The Colony Ship Conestoga : The Complete Series: All Eight Books

by John Thornton

  Eris reached down and picked up the RSW Model 10 which she did not even know she had dropped, and holstered it. She was praying about what she would find when she assessed the repository and was fearful to proceed. Taking several deep breaths, Eris resolved herself to face whatever was there.

  “Increase to normal lighting,” Eris commanded.

  “Affirmative, Junior Engineer Lorelei Eris Concordia,” the mechanical voice responded.

  Slowly the lights in the repository came on. A work station lit up directly across from the entry doors. A display came on showing a green background with blue symbols. A chair was sitting neatly in front of the counter. It all looked pristine as the power came on. The repository area was about fifteen meters tall, twenty meters wide, and roughly one hundred meters long. As the lighting came on, there were rows and rows and stacks and stacks of suspended animation cuboids. They were much more tightly packed together, and stacked much higher than in the small repository where Eris had been in suspended animation. The indicators on the cuboid cocoons blinked on in a random flickering, but nearly every end caps of every cocoon had a soft light which came on in a gentle amber colored glow. The amber showed they were fully functional and in homeostasis.

  Eris fell to her knees and cried out. “Oh praises be! It is working!”

  The people with Eris were rejoicing as well, until a deep and resounding thud came from the entry door.

  “Junior Engineer Lorelei Eris Concordia, there are forces attempting to break into Repository 17A. I am sorry to report that twenty-three of my two thousand cocoons have suffered a malfunction. The other one thousand nine hundred seventy-seven are all performing as expected. I grieve for these losses, and have been unable to summon any assistance, or notify any of the habitat authorities or the flight crew. I cannot access anything outside of the repository, not even the other side of the entry door. I apologize for not being any more help. Is there some major crisis?” The mechanical voice asked.

  “Yes, a crisis. In a big way, yes. And just call me Eris.”

  “She is now Captain of the Conestoga, we have made planet-fall, but not on the right planet!” Linda blurted out. “Those disgusting criminals have been reanimating us to make us into slaves for the….”

  “No time now,” Eris softly rebuked Linda. “Everyone spread out and check all the access points. Look for doors, ventilation grilles, and anywhere else those patrolmen can get inside here. We must seal this place off tightly.”

  The mechanical voice interjected, “I am disconnected from the lattice of compeers. As a flight crew member you should summon security.”

  “That was a bloody security automacube which killed our friends. Blast it machine, everything has swirled into the toilet!” Inteus shouted. “Security is who enslaved us!”

  “No,” Eris said at the same time as Inteus. “That will not work.”

  “I am confused. What will not work?” The mechanical voice then said, “I am certain should my connections be reestablished, I could summon ship’s security. They would come and quell these criminal activities.”

  “Security is trying to kill us!” Linda shouted. Others shouted similar things.

  “Eris? I note the people with you do not have any identification markers. I am not sure what this means. Are these people’s claims correct?” the mechanical voice asked.

  “Yes. Security has been compromised and cannot be trusted. These people’s identification was surgically removed. I have implants, as you know, and even now have…” Eris was about to mention the Shadow system, but her throat grew very tight. She choked and gagged a bit as she tried to breathe.

  “You are not allowed to violate secrecy procedures,” Shadow said to Eris. “This artificial intelligence system is not authorized to know of me.”

  Several of the people gathered around Eris as she began to turn blue and choke.

  “Medical assistance is coming,” the mechanical voice stated.

  A white automacube rolled out from a cubby in the wall. The people around Eris jumped back, all fearful from their experiences as slaves.

  “I comprehend,” Eris choked the words out.

  Suddenly she could breathe again, easily. Color returned to her face, and the spasms quit.

  The medical automacube, its white boxy body, and multi-jointed arm, were all shiny and new looking. It rolled up next to Eris.

  “I am Doctor 232. You seem to have suffered a choking incident. You are now having normal respirations. I assess no other acute health issues. I advise being careful with foods, and watching for choking hazards.”

  Eris shook her head, and tried to drive the thought of speaking about Shadow from her mind. “Synthetic brain?” Eris asked. “Who are you?”

  “Eris, I am Artificial Intelligence Batibat. I am designed as overseer of Habitat Alpha’s seven suspended animation repositories. Due to the damage which evidently has severed connections with the lattice and other systems, I am now only able to supervise this repository, because my central memory core is located within its confines. Chronological perception shows that years have passed since those separations happened. Is that correct? What is the status of the other six repositories in Alpha? May I report to AI Van Winkle who is my own supervisor?”

  “Years have indeed passed,” Eris replied. “I think AI Van Winkle has been terminated. I will work on getting connections. First, we need to secure that door!”

  Another series of thuds against the door could be heard.

  “I do detect someone attempting an illegal forced-entry through both the front and rear entrances. Civil unrest is illegal. I have sealed those doors,” AI Batibat stated. “They are locked and under your authority. You are secure.”

  “Secure? Secure?” Linda yelled out, “They killed two of us in the corridor! Burned to death! The Conestoga has separated, and jettisoned all habitats, to make planet-fall! On the wrong planet! My repository was opened and we were all made slaves! They ripped our implants out and put us in shackles! Slaves! They made us slaves! Do you hear me? It was horrific! Like ancient history! They just killed you if you did not obey, and then woke someone else up to take your place. Torture, rape, murder, slavery, it all happened. Everywhere! Now they are coming to get us in here. They will kill us and start over with all these new cocoons! We are doomed!”

  Eris walked over to Linda and grabbed her in a tight hug. The older woman resisted at first, but then relaxed into a fit of tears. Eris handed her to another person standing nearby. The two moved away as Linda sobbed uncontrollably.

  Eris directed the others. “We are under attack. Go and recheck all the doors and entrances. They cannot hurt us if they cannot get inside here!”

  The AI Batibat spoke, “At launch the Conestoga had 112,200 people in suspended animation. They were in fifty-six major repositories, seven in each habitat, plus the small repositories in the needle ship. I am appalled to hear that person’s report of a suspended animation repository being used in such a manner. That violates core programming directives. No artificial intelligence or synthetic brain would allow such abuses of our charges. The personnel committing these crimes way must reported it to the Conestoga authorities.”

  “AI Batibat, many systems were destroyed. The lattice is down, and I need your help.” An idea came to Eris. “AI Batibat, please instruct that medical automacube to re-implant identification trackers with proper markers in these people. They will tell you who they are, so you enter the information into those implants. Please trust me in this. Then, later, I will connect you to a communication system where you might be able to link to Sandie, an AI, which is helping us. But we must secure these doors!”

  “This news is greatly troubling, but does fit the circumstances as I know them. However, there is no artificial intelligence system designated Sandie,” the AI Batibat stated.

  “Sandie’s presence is difficult to explain and we have no time. Will you implement the identification markers?” Eris asked urgently.

  “Yes, your r
ecommendation on replacing the implants in these people is acceptable. I have activated all three of the medical automacubes which remained in this repository. There should be fifteen, but when the links shut down, only three were here and I cannot summon more. The attempted criminal entries are continuing. I am not sure how long the locks and seals will hold.”

  Eris considered connecting in the com-link’s cable to the nearest access port, but she did not want to either take the com-link off, leaving herself unable to talk to the others, or make herself physically tied to a single point, as the cable was only about a meter long.

  “Do you have any weapons here?” Eris asked.

  “No. Weapons are utilized by the security forces. My protocol is to have secure called for any incidents of this type. Are you certain security cannot be summoned to confront these lawbreakers?”

  “Yes, I am certain. It was a security automacube in the corridor which murdered those two men.” Eris was thinking, and tapped the com-link. “Sandie? Have you been following these events? Should we wake everyone up and overcome the attackers by sheer numbers?”

  “I have been following your situation. I have no recommendations to augment your choices there,” Sandie replied. “From what I know of reanimation, to do it properly, it would take considerably longer than the time I conjecture it will take for the doors to be breeched.”

  Luljeta and Linda huddled together. Linda was still weeping, but less vigorously.

  Gilbert, Doreen, Rodolfo, and Inteus came sprinting back. “We checked all the entry points. Everything seems secure for now, but by that other door there is quite a lot of hammering and pounding.” Inteus spoke for the group. “We thought it best to come back here to be together, if the end comes.”

  “The medical automacubes will reinsert identification implants. Do that now while you have the chance,” Eris instructed. “Go over in that lavatory near the gravity conduit. I will stand guard, and if they break through here, there will be a heavy price to pay.” She lifted the RSW Model 10, and made a good show of bluster. After seeing the men get burned to death in the corridor, she felt more confident she could fire at whoever was directing the red automacubes. In her heart, she prayed for strength. “Sandie, tell everyone else where we are. It is quite a spot.”

  “Eris, Jerome and Monika have docked and are making their way inside. I will encourage them to proceed to your location with all haste. I am conjecturing routes to get them to you quickly,” Sandie replied. “Can you connect me with the artificial intelligence there? I would have greater ability to help if you did that.”

  Eris looked at the exhausted, terrified, and weak people who had been slaves, then considered her own needs. “Yes, if it will help.” She walked over and extended out the cable from the com-link. She plugged it into the access port near the wall display. “I am limited in my movements here, and exposed if the doors suddenly open.”

  “We are interfacing now,” Sandie stated.

  Eris stood in the open, the RSW Model 10 pointed right at the doors which were being pounded from the opposite side.

  “Amazing,” AI Batibat said with traces of awe. “It is good to be in congress with other systems, even a small lattice like this. I was unaware of such a system as Sandie. Interfacing proceeding.”

  Kaboom!

  An explosion racked the doors to the repository. Dust was kicked up from all around and hung in the air. Eris pulled off the com-link and tucked it into a panel on the counter. It was basically hidden from direct view. She then dodged into the lavatory where the people and the three white automacubes were. The automacubes were giving medical care to the newly implanted people.

  Kaboom!

  Another explosion shook the repository. The doors remained sealed and closed, but the shaking was immense.

  Eris prayed for help, and aimed her weapon at the doors. The first thing that came through there would be shot.

  The lights on the gravity conduit pedestal, which sat just outside of the lavatory in a corner of the repository began to flash.

  “They found a way inside!” Linda screamed and pointed her finger at the gravity conduit podium. “There!”

  Eris trained her weapon on the small section at the top of the gravity conduit. She waiting for something to come out. It would be shot when it did.

  11 the repository skirmish

  Cammarry, Jerome, and Monika were already jogging quickly toward the slideways. All three were sweating heavily. The corridors were lit and mostly functioning. Except for a small group of rats that had been congregating near a public drinking fountain which was leaking a small trickle of water, they had seen no one else. No people, no automacubes, and no other animals. The had moved along in silence, the tension around them still thick and heavy.

  “Eris has encountered the slave masters,” Sandie announced through the com-links. “People in her group have died, and they are under attack!”

  “Find some way for us to get there sooner!” Cammarry ordered.

  “Or shut down the attackers!” Jerome added. “Is it the Crocks? Did they bring their vehicles inside again?”

  Sandie answered, “There have been no signs of Crocks in Alpha.”

  “Not yet. I am sure they are coming.”

  “Just shut up about the Crocks, will you?” Cammarry snapped back.

  “Here is more about the actual attackers. I was only able to see a single security automacube, however I know there are more attackers. The pattern is consistent with the patrolmen and their security automacubes,” Sandie replied. “Captain Eris and her group have sealed themselves into the repository. For the moment they are behind sealed doors.”

  Monika tapped the com-link and spoke quietly, “Sandie? Is there some way to send more support there?”

  “Hey! Quit whispering behind my back!” Cammarry turned around and Monika nearly ran into her.

  “What?” Monika said as she stumbled around Cammarry and came to a stop. “I was suggesting ways to help.”

  “Leave her alone. We are all in this together!” Jerome said as he too stopped. “If you are enraged against me, fine, but leave Monika alone. You need to calm down. You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.”

  “My anger? Who are you to talk about anger? You are so obsessed with the Crocks, you do not even think straight,” Cammarry yelled. She stepped over and physically shoved Jerome. “Yes, I am angry. I am sick to death of this old ship and its evil ways. I am sick of trying to help, and getting nowhere! I came to help Eris, and got attacked by Carter or something!”

  “You could have waited for me. Besides your hand is healed. It was not much of an injury anyway,” Jerome responded as he shrugged off Cammarry’s pushing.

  Cammarry slapped him. “Yes, I guess my hand is healed up. Should I check it again?” Her hand was raised for a backslap.

  Jerome’s cheek was bright red from the blow. He clenched and unclenched his fists.

  “Stop it! Both of you!” Monika said with authority. “No one is helping Captain Eris by fighting here. You call me primitive and backward? Sandie? How can we get to Eris as soon as possible?”

  “You are already on the fastest route,” Sandie replied. “I must agree with Monika. Jerome and Cammarry, your interpersonal conflict is hindering this mission. Physical abuse is never acceptable, and your emotional abuse of each other is destructive.”

  “So straighten up Jerome! Quit provoking me.” Cammarry glared at him, and he equally stared her down. The hostility was hot.

  “You are the one who runs off alone and gets into trouble! Do not blame me for your bad decisions!” Jerome retorted. “Same arm, different injury, same careless choices.”

  Cammarry shook in fury, but did not slap Jerome again.

  Monika then looked at the AWAD slung across Cammarry’s back. She asked, “Sandie? That weapon Siva and Peter made, can it be quickly produced by Reproduction and Fabrication?”

  Cammarry broke the eye contact with Jerome and
jeered at Monika. “That place refuses to make weapons, or are you too stupid to remember that?”

  “I am trying to help Eris. That AWAD is not a lethal weapon. It has no effect on people,” Monika said through tight lips. “Sandie, I know Siva had the schematics and plans loaded up, it is built from standardized parts, even though it is a prototype. Will SB Bodowa make the AWADs?”

  “I can ask. The worst that can happen is it will just say no,” Sandie replied. A moment later Sandie added, “Five Advanced Widget Automacube Disabler projectors are being fabricated. I had to slightly rename the weapons, so they were considered tools. They will be shipped to Captain Eris’ location. I found Siva’s schematics, and presented it under the category of ‘remote deactivation tool’. SB Bodowa accepted it. Estimated time of arrival nineteen minutes. Excellent thinking, Monika!”