Birth Of A Goddess Page 4

  Polk found an equipment closet and entered. Everything had been shut down, although there was one station subsystem beginning a restart process.

  ::Unable to find any event logs or operational station AIs,:: Tia4 reported.

  ::What about this subsystem restarting? Why is this still functioning?:: ::Checking--Subsystem AI is about to go back on line.::

  ::Looks like this operates the station positioning gyros and navigation-hazard lights.::

  ::I am Gyro-Nav44-10,:: the systems’ AI reported, after noticing a connection attempt by Tia4.

  ::What happened here?::Polk asked.

  ::I received a malfunction code, and proceeded with recovery protocols,::Gryo-Nav44-10 replied.

  ::I understand, but I was talking about the station, what happened to the station?:: Polk tried again.

  ::My station sensors are not indicating any issues with the station,::Gryo-Nav44-10 answered with a tone of worry. ::If there is a problem, my malfunction code recovery protocols may have failed. Shall I begin a second recovery?::

  ::No, no, no--I believe your recovery is fine. Where did all the people on the station go?::

  ::Checking logs--I must be in error, there are no logged events to establish a cohesive answer to that query.::

  ::Okay, what logs do you have?::

  ::Checking--I have a complete inventory of logs leading up to my malfunction code.::

  ::Great, when was that?::

  ::Checking--malfunction code time, 22:35:43 12.19.15683. If chronological backup system has not malfunctioned, that would be 44 hours, 22 minutes 15 seconds ago.::

  Tia4 pulled up the case report internally, and Polk checked the reported time of the anomaly--the time-line matched.

  ::What was happening just prior to your error?:: Polk asked.

  ::Standard logging of station systems positioning status. Orbital position checked and verified. Navigation and hazard lighting scheme set--normal,::Gyro-Nav44-10 recounted. ::Unscheduled inbound traffic position transferred from general station proximity sensor array. Significant gravitational disturbance. Station positioning adjusted to compensate.::

  ::Unscheduled traffic?::

  ::Yes. To clarify; traffic that was not on the current schedule,::Gyro-Nav44-10 restated.

  ::I understand. Large enough traffic to cause a station position change?::

  ::One Class A stretched super freighter, three Class C freighters and two Class D shuttles arrived at once, causing significant gravitational shift on the station to require adjustment. I was completing the adjustments to compensate, when I received the error code. I

  immediately began my diagnostics and recovery routine,:: Gyro-Nav44-10 explained.

  : :Are there any traces of freighter traffic?:: Polk directed to Tia4.

  ::Checking through station systems.::

  ::Are my actions deemed to be the cause for the lack of personnel on the station? Am I to be terminated?:: Gyro-Nav44-10 inquired.

  Polk was caught off-guard by the question. ::What? No. You acted accordingly.::

  ::If only I had not begun diagnostics--my inappropriate actions may have caused irreparable harm and require reprogramming.::Gyro-Nav44-10 suggested.

  ::I believe your actions may have been the only thing that preserved your logs and data. All other station systems appear to have been dumped,:: Polk assured.

  ::Ion ships thruster traces found leaving the station,:: Tia4 reported.

  ::Where do they lead to?::Polk prodded.

  ::Coordinates indicate the Interstellar Gate, Delphinus Major.:: Polk took a moment to let all this new information soak in. This was a significant piece of information.

  ::Ensign Polk--Officer Mica!::

  ::Go Mica,::Polk answered.

  ::Transmitting visual.::

  ::Receiving,:: Polk replied. The data was a retinal snap of foot prints from biofluids on a large area.

  ::Significance?:: Polk requested.

  ::These foot prints all range from thirty to thirty-four centimeters long!::

  ::Confirming more foot prints of similar size,:: Nico chimed in.

  ::I found some too, on level three,:: Ked added. ::Geez--I just noticed that too--they're EVERYWHERE!:: Riel shouted across the coms. ::WHO HAS FEET THIS BIG?::

  ::Tia4, get me a direct connect to Keja--NOW!:: Polk ordered.

  *** ::Ten minutes. Six hundred seconds--an eternity when standing on a one meter-wide ledge, two thousand kilometers above a planetary power core, buffeted by the circulating wind-wash of thousands of craft flying by in a flight channel deep inside an artificial planet,::Kutch

  pondered in a dramatic tone.

  ::Stop it and pay attention,:: Alex admonished. ::The shutters of the ventilation system are about to close. I'll take the first run to the first stanchion. If I don't get sucked out by any vortex from the exhaust pressure, you'll take the next pass, while I move on to the next stanchion.::

  ::Right.:: “WAIT! WHAT? SUCKED OUT?”

  ::The exhaust pressure on this ventilation system is reported to be over three thousand KPI. That could easily cause a negative vacuum pressure between those two stanchions. That will either pull the air out of our lungs while we're waiting there for the next break, or pull us out into the flight channel,:: Alex explained.

  ::You've mentioned only two options! The first one is bad, the other one is worse!::

  ::The odds of success for this procedure to pass this ventilation system are--::

  ::He doesn't want to know,:: Alex interrupted her logistics AI.

  ::YES--I DO!::

  ::No--you don't.::

  ::Yes--::

  ::NO! I'll go first. YOU--follow on the next stop cycle,:: Alex pressed, but could see doubt in Kutch's eyes. ::If you don't follow on the next stop cycle--I will NOT come back for you!::

  Kutch scowled. ::You won't?::

  ::No.::

  ::Sure you will. You wouldn't leave me here!:: ::Yes I would leave you here, if you don't follow my

  instructions.::

  ::I don't believe--::

  ::BELIEVE ME! If I have to come back, it will be to

  throw you off this ledge myself!:: Kutch scowled again. ::Sometimes--I don't think I know you--really.::

  ::The shutters are closing, I'm going.::Alex crawled around the last stanchion just as the shutter closed and the rush of air stopped.

  ::Then I'm going too!::Kutch crawled around the stanchion and followed close behind Alex. ::No--just wait!::She waved him off, moving quickly across the face of the first ventilation shutters. She didn't look behind again until she had reached the first double stanchions. Kutch was about fifteen meters behind. Alex checked the time; there were only a few seconds left before...

  Kutch could feel the familiar vibration. He looked up from the ledge he had been concentrating on so deeply during his fast-paced crossing, as saw the panic on Alex’s face.

  “RUN!” she screamed.

  Adrenaline flooded Kutch's body, and he forgot about the narrow ledge and ran full force, focused solely on Alex reaching around from the other side of the stanchion. The ventilation shutter began to open and the first rush of air knocked Kutch's feet out from under him just as they locked arms. She was able to pull Kutch around and between the two large stanchions. A vortex formed from the large volume of high-pressure air and pulled at their long coats. Alex held on tight and used her PPD tool to wedge them between the stanchions.

  “YOU'RE CRAZY. I TOLD YOU TO--” Alex shouted over the sound of the rushing wind storm.

  “I wasn't going let you go without me,” Kutch interrupted.

  “What if we die out here because of this vacuum!”

  “Then we go together!”

  “WELL--”

  “Well what?”

  “Well--that wasn't the plan.”

  “It is now.” Kutch forced a grin, still shaking from all the adrenaline pumping through his body.

  Alex turned away shaking her head. ::Crazy--::

  *** Keja compiled the avail
able data from the security team on the Delphinus Prime Station, forming a new data sphere in the middle of his working quarters.

  ::Xria, please create a cross reference sphere,:: Keja requested. ::Include related information regarding missing craft.:: ::Cross reference created.::

  ::Overlay reference information.::

  ::Matching overlay data.::

  Keja walked around and through his holographic data

  sphere. Three ships matched; the two Class D shuttles and the Class A stretched super freighter. ::I believe we have found our missing ships,:: Keja suggested. ::Not conclusive,:: Xria argued. ::Circumstantial, coincidental.::

  ::It could be coincidental, I suppose,:: Keja pondered. ::We don't have any matches for the three Class C freighters, so we are only at a fifty percent possible match on our theory.:: Keja paused, looking over the data sphere and overlay. ::Expand the search. Include all missing ships for the last--one hundred years.::

  ::Searching--no other unsolved missing ships reports filed.::

  Keja scratched at a spot on the back of his neck. Not that he had a reason, there was no itch, just an action that always seemed to help in his formulation of ideas. ::Okay, no 'unsolved' missing ship files.::

  ::That is correct.::

  ::List all 'solved' missing ships, and narrow down that search to only those fitting the classification of these ships in this report.::

  ::Searching--I have three hundred and forty-two files of solved missing ship reports involving the three ship classes reported at Delphinus Prime Station.::

  ::Analyze reports,::Keja requested.

  ::One hundred and seventy-seven cases of Class D shuttles, missing--destroyed, wreckage recovery confirmed. Seventy-five reported missing through faulty record keeping, recovery confirmed. Six Class A freighters reported missing--destroyed, wreckage recovery confirmed. Twenty-three reported missing through faulty record keeping, recovery confirmed. Thirty-five Class C freighters reported missing--destroyed, wreckage recovery confirmed. Twenty-seven reported missing through faulty record keeping, recovery confirmed.::

  ::That leaves three. What of the remaining three?:: Keja asked.

  ::Three more Class C freighters are reported missing-destroyed.::

  ::Confirmed?::

  ::No wreckage recovery confirmed.::

  ::Yet? I don't understand. How is that possible? Those cases cannot be labeled as 'solved.' What are the dates of those three?::

  ::Same date, 06.18.15,676.::

  ::Where?::

  ::Earth.::

  ::We were there--starting the evacuations of Earth humans at that time. How is this possible that I was not made aware of any missing Class C freighters? Who is the author of those reports?::

  ::Sealed.::

  ::SEALED? I know where to go to get THAT changed!::

  *** Kutch had taken lead on the last leg, and pulled Alex around the stanchion past the last segment of the large ventilation port shutters, with plenty of time before the shutters opened once more. Kutch honestly felt as though they could have taken a casual stroll on that last segment as they crossed. Getting back onto the regular ledge felt normal. After a couple thousand meters, Kutch even took the occasional moment to watch some of the passing craft out in the flight channel.

  ::I just realized something,:: Kutch offered in aimless conversation. Alex continued to pick her steps and hand-holds with care, and kept moving steady. ::You've realized you’re walking on a narrow ledge a couple thousand kilometers above a power core in an artificial planet?::

  ::I already know that! I just realized the chaos I originally saw in all those craft flying by, is actually a very intricate series of flight patterns, horizontally and vertically--::

  ::You didn't know that?:: ::I didn't realize that until just now--no,:: Kutch defended.

  ::Sometimes I wonder about you.::

  ::I wonder a lot too,::Kutch agreed. Alex shook her head and continued along the ledge. ::How much further?::

  ::About another two kilometers to reach working lifts. We'll be out of this locked down quadrant shortly.::

  Kutch looked past Alex to see what was ahead. ::Hey look, another flight deck.::

  ::There are several on this level,:: Alex noted before stepping off the ledge onto the flight deck. There were several craft on this deck.

  ::Look over there--an open top maintenance hoversled,:: Kutch pointed out. ::We should take that.::Alex stayed quiet.

  “You two,!” a man shouted out.

  ::Make sure your AI telemetry is turned off,:: Alex instructed.

  ::Off now,:: Kutch replied. He had forgotten to turn it off after they left their job. They needed it turned on to appear visually normal while on the job. Kutch gave Alex a sly look, when he realized she had forgotten too.

  The man was certain he clearly saw two people on his flight deck, but now they seemed vague or hard to see. He continued to approach anyway. “Who are you? How did you get on my flight deck?”

  “He still sees us,” Kutch said to Alex.

  “Shush,” Alex hissed.

  “Seriously?” Kutch continued. “The man knows we're here.”

  “I'm the Flight Deck Manager, please identify yourselves.”

  “Let's take the maintenance hover-sled,” Kutch suggested.

  “I don't think that would be a good idea,” Alex argued, continuing to ignore the man. The Flight Deck Manager rubbed at his eyes. He was still certain there were two people there in front of him--he could hear them clearly, if not see them as well. “I say, who are you?”

  “His AI is about to report us as an anomaly, and we'll have security here in a matter of minutes,” Alex explained. “Hover-sleds are too slow. We won't have enough time to get clear.”

  “Then do your thing--you know--the AI intrusion.”

  “He just ate,” Alex argued. The man was frustrated that he was still being ignored.

  “Oh--right.” Kutch turned back toward the man. “Can you face away, please,” Kutch asked,at least attempting to be polite.

  “What?” The man felt further confused.

  “Just face away, I don't want you getting sick on me,” Kutch explained.

  “She's about ready to send the report,” Alex warned, stepping aside. Kutch followed suit.

  “I'm warning you two! Tell me--” the man grabbed at his stomach and started to fall over. Kutch took him by the arm and guided him down to his knees as he spewed his last meal across the flight deck, narrowly missing both Kutch and Alex.

  “I hate that part,” Kutch offered almost as an apology.

  “I know, it's just part of the process,” Alex

  acknowledged.

  “Who--” the man tried once more, before continuing to empty is stomach.

  “So we can take the hover-sled now. I'll pilot. There's no AI to intrude, they're easy,” Kutch offered.

  “No way,” Alex argued.

  “I can pilot, I flew one of these exact models just four years ago, remember? The Saturn gas refinery?”

  The Flight Deck Manager looked up at the two vague people between dry heaves, still trying to figure out what was happening.

  “You crashed that hover-sled.”

  “That was a hard landing, not a crash.”

  “Crashed,” Alex argued.

  “HARD LANDING! There IS a difference!”

  “Yeah, what's the difference?” Alex demanded.

  “The craft I landed a 'little hard,' was still intact and able to fly again. Unlike the one you 'crashed' into the lighting grid--” Kutch stopped. He realized that comment might have gone a little too far.

  “That wasn't my fault,” Alex sulked.

  “I know, I'm sorry,” Kutch offered, holding a hand out to Alex.

  “What's going on?” the man managed between more dry heaves.

  “You sir, are not going to remember any of this, except that your last meal did not agree with you. You are going to not eat the--” Alex looked over at the mess. There was a mixture of orange and blue-co
lored paste products.

  “You ate those two flavors together?” Kutch asked with disgust.

  “Well now I'm not sure if you got sick because of my intrusion or what you ate! Either way, you are going to only remember not to eat those two flavors together--ever again,” Alex suggested to the man. He nodded numbingly and put his head down for more dry heaves.

  “Okay, so no hover-sled. What about one of those other craft?” Kutch suggested.

  “My tactical and logistics AIs have already located and secured a lift straight to the surface close to where Troy is waiting for us. The lift is not far from here now,” Alex explained.

  “I thought you said Troy was waiting at level 15?”

  “Logistics has reported a change of location, once more,” Alex assured.

  “More ledge?”

  “Just a little further.”

  Kutch let out a heavy sigh of retreat from his argument's position. “Okay, let's go.” Alex nodded her agreement. Kutch motioned toward the sick man on the deck.

  “He'll be fine in about an hour or so,” Alex offered.

  Kutch bent over toward the man. “Remember, no mixing the paste flavors.”

  “That's right--not good,” Alex reinforced, before leading the way to the ledge on the far side of the flight deck.

  “You know that reminds me,” Kutch lamented.

  “What?”

  “We missed our lunchbreak back at the production line.”

  “We'll stop and pick something up on the way out,” Alex suggested.

  “Sounds good,” Kutch agreed. “Just nothing blue or orange.”

  “No problem--nothing blue or orange.”

  *** The hike back to the larger of the clan's caverns took the remainder of the night. The long tunnels through the depths of the mountain ridge were lit with glowing crystals and fungus, but Novia and Li both carried crystalencrusted ceramic sticks for backup light in case an area was too dark. The ceramic sticks were a left-over technology from generations past that had been handed down. Li was amazed by the advanced ceramic technologies used by the clans, many of which she had never seen used by Corporate.