An Obsidian Sky Part 2

I picked my body up and raised myself onto my knees. Head down I asked timidly, 'who is it?'

'It's the computer George. I have been calling you for some time. What's the matter? I saw you screaming at the walls. Do you wish for me to alert the medical staff?' There was little real concern it its voice.

'No! No. Thank You. I'm alright. It's not a big deal. Just something they did to me. It's everything and its nothing. f.u.c.k it. Why am I even talking to a machine, you wouldn't understand.' I crossed my arms at the insanity of trying to explain something as complex as what was going on in my head to a machine.

'On the contrary I understand fully. Sephra prepared me for this eventuality and advised that I endeavour to make you watch his presentation on it. He claimed that this would help you on your way to understanding your gift.'

'Gift? Never mind. Okay. I'm gonna have to find out sometime. At least after everything I have just seen it might make his explanations seem a little more plausible.'

'Very well George. I am acquiring the necessary data. Data resolved. Are you ready to begin viewing?' I nodded.

'In the interests of your comfort I recommend viewing this presentation from your chair in order to avoid causing unnecessary stress to your lumbar region.

'For you information, this data-stream is not interactive. Additionally there is no further information available on your syndrome, although I can reference similar psychological conditions at your discretion. This presentation is the property of the Eternis Systems and unauthorised distribution and the revelation of any confidential information to third parties, is strictly prohibited by law.'

I settled into my seat. An expanding burst of white particles streamed into the shape of the man I remembered well. Gaining colour and resolution Sephra appeared before my person and appeared to walk towards me.

'Mr Engeltine, a pleasure. At the time of this recording we shall not have met, but you will know me well. As I am sure you are aware I will be unable to field any questions as my death might constrain my responses.'

Smiling with the mirth of a person who had just told a joke of great design he continued, 'by now you should know a little of the reasons for which we have altered your genetic code and sent you on your mission. But intrinsically you will not be aware of your syndrome and your abilities. The purpose of this presentation is to inform you of the limited information that we have on your syndrome, in order that you might be sufficiently prepared for the future. If you have any questions, that will be your problem and your problem alone. The Eternis Systems may well have an outstanding business practice, but even we do not have post-apocalyptic consumer support.' Sephra's voice quivered a little as he began to reach the heart of his presentation.

'Artefact 77-x produces in the human brain an adverse reaction of epic proportions. At an unconscious level 77-x has the ability to produce a process of thought by which the only solution is self erasure. Clinical studies suggest that the victim attempts to correct some psychological imbalance through the process of a hard reset. Unfortunately this self diagnostic does not simply impose itself upon the individual. Victims categorically believe that the world around them is saturated with the error, that this essential wrong must be corrected. In all cases of exposure the victims seek to eradicate themselves as well as their surroundings. We do not understand the mechanisms behind this, but a potential theory is that the victims are attempting to clean the environment, to make way for something. The reality of this theory is yet to be established.

'When the Ascension station produced a possible immunity to the infection our science teams immediately began medical trials. Upon initial exposure the patients appeared to recognise, at least visually, an inherent problem with themselves and the world around them. 77-x appeared to have an identical effect on them. However it became clear that the gene sequence offered to the patients had the ability to neutralise any greater effect. The discord with the world was only temporary. Deeply affective, but temporary nonetheless. As the patients were exposed more and more frequently to 77-x they began to see more and more visions, some of heaven and some of h.e.l.l. With each vision grew some greater knowledge that they could not understand. We never found out what it was that they learnt.' Sephra moved a little to the right to make way for a diagnostic screen which appeared to be displaying the medical trials' data.

'Mid-way through the trials three patients began to exhibit new symptoms. As they were locked down at night their bodies began to shift in a way that I am unable to describe. One day they simply disappeared.

'Thirteen days after their disappearance they shifted back into what we would consider reality. As they did so the other patients died. We do not understand why. A post mortem on the other subjects revealed that they had been drained of something. Some of the more radical theories made out that the returning three had drawn the very life from the other patients. Simply put, we don't have a clue.

'My theory is that something went wrong in the trials. Radiation signatures were similar to the technology found on Ascension. It is my belief that one of the station's systems may have simply eliminated the defective patients and removed the others for further study. My fears, however, may be unfounded.

'As a matter of course we questioned the patients. Their responses were certainly interesting. They described to us that they had touched upon a source of power, a reality beyond ours. They claimed that their visions had ceased because they had gained, 'a fuller understanding.' It is unclear what was meant by this.

'Further questioning yielded no further information. The patients resisted even our best efforts at information acquisition. In an effort to stop our attempts at this acquisition, they promised us a cure. As a gesture of good faith they improved the gene modification that we had developed and which ultimately you were sequenced with.

'Despite my reservations about continuing with the project on the Ascension station, the chairman of the Eternis Systems demanded further trials. The patients were authorised to have any resources they required to produce a full resistance to the artefact, not just for you but for everyone.

'After initial successes on Ascension the patients sent their final message. This was the message that was played to you in our first meeting. The transmission ended with an apparent resolution to commit suicide. It seemed that even they, the best of our creations so far, had not remained immune for long. Shortly afterwards the station issued a report which was cut off mid-stream. Around forty five minutes later all the remaining systems on Ascension became unreachable. This is about all the information that I have for you. But I do have some food for thought.

'Ascension is a station whose composition we can only dream at. Even our patients were not allowed to see anything but a glimmer of it. They were confined to the research facilities by the onboard AI. You are about to step into a world untouched by humanities downfall. We know so little about the station. Indeed we discovered it only when it revealed itself to us after our discovery of the artefacts.

'What we know is simply this. The station was the greatest construction ever undertaken during the time of the United World. Its architect had wanted to build a new Eden, free from the world which conceived it. It was to be a new world where generations of inhabitants would live and die as G.o.ds.

'I can tell you no more. So little has been told to our children about the world that existed before our own. Our own ignorance has been our downfall. We may never recover from the damage we have caused to ourselves George. But if we ever have any chance to recover what was lost, Ascension is the only way. It is now the only project of its scale left from those times.

'As always, good luck.' The holo dissolved into the air. Faint traces of light particles remained, like dead pixels on a screen.

'Message ends,' chimed the computer.

'Well that was less than useless,' I muttered, my mind still reeling from the confusing ma.s.s of typically cryptic information. The man was a frustration. Why couldn't he just say, 'this is what is wrong with you. This is how you fix it. This is what to do.'

But that would be too simple. There were never any answers, just more information and that inevitably led to more questions. It was at this point that I realised that I had put myself to bed. As the darkness drew itself around me I offered a little whimper to the silence and closed my eyes. Tomorrow would bring a new day and I would understand.

6.

Arrival I did not understand. Claxons were sounding everywhere. Alerts were being offered from all sides of the room. Orders were being shouted over comms. Whatever was said was lost in the static. Turning in my bed an image resolved itself next to me of Aeniah. The din all around me softened to allow for her voice to come through.

'Get your a.s.s out of bed George, we're nearly b.l.o.o.d.y there. Don't make me come in there and drag you to the gallery.' She disappeared.

Groggily I pulled on some clothes and staggered out of the door. The melee continued outside. The corridors were full of frantically running people. The air was filled with a frenetic energy that was contagious. Blossoming with energy my body threw itself at a run towards the elevator. As the door began to open I ran with all my speed towards them. With a crash I collided with the partially opened door.

'b.u.g.g.e.r,' I exclaimed rubbing my head as I took a breath, red faced, and made it inside.

'For future reference George, you should wait until the doors are open before charging...'

'Oh shut up,' I snapped cutting it off mid-sentence.

'Please state your floor,' it requested politely.

'CIC.'

'Going up.'

Emerging from the lift I launched myself towards the bow where I could witness what was ahead of us. I walked down the stairs leading down from the CIC and into the gallery. The gallery was a walkway suspended in the middle of a circular room that was entirely transparent. All around me I could see stars and a large point of light that was moving ever closer.

A comms holo resolved into existence next to me and began producing sound. 'Helm hard left, directional heading to dock marker A-44-C' came Aeniah's voice.

'Yes sir,' replied a husky voice.

'Tactical, establish servo connection with Ascension!'

'Establishing connection with Ascension. Connection approved. Awaiting pa.s.scode authentication. DNA. Cognative. Ascension confirms docking privileges. Beginning data up-link. Up-link confirmed.'

'Status,' Aeniah barked.

'Ascension is in low power mode. Primary systems are offline and not responding. Wake commands stalled. Ascension's systems remain in idle. Life support is available. There is limited power available. Defensive systems are partially active but recognised as friendly. No further information.'

'What?' Aeniah stated incredulously.

'Sir there are no systems, except for life support and some tag markers, available. Docking is only functional because our vessel is providing the number crunching capability and programme codes.'

'Take us in slowly then. I don't want any surprises.'

'400 kilometres...200...100...50...reverse thrust...slowing'

What was once in the distance was now in full view. It was simply beyond all words. It was the very essence of beauty, of human majesty. It was a work of art. Ascension was the most ma.s.sive thing that I had ever seen. Surrounding its outer architecture were wings like those of an angel reaching out and embracing the superstructure. The six wings, each many kilometres long, were shaped as if folding towards the building. As if in an embrace. The outer surface of Ascension was a ma.s.s of shapes, like waves that were crashing into rock. Rising above each of the thousands of waves were figures. No, they were horses, people, lions, mythical creatures, each many hundreds of times the size of their deceased equivalents. Long spines of the superstructure curved and punctured themselves through the station, creating a living image.

At the peak of Ascension there was a dancing violet aura surrounding a cl.u.s.ter of brilliant white light, collecting in a circle. It appeared as if this oasis was collecting light like water out of a desert, pooling it into a brilliant lake of dancing diamonds. The skin of Ascension was itself a ma.s.s of wonder. One minute green, the next fluttering to amber, then blue; and then for a tantalising moment it was clear. In that moment of transparency a billion points of motion and wonder could be observed before the colours shifted again. Ascension was still and isolated in a world made of nothing, literally nothing, and yet it bustled with life, with motion. It was a pure essence of beauty, of the perfect from. Ascension was in a state of perfect motion, and we were moving closer.

The little ship, a point of barely visible light, was moving its way toward the open wings of an angel. They rippled like water against gla.s.s as they meet. An embarra.s.sed motion between lovers. The world around them faded away as stars set like suns. It was as though the majesty of creation was unfolding, as two tiny points of light joined together amid the green and blue and white constellations. A moment captured forever amidst the forests of heaven.

We were gathered around in the pressure chamber placing on our protective suits.

'No weapons' Aeniah warned the guardsman to her right. 'I don't want anyone bringing anything with them that they can use to kill each other, when and if they go insane.'

In silence we pinched the seals on our suits together, turned the systems on and felt the warm breeze of the Eternis Corporation Dura-Enviro-System. The final checking finished we made our way towards the pressure doors.

With a flick from Aeniah the door turned, burst, rolled and disappeared and we made our way into darkness. Movement was difficult in the darkness but we kept walking, hands out for stability. Night vision was no use in the absolute darkness of the station. Our visor screens swiped to thermal but there was no reading. Nothing living had been here in a long time. The air had become stagnant and an acrid taste worked its way along my pallet. As the corridor between the ship and the station widened we came to the realisation that we had emerged into one of the docking platforms of Ascension. We turned to Aeniah who had been the only one with the foresight to switch on her suits torches. We all felt quite stupid that we had forgotten to turn ours on. The nerves had gotten to all of us.

'Idiots,' she muttered over the comms. Soon everyone had activated their torches, but little could be seen. It appeared that the room we were in was of such large proportions that the beams from our weak torches could not reach from one end of the room to the other. Instead they faded infinitely to a point and no further.

'Get me the Remote-Drone-Unit,' Aeniah stated.

'Confirmed, CIC will acquire RDU for Aeniah' said a nameless character somewhere in the darkness.

A creaking came to me audibly. I spun, searching with my torches, but could see nothing. Again I heard it from the same area. It creaked again and then again. Something was out there. Something was watching us. I could feel its eyes burning holes into me. Something grabbed my shoulder.

'Are you okay,' asked Aeniah in a comforting voice. Well for her it was comforting but in reality it felt cold and stilted.

'Fine. It's just...nothing,' I managed. I was certain that I was going crazy. I felt as though I was seeing things, first in my room and now here. I wondered if what they had done to me could have caused me to go a little crazy, but I thought better of it. I certainly didn't feel crazy. Aeniah just nodded and turned to a faint blue light.

'About time Sean,' she said to the light.

'My apologies Aeniah, I needed to be transferred to this device. The process takes a little while.'

'Computer?' I inquired, recognising instantly the unflappable voice of the ship.

'Yes George I am the computer. Aeniah calls me by my original name for the purpose of continuity.'

'You knew each other from before?' I asked. If they had been able to see my eyebrows, they would have been raised.

'Of course, Aeniah and I have a longstanding past...'

'Enough,' Aeniah huffed, 'you need to get me some b.l.o.o.d.y systems online before I throw your perfectly spherical a.s.s into a power distributer.'

The blue light turned and revealed a small sphere no bigger that a fist suspended in the air as if by magic. The blue light at the front appeared to function, I supposed, as an eye.

'It is difficult. So little has been left responsive. I can perhaps get the systems to boot independently of the network. This would allow access to lighting and door controls, but with the AI down there is little chance of other systems being capable of functioning. Do you want me to execute this plan?' Sean enquired.

'That would be lovely,' replied Aeniah dryly, 'and whilst you're at it how about giving this place a little heat.'

Just as Aeniah finished talking a faint holo appeared somewhere in the distance. Then another, and another, until images made of light resolved in front of us. The language was unfamiliar. It was not written in symbol characters but some sort of fluid squiggle. It dragged itself from one end to the other and did not appear to move in columns. A piercing pain hit my head and suddenly the words rearranged themselves into something familiar. Then they were back as they were before and the headache was gone. I was becoming convinced that I was crazy. I drew in my breath sharply, I had to stay sane enough to do my job.

Aeniah moved towards the holo. Scanning the texts and images she pointed with her finger and said, 'this way.' She moved forwards with purpose. We followed behind her in formation. Well they were in formation, I was simply in a position that I thought made sense.

We arrived at a larger holo, something that appeared to be a console. Aeniah and Sean seemed to spend an eternity a.n.a.lysing it. My thoughts turned to Adrian. He was lying there alone on a slab, in a tank, under some surgical equipment, being worked on. I felt guilty for having forgotten about him in the excitement of the moment. I thought back to the early days when we had walked along the hills talking of what could have been, what might have been. Back then the world had been easy. Then it all happened so fast. I remember the pain, the anguish; I saw the sorrow in his eyes. I had tried to help, I really did. But I keep seeing his eyes, his face, like I could see into his soul, or at least the pieces I had taken from him.

'George!' screamed Aeniah's voice. 'Get your a.s.s to that waypoint or you and I are going to have a serious falling out.'

I moved towards the location that was flashing on my wrist screen. The waypoint was labelled door aperture opening. Aeniah and I were side by side as we moved towards the door. Crossing the threshold we did not know what to expect. The unease we felt was being shared between us. Feeding one another's apprehension we moved forwards into the unknown.

A violent slashing sound pierced the silence of the station. We spun in unison and our torches illuminated a freshly closed door. The door we had just been through.

'Tactical this is Aeniah, what the f.u.c.k just happened...tactical...tactical?'

We were alone. Aeniah, the faint blue light and I. We were alone.

7.

A Sleeping Dragon We were not alone. There was a gasping ahead of us. The faint scratching of claws against metal could be heard distinctly in the distance. Aeniah looked towards me. I knew now that I had not been the only one hearing it.

'Sean, what is that?' Aeniah whispered through her teeth.

The noise from Aeniah's lips must have been picked up by the thing in front of us. In an instant it could be heard rushing towards us, growling as if through barred teeth. Aeniah grabbed my shoulder and we ran. I could not tell you where. We just kept moving, faster and faster. No matter how we ran, whatever was behind us was still there.

Rounding the next corner Aeniah flashed out her arm and from it flew a huge spark that exploded against something. Visible for that moment the creatures face could be glimpsed. It had no lips, its teeth were long and jagged, its skin was white and oozing fluid. Great red holes perforated its abdomen as the shot hit. But still it continued towards us. I almost thought I heard it laughing.

Seized with terror I dragged Aeniah around the next corner. Then another. We ran at a tremendous speed, but it was not fast enough. The monster was getting closer. Aeniah discharged yet more sparks into the creature, but this had little effect. It staggered only for a second, and then continued after us faster than ever.

Sliding as we turned, Aeniah lost her footing and crashed to the ground. Her lights went out instantly. I spun on my heel racing back towards her. I could hear the stampeding feet of the creature and knew that it was seconds away. It was meters from us now. It was close enough to smell. Part way through lifting Aeniah to her feet a colossal impact punctured my body and I was on the ground feet away.

Aeniah screamed but I could not see her. Terrified beyond all belief my mind began to separate itself from reality. Searching for an energy I did not have, my mind connected to some innermost repository of knowledge and blinding light filled my vision. Like before the light danced and spun about the surfaces. It appeared from no apparent source and moved outwards like spears. Ahead of me the creature was visible, making its way towards Aeniah. She screamed again and one of those spears leapt towards the creature. In that instant, it was gone.

Running towards Aeniah I grabbed hold of her hand and ran. Possessed by some abstract thought I followed some path laid out by providence in my head and we arrived. I am not sure where we arrived, but I knew it was someplace of significance. Yet it was too dark to see.

'What the f.u.c.k was that?' Aeniah demanded after we had caught our breath. She was staring straight at me accusingly.

'I don't know,' I returned truthfully.

'I do,' chimed a musical voice ahead of us. Sean was humming to himself as he glided around the room revealing strange half-seen instruments and architecture from his blue glowing body as he moved. The stupid machine had not even bothered to help.

'What?' stated Aeniah, 'how can you know what that is?'

'Simple, you asked me to find out and I did. Well at least partially.'