Vigilante (34 page)
“I’m happy they’re not using the module, but if they don’t have their
fancy directed-energy weapons, what will they use?” David Ray whispered. “And what if this is a
self-healing minefield?”
fancy directed-energy weapons, what will they use?” David Ray whispered. “And what if this is a
self-healing minefield?”
“Self-healing minefield?”
“Meaning it reorganizes itself if mines are destroyed or pushed out of
position. The individual mines move themselves as needed.”
position. The individual mines move themselves as needed.”
“Great.” Matt hadn’t thought he could feel any more depressed. Until
now.
now.
“We can always hope these isolationists aren’t as advanced as AFCAW, or
the Terran Space Forces.” David Ray crossed his arms on his knees and rested his forehead on
his arms. He was quiet, perhaps catching a nap.
the Terran Space Forces.” David Ray crossed his arms on his knees and rested his forehead on
his arms. He was quiet, perhaps catching a nap.
Matt closed his eyes. This was a good time to get in touch with someone
with more influence.
St. Darius, now there’re others involved—all the crew
members on
Pilgrimage
. People I care about might die. Like Ari . .
.
with more influence.
St. Darius, now there’re others involved—all the crew
members on
Pilgrimage
. People I care about might die. Like Ari . .
.
CHAPTER 19
Any weapon, weapon system, or weapon delivery system with lethal
capabilities cannot be solely controlled by artificially programmed intelligence. . .
.
Section XVII, Lethal Weapon Control, Phaistos
Protocols
, 2021.001.12.00 UT, reindexed by
Heraclitus 8
under Conflict, Flux Imperatives
M
use 3 dutifully recorded and analyzed Ari’s
actions near the slip, as it had done when two separate groups of men tried to break into
Aether’s Touch
. The burglary attempts were easily thwarted. From
the recorded comments, Muse 3 learned that
Aether’s Touch
had the
most advanced security systems on the station and these criminals had already seized the other
docked ships.
use 3 dutifully recorded and analyzed Ari’s
actions near the slip, as it had done when two separate groups of men tried to break into
Aether’s Touch
. The burglary attempts were easily thwarted. From
the recorded comments, Muse 3 learned that
Aether’s Touch
had the
most advanced security systems on the station and these criminals had already seized the other
docked ships.
Ari’s actions, however, were confusing. Muse 3 identified her behavior
as under duress, with controlling captors. She broke away from her captors, but then fell to
her knees directly in-line with the cam-eye and appeared to talk, yet nothing was recorded.
After Muse 3 ran facial analysis programs, it concluded that Ari had arranged to pass a message
that would be unnoticed by her captors.
as under duress, with controlling captors. She broke away from her captors, but then fell to
her knees directly in-line with the cam-eye and appeared to talk, yet nothing was recorded.
After Muse 3 ran facial analysis programs, it concluded that Ari had arranged to pass a message
that would be unnoticed by her captors.
“Stop my ship.” She’d mouthed the command twice.
Perhaps a human receiving this message might understand, but Muse 3 was
initially stymied by the indication of ownership. Ari didn’t own a ship. Then it widened its
interpretation—
pause for parameter change
—pilots often referred to
any ship they piloted as theirs, and even passengers used the same phrase.
initially stymied by the indication of ownership. Ari didn’t own a ship. Then it widened its
interpretation—
pause for parameter change
—pilots often referred to
any ship they piloted as theirs, and even passengers used the same phrase.
Muse 3 reviewed the significant events in the log it was keeping for
Matt and Ari. First, there was a change of personnel at the Beta Priamos Command Post. Male
voices replaced two female voices and the professionalism of the “chatter” went down. The
unprofessional behavior indicated that these were usurpers, per
Hostile
Takeover of Command and Control Centers
, CAW SEP 12.35.15.
Matt and Ari. First, there was a change of personnel at the Beta Priamos Command Post. Male
voices replaced two female voices and the professionalism of the “chatter” went down. The
unprofessional behavior indicated that these were usurpers, per
Hostile
Takeover of Command and Control Centers
, CAW SEP 12.35.15.
Then there had been the
Golden Bull
incident. After CP personnel changed, the freighter, or “behemoth” as Ari called it, was given
orders to disconnect for some purpose. After disconnection, it went silent and started
squawking an automated distress call. At the time, this was fortuitous for Muse 3, since it was
able to bounce a signal off the freighter and down to nodes on the moon’s surface.
Golden Bull
incident. After CP personnel changed, the freighter, or “behemoth” as Ari called it, was given
orders to disconnect for some purpose. After disconnection, it went silent and started
squawking an automated distress call. At the time, this was fortuitous for Muse 3, since it was
able to bounce a signal off the freighter and down to nodes on the moon’s surface.
After confirmation of receipt from the slate, Muse 3 received no
additional direction from Ari, and it continued to monitor the
Golden
Bull
situation. Changes occurred on board the freighter, because eventually humans
replaced the automated distress call. These humans weren’t allied with the usurpers in CP,
considering the exchange of aggressive words.
additional direction from Ari, and it continued to monitor the
Golden
Bull
situation. Changes occurred on board the freighter, because eventually humans
replaced the automated distress call. These humans weren’t allied with the usurpers in CP,
considering the exchange of aggressive words.
Unfortunately, Muse 3 had no way to help the
Golden
Bull
. The behemoth didn’t have the fuel to get to the Tithonos mining station, which was
the next nearest facility where it could dock, and its crew apparently didn’t want to dock back
with the hostiles on Beta Priamos. It currently hovered off station and swapped threats with
CP.
Golden
Bull
. The behemoth didn’t have the fuel to get to the Tithonos mining station, which was
the next nearest facility where it could dock, and its crew apparently didn’t want to dock back
with the hostiles on Beta Priamos. It currently hovered off station and swapped threats with
CP.
Muse 3 continued to monitor the CP channel. The Martian-registered ship
Candor Chasma
requested disconnection and undocking clearance. Muse
3 recorded the entire verbal exchange.
Candor Chasma
requested disconnection and undocking clearance. Muse
3 recorded the entire verbal exchange.
The pilot’s voice, after analysis, proved to be one of the men in the
corridor with Ari. Other voices in the background could be separated, but Muse 3 had to enhance
them, making voiceprint analysis difficult. Enhancement of the last message from the
Candor Chasma
had an additional female voice.
corridor with Ari. Other voices in the background could be separated, but Muse 3 had to enhance
them, making voiceprint analysis difficult. Enhancement of the last message from the
Candor Chasma
had an additional female voice.
“
Candor Chasma
away. Wish us success,” the
pilot said.
Candor Chasma
away. Wish us success,” the
pilot said.
Almost simultaneously, in the background, a female voice said, “Go to
hell.”
hell.”
As the
Candor Chasma
departed Beta Priamos
Station, Muse 3 enhanced the female voice and ran the phrase through analysis. There was an
eighty-percent probability that this was Ari’s voice and she was under stress, although that
result wouldn’t stand up in Consortium courts.
Candor Chasma
departed Beta Priamos
Station, Muse 3 enhanced the female voice and ran the phrase through analysis. There was an
eighty-percent probability that this was Ari’s voice and she was under stress, although that
result wouldn’t stand up in Consortium courts.
Stop my ship
. Muse 3 had enough supporting
data to conclude that Ari wanted to stop the
Candor Chasma
from
performing its mission, whatever that may be. Several actions were possible, provided the
Aether’s Touch
wasn’t docked with the Beta Priamos Station. Muse 3
began separation procedures.
. Muse 3 had enough supporting
data to conclude that Ari wanted to stop the
Candor Chasma
from
performing its mission, whatever that may be. Several actions were possible, provided the
Aether’s Touch
wasn’t docked with the Beta Priamos Station. Muse 3
began separation procedures.
Pause for constraint evaluation
.
.
The final set of physical clamps was controlled from the station CP. The
Golden Bull
had initially separated with CP approval, so there were
no problems. If
Aether’s Touch
tried to pull away with clamps
contracted, the ship would be damaged. While the damage wouldn’t affect life-support or
maneuvering functions, the injury to the clamp anchors would prevent docking until EVA or bot
maintenance was performed.
Golden Bull
had initially separated with CP approval, so there were
no problems. If
Aether’s Touch
tried to pull away with clamps
contracted, the ship would be damaged. While the damage wouldn’t affect life-support or
maneuvering functions, the injury to the clamp anchors would prevent docking until EVA or bot
maintenance was performed.
Pause for cost analysis
. The damage to
Aether’s Touch
would require more money than was available in the
Aether Exploration operating accounts. Matt would have to take on more debt years and due to
his current fiscal position, he’d have to find more cosignatory heirs. For Consortium banks,
death and the disbursement of an estate didn’t close outstanding debts. Muse 3 preferred a
solution with lower cost; perhaps it could impersonate Matt or Ari by requesting separation
from the CP usurpers.
. The damage to
Aether’s Touch
would require more money than was available in the
Aether Exploration operating accounts. Matt would have to take on more debt years and due to
his current fiscal position, he’d have to find more cosignatory heirs. For Consortium banks,
death and the disbursement of an estate didn’t close outstanding debts. Muse 3 preferred a
solution with lower cost; perhaps it could impersonate Matt or Ari by requesting separation
from the CP usurpers.
Pause for cause-and-effect
evaluation
.
evaluation
.
It was illegal for Muse 3 to impersonate a human, although Muse 3 had
risked this before when it had sent a text message to Ari with Matt’s signature. However,
presenting itself as a person using verbal interactions on a recorded Command Post channel was
worse. So was the punishment. Such an action by an agent that wasn’t registered as an AI would
result in dismantlement.
risked this before when it had sent a text message to Ari with Matt’s signature. However,
presenting itself as a person using verbal interactions on a recorded Command Post channel was
worse. So was the punishment. Such an action by an agent that wasn’t registered as an AI would
result in dismantlement.
However, if Muse 3 performed an illegal action against illegal
usurpers—
pause for fuzzy weight comparison
—
pause
—
stop application of ruleset
. Muse 3
recognized that justification of its action was impossible. A computational entity didn’t have
the equivalent for saying
no guts, no glory
, but Muse 3 knew it had
stepped over legal lines as it constructed its request to Command Post.
usurpers—
pause for fuzzy weight comparison
—
pause
—
stop application of ruleset
. Muse 3
recognized that justification of its action was impossible. A computational entity didn’t have
the equivalent for saying
no guts, no glory
, but Muse 3 knew it had
stepped over legal lines as it constructed its request to Command Post.
“Now that the
Chasma
’s away, I’m taking a
break,” the controller was saying before he turned in the open doorway to meet, face on,
Joyce’s boot.
Chasma
’s away, I’m taking a
break,” the controller was saying before he turned in the open doorway to meet, face on,
Joyce’s boot.
Exclamations erupted from inside. Spit, blood, and teeth flew sideways
from the controller’s face, his head jerked backward. Maria pushed past him through the door.
Joyce sent a second boot into the controller’s abdomen, aiming for the solar plexus. He heard
the sizzling sound of a stunner and ducked down beside the writhing controller.
from the controller’s face, his head jerked backward. Maria pushed past him through the door.
Joyce sent a second boot into the controller’s abdomen, aiming for the solar plexus. He heard
the sizzling sound of a stunner and ducked down beside the writhing controller.
“That was easy.” Maria sounded satisfied.
Joyce looked quickly about. “Only two?”
“This one wasn’t trained to use a stunner. He shouldn’t have pressed the
trigger during hand-to-hand.” Maria pushed the limp body out of the chair while brandishing a
ministunner. “Stand away from that one.”
trigger during hand-to-hand.” Maria pushed the limp body out of the chair while brandishing a
ministunner. “Stand away from that one.”
Joyce let her stun the controller, feeling no pity as the unfortunate
man shuddered into unconsciousness. The room started smelling of urine, feces, and that strange
combination that Joyce called fried sweat and blood. Pulling the controller out of the doorway,
he locked the door and enabled the cam-eye security display, which is what the previous
controllers should have been using. They were lazy, or perhaps they weren’t trained to run
CP.
man shuddered into unconsciousness. The room started smelling of urine, feces, and that strange
combination that Joyce called fried sweat and blood. Pulling the controller out of the doorway,
he locked the door and enabled the cam-eye security display, which is what the previous
controllers should have been using. They were lazy, or perhaps they weren’t trained to run
CP.
“What weapons did we get?” she asked, looking around.
“This one was only packing coffee. Worse, it’s the generic kind.”
Disgusted, Joyce nudged the man’s drink pack with his boot. “I can’t believe these guys took
over an entire station command post.”
Disgusted, Joyce nudged the man’s drink pack with his boot. “I can’t believe these guys took
over an entire station command post.”
“They had help. And we are talking about a
civilian
CP,” Maria reminded him.
civilian
CP,” Maria reminded him.
“We haven’t seen more than, what, four crazies? They must have the real
staff locked away.”
staff locked away.”
Maria nodded. “That’s what I’d guess.”
“Garris, you piece of bastardized shit from the bowels of the Minoan
Great Bull, answer me!” This invective came from a console across the small room.
Great Bull, answer me!” This invective came from a console across the small room.
Maria and Joyce turned to see a dark face with startling green eyes
displayed above the comm console. The face had deep lines of anger. It sat atop a thick neck
and even on the small display, the man looked like a moving mountain of muscle. The
transmission origin was identified as the
Golden Bull
.
displayed above the comm console. The face had deep lines of anger. It sat atop a thick neck
and even on the small display, the man looked like a moving mountain of muscle. The
transmission origin was identified as the
Golden Bull
.
Joyce put the console to automatic before Maria had a chance to move.
The display port from the
Golden Bull
showed “Hold” across it,
exactly when an undocking request opened from
Aether’s Touch
and
received the same treatment.
The display port from the
Golden Bull
showed “Hold” across it,
exactly when an undocking request opened from
Aether’s Touch
and
received the same treatment.
“If we answer on the common channel, then everyone knows we’ve taken
over the CP,” Joyce said.
over the CP,” Joyce said.
“But we could use allies. How are we going to talk to them?”
“Sure, they
look
like they’re on our side.
Let’s first assess the situation.” Joyce’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the two display ports
on the wall. There was a problem with the attentive pose of Mr. Journey on the right port; he
was sure that particular young man was currently on the
Pilgrimage
III
.
look
like they’re on our side.
Let’s first assess the situation.” Joyce’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the two display ports
on the wall. There was a problem with the attentive pose of Mr. Journey on the right port; he
was sure that particular young man was currently on the
Pilgrimage
III
.
Maria started puttering about the console recently occupied by the
crazy, while Joyce looked at the comm console and tried to figure out how to get the equivalent
of private secure channels from it. Granted, it wouldn’t have military-grade encryption, but
there had to be
some
security safeguards that he could invoke
without a password.
crazy, while Joyce looked at the comm console and tried to figure out how to get the equivalent
of private secure channels from it. Granted, it wouldn’t have military-grade encryption, but
there had to be
some
security safeguards that he could invoke
without a password.
“Good, they have FTL data through the buoy. Here’s the
situation.”
situation.”
He turned around at Maria’s words and looked at the display she’d sent
to the wall. The solar system, as well as all artificial bodies, was rendered in two separate
displays. On both pictures, the green swathes showed FTL coverage. Inside the green swathe was
the buoy, of course, as well as a block-shaped grid of small objects sitting in the arrival
channel of the buoy. He immediately knew what the crazies had done.
to the wall. The solar system, as well as all artificial bodies, was rendered in two separate
displays. On both pictures, the green swathes showed FTL coverage. Inside the green swathe was
the buoy, of course, as well as a block-shaped grid of small objects sitting in the arrival
channel of the buoy. He immediately knew what the crazies had done.
“Fuck,” was all he could say.
“I’ll second that.” Marie tightened the display on the grid, trying to
resolve one of the objects. “Those are mines, but I can’t tell how sophisticated they are. They
could be anything from dumb rocks with proximity fuses, to smart, self-propelled rockets with
station-keeping capability.”
resolve one of the objects. “Those are mines, but I can’t tell how sophisticated they are. They
could be anything from dumb rocks with proximity fuses, to smart, self-propelled rockets with
station-keeping capability.”
“The Minoans are going to kick their crazy asses back down the
evolutionary tree for violating the Phaistos Protocols. I just hope innocent bystanders, like
us, don’t get caught in the crossfire.”
evolutionary tree for violating the Phaistos Protocols. I just hope innocent bystanders, like
us, don’t get caught in the crossfire.”
“That’s
if
Minoan ships can survive a
transition into a minefield,” Maria muttered. “And last I knew, the buoy was still locked by
Pilgrimage. Perhaps the minefield is there as a paranoid stopgap.”
if
Minoan ships can survive a
transition into a minefield,” Maria muttered. “And last I knew, the buoy was still locked by
Pilgrimage. Perhaps the minefield is there as a paranoid stopgap.”
Joyce moved to stand directly in front of the displays. “Are some of
those mines moving?”
those mines moving?”
“Strange as it may seem, yes. They’re moving slowly and nothing else
seems to be in the arrival channel.” Maria tapped a command, showing velocity vectors on moving
objects. “FTL data confirms it—that means whoever’s running this clusterfuck can see this
also.”
seems to be in the arrival channel.” Maria tapped a command, showing velocity vectors on moving
objects. “FTL data confirms it—that means whoever’s running this clusterfuck can see this
also.”
“Why’s the
Pilgrimage
moving?” He focused on
another area of the diagram.
Pilgrimage
moving?” He focused on
another area of the diagram.
“Beats me.” Maria tapped again and showed green projected paths of the
generational ship and one of the inner planets. “In two hours, provided they don’t change their
vector, they’ll cross behind Sophia One.”
generational ship and one of the inner planets. “In two hours, provided they don’t change their
vector, they’ll cross behind Sophia One.”
Sophia I was the second planet from the sun, similar to Sol’s hot Mars,
but with a geologically active molten core.
but with a geologically active molten core.
“Anything they’d want on Sophia One?”
Maria shrugged. “Nobody’s interested in that rock right now. I don’t
think we’ve even placed sensors around it yet. Maybe the ship is damaged and they need the
shade.”
think we’ve even placed sensors around it yet. Maybe the ship is damaged and they need the
shade.”
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