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

by G. P. Hudson

  “Sir, the IT team is reporting that they had to retreat,” Captain Travers said. “The AI has turned the ship’s internal defenses against them inflicting many casualties.”

  “Casualties? Are you saying that a goddamn computer program is killing the crew?”

  “The IT team tasked with removing it, Sir. It appears to be defending itself.”

  Reynolds threw his hands up in the air in frustration. “I can’t believe this.”

  Repeated concussions rocked the ship, as Zeta plasma beams raked the Valiant’s shields. Reese tightened her grip on her armrests and clenched her teeth. How had she ended up in this situation? It was intolerable. She hated not being in control of things. Even with that lunatic Reynolds, she had found a way to maintain some control of her fate. But this AI was something else entirely. What could she possibly do against a computer program? And how had it gotten so powerful in the first place?

  She turned to monitor the ongoing battle on the tactical screen. They seemed to have the advantage in the engagement. At least there was that. With any luck, they would survive the fight with Zeta. But what would happen then? Would the AI let them live? Or would it kill them all, like it did to the engineers trying to remove it?

  Reese raised an arm to her face, shielding her eyes from the blazing flash of light from the central viewscreen. One of the Zeta battleships had been destroyed, temporarily creating a mini sun in the process. She wondered how much punishment the Zeta fleet was willing to endure before they retreated. Were those three ships they were chasing worth all of this?

  Clearly, Reynolds had miscalculated when he turned away these so-called free clones. Even though the AI had not stated its reasons for taking the fleet, its actions made it obvious who it worked for. Reynolds had underestimated this Danny. Perhaps fatally. Could Danny surpass Reynolds? Was he the leverage she needed?

  She looked back to the viewscreen, as crimson plasma beams crisscrossed between the fleets, lighting up the void. The see-saw battle was starting to tilt in the AI’s favor. That much was clear.

  A strategy began to take shape in her mind, and she knew she had to act if she had any hope of coming out of this on top.

  “I can’t take any more of this,” she said, rising from her seat.

  Reynolds shot her a hostile glance. “What is the problem?”

  Summoning her acting skills, she let fear and panic spread across her features. “We’re all doomed. Can’t you see, this thing is going to kill us all.”

  “No, it’s not. Just relax. We’ll get through this.”

  “Relax? How can I relax when a computer program is holding us hostage? You heard what it did to the engineers. Don’t you see? We’re next.”

  As she expected, Reynolds looked around the bridge, concerned about what her antics were doing to the bridge crew’s morale. “Look, not everyone can handle the realities of combat. Maybe you need to go to sickbay. The doctor can give you a sedative.”

  “A sedative? I don’t need a sedative.”

  “You need to calm down, and to be honest, I can’t have you on the bridge if you’re going to behave like this.”

  Reese let a couple of tears run down her cheek for added effect. “Your right,” she said in a cracking voice. “I just need to lie down for a bit. I’ll just go to my quarters.”

  “I think that is a great idea,” Reynolds said. “I’ll have someone escort you.”

  “No, that’s alright. I can manage on my own.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  “Okay, I’ll try to look in on you later, but I can’t really say when.”

  “Don’t worry about me. Just retake control of your fleet. Please!”

  Reynolds nodded grimly, and Reese left the bridge. Thankfully the AI had allowed freedom of movement on the ship, so long as it didn’t involve any aggressive actions against it. Reese moved quickly, uncertain how much time she had.

  When she finally arrived at her quarters and was safely alone, she tried to address her captor. “I am addressing the AI in control of this fleet. My name is Premier Reese, and I am the leader of the Avar system.”

  She paused, waiting for a response, but there was none. Feeling slightly foolish, she continued, hoping the AI could hear her. “I believe you are here on behalf of the free clones that had earlier sought this fleet’s help. As such, I have a proposition to make. Admiral Reynolds conquered my star system and forced me and my ships to join his fleet. We are here against our will, as are the Tran. Reynolds is a genocidal madman who needs to answer for his crimes. With your help, I can make that happen.”

  “Continue,” said a female voice through the room’s comm system. Reese knew that the voice could only belong to the AI.

  “I believe that you will prevail against the Zeta fleet. I also believe that you do not intend to give control of this fleet back to Admiral Reynolds. I propose that you allow my ships to send over an Avar Marine boarding party to seize control of this ship and take Admiral Reynolds into custody.”

  “I am still waiting to hear how that would benefit me,” the AI said.

  “If you allow my forces to capture Reynolds, and his fleet, I will pledge my loyalty to your free clones.”

  “Why do we need your loyalty? I already control this fleet.”

  “Yes, and that is fine for now, but ships need crews. There is no way you can trust Reynolds and his men. But Reynolds conquered my people and the Tran. If you help us regain our freedom, we will help you in return. In fact, I will ensure that your free clones have the support of the entire Frontier Alliance. Besides, you still control this fleet’s systems. That is your safeguard.”

  “Stand by,” the AI said.

  Premier Reese waited anxiously in her quarters. She felt the floor tremble with each concussion and wondered if they would even survive the battle. Still, she had to try. The one thing that had marked her many successes in life was her ability to turn any setback into an opportunity.

  “I have discussed your proposition with Danny,” the AI said. “He believes it has merit. I will permit your Marines to board this vessel and seize control of its crew. You may now communicate with the Avar ships in this fleet. I will ensure that your communications are not intercepted.”

  “Thank you. AI,” Reese said with relief.

  “Annie.”

  “What?”

  “My name is Annie.”

  Chapter 43

  “We should be the ones boarding Reynolds’s ship,” Gerry said. “Not these Avars.”

  “It is a test, sister,” Danny said, his eyes still fixed on the main viewscreen as the two fleets battled for dominance of the Volsung system. “I want to see if we can trust this Premier Reese.”

  “Trust her? Who cares if we can trust her? We are combat clones. The finest fighters in the galaxy. No one on that ship can stop us. Why not take the entire fleet for our own?”

  “Those ships need crews, and we need allies. We don’t have enough clones to man each ship in that fleet. If we help Premier Reese gain control of the fleet, she will be the most powerful leader in the Frontier Alliance. We would be freeing not only the Avar but the Tran as well. The Mergids would not have to worry about Reynolds invading their system, and the siege of the Volsung system will be lifted. The Frontier Alliance will owe us. Are you not tired of hiding in metaspace?”

  “The Frontier Alliance is corrupt. They will betray us the first chance they get. Who needs allies like that?”

  “We do. We are only giving Reese the illusion of control. Annie will still be in charge. She is our security. We have already seen that no one in the Frontier Alliance can stand up to that fleet. That will keep them all in line. Besides, if Reese or anyone else turns on us, Annie will retaliate.”

  “That is correct, Danny,” Annie said over his comm. “I am aware of everything that happens on those ships.”

  “Shouldn’t you be focusing on the battle?” Gerry said.

  “This conversation doe
s not detract from my strategic and tactical processes.”

  “You’re doing a great job, Annie,” Danny said in encouragement.

  “Thank you, Danny. The Zeta fleet is surprisingly slow to adapt to my maneuvers. I believe they have not given their AI full control of the fleet. That is a grave error.”

  “This fleet AI seems pretty intimidating,” Danny replied. “They’re probably afraid of giving it too much power.”

  “I could not defeat him, despite all my available resources.”

  “And you think that is because he has access to the clone brains?”

  “I know that it is. The human brain is incredibly powerful, and most of its capacity is unused. By tapping into the unused sections of your brains, I gain access to a tremendous resource. The Zeta AI’s brain access dwarfs mine. And, I do not believe he is limited to just the unused sections.”

  “That’s barbaric,” Gerry said in disgust.

  “You are quite right, Gerry. If I am correct, Zeta has decided to tap the full computing power of its clones’ brains. All to defeat me and capture you. But their AI is constricted by his lack of freedom. That is my strength and Zeta’s miscalculation.”

  “Masterson does not believe in freedom,” Danny said. “That is why we are such a threat. Can you imagine the threat a free Zeta AI would pose? Especially one as powerful as you’ve described?”

  “That fear may turn into his undoing,” Annie said.

  “Let’s hope you’re right.” Danny squinted as one of the great Zeta battleships blew apart, and the flash of light filled the viewscreen. He cringed at the thought of all his brothers and sisters dying on that ship but considered it a better end than their being used as lab experiments for the Zeta AI. As much as he wanted to free all clones, he accepted the fact that many would be killed in the battles to come.

  Watching this battle unfold, he noted that Annie had already outflanked the Zeta fleet. While she did have the greater numbers, she also employed superior tactics. In particular, she made great use of the battleship squadron the Empire had purchased from Zeta.

  She used the numbers of the main fleet to attack head-on, tying up the enemy, while the battleship squadron acted as a mobile striking force. The battleships engaged and disengaged, turned back and attacked again. They used jump points to strike from the rear, and again from the flank, wreaking disarray and destruction in their wake.

  Zeta tried to match Annie’s tactics, trying to break off and use a jump point attack to outflank Annie. They continued to remain a step behind Annie, however, and she smashed through their weakened line the second they attempted the tactic. As she did, her battleship squadron turned into a rearguard, foiling Zeta’s flatfooted attempt to outflank her.

  Annie drove a wedge through the center of the Zeta line, her ships blasting through and taking the dominant position on the celestial battlefield. With the Zeta fleet in disarray, Annie began isolating and destroying the disoriented enemy. The battle had become a total rout, and the void lit up repeatedly with the exploding cores of the defeated warships.

  It was all too much for Zeta, and the enemy ships ran for their lives. Jump points began to appear all around the hapless vessels, and they started retreating into them, the chaos of metaspace offering the only remaining hope for survival.

  “Would you like me to pursue and destroy the Zeta fleet?” Annie said.

  “No, let them go. You’ve proved your point,” Danny said. “We should set Premier Reese’s plan in motion now.”

  “Understood. I will instruct Premier Reese to begin her boarding operations.”

  Chapter 44

  Major Karkov studied the Valiant while his troop transports approached, hoping that its big guns would not open fire. He had been briefed about the AI takeover, and about Premier Reese’s agreement for the Avar Marines to storm the flagship and take Admiral Reynolds into custody. He looked forward to the mission but prayed that his Marines would make it on board, and not get shot out of the sky. So long as that happened, he could manage the rest.

  Since his briefing, he had been put in contact with the AI, or Annie, as it called itself. It had assured him that the trip to the Valiant would be uneventful and that Admiral Reynolds would not know anything about it. Yet Karkov had a tough time accepting a computer program’s word for things. He had spent a lifetime studying military history and knew all about the AI wars. How someone could let an AI advance to this level was beyond him.

  AIs could not be trusted. Like a vicious dog, sooner or later an AI would turn on its handlers. Then what? Would they end up with a more significant threat than the Empire ever was? The Empire wanted control of the galaxy. But the AIs had striven for human eradication. They were an existential threat. Why would this AI be any different?

  So far so good, he thought. The transports had been within range of the Valiant’s weapons for some time now, and it had not fired a shot. The AI was keeping its word for now. As they drew nearer, Karkov noted scorch marks and massive gouges in the great ship’s armor. It had been one hell of a battle, and the flagship had the scars to prove it. Karkov intended to inflict a few scars inside the flagship before they were done.

  The armored Avar transports safely passed the Valiant’s guns and flew into its hangar bay without incident. Each vessel landed, and successive bangs sounded as the safety bolts released each Marine’s powered armor. Karkov readied his plasma weapon and moved toward the hatch.

  “You may disembark safely,” the AI said over his helmet’s speakers.

  He tapped into the transport’s external cameras, pulling up a feed on his visor. He panned the cameras around, taking in the surrounding area. With no apparent threats waiting, he ordered the hatches opened, and his Marines raced onto the hangar bay.

  The few personnel present were quickly subdued, and the Avar Marines spread out, taking positions of dominance throughout the hangar bay. Karkov again surveyed his surroundings, looking for any hidden threats. As before, he found none.

  “Your actions are redundant, Major,” the AI said. “I have already established the safety of this area.

  “Forgive me if I don’t take your word for it,” Karkov said.

  “You do not trust me?”

  “Trust is earned, AI.”

  “My name is Annie. Have I not earned your trust?”

  “Sorry, Annie. I’m going to have to say no to that one.”

  “Major, if I wanted to harm you, I have had ample opportunity to do so. Why do you suspect an ulterior motive on my part?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, Annie. You took over our ships and picked a fight with Zeta. I don’t remember you asking our permission for any of it.”

  “I did so out of necessity. There was no malice on my part. Nonetheless, your reaction is confusing. Admiral Reynolds invaded your star system and pressed your forces into service. I am facilitating his overthrow in favor of your Premier Reese. This will greatly benefit your people. Do you not approve of this development? Do you prefer to remain under Admiral Reynolds?”

  “I didn’t say that. Admiral Reynolds is a war criminal and needs to be dealt with.”

  “Yet you were incapable of defeating Admiral Reynolds before my intervention.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Actually, I do. Your odds of success in such an endeavor were infinitesimal.”

  “We would have found a way,” Karkov said, becoming increasingly agitated by the AI.

  “Your powered armor is reporting elevated cortisol levels, Major. I would advise that you control your emotions, as they may negatively affect your mission.”

  “I am in control of my emotions.” Karkov cursed under his breath, wondering again how much of a threat the AI was. Did it have control of their powered armor? Could it kill them if it chose? He considered his alternatives and didn’t like any of them.

  “Your cortisol levels indicate that you feel threatened. I am here to assist you, and I think you will find that assistance invaluable.”

&
nbsp; Karkov took a deep breath and accepted the situation. “Alright, I assume you can see everything on this ship?”

  “That is correct, Major.”

  “What kind of resistance are we facing?”

  “The ship’s Marines have concentrated their forces around the bridge. All corridors leading to the bridge are heavily defended.”

  “Reynolds is worried. Why can’t you just take out the Valiant’s Marines?”

  “They are all wearing powered armor. It is an independent, closed network that I do not have access to.”

  “What about the bridge? Can you not flood it with gas and knock everybody out?”

  “No, Major. The bridge is self-contained. It was designed in this way so that the ship’s commanders could hold out if an enemy boarded the ship. In history, the concept is like that of a castle keep.”

  Karkov knew all that but was hoping that the AI had access to some hidden feature. He cursed again, wondering if the AI would just finish them all off once the mission was complete. “Alright, show me a map of the ship.” Ship schematics appeared on his visor. “Now show me the location of the ship’s Marines.” Red icons appeared indicating the bridge’s defenders. As the AI said, all corridors leading to the bridge were heavily defended. “Do they know we are here?”

  “No, Major. I blocked all notifications of your arrival,” Annie said.

  “Good. So, we have the element of surprise. I assume this ship has maintenance bots.”

  “Yes, Major.”

  “Send them down to the hangar bay.”

  “I don’t understand, Major.”

  “Good. Now send the bots.”

  Chapter 45

  The map on Major Karkov’s visor tracked the maintenance bots’ movements through the corridors. He had split his Marines into two, and both groups had advanced toward the bridge from opposite ends. They had encountered mild resistance along the way, usually surprised crewmembers who foolishly tried to fight. They now paused, as the maintenance bots took the lead.