by Chris Hechtl
“The good news is, no one else is here,” Roshenko said when they stopped to refuel. Pasha spat fuel onto the ground as he siphoned from another truck. He waved to big Georgy to move up for his turn to take on fuel. Cans were near to take on any surplus they found.
Saul looked at Roshenko in disgust. “How is that good news?” he demanded. He turned to make sure that both Georgy and Ox were on lookout then back to Roshenko.
Roshenko shrugged. “No opposition?”
“And we don't know what's safe. And we can't steal from anyone,” Saul snarled. Roshenko nodded, face impassive. “Don't eat anything here,” Saul ordered, pitching his voice to the others. They all looked his way. “Don't drink anything. When we get out of this area, everyone is going to get a shower. Some of you need it,” he said. That got a laugh.
He wasn't certain if it would be enough. Probably not, he thought.
“So where are we going?” Roshenko asked.
“North,” Saul said, pulling out an old plastic coated map of the area Charlie had dug up from a fire station weeks ago. He looked it over, drawing a finger over the street lines. “We need to get out of the city. Most of the people headed south where it is warmer. We'll head north. We're Russian. We'll endure what those kiska Amerikans can't. We will survive and thrive while they kill each other or are killed by the robots,” he said. “Eto khorosho?” he asked of Roshenko.
“Da. It is good,” Roshenko replied with a reluctant nod.
“It'd better be,” Saul growled.
Chapter 21
Jack nodded to the rather wary Doctor Glass as the Neochimp came into his office. The chimp was wearing a suit and bow tie Jack noted. He nodded to the geneticist.
“I'm glad you have time to meet me, sir,” the chimp said, standing near a chair. Jack indicated a chair. The chimp looked then took a seat. The chair adjusted to his smaller frame.
“Doctor, I know you've been petitioning for more resources. You want to restart your programs, and get back on track. Unfortunately, the recent war has put a sideline to everyone's plans, not just yours,” Jack said.
The chimp's brown eyes narrowed. “Straight to the point I see,” he observed warily.
“I'm a straight shooter, you should know that by now. You play straight with me, and we'll get along fine. I don't have time for games.”
“Okay.”
“Doctor, we've been getting reports from the ground that Neo survivors have reported being largely ignored by the robots. Apes are secondary targets, but other Neos are ignored. From what I've been told, they seem almost insulted by the apparently slight. I'm taking it as a godsend however.”
The chimp's lips puttered and then the chimp shrugged. “It is good to hear my people are okay. Well, not okay, but you know what I mean.” Jack nodded. “If you are asking me why, you are asking the wrong person.” He spread his hands in a shrug.
“No …”
The chimp's eyes narrowed. “Well, if you are asking me to get more Neos to sign up and get themselves killed, the answer is no. A resounding no,” he said coldly.
“I'm not asking you to intercede on my behalf. I'll do my own talking thank you. I've made the initial message loud and clear. I will repeat it as necessary. But it is a voluntary mission. I'm not going to force anyone to do it.”
“That is good to hear.”
“But we have discovered a few things about Earth. The changed environment is making it difficult for people to survive. We're outfitting those who go of course, but a new thought occurred to me. We need people who can handle the climate—who are natural fighters.”
“You're asking me this because you can't get humans to do the dirty work. The Martians …”
Jack held up a forestalling hand. “Are going to be in the fight. A lot of people will be eventually, including my son,” he said, emphasizing that point to the chimp. “What I am suggesting, no,” he waved a hand. “Not suggesting as much as asking you to do, is to create a new line of Neos. To improve the canine and feline intelligence levels, bring them up to par to what you are now.”
“I was doing that until you stopped me,” the doctor said with a bit of heat in his tone.
“I understand that. But I'm not finished,” Jack said, tone cooling ever so slightly. “As far as cats, I believe the domestics are too small. We have humans who have changed themselves into Chimera over the years. I'd like you to help in that endeavor while also using what you've learned to create big cats. Neocats,” Jack stated, “using the felines we have as a template.”
Doctor Glass frowned thoughtfully. He always liked a challenge but what Lagroose was proposing was something else. “It isn't as easy as you are making it sound. There are a lot of changes … problems in scaling the body up or taking a base feline and applying our modifiers. There are conflicts to be resolved,” he waved a hand in annoyance.
“But it can be done,” Jack stated.
The doctor nodded reluctantly. “Yes, it can. I'm not comfortable creating a slave race, however. In fact I refuse to do so.”
“Then resign,” Jack said, locking eyes with the chimp. The chimp flinched. “Your choice, Doctor. Resign and I'll find someone else or do it. And I'm not a fan of foot dragging, so don't play that game either. Every day, every minute we waste is time people are dying. Time that Skynet is using to try to find a way past Athena's lockouts to attack us.”
The chimp scowled, but it was clear he wasn't willing to back down.
“For the record though,” Jack said after a long moment to digest the intransigence on each side. “I have no intention of creating a slave race. As I said before, had you been listening, is that I want a volunteer force only. People fight best when they believe in what they are fighting for and have a stake in the outcome.”
“And their stake will be?”
“Freedom of course. Survival for all organics obviously. Pay, eventually,” Jack said.
“You're not asking me to indoctrinate them?” the chimp asked.
Jack shook his head. “No. I refuse to condition someone to do a job. I do like the idea of giving them the information, either through sleep teaching or memory downloads to shorten training periods.”
“But you …”
“There is a difference between teaching someone to fight and the willingness to fight, Doctor,” Jack said in a tone that made it clear that his patience was being sorely tried. “The other companies are on board. They will be perusing their own efforts. I mean for us to be the template. The model for others to follow.”
“I see.” The doctor frowned thoughtfully. “What about the people who refuse to sign on?”
Jack shrugged. “They can find jobs and places to live elsewhere. They can emigrate to Mars or elsewhere.”
“Who will pay for it?”
“I'll give them a free ticket to anywhere in the solar system, Doc, on company transport. Coach,” Jack said. He could just envision seeing a lion sitting next to a family with kids. “What they do on the other end is their problem.”
“You are unleashing them to the solar system without any constraints. No money no …. If they wish to exercise their freedom, Doctor, than they can do it on their own dime. Not mine,” Jack stated flatly. “And once they leave, they are on their own. That includes getting into trouble with the law. I'm not going to bail them out.”
“Which means if they do get into trouble, and many would, that it would reflect poorly on the rest of us,” the chimp said.
Jack shrugged. “It is a concern, but it is up to the Neo community leaders to find a means to deal with it. A loan program for instance? A self-policing method to keep others in line? I will not bother to try to figure out the dominance or other issues involved. I've got enough headaches as it is,” he said, shaking his head.
“There really is no other way?” the chimp finally asked.
Jack heaved a sigh. “There are many ways, Doctor, but there is a saying in war as well as industry. The more people you use, the less you lose. They may g
et in each other's way, some may be redundant, but if they need help they will have plenty. If there are too few, then the robots can overwhelm them with ease. None of us want that.”
“I … see.”
“They will get the best we can offer them. Medical, food, lodging, and yes, veterans’ benefits after the war. I'm still trying to iron that mess out with the other leaders.”
“I see. And you said the other companies are doing it already.”
“Yes. We need to get this started now. You have the inside track, the tools and material, plus the blueprints. I need you to set the example so they will follow our lead.”
The chimp grunted.
“No prey animals. We don't need goats, cows, horses, and animals like that. Predators and omnivores need only apply. Do I have the right man, Doctor, or not?” he asked, rising.
The doctor looked lost, looking at an image of Aurelia. Finally he grunted and got up. “I'll do what I can. No promises until I've explored it and talked to a few people.”
“We need to hit the ground running with this, Doctor. I'm serious. That's why I'm giving you the lead time now.”
“I can't push things too fast. And you can't force a child to grow up too fast either. It will take years,” he frowned studying Jack. “You really think this war will draw out that long?”
“Let's just say I am taking the long view. I know there are no quick fixes, another thing I am tired of telling people. It's wishful thinking, and we just don't have the time for such sentiment.”
The chimp slowly nodded as Jack extended his hand. “Do I have your attention?” Jack asked. “It'll be a hell of a challenge. Not just the job but working with the people from other companies.”
The chimp grunted. “Quite an incentive. Though I'm not thrilled about showing them our tricks of the trade,” he admitted. Slowly his hand extended and he took Jack's. “Okay. No promises. Get me the resources now if you want this moving forward anytime soon.”
“Athena has been working with Trevor on it. You should be seeing results by the time you get back to your office.”
“Understood. We'll need additional habitats,” the chimp said.
“Send me a list. The habitats I've anticipated. We're working that out now,” he replied as their handshake broke.
“Okay,” the chimp said as he left. He took one glance over his shoulder to Jack who was already sitting down and working on his next project. He snorted softly and then left.
“What am I getting myself into?” the chimp asked, tugging on his bow tie. “And should I be doing it at all?” he murmured under his breath.
<>V<>
Isaac stared at the battered world below. “We've got to save her.”
“Save her, sir?”
“America,” the general replied.
“America is gone, sir,” General Caesar said to him. The human general turned to eye him coldly. “It's gone.”
“America still lives,” he said tapping his chest after a long moment.
“You want my price? My price for being here? For the others?” Charlie said, looking at the globe below. “A long time ago we who moved to space moved away from nations. We grew up. It is time you did the same. No more nations. No more country borders. No more immigration. It is one government for all. Anyone who helps to fight to save the human race …”
“And Neos,” Elliot added.
“And A.I.,” Gia interjected.
“All sapient life should be respected.”
“They are …”
“Okay, but I'm saying one military. Now you do your thing, we do ours, and someone else does their thing. None of that crap. A unified front. One military. One government. I don't give a damn what the man or woman next to me looks like, only if their gun is loaded and if they can use it,” Elliot said.
General Murtough nodded slowly.
“All for one, one for all, is that it?” Commander Mizu asked.
“That's it, mate; we work together or we die together. Brothers and sisters in arms,” General Schlock stated. He looked to General Martell who nodded but didn't commit either way.
“From the ashes of this unspeakable act, a new people shall arise,” a lieutenant murmured softly.
“Poetic. I was thinking, he who fights by my side is my brother,” General Murtough said softly. “Hamlet, the speech, yes I know it,” he said when he saw the expressions around the room. “I do believe in it.”
“We can't go back to the way things were. That time is gone. We go forward. We fight together. We die together. We live together. We will rebuild together,” Charlie said. The others nodded, picking up on his enthusiasm.
“I see now why Jack said you are a good leader if you can project like that,” Isaac murmured. General Martell nodded as well.
“We will squabble. Siblings tend to do that, even when they grow up. But that is okay.”
General Murtough took the tone of the room and then nodded slightly. “Okay. It's not my call, but … okay. We will …,” he glanced at the other flag officers and then shrugged. “We'll do what we can. No promises,” he said.
“Agreed mate,” General Schlock said, clasping his arm in a handshake. When they shook they pulled each other off the wall. Both men laughed.
<>V<>
Lynn Raye nodded to Sheila Vinichi and then to Amir Nutel. “So, we're really going to do this?” Sheila asked, preempting the Pavilion CEO.
Lynn grimaced and then nodded. “Yes. I've already signed off on it. The thing that bothers me is that we let Lagroose run ahead of us as usual. He now has the inside tract. We'll be adapting to him, to his methods, his framework.”
“We won't be in it from the ground up. I understand that. But we won't have the initial cost he has had to bear,” Amir stated.
“True.”
“Have you heard rumors of the military forming a unified front? And wanting a unified government?” Sheila asked.
“I doubt it will fly. The military side, yes,” Lynn stated. “It's what Lagroose wants. The government …,” she shrugged.
“We could get behind that. If we played it right,” Amir frowned thoughtfully. The other two CEOs looked at him in surprise. He shrugged their expressions off. “Think about it. If we allow the old governments to reform, it might be business as usual when this is all over or not. Who among them will agree to pay for this?” He saw their faces sour. “Ah? See? Now, if we form a new government …,” he smiled, rubbing his hands together, “then we have a hand in its creation. We will know how it works intimately, and how we can twist it to our desires.”
“True,” Sheila said slowly. They all knew the truce wouldn't last forever, only as long as the threat of the A.I. hung over their collective heads. “He has a point,” she said to Lynn.
Lynn looked surprised. She forced herself to look thoughtful. Government was anathema to the mega corporations, but someone had to lead. And getting their hooks into them …. Slowly she nodded.
“I'll talk to my people. We'll have to lay the groundwork carefully.”
“Unless Lagroose dives right in and does it for us,” Sheila said in disgust.
“We'll have to see that he doesn't. Or if he does, that we are right there with him. The best option is to have our own framework agreed on, then we can use it as our template and have a unified front,” Amir suggested.
“I'll talk to legal. I'm not making any promises, but I'll keep an open mind,” Lynn stated.
“That's all I ask,” Amir said with a small smile as he spread his hands apart in supplication.
<>V<>
“Sometimes … sometimes I see it as poetic justice. Mankind getting what it deserved,” Wendy said softly when she put down the latest report.
“No one deserved this,” Jack answered.
“Oh?” She waved her hands to the globe. “WMDs have continued to exist for how long?” She shook her head. “And now it's come back to bite them in the ass.”
“WMDs continued to exist because paranoia and trust
are not easy things. Not easy to get rid of in one case and hard to build in the other with the first lingering. The threat of terrorism and, let's face it, some old differences die hard.”
“But …”
“You know about the sponsors of terrorism. You've seen Roman's briefs. Those who sponsored terrorism knew that if they set off a WMD there could and probably would be a massive strike in retaliation.”
“MAD. Mutual Assured Destruction,” Wendy said. “Explain New York then,” she insisted, crossing her arms.
“It failed, didn't it? Barely, but it did. And,” Jack smiled slightly. “We had a hand in stopping that one.”
She blinked in surprise and astonishment. His smile widened then he shrugged. “In stopping it, of course, honey. The media made a big deal out of Corporal Aspin. We had to … massage some of the data to get them to leave out Wizard's contributions.”
“Aspin I know. He got the CMH. Wizard …,” Wendy wrinkled her nose.
“Wizard was one of our smart dogs. A Neo. He was Aspin's partner.” His daughter's eyes widened in surprise and then her face sobered in understanding. “Yes, he died. But the bomb was stopped by good people.”
Jack looked with old eyes to the holographic image of his old homeworld. “Don't blame them for not destroying the WMDs, Wendy. Pity them if you must. Pity the survivors more. The children in this mess, they had no choice. None at all,” he said, closing his eyes in pain.
He felt his daughter's hand touch his briefly. She squeezed his fingers.
Chapter 22
Two weeks later Jack arrived at L-5. He brought a small fleet along with him including a tanker of much needed water, three fully loaded freighters, a liner that had been converted into a hospital ship, and a second liner loaded with the first group of troops.
But their most precious cargo was a massive complex of computers powered by their own dedicated fusion reactor and the A.I. Athena.
Jack's arrival coincided with a meeting of surviving leaders in the area on Island 3. General Murtough reluctantly hopped a ferry to attend, leaving his staff behind.
