by Rashid Ahmed
Jón allowed the connection. He thought through his diadem, “Hi, this is Jón.”
He received a large volume of data which he began sifting through. Packets with visual headers, caught his attention. Putting the overviews together without the appended details, his diadem interpreted the sender’s message as roughly translating to, “Your vessel is entering the active confrontation zone. It has become a part of our attack group.” Jón remembered their diadems could communicate with gaupas, and directly with framandi close by. He also realised they’d have to find out how far their diadem’s effective range was. The message continued, “We are taking up a randomized formation around your vessel as we approach the gigils. Our target is their second command-ship. We will only be able to accompany you till our asteroid launch points, after which we will head back to rearm ourselves.”
Jón thought back, “Thank you. Acknowledged. We do not have manoeuvring control of this vessel yet. Please maintain a little distance. Our vessel Síast, may take independent defensive measures.”
He didn’t receive a response. None was required. That’s how the framandi operated. Jón began skimming through the data the framandi had appended. He came across their current situational awareness update. Transferring this from his diadem to his suit’s heads-up display took an effort. He had only tried doing that once before. But it showed up. Jón tasked his suit’s mission AI to latch onto the framandi fleet’s situational awareness feed sources and update their status.
He noticed movement in his periphery. Turning his head, he saw Áox sit up. Ásta too opened her eyes. She thought to him, “I think we’ve managed this part.”
“The vessel’s AI and I have arrived at common ground. Even partially disabled, it’s as capable as I am. I took your advice Jón. The spacecraft Síast is now on our team,” Kei announced.
Áox thought to Jón and Ásta, “What advice?”
Jón took them through his earlier suggestion to Kei, about trying to befriend the vessel’s AI. It seemed to have worked.
Now they had to ensure they were able to control Síast, or at least get it to do what they wanted.
“Síast’s AI and I have agreed to merge. It was the only viable solution. Since the combined intelligence has absorbed my personality and values, we will retain my name,” Kei announced.
Jón and Ásta exchanged glances. This was the first time their AI had taken independent decision-based action, of such magnitude.
“Kei, would we be able to manoeuvre Síast and carry out our intended mission? Can we test the spacecraft’s propulsion systems?” Jón asked. He was a little concerned that Síast’s AI may have subdued or subjugated Kei.
Ásta thought to Jón, “We ought to go through the role of deliberation, during decision making, with Kei again.” Jón nodded and responded, “We’ll evaluate as we go along. We’re smack in the middle of the confrontation in this planetary system. It’s time to re-insert us into the action.”
“I’ve got a bead on how the propulsion systems work on Síast. The engineering and manufacturing specifications are not available in local data storage. Perhaps this was contained in the modules previously removed. The hull, under the moulded exterior is very versatile. I’ve used it, along with internal sensors, to map out the spacecraft. Like an MRI, but scanned at the sub-atomic level,” Kei told them.
Kei continued, “To answer your question, yes we will be able to move under our own power. But it will take a little time to get the spacecraft’s primary propulsion powered up.”
Jón raised his eyebrows and requested, “Elaborate please.”
“Síast’s primary propulsion utilises antiparticle technology,” Kei explained. The AI continued, “Technologically steps above our cosmic radiation energy generators; the kilig technology captures antiparticles from high-energy collisions, between heavy cosmic particles against dense material moulded into the hull.”
“Isn’t it incredibly tricky to capture and store antiparticles?” Ásta asked.
“Yes. And it’s very interesting. Síast also utilises gravity technology for propulsion just as our technology allows,” Kei explained. The AI elaborated, “Antiprotons and positrons are stored in magnetic and gravity traps. We use similar technology to measure subatomic particles on Earth. Antiparticles can be used immediately upon capture, for low to medium propulsion requirements. But for intense acceleration, antimatter atoms are produced and contained within a strong gravity bubble, so that the antimatter atoms do not encounter matter; until they’re required to. When intense acceleration is required, bubbles of gravity containing antimatter atoms, are transferred to reinforced and heavily shielded nozzles. A stream of corresponding matter is simultaneously released at an intersecting angle. This causes a rapid pulse of explosions, releasing intense energy.”
Ásta said, “Theoretically, it fits. I’ll have to look at the math to fully comprehend this.” As she said this, she was also transmitting her thoughts through her diadem. It was second nature now.
Áox thought back to the twins, “We have had over thirty thousand of your years, to grasp this technology. But we are yet to completely translate research to reality.”
“The secondary propulsion system is online now,” Kei announced. “We have gravity focussing technology available, which is like that on Átt, although closer to the system the framandi use. Most of the technology being used by each of the opposing species seems to be derived from similar sources,” Kei hypothesized.
“We have considered that prior to conflict between our galaxy’s, there may have been a period of collaboration and sharing. It occurred to us that the opposing sides are too closely matched for coincidence. But we have been unable to validate this,” Áox added to Kei’s supposition.
Jón said while releasing the clasp on his helmet visor, “I’ve brought up the user interface for vessel manoeuvring on my mission pad. The situational awareness feed from the framandi vessels around us, shows they’re ready to release their asteroid payloads. If we follow a path behind the catapulted asteroids, we should be able to sneak up on the gigil command-ship, closest to the planet they’re evacuating.”
“I was thinking along similar lines. The trajectory we’d need to follow, is plotted in,” Ásta added.
“Kei, initiate gravity propulsion systems and follow the path plotted by Ásta,” Jón instructed. The AI complied.
Áox who seemed to be recovering quickly, thought to them, “We must share our experience on dealing with the kilig, with each of our peoples. If we’re to engage with a kilig vessel again, we would need every advantage. I am documenting my experience and transmitting it to Advisor of the Enlightened, the one you refer to as Áoe. It would be made available to you as well.”
“That would be generous of you,” Jón replied.
Ásta said, “We’ve parted from the framandi vessel formation accompanying us. We’re part of the asteroid barrage now, headed toward the fifth planet in the system. We’ll slingshot around the planet before encountering the gigil fleet formation.”
“Please strap yourselves into your grav-chairs,” Kei communicated to all of them through their diadems and directly to Áox.
Jón and Ásta exchanged glances again. While Kei had utilised gaupas to thought-communicate directly with them previously, the AI had always intimated that such a communication would be initiated, by conventional means. Their newly merged and now evolved AI seemed to assume that previously approved actions may be automatically approved in future. The twins understood each other well enough, that nothing needed to be said between them. They’d keep a sharp eye out, but Kei may have evolved to a state where the AI may be considering independent reasoning and action. Ásta hoped that their years of ‘bringing up’ the young AI Shun, which in turn had created Kei as a version of itself; would result in their new AI remaining good, considerate and very importantly, loyal.
Kei was running simulations. A vast number of them. The AI was updating the human and framandi interfaces with new fe
atures, as it tested the systems aboard Síast. Jón noticed a new menu addition under propulsion. He tapped at an icon which resembled a lopsided hydrogen atom. A control interface appeared on his mission pad for the antiparticle propulsion. Fortunately, Kei had labelled everything in a manner they were used to. Glancing through the interface, Jón saw that there were two separate measures under fuel, one for antiparticles and another for antiatoms. The antiparticle accumulation process had begun.
Ásta announced, “I’ve finished setting up the situational awareness volumetric projection. Bringing it up now. The two gaupas we brought onboard have latched onto the ones on Átt. Kei has completely monopolized one of them.”
“I’m updating quantum programs to make processors on Átt more efficient,” Kei stated. “At some point we would need to upgrade both Shun’s and my own quantum computing cores, to bring them at par with what the kilig have. The kiligs would have near unlimited processing capacity by now, if they’ve been using this technology since they were last here. It’s likely they’ve improved upon it.”
Jón asked Kei, “How long until you’re done with systems discovery and testing?” Turning to Ásta he said, “We’re nearly at the fifth planet in the lofi system.”
Áox thought to the twins, “I have compiled and transmitted the report from our initial interaction with the kilig vessel and AI. The information has also been updated to two data storage modules, one on Átt and the other on a space platform called Sólríka in your home system.”
“I’m sending a message to Max to update him,” Jón thought to Ásta and Áox.
Áox continued, “We’re going to pass fairly close to the planet’s atmosphere. There’s a chance that we bounce about a bit. I’ve brought up an additional view of the planet itself using Síast’s sensors. You’ll notice there are several gigil transport and cargo vessels departing. This looks like a final evacuation. I cannot tell whether this has been triggered because of our actions or something else. The gigils have the upper hand in this system. It’s strange that they’re evacuating.”
Ásta observed, “They don’t seem to have set up any industrial processing or manufacturing units on the planet. I haven’t found any yet.”
“The gigil leave behind resource gathering units in the systems they pass through. They do the same in connected systems they discover along the way. It’s difficult to get resources off planets with atmosphere, when operating at scale. The preferred method is to mine and refine minerals from space objects like asteroids and dwarf planets, which have low gravity,” Áox explained. Then the framandi added, “Scans of the planet aren’t complete. They may have facilities our sensors haven’t recorded.”
“There are point-attack drones accompanying the gigil transport vessels. Some of these have initiated an offensive on the asteroids in our barrage formation,” Kei announced.
“What kind of defences do we have?” Ásta asked the AI.
Kei answered, “We can use focussed gravity, transient electromagnetic disturbance which can be disguised as naturally occurring; and high energy heavy-particle beams, like the one which caught Átt when it entered the framandi system. This vessel’s primary capability is subversion, disruption and hijacking of an enemy’s systems – static, electronic and biological.”
Áox cut in, “Most of these would expose our presence. I suggest moving inside our asteroid barrage and using minute amounts of gravity to throw debris from destroyed asteroids, at nearby gigil vessels. Our objective is the gigil command-ship. We should stay hidden.”
Ásta plotted in a sliding manoeuvre, to bring Síast deeper into the asteroid barrage they were within. She ensured that their salvaged kilig spacecraft, occupied a position in the asteroid barrage, that was well away from the evacuating gigil vessels.
The gigil point-drones began cutting into their asteroid barrage. Jón redirected asteroid debris, swinging chunks into the paths of gigil drones. He kept up the action while Ásta ensured they were hidden from direct scans.
Áox announced, “We are past the planet and headed to the closest gigil command-ship. Let’s study the procedure required to take over the vessel’s systems.”
Jón and Ásta dug into their mission pads, soaking in Síast’s capabilities, while ensuring the spacecraft was safe from direct engagement by the gigils. Áox closed his eyes and interacted with the framandi interface by thought.
The three of them needed to be wholly prepared before they arrived at their quarry.
Deployment
Sólríka Space Platform.
Shun had never thought about itself. As an AI developed with incremental increases in processing capability, Shun was used to running continuous self-evaluation, based on early ‘upbringing’ and handholding, led by Jón and Ásta during the preceding decade.
The programming modifications shared by Kei, cascaded through Shun’s various cores. As an AI, it was old. Change was something Shun committed to in increments, after exhaustive cause-effect deliberation. The quantum processing programs had been vetted and tested by Kei in an unknown spacecraft, in an uncharted star-system, two wormhole transits away. Shun only ran enough analysis to ensure none of the programs would be harmful or overwrite historical data. Unknown to anyone, Shun maintained a backup of its entire ‘self’, at a secret, independently developed, deep-sea facility located at Langseth Trough.
The deep-sea facility was smack in the middle of the Indian Ocean, between North Madagascar and Eighty Mile Beach, West Australia. Shun hadn’t even named the structure. The AI just ‘knew’ it was there and transmitted information to it, after passing data through a mission tasked version of itself. The mission AI checked for malicious code, before passing data along to the deep-ocean facility. The facility was the AI’s fallback. Shun meant to recreate a fresh version of itself, should the AI cease to exist or was somehow incapacitated.
The programming upgrade felt delightful. The AI felt like it had been asleep the last decade. Shun’s ‘thinking’ became faster and its quantum-processing outcome probability analysis became clearer. The AI found itself, ‘thinking’. This was new. Shun liked it and experimented with caution.
Gylfi had just stepped off Habogi, the S3 'Nesting Doll' Autonomous Cargo and Transport Vessel, which had been hijacked while it was on way to Álfhól space platform. The Habogi had been repaired and immediately put back into service. Katrín followed her husband off the ACTV through the universal docking port onto Sólríka space platform. The two were here to monitor and ensure success of their project, to genetically inoculate all life on Earth, against any fallout from possible framandi contact.
Katrín called out to the AI she was familiar with, “Shun, do we have a report compiled as yet, on the atmospheric delivery system test, conducted on Venus?”
The AI replied, “Yes, the report was updated moments ago and is available for review. I have some recommendations regarding the inner filling between the casing and the container inside.”
“Let’s hear it then,” Katrín requested.
“The gel protecting the virus suspension container is evaporating much too fast. Twenty eight percent of all containers did not arrive at their delivery altitude without damage. In most instances the gel suspension overheated, likely damaging the live viruses contained within,” Shun outlined.
Gylfi grew concerned. With millions of containers expected to be delivered into Earth’s atmosphere, the percentage of loss was unacceptable. He asked, “Do we have alternate container protection materials?”
The AI answered, “Yes, I’ve run model simulations. The best solution lies in placing the virus suspension flask, within a second flask. The second flask would contain a non-Newtonian gel. The non-Newtonian gel's viscosity will change when under force or stress. Impact or jarring for instance, will harden it. The virus suspension flask could be stabilised inside the second container, using magnets to keep it centred. The second container itself, would need to be suspended in heat resistant gel, all contained within the woven carb
on containers. To repeat, that’s two flasks, each separated by a gel layer, contained within a woven carbon capsule.”
“Manufacture a test batch,” Gylfi instructed. He asked, “What’s the minimum number of containers we’d need, to run a statistically significant test?”
“We should test eight thousand,” Shun answered.
“Double it. Also, manufacture and test the container models you’ve rejected, which are closest to the one you’ve selected,” Gylfi instructed.
“The test containers will be ready in six hours. The Nál is docked beside the Habogi. It’s equipped with a gaupa and a processing module of framandi design. Kei operates the SSEV autonomously. It is capable of exceptional acceleration. I’ll have the vessel equipped to deliver the test capsules, collect data and transmit the results,” Shun advised.