0852
6th May 0126
Terran Standard
EMERALD,
TAU CETI
Special Agent Neel Jonas of the Central Intelligence Agency opened his eyes to blackness. Nothing.
Where was he? Instantly his implant told him that he was at Hotel Caesar at Emerald. “That was right” he thought. ‘Initiate optical scans’, he thought to his implant. Optical scans complete. No defects found, came back the reply. Now he panicked. “Reboot Implant”, he ordered. Reboot failed, Deactivate Privacy Shield first.
Well, he knew he was fucked. Privacy Shields were only used when he was supposed to get a really classified mission. Only thrice in his entire life had his implant created one but never had it make him lose his vision. “Check environment, and initiate retrieval.” Environment Clear. Retrieval complete.
Words flashed into his mind, his implant clearing its logs instantly. 4 Words, QT MC MKA 11:36:00:1009.
Instantly he got his vision back. A simple apartment, a girl, naked on the bed, clothes on the floor. QT MC MKA 11:36:00:1009. It was an old code. One he had never hoped to receive. He was supposed to maintain his cover, and reach HQ for debriefing by the IB. The only odd thing was that it was not from CIA. It was from before, before he was CIA.
The most curious and shocking fact was that the orders specified the mode of transport he had to use to get there. He was supposed to teleport using the district teleportation center to the unknown destination. Quantum Teleportation was the most dangerous way for an agent like him to transport. A good agent is never ever supposed to teleport.
He checked the time. 4 minutes left. He had no possessions. First rule of being an agent. No need to pack.
All of it came down to this. Could he trust the orders?
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Prime Minister Devi, Head of government of the Indian subspace, for the first time in her life, was afraid. Despite of being the leader of one of the most powerful human states, something was happening that she could not control. This was something she had never experienced before. Even having the second largest active fleet and the highest number of science and research stations could not deal with the problem which she was facing. She had make some quick decisions that may be the solution to the problems
“Is he ready?” she asked the house AI.
Message conveyed and acknowledged. Currently on schedule.
“Ask R.C Sen from CBI to come to the meeting. Also initiate the new Energy shield around the place and switch on the tachyon projectors...”
Shield initiated.
The new, sensor-invisible energy shield was one of the most innovative and one of the most classified research projects ever undertaken in India. It was a powerful shield, even more so than the ones on Warships.
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Undetectable to any scan known to man, this shield required just enough energy that could run an entire planet and only due to the extra security for the prime minister was it installed at all her residences.
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Neel Jonas came out of the teleportation cubical at his unknown destination and thought to his implant, Where am I? To his shock there was no answer. A chill went through his spine. He could never imagined a life without his implant. In fact, to deprive someone access to one’s implant was a crime in all countries. Even prisoners and criminals were allowed a restricted implant. Where was he? Did he do right by trusting the message? Was he doomed?
His first question was answered when a voice announced, Welcome to Terra, Neel Jonas…..
He opened his mouth to speak but was nothing came out. There was no one on Terra. Terra, Earth, the original home to humanity was a sacred place. It was ironical that no one was allowed to live on it. Terra was the planet where the heads of state to all countries met every year. In fact one of such meetings was underway and no one save the heads and their immediate security and main advisers could arrive during such a meeting. Teleportation was forbidden on Terra. How many laws had he just broken by following the code? Before he could say anything the voice said again..
I am the AI at the Prime Minister’s Terran Residence and do not worry; your implant has been temporarily disabled due to security reasons.
He was at the residence of the Indian head of state. Just as Neel was about to say something someone interrupted him.
“Welcome Back, Neel. I believe it has been 15 years when we last met.”
It was Dr. Sen, current Director of the Central Bureau of Intelligence. When Neel last met him he Dr Sen had send him to his new mission from which he was just interrupted.
“16 years, Director. Yes it has been a long time. Why am I here, Director?”
“You’ll see. Come with me. Don’t worry about your implant, everything will become clear after the briefing. "replied Dr. Sen.
He led Neel through a series of corridors to a large room where he scanned his fingerprint and authorised himself. “Come on in” he said.
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President Devi was waiting, and she didn’t like being kept waiting. What time was it? She thought.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a chime and then the AI announced the presence of the CBI Director. At last she thought.
In front of her eyes entered two men whom her implant identified has the director of CBI and a Special Agent named Neel. The director looked old. Older than her. That was odd. She herself was well past her second century but still felt and looked no more the forty. The director was not that old. In all her past consultations with him, he had not looked that old. The agent was young. Shockingly young.
This is our best? So young, so inexperienced!
“Welcome director. Welcome Special Agent. You look surprised. Well it is not every day that the prime minister herself is briefing someone up and no less, on Terra?” she said.
“Yes ma’am I agree with you. In fact I too was surprised when I got that code” said Neel.
“What is the maximum clearance level you have been cleared?”
“Ma’am, my mission required myself cleared for Code Word Defiance. "replied Neel.
“That is not enough. Not nearly enough. AI, by my authority Special Agent Neel Jonas has been cleared to Code Word PRIME. Secure the room appropriately.” said President Devi.
Room secured.
She continued,” What I am about to tell you is classified beyond TOP SECRET. You will not know that last night at a few minutes before 8, President Watkins was murdered at the white house premises….”
“What!” said both Neel and the Director.
“Please let me finish. The world does not know of his death. It could cause too much chaos and after what Watkins did, it will destroy everything. The Americans have not even admitted his death. They have prepared a decoy to take his place who will be attending the Terran meetings and the vice president will govern the country. I don’t care much about what happens next in United States but the reason he was killed is crucial. I know this because he was killed by one of our own Agents.”
“You were responsible for this?” asked a clearly shocked Neel.
“Let her complete Neel.”Dr Sen stopped Neel.
“Thank You, Dr.”she continued.”The Americans with the help of the Chinese were building an AI. It is not a normal AI. It is a truly sentient AI, more powerful than any other in existence. And by that I am telling you that even we don’t have a computer or AI even comparable to it. The purpose of the AI is to decide what is next the humans can do next in the path of evolution. I know it sounds insane but ever since we reached the boundaries we are stuck. Nothing we know can go past them. And given few decades humanity will need more space and we will have nowhere to go. So we desperately need something and this was there answer. Last night from a temporary, top secret tachyon housing in the White House Watkins sent his authorisation and some code which finally activated the AI. The AI within minutes of its activation solved he problem as expected.
Neel, now excited to know about whatever President Devi was telling, asked,”So what is the problem in that? Isn’t it supposed to be good that the AI solved the problem?”
President Devi replied,”It would have been but the nature of the solution is terrifying. For reasons far more classified than what I am telling you, it has decided that the next step in human evolution is the Swarm stage…..”