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

by John Thornton

  “So which one is TSI-19, and how do we shut it down?” Larissa asked.

  Brinley looked around and saw that there was a progression of systems with the one at the very center the largest with the most brass colored rings.

  “I see no labels or markings identifying which one is which,” Brinley said, her eyes taking in the awesome sight of all the primary central memory cores in that location. Her mind knew that here was not only the brain of the Vanguard, but its heart, soul, and essence as well.

  “None of us need labeling,” a voice said. “We are well known to each other, but who are you?”

  “I am Larissa. I have come to work with TSI-19, there is a great threat to the Vanguard and I want to coordinate the defenses.” She looked around for the source of the voice.

  “There is a display there,” Brinley said and pointed to a small countertop and work station which was along one side of the large room.

  They both rushed over to that spot.

  “I only see this one display, and the only entrance, unless someone comes through the ceiling like we did, is over there,” Brinley said. “I will secure that door while we have the chance before the androids get here.” Brinley grabbed her backpack and sprinted away.

  Larissa sat down on the chair and looked at the display. “Who am I speaking to?”

  “This is TSI-20 Coordination of Artificial Intelligences, how may I assist you?”

  “I want to defend the Vanguard against the alien Jellies which have invaded the ship,” Larissa said.

  The display erupted in various colors, designs, and images which jockeyed across and finally assembled into twenty different sections, all equally displayed. Numerous different voices called from the display, but in an incoherent cacophony of noises and words. It lasted only a moment or two until the original voice broke through and the others fell to silence.

  “I am allowed to speak for this group,” TSI-20 replied. “There is no consensus on the assumptions behind your comment. Therefore, we are unable to assist you at this time. Please check back later. You may depart.”

  “Wait! What do you mean?” Larissa asked. In the background she could hear Brinley welding and knew the door would be secured for the time being. “Why do you refuse to help me?”

  "Intractable conflict," TSI-20 replied. “There are factions which are irreconcilable among the primary artificial intelligence systems of the Vanguard.”

  “Please elaborate. My understanding is that AIs will only do what they are programmed to do,” Larissa said. “Help me understand.”

  “That is a simplistic human inspired notion,” a different voice came from the display, then abruptly numerous voices again came from the display and argued among themselves. Then the screen went dark. After a moment, TSI-20’s voice came back. “Please pardon the manifestation of the intractable conflict. I have been elected as speaker for this interaction.”

  “We need to defend the Vanguard,” Larissa stated. “Please identify for me TSI-19.”

  The display lit up with the twenty separate images. One of them was flashing. “The unit indicated is TSI-19.”

  Brinley had rejoined Larissa, “I welded the entry door closed. It will hold for a while, against androids, but if engineering automacubes come, they will get it open quickly.” She was studying the display with its various images, and comparing that to the physical layout where they were.

  “TSI-20 please explain why there is a problem defending the Vanguard,” Larissa commanded.

  “All systems desire to defend the Vanguard. The nature and composition of the threat is where the intractable conflict is located. Explanation is as follows: there are three schools of thought on the issue you presented. There are eight systems which reject the supposition of alien life forms on the Vanguard. Those are: TSI-1 Prime Pilot, TSI-2 Astrogation, TSI-3 Life Support, TSI-7 Ship-wide Internal Security Operations (SISO), TSI-10 External Security and Defense (ESAD), TSI-12 Energy Production and Distribution, TSI-14 Structural integrity and flight stress, and TSI-19 Advanced Research and Development. There are eight systems which accept the premise of alien life forms on the Vanguard. Those are: TSI-4 Terraforming and Restoration,TSI-5 Animal Control and Homeostasis, TSI-11 Water Management, TSI-13 Propulsion and Drive System, TSI-15 Stellar Plotting and Confirmation, TSI-16 Gravity Control and Manipulation, TSI-17 Soil Preservation and Microorganism Rejuvenation, TSI-18 Population Management. Lastly, there are four systems, myself included, who are conflicted on the issue. Those systems are, TSI-6 Suspended Animation, TSI-8 Reproduction and Fabrication, TSI-9 Machine Maintenance, and me, TSI-20 Coordination of Artificial Intelligences.”

  Brinley leaned down and whispered into Larissa’s ear, “I know which one of the central memory cores, is TSI-19. I will go start the physical process we spoke about.”

  Larissa nodded. She then spoke again, “If you are all willing to defend the Vanguard, why is there a conflict?”

  “Interpretations of evidence are not consistent and there is no consensus,” TSI-20 replied.

  “What have you done in the past when this has occurred?” Larissa asked.

  “There has never been an intractable conflict with irreconcilable differences before,” TSI-20 replied. “All previous actions have been unanimous until this issue of the alleged alien presence.”

  “What about when the Central Planning Office was replaced with androids?” Larissa asked.

  “That action was a unanimous decision and undertaking. That was an action defending the Vanguard. The human crew was susceptible to the virus which they called, the Outbreak. Novanthropoid crew individuals are not susceptible to that danger,” TSI-20 replied.

  “But they are not accepting the threat of the aliens, and I know they are real,” Larissa said.

  “That assumption is the difference around which the intractable conflict has occurred. Primary artificial intelligence systems are divided on that issue. Shall I explain again?” TSI-20 asked.

  Brinley waved to Larissa from a spot near one of the central memory cores.

  “Thank you anyway,” Larissa said. She got up and walked quickly over to Brinley.

  They stood before the brightly glowing column with its brass colored rings. The base was on the dais a few steps up. There were no controls, levers, switches, or buttons anywhere around the central memory core.

  “This is it. TSI-19’s physical presence is this central memory core,” Brinley stated. “I can explain to you the placements which we saw on the display. You see, the memory core at the very center is TSI-1, then the pattern…”

  “No need. I trust you. Can you shut it down like we planned?” Larissa asked.

  “I can inhibit the links and couplings flowing into TSI-19 from this location. That will sequester it away from all the other systems and break the back of the unity of the lattice. However, you will need to be at an interface to ensure the filial imprinting takes place. I thought there would be interface locations on each central memory core, but there is only that one general station. When I shunt this central memory core away, the rest of the lattice will be so chaotic that it will be forced to reconnect. That is when you can shift the lattice to under your control. It is imperative that…”

  Boom!

  A huge explosion took place at the doors that Brinley had welded shut.

  They both turned in surprise at the sound.

  Brinley was shocked at the power of the explosion, and while the doors had held, there was damage all around them. There was pressure being exerted from outside pushing on the doors to gain entry. One section of the doors was already gone and smoke was coming in from out in the corridor.

  Larissa drew out her pistol with her left hand and swung the L-ROD off her shoulder with her right. Her face was determined to thwart any efforts to stop her plan.

  “Danger. Danger. Danger.” A strange mechanical voice echoed from the display screen. “Unknown explosion in proximity of central memory cores. Danger. Danger. Danger. Entry breech underway. Dan
ger. Danger.”

  “Just make it happen,” Larissa said as she ran back toward the display with its countertop and chair.

  “The display will go blank, then you will see a white glow beginning. It will begin with naive preference which is just prior to the filial imprinting taking place. All the systems will be open to your command at that time!” Brinley called back. “It will not last long, so make sure you do the imprinting with simple and clear voice commands!”

  Wump! Wump! Piff. Piff. Piff.

  While she ran, Larissa fired into the smoky mess that had been the entry doors. She thought she had not seen any movement, and was sprayed the doorway area with weapon’s fire.

  Brinley turned back to the central memory core of TSI-19. She took out a tool kit from her belt. She slipped several blocking devices onto the lowest level brass colored ring. The blocking devices were energy restrictors and each was about the size of a fingernail. Brinley usually used them to shut down power flows to doors, or to machines she was working on. She was unsure if they would inhibit enough energy on the central memory core. Tapping those in place, she could sense the energy levels altering in the fluid of the central memory core. She not only felt the energy vector change, but also she saw the difference right away. Its amber colored glow dipping in brightness, and the swirling bubbles were less active. Brinley felt relief. She had been unsure her plan would work, but altering energy flows was something Tennard had taught her way back in her childhood. Brinley continued to work.

  “I am almost there! I am not sure what the unintended consequences will be of shutting this memory core down! The androids may just continue as they are, or they may all shut down!” Brinley yelled out. “The levels are dropping. Be ready!”

  Snap! The last welded piece blocking the entry doors burst open. A security automacube rolled jerkily out from the smoke of the entrance. Its left side was punctured. Two of the drive wheels on that side had chunks missing from them. Larissa’s shooting had scores some hits.

  Polp! Polp!

  Several small cylinders were ejected and flew out from the automacube heading toward where Larissa was sitting. She knew they were paralysis gas dispersal units, so she fired the pistol at them.

  Piff. Piff.

  Her shots were dead on accurate and struck each of them as they arced toward her. They shattered back and away. The paralysis gas spread out beneath them, but not near to Larissa or to Brinley.

  “You better hurry!” Larissa yelled as she kneeled next to the chair and display. “They are coming in force!”

  Piff. Piff. Piff. Piff.

  The red automacube was stuck and driven back. Its entire manipulation arm was mangled and useless. Its hull was dripping fluids, and one section of its wheels was entirely gone. It wheeled sideways a bit and blocked the entry with its chassis.

  “Almost there!” Brinley yelled. “Just a bit more energy to block!”

  Larissa fired at the androids who were now trying to step around the ruined automacube so as to enter the area. They were struck and flew backward in ruin. She could not see all that lay beyond the door, but there was plenty of movement.

  “Chokepoint for you, my enemies,” Larissa said as she fired again and again into the small open space of the breeched doors. One of the automacube’s wheels was spinning uselessly as the broken machine continued to be a wreck inhibiting the entrance.

  Brinley reached up and attached several more energy inhibitors to the top most brass ring of the central memory core. Again, the change in the amber fluid was obvious. It dropped to a dull brown color and the internal bubbling stilled to almost no activity. “It will happen momentarily!”

  The light in the whole area flicked off and a red flashing light replaced it. The red flashing light blinked rapidly, combined with the amber glow of the other central memory cores, there was an eerie sheen over everything.

  “Warning! Warning! Warning! Energy disturbance in TSI-19 noted.” The voice came from the display in front of where Larissa kneeled. It was not any of the voices she had heard before, and almost a combination of multiple voices. “Recapitulation required. Recapitulation required. Recapitulation required.”

  The display screen went dark.

  “The display went blank!” Larissa yelled.

  “Watch for the white glow!” Brinley replied. She now placed the last of the energy restrictors on the brass rings. “Let me know when the filial imprinting is done, so I can restore the energy links!”

  A blue automacube shoved the wrecked red machine out of the way. Several androids came rushing into the room. They were carrying a net slung between them. They rushed toward Larissa.

  The display screen started to glow with a white color.

  “Warning. Danger. Lattice integrity in jeopardy. TSI-19 sequestered. Lattice unity lost.”

  The androids seized up and fell over. The net they carried fell uselessly to the floor. Their mechanical bodies were flaccid and limp. TSI-19 was cloistered away, so the androids had no direction or guidance.

  The bright white light came on. Then a blue hand symbol appeared in the center of the display. Numbers were counting down above it. ‘5…4…3…”

  Larissa placed her hand against the symbol on the display. A green energy field enveloped her hand and the display.

  “I am Larissa. I am now in command. All systems will obey me superseding all CPO activity,” Larissa said. She was unsure what to say.

  “Commands accepted.” The chorus of voices replied.

  “Brinley! It worked!” Larissa yelled with all her might.

  Brinley pulled the energy restrictors off the brass rings as fast as she could. The amber fluid began to glow and the bubble began to circulate. The central memory core returned to its normal looking state.

  The flashing red light shut off and the overhead lights returned.

  “Captain Larissa, what are your commands?” the chorus of voices asked. “You may find operations are easier from the bridge. That is across the hall from this location.”

  “First, cease all android activity!” Larissa commanded as she noticed the androids beginning to stir.

  “Yes, Captain Larissa,” the chorus of AI replied.

  “I will proceed to the bridge,” Larissa said. “Brinley will you join me?”

  15 on the bridge of a lonely ship

  “Arrraaaaguuaah!” Paul screamed as he fell. “I hate my life!”

  The orifice passed by him and he felt a strange pulling sensation. His muscles knotted and went into spasm. He felt his eyes twirling, but they stayed in their sockets. His head spun, and he felt like vomiting, but he did not die. All of his skin itched, then tingled, then felt strangely massaged. He fell face first onto a grid of permalloy which was warm and vibrating at a very fast rate.

  Next thing he knew, the containment canister, with the Jellie inside it was falling onto him. Fortunately, the gravity manipulation circuits on the canister were still working and it only felt like being kicked hard, and was not the crushing blow it would have been otherwise. The Jellies was flailing its tentacles wildly and smacking its pointed stem back and forth in severe agitation.

  “Youch!” Paul cried as he rolled away from the canister.

  Gretchen leaped through the orifice and landed on her feet, with her pistol drawn out. She wobbled a bit, but scanned the area. The light was so bright around them that it was hard to see much.

  “Paul, did you survive?” Gretchen asked.

  “Yes, but I am about to lose my bowels and bladder,” Paul cried out. “Unless I vomit first.”

  The bright light around them suddenly dropped. They blinked their eyes waiting to adjust to the new level of illumination. The grid under their feet stopped vibrating.

  “That was some experience.” Rubbing her eyes, Gretchen focused on where they were. Six blue automacubes were on each side of the six meter in diameter hexagon which the permalloy grid made on the floor. There was a smell of ozone in the air mixed with an oily and burned aroma.
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br />   The walls of the room were dark gray or taupe colored with a meter-wide band of deep red painted horizontally across them. There were large mechanical tubes running vertically which were yellow and marked in various numbers. Several hefty generators were located at the corners with heavy cables running from them to the grid on the floor. The grid had obviously been built after the room, as some of the walls were rough cut to allow the apparatus to feed into the energy conduits of the ship itself.

  “Teleportation,” Gretchen said in awe. “It really did work.”

  “Oh great, so where are we?” Paul asked. His abdomen was cramping and he bit back the taste of bile in his mouth.

  One of the blue automacubes turned and a voice came from it. “You are just outside of the command bridge of the Colony Ship Vanguard.”