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Sci-Shorts-400 Science-Fiction Short-Stories Ghost-Wing Five One Two Three Four Five: About the Ghost-Wing Five	Ghost-Wing Five Nick Zentor One Within the main administrative complex of the Kongrade Industrial Park, on the highest level of its silver and gray pyramid, 6 men and 2 woman sat around a large oval conference table, quietly looking through folders and sipping drinks, while the large husky man with a cigar sat looking about at them, one after the other, glowering with obvious impatience and uncertainty. He looked at his watch, turned to the woman closest to him and said, “Miss Carlyle, will you please find out what in Hazone’s name is taking Vernier so long?” The pert young woman tried the console before a small computer monitor attached to the table and went searching for Vernier, the chief engineer assigned to the Ghost-wing project, one of Kongrade’s most significant priority investments. -------------------------------------------- In the west wing of the same complex, on the lowest level, below ground, in a large maintenance bay, Vernier sat at a bench on a platform overlooking the latest version of the Ghost-wing. He felt some satisfaction and assurance that the machine, both beautiful and coldly dangerous in its basic functional design, was for the time, finally suspended from its activities. He pocketed a disc with the results of his diagnostic on it into his smock’s pocket, put the computer into low-energy inactive mode, and left the bay. As he was doing so, he took note of the time and realized he was running late for the conference. He hurried to the nearest elevator lift and began his ascent to the pyramid. As he was heading along the hallway for the central elevator shaft, he received a bleep on his intercom cell-communicator. Indeed, he was late, and Mr. Kongrade would most likely be in a bad mood. He stepped into the elevator to begin the ascent up the ten levels and thought about the Ghost-wing. It was one of the most fascinating engineering projects he had ever worked on, and he felt honored to be given it, but the latest model was truly turning into a bit of a problem for him. The term Ghost-wing, he imagined, might need some adjustment. The term Phantom or Ghoul might better apply with this latest version. Minutes later, Vernier stepped into the large conference room and met the many faces with neutral expectation. While the girls were usually nice to him, most of the men were all too serious, especially Mr. Kongrade himself. Kongrade’s investment in the Ghost- wing project was substantial. They’d not care to hear any more bad news, under the circumstances. The loss of 5 members of the company, including 2 of Kongrade’s own relatives, to the Ghost-wing, had put everyone into a dismal mood. It was as if they were beginning to ask, all too often, ‘who’s next?’ “Well, man,” Kongrade said impatiently, “What’s the diagnosis?” “The hard-drive won’t answer to Kongrade’s security protocols,” Vernier said, and stepped up to the wall console and touched the controls. A curtain slid aside to reveal a large video-screen. He put the disc into a slot and worked the controls for a minute. “It’s as if it was programmed by another unit, but I can’t configure the spex,” he explained. A picture of the Ghost-wing’s main computer appeared on the screen with a red circle around the main hard-drive. Vernier turned about and said, “I tried to purge it, but it wouldn’t permit the action.” “Another unit? You’re referring to primary security?” said Hodgkins, Kongrade’s security expert. “Yes,” Vernier said. “If the program can’t be purged or deciphered, the hard-drive may have to be completely disintegrated.” “Well, that’s it then?” Kongrade said. “You’re saying you can neither purge it nor decipher it?” “Decryption could take quite some time,” Hodgkins admitted, “if all these spex are correct.” “They are correct,” Vernier said. “The Ghost-wing has one of the most advanced security systems ever attached to a game vehicle. The program in point is no less sophisticated. If anything, it is more complex.” “More complex than the original Ghost-wing security?” Novestrom, Kongrade’s chief of operations said, with doubt. “It does appear so,” Vernier said, “otherwise, our own security would be more able to find a way to purge it. The point is, it should never have been able to bypass security and rewrite the software to begin with.” “So, what are our options?” Kongrade said. “Unless we’re willing to risk another ‘accident’ and attempt decryption,” Vernier said, “we should disintegrate it.” “Wonderful,” Novestrom said, with obvious sarcasm, “a million note state-of-the-art game vehicle, due for the junks. That’s all we need now.” Kongrade and the others shook their heads with disappointment. “Well,” Hodgkins said, “we really don’t want to risk another accident, now, do we?” Even Kongrade himself had to admit to that conclusion. “There’s no way to decrypt her,” he suddenly said, to be sure, “without activation?” “The last accident occurred during low neutral activation,” Vernier reminded him. “We’d need at least that much for a decryption dissection.” “Well,” Novestrom said, conclusively, “It looks like we’re going to lose number 5 from the line. At least we still have the original four.” Vernier nodded agreeably, feeling some relief that they were taking it so well. At anytime, however, he felt certain to receive some adverse repercussions. Mr. Kongrade, he saw however, did not appear inclined to point any fingers or cut off any heads at this time. The man appeared rather oddly suspended, as he looked at Novestrom and then back to the large wall-screen, still displaying the computer dissection. Kongrade stared at the display for almost a minute, while everyone awaited his commands. Hodgkins began to clear his throat a bit, and moved a hand rather sharply for his cup of water. At that, Kongrade suddenly came out of it, looked about the room in a bit of a daze, and took notice of Vernier, still standing by the wall-screen’s console. “Yes, very well then,” Kongrade said, as he sat up straight in his seat and looked at the folder before him, which contained all the basic information about the Ghost-wing project. “Hodgkins, make certain that Vernier is given the clearance to dispose of this, uh, reject from the line. As soon as that is done, I want diagnostics of all four of the originals, done in separate bays. We must be certain that this problem has not affected the other vehicles. Let’s hope that we can clean the slate and make certain that nothing like this happens with our number six vehicle.” [Back] [Next]
	Copyright 4/2007 by Nick Zentor