Roguebots

By Frank Carey

In this fourth installment in the Parthenon saga, the city of Atlanta, a space station in orbit, and Earth itself are threatened by rogue nanobots controlled by the souls of zealots bent on world domination. Only a researcher, his lawyer girlfriend, and a team of engineers stand in the way of the roguebot threat.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frank Carey
• Release date: Dec 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393797456

Frank Carey

Frank Carey has been formally writing and publishing works of science fiction since late 2013. Over the years prior, he had dabbled in various forms of writing including haiku poetry, but that all changed when he and his wife, Jo, decided to try their hand at writing and self-publishing. Since then, he has written and published a collection of flash fiction and short stories, two anthologies, a pentalogy, and a trilogy. All his work, to date, has been in the science fiction genre. Most of his stories take place about two centuries in the future when Earth joins the League of Planetary Systems. Many of his protagonists are strong females. He is an inveterate pantser who believes the story will go where the story wants to go. Frank’s background includes degrees in physics and extensive work as a scientific programmer and technologist.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Atlanta, Georgia, once home to the CDC, became a wasteland overnight when Ellie hit almost 50 years ago. An oddity among the cities of United Earth both large and small, Atlanta was the only municipality without a single citizen immune to Ellie. When she hit, Atlanta died and died big time. With all the researchers and other personnel dead, the biostorage units at the Center went into lock-down until help arrived. When no help came to reset the system, it went into failsafe mode which included arming a thermobaric self-destruct system. Once the stuff of legend, the self-destruct was installed a few years back after a near-release of a particularly nasty pathogen. Forty-eight hours and two missed check-ins later, the device filled the entire complex with a mist of fuel. When the fuel concentration reached a trigger point, it was ignited, turning the entire facility into a fuel-air bomb. When the smoke cleared, only a large pit lined with a glassy substance remained.

Fast forward twenty years.

Through the efforts of John and Alex Nova and a group of AIs led by Hera, Ellie was eradicated, and humanity turned to rebuilding civilization. One of the first cities targeted for relocation was Atlanta, but not by the civil authorities. Phaeton Ltd found that its predecessors had numerous labs scattered about the city including robotics labs, genetics labs, computer labs, biology labs, and weapons labs. Using the time-tested techniques of bribery and blackmail, Phaeton obtained title for all properties containing labs of interest. Even before the ink was dry on the contracts, Phaeton's army of technicians were systematically checking each lab for viable product, sometimes in class-4 moon suits and other times in shirtsleeves. Within weeks, the labs were back up and running while another army, this time of lawyers, searched through patents related to what was found. Soon, Phaeton was the largest science and technology company on the planet.

For the next thirty years, while people returned to Atlanta to make new lives from the ashes of the old, Phaeton researchers were continuing research which had abruptly ended, research which included nanobotic enhancements for soldiers. Once inside a subject, the bots would instantly respond to injury by repairing the damage, at least that was the theory.

###

The sound of the door slamming followed by the sound of angry footsteps stomping down the hallway to the kitchen signaled Olive's entry into the apartment. Seth walked in calmly, picking up Olive's sweater, scarf, and shoes off the various pieces of furniture they had landed on. She stormed out of the kitchen with a water glass filled with three fingers of scotch over crushed ice. He said nothing as she stomped up to him, sloshing her drink on the hardwood floor.

What were you thinking trying to explain your work to Jackson Smythe? I told you to just be eye candy tonight. No talk, no conversation, and no explanations.

He seemed interested in my work, so I thought I should answer his question.

He's a moron! They're all morons. They were lost the moment you inhaled. Now, they're all pissed at me because you made them feel like low grade morons.

But you just said they were morons, he said. He knew she would blow up, but he couldn't help himself.

They are! she screamed. But you don't have to make them feel that way. I'm ruined. My boss is going to fire me tomorrow. That's it. We're through.

Olive...

No. That's it. We're through. Take your stuff and get out!

I don't have any stuff here, he said. He had seen this coming months ago, so he had removed everything he owned. Funny how she never noticed how empty his side of the closet was or that there was nothing of his in the bathroom. Early on he realized how one-sided their relationship was, so he'd already implemented an exit strategy. He didn't even have to hide it from her.

What? How can you live with me and not have any stuff? she asked as the booze took effect.

You'll figure it out, Olive, he said as he turned and headed for the door. Remember to lock-up behind me, he said as he dropped his key in the candy bowl on the credenza in the hall. He instinctively ducked just as the water glass was about to hit his head. It flew past and exploded against the door. He waited, but no more glassware was inbound, so he walked out into the corridor and out of her life.

Damn you, Dr. Seth Marsden, she said as she collapsed into the couch and wept.

###

Seth walked into his office, slamming the door behind him as he stormed over to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of rotgut whiskey and a tumbler. He sat behind his desk and poured himself three fingers of Old Rocket Fuel and downed it in one gulp before leaning back in his chair.

Easy there, big guy. It's not good to let the troops see you drunk, he thought to himself as the lovely glow of liquid death spread through his body. Of all the women on this planet, why did I choose to fall in love with Olivia Elizabeth Pratt?

A knock on the door was followed by Margo sticking her head in and announcing, Hey boss, the new person is here. What do you want me to do with her? When no answer was forthcoming, she walked in and sat down across from him. Noticing the bottle and the tumbler, she asked, Another fight? You okay?

Yes, to both. Ms. Meriwether, how the hell do you and Jim do it? You two have been married forever and have three incredible children. How?

Lucky? Hard work? If I knew I'd write a book and go on tour.

He opened his eyes and sat up straight. This is it. I'm through. I'm swearing off Olivia.

Seth, don't do anything you'll regret. How many fights have you two had?

A couple hundred in the last three years. What's your point?

Each one ended with you two getting back together. What's so different about this one?

He pulled a small box from his pocket and handed it to her. She opened it and gasped. Inside was an engagement ring the likes of which she had never seen before. She examined the box more closely. A Leopold? How is that possible? I thought he quit the jewelry business a decade ago.

He owed me favor.

The most renowned lion chimera artist on the planet and he owed you a favor?

What can I say? I happen to know people from virtually all the Confederation worlds and the Marna Compact and some of them owe me favors.

Back to the ring. Did you...?

Didn't have a chance, he said as she closed the box and handed it back to him. He opened a safe in the wall behind him and placed it inside. And I never will. He closed the safe and locked it. Now, what were you saying about the new girl?

Huh? Oh, yeah, Megan, or I should say Dr. Megan Smythe, a tilion with an MD and two PHDs. She's here, so what do we do with her?

Make sure her paperwork's in order, set her up with a desk and a lab station, then brief her on the project. Oh, and tell Sam to give her some time to get acclimated before he hits on her.

Do tilions form cross-species relationships? Anyway, should I brief her on our resident prince of libido?

Yes, definitely. HR will can his ass, if they get one more complaint about his behavior.

Just curious, boss. Were you like that when you were his age?

I wasn't like that when I was a teenager. No one is. That boy has enough sex drive for twelve guys. If only he wasn't such a good nano mechanic... he said as he looked at his watch. Damn. I've got a meeting with Nat and Dragon Lady which I'm late for. Could you put that away for me? he asked, pointing to the bottle and glass.

Sure, now get, she said. When he was gone, she got up and retrieved the bottle and its cap. Before sealing it, she took a whiff. Shit! she exclaimed while fighting back a wave of tears. That man must have an iron stomach, she said as she quickly put the bottle back in the cabinet and the glass in the tiny bar sink.

Seth headed up three floors to Dir. Natalie Quinn's office where he was to meet with her and Dir. Mavis Houng, the director of Level Twenty-Eight. When he got there, he knocked on the massive oak doors which seemed completely out of place in the moon-base style complex.

Come, a voice said from the other side as the double-door opened ponderously inward.

Director Quinn, you really need a pair of slaves playing kettledrums when these open, he said as he walked into the office.

I have them on order, Natalie said from her chair in the middle of the room. It and two others were arranged around a small table, one of which was occupied by a Seloran woman. She had a deep tan, large folded wings, a long tail, intense green eyes, and fine black hair tied up in a bun. She intimidated most of the staff with her demon looks except for Seth. He just found her irritating.

Hello, Mavis. How was your vacation? Eat any puppies?

Hello, Seth, no puppies. How's your girlfriend? I hear she's already out shopping for a replacement.

Enough! Dir. Quinn said as she sat down and handed the two combatants drinks. Am I going to have to have the two of you move to neutral corners?

Sorry, Nat, Seth said as he and Mavis glared at each other.

Mavis said nothing.

Seth, I've called you here to brief you on some minor changes to the Nanobot Medical Program—what you call the System.

What kind of changes?

You are to continue your work, but I want you to forward all results and data to Mavis's group in Section S.

Section S? I thought Space Command shit-canned Section S after the Marna Incident.

'Shit-canned' is a little harsh, Seth, Mavis noted. The Confederation and United Earth decided to reactivate some of its more interesting projects and put me in charge.

Section S was a military skunkworks. May I ask what they are going to use the bots for?

That information is classified, Mavis said while sipping her drink. Seth noted how her wings vibrated, a sign she was hiding something.

I have ultimate clearance, Seth said.

Not ultimate enough, Mavis replied.

Natalie put her hand on Seth's shoulder and said, She's right, Seth, I don't even have clearance. This comes from the top echelons where they don't even use oxygen.

I want it on the record that I think this ill-advised. In the wrong hands—or talons—this tech could literally destroy this planet.

You exaggerate, Mavis hissed.

Ever see what's left of the original nanolab-1?

There is no nanolab-1. Mavis noted.

There was. It was consumed by a bad batch of nanobots. We had to irradiate the room before sending it into the sun. I can show you videos of it if you want.

Duly noted and logged, Natalie said. Now, Mavis, do you have any questions?

She stood up and handed Seth her cup while giving a cobra-like smile. No, she said as she walked out.

I resign effective immediately, Seth said as he put the glass down on the table before he could throw it into a wall. I will not be a party to enabling that megalomaniac.

Sorry, you can't quit.

Why?

Because I won't let you. I need your sanity to balance her...whatever until we can learn what she plans to do. Anyway, you haven't gotten it to work yet, have you?

No, but we're close, we've narrowed it down to a dozen combinations of serum and nanobots. We just need time.

Then concentrate on that while I concentrate on Mavis.

Nat, I don't think you realize how dangerous these bots can be. The line between saving a life and destroying this planet is a very fine one.

Isn't that hyperbole? I've read the reports...

We thought we had the nanolab-1 problem figured out, so we tried a controlled experiment on a 300-pound anvil. It dissolved in the seconds it took us to send the scram command. This time, the problem was due to a mistake in a single line of code. My team knows this and takes every precaution. I can only hope Mavis does the same.

Believe me, Seth, so do I. So do I.

CHAPTER TWO

A week after their breakup, Olive found herself at the local, lawyer-frequented, watering hole having a drink by herself. Lying on the table in front of her was a picture of Seth next to a half-eaten bowl of pretzels and several empty