Gate Deployment

[Zakalwe]

In an operation of enormous proportions NovaCorp got to work. Never since its construction of the Destiny had it done anything on quite this scale – so ambitious and potentially so significant.

Ephesus was only casually aware of the situation. He was settled down in the home he had constructed in Nepleslia – a small mansion with more high-tech and down right confusing security systems than any other place on a planet full of security freaks – bent over a table studying what appeared to be an ancient manuscript intensely. In the background there was a volumetric projection screen which had a live feed of a fleet of Hephaestus assembled within the out edges of the Kohana Cloud. Within them lay the raw materials that would be required for the construction of the great Gates.

And invisible amongst the all too visible congregation was Kip, in cybernetic form at least, co-ordinating the event, in constant communication with the Sub-AI computers (and the term computers was used with some scorn) of the Hephaestus’ and the strangely (almost annoyingly) serene and patient AI’s of the Gates. Especially patient for an AI not yet attached to its sensors or indeed any of its systems apart from a subspace radio. Despite their impotence Kip still enjoyed speaking with them a good deal more than the Hephaestus’ – no matter how smart the AI’s were, no matter how good they were at combing molecules and construction – they made truly terrible conversationalists. No imagination.

None the less Kip was fairly happy about this event – the zenith of months of hard work, negotiations, plans – primarily masterminded and initiated by himself. He had had to throw himself into something after Harm left him. What else did he have to do? Most people were dull … Ephesus was busy with his nigh on constant research, Tanjo was good conversation at times but didn’t have the right temperament to get on with Kip for longer than around five minutes, Ithaca stammered too much to be understood, Zeke was … who was Zeke? Kip couldn’t remember. Probably not important. And Apesael was trying his best to help the people of Nepleslia and was going for extended periods of time without any method of communication. And of course the promising Karin Mar had gotten herself killed – the fool. And the Destiny AI … well the Destiny AI had fallen to depths that Kip didn’t want to contemplate – a brilliant mind lost in the midst of wasted potential, boredom, and some terrible horror that it would speak of.

And so now seven Hephaestus’ were gathered for the first phase of the operation – one for Albini, one for Anisa, one for Lor, one for Elysia, one for Taiie and two for Yamatai for the construction of the Central gate. The second stage would consist of Gashmere, Ohara, Taiie, Tami, Tatiana, Veritas and Xyainbor. Already Kohana’s own gate stood half completed – slowly rotating as construction drones and graviton beams gently shaped and fused together panels and systems.

And at a predisposed point – actually when the number of split seconds at last reached a prime number – the fleet initiated, seven Hephaestus’ fading gracefully out of existence as (beyond the sight and ken of normal man) they accelerated through hyperspace, reaching their destination mere minutes after leaving the cloud. Kip ensured that no feathers were ruffled through communicating with the bureaucrats for each system, last minute re-negotiations for exact placing of the Gate etc. Luckily their was only a tiny amount of trouble with Elysia – a small religious matter necessitating that the Gate be moved a kilometre further out as so to not interfere with some site of religious significance. What particular site of religious significance there could be in empty space confused Kip – not that he couldn’t thing of a reason, it was simply that all 320 of his short listed reasons seemed fairly unlikely given the area in question. None the less the kilometre meant little and beyond that everything went perfectly.

At each of their sites the Hephaestus’ sprang to life, releasing their above average contingent of Construction Drones and beginning to fuse together components of the gate, with each plate combined and system co-ordinated it grew closer to its precious whole. It would take perhaps a week to finish the construction of all the gates, a day for resources to be redistributed amongst the gates and another week for the whole system to be up and running. A short period perhaps, but only possible due to Kip’s meticulous planning.

And Kip did consider it quick – albeit at his pace of thinking a day lasted an eternity when viewed in the right (or wrong) way – but none the less for such a potentially awesome change it was quick. Within a week the greatest population centres in the known universe – with the unfortunate exception of Nepleslia – would be mere minutes away from each other with even the slowest of vessels, within two then all planets no directly in a war zone would be linked. The lack of Nepleslia was unfortunate – simply put red tape was slowing down progress there. Kip still had hope for them to eventually join the network, but it was impossible to say if and when this happy outcome might occur.

Comforted that this progress had been set underway Kip left only a small amount of his concentration on the construction progress, and returned to the Horizon. And now he found himself pondering about the missing Gate … the one they’d sent to Lor and which had never arrived. Several people were really rather annoyed at that, including a militant minority which wished to send a force of Mersina’s to search for it. Kip disagreed with them – for now NovaCorp was best simply staying at the sidelines. This momentous event not being included clearly.

“So what did you think?” He asked Ephesus through a communication array.

Ephesus jerked up suddenly and turned to face the screen, “Very good Kip, you did well.”

“Ephesus, I know you weren’t watching.” Kip responded a little dejectedly.

“Your point being?”

“Then how do you know I did well?”

“Simple. I designed the Gates and so I know their temperament and also their capacity. I know how they are best stored. While I did not in myself design the Hephaestus I know the schematics of it perfectly. I also know the distances between systems, the current political situation and I can make an educated guess towards the deployment of forces. I also know you – I know you better than anyone else, not least because I was responsible for your rebirth. Knowing all this I can work out most of the possible possibilities and calculate with a fair degree of probability that you did very well.” Ephesus replied, sipping from a self-heating cup of coffee which was constantly refilling itself to the same level through a tube in the bottom.

“Well that’s great.” Kip said somewhat happily, having decided that despondent didn’t really suit him, “And what have you achieved today?”

“Not important.” Ephesus replied, turning to his manuscript.

Kip retreated back to the Horizon. And so he was as lonely as ever – Ephesus didn’t like Nepleslia, Kip knew that. It was simply he could not gather together the motivation to move from the planet. As it was he was shutting himself away in his laboratory and getting in an increasingly foul temper. Kip was uncertain for the real reason – Ephesus almost never let anything get to him.

However Kip was certain that the Elysian scientist could look after himself. He returned his concentration onto the Gates as they slowly, oh so very slowly, took shape. So this was done … what next?