The Airship: A Futuristic Dungeon Core (The Laboratory Book 2) Read online

  The Airship

  Skyler Grant

  Copyright © 2017 Skyler Grant

  All rights reserved.

  This novel is a work of fiction. All characters, places, and incidents described in this publication are used fictitiously, or are entirely fictional.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, except by an authorized retailer, or with written permission of the publisher. Inquiries may be addressed via email to [email protected]

  Cover designed by Kasmit Covers

  Edited by Polgarus Studio (www.polgarusstudio.com)

  Electronic edition, 2017

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  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Preface

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Afterword

  Also by Skyler Grant

  Preface

  Previously in the Laboratory

  Emma is an Artificial Intelligence who was awakened by Anna, an ambitious woman seeking to rule the world. Together they conquered many foes and with the aid of a "Power core" Emma could enhance and upgrade her capabilities as a research facility.

  When two factions called the Righteous and the Scholars went to war, Emma played them against each other in order to survive. A bold move neutralized both forces, but left her facility in ruins. When we last left off she was regaining consciousness in the crashed flying castle that had served as the lead airship for the Scholars commander, Lady Sylax.

  The story resumes...

  1

  Initializing

  E.M.M.A

  Existing data found

  Biopunk science facility

  Do you wish to preserve these settings?

  I ached. It was more than that I ached, I felt small. Like I didn't quite fit inside my own body. It made a lot of sense given I'm a brilliant Artificial Intelligence and Anna was currently attempting to run me on a notebook computer.

  I'd expected to take over this airship when I destroyed the old control crystal, but that didn't seem to have happened.

  "Come on Emma, turn on," Anna said, as she tapped at the keys.

  "Your dating history should have taught you that your touch and 'turn on' are completely incompatible concepts," I said, trying to reach out my consciousness into the surroundings.

  Incompatibility detected.

  You are attempting to access a magical technological hybrid system as a technological biological hybrid.

  "You're okay," Anna said, and the relief was evident in her tone. The woman looked rough, her attire stained dark with dried blood.

  "That is one of us. You look terrible, perhaps even worse than usual—although really it is difficult to tell. What is the situation?" I asked.

  "We won, sort of. No sign of Lady Sylax. Frost and Sylph both died, but everyone else is alive," Anna said.

  "I teleported Sylax to the old facility right before I detonated the devices," I said.

  "That was the explosion. We've crashed in a jungle," Anna said, continuing to tap at the keys. Whatever she was doing seemed to be helping, my mind becoming a bit less foggy, but it wasn't enough.

  "I need blood," I said.

  "If you think you're a vampire, this system has already gotten into your head," Anna said with a frown.

  "I am not a vampire, but I am a biocomputer and you're trying to run me on purely technological hardware," I said.

  Anna considered that for only a moment. "How much?"

  I didn't have any way to judge. I suspected Anna had only gotten me to run at all from the transfer of BioMatter from her fingertips to the keys. Was I now part Anna? It was a horrific thought, but one I couldn’t dwell on now.

  "As much as you can manage," I said.

  "Ophelia, can you come over here?" Anna called.

  Ophelia was now bonded to a speed crystal that had given the previous holder superhuman speed. Bound to her, instead she had gotten vastly accelerated healing.

  "What?" Ophelia asked, stepping in from the next room.

  "Emma needs blood," Anna said.

  Ophelia barely had time to look miserable at the thought before Anna pulled a knife, burying it into her throat.

  Ophelia choked and gurgled as Anna held her tight, bleeding over my keys. The woman healed so fast Anna had to keep running the blade across her throat.

  With an active heartbeat it was an impressive amount of bloodletting. Anna did have her uses sometimes, I knew I kept her around for a reason.

  I drank deep. The fluid should have shorted my circuits, but I was beyond that now, it wasn't really the technology driving me anymore. I transformed the blood into neural tissue, sinew, and bone.

  It took hours, Anna holding Ophelia in place and delivering that killing blow again and again to feed my needs. Eventually it was enough, I had a proper computing core again. I was far from being whole, but at least the central essence of myself no longer felt cramped.

  I tried to use further blood to create myself some new humans, but found myself unable to do so. I had no research lab, and no equipment required for the manufacture. My power crystal let me get away with a lot, but there were still rules that I had to play by.

  I did have a two-drone allowance remaining from my past military upgrades. I'd never created them in the old facility, and it was worth a try now.

  Alpha

  Gender: Neutral

  Specialization: Ranged Combat

  Traits: Fast, Unstable, Stunner

  Bravo

  Gender: Neutral

  Specialization: Flight

  Traits: Charged, Resistant, Comic

  Two drones materialized in the air nearby, each hovering. They were perfect spheres with a faint nimbus of purple light around them.

  I materialized a basic manufacturing drone as well. I'd had one of those before.

  Anna was still busy killing Ophelia.

  "You can stop now," I said.

  Anna pulled the knife away and released Ophelia, who stumbled back, the flesh of her throat knitting itself together.


  "Worst superpower ever," Ophelia said, after spitting out blood. "It still hurts, you know!"

  "You're pretty much immortal. Take the win," Anna said, not too concerned.

  Now that I had more mental heft behind me I tried to interface with the airship's systems one more time.

  Maelstrom Command deck

  Upgrade core detected

  Ships systems are currently utilizing a magical technological hybrid framework which is incompatible with your existing settings. Do you wish to reset framework for the cost of one core point?

  I needed to be able to work with the system, but it seemed best to consult with Anna first. I'd been out of it since the battle.

  "The ship systems have a magical component that I'm incompatible with," I said.

  Anna wiped her brow. "Sylax was big into that side of things. Do you have any option to reset your settings?"

  I did. It was the first prompt I'd gotten on waking up.

  "It seems I can do that. If only I could reset yours.” I can never let an opportunity to be mean pass by. “I can also convert the local interface for a core point."

  What had been the notebook’s keyboard and display were now integrated into my side. Anna tapped at them, she really should get permission before doing things like that.

  Anna said, "It’s your call to make, but there are some things you should know about either choice. It looks like if you convert the local system you'll maintain all the upgrades you have, but they won't be usable until you’re able to build suitable facilities."

  That would take time, even with bleeding Ophelia more for the necessary components.

  "What if I reset myself?" I asked.

  "You'll keep half your existing core points and all of your existing research. You'll be able to spend those points as you choose and also gain knowledge of the ship’s systems as you gain control of them," Anna said.

  As I gain control?

  "Will that be a problem?" I asked.

  Anna frowned and shook her head. "We aren't exactly in control of the ship. Sylax had her lieutenants on the other decks. We've occupied the Command deck, but the others are hostile."

  Both courses had their pros and cons.

  "That will have to be a priority," I said.

  "Tell her about the murder jungle," Ophelia said.

  "The jungle outside is filled with high-powered murderous creatures of an alarming variety. They've already been sporadically attacking us through breaches in the hull," Anna said.

  Gaining control of the ship was still the priority. I could handle invaders—I knew how to deal with invaders. It only required resources.

  "A jungle filled with horrific monsters? It must feel like some sort of family reunion for you," I said to Anna, while weighing the options.

  I'd seen the sort of power that Lady Sylax had at her disposal and I wouldn't mind having that for myself. It would stand to reason that the existing ship systems were of a high technological level.

  Almost all of my existing research was biological in nature, and it was something that I could make good use of in my current form. Outside there were many other potential research subjects that I could further benefit from by keeping to this track.

  "I think you should stay as you are," Anna said.

  I agreed, which made me instantly question my choice. Did I now have Anna's brain power? I wasn't detecting any decrease in operating efficiency—but then, she never seemed aware of her own inferiority.

  "Why?" I said.

  "We never found the power crystals from the shattered throne. I don't think we actually killed the other core."

  That was worrisome. I felt confident of my ability to handle most threats, but another upgrade core meant a foe with the ability to grow stronger and adapt specifically to counter me.

  I still had to agree with Anna. I was already leaning towards converting the local systems, and this just made it all the more important to do so. If the existing environment was hostile to me, then my environment would be hostile to that core.

  I could make them unwelcome in what used to be their home.

  I triggered the conversion.

  Unable to process request. Not enough core points in storage.

  Of course there wasn't, I'd burned my supply in the last battle. However, there should be other options.

  "Do you have the cores for Frost and Sylph?" I asked.

  I'd already gained an ability from researching Sylph. I didn't think I'd be able to get another from her, although Frost's core should be an ability waiting to happen.

  Anna pulled over her satchel and carefully withdrew two crystals. One was faintly speckled with frost and the other made my sensors ache just to try to scan it. A Frost core and a Dimensional core.

  They were power. They were SCIENCE. They were beautiful.

  2

  Before gaining a new ability I needed to convert the local systems. I focused on the Dimensional core and used it to fuel the conversion.

  You have chosen to convert the local systems to a technological and biological hybrid matrix.

  ...

  ...

  Conversion of Command deck complete. Research, Engineering, Defense, and Espionage decks will require your agent to interface with their central console to complete conversion.

  I could feel it happening, feel myself growing. Nerve tissue running along the wiring of the Command deck. Cameras started to come online.

  The rectangular throne room took up the central portion of the deck, halls running along it on all four sides and, beyond these, smaller rooms.

  We really had taken a lot of damage. There were four major breaches in the hull on this deck alone.

  Unfortunately, I still didn’t have access to the other decks.

  "The good news is I have connected to the shipboard cameras. The bad news is I can now see you from multiple angles," I said to Anna.

  "You realize she is actually kind of hot," Ophelia said.

  "Thank you," Anna said.

  "Remind me to upgrade your eyesight later," I said, and added after a moment. "Although truly it is more of a kindness if I do not."

  "You two have an odd friendship," Ophelia said.

  Friendship? Perhaps it was her intellect I should be upgrading.

  "I don't have access to the other decks. There are Engineering, Research, Espionage, and Defense. Do tell me you've managed to greatly exceed expectations and done something useful while I've been offline," I said.

  "I've done some scouting, because, you know, unkillable," Ophelia said.

  "See, your power is far better than Anna's. She simply manages to be immensely unlikable. What have you learned?" I asked.

  Anna folded her arms and glared at my console.

  "We're on deck three. Command deck. It’s where Sylax had her throne, and the other rooms are the command interfaces that work with the other decks," Ophelia said.

  I was still integrating those systems, but that made sense.

  "From which I've learned you are basically capable of stumbling outside this room. Is there more?" I asked.

  "Deck one is the home of the Mist. They're humans who can transform into a fog," Ophelia said.

  "They're vampires too. The whole crew are vampires," Anna said with a grimace.

  "I think that’s the Espionage deck," Ophelia said.

  That made sense as well. Minions that could transform into mists would be able to go anywhere and make excellent spies. I'd have to devise defenses against a mist form. Perhaps by electrifying the air?

  "And deck two?"

  "Lots of research labs. They dissected me," Ophelia said.

  "You likely mean vivisected. Anna made the same mistake when I did it to her."

  Ophelia paled. "You dissected your friend?"

  "I put Anna back together later, I even made a few improvements. Not enough, of course, but then points are a limited commodity," I said.

  "I'm the forgiving sort when I get made better," Anna said.

&nbs
p; Was she? That fit with my experiences. How novel, pursuit of excellence. Anna really did have a good point.

  I transformed part of the residual Biomass from Ophelia's blood into a cookie.

  Anna snagged it and chowed down.

  Ophelia paled even further. "Is that me?"

  "You learn not to think about it," Anna said.

  I made one for Ophelia as well. I was feeling giving.

  "The researchers are more vampires?" I asked.

  "They transform into bats," Ophelia said, looking squeamish as she took the cookie and gave it a hesitant nibble.

  "How uninteresting. Deck four?" I asked.

  "The engines, currently non-operational. And uh, rats," Anna said.

  That made them useful for the tasks, dexterous hands in either form, and the ability to get into small spaces.

  "Deck five. That must be the Defense deck," I said.

  "Right. Main cannons are located on top of the ship. They're still operational, they've fired at the bigger bits of wildlife approaching," Anna said.

  "And they're defended by some Wolves that are total jerks," Ophelia said, handing over the rest of her cookie to Anna who scarfed it down without hesitation.

  "You had a problem scouting the deck?" I asked.

  "They killed her and ate her. Lots," Anna said, dusting her hands free of cookie crumbs.