Neos Aion: Episode 3

Chapter 9

4 years ago, November 9
IRIS Beta isolation colony, Central TRINITY Centre, Arizona

The blare of the alarm sirens resounded throughout the entire compound. Staff workers, all of whom were of the Beta humanoid subspecie, rushed frantically as reports and orders were bellowed across the room. The rapid clicking sound of fingers typing on keyboards dominated the room in spite of the ongoing pandemonium.

“We’re under attack!”

“Transfer all network feedback lines to the emergency communications systems! Use satellite feed if you have to! Status report!"

“Negative. All outgoing network lines are being systematically cut off!”

“They’re going after TRINITY.”

“All primary systems and databases are being rerouted through external feedback. We're currently receiving data upload from external terminals. They’re trying to hack into TRINITY sir!”

“Is it coming from TRINITY - IV in Massachusetts?”

“No sir, there are 6 TRINITY systems working together. So far I’ve identified the TRINITY from China, UK, Germany and Japan.”

“The fifth firewall has been breached!”

"Quickly Mr. Horace! Lock out the main computer!"

“Yes sir! Isolating the main database… Negative! The system has been overridden!”

“They’re breaching the next firewall! All backup systems are inoperative!”

***

Evan brisked walked nervously across the corridor, feeling lost in the heat of the sudden commotion. An urgent yellow alert was issued throughout the compound. All civilians were ordered to stand by for emergency evacuation. The atmosphere was tense and riddled with fear and confusion. She quickly called her fiance through her cellphone, "Jamie, I'm scared. What's going on? And where are you?"

“Hey baby. Things are getting really rough here. Level 2 Alert is presently in effect. IRIS legal protection and jurisdiction have been rescinded and command has been transferred to government GAIA. That was the only warning. They tried to capture TRINITY, so I'm working along here at the Central Command Centre to help restore the damage. Fortunately, we’ve been managing to minimise the damage so far. Dr. Kay is currently installing additional defence programs. Things here are really busy I've got to go. Talk to you soon, honey.”

Jamie abruptly hung up the phone before Evan could even get to say goodbye.

Back at the Central Command Centre, Jamie's colleague nudged at him and whispered, “TRINITY is probably just foreplay. The real fire is when GAIA launch an all-out offensive against Headquarters. You'd better tell your girlfriend to stay out of all open corridors. Things have been getting really crazy lately, anything can happen.”

Jamie simply shrugged it off and continued his work, adding a remark, "Well Aaron, I wouldn't want to think that far ahead, let's just hope that doesn't happen. Right now our priority is to restore TRINITY and isolate it from external hacking. Thank God for Dr. Kay, he's really amazing. We're almost done already."

“External feed to TRINITY has been impeded. External access has been cut off for the next 49 hours.”

***

"Well then," said Jamie, sinking his back downwards against his seat, heaving a sigh of relief, "I'm just glad that part is over."

Aaron shrugged and stood up to stretch himself, "I just hope that's the end of it. Meanwhile, we're still to maintain yellow alert so I wouldn't be too happy just yet. But I think I could use a little loosening up from all the heated tension earlier. Care for a cup of coffee?"

"I think I'll be staying at my post for the moment in case something else comes up. I'd gladly appreciate it if you could help bring over a cup of coffee here though. Thanks in advance."

"Alright then. Sure thing man."

As Jamie reclined his back against the back of his seat, his senses were alerted once again as he noticed something ominously amiss.

"Sir, long-range radar sensors are detecting large masses of vehicles spreaded throughout the IRIS outer parameter approaching inwards at high velocity..."

"Can you identify them?"

"No sir, the vehicles are cloaked with EM shielding which is interfering with our sensor feedback. I'm adjusting the sensor settings to compensate the distortion... It's GAIA militia! I'm reading a massive armada of ground trooper, armoured tanks, missile carriers and air fighters!"

"Hail them. Meanwhile, I want someone to call up the GAIA ministry of security. Ask them what the devil is going on."

"Sir, I doubt that's going to be of much use... I'm picking up massive energy readings... They're powering up their cannons and targeting headquarters!"

Shortly after, the radar observatory vehicles stationed outside the IRIS facility were destroyed by the onslaught of raining cannon rounds fired by the armoured tanks and missile carriers.

“We’ve lost radar feed from sectors 13 through 20!”
“A large detachment of GAIAN battalion units have invaded the outer parameter!”

Aaron whispered at Jamie's ear, "What did I tell ya? Shit man, after all we've been through together, our final enemy is still our fellow humans eh."

“All combat personnel proceed to Level One battle stations!”

A wave of air fighters bombarded the turret defence towers. The noise from the explosions reverberated in the northern hub station where a team of three guards stood apprehensively, awaiting battle. A team of stealth operatives approached them silently from behind and as soon as their leader gave the signal, they stabbed all of the guards at the back.

***

IRIS Beta isolation colony, Eastern hub security post, Arizona

"Shit, things are getting really bad huh. First TRINITY, now bombings. What next, invasion?"

"There's no line between insanity and survival."

"We'd better contact the northern hub security post and check how things are faring there."

"Yup."

"Watson to Jacob."

No response. Confused, the guard shrugged and decided to contact another colleague at the post.

"Watson to Carter."

Both of his calls were met with silence. Feeling increasingly anxious, the guard quickly contacted the northern hub security checkpoint.

“What’s happening? RESPOND!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Transmission from the northern hub has been…”

The guards flinched in bewilderment as a defeaning blast shook the room. They barely had time to realised what had happened as they witnessed a nearby armoured vehicle being shot with double bazooka rounds before being killed in the explosion that ensued.

***

Central TRINITY Centre

“Tunnel six has been cut off!”

“Fire in the East No. 4 entrance!”

“Hostile forces have invaded Level 1!”

The chief of security furrowed his eye brows as his red eyes glistened with panic, his teeth gritting and his fists clenching in mingled fury and fear. Desperate to put on a brave and confident front, he pushed himself to remain shrewd and astute in the mayhem, ordering to his staff, "The East side attack is just a decoy! If they're really after 2021, they'll probably go after the scientists first! Tell Dr. Ross and her team to stand by in Shuttle 07, it's imperative that they never capture them."

Meanwhile, the air throughout the entire compound was sickened with terror. Beta civilians along the corridors scrambled hysterically, desperate to reach the escape shuttles quickly as shieldings were raised and magnetic doors were sealed to fend off the onslaught of the invasion army.

“Full lockdown has been instigated, commencing at Level 2. All non-combat personnel must evacuate via Route 37 immediately! I repeat…”

KABOOM! Petrified screams of terror swept across the evacuation alleys as the invading soldiers detonated the safety shieldings and magnetic doors, blasting their way through. Many Beta were killed or incapacitated in the bombings, leaving the rest of the crowd shrieking in disorientation and scattering in disarray as the human invaders mercilessly swept their deadly fire across the area.

“No. 2 underground barricade has been destroyed.”

“Enemy forces have begun invading Level 2.”

“There’s nothing more we can possibly do to hold them off. Our defeat has become inevitable.”

“No response from Level 2!”

“Contact has been lost with control room 9D!”

“Internal maglev tracks 34 through 42 have been destroyed!”

***

Soldiers fired their battle rifles indiscriminately at the members of the Beta community. Massive civilian casualties were seen along corridors as people rushed to evacuate the colony. A girl was being shot dead for carrying her wounded mother who was bleeding profusely at the stomach and legs. A young couple was fired upon as they tried to run away, tumbling down a flight of stairs which they were darting towards. An elderly man stayed behind to quickly address the open wounds of a dying little boy; upon being confronted with a troupe of soldiers, he cried for mercy and appealed to their sense of humanity -- alas, he and the boy were both shot squarely at the head afterwards. Bloodcurling shrieks and screams howled as expecting mothers, medical staff and newborns were burnt alive in the maternity department in the hospital as soldiers blasted the rooms with a flamethrower. Dead bodies were strewn all over the place as soldiers rushed across them to resume the bloodbath.

***

“Level 3 Block D has been invaded! There’s no stopping them!”

“Enemy presence confirmed in Block G!”

“Main bypass is under fire!”

“Seal off Levels 1 through 3! Order a full retreat! Release molten PSM through all passages up through section 670!”

"Sir, there are still civilians on Level 3!"

"We have no choice. We need to slow those humans down before they get to more of us. Don't let their sacrifices be in vain. Do it NOW!"

"Aye, sir!"

***

Trapped Beta civilians and human soldiers alike cried in pain and horror as they squirmed helplessly in the scaldingly hot molten plastarch material that gradually filled up the levels. Evan gasped in hyperventilation as she desperately sprinted across the corridor to reach the stairway. She had to reach the closing safety hatch before it sealed off the 3rd Level. Her will to survive pushed her to ignore the seething pain of melted plastic on her skin.

The trauma of fear and pain was barely teething on the edge of her threshold of sanity when Evan's consciousness returned back into reality at the snap of the priest's fingers.

"Are you okay?" asked the priest.

Evan simply looked down at her half-empty cup. She had tried all her life suppressing the trauma and forgetting the pain. And yet now she was to recount everything and relive it all over again. Her tension was evident in her fingernails compulsively scratching the edge of the cup. She held in a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves down.