Dregan heard the old intercom crackle to life as the Librarian gave orders for security to assist the technicians maintaining the Archive, to open the seed vaults, and prepare for an evacuation of the station. At the same time, via the link in his brain that connected him to the data network, the ship, and Angel, Dregan could hear something like static and a high speed code being transmitted. "Aeolus," Dregan said, "What is that code?"
"Security in the fore quarters of the building are being ordered to seize me. They will not succeed. Remain on the level below, as per my captain's direction. She is coming to meet you."
"You are a research class vessel, Aeolus," Dregan thought, slipping into a darkened doorway to hide from security officers moving past him, "How are you going to hold off an army?"
"Plasma thrusters to forward position. Maeson, you're on my six. Once we breech the building, we're going to take over the data network and bring the Librarian to his knees. Dregan, hold on level two beneath the primary atrium. Be ready for a second wave of forces. I want you to tell me if they're bringing the goods or not." Angel's voice sounded in his head, "Observe and hold position unless they're about to drop you."
Dregan pushed the door at his back open and stepped into the room, allowing it to swing shut partially. As he watched the Librarian came striding down the hallway with a young child in his arms. The child said to the Librarian, "But, Father, I do not want to die." The Librarian set the child down in the center of the lower atrium. He looked around the room at the different hallways leading off to different parts of the complex.
"You were born to die," the Librarian said, "As are we all for the greater good of humanity." Dregan turned and looked around the room. Finding a chef's knife in the tiny space that served as a kitchenette for the security officer quartered there, Dregan picked it up and slid back to the doorway to watch. The Librarian took out their own knife and looked about again. "I know you're here somewhere, Dregan," the Librarian called, "Come out or I start with this one first."
Dregan opened the door as the Librarian's black velvet clad back was to him. Dregan darted forward, holding the chef's knife in his right hand and reaching out with his left as he rushed past the Librarian with terrific speed. Before the Librarian could do anything, Dregan had grabbed up the toddler clone and rushed into a room on the opposite side of the atrium. Dregan set the clone down on the floor. "Hide," Dregan said, "I'll deal with him. You're not going to die today."
The Librarian's footsteps echoed in the room with the arched ceiling and elaborate murals. "Dregan," the Librarian said, "You're not going on that ship." Dregan looked around the room and spotted a filet knife in a sink waiting to be washed. Dregan took it up and held both knives along his forearms in a reversed grip. "You may be a brawler, Dregan," the Librarian said, "But I know hundreds of knife work techniques in an array of historical cultures. I'm going to carve you to pieces. I've been waiting for this day for a long time."
Dregan stepped out of the doorway of the officer's quarters. As he did so, the door slowly swung shut behind him. "You talk too much," Dregan said as he began to pace around the Librarian.
"And you don't talk enough," the Librarian answered, "I have tried for thirty years to get you to give me the key to synchronization sickness. You are the only one who has survived it. I will carve open your head and inspect your link. I will upload the data into the core system and I will learn what ..."
Dregan darted forward and brought his left knife into play. The Librarian blocked it with his own knife as Dregan's right knife buried itself into the Librarian's guts. The Librarian looked shocked. Dregan's knife ripped upwards until it hit the sternum. Then Dregan angled the knife into the Librarian's chest and through his heart. As the Librarian sank to his knees, he said weakly, "That's not cloak and dagger technique."
"Aeolus, hack the Librarian's link again and upload all usable data," Dregan said.
"That will require uploading his entire consciousness," Aeolus said.
"Surely there's a data stack he can be dumped into storage in," Dregan said as the noise of fighting filtered down from above.
Aeolus didn't reply. The ship began the data upload even as the first shot with the plasma thruster was fired. The blast doors of the upper atrium were scorched but seemed still impenetrable. The Librarian's last thought before the data transfer was complete was terror and the sensations of indescribable pain as he was ripped from his dying body. "Data transfer complete. Data is stable and the personality is intact. The Librarian is now in stasis," Aeolus said, "Incoming forces on your level. Processing. The majority are not hostile. The hostile forces against you number sixteen."
"Spec-fucking-tacular," Dregan muttered. The toddler clone opened the door and looked at the body of the Librarian at Dregan's feet. They then looked up at Dregan.
"Are you Father now?" the child asked.
"Sure, why not." Dregan said. The child sat down, closed their eyes and concentrated. Through the neural-linked data network of the clones, the child sent them the image of the Librarian's corpse and Dregan with the message that Dregan was now Father to the clones.
"Father, should my brothers and sisters continue to try to take the ship?" the child asked.
"No, the should stand down and assist in the rescue mission. Have them open the blast doors before they're turned into slag."
Aeolus and Angel, by virtue of their synchronized link with Dregan's mind could hear this conversation. Aeolus rotated the plasma thrusters back into their usual position. Angel continued walking down the gangplank with Maeson at her back. "Get ready, we're going to see how loyal these clones are to Father," Angel said. The blast doors of the main entrance of the seed vault complex opened. The armed clones stepped back and formed a corridor down the center of the space to the elevator down to the second level. Maeson felt sweat trickle down his back as the red haired man hoped that no one had an itchy trigger finger.
"Come upstairs, lover-boy," Angel said. Dregan took the toddler by the hand and helped them to their feet. They walked to the elevator and pushed the call button. The doors hissed open and they stepped in. When the elevator doors opened, Dregan's breath caught in his throat. She looked older. Her inky black hair now had streaks of grey and there were a few wrinkles on her face, but it was Angel. Dregan let go of the child's hand and rushed forward opening his arms.
Maeson brought up his rifle but Angel dropped her weapon. She let herself be caught up in Dregan's ferocious embrace. As he buried his face in the hollow where her neck met her shoulder, he gave a single body wracking sob. "I thought they killed you," he whispered.
"Funny," she answered in a choked voice, "I thought the same. I went off world after the company scrambled my brain. Aeolus unscrambled it." Maeson looked around, visibly uncomfortable. He coughed and muttered something about the damned cold. "Shut up Maeson, let me have my moment," Angel muttered back at him. Dregan gave a bark of laughter and straightened, still holding Angel close to him. He reached up and touched her grey hair.
"Silver looks good on you," he murmured.
"Father, where do we put the seeds? Where do we put the food and clothes?" the child clone at his side asked, tugging on the hem of his shirt. Dregan looked down at the clone with eyes like his and sighed. He let go of Angel and stooped to pick up the toddler who spoke like an older child.
"Creche?" Angel asked. The child looked at her.
"I can run five hundred simulations of the Creche in my pod," the child said. Angel paled slightly. Things earthside were far worse than she had thought. "Will we be bringing the pods?"
Aeolus's voice came through the speakers of the intercom system and the neural-links of all cybernetically enhanced units. "The Creche is not in my system and the sleeping pods are not linked into my system. Once we go starside, you will be free to decide if you wish to remain linked. The neural-link system you have depends on the satellites. Education will be provided as requested about the neural-link systems and their functions. At this time, please begin loading the hold with goods."
~ Fin ~
This serial story was a fun ride into science fiction. It holds a couple of clues as to the scifi project that I have sitting on the back burner. The origins of this story go back to 1998 when I was bored in Calculus class. The neural-link concept dates to then. Sorry, Mr. Musk, but I've got dated paper records on this project and a list of people who can attest to it.
No comments:
Post a Comment