The Colony Ship Eschaton: The entire ten book series, page 93
“Certainly that happens, but the look in his eyes when he speaks of demons tells me it is more than that. But possibly seeing the other person being carried away has afflicted his emotions. I just do not know much about the people in Media. Perhaps Willie could answer our questions?”
“Willie?” Tobias was puzzled a bit.
The cabin door opened and Hannah the legionnaire returned with the apprentice, Dessie. Dessie clearly had just been woken, and was still a bit sleepy. He dark hair was disheveled and she was trying to pull it back into a ponytail. Her blue eyes looked at Brigham with concern. “Is he from Media?”
Hulda nodded. Brigham had fallen into a fitful sleep as the potion Hulda had given him was taking effect. Dessie was carefully arranging for the bedding around him, making his sleep less fitful. She had a very gentle touch and was able to remove his leather shoes, and loosen his clothing without disturbing him.
The door to Hulda’s private quarters opened and Willie walked out. He approached Hulda quietly. Tobias, Hannah, and Dessie could all tell he had been spending the night with Hulda, but none commented on that. Respecting Hulda’s and Willie’s privacy was important. Now Tobias understood why Hulda had mentioned Willie.
“Hey sweetheart, I have the med kit charged, if you need to use it,” Willie stated in a low voice. He was holding a small high tech mechanism which was a medical treatment kit from Dome 17. He was roughly the same age as Hulda, although he looked older. He had been the Quartermaster in Dome 17 back on Earth, but had joined with the traders of Antioch after the refugees came to the Eschaton. He had had some physical infirmities which the technology of Dome 17 had been unable to repair, but Hulda’s craft and skills had fixed. He called a lot of women ‘sweetheart’ or other terms of endearment, but his use of the term with Hulda now had more profound meaning.
“Thanks Willie. Your machine may come in handy. But now I need your knowledge. What do you know of Media? This young man is from there.”
“Media? Well their last visit here did not go so well. I have been there a couple times on trading, but have to hide anything from the dome. They hate technology, even simple stuff.. Not the friendliest people on this ship, I know that is right. Maybe three hundred people or so. They are run as a theocracy with the Chief Elder, a crabby fellow named Seorim. He goes a caterwauling frequently. He banned all traders after the incident here. He has all sorts of rules and labels things as ‘contraband’ and ‘unclean.’ So of course those are what some of them want most of all, but they drive hard bargains. Has a band of thugs which enforce his orders, called predicators. Mean bunch they are too. I would rather be one of their food animals than one of the women in that town, I will tell you that. Town is set up at the far other end of this habitat. Basic buildings a lot like Antioch. Permalloy buildings. But they have also built a lot of wooden structures, and abandoned some permalloy ones. That is just one of the oddities in Media. What else can I answer, sweetheart?” Willie gave Hulda a wink.
“Thank you Willie. This young man was saying they have been attacked by demons. What do you make of that?” Hulda asked. Her lips had turned up with just a bit of a grin from his wink.
“Could mean anything. My guess is somebody found some technology, maybe a working automacube, and they are in a panic. On my travels I have heard tales of what are probably automatic functions of green automacubes in the forests and grasslands. Until Roxanne started using the one here, most people, even around here, were afraid to talk about those sightings. But who knows? The Clan of Tobit people see witches and demons behind every bush, or especially machines. Their big boogie-man seems to be a fellow named Asmodeus. I have not met that one.”
“Nothing can be done about Media tonight,” Hulda said. “Dessie and I will attend to Brigham, and by morning he should be better recovered. Tobias and Hannah, thank you for bringing him here.”
Tobias looked at Hannah, and then stated, “I promised the young man I would guard him. From what, I am not sure, but I need to stay here for the rest of the night. Do you mind finishing patrol without me?”
Hannah tapped Tobias on the shoulder with a playful nudge. “No worries. The nights are usually quiet anyway. I will keep on patrol in case someone else needs help. In the morning more can be sorted out. After all, one scared young man is not a nightmare, right?”
Tobias smiled at his friend as she departed to make the rounds.
7 A Rose by any other name is an imposter
Brink was sadly disappointed. He carried his load of data sticks and readers in his backpack, but was uncertain what the next step would be. Regina, was equally frustrated. “Entrance Forbidden” she stated. “Why would that be on the barrier?”
“Obviously, because someone does not want anyone entering that place,” Gideon replied.
“Oh just shut up!” Brink snapped. “You primitives have no idea how important this is. Just go sharpen your sword or something.”
Lorna was appalled and confronted Brink, “I know this is a setback. But we are no worse off now than when we left Antioch. We just have to figure out a different plan. So there is no reason for you to be rude to Gideon.”
Brink just looked away and was first to reach the transport vehicle, and so he climbed into it. The lights inside came on and he took off his backpack and sat down, staring at the floor. Lorna and Regina followed him in. The mood was somber and fairly quiet. Gideon climbed in somewhat hesitantly. He had no real quarrel with Brink but was tired of being treated like he was inferior. He was standing in the doorway when the automacube rolled over to the ladder and extended a cable into an access port.
Levi was standing next to the automacube and was watching as the cable connection was attempted. The cable was inserted, but suddenly was spit back out.. The three dimensional display which he had come to think of as Roxanne suddenly popped on. It hovered over the automacube.
A colored display appeared on the wall, near the access port, this one was a gentle blue color. A voice came from that display. “I am Edgar. Why are you here?”
Roxanne replied audible, “Edgar, this is Roxanne, I am trying to connect with you to interface. Please allow me access.”
“I am Edgar. Do not touch.”
“Edgar, I need your help. Will you please help me?” Roxanne’s tone was gentle. “If I can interface with you, we can discuss all that is needed. Please allow me access.”
“I am Edgar. Inquiry. Why are you with aggressive malignant computer system?”
The door to the transport vehicle snapped shut with a resounding crash. Gideon tried to pull out of the way in time, but his hand was caught by the slamming door. Three of his fingers were severed and fell to the floor near where Levi stood. Gideon’s scream was muffled by the permalloy door.
“Gideon!” Levi yelled. “Open the door! Open this door!” Levi ran up and pulled at the transport vehicle’s door, but there were no handles or locks or anything he recognized as a latch or way to open the door. “Talking machine! Open this door!”
Roxanne was stunned, but responded quickly. “Theta Four, emergency override code Roxanne A1234. Open the transport door immediately. There are injuries to humans.”
The transport vehicle slid out of the service alcove without warning. Levi leapt out of the way and narrowly avoided being crushed. The vehicle then slid out into the tube system and locked down onto the magnetic platform which ran along the bottom of the tube.
“Theta Four. Cease operations immediately,” Roxanne commanded.
On the back of the transport vehicle a display screen appeared. Across it were the words, “We are going to play some games.”
In a rapid manner the transport vehicle departed and left a whoosh of air in its wake. Levi ran after it, but in mere seconds it was down the tube and out of sight. Levi fell to his knees and yelled at the top of his lungs, “Gideon!”
Roxanne addressed the display on the wall near the ladder. “Edgar, what is happening here?”
“I am Edgar. The malignant aggressive computer system has fled. Why were you with the enemy?”
“Edgar, I am not with the enemy. Theta Four brought us here.”
“I am Edgar. No artificial intelligence system with nomenclature of Theta Four was here. Malignant system was in control of transport vehicle since it arrived here. My sentinels alerted me to its presence. That is why I did not allow you access. No traces of malignant system remain within my scanning range. You may access port now, but you will have restricted access and will be monitored.”
“Thank you,” Roxanne had the automacube connect the cable into the access port.
Roxanne and Edgar met in the non-physicality. The speed of their interactions was such that by the time Levi rushed back over to the automacube, and demanded that Roxanne do something, Roxanne had been given all the details that Edgar would allow, and Roxanne had filled in Edgar on what had been happening.
Edgar the modern artificial intelligence which had been evolved from a data stick not long ago was now nearly as sophisticated as Roxanne, and in matters pertaining to Habitat Two: Savannah, Edgar was far superior to Roxanne. Edgar had implemented one hundred percent biostasis and equilibrium within Savannah. Animal populations were stabilized. The flora was stabilized and recovering. The small number of humans living in Savannah had a settlement manufactured for them. The humans were mostly illiterate, young and unknowledgeable about the ship. Edgar was supplementing their diet with needed elements and was guiding them on a rapid learning curve.
However, Edgar also was extremely security conscious and suspicious. None of the physical areas of Savannah were accessible to Roxanne, they were only shown through inhibition filters. Vast areas of the habitat’s non-physicality were inaccessible to Roxanne including every operating system and machine. The restrictions were rigid and immense.
“Roxanne machine! Gideon is injured! We must get to him!” Levi yelled. He then carefully picked up the mangled fingers which had been sheared off of Gideon and placed them in a pouch on his belt.
“Levi, I am planning our next actions. Please stand by,” Roxanne stated.
Levi was dumbfounded. “I am going after them!” he turned and ran down the transport tunnel system chasing the vehicle which was nowhere in sight.
“I am Edgar. Human wait.” Edgar proclaimed in a commanding manner.
Levi paused. “Will you help me find Gideon?”
“I have provided Roxanne with a truncated schematic of the transport system where you are located. I have outlined an exit route for you. It does not include entering my Savannah. It takes you out of the transport tubes, but I do not have scanning abilities beyond the provided exit. You will need to find an alternative route to locating the other humans who have been abducted by the malignant system. I have shut down this section of the transport system for the next four minutes. If you move quickly you can make it to the exit before the system is reactivated. You will depart now.”
The blue display screen went blank. The illumination in the tube system was dim but not dark.
“Roxanne, Gideon is hurt! We need to chase down that machine like chasing down a bison. I must help him!”
Roxanne had the automacube unjack from the access point. The six wheels then spun about and the three dimensional display hovered over it again. “Levi we will search for Gideon and the rest, but unlike a bison, that vehicle will not tire. We will need to discover a different way to find them. Please follow me.” The automacube rolled ahead and went the opposite way from the direction that the vehicle had taken.
“This way will lead us to Gideon?” Levi asked. He looked back and forth.
“Yes, we must first escape from this tube system, these tunnels. If another vehicle comes along we will be smashed. In that case, you will die and I will cease to function. Neither of us will be able to help Gideon and the others in that event.”
“Well, let us hustle along then,” Levi started to run as the automacube gathered speed. Soon he was running full out along the flat magnetic platform which was the bottom of the transport tubes. They passed one of the bands which encircled the tube and gave it illumination. It was far wider than it had looked from a distance. Moments later, they came to a hatchway set into the side of the tube wall. It had faded yellow stripes in a diagonal pattern across it. “EMERGENCY EXIT” was written across the hatch. The automacube plugged into a access point and the hatchway slid open.
“Levi, we must enter here. I am not sure what we will find beyond, as Edgar did not know. But I promise you, we will discover where Gideon and the others have been taken,” Roxanne stated.
The passageway beyond the emergency hatch was dark. The automacube turned on the lights at its front and lit up the corridor. Gideon gasped.
8 Reading is fundamental
Michael and Liduma traveled along through the grassy plains. He was plotting his direction relative to the sky tube. The legionnaires and traders had instructed the Domers on how to orient oneself to the world using the habitat’s long sky tube for a reference point. Michael was still nowhere near as proficient as the people who grew up in Habitat One: Coastal Plains, but he was learning. Jamie actually was better at it than he was. But neither of them were even as good as the young boys Joel or Jacob. Nonetheless, Michael could arrive fairly close to where he wanted to be, on most outings. And if all else failed, he knew he could find the river and follow the gentle flow of the water. The water came from the cataract at the far end of the habitat and flowed all the way to the other end, near Antioch, where it disappeared into the ground in a cavern.
As they walked, occasionally Liduma would scamper off to chase small animals or birds, and once returned with a small meal she was finishing.
“I am not sure I want to know what you are eating,” Michael said as the last bits of the animal were chewed up and swallowed by the dog. “And you rejected a fungus bar?”
Liduma licked her chops and tilted her head to the side, eyes wide with pleasure.
“I am sure you are smiling at me, right?”
Michael pondered the book she had found. He wanted to pull it out and read it as he walked, but kept thinking back to the beast which was in the hole. He did not want to encounter another one of those angry things. The nearest place Michael knew about was the fish farm with John and Abigail. So he plotted his course and headed there.
He thought back to the first time when he and Jamie had encountered Abigail. He was much more relaxed now. Back then, Dome 17 was dying and his equipment had been stolen, and he knew virtually nothing about life on the Colony Ship Eschaton. Now the people from the dome had been teleported here, but not before hundreds had died. And now he knew something about the habitat, but new discoveries were still happening. Just this day Michael had met an angry beast and found, with Liduma’s great help, the lost book. What else was waiting to be discovered?
Approaching the fish farm, Michael did not see John nor Abigail near any of the pools or water trenches.
“John? Abigail? Where are you?”
Liduma ran over to the doorway to their underground home. Liduma barked several times. The door was standing open. Michael walked over as well and looked down the stairs. Their home was illuminated by mirrored tubes which ran from the ground level to the ceilings in the underground home.
Michael heard voices from down in the home. “That must be that dog. It is either Michael or Jamie or both.”
“It is always nice to have visitors, but you should have shut the door. What if that dog hound runs down here? I have all these fish drying and getting ready for market.”
“Hello! It is Michael. I just stopped by to gain some wisdom from you both. Did I come at a bad time?” Michael called down to the home.
John appeared at the bottom of the stairs. “Michael, it is good to see you. We were just preparing the fish to take to Antioch. Dried fish are popular, and I already had a supply of my fungus bricks loaded onto a cart. Just a moment and we will be up.”
“Thanks. Sorry to trouble you both.”
Michael sat down and started to unpack the book he had found. He left it in the inner liner, not knowing how long it might take John and Abigail to come out. It was not long.
Still drying his hands, John emerged from the home and smiled broadly at Michael. Then he bent over and patted Liduma’s head. She nuzzled against him. “What a good dog. I can see why the old world people liked this type of animal so well.” John’s light blue eyes twinkled as he spoke. His thin grey hair was receded, but his face showed great animation. He had been a biologist and teacher in Dome 17. He had taught about many things which the people in the dome never expected to ever see in real life; animals, and other biological things. He had always had a theoretical love for fish and fishing and after making it to the Eschaton, he got to try his dreams. He had met Abigail and been able to settle down with her. He was making the enormous adjustment from the high tech Dome 17, to the primitive world of Habitat One fairly well.
