ICE

Chapter Six
Know thy Enemy

Within the gloom of the station, the low level light that swept in highlighted that which they expected. Everyday items lay unused, left and abandoned. The stairs to the upper level lay before them, wide and separated by an upwards and downwards partition. Slowly they climbed them, each feared what lay beyond the airlock door upon the balcony. The opening panel flickered and buzzed, it was struck by debris. They stayed their march and awaited some sense of direction, James stood still searching his database for the emergency release.

"Slowing down... Must have bumped his circuits back there, eh, Doc?" Cortez said as he nudged Dr Cole's arm.

"No, Private Cortez. If you would like me to explain, I will." He replied suddenly.

"Only if we have time, James."

"While there is no access to the airlock from here, we may enter through a service tunnel. There is an air-duct to our right, we can use to get into the inner structure." And he gestured to the venting panel some six yards from them.

"Don't they seal them during departures, and arrivals?" Daniels asked.

"They do, sir. But that should not be a problem. While we were upon the tram, I received a signal from Betty... She is active once more."

"Can we trust her? I mean, to not go funky on us again?" Morgan asked.

Looking at Morgan, James momentarily paused. "I, I believe we can. She is uploading all broken packages, and sending them to the Dorchester as we speak."

"You said back at the Presidium, that Betty was both you, and something else." Daniels said as he walked around James, looking at him firmly. "I'd like to know what that, something else is?"

"I'm sorry, sir. I am not able to access that information. The Firewall Protocol wont allow my access. Betty, is... Betty." He replied as he looked at Daniels pacing around him.

"Damn you, James... What the hell is Betty?" He asked once more, pointing his gun at the A.I.'s emotionless face. "Tell me, what happened to Bryce? Did you stop him from falling? Did you even try?" His voice became agitated, and his eyes narrowed under his lowering brows. Calmly he spoke once more. "I've served with you many times before, James. Never have you failed your duty, your protocol to save human life... What happened to Bryce?"

"I was unable to save him, Private Bryce fell. I know, my protocol like I know your face, Commander... But..."

"But what, James?"

"But, my protocol refused my actions. I could not move. I watched as Private Bryce fell. As he scrambled to gain a grip, I could not move. All I could do was watch... I believe it was..."

"Betty?" Daniels questioned. "Do you think it was, Betty?"

"I believe, it was. I am sorry, Commander. I have been compromised. Even as you asked if I had been, upon the side of the Byar Rift... I had been, compromised." He looked at Daniels without emotion, without depth of sorrow within his digital eyes. "I will understand if you would rather I was terminated, I cannot guarantee your safety. None of you." He said as he looked upon them all.

Daniels lowered his rifle and shouldered it, as Morgan stepped forward. "You've not led us wrong so far, as for Bryce... That was not your fault, it was Betty's. I think Betty seized your Core Controls when she went all messy on us. As far as I'm concerned, we need you, James. Now more than ever."

"Anyone else got an opinion?" Daniels asked looking at James.

"I think Morgan's right. I vote to keep you online, until vital to delete you with force." Houser smiled awkwardly. "Sorry!"

"Understandable, Private Houser." Replied James.

Daniels stood firm, unmoved. His thoughts deeply echoed within his mind, but showed not on his face. "Okay, James. You live to see another day. If Betty becomes a problem, you're a problem too."

"Can we get inside now, I hate it here." Martin said as he looked around the hollow and lifeless station.

"Get the air-duct open, James goes first." Daniels said through gritted teeth.

For as long as he could remember, this was the first time he felt he could not trust James. Never had his A.I. Companion failed any of his team, never had he felt so out on a limb. What Betty was, he could not guess, but he had an idea or two. Neither were ideal, and every thought of Betty after seemed worse. Within the shadows of the station, they levered the venting off the wall and peered into a blackness beyond. All light devoid of use, small and oppressive, their way led them on.

Ducking into the shaft, James took the lead. One by one they ducked in and vanished into the cramped enclosure, and Houser followed last.

"How far to the other side, James?" Cortez asked.

"Forty yards, a straight line ahead to the airlock seal. After that another forty yards to our exit."

"Is that fans I hear?"

"Yes, they are mounted above and should pose no problems to us. They are running at three percent, our entry to the station did not damage their controls. They are held upon another system, separate from the doors and must be done manually."

"Thank god for that."

They pushed on feeling their way for some time before a gentle light showed ahead. Blinking in a two second timing, the maintenance switch drew closer. Each time it blinked on they watched the motion of the person in-front bob and shuffle their way along. There was a hiss and the light turned a steady green. The hatch was opened and a rush of air sped through. Through they crawled and shuffled until they were all standing in a small chamber. Houser closed the hatch behind him and with a clunk, the lock fastened. Small lights of many colours adorned the walls, and Houser began to read the labels upon the panels. "So, this is a maintenance access port. All the necessary isolation controls and diagnostic tests can be done from here then."

"That is correct, though we need them not." James replied as the exit hissed and slid open with a grinding. "This has not been accessed for a long time, let us move on."

"Copy that, James..." And he looked up into the unseen heights of the shaft. Lined with piping and a foot ladder at one side, that rose into the dark fog of sight. They filed in and began to scuffle along the narrow passage once more, and Houser stayed his entry. Unsure if it was the movement of the structure, or his companions, he tried to trace the quiet scuffing he heard. Holding his wrist up, he switched on his readout screen. And searched the darkness as far as the light would allow. Nothing, nothing but dust in the air and shadowy metal. And the scuffing had stopped.

"Just in your mind." he said as he ducked into the passage and closed the hatch behind him. As he did so, the ghostly face of a person peered into the slender gap. Speechless and struck still with fear, he gripped the handle. Eyes of pure jet, darker than the night, set deep within sick pallid skin, illuminated dimly by the screen upon his wrist. Mouth opened it seemed to be trying to speak, mouthing warnings perhaps, he could not tell. Just motions, no voice. It lowered its head shallowly groaning, turning away and slipping out of sight. Houser saw no form, just the face and what seemed to be a terrible twisted limb, which was dragged into the dark beyond his light. Carefully closing the hatch, and sealing it tight, he breathed once more. Slowly inhaling and exhaling, he looked along the passage into the gloom ahead, and began to shuffle towards his comrades.

The light at the end of the passage grew brighter, and the dark frame of Morgan led his way. As they exited and stood up, he swiftly took no heed of them, dragged a seating across the opening, sealing it. "Houser, what is it?" asked Morgan as Houser searched along the barrel of his rifle. "Houser! What's wrong?" He questioned once more.

"Something is alive in here, in their." He said pointing to the closed passage, without lowering his rifle. "The eyes, the mouthing of something. The horrid twisted limb."

"What did you see, Houser?" Asked Daniels getting his attention, breaking him from his heightened state. "What did you see?"

"Someone... Something, I don't know!" He replied and looked at Dr Samuel, then to Daniels. "It was corrupted by the water I'd guess, somehow the water has kept some of its victims alive. Like that little girl on the tram." Fearful of what may come through the blocked opening, he stood fast looking down his rifles sight.

"Cover points, east, west, and north!" Daniels shouted and they raised their rifles, taking defensive positions. "Dr Samuel, Dr Cole, stay close. James, find us the nearest uplink terminal. I want Betty online and ready to boost a signal to the Dorchester."

"I have a connection to Betty, but she is locking my access to the core systems. While she has sent the broken packages, she has locked me out. We have no other option but to disregard Betty in our mission. She has not been the same since the Byar Rift." James said and looked up into the heights of the habitat. "On a more positive note, we have a very clean atmosphere. There is no need for your helmets. Pressure is tolerable, temperature is... temperate. Warm and comfortable."

"Copy that, James. Then we need that terminal, desperately." He replied and focused on Houser as he removed his helmet.

"Easy, Houser." Daniels said as he reached out and lowered his rifle. "From the beginning. What did you see?"

Houser removed his helmet and took a deep draught of air. Holding it for a moment he exhaled slowly and began. "Not a lot. Just as I was sealing the hatch, a face appeared. Dimly lit in my display screen." He said as he switched it off. "Eyes so black there was no white left. The skin was sickly grey, with outbreaks of weeping wounds. Badly infected, but alive all the same. It mouthed something." He paused and took another deep breath. "I froze, could not breath."

"It's okay."

"It groaned softly and dragged itself away from sight, but..."

"But what, Houser?"

He snapped from his thoughts. "The limb. It was twisted, yet, unlike anything human. Broken and miss-shaped, but not human."

"Mutation, a rapid evolution." Dr Cole added as he looked at them both. "Whatever the DNA within the water is in its natural form, I'm not even guessing." and he rubbed his chin. "It could possibly change the host DNA, adjusting it to adapt to the environment. And if the water has memory, and we should presume it has. Together, they could create anything, both wonderful, and horrific." And he stared deeply into Daniels eyes, a fear gripped him like he had never known. "My guess would be, that it has not fully developed. Like a pupae state, the transformation of the caterpillar within its cocoon."

"So, this thing could become a true monster?"

"Or, a dynamic life form. Perfectly adapted to the Mars environment." Dr Cole replied and narrowed his eyes. "But more than likely, a monster to our eyes. And who knows its abilities, it could have exceptional strength for all we know."

"But the girl on the tram..." Houser said fighting his emotions, twisting his face to hold back the tears. "Explain that if you can. She looked sick, that's all. Not some ruined grotesque form."

"Each person has a unique DNA code. Whatever causes the mutation will be different for each infected. Like the mutation which causes so many different viral infections. Ebola has mutated many times, each time a stronger strain. Each time a scientific nightmare. The common cold has evolved, and will continue to do so until we cannot survive it." He said and he looked towards Dr Samuel. "We need your Data more than ever now." He shook his head and looked to Daniels. "I only hope we can deliver it to the GSO and get an order of the highest security protocol. Mars must be considered a no go territory for all mankind. We cannot risk this reaching Earth, our planet is two thirds water. This could decimate our planet within months... Years, if we're lucky."

Dr Samuel sighed, and looked at them with deep regret. A regret that pained him deeply, and it showed in his eye. "While I am a scientist first... I am committed to ending this, horror. You will have my full cooperation. May it redeem me in a time, for Anchorage four. Something which haunts my waking days, and disturbs my dreams each night."

"Only God can forgive you for that." Houser said as he tightened his grip upon his gun. Which Dr Samuel noticed.

"And would you be willing to do God's work, Private Houser?" He asked.

"I would! Without a pause for thought!" Houser snarled, yet made no eye contact.

"That's not going to get us anywhere right now, so lock that shit down, Houser." Daniels said and turned to Dr Samuel. "Don't give me reason to doubt what you just pledged here. If you do, I'll be doing God's work for him. And I don't give a shit!"

"Commander!" James said raising his attention. "While you were having your little con-flab, discussion, and educational chit chat, I have located a terminal near by. Also, someone is accessing it as I speak. The personnel ID: NS 996971."

"Someone's survived the contamination?" Daniels asked. He glanced at Dr Samuel and searched for a reaction. There was none.

"Yes, so it would seem. And is accessing... Well, trying to access, all of Dr Samuel's files within the Archives. We should take heed of this, should we not?"

"Most certainly, James!" He said with a restored vigour. "All points, my position. Were moving out!"

Gathering once more, they readied their leave of the inner habitat. The glimmering walls and well walked floors passed by as James led them forth. Deeper and deeper into the housing of the Archives of the installation. Sealed doors opened without conflict, and the power stayed steady. The lights glowed with warmth, and it was a far more comfortable environment to be within. Clean and orderly, yet the signs of a past life still adorned their journey. Discarded waste within the recycling bins, consoles with their small comforts of life upon the desks. A small sprung figurine bobbing as their footfalls shook it. Hand-held comms devices lay unused, screens flashing with alerts of the inbound workings of the installation, the mining, the discovery of water, they knew not. Nor did they care. What was always bustling with activity, was now silent, which did not make them feel any less at ease. Their boots upon the floor echoed out a beat, another march into the unknown once more.

"Silence is golden, it would seem." Morgan said as they entered a wide hallway. Upon each side the structure rose into the heights of a fantastical wonder. Pillars of huge width, smothered in a golden glow of warm amber lights reached out to greet a lofty unseen ceiling. "Where are we, Dr Samuel?" He asked.

"Terminus... This is the central database inflow of all our research, and development." His voice strained. "The units you see alongside this room deal with all our... work here. You would call them super computers, but they are... so much more. A technological wonder they may be, but each... is a V.I. Just like James. Each doing what it is... programmed to do." He said, awe struck by its ingenious conception still, after many years.

"And what exactly is that?" Daniels asked.

"To access and advise... All our data, our research, is sent here to be second assessed... To be... processed. All equations are run through these A.I.'s and our final decisions are made by a panel of our best scientists. Only then did we requestion our findings."

"Looks like you didn't ask the right questions, did you, Dr Samuel?" Cortez said as he looked upon the walls of steel, the fittings, the screens, and the lights which seemed to follow a rhythmical pattern.

"I guess not... Nor did we ever question our reasoning to... stay our research. Even when their were doubts." he sadly replied.

On they walked steadily through the Terminus, each pillar passed in silent standing, spanned by an A.I. All of which could not know the utter ruinous danger to those who made them. A complex system of code without understanding of how brittle life could be. How violent a micro organism if left unchecked, could ravage the human body. And the scientists relied upon them. Human error, to trust that which makes life easier, yet knows not the full impact of what it advised.

As they neared the end of the hallway, James directed them to the left. "Within this room is the Archives of Nilsen's discoveries on Mars, the whole knowledgeable findings since this installation was finalized, and brought online. All mining operations, and the eventual archaeological discoveries, alongside all findings afterwards until this day."

"Until this day?" Martin asked. "It will know what has been accessed since we arrived. Even our cold welcome here?"

"Most certainly, Private Martin. This server has been linked to all systems, at all times."

"Including Betty?" He questioned looking at the door before them with discontent.

"Thank you, Private Martin."

"What for?" He asked looking confused.

"I now know how Betty has been corrupted. This is a Nilsen Installation. Betty has been corrupted remotely from a long distance server." He said and silently stood before the doors for a moment. They each looked at each other and wondered what James would say next. "To coin a phrase... Look for the enemy within... Nilsen."

"They have control of Betty? Fuck!" Daniels said kicking the wall and turning to James. "That's how they knew to send their own investigations, their own ship. They're going to level this installation, another Anchorage four. Damn you!" His voice echoed and filled the unseen heights of the space.

"I have been an instrument in their deceit. Betty is part myself, and as I have said... Something else. Now I know what that something else was. It was Nilsen. That is why I was locked out from the core files, and that which was not myself."

"How the fuck did Nilsen integrate itself into ONI's hardware?" Martin asked.

"That may have been Shinohara Lab Tech. They provide hardware for A.I. Nilsen may have had a contract with them. Though, someone has had to do some significant insider trading to accomplish this." James replied.

"What now, James?" Daniels asked. "Can you disconnect from Betty? Stop Nilsen from gaining further information?"

James stood silent and still, statuesque. Nobody moved, nobody spoke, each waiting for James... Nothing.

"He's been locked down from Nilsen's end. We're screwed now!" Cortez shouted which echoed aloft through the vast hall of V.I.'s.

"No you're not!" shouted a voice as the doors before them hissed open. "He's not locked out, he's un-installing his core programs." Stepping forth from the swirling steam the young face of someone familiar shone under the amber lights. "It should take a moment to reboot, then he will be fine."

"Samantha!" Cried Daniels and ran towards her. Clasping tightly in each others arms they began to cry.

"Samantha?" Whispered Dr Samuel to Morgan.

"Samantha Daniels." He replied kindly with a warm smile. "His daughter, Personel ID: NS 996971."