Starweb

by Warren James Palmer

  The secluded tracks and relative isolation of the forest also had one other advantage; it was the perfect place for private liaisons. She was about halfway around the route, her heart beating rhythmically and the sweat building nicely, when another jogger joined her. He was in his mid-forties, obviously out of condition, with a layer of fat around his middle, which wobbled as he ran. She smiled grimly to herself and stepped up the pace. The other jogger tried to keep up, but his breathing soon became laboured and the sweat poured off him, staining his brand-new athletics kit. After a few minutes he gave up, stopped in the middle of the track and hissed, 'For the saints sake, slow down will you!'

  Jelde slowed to a walk.

  'You spend too much time in that office of yours De-Vank!' she yelled over her shoulder as the wheezing man slowly caught her up. 'You're fat and lazy, a bit like that corporation you represent.'

  'I may be fat, but at least I'm not ugly!' the businessman spat back venomously.

  A flash of pain and anger flitted over the Inspector's face and De-Vank knew he'd struck home. It gave him a certain sense of satisfaction; although he realised that his courage to say such a thing came only from the knowledge, that the bitch wanted something from him.

  'I'll let that one pass for now, you bastard,' she snarled at him as he drew level. 'Don't make the mistake of talking to me like that again!'

  'Frack you Jelde!' he retorted still panting hard. 'You're the one who dragged me to this spot in the middle of nowhere! Now, what do you want? What is it that's so important, that you have to drag me from a series of important meetings in the capitol? Whatever it is, it had better be good!'

  'Oh it is De-Vank…it is!' she assured him in her most ingratiating tone. She strolled over to a convenient log and sat on it. De-Vank sat down as well, keeping a cautious distance between them.

  'So what's the story?' he demanded.

  'It's about that ship,' she began.

  'So we figured... What about it?' he replied wiping the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his jogging top. 'I was under the impression it was just a piece of junk thrown together by a bunch of religious fanatics.'

  'Comparatively, it is a piece of junk,' she told him, 'but it wasn't built by anybody on Reglis IV. The bunch who put that thing together come from a place much further away.'

  'Oh? So there is some substance to the rumours? You'd better tell me more…'

  Jelde told De-Vank what she had learned from interrogating the crew and passengers of the Shanoa. She explained how they claimed to come from the future and had become lost in the sub-ether. She told him of the three worlds of humanoids which existed in that future. She told him about the wars and the existence of the Starweb. She told him everything.

  'By the saints!' he exclaimed some time later. 'That's an incredible story! And you believe it? It must be some form of mass hysteria. I can't believe such a ridiculous tale!'

  'Whether I believe it our not is irrelevant,' she replied coolly, totally in command of the situation. 'What's important is that they believe it! And if the media get hold of the story, it'll mean bad news for the Starweb Corporation.'

  'Pah! So what if they did?' De-Vank retorted with a snort. 'Nobody of any worth is going to pay attention to such drivel!'

  Inspector Jelde turned and stared hard at the businessman, her eyes glinting like steel. 'Are you sure about that?' she asked him. 'Can you be certain that nobody will demand an investigation into the claims those people are making?

  'I believe construction on Extremity station and the new super AI computers is already well advanced,' she continued. 'Can the Starweb Corporation afford a delay whilst we investigate the possibility that your self-learning machines may turn rogue on us? I'm sure there's nothing in their wild claims of the entire galactic web turning on its creator. However…'

  'Yeah, yeah…' the businessman said hurriedly. 'I get the picture…You're right, we can't afford a delay. It would mean a loss of confidence in our new systems. The fall in share value could be catastrophic!'

  'That's what I thought...'

  De-Vank looked at the inspector from the Samarcian Secret Services shrewdly. Now, he understood the reason for her demanding this meeting. Everything in the Samarcian commonwealth had its price, including Jelde. Whatever she was after, it would be cheaper than other unnecessary complications. The contract for the new super computers, interlinked via the galactic-web, was worth several star systems and the Starweb Corporation simply could not afford to lose that contract now. Besides, the bitch wouldn't live long enough to spend her ill-gotten gains.

  'So what's your price and what's your plan?' he asked, watching her eyes and facial expression closely. An experienced negotiator, De-Vank prided himself on being able to spot any sign of weakness in others; a weakness he would always exploit.

  'Three billion marks,' she answered bluntly and completely poker faced.

  The businessman pretended to be outraged, 'Three billion! That's ridiculous! We can't afford that sort of money! There's no…'

  He was cut short by Jelde, 'Don't bullshit me you slimy little runt! I know exactly how much the Starweb Corporation makes in profits each year. I also know how much you bastards hide in various off-world accounts! Remember who you're talking to De-Vank!'

  He closed his mouth and frowned. Off course, she was right, they could easily afford that sum, even if it were a fortune for one person. And as a trusted member of the Samarcian Secret Services, the inspector would have access to private information; information the corporation couldn’t afford to become public knowledge.

  He wondered what she would do with such a sum of money. If he knew the answer to that, he would have a chip to bargain with once more.

  He took a leap in the dark and said, 'I suppose you're planning to use the money to pay for a good surgeon to rearrange your face. With that sum you could become the most beautiful woman in the galaxy!'

  Jelde said nothing, but De-Vank knew he had hit the mark, by the slightest tightening of the muscles at the corners of her mouth. That, and the slight narrowing of the eyes. Ah! He hadn't lost the old skills after all…

  'Presuming we have that sort of money; which we don't. How do you intend to deal with this matter?' he continued.

  'I already have,' she stated.

  'Pardon?'

  'I've already dealt with the problem,' she repeated, her face blank again. 'All the occupants of that ship were executed last night.'

  'You what?'

  'Last night; I had them shot. I persuaded my superiors that they were all seriously deranged and a threat to Samarcian security. The authorization came through at 19.27 last night.'

  De-Vank looked at her blankly and knew she was being deadly earnest. What he couldn't figure out was why she had just thrown away her power to bargain? If the freaks were already dead, why should Starweb be interested in paying her?

  'Well, if they're dead, why should we worry? The job has surely already been done. Why should we pay you one single mark?' he demanded.

  'Ah, well, most regrettably there was a small lapse in security,' she replied, smiling once more.

  'Go on…'

  'A priest, one of the passengers, managed to escape from the detention centre. He stole copies of the disks containing all the information gathered from the interrogations and analysis of the vessel,' Jelde told him with obvious relish.

  The pieces fitted together in De-Vank's mind. Of course, he should have anticipated such a move. Jelde had been very shrewd; several hundred people were too many to manage easily. By getting official sanction to terminate them all, she had eliminated that particular problem. After all, she only needed one survivor, along with the recorded interviews, to pull off her attempted blackmail.

  'I see,' he responded dryly, 'I presume you know the whereabouts of this particular person?'

  'Our sources indicate the priest is with the chief investigative journalist of the News-Web; as are the tapes…' she told him.

  'What?!' he yelled l
eaping up in alarm. 'Have you gone mad? That little bastard will bleed the freak dry, then spread the information over the whole web! Just what are you playing at? I warn you Inspector, playing games at the expense of the Starweb corporation…'

  Jelde cut him short by saying, 'The journalist De-Felke is being very cooperative. Like all of us, he has his price. I've agreed to give him a hefty share of the remuneration. If something happens to me, or we can't come to a sensible arrangement, De-Felke will expose the entire story right across the commonwealth! He'll get his scoop and Starweb Corporation will come under very close scrutiny. From his point of view, he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Money, or an incredible story for the tabloid News-web... It's your choice De-Vank!'

  The representative of the commonwealth's largest computer corporation locked eyes with the rogue member of the Secret Services. Rapidly, he went through in his mind other options. Potentially, he could inform one of the senate what one of their inspectors was up to. However, Jelde would probably cut them into the deal in the same way she had the journalist. He could have her killed and the journalist followed, or abducted and interrogated. But there was no guarantee that they'd be able to find the surviving crew-member. In fact, Jelde would undoubtedly have considered all the possible scenarios, and taken precautions to protect her interests.

  With a sigh, he realised the best option was to just give the bitch the money and have done with it. He could take a contract out on her later.

  'Okay,' he hissed reluctantly, standing up and facing her. 'I'll recommend we accept your offer. However, it'll take time to arrange the transfer of such a vast sum of funds.'

  'You've got eighteen hours,' she snapped back, her face glowing with victory.

  'I presume you want the sum deposited in an anonymous off-world account?'

  She nodded.

  'What happens when we've paid the money?'

  'The survivor will be delivered into the custody of the Starweb Corporation. What you do with him after that, is entirely your business. Study him, kill him, whatever…' She said with a nonchalant shrug of her broad shoulders.

  'What about the tapes and the journalist?'

  'The tapes will be yours. I'll arrange the disposal of the journalist.'

  'Okay... You'll hear from me before the end of the day, via the usual means,' he told her, 'but let me warn you Jelde, I will consider this contract to be binding. If you don't deliver, the forfeit will be your termination. The execution of which will be very painful.'

  The inspector stood up, glanced at the still sweating businessman and hissed, 'I always deliver!' Then she set off down the forest track, her pace faster than ever. As the dejected representative of the Starweb Corporation faded out of sight, her mind was already lost on how she was going to spend the money.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Jennifer walked beside the gently burbling stream, ambling along a well-worn path. Her infant lay cradled in her arms, sleeping soundly and the morning breeze gently caressed her face. Despite the early hour, the sun was already warm and hinted at a long and hot day to come. This place was, she had to admit, the closest she could ever remember being to paradise.

  The vivid way in which her senses were being assailed by the sights, smells and sounds around her, began to make Jennifer doubt her earlier belief that this was all some sort of dream, brought on by the exertion of childbirth. It was all too real to be some sort of hallucination. Yet, she couldn't explain why she was on Samarcia, at the heart of the Starweb commonwealth, or how she got here.

  However, she felt no threat toward her baby and herself. So for the moment at least, she was happy to walk beside the strange humanoid apparition in the hope she could find some answers to her many questions.

  'So, when you battled with Myrddin on Dyason (see Dominator, WJP), you were thrown into the depths of the sub-ether?' she vocally asked the image of Nimue.

  'That's right. My mind was completely lost, my soul unable to find it's way home,' the apparition of Nimue replied as it walked quietly beside Jennifer. 'I really have no recollection of that time. It's as though I was in limbo; detached from the rest of the universe.'

  'And one of the sentient Starweb computers found you?' the young mother inquired.

  'They communicate via the Sub-ether and over a period have explored much of that strange phenomena. Their minds are really very active.'

  'You sound as though you admire them,' Jennifer probed.

  'It's difficult not to,' the image replied. 'They've brought order to the universe. Do you realise that every planet under their influence is a paradise? They've created worlds where nature is allowed to blossom into its full glory.'

  'They've also committed mass genocide against the human species!' Jennifer quickly snapped back her blood rising at Nimue's apparent approval of the Starweb's actions. 'How can you condone their actions! They're supposed to be sentient, yet they have no concept of pain, or mercy. If they had, they wouldn't have committed such horrific atrocities!'

  'I'm not condoning their policy of genocide,' Nimue quickly replied. 'But you have to accept, the human species has committed horrendous atrocities against their own people. Considering the history of mankind, it's easy to see how their collective mind came to the conclusion that the human race is hell-bent on destroying themselves and the rest of the universe.'

  'And you think that gives them the right to try and wipe us out?'

  'What gives humans the right to wipe out millions of other species of plants, animals and insects? The Starweb is merely protecting those that cannot protect themselves.'

  Jennifer stopped, turned and looked at the being that was once Nimue and asked, 'Why are you telling me this? What happened to you? What did they do to make you one of them?'

  Something passed across the apparition's eyes, something unfathomable; anger, frustration, maybe even fear? Jennifer couldn't be sure. It was all in the blink of an eye, gone before she had a chance to read it properly. She quickly attempted to scan the mind of the being, but its mental barriers were firmly in place.

  It sat down on a grassy bank beside the stream beckoning for Jennifer to do the same. She sat down nearby, noticing for the first time, her baby stirring in his sleep. It was as if the infant could sense the change in mood, the increase in tension in the body of his mother.

  'Those are a lot of questions, that will take time to answer,' the image of Nimue replied with a sigh that was almost human, but not quite.

  'Go on,' Jennifer urged agreeably, trying her best not to let her growing concerns show. Whatever was going on here was important, she knew that instinctively. Therefore, for so long as there was no immediate threat to her or her child, Jennifer would extract as much information as possible.

  'You asked what happened to me,' the being went on, holding the eye of the young woman. 'Well, for a long time I lay in a cryogenic tank whilst my body was revived.'

  'You mean one of those tanks of green fluid where they turn people into those crustaceans?' Jennifer asked with a shudder. Her memories of seeing the people of Heligsion being turned into mindless drones were still very vivid in her mind.

  'Yes, it was. I have to agree that changing people's DNA in such a manner was one of the more unacceptable acts of the Starweb,' Nimue replied.

  'Why didn't they turn you into a drone?'

  'For some reason, they were fascinated by what they found in my memories,' came the reply. 'It was a great opportunity to learn about the cultures of Earth and Dyason. Of course, being an operant like yourself, was of added interest.'

  'Then they brainwashed you to become one of them?'

  'No, there was no brainwash,' came the definite reply. 'More a mutual understanding...'

  'That's a good thing is it?'

  Nimue smiled gently, as if her patience was unlimited. She paused before answering, during which time a fish leapt clear out of the stream and back in again. Then she said in measured tones, 'Think of it Jennifer… The human species is on the verge of a g
iant leap in evolution. For the first time minds like your own are able to travel beyond the constraints of their physical being. Through the power of the mind, it is possible to explore the entire universe. Time and space will become playgrounds for adventurous minds. There will be no need for war, famine and the bodily disadvantages that plague your species at present.'

  'You mean human minds will for the first time be able to dominate areas of the sub-ether that have, until now, been the territory of the Starweb?'

  'Eventually, there will be no need for conflict between the Starweb and the remainder of the Human race. Once the evolutionary step has been completed, the human species will no longer be a threat to other worlds, or to the Starweb,' the being that was once Nimue said calmly.

  'I take it the Starweb came to this conclusion after it's defeat at the hands of the mental concert led by my husband?' Jennifer asked, sceptically.

  'That, and the contact with who I once was,' the being confirmed. 'There has been much discussion about the potentially positive direction the human species is taking.' (See Third Player. WJP).

  'Positive for who? Not for the Starweb I warrant,' Jennifer snapped back.

  'Positive for everybody, Jennifer,' Nimue answered. 'Look beyond your prejudice and consider a future where the flesh and blood live in harmony with nature. There would be no more pollution, no more destruction of forests, and no threat to indigenous species, no matter what they may be. The human mind will be free to roam the universe as it pleases. Whilst the Starweb can continue to physically care for the many worlds under it's influence.'

  'You really believe this can happen?' Jennifer said, more as a state of fact than as a question. She watched the facial expressions of the being, very closely; trying to read its emotions.

  'Of course, otherwise I wouldn't be telling you this,' the apparition that was once Nimue leant forward and took Jennifer's hand in its own. She resisted the urge to pull it away and was surprised by the warmth of the touch.