by Thomas Fay
‘There is a series of passenger lifts running throughout the ship connecting the different sections together.’
‘Does the ship have any internal defences?’ Socrates asked.
Frost shook his head.
‘No. The majority of the ship’s internal structure is devoted to the biolabs and hibernation tanks. The only weapons are on the exterior.’
‘Father, how long until they can leave?’ Simone asked.
‘The ship’s main reactor is at stage two of its power-up sequence. When it reaches stage four they’ll be able to leave. About forty minutes at most.’
‘We’d better get moving then,’ John said.
****
They reached the lift system ten minutes later. A pair of matt-silver doors with a smooth finish denoted the entrance to the ship’s internal passenger transportation system. Frost placed his hand on the activation pad. The doors slid open soundlessly, revealing an interior made of the reflective material the Ionians were so fond of. He motioned them inside. Once they were all inside the lift, Frost turned to Socrates.
‘Socrates, if you would be so kind as to access the lift’s control systems,’ he said.
‘What is my objective?’ Socrates asked.
‘To ensure we reach the command deck without Gage locking us out.’
‘Understood.’
The android studied the internal control panel for thirty seconds. Reaching out, he grasped the side of the panel with his remaining arm and pulled. The panel came away with a shearing sound. Underneath, a series of conduits was visible. Socrates studied them for another ten seconds. Then he pulled two of the conduits out and removed what appeared to be a relay. Turning his face towards them, he said, ‘The remote access has been disabled.’
‘Excellent. Hold on, everyone,’ Frost said as he pressed a button on the control panel, which was hanging from the wall. The lift accelerated rapidly.
‘You should activate your suit,’ Simone said.
‘Good point,’ John agreed. Staring at the strange material covering his arms and legs for a few seconds he realised he had no idea how to do so.
‘Ummm … how do I do that exactly?’ he asked.
‘Like this,’ Simone said. She lifted her right arm and pressed a raised section on her wrist. A shimmering force field flowed across her suit until it covered her entire body. John found the activation pad on his suit and pressed it. A faint tingling sensation spread across his skin as the suit came to life.
‘How effective are these?’ he asked.
‘They’ll stop a barrage of those,’ Simone said, pointing at Sorensen’s Gauss rifle.
‘And I won’t feel anything?’
‘Oh, no, you’ll feel it and probably be lying on your back twenty metres away gasping for breath but they won’t penetrate the field.’
‘Good to know. Everyone else ready?’
‘My armour’s at ninety-two per cent charge and I’ve got plenty of ammo left for the Gauss rifle,’ Sorensen said.
‘Socrates?’
‘I have one functional arc cannon and my Null Cell has recharged.’
‘I guess we’re as ready as can be. Remember, if there are any of those androids, let Socrates take them out with the Null Cell. Everything else is fair game.’
‘Understood,’ Sorensen said.
At that moment the lift came to a stop and the doors opened onto the command deck of the Ionian ship.
Sixty-Eight
Sorensen was the first one out of the lift. The heavy footfalls of the Monolith V combat armour resonated through the perforated metallic flooring as she advanced with her Gauss rifle held at the ready. John and Simone followed close behind, their shimmering force field suits bending light around their bodies. Socrates, arc cannon activated, brought up the rear with Qallan Frost beside him. John could feel the adrenaline coursing through his body; combined with the reassuring force field around him, it meant he was ready for anything: squads of armed Council operatives, rogue androids or even Ionian death rays. Instead, the vast command deck was empty except for a lone figure silhouetted against a large viewscreen showing Saturn.
‘You can lower your weapons. I am unarmed,’ Councillor Gage said.
‘If you think we’re going to trust you after everything you’ve—’ John began but stopped talking when Frost motioned for him to do so.
‘It’s alright, John. Let me handle this,’ Qallan Frost said.
Reluctantly, John stood aside as the Chairman of the Iona Corporation stepped forward. Councillor Gage turned to face him as he approached. Both men looked old and tired, the incredible ordeals they had endured over the years etched into their faces. John wondered why, given all their advanced bioengineering technology, they had chosen to appear as they did. Perhaps their culture, like ours, valued wisdom through experience. Whatever the reason, the final confrontation between Qallan Frost and Jonathan Gage was not what he had expected.
‘It’s over, Jonathan,’ Frost said.
Instead of replying, Councillor Gage took a deep breath.
‘It ended a long time ago, Qallan. When you decided to leave Iona and forced the rest of us to go with you.’
‘We had no choice.’
‘There’s always a choice! We could have opened gateways to other dimensions, found a safe harbour and gotten all of our people out.’
That look of infinite sadness that was always a part of Qallan Frost’s expression suddenly seemed more pronounced than ever.
‘I did what I thought was right to save as many people as I could. Our world was dying; we had to act. Ships with hibernation chambers were the only way. Opening gateways on the ground, ones powerful enough to allow everyone to leave, could have collapsed the entire planet. The risk was too great. We could have lost everyone.’
‘You could have tried!’
‘And what if the first planet we travelled to couldn’t sustain us? We would have had to open more gateways, all the time pushing Iona to the breaking point. No, Jonathan. It would have ended in the death of all of us.’
Councillor Gage fell silent. John and Simone took a step towards them. Qallan Frost motioned for them to remain where they were.
‘Where are the others?’ Frost asked.
‘Already in deep hibernation. Only one of us remained awake on each ship to oversee the first stage of our journey.’
‘Holland? Islington?’
Councillor Gage nodded.
‘Who else?’
‘Parker, Lloyd and Seneca. One to command each of the ships. The rest are asleep.’
‘Where would you go?’
‘To find a new world, one where we can recreate our society, on our terms.’
‘You know I can’t let you leave with the fleet.’
‘I can’t stay here anymore. To watch as you hand over control to these people. They would have torn their world apart over a fossil fuel if we hadn’t saved them.’
The depth of knowledge and understanding shone from within Qallan Frost’s eyes as he appraised Jonathan Gage.
‘Are we any better than them? Our reliance on wormhole technology destroyed our world. We had a chance to save theirs and make a new home here. Which we have done. Why can you not start over here?’
Jonathan Gage took a step towards Qallan Frost, his face turning to anger.
‘Because every time I look at you I see their faces! Every time I see the Iona Corporation logo I’m reminded of what happened to them. I will never forgive you for the decision you made.’
‘You went back to Iona, didn’t you?’
‘Yes. I had to see it with my own eyes. They were all gone … crumbled to dust along with everyone and everything we left behind.’
Jonathan Gage turned towards the viewscreen. Qallan Frost watched him for several minutes in silence. Finally, just when John was beginning to wonder if the ship’s reactor had reached full power, Qallan Frost spoke.
‘We all lost people we cared about. The decisions we have made, the cha
llenges we have faced, have led us to where we are today. I cannot let you leave with our fleet but I also cannot allow you to remain here.’
‘What do you propose?’ Jonathan Gage asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
‘I will give you one ship, this one. Anyone who wants to go with you may do so on the understanding that you leave this world, this solar system, and never return.’
There was a long silence. Finally, Jonathan Gage spoke.
‘I accept your terms.’
Sixty-Nine
Not since the riots of the Global Energy Crisis had the city suffered as much damage. The uprising against the Iona Corporation that had started in the afternoon the day before and continued well into the early hours of the morning had taken its toll on the city of Iona. In the light of day, the full extent of the damage was visible, even from the twenty-fifth floor of Sentinel HQ. Emergency crews were busy restoring essential services throughout the city while workers cleared the roads. Plumes of smoke spiralled into the air from burnt-out shops and vehicles, while many searched desperately for missing loved ones.
‘So, he just allowed them to leave after everything they’d done?’ the Chief asked.
John turned his attention from the window to his boss, who was leaning back in his leather chair. Eyeing the uncomfortable visitor chair on the other side of the desk, he remained standing.
‘Yes. Frost gave them one ship on the understanding they would never return. I don’t know if I agree with his actions, given everything Gage and his followers did, but at least we’re rid of them once and for all,’ John said.
The Chief let out an explosive breath.
‘Bloody hell, Tesh. What a story. I guess it explains a lot, though.’
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you the truth earlier, Chief.’
‘I understand, although to be honest, even if you had, I’m not sure I would have believed you.’
John nodded.
‘That’s what Frost told me when I first found out about them. Well, when I found out the cover story about them being interstellar aliens.’
The Chief let out another explosive breath. ‘I still can’t believe they’re actually human, from an alternate reality. What was it like?’
‘Hot, sandy and empty. Not somewhere you’d want to visit.’
‘I’ll take your word for it.’
The Chief checked the digital clock on his desk. The time was 8.55 am. He motioned to John.
‘Come on, it’s time.’
John followed the Chief out onto the floor. They walked to the turbo-lifts and travelled down to the tenth floor. They stepped out and walked down the corridor to the situation room. Inside, forty-nine Sentinels were standing in rows, dressed in identical dark-grey suits with matching ties and black shirts. John took his place in line between Sorensen and Fernali while the Chief walked to the front. An image of a police officer in uniform was projected into the air beside him. The Chief took a deep breath before he started to speak.
‘Giles Muller was a distinguished police officer and a fine Sentinel. He served this city and its people with honour and dedication. Many of us considered him a close friend.’
The Chief paused before continuing.
‘Muller was also a stubborn son of a bitch and always tried to prove me wrong. I guess he got the final laugh, as I told you all I wouldn’t lose any Sentinels on my watch. Let his death be a reminder of just how dangerous this job really is. What we do everyday keeps this city and its people safe but it puts us in harm’s way. I do not want to lose any more of you.’
The Chief brought his hand up in an old-fashioned salute.
‘To Giles Muller. One of our own.’
The Sentinels gathered in the room mirrored his actions as they echoed his words.
‘To Giles Muller. One of our own.’
****
John exited the Sentinel HQ building thirty minutes later. Pausing on the pavement, he looked up at the sky above. He could almost picture the Ionian ships in orbit around Saturn, while somewhere out there beyond their solar system, a single Ionian ship flew into the unknown.
‘You okay?’ Simone asked. She had been leaning against the outside of the building, waiting for him to arrive.
‘It’s been a long two days,’ John said.
‘I know. The city’s a mess, the Iona Corporation is in ruins and people are scared to use anything powered by a Flux Cell.’
‘Give them time. Life will return to normal soon enough and people have a way of forgetting the bad times once things settle down.’
‘I hope you’re right.’
They walked down the road in silence, passing Martin Place and continuing along Elizabeth Street next to the park.
‘How’s your uncle?’ Simone asked.
‘He’s fine, although I think he’s ready to retire. For good, this time.’
Simone laughed. ‘I should think so. He’s definitely too old to be running covert operations across the globe anymore.’
‘Just don’t tell him that.’
Simone hooked her arm through his and leaned into his shoulder.
‘What about you? Ready to give it all up and settle down?’ she asked.
‘With you?’ he asked.
‘Is there anyone else I don’t know about?’
‘No, there’s only you. Has been for a number of years.’
‘Well, then …?’
John stopped walking. ‘What exactly are you asking me?’
Simone let go of his arm and looked straight into his eyes.
‘I love you, John and I want to be with you.’
‘I do too.’
‘So …’
John took a deep breath. He knew this conversation had been coming for a while now and despite his strong feelings for Simone, he wasn’t really sure he wanted to go down that path again.
‘Simone, I was married before and you know how that worked out.’
‘Who said anything about marriage?’
‘But I thought …?’
‘I’m still half Ionian, on my father’s side, which means I respect the Ionian traditions.’
John wasn’t sure he liked where this was going.
‘What exactly do you mean by Ionian traditions?’
‘Well, for starters, everything you own becomes my property. Then, you have to undergo a lengthy process of familiarising yourself with my entire lineage, which culminates in a five-day ceremony where you will be expected to recite all the details of my family before those we choose to witness our union. That’s not to mention the matter of … John? Are you alright?’
‘Ummm … are you being serious?’
Simone’s grin split her face from ear to ear. ‘What do you think?’ she asked.
John laughed. It felt good, given the events of the past two days and the sombre farewell for Muller.
‘So, what are you proposing?’ John asked.
‘How about we move in together and see where that takes us?’ Simone said.
‘Sounds good to me.’
John pulled her close and kissed her. She kissed him back. That went on for a while, passers-by giving them a wide berth.
‘I’d better go and pack my things,’ Simone said.
‘Ummm … how much stuff do you have?’
‘Not that much. Your place has a couple of spare bedrooms, right?’
Seventy
The interior of Professor Daniel Holstein’s robotics laboratory in Mascot was a juxtaposition of cutting-edge technology and disorganised clutter. Not that it was truly accurate to call it his laboratory. Qallan Frost had been forced to reveal the truth about the facility, including an underground level accessible only with his biometrics. It was here that he had recreated an Ionian gateway network. It was also here that he had originally constructed Socrates, adapting and refining him from the space exploration androids used by the Ionians during their journey across the multiverse. Socrates was currently sitting on a composite workbench. His right arm looked
like an ordinary human one. His left did not. The exposed metallic endoskeleton glinted in the light being reflected by the metallic surfaces in the underground laboratory.
‘How much longer until he’s able to resume his duties as a Sentinel?’ John asked.
‘I have reconstructed his arm, including the arc cannon. Once the diagnostic and calibration programs finish running we can take him over to the polycarbonate bays and create a new artificial skin. He should be good as new by tomorrow,’ Qallan Frost said.
‘Good to hear. How’s the new arm?’ John asked.
Socrates lifted his left arm. Rotating it one way then the other, he flexed his metallic fingers.
‘Physically it appears to be identical to my previous arm; however, until the integration process is completed I will not be able to determine its effectiveness,’ Socrates said.
‘What about the Null Cell?’
‘It remains one hundred per cent functional but in a dormant state.’
‘It’s good to have you back.’
The android turned its head towards him, appraising him with its nanofilament eyes designed to imitate human eyes.
‘Thank you, John. The events of the past two days have certainly given me much to analyse. I believe it will make me a better Sentinel.’
John nodded. Then, remembering an earlier conversation with his partner, he turned to Qallan Frost.
‘Is Socrates’s programming evolving?’
‘What do you mean, John?’ Frost asked.
‘I mean, can he learn and evolve? He mentioned something to me about that two days ago but he seemed worried about discussing it with Professor Holstein. Given everything that’s happened with the Flux Cells, I’d rather find out if there’s something wrong with him.’
Qallan Frost smiled that knowing smile of his.
‘No, John. There is nothing wrong with Socrates. I designed him to be a learning machine capable of evolving based on his contact with humans. With the activation of the Omega Protocol, not only did Socrates gain access to the Null Cell, he also activated the final part of his programming.’