6.1: Corporation X Lab
Lights flickered, as information was being received on the life stabilizer: DNA analysis was complete. A message device connected to a high frequency channel, and sent a request attaching a DNA code. The chamber glowed and then there was silence – nothing moved no lights shone out. To the uninitiated, it would appear that the machinery had malfunctioned - but it was just waiting.
In the Soul Depository in the Altima Galaxy on an unnamed ice planet, a woman in white robes collected received data on an information wrist device. She slowly walked into the main chamber, which was a circular room with a raised panel in the middle. The walls were lined by glass containers stacked one on top of the other, up to the glass and star-studded ceiling. She placed her wrist over the panel, it attached itself for a few seconds, then released again.
A robotic arm moved around with a suction device attached to it; the arm connected to a container, opened it up and sucked the glowing light out. The arm moved to the transportation machine and blew the light inside. The machine’s screen flickered revealing a map of the Milky Way Galaxy, and a plotter moved across each star system and calibrated to calculate the right destination for the soul inside. Then there was a bleeping sound, the light was gone and the soul had transferred.
The next soul was readied by the robot arm, and was blown into the device. The screen flickered into life; the cross hairs moved over the map and rested over the Diso System. The bleeping sound returned and again the light within had gone.
A light entered the darkness of the lab room, and was received by a clear plastic clam flap, which snapped closed a moment after. The machine began to whir again, and lights returned and energy beams began to flash up and down the re-enforced plastic screen of the pod. It was scanning and building a skeleton framework, checking back to the DNA code and continuing it function.
Reeves opened up the next morning and immediately noticed the changes.
‘That is amazing, how is that happening?’ he said to himself.
Reginald, his assistant arrived, some minutes later and was taken aback by the commotion.
‘Tony, what is happening?’ he asked
‘It’s an experiment,’ he said, ‘I wanted to see how this worked, got someone to fund it let’s say.’
‘Oh, a favour for a friend?’
‘Something like that. Let’s just say there is a bonus in it for you if you keep quiet.’
‘You know me Tony; I wouldn’t have been employed by Corp. X if I couldn’t keep a secret. Who is she anyway?’
Skin had started to be added and you could just make out the outline of a female form.
‘She’s going to be a pretty thing who ever she is,’ he continued.
‘I can’t tell you who she is. I have no idea myself: just got given a strand of hair and asked if I could reproduce her, that’s it,’ replied Tony.
‘How much energy is that thing radiating anyway? It appears to be extracting information at an alarming rate. I’m going to run some tests on this,’ replied Reginald.
He moved over to the draws and pulled out an anode/cathode measuring device, set it up to record the transfer rate next to the device. The needle swung into action, and was registering a reading off its calibration.
‘This data transfer rate is unprecedented. It’s quicker then anything we have seen before. This is very exciting, we are going to have to get the backroom boys to make us another machine!’ said Reginald excitedly.
‘No. I don’t want anyone else involved in this experiment, it stays within this lab and that’s it,’ said Tony.
‘How are we going to measure this device, without the right equipment?’ asked Reginald.
‘This experiment never took place. Is that clear?’ said Tony firmly.
‘Yes, of course,’ said a stunned Reginald.
‘We stand to make ourselves a pretty profit if we can do this and keep it off record. I don’t want anyone to know. If anyone asks us about this experiment, or anyone happens to notice what we are up to, say that we are running a cleaning program, after the circuits had become corrupted by a bad file. No one is allowed in here for the next four days: no cleaners, no maintenance and most important no management.
‘I suggest we put a sign up on the door and lock it to notify a contaminated area and for no one to enter due to this. We can walk in here in protective suits and once in lock the door behind us: no one will know the difference.’ said Reginald triumphantly.
‘Good thinking Reg., now let’s get set up, send an internal mail with a warning sign attached, so everyone in the building gets the message,’ said Tony.
I’ll go get us a couple of suits to wear for the next four days,’ said Reginald.
‘Okay, I’ll stay here and shut this place down as a contaminated area.’
Reginald went off to supplies whilst Tony started blacking out the windows, sealed them with warning tape and began to shut down all the computer equipment in the room — as was standard procedure.
Reginald returned some minutes later with the suits. He had cleverly worn one back into the room, had made a point of telling as many people as he could about the contamination and shutdown.
‘Dam!’ said Tony, we’ve forgotten to send an internal message, have you done it Reg.?’
‘No, I was going to do it on my return.’
‘Okay, let’s not worry about that now. Everything is running fine in here, she’s coming along nicely.’
Tony put his suit on and both men left the laboratory, locked and sealed the door behind them.
‘Fancy a trip to the horses Reg.?’ asked Tony.
‘Why not; if you say we are going to be rich.’
‘Grace?’ said Director, Sam Humphries’ over his intercom system.
‘Yes Sam?’ said a warm kind voice back.
‘I heard in the lobby that there’s been a shut down in lab twenty-five. I’ve not received an internal notification, have you?’
‘No nothing,’ replied Grace.
‘Can you get my air-board out for me? I’m going to have to have a look myself and whilst your at it, my contamination suit?’
‘Okay Sam, I’ll have both ready for you as soon as possible.’
6.2: Race Day
Avery arrived at Frank & Louis soon after seven. Frank was waiting with his briefcase, handcuffed around his wrist and the handle. He wasn’t taking any chances.
‘Get in Frank,’ said Avery as he pulled up to the curb with the window down.
‘Well Captain Avery, this is a pleasant surprise, I thought you had gone for good. Louis told me the plan and we are both grateful; I have the information in this case, I will give it to you when we have done the casino over.’
‘A change of plan,’ said Avery.
‘What do you mean?’ said Frank.
‘We are off to the races after we have been to the casino. I have a guaranteed certain in the 4.15.’
‘Okay Avery, if you’re sure you know what you are doing, I’m not going to argue with you.’
They sped off through the city centre passing Bariki Bar as they went.
‘Louis told me that Henry, at Bariki Bar, seemed to know a thing or two about what happened to Marie?’ asked Avery.
‘Yes, he seems to hear all the rumours. There is one going round about him, that he passes on information he overhears to The Council, that he is on their payroll, an informer if you want to call him anything,’ said Frank.
‘How did the assassin know to follow the hyperspace trail back to Diso? Was it because she had followed us, and why was that? Why had she followed us in the first place?’ asked Avery.
‘I wouldn’t know,’ said Frank plainly.
‘I think I’m beginning to figure this out.’
The car moved through the city streets, sky-taxis passed by overhead, Louis looked up through the sunroof and felt a sense of loss, as he remembered the countless times Marie had picked him up, after work, and taken him to today’s
current destination.
‘Look Avery,’ he began, ‘I liked the girl, and she was a good type. Thing is, I wouldn’t put it past Henry to have said something to The Council regarding what he knew.’
‘Similar to what I was thinking.’
‘Did you visit Bariki Bar?’
‘Yes before Phillips and I visited your yard.’
‘Did Phillips have a clean slate? What I mean was anyone likely to be keeping tabs on either of you?’
‘Phillips, he just got out after turning state evidence.’
‘Wow! That’s enough to get The Council’s interest. From what I hear, they are keen to rid this galaxy of pirates. I heard from Henry, that they are co-operating with the Federation, Republic and Empire intelligence services.’
‘I guess I had been too long out of the loop in Veedfa to have picked up on that change,’ said Avery, with gritted teeth.
‘Veedfa, I’ve heard of that place,’ replied Frank.
‘Really? - I guess you read that Phillips was last spotted there, as I did in the papers yesterday.’
‘Yes, that’s where I saw it. How come he’s out there? I looked that place up. No government control - a lawless place where anarchy rules - dangerous if you ask me.’
‘Yes, it is the wild edge of the galaxy. Beyond that, it is unexplored, only mining vessels daring to risk the uncertainties that may lurk in the black unknown fringes.’
Avery had to take the long route around the Government District due to the restrictions on traffic during the day, although the threat of a terrorist attack seemed so remote that drivers on the ground and in the sky had become resentful of the arbitrary measure that inconvenienced their day.
Avery felt increasingly uncomfortable sitting in traffic. A siren went off and a police car sped past, going the other way. A remote controlled windscreen cleaner landed on the windshield and began moving up and down. Some homeless guy at the controls: Avery chucked him some coins from his pants. The pressure in his head began to lift.
‘Are you alright Avery? You seem a little distracted?’ asked Frank, ‘the light, it saying ‘go’.’
‘Ay yes, I was light years away,’ replied Avery, ‘must be suffering time shift fatigue. I’ll be okay after a jug of coffee!’
‘Here, we’re nearing a coffee vendor at the next lights. Aliga makes the best in Diso City. I often used to ask Marie . . . Ah Sorry. . .’
‘No it’s okay, go on,’ said Avery.
‘I used to get her to drive down through these lights, just to get a cup. Here ask for two.’
‘Two coffees please,’ said Avery, as Aliga appeared with his ornate coffee pot which he lifted up and down into two small cups.’
‘This stuff will bring you back to life,’ said Frank.
‘Thanks,’ said Avery to Aliga as he passed over one hot cup to Frank and took one himself.
‘You are most welcome sir.’
‘How much do I owe you?’
‘That will be two Federal Franks,’ replied Aliga.
‘Here,’ said Avery, as he dug around in his pants, ‘here you go.’
‘Thank you sirs,’ Aliga said waving his latest customers off, as the lights turned to “Go”.
‘What do you think?’ said Frank as he saw Avery tasting his first sip.
‘This is some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted. No straight up.’
‘I told you it was good,’ said a smug Frank.
‘I wonder where he gets his supply from.’
‘Like anyone around: there is only one place.’
‘Yes I know. This though, tastes like a rare hillside blend. It tastes fruity almost refreshing.’
‘Bit of a connoisseur are we Captain?’
‘You could say that. I would love to find a way to get to the mysterious system 1º4774.’
‘It’s just a code, no good hunting for something that probably doesn’t exist.’
‘There must be a way of finding it. Oh well, I’ll just keep on drinking the stuff until I do.’
Avery made his way into the Hotel District. On the outskirts, the Sky Restaurant was a clear beacon to follow, to take him up to the hotel’s entrance, where a robot valet was waiting eagerly to drive the next vehicle into the underground car park.
‘At least they won’t expect a tip when we come out,’ joked Frank.
No prying eyes to see who we are, and what we are up to,’ said Avery as he passed his hire car charger lug over to the outstretched robot hand of the valet.
‘Thank you sir,’ said the valet.
6.3: Arumba Casino
Frank had been here more times than he cared to remember, but this time it felt different. He took his briefcase to the cash-counter and traded in his FF100, 000 for a case full of chips.
Avery ushered him in the direction of the cubes table. ‘Have you ever played on the cubes Frank?’ asked Avery.
‘No I haven’t, looks too complex, all these different sections: I just don’t get it.’
‘It’s all depends on what your lucky numbers are Frank.’
‘Well I have always thought my daughter’s birthday was a good number. It has bought me a bit of luck on the lottery, but I have never put that into action in a casino,’ said Frank.
‘What’s the number, her day of birth?’ Avery asked.
She was born on the twenty-second.’
‘Well, that’s no good. You can’t get twenty-two with two cubes! What about another number? What about your wife Frank; when was she born?’
Oh, it’s either the sixth or eighth, I can never remember.’
‘That’s no good either. What about you Frank, when were you born?’
Oh, that’s a good one! I was born on the eleventh.’
Okay, that’s good; we’re at the cube table, so let’s throw some elevens.’
‘Like I said Avery, I’ve never throw cubes before, let alone in a casino.’
‘Don’t worry Frank, just play it safe; put small bets on the 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 fields and I will go for the big money on eleven at 15:1. You will win 2:1 on 2 and 12 and get 1:1 on the others.’
The men took their positions at the table; a gold hovering robot lowered a pair of cubes into each man’s hands and Avery put FF90, 000 on the eleven. Frank put FF10 on the discussed field. Frank’s hands were visibly shaking as the hovering robot registered their bets.
‘Player one: FF90, 000 on . . . eleven, and for you sir player two: FF10 on the 2, 3, 4, 9, 20, 11, 12 field. Player one to throw first.’
Avery lifted up his cuffed wrist showing off his lucky six cube cuff links. He felt the weight of the cubes in his hands did an odd calculation in his head and threw the cubes down the table.
Frank’s world seemed to be going in slow motion and he closed his eyes as the cubes stopped. The attendant robot hovered over them and gave the result.
‘Five . . . and . . . six: eleven, you win,’ the robot produced a ticket out the bottom of its body and hovered over Avery so he could rip off the chitty.
‘How are you doing Frank?’ he asked so coolly that Frank started to become even more unnerved than he was before.
‘Ju..just fine,’ he stuttered.
Frank lifted up his hands to throw the cubes and let rip. The cubes flew down the table, hit the end and launched high into the air, collided and landed.
‘Three and three: six,’ said the robot, ‘you loose.’
‘Never mind Frank, how about going for a bigger bet?’ said Avery.
‘Up to you Avery, you’re the controller here.’
‘Okay, let’s go for two sixes: my favourite!’ said Avery with a steely look in his eyes.
‘Are you sure about this Avery?’ asked Frank who was now sweating and feeling his collar.
Avery ignored him, and put the remaining FF9, 990 worth of chips on double six at 30:1. Frank just stood and watched a master at work as Avery again weighed the cubes in his hands as his eyes narrowed he launched the cubes down the table. Frank’s head began to
spin as the dice hit the backboard and landed neatly together. The robot span its propellers and hovered over the result.
‘Six and . . . . six: twelve, you win,’ moved and hovered over Avery and produced another chitty.
‘Let’s go Frank,’ said Avery as he made his way to the cashier booth to collect FF1, 740, 690.
Frank ordered from the cashier the biggest banknote he could FF1, 000, and stuffed his briefcase full of his (what he considered as) loot. Even though there was nothing wrong in the way that he had gained it, only that the casino was unaware of Avery’s professional status. He fastened the handcuffs back around his wrist and proceeded to follow Avery out of the exit.
A large red robot moved to block his exit whilst Avery had made it to the door before the robot could block his escape. The robot said in a pre-programmed voice:
‘We have our suspicions that you may be on the Federation’s wanted list. Prepare to undergo a full body scan.’ The robot lifted up a silvery clear tube and placed it fully over Frank. The mechanism glowed as if it had taken a 360º impression of his entire body. The tube lifted and on the robot’s chest, he could see an identification process being carried out on a screen.
Avery was stood behind the robot now and was ready to pull its leads out, when Frank caught his eye and shook his head.
‘No Avery, it’s fine, I’m clean.’
Avery stopped. The screen continued showing body profiles of various rogues of the space lanes, dodgy former political figures, young speedsters and prostitutes. “Ping”, went a load noise from the robots head.
‘No match, you are free to leave. Apologies for the inconvenience; have a nice day.’
Frank moved as soon as he could as the robot withdrew from the doorway.
‘Few, that was close,’ said Frank, ‘they might have stopped you Avery, then what?’
‘They didn’t did they?’ Avery replied. He knew that if he had tried this on his own he would have been caught. ‘Let’s just get out of here and to the race track. We have some more betting to do today Frank. Anywhere around here to get something good to eat? I’m starving.’
‘Yes, there’s Willies’ Diner, he does a great brunch, just the thing for a day like today.’
Avery drove whilst Frank gave directions.
‘I can’t think on an empty stomach,’ said Avery, as they settled down in Willies. A middle-aged lady, bored of her job, asked what they wanted.
‘I’ll have the full brunch,’ said Avery.
‘Me too,’ said Frank.
‘Ok so two full brunches; coffee with that?’ she asked.
‘Yes a jug of coffee between us,’ said Frank.
Avery had noticed that somebody had left a paper on the barstool nearest to Frank’s back.
‘Frank, pass me that paper behind you?’ he insisted.
‘Frank grabbed the paper and passed it over the table. Avery shook it open and Frank saw that it was the Diso Gazette. Avery shuffled through the pages towards the back.
‘You’re checking the horses Avery?’ asked Frank.
‘Yes. Ah, here we go 4.14: Prophet’s Dream 5:1.’
6.4: Neighbourly Visit
Rackham was not used to social calls and felt a bit silly in his best suit - holding a bunch of flowers instead of a laser-gun at a door was also something novel. “Bing bong” went the ornate doorbell of the grand stately home.
‘Just coming,’ shouted a male voice some distance behind the door. Rackham waited, finally the door swung open and a man, of similar age to him, stood there with a puzzled look on his face.
‘Can I help you?’ he asked.
‘Yes you can, take these for a start,’ said Rackham, handing over the bunch of flowers.
‘Thanks, but I still don’t know who you are,’ said Charlie
‘Jacob Rackham’s the name, wine making’s my game,’ he said with an outstretched hand, ‘I’m your neighbour. Thought I would pop round at last and say hello. I’ve only been on Drachma a few weeks, just took over next door to you, just before harvest time. Great year wouldn’t you say?’
‘Yes, yes forgive my ignorance; come on in Rackham, Charlie, Charlie Reed.’
‘Ah, Charlie, that’s a nice craft you’ve got out there in your space port. Spotted it over my fence the other day, what a beauty!’
‘Yes the Wild Cat, used to belong to my wife - a bit of a family heirloom.’
‘Used to?’
‘Yes, have a seat Rackham, glass of wine?’
Rackham sat down in the back conservatory, which overlooked the Reed’s vast vineyard, large wine vats on the boundary fence between the house and the rows of vines. Workers could be seen shoveling dung onto the bases.
‘Yes, don’t mind if I do, I’m so used to drinking my own stuff. It would do me good to try something different.’
Charlie fingered through an array of bottles on rows of shelves affixed to the wall of the house. ‘Now let me see, ah . . . yes last year’s must be a good comparison for you.’ “Glug glug” went the bottle as he filled two large glasses.
‘Your wife?’ asked Rackham, ‘You said in the past tense ‘used to belong’ to your wife.’
‘Belong what?’ asked Reed.
‘The Wild Cat,’ reminded Rackham.
‘Ah yes, she left it to my daughter in her will: didn’t know much about her wishes for it until it happened.’
‘What happened?’ said Rackham, trying to get to the bottom of this, and taking a sip of his neighbors wine. ‘Nice drop you make here Charlie.’
‘Thanks. Ah yes my wife,’ he said taking a drink. ‘Let’s just say that she was put out of business permanently.’
‘So your daughter took over the business of her mother?’ asked Rackham.
‘She passed on the craft, she was already in the trade,’ said Charley a little cagily, ‘why the interest anyway?’
‘Well, it could be a coincidence, but I was over in the Zeandin System on business, just before I came here in fact, and I saw a Wild Cat just like your daughters. I was wondering: has she traveled out that way recently?’ Rackham was now rubbing the rim of his glass with his index finger: it made a humming sound.
‘That I couldn’t tell you, you’ll have to ask Katie, she’s gone out for the day, with some guy she used to go to school with. Jake, his parents own a vineyard on the west coast of this area; she said she would be back sometime late tonight. I guess that’s too late for you to wait around?’ asked Charlie.
‘Yes, can’t sit around here too long chatting,’ Rackham laughed, ‘got to take Hector for his afternoon walk.’
‘Hector?’ asked Charlie.
‘Hector’s my dog, he can’t be left for too long on his own, he gets lonely, starts pining for his master; I must get going soon.’ Rackham finished his wine whilst chatting about the trade, he and Charley seemed to get on. When he’d emptied his glass, he put it on the conservatory table and went to leave.
‘I’ll ask Katie to pop round to see you tomorrow; she used to be good friends with the old owners. Katie used to take them cakes she baked, when she was a girl.’
‘Yes, ask her to pay me a visit. It would be good to see another space pilot; maybe able to swap a few stories about some of our adventures in the space lanes.’
‘I’m sure you have a lot in common,’ said Charlie, ushering Rackham out as quickly as he could without seeming rude.
‘Come over anytime you like,’ said Rackham as he passed the flowers that had been left on the sideboard by the front door.
Jake, picked Katie up in his new air-car that his parents had bought him from his stake in the family business: profits from that year’s harvest.
They were both looking forward to a day away from their homes and chose to go and head for the beach for a day's surfing. Large numbers of students who worked in the vineyards would often be surfers. The whole reason for Jake’s family being on Drachma was that his great-grandfather came here to pick grapes and surf - he never went home.
&nbs
p; The reason why large amounts of money changed hands for vineyards, and why they were so infrequently available to buy, was that nearly every student’s dream was to come back one day and live the lifestyle they had in their youth. Every owner’s son or daughter wants to take over from their parents. For this reason, Drachma has, for as long as anyone can remember, a one child per family policy. This was to prevent vineyards from becoming too small and unprofitable. However, not all children wanted to stay and work the soil. Katie was different. She hadn’t been born here. Her mother used to take her off world across multiple star systems. Jake liked that about her. She was different from the predictable country girls.
They both sat on their boards waiting for the next set to break. They had spent an age paddling out and ducking the breakers.
‘Go on Jake! This first ones yours!’ Katie shouted over the roaring ocean.
There was no one else to hear them. It was months since the majority of students had left to go back to their home systems, to carry on the dream of returning one day, with enough money and the chance to buy up a business.
The wave rose up, making the water under them lower. Jake got on his belly and began to paddle towards the shore. Katie did likewise but in the opposite direction, lifting over the crest, which was now blowing spray from the offshore wind. Jake stood up on the board as he felt the wave lift him, and flew down the face. At the bottom he turns to build up speed to take some air further along the wave, to show-off his skills to Katie.
7 SPECULATION