The Skies over Bihar

November 15 - Bihar Sanctuary, Evangeline Island, Avalon

"To the island-valley of Avilion;
Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow,
Nor ever wind blows loudly; but it lies
Deep-meadowed, happy, fair with orchard lawns
And bowery hollows crowned with summer sea,
Where I will heal me of my grievous wound." - Alfred, Lord Tennyson

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Around the time Manda and the Doctor were hunting drones in the deserts of Al Raqis, Major Aodhfionn Muircastle sent word of having detected the presence of an anomaly that could be an indication that further Project Aurotharius technology had been activated.

While I knew of the Major, we had not had direct dealings with each other before last month. He is the nephew of my commanding officer and I am told there is a strong physical resemblance.

According to the coordinates he provided, the source of this phenomenon was in the vicinity of Avalon, Albion's solitary moon.

I did not, however, head directly to the area indicated.

I felt restless.

The Aurotharius case had taken a disturbing turn.

From the retrieval of stolen antiquities (accomplished) and the reacquisition of lost classified government research (ongoing), this case now included the kidnapping of two schoolgirls from a private school on Paquin.

Further, our investigation had revealed that the girls were in fact clones, with all the dubious legal status that entails. But it did not take away from the fact that somewhere out there were two young girls, taken from their home, alone, afraid....

And so I travelled first to Bihar Sanctuary in hopes of meeting Bai Feargananym Karillion, in search of a kind word and perhaps some spiritual guidance.

It was night.

A heavy mist clung to the surface of the water occluding the Romany camp, transforming the bright caravans into colourless shapes. A dampness crept into my joints despite the small campfire that marked the edge of the sanctuary proper.

The temple compound itself was dark and silent. The weeds tugged at my boots as I waded through the meadow thick with growth. Only the flickering of butter lamps and traces of incense were indication of a human presence.

Perhaps the Bai and his staff were in seclusion or at meditation. Either way, I was left with little option but to begin my search with nothing but my own thoughts for company.


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Through the course of my investigation I uncovered three hard dates with which to frame the story:

2500 - The Ardra AI goes on line (source - Colonel M). Ardra - Auto Regressive Development Research Algorithm - was originally designed as a data mining AI program. The researchers of Project Aurotharius used it to co-ordinate other AIs. The result was a composite AI. (source - Qui). Project Teams included cybernetics, artificial intelligence, robotics, biological reanimation and particle physics. (source - Colonel M)

2505 - Audrey Aurotharius dies at age 15 (source - Assistbot). Audrey's father, Wylder Aurotharius was the lead researcher of Project Aurotharius. When Audrey took sick with familial amyloidosis, an uncontrolled growth of amyloid proteins, her father used his influence to implement an illegal, experimental and ultimately unsuccessful form of treatment. The two missing Audreys appear to be clones of this girl (source - Manda).

2506 - The year the Unification Wars began. Blue Sun issues a burn notice on Ardra before what would have been Audrey's 16 birthday (source - Colonel M). That places Audrey's birthday within the year 2490. She was born here on Avalon.

In addition, a neural interface between Audrey and the AI was created when the girl was 11 or 12 (source - Qui). This places the interface at 2501-2502. The original purpose of the interface was so Audrey could play with the AI.

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After refueling at the local Alliance monitoring station, I eased my ship into the field of asteroids. Proximity alerts began to flash and buzz as my navigation computer triangulated obstacles, anticipated trajectory and plotted the safest course through the rocks.

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2507, a year after the burn notice, the name 'Ardra Aurotharius' begins to show up in shipping manifests of the Angels of Mercy Medical Research Facility. Her name continues on a regular basis until the decommissioning of the clinic itself a couple of years ago. Medical records from that centre leading up to a year before the beginning of the Unification War only list Audrey.

There is no evidence of contact between Ardra and Blue Sun following the burn notice until one of Ardra's drone programs was downloaded over a year ago by Blue Sun Special Project Single Source 041295 Genetic Construct aka Lilybell Snoodle.

While there are notable gaps in the record, we have some information on some of the other clientele of Ardra Aurotharius.

Her relationship with Iskellian Technology Solutions ended with the end of the war.

Her relationship with Weyland Yutani ended with her latest set of upgrades.

Her relationship with Umbrella was a bit more complex to say the least.

1) Umbrella Executive, Mercedes Celestalis was Audrey's childhood friend.

2) Ardra referred to Mercedes as "the Harvester".

3) Ms. Celestalis delivered the cloned brain of Aurora Littleboots to me at Ardra's request. But then she tried to get the item back with the condition that Ardra was not informed.

4) The bones of St. Zenobius were found inside an Umbrella shipping crate itself inside Ardra's ship. This may be circumstantial.

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Fatigue had begun to set in. I guided my craft towards an orbital refinery located within the asteroid field, with hopes of a short break for rest and refreshment. However, as I approached the landing platform what appeared to be a force field came to life covering the docking portal.

Not knowing if it was a part of larger defenses I adjusted my heading to fly past the structure. I make it a practice never to argue with an automatic defense system unless I have brought the appropriate hardware and am prepared to inflict a little property damage. This was not such an occasion, so I moved on.

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Some other things are coming into focus as the investigation continues:

The Ardra AI was possibly based on Audrey's mind but was certainly linked to the girl for a number of years.

Ardra herself is running drones. Some have been dressed like Audrey. Some even looked like Audrey complete with skin grafts from her days under treatment.

Ardra has been activating aspects of Project Aurotharius. Harvested people parts are part of the recipe. Neuro microtubules. Blastomeres.

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At the edge of the cluster of asteroids, or perhaps slightly beyond it, I passed one of the mining prisons. A shimmering bubble clutched the precious atmosphere to the cold rock. There were no prison ships or support craft nearby so it was unlikely work crews were present.

These facilities are reserved for the worst of the worst. Vicious men. Men who can never be trusted to return to society. Toiling away on this cold rock among the stars, they can still serve the greater good.

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And then there is the question of exactly who or what is Ardra?

The answer will determine our course of action within the boundaries of the law.

I have spoken with Ardra Aurotharius a number of times prior to retrieving the stolen relics of St. Zenobius from her ship. There was enough in those conversations for me to conclude that she is some sort of composite being of human and machine.

She spoke of Audrey's father as her own, retelling stories of when she was a girl. She spoke of transcending her humanity, of a mother who died in childbirth. Whatever she is, she claims continuance from Audrey.

She makes several references to a body or parts thereof. There was her comment last January about requiring mechanical assistance - Ardra: "My project is extremely ambitious. At this point, I cannot even stand in normal gravity without mechanical assistance. I shall overcome."

But Audrey had died. Even Ardra's mechanical servants on board her ship declared as much.

So is the biological component a clone or the reanimated remains of Audrey Aurotharius?

As a cyborg, the human part would have rights and obligations under the law.

If however she is primarily an Artificial Intelligence with drones and a few organically derived components, whether cloned or reanimated, then she will have no more legal protection than a runaway train.

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I passed a Trade Association frigate slowly cruising between worlds. Decorated with the image of the coin of Queen Zenobia. Trade and tradition. Medici family values.

And then there it was.

I came upon it almost suddenly.

A magnificent furnace of light. Suspended in the blackness.

The second engine of Aurotharius. Matching the one in Mu Draconis.

During all the time I have been hunting her, Ardra has been lurking beyond the rim. A desert outpost here... a distant space station there.

But now that has all changed....

...because Ardra has come home to Avalon.

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