Earth Song: Etude to War (26 page)

Chapter 24

April 13th, 534 AE

Abandoned City, Planet Atlantis, Galactic Frontier

Like most ancient Concordian structures that still functioned despite being long abandoned, the bay smelled fresh and recently cleaned. Inside the walls were as transparent as they were from the outside, giving them a spectacular view of the city as well as a multitude of curious ocean denizens of the deep.

Normally Minu knew that this deep in the ocean most animals would be evolved as sightless, but the mini-ecosystem around the city allowed sighted animals to flourish. Huge shark-like creatures with multiple sets of jaws pursued aquatic butterflies while a seahorse the size of the shuttle drifted nearby, somehow anchored to the side of the structure.

By agreement, the Rasa combat team would stay with the shuttle, just in case. Minu, Cherise, Aaron and Kal’at would act as the scouts and try to find Chriso's old cache somewhere in the massive city. They had supplies for a week, but Minu hoped it would take a lot less.

“According to my father's journal, after arriving in the Portal they proceeded to the nearest industrial module and began to scrounge around.”

The others all listened to her as they walked from the shuttle to the exit. There were two personnel-sized doors and a single iris-type exit big enough for the shuttle. The bay itself was large enough to accommodate a dozen shuttles such as theirs.

As soon as they'd landed, robotic systems attached power cables and began recharging the craft, something Aaron had been glad to see. None of them wanted to spend their time scrounging enough old EPCs to provide sufficient power for an ascent back through the dark depths.

By the nearest personnel-sized door Minu touched the opaque wall which came alive with Concordia script. Using her knowledge of the language (product of a gift from the Weavers years ago) she informed the city computer of her desire to find the Portal. It was no surprise that the Portal spire was in the center of the city. From that she began to have the map catalog all nearby industrial structures.

“I never get tired of watching you do that,” Aaron whispered in her ear.

“I do, it's like someone else is using my brain.”

It was the best way she could describe how her fingers danced, manipulating Concordian script that her conscious brain could not translate. She'd learned over the years since the Weavers had implanted that knowledge on the world of Sunshine to just start doing what she wanted, and her fingers knew what to do. It was much more than just understanding the script (if only on a subconscious level); it also included some powerful codes usable on the oldest of Concordia technology.

As was common, the majority of the industrial operations were arrayed around the Portal Spire like a spider web. She stopped counting at twenty as the computer dutifully listed all the facilities and cryptic technical jargon for what each did. Kal'at had a tablet out and was greedily recording every bit of script that raced by. The Rasa was as dedicated a scientist as his brother Var'at was a soldier.

In the years since she'd rescued him from the death of their home world, Minu found out from Var'at that he'd once held no respect for his brother. For a male to go into science was considered disgraceful.

Like many of his species’ attitudes, their contact with humanity had mellowed many of their beliefs. She wondered if that would extend to giving their females more responsibility. The fact that the females 'led' the nest while having almost no real power was an irony not lost on her. As a woman, hadn't she fought the prejudices of her own species from the first day she was made Chosen?

As she was sorting through the possible destinations, Kal'at was going back over the facilities using a translation program. Not everyone had knowledge implanted in their brains.

“The computer informs most of these facilities are still functional,” he told them as a group.

As he continued his reviewing of the data, Minu found her target.

“There,” she said and pointed to a nondescript industrial complex less than a kilometer from the Portal Spire. According to Kal'at, this was one of the non-functional facilities.

“There is a transit system nearby,” the Rasa told them. The door opened to show a tram station right on the other side of a narrow corridor. “Have you used one like this before?”

“Actually, yes,” Minu said. It was the same design as the ones on Moorlock when she’d first encountered Var'at. Minu decided it was best not to get into that meeting.

“All aboard.”

Once inside she programmed the tram and they were whisked away.

* * *

Lilith floated in her CIC listening to the music of a Rusk composer who'd been dead for almost a thousand years. She'd been experimenting with music for years and found the 'old Earth classical' music to be the most to her liking.

Sometimes when she was tired (about once every five days) she'd cut all the ambient light in her space and let the timeless notes resound around her. It was like being submerged in the music, and she found it pleasurable. In this case it was merely a distraction from an annoyance she couldn't make go away.

“The differences are indeed important,” her annoyance interrupted her reminiscence yet again.

Lilith glanced over where Pip floated a meter away, a trio of holographic screens floating in space before him as he used his implant to manipulate the data. Though he hadn't been born and raised with his implants, he'd proven more than adept at learning to use the devices. It was a good thing since twenty percent of his cerebellum was now composed of cybernetic processors and implants.

“It is just a semantical difference,” she replied and listened to some more of the music.

“That is exactly the problem. I know you're bored, but getting this database of yours in line with ours is the key to answering a shitload of questions we've got about the galaxy.”

“We have been working on this project for years, several days a month, nonstop since we left Bellatrix two weeks ago, and we are getting nowhere.”

“Because you are the most stubborn female I've ever met.” Lilith gave him a hooded look, “your mother possibly excluded.”

“I will not give you unlimited access to my system.”

“I don't understand why not.”

“Because I am the combat intelligence of this craft, and you are not.”

Pip cursed in Rusk, something he'd never done before the injury, and glared at the screens for a time. The task seemed insurmountable. A database hundreds of thousands of years old, filled with vastly out of date references, even using names for things that had changed over the eons.

“Then you need to help me figure it out.”

“I thought I was already doing that.”

The two stared at each other for a long moment, annoyance and obstinance, face to face across a generational and cultural gap.

“Fine,” Pip said eventually, “let's try some different tacks then.”

* * *

The underwater city was much like the one on Moorlock. Like that world, this one was nearly pristine with fully functioning life support and internal systems. But the difference here was that the world had a habitable atmosphere (though kilometers above on the surface), and this city showed signs of constant visitation.

“The tram records more than a dozen uses in the last month,” Kal'at confirmed by tapping at the controls as they were whisked down the tramway tunnel.

“Wonder what they're finding here?” Cherise asked the group.

“This isn't a junk pile,” Minu reminded them. “Operational industry is more often to be claimed by some higher order species.”

“And your dad said there was no such claim here?” Aaron asked.

“Nothing. He did a full recon on the Portal spire. He found evidence of scrounging, but no claims. They usually just shoot at us if they say it belongs to them,” she said, referring to almost every other species in the galaxy.

Humans were one of the few who didn't shoot first and ask questions later. Minu hoped it would stay that way if they ever got any power in the galaxy.

Then the tram was gliding to a stop at the station, the doors smoothly swinging upwards to show them the clean white station – and a pair of Squeen standing with packs on their shoulders.

The two groups regarded each other for a long moment. Minu was about to speak when the pair turned and ran. “Wait!” Minu yelled, but by the time she'd gathered herself and began to run after them, they'd left the station behind and were into the labyrinth of tunnels.

“What the hell?” Aaron asked as he trundled up behind her where she'd lost sight of the aliens. Even though the gravity was lower than normal, his legs were still not one hundred percent.

“We just keep running into those guys in the places we least expect to,” Minu said. Cherise and Kal'at both nodded as they stood beside them. Minu touched the gem behind her ear. “Lilith.”

“Yes, Mother?”

“There are Squeen operating down here. We don't know if they are a ship operating species, so you better stay alert.”

“I am always alert, but your warning is appreciated. Have you located your father’s cache?”

“Not yet, I'll get back with you.”

“They have never been hostile, have they?” Kal'at asked.

“No, just the opposite. The first time I talked with one was when the Tanam captured a bunch on Serengeti. The cats had a real hate-on for the little rodents. After I rescued them, they hinted they knew a lot about us humans. So I hunted them down again later and questioned one of their leaders. That eventually led us to Paradox and the Kaatan ship up there in orbit.”

While she wanted to run down the two Squeen, she knew it made little sense to try. They were small and fast beings. Maybe if it were just her and Cherise she could have managed, but Kal'at was a Rasa and not as fast on foot.

And there was Aaron. She never made his infirmity an issue in their life together, but now she had to think about the ongoing quest they were taking. Maybe he wouldn't be the best choice for all the operations on the trip. “Let’s check out the place my father indicated.”

“What if we run into more of the little furry dudes?” Aaron asked as they walked down the tunnel in the direction Minu indicated.

“They’re harmless,” she assured them. “Maybe they ran to get their boss.”

* * *

It had been many years since Minu knew she was within reach of a clue her father had left behind. Losing access to field work as a Chosen meant she couldn’t continue to follow those clues, like breadcrumbs on a trail. She had no idea where they were leading her.

The files left by her father had been delivered shortly after she’d become Chosen through a barely known aunt, her father’s only sister. He’d been missing since before her Trials, and declared dead a year later. The files provided thousands of records of Chriso’s exploration of the galaxy in his time as a Chosen scout leader, and even as First among the Chosen. He’d never allowed them to tie him behind a desk as had happened to his daughter.

“It’s great to be out in the field again,” she whispered as they ghosted down the hallway.

“Good to be out here with you,” Cherise agreed a few steps behind.

“Too bad Gregg is doing his Ranger thing,” said her husband as he glanced at a compact life scanner, standard Chosen issue field gear. “He’d love the chance to get his hands dirty in some good old fashioned scout work.”

“I’m glad to have him where he is,” she said with as much conviction as she felt.

If she couldn’t lead the Rangers herself, at least they were in the hands of one of her best friends, and man who’d helped her train them from the ground up. Her only concern was how the Chosen continued to employ them as soldiers for hire. All the while carefully picking which contracts to accept and which to decline. Picking sides in the Concordia was a dangerous thing at best, suicidal at worst.

Just ahead, the ten meter wide corridor they’d been moving down came to a stop at a pair of access doors. Made from the same crystalline material as the rest of the city, they were more opaque than the rest and provided no view of the other side. Concordia script floated over the doors in slowly morphing code. Minu glanced at it and the words appeared in her mouth.

“Access is restricted, dangerous,” she said.

“Wish I could learn that trick,” Kal’at told her.

“I’m working on a program with the basics,” she told him as they walked up to the access lock.

Unlike the other areas of the city they’d seen, this one was not pristine. Several piles of debris were strewn about the doorways. Computer chips, parts of optronics boards and other various components were casually discarded.

“Looks like others have been trying to force their way through with some creative hacks.” Minu ignored the junk and went straight to the lock.

Her hands danced in the holographic spaces as her mind processed the symbols. As the data moved through her she recognized this as a level three lock and she silently whistled. The only other time she’d encountered anything this high-level had been a Portal left as a trap on the world Sunshine. They would have died there if the Weavers hadn’t implanted the knowledge to read ancient Concordian script and a handy-dandy list of uber codes in her brain.