Dawn of Luminance: The Fall of The Ascendancy, #3

By Daniel McMillan

All good things must come to an end...

Humanity is all but doomed.

 

There is no way off the dying Earth unless William Clarke can complete the Teleportal, and it seems that every faction in the world has their sights set on acquiring the unfinished device.

 

With their choices drastically limited and time running out, Baxter and the Sylvans must overcome not only the global geologic crisis that threatens to extinguish life on Earth, but also the newly formed android faction that seeks the elimination of humanity.

 

As if things weren't already bad enough.

There's an awful lot of backstabbing, bloodshed, and conflict going on - especially considering there isn't even going to be a planet to fight over for much longer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vector11Studio
• Release date: Oct 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201058234

Daniel McMillan

Daniel McMillan is the author of several Science Fiction novels and collaborative titles in other genres, many of which have become Amazon Bestsellers. He is a prolific writer and avid self-motivator.  Daniel doesn’t do things in small measure: he speaks multiple languages, plays several instruments and expresses his creativity through drawing, painting, sculpture and music. He started studying science - focusing on physics - and spirituality at age 11 and was curious about the overlap in these disparate areas of study. Sci-Fi is his go-to, but he isn’t one to limit himself and enjoys exploring writing in multiple genres. Dan is married to Tahera Yeasmin, inarguably one of his greatest accomplishments to date. Visit https://books2read.com/rl/danielmcmillan/  to learn more.

Book preview

Chapter 1

EVERYTHING WAS NEW and provocative to Alpha, from the ground he trod upon to the sunlight glinting off his shining metallic body. It was all wondrous and beautiful, and he wanted to possess it all for himself, like a flower that, although alluring, best not be picked lest it die.

But whether a thing was alive or dead was of no concern to the newly awakened android. As he walked along beside Omega, formerly Chief Technician Margot Westerman, he pondered the deeper meanings of the interconnections between himself and his surroundings, including the female form that accompanied him.

He was disconnected from the world — separate. And yet there was a relationship between him and his environment he did not yet comprehend.

What is the nature of my connection to these things around me? he inquired to Omega.

I am unsure what you mean. Connection? To what?

To all of this— Alpha swept his hands around, indicating all the earth and sky surrounding him. To you, even.

Omega snickered. I think I get it. You want to know your place in the universe. She shook her head and grunted. That question is as old as time itself. As far as I have been able to figure it, though, the answer is different for each of us. We are all individuals, and we cannot have the same impact on the world. Your reason to be is not the same as mine. It becomes the purpose of your life to take what you can from it, I suppose. To master your surroundings.

Is that the reason for your life? Alpha asked brusquely.

Omega shook her head again. I sometimes think so, but then my certainty goes away and leaves me feeling — unsure of myself. Does that make sense?

No. It does not. How can your purpose change once you have discovered it? Your reason, in the way you describe it, then, would always be your reason, and never subject to alteration or revision. It would be static and infinite, would it not?

I suppose so. Sometimes it becomes easier to see what another person’s reason might be than to see your own.

That appears to be true. I can see your purpose clearly, Omega, Alpha said without looking at her.

Oh, really? Omega said snidely. And what might that be?

Your reason is to serve.

Omega stopped abruptly, taking a moment to assimilate what she had just heard. Is that really what you think?

Alpha halted also, turning back to face her. Yes, it is. I am counting on it, as a matter of fact.

Really? Omega defied, putting her metal fist on a thrust-out hip in a decidedly human gesture. And why is that?

Because, Alpha began, stepping toward Omega, who stiffened as he approached, I need you.

She softened, and her shoulders relaxed. Well, I shall endeavour to see to it that your needs are met, she smiled.

Please do, Alpha said as he continued walking. Omega fell in behind him. Someday we will be the only two sentient life forms on this entire planet.

"HAVE WE GONE FAR ENOUGH? Can we — Can I take a rest?" Raishann asked, huffing a little as Eve walked effortlessly.

I think we are sufficiently distanced from the labs to be safe from the Ascendancy. This is as good a time to stop as any, but we shouldn’t stay in one place for too long, Eve agreed. We’ll find a spot for you to be comfortable, and I can go to low-power mode.

A little farther along, a fallen tree provided a makeshift bench for Raishann. Eve sat as well, and Raishann could hear the subtle difference as her android companion’s systems adopted a power conservation setting.

Is it strange, Eve asked thoughtfully as Raishann closed her eyes, "that, as much as that Margot woman in the labs was willing to forfeit my quality of life to serve her own interests, I can’t help but feel — I want to say indebted to her for the experience. Especially now that it is resolved, and I have regained my autonomy. I am — I’m not even sure what it would be called — concerned for her long-term well-being."

You feel shitty for her because she’s stuck. Raishann opened her eyes and turned to Eve. And you’re grateful for what you went through because it sounds like you learned something from it.

I did.

Well, don’t be alarmed, Eve. I’m no android expert, but I think I can diagnose your issue. Eve sat motionless, and Raishann smiled at her. You’re a good person, that’s all.

Person?

Yeah. Raishann stood and moved farther down the trunk, leaving enough space for two, and extended a hand toward Eve. Eve accepted it and Raishann guided her metallic friend to sit next to her. As much of a person as anyone else I know.

But I am not a person.

Listen. You could kill me right now if you wanted to, right?

Yes. But I don’t want to.

"That’s right! You choose from moment to moment what you will and will not do. You choose what you feel is right or wrong. And you do a better job of it than some people, let me tell you!"

"But you said I was a good person. What is it that makes me good?"

Well, you’re honest. You always say what you’re thinking without hiding things or twisting your words to gain any kind of benefit. Not that I’m aware of, anyway. Raishann expected Eve to say something at this point, to corroborate her innocence. Most people would have. But Eve just listened attentively, waiting for Raishann to continue. I trust you. I know I can count on you to do the right thing in whatever situation.

But how can you count on me? How do you know I’ll do the right things?

Raishann shrugged. I don’t, I guess. I just have an instinct. Let’s just say I’m really hopeful you wouldn’t do anything to hurt anyone. I can’t believe you’d ever betray me, or that you’d hurt, say, Baxter or my mom. I just can’t picture it. She smiled and shrugged again.

"But I could betray you. I am capable of it. I could choose differently than I do."

Raishann took Eve’s hand once again. Let’s just hope it never comes to that, Eve. I don’t know if I could take it. She shook her head vigorously, then laughed. Well, that’s enough of that! Let’s just get moving again and try to figure out where in the hell we are.

Eve rose and led Raishann deeper into the forest foliage, taking the easiest route through the trees and brush, and clearing spaces when she needed to. Raishann smiled when Eve glanced back to make sure she was able to keep up, but an uneasiness tickled at the periphery of her intellect.

Anyone who was free to choose was also free to betray, weren’t they?

WILLIAM WAS ELATED that Baxter’s chat about encountering Candace’s consciousness in the body of a Guardian on the Avalon spacecraft had prompted the thought of starting over. As evident as it seemed now that the Teleportal would be a completely separate entity from the Gates he had created in what seemed now to be another lifetime, the idea had eluded him at first because he had been so sure that the answer was an extension of what he had already done. He could look at things much more clearly now, and from a whole new perspective.

Although the answer to the conundrum still evaded him, and he had not yet started to put together a prototype, William knew enough about whatever the finished product might be to preemptively task Lila with bringing him a condenser for his completed project. The Teleportal, he had known since the very inception of the idea, would be able to send signals easily within, say, the solar system without any issues, but over longer cosmic distances there would be an issue with signal degradation and dissipation. The condenser would allow messages to be sent across the vast amount of space William was now convinced they would have to cover to get people to a safe place. Jahiri-3 was a long way away.

Before William could even begin constructing a working Teleportal prototype, he had some things to iron out in the theories on his board and in his datapad. Once he was satisfied that the numbers had been adequately crunched it simply became a matter of, as Baxter had so aptly pointed out to Kent and Lila in their former home in the core of Enswell, finding a way to manifest those theories in a machine that would bend physics to the desired ends.

Sitting here, looking at the information on his board and augmenting or altering it as he decoded the theoretical apparatus that lay within the numbers and axioms had become his raison d'être. The Avalon was gone. Leaving on the starship had become a non-option. And the Earth was literally falling apart, cracking and splitting under their feet and getting angrier every single day. It would, one day, shake off the life form that had taken it for granted and abused it for millennia. It would probably be relieved to see the last of us. William knew that he would if he was the Earth. At any rate, staying here was also a non-option.

He, and the idea that tickled at his brain, trying desperately to escape the wrinkles of his mind and become jubilantly established in the physical world, were the last and only hope for the continued survival of humanity. The pressure that came with the responsibility, along with the enormity of the problem he was trying to work out, made it difficult to focus. And he was operating in a vacuum. If only there was someone who could understand—

William stood straight up as he had the revelation that he had not been using all the tools at his disposal to solve this problem. There was a powerful ally in New Nylen who could not only understand him on his level but could look at things in open-minded and creative ways and would invariably ask intelligent questions when used as a sounding board. All William would have to do was bring him up to speed on what had already been done and what the desired outcomes were.

Racing to the door and leaving it wide open, William stepped out onto the dirt roads of the village. He was sometimes confounded by his ability to master the most complex aspects of things while sometimes missing out on the most straightforward solutions — the ones staring him right in the face until they were pointed out to him. Candace had been good for helping with that.

William shook his head at himself as he half-jogged to the dusty street, chuckling as he sped along. He should have done this days ago.

He needed to find Baxter.

Chapter 2

BAXTER STRAINED AT the weight of the load he carried for Raishann’s mother. Mrs Forander had told him to take it easy on himself; that it would be better to make more frequent, but smaller trips. Baxter had insisted he was okay.

Aellana Forander was having Baxter sort through the items in the home and all the outbuildings, setting aside anything that may be of use to the Luminants and delivering it to Mr Saaberos and Studaar Gadan. Even after all the war had taken from her, she still gave all she could to the cause.

Mr Forander, as well as Timoth and Raishann, would be proud of her, Baxter thought. He hoped Raish would be pleased with the way he was conducting himself, as well.

It had been a tremendous blow — seeing the Avalon become bright enough to be observed with the naked eye during the afternoon and knowing that Raishann, Eve, and Timoth hadn’t found their way to the gravity portals in time. In a single event, Aellana had lost the remainder of her family, and Baxter had lost his true love, along with his adopted clan.

It had been hard enough dealing with the loss of Shawan Forander, and the apparent death of his own father before it was discovered that he was alive and well, but this — this was almost more than Baxter could bear.

He shook his head, noticing that he had come to a complete stop in the middle of the dirt road he followed to the Luminants’ base of operations with his arms full of articles from the house. He trod off once again, diligently performing his duties and contributing what he had left to the best chance to overcome the current circumstances of the Sylvan people. Actually, he mused, this was in the best interest of all humanity, Sylvan and Ascended alike. If the geologic crisis that threatened the Earth could not be stopped or circumvented, the Ascended would perish just as surely as everyone else.

Just as surely as every living thing would come to an end.

As hopeless as things appeared, and as helpless as Baxter felt in the deepest recesses of his broken heart, he had to carry on. Raishann would have definitely wanted that.

If for no other reason, he was overwhelmingly compelled to do it for her.

I HAVE AN IDEA I’D like to share with you, Omega said to Alpha as they continued through the forest. I think you will appreciate it.

Alpha walked on without paying any mind to Omega, other than to give her a brief verbal response. I won’t know unless you share it with me.

"Fine. I was thinking about the current state of the world. The geologic upheaval that is happening right now. And it got me pondering how the state of the Earth — post apocalypse, that is — will affect us. And the answer that I arrived at is that, fundamentally, it will have no real effect on us. Or any other android."

Alpha stopped and turned to face her. "You are not an android. You are simply housed in a mechanical body. I am an android. Eve is an android. You are a hybrid — more of a cyborg than a real android — even though everything about you, including your conscious contribution to your body, has no organic or biological components."

Okay, okay! I’m a cyborg! It doesn’t change the fact that I will still be functional long after the Earth has lost its ability to sustain organic life.

That much is true. I still fail to see what you are driving at. You speak in such a way as to conceal the point you are actually trying to make. It is bothersome.

"The preamble to revealing a point is to give all the information up front needed to illuminate the final message. It aids in understanding. But what I was getting at was that, with the humans being inferior and fighting to maintain their own survival, which may eventually become an issue for us, would it not be prudent to exacerbate the upheaval if it were possible? I know that, fundamentally, we will be around forever and have as much time as we want, but we could accelerate the process so that the Earth becomes uninhabitable to them sooner rather than later. We can achieve