by Terry Mixon
“I’m uncertain what they did to make it smell like it had been recently burned, but the computer has been dead for a lot longer than I’d suspected. My guess is about twenty years.”
Talbot eyed the equipment suspiciously. “That seems a little hard to believe.”
“Yet it’s true. There were some power units amongst the wreckage, and I was able to determine how long had passed since they’d held a charge.
“That isn’t to say that the event that destroyed this equipment took place twenty years ago. It’s conceivable that the computer might have been whole until the last few years and then something blew up the ship or station it was kept in. I have no way of knowing that for sure.”
“So it’s a curiosity?” Talbot asked, rubbing his chin.
“Far from it,” Carl disagreed. “Think of how much useful information we got off of the computers on the Old Empire ships that were five hundred years old. This computer was still in use by the Singularity until just one tenth that amount of time ago. Even if the unit itself ran out of power because it had been abandoned or lost, those power units didn’t keep going for more than six or eight months when separated from a fusion plant.
“That means there is going to be data on it about the Singularity that’s a lot more recent than anything we have. Since it’s one of their own computers, it’s very likely that buried down in the guts of its data cores is critical information that will make a difference for us in this upcoming conflict.
“We all know that the Singularity is pulling the strings supporting the Clans. Maybe this computer can tell us what their real goal is.”
Talbot nodded slowly. “Okay, I suppose I can buy that. How long is it going to take you to crack the encryption on the data cores?”
Carl shrugged. “Encryption like that is almost unbreakable, but we have an ace up our sleeve. Fiona can go through data and try combinations like nobody’s business. That’s the benefit of being a true artificial intelligence.”
The Rebel Empire AI that they’d stolen from the Dresden orbital was currently installed aboard Persephone. They wouldn’t dare risk transmitting much data back and forth until they were clear of the Archibald system, so they wouldn’t even begin to start looking into cracking the encryption until they were clear.
“All right, I suppose that is good news. You said this was an AI. What makes you think that?”
Carl patted the top of his computer monitor. “That would be the data that we recovered from the researchers. There’s far too much computational power built into this wreckage to just be a regular computer. It’s on par with the components used to build Fiona, only formed from a completely different technology set.
“Oh, the basics are similar. After all, the Singularity formed from a sect that left the Old Empire thousands of years ago. They’d have to have taken the basic computer technology with them, but they developed it in an entirely new way over the time after they left. There’s a lot of interesting stuff buried in this computer that I can’t wait to get my hands on. It’s going to be fascinating.”
The young scientist’s grin widened. “I discovered something else about this system. It wasn’t created all at one time. It seems to have been built bit by bit by attaching new equipment to old equipment. Digging down to the very core of the device, the researchers found an underwater research vehicle that was the origin of the computer. It was called AUV #5.
“At this point, I very much doubt the circuitry in that ancient unit, which probably came from Terra, was being used, but just the fact that it was still there is exciting. It’s like seeing a bit of history.
“It’s also going to allow me to trace how the Singularity’s computer technology changed over time. That’s going to be invaluable in ascertaining what their computer philosophy is.”
Talbot shook his head. “Have fun, but don’t get so lost in what you’re doing that you forget we’ve got other things on our plate. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go see a doctor about an upgrade.”
Amused at his friend’s enthusiasm, Talbot left the lab and took a lift to the medical center. Commander Zac Zoboroski, Audacious’s chief medical officer, was waiting for him.
“Are you sure I can’t talk you out of this?” the other man asked. “We’re still relatively new at doing this procedure, and I’d rather not cause you any undue discomfort.”
“I’m a marine,” Talbot said with a grin. “If Kelsey can take it all at once, I can do this.”
The physician seemed unconvinced. “Doctor Stone told me how the princess ripped equipment out of the floor during her recovery. It took her quite a while before she could manage to handle things without destroying them. I’d like to urge you to think about leaving yourself one arm that you won’t have to worry about.”
Talbot had to admit that he was probably going to mess something up, but the sooner they settled on a final procedure that wasn’t taking forever, the sooner they could get the rest of the marines on board Persephone converted into Marine Raiders. The benefits of that could not be understated.
“I hear you, Doctor, but I’m committed to giving this a try.”
Zoboroski shrugged. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I believe you’re familiar with the equipment, so let’s get you inside and get this started.”
The current implantation unit was significantly more advanced than the hodgepodge affair they’d recovered from the station orbiting Erorsi. Thankfully, it also had all the safeguards that the mad computer had turned off. Talbot would be blissfully asleep during this procedure and wake relatively free of pain.
“Before we start,” Talbot said, “what about the new regeneration equipment? Are we going to try it?”
Zoboroski shook his head. “After looking over the specifics of the treatment, I don’t think it would add much value. It’s far better for more delicate regeneration. While you’re going to have a lot of muscle trauma, that kind of thing responds well to standard regeneration.”
Without saying anything else, Talbot climbed into the implantation device and pulled the clear hood down over his torso. He settled back and closed his eyes, knowing that he wouldn’t feel the transition from waking to sleep.
What he did feel was waking up to a dull ache throughout his torso and arms. The procedure was done. He was now a full Marine Raider.
He pulled himself up slightly and opened the clear cover over the machine. He also managed to tear it from its mounting and send it crashing to the deck.
Zoboroski laughed. “I hope you’re ready, because here’s the first of many ‘I told you sos.’”
Talbot sighed with resignation. Kelsey was going to have a field day mocking him.
12
Jared arrived on the bridge, walking confidently in and nodding to Fielding. The man had obviously decided to make an ass out of himself, because he’d evicted Sean from the command console and taken it for himself.
For his part, Sean, while annoyed, didn’t seem overly perturbed. Knowing how much having someone else take over the command console bothered him, that told Jared how much the other officer had grown in the last year.
Jared stopped beside the console and smiled at Fielding. Without speaking, he reached over and pressed a series of buttons, disabling the controls.
The older man frowned. “What did you just do?”
“I locked the controls, Lord Fielding,” Jared said matter-of-factly. “This particular console has a lot of built-in authority. I suspect that you wouldn’t want to inadvertently set off the weapons while we’re trying to communicate with the System Lord.”
“I wasn’t going to touch anything, and I’m not an idiot. Reactivate it.”
Jared shook his head. “My apologies, but I have specific instructions from Lady Keaton about this sort of thing.”
Fielding leaned back and consider Jared. “Where is Lady Keaton?”
“She’s been slightly delayed,” Jared said. “She’ll be here in five minutes. In the meantime, might I ask what you pla
n for us to do once we flip into the next system?”
The older man smiled. “I think I should wait for Lady Keaton before I explain myself, Lord Gust. As she likes to say, she’s in command of this mission.”
The man’s reaction didn’t really surprise Jared that much. He seemed to have a thing for delaying information to assert his own dominance.
Jared inclined his head. “As you wish.”
He moved over to stand beside Sean and proceeded to ignore the Rebel Empire noble. Looking over Commander Hall’s shoulder, he could see that they were roughly an hour from flipping into the new system.
He’d checked the Old Empire databases to see what they had to say about the target system, but there wasn’t much there. The system in question was called Bradley, was a cul-de-sac, and had never supported a very large population. It was mainly a place used for mining the rare elements used in flip drives and other high-end equipment. The population of miners and refiners that had lived and worked there back in the old days had been counted in the low tens of thousands.
For the life of him, Jared couldn’t imagine why the Rebel Empire had decided to place a System Lord there. It didn’t make a lot of sense. Unless, of course, they were using the system for something other than mining.
The rare elements used in making flip drives were present in many systems, at least in small amounts. They were available in much larger quantities in other places inside the Rebel Empire, so this one system didn’t warrant this much attention, as far as he could see.
“We’re coming into extreme scanner range of the flip point, Lord Gust,” Commander Hall said, using the cover identity Jared was playing. “I’m detecting at least three large stations near the flip point. We’re too distant to make out any details, but I believe those might be battle stations.”
That really made Jared’s eyebrows rise. Not only was the system important enough for a System Lord, it had exterior defenses. For whatever reason, the Rebel Empire had decided to place their defenses on the interior side of any flip points in almost every system Jared had visited.
Tactically, that made no sense. Putting the defenses on the outside, like the system in front of them, was smarter. He’d never had the opportunity to ask someone who might have known the answers about why the Rebel Empire did things this way, and he’d really like to know.
Now that they were restoring communications with Kelsey, he could ask Commander Giguere or Commander Sommerville exactly why that might be.
Knowing that it was useless to try, he still decided to ask the Rebel Empire noble sitting in front of him for more information. “From everything that I’ve been able to determine, there’s not much in this system worth defending. Why so much firepower?”
The older man shrugged slightly. “Honestly, there isn’t anything there worth defending to this degree, so far as I know. It’s a rather successful mining operation, but there’s no call for this level of defense.
“I believe this is an element of the paranoia that has taken over this particular Lord. It’s one of the reasons we were dispatched to correct the issue.”
That made sense. If someone were paranoid, they’d do whatever they needed to protect themselves. It probably wouldn’t be all that hard to set up a construction area suitable for building battle stations in a mining system. Or for building ships, for that matter.
The lift doors slid open, and Olivia walked onto the bridge with Kelsey at her heels. She eyed Fielding with disapproval and gestured for him to get out of her seat.
The man arose with a smirk on his face. “I’m so glad you could finally make it, Lady Keaton. It seems that we’re coming into scanner range of the final flip point, and it’s time for me to fill you in on more of the specifics of our mission.”
Olivia took her seat as if she’d been born in it and shot the man a look filled with irritation and disapproval. “I won’t continue playing this game where you hide details until the last minute, Lord Fielding. It’s time for you to share everything you know about what we’re supposed to accomplish.”
“Perhaps,” the man said without rancor. “Perhaps not. I’m certainly going to share all of the information I have on getting to the Lord itself. As to what will take place after we get there, I retain the right to keep some information to myself until it’s appropriate for me to share. You’re just going to have to accept that, Lady Keaton.
“As your subordinate has already discovered, the Lord has protected its flip point with military hardware. This has had a deleterious effect on ore production. Over the last ten years, the output from this system has dropped from the expected amount to virtually nothing. The remainder of the Lords have decided that it’s time to deal with their wayward brother.”
Olivia look less than impressed. “That’s all fine and good, but what can we expect once we flip to the other side? Are these stations going to allow us to flip? Or are they going to open fire on us as soon as we get close?”
“Those are all very good questions,” Fielding said. “I have an authorization code that should allow this vessel into the system without interference. Let me stress the word should. The Lord in my system has assured me that it will work, but until we try it, we won’t know for sure.
“Once we arrive in the other system, we’re to proceed to the System Lord. I have another code that will compel it to allow us access. That same code should defuse any defensive measures it might otherwise be inclined to take against us.”
Jared took a step forward. “I’m hearing you use the words ‘should’ and ‘might’ far too many times, Lord Fielding. You don’t really have any real confidence that this is going to work, do you?”
The Rebel Empire noble shook his head with a smirk. “What I have confidence in is that you’re a most formidable group of people, Lord Gust. I’m certain you’ll figure out a way to make this work.”
“Is there a particular range at which we need to use that first authorization signal?” Olivia asked. “If the stations are going to reject us, I’d prefer they do so outside of weapons range.”
Fielding shrugged. “We should be able to do it from here. The Lord isn’t present, so if the automated defenses are going to object, they’ll do so in a direct manner.”
The implication that Jared pulled from that was that the System Lord might indicate that it would cooperate and then ambush them. Wonderful.
“If you have a signal to send, Lord Fielding, please do so,” Olivia said. Rather than get up, she gestured toward the helm.
Commander Hall stood and stepped aside to allow Fielding access to her console. He sat and went through a series of control interfaces.
Jared saw that he was disabling the computer’s automatic logging of signals. Whatever he had to say to the system defenses, he didn’t want anyone knowing what it was.
This was one case where their secret modifications to deal with the boarding party they’d had to work around came in handy. He had a hardwired monitor in the com system. The communications logs might not record what Fielding was sending, but his secret taps would.
Once the Rebel Empire noble was certain that he and only he would be party to what he was doing, he sent a short message to the battle stations at the flip point. There was a transmission lag due to the distance, but the response came back promptly enough. Passage granted.
It seemed they’d be able to get into the system without any trouble. Jared sincerely hoped that they’d be able to get out again as easily.
Fielding turned and smiled at Olivia. “My request for safe passage was granted. Now that we have access to the system, I turn this mission completely over to you except for my need to signal the System Lord once we approach it.
“Once we’re in position and the chosen team is ready to board the station holding the System Lord, I will have other instructions to pass on.”
“I’m not happy with all this secrecy,” Olivia said with a growl. “You’re playing some kind of game with our lives, and that’s not appreciated.”
Based on what Kelsey had overheard Fielding telling his nephew when he’d arrived on the ship a week ago, Jared knew that wasn’t at all true. The man was playing some deeper game that he felt benefited him. They’d have to keep a close eye on what he was up to, because he undoubtedly had an exit point where he’d stick a knife in their backs.
While the man was having his exchange with Olivia, Jared checked the transmission that Fielding had sent to authenticate his permission to pass by the battle stations. It was an encrypted code of some kind, but it might still tell somebody like Carl Owlet something important, so Jared set a copy aside in his personal files to be sure that nothing happened to it.
If it was something that was only useful in this system, that might not help them much later, but if it was an actual override code for a wider variety of Rebel Empire computer systems, it was priceless.
Jared suspected that it wasn’t a global code, because that kind of power in the hands of someone like Fielding was dangerous to the System Lords. Hell, it was dangerous in any human hands. They’d want to keep that kind of override to themselves.
Of course, they had planted bombs inside the heads of everyone that was supposed to be on this ship, including Fielding. It was probable that they’d simply intended to kill them all once they’d accomplished the Lords’ goals.
Grim, but well in character for the merciless AIs.
There wasn’t much conversation on the bridge as the destroyer approached the battle stations. Once again, there was nothing stopping Athena from running her scanners at full power to get a decent idea what these weapons platforms looked like. That type of close-up information would be extremely useful during future attacks by the New Terran Empire.
