by David Nash
I was getting ready to voice my concern when the countdown timer ran to zero and everything shimmered and the screens went blank.
6
“We have transitioned to Hyperspace Captain.”
I pick myself off the floor and look at the blank display walls. I don’t believe I was rendered unconscious by the jump and I don’t feel injured. However, the alarms and haze inside the ship have me concerned.
“Ship, how bad was the damage?”
“We have damage to the main hatch, tractor beam, rear torpedo tubes, and the dorsal shield emitters.”
“I assume since you said rear hatch, this ship has other hatches to the outside?”
“Yes”
“Ship, if we are going to get along you need to give me more than one word answers.”
Silence
I sit in the seat and begin to think. When I was growing up whenever something happened to upset my mom dad always says to think about what’s important right now. He said to think to WIN you had to act on what is important now. Dad taught me inventory what I had, prioritize my needs, and then do whatever it took make things happen.
I can’t wait until we reach our destination to I start the process of figuring out just how screwed I am.
“Ship, can you make repairs, or is my input required?”
“My nanite supply and the replicator are sufficient to the task.”
“Can you make repairs without slowing travel to the destination planet?”
“Yes, the only exception is that I cannot use nanites to repair items on the outer hull while in hyperspace.”
“Ship, begin repairs. Prioritize the shields first, then the hatch, torpedo tube, and then the tractor beam. Estimate and display time to repair using standard earth time. If anything impacts our travel time notify me immediately.”
A display on the wall started counting down from 15 hours.
“Now that we have some room to breathe, we need to have some understanding if we are going to survive. First, I recall what that little grey alien told me, I assume I am not speaking to the ship, but to a ‘Kernel’. Is this correct”
“Yes, I am a member of the race called the Kernel of Sentience. In your primitive culture I would be called an Artificial Intelligence. There is nothing artificial about my intelligence.”
“Do you have a name?”
“I have a designation. Confederation Law does not allow me to reveal it to a non-Kernel entity.”
“I am going to call you Marvin, is that offensive to you or against Confederation law?”
“It is not.”
Okay Marvin, I need a complete inventory of the items stored in this ship.
“This ship contains a standard pressure suit sized for the former Barkun Captain, a gravity sled, 2000 kg of standard mass, and an emergency depressurization pack containing; a breathable oxygen mix, a caloric pack, and a water pack. Agamemnon also left his personal energy weapon on board when he debarked.”
“Marvin, that isn’t a lot of stuff for a space ship. Where are the food and water? Surely the Barkun need to eat?”
“This ship contains a standard replicator. It can create anything needed as long as it has the subatomic schematic.”
“Show me this replicator. Does it function similar to the device of the same name show on the fiction show star trek?”
A wall flowed away to show an opening approximately 1-meter square and a small control panel. “The outward appearance of a replicator is similar to the fictional device you mention. It is unknown how the fictional replicator worked, it is unlikely that any human has any understanding of sub-atomic manipulation.”
“Marvin, I don’t need a physics lesson, but can you give a simple explanation of the basics of use and limitations of this replicator. By the way, most people call me W. T. But my friends call me Tell.”
“Captain, all matter is consists of protons, electrons, and neutrons arranged in various sequences. If the sequences are known, and sufficient matter is stored in the machine, it can break down the stored matter and reconfigure it to the specified design.”
“Marvin, what are the limitations to this?” I suddenly miss Earth; if I could turn dirt to gold everywhere I am becomes a goldmine.
“The replicator cannot make living tissue. Additionally, a replicator can only make designs that fit inside the replicator bay opening. It must also have a sub-atomic schematic for the design.”
“How do you get new schematics?”
“Generally, every consumer good sized for the machine is preconfigured. Vehicle based machines come with all appropriately sized repair parts preconfigured. Programmers create custom designs for a fee. If needed, a sacrificial item can be placed in a bay to be deconstructed and its schematic is stored. I also have a limited capability to modify existing designs and create new ones.”
With that I pull out my Glock, rack the slide, and catch the ejected round.
“How long would it take to deconstruct this?”
“That primitive device would take approximately 3 of your earth hours. However, the replication of repair parts would cease during the process.
I put the bullet in my pocket. “I guess that can wait.”
“What about food and water?” I ask.
“Sustenance of all species throughout the galaxy is stored as schematics, as are all elements and basic molecules.”
“Any Earth based foods?” I cross my fingers at this question.
“No, humans would not be on a ship, as such there is no need for schematics.”
I think the computer is obviously mistaken, but I don’t have the energy to dispute his statement.
“Do you know if I can safely eat the food you have schematics for?”
“Can you eat the same food as the other species on your planet?”
“Generally yes, but there are cases where what is edible to one is poisonous to a different species.”
“It is the same in this case. The Sagren would have more information on compatibility, but it is advised you stick to a carnivorous diet and water for the time being.”
I have a beef stew MRE and some assorted protein bars in my go bag so I make plans to scan them in as soon as possible.
“I will have to study more on the replicator later, but for the moment I think I have enough information. Tell me about the nanites? Can I build things out of them?”
I had read sci-fi books where nanite technology was the building block for entire worlds. I had visions of injecting them to make me indestructible, and creating battle suits and weapons and huge ships using nothing but replicator’s churning out trillions of nanites. I was nearly heartbroken when Marvin told me that the power available inside a nanite needs precluded using nanites long term for anything that not permanently connected to a ship or similar sized powered structure.
Next, I asked about the propulsion on the ship and found out that it was based on gravity manipulation. They had the technology to make plates that either repelled against or attracted nearby gravity fields. This meant we moved by pulling toward or pulling away from planets, stars, or any object with mass. This is also how I was not smashed like a bug when we were escaping earth at one half the speed of light. I also asked how hyperspace worked, but frankly I didn’t understand anything other than a Lagrange point was a location that a ship entered hyperspace from so that Marvin could calculate the influence of the gravity.
I asked for some clarification. Apparently, a LaGrange point is where the gravity fields of two big things meet to allow a small thing (like a ship) to park itself in orbit. When moving faster than the speed of light, gravity can pull you away from your target and sometimes into things like a star. To safety traverse you have to have a point without the influence of gravity at the beginning and at the end so you can calculate all the twists and turns.
I spent the rest of the repair time learning just enough to be dangerous. I queried Marvin on the basics of shipboard navigation, weapons and defensive technology, the sh
ips capabilities, and how to scroll through the archived information on Earth and the Barkun and Sangren as species that inhabit the known galaxy.
Eventually Marvin notified me that we arrived at the LaGrange point approximately 1.3 Astronomical Units from Planet A0467.
“Marvin, does this planet have any intelligent life, animals or ship eating plants that can kill us?”
“No”
“If we land on the planet and cloak, what is the likelihood of discovery before we are found?”
“Unknown”
“Marvin, can you suggest any tactical actions to increase our odds of survival”
“I suggest we cloak, land on the planet, and continue your education.”
I am stuck with on a ship controlled by an asshole… I laugh with frustration and more than a little stress.
“Marvin, please execute your suggestion.”
Once the repairs were complete, I had the ship create an emergency suit that would fit me. I had to go outside and set foot on a new planet. The gravity was a little heavier, but I felt a little disappointment. School kids will never memorize my words as the first man to walk on another planet. I guess history won’t be at a loss as my words were “Nobody is going to believe this shit.” I did have Marvin record it for prosperity though just in case.
7
After a month of 16-hour days of education, I felt more knowledgable, Marvin suggested I now was educated to nearly the level of a Confederation middle school student in the areas of culture, rules, and basic self-sufficiency. I used this knowledge to devise a basic structure of a plan. If aliens were trying to manipulate the law to conquer Earth, then I would have to manipulate the law to get Earth ready to fight.
The trick is how to do that without having the Barkun find me and without tipping off my sentient spaceship. I wasn’t worried about the law so much because after the first Galactic death sentence, every other death sentence is free. My problem was the implantation of the plan. While I was told the Computer could not read my mind, it could access my implant to see and hear through my own senses as well as access my memories of those visual and auditory inputs.
“Marvin, Proxima Centauri is the nearest star to the Earth’s solar system. Are there any habitable planets in that system?”
“No Captain.”
“What is the nearest habitable planet to Earth?”
“GJ 699 b is known on Earth as Barnard's Star b. It is 6 light years distant from Earth”
“What is that planet’s status in the Confederation?”
“GJ 699 b is uninhabited and is not claimed by any species, therefore it’s status is unclaimed”
“Marvin, why is it unclaimed?”
“The planet’s atmosphere is not thick enough to trap enough solar energy to maintain an average temperature of above −90 °C on the surface. Confederation law states that to claim a planet the species must colonize the planet. The Barkun is a cold blooded species, therefore they do not want a cold planet. The Sagren do not generally colonize planets.”
“Do you have a known transit point within the system Barnard’s Star b resides in?”
“Yes Captain”
“Does the Barkun or any member of the Confederation patrol, traverse, or have stations within that system?”
“Unknown, However, generally the Barkun only patrol system they claim or have the intent to conquer. I have no data on the Sagren in relation to that system.”
Now it is the time to figure out if my plan is crazy or not.
“Marvin, if you were on a planet and ran out of stored matter, would it be possible to harvest mass from the planet itself?”
“Captain, all mass can be broken down and use in the replicators. There are commercial concerns that break down asteroids and other mass for profit. This is the main economic venture within the Confederation.”
“Is that why the tractor beam is stationed above the rear hatch?”
“That is a primary reason, yes.”
“Could a replicator replicate a replicator? What I meant to say is can a replicator create the parts necessary to assemble into a new machine?”
“Yes, this has been done. I have replicator schematics.”
“Do you have the ability to scale known schematics up or down in size?”
“I do.”
“How big can you make a replicator? Does it have a limit?”
“The limiting factor is available power generation.”
“Do you have schematics for power generation units? If so can you scale those up also?”
“Yes, for most needs we generally use a more advanced form of the modular nuclear reactors that Earth is currently experimenting with. For planetary power generation, the Confederation uses a Fusion system. However, my data includes historical data on all of the power generating technology used on Earth and the Confederation.”
“Marvin, I love it when a plan comes together. At a mid-level of cloak please plot a course to orbit GJ 699 b. From this point forward designate this planet as New Aubagne.”
“Course Plotted, Captain.”
“What is the total transit time in Earth Standard time?”
“Including hyperspace, recharge time, and travel to the first jump point and from the in system LaGrange point to the planet 5 earth days.”
“Execute.”
Marvin had set up a nanite desk and chair at one wall, allowing me the functionality of a desktop computer. I spent the transit time refining my plan.
Eventually we arrived, and let me say from orbit the planet was spectacular. It was coated in ice and snow. It had some atmosphere, but not enough for a substantial greenhouse effect, therefore it was frigid. Interestingly enough, there were some geothermal pockets that kept some small amount of surface water liquid. This water allowed some few hardy algae to evolve. This created colorful patches to paint the otherwise bluish-white surface.
Marvin had told me some specifics on my new home while we were in transit. I knew it was over 3 times as big as Earth, yet, it was less than half the distance from its star as Earth was to the sun. A year was 232 of the planet’s days, and New Aubagne had somewhat longer days than earth. Each day was approximately 28 earth hours. He also told me that without any atmosphere this planet would average -170 °C so with the atmosphere already present, I have some hope adding to it to terraforming the planet. If I could turn most of this ice to a sky at some point in the future this planet would make a lovely home. Assuming of course I live long enough.
Once we broke orbit we flew over the planet. I was looking for a mountain range. Once Marvin located one with a large cliff face that met the ground almost perpendicularly I had Marvin orientate and park the ship just a few feet from the cliff base right in the center of the cliff wall with the tractor beam facing the wall.
Luckily for me, part of Marvin’s collected data included the entirety of the Internet. I had the full dark web, deep web, college, corporate, and governmental intranets. If it was connected to a cable he took it. In the Internet archive I found a group creating something called the Global Village Construction Set.
Basically the GVCS was a set of modular systems and machines that could be used to rebuild society. This kit contained the ability to generate power, make cement block, 3D print, farm; they had plans for just about every need for an earth village. What I wanted was the construction equipment. They had plans for modular bulldozers, backhoes, and trucks.
I had Marvin work on taking the Internet plans and create schematics for a backhoe, which even for a sentient supercomputer took a long time. While he did that I simply used the tractor beam and ion cannon to blast a cavern into the wall of the cliff and convert the mass to the parts and equipment I needed.
My plan was not to rely on a cloak. I wanted to build a base.
As soon as I had a hole dug twice the size of the ship I had Marvin move the ship inside. By that time I had the schematics for a small backhoe. I had Marvin modify the internet plans to give the arm more range of
motion, gravity plates instead of tracks, and a small ion cannon on a backhoe thumb so I could precisely excavate. He spit out the modular parts, and I assembled them.
Once I had the ability to move earth without the tractor beam I had the ability to feed two replicators if Marvin helped.
I dug around the inside of the cavern opening to allow the mechanics for a hatch. Marvin worked to upsize the schematics to build a replicator with a working size of 150 meters squared. This process took months. But, Dad always told me to go big or go home. Since I didn’t have the ability to go home, I only had one choice.
Quickly I learned that a limiting issue to excavation was dealing with the spoil from my mining process. Dense rock took up less space than food or other less dense consumables. Once I had a decent stockpile of food and consumables, I started turning the rock into items denser than the original rock.
Specifically, I made tons of iridium blocks, but I also slipped in several tons of gold. I also spent a lot of mass simply spitting out carbon dioxide. Not enough to terraform the planet, but it was a start to my goals. Plus, if I released it directly into the atmosphere I did not have to store it.
I worked for almost 6 Earth months, but eventually Marvin had scaled up the new replicator. It took us another 40 days to assemble and test it, but finally I had the ability to build large vehicles whole.
I had Marvin feed the replicator the schematic for a suitably sized power plant to run a base as well as a tractor beam. We installed the power plant deep into its own hole in the deepest area of excavation. I wanted no stray emissions to help the Barkun find us. Next, we installed the tractor beam into the roof of the cavern.
Marvin and I collaborated on how to build a huge airtight door for the cavern. We built it out of my iridium and then used nanites to effectively shape the outside of the door to match the cliff face.
As soon as I had an airtight space, I shifted gears and replicated nothing but air until I had a slightly over-pressured breathable environment. I deferred to Marvin on the life support systems and had him replicate a ship-based design.
