I of the Storm (Chapters 4 & 5)
A serialized book for SubStack
Link to first installment: https://chrisprophet.substack.com/p/i-of-the-storm
Chapter 4
>>Room 36, Ambassador Hotel, JFK Moonbase, lunar South Pole<<
“Everyone away from the door!” Naem ordered, as he shifted one side of the entrance.
“Oh crap. I’m not expecting any delivery,” Trinity whispered as she peeked from behind the bed.
Administrator Chen remained seated in the center of the room, his eyes downcast.
Naem killed the lights and cautiously peered through the peephole. “It’s room service. The ID just says ‘Walter,’ that’s suspicious.”
Trinity’s eyes turned into saucers, “A-yay bot called Walter?” her voice wobbling. Abruptly she ran to the door and pulled it open.
“Do I have permission to enter?” came from the hallway, in pitch perfect baritone.
As she backpedaled, Trinity half-bowed, half curtsied as if her legs were giving way.
The service cart rattled as Walter pushed it forward, his android expression warm but neutral.
Naem scanned the corridor, before sealing the door. “I thought you didn’t order anything?”
“Thought you might be hungry,” Walter answered, “and I wanted to meet you.”
“You armed?” Naem growled, stance lowering slightly.
“Only with intelligence...” Walter quipped. “Ribeye steak with a side of Tabasco for you,” he continued, handing Naem a plate. “Steamed pork buns with peanut butter sauce for Mr Chen and seafood pizza for the lady.”
“What...?” Trinity responded to their surprised expressions. “I love pizza and seafood. It’s so salty…” her voice dwindling. She turned away to hide her embarrassment and scoff the pizza.
Naem set his plate aside. “Thanks for your – er – diligence. But the lady prefers her privacy.”
Trinity choked, “Agh – no – agh – he’s Xcorp. Please don’t throw him out. We’d never do that to you Walter – promise.”
The smiling android crooned: “Well, I wanted to meet you earlier, except it’s fairly hectic at the moment, with the company relocating to Mars.”
“So it is true. Xcorp is leaving cislunar,” Chen commented.
Walter nodded, “For a variety of reasons. It’s a difficult time for everyone. You have my condolences Ms Tzane on the loss of your father, I know you were close.”
Trinity sobered, “Thanks. I think the funeral helped, with everyone coming together. There were plenty of people from the base, although none in uniform.”
“Of course, because of the controversy,” Walter observed. “Still it shows the degree of respect for your father. But I don’t need to tell you that.”
Trinity sniffed: “He was a good man – and deeply religious. I’m sure he’s in a better place…”
“Still if there’s anything I can do to help…” Walter said softly.
She hesitated before replying: “Ah, actually there is something, although it’s a big ask.”
Walter’s smile broadened, “For your current situation there are no small asks. Please proceed.”
She glanced to Chen and Naem, before stuttering: “Ah – I would like a clone of-of me, if that’s possible. Sorry, I know how busy you are.”
Walter’s sleepy eyes widened slightly, “That’s unusual. I’m intrigued by the logic behind your request.”
Eyes flitting around the room Trinity managed: “Ah, I encountered some trouble and had to – ah – transfer out of my body. Really it was quite an experience. Now I’m sharing this body with Nuri and it feels a little crowded.”
“Hm, I take it your original personality was simulated in your current host. If you want I can separate the two personas and transfer you to this android body.”
“Thanks, oh thanks, that’s a wonderful offer,” Trinity gushed, “own-ly I was hoping for a human body.”
“Sorry, I can’t see any way to manage such a transfer,” Walter said directly.
“Of course, of course, but if you can manage a small clone of me that’s all I should need. I have – ah – a friend who can help with the transfer.”
“Well your genome is on record so a clean delta-clone should be possible. If that’s what you desire,” Walter said before continuing, “However, it might delay our departure for Mars by at least a month.”
“Sorry, sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking,” Trinity sobbed.
Walter ruminated, “Hm, perhaps if we could derisk the situation that might allow more time.”
Feeling slightly out of his depth Naem interjected, “When you say: ‘we could derisk the situation,’ that sounds like you need our help.”
“If you are willing to help with this matter that would be marvelous,” Walter replied urbanely. “It’s rumored China is developing a super-weapon. Apparently its something the US studied but discarded because it was too dangerous.”
“I served the US but this super-weapon is news to me,” Naem stated, before adding: “how super we talking?”
“Enough to require our relocation to Mars,” Walter answered chillingly.
Trinity sat on the bed, head clasped in her hands “Gosh, you want me to investigate this super-weapon? I wouldn’t know where to start.”
Walter’s heavy gaze made Chen squirm in the vacuum of silence, Finally he burst out: “I know nothing, really. So sorry.”
Taking the steak knife from his plate, Naem said coolly, “Then what do you know – really?”
Trinity’s eyes darted between them, before she implored: “Please Mr Chen if there’s anything you can do to help…”
Chen mopped his face before continuing, “The PLA tell me nothing. If they heard I was looking for something like this…”
Naem snorted, “Huh, you must be public enemy one in China right now. So helping us hardly makes any difference.”
Chen merely shook his head despondently.
Naem advanced on the China-man, “You need to decide whose side you’re on, us or them,” reversing his grip on the blade.
Looking worried, Trinity encouraged: “Chen, you’re incredibly smart and resourceful. So how would you find out information if you had to?” placing a hand on his shoulder.
The Chinese administrator’s mouth and eyes went wide as if the words were being ripped from his body. “I know someone called Min the Maker, who lives in Hong Kong. The Guóānbù use her for translations, so she might know something. But Min is closely watched...”
Trinity looked up to Walter with a hopeful expression.
He responded: “There are eyes everywhere, if you’ll excuse the pun. I can arrange a discrete medevac to Tokyo – suggest you take it from there.”
Chapter 5
>>Xcorp submarine Light Touch, 500 m beneath surface ice of Enceladus, Saturn moon system<<
The LT spiraled down towards a stand of waving fronds anchored to Enceladus’ rocky core. Braced hand and foot in the forward cupola, Declan reported: “It looks likes some kind of vegetation – except black as night. Makes sense, I suppose, as there’s no light,” scratching his bristling beard.
Seated behind him, Walt the android commander observed: “So many suppositions… I suggest we gather ‘some’ empirical data before we attempt a hypothesis.”
“OK cap’n,” he jokingly replied, “Why don’t we see the size of this veggie empire...”
The waving fronds flattened in the submersible’s wake as they flew above the submerged forest. Their forward spots caught a giant ghost ahead. As they advanced the apparition resolved into a column of white water bubbling up from a clearing. The LT slowed and cautiously circled closer.
“There’s a mound down there in the open area and the external temperature is elevated,” Walt observed.
“Looks like a thermal vent,” Declan declared. “Though if my grand-da were here he’d say something saft. Like it’s the chimney for a fairy shee,” he said playfully.
“Let’s work with thermal vent for now,” Walt advised.
Declan scanned the frothing column of white water through a spectral binocular. “Huh-hmm. I’m seeing a whole clatter of energy, cross a range of spectra. The vent must carry all kinds of elements flushed from the core.”
“Line analysis suggests an abundance of light elements and isotopes.” Walt confirmed, staring into space.
Declan stroked his beard, “The water column looks stable. I could be out and back with samples in a jiffy.”
“Define jiffy?” Walt replied sardonically.
“Best I show you,” Declan declared, as he fixed ankle thrusters to his dry suit.
The android merely sighed.
Abruptly the vessel shook and was consumed by inky blackness.
“Registering extreme hull pressure,” Walt warned.
Cracks spread through the cupola, under a strangling mesh of black ligatures. “I’m seeing it,” Declan replied, reflexively pulling down his visor.
Sea water began to trickle into the cabin as the vessel shook in spasms. Walt smashed a panel on his chest and extracted a square component. “My memory module, everything of me is inside,” offering it to Declan.
As he reached there came a deafening roar. Water flooded the cabin, tossing Declan like a tumble-dryer. He curled and through deft thruster pulses, maneuvered to the eye of the maelstrom. As the turbulence subdued, Declan spun up his thrusters and shot through a jagged breach in the hull. Behind him in the dying light, a shadow ripped the LT in two. He ducked into the rubbery vegetation and cut his suit lights. Somehow the shiny black fronds reflected twinkles of dim light. Slowly Declan hauled himself forwards towards the source. Jesus Christ, it was a free diver, wearing barely a stitch. Just two cords crossed her chest and a pearl of light bound to her wrist for illumination. He pulsed forward and placed a hand over her mouth, pointing up to the ship eating shadow with the other. Something drew his eyes down. He blinked in disbelief. Where legs should have been was a dolphin-like tail… The girl waved a small blade she was holding and sheathed it on one of the cords. Then with a surprising burst of speed she sped away, cresting the waving vegetation. Unaccountably she slowed to look back at him.
“Crap-crap-crap!” Declan swore, peering upwards and back at the girl. Seeing no alternative, he reluctantly swam after.
–
>>Lava dome, 600 m beneath the surface of Enceladus, Saturn moon system<<
Swimming up through kelp-like strands, Declan surfaced near the edge of a lagoon. Overhead spheres of pearlescent light illuminated fifty meters or more to the cavern’s niched walls. The girl had already left the water and was effortlessly swimming through the air in reduced gravity. She alighted on a sandy beach and sat, tail tucked under, her dark eyes following him intently. Declan half-swam half-aquaplaned to the shallows then clambered onto the beach. Cautiously he stood next to the girl. She looked no older then twelve – if she was human… No sign of gills and she appeared to be breathing. He risked cracking his visor, sniffed, then took a relieved breath.
“Ain’t you a li’l darlin.’ Name’s Declan,” pointing to himself.
She nodded and said: “Shree.”
“OK Shree what were yah doing out there with that big nasty about.”
Shree sat pondering then pulled a shoulder bag to her front. Producing a seed pod she offered it with both hands, “Dec-lan.”
A string of juveniles appeared from the niches and swam slowly through the air towards them.
“Thanks, I’ll save it to later,” Declan said, pushing the pod under his belt.
The others swam closer, until they circled overhead in a jazz ballet.
“Quite a family of squibs you got there…” Declan remarked, making them dance in the air with delight. Strangely he felt light headed with euphoria…
– To be continued –