Dreadnought
Chapter Four: A Living Weapon
N'Tek Headquarters
Next Morning
Max Steel walked curiously down the corridors of the real N'Tek. He had no idea why he'd been called here - Berto hadn't said just that he should come over to N'Tek as quickly as possible - but he was grateful for the distraction. It would stop him worrying about Pete. Try as he might he could not stop thinking that something terrible had happened to him. Laura had confessed the same feeling. So had Pete's parents who were now besides themselves with worry and fear. The police, FBI and even N'Tek were looking now trying to find out what had happened to Pete. N'Tek not because terrorists were involved but simply for Max/Josh. Jefferson Smith had noted his sons worry and since the bulk of N'Tek's agents weren't doing anything at the moment - the worlds terrorist groups seemed to have decided to take a holiday for some reason - had assigned some of them to look into the matter. So far they'd come up with nothing - except the conclusion that whoever had kidnapped Pete was good, very good. And that made him worry even more. He did not fancy a repeat performance of the last time for example when Dread had kidnapped Pete to get at him.
He reached the briefing room a couple of minutes later. The regular members of Team Steel - Berto and Kat - were already there along with Chuck Marshak and Jake Nez. Heading up the meeting was his father and boss Jefferson Smith along with Rachel Leeds - who was still technically the leader of Team Steel though she now spent most of her time co-ordinating all field agent activities and training - the role once held by the traitor Mairot.
"Ah Max good," Jefferson said noticing him come in. "You took your time getting here though."
"Sorry," Max said apologetically as he claimed a seat. "Traffic was bad. There's been a road accident outside the university campus a lorry jack-knifed spreading a massive cargo of tomatoes all over the road. Real nightmare."
"Oh dear. I feel sorry for the tomatoes," Jake said with a laugh.
"You would," Max replied with a laugh of his own. Everyone around the table - even the habitually serious Rachel - exploded into laughter.
Eventually after a few moments of laughter Jefferson brought the meeting to order. What they had to discuss about the latest developments concerning Ivan Vostok and his organisation were too important and too worrying to ignore.
"Okay people," he said in a commanding tone that immediately grabbed everyone's attention. "Moment of levity over. Let's get down to business."
It took a few more seconds for everyone to bring themselves back together after cracking up like that - but when they did they gave Jeff their undivided attention all had caught the urgency in his tone and knew what it meant. What he had to say was not going to be good.
"It appears that our old nemesis Ivan Vostok is up to his old tricks again," Jefferson began. "Only this time he has a very powerful and very nasty new tool in his arsenal." He moved aside from the central podium and pressed a button on a small remote control pad. The man screen came to life showing a picture of what looked like somekind of humanoid machine. It was tall and very large - completely covered in somekind of grey-green armour that shimmered slightly. An infantry squad support plasma-pulse cannon was attached to its right arm. "This attacked the Cybernet Computers plant in Silicon Valley last night," Jefferson explained. "It stole a new missile navigation system under development there for the US military. In the process it killed two security guards and nearly twenty police officers."
"What is it?" Max asked.
"I've been reviewing our files of covert projects we have been asked to sponsor over the years," Rachel said leaning forward. "And we found a reference to this thing. It's called a Dreadnought unit."
"Basically Dreadnought is a weapons system that grafts onto a Human being," Jefferson said. "Fiercely powerful. It's practically a one man army."
"If it's so powerful then why didn't the government or the military fund the thing themselves?" Max asked.
"They were going to Max but they wanted us to check it over first," Jefferson replied. "They had some concerns about the project. Concerns that were soon proved right. You see when we reviewed the program we discovered a flaw in the Dreadnought system. In order to work effectively the Dreadnought system sapresses the personality of the host - making the host a prisoner in their own head. The only personality that is left is the machines program. Which has no conscience, no pity, nothing that makes a person Human."
"Leaving behind a killing machine. Isn't that what the military wants soldiers to be?"
"True. But the Dreadnought technology is far worse than a simple killing machine. In its own way it is alive - a living weapon - and it won't ever let the host go while it exists. And the host is aware of everything that is going on. It is the ultimate in torture. Even the most hawkish generals won't put people through that. So the program was cancelled.
"The Dreadnoughts creator - a Doctor Joseph Karland - was not happy. He didn't care about the cost to the host he only wanted the machine to exist. When the project was blocked he accused us - and the government - of conspiring to repress genius - you know the usual misunderstood genius routine. He swore revenge - then he disappeared."
"And teamed up with Vostok," Max finished.
"That is what our intelligence believes," Rachel agreed. "Apparently Dreadnought," she nodded at the big screen, "is a prototype. Grafted onto a fit but unwilling host. Who this host is we do not know. It is our belief that the theft of the weapons systems components was merely a test. Given Karland's anger towards us and Vostok's own desires to get rid of us it is very likely that Vostok will next use Dreadnought to strike at us."
"Then we have to destroy Dreadnought," Jake said softly.
"True but what about the host?" Berto asked. "If we blow Dreadnought up we'll be killing an innocent person."
"We'd be setting the host free," Chuck argued.
"Yes but what good is freedom if you're not alive to enjoy it," Max asked.
"There is another option besides destroying Dreadnought," Berto broke in. "We could use a modulated electromagnetic pulse to disable it. We could then remove the unit from the host body. There are a number of devices we could use. The device would have to be thrown at Dreadnought to insure success however. Which means close range engagement."
"Which will be very dangerous," Rachel pointed out. "This thing is more dangerous than Psycho, Bioconstrictor, Vitriol, Electrix and L'Etranger put together."
"Well have to risk it," Max said. "If there is a chance of saving the pour sod that's inside that thing then we have to take it. No matter how dangerous. I don't know about any of you but I didn't join N'Tek to kill innocents if I could avoid it." Everyone around the table nodded in agreement. They'd all joined N'Tek to protect innocent lives not take them away.
"Then we will take the risk," Jefferson finalised. "We will disable Dreadnought if possible. But destroy it if necessary. Berto how long will it take you to come up with a portable EMP device."
"I don't need to," Berto answered. "I've been working on one. I designed it so we would have away of disabling Psycho if we ever get him in our sights long enough. It will not take more than a couple of hours to make ready and duplicate."
"Then see to it," Jefferson ordered. "Meeting adjourned."
Max left the meeting with the others. Though he didn't tell anyone he had the strangest feeling about Dreadnought's unwilling host. He had the feeling that he knew whoever it was - or had known him or her. But who was it. They would know soon enough - whenever Ivan Vostok sent Dreadnought to strike at them.
