by JN Chaney
“With a sword like this, you must get close. Most blades are built to pierce from a distance, but once you get through, they’re left defenseless. This is how you win.”
Ludo leaned in and cut the tree, slicing one of its branches clean off, almost effortlessly. It fell to the ground with a soft thud. He stepped back, looked at Terry, and then lunged forward again, slicing at the tree. It left a clean, but deep, marking on the bark. Ludo handed the weapon to Terry, who took it somewhat hesitantly. “You make it look easy.”
“Anything is easy with enough practice,” said the farmer, smiling. “Every talent is merely repetition, performing the same action ten thousand times until it is perfect…until it is divine. With enough strikes of this sword, anyone can become a master, but there is always a beginning. There is always the first strike.” Ludo moved aside, letting Terry replace him.
Terry gripped the hilt of the sword, mimicking the position Ludo had shown him. He raised his hand to his chest, and with a single, fluid swipe, stepped forward.
CHAPTER 15
Ortego Outpost File Logs
Play Audio File 1115
Recorded: February 25, 2351
HARPER: It took some doing, but I was able to convince them.
CURIE: So, you’ll be sending us the files? How much of it did they authorize?
HARPER: The board decided against full disclosure, but you knew that already. It should still be enough to help them get started. From what you’ve told me about the state of their progress, what little we give them should prove invaluable.
CURIE: Did you manage to get any of the Amber Project files?
HARPER: Only a few. Nothing about the experiments involving the Chamber. The board doesn’t want to give them a way of creating their own batch of super soldiers. No offense.
CURIE: None taken. I’m a scientist.
HARPER: Right. Sorry.
CURIE: It’s okay. I understand what you’re saying. Another set of hybrids could be problematic.
HARPER: To prevent that, the board has agreed to disclose some of our other research. Specifically, the stuff we’re doing now to modify living humans without creating hybrids. We don’t have anything conclusive yet, but we’re close to solving it.
CURIE: Doesn’t that require hybrid cells to work?
HARPER: It did in the beginning, but we’ve since managed to synthesize something artificial to do the same job. It omits the section of your DNA that grants you your abilities, which consequently lowers the mortality rate, and it can be used on existing humans instead of embryos. Still doesn’t solve the breathing problem, but we’re working on it.
CURIE: Is that the injection I keep hearing about?
HARPER: Right. You take it once a week and it allows you to breathe Variant. It’s also in testing, like the rest. We’ll see what happens.
CURIE: Thanks for doing this, Doctor Harper. I’ll look over the files and get them to Everlasting as soon as possible. I’m sure this will go a long way toward getting us what we need.
HARPER: I hope so, but do be careful, won’t you? The last thing I want to do is brief the board on something happening to you or, worse, an impending invasion. Imagine the paperwork involved in that nightmare. I’m not sure I could handle it.
End Audio File
Tower of the Cartographers, Everlasting
February 25, 2351
Lena sat in Master Gel’s office, reporting as requested. She had no idea what she was doing there, but wagered it had something to do with Doctor Curie’s recent contributions to the city’s genetic research project.
Master Gel cleared his throat. “Thank you for coming today,” he told her. “I wanted to discuss something very important with you, but it will require some background information, which you are not currently authorized to receive.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he raised his hand to quiet her.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ve updated your clearance. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He nodded. “Before I get on with it, I must explain something critical to you. It will not be easy to hear. Should you find it overwhelming, simply let me know and we will have you brought to the Department of Pacification for memory therapy treatment immediately. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she said, but no matter how she felt, she’d never allow herself to go to such a place.
“Something is happening in Everlasting, Analyst Sol. Something very dangerous,” said Master Gel, calmly staring at her from across the desk.
The statement caught her off guard. What was this about, exactly?
Master Gel called up an image with the help of his implant. A holographic screen appeared above them, hovering like a cloud. “This is the square outside the Second Scientific Research Center. Most of the citizens here work in that department. Keep your eyes on them, and look for anything you consider out of the ordinary. Tell me what you see.”
The video played. There were people walking back and forth. Some were sitting together on benches, casually talking. An average setting with average citizens. Nothing out of the ordinary, except—
Except for the man in the back, standing alone under the overhang. His mouth was covered by a breathing mask, which implied there was a leak in the city shield…but none of the other people had their masks on, so what was going on? He also wore an unusually thick coat, despite the apparent warm weather. All the other visitors had thin clothes on, with no sign of discomfort. Did this stranger have some kind of disorder? An illness, perhaps? “Who is that man?” Lena finally asked.
“Ah, so you noticed,” said Gel. “Keep your eye on him.”
The video played, and the oddly dressed man just stood there. He watched his fellow citizens continue their routines, all the while doing nothing. After nearly two full minutes of this, Lena started to ask what was going on, when suddenly the man stepped forward. What happened next left her speechless.
The masked individual opened his jacket and took out a canister. He began to yell, but there wasn’t any audio. Odd, she noted, given how each of the monitoring stations used specialized sound amplifiers to record audio up to hundreds of deci-units away.
The people panicked immediately, taking off in every direction and emptying the scene. It would not take long for the Department of Civil Protection to respond with full force, releasing the toxin and disabling the suspect. No doubt the man knew this.
As soon as the area was clear, the man turned and threw the canister at the building, igniting the scene in a white flash. Master Gel stopped the recording.
Lena stared at the screen. “What happened?” she asked, quickly.
“The suspect was killed in the explosion,” explained Master Gel.
“Who…why did he do that?” Lena had never seen anything like it. Why would he show her such a horrible thing?
“Do you recall the discussion we had the day before you left for the quarantine zone? I called you into this very office and told you of the death of Jinel Din.”
“Yes, sir. I could never forget something so tragic.”
“At the time, I was not at liberty to disclose the truth about this matter, due to your lack of security credentials. You had yet to prove your nature, Analyst Sol, but that has since changed. What I am about to tell you is not to leave this office. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“As you know, the city of Everlasting has long stood as the single greatest bastion for scientific curiosity throughout the world. Because of this, we are left with the greatest of responsibilities: the preservation of all that we have…and all that came before.” Master Gel’s eye twitched, and the video feed reversed, freezing just before the blast. It quickly zoomed in and focused on the individual as he raised the canister. “But there are some who do not agree.”
Lena stared at the man on the screen. Who in their right mind would do such a thing? Who would go against their city? “People say there’s an org
anization behind the attacks. Is it true, sir?”
Gel waved his hand dismissively. “False rumors, I can assure you. The cause is much less sinister.” The holographic display changed instantly. An image of a brain came into view, replacing the man in the square. It had several black spots on it, indicating some form of deterioration. “Mental degeneration caused by prolonged, gradual exposure to the planet’s atmosphere, particularly XM-13. Normally, exposure to XM-13—or Variant, as the humans call it—results in the death of a citizen, but in a few select cases, something else occurs. Rather than dying, the individual is driven mad, experiencing bouts of paranoia, heightened aggression, and both suicidal and homicidal tendencies. They cannot be reasoned with. They cannot be cured.”
“That’s horrible,” said Lena.
Gel nodded. “Indeed it is. Before recently, there were very few cases, but in recent years the number of occurrences has grown significantly. They are becoming more frequent…and more dangerous.” He leaned forward. “And the Leadership believes this will only continue, unless something is done to stop it.”
A wave of panic coursed through Lena’s body. “Is there a plan? There has to be something we can do.”
“In fact, there is,” said Master Gel. “We even have a cure.”
“Truly?” asked Lena.
“You’ll recall the boy from Earth that Doctor Curie and her team are looking for.”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“We believe his genes hold the key to stability. A means of controlling the disease caused by XM-13.”
“Because he can breathe the contaminated atmosphere?” Lena asked.
“Correct,” said Gel.
“But isn’t Doctor Curie providing us with the original genetic research?”
“Indeed, she is,” Gel admitted. “We are thankful to her for this, but it is simply not enough. As you can see from the footage, the dangers are very real and present. If we do not find a solution to this problem soon, our entire way of life could be under siege.” Gel blinked, and the image of the cell was replaced with the man in the square. “We must find the missing human and analyze his biology for ourselves. It is the only way to stop events like this from happening again.”
“Examine?” asked Lena. She didn’t like the sound of that.
“Only temporarily,” said Gel. “Once we have what we need, he will be returned to his people. Don’t worry.”
That was a relief. Johnathan and Mei were good people. They deserved to have their friend back, and Lena wanted to help Everlasting. Finding Terry could be good for both sides. “What would you have me do, sir?”
“I’m putting you in charge of your own team of analysts. You will use the Rosenthal satellite to locate the missing human at all costs. Set your people on rotation so that they are working every moment of every day. I don’t want any gaps. Once we have the boy in custody, we can focus on finding a cure for this terrible illness. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir! I’ll do whatever I can to help Everlasting.”
“Excellent,” said the Master Analyst. “You do your city proud.”
******
The Border
February 25, 2351
Terry left the house in the early morning, snagging a quick bite of bread and cheese on his way. He took his sword with him, ready for another day of practice. He’d spent every single day with his weapon—sometimes under Ludo’s guidance, but often on his own. He took long walks in the woods, pausing at various points to work on his stance and form, using the trees as targets.
He found that when he focused and relaxed his mind, the rest came much easier. He did his best to travel with the blade always in his hand, trying to grow accustomed to its weight and feel. In the short amount of time he’d spent with the sword, he found himself quite comfortable with it. Perhaps it was due to having wielded a machete and knife for so many years in the wild, or maybe it was simply his determination that drove him. Either way, he would not rest until he could use this sword to defend his friends from anyone who dared to come.
There would always be dangers on this planet, no matter how safe it might seem. He would always have someone to contend with. The cries from across the wall, which came frequently throughout the night, were a constant reminder of that. Even after he and Ludo’s family found their way back home to the farm, he would not relax.
A soft yip came from within the forest—an animal of some kind, by the sound of it. Terry paused and listened, trying to pinpoint the location. He concentrated on the direction of the cry, filtering the other noises.
A few minutes passed, but he found it—a large beast, breathing heavily, letting out of a soft moan. Was something wrong with it?
Terry took off in its direction, staying light on his feet with his weapon ready. He ran swiftly through the woods, avoiding branches and twigs, making almost no noise, except for the rustling of leaves. The animal’s cries grew more frequent, more frantic, as though it were in pain. The scent of blood filled the air as well, causing him to cringe. Whatever was happening ahead of him, it seemed to be the messy sort.
A short while later, a voice erupted in the thick of the woods. Terry stopped immediately, waiting behind one of the larger trees. “Quiet the beast,” ordered one. “Quickly, before it wails again!”
“Quiet it yourself, Zika,” snapped another. “I’m not your servant.”
The voices sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place them. Despite his eyes, the trees severely limited his line of sight. He’d either have to wait for them to get closer or—
What sounded like a weapon tore through the flesh of the animal. Its breathing stopped in only a few seconds. “There,” said the voice.
“Good. The animal never should have charged at us. Let’s get going. The faster we kill the traitor, the faster we can get out of here.”
“Are you sure we’re even headed in the right direction? It’s been over a week since that merchant saw the cart, and—”
“Do not question me, Tia. I know what I’m doing.”
“You always say that, but it was your idea to leave her at the temple in the first place. Look what happened.”
Who the hell were these people? They sounded female. Could they be priestesses? If so, this could prove a serious problem. Ysa wasn’t healed enough to deal with them, and Terry wasn’t sure he could do it on his own. He and Ludo had barely managed to stop Gast when they were in the prison.
Judging by their voices, he could estimate they were nearly a kilometer away. If he left now, he could warn the others. I need to hurry, he thought, stepping away from the tree. He turned and ran toward the house. Ludo would be busy in the kitchen by now, and Plead would be sitting at his usual spot near the beach. Their vacation was over, it seemed. Things were about to get a lot more complicated.
******
Tower of the Cartographers, Everlasting
February 25, 2351
Lena Sol brought up a holographic display using her neural implant, requesting an immediate scan of grid 1103-22. The Rosenthal satellite responded with its acknowledgment and proceeded to act as it was programmed, searching each and every biological signature across the grid. It would do this until it discovered entities matching the parameters Lena had given it. In this case, those pertaining to a human male by the name of Terrance, born and raised on the planet Earth, but now presumably living somewhere on Kant. Due to an agreement between the Leadership of Everlasting and the government of Central, efforts were now underway to secure the young man and bring him safely home.
As of this moment, the analysts had been scanning the continent for nearly two days, moving from one grid to the next, cycling their staff through all hours. With any luck, the process would be swift, but there were no guarantees. Despite the strength of the satellite, the possibility of locating a specific individual, particularly without any evidence to their movement, remained unlikely. For this reason, the Leadership had given Lena Sol a team of twenty-six other analysts, each on
e tasked with the single goal of finding their target.If only the other satellites were still operational,< thought Lena. Just sixty years ago, this process would have taken far less time.
In truth, the Rosenthal satellite was the product of another age, back before the gas destroyed most of civilization. In those days, Everlasting was one of many cities within the Galant Empire, which spanned the bulk of the continent. Galant was in the midst of an arms race with another country called Andur, which caused a surge in technological advancements, including the construction of several satellites. Andur’s efforts were tame, resulting in dozens of failures and deaths, but Galant managed to launch six successful missions. Over time, these satellites broke orbit and were decommissioned, but the Rosenthal was still holding steady with no signs of orbital decay. Even after the Empire had fallen, Everlasting and the Rosenthal satellite lived on.
If only the other satellites had survived longer, thought Lena, sorting through the data from grid 1103-22.
She found nothing of interest, filed the results of the scan, and continued to 1103-23.
This grid took her to a seaside village. The locals called it Capeside. The town was filled with people of varying ethnicities from all along the north coasts, including sailors from across the northern ocean. Scanning so many individuals took longer than expected, so Lena used the extra time to sort through reports from other analysts under her command.
Grid 1104-01. Seventeen humanoids. No matches.
Grid 1105-12. Six humanoids. No matches.
Grid 1105-34. Ninety-seven humanoids. No matches.
Grid 1108-04. Fifty-three humanoids. No matches.
Grid 1113-02. Zero humanoids. No matches.
The list went on, giving similar results each time. With over eighty thousand parent grids, the process could potentially take weeks. Maybe longer, depending on his movements. The Rosenthal satellite began its scanning sequence by examining a central point of interest and expanding outward. In this case, the portal facility in grid 1103-29.
If Terry went underground, the satellite might not be able to find him at all. If he crossed the ocean at any point, the scans would have to go on for months before they reached him. Let’s hope he doesn’t like to travel, thought Lena.