Proxima Trilogy: Part 1-3: Hard Science Fiction by Brandon Q. Morris

Author:Brandon Q. Morris [Morris, Brandon Q.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hard-SF.com
Published: 2020-12-20T22:00:00+00:00

May 3, 19

My body is working. The modification process is not quite finished, but that involves only a few sensors I don’t need right away. The fabricators can continue working while I try to find Eve. I order the ISUs to return to me, to complete my six legs. Then I let the fabricators remove the last bit of the material that still keeps me stuck in this gap in the wall.

I fall down two meters. I already know this room from the images sent by the ISUs. Over there is the air duct I selected. I crawl across the floor on my six legs, but I keep looking upward. This is an unfamiliar position. I am used to seeing a wide field of view. Now I feel like I am lying on my back. Yet I don’t see less from down here. I am even surprised at how much I perceive of what is happening above my body. Isn’t that much more important for my survival?

In order to reach the duct, I have to pull myself up with my front extremities. That is not too difficult. I might look like a crocodile, but I am more flexible in all directions. I push myself up a bit on the smooth wall. Then my front end bends at a right angle and enters the air duct. My forward optical sensors report the first surprise. The rotor, which was standing still yesterday, is now moving. Something must have been triggered inside this building. Could it be related to Eve? Or is it the result of our failed activity?

I flip my tail forward, stop the rotor with it, crawl through the rotor, and then quickly retract my tail before the blades start spinning again. The fact that this seemingly-dead building is coming alive is probably good news, but it won’t make the search for Eve any easier. I slowly crawl through the air duct and try to determine my location. Right now I have no choice concerning my path, but that will change.

And, after half an hour I do come to a fork in the path. Two additional pipes join my duct and increase its diameter. Should I crawl into one of the smaller pipes, which probably would lead to a room further up? Or do I choose the wider one, which might lead me to the life support center on one of the lower levels? Option 1 might take me closer to Eve, at least with a little bit of luck, while option 2 could get me into one of the most important sectors of this building.

I choose the larger pipe. If I can find the central room, which somehow must control this huge edifice, I should be able to reach any room where a living being might be found. That sounds like a good plan. I could send small probes from the central room to independently scout all possible paths I could use to get to Eve. Trying out all these routes in this huge labyrinth by myself would take me more time than Eve has left.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.