[Vfw-times] Story: Logs Of A Wanderer part 0009

[Wyldesyde]

all right, here's the latest chapter in my story. Please, some feedback this
time? the earlier parts are, as always, posted on my website, in the fiction
section.

Wyldesyde
http://wyldesyde.tripod.ca/















Down the rabbit hole
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Log Entry 0009.

Begin Recording.

Have you ever had one of those days when your whole world gets turned upside
down, and you end up getting something you never expected? Well, lets just
say that today was one of those days. After leaving what my internal
dimensional map has designated Dimension 0-0-0, I ended up on a desolate
world. Not desolate because of a war, or anything. It seems that
d248-4467-(3987) never developed life. In case you're wondering, I perceive
all the possible dimensional jumps as a three dimensional grid, with d0-0-0
being at the centre. So, I portalled out. Now, I'm in
d333678-(67345657)-45544432, and that's when, even for me, things got
seriously crazy.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I stepped out of the rift, quite glad to be breathing pure air again. Not
that I mind a sulphur dioxide atmosphere, but it's a bit hard on the
clothes. I looked about, finding myself standing on a cliff overlooking what
could only be the Pacific Ocean. I'll never forget that smell. Or the sight
of a twin-masted schooner plying the waves. Slipping my shades into the
inner pocket of my trench coat, I activated the zoom function of the
cybernetics in my eyes.

I almost jumped right out of my fur when I saw the crew of the vessel. They
were all human. It was the captains log book that threw me, however. As he
opened it and started writing, with me watching over his shoulder, as it
were, the date he wrote down somewhat shocked me. He wrote "In the year of
our Lord 1987".

I stepped back from the cliff edge, making sure to keep out of sight. If
this world hadn't had the industrial revolution, they'd probably think I was
some sort of demon, and try and burn me at the stake. That's something I
don't need, never mind the fact that it wouldn't work, and I'd probably end
up seriously injuring some of them getting away.

As I backed up, I never noticed the rift opening behind me. I stumbled
backwards and ended up landing on my tail. The searing pain kept me
distracted for a few moments, so that I didn't notice the rift closing. When
I stood up and looked around, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was standing in
the middle of what could only be a CDF control centre. Covering the walls
were display panels, layered with various readouts. The centre of the room
consisted of a holographic display unit, or a holo tank, surrounded by
control panels. And there, on the main view screen, was the CDF's symbol.

I've never been so happy to see an image, as I was that one. Just seeing it
made me realize how much I missed my home. I sat down in what could only be
the command chair, as it was positioned at the perfect spot for viewing the
main screen and the holo tank. I looked at the control panels on the chairs
arms, and noticed one was flashing. Touching it, I was somewhat surprised
when the holo tank powered up, and the CDF logo appeared, rotating slowly
for a few moments, before being replaced by an image I never thought I'd see
again.

In the middle of the holo tank, at about half-sized, was Commodore Ashan. As
the recording started playing, my attention was firmly fixed on the hologram
of the only commanding officer to ever give me a chance, even if everything
did end up going straight to hell, as it were.

"Hello, Lieutenant. If you're seeing this message, then our plan worked. We
never told you about this, because, frankly, we didn't want to get your
hopes up."

"Right now, you're sitting in the command centre of a facility that the
techs have nicknamed `The Armoury`, and for obvious reasons. Basically, the
Armoury was designed to be a mobile base for our teams exploring other
worlds. However, you happen to be the only one capable of maintaining
contact with the facility while traversing dimensional rifts. It has to do
with the fact that you're the only one with a fused quantum stabilization
matrix. It seems that this is the only way that the link to the Armoury can
be maintained across dimensions."

"As for the Armoury itself, well, only the techs really understand what it
is or how it works. I'll give you the best explanation I can, though. The
Armoury is an extra-dimensional pocket, which means it exists outside any
dimension. When we uploaded data to your systems while you were stuck
between dimensions, the instructions to have your nanotech create it were
packaged along with everything else. The power core that runs the whole
place is a larger version of the power cell that powers your augmentation
and other systems. All the materials used in the construction of the
facility were created using a refined version of the energy-matter
conversion matrix that makes up the backbone of your life support systems
and nanotech repair/construction abilities. There should be some technical
documentation in the computer banks if you're interested in how it works."

"Now, we don't know exactly how large the entire facility will be, basically
because this is the first time something like this has ever been attempted.
Basically, we're completely in the dark about exactly what you'll find,
beyond the command centre. However, we do know that there will be living
quarters, a hydroponics bay, protein synthesizers, and full medical
facilities, just in case you do something stupid and get yourself hurt."

"All of us here wish you the best of luck, Lieutenant, and we hope you get
back here soon. Oh, and before I forget, you should probably visit the
medical facility and have the holographic doctor check you out. Safe
journey, Lieutenant."

As the image flickered and faded out, I got up, and started looking around
at all the displays, trying to see if any of them were displaying
information on where I was. Walking around the perimeter of the room, I
watched the screens. While most of them just displayed the CDF's logo,
several had code streaming down the screen. At the speed that it was
flowing, there was no way even I could read it. Continuing on my way, I
stopped by one screen that showed a slowly rotating cube. Curious. Looking
closer, I was somewhat surprised when my cyber systems displayed a control
interface for me. Triggering a few controls, I sent a query as to what the
screen was displaying. The system's response startled me.

Displayed on the screen was a three-dimensional model of The Armoury.
Activating the scale function, I was in for another shock. According to the
display, The Armoury was huge. Blinking, I read the dimensions again. If
these figures where right, the armoury was a cube, with side dimensions of
forty thousand kilometres per side, and slowly growing. Feeling slightly
weak in the knees, I stumbled over to the command chair, and sat down,
transferring the display to the holo tank without really thinking about it.
If these readings were right, this base was bigger than the entire planet
Earth.

Still feeling somewhat stunned, I manipulated the display, working my way
through this massive complex that was now at my disposal. Thousands of
levels, with thousands of sectors per level, all mine. Weapons lockers that
held enough equipment to outfit entire armies. A medical facility better
outfitted than any I've ever seen. Considering I was in the best-outfitted
facility in the Commonwealth for several months, I should know what a
well-equipped facility is. Enough living quarters to give everyone in the
CDF and the Commonwealth a luxury suite. And there, nestled deep within the
heart, was something marked only as "The Wilderness". Fairly large, this
structure made up the heart of the recreation section of The Armoury.

On an impulse, I accessed the living quarters, to see exactly what was
available. To my surprise, there I was, right smack dab at the top of the
list.

"Base commanders quarters? What the?"

Muttering to myself, I accessed the database, scanning through all the
files. About half way through the first terabyte, I found what I was looking
for. Nestled within the uploaded schematics, was an order from the
Commonwealth council.

Cracking the encryption was no problem, but once I opened the file, I
basically sat there, somewhat stunned. Scrolling through the text, I found
it was a full transcript of a council meeting, concerning, of all things,
me.

As I read, I could have learned a lot about my origins. That wasn't what
interested me, however, and I ignored it outright. Farther down was the
section I was interested in; the council's final decision regarding me.
Transferring it to the main screen, I started to read.

"In the matter of Lieutenant Jason Argos, the following is the Council's
decision. Effective upon transmission of the data package and related items,
Lieutenant Argos is hereby promoted to Field Operative status, with the
official rank of General, and placed in command of the Forward Field Base
codenamed The Armoury. It is the decision of the Council that he shall be
allowed full freedom of operation in all regards, with no orders placed upon
him. Also, the Council wishes to have the gene banks and memory engrams of
all current GECS 4 and the GECS 5 betas included in the data package, with
the inclusion of cloning facilities and all appropriate hardware to allow
for the implantation of cybernetic modifications similar to those that Field
Operative Argos has, along with a Quantum Stabilizer Matrix aligned with the
dimension that Operative Argos' is set to. This concludes the Interstellar
Commonwealth Council session 145656572344."

I leaned back, re-reading the paragraph, shocked. Finally, I cancelled the
displays, and, slowly standing, started wandering my way through the
corridors, occasionally making use of rifts, exploring my new domain, while
contemplating the responsibility I had been given.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I eventually made my way to my quarters. Lets just say that making my way
there was quite a trip. I could've wandered through the corridors, pacing
through sector after sector, riding lifts between levels, or using the rift
generators spaced about to jump around the whole base. I had a lot to think
about, though. That, and I got tired. Hey, even we cyborgs have to sleep.
Right now, I'm sitting in front of my fireplace, in a recliner no less, and
almost dozing off. Gah, its times like this I really need a drink.

End Recording.

Close Log Entry 0009.