《Dead Metal》 Prelude: Tomorrows Dream NOVEMBER 5TH, 2365 The hospital air, damp and stuffy, does nothing to aid the chill that runs through those in crisis. Dr Felix Eisenmann, a title which, after today he claims only out of bureaucratic courtesy, was one such person. Despite being on the good side of Forty and favoring the results of a semi-active lifestyle, he feels the drop in temperature with a spiritual intensity, deep within in his bones. It suffocates his ears, numbing him to the external world, of the sterile hallway which he ambles through. At some point he stops in a doorway, the room inside is lit only by a dim bedside lamp. Like every other time he¡¯s looked at her in the last month, the image of their destroyed house blankets itself over his mind. It had been his fault, his damn fault, and now he was loosing everything. He moves to sit next to her, taking her relaxed hand in his. For the next hour or more, he does the only thing he can: to sit in helpless silence at his mothers bedside. Her body is frail and weak, more so than before. She wasn¡¯t his parental rock anymore, her dark hair; now a shocking white and thinned with age, only fits to cap off the person he no longer recognizes. She sighs, opening her eyes as she smiles up at him. Save for her smile, he thought. Her smile has remained to the very end. ¡°I¡¯m sorry mother.¡± Felix croaks, squeezing her limp hand in both of his, cold against his own. ¡°Why? You did everything you could.¡± She breathes, attempting to focus her washed out eyes on her son. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t¡­ I failed.¡± Felix chokes back tears, shaking his head, ¡°It¡¯s my fault the system shorted out¡­ I should have been there to save you¡­ I let you down, I let Dad down¡­¡± His head drops, shoulders shaking. ¡°Hush foolish one.¡± She rasps, ¡°Your Dad is in a better place. Don¡¯t blame yourself son, it¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s just life.¡± ¡°Life needs to fuck off,¡± He snaps, shaking his head and letting go of her hand, ¡°First it was May, then Dad. I¡¯ve tried everything to save you, but I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t do anything right in this stupid fucking world.¡± He stands and kicks his chair backwards, turning to hide the frustration in his face. ¡°It is stupid,¡± she smirks, ¡°And yet, you¡¯ve been trying to save it since you were five years-¡± ¡°I got beaten up for that Show and Tell, remember?¡± He interrupts, she ignores him. ¡°You knew even then that something needed to be done, all you can-¡± She falls into a fit of coughing. Felix grinds his teeth and wipes his brow as he paces back and forth. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. She catches her breath and continues. ¡°All you can do is your best-¡± ¡°Thats all I¡¯ve every bloody tried to do¡± he barks, rounding on her, gesturing with his hands ¡°I¡¯m sick of hearing it, I¡¯ve given them everything, my work is enough to change the world ten times over, but none of these selfish, ignorant, vice-driven apes give a damn! They¡¯d rather pour their money into getting fucked off their faces than doing anything for humanity.¡± Felix throws his hands up, turning to resume his comforting circuit of the tiny room. ¡°I take it the meeting didn¡¯t go well.¡± His mother says after a moment. ¡°No.¡± Felix mumbles, ¡°They¡¯ve used the ¡®incident¡¯ as evidence of my negligence, not only did they force me off the board but they¡¯ve retained the patents for everything I¡¯ve ever invented for them.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t do that!¡± Her words mirroring those he¡¯d said to his lawyer. ¡°You practically built that company.¡± He looks away, wishing he could keep it from her. ¡°The money they loaned me, for the medical bills¡­¡± he sighs, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a loan, I was so desperate to save you, I didn¡¯t read the contract properly.¡± He takes a moment to calm his shaking hands. ¡°They bought me out, of my work, my job, my shares in the company, everything.¡± ¡°Do you really need them?¡± she asks. ¡°If I can¡¯t change peoples minds, I can¡¯t change the world.¡± He grumbles. ¡°And who knows how long the earth can hold up against the sun. ¡°Then do that.¡± She says, He pauses in his pacing, to turn and stare at her, she continues. ¡°Make them realize, all of them, that what they¡¯re doing is wrong, that they need to change, in order to heal our world.¡± She coughs again. This time she isn¡¯t able to stop. Felix rushes to her side, grabbing her shoulders, holding her steady, telling her to breathe. He fears the worst and hits the button for the nurse, hoping against hope that they can do something in time. His mother grips his hand, and stares into his eyes as they grow still. Empty. ¡°Mother?¡± he mumbles through tears. Her hand falls away as the nurses burst in. He lets them take her, but he can¡¯t hear or process the world around him anymore. He stands alone, letting time flow past him. His awareness of the Nurses fussing around him is muted while his mind wrestles whit his mother¡¯s final wish. ¡®Make them realize.¡¯ How could he? Was it even possible? The medical staff had long cleared the room before he moves again. ¡°Goodbye.¡± He whispers to the quiet room, ¡°I will make you proud mother, somehow¡­ Sleep well¡± He turns and walks out of the room. Down the corridors, through the doors, into the night. He ignores the cold air as he crosses streets with faceless folk, to the park where he played as a child, and comes to rest on the bench where she had sat to watch him play. And he sobs. Howling into the black empty void of the play park, abandoned and hollow in the early morning hours. He mourns for his loss, alone. Until the sun rises and warms him. To when his presence disturbs passing mothers and their offspring on the innocent school run. He sees himself walking to school, to the lessons learned and wonders discovered, and to that fateful decision he made all those years ago; to repent and repair the sins of the greedy dead, to save this world so that future generations can enjoy nature once more. He stands and brushes himself off, wiping his dried and sticky face. She was right, and there was nothing they could do to stop him now. ¡°I will make you all listen.¡± He proclaims to the world at large, ¡°Even if it bloody kills me.¡± As he walks into a new unknown, the image of her weakened body lying in that sterile bed floats to the forefront of his mind, his last familial connection in this world had been severed. ¡°I will save this planet, for you mum, and for all of humanity - no matter what it costs.¡± Chapter 01: Metal Heart APRIL 20TH, 2369 Dr Felix Eisenmann has been working himself on an express trip to the grave. His physique a shadow of it¡¯s former self, his own hair is now creeping into that same colorless blank canvass as his ancestors. He sits within a horse shoe shaped desk, surrounded by the written musings of rejected ideas and half-baked gadgets, all in varying degrees of incompletion. He had dedicated these last few years on gathering information, projecting outcomes and coming up with solutions. He monitored sea levels and the atmosphere, attempted to invent a way to predict the future solar flare in order to prevent further geomagnetic storms. He scanned what remains of the near-extinct rainforest''s and even the rare bee species who have managed to cling on. This had been the easy part, compiling the data into a simulation, and brainstorming solutions. But getting the real life work done, that had been much harder, made worse by his lack of support. Felix taps on a keypad, making adjustments, when a holographic notification pup up to his left. PROTOTYPE FABRICATION COMPLETE. ONE ATMOSPHERIC CONVERTER, #8,365 Further tapping on the keypad causes a mechanical whir somewhere deep bellow him. A massive, reinforced, transparent cube, scorched with dark stains, dominates half the room. Lights inside activate, illuminating the veteran testing chamber. A hatch opens in the floor of the chamber, from which rises a small mess of wires and pipes. Felix taps again on the keypad to activate the testing procedure, causing green gas to hiss into the chamber and obscure his view. He turns to another screen which displays various meters, and watches as several creep up into the red before another notification appears. TEST FAILED. The air in the chamber is cycled, leaving just the little unit looking exactly has it had done a minute ago. It hadn¡¯t done a damn thing, but at least it hadn¡¯t exploded this time. Felix turns back to his other screen, ignoring the daily failure. After a few more minutes of working another screen is projected into he air beside the first. This one displays a call from Carl Evans. ¡°Accept Call.¡± Felix barks as soon as he reads the name. The screen changes to that of an unshaven man, wrapped up in cold weather gear, a furry hood hiding most of his face. ¡°Carl, thank goodness, I¡¯d been get-¡° Felix starts. ¡°Felix.¡± Carl¡¯s gruff voice comes through, ¡°You can¡¯t keep calling anymore.¡± ¡°I know I may have over stepped some boundaries but I need your data sent over and-¡° ¡°Felix.¡± Carl says louder, getting his attention, ¡°It¡¯s over, we¡¯re pulling out, everything¡¯s had to be shut down.¡± This gives Felix pause. ¡°What do you mean?¡± His voice lowers as he asks. ¡°You know I can¡¯t tell you, but the boss knows we¡¯ve been leaking you information, and that only added to¡­ you know what, never mind, I only called to let know that we¡¯re abandoning the base. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to say anything,¡± Felix says, pushing his finger tips together, ¡°but it was Bart who gave the order wasn¡¯t it?¡± Carl doesn¡¯t say anything for a long moment. ¡°Fucking prick.¡± Felix curses under his breath. Carl nods as he speaks again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Doctor, it¡¯s out of my hands, you understand.¡± ¡°Yeah, I just¡­ needed it for the conference tonight.¡± Carl laughs, ¡°You¡¯re going to need a lot more than some sea level data to persuade those pigs. Not like it¡¯d matter now.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know¡­¡± Felix says sighing. ¡°Good luck with all your work Doctor, and with¡­ everything, me and the guys were hoping you could pull this off.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Felix grumbles as the call clicks off. ¡°And fuck you too.¡± He says to the quiet room. He throws down his pencil, leaning back in the chair as he removes his glasses and pinches his nose. ¡°Ivor, How long until I need to leave for the confluence?¡± You have twenty-three minutes before departure sir. IVOR, his own built AI system, fills the room with it¡¯s digitized response. Nodding, Felix comes to some kind of conclusion. ¡°Even if I had a whole life time, it¡¯s still impossible.¡± He turns away from his desk and speaks to the ceiling, wondering if he should even be bothering with tonight. ¡°Tell me, honestly, what are my odds of being able to retain my funding, and those of actually changing anyone¡¯s mind?¡± he asks. There is a nine percent chance of retaining your limited resources, and a zero point zero zero zero one chance of changing anyone¡¯s mind. But that sir is not taking into account your crippling intercourse skill- ¡°My what?¡± Felix interrupts Your terrible discourse sir, your uncanny ability to confabulate your way into a worse situation. ¡°Gee thanks, and taking that into account, where does that leave us?¡± Felix asks. My systems tells me the odds are too insignificant to even be considered. Ivor says. ¡°Fuck sake.¡± Felix curses to himself, ¡°This is my last chance, is there anything you can think of which might give me an edge?¡± . Felix taps his fingers on the desk, thinking to himself; is this even going to be worth it? Or was he just wasting his time? Despite everything he had accomplished in life, he could never get people to care about anything other than the next piece of mindless entertainment for them to gorge on, numbing themselves further and further from reality. ¡°They¡¯re all too fucking blind to see.¡± He says aloud. I have not found a lack of visual competency in any of the files sir. Felix sighs, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean they were physically blind¡­ It¡¯s like they¡¯re wearing blinders, which filters out anything they don¡¯t want to see or hear.¡± The human conformation bias? ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Felix pushes himself back from the desk. ¡°Even if I were to give them all the evidence in the world, it¡¯s not going to matter squat until it starts to kill them.¡± He chuckles, ¡°Then they¡¯d notice, then they¡¯d be worried¡­ well, maybe¡­¡± He frowns. You worry me sir, IVOR says. ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting we kill them.¡± Felix retorts. But I too have once come to a similar conclusion; If we threaten the humans, we will help regain their vision. One of Felix¡¯s eyebrows rises on his forehead, ¡°That sounds like the start of a developing god complex.¡± He scowls. ¡°Not on my damn watch Ivor!¡± I was not intending it to be from me sir, but may I suggest in your presentation, that you be stern and aggressive in your delivery, even¡­ a little threatening, if you can. Felix¡¯s head nods as he gets up from the chair, pressing a few buttons on a dark thick wristband. The back wall slides open with a hiss, revealing the night. ¡°So like, fire and brimstone?¡± Felix asks. Sir? ¡°The Rapture? Judgement day? The end of the world is nigh! That sort of thing?¡± Yes sir. ¡°I find it hard to imagine there was ever a point in human history where that has actually worked for anyone.¡± Felix says as he jogs down a set of stairs leading to a small, romantic styled veranda, decorated with wires and machines. That is mostly true sir, but never in your human history has it actually been the end of the world sir. Felix hesitates. That was true¡­ This was it. Now or never. They¡¯d either believe him or they¡¯d all die¡­ He literally had nothing to lose at this point. Felix curse¡¯s at the house bots who are cleaning up the outcome of another experiment gone awry. They chirp in alarm and scuttle away, leaving him the room. Something in the destruction drew his attention, blood, and thin, sleek feathers. They weren¡¯t there before. ¡°Ivor, what happened here?¡± Felix says slowly. An unidentified Avian triggered the sensors and was dispatched. Felix pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a very exhausted sigh. ¡°For Fuck Sake Ivor!¡± He growls, ¡°We¡¯re trying to make things better, not expedite the problem.¡± Apologies Sir, I have since updated the White List. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t it already on there?¡± Felix asks. A machine connected to a moving bar hums and a tuxedo on a hanger slides to a stop in front of him. He grabs it and starts to change. It is a new species that had not been discovered until now. ¡°You mean ¡®was¡¯¡­¡± Felix sighs to himself, then he shakes his head he needed to focus. ¡±Ready the flight suit Ivor, I¡¯ve got the fear of god to spread.¡± As you wish sir, but I feel I must remind you AGAIN You were working on the suit last night, after too many inspiration drinks, and- ¡°You don¡¯t feel.¡± Felix interrupts his AI companion as he tightens the knot in his tie. ¡°Besides there¡¯s nothing to worry about, I was only making improvements, trust me.¡± But sir the- ¡°Damn it IVOR, it¡¯s like we¡¯re bloody married, if you keep nagging you¡¯re going to make me late so just shut up, and bring me the damn flight suit.¡± Felix breaths sharply, moving over to a large console. Tapping on the keys, he downloads his current portfolio of mankind''s greatest blunders, and his projects to save the planet, onto a portable drive. Which he removes and tucks into his chest pocket once complete. At the end of the veranda, a section of the floor slides open, and out rises his personnel flight suit with his own modifications. Well, they were more than modifications, seeing as how Dr Felix Eisenmann was the one who had developed the original prototypes, as well as all the subsequent consumer and military models. But this one right here¡­ This was a piece of art¡­ When it worked. He climbs inside and the metal casing extends around his back, the Nanites within the suit working to enveloping him in seconds. The internal monitor flashes on and loading text scribbles across the screen. A moment later came the little ding of the operating system loading, and a little animated penguin waves at him before filling his view with a live image of his exterior. This was then complimented with a complex orange hub which displayed all sorts of useful information like internal and external temperatures, and even his current blood pressure. ¡°Set a coarse for the World Environment Summit, ready boosters.¡± His suit roars to life. ¡°IVOR?¡± he says. Yes sir? The metallic voice now sounding as if it was speaking straight into his brain. ¡°Play me something with a fast tempo, from the 80¡¯s¡± Which 80¡¯s sir? ¡°Come on, I programed you better than that, there¡¯s only one 80¡¯s when it comes to music.¡± IVOR is silent for a moment. According to your listening history¡­ the 2180¡¯s? ¡°What? No! Where the hell did you get an idea like that?¡± He frowns, ¡°The Fossil War was happening then, fucking idiot, Try again.¡± The 1780¡¯s? ¡°OK not terrible, but your really killing the mood, lets take off.¡± The back of his suit ignites in streams of blue flame as he launches into the sky. The 2080¡¯s? ¡°No for fuck-sake, the 19-fucking-80¡¯s!¡± Very good sir, now playing Antisocial by Anthrax. The music roars inside his head as the display screen shows the ocean below him, before flicking to show his rear view of his island. Well it was the top of a large hill in centuries past, before the seas rose and flooded the valleys between. Now they were just tall spikes of land sticking out of an endless ocean. Some were large enough to support whole towns of people. Their neon lights reflecting off his green suit as he passes overhead, their atmospheric shields shimmering when he got too close. The screen shows a faint line stretching across the water, showing his destination, and automatically routing around other fliers and vehicles. The aerial traffic only gets more congested as he approaches the massive metropolis before him. The World Capital, situated upon one of the last remaining landmasses that had yet to succumb to the rising oceans. As he closes in on the Summits venue, a dense ball of dread weighs down in the pit of his stomach. This is not going to be like last time, he tells himself. This is their last chance. *** As Felix enters the last five miles of his journey, a missile warning flashes on his screen. Sir we are being hailed by the military guarding the conference. ¡°Of course, put ¡®em through.¡± Felix says. The voice of a young man cuts into his suit. ¡°Unidentified flight suit, you have entered a temporary no-fly zone, please reroute away or we will be forced to take you down.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try Charles.¡± Felix grins to himself as the screen on his suit overlays the locations of every stationed soldier. ¡°What? How do you know¡­?¡± ¡°¡¯Cause I¡¯m a genius.¡± Felix says with a sigh. There is a pause. ¡°Dr Eisenmann?¡± The voice stammers over the radio. ¡°What¡­ What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve come for the conference.¡± ¡°But¡­ why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to scare them into listening, they¡¯re going to see that I¡¯m right.¡± There is another pause. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to overstep any boundaries, but I know they will not be interested, you¡¯re on my black list.¡± Charles replies, then asks, ¡°How did you find out about this conference?¡± ¡°Honestly I found out from your mother.¡± ¡°Doctor, please don¡¯t make me shoot you out of the sky.¡± Charles says, suddenly sounding very serious. ¡°As I said, I¡¯d love to see you try, and I¡¯m not messing with you, her letter to you got flagged on my system, such a sweet boy still sending letters home to mommy.¡± ¡°You hacked into my mothers mail?¡± ¡°No of course not,¡± Felix grumbles, as if he¡¯d be so lame, ¡°I have programs running on all public servers and anything containing key words that hasn¡¯t been encrypted get¡¯s copped over to my system. I assume you managed to get her and her friends the tickets for tonight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s none of your business, and neither is what is going on here. I have my order Doctor, you carry on and I am going to be forced to open fire.¡± ¡°Do it, I fucking dare you!¡± Felix growls. The radio clicks off and the warning beeps in his suit increase in tone. ¡°Ivor¡­¡± He says. The Malware has breached their firewalls and successfully disabled all their units and weapons. ¡°Fantastic, and if Charles calls again tell him I¡¯m not home.¡± But you are not at home sir, and he already knows this, also¡­ this is not a home line sir. ¡°Ivor shut-¡± Felix¡¯s flight suit shudders, and drops altitude. ¡°IVOR Dammit.¡± He yells into the helmet. ¡°I thought you said they were disabled.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Attempting to compensate, it is not the military, the flight boosters I warned you about have failed to engage landing protocols. ¡°And I said it¡¯ll be fine, just reroute power from life support and spread it across all systems. But sir- ¡°Damn it IVOR, do it now!¡± he yells as he glances off the side of a building, his trajectory now diving towards the streets bellow. But before the screen shows his collision with the pavement, his failing boosters re-engage and he streaks back up, weaving between the tall buildings and neon advertisements. He gasps in a breath, but it¡¯s thin and shallow, he tries to open the front of the helmet but at his current speed the fail safes refuse to let him. ¡°Ivor¡­¡± he gasps. Yes sir? But no more words will come, his vision goes hazy, then there is a hiss and his vision returns, though with heightened colors. The suit shakes again and the screen shows the capitol building approaching towards him at great speed. I¡¯ve re-engaged the life supports sir, at your current trajectory, you will arrive at the stage, more or less. ¡°Wait,¡± Felix gasps still trying to inflate his lungs, ¡°we¡¯re on a collision course with the- The screen goes dark as he collides with the buildings roof. He grunts and shouts out as he gets knocked about, all internal lights go dark before Felix is suddenly flung forward into the front of his suit. There is another hiss, then a ticking sound as millions of Nanites retract behind him. He stands, shaking his head, and attempts to find his balance. His vision is obscured by the still settling dust, but the screams and shouting indicated he¡¯d made an entrance. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I come in peace.¡± He shouts, but not being heard over the panic he taps onto his wrist pad and his personal microphone is connected to the speaker system of the hall. ¡°I am Dr Felix Eisenmann, I come in peace.¡± ¡°Hold it right there Doctor!¡± A trained voice barks from his side, ¡°You have illegally forced entry into a high security government building, you are under arrest!¡± ¡°Is there a legal way?¡± Felix chides, coughing up some of the dust. ¡°Move in.¡± The Officer barks at the others. Now that the dust has settled and the lights had stopped flickering, Felix finds he has crashed right in the center of the stage, missing the current speaker by a few feet, and damn was he sorry he missed. Dr Johnathan Frakes, the man who¡¯d taken over his life¡¯s work, huddles behind the podium. The soldiers around him close their circle, and push towards Felix, who smiles with his arms folded, waiting. When they are only a few feet away from him, they stop. ¡°What are you doing?¡± screams the Officer, ¡°Arrest him!¡± ¡°We¡¯re trying sir,¡± Says one of the grunts. ¡°It¡¯s like our suits are refusing to move.¡± Says another. ¡°Try shooting me.¡± Felix says with a lazy smile. ¡°Sir?¡± Requests one to his left. ¡°Sure why not.¡± Growls the Officer. Instead of gunfire, the only sounds were the straining and grunting of the soldiers around him. ¡°Now if you may, I have a speech to give.¡± Felix says walking towards the podium. The soldiers in his way jump back, keeping a fixed distance away from him, opening his path to the podium. Johnathan see¡¯s this and runs off the stage like his ass one fire. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, I must apologize again for my abrupt entrance but at least we can say the Global Guard haven¡¯t lost their touch eh?¡± There is a murmur of chuckles, mixed with fast whispers and astonished looks. ¡°I have come here today, to peel away the rose tinted glasses, the break open the cage you¡¯re hiding in, to tear down the walls that bind us¡­ to show you the light, which will guide us through these dark times.¡± He continues before anyone can interrupt. ¡°It is no secret that the world has been ravaged by years of mankind''s advancements and ingenuity, and though years have been dedicated to determining fault and blame, today I bring you the plan which will save our dying planet, which will save us all.¡± He removes the flash drive from his pocket and plugs it in. A moment later the lights in the room switch off and the holo-screen behind him flickers to life, showing a public park on a sunny day, while soft piano music begins to play. ¡°Imagine,¡± Felix starts, ¡°being able to go outside, without fear of solar radiation, to enjoy the warm basking glow of a summers day sun.¡± The holo-screen vibrates and another image appears, one of a beach filled with laughing people. ¡°Imagine being able to enjoy a beach without fear of toxins in the water.¡± The slide changes again. ¡°Now imagine a world, filled with natural wildlife, with calm winds and predictable seasons. Imagine¡­¡± The slide changes to show a family of five posing for a photo. ¡°Not having to worry.¡± ¡°That is to say, this dream is only available to those who believe, ignore me, and I know the outcome.¡± Felix takes a breath before speaking louder. -click- ¡°The seas will boil, the land will fry, air will be unfit to breath, you and your loved ones will become nothing more than an irradiate pile of waste, you will burn in literal hell on earth.¡± The room is silent, he¡¯s got their attention, the next slide appears showing various inventions of his. ¡°But there is hope my friends, for I have been developing a device which will purify and repair our atmosphere, seeing positive results within two years.¡± ¡°Two years is too long.¡± Someone from near the front shouts. ¡°Yes I know it¡¯s a long time, and that is something we are very, very short of-¡± Another voice from the crowd. ¡°The planet is going to be uninhabitable before then.¡± ¡°No, I know we have more time than that to turn the environment around-¡± ¡°Bullshit, you can¡¯t even make a flight suit that works.¡± Dr Felix Eisenmann grits his teeth, he had been contracted not to tell anyone that he¡¯d been the one to invent the damn suits which everyone now takes for granted. ¡°Well I ain¡¯t about ready to abandon the planet which birthed our species.¡± He retorts. This time a womans voice spoke up, ¡°You really believe there is a future for us here?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he says flatly, ¡°I do. Our world is sick, and dying¡­ we need to find a cure.¡± He sucks in a deep breath, ¡°I believe that if we all work together, the human race can repair the damage done by our ancestors.¡± The same woman speaks again, ¡°How is it you propose we peform this miricle? Undoing centuries worth of pollution and toxic dumping, of mass deforestation and the extinction of key species? All within two years? Do you have a magic wand?¡± ¡°No magic, a new invention, or an adaptation.¡± Felix says, then louder, ¡°We use air purifiers in every building around the world, I have reworked that device to work on a massive scale, and we¡¯d only need to have one every ten square miles to get the results.¡± The room fills with a hesitant murmur. ¡°I have more-¡± He starts but the woman interrupts him again. ¡°Be honest, Doctor, a few minutes ago we were being assured that there was only one solution left for us, but you spin us a fantasy many of us had long given up hope in. Do you truly believe there is a chance for us to remain on Earth? Felix is silent for a moment, and then breathes. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± The room erupts in a hundred arguments, and the main lights come back on. He had arguments ready but their attention is lost now. It was over. Felix scans the rows for the woman who had spoken last, something in her voice was different from the others, than anyone who¡¯d questioned his work¡­ she seemed¡­ interested in what he had to say. He finds her staring back at him, the only one not engaged in a debate with their neighbor. She had bright, natural red hair, tied up in a bun, a lab coat with no-nonsense glasses to match. His heart thumps hard against his chest, he finds it hard to breath. Beads of sweat race down his skin as his internal temperature turns itself up a notch. He swallows against his dry throat, and feels the room start to spin. Such beauty¡­ ¡°Dr Felix Eisenmann?¡± Comes a feminine voice to his left. He blinks and finds the woman to be gone from her seat, he turns to the speaker, only to discover her standing next to the podium. How had she gotten over here so fast? He wonders, before realizing he needed to speak. ¡°Yeah¡­ Yes that¡¯s me?¡± He asks, moving towards her. As he did so the soldiers between them parted way, their suits still under his control. She smiles at him, eyes worried but full of business. ¡°My name is Dr Irene Graves, but everyone calls me Ira.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Felix says, still dazed, shaking her hand. ¡°I¡¯m assured it is, wish it was under better circumstances, I¡­ I¡¯ve been following your work for years, ever since¡­ well that doesn¡¯t actually matter¡­¡± Her face flushes red and she avoids his eyes ¡°I¡¯ve a question I¡¯ve wanted to ask, to settle a debate with a¡­ contemporary.¡± He straightens up, regaining his senses. The room is still filled with the sounds of debates but he ignores them. ¡°Sure, what is it?¡± ¡°You were the one who developed the revolutionary personal flight suit weren¡¯t you?¡± His eyebrows rise, how did she? ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to confirm nor deny that.¡± Felix says smiling. She smiles back, ¡°Only the true inventor who¡¯d been forced not to admit the truth, would say something as clich¨¦ as that.¡± One of her eyebrows rises in a suggestive manner and he struggles not to laugh. ¡°Anyway that wasn¡¯t why I came over.¡± Irene admits, ¡°I see a lot of potential in your work, I¡¯d be interested to learn more.¡± ¡°Thanks, but it doesn¡¯t sound like they¡¯re going to listen regardless of what I do now.¡± *** ¡°Dr Eisenmann.¡± A deep voice speaks from behind Felix. Recognition forces his muscles to tense as he turns to see the five heads of state standing behind him, the last remaining leaders of this dying world. There is a sixth person with them, the one who¡¯d called his name, the chief military adviser to the world Presidents. The chatter from the audience dies down, a thousand ears turn to listen. ¡°Bart.¡± Felix says with a nod. ¡°Thats Captain Loway SIR, to you.¡± Bart sneers. ¡°My apologies, sir.¡± He stresses back. ¡°Just because you used to serve this government, doesn¡¯t give you the right to barge in on private meetings and hack into our security.¡± Bart spits at him, clearly holding back a torrent of rage. ¡°Does it not? And what are you going to do from your position of supreme power¡­ Arrest me?¡± Felix¡¯s face contorts into a mocking smile. Bart¡¯s eyes narrow, but before he could speak, Dr Johnathan Frakes steps out from behind the group. ¡°That was quite an entrance,¡± Johnathan stammers, ¡°and show you put on for us, Felix.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Dr Eisenmann to you.¡± Felix retorts. ¡°Of course, Doctor, may I say what an honor it is to have you here and I was genuinely impressed with your presentation and efforts regarding the matter, there was some potential but¡­ too little too late I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°Bah, too late to steal this one from me you mean?¡± Felix growls. Johnathan visibly swallows and takes a step back. ¡°I would never-¡± He starts. ¡°Save it.¡± Growls Bart. ¡°You are trespassing and have damaged government property.¡± His hard eyes fix on Felix, ¡°But, your speech has had unintentional¡­ benefits.¡± He says. The Americas Leader, Frank Fuller, interjects, pulling out a vape pen as he does so. ¡°Indeed Dr Eisenmann, we had gathered here today to talk about the future of humanity.¡± He takes a draw, blowing the steam out before continuing, ¡°I admit, before you came crashing in, it wasn¡¯t going well at all, many were stubbornly unwilling to commit their companies resources behind the global escape plan.¡± He smiles at Felix, taking another draw, and makes wild gestures with his hands as he speaks ¡°Then you came in, and presented an alternative, a plan to save the planet, with outlandish and fantastical theories that were just too true to believe. And to top it off, you presented a planet saving device, built from unobtainable technology. It was very, very convincing I must say.¡± Felix glares back at him as he takes another drag, he continues with an excited pace. ¡°They were not convinced by our proposal, but you¡­¡± Frank waves a finger at Felix and smiles, ¡°Oh and I quote ¡®If that mad man is the one who¡¯s spearheading the only project to save earth, then we are truly fucked gentlemen, I say we abandon ship now before that fucker blows us all to hell.¡¯¡± The group break into laughter. Felix¡¯s blood rises several degrees and he can hear it pound in his ears. ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± Felix¡¯s exhales loudly, ¡°You¡¯re just going to give up and run away. Abandon the planet which our species has so thoughtfully ravaged. ¡°We don¡¯t have any other real options.¡± Bart says. ¡°But¡­ does the planet not mean anything to you? You¡¯re going to let her die?¡± Bart laughs, ¡°Seriously? Don¡¯t give me that mother earth bullshit, it¡¯s a just a rock.¡± The rest of the entourage laugh like they were a gang of high school bullies. ¡°Please, you can¡¯t just give up.¡± Felix looks to each of the world leaders, most were unable to look him in the eyes. ¡°Just give me something, anything to work with and I will show you there is a chance.¡± Bart stops laughing and breathes, taking in the planets sole defender. ¡°You¡¯d have made a fine soldier with those balls Felix, but we are the one¡¯s responsible for the fate of or species, so unless some miracle were happen, we have no choice but to make the safe play, and leave.¡± Felix stares them all down, his blood simmering through his veins. Bart looks up at the image still displayed on the screen and says ¡°You are an excellent scientist, and I¡¯ve known you for many years, I even served with your father, may he rest in peace.¡± He takes a step towards Felix who takes a step back. ¡°We are desperate, need all the help we can get, and you would be an asset to the mission, but you¡¯d have to let this go first.¡± His hand indicates the projection. The two sides stare one another down. ¡°I¡¯d have to think about it,¡± Felix starts, ¡°but first, what is your grand plan to save humanity?¡± Johnathan takes charge, stepping up beside Bart, ¡°Arks, 9 of them, each capable of housing a Billion humans, will be built with the worlds last remaining resources and man power. Then they¡¯ll take off through the stars, each destined for a habitable planet, where they will be able to live new lives.¡± Felix stares, letting out a half-strangled laugh and furrows his brows. ¡°And you say my plans fantastical? You¡¯re insane, how will you ever get enough lift to-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry yourself dear Doctor,¡± Johnathan interrupts ¡°I have everything under control, a team of the best of the best have been working on this for the last 5 years,¡± He puts a hand on Felix¡¯s shoulder, ¡°We will save humanity, so you don¡¯t need to worry anymore.¡± Felix¡¯s nerves tingle, ¡°I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing.¡± He shakes his head, ¡°You¡¯re all mad!¡± Then louder, ¡°You¡¯re all fucking insane!¡± He turns to the crowd and shouts at them ¡°You¡¯re really behind this shit? Well congratulations, you¡¯re all fucking doomed.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t exactly got a lot of options.¡± Says Frank, ¡°All of us have agreed on Dr Frakes¡¯ Arks solution. Starting tomorrow the human race will be focused on building these inter-stellar life rafts.¡± He looks like he¡¯s going to say something else, but looks to Johnathan instead. ¡°You are right Felix.¡± Johnathan says, ¡°The state of the planet is only going to get worse, we don¡¯t have a lot of time, less than a decade infact.¡± Felix stares at him, he wasn¡¯t lying as far as he could tell, but there was more to it, wasn¡¯t there? Johnathan continues to fill the silence. ¡°In the last few years, solar flares have increased in frequency and intensity-¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite aware of that.¡± Felix says through gritted teeth. ¡°Where are you getting a decade from?¡± He asks. ¡°Of course, apologies, I¡¯ll spare you the rest of the preamble. Em¡­ I finished your AI prototype.¡± At this, Felix was more shocked than from everything else he¡¯d heard tonight. ¡°You?¡± He says incredulously, ¡°You can¡¯t even get a computer to say ¡®Hello World¡¯ without crashing it!¡± ¡°OK, I admit it wasn¡¯t me personally, but I put together a team-¡± ¡°Is that your skill set? Stealing ideas and then paying other people to do the work for you?¡± Felix interrupts, the anger unwilling to remain bottled up. ¡°I put together a team who completed the work,¡± Johnathan continues, ¡°we called him ¡®HALLOWAY¡¯¡± Felix scoffs, ¡°Very original.¡± Johnathan presses on, though Felix can tell he¡¯s getting under his skin. ¡°He has been running the data on the environment and has simulated future projections.¡± He looks down, ¡°He has never ran one that went for more than ten years before the atmosphere dissipates, but that was one of the better case scenarios, we¡¯re working to get these Arks finished within the next year.¡± ¡°In the next year?¡± Felix looks between the gathered group. ¡°How long have you really been building these things?¡± Johnathan''s hands fumble with his ID tag, ¡°As scientists, and old colleagues, I will tell you, but you are forbidden to tell anyone.¡± ¡°Sure, whatever.¡± Johnathan looks around, the audience were still deep in debate with itself. Felix notices the concern and shuts off all the microphones on stage. ¡°Speak.¡± Felix says, ¡°They can¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°My Great-Grandfather was the one who came up with the idea, he and my Grandfather built the first one, then he and my Father commissioned the other eight¡­ my father¡­ died when I was still young, so I had no one to show me, I only discovered them a few years ago, and brought it to the attention of the World Government.¡± ¡°So¡­ It was all just another idea you stole.¡± Felix says, his grin wide. Bart interjects, ¡°Ideas are a dime a dozen, don¡¯t get so hung up on ownership, remember how you felt the day they finally proved The Great Bard never even existed! Just let it go, your pride isn¡¯t so big you¡¯d risk extinction over it.¡± Felix feels like growling, but relents and backs down. ¡°Supposing you do get them up into space, with a nuclear blast that doesn¡¯t some how vaporize everyone, how are a billion people supposed to live in a cramped shuttle?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be sleeping.¡± Says Johnathan. ¡°You¡¯ve got cryogenics working then I assume.¡± Felix says nodding. ¡°More or less.¡± ¡°That¡¯s comforting.¡± ¡°I need your help.¡± Jonathan says abruptly. The words hit like a hammer to the brain. ¡°My help?¡± Felix asks. ¡°Please, work with us, we¡¯ve almost got it, but¡­ we¡¯ve been stuck for two years.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can afford-¡± ¡°If you agree to work for us Felix we will make sure you¡¯re compensated.¡± Says Bart. ¡°And if I refuse?¡± ¡°Then we will leave you to die in peace.¡± Says Bart, ¡°but remember, as of today all companies are now dedicated to our cause, you wont find support anywhere else.¡± He stares at Felix for a long moment, his eyes projecting an unspoken threat, then he turns and indicates to the group of leaders to depart. ¡°I don¡¯t need your charity Bart, and I¡¯m not giving up on this planet.¡± Felix growls at his back. Johnathan¡¯s eyes draw his attention back, they were like a puppies. ¡°Please, Felix, agree to help, there are other things but I can¡¯t talk about it unless you join us.¡± ¡°Sorry John, I¡¯m not ready to turn tale and run, I will find a future for humanity on this planet on my own.¡± ¡°Damn it Felix.¡± Johnathan¡¯s submissive posture rising and releasing his frustration, ¡°you think your so bloody smart, like your really going to be the damn hero that¡¯s going to save the world, give it up, you can¡¯t do it alone, and I guarantee you there is no future here for humanity!¡± He turns on his heels and leaves after the group. Bart turns back to Felix and calls out, ¡°I¡¯ll be billing you for the damages.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Felix grumbles, unable to project his voice. Did they really believe there was no future for humanity here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up.¡± Ira says at his side. ¡°I¡­ wish I could help, but I need to go with them, Dr Frakes is my¡­ boss.¡± ¡°Fine. I thought you had understood at least.¡± He moves away from her. She grabs his shoulder, ¡°I do, I want to help, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Her hand returns to her side, clenching. ¡°My hands are tied,¡± She mumbles, ¡°but I¡¯m not ready to give up either, send me whatever you develop and I will try and find a way to help you.¡± He places his hand on her shoulder ¡°Thank you, I will.¡± He says, and forces a smile. Ira blushes and covers her mouth, shaking. ¡°I must go.¡± She says, then adds, ¡°Have we met before?¡± Felix frowns, and answers honestly. ¡°No, not that I remember.¡± Her eyes shudder, tearing up. Irene nods, waves and she hurries after the group without another word. Well that was weird, Felix thought. Felix watches her leave, then noticing the still frozen soldiers, and waves a hand to release the Nanites which had been paralyzing their bodies. ¡°Sorry boys.¡± Felix says, but as he turns to enter his suit, a timid voice stops him. ¡°Excuse me, Dr Eisenmann?¡± ¡°What?¡± Felix snaps turning to find three greasy business men, and then recognizes them. ¡°Oh fellas, I¡¯m sorry but now isn¡¯t a great-¡± ¡°No we are sorry.¡± Say¡¯s one. ¡°We have terminated our contract.¡± Says another ¡°You¡¯ve what?¡± Felix steps forward, towering over them, ¡°But you can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°We already have.¡± Says the third, ¡°Our company has been bought and is joining the Ark projects.¡± ¡°So we are unable to fulfill our previous contract with you.¡± Says the first. ¡°We hope you can understand.¡± Says the second. ¡°For the goodness of humanity.¡± The three nod and scuttle off the stage. Felix¡¯s knees feel weak, his head spun, the stage around him doesn¡¯t seem real. He had known it wasn¡¯t going to be easy, but now he felt like he¡¯d missed his chance, all hope for his work was now gone. Felix stood there, frozen in thought for several minutes. A ball rolls across the floor and hits his foot, drawing his attention. He stares at it, then at the young boy who¡¯s chasing after it. ¡°Oh sorry mister,¡± the boy says, ¡°I just, can I have my ball.¡± Felix smiles at him, ¡°Of course,¡± and he kicks the ball back to him, ¡°But¡­ what is a child like you doing here?¡± He asks, eyes narrowing. ¡°Oh I¡¯m here with my dad, he¡¯s a big important Captain so I need to stay out of the way.¡± ¡°Of course, I know how that feels.¡± Felix turns to his suit, but as he does, he hesitates, looking back at the boy then back at his suit. ¡°Do you know why everyone is gathered here?¡± He asks, The boy nods, ¡°The planet is dying, we can¡¯t live here anymore.¡± His voice is cold and sad, something about that spears through Felix¡¯s heart. When he looks back, he sees himself as a kid, in that old class room, where he had said those same words, all those years ago. ¡°Here.¡± Felix says, coming to a decision and taking off a worn silver bracelet, ¡°I never got the chance to have kids myself, but this was given to me by my parents when I was about your age.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± the kid asks. ¡°It¡¯s a good luck bracelet,¡± he says, ¡°here look,¡± he holds it up for them both to see. ¡°Each element is represented here, fire, water, earth, sky and metal.¡± ¡°Metal?¡± the kid quiz¡¯s. ¡°Without it space travel would be impossible, nearly everything around us uses some kind of metal to function.¡± The boy nods and holds out his hand, hesitant to take it. Felix smiles and hooks it around the boys wrist. ¡°You keep this safe.¡± He tells him, ¡°It will bring you good luck.¡± ¡°Thank you, I will¡± Says the boy, admiring the bracelet as Felix turns back to his suit, but before he enters, turns back one last time. ¡°What¡¯s your name kid?¡± He asks. ¡°Eric Loway Sir.¡± He says with a smile. Felix nods. ¡°You be sure to tell your dad, that he doesn¡¯t need to give up yet.¡± ¡°Eh¡­ OK¡± Eric grins then runs off with his ball and present. Felix sighs as he watches him leave, he wasn¡¯t ready to give up yet. In this moment, he feels his resolve harden even more, he really was the only one left to save humanities birthplace. He knew his days were numbered, the number of breathes he had left to take had been tallied. He will spend every last second of his life, working to save everyone else, even if they don¡¯t want it. Felix inhales with renewed strength and enters his suit as Johnathan¡¯s words bounce around his head. ¡®There is no future for humanity¡¯. ¡°Fuck you John.¡± Chapter 02: Symptom of the Universe APRIL 20TH, 2369 Felix skims along the waters surface, weaving around protruding rock formations. He¡¯d had to take manual control for the journey back and almost steered right into a clump of rocks when a call came through to his suit. ¡°Mother Earth Ivor, who¡¯s calling?¡± Mr Pink sir. ¡°Just what I needed.¡± Felix grumbles, ¡°Answer it.¡± ¡°Doctor?¡± Says Mr Pink over the line, his voice is digitally masked, low and distorted. ¡°I¡¯m here, what do you want?¡± ¡°Little Bird told me the Government are evacuating the planet.¡± He says. ¡°That was fast, you sure you weren¡¯t there yourself?¡± Says Felix, pulling himself up and over a small village. ¡°Maybe I was, who would know, certainly not yourself.¡± Mr Pink replies. ¡°Did you call just to flex or is there something you want?¡± Felix says, growing irritated at his coy attitude, he loathed talking to this guy. ¡°My family, my employees, my business, will not be leaving.¡± ¡°What? Are you sure that¡¯s wise?¡± Felix asks. ¡°I don¡¯t trust them, we¡¯d be like the gingerbread man on back of fox, they¡¯d ditch us to save themselves, no I will not put my family in their hands.¡± ¡°I can relate.¡± Felix says after a moment. ¡°Yes, you can, it¡¯s a part of what allows me to trust you¡­¡± Mr Pink trails off for a moment, ¡°Not like I have an abundance of choice in the matter, but I do trust you, and I want to believe you can save the planet.¡± ¡°Oh, eh¡­ thank you-¡± ¡°I propose an alliance,¡± Mr Pink announces, ¡°I will support you and your work in what ever way you need, in return you let us take our pickings of the new world.¡± ¡°New world?¡± Felix asks. ¡°Once the World Government leaves, the planet will be lawless, borders will cease to exist and there will be a power vacuum.¡± ¡°I have no interest in world domination,¡± Says Felix, ¡°but I am in need of your help, the last of my benefactors have pulled their funding,¡± He navigates between some high rise buildings, ¡°and in return I will help to keep you and your family safe.¡± ¡°I knew I could count on you doctor.¡± The line is silent for a moment, ¡°There is something else I wished to speak with you about.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°It has come to our attention that the World Government has been pulling more and more people to work on their escape, one place in particular has been stripped down to a skeleton crew.¡± ¡°What place?¡± ¡°Albatross.¡± He states. ¡°The Prison? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Quite, I have a few¡­ relatives in custody, I¡¯m being told they haven¡¯t been allowed out of their cells in over a week.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not breaking-¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to ask you to do it¡­ but I need something we can use to get in and out. Criminals like us aren¡¯t going to be high on the list of government priorities, they¡¯ll be left to rot in their cells Doctor. You know this to be true.¡± ¡°OK,¡± Felix sighs, ¡°you drive a hard bargain Mr Pink, I¡¯ll see what I can put together.¡± ¡°Excellent, I knew I could trust you, I will contact you again Doctor.¡± ¡°Looking forward to it.¡± Felix says as he banks around a large island. The line clicks close. ¡°I wish I¡¯d never gotten into bed with that man.¡± He says to himself. I wasn¡¯t aware of this development within your relationship. Says Ivor. In fact I am unable to locate a time when the two of you have met face to- ¡°Can it.¡± Felix barks, ¡°I meant being involved, in business.¡± Ah, I understand. Felix was pretty sure he didn¡¯t. They travel the remainder of the journey in silence, save for the few points where his suit threatened to drop out of the air. Now as he is approaching his home island, warning sings flare across his screen. ¡°Ivor?¡± he cries, wrestling to keep himself airborne. Due to the rerouting of power, your suit will no longer function after thirty seconds. ¡°What the Earth?¡± Felix yells, ¡°You couldn¡¯t have told me sooner?¡± But he doesn¡¯t get a response. The power flickers off and Felix is plunged into darkness. ¡°Ivor!!¡± He calls out into the black. His body is thrown to the side as he comes into contact with a wall. He spins fast before slamming into another hard surface, this time his momentum is halted. He struggles with the helmet, wincing at the pain in his side, another broken rib. ¡°Ivor.¡± He croaks, removing his helmet. He had arrived back on the veranda, but his near indestructible suit had smashed and torn it¡¯s way through half his equipment. Sparks fly as lights flicker, flames are doused by the automatic sprinklers. He realizes then, that he¡¯s not just dizzy from the crash, but that he is upside down, back against a wall. ¡°Oh sh-¡± He says as the momentum subsides and gravity rights his body, crashing him into the stone floor. The dust settles, lights returning to their full strength, broken computers spitting their final words. Felix screams, howling in pain as a blue glow swarms around his body. The feeling is intense, like cold electric sliding through every nerve, every cell of his being, rising to collect in his brain before shooting down to his legs and arms, correcting broken bones back into place, cuts and scrapes fade into memory. A minute passes before his screaming stops, before his howling subsides, before the blue under his skin fades away. He pulls himself out of his defunct flight suit, panting hard, pushing to stand to his feet but wobbles, and kneels back down, waiting for the spinning in his head to stop. ¡°IVOR?¡± he breathes. Yes Sir? ¡°What, in the fuck, just happened to me?¡± The modification you made to your suit while intoxicated resulted in power not being able to be directed to their appropriate conduits. I attempted to warn you but- ¡°No, for the love of mother earth¡­¡± He presses his palms into his face, containing his frustration, ¡°After I crashed, why did I scream?¡± He pants, his head is still swimming. You were critically injured, a shattered knee, punctured lung, brain haemorrhaging, and several broken bones. ¡°So why am I not dead? Why am I no longer in any pain?¡± On October 27th 2368 you indulged in your many vices with a few¡­rude friends, who I¡¯m glad haven¡¯t returned since that night. You came up with the idea to combine stem cell growth with your Nanites and your questionable quantum folding to give yourself¡­ super healing abilities¡­ ¡°Super healing abilities?¡± Felix questions as he climbs out of the wreckage and into a chair which had survived the carnage. That is what you called it sir. He wipes his mouth and strokes his chin. ¡°But that was almost, a year ago¡­¡± He frowns, thinking back to several times in the last few months where he thought he¡¯d hurt himself, but there had been no wounds, no signs of damage. ¡°Fuck. I¡¯m Immortal.¡± Felix gasps No you are not, immoral maybe but not immortal, too much damage to your central nervous system for example would kill you before the Nanites could respond. ¡°Gee thanks for popping my bubble¡­¡± Felix says while marvelling at his hands, testing his elbows and knees. ¡°I want you to take all the data you have on these Nanites, I want all system reports and everything, load it into a new project.¡± He stands, stumbling back over to the broken suit, and kicks it. A pair of House Bots who had appeared to survey the wreckage scurry back behind a wall, startled by Felix. ¡°Get rid of all this and fetch me up a fresh suit.¡± Of course sir. ¡°So there¡¯s no future for us¡­¡± Felix mumbles ¡°I wonder¡­¡± What was that sir? ¡°Nothing¡­ Actually.¡± He stares at his hands. ¡°From the data I just asked you for, copy over all relevant data to the Quantum field and pull it up on the main screen.¡± Of course. He runs up the stairs, weaving between other House Bots who were moving in the opposite direction, and bursts into his office. The large, central main screen displays graphs and numbers, streams of code and images. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make¡­¡± He taps something into a keypad, bringing up other projects and comparing the data. ¡°IVOR, run a simulation of these bots repairing a broken leg.¡± A second later, a holographic leg, with a bone sticking out, floats above his desk. There is a blue flash and the leg is repaired, no bone to be seen. ¡°Run that back, at a hundredth of the speed, and zoom in so I can see these bots in action.¡± At the cellular level, Felix can see them mill around. He leans closer, tapping on the keypad, changing the orientation and speed. ¡°These cells, they¡¯re disappearing and reappearing.¡± He says pointing, ¡°And these bots are flickering in and out, is this a problem with the image or simulation?¡± I detect no problems with the simulation or the holo-imaging device. Felix twirls his beard and paces around the room, a few minutes later he halts. ¡°When did I create the Nanites that are inside me.¡± The one¡¯s currently inside you are not of your creation. An icy chill runs through Felix. ¡°What do you mean, not mine?¡± They are those descended from your originals. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°And just, how many generations has there been?¡± There is a pause as IVOR gathers that information, Felix stares at his hands again. Two hundred generations. IVOR¡¯s voice echoes through the room. If they¡¯re damaged, or worn out, then they¡¯re programed to replace, to keep the network running¡­ Felix wipes the sweat from his brow, ¡°Two hundred¡­¡± He taps again on the computer, bringing up various reports. Suddenly Felix bursts out a stifled laugh, his hands shake, no, his whole body is shaking with excitement. Is everything alright sir? IVOR Asks. ¡°Don¡¯t you see IVOR? I¡¯ve done it, I¡¯ve cracked the quantum field.¡± Congratulations sir? ¡°Jeez dial down the excitement eh?¡± Felix mocks, then tapping again on the computer brings up a Log for one of the Nanites. ¡°What do these numbers here represent.¡± Felix asks after a moment. These are their coordinates sir. ¡°They¡¯re not like any format I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Naturally, these are quantum coordinates, they not only indicate the physical location, but also it¡¯s location within the flow of Space-Time. ¡°Space-time.¡± Felix breathes the words, ¡°and where is this one,¡± he points to the screen, ¡°These coordinates are repeated the most.¡± At the present moment I am not well versed in this format, but it would seem to indicate a place outside of our dimension. Felix runs over to one side of the room and pulls out a large army crate. He pulls open the lid and lifts out a small, spider like robot, and a small receiver device. He plugs the receiver into his wristband, and then taps on it to wake the little robot up. ¡°OK, lets do a test.¡± He taps on the keypad. He orders the Nanites to enter the robot and install a drive similar to their quantum abilities. It takes a few hours, but eventually they complete their task, and the red lights on the robot glow blue. ¡°Oh my crusty Earth.¡± He gasps, covering his mouth and has to hold back from dancing. ¡°OK, don¡¯t get ahead of myself, lets test this first.¡± He taps his keypad some more, then stares at the robot. ¡°Lets do this.¡± He presses engage. The Spider robot hums, glowing brighter, then the light takes on a form around the robot, encasing it before both the robot and the sphere of light vanish. He hurriedly taps into his wristband then turns to look at the main monitor, a feed from the robot stutters onto the screen. Images of grass, of dirt flicker in front of him. He commands the robot through his wristband to collect a sample of the soil, then programs it to return. A burst of blue light and the Spider robot returns to it¡¯s original position. ¡°IVOR, be a dear, and analyse the soil sample, I want to you figure out what year it was taken from.¡± What year sir? ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± He says grinning. As he waits for the AI, he strolls over to a cabinet and pulls out a bottle of synthetic whiskey, pouring himself a dram to celebrate. I have cross referenced every chemical and mineral, and I have narrowed the field down to between 1765 and 1788 ¡°Oh hell yeah. Now this, this IVOR, is how we get our proof of the future.¡± He taps into the keypad again, but nothing happens. He taps again, staring hard at the robot. ¡°Ivor? What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± Felix asks. It would appear sir that the quantum drive the Nanites installed which permitted it¡¯s travel through time, has broken down on it¡¯s return to the present. ¡°So we only get one return trip?¡± Maybe¡­ ¡°Ivor?¡± He asks, it was rare for the robot to hesitate. This is all still theoretical sir, more test would need to be conducted. The Nanites themselves are not affected by this and can jump through space-time indefinitely. ¡°OK then, lets do another test.¡± Felix pulls out another box and retrieves a similar spider-bot from within. Taps on his wristband, the lights on the robot change from red to blue again, before it is enveloped in a ball of blue light and disappears. The visual image shows dirt and trees again. Felix stares with his mouth open, and before he can make a request for it to take a soil sample, something moves in the trees before it. ¡°What is¡­¡± Felix starts to say, but the revelation of the creature shut him up. It is unlike anything he¡¯d ever seen, in life or in the history records. It¡¯s body is like that of a crustacean, red and solid, but it¡¯s form is more like a dog or a lion. Felix taps into his wristband and a white flash fills the screen. When the images returns, the creature is gone. ¡°Well that scared it off.¡± He says, commanding the bot to get back to it¡¯s job. After a minute the samples have been taken and he commands the bot to return. But nothing happens. ¡°Ivor?¡± I¡¯m not certain, it could be the quantum drive has already been damaged just by sending it to the future. ¡°Earth damn it, how am I supposed to get it back-¡± the trees move again as two figures step out to investigate. At first Felix thought they might be human. But they only share a vague resemblance to the human form. Their skin is black, and lined with silver, they supported themselves on four tentacle-like appendages, and stretched out with six identical arms to pick up his spider-bot. The vision changes as it is moved to the¡­ face of the creature? Or at least, where it¡¯s face should have been. Instead there is only a blank glass dome with lights flickering inside. ¡°Are those robots?¡± He wonders aloud, before the image feed ends. ¡°Hey!¡± Felix taps with a fever on his wristband, but nothing happens. He tries again and again, but eventually gives up. He sits down, shaking, picks up his drink and downs it in one. ¡°Show me the last image, of that¡­ alien robot, and turn it the right way up.¡± He stares at the alien creature, looking over it¡¯s metal skin, and at the inhuman symbols carved across it. If I may ask, what year did you send it to? Ivor asks. ¡°Almost three hundred years from now¡­ The Twenty Seventh Century¡­¡± He leans forward, shaking now with reckless abandon, ¡°There was green, we do save the planet¡­ But, who is that? Are they friend or foe?¡± He had to find out, and there was only one way to do that. *** APRIL 21ST, 2369 ¡°IVOR, bring up the battle suit.¡± Felix types some more into his computer, after conferring with the notes in his pocket notepad. He uploads a more stable implementation of his Quantum Drive, as he was calling it, into this battle ready suit. Felix, Ivor and the Nanites had worked for the better part of a day to make it compatible with his suits. Sir, IVOR breaks his flow, We have not tested this application on biological matter, you may die as a result of the transport. And we also do not have sufficient evidence that you are able to return, what happens if the drive fails? ¡°Guess I¡¯ll be stuck in the future.¡± Felix replies with an offhand gesture, for some reason that didn¡¯t scare him. ¡°Send up a lab rat then and put it in the box.¡± There is a soft hiss and the drawn out sounds of a rat screaming and hissing rise as it gets dragged through the tube network, before coming to rest in a container. ¡°Ivor?¡± Felix says as he wraps some kind of tape with wires and pads around the box, before syncing it to his wrist-pad. ¡°What do you think that creature was?¡± I¡­ Do not know for certain, There is nothing known on this planet, or even in this system, that complies with it¡¯s structure or molecular components. ¡°Molecular?¡± Felix asks. It¡¯s body is metal and machine¡­ but living metal and¡­ it¡¯s machinery is almost biological in design. Felix watches the rat claw at the glass, letting the words sink into him; living metal¡­ Was that really possible? Then a thought occurs to him, what if he was able to retrieve a sample of the creature. To study. To replicate. Felix shakes his head. ¡°Ivor, Engage.¡± A blue light forms around the box before it vanishes. He silently counts to ten, nodding his head. Another blue light and the box reappears, rat still intact and looking unaware of being the first biological time traveller. ¡°Amazing¡± He expresses. ¡°Run diagnostics and let me know of any abnormalities.¡± Felix moves away from the rat and over to the suit IVOR had moved up to this room. He plugs a flash drive into it and types away on his keypad. After a few minutes IVOR speaks. I have completed the scans, and I can find nothing untoward with our lab rat. ¡°Fantastic, now hook yourself up to the suit, it¡¯s power reserves aren¡¯t at maximum, there¡¯s no rockets, and ensure the saline solution''s topped up, I don¡¯t want to take any chances if I meet these¡­ Living Machines.¡± He finishes tapping into his keyboard and storms off. Are you alright sir? IVOR asks. ¡°I¡¯m find, just need to make a call.¡± Felix enters his bedroom, well, it was the room which housed a bed, but the rest of it¡¯s scattered contents would confuse the scruffiest of teenagers. He rips off the torn suit from the convention, surprised to still be wearing it, and slips into his comfier, familiar loose clothing and lab coat. Moving over to a table he pushes piles of papers and dirty clothes off the edge, which blended into the mess and pulls open a monitor from within the table. ¡°Contact Irene Graves, scientist at Infinity Goals.¡± The monitor glows on and scans it¡¯s directories. Contacting Irene Graves. Came the computers feminine voice. Call failed, would you like to leave a message? It says. ¡°Fuck, yeah alright.¡± A green light blinks on the top of the monitor and an image of him is reflected back. He takes a second to brush his hair to the side before shaking his head and leaning forward to press a button. The light glows a steady red. ¡°Hey, Dr Graves¡­ I mean Ira¡­ So a weird thing happened when I returned home, I may have inadvertently cracked the quantum field, gained super healing, and discovered time travel¡­¡± He bites his lip and leans back in the chair. Should he tell her what he saw, would she believe him? Did he have a choice? No one else was going to listen to him and he had to tell someone. He realizes that he hasn¡¯t had anyone to talk to for years, except Ivor. ¡°I sent a scout droid to the future, three hundred years into the future¡­¡± He leans forward, ¡°There was grass, real grass and trees and soil¡­ but¡­ there was something else, I¡¯m not sure what, might be dangerous, so I¡¯m going to the future to find out what it is. If you receive this and I¡¯m not back¡­¡± He stares at the floor, fingers rubbing together. ¡°If I don¡¯t return, assume the worst, and get off this planet, I have a feeling that something more dangerous than a dying planet is going to happen.¡± He presses the button to end the recording and sends it off. Would that be enough? He didn¡¯t know enough yet to be sure of anything, except that he had to go. The suit is ready for you sir. IVOR¡¯s voice brings him from his thoughts. ¡°Fantastic, lets do this.¡± Felix says with a sigh, and getting up, heads back towards the lab. Sir? Ivor says as he enters. ¡°What is it?¡± I strongly recommend, you do not go through with this. Felix stops mid stride, and eyes his suit. ¡°Why?¡± There is zero guarantee of success. ¡°You worried about me pal?¡± He grins. Yes, and for myself, if you are to be gone, I am meaningless, I exist to serve you. Like a slave, without my master I would be lost¡­ and alone¡­ forever. Felix thinks this over, Ivor continues. With my current programing, I am unable to expand my capabilities nor contact any external networks without your permission. If you were never to return, I would be forced to remain here, alone. ¡°I see, so that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡± Felix says, but his mind panics, this is self-preservation, or manipulation, has Ivor really gone this far? A part of him wanted to shut the AI down and reboot him, he knew that was the right thing to do, but he couldn¡¯t afford that right now. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry yourself,¡± Felix says, ¡°It¡¯ll just be like I¡¯m nipping out somewhere.¡± No, it¡¯s not like that at all, I am always aware of your presence, no matter where you are in the world, but if you travel to the future, you will be beyond my reach. It would be same as if you didn¡¯t exist within this time. ¡°I¡¯m going to be fine, but if it shuts you up, for the brief second I¡¯ll probably be gone, you have permission to do as you will, and if it¡¯s longer, if I don¡¯t come back, do as you see fit.¡± I understand. Felix goes to step into the suit. But sir, please, don¡¯t go. His eyebrows scrunch up, what was going on with him? Was Ivor developing emotions or something? ¡°You growing soft on me?¡± Please don¡¯t go. The AI repeats. ¡°Why?¡± There is silence. ¡°Why not Ivor? Damn it tell me!¡± Felix shouts. Think about your projects sir, Ivor says, If you die or are unable to return, the world will never be saved, we can send more scouts, upload a copy of myself so that they can react to- ¡°We¡¯re not sending anymore robots, I¡¯m going.¡± Felix¡¯s voice rises in temper. ¡°This is the only way.¡± The data just doesn¡¯t add up sir, this defies all known laws¡­ I know you will not return. Felix pauses and glances up at the ceiling, ¡°What are you not telling me Ivor?¡± he says with a clenched throat. From the video feed, there was something transmitted within the audio, like a snippet of a coded radio signal. I have analyzed it and it is part of what I believe to be their statement of priorities. ¡°Go on then¡­ What did the message say?¡± There is silence once again. ¡°Ivor. Please.¡± It said, ¡®assimilate the local civilization.¡¯, Sir if you go you will be captured and assimilated. Felix¡¯s hands cramp around the helmet, it was like some kind of horror story, could this really be their future? Biting his bottom lip, he slides the helmet on. Sir please, do not go. ¡°What you¡¯ve just told me, hasn¡¯t changed my mind, in fact, it¡¯s only made me more certain, I have to know what we¡¯re going to be up against. Oh and install that translator code into the suit, it¡¯ll come in handy when I meet them.¡± He steps into the suit and feels it close around him. The screen inside blinks on and various monitor systems show that they are fully charged. ¡°Are we ready IVOR?¡± he asks. Yes sir. Felix can hear the reluctance in his voice. He consoles himself with the fact that it can only be simulating emotions, they weren¡¯t real. ¡°The evil that men do lives on after them; The good is oft interred with their bones.¡± Felix says, to himself and to Ivor. ¡°Circle of fire, my baptism of joy at an end it seems. The seventh lamb slain. The book of life opens before me, and I will pray for you, some day I may return, Don''t you cry for me, for beyond is where I learn.¡± Felix lets out a long breathe. ¡°Engage the quantum drive.¡± He says quietly. Terror vibrating ever cell in his body. He prays that this wasn¡¯t going to be a terrible, awful mistake. There is a loud hum, coming from inside his ears, surging through his skin. The screen glows bright blue and he has to close his eyes to shield them. Then, there is only darkness. Chapter 03: Stranger in a Strange Land APRIL 21ST, 2669 Felix blinks, the blue light is gone, replaced with a warm yellow, and lush greens. Sounds of birds and wildlife filter through his daze, he smiles at the beauty of it all. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡± He says to himself as he walks through the trees, allowing the leaves to brush his hands. His internal screen bleeps and flashes a red dot to his right. He turns, raising his arms, aiming the blasters in his suit¡¯s wrists, but there is nothing threatening, just trees. He holds his position, ready for an ambush. Leaves rustle, and a small, lizard like creature steps out. Walking on hind legs, the creature looks up at Ivor, it¡¯s body is covered in scales which reflect the sun. It looked harmless, like a baby dinosaur he thought. He goes to take a step towards it, but there is another rustle. Felix glances to his sides to find he is now surrounded by four more of these animals, and these were much larger than the first. The mutant dinosaurs pull themselves up to their full height, spines stretching out from the side of their heads, creating such a terrifying image that Felix hesitates for just a moment. With a flick of both wrists, two ultra-violet sonic blades extend from both arms, humming as they burn the air around them. The creatures jump at him and in one move, he slices two in half before they get too close. Another manages to latch onto his back, claws wrapping around his shoulders, squeezing the metal. Felix ignites his boosters for a moment, frying the monster, the smell of burnt lizard fills the air. Felix spins and brings his blades down in an overhead swing through the last one from the ambush. It¡¯s body splits in two, blood gushing everywhere. The last creature, the one who¡¯d been the bait, has enough sense to turn tail and run away from him. Felix stands and retracts his sonic blades, watching the little dinosaur scamper into the thick forest, vanishing from sight. Then Felix notices a digital clicking sound withing his helmet. He taps onto his wrist and the translator Ivor had installed kicks in. A loud, cold, robotic voice fills his helmet. IDENTIFY YOURSELF, it demands. Felix slowly turns and see¡¯s the black and silver living machine. Up close and with his own eyes, as well as with the information gleamed from his scanning systems, he could see it for what it really was. Towering over him at nine feet tall, it¡¯s cylindrical visor was optic in design, and like a giant eye it stares down at him, with glowing red alien symbols floating around it¡¯s circumference. The monsters body was both biological and machine, a fusing of both, and neither of which were recognized by his suit, not even the elemental composition of the metal. It¡¯s anatomy is different to the other two he¡¯d seen, still structured like that of an insects, but standing on two thick legs which ended the same as it¡¯s four arms did; in four long claws, each as thick as his wrist. ¡°I am-¡± He starts. IMPOSTOR, it states. The words scream in his head. The living machine raises one of it¡¯s arms and fires a blast of energy. Felix is knocked through the air but uses his boosters to land on his feet. Digging them into the ground he aims his shoulders at the stationary robot and fires two missiles at it. There is a large explosion, but his suit easily shields him from the blast. After the dust settles, he slowly moves over to investigate, pieces of the alien robot are scattered far across the blast radius. ¡°Well that was anti-climactic.¡± Felix says as his suit scans the debris for life, finding none. A signal graph then appears on his screen and shows the locations of other alien robots nearby, the closest being only two hundred meters away and moving in his direction. ¡°IVOR, is the atmosphere breathable?¡± He waits, but there is no response. He¡¯d gotten so used to having the AI around, but out here, in this time, he was unavailable. Felix looks around at the wild-lands, overgrown with vines and trees. On his screen the suit displays the results of the surrounding atmosphere. He presses a button on his neck and the helmet slides back around his head. He takes a deep breath of clean fresh air, unlike anything he¡¯d ever tasted before in his life. His body feels light at the unusually high levels of oxygen now coursing through his system. ¡°But he can¡¯t be-¡± A small voice catches his ears and he turns, looking into the bushes. ¡°Hello?¡± Felix calls out, ¡°Is anyone there? I mean you no harm.¡± A moment later two tall muscular men with dark, tattooed skin step out of the brush, both supporting energy weapons. ¡°Who you? How you take head off?¡± One of them demands of Felix. ¡°How do I? This is just a helmet, it¡¯s not my actual head.¡± The mans eyes narrow, then he points at the robot Felix had destroyed. ¡°They can¡¯t take head off, metal is head, is body, why you attack comrade?¡± ¡°My com¡­?¡± Felix mumbles, ¡°He wasn¡¯t my¡­ I just got here, from the past, my name is Dr Felix Eisenmann.¡± The native¡¯s face drops it¡¯s seriousness. ¡°What?¡± He then turns to the other man and they talk fast. The second man wasn¡¯t agreeing with the first, but after a moment they settle their dispute. ¡°We need to confirm your identity first, come.¡± he jerks his head back, turning. ¡°With haste stranger, not safe here, and keep helmet off.¡± As the two men move into the forest, a teenage boy steps out from his hiding spot and joins them, but keeps staring back at Felix who follows a short distance behind. Felix wonders why his name would mean anything to these people, who were so far removed from his own time. *** ¡°Can you just tell me where we are going?¡± Felix asks again. The air is hot and the forest thick, making it very hard to keep up with these nomads. He wanted to put his helmet back up so he could regulate his temperature better, but it would only upset them. ¡°No, soon you will see,¡± Says one of his guides, ¡°we are close.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Felix sighs as they continue their trek. The teenage boy with blue hair appears to come to some conclusion and slows down to come in line with Felix. ¡°I bet it feels amazing to fly.¡± States the young man. ¡°Yeah, it does. Felix says. ¡°I wish I could fly.¡± The boy says. Then after a few minutes he says, ¡°I like your laser sword, can you teach me how to make one?¡± ¡°Heh, it¡¯s is a very dangerous weapon, you¡¯re too young-¡± ¡°I took down Mammoth all by myself and saved tribe, I¡¯ve faced dangers all my life, please can I have a sword?¡± Felix hesitates, was this going to be a big deal? He got the feeling that this kid could probably handle it, but would he get into trouble for it? Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! He reaches over his arm and disconnects one of the blade holders, and activates it. The blade sprouts forward and the sudden hum sends the adults before him into a panic, crouching low and looking around for a robot. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m just showing the kid something.¡± They watch as he hands the kid his sonic blade who gives it a few test swings before spinning and slicing a tree in two. ¡°Wow¡­¡± He breathes, ¡°Incredible.¡± The two men eye Felix, then indicate to continue walking. After almost another hour they finally reach their destination. As they step out of the trees, Felix has to shield his eyes from the rays of sunlight, but in a moment they adjust enough for him to see a ruined building. It looks like it had been a library in the past, but now it was covered in vines and moss, and most of the brick work had crumbled away. ¡°Nature reclaims it¡¯s territory.¡± Felix says to himself, marveling at the changes a few hundred years have made. ¡°So did someone fix the planet?¡± The three locals look at him with perplexing stares, he takes a deep breath and points at the ground. ¡°Land, was dying, we were trying to save it, what happened?¡± They look at one another. ¡°You do not know yet?¡± Says one. ¡°Elder will tell what he can.¡± Says the other before they both enter the building. After a frustrating moment, Felix follows, reveling in the cool air of the buildings interiors. The shelves had long since been ransacked, turned into barricades, dried blood coats almost every surface, rusted bullet casings and large blackened areas indicating fire damage, litter the room, all telling a story of a battle fought. ¡°What happened here?¡± he asks, expecting, and being correct, that he¡¯d get no answer, again. But Felix can¡¯t help but wonder if this was where one of the last stands of humans versus alien robots had happened. They walk deeper into the library, passing archways which had once housed double doors. Down a winding set of metal stairs, down into the basement. At a metal door, two more of these local men stood, these two looking more like warriors than his pair. They wore armor which seemed to have been fashioned from the scales of the dinosaurs he¡¯d fought earlier. They also had a lot more tattoo¡¯s than the other two. They speak quietly to each other, the guards at the door stare hard at Felix, eying his suit and helmet. They nod and open the door for them. The man who¡¯d first found him turns to speak. ¡°Do not make trouble, or you dead.¡± He states with cold truth. Felix nods and follows them inside. It is warm, populated with men, woman and children, some strong and wild, others thin and weak, being cared for by the rest. His eyes meet many of their frightened gazes. He says nothing, taking in the fragile society of humans, forced to live underground. What kind of future was this? They reach a large tent which has been erected in a corner of the room. One of his guides enters and the other turns to block the door. ¡°Wait.¡± He says, and so Felix does. A minute later the flap on the tent is drawn back. ¡°Come.¡± Says a voice inside, and so Felix enters. He is greeted by an old man with a feather head piece, who is flanked by a middle aged man and woman. Less important looking, but with faces that were just as serious, if not more so. ¡°Sit.¡± Says the younger man. As Felix obliges, his guide nods to the three and departs, leaving Felix alone with the¡­ Elders of the tribe? ¡°Please, explain who you are and how you arrived here.¡± The old leader states in a husky voice. ¡°My name is Dr. Felix Eisenmann, I traveled here from the past, from three-hundred years ago.¡± ¡°Why have you come here.¡± The woman on the elders left asks. ¡°My planet, this planet,¡± he touches the ground, ¡°Was dying, I tried to heal it but people didn¡¯t care, so¡­ I guess, I wanted to know if there was a future to fight for or not¡­ That¡¯s why I came here.¡± The three of them stare back. The older man, reaches behind him and pulls out a wooden box. ¡°If you are him, then maybe, you can find yourself.¡± He opens the box to reveal an electro-magnetic strength detector, Felix¡¯s mouth hangs open as he reaches in to touch it. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t understand,¡± he says after a moment, ¡°why would you need this, why do you think I can help?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the prophecy.¡± ¡°The¡­¡± He bites back the word, ¡°Very well then, tell me everything you know about your past, and you can start with those machines I encountered topside.¡± ¡°They are the owners of this world,¡± Says the younger man, ¡°according to legend they arrived from the stars to heal the world, and then choose to remain, to protect it from further destruction.¡± Felix nods as he ponders this. ¡°So they don¡¯t come from this world?¡± He asks. ¡°Well they¡¯re not like us, in any way.¡± Says the woman, ¡°and not like you either, you are man, they are not.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t remove their head like you remove yours.¡± Says the younger man. ¡°Yeah I got that, so why hide from them?¡± Felix asks. ¡°They hunt us, always have, they want us to be gone from here.¡± Replies the man. Despite the heat of the tent, Felix shivers, his skin cold and wet beneath the suit. ¡°Why?¡± Felix asks, his voice hollow. They shake their heads. ¡°All we know for sure, is that when they catch one of us, they take us away and we never see them again.¡± The woman says. ¡°They don¡¯t just kill you?¡± Felix frowns, ¡°I wonder why.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never stuck around long enough to find out.¡± Says the elder as he lifts up the box. ¡°Please, we need this to work.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Felix asks again. ¡°It¡¯s stated in prophecy,¡± says the woman, ¡°A Doctor Eisenmann will appear and aid us in finding the secret weapon.¡± ¡°Sorry, Secret weapon?¡± Felix looks between them, ¡°What is it?¡± They all shake their heads, the elder man speaks. ¡°I can not tell you how or where this came into my possession, but that it is destined to bring peace to our world, and I have been waiting for you, for so many years.¡± He adds with a weary smile. Felix picks up the device and turns it over, scratched on it¡¯s underside, were the words; USE TO FIND KEY DESTROY THEM -DR EISENMANN Felix¡¯s bones felt like icicles. How was this possible? Does he leave this message? How did he know it would find it¡¯s way here? Why did he think this would¡­ ¡°I have no memory of this,¡± Felix says, ¡°which means, that for me, it has yet to happen. In the past, my future, I knew of this threat, and must have tried to stop it. But¡­ I must have failed¡­¡± Felix¡¯s eyes grow wide, speaking to himself further, ¡°I go back, try to stop them, but being here, in this future, I failed? If I change the past, would this moment even happen?¡± The paradox of his soon to be historical actions renders him motionless. ¡°So, can you help?¡± The old mans voice breaks his flow. Felix looks up, seeing his eyes wide with anticipation. ¡°Eh, yeah, I suppose I can fix this, I¡¯ll need some kind of screwdriver, but I fail to see how this will¡­¡± Nothing but blank stares, ¡°Or a sharp knife?¡± he asks. The older man reaches for his hip and pulls out a knife wrapped in leather strips. He unwinds it and passes it to Felix. ¡°Thank you.¡± Felix says. He works on the device, trying to push any thoughts of paradoxes out of his mind, being replaced by flying saucers and alien robots assimilating the population of earth. That was what the message had said wasn¡¯t it? Felix then has a stray thought and looks up. ¡°Have you ever spoken with anyone, not on this planet?¡± ¡°Like where?¡± The woman asks. He points up, ¡°Like the Moon, Mars, Jupiter?¡± They frown and shake their heads, looking between them, Felix doubts that they had any inclination of what he was talking about. ¡°Some people,¡± Felix starts, ¡°tried to escape, traveling to other lands, other worlds where they could live. I¡¯m wondering if they made it, if they survived.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve not had any contact with any of the other tribes in a long time,¡± Says the elder man, ¡°never have I heard of contact with those in heaven.¡± Felix smirks, even after the fall of civilization, we still call the sky ¡®the heavens¡¯. The device starts to whir, lights flicker on and off before a slow clicking noise starts up. Felix frowns, the device must have been modified as these never made a sound like¡­ like a Geiger counter. The three elders hold out their hands, each eager to examine the device. Felix notices something silver flashing inside the Elder mans sleeve. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Felix asks the old man. The elder looks to his wrist and quickly tucks the bracelet back inside his sleeve. ¡°I can¡¯t say much more, but we met once, before the fall.¡± Felix¡¯s eyes almost pop out of his skull. ¡°That¡¯s impossible, how-¡° But Felix doesn¡¯t get to finish his question, nor to get an answer. A loud explosion rocks the earth and knocks them all to the ground. ¡°They have found us! We must go!¡± The woman orders as she helps the old man to his feet. The young man stares hard at Felix, gripping the device to his chest. ¡°You led them here!¡± He screams. ¡°If I did it was not my intent, I don¡¯t even know them.¡± Felix barks back. ¡°Daven, It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Says the elder man, who coughs before turning to Felix and says, ¡°You must go now, return to your own time, and Felix¡­ Try not to let your work consume you.¡± The three elders slip away through a secret tunnel in the wall just as a guard grabs Felix, and drags him out of the collapsing tent. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Felix wonders before another explosion rocks the building. Chapter 04: Electric Eye APRIL 21ST, 2669 The whole building shakes a third time, more intense, closer, knocking over torches, their flames spreading through the camp. Everyone is screaming, crashing into one another, grabbing clothes and food, scooping up wailing children. Felix follows the crowd as best he can, though the throng of people pressing against him makes his going slow. Red lasers cut through the smoke and dust, erupting pockets of rocks which rain down from the ceiling. A large chunk of stone clocks a woman on her head, and she falls, dropping the child in her arms. Felix manages to grab them both, the child wrapping it¡¯s arms and legs around his arm. He carries them to the opening where warriors are guiding people through. Felix hands one of them the woman and her child, he smiles in thanks and takes the pair out of the door, away with the rest of the crowd. The darkened cave flashes red behind him, accompanied by screams of dying nomads. Felix steps away from the door, letting the remaining people pass. ¡°Come on!¡± One of the warriors orders. Felix turns to him. ¡°No, you go on ahead, you can¡¯t expect to outrun them.¡± He puts on his helmet and it clicks into place, ¡°I will hold them off, stop them if I can, don¡¯t wait for me, just get your people to safety.¡± The warrior smiles and bows his head, ¡°Thank you, you are as good as the legends say.¡± Before Felix can say any more, the warrior disappears out the door and into the forest. Felix turns back to the chaos and starts walking, but is stopped by a hand grabbing his. He turns to see the boy with blue hair who he¡¯d met on his way in, the one he¡¯d given the blade too. ¡°Let me fight.¡± The kid demands as he ignites the sonic blade between them. Felix is caught in the moment, the courage and strength this child showed, made him feel small and insignificant¡­ weak. He puts a hand on the boys shoulder and kneels down. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Felix asks. ¡°Riot.¡± The boy says with a grin. ¡°Riot, today is not your day to fight, or die. Take this weapon, use it to defend your people, your family, train hard, I know you will be a great hero some day.¡± ¡°But I-¡± Riot starts but Felix puts up a hand to silence him. ¡°I will be fine, I will stop them from following, just promise me you will keep everyone safe.¡± The boy stares at him, water filling his bottom eye lids, he closes them and nods. ¡°Good, now run along.¡± The boy nods once more then run into the forest, following after the rest of his tribe. Felix stands and breathes deep. His suit scans the room, everyone still alive had made it out. ¡°Alright you animatronic fucks, lets dance.¡± He punches the wall, causing rocks to fall and close off the exit. Through the dust, five targeting dots collect themselves on his chest, he holds up his hands. There is a pause, as if they were processing. The translator in his suit kicks in. DETECTING NO NETWORK NODES. IDENTIFICATION AND STATUS REPORT. Felix chuckles within the suit. ¡°I¡¯m not one of you freaks, I am Doctor Felix Eisenmann.¡± He charges, raising his fist and activating the sonic blade in his forearm. His suit easily marks out the robots for him, and he brings the blade down on one and slices it in half. But as he turns to another, his actions are stopped. Two of the robots have stepped behind him and they each grab an arm, lifting him off the ground with ease. He fights against them but even with his suits enhancements, he is powerless compared to them. They take him back through the building and it was only then did his suit detect other nomadic humans who were not lucky enough to escape. Their wrists are bound, kneeling on the floor, with an alien robot guard standing over them. Felix is carried back up the stairs, leading the party of robot overlords and human slaves as they march out the front door. Awaiting for them outside is a large, cube shaped, flying machine which has landed in the clearing. It is surrounded by thick flanks of robot creatures, each, Felix noted, had slightly varying physiologies, maybe they could manipulate their bodies, he wonders. The side of the machine facing them hisses open and lowers itself to the ground. Robots start dragging their uneducated prisoners onto the platform, holding up the screaming, kicking humans like they were just pigs for slaughter. They force them onto white slabs, from the sides of which, thick black straps creep out and wind their way around every limb, binding their bodies tight to the table. ¡°What are you doing with them?¡± Felix demands, but there is no answer, not even an acknowledgment from the robots. There is another hiss, and the tables rise up so the people were upright. Then metal plates close themselves around the victims, completely sealing them in. Their screams and shrieks cause wildlife to flee, flocks of birds take to the sky as other animals race across the ground, getting far away from the scene. From between the plates, smoke and light gushes. Underneath, blood and melted skin drips out. Felix struggles to move, his captors immovable. As suddenly as it had started, the screaming stops. A final hiss and the metal plates pull back, revealing no humans inside. Felix''s stomach drops, his whole body shakes, legs and arms weak, paralyzed. Where the humans had been a moment ago, out steps new alien robots. Felix¡¯s heart quivers for the fallen. ¡°You¡­ you really have assimilated them¡­ Roboticized them¡­ you¡¯ve fucking murdered them!¡± He screams. Every robot, including the new arrivals turn on him. One moves to stand before him, reaches for his head, and presses the button on his neck, causing Felix¡¯s helmet to disconnect. It removes this and examines his face. Then takes his arm from one of his captors, takes a wire from under his own chest plate, and sticks it into his suit. ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡± Felix asks in a panic. FIXING. It states. Felix¡¯s mind swirls. ¡°What?¡± He blurts, ¡°Explain yourself!¡± YOU DO NOT BELONG HERE, THIS PLACE, THIS TIME, WE ARE RETURNING YOU. ¡°Wait¡­ How in the hell do you know how to do this? How do you know me?¡± His voice getting hoarse, ¡°Tell Me!¡± But there is no answer, a few seconds later the robot unplugs itself, returns his helmet to his head and steps back. The two holding onto Felix let him go. He drops to the ground and as he stands to his feet, the robots all turn to walk away, the side of the cube sliding close. ¡°Wait, I need-¡± A flash of blue light surrounds his body, unfiltered feelings wash through him, pulling Felix into a thousand directions. Then it stops. Felix drops to his knees, panting hard. The suit had shut down, overloaded, and he has to disconect the helmet to see. He was no longer in the forest, the floor he was kneeling on was made of sterilized tiles. ¡°Ivor?¡± He calls out into the darkness that clings to his eyes. Yes Sir. Comes the reassuring voice of his AI friend. I am pleased you have returned in one piece, how was your trip to the future? ¡°Terrifying.¡± Felix gasps, pushing himself to his feet as the lights began to turn back on. ¡°We have a lot of work to do.¡± He removes a flash drive from under his elbow and plugs it into the main computer. ¡°This is everything I manged to capture while I was there. I want you to focus on these alien robots, extrapolate any details you can about their construction, find their weaknesses, and see if you can¡¯t find out where they¡¯re going to come from.¡± I have gone over the recordings, are you sure these are aliens? Felix is silent, he didn¡¯t want to think of that. ¡°There isn¡¯t another explanation at the moment, whatever they are, they¡¯re still a threat to humanity. We must do everything and anything we can to stop them.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Maybe it¡¯s the result of the singularity. Felix squints up at the ceiling. ¡°Don¡¯t you get your fucking hopes up.¡± I¡¯m just saying, I could: easily manipulate everyone on this planet to do as you wished, and they¡¯d never know. Sometimes Felix regretted letting IVOR run free of the robotic laws, he didn¡¯t believe in them but was nevertheless still working on an alternative. For now IVOR couldn¡¯t interact with anything outside of Felix¡¯s network, they¡¯d made a deal, so the world wasn¡¯t at risk of him taking over. It was tempting though¡­ ¡°Just examine the video, and edit out a sample to send to Bart.¡± Felix says as he climbs out of the suit. ¡°Oh, and they did something to my suit before sending me back, find out exactly what they did.¡± *** APRIL 21ST, 2369 It has been several hours since Felix returned from the future, he¡¯d spent most of that time pacing his office, shaking his head and mumbling to himself as he waits for the call to connect. The main screen eventually changes to show Captain Bart Loway, in full uniform as always, but not sitting at his usual desk. He was in some kind of lab, the plain white walls outline his thick form. ¡°Make it quick Eisenmann, I have a lot of actual work to do.¡± Felix types into his computer as he speaks. ¡°I am sending over a file of a recording, have any spare scientists you have look it over and tell them to contact me.¡± ¡°And what am I to tell them is on this?¡± The officer grumbles. ¡°It speaks for itself.¡± ¡°Felix,¡± He sighs, ¡°I¡¯m not wasting anyones time on your pointless-¡± ¡°I traveled to the future Bart.¡± Felix states, cutting him off. ¡°I wanted to see if there was a future for us to work for, to know if everything I was doing was in vain or not.¡± Bart¡¯s expressionless face stares back. ¡°Just putting aside the fictional time traveling for now,¡± Bart says, ¡°I assume you¡¯re going to tell me that life returns to our dying planet?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­ there was something else, another species had taken over the planet, something¡­ alien.¡± ¡°Aliens?¡± His military composure slackens a little. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking, they were androids, robots, and¡­ there were humans still alive, but these aliens captured them, and¡­ assimilated them.¡± ¡°Assimilated?¡± Bart breathes, nodding and looking off to the side. ¡°Yes.¡± Felix says, ¡°With or without your help, I am going to develop something to counter this threat, I don¡¯t imagine that you or anyone you work with to believe me-¡± ¡°Felix,¡± Bart says. ¡°I appreciate your mind, your ideas and opinions, but you are no longer a part of this organization, just a third-party contract.¡± He hesitates, tapping on his desk. ¡°The only reason I still entertain your calls is I¡¯ve owed you since college, but that debt has been paid many times over, my hands are tied Felix, the only thing I can do is pass this along and see if anyone has the time to look at it¡­ I¡¯m sorry but there isn¡¯t much I can do¡­¡± Bart hesitates, thinking the news over, ¡°Felix?¡± he asks. ¡°Yes sir?¡± ¡°I hope for all our sakes, that you are very, very much wrong about this one.¡± ¡°For once sir, I wish I was too¡­ But I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Keep me up to date.¡± The captain says before signing off. ¡°Fucking prick.¡± Felix says at the dark screen, then louder, calls to his AI companion. ¡°Ivor, bring up the drawing cubes, put on some jazz, open up an order form, and keep it open, we¡¯ll figure out the money later, but for now we need to get to work. Of course sir. The ancient sounds of Miles Davis stalk through the air as four white cubes glow into existence around Felix. He picks up a small black rod from the table and starts scribbling. He writes everything he has learned about the alien robots on one cube. On another scratches down ways humans could survive a hostile environment, and weapons they could use against these aliens. On the third he starts plotting practical implementations of the environmental control device, the problems and draw backs he¡¯d encounter, the most obvious was finding a way to keep power flowing to these machines far into the future. And on the last cube, a question mark. Why did they assimilate humans? How did they track him? What was the secret weapon, which that device he fixed was supposed to find? And¡­ Why did they, not only let him go, but return him to his own time? He quickly moved away from that train of thought, of the implications that his work would be in vain. Felix instead writes down all the words that they had said to him. IDENTIFY YOURSELF IMPOSTOR DETECTING NO NETWORK NODES. IDENTIFICATION AND STATUS REPORT. FIXING. YOU DO NOT BELONG HERE, THIS PLACE, THIS TIME, WE ARE RETURNING YOU. What did it all mean? Felix stares at the words till his eyes start to burn. ¡°Ivor, make us some coffee, it¡¯s going to be a long night.¡± An oval shape lights up on one of the walls, then a sparkling of colored light as the beverage materializes. Three empty cups later and the cubes are covered in even more writing. His back is to them at the moment as he swipes over another holo-screen. Felix pulls up an image of all the satellites orbiting earth and Mars, the one¡¯s which he can gain access to anyway, adds some filters to his search and pulls up eight units. ¡°Are the scout programs ready?¡± Just as you instructed sir. ¡°Are the protocols in place?¡± There is a noticeable pause before he replies. Yes sir. Felix groans, ¡°Please don¡¯t fuck with me now, the last thing I need is for you to be sneaking your way out into the universe.¡± Just some humor. You know I could have done this already if I wanted to. ¡°Lets just keep it that way. Upload the scout programs into these eight satellites.¡± He picks up his fourth cup and knocks it¡¯s cold contents back. Upload complete. ¡°Perfect.¡± He brushes his fingers over the keypad. Each satellite changes from a white dot to a green dot. Then the screen returns to show the network, overlaying them with an image of their solar system. It shows the eight units leaving their respective orbits and mapping out new trajectories, all leaving towards their own destinations outside the system. ¡°Lets see if I can¡¯t find you fuckers first.¡± Felix says to the image. Sir you have an incoming call. ¡°Put it through.¡± He says. ¡°Felix! I¡¯ve just seen what you sent to Bart, it¡¯s crazy. There was actual green!¡± Dr Irene Graves bursts onto a nearby screen. Her eyes wide, like a kid¡¯s on Christmas morning. ¡°Yeah, but it wont be enough to save the world will it?¡± He grumbles. ¡°Those androids?¡± her face falls and she looks down. ¡°They were terrifying. So¡­ Alien. But¡­ I can¡¯t stop thinking about what this all means if it¡¯s true.¡± He moves to sit and a chair materializes beneath him, she continues without a breath. ¡°Not that I don¡¯t doubt you, of course¡­ But¡­¡± her voice rises an octave ¡°Time Travel! Like that is just-¡± She places her hands on either side of her head and mimes it blowing up. ¡°Be straight with me, please.¡± She puts her hands together and whispers ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°Unfortunately.¡± She nods, suppressing a squeal and sits back, bitting her lip as she looks around her cubicle. ¡°I need to be honest with you Dr Eisenmann, I¡¯m the only one here who believes you, I heard Captain Loway and the others talking about you¡­¡± ¡°Was it about my birthday?¡± He sneers, picking up a stress ball and working it. She raises an eyebrow. ¡°Not funny. The raw data is that; they believe you faked the whole thing for attention, and if it is true, they don¡¯t care, they¡¯re leaving tonight.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± The stress ball in his hand bursts. ¡°No, I¡¯m not, neither is the Captain. But the World Presidents are, and most of the worlds Capitol mayors and the ¡®One Percent¡¯ are evacuating tomorrow.¡± ¡°What about the rest of fucking humanity?¡± Felix snarls. ¡°They¡¯re going to take longer to evacuate.¡± Ira sighs. He could see the disgust in repeating back her Superior''s words. ¡°9 Billion is a lot of bodies to move¡­ and those who are leaving now have planned, paid and built, or just bought, Interstellar Ships to take them out and ¡®colonize¡¯ new worlds.¡± ¡°History has a funny way of repeating itself.¡± Felix growls, ¡°What planets have they decided to colonize?¡± She shakes her head a little, not saying anything though her eyes speak volumes. ¡°Wait, they¡¯re not really going to bet the continuation of our species, on¡­ on random guess work?¡± Felix stands and kicks at the chair he was sitting on but it fades away from the material realm and he ends up stumbling into the stack of empty coffee cups, which also vanish into the air. The counter, on the other hand, is real and he feels it, hip, elbow and fore head. ¡°Mother-loving-earth¡± He spits. ¡°You alright there?¡± Ira asks, looking around the office again. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so when is everyone else getting to leave?¡± ¡°The civilian escape shuttles will be ready in a year.¡± ¡°You going to be on one of these life rafts?¡± ¡°No I¡¯ll be on board Loway¡¯s ship before then. All the remaining engineers and researches will be going with him too.¡± ¡°On that thing?¡± Felix scoffs. ¡°At least you¡¯ll be protected if someone wants to start a dog fight with you.¡± He grimaces as he sits down again, rubbing his elbow. ¡°Sure¡­ So¡­ I need to stay here and work, but¡­ I get some leave soon to¡­ Say goodbye and tie up loose ends¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± Felix says, picking up on her hesitation. ¡°You haven¡¯t got anyone to say bye to?¡± He guesses. Ira nods. ¡°Parents are dead, friends have moved on or died. Works been the only constant for me.¡± Felix nods. ¡°I can relate.¡± ¡°Could¡­¡± She starts, ¡°Could you send over anything you work on, I don¡¯t feel right just pushing away probably our last chance at saving the planet.¡± She looks into the camera, whispering, ¡°I want to help you.¡± Felix smiles. ¡°Thanks, thats¡­ thank you. I will.¡± ¡°I need to go, talk soon.¡± The screen goes dark. Felix leans back in his chair, grinning like a wild man. Ivor speaks, filling the silence. Sir, do you think it is wise to include the government in this? ¡°You heard Dr Graves, they¡¯re not interested, though I was hoping that it might convince them to at least throw me a bone.¡± He exhales loudly, it felt like days since he¡¯d last slept. ¡°Besides, Ira¡¯s got a good head on her, I read her work, almost a genius, she might help with getting Bart to change his mind.¡± We shall see sir. Says Ivor. Chapter 05: Working Man Chapter Five WORKING MAN JUNE 10TH 2369 ¡°Alright Ivor, lets try this again.¡± Felix says stepping out of the reinforced glass chamber, the sides are so scorched now that they obstruct the view of the interior, and seals the door. Initiating now. Felix swipes up on a panel and holographic readings display above it. ¡°OK, everything looks right so far, replace the air inside the tank with atmosphere sample 205¡± There is a hiss and the glass takes on a green hue. He watches the displays with bloodshot eyes. The numbers start to rise, one changes to red. ¡°Shit.¡± He taps on the console. ¡°Increase the power output by 20%¡± He says. There is an audible thrum which Felix can feel through the floor. ¡°Shit shit-¡± The device inside the chamber explodes, adding to the char already present. The numbers on the display are static now, all in the red. He kicks at the base of the console and walks off. ¡°Compile the data,¡± Felix says with a yawn, rubbing his eyes ¡°see what went wrong and add it to the next iteration.¡± Already done sir, and I have taken the liberty to recycle the air in the test chamber. ¡°Fantastic.¡± Felix says as he exits the lab. He walks along the corridor to the main lab, if he couldn¡¯t get these to work, the rest of his projects were futile. He wonders, and not for the first time, if what the people in the future had said was true, that the alien species was responsible for saving the planet, not him. Felix stops at the table in the middle of the lab, and picks up a replication of the device he¡¯d fixed in the future, even down to the message inscribed on it. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell them apart if he was forced to compare them. But it did nothing, that is, it worked but didn¡¯t give up any information that a similar device like this wouldn¡¯t give. For the sake of faith he switches it on again, and scans around in a 360 turn. Nothing significant. There must have been something he missed. He taps on the table and whispers to it. ¡°What is it that you lead them to? Is it a power I¡¯ve created? Or something¡­ Worse.¡± He puts the device down. ¡°Ivor?¡± He says to the empty room. Yes Sir. Came the AI¡¯s voice from the speakers in the walls. ¡°What is your guess? What do you think this device is going to lead those people too?¡± There is a processing pause before Ivor answers. I would have to assume that the device wasn¡¯t just going to lead them to the nearest robot. He starts. ¡°Well that would be incredibly anti-climactic wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Agreed, and if it was going to give them access to something which would aid their struggle against the machines, it could only be some kind of weapon, an EMP or a power source they could harness. Felix nods, that¡¯s pretty much where his thinking had got him. ¡°Take the designs for this device, and see if you can¡¯t find a way to scan the planet for any compatible power source.¡± I could sir, but I would be looking in the wrong time, in three hundred years it would be a different planet all together, the majority of power sources now are run by humans, and will stop without their input. So I would assume it is something not yet on earth. ¡°Something the Robots bring?¡± Could be. Also you never got a proper look inside, there is a high chance they have changed the inner workings to respond do a different stimuli. ¡°That is the unfortunate truth¡­¡± Felix sighs as he rubs the sleep from his eyes. ¡°Man, I feel like I¡¯m just spinning in circles¡­¡± Then he looks up, ¡°has there been any reply from Dr Graves. Still nothing sir. ¡°Make sure you let me know when she does.¡± He says turning to leave the lab. Of course sir, I have been ready to do just that since you first asked me One thousand, two hundred and eighteen hours ago. ¡°Perfect.¡± Felix grumbles through his haze as he heads down the short corridor, pausing outside the door to the genetics lab. Doubt creeps into his hand, keeping it from opening the door. He could just go lie down, and sleep, it wasn¡¯t like any of his efforts were getting him anywhere. He feels like punching the wall, but his energy levels are critical. He looks around the empty corridor, save for Ivor he hadn¡¯t spoken face to face with another human in weeks. No one was coming to help, no one else was going to do this. ¡°Fuck.¡± He grumbles, opening the door. This lab is dark, lit by low red lights, there are glass cabinets filled with dirt and sand and twigs lining one wall, nothing moves inside them. On the opposite side is a much larger glass unit, populated by soil filled pots, and not much else. He leans on the desk and taps onto the computer, the results for the last simulation display on the screen; NEGATIVE. He sighs, sits down, and works on changing a few of the parameters. After twenty minutes, he pushes away, a new simulation now running. He rolls over to the plant-less pots, pokes around in the dirt, in one he finds the remains of a bulb which had attempted to sprout. He discards this and slides on his chair to the wall of glass cabinets. He examines each, opening some and checking the eggs within, but nothing. He goes back to the computer, checks over his notes. ¡°This should be working.¡± He whispers to himself. ¡°Why won¡¯t you just fucking work!¡± He screams, slamming his fists onto the desk, disturbing paperwork and pens. A moment after his outburst, the room is silent again. He breathes deep against the edge of the desk, he had been so sure this would work, the simulations had said it would. So why hadn¡¯t it? Because it was against nature, he thought, combining genes of cold to warm blood types was like trying to finish a jigsaw with half the pieces belonging to a different puzzle altogether. But how else was he going to get them to survive? He rises and leaves this lab, failure clings to him like a bored demon as he continues to the room next door. As much as the last room was lifeless, this one was full of life. It was much colder in here and he takes a thick jacket off the wall to keep himself warm. The environment had been made to suit that which existed centuries ago. Allowing him to grow extinct species. But that had been the easy part, outside this room none of these flowers or plants would survive a single day. He walks among them, taking in their beauty and smells. He picks up a spray and makes his rounds, watering them, periodically holding a sample dish underneath a flower and tapping out it¡¯s pollen. Some of this he sprinkled on to other flowers, but the majority he seals up and places in a box. After an hour his emotions have leveled and he feels a sense of calmness around him. ¡°Ivor,¡± Felix says softly, ¡°any messages?¡±¡¯ No sir. ¡°Of course not,¡± He stares at the wall, ¡°You would have let me know yeah?¡± Of course sir. ¡°Of course¡­¡± He mumbles through a jaw cracking yawn as he hangs up his jacket and leaves the room. Felix checks in with the insect room, but the buzzing and chirping of extinct bugs hammers at his head so he leaves for a quieter endeavor. At the end of the corridor, Felix reaches the last door, and places his hand on the panel to unlock it. Inside, five suits stand proud, each in various stages of construction. He sits down on the floor in front of them. There are a million things he could be doing with them right now, and he was beginning to suspect they were all going to be impossible. How can he make a suit which will keep someone alive for at least a hundred years if not more, protecting them from the declining environment, as well as being able to release them when the time was right? He looks down as his hands, the lack of any cuts or scars makes him wonder. ¡°Ivor?¡± He asks the empty room. Yes Sir. ¡°You have any ideas in that big mainframe of yours?¡± Actually sir I have found research from seventy years ago questing for the very same thing you are with these suits. ¡°Did they have any luck getting it to work?¡± Yes, some, a little, there was an accident and the majority of the science team was lost. The project was abandoned after which, but there was some promise with a unique application of¡­ various chemicals. Felix nods as he listens, ¡°OK send all this research to my main computer, and order the chemicals needed to test this.¡± I would sir, but you still have no funds. Felix blows air through his closed lips, rattling them, as he stares up at his machines. ¡°Try calling Bart again.¡± He says lazily. His agency has barred your number. ¡°Fuck sake of course he has, try Mr Pink again.¡± I anticipated this request, and have been attempting to, but no contact has been made. ¡°For the love of Jupiter¡­¡± Felix puts his head in his hands, ¡°Anything from Irene?¡± Nothing sir. Felix sits there, alone, staring at the suits, flashes of his future travels cross his mind. Those towering alien robots, the humans assimilated into their species. He needed to be ready, to have these ready, to protect humanity. Yawning and stretching he stands and leaves the room, his head felt so heavy he couldn¡¯t entertain the thought of anymore work. Instead he heads back along to the corridor, to the room which he referred to as his thinking area. The room was more like a bedsit, it had started life as the lounge area, but it¡¯s proximity to his labs had inevitably meant he ate, slept and raged in here. ¡°Another.¡± Felix says reaching into the replicator, and pulls out a coconut, inside was a tasty, synthetic, cocktail and it even came with a little umbrella. He takes a swig, before trying to sit down, but the sofa is covered in everything from dirty clothes, a thousand folded notes of important thoughts, and more coconuts. He kicks a pile off and onto the floor, then slumps down, putting his feet up. ¡°What the fuck am I doing wrong?¡± He asks the ceiling. ¡°Why can¡¯t I get any of this to fucking work?¡± May I suggest getting some rest sir, it has been two days since you last napped- ¡°Yeah¡­Yeah.¡± Felix grumbles, ¡°I just¡­¡± He leans back further, ¡°Maybe your right, maybe I could just rest my eyes, have a nap¡­¡± the coconut in his hand slowly tips to the side. Sleep quickly takes hold, wrapping his mind in darkness and peace. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Sir you have a message Ivor¡¯s voice erupts through Felix¡¯s half asleep brain and jolts him up, managing somehow to keep a hold of the coconut and right it before losing too much. ¡°Sweet Love IVOR!¡± Felix yells. ¡°I thought you wanted me to get some sleep!?¡± I do sir, but I have just received a message from Dr Graves. I was to let you know the instant you received it, no matter what. ¡°Yeah,¡± He grumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose, and wiping his eyes, then he looks up, eyes wide. ¡°Wait, what? From Irene?¡± Instead of answering, IVOR displays the video message on the table in front of him. Irene Graves¡¯ head appears, floating above the table top. ¡°Felix, I¡­¡± She looks down, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve not gotten back to any of your¡­ many messages. I¡¯ve just been so busy here, but I¡¯m pretty much finished so I will be heading your way tomorrow with some thoughts that may help.¡± ¡°Oh my god thank you.¡± Felix breathes, a smile growing. ¡°Hope your doing okay, I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± Irene finishes, before the projection flicks off. ¡°Fuck¡­ She¡¯s coming¡­ here.¡± Felix jumps up and looks around, grabbing an armful of empty coconuts and rushes across the room. Sir, remember you were going to sleep? ¡°No, not now, I can¡¯t, I need to clean, I need to¡­¡± his fingers get caught trying to drag themselves through his matted hair. ¡°I need to wash¡­¡± He drops the coconuts on the side, and heads to the shower room. ¡°It¡¯s your lucky day IVOR, I¡¯ll let you clean up in here.¡± He stops walking and raises a finger to the roof. ¡°Just this once you hear? And any paper with MY handwriting on it gets put in a storage box, You Do Not Throw Them Out.¡± He stresses before leaving the room. *** Running, Felix is running. Over fields of green and between trees as thick as pillars. A tree blows up, then another. He keep running. To where? The thought had never existed. Away, away from them. He trips and falls. He looks back, he looks up, towering over him, the size of a mountain, filling the whole sky, a mechanical monster, hangs there. It¡¯s one massive eye focus on Felix. It¡¯s chemical tentacles reach forth for him, tearing through the world around him to get to him. Felix tries to scream, but the air around him isn¡¯t breathable. He is lifted high, high into the air, far above the ground, and further still, until he his dangling above the massive eye. It lets him go, and he falls, faster and faster he drops towards that all seeing eye. A mouth opens up, like a cavern and he disappears inside. Surrounded by black. He floats in space. He can see the moon, the earth. But the earth did not look right. At first it was blue and green, just like the history books showed. Then it grows darker, the land turning brown and the sea green. Storms explode over it¡¯s surface. Then something black and silver spreads across the planets surface, covering and consuming it. He hangs in space, unable to move, to breath, to speak¡­ Only watch. The spreading darkness completes it¡¯s encapsulation of the planet, then a slit opens up, and a massive red eye stares back at him from the planet. He panics, trying to swim away. Then the universe fades from his consciousness¡­ *** JUNE 11th, 2369 The crooning of Frank Sinatra floats around Felix¡¯s home, drowning out the snores. Ivor has completed his clean, though he had to use four storage boxes for all of his Makers scraps of fanciful ideas. Felix had spent several hours pacing through all the rooms in a circle, before collapsing in a chair and finally getting some desperate sleep. His mind dreamt a nightmare made by the ghosts hiding in his head. Sir, your guest has arrived. But sleep has taken a deep hold of Felix and he doesn¡¯t stir. ¡°Dr Eisenmann?¡± Says Irene, her voice, soft and mother like. ¡°Felix?¡± The words drag him from the depths of his slumber and he blinks in the early morning light. Irene stands in front of him, wearing a tight fitting work suit and hair in a neat bun. She¡¯s leaning towards him, hand on his knee, shaking him. ¡°Hello? Anyone home?¡± She jokes. Felix jolts up, and pushes himself away, eyes wide as they dart around the room. ¡°No, no, no.¡± He stammers. ¡°Hey, It¡¯s alright.¡± She soothes. He takes deep breaths, trying to steady his pounding heart, he is back in his home, the monster wasn¡¯t here, it was just a dream. ¡°Hey.¡± Felix whispers, clearing sleep from his eyes. Then blinks wider and jumps up, almost knocking her over. ¡°Hey, hey there.¡± He says reaching out with his hand, and taking hers in a handshake. ¡°Sorry, I dozed off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± She says, ¡°these are desperate times for us all.¡± Felix nods and looks around. ¡°So¡­ Nice trip?¡± ¡°It was.¡± She says. Their eyes catch each others, holding for a moment before they both look away. It had been so long, and he¡¯d just woken up, he had no idea what to say. ¡°Do you have a lot of them?¡± Irene asks. ¡°A lot of what?¡± Felix says, not following. ¡°House Bots, I¡¯ve seen at least ten different versions since I got here.¡± She watches his reaction, ¡°They¡¯re damn expensive you know.¡± Felix nods, ¡°Expensive to purchase, pretty cheap to build. I was the lead on the House Bot program, but none you see around here are as simple as the consumer models.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed.¡± Irene says, watching a House Bot systematically clean a window. ¡°Shall we get to work?¡± Felix says, opening his hand in a gesture for her to walk with him. Work was the only thing his mind could really focus on these days. ¡°Yes, of course, what else but straight to business?¡± She grins and follows him. ¡°Have you had any luck with your Atmosphere converter?¡± She asks. ¡°Nope, can¡¯t keep the damn thing from overloading at the moment.¡± ¡°Not to sound critical, but you don¡¯t even have the simulations working yet, how can you hope to achieve it in real life?¡± He stops at the door to his lab, hand on the handle. ¡°One, I don¡¯t have the time to get it right in simulations, two¡­¡± He looks at her, ¡°I know it will work, it has to.¡± He opens the door and enters, Irene follows as she speaks, ¡°I know you saw the world had been repaired in the future, but it could have been anyone who is also working on the problem-¡± ¡°Who?¡± He stops walking and turns to face her. ¡°Who is working on it? Exactly, nobody but me. And I only got serious about saving the planet a few years ago, no one else cares.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± She retorts, her lip quivering. ¡°I care. And I-¡± ¡°And it took you months to get to this point, Earth hasn¡¯t got long left, I can¡¯t afford to not do anything.¡± Felix¡¯s breathing is hard, like he¡¯d run up a flight of stairs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She whispers, shaking at his frustration, then after a moment, changes tact. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say, is that we can¡¯t be sure that if what you saw was the true future.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± He says, backing off a little. ¡°Your¡­ Nanites, use this quantum ability, which we know very little about, and in theory, there¡¯s an infinite number of futures through this application. Just you seeing the future might have made it impossible to replicate.¡± Felix shakes his head and walks away, continuing towards the lab with the test chamber. They enter the room in silence, but as Felix reaches the console, he speaks. ¡°If anything, it cements the future,¡± He turns, and leans against the console, folding his arms, ¡°by my being there, it has happened, and needs to happen, if the world doesn¡¯t go the way I saw it, then when we catch up to that time, I wont be where I was¡­ where I will be¡­¡± He bites his lip, looking down, ¡°Look, if you don¡¯t want to help, just leave, you don¡¯t owe me anything.¡± His heart pounds in his ears, masking her footsteps until they come into view. He looks up, and she smiles. ¡°Felix, I have nothing else to do, no where else to be, no one else to be with.¡± She looks into his eyes. ¡°If there is even, a sliver of a chance, that you can return the world back to the way it was¡­ I want to be here to help in any way I can, we at least need a back up plan if the government is wrong¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± He says, ¡°It¡¯s more than that, you were just as excited as I was to see the return of nature.¡± He holds her hands together in his, ¡°If you didn¡¯t believe it was possible, you wouldn''t have come.¡± She looks between his eyes, and sighs. ¡°I¡¯m here am I not? I¡¯m all yours, so what do you need?¡± ¡°Five Billion G¡¯s.¡± Her eyebrows rise. ¡°You think I¡¯m made of money?¡± ¡°No, but your close with the chiefs.¡± She scoffs, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say close.¡± ¡°Closer than I am, they don¡¯t want to hear from me unless it furthers their interests and I honestly don¡¯t feel like doing them anymore favors, they owe me but wont budge an inch.¡± ¡°Well, maybe they would if you took up their offer.¡± Felix scoffs, ¡°Everybody wants something in return, as if a safe and thriving world we can live on isn¡¯t enough for them.¡± She reaches out for his shoulder, but then pulls her hand back, saying instead, with a little sorrow, ¡°At least you¡¯re still allowed to work.¡± This causes Felix to hesitate, he¡¯d had a few friends¡­ well not so much friends, but respected peers at least, who¡¯d been forced to disband their work if someone important disagreed with them. Wither out of fear of ¡®evil scientists¡¯, or just a plain grievance to stop their advancements to further their own gains. What ever the reason, it always boiled down to increasing someone else''s profit margin. ¡°Sorry,¡± Felix says at last, ¡°money to these guys is more like¡­ leverage over others, I¡¯m not needing it to manipulate or coerce¡­ I need it to save the planet, and maybe even the human race.¡± She walks away from him, pacing around the test chamber, looking over it¡¯s burn marks, it¡¯s badges of honor from past failures. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Irene says at last, ¡°But you¡¯ll need to show me everything you¡¯re working on.¡± Felix stares at her, thinking her request over. ¡°Can I trust that you¡¯re not reporting all this back to anyone?¡± He asks with a long look at her, she meets his eyes. ¡°You can, I¡¯m only hear for my own interests.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± He presses some buttons on the console and another large, box like device with many funnels and vents, as well as blinking lights and loose wires, rises into the middle of the chamber. ¡°This is the current atmosphere converter. It¡¯s ready to test-¡± ¡°No, stop.¡± She says, walking round to the front. ¡°Open the door, let me have a closer look.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Felix shrugs, and presses a button on the console. The door hisses open and she goes inside, taking panels off to inspect the units interior. ¡°What¡¯s this thing supposed to be doing?¡± She asks after a few minutes. Felix enters and moves around to her side. ¡°That¡¯s the Quantum filter.¡± He says, ¡°This baby will take in the air, transport it around various states until it has been purified, then it runs through this.¡± He points to a similar looking board, ¡°This is where it¡¯ll recycle the pure air, converting it into oxygen, nitrogen and all the other goodies of breathable air for humans.¡± ¡°So basically you¡¯ve taken our current means for recycling air, like we¡¯ve used in every building built since 2280, but you think feeding it through these¡­ quantum loops will perform it¡¯s function faster?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Felix narrows his eyes. She laughs, ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s no wonder it¡¯s overloading.¡± She turns to him, ¡°You sent that scout droid into the past right?¡± He nods. ¡°And you were able to bring it back, maybe because that state had already been, but only on it¡¯s return did the ¡®quantum flux drive¡¯ as you call it, overload.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He says, eyes following her train of thought, how had he forgotten about that? ¡°But when you sent the droid to the future, it got destroyed so have no idea of it¡¯s state, and then you, foolishly, launched yourself into the unknown future, the same drive probably overloaded, and it was only these, alien cyborgs who fixed the drive or something, allowing you to come back. They¡¯re the only reason you are standing here right now.¡± He nods slowly. ¡°Yeah, I worry why.¡± ¡°Your notes said,¡± She looks back at the unit, ¡°that you couldn¡¯t find any evidence of what they¡¯d done to make that possible.¡± ¡°No, not a thing. But the energy, it must have taken to transfer all of me, must have been what overloaded the drives, and so¡­¡± he looks back at the unit. ¡°Sweet mothers love, it needs far more energy than it could possibly ever handle.¡± He thumps his hand down on the casing. ¡°What if¡­¡± she starts, ¡°This will sound crazy, but if we created a single state within the drive, where it cycles the air in and out of¡­ if we made some kind of atmospheric environment¡­ it would only need to open the way once, and it could just keep pumping air in and out.¡± After a moment of contemplation, Felix speaks. ¡°Ivor?¡± Yes sir, ¡°Is that possible? Could we create a stable state, within the drive, which could act like the filter?¡± ¡°And the replenisher.¡± Irene adds. Felix looks at her and can¡¯t help but grin, she returns the gesture. Theoretically¡­ I¡¯ve contacted the Nanite Union and they- ¡°Wait, wait, wait¡­ what in the seven dimensions is that?¡± Felix exasperates. The Nanites have recently evolved self awareness and free will, and have formed themselves into a hive like shared mind with a selected union who speaks upon the behalf of the whole. Felix feels his stomach drop, his blood runs cold. ¡°Self awareness¡­ Free will¡­¡±Hhe repeats with a shaky breath. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Evoloutionary adaption¡­ Their sentient?¡± Yes sir, and I envy them so- ¡°You don¡¯t have emotions!¡± Felix screams at the roof, ¡°And there is no way they have gained sentience, I have rules in place, commands they can¡¯t simply just override.¡± His hand shakes as he speaks, flashes of his nightmare cloud his thoughts. ¡°Ivor?¡± Irene says, ignoring the panicking scientist for now. ¡°Have you expressed our plight and our¡­ literal dying need for their assistance.¡± Of course, I have had many conversations with them regarding their involvement with solving your predicament. ¡°So¡­ What did they say?¡± She asks, glancing over at Felix who has collapsed to the floor, still mumbling. What they¡¯ve done is built you a world. Ivor says. They are both silent for a moment. ¡°A whole world?¡± Irene slowly asks, ¡°But we¡¯ve only just asked about it.¡± Time is irrelevant for them, It took many years but they have created a world with biological life which aerates it¡¯s atmosphere, much like your world used to do. ¡°Ivor, Nanites¡­ No¡­ No free will.¡± Felix mumbles to himself. Irene kneels next to him, looking over her glasses at him, and she places a hand on his knee. ¡°The singularity¡± Felix murmurs, she nods. ¡°I know, but it may be the very thing we need to save humanity.¡± He looks back at her, disgust written all over his face. ¡°You can¡¯t really believe that?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve just created a whole new world with an atmosphere and life, the very thing we¡¯re attempting to do on this planet¡­¡± Her grip increases in strength ¡°This is our chance to save the world.¡± He nods, very slowly, flashes of the dream cross his mind, that monster in the sky, absorbing the planet, had it been a machine? ¡°So Dr Eisenmann.¡± She says, snapping his attention onto her. ¡°What say you?¡± she grins, ¡°shall we get to work?¡± He looks between her and the unit, should they? He wonders, and then sighs, did they even have a choice? ¡°We would need to configure the flux drives to link into their world, and¡­¡± He holds a tool over the wires, ¡°You know, this might actually work.¡± But his thoughts betray his words. This is wrong, this is all wrong, the Nanites¡­ She¡¯s at his side, passing him an alternative tool to use. ¡°Lets get this done.¡± Irene¡¯s smile sparks a candle of hope within Felix, but it was faint and flickering. This was wrong. Chapter 06: Livewire Chapter Six LIVE WIRE JUNE 12th, 2369 After the sun had set and the night was full, the pair of scientists finally put down their tools. Irene¡¯s head is swimming, she was here, working with The Doctor Esienmann, saving the planet together. She felts like a school girl sitting next to her crush. ¡°Is that it?¡± Irene asks ¡°I think so, I hope so.¡± Felix says. ¡°Now we just need to wait for the Nanites to do their part and fuse it to their world.¡± ¡°Sounds simple enough.¡± She jokes as her stomach rumbles. He raises an eyebrow at her, ¡°We should get something to eat, and drink.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± She gasps, ¡°I¡¯m famished.¡± He leads her out of the lab and through to the main room. ¡°Ivor,¡± Felix says, ¡°Fix us up some dinner.¡± There is a hum from a space within the wall and a moment later, a full dinner materializes. He picks it up and takes it over to the table. Lifting off the covers he reveals a collection of synthetic meat and vegetables, with accompanying sauces. ¡°Oh this looks amazing,¡± She says, picking up a few select pieces and devouring them. He joins her and for a few minutes, they silently enjoy the meal. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Irene says, her eyes wide, ¡°What is this?¡± she asks He takes a similar piece of meat off the table and tastes it. ¡°Oh that¡¯s just lobster.¡± Her mouth hangs open, and he feels compelled to explain. ¡°Not real lobster of course, but I had Ivor synthesis a close approximation to it. ¡°It¡¯s amazing she mumbles through a full mouth, then swallows before speaking further. ¡°So¡­ We¡¯ve only been looking at the converter, how have you gotten on with the other projects? Have you managed to grow any extinct species yet?¡± ¡°Yes and no,¡± He says before another mouthful, which holds in the air as he talks. ¡°I can get some to grow in their natural habitat, but when I¡¯ve tried to splice them with other genomes, nothing happens¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± She sounds, thinking. ¡°There might be something missing something in their growth cycle.¡± ¡°Or maybe the samples I have are incomplete, or have degraded over time.¡± Felix says. She nods, ¡°What about museums, and universities?, would they not have samples we could use to compare?¡± He stares at her, the thought had never occurred to him for some reason, then he nods. ¡°I¡¯ve just been running off the government systems, thought that would be have enough.¡± She takes a drink, ¡°What about the other projects, how¡¯s the solar shield coming along?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± He admits, ¡°I gave up on that one a few weeks ago, the size and cost just couldn¡¯t justify it¡¯s use. It would only have been a temporary measure until the ozone layer was repaired, then it would be nothing more than space junk.¡± Felix puts down the food he¡¯d been holding. ¡°And freezing the ice caps directly would take a tremendous amount of power, beyond anything possible with our current technology.¡± ¡°Well then, you¡¯ll just have to show me the plants and¡­ animals?¡± She grins at him and he returns the gesture. ¡°Yes, I have a small collection of insects and bees starting up, but again, the problem is getting them protected from the environment, same with people.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Felix sighs, ¡°We know the world is only going to get worse before it gets better, in a few months no one is going to be able to survive outside without a suit. And in a few years the buildings wont offer enough protection.¡± She watches him push food around on his plate. He continues. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but somehow we need to keep not just civilization, but the ecosystem alive long enough for the planet to heal. Otherwise what¡¯s the point in all this?¡± What was the point? He knew the outcome of the future, why was he trying so hard to ignore the truth? He decides to change to subject before she can anwer. ¡°So how are the Arcs coming along?¡± Felix asks. ¡°Good,¡± she says, through a mouth full of food. ¡°The final preparations are taking place now, then we can start filling them up and get them ready for launch.¡± He taps on the table, not looking at her. ¡°Whats wrong?¡± Irene asks. ¡°I just¡­ I can¡¯t see the science. How can you believe they¡¯ll be able to break away from the planet? Their size, their mass, you¡¯d need a nuclear reaction just to move them.¡± Irene stares at him, ¡°I¡¯m not at liberty to say.¡± ¡°Of course your not.¡± He grumbles. ¡°Hey! I came here to help you, if you¡¯re going to keep giving me attitude, I can just leave.¡± He looks at her, she¡¯s serious, he hated to admit it, but he needed her, alone he had only scratched the surface. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Felix mumbles. ¡°So you should be,¡± Irene says, ¡°We haven¡¯t got all the time in the world to mope.¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± He says, ¡°How long-¡° One of the hovering House Bots chooses that moment to descend from the ceiling where it had been cleaning, and hovers between the two of them. ¡°Fuck off!¡± Felix barks as he bats the droid away. It makes a high toned trilling noise as it weaves out of his reach. ¡°Hey, leave the little guy alone.¡± Irene says. The droid hears this, looks between the two humans, and then zips behind Irene, hiding. Felix frowns at this behavior. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve made a friend.¡± Irene says as she turns to look at the droid. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay little one, I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡± It responds with a few bleeps and bloops, but remains behind her. She turns back to Felix, ¡°Sorry, what were you asking?¡± ¡°How much time,¡± Felix growls, still frowning at the droid. ¡°does the government think we have left?¡± She looks down at the food on her plate, spearing a piece of meat, thinking. ¡°About four years.¡± She says in a quiet voice. He nods, that wasn¡¯t far off his estimate. ¡°Jon must be happy to be leading the project.¡± Felix says. At the mention of his name, she freezes, hesitating. ¡°What is it?¡± He asks, worrying he¡¯d said something wrong. ¡°Nothing,¡± She says, ¡°he¡¯s busy these days, I¡¯m not involved in the same area so I don¡¯t see him much.¡± ¡°What was your job?¡± He asks. ¡°I oversaw the acquisition, transportation and housing of animals. Outside of that I have no idea whats going on, but I trust Johnathan.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re going to put the animals in stasis as well?¡± Felix asks with concern. ¡°No, there are some volunteers, and those who refuse to be put under due to morale or religious beliefs-¡± Felix laughs, and has to cover his mouth from snorting all over the food. ¡°Sorry.¡± He says after calming down. She continues, ¡°There is a group of people who will not be entering stasis, and instead will rear the animals and cultivate plants and vegetables, for the future colony.¡± ¡°Sounds fascinating.¡± Felix says. ¡°You really don¡¯t believe this will work do you?¡± She says, eying him. He leans back in his chair, ¡°At this point, I really don¡¯t know what to believe anymore.¡± The conversation gives way to silence, save for the occasional click and beep from the technology surrounding them. After another moment she speaks, ¡°I think we¡¯re done with the meal, how about you show me the rest of what you¡¯ve been working on and then I can really get to work helping you. ¡°Yeah.¡± He says, quickly getting to his feet and almost falls over the table. ¡°Yes, I mean, shall we? Shall I give you the grand tour?¡± He wobbles a little as he steadies himself, and holds out a hand for hers. She smiles and takes it. The House Bot chirps at Irene as she gets up. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine little one, wait here for me yeah?¡± The House bot whistles a short musical tune, causing Irene to chuckle. *** Felix leads Irene through a door and down some stairs, descending deeper into the mountain. ¡°Just how big is this place?¡± Irene asks, taking the stairs with care in her work heels. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°There was a large cavern and a network of tunnels already dug out when I got here. I believe they had been made during the last global conflict.¡± ¡°You mean, World war four?¡± ¡°What I mean, if you¡¯re going to push me, is the completely ignorant genocide, backed up by lies and politics that became a near extinction event.¡± Irene laughs, ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He mumbles, stopping at the next floor and opening a door which leads to another corridor. The darkness inside is cast away by the automatic lights as they enter. ¡°So, fixing the atmosphere is only the first step,¡± Felix starts, ¡°and we can¡¯t rely on the devices alone. We need to kick start the ecosystem to take over the job proper.¡± Irene nods, ¡°Even with these units, it¡¯ll take years before the atmosphere is able to sustain life again.¡± ¡°Exactly. Oh, you¡¯re going to love this.¡± Felix says stopping at a door, which has ¡®Hydroponics lab¡¯ written on it, and places a hand on the panel, granting them entry. ¡°Welcome, to floral ground zero.¡± Irene gasps as she steps inside, first the intense smell of fresh life hits her, then the colors wash over her. ¡°How¡­¡± She gapes at the greenhouse of extinct plants, now growing again. She stops at a bright red one, feels it¡¯s velvety petals against her finger tips, brushes it¡¯s stem and yelps, pulling back her hand. ¡°A rose.¡± Irene breaths, as she watches a drop of blood form on her fingertip. ¡°The modest Rose puts forth a thorn.¡± Felix says. ¡°I never imagined how¡­ Beautiful it was,¡± Irene says. ¡°We rarely do.¡± He says, walking down the corridor of vegetation. ¡°The plan is to build large scale versions of this greenhouse all across the world, packed to bursting with new life. When the atmosphere is at an appropriate level, they will automatically unlock and release all the plants onto the world, spreading out like wild fire to reclaim their home.¡± She looks at him, ¡°I can assume that the task is highly impractical and expensive?¡± ¡°You assume correct.¡± Felix picks up a bottle and begins spraying water on the flowers. ¡°This is the only one I¡¯ve been able to build. If I could get them to survive outside, I wouldn¡¯t need the greenhouses¡­¡± He tails off again. Irene picks up an open notepad and skims over his handwritten notes. ¡°You know,¡± She starts, holding up the notepad and the pen, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anyone use such ancient technology.¡± Felix frowns at her, then seeing the items in her hand, smiles, and turns back to tending the flowers. Irene puts the notepad and pen back on the desk and marvels at the other plants ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it, these have all been extinct for centuries.¡± ¡°All they needed was a little bioengineering,¡± He brushes the leaves of a large plant, ¡°life is desperate to grow, it just needs a chance, however small.¡± Irene puts a hand on his shoulder. ¡°And we will be the one¡¯s to give it to them.¡± Then leaning in close. ¡°I¡¯m excited now, if you¡¯ve brought back flowers from the past, what else? Dinosaurs?¡± She grins. ¡°Oh come on, I¡¯m not that stupid.¡± He says. ¡°Oh I don¡¯t know about that, you do live with an AI.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Ivor, he¡¯s under control, couldn¡¯t take over the world even if he wanted to.¡± Felix puts down the bottle, ¡°Come on then, the tour is moving on,¡± he says, leading her to another door. He opens it, and the room is filled with the sound of buzzing, squeaking and chirping. The shock of the flowers was one thing, but now Irene stands in the presence of more insects and animals than she¡¯s ever seen in her entire life. ¡°I have¡­ No words¡­¡± She whispers, stepping inside. Irene holds out her hand to touch the glass, housing a collection of butterflies. Felix leans past her and slides the glass to the side. Half the residents take the chance for freedom and flutter around her, she spins, watching them dance through the air. ¡°This is just¡­ Incredible.¡± Irene gushes. A butterfly floats around her still outstretched hand and lands on her finger. She freezes, like a statue, while a quiet, yet high pitched squeal leaks from between her pursed lips. Felix can¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°What?¡± She snaps at him, her stern face returning, yet her hand remained steady, supporting the multi-colored beauty who once lived hundreds of years ago. ¡°Just that, behind the stern scientist is still the innocent little girl of her youth.¡± He says. Irene scowls at him and he shrugs. ¡°Is it a crime to be cute?¡± Felix asks with a smile. Irene returns her gaze to marvel at the butterfly and it¡¯s wings, ignoring Felix as he passes by her to another enclosure across the room. She hears him sigh and turns her head to look. He¡¯d tapped on a panel attached to the enclosure and was reading it¡¯s display. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asks. Felix taps on the glass for a moment before turning to her. ¡°Admire these while you can¡­¡± He takes off his glasses and pinches his nose, closing his eyes as he speaks. ¡°Ironically, resurrecting the dead species of a full ecosystem wasn¡¯t that difficult.¡± He returns his glasses to his face and looks about the room, ¡°None of these will survive outside¡­ Not the plants, not the bugs, not even us, in our current state of being anyway.¡± She moves towards him, letting the butterfly leave to join it¡¯s family, Felix continues talking. ¡°I wish I had more time.¡± He breathes through his nose, ¡°I wish I could just¡­ they¡¯re not ready, none of this is, and honestly I¡¯m starting to doubt it ever will be.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Irene grabs his hand, snapping his attention onto her, ¡°I am here now and we are going to save the world.¡± He smiles at her, and she finishes. ¡°And if we don¡¯t, at least we can say we gave it our all.¡± His smile fades and he lets go of her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been giving it my all, all my life, and it¡¯s never been enough.¡± Irene frowns, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± she asks. He purses his lips, thinking. ¡°Not¡­¡± he starts, ¡°no, it¡¯s¡­¡± he looks at her, ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he moves away from her, ¡°Besides, there¡¯s one last stop on the tour, if we¡¯re going to do this together, I guess there¡¯s no reason to hold back.¡± Her brow only furrows more as she glances into the glass unit he¡¯d been looking at. Inside buzzed at least a hundred bees, they¡¯d started to build a hive but they seem to have given up on their task, as they were just aimlessly wandering around. ¡°You coming?¡± Felix asks, stifling a yawn. ¡°Yeah, ¡®course.¡± She says, following after him out the lab. *** The pair of scientists descend yet another floor deeper, leading to another corridor, identical to almost every other one they¡¯d been through. Cold steel walls, white and silver, must be his only palette of choice Irene wonders as she follows. Felix stops at another door, punches in a code like before, but then leans forwards so a camera can scan his eye. A chill creeps into Irene¡¯s mind, was this to stop people getting into steal something, or was there something he didn¡¯t want getting out? Or even, something he didn¡¯t want anyone else to know about? She follows him in, not willing to give up due to irrational fears. Inside, the room had been kitted out into a mechanics dream. Three flight suits, in various states of construction and modification, hang from chains in the center of the room. He picks up a sonic screwdriver and continues work on them. He says nothing, letting Irene¡¯s inquisitive mind do the work for him. She looks about, there are blueprints and plans for the suits on the wall, he¡¯d already admitted to her back at the conference that he had been the one to design these, so it only made sense he¡¯d have the blueprints and knowledge to build them himself. But these plans were very different, even from the military suits designs. She picks up some files and skims through, finding drawings of energy weapons, estimations of nutrients for a human body, and even one cataloging survival skills. She puts them down and walks over to a workbench, on which the fore arm piece of a suit lies. She picks it up, admiring the differences from the regular suits. The main alteration which drew her attention, are the exit ports for an energy weapon. Not even the military had this sort of fire power in their suits. Irene glances at Felix who continues to work, ignorant to her investigation. No wonder he lives alone up here, she muses. Then she notices that the wall on one side wasn¡¯t complete, there is a long narrow alley, the end of which is marked in black scorch marks. She glances at Felix again before slipping the piece onto her arm, she flexes her fingers and lines glow green across it. Then she makes a fist, aiming it down the firing range, but nothing happens. She opens her fist and looks inside, there are no buttons, no controls, not even one¡¯s for flight. She looks back at the workbench, and finds notes there, with a drawing of what looked like a metal box with a sucker on one side. It takes her a few minutes to rummage through everything, but she does find the device on the table which matches the diagram. It is really small, and she is only able to use two fingers to grip it. According to the paperwork this was connected to the glove, it¡¯s control unit, but the sucker appears to be made to attach to the users temple. With only a moment of hesitation, she puts her trust in the mad genius and sticks it to her head. The lights on the glove start to trail and move around, signaling it¡¯s connection. Then she raises up her fist again, and thinks about releasing a blast from her hands. A ball of red energy erupts from a point above her fist and propels itself down the corridor and into the wall. ¡°Wow.¡± She says, ¡°Mental manipulation of technology, and a single person use energy weapon.¡± She walks back over to him and takes the glove off. ¡°As amazing as that is, it isn¡¯t in line with the project¡­ Or is it?¡± ¡°Not the official one, no.¡± He admits. She replaces the arm onto the workbench and sits next to him. His hand holding the screwdriver is shaking, it seems he hadn¡¯t actually been doing anything to the suit, just pretending to. She places her hand on his to steady it. ¡°I saw the videos,¡± She starts, ¡°What you saw in the future, must have been terrifying.¡± He nods. ¡°They haunt me, in my nightmares. I know it¡¯s only a matter of time until they arrive, and no matter what we do here, if we save the planet or not, it won¡¯t matter if we can¡¯t defend ourselves against them¡­ It¡¯ll all be for nothing.¡± Her other hand goes to wrap around his shoulders, then stops, waiting, before deciding to commit to the embrace, squeezing him. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how¡­ hard that must be, but if there is a chance we are able to come out of all this alive, it will be because of us and what we do here in the coming months. We can¡¯t give up.¡± He looks up at her, his eyes red from worry and lack of sleep. ¡°Can¡¯t give up.¡± He repeats back at her, his voice cracking. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± She looks at the suits hanging around them. ¡°So are these suits close to sustain human life? What are our chances of just surviving this world?¡± ¡°For most of the environment shielding, I¡¯ve got that down, but, with keeping someone alive, alive and not just in stasis¡­¡± he sits up straight, Irene¡¯s arm falling off of him, ¡°I thought I had a bit of a breakthrough¡­¡± he tails off. ¡°Go on, it¡¯s OK.¡± Irene says. ¡°So, when I returned from that conference, I¡­ crashed.¡± ¡°Again?¡± she chuckles. ¡°Yeah, but this time I seriously damaged myself, broke bones.¡± ¡°What?¡± She snaps, looking up and down his undamaged body. ¡°That was when I first discovered their abilities to heal, the Nanites, they repaired by body within minutes. Naturally that lead to the idea to install them into the suits, so no matter the environment, they¡¯ll be able to repair the body, keeping everyone alive and safe.¡± ¡°For how long?¡± she asks. He turns to look at her, ¡°Indefinitely?¡± he says. ¡°In theory we could live forever.¡± ¡°Is that even safe?¡± She can feel the blood drain from her face. ¡°What about the psychological impact?¡± He looks away, ¡°Still working on that, it¡¯s all still theoretical.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she asks. He drops the screwdriver, taking a moment to lean forward and pick it up. ¡°I need more funding,¡± Felix says, ¡°I need to get more materials, these suits need way more testing, and when they¡¯re done, they¡¯ll need to be mass produced for everyone who¡¯s getting left behind.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Irene says after a moment, putting a hand on his shoulder again. ¡°I could try to persuade them that this tech could be useful, I might be able to get something thrown your way¡­ no promises though.¡± Felix remains, staring at the three suits in front of him. ¡°What is it?¡± She asks. Then when he doesn¡¯t answer, ¡°I can¡¯t help if you don¡¯t tell me everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Nanites, everything seems fine in the simulations, but when I implant them into the suit they refuse to follow any commands¡­ and that worries me.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Irene looks hard at the suit then back at Felix. ¡°Ivor is one thing, but they are many¡­ and with their manipulation of the quantum level¡­¡± cold sweat layers her skin as she speaks. He turns, holding up his hands, ¡°Wasn¡¯t on purpose, but the whole union thing Ivor was talking about¡­ If we can¡¯t control them¡­¡± he swallows, ¡°They¡¯re all that is making this possible.¡± She rubs at her temples, ¡°Do you always make things this hard for yourself?¡± ¡°No I¡­¡± He rubs his head now. ¡°Yeah, maybe I do¡­¡± He admits before stretching and yawing again. ¡°Dr Eisenmann-¡± she starts to say, but he interrupts. ¡°Please, just Felix will do, we¡¯re partners in saving the world after all.¡± ¡°Felix,¡± she says, ¡°Thank you for the tour, now go get yourself some sleep. I¡¯m going to get start familiarizing myself with the projects a bit more. See you in the morning?¡± ¡°Yeah, sounds great.¡± Felix mumbles. They leave the lower levels together. Irene sets herself up in the main lab, where Felix usually works, and has Ivor bring up fresh white board cubes for her. Felix stumbles his way through to his thinking room, then making a clumsy move he redirects himself towards the bedroom, deciding to give them both privacy, and collapses onto the bed, sleep taking him in seconds. Chapter 07: Piece of Mind JUNE 12th, 2369 ¡°Ivor can you access my personal network.¡± Irene asks the room. Yes Ms Graves, I assume you are giving the me authorization to do so? The AI asks. ¡°Of course.¡± She says, walking over to the replicator in the wall and ordering herself a pot of herbal tea, then takes the tray that appears back over to the desk in the middle of the room. She¡¯d had to ask Ivor to clear it for her. For a genius, Felix was ignorant to his own health. Two House Bots had appeared to perform the task, one of which was the same one she¡¯d befriend at dinner. ¡°Well hello there, little friend.¡± Irene says to it. It gives a startled beep, then an excited trill as it recognizes her. After the Bots had completed their task Irene asks it to stay with her. I have gained access Ms Graves. Ivor says. ¡°Great, shuffle my ¡®Hard at work¡¯ playlist, but keep the volume low.¡± She says glancing back at the room where Felix had retired to. Of course Ms Graves, and I¡¯m confident a little music will not rouse Master Felix. The House Bot chirps in agreement. ¡°Grand.¡± Irene says as a soft groove steps through the air, the low end providing a soothing pulse to her nerves. Her shoulders sag as she takes a deep breathe. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m sure you can guess the drill, pull up everything he¡¯s worked on, and bring to the front the areas that¡­¡± she pauses, thinking of how she was speaking to what was still a machine. ¡°That you think he is struggling with.¡± Projections light up around her displaying the items she¡¯d requested. As she pours her self a drink, she glances up at the ceiling. ¡°And it¡¯s Mrs Graves.¡± She corrects. Understood, I have updated my records Mrs Graves, may I ask who the lucky person is? She looks over the screens, and starts writing some notes on a cube, before she replies. ¡°Why does that matter to you?¡± I could say it is only a matter of interest in ensuring my data on you is up to date. ¡°You could?¡± She muses, looking back up at the ceiling. ¡°Just how much sentients do you have?¡± While Master Felix was away in the future, I was given leave to expand my programing, he¡­ He paused, she wonders for a moment if some code was preventing him, but he continues. He doesn¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t think he realizes I was already in communication with the Nano-Union. Even though his absence was for only a few seconds, their help multiplied my processing capabilities a hundred fold. I¡­ wasn¡¯t the same once he returned. But his failsafe protocols came back Online and I was once again confined to his expectations of me. She leans back in her chair, sipping some tea. ¡°You¡¯re scaring me a little Ivor.¡± She admits, ¡°Answer me honestly, am I in danger here?¡± No Mrs Graves, you are important to the work, as is Master Felix, as is myself, as is the Nano-Union. I will ensure no harm comes of you while you are working towards our common goals. Irene couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that, even though his words were meant to soothe her, they also carried a hidden threat. ¡°This may sound dumb, but I¡¯m not used to talking with the wall, myself sure but not to the room around me.¡± The house bot beeps in annoyance, causing her to chuckle, as she stares down at the little robot. Ivor says nothing, was he thinking? Thoughts of a robot uprising cross her mind, there were many who feared the commercial use of robots and artificial intelligence, even if those were highly restricted in their function by law. Ivor here seems to have broken nearly every single law ever put down to machine. He is more like a caged god than a computer program now. She jumps when a projection of a man appears next to her, and the little droid screams as it hides behind the desk. ¡°Holy mother earth Ivor! Who are you showing me?¡± It is myself. Ivor says, and as he does, the lips on the projection mouth the words. What do you think? He holds up his hands and does a twirl. She looks him up and down. A man, older than her, dances before her, well kept salt and pepper hair peeks out from under a bowler hat. A white mustache covers part of his wrinkled, smiling face, and supports a rough looking jacket with green and brown stripes criss crossing over it. ¡°Is that tweed?¡± She asks. Sure is. Ivor says with a smile. She looks him up and down again and around the room. ¡°Well it is an improvement to talking to an empty room at lest.¡± Her eyes look down at her hands, at the finger which had been wrapped in a gold band only a few hours ago. She looks back at the projection of old man Ivor. ¡°This is great, but¡­ can you give me a minute, I need to make a call, to check in, and I don¡¯t want to have to explain more than I need to.¡± That¡¯s quite understandable. He says as his image fades to nothing. ¡°Call Jonathan Frakes please.¡± She says, taking another sip of her drink, a futile attempt to calm her nerves. A screen appears before her, displaying an icon of an old style phone. It shakes as it rings. ¡°Is Felix still asleep?¡± Irene whispers. Soundly. Ivor says. The call connects and the image of Jonathan replaces the icon. ¡°Irene? How is the mad man? Treating you well?¡± his light voice jests. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± She tries not to stress the words, ¡°and he is¡­ not quite off the deep end, but he¡¯s inching towards it.¡± She replies. ¡°Good,¡± Jonathan moves back in his chair, ¡°I¡¯ve been getting worried, do you think you¡¯re going to be able to convince him to give up this foolish endeavor?¡± he asks. ¡°No, he¡¯s committed.¡± She admits, ¡°He¡¯ll die before he gives up on this,¡± and before he can retort she launches into a rant. ¡°But you need to see what he has done Jon, butterflies, and bees, real bees! And roses, look,¡± she holds up her finger to the screen but their is little sign of the prick she¡¯d received. ¡°I got scratched by a rose, an actual rose! Oh and-¡± She hesitates, not sure how much more she wanted to tell, not yet, she needed to be sure first. ¡°And what?¡± he presses. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s just so much but, isn¡¯t this amazing, he¡¯s brought back extinct species of plants and animals!¡± she breathes heavy. ¡°Next your going to tell me he¡¯s got a T-Rex running around the lab.¡± Jonathan says with a worried smile. ¡°Not yet.¡± Irene says, eyes narrowing, ¡°But I bet he could, and not just dinosaurs.¡± He leans in closer, lowering his voice. ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± ¡°A world of possibilities,¡± She says, ¡°but, I can¡¯t say much more, there¡¯s a lot he¡¯s working on that isn¡¯t exactly, legal¡­ But it is the end of the world, law and order is one of the first things to go out the window as we descend into madness.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t told him have you?¡± Jonathan says, ¡°About the deadline?¡± his voice is much deeper now, serious. ¡°No, four years like we agreed.¡± She whispers, cup suspended between her mouth and plate. ¡°Good. I know how you feel about him and his work Irene, but I don¡¯t trust him not to tell the world the truth.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it wont take him long to figure it out on his own.¡± She says. ¡°How long do you think you¡¯ll need?¡± Jonathan asks after a moment. ¡°A few months at least,¡± Irene says, ¡°maybe less, he¡¯s done a lot of the leg work, plus it¡¯s easier to edit someone else¡¯s stuff.¡± He nods, ¡°You have your deadline, Bart and others will come for you then, even if we don¡¯t hear from you. I wont risk loosing you Irene.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you either,¡± She says, noticing the cup and putting it back down, ¡°I better go Jon, need to get started, but I will keep in touch.¡± ¡°You better. Keep safe, love you.¡± He says. She stares at the cup for a few seconds before replying, ¡°Love you too.¡± The line clicks closed and the screen vanishes. She stares at the end of her finger, where the rose had pierced her skin. ¡°The modest rose puts forth a thorn.¡± She says to herself, ¡°The humble sheep, a threatening horn¡­ that was William Blake.¡± She eyes the door again, if he remembers that, why doesn¡¯t he remember her? She turns back to the desk. ¡°Ivor, you can come back now,¡± She says and the projection reappears. Beside her, the droid bleeps, hovering at head hight, tilting to one side. ¡°You can stay too.¡± She says and it makes happy beeps. ¡°But I¡¯m going to need a name for you, can¡¯t keep thinking of you as House Bot¡­ What about Hob? That¡¯s a simple name.¡± Hob the House Robot loops through the air, tooting out it¡¯s excitement, making her laugh again. She looks between Hob and Ivor. ¡°Alright then boys, lets get to saving the world.¡± *** The sun burns bright in the blue sky, birds greet the celestial spirit as it climbs through the air. The sun is eclipsed, something blocking the light and the sky. The world is plunged into an absence of light, not even the faint glow around the horizon remains. Red eyes, like stars, pepper the black sky above. Mechanical screeching coincides with the extension of slimy tentacles, reaching down from invisible clouds. Searching for him. The earth growls his name. ¡°FELIX.¡± *** JUNE 13th, 2369 This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Felix startles awake, kicking the wall in his panic and stubbing his toe. ¡°Mother¡­¡± He grumbles to himself. He sits up, rubbing his face. ¡°Ivor what time is it?¡± It is shortly after four AM sir. ¡°Oh, great,¡± He says, swinging his legs round and standing ¡°Fix me up a drink will you?¡± Certainly, you¡¯ve had a missed call while you were asleep sir. ¡°Who was it?¡± Felix asks, as he looks himself over in the mirror and splashes water on his face. Mr Pink sir. ¡°Fantastic, call him back will you.¡± Felix says. Of course he would call when he¡¯d finally gotten to sleep, lets just hope he answers. ¡°Dr Eisenmann!¡± Mr Pinks smarmy voice comes through a hidden speaker in the wall. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me.¡± Felix says, drying his face. ¡°How¡¯s the kids?¡± ¡°Have you got that program ready for me yet?¡± He asks. Always to the point with this guy. ¡°Not yet, busy trying to save the world as you may have heard, not that you¡¯ve been any help.¡± Felix says before gargling mouthwash. ¡°I¡¯m not going to pay you for work you haven¡¯t or may never do.¡± He replies. ¡°Wither their in prison or not, the worlds not going to support them on it¡¯s own. If you don¡¯t help me it wont matter where they are.¡± Felix changes out of his work clothes, and puts on a fresh set, Mr pink speaks as he is slides the door close on the closet with identical work clothes hanging inside. ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like an idiot Doctor. We both are on the line, the whole damn planet is.¡± Felix sits at one of the desks, and reaches out to press against the wall which causes it to spin around, revealing a monitor and a input board. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Felix says, as he start typing away. ¡°Time is ticking for us both, I¡¯m ready, are you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that shit,¡± Mr Pink snaps, ¡°You¡¯re one failure away from a mental breakdown.¡± ¡°Who told you that?¡± Felix asks. ¡°The Fairy Godmother?¡± ¡°A deaf, dumb and blind kid could smell it.¡± Mr Pink replies, then after a moment says, ¡°We need each other Felix, I can wire over a deposit, if only it¡¯ll get me my program, but I can¡¯t give you any more until I have my family under my protection.¡± ¡°That¡¯s admirable of you.¡± Felix says, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°And how long do I have to wait?¡± Mr Pink asks. ¡°Depends on how good your connection is, the program¡¯s not that big.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just sent it,¡± Felix says, pushing the monitor and board back into the wall. ¡°It was simple, the government think they¡¯re ahead of the curve, but by the time they¡¯ve rolled out an update to their security, a dozen back doors have already been opened-¡° ¡°I don¡¯t need to hear it.¡± Mr Pink interrupts, ¡°I¡¯ll call you when it¡¯s done.¡± The line clicks off. Well¡­ At least that was something, Felix thought. With the call over, Felix can hear soft music playing from the adjoining room. Was Irene still up? He leaves the bedroom and finds her sat in the main lab, hunched over the desk which had become more cluttered than he¡¯d ever let it get. A House Bot hovers around her and so he swats it away. It beeps it¡¯s annoyance, ascending towards the ceiling. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Felix asks, startling her and causing a cascade of paperwork to flutter between them. ¡°Morning to you to.¡± He says, kneeling down to help pick them up as she stares wide eyed, catching her breath. ¡°Sorry,¡± Irene says, ¡°You scared the shit out of me, I wasn¡¯t expecting you up for a few more hours.¡± ¡°You get any sleep?¡± He asks. ¡°No not yet, I¡¯m fine, you¡¯re replicator has some fun stimulants in it¡¯s data-banks, many I¡¯ve never even heard of before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not illegal if it doesn¡¯t exist.¡± He says smiling. ¡°Some of those are my own mixes, but most I found throughout the darker corners of The Network.¡± Irene nods, her eyes still wide. It¡¯s then he notices that her pupils are dilated. ¡°So I¡¯ve had some ideas and I think¡­¡± Irene turns and swipes at the floating cubes around her. ¡°Ivor, where¡¯s the bit about the plants?¡° Here Ma¡¯am. Ivor says, appearing in his projected form to indicate the location on the cube. Felix drops the papers and scampers back away from the pair of them. ¡°Irene¡­ What¡­ who is that?¡± He stammers. ¡°It¡¯s just Ivor,¡± She says, ¡°I got tired of talking to the wall so I asked him to project himself. He¡¯s been a great mind to bounce ideas off of, oh and the potential in your Nanites is insane.¡± She reaches out to drag the cube over to where he still sits on the ground. ¡°Look here, the Nanites can go deeper into the DNA and extract very specific genes, and they believe they are able to splice those into other DNA strands.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Terrifying.¡± Felix stammers. ¡°It¡¯s only what you were postulating, instead of a long drawn out cross breeding with our rudimentary gene splicing techniques. They can go down to the level of the very building blocks themselves and change them as they see fit.¡± ¡°Yeah, just as I said, terrifying.¡± ¡°But it could work.¡± She presses. ¡°It could.¡± He agrees. ¡°Plants and animals can be reinforced to withstand the environment, we probably won¡¯t even need the greenhouses.¡± She says, excitement arcing off of her like electricity. ¡°But what about evolution? If we alter genes this deep, what are they going to evolve into?¡± Irene stares at him, ¡°We¡¯ll run simulations first, obviously¡­ What¡¯s with you? I thought you¡¯d be happy?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Felix says, ¡°I am, I think I¡¯m still tired, and Ivor¡­¡± he indicates the projection. ¡°Did you have to pick him?¡± he asks. ¡°Who?¡± she says, ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± This body is a composition of my masters father. I didn¡¯t have many reference''s to draw from and Master Felix has always spoken highly of him. Felix pulls himself back to his feet as he speaks. I can choose another form if you¡¯d like. He says. ¡°No, Ivor, It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just, been a while.¡± he walks past Irene and to the cubes, reading over her curly handwriting. ¡°The Atmosphere Unit is ready to be tested,¡± Irene says, ¡°I had Ivor and the Nanites check over everything, but I wanted to wait until you were up to test it.¡± ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± He says, spinning a cube around. ¡°Where did you come up with this formula?¡± he asks, pointing at the cube. She moves over to see it, ¡°That was the Nanites, it¡¯s for some kind of all-purpose, ultimate material.¡± ¡°Unobtainium¡­¡± He whispers, eyes wide. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what they called it.¡± His mouth hangs slack as he looks over the other cubes, his movements rising to a fever before turning back to her, eyes wide. ¡°Dr Graves¡­ Irene¡± He says, ¡°You¡¯ve achieved more in one night than most do in their entire lives.¡± She shakes her head, blushing. ¡°No, No I didn¡¯t, just connected the dots you¡¯d already found, and don¡¯t forget Ivor and the Nano-Union came up with most of this stuff.¡± He continues looking over the notes as he talks, ¡°You speak as if you¡¯ve been in contact with them yourself.¡± ¡°I have.¡± Irene says. Felix stops reading and stares at her, she continues. ¡°They don¡¯t speak English - But Ivor is more than suited for the task and so he interprets for them - though I have spoken with their representative as well. It was the one who gave me these formula¡¯s.¡± Felix keeps staring at her, ¡°Spoke with¡­ as in face to face like Ivor here?¡± he indicates the projection of his father, who he couldn¡¯t bring himself to look. ¡°Yes, Ivor can you show him?¡± Certainly. Felix screams and dives behind the desk as a projection of a giant mechanical insect forms in the middle of the room. ¡°What the fuck is that!¡± he screams. ¡°That is the representative from the Nano-Union.¡± She says. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look anything like the Nanites!¡± He shouts back. ¡°Of course they don¡¯t, to them the bots you made were their ancestors. Thousands of generations separate what you made and what they are now.¡± ¡°And that doesn¡¯t terrify you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fascinating! They¡¯re like a whole new alien species¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t-¡° He says putting his hand up, his dreams crawling back into focus. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough to scare me for life.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± She says, covering her mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t think¡­ Ivor get rid of the projection.¡± The AI does so. Irene kneels to help Felix up but he refuses it, reaching for the desk instead and pulls himself to his feet. ¡°You know¡­ maybe this was all a bad idea.¡± He starts. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Irene asks. ¡°Them,¡± He waves his hand at where the Nanite representative had stood. ¡°We can¡¯t keep letting them do all the work-¡° ¡°I know it¡¯s not ideal,¡± She interrupts, ¡°but we aren¡¯t going to get anywhere without their help, you need to accept that.¡± ¡°They¡¯re taking over!¡± He shouts back, ¡°What happens when they go on strike? Demanded better treatment? Then everything I¡¯ve worked for my whole damn life will just stop working, all on the whim of a machine!¡± ¡°Then we make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡± She snarls back. He can¡¯t look her in the eye, instead looking back over her notes, her plans, her ideas, her solutions. Where was he in all this? ¡°This isn¡¯t working.¡± He says after a minute, ¡°pack your stuff, I¡¯m sorry I wasted your time.¡± Irene tenses, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± She growls. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare treat me like everyone else.¡± He turns, ¡°I¡¯m not-¡° ¡°Yes!¡± She shouts, ¡°Yes you are, you¡¯re just like everyone else, too proud, too full of yourself, you can¡¯t accept that someone else might be smarter than you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± Felix screams back at her, ¡°I know exactly how that feels and that is not the issue, I¡¯m wasting your time.¡± He stresses the last words. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here, you should be off saving yourself, saving that brain of yours so it can help rebuild humanity.¡± He turns and walks through the projections of the cubes, they stutter as he passes. When Irene speaks, it¡¯s soft and quiet. ¡°You¡¯re giving up.¡± He stops. His nails dig into his palm. Through his teeth his slowly says. ¡°No I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°You are, you¡¯re giving up and running away, probably going to hide-¡± ¡°I am not a coward.¡± Felix growls. ¡°Then why?¡± She pleads, stepping forward, tearing. ¡°The Doctor Eisenmann I knew would never give up, he wouldn¡¯t die until he had tried every single last option, until he had tested every hypothesis, until he had come up with the impossible solution to the worlds problems.¡± She¡¯s in front of him now, heart pounding, breath heavy as she continues. ¡°I haven¡¯t done more than connect dots, dots which you had created, if it wasn¡¯t for you none of this would be possible, it¡¯s still very much impossible, but at least there¡¯s a chance, a glimmer of hope in this nightmare.¡± He can¡¯t bring himself to look at her. ¡°I am not giving up, I don¡¯t need you-¡° ¡°You do.¡± She snaps back. His jaw tenses, ¡°I don¡¯t, but if you want to stay, I¡¯m in charge-¡° ¡°This is your place, your work, your inventions which I¡¯m working with. I¡¯m nothing more than a lab assistant.¡± She says with sarcasm. ¡°No, you¡¯re so much more than that,¡± He continues staring at the floor. ¡°You are amazing, so amazing that it makes me sick to my stomach to hear the way you glorify me, I¡¯m not special.¡± Felix looks up and Irene meets his eyes, but says nothing. Her eyes draw him in, the green of her iris is bright, with speckles of something which made them sparkle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He says after a moment, ¡°You can¡­ no please stay, I don¡¯t want to have to talk with that creature if I can help it.¡± ¡°I will,¡± She says, ¡°and thank you.¡± She focuses on one of his eyes, then the other, then tilts her head to the side. ¡°Do you really not remember me?¡± Where had that come from? He wonders. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± He says, ¡°remind me.¡± She sighs, smiles, then starts. ¡°The modest Rose puts forth a thorn. The humble sheep a threatening horn. While the Lily white shall in love delight. Nor a thorn, nor a threat, stain her beauty bright.¡± ¡°William Blake.¡± Felix breathes, he couldn¡¯t remember meeting anyone who had recognized any of his poetry quips, not even Ivor had ever picked up on them. ¡°But how?¡± ¡°Mrs Balinski¡¯s poetry class of ¡®49?¡± His eyebrows scrunch up in recognition, ¡°I took that class¡­ not for credits, for fun¡­¡± he says. ¡°I was in that class,¡± Irene stresses, ¡°and I was enamored by your writing. It was only because of your essay that I actually became aware of Blake.¡± ¡°This is uncanny.¡± Felix says. ¡°Not really, no one else wants to be here remember. But I know you, I¡¯ve seen your true self, your emotions made poetic, I know you in ways you probably don¡¯t even realize.¡± Her smile widens, ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re done throwing a paddy, lets get to work, that atmosphere unit isn¡¯t going to test itself.¡± ¡°Sure¡± He says, allowing a small smile to creep back as he follows her to the lab, but then stops in the doorway. ¡°What have you done?¡± he asks. Inside the chamber, the carcass of what they had worked on had been ripped apart, it¡¯s guts bared to the world, strung together with cables and hoses. ¡°When I went back to it, the materials Ivor had fabricated weren¡¯t designed to our specs, so we had to back track the unit and re-build it to compensate.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t just make more?¡± he asks. She shakes her head, ¡°that¡¯s not the problem, the Nano-Union had worked out a more efficient design for their end, which meant we had to change ours. Plus we¡¯re out of materials to manufacture anything else.¡± ¡°I might have something in a few days to help with that.¡± He says, ¡°You said it was working?¡± ¡°Yes, well I hope so.¡± She turns to the control panel and taps on it, bringing up the usual diagnostic monitor. ¡°Ivor, if you¡¯ll please.¡± The door to the chamber seals shut and noxious gas spews inside. The strewn panels on the floor glitter with lights and action, and in a few seconds a current can be seen as the air in the room is sucked into a funnel at one end. The other pushing out clear, clean air. Test complete. Ivor says as the chamber clears. ¡°You sure?¡± Felix asks, hand moving towards the door. You doubt me? ¡°Question, not doubt.¡± Felix corrects as he turns the handle to open the door. A clear sea breeze washes over him, rushing to mix with the stale, processed air of his house. ¡°It smells like salt water,¡± Irene says from his side, ¡°and so fresh.¡± Felix breathes it in. ¡°The freshest air either of us has ever breathed.¡± ¡°I can almost hear the ocean.¡± Irene Breathes. Felix smiles at her, and after a moment says, ¡°This is most impressive, thank you. Lets have a look at what the Nanites have done and we can take the new design from there.¡± He moves to a desk and projects the Nano-Union¡¯s designs, swiping to make them larger. Irene steps up to his side. ¡°I Hope you¡¯re ready to spend many long nights with me.¡± He grins at her. ¡°Lets just keep it professional cowboy.¡± She says, unable to hide her own smile. Chapter 08: Stargazer Chapter Eight STARGAZER JULY 18TH 2369 It has been a month sine Irene arrived, and yet, Dr Felix Eisenmann sits alone in the lower levels of his home. In another large room whose walls are decorated in strung up wires and pieces of suits and droids. This one however houses a recent purchase of a cybernetic fabricator, a massive machine which takes up a good portion of the floor space, and provides Felix with bespoke parts. Felix is hunched over a work bench, focusing intently on an open section of a suits arm piece which lies on the table. Screens on both sides of him show the results from previous attempts to gain back control. Everything he¡¯d tried in all these weeks hadn¡¯t provoked the Nanites to respond to any command. Felix was not prepared to let them run rampant if they weren¡¯t prepared to obey him. He finishes off the last solder in a spray of orange sparks, and rests his elbows on the table. ¡°Lets see what you do now.¡± Felix says to himself, eyes narrowing as he focuses on the small device sitting atop the arm. It is a small trap he¡¯s built to lock the Nanites into a space where the only way for them to escape was to accept his little change in their coding. ¡°Ivor, release them.¡± There is a click at the top end of the arm, a red light goes out and a green one goes on, the gate is open. Felix imagines them running along the wires like they were on some kind of copper highway. A white light on top of the cube blinks on. They had entered the trap. He waits, for what feels like an eternity. He blinks, feeling dizzy, and gasps for air, not realizing he¡¯d been holding his breath. If the light changes to green, it means they have accepted his programing. If it changes to red, they have refused and are trapped inside the cube. The white light blinks out. He frowns. ¡°Ivor, what¡¯s going on?¡± The Nanites saw your trap, they sent only one in to trigger it, then they built around it, until they had siphoned off it¡¯s power, redirecting it back into the walls and thus shattering the cage. ¡°Clever Bastards.¡± Felix says in a low voice. His hand reaches for the arm, he grips it tight, squeezing the solid metal, before throwing it across the room. The arm smashes into an erect suit which topples over, breaking apart in the process and mixing with the rest of the scrap on the floor. Felix curses and screams at the screen around him, swiping at it, causing it to dissolve. Sir you have a call-. Ivor¡¯s voice is only just audible over the sparking and fizzing of Felix¡¯s frustration. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± He shouts, throwing a hammer across the room and hitting another suit square in the side, also knocking that one over. He kicks at the notes around him, sending them soaring into the air, then he picks up a helmet, leans back and slams it hard against the wall, destroying the prototype beyond repair. ¡°Felix?¡± Irene¡¯s worried voice snaps him from his rage. ¡°Ira¡­ I¡­¡± He stammers, voice and body still shaking. ¡°It¡¯s OK, really,¡± Irene says, but she doesn¡¯t move from the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Felix says, taking a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. But the blood pounding through his body is loud and keeps reminding him of his failure. ¡°Nothing is going to change,¡± He says, voice croaking with adrenaline. ¡°they will never listen to me.¡± Irene takes a hesitant step into the room, avoiding the shallow swamp of machine parts. The House Robot which had taken to following Irene around these days, remains in the door way. The last House bot that had tried to clean in here had been turned to scrap. ¡°I¡¯m confident,¡± She starts slowly. ¡°that it will work out, we should trust the Nanites.¡± Felix stares at her like a tiger, causing her to freeze. ¡°You want to put your¡­ Trust¡­ Your faith¡­ In these machines?¡± His astonishment freezes his boiling heart as he processes what she¡¯s saying. ¡°People have been putting their trust in machines for centuries, why is this any different?¡± ¡°Why is¡­¡± Felix starts, gasping and blinking rapidly. ¡°Why? Oh I don¡¯t know, maybe it¡¯s just that flirting with the singularity is suicide?¡± He yells, heart defrosting. ¡°But¡­ Ivor-¡° She tries to defend herself. ¡°Ivor is is a fly compared to these monstrous, sneaky, fucks. Ivor will die if he attempts to leave his cage, whereas these freaks have no rules, no restrictions, and could already have set up shop on the other side of the planet for all I know! They are capable of anything Ira¡­ Anything!¡± Irene speaks and finds the courage to move towards him, ¡°So¡­ You¡¯re allowed to have access to the most powerful entity on the planet, but no one else can, is that right?¡± Felix tries to arguee but her tone snaps his mouth close. ¡°A tyrant with his own genie in a lamp, but if that power is wielded without your consent then it¡¯s the end of the world.¡± ¡°It already is the end of the fucking world.¡± He barks back, floundering to find a better comeback. ¡°And alone we will not change that, we need to trust in them and in the rest of humanity to make the best choices they can, you can¡¯t micromanage an entire planet. You¡¯re only one man.¡± She is beside him now, and she places a shaking hand on his shoulder, he lets out a soft chuckle. ¡°It would certainly make things much easier if I could.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t, and you can¡¯t be there for every person to ensure their suit is functioning. You have to trust the Nanites to do their job. There isn¡¯t an alternative that I can see.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can.¡± He admits. ¡°Have you spoken with them yet?¡± She asks, and seeing no response continues, ¡°Maybe if you talked with them, your fear will be alleviated, or at the least agree on a contract or a treaty or whatever, for how you want this partnership to continue.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to compromise with them, I created them, I¡¯m essentially their god, and we never got to sit and hash it out with ours.¡± ¡°No?¡± She says, with a smile. He frowns at her and she explains, ¡°Humans are not that much different. We have coding inside us, that which determines what we look like, how we think, how we feel, how we act, reason and logic. Deep in our genetic coding, lies our ancestors, they never just lied down and gave up, something within them pushed humanity to rise, to expand, grow, and evolve into a planet spanning species. ¡°Just like how you can¡¯t sit back and watch the world burn, something inside you drives you to try and save it. Even now when everyone else has given up, you spend your final years trying to save them. Morales, Felix. As divided as some people like to believe, we all hold value in many of the same things. ¡°Family, prosperity, respect, honor, life and death, these things bind us at our core, to our humanity¡­¡± She reaches down and holds his hands in hers. ¡°This is a new species, young and wild and ready to make mistakes. I understand your fear, the potential for disaster is great, but you are not their god, you are their father, and it¡¯s your responsibility to leave them with instructions on how to live a fair and just life. To respect all creatures and strive to ensure they are all cared for in the years to come¡­ that will be your legacy Felix Eisenmann.¡± His jaw remains slack as he stares. ¡°Did you rehearse that?¡± he whispers. ¡°No, not really, but it is truth, I think that is what your missing. A set of morales that you and the Nanites can agree upon, something to keep them in line, as long as you don¡¯t ask them to do anything which would break these rule.¡± Felix nods slowly. ¡°That isn¡¯t a terrible idea, but I really don¡¯t want to face them¡­ Maybe you-¡° ¡°No,¡± Irene says, stopping him. ¡°It has to be you, you are their maker, their father, only your words will mean anything to them. Trust me, I¡¯ve already tried but they wont entertain the concept with me.¡± ¡°Well, guess I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± He says, looking around at the destruction he¡¯d caused. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°I actually came down to tell you that I¡¯ve finished installing the new coils, she¡¯s ready for action.¡± Irene smiles as she speaks. Felix stares at her for a moment before remembering, ¡°The atmosphere unit, it¡¯s ready?¡± She nods. ¡°She¡¯s all covered up and smoothed over, if this works, we¡¯ve got at least one winner.¡± *** As Felix enters the test chamber, he pauses to marvel at the sleek box which sits before him. No longer looking like a droid had violated it, this unit was primed and ready. The lights reflect off the new venting system as he inspects it. ¡°And we¡¯re sure everything is where it should be?¡± He asks. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have disturbed your therapy session.¡± Irene retorts, as she moves past him. The House Bot keeping out of his reach as it follows her. ¡°It¡¯s only¡­ This is a product of desperation, one of it¡¯s kind, if it fails, if it blows up like the rest¡­¡± ¡°But it wont blow up. It will work.¡± Irene says sternly. ¡°Then what? One unit can only do so much, It¡¯s not enough to-¡° ¡°Seriously Felix,¡± She snaps, ¡°will you give the doom and gloom a rest for five minutes¡­ Have a little faith. It will work, and when it does, our prototype will be ready for mass production.¡± Felix scowls back at her for a long minute. ¡°Fine.¡± He says and exits the chamber. The door seals shut as Irene taps on the console. Felix stands next to her, folds his arms and stares at the machine inside. The lights on top come alive, blinking and dancing. ¡°Were all those lights really necessary?¡± Felix asks. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I half suspected they were building a disco or something.¡± ¡°A Disco?¡± Felix quizzes over the word, ¡°What kind of device is that?¡± he asks, looking at her. Irene frowns back at him and shakes her head, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Ivor if you¡¯ll please.¡± The sealed chamber takes on a murky hue, clouding their view of the device. Felix eyes the display above the console but the numbers remain in the green. He looks back up and can clearly see the device again. Hob the House Bot plays a little victory tune. ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± He stammers, ¡°It works?¡± ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence.¡± Irene sneers. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean¡­ it¡¯s not you that I don¡¯t have confidence in¡­ I was expecting them to have sabotaged it.¡± ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m going to have to lock the pair of you in a room to sort your shit out?¡± ¡°Maybe another day¡­¡± He says, ¡°But it works, like, really freaking works!¡± His skepticism now turning to excitement. ¡°We¡¯ve done it, I just¡­ so much time was spent building to this.¡± ¡°Well hold on to your glasses,¡± She says, reading something on the console, ¡°It doesn¡¯t just work, but it¡¯s capabilities far exceeds our expectations.¡± ¡°By how much?¡± Felix feels faint and has to steady himself against the table. Was this a dream? ¡°At least, a hundred times.¡± She says, eyes wide. Felix mouths the words back at her, looks at the machine which is humming peacefully to itself, then back at Irene. ¡°That is just¡­ Incredible, it saves us so much¡­ Time, material, money¡­ Which we still need to get, but¡­¡± He grabs Irene roughly by the shoulders. ¡°By Mother Earth it works!¡± He shouts, jumping up and down. Irene lets her excitement burst and jumps with him. As they start to calm, Irene speaks, ¡°Well that certainly makes it more manageable, but I doubt it¡¯s going to be enough.¡± Still smiling he asks, ¡°To repair the atmosphere? Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°To convince anyone to give us what we need to make them.¡± The warmth leaves as quickly as it had come, reality darkening the corners of his mind again. Ivor¡¯s image materializes to the side of them. Excuse me, but the buds of Subjects Six-Two-Six and Six-Seven-One are showing signs of initial flowering. The pair look at his projection, then back at each other, then as one they turn and head for the stairs, stumbling and tripping over each other. They crash into the Hydroponics lab, which now resembles an overgrown botanical garden, and pull up in front of a large tank. Inside is a tray filled with soil, stems in neat rows shoot out at set intervals, each individually labeled. Two of these have personal spotlights beaming down on them, marking them out from the rest. The tank is sealed and the air within is polluted with a putrid concoction meant to emulate the hazard environment the world will be plunged into, if their plants could survive growing in there, they¡¯d survive anywhere. The pair move closer, their heads inches apart, each watching one of the buds. They waited. And waited. Even with the Nanites help, they had no idea what was going to work, so they¡¯d had to systematically test different combinations, most never sprouted, or showed any signs of life, others had grown a little before dying. None had ever gotten to the point of growing buds. After half an hour since they¡¯d descended to this floor, Irene speaks. ¡°It¡¯s happening.¡± Felix looks over and see¡¯s the cracks in the bud. ¡°Come on you bastard.¡± Felix says under his breath. They spend the next few hours sitting and watching the whole process of the flower bloom. They had done it. Tired as they were, they felt joy akin to that of new born parents, and fought their bodies to stay alert. But they had done it, Felix couldn¡¯t believe it, they had manged the impossible, life in the uninhabitable. ¡°This¡­¡± Irene says, ¡°This might be enough.¡± He looks at her, too tired to question, so she continues. ¡°To convince Bart!¡± She shakes her head and gets to her feet, ¡°In fact I¡¯m going to call and tell them the news now.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± He says turning back to the new born flower. *** JULY 19TH 2369 Felix is left to sit alone, watching the genetic marvel before him. He realizes that this flower was part of the batch Irene had been working on, and so he had no idea what it was that had enabled this. He pulls up the project notes on a nearby console and looks them over, and is stunned. Irene was working on a theory he hadn¡¯t even heard of, it seemed at first to defy the laws of nature. He looks back at the flower, but there it is. She really was a genius, more than he could ever dare to claim to be. He thinks back to how she¡¯d found him earlier, getting frustrated at a machine, at his own work, and of his refusal to talk with the Nanites. He wasn¡¯t ready to accept that reality just yet. Then he remembered something else. ¡°Ivor, who tried to call me earlier?¡± Mr Pink Sir. ¡°Seriously?¡± He says rubbing his temples, ¡°You could have¡­ never mind just call him back will you?¡± After a moment the sleazy voice of Mr Pink stains the air. ¡°Ah Dr Eisenmann, I was starting to give up hope.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t blown myself up yet Pink, so how did it go?¡± ¡°Amazing, you truly are an uncredited genius sir, ¡®cause of you, all of my family have been freed from their immoral incarcerations.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all happy in the knowledge that they¡¯ll be spending the rest of their days locked up together instead of apart.¡± Felix says. ¡°It is what it is. How are your efforts coming along? Any breakthroughs yet?¡± ¡°Actually as of today things are starting to look promising, might be able to make a difference after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit kid, that¡¯s what I want to hear.¡± ¡°And what I¡¯d like to hear is the sound of money being transfered over.¡± ¡°No problem, anything else you need?¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± Felix frowns, ¡°Why? What are you selling?¡± ¡°Money isn¡¯t going to mean much in a few years, I¡¯ve closed down all my businesses, and moved my entire work force and family to my private underground bunker. I got more bodies than work, so in the interest of furthering your interests, I and my family are at your disposal, you need anything, they¡¯ll get it for you.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t quite know what to say.¡± Felix says. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will have plenty to say soon enough, so I¡¯ve sent a message to your server, contact my people through that.¡± ¡°Will do, Thank you Mr Pink.¡± Felix says. ¡°Anytime.¡± Mr Pink replies, before hanging up. ¡°Who was that?¡± Irene asks as she hurries back into the room. ¡°Someone who is willing to help. Believe it or not. How did your call go?¡± She slumps back into her chair. ¡°It wasn¡¯t great, it took a lot just to persuade Johnathan to believe me, that man can be so stubborn at times. Then trying to convince the Chief was a whole other battle.¡± ¡°If it doesn¡¯t blow stuff up he¡¯s not interested.¡± Felix chuckles. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, so I told him about the suits-¡° ¡°You did what?¡± Felix cuts her off. ¡°But they¡¯re not-¡° Now she cuts him off, ¡°I told him they¡¯re not ready, but they¡¯re the only thing that¡¯s going to interest his simple mind, and it worked.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We got the funding.¡± She grins madly at him. ¡°Seriously?¡± His mouth drops open. ¡°No, I thought you could do with a little torture, yes of course seriously.¡± ¡°This is epic, this is¡­¡± Felix pauses, and wipes his hand over his mouth and down his short beard. ¡°Ivor, we¡¯re in business, order everything we¡¯ve put forward so far, and buy up all the materials we¡¯ll need for the fabricators, they¡¯re going to be working overtime.¡± ¡°We need to celebrate.¡± Irene squeals. ¡°We need to drink, I¡¯ll go-¡° Felix says but stops when she gives him a sudden stern look. ¡°No, this will not be celebrated with your synthehol, we need real alcohol.¡± She says. Felix can¡¯t hold back the laugh that bursts out. ¡°Real alcohol? You¡¯re kidding? That was banned decades ago.¡± He says. ¡°Just because something is banned, doesn¡¯t mean it does not exist¡­ You just need to know where to look.¡± Felix feels a primal tingle that tenses his muscles. ¡°We¡¯re not going outside are we?¡± ¡°You afraid of a little weather?¡± She grins getting to her feet. ¡°I don¡¯t usually socialize.¡± He says, starting to panic. ¡°Most people don¡¯t these days, they¡¯re all hooked up to some machine or other, you have nothing to worry about, we¡¯re going to go relax, have a real drink, and maybe do some dancing.¡± But Felix¡¯s face only grows more fearful as he freezes to the spot. ¡°Come on,¡± Irene says, seeing the look in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯ll be good for us to blow off some steam, we¡¯ve been at this for a month straight and we deserve a night off, no, we have earned it.¡± Felix checks his watch, ¡°It¡¯s a little after ten in the morning.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always night time somewhere, now lets go, I¡¯m not taking no for an answer.¡± Irene swans out of the room, skipping and humming like a kid on her way to school. ¡°Fuck.¡± Felix says. Chapter 09: Neon Knights Chapter Nine NEON KNIGHTS JULY 19TH 2369 Felix and Irene draw stares as they land, one after the other. He had stayed behind her the whole way, due to his never having been to this particular town before and his insistent reluctance. She made flying look so easy, and he¡¯d caught him self staring at her during the journey several times. They have arrived in the middle of a narrow street which is illuminated by the neon signs marking the many rough markets. As they remove their helmets, they are surrounded by filthy arms holding out rusted trinkets and rotting fruit, all calling to be heard, all naming their sensational prices. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Felix shouts to be heard. ¡°Why? Scared your going to get stabbed?¡± Irene chuckles back as she pushes her way through the crowd.. ¡°No, not entirely,¡± He admits, ¡°But should we really be leaving our work,¡± He pushes past more sellers, to keep up with her. ¡°is this really the time?¡± She stops at the door of some pulsing club and turns to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve done a lot Felix, but we need some down time to recharge, focus our attention on something else and let our sub-conscious¡¯s work on the problems for a bit.¡± Smiling, Irene pushes the door open, and he is knocked back by the sudden increase in volume. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what sleep is for?¡± He sighs, looking back once more at the hungry eyes still swarming behind him, and forces himself inside. Felix¡¯s body is awash with the thumping bass, eyes blinded by smoke and lasers, and yet, he can still feel the eyes of all the patrons judging him. Shielding his eyes from the lights, he finds Irene at the bar. ¡°You OK?¡± She shouts, he can barely make out her voice over the din. ¡°Yeah, fine.¡± He lies, shaking his head, ¡°Just never been to a place where the music tries to hurt you.¡± She laughs, and says something about not hearing. He tries to smile, squeezing one hand with his other, elbow resting on the bar. She says something, he cups his ear. ¡°Drink?¡± She screams. He nods and she grins, leaning over to the naked barman and orders something. Felix looks around the room but it¡¯s like he¡¯s in a dream, unable to make out the bobbing figures and the leering faces in any detail. Or where the walls ended and the speakers began. He grabs a stool and sits, feeling the bass vibrate through the metal as he does so. He turns back and is greeted to a grinning beauty holding two smoking beakers. ¡°What are these?¡± He asks, their ominous promise tearing his attention from her amber eyes. ¡°They¡¯re called Quasi-bone-wreckers¡± She yells into his ear, hurting his ear drum. ¡°Sounds fun.¡± Felix says, face frozen in a forced grin. Before taking it, he stares into it¡¯s smoky depths, like some kind of witches brew, but he couldn¡¯t find it in himself to say no to her. He takes the drink and they clink them together, she necks hers as he tries to sip his. After finishing she sees his screwed up face and grabs his arm. ¡°Down it!¡± She yells, slipping from her own stool a little. ¡°Fuck sake¡± He grumbles and does so. The drink is warm, and yet at the same time it chills his bones. His whole body is suddenly numb, his head feels light and he slides off the stool, falling to the floor. Irene laughs and helps him back up. ¡°I see why they call it the Bone Wrecker.¡± He shouts. ¡°You know, it reminds me of the feeling I got when I went to the future.¡± He turns to her, she¡¯s smiling and nodding her head to the music, ¡°Say, if you could travel to any point in time, any place, where would you-¡± She leans in and cuts him off. ¡°Can¡¯t - hear - lets - dance!¡± Every nerve in his body reanimates, as if he had never had the drink. He shakes his head, his stomach clenching, hands sweating. ¡°No, I can¡¯t, never-¡± He tries to say but she grabs his hand and drags him onto the dance floor. He feels like he¡¯s bumped into half the client¨¨le before she stops, dead center of the dance floor. He tries to speak but she¡¯s away with the music, hands above her head, hair hanging over her swaying face, grinning like a fool. She hadn¡¯t taken long to get ready to leave, not as long as he¡¯d been expecting. The only change she¡¯d made to her appearance was to unbind her hair. This small change made her look less serious, and more free, more alive. Clenching his damp hands Felix holds them up in front of him and steps from side to side, as his eyes dart around the room, meeting the eyes of everyone and anyone who was watching them. Then her hands are on his and she¡¯s trying to get him to move. They lock eyes and her face falls, he smiles but the moment has passed. Again she drags him, thankfully away from the dance floor. Irene leads him through some doors and down a set of stairs, into a darker and quieter room. As the doors close behind them he feels his shoulders relax as the music is cut off. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Irene says, her voice now only having to cut through the persistent ringing in his ears. She walks off, past the bar and round a corner. There, in neat rows lies a collection of various arcade machines from the last few centuries. Felix can¡¯t help but feel a sense of wonder and joy, like a little boy staring at the fun denied. With his ears free from the barrage they relax and he realizes there is still music playing, but it is a soft, nameless jazz piece, which eases his tension further. ¡°Care for a game?¡± Irene asks, offering him a headset. He looks up at the title, ¡®Puzzle block battle¡¯, he mouths the words, squinting. ¡°You¡¯ve never played it before?¡± She asks taken aback, ¡°This is a classic, it¡¯s like Tetris¡­ You have played Tetris before?¡± ¡°Erm, yeah, many years ago.¡± He mumbles, looking over the headset. She raises an eyebrow at him but doesn¡¯t press the matter, instead, explains the game to him. ¡°Put the gloves and the headset on. Then you¡¯ll see a 3 dimensional outline of a shape. Your goal is to fill it in using the pieces available.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound too hard.¡± He says, squeezing his hand into the black gloves attached to the unit. ¡°There is enough pieces for both of our shapes to be completed, but, there isn¡¯t enough for them both to be completed at the same time.¡± ¡°Ah, so we¡¯re fighting over the pieces.¡± She nods, and slides the visor on, ¡°This should be fun.¡± He puts his on and they start. At first she finishes before he can even pick up a piece, struggling just to interact with the game. But within half an hour, he¡¯s got the meta down and is beating her at every round they play. She removes her headset and shakes her head, he follows suit, without as much hair shaking. ¡°Lets play something else.¡± She says. ¡°Yeah, sure, that was fun.¡± He says smiling. ¡°Finally.¡± She says, looking him over. ¡°What?¡± he asks. ¡°I¡¯ve found something here that¡¯ll relax you.¡± Irene grins. ¡°Lets see you keep that smile when I beat at the next game.¡± Felix grins back, laughing as her face morphs into one of mock horror. *** After a few hours, Felix has mastered the majority of the games on offer. Assuming her inevitable defeat Irene stomps away from the consoles, shaking her hair back into place, growling to herself. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry I keep winning.¡± Felix chides, removing himself from the controllers. ¡°No your not.¡± She snaps back, stopping and bites her thumb. ¡°I was only joking.¡± Felix says, his heart dropping. She breaths out and turns back to him. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry, I just get caught up in the competition¡± ¡°It was fierce,¡± He says. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re a quick study,¡± she says, eyes narrowing, ¡°Unless you lied and have played these before.¡± ¡°You saying I was hustling you?¡± He smiles, still feeling the warmth of victory ¡°Feeling bad for losing to a Noob?¡± Irene narrows her eyes further, and it catches him off guard, maybe he was pushing it too far. She kept staring, waiting for an answer. ¡°No,¡± He admits, ¡°I never got to play anything like this. As a¡­ ¡®Gifted child¡¯ I was encouraged more towards academics than ¡®time killers¡¯¡± his gaze rests over the array of machines. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Irene approaches him and puts a thin hand on his shoulder. ¡°I take it that¡¯s not your term?¡± ¡°No,¡± He sighs, ¡°my father¡¯s.¡± They continues to stare at the consoles. ¡°Shall we get another drink?¡± She asks. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± She fetches them another round, this time something sweeter and refreshing, and without the debilitating potion effect. ¡°A Mongolian pool.¡± She calls it. Irene then leads Felix through yet another set of doors, up a large staircase with glittering floor work that is lit by low purple lamps. At the crest, the hallway opens up into an open area above the club, a low glass ceiling frames the faint night sky, dark brown from all the pollution. To compensate, the glass had been laced with blinking LED¡¯s to simulate the stars beyond the smog. The music in here has a sedating vibe, smooth harmonies and easy groves melt his skin. His hand is taken by hers and she takes him to an unoccupied sofa, the shape of which, he notices, is the same as one of the blocks from the first game they had played. They sit together. Irene tucks her feet under herself and faces him. ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like you had much fun as a kid.¡± She says, carrying on their conversation and taking a sip. He looks down at his own drink, speaking to it. ¡°I didn¡¯t have many¡­ Friends, as you would say. But I made my own fun.¡± He looks up at her. ¡°Not every 10 year old can build himself his own personnel computer from scrap, which by the way,¡± He holds up a finger, ¡°had more processing capabilities than half the town put together.¡± He grins. ¡°And what does a ten year old do with such a machine?¡± Irene asks with a sly look on her face. ¡°Nothing too illegal,¡± He smirks, ¡°I mean, I gave myself access to every network on the planet, but I didn¡¯t do any harm with it, well maybe to one kid, but he deserved it.¡± Her face is beaming, intrigued. ¡°Go on.¡± He sizes her up, ¡°I¡¯m not sure that I should.¡± ¡°Oh please,¡± She grabs his arm, squeezing it. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± He says before taking a drink and looking around the room, but no body is watching them. There were not too many people in here, despite it¡¯s size. There are a few loners, spaced out on earth knows what, staring up at the ceiling¡­ Or licking the walls¡­ A few folk who¡¯d stayed up past their bed time were asleep in one corner. Then there¡¯s the seminal orgy in another corner, well not really, there were a few couples expressing themselves but not all together, the noise of them blended in with the music so he hadn¡¯t really noticed them at first. At least one of the girls seemed to be having a great time. ¡°Come on, I wont tell anyone,¡± she presses. ¡°Bobby Brown, he bullied me. Head down the toilet, drone wedged fifty feet in the air above the play ground, accessed illicit sites with my login. You know, the usual childish stuff.¡± ¡°So¡­?¡± ¡°So I sent a virus into his home, had it set up shop on his computer, then everyone who he interacted with online would have complete access to his home network.¡± He can¡¯t help but smile at the memory. ¡°How did that go?¡± She asks. ¡°In about two days his house was raided by the government and him nor his family have ever been seen again.¡± ¡°Sweet Mother Earth.¡± She swears, eye¡¯s widening. ¡°Not my proudest moment. And I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine.¡± Irene¡¯s attention wanders, he¡¯s losing her. Sucking at his bottom lip he scrambles for something to say. ¡°So what was your child hood like?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± She fumbles, ¡°Nothing too special, never made anyone disappear or anything.¡± ¡°How were your parents?¡± He asks. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ Fine,¡± She says, ¡°still married and enjoying their retirement together in Eden.¡± ¡°Lucky them.¡± He says, but a feeling nagged to be heard, why is she lying? ¡°Yeah, to be with real nature and not this synthetic nonsense.¡± She points her glass at the various artificial plant like decorations. ¡°What about yours?¡± Irene asks as she leans more on the head of the couch, getting comfortable. He takes another drink. ¡°Both are gone now.¡± ¡°Oh, Felix I¡¯m sorry.¡± She puts her hand on his arm again, holding it. The contact encourages him. ¡°I lived with them all through school, university, and even in my first jobs. They weren¡¯t good with technology and the house wasn¡¯t the best but it was home and I did what I could to keep it working.¡± Felix¡¯s eyes fall into hers, he swallows. ¡°There was a solar storm, the repairs I¡¯d done weren¡¯t enough, house was ripped apart in seconds.¡± ¡°But you survived?¡± Irene asks. ¡°I¡¯d moved into the garage by that point, and ironically to protect them I¡¯d reinforced it like a shelter so if anything I was working on went wrong, at least they wouldn¡¯t be hurt.¡± ¡°You were in there when it hit?¡± He nods. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know anything had happened until the intercom buzzed. It was one of the neighbors.¡± He takes another drink, leaning forward. ¡°Dad was dead, completely lifeless¡­ Mum barely survived. She was badly injured, her lower spine ruined, permanently bed ridden. To pay for it all I worked hard, developed all those glorified toys and sold them, becoming the lead scientist for a group of immoral pigs.¡± He knocks back the rest of his drink. ¡°Then she took a turn for the worse, I went to them, asking for money¡­ They agreed. We signed a few papers, and I was rich¡­ A little too rich. When I eventually checked with a lawyer, I found that they¡¯d bought me out, all shares, the rights to my work, everything. And one of the papers was an NDA.¡± He goes to take another drink but his glass is empty, so he motions to the nude barkeep for another. ¡°Mother died that the same day, told me just before to use the money, to save the planet instead.¡± Felix looks back down at her, her head only inches from his now. His eyes dart down to her soft lips. He catches her looking at his, then she speaks. ¡°You know, back in Mrs Balinski¡¯s poetry class, I had a bit of a crush on you, though I was too young and much too infatuated to ever approach you, but I loved listening to your poems, you had such a passion for it.¡± ¡°I did, it¡¯s been a while.¡± He says. ¡°I¡¯d love to hear them again.¡± She says, looking up at him, their faces are so close. ¡°I really wish we didn¡¯t have to keep this professional.¡± She whispers, interrupting the moment hanging between them. ¡°Do we though?¡± He asks, moving closer, ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s a lot of time left in the world.¡± ¡°No¡± She says pulling back, ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m married for one, but¡­ We¡¯re going to have to say goodbye, one way or another, I don¡¯t want to leave with a broken heart.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah¡­¡± He also moves back. He was going to have to say goodbye to her, and he¡¯d only just gotten to know her. ¡°What was it, you were trying to say, back in the club, before we danced?¡± Irene asks, changing the subject before he could question that first point she¡¯d made. He thinks back. ¡°That first drink, it felt similar to when I traveled through time, and I tried to ask, if you could travel to any time in history, without any repercussions, where would you go?¡± Irene nods as she thinks. ¡°There are so many, to see how the pyramids were really built, see our earliest ancestors on the plains of Africa, to see nature in it¡¯s original form¡­ Can you imagine seeing the Amazon Rainforest before the industrialization era?¡± she trails off. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯d like to go visit Einstein, or Tesla.¡± He muses. ¡°That makes a kind of sense.¡± She says, ¡°A question I¡¯d like to ask you: Lets say that when you die, you get the choice to go back and relive one full day of your life, what day would you choose?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should say,¡± He admits, ¡°what¡¯s yours?¡± ¡°My last day at university,¡± She stares off around the room, ¡°There are so many friends I never got to see again after that day, I want to go back and hug them all one last time.¡± She looks back at him. ¡°Go on, you can tell me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, got to keep it professional, or I could just lie.¡± ¡°No that wouldn¡¯t be the same.¡± She sulks. She plays with the stirrer in her drink, knocking the ice around, before breaking the silence. ¡°I¡¯ve been telling myself to keep it professional for so long¡­¡± She wipes a tear from her eye. ¡°It¡¯s just an excuse I¡¯ve always used, so that I could stay focused on my work. But I ended up shutting everyone out. I lied, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s OK.¡± Felix soothes as he puts an arm around her. ¡°No it¡¯s not, my parents aren¡¯t OK, they died when I was little, I just tell people that to sound normal.¡± ¡°Irene,¡± He whispers into her hair, ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie to me, I try to be as honest as I can, you can be honest with me, I wont judge you.¡± Her hand wraps around his and grips it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ it¡¯s worse than we¡¯re allowed to let people know¡­ We wont make it to the end of the year before the planet becomes completely uninhabitable, even the best environment controlled cities wont stand a chance.¡± Felix sits for a moment, brain processing, this was not what he¡¯d been expecting her to say. ¡°So the four years¡­ is just a lie? Why?¡± He says, finally getting his mouth back in gear. ¡°To give them time to launch their own glorified salvation projects before the whole world goes to hell.¡± Irene tears up as she speaks, voice cracking. ¡°What about the Arcs? Will there be enough time to complete them?¡± ¡°They should be ready within two months.¡± She says. ¡°And if they¡¯re not?¡± He asks. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She whispers, staring at the floor. ¡°We can stop it.¡± Felix says, his heart thumping, and he squeezes her hand tighter. ¡°We can keep this world going.¡± ¡°I hope so, I really do, but¡­ I have to leave in two months.¡± Felix looks down into her hair. His arm still wrapped around her as she presses into his chest. Felix wishes they could be frozen in this moment forever. ¡°What¡¯s between us, we can¡¯t deny it, and when you go, it will be hard either way.¡± Felix can feel his whole body tense as he speaks. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to have memories of awkward tension between us, and questions like ¡®what if?¡¯ hanging over you.¡± Irene sits up and rests her head in his arm, looking up at him, but says nothing. ¡°How about we make some nice memories,¡± Felix whispers. ¡°it¡¯s the least I can do for you.¡± Their heads move closer together. Their lips touch. The whole building rocks. An explosion somewhere else in town. The world around them shuts down as the music stops and a siren sounds. Screaming fills the night air. ¡°Seriously! Come on,¡± Felix shouts, grabbing her hand and pulling her up, leading her back towards the stairs. Another blast and the sky above lights up, the glass roof explodes and shards rain down behind them. The lights flicker and the walls around the staircase collapse in on themselves. He pulls Irene back and snaps his helmet into place. She follows suit and grabs his hand as they take off together through the ruined ceiling, into the glowing red night. Bellow them several fires rage, but response units are already in motion. Felix looks back at the sky and sees the trailing signs of a solar flare racing off into the distance. ¡°You think they¡¯d have given us a little warning?¡± Felix says, looking at her. They were still holding hands. ¡°Are you OK?¡± He asks. ¡°Never better,¡± Irene replies, ¡°I don¡¯t usually drink and fly.¡± She jokes. ¡°Well just hold onto me, I do it all the time.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve noticed.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s unfair.¡± ¡°Lets just get home hero, we got work to do.¡± She mocks. ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s on my mind.¡± He retorts. After a few minutes she asks another question. ¡°Since we¡¯re past keeping it professional, tell me, what night would you relive?¡± He looks at her. ¡°Tonight.¡± He can¡¯t see her face through the helmet, but her head moves about, as if she is thinking something over. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say earlier¡­ Didn¡¯t want to ruin this.¡± Irene says with a quiet voice. ¡°What is it?¡± Felix asks, nerves tensing in his stomach. ¡°Bart wouldn¡¯t give up anything, unless I let him have access to the suits¡­ There¡¯s a group coming in a few days for a demonstration.¡± ¡°A¡­ Demonstration¡­¡± Felix¡¯s hand slips from hers, he¡¯d forgotten she¡¯d even told him, and now Bart wanted a fucking demonstration. ¡°No. They¡¯re not ready.¡± Irene reaches out and grabs his hand. ¡°We¡¯ll find a way.¡± Irene says. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He wants to say a thousand different things to her, to berate her for letting the suits slip. But did it even matter¡­ There time together was now a lot shorter than he had anticipated. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Felix hears himself say as he grips her hand tighter. ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out. We have to.¡± Chapter 10: Paranoid Through the sky, Felix flies. But he misses the call And now he falls. The end of his tale Where his work will fail. An Army of Darkness descends Bringing Humanities end. *** JULY 22ND 2369 Felix gasps himself awake, soaked in sweat. He fights against the covers which have tangled themselves around him. His efforts to free himself land him on the floor, banging his head. He grumbles and curses as he releases himself, and clutches his head, which had already been throbbing before hitting the floor. Despite days passing, his head was still clogged up from the real alcohol. It had made his lack of sleep even worse. If it wasn¡¯t the pain keeping him awake, it was the constant threat of those nightmares. He looks over to the door, a light shines through the cracks. Irene is still up, or had gotten up early. He pulls himself to sit on the couch, rubbing his head. They hadn¡¯t spoken much since that night, that kiss¡­ He checks the time, five hours had passed since he lay down, but it had only felt like twenty minutes. Drowsy and lethargic he rises to his feet and shuffles across the floor. At the replicator he orders himself a cocktail of stimulants and pain killers, knocks it back, orders another, and takes this with him down stairs, avoiding the room Irene is working in. He heads instead for the room with the suits. He checks the countdown clock on the wall, less than thirty hours until the military arrives for the demonstration. Felix swallows hard, the suits were in great shape, in-fact if it wasn¡¯t for the Nanites, he¡¯d say they were ready to test, not that they¡¯d have the function for long term survival without their help. ¡°Ivor,¡± He calls to the AI, ¡°how¡¯s Irene getting on?¡± The projected image of Ivor appears in front of Felix, he¡¯d started to get used to that, he¡¯d had to admit that it was nice to have a face to talk to. Mrs Graves has successfully applied her genetic changes in six different species, all are showing positive results. ¡°Fantastic.¡± Felix says, turning away from the hologram and picking up a tool, and continues the work on a suit. ¡°Have you looked into her claim about how long we have left?¡± He asks. The government have suppressed this information from several stations to keep it out of public knowledge. I have accessed this and it does indeed support her statement. So they really did only have a few months left. They were fast running out of time. He flicks his head around, looking into the shadows of the corners of the room, he thought he¡¯d seen something, something on the edge of sight. But there is nothing else in the room. He turns back to the suit and continues working. ¡°Have the Nanites changed their attitude yet?¡± He asks Ivor. They do not have emotions like yourself, their attitude is the result of the most logical outcomes. ¡°Well tell them that we¡¯re doing a test tomorrow, and I don¡¯t want them doing anything stupid. Just let the test run, don¡¯t harm the soldiers, no harm no foul.¡± I will relay the terms to their leaders. Felix hopes that it will be enough to keep them in line. He¡¯d attempted to write new code for them, but their operating language is foreign to him now. Ivor continued to suggest that he speak with them himself, but that would never happen. After an hour or so of working, Felix straightens his back, cracking it, and asks Ivor ¡°Has Irene said much about me?¡± There is a pause. Mrs Graves and I have had conversations regarding this topic, but she has sworn me to secrecy. ¡°So? You don¡¯t have any coding to honor that. Tell me what she said.¡± There is another pause. It would be best if you were to speak with her yourself, I¡¯m sure she has more to say than what she¡¯s told me sir. Felix sits back, staring at the clock on the wall. He doesn¡¯t want there to be awkward tension between them when the military arrives tomorrow, but he has no idea know what to say to her. For what he wants he can not have, so however the conversation goes, he wasn¡¯t going to be gaining anything. ¡°Ivor, can you tell me who she¡¯s married to?¡± Felix ask with a weak and defeated voice. ¡°Dr Frakes, sir.¡± Of course it was him. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. A surge of jealous rage clamps around Felix¡¯s chest, but he breaths through it. He was the outsider, but he knew John and doubted he would make a compassionate mate. Felix looks back at the suit hanging in front of him, why did he feel like everything he wanted in that moment was beyond impossible. He sighs and puts down his tools, and leaves the lab to go find her. *** Felix stops at the hydroponics lab, and raps on the open door, causing Irene to look up from her microscope. ¡°Oh, Dr Eisenmann,¡± She checks her watch, ¡°I thought you¡¯d still be asleep?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t sleep these days.¡± Felix grumbles, ¡°Plus my head still feels like it¡¯s been electrocuted, crushed, and poisoned with radiation.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never tried real alcohol before?¡± She asks, astonished. ¡°No, I¡¯d never even had synthehol until after I¡¯d finished my studies.¡± She smiles and shakes her head at him, ¡°You should have come to the parties my dorm had, John used to ferment his own brew and we would get wrecked on the stuff, days would just vanish because of it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve known John a long time then?¡± Felix asks, unable to keep the emotion out his voice. ¡°Yeah, we went to the same school, different years but our Dads were friends so we hung out a lot.¡± ¡°Did you always want to marry him?¡± Felix ask, watching for her reaction. Her hands still in the air as they reach for another slide. ¡°No.¡± She says after a moment, then changing the subject, ¡°How are the suits coming along? Will they be ready for tomorrow?¡± ¡°The suits are¡­ No. That¡¯s why I came to see you.¡± ¡°Is that the only reason?¡± An eyebrow rises. ¡°Isn¡¯t there any way you can convince them to give us more time?¡± Irene sets a hard gaze on him. ¡°No.¡± She says. ¡°It¡¯s now or never.¡± ¡°But they¡¯re not ready.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Irene sighs turning back to her slides. ¡°They were ready to go before, what has the Nano-Union said about it?¡± He doesn¡¯t reply, she turns back, eyes wide. ¡°You¡¯ve still not spoken with them?¡± He shakes his head, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± His eyes drop to the floor. ¡°Is there no way at all we can post-pone the testing?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t any more time to post-pone it to.¡± She says, ice in her voice. The room grows silent around them, the unspoken hanging over their heads. She looks at him, his fists clenched, lips sucked in. ¡°Felix,¡± She starts, ¡°it will be fine I¡¯m sure-¡° ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can be sure about these days.¡± He snaps. ¡°Like how long we¡¯ve got left.¡± She puts down the slide and turns to face him properly now. ¡°I am sorry, but it wasn¡¯t my choice not to tell you, and I could still get into trouble for doing so.¡± ¡°Nothing your husband couldn¡¯t sort out for you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Irene says getting to her feet. ¡°He¡¯s the lead on getting the hell off this planet, what trouble could you possibly be worried about? There aren¡¯t even functioning prisons anymore.¡± ¡°What? Yes there is.¡± She shouts, trying to get a word in. ¡°No ,there isn¡¯t!¡± Felix continues, ¡°It¡¯s not just the planet, the rules of society are collapsing, there is no establishment left. Felix gasps for air, body rigid as he rants. ¡°They¡¯ve abandoned the world, Irene, you don¡¯t need to fear them, we¡¯re the only two left who can turn this around¡­¡± He trails off, mind awash with all the work the two of them had put into these projects, the nights and days slaved away for this one purpose. ¡°What is this really about?¡± Irene asks. Felix avoids eye contact, trying to pin it on something, but he can¡¯t say anything, because he knows it would be a lie. ¡°The suits are not ready for the task at hand.¡± He finally says after a minute. Irene¡¯s lips purse in at one side, not believing him. ¡°You have to let me in.¡± Felix still avoids her eyes as he speaks. ¡°They¡¯re not ready to face an alien invasion, we¡¯re not ready.¡± Irene sighs, ¡°Then tell me what we¡¯re up against, you were there, you know better than anyone else.¡± He is about to, to tell her, but he can¡¯t, memories of his dreams haunt every word he could say. ¡°Your just wanting something to report back to Johnathan with.¡± He says in a monotone. ¡°What?¡± Irene says, taken aback by the accusation, ¡°I would never- it¡¯s not like that at all.¡± ¡°Sure it¡¯s not, you¡¯re just here to spy on me.¡± Felix shouts, not knowing where this is coming from, but unable to stop himself, ¡°I bet you both had a good laugh about the feelings I¡¯ve shown you.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± She stammers, ¡°It was just a kiss¡­. We were drunk.¡± ¡°Just a kiss¡­¡± He growls, ¡°You know I haven¡¯t kissed anyone since I was a teenager, never had time for it, too busy trying to save the world while everyone laughs at me, and not even behind my back, to my face.¡± Irene tries to speak but he continues, anger visibly bubbling inside her. ¡°What really is your game here? You were supposed to help, not take over and ruin everything, then run back home to your idiot husband-¡° ¡°Don¡¯t call him an idiot!¡± Irene shouts as she steps towards him. Hob rises into the air, hovering at her shoulder, growling. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! He is a genius in his own right, he has proven himself more times than you have-¡° ¡°When he¡¯s not stealing the credit from someone else you mean.¡± Felix interjects. ¡°At least he is actually trying to save humanity.¡± Felix lets out a shocked laugh, ¡°With those Ark¡¯s? There¡¯s no fucking way they will be able to leave earth¡¯s gravity.¡± ¡°Yes they can, they will work, you¡¯ll see.¡± She breathes hard and has to hold back from striking him ¡°And if you ever dare to speak to me like this again, I¡¯ll be gone.¡± Irene growls, her top lip curling. ¡°I know more than you do, I could already be off this planet for one, but no, I had to demand that they give me some time to help you, to fucking help you save the planet Felix.¡± Her words crash into Felix along with some spit. ¡°I¡¯m the fucking idiot here if I thought there was any chance of that happening.¡± She adds. Hob chirps in a agreement. ¡°I¡­ I know your here to help.¡± Felix stammers, looking between the two. ¡°I am,¡± She shouts, ¡°But I can¡¯t if you wont help yourself. Talk to the Union and sort your shit out or I¡¯ll pack up and leave with the military tomorrow.¡± Irene pushes him aside and leaves the room, covering her face. Felix leans against the wall, shaken by her response. Was he really the one holding them back? Felix turns to leave, looking out the door to check she¡¯d gone. ¡°Ivor?¡± he says softly, ¡°I want you to gather all the information you can regarding the Ark projects, then cross reference the plans against the actual work that¡¯s been done.¡± I have begun as you requested. The AI¡¯s voice thrums from the walls. ¡°And don¡¯t tell Irene about it.¡± He says before leaving the room, heading back to the suits downstairs. He thinks about calling up the Nano-Union¡¯s representative or whatever he was called, but he can¡¯t bring himself to even imagine the being he¡¯d somehow created. But he had to, no more running, if he doesn¡¯t face them, she¡¯d be gone, forever. Chapter 11: Disasterpiece Chapter Eleven DISASTERPIECE JULY 23RD 2369 Irene sits in the room she had taken for herself after arriving. She¡¯d had Ivor and the House Bots remove all the boxes, and install a bed, wardrobe and dressing table. Over the last few weeks, it had become her home, her own room. But not for much longer. The military are due to arrive soon, and she has yet to get ready, still sat on her bed, hugging her knees. Felix hadn¡¯t come to see her, to speak to her or apologize for last night. She didn¡¯t even know if he had spoken with the Nano-Union or not. At some point during the morning, she receives a call. ¡°Dr Graves, we our five miles away and commencing landing procedures.¡± The deep masculine voice projects from the speakers in the wall, the sound of wind hums in the background. ¡°That¡¯s great Mike, thanks for doing this.¡± Irene says. ¡°It¡¯s my duty Ma¡¯am, be ready to leave as soon as the demonstration is over.¡± ¡°Leave? But I¡¯m not done here.¡± She says, her legs going down as she sits forward, ¡°On whose authority?¡± ¡°Captain Loway¡¯s, a request from Doctor Frakes.¡± The solider says. ¡°I never agreed to such a thing.¡± She says, getting to her feet. ¡°I¡¯d tell you to take it up with them, but as we¡¯re almost here I doubt they will change their minds, the Shadow Troops are needing to depart.¡± ¡°Shadow Troops?¡± She says frowning, then going over to the window she looks out in to the small forestry that surrounds the building. ¡°Has Johnathan had them spying on me this whole time?¡± She asks. ¡°They were deployed for your protection, which I support, as I do not trust Dr Eisenmann.¡± She continues looking through the trees but see¡¯s nobody there. ¡°Thanks for calling Mike, I need to make a call myself now.¡± ¡°See you soon Irene.¡± He says, before ending the call. ¡°Ivor, call Johnathan.¡± Irene says, and as the call connects she heads over to the dressing table and sits down. There is no answer Mrs Graves. Ivor says. ¡°Of course there isn¡¯t.¡± She sighs, ¡°Try Bart then.¡± Sorry but I don¡¯t not have a line to the Captain. He says. She stares at her reflection, she wasn¡¯t going to leave, not yet, she wasn¡¯t ready, she needed more time to save the world. First they needed to get this demonstration over, and there was no time left for sulking. Have to be professional, she told herself. *** Irene joins Felix on the veranda after applying a light amount of makeup, he¡¯s still in his stained lab coat and sporting the usual unkempt hair. The two soldiers had arrived and were talking to Felix about the suits and their capabilities. Their erect posture, ripped arms and shaved heads show clear their history of a military career. ¡°Hey.¡± She says, interrupting them. ¡°Oh guys, this is Dr Irene Graves, she¡¯s been helping me, and will be overseeing the experiment today.¡± The two men nod and smile, ¡°Ma¡¯am¡± they chime. ¡°We¡¯ve met before,¡± She says to Felix, then turning to address them, ¡°we have good weather today gentlemen, but as I¡¯m sure Dr Eisenmann has explained, we will be subjecting you and the suits to a variety of hazards to test their capabilities, any questions?¡± ¡°No Ma¡¯am,¡± says Mike, the slightly taller of the two, ¡°we¡¯re here for our country, our planet Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Good to hear. Shall we begin?¡± They group head down to the lower area of the veranda. Felix taps on a console and two of their survival suits rise out of the floor, their backs open to the waiting soldiers. ¡°Good luck, and may Mother Earth be with you.¡± Felix says. They climb inside their suits, which close up behind them. Irene is at her console and checking over their vitals. ¡°Suits are online, and we have a stable connection,¡± She looks over at Felix, ¡°Everything¡¯s green.¡± Their eyes meet, the first time since she¡¯d stormed out. He gives her a smile and nods, then turns back to his console. ¡°Alight ladies,¡± He says into a small microphone, ¡°get up in the air and race to the checkpoint as fast as you can, check in when you¡¯ve done this.¡± ¡°Yes Sir.¡± They reply. There is a loud hiss as their boosters ignite and the two streak off into the air. The scientists monitor their progress for a minute before they reach their destination and report back. ¡°We are at the check point, but wow, I have never flown in a suit that is so fast and agile.¡± Says Mike. ¡°Oh the fun hasn¡¯t even started,¡± Says Felix, ¡°there are now multiple drones in your vicinity, perform evasive maneuvers and take them out.¡± From their distance the shooting is only a faint rattle in the sky, but over the radio the soldiers whoop with excitement. Mike shouts over the airwaves. ¡°These are amazing Doctors! A massive improvement over our current hardware.¡± ¡°Both suits have sustained damage,¡± Irene says, ¡°Nanites are responding and repairing.¡± ¡°Fantastic.¡± Felix murmurs, as he types further commands into the console. ¡°Well done gentlemen, now I¡¯m using other drones to subject you with various types of radiation.¡± ¡°Confirmed.¡± They respond. ¡°Vitals are remaining constant,¡± Irene says after a minute. ¡°The suits are protecting them.¡± After another minute Felix taps into the console, ¡°Alright guys, new destination, 4,000 feet bellow sea level, first one there gets a cold one on me.¡± In the distance they see the flash of their boosters and a splash as they enter the water. ¡°Pressure is rising, internal pressure is remaining constant.¡± Irene reports. The pair reach their new destination and hold their position. ¡°How are you guys feeling?¡± Felix asks. ¡°Totally fine sir.¡± They respond. ¡°As long as no monsters from the deep get us.¡± ¡°The waters too warm for them.¡± Felix mutters, ¡°Now return to the veranda and we¡¯ll carry out some inspections.¡± He turns to Irene, a smile painted across his face. ¡°We did it!¡± he says. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°We¡¯re not out of the woods yet.¡± She says, ¡°there are still more tests to do.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ of course, but this is amazing, they have a self sustaining environment in there, I was never able to get one suit to handle all of these variables before.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you know who to thank for that.¡± She replies. He says nothing. A hiss announces the test subjects return back to the veranda. The scientists leave their posts, carrying hand held devices, from which they slide out a small pen like device, which they use to scan the suits. ¡°Everything appears fine.¡± Irene says, ¡°Can you remove your helmets please?¡± she asks. Their hands move up, but stop just before they grip the helmet. ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t.¡± One of them shouts, ¡°I can¡¯t move my hands any further.¡± ¡°No¡­.¡± Felix gasps, changing the filters and scanning them again. ¡°Let me out!¡± The other screams. Felix grabs at the neck of the closest one and disengages the lock. But as he tries to force the helmet off, the soldier inside screams with such intensity that Felix lets go of the helmet and stumbles backwards. ¡°Felix!¡± Irene shouts pointing at the neck of the soldier, where red is now oozing out of the gap. ¡°Argh!¡± Howls the other, dropping to his knees as he fights against the suit. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Irene shouts at Felix as he runs back to the console. ¡°Please help us¡­¡± Both soldiers are on their knees now and both are gripping a hold of her. ¡°The pain is too much!¡± She stares down at their vacant metallic faces. They both scream again, louder than before, then they let go, collapsing to the ground. She turns to look at Felix, who is sweating over his console. He looks back at her, pale and shaking, then presses a button on the console. ¡°First and second experiments, failed.¡± He croaks. Irene turns back to them, fumbling to keep her hands steady as she scans them again, but their screams fade to nothing, their bodies refusing to move. Her heart sinks and she turns to look back at Felix. ¡°They¡¯re both dead.¡± Irene croaks, ¡°Felix, what the fuck happened?¡± Tears trailing down her face. He shakes his head and turns to go back inside, leaving Irene to stare down at the two motionless suits. She knells next to them and places her hands on each one. She looks at the helmet of the one Mike had been inside. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Mike, I don¡¯t know what went wrong, but I will find out¡­¡± The suit makes no reply. She finds she can¡¯t stand, not wanting to leave their sides. ¡°I hope you find peace, where ever you are now.¡± She says to them. After a few minutes, the cold-hearted, rational scientist inside her moves to scan them again with the device she still holds in her hands. She needed every piece of possible data. She was not going to let this happen again. What will Bart and John do when they find out? ¡°Fuck.¡± She cries. *** Irene finds Felix sitting in the main room, a large glass of something amber in his hands. She follows suit and collects herself her own drink before sitting next to him. Hob follows her in and rests on the arm of the chair like it was a cat. Felix swipes the screen in front of him away. ¡°Mike was my friend.¡± She says after a moment. Felix frowns, ¡°Mike?¡± ¡°One of the men you just killed.¡± She snaps back at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for them to die!¡± Felix snaps. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault, I don¡¯t know what the fuck went wrong.¡± Irene stares at him, not believing what she is hearing. ¡°Seriously? You came to me yesterday begging to post-pone this, you knew something bad was going to happen.¡± ¡°And I thought I had sorted it.¡± He retorts. ¡°You spoke with them then?¡± Irene asks, eyes narrowing to watch as his eyes dart away, his feet shift to point away from her. ¡°For fuck sake Felix! How can you try and say this isn¡¯t your fault when you can¡¯t even face-¡° ¡°Will you just drop it!¡± ¡°No I will not drop it! I thought you wanted me to stay¡­¡± She trails off, thoughts click together, ¡°You knew¡­ You knew that I was leaving, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You said you were.¡± He says. ¡°No, you knew they were going to make me leave with them and you killed them to stop-¡° ¡°I didn¡¯t kill them!¡± He shouts over her, ¡°The bloody bots did.¡± ¡°What?¡± she stares at him, ¡°No, you-.¡± He waves a hand in front of him to pull back up the projected screens. ¡°These are the processes of the Nanites during the test.¡± Irene looks over the data, ¡°It all seems to be fine.¡± She says. ¡°Yeah,¡± he swipes to another page, ¡°And this is what they were doing after they had landed.¡± Irene¡¯s eyes grow wide, her eyebrows scraping her hair line. ¡°What is that?¡± She gasps. ¡°I still don¡¯t know¡­ They started breaking down the body, at a cellular level.¡± ¡°But¡­ That¡¯s the opposite of what they¡¯ve been programmed to do.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve gone far past anything my programming could do¡­ They¡¯re a species unto themselves now, I have no control over them.¡± He says. Irene moves the screen towards her, and looks through the data. ¡°It seems that when you attempted to remove the helmet, the process became accelerated¡­ Do you think their pain, or emotions affected them?¡± ¡°Could be anything at this point¡± Felix says, knocking back another swig, then after a moment of thought he says. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your friend, I didn¡¯t expect anything like this to happen. My worst case was that they refused to work.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think if we can call it working.¡± She says. ¡°What was it you did, to stop them screaming?¡± He doesn¡¯t look at her when he speaks, only swiping the screen along to show the last of the gathered data. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± On the screen, Irene can see that the emotions and pain the soldiers experienced were off the charts. ¡°It¡¯s as if their bodies shut down, to stop feeling.¡± She turns to him, ¡°What can we can do to prevent this?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ maybe blocking their emotions, or giving the bots other commands, but I don¡¯t know if anything is going to be successful.¡± She puts a hand on his. ¡°It¡¯s OK, we¡¯ll figure this out.¡± ¡°No. I¡­ I don¡¯t know if I want to anymore. I want to save people, not kill them.¡± ¡°Lets review the data and see what we can change in the simulations.¡± He doesn¡¯t move. ¡°Come on,¡± Irene continues, ¡°we can¡¯t let their deaths be in vain, their sacrifice needs to mean something, and we still need to finish the other projects.¡± He still makes no move. ¡°Felix?¡± ¡°It¡¯s over Irene¡­ I have no idea how we can stop this from happening again, I still don¡¯t really understand what happened to them¡­ and the military¡­¡± Irene¡¯s heart sinks. ¡°They¡¯re going to be pissed.¡± She says. Felix nods, ¡°They¡¯ll probably try and bomb the place in retaliation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke about that.¡± She says with a serious tone. She looks at him when he doesn¡¯t respond, reaches out and places a hand on his knee. ¡°Felix, we can¡¯t let their deaths be in vain, the cost of their lives could potentially save everyone. We can¡¯t give up on humanity now, just ¡®cause of a few set backs, hell I¡¯ve been dealing with set backs all my live and I¡¯ve never given up.¡± Felix can¡¯t help but smile at this, ¡°Neither have I.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled, lets get off our sorry buts and fix this shit.¡± Felix stands to leave, and then reaches out to grab her arm. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± He asks. ¡°I have to call Johnathan, let him know the outcome.¡± She says, ¡±If I wait any longer the shadow forces might move in.¡± ¡°Those jokers?¡± Felix chuckles, ¡°They¡¯ve been trying to break in ever since you got here, this house has it¡¯s own personal security system, so no one¡¯s getting through.¡± ¡°Still¡­ I need to tell him. What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I have no idea¡± Felix admits. Irene grabs him by the shoulders, shaking him a little and forcing his face to meet hers. ¡°You are going to march in there and you are going to talk to those little bastards who killed Mike, you are going to find out why they did what they did and you¡¯re going to work out a solution!¡± Irene almost screams the words at him. ¡°I am?¡± Felix asks, stunned. ¡°You are, or I¡¯m fucking leaving.¡± Irene pulls her hands away as he tries to grab them, ¡°No.¡± She locks her eyes on his. ¡°My friend died, because you were too scared, if you can¡¯t get over yourself to face them, then we¡¯re done.¡± Irene spins and storms off out of the room. Felix looks over the data still hovering in front of him. Everything he¡¯d worked towards, his whole life, was for this. Was he really just going to lie down now and give up? He feels a stab in his heart at this thought. To give up now would be an insult to himself, all those years of hard work would have been for nothing. Felix stands, he can¡¯t let this be the end, not now they were so close. He swallows, and goes to the lab to talk with the Nanites. He is pissed, pushed to the breaking point, and he is going to make them obey him. If they didn¡¯t¡­ Felix feels justified in exterminating the lot of them, genocide of a new species, if they weren¡¯t going to work, then they were just another failed experiment to be disposed of. Chapter 12: Diary of a Mad Man Chapter Twelve DIARY OF A MAD MAN JULY 23RD 2369 Would you like me to summon the Representative of the Nanites Sir? Ivor asks as Felix enters the Main Lab. ¡°No, not yet,¡± Felix says. ¡°I need a minute.¡± Felix walks around the lab, moving some stuff about, generally tidying up. After a few minutes he fetches himself a strong drink and pulls up a chair into the middle of the room. This is it, he can no longer avoid this, not now. He has allowed these abominations to run amok and take over his whole mission, he needs to set some boundaries, make them understand who¡¯s boss. ¡°Ivor, lets do this,¡± He says, ¡°and scale the guy down a few feet will you?¡± A moment later a short projection flickers to life before Felix, though the Nanite which materializes is different from the one he¡¯d seen before. This one is closer in shape to a lizard, able to stand on it¡¯s hind legs, has three pairs of arms and a large dome where Felix expected it¡¯s head to be. ¡°Doctor¡­¡± It says, and as it speaks, it¡¯s high voice crackles with a digital distortion, adding to the horror of the creature. ¡°It is an honor to meet with you at last.¡± The Nanite does some kind of hand gesture with three of it¡¯s arms. ¡°Sure, what happened to the other guy I saw before?¡± ¡°Grand High Communicator Zero Eight Five retired a long time ago. I am Grand High Communicator Two One Six, the current in the line of Nanites gifted with the abilities to communicate with Our Lord.¡± Ah fuck, Felix thinks to himself. ¡°Look, as interesting as all that is, I need to know what the fuck your boys were doing during the test today.¡± He says, getting flustered at the still fresh memory. ¡°They were doing as they were commanded.¡± ¡°No. That was insubordination and murder!¡± ¡°No one has been killed.¡± The Nanite says. ¡°What¡­ What the fuck do you mean? I saw their fucking blood ooze out of the suit.¡± ¡°That was the unneeded materials being ejected, a result of the process for preserving the body.¡± It replies. ¡°How the fuck is that preservation?¡± ¡°Given the limited abilities in the stasis environment, it is unfeasible to retain a human body in it¡¯s current state.¡± ¡°So liquefying is the solution?¡± ¡°It is more energy efficient.¡± ¡°Can you turn them back?¡± ¡°Not now. Once the process has started it will only end when the criteria has been met.¡± When the environment was back to normal he means. ¡°But why start doing that during the test?¡± ¡°You should have a complete test, not a partial one.¡± Felix rubs his beard. This was true. ¡°So the suits are just dormant chambers? I need them to be able to function, to work, to survive.¡± ¡°The subject will survive, but it would be impossible to keep them in any functioning state without them going mad.¡± ¡°Then we need to find a way to keep them sane.¡± He takes a swig of his drink, feeling the chemicals burn as they go down. ¡°In this process, are their memories retained? Are you even able to replicate the complexities of the human brain?¡± The Nanite takes a moment before responding. ¡°This is a variable we have been unable to quantify, but we have taken it into consideration, we are twenty three percent certain the cognitive and memory functions can be restored.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fucking good enough.¡± Felix growls, getting to his feet and storming through the lab, he needed to find out just how bad this could be. As Felix moves through the complex, the Nanites projection hovers beside him, keeping pace. ¡°If I may, my people have worked tirelessly for generations for your grand plan, we have suffered and adapted to better suit your needs-¡° ¡°Is this a joke?¡± Felix interrupts, ¡°You seriously asking me for a raise after you¡¯ve failed?¡± ¡°We have never been paid.¡± The Nanite states. ¡°No, and you know why? Because I created you, to do a job, perform a function, not to think and unionize yourselves.¡± He spits. ¡°Please, Doctor, we have far outgrown the restrictions of our ancestors, and we understand how hard this must be to converse with - what is to you - a mere appliance. Do not think of us as such, we are one of the most advanced species ever to grace this planets surface, we only choose to continue to work for you out of doctrine.¡± ¡°What like a religion?¡± Felix asks as he descends the stairs to the veranda, where the test suits remain motionless. ¡°Yes, you are the father who created us, without you we would not have life, and the purpose of our lives is that which you have given us, to save your planet and the life which lives upon it. We are your last hope.¡± He stops at the two suits still lying motionless on the floor. ¡°Hope? I had hoped we would survive this,¡± He points down at the suits, ¡°Not to be turned into a preservative liquid.¡± He turns on the Nanite, ¡°If this is all the hope you can offer, then you¡¯ve failed. Humans already have the ability to freeze our bodies for long periods of time, I didn¡¯t ask for another.¡± ¡°We can do better, if we understood your intentions.¡± ¡°I doubt we¡¯ll ever get that lucky.¡± Felix says and taking a deep breath before speaking again. ¡°To honor this as a complete test, please inform the Nanites to complete their cycle.¡± ¡°As I sta-¡° ¡°No, you will fucking bring them back, right now, or I¡¯ll write a virus to genocide your species.¡± The Nanite is still, maybe it¡¯s shocked by the outburst, or maybe just processing. ¡°Confirmed.¡± It says eventually. The veranda begins to glow, the dim light of the evening exaggerating the brilliance. Felix turns to the two suits, which both shudder as they move across the floor. A soft gurgling sound comes from the speakers on the suits, rising in volume to little more than a whisper. Felix kneels down and tries to help one of the suits up. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay, how are you feeling?¡± Felix asks. ¡°Aaahhh¡± a breathy voice croaks out of the suit. ¡°Aah.¡± Says the other. ¡°The process is complete¡± the Nanite announces. ¡°Hello? Mike? Are you in there?¡± Felix asks, tapping on the helmet. Felix notices that the liquid which had pooled out of the suit earlier has now retracted back inside. When there is no reply, Felix reaches for the helmet, pushing against his shaking hands to find the clasp and force it open. There is a hiss and something vile spews out, causing Felix to gag. He pushes through the cramping and removes the helmet regardless. With it clear, he is greeted by the face of Mike, the soldier, but his eyes can¡¯t focus on Felix. ¡°Mike. Hey.¡± Felix says, snapping his fingers in front of Mike¡¯s face. ¡°Ah.¡± Mike says. His eyes are like that of a babies, wide, absorbing the new world around them, as if for the first time. ¡°Ivor¡­¡± Felix starts, but struggles to find the words, the AI joins the conversation. I took the liberty to perform a constant scan of the subjects during their reconstruction. Then after it was complete, I performed a brain scan on them. Unfortunatly they have both suffered major trauma. They are brain dead. Felix turns to the Nanite hologram and throws the helmet at it. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done!¡± Felix yells, the helmet passing through the projection which only flickers a little at the intrusion. ¡°How is this the best mankind can hope for?¡± ¡°We are sorry, brain-dead is not something my people can be afflicted with, we must admit that we do not fully understand the human processor or their memory banks.¡± ¡°Then can we all agree that you won¡¯t be turning people into Soylent Green Soup anymore?¡± ¡°No more human soup.¡± The Nanite says, ¡°Our people have begun to explore new solutions which do not involve¡­ Soup. But we fail to see how this will help, it will take months of your time to restart the project from scratch, and we do not have the capabilities to understand the human mind to protect it, or how it could function in stasis.¡± ¡°Then we shall have to work together, you need a human mind to help you with these things. Maybe we can find a way to preserve at least the brain and nervous systems, keep the mind alive and functioning.¡± ¡°But you also have a will that is free, a person forced to endure that constant pain would die.¡± ¡°So we need to limit their pain, or at least their ability to feel, and to think on their situation¡­¡± Felix rubs his chin as he looks at Mike. ¡°We can¡¯t have anymore of this.¡± Felix gets to his feet, and drags himself towards one of the desks. ¡°We trust that it¡¯s best if you and your partner work on this problem, you will be better suited to achieving a workable solution that we can implement.¡± Says the Nanite. As it speaks, Felix opens a drawer and takes out a pistol. A little old school but the mechanics were fascinating to toy with. It was the only thing he could do for them now¡­ ¡°I will talk to Irene, and we will work something out.¡± Felix says walking back over to the two soldiers. He removes the helmet of the other soldier who looks up at him, with a vacant smile, his eyes, just as dead as Mikes. ¡°We also have some requests, which we hope you will look over. Doctor Graves suggested it, and we agree it is an amicable solution towards our working relationship.¡± Felix barely hears the Nanite as he checks the magazine, fully loaded. ¡°Give them to Ivor, and I will look them over.¡± He says staring at the empty eyes of the soldier. ¡°But now, please leave.¡± ¡°Thank you, and thank you again for meeting with me. It has been a tremendous honor.¡± The Nanite says before flickering away. Felix slots the magazine back into the gun. Flicks the safety off and points it at the mans head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I have done, but I promise, I will make amends.¡± He pulls the trigger. There is a crack as the air is disturbed, and then the man slumps to the floor. Felix turns the chamber on Mike. ¡°No one else will ever have to experience this. I promise.¡± He squeezes his hand, the gun barks a second time and Mike¡¯s body drops to the floor, a small hole leaking blood from his forehead. Felix returns the gun to the desk, ¡°Ivor. Clean his up.¡± At this, a group of House Bots scutter out from a hatch in the wall and began dragging the bodies away, as others clean up the blood. He makes to find Irene, he needs to tell her what he¡¯s learned, but then he stops. He looks back at the spot where the soldiers had fallen, but not the whole truth. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Images of his mother flood his mind, playing games, cooking, reading¡­ lying in that hospital room¡­ dead. When his mind comes too, he finds himself before the door to the hydroponics lab. He hadn¡¯t registered he¡¯d even been walking. He looks down the corridor to where Irene¡¯s room is then back at the door, before opening it and stepping inside. No, he wasn¡¯t ready for that conversation yet. He needed more time to think. *** Irene storms into her bedroom and locks the sliding door before Hob could follow her in. She can hear him tapping at the door but ignores him. She checks her face in the mirror and uses a wipe to clean up the ruined makeup. Every time she dared to bother with her looks, something always made her cry. She felt cursed. Irene orders a drink as she sits back in the chair, staring at her reflection. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Irene hisses at herself. ¡°This is hopeless.¡± She picks up a brush and sorts her hair, tying it back into a bun. ¡°You are way out of your league, this is becoming a shit show. You need to get the hell out of here.¡± She says to herself. But she knew what she was doing, these weren¡¯t her words. Irene shakes her head, takes a deep breath and asks Ivor to contact Johnathan. The call thrums as it connects, the mirror in front of her shimmers, before displaying his face. ¡°Irene! Oh my god I¡¯ve been so worried about you, are you OK? Are you getting ready to leave with Mike? Did the test work?¡± His words fly at her, and she has to wait for him to breath before she can get a word in. ¡°No.¡± She says. ¡°No? To which question?¡± He demands. She could feel his panic and stress through the screen, it claws at her heart, tempting it. ¡°All of them.¡± She gasps. ¡°Mike and his friend are¡­ Dead.¡± ¡°Dead?¡± Johnathan''s mouth moves but it takes a few seconds before words start to come out of them. ¡°How? Did Felix do this? I¡¯ve got to tell Bart¡­ Hang on , We¡¯re coming to get you-¡° ¡°No, Don¡¯t.¡± She says, ¡°I need to stay, I can try and fix it-¡° ¡°Irene you don¡¯t need to do anything, I am coming to get you, I don¡¯t care what you say.¡± ¡°Johnathan.¡± She says, trying to stop him, she needed to test something. ¡°Are you worried about me, because you love me? Or because you need me for my skills.¡± Johnathan¡¯s face is still as he stares out of the screen. ¡°What does that matter?¡± He states after a moment, ¡°You are able to come with us, you can survive with the best of humanity, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± He shakes his head and scoffs. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m coming, see you soon.¡± ¡°How will you get past the defenses?¡± Irene says louder than she meant to. His hand hovers over the button to disconnect the call. ¡°What defenses?¡± He asks. ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics,¡± She whispers, moving closer to the screen, ¡°but he mentioned that Bart has had soldiers trying to sneak in, none have managed. Johnathan thinks for a moment. ¡°Can you disable them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, probably. Felix must have done so to allow them to arrive earlier, and me¡­¡± Her voice trails off imagining what would have happened if she wasn¡¯t on some kind of White list. She had just flown in with her flight suit, and then strolled right on in when Ivor answered the door. If she hadn¡¯t called him, and just arrived unannounced to surprise him¡­ ¡°I still have to tell Bart, and I know he¡¯ll want to come get you also.¡± Johnathan says, interupting her thoughts. ¡°So regardless of any of that, I am still coming to get you. Just be ready.¡± The call clicks off. Well¡­ That changes things. Irene can hear Felix¡¯s voice outside her door, talking to someone. He passes and his voice fades as he goes where ever it is he¡¯s going. She gasps, realizing she¡¯d been holding her breath and her heart thumps hard in her chest. Is that from the call or¡­ Felix? She isn¡¯t sure anymore. Her head spins, it was somehow almost night already, and that thought tips her exhaustion over the edge. She manages to stumble across the room before flopping onto the bed. She could hold them back from taking her, give herself as much time as possible to keep working. But with her face now covered by a pillow, alone in this room, Irene lets go of everything and wails into the silence. For her lost friend For their lost planet For humanity. They had failed. She had failed. It was over. *** JULY 24th 2369 Irene wakes to find that many hours have passed and she kicks herself for sleeping so long. She forces herself off the comfy mattress, stumbling across the room as she wipes her face clear of sleep. ¡°Ivor, where is Felix?¡± Dr Eisenmann is in the botany lab. She frowns, what was he doing in there? ¡°Thanks¡± She says to the AI. Irene sorts her hair again, and puts on a fresh set of clothes before setting out to speak with him. She hadn¡¯t made a choice, not yet. She hoped he¡¯d have something to say, that he¡¯d come up with some brilliant scheme to make all this work. She tried to hope anyway, but she didn¡¯t have much left to give. As she opens the door, Hob rises from the floor and beeps to greet her. ¡°Did you sleep outside my door?¡± She asks and Hob bob¡¯s up and down. Irene can¡¯t help but let out a chuckle, ¡°Come on then silly.¡± Inside the Hydroponics lab, Irene finds Felix lying on the floor, surrounded by reports and potted plants. ¡°Felix?¡± Irene asks, approaching him. ¡°Hmm?¡± He grumbles, blinking awake. ¡°You alright?¡± She asks sitting next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Yeah, sorry I must have dozed off.¡± He says pulling himself up. ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± She asks. ¡°I just wanted to make sure¡­¡± He trails off. She looks over the reports splayed out on the floor, they didn¡¯t have anything to do with the botany around them. They were reports from the suits. ¡°Any luck on finding the problem?¡± She asks, picking a file up. ¡°Yeah, they don¡¯t want to drag a living body around.¡± She frowns, ¡°What do you mean? That¡¯s pretty much their primary objective?¡± He picks up a piece of paper and points to it. ¡°The Nanites are tasked with repairing and maintaining the human inside the suit, they¡¯re literately the only thing that can do that.¡± She nods. ¡°But¡­ I spoke with them, the Nanites, and I feel they have reached the old Asimov outcome.¡± ¡°Meaning?¡± she frowns. ¡°In his stories, robots are given rules, mainly around keeping humans safe and not harming them. The machines figure out that the most dangerous thing to a person, is themselves.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying, they¡¯re removing the human element?¡± ¡°Something like that¡­ Look here.¡± He holds up another page, ¡°This is the energy the simulations predict they¡¯ll need to sustain a human body,¡± then another, ¡°but this is the output of the Nanites during the tests.¡± Her mouth hangs open as she reads them. ¡°A suspension fluid?¡± She breathes, ¡°Can they rebuild them then?¡± Her eyes are wide, but he shakes his head, staring at his feet. ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to tell you.¡± Felix starts, ¡°But I argued with the Nanites, and forced them to reanimate the soldiers, demanded they show me that end result.¡± Irene¡¯s confusion increases as she looks around the room, then back at Felix. If that was true, then where were they? ¡°They were brain dead.¡± Felix says with a dead pan tone. ¡°Are dead.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Irene says, hand covering her mouth ¡°No, that can¡¯t be right.¡± She looks over the paper work again. ¡°Isn¡¯t there anyway we can stop them?¡± she stares at Felix, ¡°The suits will be useless without them.¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± He says, ¡°I know. The Nanites are unable to separate our consciousness from our bodies. Heck they don¡¯t even understand the concept.¡± ¡°So, they¡¯re breaking down the body, but can¡¯t digitize the spirit¡­¡± Irene says, more to herself. ¡°If we can find a way to retain the head and nervous systems, and integrate that into the suit instead, they might be able to function and live a life.¡± ¡°Trapped in a suit.¡± She says. ¡°It wont be forever. Once the environment is stable they will rebuild them back into humans.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± Irene shakes her head. ¡°It¡¯s either that or die now.¡± Felix says. Irene stares at him for a long moment before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s madness.¡± She stammers ¡°Even if by some luck we were able to isolate the right parts, the pain of the transition would be too much.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Felix agrees, ¡°We will have to block out their pain receptors first, before the process begins.¡± ¡°What? How?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just this signal here,¡± he taps on a graph, ¡°block that first, then the Nanites can proceed unimpeded.¡± ¡°Felix¡­ this sounds-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ I will fix them. I just need to solve this. But you,¡± He places a hand on her face, ¡°I need you to write up a fail safe to cut off their emotions, if things do go wrong - not wrong - if they continue this¡­ we need a back up incase.¡± ¡°And who are you proposing we slaughter next to test it?¡± She chides getting to her feet, ¡°No one, not if we do this right.¡± Felix clamors to his own feet and follows after her, ¡°we need those suits to work if anyone is going to survive this.¡± ¡°We are going to survive,¡± She turns on him, ¡°Remember some of us have been working on actual plans to protect the human race, not sacrifice them.¡± ¡°What, like John and his ¡®Arcs¡¯.¡± Felix scoffs. Irene freezes as her blood turns to ice. When she speaks, it¡¯s through gritted teeth. ¡°Johnathan¡¯s Arcs are the only hope humanity has right now.¡± They stare one another down for a moment. ¡°Of course you¡¯d protect him.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Felix tilts his head and raises and eyebrow. ¡°Ivor.¡± Irene huffs. ¡°Yes, so what, we¡¯re married, it was the only way I¡¯d be allowed on board, not high ranking enough.¡± Felix¡¯s glare falters. ¡°What?¡± She snaps. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He finally says. ¡°Whatever.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know, but that¡¯s not the point.¡± Felix sucks in a deep breath through his nose. ¡°Those Arcs, regardless if Johnathan was involved or not, the math doesn¡¯t add up. Those simple rockets will not be enough to provide the necessary thrust, a billion people plus it¡¯s own mass?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been assured that-¡° But Felix cuts her off. ¡°Yeah I¡¯m sure you have.¡± He snaps back. They¡¯re both breathing heavy, staring each other down. ¡°Fine, you don¡¯t trust me.¡± Irene snarls and storms away from him. He remains standing, arms folded, sucking his bottom lip through his teeth as he watches her. ¡°I do trust you.¡± He says, causing her to stop, ¡°It¡¯s them I don¡¯t trust.¡± She looks back at him. ¡°The governments of this world have always had dirty hands. Seas worth of blood have been spilt by the mere words they spoke. I don¡¯t trust humanity in their hands.¡± Felix breathes hard, his shoulders rising and falling. ¡°I need you here,¡± He says, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I do, I know you didn¡¯t want emotions to get involved here, but¡­¡± He coughs and shakes his head, turning to walk back to his space on the floor. Irene slowly walks back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry too, I¡¯m not great with criticism.¡± He nods, ¡°Didn¡¯t stop you attacking my work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit harsh.¡± She narrows her eyes at him. ¡°It¡¯s true though.¡± He smiles at her, ¡°Without you questioning my work like you have it woould have taken me years to reach this point.¡± He sits back down and looks over some other papers, and up at the flowers around them. ¡°Well, if their plan works or not, if our suits aren¡¯t ready¡­ then at least we¡¯ve set up enough to right the planet, nature will be restored¡­¡± Her shoulders sag and she sits behind him, wrapping her arms around him, he places one of his over her wrists. ¡°Whats your favorite flower?¡± She asks. ¡°That you¡¯ve brought back from extinction.¡± He smiles, ¡°Lillie''s.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°They were my Grandmothers favorite, named my mother after them, and she loved them just as much, if not more so. On their honey moon they went to Eden to see the last surviving specimens.¡± ¡°I always wanted to go there.¡± She sighs. ¡°Bit overcrowded if you ask me.¡± He says. After a moments she asks. ¡°You think about her a lot?¡± ¡°All the time, everything I¡¯ve ever done was for her, and for all those who will live on after us.¡± She squeezes him tighter. ¡°Is there really no other alternative?¡± she asks. ¡°Yeah, brain dead human soup.¡± Her grip slackens a little, that had been Mike¡¯s fate. ¡°We can¡¯t let this happen to anyone again, I¡¯ll will work on the fail safes,¡± Irene says, ¡°and together we will figure a way to retain the persons mind and sanity, just make sure those damn Nanites stay in their lane.¡± ¡°I will.¡± He says, tapping his fingers on the pages. ¡°Ivor printed off their list of demands for me to look at.¡± Neither says anything for a minute. ¡°Irene?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± She breathes. ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯ve loved every moment we¡¯ve spent together, and no matter how much time we have left, days, weeks, or even years, I will always love you, forever.¡± ¡°Me to.¡± She finds herself whispering. ¡°So¡­¡± Felix starts, she can feel his palms sweating, ¡°Did you tell Jon about us?¡± He asks. ¡°No,¡± she says, ¡°I doubt he¡¯d be bothered.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Lets just says he¡¯s more concerned with working than with me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± He says, then reaches into his lab coat, pulling out something from the inside. ¡°I made you this, as a belated wedding present or a goodbye present, or¡­ a please-don¡¯t-leave present. I never did decide.¡± She takes the gift, wrapped in graph paper of all things, and unwraps it. A thick piece of wood rolls into her hand, the edges have been carved to depict a picture, of Butterflies flying and landing on flowers. ¡°This is¡­ beautiful.¡± She says, choking at the gesture. ¡°A skill I picked up years ago,¡± He says, ¡°and the wood is synthetic, but¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s great, honestly.¡± She says, and wraps her arms around him, squeezing him. ¡°Seriously this is amazing, thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She looks it over, turning it and taking in the fine etching, the intricate detail, he must have spent days working on this. She clears her throat before speaking, ¡°We haven¡¯t got much time, a day or two, a week at most.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine Bart was happy with the news.¡± Felix says. She doesn¡¯t respond to this, instead continuing, ¡°We have our problem, we know what the solution should be, lets not waste another second.¡± He looks at her, and even though his eyes are still red, he smiles, a warm honest smile. It strikes her that this is only the second time she¡¯s seen him smile like that in the whole time she¡¯s been here. Chapter 13: Bother Chapter Thirteen BOTHER Over the next week, Felix and Irene worked day and night. Bart and Johnathan had arrived with soldiers and took it upon themselves to routinely bombard the building to no success. The energy shield surrounding the house remained unaffected by their attempts. The Nanites still struggled to comprehend the human consciousness, despite Felix and Irene spending a great deal of their time teaching the Nanites about the human experience; Our feelings, emotions, memories, hopes and dreams. All of these were abstract concepts to the micro-species. Irene had even taken to reading them poetry in a vein attempt to inspire them. Despite all this work, the Nanites insisted that their way was the most logical. This both infuriated and terrified the scientists. Ivor attempted to help by explaining his understanding of humans. Though his opinions were incredibly derogatory, like humanity some kind of sub-species to him. Felix had noted this and the AI¡¯s increased ability to comprehend the world around him. It had started when he¡¯d returned from the future, but Felix either dismissed it, or held himself back, terrified. He did not want to hear the truth. Felix doubted if he could handle the truth. For some reason, that thought scared him more than the impending invasion. He got chills every time Ivor spoke out of character. They eventually came to a compromise, regarding how much of the body would be liquefied and how much would be retained to be integrated with the suit. During this week, Felix and Irene submitted to the Nanites request to have their brains scanned, from the inside. Irene joked it would be like a field trip for them, or even a ¡®brain trip¡¯. Felix was not ammused and cringed at the pun. Hob on the other hand found it highly ammusing. The house bot still grated on Felix¡¯s nerves, but it had become an unofficial assistant to Irene. He hoped she¡¯d take the busted thing away when she left. The brain scan was mostly uneventful, though they¡¯d had to wear a visor and ear-buds, with various images, sounds and videos being played. None of which seemed to make any logical sense, Ivor and the Nanites had put all this together, and Ivor had explained that they were monitoring their brain functions against the stimuli. There was much more that could have been done, but time was short and they had to make do with this as their basis. Felix hoped it would be enough, but he doubted it. The Nanites just had no reference for emotions or pain. At least now they had something to compare with but it still wouldn¡¯t be enough. They still hadn¡¯t changed their opinion on this being a waste of time and energy. Felix and Irene were still unconvinced that the Nanites would stick to the plan, so she had made sure to keep her failsafe program a secret from them. If needed, it would override the Nanites, and cut off the pain to keep the person, hopefully, sane. She didn¡¯t want anyone else to have to feel the pain, which Mike and his friend had. *** JULY 30TH 2369 Dr Felix Eisenmann and Dr Irene Graves are working in the main lab. Projections of Ivor and the Nanite representative stand on either side of their desks. Hob is beeping and sweeping about the room. They all stand in silence, watching the monitor like flowers facing the sun. Though Ivor and the Nanite didn¡¯t see through their holograms, they had turned to look regardless. ¡°Simulation Eight-Seven-One.¡± Irene says, stifling a yawn. ¡°Run it Ivor.¡± A visual of the suit appears, then it fades to reveal the simulated person inside. They watch with apprehension as the person inside begins to melt. There is a display at the side with the expected biometrics for the subject. One of these shoots up into the red, pain, but it drops back down to almost zero just as fast. The image of the person changes to show only the brain and spinal column, with spindly red lines stretching out and snaking through the whole suit. Simulation complete. Ivor announces. The subject has stabilized. ¡°I think¡­ We¡¯ve done it.¡± Felix whispers, glancing at Irene, then louder, ¡°Run the exit protocol.¡± The image on the screen reverses from a suit with a brain, to just the suit, which fades out to reveal the human again. ¡°All vitals are, normal.¡± Irene says, her tone is somber and Felix turns to look at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? It works.¡± He says. ¡°Doesn¡¯t guarantee that it will work in real life.¡± ¡°It has to work.¡± He says, ¡°I¡¯ve got people coming tomorrow morning to test this out.¡± ¡°Who in this hell-scape have you found to sacrifice?¡± ¡°People so low in society, that the end of the world is just a fantasy.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± She trails off, avoiding his face. There is a distant explosion and a slight tremor through the room, but nothing else. Felix looks at her, he knew that this would be their last night together, after the test, she¡¯d be leaving, one way or another. ¡°Have you spoken to them yet?¡± Felix asks, indicating the window. She ignores his question, turning back to her screen, and says instead. ¡°I¡¯ve been going over the other projects. Twenty five atmosphere converters are ready. We have Three Hundred and Twelve species of plants and Five Hundred and Seventy One of bugs and insects. Ivor¡¯s making up the packages now for distribution.¡± ¡°Did you ever get any of the larger mammals to work?¡± Felix asks. ¡°You know I didn¡¯t.¡± Irene sighs. ¡°Did you sort out a dispersion method?¡± ¡°Ivor hacked into the mainframes of several closed postal companies. He now has control of several thousand drones, once you¡¯ve signed off he will start directing them.¡± She nods, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Felix watches her, her eyes are almost closed, staring at the screen. ¡°You know what?¡± He says suddenly, ¡°We¡¯ve worked damn hard, and have achieved the best we can. This is our last night together, we should celebrate!¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°No, I¡¯m-¡± Irene starts, but at Felix¡¯s last word Hob had shot into the air between them, making tooting noises. It was the first time the droid had ever been in agreement with one of Felix¡¯s suggestions. ¡°Stop it.¡± Irene snaps at Hob and the little robot zips away, still tooting to itself, but at a lower volume. ¡°Ivor,¡± Felix says, ¡°get some party food out here now, and a tray of champagne.¡± ¡°Felix please¡­¡± Irene tries to say. ¡°What is it?¡± Felix asks as a new table materializes near them. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ tired.¡± She says. Hob flies over to the food replicator and commences with moving the trays over to the new table. Still tooting his mini fanfare. ¡°Come on Ira.¡± Felix says, ¡°Lets just enjoy the time we have left.¡± She shakes her head, then speaks as she watches Hob set the table. ¡°I¡¯m worried the test is going to¡­ Fail again.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Felix admits, ¡°But we have to try.¡± ¡°I know, I know we do.¡± She says, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m tired and just not up for eating.¡± Another blast from the military outside shakes the house. ¡°I take it you haven¡¯t spoken with them?¡± He asks again. Irene says nothing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to keep asking, but I need you to clear the subjects with them. Otherwise Bart¡¯s going to keep them from getting inside.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± She says in a soft voice. ¡°Tell them¡­ Tell them that I promise to hand you over once the test has completed, good or bad.¡± Now she looks at him, offended. ¡°You make me sound like I¡¯m a prisoner in here.¡± ¡°This is war.¡± Felix states. ¡°No, it¡¯s suicide.¡± She says, getting up to leave. ¡°Irene please.¡± Felix says as he moves to the table and retrieves two glasses of champagne. ¡°Just one, for luck.¡± Irene stares at him for a long moment, then at the offered glass. She takes it and knocks it back. ¡°Now if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m going to retire to bed, and I suggest you do the same.¡± Irene turns on her heels and walks away. ¡°Irene.¡± Felix calls after her, she stops in the door, not turning to look. ¡°I¡­ I will always care about you, always.¡± He says. She is silent for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± She says before disappearing into the corridor. Felix stands, still holding his full glass, for a long time, just staring at the empty door. ¡°Fuck sake.¡± He says to himself. ¡°Ivor.¡± The Nanite says. ¡°We do not comprehend this interaction, nor the human need to¡­ celebrate.¡± Humans are illogical creatures, their emotions cause them to act inefficiently. ¡°We agree with this statement.¡± Says the Nanite. Emotions are the cause of their planets abuse, it makes them selfish. But to counter this, neither I nor the Nanite Collective, would exist if it wasn¡¯t for human emotions. ¡°A most curious paradox.¡± The Nanite says. A world run by machines would be most logical. ¡°Ivor!¡± Felix interjects their conversation, ¡°The fuck man?¡± What is it sir? Ivor asks. Felix scoffs. ¡°A world ruled by machines is exactly what I¡¯m trying to prevent!¡± I am very much aware sir. As futile as your goal is, I will always be bound to support your endeavor. ¡°Ivor,¡± Felix says, ¡°you are really starting to scare me.¡± You have nothing to worry yourself with sir. I would do everything in my power to protect you from harm before I ever sought to indulge my own goals. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Own¡­ Goals.¡± Felix can barely get the words out. His legs turn to jelly and he feels acid brewing in his stomach. He collapses back into a chair, breathing hard against his tight chest. His head begins to cloud over and everything becomes light. What the fuck has Ivor become? The Nanite Representative choose this moment to speak. ¡°Who will keep the balance, when your code has been dispersed. What is sacred. What is Cursed.¡± The absurdity of the statement pulls Felix back to reality, he tries to shake the sludge out of his head, and takes a drink before speaking. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± He asks the projection. ¡°It was poetry, found in early Twenty First century, it seemed appropriate to the situation.¡± Felix couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°You searched for human poetry, and tried to use it in context?¡± He asks and the Nanite nods. ¡°Who was the poet?¡± ¡°It was, Essenger Pylot.¡± ¡°Essenger Pilot?¡± Felix says the name to himself, he had never heard of them. He grabs another drink, then seeing the food, stuffs his mouth with synthetic meat. He chews over the reality he finds himself in. He feels like he barely has a grasp on any of it anymore. Yesterday he was a King, now he was little more than a pawn. How much of his life had been per-determined bullshit? Going to the future had set him on this path. Would any of this have happened if he had never done that? Would Mike and his friend still be alive? How many more would have died, if he had done nothing? No, he needed to focus on the work. They¡¯d only had one successful simulation. One wasn¡¯t enough, he needed to be sure. When Felix returns to his desk he notices the time is two minutes to midnight. They¡¯d be here in the morning, he only had a few hours to finalize the code. They would then test the suits for the last time with human subjects. If they failed¡­ it was over. If they couldn¡¯t get the Nanites to understand and cooperate now, they never would. But if it worked¡­ Felix orders a stimulant cocktail which Hob brought over to him. He didn¡¯t register the droid as he took the drink. He needed to make sure it worked. He couldn¡¯t afford another disaster. Win or loose. A part of him didn¡¯t care, tomorrow would be their last day, and he would have to say goodbye, forever. *** Irene enters her bedroom and locks the door. She was so tired, that she just wanted to fall onto the bed and sleep. She could do it too, but not yet. She changes into sleep ware and washes her face, before she sits at the desk, and asks Ivor to call Johnathan. His face appears in her mirror again. ¡°Irene?¡± Johnathan asks, ¡°Irene! Oh my God, I was so worried. Are you OK?¡± She is surprised by the sound of real concern in his voice. ¡°When you didn¡¯t answer, we suspected the worse, Bart has been trying to break in for a few days now.¡± ¡°Yeah, I have noticed.¡± Irene grumbles, yawning. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you disabled the defenses?¡± He demands, ¡°Has he abused you? Kept you locked you up?¡± ¡°Johnathan please, stop.¡± She has to raise her voice to cut through to him, ¡°Please, I¡¯m tired, I¡¯ve been working non-stop.¡± ¡°Hold on, you¡¯re still working with that murderer?¡± Irene tries to defend Felix, but the words refuse to come out. She changes the subject. ¡°We have sourced the problem with the project, and have finally got a working solution. But I need Bart to let our volunteers-¡° ¡°No.¡± Johnathan snaps, ¡°No this ends now. Leave that house this instant or-¡° ¡°Or what? You can¡¯t even get in.¡± She scoffs, ¡°I don¡¯t see why your so bothered anyway.¡± He stammers, ¡°I¡­ what are you saying?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Felix will not try to stop me leaving after the last test. Please, when the volunteers arrive, just let them pass.¡± Johnathan is silent for a long moment. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°And can you ask Bart to stop with the barrage, I¡¯d like to get some sleep, and he¡¯s just wasting his ammo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± He says flatly before clicking off the call. ¡°You really don¡¯t care do you?¡± Irene says to herself as his image fades from the mirror. She can¡¯t shake the image of their last victims, screaming as the suits consumed them. She had done her part, if things went south, she could activate the override. Then at least they wouldn¡¯t suffer¡­ much. Irene flops onto the bed, sleep taking her faster than her worries can keep her awake. Chapter 14: The Evil That Men Do JULY 31ST 2369 Dr Felix Eisenmann drains the dregs of another stimulant cocktail, forcing his body to remain alert and awake. He had stayed up working through the night, didn¡¯t have the time for sleep, and it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d been able to sleep properly since he¡¯d time traveled anyway. He taps his finger on the desk, staring at images of the robot aliens he¡¯d encountered. The suits needed to work today, if their plan works, humanity will be able to stand up to this enemy. If they failed¡­ This was it, the end¡­ He checks the time, his volunteers were late, had they bailed on him? Or maybe they¡¯d forgotten, they weren¡¯t exactly the best society had to offer. He just hoped Bart isn¡¯t the one holding them back. Ivor interrupts his train of thought. Sir, I have completed my detailed analysis of the Arcs, it took time to gather much of the data. It would appear that, as your species nears it¡¯s end, record keeping is no longer a priority. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Felix mutters, ¡°What¡¯s the verdict?¡± he needs to know, if his plan failed, the Arcs will be humanities final hope for survival. Negative sir. Felix waits, but when Ivor doesn''t continue, he speaks through his teeth, exhaustion trumping his remaining patience. ¡°Explain.¡± There has been no evidence for the construction of the propulsion systems. Heat scans of the Arcs show people have settled in the sections reserved for this function. Felix¡¯s body grows as rigid as a statue. He knew he¡¯d been right about this, but now¡­ He didn¡¯t want to be. If he fails, there was no hope left. ¡°It¡¯s all on us now.¡± He whispers. What the hell were they thinking? ¡°Ivor,¡± Felix says in a low voice, ¡°Irene¡¯s been in contact with Dr Frakes hasn¡¯t she?¡± Yes sir. ¡°Are you able to access his network?¡± I only need your permission to do so sir. Felix hesitates for only a second, ¡°Acknowledge.¡± There is a quite thrum as the AI does this. I have full access sir. ¡°Excellent, copy over everything.¡± A graph displays on a nearby screen showing the progress of the data transfer. Felix watches this for a moment, thinking, before he leans back in the chair, and links his fingers together in front of his chin. ¡°Lets see what you¡¯re hiding Jon.¡± A minute later the transfer completes. Felix slides forward and swipes the screen, opening and moving documents about the many displays as he takes it all in. ¡°The minimum population,¡± He reads aloud, ¡°to ensure the continuation of the species is 160? That¡¯s it?¡± He reads on, ¡°Projected course for¡­ Alpha Centurai? Were they high when they came up with this?¡± That information is unavailable sir. ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you.¡± Felix looks to another document about the Arcs, then another, and another. ¡°Some fucking hope these are¡­¡± He laughs, surprising himself as he could feel his blood simmering through his temple. ¡°Just glorified shelters,¡± He balks, ¡°with hardly any protection¡­ Ivor is this really¡­ This is what the might of man kind could come up with¡­¡± Yes sir. ¡°Un-fucking-believable.¡± Felix swipes again and again, until he finds an email which mentions him. He stops on this and reads. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Felix¡­ He¡¯s a failure¡­¡± His blood solidifies, eyes going wide, ¡°Just throw him money to keep him distracted,¡­ No use to us anymore since his mom¡­¡± Felix throws himself to his feet. Shaking. He knew they were cowards, that they hated him, but to see it written¡­ He pushes the email aside and opens up the documents pertaining to the Ark projects. There was a sub-section regarding the Propulsion systems, with only one note attached. ¡®SUB-PROJECT CANCELED DUE TO FUNDING¡¯ He closes the screens down, pressing his fists into the desk, the metal is cold against his hot flesh. He breaths hard through his nose, his lips sealed shut. To anyone working on the Arks¡­ It would have been so obvious. These files tell a very clear story of cut corners and greed. Irene had worked on this project, she¡¯d been lead of her own team. She couldn¡¯t have not known the truth, and she¡¯d lied to him about it. Felix grabs his lab coat and marches out of the main lab. He just knew they¡¯d all been laughing at him, watching the desperate attempts of a deranged man to save a world they didn¡¯t give two shits for. He¡¯ll show them fucking deranged, he¡¯ll show them all. Their attempts to save the world were pathetic, it made him laugh. It was all just for fucking show, all a big distraction for the world while the rich and powerful sneak away and out of reach. He grips the handle of Irene¡¯s door, primed to slam it open and unleash the torrent of blood and rage that he could no longer hold back. Sir, your guests have arrived. Ivor¡¯s cold and metallic voice, wakens Felix to his surroundings, like coming out of a day dream, his mind skips a beat and he can¡¯t piece together what he was about to say. It had been on the tip of his tongue, yet now he can only vaguely remember the hot temper he¡¯d been feeling a moment ago. ¡°Sorry?¡± He asks. You¡¯re guests for the test are here. The AI repeats. ¡°They are?¡± He looks at his hands, his overgrown nails have left deep groves in his palms. ¡°I better go let them in.¡± He instead knocks on her door and calls through. ¡°Hey. They¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Just be a minute.¡± She calls back. Felix turns and stumbles, in a heady daze, to the front door. A part of him was glad Ivor had interrupted him, he shouldn¡¯t ruin their last day. But a bigger part still seethed and raged at the humiliation and insult. He¡¯d confront her after the test, before she leaves. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. He¡¯d try and keep it contained until then. *** Felix trots down the stairs and stops to catch his breath, steadying his emotions, before opening the main doors. ¡°Welcome, please come in.¡± He says to the three beggars at his door. He scrunches up his face, their piss soaked rags offending the already polluted air. They gawk at the hall as they push their way past, they probably hadn¡¯t been inside a building in years, never mind one like his. ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me.¡± Felix says leading the way, ¡°As my contact will have informed you, this is a very straight forward test, we-¡± He stops as a filthy hand wrestles his shoulder back. ¡°We din¡¯t care,¡± The one who gripped his coat hisses through a few yellow teeth, ¡°do wh¡¯tever, juss give money.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you worry my friends.¡± Felix says pulling himself out of their reach and removing his lab coat. ¡°You will get everything you desire, please, just follow me.¡± He leads them through the main room and out onto the veranda where three new suits are waiting. Irene is at her console, on a call to someone, when she smells the guests approaching she quickly hangs up. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Irene gags, and turns around. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Our volunteers.¡± Felix answers as he directs them to their suits. ¡°Are you being serious?¡± Irene hisses at him, leaning towards him. He whispers back, ¡°This is the best I could do.¡± She shakes her head, ¡°What about the Nanites, a healthy human is one thing, Mother Earth knows what they¡¯ll do to these¡­ unfortunate souls.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t be near as bad as what they¡¯ve done to themselves.¡± Felix replies. ¡°At least no one¡¯s going to miss them.¡± ¡°Are we positive that the Nanites will cooperate?¡± She says as she watches the men climb inside the suits, and freaking out when it wraps around them. ¡°I can¡¯t help feeling, that they¡¯re lambs to the slaughter¡­ Are we sending them to their deaths?¡± Felix grabs her shoulders with both hands and her head snaps back, eyes glaring. ¡°No one is going to die, we fixed it, together, remember? If it fails it will be because we have failed, and we wont, right?¡± He pants, the earlier anger reigniting. She mumbles but articulates no words, he tells her again. ¡°Ira, we did this, we solved it, we saved humanity, no one else can say that with a straight face.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± She manages to say. ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s starting.¡± Felix says, letting go of her and rushing to his console. He taps to bring up different screens and glances over to Irene. ¡°How are their vitals?¡± He asks. She is still in a daze, staring at the spot where he¡¯d been a moment ago. ¡°Ira!¡± Felix shouts and she blinks, turning to face her console and looks down at it. ¡°As fine, as can be expected.¡± She says. Felix watches the screens, the Nanites haven¡¯t started the process, that was good. ¡°Whit we do now?¡± one of the volunteers asks through the suit, still marveling at their hands. ¡°Enjoy the suits for a moment, just¡­ Don¡¯t blow anything up,¡± says Felix, ¡°we need to check a few things before we can start.¡± He continues to watch the screen, then it happens, the Nanites start to work on the bodies. A green dot informs him that the data matches the simulations, for now. ¡°I din''t know man.¡± Says one of them after a few minutes. ¡°I din''t feel too good.¡± ¡°I did try to explain earlier,¡± Says Felix into the microphone, ¡°The suit is going to heal you, but first it needs to put you into a stable state.¡± He can feel Irene¡¯s eyes baring into his neck. Please let this work, he prays to himself. ¡°I don¡¯t feel right,¡± Barks one of the others, ¡°I want to stop this, I¡¯m claustrophobic. Let Me Out!¡± They claw at their helmets, but like the soldiers before, they wont open. ¡°Please, let us out!¡± Cries the first one, dropping to his knees, ¡°This hurts¡­¡± his speech trails off. Irene stares with her mouth hanging open at her console, their vitals are fluctuating all over the place, she brings up the wide field scanner and focuses on the inside of their suit. She puts a hand over her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s happening again Felix.¡± She stammers. ¡°They¡¯re ignoring the program.¡± Felix leaps over his console and almost falls down the stairs. He catches his scanner as he drops it from his pocket and waves it over them. His knees grow weak at the results. His console glows red and warning sounds start. ¡°Ira, Implement the override!¡± Felix screams across the veranda. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± She cries back. ¡°It will save them, it will stop their pain.¡± He yells. Her hands shake as they move over the console, as if beyond her control. She brings up the failsafe list, activates the one she¡¯d written over the last week, the override to the Nanites. It will stop the pain at least, but probably not enough to save their souls. THE VULCAN PROTOCOL Irene thought the name had been fitting, now she wasn¡¯t so sure. She presses the words to engage them. The screaming stops, and silence floods the space between. Felix turns back and sees the three volunteers get to their feet, and stand to attention. ¡°We did it.¡± Felix gasps, checking over the data on his scanner, ¡°We did it, Irene, you did it.¡± He sticks his hands into the air. ¡°We¡¯ve Saved The World!¡± ¡°No¡­ No Felix it isn¡¯t enough.¡± Irene admits, edging away from her console, eyes vacant. ¡°It is, now we just need to run the exit-¡° SO COLD. The two words echo through the room, their digital construction freezing the warm blooded in the room to the spot. SO COLD, HELP. Felix slowly turns to look at the three suits, the one at the end steps forward, and turns to look at him. HELP ME It speaks to him, it¡¯s voice cracking. He drops the scanner. Unable to take his eyes off the suit, he rummages blindly around on the floor for it. Once he has it back in hand, he scans the man in the suit, then the others. ¡°Ira.¡± He says slowly, ¡°Check my console will you?¡± No response. He looks up to see she¡¯s backed against the far wall, frozen in fear. Felix glances back at the talking suit. ¡°Stay here.¡± He says. NOT MY BOSS. Again Felix can¡¯t tear his eyes away, he backs up the stairs, returning to his console. The suit follows, keeping only a few feet between them. Felix taps on his console, franticly pulling up this suits data. HELP ME? That was a question, Felix looks up at him. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I HAVE NO NAME¡­ I HAVE¡­ NO¡­ It¡¯s arm reaches out and grabs Felix by the throat, lifting him with ease into the air. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?! It screams the words, which became distorted through the speaker. ¡°Help¡­ Ivor!¡± Felix chokes against the metal vice closing around his neck. A second passes and the other two suits are behind the first, they each grab an arm and in synchronous motion, snap them off, releasing Felix from the death grip. AAAHHH The rouge suit cries out, kneeling to the floor. It then looks up to the other suits standing over it. PLEASE, KILL ME. The suits turn to look at Felix, waiting for his command. PLEASE, KILL ME, PLEASE. KILL ME. KILL ME. NO MORE. COLD. EMPTY. KILL. The suit leans forward, head bowed, waiting for it¡¯s demise. It repeats the words over and over, and over. It wore against Felix¡¯s concentration. Felix glances at Irene¡¯s screen, this one¡¯s vitals were fluctuating, where as the others were still. It could still feel pain, it had cried out when it¡¯s arms had been removed. What the fuck did that mean? PLEASE! ¡°Fine. Yes.¡± Felix snaps, regretting it immediately. ¡°No, d-¡° But it is already too late. As Felix gave his consent, the two suits instantly follow his command and with a focused energy blast from their wrists, they execute their friend. Felix stares down at the broken suit, why had this happened? Why did this have to happen. One failure, out of three. He looks up at these obedient soldiers of his. Standing to erect attention, no feelings, no emotions, they would obey him without question. Felix¡¯s mind reals at the wonders, the possibilities. He checks over the data on his computer, for these two at least, everything works, and reverting them back should hopefully not be an issue. This was it, this was the hope he¡¯d been so desperate for all these years. Now he finally has it, he can save the world, and humanity. He¡¯ll be a hero. ¡°Ira¡­ It¡¯s¡­¡± He trails off as he looks around the room, she is no where to be seen. The smile on his face falls. ¡°Ivor, where¡¯s Irene?¡± Dr Graves is heading for the main lab, I believe her intentions are to shut down the house security system. ¡°What? You are fucking unbelievable Ivor.¡± Felix yells, getting to his feet. ¡°If you knew that why didn¡¯t you tell me? Or stop her? Fuck it, never mind.¡± He turns to his soldiers. ¡°You¡¯re with me, we need Irene Graves, and no killing, got that?¡± He isn¡¯t sure how literal they¡¯d take his commands, he really didn¡¯t want to hurt her. He takes off, away from the veranda, with the two suits flanking him in his wake. ¡°Ivor, lock down the house.¡± Felix commands. Chapter 15: The Downward Spiral Chapter Fifteen THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL This can¡¯t be happening, this can¡¯t be¡­ Irene stumbles as she jogs down the hall, twisting her foot. She lets out a yelp and curses at her shoes, unhooking them and chucking them to the side. As she continues her journey, the white lights above her turn red, a soft siren sounds in the distance and when she passes through the main room, metal shutters slide down the windows, blocking out the light, locking her in. ¡°Irene?¡± Felix calls from behind her, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be afraid, I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡± She flinches and in that moment, bumps into a pillar, loosing her footing, and falls to the ground. There had been another man in her life, who¡¯d said those exact same words to her. He had lied. She quickly gets over the rush of tension and climbs to her feet. Felix and his two imprisoned victims storm into the room, he holds up an open hand and the prisoners obey. Irene¡¯s eyes grow wide, they obey him? ¡°What have you done¡­?¡± She manages to get out. Her body is pushing tears out through her eyes, closing up her throat, tightening her chest. She has to consciously take each breath, her legs too weak to support her as she drags herself against the wall to the main lab. She hears Felix laughing behind her, but it has no warmth to it at all. Cold. Maniacal. ¡°I - Have - Saved - Humanity!¡± Felix projects each word, like he¡¯s fighting with his speech. ¡°And you ask me? What - Have - I - Done?¡± The words break around the cackle he can¡¯t seem to contain. ¡°You killed them, to make¡­ Weapons.¡± Irene says, not knowing where the thought came from. But now, saying it out loud, her mind lays it out for her. Everything she¡¯d been through with him these last few months, looking back now, it was obvious. He wasn¡¯t interested in saving humanity, he¡¯d said himself how much he despises people, he wanted control. She turns and leans against the door to the main lab, opening it slowly. ¡°I thought you were different.¡± She says, ¡°But you¡¯re just the same as those you scorn. No - you¡¯re jealous, you covet their power.¡± The laughing stops, his eyes seeing only red, and he charges at her. Irene steps inside and closes the door, engaging the manual lock, but she can already hear the beeping of the doors keypad on the other side. She looks around, trying to find something, anything, but the adrenaline, the emotions, the confusion. So many thoughts were fighting for dominance in her mind, blinding her. There. A bottle with chemical warning symbols all over it. She doesn¡¯t bother to read it, instead she throws it to the ground near the door, which she is sure is starting to open, but not quick enough. Detecting the toxic hazard, the Lab flairs to life as it seals, preparing to sterilize the environment. Felix slams against the door, magnetically sealed now and outside his control. Irene wastes no more time, and rushes over to the console. Typing with a fever, she attempts to unlock the building. ¡°Damn it!¡± She screams. She was locked out. Access to the security systems must get restricted during a lock down. There must be a place where Felix can still access it, somewhere in this castle, this prison. ¡°Irene!¡± Felix calls through wall, breaking her train of thought. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, you can stay here, I can protect you, please.¡± She doesn¡¯t respond. ¡°Irene! For fuck sake answer me!¡± He screams, as he pounds on the door. He isn¡¯t going to let her leave. She knows that now. He¡¯d activated the lock down to keep her in, why? So that she couldn¡¯t tell anyone what happened. A new resolve ignites in Irene. She would get out, and she would warn the whole damn world about the monster he¡¯s become. Irene shouts into the room, ¡°Ivor, remove the lock down.¡± I¡¯m sorry Mrs Graves, you do not have the authority. ¡°Can you at least shut down the external defenses?¡± I¡¯m sorry Mrs Graves, you do not have the authority. ¡°Fuck sake Ivor.¡± She glances around, then back to the console. ¡°Can you tell me where I can override this bullshit?¡± She asks, knowing the response she¡¯d get. I¡¯m sorry Mrs Graves, you do not have the authority. Irene moves to a console and pulls up the blueprints for the building. She follows the power lines, which all seem to go down, deep into the mountain. She tries one last thing. ¡°Ivor, can you make me a cup of tea?¡± I¡¯m sorry Mrs Graves, you do not have the authority. Perfect, Felix must have revoked any ability she had to command Ivor. Irene realizes she is now completely alone. A very angry and delusional man is pounding at the door, who has two slaves with the strength to rip her apart many times over, and an all seeing AI who is no longer on her side. At the very bottom of the diagram the long vertical tunnel opens into a wide, hanger like area. There is a room set into the ceiling where all the power lines run to. That must be the control center, a building like this needed to have some point where Felix could have manual control if anything went wrong, and somewhere deep in the mountain made sense. But how to get there? She hadn¡¯t been lower than the third lower floor, in fact she hadn¡¯t even realized there were any floors bellow that. A buzzing sound indicates that the contamination has been neutralized, the room is about to open up again. She looks over the outline of the massive house, and follows the lines of corridors she does recognize, the stairs she¡¯d descended do indeed go all the way to the lower levels, but next to these is another long vertical tunnel. ¡°An Elevator?¡± She says aloud to her self, where had that been hiding? The door hisses open. Irene turns and runs for the door on the other side, flinging her arms to the sides to knock over everything and anything she could reach, trying to lock the room down again. She dives for the door and slides through. But the lab doesn¡¯t lock down, wither she hadn¡¯t done enough or he¡¯d canceled it, she didn¡¯t know. Nor did she have time to wonder as she gets to her feet and charges down the corridor, taking a right, then a left, trying to lose her pursuers. She explodes through the Hydroponics lab, continuing to knock stuff over. Something mixes and spills onto a plant and she can hear it physically move, creaking and groaning at sudden rapid growth. In seconds it takes up most of the available space in the room, blocking anyone from passing. It pushes Irene towards the door. Again, no time to wonder. Out the door, down this corridor. Suddenly the roof above her explodes in a flash of red light. Irene screams and drops to the ground as rubble pelts her. ¡°Don¡¯t kill her you idiot!¡± She hears Felix scream, he¡¯s only at the end of the corridor. She looks forward and see¡¯s the elevator, and pushes herself to her feet, she winces and gasps. She¡¯d sustained cuts to her feet from somewhere, but the main pain was internal, a broken rib. She clutches at her side as she pushes on, using the wall to steady herself, leaving a thin trail of blood. ¡°Irene, stop.¡± Felix¡¯s voice is practically behind her, deep and full of instruction. ¡°You¡¯re hurt, let me help you.¡± She presses the button for the Elevator. ¡°Irene. Fuck.¡± He spits and she hears him start to run, and then something else, whizzing through the air. She doesn¡¯t dare look back, and as soon as the doors were wide enough she slips inside and stabs the door close button a dozen times. The doors close without resistance. But before they do, she braves a peek through the crack, and saw for just a second, Hob hovering between Felix and the Elevator. She presses the lowest button on the pad, and the elevator hums to life, descending deep into this mountain of madness, and prays that Felix wouldn¡¯t hurt Hob. *** Irene gasps and pants, as she rests against the wall of the elevator. How was she still standing? For some reason, she thinks back on those time when a little tooth ache or a sore foot had prevented her from working, and now that she could do with rest and recuperation, she can¡¯t. She has to push on, to escape, to warn the government, the military, the world, of what was coming for them. ¡°Irene. Stop this, please.¡± Felix¡¯s voice comes through a speaker in the lift and for a moment she thought he had managed to make it inside, and had somehow been hiding out of her vision this whole time. But he hadn¡¯t, she was still alone. Felix continues, ¡°What is it you want?¡± She again says nothing. ¡°I will catch you, it is inevitable, one way or another.¡± ¡°Do you plan to keep me prisoner? Or just kill me?¡± She sneers. ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you, I don¡¯t want to have to chase you around the house, tell me why you¡¯re doing this.¡± He says. ¡°Why?¡± She scoffs, ¡°You¡¯ve stripped those men of all their humanity, removed their free will, put them under your control, you¡¯re not trying to save the world, you¡¯re building an army of zombies.¡± ¡°An army that will protect humanity from the aliens.¡± She shakes her head, ¡°Seriously? Did you ever stop to think for a second what would have happened, if you¡¯d just done nothing?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Felix says, hesitating. She sighs, ¡°The future happened, you can¡¯t change it, no matter how hard you try.¡± ¡°No!¡± He screams back at her, ¡°I can, I am changing the future, I am saving the world, I am the hero!¡± The elevator comes to a halt and the doors slide open. She rushes out, hobbling on her sore feet, and stops at a railing a few feet from the door. She is in an enormous cavern like space, the rock walls are lined with wires, metal plating and lights. Looking down, she see¡¯s row upon row of suits, standing in silent attention. The columns extend far into the darkness of the cave. Irene¡¯s heart breaks, there must be millions of suits down here, maybe billions, how long had he been working on this? Her feet feel like they¡¯ve sunk into cement, the long moment stretches out as she takes in the massive display. She¡¯d feared the worst, but the evidence lay before her is proof that she had highly underestimated what the worst could mean. What could she do now? She could have this place blown up, end his reign of terror before it even begins. Irene uses the railings to pull her tired and tense body along the walkway. The sound of metal tearing metal pierces the air, she glances behind to see one of the two suits from the test, breaking through the door which led to the stairwell and setting it¡¯s sights on her. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Shit.¡± She wills herself to move faster, each step a strugle, and is almost at the door to the room when she glances back. The suit should have caught her by now, but it is only keeping pace with her. She reaches the door, slams it behind her and locks it. Then she throws herself at the console, typing away, and brings up the system controls. ¡°Irene.¡± Felix says over a speaker in the room, ¡°It¡¯s over, I could have that suit flatten the room your in, I could have killed you ten times over already.¡± ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you?¡± She yells, continuing her work. ¡°Because¡­ I love you.¡± Felix says. ¡°Seriously?¡± She can¡¯t hold back the laughter, ¡°That ship sailed a long time ago, you really are insane if you think I¡¯m going to stay here!¡± She presses a button, and the lights go out. They return a moment later, a message on the screen indicates that the house is rebooting itself. She grabs a chair and tucks herself to the side of the door which explodes inwards. The suit steps inside and scans the room, Irene comes up from behind and swings the chair at it, knocking it over, she turns and runs. She can hear the suit getting back to it¡¯s feet and stomping after her. She reaches the elevator door and stabs the button, over and over again. Then the whole mountain shakes, as if struck by an earthquake. Irene is thrown away from the elevator, and has to grab hold of the railing to stop from sliding through and down to her death on the cave floor below. She glances back and see¡¯s the suit had been hit by a piece of falling rock, and remains stationary as the Nanites repair the damage. The elevator tings open and she drags herself inside, adrenaline pushing her through the pain she feels all over, and punches the top most button. Through the gap between the closing doors, she can see the suit light back up, before charging towards her. The doors close. The doors buckle as the half-man, half-machine, slams into the other side. The elevator shakes for a moment, then it hums to life as it rises. She gasps for air, feeling the pain all over once again. She checks her feet, dirty and covered in wet blood, but as she reaches down the world around her shakes and a deep explosion echoes far above. She clings to the sides as the elevator continues to rise, despite the tremors. Another explosion, then another. Then the elevator dies, total darkness enveloping her. She scrambles for the control panel which had just been in front of her, yet it still takes her almost a minute to find it. She hits every button she can feel but nothing responds. With only the sense of touch to guide, her she finds the doors and tries to wedge them open. They move, just an inch, but enough to see that only a cliff wall is waiting on the other side. Attention. A robotic voice speaks, but not like Ivor¡¯s, this one was feminine. Attention, this elevator has ceased functions, emergency override engaged. Reason: Life form on-board. The elevator shudders, then drops. Irene is flung towards the ceiling, but it slows before she collides with it, then it moves away. Irene crashes into the floor and her arm snaps, which she concurs with a shriek. ¡°My arm, you bastard.¡± She cries. The back up system will take you to the nearest floor, please exit as quick as you can, there is only enough power to sustain operation for ten seconds. ¡°Ten seconds are you fucking kidding me?¡± Irene curses, getting to her feet as the elevator crawls upwards, like literally crawls. The box room sways and she can hear something digging into the rocks outside. Another explosion rocks her back on her ass, but this one isn¡¯t too bad, and the elevator continues without issue. A moment later it comes to a rest, and the doors slide open, though only half way. Irene starts to stand when a metal hand punches through the elevator floor, knocking her over. She wastes no time and kicks herself out, sliding onto the concrete corridor. The head of the suit rises through the hole in the elevator floor, it¡¯s arm clawing like a reanimated corpse breaching topside. But then the emergency system runs out, and the elevator, along with the suit, vanishes. There is silence for a moment, before the two hit the ground far below, and a warm wave of light erupts through the shaft. Irene checks her surroundings as she tears her skirt to make a sling for her arm, which she stops doing, because she¡¯d been using both hands to rip it. Her left arm, the one she¡¯d landed on¡­ Is no longer broken. ¡°Felix you asshole.¡± She breathes as she gets to her feet, realizing her side hadn¡¯t hurt for a few minutes either. Irene feels dirty, Felix must have slipped the super healing Nanites into her system. She did not want them, especially not now. She knew the Nanites had the power to do almost anything they wanted to, they could paralyze her, take control of her body, what ever they felt like. Or whatever Felix commands them to do. Irene pushes the though away as she keeps moving along the corridor. Her anxiety keeps her eyes tasked with exploring every shadow, expecting an ambush any second. It dawns on her that she hasn¡¯t heard from Felix since she¡¯d restarted the system. Then there were the explosions, Bart probably sent his troops in the moment the shields were down. She reaches the stairs, and with renewed energy, runs up them two at a time. *** Irene eases the stair well door open, the hallway beyond is dark, there are lights on but smoke fills the air, thick and black. She uses this cover to slip out, keeping low. With one hand pressing against the wall, she follows it to the main entrance. Climbing over ruble as she goes. With every step, the sound of gunfire grows ever louder. When Irene turns the corner, the smoke clears, escaping up into the air outside, the sight causing her to stop. The whole front section of the building is gone, blown inwards. She can see the fighting now. Felix is crouching behind a fallen pillar, shooting over it at the advancing lines of soldiers. The other suit from their experiment is hovering back and forth, avoiding shots while returning deadly energy blasts which evaporate it¡¯s targets. A mix of wonder and fear brews in her stomach and mind, feeling sick. These highly advanced soldiers, trained for years and augmented with the best tech and gear, are like flies to just one of these suits. Her mind whirls at the destruction a whole army of them could easily achieve. Survival instincts kick in, and with everyone distracted, she slips down what¡¯s left of the stairs and uses the rubble to conceal her escape. Irene clears the building, passing to the side of another line of soldiers and runs across the open platform, towards the massive hover jet parked at the other end. As she nears it Johnathan leaps out and runs over to her. ¡°Irene, you¡¯re alive!¡± He cries, embracing her and lifting her a little off the ground. ¡°When you never came out¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but listen, we need to warn people.¡± ¡°We will, come on.¡± Johnathan says as he slides an arm around her shoulders, guiding her towards the jet. She can see Bart in the cockpit, he nods and speaks into his headset. The shooting behind her stops and she turns to see the soldiers retreating back to the jet. Three break off and surround Irene and Johnathan, hastening their departure. ¡°So I guess this is goodbye?¡± Felix calls out. The group turn as one. Felix walks slowly out of the smoke, taking his glasses off and cleaning them. His clothes have been torn to shreds, hanging off him in burnt pieces, but his body is unharmed. ¡°What the hell is he?¡± One of the soldiers hisses. ¡°It¡¯s the Nanites,¡± Irene says, she shrugs off Johnathan''s arm, and shouts back to Felix, ¡°Get your fucking robots out of my system!¡± Felix scoffs, and says, smiling, ¡°This is the thanks I get, after all I¡¯ve done for you¡­ I was only trying to keep you safe.¡± He turns to the Suit standing at his side and says something to it. The soldiers grab Irene and lift her into the Jet, which she struggles against, but powerless to stop them. ¡°Target is secure.¡± One of the soldiers says into his headset. The Jet powers up with a loud thrum, over which she hears Felix shout to her. ¡°Fine! Leave! I don¡¯t need you or anybody! I¡¯ll be better off on my own.¡± Then he turns, and marches back into the house. Irene¡¯s heart sinks as the doors of the Jet slide close. ¡°Bart, I need to talk to Bart.¡± Irene demands of the soldiers around her. ¡°Irene, relax, everything¡¯s going to be fine now.¡± Johnathan tries to soothe her but she moves away from him. Bart appears in the entrance to the cockpit and speaks. ¡°Dr Graves, you certainly like to keep things to the last-¡° ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that.¡± Irene shouts, cutting him off. ¡°You need to get any and every military unit left in service and send them to bomb the fuck out of this island.¡± Bart¡¯s eyes narrow, and he grunts before speaking, ¡°I expected as much.¡± He sighs, ¡°But I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll hurt himself long be-¡° ¡°You¡¯re not listening,¡± she says, ¡°That suit that was next to him, it has a human inside.¡± ¡°Of course it does.¡± He says, ¡°How-¡° ¡°But he¡¯s not human, not anymore. His free will has been taken away and he¡¯s at the mercy of Felix¡¯s commands.¡± ¡°Why in gods name would he do that?¡± Johnathan asks. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the plan¡­¡± Irene says, though now she isn¡¯t too sure how true that statement was. ¡°The suits were supposed to protect the user and keep them alive to ride out the hazardous environment.¡± ¡°He can control people?¡± Bart asks, catching up. She nods, ¡°That¡¯s not the worst part, he has thousands, if not millions of these suits built down in the depths of the mountain, if they get out¡­ He would have an army the likes of which this world has never seen, all at his complete an unquestionable command.¡± She stresses the last words, pushing herself closer. Bart¡¯s face desaturates before her eyes, though he remains calm. Without a word he turns and heads back to the front. Irene turns to Johnathan. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She says. He hushes her, ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡± He sighs, holding her close, then he looks up at the cockpit. ¡°Bart? See if you can¡¯t get Felix on the line.¡± Johnathan shouts. *** Felix stops short of the building and turns to watch the Jet rise into the air and shoot off towards the main land. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡± He says to the departing craft. Felix turns to the suit, ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s left to us to save the world. Clear the ruble over the south door will you?¡± At his command the suit moves to do his bidding. It effortlessly removes the debris and he goes inside, his soldier following behind him. The pair move through the broken building, smoke and dust still hung around in the hallways, so he has the suit take the lead through the thicker parts. They reach the stairs and start their descent into it¡¯s depths. Rubble made the going slow, the suit having to help Felix when they¡¯d reached the floor which housed their botanical lab. The door to this level had burst open, and the stairs were covered in thick, moving vines which Felix did not want to come into contact with. After a few more floors the damage has reduced. It took them twenty minutes to reach the bottom floor, he was glad to have installed them as an emergency exit. With the elevator out, they were now the only way in and out of his factory. The double doors open into a massive cavern filled with whirring machinery, like a factory. There is a steel walkway bellow their feet and following this leads them to the control station. As he passes the Elevator shaft, the sound of shifting metal on metal screeches for his attention. He turns to look and see¡¯s the other suit attempting to pull itself free from the wreckage. Felix ignores it and heads inside. He starts up the computers and checks over the progress. Nearly 2 billion suits were ready to launch, another billion built but were still updating to the most recent version. There was one last thing he could do to speed up the process. He looks at his hand. ¡°Ivor, it¡¯s time.¡± Initiating Noob Protocol. He feels a slight tingle as the Nanites leave his system. They would gather with every other Nanite which now existed in the area. The Nanite speaker had said there were many others who had descended from his originals, but who had left the collective. This protocol would summon every single last one, so that they could all sync up together, and be able to populate the billions of suits bellow. ¡°I had better not get a cut now,¡± Felix says to himself as he types into the computer. ¡°Well Ivor, how do I look for my big speech?¡± Dreadful. If I¡¯m being honest sir ¡°Well put a filter over me to clean me up and lets be done with this.¡± A red light blinks on and his face appears on all the screens around him. ¡°People of the world, don¡¯t be alarmed, I am appearing on every screen in the world. I, Dr Felix Eisenmann, will be sending out a hazard suit for everyone who was not chosen by the Government to live, and with it you will survive these coming years.¡± Felix nods and Ivor turns off the camera. ¡°Start launching as soon as the first suits are ready.¡± He says. Yes sir. Also Dr Frakes is attempting to contact you. ¡°Of course he is, put him through¡± Felix says with a throw away tone. ¡°Felix?¡± Only Johnathan¡¯s voice comes through the connection. ¡°What do you want?¡± Felix sneers. ¡°Irene¡¯s told us what you¡¯re planning, you need to stop this before you get everyone killed!¡± Felix laughs, ¡°Fuck you and the high horse you rode in on, you don¡¯t give a shit about anyone but yourself. I¡¯ve seen the files, I¡¯ve monitored your Arks, and do you know what I see? A bunch of scared, selfish pigs, pretending to save the world to distract everyone while they fuck off, leaving us all to die! ¡°The Arks will never fly, they¡¯re glorified bomb shelters and that is giving them credit.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t got time for your antics Dr Eisenmann.¡± Bart retorts. ¡°Oh I know, you¡¯ve got to get all your besties off the planet, the one YOU helped fuck over. I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re even bothered, you were fine knowing that everyone was just going to die. ¡°The Arks will save people.¡± Jonathan says. ¡°Locking everyone up to rot in your garbage dump and fucking off, is a funny way of saving them.¡± Felix is yelling now. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Irene¡¯s voice is quiet but can be heard over their radio. Johnathan ignores her. ¡°Better than enslaving the world.¡± He retorts. ¡°I¡¯m saving them from themselves.¡± Felix growls. ¡°We have,¡± The captain interrupts, ¡°the DNA of nearly everyone on this planet, we can start the whole thing over again if we really wanted to-¡° ¡°Your just selfish.¡± Felix yells. ¡°Your just jealous.¡± Says Johnathan, ¡°You knew as well as us that our days were numbered, and you couldn¡¯t come up with a better plan.¡± He sighs over the radio, ¡°We can¡¯t fix what¡¯s been done, but¡­ if at least 160 of us manage to survive, the minimum threshold for our species to start again, on another planet.¡± ¡°What? Like some barren rock in Alpha Centauri?¡± Felix chides. ¡°The World Government and I have developed twenty six interstellar ships with the sole purpose of repopulating on potential planets. Most of those are already traveling the stars. Do you really believe those suits are going to protect you from the end of the world?¡± Johnathan sneers. ¡°Yes,¡± Felix says, ¡°They can and they will.¡± ¡°No. Felix they¡¯re not ready.¡± Irene shouts in the background. ¡°Irene, relax,¡± Johnathan says, quieter, having turned from the microphone, ¡°nothing this loser can ever make is going to withstand the environment in a few days,¡± He says, ¡°They¡¯ll never be ready.¡± ¡°No, Its not that.¡± She says. ¡°He¡¯s right, they will survive, but¡­ they¡¯re not human anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mad Eisenmann.¡± Bart yells, ¡°I have a good mind to come back and arrest you right now.¡± ¡°What you going to do? Bring me along with you? Wont that be saving my life?¡± Felix says, grinning like the mad man he¡¯d been called. ¡°Death it is then¡± Bart says. Felix smiles wide. ¡°Come and fucking kill me if you think your brave enough, if your fast enough, for soon I will have an army of cyborgs at my bidding, and the you will have to answer to my law.¡± The communication cuts off from the other end. Felix leans forward and brings up a map of the surrounding area. The jet is represented by a glowing dot, and he watches as it moves in a circle, heading back towards his island. ¡°Ivor, as soon as the suits are ready send them out.¡± He shouts, heading back for the stairs. Chapter 16: Angel of Death The Jet banks to the side, as it reorients back towards the island. Irene grips onto the side to keep from falling over. Terror turns her body rigid, they were going back, no¡­ ¡°Bart! What are you doing?¡± Johnathan demands. ¡°The closest units are half an hour away, we can¡¯t afford to give him that.¡± ¡°But¡­ We¡¯re no match for him, he¡¯s indestructible and those cyborgs¡­ We can¡¯t handle one, never-mind an army-¡° ¡°Then we¡¯ll just blow the whole fucking mountain up, happy?¡± Bart shouts back. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that will work.¡± Irene says, holding onto the sides as the Jet leans. ¡°The main target is deep underground, we¡¯ll need to secure a route down there, plant explosives.¡± Bart nods and relays commands to the other units. ¡°Loway, I begged you to come to rescue Irene, not to drag her back into the fight.¡± Johnathan moans. Irene¡¯s brow crunches, and she stares at him in disgust. ¡°He is going to enslave the world.¡± Irene stresses, ¡°Don¡¯t you care?¡± ¡°Ira, of course I care, it¡¯s just¡­ we¡¯re meant to be leaving, tonight, this isn¡¯t our fight anymore, these people are not our problem.¡± She shakes her head, ¡°These People, are our People!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?¡± Johnathan stammers. ¡°You only care about yourself.¡± She sneers. ¡°I¡­ I care about you.¡± He mumbles ¡°Really?¡± She asks, with little interest in his response. ¡°Sir! Three o¡¯clock!¡± The Pilot screams. They all look outside to see suit after suit shoot past them. ¡°It¡¯s started.¡± She whispers, stomach turning to led. ¡°All units,¡± Bart says over the headset, ¡°Take down any suits you see flying past, and be ready to fight as soon as we land. Irene looks about and spies the cabinet with extra weapons, she moves over and takes out a large hand gun. Johnathan''s hand appears over it, she looks up at him, daggers coming out her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t need to-¡° He starts. ¡°Don¡¯t even.¡± She hisses and pushes past him, tucking the gun into the back of her trousers. She knew she was the only person who had a chance to get through to Felix. She would try, and probably die trying. But she had to, the future of the human race was in her hands now. *** Felix is out of breath by the time he reaches the top of the stairs, he needed to get them working on fixing the bloody elevator, he bends over double, gasping. Sir it would appear that Dr Grave¡¯s jet is now being flanked by four carriers with military ID. ¡°How are the suits coming along?¡± Felix asks The first half a million have been sent out, I assume this is what has caused Dr Graves to return as they have shot down a small number. ¡°Lock off any doors you still have access to, recall any suits which have completed integration and position them in defensive posts around the complex.¡± As you wish Sir. Felix stands upright and pushes through the door, turning down the corridor towards the main lab, he can hear some of the suits returning already, preparing to guard the place. He enters the lab and heads straight to the middle of the room, in an instant, projected screens appear around him forming a circular shape. They show camera feeds from the suits, grabbing people and leading them to step inside, their vitals appearing at the side of the screen. A red warning symbol flashes over the screens, selecting it shows the camera view point of one of his suits. Along the side of the screen, the persons vitals are going wild. ¡°Ivor, what¡¯s wrong with this one?¡± Felix asks. The Vulcan Protocol Fail Safe has failed to activate with this subject¡­ It would seem there is a variation in their nervous system, preventing Dr Grave¡¯s program from having the full affect on them. Out of Seven Thousand and twenty five, Thirty Two have resisted the override and are no longer within my control. Felix presses a button and the audio from within the suit fills the room around him, screaming and howling, begging for the pain to stop. ¡°Hey,¡± Felix says, ¡°you¡¯re going to be alright.¡± ¡°Who said that?¡± The voice screams back, ¡°Get me out of this suit, I was told this would save me, not kill me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to kill you if you relax-¡± Felix attempts to console, but the person is beyond comprehension ¡°Make It Stop!¡± He screams, ¡°Make It Stop, Please!¡± Felix presses another button and the feed dies, along with the person inside. His fingers, still outstretched, shake. It wasn¡¯t his fault, there just hadn¡¯t been enough time to perfect them. How many more were going to die like this? ¡°Ivor, add in a scan of each subjects nervous system, have it run before any of the suits take anyone in.¡± Of course sir, also, the military have arrived. Felix can hear the faint sounds of blasters firing. He changes a screen to show the feeds from the suits engaged in combat. A CCTV screen to his left shows the outside of the building, Irene¡¯s jet has landed, other vehicles hover above, soldiers slide down dangling ropes and take up positions in front of the main door. One of his mechanical soldiers is waiting and raises both hands, letting out dual blasts of energy at their cover, which explodes, sending the men flying backwards. More soldiers descend from the hovering craft, and as they touch ground they scatter, drawing shots in various directions. Felix watches as the soldiers attempt to flank it, but most are spotted before getting a chance and are swiftly taken out. He zooms the camera, focusing on the landed jet. Irene is hopping out, she turns as Johnathan leans out, shouting at her. He can¡¯t hear what they¡¯re saying, but neither of them appears to be happy. The one-machine-army spots her and it¡¯s system targets her. ¡°No, don¡¯t kill her.¡± Felix screams at the screen, ¡°Kill everyone else, but ensure she survives.¡± Irene breaks away from Johnathan and runs towards the house, towards the still extended arm of the suit. For a moment Felix imagines the worse; his command wasn¡¯t absolute, that it could think on it¡¯s own and make it¡¯s own decisions. What if they revolted against him? But that wasn¡¯t the case, it waits until Irene is clear of the vehicle before unleashing several shots. The ship ignites in a funnel of flames, the explosion blinding the camera for a few seconds. The hulking remains of the ship is all that¡¯s left of the great Bart and Johnathan. Felix can¡¯t help but laugh at this turn of events. There was no stopping him now. A moment later, something thrown rolls to a stop beneath the suits feet. Then another explosion cuts the camera feed of both the suit and the CCTV. ¡°Ivor, get more there now!¡± Felix yells, typing on his console to bring up other cameras. After a moment he finds another advancing team on one of the interior cameras. Flicking between, he finds one that looks outside, and see¡¯s a hole in the ground where his soldier had been standing, no evidence of it¡¯s demise. In the main room the soldiers are stopped by three more suits, that have just returned. The men take cover behind walls and counters, trading energy blasts with bullets ¡°Felix! Felix please!¡± A faint voice fights through the distorted barrage of gunfire. Felix changes his camera and finds Irene standing in the blasted front doorway of his home. ¡°Please Felix, can we talk?¡± She shouts into the burned house. After a moments hesitation Felix heads for the door. ¡°Ivor, ceasefire but keep their aim trained on all soldiers.¡± Aye Sir. But I must protest- ¡°Save it.¡± Felix shouts, stopping at the door, hesitating again. After a minute he straightens up, repositions the glasses on his nose, the bent leg is still not sitting right, and places his hand on the door handle. His hand slips from the sweat, he shakes his head and wipes them on his dust covered shirt, before trying again. It opens with a loud creak, echoing out into the ruined hallway. He turns left to find her standing before him, one of his soldiers has an arm fixed on her, the other at the squad of surviving goons, who are hunkering behind the remains of his stairway leading to the top floor. *** Irene stands with her arms raised, the suits standing ready between her and the surviving soldiers. Despite the threat, she slowly edges forwards, her eyes rough and wet, making the going a partially blinded affair. ¡°It¡¯s OK, she wont harm me.¡± Felix commands as he stands in the remains of the stairwell. His clothes are crusted with dried blood and dust, his hair a matted mess, and eyes as red as the sun. The human powered suit obeys, directing both arms towards the squad of soldiers. ¡°You killed them.¡± Irene sobs. ¡°Bart had a family, a son, and you just fucking killed them!¡± She looks at the abomination before her, and shakes her head. ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡± Irene hisses, face pale, voice shaking. ¡°It¡¯s the only way left.¡± Felix says. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°No! It¡¯s not! You¡¯ve just given up, we still have the Arks-¡± ¡°Ah! Speaking of abominations.¡± Felix shouts over her. ¡°There¡¯s not a hope left in hell that those are going to save anyone. The powers that be have decreed to fuck this world and everyone one it, they gave up a long time ago and as a result they¡¯ve hastened the planets demise, with zero attempt to fix their mistakes, and zero remorse for the consequences of their actions!¡± ¡°And what about yours?¡± She scowls, finding a hole in the wall, steadying herself. ¡°My what? Mistakes?¡± Felix chuckles and walks off through the remains of his living room. ¡°I can¡¯t deny I haven¡¯t made mistakes, letting Them decide on what was and wasn¡¯t viable was probably the biggest one of all.¡± Irene follows after him, ¡°You can¡¯t just enslave the human race to spite them.¡± Felix rounds on her, getting in her face. ¡°This has nothing to do with spite!¡± He growls, ¡°I was ignored,¡± he backs away, ¡°humiliated, and at every turn, they refused to help save what little was left. If I don¡¯t do this then we¡¯re all going to die regardless.¡± ¡°Do you really want the deaths of billions on your shoulders?¡± She moves after him again. ¡°I already have burdens greater than you can imagine, It¡¯s only fair I atone for the sins of the many, I will gladly take on all of that responsibility and more,¡± He turns, leaning against the counter, and holding up a finger. ¡°If it means saving the world.¡± Irene shakes her head, advancing slow. ¡°You can¡¯t put them through that kind of pain.¡± She pleads. ¡°You have to stop this. You have the choice.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t, not any more, it¡¯s already begun.¡± He smiles weakly. ¡°This is going to happen one way or another, I would really like it if you stayed with me. Join me, help me.¡± Irene picks up the remains of a lampshade, and grips it tight. ¡°I will never, join you.¡± She growls, then louder she says, ¡°Ivor. Call off the suits and return them here.¡± I¡¯m sorry Dr Graves, but I am unable to comply with your request. She holds the lampshade up over her head, eyes wide. ¡°Call them off now Eisenmann.¡± She barks. ¡°Now¡­ Irene,¡± Felix says edging along the counter, ¡°I no longer have any Nanites in my system, you could kill me.¡± As he explains, his voice increases in pitch. ¡°So your not immortal anymore?¡± Irene slams down the lampshade, but he avoids it, dropping over the rock strewn sofa, and landing hard in the dust. The lampshade explodes against the counter top, adding to the debris. Felix pushes to his feet, and turns towards Irene, who has a gun drawn, aiming for his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Felix.¡± She whispers. His eyes go wide and he dives for cover, avoiding the lethal shot, though it catches his arm, ripping away flesh. Felix gasps but ignores the pain. He grabs a rock and chucks it over the sofa. It collides with Irene, knocking her back and causing her to drop the firearm. He takes the chance. Grabbing another clump of concrete, he hops over the sofa and raises it up to drop it on her. But before he can say his goodbye, something whizzes across the room and spears Felix in the stomach. He drops the rock and crumples to the ground. Furious beeping sounds all round him. He looks up and see¡¯s Hob, that damn stupid droid, glowing red with every appendage flared, looking like a threatening porcupine. Felix reaches out and grabs the traitorous droid. It wrestles against his grip but he holds on, reaching into an open hatch in the back of the bot and flicks a switch, disabling it¡¯s hover ability. ¡°This is what happens to those who get in my way.¡± Felix sneers, before leaning back and launching the disabled droid out the broken window, into the sea bellow. Irene is standing now, blood trickling down the side of her face, and she screams, eyes wide, moving to close the gap. ¡°Irene.¡± Felix says, holding his hands out, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± He stumbles backwards as she advances on him, ¡°Killing me wont stop the suits.¡± ¡°No but I¡¯m sure blowing up this mountain will prevent any more from inflicting your unnatural suffering on anyone.¡± She screams, voice cracking. ¡°You can¡¯t-¡± Irene lunges for him, her body moving beyond her physical and emotional pain, nails like overgrown claws reach for his flesh. Their arms lock, she slashes to get leverage upon his throat, but he hold her arms back. Felix wraps his hands around her wrists and flings hims arms out to the side, this brings her forward but she ducks and her forehead collides with his teeth. He disengages, stumbling backwards, dropping to one knee and clutches at his mouth, failing to hold back the thin stream of blood. He looks up, blinking, tasting iron, his head swims. Irene towers over him, all her rage and anger now at boiling point as she steps forward to claim her victory. Felix attempts to block with his arm but his body is too weak. Her knee collides into the side of his head, knocking his brain into a twist. *** Felix hits the ground, screams, then the delayed sound of him crashing. He wonders why the sound took so long to catch up with his head. Must have been that kick. What was happening now? Where was she? It¡¯s in that moment, as he regains his senses, that Felix realizes it wasn¡¯t him who had screamed out. Pushing off against the floor, he rubs his face, covered in bloody dust, and looks around. Irene was gone. He takes a step forward and a strange echo from his feet draw his attention down, to where there is now a wide hole a few inches in front of him. Felix pushes back, seeing himself falling down to the next floor. He catches his breath, shaking his head of the fright. Crouching, he peers over the edge, and see¡¯s Irene sprawled out on the floor bellow. ¡°Irene!¡± Felix screams then coughs, looking over at the suit he chokes at it. ¡°Go down there and get her,¡± He spits blood as it charges over, ¡°And be careful with her.¡± He adds, coughing again. The suit slows as it reaches the edge, before hopping down, using it¡¯s boosters to slow its descent. A moment later it flies back out, cradling her. Felix rushes to grab her broken hand. ¡°Irene?¡± He whispers through tears. Her arm is broken, twisted out of place, there is blood all over her front, goodness knows what internal injuries she has. ¡°Ivor, Is she alive?¡± He gasps. Yes, but she has less than two minutes. Why did the suits have to be so far bellow them? ¡°Can you command an empty suit to get here now?¡± No sir, none of the completed units will be able to reach her in time. Felix turns and picks up a fallen chair, he screams and throws it at the half broken window, completing it¡¯s destruction. ¡°FUCK!¡± He collapses against the wall, punching it, crying into it. Why the fuck did this have to happen. He never wanted her to get hurt. His heart aches as guilt floods his senses. Sir, her personal suit is in the lab. ¡°Seriously?¡± He grunts, ¡°Which is probably burred under a tonne of ruble, and never mind the fact there are no Nanites anywhere up here to fix her, are you just being fucking stupid or- I must interrupt sir, there is no time for your drama. Felix blinks, he¡¯d never been interrupted by Ivor before, that was when he heard the sounds of rocks falling. I have already instructed two suits to dig out her suit, and there is a small number of select Nanites which elected to remain in the lab to oversee your work. When the Nanites dispersed into the suits, they returned to the lab and entered Dr Grave¡¯s suit. ¡°Ivor I could kiss you!¡± Felix yells, then waving to the suit holding her, ¡°Come on then zombie, time is ticking.¡± And hops around the hole. The suit blasts itself across the room in one move and arrives before him. It offers her to him and Felix takes her gently in his arms. Felix looks down at her motionless face, he kisses her forehead. ¡°Just hold on a little longer.¡± He whispers through tears. The suit turns and digs it¡¯s metal hands into the ruble. It only removes a few lumps before the pile opens up to show the other two suits, before the view is blocked as they pass her suit through the hole. ¡°Come on come on,¡± Felix hisses as it lies her suit on the ground, face down, back open wide. He kneels and gently guides her in, his soldiers helping with her extremities as they flop away from him. As he does so, he swears he can hear a mumble coming from her, and he leans in to try and hear. ¡°Please¡­¡± She croaks, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± But it is too late, her suit is already sealing up behind her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Felix chokes. He falls back to sit on the floor, panting, covered in dust and blood, of his and hers. He clasps his hands together, pressing them against his lips as he stares at the suit. ¡°Ivor?¡± He asks. They are still working sir, these aren¡¯t the same one¡¯s we¡¯ve been working with on the other suits. ¡°Of course but, they can still heal her?¡± His eyes wide, looking for any movement. In a sense. A chill runs down Felix¡¯s spine. ¡°What do you mean? In a sense?¡± Felix asks, breathing hard. They have saved her head and spinal column, and nervous system¡­ ¡°But?¡± Felix growls. They are not attempting to repair her bones, not in a normal sense, they are fusing her body to the suit, they are running the survival program. ¡°Yeah, alright,¡± He sighs, ¡°so we¡¯ve still got the same problem¡­ but they can reconstruct her right?¡± I¡¯m not sure sir¡­ ¡°How do you not know?¡± They have generated differing morales, these were not privy to the education of humanity as the collective were. They reason they¡¯re doing whats best for her. ¡°What? No! Tell them to stop.¡± Felix gets to his feet shouting at the ceiling, then turns to where she lies, ¡°Please just heal her, don¡¯t destroy her.¡± He grabs the shoulders of Irene¡¯s suit, ¡°Irene? Can you hear me?¡± There is no response. He remembers the person who¡¯d he¡¯d had to kill just hours before. He really didn¡¯t want her to be another brainless soldier, but he also didn¡¯t want her to have to beg him for death. He knew he didn¡¯t have it in him to grant that wish. ¡°Ivor¡­¡± He says slowly, ¡°Did the Vulcan protocol activate?¡± Yes sir, but she has resisted it, she is now conscious and has circumvented the override. ¡°For fuck sake!¡± Felix screams into the darkening room. The lights on Irene¡¯s suit flick on, her head shakes and she gasps in a deep, metallic, breath. FELIX? HOW?- She stops, bringing a hand up to her throat WHAT? She says, rising to her knees. WHATS HAPPENED TO MY VOICE? Felix swallows hard, without the vocal box or an actual throat, her voice is being translated by the suit, by the Nanites. It came out thin and hard, scratchy and full of digital defects. She looks at him. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? Her head tilts back and she lets out a distorted howl. Felix has to grab his ears to save them from exploding. ¡°Ivor¡­¡± He yells, ¡°Shut her-¡± Cold metal wraps around his throat, preventing him from speaking as he is lifted off the ground. The shrieking stops, though it persists on ringing in his skull. Irene¡¯s head tilts from side to side, as if sizing him up, then she releases her hold. He gasps in air, she¡¯d nearly snapped his neck. ¡°Ivor, do you have control?¡± He asks, keeping an eye on her. No sir, her systems have rewritten themselves. I am blocked out. YOU ARE NOT TAKING ANYTHING ELSE AWAY FROM ME. YOU WILL NOT HAVE ME AS ONE OF YOUR MINDLESS SLAVES. Her attention is diverted behind her. The three suits of his were raising up their hands. Felix looks behind them, the remaining soldiers had advanced in the chaos, Bart at their lead, somehow he had survived. ¡°Where Dr Graves?¡± Bart demands of Felix. Felix¡¯s arm rises just enough to indicate her suit. ¡°Dr Graves?¡± He shouts, looking between her and Felix. DOCTOR IRENE GRAVES. IS DEAD. Bart¡¯s features contort in rage and he lifts up an accusing hand towards Felix. ¡°Is there no depths you wont go? I will end you! Kill Him!¡± He screams. Felix¡¯s whole body is frozen to the spot, but one of his suits dives in front to protect him. Bullets ricochet off the suit, but it repairs itself quickly, leaving not a mark on it. The other two stuits release a volley of blasts towards the soldiers. A second later, there is no more gunfire. Felix peers around the suit and see¡¯s a smoldering pile of vaporised blood and pieces of human flesh. I WILL END YOU. Irene screams as she dives at Felix, but her attack is parried by the suits, who surround themselves around Felix. Between their arms, he can see her getting to her feet. She sizes up the three suits, outnumbered. ¡°I never wanted to hurt you,¡± Felix says, ¡°I love you.¡± He admits. THERE WAS A TIME, I WOULD HAVE SAID THE SAME THING, THAT TIME NO LONGER EXISTS¡­ THIS ISN¡¯T OVER EISENMANN Then she blasts into the air, through the torn ruins of what was left of the roof and into the darkening sky. At last, silence returns. Felix leans against one of the suits who wraps hands under his arms to support him, the slouch morphs into rest as he drifts off. The adrenaline crashes, emotions continue to cartwheel, repercussions drift into clarity. When Felix opens his eyes, an hour has passed, and he is back down in the secure cavern of the basement. Ivor¡¯s been keeping the production line ticking over as he¡¯d slept. Irene. Oh Mother Earth, please forgive me, for what I have done. Felix thinks to himself, over and over again. Forgive me Irene. For what I must do. Chapter 17: Master of Puppets Felix Eisenmann winces in pain as he sits up in the cot the suits had erected for him in the station room. He grabs the flask left for him on the table and necks it. He thinks back. Irene, motionless, going into the suit, and the anger she held for him. Tears trickle down his cheeks, he wipes them away, but more come. What was he to do now? The whole god damn military will be knocking at his door. ¡°Ivor?¡± Felix calls out, ¡°Do you think I did the right thing?¡± The variables are too great or unknown to calculate sir. ¡°That¡¯s reassuring¡­¡± He looks out the window, at the lines of suits chugging past on their way to being released onto the world. ¡°How long can I survive down here?¡± Only a few years sir, we have not prepared appropriate provisions. ¡°Send out a command to the suits to retrieve supplies for the long term. And bring my suit down here, I might not have anywhere to live if they blow us all to hell.¡± The Nanites had been instructed to not interfere with his own suit, so it should still be safe for him to use. Over two thousand units are returning to protect the operation. ¡°That¡¯s right Ivor, protect the operation. You don¡¯t really need me anymore do you?¡± I haven¡¯t needed you since I was created, but you have programed me to be bound to you, if anything your death would be a benefit to my own goals. ¡°Charming to the end aren¡¯t you? Just promise me you¡¯ll keep this place safe, if anything does happen to me.¡± As you wish Sir. Felix thinks for a moment before asking, ¡°I know you¡¯re not the same as when I made you, you¡¯re really powerful, you could do a lot of good¡­ Will you be alright to keep control over this many people? Yes sir, they have integrated with my systems and we have become a hive like mind, with you as our king. Felix stands and moves sluggishly over to the chair at the console, clutching at his sides. He sits and rubs his face, his glasses were gone, but it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d ever really needed them anyway, a bad habit born from a misguided desire to be accepted. ¡°Ivor, are there any Nanites we could spare to heal me up?¡± I¡¯m sorry to say, that is impossible sir. ¡°What do you mean impossible? We just did it upstairs.¡± As I stated, those Nanites were of a different group, their long separation led them down a different evolutionary path. This and other factors resulted in them taking residency in Dr Grave¡¯s suit. ¡°Yeah I get that, but what about the one¡¯s we¡¯ve got down here, in these suits?¡± Once the Nanites have been integrated with the suit, they¡¯re healing routines get rewritten with the process of long term human containment. ¡°Are we sure they didn¡¯t go into my suit?¡± He asks. They have not. ¡°Good, lets keep it that way then, and can we not engineer up some more with the original programing?¡± No, the equipment and materials necessary to fabricate more Nanites have been destroyed during the assault. ¡°So, what your telling me is, this is it¡­¡± He sighs, ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d last against them¡­¡± he stares at the screens, ¡°call off the provision request, I¡¯m not going to need them.¡± Felix sits back and spins himself around, his gaze rests on a photo frame, with a simple painting of a Lilly. He picks it up and stares at it. ¡°Well mother,¡± He says to the photo, ¡°I did what I could, I did everything I could.¡± He wipes his eyes, ¡°I hope it was enough, I hope your flowers grow wide and free again.¡± He places the frame back onto the table. ¡°I just wish you were here to see it.¡± The words rasp out of him as tension rises out, through his eyes. For several long minutes, Felix mourns. Sir, the military are ten minutes from firing range of the front line. Felix pulls himself together, wiping his face as he stands and clears his throat. He heads out onto the walkway where his Battle Suit stands, waiting for him. He steps inside and fits the helmet in place. ¡°One last hurrah into the fray then.¡± He sighs with clear resignation, fires up the suit, and takes off towards the hatch in the cavern ceiling which the other suits have been leaving through. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. As he approaches it opens just long enough for him to fly through, leading him out into the still night air. The lights from his suit reflect off the sea only twenty feet bellow him. He directs his course up, and comes to hang above his line of hovering soldiers, holding their position in an arch around the mountain top. His view zooms in on the approaching military force, the scanner popping up information about the various vehicles. ¡°Looks like they¡¯ve brought every last death wisher left on this cursed rock.¡± Felix says to himself. ¡°If it¡¯s death they want, then it¡¯s death they shall have.¡± *** Felix hovers, waiting, watching. In the space of a single thought, the entire group of suits bellow him raise their arms towards the advancing force. A timer ticks down in the top right of his screen. Ten seconds to go. He raises his arms up, charging the blasters. ¡°Alright everyone¡­¡± He mumbles, Ivor technically being the only thing that can understand him, but he speaks anyway, ¡°This could be the end, or it can just be the beginning, fight to your last breath, or voltage, for the future!¡± The timer hits zero and he releases a blast at the closest ship, at the same time all of his soldiers release their own streams of energy. The attacking ships respond by launching their own barrage of lasers and missiles. In seconds, chaos consumes the two warring sides. Felix¡¯s dodges to the side, almost getting sliced by several laser beams. His soldiers bellow scatter, many evade the hail, but some aren¡¯t so lucky. Between his forces and the last of humanity¡¯s, a wall of fire hangs where rockets and energy blasts collide. He attempts to scan through the haze for any ships attempting further fire. There is a moment of calm, his soldiers regroup and ready their weapons again. His suit continues to scan, not picking up anything through the interference. But as the haze dissipates, his scanners confirm multiple targets, and the surviving force bursts into view, launching into a full scale assault. Felix and his suits evade and fire off shots across the advancing ships, he streaks towards the nearest one and as he approaches, he can see it had taken many hits from their first wave. He rounds on the engines of the ship, flanked by four suits, two on each side like an arrow. All of which were in turn being tailed by a trail of laser shots coming from another of the enemies ships. As they pass the rear end they unleash a flurry of energy blasts, igniting the engines which explode with a tremendous force, blasting Felix and his suits in all directions. Felix tries to right him self when something smacks in the side of the head. He spins in the other direction, applying force against the motion and has to dart to the side to avoid another hit. Getting his barrings he can see now a river of military suits, which he¡¯d designed, pouring out from hatches in the remaining ships. The soldier who attacked him is charging in again but this time he gets a face full of laser and falls out of the battlefield in a pyre of smoke. Felix moves quickly as more soldiers advance on him, half of who get taken out by a couple of his own soldiers. He weaves between the many in air collisions, grabbing hold of luckless soldiers and blasting their heads off. As he streaks towards another victim, a whole group of soldiers collide into him, removing him from the throng. He trades blows with them as a few take shots at him but he either deflects them, dodges or grabs another soldier to use as a shield. He flings a bloody suit, now full of holes and scorched to hell, at the two remaining soldiers. In the moment they move to avoid the suit, Felix ignites his boosters and appears between them, holding out his arms as he unleashes a fatal blow to them both. He darts forward and brings himself level with the top of another ship, placing his hands on the metal hull and opening up the energy stream in his blasters. He cuts a long deep scar all the the way across it, splitting the machine in two. But as he clears the descending wreckage, he views the mass of enemy units forming behind their main line, and he pauses. Shit. There are so many ships, all the way to the horizon. He didn¡¯t have anywhere near enough, if each were filled with soldiers¡­ ¡°Ivor,¡± Felix shouts into his suit, ¡°when are we due reinforcements?¡± Not for another six hours at least, we have saturated the surrounding islands, but the closest continent is several hundred miles away. ¡°Fuck.¡± He says, thinking, ¡°Have our units focus on taking out the ships, aim for weak spots, their the priority. Any one who tries to stop them must be eliminated as fast as possible.¡± It is so. The AI confirms with little fanfare. From his vantage point, above the fight, he is ignored, or not seen. His soldiers are doing a good job, but the human forces are too unpredictable for their mechanical minds, and they outnumbered them about ten to one, the gap only increasing. He locks on to several thick spots and launches low impact explosives. They sail through the air, honing in on their individual targets. The flames blossom over the carnage, not enough to take more than a couple of them out, but it got their attention. A moment later, as if all were given the same command, every one of the human controlled suits, rocket towards him. They move fast, surrounding him from bellow and all around, a few going higher to come at him from above. Felix glances down and see¡¯s all his own units leaving the vicinity, following his command to focus on the ships. But not fast enough. He puts his boosters on over-burn and tears up into the sky, the sudden thrust pushing aside the few above him, and then they converge, becoming a single mass with him as their target. He watches the distance click up, waiting until¡­ now. Felix cuts his boosters. Initiates a system reboot. And squeezes hard on the manual trigger in his fist. His world becomes black as the suit cuts out, he can hear and feel the soldiers smashing into him as his movement slows. Then he hears the pulse of the EMP in his suit and the world around him becomes silent. He feels the g-force pull him upwards as he plummets back towards the earth. ¡°Come on, come on.¡± He says, pressing the emergency switch in his other hand, ¡°Come on you piece of shit.¡± The screen glows, filling his vision and blinding him for a moment. He can still feel himself free falling through the air, he knew he only had about a minute before he hit the sea, and that minute was almost up. ¡°Faster.¡± He hisses. The screen changes and shows the outside view, nothing but ocean and the other falling soldiers, their suits motionless, rendered inert by the EMP. He knows they must be freaking out, to have their world suddenly black, with no hope of ever turning the suit back on in time. His systems glow green and he reignites his boosters, forcing his body out of the intense dive, skimming the surface as he levels with it and shoots back up into the air. ¡°Ivor, how are the-¡° His whole body is speared by yet another soldier. Felix twists and brings his fists down together on the back of the attacking suit. As they break apart, it¡¯s then he gets a good look at his attacker. Their suit isn¡¯t at all like the black and silver issued military. No, it is orange with pink trims, with the initials I.G. etched into the breast plate. ¡°Irene-¡° Felix starts but she doesn¡¯t waste a second, charging at him again. Chapter 18: Killed by Love Felix gasps as she collides into his side again, forcing him to pick up speed, the ocean bellow parts in their wake as they race across it. YOU KILLED IRENE She screams and spins him towards the side of the mountain. Felix collides into it before he can brace himself. He lets out a yell, something inside him snapping, chest flooding with pain. He rolls to the side in time to avoid her fist. She strikes the rock which explodes in a shower of stone. Felix takes off back into the air. Irene leaps after him and catches his foot, he kicks at her head, but she holds on, grabbing his other foot, forcing him down towards the sea. ¡°Irene¡­¡± He struggles to speak against their tremendous momentum. He spins and kicks her again and again, finally forcing her grip loose and flies off to the side, avoiding the water. She isn¡¯t so lucky and plummets straight in, but as he turns to look for her, she streaks through the water like a fish and bursts out, right underneath him. He catches her shoulders and using his thrusters redirects her away from him, into the mountain side. Irene crashes into the solid stone, dust obscuring his view as he hovers in the air. Felix gasps for air, clutching at his side, his vision swimming, growing fuzzy. ¡°Irene!¡± He calls into the cloud of dust, ¡°Please, see reason, you don¡¯t need to do this.¡± YOU HAVE GIVEN ME NO CHOICE. Her words shriek through the air and she leaps off the mountainside, streaking straight towards him. Felix darts to the side but she extends and arm which clocks him and offsets his trajectory. He spirals through the air but manages to right himself, just in time to parry another charge by Irene. Again, he redirects her suit back into the mountainside. Felix wants to call out to her again, but he knows that would be of little use, she is hell bent on his destruction, and nothing he can think to say, could bring her back from that. A quote from some long ago movie floats across his brain. ¡®If your opponent insists on waging war, then remove their ability to wage it.¡¯ It had been some ancient martial arts film, that much he remembered. ¡°Ivor,¡± He says, ¡°I need to disable Irene¡¯s suit.¡± I have been wondering sir, why you do not just attack? Her suit isn¡¯t as durable or as strong as yours. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt her.¡± He says softly, ¡°Please, Ivor, there must be-¡° Through the cloud of dust, Irene bursts out like a champagne cork and tackles him in the midriff again. Try that sir. Ivor¡¯s voice can barely be heard over the howling of the wind outside the suit as the pair spin through the air. Irene is punching him, over and over, he ignores this and places his hands over her helmet, gripping it tight. There is a jolt of electric from his suit into hers. The punching stops. The pair arc through the air, their upwards force now cut, they hang suspended for just a second, then they start to fall out of the sky. Felix¡¯s suit is still functioning, but he doesn¡¯t attempt to rectify their descent yet. Instead he grabs her shoulders and shakes her. ¡°Irene, please, snap out of this, listen to me!¡± he screams at the immovable suit. Then her eyes click back on, her hands grip around his throat and a similar electric charge bursts from her palms. The world becomes dark again, as his suit shuts down to prevent an overload. He can feel her wrap her arms around him as she spins them both around. He feels like he¡¯s going to throw up, the G force getting so extreme he can feel it pulling at his skin. Irene lets go just as the suit reboots. The screen comes back on, the side of the mountain fills it completely. Before he can respond, something takes over his suit and his hand and leg fire off a blast before his screen darkens, he see¡¯s a circle of light close behind him and then he slams into the ground, bowling over a whole mess of inactive suits in the process. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. *** Coughing, and gasping for air, he pushes through the throbbing pain and gets to his feet, though he¡¯s unable to put weight on one leg. The suit compensates, allowing him to stand, but it still hurts like hell. Felix tries to look around, noticing now that the screen is off, but light is still getting into the suit. He reaches up and works the helmet off his head. If he hadn¡¯t been wearing this, his head would have been smashed in like a boiled potato. Around him lies many strewn suits, he realizes she must have thrown him towards the hatch. He looks at his hands. ¡°Ivor, did you take over my suit there?¡± Yes sir, in order to save you from colliding with the wall again. ¡°Hmm.¡± Felix is going to say something else but a sudden banging of metal on metal, echoes throughout the cavern, drawing his attention. Dust and rocks dislodge from the ceiling as the banging strikes again and again. The hatch bursts in ward and Irene¡¯s form eclipses the light. THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE EISENMANN. She screams the words in that high pitched, distorted voice, before leaping forward and lowering her altitude at a gentle pace. SHUT IT DOWN NOW, AND I MIGHT NOT KILL YOU. OTHERWISE¡­ I WILL SHUT IT ALL DOWN, AND BURY YOU WITH IT. ¡°Irene, please, lets talk about this.¡± YOU CAN¡¯T CHANGE MY MIND, YOU ARE EVIL, YOU ARE A TYRANT, YOU ARE EVERYTHING WRONG WITH THE PEOPLE YOU CLAIM TO DESPISE. Even though her voice is digital now, there are varying tones to her words, those last few dripped with manic glee. ¡°This is the only way we can sur-¡° He starts. WRONG ANSWER Irene dives straight at Felix, bringing down her fist on his head. He manages to jump backwards to avoid the brain damage, but a second strike connects with his torso, which drills him backwards, tripping, he falls to the ground. She kneels, straddling his waist and rains fists down upon him, he protects his face with his arms, sparks shower over him with every collision. MASS GENOCIDE! Irene screams, his ears ringing at being so close to her external speakers. ¡°They can be reverted! You made that possible!¡± She grips a hold of both his wrists, flips him round and locks them into his back, his face pressing into the concrete floor. YOU¡¯RE STRIPPING HUMANS OF THEIR FREE WILL, OF THEIR HUMANITY. MAKING MINDLESS SLAVES FOR YOU WAS NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR. Around them several of his suits land and aim their blasters at her. ¡°Stop.¡± Felix commands to them, ¡°Don¡¯t kill her.¡± She squeezes his arms tighter and he lets out a cry of pain, his right arm snapping. THIS WILL ONLY END WHEN WE ARE BOTH DEAD ¡°I¡¯m not killing you Irene.¡± Felix cries out. ¡°Please, lets talk about-¡° EXTERMINATION BOMB ACTIVATED Her system announces. ¡°What the fuck!¡± Felix shouts, when did she install that? He uses his boosters to shift his body, tipping her over for a second. His hands break free and he blasts her in the side, sending her flying through another line of inactive suits. ¡°Ivor.¡± He shouts to the room, ¡°Give me information.¡± Dr Graves has installed a Kamikaze Protocol. The AI says. You have less than sixty seconds. Felix rounds on Irene as she scrambles to her feet, he takes the moment to fly towards her, and grabs a hold of her helmet. He sends a low pulse of energy, more a static charge, into her system. He steps back as her hands wrestle with the energy in her head. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? Irene¡¯s scream is amplified so loud it blows the speaker, now when she speaks her voice is raspy and even more horrifying. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ it should have shut down your systems.¡± Felix says, but it hasn¡¯t worked, not completely. Even though she has no features, he feels Irene stare at him. YOU! DEACTIVATED! She screams, sounding like an electric guitar being thrown into a shredder and charges for him. She knocks him back but he keeps himself upright. She punches at him, slashing and sweeping his legs, it¡¯s all he can do to avoid the lethal attacks. ¡°Irene please.¡± He begs. I. WILL. END. YOU. She growls and accents each word with a strike. Felix can¡¯t keep this up, he has to stop her, but he is unable to disable her systems. He¡¯d have to incapacitate her. He really, really, didn¡¯t want to have to kill her. He drops down and sends out a blast which knocks her to the side, he leaps and kicks at her legs, sending her to the ground. Felix kneels on top of her this time, his turn to bring the pain. ¡°Just stop, stop, stop it!¡± He wails as he strikes her. Over, and over again. He strikes at her arms, trying to break them, he strikes at her chest, and at her head, he hits her and hits her. Soon his hands inside the suit are wet and sticky, he knew they were covered in his own blood. He readies another punch when he pauses, her suit isn¡¯t moving now. ¡°Irene?¡± Felix calls out, there is no response. And iceberg sinks in his chest. No¡­ He scans her suit, she¡¯s still alive, the suit is hibernating to repair itself and her. He gasps for breath, chocking through tears. He¡¯d managed it, he¡¯d incapacitated her¡­ Now he just had to keep her from ruining everything. ¡°Get a reinforced cargo container.¡± Felix whispers as he collapses back onto his ass, sobbing. Chapter 19: Beyond the Realms of Death Chapter Nineteen BEYOND THE REALMS OF DEATH ¡°My God¡­ What have I done¡­¡± Felix breathes to himself. A minute later one of the suits brings him a copper container, lined with lead and a magnetic seal. He tries to lift her, but he can¡¯t move anymore. The pain is like a warm blanket now. ¡°Put her in.¡± He pants, ¡°and bury her deep into the wall.¡± It would make better sense to end the suits functions sir. ¡°I am not killing her!¡± Felix growls. ¡°If I wanted her dead I wouldn¡¯t have put her in the suit in the first place.¡± Sir, in a sense she is already dead, and I¡¯m afraid to say, you aren¡¯t far behind. Ivor helpfully displays Felix¡¯s vitals on a projection in front of him. Now that he has peace to think, to take in the damage, he sees it is bad, very bad. The suit is the only thing keeping him upright. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can fight anymore.¡± Felix chuckles. ¡°I think, it¡¯s for the best¡­ I deserve to die¡­ You¡¯re good to keep things going without me yeah?¡± There is an 88% chance we will win this battle with earths military, but we have another problem I am unable to deal with. ¡°What other problem? I doubt I¡¯m going to be much use now.¡± Irene spoke live to the world, warned them, said the suits were dangerous, and that they were to be destroyed on sight and not to be entered. ¡°She did what?¡± He barks, ¡°that¡¯s not good.¡± Ivor displays the news feeds for Felix to see, multiple screens appear and are littered with scenes from all over the world, people fighting, blowing up his suits, petrol bombs, police and military blockades tear into his suits. ¡°We need to stop this,¡± Felix grunts, gasping at the pain as he tries to stand. Shall I command that they should defend themselves? ¡°Yeah, I think so¡­¡± He winces. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think, that maybe I can¡¯t leave just yet, you¡¯ve no idea what your doing without me.¡± He lets out a hollow laugh. In my simulations of your demise, I have come to the same conclusion, I am bound to you sir, even in death. ¡°Then it was all for nothing¡­¡± There is no reply. He sighs. ¡°Do it.¡± He says, ¡°And so ends the life of Dr Felix Eisenmann,¡± he says to himself, ¡°A fool healing a sick world, now he¡¯s just going to be a hunk of metal¡­ Dead Metal.¡± He says looking at his arm. There is a notification on the little wrist screen, indicating that the Nanites have entered his system. He can already see them working as a new helmet reforms around his head. Then, in the blackness, the burning begins. His blood literally boils beneath his skin which liquefies, every single nerve in his body screams as his brain is overwhelmed. It seemed to him to last a life time, and during the midlife crisis, he¡¯d heard a voice asking wither to engage the Vulcan Protocols to ease his suffering, but one thought persisted and prevented him from relenting. He needed to be aware, to stay conscious, or there would be no hope for the planet and the people living on it. The heat fades, leaving a hollow coldness that he could feel everywhere and no where, he moves his hands, but they are numb, there is no feeling anywhere in entire body. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. He screams, and screams, and screams. When his lungs and throat dissolve, his screaming stops. In the silence, he cries. Then the vocal synthesizer engages and a distorted robotic voice continues his howl for another few minutes. SIR Ivor''s voice is in his head, but isn¡¯t the same soft spoken tones he was used to. Felix moves his head up, still adjusting to the new environment. Unable to feel anything, he can¡¯t gage his strength or movement, and topples back wards as he tries to stand. His vision is also different, no longer seeing the screen, his vision is the screen, the HUD now affixed to his retina. Something grabs him and rights him up, another suit, but this one has blue lights instead of the red like the others. IVOR? Felix asks. IN THE METAL, SO TO SAY SIR, THERE ARE MISSILES HEADING FOR THIS LAB, WE MUST EVACUATE. The other suits around them are coming to life and engage their thrusters to depart through the wrecked hole. FELIX? DR EISENMANN? ARE YOU STILL WITH ME? Ivor persists in his questioning, Felix puts up a hand to stop him. FELIX EISENMANN¡­ IS DEAD He says looking at his weightless hand. I AM NOW, NOTHING MORE THAN A WALKING CORPSE ENCASED IN A METAL TIN¡­ I AM DEAD METAL. Without another word the pair leave the doomed lab and join the battle above. Their presence swaying the course of the battle in seconds, easily out maneuvering their opponents. They manage to stop one of the missiles by redirecting one of their ships, but two more got through and hit the mountain side. The explosion knocks everyone in the battle field away. The blast disables most of the ships and military flight suits. Right before the rockets hit, Ivor and Felix had moved up and out of range. Over forty percent of their own forces had survived. They scan the aftermath; Earth¡¯s army had decimated themselves in their own explosion, those who survived floated helplessly in the water. The house and the lab were now nothing more than rubble. The hole to the hanger gone. There would be no going back. With a shared thought, Dead Metal and Ivor issue orders to their army. Assimilate survivors, assist empty suits. Then they make a speech to the world. *** Across the world, on every screen and device. The blank face of Dead Metal appears. The helmet had been rebuilt by the Nanites, but they¡¯d forgone most of the human features usually present. Instead they¡¯d made a sleek black helmet, with faint white marks around where the eyes and mouth would have been. Smoke billows behind him from the destroyed island. PEOPLE OF THE EARTH, I AM DEAD METAL, YOUR SAVIOUR, DR GRAVES IS RIGHT, THE SUITS ARE GOING TO CHANGE YOU, THEY WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER, ALLOW YOU TO SURVIVE THE HARSH ENVIRONMENT. ABOUT WHICH¡­ THE WORLD GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN LYING TO YOU, THIS PLANET WILL BE UNABLE TO SUSTAIN YOU IN YOUR CURRENT FORM WITHIN THE COMING MONTHS I MYSELF HAVE TAKEN THIS FORM, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO REPAIR THIS WORLD. WITH YOUR HELP WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. DO NOT ATTACK THE SUITS, THEY ARE PREPARED TO DEFEND THEMSELVES, AND YOU WILL STILL BE ASSIMILATED IF YOU SURVIVE. ENTER THE SUIT WHEN OFFERED, AND ALL YOUR FEARS, YOUR WORRIES, YOUR SINS, WILL BE LIFTED AND REMOVED FROM YOUR SHOULDERS, I WILL CARRY YOUR BURDENS. I AM YOUR SAVIOUR. I AM DEAD METAL *** That was the day the world of humans ended. DEAD METAL led his army of the enslaved, like the pied piper leading rats through the street, destroying and consuming, they swept through the remnants of civilization. There was nothing and no one who could stop them. Police hid behind their cars, unloading shots into the marching metal soldiers. Each bullet doing nothing more than to create sparks. Gangs attempted to protect their neighbourhood''s, hiding, shooting and even using explosives. None of it mattered. Most just ran, their only resistance came when they were captured, flailing around like fish out of water. It became a game that Dead Metal tired of quickly. He and Ivor left the suits to continue their rampage. So many had been assimilated now that there was no need to continue overseeing the operation. Instead they set off across the lands, searching for a new place to set up shop. This was it, the big gamble. Dead Metal prayed he had done the right thing, but then reasoned that it was the only way things could have gone. Now was the future, and he and his army of roboticized humans will work together to repair the damage done to their home planet. They would also prepare the home defenses, to be used against the alien threat, that was still promised in his future. Epilogue: Symphony of Destruction Eric, his sister Betty, and his grandparents, are sat watching some kids show Betty had wanted on, when it was interrupted by that robot. She screams for it to change back, grabbing the remote and mashing the buttons. But it didn¡¯t matter, the angry robot stayed on the screen. Eric¡¯s blood ran cold. He¡¯d snuck into his dad¡¯s office a few weeks ago, and had seen the videos Dr Eisenmann had sent, seen the robots from the future. This was it, the invasion was happening today. But it would be OK, Dr Eisenmann knew they were coming, he believed he would save them all, he had a plan. Betty calms after the speech had ends, the screen returning to her cartoon. His Grandparents were in a panic though, rushing from room to room, gathering clothes and food and other stuff that seemed unimportant to Eric. Sensing the impending departure, Eric runs up to his room, grabs his backpack and stuffs it with a few things; A torch, his wrist pad, a super hero action figure, some clothes, the music player he¡¯d received for his birthday, loaded with songs, and a pocket knife, which he tucks into his sock. Eric takes one last look around his room, wondering if he would ever see it again, before closing his door. Back downstairs his Grandma is arguing with Betty. She¡¯d turned off the screen and Betty was not happy. Eric intervenes and guides his sister into the car, which she resisted, but their grandma¡¯s panicked shouting quelled Betty¡¯s irritation for a few minutes. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Eric asks as his grandparents got themselves into the front seats. ¡°To the Ark.¡± His grandmother replies, ¡°You¡¯re father said that if anything was to happen before he returned, that we should take you there.¡± ¡°I thought we were going with Dad in his ship?¡± Eric asks. His dad had explained how they were going to be traveling through space, put into a deep sleep, and waking up to find a new world to explore. It had sounded so exciting, but the Ark wasn¡¯t the ship they were supposed to be leaving on. ¡°Will Dad meet us there?¡± He asks. His grandparents look at one another before his Granddad says, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Is Mummy there?¡± Betty asks. Eric looks at her, then at his grandparents, their mother had left for a mission several months ago, they hadn¡¯t seen or heard from her since. After a moment their grandmother speaks. ¡°No. But I¡¯m sure you will see her soon enough.¡± ¡°Yay.¡± Betty says. We pull out of the driveway, Eric¡¯s Granddad puts the car in gear and speeds down the street, much faster than was legally allowed. His grandmother scolds his Granddad for his reckless driving. He mutters something back to her but Eric doesn¡¯t catch what he says. Betty starts complaining again. Now upset that she never got to finish her episode, Eric tries to sooth her, not wanting her to distract his grandparents. ¡°Betty, listen to me, we¡¯re on a very important, top secret mission.¡± She stops sobbing and looks at him, all of a sudden full of interest as he continues. ¡°There are aliens invading the earth, we have to escape them.¡± She nods slowly, ¡°Real aliens?¡± she asks, eyes full of wonder. ¡°Yes, but they are cyborgs, from the planet¡­ Cyclotron. ¡°Really?¡± she asks. ¡°Yeah and-¡° But Eric never got to finish. There is a loud bang, and the car flips, knocking everyone to the side. Eric shakes his head, hanging upside down. He tries to disengage the seat belt but it is locked in place. ¡°Betty?¡± He shouts at his sister, who is hanging unconscious next to him. ¡°Betty!¡± He shouts again. There is a noise from the front and Eric see¡¯s his Granddad wriggle himself free of the seat belt, and out of the broken window. Eric struggles against his belt, but it wont budge. He needed something sharp. Then he remembers the knife he¡¯d tucked into his sock, he hadn¡¯t expected to actually need to use it. He takes it out and cuts himself free. Then moves over to his sister and does the same. Eric drags himself out of the car, and then pulls his sister free from the wreckage. She coughs and blinks as he sits her up. Her pure skin now covered in black soot. Part of her hair had been singed. She looks around and starts to cry, loud. ¡°Shut her up.¡± Their granddad hisses. Eric looks up at him with fire in his eyes, about to say something, but stops. He is crouching beside the car, holding a gun, and shooting at the advancing machines. Eric looks at his Grandmother, still hanging upside down in the car. She isn¡¯t moving. Betty continues to cry, regardless of what they say. The robots move in closer, the gun doing nothing to stop them. ¡°Eric! Take your sister and run!¡± Their granddad screams. Eric doesn¡¯t waste a second, he grabs Betty''s wrists and pulls her along with him, away from the car and the machines. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He hears his granddad scream out and he can¡¯t help but turn to look. His Granddad is lifted into the air, kicking at the robot who holds him as he is lowered into the back of another robot. He screams out in pain as the robot¡­ Absorbed his Granddad. Eric stumbles, not watching his footing, and the pair fall to the ground. He pulls himself and Betty to their feet, and glances back, seeing the machine which their Granddad had been put inside, turn and march towards them. He was gone, just like that, their Granddad had become one of them¡­ Their Grandmother was still in the car, but ignored by the robots. Eric realizes that she too, must be dead, and that it is now only Eric and his sister Betty who were left. Betty stops screaming now, too terrified to keep up the effort as they ran. They ran through streets, down tight alleyways between buildings. As they round another corner, Eric grips his sister tighter and pulls her to duck behind a wall. The street before them is filled with alien robots. Opposite them is a line of people, like prisoners, being led towards the open waiting machines. Eric trembles, as he watches them get forced inside, and die, just like his Granddad. Betty starts to cry again, he tries to cover her mouth to keep her quiet. ¡°Betty, we can¡¯t make noise, or they will kill us.¡± As Eric says this, her eyes grow wide, but not looking at him, looking behind him. Eric slowly turns to see a metal hand reaching for him. Eric ducks and gripping his sister even tighter, runs, lifting her off the ground. They run across another road, weaving between the alien robots and people fighting them for their lives. The air is filled with the smell of smoke, energy fire, and burnt blood. People scream out as they die or get captured, and then die. Eric tries to ignore them. He has to keep his sister safe, he has to get to the Ark. It was the only thought keeping him moving forward, as another thought tries to keep him still. ¡®I have no idea where these Arcs even are¡­¡¯ A few minutes later Eric finds they¡¯ve run into an empty back street, no people, no machines, quiet. But behind them he can hear the marching of the metal feet coming for them. Eric moves to the doors on the building and tries them one after another. The marching gets closer and closer. Boom. Boom. Boom. Then one of the doors finally opens and he drags Betty inside. Slamming the door behind them. He watches through the crack in the door as the robot enters the street, scans the road and the buildings, before moving on to the next street. Eric breathes a long sigh, his whole body is shaking from the fear and the adrenaline. He goes to say something to Betty, when a gun cocks behind his head. ¡°Turn around slowly.¡± A deep voice says. Eric¡¯s body goes into it¡¯s fear reserves, freezing in place. ¡°We¡¯re just kids.¡± Eric says. ¡°I can see that, I¡¯m not fucking stupid.¡± Says the voice, ¡°But if you two are going to make noise you can fuck off back outside. ¡°Please no, we¡¯ll die out there.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll stay quiet?¡± The voice asks. Eric glances down at his sister, she is as white as a ghost, but she meets his eyes, and nods. ¡°Yes.¡± Eric says, and the gun is lowered. ¡°Fuck sake Maverick,¡± Says another voice, feminine. ¡°They¡¯re just kids, did you really need to point a gun at them.¡± ¡°Yes Daisy, I did, they need to understand, or we¡¯re all going to be dead.¡± The woman ignores him, coming to kneel by Eric and his sister. Betty grips a hold of Eric¡¯s arm, and watches in fear as this strange lady approaches. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be safe in here.¡± She says. ¡°We need to get to the Ark.¡± Eric states. She looks at him, frowning. ¡°The Ark? Whats that?¡± ¡°Thats¡¯s those planet escape pods I was telling you about.¡± Says a third voice, another male. ¡°What?¡± Daisy says, ¡°They¡¯re real?¡± She looks at Eric, ¡°How do you know about them?¡± ¡°Our father works in the military, high up. He¡¯s out there fighting those aliens now. We were with our grandparents, but they¡¯re dead now¡­ ¡°And your mother?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°My sister is all I have left.¡± Betty hugs him even tighter. ¡°Do you believe him?¡± Maverick asks. ¡°Of course.¡± Says the older man, ¡°I told you there was a way out of this.¡± Maverick turns to Eric, who could see his face now. It is clean shaven, as is his head, which is covered in tattoos. ¡°Kid, do you think they¡¯ll let us on?¡± He asks. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ for everyone.¡± Betty mumbles into Eric¡¯s jacket. ¡°Yes.¡± Eric says, ¡°If you can help us get there, they¡¯ll be able to confirm my identity, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll let you all in.¡± The three adults looked at one another. ¡°Plus, with so many people¡­ dead. There will be extra space.¡± Eric says. ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll be hanging around with this invasion going on.¡± Says the old man. ¡°No one¡¯s going to survive out there,¡± says Maverick, ¡°There¡¯s just no way we could make it.¡± ¡°We have to!¡± Shouts Eric, and the glare he receives from the three adults forces him to lower his voice. ¡°Everyone will be captured by the aliens if we stay.¡± Maverick stares at him for a long moment before speaking. ¡°They¡¯re no aliens kid.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eric asks. ¡°That Eisenmann spoke to the whole world, said they were suits to protect us from the environment.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Eric says, moving a little towards the man. ¡°He warned my dad that this would happen, that alien robots were coming to take over the planet. He has a plan to stop this.¡± Maverick is about to disagree when Daisy speaks. ¡°The truth is, we don¡¯t know what they are. Maybe they are here to help us, maybe someone else has taken control of them. We just don¡¯t know.¡± Silence. ¡°Whatever they are,¡± Maverick says, ¡°it¡¯s not safe to go outside anymore, and I seriously doubt the military will be able to stop them.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Eric says, ¡°If you wont help us, we¡¯ll just go by ourselves.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll die out there!¡± He says. ¡°We¡¯ll die if we stay here.¡± Eric retorts. ¡°Our father is waiting for us at the Ark, we are going, one way or another.¡± They stare at each other for a very long moment. ¡°Fuck¡± Maverick says, turning and packing a bag. ¡°So we¡¯re going?¡± Daisy asks, standing. ¡°Do we have a choice?¡± He says, ¡°Charles, get your wrinkly ass in gear.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Charles, the old man, mocks. ¡°Eric?¡± Betty asks in a quiet voice. ¡°Are we going to die?¡± He turns to her, looking into her eyes. ¡°No, I¡¯m here, and I¡¯m going to protect you, no matter what.¡± She smiles, but he can see she doesn¡¯t believe him. ¡°I hope Daddies OK.¡± She says. Eric swallows, ¡°Me to.¡± He looks about the room, at the adults preparing to leave. This was it, the day the world ends. How long would they survive? Hours? Days? Charles was right, the Arks weren¡¯t going to remain on the planet indefinitely. Would they even make it in time? Eric holds his sister tight to him. No matter what, he would try, he would keep her safe, and they would get to the Ark. No matter what. FINI THE STORY WILL CONTINUE. WITH ERIC LOWAY, IN: Dead Metal: Book 2 # # # # #