Alpha Guard - Chapter Seven
A sci-fi thriller novel, most easily described as Jack Reacher in space.
Hello alpha-readers, welcome to Alpha Guard!
If this is your first time visiting, here’s a quick rundown of what’s what…
My name is Samuel George London and I’m a writer from Hampshire in the UK. Usually, I write comic books, but this is my first novel. And just so my fellow Brits know, I’m writing in American-English because the main character is originally from the US.
Alpha Guard is a sci-fi thriller novel, most easily described as Jack Reacher in space, but the short synopsis is as follows:
Even after 300-years of colonization, Mars is still a tough place to live - unless you can afford to live in Dome One. However, when the wealthy need to visit out-of-dome, they hire bodyguards known as ‘bugs’ to protect them. Alpha Guard is the best bug on the Red Planet, and when he's hired to escort a VIP around Mars, his skills are tested to the absolute limit.
So, in a nutshell, if you like books by Lee Child, Andy Weir, Mark Greaney and Blake Crouch you will (probably) enjoy reading or listening to this story. And if you haven’t read or listened to chapter one yet, you can do so by clicking here.
I’ll be publishing Alpha Guard on a monthly basis, chapter by chapter, right here for free. So, please be sure to subscribe to stay notified when new chapters are posted.
I’ll never put a paywall on chapter posts, but if you’d like to, there is an opportunity to upgrade to paid. However, it’s only to fuel my caffeine habit. So, please only part with your hard earned cash, if you can afford it.
There is an audio version of this post available, but to give you a heads up, the chapter reading is by an AI voiceover via ElevenLabs. However, when I eventually publish Alpha Guard as a polished novel, I will be hiring a human to read the audiobook.
If you prefer to listen rather than read, Alpha Guard is also available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible or wherever you usually download your podcasts.
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Happy reading and please let me know what you think in the comments.
Ciao for now,
SGL
P.S. If you need to refresh your memory on the previous chapter please click here.
Out of the aquarium tunnel we’d just walked through, came a large black android wielding a sizable gun. While it approached, I noticed how natural its movements were. Usually, androids looked awkward when they walked. But this was the closest to human walking I’d ever seen in a machine.
“Stop,” Tristan commanded. The android was mid-stride but paused in place all the same. “What do you think?” he asked me.
Scanning the machine from where I was, my HUD came up with a list of stats. Eight-foot tall. Seven weapons panels. Five cameras. All those were good to know, but what I took note of the most was the head. Including red eyes, it was moulded to take the shape of a mohawk helmet. Tristan was clearly all-in on the whole Ancient Greece thing. Wouldn’t surprise me if at some point he’d asked Amrita to dress up like a Greek Goddess in the bedroom.
Intentionally not telling him what I really thought of his machine, I asked, “Why Ares?”
“Well, not only are we residing on the Greek god’s celestial counterpart, but it stands for Advanced Response Engagement System. And without the restrictions of Earth’s robotics laws, it’s by far the most state-of-the-art android I’ve ever developed.”
Having to actually bite my tongue to keep my cool, I went on to say, “With all due respect Mr. Andras, how can I be expected to trust it?”
“Watch this,” Tristan said with a gleeful smile, “ARES, hop up and down on your left leg.” And sure enough the android started hopping on its left leg. “Sit on the floor.” Again, the android followed his orders. “You see,” Tristan gloated, “ARES will do what its controller says to the letter. But that’s not to say it doesn’t have any level of autonomy. For example, when a new order is in conflict with a previously set prime directive. ARES, shoot Amrita in the head.”
Instantly, the android stood up from its cross-legged position on the floor. Then started marching toward us, gun in hand. I stepped into its path and prepared myself to fight. But just a few yards away from me, it went down on one knee. And as though surrendering, it presented its gun in both hands to me.
In a deep baritone voice, it said, “My gun is yours, Alpha Guard. I would never harm Ms. Andras. If you wish to bring my existence to an end, shoot me now.”
Over the years, I’d had plenty of interactions with androids and robots, but nothing like this. Before I could respond, Amrita interjected, “I can’t imagine the Guild of Bodyguards being happy about this, darling.”
“There’s a Guild of Bodyguards?” Tristan exclaimed.
“It started just after you isolated yourself.”
“Ridiculous,” Tristan replied with venomous distaste, “Why would bodyguards need a guild?”
It’d been two years since my move to Mars. I’d just finished a shift at the lava tube farms and Eric was sitting on my doorstep. I say doorstep but really, it was the section of corridor outside my pod. Looking a bit worse for wear, he stood up and said, “How you doin’, Yankee?”
Rubbing my eyes, I yawned and replied, “To be honest, it’s been a long day.”
“I’ll get right to it then. Solomon’s been killed.”
Shifting my position to lock eyes with him, I could see this was for real. So, I gave him a nod of acknowledgement and said, “Let’s take this inside.”
Throwing my work gear in the entrance cupboard, I went straight into the kitchen and put some coffee on. Eric followed and started to explain, “Last night he finished a job for some Andras Corp executive and as he opened his front door, he was shot in the back of the head. Point blank.”
“Any idea who did it?”
“There’s a lot of speculation but my bet is on pod dissidents.”
“Seems strange for them to kill a bug from the pods.”
“Solomon’s been doin’ more and more jobs for Andras Corp, and it’s clearly been noticed. I’m just thankful you’ve managed to keep your identity under your mech-suit from the get go.”
“Me too, but where does that leave you? Everyone knows you’re my handler.”
“That’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I’ve spoken with some of the other bugs, and we’re gonna start a Guild of Bodyguards.”
“Guild?”
“It’s like an association. It’ll ensure a higher standard for bugs. But more importantly, we’ll be able to better protect each other.”
“Don’t we do that already?”
“To a certain extent, but the Guild will put proper procedures in place and facilitate a secure handler system.”
“Sounds good. Any downsides?”
“Not from what I can tell, but we’ll need to move to New Jezero.”
Half spitting out a mouthful of coffee, I said, “There’s no way I can afford that. I’m still locked into my Andras employment contract.”
“Don’t worry, Yankee. I’ve got you covered. If you’re up for it?”
“I hate debt. Especially with friends.”
“Who’d you prefer to be in debt to? Me or Andras Corp?”
“Fair enough. When are we moving?”
From what I just described, I could see Tristan was in deep thought. So, I put my best diplomatic foot forward and asked, “Forgive my ignorance, Mr. Andras but didn’t the Council outlaw weaponized androids?”
Tristan snapped back at me, “That law only applies to Dome One and New Jezero,” Then he gave Amrita a commanding look and said, “Besides, given that my wife has just helped install a new Guardian for the pods, I’d wager she could convince him how helpful ARES will be.”
Sidestepping the glaring nepotism, I said, “I can see where you’re coming from, but the Guild will have something to say about it.”
“I couldn’t give a crap what some group of glorified security guards think.”
“Present company accepted of course. Isn’t that right, darling?” Amrita insisted with widening eyes.
Tristan ignored her and said, “I’m a straight shooter, Alpha Guard. ARES is the future. You and your friends are the past.”
“They’re not my friends,” I said, “But I take your point.”
Looking down at ARES still down on one knee with its gun held up in surrender, I wondered if Tristan was right.
Suddenly, the eighty year old entrepreneur clapped his hands and said, “It’s settled then. ARES will accompany you tomorrow and prove the naysayers wrong.”
“Okay, but you have to give me controller access and a kill switch.”
With a smirk on his face, Tristan said, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”