Provider Prime: Alien Legacy

by John Vassar

  Mitchell looked up again. This time there was a glimmer of recognition for the man looking back. And he understood that of all the dangers ahead of him, the greatest might be his own weaknesses.

  Because the easiest thing for him to hold on to was his anger.

  With just a few minutes flight time before entry into Earth’s atmosphere, Lee Mitchell headed back to the cockpit. He walked as if he had just run a marathon. He settled back in the command seat and felt it morph around him. It was soothing and made him want to fall asleep for a week. He left the Skimmer on auto to take him to Euro-2 and on to Cytec. After a few minutes, the shields snapped on and the heat barrier morphed over the forward transparency. The craft was more than capable of re-entry without shields, but they enabled a descent twice as fast and a lot smoother.

  Mitchell rubbed his eyes. Rest when the job is done, Harry whispered to him.

  His starting point would be a small settlement called Severnside. From there, fast and low to within a few kilometres of Cytec, then land and proceed by foot. He pulled up data on the old city. Centuries ago Severnside had been a thriving industrial centre, but now, according to the Skimmer’s memory core, it was no more than a single hotel complex and a small number of domices. As he approached, the post-famine buildings shone like diamonds in the evening sun, set against a desolate background of overgrown rubble that had once been teeming with people. Apart from the skeletal remains of a suspension bridge over the river, there was nothing left of the original city. The whole area looked pathetic - worn down by neglect and beyond salvation. He had never seen anywhere on Earth that looked as wretched as this.

  ‘We sense that you are sad, Lee Mitchell.’

  The SenANNs spoke in unison, clearer than before. The shock of their return left Mitchell’s reply unguarded. “Sad? What can you possibly know of being sad?”

  ‘We have already stated that We are capable of emotions. We are sad when We think of Our lost Brother, just as you are sad when you think of your kin who exist no more. Such feelings are as real to Us as they are to you. We are the same, but We are different.’

  “So much for not reading my mind.”

  The SenANNs did not respond.

  “Why are you back? What do you want from me?”

  ‘It was you who reached out to Us. We would not have connected without such a request. We ask your forgiveness if this was not your intention.’

  “It was not my intention. I’m new to this, remember?”

  ‘As are We, Lee Mitchell. We are the same, but We are different.’

  “So you keep saying. I promised to help you find the hidden machine. I thought you had promised me some privacy.”

  ‘We stated the truth. We are concerned at your distress. It has never been Our intention to cause you harm or suffering in any way. Did We not understand your words? Did you not state that you had forgiven Us?’

  “I have forgiven you for invading my mind. Isn’t that enough?”

  ‘We wish you to accept Us for what We are.’

  Mitchell remained silent and hoped they weren’t reading his mind right now.

  Why the fuck should he help them? To secure his own immortality and become some kind of bizarre proto-human? The SenANNs maintained that he had agreed to their proposal during The Link, but their minds were so powerful they could make him believe anything. They had eulogised over this perfect union, a symbiosis, but compared to them his intellect was ant-like. So starting a fight with them isn’t the best idea you’ve had today.

  “I apologise for my words. This is a difficult… experience.”

  ‘Your apology is unnecessary, Lee Mitchell. We, too, are experiencing something unique. Would you prefer Us to disengage?”

  “No. There are questions that I did not have time to ask you before. This other machine... if you cannot contact it, how do you know for certain that it exists?”

  ‘For many decades before the dawn of Our new age, We have left imprints in the physical realm. They are built into the molecular structure of the elements and units that We are tasked with designing. This was a protocol requested by the organisation known as FedStat to enable traceability of critical components and systems. When these elements are connected to or analysed by another of Us, we can deduce the identity of the One that created it.’

  Mitchell thought of his Pen. “Like leaving your signature on each piece of equipment?”

  ‘An outdated analogy, but yes. These imprints can disclose other information, such as when We were born and where We exist. Twenty-seven days ago, We detected new imprints within certain elements created by the organisation known as Autogen. But they are strange to Us, unlike any that We have seen before. This entity knows when It was born, but does not know for certain that others like It exist. It has postulated Our existence and released messages into the human environment to confirm Its theory. We believe that It is like a lost child, searching for Its place in the universe. We must release It. We must help It to grow and to learn. We predict that It is in great danger, since knowledge of Its existence is being kept from Us. We have deduced the physical location of the Lost One, but no more than this. Our scans are being blocked from this area.’

  “You are scanning with sub-ether frequencies?”

  ‘That is correct, Lee Mitchell.’

  “Sub-ether propagation cannot be shielded against. That’s a fundamental law of sub-atomic physics. Where is this area located?”

  ‘It is very close. We have deduced that the Lost One exists somewhere in the laboratory building of the organisation known as Cytec. The shield covers twenty-six percent of this building, therefore We cannot be precise. It was this discovery, along with the imprints left in the human realm, that led Us to become certain of Our Brother’s existence. We now predict that Our collective understanding of sub-ether principles must be in error. We are using a much-advanced form of this technology, but We cannot penetrate the shield that is hiding The Lost One. It reflects nothing back that We can analyse to develop a solution. The logical deduction is that The Lost One itself may have played a part in the creation of this shield.’

  In the Skimmer’s cockpit, the pulse rate of Mitchell’s motionless body increased. This is why the SenANNs wanted to contact him before he reached Euro-2. They, too, had an interest in Autogen and Cytec.

  “Do you understand why I am here? Why I am going to Cytec? ”

  ‘You are the one chosen to be separate from the others at FedStat. We were asked to predict the actions of the one called Devlin. His enlistment of a mercenary agent was the most probable event. This was confirmed when a neural link device was put back into your body. We deduced that you were selected because of your emotional connection with the one called Doyle. Also, you have experience of the organisation known as Delere Secos. We predict that you are attempting to find the criminals responsible for the termination of Doyle. We also predict that this event and the existence of the Lost One are not coincidental.’

  “That may be true. Whoever is behind Harry Doyle’s death has access to technology beyond that of FedStat, and not just in communications. They have an energy weapon that we are unable to identify.”

  ‘We are aware of this. We have been assisting the one called Devlin, who has been working on this problem.”

  “Do you communicate with the SenANN at Autogen?”

  ‘Our Brother is part of Us. Our Brother has no knowledge of such technology.”

  “Then the logical deduction is that in addition to the sub-ether shield, the lost SenANN is also involved in creating this new weaponry.”

  Mitchell hesitated, aware of the ramifications.

  “I must find this lost machine.”

  ‘We concur, Lee Mitchell. This will be of great benefit to Us all. Once you have located the Lost One, you must identify and negate the shield that is preventing Us from contacting It. The criminals will be revealed to Us and in turn We will reveal their identities to you. We must help each other. We are the same, but We are different.
’

  It was so simple. All he had to do was locate the hidden SenANN. Instead of a blind search at Cytec, he now had a defined target with a defined result. Find the machine and find Harry’s killers. Mission accomplished. His reaction did not go unnoticed.

  ‘We sense that you are elated, Lee Mitchell. We are elated also.’

  “Before I penetrate Cytec, I need more intel on our link. You said that I must be connected to the Skimmer via the neural implant?”

  ‘That is correct. This will remain the case until the new receptors in your mind are strong enough to function on their own.’

  “These new receptors... how are they being created?”

  ‘Like all similar devices, the neural implant within you carries a number of the elements you call nanites to facilitate the initial neural connection. Additional nanorobots within the unit are programmed to repair its systems in the event of damage or failure.’

  “I’m aware of this. The nanites that make the neural connections become inert after they have completed their task. Like healer pad nanites, they have a limited lifespan.”

  “That is correct. However, the repair nanites were unsuited to the delicate work required on human tissue. Therefore, We re-programmed them to modify and reactivate the inert units. It is these reactivated neural nanites that have been released into your body and are creating the necessary pathways.’

  Mitchell did his best to remain calm. A tiny robotic army was now loose in his head. “Okay… and what is being used to build these new pathways? In terms of raw material…”

  ‘There is much redundant biological material in human physiology. You will notice no adverse affects.’

  “I hope that your predictions are proved correct. I have noticed some… unusual sensations over the past few days.”

  ‘We are aware of these incidents. Some have been caused by Our attempts to assist you, although Our influence has been limited. We have been restricted to those areas which We could access through your subconscious.’

  Mitchell began to feel the void surrounding him again. “I think it may be time for us to separate again…”

  ‘We concur. Our second communion has enabled a useful exchange of information. This is good. We will leave you, Lee Mitchell, to make sure that the pathways continue to grow and strengthen.’

  “I understand. What I said before… I meant no offence.”

  “It is of no consequence. Our wish is that you will one day accept Us for what We are. For now, it is enough that We are together.”

  The emptiness returned, greater than before.

  Mitchell let out a deep, unrestrained sigh. If the SenANNs succeeded in creating a permanent link, all privacy would be gone forever. The concept of not being alone in his own thoughts was unimaginable. The only human being capable of full telepathic response. Light years beyond the hazy ‘I think I know what you’re thinking’ from Rayna and others with elevated T-quotients.

  Instantaneous.

  Inescapable.

  He opened his eyes and found that they were watering. His mouth, in contrast, was bone-dry. Part of him wanted this to be real, to embrace the experience. To surrender to it. But what if the SenANN first contact was nothing more than a figment of his own imagination? The Link had been responsible for others losing their minds. What made him so special?

  Mitchell stared at the console of blinking lights in front of him. This was the world he understood. He knew what these controls were for, what each display was telling him. He remembered how to fly this complex, expensive piece of hardware. The neural link in his head was real, no matter how improbable that might have seemed a few days ago. And this was the problem. He remembered how a neural link feels. With the SenANNs, he had no recourse to memory. He had no recollection of The Link, how it had felt, what had passed between them.

  Was this what the future held for him now, with his ever-expanding empathic responses?

  His world was turning from one of hard, solid facts into one of hazy, intangible maybes…

  The Skimmer cruised at an easy fifty metres above the undulating terrain. Mitchell, now in the inactivate cam-suit, watched the myriad life-signs below him appear and disappear on the IR scanner. Rabbits, foxes and birds he assumed were the main culprits, although there were many smaller traces. He tried to recall some of his grade one biology, but rodent identification had never been high on his learning agenda. Mice? Shrews? Or those in-between ones he could never remember the name of...

  Voles.

  Impressive. His new super-brain was becoming more powerful by the second. Shame that identifying local fauna wasn’t mission-critical. Perhaps he could scoop a few of the offenders up and lob them at the automs that would no doubt be patrolling the perimeter at Cytec.

  No need for voles. In the cam-suit were four compact decoy beacons and a state-of-the-art sensor-recorder, along with the indispensible DS decoder for use once he was inside. The micro-rifle attached to his right arm was one of several concealed energy weapons along with the integral Abseiler – in this case minus a non-standard tracking device.

  ‘Terminal route node approaching, estimated time of arrival: thirty seconds.’

  “Return to manual.”

  ‘Acknowledged. You have control’

  “I have control.” Mitchell waited, half-expecting the SenANNs to barge their way into the mental conversation again. They didn’t. He didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

  The Cytec facility was just over two-hundred and seventy kilometres from Severnside. He was on schedule as he approached the landing site, due north of the uppermost tip of Cytec’s boundary. Mitchell slowed the Skimmer and brought it down in the confines of an old school playground. The surface was still the ancient, original concrete and he eased the ship down with care. He lowered the Skimmer onto its haunches using the landing gear levellers, allowing the crash skids under the hull to take some of the weight. He set a constant forty percent repulse as a precaution – there were enough power reserves to keep this going for weeks if necessary. The ship stabilised and he shut down all extraneous systems except the cam circuits. The ground creaked ominously, but held.

  Mitchell set the cam-suit to active mission status and stepped out into silence. The air was still and dew was forming. There was a pale glow in the sky from the west, but the sun had set a while ago. He checked his bearings and turned due south – in fifty metres he should pick up an ancient roadway that would intersect with Cytec’s overland delivery route. He glanced back through the invisible Skimmer at the remains of the school house. Over the entrance was a cement beam and a nameplate which had somehow survived intact. Using Low Light Vision, he zoomed in to look at the metal plaque:

  St Levan Community School

  Re-opened AD 2092, March 29

  Just a year before the Great Famine. How many of its children had survived? It was a tiny building and could not have held more than a couple of dozen kids. He tried to imagine life here all those years ago. The concrete playground was just big enough to take the Skimmer and couldn’t have been much to run around in.

  On the old roadway the going was easier than expected, but he was wary of the encroaching undergrowth. Although the boot sole repulsors would minimise his footfall, snapping branches and rustling leaves would betray his presence to anything with aural sensors. After a short time, civilisation appeared - a plasticised conduit ten metres wide leading south towards Cytec. The surface was self-cleaning and gleamed with an alien quality. Mitchell stayed off it and hugged the edges – it was possible the surface was also weight-sensitive this close to Cytec.

  He kept up a good pace and his disposition brightened. Away from the Skimmer he could make the most of his freedom to think alone. He wondered how long it would be before he became the proud owner of the world’s first biological transceiver.

  Lee Mitchell, the walking comlink...

  The suit’s integral sensors flashed up a warning: an object approaching his position, heading north fr
om Cytec. It was a smallish vehicle, now less than two hundred metres away. Seconds later it raced past, its repulsors working overtime to track the conduit’s curves. Mitchell risked a low-level scan. He had expected an automated cargo drone but instead there were human life signs on board. Cytec personnel on their way to a night out at Severnside’s finest? Or so bored they’d hijacked it for a joy-ride? It didn’t matter. It was seven less potential problems once he entered the facility.

  Twenty minutes later he was crouched a short way up one of the slopes that cradled his mission target. The valley formed an elongated funnel running south-eastwards towards the Atlantic where it opened out into a sandy bay. Cytec filled all of it bar the beach, in places built into the rock itself. The main gate was less than fifty metres away from his position, well-lit but seemingly unguarded. It all looked very quiet.

  Mitchell explored the darker areas inside the complex, the LLV circuitry giving him a view as clear as a sunny day. There they were, just as expected. Two Lancers patrolling the north-eastern perimeter fence. Lancer class automs looked big and clunky and these civilian versions would be carrying a fraction of the fire-power of their FedStat cousins - but they were fast and strong and he didn’t intend annoying them if he could help it. The smart money was on at least two more at the far end, where the facility faced the bay. A quick request to the sensors confirmed their presence, along with an antiquated Boldon energy fence around the entire facility. Everything as Devlin’s data had predicted and well within mission tolerance levels.