The Credulity Nexus

by Graham Storrs

  The fuckers aren't returning my calls, Rivers told him through his cogplus.

  What the hell are they up to? he sent back.

  Rivers shrugged.

  Rik hoped the robots weren't listening in.

  “Well, here's the thing,” he said, aloud. “We've really only got one choice here.”

  Chapter 36

  He tensed himself, ready to give the word to attack again. As he did, the door to the bar slammed open and an amazing troupe of heavily-armed weirdoes stormed in. At their centre was a tiny, massively overweight man sitting on a vacuum dirigible.

  “Hello, Rik,” Turgu said, swooping to a halt. His followers formed an untidy phalanx around him.

  The two robots moved quickly to new positions, trying to optimise their tactical situation in the light of all these new players. Veb and Rivers moved too, keeping themselves between the package and the exits. Rik pushed himself upright, glad he was in one-sixth gravity, and went to confront his old enemy.

  “You look like shit, mate,” Turgu said, looking around at the bar, its occupants, the woman on the floor and the smashed fittings. “So does your bar.”

  “Turgu, you ugly slug,” he snarled. “I blame you for a lot of this.” If it hadn't been for this ridiculous petty gangster and his outrageous demand for money Rik didn't owe, Rik would never have needed to take Cordell's job. “So you're going to put it all right for me.”

  The Turgu were armed with buzz-guns, heavy-duty lasers, grenade launchers, damned near everything you could think of that was portable and nasty. They jigged about and grinned like madmen. Dumb, vicious, fanatical, and deadly.

  “How much do I owe you, Turgu?”

  “Well, it was twenty thousand...” The ugly gnome grinned as he bobbed about on his barely-stable flying machine. “But you've put me to a lot of trouble. So now it's thirty. You better have it, Drew.”

  “Boss?” Veb sounded anxious. Rik turned and saw the robots were moving across the room, splitting up, working on some kind of plan.

  Turgu watched the robots too. “Are these your new bar staff, Rik? I've got to say, they're better looking than the big ape you've had running the place lately. Why don't you throw them in as deal-sweeteners? Then maybe I won't trash the place like I was planning.”

  Rik stepped closer to Turgu, and weapons all around him rattled into readiness. “Here's the deal, Turgu. I'll make it fifty grand. Hell, no, I'll make it a hundred, if you can get me the package that one is carrying. You see it? The little box? And here's the sweetener: if either of them is alive when you've finished, they're all yours.”

  Turgu looked again at the slender beauties. “What's the catch?”

  “They're robots. Very advanced. Fast, tough and smart. But I don't think they're a match for the kind of firepower your guys are carrying. Remember, I want that package. No package, no hundred grand.”

  Turgu seemed amused. “Brethren,” he called, and the heads of his followers turned immediately towards him. “Bring me the package.”

  Before any of the Turgu could move, the two robots launched themselves at them. Most of Turgu's followers were augmented in various biological and mechanical ways, and they were armed to the teeth, but the robots had the advantage of possessing fast and fully-functioning brains. They had cut down two of the Turgu and grabbed their weapons before any of the others could react.

  Rik dived for the ground, throwing himself across Freymann as lasers, rail guns and shotguns fired in all directions. Blasts of heat and huge shock waves rocked him. He risked a glance and saw Turgu's dirigible implode as a laser bolt seared through its aluminium skin. Serves the little fucker right. The Turgu were firing almost at random while the Barbie-bots danced among them, picking them off with precision and inhuman calm. People were screaming and dying. And there was Rivers, scuttling across the ceiling above the mêlée.

  Another explosion forced him to duck away, and when he looked back, the scene had changed.

  The room was full of smoke now, and fires burned all around. A handful of the Turgu were still alive, but only a couple of them were firing. One of the robots lay, unmoving, in a charred jumble of limbs. Rivers crouched beside it with a buzz-gun in one hand and a laser in the other. The other robot was lost in the smoke, as was Veb.

  As he watched, the smoke parted and the robot leaped like a tigress out of the haze. It seemed to hover over Rivers like an angel of death, taking its time to target her with a grenade launcher. Rik's warning shout came just after the upload saw the apparition above her, but there was nothing either of them could do. The muzzle of the robot's weapon was pointed straight at Rivers, and even she had no time to react.

  Yet the explosion Rik was expecting didn't come. The robot jerked and twisted in mid-air as something tore through its chest, too fast for Rik's merely human vision to follow. The robot fell slowly to the ground, incapacitated but still struggling to move. The missile that had struck it clattered off the ceiling, and Rik saw that it was a fire extinguisher. The absurdity of it almost made him laugh. Veb stepped through the smoke, looking pleased with himself.

  “Not a bad throw,” he said.

  Rik looked up at him and grinned. “Don't tell me, you used to be a baseball player.”

  “Little League only, I'm afraid, but I'm beginning to think I should have taken it up professionally.”

  Rivers was on her feet, looking down at the crippled robot. “It's still got the package. And it's still intact.”

  “Don't even think about taking it,” Veb said.

  Rivers glanced sharply at him. She still had a weapon in each hand, Rik realised, and looked around for wherever his own gun might be. But Rivers didn't look like she wanted to fight.

  “You probably saved my ass,” she told Veb.

  “What do you mean, probably?” Veb sounded cheerful. “You owe me big time.”

  Slowly, a smile spread across the upload's face. “I guess I do.”

  “Then maybe you could start paying me back by having a drink with me.”

  Rivers burst out laughing, and Veb laughed too.

  Rik didn't have time to speculate about whatever the hell was going on there. He leaned over Freymann, feeling her pulse and checking her for wounds and broken bones. His ministrations were enough to bring her around, and she blinked up at him, disoriented. He put a hand on her chest and pressed down lightly.

  “Don't even think about getting up. Just lie still for a while.”

  Shouting broke out somewhere in the smoke-filled room. Rik recognised Turgu's voice. He ignored it.

  “Veb?” he said. “Do you think you could check the fires and make sure the place isn't going to burn down around our ears?”

  Veb set off, and Rik helped Freymann into a sitting position, her back against the bar. She seemed mostly unhurt, just bruised and cut like he was. When she was comfortable, he leaned back on the bar himself.

  “So what now?” he asked Rivers.

  The upload looked away, as if irritated by whatever she was thinking. After a moment she said, “Celestina is probably going to kill me anyway, right? Whether I give her the package or not.”

  “You just worked that out?”

  Rivers glared at him but said nothing.

  “Here's what I think,” Rik said. “You should hand yourself over to Fariba here. Her people can stick you in a Faraday cage so Celestina can't get a signal through to kill you. Then they can get a tech to remove whatever Lanham's guys planted in you.”

  “He's right,” Freymann said. “We could use someone like you.”

  Rivers laughed again, only it wasn't such a nice laugh this time. “Dream on, spy girl. You think I'd substitute one devious, murderous bunch of manipulating bastards for another? Do I have the word 'patsy' stamped on my butt or something?”

  “But you're going to let me destroy the package?” Rik asked.

  “Sure she is,” Veb said, rejoining them. He put an arm around Rivers' shoulders, and she amazed Rik by not shooting the big upload.
“I know someone. Hell, Heinlein is full of backstreet techworks. There are plenty of people who can take care of this.” He looked at Rivers. “You'll be all right. Trust me.”

  “All right,” Rik said, climbing to his feet. On top of everything else that had happened lately, a tender moment between two uploads was too much for him to deal with. And time was running short. “Just don't take her to Chong's CogWorld,” Rik said. “They're the bozos who botched my cogplus upgrade.”

  Veb looked at him. “Chong's in gaol. They busted him a couple of days ago.”

  “For malpractice, I hope.”

  “No, for smuggling weapons components or something.”

  Rik didn't have time to consider the implications of that little snippet of news. “We need to get going before the cops arrive.”

  “Not before I get my two hundred grand.”

  Turgu appeared, squatting on the crumpled remains of his dirigible, which was being carried as an improvised bier by two of the faithful. Three more of the Turgu shuffled along behind them, possibly all that had survived.

  “I said one hundred, and that was only if you got me the package.”

  “The price just went up.” Turgu nodded towards the still-twitching robot. “There it is, help yourself.”

  Rik didn't even think about arguing. It was Lanham's money, so what the hell? The Turgu were just an annoyance at this point. He and Turgu exchanged netIDs and bank codes, and the transfer was made in a few seconds.

  “Goodbye, Turgu. I don't want to see you again.”

  The scruffy little ‘Living God’ sneered at him and left.

  Chapter 37

  “We're off, too,” Veb said. “The minute Celestina hears what's going on, she'll hit the destruct button. Good luck with ditching the package.”

  Rik nodded an acknowledgement and turned to Freymann. “Now we really need to get moving,” he said. “Where's Maria?”

  “Safely back in custody,” said a new voice.

  Rik rolled his eyes to the heavens and then closed them, not wanting to see whoever it was.

  “Lieutenant Lincoln Eugene Burleigh of UNPF, Lunar Ops, 3rd Mobile Force Reserve, at your service. And you, sir, must be the world-famous Mr. Roderick Moonstone Sylver. I am proud to make your august acquaintance.”

  The big policeman crossed the bar with long strides, stepping over the bodies of several Turgu as he went. He was a big man, but had a presence that made him seem even bigger. He wore full battle armour and had at least six mean-looking, armed troopers at his back. Veb and Rivers were still there, their exit blocked. Rik noticed that Veb had a steadying hand on Rivers' shoulder.

  The lieutenant beamed at Rik. “Quite a party you and your friends have been having. We got complaints about the noise.”

  Rik took the big hand that was thrust out to him and shook it, wondering what the hell was going on.

  “Maria's in custody?”

  “Protective custody,” Burleigh corrected him. “That is one delicate English rose, my friend, and this is no kind of place for a lady.” He looked across at Freymann who had also climbed to her feet. “Perhaps you'd introduce me to your friend, Rik?”

  Rik waited in silence while Freymann sent the cop her netID.

  “My, my!” Burleigh said. “Another spook. You know, Ms Freymann, I had two guys from the CIA in my office a little while ago. Looked like a wet team to me, but you can never really be sure. They've been waiting for Rik here to show up. Unfortunately, someone leaked a rumour to them that Rik had been spotted in the heethree mines at L-City, and they had to go.”

  “Lieutenant–” Rik began, but Burleigh raised a hand to stop him.

  “Maria told me all about the package, and all about the people trying to get their hands on it. It all sounds pretty far-fetched to me.”

  Rik swallowed. If Burleigh arrested him now, the package would soon be in the hands of the CIA, and, after that, in Cordell's hands, or Lanham's; whichever had the best contacts. “You have to listen to me,” he began, but again Burleigh stopped him.

  “This is the Wild West, Rik. The new frontier. And do you know who I am? I'm the Sheriff. I am the law in this town.”

  “Rik, we need to go,” Veb said.

  Burleigh turned to face him. “So many pretty ladies dropping in today! And who might your new friend be, Veb?”

  Rik spoke up quickly, hoping to avert whatever Rivers might be thinking of doing. “Lieutenant, I'd appreciate it if you would let these two go. They need to be somewhere in a hurry, and it is a matter of life and death.”

  Burleigh kept his eyes on Rivers. “Oh, really? And whose life or death might be at stake here?”

  “Mine,” said Rivers through gritted teeth. She was still carrying those damned guns, Rik thought.

  “Lieutenant,” said Veb. “We won't leave the town. You have my word. I need to get this lady some help. No-one else will get hurt. After that, I'll be happy to come back here and answer any questions you have. But we are in a hurry.”

  Burleigh thought about it for a moment. “OK, Veb, but you both lose your weapons, and two of my guys go with you and bring you both back. No argument. That's the deal.”

  Veb threw down his handgun and Rivers turned to look daggers at him. He stared her down for several long seconds, and then she threw down her own guns and headed for the door. Veb and two cops went after her.

  “All the dead people here deserved what they got,” said Rik, not wanting Burleigh to think about what he'd just done and maybe change his mind. “Most of them are the Turgu, and most of them were killed by these two.” He indicated the robots and saw Burleigh's eyebrows go up.

  “And the little dandy with the holes in his chest?”

  “He's a gangster from Earth. You'll have a big file on that one, I'm sure.”

  “And the package?”

  “That's a long story, and I'd be happy to tell it to you, but first I need to take it into space and toss it out of an airlock. It's dangerous.”

  “Dangerous?”

  “A weaponised virus.”

  “No shitting?”

  “I could let you take it, but then it would get into the wrong hands. And this is the kind of weapon that shouldn't be in anybody's hands. Not even the good guys'.”

  Burleigh shook his head and chuckled to himself. “You certainly have made this an interesting day, Rik.” He waved a hand at the bodies on the floor. “All this, and moral dilemmas too. You realise you don't have much of a choice right now, don't you?”

  Rik pulled himself upright, ignoring the many pains that caused, and faced the lieutenant. “I've fought scarier people than you in the past few days, Lieutenant. This package needs to be destroyed. If that virus reaches Earth, it will mean the end of everything. I'm not going to let that happen.”

  He felt Freymann move into position at his side, and again felt a wave of gratitude towards her. In front of him, Burleigh's troops tensed up and gripped their weapons tighter. But the big cop just shook his head in amazement.

  “I don't know how you manage to walk around, son, with balls that big. It's no wonder you're in so much trouble. Just give me a minute, OK, before you take on my whole squad. I'm not unsympathetic. Why don't you tell me that long story of yours? Only make it the short version.”

  So Rik told him everything that had happened from meeting Peth in Berlin to fighting off the robots in The Harsh Mistress. It took quite a while. And while he told it, Burleigh had his men secure the crime scene, fetch ambulances, pick up a table and chairs, and bring some beers over.

  When Rik had finished, Burleigh sat in silence and sipped his beer. The robot with the package in its hand was still on the floor, not far away. And Burleigh gazed at it with a distant expression. The robot had not twitched for at least ten minutes. At one point Burleigh said, “The credulity nexus, you say? Well, I'll be...” He then lapsed back into silence.

  Finally, Burleigh put down his beer and turned to Rik. “OK,” he said. “Let's destroy the sucker.”
/>   The instant the words were out of his mouth, the damaged robot lurched up into a sitting position, crushed the box of phials in its hand, and swung its arm around in a wide arc, sprinkling everybody within three metres with a clear liquid.

  Chapter 38

  Rik and Freymann sat with Lieutenant Burleigh and half a dozen cops in the isolation ward at Heinlein Base Hospital. They were all wearing hospital pyjamas and looking like they'd rather be somewhere else.

  “This is all wrong,” Rik said. It had been nagging at him for the past hour, ever since the robot had showered them all with the credulity nexus vector. Now, at last, he was beginning to see why.

  “The robot shouldn't have done that.”

  The others looked at him but said nothing. Each of them seemed lost in their own private misery. Rik pressed on.

  “Why would it do that? It doesn't make any sense to infect Heinlein.”

  Freymann rose to the bait. “Wasn't that the point of the virus? To infect people?”

  “Yes, of course, but not just one small town on the Moon. It was meant to reach everybody on Earth. That's the real prize. Nine billion people, not the few thousand out here. It has to be some sort of ploy.”

  “Ploy?” said Burleigh, as if the word itself had roused him from his reverie.

  “What else could the bot do?” asked Freymann. “Isn't it better to infect a few thousand than none at all?”

  “No!” Rik stood up, excited. It was becoming clearer all the time. “No, it's worse than useless. They're running around out there like headless chickens, trying to contain the spread of the virus, but they can't. Not in Heinlein where all the air is pumped and circulated around and around. It's only a matter of time before they have to shut the spaceport and quarantine the whole place. If a single infected ship reaches Earth, it could be a disaster. So they'll shut down Heinlein, send for virologists. Everyone here might go nuts, but they'd have all the time in the world to analyse the virus and develop an antidote, or a vaccine, or whatever they'd do. Releasing the virus here guarantees that the virus is harmless to Earth.”