Chapter 14

//system reboot.

//system firmware update successful.

//nanite control function updated.

//defense system updated.

//computational grids updated

//generator operations at 150%.

//main cpu efficiency increased 123%

//biological systems wetware upgraded.

//reflex arc upgraded.

//endocrine system upgraded.

//central nervous system upgraded.

//autonomic nervous system upgraded.

//peripheral nervous system upgraded

//regenerative system upgrade progress at 10%.

//organ replacement process at 05%.

//completion time estimated at 263 hours 15 minutes 33 seconds

I awoke slowly, as if waking from a long nights sleep. I stretched everything felt different, the only way I could explain it was to say I felt more alive, more energetic. It was as if a part of me had been restored, I quickly checked over my status to find several upgrades had taken place, as well as many organic changes in progress. I sat still going over the changes individually, it seemed that I was much more efficient then I was before, I was improved in areas I had not been aware I was lacking in. My H.U.D. Had taken on a much more organic and intuitive feel to it, I found I could access functions with out much thought to it now, my reaction time seemed to be cut down also.

The next thing I did was look over the files I had gained, I now had schematics for hundred of devices and upgrades that I could choose to do once I found the appropriate raw material. The most startling of devices was a complete section covering creation of golems, the majority of the items could be constructed using my existing nanites, some required the creation of a new type of nanite. I noticed large blocks of files encrypted, they seemed to posses a rudimentary A.I. That would allow me to access them when the appropriate situation arose.

The largest group of files had been dedicated to equations and theory, along with a specialized section for devices that went along with the equations, one file was flagged high priority. It was for the construction of a vacuum energy generator to replace my current one, the whole devices purpose was to allow me the energy to create a second device, one that would pull energy from a higher plane of existence. The energy it could access would be astronomical in scale. It seemed it would be the key to punching through to other realities, to the far reaches of what would be possible. Some of the work was unfinished and untested on the second device, large chunks of the device would exist in another dimension, the part that existed and was accessible was small enough to be carried ... I read the note attached to it saying that the work on the second generator should take centuries, the first would only take several months.

"what the hell do I expect from myself?"

I rubbed my face deep in thought, I had things I need to do, I had to strategize, map out and plan. I now knew I had an enemy, someone I had to stop. The question was how, I had to act like the other me had not been successful. How do I strike back at them? The probe would only effect this worlds future, I had to buy sometime, find a way to shut down that portal, it was unstable at best, it was a danger to this world and where I came from.

I was interrupted from my thoughts by a warning on my H.U.D., I had picked up a gravitational distortion followed by a burst of radiation of varying types. I ran out side scanning the horizon, the burst of radiation should be harmless here. I spotted Ogna and yelled to him.

"Ogna, get everybody to the cave by the herb field in the hills NOW!"

I saw him look at me and start gathering people.

"Ogna now!"

I amplified my voice.

"Everyone over to the cave in the hills now, run, forget everything just run!"

The people got the message and started running for the nearest hill, the cave was small but would hold everyone, it would be a tight fit. I stayed behind monitoring the horizon, I could detect a burst of gamma rays and x-rays, then I heard the boom from an explosion that shook the ground, I looked back to see the last of the people making it into the cave. I noticed a child exiting one of the tents, she was young around 2, having been forgotten, I reacted before I could even think, running, I watched as time seemed to slow down. I was able to scoop the child up and run for the cave. I could hear the child cry in fright as I ran, my sensors detected a shock wave approaching the village as I cleared the cave entrance handing the child over to Ogna who had been the last to enter, he looked at me in awe having seen my retrieval of the child, the entrances was small, so much so I was able to block a large portion of it with my body. I watched on my H.U.D. As the blast wave overtook the village than climbed the hill. I looked at the people of the village as the the entrance was covered in dust.

Next two blips showed up on my H.U.D., followed by the heart rates of the two children, every one of their vitals showed dramatic distress, my eyes widened, with all the new information I had gotten I had forgotten the children, and now it would seem they may pay with their lives for my error.

"Ogna, take the tribe to the other side of the hills when the smoke clears and wait for me to return, don't go back to the village, do nothing until I get back. I need to get to the children"

He nodded to me as I turned and ran into the dust

Future

The klaxon of the alarm rang through out the complex, a low thrum started to vibrate from the center of the base radiating out to several miles. Soldiers where ordered to start evacuation of the surrounding country side. The assistant of the director rushed through the complex, heading toward the bases command center, it seemed everyone was rushing to find something to do, or somewhere to go, he had read the reports on the new generators, he had read what would happen if the fusion reactors went critical, there would be no distance he could get to in time if they went. The entire base seemed to rock on its foundation, he stumbled and fell over.

He watched as a crack began to form in the wall, he had to get to the control room, he had no idea what was happening, he had not been notified of a test of the reactors at this time. 10 feet ahead of him he saw a distortion, he had no clue what it was, it looked like a mirage. It shimmered and faded, he crawled past the area where it was, not wanting to walk through it. The base was rocked with another tremor, this one lasted longer, and the sound of the thrum increased. He made it to the control room and punched in his code entering he saw the scientist working franticly, he saw the director standing to the side watching calmly with her arms crossed, he walked up to her.

"Ma'am?"

She glanced at him coldly and nodded to the observation window.

"The wormhole started to destabilize"

The director braced her self on one of the server racks as another tremor shook the base, she looked at her assistant as he grabbed one of the terminals.