Final Colony Reloaded

By Angelo Tsanatelis

It was the final plan, the last desperate breath of a colossal empire. A race of scientists and inventors that had reigned like demigods over their realm; a species so advanced and cunning that when their world was destroyed, they’ve left their best creations behind; ageless beautiful servants determined to carry their masters final wishes. To explore new frontiers, undeterred from any difficulties; to bleed and kill in their name and lastly to bring them back from extinction.
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Final Colony Reloaded is a special assemblage of the first five books of the Final Colony series (ASHOS ELEVEN, DIRECTIVE 3.1, CONTACT, RAVEN and CITIZEN ONE) in a single volume.
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Special Edition

• Language: English
• Publisher: Angelo Tsanatelis
• Release date: Jan 4, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301674008

Angelo Tsanatelis

Angelo (Aggelos) Tsanatelis was born in Athens, Greece on October 24th 1979. He lived for seven years in Bulgaria, where he studied Law at the University of Sofia. During his studies he traveled in Europe and Africa, undertaking 'daring expeditions that no one ever heard about, visited mysterious locations or simply searched for hidden treasures in the most unlikely of places' as he quoted himself in a interview in 2012. After he finished his studies he worked in the private sector for several years before he realized his childhood dream and became an author. His first novel already many years in the making was Origins, the 1st episode in the Living Sword Chronicles series and it was published in April of 2011. It was followed by the novelette, the Rootless set in the same universe and the sequel to Origins, the Lodge & the Tribe.

Book preview

Chapter 1

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‘It is high time we (Terrans) rise to the challenge, leave behind all that holds us back; our petty differences and decide what we want to be in the Cosmos. What do we want to stand for… I have a clear view of that future in my mind. I see an Earth that shines as a beacon in the stars, an Earth that becomes more, and an Earth that fulfills the role bestowed upon her in the Fourth Testament. Yes we will expand, yes we will colonize the distant planets, we will do whatever is necessary to spread our enlighten values, our noble culture, our civilization beyond the borders of our solar system. No matter the hardships, the setbacks… we will not wither away. We will fight if we have to, as our ancestors did in the past. Through fire and ice and the vastness that awaits us. We will prevail. We will have our way.

There is no other road but the one I’ve shown you.

Thank you.’

-

Willard T. Martin (2045-2131)

1st U.E.M.P. Legatus.

1st President of E.A.

Speaking at the Valetta Forum of Nations on 21st May 2079.

-

-

-

There is no other road but the one I’ve shown you.

There is no other God but the one before you.

There is no other truth but what is written in the Word.

-

Willard’s Word

(The Fourth Testament)

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Prologue

---

The last recorded message never reached its supposed destination. The one before that, was almost twelve light years away when the hyperdrive regulator’s shield collapsed, the magnetic forces ripping apart the huge engine. The big battleship shuddered like it was a living thing, cracks appearing on its outer, dimentium/862 protected, hull, with fires erupting one after the other in all of its compartments. Emergency lights were lit all over the Terran ship and the alarms sounded in an ever increasing cacophony.

Perhaps the earlier damages they’d sustained from the Stargoth Class Battleships of the Cygns, were responsible for the malfunction of the drive and the delayed reaction of the ships Master-C. Whatever was the reason the ship continued to travel blind until it was violently expelled from hyper to normal space, nine minutes after the first alarm was heard. It was now stranded in an unknown part of the universe, but that wasn’t the biggest problem its dwindling crew faced.

The old battleship itself was in a pitiful condition; already damaged when it had attempted the jump during the last moments of the battle, it trembled now as explosions and fire were eating it from the inside. When a devastating blast below the bridge crippled the mainframe, most of the automatic repairs ceased and systems started shutting down one after the other.

Its many subsystems came to life, trying to prevent what was now the worst of the scenarios. The loss of the ship itself. Amidst a burning inferno, with many decks on the verge of decompression, the M-C performed its final tasks and sent, via the stuttering inship-ling, its database to the twelve terminals, located in the fortified compartment, that was known to the crew simply as the cold deck. The terminals there were already operational, their green holoscreens showing the continuous flow of the data mainly because they’d started working before the first of the malfunctions occurred. Each of the terminals interconnected with cables with what looked a lot like cryo-tubes placed upright. Twelve in number, they were called the freezers, a fitting name for the most part, if not for the fact that they were much more than that. A huge amount of data was being transferred to two of them via the terminals with each passing second.

But they simply didn’t have enough time.

Less than twenty minutes after it came out of hyperspace the flagship of the Terran Fleet roared like a wounded beast a final time before a blinding light engulfed it completely;

.

and was no more.

(Eleven)

-

Terminal’s 5678RT screen blinked turning black for a millisecond and then the data started flowing again, its bright small green fonts providing the only illumination to the dark place.

---

---

… (static) …

… (unable to read) …

… … …

… (re-establishing connection.

Connected.

Transferring ghost drivers.

Transfer complete.) …

… (Initializing protocol, Alpha Delta three.

Reading from file.) …

…

(Emergency program engaged

Unit eleven

Not Active.

Checking…

All systems checked

Checking separate cells

Power 97%

Short term memory at full capacity

Main memory 23%

Mobility 80%

Recalculating algorithms

A.I. active

Rewriting DNA Datapads

Completed

Opening personal parameters

…

Unable to read.

Personal parameters unfinished

Possible malfunction

Contacting main databanks

…

Unable to retrieve data

Main databanks off-line

Terminal 5678RT

Requests permission to proceed

Granted

Emergency protocol X001

Accepted

attempting to compensate

…

Administrative rights required

Granted

Protocol E.P.R.U.

Accepted

Authorizing security unit

Unit Four active

Rerouting

Changing parameters

…

Waiting for connection)

…

Connected.

New parameters received

Authorizing

Ghost driver

Seven beta theta two

Accepted.

Unit Eleven Active.

Internal Log is now on.

Releasing external connection)

…

(Mapping route

Calculating scenarios

Route mapped

Opening outer lock)

…

LIFE SUPPORT NOW LESS THAN 10 PERCENT.

.

The lights were gone for a moment and the world turned a dark red as the nv-infra went live. Then they returned for a second, only to dim out again soon after as I made my way through the short corridor. It was not an easy route. The walls were literary caving in, folding like they were made out of plastic; the flames were already at the other side and I knew I had to move fast.

How did I know that? well for starters I could see it. A small screen was replacing half my vision at standard intervals, like when you close an eye keeping the other open; what can you see behind that closed eye? Nothing. Well I could see a layout of the deck I was at. Do you think that this is crazy? Well there is a lot more of that in my life as you will soon find out.

WARNING

NO LIFE SUPPORT

SCANNING FOR LIFESINGS

NEGATIVE

Let me return to my narration here. Actually… no, better to just tell you the story anyway.

I knew I was heading for the rescue pods. As I moved with increasing difficulty towards the final deck of the ship, I started realizing some strange things. Yes, the screen I’ve just told you about was my first clue. The second was the fact that I was naked. I didn’t feel naked but passing by what appeared to be the diseased bodies of the other crew members I noticed it. They had clothes on whilst I hadn’t any. They were also very dead. That was the third clue. All of them.

It appeared that they’ve had the same idea… somehow I think the best word is inclination, as I did; Get the frak out of this hellhole as soon as possible; but come what may they’d failed along the way.

SHUTTING DOWN NON ESSENTIAL SYSTEMS

WARNING

SYSTEM FAILURE

Reaching the pods, I opened the hatch and pressed myself though the short opening. A single cockpit seat. I stared at the blinking buttons in front of me. The screen changed in my head, pointed me to the right direction. Reaching for the controls I used the code that was dancing in bright yellow letters in front of my eyes.

775567…

.

WARNING

That was the ship. The next moment I was hurled outside with incredible speed. Out, towards the open space and a distant brilliant orange star.

It was magnificent.

Then something happened inside my brain. There was a pause, more so a blackout. Yes, everything went dark for… I don’t have a clue for how long, but when the light returned suddenly, I blinked… for some reason my eyes were left open during my blackout and the orange star looked so much bigger now.

It was huge.

Then that thing I’ve told you about came alive. In my brain.

…reading from memory…

…parameters established…

…initializing phase two…

Disengage the auto pilot.

This was impressive. And a little scary. It was also the fourth clue I had since… probably woken up from hibernation that something had gone seriously wrong in the whole process. Something potentially fatal.

That was way more scarier.

Eleven disengage the auto pilot.

It was a shocking revelation. I watched the brilliantly white now disk cover the two main portholes of my pod and tried to figure out what was I supposed to do now. I mean, I was flying away from the ship. Alone. How could I repair… well anything?

Unit unresponsive, possible malfunction.

That strange being that had inhabited my brain kept talking, in a monotonous tone. But the being was not innocent. Far from it as I would soon find out.

Seven beta theta two taking control.

It did.

Somehow it moved my hands on the controls against my will, disengaged the auto pilot and turned us around. The pod, which I was to find out later wasn’t exactly that, flew by the big orange star towards empty space.

Let my hands free.

That was my voice. It sounded strange in my ears, but maybe it was just the vacuum. Or it wasn’t. Whatever. The thing let me move them by myself, but I could sense his presence at the back of my mind. Lurking, ready to take over again.

Maybe I was crazy.

A flash of light interrupted my thoughts. I turned immediately and saw from the side window the big ship getting destroyed in a silent explosion, leaving a sea of debris behind. It was a spectacular sight. A sad sight. I numbly checked the small screen, located next to what appeared to be the fuel consumption, to see whether the sensors were picking up any other pods but all I could see was the debris left by the ship. Maybe I should turn and approach it, have a better look, I thought.

The more the merrier.

Negative. You must land.

That wasn’t good. That thing could read my thoughts? I completely disregarded the landing part. It was ludicrous.

You can read my mind? I asked focusing on more pressing matters.

Transferring of data not complete. Unit unready.

The thing said. But I had no clue what was that about.

Seven beta theta two taking the controls.

Not again!

But he did it anyway.

I again lost control of my limbs. I fought hard to regain it but in truth there was nothing I could do to free myself. How can you stop your own hands from doing whatever they were doing if you can’t actually use them said hands? Mindboggling, I know. I resigned watching my hands piloting the pod rather masterfully.

Our small ship corrected its course and started traveling at its maximum speed, which was probably not a lot. But then again what did I know? I checked what had to be the fuel meter.

Thing, what happens when that red bar turns black?

It would be empty. That is not my name.

It was a logical answer almost. But not exactly my point. I decided to stop talking for a while. The reason was simple enough, I had to think. Something very serious had come to my attention. Something almost as strange as that thing that could take over my body at will. In short, I’ve just realized I didn’t know my own name!

I gave it my all.

But came up empty.

Nada.

Wu.

Blank.

Your name is eleven. The thing said.

Ashos eleven.

What kind of a name is that?

An appropriate one.

I am not sure I believe you. This is a very peculiar name. What about you? Do you have a name thing? I asked.

Affirmative.

There was a small pause. Probably a tease, but I held firm. My face, which I could half-see mirroring at the shiny controls opposite me, was stoic and extremely handsome. Perfect.

It’s Seven Beta Theta Two. The thing said.

What is that?

My designation.

Seriously?

I do not understand the question.

A groan escaped my lips.

Ashos is a fine name, I concluded. Yeah, it had a nice ring to it.

___

(The second planet)

.

It was either the huge yellow gas giant or the greenish smaller planet we were now heading for. We and not I, as I had established by now that the thing had a name and could communicate with me in a number of ways. It also still had control of my hands and was piloting the pod towards the rocky planet. The second in this small system. The gas giant being the furthest and an even smaller planet, not appearing anymore on our modest sensors, the closest one to the bright orange star I had not seen… I checked the internal clock…

142:54.27

142:54.28

142:54.29

…since the ship that had brought me here went supernova, almost six earth days ago.

Is this vessel capable of entering the atmosphere? I asked the silent thing. Seven Beta? I attempted to take my hands from the controls. Nope. It was or he was, still here.

Why don’t you leave me alone? I want to use my hands!

If you do, you’ll probably crash us on the surface. It is Seven Beta Theta Two.

It is very long. I will use 7Beta, if you don’t mind.

It is my name. I do not understand your objection.

I was in the process of explaining to him but he interrupted me.

Entering the exosphere. Engaging reverse thrusters.

The pod shuddered violently and soon after an alarm started, as a good portion of the control panel went dark.

Losing side thruster three, attempting to compensate.

Oh boy, I thought as the windows turned a bright red, many more alarms now bleeping and sounding all over the craft. With the g-forces hurling me right and left my eyes went to the time as I’ve tried to hold on to my pilot seat.

143:13.56

I realized a number of things.

Firstly I was expecting our small hull to buckle and implode, better yet burn up completely at any moment.

Secondly the pod had an actual pilot seat, I mean what pod has one?

I was still naked. That was number three.

And lastly, I wanted to scream but strangely enough, I felt absolutely no fear. Which didn’t make any sense at all.

Nevertheless, it was an intense couple of minutes.

A hundred and thirty seconds later we somehow blasted through and found ourselves into a brilliant bluish sky.

Seven,’ I yelled inside the cockpit, then realized it was unnecessary and continued in a more civilized manner. ‘you did it buddy! Who would have thought this tiny vessel could do that? I should pat you/me on the back, but then again… I can’t because you are still controlling my hands. I added sourly.

The retracting wings aren’t functioning properly.

The what?

Attempting to compensate with thrusters.

We were out of the clouds now and I could see a green-blue ocean directly below us. Coming closer with every passing second.

We are coming in too fast.

Duh? Tell me something I don’t know.

This is not a rescue pod.

I had my suspicions. I said, which was not true of course as my kind companion immediately pointed out.

No you didn’t. You didn’t suspect a thing up until four minutes and sixteen seconds ago.

Whatever.

Wings retracting.

The thing commented.

AUTO PILOT IS ENGANGED

That was the craft that wasn’t a pod but something else. My hands, still controlled by the thing typed something in the control screen.

FLIGHT PARAMETERS RECEIVED

SCHEGULING

INSUFIENT DATA

USING GROUND SENSORS

.

My hands were my own again. I checked the fuel meter. That is a lot of black, I thought.

I don’t think we have much time. Fuel’s almost gone.

That is not the fuel consumption meter.

You said it was!

No I didn’t. This craft is a M.A.N.T.-520. It has an antimatter power plant under the floor.

MANT, what’s with the funny names?

I do not understand the question.

I gave up.

.

LAND MASS DETECTED

The ship had a deep authoritative voice. It made you trust its judgment.

STARTING LANDING

PROCEDURES

In whatever decisions it reached.

A huge green patch of land had appeared on the holoscreen in front of me. A second later I could also see it from the smaller side windows.

How did you know this planet was in the habitable zone?

I didn’t. There was no alternative action available; we are in an unknown part of space.

But we can eventually find our way back home, am I right? I mean it could take some time, but we could do it. Yes?

The thought of being trapped on this alien world forever made me sick in the stomach.

Negative.

Can you be just a little more positive here?

Negative.

That was what I was trying to explain to him.

Space cartography unknown. Return trip… not possible.

The ship had found a clearing on the jungle terrain below and was now preparing to land there. A light mist had covered the portholes as I descended on the alien planet.

Maybe things will turn out okay, I thought grasping at straws.

I was kind of an optimist back then.

And of course, they didn’t.

UA/11 Log entry 004

Date 2229

Mission time 143:25.39

Unknown location

Transmitting data

…

…

The MANT had landed.

It was time to get my arse out of the seat. The ship’s computer had powered down the engines and most of the lights had dimmed like it was urging me to vacate the premises.

I’ve said it before.

I trusted the ship back then.

My hand was resting on my naked thigh, my skin temperature, displayed on the small screen I had in my brain. 104F, 40 in Celsius. Wasn’t that a lot? I wondered. Perhaps the meter was broken. I looked at the hatch from which I had entered the craft, still pondering if I should attempt to exit the protection of my ship. The hatch was of course sealed shut now. Turning my head and part of my torso, still sitting on the pilot seat, I peeked behind me.

There is another door back here! I exclaimed.

Of course.

Why didn’t you say something before?

It was irrelevant. You didn’t ask… and for many other reasons.

I jumped up and walked fast towards the dark grey colored door, the same color the interior walls of the craft had. I put my hand on the square touch pad. Nothing happened.

I tried again.

Computer authorize Eleven. The thing said inside my brain.

Which didn’t help either.

I stared at the closed door blankly. Seven Beta probed me again.

Ask the ship’s computer to authorize you.

Which made a hell of a lot more sense.

Computer authorize me to open the door.

The ship answered.

VOICE RECOGNITION ACTIVE

SCANING…

AUTHORIZING A.S.H.O.S ELEVEN

ADMINISTRATIVE RIGHTS

GRANTED

AUTOMATED MODE

NOW SUSPENDED

WELCOME ABOARD CAPTAIN

…

I tried again and this time the door opened, disappearing inside the wall. A much bigger area appeared in front of me. It contained lockers from floor to ceiling on its right side and a small steel table with two triluminum stools at each side all bolted on the metal floor on the far left corner. Next to the door, again on the left side was a Newman-Bach replicator unit. At least that’s what the letters on its side said. Directly across me at the end of this, I calculated four meters in length room, was another door, just like the one I had just crossed.

What is behind that one? I asked the thing having realized that it had more knowledge of the ship than me.

Storage room, a pilot bunker and the hatch to the engine room.

That is not a rescue pod for sure, I thought.

How big is this thing?

Access the ship’s plan.

How can I do that?

Something flashed in my brain. The familiar screen appeared again, showing a detailed layout of the whole ship. I read the flashing green column next to it.

…

E.A.S.A.F - M.A.N.T /520

Type/ long range assault fighter.

Serial n. 00039

Developed - from May 2227 to October 2228

Production line started… November 2228

Production line ended… December 2228

Terraplex Shipyard Mars Inc.

…

Technical Characteristics

Crew - Single pilot

Length - Bow to Stern 32.2 m.

Wingspan when extracted 21 m.

Empty Weight 29,000 kg.

…

Armament

Four (4) KS 7D9 plasma cannons

Two (2) missile launchers

Payload - 48 KS PM25 plasma missiles

Armor

molecularly refined Dimentium/862 coating

Sol Shield generator

…

Power plant

Ed67 Antimatter propulsion

Combat Speed: 1,800 m/s

M. Range ‘Marseille’ sensor array

…

Entered service January 30, 2229, 22:00

Theater Orion arm

…

Operation Nimic’s 2nd Line phase A, September 7th, 2229

Result - Tactical Defeat

Redeployment at Rigel A September 8th 2229

Sub-Mission Akatha C September 9th, 2229

Result - Strategic Defeat

Ordered to abandon base

Returned to W.T.MARTIN Sep. 9th 2229

Current mission

…

Insufficient data

…

Wow that is a helluva fighter! I was impressed and perplexed at the same time as to why I was directed to it instead of a pod.

The lower bays rescue pods were destroyed earlier. The other bays were too far away for you to reach in time. That is the most possible reason.

Okay.

I looked at the sealed lockers.

What’s in there?

You have to read the manual further. Stop wasting cycles.

I did. The lockers contained army issued uniforms, weapons; anything from blankets to hand grenades. I carefully placed my palm on the first lock. The door opened. It contained army blankets, the dark green variant. I smiled pleased. Then closed it back up again and opened the one next to it. Armoured Vests and boots. The third one had a set of twelve grey full-body field uniforms one of which I quickly put on. The boots were next.

I checked the time on my mind screen.

143:27.50

Nice.

Satisfied I returned to the cockpit. Coming closer to one of the portholes I looked outside. The light mist was still present and I could see the start of what resembled and probably was, a thick greenish jungle, a second strong clue that this was a terran-like carbon-based ecosystem, along with the big water expanse we had just flown over.

I think I should go out. Better than standing here peeking out all day huh?

I got no response from whatever I had living inside my brain.

7Beta?

I cannot offer any concrete advice to your hypothesis.

What do you mean?

It is an unknown if exiting the ship is better. Too many variants to compute. Attempting to simulate a probability chart for you.

Probability of what exactly?

Survival.

I stared to the jungle through the diaphanous alloy covering the window. The ship had landed on a small clearing with no important topography near us.

How is that chart going? I probed 7Beta.

After analyzing several scenarios… all factors point to a probability of ninety-seven percent.

That wasn’t so bad, I thought.

That’s a high survival chance 7Beta.

Negative. I was referring to the probability of a disastrous event happening. It is actually extremely high. I suggest you remain in the ship until further analysis is possible.

As if to strengthen his doomsday scenario an alarm started.

What is that?

LIFE SUPPORT NOW INACTIVE

That was the MANT.

SYSTEM IN REPLENISH MODE

PROGECTED RE-ACTIVATION

SIXTY FIVE MINUTES

I am going to die!

Negative.

I wasn’t convinced, my eyes on the outer hatch lock. Better to take my chances out there, I thought.

I am getting out.

I advise you to remain in the ship.

But I had already opened the hatch. I entered the narrow tube-like exit.

EXTERNAL HATCH NOW UNLOCKED

CALCULATING PARAMETERS

NO DANGER

EXTERNAL HATCH IS NOW OPEN

The second hatch opened outside. No danger, I thought. Trust the ship. With a small pause, I went outside.

.

Log entry 005

Date 2229

… …

…error

Unknown parameters

…

Log entry 006

Date unconfirmed

Mission time 143:31.14

Unknown location

Analyzing atmosphere

Samples required.

…error

Unknown parameters

…

(Stranded)

-

The mist wetted my skin bringing my external temperature down two degrees. The terrain was muddy, but there was no vegetation at least around the MANT, as the landing thrusters had blasted away everything detachable. The ship itself was bigger than I thought. It extended backwards, its stern disappearing in the silky mist. Kneeling I touched with my index finger the alien black mud and then brought that finger closer to my face.

Doesn’t seem alien to me.

7Beta kept his wisdom to himself. Then another thought occurred to me as I tried to locate with my eyes the position of the star on the sky. It looked like a bright orange dwarf, a friendly enough star if it wasn’t too young. The rich vegetation seemed to support the latter.

What exactly are you? that was the thought I’ve mentioned.

I am Seven Beta Theta Two.

Yeah right. I started walking towards the dark undefined mass that was the jungle. As I neared I encountered shrubs, varying from smallish to almost three feet tall, with an ever increasing frequency. Their leaves, not all green as they’d originally appeared to me from afar, had thick azure veins running their length creating strange looking stripes.

The shrubs turned into trees, with thorny intertwined branches, their crowns rising high into the mist, probably creating a natural canopy too thick for any light to penetrate.

I decided to return to the ship. It would be extremely difficult for me to break through this natural barrier. The logical thing to do was bypass it, from above.

Can you offer any advice on our predicament? I asked the silent 7Beta walking slowly on the muddy terrain towards the silhouette of the large fighter.

Unable to comply. Unknown parameters.

Of course you are. My fingers touched the cold hull of the ship. The name EASAF was clearly written with large bold white letters on the side facing me. But it was not a name I recognized.

What does it mean?

Acronym for Earth Alliance Space Air Fighter.

What is this earth alliance 7Beta?

Earth Alliance. Established at Valletta May 21st, 2079 after the U.E.M.P. (United Earth Movement Party) won the elections in all three major Earth superpowers. Co-signed by 198 countries in January 4rth, 2080 with the objective to solidify the planet’s position in the Cosmos under a unified front.

You seem to know a lot of things. Why is it I don’t remember anything?

The link was severed prematurely.

Does this mean I have half a brain or something?

Brain… does not compute. Rephrase the question.

Forget about it.’ I returned my attention to the ship. ‘MANT open the hatch.

The hatch opened, I went inside.

---

Log entry 007

Date unconfirmed

Mission time 143:49.52

Unknown location

Atmospheric analysis complete

CO2 0.50%

N2 77.01%

Ar 0.89

O2 21.09

Traces of other gashes 0.1%

Atmospheric pressure 1.187 atm

Calculating planet topography

…

Insufficient data

Unknown parameters

…

.

The ship seemed unresponsive, so I repeated my order.

MANT I want you to power up the engines.

Negative. The ship is in diagnostic & repair mode now.

I don’t care about the LS system. It can just open the outer valves and suck the air in or something.

There was also the problem with the retracting system of the wings.

Are you trying to say, this thing can’t fly at the moment? I asked my annoying companion.

He or it, was trying to say exactly that.

I looked around me trying to come up with some kind of an idea.

Can it at least show me a map of the general area? I asked 7Beta when my eyes settled on the large holoscreen located on the left wall of the cockpit, above a console.

You will have to ask the ship.

I did.

A crude digital map of the area we had just landed appeared on the holoscreen. I pointed to a blinking triangular object roughly at its center.

Is this the ship?

Affirmative.

I could discern the clearing I had just returned from, inside what appeared to be a very large solid green mass. By all accounts the jungle. An anomaly near the end of the map drew my attention.

What is this shape? The digital map changed to an aero-photography the ship’s sensors had snapped as we neared for the landing. Was that a hill popping out of the tall trees? A squarish hill? I touched with my index finger the digital ship and then dragged the said finger on the holoscreen in a straight line until it reached the anomaly. The line turned red and then the calculated distance appeared in its place in small digital numbers. Six point two miles.

I stared outside the window. The parent star of this system was still up on the horizon.

This planet must have a day/night cycle. I said aloud and 7Beta chipped in.

The statistical probability for that is 0,7787.

That was good enough.

I marched determined towards the second room, the one containing the lockers.

…

That is a gun.

I pulled it out of the vertical rack and then read the label on its black polished side. ‘QV-212/A.I.T.S’. Located next to it was a small rectangular screen.

What does it do exactly?

The QV-212/A.I.T.S. Assault Rifle is used by Special Units of EA military in various offensive and defensive roles.

Stop it. I am going to take it along.

Only authorized personnel can use—

I stopped him again midsentence.

Ship authorize me for using the weapon. I said and the ship’s voice was heard from the speakers.

AUTHORIZING

ASHOS 11 TO USE

QV-212/A.I.T.S.

SN: 7364532923

The small screen on the rifle lit and turned red. Then a female voice came from the weapon itself.

The Kelen & Sons Industries salutes you soldier. If you wish the AI to operate the weapon put your finger on the screen when it turns green. Thank you for your cooperation.

I didn’t want that, mainly because I had no idea what it was supposed to mean.

The small screen turned green for a couple of seconds, before returning to its previous red color.

What was that? I asked 7Beta.

The A.I.T.S.

It or he said and perhaps realizing that his answer didn’t mean much either at least to me, it added.

Artificial Intelligence Targeting System. People refer to it as an ‘intelligent weapon’.

I will call it AITS.

That is not an accurate—

I would have none of it.

Whatever the case. This matter is settled.

Hefting the weapon I approached the hatch and paused briefly for the ship to open it. Then I stepped again outside.

I was getting the hang of things, which pleased me at least temporarily.

…

Log entry 008

Date unconfirmed

Mission time 144:21.36

.

The further I pressed into the jungle, the darker it became around me. The temperature was at least five decrees on the Celsius scale lower and the high humidity made my uniform glitter when some rare sun ray penetrated the thick canopy above my head.

What are these plants? I asked when a supple branch with pinnate leaves that I had moved out of my way using the muzzle of the rifle, returned with a vengeance and smacked me right on the face, making me almost to lose my footing and fall down.

They look like some type of Cycads, but of course further analysis is required.

They are pretty dangerous, if you ask me. I said eyeing the grey bark of the tree, noticing its diamond shaped fissures with the velvety outline.

I don’t and they are not.

I was forced to walk around the huge trunk and bending I reached a place where the trees were standing further apart, allowing me to walk with less difficulty. The holomap appeared before my eyes again forcing me to pause slightly disorientated and check my blinking position for one more time. I had absolutely no idea how on Earth I was able to do that but it was useful nevertheless.

We are not so far away. Actually we should have been able to see some part of the hill from our current position. I said examining the jungle around me but the nv-infra I had on made it impossible to see far with any legitimate level of detail. It is just too damn dark.

Perhaps we should turn back.

Are you kidding me? I am not walking back to the ship without at least an idea of what that thing is.

It is probably nothing.

Am I supposed to take your word for it? Why don’t you tell me what you are for starters? I said walking through this less dense area of the jungle, following the map.

I am Seven Beta Theta Two.

How did you get in my head?

Through the inship-link.

Why did you do it?

I don’t understand the question.

Damn it. I opened my mouth to answer but something flew by my left ear, buzzing like an air propeller and stopped me. I turned towards the sound but whatever that thing was, it had disappeared. After three seconds the buzzing stopped also.

Did you see that? I asked 7Beta.

I see only what you see. It said sounding almost bemused and then added for good measure. No I didn’t.

I decided that I had enough of his wisecracks.

I asked you something before, but you keep evading my question, what are you doing in my head?

I am not programmed to have any desires. I follow certain parameters. Seven Beta Theta Two was ordered to blend in with your algorithms.

What the hell is that supposed to mean? Ordered by whom?

Master-C.

Why?

There was a malfunction. The lines were not executed correctly. There was… there is a big probability of a system failure.

How long was I in Cryo?

Two years, seventy three hours and twenty five minutes.

Are you a program then, some routine to repair the damage?

Affirmative.

That confirmed my suspicions.

What is wrong with me? Will I be able to survive?

Further analysis is required.

Of course, I thought jumping over a fallen trunk and landing four meters away. Then 7Beta had spoken again.

You have far exceeded your original purpose. It is unclear to me how you are still able to function.

Which wasn’t something that one can hear and not feel worried about his future. But my reaction to this cryptic news had to wait as five meters after that well executed jump I exited the jungle and stood in front of the structure.

Not an earth elevation.

Under no circumstances a hill of any kind.

But a massive stonelike construction some intelligent life-form had built on this alien planet.

…

There was no entrance; nothing that would have allowed me to enter the huge building. I circled around it, reaching one of its corners and then turned back empty of progress.

There has to be a way into this thing. I said thinking out loud. The massive walls were covered with some kind of greenish growth, which I found out, I could remove with ease. A very hard black granite? as slick as glass appeared underneath the wild vegetation. Whomever had built this structure possessed knowledge of superior masonry.

Where are they? I asked meaning the people that had built this place.

That is a very ancient structure. The most probable answer would be, that the beings responsible for it have long died.

From what?

Red dwarfs are prone to unpredictable behavior. Perhaps a flare causing a sudden increase in radiation. It would be prudent to return to the ship.

I busied myself cleaning a larger part of the wall in front of me, leaving his pessimistic opinions aside. I worked fast, using both hands and thirty minutes later, a portion of the wall almost three feet wide and two in height was relatively free of vegetation. A straight crevice, less than half an inch in diameter drew my attention and I followed it with my fingers, clearing around what appeared to be a small square shaped carving on the slick rock. I put an open palm on it and pressed.

Nothing happened. It wasn’t a lever or some primitive switch of any kind. Or maybe it was and I just didn’t know how to operate it.

What do you think? I asked 7Beta but my companion remained silent. I kept cleaning away around the strange square and on its left side, no more than thirty centimeters from it another similar crevice appeared; creating another square figure. This one had a glyph of some kind engraved dead center on its surface. It contained what appeared to be a small circle with two straight lines, one on top of it and the other at the bottom.

I pressed this second engraving but nothing happened. Determined to find what the deal was with them I kept cleaning the wall, this time keeping at a straight line and soon another one appeared on its left side, this one had no glyph on it just like the first one. Puzzled I examined them more closely. Three square shaped clearly artificial incisions, placed neatly one next to the other, if not levers for opening some kind of door, then what exactly was their purpose?

Perhaps they serve no purpose. Many earth cultures used inscriptions in the ancient times.

But look at the cuts, they go deep into the granite.

They also don’t budge.

That was true. Was it a combination of sorts?

Nv-infra went active all of a sudden. I looked around me and realized that night had come. It seemed a little sudden to me but on the other hand I wasn’t paying much of an attention. The time appeared on my personal screen.

145:41.58

I was standing outside the alien structure for more than an earth hour.

You should head back to the ship.

It was not a bad idea.

Bending I picked up the rifle, I’d lay on the ground while I was busy cleaning the strangely illuminated by the nv-infra polished wall. I had decided to leave and return at first light. Perhaps bringing the ship along with me. There was enough cleared space around the structure for the MANT to land.

Satisfied that this was the best course of action, I headed back.

…

The less dense part of the jungle waited for me, the figures of the trees creating a strange representation on the small holoscreen I kept checking to avoid losing my way in the wilderness. This is an extremely quiet jungle, I thought looking around me for any signs of intelligent life. The nv-infra illuminated the darkness with a reddish hue that made it extremely difficult to distinguish the different shapes of my surroundings. A couple of minutes down the untrodden path the buzzing sound returned. Something flew over my head and landed behind a shrubby natural fence connecting two huge dark trunks.

Did you see that? I asked turning to my right trying to make out whatever that thing was.

No. But I heard a sound created by a helical instrument.

A what… I thought and then something moved behind those bushes. I pointed the rifle towards the spot and a strobe light came out of the AITS turning the night into day.

The sound returned again and a rather large bug appeared over the bush line, hovering like a V-copter of the previous century. The great insect had an almost grey color but that was probably because it was bathed in the strong light coming from my rifle.

It looks like a gigantic Dipteron.

The bug buzzed a little louder as if it greeted us to its home