PERIL

by Holloway, Timothy

  “What about the rest of them, Sir?” asks a soldier over the radio.

  “What about them?” Reed says coldly.

  Reed looks at Bains being place into a transport shuttle then he looks at the disc he’s holding.

  “We got what we came for. Move out!”

  He looks back at the Nun––“And bring her!”

  Between Earth and the Moon an asteroid cluster known as the “Android Inhabitant Zone” is in a stable orbit. It’s where androids have been residing since they left Earth. They have led an existence of solitude, until now. Humans, under the guidance of The Seeyer, created the androids to work as laborers, maintenance workers, and servants. There was even a short-lived sex trade industry that created high revenues for The Apollo Corporation and the Ares Corporation.Aaron Enterprises, a highly religious organization released the Spiritual Droid Series “Pious 7” to serve theChurch of Fathomism. The robot community is highly intelligent and has evolved at an alarming rate. They eventually became too smart. By 2160 their positron brains had the ability to process information at the speed of light. It wasn’t long before they began to turn on humans. This led to “The War of Insurrection,” which resulted in many human casualties. Cities burned in many countries and the total annihilation of mankind seemed imminent. The only defense against the threat was The Seeyer. The robots on Earth were controlled by a central mainframe that was shut down by The Seeyer. Orbiting satellites controlled the off-world androids.

  The off-world androids seized control of these satellites and disconnected them from The Seeyer. The robots settled in the Android Inhabitant Zone and had no interest in returning to Earth, which led to the end of a seven-year battle.

  Androids have no emotional attachments to Earth nor do they posses a need for vengeance. The sudden end to the war left many humans baffled. The eerie silence between robots and humans is unnerving for many, especially since both live in such close proximity of each other. However, The Seeyer maintains that the truce is intact and peace has been restored. The androids monitor satellite communications and off-world traffic, but that is all. It is widely believed that they wait for mankind to destroy itself so that they can return to Earth. They still view The Seeyer as their father, even though they are separated from its influence. In a strange similarity the relationship between man, The Seeyer and the androids resemble that of God, man and angels.

  The androids maintain and expand their existence from ships, space debris, and satellites they captured during the war. The solar energy from the sun provides most of their power. They’ve even found a way to convert radiation from space into an energy source. So they drift in an endless orbit between Earth and the moon serving as a constant reminder of what mankind’s future could one day look like.

  On the asteroid station, the robots hatch a plan to infiltrate the Ares Corporation facility. The station’s main computer room is massive, sterile and cold. Several androids are hooked up to a hive-like harness. Others robots monitor the activity in the room. These robots have human form but no faces; only smooth metallic face shields that reflect their environment. An android named, Nyna, is lying on a table with cables and wires attaching her the main computer. She is a sex robot retrieved from a former pleasure hotel that orbited Earth during the war. Nyna is beautiful with long black straight synthetic hair. She wears a black and silver metallic cat suit and leather high-heeled boots. The other robots activate Nyna. She awakens from her cyber sleep. Her eyes slowly open and she sits upright on the table.

  “Please state the service you seek and method of payment.”

  “You are no longer providing erotic services for the Starlite Fantasy Hotel, Nyna,” one of the faceless drones informs her.

  Nyna looks around the room with her usual blank stare.

  “Then what is my function, Series 097?”

  “We have a mission for you. You will be sent to Earth to retrieve this object.”

  A holographic image appears before Nyna resembling the fragment Todd showed Vanessa in the lab. The robots download information about the war, the Ares Mission, and Ares Corporation defense tactical data into her nuero-net.

  “We have arranged to intercept a Human cargo ship returning from a Mars outpost. You will board this ship and be transported to Earth to complete this mission.”

  “Understood, Series 097.”

  “This is of the highest priority; avoid capture. If you are unable to complete the mission you are ordered to self terminate.”

  “Understood,” Nyna replies without hesitation.

  The cables and wires disconnect from Nyna and retreat into their ports. Nyna is escorted from the room by two faceless drones.

  Back at the Ares Corporation facility, Vanessa Bains is lying in a hospital bed in the medical wing of the building. Her room is brightly lit with monitors displaying her condition. She has a bandage over her eyes and she is unconscious. Commander Reed and her husband, Tyler, are in the room. They stare silently at each other. The two men don’t really know each other well, only that they share a bond with Vanessa. They had met a few times in the past. Each encounter reinforced Tyler’s dislike for Reed. Tyler has always been a little uncomfortable around military types. He never trusted them and Vanessa’s friends are no exception. He always viewed her military career as a point of contention between them, particularly her ambitious goals. Reed undoubtedly knows this as she shares everything with him. He is the father she never had.

  A nurse enters the room breaking the uncomfortable silence.

  “Hello, gentleman. How’s our patient doing?” she asks as she checks Vanessa’s IV.

  Tyler and Reed stand up immediately. Tyler approaches the bed.

  “How long will she be like this?” Tyler asks the nurse.

  “Can’t say for sure. The doctor did everything he could.”

  She picks up an electronic pad and keys in some information.

  “The burns have been healed, but there is some retinal damage. We’re not sure if the drug they gave her is impeding her ability to regain her sight, but she should regain consciousness momentarily. I’ve given her something for the pain when she does and…”

  Vanessa moans and regains consciousness. She can hear Tyler and the nurse’s voices, but she sees nothing. She reaches for the bandages that are covering her eyes and the nurse rushes over to her.

  “Captain Bains, you’ll need to leave the bandages on for now,” the nurse says as she pulls Vanessa’s hands away from the bandages.

  Vanessa begins to panic.

  “Where am I?”

  “Ares Corp. Medical Bay,” Tyler says.

  Vanessa is comforted by his voice. She grabs his arms as he tries to calm her.

  “You gave us a pretty good scare, soldier,” Reed says.

  “Reed is that you?”

  “Yeah, try to take it easy.”

  “How long was I out? Who else is here? My eyes, why are my eyes bandaged? Oh God am I blind!”

  “Easy, Vanessa, it’s temporary” Tyler urges her as he sits on the edge of the bed.

  “I’ll get the Doctor,” the nurse says as she rushes out of the room.

  “This must have been one hell of a reunion,” Vanessa jokes as she tries to compose herself.

  Tyler looks over at Reed. Vanessa holds tightly to his arm and slowly slides her hands down to meet his. She immediately notices that Tyler isn’t wearing his wedding ring. She releases her grip on him and slouches back onto the bed.

  “I guess all’s not forgiven.”

  “You should focus on getting better,” Tyler responds.

  “That’s right, soldier, because you’ve got a mission to complete.” Reed says.

  Vanessa smiles awkwardly and Tyler frowns.

  “C’mon, Reed, a blind Captain can’t command a mission,” Vanessa says sadly.

  “Thisis temporary, Bains. You’re a fighter, besides I think you’ve got more pressing matters to attend to,” Reed quips referring to her marriage.

 
“I’ll stop by later and debrief you on the mission’s status.” Reed adds.

  Reed exits the room without saying a word to Tyler. “He’s as charming as ever I see,” Tyler remarks.

  “You know Reed,” Vanessa says awkwardly.

  “Yeah a man of few words like most jar heads,” Tyler replies with a ring of discontentment.

  “C’mon, Tyler, his being here speaks volumes; he cares.”

  “Yeah, about this mission especially and so do you.”

  “Tyler I want to apologize about not talking to you about the abortion. I should have at least discussed it with you before hand.”

  “Don’t go there right now. We both know you would do it again, in a heartbeat, to go on this mission.”

  Tyler gets up from the edge of the bed.

  “Look, I didn’t come here to fight with you. I’m glad you’re okay, but we both know it’s over between us. Vanessa, I’ve filed for a divorce.”

  Vanessa is numb. She knew her choice would end her marriage, but hearing Tyler say the words made it real. There was such finality in his tone. She feels like she has been punched in the gut.

  Tyler exits the room, leaving her with two words, “Good-bye, Captain.”

  Vanessa weeps holding her hands against the bandages across her eyes wishing she could see his face one last time.

  Chapter Four

  Its 2:00 AM and Dr. Todd Remis is in his lab working late as usual. A few hours earlier he stopped by to visit Vanessa in her room. They talked for a while, but he could sense that she wasn’t up for a long visit. So he decided to stay at Ares Corp. and work late deciphering the symbols on the fragments he discovered. He thought that if he could come up with some new data it would distract Vanessa from her problems. Perhaps he could even get her to work with him, just like old times. Todd has been secretly in love with Vanessa for years, but he knows he doesn’t stand a chance with Tyler in the picture. Now that she and Tyler have split maybe, just maybe, he has a chance.

  Todd is working feverishly trying to decode the symbols. It seems hopeless. There is no point of reference and too few symbols. Frustrated, he decides to take a break and sits at his desk staring at the fragment lying under the scope.

  “This is pointless!” he yells as he slams his fist onto the desk.

  He accidentally cut his hand on an examination tool. Tiny amounts of blood splatter across the table and onto the fragment.

  “OUCH!”

  Noticing the blood he quickly searches for something to clean it up with.

  “Oh shit!” He rants hoping he didn’t contaminate the object.

  He ran several chemical tests on it and this could set his research back. Suddenly, detecting and analyzing the bloodstained fragment the computer alerts Todd.

  “New element composition detected… Analyzing. Standby,” the computer announces.

  Todd takes notice and slowly approaches the scope.

  “Activate monitor,” Todd orders the computer.

  A holographic display emerges above the scope highlighting the microscopic metamorphosis.

  “Magnify,” Todd urges.

  The image zooms in revealing a barely noticeable shape.

  “Again!”

  The image zooms in further.

  “Maximum magnification,” Todd yells excitedly.

  The scope zooms in to its maximum magnification and Todd is stunned by the image. His blood and the symbols begin to coalesce forming new symbols. Then multiple symbols quickly flash on the monitor.

  “Record image!”

  Soon a pattern emerges from the images. Then multiple patterns! Then in an instant the symphony of images stop. Todd looks for more, but there is nothing else. He recalls the recorded images on the computer.

  The patterns seem to have a rhythmic formation. From the data he can only decipher three phrases, “Cities in ruin,” “Home among these stars” and “Children follow not our path.” The rest of the pattern is an enigma. Todd runs the data through a program he designed. It’s a long shot, but he thinks these patterns can be interpreted as frequencies. As he suspects, these frequencies are identical to the sound waves or pulsars that stars emit.

  Todd begins scrutinizing the data in disbelief. Genomic Seti research had long since been abandoned. The idea that a code or message could have been imprinted on primordial human DNA and passed down through generations is plausible, but it is seemingly unlikely. Who or what could posses the technology to do it and where is the conclusive evidence to support this activity? Yet, a message from the past is staring him right in the face, in his own DNA. Todd has many questions. Todd’s scientific curiosity compels him to run more tests and gather more information.

  “The answer is within us. I need more DNA,” Todd says aloud.

  Todd’s journey on discovery is leading him down a slippery slope. He knows that his lab is under surveillance by The Seeyer. All of his research, the lab and computer logs are closely monitored. Any findings or unsanctioned research could easily be deemed heresy against doctrine if it clashes with Fathomism. He doesn’t want to wind up on an asteroid colony or worse. Still, it is a chance he has to take. This enigma begs for study; the implications cannot be ignored.

  Todd enters an encryption code into the computer locking out the central computer. He then takes the lab’s monitors offline. He sets the holographic chronometer for twenty minutes. He figures he has twenty minutes before The Seeyer’s uplink to the lab will detect the disruption in communication. He moves quickly over to Dr. Pierce’s station in the lab. He locates a locked cabinet with the MV5 mission crew’s DNA samples. He then enters his security code and unlocks the cabinet. His hands tremble as he lifts the tray containing the samples from their shelf.

  “This is crazy,” he thinks.

  Nervously, he scampers back to his station with the tray in hand. The timer indicates that he has seventeen minutes before his activities are discovered. Todd reaches for a vile labeled “Captain V. Bains” then stops mid-motion and decides to test Lieutenant Ricardo Cruise’s DNA.

  “Uh, on second thought we can’t have the discovery of the century based on the DNA of a modern-day Neanderthal,” Todd jeers.

  He put Cruise’s vile back on the tray and glances at the holographic chronometer.

  “TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK,” he nervously jokes as he picks up another vile.

  He turns the vile around to see whose name is on the label.

  The vile is labeled Dr. Daniel Pierce.

  “Well my good friend and colleague you will be the lucky candidate.”

  The thought fills him with joy. Though they respect each other’s work, he and Dr. Pierce are fierce competitors in scientific academia. Their love-hate relationship actually furthers their work. Each challenges the other’s theories, but hold equal fame. Todd is about to tip the scale in an ironic fashion. His plan is twisted and brilliant.

  He mixes Dr. Pierce’s DNA with a solution and pours it onto the fragment. The scope boots up.

  “New composition detected…Initiating scan, standby,” the computer, instructs.

  Todd looks over at the chronometer; five minutes remain. Sitting on the stool in front of the station, Todd’s right leg shakes anxiously as he taps his index finger on the glass desktop.

  “Come on,” he urges the computer.

  A bead of sweat slowly rolls down his cheek as his forehead becomes soaked with perspiration. He can taste the salty liquid as he licks his lips. He loosens his tie and waits for a response.

  “New data found,” the computer announces.

  The computer projects new holographic symbols in front of Todd.

  “Cross compare the new data with the previous findings,” Todd directs the computer.

  “Comparison complete.”

  “Analysis?”

  “Incomplete.”

  “Extrapolate,” Todd insists.

  “Unknown symbols...Insufficient reference material to draw a logical conclusion.”

  “Translate usi
ng frequency models!” Todd snaps.

  “Standby…New data found.”

  “Well don’t keep me suspense,” Todd says anxiously.

  Suddenly, the computer projects a star chart and a pulsating frequency. The chart appears to be searching through a stellar map seeking a matching point of reference, a location. Todd’s eyes widens in anticipation as he waits for the Holy Grail-like answer to be revealed. His excitement would be cut short. Time runs out. The scope immediately shuts down and the holographic image vanishes. The Seeyer is on to his activity. The lab’s communication disruption had been discovered.

  The doors to his lab fling open and two armed guards enter the lab. One of the guards scans his workstation with a device that reveals Todd’s activity. However, the encryption code Todd activated hides the nature of his activity. The guard looks at Todd then at the video monitor. The guard then confiscates the fragment.

  “Confirmed,” the guard says to The Seeyer.

  Without hesitation he grabs Todd’s arm. The guards usher him out of the room.

  Todd is very nervous as they make their way down the hall. He shakes uncontrollably as their pace quickens. The three men get onto an elevator. One of the guards presses the elevator button for level fifteen.

  Todd’s eyes widen. He knows level fifteen is the floor that The Seeyer’s mainframe is on. No one he knows within the company ever goes to that floor. There were rumors that anyone taken there was never heard from again.

  “I was only completing necessary work…for the mission,” Todd lies to the guards nervously.

  The men don’t respond. The elevator buzzes as they pass each floor descending to the lower levels of the complex. Todd tenses up as they pass level fourteen. The sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach worsens.

  Suddenly, the elevator stops and an automated voice address them, “Level fifteen…enter security clearance and prepare for retina identification.”

  One of the guards enters his security clearance into the panel and he lifts his visor allowing a quick eye scan of his retinas. The doors to the elevator open abruptly. The corridor is dimly lit. He can hear a faint hum being produced by the complex’s generators. Plasma discharges can also be heard in the distance followed by a woman’s screams. The guard with the lifted visor gives Todd a menacing grin. In vain, Todd struggles refusing to exit the elevator. The guards grab his arms and drag him out of the elevator. Another plasma discharge rings out and again the woman screams out in pain. The horrifying sounds grow louder as they approach a room at the end of the corridor.