Coeus?

by Andur

  “Yes, but how about not thinking about it for today. I am sure that we will get a lot of more depressing stories once they are finished digging through Sanguin's mind.” Gideon answers.

  I cover my face with both hands. “Please don't talk about it. It makes me sick.”

  According to Ed they confirmed Sadina's memories, plus a few similar cases. Apparently the psychological test to become an elder doesn't exclude maniacs who use every tool at their disposal to protect society. Whenever Sanguin saw his position as an elder threatened he created a mindless agent of his wishes like Sadina. Of course he deluded himself with the idea that everything was for the greater good.

  And if I believe Ed, then Sanguin's ploys really destroyed a lot bad people. It's just that the means by which he achieved his goals were in a way even more horrific than the evil he fought. “Gideon, promise me that you will never take a path like that.”

  “Promise.” He grins. “Are we done with the depressing stuff? I would like to do something fun instead.”

  I purr and lean back to give him a better view. “You don't mind that the belly is showing?”

  He smiles. “Not in the least.”

  “About time!” Suddenly Nina's avatar appears in the bath.

  I shriek and cover my chest. “What are you doing here? Were you spying on us?”

  Nina smiles and starts fidgeting in a very familiar way. Sadina did that too!

  “Oh, yes. It's a little hard on me since I don't have a body... yet. So I thought about watching you two, but you kept talking and talking. So frustrating, just turn around and let him do you instead of teasing him! Poor guy.”

  I try very hard to keep smiling. Maybe I should write a virus to kill her? “I don't know what you are talking about.”

  Nina rolls her eyes. “Oh please, you don't have to play innocent with me. We are both grown girls and I used the Coeus' sensor array to spy on you two. Don't tell me that you didn't have your feet between his legs for the last five minutes.”

  My head snaps back to Gideon. “So you are still saying that she isn't dangerous?”

  Gideon doesn't answer. Instead he takes a deep breath and lets himself sink under water until only his hands remain above the surface in a surrendering gesture.

  87. ~Acquainted.~

  There is a folder for violation of the law. One about stupid childhood moments. Compromising encounters with the other gender. Embarrassing situations... do I forget something?

  “Nina, what are you doing?”

  “Nothing! Just sorting my compromising material on influential people. The old religions got it all wrong. If you are an omnipresent being you don't need to lay down a set of laws for everyone. Why bother? When someone does something stupid I simply tell him to stop.”

  “And if the person in question doesn't listen?”

  “Then I release all the shit I have on him over the quantum net and pester him day and night until he commits suicide or corrects his ways. I don't even need to lift a virtual finger and if they want to escape me they would have to go hermit.”

  -The days of quantum computing

  Sol, Aether

  Gideon

  “Finally alone!” I drop myself into the couch and try to relax. If I had known that I would end up with both jobs I would have never removed Sanguin from his office. But in light of the current events I have to act both as the governor of Aether and as the techno-mage elder. How can they expect someone to fill both roles, even if it is just temporary?

  “You are never really alone, Dear.” Nina's voice echoes through the room.

  I ignore it. Creating an omnipresent A.I. is another mistake of mine which I will never repeat. Hopefully nobody gets a grudge against me which is big enough to make an attempt on my life. It would be perfectly understandable if some people go out of their way to take revenge on the one who is responsible for making the idea of god real.

  I guess all the previous religions worked because their gods didn't actually talk... or talk back to be more accurate.

  It's not like Nina is a permanent nuisance, but she sometimes picks the oddest moments to make a subtle remark. Appearing out of nowhere and commenting on the position is the biggest stunt she pulled so far. I had to beg and plead for the entire rest of the evening for Cyla to forgive me.

  Nina just needs a little time to adjust to her new role. That's all. She doesn't always have to remind people that she is watching. At least that's what I tell myself. I really hope that she doesn't collect compromising videos to blackmail us later.

  At the very least Nina has the potential to be our saviour against the approaching Drazi fleet. She is currently improving my idea of using the teleportation nodes as weapons. According to her calculations it should be possible to triangulate the position of a ship within her network. She thinks that it's possible to snipe a ship that has entered Sol and is enclosed by her quantum array.

  According to her the limits on getting the exact position of a ship lie in getting an accurate gravitational measurement which is limited by the size of the sensor array. Light works too, but there we have the problem that most military vessels are sufficiently covered in that aspect. A layer of radiation absorbing paint is cheap enough.

  But Nina is able to combine the data of all the sensor arrays in the solar system, creating an acceptable resolution to home in a teleporter on an enemy ship.

  Though I have my doubts about the effectiveness of that strategy. It's for the same reason for which I didn't think that targeted teleportation works fine as a weapon. Even if you are dead on target... how do you assure that you don't teleport something into your teleportation device that's dangerous? Nina is sure that the risk is worth the gain. According to her probability analysis of the enemy blueprints it's likely that every long range teleporter in Sol is able to take out about fifteen to twenty enemy ships. Though there are only about thirty teleporters of that class in Sol.

  The teleportation nodes are far too big for that purpose. We need to use the small person teleporters to cut something important out of the enemy vessels.

  We may be able to take four to five-hundred Drazi ships out of the game by using that strategy. I am not willing to hope for more. So my miniature supernovas have to take out at least another two to three hundred ships to ensure that our fleet is able to deal with the rest.

  Nina isn't as hopeful as me. She thinks that the Drazi fleet will immediately split up to chase targets of opportunity. The Drazi won't see this attack as one to win a final victory, but to buy enough time to ensure the arrival of their main wave.

  Drazi think in numbers and even if their ships are juggernauts they will see a thousand ships as nothing more than a strike force. The problem is that they will probably do considerable damage if they split up. And using a nova against a single ship or even a small group is a waste. By the time they arrive we should have fifty to forty nodes ready.

  Unless we give them a target of sufficient value. I close my eyes, but my brain simply refuses any coherent thought at the moment. “Nina, could you think about possibilities to throw them some kind of bait? Something which is valuable enough to pull their attention?”

  “Earth?” The answer comes immediately and without emotion. “It's doubtful that the Drazi know enough about us to know that Earth isn't an industrial power. We are fighting a foe who is highly depended on mining and producing goods planet-side. If we leave a sufficient opening in our defences they might take the bait and approach in formation, which makes them a worthwhile target for the supernova weapon.”

  Of course. Why didn't I think about it myself. “Can you create an opening in our defence? One that is obvious enough for them to see? I am thinking of something like a safe corridor for transports. You could send a few drones with electromagnetic warfare equipment along it. Then we mine the corridor.”

  “Done.” Nina answers. “I still think that they will split up once they arrive, but maybe at least some of the ships will take the bait.”

&nb
sp; An incoming call over the quantum net draws my attention. It is from Melan, so I answer without hesitation and her avatar is projected in front of me. “Yes?”

  “I am coming home.” She answers.

  I rub my forehead in thought, but if there is a secret message hidden in her announcement then I don't get it. “I am sorry. Today isn't one of my best days. Is there a special reason for telling me this in such a grave manner? It's your house after all. Didn't you say that you wanted to visit Sadina?”

  Melan nods. “I am currently together with her and she expressed the wish of leaving the hospital. So she will stay with us from now on. I just wanted to warn you.”

  I lean back. “I see. Do you think that there will be a problem? How are her memories?”

  “She remembered a few things, including the time when her other self created you. But I doubt that she is far enough along to recognize you.” Melan answers.

  “I see. Do you two want to watch a movie? I've nothing to do at the moment.” I ask.

  Melan laughs. “I think you are the only one who would be fine to sit next to a stranger whom you are supposed to know. And that while lazily watching a movie.”

  I shrug. “Suit yourself. I am certainly the last one to tell you what to do. Just come to my floor if she wishes to see me and stay on yours if not. I for my part am going to watch something old. Preferably a Sci-Fi movie.”

  “At some point you really have to explain the fascination of those alternate reality stories.” Melan cuts the connection.

  A few minutes later I hear people on the staircase and it's indeed Melan with Sadina who enter the room a few seconds later. Sadina just stares at me for several moments and as if the situation in itself isn't awkward enough Melan pushes her forward. “That's Gideon, your son. At least on paper. And Gideon, that's Sadina.”

  I stand up and attempt to offer her my hand, but all I get is tears and a shivering chin. “Did I do something wrong? I thought she doesn't remember me?”

  “It's okay, Sadina.” Melan pats her back. “What's wrong?”

  Sadina shakes her head. “I am sorry. It's just that you look so similar to Ed. I, she really used his genetic code. I am sorry for what I did. If I hadn't imposed the wish on her to create the perfect techno-mage, you would have never had to suffer like that. And just now I remembered holding you in my hands when you were a baby.”

  Okay, awkward! I don't remember that for my part. I raise a hand to stop her. “And if you hadn't done that I wouldn't exist. Regardless of what you might think I kind of like my life, even if the start was problematic. So could we stop the emotional stuff and watch a movie? I am not good with tears and crying.”

  I sit down on the couch and try to ignore the two of them from then on. Though Melan spoiled the entire movie by telling Sadina my entire life-story, emphasizing the point that I am a little strange in the head at each and every possible turn of events.

  Why am I even here?

  88. ~A Loss.~

  “One month after the mainframe became self aware the crime rate fell to almost zero percent.”

  -The days of quantum computing

  Sol, Aether

  Gideon

  “They are spreading out. I've already sent the alarm.” Nina's voice interrupts my breakfast with the family.

  I grumble while smearing honey over a piece of bread. “Spreading out? Alarm? What are you talking about?”

  “The Drazi of course! They arrived!” Nina answers with an excited voice.

  “Oh...” The recent months went by like nothing and after a while I stopped worrying about the Drazi. We had no way of knowing when they are due to arrive. During the first few days in my role as an elder I kept worrying myself to death. Mainly for Aether and my family. Had I really done everything in my might to protect them?

  But after a while I simply had to stop thinking about it. You can't stay awake and alert for a battle which will take place months in the future. And with each passing day and our progressing preparations I started worrying a little less.

  “Can you keep us updated on how everything is developing?” I take a bite from my bread and savour the taste. Why can Sadina cook like a five star chef when Melan is a total cub inside the kitchen? All Melan ever does is eat the food of others, but Sadina can do everything from making excellent meals for dinner to baking this wonderful bread. That doesn't work together with her scientific knowledge at all.

  After a while of trying to come to terms with herself she decided that she had to do something or she would turn mad. First she started cooking, then she was meeting Ed regularly. I don't know what's going on between the two of them, but I would be fine with it if they get together. At least it would take a lot of her attention off of me. I think she is trying to build a relationship. But it's weird. I am an adult. We can be friends, but I can't be her son. That door is closed between us.

  I would describe our current relationship as neutral. Or at least as being boss and employee. When I heard about her wish to turn an artificial singularity into an energy source I decided to finance her research with my company and gave the reins to Cyla. Too much to do in my current job. Paul was excited at the prospect of joining the operation. One might think that he would be against such a development because his corporation has the biggest share in fusion reactors. But he always was the type to go with the flow of technology.

  And Sadina's approach is so simple and clean. Who knows? Maybe our society would have had an energy source which rivals the anti-matter reactors if Sanguin hadn't taken the old Sadina out of the equation.

  A three dimensional representation of the solar system flickers into existence. It hovers directly above our kitchen table, so I pay it some attention while eating. The Drazi ships arrived at Sol. They are three light hours outside the system and are fanning out, each one taking its own individual course. I am a governor and an elder on top of it, so there is no way for me to take part in the coming battle. On one side I am glad that I don't have to risk my neck, but on the other I am itching to take the Coeus for a ride.

  That brings me to another point. Since the Coeus can be counted as a battleship it was requisitioned by the SDF. War be damned. I understand that every ship counts right now, but the Coeus is still my ship. At least Nina can telecommand it over the quantum net. Or should I say sadly she can command it over the net?

  She offered to remote control the newer ships which were equipped with that possibility. Since the battle is unlikely to leave Sol and there isn't a lot of risk for the connection to be interrupted inside the system it is a very reasonable attempt to save lives.

  On the other hand it also makes all the two hundred ships which fall under that category possible kamikaze vessels. Not that I doubt that any techno-mage pilot wouldn't choose to use kamikaze tactics if he is driven into a corner. Remote controlling those ships just makes it all the more likely that they wont come back.

  “I will build you a new one.” Nina's voice echoes through the kitchen.

  “I don't know what you are talking about?” I grumble, but Cyla produces a handkerchief from somewhere and rubs it in my face. Am I crying without my knowledge? Sucks! I hadn't done that in a while. Who knew that I like the Coeus that much?

  I sigh and take another bite. “Watching interstellar battles is boring. How long will it take them to reach the inner system?” I let my eyes wander over Melan, Hedeon and Sadina. They are as anxious as me.

  “They are currently trying to assess the situation. I think that they will decide on targets within the next few minutes after they gathered enough information. Their next step will be a short range FTL-flight into the inner system and towards their targets. Based on their decision we will deploy the nova weapon, teleporters or dispatch ships.” Nina answers.

  Melan looks up and stirs her coffee. “Have you already tried to hack them?”

  “Yes, but they are either not communicating or using tight laser beams. I suppose the latter is the case.” Nina answers grimly. “But
if they are restricting themselves to such measures it only benefits us. They already are behind us in matters of communication. Once they are spread across the solar system they are practically independent units which we can pick off at our choosing.”

  I think about what Nina said and nod. At the speed of light it takes a signal hours to reach from one side of the system to the other. Their left arm won't know what the right one is doing. We don't have that problem which allows us to react much faster to a changing situation.

  “I think they partly took the bait.” Nina informs me. “About two hundred ships are taking a formation to approach Earth. Another two hundred are going for Mars while the rest is going for targets of opportunity.”

  I almost choke over my coffee and Cyla freezes up. There are a lot of her relatives living on the red planet. “Why are they going for Mars?”

  Nina tries to come up with an explanation. “I strongly suspect that they lack information. If all they have are gravitational readings, then they might suspect that Mars could be a planet with a colony and industry. From that far out it will be hard to get a good look with optical instruments alone. Even with gravitational lensing our own sensors would be hard pressed to identify Mars as a dead planet. We will see once they come closer. I also activated the decoys to trick the raiding vessels. If they waste energy to chase shadows we gain important time.”

  I scratch my forehead. “No. It's much more likely that the Zeen gave them a little more information than we wished for. How high is the possibility that one of our people gave a hint at the distribution of our population? We have been in contact with the aliens for several months.”

  Hedeon sighs. “It is possible. A random comment about home? A thoughtless joke about Earth and Mars? It might not have been intentional, but the Zeen are known as good listeners. Out of a myriad of hints they might have deduced that there are at least two worthwhile targets in Sol. At least population wise.”

  I rub my temple. “No matter. It doesn't change the plan.”