Kamuzu

By SJ Knight and JW Madden

It is May 2033 in a bustling temporary city in Norway with around two thousand highly intelligent inhabitants. Global warming has caused polar ice caps to melt, and the Norwegian glaciers are no exception. Inside the temporary city, British science officer Deb Eaton is heading a team assigned to operation Nordic Key.

Because the glacier has dramatically receded, a four-thousand-year-old pyramid-like structure has now become visible. As Deb and a team of twelve scientists begin drilling into the pyramid to learn more, tragedy strikes and sends an alert to the commander of the international space station as well as to other scientists and leaders around the globe. What no one knows yet is that the ancient object either holds the key to the planet’s destruction or its survival. As one catastrophe after the other unfolds, many great minds from Scotland to the United States and beyond attempt to make sense of the chain of events. But will they be able to find a solution before it is too late?

Kamuzu is a thrilling tale of adversity and struggle as a small team of world leaders and enhanced humans fight for the survival of humanity and planet Earth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jul 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9781665599467

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2022 SJ Knight and JW Madden. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 07/08/2022

ISBN: 978-1-6655-9947-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-9948-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-9946-7 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

PROLOGUE 2053 AD

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We would both like to thank everyone who has supported us in the production of this book. Especially Pru.

PROLOGUE 2053 AD

Mission Code name: Runner

On a cold Nordic morning Captain Mason Barland’s eyes fixed across at his lifelong friend Oliver Haigh.

Another day at the office Ollie.

Ollie smiled as he checked the safety on his assault rifle. The Pair relaxed as they took in the serenity that surrounded them as they approached their target.

Mason looked down at the stretch of ice-cold water below. It looked so calm and serene, surrounded on both sides by bleak tundra and glaciers as far as the eye could see. The water below looked calm as an undisturbed mill pond in spring, yet the temperature would kill a human in under a minute.

The year was 2053. This was a mission that Mason and Ollie had flown dozens of times before. The flight in towards the secluded location was not the hard part, however that was still to come. The Gyro Copter sped along about fifty feet above the riverbed hitting speeds over 200mph. As it flew tracing along the route of the meandering river, Mason started formulating how they would approach what was yet to come in his head!

30 seconds. came the shout from the front of the vessel. Ollie opened his eyes and readied himself for the drop. The pilot of the craft was Corporal Heathers, she was a pilot with a fearsome reputation such that nobody even knew her first name. She slowed the craft down and swung it around 180 degrees. Drop, drop. came the shout from the front, as the side door slid open.

As the door opened the pair saw a site that had been obscured from their position in the craft. A sight they had seen dozens of times before yet still filled them with fear, adrenaline and wonder at the engineering feat that lay ahead. They dropped the ten or so feet to the flat area they had designated as a suitable drop point, knowing that time was precious as the turrets would get a lock on Heather’s copter as soon as they approached. Before the pair had even hit the ground, Heathers had turned the craft around and was already speeding away.

Here we go again. Mason muttered under his breath as he scoped what lay before him.

Ollie smiled as he heard his friend’s comment.

At least you didn’t have the Chilli before we arrived. With that Ollie began the assault, closely followed by Mason.

The Mountain was the most secure location on earth. Discovered in Norway it was at the end of a meandering river, which was the only access point at ground level. The rest of it was surrounded by huge impassable glaciers. No one knew the official name of the place; it was just referred to as the mountain.

A huge ‘man’ made structure, pyramid like with three faces, standing at over three quarters of a mile high! It was scalable on each side as the rake of elevation was only about thirty degrees.

That however was the only positive, each side was defended to such a level that nothing living, or mechanical had ever scaled it. What was at the top? Who knew? The powers that be back at base had their ideas, hell if they were wrong then this mission is doomed from the start.

As they sprinted off the platform onto the incline at the start of the structure the first wave of defence systems sprang into action. Machine gun turrets lifted out of the surface and tracked Mason movements before opening fire. Mason’s Barland suit was bullet proof, but they gave one hell of a sting, and a head shot would have been game over! Mason ran and circumvented one of the turrets using there automatic tracking to his advantage. As he took cover behind one of the turrets it was destroyed by another. Three further turrets immediately sprung out and attempted to track Mason Movements.

Ollie began his assault fifty metres to the right of Mason’s position. The pair each covered the other’s movement to a specific way point they had determined from previous missions.

Ollie was unable to locate Mason as he was talking cover behind the destroyed turret, he through a pulse grenade in the general direction of the turret cluster. As it exploded with a purple hue the turrets spun around blind! This was their opportunity to advance, and they didn’t waste a second. The pair sprinted forward and upwards knowing what was to come.

About 45 seconds had passed before the Turrets had rebooted their systems, however Mason and Ollie were already out of range. They looked ahead as they sprinted as thousands of spherical orbs, metallic in hue appeared to form in front of them out of the surface upon which they ran. Each one at least three metres in diameter speeding along ahead of them. They were hovering above the surface travelling at insane speeds. It was like trying to cross a ten-lane motorway with every carriage pounding along at over 300mph. This was not a new defence mechanism of the mountain. This however didn’t make it any easier to traverse.

Mason and Oliver slowed themselves to a tiptoe as they studied the pattern, it was never the same. Every time they reached this stage the pattern of each orb was different.

Ollie looked at Mason as the pair studied the fast-moving obstacles in front.

Try and keep up bro. We all know this isn’t your strong point. Ollie smiled as he leapt forward to begin his approach.

For fucks sake. Mason muttered as he followed his friend.

Ollie picked his moment and leapt forward. One then two, then three lanes were traversed in moments, he paused and gathered his thoughts and went again. Successfully leaping between the orbs, crossing each lane with just a fraction of a second to spare each time.

The last lane was tougher than normal as the orbs were closer together, Ollie leapt between successfully and waited for Mason to join him. Mason spotted his moment and leapt through a gap. Landing prostrate on the floor he took a moment to gather his thoughts. Mason picked himself onto his knees in a crouched position, looked up and saw a flash of red, then darkness.

Ok everybody, let’s reset

Both Oliver and Mason removed their headsets in frustration.

Ok, lets run the simulation again.

1

May 2033, local time 18:05.

Operation ‘Nordic key’ was a massive undertaking! five square miles of temporary buildings ranging in size from coaches to small hangers. It was a bustling temporary city with about two thousand inhabitants, 80 percent of which had IQs over 140. Global warming over the past 150 years had caused polar ice caps to melt, the Norwegian Glaciers where no exception

Chief British science officer Deb Eaton had been studying at Oxford University since she was 18. At 38 had more degrees than most of us have rooms in our houses. A world leader in biochemistry, molecular biology, climatology, geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering, it was for this knowledge that she was asked to head up this team.

What the fuck Deb? Came a voice behind. She turned around and saw her assistant Helen Byrne; they had worked together on many projects in the past. She was an expert with Egyptian lore and majored on the pyramids at Harvard in the US. Helen had travelled over to the UK to assist Deb at Oxford about five years ago and they had become great friends. Deb turned back and stared at the metallic object beneath her feet and sighed No idea.

Where they were standing had been covered in sheet ice for over four thousand years. Now as the glacier had receded over the past one hundred years, the object that was ‘impossible’ had become visible. What they saw was a shallow pyramid chromatic in colour, about ten metres square with sides inclining upwards at about thirty degrees to make a point about three metres above them. It was clearly the top of the metaphorical Iceberg-the object was huge, and the size was incomprehensible. The ice beneath their feet was so clear and pure that they could see that the object continued far deeper than they could imagine. Whatever it was, it had been here for over four thousand years, it must have been, that was the age of the ice. A pyramid like structure four thousand years old is not that remarkable.

However, this one was metal.

2

Well, it’s definitely not natural. Helen said with a sarcastic tone.

No shit. Get a team over here I want samples of this, I want to know what it’s made of. Deb replied without averting her look.

Are you sure boss? Helen paused. I’m not so sure we should be messing with this, it gives me the chills. Helen shivered as she finished her statement.

That’s just the cold. Deb replied smiling as she turned back to look quizzically at the protruding mystery in front of her.

3

Two hours later a full team of twelve scientists with drilling equipment and preservation storage containers were set up at the sight of the pyramid.

We have only got about an hour of daylight left today guys so let’s get cracking. Deb shouted over the ambient noise of the equipment and generators.

The team moved the mobile drilling rig into position. It was the size of a small hatchback car with a drill bit only a few microns wide, diamond tipped. Whatever this thing was the team was being precise and Deb’s curiosity was peaking. She had to know what it was. She had to know what it was made of.

Drill team Alpha had been together for six years. They had worked under the leadership of David Last for all that time and had worked all over the planet, and off it on many scientific missions. Two years previously they successfully flew with NASA to Mars and gathered many amazing samples that would help the human race understand more of the Martian landscape. The rigours of space travel had taken their toll on David, being away from home in space for two years had seen the collapse of his marriage. Although his professionalism couldn’t be called into doubt, there seemed to be a degree of ‘couldn’t give a fuck’ about him. The team around him trusted him totally even though they were aware of his descent into drink and drugs.

Today was a good day for David. Of course, being stuck on a glacier in Norway did have certain supply issues for his vices. Clean for eleven days he was focused and prepared. Having said that a four thousand-year-old metallic pyramid beneath your feet would have a sobering effect on most people.

4

Drill team Alpha slowly moved the drilling machine towards the eastern face of the structure. David had the tablet computer that controlled the drilling arm. When everything was in place, he looked over to Chief Science Officer Eaton, Ready? He shouted, with genuine questioning in his tone.

Proceed. Deb replied back, with thumbs up, clearly excited.

What was to follow would change the course of history!

5

David used his tablet to move the drill arm into position, the tip of the bit was a few millimetres from the completely smooth metallic surface of the pyramid. He moved over to place his head about thirty centimetres away from the bit, and then glanced at his tablet and engaged the machine.

The drill spun into life; a shrill high-pitched whail emitted from the drill as it moved towards the pyramid on its robotic arm.

The moment it made contact with the smooth metal of the pyramid they collectively held their breath. Deb moved closer to inspect the drill’s progress, she could see the drill bit was not even scratching the surface. She looked over at David quizzically as he shrugged and shut the drill down.

Back it up guys.

David’s team backed the drill away about a metre so Deb could examine their efforts. Deb and Helen removed their goggles and stared at wonder at the still perfect surface.

Not a scratch David? Deb said, clearly annoyed at the situation.

No worries hon, I’ve got more toys. David cockily said with a wry grin.

He walked away from the drill rig towards the rest of his team. Unpack the X-14. This was NASA experimental stuff based on some fancy new metal. NASA had developed it secretly since the Mars missions. David had been heavily involved with its practical development and therefore his team had access to the tech.

As his team unpacked the laser pulse tech, David turned to Deb to explain the X-14.

Couldn’t give a shit David. Just get me samples. We’ve only got about thirty minutes of light left today, then it’s too fucking cold to piss. Deb smiled. David just grinned and helped the team set the X-14 on the rig.

About ten minutes later the rig was complete and ready to go. Deb was on the SAT phone to a colleague in Oxford. Her excitement was tangible! Professor Bower had been Deb’s mentor at Oxford for eleven years. He was an Expert in climatology and biochemistry and was a leading mind in artificial intelligence (AI) tech. He had worked with the government on some serious defence projects in the past after he retired from the army. His real passion though was archaeology. As Deb put the phone down and looked at the drill rig ready to go, Professor Bower rang her back to reiterate his point.

For the love of god Deb. Don’t do this, we don’t know what this is.

This is science Nate, we need samples, I cannot walk away from this without any answers.

Just promise me you will be careful, call me when you have finished. With that Professor Nathan Bower put the phone down in his office and looked out of the window and wondered what this object could be.

6

20:48 local time.

David and his team finished mounting the drill mechanism and got it in position. Deb and Helen looked on with excitement, as David guided the drill head into position with confidence.

Let’s see it withstand this then. David exclaimed with a feeling of elation.

The X-14 was fired into life and a bright precise red laser hit the surface of the pyramid guiding the fine metallic drill bit. Deb and Helen looked away as the brightness and intensity of the laser was damaging their eyes just to look at it.

Within seconds the ground started to shake, slowly at first, like a humming from beneath their feet. David went for the kill switch on the X-14. Before he could press it the machine stopped, all lights in the area went out, and the general ambient noise of the temporary research facility ceased. The rumbling beneath their feet was not enough to unbalance them, but it was unnerving. Everybody stopped what they were doing. Scared and confused they waited for the rumbling to cease.

The rumbling stopped suddenly after about ten seconds which felt like a lifetime. What the fuck was that? Helen said cautiously. Deb grabbed her Sat phone, but it was dead. Before anyone could answer Helen, a high-pitched scream louder than anything you could imagine was emitted from the pyramid.

Everyone in the vicinity was holding their ears screaming in pain as they all began to fall to the fall and writhe around in agony. David’s tablet screen shattered, as did all the windows in the compound. About twenty seconds later silence fell. Deb picked herself up from the icy surface and looked at Helen, her face was covered in blood and she was barely conscious. Debs first thought was to get to her friend but found she could barely move, the pain in her head was crippling. Deb reached to her own face with her gloved hand; she touched her own mouth and nose and looked at her hand. Blood, lots of blood. The pain in her head was becoming unbearable when she realised that around her was silence and death.

This was the moment the pyramid revealed itself in all its glory. Barely conscious Deb noticed that the metallic structure was turning red, and then it fell out of view entirely engulfed in a cloud of steam!

Falling in and out of consciousness she realised that the structure was heating up. She had already realised death was inevitable.

7

About 254 miles above Norway 20.48pm

Commander Brentford of the International Space station issued a full red alert. Flight engineer Blore leapt from his bunk, EMP blast! yelled Science officer Teal in panic rushing to the command module to join Brentford and Blore.

Where did that come from, damage report? Brentford shouted loudly.

Well it didn’t come from the sun, it must have come from below. answered Teal.

That’s what she said. muttered Blore under his breath, Commander Brentford turned and glared angrily.

Can you be serious for five minutes asshole?

Flight systems ok sir, life support ok, navigation ok, all systems returning to normal. Sorry Sir. Blore replied as he realised a time and place, this was neither.

All three senior crew members were now in the command module looking down at earth. They had been positioned purposely above Norway as one of their missions was to track diatom levels caused by ice cap depreciation in the area. They were the first to spot the pyramid three weeks ago and alerted NASA.

As they looked down