Planet Nine Affair

Chapter 8. Complex.

Chapter  8. Complex.

The strange part of the AzTeka facility is the fact that it didn't seem to be locked down. There was no evidence of any attempt to hide what was going on inside it. Apparently, the androids were not concerned about secrecy or security. Maybe it was because anyone who came here would be with their assistant.

Once inside, the true nature of the facility was revealed. There were no offices, no security station, no attempt to hide what was going on, which was twenty-four-seven assembly of androids.

The weird fact about this was that all the assembly operations were done by machines arranged on a giant assembly belt, an example of pure Autopoiesis, in which mechanical arms with instrument hands did the work to create an android from parts, which were made in separate machine operated stations in a massive and very complicated machine tech facility.

"How in the hell did they come up with this monstrosity?" James asked rhetorically. "This is technology that is definitely futuristic."

"Are you suggesting that's it's the work of aliens?" Leonard asked.

James shrugged. "I don't know. It certainly is not what I expected."

"We need to dig up AzTeka's history," Janice said. "But I have no idea how we could do that. There's no data in their computer systems that reveal anything about their origin."

"There must be information as to how this complex was built and who financed it. It certainly didn't pop out of thin air, " Leonard said.

"Maybe Stevens has that," James proposed. "There's no way that aliens came here and built this without being noticed. This must be a plot of some sort involving very wealthy individuals."

Later, when they were back at their house and relaxing after dinner, Janice brought up a new twist to the AzTeka story. "I found a separate business connected to AzTeka."

"What sort of business?" James asked her.

"I discovered that people are no longer buried. Their bodies are processed into food."

That got everyone's attention.

James pointed at her with an ornery smirk. "Soylent Green?"

"No, that involved a dystopian society problem. This practice seems to have been instituted to save the environment."

"There's no way that people would allow their deceased to be processed into food," Leonard said, his grim expression emphasizing his opinion. "That's ridiculous."

"Evidently, it's a product of the android assistant practice," Janice told them. "Apparently, people are told that their deceased are being cremated as a means to save the planet."

"That's ridiculous!" Leonard blurted. "Surely, people must know what's going on."

"I believe they know, but are pacified enough to put up with it," Janice said.

"I think we can label this a dystopian society," Leonard said.

They all agreed with that assessment.

No one brought up the subject for several days. The crew enjoyed the peace and quiet of living in a house in a somewhat remote location surrounded by nature.

However, James was about to disrupt this subdued feeling of tranquility.

"I made contact with the ship last night," he revealed.

"What for?" Leonard asked after staring at him for a moment.

"I wanted to see if they saw that object I discovered."

"Did they?"

"Yes. They said it was a large space vessel, but they were unable to discern its origin."

Leonard squinted at him. "Are they claiming it's an alien ship?"

"They said it's from the Hyades cluster."

"That's where the alien message came from," Janice said. "That's only 153 million light years away and is an older cluster with lots of stars that contain the elements needed to form life."

"I wonder how they know it's from that cluster?" Leonard asked.

"Maybe they traced its direction back to there," James said. "Or they saw it emerge from a portal."

"What does this have to do with our situation?" Leonard asked.

"Maybe it has something to do with the AzTeka body processing plant," James replied. "Maybe our original idea of what they're doing is right."

"That's disgusting!" Leonard said as if spitting the words.

No one disagreed, but it was destined to become an issue that had to be reckoned with.

For that it would be necessary to use some of NASA's facilities. Janice decided to attempt a new search for the origin of AzTeka's origin and what she could do to take control of the androids.

James was more interested in the alien ship that was in orbit around Earth. He wanted to find out who they were and why they were here, and more importantly, how he could neutralize them.

Leonard's interest was centered on the androids. His task was to find the engineering details and operational mechanics that allowed them to become human assistants.

For that, they had to go to NASA's Houston facility.