AMP Armageddon by Stephen Arseneault Page B

inside that active skin will be drawn to the point of contact by the gravity beam. Let’s hope your theory holds. Now, how do we keep from obliterating that complex with the beam when that skin shuts off?"
    Frig replied, "The containment structure allows control of the gravity beam with any level from none all the way to all that is available. I will first conduct a sweep at 5 percent. If that doesn’t yield results, I will increase the level by 5 percent again.
    "Once we are certain we have discovered the complex, I will attempt a glancing beam at slightly higher levels for short bursts until we have the desired result."
    I nodded. "Sounds reasonable. Let’s get this fired up."
    When the containment plating reached maximum saturation, the inner active skin was disabled. The plates were immediately pulled in the direction of the black hole, but the design of the great machine kept them firmly in place.
    Frig spoke. "Containment is online and holding, Sir. I will initiate a beam with a two-degree spread. If we miss our target, we do not want this beam to travel further on and cause destruction elsewhere."
    The initial test was successful by all our available methods of test. A sweep of the Thyris system did not return results. The beam concentration level was moved to 10 percent and another sweep performed. On our eighth attempt, a tiny beam of light shone in our direction.
    Frig spoke. "Adjusting to 45 percent, Sir. There! You can just make out the spherical shape against the background! The complex is real, and it is in the Thyris system!"
    At 50 percent concentration, the complex became a pitch-black orb with a single spot of brilliant light shining directly back towards the containment structure. After pinpointing the exact edge of the sphere, Frig adjusted the beam spread to a single degree. The light beam emanating from the black orb spread out as a rainbow of colors from the perpendicular point of contact with the active skin.
    At one-half-degree beam spread, Frig began to increase the gravity level concentration while changing the continuity to extremely short bursts. At 80 percent, we were rewarded with a flash as the active skin shut down and the silvery-white sodium exterior of the Duke’s complex came into view.
    I shook my head. "I just don’t know what to say. I never would have believed we could have concocted such a scheme to get ourselves in there. In fact, I think I’m a little overwhelmed myself right now."
    Frig replied, "Well, Sir. You had better get yourself together. You now have to go into that complex and then locate our people without the Duke killing you."
    I sighed. "Hmm. I can always count on you to bring me back to reality, can’t I. OK, well, take us up to it so I can get aboard before he gets that skin back online."
    Frig pulled up the wormhole generator controls on his holo-display. "No need for that, Sir. I can open a portal from our hold into that complex. You only need to step through. I will continue our efforts from here until such time as you signal that you require a pickup."
    I replied, "And if the Duke gets the active skin back online?"
    Frig smiled. "Then it will be to your benefit to shut it down from inside, Sir. You will not be able to signal me that you have the location, and I cannot open a wormhole for your exit with that skin being active."
    I shook my head as I pulled on my helmet. "You just continue to be full of good news."
    I turned back to Quan. "Quan, what can I expect as far as trouble once I am on that complex? Are there any soldiers? Colossun androids? Ion cannons on every hall? What should I be prepared for?"
    Quan replied, "There are one million hardened androids aboard the complex. Until such time as you create a disturbance, you should be able to move about undetected with your BHD. If any interaction occurs, the androids and the sensors in and around the complex will be directed towards your elimination. As I stated, there has never been an incursion at the