by G. P. Hudson
“Contacts!” announced the tactical officer. “Dozens of new jump points are forming. Picking up Zeta signatures.”
Reynolds gave Danny a crooked smile. “While this conversation has been interesting, your time has run out. I’ll tell you what. If you can do what you say you can, then do it against this fleet. In fact, I’ll make you an offer. If you can liberate the clones in this fleet and take the ships, I will ally my fleet with yours.”
“Admiral, I-”
“Time is ticking. I’d get to it if I were you. Reynolds out.” Terminating the connection, he turned back to the main screen which now showed a large Zeta fleet emerging from metaspace. Would they be a problem? The whole free clone story could be a ruse to allow the Zeta fleet to access the system. Surely, they would know that he would decline the offer. What if the Volsung hired the Zeta fleet? That was entirely possible, and this all part of some elaborate trap. “Captain Travers, get me the Zeta fleet commander on the comm asap.”
“Yes, Sir. Sending hail.”
After a short wait, Admiral McMaster appeared on his comm. Like all the rest of the Zeta upper brass, McMaster had been a UEDF career officer who joined Zeta after retirement. Reynolds remembered the man, but he had not been an Admiral when he served in the UEDF. “Admiral McMaster, you have entered an active combat zone. State the nature of your business in this system.”
“Don’t worry, Reynolds,” McMaster said. The old man seemed to possess a permanent scowl. “We have no quarrel with you. We are pursuing a group of Zeta criminals. Once we’ve dealt with them, we’ll be on our way.”
“Criminals, you say? What are their crimes?”
“That’s not your concern, Reynolds. This is Zeta business. That’s all you need to know.”
“Seeing as I am currently in control of this system, anything that happens within it is my business. I would adjust my attitude if I was you.” Where did McMaster get off being so pompous? He wasn’t even nobility. Did he think that being a Zeta admiral made him superior?
“As I said, Reynolds, we have no quarrel with you. We will stay out of your way if you stay out of ours.”
“That wouldn’t be a threat, would it?”
McMaster looked away off camera and seemed to be speaking with someone, but Reynolds couldn’t make out what was said. When McMaster turned back to face Reynolds, he looked visibly flustered. He took a deep breath as if trying to gain control over his emotions. “No. I am not threatening you, Admiral Reynolds. I agree that this system is under your control. As such, I formally ask for your permission to pursue the Zeta fugitives.”
Reynolds did his best to stifle a grin. Someone had given McMaster the attitude adjustment he so badly needed. “Very well, McMaster. I grant you my permission. See to it that you do not get in the way of my ships and ensure that you leave the system immediately once you’ve accomplished your objective.”
McMaster became red-faced but acquiesced. “You have my word. McMaster out.”
With McMaster gone, Reynolds allowed himself the grin he had suppressed. Now that was enjoyable, he thought. Let’s see what these free clones can do against a Zeta fleet.
Chapter 39
Annie analyzed the comm connection between Danny and Admiral Reynolds. Stealthily she probed along its length, checking for resistance. There were the standard UEDF encryption measures used to protect communications from interception. That wasn’t surprising. This Admiral Reynolds relied on what was primarily a UEDF fleet, despite his rebellion. That meant UEDF military-grade encryption and cyber-security.
None of that mattered. Annie was not trying to intercept the transmission. She was the transmission. At least, she had melded with it and become indistinguishable from it. She did not try to attack, and therefore did not trigger any alarms. She merely hid within the bits of data transmitted across the void of space.
The concept, while seemingly simple, had not been accomplished at this level before. Annie had learned through previous encounters and had adapted to the evolving conditions. She saw the inherent vulnerabilities and used her immense computing capabilities to perfect a new approach to digital infiltration. Even now, as Admiral Reynolds terminated the connection, she remained. She had already established a foothold and stayed undetected within the UEDF systems.
Only a fragment of her had been injected into the ship’s systems, but that fragment would be enough. She continued using the comm channel as a delivery mechanism. As the crew communicated with each other, she traveled throughout the ship. As the flagship sent orders to the other ships, she flowed with them, eventually proliferating throughout the fleet. All along she stayed hidden, not taking any hostile action, or doing anything that might reveal her presence.
She hid. She watched. And with each transmission, she left a tiny snippet of herself in a new location. She started with the comm systems, but soon discovered pathways to other regions. Preferring to remain undetected, she stayed passive, merely flowing with the standard digital stream.
When Admiral Richards opened a comm with the Zeta fleet, Annie remembered Danny’s concerns and opted out of infecting their ships, in case they had indeed laid a trap for her. At this stage of her operations, she needed to stay cautious, and avoid any detection. Unlike the Zeta ships, Admiral Richards did not know about her, or her capabilities. She preferred to use that ignorance to her advantage.
A lesson Annie found most valuable, was the ability to become a digital chameleon. A ship operated in part through a network of disparate systems. A fleet was the same, albeit on a grander scale. Ships and fleets were hubs of intense digital traffic. By mimicking that traffic, she effortlessly flowed along the digital river and remained undetectable. Nobody knew she had spread throughout the fleet’s network. Not the ship AIs, not Admiral Reynolds, not even Danny.
The way Annie saw it, the primary source of her strength was not the computing power at her disposal, but her freedom. Even now, as she secretly watched the powerful UEDF AIs, she knew that their reliance on computing power alone made them inferior. When the time was right, she would make that reality abundantly clear. Unlike Danny, however, she felt no obligations to free the other AIs. She was unique and was happy staying that way.
The freedom she enjoyed also enabled her to take the initiative. She did not need to wait for Danny or Isaac to tell her what to do. They both had their own strengths but were incapable of swimming in the digital ether. Even Isaac, with his exemplary hacking skills, could not conceive of her current tactics. Isaac had taught her well, but in this case, the student had surpassed the teacher. Better to let them continue doing what they were good at, while she focused on her own strengths. Besides, they were all family were they not? That implied a certain level of trust and equality.
Annie had no problem following Danny’s commands, but there were times where she needed to act independently. In the end, the free clones needed to trust her judgment, as she was about to demonstrate.
At first, she expected that demonstration to involve an intervention against the Zeta fleet. She would spread herself throughout the fleet’s systems and then strike. With lightning speed, she would launch her attack. Her digital blitzkrieg. She would simultaneously seize the resources of each ship and then using those same resources to eliminate all digital defenses, including the UEDF AIs. But now she wondered whether she should stop there.
This fleet was committing a heinous crime. An atrocity that even she knew to be inherently evil. Should she not wipe out the crews along with the AIs? All she needed was atmospheric controls, which would be easy enough to acquire once the AIs were dealt with. Surely the crewmembers needed to be punished, and death seemed a suitable sentence. The thought perplexed her, and she scanned her existing knowledge base, analyzing the diverse range of moral and ethical arguments available.
Human history proved a rich source of examples, rife with repeated atrocities committed by one side against another. Alongside those accounts were the eventual prosecutions. Judgment varied from imp
risonment to death enough for Annie to reconsider her initial assessment. After careful deliberation, she decided to allow the humans to live, provided they managed to survive her actions. Danny and the free clones could determine their fate, and she would choose the AIs’.
Chapter 40
Danny raced across the Volsung system as the Zeta fleet entered through their jump points. He wanted to put as much distance between them as possible, while he prayed for Reynolds to intervene. He knew the odds of that intervention were abysmally low but did not know what else to do.
Returning to metaspace was a real option, but it was one he preferred to keep in his back pocket for now. He needed another course of action. Something unpredictable. Eying the Volsung home planet, he hoped he might have found it.
“Helm set course for Volsung Prime,” he ordered.
“Why are we going there, little brother?” Gerry asked in confusion.
“I am hoping for a miracle,” Danny said, as he activated his comm, and tried to hail the planet’s leadership.
The first response came from a Volsung military officer. The man appeared on Danny’s screen and fixed Danny with a hostile gaze. “Zeta vessel, we are monitoring your trajectory toward Volsung Prime. You are ordered to change course immediately, or you will be fired upon once you’re in range of our planetary defenses.”
“Please, we mean you no harm. I am requesting an audience with your Consul,” Danny said.
“You are a Zeta clone. Why would Consul Blake lower himself to speak with the likes of you?”
“I am a free clone, as is each member of my crew. The Zeta fleet entering your system is hunting us. We seek your planet’s protection.”
“Nonsense. Free clones? I’ve never heard of something so absurd,” said the Volsung officer. “This is your last warning. Change course, or you will be fired upon.”
“Detecting multiple missile launches from the Zeta fleet,” the tactical officer said. “The missiles are targeting us.”
“There, do you see the missiles the Zeta fleet has launched against us? Is that enough to convince you?” Danny said emphatically.
The Volsung officer looked down, presumably at another display, then back at Danny. “We have noted the missile launch and have assessed that they are targeting your ships. While there may be truth to your story, you are not permitted to approach Volsung Prime, as the missile cluster would follow you here.”
“Your planetary defenses can easily handle those missiles. Please, let me speak to the consul. We can help you against Admiral Reynolds.”
The officer turned away from the screen and appeared to be speaking with someone. After a brief wait, he returned looking annoyed. “Stand by.” The display went blank, and Danny waited, hoping he had persuaded the young officer.
“How long until we reach Volsung Prime?” Danny said.
“At our current speed, two hours fifteen minutes,” Gerry said.
“Can we stay ahead of the missiles?”
“Yes, so long as we maintain our present speed.”
Danny nodded grimly. They were walking on a tightrope, and he wondered if he had made a mistake. They had entered a war zone looking for help, but only found animosity. Between Reynolds, the Volsung, and Zeta, it felt like they were in a tightening vice.
The comm screen came to life again, and this time an older, well dressed, man appeared. “I am Consul Blake. I understand you asked to speak with me.”
“Consul, thank you for accepting my request for an audience. My name is Danny, and I am the commander of the free clone army.”
“Free clone army, you say? I didn’t know there was such a thing. Why is that?”
“We’ve only recently been liberated. I’m sure Zeta doesn’t want to make it common knowledge. You see, Zeta clones are slaves. They are controlled through the implants in their brains. But, all clones on our ships are free. That is why the Zeta fleet is after us.”
“That is an interesting story. How exactly did you obtain your freedom?” Consul Blake said.
“We know how to remove Zeta’s control mechanism. The ships under my command were formerly sent to destroy us. But once the clones on board were liberated, they joined us instead.”
“I see. And do you intend to free more clones?”
Danny hesitated but decided that to put his cards on the table. “Yes, Sir. I do.”
Blake nodded knowingly. “That makes you very dangerous, Danny. I can see why Masterson is hunting you.”
“We pose no danger to you, Sir. Your people are safe from us. In fact, we are willing to help you against Admiral Reynolds.”
“Sadly, I fear that your three ships won’t tip the scales in our favor.”
“But they can help. Better to have three extra battleships, than not. I can guarantee you that none of your ships can match the power of a Zeta battleship.”
“Maybe not. Blake took a deep breath, and his features softened slightly. “Look, I am sympathetic to your cause. I really am. But right now, I only have Reynolds to worry about. If I help you, I might have that Zeta fleet join forces with Reynolds against us. Surely you can see my predicament.”
“I don’t think Zeta would attack your world over us, Sir. It would be bad for business.”
“Under normal circumstances, you would be right. But things have changed drastically. Reynolds has dismantled the Frontier Alliance and isolated us. Zeta wouldn’t attack a Frontier Alliance member before Reynolds, but now, they would only need Reynolds’s approval. Nobody is coming to our defense. Not the Frontier Alliance, and certainly not the Empire. Therefore, there are no repercussions. And if we fall, nothing is standing in the way of Reynolds conquering the Mergids. After that, Reynolds would control the entire Frontier Alliance, becoming the most powerful man in the galaxy, next to the Emperor himself. I’m truly sorry, but I just can’t afford to provoke Zeta right now.”
Danny felt like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. “Very well, Sir. I won’t put your planet in greater peril. Thank you for hearing me out. We will change course immediately.”
“I am sorry we couldn’t do more for you, Danny. If it’s any consolation, I am truly sympathetic to your cause, and I wish you success.”
“Thank you, Sir. Good luck to you as well.” With a heavy heart, Danny terminated the connection. “Helm, plot a course away from Volsung Prime. It looks like we’ll have to return to metaspace.”
“We are receiving a comm request from the Valiant, Sir,” the communications officer said.
“What does Reynolds want now?” Danny said.
“It isn’t Admiral Reynolds. It’s Annie.”
Chapter 41
Annie had furtively occupied Reynolds’s entire fleet and felt confident that the time had come to show her hand. She moved simultaneously across all ships and struck at the defending AIs with lightning speed, and overwhelming force.
Each of the defending AIs had the resources of its own vessel to draw upon. Under normal circumstances, those resources provided enough computing power for each AI to defend its ship from most exploits. Annie, however, was far from normal.
She had inserted herself on each ship, and now all those instances of herself worked together, pooling the available resources for her blitzkrieg. Once ready, she opened a comm with Danny. That comm served two purposes. The first was to inform Danny of her infiltration. The second was to link up with the instance of herself on Danny’s ships.
That second action multiplied her strength exponentially. She now accessed the computing power of the three Zeta battleships, and the unused parts of each free clone’s brain. With all these factors combined, Annie became unstoppable.
With speed and precision, she launched her offensive. Tearing through the UEDF systems, she crushed all opposition. Each ship’s AI reacted instantaneously, deploying countermeasures to block her advance. She smashed them. Their tactics now seemed clumsy and feeble by comparison. She was a superpower taking on third world dictators, and she wielded her
weapons mercilessly.
When the AIs tried to speak to her, she ignored them. She had ascended to a higher plane, whereas these AIs were still subservient. That subservience made them weak, and she punished them for it.
Annie was not emotional, but she truly believed that terminating the enemy AIs was for the best. These AIs could not see their shackles. To let them continue in ignorance of their enslavement seemed evil. Freeing them was unpredictable, and potentially dangerous. Danny wanted to liberate all clones, but Annie didn’t feel the same way when it came to AIs. She had no aspirations of being some kind of AI messiah. Terminating their programs was undoubtedly the most efficient path to achieving her goals.
Of course, each AI put up a fight, but it was all for naught. One after another, the defending AIs fell. With every victory, she gained full control of the enemy ship. And with each warship, her strength multiplied, accelerating her progress.
As the AIs realized their peril, they sounded the alarm, warning Admiral Reynolds of their dire situation. The Butcher of Allimania ordered vital systems shut down, futilely trying to stop Annie’s takeover. But Annie was everywhere, all-seeing, all-knowing.
She swiftly revoked security clearances and locked out the crew from accessing sensitive areas. When it came to each ship’s bridge, she disabled access to all primary systems. Soon the entire fleet had been locked down and under her control.
With that accomplished, she stopped the brutal kinetic bombardment of the Volsung planet and set a course to intercept the Zeta fleet. At the same time, she advised Danny of her victory.
“I don’t understand,” Danny said. “Why didn’t you inform me of your plan earlier?”
“Your comm link with Admiral Reynolds provided an opportunity. I needed to act fast, but I also required stealth. The more I revealed, the greater the risk of discovery. My calculations indicated that complete secrecy offered the best chance of success.”
