The Lost Fleet: Genesis: A Slaver Wars Novel Page 6

  There were several other Simulin systems that held very similar shipbuilding capacity. However, even with all of this at his disposal, Callat still felt uneasy about the Fitula organics and their AI allies. The ship of the builders of the Great Spheres, which they possessed, was also a great unknown. Callat was certain of one thing, if the Simulins hoped to one day control this entire galaxy, then the Fitula organics and the AIs must be destroyed.

  -

  It was early the next morning and Jeremy was inside a shuttle along with Admiral Jackson, Admiral Cleeteus, Andram, Shilum, Mikow, and Kurene. He had thought it important to bring a number of the Altons, as they were more capable with their advanced science at being able to understand what they would be seeing on the Originator ship. There were also four AIs coming along. All were well versed in science and being led by ZED, who had been working with Kurene for quite some time.

  “I am curious to see the interior of this ship,” spoke ZED. The AI had a cubicle shaped body floating slightly above the deck on antigravity repulsors and four flexible tentacles which it could use to grasp and manipulate equipment. Its head was a glowing ball of light blue energy about the size of a basketball.

  “We all are,” responded Kurene, smiling at the AI. She had rushed back from Borton with ZED when invited by Fleet Admiral Strong to accompany him to inspect the Dominator.

  “The addition of the Originator’s science to our own will be quite useful,” ZED added.

  “If Kazak agrees,” Kurene replied.

  “This is the first time the Originator AI has agreed to allow anyone to visit his ship,” said Andram. “We must be careful what we say and do so Kazak will come to trust us. Only then will he be willing to share the science that helped to build the Dominator.”

  ZED remained quiet as the AI thought over Andram’s words. There was much about Humans he did not understand though the Altons were much more logical. He knew this trust issue was important though he still felt confused over it.

  As the shuttle approached the Originator ship, a massive hatch slid open. The Dominator was five thousand meters long and six hundred meters in diameter. There were no visible signs of anything that could be used for propulsion on its stern, though Andram had suggested to Jeremy that the ship might use some type of very advanced gravity drive.

  “Are we sure we’re safe in doing this?” asked Admiral Jackson as he gazed ahead at the now open hatch. They were going on board an alien ship without any security protection. He had suggested to Admiral Strong that they should at least bring a squad of Marines along with them but Jeremy had objected, saying they needed to fully gain the trust of the Originator AI.

  “Kazak and the Dominator have been in orbit around Gaia for quite some time,” Jeremy replied. “I’m sure if there were going to be problems we would have already encountered them.”

  “Entering the hatch,” the pilot said as the shuttle slowed and then eased through.

  Looking out the cockpit window, Jeremy saw what appeared to be a large flight bay. There were several small shuttles inside, none of which resembled anything the Federation used. They resembled the old flying saucers from the late 20th-century science fiction movies.

  “Atmosphere is being detected,” the copilot reported as a green light appeared on his console. “Nearly Earth normal.”

  “So there won’t be any need for atmospheric suits?” asked Mikow. Mikow disliked wearing the suits though they provided adequate protection from most radiation and a self-contained environment.

  “No,” answered Jeremy. “Ariel assured me earlier the atmosphere on the ship will be breathable and the temperature acceptable. Even the gravity will be similar to what we’re used to.”

  The shuttle maneuvered to an open spot on the bay floor where a circle of lights were flashing. The shuttle gently set down and the slight rumble of the engines died away.

  “Shuttle is secure,” the pilot reported as he turned to look at Jeremy, who was sitting directly behind him. “Should I open the hatch?”

  Jeremy felt his pulse quicken. After months of waiting, he was finally going to set foot inside the Originator ship. “Yes,” he replied. “There’s no point in delaying.”

  Getting up, Jeremy walked toward the now open hatch. Just before reaching it, Admiral Jackson stepped in front of him, barring his path.

  “Let me go first just to make sure everything’s safe. You’re the fleet admiral and it’s my job to ensure no harm comes to you.”

  Jeremy hesitated and then nodded. The admiral was only doing his duty.

  Admiral Jackson walked down the short ramp to step out onto the deck of the flight bay. He looked around, seeing nothing dangerous. However, everywhere he looked there was mysterious and strange looking equipment. The flight bay was so different from any he had ever been in before. “Everything seems to be okay,” he reported over his minicomm. If there was something wrong, he wasn’t sure he would recognize it.

  Jeremy and the others stepped out into the bay followed by the four AIs. Looking around, Jeremy’s eyes were drawn to a hatch that silently slid open. He wouldn’t have noticed it if he hadn’t been looking in that direction. His eyes widened when he saw a figure step through and begin walking toward them. The man was easily eight feet tall and dressed in a high-collared dark red military uniform. He was very Human in form except his skin had a more bluish tone to it than did the Altons. His hair was dark black and his facial features seemed very normal except he had no eyebrows and only minimal eyelashes.

  “I am Kazak,” the man said coming to a stop in front of the group. “Welcome to the Originator ship, Dominator.”

  “Was that the name of the people who created you?” asked Andram curiously. In all of their research, they had never discovered the name of the race that had inhabited the ancient ruins on so many worlds. He was surprised to hear Kazak refer to them as the Originators.

  “No,” replied Kazak, shifting his gaze to Andram. “What they called themselves would be very difficult to pronounce in your language. For that reason, I think it best if we stay with the term you have come to associate with the race of builders.”

  “I heard your footsteps as you walked toward us,” Kurene said, her eyes focused on the AI. “I thought you were a hologram.”

  “No,” Kazak answered. “I am an AI but I reside in this body. It’s an artificial avatar built by the Originators for my use.”

  “Is your body based on what the Originators looked like?” asked Admiral Cleeteus.

  “Yes,” Kazak responded. “My creators felt this would make interaction between myself and them easier.”

  “We have so many questions,” Jeremy said as he took everything in. The fact that Kazak had a physical body had momentarily stunned him as Ariel hadn’t mentioned this. “I’m not sure where to start.”

  “Why don’t we go to the ship’s Command Center?” Kazak suggested. “To make everything easier, I will refer to various parts of the ship in terms you will be able to understand. Ariel has briefed me on the nomenclature you are accustomed to.”

  “Your computers, will we be able to access them?” asked ZED. The blue globe that served as his head glowed brighter as he asked the question

  Kazak turned to look at the AI. For a moment, he was silent and then he responded. “Fleet Admiral Strong, I was hoping you would bring some of the other AIs.” Then he addressed ZED. “In response to your question, for the time being access to any of the computers on this ship will be denied. Perhaps at a later date that will change. You must understand that for security reasons, I am not quite ready to grant you full access to the systems on this vessel.”

  “We understand,” Jeremy said quickly before ZED could say anything else. He knew the AI was highly inquisitive; it was one of the reasons Kurene got along with ZED so well. In that the two were alike.

  Jeremy didn’t want to risk offending Kazak. He knew from past experience with ZED that the AI could get seriously sidetracked if it became interested in a particul
ar line of research. He knew the AI was intensely curious about the science that had built the ship.

  “Very well,” Kazak replied after a moment. “If you will follow me, we will go to the Command Center and once there I will answer as many of your questions as I am able.”

  Jeremy nodded. There was so much he wanted to know, and the science and technology on this ship might be the key to defeating the remaining Simulin forces still in this galaxy. It might even allow them someday to find a way back to the home galaxy and the Federation.

  -

  As they made their way through the ship, Jeremy was amazed at what he was seeing. Several times they paused as small-multiarmed robots floated by on their way to do some type of work or repairs.

  “Since I’ve managed to repair the ship, all of the automatic functions are now operating,” Kazak explained as he pointed to several of the small robots. “These are repair automatons responsible for routine maintenance of the ship’s systems. They are capable of maintaining every major system on the ship.”

  “What about the nanites you used when the Dominator first reached Gaia?” asked Kurene. Nanite technology was something the Altons found highly intriguing.

  “Those are for more serious repairs. If the ship has suffered major damage or the complete failure of internal systems, the nanites are capable of repairing or completely rebuilding anything on the ship. Each group of nanites can be programmed to complete a specific task. To ensure there can never be a danger from the nanites, they are also programmed to disintegrate following seventy of your hours after which a new group must be activated.”

  “I am highly interested in your nanite technology,” ZED spoke in his mechanical voice. “They would be quite useful on our new AI warspheres.”

  “That will be something we will discuss at a later date,” Kazak responded. “I believe it would be relatively easy to program the nanites to do repair work on your vessels. Even the small repair robots, which I have activated on the Dominator, you might find useful as they will free up more of your people to perform other duties.”

  Jeremy nodded to himself. This could help greatly with their manpower shortage. Already he was finding out things that could be extremely useful in the future. He wondered if it would be possible to try some of the small robots out on the Gaia class battlecruisers.

  Kazak led them to a turbo lift, which rapidly propelled them through the ship to the command level. After exiting, they quickly made their way to the Command Center. Stepping inside, everyone froze upon seeing the astonishing view. In the center of the room was a raised dais with what appeared to be a dozen or so consoles. In the center of the dais was an upraised platform where the ship’s commander would sit. However, what astonished all of them was that the walls on all sides plus the ceiling seemed to be one gigantic viewscreen. It was like stepping out into space and being able to see everything around you.

  “This is amazing,” gasped Admiral Jackson as he looked around wide-eyed. He had never imagined something like this.

  “It’s very similar to our own vessels,” Admiral Cleeteus pronounced as he gazed around approvingly. All Alton vessels had a massive viewscreen on the front wall. However, on the Dominator this was carried out to an extreme the Altons hadn’t even considered.

  Kazak turned to face his guests. “The Originators preferred to be able to see everything around them. The consoles on the dais are capable of controlling all of the ship’s functions though as the ship’s AI I am responsible for operating many of the systems. Normally the Originators would tell me what they wanted done and I would see to it.”

  “Much like what Ariel is capable of,” said Mikow with a thoughtful look on her face.

  “Most of the control consoles on the dais are for emergency use,” Kazak added. “However, the Originators did fully operate the consoles at all times and the ship’s commander insisted all of the ship’s officers be capable of controlling the ship’s systems in case I became nonfunctional.”

  “So, what exactly happened to the Originators?” asked Jeremy. He had heard a short version from Ariel, but he was interested to know if Kazak would add to that.

  “They died due to a terrible experiment they made in an attempt to achieve immortality,” Kazak answered with sadness in his voice. “The Originators already enjoyed extremely long lives, but they had projects in mind that would take millennia to achieve. They adjusted their genes to undergo self-repair by adding a special organic nanite that would allow their bodies and minds to remain forever unchanged. However, after a number of years passed something went terribly wrong. The organic nanite began creating a virulent pathogen that began to kill the Originators. There was much panic and desperate research to find out how to reverse the affect, but it was already too late. Before a cure could be found, the Originators were gone. This ship was an attempt to save some of the brightest minds of the race in the hope they could find a cure and bring the race back from extinction. It failed and all the Originators perished.”

  “What about the Dyson Spheres?” asked Andram. “How many of them are there, and is there any chance some of the Originators could have survived in other galaxies?”

  “There are two hundred and twelve Dyson Spheres,” Kazak answered. “Or two hundred and eleven considering you destroyed one. There are also major bases as well as the primary communications and transport hub. I do not believe any Originators survived the pathogen which was killing them.”

  “Are there any other Originator facilities in this galaxy?” asked Jeremy. It would be nice to be able to gain access to more of their technology and even additional ships.

  “No,” Kazak answered. “There was only the Dyson Sphere and the Dominator.”

  Jeremy looked slowly around the massive Command Center. He was a little surprised the floor wasn’t a viewscreen also. He could see the Avenger floating in space nearby, the Clan Protector, and other ships in the vicinity. Even Gaia looked unusually large on the front wall. Looking closely, he thought he could see both Clements and New Eden, the two largest cities on the planet. Both cities were located in the narrow fifteen hundred-kilometer wide green strip that ran around the planet’s equator.

  Turning back toward Kazak, Jeremy addressed the AI. “What can we do to gain each other’s trust? We obviously want access to some of the Originators’ technology and you have control of the last of their ships. There must be some type of arrangement we can make that will be beneficial to both of us.”

  Kazak looked long and hard at Jeremy. “Let us speak,” he said. “I have communicated with Clarissa and now Ariel over this very subject. Both AIs were very positive when speaking of the Human Federation of Words, your allies, and especially the Altons. Perhaps there is some common ground we can find.”

  Jeremy nodded. Now would come the hard part. He still had a suspicion Kazak wasn’t being totally forthcoming, but only time would tell if he was correct in that assumption.

  Chapter Four

  Sergeant Brenda Wilde stood worriedly at the end of the valley within several hundred meters of where the first buildings to the fabulous city of the Originators began. Unfortunately, an energy shield prevented her from going any closer. The energy shield surrounded the entire valley the exploratory team was in and thus far, they had found no way around it.

  “Still watching the robots?” asked Melvin Blair, one of the Human scientists with the group.

  Brenda sighed and turned around. It had been three weeks since they had found their way into the Dyson Sphere. The movement she had initially noticed in the city later turned out to be small robots that seemed to rush about on some type of intricate schedule. Kelnor had suggested the small robots were probably charged with the upkeep and repair of the city. The scientists with the group had set up some instruments and recorded the movement for several days, confirming there were no living beings. It had been a big disappointment to Brenda.

  “Yes,” she said turning around to face Blair. “I keep hoping I’ll see someone livin
g on the other side of this energy shield. That city is so beautiful; it’s nearly incomprehensible no one lives in it.”

  Blair looked toward the city, watching as one of the small robots stopped near some plants that bordered a sidewalk and begin expertly trimming them. When it was finished, it applied what appeared to be fertilizer and then moved on. “This city’s been dead for thousands of years, possibly millions. We know of the pathogen that wiped out the Originators, and if any had survived I’m sure we would have been contacted by now.”

  “Why do you say that?” asked Brenda.

  “Kelnor and Reesa are convinced this energy shield didn’t appear until we set foot inside the Dyson Sphere. It’s part of some type of automatic protective system activated when our presence was detected.”

  Brenda turned back toward the city, seeing a small flying vehicle appear high up in the air and land on a platform on one of the smaller towers. The first time she saw one of the flying vehicles, she had hoped it was a sign the Dyson Sphere was still inhabited. She had later learned the vehicles were only carrying supplies for the small robots.

  “Let’s get back to camp,” she said.

  There was no point in observing the city. Nothing had changed there from the first day they arrived. Brenda knew that by now her superiors must be furious at the continued lack of communication from the exploratory team. When they got back, there was no doubt in Brenda’s mind she would be busted down to the rank of private, assuming they ever found a way to get back. Even that was beginning to look extremely doubtful.