Harper hurried back to his quarters while he was still free of the voice.
He had no idea how long he had to check his puzzle. He engaged privacy
mode not sure if it would work or not. He quickly removed the flexi from
its hiding place and activated it. He read the code quickly. He was right
he did have enough to create a rough holographic representation of his
persecutor.
He worked feverishly, he was very thirsty but he daren't stop long enough to drink a can of Sparky. He had to get this finished before the voice came back. He had no way of knowing if the voice was watching him. The thought of a disembodied voice being able to see what he was doing briefly amused him then he focused his whole being on what he was doing.
Slowly, painfully slowly a form began to shimmer into existence in front of him. It flickered and phased in and out but gradually began to take a more solid configuration. Harper strained his eyes to try and make out facial features, hair colour, anything that would give him an idea of who he was dealing with.
The face remained frustratingly hazy, apart from being able to tell that it was probably human he couldn't see any detail at all. Eventually the figure was as clear as it was going to get with the limited amount of code that Harper had retrieved from Andromeda's systems.
One thing was very certain, the figure was male and very tall and broad. "Nietzschean size," Harper muttered. It was wearing what looked like leather trousers and a tight sleeveless leather tunic. Harper couldn't make out bonespurs but the arms were as blurred as the face.
Harper's mind worked overtime. Was it Tyr? The big Niet had been very upset when Beka 'died' but that could have been an act. Dylan was large enough to be a contender too. Somehow Harper didn't think it was the Captain. It wasn't a Magog and it was too big to be a Nightsider although Harper wouldn't have been surprised if Gerentex had something to do with it.
He thought again. Not poor old Vex, he hadn't lived long enough to get on board Andromeda. An idea struck him with the shock of a bucket of cold water. Rhade, it must be Rhade. Gaheris Rhade, Dylan's traitorous first officer. Long dead now of course. But how would Rhade know the current Andromeda crew. Rommie was helping him that had to be the answer.
Harper's head felt as though it would burst. He was fairly certain now who he was dealing with. One more piece of the puzzle should be enough to confirm his suspicions. Rhade must have buried a program deep in Andromeda's main frame. Harper thought that it was probably there as sabotage if the Nietzscheans lost the war.
Eventually one of the engineers would have come across it and activated it and they would have been taken over in the same way that Harper had. It would have probably happened much sooner too. Andromeda would have had a huge complement of engineers in her days as a High Guard warship. Harper was on his own and his work was cut out keeping the ship running. It wasn't often he had time to explore the matrix. Rhade hadn't counted on being trapped in an event horizon for 300 years either. Harper was feeling almost happy as he shut down the image and returned the flexi to its hiding place. At least now he knew whom he was dealing with. He was aware of just how hungry and thirsty he was. He was very tired too but he needed to eat something to keep his strength up. He headed for the galley; one of the things he appreciated most about living on board Andromeda was the constant supply of food. He was used to going hungry, even after he joined the Maru there had been lean times but now he could eat when he liked. He wasn't fussy about his food. He rummaged in the cupboards and fridge and decided on an omelette. Quick to cook, tasty and filling. He assembled the ingredients and sang happily as he beat the eggs in a large bowl.
Five minutes later he was sitting down to a laden plate. A couple of cans of Sparky close at hand and Harper was temporarily in heaven. He savoured every mouthful and then pushed his empty plate away with a satisfied sigh.
The voice could come back whenever it wanted to Seamus Z Harper was more than ready to do battle with it. He walked slowly back to his quarters, no hurry for the moment. He even managed a few hours restful sleep before he had to cope with the insanity that was his life under the voice's rule.
He woke up aware that his name was being called. The voice was back. "Did you miss me little man," it asked? "Have you been all lonesome without me, kludge?"
Harper smiled a secretive little smile. "Can't say that I have," he sniggered. He still had no idea how he was going to stop the voice but knowing its name had empowered him.
The voice continued. "I've missed you, I've been so bored with no one to torture. I don't know what I'll do once you're all dead. I might have to keep you as a pet. Would you like that, little man?" Its tone was matter of fact; it spoke about killing the entire crew as if it was talking about swatting flies.
Despite his intention not to let the voice get through to him Harper could not stop himself from shivering.
"If you kill us all, who will crew the ship for you," he asked?
The voice chuckled. "I can get myself another crew very easily, then there will be no stopping me. I will make the Andromeda a name to be feared throughout the Galaxy. No where will be safe from me."
Harper played his ace card. "How can a disembodied voice that only exists in my mind possibly recruit a crew?"
The voice laughed again, it was not a nice laugh and it sent cold shivers down Harper's spine. "You really haven't realised yet have you? You haven't a clue why I have kept you alive. I could have killed you the first time you accessed my program."
Harper shook his head. "You're like all ubers you enjoy torturing people."
The voice giggled. "An uber am I, what makes you think that? You are quite right when you say that I am enjoying torturing you. I will take a lot of pleasure in killing your friends in front of you. Even the pixie won't survive being thrown out of the airlock without an environment suit. I will let you choose the order they die in, that's only fair. You can even choose the method, I'll supply you with a suitable list."
Harper remained silent.
"Lost your tongue, little man? I could arrange for that to really happen if you like."
"Just tell me what you want me to do," Harper shouted. "Stop playing with me."
"If you wish." The voice sounded full of regret. "It's very simple, I want you to make me flesh. I want you to do for me what you did for Andromeda."
"You want to become an AI? If that's what you want you will have to give me access to your full program, you will have to reveal your identity."
"You do amuse me, Harper. You already think you know who I am. Did you really think that you could hide what you were doing from me? I see and hear everything that happens on board Andromeda. She keeps me well informed. I may even keep the avatar. I could have so much fun with her. She is anatomically correct after all."
"I do know who you are," Harper said quietly. "You are Gaheris Rhade."
The voice made a spluttering noise. "I am Gaheris Rhade? Oh my poor little man, how wrong you are. Shall I tell you who I am? You will know soon enough anyway when I reveal my program to you. I think I will make you wait a little longer." The voice giggled. "Now off you go Mr Super Freaking Genius Harper. Get everything ready for my 'birth'."
TBC
He worked feverishly, he was very thirsty but he daren't stop long enough to drink a can of Sparky. He had to get this finished before the voice came back. He had no way of knowing if the voice was watching him. The thought of a disembodied voice being able to see what he was doing briefly amused him then he focused his whole being on what he was doing.
Slowly, painfully slowly a form began to shimmer into existence in front of him. It flickered and phased in and out but gradually began to take a more solid configuration. Harper strained his eyes to try and make out facial features, hair colour, anything that would give him an idea of who he was dealing with.
The face remained frustratingly hazy, apart from being able to tell that it was probably human he couldn't see any detail at all. Eventually the figure was as clear as it was going to get with the limited amount of code that Harper had retrieved from Andromeda's systems.
One thing was very certain, the figure was male and very tall and broad. "Nietzschean size," Harper muttered. It was wearing what looked like leather trousers and a tight sleeveless leather tunic. Harper couldn't make out bonespurs but the arms were as blurred as the face.
Harper's mind worked overtime. Was it Tyr? The big Niet had been very upset when Beka 'died' but that could have been an act. Dylan was large enough to be a contender too. Somehow Harper didn't think it was the Captain. It wasn't a Magog and it was too big to be a Nightsider although Harper wouldn't have been surprised if Gerentex had something to do with it.
He thought again. Not poor old Vex, he hadn't lived long enough to get on board Andromeda. An idea struck him with the shock of a bucket of cold water. Rhade, it must be Rhade. Gaheris Rhade, Dylan's traitorous first officer. Long dead now of course. But how would Rhade know the current Andromeda crew. Rommie was helping him that had to be the answer.
Harper's head felt as though it would burst. He was fairly certain now who he was dealing with. One more piece of the puzzle should be enough to confirm his suspicions. Rhade must have buried a program deep in Andromeda's main frame. Harper thought that it was probably there as sabotage if the Nietzscheans lost the war.
Eventually one of the engineers would have come across it and activated it and they would have been taken over in the same way that Harper had. It would have probably happened much sooner too. Andromeda would have had a huge complement of engineers in her days as a High Guard warship. Harper was on his own and his work was cut out keeping the ship running. It wasn't often he had time to explore the matrix. Rhade hadn't counted on being trapped in an event horizon for 300 years either. Harper was feeling almost happy as he shut down the image and returned the flexi to its hiding place. At least now he knew whom he was dealing with. He was aware of just how hungry and thirsty he was. He was very tired too but he needed to eat something to keep his strength up. He headed for the galley; one of the things he appreciated most about living on board Andromeda was the constant supply of food. He was used to going hungry, even after he joined the Maru there had been lean times but now he could eat when he liked. He wasn't fussy about his food. He rummaged in the cupboards and fridge and decided on an omelette. Quick to cook, tasty and filling. He assembled the ingredients and sang happily as he beat the eggs in a large bowl.
Five minutes later he was sitting down to a laden plate. A couple of cans of Sparky close at hand and Harper was temporarily in heaven. He savoured every mouthful and then pushed his empty plate away with a satisfied sigh.
The voice could come back whenever it wanted to Seamus Z Harper was more than ready to do battle with it. He walked slowly back to his quarters, no hurry for the moment. He even managed a few hours restful sleep before he had to cope with the insanity that was his life under the voice's rule.
He woke up aware that his name was being called. The voice was back. "Did you miss me little man," it asked? "Have you been all lonesome without me, kludge?"
Harper smiled a secretive little smile. "Can't say that I have," he sniggered. He still had no idea how he was going to stop the voice but knowing its name had empowered him.
The voice continued. "I've missed you, I've been so bored with no one to torture. I don't know what I'll do once you're all dead. I might have to keep you as a pet. Would you like that, little man?" Its tone was matter of fact; it spoke about killing the entire crew as if it was talking about swatting flies.
Despite his intention not to let the voice get through to him Harper could not stop himself from shivering.
"If you kill us all, who will crew the ship for you," he asked?
The voice chuckled. "I can get myself another crew very easily, then there will be no stopping me. I will make the Andromeda a name to be feared throughout the Galaxy. No where will be safe from me."
Harper played his ace card. "How can a disembodied voice that only exists in my mind possibly recruit a crew?"
The voice laughed again, it was not a nice laugh and it sent cold shivers down Harper's spine. "You really haven't realised yet have you? You haven't a clue why I have kept you alive. I could have killed you the first time you accessed my program."
Harper shook his head. "You're like all ubers you enjoy torturing people."
The voice giggled. "An uber am I, what makes you think that? You are quite right when you say that I am enjoying torturing you. I will take a lot of pleasure in killing your friends in front of you. Even the pixie won't survive being thrown out of the airlock without an environment suit. I will let you choose the order they die in, that's only fair. You can even choose the method, I'll supply you with a suitable list."
Harper remained silent.
"Lost your tongue, little man? I could arrange for that to really happen if you like."
"Just tell me what you want me to do," Harper shouted. "Stop playing with me."
"If you wish." The voice sounded full of regret. "It's very simple, I want you to make me flesh. I want you to do for me what you did for Andromeda."
"You want to become an AI? If that's what you want you will have to give me access to your full program, you will have to reveal your identity."
"You do amuse me, Harper. You already think you know who I am. Did you really think that you could hide what you were doing from me? I see and hear everything that happens on board Andromeda. She keeps me well informed. I may even keep the avatar. I could have so much fun with her. She is anatomically correct after all."
"I do know who you are," Harper said quietly. "You are Gaheris Rhade."
The voice made a spluttering noise. "I am Gaheris Rhade? Oh my poor little man, how wrong you are. Shall I tell you who I am? You will know soon enough anyway when I reveal my program to you. I think I will make you wait a little longer." The voice giggled. "Now off you go Mr Super Freaking Genius Harper. Get everything ready for my 'birth'."
TBC