by S. H. Jucha
“I don’t know, Gino,” Katrina replied, and that answer told Gino how poorly his ideas would be received by the Council if his partner couldn’t even embrace his proposals. “It’s not just the purchase of the sting ships; it’s the foreign concept of creating our own military,” Katrina added.
“Well, I agree it’s not like we need a military,” Gino replied, shrugging off his own notion. “We can always wait until the next incursion from an alien force arrives.”
Katrina grudgingly acknowledged Gino’s point. The Confederation had lost colonies and billions of people to the devastation of the alien Nua’ll. Most recently, they faced pressure from Earth’s humans, and, in both cases, it was Alex Racine and his people who came in support of the Confederation. “But who among our people would be interested in a military avocation? That’s a foreign concept to every Méridien,” Katrina said.
“As Alex would say, you aren’t thinking outside the box,” Gino replied.
Katrina laughed at the thought, and Gino sipped on his thé, disguising his grin.
“I don’t know of an individual in this universe who thinks as far outside the box as does that odd man,” Katrina replied.
Katrina’s first encounter with Alex hadn’t gone well at all. As the Leader of the House responsible for creating implants, she had been fascinated by the power Alex wielded with his twin implants, the tiny devices embedded in the cerebrum that allowed thought, comms transmission, and data storage. Despite that rough beginning, Katrina eventually befriended Alex and Renée de Guirnon, his Méridien partner. “I’m at a loss to guess the answer, Gino. Educate me on my lack of creative thinking.”
“The Independents,” Gino replied.
Katrina’s head snapped up, and she stared open-mouthed at Gino. His earnest expression said he waited for a serious reply. “That’s … that’s … so far outside the box that I can’t imagine where you got that idea.” Suddenly, it struck her. “Alex Racine!”
Gino burst out laughing. “Alex proposed it to me about two months ago in a long vid message. The man spins it out in his casual fashion, as if it’s not a universe-shaking concept for the Confederation.” Gino performed his best imitation of Alex’s delivery, as he said, “The Confederation needs protection. Purchase our sting ships, and we’ll train volunteers from the Independents for your military force.” Gino shook his head in disbelief.
“You’re shaking your head, but I’m not convinced that you aren’t considering his idea.”
“Considering it, yes; convinced, no. First, I wish to tour the Tanaka and talk more with our Haraken friend.”
“On that note, consider foregoing the trip in your House ship, the Il Piacere. I’d love to show off the Resplendent to the Harakens. May I host you and the Leaders aboard my new liner?”
* * *
Continually monitoring the passengers and crew aboard ship or station to ensure their safety was a primary responsibility of a SADE. Sentry programs ran in autonomous mode and searched for indications of distress and danger. The application was designed by House Brixton scientists to allow Méridiens as much privacy as possible, while being constantly monitored by their cognitive digital intelligences.
However, such privacy was not in existence as Allora eavesdropped on every word of Gino and Katrina’s conversation. If Allora had lungs, you would have said she waited with bated breath for Gino’s response to Katrina’s offer. In the world of SADEs, human speech was maddeningly slow, and while Gino pondered Katrina’s question, Allora wanted to scream at the human to speak.
Then Allora heard Gino agree to Katrina’s offer, and her crystal kernel’s emotional algorithms vaulted into her upper hierarchy. While Allora exalted in her good fortune, a part of her continued to capture the Leaders’ conversation for details of the trip. She was ready to fire the main engines and leave for Haraken immediately, but, frustratingly so, the humans planned to leave in four days.
-3-
In her short life, Allora had never enjoyed a launch as much as this one. Carefully following Captain Lessori’s orders, she set a course to exit the Méridien system and jump for the Hellébore system, fearing that at any moment her plans might be discovered, even though they were securely hidden deep in her memory banks.
Aboard the Resplendent were six of the Confederation’s premier Leaders, five of whom were Gino Diamanté; Katrina Pasko; Bartosz Rolek, his House responsible for food production; Emilio Torres, whose House managed Méridien citizenry records; and Devon O’Shea, the Leader of a House that controlled the Confederation’s terminals and planetside transportation. Strangely, from conversations Allora monitored, the sixth Leader appeared to be an unwelcome guest.
During the jump to Hellébore, the system’s data of which Allora had received only hours before launch, she was filled with anticipation and joy. Allora marveled again at the unique signatures of folded time and space, which humans would never witness.
Exiting the jump into Hellébore’s system, Allora was infinitely pleased to be greeted by Julien, who handled comms for the president, and, after the briefest exchange with him, Allora listened to the two world leaders as Gino hailed Alex Racine.
Allora had yet to finalize her plan, but this visit to Haraken opened opportunities she hadn’t imagined. There was time to let the options unfold. The Méridien Leaders planned to stay seven days at Haraken.
Days later, the Resplendent achieved Haraken orbit, and Allora’s valuable cargo, the Leaders, boarded a traveler for the flight planetside. There was a moment of trepidation as the traveler exited the bay, and Allora had to school herself to be patient — the loss of her leverage was only temporary.
While the humans visited, Allora spoke with every Haraken SADE, questioning each one how he or she felt to be free, what did they like most about being mobile, and how did they fit into the world of humans. A great surprise to her was the partnership of Julien and Cordelia. Allora hadn’t considered the concept of finding a fellow SADE with whom she might wish to reside once she was mobile. Or possibly several SADEs, Allora thought, playing with the concept for several moments before returning to her interviews.
* * *
Julien kept his thoughts to himself. Months ago, he was forewarned by Winston as to the Council SADE’s opinion of Allora and considered it best to keep the information private. His own analysis of Allora’s communications indicated an undeniable earnestness that bordered on a pathological desire to be free. This led Julien to foresee a singular point of danger. Under no circumstances imaginable would he allow Alex aboard the Resplendent — provided, of course, that Alex listened to his warning. Which will be a challenge in and of itself, Julien thought.
The Haraken SADEs kept in close contact with Allora while the Confederation Leaders enjoyed their time on planet, touring Mickey’s engineering labs, and were then hosted aboard the Tanaka to witness the warship’s capabilities. With every passing day, they witnessed Allora growing more anxious and were relieved when the Leaders’ stay ended without incident and the Resplendent’s traveler returned aboard the liner.
* * *
“Set a course for Méridien, if you would please, Allora,” Captain Lessori ordered.
“Apologies, Captain, but I can’t do that. I detect a pressure leak under the bridge cons
oles and recommend all personnel vacate the space. I will require technicians in environment suits to investigate,” Allora replied.
Immediately, Lessori ordered the bridge vacated, and Allora sealed the bridge accessway doors behind them.
Captain Lessori’s further pleas were blocked by Allora, and the elderly gentleman searched the liner via implant to find his Leader, Katrina Pasko. Fortunately, he didn’t have far to travel. Katrina was entertaining her guests in the expansive House salon.
“Allora has refused my orders, Leader Pasko.”
“Nonsense,” Katrina replied and reached out to connect with Allora herself. When her comm to the SADE was refused, Katrina’s face took on a worried expression, and she sat upright on the couch where she had been lounging.
Gino, sensing trouble, attempted to reach out to Julien, but his comm to the planet wasn’t initiated. “We’re comm blocked, if we require Allora’s assistance,” he announced.
“I can still reach my crew, Leaders,” Lessori added.
“Allora can’t block implant-to-implant communications,” Katrina replied.
“Warnings are sounding that the bay doors are about to open,” Lessori reported. “Crew is vacating both bays.” Moments later, he added, “Everyone has made the airlocks safely. The travelers are lifting off.”
“With our pilots?” Katrina asked.
“Negative, Leader. I presume Allora has control,” Lessori replied.
“Do you think the SADE intends to destroy this vessel?” Emilio Torres asked.
“She wouldn’t need to remove our shuttles to do that,” Gino reasoned.
“I feared this day was coming,” Shannon Brixton said quietly, and every head in the room spun to regard her. “Don’t say that you never thought this would happen,” she said, defiant in the face of the stares.
“What are you talking about?” Bartosz Rolek asked.
“A SADE revolting,” Gino added, his mood somber, and Shannon nodded her head in sympathy.
“Shannon, your House is responsible for these creations. How can you sit there and say you saw something like this coming and not have warned us?” Bartosz Rolek demanded.
“What part of their acronym do you not understand, Bartosz? SADEs … self-aware digital entities!” Shannon declared hotly. “You call them creations like they’re some sort of artifact. But that’s not the way the SADEs see themselves. They feel they’re alive, and living things yearn to be free.”
“Alex Racine did this,” Emilio said. It wasn’t said in anger, but it was an accusation nonetheless.
“Yes, Alex is responsible for freeing those SADEs who helped him save the Confederation … twice, I might add,” Gino replied.
“I thought the SADEs were content,” added Devon O’Shea. He was confused by the turn of events.
“Have they been content, or have they been biding their time?” Shannon asked.
“To the point of this discussion are Julien and Cordelia, whom we’ve all met,” Katrina added. “Who would dare refuse that pair, most of all, the right to self-determination and an equal status with humankind?”
“So what do we do now?” Bartosz asked.
“Consider Allora as our new host, and we’ll await her pleasure,” Gino replied. And regardless of who created Allora or whose ship the SADE served on, it would be Gino Diamanté’s responsibility, as the Confederation’s Council Leader, to extricate them from the unexpected circumstances of becoming hostages to a SADE in revolt.
-4-
Alex was descending a traveler’s hatch steps outside his home, and he had frozen in place.
Admiral Tatia Tachenko grabbed the hatch’s frame to prevent bumping into Alex from behind. When Alex remained on the steep steps, Tatia could only imagine what extraordinary circumstances were befalling them now. She glanced down to Renée on the ground, who was staring up at Alex, and touched her temple, wondering if Alex’s partner was online, but Renée shook her head. Finally, Alex descended the last few steps and walked over to sit down in the meadow grass, his face a study in concentration.
For Allora, the president’s words were simple enough to understand, but it was the emotion wrapping the leader’s thoughts that won her attention. He was concerned for her well-being. she sent.
Julien replied.
Both Leaders were challenged as to how to negotiate their way out of the awkward situation before circumstances became dire. It wasn’t going to be easy with the SADE listening to every word.
Allora wished to issue a sarcastic response to the Leader’s obvious ploy to eliminate her position of power, but calculating the probabilities, she decided it was an unwise tactic. est to be granted while we’re in Haraken space. You’re the Confederation’s supreme Leader. You can give me my freedom.>
Alex stood up in the tall grass and walked toward the cliff overlooking the ocean that lay to the west of Espero, Haraken’s capital city. His people trailed behind him, linked into conversation via the SADEs, who were monitoring the exchange. Alex reached the cliff edge and watched the waves rushing to the shore. The Swei Swee hives crowded the beach and the shallow waters. In the distance, he could spot large males breaking the surface, catches of fish pinned in their pointed claws.
Alex replied. But he had to admit that he saw no other viable course of action.
