Darklight: Precipice

Part 7: The Artefact

Natasha felt her comms device vibrate in her pocket. Taking it out she saw Soran’s caller ID, noting that it was strange that he was calling her. He never called. He didn’t like talking to even her these days. She flipped the device open, revealing the keypad and automatically accepting the call.

“Soran?” Natasha asked in a slightly unnerved voice.

“Hi” He replied. “Everything’s fine, I’m ok” His voice was tired and gravelly.

“Are you sure?” Natasha replied, worry in her voice now that she could hear how exhausted he seemed to be. What had he been up to? He was gone from the house early but it was only 9.30 in the morning.

“I’m sure” Soran replied gruffly. “Although there’s been a slight... hiccup. I’m on Utopia City”. Natasha laughed.

“Very funny, Soran. Now what’s really wrong with you?” She knew that there was no way he could be in Utopia within the space of a couple of hours.

“It’s a long story Natasha, but its true. I’m in Utopia and we need you”. 

“But...?” Natasha started. 

“An experimental displacement array. Draz brought me here. We’ve made a discovery and we need your expertise. Draz has chartered his fastest private transport for you. It’ll be at the costal airstrip at 1pm”. Soran was very matter-of-fact even with his own wife.

“But my work here needs to be done! We’ve got a new type of crystalline structure that we’ve found in the matrix....”

“It’s already been arranged” Soran interrupted. “Draz is the High Patriarch remember? He’s arranged for Dr Aramar to come in and cover you. Raine’s already on her way”. Natasha was lost for words.

“Aramar’s notes aren’t very thorough” was the only reply she could think of. She cold swear that she heard Soran smile and she smiled herself.

“I’m sure you’ll cope” He said to her.

“I’m sure I will” She replied. “I’ll see you soon”.

***

It was behind a meter thick pane of glass within a metal cage, contained by an EM Field and one of the most advance forcefield systems that Utopia had ever created. But it still made him nervous.

“I don’t like this being here” Draz said to Ana as they stood looking through the glass at the device. 

“We don’t even know what it is yet Alex” Ana replied.

“It almost killed you” He said without taking his gaze off the device.

“I don’t think t was personal” she replied. “The signals that it’s giving off... They’re like nothing I’ve ever seen. I’ve used my implant to trawl through the CCN, private servers and the R & D logs. Nothing”.

“What’s so unusual about them?” Draz asked. They had only been analyzing the suitcase-size beige box for a couple of hours. It took some time to go through quarantine before it was placed in this isolation cell.

“It’s hard to explain” Ana replied. She looked at the box with wonder. There were no signs of breaks in the stone like material, no seals and no switches. There was no way they could get in without damaging it - and there was still more they could learn from its emissions before that.

“Try me” Draz said solemnly.  He hadn’t taken his eyes off the object that nearly took out his closest friend and a significant section of his city.

Ana walked to one of the computer screens in the small narrow room that they now stood in. The walls were grey concrete and there was a terminal build into the wall at one side. Tapping the screen a few times she displayed an image depicting a series of parallel straight white lines on a black background.

“These are basic Utopian signals, similar to Skry. They make up the very basics of our technology. Control, broadcast, power distribution - all of these are controlled by these simple basic control signals”.

“I find that a worrying weakness in our technological infrastructure” Draz said, looking at the image with concern. He made a mental note to challenge the R & D teams to change this basic shared technology. It was an unnecessary hole in their defenses.

“Anyway” Ana said, bringing the conversation back to topic. “The emissions from this device completely disrupt these signals”. Ana tapped the screen. Ripples appeared on the screen from where her finger touched, warping and distorting the clean lines. It was like a ripple on a pond distorting a reflection.

“The signals degrade and warp, sending operating systems haywire. Its not only a lack of control, it’s a case of our systems running wild and unpredictable”.

Draz said nothing for a few moments. He turned back to the window and looked at the device.

“Natasha and Raine are on their way” He said. “I want Lady Kisa, Laurant Faraa and Gaius too. It shouldn’t be too difficult, they’re already in Utopia. Have them meet me in my office when Natasha arrives”.

Draz walked out without a backwards glance. Ana had never seen him so concerned.

“I take it you want me there too?” She shouted out after him”

“Of course” he replied, boarding the waiting elevator.