Shades_The Gehenna Dilemma by Eric Dallaire

Author:Eric Dallaire [Dallaire, Eric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780996181105
Google: -9YKCAAAQBAJ
Amazon: B00UT328GW
Goodreads: 25274509
Publisher: If Tales
Published: 2015-03-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

To Aerie is Human

“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.”

- Excerpt from “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, Oscar Wilde

I knew that I was no longer in the Hochmeister’s castle. The air smelled different in this new place. An elegant sweetness of incense and herbs replaced the pungency of the damp dungeon. My nose detected the scents of fresh-cut flowers. Fragrances of lilacs, roses, and orchids circulated by four large ceiling fans fifteen feet above me. Instead of a wet stone floor, I stood on a plush carpet with intricate red and orange designs. In the distance, a well-tuned piano played classical music. I guessed it was Chopin, but I was no expert in the genre.

I took a step forward into the expansive hall and instead of torches, ornate lamps lit the red walls with flickering white lights. Floating on small rings of translucent plasma stood ancient vases and artifacts from Chinese and Japanese antiquity. All of these treasures looked unique and priceless. Tapestries depicting historical battles hung along the corridor ahead. Further down the hall, the floor ended in thick, unblemished white carpet at the foot of a winding staircase. At the top stood a tall woman dressed in a beautiful gown that radiated with the orange and red sunset hues of the room around her. Her straight, black hair flowed onto the perfect skin of her light brown shoulders.

She moved with a practiced smooth grace. The diamond hemline of her dress kissed the ground with each gliding step she took down the staircase. Hers was the grace of quicksilver flowing over smooth glass. It was Tomoe Gozen herself and I found myself distracted by her perfection.

“For the last two years, the meta.duel has deteriorated to petty squabbles. There are so few remarkable feats in the High Tower that merit my attention,” she said. It was the same ethereal voice I had heard when I first opened the door. “Welcome to my Aerie, Jonah.”

“Thank you for allowing me inside your home,” I replied with a bow. “It is an honor to meet you.”

“You hacked the v-cast archival sub-system. Creating replicas of yourself was an inspired maneuver.” she spoke in a soft, even tone. “And I happen to know that forgotten echelon had not been invoked for over fifteen years. The last time was...it was used by you, using my first prototype v-casting portable network.” The lips of her stoic face cracked her perfect countenance for what looked to be a subtle grin. “You were there, in Korea…”

* * *

My thoughts drifted back to twenty years ago, to the North Korean Cyber War. My team set up operations in Kijong-dong province, a frontline base the Marines had established in South Korea. They called me Second Lieutenant Adams. With a military occupational specialty of computer technician, my superiors entrusted me with encrypted communications. To stay in touch with the other bases, we used an experimental v-cast device that allowed instant and secure communication within a virtual space.

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