by Ryk Brown
“Even those technologies are antiquated,” Mister Healy remarked. “And it’s not just the Aurora, but her auxiliary craft as well. Your Eagle fighters are better suited for atmospheric operations, and even then have rather delicate airframes. And your Reapers, although an improvement over previous shuttle designs, require vast amounts of thrust to keep from falling out of the sky, as their design provides zero aerodynamic lift.”
“Can they be fitted with antigravity lift systems, like the Sugali fighters?” Nathan wondered.
“The Eagles are a lost cause,” Mister Healy stated. “Their airframe is simply incapable of housing an antigravity lift system. The Reapers could be retrofitted. However, it would require extensive redesign, making it more economical to simply redesign them from a clean slate. I believe that a cross between your Seiiki and the Ranni shuttle holds the greatest potential as a multi-role, combat-capable, utility spacecraft.”
“What about fighters?” Cameron wondered.
“Are fighters even necessary?” Miss Bindi wondered.
“Odd, coming from a company that builds fighters,” Jessica commented snidely.
“The Sugali have no large spacecraft nor have any use for them. The fighters serve their needs,” Mister Healy pointed out. “The Aurora is engaged in ship-to-ship combat where fighters are of little value.”
“Except that we used fighters to take down four Dusahn battleships,” Jessica shot back.
“Using them as shield penetrators, a role that you wisely shifted to a dedicated weapon,” Mister Healy countered.
“Then it’s good that we have you as an ally, isn’t it,” Nathan retorted, a bit annoyed by the android’s attitude.
The android immediately sensed the captain’s reaction. “I did not mean to offend, Captain, I was simply pointing out facts. In all honesty, the Aurora is a remarkable achievement, created under difficult circumstances. Despite the crude construction methods used, her overall shape and structure serve her well. Were she to be rebuilt, using more modern methods and technologies, she would require little change to her overall form. In fact, many of your smaller craft hold great potential, like the old Takaran Four Zero Two, the ship you refer to as a Falcon, and the Corinairan Kalibri light airships.”
“Considering what you had to work with, you have all done a remarkable job,” Miss Bindi interrupted, hoping to soothe the bruised egos of their new allies. “Unfortunately, many of the improvements we would be able to make to the Aurora would require extensive down time, which we realize you cannot afford at the moment.”
“What can we do to the Aurora,” Nathan wondered, “without taking her out of service?”
“Shields, weapons, sensors; all of these can be upgraded without taking their predecessors off-line prior to completion,” Mister Healy assured him. “We can also replace your jump energy cells to increase your single-jump range to one thousand light years, thus giving you twice that in a one-minute jump range.”
“More importantly, a one-thousand-light-year, round-trip jump range,” Cameron told Nathan.
“That’s just what I was thinking,” he agreed. “All of those would be appreciated,” Nathan agreed, “as would the smaller jump missiles designed to work on your mobile launchers.”
“Is there anything we can do to make our converted cargo ships more battle ready?” Jessica wondered.
“A few of them could have better shields and weapons installed,” Mister Healy explained. “Unfortunately, most of them were simply not designed for the stresses of combat. Those ships would be better served to remain in support roles.”
“Then it appears we have at least some idea of what we’d like to accomplish,” Nathan decided. “Commander Kamenetskiy, I’d like you to personally go over the proposed enhancements for the Aurora. I don’t want them touching a single nut or bolt without your approval.”
“You and me both,” Vladimir insisted.
“That will slow our progress considerably,” Mister Healy warned.
“Trust is earned, Mister Healy,” Nathan replied. “Abby, as soon as you and Deliza sign off on their mini-jump missile designs, I’d like to get a few prototypes for some live-fire testing.”
“We should have an update by tomorrow,” Abby promised.
“Meanwhile, I’d like to see as much support given to both General Telles and Master Chief Montrose as possible,” Nathan told Miss Bindi. “These men will be our boots on the ground, and they will need all the help they can get.”
“If the two of you would like to come to SilTek and review the products we already have available, I can make arrangements,” Miss Bindi offered.
“I appreciate the offer, but I must return to my command,” General Telles replied. “I would appreciate the engineers, however.”
“Of course.”
“I’d love to go,” Master Chief Montrose said. “Crawley can handle things for a day or two.”
“I will see that you have the proper specialists available upon your arrival,” Miss Bindi promised the master chief.
“Very well,” Nathan stated. “Thank you, Miss Bindi; Mister Healy. Now, if you’ll please excuse us, I’d like to speak to my senior staff in private.”
“The sooner we can get back to SilTek, the sooner I can get things in motion,” Miss Bindi stated as she rose.
“Doctor Sorenson and Miss Ta’Akar will be remaining on board for now, so we will jump directly to SilTek once General Telles has departed,” Nathan promised. “In the meantime, you are welcome to send a report back to SilTek via jump comm-drone.”
“Thank you,” Miss Bindi replied, turning to depart.
Nathan and the others waited quietly until Miss Bindi and her android assistant had left, and the guard had closed the door. “Thoughts?” he asked those who remained.
“I think I’d like to punch that Mister Healy in his smug, little mouth,” Jessica stated.
“He’s an android, Jess,” Cameron reminded her.
“Then I’d like to short-circuit the twit.”
“If anyone should be offended, it should be me,” Vladimir insisted.
“I wasn’t asking for a review of their personalities,” Nathan cautioned her.
“If they can accomplish what they claim they can, we might actually be able to defeat the Dusahn,” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda commented.
“I have no doubt that they can,” General Telles insisted. “AIs don’t have egos. The question is: how long it will take?”
“These missile designs are incredible,” Abby stated.
“Then they’ll work?” Nathan surmised.
“Obviously it’s too early to say,” Abby replied. “I mean, some of these systems I don’t even understand. But they’ve solved a lot of the problems we haven’t and some that we never even considered.”
“That is the advantage of an AI,” General Telles pointed out. “They can run countless variables and simulations in a fraction of a second.”
“We can do the same thing with our computerized design and analysis systems,” Deliza argued.
“Yes, but we still have to input the parameters and analyze the results that the computers give us. AIs do not.”
“I still don’t like the idea of giving an artificial intelligence control of something,” Master Chief Montrose declared. “Especially a weapons system.”
“They don’t allow their AIs to pull the trigger without explicit instructions from a human controller,” Nathan explained. “Honestly, from what I’ve seen, SilTek seems to have efficiently blended artificial and human intelligence.”
“We’ll see,” the master chief replied.
“You don’t trust them because of Corinair’s history with AIs,” General Telles observed.
“Can you blame me?” the master chief said. “One of those things nearly destroyed Corinair.”
“That was long bef
ore you were even born,” Jessica said. “Besides, I understood it was just a code glitch or something. It’s not like it went all schizo or something.”
“Still, that kind of thing sticks with you.”
“I understand your hesitance,” Nathan assured Doran, “but we’ve been using one of their AIs on board this ship for a few weeks now, and she’s worked out pretty well. Besides, we need their tech if we’re going to liberate your world.”
Doran shook his head in dismay. “Ironic, isn’t it?” he said. “One of the things my people fear the most is what is most likely to save us.”
* * *
Cameron poked her head through the door to the captain’s ready room. “Busy?”
“Just reviewing the ideas from the SilTek engineers,” Nathan replied. “They don’t waste any time.”
“The advantage of being a computer. Miss Bindi would like to speak with you.”
“Send her in,” Nathan replied, setting down his data pad.
Cameron disappeared, and Miss Bindi entered.
Nathan rose from his desk and stepped around to greet her. “How may I help you, Miss Bindi?” he asked as he walked around the end of the desk.
“I was hoping to discuss something with you…in private.”
“Of course,” Nathan replied. “Please, have a seat,” he added, going to the hatch and closing it for privacy.
“Now that your alliance has doubled in size…” Miss Bindi began.
“Our alliance,” Nathan corrected.
“Our alliance. Now that there are six worlds involved, and with any luck, soon to be twice that number, I believe it is time to discuss how decisions are made.”
“What type of decisions?” Nathan wondered, already having an idea of where she was headed.
“Any type of decision…including military decisions.”
“I see.”
“I have no intention of trying to strip you of your authority, Captain. However, there does need to be some sort of oversight, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes and no.” Nathan chuckled. “You know, there was a time when I would have agreed with you completely. However, it has been my experience that civilian control over a military, at least in times of war, can prevent forces from taking advantage of opportunities as they arise. You see, war is a very fluid environment. It sometimes goes in directions that cannot be foreseen. If I had to get permission every time an opportunity to gain an advantage over our enemy arose, I’d be far less efficient at my job.”
“I understand that, Captain,” Miss Bindi replied. “My concern lies in the emotions and egos of humans, and how that might influence their decisions.”
“You mean my decisions.”
“You are in command.”
“Those emotions and egos exist in civilian oversight bodies as well,” Nathan pointed out. “I could give you countless historical examples of decisions that were made by governments due to emotional reactions to events, many of which were quite poor.”
Miss Bindi thought for a moment. “Perhaps I am going about this the wrong way. My primary concern is that you do not unduly risk the safety of your allies in your quest to defeat the Dusahn.”
“War is nothing but risk,” Nathan told her. “And my desire to defeat the Dusahn is pragmatic, not personal. Were I certain that they would not expand if left alone, I would do just that. I would protect our allies and let the Dusahn be. However, we both know that if left unchecked, the Dusahn empire will expand and will eventually be knocking on all of our doors. That’s why SilTek joined our alliance.”
“I thought you were fighting the Dusahn because you believed they had no right to force their will upon the worlds of the Pentaurus cluster.”
“That is true, in part,” Nathan agreed, “but make no mistake; I understand the concept of risk versus reward, and I am cognizant of this equation at every step.”
“Your history would suggest otherwise,” Miss Bindi pointed out.
“I agree that many of the decisions I have made in the past could be considered reckless,” Nathan agreed, “but in nearly all of those cases, I had no viable alternatives. The fact that I offered my life to avoid a long, drawn out war—a war that we might have won—to avoid countless losses on either side should tell you all you need to know.”
“I am aware of your sacrifices, Captain,” Miss Bindi insisted. “Again, I do not wish to usurp your authority, especially in military matters. I am simply saying that at some point, we will have to create some decision-making structure within this alliance.”
“Once we have defeated the Dusahn and have liberated the worlds they have taken, I would be more than happy to submit my authority to take aggressive action against others to some sort of command oversight. However, this is not the time.”
The intercom beeped.
“Captain, XO,” Cameron called over the intercom. “Reaper Six has returned from Orswella, and we’re ready to jump to SilTek.”
“Very well,” Nathan replied. “Jump when ready.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Weren’t Reapers Five and Six away on a covert assignment?” Miss Bindi asked, one eyebrow raised.
“They returned this morning,” Nathan explained without missing a beat. “Just before we jumped over to pick you up.”
“I hope their mission was a success,” she replied, with the slightest hint of a knowing smile.
“I’d say their mission was an overwhelming success,” Nathan stated, fighting back his own smile. “Master Chief Montrose should be waiting for you in the main hangar bay. We will remain in orbit until he has concluded his research on your world.”
“We’ll take good care of him, Captain,” Miss Bindi promised, as she rose to exit.
Nathan returned to his desk as Miss Bindi departed, picking up his data pad.
“We’re back in the SilTek system,” Cameron announced from the hatchway. “We should be entering orbit in a few minutes.”
“Very well.”
“What did she want?” Cameron asked.
“To suggest that there be some sort of civilian oversight to prevent me from taking too many risks and putting them in jeopardy,” Nathan explained. “Same thing every new member wants.”
“What did you say?” Cameron wondered.
“Same thing I always say…that we can discuss it after we defeat the Dusahn.”
“And she didn’t push the issue?” Cameron sat down across the desk from Nathan. “Strange. I would’ve expected her to push more than any of them.”
“They know we’re the best hope of preventing the Dusahn from taking over half the galaxy.”
“You do intend to hand over authority to some sort of alliance council at some point, though.”
“Of course,” Nathan assured her. “You think I want this responsibility hanging around my neck for the rest of my life?”
“The rest of your second life,” Cameron reminded him as she rose to return to her duties.
Nathan smiled. “By the way, she knew that we cheated.”
“I’m not surprised,” Cameron replied as she exited the compartment.
* * *
Doran Montrose stood at the front of the G-Seven-Five tracked mobile missile launcher, staring up at its massive turret. “Impressive,” he admitted to the android salesman.
“The G-Seven-Five is our largest model. With a top ground speed of one hundred kilometers per hour over finished roadways and sixty kilometers per hour over flat terrain, her mobility base can easily relocate. It comes complete with anti-troop defenses, energy and kinetic shielding, and anti-missile defenses. In addition, its mobility base operates independently of its turret, so if the weapons turret is damaged, the mobility base can seek safe refuge under its own power and control.”
“I’m sure they’ll make great jump missile launchers,” Doran agr
eed. “But I’m looking for something that can be driven on city streets without damaging anything.”
“Then you’d be looking for our G-Four-Five line. They’re just over here.” The sales android led Doran around the behemoth missile launcher and down a row of progressively smaller versions until he reached the third and smallest unit in the line. “The G-Four-Five operates in the same fashion as our larger tracked mobility bases but is designed to operate in a close-quarters environment. Like its larger siblings, its mobility base is controlled by a separate AI than its weapons turret.”
Doran examined the unit for a moment. “There’s no cockpit.”
The android salesperson looked puzzled. “It is an autonomous vehicle. There is no need for a cockpit.”
“Can you put in a cockpit?” Doran wondered. “Right up there, dead center on the top front edge of the turret.”
“Of course, but…”
“And then two anti-personnel gun turrets on the front corners of the mobility base; human operated.”
“I’m not certain I understand…”
“And the missile launchers,” Doran continued. “The joint needs to be on the back of the launcher, and make it a ball joint, so that each launcher can be aimed independently of the direction in which the turret is facing.”
The sales android seemed to be at a loss for words.
“Is there a problem?” Doran wondered.
“Well, perhaps,” the android admitted. “I have made the design modifications you requested, but there is a space conflict.”
“Such as?”
“There is no room for the AI mobility controller.”
“That’s fine,” Doran assured him as he continued walking around the tracked vehicle. “We don’t need it.”
“Then how will you control the vehicle?” the android wondered.
“The human crew will control it,” Doran explained.
“That will greatly reduce the response times and will put the human occupants in extreme danger,” the android warned.
