Spheria

  “Shit!” Max is gonna kill me.

  Without hesitation, she took off her sweatshirt and threw it onto the spill. It soaked up much of the coffee. A stain is worth not getting fired.

  Then she realized that she was sitting on raised panels. They’re used in server rooms to allow wires to run beneath the floor: cabling, power... electricity. Damn! She had to get down there.

  She opened the rack used for storage. There was a roll of paper towels hanging from a dispenser inside the door. Right above it was a bumper sticker that said “Screw Minecraft.”

  Ha. But she felt too much urgency to chuckle.

  She pulled a bunch of towels off the roll and shoved them under her sweater lying on the floor. Then she rummaged through the contents of the cabinet: a broom, a plastic bin of screws, a flashlight (that would’ve been helpful), a set of raingear (what’s that for?), and on the top shelf, the item she was looking for. She reached up and grabbed the “double cup floor puller.” The device looked like a bar with a large suction cup on each end. It was clever actually. You placed it on one of the floor panels, turned a lever, and you instantly get a handle to lift off the panel.

  She did this to the panel next to her spill, and removed it, setting it aside. She grabbed the entire roll of paper towels and peered under the floor. It was too dark to see anything.

  She retrieved the flashlight and tried again. The floor was littered with wires crossing in every direction. Some were data, but others were larger, and probably power. Those were the ones she was worried about. She reached under the spilled-on panel and began wiping the underside. She felt this would be better than lifting it since she wanted to prevent more coffee from dripping through.

  Feeling satisfied with the panel, she next tackled the underfloor. She climbed down into the space, which was about two feet high, and began dabbing between the cables. Luckily, there wasn’t too much fluid down there. She had reacted fast enough, the risk was averted, and nobody would know the difference.

  She turned the flashlight off and placed it on the floor above. As she started to exit, something unexpected caught her eye in the subfloor darkness. She squinted again to confirm. Indeed, her eyes were not playing tricks on her.

  Chapter 34 - Putsch

  “The so-called lessons of history are for the most part the rationalizations of the victors. History is written by the survivors.” - Max Lerner

  The Leaders stood outside the columned Chamber, atop the Council structure. They watched the violet bubble grow closer to the Source as it rose on its ascending trajectory. Inside the columns, Fa∙ro paced about, apparently nervous about meeting another of his kind.

  It was a tough sell, but Ga∙zo had convinced the Leaders that having another god would be a wise decision. There would be backup for Fa∙ro, and they could take turns breaking ties. They could both travel with Sa∙ma to learn the ways of the Lumenaries. That is if Sa∙ma ever returned from wherever he was off to.

  The Council members were divided, once again, about this option. But Fa∙ro broke the tie, choosing to have another of his kind. The Leaders were pleased by his decision since he would now share their attention with another. This was as close to an act of selflessness as could be made. The Leaders’ respect for him had grown that day.

  Fa∙ro checked to make sure that everything was in place. An empty seven-sided core crystal was sitting in the center of the room. Seven orange elongated crystals had been set near each facet of the core. Nothing was left to chance, and the Council had experience and practice to build on. It should go smoother this time.

  The eight Leaders entered, and seven took a place near each leg crystal. Ki∙sa was the odd Polyan out this time, and he stood next to Fa∙ro. They’d both watch the action and assist if something went astray.

  The color of the Source shifted, and it cast a violet hue across the world. The Polyans didn’t have to look at it to know this – they could all feel it, the strong urge to replicate themselves. Even Fa∙ro felt it, although he didn’t know what to make of the desire. He fidgeted as the surging energy made him uncomfortable.

  The Leaders in their positions began to gyrate in slow circles, first clockwise and then counterclockwise. Even Ki∙sa made these motions next to Fa∙ro. Fa∙ro tried to copy them but was less graceful. Regardless, their cores began to glow with building energy, illuminating the inside of the Chamber.

  Each of the positioned seven Leaders, at the same time, touched the base of their body core onto the point of the leg below them. Their life force flowed out, filling each leg with their surplus energy. But these legs were larger than normal, so each Council member became nearly depleted. This outcome was expected, and they rolled onto their backs exhausted.

  Fa∙ro and Ki∙sa then moved around the empty core in the middle, attaching each of the legs one by one. As they did so, the energy from each leg flowed into the new core, turning it violet. But, like when Fa∙ro was made, it wasn't enough to animate the new Polyan; the core wasn't yet opaque, and the new god did not move.

  “This happened last time,” said Ki∙sa. “It took all eight of us to provide enough energy. I will add mine now.”

  With that, he climbed onto the core, pressed his body against the point, and allowed his energy to drain out. As he approached depletion, he gave Fa∙ro a wave of success before falling off onto his back and lying still.

  For a moment, nothing happened. Then the legs of the new god began to twitch. Fa∙ro sprang into action. He jumped on the nearest leg and pried it from the core, severing the link between them. Then he systematically repeated this for the remaining six, until they all lay dormant beside the legless body.

  Having come full circle, Fa∙ro again faced Ki∙sa’s prone form. He straddled it and pressed the point of his core down, draining his remaining energy. Ki∙sa’s legs fell lifeless to his side.

  Fa∙ro repeated this process on Me∙sa, then Wu∙sa, then Co∙sa. He drained them one by one until their life force was completely gone. By this time, Fa∙ro was full to capacity, so he dumped some of his energy into one of the large detached leg crystals. When it became full, Fa∙ro felt hungry once again. He proceeded to eliminate the remaining helpless Leaders: Yo∙sa, Ju∙sa, Pi∙sa, and Vu∙sa. The room was a mass of intertwined limbs and clear Polyan cores. For good measure, Fa∙ro circled again and smashed each former Leader’s core to pieces.

  Hearing crashing noises, the three Soldiers guarding the chamber entered. They couldn’t believe their eye sensors. In the center of the room lay the large seven-faceted core, gleaming with an abundance of violet energy. Around it, a mishmash of body parts lay strewn like a giant wreath. The Soldiers looked at Fa∙ro in astonishment, expecting some kind of explanation.

  “Friends!” began Fa∙ro. “The Council has failed. The Leaders are no more. I am now taking their place as ruler of this Colony. Call your brothers! The feast in this room is a prize for the Soldiers.”

  The three guards paused, trying to make sense of what they were seeing and hearing. Ga∙zo, remembering Sa∙ma’s words, had a brief sinking feeling.

  “Are you with me?” asked Fa∙ro.

  Ga∙zo looked around at the shattered remains of their previous government. Then he looked at Fa∙ro standing bold and majestic, glowing like the god that he was. Turning to the other two Soldiers, he commanded, “Follow me.” He left, and the others rushed after him.

  A few moments later, Ga∙zo returned. A line of Soldiers, depleted from their own procreation rituals, entered behind him. One by one they mounted the central core, each taking a drink of refreshing energy. Eventually, the core and the additional leg were empty. All the Soldiers rested in the Council Chamber.

  Fa∙ro climbed onto the inert god’s core, towering above the milling audience. “The tragedy today is what legends are made of,” he said. “The Council has failed to create another god, and it has cost the Leaders their lives. This proves that there can only be one of me and that my rightful place is leading you all. I pr
omise not to take this responsibility lightly. In this role, I will make this Colony more prosperous than it has ever been before. Alone, I will rapidly make decisions without bias. The paralysis of the Council, which has crippled our ability to react and adapt, is no more. Bow before me. Bow before your god!”

  Puzzled looks were seen among the Soldiers. Then one bowed, then another, then all of them bowed before the glory that was Fa∙ro.

  #

  Later, Fa∙ro stood alone in the Council Chamber. It was his chamber now. Fa∙ro’s Chamber. He had each Soldier carry a piece of debris when they left, so the room was clean and empty now. He lay upon the central dais and called forth, “Pi∙ro, I've completed your test. Come take me to the Source.”

  Pi∙ro appeared before him.

  Fa∙ro felt a rush of excitement; the time was here. He was finally a god.

  Then Pi∙ro spoke. “Fa∙ro, you are an impressive specimen, more than worthy of joining our ranks. You have indeed passed the test. Well done. Now you may join us in the Source.”

  “I am ready. Take me.”

  “I’m afraid it’s not that easy. I cannot take you there.”

  “What do you mean, you can’t take me there?”

  “Like each of us before you, you have to find your way. Then you may take your place beside us.”

  Fa∙ro squinted at the god before him. Betrayed and furious, he hungered to strike him more than anything he ever wanted to do. But he wasn’t stupid, so he held back.

  Pi∙ro continued, “You have this entire Colony at your disposal. With this many Polyans, you should be able to move mountains and bring the Source to you.” Then with a big smirk, “I will tell the others to await your arrival.” With that, he vanished.

  Fa∙ro looked up at the Source. It appeared to be far above them… but not that far. He dropped down, rushed outside between the pillars, and nearly collided with the guarding figure of Ga∙zo.

  “Ga∙zo! Go, bring me Sa∙ma. Quickly!”

  Chapter 35 - The Shadow Room

  “Evil is a source of moral intelligence in the sense that we need to learn from our shadow, from our dark side, in order to be good.” - John Bradshaw

  “What the hell,” Min uttered to herself. Yes, it was definitely there. Through the darkness under the floor, toward the back of the room, a faint red glow illuminated that area.

  She retrieved the flashlight and focused it on the light. It looked like some kind of hatch leading through the cement floor. To make matters even stranger, an assortment of red cables converged in a bundle and descended through the same hole, propping the lid open a crack. This allowed the red light she saw to spill out.

  Next to it, a red pipe descended from the base of the Qube incinerator and seemed to continue through the subfloor to somewhere below.

  Not what I expected, she thought.

  She crawled under the floor toward the light, in her excitement not realizing that she could’ve removed a panel closer to it, if not right above it. Anyway, she was small and nimble, so it only took a few seconds to reach the porthole. It looked like something from a submarine, like a manhole cover with a locking wheel on it. Actually, that’s what it was. She didn’t know if it was typical or not to have something like that connecting floors. But she did suspect that the cables coming through it were definitely not normal. Her first thought was, Someone is stealing our data. Her heart raced, and her face turned red with anger.

  She lifted the cover. It squeaked, but moved smoothly. It was heavier than it looked and fell backward with a loud clang that echoed down the open shaft. She listened. No sounds emanated from below, but the red light was definitely coming from down there and was brighter now.

  She peered down onto the top of the drop ceiling of the floor below. Alternating, like squares on a chess board, were white ceiling panels and black fluorescent light fixtures. Through a cutout in one of the panels descended the bundle of wires. And through this rose the bright red glow. What surprised her more, however, was seeing the red incinerator pipe emerging through the cement floor and continuing down through the ceiling tiles.

  “This can’t be good,” she whispered to herself. Then she caught herself, listening to see if anyone below might’ve heard her. Only electronic white noise could be heard.

  Min reached down to where the wires passed through a ceiling tile, grabbed it, and flipped it over. Directly below, propped against the wall, stood a folding ladder, as if beckoning her to descend. Curiosity getting the better of her, she rotated her body and slid through the hole feet first. Supporting her weight with her arms, she touched the ceiling tiles with her feet, found the opening, and then made contact with the ladder. Testing it to see if it would support her weight, she ducked down and descended the rungs.

  What she saw in the room below astounded her. It was an exact replica of the server room above. It had a secured door, eight panels of Qubes, four server racks, and a table with a monitor in the exact same location. The big difference, however, was that every single Qube was glowing bright red!

  “What…. the… hell!”

  She hung there, halfway down the ladder, in puzzled shock. Why? How? Those were the words running through her head, finishing with Who?

  She stepped off the ladder. Then she noticed one other difference. Instead of having an incinerator, the red pipe descending from the ceiling came to rest on the table top. Spilling from a hole in the side were a handful of inactive Qubes.

  “No way!” Min exclaimed, too loudly. She startled herself.

  It didn’t take her long to put the pieces together. Only one explanation made sense. The incinerator above was fake, and the Qubes they put in to be destroyed instead fell through the floor emerging here. Since they were all bad Qubes, they got plugged into the panels here, which is why they were all red. She remembered Max saying the Qubes were useless to the Spheria Project. But they could be used for nefarious purposes. So they needed to be destroyed to keep them out of the wrong hands. That apparently wasn't happening.

  Min felt anxious like she had to get out of there quickly. She had to tell Max. No, she had to tell Dana. No, her mind was paralyzed. What if one of them was behind this? What if it relates somehow to Olivia’s death? She didn’t know who to trust.

  Her eyes drifted to the monitor. That was the answer. She needed to break in and find out what was going on.

  Chapter 36 - Enslaved

  “If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it.” - Julius Caesar

  Ga∙zo and Za∙zo entered Fa∙ro’s chamber, dragging the limp form of Sa∙ma between them. Fa∙ro perched on the empty core crystal, as if he were on a throne, his seven legs dangling over the sides. He casually glanced down upon them. They threw Sa∙ma on the ground before him.

  “Rise,” commanded Fa∙ro.

  Sa∙ma looked up, got his shaking legs under him, and stood.

  “Look at your ruler, the sole leader of this Colony. I command the Soldiers, the Workers, and the Drones.”

  “What of the Council?” asked Sa∙ma, looking around.

  Fa∙ro laughed. “The Council is no more. Its era has passed. The Leaders’ lethargy won't hold us back any longer.”

  “Where are the Leaders?”

  “They’ve outlived their time in this Colony. Their complacency and inaction have resulted in their elimination. I am now all that remains at the top.”

  “What makes you think any of us will follow you?”

  Fa∙ro climbed down and approached Sa∙ma, who expected to be knocked over or struck. But instead, Fa∙ro propped him up with a leg and led him to the edge of the structure. Ga∙zo and Za∙zo followed, taking positions on either side of them. The four stood gazing down upon the expanse of the Colony. The many hives were quiet, occupied by their exhausted inhabitants.

  “Fellow Polyans!” Fa∙ro called out, projecting loudly. “Come out and hear me.”

  The Soldiers, who weren’t as tired after their bonus meal, were the
first to emerge from their dwellings.

  Ga∙zo motioned to them to enter the hives and bring the others out. This they did, and soon the ground was packed. Everyone in the Colony – Soldiers, Workers, and Drones – stood looking at the top of the tallest building.

  “Everyone. I have sad news,” mocked Fa∙ro. “The Council’s intent to create another god has failed. Tragically, the attempt cost them their lives.” The crowd shot concerned glances at each other. “Shortly after this terrible disaster, I was visited by another of my kind, the god Pi∙ro. He came to lift me up to the Source to join with my brethren. But I declined his offer for the benefit of the Colony. The failure of the Council made it all clear. It is my purpose, my divine destiny, to lead you into a new era of prosperity. Look at the Mountains enclosing us from the edges of the Rift. Now look at the other valleys over and around us. These lands are unconquered and contain resources waiting for us to take. Together, fellow Polyans, we will tame all Spheria! Together we will have everything we ever need in infinite abundance. When this has been completed, I will bring down the blessings of the gods. You will never want for anything again!”

  Some cheers erupted from the attentive listeners.

  “Bow before me, my subjects.”

  Many of the Polyans glanced at each other, unsure. But the Soldiers assisted them all into squatting. The entire community bowed before its new ruler.

  Fa∙ro whispered to Sa∙ma, “See, they’re having no problem listening.” Then louder, “Go! Return to your hives and your new family members. Celebrate the giving of life that happened tonight. Tomorrow, we begin the glorious journey to greatness.”

  As the Polyans began to stand, Fa∙ro turned and led Sa∙ma back into his chamber.

  “Phase two of my plan is a special project for the Workers. You're going to guide them as you used to, and in exchange, I’m sparing your life.”