The Aviator Awakening

I measured our distance while we moved from the transporter to our destination. Not more than a few steps. The hallway was empty except for a lone soldier waiting next to the secured entrance. The same shields as before sectioned the empty white-walled corridor, an estimated 30 seconds away in either direction at full sprint.

I attempted to tug our path toward the transporter and its reverberating buzz. Nerzogk reinforced his grip, and directed me back onto course.

Agent Terrok followed behind us. The metallic agent tapped the scanner against the skin covering my implant. The entrance Nerzogk ushered me toward received the clearance and flashed green to allow us entry. The metallic human handed the scanning device off to the vorgon soldier positioned in the hallway, well out of my reach.

We entered a sleek, black room illuminated by glowing white light veins. Nerzogk didn’t loosen his grip until the entrance returned to solid black to match the rest of the room. My implant pulsed with reversed clearance.

A warning shock from the door’s security frame shot down my spine, prompting me to step further inside. The room’s cybernetic torrent raged underfoot. Its silent pull required every ounce of my focus to keep myself separate from its electrical web.

Until I made the mistake of stepping directly onto a thin, white vein of light.

The electrical whirlwind threatened to force me into an out-of-body immersion. It was like being at the center of an elaborate symphony—if the symphony could whisk you away. I fought to stay present.

To my surprise, I found myself wishing for the room to be colder, to slow down this connection between myself and the white static current. Reality blurred as I juggled both mediums. Despite the struggle, I could sense Agent Terrokk’s calculating gaze prick the hairs on the back of my neck, watching, waiting for me to fail.

I ignored the metallic man and took my time adapting.

A unique signature funneled the vast data-streams through a single point. A taskmaster. The room’s AI director functioned with something similar to intelligence. I would be curious to explore it if I weren’t too busy silently fighting to untangle myself from its impressive grip.

My implant erupted with a shock, nearly compromising the separation I’d created.

“You aren’t authorized to connect in here, asset,” the metallic man warned.

It was true that I would’ve tried to connect, if I could. This was an opportunity too good to pass up—if not for the overpowering threat from the taskmaster. Who knew what might happen if my cybernetic sense got trapped in that thing?

A large hand weighed heavy on my shoulder. Not from Nerzogk, although a similar size. I dizzily pulled myself from my silent battle with the room’s AI to return to my physical surroundings.

“I’d like to show you something, Aviator.” General Larkkon’s rumbling voice came through the fog before my conflicting senses adjusted.

When the white-veined midnight room came into focus, a large windowed wall drew my immediate attention. The General led my bulky jade handler and me past an impressive series of control stations toward the view outside and, thankfully, further from the taskmaster’s pull. A spike of jealousy hit. He and the others appeared unphased by the power coursing through the floor and walls.

I’d give anything not to be bothered by this ability setting me apart from the rest of them.

Nerzogk stopped in sync with General Larkkon at the edge of the window, my handler only now relaxing his stance.

I’d tried a million times to imagine my surroundings beyond the base’s walls. My imagination had fallen short of reality.

It was nearly dusk outside. The sky was ablaze with a brilliant crimson hue to match the red rock mountain ranges lining the horizon. The planet’s sandy red ground contrasted with the military base’s perfectly round and lush green perimeter. In the distance, just before the horizon, a similar green effect surrounded spires of a vast city. The city’s transparent protection, a biodome of some sort, reflected the crimson sky, adding to the dramatic hues of red playing across the landscape.

“The city of Kolvek is stunning in the evening, isn’t it? I was starting to worry you might miss Vor’s transition, which would’ve been a shame after all your time in isolation.” General Larkkon released my shoulder. “You see there, in the distance,” he pointed a slick leathery emerald finger toward the mountains meeting the setting star, “are the Grork Mountains.”

“It’s beautiful,” I agreed. It was an honest statement. I wanted to linger here, watching the sky and land transform, but the room pulsed with an entrance.

General Larkkon turned to greet the newcomers. I stayed focused on the outside view, not interested in their plans. Nerzogk tugged on our shared cuffs. When that wasn’t enough, he gripped my shoulder and turned me around to face the room’s dark interior. I reluctantly let myself be pulled away from the view by the twist from his monstrous wrist.

Nerzogk stood by my side and tapped an empty cartridge against his jacket to pull the extra layer of material away from his body. He stood tall as the others entered. The fading daylight from outside dazzled across the gemmed bands proudly displayed on both arms.

Agent Terrokk had removed his jacket as well. The metallic man wore the same black band on his left arm. Brilliant white jewels marked his right biceps.

I clasped my free hand behind my back to hide my nerves. I didn’t know what was happening, but it was progress, and I didn’t want to mess it up.

Agent Amara entered with the newcomers. She moved with confident grace and gave me a half-smile in recognition. I found myself smiling back. A glare from Agent Terrokk told me not to let my gaze linger too long. I quickly blinked away my response and returned my expression to neutral.

Three of the operatives were new faces. One was human, a woman with vivid rainbow hair, green eyes, olive complexion, and slender build. Another was a black-scaled vorgon—a true vorgon, not a metallic disguise. The one who caught my attention the most, however, was unlike anyone I’d met so far. They were neither vorgon nor human. My nearest comparison might be the simulator’s hooded avatars.

I couldn’t tell if this person was male or female. Their delicate skin was a vivid blue and so smooth it appeared artificial. Their form was tall and wiry, with an impossibly slender neck supporting an oddly bulbous head. A head without a mouth or nose. Only two large, black oval eyes. The strange individual tolerated my analysis without reaction, apparently used to being stared at. I looked away, unsure where to place my attention, embarrassed by my unfiltered surprise.

These three newcomers each wore the same black gemmed armbands on their left side. Their right arms were bare except for the blue individual, who wore an emerald green band similar to the color of General Larkkon’s armored skull.

“Aviator,” General Larkkon’s rumbling voice pulled my attention back to him, “these are some of the best agents stationed here. At least, the ones with high enough clearance to know the details of your case. As time goes on and your status is restored, I’ll introduce you to the rest of the team.”

I nodded in a shy greeting. To be honest, I wasn’t paying much attention other than noting their appearances. I was still busy separating myself from the room's intense currents. A migraine began to ebb in—one of the full-body migraines I sometimes got when pushing my cybernetic limits too far. The room’s taskmaster picked up on my presence and attempted to pull me in like a piece of troublesome coding. The room itself seemed to reflect the taskmaster’s web. We were in the AI’s belly, although I doubted the others saw it that way, unaware of the powerful artificial entity furiously sorting through its endless tasks.

General Larkkon continued, “I believe you’ve met Agent Amara already. Agent Ylea and Agent Deore,” he motioned to the other human and the black-scaled vorgon, “are involved with our current AI models and will work closely with you. And Agent Xular,” he signaled to the vivid blue individual, who nodded in response to the title, “is our expert on Baet systems. Your work will become more intertwined once you get full clearance.”

The General paused to let the information soak in, assuming my quiet focus was dedicated to processing the introductions. “Agents Ylea and Deore have shown some skepticism toward your capabilities. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve arranged a small wager with them. They’d like to challenge their AI against you.”

I glanced over, unsure how to respond—and also noting the General’s proximity to the taskmaster’s central pull. I didn’t have any interest in going over there.

Agents Ylea and Deore retrieved a small spherical bot. Its hovering exterior glowed with bits of data and electrical connections, creating a fascinating presence. Its sleek surface reflected the sky’s crimson dusk outside. Unlike the other machines in the room, there was a sense of life within it. The signature ebbing from it bore some similarity to the room’s taskmaster.

General Larkkon walked over to a nearby console, a single panel at the center of a small platform. I hesitated. It was practically on top of where the taskmaster resided, rapidly funneling and sorting the room’s mass of currents. General Larkkon shot me an impatient look.

Agent Nerzogk gripped my shoulder and stepped forward. I pulled back against his grip. He paused, leaned over, and whispered, “Are we gonna have a problem here?”

“No,” I answered.

His leathery frown showed he wasn’t interested in an explanation. I stepped forward, trying to determine the best path to avoid the taskmaster’s strongest currents. Agent Nerzogk fixed his grip and took control of our route, choosing the most direct path—which also happened to be the most electrically problematic. My migraine began to hammer. I steeled myself and pushed on.

I didn’t make it more than a few steps. The dark room faded out of focus, taking all I had to resist getting pulled into the taskmaster’s grip. My full-body migraine locked me out of my other senses. I was vaguely aware of Agent Nerzogk catching me. Faint voices drifted through, but I couldn’t make out the words. All sensations of hot, cold, and touch numbed into nothing. I was stuck in a battle of separation.

My implant pulsed with a scan. The taskmaster’s influence faded, and my migraine slowly became tolerable. When my focus returned, I was on the transporter’s floor. And uncuffed. I tensed, eager to get my bearings as fast as possible. This was a rare chance. One I couldn’t let slip by.

“He’s coming back.” The voice was soft. I recognized it as Agent Amara. “I should’ve known. He needs some insulation from a network as complex as the one in there.”

Why did it have to be her? If it were anyone else, I could take this chance to gain the upper hand—to seek an escape.

Then again, why did I need to distinguish this woman from the rest? I banished my second-guessing as I traced out of my cybernetic fog, returning to surface awareness, keeping my eyes closed and breathing ragged to give a few extra seconds of advantage while I gauged their positions.

When I opened my eyes, Amara was a blur—leaning over me.

“Thank Lhra,” she sighed with a smile.

The seconds that were my advantage melted away. My instinct to run begged to not be dismissed. But…I couldn’t bring myself to strike her down.

“Umm,” I stuttered, “w-what happened?” I feigned confusion to hide the plethora of curses filling my mind and lingering on the tip of my tongue.

Nerzogk’s green bulk replaced the hazel-eyed woman and promptly added a cuff to my wrist. Ending my already thwarted escape plan. “You passed out,” my mountainous jade handler answered for her while lifting me to sit on the transporter’s cushioned bench.

My vision finished coming into focus. General Larkkon’s glinting scaled mass took a seat on the opposite side of the transporter.

“I’m sorry,” I rubbed my head with my uncuffed hand. “I can handle it. Let me try again.” Now that I’d mapped out the layout, maybe another opportunity might arise. It was unlikely, but not impossible.

Agent Amara plopped herself down in the windowless transporter across from me and next to the General. “I’ll put something together. It should be simple to do. Some boots or a localized dampener.” She flipped a holo from her uniform collar and bit her lip as she sorted through its projection. Already working on a solution.

The transporter shifted into motion. I suspected I knew the destination.

“We’ll move the introduction to your training quarters.” General Larkkon confirmed my suspicion and leaned back. “I’m still interested to see how you do against a standard AI.”

“Yes, sir,” I answered dryly. My body throbbed with a shrieking residual migraine, but I couldn’t let it show. Exhaustion seeped into every muscle, a sixth sense effect, but I felt the need to redeem myself after passing out in front of everyone.

“Oh shit,” Amara sighed with wide eyes. We all looked over at her. “I forgot my jacket.” Oil stains dotted her short-sleeved black uniform, hardly noticeable on the slick dark fabric. We laughed. She frowned. I winced from the migraine. Amara noticed and gave me an apologetic half-smile.

The other agents had arrived before us. My training quarters chill met us as we entered, and Agent Nerzogk offered Amara his jacket cartridge. She accepted, looking like a child lost in the oversized fabric. All of the agents shared a good laugh at her new look. All except for Xular, which I assumed was because they possessed no mouth to laugh with. Even Agent Terrokk let slip a genuine chuckle that didn’t raise the hairs on my skin.

“Do I have time to take a boost?” I asked my handler while the others stayed focused on Amara. Nerzogk answered by releasing our cuffed wrists. To his credit, he didn’t show his discomfort in the cold. Donating his jacket made him the only one aside from me with bare arms. While the others bundled themselves up, unused to the frigid air, the chill cascaded over my skin with a minty tingle and helped dim my migraine.

I took a longer moment than necessary in the med bay corner, enjoying how the adrenaline fired my blood. And enjoying my distance from the others. To open the door to more opportunity, more avenues of escape, it was essential to gain their approval, their trust. I didn’t enjoy the attention, but, being what I was, it couldn’t be avoided.

At least, that’s what I told myself as I caught General Larkkon’s impatient golden eyes. I discarded the empty boost tube and returned to where the group gathered around my room’s control console.

Agents Ylea and Deore finished connecting their AI to the panel ring and stepped off, rubbing their fingers for warmth. They joined the other operatives circling the platform, all of them far enough away to avoid the console’s concentrated chill. General Larkkon urged me to take my position. I didn’t wait for him to repeat the order.

Agent Amara’s location in the circle, thankfully, was behind me. Facing her and her oversized jacket would’ve been distracting. Instead, I faced Agent Terrokk and his cryptic analysis. The friendly smile he’d shown in the group’s earlier interaction was replaced by a more characteristic stony expression. Xular overshadowed him, standing taller than everyone but General Larkkon, with eyes that seemed capable of piercing past the obedient mask I portrayed.

The panels activated, called online by the AI next to me. A hologram flickered on above my opponent’s spherical body, projecting a series of codes. An orange light colored the edges of its display.

“The challenge, Aviator,” the General’s voice boomed with a showman’s flair, “is to hack past the AI’s defense. If you can change its display from orange to green, you win. If not, I lose the bet.”

“Understood, sir.” After my earlier blunder, losing wasn’t an option. I had to prove, again, I was worthy of being one of them. I analyzed my opponent and its mesmerizing presence, then placed my ionized palm on the nearest panel to begin my merge. My biocircuit glowed as it usually did during my dives. I stayed surface level, aware enough to keep tabs on the colored edge framing the AI’s holo.

I began by breaking down the coding like I usually did in training. The AI responded, swiftly changing its defenses and weaving out of my influence. It was an incredible sensation to be countered in such an elaborate way. The coding flowed through my body and the AI like shared blood, intertwined into one mind. Our progress moved in a fury across the displayed projection as the bot and I performed a digital dance. The holo’s edge remained a stubborn shade of orange.

There was something intoxicating about the AI. The currents I found myself up against were dignified. It reacted as fast as I did, without the need to think. I couldn’t help but be impressed by the beauty of its precision.

I fell dangerously behind. My migraine from earlier edged itself back, starting as a soft throb and increasing into a relentless hammering. It dampened my response time—and the AI gained ground. A thought crossed my mind. I dismissed it at first. The AI’s flow was as elaborate as a living thing.

It inched closer to blocking me out of the program. Under the pressure of defeat, I swallowed my guilt and went ahead with my idea. As lifelike as it was, the AI was still an electrical object. And within my range of influence.

I turned my focus away from coding and abandoned the surface level, going into a deep dive. The data filling the hologram became still, but the internal struggle between myself and the AI intensified. It resisted me. Its currents became violent, lashing back against my attempts. At last, I broke through and gained access to its core. Its waves of unique algorithms cried, nearly making me retreat in pity.

I doubled down, pushing harder into its internal systems. Until, at last, I reached the limits of its defense. I traced my way back to my other senses, my vision coming into focus just as the lights illuminating the AI’s inspiring exterior died out with a soft whimper. The coding displayed on the hologram above it died along with it, and the orange light faded until a blank projection was all that was left. The room fell silent. Without any more resistance from the bot, I faced no challenge in introducing a soft green light around the now-empty frame.

The glowing lines on my biocircuit quieted when I pulled away from the panel. I avoided making eye contact with anyone. The AI’s silent cries lingered in my mind. Did any of them know how life-like the machine had been? It had shown some awareness of existing. And it had fought to continue existing. But now, it floated listlessly next to me on the platform.

Their silence lasted uncomfortably long. Long enough for a twisting dread to sink in my stomach. The AI was Imperial property. There was a chance I had not only committed a barbaric act—but also damaged a valuable asset.

“I…, uh,” I grasped for the right response, “I can’t fix it. But I can work on replacing it.”

General Larkkon erupted with thunderous laughter. The sound reverberated through the room and my bones. The others joined in whistling and cheering. Except for Xular, who remained silent and watchful.

“You did well, Aviator.” The General stepped onto the platform, placing a heavy congratulatory hand on my shoulder. “I think it’s safe to say we won the bet.”

Ylea and Deore collected the bot’s empty shell. “I’ll take you up on your offer to replace it.” Agent Ylea smiled as she disconnected the lifeless orb from the panel. Her voice was soft. I let out a relieved sigh, only to immediately have it twisted with guilt as I saw my reflection in the bot’s silent exterior.