by J. N. Chaney
And we were almost out of there. Just another hundred floors to go, and then—
The holo blinked red, showing something ahead of us. I zoomed in to see a large chunk of one of the floors breaking off. It fell and hit the one below it, which prompted another break. The debris continued toward us, building as it went. “Shit!” I yelled.
I fired the last remaining set of missiles at our disposal. They hit, not far ahead of us, splitting the rubble into even more pieces—something I immediately regretted.
I veered left and out of the way, letting one section slide right beside us and into the pursuing swarm. Before I could take a breath, I flicked the control stick to the right, dodging another slab of metal, then spun us to avoid a third. And a fourth, which nicked the shuttle’s side, setting off an alarm.
More of it followed, raining down on us from all sides—so much that I couldn’t avoid it. I couldn’t get out of the godsdamn way. We were about to be toast.
“Please, sir,” inserted Sigmond. “Allow me.”
The stick pulled out of my hand, acting on its own, turning the ship faster than I could see. No, not on its own. It was because of Sigmond.
The holo flashed red, indicating another object, but we were already out of the way. Another flash followed, and we moved. It began to flash so rapidly, I couldn’t keep track of it all.
At the same time, the last of our flares released just in time to meet the swarm again, slowing them long enough for us to avoid their grasp.
We finally emerged through the bombardment, the remnants of the swarm still following behind us.
But The Renegade Star was also there, hovering with its cargo bay doors open, ready to receive us.
The shuttle broke free of the facility at last, moving out of the way of The Star’s line-of-sight.
A quad cannon fired from the main ship, entering through the opening in the building and striking the center of the swarm, creating an explosion so large it turned the holo full-red.
Another followed—this time to the facility itself—bringing the walls and ceiling down on the drones. I could only watch as the tower filled with smoke and fire, crushing the machines into the ground, burying them in the hole from which they came.
“Sir, I am receiving a transmission,” Siggy informed me.
I was about to answer when a deep voice interrupted me, bleeding through the comm.
“Transient vessel. You are in direct violation of the Eternal Border Protection Act. Your transgression shall not be tolerated. Surrender yourselves and prepare for extraction.”
The voice was cold and sterile, but not automated. It was something in-between alive and artificial.
“Siggy, what’s the source of that?” I asked.
“It appears to be from inside the facility,” said the A.I. “Presumably from one of the trapped drones. Shall I attempt a response?”
“No, just get us the hell out of here!” I barked.
“Understood,” said Sigmond.
As we broke orbit, I placed a call to Athena, informing her that we were ready for extraction. I also told her to open another tunnel the moment we arrived.
Things were about to get a little more complicated.
Seventeen
“This is unfortunate news,” said Athena, standing with me on the bridge, along with the rest of my team.
“You’re telling me,” I said, crossing my arms as we stared at the threatening words on the display. Sigmond had relayed all information directly to Athena’s core processor, giving her the opportunity to decipher everything to her own liking, which was to say, very rapidly.
“The data indicates Hephaestus has merged his function with that of Aglaia,” said the Cognitive.
“What does that mean?” asked Dressler. “Have the two become a single Cognition?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes,” said Athena. “The two have merged their shells, but doing so has purged Aglaia’s memories, leaving only Hephaestus.”
“Damn,” muttered Abigail.
I whistled. “Rough way to go.”
“What good does that do him?” asked Freddie.
Karin crossed her arms and shook her head. “He likely has access to everything Aglaia did, like those various supply facilities.”
“No only that,” added Athena. “One of Aglaia’s major tasks was to chart new star systems with additional viable resources. She also regulated Earth’s terraforming program.”
“Okay,” I finally said. “We know she did, but what did Hephaestus need her for? What was the point of all this?”
“That is still unknown,” admitted Athena, echoing the same response I’d received from Siggy. “However, he could plan to expand his capabilities in some way.”
“Expand?” asked Dressler.
Athena nodded. “Hephaestus was built to safeguard Earth’s defense grid and the territories within it. However, such a task requires drones, ships, and weapons, which must be built, using resources he does not have.”
“So, that’s why he’s ransacking these supply depots,” I said.
“Possibly,” said Athena. “Hephaestus has access to manufacturing stations across the defense network, but without sufficient resources, he cannot build, which means he cannot fulfill his purpose.”
“Aren’t Cognitives smarter than that, though?” asked Abigail. “Can’t you reason with him?”
“I had hoped to do exactly that, Ms. Pryar, but I suspect there is something very wrong with Hephaestus. I believe he has become deranged.”
“You mean, he’s gone crazy?” asked Freddie.
“In a sense,” said Athena. She flicked her wrist and brought up an article, titled, Cognitive Derangement: A Deeper Understanding of the Artificial Mind and its Reaction to Isolation, Mental Entropy, and Trauma.
My eyes briefly scanned the document before growing bored. “Care to summarize?” I asked, looking at Athena.
“In short, Derangement is when a Cognitive’s mind devolves into a state of pre-sentience.”
“You mean, it stops being self-aware?” asked Dressler.
“Incorrect,” said Athena. “In fact, it may very well know it exists, but its ability to rationalize is lost. It is unable to think outside of its basic programming, often causing it to act without foresight. The Cognitive wishes only to fulfill a task, for example, using the most effective method at its disposal, while ignoring less effective, but more humane, measures. In the case of Hephaestus, he may have needed materials for his manufacturing stations, but rather than attempt to contact Aglaia directly, he chose to take what he needed.”
“Hold on, though,” said Karin. “You said he takes the fastest path to complete the mission, so wouldn’t it be easier to simply talk to Aglaia?”
“For a single facility, perhaps, but it seems he needs them all,” said Athena. “Rather than submit a formal request each time he requires materials, he likely thought it easier to absorb Aglaia into himself, thereby gaining her complete key list and functions.”
“And that’s if he only wants to build more drones,” added Freddie. “That thing might have other plans, too.”
“Correct,” said Athena, frowning. “It is impossible to know without additional information, but I believe we may have a means of uncovering his motives.” She flicked her wrist, changing the screen to show a video stream from another room. At the center, I spotted a long table with a familiar, busted drone lying on its surface. “Early scans show that the receiver and processor are still intact, along with data core. I believe I can have the contents extracted within the hour.”
“That’s great news!” exclaimed Karin.
“Is there anything we can do to assist?” asked Dressler.
Athena nodded. “If you would like to join me, it would be appreciated, Doctor.”
“I’ll head there right away.”
“In the meantime, I suggest we take Hephaestus’ threat very seriously. I do not believe he wishes us harm, but his protocols may demand it.”
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“What about the handshake?” asked Abigail. “Did we do all that work for nothing?”
“On that, I have no knowledge. All I can postulate is that when you attempted the handshake, the action initiated the protocol to awaken Hephaestus, rather than what was intended.”
Abigail sighed. “Anyone care to go back and try again?”
I smirked. “Do-overs aren’t my thing, but if we ain’t got a choice…”
“I’m afraid the handshake is no longer a viable option,” explained Athena. “When Hephaestus classified us as a foreign threat, Abaddon Station, along with twelve others, received lockdown orders. Until we are extracted or destroyed, the handshake can no longer be performed.”
Both Abby and I cursed under our breaths. “I guess that means there’s no going back, then,” I said.
“Indeed, but there may yet be a solution before us,” assured Athena, letting her eyes drift back to the display and the broken drone on the table. “It will simply take some time.”
I shot a quick glance at my crew. “Until then, let’s focus on what we can do. Alphonse and Octavia, you two check in with our new recruits. See how their flight training is going. Freddie and Bolin, track down Lucia and see how her trainees are looking. We need more pilots in the air as soon as possible. Karin and Dressler, try to help Athena, obviously. Abigail and I will stay here.”
“Right,” said Karin.
“What are you going to do?” asked Freddie.
“Logistics and planning,” I said, fanning a hand at him. “I’ll call you whenever there’s news on the drone. Until then, let’s do everything we can to prepare ourselves.”
* * *
I waited patiently for most of the crew to leave. Only Abigail stayed behind, and I was certain she had no idea why.
“What sort of logistical planning did you want to discuss, Jace?” she finally asked, likely sensing my apprehension.
Freddie was the last one out of the room, and I waited for the door to slide shut behind him before I spoke. “None,” I admitted to her, once the coast was clear. “I just have a few questions I need to run by Athena.”
I glanced up at the screen to see Athena standing beside the table with the drone on it. She’d materialized there instantly and was already hard at work dissecting the little machine. I was about to call her name to come back when she reappeared in front of me. “What did you want to discuss, Captain?” she asked at once.
I glanced back at the screen to see another version of Athena still working on the drone. “I just had a few questions for you, that’s all,” I said, bringing by eyes down from the display. “It’s about Siggy.”
“You have questions about Sigmond? Has his recent upgrade not been to your liking? I performed a diagnostic check on his program before you departed to the Tyche facility and found no abnormalities. Shall I run another?”
“You’re worried about Sigmond?” asked Abigail.
I shook my head. “It’s not like that. I just don’t want him to malfunction. I want to make sure he’s not changing too much, too fast.”
“How’s that?” asked Abby.
“When we were flying out of that supply base, he took control of The Star, the shuttle, and started making split-second corrections to our flight path. He’s never been able to do that. Not even close.”
“You are correct, Captain,” Athena responded. “Sigmond’s previous iteration would not be able to do the actions you’ve listed, but such changes are minor compared to those of a Cognitive. While he has grown considerably through his acquisition of the functional shell, he still remains, for lack of a better term, himself.”
I knew she was right. Siggy had only grown in certain ways, while remaining otherwise the same. Sure, he could multitask better, perform complex maneuvers with extreme precision, and even brew a better cup of coffee, but he still didn’t seem to have his own feelings, thoughts, or inclinations.
“Despite his success, however,” continued Athena, “I would caution against such behavior. Sigmond’s programming is still not sophisticated enough to allow him to strain himself across so many systems, especially between multiple ships. To avoid a shutdown, it would be best if he refrains from such actions in the future.”
“Are you saying there’s a chance he could malfunction?” I asked.
“Indeed. While a Cognitive may be capable of controlling an advanced ship, such as Titan, Sigmond is still limited by his original program. He will require additional enhancements before he can perform such actions without risking his own stability.”
That was something to think about. Despite the benefit of his enhancements, I couldn’t take the risk of losing Siggy. “I guess I get it now,” I said, nodding. “Back when I asked you what Hephaestus might be after, you said there wasn’t enough data to know, but you still gave us your best guess.”
Athena nodded.
“I asked Siggy the same thing. He told me he couldn’t give me an answer. I guess that’s gotta mean he’s still just a regular A.I., right?”
“That is indeed correct, Captain. Only a Cognitive or some other advanced intelligence can postulate or form opinions.”
So, there I had it. Sigmond could make deductions, but they’d always require a certain amount of data. In his current form, he’d never have the ability to imagine anything for himself. He’d never be able to dream.
He’d never be alive.
Eighteen
Abigail asked me to go with her to the cafeteria while we waited for the analysis on the drone to come back. I suspected she wanted to force me into eating, since it had been a good twelve hours since my last meal.
“We’re not going for you this time,” she corrected me when I brought it up. “We both promised Lex, if you’ll remember.”
I thought for a moment and quickly remembered the conversation about ice cream. “Oh, right.”
“I know we’ve all got things to do, but it will mean a lot to her.”
I didn’t argue. Truth was, I could do for a meal, even if it was only ice cream. Now that my mind wasn’t so busy with thoughts of Cognitives, data cores, and drones, my stomach had taken over, and it wouldn’t stop growling.
Lex had already arrived before we did, and I spotted her near the food dispensers as soon as we entered.
“Ah, look who it is!” announced Hitchens, who was sitting right beside the little albino girl.
Lex perked up at the statement, finding us in seconds. A wide smiled formed across her face and she quickly ran to greet us. “Mr. Hughes! Abby!”
Abigail embraced her. “How’s that ice cream?”
“So good!” she exclaimed. “Wait until you try it.”
I followed the two of them over to the table and took a seat. Abigail helped Lex retrieve three small cups of chocolate, two of which had sprinkles on them. I reached for the ordinary looking cup when Lex smacked my hand away. “That’s not yours, Mr. Hughes,” she told me, rather sternly, and handed me one of the others. “Sprinkles for you!”
She slid it in front of me, while Abby took the normal one. I glared at the colorful treat, immediately tempted to throw it away, but then looked at Lex, only to see her eyes watching me with eager anticipation.
With a long sigh of defeat, I reached for the spoon and took a bite.
“How is it?” asked Lex.
I gave her a slight nod. “Good.”
She smiled again, and quickly dove into her own rainbow-sprinkle covered dessert.
I noticed Abby staring at me with a sly grin, as if to say, Got you.
Just you wait, I thought, taking another bite.
We sat with Lex and Hitchens for about ten minutes, listening to the girl talk about her schoolwork. Today, they’d spent time learning all about growing and managing plants, and had planted a few different kinds in the garden, which they would need to water every day. Hitchens seemed to think everyone ought to know how to grow their own food, including children—a sentiment I generally shared.
Abig
ail finally got up to throw our cups away, with Lex offering to help. The two made their way to the recycler while Hitchens and I sat there, waiting.
“I was glad to hear your mission to Tyche was a success, Captain,” said Hitchens, after a moment, his voice much more serious than it had been before.
I raised my brow at him. “You already heard about that, huh?”
He smiled, then turned his head to the left and tapped his ear. “New communicator. I asked Athena to keep me apprised of your mission. It seems we have our work cut out for us, doesn’t it?” He let out a loud chuckle. “Never a dull moment with you, Captain.”
* * *
The analysis on the drone concluded faster than Athena had predicted, taking only twelve hours instead of fifteen. I called everyone back in, except Alphonse and Octavia, who were too busy working with their pilots. Per their own request, we patched them into the briefing through the comm.
Dressler and Karin were on the display, standing with Athena and a second screen behind them, showing all of the information recovered. “It appears the drone received orders to rendezvous at one of the manufacturing centers,” explained Karin, studying the datastream.
Athena flicked her wrist, changing our display to match theirs. I saw an endless stream of information flowing from one end to the other, but I couldn’t make any of it out. It was in Earth’s ancient language, and I wasn’t wearing my visor. “This signal was sent to all of the drones at Tyche,” explained the Cognitive. “However, there are additional commands within the transmission. Before departing to the manufacturing center, the drones had orders to gather resources at Tyche. Specifically, polymetal crates—the primary substance used for the creation of additional drones.”
“Where is this manufacturing center?” asked Abigail.
The screen changed again, but this time I saw the galactic map. It zoomed in on a star system, not far from Tyche. “With a slight alteration in our trajectory, we could reach it within the hour.”
