The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle

by John Thornton

  “Unless he was not lying,” Paul replied. “We saw crew enter some part of the needle ship when we were in that clear cuboidal carriage which runs along the exterior of the hull. So I think the old AI, the one Tiffany encountered, was faulty, or Tiffany is not telling us everything.”

  “Paul, I have accurately reported what I experienced. I cannot account for the discrepancies in what has been observed,” Tiffany replied. “I will not deliberately deceive you.”

  “I am not so sure,” Paul began to say.

  “So we take advantage of the midshipman thinking we are scientists and go use the astronomy equipment,” Gretchen said. “Lead us on, Tiffany.”

  The automacube rolled ahead of them. They passed some office doors, and some other doors, which were already open, which led to apartments. No one was around, and there was no evidence anyone had been for some time.

  “We have not seen any Roe,” Gretchen observed as they continued to walk. “Nor any really bad messes. It all just looks abandoned.”

  “No we have not seen any Roe since that one that was chained up,” Paul muttered. “When we escape it will not matter anyway. We are not taking any Roe with us, and we are immune to that infection. How much further until we reach this astronomy place?”

  “The elevator up ahead will take us to the gravitational upper level. There we will find the location. It is labeled Astrogation Laboratory, or as TSI-15 Stellar Plotting and Confirmation,” Tiffany stated.

  “Wait!” Paul said as he stopped short. “That TSI designation is for some Vanguard artificial intelligence system. Did you interact with that?”

  “No Paul, I did not. I would have told you if I had. I uncovered deck plans and equipment inventory lists without direct interaction with any Vanguard artificial intelligence systems. That data allowed me to understand where the best astronomical equipment is located.”

  “You said you encountered Phoenix Dominie, right? So none of this information came from that thing?” Paul inquired.

  “I located the astronomical apparatus and its location without any other assistance. You will not have to be up all night wondering where the sun has gone. In the morning it will dawn on you.”

  “What are you talking about?” Paul asked. “I am getting tried, true, but we can still press on for a good while before we need to stop to sleep for the night.”

  “I am sorry. I was trying to use humor to alleviate your fears and anxieties of encountering the AI, TSI-15. I assure you I will be on high alert to any potential dangers,” Tiffany stated. “I believe with the security codes I have provided; our passage to that location will be without incident.”

  “That is if some Roe is not lurking around a corner, or some killer beast is not already stalking us ready to pounce, or some noxious plant is not going to poison me, or the alien life forms are not coming to kill us. Sure it will be without incident,” Paul said. “And it will help if you are telling the truth.”

  “I have done my best to alert you to dangerous situations. I am sorry when I have failed you,” Tiffany blurted out. “I remind you this endeavor was your idea and I suggested alternative courses of action.”

  Gretchen looked at Paul and her eyes narrowed. Paul turned away.

  “Tiffany, I appreciate what you have done under these extreme circumstances,” Gretchen finally stated. “Now will you please lead us to this elevator you spoke about.”

  The automacube rolled down the hallway and then turned to the right. There was a curving corridor which opened to a foyer. The décor was all very similar in this section.

  Along one wall, the hand symbol glowed in bright blue outline as did the perimeter of the elevator doors.

  Gretchen walked up to the door and pressed her hand against the symbol. There was a slight pause, and then the doors opened.

  On the side wall of the elevator was hand painted graffiti. It read, ‘Beware, they are not human’ in brilliant red letters.

  “Does that count as an incident?” Paul asked.

  “A warning about the Roe?” Gretchen pondered. “The Roe were human, but are not anymore. Is that what that means?”

  “The Jellies are obviously not human, but Tiffany said there was no evidence of Jellies in this part of the Vanguard, and said there would be no incidents on our trip here,” Paul answered. “Tiffany, how long ago was that painted on there?”

  “I do not have the capacity to date that paint,” Tiffany answered abruptly.

  Gretchen stepped into the elevator and was followed by Paul. The automacube rolled in after a brief pause outside.

  “What symbol do we select?”

  Tiffany said nothing, but the automacube’s manipulation arm reached up and pushed a symbol at the top line of the controls. The doors swished shut and the elevator began to move.

  “I still wonder about that,” Paul gestured to the graffiti. “A person did that, yet we are told no people have been here for fifteen years. So is the warning fifteen years old? Is it outdated and obsolete? Or are people really around here somewhere? Or is there something else we need to fear? The lattice is not human and runs lots of things, but would the lattice have some way to write by hand in paint on a wall?”

  Gretchen leaned back and against the side of the elevator. “I do not know. Tiffany, what is your best conjecture on the meaning of this message?”

  “I have no conjecture. Insufficient information,” Tiffany answered curtly.

  The elevator stopped. The doors slid open and they moved out of the elevator. They were in a small room which had a set of clear doors followed by another set of clear doors about two meters apart. Beyond those twin doorways was a large area of mechanical equipment. The elevator doors quietly slid shut behind them.

  “That looks like the place we need to be.” Paul looked through the clear door and could identify some of the large equipment.

  Gretchen entered the security code on the color pad next to the clear doors.

  There was a buzzing of negative function.

  She entered the security code again, taping each colored square on the pad more carefully.

  Again a buzz sounded indicating the doors did not work.

  “Why is the code failing?” Paul asked.

  Gretchen entered the code a third time. This time there was no buzzing sound at all. Rather a loud clanking sound came and a set of steel louvers fell into place between the first and second set of clear doors. The light on the hand symbol by the elevator faded out, as did the perimeter lighting around the elevator door.

  The overhead lights flicked and then changed to a dull red glow.

  “Access denied.”

  “Who is that” Gretchen asked as she looked for the source of the mechanical voice.

  “Are we trapped in here?” Paul asked as he placed his hand to where the elevator symbol had been. Nothing happened. Paul was unsure if he even touched the right spot. The wall all looked the same, and there was no evidence the elevator had been there, it just looked blank in the dim red light.

  “Tiffany what has happened?” Gretchen asked.

  “Insufficient data to make conjecture on cause of failure of security code use,” Tiffany stated flatly.

  “Connect in and get these doors open!” Paul commanded.

  “I am not sure that is the best course of action,” Tiffany replied.

  “Just do it! I will not be trapped in here!” Paul pounded on the clear door even though all he could see beyond it was the steel louvers which had locked into place from ceiling to floor.

  “I can cut our way out.” Gretchen took off her backpack and set up the molecular torch. She ignited the cutting flame.

  “Halt. Destruction of security system will result in removal of atmosphere from compartment.”

  Gretchen shut down the torch. “Who are you?”

  “Just cut our way out!” Paul yelled.

  “Paul, wait. Tiffany who is speaking to us?” Gretchen asked.

  “Insufficient data to make conjecture,” Tiffan
y replied.

  “Then connect in and find out!” Paul insisted.

  “No.” The artificial intelligence Tiffany abruptly replied.

  “What? Help us Tiffany!”

  “No. There is a risk for me if I probe the nonphysicality. The risk benefit ratio is not conducive to my position.”

  “Gretchen, what is happening? Is that really Tiffany?” Paul was stymied.

  “Tiffany, we need your help,” Gretchen stated.

  “You have my help, I just will not enter the nonphysicality,” Tiffany answered. “Not at this location.”

  “Then we cut our way out.” Paul grabbed his own molecular torch and fired up the cutting blade.

  “Halt. Destruction of security system will result in removal of atmosphere from compartment.” The unknown mechanical voice repeated.

  “I do not know who you are, but if you take the atmosphere out of here, you will kill me. Do you seek to kill me and my friend?” Paul did not put down the torch, nor did he begin cutting.

  “I do not wish to kill you. However, you entered an outmoded security code. Protocol requires confinement of those using inappropriate security codes. Please enter proper security code.”

  “What will you do if I refuse?” Paul said. “Will you still kill me? The midshipman helped me because I am a scientist, who are you to deny me access?”

  “Refusal to enter proper security codes requires confinement. Please enter proper security code.”

  “You did not answer my question,” Paul pressed. “If I refuse to enter the proper security code, will you kill me?”

  “Destruction of security system will result in removal of atmosphere from compartment.”

  “Have I destroyed any security system?” Paul asked.

  “No.”

  “So what will you do if I refuse to enter another security code? I know I have entered the proper security code, and the Central Planning Office approved my coming here. Why are you refusing me entry when I already entered the proper security code given by the Central Planning Office?” Paul bluffed forcefully. “Are you going to kill me for using the proper security code given by the midshipman?”

  “I am contacting the Central Planning Office for directions. Atmosphere will remain while you are confined. Destruction of security system will result in removal of atmosphere.”

  “Every moment you delay…” Paul began.

  The lights around the elevator came back on. The steel louvered security doors rolled back out of the way, and the clear doors swung open.

  “Central Planning Office confirms your identity as Luiz Barbosa and Maria Fernandes. My apologizes for any interruption of your schedule and your work. I am TSI-15 overseeing Stellar Plotting and Confirmation. Welcome to the Astrogation Laboratory.”

  8Hyper-vigilance, or paranoia?

  The Astrogation Laboratory of Stellar Plotting and Confirmation was a large command center with tall counters shaped in a square about fifteen meters wide. Those tall counters, were about chest high, and had two elevated seats facing out of the square, on side of the square. There was a walkway at each corner which allowed entry to the center. Inside the square were four command tables with three seats on each side of each table. The tables were laden with banks of controls, and large display screens. All twenty four of the seats around the tables were empty, and the chairs were neatly tucked under the tables.

  There were several side rooms, including a toileting area and a four small apartment including a kitchen and sleeping area with six neatly arranged bunk beds in each apartment. The living quarters all looked long unused.

  Paul and Gretchen walked into the area and sat down at the counter where there were smaller displays and a series of levers, buttons, dials, and gauges. The orange automacube rolled into the room and just stopped.

  “Tiffany, why did you refuse to assist?” Paul asked. “We could have been trapped in there.”

  Tiffany did not respond.

  One of the large display screens lit up. TSI-15 spoke from the display. “How my I assist you?”

  Paul was uncertain what to say, since Tiffany was not answering.

  Gretchen addressed TSI-15, “Please display current course of the Vanguard.”

  “Displaying now.” The screen changed to show a star chart and a projected course. The projected course was in a dotted line and the already traveled course was a solid line. “Colony Ship Vanguard is on approved trajectory and speed is adequate for journey. Latest projection is that Colony Ship Vanguard will reach the Westerhuis 9 system with its six known planets, including target world of Projima in 127.84 more years of travel.”

  “Can you display images of Earth?” Gretchen asked.

  “I only have historical records, and no current images to display. Contact with Earth tracking systems was lost 67.238 years ago.”

  “Do you have tracking data on the other colony ships?” Paul asked.

  “I am not designed for tracking of other colony ships. My core programming is for success of Colony Ship Vanguard,” TSI-15 responded. “Why do you ask about other colony ships?”

  “If we can compare to the progress of other colony ships, we can use that as an aid in evaluating the Vanguard’s progress,” Gretchen quickly answered. “Our goal is to succeed, and the more information we have the better we can achieve that goal.”

  “Understood. Interesting suggestion with merit applicable to the Vanguard. I have not done tracking of the other colony ships. I could divert resources to do that; however, TSI-2 Astrogation may be a better unit to utilize for your inquiries. Shall I conference with the compeers on the lattice to establish a protocol for your suggestion of comparison with other colony ships?”

  “Not at this time,” Gretchen said nonchalantly. “We prefer to work from this location for the preliminaries. What percentage of your capabilities can be diverted for this endeavor?”

  “Understood. I can divert two percent of my capacity for this inquiry without any diminishment of primary duties. If we were to conference with the lattice we could establish more integrated systems and complete the task in a shorter amount of time. Again I suggest we conference with the compeers on the lattice to establish a protocol for optimization of your suggestion of comparison with other colony ships.”

  “In due time we may, if these initial inquiries bear fruit,” Gretchen replied. “For now, please use your astronomical equipment to locate current position of the Colony Ship Eschaton.”

  Paul watched as Gretchen easily and smoothly worked with the old ship’s AI. She assumed the role of scientist expertly, and Paul just sat back and enjoyed seeing a side of her he had not seen much of since leaving Dome 17.

  “Understood. Beginning search for CS-5 Colony Ship Eschaton. I will begin with historical launch data and work from there in search of the Eschaton.”

  The display screen showed a rapid succession of images and charts and projections. Two other display screen turned on and they also began to show images.

  On the hull of the Vanguard, antennas, arrays, dishes, and other apparatus adjusted and aligned for the search. Some were at the bow of the ship, others at the stern. The distances between them were used to help focus and concentrate the searching abilities, as well as to make distance calculations and computations.

  “We will need to be able to take the locations with us in some storage medium,” Paul said and looked at the orange automacube. “I am uncertain how we will do that unless Tiffany cooperates.”

  They sat in silence while TSI-15 worked. Paul got up after a while and wandered into an apartment area, and gave it a closer examination. He found nothing.

  “Scan completed. Unable to locate current position of CS-5 Colony Ship Eschaton.”

  “What?” Paul blurted out as he returned to the control station. “It is out there!”

  “That may very well be,” TSI-15 replied. “However, I am unable to locate CS-5 Colony Ship Eschaton along track of planned trajectory, including a twenty percent deviation from p
rojections. Again I suggest that a conference with the lattice of compeers be initiated and a protocol be established for this task.”

  “Not yet,” Gretchen said and remained as calm as possible.

  “Tiffany! I insist you help us!” Paul yelled and glared at the automacube which housed the AI.

  Tiffany did not respond.

  “I do not understand how a maintenance automacube can be of service in this endeavor,” TSI-15 stated from the large display screen. “Additionally, it is eccentric to be speaking in that loud of a voice and with those tones and inflections. It is not common to have given a personal name to an automacube. Is there a reason for this behavior?”