Chapter 144

The Daedalus Academy

Y: 2143 – 12 weeks until Southern Europe regional inter-academy first round.

Daedalus Financial Position: -31.3M bitcreds 

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Moisture collected on the clear acrylic and ran down in droplets along previously established routes. Axel-Zero watched Daedo as he watched the water.

“Is something wrong?” She asked.

“No,” he said as another drop made its way down the partition between the hydrofarms and the rest of the facility.

Axel-Zero looked around, there were plants for as far as she could see. Enough to feed thousands more than the hundreds who currently lived here. And that was not including the biomass and insect farms.

“Does the hydrofarms produce enough oxygen if we were sealed off from the outside?” She asked.

“No,” he replied while he continued to study the droplets. “We need to develop a specific biomass culture for that. Regular plants take up too much space.”

“What is so fascinating about the partition?” 

Daedo tilted his head to the side and said, “Once the water creates a path it flows down the same path every time.”

Axel-Zero looked at the condensation which appeared on the clear wall. It was an air tight room other than what the climate control system allowed in and out. The humidity was high, and the acrylic walls were designed to capture the water. She watched for a moment and realised he was right.

“What does it mean?” She asked.

“It’s just like synapses in the brain,” he replied. 

Axel-Zero laughed trying to think of the correlation between condensation and synapses. “Are that why old people are stuck in their ways?” She asked finally still chuckling.

“Yes and no,” he replied.

“Should we keep moving?” Axel-Zero asked. They were in the middle completing a physical inspection of the bio team’s work.

Daedo nodded. They left the hydro-farm to review Krecke and her teams’ plans and progress. They then spent an hour reviewing their progress and another hour discussing obstacles Krecke faced before leaving to meet with Master Haddad.

“Do you find this tiring?” Axel-Zero asked.

“No, why would I?” He responded.

She shrugged, “I do. A little,” she qualified and then clarified. “When they discuss the technical aspects, I don’t understand.”

 Daedo: Vannier we are meeting with Master Haddad now.

Vannier: Good. I just finished the tour with Otis. Should I bring him?

Daedo: Yes.

“Otis is coming too,” Daedo informed Axel-Zero.

“The new procedure is strange,” Axel-Zero stated.

“What new procedure?” Daedo asked.

“Vannier’s. Where we address the civilian researchers by their first name. We call your father Ikaros,” Axel-Zero explained.

“Avoids confusion and saves time. And it’s not just civilians,” Daedo said.

“Mace’s parents?”

Daedo nodded.

The procedure excluded Academy personnel. Master Picard and Master Haddad retained their titles for syntax. After a few minutes the pair were joined by Otis and Vannier.

“Welcome Otis,” Daedo said.

“Thank you,” he beamed. “I am happy to be here. Especially since you have my son as a willing captive.” And laughed at his joke. When Otis realised he was the only person laughing he stopped and looked embarrassed.

Vannier broke the awkward silence, “Your son is a valuable addition to the Academy. We are meeting with Master Haddad now. Can you accompany us and then you can chat with Daedo after the meeting?”

“Certainly,” he replied and followed the cadets into Master Haddad’s conference room.

The conference room was large enough for twenty people to sit in a circle with a central augmented reality display. The blue seats were firm yet comfortable while the walls displayed grassland giving the participants a feeling of being outside. Known as the pool room the conference room’s blue floor changed shade and could simulate rippling water if the controller desired.

After a preamble and usual business Master Haddad broached an important subject. “We need to convince Marrakesh or Dakar to host our inter-academy Arena. We are stalled at local government approval at both locations.”

A top down map appeared showing Marrakesh which was four hundred kilometres across the desert to the north. It was closer to the Southern European zone, but the access tunnel had not been built from their base. They had to approach the city using a carrier. Where Dakar was closer and to the west in Senegal and they did have a tunnel all the way to the ocean. The same mag-rail access the cadets used when they entered the Academy.

No one wanted to allow public access to their base, which meant their home inter-academy arenas were to be offsite.

“How much time do we need to build the Arena?” Vannier asked.

Ikaros looked at Daedo before answering, “Unless there are external delays the construction should take thirty days.”

“We should expect external delays,” Master Haddad added.

“How much?” Daedo asked.

“We should allow double the construction time given what we’ve faced so far,” Master Haddad said.

Gabe chimed in from an external line. He was there in AR only. “We need to secure the site. Before and during construction. Not just after.”

“That gives us one month at most to close a deal,” Axel-Zero said.

“What’s the best way to convince either of these governments?” Master Haddad asked. “Or do we need to build one in the middle of nowhere on the west coast of Mauretania?” 

“The best way would be a face to face meeting with Daedo and apply pressure,” Vannier suggested. “Just not as much pressure as you applied in New York.”

“The amount of spy drone activity and satellite coverage we’ve been getting has the threat increased?” Axel-Zero asked.

“Yes, but we’ve been training and preparing,” Daedo replied.

“How was the last meeting with the big three?” Gabe asked.

“We haven’t had another and they refuse to show us the treaty,” Vannier replied. 

“We are in a cold war,” Master Haddad observed, and he received nods all round.

“Are Huawei, Svarski and DaVinci all against us?” Otis asked incredulously.

“Yes. That’s why you’re here,” Gabe replied. “We need better stealth and security operation equipment.”

“Set a meeting with Dakar,” Daedo said. “As soon as possible. Alert all our security personnel to prepare. Otis. We can move to your role now.”

Daedo had effectively ended the previous meeting and a few participants left. Gabe, Vannier and Axel-Zero stayed with Daedo and Otis.

“Axel-Zero will see that you get everything you need for your lab,” Daedo began and she nodded to Otis.

“Is there anything you can give us right now?” Gabe asked.

“You’re still using helmets,” Otis replied. “I can provide designs for ocular implants.”

“I can see a small advantage with that. But helmets provide a layer of amour,” Gabe stated.

“They aren’t mutually exclusive. It will improve your overall operations and efficiency. Adding security communications and combat readiness,” Otis stated.

“We will test them,” Daedo replied. 

“I will need to review your current stealth-suit and other equipment before making recommendations,” Otis continued. 

“We should do that now,” Daedo suggested and brought up the current stealth-suit prototype design.

Otis stood and took control of the tool inspecting each element. “Micros,” he mumbled and continued to inspect. “I can see my son’s work here.” He finally stated.

“Mace said he’s the one who recommended you,” Vannier said. “She should be here. I’ll buzz her.”

“I think,” Otis said with his focus still on the design, “this idea needs nanotech. It’s not going to work with micro servos. It may as well be an exo.”

“Has anyone done it with nanotech?” Daedo asked.

Otis perked up and turned to face Daedo, “No. But it doesn’t mean we can’t pay Lonstein a royalty.”

“It’s on the IPO?” Daedo asked.

Otis shook his head, “It will be soon. He paid me to run some tests. To try and find weaknesses in his design.”

“Contact him,” Daedo asked. “We’ll pay whatever he wants. The royalty won’t be high unless we sell units. Perhaps we’ll make another deal. Axel-Zero can you handle this?”

She nodded. “Buy it outright?”

Daedo shrugged, “Whatever Lonstein wants. As long as we can use his nanotech now and it works. We’re not aiming to stop others using it. But if he wants to come onboard, he can work with Otis.”

“Don’t Svarski cause you issues?” Otis asked referring to his own problems getting his inventions approved on the IPO.

Vannier replied, “They didn’t know we existed when we started and now, they need us more than we need them.”

“That’s a nice place to be,” Otis said.

Mace skated into the conference room. “What’d I miss?”

“This is Otis,” Vannier 

“Carters father?” She asked and he nodded. “We need to look at the drones as well.” She said looking at the design.

“What do you think about ocular implants?” Vannier asked. “Do you want to sign your squad up for testing?”

She nodded but said, “What’s involved?”

“May I?” Otis asked and once he was given permission, he brought up his design in the central display. “You will need a med-lab or a high-level medical bot to install them in and over the eye. Any damage done in the process needs to be regrown. But this area tends to heal without any issues. Especially with younger people. There is a lens version, but it is not as comprehensive. When you have a cybernetic implant gen three or better it will be able to do everything your current helmet does and more. You can record all visual information using your eye as a sensor. It will pick up images or events you may miss, and you can review later. It enables lip reading, ranging and identification.”

“And its subtle. Not many people will recognise you have one,” Mace added. “Yes, assuming it passes standard safety criteria we will test them as soon as possible.”

“When can you be ready for a trip to Dakar?” Daedo asked.

“What’s happening in Dakar?” Mace asked.

“Negotiations for our Arena,” Daedo replied.

“With our current equipment. Two weeks.” She stated. “If you know you are going, we should place three operatives there now.”

“Three?” Vannier asked.

“Khan needs field work. He can work with my parents.” Mace said.

Daedo stated, “It’s decided then. Vannier – either yourself or Master Haddad set a meeting in two weeks with the Senegalese politicians. Ensure everyone from their side who needs to be there is there. Mace – Secure King’s Resort in Dakar including our route in and out.”

“Kings Resort?” Vannier asked. “Do we know who owns it?”

“Does it matter?” Daedo asked. “No matter who owns it they could be under the thumb of the corporations. Everyone owns something and we will have better control that if we were in a government facility. Will it prove a problem getting the delegates to this venue?”

Vannier shook her head, “They often host international talks there.”

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Daedo watched as the new nanosuits were being put through the ropes by Mace’s squad. Lines of nanomachines moved with the user in preset patterns. Enhancing their running or punching power. He could already see how improved control of the nanomachines could improve this suit exponentially. Although it lacked armour it was easily on par with a mesh exo. 

It dawned on him that his plans for millions of exos across the planet, the manufacturing base and raw materials needed to produce the exos may change with this development. He weighed the lower cost of raw materials with the lack of inbuilt power supply and decided if the nanosuits power restrictions and life support systems could be overcome then his plans would change. The damn tech changed everything. He could design a new exo with a nanosuits underlayer reducing the need to much of the hydraulics. Making the entire system lighter and faster.

“Fark,” Daedo let out a rare swear word due to his frustration.

“What’s wrong?” Axelzero asked. “They look good to me.”

“Too good. They change everything,” he replied.

“Everything?” She asked.

“Yes. Even Mechs.” He replied.

“Lonstein was sitting on a tech like this?” She queried.

“Maybe it’s not Lonstein’s,” he replied. “Master Nader did say I was not alone.”

“Then I will get him here no matter the cost?” She asked.

Daedo shook his head, “As long as we have the tech that is all that matters.” He pointed at the suits. “If he was handed this breakthrough, he won’t do better with it than us. But if he did develop it himself then we want him here.”

Axel-Zero nodded, “Makes sense. Another job for Gabe and Adele?”

Daedo grimaced, their list was long. Too long. It was a big ask tracking down the details of the treaty, let alone their own security and now this. 

“Mace’s team will just have to become operational well before graduation. Two people can’t do everything.” Daedo said. 

Axel-Zero nodded and added, “And there is no one else we can trust.”

“I’ll ask Mace to investigate Lonstein. She knows the signs of someone who works with aliens,” Daedo said with a smile.

“Better than almost anyone.” Axel-Zero said. “You know. I still don’t think of Master Nader as an alien.” She added wistfully.

“She isn’t so different to us,” Daedo agreed.

“Are they all like that?” Axel-Zero pondered.

Daedo shrugged. “Some must be different otherwise we wouldn’t be in this predicament.”

“Why do they want to kill off most of us and allow a few to escape?” She asked.

“We could draw some conclusions from that fact. But they would be human conclusions. And maybe the treaty stated we could all live if we left the planet. We don’t know.”

The tests finished. The nanosuits were put through their paces in an obstacle course and then gauntlet. Mace approached Daedo and Axel-Zero who were viewing separately to the others.

Mace was usually miserly with her words but on this occasion, they spewed from her mouth. “The ocular implants are good, but these nanosuits are overwhelming. I can’t imagine the limits of their potential, but even this prototype is better than our current stealthsuit. What do you think Daedo?”

Daedo face showed his concern. “The technology is causing me problems. A good problem to have, but the nanotech has disrupted most of our long-term project plans were just dumped while I watched your team and the corresponding telemetry.”

“What now?” She asked.

Daedo looked her in the eyes, “We need to know if Lonstein was given this tech from someone like Master Nader or he invented it himself. Can you handle that?”

“Me?” Mace asked.

Daedo nodded.

She gulped but returned his nod. “What about Dakar?” 

“You can start on Lonstein after this week’s meeting.”

“Mom and Dad are there now. We’ll head out today as planned,” she replied.

“I’ll see you in Dakar,” Daedo said.

“I hope you don’t. You’ll only see me if it isn’t going smoothly,” she replied.