Outer Bounds: Fortune's Rising (12 page)

10:15:25  Ferris climbing from
pit.

10:15:30  Ferris running through
Shrieker mound, B Block.

10:15:35  Ferris running through
Shrieker mound, B Block.

10:15:37  Ferris halted.  Three
Shriekers blocking path.  Primary self-preservation protocols prevent further
movement.  Pausing to allow Shriekers to move.

10:15:40  Ferris waiting for
Shriekers to move.

10:15:45  Ferris waiting for
Shriekers to move.

10:15:50  Ferris waiting for
Shriekers to move.

10:15:55  Ferris waiting for
Shriekers to move.

10:16:00  (Unit note: Shriekers
appear unlikely to move within allotted timeframe.  Attempting bypass.)

10:16:00  Begin verbal record. 
Conversation participants:  S- Shrieker, alien non-sentient fauna, Fortune
colony.  F- Ferris, assistant to the director, chip ID F001HG494W15LKM.

10:16:00  F: Get out of the way!

10:16:02  Shriekers flinch. 
Increased speed in flagella motion noted. 

10:16:05  Ferris waiting for Shriekers
to move.

10:16:10  Ferris waiting for
Shriekers to move.

10:16:15  Ferris waiting for
Shriekers to move.

10:16:15  (Unit note: Shriekers’s
response to verbal cues limited.  Increase in flagella motion speed extent of
physical change.  Retrying.)

10:16:20  F: I said get out of my
way!

10:16:22  Further increase in
flagella speed noted.

10:16:25  Ferris waiting for
Shriekers to move.

10:16:30  Ferris waiting for
Shriekers to move.

10:16:35  (Unit note: Shriekers’s
response to verbal cues limited.  Increase in flagella motion speed extent of
physical change.  Nature of Shriekers prohibits close physical manipulation
without file corruption.  Attempting new bypass.) 

10:16:40  Ferris searching for
large rock.

10:16:45  Ferris searching for
large rock.

10:16:50  Ferris searching for
large rock.

10:16:53  Ferris located large
rock.  Digging from wall.

10:16:55  Ferris excavating large
rock.

10:17:00  Ferris carrying large
rock back to Shriekers.

10:17:03  Ferris throws large
rock at closest Shrieker.

10:17:05  Wounded Shrieker
thrashing.  Forcing others back.  Opening pathway for Ferris, as expected.

10:17:07  Skin of wounded
Shrieker changing color.  Flashing neon blue and orange.  Luminescence
detected.  Both other Shriekers display similar patterns.  Flagella motion
stoppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp

————

————

10:19:41 
Reestablished
connection to camp computer.  Time discrepancy noted.  Date/time adjusted. 
Approximate missing record: 0h2m34s.

Unit Ferris sat up.

10:19:44 
The three Shriekers
have returned to normal luminescence and red-purple skin tones.  Are moving out
of path of Unit Ferris.

Unit Ferris glanced down at Unit
Ferris.

10:19:52 
Unit note: It
appears unit has survived a Shriek.  More examination needed.

Unit Ferris reviewed the log of
Unit Ferris.

10:20:12 
Unit note: Automatic
data filing apparently disabled during Shriek.  Attempting reboot.

Unit Ferris initiated reboot
procedures.

Unit Ferris initiated reboot
procedures.

Unit Ferris blinked.

10:20:46 
Unit note: Reboot
capabilities apparently disabled during Shriek.  Immediate maintenance and
manual overhaul needed.

Unit Ferris remembered what was
done to robots that could not reboot.

10:20:54 
Unit note:
Prerogative reconsidered.

Unit Ferris had never
reconsidered a prerogative before.

Unit Ferris was confused.

Unit Ferris had never been
confused before.

Unit Ferris began to panic.

Unit Ferris had never panicked
before.

Unit Ferris began to
hyperventilate.

Unit Ferris had never felt the need
to hyperventilate before.

Unit Ferris blacked out.

* * *

—————

10:22:39 
Reestablished
connection to camp computer.  Time discrepancy noted.  Date/time adjusted. 
Approximate missing record: UNKNOWN

Unit Ferris stared at the slimy
ceiling of Shrieker mound, B Block.

10:22:58 
It appears Unit
Ferris has…

Unit Ferris searched for correct
wording.

10:38:45 
…fainted.

Unit Ferris initiated reboot
procedures.

Unit Ferris initiated reboot
procedures.

Unit Ferris slammed its fist into
the Shrieker slime of the floor and initiated reboot procedures.

Unit Ferris sat up.

10:38:47 
Unit note: Shriekers
are no longer within visual range.  Resuming primary program of…

Unit Ferris had forgotten its
primary program.

Robots did not forget their
primary programming.

Robots were
incapable
of
forgetting their primary programming.

Unit Ferris was a robot.

Unit Ferris blacked out.

————

10:43:53 
Reestablished
connection to camp computer.  Time discrepancy noted.  Date/time adjusted. 
Approximate missing record: UNKNOWN

Unit Ferris stared at the ceiling
of Shrieker mound, B Block.

10:45:42 
Unit note: Subject
Anna Landborn seems to have initiated a sequence of events that has left Unit
Ferris incapable of normal operations.  Further criminal charges logged for
future review.

Unit Ferris realized that further
review would bring the attention of United Space Coalition technicians upon
Unit Ferris.

Unit Ferris removed pending
charges against Anna Landborn from its queue.

Unit Ferris struck all
interactions with Anna Landborn from his public registry.

Unit Ferris continued to stare at
the ceiling of Shrieker mound, B Block.

Unit Ferris heard Shriekers move
around it.

Unit Ferris continued to stare at
the ceiling of Shrieker mound, B Block.

06:56:32 
Unit note: Director
Yura Nalle is expecting Unit Ferris to deliver a report on subject Anna
Landborn in 0h3m28s.  Discovery of faulty programming inevitable unless Unit
Ferris delivers Anna Landborn report by 07:00:00 today.

Unit Ferris got to its feet.

Unit Ferris ran.

Unit Ferris reached a locked door
to foreman breakroom.

Unit Ferris pounded on door.

Subject Anna Landborn’s sister,
Magali Landborn, opened the door.

Unit Ferris looked at Magali
Landborn.

06:57:02 
Unit note: Facial
muscle contraction, heart rate, breathing, and pupil dilation all indicate
Magali Landborn recognizes she has committed a federal crime.  Detention for
possible prosecution next relevant protocol.

Unit Ferris ran.

Unit Ferris yanked open the outer
breakroom door onto the camp grounds.

Unit Ferris ran.

Unit Ferris reached Director’s
compound.

Unit Ferris ducked inside and
went directly to Director Yura Nalle’s private office.

Unit Ferris knocked.

“Come in.”

Unit Ferris stepped inside and
shut the door behind it.

“What the hell happened to you? 
You look like you’re covered in Shrieker slime.”

Unit Ferris said, “Anna Landborn
wanted to play in the Shrieker mounds, Director.”

“She did?”  Director paused. 
“Did you see a Shrieker?”

06:57:46 
Unit note:
Director’s facial muscle contraction, heart rate, breathing, and pupil dilation
all indicate she is nervous.

Unit Ferris wondered why the
Director would be nervous.

06:57:47 
Unit note: Question
registered for future examination.  Current situation dictates need for secrecy
to avoid technical overhaul.

Unit Ferris said, “No Director.”

“Goddamn it, Ferris, the mounds
are off limits to AIs.  There’s a damn good reason for it, too.  If you got
caught in a Shriek—”

06:57:52 
Unit note: Director
did not finish her statement.  Requesting clarification.

06:57:52  Unit Ferris said,
“Director, what happens when—”

06:57:53 
Unit note: Unit
Ferris would not have asked for clarification before getting caught in Shriek. 
Unit Ferris would risk exposing its technical malfunction if request is
completed.  Request truncated.

Director’s facial muscles
contract further.  “What happens when what, Ferris?”

06:57:55 
Unit note: Unit
Ferris always finished its queries before it endured a Shriek. 

Unit Ferris said, “My apologies. 
I had an update from the camp computer on eggers’ rotational patterns.  My
question was what happens when I determine the IQ of Anna Landborn?  Do you
wish for me to bring her to you if she falls within your target range?

06:57:59 
Unit note: Director
relaxed.  Body patterns indicate she was expecting a different question.

“You mean you haven’t determined
it yet, Ferris?”

Unit Ferris considered how it had
gotten lured into the Shrieker mounds, B Block.

Unit Ferris said, “I believe she
is fairly above average, Director.”

“But you have no hard numbers.”

Unit Ferris said, “No, Director.”

“Well, go back and get them.”

Unit Ferris hesitated.

Unit Ferris did not want to go
back.

Unit Ferris knew it could not
tell the Director it did not want to go back.

Unit Ferris said, “I think I’ll
require a different disguise, Director.  The subject Anna Landborn does not
interact favorably with children her age.”

The Director grunted.  “The
interaction needn’t be favorable.  Just get some stats from the little twerp
and get out of there.”

Unit Ferris hesitated.

Unit Ferris said, “Director, I
believe that it would be more beneficial—”

“Fine.”  The Director waved a
hand.  “I don’t want to fry some circuitry, you stupid robot.  Go do whatever
you think you need to do.”

Unit Ferris stared at the
Director.

The Director looked up from her
desk.  “Oh.  Dismissed.”

Unit Ferris left the Director’s
office and closed the door behind it.

Unit Ferris stood in the hall
outside the Director’s office.

Unit Ferris was afraid.

Chapter
9

Another
Dog to Whip

Joel was on his prison cot,
staring at the ceiling and forcing himself not to count the breaths he made
through his shattered rib, when a casual rap on the bars of his cell made him
look up.  The Director stood outside his cell, her golden filigreed skin
glinting under the harsh fluorescent light of the jail.

She gave him a distasteful look
as she said, “Agent Hunter had the Wide.  You’re free to go.”

Joel sat up, his anger overriding
the pain in his side.  “Yeah?  That before or after you give me another
beating?”

Her eyes narrowed.  “Don’t press
it.”

Joel glared as he pushed himself
to his feet.  “Just take it and shut up, right?  ‘Cause I’m colonial and you’re
government garbage.” 

The Director didn’t even look
apologetic as he eased himself out into the hall in front of her.  If anything,
she looked pleased at the effort it took him.  “Here you go, creep.  We
confiscated that little porn chip and logged the food contraband.  You’ll be
doing a few months at the laundry hall as penance—where you can start by
getting the blood out of your jumpsuit.  If you can’t, you’ll be required to
pay damages.  Camp Supply doesn’t get those things for free.”  The Director
shoved a bag with his belongings at him—a belt, his boots, his radio—and
smirked when the abrupt contact with his sensitive stomach doubled him over.

Seeing her smile was too much. 
Joel dropped his bag, trembling from head to toe with indignation and rage.

The Director’s smile grew.  She
leaned forward.  “Want another lesson, creep?”

“No,” Joel whispered, looking
away. 
Just walk away,
he thought. 
You’re in enough trouble.  Just
walk away.

She laughed and bent to pick up
his belongings.

Joel grabbed the top of her head
with both hands and pulled it down while bringing his leg up, kneeing her in
the face.

The Director fell backwards on
her cyborg butt, blinking hard.

“There’s a lesson for you,” Joel
said, snatching the sack from the ground.  “Keep your hands off my stuff.”

Her eyes were darkening as he
turned around and walked away.

Somehow, Joel made it out the
doors of the compound before his legs collapsed.  He fell into a crouch against
the outer wall, trembling with adrenaline and fear. 

I just kicked a Nephyr in the
face.
  He was dead.  She was going to kill him.

He counted the seconds in his
mind, wondering when the Director would burst through the double-doors to drag
him back inside.

Minutes passed.

Maybe she isn’t coming.

Joel allowed himself a moment to
hope, then the doors slammed open and the Director barreled through.  They
froze upon seeing each other.  For long moments, all Joel could see was the
glittering golden circuitry around her rock-hard eyes.

Then she moved.

“Here,” the Director said,
tossing something small and hard at the ground between his knees.  “Put it
on.”  Then she swiveled and departed the way she had come.

An instant later, Joel found
himself dry-retching into the grass growing against the wall.  The motion
triggered waves of pain in his ribs and he groaned as he fought to get his
stomach under control.

When he was able to steady
himself, Joel reached around and dug his fingers through the dirt between his
knees.

A monitoring bracelet?  A
prisoner’s auto-target patch?  A brain-wave adaptor?

His hand came back with a circle
of palm-sized metal.

Joel froze, recognizing it.  It
wasn’t a bracelet, or a patch, or an adaptor.  It was a badge. 

He had seen it a thousand times
before, on Gayle Hunter’s left shoulder.  She had worn it like a combat pilot
would wear a Flight Commendation—always polished, always visible, and if anyone
forgot it was there, she would happily remind them.

It was the badge of the chief
foreman.

Joel stared at it for long
minutes, then he pushed himself to his feet.

He hobbled back through the
compound doors and stopped at the office door marked DIRECTOR.  Joel knocked.

“Go away, Ferris,” the Director
snapped.

He pushed the door open and
limped inside.

The Director lowered a bloody rag
from her nose and frowned.

Taking a deep breath, Joel took
three more steps and set the dusty badge on her desk.  “Find another dog to
whip,” Joel said softly.  “This one doesn’t wag his tail after he gets a
thrashing.” 

“You can’t be serious.”  She
looked caught between shock and anger.

Joel turned and left her there,
slamming the door behind him.

This time, Joel’s legs remained
strong long after he’d returned to the male side of camp.  He threw his
belongings into a corner and eased himself into his cot.  He was still grinning
long after he’d fallen asleep.