Progenitor

by Antony J Woodward

  A shriek echoed out of the ventilation shaft she’d just left. It was closing in, it had finally picked up her trail again.

  “Liara…”

  “What Krahm? The creature’s on my ass, I need quiet…” she hissed. She began to pick up pace.

  “I was going to try and access the lockdown procedure in the control suite, see if I could shut the doors behind you… but I can’t access the mainframe… But you can do it. If you hit the red switches by the door you’ll force a lockdown. If you can make it through you could trap the creature behind you…”

  “Ok Krahm,” she slipped into the new room. It was filled with glowing hot pipes and giant tanks. It could’ve passed for a brewery. The heat difference was striking, she could feel the dried air in her mouth. Thankfully the gangway led directly to the yellow door.

  The creature burst into the room behind her. She heard its awful shriek and the sound of its feet crashing down.

  “…And one last thing Liara, the door to the AI core is protected.”

  She hoped he wasn’t about to say she would need to hack it. She’d left that device in favour of the flamethrower. “…But if you pull the yellow lever off the main console, you should unlock the door. It might take a little while to open, so you may have to hide while it opens…”

  It sounded like the best idea would be to lock the doors behind her and stall the Progenmorph. It should, in theory, give her enough time to get into the AI core.

  “Thank you Krahm, I’m going to need you to remain radio silent until I let you know otherwise…”

  She slipped through the yellow door and was greeted by yet another stairwell. She took them quickly. The Progenmorph was stomping its way into the room she’d just left.

  The door hissed open as she approached and she was greeted by a dark room. It was faintly illuminated with blue light, it cast a cold ambience over the room. Lining the narrow walkway before her were the giant cooling tanks. They were colossal and dominated the room. She rushed between them, the air felt frigid and she was sure she spied frost on the tanks beside her. She reached the ladder and began to climb it. The walkway was several meters from the ground, it was going to be a long climb.

  The creature was in the stairwell, she heard its shriek.

  She reached the top just as the creature entered the room.

  She was now surrounded on all sides by several pipes. They ran vertically into the shadows of the ceiling and down into the coolant tanks below. She couldn’t see any arrows, or any significant marker. She headed forward and found the pipes were numerous, she was slap-bang in the middle of a grid of them. She turned left and then right. The creature was ascending the ladder.

  It made her feel flustered and panicked. She quietly headed forward and felt disorientated suddenly. The pipes spanned on and on in all directions.

  She decided to head forward, if she could find an exterior wall she could walk the perimeter. It had been an effective plan in the data banks.

  The creature’s footprints echoed off the pipes and she lost sense of where it was. It suddenly appeared to her right, stopping in the middle of the junction and let loose a shriek. She carried on walking, aware that every gentle footstep threatened to give her away.

  It charged and appeared behind her.

  Her heart slid all the way up to her throat and she struggled to swallow it back down. She slipped to her right, moving away from it.

  It furiously clicked and tried to home in on her.

  She took the next left.

  Its footsteps told her it was following her. Was it tracking her or was it just lucky?

  She didn’t want to answer, she refused to let the idea take hold in her mind. She took the next right. It was still on her tail.

  She prayed that the pipes were throwing the acoustics off and it was struggling to pinpoint her.

  She could feel a cold sweat begin to trickle down her back.

  If this thing had one inclination, one little sense of where she was, it would all be over. It would kill her before she had chance to react. She couldn’t use the flamethrower, she would blow the spire up if she did. It felt heavy and useless in her hand, but she couldn’t bear to part with it.

  The creature stomped forward and appeared in the junction to her side. It was turning its head left and right, scanning for her. She slipped backwards, disappearing out of sight.

  Should she turn back?

  It approached, stepping past her. It stalled, its back to her. It was tilting its head from side to side straining its ears. She was within touching distance of it. It made no clicks, instead it silently stood there straining for the sound of its quarry.

  She had her breath locked in her chest, she daren’t make a single noise.

  It stepped forward, then halted.

  Retreat?

  She was beginning to tremble, the tension igniting in her nerves like miniature electric shocks.

  She slowly inched backwards, aware that the silent creature was just waiting for the smallest signal.

  She made it to the corner and it still stood there, silently tilting its head this way and that. She bowed herself back, stifling a hiss as she brushed a naked arm against the freezing metal of the pipe. It spun on the spot but didn’t charge.

  She turned 180 and began to creep.

  Her heartbeat was a marching band of percussion in her ears. The flamethrower threatened to slip from her sweat slick palms. She turned right, then left. She had zero idea where she was, she was completely and utterly disorientated. She was just trying to put several pipes between her and the monster. It wasn’t following, there was no sounds of its footsteps.

  She allowed herself to slowly, and quietly, breathe.

  A loud groan filled the coolant bay and Liara froze. It was the spire, it was groaning. Somewhere below a machine exploded and caused the entire chamber to shake. The spire was beginning to buckle apart. A time bomb was ticking. Had that one explosion by the Tethu started it?

  She headed straight, using the sound of the chamber vibrating to disguise her footsteps.

  She put several meters between her and the Progenmorph.

  It shrieked. Had the vibrations disorientated it?

  A second groan preceded a coolant tank exploding underneath her feet. She was blown into the air with a strong toss, she saw the gangway mangle beneath her. She landed with a slam on her left side. She was grateful she had landed on something secure. The pain from the fall was intense but she had to right herself quickly. The gangway began to further crumple near her, it began to fall downwards. Whatever gas had just erupted from the tank began to rise around her. It was thinning and suffocating. Mist began to form around her.

  She turned and ran forward. She was grateful the explosion and subsequent destruction of the walkway masked any sounds she was making. Her new plan was just to head straight in any direction till she found a wall.

  She glanced behind her, the gangway had finished tearing down. The mist was beginning to fill the room. She was also feeling a little light-headed from the gas.

  The Progenmorph appeared behind her. It squatted and appeared to be assessing the damage. She carried on running.

  Out of the gloom a wall appeared.

  She turned right.

  The Progenmorph shrieked once more. It was building up its map. It was building a mental map of its surroundings. Every shriek collated its map…

  Her heart skipped a beat when she spied a doorway.

  There was a series of red arrows above it.

  She raced forward, hurtling into the open stairwell.

  She ascended the steps two at a time.

  She ignored the first exit, recognising it to just be another walkway.

  She flew up the second set of stairs. She emerged on a new floor. The grey metal door hissed open, its green light permitting entry.

  She was greeted by a long stretch of consoles and panels.

  She’d made it! She turned on the spot and punched the red button next to
the door. It hissed shut and its little light turned red. She was euphoric, she’d made it! She hurried over to the door on the opposite side and punched that red button. She spied a suspended walkway but it didn’t matter.

  She hurried through into the backroom. Following the trail of red arrows and lines. The rooms filled with large bulky monitors and computers blurred past her. The red trail led her to a little black door. She reached it, jabbed the little control panel to its side. It had two arrows, one up and one down. She opted for up.

  It clicked but nothing happened. She clicked down. Nothing happened again.

  She glanced around the room, it was pokey and literally crammed with bulky displays and computers. No yellow lever.

  There was a thump and a scrape nearby.

  A sinking feeling suddenly took hold of her.

  This wasn’t the right door.

  The revelation hit her like a brick wall. Krahm had said blue arrows! She backed away from the broken elevator. “Fuck,” She hissed to herself.

  There was another dull thump and scrape.

  It was on the other side of the door, it was trying to break in. Its talons were scraping down the metal.

  She hurried back to the main console; noticing the illuminated room on the opposite of the chamber at the same level. The creature slammed against the door to her right. It rattled against the slam but it didn’t yield.

  She was in the wrong place. She needed to find the blue arrows. She glanced to the room on the other side of the chamber. It was her best bet. She knew she couldn’t retreat the way she came with the monster on the other side of the door.

  She backed up against the door she’d closed last. She had a good idea that the walkway on the other side of this doorway would lead straight to the opposite side. Perhaps she could pick up the up the blue trail there?

  The creature slammed against the door once more. This time it groaned and hissed. It slowly began to scrape its way open. She spun, slammed her palm against the red button and ducked under the door as it opened. She was rushing across the walkway when the creature stepped into the room behind her. A second coolant tank exploded beneath her. It threw a fiery plume up past her but it didn’t stop her. She kept hurtling forward.

  She didn’t even glance back. She reached the other side and tore into the new control suite. It was a perfect reflection of the room she’d abandoned. She spun, hit the red button behind her. The door didn’t shut, instead the button dropped from the wall.

  If the Progenmorph hadn’t been slowly making its way across the walkway in pursuit she might have found it funny. She burst into the next room. She hit the next button. The door hissed shut behind her. She ascended the small flight of stairs and hit the next button. She came to a crashing halt against a large black door. There was no little panel beside it. She turned in time to see the door shut behind her. She was now safely ensconced in this room.

  She sighed in relief and took a second to close her eyes. Her heart was hammering in her chest like a band on a street parade.

  When she opened them she set about searching for the yellow lever. The room was lined on all sides by large bulky pale panels with blinking yellow lights. The middle was dominated by a large blinking console. She rounded it, found the yellow lever. It was situated next to a green lever and a series of red and blue switches. She wondered what the other switches were for. Why? What use did that serve? She tugged the yellow lever down.

  The room came alive with the sound of screeching and sirens. A message in the alien language began to play. She double checked the door, it was still locked. She just had to wait it out.

  The lights flickered and then dimmed. A yellow pulsing light filled the room.

  She felt like she’d just hit the emergency alarm. She’d not been warned about that…

  There was a thump overhead and then a loud series of bangs. A sequence of sounds nearly lost in the cacophony of alarms.

  What the hell was that?

  The black door was beginning to slide open horizontally, revealing a second set of white doors. It wouldn’t be much longer and they would be open…

  She stepped towards it.

  Crash.

  The Progenmorph landed in front of her, almost on top of her. She yelped and tumbled backwards. It slowly stood upright from its crouched landing and it assuredly turned towards her. It had used the goddamned vents again! Just when she thought she’d put some distance between her and it…

  She crawled back on her ass and slammed against the computer console. It didn’t lunge for her, it slowly titled its head and peered closer. Was it straining to identify her? The sirens had all but rendered it blind, its echolocation abilities were severely impaired with the screeching sirens.

  There was still hope!

  She glanced to the door. The black doors had slid half way and the white doors were slowly following behind it.

  She needed only a little more time…

  Slowly she crawled back onto her feet. The creature slowly stepped forward. She wasn’t sure if it could actually see her with some sort of limited vision. She slowly, very slowly, crept back to the locked door. Keeping the flamethrower trained on the creature, and groping back blindly, she found the button. She tapped it. It didn’t respond.

  The creature took three steps forward, its body bowed slightly forward and its tentacles rippling in waves as it did so. Shit.

  She was now utterly convinced that it had some sort of limited vision.

  She slinked backwards around the room.

  It took another purposeful step closer. It was tracking her. But why hadn’t it pounced? She wrapped her other hand around the muzzle of the gun. Her hands felt damp with sweat.

  She dared a glance to the black door. It was fully open. The white set was only half way. She could see a little passage of white light beyond. It wasn’t enough for her to enter.

  The creature made a soft mewl sound and feigned a forward pounce. Her finger compressed on that trigger before she’d even thought it through. A stream of fire burst into its face. It squealed and jumped backwards. Yet it didn’t retreat. Instead it hissed at her much like a feral cat.

  It had feigned an attack she realised. It had learnt that she possessed the means to attack it. This level of intelligence was disconcerting.

  She continued her slow backwards retreat around the room.

  It dared to close in by a fraction.

  She made it retreat with another blast of fire.

  It whipped its tail angrily in her direction.

  A small ping alerted her to the door. A quick glance back told her the passage was open.

  It lunged forward and she opened fire once more. It squealed and roared but still it closed in. It smacked the gun out of her hands and threw her to the floor.

  She landed by the central console, nearly colliding into it face first.

  The monster was engulfed in a plume of fire.

  She scrambled in the direction of the door as the creature writhed. It was alight, the flames crackling loudly as its skin melted. She lunged into the narrow passageway and she slammed the solitary button by the door.

  The door slowly began to close once more.

  The creature couldn’t extinguish the flames and it continued to squeal and flail weakly.

  She backed away slowly and felt relief slowly creep upon her at the exact pace of the doors closing. The white doors sealed shut with a soft hiss and the black doors continued to close.

  She felt a humongous sigh of relief leave her chest.

  Nothing would manage to penetrate those set of thick steel doors.

  She was safe.

  At long last.

  CHAPTER NINE:

  “I did it Krahm, I’m in the AI core…” She announced.

  “…Thank Sh’vah , I was worried…”

  The little white passage led her into a brilliant white octagonal room. It was built from neat little square panels. In the centre stood a solitary little black pyramid. The AI core
was self contained, the passage was the only apparent means of entry and exit.

  There was no vents to give her cause for concern.

  A little blue orb appeared in the centre of the room. It flickered and eventually formed a hologram of a skull. It was not a skull that she recognised. It was elongated, like the shape of a Tethu rather than a human.

  “Hello, Liara Eight…”

  Its voice was slick, cold and mechanical. Her jaw flopped open. Was this sentient hologram greeting her? She was shocked and it wasn’t something that happened all that often.

  “Hello…” She greeted apprehensively.

  “Liara? Who are you talking to?”

  “My name is Protus,” The AI introduced itself. The skull shifted slightly. She circled the hologram, fascinated with how it pixelated as it adjusted to her view. It kept turning to face her.

  “Protus?! Protus activate the emergency escape route,” Krahm ordered over the radio.

  “How can it talk… It’s speaking my…?” She was numb with surprise. Every sentence in her mind just jumbled and fell off her tongue.

  “Liara Eight, your DNA and genetic memories were uploaded into my mainframe. I created a translation program from your cell memories…”

  This was like the furthest reaches of science fiction. Her memories had been uploaded into a computer and now a self-aware computer program had used them to learn English. It had been one thing to accept Krahm had done it, but the computer was just another whole level. Their technology was incredible, so incredibly far beyond anything she could’ve thought possible. Her gaze idly washed over the room, they were so technologically advanced yet it wasn’t so far removed from human technology either… Would humans eventually have this sort of technology too one day?

  “Protus, activate the emergency escape route,” Krahm ordered once more.

  Protus didn’t even acknowledge this command. It stared blankly at Liara.

  “Are you completely self-aware?”

  “…Sentient is the word you would use,” Protus answered.