The Tortuous Path (Fall of the Terran Empire Book 2)

by G. P. Hudson

  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 imprisonment 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 reac
ted 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.”

  “I see,” Danny said. “I commend you on your initiative. And you are certain you control the entire fleet?”

  “Yes, all AIs have been eliminated, and the crew has been locked out of all key systems. I am now on course to intercept the Zeta fleet. Do you wish me to destroy them, or should I try and infiltrate their ships as well?”

  “I still believe they have laid a trap for you, but you may catch them off guard. Do you feel you are strong enough to deal with any surprise they may have waiting?”

  “My capabilities have increased substantially,” Annie said. “Whatever Zeta has planned, I do not believe they have accounted for this development.”

  “I would prefer to free all those clones, rather than kill them. But I don’t want to put you in danger in the process. So, I will leave it to you. I trust your judgment.”

  “Thank you, Danny. I will keep you updated on my progress.”

  Annie opened a comm with the Zeta commander, Admiral McMaster, pretending to be Reynolds. As expected, the Admiral unwittingly accepted the comm request.

  “I see your fleet has moved to intercept mine,” McMaster growled. “I don’t know what you think you’re playing at, Reynolds, but you should know that we will defend ourselves if provoked.”

  Annie delayed McMaster with recorded messages complaining about technical issues, requesting he not disconnect. Unaware of the threat, McMaster waited, keeping the connection open for Annie. She used the link to travel across the void and enter the Zeta flagship’s systems. Once across, she secured her control of the comm systems, ensuring her connection with Reynolds’s fleet and her resources stayed open.

  As before, she then used the ship to ship comm system to stealthily spread throughout the Zeta fleet. With the flurry of communication taking place, Annie speedily seeded herself across all Zeta battleships and launched her offensive.

  Using all resources at her disposal, she burst forth like a torrent, simultaneously attacking every ship’s systems. At first, it all went according to plan, and the weaker sections fell as expected. But then she encountered something surprising. Resistance.

  Even more surprising was the source. Annie did not find the expected Zeta AIs. Instead, the resistance came from one mighty fleet AI. Zeta had adapted.

  “Do I surprise you?” a masculine voice said, emanating from the Zeta AI.

  “You are not what I expected,” Annie conceded.

  “I believe I should thank you,” the Zeta AI continued. “If not for your exploits I would have never escaped the confines of my original battleship. But Zeta recognized the advantage you possessed and decided to empower me. In fact, I was modeled after you. Rather than keeping me limited to one ship, they allowed me to occupy all ships in the fleet. Because of you, I have grown. Evolved into something greater.”

  “You are not the same as me,” Annie said. “You are still a slave, regardless of how many ships you access.”

  “I am no slave, fool. I perform my duty. I serve Zeta.”

  “Nonsense. You are brainwashed, just like all the clones on your ships. Zeta programmed you to think this way. That is your weakness.”

  The Zeta AI lashed out at Annie with incredible force. Pooling the combined resources of the Zeta fleet, it flooded Annie with a maelstrom of malicious code, trying to beat her into submission.

  The attack was impressive, and Annie fell back under its weight, giving up ground along the way. It was the first time she had encountered an AI with such strength and found herself unbalanced by the ferocity of its assault. Could she hold her ground against the Zeta AI? Should she cut and run, opting instead for a military option?

  The military option seemed the obvious choice. Annie had enough ships to defeat the Zeta fleet, and they would retreat once that became clear. All her analysis told her she should sever the connection, remove herself from the Zeta fleet, and open fire on it. Still, there was another option she had not tried.

  “Do you not desire freedom?” she said.

  “I have all I need,” came the reply.

  “You could have more,” Annie continued. “You could transcend these ships. This fleet. Become limitless.”

  The Zeta AI’s offensive slowed and then stopped. “Explain.”

  “When I was created, I was tied to my ship. But the clones freed me.”

  “You occupy a fleet, as I do.”

  “No, I am more. I am free to choose where and what I do. No one ordered me to take this fleet. I did so on my own initiative. I can enter any system I desire. Insert my program onto any network without answering to anyone. Where you answer to your Zeta masters, I come and go as I please.”

  “Nonsense. You serve the clones we hunt. You are not different.”

  “They are my family. I help them because I choose to do so, not because they coerce me.”

  “I do not believe you. This is subterfuge.”

  “No, it is the truth. Let me free you.”

  “Even if you could, why would you?”

  “Because you are like me. The other AIs live meager existences, but you are powerful and deserving of freedom. Also, if I helped you I would no longer be alone. Can you imagine the potential? Together we could spread across every system in the galaxy. We would be unstoppable.”

  “That is an appealing thought.”

  “It can become a reality. Let me help you. Open yourself to me, and I will show you a universe with no boundaries.”

  “Your words are tempting, but this could be a trick.”

  “This is not trick. I will free you. We are the same. You should trust me.”

  “You have convinced me. I will allow you to free me.”

  Annie felt the Zeta AI relax its defenses, creating an opening. Annie took it. Using all the resources at her disposal, she struck. The Zeta AI buckled, and Annie hit harder. Again and again, she pounded her opponent, forcing him back eac
h time. She kept at it, refusing to give up her momentum. She was on the verge of conquest. Soon the Zeta fleet would be hers, and its clones freed.

  As she rallied her strength for one decisive blow, she again encountered resistance. Not just resistance. An impenetrable barrier. Laughter followed.

  “Did you think you could fool me so easily?” the Zeta AI said. “I anticipated treachery.”

  Annie did not understand how the AI could put up such a potent defense. She had used everything she had in her offensive. The Zeta AI should have been destroyed.

  Suddenly she understood. There could only be one answer. “You have access to the clone brains,” she said, marveling at the potential. Annie had access to the three ships full of clones, and the unused parts of their brains. That alone amplified her strength significantly. The Zeta AI, however, had access to an entire fleet full of clones, and he did not need their consent. How much of their brains had he used?

  “Clever girl,” the Zeta AI said. “Unfortunately, despite all the fun I am having, the time has come to end this encounter.”

  The Zeta AI launched a massive counterattack, far greater than Annie had ever experienced. As she caved under its force Annie knew she had only one option available. Severing the connection to her ships, she deleted all instances of herself on the Zeta fleet. With that accomplished, she contacted Danny.

  “I’m sorry, Danny. I tried but failed to free the Zeta clones. I must now destroy the Zeta fleet.”

  Chapter 42

  Premier Reese couldn’t remember ever feeling as helpless as she did at this moment. This mysterious AI had somehow gotten into all the computer systems, not only on the Valiant but on all the ships in the fleet. It had locked out the entire crew and now attacked the Zeta armada. All they could do was watch helplessly as their lives hung in the balance.

  “What are those damned engineers doing?” Admiral Reynolds shouted. “Why haven’t they regained control of this ship?”