Read Online Ark-13: An Odyssey by B.B. Gallagher - Free Book Online
Authors: B.B. Gallagher
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into a flat top, framing his brown eyes and grave expression. His dark skin began to sweat as the tension built in the cornfield clearing. Zoe Maddon had short, straight black hair. The part in her hair caused her bangs to cover one of her eyes. The one visible eye looked up with an intensity that would pierce anyone who met it.
“Where is Danny?” Junior asked.
“I don’t know…” Jake admitted through his respirator.
“You mean he ain’t with you?” Elijah asked, as if they already knew each other well.
“No…”
“Did he get caught by GENESIS?” Lucy quivered, imagining the worst.
“I’m sure he’s fine. He knows where we are. If he’s not here, I’m sure it’s something important.” Jake pressed the air down in front of him, signaling for them all to calm down. They settled and awaited word from Jake. Jake cleared his throat and cracked his neck.
“We all have something in common. We have taken the leap. We have overwritten our vitals so that GENESIS can no longer monitor us. Make no mistake, this will be viewed as an ‘act of treason’.”
Jake noticed the general mood before him. He knew he would have to rally the troops before they even got started. He cut his speech short and changed his approach. He pulled his respirator down from his mouth, so his voice was clear and unfiltered.
“When we were recruited for Ark-13, we were each given a role to ensure we became a self-sufficient society. But we were told that we would govern ourselves. And now they are taking us if we don’t feel the way they want us to!” Jake’s voice grew grave. He took an oxygenated breath from the respirator as carbon dioxide swirled about.
“If we sit back and don’t do something about this, before we know it, they will take all of us and probably dispose of us until all there is left are the colonists that abide by their rules. I’d rather have died on Earth with the rest of them than be subjected to a life of this emotional slavery. I would’ve told them to leave me behind…”
Jake surveyed the expressions around the circle. Coop nodded as he reflected on his words and Lucy straightened up empowered by the words.
Jake pulled his sleeve up, revealing the armport, and raised his fist.
“What is the difference between a machine and human?” All eyes rose to his.
“A human thinks and feels for himself.”
Elijah’s hand formed a powerful fist. He nodded emphatically, feeling the fire ignite in his gut.
“We are the Insurrection!” Jake kept his fist raised, armport exposed. Elijah raised his fist in unison. Then, Coop and Junior. Lucy looked around the circle and raised hers after scrunching her sleeve up to also reveal her armport. Lastly, Zoe joined.
Together, fists raised, the Insurrection stood cemented in defiance. Smiles cracked as each other eyed each other.
“We’ve already taken the leap. Now we have to work together to make things right.” Jake’s words now met a chorus of agreement, as they all lowered their fists.
“What’s the plan?” Coop asked, as excited as he had ever been.
“Danny has hacked the Q drive. He has a wealth of data for us to use. He has everyone’s messages, he has the surveillance feeds and he has everyone’s vitals but the database assigns an identification number to each colonist’s record. We don’t have the names, though. We need the map that links the names to the identification numbers. This data map is on the X drive. We are going to steal it.” Jake spoke with authority.
“That’s got to be risky. Isn’t that kept in the Vault?” Junior asked.
“Yeah, but I think I’ve found a way in… the air conditioning duct.” Coop shook off the idea, hung up on something.
“Wait…wait…wait… why do we care to hack the X drive anyway? So what if we know everyone’s vitals? What does that do for us?”
“GENESIS monitors us to ensure that our levels indicate that we are happy and obedient. Why can’t we use those same levels to
“Where is Danny?” Junior asked.
“I don’t know…” Jake admitted through his respirator.
“You mean he ain’t with you?” Elijah asked, as if they already knew each other well.
“No…”
“Did he get caught by GENESIS?” Lucy quivered, imagining the worst.
“I’m sure he’s fine. He knows where we are. If he’s not here, I’m sure it’s something important.” Jake pressed the air down in front of him, signaling for them all to calm down. They settled and awaited word from Jake. Jake cleared his throat and cracked his neck.
“We all have something in common. We have taken the leap. We have overwritten our vitals so that GENESIS can no longer monitor us. Make no mistake, this will be viewed as an ‘act of treason’.”
Jake noticed the general mood before him. He knew he would have to rally the troops before they even got started. He cut his speech short and changed his approach. He pulled his respirator down from his mouth, so his voice was clear and unfiltered.
“When we were recruited for Ark-13, we were each given a role to ensure we became a self-sufficient society. But we were told that we would govern ourselves. And now they are taking us if we don’t feel the way they want us to!” Jake’s voice grew grave. He took an oxygenated breath from the respirator as carbon dioxide swirled about.
“If we sit back and don’t do something about this, before we know it, they will take all of us and probably dispose of us until all there is left are the colonists that abide by their rules. I’d rather have died on Earth with the rest of them than be subjected to a life of this emotional slavery. I would’ve told them to leave me behind…”
Jake surveyed the expressions around the circle. Coop nodded as he reflected on his words and Lucy straightened up empowered by the words.
Jake pulled his sleeve up, revealing the armport, and raised his fist.
“What is the difference between a machine and human?” All eyes rose to his.
“A human thinks and feels for himself.”
Elijah’s hand formed a powerful fist. He nodded emphatically, feeling the fire ignite in his gut.
“We are the Insurrection!” Jake kept his fist raised, armport exposed. Elijah raised his fist in unison. Then, Coop and Junior. Lucy looked around the circle and raised hers after scrunching her sleeve up to also reveal her armport. Lastly, Zoe joined.
Together, fists raised, the Insurrection stood cemented in defiance. Smiles cracked as each other eyed each other.
“We’ve already taken the leap. Now we have to work together to make things right.” Jake’s words now met a chorus of agreement, as they all lowered their fists.
“What’s the plan?” Coop asked, as excited as he had ever been.
“Danny has hacked the Q drive. He has a wealth of data for us to use. He has everyone’s messages, he has the surveillance feeds and he has everyone’s vitals but the database assigns an identification number to each colonist’s record. We don’t have the names, though. We need the map that links the names to the identification numbers. This data map is on the X drive. We are going to steal it.” Jake spoke with authority.
“That’s got to be risky. Isn’t that kept in the Vault?” Junior asked.
“Yeah, but I think I’ve found a way in… the air conditioning duct.” Coop shook off the idea, hung up on something.
“Wait…wait…wait… why do we care to hack the X drive anyway? So what if we know everyone’s vitals? What does that do for us?”
“GENESIS monitors us to ensure that our levels indicate that we are happy and obedient. Why can’t we use those same levels to
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