OMEGA Rescue

by Stephen Arseneault

  Frig said, "I've reduced Quan's space requirements down to the size of not much bigger than this room. With the technologies we have, that is as far as we can go."

  Jack attempted to nod. "Still, that's a major improvement. Have we made any progress at restoring the Ares?"

  Frig pursed his lips. "I'm afraid the news is not good. The gate was damaged when the ship fell to the surface of Mayanis. We don't have the technologies needed to repair it. They are on Earth, which brings up another subject. Earth. Quan is running a cracking algorithm on the missing access code."

  Jack said, "What about the other portal ship? Can we use the gate from there?"

  Frig replied, "I'm afraid the news there is bad as well. When the ship was powered down, the stabilizers used to maintain the gate powered off as well. The gate shut itself down when it determined its location had moved."

  The colonel asked, "Any estimates for the crack of the Earth gate?"

  Frig nodded. "If all possible permutations are run, a fair estimate would be two years. Given the likelihood that we will reach our goal by the halfway point, a year would be an average estimate. Of course, there is always the possibility that we will crack it tomorrow."

  The colonel half smiled. "Keep at it. We may not have a year before the AIs make their move."

  I said, "Colonel, the members of the Grunta Council are convinced the AIs are not planning anything."

  The colonel frowned, "And you're buying into that?"

  I took a deep breath. "No, I remain suspicious. The activities in Andromeda and the Sawblade have me almost convinced that the AIs are behind them. If we can obtain proof of that, there will be little doubt left."

  I looked over to where Garrett was seated. Raptor lay at his feet. It had been months since the dog had been social with the crowd on the bridge of the Ares. Only since Garret's return had he come out from hiding.

  I said, "That dog hasn't left your side since you returned."

  Garrett smiled, "What can I say, he likes me."

  Joni replied, "That he does. He was in a funk the entire time you were gone. Hardly ate enough to stay alive."

  Garrett reached down and scratched his head. "I've been thinking it might be good for him to have a companion."

  Jack laughed, "He's already got one... you!"

  Garrett waved a hand with a half frown. "No, I'm talking another canine. He needs a friend for when Joni and I are out gallivanting around."

  Garrett looked at Joni. "He could use a female to keep him distracted."

  Joni huffed, "So, I'm a distraction?"

  Garrett nodded. "A major one."

  The banter continued for several minutes as separate discussions broke out. The Rourkes continued their friendly spat. Jack made conversation with Go, Frig, and the Colonel about the possibility of getting a new ship to pilot. My thoughts remained on my wife and children. Were the AIs truly helping or were they just cementing their hold? It was the one question I most wanted an answer to.

  Chapter 17

  * * *

  Over the next month, we managed to get new stealth tags placed in and around the colonies in Yallux. Three such tags clung to the outside edges of the giant ship factory as it floated in the emptiness of space above Jorus. Several agricultural freighters had been launched from the factory with flight trials following immediately after. One of the tags revealed a vast section of the factory that bustled with activity, but appeared to produce little product.

  I asked Joni as we looked over the data, "We need to know what's going on inside that factory. You can see from the power flows to that section that something major is happening."

  Joni opened a comm to Quan. "Can you sweep me out to the Jorus ship factory?"

  Quan replied, "One moment."

  Seconds later, I watched Joni's video feed as she powered toward the massive factory. "OK, I'm heading straight into that section. We'll know in a few seconds what it is they've been hiding."

  The outer walls of the factory flashed as Joni passed through them. After moving through several bulkheads, she came to a stop in a large warehouse.

  She turned her head slowly to allow her camera to pan. "You seeing this?"

  I replied, "Yes. Are those what I think they are?"

  Joni nodded. "Bots. Millions and millions of them. All neatly packed. I would bet those ag-freighters we have been seeing leave are not empty. Probably full of bots."

  I pulled up the data we had on the previous freighters. "Two have gone to the Kergan worlds and two to the Tamarin. A fifth headed off toward Mayanis. That last freighter won't be there for a few more weeks if it's going under its own power. Let me pull up the logs from the tag you have on Mayanis."

  After browsing through several pages of data, I said, "No ships reported entering the space around Mayanis. A full scan from Quan should show us if anything is happening on the surface. Quan, bring Joni back and get us a scan of Mayanis."

  Quan swept Joni back aboard followed by jumping the portal ship to a new location. A wormhole was opened and a full scan conducted of the surface of Mayanis.

  When the scan was complete, Quan offered results. "We only have data on this side of the planet. It shows no activity. Would you like a scan of the far side?"

  I replied, "Please."

  Three minutes later the data came in. Just as I pulled up the first screen, Quan swept the portal ship we now called home, back to Effica.

  As we came to rest in our usual hiding spot near an Effica system moon, Quan said, "Mr. Beutcher, I detected a wormhole opening just as ours swept over us. The AIs may have copied our technique of scanning through a portal for its destination. If so, our location here may have been compromised. I will be moving us to a location a half light year away until we are certain that is not the case."

  I replied, "Let the Colonel and Frig know as well. They aren't in here with us."

  I turned my attention back to the data from the second scan. As I zoomed in on a signal coming from the planet's surface, a structure measuring nearly four kilometers long came into view.

  I said, "Jack. Are you looking at this?"

  Jack nodded. "Yep. Looks like our AI friends have been busy. Look, over to the west about six kilometers. That's a mine entrance. They are pulling ores."

  I zoomed in on the far end of the building. "What are those piles of earth we're looking at?"

  Jack replied, "That's ore tailings from iron, copper, nickel and that one's aluminum. The question would be, what are they building inside there?"

  I turned to Joni. "Interested in a trip to Mayanis?"

  Joni nodded as she flipped her face shield shut. "A girl loves to travel. I'm ready when you are."

  Again, Quan took the initiative to move us to a new location. The portal sweep would only last seconds and was limited to a confined area, but any portal opening could be scanned for the location of its other end, something we believed the AIs were now making use of.

  Joni was swept to the surface of Mayanis where she powered into the ultra-long building. "Whoa! I'm seeing packaging for millions of AIs. Hold on... checking something... these are clean of Garrett's kill switch. If these are each brought online with a full load of bots, that's billions of bots. Imagine the number of ships they could construct with those resources. I think we just found the evidence of the AI's intent that you were looking for."

  I said, "OK, let's get you back out of there while we figure this out."

  Go swiped away at several screens. "Hold up... take us down to the assembly line. Show me where they are loaded with the operating system."

  Joni powered through several separated rooms before coming to the OS loading station. An AI would enter at one end, receive its software, and then move out on a conveyor as it booted up. The machine following attached the functioning AI head to its memory unit.

  Go said, "I need a scan of the software load. If we can put Garrett's code in that machine, we should be able to keep our kill switch."

  Joni nodded. "Tell
me what to do."

  Go asked, "Can you look around for me? We need a diversion."

  The video feed from Joni's helmet panned the room as she slowly turned her head.

  Go said, "Hold it! Right there. See that wobble each AI does as it comes around the corner of that line? You're going to give one of them a shove. When it falls off, I want you to stick a stealth tag on the maintenance port of that loading machine. You can just slap it right on top of the port."

  Joni said, "Why can't I just do that now?"

  Go replied, "You can, but I still need that line stopped. I have to make a connection with that maintenance port and a connection is not likely to happen when the line is active. Tag it now if you like, but wait to push an AI over until I'm set."

  Go swiped away at the holo-display hovering just in front of him for almost a minute. "OK, make your moves when you're ready."

  Joni placed a QE stealth tag on the maintenance port before powering over to the conveyor line. A partial blink in and then out had an AI toppling over to the ground. The conveyor stopped as two bots came to inspect the accident. After several seconds of poking and prodding, the AI head was returned to the conveyor and the line restarted.

  Go stood, pumping a fist in the air. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

  Jack laughed, "I take it you think the upload was successful?"

  Go nodded, "As smooth as the skin on a Mallian otter's belly! Garrett's code should be on every AI coming off that line."

  Joni said, "Well, that works. Only thing is there are at least a dozen more of those assembly lines running in this room. Get yourself ready for the next one."

  Twenty minutes later the reprogramming of the assembly lines was complete.

  Joni powered to the next room. "Good news and bad news. The bad news is there are more assembly lines. The good news is they are not yet running. They are still being built. No stoppage necessary."

  Go frowned. "If they aren't powered up, we have a problem. I need power to upload the code."

  Joni pulled a stealth tag and slapped it on a wall, activating it before stepping away. "Can you monitor those lines from this tag? If so, Quan can pull me out of here and I'll come back when they're ready."

  Go nodded. "Yes. I can passively see when those units come up. You can tag the maintenance ports now if you want."

  Joni shook her head. "I was just about to say, I'm down to my last couple tags. Let me power through the rest of this place. If there are more lines under construction, we will want to hit those too."

  Quan said, "Miss Rourke, if you would like, I can deliver more QE tags to your location. Just say the word."

  Joni smiled into her camera feed. "The word. Send them on."

  Two additional rooms of assembly lines were found after a short search. The AIs were only in the beginning stages of production. A quick count in the warehouse area showed assembly of nearly thirty thousand AIs had been completed. As Joni waited for the new lines to power up, a freighter from the ship factory at Jorus landed outside. Hordes of bots began to load the new AIs into the cargo holds.

  I leaned back in my chair. "Joni. This ship will have all the AIs without Garrett's code. I think you should go aboard, wait until it’s away, and then destroy it."

  The colonel walked into the room. "I'll take that on. We need her to stay on top of those lines. Every AI coming out of that factory needs that code installed on it. Quan can sweep me out there and I'll down the ship."

  I frowned, "I can't say that I like having both of you in the same place at the same time. Those suits, along with this portal ship are our only weapons in this fight. And the more portals we open, the bigger risk we put ourselves at for being caught and tracked. We're the only thing standing between the AIs and their total domination of all these galaxies."

  The colonel nodded. "We take extra precautions then. Quan, sweep us to a new spot. When you open a portal to take me to Mayanis, send me to Modus. I can power over from there in about an hour."

  Joni said, "I don't think we have an hour colonel. These bots are moving pretty fast."

  The colonel replied, "OK, Quan, drop me in high orbit around Mayanis. I can power down from there in a couple minutes."

  Quan answered. "We are in position for the sweep colonel. Let me know when you're ready."

  The colonel flipped down his face shield. "Sweep away, Quan."

  After powering aboard the freighter, the colonel said, "We're all set here. And Joni, when you get that new set of tags, stick one on an AI every once in a while. Maybe we get lucky and get one of those AIs in an important spot. We'll let them gather intel for us."

  Joni nodded into her camera. "Excellent idea, Colonel."

  Go added, "A tag and release program. I like it."

  Soon after the colonel's boarding, the freighter lifted off. Its direction was toward Doomlight. Five minutes into its journey, the ship passed through a portal that opened in front of it. The colonel made his way toward the large ion generator that powered the ship.

  Joni said, "Take out that generator and you'll take out the back half of that ship. Those AIs don't need to breathe, so you'll need something more if you want to kill them all."

  The colonel nodded. "The plan is to take out this generator as we start into the atmosphere. We'll let gravity and friction do the rest."

  "Hang on," the colonel said, "I want to try something."

  The colonel powered into one of the cargo holds, grabbing a single AI from its holding container. The colonel then sprinted the five hundred meters distance to the side of the freighter, stepping into a life pod when he arrived. A stealth tag was pulled from a pouch and slapped onto the inactive AI. As we watched over his camera feed, the colonel dropped the tagged AI into a seat in the pod. The door was closed and a timer set to coincide with the destruction of the ion generator. The colonel powered back to his prior position, arriving just as the ship began to buffet from its entry into the Doomlight atmosphere.

  The colonel said, "Here goes."

  The camera filled with blue light as the colonel blinked out and powered away. The bright orange friction flames, pounding the gravity wall in front of the slip as it slid through the super-heated air, spread to the thousand pieces of ship as it broke apart. As expected, the exploding ion generator destroyed the back half of the immense ship, gravity and friction taking care of the rest. The colonel smiled as a single lifepod, with a tagged AI, headed to the planet's surface.

  The colonel said over his comm as he floated in the dead of space above Doomlight, "Quan, we're done here, you can sweep me back any time you like."

  Quan replied, "One moment colonel. Hold your position."

  As the colonel was returned, Joni said, "The second line has power. Load the code."

  Go replied, "Thanks. And as far as needing you there any longer goes, we don't. You can come home. With those tags I can monitor the other lines and hit them as they power up."

  When Joni was standing on the deck, I stood and said, "This could be a major turning point in our fight. This has to be the main factory for producing more AIs. I can't imagine that happening anywhere else. The number being produced here is astronomical."

  The colonel nodded. "It's been a good day indeed."

  Go asked, "What were they sending the AIs to Doomlight for?"

  Quan replied, "Data from the colonel's feed showed several very large buildings on the planet's surface. Initial analysis points to those being bot factories. If so, the three buildings that could be seen, extrapolating from the AI factory production, could turn out a billion bots per month."

  Jack shook his head. "Those numbers are insane. And the sad part is their growth in numbers is only limited by the raw materials they can gather. We have to find those portal ships or this will continue to get worse. It would have only taken an hour to deliver those AIs from Mayanis to Doomlight. We can't fight something that can grow that fast and instantly travel that far."

  A comm came in for the colonel from Alpha Prime. After several mi
nutes of discussion, the colonel sat down in a chair.

  I asked, "What is it, Colonel?"

  Tom Harper replied, "The Sawblade galaxy just voted to secede from the AMP. They are joining the Andromeda Alliance. The Sextans have scheduled a similar vote for tomorrow."

  Go said, "That leaves the Triangulum, the Wolfe and the Milky Way."

  The colonel clinched his fist. "The Wolfe will follow the Triangulum. I'm afraid our prospects here may be in jeopardy as well. Quan, sweep Harden Salton from his cell to here, please."

  Seconds later, Harden Salton was propped up on his elbow, lying on the deck of the room we occupied. "To what do I owe this honor? Hello, Jo Jo."

  The colonel stood, walked to Harden and squatted down. "You fouled this up with your last broadcast. The other families, they aren't coming to your aid, they are seceding from the AMP and joining forces with the Andromedans, who are all cozied up to the AIs."

  Harden laid back flat on the floor. "So the other galaxies are joining the AIs. I told you this would happen if you didn't show some willingness to use force. Those happy videos you've been disseminating, they only work on those who already want to believe. The bulk of the rest all have to be persuaded, with a large part of them only responding to threat. I told you to let me work with the tools that have proven worthwhile in the past, but you whined about me only wanting to use them to retake power. Look where it got you."

  The colonel took a deep breath. "Look, I was evidently wrong. This is our new situation: how do we stop the bleeding and how do we get those three galaxies back on our side?"

  Harden sat up. "If I tell you, will you allow me to reassemble my advisers? For me to actually talk to them? And will you allow me to run the campaign as I see fit? You can monitor each and every step, every decision, but I must insist that you do not interfere. Is that something you can live with, Colonel? Anything less and I have little to offer."

  The colonel looked around the room. "Voice your objections now if you have them."