Project Ouroboros

by Makovetskaya, Kseniya

  — Call security!

  Aleph was sitting in his seat, counting the last minutes before take-off. All were already in place, the engine was turned on, when the young man saw a few policemen who were followed by security of the airport of Mumbai. They quarrelled and fought, but continued to run to the plane, waving their arms.

  The plane picked up speed.

  All was well. That time.

  Thank you, El'Athar.

  The whole house was dark except for a small window in the basement which implied the fact that the building was not empty. In the last couple of days El'Athar practically lived there. Archives. He had read everything that was connected with "Enki", project "Merkhaba" and the Order of Ophites. But there were so many things ... There was even a folder marked "Mr Daath", only there was almost nothing in it. The only document said that Mr Daath financed the project Ouroboros.

  Was this Mr Daath a human? — Absolutely not.

  Who is he, what do you think? — I'm not sure. But I think it is a project.

  What do you mean? — Mr Daath is a position, not a person. The head of "Elohim", whoever he may be. One is always replaced by the other, who can take this place. And so on without an end.

  Maybe "Elohim" has always been, even before people have discovered space, built the first colony? — And perhaps much earlier.

  And the others? Mr Geburah, Netsach, Keter, and all the rest? — At this point I do not understand anything. Perhaps they are also projects. But I've seen them.

  And the voice, the voices were the same? — No, I think they were different. At least, none of them seemed familiar to me.

  And what about faces? — I have not seen their faces. They were like ethereal.

  So, maybe? ... Maybe they exist only in your head? In the minds of those who are aware of "Elohim"? — What about phone calls. Everyone have heard them.

  Are you sure? — No...

  It was interesting. So much that the leg hurt less, he was hungry again and wanted to work. And that was the main thing.

  A knock on the door.

  — Who's there? Aleph?..

  Silence.

  Chapter 31

  A long time ago...

  Colony "Alexandria" was one of the poorest in the galaxy Alpha Centauri. It was built in a hurry, not very well placed — too far from the sun. Cold and dark. It was built one of the last, for those who did not have money for a better place.

  Many died from tuberculosis, which returned alongside other diseases that mankind has long prevailed. Leprosy was a curse of sector D. All who were able to leave had already left, but in the last few years, they did not let anyone leave, even those with money and connections.

  Alexandria... From its windows the view was so beautiful that one would inadvertently forget about all the troubles that occurred there: a black sky, dotted with billions of stars, the cold sun, colouring the clouds turquoise. The planet was grey and dead, and only a huge colony of black steel towered over it.

  Special Forces NDF-234 were approaching Alexandria. Landing clearance was received. Fifty young men in black uniforms with guns in their hands. Within the system they were called supervisors, they should look that no one escaped. They did not hide their faces did not wear body armour because they knew — none of these unarmed men should live. Another fifty wore special suits of biological protection with flamethrowers in their hands. They were called the executioners as they did most of the dirty work. There were cleaners, a small detachment of fifteen men who carried out disinfection of premises. They sprayed a special substance on the premises, which burned all living things, and by the reaction with oxygen, was converted into steam and passed through ventilation.

  Typically, these units cleaned the overcrowded prisons in the colonies, where prisoners rot alive from the diseases. To get in prison was easy enough just by disagreeing with the existing order, but rarely someone went out of it. Many who once got in jail for stealing apples, were back there again and again until they fell under the bullets of NDF units.

  You had to have nerves of steel and be full of thugs to kill every day. But even for that special forces there was a special assignment then.

  — Well, guys, prepare for landing! The guards, put on your masks if you do not want to get sick from tuberculosis, no one will treat you! — The commander of the special forces stood at the entrance. He differed from the rest by the red stripes on the uniform so that he could always be found in his crowd. — First, go! One by one!

  Soon he heard the first shots.

  — Ten people to each sector! — The commander gave orders one after another: — Look everywhere, dammit!

  Military in black uniforms scattered across the sectors. Sometimes shouts were heard, but mostly only shots and crashing. They were looking for any hiding places where you could take cover or hide the children. They broke into the apartments and crushed all the cabinets and drawers.

  — Is there anyone else in the hospital, Lit? — Shouted he to the other.

  — No, I haven't found anyone! Has someone already? been to the orphanage unit?

  — Jack is there, he has promised to walk through the cellars.

  — Great! Then that's it here.

  Someone laughed, someone lamented that he did not have time for breakfast, someone wandered in search of hiding places with the children, but no one thought, why they still did it.

  Jack Getterbørgen knew the system of cellars in the colonies of that type perfectly. At home, in Jericho, he often hid here from all the world. Most often, Jack did not think about what he was doing there, but in moments of doubt a picture of joyless childhood appeared before his eyes, and these thoughts were dissolved, as if they never existed.

  What are you doing here, Jack? — I am looking for homeless, who, like me, have lived here almost in the dark.

  Are you looking for yourself? — No.

  Do you feel sorry for yourself? — No.

  You do feel sorry for yourself. — Like that I feel better.

  Killing children? — Yes.

  You're disgusting. — This is my revenge.

  Jack looked around. This basement was much greater than in Jericho, and therefore, the search could take quite a lot of time, but the chances of finding someone grew. Young man's eyes saw fine in the gloom, and he could distinguish all the electrical wires inside the weave translucent plastic pipes. He also saw that there were rats. How they got in the colony — hardly anyone knew, it became immediately clear how the diseases appeared. Apparently, it was clear only to Jack, if people here did not do anything for decades. Maybe they just did not want to...

  From a distance he heard a rustle, then the echoes of laughter. Hence, there was still someone there. Jack went forward with confidence, knowing that none of them would hide. Yet no one could.

  Someone ran. He was the only one. Not to worry, this child would be the last caught, and you could come back.

  Stamping of feet.

  Clear voice, for a moment, seemed familiar.

  There was a dead end, he was not going anywhere.

  — Hey, where are you going? There's no way out! — Jack decided that it could stop the runaway for a moment.

  He froze.

  Jack approached. His hand trembled. A ten-year boy in shabby clothes, which was likely given by the shelter, which was already unsuitable for him stood in front of him. But the stern gaze of his bright eyes and tightly pursed lips spoke of the determination. And then Jack lowered his weapon, he paused and grimaced in horror. It was him ten years old! It was him, for sure!

  Well, Jack, there you go. — I do not understand.

  You do not even know who he is and why he is so much like you. — Is this a dream?

  No. This is your reality. What will you do?

  A shot rang out.

  Jack lowered his weapon and walked upstairs to rest.

  Probably, the thing was that all homeless were alike. And they looked like Jack as well. But now the young man was ready to swear that
he saw an exact copy of himself. It was scary.

  — Carefully go over the cellar, everything is swarming with rats. — Jack reported to the cleaners and climbed onto the balcony of the second floor, where he could clearly see all the open space at the bottom. It was convenient to shoot.

  Soon the guards finished the preparatory part of the job. They stood as security, around the perimeter of the building and carefully watched so that no one escaped. When such attempts occurred, the fugitives were shot like rabbits in the hunt.

  Jack put the vacuum headphones and stared into space. He did not want to see and hear everything that was happening in the residential sector. It got hot from flamethrowers. A little more and he would leave this place.

  I think I've had enough...

  Years later El'Athar knew that this was an experimental colony, and they were not ill with tuberculosis. Actually, like Jericho. If he had not had time to escape, the same fate was waiting for him. Being killed or slow death.

  He did not know from how his parents died.

  El'Athar was not interested in justice. He was interested in truth. And now, it was the time for it to come. Soon it would be over...

  Chapter 32

  10 years later.

  Fifteen hours...

  Fifteen hours of non-stop fighting, where it was unlikely for someone to survive. This war had been going on for several years and was not going to end.

  There were two main enemies: the Alliance and the Union, where more and more new colonies joined. The alliance included three Empires, sharing the galaxy Alpha Centauri and a part of the Milky Way. However, the Union (two Empires who reigned over the most part of the Milky Way) did not agree with the Alliance, because it wanted to return the entire galaxy to its possession. And the Union had decided that terrorism was the best way to get a few colonies.

  It was a dirty war. It was not a war of the machines — too many people had died in the meantime. Each of the opponents tried to kill as many civilians, without any blood on their hands. For these purposes, they used the knights of death, formed from special squads of cleaners — they were sent back to where it was impossible to do with only military robots, not very suitable for complex tasks.

  Jack Getterbørgen was the commander of one of these groups, who knew no mercy and defeat, hired by the Alliance. He had not worked in a special squad NDF — Alexandria was the last mission, but when Jack was asked to lead a hundred knights it was not in his power to refuse such temptation.

  Fifteen hours of battle. His head ached unbearably, back ached from the strain, the electric shots passed through the body. Jack tightly clutched the railing on the bridge, watching the scene. Almost all of the opponent's drones had been destroyed, and his men still could not get to the command ship of the Peloponnese, where the captain, as well as Jack was standing on the bridge, gripping the railing and watching the scene.

  There were no forces to give orders anymore.

  Jack just stood there, painfully clutching the handrail and, without blinking, was looking straight at the screen.

  A little more, more...

  He removed the grown bangs back from the eyes and tidied a strict black tunic. The uniform of the knights of death was completely black, while the rest of military had it dark green and more like civilian suits. Black always suited Jack. This beret, elongated jacket, leather pants and high, knee-length boots suited him.

  Heck! The enemy reinforcements came! He wanted to howl. Tears ran from the sore eyes. It would never end...

  All drones were identical: matte black cubes that could move strictly in six directions, stuffed with weapons and explosives. They could be discerned only by the flag on one side. Flag of the Alliance was blue stripes at the top and bottom, and inside there were three large five-pointed stars on white background. Union's flag was a simple black cross on the red background.

  Drones functioned with the plasma engines and frozen plasma, along with debris was floating around, covering part of the view. Usually in such cases, the robot scavengers were working, but this was not up to them.

  Jack's knights kept to the last, but no one had ant forces, and Jack realized that this was their last chance:

  — We must create a corridor to the main ship, in order for several kamikaze drones to get as near to it as possible!

  — But, captain — was heard in the earpiece the answer — it would destroy all our drones and make the command ship vulnerable!

  — So we will have more chances to survive... — Jack sighed and closed his eyes. — I'd rather lose hundreds of drones, but save a single soldier.

  — Thank you, Captain...

  Everything was decided.

  — So, how much drones are there left?

  — Seventy-eight, Captain.

  — Ten remain to guard the command ship, and fifty will create the corridor. Another ten will guard the manned fighters and eight would approach to the command ship of the Peloponnese. All clear?

  — What about the fighters?

  — Carry out the supervisors work. Do not let anyone break through the defense of the kamikaze. Do everything you need as quickly as possible, so that the enemy does not have time to understand anything. Otherwise, we cannot do it...

  — Aye, Captain!

  — And — Jack smiled wearily. — I promise that as soon as we get the free time, my wife will treat all to gingerbread. Everybody ready? Three ... two ... one ... Go! Height, speed, manoeuvre, fire! You will cope with it!

  Then everything happened so fast that it was impossible to keep track.

  Sunny, dear, if I do not come home after this fight, come back to Earth, please ...

  Jack hated fighting in open space. No sound, absolute silence and weightlessness. It seemed as if nothing at all was happening. And tension was brought to the limit.

  Peloponnese drones tried to get to the captain's ship, but the fighters defended Jack as they could, putting themselves at risk.

  Hell!

  The two fighters of the black knights scattered like broken constructor. Sudden flashes of red laser shone before his eyes, the drones were getting closer to the enemy, despite the losses.

  The bridge began to shake. Their ship was hit. The alarm sounded, the system's cold voice of an imperious woman reported that livelihood would be turned off after ten minutes and asked everyone to evacuate at the meantime.

  Jack did not move.

  — Captain, you will perish! — Someone tried to grab his hand, He thought it was a junior technician. He climbed onto the bridge to Jack, but received only a look of anger and determination in response. Hand was released and the technician left.

  I will go then, I will go the last...

  Captain of the space warship "Virginia", the commander of the Black Knights, was being defeated. Jack no longer clutch the railing till it hurt, he settled down and leaned against the railing with his forehead.

  Another three fighters were killed and twenty drones destroyed...

  — Captain! There is one more remaining place! We are waiting for you!

  — Coming! — Jack switched to the headset, which linked him with fighters:

  — Guys, Save yourselves! Return to the base!

  — But Captain, we're winning!

  — "Virginia" is evacuated! I am left here alone.

  — Captain go, we can handle!

  — Without you, I'm not going anywhere.

  — Go! — he heard a lot of voices, echoing each other.

  — Okay, but you agree to destroy the "Peloponnese" in the next five minutes, otherwise you are not getting any gingerbread!

  — Aye, Captain!

  They destroyed the "Peloponnese", but none of the black knights involved in a fight, survived. They died for the right to destroy two half-empty colonies, where there were only the sick and the poor, but it was a victory for the Alliance.

  "Virginia" was disposed of, Jack received a reprimand for such loss of expensive equipment and resigned.

  "Sunny, I left
you and the children money, go back to Earth." — Message sent.

  It seemed to El'Athar that the war was launched to destroy all colonies — at its end, there was not a single man who didn't live on Earth. After a hundred years, all the technologies that emerged during the colonization were lost, as if somebody erased them with a powerful hand — not to repeat the failure of the space age. And then he knew that it was the hand of Mr Daath.

  Chapter 33

  El'Athar woke up in his bed in the Ophite estate early in the morning. Soon, the doctor had to come, he needed to get up, drink some coffee, tidy himself. Leg hurt no longer, but without sleeping pills it was still hard to rest.

  His head was so heavy, as if El'Athar didn’t sleep at all, and for every single action a huge effort was required. At first it was hard to recall where the kitchen was, and then how to make coffee in that strange and expensive coffee machine.

  Hell, too strong...

  Thoughts were confused. So many clues, speculation and facts, but they all lead nowhere, had no logic. El'Athar still could not understand what he knew so important that Mr Daath ordered to get rid of him. Just because he saw the cradle of Lamashtu?

  How he would like to get out of there.

  Mr Aine Soph also promised to come that day and to give the following instructions. If only he was released as soon as possible, at least for the Tekhina's funeral, where nobody would come except him and two Lamashtu. Maybe Mr Aine Soph would be present, unless, of course, he would be busy with more important things than premature death of an unreliable employee. Who could know.

  The doctor held a regular inspection of the leg, asked about health and appetite, and then opened the package he had brought with him.

  — It's a gift to you, Mr El'Athar. — The doctor showed a thing with longitudinal stripes of white plastic held together with steel inserts in the form repeating human leg from knee to the ankle, but there still hung some strange details and too many bolts. It looked very strange.