ARTIS PRIME

by Tobias Roote

  RIGA understood the Director was helping her construct her case for the Security Council who, at some point, would need to be in-session to ratify everything that Bollida now actioned as a result of RIGA’s investigation. She was lucky that her exceptional talents and unbroken record of delivering on every mission, as well as managing the diplomatic fallout cleanly, would stand in her favour regardless of what happened here.

  This situation was beyond her remit as an ESSG Agent, but there were no other avenues with which to pursue the truth of involvement of these foreign powers in the Empirum’s affairs. The Council would be grateful for any speedy resolution of this, so long as the Empirum remained strong as a result.

  “Finally, Agent RIGA, could your analysis of the situation be in error? What do you believe is the intention of these Tochin, and why?” Bollida asked.

  This was the main measure of her analysis, but she had to be careful not to accidentally expose her QDE abilities which would immediately warn the council members that she was more than just a human agent. The recording could not be tampered with.

  “On the strength of the communications I overheard, as well as the intelligence I obtained, I would say that the Tochin are preparing some kind of takeover of either the Terran Empire, the Empirum, or both. I would lend my analysis to the probability of both being their immediate objective, as one empire might bring support to the other and they are not keen to fight directly. They have an abhorrent fear of AI’s and the possibility of an outright war in space by superior artificial machines terrifies them.

  As to the why, I’m of the opinion that their fear of artificial sentience and the Terran and Empirums preponderance of them within their respective societies, creates a fear in the Tochin that requires them to act to protect themselves. They see taking over our empires as an act of self defence. I would expect them to outlaw and expunge all artificial lifeforms if they ever took a hold of our worlds.

  However, much of this is anecdotal, I lack evidence to prove this is the case and there are still unanswered questions to do with the theft of arms and defence technology from Terra. It is my belief this could also be occurring here, but we haven’t uncovered anything like that... yet. We could still be dealing with a vast smuggling operation, as well as the Tochin threat. They may be separate issues,” RIGA finished.

  Bollida smiled. “Thank you, Agent RIGA. I’m going to finalise this section 42a meeting now and then I am going to instruct you on the next part of your mission which will reflect much of what has been reported both by your statement as well as the ship’s logs. Your Empire thanks you for your diligent efforts and assures you of our full support in your efforts to track down the truth of this matter. We will talk further, please standby.”

  The screen died and Bollida’s ship sat with closed blast shields while he added his input from the ESSG’s perspective to the record, which would then be sealed and placed secure in a tamper-proof archive until needed.

  When the Director came back on several hours later, he looked grim. He had obviously had opportunity to reflect on, or verify, the information contained in the files she had sent him and wasn’t looking happy. Even as an AI, Bollida worked around humans all day and this meant he emulated their expressions constantly. It was an occupational hazard, but helped immensely with relationships which were important to their human partners.

  “RIGA, I’m pleased with your work so far on this mission, but I’m concerned that this is deeper than we imagine. It’s much like the asteroid of Artis Prime, much more lies beneath the surface than is in view. It seems that your next objective is to contact the AIders’ Tempus and Kalla and find out what their involvement is in this affair. Then considering the current state of affairs with Pelon, I’m suggesting possible termination should you find that he is directly involved in this matter. That, of course, goes for any others you deem necessary, or expedient. Usual requirements apply - verify beyond reproach. That is all, well done.”

  “Chief, what about the DNA issue?” RIGA was concerned that nothing was going to proceed. She needn’t have worried. Bollida was, as usual, on the ball.

  “Yes, I hadn’t forgotten that. We will be organising a swab test to obtain DNA from every member of the Military, then the Council and their officers and secretaries. We will proceed from the top down. First though, I need to isolate the issue from the general records and no remedial action will be taken unless, or until the matter is fully resolved. I do not want to precipitate any premature reaction by the enemy.”

  He smiled. “That’s all, RIGA. Proceed with haste, I fear time is not on our side in this matter - your report troubles me deeply.”

  His ship swung away from its static position and within a few seconds was accelerating to enter hyperspace.

  16. Artis Prime

  Returning to the mission’s starting point was essential. RIGA knew that of the seventy two contact points on the comms satellite, at least one of them had to lead to here. This was where the new technology from Terra created the shock wave that churned the ether all the way to the Terran Space Station and beyond. It had to be a major cell link for that to happen so quickly. Coming here again now would generate a response. What Artis Prime and the council members had to do with all of this, RIGA did not yet comprehend, but her analysis indicated she would find some of the answers here.

  As her ship docked at the ESSG’s privately funded hangar, fronting as a rich prospector’s bay, the personal airlock snaked across and attached itself to the doorway. RIGA, now kitted out in new red Amarillo leather that matched the ends of her new curly hair, a trick learned while training on Epsilon Gamma, commanded the outer door to open, while giving last minute instructions to Gossie.

  RIGA then stepped out of her ship to be met at the bottom of the airlock gangway by the Immigration Management AI official that would approve her docking permit. All vehicles that landed on the surface of Artis Prime had to be licensed. Most would dock at the local station suspended above the asteroid where no licensing at all was required, then use the public shuttles to proceed to the city. Imported goods were handled by the RORI piloted cargo platforms that could be seen all over local space. RIGA, under her pseudonym, was a long-term resident and had permits to surface park her ship.

  The illuminated causeway was the private docking station for Alders and the few privileged humans, such as RIGA. It was the latest in an increasing number of pressurised atmosphere zones on Helis. The growing human population necessitated compromises, and the Alder business owners found it much easier using the atmosphere to carry vocal instructions instead of communicators. The sound of people and machines in the busy area was a welcome change from the silence of space. RIGA noticed all this while descending the short ramp to the surface.

  The impressive chrome-plated android had a long slim body that stretched to the point of being almost, but not quite, extreme. It stood two plus metres tall and towered above the humans on the station. It was designed to intimidate and be recognised from a distance. It was also a lethal machine with a cold intelligence. It could not be hacked, bought, intimidated, or persuaded. Its sole function was to judge the arrival of every individual on the asteroid.

  With hyper-fast links to Immigration, the IMAI would act immediately when an undesirable attempted to pass through to the free trade area of the city. Pirates, smugglers and slave traders were automatically terminated without redress. It's hard to complain about unfair treatment when you have been reduced to an insignificant pile of ash on the walkway.

  They were ruthless, but kept Artis Prime safe from all space-borne predators. RIGA had no thoughts on the fairness or justice of it all. Her job, like that of the chrome-plated guardian, was to keep the Empirum safe. She left it to others to manage the conscience of their complicated society. It wasn’t that she didn’t have one, she simply recognised the importance of keeping the larger issues in mind as she carried out her missions.

  The IMAI commanded everyone's respect and although RIGA outranked
it as Ambassador Rigel, being here incognito meant her alternate identity would be needed to gain entry. RIGA suspected the enemy were plugged into the Helis AI’s system and would initiate an immediate assassination attempt as soon as her ID was flagged. So this time she would be Fellie Jinks; a freelance prospector of high grade Gallenium dust, a rare commodity used to coat the exchange coils on blasters and hyperspace drives. As Fellie was an early human settler on Artis Prime she had earned privileges. She was one of the few.

  On paper, this was Fellie’s dock, and she acted as if she owned it. Body language was an important tool in the IMAI’s function, it could tell a lot from a misplaced blink. It stood perfectly still studying RIGA, and it seemed, just for a microcosmic moment, as if it was unsure of her.

  RIGA sensing this, prepared to react explosively, but without giving any outward indication of her intent. Unusual, she thought. Her alias was well known here, the micro delay was unsettling. As a human she would have given off body signals that the IMAI would respond to, but as it only picked up her normal, artificially displayed responses, it had no idea of the possible maelstrom of violence she was holding in check.

  As if coming to a decision, the RORI extended its hand reassuring RIGA that her cover remained intact.

  “ID confirmed. Welcome back to Artis Prime, Fellie Jinks - enjoy your stay.” It returned her identity chip, which she replaced in her wristband holder. The AI seemed at odds and hesitated for a second more, turning back to her, as if absently remembering something important.

  “There have been incidents recently that have required a tightening of security in and around the Artis Chambers, please check for new rules and monitor official channels for updates.” The AI turned and stomped off, its elongated shape causing an uneven gait that looked awkward, but RIGA knew was actually restrained power; those things could move.

  ‘Gossie, do you detect any monitoring of this area?’ RIGA asked.

  ‘None, you’re in the clear,’ the AI advised.

  RIGA wasn’t so sure. Something about the IMAI told her it had recognised her, but hadn’t reacted. The warning it handed her was intended to be helpful. She thought of other little warnings she had picked up on. Was there a pattern developing here?

  RIGA tuned into the electronic locking mechanism of her hangar and a door in the side of the unit slid open, disappearing into the hangar wall. Everything here was built to the highest standard, with lots of extras built into the structure for security purposes. In the event it became necessary to clear the trail, there were demolition explosives in all the identifiable equipment.

  RIGA entered the newly opened space, her sensors checking everything for signs of tampering. The extended section of hangar housed anti-grav flitters that would enable her to avoid the elevator system that had almost brought her first mission to an early end. She would no longer trust the AI’s to provide uninterrupted and impartial service. They might send her into a black hole next time.

  The silver one was her preferred vehicle and the only one that was secretly armed. It had automatic armoured flechette guns that could pierce the hull of another flitter and an on-board laser that could take out a target within a range of forty metres

  RIGA beamed the disarm code, hearing the click and pump as the cockpit unlocked and broke its seal. The door whooshed open as it responded to RIGA’s unvoiced command.

  Sliding into the seat, she strapped herself in and took hold of the steering shift. Controls were basic - up, down, left, right and hover was simply hand off stick. Speed was controlled by a lever which, if left untended, would rapidly drop the speed to nothing. If you pushed the lever, the drives would reverse to blast retro jets of air to bring the flitter to a halt.

  The Helis traffic system allowed any combination of manoeuvres once airborne, so it was the perfect vehicle for Artis Prime and was in common use throughout the asteroid. RIGA had modified the drives on this flitter, and the vehicle would probably be confiscated if it were not for her ability to slip through the traffic net unregistered by the Warden, the Helis Traffic AI.

  She visually and mentally checked the rest of the hangar out while warming up the drives and checked out the battery reserves. The other flitters hadn’t been used for some time, so she scanned them at the same time, noting some issues with overdue component exchanges and activated the maintenance RORI to begin servicing them.

  Pulling back on the stick to raise the the nose of the flitter while mentally controlling the speed, RIGA headed out of the hangar airlock commanding its doors to close and go into lock down as soon as she vacated.

  Once airborne, RIGA ignored the hand controls, choosing instead to directly link to the onboard computer. Knowing her destination route well, RIGA followed the landmarks. The craft continued to rise and headed towards the elongated buildings that made up Helis ‘AI City’. It was so called because, despite Artis Prime being mostly AI, the small number of influential residents preferred to congregate in an area away from the humans, who were rarely given residency, or control of anything on the tiny planetoid. The situation was reversed on the human planets where AI’s weren’t even allowed to land.

  The towering needle continued to grow rapidly until RIGA’s flitter became a speck up against it. Close up you could see the thousands of identical apartments all with their own views out, each with their own flitter airlock. The onboard locator guided her unerringly to her apartment and hovered for a few seconds while a round mechanical iris opened. It looked too small to enter, but as they approached closer, the perspective changed until the flitter slid into the dark space with plenty of room to spare, while the iris closed behind, the inner door now opened for her.

  RIGA turned it around and parked, mentally commanding the flitter to remain on standby, leaving it unlocked for a fast departure since she had only come to collect a few items. As she entered what was her official residence, she connected with the RORI that took care of her needs while she was on Helis.

  “HT? Update required,” RIGA called out to the robot that, even as she spoke, was putting the lights on and changing the décor to RIGA’s preferences for the time of day. Outside, the day was always almost night, hence the high-rise apartments to give better alternating time shifts with the way the asteroid rotated.

  “Welcome RIGA, data downloading to you now,” the AI responded.

  All of the messages were for her other alias, Ambassador Rigel, that were routed through a series of dead links to the AI. Fellie Jinks only existed as a cover and required no more than papers and a residence. There was little in the way of social life on Artis Prime and Fellie wouldn’t spend any time in the human habitats. Her ability to live here, rubbing shoulders with the Alder elite, was down to her unique status as a successful Gallenium trader. Fellie had friends in high places and had traded herself into this apartment as part of a highly successful deal put together by the ESSG to cement her cover.

  As Ambassador Rigel, she was called upon to attend many functions and intervene in many affairs. Her RORI acted as her secretary on Artis Prime and handled all matters pertaining to her calendar when resident. When she was not there, it fielded all callers and noted their information for the Ambassador to deal with on her return.

  As RIGA went through the apartment checking everything physically for any changes, she also ran through the list of callers and calls over the last month or so, while she had been away and discarded all of the social and commercial engagements that would have meant her meeting businesses and helping massage deals between Alders and humans.

  Having divested herself of all of those, she was left with twenty two calls and five visits. The visits were refused entry past the foyer and whilst briefly checking them, only one was worthy of note, a visit from a human contact. That shouldn’t have happened, there were very few links between Fellie Jinks and humans on Artis Prime. Even fewer who could track her down to here. She mentally reminded herself to follow that up when she could, and check how her address location had been obtained.r />
  RIGA switched to the calls, all being vidcom messages. To speed up the process she alphabetised them and saw that most were other Ambassadors either contacting her for meetings, or asking after her whereabouts. Four were from Councillor Tempus. They were all short to the point of being abrupt.

  ‘Ambassador, we need to meet urgently on a matter of grave importance,’ one said.

  Another, ‘Ambassador Rigel, if you are able to respond to messages it would be useful to know if you are available for an important meeting.’

  The third. ‘This is Tempus, I need to make contact with Ambassador Rigel. Whoever is managing her appointments, tell her to speak to me immediately.’

  Then lastly, ‘Ambassador Rigel, I must speak with you, things are coming to a head and I need your help.’

  She knew that Tempus would be aware she had survived. It was in the councillor's interests to know everything that transpired on the asteroid; RIGA could not imagine Councillor Tempus not knowing.

  “Connect me with Councillor Tempus,” RIGA commanded the RORI.

  A few seconds passed and RIGA saw Tempus’ features come up on her mental vidscreen.

  “Councillor Tempus, you wanted a meeting?” RIGA asked putting her Rigel persona into the frame for Tempus’ benefit.

  “Ambassador Rigel, thank goodness! I had begun to think you had been eliminated by those assassins that were stalking you. Please tell me where we can meet. It is of the utmost importance we do so, and without further delay. Matters have already proceeded beyond expectations and are now of paramount importance to Artis Prime and the Empirum.”

  RIGA thought for second. “I am sending you coordinates for a meeting - thirty minutes,” RIGA said keeping her response as abrupt as possible.

  Tempus nodded and signed off.

  “HT, remove last call from log and delete record,” RIGA instructed.