Wasteland Rules: Born to Fight (The World After Book 2) (28 page)

   “We will have to follow up with this later.” The
commander stated with finality. “We need to focus on the mission. The station
is getting close. Everyone strap in for our final approach.”

June 25, 2029

Olympus Station, Near Earth Orbit

   The enormous space station loomed in front of the
shuttle, growing bigger by the second. It was truly a marvel of engineering,
made even more amazing by the fact that it had been assembled in secret. It
looked like a giant spinning wheel, with a giant ring rotating around a center
spindle capped on either end by large spheres. The spindle and the ring were
connected by numerous spokes housing access corridors and conduits. The
circumference of the ring was estimated to be roughly three miles, making the
station far larger than anything humanity had ever put in orbit.

   According to the schematics the Society
possessed, the spheres housed the fusion reactors that powered the station. The
spindle contained the guts of the station including the main environmental
systems, and the rotating ring housed the living and work areas. The rotation
allowed for some gravity, which the Society scientists estimated to be seventy
five percent of Earth’s. Thrusters maintained the station’s orbital position.

   Various vanes and antennae studded the station.
Defensive turrets assumed to house rail guns and missile launchers were located
at strategic junctures to provide complete coverage of the space around the
station. Any one of those weapons could completely destroy the shuttle with a
single hit. None of them looked active, but everyone onboard the shuttle was
unwittingly holding their breath as they approached. The station looked
inactive, but all the lights were on and it was still rotating.

   The device seemed to be working as the shuttle
crept closer without being challenged or attacked. As they got close they could
feel the effects of gravity begin to reassert themselves. Time seemed to
stretch as Colonel Brandt maneuvered the shuttle towards a docking rig. They
all collectively released the breaths they had been holding as the shuttle
gently bumped the station and docking clamps engaged. Anna and the commander
began flipping switches and checking systems to make sure everything was stable
and secure.

    “Okay, time for you to go to work.” The commander
told Derek and Rora after they were securely docked.

   The damaged suits had been patched up with duct
tape much to Derek’s amusement and amazement. They wouldn’t need the helmets
because the station had its own atmosphere. Dr. Banek had assured them that the
environmental systems were still active and there were people on board the
station. Derek and Rora pulled modified bulletproof vests over the suits and
grabbed their weapons. Each had their pistols, and M4 carbine, and Derek had
his sawed off shotgun as a backup.

   He had asked about the dangers of firing a gun on
the station, and the possibility of causing a breach that sucked the air out.
But the scientists and the shuttle crew had just laughed at him. He had been
assured that the meter thick walls and glass that made up the station’s
exterior wall were impenetrable to his bullets. And that only a fool would
design a vehicle or station that would be in a vacuum to be so weak as to be
penetrated by a bullet or a small explosion. He hoped the U.S. military
engineers weren’t fools.

   As Derek prepared to cut through the airlock door
of the docking ring, it suddenly beeped and the access panel turned green. The
door slid open with a hiss before he could even light the cutting torch. It
seemed they were expected. That couldn’t be good.

   “How did you do that?” Rora whispered.

   “I didn’t.” Derek whispered back. “Just go with
it.”

   “You are welcome Major.” The Voice suddenly spoke
in his ear.

   “How did you unlock the door?” Derek asked, perplexed.
“How do you have access to the space station and why didn’t you mention this
before?”

   “I told you I would help you.” The Voice replied
smoothly. “I have an asset on board in deep cover. I didn’t want to risk
activating him before you were actually at the station.”

   “And you couldn’t have told me that in advance.”
Derek questioned him.

   “Do you trust me with everything you know,
Major?” The Voice answered pointedly.

   “Good point.” Derek conceded. “Can they guide us
to the main computer room?”

   “No, but they have granted me access to the
station’s systems temporarily. I will guide you.” The Voice informed him.
“There are two main corridors in the ring that run parallel to each other. Stay
on the outer one and head right. I’ll let you know when you need to turn.”

   That matched the limited internal schematics that
the Society had managed to obtain. Gesturing to Rora to follow, Derek headed
out of the shuttle and to the right as instructed. They entered the sterile
environment inside the habitation ring of the space station. The air was cool
and crisp; obviously the station employed a serious air quality system. It was
completely quiet; there weren’t even sounds from air conditioning or
electronics. Lighting shone dimly from domes on the ceiling and the floor of
the corridor was coated in some sort of rubber coating.

   The two of them made no sound as they moved
swiftly down the corridor. There was no one else in sight and the station
seemed to be abandoned. All the doors to the rooms along the corridor were
shut. The door locks were all red which indicated they were locked. Neither of
them spoke as they didn’t want to break the eerie silence. It was eventually
broken as they encountered a bulwark door. The station had bulwarks with steel
doors set every quarter mile or so for security and for emergencies. It allowed
the section to be completely sealed if there was a fire or a breach.

   The doors were normally kept open but this one
slid shut as they approached. It was followed by the lights changing to red and
starting to flash and an alarm sounding. The alarm wasn’t loud but it was
insistent. It was interrupted briefly by an announcement from a mechanical
sounding voice that there were intruders on board.

   “It appears you have been discovered Major.” The
Voice informed him suddenly.

   “Yeah, I kind of figured that.” Derek said
sarcastically. “How is that possible?”

   “Since you are invisible to him, Doors must be
using some other measure to determine you are onboard.” The Voice explained.
“My guess is that the minute raise in temperature caused by your body heat or
the increase in CO
²
was noticed.”

   “Can you shut it off?” Derek asked.

   “I am afraid not.” The Voice replied. “I cannot
override Doors’ direct commands. I can however open the door and direct you on
an alternate path.”

   “What is he saying?” Rora asked, realizing Derek
was talking to the Voice.

   “They know we are here and can possibly track us,
but they still can’t see us.” He told her.

   “Can we complete the mission?” She asked
anxiously.

   “The Voice says he can get us there.” He replied.

   “Then let’s go!” She insisted.

   “Go through this door to the next cross corridor
and take a left.” The Voice said as the door slid back open.

   The door opened to reveal a man shaped figure in
a gray jumpsuit and black boots moving towards them down the corridor. Black
gloves covered its hands. On its head was a gray helmet with a reflective visor
that covered its entire face similar to a fencing mask. When it saw them, it
suddenly charged towards them. Derek fired instinctively at the charging
figure. It absorbed the bullets without flinching and he continued to fire. Its
chest exploded into a bloody mess and it eventually collapsed into a heap
carried forward by its momentum.

   “What the heck is that?” Rora asked loudly.

   Derek knelt down and removed the helmet from the
bloody figure to reveal a human head and face. The face was completely
emotionless and the head was hairless. On the back of its neck Derek could see
the telltale surgical scar that rain right along the base of the neck at the
spine.

   “It’s a drone.” He told her. “It makes sense that
Doors would have turned the entire crew into them to maintain control and make
upkeep easier.

   “How did it see us?” She wondered aloud.

   “Good question. I wonder how many more there
are.” He replied. “At least it wasn’t armed.”

   “Major, you need to get to the cross corridor.”
The Voice suddenly insisted. “There are more drones coming and they are armed.”

   “How can they see us?” Derek asked him. “Is the
device not working?”

   “No, it’s working. Doors has disconnected them
from the LINC with orders to kill anything that moves.” The Voice told him with
great concern.

   “What’s the big deal?” Derek asked. “I can handle
a few drones. They are pretty predictable.”

   “When drones are released from the LINC they
become unstable pretty quickly.” The Voice informed him. “They follow the last
order given fanatically and if they have any trouble following the order their
minds short circuit.”

   “What does that mean?” Derek asked.

   “They become homicidal maniacs without any
control. It is a very drastic step for him to take. He will not be able to
regain control of them and they will be roaming the station until they die.”
The Voice explained.

   “How many did he release?” Derek asked, fearing
he knew the answer.

   “All of them.” The Voice said with finality.

   Derek knew that the original crew complement was
supposed to be over a hundred people. Even with a few deaths that would be too many
to overcome if they just swarmed him and Rora. They needed to complete the
mission before it became a bad horror movie. He grabbed Rora and they ran
towards the cross corridor. Three more drones appeared in the corridor heading
towards them. All three were armed with pulse rifles, which they fired wildly
as soon as they came into view.

   The purple bolts of plasma raced down the
corridor towards Derek and Rora and splattered off of the walls and floor. The
flooring melted where it was struck and the bolts left scorch marks on the
walls. They returned fire on the drones and moved backwards looking for cover.
Based on the wild firing and lack of tactics, Derek realized the drones were
workers and not the combat variant. He paused his retreat and knelt down.
Taking careful aim he fired a burst into each of the drones knocking them down.
Before they could recover he rushed forward and put a burst into each of their
heads.

   “Get to the cross corridor.” The Voice insisted
loudly. “Most of the drones are in the outer corridor. I can seal them in once
you are clear.”

   Derek and Rora rushed to comply. They raced
through the smaller cross corridor that linked the two main corridors as they
heard more pulse fire. The doors slid shut as several drones appeared on the
other side. These drones were dressed all in black and had body armor of some
type. He assumed they were the soldier variant used for security. They pounded
on the door trying to get through.

   “Quickly.” The Voice ordered. “Go to the third
door on the left and go inside.”

   Derek and Rora rushed down the interior of the
two main corridors towards the indicated room. They didn’t want to encounter
any more of the possibly unstable drones. They arrived at the door the Voice
had told them. The door panel was green showing it was unlocked and Derek
raised his hand to open it, but Rora stopped him.

   “Wait.” She told him. “Something isn’t right.”

   “How do you know?” Derek asked, his eyes
narrowing.

   “Look at the door.” Rora told him. “It has the
same bar code markings as the others, but this door frame is thicker and looks
reinforced. Why is it different?”

   “Good question.” He agreed.

   “Open the door!” The Voice said urgently.

   “What is inside?” Derek asked after a pause.

   “What?” The Voice asked, caught off guard.

   “What is inside the door?” Derek repeated.

   “It’s just a room for you to hide in until the
drones pass.” The Voice replied after a pause.

   Something was bothering Derek about the whole
situation, he just couldn’t put his finger on it. The Voice had been helping
him all along, but Derek still didn’t fully trust him. He had his own agenda,
and had originally been against this mission; but had agreed reluctantly after
some thought. As long as Derek’s agenda aligned with his it would be fine, but
when they didn’t align what would happen? The Voice had been a powerful ally
and had even had an asset on the station to help them; they couldn’t complete
the mission without him.

   Then he realized what was bothering him. “Are you
on the station?” Derek suddenly asked the Voice.

   “What? What makes you think that?” The Voice
sputtered, caught off guard for once.

   “I can hear the station alarm echoing in the
background when you talk to me.” Derek informed him coldly. “Where are you?”

   The Voice sighed. “Fine. I am on the station with
you. Back the way you came, eighth door on your right. But hurry before the
drones find you.”