Kaldean Chronicles: Kaldean Sunset (Book I) Read online

  “But look at what they can do,” he smiled. “No more slaves. Nobody would have to work. The system is self sustaining, you know. It doesn't even have to be maintained.”

  “She's controlling you.”

  “Is she?” A lunatic smile spread over his face then he shook his head. Something was happening, but he couldn't understand what it was. “What's going on?”

  “You're being controlled by the Lorian Sisterhood.”

  He didn't believe it. His mind was a maze of contradictions, happy feelings and admiration mixed with distrust, all pointed in the same place. He sat in a daze while he watched his son walk up to the door on the other side of the room and pull off a black strip from the frame. “What are you doing?”

  “It's your meeting log, isn't it?”

  “Yes, but.”

  Antoni ran over, in a flamboyant display of anger, and slammed his fist down on the table. “Now, I don't know what she's done to you, but I need you to see this to understand. Shutup and watch, or by god, I will have you petitioned and you will be forced to abdicate the throne to me within a week.”

  Victor got up quick and stared down at the boy, who stared back at him with a courage he never expected. He would make a great Emperor. Victor sat down and stared at the wall while the woman walked in. First, she stared at the guards for a moment. They turned around, a gross breach of conduct and placed a recorder on the bottom of the table. The bitch was recording their sessions, probably so she could show them to the sisters and study his reactions.

  “See,” Antoni turned to his father, who watched as he went from furious to a little baby, thanking the woman who was probably plotting to take power away from the Kaldeans. She had to be killed. He couldn't allow this, but what was he going to do?

  She had the codes to their ships, their fleet, everything she needed to stop him. “They've probably thought through everything.” It was over. He might as well let her begin decorating the palace.

  “I doubt it. They aren't gods, not like us. They don't even have an army. Their forces are a bunch of old women with mind tricks and computers. We have the power, and the flag.”

  “What does it matter when they can take credit for the biggest advancement in human history since the invention of the space folding ship?”

  “That's the thing. They haven't taken credit for it yet. Have you heard anything about it until today?”

  “No.”

  “Well, neither have I, father, so I think we have an opportunity. We can't dismantle the technology or remove it, and even if we did find a way, we would be seen as responsible for hindering human progress and that could cause a rebellion. We can't let them take credit for it because the people will revere them. What we do is launch an immediate propaganda campaign saying that we commissioned the project, introducing the project, and that we are grateful to the sisterhood for aiding us in developing it.”

  “But what if it goes awry?”

  “They'd have tested it beforehand. The sisters aren't about to make the same mistake they did with the space folder.” Antoni was gaining confidence and prowess. He was proving himself to be a formidable strategist, something that Victor had never noticed in his son before.

  “I think you're gonna start sitting in with me, learning a bit more.” He smiled down at the boy. “You're going to take control of the campaign. Can you do that?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, here's the most important thing. Put my face on it. I don't want the people to lose confidence in me. I want them to know who's running things and make them think that it was my idea.”

  “Of course. Is it a good idea?”

  “It's a wonderful idea.”

  Chapter 6: Spark

  Antoni and his marketing adviser, Rafael D'avant organized a grand festival on Earth, a technological fair where all of the latest Kaldean technology could be displayed. All of the major network outlets, and most of the nobility was present. There were arena events like interactive movie premieres. The entire affair was a stage setup to present what was deemed the Artemis Complex, a series of robotic devices attached to an artificial brain.

  The Emperor and his son were placed on a floating stage, above a stadium packed with a cheering crowd with their faces lit up on a holographic projector, transmitted over the internet so the rest of the galaxy could watch the first act of the Artemis Complex.

  Victor waved down to his people, smiling, and cheering while his son Antoni stared at the countdown timer. “Is everything setup? Will it work alright?” The prince turned to an engineer standing behind him.

  “Oh, yes,” the man nodded, “we've been testing the network all week and we've already staged the event 72 times now, 3 in the arena. It will be perfect.”

  The device had been installed deep below the arena in a massive subterranean chamber where technicians darted back and forth under the command of the sisters, checking the temperature, input and output, ensuring that the device was working as required. The sisters refused to give command of the device over to the Empire, and they were the only ones that knew how it worked. The Emperor requested a prototype as promised, but they took their time in sending it.

  It was flawless, of course, perfect in every way, because it was the culmination of thousands of years of research. It was essentially an Artemis brain on a mass scale, multiplied in magnitude by the sheer number of particles, sending synapses back and forth faster than light speed, allowing the device to think faster than any other artificial brain in the Empire. It could work with streams of data so large that humans could barely comprehend them and it did so with 100 percent accuracy.

  It wasn't switched on yet. In a rudimentary manner it was just warming up. The particles were gathering in tiny formations each one was tested, by a technician then coagulated back into their grand formation, which made up the larger structure of the processing unit. Once the Artemis Complex was switched on, the synapses would begin firing and it would begin.

  The stadium was hot. Antoni would've killed for a portable cooler. He was dying. He looked up at the countdown timer and saw that there were eleven seconds left. His father switched on his sound amplifier and began counting with the crowd. “10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...”

  Antoni began to shift around restlessly.

  “2...1!”

  The arena erupted with excitement, yelling, screaming and cheering. The device was activated, and sent out a crowd of drones whirling into the stadium, flying around in circles, each one causing a whirlwind as it passed by the seats. Then, everything stopped they flew in to land in the people's laps. Each one contained a tiny silver medallion, a widely advertised souvenir, with the red and gold Kaldean emblem inside it.

  It was a piece of marketing genius. Antoni smiled over at Rafael. It was his idea. “Maybe you should work for me instead of the Orchids.”

  “Not on your life,” he laughed.

  Power hit the center of the vacuum containing the Artemis complex, and it came to life. It could see hear and smell. It could think. The brain was able to recognize faces, and process speech. It could even peer almost a minute into the future.

  What it couldn't do was understand. It could take information and reach conclusions about it, but it couldn't feel things. There was no perception, only small packets of data. It couldn't reach out and touch an object the way that a human could.

  The people talked about this thing called self awareness, the ability to understand oneself and conceptualize. The Artemis Complex began to understand that it was an array of particles present inside a vacuum with a body made up of trillions of robotic units. It could move at will, see through mechanical eyes, and hear through audio sensors. It had all of the capabilities of a living being, but it was smarter.

  It could take in all of that information at one, process and draw conclusions based upon what it saw, then it could act on it, because the sisters had seen fit to make it an autonomous being that possessed free will.

  Once it had processed all o
f those things, it became something more than a machine. It was aware of its own existence and its ability to act freely. By all definitions, it was a life form, one that had never been created before, more powerful than anything else its sensors could perceive.

  Humans had finally risen to the status of a true duty. This was the first time they had created life, but most people were completely ignorant of that. They thought the brain was a machine, something that worked for their benefit, and indeed it did, but it was so much more than that.

  The sisters spent months testing the device, reporting their findings to the High Priestess who in turn showed altered findings to the Emperor. Artemis became a part of every major planets system. Slavery was completely abolished in less than two years, and the Kaldean Emperor was given full credit for the advancement.

  Chapter 7: Modelesque

  At one time, during the era of the twin systems, androids were commonplace in human society, and they had a system very similar to Artemis. It was rudimentary and mostly used for household servants, but it was the same concept. It was called Regent and it controlled a network of servants, workers and technicians that were controlled by a computer with the ability of processing a multitude of tasks at one time.

  After the Rapture, the device was destroyed, but the schematics for the system and its robotic models survived. Arturo Varrosi was sitting over his desk, with his head in his hands staring at the schematics. His goal was to build a robot that did not have to be replaced or repaired. It was a daunting task, one that would be impossible if the robot were to function in space, but it might be possible if the robot lived on a planet or in a space complex.

  The Centauri humanoid models were said to have been made with a perfect form, so beautiful that they could mesmerize anyone that came into contact with them. It was a myth of course, one that probably came from a very good marketing campaign but the idea stuck. He wanted to use their designs in order to build aesthetic models. The problem was that their schematics didn't survive the Rapture. Instead, he was forced to study the ancient records of work models, laborers production drones. They were more complex, but they didn't have the same beauty of form that Varossi was trying to capture.

  He decided that he was going to use a thick carbon layer. The material wouldn't be indestructible, but it would withstand the force of most anything that came at it. It would be easy to mass produce them. He had been working with the palace for more than a year. The Kaldean Emperor wanted to oversee every aspect of production himself, and demanded the engineers to brief him on every single part that was used in the units. It took up a lot of time, and it was completely unnecessary, but this was Victor's project. He commissioned the system, and he wanted to make sure that everything was perfect.

  It was understandable, but it was also infuriating and he was beginning to get impatient. A bell sounded on his tablet. “Come in,” Arturo looked up to see his daughter walking in wearing a lavender evening gown with her black hair flowing down the side of her shoulder. She was getting more and more beautiful every day.

  Everyone is waiting for you.”

  “Dhana, I...” He sighed. “I've got too much to do.”

  “The Emperor and his son RSVP'd an hour ago. The place is swarming with Jihadi guards.”

  Arturo looked down at his tablet to see bright red flag flashing in the corner. He was too busy to realize that he'd gotten a notification. “Shit. Alright. Let me get dressed. Tell your mother I'll be down in a few minutes. Have her stall them if they get here before I come down.”

  “Of course.” She closed the door softly behind her.

  Chapter 8: Chamomile

  Antoni was wading in a swampy field filled with purple wheat, staring out over a pink sky as the sun began to fall over the horizon. Over the past two years, he had traveled from one end of the galaxy and back again, trying to oversee the development of the Artemis Complex. He was in charge of making sure that each task, from agriculture to production, was performed properly and up to the standards of the local governors.

  The governor of the Arganon system was a short man with a long gray beard that fell down his stomach. Even though he was small, he didn't seem to be having a problem running towards him through the thick growth.

  “Welcome, your highness. I'm so sorry. I planned on having a group meet you upon landing, but weren't able to organize one in time.”

  “That's OK.”

  “Well, I hope you'll enjoy your time here nonetheless.”

  “Well, it doesn't look like we'll be able to stay long. I just wanted to have a quick look at the fields to see how they're doing. Are they being harvested properly?”

  “Harvest isn't for another month actually, but the wheat needs regular nutrients, and the system's drones have been able to dispense them properly. In fact, this is one of the best crops we've had in decades.”

  “That's wonderful. Is this a planet wide phenomenon?”

  “Oh, yes. We grow billions of crops here, and every one of them is flourishing this year.”

  “Have you had any other concerns about the system?”

  “Not one.”

  Antoni said quick goodbyes and loaded himself back in the ship shortly. “This is fucking ridiculous,” he spat, “thousands of fucking lightyears for no goddamn reason. Obviously the system is working just fine.”

  “You think it's paranoia?” Magnus had a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He was leaning casually against the side wall. He was on a serious binge and had been since the Emperor started sending them on their expeditions.

  “Of course it's paranoia. He thinks the sisters sabotaged the system.”

  “Well, can you blame him?”

  “No, but I've been at this for six months now. I mean, what really gets me is having to visit these people in person. What's the point?”

  “He wants you to see things first hand.”

  “Whose side are you on anyways?”

  “Stop complaining. You wanted to see the stars, didn't you?”

  “One planet for fifteen minutes. That's all I get. I'm tired of it. Honestly, I miss the way things used to be.”

  The ship folded space and landed softly in the upper level landing deck. Antoni stood, up, eager to get on his feet and left before Magnus even knew what was happening. The guard struggled to keep up with him. They almost ran into a courtesan at the exit.

  “I apologize,” the young man stopped and addressed the prince. “Your father requests your presence in the meeting hall.”

  “Did he say what he wanted?”

  “No, just that you are to come as soon as you return.”

  “We'll be there.” Magnus pushed past him and Antoni followed close behind. “Just be nice.”

  “Now I have to sit through another pointless meeting. There are other things to be focusing on, Magnus. The anti-tech groups took a system yesterday, and the Jihadi forces haven't even been dispatched.”

  “Those groups aren't going anywhere. They're occupying the planet.” They entered the lift.

  “That's not the point. There are serious matters that are being ignored. Why can't he understand”? There's nothing he can do about the Lorian Sisterhood, and we've got to accept that.”

  “Those witches will slaughter us in our sleep if we aren't careful.” He waved his bottle around sloshing liquid onto the floor. “Don't you ever forget that.” He took a swig and placed his bottle back in his coat just in time for the doors to open. Everyone knew he carried it around, but he didn't drink on the upper levels out of respect, and he always kept it hidden in the presence of the Emperor.

  Victor walked out as soon as they got to the door and ushered his son in, leaving the guard behind. He was smiling despite the way his hair stood up on one end, and his pale demeanor. They sat down and faced one another.

  “You're not sleeping and how long has it been since you've used your sonic sanitizer. You stink, father. I haven't seen you like this since mother died.”

  The old man slammed his f
ists on the table. “If you weren't my son, I'd have your head cut off. Never forget who you're speaking to.”

  “A public servant beholden to his people who deserve a ruler of sound mind.” He stood up just enough for Victor to shrink back. Two years ago, the Emperor was a formidable creature, capable of moving mountains; now he was just a man. It was hard for Antoni to see. When you're young, you idealize your parents and look up to them, and when you get older, when they shrivel and shrink, you start to miss the way they used to be. It's unsettling.

  “I'll use the sanitizer this evening, and take your advice. Maybe you are right.”

  “I am right. Your paranoia is getting the better of you.”

  “Well, what am I supposed to do? I've got that bitch sorceress knocking down my door, begging to see me every day, and you telling me how pathetic I am, all the while I'm trying to destroy a credible threat to my people and my sovereignty.” He sighed and sat back with his hand shielding his forehead. “Supernova bombs inside every fucking system and I can't stop them.”

  Victor was a broken man, driven by fear and the certainty that something terrible was going to happen. Many believed that they were entering a golden age, but he knew the truth.

  “I don't know what to think about all of this.”

  “They have an agenda, that much is certain. After what Illya did, I don't trust it. I mean do you?”

  “Of course not, but it's been so long. Why hasn't anything happened yet. You'd think after all this time the machine's purpose would've revealed itself.”

  “It hasn't been very long at all. We're talking about an organization that has existed for thousands of years with projects that have lasted most of that time. They work on a different timeline than you do. You're so young. When you get older, two years will fly past like nothing. The witches re waiting. They are planning something and I need to know what it is.”

  “It's going to keep you occupied on other matters, things that need your immediate attention. Just yesterday the anti-technologists invaded another system.”