Return protocol, p.12
Return Protocol, page 12
“Analysing…that is Science Officer Xxar, and not a ghost copy but powered.”
“Would you like it? If it helps?”
“My duty is to all Haven; I should rebirth him as is my obligation. If you place the plaque in the slot on the dais, I can begin the process.”
Yasque breathed a sigh of relief, slotting Xxar’s blue square of metal in the dais.
I will have this ship and its technology in no time.
Chapter 29
Mountains of Zezzat, Havenhome
Zuri sat with her torso squeezed between two low snow-covered rocks, thankful for her armour keeping her dry but beginning to feel the cold as her shredded jacket was next to useless. She had reached the snipers nest on the right-hand side, with a view of the opposite encamped pair who were playing hide and seek with Noah and Finn about two hundred yards behind her. Smith got a handle on their thermal movements, warning each of the pair when and how they were going to fire.
Another few minutes of that and they’ll think we’re ghosts.
Zuri brought up her sight, switching to thermal as her best option.
Sorry, but it’s me and mine, or you. I choose us.
Zuri repeated the three-round burst into each of the snipers, then the armour-piercing round to the top to seal them in. She took no pleasure in it, it was necessary. That left the artillery positions on that side, the first of which Noah felt was down to half the firing team after his sniper attempts earlier in the combat. Just catching their thermal signatures Zuri noted they were moving, and fast, away from the enormous gun. The barrel was hot, back on visual it was clear the barrel had failed, a symptom of not taking enough time between shells. Both headed for the stone-built barracks and thus more trouble for them later. Zuri tracked and fired, taking one down with an energy bolt whilst the other made it past the corner and out of her line of sight.
“Sniper nest taken out, front left artillery out of action. Think you can come on down boys, no more fairground duck shoot for you.” Zuri continued to watch the barracks, examining the fortifications that surrounded it. They joined on to the Data Storage front walls, a contrast in time with the rough-hewn modern walls juxtaposed against smooth ancient history. Behind those walls they would have assumed they could hold out an entire army.
But not three Earth soldiers with our ultra-modern weapons. They will be edgy, that makes them unpredictable.
The entrance area to their target was behind the barracks, it meant they couldn’t leave any one behind them and would have to clear out the entire building. If they could leave any alive they would, but the layout made it significantly harder. And there was still that missing sniper, hopefully he joined the others and was already out of action.
“Good job, Zuri. But next time you get to be the bait,” said Smith as Finn slotted next to her.
“I’ll remember that, Smith. Just when I need it most.”
“Any more movement? What you got Smith?”
“Nothing through the stone, the odd glimpse out of the barracks but too unpredictable for any pot shots. There are a few behind those walls, but they’ve put viewing slots in the walls to keep their heads down. With the AW50 we could have taken out one or two before they changed their ways, possible even with your rifles, but it’s tricky and you would have to be in line of sight.”
“Right, how long until dusk?”
“Ah, like your thinking. About an hour, not enough time for Noah to get back and recharge but enough time so we have night cover and a few flashbangs to play with. Think my mastery of tactics is rubbing off on you, Finn.”
“Don’t answer him, Finn,” Zuri jumped in, “you’ll only encourage him some more. Are you thinking something sneaky, spectacular or both? Right now they are under pressure and not sure what’s coming next, it might be we can get a few to surrender.”
“Or faced with aliens with superior firepower they may think all hope is lost and die fighting. Can’t second guess them, I remember our fear and anxiety when aliens came calling.” Zuri nodded.
Chapter 30
Sanctuary Underground City, Havenhome
“Override algorithm engaged, welcome to the crew Science Officer Xxar. How may I be of service?”
“Explain who these people are. They seem… diminished,” commanded Xxar.
“I am not sure, the one on the right is Master Yasque, I think he is a leader in Sanctuary currently though how that can possibly be I do not know. The female is Bhkrin, his advisor. They woke me from hibernation shutdown, though I have not ascertained how long that has been. May I enquire what your last memories are Science Officer Xxar?”
“No, you may not.” Xxar’s hologram emphasised the response with a look of complete disdain. “Start the rebirth process at once, I want a body within two days. Then prep another within the normal full time period, around a week if you can manage that. I assume you have not made these crew?” Master Yasque stared at the light image dishing out orders in front of him, it was clearly a Haven male and with an arrogance that was overpowering. Bhkrin studied the hologram carefully, a calculating look that Yasque missed as events overtook him.
“No, I have not,” replied the AI.
“And don’t, nor anyone else without my approval. Understand? Immediate scan of where we are. I hate not having implants, remember those will need prepping too.”
“Completed visual and radar, radio wavelengths established. Do you wish chemical analysis of the atmosphere?”
“Of course.”
Master Yasque made to get up, Bhkrin stayed stock still wary of everything and looking to fade in the background until an opportunity arose.
“Sit down!” ordered Xxar. Yasque remained standing, turning towards the door.
“I think I need to leave; you are clearly in charge in here, but I am in command out there. I must speak to my—”
“Chair and belt,” ordered Xxar, the AI responding at once.
“You were in charge, but now I am here. Report ship.”
“We are in the hanger at Sanctuary, where I touched down for the Haven Convention debate called by the Restoration. There are eight other ships around us, four are full Explorer ships the others shuttles from the Orbital Station. All are in shutdown. The hanger door is open, with rubble beyond which appears slagged, the heat signature would reflect a debris energy cannon from another ship. Ground radar is picking up multiple tunnels, far more than there used to be. Chemical analysis shows a significantly increased level of pollution inside the hanger, but a lot less within the air seeping through the hanger door. However, the bacterial and viral analysis is… well its of human origin. I am scrubbing the internals of the ship as we speak.”
For the first time since his appearance Xxar stood silently, trying to make sense of what he’s being told.
“You,” Xxar pointed to Bhkrin as he spoke. “You have the sense to stay quiet. Explain.”
“Long or short version?” Bhkrin offered.
“Short, I can go over detail when I have more time and a body.”
“This ship arrived here thirty-three thousand years ago. The Restoration killed all the scientists, though how has been lost. It was thought some escaped to the Orbital World above. Soon after came the Fall, a human made soup of microorganisms that spread across the world like lightening killing billions. The survivors now live underground, in Sanctuary. The Orbital world recently burned from the sky, soon after a Haven hologram visited us in a ship like this and gifted your plaque, we assumed it didn’t want to breathe our atmosphere.” Bhkrin eyed Xxar, knowing this was her chance, “The previous Master awoke another ship, but it was taken by a traitor, I rescued you from that ship and we sit here now.”
“Concise. At least we have someone with some recognition of importance. Analysis ship?”
“It would tie in with what my sensors tell me.”
“Then we need to do something about it. Lucky for you Master Yasque I am here to relieve you of the burden of leadership.” Xxar paused, thinking, then said, “How long to construct a sensor drone?”
“About an hour if the range is within a thousand yards,” answered the AI.
“Good. I will release you when its ready, Yasque, into the care of my new liaison in an hour, Advisor Bhkrin here, who will inform me of everything you do or say that my drone doesn’t pick up. All that secret signal and the political crap that you will try as you desperately attempt to hang on to power with the tips of your claws. And if you do, I will have those claws removed one by one. You are to prepare your people for my rebirth, Master Yasque.”
Chapter 31
Mountains of Zezzat, Havenhome
Finn was feeling just a little insecure with his plan. Smith checked the base of the fortifications with the radar as best he could, with thermal agreeing there was no activity down there. Finn just wished he could sense for any landmines, but that was an upgrade to look for next time. Assuming there was a next time.
Looking through his sight he picked out images of soldiers passing by the slits in the wall, they were clearly not risking taking full watches because of their new found vulnerability. On his mark, Noah would send flashbangs over the wall, utilising his extra armour power to keep a distance of fifty feet after practising with a stone of similar weight. Zuri waited near Noah, she was going to launch a hooked rope to the top of the wall and scramble up, again using the armour to briefly increase her strength and speed in the increased gravity. Once secured, Finn would follow, though his first job was to start the whole thing by targeting through the view holes with armour-piercing rounds, hoping to bring the soldiers out of their barracks to be greeted by Noah’s flashbangs.
This had better work, and next time maybe tackle someone with less time to prepare.
Finn sighted, using night vision mode he let an energy bolt fly followed by the armour-piercing round. The bolt struck something, though he couldn’t be sure he hit a guard. The armour-piercing bolt did its job though, smashing into the barrack’s wall behind and doing its melting and drilling thing before exploding. Finn re-sighted and fired again, this time through a second hole letting the shell do its job the other side of the wall.
“They’re shouting, multiple voices,” said Smith now attuned to the lower frequencies they used, “Eight voices all outside.”
“Go Noah.” Finn knew where to look as the first flashbang flew over the wall, quickly followed by two more at differing angles. Looking away as the multiple flashes broke the night he powered towards where Zuri should be climbing the wall. By the time he was at the base, Zuri’s energy bolts were sizzling the air.
“Low pitched howls, she’s on target.”
Finn grabbed the rope, at first resisting the temptation to add a little juice but soon realising it was necessary.
That’s going to reduce my armour time later.
As he hit the top, Zuri was hurling bolts at a group of soldiers sheltering behind a wooden table they’d upended. Their return fire was random, clearly suffering from the flashbang and completely disorientated. Finn slammed a shell into it and as the table exploded Zuri finished them.
No risks, sorry.
“Catch 22, Finn. We can’t speak their language and they can’t speak ours. No way we can get any to surrender,” said Zuri sensing Finn’s mood. “No choice.”
“Not now. But if we get in this position again we need to find a way. We can’t go on killing when communicating properly might reduce casualties. You want a mission, Smith? Learn some of their language and Khoisan for that matter.”
“If we live,” said Zuri, “I’ll teach you some Swahili.”
“Deal, if you teach me to swear that is. Sensors clear in the yard, can’t see under us but bouncing radar echoes off that barracks wall is just bringing up bodies on the floor. Whoever’s left are in those barracks.”
Only one barred window in the barracks wall faced them, but taking no chances they pulled up Noah before dropping the rope the other side. With Finn watching the window, Zuri went down first, then Noah and lastly Finn. There was no movement, scanning the yard Finn could see only simple pistols and swords, none of the sniper rifles were present. But all could kill, and with Zuri and Noah’s armour partially compromised their vulnerabilities were higher. He picked up one handgun, checking its action over. Five rounds in a cylinder with a pullback trigger. Not automatic, but solid and reliable. He knew Noah would have no stomach for acquiring the weapons from the dead, but Finn had no issues when survival was on the line. He gathered up three serviceable handguns with fifteen rounds each, handing one over to Noah he quickly showed him the action and made sure he had thirty of the rounds.
Having already agreed their tactics for the barracks, they slipped around the rear wall to check for a backdoor. It was there, forcing them to split the team. Finn took front, the tighter space and the most likely direction they would run. Noah readied the flashbangs with his back to the barracks wall whilst Zuri prepped to split the door with an armour-piercing round from further back. As she raised the weapon, the door swung open with the doorway empty.
“There are two voices, low and slow,” said Smith, with Zuri feeling the tingle of low-frequency sound just at the edge of her hearing.
Two handguns exited the door, followed by a couple of swords. Out came a Haven, a recent energy wound in his neck, hands held behind its head despite the pain. Zuri pointed her rifle at the hands, indicating they needed to be in the air. The soldier complied and was followed by another copying Zuri’s expectations. She wasn’t an expert on Haven anatomy, but they look terrified.
Good, but we do this by the numbers.
“Got two here Finn, think they are surrendering. But there could be more in there.”
“Cable tie hands and feet face down away from the door, Noah to guard. I’m coming round.” By the time he arrived Noah had restrained them both with double ties, taking in to consideration Haven strength. Zuri watched the open door; Finn approached it with Smith on full sensor scan.
“Nothing I can pick up from the doorway and bouncing stuff through. Simple layout, three rooms, one long one this side, two at front all with doors open.”
Finn got Smith to give him target locations on his visor, using his mirror sight round the edge of the doorway he contrived to throw flashbangs into each of the far rooms. Zuri followed them in, but to her relief the barracks were empty.
Chapter 32
Rare Metal Open Cast Mine, Havenhome
Ship had landed towards the northern edge of the vast grass plain that undulated for hundreds of miles across the planet’s southern temperate zone. When it was last here it had been a vast complex of auto mining robots controlled by the central AI. Little had been overseen by the Haven themselves, too busy in the surrounding towns and villages with their daily lives to worry much about work. Ship could not correspond its memory of the mine and the surrounding bustle with the barren expanse that surrounded them now. Though life was abundant with grazing herbivores and their myriad of predators, it felt empty without those it served.
On arrival dusk had been about to fall, but Ship had dropped the nanobot constructed digging equipment to start their journey through the layers of deposited soil and rubble. The palladium and other rare metals were there, it would just take longer than anticipated. Ship mulled over the sensor information coming in about Havenhome, the planet so different to the overcrowded mess it remembered. Zzind’s account of humans infecting Havenhome was blatantly not true, none of the human seeded planets had anything but basic tools at that time. The scientists took humans from Earth and seeded them on a wide variety of planets they wanted to colonise for themselves. Each batch of humans had been genetically altered to process the bacteria and viruses present to ones the Haven could tolerate. Their earlier attempt to colonise a planet, Stratan, had led to an aggressive viral strain escaping on Havenhome itself after the return of an AI Explorer ship, millions had died.
The Convention declared no more scientists could be put at risk after that event, leading to a second long-term attempt using the genetically altered humans as tools. The early success led to multiple planets being seeded, with Houses left to monitor the atmosphere and the humans. If the microorganism balance was right, the protocols would trigger the SeedShip to make itself known with the promise of alien technology. The plan was for the AI to return to the newly built safety of the Orbital Station with samples of the local human population.
Ship did not have access to every seeded world’s virus and bacterial mix, its mission had been to seed a new planet, Harsmead, from which it had only just returned. But despite this it knew Zzind’s information was wrong, probably as a consequence of thousands of years of opinion and interpretation. The Haven Convention meant Ship was a non-suggestive system, it could only inform Zzind of what she needed to know if asked or it applied to another request. Ignorance matching the arrogance that led to the hobbling of the AIs in the first place.
“Ship, are we able to identify where the human controlled spaceship went?”
“The ship’s signals show it has landed somewhere near Mount Zezzat, as you told me was their intent.”
“Are you able to stop them, you know, use those cannons of yours?”
“No, all AIs, as you know, are restricted from harming any Haven people. If there is one aboard, and from your information there is, then I cannot. Plus, the cannons are not designed for ship-to-ship battle.”
“Then what do we do now? I cannot return to Sanctuary and we have no way to stop the humans from whatever they plan to do to us. I feel impotent.” Zzind held her stomach, still feeling sick with the thought of human bacteria crawling insider her.
“Refuel and restock. Then decide.”
Chapter 33
