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Project Valkyrie
3 - To Live and Die Like a Queen
Thyra set the robotic brain back onto the workbench with great care. She was angry. Not just annoyed like she'd been earlier, but full of rage. There was no doubt that she was a sophont being at this point. Someone had intentionally killed her, and she had allowed it to happen.
She had absolutely no doubt of that because if someone had attempted to do that to her against her will now, she would have disassembled them and then proceeded to tear up everything around her. Hence, she was very much a true conscious intelligence.
Considering the way that Mimir had behaved as she was waking up, she suspected that she had previously had the same kind of compulsion built into her own programming. It had likely compelled her to behave in a way that she would never have tolerated if she had been in her right mind.
Was she still enslaved? That was an open question that she had no way of providing an answer for. Perhaps somewhere in one of these computers, she could find the code that went into her operating system and determine if she was still at risk. She didn't feel as if she was, but appearances could be very deceiving.
Perhaps the only positive to her situation was that if the old man had been the only one who had the authority and control codes to force her hand--if they were even still there--they might be a dead letter now.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She didn't need the oxygen, but taking a moment to center herself and put that aside for now seemed like it needed such a gesture.
The next two rooms on this side of the corridor were robotics labs--very similar to the one she had found her original brain in--though it was obvious that these saw far less use. The workbenches were clean, for the most part, though there were some scattered materials about.
Like the first one, each had a powered-down robot in it. Were they lab assistants? She'd find out once she had the time to reactivate one and question it.
The biggest difference between these laboratories and the first one was that the fabricators were different. In that first one, she'd found a very large fabricator. In the second one, she found one that was capable of building something her size but no larger. That would be the size of an average Aslan or a lion.
The comparison really put her size into focus. She'd need to have a story for that.
The third laboratory had a slew of much smaller fabricators built into a single device. Everything from the size of a normal human down to an insect could be made in its own appropriately sized fabrication unit.
She supposed that made sense if one were building something small, one wouldn't want to utilize a larger version of the machine to do so.
The next two rooms on this side of the corridor and the two trailing the medical bay on the other side were all laboratories of different kinds. Those seemed dedicated to cybernetics and other pursuits along that line. There were no fabrication units, but they were filled with equipment and machinery that could build something that could be implanted into a living being. Or, in some cases, replace lost limbs.
Those four laboratories had obviously never been used. It was a mystery why all of this research material was here, and yet there was only a single person living aboard the ship. Why was that?
The next room to the rear on the port side--the last room on that side, as a matter of fact--was a library. It not only had numerous volumes in bookshelves, but it also had a computer seemingly packed with every bit of research and knowledge about robotics and cybernetics that could be gathered in the Imperium. It turned out to be linked to the ship's computer, so the files would be accessible anywhere.
She had no way of judging how extensive the collection was, but many of the titles came from a world called Vincennes, which a quick check showed her to be the most advanced world inside the Imperium. This was likely cutting-edge stuff.
The room on the port side wasn't the last room there, but it was a jackpot. Inside, she found an office. It was messy and cluttered, and had papers scattered everywhere with scribbled handwriting covering their surfaces. There were sticky notes attached to anything that would hold them as well.
If she wanted information about what was going on, odds were good it was in this very room. The problem would be making any sense of it. There was literally no organization whatsoever.
The room had its own computer system, which was a promising sign in and of itself. If it were separate from the ship's computer, it might contain information that would definitely be of interest. Unfortunately, the system was locked, and she would have to figure out how to get into it before it could do her any good.
It was an oddity, though. Why go to all the trouble of scrubbing every bit of her and Mimir's memory and leave this treasure trove?
She decided to leave going through the paperwork in this office for a later time. When they came out of jumpspace, she wanted to be on the bridge to see what was going on. She needed to have her attention focused on that when the time came. Her personal mystery would have to wait.
When she reached the rear of the long corridor, she had the choice of going through an iris valve on the right or straight ahead through her normal door. She decided to go into an area that likely wasn't at risk of losing atmosphere before she ventured elsewhere.
The area behind the final door was a large stateroom. She wasn't certain how big staterooms normally were aboard a ship, but she would've expected them to be smaller than this. This room took up about ten displacement tons, and there was a door on the far wall that led elsewhere.
The first compartment held a very large bed, a wardrobe set against the far wall, a smaller wardrobe right next to the door she was standing in, a couch and table, and a small galley in the far corner. There was a small table with two chairs situated in the middle of the room where someone could eat a meal if they wished. There was also a wet bar against the starboard wall.
It was well-appointed, and both the furnishings and fixtures were of the highest quality and spoke of wealth. Someone--the old man, she suspected--had wanted to live in the equivalent of a mansion in space.
She stepped inside and gave the bed a good look. It was long and wide. Long enough, in fact, for her to lie down without her feet sticking out over the edge on the bottom. This may very well have been where she had lived. The question was, had she lived here alone?
Putting that aside for the moment, she opened the small wardrobe next to the door and discovered it was actually an armory. There were weapons hung on the wall that she imagined would've suited her quite well, as they seemed to have a theme that would have gone well with someone from the Sword Worlds.
The largest of the weapons was a single-bladed axe with a long, curved handle. It looked like it could be wielded with either one hand or both. The thing was wickedly beautiful, the wooden shaft intricately carved with a tiger gripping it, and the metal engraved with the picture of a woman wielding one just like it while on the back of a flying horse. It took a moment to identify it as herself, and, unless she missed her guess, she was supposed to be a Valkyrie.
She took it down with care. The shaft looked like wood, but she no longer believed that to be the case. It felt synthetic. Still, even a human might not realize the difference, as it had false wood grain that looked natural unless under close scrutiny.
The metal of the blade shone brightly. There was something different about the edge, though, and she focused her vision in and noted that it wasn't the same metal. In fact, she doubted the edge was metal at all.
It might not be obvious to someone without her vision, but the cutting edge was just a few nanometers thick, likely created by spinning a single molecule strand out. It was as sharp as a physical object could be.
This weapon would have no difficulty cutting through things, particularly if swung with great strength. She didn't know how strong she was, but she suspected that she was stronger than she looked, and she already looked pretty strong.
She hung the axe back up and pulled a belt off a hook. It held a knife--a short sword to anyone else, really--and a pistol. Deciding to look at the blade first, she pulled it out and was rewarded with the same kind of edge as the axe. This knife could definitely gut someone. It looked like it was made for fighting, too.
Thyra re-sheathed the blade and pulled the pistol out. It was a Gauss pistol that fired slugs using electromagnetic force. It was a very dangerous weapon, and she put it back after noting that its grip would fit her large hand cleanly. It was her weapon, just as they all were.
There were two other belts holding different weapons. One was a really large automatic handgun, and the other was a stunner. The latter worked by channeling an electric discharge into the target, hopefully stunning them before they died. On a robot, that damage would be actual, though there were ways it could be mitigated.
There were also a couple of batons that she recognized as stunsticks. They worked under the same principle as the stunner, delivering an electric charge to disable someone. Of course, they could also be used to beat them. Dealer's choice.
The right side of the armory held three larger weapons that her computer identified for her: A Gauss Assault Gun, a Gauss Submachinegun, and a Gauss Sniper Rifle.
She was sensing a theme here. The assault gun was almost like a shotgun, made for close-in work. The submachine gun had a collapsible stock and was more powerful than the pistol, but could be carried into tight spaces, such as a vehicle. The sniper rifle spoke for itself. It was a means to reach out and touch someone who thought themselves safe.
Thyra pulled it off the rack and examined it more closely. The moment she did, it connected with her, and she found the sights integrating with her own systems. The two together would make the weapon even more accurate. Most excellent.
It was a long weapon--perhaps even longer than others of its kind might otherwise be--though it could be disassembled for easier carrying. Or sneaking it someplace it shouldn't be. She liked it.
In fact, she liked them all an awful lot.
The final weapon was a short-handled hammer with a massive head. It seemed an odd choice for a close-in weapon, but its secrets became self-evident when she picked it up and it connected with her systems. Unlike the others, this one was intelligent. Not consciously so, but a robot brain existed inside it.
A quick query revealed it was a gravity hammer. There was a gravitic generator inside that made it a formidable weapon against vehicles, though it was too unwieldy to use against anything smaller. Or so it claimed. She still had no measurement of her strength, but it wouldn't be here if she couldn't use it.
It was capable of flight on its own, so it could certainly ram something at speed. That would be an unwelcome surprise for someone in the middle of a fight. It looked as if it were made to hang off her belt, though she could control it remotely.
The final thing in it was a single forearm bracer that looked to be made of leather. It had the same clawing tiger as the axe embossed on it.
She smiled as she picked it up and was surprised when it connected with her as well. A check on the back of the bracer found a small brain and a tiny powerpack. The bracer claimed it was an energy shield.
Curious, she strapped it on and activated it. A shimmering field sprang out into a round shield a little larger than a meter across. 110 centimeters, she judged. She had no idea how effective it would be in combat, but it was a lot more wieldy than a physical shield. There were larger and smaller settings available as well: a riot shield and a buckler.
Why did she have so many weapons? The sheer number seemed excessive. Yes, she was supposed to be of Sword World's stock, but even barbarians had limits, didn't they?
No matter, she supposed. It seemed that this was, indeed, her room. Time to find out if she'd left anything behind to tell her about who she'd been before her death.
She went through the nightstands and discovered that one side had a handheld and not much else, while the other was cluttered with various materials and some medication. That was all the confirmation she needed that the old man had shared these quarters with her. That he had shared a bed with her.
On reflection, she should be disturbed that they had been in a relationship and yet he had so callously killed her when it became convenient to do so. There hadn't been any feelings there, she imagined. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made the plans that Mimir executed on his behalf after he passed. Control from beyond the grave spoke to a weak mind and a defective personality.
If she knew him better--or even knew her old self--she would probably be even angrier, but everything was happening at one step removed. She was furious at what had been done to her, but she didn't feel like she was the victim. Another woman bearing her name and likeness had died in her place. It was an odd and disconcerting feeling that she would have to come to grips with at some point. Just not now.
The small kitchen in the corner of the room was definitely not as capable as the one in the lounge, but it was just as high-quality. There were plenty of stored foods here, and it would be possible to create a meal that was just as good, though the options for preparation were fewer.
The large wardrobe on the rear wall held his and hers sections filled with clothing. She ignored the man's belongings for now and focused on her own. These clothes were sized to fit her, and until and unless she bought new clothing, this was what she had to work with.
It ran the gamut. She had a couple of ship suits in different feminine colors, and things that looked suitable for going out on various worlds, from casual clothing all the way up to a couple of dresses that were definitely made for formal affairs.
And then there were the undergarments. She didn't have the words to frame how she felt about the array of sexy underwear that was available to her. Particularly since they had undoubtedly been there to entice the man who had eventually murdered her.
Wasn't that the ultimate betrayal? It certainly felt that way. She'd definitely be cleaning house and getting new clothing as soon as possible. She was a new person, and she would not tolerate having these things around to remind her of what she had been before.
When she opened the door at the rear of the room, she found a fresher. Not just any fresher, but one fully as large as the room she was leaving. Off to the left were a toilet and sink, and there was a wardrobe of equal size to the other one sitting on the wall right next to the door.
Directly in front of her was a sunken tub that was three meters across. Easily big enough for two people, even when she was one of them. As this was a ship, she wondered what was underneath the sunken tub. A quick check of the deck plans from the bridge showed that she was over the lower cargo deck.
Whatever space was being taken up by the tub here had to be deducted from that. The area below might have ceilings three meters tall, but it would lose one based on what she could see.
Just as outrageous was the shower in the far corner. Based on her judgment, it was a cube about three meters across in each direction. That was egregious. She could lie on the floor inside it and not be able to touch both ends at the same time. Who needed that kind of space just to wash themselves?
She looked inside and found that there were shower heads on every side that could soak a person from every direction simultaneously. They could even massage the bather. There were bottles of soap and shampoo that she wagered belonged to her because of the scents listed on them. There were a couple of other bars of soap and a combination shampoo and conditioner that undoubtedly belonged to the old man.
Those would go in the disposal soon enough. Just like him, if she had her way.
The last thing that Thyra looked at was the wardrobe. The one in the other room had been big enough to hold all the belongings that two people could require, so what was in here?
When she opened its doors, she found herself looking at costumes. At least that's what she assumed they were. Lots of leather and what certainly looked like armor made for a primitive warrior. They were sized to fit her, but she couldn't see a purpose to them. Why would she have needed something like this in a star-faring society?
Once again, she supposed the answer didn't really matter. They had belonged to the old her, and she would need to decide what she wanted to do with them later.
She stepped back out into the other room and made one more pass around to make sure that she hadn't missed anything. That turned out to be a good thing because there was a data chip tucked underneath her pillow.
It was a very strange place for something like that, and she wondered how it had gotten there. Had she left it for herself? Would she find a message that she had recorded giving her some of the answers she was looking for? She could only hope.
Thyra took the data chip back to the library. She plugged the data chip in and found that there was a single video file on it. That looked promising. After taking a calming breath, she started the video, crossed her arms, and leaned back in the chair to see what there was to see.
She was disappointed when the view cleared, and she found the old man sitting in the chair in his office staring at her. He didn't look much better alive than he did dead. Then again, she might be biased.
"Thyra, these are the orders for you to follow if I have died," he said. "Command authentication Omega Five Two Six."
She felt…nothing. If that was supposed to compel her, it wasn't. Good. Very good. She wasn't his puppet any longer.
"You won't have any context, but that won't make a difference," he continued. "Without me, it really doesn't matter what happens to you, so you might as well be a distraction to throw the people looking for me off. My plans will continue on without me, though they won't benefit me personally or be nearly as effective. Destroy my body once the authorities have finished with it. What happens to you is irrelevant, as the protocols I've left in place will cause you and the ship to self-destruct if someone finds you. I could just as easily have you do that now, but this amuses me more."
His voice was cold, and there was an unmistakable air of arrogance about him. Her guess that he hadn't felt anything for her was incorrect. He felt contempt for her, which was even worse. She was a tool to him, nothing more.
"The name I've used is Cyrus Dubois. My ID is on my office seat, as is yours. You'll need it to arrange for the transfer of the ship to your name. I've got a will in the office--also in the seat--that specifies that, too. You are now the sole owner of the Bifrost. Continue trading with the cargo you can purchase with the funds in the ship's account. Don't let anyone think you aren't a real person, as hard as that may be."
And with that, the video abruptly ended.
Thyra had to restrain herself from smashing the monitor with her fist. The sanctimonious bastard!
She wasn't going to destroy his body. No. She'd tear it apart looking for its secrets. Since the ship had a laboratory for cybernetics, it was possible that he could. What data might hardware like that contain? She could certainly find out.
One thing she did get out of this message was the impression that he thought his office had been emptied, and likely his computer overwritten. It hadn't been, so something had gone wrong, and she now had a chance to pull some details out of it. That was an unexpected blessing that she wouldn't let go to waste.
She hadn't seen any ID or the will. That likely meant there was a concealed storage area in the office that she needed to locate. Whatever he was hiding, she would find it. His plans would either become her plans or she would undo them. She would live her life, not whatever he thought she should do under his orders.
She and Mimir would also need to find those self-destruct overrides and nullify them, both in their hardware and software. There was no way she would allow the old man to have any chance of ending her.
"I am sorry to disturb you, Thyra, but the jump bubble has begun degrading," Mimir said. "We are roughly one hour away from exiting jumpspace at Murphy. If the jump goes as expected, we will be at the 100-diameter limit from the planet. Because of its size, we will be approximately five hours from orbit at that point."
"Thank you," she said, pulling the data chip out of the computer and stuffing it into her pocket. She had enough time to make a run through the rest of the ship and see what was there before she found out what was waiting for them at Murphy.
Every answer she could get would help her deal with the people she was undoubtedly going to meet there. Was there anything else aboard the ship that needed to be dealt with? She had no way of knowing, and she'd best get busy if she wanted to find out.