CHAPTER 8

GHOSTS

Kazakhstan

Victor was walking through a field of wheat. He was a boy again out on his grandfather's farm. His mother and father were away on business, trying to get the papers they needed to leave Earth and start a new life among the stars. Victor didn't understand why it was so hard to go. On a clear night, you could watch ships launching from the Kazakhstan spaceport from his grandfather's back porch.

The dour man always frowned and muttered when the ships left, but Victor watched them with delight.

Except that wasn't right. He wasn't on his grandfather's farm.

The boy Victor pushed this thought aside. It was a special night. It was another ship launching, this one taking colonists up to a waiting ship in orbit. The next ship after that to launch from the port would be the one carrying him and his parents away from earth. Tonight would be the last time he'd get to watch a launch with his grandfather.

Soon he'd be sailing among the stars, and then his mother and father could stop worrying about everything. Space was big enough for their dreams.

The sun was setting, and the launch would be soon. Though his grandfather didn't share his love of space, he had still taken Victor out to a hill by his home for the best view. His grandfather knew how much young Victor loved to watch the ships and had packed a little meal in a basket so they could watch this last launch in comfort.

The sun was setting, and Victor walked around the base of the hill in the field, his hands brushing against the top of the blades of grass.

Except, he had already left. His mother and father had gotten on board a ship, and they had gone. His grandfather had passed away a few years after that. He’d never seen him again.

Frowning, the boy Victor looked up on the hill and saw his grandfather sitting at the top, watching him. Victor smiled and waved. The weathered old farmer smiled back and motioned Victor up. Victor turned and started up the hill.

'Get away from the rocks!' he heard from far away.

Victor frowned and looked around; there wasn't anyone else in the field. He looked back at his grandfather, but he gave no indication of having heard anything. Victor paused, and looked out over the area again, straining to hear.

'Victor! John! Ise! Daniel! Jing! Come on, listen! Focus on my voice!' the voice was adamant, but still distant, though the names sounded familiar. Victor shook his head; the ship would launch soon.

He turned and started up the hill again, except his grandfather wasn't there anymore. He was alone.

Except he wasn't, he had friends with him. They were somewhere strange.

He recognized the voice as the Captain Geer's.

Fog lifted from his mind, and he saw clearly again. He was standing in a room with grass and a ring of stones in it. Victor realized he was standing inside the circle of stones.

He looked at the nearest stone; it seemed to be raising up slowly. He looked around and saw the others; they appeared to be oblivious to what was happening to them. He reached for Jing and Dan, who were the closest, and shook them. They seemed startled but regained their composure after a brief moment.

'What happened?' Jing asked.

'I don't know, but we have to get out of this ring of stones right now.' Victor said, starting toward John and Ise, who were both in the middle of the ring.

The stones had risen at least a meter now, and the space between them was narrowing. Clumps of disturbed soil fell from their sides. Victor grabbed John and Ise by the hands and pulled them toward the edge of the ring. John was startled, and Ise fell, not waking up. Her heavy frame jerked Victor to a stop. John shook his head and looked at Victor, 'What's going on Vick? I feel like I just woke up.'

'Help me move Ise; she's still out of it.'

John grabbed one of her arms, and Victor grabbed the other, they dragged her toward the edge of the ring.

'Out of what?' John asked, confusion evident in his tone.

'I don't know.' Victor replied hurriedly.

Sam and Jing stepped in next to them and grabbed Ise's legs. They hefted her up and walked out of the circle. She was difficult to move. Once outside the ring, they set her down.

No sooner than she was on the ground then the ring of stones snapped up out of the ground, closing together with a crash. Dirt flew through the air, and everyone flinched back. The rocks were just the teeth of a giant, brown, fleshy worm-like creature. It hung upright, its jaws clenched shut, not moving.

'Captain, maybe...' Victor stopped his question as the creature twisted and opened its maw, pointing toward Victor. Victor could see down its open mouth, into the dark passageway to somewhere he didn't want to go.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw John slip a stylus off his suit and throw it across the room. The stylus hit a wall and clattered to the floor bordering the grass. The creature swung its head toward the sound and snapped at the air. The noise of its closing jaws made was like a blast of thunder.

Ise stirred. Victor bent down and saw she had opened her eyes. She was about to talk, but Victor placed a finger up to his lips, urging her to be quiet.

Everyone looked for a way out. There was a door on the far wall, but there was no visible control panel around it.

Sam pulled out her pistol without a sound and motioned for the others to do the same. She aimed and held up a hand, palm open. Everyone waited for the signal. The creature, drawn by the shuffling sounds, turned toward them again.

Without warning, a screeching noise filled the room. The creature opened its jaw and let out a deep, powerful, growl that Victor felt in his boots. It flailed and snapped about violently. Everyone scrambled back against the wall.

The door across the room opened. A humanoid figure, made of metal, walked out. The figure walked toward the creature and leveled what looked like a gun toward it. The creature whipped around, its jaws snapping, as it lunged for the metal figure. With a flash of light and a crack of thunder, the gun arced a bolt of electricity toward the creature. The beast jerked to a stop and collapsed to the ground. The robot looked at it for a long moment. Sam took a tentative step forward, her gun gripped tightly at her side.

'I would remain clear while I check the status of the Rokin.' The figure said.

Sam stopped. The figure held up a hand and placed it against the creature. After a minute, it pulled its hand away and turned to face the crew.

'The creature is incapacitated for now. I would recommend coming with me before it wakes up,' the figure said, 'the Rokin is very hardy and my efforts will only stun it for a moment.'

'What is this place?' Sam asked.

'There will be time enough for that soon. Please follow me.'

The figure turned and walked out the door. Sam looked at her crew, shrugged, and followed it.

After they all stepped through the door and it slid shut behind them.

***

Ise was unsteady on her feet. Her mind was swimming. Whatever had affected her in the grassy room hadn't cleared out of her head yet. She tried to focus on the others and leaned against the wall. Her systems still operated, but the parts of her that were still human were in turmoil, and without all of her humanity intact, they were having difficulty adapting.

'Advocate Okoh, your brain scans are erratic.'

'L...lenny? I'm not d...doing so well.'

'Recommend returning to the ship and utilizing medical systems.'

'N...not yet. Mon...itor my brain waves, keep... me informed.'

'Yes, Advocate.'

Ise felt relief to hear the voice of her Guardian. The ship was still in the range of their uplink and that was a comforting thought.

She shook her head and looked around the place. Her eyes focused, but her mind struggled to keep up. They were in a long hallway; lights ran the length of it along the roof. The crew was talking to a metallic humanoid figure.

She concentrated on what they were saying.

'The Rokin, or Rock lion as the colonists on its world called it, is a telepathic predator. It floods those near it with happy memories and clouds their thoughts, luring them toward the centre of its maw before consuming them,' the robot said.

'What's it doing here?' Sam asked.

'This facility is... a conservatory of sorts,' said the robot.

'Who built it?' Sam asked.

'An assortment of interested parties.'

'How does this place run?' Sam pressed.

Ise tried to refocus. Something was making her sit up and take notice, something just on the edge of her perceptions.

'The robots and facility itself are administered by a Guardian core,' The robot said.

'A Guardian? These assorted interests must be rather well connected,' Victor commented.

Ise stood up from the wall and walked toward the group. When she reached them, they looked at her.

'Can I talk to your Advocate?' She asked.

The robot looked at her in silence for a moment. 'That could be difficult. The advocate is off on a supply run at the moment.'

'Is there anyone at all in the facility?' Sam asked.

'Not presently. The facility is mostly automated. I must ask that you leave, please. I will escort you to the surface,' The robot said, turning around and walking towards a broad set of double doors.

Sam stepped forward. 'Just a moment, we've come here pursuing a Linkal pilot we believe to be hiding in this facility.'

The robot stopped and turned. 'Linkal?'

'Lobster?' John offered the derogatory term people used.

'Lobster?' The robot repeated, 'Lobsters aren't pilots.'

Victor was next to speak, 'Do you mean to tell us you've never heard of the Linkal? Humanity is in a state of war with them.'

'I do not know of the Linkal. I have not been informed of them. Our facility doesn't get many visitors. Are these Linkal intelligent?' The robot asked.

'Yes. They are a space-faring species. We know little about them though,' Sam said.

'Interesting. And you are pursuing one?' The robot asked.

'We are part of the U.P.N. and were looking for hidden Linkal bases in the sector. They're adept at not being seen when they don't want to be.'

'I see,' the robot looked at each of them one after another. When its eyes rested on Ise, it seemed to linger for a moment longer than the rest. It then turned to the captain. 'Your companion is injured?'

'Yes, Lt. Higgins here got injured fighting the alien fighter craft.'

'Our sensors detected the skirmish. We did not know if you were pirates or not. I am relieved to discover you are not. I can offer you some medical attention and some temporary shelter while you search for this alien,' the robot said.

The crew looked at each other; John smiled. 'I would be all right with not getting shot at for a bit. What do you say Captain?'

Sam looked at the robot. 'We'd appreciate the medical attention.'

'Right this way then.'