The design of the place gradually began to come clear. It was a massive five-sided structure, with the pentagon shape being duplicated within the many levels wherever structurally possible. Resembling a vast beehive turned on its edge, the Citadel was an architectural wonder, with no modern parallel anywhere in the world. Stoor was the first to observe that even the interior walls were supported and insulated with pentagon-shaped cells, and felt that this design had been perfected because of the inherent stress and strength capabilities of the honeycomb. There were, it seemed now, five levels to the Citadel above ground and another five below. The aboveground levels had been primarily residential and recreational areas, with gardens and arboretums, zoological parks and athletic facilities, and spacious apartments abounding. Each of the five upper levels was arranged about a central core which ran perpendicular to the earth like an axle through a wheel. Inside the core was a majority of the physical plant facilities such as plumbing, circuitry, transportation passages, elevators, ducts, and ventilation shafts. The five lower levels held the service capabilities of the Citadel. At the deepest level were the basic power supplies and conversion machinery. As far as Stoor could determine, energy was being tapped from the molten heat of the earth itself. Plunging to unknown depths beneath the Citadel were massive shafts arranged in groups of five. There was also a massive, but at the time inactive, chamber which might have been a fusion-power reactor that fragments of First Age manuscripts sometimes mentioned. Also on the first level were ranks of generators and turbines which crouched like dark silent beasts in precise military-like formations. At the second level, in ascending order, were the cybernetic units. Clustered about the central core were pentagon-shaped modules through which there was no discernible access or egress. It was here that Stoor suspected the physical presence of the Artificial Intelligence, the thing which called itself Guardian, actually resided. In addition, the second level contained a massive maintenance area, staffed by perpetual motion robots of various designs and sizes. Some of the machines were merely transport units engaged in the unending process of bringing failing or faulty components of the Citadel into the maintenance section for repair or replacement. There were machines that analyzed problems and directed yet other machines to carry out the actual repairs. The entire Citadel, it seemed, was being continually monitored and repaired. Everything was recycled and renewed. Both Varian and Stoor were certain that the Citadel could exist indefinitely under such a system. It was a humbling testament to the wisdom and power of the ancient builders. The three additional levels were largely industrial facilities for the manufacture of food products, clothing, furniture, tools, recreational devices, and, of course, weaponry. In fact, the fifth level, directly below the surface, was a self-sufficient arms factory and arsenal. To the great disappointment of Stoor and Varian, however, the industrial levels and especially the arsenal were all but completely dormant. Every machine and device were sealed in what appeared to be a clear, plastic-like substance, which proved to be as hard as a diamond and totally impenetrable. Silence filled the lower-level corridors so completely that the group’s footfalls seemed to defile the place like the whispers of grave robbers.
And yet, the exploration and mapping of the place was not a failure. Everyone agreed that a more complete knowledge of their prison would eventually prove helpful. That they encountered no resistance from Guardian or any of his homologs was not encouraging, however. Varian reasoned that the Guardian must have felt so supremely confident that it did not fear the petty scratchings of the group.
Stoor argued this point, as did Tessa, by pointing out that they did encounter a form of resistance, passive though it was, by nature of the sealed-off areas, the dormant levels of machinery, and the cocoon-like state of the devices and weaponry in the arsenal. It was felt that if they could possibly break through one of the protected sections—especially the section where the AI machinery presided—they might be able to disable Guardian and obtain their freedom.
This ticked off several divergent comments from the group.
Raim: If we destroy Guardian, we might be trapped forever.
Stoor: It’s a chance we should take.
Varian: No, that is a last-resort tactic. All other possibilities must be tried first.
Stoor: No!
Tessa: I agree with Varian. We have seen how complex this place is. We do not understand even a fraction of it. Guardian has total control here. We disarm the AI, we may have no means of controlling even simple things, like exit doors.
Stoor: We could wait forever! Time is nothing to that machine. You know that!
Raim: Perhaps we should vote on it?
Stoor: Vote?
Varian: Yes, a secret ballot. Then no one influences anyone else.
Everyone looked from one to the other, considering the possible outcomes of a vote, trying to guess the feelings of each other.
Tessa: Shall we do it?
Everyone nodded as Varian prepared a ballot asking the question: Should we attempt to escape as soon as possible?
The results quickly tabulated, they read three nays and one aye. Whereupon Stoor glared angrily at his sidekick, but said nothing.
The discussion cooled for a moment until Tessa asked if alternative plans should be considered. Varian suggested that the group attempt to have a conference with Guardian, present their case, and plead with the machine to release them; Even if they did not gain their freedom, they may gain some further insight into the problem. Stoor doubted if this would be anything more than a waste of time, but being outnumbered he eventually agreed—something quite foreign to his personality.
But once the important decision had been dealt with, a great part of the group’s energy seemed to have been dissipated, and the anxious aspect of the discussion vanished.
