The Golden Circuit (The Smith Chronicles) (21 page)

19:22 - Monday, July 30, 2187 (TAPCON Towers, Muhaze, Tapi-36)

“Yes, father, everything is going to plan. It is such good news.”

David Sempre was delighted with himself. Firstly, the Argon was on its way to rid the universe of the Codes. Secondly, Jon-7 would soon be back where he belonged (i.e. under his thumb). Thirdly, Tamashito was progressing with his work on cryonic regeneration and, lastly, his father’s dream of developing the ultimate NIT was complete. Sempre had met with Quince and Mitchell - the new NIT was ready to go.

“Oh-David
-nnmmmnn-
This-makes-me-so-happy-my-son
-nnmmmnn-
How-proud-I-am-to-be-your-father
-nnmmmnn-
But-maybe-we-need-to-dispose-of-Jon-7
-nnmmmnn-
give-mother-back-her-old-job
-nnmmmnn-
It-would-make-things-so-much-easier
-nnmmmnn-
Keep-it-in-the-family-yes?
-nnmmmnn-
Like-the-old-days?”

“A good idea, father.”
Ugh. Mother, back, so soon? Oh dear, the nagging… the constant nagging…

Sashan’s eyes looked hard at Sempre.

“But-you-do-not-look-pleased-David
-nnmmmnn-
Is-something-wrong?”

“No, no, father. It is a very good idea, sir. Excellent, in fact. I can hardly wait to see mother again.” Sempre ground his teeth in anguish.

“Ahhh
-nnmmmnn-
she-would-be-so-happy
-nnmmmnn-
to-know-how-much-her-son-cared-for-her.”

“
Will
be, father.
Will
be happy, don’t you mean?” said Sempre, making a bit more of an effort.

“Oh-yes-David
-nnmmmnn-
Yes.” Sashan’s face beamed. “And-when-will-Dr-Tamashito-be-here-to
-nnmmmnn-
oversee-the
-nnmmmnn-
regeneration-process?”

“He tells me it will be soon. It won’t be long before we have mother up and running, so to speak.”

“Ha!
-nnmmmnn-
Yes-David!
-nnmmmnn-
Yes!
-nnmmmnn-
Ha, ha!
-nnmmmnn-
Up-and-running!
-nnmmmnn-
Ha, ha!”

“Mr. Sempre, really!” warned Bigsby, from above. “Please do not excite Air Marshall Sashan. It is not good for his nodes. You should know this by now!”

“Yes, Bigsby. I understand. But I didn’t do it on purpose. It was father who -”

“Arggh!
-nnmmmnn-
Urgh!
-nnmmmnn-
Ermgh!
-nnmmmnn-
Ha, ha!
-nnmmmnn-
Up-and-runnurgh!
-nnmmmnn-
Arugagh!”

“Father! What is it?”

“Graphite node malfunction!” shrieked Bigsby. “Graphite node malfunction in Capsule 1! Warning!”

“Graphite what?”

“Graphite node malfunction! Graphite node malfunction! Warning! Warning!”

Sashan appeared to be choking. His head was jiggling about on the plinth in a fit of coughing and gagging.

“Bigsby! Do something!” yelled Sempre.

“Correcting graphite node status! Temporary measures are being taken! Please stand clear! Warning! Please stand clear!”

There was a whirring sound from inside the dome as a pair of electronic arms moved outwards and into position beside Sashan’s head. They rotated in sequence and took out two small parts from the side of his neck, then spun back to their positions and retracted. The nodes were dropped into a receptacle and two further components brought out and put into place.

“Back-up nodes now installed. Head condition, stable.”

“Is he OK, Bigsby? Is father OK?” asked Sempre.

“Yes. Mr. Sempre. But I will have to end your meeting there. It is not advisable to continue discussions with only the replacement nodes in situ. Dr. Tamashito must come to recalibrate a new set as soon as possible. Please message him accordingly.”

“Yes, yes. Of course. I’ll do it straight away, Bigsby. Thank you.”

Sempre looked at Sashan. His eyes were closing and the lights dimming.

“Good-bye, father,” he said, meekly.

There was no reply.

Sempre was confused. He didn't know whether he was happy or sad. Sometimes he thought that he loved his father. Sometimes he thought that he hated him. At this precise moment in time, he was emotionally befuddled.

This was typical of Sempre. In the normal course of things his mind could not stay with feelings of egotistical euphoria or supreme anger for any great length of time. It would flit back and forth between the two, seemingly at random. And there was nothing in between to stop them for a bit. Whatever should have been put in there, in that middle part, never had been.

You could blame the parents. And you’d be right.

20:20 - Monday, July 30, 2187 (Starship Argon, Althaan, Baal-500)

Mikita sat alone in her room. Her Earth-based rollercoaster existence had finally done a loop-the-loop and she needed to collect her thoughts.
But her mind was reeling. She couldn’t believe what had happened. Jameson was her father? That nice man from the Airbase? She was perplexed.

For fire’s sake!
What was my mother doing going off with another man! No wonder nobody ever said I looked like my father. I’m not even related to him! And if he
had
known, it would certainly explain a lot of things. The coldness I felt from him. The distance between us. Oh, Herra, this means that Polo is not my cousin! Not by blood at any rate. And the same goes for Auntie Fizz!

Mikita took out the briefcase given to her by the TAPCON staff before she left. She opened it up. It was foam-lined with shapes cut out of the padding according to the exact sizes of the objects that it contained. Her TAPCON hand-held was in there. A small blaster. A camera. And, inside the lining of the case, a small canister marked ‘In Emergency Only’. Mikita opened the lid and found what she was looking for. A pink-coloured pill encased in plastic.

Who did I think I was kidding? Did I really think the answer was going to fall into my lap - just like that? I’m not the clever person they all think I am. Nowhere near! How did I reckon I could to get away with it? Oh, you idiot, Mikita!

The pink pill was a cyanide tablet, given to all TAPCON agents for use if they got captured by the enemy. Instead of revealing vital information they were to take the tablet. The result, of course, was instant death.

I’ve heard nothing from Dr. Tamashito. I was wrong about him. I knew it! And soon Zanthu and Spoolu will be dead. The androids are going to kill them and there’s nothing I can do. I’m useless! I can’t even control the Golden Circuit without killing somebody!

Mikita began going over in her mind what usually happened when she tapped into the GC.

Towards the end of her experiences she had the sensation of profound poetry, of deep insight, like some immutable truth was about to be revealed to her. And each event stemmed from a similar source, a strong emotion akin to love. The qi-bird, her parents, Hanoi…

Hanoi? But I killed him. That’s not love. I have no idea what love is…

She looked out of the porthole of her cabin. It was a small circular window looking out over the surface of Baal-500. Staring off in the distance she realised she was peering off into the vastness of space. There seemed to be no horizon there, just a desolate, black emptiness that stretched on forever.

She took the pill out of its casing.

The Argon was positioned directly over Dragonfly Square, in the central area of Althaan, the capital of Baal-500.

Althaan was a startling city
, at first sight. The Codes architecture was very radical, ahead of its time, even though it used many artistic ideas from the past. All hued in the same gun-grey, the buildings were similar in idea to Earth-based Egyptian monuments.

The structures
were rendered in the shape of Baal-500’s animal life. A fujiwug, a turenoid, a spratuu, any animal’s form was used as the main design of the building, while the decorative filigree incorporated stylised features of other animals and plant-life into the scheme. A gaping maw here, a hooked claw or flapping set of wings there, with the vines and flower motifs connecting all of these various parts. It was constructed as one continuously flowing design. Like a massive mural painting about to come to life. It managed to sublimely depict the ebb and flow, the grace and danger, of the Code’s existence.

A similar feeling of danger was entering Jameson’s thought processes a lot quicker than he would’ve liked it to. He wasn’t used to this feeling. Once again, he was well out of his comfort zone.

“Where the fire are they?!” exclaimed Jameson. “The Codes said we should be here at 20:30!” The Captain was nervously looking out of the main viewing screen on the bridge. “Check those co-ordinates again will you, Ω?”

“Already done it, sir. They are the exact ones Qaanhu X sent
,” replied the pilot.

There was no movement over the square. The Codes were nowhere to be seen. Something was wrong.

And then - he saw it.

In fact, Jameson
heard
it before he saw it. Never a good thing.

There was a massive rumble like an enormous meteor hitting the moon’s surface. It shook the Argon, so reverberant was the noise.

Jameson could only stare open-mouthed at what he saw next.

The Krashaon, the Code’s premiere starship, was coming out of the side of Baal-500. Straight out of the planet itself! It was like some huge, terrible animal burrowing up and out of the ground, then taking flight. It was colossal. It was
awesome - in the true sense of the word.

Yet, this was a piece of engineering as alluring as it was terrifying. It moved with all the slow beauty of the biggest Earth-based whale. A streamlined, lumbering grace that took the breath away from each and every member of the crew. It also had the power to unite them in their goal. How could they possibly destroy something so… magnificent?

It looked very much like a Earth-based Japanese atakabune battleship. A bulky craft used more for transporting troops than for battle purposes, but a perfect model for the Codes transportable zoo.

The dragonfly statue
, that was formerly the centrepiece of Althaan city square, was now the figurehead on the prow of the spacecraft. And as the craft climbed slowly from the surface, the rest of the city was left perfectly intact, not a single bit of damage had been done to the other buildings.

“Well, I’ll be a fujiwug’s uncle,” said Gadget.

Jameson had never seen anything like it in all his years of service. “The Codes. They were there, all the time! They’d not left Baal-500 at all! They’d not deserted their animals!”

“Prepare to fire, Captain!”

Jameson turned around.

It was Soupy, with Shannon standing menacingly beside him.

“What? Don’t you have eyes, you crazy android? Have you seen the size of that thing? There is no way we can fire on that! We would have to blow up this entire ship in order to generate enough fire power to take it out.”

“Then, Captain, that is what you will have to do.”

Jameson looked at Soupy in stunned silence. “This was the plan all along, wasn’t it? This was Sempre’s plan from the very beginning!”

“Yes, Captain. You are correct. Well, it was one of the plans, certainly. You see, we are androids, we are expendable. You, and your crew, you are all expendable, too.” Sempre had told the androids to protect Mikita at all costs, but Soupy was ignoring this - bad android, thinking for himself. “Now, blow up the Argon or your families will d - d - d - …”

Suddenly, Soupy stopped.

He stopped talking and moving. He was frozen to the spot. Shannon, too.

Their eyes started to whizz around like lemons and cherries in a fruit machine and the 0s and 1s spun about behind them.

Tamashito’s update had gone through!

Mikita arrived on the bridge. She saw Jameson sitting in the Captain’s chair, looking at the two androids in a state of wary confusion.

“Captain Jameson? Um, the androids. I think I’ve managed to, well, turn them off, basically,” Mikita said, as she walked over to Soupy and pushed him
firmly on the shoulder. He fell to the ground with a clatter. Little sparks shot out of his ears and fizzled into nothingness on the deck.

McGilvary
looked over at Shannon and realised that she, too, had stopped working. The Lieutenant gave her a shove.

The android
yawed on her seat, then fell forward onto the ship’s console, severing the head from the body. The protruding wires buzzed and crackled, producing a wisp of smoke that vanished into the air-vents above.

McGilvary turned to Mikita in amazement. “But how did you -?”

“Oh, just something I picked up from the Mu-U.”

Zanthu smiled at Mikita.
She turned to Jameson. “Captain? In Tamashito’s message, he asked us for a favour, sir?”

“Yes, Miss Smith. What is it?”

“Tamashito’s family are being held on Reis-91. He asked if we could bring them home, Captain?”

“I think we can manage that,” said Jameson, with a
smile.

“And he has supplied us with an
activator, Captain, to pacify the mutants,” added Mikita.

“Very good, Miss Smith.” He noticed she was smiling at him. She didn't seem to be angry anymore.
Something… No, someone has changed her
, he thought, looking at Zanthu. “McGilvary, get me a link to the Codes ship, please,” ordered Jameson. “We need to inform them of our situation.”

But that was not going to be necessary.

The image of Qaanhu X suddenly appeared on the main screen - The Codes had broken into the Argon transmitter system.

“Hello, Captain Jameson. You have made it to the deadline in time. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Qaanhu X. But it has not been without some difficulty. Our orders from TAPCON were not entirely… honourable. We fear we have done you an injustice.”

“On the contrary, Captain. You have returned my son and his Linked animal. However, I am sad to report that all the other animals on Baal-500 are deceased. Spoolu, the muidog, is the last remaining creature. For this, I thank you. I now wish to see Zanthu, if I may?”

“Certainly. He is here. Zanthu, please.” Jameson gestured for him to enter the viewing area.

Qaanhu X’s face remained expressionless. “Ah, Zanthu. You look well, but you are in severe trouble, my son.”

“I know, father.”

“You disobeyed my orders to return to the ship in order to stay with Spoolu. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“No, father. I am guilty, as you say. I have shamed you and, for that, I am sorry.”

Qaanhu X nod
ded in acceptance. “And Spoolu? How is she?”

“Not well, father. But Dr. Gössner here has done everything she can.”

“That is good. The crew of the Argon seem to be a different breed to most TAPCON soldiers.”

“They are father, they are very different, I can see that now.” Zanthu was looking straight at Mikita (she smiled, and blushed, of course).

“Do you wish to come aboard my son, or will you fly onward with the Argon?”

“I will stay here
, father. I will meet you in Muhaze. I look forward to being reunited with my people.”

“You will have to answer to the Code Elders
upon your return, Zanthu. They will deal with you harshly. I can do nothing for you.”

“I understand, father. I will take my punishment, accordingly. I am not afraid of my retribution.”

“That is good,” replied Qaanhu X, then turned to Jameson. “Captain, I thank you for taking care of my son. You are clearly a man who has his own way of doing things. That is rare to find in a leader. It is a brave thing to do, taking risks and bringing a positive result. You must be known as quite a maverick on Tapi-36?”

“Well, I don’t know about that,” said Jameson, secretly delighted.

“Ah, and modest too, I see. Your job is done here. We will take care of TAPCON. But you must shut down all transmissions - they will think the ship is lost.”

“Yes, Qaanhu X. However, we must go to Reis-91 to rescue some important people first. We will follow you as soon as we can. We estimate we will be at Muhaze at 12:15pm tomorrow. Until then.”

“I look forward to meeting you, and your crew, Captain.”

“Thank you
, Qaanhu X, and we look forward to meeting you, and your people. If they are anything like your son, it will be an honour.”

“You are quite right, Captain.” Qaanhu X smiled and his face lit up like it was surrounded by golden dragonflies. “He is a credit to his race. Goodbye, Captain Jameson.”

“Goodbye, Qaanhu X.”

The
screen flickered, and went blank.

Jameson gave his orders. “McGilvary, all transmissions from the ship are
, henceforth, discontinued. Set the course for Reis-91. Crew, prepare battle stations.”