A Girl Called Badger (Valley of the Sleeping Birds) Read online

  Badger pointed to a pair of gray spheres several stories high. “What are those?”

  “Don’t know,” said Wilson. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

  “Tell me what we’re looking for again?”

  Wilson took the notes from his pack. He held up the sketches to Badger.

  “Anything with these symbols. USAF Hyperion, 4th Space Exploration Squadron, 3rd Space Exploration Squadron.”

  Badger watched the area until she was satisfied it was clear. Wilson walked with her over the prairie and through the rusted fence. Each building had a cracked brick signboard at the front with titles such as 50th Space Wing, 310th Space Wing, 1st Space Test Squadron, and 527th Space Aggressor Squadron.

  In front of one of the large white buildings stood a sign: Space Innovation and Development Center. A blue shield with faded lightning and triangle symbols was painted inside the dark entrance. Wilson recognized it as a holy symbol, and one of the sketches in his notes. Underneath was written 4th Space Exploration Squadron.

  The building had been ransacked by generations of scavengers. Useless fragments of paper and bits of plastic littered the dirty offices. Not a scrap of furniture was left, and doors were smashed or missing. File cabinets were rusted and ripped open.

  “How am I supposed to find anything in this mess?”

  Badger kicked an empty can across the corridor. “Are you sure we’re in the right place?”

  “I’m not sure about anything these days,” said Wilson. “But before we leave, let’s check every corner.”

  The building contained four floors of offices, meeting rooms, and laboratories. Anything remotely useful had been taken or smashed to bits. On the top floor Wilson found an office titled “Colonel Brendan Lai, Commander, 4th SES.” Only a broken chair and an empty metal cabinet were left. The floor was littered with scraps of filthy cloth and empty food cans. The metal windows looked as if they hadn’t seen glass for hundreds of years. Outside and four floors down lay a flower-covered meadow and scattered shrubs.

  Wilson searched the debris and found a block of gray plastic. It had been crushed by a heavy object, but a cracked yellow strip and list of numbers had survived on the top.

  Petersen CIC 555-7321

  Schriever CIC 555-6131

  Altmann CIC 555-4241

  50th SDS 555-7103

  3dSES Lab B 555-7010

  4thSES Lab 1 555-7044

  4thSES Lab 2 555-7089

  4thSES Lab 3 555-7097

  4thSES Lab 4 555-7064

  21st Med 555-2013

  Security 555-4000

  3d MilCom 555-1001

  “What is it?” asked Badger, from over his shoulder.

  “I don’t know. But these names … I remember each of the ‘lab’ rooms, except for ‘Lab B.’”

  Badger shrugged. “Maybe it’s in a different building.”

  “No … wait! We didn’t check for underground levels.”

  They returned to the stairwell descended to the first floor. The stairs led down into a black pit.

  Wilson took a lantern from his backpack. He lit it with a metal firestarter and followed the steps down to a large steel door with “RESTRICTED” painted in white. The door and steel frame were violently dented and scratched from what Wilson guessed was the tribal version of a “polite knock.” An entry pad and small display screen next to the door had been obliterated and black number keys were scattered on the dirty floor. On the off chance, Wilson pulled on the door handle but it didn’t move.

  “Think you can open it?” asked Badger.

  “Even if I could fix this keypad we don’t have electrical power. And even if we had power, we don’t have the code.”

  “Force it?”

  Wilson waved his hand at the marks on the door. “Ladies first!”

  “It’s underground, right? How do they breathe?”

  “Usually from vents inside the building or openings in the ground.”

  They walked around the outside of the building. None of the metal grates they found were large enough for a person to pass through.

  “Even rats have a bolt-hole,” said Wilson. “There’s got to be another way out, in case something happened to the main door.”

  “Like the ladders at Station,” said Badger.

  “Yes!”

  Wilson ran inside the 4th SES building. He found a long metal rod and began to tap the corners and sides of rooms in the first floor.

  Badger watched from the hallway. “Did you lose something? Like your mind?”

  “I’m looking for a hatch covering. There has to be a hatch somewhere.”

  After he’d sounded the floor of every room, Wilson leaned against the wall.

  “Aww, you look so pitiful,” said Badger. “If you forgot, there’s another stairwell.”

  At the opposite end of the building was a second set of stairs. Wilson re-lit the candle in his lantern and descended the steps with Badger. At the bottom they found a half-open door and a room littered with broken containers.

  “Some chemical supplies,” said Wilson.

  He tapped around the floor with the metal rod. In the back of the room the rod thumped hollow. He kicked away a pile of empty containers and knelt to look closer. A pair of shoulder-wide handles were embedded in the floor. Wilson lifted both handles and a section of the floor came up in a cloud of grit. Underneath lay a round hatch with a handle and thumb-switch. It opened with a rusty squeal and revealed the first rung of a ladder. The air smelled sharp and metallic.

  “Just like back at Station,” said Badger.

  Wilson rubbed his forehead. “Yeah, well. Everything better be dead in there.”

  “Either it is or it isn’t, no point being an old woman about it.”

  Badger tossed her pack into the shaft and slid down. Wilson lowered his lantern and backpack more delicately. He stepped down a few rungs and wedged the hatch open with the metal rod and a section of wood. He climbed down the rest of the way carefully.

  “Old woman? Really?” He pinched Badger on the rear and she squealed.

  “Stop it,” she said. “There’s a strange smell in here. Like metal.”

  “The air hasn’t circulated for a long time. We’ll probably pass out in a few minutes.” He grabbed Badger around the waist. “What do you want to do until then?”

  She pushed him away. “Be serious.”

  “I am serious. But we should find what we need and leave.”

  They stood in a dark concrete cube. In the nearby wall was a single door. Wilson turned the latch and walked into a larger space. In the center were dozens of workstations with terminal screens. The sides of the room were lined with metal equipment and a few bookshelves. The blue shield of the 3rd SES was painted on the facing wall, and Wilson recognized the unpowered main entrance beside it. On the right were twin white doors with faint text across the panels.

  Their feet left tracks in a fine coating of dust. Some workstations seemed pristine but books and papers were scattered over others. The room gave Wilson the same impression of fear and hasty flight as the tunnels beneath Station.

  “The last people here didn’t want to stay long,” said Badger.

  Wilson nodded. “Look for anything labeled ‘shutdown sequencer’ or ‘resequencer.’”

  Without power the terminals were dead. They searched the workstations but found no papers or clues of any use. Wilson thumbed through the books on the shelves. Many were scientific journals on topics such as microelectronics, medicine, endocrinology, and kinesiology. A large section held manuals on standard military procedures.

  “Founder’s boots …” he whispered.

  “What?” asked Badger.

  Wilson held up a paper-bound manual and pointed at the title.

  DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CLASSIFIED MATERIAL

  USAF HYPERION

  S.W.O.R.D. (SURVIVABLE WARRIOR OPTIC RESPONSE DEVICE)

  OPERATING MANUAL

  REV: 12 MAR 2051

  REF: 10
33-0227-48

  “I still don’t get it,” said Badger.

  “This is a manual. It’s a book that tells you how to use things. It might even have the reset codes.”

  Wilson opened the manual and scanned the beginning. The first few pages were simply warning labels.

  Table of Contents

  1. Introduction

  2. Passive Features

  3. Warm-up and Familiarization Exercises

  4. Applications

  a. Response

  b. Strength

  c. Endurance

  d. Healing

  e. Sensory

  5. Contraindications for Application Use

  6. Troubleshooting and ShutDown Codes

  Introduction

  The SWORD system is designed to increase survivability and performance of personnel exposed to unusual non-Terran environments. Increases in muscle control, reaction time, light sensitivity, and resistance to hazardous materials have been tested and standardized in this program. Personnel and test observers must strictly adhere to test plan and system contraindications.

  SWORD complements and operates within the SHIELD xeno-habitation system (See SHIELD reference materials 1033-0227-51).

  All materials are GP-chipped and watermarked. Any misuse of included materials is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 793 and UCMJ Article 106.

  Wilson turned to the section with the shutdown codes as Badger peered over his shoulder.

  “How can you read those tiny words?”

  “Practice,” he said. “I’ll read it out loud for you––‘Emergency shutdown codes are used in the event of a full or partial system failure. Improper application may result in damage to devices or personnel. These are designed for emergency situations in the field, when a full diagnostic and a sequencer is not available due to distance from base. If vital signs are stable make base contact and avoid using these codes. To apply: Supinate the left arm. Find the medial point of the posterior transverse scar. Use the index finger to apply deep pressure in a series within ten seconds maximum. The symbols below indicate the patterns. A dot symbol is an immediate press and release, a dash symbol indicates a one second hold then release.’”

  A table with nine rows followed, but the text in four of the rows had been crossed out with some kind of black ink and “DO NOT USE” printed at the right edge.

  Wilson scanned the remaining list of five:

  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX DO NOT USE

  ..– 2. Re-set all systems from BIOS

  …— 3. Re-set musculoskeletal enhance

  ….- 4. Re-set cardiorespiratory enhance

  ….. 5. Re-set neurological enhance

  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX DO NOT USE

  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX DO NOT USE

  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX DO NOT USE

  –-. 9. Damage Control (All Systems)

  “We’ve used the second code,” said Wilson. “But why would they cross out the others?

  “They didn’t want you to use them, obviously,” said Badger.

  “The other codes are to re-set three separate systems in the body. The last one is damage control.”

  Badger scanned the list. “What does this mean, ‘neurological?’”

  “Your brain. The fourth code is the heart and lungs, the third for the muscles.”

  “What about ‘damage control?’ How about that?”

  “Could be useful. I have to read more about it.”

  “Fine,” said Badger. “I’ll be over here breaking things.”

  Wilson sat in a chair at a gunmetal desk and continued reading. Each of the troubleshooting codes had a detailed explanation, but text for the deleted codes had also been redacted.

  ESD CODE 2: RE-SET ALL SYSTEMS

  This action will load operating parameters from existing memory. Time from code application to complete reset is 2-5 minutes. Monitor vital signs and transport to base for advanced treatment.

  Indications: Subject is experiencing a) multiple system failures or b) multiple abnormal system features.

  Contraindications: a) Subject is experiencing single system failure b) Systolic B/P <= 80 mm Hg

  The three system codes that followed were similar, and Wilson skipped them.

  ESD CODE 9: DAMAGE CONTROL (ALL SYSTEMS)

  This action will focus core power to repair tissue damage in the host body. Subject must be kept supine and motionless. Control blood loss and monitor vitals. Core body temperature should be increased if possible. Legs and feet should be elevated above the heart. Time from application to recovery is variable on level of tissue damage. Subject may exhibit one or all of the following: diaphoresis, bradypnea, bradycardia. Monitor vital signs and transport to base for advanced treatment.

  Wilson flipped to the front of the manual. He could hear Badger opening and closing metal cabinets.

  Chapter 2: Passive Features

  Immunological Response

  The central function of the SWORD implant array is to aid the immunological system in responding to xenopathogens. The integration of multi-core processors into the immune system allows for fast detection and analysis using heuristic algorithms. ProtoF implant is central in response and nullification of the xenopathogen through storage and manufacture of antimicrobial peptides. Tests on Terran-sourced pathogens have shown a 100% detection and nullification response within a nominal time frame. Exposure to modified xenopathogens shows a similar response rate. The ProtoF implant and response will function optimally when dietary and exercise recommendations are followed.

  Location Transponder

  Subject identification and physical location along with vital signs is transmitted at one-minute intervals to SHIELD or hand detectors on 900 mHz frequency. Range for detection by base systems is a maximum of 2 km. Range of hand detector is 500 m. Transponder effectiveness is reduced or nullified by terrain and amount of material between subject and detection system.

  Medical Diagnosis

  Subject medical history and status of 35 vital systems are available to Medisign base and portable equipment through low-power microtransponders. Detailed medical information allows for rapid diagnosis and treatment.

  Muscular Development and Cardiovascular Training

  Systems passively increase the amount of dopamine during anaerobic and aerobic training exercises. Micro-application of creatine and steroidal compounds increases the effectiveness of training over time.

  Wilson skimmed through the rest of the passive features and the familiarization sections. The warm-up diagrams looked like the stretches Father Reed was always telling him to do in the mornings. He looked around the room. Badger was at a corner shelf poking at a round metal device.

  Chapter 3: Applications

  Introduction

  Components of the SWORD project began as a USAR performance implant for special forces. The environment of the battlefield and requirements for a soldier have similarities to the requirements of astronauts in a xeno-environment, and therefore much of the USAR research was integrated into HYPERION when the DOD de-funded USAR BRIGHT SWORD.

  All applications come directly from the USAR performance research, save one. The power requirements on the electrochemical system were too great for the enhancements to be used constantly, and so a recovery application was developed (See H1). Application were first triggered with external controls by microtransponders but over time were transferred to OTC mental precipitators in the temporal lobe. Vajrayana Buddhist meditation techniques and Tantric imagery were integrated into the system. Subjects found personal ways to activate the applications through imagery and chants, or “upaya-kaushalya.”

  This manual is intended only as a reference. Actual training of applications must be under observation as initial use can be traumatic. Depending upon the application, the subject can experience fatigue, headaches, nausea, dyspnea, hypercardia, hyperpnea, or tonic-clonic seizure. In extreme situations organ failure has been observed. Exercises should always be followed by the H1 cool-down and meditation forms.
/>   Applications have been separated into five categories based upon the general systems enhanced. Appropriate levels from beginner to advanced have been indicated. All performance is relative to fitness and training of subject.

  Each sub-section had an associated list and Wilson looked at the top one in each.

  (R1) Pravega

  This application increases adrenaline production 200% and response time by a factor of five. Agility and reaction to stimuli greatly increased relative to observers.

  Level: Advanced

  Imagery: Fire

  Chant:

  Heart made of flame

  Heart made of spark

  Heart made of sun

  Speed my hand

  (S1) Bahubala

  This application enhances the force output of the musculoskelatal system. Force output in excess of 3000 newtons has been measured.

  Level: Intermediate

  Imagery: Stone, Rock, Steel

  Chant:

  Arm made of stone

  Arm made of steel

  Arm made of earth

  Push my hand

  (E1) Sarati

  This application increases cardiovascular performance through delivery of additional oxygen to muscles, reduction of lactic acid production, and increase in dopamine levels. Subject running distance observed to commonly increase by 150%. Application can be used for several hours with training.

  Level: Beginner

  Imagery: Water or River

  Chant:

  Feet on the rain

  Feet on the river

  Feet in the sky

  Hold my heart

  (H1) Ayurveda

  This application will reduce pain messages to the central nervous system. Adrenaline levels are also reduced and produce a calming effect. Used to recover from other applications or physical exertion.