As Gods Above

by Andre Labuschagne

  But at least we can get moving now. We need clearance for tomorrow for the security reception area for me, Di, and four passengers.”

  “That’s affirmative, the sub-basement is clear. I will be looking forward to meeting your lambs.”

  “A most informative experience, I promise you!

  And speaking of informative, has Uncle Fox been in contact with you?”

  “Indeed. It seems he has a hi-tech package for me.”

  “Very Hi-tech my friend.

  No less than a level two councilor!

  Complete with current backup of their central it system. Do you think we have the hardware – IBM 3999 Mark seven?”

  “No problem on the hardware. We have a few systems stockpiled, just for the odd emergency.

  I will have the engineers warm up a system, and set it up in isolation. Then we can restore it without it getting onto the internet or our internal resources.

  Our friends have a couple of really good programmers. I don’t want to open a back door into our network.

  Do we have access codes?”

  “Our friend seems to have got his hands on the administrator password. As a matter of fact, he has them all – he was the senior system administrator.

  We can hack any file we want!”

  “Good! I’ll get the guys working on the environment and be ready for the incoming right after your own group.

  Thanks boy! I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.”

  “Same to you, old and beloved friend.”

  “Not so much of that old stuff, boy!”

  *** *** ***

  At exactly 06:00 the next morning, Tina sent the confirmation: “Ready!”

  “All set here!” Bernardo replied. He gave the high sign to the enforcers who were standing by.

  As the shield dropped, six people suddenly appeared in the demarcated space on the floor.

  As they stepped aside, Tina gave the long awaited prompt, and Harold Fox and Joseph Sprout appeared in their place.

  Bernardo signaled again.

  “Total Shield restored!” The senior enforcer reported.

  “Enforcers report, any irregularities, intrusions, attacks?” Bernardo snapped out.

  “Negative!”

  “All clear!”

  “Nothing!”

  The Enforcers ran down the line. Several had noticed unusual activity.

  “I picked up a high level probe, farsight only, probably executive level.”

  “Warrior or enforcer?”

  “Definitely warrior, probably Mago. It felt like top echelon.”

  “That was Peter.” Joseph interjected. “He would automatically be interested at anything happening here, especially at the moment.”

  “Probably doubly so!” Tina concurred.

  “Mars’ biggest weakness has always been his curiosity.

  And he never could handle not being in control…”

  “Anything else?” Bernardo prompted.

  “Someone tried to hitch a ride on the port trail from Great Zimbabwe.” Reported Shiv, one of the senior enforcers:

  “It was not that strong, upper enforcer level.”

  “Was there any penetration?

  “No, I don’t think he was trying very hard. A couple of us excluded him quite easily.”

  “Good! He obviously knew that it would do him no good to attempt an attack when we are alert. We could easily muster enough force to defeat anything they are ready to throw at us at this time. He was just pecking to see if he could sneak a peak while we were busy.

  Finding that he had been noticed, he could do nothing but desist.

  Thank you for your assistance ladies and gentlemen. Those of you who are not part of the official welcoming committee may carry on with your normal duties.

  Tina, Uncle Fox, can we move through to the smaller conference room?

  I personally would like to meet our new recruits, and welcome them properly. And there are a number of others just as anxiously waiting for the same privilege.”

  “I hope you have a little time left for some old friends as well.” Dianna remarked.

  “You know you are always welcome Di, but I am afraid you are old news, and I have been hearing so much about this bunch – and like Mars my principal weakness is curiosity.

  Incidentally I believe congratulations are in order?”

  “I should have known it was a waste of time to try and roast you!”

  “It’s my business knowing about everything my dear!

  But you have surprised me this time, if that is any consolation.”

  Laughing, the newcomers followed him and the blushing Dianna into the indicated conference room.

  Tina and Uncle Fox introduced the newcomers to the official welcoming committee, consisting of Bernardo, the panel of sensitives who would be assaying their active, latent and marginal powers, the biologists who would evaluate their genetic assay, which would further indicate life expectancy and talent potential, and the trainers in the various skills who would help them attain maximum use of their various talents and powers.

  Formal introductions over, everybody helped themselves to snacks and drinks, and for a while they chatted, everyone trying to have at least a few words with the newcomers.

  *** *** ***

  “Right! All of you have now had a chance to meet everybody else.

  We will have ample time to get to know each other properly over the next couple of weeks, so all of you please settle down.”

  Bernardo’s voice cut through the buzz of conversation.

  “I’d like to finish off a few administrative chores before we start with the actual business that brought you all down here.

  Tina and Harold, I know you have places to go, and people to see, so I will keep this short.

  Firstly, security:

  You will each be issued with a security card.

  Each card contains bio-cybernetic technology which is tuned to your individual mind, so it cannot be used by anyone else.

  The cards are zoned for different security levels. You will currently find that there are a large number of prohibited areas.

  Some will be totally blocked. Other areas will only be accessible to you when you are accompanied by an authorized person.

  Some of these areas are restricted because of top secret projects.

  Others are restricted due to the sensitivity of equipment and personnel to the forces you now command, and may not be able to control sufficiently.

  This situation will change as your integration and training advances.

  Currently you will also not have access to the surface.

  Once all preliminary clearances and training is complete you may become part of the overt team of the base, which is a mixed team, not all of whom are aware of the special nature of this base.

  Surface access will be subject to specific restrictions. A major factor in this regard is your capability to screen against high-powered attack or infiltration.

  You will notice that the base and all high security areas are fully and separately screened against all forms of mental and physical intrusion, up to and including teleportation.

  Your access to these areas depends I part on your security cards. Other screens are sensitive your personality patterns. As soon as you are cleared for each specific area, both systems will be adjusted, and you will automatically be granted the correct level of access..

  All facilities on this base operate on the principle of multiple redundancy.

  Control of all the systems rests with a high level AI running on PSI enabled hardware.

  Those of you with operant telepathy may simply call anybody else in the facility. If the person is in a restricted area, the AI will relay the message transparently.

  Otherwise you may use either the voice activated functionality, or hardware mediated commands. The AI also maintains indices of all personnel by department, present location, etcetera.

  The rest of today has been allocated to allow yo
u to familiarize yourself with the facilities and acclimatize to local conditions.

  Tomorrow we will start working in earnest to integrate you into our organization and our society, and equip you for living with what you have become.

  Once you have been issued with your cards, we will go on a tour of the facilities, and you will be shown you living quarters as well as the other amenities.

  Any questions?

  Right, the new personnel will each now accompany your allocated enforcer for your security evaluation.

  We will meet here in half an hour for the tour.”

  *** *** ***

  Half an hour later, everybody who was involved with the projected tour reconvened.

  In addition to completing the security evaluation and getting photos taken and having their cards attuned to their personality patterns, they also had time to attend to some urgent physical needs.

  On their return the newcomers were taken about the facility and shown the laboratories, computer facilities and the workshops.

  They were allocated suites on the same quad, including Dianna, who was staying with them to explore her affinity with David.

  This would allow them to work on the growing closeness each of the couples was experiencing.

  The two Josephs discussed the name quandary, with Joseph Sprout opting to be known as Sprout.

  The rest of the afternoon they settled in, unpacked, and made up the deficiencies of their kit by drawing on the facilities of the base.

  David

  What a strange world we have been deposited in.

  Everything here seems to run on an almost military basis. Or maybe like a school… A military school!

  We have been allocated this afternoon to get settled in.

  After that our next couple of months at least seems to be set to run by timetable.

  I’m still not sure whether I’m looking forward to being poked and prodded by the doctors and the psychs and the sensitives, whatever they may do.

  It is going to be difficult to adjust to an institutional way of life after the freedom I have always enjoyed. But at least it seems to be a temporary condition.

  Well, at least the accommodation is strictly five star.

  Everything is of the best quality, and the facilities allow you to choose whether to use central catering, the communal dining room or make your own meals.

  And the range of foodstuff available is astonishing. Everything from classical American fast food, to classical cuisine from cultures most modern people haven’t even heard about.

  They also have facilities for obtaining anything from casual clothing to the finest Haute Couture. I assume that is for special occasions and when going into the wide world, since the standard dress here seems to be a sort of one piece bodysuit - although that is definitely not a rule everyone pays attention to . And even then there is nothing uniform about the colors.

  Dianna looks like a dream in hers, which is a rich green. I think I shall opt for something a little less flamboyant, maybe a brown. Just as long as it complements hers.

  It almost seems like a dream, settling into a suite with Dianna – sort of a honeymoon. I was almost afraid to suggest it, but she took us over that hurdle.

  I agreed gracefully – as my French grandfather used to say – Aux Temps, Aux Mores.

  We still have a lot to catch up on, both in terms of history and on a personal basis. One thing I have realized: it is impossible to judge her life by the conventions I grew up with.

  The necessities of immortality would by definition be a lot different from those of the short lived. Strangely I have no doubt that we were meant for each other, and that no one will ever displace either of us from the others regard.

  In the first place, we will always be best friends.

  Marianne

  If my mother only knew…

  I always thought that line in the fairy tales was too corny for words.

  The days since we woke up have been a whirlwind of activity. I am still feeling breathless – between what has developed between me and Michael and the inundation in a culture and organization I never even dreamed could exist – the fairy tales seem frankly bland.

  I haven’t just been trying to believe at least one impossible thing before breakfast each day; I’ve actually been experiencing at least a couple per day – sometimes per hour.

  At least my parents are used to the problems we’ve been having with the phones from Great Zimbabwe, so they won’t be expecting a call. I’m sure my mother and sisters will be in transports when they read my letter.

  It probably won’t even take my mother long to connect the new romance in my life to Michael. She’s known for a long time that I have a crush on him so I think she’ll be happy for me.

  Although I think she’d be rather surprised by how far and fast our relationship has come. I almost can’t believe it myself. But it makes a difference when you are almost living in the other person’s mind – actually feeling their emotions.

  Fortunately Dianna and David set the bar for us, Michael is too much of a gentleman for his own (and my) good.

  I have promised to let him make me an honest woman as soon as we can, but in the mean time I couldn’t be more married if half a dozen popes had read the bans over us.

  We sort of compromised with our own little ceremony before we officially moved in.

  Men can be so silly sometimes. The poor dear was so afraid of taking advantage of me.

  As if I couldn’t see every thought in his head if I wanted to, and vice versa.

  I’m glad I pushed the matter. I don’t know if I could face what lies ahead by myself.

  Danger and the unknown I can handle – at least I know my capabilities. But all this experimentation and investigation and poking is both frustrating and scary.

  What do I do if I don’t like what they find?

  Meanwhile I’d better get a move on and help Michael with the unpacking – one thing about an established bachelor – he knows how to take care of himself.

  Bernardo O’Higgins Station – Chilean Zone - Antarctica – 28th August 2035

  The six new recruits joined the rest of the day phase shift for supper in the central refectory. After supper, they were introduced to the rest of the permanent staff, and spent some time mingling and getting to know them.

  Then they retired to get a good night’s rest, ready for the tough day of tests and investigations that was coming.

  At 07:00 the next morning they reassembled in the small conference room. Each was assigned to a team for evaluation. They separated into screened evaluation rooms and matters settled down to basics.