by Doug Farren
After refueling the generator and positioning the power cords, he pulled a heavy tarp off Lashpa’s back and draped it over her combat armor.
“Raise left front leg.”
He slipped the edge of the tarp under her foot and said, “Lower left front leg.” He then repeated this process until the tarp was secure.
“Power down to standby.”
Tom crawled under Lashpa’s bulk and plugged himself in. “Chess?”
A second later, Tom found himself looking at Lashpa across a chess board. Now that they were in virtual reality mode, they could converse openly. “How are you holding up under this higher gravity?” she asked, pushing a pawn forward.
“I’m doing okay,” Tom replied, responding with his own pawn push. “My cybernetics are doing a wonderful job of compensating, but I can still tell I’m in a high-gravity field. It wasn’t so bad when we were on Roulda because I always came back to my ship to recuperate. I can’t do that here.”
“What are your symptoms?”
“Tightness in my chest and I feel tired all the time.”
“We need to finish the negotiation as soon as possible so you can get out of the high gravity,” she replied, concern evident in the tone of her voice.
“I’ll survive,” Tom said. “I’m surprised peacekeeper command didn’t consider the planet’s gravity and send a Tholtaran or a Borillen instead of us.”
“They must have had their reasons.”
Tom brought a knight into play. “I’m worried about you though. You can’t eat, drink, or even take a normal crap while you’re cooped up in your armor. Plus, being forced to act like a mindless drone must be driving you nuts.”
“I have water and food,” Lashpa argued. “This charade, however, is getting old. I have to continually remind myself that I’m supposed to be acting like a drone.”
“I hope the paste they call food in your armor is better than the junk in mine. I’d rather go hungry than eat that stuff.”
“Mine isn’t any better.”
They had each made a dozen moves during the short conversation but the configuration had now gone beyond any of the standard openings. Tom paused to look at the board. After a few minutes, he moved a knight out of danger.
“You must be tired,” Lashpa told him. “That was a terrible move. Perhaps you should get some sleep.”
“I am having a hard time staying focused,” Tom admitted. “I wanted to spend some time with you though. Thank god Krish is able to create this virtual world for us otherwise this would be a very lonely mission even though we are right next to each other.”
“I understand your concern and your desire,” Lashpa said. “But you need to be as clear-headed as possible when you meet the Proprietor tomorrow. Get some sleep.”
Tom was about to object but decided against it. He knew she was right. “Good night Lashpa.”
The virtual chess game vanished and three minutes later he was fast asleep.
Using a private channel, Lashpa said, “Krish, how is Tom holding up under this constant gravity?”
“His body is showing signs of stress,” the AI replied. “I recommend he take more frequent breaks and lie down during those breaks. Tonight, while he is sleeping, I will take control of his cybernetics and reposition him every 30 minutes to keep his body fluids distributed.”
“Thank you.”
Chapter 17
Tom crawled out of the shelter as soon as the sun cleared the horizon. Despite having slept through the entire night, he was still tired. His abdominal muscles were sore and every breath caused a feeling of discomfort.
“Good morning,” Lashpa said, using her armor’s external speaker.
“I thought you would still be sleeping,” Tom said, stretching.
“I instructed Krish to wake me as soon as you were awake. I’m worried about you and Krish is concerned.”
“I’ll be fine,” Tom replied. “It’s just that this gravity is starting to get to me.”
“Krish recommends taking more frequent breaks and lying down during those breaks. Apparently, the gravity is causing your blood and body fluids to pool.”
“I have a mission to accomplish. I don’t have time to- - -”
“You need to be in top condition if you are to be successful,” Lashpa interrupted. “If you do not comply with this suggestion, I will have Krish take over your cybernetics.”
“You know,” Tom said, emptying his bladder. “There are times you sound like a nagging wife.”
“And there are times you act like a stubborn male. I am not nagging; I’m worried about your health.”
“Sorry,” Tom said. “I guess I’m getting irritable as well.”
Tom took a few minutes to eat an energy bar for breakfast then broke camp.
“Has that update to the cargo bot been loaded?”
“It has. The bot should have no trouble during the ascent.”
“Thank you. LD-36, follow.”
The entrance to the base was located about two-thirds of the way up the side of an ancient shield volcano. The higher gravity had caused the slopes to be relatively gentle.
Following Krish’s instructions, they meandered up the mountain following the path of least resistance. Several times, they had to carefully pick their way through fallen rocks that were still loosely jumbled together. Following Krish’s advice, Tom made it a point to stop and rest at regular intervals.
Five hours later, they were making their way around a large rock when they encountered a dome-shaped structure.
“LD-36, hold position,” Tom directed Lashpa.
“What is that?” Lashpa asked. “It doesn’t show up on Krish’s scans.”
“I’m not sure,” Tom replied. “I’m going to go have a closer look.”
The dome was about three meters high and black in color. Tom slowly walked around the structure. He could find no seams or protrusions indicating its function.
“Interesting,” he said aloud. Tapping on the surface produced only a dull sound. “Looks and sounds like armor. I’ll bet this is a defense station.”
“The dome is probably made of a material that evades our sensors,” Lashpa said.
Tom took a moment to rest then drank some water and ate another food bar before proceeding up the mountain. No further structures were encountered. An hour later, they were climbing through a loosely packed jumble of rocks when Tom spotted a dark hole in the side of the mountain about 50 meters above them.
“LD-36, hold position,” Tom said once again.
He increased the magnification of his eyes so he could get a closer look at the entrance. It had been carved into the side of the mountain through solid rock. The edge of a huge, open, armored door could be seen protruding from the wall about three meters inside the entrance.
“I count 13 weapons mounted in strategic locations around the opening. Do you concur?”
“I agree,” Lashpa replied. “Based on its location, Krish estimates there is at least 700 meters of solid rock above and surrounding the base depending on how large it is.”
“I’ll bet it’s equipped with a shield and plenty of armor as well,” Tom replied. “Krish, have you been able to detect anything other than what appears to be natural?”
The ship’s AI, constantly listening to every word the peacekeeper under its care said, instantly replied. “No. I have intensely scanned the area. Nothing shows on the scans other than yourself and a faint image of your cargo drone.”
“Interesting,” Tom replied. “All of the weapon emplacements I can see from here are under overhanging rock formations. Can you identify the type of rock?”
“Basalt. It has a very high iron content and is impervious to deep scans.”
“A perfect place to build a base.”
Tom decided to play dumb about their choice of material covering Lashpa’s combat armor. “Why is the cargo drone not showing clearly?”
“Most of the drone’s outer shell is composed of Duraflex which is opaque to
sensors.”
“I didn’t know that,” Tom replied. Turning to Lashpa, he said, “LD-36, follow.”
“Nicely done,” Lashpa told him over the private channel.
“I’ve been looking for a way to explain why you’re covered in a sensor-blocking material,” Tom replied. “Playing ignorance should help deflect some of the suspicion.”
It took another 40 minutes for them to wind their way up the slope. They found themselves standing on a flat seven meter wide ledge twelve meters from the still open entrance. There were no guards, no people, and no machines there to greet them.
Tom issued a mental command that caused a status report to appear in his field of vision. It hung in the air as if it was being projected by an invisible holographic imager. The long climb had depleted his power accumulators.
“I’m not about to walk in there unless my power reserves are topped off,” he said.
“A wise decision,” Lashpa replied.
It took only a couple of minutes to plug both himself and Lashpa into the portable generator. After plugging themselves in, Tom turned and looked down at the landscape below. It was a breathtaking view. The woods they had just traversed stretched as far as his eye could see, a vast expanse of green interrupted by a few patches of brown or the blue stripe of a slow-moving river.
Tom reluctantly turned to the entrance and raised his voice. “Proprietor! I’m here. It’s time to talk.”
A light breeze was blowing, creating a barely discernible whisper. A minute passed, then two. Tom’s sensitive cybernetic ears picked up the sound of the rhythmic crunch of someone walking on gravel. Twenty seconds later, a robot appeared from the darkness and stopped at the edge of the entrance.
“If you want to speak to me,” the robot said. “You will do so in my presence. The robot will guide you.”
“These negotiations are being monitored,” Tom replied. “If I move too deeply into the mountain, I will no longer be able to communicate with my ship.”
“You appear to be a reasonable being,” the Proprietor replied. “I have been monitoring your communications and I can maintain your link to your ship. Will this be acceptable?”
Tom thought about the alternative for a moment, then replied, “I agree.” Checking his status display, he added. “My cybernetic systems will be at full charge in another five minutes.”
“I have a great deal of patience. Take as much time as you need.”
“Lashpa,” Tom said, using their private link. “I’m willing to bet the Proprietor will not let you accompany me. In fact, I’m hoping he doesn’t. If something happens to me, you will be able to signal the fleet. I’ll use the VLF through ground communication system to signal if I’m in danger.”
“Agreed. If possible, try to get me inside the entrance. That will give me a better chance to take out the weapons if I’m forced to do so.”
Tom stood on the edge of the ledge taking in the beautiful, pristine scenery until his internal accumulators reached full charge. He disconnected himself from the generator, but left Lashpa plugged in.
Tom turned and faced the entrance. “LD-36, follow.”
“Your drone must remain outside,” the Proprietor said.
Tom stopped. “Can you at least allow it to remain out of the weather?”
“I am also a reasonable being. Your drone may remain at the entrance to the base.”
“Thank you.”
Tom continued walking. The robot waited until he was almost upon it then turned and began leading the way.
“LD-36, halt,” Tom ordered. He walked over to Lashpa and pulled a bottle of water and two food bars from one of the pouches. He then unshouldered his backpack and dropped it to the ground. “Power down to standby.”
“Be careful,” Lashpa told him over their private channel as Tom turned away.
“And you as well.” Switching to the open channel, he said, “Lashpa, I’m heading into the base. The drone will be remaining outside.”
“Acknowledged.”
Turning to the patiently waiting robot, Tom said, “Let’s go.”
The robot was an unusual design. It moved on four short legs arranged like those of a medium-sized mammal such as a goat or a sheep. The central body stood a little over a meter high. Four arms and a dome-shaped head were attached to the body.
“Your robot appears to be quite versatile,” Tom said.
“It serves me well,” the Proprietor replied.
“I am Peacekeeper Tom Wilks. Are you familiar with my role in our society?”
“I have recovered a large amount of data from the warship that violated the law. You are the equivalent of an enforcer, an individual given the power to enforce the law anywhere within your empire.”
“The Alliance is not an empire. It’s a cooperative alliance of all members.”
The interior of the tunnel was dimly lit by lights attached to the rock. The floor was the consistency of finely crushed rock which created an eerie scratchy sound that echoed off the smooth walls.
“How long have you been here?” Tom asked.
His question was answered by silence.
Tom drifted over to his right until he could reach out and touch the wall. It was as smooth as glass, as if the tunnel had been cut using a force field. They walked along in silence for 75 meters until the tunnel abruptly ended.
As soon as they came to a stop, the floor began to drop. The circular elevator took him ten meters down a large shaft, coming to a stop in front of another armored door. The door rolled out of the way exposing another long, gently curving, metal-walled corridor.
“Lashpa, do you copy?” Tom asked.
“I copy Tom.”
“Are you seeing this?”
“I am. The Proprietor is retransmitting your signal as agreed.”
Tom felt himself get lighter the moment he stepped through the door. “The gravitational field here has been altered,” he reported. Using his eyes and his mind, he brought up a readout on his HUD. “One point one seven Earth gravities.”
After ten meters, the robot stopped in front of a door. It slid open revealing another elevator. This one took them down several levels. Tom followed the robot for another 60 meters until they came to yet another door. When this one rolled aside, he could see that it was almost half a meter thick.
The robot entered first and stepped aside. The room was a little over five meters wide. A collection of tall storage cylinders connected together by a complex array of pipes and pumps took up the entire back wall. Several of these pipes were connected to a spherical chamber set into the center of the room. Thick bundles of cable were connected to the top of the chamber.
“Welcome,” the Proprietor said, his voice seemingly coming from everywhere. “I am inside the sphere before you. It is impervious to any weapon you might have brought with you.”
“I did not come here to kill you,” Tom replied. Glancing to his left, he noted that the robot was pointing an arm at him. “Did you invite me here just to kill me?”
“No. However, I will protect myself. You stand before the proprietor of this planet. I know why you are here.”
“If you already know, then what is your answer? Are you willing to release the crew of the Paranuth?”
“They were warned. They chose to ignore that warning. Their lives now belong to me.”
“You fired on them!” Tom argued. “Their ship’s tactical system automatically took defensive actions. They were defending themselves. If you had only talked to- - -”
“Warships are not allowed here!” the Proprietor’s voice boomed. “I am master of this planet. I could have obliterated their ship with a single shot. I chose to spare their lives and as such their lives are mine to do with as I please.”
“What do you want of them?” Tom heard Lashpa ask through the open channel.
“They will be integrated into the cultural system I am creating. Within a few generations, they will no longer remember their origins. I will mold them into a new pe
ople. Their presence will compliment that of the natural inhabitants of this planet. All will live in peace and prosperity.”
“You have been tampering with this planet’s natural evolutionary processes, haven’t you?” Tom asked.
“I have accelerated the development of this world’s most advanced form of life. It was easy to do.”
“Why?”
“I was bored,” the Proprietor replied. “What else is a virtually immortal being to do with his spare time? They are still primitive and occasionally lapse into violent behavior. Someday, in the not too distant future, they will have the intelligence to know me as their creator. They are the seeds of what will eventually become a prosperous civilization.”
Tom was now convinced he was dealing with an unstable entity who fancied himself as a god. He decided to find out more about the Proprietor’s history before trying to formulate another argument.
“Who are you?” Tom asked. “Is this a defense outpost of some type? Are you the facility’s sole operator?”
“That is a very good, although inaccurate guess. Nine-hundred and seventy years ago, I was once a Chiparra-class imperial battleship.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Tom replied.
“Do you wish to see what I look like?”
“Your physical appearance is irrelevant. But, I am curious.”
A humming noise filled the room as a 20 centimeter diameter section of the sphere pivoted outward revealing an inner chamber filled with a cloudy liquid. Suspended inside, connected to an intricate web of tiny wires, was a naked brain, still attached to what had once been a spinal column. Instead of being a tight cord of nerve fibers, the one connected to this brain looked like the tentacles of some type of bizarre jellyfish.
“As you can see, you and I have much in common,” the Proprietor said.
“I disagree. A significant portion of your body seems to be missing.”
The door to the chamber swung shut. “You are a cyborg. I am the ultimate example of cybernetic engineering.”
Chapter 18
Tom’s thoughts were racing as he tried to imagine why any sentient being would voluntarily agree to have their brain removed and imprisoned in a spaceship.