Peacekeeper- God Complex Read online

  “I am Churv,” she introduced herself when Tom caught up with her.

  “Glad to meet you.”

  Churv led Tom to a wooden building at the far edge of the compound. He could smell the odor of unprocessed body wastes as they approached.

  “I apologize for the smell,” Churv said. “This was built in a hurry and we have not yet had time to build a better facility.”

  “I don’t care what it smells like,” Tom replied. “It’s better than having to pick a spot in the woods.”

  “Which is what we had to do for the first week we were here. We are building two more bathrooms using a better design than this one but they will not be ready for at least another week.”

  The smell inside was overpowering. Five stalls were available. Tom headed for the closest and relieved himself into the trench that had been dug into the ground. He left as soon as he could.

  “A drone is approaching,” Krish informed him. “It’s three kilometers away and coming in from the northwest. ETA at current speed—one point four minutes.”

  Tom ran back to the shed and threw the doors open. “LD-36, exit!” he said.

  As soon as Lashpa was clear of the shed, Tom pulled a large sack down from her back and dumped the contents on the ground. He picked up a small box and opened it. A moment later, a dozen miniature quad-copter drones took to the air. Using a simple interface, he directed the drones into a spread-out formation ten meters above his head.

  He moved into a clear area and scanned the sky. His enhanced vision quickly found the approaching drone. Feeling like an idiot, Tom began waving his arms and shouting. “Proprietor! I need to speak with you!”

  The drone slowed as it approached the camp and dropped to an altitude of 25 meters. Increasing the magnification of his eyes, Tom identified the drone as one of the commandeered Alliance planetary survey probes. He directed his own drones to the same altitude and instructed half of them to intercept the Proprietor’s drone.

  The survey probe made a slow pass over the camp completely ignoring Tom’s frantic attempts to get its attention. Even putting a quad-copter directly in front of the probe’s camera failed to change the machine’s flight path. After two minutes, he recalled his quad-copters and watched as the survey probe vanished into the sky.

  “As you can see,” Tom heard Captain Maresh say, “the Proprietor doesn’t seem to care about what happens to his property.”

  “Then why bother sending a probe here several times a day?” Tom replied. “Nothing the Proprietor does makes any sense. I wonder what would happen if we sent a shuttle down here and your crew started to board?”

  “Then you would be interfering. The shuttle would probably be disabled.”

  “But why?” Tom replied, looking into the sky where the probe had gone. “If the Proprietor doesn’t care about you, then what does it matter if you leave? What if you decided to pack up and migrate somewhere else? I just don’t get it.”

  “The Proprietor is following a set of rules that have not been shared with us,” Captain Maresh replied. “They are in control and we are left to figure things out for ourselves.”

  Frustrated, Tom spun around and headed back to the shed. Captain Maresh followed. “I don’t see any need for me to stick around here any longer. Tell your crew that I’m heading for the Proprietor’s base. I plan on forcing him or the group of people pretending to be the Proprietor to talk to me. One way or another, this is going to be resolved.”

  “Be careful Peacekeeper. I watched two of my crew die at the hands of the Proprietor’s drones. Their bodies were treated as nothing more than trash afterward. Whoever this Proprietor is, he doesn’t seem to have any compulsion against killing.”

  Tom began packing his bags. “You should know that a sizable fleet has been assembled to force a rescue if my mission here fails. If I were you, I would be prepared to scatter and hide in the woods in the event Admiral Shurvith decides to attack.”

  “Our shields are useless against the weapon the Proprietor used against us. How many ships will be lost just to rescue us? Given the choice, I think we would all vote to remain here instead of risking more lives.”

  “I have expressed the same concern,” Lashpa said, startling the Captain. “There are some, however, who believe that not responding to this will only encourage the Proprietor to capture more ships.”

  “I forgot you were listening in,” the Captain replied. “Please tell Admiral Shurvith not to risk any more lives.”

  “I will pass on your message,” Lashpa replied. “I have recommended the planet be quarantined no matter the outcome of Tom’s negotiations.

  “That seems to be a more reasonable course of action,” the Captain replied. “My crew are aware of the sacrifices that must sometimes be made. For the most part, we are in good spirits and are alive and well. Attempting a rescue could end up forcing more people into the same situation or worse. I would rather live out the rest of my life here without knowing that several hundred people have died trying to rescue me. I’m sure the rest of my crew feels the same.”

  “I understand your concern,” Lashpa replied. “I will pass it on to the Admiral and Fleet Command. But, if the Proprietor doesn’t agree to release you and your crew, it’s an indication that they will continue to be a threat. They might decide to send out an expedition to capture more ships. There are some in Fleet Command who believe this must end here.”

  “I understand. We’ll be ready. Can you give me any idea when that might happen?”

  Shouldering his backpack, Tom pulled a small device out of one of the bags. Turning it on, he said, “Lashpa, do you copy?”

  “I read you loud and clear,” she replied, her voice coming from a tiny speaker built into the device.

  Turning the device off, Tom handed it to the Captain. “This is a peacekeeper transceiver. The signal is encrypted and virtually impossible to jam.”

  The Captain pocketed the transceiver. “Thank you.”

  Tom tightened a strap holding the power generator to Lashpa’s combat armor. “The base is 27 kilometers from here through dense forest. I estimate it will take at least two days for me to walk that far. Admiral Shurvith has been told to wait at least three days before taking any action if contact with me is lost. That gives you about five days to prepare.”

  Tom pulled a food bar out of a bag. “The transceiver has a limited battery life and should be kept in reserve. Lashpa can also inform you through the emergency radios if my mission has failed. She can also instruct her ship’s computer to ping the radios every two hours, so you know they’re still working. If you don’t get the ping or you receive word that contact with me has been lost, I would begin moving your people away from here.”

  “There’s not much we can do against armed drones. But we’ll do what we can. Would you like to join us for breakfast?”

  Tom held up his food bar. “Thank you, but no thanks. Tell the crew I’m sorry for not talking to them.”

  “I’m sure they’ll understand. Good luck Peacekeeper.”

  Tom started walking. As he passed Lashpa, he said, “LD-36, follow.”

  “And take care of that drone,” the Captain shouted after them. “It’s a valuable resource.”

  Chapter 16

  The knee-high, brownish-green grass Tom was walking through was covered in dew. The soil under his feet was still squishy from last night’s storm.

  “Krish has plotted what she believes is the easiest route to the entrance to the Proprietor’s base,” Lashpa said over the open channel. “The first few kilometers are through heavy woods. You will also need to cross over several streams. The hardest part will be ascending the mountain. I doubt you will be able to make it there before nightfall.”

  “Thanks. Can you send me the map?”

  A map appeared superimposed on the foliage he was walking through. “Looks simple enough,” Tom replied. “Just keep me pointed in the right direction.”

  The map vanished and a small icon appeared indica
ting the direction he should be heading. They crossed the field and entered the woods. The smell of wet soil was strong. The sun had barely cleared the horizon and had not yet had a chance to dry things out.

  “I’ve also had Orion look into the cargo-bot’s base programming,” Lashpa said, continuing their deception. “I’m not sure how well it will perform during the ascent of the mountain. Orion is working on an update to its programming that will enhance its climbing abilities. It will be downloaded before you reach the base of the mountain.”

  “Thank you.” Tom glanced back at Lashpa. “It seems to be handling this terrain quite well.”

  “The robot is designed to be very versatile.”

  They continued on in silence. Fifteen minutes later, Tom used their private channel, “Are you okay pretending to be a robot? If we knew for sure that we were not being observed I would suggest that you climb out of your armor and take a break.”

  “My armor functions the same as yours,” she replied. “I’m perfectly fine.”

  Lashpa was referring to the fact that, thanks to their cybernetic implants, peacekeepers became an integral part of their armor once they were encased inside. Even though it looked like they were walking around inside a suit of armor, they felt as if the suit was a part of their anatomy. Getting into and out of a suit of combat armor was a disorienting process that required several weeks of training to overcome. It was as if a peacekeeper’s body had suddenly and radically been changed.

  “You’re lucky your suit has a built-in waste disposal system,” he said. “The bathroom back at the camp almost gagged me.”

  “We should limit our use of our private channel,” Lashpa suggested. “We have no way of knowing how sophisticated the Proprietor’s monitoring systems are. No doubt, they will become more sensitive the closer we get to the base.”

  “I guess you’re right,” Tom agreed.

  Following her advice, they limited their conversation to information that would normally be shared over a long-distance comm-channel. At first, they made good progress through the underbrush but then the woods began to thicken. Tom had to resort to using the machete he had thoughtfully brought along.

  Even though the material had changed over the centuries, the basic shape and function of the ancient machete remained a constant. Too long of a blade would cause it to become tangled in low-hanging branches as the user swung upwards for a cut. Too short and it took too long to clear a path. When a double-edged version was wielded by a cyborg who’s arm never tired and had ten times the strength of a normal Terran, it chewed through the thickest underbrush in a remarkably short period of time.

  Four hours later, Lashpa announced, “There are three large animals in the trees directly ahead.”

  The underbrush here had thinned out allowing them to make good progress. A few seconds later, Tom heard a rustling noise from above. He stopped and looked up. Three of the shavrath climbed down from the trees and dropped to the ground where they stood and stared at the intruders.

  Upon seeing them, Tom immediately thought the shavrath looked like a Terran gorilla. They stood upright on two strong legs and were covered in mostly brown fur. They had a barrel-shaped chest and thick arms slightly longer than what would be optimal for a bipedal creature. Two eyes set above a wide, flat nose stared at Tom with a look that projected intense curiosity.

  “Lashpa, are you seeing this?” Tom said.

  “I am. I advise caution.”

  Tom put his hands out, palms up. “Hello.”

  The center shavrath, whom Tom immediately labeled as the leader of the group, barred its impressive teeth and growled.

  “Don’t forget,” Lashpa said. “The Proprietor has designated these creatures as protected. I suggest we do not harm them no matter what they do.”

  Tom unshouldered his backpack and set it on the ground. He pulled an energy bar from one of the side pockets and carefully unwrapped it. Two of the shavrath began sniffing the air. After taking a bite, he set the bar down on ground and took a step back. The center shavrath hunched down and slowly approached. Keeping a wary eye on Tom, it picked up the energy bar, gave it sniff, then licked it.

  The shavrath stuck its tongue out, made a sound of disgust, and threw the bar back at Tom.

  “Ya, I know,” Tom said. “They’re nutritious but they certainly don’t taste very good.”

  The shavrath took a large step forward and shoved Tom backward with impressive strength. Tom back-peddled to keep himself from falling over. The shavrath picked up the backpack and quickly retreated back to its companions. It struggled with the unfamiliar zippers then gave up and simply ripped the fabric apart, spilling the contents on the ground.

  The shavrath gathered around their new-found treasure and began picking things up off the ground to get a closer look at what they’d found.

  “Hey!” Tom shouted, taking a step towards the animal.

  The group’s leader instantly turned and leaped at Tom knocking him to the ground. Tom’s cybernetics automatically switched into combat mode. An armored faceplate dropped down covering his face and the restrictions on the amount of force he could apply was lifted. The shavrath balled up its fist and hit Tom squarely in the chest. Although he felt the impact, it didn’t cause any damage.

  The shavrath, however, quickly discovered that hitting an armored plate with its fist had been a bad idea. It howled out in pain as it leapt off Tom. Responding to the cry, the other two shavrath attacked. One of them picked up a large branch and swung it at Tom’s head. Instead of smashing into his head, the branch encountered an armored cybernetic arm.

  The impact splintered the two-centimeter thick branch and sent a painful shock into the shavrath’s arm. When that avenue of attack failed, the shavrath jumped on top of Tom’s chest and began pummeling him with its feet. Setting his arms behind him, Tom pushed, knocking the enraged creature off him. The other animal picked up a small rock and hurled it. It bounced harmlessly off his faceplate.

  Ignoring a hail of sticks, dirt, and rocks, Tom calmly walked over to a tree and leaned against it. The attacks quickly subsided as the shavrath realized they could do no harm to Tom.

  “Now,” Tom said, folding his arms across his chest. “Do you think we can end this futile attack and try to be friends?”

  “A drone is approaching,” Lashpa said. “It’s coming from the direction of the base.”

  “I think the Proprietor has finally decided to acknowledge my presence,” Tom replied.

  The shavrath stood together glaring at Tom from a distance of about two meters. A loud sound resembling a sports buzzer from above caused them to look up and then run off into the woods. The sound of branches cracking was followed by the appearance of one of the Proprietor’s drones. It crashed through the canopy above and stopped as soon as it had a clear view of Tom and Lashpa.

  Tom issued a mental command to cancel combat mode. His faceplate retracted. “Hello Proprietor. Any damage done to your pets was self-inflicted. Are you going to end your silence and speak to me?”

  The drone hung motionless in the air.

  Tom walked over to the scattered remains of his backpack and began putting them back inside the damaged bag. “In case you haven’t figured it out. I’m on my way to your base of operations to discuss the release of the crew of the ship you’ve captured. It would be a lot easier if you would just talk to me now.”

  The front of the backpack had been torn open. Holding it shut, he carried it over to Lashpa and set it on the ground. “You’re going to make me walk all the way to your base, aren’t you?”

  Tom pulled a small roll of adhesive tape out of a utility bag and bent to the task of trying to repair the damage to his backpack. When he was satisfied with the results, he slung it over his shoulder and looked up at the drone. “I know you can understand me. Why won’t you talk to me?”

  The drone ignored him.

  “I’m going to assume by your silence that I will be allowed to speak to you once I arrive at your
base. Despite what you might think, the Alliance is dedicated to establishing peaceful relations with other species. The Chroniech, the builders of the ship you previously captured, have consistently refused our offers of peace and embarked on a program of conquest. The ship you captured was the last one remaining in Alliance space.”

  The drone slowly spun around. “I look forward to meeting you,” a male-sounding voice boomed.

  “What an arrogant ass!” Tom muttered under his breath. He unwrapped a fresh energy bar and took a bite.

  “That was an interesting exchange,” Lashpa said.

  Tom reached into a bag hanging on Lashpa’s back and pulled out a bottle of water. “Do you think the Proprietor somehow coerced those shavrath into attacking me?”

  “I was wondering the same thing,” she replied. “If it was a test, I think you passed.”

  Tom took a few minutes to finish his energy bar, washing it down with a third of a bottle of water. “Well, I guess I’d better get going.”

  There were no further encounters with the shavrath. An hour later, they crossed over a shallow, slow running stream. The woods thinned out allowing them to make good progress.

  “I haven’t seen much wildlife,” Tom said.

  “I have logged several dozen species of small animals that have been startled by your progress through the woods,” Lashpa replied.

  “Really? I didn’t see or hear them.”

  “It’s because I have the advantage of being able to watch your video feed and analyze it with my ship’s AI. I’ve also cataloged a large variety of insects.”

  Their progress slowed considerably when they reached the bottom of the mountain. The terrain here was rocky and had the appearance of an ancient lava flow that had been partially covered by large rocks. The sun was near the horizon and Tom decided to stop for the day. He found a flat spot and directed Lashpa to stand over it.

  “LD-36, establish a ground height of half a meter,” Tom instructed Lashpa, continuing their deception that she was nothing more than an AI-powered drone.