Deeper Darker

Chapter 70: Restrictions May Apply

Fourth Quadrant.

Planet Fountain.

Gorbol Training Academy.

Simulation Room.

Point-Two closed his eyes and concentrated on the conversation between Ubik and the Vendx Chief Supervisor as they negotiated Ubiks price for handing over Fig.

He listened intently, waiting for something. He didnt know what it was, but he was more than confident it would come. A message, a signal, a warning to assume the crash position something.

Trying to figure out Ubik was similar to bouncing around a zero-G training room it might look random and uncontrolled as you went spinning from one side to the other, but if you understood the angles, there was only one possible endpoint to any trajectory.

He sold us out, said Bev, her hands making a slapping sound as they landed on either side of her face. The bastard sold us out.

I dont think so, said Fig. Whatever hes doing, he isnt going to make a deal with a Vendx supervisor. He would only hand me over to someone in upper management, so he could be sure they had the authority to give him what he wanted.

Point-Two agreed with Figs assessment. There was no doubting Ubik would switch allegiances if he thought he could make good use of his new partners, for however long that lasted an Ubik alliance was always a temporary one but he wouldnt bother with a lowly chief supervisor. Anyone in middle management was just a toy to be played with, just like one of their drones. Theyd have to wheel out their CEO if they wanted an actual deal in writing.

And how is that better? said Bev. Hes going to work his way up from this guy to the next guy and then the next Her anger dissipated into confusion. I suppose that means we have a little time. You think hes doing this deliberately?

She wanted to believe Ubik was some wild idiot who acted on impulse with no idea of where he was going or what the ramifications of his actions would be. She wasnt far from the truth. That was what Ubik wanted everyone to believe it, but if one thing was clear by now, it was that everything Ubik did was deliberate. Insane, but deliberate.

Even now, Ubik was driving the Chief Supervisor to the edge of his patience with his bizarre demands in exchange for his traitorous services. He would have Fig delivered he had yet to explain how for the measly price of one starship. Not a shuttle or fast cruiser. No, Ubik wanted an actual full-size top-end starship that required at least thirty people to make up a skeleton crew, a hundred for a full complement. He didnt want any people, though, which would make it impossible to fly the ship anywhere.

The cost of a luxury starship would probably not have been a major sticking point, but Ubik didnt want any starship, he wanted the RG-7Z, made by Rigogo, Vendxs chief competitor.

The RG-7 has a mid-rear gravity engine with an R8-powered star well as standard. That makes it twice as fast as any other ship in its class, unless you opt for add-ons and modifications, which just ruins the look of any ship, in my opinion. It has the classic Artori Demense sleek lines. They used his soul box connected to a two double ten-twenty-four exenabyte mind-rendering AI to create a new design from an old master. The unitary displacement is breathtaking. And the distinctive exhaust note from the thrusters music.

Ubiks smitten manner as he casually talked up the many top-of-the-line features of Rigogos premium starship was impressive. He had all the specs memorised, even down to how long the waiting list was. Only six standard months, as long as you had the connections.

Chief Supervisor Mayden tried to explain how Vendx werent in a position to jump the queue, and how, in any case, the VX-4i was a much better option for a single person, but Ubik was lost in a dream world where he piloted a massive ship alone through the stars, presumably with bits of string attached to all the controls on the bridge so he could tug on them like the performance of some interstellar puppet show.

The most impressive part was how Ubik had managed to skip the part of the negotiation where CS Mayden would outright refuse such a ludicrous request. Chief Engineer Ulanov was getting a ship, it was only a matter of make and model.

Yes, said Fig. Hes doing it deliberately. Hes keeping them busy. And he knows that were listening, so hes keeping them busy so we can take action at the appropriate time. I only wish I knew when that was and what action he wanted us to take.

Point-Two felt the same. Thats why he was listening so hard. Ubik wanted them to hear this. He wanted them to figure out what he wanted from the rest of his guild they might as well just make him honorary guild master at this point but he had given no indication of what he needed.

It was a sign of the backwards nature of Ubiks approach that he was putting everyones lives at risk, and it was Point-Two and the others who felt like they werent living up to Ubiks expectations.

I think youre giving him way too much credit, said Bev. Hes not a genius, hes nuts. Youre just hoping hes on our side. We should be trying to get out of here, not waiting for him to give us the signal so we can get ourselves killed while he escapes in his brand new ship.

You could be right, said Fig. But I dont think so. He wouldnt have left that behind if he was going to run out on us.

Point-Two couldnt see where Fig was pointing, but even with his eyes closed he knew it would be at the small cube on top of the drone. Ubik had left behind his Grandmas soul box for Jace to use. He wouldnt have done that if he had no intention of coming back for it.

I can assure you the VX-4 series is every bit as good as the Rigogo ship, said CS Mayden, frustrated, impatient, desperate.

But have you seen the RG-7Z Caliento limited edition? said Ubik. It has fins on the rear stabilisers.

Fins serve no purpose, shouted Mayden. He quickly brought his voice back under control. Theyre entirely cosmetic.

No, no, youre mistaken Chief Supervisor, they increase stabilisation in atmospheres of above 1 kPa by over 0.2%, said Ubik, sounding suitably impressed.

Its a starship, said Mayden. Why would you take into an atmosphere?

Oh, you wouldnt, that would be a terrible idea. But the specs are stunning, arent they?

How has he not realised hes being stalled, said Princep Galeli. What kind of engineer would be obsessed over something like fins that give you a tiny increase in overall stability, in a situation you will never be in?

All of them, said Captain Hickory and Gipper together.

We can put fins on the VX-4i, said Mayden. Six of them. And paint them bright red.

Six seems a little excessive, said Ubik. I wouldnt want people to think I was showing off.

Then five, or four however many you want. Just tell me how you plan to get the Ollo boy to me in one piece? What weapons do you have? Do you have codes to the security system? How are they controlling points of entry? I need some indication of your ability to deliver in exchange for the premium model in our luxury class.

Yes, youre right, Im sorry for getting carried away. Ubik was graciously going to reveal his plan now, Point-Two could feel it coming. Listen, can you access the sim-U from your mobile command centre?

Of course. Why? What good would that do?

Have a look, said Ubik.

There was a pause. Its operational.

Yes, said Ubik. Your assault team are currently trapped inside a simulation. All twelve of them.

Point-Two opened his eyes and looked at the eleven men strapped into the simulation machine.

Can you link up to the sim-U? Ubik was saying. Hard connection, so they cant break it remotely?

Yes, but then what?

Your men are isolated and cant get out on their own, but if you can give them an extraction point into your ships mainframe, they could give you control of the entire complex, all the security systems, all the files, all the recordings. There are security protocols in place to avoid backwash, but I can cut them from here.

There was another pause.

My people say they could Mayden sounded very hesitant. Nervous, almost. It isnt strictly allowed, we have agreements not to use those points of entry for our non-civilian customers.

Ubik was getting him to open the backdoor into the sim-U. A backdoor they werent supposed to have, and only use when they could get away with it. If the rest of their customer base found out about the existence of such an abusable protocol in Vendxs machines, there would be huge legal trouble for Vendx. A class-action suit brought by an entire galaxys worth of customers could ruin them.

I know this isnt what the entry point was for, originally but isnt this an emergency situation, Chief Supervisor? I figure it wouldnt be wrong to break down a door in an emergency.

Ubiks suggestion sounded more than reasonable. But a door worked both ways.

Point-Two turned his head the other way and looked at Fig. I think

...he wants me to go in, Fig finished for him.

There were twelve seats and one empty.

There are eleven other people in there, said Weyla. All organics.

Fig sat down in the spare chair. Thats fine. They cant kill me in there.

But what is it he wants you to do once you get inside? said Bev.

I have no idea, said Fig. Princep, could you?

Princep Galeli brought the helmet down over Figs head and then went to the console. Point-Two went over and stood next to him.

I think he wants you to run the Origin simulation.

The Origin? said Princep Galeli. He wants Trainee Matton in there with the Vendx assault team? Why?

I havent the faintest idea, said Point-Two. Do you have an alternative suggestion?

Princep Galeli frowned and loaded in the simulation.