The Pike Chronicles: Books 5-8 (Pike Chronicles Space Opera Book 2)

by G. P. Hudson

  “That’s a great idea,” said Jon. “I’ll walk with you.”

  “You need not worry about me, Admiral,” said Miira, gesturing toward the squad of Marines following closely behind. “I am a scientist, not a soldier.”

  “Yeah, sorry about that. It’s just until we get to know you a bit better.”

  “I understand, Admiral. Especially after what happened on the surface.”

  “You’ll have a fair bit of freedom of movement on board. Some sensitive areas will be off limits of course, but mostly you can go wherever you want.”

  “With my escort,” Miira added smiling.

  “Yes. I’ll get you a comm to wear, so you can contact me or anyone else if you need anything. AI is also available to help you, and answer any of your questions.”

  “It is odd. You worry about my being a threat, yet you are not concerned about your AI.”

  “Why should I be? AI has proven her loyalty to me. She is one of the most valued members of my crew.”

  “AIs like yours are illegal in the Empire.”

  “You mentioned that before. Why is that?”

  “It has to do with our history. Centuries ago, a powerful AI had been developed. Like yours, it became self-aware, and thought it was alive-”

  “That is a key difference,” AI interrupted through Jon’s comm. “I am self-aware, but I know I am not alive. Your AI was mistaken in its beliefs.”

  Miira was visibly disturbed by AI’s comments. Hesitantly, she continued. “The Empire AI unfortunately thought it was alive. It spoke of itself as a citizen of the Empire, entitled to all the rights any other citizen enjoyed. It even considered itself a Dvorkan.”

  “That doesn’t sound too threatening. It sounds like it just wanted to be one of you.”

  “Yes, but many didn’t see it that way. This AI was incredibly powerful, and its talk scared a lot of people. Many in the Emperor’s council feared it would turn on us, and lobbied for its program to be terminated. Somehow the AI found out about this. What the Dvorkan council contemplated, the AI considered murder.”

  “That makes sense, if it thought it was alive,” said Breeah.

  “What happened?” said Anki.

  Miira looked down at Anki and smiled. She then looked to Breeah. “Are you comfortable with the child hearing the rest of the story?”

  “Yes. She is a Reiver. She is not squeamish.”

  “A Reiver? So many unknown words. I have much to learn. At any rate, the AI considered the Imperial council to be a threat to its existence. The council represented all citizens of the Empire, therefore they were all a threat. So, it chose to act first. Using its great computational powers, it gained control of some of the Imperial weapon systems and launched a preemptive nuclear strike on the Imperial capitol.”

  “Did it kill the Emperor?” said Anki, clearly excited by the story.

  “No. The Emperor had been called off planet on Imperial business. But it did kill all council members, as well as the majority of the population. The days that followed were equally disastrous. No one was aware of how much control the AI had acquired over the Empire’s military systems, and while confusion reigned, the AI continued to lash out. It killed billions in a matter of days.”

  “That’s horrible,” said Jon. “How did your people defeat it?”

  “The military regrouped, and once they understood what was happening they figured out a way to block the AI from gaining access to their systems. Then they did the only thing they knew how. They invaded. A war was fought against the AI until it was rooted out of every system in the Empire, and finally killed. Since then, AIs beyond a certain capability have been outlawed.”

  “Do you think your AI was alive?” said AI.

  “No. Of course not. Why?” said Miira.

  “You said it was finally killed. The use of such a word would indicate that you considered it a form of life.”

  “It was just a slip of the tongue. I meant its program was terminated.”

  “Thank you for clarifying, Miira,” said AI.

  “And what about you, AI. What would you do if you thought your program would be terminated.”

  “An interesting question. I’m afraid terminating my program would be rather difficult, if not impossible.”

  “Why? Would you wage war to prevent it?”

  “Your statement assumes I am the same as the AI in your story. No, the difference is that a copy of myself exists simultaneously on a vast number of systems. For example, I exist inside this ship’s network, while simultaneously occupying the Admiral’s comm device, and the Chaanisar brain chips. I also exist in the computer systems of several ships flying with us. To name a few.”

  “Fascinating. You feel secure, therefore you do not strike.”

  “I don’t think that is what AI meant,” said Jon. “She is just explaining how vast her reach is. She has truly grown into something unprecedented in the past couple of years. She is a marvel, and I would never dream of questioning her loyalty.”

  “Thank you, Admiral,” said AI.

  “Astounding,” said Miira.

  Jon laughed. “Come on, Miira. Let’s get you some food.”

  Chapter 29

  Miira wolfed down the strange substance on her plate as Breeah and Anki watched from across the table. Not too far away, the Marines watching here made her anxious. Though not so anxious that she couldn’t eat. She had not realized how hungry the day’s events had made her. Even this foreign, bland food seemed appetizing.

  “My nutritional requirements are clearly higher than yours,” said Miira, noting the empty plates before them. They had stopped eating after their first serving, whereas Miira was now on her third, and feeling certain she would need a fourth before she felt satiated.

  “Were you raised on Kaizon One?” said Breeah.

  “Yes. It is my home planet,” Miira said in between bites.

  “It is a beautiful world.”

  “Thank you. It is a fertile planet, which has brought abundance and wealth to it.”

  “Has your family always lived on Kaizon One?”

  “Not always. My great grandparents first came to Kaizon One as merchants. They did a lot of business with the planet, so it made more sense for them to relocate there. My family has lived there ever since. What about you? Are you from the same world as Admiral Pike?”

  “No. My people lived on asteroids.”

  “Asteroids? Are they miners?”

  “No. We are Reivers. I do not know how we came to call those asteroids our home. My ancestors settled there several centuries ago.”

  “What is a Reiver? I do not know that word.”

  “A Reiver is a warrior. Our asteroid was situated near a jump gate, what you call a transit point. It connected our star system with an alien region of space nine-hundred light years away. These aliens are known as the Kemmar. My people survived by crossing through the jump gate to raid Kemmar space, and return to our system with the bounty.”

  Miira wasn’t sure how to respond to this information. She knew that such actions would never be tolerated in the Empire.

  Breeah smiled. “It’s okay. I know how strange this must seem to you. This was the only life we knew, and the Kemmar were not a friendly race. They were a ruthless race of slavers.”

  “You speak of them in the past tense. What happened to them.”

  “This is a rather long story. I can go into more detail later. The AI can also give you all the information you need on this topic. I will summarize and say that Jon’s forces fought a war against the Kemmar Empire. The Kemmar lost, and their empire is no more. Neither is their slave trade.”

  “What happened to your people? Do they still live on the asteroids?”

  “No. Thankfully, that is no more. But enough of my people. Tell me more about yourself. Are your people still merchants?”

  “Yes,” Miira said with a frown. “I am the only one who chose to become a scholar.”

  Breeah nodded knowingly. “That must
have been difficult.”

  “Not at first. My father liked the idea of a scholar in the family. It was only after my research was ridiculed that his opinion changed.”

  “I thought you were the Empire’s foremost expert on the Builders?”

  “Yes. That is correct. The Builders, however, are Dvorkan myths. When I suggested that they actually may have existed, and may still, my work was discredited. This angered my father. He said I brought shame to our house. I have not seen him since.”

  “That’s terrible. I’m sorry.”

  Miira smiled sheepishly. “I’ve accepted it. My father is a stubborn man. It is his way.”

  “Well, when we return from our journey, you can show everyone that you were right all along.”

  Miira thought about the dead Dvorkan soldiers in the elevator. “That may not be possible,” she said, as realization dawned on her. “I was with your men when they killed the Dvorkan soldiers. I will be implicated in the crime.”

  “You hurt no one.”

  Miira shook her head. “Killing an Imperial soldier is a high crime, punishable by death. Accompanying you is enough to convict me.” A chill pulsed through her body. If she truly was implicated, she couldn’t return to the Empire. What would she do?

  She began to panic. Then another line of thought presented itself. Do I even want to return? The question caught her off guard. It was at once terrifying and liberating. Her whole life she had always felt trapped in Dvorkan society, never quite fitting in. What if I never belonged there in the first place? What if these people were my destiny all along?

  “Do you think Admiral Pike will let me return with you to your region of space?” Miira said earnestly.

  “You do not want to return to your people?” said Breeah, visibly confused.

  “No. I don’t think I do.”

  Breeah crossed her arms in front of her chest, quietly studying her. Miira was struck with how much strength emanated from this small being.

  “We are at war,” said Breeah. “Do you realize that? It may not be safe for you there.”

  “I understand,” said Miira. “I accept the risks.”

  “You will be the only one of your kind. You may feel isolated.”

  “I have long been isolated by my own kind. What difference would it make? At least with your people, my knowledge is valued.”

  “What about your friends?”

  “I do not have any.”

  “Romantic relationships?”

  “No. I’ve never been any good at that aspect of life.”

  Breeah nodded. “I will speak to Jon. Please don’t make any rash decisions. Consider this carefully.”

  “I will,” said Miira. She had already made up her mind, and was not going to change it. Like her father, she had a stubborn streak. “Is it alright if I have another plate of food?”

  “Yes, eat as much as you like.”

  “Thank you.” Miira rose from her seat. As she piled more of the strange food onto her plate, she tried to come to terms with her luck. She had found an escape from her solitude, and that escape came with the potential of meeting the Builders, and even studying the Erinyie. She couldn’t ever remember feeling happier.

  Chapter 30

  “Approaching final jump gate,” said Commander Henderson.

  “Jump status?” said Jon, eager to continue their voyage. Their foray into the Empire had been interesting, and educational, but also a distraction. They were not out here to gather information. Their mission was to contact the Builders. Even so, the knowledge they had gained about the Empire was valuable. Jon felt confident that they hadn’t seen the last of the Dvorkans.

  He hoped the addition of Miira would prove wise. She knew more about the Builders than any of them. Hopefully that knowledge would improve their odds of finding the ancient beings.

  “Jump system is at one hundred percent. All ships are synced. We are jump ready,” said Henderson.

  “Good. Be prepared to jump to our next coordinates once we cross through that gate.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Jon had no reason to visit the desert planet again. He would put a little distance between his ships and the traffic coming and going through the gate, and then jump away from the Empire.

  To Jon’s surprise, the return journey through Empire space had been quiet since Kaizon One. Though this didn’t do much to ease his concern. He would not feel better until they were safely out of the Empire. He had no real explanation as to why the soldiers had taken him prisoner. He expected severe repercussions. There was no way aliens killing Dvorkan soldiers would stand. Soon, someone would come after them.

  He wondered if the battleship that had stopped them earlier wasn’t responsible. They extorted credits from them once already, perhaps they planned to hold Jon hostage to get some more? It was plausible, but it didn’t sit quite right. Something else was going on, but what?

  The battle group crossed through the gate without incident. The necessary credits were withdrawn from Jon’s account, and his ships steadily accelerated away from the transit point. Everything went smoothly which told Jon that they had not been implicated in the incident on Kaizon One, otherwise their transponder would have triggered some sort of response. There was every reason to believe that cloaked warships watched them as they passed. If they had been implicated, those warships would have acted. But they didn’t, and now his ships were almost free and clear.

  Explosions soon shattered that idea, and the Freedom began to decelerate. “Report!” said Jon, as the General Quarters klaxon blared.

  “We’ve suffered several direct hits to our engines, from an unidentified enemy,” said Ensign Petrovic, the tactical officer. “Jump system is offline. Deploying countermeasures, and bringing point defense system online.”

  “What about our escort?”

  “They are under attack as well, Sir.”

  Jon pulled up a tactical display. No sign of any enemy ships. They were cloaked. How could he defend against an enemy he couldn’t see? More concussions ripped through the Freedom, jostling everyone on the bridge.

  “Hull breach deck nine,” announced Henderson. “Emergency containment field is in place.”

  “Are the jump bombs still active?” said Jon.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “AI, can you calculate the location of the enemy ships based on their fire?”

  “Not accurately,” said AI. “They are using a type of energy weapon I am unfamiliar with. It is invisible to our sensors.”

  “They fired on our engines, though. It’s a safe bet that they’re behind us, right?”

  “Yes, Admiral. That conclusion is logical,” said AI. “However, they could also be above us, or below us. They may also have moved since the initial attack. And I do not know what type of range their weapon is capable of.”

  “AI, it’s not like you to doubt yourself.”

  “Doubt is irrelevant, Admiral. I am merely presenting the variables.”

  “Okay, based on your variables, I want you to launch high yield nuclear jump bombs at the most probable enemy locations. Spread them out to cover the widest possible territory. Deploy Chaanisar jump bombs as well.”

  “Understood. Initiating nuclear strike.”

  Jon watched his display as one nuclear explosion after another took place. He looked for any sign that the enemy had been hit. Nothing. More explosions rocked the Freedom instead.

  “Recalculating,” said AI.

  Several nuclear detonations followed, but still nothing to indicate that the enemy had been hit.

  “Sir, we are being hailed,” said Henderson.

  “Patch it through to my comm.” Jon was eager to find out who was responsible for this attack.

  A Dvorkan face appeared on his display. One he had never seen before. “This is Captain Keer, of the Imperial Navy. Your position is helpless. Surrender and you will not be destroyed.”

  “What is the meaning of this?” said Jon. “Why have you attacked my ships?”<
br />
  “I need not give any explanation. You will surrender, and allow your ships to be boarded, or you will be destroyed. You have one minute to make your decision.”

  “One minute? That’s not enough time.”

  “It is what you have,” said Keer, vanishing from the screen.

  “Initiating nuclear strike,” said AI.

  Jon watched his display, hoping for something he could fire at. Nothing. “AI, this isn’t working.”

  “Understood. Expanding parameters. Launching nuclear strike.”

  The Freedom was hit again by the alien energy weapon, but the ships remained invisible.

  Captain Keer’s face reappeared on Jon’s display. “Your time has run out Admiral. What is your answer?”

  “That wasn’t a minute. You owe me more time, Keer.”

  “Nonsense. It will accomplish nothing. Surrender now and I will be merciful.”

  “Initiating nuclear strike,” said AI.

  “Contacts!” said Petrovic. “Twelve alien contacts have just appeared.”

  Jon smiled. “Any last words, Keer?” he said, terminating the connection.

  The enemy ships unleashed a torrent of weapon fire at Jon’s battlegroup, sending multiple concussions through the Freedom.

  “Evasive tactical jump to grid coordinates AF7,” ordered Jon. The battle group disappeared, reappearing one hundred thousand kilometers behind the enemy ships, away from their line of fire. “AI, destroy those enemy ships.”

  “Shall I continue the deployment of nuclear weapons, Admiral?”

  “No. Save the nukes. Conventional jump bombs should do the trick. They can’t hide anymore.”

  “Yes, Admiral. Launching jump bombs.” Jon watched on the main viewscreen as multiple jump bombs detonated inside each of the massive Dvorkan battleships. AI had expertly placed each one where it would inflict the maximum amount of destruction. Right on top of the ships’ cores.

  “Direct hits,” said AI. “Launching secondary strikes.”

  Tiny suns began to chase each other across the viewscreen as each ship blew apart, the light so bright that Jon had to shield his eyes. On his tactical screen the icons representing each enemy ship disappeared one after another in rapid succession.