by Scott Baron
“Fellas, this is Sergeant George Franklin. Do me a solid and show him around, would ya?” Daisy said.
“It would be an honor,” a dapper mechanical man said. “Sir, it is a pleasure to meet you,” he said, noting the sturdy tin man’s reinforced frame.
“Great to meet you too,” George said warmly as he strode up to him and firmly shook his hand. “You know, I’ve heard great things about LA, but I never had the chance to visit it myself before the––well, you know. But first, I’d love to check in with your regional AI.”
“Oh, just ask. Cal is always with us.”
He looked at Daisy, caught up in the throng.
“Of course he is, but how about we make it more personal? Can you show me to the nearest command room?”
“How silly of me. Of course. Please, follow me!”
George gave a small, knowing nod to Daisy as he and his fawning entourage walked away, leaving her alone, free to deal with the most important part of her return.
Standing in the doorway to the quiet room not so far from the transit hub, Daisy stared at Vince as he lay in his cot. His color was much improved since she had left for Colorado, but despite his improved appearance, he was still not showing any signs of regaining consciousness.
Slowly, she walked to his bed, bent down, and gently kissed his forehead.
“Don’t leave, Vince. If you’re in there, please, don’t leave.”
Daisy wiped her leaking eyes and cursed whoever was chopping onions as she shifted gears in her head, focusing on heading out to find Craaxit. She was almost out of his chemical marking compound, but she had a feeling he would be nearby and keeping an eye out for her.
If nothing had happened to him, that is.
Chapter Fourteen
Daisy placed the marking gel well before sunset. She had done a quick recon and felt confident the area was secure, so she took the extra time to gather some berries from nearby bushes she had previously spotted. Even so, she still arrived at their meeting place a bit early as the sun just began dipping beneath the horizon.
She had been waiting patiently for nearly an hour when she heard the tall alien quietly singing to himself as he approached.
“Sounds like what he was singing the other week,” Sarah noted.
Yeah, I think it’s the same, Daisy confirmed. You know, it’s actually not bad, once you get used to the cadence.
“To a non-Chithiid speaker, it sounds like a bunch of warbling noise.”
I guess I can see that, but the rhythm and tones, though a bit guttural, are still pleasant, in their own alien sort of way.
Daisy played the sounds in her memory, then repeated a few seconds of the song in her head.
“Hey, how did you do that so fast?”
Do what?
“Sing along.”
I guess I’m just an excellent mimic, Daisy replied with a little smile, then composed herself as she heard her friend’s footsteps grow near.
Craaxit entered the abandoned space with a relaxed gait before abruptly stopping his song when he saw Daisy.
“I saw your marks, Daisy, but was not expecting you to arrive here for our meeting before me.”
“I wasn’t needed among the others, so I had a bit of free time to collect berries. Would you like to try some?”
The tall alien turned his four eyes toward the offered treat.
“I have seen these occasionally in the city. More than once my clothing has been stained by their juices. They are edible, you say?”
“Yeah, they’re sweet. Unless your kind are allergic to fruit, you should be fine.”
“Many of our foodstuffs are generated by native vegetation. I believe my digestive system can handle it.”
Craaxit took a plump berry from her hand and cautiously dropped it on his tongue, then proceeded to slowly chew it. A curious expression formed on his face.
“Hmm, that is an interesting flavor.”
“Good interesting, or bad interesting?” Daisy asked.
“Just interesting. Unusual. We have different tasting apparatus than humans, so undoubtedly your foods will elicit a different reaction among my kind. But come, sit. I have also brought food for us both. Let us eat and talk. We have much to catch up on. Many things have happened in your absence.”
“Thank you, Craaxit. Indeed, there is quite a bit to discuss,” she said, taking a bite from the offered food.
“What the hell is that, Daze?”
Tastes like some kind of weird alien energy bar thing, she said, noting the bar appeared to be some sort of fibrous baked bread product with a rather bland mystery paste in the middle.
“You think it’s safe?”
Well, it tastes all right going down. Hopefully there aren’t any issues on the other end.
“Oh jeez. Really?” Sarah chuckled.
“Do not fear,” Craaxit said, noting her hesitation as she tasted the food. “This is compatible with your digestive system. A combination of refined energy sources derived from plants designed to provide maximum nutrition.”
Daisy chewed slowly.
“Verdict?” Sarah asked.
The flavor isn’t bad, once you know what to expect.
“Your generosity is appreciated, Craaxit,” she said, taking another bite.
Craaxit popped another berry in his mouth, the flavor growing on him.
“These are not bad at all, actually,” he mused.
“Craaxit, what was that you were singing when you arrived?” Daisy asked. “I had no idea someone as ugly as you could sing something so pretty,” she joked with a playful smile.
“I am not ugly. I am beautiful,” he replied with a sideways grin. “My wife often told me as much.”
“Yeah, wives do that,” Daisy replied with a chuckle.
He sang a passage for her again, and as Daisy relaxed her ears and let the native words flow in, she realized it actually was kind of beautiful. Beautiful in a strange, guttural, alien way, that is.
“This is the song of my family,” Craaxit said. “Singing it brings me comfort. These songs are an oral tradition, passed down through the family line. Every Chithiid from their earliest childhood learns the one particular to their family. All of our songs are similar in some regards, binding us together as a people, yet each possessing nuance of tone, and subtlety of language unique to its singer’s line. Here, listen again,” he said.
Daisy listened with an open mind, rolling the melody and words in her head like a sommelier would roll a complex wine across their tongue. After a few moments, she realized her memory had, once again, managed to capture something with near-photographic clarity.
Slowly, Daisy formed a new sound in her mouth, haltingly at first, as her tongue shifted to an unusual position. Then, when she felt she had a grasp of the mechanics of it, she softly sang a few lines of the song.
Craaxit stopped singing and stared at her.
“What is it?” Daisy asked, self-conscious. “I’m sorry, Craaxit. I realize it is your family’s song. I didn’t mean to offend.”
“It is not that, Daisy. I take no offense. It is just that you have revealed a rather surprising ability yet again.”
“I sense a ‘but’ in there.”
“But, Sung Chithiid is different than spoken, and your pitch is a bit off.”
“Which part am I doing wrong?”
He assessed his human friend a moment.
“I shall teach you the song of my family. It is not something that is done, but ours is the first partnership of its kind, and I am glad to help you understand my people,” he replied. “Traditionally, a Chithiid only ever sings the song of his own family, and you are the first––the only––human to ever utter this song from their lips.”
“Does that make me your sister, then?” she asked, half-joking.
Craaxit smiled.
“Not quite. And besides, you have a much better singing voice than my sister,” he said with a wink.
A calm fell upon the space as the two of th
em enjoyed a much-needed respite from their daily reality and sang together. Human and Chithiid quietly sharing a meal and a blossoming friendship. Soon enough, they would be put to the test, but for the moment, they let themselves enjoy a brief respite of calm before the approaching storm.
After several repetitions, the song finally ended, and Daisy found she had managed to commit it to memory in its entirety, though she’d have to work at the unusual pronunciation before she’d be truly comfortable forming the words.
“Not bad, for a fleshy little human,” Craaxit joked.
“Thanks. That means a lot coming from a tough-hided, off-key beast of an alien,” she replied with a laugh.
“It is my pleasure,” he said with a deep chuckle as he rose to his feet and tossed the waste from their meal into a small sack for disposal. He then sat back down to discuss the other matters at hand.
“Now, tell me. What news do you bring? How was your excursion?”
Daisy turned serious.
“I have unexpected developments revealed by the newly reconnected AI network. It seems the Ra’az have been lying to your people. Tokyo is only one of three communications hubs used to link with the fleet and the homeworld.”
“No, this is not possible. We have long known that––”
“What you have known was a trick. A lie. The Ra’az have fed your people that falsehood for hundreds of years as a safety after the assaults of the prior century. If we attack only Tokyo, the other two will still broadcast. I was told this by the greatest strategy computer ever built on this world. Fortunately, so long as they are not on high alert, we should be able to reach them before they have the chance to transmit.”
Craaxit was silent a long moment as he registered what she had said.
“Then we must alter our plans,” he finally replied. “The Ra’az have increased readiness at all facilities. My contacts do not know the reason behind it, but if what you say is accurate, then the high alert you speak of may already be in place.”
“Oh, this is not good,” Daisy said. “Not good at all.”
“No, it is not. I will have to speak with my people once more. This is what I wanted to inform you of. Those I trust have been quietly approaching members of our kind in positions of authority. A growing number of Chithiid are willing to turn against the Ra’az, but only if they can be certain so doing only jeopardizes their own lives, not those of their families on our homeworld. Where are these other two stations located?”
“Sydney and New York,” she replied. “But we have means to destroy them all at once, but only if they do not see us coming.”
“How is this possible? Your planet does not possess such weaponry.”
“Actually, it does,” she said, allowing herself the tiniest of smiles. “That same powerful military AI is now capable of launching the hypersonic missiles rendered dormant by the initial AI virus attack. The Ra’az will not be expecting them, and the stations will be destroyed before they know what hit them.”
“Then if we can divert their attention at those facilities long enough to allow you to strike, the uprising will be a success!” Craaxit exclaimed.
“Yes, but not so fast. We have a problem in San Francisco.”
“The warp research labs we spoke of?”
“Exactly. It looks like they will have the new warp devices functional within the week.”
“So soon?” Craaxit said, alarmed. “If they achieve this, all will be lost, for both my people and yours.”
“I know. So tell me, my friend, can your people get us into that facility? Or if not, can they at least sabotage the warp ships’ ability to launch?”
Craaxit thought hard, his brow furrowed as he contemplated. “This will require informing a greater number of my people, and there is a risk in that. They will be afraid. Afraid of the battle stations that orbit our planet receiving warning and wiping out our cities and children with ease.”
“This is why we must stop the ships. If comms are severed, and ships are contained, then we have a plan that will do more than just free your world and mine.”
“Oh?” the stoic alien replied, genuinely surprised.
“We believe we have found a way to eliminate the influence of the Ra’az homeworld entirely. With them no longer directing the fleet, it will fall into disarray.”
Craaxit looked pensive, but a glimmer of hope shone through.
“I will do all I can, Daisy. Allow me to make inquiries. Let us meet here tomorrow at the same time.”
Daisy made a beeline for the nearest command room as soon as she entered the transit hub tunnels.
“Cal, your direct comms line to Colorado is functional, yes?”
“It is, though, as we discussed, since I was the first terrestrial contact with a dedicated line, and we are both verifiably not infected, the kill switches are not yet installed. That really does need to be done, Daisy.”
“I know, but time is kind of important here, and the moon-to-NORAD wireless delay makes it really hard for non-AI to communicate. Can you patch me through to Joshua, please?” Daisy asked.
“Certainly. Might I ask what you have learned?”
“It looks like our Chithiid ally has been a busy boy. We have a growing number of resistance fighters just waiting for the opportunity to rise up.”
“This is excellent news.”
“Yeah, but it’s also going to take some careful coordination.”
“As one would expect of so grand a venture. I have Joshua tied in, now. Sid and Mal have also linked in, though they will receive this on a delay. Please continue,” Cal said.
“Hi, Joshua.”
“Hello, Daisy. This is an unexpected bit of discourse. All’s well, I assume?”
“Not really,” she answered. “I have learned from my inside man that the Ra’az have placed all facilities on a higher level of alert.”
“I was afraid this might occur. This means we’ll need a way to bypass their heightened defensive posturing quickly enough to achieve our goals. I mean, the missiles are hypersonic, after all, but even so, this will require something more.”
Daisy thought a moment.
“How big of a delay in their systems would you need to thread your missiles through that needle and make the strike?
“Given the distance of the nearest silos I will launch from, the range of their scans based on what other AI have noted across the globe, as well as the average speed of the missiles, which cover roughly three miles per second, I estimate a six point six-seven second delay should suffice.”
A plan was forming in Daisy’s mind. She only wondered if Craaxit had the resources to pull it off.
“What if you used a smaller missile? One that would destroy the comms array but not the entire facility itself?”
“Why would you suggest––ah, I see,” Joshua said. “You wish to have your Chithiid ally utilize men on the inside to alter the readouts long enough for the strike to occur.”
“Yep. But we can’t go blowing up our allies. Even more so if I have to send some of our own people to help carry out this new phase of the plan. So no blowing up our people, right?”
“Of course. In addition to poor tactics in this situation, it would also be just plain rude.”
“I’ll need to see what Craaxit can do. They have limited weapons, but we have explosives. A few small, carefully timed explosions could cause a temporary power outage that would give you the needed window of opportunity.”
“And that type of attack would also shift suspicion to outside forces, given the Chithiid’s lack of those types of devices.”
“Exactly. We keep our inside men, and take out the comms arrays. Win-win.”
“See what you can do, Daisy. I’ll calculate trajectories in anticipation of your man saying yes.”
“Okay. I’ll see what he can do. How about your comms? It looks like we’ll really need them up and running for this to work.”
“The teams are making excellent time reconnecting my external comms hu
bs, though one or two of them have been a bit spotty. I’ll have to give them a proper once-over when this is all finished.”
“No sign of the virus there?”
“No, this appears to be purely mechanical in nature. As a branch of my main data lines are temporarily routed through that segment while we reconnect systems, you may rest assured, there are extra precautions there. If I sense any potential hint of infection, I will sever those lines immediately.”
“But how quickly would you be able to––”
“With explosives,” he added.
“Well. Okay, then,” Daisy said with more than a hint of amusement.
“Joshua does not fuck around,” Sarah said, laughing.
No, Daisy agreed. That he does not.
“So, let me fill you guys in on what I’ve learned,” she said to the listening walls.
For the next thirty minutes, Daisy and the biggest brains on the planet and its satellite discussed the other things she had learned about the Chithiid forces, developments in San Francisco, and the progress of the teams reconnecting hardline communications as they spread farther across the globe.
The comms delay was an annoying, but necessary, precaution, and the AIs did a great job of relaying and condensing information for Daisy to keep things moving along.
“It has been slow going, on occasion,” Sid said. “But Shelly’s team has had great success to the south. Omar has been a bit less fortunate in the African regions,” he noted.
“To be fair, that outcome was expected,” Mal chimed in.
“This is true. A great many of the cities in that region were infected and overrun. His team is currently adjusting course and moving toward Eastern Europe. And Joshua, if I am not mistaken, Reggie and Finn’s team had contact with a Chithiid squad in Rome, but nevertheless managed to reconnect with the Vatican AI.”
“That is correct, Sid. It was a most eventful incident, but with some surprising support, the team managed to reach the Vatican. Though we do not know what forces came to their aid, it would appear there is a new player helping our cause.”
“Wait a minute,” Daisy said. “New player? What happened?”
