Pulse

Chapter 7 - Sentients

The Blade rose up out of the heart of Nova York like an alien spire trying to pierce the firmament. Gleaming panels covered its surface from top to bottom sucking energy from the sun and blinding anyone that dared to hold their gaze in the tower's direction.

Hundreds of Hoppers whizzed back and forth all over its surface like tiny fish performing their symbiotic cleaning rituals on slow, lumbering sea creatures. Instead of nibbling at rotting flesh, the Hoppers would clean the panels and deliver passengers and supplies to the landing pads jutting out at regular intervals.

On the ground, the private gardens stretched out in all directions up to the perimeter wall surrounding the entire complex. Apple blossom, lakes, peacocks and swans decorated the landscape. Four heavily-guarded entrances occupied the north, south, east, and west flanks. Riot-ready Slavers and bipedal, Viper-class, patrol mechs silently monitored the world beyond for unusual activity. If required, swarms of Buzz drones and Scorpions would be deployed to quash any threat before it got too close.

Nothing could penetrate the Blade from the air due to its ingenious Svalinn shield system. Only AURA ID authenticated vehicles were allowed through the invisible barrier. Any vehicle, even a Skycheetah carrying VIPs not authenticated for repeat access, would be "neutralised" instantly by the pulse gun turrets crowning the walls of the enclosure.

Inside the Blade complex, a meeting was about to take place. On the 120th floor, at precisely 10.00 am, the members of the Sentient Supreme Council would congregate in their sacred temple, a cavernous three-story, open-plan environment, for their daily briefing and instruction.

The first glass elevator slid smoothly to a halt, opened its doors, and a tall, slender, elegant male, his hair smooth as silk, strode out into the atrium closely followed by a woman dressed in fine, close-fitting clothes. Their names and titles immediately appeared in amber lettering on the large holoscreen floating over the hallspace...

>>> Silvio Cascarina – Sentient Prime Master

>>> Amanda Seibling – Master of Psycho-Sentience

Another elevator arrived as smoothly and noiselessly as the first. Then another. Then three more until all the atendees' names and titles had been automatically added to the holoscreen in a static list...

>>> Marco Bautista – Master of SCELEC Security Systems

>>> Anna Misu – Master of Gentech Science

>>> Katerina Shosti – Master of Speech and Musical Therapy

>>> Daniel Kosterman – Master of Offworld Engineering

>>> Joseph Ngu – Master of ALMA System Engineering

>>> Nathan Borso – Master of SCELEC Transportation Systems

>>> Jakari Itsu – Master of Meditation and Wellbeing

>>> Sinjari Hayek – Master of Societal Planning and Adaptation

>>> Yuna Yang – Master of Blade Complex Administration

>>> Riek Baswan – Personal Assistant to Prime Master Cascarina

>>> Victor Matamoros – Personal Bodyguard of Prime Master Cascarina

>>> Deepak Singh – Blade Secret Service Agent

>>> Mizuko Lo – Blade Secret Service Agent

The members of the Sentient Supreme Council greeted each other with head bows and made their way to the central lounge area where drinks were already being prepared by Riek Baswan, Silvio Cascarina's personal butler, a mech with asian features dressed in a grey silk, collarless jacket, freshly-pressed matching trousers and spotless white slippers.