The Syndicate's Journey

by Nicholas Bogucki

  “You know, I’m sure he already knew about the Kradnak before we presented it to him.”

  “You think so?”

  “Think about it. Why would this be the first time? The Kradnak and the ETD are quite similar in some respects.” Lieutenant General dee Veyra explained. “ One is a vehicle designed to transport transhumans, and the other is a device that is designed to transport transhumans.”

  “A lot of transportation vessels share similar characteristics. I wonder if these two are closer than we think?” Lieutenant General Armitage asked.

  Lieutenant General dee Veyra replied. “Well, I should find out if I can find a way to revert his edit or even change the code back to its original form.” She swiped her hand and tapped on “Last Edits by User” and tried to find where General Deschner edited the code for the ETD

  “That would be wise. That’s probably why it wasn’t working when I walked down here, huh?”

  “It is possible. Like I mentioned before, the ETD did work, and today it isn’t, and this so happens to be the only thing different.”

  “Do you think that General Deschner edited the code that allowed teleportation to happen? Or maybe he edited the code that connected your pathway to the device?”

  Lieutenant General dee Veyra looked at him, confused. “You know an awful lot about data entry, Armitage.”

  “Well, what can I say? In MOD training, we had to learn all that there is to know about data entry. The smallest mistake, one character off, and the entire command line would not work.”

  “Really? I learned the same thing in TAT training...I guess our divisions aren’t so different after all, huh?”

  “They have some differences, don’t let the code fool you.” He half-smiled at her. “Trust me, we’re nothing like the SIR or the URC.” He chuckled, and she smiled.

  She smirked at him. “Okay, I think I fixed it.”

  “Oh?”

  “I found out exactly what General Deschner changed, and I reverted it back to a previous file state. I increased the weight that it could teleport before, so let’s see if it works.” She pointed at the chair on the ETD in front of them and opened the ETD application file. “Here goes nothing!” She tapped on a button labeled “Transport,” and then she pointed to the empty space next to her, and the ETD slowly started to emit a bright white around the base of it. Then the light slowly raised to the height of the chair and became brighter. The chair was engulfed in the light, and in a flash, the chair was gone. The Lieutenant Generals looked to where Lieutenant General dee Veyra pointed at and noticed that the chair was there. Exactly where it was supposed to be.

  “It worked!” shouted Lieutenant General dee Veyra as she ran over to take a closer look at it.

  “Looks like it, and it looks the exact same as before.” Lieutenant General Armitage followed her.

  “Yes, it is the exact same. The ETD worked, Armitage!” Lieutenant General dee Veyra swiped her hand and opened the application and appeared on her INH were the words ‘Transit Complete.’ Lieutenant General dee Veyra spoke. “Well, according to the ETD application, it was successful.”

  “Good! Well, now we know exactly why it wasn’t working before, which I still can’t believe, but from the looks of it, it turned out to be true.” Lieutenant General Armitage pondered.

  “Yeah, I still cannot believe why General Deschner would edit the code for the ETD, but now we know that we can transport again!”

  “You’re right.” Lieutenant General Armitage squatted down and looked at the chair through the glass and stood back up slowly. “So, let me get this straight... there only has to be one ETD to teleport objects… is that correct?”

  “Well, yes, that is correct. But inside of the application, you have to route where the object will go.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Lieutenant General Armitage.

  “Well, for instance, say I wanted to transport something on Nuwurth...say the Yuskalla Islands, for example, I would have to figure out exactly where I would send it and then input that location into the application and then its teleported.”

  “That doesn’t sound complicated at all.” Lieutenant General Armitage replied. “The ETD is only a one-way device, though?”

  “Well, no, it really isn’t complicated at all. I mean, technology these days make everything easier and more accessible, but when the code is wrong, everything doesn’t work...as you witnessed yourself.” Lieutenant General dee Veyra explained. “And yes, as of right now, the ETD is one-way.”

  “Is there any chance of making it two-way for easier transport?” Lieutenant General Armitage asked. “The reason why I bring that idea up is that what if, for instance, we used the ETD to teleport something to another planet like Snakardekus or Varenok?”

  Lieutenant General dee Veyra looked at him, puzzled. “Well, that is intergalactic travel, and we already have light-speed as our main source of travel. Why do you ask, Armitage?”

  “Well, I thought that since the Major Generals are on this mission, maybe we could transport supplies to them?”

  “That might be possible, but it’ll take a lot of work.” Lieutenant General dee Veyra explained.

  “So, you’re saying we would need the ETD to be bigger?”

  “Well...” Lieutenant General dee Veyra moved her hand and tapped her forefinger to her lips three times, then stopped. “We would need a bigger ETD, a much bigger one depending on what you would want to transport. If it is a transhuman well, it wouldn’t have to be that much bigger, but if it were the Kradnak, then yes, we would have to make the ETD much bigger.”

  “Is it possible?”

  “Of course, it is! We would need supplies to create a much bigger ETD, though.”

  Lieutenant General Armitage looked at the ETD then at Lieutenant General dee Veyra. “Do you think it is possible if we built an ETD and teleported one at the same time?”

  Lieutenant General dee Veyra looked concerned. “What do you mean?”

  “Okay, so hypothetically we build another ETD, yes?”

  She nodded her head.

  “If we were able to teleport someone holding the ETD or even placing one on top of another and teleporting it, is it possible that we could have a two-way connection then?”

  “You know, that could be possible...I didn’t think about that.”

  “How else would you get back then, dee Veyra?” He chuckled, “I’m just saying, why make it a one-way trip?”

  “You’ve got a point there, Armitage. See you can help with the ETD after all.”

  “I’m just trying to think ahead is all, it’s nothing really.”

  “I guess those rumors were true then.”

  “What rumors?” he looked confused.

  “Oh, just I heard around that you actually care about your fellow transhuman.”

  “Of course, I care for the transhuman race! I want the best for us, don’t you?”

  Lieutenant General dee Veyra walked close to him as she shook her head and moved her hands on his shoulders, facing him. “Armitage, I don’t care for transhumans at all. We’re an evolving species, and yet somehow, we manage to progress better than previous transhumans. We’re genetically engineered to be the best “model” until new technology comes along that makes those ones the best. Do you not understand? What we do today makes a little impact on how the future turns out tomorrow.”

  His eyebrows furrowed, and his mouth became small; he shook his head and could not believe what he was hearing. Did she actually just say that? He walked back a few feet, and her hands moved off of his shoulders to her sides. “Wait, what?” he asked, confused.

  “I’m sure you thought of me otherwise, much like yourself perhaps, but Armitage, we won’t live forever, and if we did, would you actually want to? Think about it for a moment.

  Each new generation of transhuman becomes smarter, faster, stronger, more resilient to various diseases and illnesses. We are modified to combat the outside environments. What’s next? Some sort of hivem
ind thought process? I mean, we’re on our way to there now with our INH’s to be able to track how each other’s bodies are working.”

  Lieutenant General dee Veyra swiped her hand and looked at Lieutenant General Armitage, she noticed his heart rate was elevated, and he was becoming upset. “Look, I just scanned you, and I know exactly how you feel, do you want to see what else transhumans can do in the future? Do you really want to live that long to see what you worked on tirelessly vanish in an instant?”

  “If you truly believe all of that, then why even work on something when you know that in the end, it will no longer be in use?” Lieutenant General Armitage asked.

  “Don’t you get it? It’s the natural cycle of life. You live and work and help make a better life for the future until you can’t work anymore. Then, a younger transhuman comes along and adds onto your accomplishments and makes it more efficient then the same thing happens over and over until we either don’t progress in transhumanism anymore or some sort of catastrophic event happens, and we’re back to where we started.” Lieutenant General dee Veyra explained.

  He shook his head and walked backward a few more steps and waved his hands back and forth. “No, no. That just isn’t true, dee Veyra. Why do you believe this?”

  “Because it’s the truth, Armitage. It took me a while to finally come to terms with it, but that’s our life. Our ancestors back on Earth believed the same thing.” Lieutenant General dee Veyra continued, “I mean, look at them the stories we know is that they lived similar lives as we did, but they had to flee Earth because they progressed too far too fast.”

  “What? No way! They wanted a better life for their fellow men and wanted to help each other. They didn’t have the mindset that you do!” Lieutenant General Armitage shouted.

  “I was like you Armitage thinking that at one point in my life, but it’s okay sooner or later you’ll find out the truth.”

  “What truth is that dee Veyra? That our lives are meaningless?”

  “Yes, everything is meaningless. Right now, the transhumans depend on us, a thousand years from now, there will be stories about us explaining what we did for the transhuman race if we didn’t even exist.”

  “So, you’re saying that the transhumans down there on Nuwurth are useless?” Lieutenant General Armitage asked.

  “No. The transhumans have use. Who else would be capable of making sure that Nuwurth continued to function? We couldn’t, Armitage. We have bigger responsibilities to focus on.”

  “What if the roles were reversed and you were down there, and someone else was up here instead of you, would you still have this same mindset?”

  “Of course.” Lieutenant General dee Veyra stated.

  “Wait, what?”

  “Of course. I would believe it because that is life, and this life is the only chance that I have to be elected Lieutenant General. In a moment, it could all change, but that is life. Our whole lives are based on what-ifs, and those what-ifs propel us in life to help keep us going.”

  “I can’t believe what I hear right now.” He shook his head and looked around him. “Look, I got to go. It was eye-opening to help you with the ETD, but I think I just need to get some air.” He started to slowly back up.

  Lieutenant General dee Veyra smiled slowly. “Of course, thank you, Armitage, for helping me with the ETD I don’t think I’ll need your help anymore. In fact, you’ve been a great help, and I think you’ve learned a thing or two today.”

  “I wouldn’t count on that. Just let me know how well the ETD performs and functions.” He turned around and started walking towards the staircase then slightly turned to speak. “Just call me when there’s more to show me.”

  “You got it, Armitage, take care.” She smiled and waved at him as he left.

  He walked up the staircase to the docking bay and headed towards his room. I still cannot believe that dee Veyra thinks like that. I don’t understand that. I can’t understand that. It’s a selfish way to think. First, General Deschner wants to send the Major Generals on a suicide mission, and next Lieutenant General dee Veyra believes that our lives are meaningless. What is going on?

  He shook his head. How could I have forgotten? I need to call the Major Generals still. I’ll do it tomorrow!

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Major Generals Lokhorst and Brentari continued to walk as they headed towards the Frochen Kingdom. They noticed how dark it was on Varenok’s ocean floor and how there wasn’t any sort of ocean life around them, it was eerie and still. The only thing around them was the translucent-like substance that the Froach mentioned, which was the only way into the Frochen Kingdom.

  “What is that?” asked Major General Lokhorst as she pointed straight ahead of them.

  “It looks bright in there, but what is this thing that is blocking the view?”

  “It looks like some sort of bubble, maybe? Major General Lokhorst asked.

  “I think so. Maybe we can walk in it?” Major General Brentari wondered. “I mean, how else are we supposed to enter the Frochen Kingdom?”

  “Wouldn’t hurt to try?” Major General Brentari asked. “I wonder if that might hurt us, but then these OBA’s have been helpful to us. Maybe we can press our luck one more time?”

  “Well, let’s hope not.”

  “Good. Let’s go then. I don’t want to stand out here anymore.” Major General Brentari stated.

  They walked closer to the bubble until they were close enough to reach it.

  “It’s now or never, Lokhorst.”

  They slowly moved their arms forward and stuck out their hands slowly, and their fingertips slowly pierced through the bubble. Then they wiggled their fingers inside of the bubble.

  “Do you feel anything?” asked Major General Lokhorst.

  Major General Brentari shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

  They reached inside, slowly moving their hand inside of it, then moved their arm inside the bubble. Major Generals Brentari and Lokhorst were standing with both arms inside of it, looking at one another.

  “I’m curious if this can harm us in any way.”

  “Unfortunately, only one way to find out.”

  The Major Generals slowly walked inside of the bubble, and the hole around them became wider. It soon engulfed them as they stepped inside and reverted back to its original shape.

  “You hear that?”

  “No, what?” asked Major General Brentari.

  “Complete silence. That’s strange, isn’t it?”

  “I-I don’t think so.” Major General Brentari remarked.

  “How long are we supposed to stay in here?” asked Major General Lokhorst.

  “I don’t think there’s a specific time limit. I think it is just a pressurized or some sort of decontamination chamber... I think we can just walk through it and be fine.”

  “Well, your guess is as good as mine.”

  The Major Generals walked inside of the bubble. Around the bubble, it appeared as if it was placed in between something dark, to keep it from entering. As they walked closer towards the end of it, the lights had become brighter.

  “You know, Lokhorst, if this is real, that means the Frochen is real!” Major General Brentari exclaimed.

  Major General Lokhorst turned and looked at her, confused. “Were you not paying attention? We already met Frochen.”

  “Well yeah, of course, we met the Froach, but not the Frochen, technically. I want to see the Kingdom and meet the Frochen King or Queen, too!”

  “King or Queen? What do you mean?”

  “Well, a Kingdom has to have royalty, right? Don’t you think a King or Queen lives there?” Major General Brentari continued, “The Froach said that there were three tribes in the past and one was the Frochen Kingdom… which means they have to have a ruler, don’t you think?”

  “Let’s hope you’re right.” Major General Lokhorst replied, “Maybe they can be useful to our mission.”

  The Major Generals walked closer to the end of the bubble and
looked at one another; then, they slowly walked through it and stepped onto the other side. They stepped on a marble pathway that led all the way up to a rusted malachite green door, which was guarded by Frochen, which was hard to tell from the distance what they looked like. The walls surrounding them were a deep blue that was synonymous with the vastness of the ocean. On each side of the pathway had five pillars made out of marble and limestone, which towered over the Major Generals. On top of each pillar was a Frochen standing on the pillars that the Major Generals could barely see them. The Major Generals sauntered up the marble pathway and looked all around them and walked towards the group of Frochen standing in between them and the door.