by Tobias Roote
“Which members?” RIGA asked.
Gossie responded with one word. “All.”
“That would mean that the DNA in that sample comes from a non-member of the Empirum, yet is directly related. So what is Kalla trying to tell us?”
“It is quite clear that the DNA sequence is ascendantly related to all Empirum members,” Gossie responded.
“Really? So, Kalla is telling us that she has access to another ‘older’ branch of the human species, but what in the planets has that got to do with our meeting today? ... Gossie, did you by chance obtain a sample of our client’s DNA when we met them?” RIGA suddenly had a feeling this train of thought was going somewhere.
“Analysing,” Gossie advised.
Another hour went by while RIGA continued to think about the meeting with the Artis Council. She knew she was still missing something important, but as yet didn’t know what it was. She needed to delve deeper, but first the matter of Pelon needed to be resolved. She felt that was more urgent and perhaps nothing to do with the others. Why had he responded by bringing in the guards. What had he got to do with the MACs? and what in the name of all crystals did he see in the chip that forced him to act?
Gossie interrupted her thoughts.
“The DNA sequence is also a strong match to the sample. However, the client’s race has a more direct link with it than the Empirum members,” she confirmed.
“So, all of these humans are related? That’s new information.” RIGA drummed her fingers on the arms of her chair, a human mannerism she had picked up. Thinking out loud saved her repeating herself to Gossie. “Then, if Kalla is telling us that she has access to DNA from the origins of our human cousins, then what would be the purpose of her revealing this to us. AND she knew this BEFORE we arrived without knowing the MACS would be offered.”
RIGA’s drumming increased tempo, as she got into the flow, her mind dipping lightly into QDE mode. She could feel it pull at her, wanting her to go deeper, but this wasn’t the time. She withdrew as it began to take over her thoughts.
“If they did, then there is something about our clients that the council doesn’t want known. Pelon’s response indicates that there was something he recognised in those chips. What could that be? What goes into the production of a chip? The base material, the software coding...
THE CODING! - Pelon recognised the software coding in the chip.” RIGA stopped drumming.
“You are in all probability correct. In which case the Council are already aware of the planet from which these people originated,” Gossie said.
“Could be, or somebody on the council does, and doesn’t want the others to know. My bets are on Pelon, with Kalla being in the know, but possibly not in agreement, else why tip us off and why in such a subtle manner?”
“It is strange that Kalla placed a microscopic biological specimen on you, while thinking you were human. Especially considering that you wouldn’t have the abilities to be aware, or discover the sample?”
“Good point, Gossie. I have a few questions to ask Kalla when we get to speak, or meet.”
“So, we have at least three factions in the council, not unusual, and two are sending you messages which require your attention. How do you intend to proceed?” asked the AI.
“Firstly, I want to contact Kalla. I have a feeling it will greatly affect the way I respond to the others. See if you can get Kalla’s comm ID from the data-files on Artis Prime. In the meantime, I need to think on what all of this means,” she said, returning to her previously contemplative state.
5. A Strange Message
RIGA sat and contemplated her situation. It was far from ideal.
She had taken the assignment in good faith from Osachi, a human representative of a planet called Terra, the capital planet of a Terran Empire, one she had thought was unknown to the Empirum. Now, she had to assume that someone on the client’s planet was already working with others in the Empirum. However, this couldn’t be official, as there had been no approval, excepting hers, which she had obtained through ESSG’s links with GETC, the Galactic Empirum Trade Council.
All humans were partners in the Empirum, and the trading agreements held up well, in the main. The human planets provided manual labour for mining operations, supervision and quality control. The AI sector primarily manufactured finished, or end products, specifically robotic or automation, even the mining equipment the humans used. There was good inter-planetary trade for food and livestock, as well as luxury goods, something the AI’s had no interest in producing. The balance wasn’t always fair, and subsidising planets from the trade profits made on the asteroids was sometimes necessary to keep everything even.
By long-standing pact, AI’s were not allowed to make landfall, populate planets, or create armies of robots for war purposes of their own, or proxy. Weapons could be made, but only for use by humans, except on the AI satellites where they could use defensive weapons. This was to ensure that humans were not overrun by AI-managed systems, that took away their connection with the worlds they lived on, and their communities.
There was no pressure on either side to keep to this, except for the stability of the pact. The Galactic Empirum currently consisted of fourteen planets and four satellites and the agreement remained in all parties interests. No wars had broken out; there were occasional disputes, especially where human groups terraformed, or conquered new planets. Then there would be a period of lawlessness as the planet grew and became productive. Eventually, they would seek access to the lucrative trade partnership of the Empirum, and would then accede control to the PACT.
The PACT Navy was basically a human police action to enforce the rules and to provide essential peacekeeping duties. By the same token, the Navy were not allowed to make war, or partake in aggression against non-PACT worlds. They could provide defensive action, which on two occasions had required them to respond vigorously to aggression by the other party. However, this had been halted immediately they had been reduced to ‘defence only’ capability.
As unlikely as it seemed, the PACT worked, and the Galactic Empirum prospered. The trade between the member planets grew every year. Within the inner workings of this, lay RIGA’s life. As a secret synthetic human, she could land and work on most worlds, and so quickly became chief negotiator between human interests, and those of the AI’s. As such, she was required to be accepted as a diplomat and her ambassador status was always granted, without question. Her work often entailed getting to the truth of issues, which often required espionage or, if deemed appropriate, assassination of a threat or removal of an impediment to the PACT. It was a callous and unforgiving career, requiring 100% commitment.
Now RIGA had been attacked while acting in good faith, and this, in itself, showed that the PACT was under strain from within. Something was happening, and for some obscure reason the client she had taken on had caused a hidden rupture to surface. It now needed to be resolved, but first she needed to understand the nature of the problem. It would begin here, at Artis Prime.
She needed to confer with Kalla, and then return to Epsilon Gamma and take advice from the ESSG, the Keepers of the PACT, the secret group she belonged to who pulled the strings of diplomacy and ensured the Empirum stayed strong. They would have to determine the action to take, over the attack against RIGA. In the meantime, she had full power to do whatever was necessary to get to the truth and resolve the issue, if at all possible. In addition, she had a client to protect who, it appeared, was already a threat to the stability of the Empirum. All in all, a difficult mission.
“Gossie, have you had any luck in tracking down Kalla?”
“Negative, RIGA. She is not on the public address system. I have tracked her movements as much as I can, but this is one scarce Alder. She doesn’t want to be found. We may have to take a different route on this.”
“I’m not giving up yet. She sent us a message so she intended for us to respond. My guess is the message is somehow the key. She would assume our intelligence level w
as up to the task, and would expect us to initiate the next contact. Have you looked at the DNA for any further information?”
“Affirmative. There is only the DNA sequence contained within that sample, except for the attached parasite which I am still analysing,” Gossie responded.
“Do a search on the numeric DNA sequence of the parasite and see if it pings a match on the Artis Prime datanet. If Kalla had placed the DNA sequence anywhere it might also provide a link to her.” The more that RIGA thought about it, if Kalla was doing any work on DNA and kept a public record of her research, it would more than likely show up on the net on Artis Prime. A long shot, but worth the effort if it gave a means of connecting with her.
While Gossie searched the vast resource, RIGA continued her own analysis.
Kalla was definitely the key to finding out what had occurred down there. Had she known in advance that RIGA would be presenting a gift? and where it was coming from? how had that information had come into the council’s hands, because as far as she knew there was only herself, Gossie and the ESSG who knew anything about the Terran contract, as well as the client of course.
Then there was the incident en route and on arrival at the Council chambers. It couldn’t be Pelon, he was surprised and reacted immediately. Assuming for a moment that it wasn’t Kalla, then another party within the council was also aware of the arrangement and hostile to it. RIGA hadn’t ruled out Tempus yet, he could be playing a double game here. She needed to be careful making her next move.
“RIGA, You have some really cool algorithms working in your head.”
“You have a response from your search?”
“Yes, one single hit. The entry is two lines. One with the parasite DNA sequence the other with a comms ID. How you knew to try that I have no idea.” she said calling the comms number for RIGA.
Gossie routed the call to RIGA’s implant.
“Ambassador, you are alive. I am pleased to know that,” Councillor Kalla said as she answered on the first ring.
“Yes, Councillor, no thanks to the Council, but for a timely warning, I’m not sure if it would have ended with such a positive result.”
“Most unfortunate, I agree,” Kalla responded.
“You are aware that I have to file a report of the attack, and that this may result in sanctions against Artis Prime?” RIGA went on the offensive.
“Yes, I understand that. However, things are not as simple, or clear cut as they may first seem. We have factions appearing within the Council for the first time in our history, and I believe this client of yours may well be at the heart of it.”
“Do you know who was behind the attempt to halt my arrival at the Chamber?”
“It may be politically motivated. We believe them to represent a group seeking to overthrow the current government on Artis Prime.”
“I’m not convinced, Kalla. The methods employed by the group that attempted to attack me before I arrived and those used when I went to escape were similar. No matter, there are more pressing issues, like why was Pelon prepared to create a diplomatic incident over the origin of the chips?”
RIGA sensed Kalla was reluctant to reply, but after a short delay she continued.
“Because we have come across this technology before,” Kalla admitted.
“Where? and why would this be a problem for Artis Prime?”
“It was – ‘” the connection went silent.
“Kalla? Are you still there?”
“Gossie, have we lost the connection?” RIGA asked verbally, aware that alarms were coming from the ship’s sensors.
“Yes, but we have more pressing matters. we have incoming missiles,” Gossie informed her.
“EVADE, EMPLOY COUNTERMEASURES!” RIGA commanded Gossie, as she strapped herself into the pilot seat.
Gossie hadn’t been waiting for instructions from RIGA. She was already routing all mains power through to the drives and tactical helm. Evasion was the only option open to them.
“Damm them all, this is becoming really annoying,” RIGA muttered. Looking at the sensors on Gossie’s display she could see three pairs of missiles coming from separate directions. Three attackers. This close to Artis Prime? who would be so confident? Pelon, came the thought.
“INITIATING EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS,” Gossie called out.
The Ship leaped into motion, thrusters and main engines working together to gain immediate velocity. Courier ships were designed for fast acceleration. They could gain phenomenal speeds in a matter of seconds. RIGA’s ship was the fastest of them all. They should easily be able to outrun the missiles, so long as they achieved full acceleration before the missiles got into detonation range.
As the ship accelerated, the resulting high gravity, which would have pulped a human being against the bulkheads, merely pinned RIGA to her seat as the ship burst from a slow cruise to top speed. Her teutranium skeleton kept her protected from major harm, the synthetic skin would theoretically thicken to provide added protection, but so far RIGA hadn’t been in an extreme enough position where it activated.
Gossie did most of the work, thanks to a self-preservation algorithm built into her, the AI’s reaction times and attention to her own survival was greatly increased. When humans built AI’s they didn’t consider that artificial intelligence needed to be programmed to survive. Gossie was as keen to live as a human would be, and was better equipped to do so.
RIGA could actually see the missiles as they arced around to home in on her ship. They were close enough that she could now see them using the ship’s aft visual sensors, GE-42’s, she recognised, with distributed warheads. Officially only found on Navy PACT Patrol frigates and they were still closing on their ship.
“PUSH THOSE DRIVES,” RIGA told Gossie. They had been designed for much higher tolerances than the commercial models, but the metering used was standard. They should perform beyond the limits indicated. Being designed for her use only, there were no limiters on this ship’s acceleration, which meant the bulkheads squealed and popped, as the streamlined hull took the additional strain.
RIGA watched as they began to pull away from the nearest missile. She was surprised that the attackers hadn’t fired with lasers, a much quicker attack. It could only be that to do so would attract attention to themselves, as they would be seen from Artis Prime. PACT ships in the area would probably be quick to investigate. The missiles would not be detected until after they exploded, giving the attackers time to disappear.
She could not detect the ships ID tags, they must have them switched off. They were also too far away to register the drive signatures, unfortunately. It occurred to RIGA at that point that the ships might not be Empirum registered.
Now, computing a high probability of something being ahead of them, she linked into the weapons array, activating their forward targeting sensors. She began putting weapons on-line.
Moments later, her forward laser array picked up and locked onto incoming missiles. Two coming into extreme range, but closing fast.
Both laser batteries automatically opened fire. One beam missed its target, the other hit and was destroyed. Luckily, the explosion also caught the other missile that had strayed too close, as it homed in on its small target.
“No further targets registering,” Gossie confirmed as she altered course to avoid debris which, at this speed would decimate them.
“Are we at jump range yet?” she asked Gossie.
“Ten seconds, and counting,”
“Altering course to initiate jump... NOW!” Gossie announced. The course change ensured the missiles would be unable to follow them into hyperspace.
6. Mission Update
As they entered hyperspace Gossie reduced the space drive to cruising speed. RIGA left her seat to check the small engine room and stores for damage from their emergency departure from Artis Prime, castigating herself for letting her guard down. The ticking sound in the drive section the only indication of the cooling metal of the drive shielding.
“How di
d they find us?” asked RIGA, the frustration beginning to impose itself on her attitude.
“There might be some correlation between the time we contacted Kalla and the attack on us.”
“True, this would mean they were waiting for us to make contact and were ready to attack the moment they had us in their sights. Does this mean Kalla is behind this?” RIGA mused.
“My threat analysis says, not,” the AI informed her. “Pelon comes higher, statistically a 93% probability of direct involvement.”
RIGA didn’t say anything; her own threat analysis came up with the same result, except what Gossie didn’t say was that Councillor Tempus came up at 88% probability, she needed to understand why. Was Tempus a bigger player than he seemed?
First though, she needed to report on the incidents at Artis Prime. They indicated the beginnings of a more serious development; she wondered if it might escalate into a full confrontation. Were her attackers Empirum Navy ships? In theory, no other ships should be armed to that degree; in practice she was aware that some planets maintained a small private fleet for dealing with smuggling and piracy. The Pact Navy turned a blind eye so long as it was only pirates suffering. It made their job easier.
RIGA attached the logs as well as a fully documented update on her meeting with Raachi Osachi. The committee that would see the information, were likely to want to know more, perhaps even visit the world in question to carry out their own investigation. For the time being she held back the planet’s coordinates, more a matter of personal client confidentiality than anything sinister, but caution was one of her better traits, especially when she had no surety of the reports’ intended recipient being the only one to see the data.
She was also well aware that material from ESSG was finding its way into the hands of Bollida’s arch enemy on the council. Councillor Talbeck used it to undermine efforts to keep the peace. The price of maintaining the Empirum in power was high, but if it failed, and Talbeck wanted it to, the wars would return and nobody, human or AI, wanted that.
