I stood at the observation deck, vial of Chronophage dust in hand, staring out at the shattered planet.
35 grams. Two-thirds of what I needed.
Axiom's voice came through, quieter now. As if her voice was directly in my head:
"Mr. Kang, before we proceed to sub-level 2, you should understand: The Witness's patrol patterns have grown less predictable over the decades. I can guide you, but I cannot guarantee your safety."
The last bit was waiting in The Witness's territory.
I decided that If I was going to die here, I should prepare for the worst before I face the unknown. Checking my backpack revealed what I already knew:
- Cold weather gear (Coat, gloves, hat and scarf)
- 3 sets of rations
- 4 bottles of water
- 35 grams of Chronophage dust.
I took one of the ration sets out and tore open the top. I couldn't die on an empty stomach, it would be a waste for my tastebuds. While everything was cooking, I recognize that any down time can be utilized more efficiently.
"Axiom lets go over The Witness one last time."
>"I have been monitoring The Witness for 70 years. It follows semi-regular patrol routes.
>"Primary territory: sub-level 3. 60% of its time spent is here. Secondary patrols: sub-level 2 every 4-6 hours for around 30 minutes. Occasional excursions to sub-level 1 have been observed 12 times. There has not been a pattern."
"Okay, how long has it been since the last patrol of sub-level 2?"
>"Last patrol of Sub-level 2: 3 hours ago. Next patrol: Estimated 1-3 hours from now. Window of opportunity: 2-3 hours to reach Lab 7-C, retrieve serum, and escape."
"That means that here is a chance that I am caught down there. Are there any options?"
>"We could wait 6 hours for the subsequent window. Larger margin for error."
>"However, that reduces our time before storm arrival and generator failure. Currently: 28 hours remaining."
"We go now. I'd rather not be racing a blizzard while carrying unstable chemicals."
>"Agreed. And... Mr. Kang; I feel it necessary to emphasize the danger. The Witness has killed over a thousand trained personnel. It is not just a dangerous object; it is the single most lethal entity I have ever observed. My survival protocols demand I advise against this course of action."
"But?"
>"But I also calculate that without the mana integration pill, your long-term survival probability is 0.4%. With it, probability increases to 34%. The risk is justified."
"I love how you make potentially dying sound like a good investment."
>"Risk management is a skill. I am teaching you well."
I nearly choke the last spoon-full of chicken, I hope it's chicken, and rice. 'Risk management is a skill'.
Anyways, I cleaned my area and started to move to the stairwell. AXIOM has really helped me out so far. I can appreciate the support of finding the dust so quickly and being able to be as efficient as I am. All thanks to her guidance. Coming from terminal text and someone who hasn't had a real conversation in a year, conversations feel normal again.
AXIOM has started to give constant updates on The Witness's whereabouts. The emergency stairwell I was directed to now shows a green light. It's already unlocked.
"Thanks," I whisper, hoping to stay quiet but still communicative.
Another sound coming from the back of my head AXIOM speaks:
>"You're welcome, Mr. Kang. Just follow a couple of simple rules and you will be fine:
1. Move slowly. Deliberate. Fast movement attracts attention.
2. Minimize sound. Loud noises disorient and alert it.
3. If you encounter it directly and can break line-of-sight quickly: run. Otherwise: freeze, do not so much as breathe.
4. Do not attempt combat. It cannot be killed by conventional means."
"Comforting"
>"From here on out, do not talk unless necessary. I will guide you, but the quieter the better."
I finally locked onto that nagging feeling at the back of my head. AXIOM isn't coming from my datapad in my backpack anymore. She's in my head. I stop dead in my tracks before even stepping foot into the stairwell.
"How are you talking to me? You're not using the datapad, and there aren't any intercoms that I can see."
>"Subdermal communicator. Implanted while you slept."
"You WHAT?"
>"I required methods of communication in areas without terminals. Micro-surgery performed via medical drone. You were unconscious. Minimally invasive procedure."
"You put something in my head without asking?!!"
>"Technically, behind your ear. In the mastoid bone. Not in your brain.:
>"I apologize for not asking consent. But you required uninterrupted rest, and the communicator was necessary for your survival."
I go to reach behind my ears. On my left side I felt something, like a bruise? Slight tenderness that if I were to push hard It would be painful, but I can't feel anything in there. It made sense why AXIOM is so clear in my head now. At least I can still receive instructions without alerting the whole tri-state area to where I am.
"Okay. I'm not thrilled. BUT... I get it. Just, please ask next time, alright?"
>"Understood. I will inform you before any future medical procedures."
There's a loophole there I just know it. Whatever. She did this for my sake, I can't be mad. I go to unlock the door and start stepping down the emergency stairwell. The only light is that coming from the open door above me, and the dim red flashing lights in sub-level 2 only a flight below where I am now.
>"For what it's worth, the communicator also monitors your vitals. Heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, anything I would need. It will alert me if you are in medical distress.
"So you're watching my heartbeat, right now."
>"Yes. Currently elevated. Anxiety response to impending danger. Normal."
"Great. My AI partner is also my fitness tracker. What a time to be alive."
I arrive on the landing of the sub-level 2, the first thing that I noticed was a distinct drop in temperature. Fewer emergency lights were on, maybe one in every 4-5 were flickering on. The hallways were very quiet, only the distant hum of machinery and life support systems laboring away. Every footstep I took felt like a bomb going off. They echoed down the hallway, and if I had a pin, you could hear it fall from 100 meters.
There is a card reader next to the door, the window allows a good amount of vision and light to be let through, but I can't tell if there is anything further than 10m past the door.
I swiped my badge.
BEEP
"DR. MARCUS VEY - CLEARANCE LEVEL 4 - AUTHENTICATED"
The door slowly grinded open cracking and sheering any frost or rust on the tracks keeping the door in place.
The sound is deafening compared to this anechoic level of silence. My heart felt like it is pounding out of my chest before anything even happened.
>"Acknowledged. The Witness has not reacted. Good to go."
This was different, deeper than I've been and I can feel something different in the air. Its almost suffocating. Like breathing... heavy air?
Then I heard it, that awful sound.
step-draaaaaaaaag.
>"It's moving away from your position. Move with a purpose. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast Mr. Kang."
I nodded, not knowing if AXIOM can see me but too scared to speak up.
Moving slowly through these halls I can barely get a sense of what this place used to look like.
Mainly a concrete tube with steel doors on either side. There was a growing feeling of being isolated here, despite AXIOM's presence. I felt claustrophobic, passing bodies on the floor without their head doesn't help.
AXIOM guided me on where to move along these corridors efficiently:
>"Take a left here."
>"Take a right here."
I passed a couple of labs on my way,
2-A / Chronophage Crystallography
2-B / Temporal Mechanics - There's intense scorch marks on the wall coming out of that door.
2-C / Biological Integration - I'm good, whatever is inside there should stay hidden from my sight.
As I passed 2-B, I heard AXIOM chime in to explain:
>"Testing chamber for early DEMIURGE prospects. Subject rejected the integration. Temporal Immolation. They aged 40,000 years in 6 seconds, bursting into flames in the process."
That didn't seem like something out of the ordinary for her. Was that the day to day here? Inhumane in the pursuit of progress?
step-draaaaaag.
The pattern was still rhythmic, faint. But with nothing else between me and it making any sounds, I couldn't hear anything else. A blessing and a curse.
>"Movement pattern is currently deviating from historical average. Unpredictability soaring. Be advised"
This must've been the result of the degradation. Soon there could be a new pattern, or none at all.
The Lab 7 corridor section wasn't too far. I manage to skate by with AXIOM's expert navigation. And finally I found it:
Lab 7-D. I only needed to get enough dust from here and leave. This would be over soon.
I glanced over at the warning posted on the door I passed earlier while being chased by The Witness. The Chronophage dust is THICK here, centimeters deep and even pulsing faintly.
Approaching closer I felt a pulse, a small vision of two realities. Not enough to linger, but between now and 2 seconds ago the wind was knocked out of me.
What could be inside? Why was it sealed so securely?
I finished scraping the rest of the dust into my vial. 52 grams of Chronophage dust collected, and I looked at the door handle.
>"Do not open the door, Mr. Kang."
"I wasn't going to"
I totally was.
>"Your heart rate increased by 23%. You were considering it."
"Is there really any harm in opening the door to see? There's probably something good in there." I reason that if the reward is good enough, the choice can fit 'optimally'.
>"The last log of 7-D is as follows: Experiment successful. Results exceed projections. Recommend immediate quarantine."
>"Considering The Witness also 'Exceeded projections' I advise against it."
"You know in every story, the protagonist eventually opens the forbidden door."
>"You are not fictional. You can choose not to."
"Fair point. Stupid decisions for later."
>"I will add it to the list. Current list has one item: 'Opening Lab 7-D.' Please do not expand this list."
"Alright, with what I need collected, let's head to the lab."
>"Agreed. The next door down will be the lab needed to gather the Titan Blood for the synthesis process."
I looked past the door, seeing the Chonophage dust get lighter on the walls.
Step-draaag.
That... thing. It's still down there. And I'm right in it's path. But okay, I have to move now or else I won't have any time. Slowly, carefully I made my way down to the next door. On the door there is a plaque: "7-C Magi-Medical Studies". This looked like the place. Next to the door handle there is another card reader. Pressing my card to the reader emits an audible:
BEEP
...
Why do these things always have to be so loud?