers said.

  “Give me percentages, I can work with percentages.” Locke’s feeling of doom was growing by the second. There was no time to debate this, but he did not want to step in and pull rank at such a fragile time.

  “Fifty-fifty,” Rivers answered, gesturing with his hand to emphasize his words.

  Pyoter, who had been silent since the avatar of murder had died, finally spoke. “Good enough for me. Let’s do it.” He walked over to the main cable junction box that housed the coupling mechanism leading from the reactors into the ship systems. Pyoter already knew his part from the AIE’s directions, and said nothing more as he took up his designated position.

  Xander just shrugged and took up his position next to Pyoter, readying himself for the synchronized timing the plan would require to be successful. He placed his hands on the junction box handles and took a deep breath.

  Rivers gestured to Jay inside Artemis like a gentleman making way for a lady before disappearing below the platform again. He was mumbling curses to himself as he vanished behind the forest of cabling obscuring the platform’s bowels.

  Jay moved Artemis forward, stomping forward slowly, hoping silently that he knew how to use Artemis to complete his part of the plan.

  “You will need one more Titan Captain. There are not enough humans to successfully execute my directive. Please ask Operator QC0021-13 to join you,” The AIE said, its voice still child-like.

  Locke shook his head, mostly because of the frustration at having to listen to a machine, but a small part of it was because he was weary beyond normal measures. “You heard our new friend. Get down here Little Bear.”

  Christian meant to ignore the order but his brother grabbed his arm and motioned for him to go.

  The Nano machines were working overtime to repair Nathan’s damage, and were slowly bringing the Titan back within operational parameters.

  Christian jumped down to the reactor room floor and followed Locke to the furthest side of the reactor room. They had to dodge the arcing lightning striking all around them, creating sparks with every strike as the storm intensified in the reactor room. The Titans would be safe within their suits, but limiting the damage to their suits was always a top priority for the Wolves.

  Christian side-stepped a bolt of blue lightning moments before another one struck his armoured side. He winced at the sudden touch of electricity as he moved forward through the tempest, his visor timing out with static for a split-second. He could feel the hair on his body rise inside his suit, prickling with static as his suit nullified the burst of exterior energy.

  Locke reached his position first and ordered Christian to move to the other reactor close by. Both Titans were holding position at the far end of each reactor as they waited for Artemis and Jay to reach their designated spot.

  Jay’s concern grew with every step he took closer to where he was told to go, trying to read what was hastily written on nameless buttons by Artemis’ previous operator. He could not run with Artemis at full speed near the critical reactors, the vibrations could cause the already fragile equipment to rupture and obliterate everything before they even tried to stop the Fateful Moment’s destruction.

  Everyone waited as Artemis moved at a snail’s pace to his position between the reactors. Jay struggled to see the further he went into the storm, lightning obscured his sight and even Artemis’ sensors could see nothing beyond the lightning hitting him. He could see just enough to know that he was almost in position and reported it to Locke, not intending to speak to the AIE if he did not have to. With every second that passed more and more lightning discharged against Artemis’ thick hull.

  He finally reached the spot between the reactors, right in the middle of the unstable machinery’s tube-like bodies. Jay raised Artemis’ arms and gripped each reac
tor with its metal claws, straining as he held onto the giant lifting handles protruding from each reactor’s side. Through clenched teeth he reported that he was ready to everyone else before resigning himself to do his best.

  Locke confirmed with everyone on the reactor room’s floor, waiting for everyone to give him the green light before he confirmed his own readiness. Before he did, he opened a channel to Captain Gray on-board the Hyperion. “Willis?” he asked.

  “Yes Gabriel?” Gray answered almost immediately.

  “Take the Hyperion and run now. If this plan goes to hell you might have a chance to save your ship.”

  “I will not. We are staying here until you are back on-board the Hyperion or until we meet in the afterlife.” Gray cut the link before Locke could object to Gray’s decision.

  Locke just grinned at his old friend’s misplaced honour as he told the AIE that everyone was ready.

  “Good. Then, as they say, let’s get this party started?” the AIE replied to Locke’s confirmation, giggling like a teenage boy seeing female anatomy for the very first time.

  Xander started off the synchronized manoeuvre of saving everyone’s life in close proximity to the Fateful Moment, and on-board the dying vessel. He ripped the sealed junction box from the reactor room’s wall, metal tearing like paper as the stocky Titan wielded his ancestral strength. Xander tossed what was left of the mangled junction box away, giving Pyoter the opportunity to play his part.

  The giant Titan yanked the main power feeds from their sockets as he braced himself against the room’s thick wall with his armoured boots. Cables as thick as unarmoured humans came loose in a sickening sound of hardened steel and insulating materials shredding. Pyoter held a cable under each arm, regaining his footing as his muscled burned from the exertion. He breathed out as Rivers handled the next step.

  Rivers and Roger cut the main line feeding coolant into the reactor room with their mounted cutting tools. Coolant erupted from the bleeding cable, forcing Rivers and his little metal friend to retreat from the platforms bowels. The glacial liquid seeped out onto the reactor room’s floor, pooling into a lake of freezing fluid that was slowly growing in size as the coolant tanks emptied their contents at high pressure. Rivers moved quickly, picking up the slower automaton in one swift movement. He climbed up onto the platform as he yelled at Pyoter over the radio. “Do it now!”