Deep Black Road: The Head of the Snake

Chapter 26

General Orkan was sitting in his CDA staff car parked outside Dr. Sheppard's condo building when a call came through on his link from the Appalachia Intelligence Office.

"Sir," the man said. "You asked us to advise you immediately of any unusual activity around Pittsburgh. Well, a small missile has been spotted rising into the stratosphere from some open country just west of the city. How should we respond?"

"Is it threatening anything?"

"No, sir. In fact, I'd say it was trying to go into orbit, though I can't see how something that small could make it."

"It's probably no threat then," General Orkan said; "so monitor it, and advise me of any changes to its status."

"Yes, sir."

And I thought Ricky was joking, General Orkan thought. He never fails to surprise; but it does settle one thing.

He opened a virtual screen, called up Bennett Harrington's contact information, and then directed his car to that address.

#

Ricky, having just achieved orbit, stared down at the darkened Earth below as he flew over the night side. He'd only gotten the low-energy warning a few minutes before-a huge improvement over the compact reactor-but he was still going to have to spend at least one orbit recharging before he'd feel safe leaving for the moon.

The lights of towns and cities shone below him, a vast network of glowing nerves, although with telling gaps where the land was still mildly radioactive from the Suitcase War.

Something else was missing though. Then he realized: the constant background noise of electronic devices transmitting wirelessly all around him was gone. It was quiet!

Suddenly he started to get advisories about unusual readings from the entire surface of his skin; so he glanced at his arm, now glowing through the tattered remains of his shirt, which hadn't fared well in the flight. The glow grew gradually brighter for a few seconds, and then blinked out.

What's going on? he wondered.

When he re-entered the sunlight, he found out: His skin was entirely coated in a tough black layer; and his eyes were covered by clear domes.

I guess the glow thinks I need a space suit, he thought, even though I'm robotic. I wonder why? Anyway ...

He concentrated on calculating when to break orbit and head to the moon.

#

"Mr. Harrington," said the robot butler from the door to Bennett's home office. "A Lieutenant General Philip Orkan to see you."

"Thank you," Bennett said from behind the large oak desk. "Please show him in."

"You may enter, sir," the robot said to General Orkan beside it, and then withdrew.

Bennett came around the desk, extended his hand to General Orkan as he strode into the richly carpeted room, and said, "Welcome. Please, make yourself comfortable."

Orkan took the hand in his for a moment, and then sat in the dark, hand-carved, and richly-upholstered wooden chair offered him.

Bennett returned to his black leather office chair and asked, "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"I wish," said Orkan, "to discuss your roboticized daughter."

Bennett raised his eyebrows. "I wasn't aware her nature was common knowledge."