Genesis

by Filip Forsberg

  The guard's eyes welled up with tears.

  "I understand, I understand.”

  Umbra smiled and released the guard's arms. He moaned and rubbed them while he looked around about any of his colleagues seen something. The multitude of people behind the screen was unchanged and the guard took a thankful breath. Umbra pulled up her holo-phone and held it against the man's arm. She smiled at him.

  "Now I have your DNA profile. If I see your DNA profile coming up in any police investigation for the rest of your life. "She let the words sink in and enjoyed the satisfaction when the man's eyes slowly widened, "I will check all the major police databases regularly and if you ever get reported, I will know about it."

  She smiled to herself when she spun around and left the gaping guard behind her, it was a lie. Her holo-phone could not scan a person's DNA profile in a few seconds, but the man had not known that. She could not resist the temptation to turn around and smile at the guard who was still rubbing his arms when she disappeared out of the security checkpoint.

  * * *

  She noticed that she was tapping her foot on the ground where she stood. Umbra stood at the aircraft and waited for the loader. The light breeze was warm and caressed her hair when she looked for the box with Maja inside. The mission had gone like a charm. She had managed to get both the Fabergé-eggs and Maja. She was not quite sure that Maja was needed but she would not take any chances. Arik would like to talk to her regardless. She looked up and saw dark clouds rolling on the horizon. Something moved in the corner of her eye and she turned her head. The loader glided towards her. It swung around and drove toward the cargo door at the aircraft.

  It was a beautiful airplane. A Falcon 11X. The cargo door opened itself automatically and slid to the side. A light on the loader started flashing when the automatic arm lifted the box with Maja inside and carefully brought in the into the aircraft.

  Umbra monitored the entire operation and nodded when the loader retracted its arm and quietly drove back towards the terminals. She went up the stairs and the relief swept over her. The set woman appeared and looked uncertainly at her.

  "Is everything to your satisfaction?"

  Umbra nodded and put her hand on the woman's shoulder.

  "That's fine. Arik will hear about how good help I got here. "

  The woman's face brightened at the thought that Arik would be informed that she performed her work exemplary. She fantasized about how it might trigger a bonus. Umbra squeezed her shoulder, turned around and went into the cabin. She settled down in one of the soft leather seats and peered out. The clouds had come closer. They would have to hurry and take off before the storm rolled in. A female stewardess came up to her. The painted lips were sensual, and she smiled seductively at Umbra.

  "Do you want something to drink before we take-off? "

  Umbra saw the woman's long fingers brushing off an imaginary speck on the chair back in front of the Umbra.

  "No, thank you." She gazed out through the window, "I’m in a hurry, we need to leave at once."

  The flight attendant bent down to peer out the window and her arm touched Umbra when she did. Her scent was a mixture of perfume and flowers, Umbra took a deep breath when the woman rose and smiled.

  "Well then, no problem, I’ll let the pilot know that we should take off at once."

  Umbra nodded.

  "I have an important cargo with me, it is crucial that we leave now."

  The flight attendant smiled.

  "We are informed about the importance of the flight. We will keep the time, I am sure. The captain should only go through the last safety features before we taxi out to the starting position. She paused, "I am instructed to give you all required service."

  Umbra watched the sensual body move beneath the dark blue uniform.

  "All?"

  "All."

  Umbra smiled to herself. This would be a glorious flight. She took the stewardess's hand.

  "Give me half an hour. I have some work to do. "

  The stewardess smiled before she spun around and disappeared forward in the cabin. Umbra stretched out and turned on the holo-screen in front of her. A faint glittering hologram slipped out a bit in front of the screen. A hologram of a male anchorman glided forward.

  The news anchor held his hand at one ear as he listened for something and his gaze was fastened down on a screen that lay in front of him. He nodded and then looked at the camera.

  "And now it's confirmed. Information sent from the probe that examines that hole on the moon. "The news anchor brought his hand again to the ear and fell silent. Umbra frowned, what was it that was confirmed?

  The news anchor nodded.

  "There is actually a machine under the surface. It was discovered when the probe came deeper down in the moon. " The man spoke slowly and with reflection. Someone moved in front of the man. Umbra leaned forward. A woman ran up to the man and gave him another holo-plate. He took it and read.

  "It seems that the seismic signature is also recorded on eight additional items in the solar system, including Earth. "The man stared in amazement on the holo-plate and continued," We have live images from the moon now. I mean so live it now can be. "He cleared his throat and smiled," as we all know, it takes a few seconds for the signal to reach here. "

  Umbra muttered to herself.

  "Exactly 1.27 seconds."

  The news anchor turned around when the blue background behind him flicked. A camera zoomed out from something dark. Umbra leaned forward to get a better view. The image continued to zoom out until it showed something similar to a landscape full of different antennas that hung down from the roof. It was difficult to estimate the size of those when there were no natural reference points. The news anchor spoke again.

  "We’ll be right back after this short advertising feature."

  * * *

  She turned off the holo-screen and pulled out her computer. She thought about the mission and her new father. She could write a flattering report and it would be true. But it would perhaps be a bit pretentious? Maybe it was better that she understated it somewhat, so Arik would see that she had no need to assert herself? But he knew well already? All her previous missions for John had been successful and she had so far not made Arik disappointed. She thought about it a couple of minutes before she decided to write a report that was a bit more restrained. She chuckled.

  "All in due time."

  She worked fast, wrote up the important events in the last twenty-four hours and then read through what she had compiled. She changed some before she nodded to herself. She connected to the secure network and sent the report.

  She turned off the computer and stretched out again. She was worn, tired. It had been hard, but she had managed above expectations. She fantasized about the flight attendant, but fatigue overpowered her. Her eyelids were heavy, and she leaned back and closed her eyes.

  "Just five minutes."

  Darkness enveloped her, and she sank into darkness. It was like a dark lake as she slipped down into. She was everywhere and nowhere. She disappeared and turned into the swirling movements in the dark.

  The airplane rocked, and she woke up with a jerk. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the expensive Breitling on her wrist. Quarter over seven. She had slept barely twenty minutes and was as a little groggy. She sat for a few minutes and followed the plane's movements when she heard a female voice behind her.

  "Nice nap?"

  Umbra knew who it was before she turned around and watched the stewardess smile at her.

  "Very good."

  The flight attended said nothing when Umbra grabbed her and drew her close.

  ESA, Paris, France

  March 18, 2049

  He floated, free as a bird, over the foreign landscape. Louis glided over the surface of the machine, descended and looked down beneath him. A huge, fan-like apparatus moved on the surface of the machine well below him. Warm air flowed from it and created turbulence that shook him as he slipped through it.<
br />
  He slowly banked right and continued over the surreal landscape. A myriad of pillars, spires, and antennas stretched up from the surface and periodically split the surface of deep fissures that stretched regularly across the landscape. Magdalena's voice was crisp i his headphones.

  "What does it look like?"

  "The machine is enormous, I can't see any end to it. I have covered fourteen kilometers already, but it just seems to continue on. "

  Roberts voice crackled.

  “Understood. We will send you more robots. Now we have only one of the virtual control consoles active, the other two are turned off. So, it may be that you can control them, can you? "

  If necessary, the virtual system could be set up so that a human operator controlled a variety of semi-autonomous robots. It was exhausting for an operator but a skilled one could cope with it during limited time. Whether the data collecting they were going to carry out was not too complicated. If it was a matter of monitoring or detection of an area that did not require so much from the operator, it could be allowed to do so. Louis swallowed when he heard Magdalena's comment.

  "Yes, it shouldn't be a problem. How many will be on-line and when? "

  "I’ll check."

  A few seconds elapsed before Robert’s voice was heard again.

  "Seven of them", He paused, "about nine minutes."

  Louis noticed a cold knot in his stomach. It would take him to the limit of his ability. Controlling that many semi-autonomous robots would be a heavy burden on his nervous system.

  "Ok, start calibration."

  Magdalena looked over at Robert.

  "Can he manage so many?"

  Robert shrugged.

  "We’ll see, won’t we? We need more information about that machine. If it is really a terraforming machine, we must obtain as much information as possible while we are there. You agree? "

  Magdalena nodded reluctantly while the operators at the computers began their calibration of the seven semi-autonomous robots. Experienced hands worked quickly at the screens and after four minutes came the message from one of the women who had light, reddish hair.

  "I have three ready for dispatch from the hold."

  Robert nodded.

  “Louis? Are you ready for three to start with? "

  Far beneath the lunar surface, Louis moved forward. He completed letting a large part of the control of the robot move to the artificial brain that could take over vital functions. Almost all the necessary control was transferred from his control to the artificial brain that took control. Louis' consciousness was thus limited to having an overall control over it. In many ways, the division was like the sort of division that could be seen on a historical battlefield. The various combatant units and divisions were all ruled by a local commander who gave commands under the heat of battle. At the same time, there was a commander-in-chief who was placed besides the battlefield and had an overview of the entire battlefield. The commander-in-chief was thus able to direct his forces and resources to where they were most needed.

  A faintly tantalizing sensation rolled through him when his consciousness met the artificial mind of the robot. It was still a cross-border experience for him. The cold, rhythmic pulsating from the artificial brain was familiar but at the same time different from his own rhythm.

  "Ready."

  Robert nodded at the operator. The red-haired woman pushed a button on her screen.

  "Starting emission."

  On the lunar surface, the large cargo door activated on the rocket and started sliding sideways. Two small robot cameras that had circulated around the rocket moved a bit away to give a better overview. The rocket stood like a monolith on the dusty surface. Magdalena studied the screen. She saw how it moved inside in the cargo space and three robots disengaged from its dark interior. They slowly moved out and set course towards the big hole in the ground just over a hundred meters away.

  The robot cameras moved obediently after the three who moved across the rough surface of the moon. When the three robots arrived at the hole, they stopped, hovering over the abyss. The red-haired woman adjusted the screen and confirmed that the three were ready for interconnection.

  "Ready for connection."

  Louis took a deep breath.

  “Confirmed. Ready for connection. "

  Robert nodded again at the redheaded woman activated a series of commands.

  "Commencing."

  The three semi-autonomous robots sought control with Louis and his mind was ready. The virtual connection Louis had with the robot under the lunar surface slipped out of focus until he was only peripherally aware of it. In its place, the cold, artificial consciousness from the three robots glided in.

  For Louis, it was as if he had inherited these three robots’ position and his consciousness now stretched from beneath the lunar surface all the way up through the hole to the waiting three. He took a couple of deep breaths and everything flowed through him.

  "Contact established. Looks good. More than ninety percent now and is steadily increasing. "The voice of the red-haired woman was steady.

  Robert breathed out fiercely.

  "It's impressive. He’s coping with it nicely."

  Magdalena's voice had a touch of pride in it.

  "Yes, he is one of the best."

  Louis opened his interior and let the three newcomers come in and find their place within him. After a few more minutes he tried the controls by giving notice to the three that they would come down through the hole. They wobbled but then started a straight course down through the dark abyss. He sent them out in opposite directions to help explore the enormous machine beneath the lunar surface.

  "Well done, Louis." Magdalena confirmed when the robots were on course above the machine's surface.

  "Thank you." Louis' voice sounded surprisingly calm in view of the load he was under.

  "Does he really have the capacity to do more?"

  "If there is someone who can cope with it, it is Louis."

  He pressed his headset to the ear.

  “Louis? Are you ready for the last four? "

  A few seconds passed before Louis confirmed.

  "Ready."

  Robert nodded to a bespectacled, bald man operator who sat next to the red-haired woman.

  "Ready for connection."

  Louis took another deep breath.

  “Confirmed. Ready for connection. "

  "Commencing."

  The procedure was repeated with the four semi-autonomous robots that left the rocket on the surface of the moon. They flew up to the same position above the dark hole and waited for the connection to Louis to be completed. In his mind, he felt how the four new artificial consciousness penetrated the edges of his consciousness. He struggled to make room for them and they wobbled over the hole when he tried to establish contact with them.

  Eventually, he achieved a balance with all robots that he controlled through his virtual connection. Magdalena anxiously glanced over at the control room where Louis was suspended in the large metal cube. His body was tense, and he breathed rapidly. It was risky work to be a virtual controller for a semi-autonomous robot. If the connection was not terminated properly, it could cause serious side effects to the operator. And it was even more critical when a single operator had control of that many semi-autonomous robots. If it went awry and the connection abruptly ended with all, it could result in permanent brain damage for the operator. Magdalena understood the risks and she knew that Louis was also in agreement with them.

  "What does it look like?"

  Robert pointed towards two of the screens.

  "It's very impressive. He has firm control over all and has sent them out in all directions. If he can keep control of them, we should have a real chance of understanding how big the machine really is. "

  The minutes slowly passed while the robots flew over the ever-larger machine. Two of them needed to adjust the course after just over ten minutes but otherwise, it went surprisingly smooth. Eve
ntually one of them came up to something like the edge of the machine.

  "Robot number seven reports that it has come to the edge."

  Magdalena nodded.

  “Good. Mark the calculation as the others report. "

  After three more minutes, two more robots reported that they also found the edge of the machine. The red-haired woman did a couple of quick calculations.

  "It looks like the machine is round and at least is thirty-five kilometers in diameter. If we put on the seismic data from the past you can see that it seems to be around the edges of the machine that the quakes occur. What that means exactly is, however, too early to say. "

  Louis gasped.

  "Do you see this?"

  The screen in front of Magdalena and Robert showed how Louis panned over toward a black spot down the surface. Robert pointed to the spot.

  "What is it?"

  Louis hesitated before he replied.

  "It looks like a hole. As an opening in the surface. "

  Thin veils rose up from the hole.

  Louis zoomed in.

  "It's an opening in the surface and something seems to come out of there. Steam. "

  Flor Fria, Macau

  March 19, 2049

  A searing, hot pain shot through her. She tried to breathe, but every breath was like a stab in her back. She moaned and tried to roll over on the side. She failed, sank back and the pain radiated up through her body.

  Annie closed her eyes and tried to focus. The assault had gone wrong almost from the beginning. After the trucks had exploded and cut off the Chinese military column of transports from the main base, she had given orders for the attack. But immediately it had turned out that their RPG weapons that they used were simply too weak.

  Several of the shoots had simply bounced off the Chinese armored transports and did not do any damage. It had gone so fast. From a promising opening to almost total catastrophe. Despair welled up within and she clenched her teeth not to give in to frustration and powerlessness. She looked for the others, but only saw death. Three from their team lay dead with un-seeing eyes and lifeless bodies.