PERIL
__________
By
Timothy James Holloway
(PERIL)
Copyright © 2012 by Timothy J. Holloway
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Introduction
It’s hard to believe that a chance for life could be born out of death. For humanity that’s exactly what happened in the year 2185 when Vanessa Bains decided to terminate her pregnancy to Captain a deep-space mission to save Earth.
Before we join Captain Bains’ extraordinary journey you should know the events that led to our current dilemma. Earth and her inhabitants are on the precipice of ecological destruction. The world as we knew it in the twenty-first century no longer exists. We have carelessly depleted our planet’s natural resources and ignored the past warnings about environmental pollution for far too long. Mankind’s consumption of Earth’s natural resources has had a significant impact on the planet and her inhabitants. Over time, the green house effect and a major erosion of the ozone layer has marked certain doom for the planet–––if we do nothing. Artificial planetary shields and the half completed Dyson’s Sphere are the only protection we have against extinction. We have changed the way we consume energy and advancements in technology have appeared to slow our course to oblivion. However, it’s unclear if this change has come too late.
Melted ice caps in Antarctica, record rainfalls and worldwide tsunamis have resulted in massive flood regions across the planet. In an effort to adapt to the changing landscapes, many cities now exist underwater; while others are floating metropolises constantly drifting and occasionally connecting to land ports.
Wars over territory and religion have led to the rise and fall of many nations. Technology companies banded together to capitalize on the turmoil. In effect, over fifty-five corporate giants fought for political power in Israel, Asia, Turkey, New Britain and many cities on Mars. Since the dust settled only three “Corporate Dynasties” govern humanity: Aaron Enterprises, the Apollo Corporation and Ares Corporation. Each of these dynasties wield enormous power; constantly struggling for dominance. The Ares Corporation is the most powerful, exerting its will over the people with the help of The Seeyer.
Who is “The Seeyer?” It’s not a who, but a what–––it is the Internet of the 22nd century. It is owned and operated by Ares Corporation. Its primary function was to seek the unanswered mysteries of the Universe. Over time its function has expanded to prevent our extinction. It has become a non-corporeal father figure to mankind.
In the year 2115 the Internet, with the help of Ares Corp., became self-aware. It started off as a way to manage all of our combined knowledge about the Universe, Humanity and Technology. By 2150 we were able to download our consciousness into it for entertainment and enhanced educational purposes.
During early testing a few lives were lost which resulted in a ban on the downloading process. This was a very turbulent time for humanity. Moral and ethical debates loomed in the scientific community as well as the general public over the use of The Seeyer. The chaos only added to the preexisting divisiveness of various religious belief systems.
A discovered side effect of merging man’s mind with computers was that the Internet was able to reason, hypothesize and even advance man’s scientific endeavors. With that advancement we willingly and eagerly stepped into the abyss. Pandora’s box has been opened and there is no closing it. The Seeyer is now a sentient being. Its consciousness is comprised of the lost souls of three online video gamers, two NASA scientists, and five unidentified citizens.
After perfecting the downloading process, the ban was lifted and the practice quickly picked up again. This time the act of downloading is temporary lasting only a few hours maximum and the downloader has limited access to The Seeyer’s systems. These access points are known as portals. The portals are separate from The Seeyer’s mainframe, which is where the original downloaded souls reside. The result, good or bad, will be for time to decide.
Over a short period, The Seeyer evolved from a child-like entity to that of a deity. It constantly asks questions, poses theories, and challenges everything we know. It executes these tasks all while solving worldwide issues. The great Sphinx Statue and Pyramids of Giza are covered by ocean. Only the tip of the tallest Pyramid of Giza rises above sea level. One of The Seeyer’s most protected systems is housed directly under the largest Pyramid of Giza. It is surrounded by stone, metal and submerged under miles of water. Its ocean perimeter is a natural defense. The Seeyer is also heavily guarded and protected by the latest weaponry our technology has to offer.
Eventually, The Seeyer became highly depended upon. Perhaps, too depended on. In the year 2151, The Seeyer had merged all known religions. This pseudo religion is called Fathomism. Not everyone embraces this new religion, but the majority has turned to it to end the worldwide wars. Still a devout few, insurgents, cling to old traditions and religions. These outcasts are relocated to moon colonies and asteroids living under deplorable conditions.
The Seeyer has also improved robotic technology ten times beyond man’s efforts. Man and androids lived in peace for a time. They created many advanced probes that are linked to The Seeyer’s mind and launched them into deep space. The Seeyer is never satisfied and its thirst for answers about the Universe is unquenchable. The Seeyer’s quest to answer the ultimate questions, what’s out there, how did the Universe come into existence and why, leads it to distant galaxies. We, mankind, have become a tool in this quest. The Seeyer invented a technique using dark matter to create artificial wormholes in space large enough to pass ships through. Many of these wormholes were inert and collapsed. After several attempts we were able to stabilize and even plot exit points throughout several regions of the Universe. One of these wormholes, a bright red swirling vortex, the “Crimson Expanse,” has several exit points. One of these exit points leads to the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy, which is where an eerie planet called MV5 is located.
Probes in distant galaxies collect data about space anomalies, planetoids, stars and other celestial bodies and transmit that information back to The Seeyer. Unbeknownst to mankind, not all of this information is shared with us. MV5 was discovered by one of the probes. Its rich Beryllium deposits make it a prime candidate for mining. We desperately need this precious ore for the completion of The Dyson’s Sphere, without it, Earth will come to an end––taking billions of lives with her.
Vanessa Bains, a young novice Captain, could change the fate of the World and save us all from peril. But first she must find redemption for her decision to terminate her pregnancy, gain the respect of an unruly crew and face an unimaginable terror that waits on MV5.
Chapter One
PERIL
On board the Decima, a deep space mining vessel, Captain Vanessa Bains and an infant have narrowly
escaped the attacks of vicious alien life forms known as the “creatures of the mist.” These mist creatures inhabit an eerie planetoid in the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy called MV5.
The alien creatures have the ability to transform themselves from their horrific organic form to a mist-like state. In this gaseous form they infiltrated the systems of the habitat station on MV5 and killed the Captain’s crew.
Unfortunately, Bains is not out of danger yet. Her only hope for survival is to launch the Decima from the planet’s surface. First, she must download her consciousness from a robotic mining suit back into her body. Time is running out for Captain Bains as the malevolent creatures surround the vessel.
“ISIS, initiate emergency launch sequence!” Bains commands.
ISIS was the Decima’s Interactive Synergetic Ion System a.k.a. the Decima’s Onboard Computer.
“Please state your access codes,” ISIS responds.
Bains states the codes.
“Access codes accepted initiating launch.”
The ship launches from the planet’s surface. Frantically, Bains wheels a Downloadable Conscious Unit (DCU) holding her body into Med Lab. She places a satchel holding the infant, Mya, whose body is in an oversized space suit onto a bio-bed. The robotic suit housing Bains’ consciousness is cumbersome. She makes her way over to a control panel and punches in a series of commands. The infant watches the activity.
A metal rod quickly emerges from a wall unit ready to jack-in Bain’s suit. She maneuvers the suit and backs into the rod. A holographic monitor immediately projects the phrase “MANUAL DOWNLOAD IN PROGRESS.” The rod locks into the back of the suit. A neon blue dome submerges into the suit’s helmet. A projected image of Bains’ face disappears from the helmet’s visor.
Bains’ consciousness is immediately snatched out of the mechanical suit and into her awaiting body lying in the cryo-tube. The stasis unit’s glass door slides open and Bains coughs as she is revived. As she gets her bearings she looks over at the bio-bed where she placed the infant. She notices an empty helmet rocking back-and–forth and its torn environmental suit is on the floor.
“What the hell,” Bains says baffled.
She suspects the baby might have shared her fallen crewmember’s fate. She slowly exits the stasis unit and moves over to the bio-bed. She scans the room then kneels down and looks under the bio-bed and finds the satchel shredded, but there is no infant in sight. Something in the room is knocked over and sounds of movement can be heard. Bains is startled and terrified.
“WARNING! Foreign signatures detected on the hull!” ISIS, the onboard computer announces.
Bains grabs her makeshift plasma weapon from the side of the stasis unit and runs out of Med Lab. She desperately races through the narrow corridors of the ship towards the bridge keeping her weapon ready. Bains enters the bridge and makes her way down the three-tiered sections to the Helm Cockpit. She brings up several holographic displays. One of the displays shows the creatures on the hull of the ship. Another display reads, “MULTIPLE SIGNATURES DETECTED.”
The massive rockets continue to lift the enormous craft high into the air. The ship begins to shake. Bains straps herself into one of the cockpit chairs.
“The creatures are causing significant damage to the hull, Captain. Structural integrity is down twenty-eight percent.”
Bains looks behind her seat and around the room.
“Seal off the bridge!” Bains yells.
“Acknowledged.”
The bridge’s hatch closes as the ship continues its ascent. Its four ion rockets blast white-hot slowly lifting the colossal beast with tremendous effort. The Decima reaches the upper atmosphere and the creatures begin to burn off of her hull. The extreme heat incinerates the creatures that held onto their organic forms. However, some of them retreat back into their gaseous state escaping the inferno.
“No foreign signatures detected on the hull. All systems green,” ISIS states.
Bains releases her seat restraints and the holographic console disappears.
“Check your internal sensors for any life-signs other than mine,” Bains commands.
“Negative for additional life-signs.”
Bains looks over the stationary consoles at the data being displayed and then she peers behind her cockpit chair for a second look. She’s on edge.
“Check the environmental systems.”
“It would help if I knew what we we’re looking for, Captain.”
“The baby, ISIS. We’re looking for the baby.”
“Lt. Amanda Magruder’s baby?” ISIS inquires.
“Yeah that’s right. I think she may have been infected by the life-forms we encountered on the planet,” Bains says nervously.
Suddenly, the hatch opens then closes. Bains climbs up the tiered cockpit section and rushes over to the hatch, but finds nothing.
“ISIS did you open the hatch?”
“Negative, Captain. Sensors are picking up intermittent life-signs on the bridge. Unable to localize its position.”
Bains scopes the bridge and moves cautiously towards her weapon. Mya, the infant, has been completely transformed into a mist creature. It moves unseen around the cockpit knocking over instruments and equipment along the way. Bains quickly grabs her plasma rifle. She cranks the charging mechanism on the weapon feverishly. It emits a high-pitched whine as it ramps up preparing to fire.
“Captain, discharging that weapon on the bridge is unadvisable. You could hit the navigational controls,” ISIS warns.
Another piece of equipment is knocked over this time closer to Bains.
“Shit!” Bains yells.
Suddenly, the creature reveals itself. It is beautifully grotesque and opposing. It slowly rises before Bains in an upright position. As it stands before her, the creature’s limbs uncoil and attach to the stationary console. The cockpit lights flicker and all the holographic consoles blink off and on as well. The creature dissolves into a liquid form over the console then it transforms into a mist. It enters the console through a crevice between its panels.
“Accessing stellar maps…Charting course to Earth…Course laid-in,” ISIS states.
“ISIS, can you shut her out?” Bains asks panicked.
“Negative, Mya, has linked directly to my core systems.”
Bains approaches the console and spiny snake- like appendages emerge from it. Bains fires her weapon at the slimy protrusions hitting the navigational controls. The console explodes and an alarm is triggered.
“WARNING! Navigation and propulsion systems are offline! The ship is being pulled back towards the planet’s asteroid rings. Eight minutes to impact!”
Bains rushes off of the bridge. The ship drifts toward the eerie planet’s asteroid belt. Bains feverishly runs through the ship’s corridor being cautious of additional intruders. She has only one option to her current dilemma. The escape shuttle! Her thoughts race as her body courses with adrenaline. Will it be compromised? If so then what? There was only one way to find out.
“Focus, bitch,” she whispers to herself as she runs down the dark labyrinth ready to fire her weapon on anything that moves.
Bains arrives at the shuttle. She moves cautiously into it as her eyes shift from left to right prepared for any potential intruders. It appears all clear. She quickly preps the shuttle for launch, racing against time to avoid imminent danger.
“ISIS, transfer your systems to the shuttle!” She commands.
The holographic console glows neon blue as ISIS’s systems go online. Bains attaches two neuro-interface fiber optic leads to her temples to give her better control over the shuttle.
“Transfer complete. Shall I run Pre-Launch System’s Check, Captain?”
“Skip the formalities and initiate Launch Protocols!” Bains quips.
“Acknowledged! Launch Protocols initiated. Docking clamps released.”
The shuttle dips slightly as a result of the clamps disengaging. Some of the asteroids slam into the Decima’s ore storage tanks c
ausing large explosions.
“Engines online,” ISIS states.
“Launch!” Bains screams.
Several more asteroids bombard the massive ship causing several more explosions. The shuttle disembarks from the Decima racing through the firestorm. Bains skillfully traverses the maze of fire. However, some of the Decima’s debris careens into its side. The small shuttle shakes violently and alarms are set-off.
“WARNING! HULL BREACH! AFT SECTION!” ISIS announces.
Oxygen begins to escape the shuttle as its rear compartment is exposed. Loose debris blows throughout the cabin exiting its rear.
“Seal rear hatch!” Bains yells.
A large emergency bulkhead slams shut sealing off the rear of the shuttle. Bains snatches the fiber optic leads from her temples and rushes to a caged section of the shuttle, which houses environmental suits. She slides the cage open and snatches one of the suits off a rack. She scrambles to put it on. She shakes uncontrollably as she slips her tiny frame into the bulky suit. After climbing into the suit she grabs a helmet and puts it on. Detecting the attachment, the suit automatically lights up indicating its active.
“Send out a distress beacon!”
“Acknowledged,” ISIS responds.
The inside of Bain’s helmet displays digital holographic information about the suit. It indicates that she only has thirty minutes of air available. She makes her way back to the cockpit chair and straps herself in. Another explosion ignites in the rear compartment of the shuttle ripping the rear hatch apart.
The rear compartment is now exposed to the vacuum of space sucking the remaining debris out into the void.
“Scan for any nearby ships!” Bains orders.
“Commencing scans. Ship found! Sector L25,” ISIS responds.
Minor explosions erupt on the shuttle’s console around Bains.
“Can you get us there?”
“NEGATIVE!”
“TRY DAMN IT!” Bains screams.
ISIS fires the remaining rocket fuel, but the spent rocket’s give only short bursts then fizzles out. The shuttle is adrift. Bains releases her harness and floats above her seat.
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