Page 64 of Taurus's Quest
“Yeah, but I’m actually here because Tower dumped me out of my chair. Guess it wants me in on this meeting.” Aquarius chuckled.
“How are you?” Circe asked, putting her hand on Taurus.
“Strong as a bull,” he boasted with a wink.
“They found the scout?”
“No idea. Damned folder of results wouldn’t open for me.” A complaint tossed in the file’s direction with a heated glare.
“Let’s see what the medical report says.” Aries had no trouble flipping it open. He read silently for a moment before clearing his throat. “So, I’m gonna skip over the stuff that’s not important and get right to the point. The first being, Taurus, you are completely fine. The object extracted from you was unable to attach to your central nervous system and left no lasting harm.”
“Thank fuck,” he huffed.
“As to the object, I see now why Aquarius was summoned. It would appear the scout, as it was called, is not a biological entity, but a mechanical one.”
“What?” A triple exclamation.
Aries grabbed a glass cube on his desk, which she’d thought a paperweight, and held it up. The box looked empty but for a tiny silver spot on the bottom, not even a quarter inch in size. “A nanobot, to be exact, comprised of unknown material, alien in origin and structure.”
“Shit. Mind-controlling robots,” Taurus exclaimed.
“Yes, although we don’t need to worry about it anymore, since it’s inert. It appears our theory was correct. The meeting wasn’t about the schematics but the scout you carried, which Demetrius ensured got fried by a lightning strike.”
“Which really sucks, because that’s the one thing I can’t make,” Aquarius suddenly stated.
“I take it you’ve studied the Antikythera plans.”
“Yup. I’ve got the 3D printer already spitting out the parts we’ll need, but that scout thing, which the original creator actually called the star’s eyes, is the most crucial part.”
“Crucial how?” Aries inquired, still staring at the glass box.
“I’m not sure. The last page of instructions is too faded to translate.”
“Asterion might remember what it said!” When everyone looked at her, Circe stammered, “I mean he liked to read, and given he didn’t have much, chances are he studied it enough he might recall what was on the last page.”
“I haven’t yet met the minotaur. Think he’ll help?”
She bobbed her head. “He’s actually quite nice.”
Aries held out the glass box. “Any chance we can unfry the circuits to get it working?”
“Maybe, but I’m not the guy for that job. I do computer programming, not repair.”
“Yet you’re the one rebuilding the Antikythera,” Taurus remarked.
“The printer is. Once it’s completed all the parts, I should be able to assemble them. If not, I might have to hit up some outside help.”
“Which is exactly what I’m going to do with this nanobot. Let me know when you’re done with the machine.”
“Will do, boss.”
Aquarius left, and Taurus pursed his lips. “How are you going to find someone to fix alien technology and keep them quiet?”
“It won’t be easy, but we don’t have a choice. I’ll talk to Sage. She might be able to point us in the right direction.”
“What do you want me to do in the meantime?”
“Enjoy these next few weeks and pray they’re not our last.”
