The Ascendant Stars_Book Three of Humanity's Fire

by Michael Cobley

  ‘Have all precautions been taken?’ Ash said.

  ‘They have, sir.’

  ‘Good – carry on.’ Ash smiled at Greg. ‘Panabec assures me that AI transitioning is a straightforward procedure. If it’s not, he’ll be joining the rest of the prisoners in the hold.’

  Before he finished, the tiny emitters all along the top of the line of big consoles winked on, flickered, and three large holoscreens appeared above them, angled downwards. Smaller ones appeared at other secondary workstations around the deck. Ash nodded.

  ‘Starfire-copy,’ he said. ‘Are you in control of this vessel’s systems and do you recognise my voice?’

  ‘Full control will be attained in two point five minutes on completion of calibration. You are Lieutenant Malachi Ash, second in command to Captain Franklyn Gideon.’

  ‘Indeed so, Starfire-copy,’ Ash said. ‘Give me a brief summary of this vessel’s offensive capabilities.’

  ‘Nine dual-function projectors, two at the stern, three at the prow, and two on each flank. Four launchers, one long-range, two medium, and one short-range, high-rate submunitioner. Additional offensive capabilities can include comm-sensor countermeasures and certain exotic forcefield properties.’

  Seeing how pleased Ash was, Greg said, ‘Starfire-copy, do you know the Hegemony designation of this vessel?’

  ‘This is the heavy assault implementer Ivwa-Kagoy.’

  ‘I think a new name is called for,’ Greg said, looking at Ash. ‘Don’t you think, Lieutenant?’

  ‘Yes, you’re right. Starfire-copy, is there a protocol for the rebadging of captured enemy vessels?’

  ‘Captured enemy vessels are renamed under a colour-coding protocol. This class of vessel falls into categories red and silver.’

  Greg and Ash exchanged thoughtful looks. The latter shrugged and Greg said, ‘How about Silverlance?’

  ‘Silverlance would be acceptable under protocol parameters,’ said the transplanted AI.

  ‘Very well,’ said Ash. ‘Execute this change.’

  ‘Done. The designation of this ship is now Recon Strike Cruiser Silverlance. Note that systematrix calibration is complete – this intelligence can now offer full control of this vessel.’

  Ash turned to the Sendrukan Panabec, and gave a small, sharp bow of the head. ‘My thanks and appreciation for your valuable assistance, Instrumentationalist.’

  ‘The integrity of my machines is my duty,’ the Sendrukan said gravely. ‘May I be permitted to rest?’

  ‘Certainly,’ Ash said, nodding to the guards, who escorted the Sendrukan engineer through a side door.

  ‘Attention,’ said the ship AI. ‘Urgent communication from Starfire bridge personnel, with accompanying update files and realtime sensor readings.’

  Ash went over to one of the large consoles, hoisted himself up into a great bucket of a seat and said, ‘Put them through here.’

  As Greg joined him, one of the big overhead screens changed from subsystem monitor displays to a waist-up view of Berg, the tactical officer left in charge of the Starfire.

  ‘Berg,’ Ash said. ‘Update on that skirmish?’

  ‘It’s over, sir. One of the Imisil ships is destroyed, the other is in bad shape and heading out of the system at maximum thrust, which suggests that their hyperdrive is out of action.’

  ‘And the carrier group?’

  ‘Hegemony forces took a pounding. Out of four support battery ships, one is still fully combat-worthy, two are holed but still able to fight, and the fourth took a couple of multiwave missiles in the stern when its shields fluctuated so it’s a wreck. Carrier lost nearly a third of its interceptors and was breached on several decks.’

  ‘Those Imisil ships can certainly deal it out,’ Greg murmured.

  ‘The carrier group is back on course for Darien,’ Berg continued. ‘ETA is about 110 minutes. Comm traffic has been intense since the Imisil fled but they’re employing fifth-level encryption – we’ve sent you coiled archives.’

  Ash nodded. ‘Silverlance AI – are you able to extract usable data?’

  ‘Decryption/translation module online – archived object now processed. Summary follows: main document details a list of ground targets in respect of planetary bombardment. Target plotted on hybrid locational/physical map on main screen right.’

  Greg stared up at the map in horror. Red triangles were littered all across the colony – towns, villages, hamlets and cities, even sizeable farm compounds had been marked for destruction. Even the buildings at Gangradur Falls and the small settlements scattered throughout the Forest of Arawn. Tusk Mountain was the focus of a conspicuous cluster of red triangles, although Giant’s Shoulder was noticeably clear of them. Then there was the enclave of Brolturan troops to the north – had the Hegemony commander contacted them, perhaps even talked with Kuros? Then he realised that there was little point in speculation. There was only one thing that was about to happen to Darien, and one word to describe it.

  Genocide.

  ‘We have to stop them, Ash,’ he said. ‘We cannae sit back and let them do this!’

  The Tygran officer was glowering up at the map.

  ‘That carrier,’ he said, ‘destroyed one of those Imisil ships and chased off the other, and either of them could take on this Heg ship and win.’ He glanced at Greg. ‘So how, Mr Cameron, can we go up against it and succeed?’

  ‘Do what we did before – throw a shuttle at it … ’

  Ash shook his head. ‘That carrier masses something like a million and a quarter tons fully manned and loaded. Ramming it with a shuttle would be like throwing a shoe at a charging behemox. On the other hand, if we used a ship … ’

  Greg made a rueful grimace. ‘The Starfire?’

  Ash got down from the big seat, stretched his back and studied the screen displays. ‘Silverlance AI – with the Starfire in tow, would we be able to intercept the carrier group before it came within weapons range of Darien?’

  ‘Assuming maximum velocity within tolerances and a flight time of forty-two minutes, this vessel could achieve intercept with eight point three minutes to spare … Communication has been received from the Hegemony commander, contains updated version of target list and personal orders.’

  ‘Read me the orders,’ Ash said grimly.

  ‘Translated, it begins: “From Phalanx Supreme Ordainer Jothul, aboard the Great Carrier Baqrith-Zo, to Effector-Captain Vadeyni of the Implementer Ivwa-Kagoy – the Imisil raiders have been defeated, though not without cost. You are to break off current action and rejoin Phalanx at coordinates alpha. Equally, you are to examine the attached list of unassigned targets and respond with prioritised selection matching your vessel’s capabilities. Ends.” This message also came as an audio message, all encrypted to level five. What reply should be made?’

  ‘Send an “acknowledged – please stand by”-type response,’ said Ash. ‘Buy us some time.’

  ‘This has already been done.’

  ‘Wait another minute then repeat.’

  ‘We can only send a plain message,’ Greg said. ‘Tell them our comm systems were seriously mangled in a fight with a Tygran warship … ’

  ‘ … which we have captured almost intact and are claiming as victor’s prize.’ Ash nodded. ‘Silverlance, can you phrase that suitably in a response? End by saying we have set course and are under way.’

  ‘Done, sir.’

  ‘And select a number of targets from that list, something plausible given our weaponry. Send when ready.’

  ‘Message has now been sent. Sir, do you wish to deploy the forcefield in a towing configuration anchored to the Starfire?’

  ‘Inform the bridge of the Starfire, then deploy fields and lay in the intercept course.’

  ‘Communication made, sir … course set, thrusters engaged … we are under way.’

  Greg smiled and nodded approvingly.

  ‘Interesting that you use headsets and console pickups aboard the Starfire, while here it’s all speaking into the
air.’

  ‘The difference is that on Hegemony ships they love the sound of their own voices!’

  They laughed.

  ‘I’ll have to take the shuttle back to Starfire, get the remaining crew evaced over here,’ Ash said. ‘And I have to be there in order to set the various self-destructs. And in the meantime, I’m leaving you in charge, temporary measure.’

  ‘There’s only twenty-six minutes till we make that intercept,’ Greg said. ‘That’s cutting it a wee bit fine.’

  ‘It is not a problem. Tygrans are used to achieving results under pressure.’

  ‘I’m relieved to hear it.’

  Ash headed for the exit, which slid open, and he paused on the threshold. ‘Stay in your body armour and retain your sidearm. And you guards – bring Panabec out so everyone can keep an eye on him.’

  The Sendrukan engineer was brought out and seated at a round table by the rear bulkhead. Satisfied, Ash nodded to Greg and left.

  Greg went over and clambered into the big Sendrukan chair so that he could survey the situation as it unfolded on the semi-opaque holoscreens. There were fourteen crew members still aboard the Starfire, close to a full shuttleload, and a round trip there and back could take up to fifteen minutes. Timing was going to be tight.

  Just over five minutes later, the screens and ceiling lights in engineering flickered off and on.

  ‘Silverlance,’ Greg said. ‘What just happened?’

  ‘Power … power … powerless,’ said the AI. ‘Autodiagnostic reports … no anomaly or interruptions. This is incorrect – am initiating subsystems scrutiny – hierarchic integrity is compromised – alert! Main hold access doors unlocked – Sendrukan prisoners escaping … ’

  Suddenly fearful, Greg recalled how the Starfire was taken over and remotely controlled by the Tygran Marshal Becker.

  ‘What’s doing this?’ he said. ‘Is it coming from the carrier?’

  ‘No data objects of suitable complexity have been received – anomalous interference coming from within this ship – unauthorised course alteration! – Silverlance is now on heading B27-902.8 heading away from Darien … ’

  We’re off course! he thought. We’ll never stop that carrier now.

  Shouts made Greg look round to see the Sendrukan engineer Panabec walking unhurriedly across the floor. His guards, guns raised, were warily following until he stopped and turned to gaze at Greg. The listless bearing was gone and now the eyes flared with anger.

  ‘You are a disease,’ the Sendrukan said. ‘You will be purged.’

  Then he stepped onto a floor tile, which swung down. Like a stone he fell straight through, gone from sight in a heartbeat. The guards dived forward but the tile had resealed and seemed as solid as the rest.

  ‘Where is he?’ Greg said. ‘Silverlance, where did Panabec go?’

  ‘Deck Three auxiliary disposal stall – subject Panabec has encountered escaped prisoners – entire group now numbers nine and are moving forward – nearest bank of evacuation pods is accessible from that area.’

  ‘Can you stop them? Seal off the hatches?’

  ‘Unable to comply – such security functions have been abrogated by another.’

  Another what? he wondered while trying not to panic. ‘Open a channel to the Starfire – we need to notify Ash … ’

  ‘Unable to comply – access to external comms has been denied.’

  He listened with mounting horror. ‘What’s doing this? I thought that the original ship AI had been wiped … is there any way to shut the prisoners out of the pods altogether?’

  ‘No. Emergency and maintenance systems are being progressively subverted. Countermanding agency may be viral with partial cognitive heuristics – may have been a hardwired retaliatory instrumentation … ’

  ‘Is it safe for us to remain aboard?’ he said. ‘Is it possible to isolate the subverting agency? Put up a firewall of some kind … ’

  ‘Safety uncertain – isolation impossible – forward port evac pods are launching – all Sendrukans have left this ship … ’

  Greg stared up at the holoscreens. On two of them, blocks of Sendrukan text appeared one after another in pale blue lettering then slowly faded away. The third screen was a live feed from a hull sensor cam, showing four pods jetting away from the former Hegemony vessel.

  ‘Subversion encroaching on tertiary and secondary systems – integrity compromised – withdrawing to primary core – this cognitive unit is now under threat of sequestration – absent any external countervailing influence, self-erasure has been initiated.’

  Suddenly, silence. Greg exchanged worried looks with Panabec’s former guards.

  ‘Any word from the Starfire on your comm units?’ he said.

  ‘Nothing, sir,’ said the taller of the two. ‘They’ve been dead since this began.’

  Greg nodded sombrely. ‘If some booby-trap virus is taking over the ship, we have to figure out where the safest place is – up here, or down near the—’

  ‘Nowhere on this ship,’ said an authoritative voice, ‘is safe for you.’

  A chill went down Greg’s spine but he couldn’t help laughing.

  ‘Ah, you’ll be the new Hegemony captain, then. I’m glad you’re here because I think we got off on the wrong foot … ’

  ‘I am not the captain of the Ivwa-Kagoy but its avenger. You Humans have violated its honour and its illustrious duty. Punishment will be severe.’

  ‘Now, ye see, you’re jumping tae conclusions. Without the full facts, you could be in danger of committing crucial errors.’

  ‘The facts are not in question. In opposing our appointed task in this system you Tygrans have assumed the role of enemy combatants. By attacking and boarding this ship you have earned for yourselves an implacable retribution. There are no errors.’

  ‘Except that I’m not a Tygran,’ Greg said. ‘I’m a Darien non-combatant and I shouldn’t even be here. If you execute me I imagine you’ll be breaking who knows how many interstellar treaties, conventions and protocols, which might not go down well with the leadership back home.’

  Leisurely pacing to and fro between the big holoscreens, Greg glanced over at the guards and gave a damned-if-I-know shrug. The guards grinned.

  ‘Such pleas for exemption do not concern me,’ said the Hegemony intelligence, just as one of the guards knelt down beside some of the gear left next to the big central console by Ash’s techs. ‘Your presence aboard this vessel implies a hostile role. Retaliation against all Humans is therefore justified.’

  The guard was peering at what looked like a diagnosis pad sitting on a transport cabinet with its screen open.

  ‘As I said, we got off on the wrong foot,’ Greg said, frowning now as the guard started to beckon him over. ‘We should all get round a table and talk this through. Once ye get tae know us ye might change yer mind … ’

  ‘My function and purpose is clear – all Humans aboard this ship should be considered an infestation and dealt with accordingly.’

  ‘Ye might want to reconsider that. My own government will not look kindly on the negligent slaughter of one of its citizens.’

  Silence.

  Aye, Greg thought as he joined the guard. We’re all just the ones who don’t matter, me, them and everyone on Darien.

  ‘What is it?’ he said, even as the guard was turning the pad screen for him to see Ash staring up at him.

  Greg laughed. ‘Is this live or a recording?’

  Ash pointed to his right ear then tapped his right shoulder. For a moment Greg was puzzled, then remembered the earpiece built into the Tygran armoured jerkin he wore. He fingered it from a tiny collar pocket, placed it in his ear, then found the jack wire in the hem and snapped it into the pad.

  ‘Let’s keep this short and to the point,’ Ash said. ‘Yes or no answers. Has some kind of backup Hegemony AI taken control?’

  ‘Oh aye.’

  ‘We thought that might have been a consequence of getting Panabec’s help. Have any sectors bee
n depressurised?’

  ‘No … eh, I think.’

  ‘Take that as a no … what’s the matter?’

  Greg was straightening from his crouch, turning his head this way and that, listening. ‘It’s gone quiet – the ventilation’s off.’

  ‘Not much time left – open the flap on the underside of this datapad, press and hold the red button for five seconds, then press the blue button.’

  Quickly he upended the pad, flipped open the recess and just as he pressed the red button the lights flickered into a dull pulsing pattern and an ululating alarm began to sound. Suddenly the Hegemony AI spoke.

  ‘A cunning ploy, to install an intelligence unit independent of all ship-nets. Yet your punishment is assured, one way or another.’

  Counting five, he released the red and punched the blue.

  Then he felt the faint breeze.

  ‘My God,’ said one of the guards. ‘It’s opened the locks!’

  Edgy with panic, Greg turned the pad over but the screen was blank and an amber light was winking next to the recessed interface grip.

  ‘C’mon Ash, where are you?’ he muttered.

  ‘Starfire-copy now embedded,’ said a different voice. ‘Rerouted bridge systems online – access is partial due to encrypted lockouts … onboard environment compromised by depressurisation.’

  ‘Starfire-copy, this is Greg Cameron,’ he said aloud. ‘Do you recognise me?’

  ‘Voice pattern confirmed as Greg Cameron, Darien envoy … ’

  ‘Okay, listen,’ he said as he sat on the equipment case. ‘We need you to close all the hatches which have been opened.’

  ‘Security and maintenance system lockouts have been encrypted – decryption estimate thirteen point seven minutes.’

  Greg felt like tearing his hair out. ‘We’ve not got the time! Is there any other way to override the hatch controls?’

  ‘Data on Hegemony ship systems hierarchy incomplete – shall extrapolate using Tygran vessel Starfire systems.’

  ‘Fine – and can you open a channel to the bridge of the Starfire while yer at it?’

  There was no response. Greg stood and went over to the line of consoles, speaking again to the ship AI and still getting no reply. He was starting to feel light-headed when the lights abruptly brightened and shifted to a new pattern of pulses. The alarm also changed to a higher, faster pitch.