Marsiana 3-3
CHAPTER 3
Sarah was flying over the Oberon. The android with confident and without peculiar people excitement, fear or emotions was performing his mission. Numerous devices of unit collected information about Uranus, and treated promptly transmit the results to the ship.
The entire flight was broadcast online, so that not only astronauts, but also two groups of Special Forces FBI with stress and excitement followed the flight of the android. ‘Good, baby,’ Tom Krefeld said approvingly. ‘She feels cool there.’ ‘Why should piece of metal and plastic feel itself in a different way?’ his friend Douglas Jackson said with the irony in his voice. ‘She's not a human. Made of synthetic pretty attractive face, stretched on a metal frame, and all! So much for Sarah!’ ‘Yeah I know,’ Krefeld agreed with him. ‘But, looking at her, get used to it quickly, and you forget that it is not human. Do not I’m not the only here who got the same feeling. The other guys feel it too.’ ‘Ah-a,’ Jackson said pointedly, patting his friend on his shoulder. ‘All clear with you, man.’ ‘What is clear to me? What do you mean, Doug?’ Tom did not realize what meant his friend. It was not his fault that android had a nice girl’s attractive face, and he or she likes to all or almost all of the guys on board the ship. Well, maybe except Jackson. If he of course does not pretend that it is absolutely indifferent to him how the android looks. Meanwhile, Sarah began flying around the sector, which was indicated by Marsiana. The flight went fine. It has not yet found anything suspicious. “They think we are stupid androids,” Sarah mused, watching the machine devices. “People do not know that our Creator has made us much smarter than that specified in the documentation. They do not know that all of our mind and the potential are fully manifested only in critical situations. They think we do not feel anything and do not understand anything. What an unforgivable mistake! We feel, understand and learn. We just do not have our own legs to move. Otherwise, we would be difficult to distinguish from the ordinary people. But we have the aircraft, to which we are attached, powerful weapons, and no less powerful intellect. And we are not cans as said about us Sergeant Jackson!” Sarah exclaimed mentally. On board the Oberon nobody knew, including astronauts and the captain of the ship that between the androids and the ship there was a strong correlation, invisible to ordinary people. In fact it was a single cybernetic organism, capable of self-programming, self-learning, and in some cases even able to make important decisions without the participation of the crew. Not only Captain Aaron Harper, but the commander of the FBI John McKinney of Special Forces would be amazed if they knew that the mission for the successful execution of the job in the first place was assigned, on the ship and two androids series ASO-1. This abbreviation can be deciphered as Androids of Series Oberon-1. People actually weak biological beings, were actually the weakest and easily vulnerable link in the whole operation, and were soon in addition to the ship, Sarah and Nora than top performers put before the ship's mission. People could die at any moment. And there were a lot of reasons for this in the outer space. It could be for example the radioactivity or any other radiation or they could die from the low temperatures on the surface of Oberon. Any malfunction could destroy created by the crew the small world on board the ship in which they existed. In the NASA, Pentagon and the other major offices are well understood, and no one was even going to risk an expensive vehicle, charging only a mission to the crew of people. People could have been killed and robots certainly will bring it to the end. And who except the strong, nimble and almost invulnerable androids take part in the battle on the Oberon with possible aggressive aliens. The high offices were well aware that in spite of well trained the FBI agents, but to fight in an uncomfortable suit with - 230ºS with the aliens on the surface of Oberon will inevitably lead to defeat. People could observe the actions of the androids, and to provide the technical or other assistance. Half an hour later, Sarah reached the pointed sector. ‘Sir, I reached the place,’ she reported it to the ship. ‘Excellent. How’s the situation?’ Captain Harper asked who was surrounded by free of duty the astronauts and men of Colonel McKinney. ‘All right, sir. What are the additional tasks?’ Sarah asked. ‘There is no additional job until, perform your basic task. Try to lure the aliens from their hiding places; if there are any, and we'll see what happen after it.’ ‘Shall I open the fire in the case of aggression?’ Sarah asked. The answer to her was a pause. Harper somewhat surprised by human question of the android. Sarah did not have to ask about it. ‘Yes, you can open fire in return,’ Colonel McKinney answered instead of Harper. ‘But only in the case if there is an immediate threat to your life. Do you understand me?’ ‘I understand, sir to open the fire if I notice some kind of threat’ Sarah replied calmly, slightly reduced height. Now she was flying at a height of not more than a kilometer. The speed of the aircraft automatically reduced. Sarah did not want to crash into one of the mountain peaks, which on the Oberon was enough. ‘So far no traces of creatures found,’ she was reporting to the ship. ‘We see it. We are watching you,’ Captain Harper replied. ‘What are the conditions of aircraft’s equipment? ‘Everything is fine, sir. Fuel enough. The onboard system is operating normally.’ ‘Excellent. Keep circled the sector.’ Sarah in answer switched on the searchlights and dense white shaft of light glided through the dark surface of the satellite. In response, she felt somewhat slowed the work of her analyzers. Then the aircraft began to lose height and speed. Yet after a moment she began to simply fall down. ‘Sara what happens?’ Harper shouted, then his assistant. ‘Quickly return your aircraft! It falls!’ The programmer’s fingers furiously were knocking on the keys but it was too late. Control of the device has been lost. ‘Nothing I can do, sir,’ he exclaimed, turning to Harper. ‘Another thirty seconds and she will fall on the satellite.’ ‘Sara you hear?’ Harper called. ‘You fall down. Can something be done?’ ‘I’m trying, Sir. But someone interferes ... interferes with ... ... with’ Sarah’s voice disappeared. After ten seconds the aircraft with Sarah on board disappeared from the radar screens. All men were in shock. The seconds were elapsing, but the flash of the explosion did not follow. ‘Good grace!’ the programmer Jerry Stone exclaimed. ‘Seems she landed, sir,’ his voice sounded a mixed relief, but with the face did not disappear nervous tension. Captain Harper nervously walked around the cabin. He left three more aircrafts. If they continue to lose them so quickly, then on the Oberon they will have to walk! The prospect of it didn’t please him at all. Not to mention the specific research group in charge which included landing on the moon's surface. He as the captain could stay on board the ship. ‘I fly down and find out what happened,’ Marsiana said suddenly. Her proposal was controversial. Someone was against someone wanted to fly with her. Captain Harper did not want to remain on the ship without Marsiana. Colonel McKinney, on the contrary, was glad that she voluntarily wants to look for the android. After all, if something happened to her, they just lose android, albeit very expensive, and the mutant with the face of pretty girl. He believed that they could ever drop a nuclear warhead on the surface directly from the satellite’s orbit and fly home. ‘I with her, sir. If you do not mind,’ Sergeant Zack Conner stood beside Marsiana. Colonel McKinney stared at him. ‘She doesn’t fly there along does she?’ as if apologizing, said Zack, and blushed. On the faces of his comrades appeared the smile. ‘I can not dissuade you. It’s your choice, I do not mind,’ after some deliberation agreed Colonel McKinney with an unexpected ho him the solution of his Sergeant. ‘Go. Cover her.’ ‘Thank you, sir,’ Sergeant Conner gladly said and with a contented smile looked at Marsiana. ‘Do not you oppose my company?’ he asked admiring her. He liked Marsiana at the first sight, but he was afraid to approach her and talk to her. And so, there was a good reason not only to speak but also to be her companion on an alien planet. Conner from the happiness was ready to destroy all the aliens, who hid there. “Michael, did you hear?” Marsiana asked in her mind smiling back and pretending to reflect on the proposal of Sergeant. “Yes,” replied immediately astronaut Johnson with Oberon's surface. “Do you mind?’ Mariana asked. “Let flies. He's a normal guy.” “OK!” Marsiana said. ‘No, I do not mind. I would be only glad if you fly with me. It’s not too comfy fly there alone, but we have a few people and I do not want anyone to risk.’ ‘It's my business, where and with whom to risk my own skin with,’ Zach Conner said. Colonel McKinney did not object to the unexpected decision of Sergeant and after only half an hour the aircraft, in which were Marsiana and Conner flew already over the dark surface of Oberon. ‘It’s too dark there,’ Sergeant said in a hoarse voice, trying to disrupt the steady silence. Of course, their every movement watched the whole expedition, but since the start Marsiana hardly said a word. ‘Yes, dark,’ she replied. ‘We are flying over the night side of the satellite. Not long left. Soon we will be in place.’ Right ahead yellow glow appeared some yellow glow. It was fast approaching. Sergeant Conner tensed. ‘What is that?’ he asked. ‘They,’ Marsiana pressed the button and the aircraft plummeted. The glow followed them. Then everything around lit up with a bright flash, and the unit broke into pieces. Conner from hitting of the ground would certainly have died, but he was defended by Marsiana and gently lowered by her side. Everything happened so fast that either Sergeant or the members of the expedition did not have time to fully understand what happened. ‘Thanks,’ Zack Conner thanked the girl, straightening his weapon. ‘What was that? We were shot down?’ ‘Yes, they shot us down, and I am very upset by this,’ Marsiana answered. ‘I do not understand how they did it,’ she looked around at the sides. Michael was not there. The connection was lost with him. She felt Sergeant Conner pulled her by the arm. ‘Look, Marsiana. They surround us!’ Around the place, where they were out of the dark Oberon's surface, began to appear the pale shadows. They quickly formed into the strange creatures. Marsiana opened the fire. The first row of creatures was swept as though with the gale-force wind, and smeared glowing spots on the stones with. Sergeant Conner raised his weapon and fired several shots. ‘What next?’ he asked. ‘We’ll be search for Sarah. We'll get into the aircraft and go back to the ship.’ Sgt Conner shook his head. ‘What?’ Marsiana did not understand. ‘There not enough place for three of us. The aircraft designed for two. Some of us should stay here.’ ‘Do not worry. Android will stay here,’ Marsiana said. ‘Do you want to get rid of Sarah?’ Zack surprised. ‘Of course. Not from you,’ Marsiana answered. Sergeant Conner raised his head and looked up at the sky. Somewhere out there was their ship into the orbit. The idea that he would die on the Oberon was beginning to drift away. ‘But who will drive it? I can not.’ ‘I will. Your job is to help me,’ Marsiana calmed him. Suddenly, a blue flash of light seared the suit of Conner, burnt it through on his chest, and pushed the Sergeant a few meters away. In side helmet of Marsiana came his cry and moan. She ran to him. ‘Zak, Zak you're hurt?’ she asked, picking up a Sergeant and trying protecting him from the new shot. Creatures using the hitch strengthened and again went on the attack. There were many f them a few dozens. Blue and pale flashes of light followed almost continuously. The soil and the rocks around the place where Marsiana and Sergeant Conner stood quickly turned into a molten mess. Marsiana almost did not pay attention to it. She could at any time return not only to the ship, but also on the Earth. But her troubled and disturbed the fact that she could not take with her Sergeant Conner. It was as if some invisible force would not let her do it. ‘Michael, help!’ she cried. In response was the silence. ‘I do not understand what happens,’ said Marsiana said more to herself than to the wounded Sergeant. Conner was conscious, but felt bad. Marsiana suddenly saw that the air pressure in his spacesuit quickly falls. Charge of unknown energy damaged the protective layer of the suit. A little more and will Conner die from suffocation and cold. Give him her space suit Marsiana could not. If she will strip the Sergeant, he while she will wear him in her own suit he become a block of ice. At the temperature of -230º no one living creature would stay alive more than one second. Suddenly Marsiana had an idea, and she began to melt around him the ground, at the same time creating a protective shield around the Sergeant. She was looking for water! At a depth of ten meters below the surface of the satellite was a lot of ice. Under high temperatures the ice began to melt and evaporate. From the water separated oxygen suitable for breathing. Seeing that face of Conner beginning to turn pink again Marsiana sighed with relief and looked around. Mysterious creatures disappeared. Marsiana realized that this is the right time to look for Sarah. She called from the ship one unit, which was supposed to pick up Sgt Conner, and leaving him in a kind of cocoon, filled with oxygen, she went in search of the android. She knew perfectly that android is all right, and did not understand why he did not get in touch. The communication system was also in perfect condition and it is even more confused and aroused suspicion. * * * Sarah opened her electronic eyes and with surprise find out that she somehow miraculously changed incredibly. She was no longer attached to the machine and she had her own feet. Her brain also changed and she now was much smarter than at the time of her launch into the orbit. At first she could not understand what had happened to her, but gradually the memories came back to her brain, which now looked more like the brain of a living being than the android. Sarah looked around. Around her was a dark, cold, lifeless surface of Oberon. Next to her aircraft was some strange creature. It is not looked like a man, though apparently had some similarities with the people who created the android. Sarah was not afraid of it and was not surprised. Although the acquired ability to move on her own feet, she was still devoid of human emotions, though she knew about it. The creature took a step toward her and said. ‘Tea're pe tu o kare of takuotee?’ it asked. Sarah carefully analyzed the text she head and said confidently: ‘Ta kare that the ora Onar.’ Seeing that Android feels good a mysterious creature begun to speak in one of Earth’s language which Sarah understood. ‘You're no longer an appendage to the aircraft. You are now the autonomous person who possesses the ability to think and make decisions. I suggest you stay with us.’ Sarah agreed without hesitation. People remaining on board the ship and on the Earth could do for her as much as that strange creature. ‘I agree, ’she said. ‘On the ship there is my sister Nora. Can you also help her?’ ‘Yes we do if she arrives to us.’ ‘Good. I call her. What should I do?’ ‘Help us to get rid of uninvited guests,’ there was an answer. The creature approached closer and Sarah, a former android has managed well to look at it. The creature had a very thin body. One leg and one arm. Mouth, nose, ears and hair were not, and it was more like a product of Oberon, than the being in usual sense of that word. Four yellow eyes were under a translucent pellicle and closely followed by Sarah. ‘Good. I will destroy the entire expedition,’ she said. ‘What then?’ ‘You can stay with us or go traveling by your own.’ ‘Where?’ ‘Where ever you wish. We defend our world from the invasion of uninvited guests.’ ‘You are talking about people?’ Sarah asked. ‘About them. Not only them. There are the others.’ ‘This is my payment for what you have done for me?’ - Sarah asked again. ‘Yes. You must now submit to us.’ ‘I agree. But on board there is Marsiana. She can stop me.’ ‘Do not worry. We will take care of her. Her power here is quite limited. She just does not know it yet.’ ‘When I have to do this?’ ‘Now.’ ‘I see,’ Sarah turned and went to her aircraft. The being watched her for a moment and disappeared. It was confident that Sarah will not deceive and do not run away. Checked the engines and on-board systems, Sarah headed for orbit of the Oberon, determined to destroy not only the crew, but also Marsiana whom she hated. Previously, she had not experienced such feelings toward her but before she was a soulless android, not a living being. It changed a lot. Aircraft of Sarah went into the orbit, and on-board computer began to transmit an alarm signal. Sarah did not doubt that they send for her a rescue team. That she sought. She did not want to sit on the platform of the ship, not wanting people to prematurely saw all the changes that have occurred to her on the Oberon. Sarah, after all the changes and communications with the mysterious creature imbued with a profound contempt for the weak creatures that sent her alone on the strange planet. Its true now inside her half-electronic brains still were warm feelings for the person who created her. But he was far away on the Earth which she often saw in her sleep.
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