“Do you have any last requests, Jon Hawkins?”
He squeezed the handle of the energy gun and almost fired. Was this really a dream like Zeta said? He wanted to fire to test that. Yet if he fired—
With an oath, Jon hurled the gun from him. It was too tempting to keep holding it. He had to think like never before. The fleet had found a siege-ship, an impossibly huge AI warship hiding on Hydri II. The thing had been three thousand kilometers in diameter. It had possessed unbelievable firepower. It would appear that cyberships were the infants of the robot empire. Yet, the AIs had a mortal enemy, these Sisters of Enoy. They traveled through the void—a realm of nothingness—that apparently devoured anything unprotected by a reality generator.
Jon could hardly wrap his mind around the idea of a reality generator. What was it? How did it work? What fueled it?
No, no, that was not the critical thing now. Zeta was going to snuff out the Nathan Graham, like that! She would do it because humans had failed her test. Yet, Zeta clearly possessed a means for destroying the three-thousand kilometer siege-ships.
Okay…the living lightning bolt had asked him a question. She was waiting and maybe becoming impatient with him.
“I have a request,” Jon said. “Return us to our ship and let us out of the void.”
“For what reason do you request this?”
“Uh…so we can keep fighting the AIs, of course.”
“Ultimately, you cannot win.”
“Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t fight,” Jon said.
“You would fight and go through all that pain even knowing you are going to lose?”
“Of course,” Jon said. “Besides, you could be wrong about us.”
“I am not wrong. Humanity has no hope against the AI Dominion.”
“Sorry. I’m not going to take your word for it.”
“Did the siege-ship teach you nothing then?”
Jon felt a horrible tightening in his gut. Here it was. The Sisters of Enoy had what he needed. The alien was still talking to him. Wasn’t that a good sign?
Jon spoke carefully:
“The siege-ship taught me that humanity has to figure out Enoy technology. We know about the void, Vestal missiles launched in the void and all that. Now, it’s just a matter of time before our scientists figure out how to do what you do.”
“That is a gross insult to the Sisterhood. Humans develop a means to enter the void, never mind withstanding the nothingness—no, that is flatly impossible. And without the void, you would never learn how to accelerate Vestal missiles to their five percent light-speed velocity. Do you not realize that the AIs know about us, have known for twenty thousand years, and they have never figured it or us out, as you so blithely say.”
Jon shrugged as if none of that mattered. “Help us leave the void. We’ll do the rest. We’re not machines after all. We’ll show the Sisterhood what humans are capable of doing.”
“You would show us nothing but what we’ve seen a hundred thousand times, a biological species dying to the death machines.”
“Not this time, sister,” Jon said. “Now we know what to do.”
The living bolt of lightning studied him for a time. Finally, she spoke:
“I am amazed to say this, but I actually like you, Jon Hawkins. You have a demented style. But you humans failed the test. That is the essential point. Ree would report me if I allowed you the schematics to a Vestal missile, a null-splitter, a quantum-pi power plant and a reality generator. Without any of those items, you could never reach the void, exist in it while here, propel yourself from one region to another or attack a point in time and space from null existence. If you received any of those items from us, Ree would make the report and that would be the end of me.”
Jon made a mental note to remember each named thing. Then he said, “No one is asking you for those items. I just want you to return us to our ship and release the Nathan Graham from the void.”
“Your fleet is gone,” Zeta said, “destroyed. There is nothing to go back to.”
That was worse than grim news. But he couldn’t—he wouldn’t accept that the siege-ship had wiped out the entire fleet. It was simply too bitter to contemplate. No. He wasn’t going to let anything stop him until he was dead.
“I’ve started from scratch more than once,” Jon told the Enoy. “I can start again.”
“Bold words, human. But you should first consider this. The siege-ship had an escape vessel. That vessel fled from the other side of Hydri II. It will reach the Algol System in time. I believe the Main there will no doubt decide to come here and annihilate humanity. No matter what you do, your species is as good as doomed.”
Jon shook his head. He didn’t want to know the odds. He couldn’t keep up his confidence if he kept defending against one piece of bitter news after another. He had to turn this around. He had to—
“Who are you really?” Jon asked.
“I already told you, a Sister of Enoy.”
“Is that your species name?”
“Our name doesn’t matter. The Sisterhood has fought against the machine plague for twenty thousand of your years. We will likely continue to do so for twenty thousand more. But it won’t matter. The machine menace will still be here.”
This was news. Jon perked up, asking, “Why’s that?”
“Look at you. You are indeed an ape creature. You yearn to know what cannot help you. You are innately curious about doom. Know then that the machines multiply at an astonishing rate. As fast as we destroy them, they build even more, spreading throughout the galaxy like a true plague of anti-life.”
“In twenty thousand years, how many alien races have the death machines destroyed?”
“More than you can number.”
Jon refused to let that sink in because it would be too daunting. Besides, a great strategist looked at the big picture, not the millions of pieces of minutiae. He was a Great Captain; at least he aspired to emulate Alexander the Great on an interstellar stage. What did the big picture say?
“Your actions don’t make sense,” Jon said. “You fight, have been fighting for twenty thousand years, but you’re always losing. Talk about hitting your head against the same wall, hoping for a different reaction. We humans call that insanity. If something doesn’t work, you change your strategy and try something new.”
“Change our strategy to what?” asked Zeta.
“That should be obvious.” Jon forced himself to laugh. “The answer is right here. You should create a grand alliance. The AIs have slaughtered untold millions of species in their twenty thousand year run. You should have armed each of those races with your unique tech. Once you’re big enough—” Jon slapped his gloved hands together. “You squash the death machines with your newfound mass, finally stamping them out of existence.”
“In theory, the idea has merit. It is why we make the test. However, we do not sufficiently trust you biological creatures enough to do as you suggest. A traitor race would ruin everything.”
“In twenty thousand years, how many of us biological creatures have passed your tests?”
“Alas, none,” Zeta said.
That was like a punch to the stomach. Jon half shouted, “So why bother making the test then?”
“That is a reasonable question,” Zeta said. “It is because we of the Sisterhood are eternal optimists. We continue to hope there is a worthy race somewhere.”
Jon shook his head as he snorted.
“You disapprove of our approach?”
Jon looked up. “Hell yeah, I disapprove. I don’t mean this as a slur, but you Sisterhood aliens lack balls. You want to play it safe. But the AIs keep building and building, killing and getting stronger. Sure, you kill some of them, but by your own admission, you do it too slowly. The answer is right in front of you, Zeta. Ally with fast-breeding physical creatures and teach them to use your strange tech. Sure, there’s a risk in that. But gaining a great reward involves taking risks.”
“If the death machin
es gained our technology, they could possibly invade our world and crush us out of existence.”
“They’re going to do that in the end anyway.”
“No.”
“You’re playing defense by not arming more of us and going after the AIs full bore. Do you even want to win?”
“You are not here to query me. I am here to query you.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Jon said. “I’m looking at a dead man.”
“How dare you? I am not a man in any manner.”
“It’s an expression. You’re as doomed as we are.” Jon shook his head again and laughed. “You have the technology. You have available allies, but you don’t have the courage of your convictions to take the hard road. Instead, you pretend and go on your long-range patrols. Maybe you like doing that.”
“I hate it. All the Sisterhood hates it.”
“Obviously, you don’t hate it enough or you’d try to win by doing something different.”
“I have grown weary of speaking to you.”
“That, sister, makes two of us,” Jon said.
“Sleep,” Zeta said, as her dark eyes flashed.
The fog, the cavern, the spacesuit—it all vanished as Jon once more lay unconscious on a hard slab in a cold region of the asteroid ship.
He did not see, but the lightning bolt humanoid-shaped form of Zeta stared down at him as she contemplated his harsh words.
-6-
“You discovered the identity of the Seiner infiltrator,” Ree said some time later.
“I did,” Zeta said. “I submit that she originally tricked us with her humanlike skin-suit.”
“I do not see how that could have been possible.”
“The reason is almost unfathomable. In some manner I have not yet determined, she stole power from us. It was an unconscious act, but still, it gave her greater resources than she normally would have possessed against us. The Seiner actually intruded in several of the tests.”
“Are you claiming that she tricked me while taking her tests?”
“It is not a theoretical claim,” Zeta said, “it is on record. Without a doubt, the Seiner tricked you in more ways than one.”
The ball of energy that was Ree took on a strange orange color. “Of course, I know. The statement was…an exclamation of the event. You must know that the record will diminish my standing. I will never gain status in the Sisterhood.”
“You are mistaken,” Zeta said. “Your situation is much worse than that.”
Ree said nothing for a time as she pulsated in contemplation. Finally, “It would be a shame if that record was lost somehow during our long journey home.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“I?” Ree asked innocently. “Nothing, nothing at all. It was a statement without meaning.”
“I am not sure that is accurate.”
“Surely you cannot be suggesting that I think you would or should deliberately destroy the damning record.”
“That would be against all the dictates of Enoy,” Zeta said.
“That is why I spoke it as a joke, a jest. Yes. I see now that such a joke was made in poor taste. Please. Forget I ever said that.”
Zeta did not reply.
“It is these humans,” Ree said. “Their proximity stains us with their vile emotions and sick thoughts, which must bleed into us.”
“It might also be the Seiner,” Zeta said. “They are a venal race. They would subvert the humans if they could. In fact, they have subverted many of the apish creatures on the planet Earth, keeping them under secret thrall.”
“The humans and Seiners deserve each other, and both deserve to die. The universe could use more purely motivated races.”
“An interesting idea,” Zeta said. “The AIs have pure motives.”
“As killers, yes,” Ree said. “They would also eradicate us if they could.”
“True, true,” Zeta said. “I suppose you will wish to dispose of the humans yourself.”
“It will be my pleasure.”
“What of the Seiner?” Zeta asked.
“She deserves real pain for what she caused,” Ree said. “I have lost my chance for greatness because of her. The idea is galling in the extreme.”
“I have found you to be a faithful and hard worker, Ree. I am sad to realize that you will be rendered null once we reach home.”
“Null?” asked Ree.
“I thought you understood. The record does not lie. You failed to detect the Seiner. To maintain its purity, the Sisterhood demands perfection. A null fate is the best you can hope for now.”
Ree became thoughtful as she pulsated once more. “Perhaps we can extend our patrol time.”
“Stay out here on the fringes longer than necessary?” Zeta asked.
“I will state my position plainly,” Ree said. “I enjoy sentience and the freedom of my position. I do not want to become null.”
“I can well understand that,” Zeta said. “A null state is akin to death. But if we stay out here, the boredom would become intolerable for me.”
“I suppose that is so. But…perhaps there is a new theorem you wish to test out…?” Ree suggested lightly.
“You mean in order to alleviate the boredom of an extended patrol?” asked Zeta.
“Exactly,” Ree said. “Let me say that I am open to anything you might like to test.”
Zeta almost gave Ree a sly side-glance before saying, “Now that you mention it, I do have a new idea.”
“Why, that’s splendid,” Ree said. “I am absolutely open to testing it.”
“No, no,” Zeta said. “I do not think so. You despise the humans. You have already stated that.”
“Your idea involves them?” Ree asked, dismayed.
“It does.”
The energy ball took on a bright white color, indicating highly logical thought. “Oh. I see. You wish to arm the humans with Vestal missiles, is this not so?”
“I admit to the idea,” Zeta said. “I have reached a null point in my being concerning the AIs. I am more than sick of watching the Dominion continue to expand at an ever-accelerating rate. It means Sisterhood patrols forever—for those of us with coherence, at least.”
“Your last statement is a dig at me,” Ree said.
Zeta did not deny it. Instead, she said, “But if we could truly find a species that destroys AIs for us—”
“You cannot mean the humans,” Ree said, interrupting.
“I do mean the humans, the Seiners, the Warriors of Roke and possibly the Sacerdotes.”
“What about the Kames?” Ree asked. “Have you forgotten them?”
“Perhaps the biologically based Confederation could encompass the Kames as well. Yes. That is a good point.”
“How could the humans achieve such an impossible feat as allegiance with the Kames?” asked Ree. “The Kames are groupthink creatures, one united whole that precludes any possibility of individuality. The Kames are well outside the scope of human understanding or even communication.”
“That would be why the humans would need the telepathic Seiners—as a communication link.”
“What? That is preposterous. The Seiners are the most venal race among them. Your plan would never work.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” Zeta said. “Yes. Let us dispose of the humans and their last cyberships and head back at once for Enoy.”
“Commander…” Ree said, as she obtained her brightest, pulsating white color yet.
“Yes?”
“Did you…?”
“Go on,” Zeta said. “What do you want to ask me?”
“You knew about the Seiner from the beginning, didn’t you?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?”
Ree changed colors many times, finally coming to a dull white state. “Do not answer,” she said listlessly. “You are very clever, Commander. Do you really think this is a wise choice, arming the humans and the Warriors of Roke with Enoy technology?”
“No, it is not wis
e,” Zeta said.
“Oh?”
“But it is brave,” Zeta said. “Perhaps it is well past time that we adopted such a tactic and watched to see what it produces. Even for us, twenty thousand years is too long a time to follow a trail of failure.”
Ree was longer in answering, but finally said, “I am in accord with you, Commander. Let us attempt your grotesque test and see what happens. I would rather do that than become null.”
“Excellent,” Zeta said. “Yes. I am curious as to the outcome of this strange experiment. First, however, we must prepare the humans and the Seiner before we release them back into the wilds of normal time and space…”
-7-
Jon looked around as he sat in the Nathan Graham’s conference chamber. Everything seemed to be in order. The walls looked like the correct color and texture; the tabletop had a polished sheen and the wall screen was presently blank—just as it should be.
And yet, there was a sense of unreality to this place. It was wrong somehow.
“Zeta?” called Jon.
A hatch opened, and it seemed foggy outside in the corridor. A tall woman in a bright uniform stepped through. The hatch closed and hid the foggy unreality.
“Is this a dream?” Jon asked.
“A type of dream,” the bright-uniformed woman said. Her face glowed too brightly to look at.
Jon avoided looking at her face and raised a hand to shield his eyes from it. This time, the brightness did not diminish.
“What’s this about?” he asked.
“I have agreed to your plea.” The shining woman continued to regard him.
“You’re giving us void tech?” Jon asked.
“In a manner of speaking, I suppose I am.”
“Why not just say yes or no?”
“There is a last test,” Zeta said, ignoring the question. “You must find a platform in the void. Naturally, that is impossible without a null-splitter and a reality generator. But find it you must, as on the platform are Vestal missiles as well as other technology you’ll need not only to navigate in the void but to survive for any length of time here and to generate the power to create what you have called a reality rip.”
A.I. Void Ship (The A.I. Series Book 6) Page 15
