[H1]The Archive[/h1]

“Intriguing! This could be an archive, cold-stored to maintain integrity through millions of boot ups.” Dr Zimmermann chattered excitedly, sifting through their findings so far. “Freyr, you seeing this?”

“Umm...yeah. Sorry.” Freyr muttered, massaging her eye sockets. She put her hands on the holo-map console and blinked hard a few times. It felt like she had a migraine coming on, which should’ve been impossible. She closed her eyes again, and a voice rang out as if they were right in front of her.

[i]“Mom, what’s this one?” Amy looked up at her with wide eyes, a tiny finger pointing to the 3D fish projected from the holopad. A gentle wave lapped against Freyr’s toes, leaving a soft pillow of foam.[/i]

“No…” Freyr managed a hoarse whisper, otherwise transfixed in place. She couldn’t move.

[hr]595 studied the bright hole in the floor and bit her lip. She considered sending a virus in there to reconnoitre, but didn’t want to aggravate the Navigator anymore than they probably already had. [i]”So you are learning…”[/i] a familiar voice whispered part of a muffled sentence in her ear. She looked sharply around, but saw no one apart from the Rothian soldiers on her other side.

She shook her head. “Fuck it. Take my hand.” 595 holstered her main gun and grasped the rugged alloy of Vreta’s armoured palm, ignoring his protests. “Don’t let go.” She directed a brave smile straight at the spook’s visor and winked, then her visor slid back over her face. The red targeting triangle blinked on, and 595 began walking them carefully towards the edge of the hole. She was leaning towards it at a thirty degree angle, holding Vreta’s hand at full stretch behind her.

[hr][i]”That’s an Outreman Anglerfish.”[/i] Freyr heard herself say in her head. She felt a tear squeeze through the gap in her clenched eyelids. [i]“They use a bioluminescent fin to lure other animals into biting range. They’re very similar to deep-sea predators on other worlds, and we’re not sure why.” Freyr stroked Amy’s head, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes. “Eww, he’s ugly.” Amy stuck her tongue out, then laughed and looked up at her.[/i] 

“It’s not real, it’s not real.” Freyr whispered, bent over the console. With a titanic effort, she raised a hand above her head. She patted herself on the back of the head, willing the seizure to end. She was vaguely aware of people talking, but couldn’t hear what they said.

[hr]On closer inspection, the liquid in the hatchway was more like a gel. It lapped against 595’s boot as she carefully planted it next to the edge. She checked her grip on Vreta was solid, then carefully leaned over to take a look.

The bright light initially dazzled her screen and sensors, then subsided to a bearable level. It illuminated the walls of the square hatchway as it plunged into the depths of the cube below. The gel seemed to go down for miles, ending in blackness at the bottom. She could see moving parts, like clockwork intersecting the tunnel.

[i]“You’ve been selected from your peers to realise our true cause. Congratulations...Agent 595.” The Director-General smiled at her.[/i]