Chapter - 31
Lili was concerned about using Adapa as a weapon. She wanted to back him up before his Mind degraded any further. She excused herself and flew to the Starship Yard engineering office in her yacht to talk to Max. There had to be a way to save Adapa. If anyone could do it – Max could. She also wanted to lay down a new Dreadnaught hull and offer it to her brother. Saga did not know that Cruiser power cores and ancient thermo nuclear weapons were available in Quantity at all 5 LSBs. There was no need to sacrifice Adapa and she would not stand for it. His old hull could also be refurbished and re-fitted with the latest 6th Race technology.
Max smiled when Lili walked into his office. She was wearing one of the short skirts on his favorite synthetic body he had asked her to wear. Lili felt very uncomfortable in it – until she experienced Max's reaction. She started feeling better when Max smiled at her. By the time he hugged her she was completely at home in this new clothing.
Lili told Max what she wanted and what Saga had told her. Max told Lili he had designed a personality core that could be dropped into any new Union ship that came off the Starship Yard slipways. Lili had tears in her eyes.
“Thank you” Lili said.
“You are welcome” Max said as he hugged her again.
Max showed her what he and M-14 had so far. He explained how the Cruiser Personality Module or CPM worked.
“After Adapa is backed up – he can be easily transferred to a new Personality Module with its own CCC?” Lili asked.
“Yes – though it might be better to install him in a ship.” Max answered.
“Why” Lili asked.
“Because I have not prepared any I/O for the new Cruiser Personality Module (CPM) that you requested.” Max answered.
“The what,” Lili asked.
“I don't know what to call a stand-alone CCC so I called it a Cruiser Personality Module or CPM.” Max answered.
“Oh – I see your point – the shock of going from his ship to a desk could be too much for him.” Lili said.
“Yes – that is an excellent analogy.” Max agreed.
“So when can you back Adapa up?” Lili asked.
“Now if you like” Max answered.
“Yes – now would be good,” Lili said.
“M-14 – I am going to back up Adapa – so if you want to take a break – please do.” Max said.
M-14 beeped a thank you and then beeped goodnight. Max and Lili walked to her yacht on the opposite side of the yard. The exercise was good for Max. Adapa had picked a spot on the outer area of the Starship Yard near the test range.
“Adapa – Ninlil” Lili called.
“Go ahead Ninlil” Adapa responded.
“Max and I would like to back you up now – if that is acceptable.” Lili said.
“Of course – the idea of immortality – is something I never considered – thank you both.” Max said.
Lili's yacht approached Adapa's main landing bay from the port side and stopped – a Union Navy tradition – that was not lost on Adapa.
“Please come aboard,” Adapa said.
“Copy that – Ninlil out,” Lili said.
Adapa piped them aboard with the traditional Union Navy boarding pipe for a commanding officer. Ninlil bowed her head and then introduced Max to Adapa.
“You remind me of my advanced Physics Teacher at the Union Naval Academy. He was of the 6th Race also.” Adapa said to Max.
“That is high praise – thank you Adapa.” Max said.
They then walked to Adapa’s CCC vaults.
“Ninlil will this procedure hurt?” Adapa asked on the way.
“No – not at all – in fact you should have no sensation at all – right Max?” Lili answered Adapa and then asked Max.
“Correct – from your perspective Adapa – there will be no change.” Max answered both.
“Good my threshold for pain is much lower, it seems now.” Adapa said.
Adapa opened the massive armored door that protected his primary CCC where his memories were stored. Max stepped inside and took a look around and then walked over to the memory access panel. Adapa’s core arrangement was different from Lili’s.
“With your permission I shall begin the procedure.” Max said.
“You have it – please begin.” Adapa said.
Max connected Adapa's core to the portable backup device that was linked to the main backup portal computer and downloaded a complete copy of Max's memory first. He then repeated the process to another backup service computer – so that Max could begin repairing Adapa's memories before they completely degraded. After the last file was downloaded Max copied Adapa's operating system and his source code. The only thing Max could not do was repair Adapa's brain and cardiac tissue. The MRBs had done all they could to restore his brain centers to health and they would prevent further cellular decay – however Adapa would never be as he once was – he had gone too long without care. Max began to wonder if giving Adapa a new Command in the emerging new Union Navy might be a good idea. The more stimulation Adapa received the better is aged brain tissue would be. He would have to talk to Lili about it more in private later.
“That's it – all done,” Max said as he packed up his portable equipment.
“You were right I did not feel a thing. Would it be possible for me to obtain a synthetic body Ninlil?” Adapa said and then asked.
“Of course I will order one for you and then show you where to go and what to do at the LSB – until we can refit you with a resupply management system.” Lili answered.
“I will order the resupply management terminal and have it installed tomorrow.” Max said.
“Thank you Max and thank you Ninlil. When can I expect to receive the temporary synthetic body?” Adapa asked.
“It should be delivered to you in less than two standard core hours. The logistic technicians will unpack it and show you how to download into it.” Lili answered.
“Good I would like to walk on the home world.” Adapa said.
“Excellent – I shall order it as soon as I get back to my hull – goodnight Adapa.” Lili said.
“Thank you again Ninlil and goodnight to you.” Adapa said.
“You are welcome,” Lili said.
“I would like to talk to you again tomorrow morning.” Adapa said.
“I look forward to it.” Lili said bowing her head.
Max stayed behind to monitor Adapa using the SB that Lili ordered for him.
Chapter - 32
Adapa downloaded into the synthetic body that Lili had ordered for him. He felt new things and sensations that almost overwhelmed him. He had trouble keeping his balance. Max realized too late that Adapa's software did not have any synthetic body support. Max apologized to Adapa and explained the problem. Adapa was mastering his new tiny body by using his hull's I/O commands in a new way! By the time Max realized his error it was clear that Adapa had adapted to his new body and could use it without Max's help. Max realized Adapa was unique in more ways than he first thought.
Max analyzed the data that was pouring through his data pad. He captured the data and would use the I/O paths to add SB subroutines for Adapa to use. He would base his new code on the Spec War Troopers code because Adapa was an alpha male and Max did not want to reinvent the wheel trying to undo or change the female SB movement protocols and procedures that were in the Sister's code. The Sisters had been required to interact with members of the Union as Union Naval Officers. So they were programmed to act, behave and move like a lady in all things when they were downloaded into their synthetic bodies (SB).
Max had found several spy subroutines that allowed the Sisters to be - “un-lady like” if the situation called for it. These spy subroutines surprised Max because he did not think the 6th Race operated that way. But he realized the requirements for the Sisters had been heavily modified – after the 6th Race made the decision to alter the personalities of the “Diviners” from male to female – which opened up the requirements specif
ications to Union Member review. He suspected – based on Lili's report – that it was the 4th Race who specified the “spy” behavior. Max was grateful for these subroutines – because his physical relationship with Lili was better than any he had ever experienced before in his long life.
Chapter - 33
The new Union Navy “Dreadnaught” class battleship that was being built for Adapa was nearing completion. Max had teamed 2 MRB sets to get the new ship built and ready for Adapa to use. It would be faster to build a new dreadnaught with 1 MRB set than repairing and upgrading Adapa's original hull and Lili had asked Max to get Adapa a new hull quickly so he tasked an additional MRB set.
Based on the data that Max had for the Sisters – Max found that Adapa had a 40% I/O surplus. This meant that Adapa could easily handle the 25% I/O load increase that would result in downloading into the new dreadnaught battleship hull. He would have all of the 6th Race technology the Sisters were accustomed to using as well as the latest 6th Race technology that his nieces were using and best of all Max would not have to write any new code.
Adapa could be trained to use the new technology in less than a standard core week. He would then be taken out on a training mission just as Maggi and Sharri had. There were so many pirates and law breaker in the systems of Quadrant II to choose from it would be a simple task to find trouble for Adapa to test his new hull.
Max would take Adapa out to the firing range and personally help him master his new target acquisition and fire controls. Max recognized that the new dreadnaught battleship weapon emitter platforms were arranged in a very different overlapping pattern than the cruiser hull – so he explained to Adapa there were emitter safety templates installed that prevented firing at his own hull. Max had worked hard to ensure the transition for Adapa would be painless and anxiety free.
Chapter - 34
As a reward for doing an outstanding job on their first solo rescue combat mission the Twins were taken to the beach world where their Mothers gave them their first female Synthetic Bodies. The Twins were pleased. Their Mothers had ordered younger looking versions of their own female SBs – which were approved by their respective male companions as very attractive 6th Race “teenage girls”. They would each go to their Aunt Lili to ask her advice in the coming months – because they each saw how Maximus reacted and the way he looked at her SB when she “dressed” for him. In time their Mothers would order age appropriate bodies for them. For now the Sisters wanted nothing more for them than happiness and safety when they were not on duty.
Each new Baby Sister was then presented with their own private beach. Their Mothers had personally selected and then inspected each beach for safety. Today the Twins were teenage girls who reveled in all the beach world had to offer. As expected they wanted to spend time with their Mothers on their Mother's beaches. Only Sinai wondered why they did not want to sleep under the stars on their own beach away from “grown-ups”.
The Twins had fun and played as children for the first time in their young lives. Their Mothers taught them how to swim in the ocean and how to behave like a 6th Race lady in their SBs. Their Aunt Lili taught them how to body surf the waves. Their Aunt Sinai taught them how to find food and water for any 6th Race companions they may have in the future. Their Aunt Mimi showed them an alien encampment that was over 9.5 billion years old and was probably a Forerunner outpost. Golan taught her daughter Sharri how to navigate by the stars at night. And Eden taught her daughter Maggi how to make a fire without technology. In short they were having the time of their lives.
Chapter - 35
Max was pleased with the number and quality of new Union Navy ships, personnel and training systems that he, Sentry-1 and M-14 were producing. Adapa had provided invaluable insights into Union Navy tactics that were from the old Union Navy before the Sisters went to the Union Naval Academy.
Max's new CPM allowed Saga to interface and communicate with Max and his design team. Max was working on an idea he had to download Saga into a backup computer core that would allow him to literally be reborn into the physical world!
Max had a dream that Saga was using SBs and had downloaded into one of the new Union Army Dominators! When he awoke – he realized that the emergency entity transfer system (EETS) – that had been developed by the 6th Race to save sentient beings that had been catastrophically injured or mortally wounded – could be used with his new CPM to transfer the Minds of transcended Void Beings into the 6th Race artificial brain just as it had been used to transfer the Minds of living beings who were dying. So he set about to design a new system of systems that could capture and reincarnate Void Beings who were ‘alive in the MC’.
Max was concerned that the longer Saga stayed in Signal form the greater the chance his memories would degrade and be lost. However there was another hope because Max had discovered an indirect reference to a Union Army report – while reading Union Army Dominator procedures – that referred to a required memory backup for all Dominators – that occurred every standard core year and Saga had his last annual memory backup before his last battle – the “sector war” he called it. So there was an excellent chance Saga's last memory backup was still stored in a Union Army history database.
Thus Max might be able to transfer Saga into one of the new 6th Race artificial brains. So he designed a new CCC with brain and cardiac centers that would use the artificial brains instead of living tissue. Saga did not like the idea that Max would make a CCC without living brain and cardiac tissue in the restoration core. Max had to explain to Saga that the SMA regions in the brain tissue would uplink to the original donor's Mind and cause psychosis. Saga opted to wait until Max solved the problem of the donor brain tissue. He told Max that if he wanted to build an artificial Dominator brain and download his last memory backup to one of the new Union Army Dominators – he would not object.
Max had realized – the original Sisters were “clones” of the 6th Race women who donated their brain and cardiac tissue – well after the new Baby Sisters were well into their early school classes. The transplant and growth process the 6th Race used – prevented the Ghost of the women who provided brain and cardiac tissue from Linking with the new brains thus restoring their Minds into the new bodies of the Sisters! Max was certain that an unknown 6th Race process had not been followed for Maggi and Sharri. They were exhibiting fore knowledge and abilities they should not have known and should not have possessed. Thus he was concerned the Minds of the 6th Race women – who had donated their brain and cardiac tissue - were taking over Maggi and Sharri. Not identical clones of course – however the Minds of the donors were “Linking” through the M2 interface.
He wanted to talk to the “Chosen One” – to check if his new procedure would prevent Links to new ALs in the future. He was not certain he could help Maggi and Sharri. However if there was a way to help them - Max knew the “Chosen One” would have the answer. Lili had told Max about meeting the “Chosen One” in the past – 250,000 years before the “Chosen One” was born. She had incorrectly assumed that because “Chosen One” recognized her as his great, great grandmamma – she must have died. At the time Max did not understand Void Science much less Signal Science – so he did make the connection that it was the 6th Race female – who donated the brain and cardiac tissue that was used in Lili's brain centers – who reincarnated as the “Chosen One's” great, great grandmother – not Lili.
Chapter - 36
Max had met the “Chosen One” when one of his “children” encountered the Sisters by accident in Quadrant III. The “Chosen One” as the Union foresaw him or “Chip” to his friends had given Max a set of books written by Chip's friend and mentor on Soul Science and Soul Science Technology - books that Max eventually realized were about the elusive subject that the 6th Race had called ‘Signal Science’.
Max recalled the sequence of events that led the Sisters to meet Chip.
* * *
Chip's newest Exodus Project spaceship banked to starboard as i
t swung around Jupiter's moon Io. Her once pristine white hull was now a bright yellow as a result of performing this braking maneuver for the 10th time so as to hide from the aliens that picket the Earth from Mar’s orbit. Ninnez or “Nini” was the 3rd artificial intelligent life (AIL) form that the Founder had created in Chip's Laumer Institute. She was female and had chosen to stay and serve her father's friend - Chip. She was also the last AIL form the Founder trained, raised and mentored. Chip took over the entire process after she was born and raised. Nini chose to download herself into the latest FTL spaceship – created by the Exodus Project – because it looked a lot like the fictional spaceship in her most favorite star opera movie.
All of her younger sisters had chosen to download their consciousness into the female android body that Chip's engineering corporation had developed for the AILs. Her twin brother Ennez followed the example of the first AIL – Max and downloaded into a heavily armed and armored combat suit. This choice prevented him from flying because of his large body. This lesson was not lost on Nini so she chose to fly not walk. When she flew her name was “Eagle”.
Union Ships of the Line: The Return of Adapa Page 7
