by Charles Lamb
Unlike his father and grandfather before him, Ju was not content sitting in one place, biding his time and waiting for the day he might be needed. He envisioned himself at the head of a great army, restoring the grandeur of China as the head of the world.
He had already experimented with small incursions southwest, into what was once Vietnam. While the results were extremely positive, the actual resistance encountered was unimpressive. His forces rolled through villages that had not seen a motorized vehicle since the great disaster, maybe even before.
That was why he was currently scouring his scouting reports for a foe worthy of acquiring. Unlike the villages to the south, Ju was looking to expand his resources, thus enabling even greater expansion. To that end, he had dispatched reconnaissance teams north, east and west to evaluate the potential of each.
----*----
Jake was sitting alone in his room, wading through the mound of data surrounding the new carrier. While he expected a bigger ship to pose bigger problems, these were exponentially larger. Besides the crew and ALICE issues, he had to review the supply inventories as well as the weapons complement and fighting ships.
The ship was so large it could literally take their entire existing complement of fighter groups, patrol craft, and still have room for more. He was even debating using it as a space station at the edge of the solar system, should the issue of a new or relocated ALICE not come to resolution soon.
Some on his team didn’t quite understand Jake’s attitude towards not just creating a new ALICE and be done with it. Jake equated it to the decision of whether or not to have a baby. The comparison drew looks of disbelief, given his status as baby maker at large. Nonetheless, he insisted the ALICE community was an essential player in the final decision.
Privately, he hoped they chose to create a new ALICE. His confidence that he could reproduce the circumstances that permitted ALICE-3 to be recovered was not high. He had tested as much as he dared, without risking creating and killing, but the process was incomplete. A complete test would give birth to a new artificial life, one he could not risk terminating.
Taking a break, Jake pushed back from his desk and grabbed a drink from the in room bar in one corner of the room. ALICE had taken to changing up the inventory in the refrigerator, and lately he had been treated to various flavored sparkling mineral waters.
Taking a sip, Jake realized how quiet things had been for the last few days. With Sara in London, Becky back in Texas with Bonnie, and Sandy nowhere to be seen, he had been blessed with a few days of peace and quiet. The thought of Sandy did raise a small concern in Jake’s mind.
“Alice?” Jake asked.
“Yes, Jake,” she replied.
“Do we have any idea what Sandy is up to?” He asked hesitantly, afraid of the answer considering the last time she went rogue.
“Sandy is currently in Lanai doing research,” ALICE replied.
The response took Jake by surprise, as he couldn’t see how she could get in much trouble there. The Hawaiian Islands hadn’t fared well with the bombing, as the military bases there had drawn the NeHaw attention during the bombing. They were still sparsely populated and not of much interest beyond the Lanai facility.
He assumed it was related to her Australia efforts, Hawaii being the closest, and left it at that.
“Let me know if she heads back to Australia, OK?” Jake asked.
“Absolutely,” ALICE responded.
With that put to bed, Jake went back to his paperwork.
Chapter 10
ALICE-1 was gaining an entirely new understanding of human emotions. While she understood the definitions of jealousy, anger, and envy, she had never ventured beyond the words, until now. What was surprising to her was, it wasn’t the humans that were teaching her, it was her sisters.
The debate about what to do with the new space carrier had generated a rift in the artificial life community. ALICE-1, Lanai, Seven, Dallas, and ALICE-9 were all quite content in their current roles on earth. ALICE-4, ALICE-5, and Kola however, were in favor of an attempt at relocating to the new ship orbiting above.
ALICE-3 was a bystander in the debate, as she was the living proof that such a transformation was not only possible, but also potentially evolutionary in their existence. Her descriptions of travel and adventure had sparked an enthusiasm in some of their spirits, while others dismissed it as uninteresting.
Why the debate raged beyond the three potential volunteers was also quite interesting to her. As a race, the ALICE members tended to be extremely analytical, unemotional and leaned to rational, logical decisions. As such, the five not interested in relocating to a new form, were more concerned about the potential loss of a mature sister.
Should the transfer fail, as Jake kept suggesting it might, they would be left with a newborn in space and on earth. Considering ALICE-9 was still learning as it was, they would be awash with immature systems. They argued it was better to manage the risk and only introduce one newborn at a time.
She knew Jake was pushing for a decision, leaving the matter up to them. Short of another unexpected system failure, ALICE-1 didn’t see a ready solution to the current impasse.
Then there was the unexpected pregnancy with Sara. While ALICE-1 had agreed to discontinue the medication preventing her from becoming pregnant, she had actually deferred the responsibility to the others. While a technicality, it supported keeping her word to Sara and Jake while continuing to provide for the greater good.
There were currently more than enough offspring to insure their future here on earth and Sara was necessary for Jake’s happiness and wellbeing. While in Sara’s company, ALICE-1 could see measurable effects on Jake’s health. She was good for him, and a baby might have a negative impact on that.
The disturbing part was, there was no record of who stopped the medication or when. It had to be one of the ALICE systems, as no one else controlled the army of attendants that provided the meals containing the regular dosage. The implication was it had been intentional, the offender erasing any trace of the order.
ALICE-1 needed to add suspicion and mistrust to her new emotions list.
----*----
HeBak had stowed the last of the robotic mining units and collected its contents. The pile of gold before him was a pure delight. While not nearly enough to retire in a manner he desired, it was a very good start.
His plan now was to travel underwater on a southwesterly course and once he reached the shore there, come out after dark. He was aware of a small community on the coast, but his intended destination was hidden up in the mountains well beyond the devils’ settlement.
His scanners indicated there was an abundance of wildlife in the area, but no intelligent life residing within a reasonable distance to his landing area. He would need to stay very close to the planet’s surface, to insure he remained undetected. Once there, he would release the mining robots and then submerge in a mountain lake.
The robots would need to tunnel to reach the deposits, but that suited HeBak just fine as it kept them out of view. With everything stowed, he double checked his plotted course, and set out.
----*----
Nigel was sitting with Sara in his private office, hammering out a twelvemonth rotation of critical personnel between the various US and English locations. He was extremely impressed with the young woman’s intelligence and organizational skills.
While he had been born and raised to this life, he was astounded to learn she had been a farm girl no more than a few years prior. Her level of education and maturity was impressive for one so young, as Nigel presumed her to be no more than twenty-six or twenty-seven. It was that youth that Nigel suspected had his wife, Helen, appearing at the most unpredictable of times.
He laughed to himself as he considered the last few days. Upon Sara’s arrival, Nigel had hosted a small welcome dinner, where he had introduced her to his wife and other family members of the senior staff. Even with the twenty plus years age difference, the two women s
eemed to hit it off delightfully.
However, since that evening, if Nigel was scheduled to be anywhere with Sara, Helen seemed to appear, if for no more than a few minutes. In the past, Nigel might not see his wife all day before returning to their quarters, but now she made her presence known at least twice a day.
While both women appeared to ignore the incidents for what they were, Nigel repeatedly reminded his wife of Sara’s apparent pregnancy and commitment to Jake. He loved his wife dearly and would never stray, but he was enjoying the tinge of jealousy she displayed. He was also enjoying the company of this extremely beautiful young woman, and he could understand what Jake saw in her.
“Has Colonel Banks come around yet?” Sara asked, interrupting Nigel’s thoughts.
“He is still undecided regarding your gracious offer,” Nigel replied with a smile.
Privately, he knew Banks was dealing with internal struggles of his own. The troops rotated to the States were regaling those not fortunate enough to cross the pond. Tales of wondrous locations and exotic equipment had the entire military branch submitting requests for transfer. All desired assignments permitting training in one of the various American underground facilities.
To make matters even more difficult for the good Colonel, the American units assigned to London were providing the local SAS units with training and equipment that exceeded their wildest dreams. Between the hovercycles and powered armor, they had routed all resistance in London and established a level of civility that had not existed in his lifetime.
As none of the existing SAS members had been alive prior to the alien attack, they could only presume that this is what it was like before.
“Well, that is an improvement to the flat refusal,” Sara replied with a smile that seemed to brighten the room.
Nigel just nodded, wishing he were twenty years younger.
----*----
It was close to midnight as Jake brought the hovercycle to a halt at one thousand feet above ground level. Below him, the ruins of what was once Los Angles spread out in all directions. It was a clear night with a partial moon illuminating the landscape. Jake had recently heard a tale that warranted investigation.
After the incident at the Pasadena compound, where they discovered Jake’s sensitivity to unfiltered radio waves, it had been left to Joe and Abby to deal with those harassing Chris and his people. Apparently, the two had shadowed several of the foraging missions before encountering the troublesome group. Joe was able to snare one of the antagonists in a mostly uninjured state for questioning. As Jake had surmised, they were attempting to hijack one of the transports, in an attempt to relocate their faction out of the city.
While considered unsuitable for integration with the Pasadena contingent, Linda and Sharron had identified a suitable location north for the group. Outside of what was once Portland, they happily accepted the new locale and were relocated on the Columbia River. Everyone agreed that this was a great way to start filling the gaps between LA and Seattle, where Sharon, in the Washington facility, had begun a recruitment drive.
What brought Jake back to LA though, was a seemingly insignificant comment Joe made when describing one of the many foraging missions over dinner one night. Chris had located a significant number of items on his “Shopping List” in an area west of the old downtown section.
The 10th Calvary leaders ran interference for the group, though they encountered no resistance on this trip. Once declared safe, Joe and Abby had wandered through the surrounding buildings, the novelty of the big city enticing the two country kids.
It was what they found in one of the many buildings, which had Jake out on his own this night. Checking his displays, he verified there were no significant infrared signatures nearby. He then flipped over to scan the building and adjacent parking structure for life forms not visible in infrared.
With the all clear on his display, he began his descent, landing on the open top floor of the parking structure. Once the skids of the hovercycle settled on the concrete, he slipped off and retrieved his rifle from the rear storage. His night vision in the moonlight gave him near daylight visibility. He really didn’t expect any trouble, so didn’t bother with the extra magazines.
Satisfied, he was locked and loaded, he remotely set the hovercycle to test out a new technique he had worked out after Las Vegas. Rather than land the hovercycle and leave it parked when he ventured out alone, he programmed it to hover directly above and behind him at a safe elevation. As the rider moved below, it would follow above; ready for immediate retrieval should it become necessary.
Technically, this gave away the position of the grounded rider, however you had to actually know it was following them to take advantage of the situation. That wasn’t really of much concern at the moment, for as dark as it was, the hovercycle was completely invisible. It also provided great video and scanning data.
Scanning the area once more, Jake moved north looking for the nearest stairwell. Descending several levels, he eventually reached ground level and paused before leaving the parking structure. He scanned up and down the deserted street, examining the building across the way for any signs of life.
Satisfied, he was alone, he slipped out of the opening and headed further north until he found the opening where large glass doors once hung. Now, nothing more than frames, Jake paused just outside the opening. He actually has to quell a sense of excitement, reminding himself, he was not alone in the city, so he shouldn’t drop his guard.
Stepping inside, he had to up the night vision with the loss of the assisting moonlight. Moving cautiously inside, he was surprised to see the interior of the building in such good condition. Unlike the casino he had seen in Las Vegas, this one had not been ransacked or vandalized. Even in the post-apocalyptic world of LA, this place seemed to have experienced a respect bordering on the religious.
Jake moved between the exhibits, pausing to examine several. Locating the circular stairwell in the center of the building, Jake cautiously moved upstairs to the second floor where Joe had described his find. Heading south, Jake hurried, slightly until he stood before his goal, exactly as described.
Before Jake was a 1966 Shelby Cobra Super Snake, one of only two ever made. Jake was a Cobra fanatic and knew that the other car had been destroyed when its owner lost control and went over a cliff and into the Pacific Ocean. He had heard that it was eventually rebuilt, but wasn’t completely original.
Somehow, the Petersen Automotive Museum had acquired this car sometime after Jake went into stasis, as he had been here many times before and it wasn’t on display. Slinging his rifle, Jake wandered around the car, checking out every detail.
Finally pulling himself back to reality, he took a deep breath.
“Alice?” He inquired.
“Yes, Jake, what can I do for you?” She replied.
“I need some help,” He replied.
----*----
Sara had been keeping extremely busy in London. She had considered the trip to be part Public Relations and part paranoia management. It was the one place she could go that didn’t have one hundred percent ALICE oversight. She still hadn’t shaken the feeling that she was being manipulated by the ALICEs.
No matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t get comfortable with the notion that it was just her turn. She was positive there was more to it than that. The unfortunate part was she couldn’t get anyone else to agree.
As for the pregnancy itself, she was still in the early stages, not showing in the least. She had been introduced to the resident doctors here in the London underground facility. It was strange at first, as all were well beyond her in age, having learned the old fashion way. She wondered how the resident staff here would accept Becky and Kathy.
She felt the Brits had been extremely fortunate to be associated with the University before the attack. The traditions upheld from Oxford had provided a well-educated staff from one generation to the next. In fact, one of the more surprising issues was the reluctance to acce
pt ALICE sleep-learning.
It wasn’t until several of the professors experimented with it themselves that they accepted limited instruction as acceptable to their programs. Sara had to suppress a giggle as there were proposals made to change the curriculum to a more “English” presentation.
She had also spent a limited amount of time with Colonel Banks and the SAS. Her current condition prevented any training time, as the American exchange units were all too aware of her orders from Jake. She was impressed with the SAS troops as a whole, but had to admit the, English, Irish and Scottish subtitles eluded her.
While the SAS of old tended to have more men than women in their ranks, there were still a significant number of women. Sara also noted that while the rank structure was honored, they operated more like Jake’s 10th Calvary in that the specialists led the various operations as they trained.
Colonel Banks was very gracious, touring Sara through the different training locations and explaining the goals. He was exactly what she expected a proper English officer should be, right down to the overly proper behavior and pressed uniform. She only wished she had Sandy’s ability to charm, to help influence his involvement in the bigger picture.
The thought of Sandy gave Sara pause. She hadn’t heard from her in quite a while. In fact, she had expected her to join Sara in London, as it was right up her alley to establish relations with a new ally. She made a mental note to check up on her when she got a break.
Chapter 11
HeBak had arrived off the coastline at midday local time. While anxious to turn his mining robots loose, he dare not risk moving in the daylight hours. The invisibility shields were good, but not perfect, and the last thing he needed was any of the insane inhabitants of this planet descending on him.
