Ahead of him, a THE counselor and a civilian operative halted, but two pairs of Aggregates kept right on going. Taj fired twice, hitting one of the Reiver anteaters high on its back.
The sight—shards of “skin” flew off the Reiver, which stopped immediately—and sound—like breaking glass—were incredibly satisfying. Taj realized that he had unfinished business with these creatures.
But before he finished that thought, he felt a blow in his right side, a deep punch that staggered him even as he registered a gunshot.
Then he was on the pavement, lying on his side, gasping, hurting. There was tremendous commotion around him—voices, shadows.
The last thing he saw was Kaushal looming over him. The last thing he heard was Kaushal saying, “You idiot.”
FIRST LIGHT
22 APRIL 2040 0001:00 MDT
FIRE LIGHT
09 MAY 2040 0001:00 MDT
TIME TO FIRST LIGHT
23 hours and counting
COUNTDOWN CLOCK AT SITE A
CARBON-143
SITUATION: Carbon-143 returned to her workstation in a state of communal ecstasy. The knowledge that final Fire Light ignition of the Ring transmitter would have negative effects on organic and quasi-organic human life—quite likely resulting in her own destruction—was outweighed by her sense of triumph. She was designed to take satisfaction in working as part of her formation, which had been accomplished by participation in the assault force launch simulation.
She realized she was also experiencing an anomalous jolt of accomplishment combined with guilt due to her independent cybernetic sleuthing. This was a somatic state she was less familiar with. The only element—rather, individual—likely to assist her with an evaluation of this state was Randall Dehm. But encounters with Dehm were unpredictable. It was quite likely this state would pass long before Carbon-143 had an opportunity to disclose it.
Would she remember it? She would have a record of the facts, naturally, but these new somatic episodes were not formally accessible the way data or procedures were.
NARRATIVE: Two hours and nineteen minutes into the next shift, the entire formation received another general message: “Basic systems update. Disengage.”
As one, all twelve elements of the Carbon-143 formation disconnected from the assembly-line equipment and backed away.
Another general message followed: “Resumption of activity anticipated in seven minutes.”
Carbon-143 and the others found themselves with unanticipated and unprogrammed time. On the four occasions this had happened in the past, Carbon-143 had remained on station. Three times she had been able to interact with Dehm, whose workstation was adjacent, and whose systems were usually offline at the same time.
She did not have to wait long. Dehm emerged from the next station, looking troubled. Carbon-143 had no skill at initiating conversation with humans, though she had learned the utility of proximity: If you are in his path, he will speak.
This time the maneuver failed!
“I can’t talk now.”
Dehm rapidly disappeared from the line, leaving Carbon-143 in the position she had assumed, some distance from the other elements, all of them still waiting for the signal to resume activity.
ACTION: She knew she should return to the formation immediately, and turned to execute that maneuver when she found her path blocked by Whit Murray.
“Sorry,” he said. He stepped to his left just as Carbon-143 moved to her right.
They were left in the same position. “Sorry, again,” he said.
Carbon-143’s programming indicated that she should remain where she was, allowing the more mobile and independent organic—Whit Murray—to initiate his own maneuver.
But in the long interval—from her perspective—between accessing that set of commands and initiating them, Carbon-143 realized that Whit had as much potential use as recipient of her information as did Dehm. After all, Dehm had connected them.
She stepped to her left just as Whit tried to get past her for the third time.
Now he stood there, saying, “Do you need something from me?”
Since he had initiated conversation, she felt empowered: “I have information to share.”
Whit flinched, a reaction Carbon-143 recognized as surprise. “What? And why me?”
“About the nature of the Ring and its possible side effects on the environment when triggered.”
Whit’s eyebrows rose, a reaction recognizable as curiosity combined with interest. “What are they?”
As precisely as she could, Carbon-143 referenced the radiation levels that would result from both a test pulse—the so-called First Light—and the operational firing known as Fire Light. “Won’t that be bad for all that stuff out there?” he said, jerking his thumb in what he obviously thought was the direction of the tank field. He was mistaken, by at least sixty degrees, but Carbon-143 elected not to offer a correction.
“Extremely.”
“It doesn’t make sense.”
“Not unless the goal is to leave nothing of use behind following the transfer.”
Whit opened his mouth to speak, then, strangely, closed it without uttering a word. And Carbon-143 received the formation-wide signal to return to her station.
As she turned toward it, Whit scurried around in front of her. “You can’t drop a bomb like that and just walk off.”
“I’ve been ordered back to my station.” She could see Eleven and Ten already plugging in. In seconds, her absence would be noted and cause for review.
She kept moving; Whit moved with her. “I’ve got it. I need to get back, too.” He lowered his voice. “We need to talk more. When does your shift end?”
“My shift never ends.”
“Oh,” he said, “right.” He followed Carbon-143 right up to her station. “Can you, uh, send me the material?” He obviously realized, belatedly, that their conversation might be unapproved or troublesome. He actually smiled at Eleven and Ten as he said, with a noticeable increase in volume, “I think we can help the Project.”
“I will locate you,” Carbon-143 said, suddenly and strangely unsure of her actions.
ANALYSIS: She had returned to her station and resumed her work with no detectable loss of performance. (She had received no queries about delays from higher on the information tree.)
Yet she spent the next twenty minutes in a state of agitation pondering two questions: Had she betrayed the Project by obtaining and now revealing certain information?
Had she betrayed Dehm by speaking with Whit?
She was uncomfortable with the realization that she had insufficient data to answer either question.
INDIAN SPACE HERO WOUNDED IN ROBBERY
Retired general Taj Radhakrishnan, 66, was severely wounded in an apparent attempted robbery in North Bangalore yesterday. He has been taken to Sagar Hospital, where his status is critical.
Reporting is still incomplete, but the incident occurred in the business district of Hebbal near 5th Main Road around 9 A.M. A shopkeeper found the astronaut shot and lying in an alley. His wallet had been taken.
An Air Force pilot by training, Radhakrishnan became the second citizen of India to fly in space in 2014, and again in 2019, when he commanded the ill-fated Brahma mission to Near-Earth Object Keanu.
More recently he has been involved in the return of inhabitants of Keanu, one of them his son, Pav.
Dr. Melani Remilla of the Indian Space Research Organization disputed the suggestion that the attack on General Radhakrishnan was related to this activity.
BANGALOREMIRROR.COM (CITY SECTION),
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2040