Cycle Four

"Okay…ready to try again?"

"Yes sir…the dampers are up."

"Good. Okay people, let’s focus here. How’s the pulse rate?"

"Just under normal. We’re well into the safe zone."

"Any abnormal biofeedback?"

"Nope…he’s sleeping like a baby."

"Wonderful. All right now, listen up everyone! I don’t want a repeat performance of the last time. Let’s get in and out as quickly as possible. If you feel lightheaded, confused, or anything else, alert me and switch with your backup. You know what this thing is capable of. Got it? Good. Bone saw please…"

"Here."

"Thank you. Nurse, official note: the neuro-dampers have been upped two levels as a result of our last attempt, and will remain at this level at all times until the conclusion of Project Eden."

"Yes, Doctor."

"Well, let’s proceed then…Lewis, get the gravitic equalizer charged, I don’t want the cranial fluids washing over the screen again."

"Got it ready…"

"Thank you…alright people, I’m going to sound off as I go. I am now reopening the cranial incision…Spivey, how much has the cut sealed since our last entry?"

"Approximately…forty-three percent."

"Sweet Jesus…he heals almost as fast as I cut…okay, no problem. I have just separated the cranial tissue in the partially healed incision…Lewis, I need those gravitics now…"

"I’m on it."

"Great…Nurse Simpson, give me the micro-saw please…"

"Yes doctor…"

"Thank you. Orlando, how are we doing in respect to the patient’s neuro-feedback?"

"He spiked when you first reopened the incision, but the damper slapped him down. You’re right on the even-mark."

"Still, let’s try and get this over with fast. Lewis, get those gravitics going, I’m having trouble seeing. Nurse, give me the cold-repairer nano-gel...nurse? Nurse?!"

"Oh god, she’s convulsing!"

"Damn! Orlando, where are those dampers?"

"Oh my...oh Jesus! He’s overloading them. They’re all down! The field is starting!"

"Get the fucking shield down over him!"

<ZZK...ZZK...ZZK...ZZK>

"Aaaaaagh..."

"Spivey’s hurt!"

"Just get him through the door!"

" Close the door, close the door, close the door!!"

<SHHHHHH>

"Okay…calm down people…the door’s sealed. Orlando, who’d we lose?"

"Spivey’s dead…so are two of the nurses. Lewis needs help, fast. Doctor, is your arm okay?"

"Fine, Orlando…I just scraped it getting through the door…Damn…that thing is a monster…oh Jesus, Orlando…what are we going to do about this?"

*****

Peter Fisher, the man known to his subordinates as "The Fish", was, in his own mind, a very good man. A pure man. A man of ideals. Those that knew him by reputation knew him to be a valuable ally, and a deadly enemy. Those that could not comprehend his power simply considered him a lunatic. For the most part, Kevin Sleet fell into the last group, but when he actually had to confront his supervisor, he forced himself to remember how dangerous it was to underestimate Fisher.

Fisher was the regional head of the BTR, a man capable of almost anything in the galaxies surrounding this complex. He could make the leader of any nation on any planet within his control vanish and have him replaced