Geneva Elizaveta Hawthorne

  2510.05.06

  Sol 3UN1A Adjunct to Universe 0

  Reflexis City,

  Armstrong's Bakery Hidden Basement

  “So is the analysis complete?” Geneva asked.

  “Well, we didn’t find the quantum engine," Mo said to the group. "But it seems that this liquid was a solid find after all,” He held up a vial full of what looked like ordinary water.

  “So all that work and all we found was water?” Jerry asked.

  “Aren’t you the physicist among us?” Veralia asked in turn. “Obviously, it’s not ordinary water, or that container wouldn’t have been sealed so aggressively.”

  “Wait, that container was aggressively sealed?” Jerry exclaimed. “You opened it so easily.”

  “ That’s kind of my thing,” Veralia said. “Besides, the readout shows its heavy water. Which appears like ordinary water, but is critical for a specific type of fusion.”

  “In that case, there must have been a supply of tritium in that same ship yard,” Jerry said, thinking it through. “Beneath Reflexis is a massive manufacturing site, one of the deepest in the world due to the solid base of the Appalachians.”

  “Exactly,” Mo said. “We have half of the resources needed to power an interstellar mission.”

  “We had assumed it would be a quantum-powered vessel,” Archaeus said. “Every mission so far has been an attempt at a quantum-based interstellar drive. We even have a dense network of sensors in the Oort cloud to detect such instances throughout the system. So it would make sense that someone would move towards alternative propulsion methods to bypass these measures.”

  “But isn't fusion power just to provide electricity?” Geneva asked. "That doesn't go against our current plans; it's still a quantum drive."

  “Oh,” Archaeus said.

  "Yeah, man," Jerry added. "We know a quantum drive passed through here; we know we have the basic requirements for a fusion facility to be constructed. There's no telling where it's going without the specific information from their end."

  "So it could just be a dead end?" Alturus asked. "Let's report what we've found up the chain of command, and then wait to hear back from them."

  “Yeah,” Mo said. “I should hear back within twenty-four hours, as we are a bit desynced down here in the cavern. I’ll let y’all know as soon as I hear back, or they might just contact you directly.”

  So the group made their way down the hall beside the stairs. Despite being beneath the street level, the accommodations were bright and spacious. The concrete floors gave way to a massive den with a kitchen and living area. On the far walls were detailed holographic vistas of various locations on Earth. Every few minutes, it felt as if the room was transported from one location to another location somewhere within the Earth-Moon system.

  A door was at the opposite end of the entrance to the living space. Behind it was a large bunk room. Along both walls were smaller rooms that each contained a bed, desk, and display of their own. At the end of the hallway-like space, there was a small communal bathroom with a sink and shower.

  Geneva made her way to the second bed on the right. She didn’t want the one closest to the door or the bathroom. As she entered the room, it synced with her wristband. The bed coverings shifted to a deep blue, and the three walls transitioned to a blue gradient. The fourth, open, wall went opaque. A pane of glass materialized to cover the opening. A display materialized above the desk linked to her wristband.

  A century or two ago, personal computers shifted from mobile devices, which were carried within pockets, to implants, or in Geneva’s case, a black titanium bracelet that hugged her left wrist. With the change in personal computing, fixed displays became obsolete. Now, more than likely, wherever you went, your computer would sync with whatever room you occupied. When not near such systems, there would be a holographic display embedded in a piece of clothing or jewelry, or in the case of implants, directly integrated into the user's vision.

  For Geneva’s case, any unshielded item within her would either be drained dry by her abilities or would be severely disrupted by them. When her ability first manifested, she had learned that the hard way. She had been granted numerous physical implants and devices as a child, as was common for children without Level III adaptations.

  On the day she got her powers, she was stuck halfway immobile and had to be surgically returned to her base genetic form. It was a sad moment for the young teen. Looking back, she was proud to say she was an unadulterated human, aside from the various Level adaptations she had since obtained.

  The first thing she did after sitting at the desk was contact Denise. The woman, who had basically raised her after she was kicked to the streets, was now on some secret business on behalf of The Organization. She didn’t know where she was, just that she was somewhere near her current location, here on Earth, so that their conversation would not be affected by the time lag of different time zones.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  “Oh, Geneva.” The ageless woman began as she appeared on the screen. “Now’s not quite a good time, there was a situation with work, and I’m on damage control.”

  “I won't take long. These accommodations are nice, however-” Geneva said, but was interrupted before she could continue.

  “And how is Mo?”

  “Mo is doing great, I’d imagine. He basically has his own kingdom down here. That’s part of the reason I called. No offense to Mo, but I think I want different accommodations. This isn't where I hoped I would stay. I mean to say, while were are on investigation, which might take a week, I’d like to experience actual Civilization for once.”

  “We are supposed to lay low. This is new coming from you.”

  “I know the status quo. But after spending what feels like too long in isolation, this city just has a call to me. Its something unique. And you know, I’m used to more luxuries than these accommodations.”

  “The organization doesn’t have as much of a foothold here as we do in other systems. There isn’t much drive for growth within the Earth-Moon coalition. They mostly tend to focus on colonizing other obscure parts of the local earth-sphere, rather than taking an Expansionist's agenda.”

  “Could you get me a hotel somewhere within the central districts? Something with a view, and some privacy beyond my team. Jerry is grinding on my last nerves.”

  “I thought you liked Jerry.”

  “That was a decade ago, when I was barely nine.”

  “You two were quite close. You know you’re the entire reason he joined our group.”

  “I don’t think I’m the entire reason. He’s always whining that his degree didn’t exactly offer him an exciting place in life. And besides, he’s the last vestige of a life I was kicked out of.”

  “Geneva, it's only been six years since the Alexanders put you out. You are reaching adulthood; it’s time to acknowledge it and move on. Besides, they weren’t your real parents.” The woman emphasized the word real.

  “They were the ones who raised me. You think they would have changed their minds once I started messing with the house's systems, but that just made them kick me to the curb harder.”

  “It was an unfortunate match-up, dear. I’m sorry.” The woman’s face softened on the display. “Okay, fine, I will put in the request with The Organization, and you will receive the details when they book you in the morning. Now let me get back to what I was doing before your interruption. There was a haphazard explosion and earthquake that messed up a critical moment for us. Seriously, the people in this world are bizarre.”

  Geneva didn’t mention that she was the actual cause of the earthquake that shook the entire cavern, knowing Denise would eventually find out she was the cause. For now, she just hoped it didn't get in the way of her request. After saying goodbye, she disconnected the call. Through a series of gestures, she set the room to night mode, the lights dimmed, and a deep cello coasted her to sleep.

  The next morning, Geneva woke up to the notification that she was booked at the Evangelist, a high-rise hotel a block from the center of the city. She showered and put on the deplorable pair of synth clothes provided to her. She paused at the mirror and decided, after looking at her outfit from the day before, that the bits of remnant sewage weren’t worth it.

  “Where are you going?” Archaeus asked as she started making her way up the stairs of the safe house.

  “Denise pulled some strings, and I’m going to a hotel on the lower floor.” She replied.

  “Hold on a minute,” Archaeus replied. “Is that why I got that notification in the middle of the night, about a reservation for two rooms at some hotel in the city?”

  “That woman, I swear,” Geneva said, mumbling to herself. “Yes, Archaeus, I want to see the city. We haven’t been assigned anywhere for over a week. I’m taking my opportunities while they come. Who knows how long we will get to stay here before they have us chasing some other lead in some other city.”

  “Fine, I get it. But you know I have to come with you. Of course, they’d book two rooms. You don’t feel bad for leaving the other three?”

  “For one, Albion doesn’t say anything, and he doesn’t do anything to add to that. Why is he even here? And Jerry, you know my history with Jerry. He’s starting to wear me to the bone. Veralia is fun, but I think she’s pretty content here. She’s sitting in the den watching some local live cage-fighting event. You have space in your room for anyone who wants to join. Are you going to invite them?”

  “I rest my case, but we should be laying low after tearing through part of the city.”

  “I’m sure I shorted out any cameras within the vicinity, Archaeus. We will be fine, just let me have this.”

  “Alright, alright. Give me a minute to go get a few things. Not all of us travel with the clothes on our back.”

  Fifteen minutes later, he had returned, and the two left the safe house after letting Veralia know they would be staying elsewhere while they were here. She barely acknowledged them as she ate a paste-like snack.

  “How do you expect us to get across the cavern?” Archaeus said after they left the door on the side of the building.

  “Give me a second,” Geneva said as she fiddled with her bracelet. After a minute of waiting, a white grav-car pulled in alongside the street. Inside, there were five seats all facing each other.

  “Oh, right,” Archaeus said. “I’m too used to station life, I forget you don’t have to take a train or some kind of fixed public transportation everywhere you go.”

  “On, I learned how to get the best cabs on IO. Too bad I don't have my augmentations anymore, I have to settle for the slow old way. But I guess it's the benefit of being paid."

  “Yeah, the extra perk of being a contributing member of society. Still, we don't necessarily have enough to live a lie of luxury. Who'd you have to blackmail to get this all worked out?”

  “I have enough solarium earned over the past several years to get the place. But those are hard to come by for people like us who get paid under the table. So it's easier just to use The Organization's finances for these kinds of things.”

  “Wait, you can just do that? When I’ve asked, they’ve given me a cold shoulder.”

  “Are you a Level 0 who has the capability to outright destroy a good swath of this city?”

  “Don’t underestimate the abilities of a level I with a motive. I could burn through a good portion of this neighborhood given enough time.”

  The two chatted as the grav-car arrived and whisked them away to their destination.