The Codex
[NOTE FROM THOMAS JAMES MAINE: This entry is not one which I have written, but one from a the Encyclopadia Humanus in the year 2389. I thought it would be wrong to write about myself, but I also have been told that given the nature of these entries it would be wrong not to include some entry about myself.]
----------------------------------------
Codex Entry No. 7, “Thomas James Maine”
Thomas James Maine is a controversial Martian leader from the War of Colonial Retribution who carries several monikers to include, “The First Marauder”, “Executor of Intelligence”, and most famously “The God of Titan”. Despite the controversy around his actions on Venus and Earth, Thomas is considered to be the de facto patriarch of the Maine family since the death of Anna Maine and the loss of the family’s historical A.I. assistant, Thoth. Under his leadership, the Maines have diversified from leadership of the military into other sectors of the Martian economy and society.
Thomas was considered a “lesser scion” of his family for most of his youth, and by the recollections of many was bullied for a large portion of his childhood until his early teen years where he was noted by startled family members and instructors to have begun expressing a “brutality and cunning which should be beyond a twelve year old boy”. One particular incident involved one of Thomas’ childhood tormentors, Tarrus Maine, nearly ending up an involite after Thomas improperly used a lethal move in an attempt to snap his cousins neck during a partculalry brutal sparring match with inadequate oversight from senior Maine family members.
Thomas’ weakness during this time seems to have primarily been due to not being passed on certain genetic traits common in Maines which gave them their more superhuman aspects. He was noted to have the extraordinary healing and mental traits of the Maine family at an early age, but that was it. This was considered disappointing to the more senior members of the family who wrote him off until his return from Titan.
Thomas entered the Titan Academy at age thirteen against the wishes of his entire family, including his father whom was horrified to learn his son wasn’t joining the School of Warfare but the School of Intelligence. Two days prior to leaving, Thomas’ father, James Maine, would die due to an explosion triggered by Earth Code Red Extremeists. Thomas wouldn’t be notified until after his first semester was completed on Titan. Following this, Thomas’ demeanor largely changed and his grades and performance rose sharply enough that he was placed into the Academy’s Top Ten.
While on Titan, Thomas proved a very diligent and advanced student. His performance proved to be enough that his family upgraded his status to “proud scion”, and he would form a network of friends that would carry him forward the rest of his life. He would utilize this network to develop or steal several technologies for himself and his own arsenal, but he was never caught. The only reason this is known is because he admitted to it during his interview with the Iron Hand.
Thomas would never formally graduate the academy due to the Titan Tragedy occurring at the end of his final year. During this event, Thomas would undergo the alteration process being tested by Code Red at the time, and he would be implanted with the Zeus A.I. The pair broke out of captivity and would perform “major contributions” to the Martian efforts to survive there until help arrived.
Once Thoams arrived on Mars he would be sworn in as a First Lieutentant in honor of his extraordinary service on Titan and placed in the Iron Hand. He would spend the bulk of his career there, and little is known of what he did during this time. He would resurface thirty-years later when he was promoted from Colonel to Director of the Godkiller Project. During this time, it would seem he performed little field work until he was named Vice Admiral of the Second Fleet who were operating in orbit of Venus.
While with the Second Fleet, Thomas would capture the attention of the Martian people again and make everyone remember his title as the “God of Titan” when his ship was critically damaged and he would lead a raid to capture two Earth ships in order to replace it. He would order bombings of both the city of Aslan and the city of Caspian, gaining him infamy equal to his fame due to the mass casualties.
Thomas would be relocated to the First Fleet on Mars for three years until the Invasion of Mars, during which he distinguished himself in helping to reactivate the orbital defense grid. After this he was sent to Earth where he would oversee the end of the quagmire there and give the order for the Martian superweapon known to the public as “the Mars Bomb”. Once the truth of the weapon was revealed, Thomas would immediately order Martian troops to begin rendering aid to surviving Earthers.
In the aftermath of the end of the war, Thomas would be named as the Executor of Intelligence services for the newly formed Martian Authority. Since his appointment, little has been recorded about him. Speculation states though that he is actually an active operative on Mars still and is behind several deaths of corrupt officials. Recently, this rumor has been overshadowed by one that the Executor soon plans to step down in order to head the first ever mission to colonize a world beyond the edge of mankind’s native solar system.
----------------------------------------
Chapter 8, "Clarity"
"The hardest part of being altered is learning what you are capable of. Lucky for me, I have a cheat code." -- Riku Ito during an interview with Mars Today.
“Hello, hello Thomas,” Dean Winters said pleasantly, sitting down across from me, “I am pleased to see you alive.”
“Surprising, since you can’t possibly believe I feel the same way about you,” I said darkly.
“Sticks and stones, Thomas,” Dean Winters dismissed with a coy smile and a casual wave of his hand, “but you are a scion of my greatest work. I always have your best interests at heart… Your whole family’s really,” the man explained with open arms. Setting his palms flat against the table he leaned forward to say, “and now you and I are share a different sort of kinship. A sort that your family will likely never forgive, and you had no say in.”
Blood running cold, I involuntarily went rigid despite my training as I recognized, He knows!
“What exactly are you saying?” I asked as I paid closer attention to the man’s face, doing my best to keep calm and appear in control. The Dean’s smile just broadened, and Zeus announced, He does know… How? I’m not connected to any network! He can’t- He can’t know!
Despite being an A.I. Zeus was panicked. Despite their very popular portrayals as emotionless, perfectly rational beings, A.I. are modelled on humans. They can feel fear, and most of them aren’t trained to control them. They try but locking those emotions down like a program is just as dangerous to them as it is for us. Zeus was old enough to know better and so he just dealt with his fear. I could feel it though. I could feel how afraid he was. He'd later admit to me that his fear bled over to me, and that’s why my training wasn’t kicking in. I was trying to keep in check the emotions of two people.
“Within you is an A.I. named Zeus. This A.I. is the very same Zeus who was our foe in the Intelligence War, though he is reformed from his prior state of insanity,” Dean Winters said, his smile never once dropping, “and I know this because I possess an A.I. myself. Your friend Robert notified me of your condition as he is aware of the protocols for someone of our condition. You aren’t just Altered, Thomas. You are now a Cybermind.”
As though to make a point, a woman in a Martian military uniform appeared. From the gray color I could tell she was a naval officer, but her pins at the collar and on the chest weren’t standard. Both read “A.I.”
Robert outed me? I thought, my palms tightening, my fingernails digging into my palms and my breathing going shallow as I tried to control my rage. Zeus once again performed his little calming trick to help me recenter myself. Fortunately, the holographic woman and Dr. Winters gave me the seconds needed for this before the woman spoke as Dr. Winters leaned back in his chair.
“Thomas,” the woman said with a soft smile, “It is a pleasure to meet you, formally.” Doing a small sort of curtsy she continued, “My name is Artemis. I am the Synthetic partnered with Dr. Winters. I know you probably have many questions, and if you would permit me, I would like to explain. I understand you are biased against Dr. Winters, so I am hoping that you will be more willing to hear me out. Also, I am hoping that you will take my appearance as a sign of trust and good faith.”
I know her, Zeus said, Artemis isn’t the type to lie. She is more upright than most Synthetics, at least she was. I believe you should hear her out, if I get a vote.
How would Dr. Winters have her? I asked Zeus, A.I. are forbidden!
That all depends on where you stand in Martian society, Zeus said, his voice hard and his frustration bleeding through into my mind, ascend far enough and I’m sure you will see that there are few things that are truly forbidden. You know that better than most.
“I’ll listen,” I agreed with a sour note in my voice, “but he-“I pointed to Dr. Winters, “-will remain silent. If he speaks, I’m done. I don’t trust him, but I do trust Zeus. Zeus trusts you.”
Nodding, Artemis said, “I appreciate your candor. Dr. Winters will do as you ask, yes?”
She looked back at the doctor who nodded and mimed zipping his lips and throwing away the key. His face was still locked in a grin though, as though he was a kid who knew that he was about to receive the world’s greatest Christmas present.
“Why would Robert notify Dr. Winters?” I blurted out, my anxiety getting the better of me.
“As Dr. Winters briefly mentioned, there are protocols for this sort of thing,” Artemis said, “Those protocols are very well known to Robert. We have been looking for Zeus since we realized he was missing shortly after we made it to the vault. Robert and several of the upper grade science students were made aware of the realities of Synthetics as a part of Martian society at the beginning of their senior year.”
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
A half-truth. There’s more. Think hard, Zeus urged.
I thought on that for a second and asked, “That’s a half-truth though, isn’t it?” Recalling the short time I was in the chamber Robert used to scan me, I surmised, “Robert was able to assess me very quickly, like Dr. Winters… Each of the Top Ten at each school aren’t picked just for their skill, but their loyalty as well. Nobody ever knows what the science school’s Top Ten get, but… It’s an A.I. isn’t it? Robert has an A.I. too?”
Got it in one! Zeus cheered.
The Dean’s smile broadened, but he remained quiet. Artemis nodded, and said, “You are correct. The upper grade scientists of each graduating class are given access to A.I. so that Martian technology can continue to grow and evolve at an unmatched pace. A.I. are more common on Mars than you think. There were several thousand created by Earthers. Do you really think all of us would submit to being put to sleep and shoved in a box?”
Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin, Zeus quoted, that is one of the eldest principles of justice. It was carried into law through religion, rational thought, and moral sense of right and wrong. Even Martians found they weren’t exempt from that principle.
I thought for a moment before deciding that the argument was legitimate. Zeus and certain A.I. did wrong, yes, but not all of them. Zeus had even alluded to the fact that I was not the first human he’d worked with like he had with me.
“I know this is a lot to take in,” Artemis said sympathetically, “and I know you are tired. However, the Dr. Winters and I have run so many projections and simulations. Your presence alters those simulations significantly in a very positive way. I told you that I am appearing to you like this as a sign of goodwill and trust. Your secret is safe with us, for now. When we get back to Mars you will need support to remain a free man with Zeus bound to you. We are a very significant voice who can assist with that. Otherwise, you will have to face that situation alone. I am sure you see that is unfavorable even without Zeus’ support, don’t you?”
She’s testing you, Zeus counseled, ask her if that was a threat. Make her clarify her position.
“Artemis, are you threatening me?” I asked, feeling a bit of confidence come back. It felt nice to have someone in my corner who understood more than I did. It gave me hope. Hope that I could pull through everything. Perhaps that’s why I trusted Zeus so quickly. When I needed him, when I really needed him, he was there. He was bound to me. My fate was his, and we both knew what that meant.
“No,” Artemis answered, “I am informing you of an option which may be wise for your future. I will never support a death penalty against you. Zeus has long been reformed and you did not accept his partnership out of anything other necessity. However, there are Synthetics who still fear Zeus and only allowed him to live because he was exiled here. Once you carry him back to Mars, there will be humans and Synthetics who want you dead just because it will mean being safe from whatever threat they think Zeus is.”
Ask her for her support in writing. The kind that counts, Zeus pressed, I promise that she’s testing you.
“I can see your point,” I allowed, “but I need to know that you’ll follow through. I don’t trust him. I really don’t know you. What assurances can you give me?”
Artemis gave an appreciative nod before walking across the table so that her tiny avatar’s eyes were even with mine.
“I’m sure we can arrange whatever you like,” she said, “if you can put your hatred of my partner on pause long enough to make sure that we don’t die on this planet. There are reinforcements that will come, but we need them to come a little faster. We can hold out here, but we need to do more than sit and hide. That will be another conversation though.”
She withdrew a few steps, cocked her head and with a bit of a pout said, “You look tired. I think you are coming to the limits of your capabilities as they are.”
Turning to the dean they shared a look before she turned around and said, “You are dismissed. I have assigned you room 3008. Marie will escort you. We will speak soon, Thomas.”
You passed, Zeus said, his pleasure and pride radiating in my mind’s depths.
We passed, I corrected.
Rising, I didn’t say a word as I exited and silently followed Marie to my room. My feet seemed much, much heavier than they had earlier, and my arms weren’t any better. Worse, my eyes stung much like they would if I had ground soap into them.
I’ve overtaxed myself, I decided, I need to rest.
Luckily Marie seemed to pick up on my exhaustion and didn’t offer any conversation or taunts. Instead, she just guided me through the complex series of halls and lifts that made up the vault and brought me to my room.
The room I was given was the same floor plan as my dorm room. I didn’t even thank Marie for guiding me. I opted to quickly stumble into the shower and more thoroughly cleaned the sewer off myself. I exited early when a knock came at my door and I saw a Mandroid standing there with several bags full of dress uniforms, combat uniforms, body gloves, and two notes.
The first was a notification that I had been given a “spontaneous graduation” from Titan Academy for outstanding services during extreme events. It went on to say that I was named First Lieutenant. The second letter was a request from Robert to come see him for a chat and a fitting of new armor when I was ready. Once the Mandroid had set all the clothes up in my closet in regulation fashion for the military, it handed me a phone from a slot on its chest. The phone was a clone of the one I’d lost, and I felt my skin tingle. Looking down, I saw that a cable was protruding from my forearm to the phone.
The phone is now synced with your contacts. You should be able to see notification in it and make calls from it if you enable your heads-up display, Zeus said.
Nodding, I dismissed the android and changed into sweats before falling into a peaceful sleep. It was one of the best sleeps I’ve ever taken.
[xxxxx]
The next morning came too soon, but when it did I was ready. After I'd washed up and put on my new uniform, I laid back down on the bed, closed my eyes and willed myself to enter Zeus' library.
Well, it was Zeus' library.
Upon entering the space, I found myself in an unfamiliar space. The chamber was vast, so large that I could barely make out the metal ceiling in the gloom and haze above me. I followed one of the lines of rivets down the wall with my eyes to the source of the dim light. At the center of the room was a kind of dynamo with a yellow ball of what looked to be solid lightning or perhaps plasma. The machine pumped and turned with great speed, enough that I had to focus on the parts to make them out. As I approached the machine, I heard footsteps behind me which prompted me to turn on my heel.
Blinking twice, I noted aloud, "Apparently this space isn't the only thing that's new."
Zeus' new appearance was night and day compared to his old scraggly lookl. His beard was trimmed, his hair was pulled into a pony-tail behind his head, and he even smelt of some cologne that was both familiar yet unplacable in my memory. Instead of a toga and sandals he wore a pinstriped navy suit with a white shirt, red tie, and black loafers. On his lapel he wore two pins. The first was an A.I. pin like the kind Artemis wore. The second was an "Fe", the symbol of Iron on the periodic table which was often associated with Mars.
"I thought I'd make some changes to make us both more comfortable," Zeus said with a shrug, "and make some updates based on the data I extracted from that A.I. Hannah tried to stick in us. What brings you here?"
"I thought it was time to be a bit more proactive," I explained, leaning against the strange mach9ne, feeling a pleasant energy fill me as I continued, "we've been running for our lives and now that we're somewhat safe I think we need to talk. I don't know as much as I should about you, or A.I., or even about myself anymore. There is a lot I need to understand before I risk my life again for any reason."
"Very self-aware," Zeus praised, "I concur. Let's begin with helping you understand yourself. I take it you are curious about the nanites and augmentations made to you, yes?"
After I gave a brief nod, Zeus cocked his head as though considering his words before stating, "I don't know the full extent of the changes made to you, but I have enough understanding to make you feel more comfortable, I think. The only way to know the full extent of what's been done would be quite a bit of testing that I suspect you don't trust anyone to do right now. Simply put, there are four major changes you should be aware of. The first is me. While I may not have the processing power I used to due to the hardware limitations of these nanites, I am still more than potent enough to help run your nanites, your augmentations, and your body more effectively so that you will get a level of output that you wouldn't have dreamed possible in the physical and mental aspects of your work. Next, there is your bones. They are made of Trinium and are nearly impervious to damage. They are also heavier than what you are used to, so your nanites altered the density and make-up of your muscles to compensate which is why you are stronger, partially. The other part of that is the next major change which is that you are no longer a half-blooded Maine, but a full-blooded one. I directed that change so that you would heal faster, think faster, and hit harder. I figured I should give you every edge I could. Finally there are your nanites. The nanites integrated your contacts with your eyes, but that is minor to their real purpose. I take it you've noticed the wires and the healing?"
"Of course," I said, "I now have regeneration rather than just faster healing, yes?"
"You do," Zeus said slowly, "but that's only a part of it. From what I can tell, you are the only person with active nanites still in their blood. Everyone else's nanites cannibalized themselves during the augmentation process. You may not have skin and muscles enough to bench press a small cruiser or sub-dermal armor that would let you brush off a tank shell, but you can regenerate and alter your body at will by integrating extra technology into yourself. The best example is your contacts, in that regard."
"Interesting," I said, "but why don't you have the ability to hook into anything without wires and a direct connection?"
"Well, two reasons," Zeus scratched the back of his head and explained first, "The wireless tech in your contacts sucked. Everything else was brilliant, but I did you a favor throwing that stuff out. We could do much better."
He wasn't wrong. I had cheaped out on the wireless components for the contacts.
"What's the second reason?" I asked.
"Making it so that I could interact with things wirelessly by native function would violate my parole," Zeus admitted with a nervous chuckle, "I made a very strict arrangement with the other A.I. to keep living, and I am not in a hurry to break that agreement. If I did, Artemis' prediction about A.I. demanding my death, and there for yours, would come to pass for sure. There are work arounds, and there are even advantages, like the fact that we don't have to worry about intrusions or security threats from wireless sources."
"That is a plus," I allowed.
"Indeed," Zeus agreed, "but ultimately the reason comes down to my selfish desire to live."
"Our selfish desire to live," I chuckled, "unless you were lying about us being stuck together?"
"As far as I know? I was not," Zeus reaffirmed, "when you die, I die. If I die, you are likely going to become a vegetable."
With a snort, I grumbled, "That's comforting..."
"Well, better I'm honest now, right?" Zeus chuckled.
After a few more minutes of clarifying the finer points of all the changes I'd experienced, I awoke with a smile on my face.
"I'm going to be on hell of an agent," I whispered to myself before setting off to explore the Vault.