Framandi Alliance- Galaxy Accretion Conflicts

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Framandi Alliance- Galaxy Accretion Conflicts Page 30

by Rashid Ahmed


  “Kei’s command-ship is disintegrating. A large chunk of it has exploded,” Áom announced. “Now other portions are exploding as well,” Áom narrated to the twins with elation. Then the framandi felt a fresh assault by Kei. The AI was still attempting to subjugate them and had only been momentarily distracted by the command-ship exploding around Síast.

  Much of the SSEV’s framandi exterior smart material was destroyed. Áom entered fresh instructions into the interface for material rejuvenation and switched to the SSEV’s own input sensors.

  “Jæja!” Áom exclaimed without realising it. The framandi had picked up one of Ásta’s most frequently used expressions. Áom and Áox had begun experimenting with the use of single words and short phrases to ease their interactions with their human crewmates.

  “The Síast survived the exploding command-ship and is still on our tail,” Áom thought to the twins. Then the framandi added, while floating against the grav-chair’s harness, “Our smart exterior material has been severely damaged. Gravity manipulation and propulsion systems are offline as well. The Síast is rapidly catching up.”

  “Kei is beginning to wear us down,” Jón thought to Áom. He added, “I don’t think either of us will be able to hold out much longer.”

  Áom replied, “Before that happens, allow me to inject and pull thoughts from both your minds. You’ll need to mentally instruct your diadems to allow me this access. I will provide you thoughts to latch onto. Even if Kei successfully subjugates both your minds, you may still be able to find yourselves.”

  “Yes, I’d done the same with Áox when we had salvaged the Síast and were approaching the gigil command-ship. I’m allowing you direct access Áom,” Ásta thought to the framandi. Jón allowed his mind to be accessed directly as well, just as Kei took control.

  The first thing Áom did was let the Átt know what had happened. Without vessel control, they were adrift. The exterior material was slowly beginning to rejuvenate itself. Áom determined that it would take a few hours before instructions could be given to it. Only then could repair begin on whatever damage the gravity manipulation systems had sustained. Leaving Shun in control of the battered SSEV, the framandi connected with Jón and Ásta through their diadems.

  The framandi diadem technology had been reverse engineered from devices recovered from the kiligs. The few crewed spacecrafts that the framandi had got their hands on, contributed to their being able to develop a mind-to-mind and mind-to-machine interface for themselves. It had taken eons. Along with developments in genetic self-manipulation, DNA-based communication, learning and storage; the framandi had gained the ability to grow diadems within their skulls. This occurred soon after adolescence and was their mark of adulthood.

  Áom hadn’t gone deep into anyone’s mind in a while. The last time the framandi had done this was while sifting through a potential partner’s thoughts, selecting compatible enlightenment. The skill came back easily enough. What Áom found in the siblings’ minds were thoughts stored randomly and synapse associations forming and receding, seemingly without structure. The framandi then realised that this was probably what made the humans excellent problem solvers, and the reason why Kei wanted to subjugate them. Áom then realised both siblings’ minds were being stimulated simultaneously. Kei had them. The framandi sifted through their minds carefully, occasionally focussing on Suður’s repair status. Feeling the pull of gravity from both sides, Áom began pulling up various sensor feeds.

  The framandi saw that Síast had caught up and would soon be right over them. Áom connected with the Átt to report in. Rapidly providing a status update, the framandi conveyed that the Síast had a gravity lock on Suður and that the SSEV was being towed along by Kei. Then Áom returned to aiding the twins find themselves.

  Back in the solar system, Gylfi and Katrín had woken from their high-G manoeuvre enforced slumber. They were approaching the main asteroid belt pursuing the autonomous SSEV Nál. Their transport vessel Habogi was nearing the location, where the two disguised kilig spacecrafts were discovered. Lýsi AMCARs and drones had penetrated both vessels. They’d retrieved the fantastically well preserved kilig crews and removed them to Rauður space platform located at the L2 Sun-Mars Lagrange point. The couple and the crew travelling along had prepared themselves for extravehicular activities. But right now, they all found themselves transfixed on the feed coming in from Suður. The SSEV’s gaupa was still functioning nominally.

  “Do you suppose we’ll ever get them back,” Katrín asked Gylfi, concern for her children showing on her face. “They’re so young. I can barely begin to imagine what they’re going through,” she said to her husband.

  Gylfi consoled Katrín saying, “If there’s anyone who can get through unimaginable situations, it’s our perfect twins. They’re supremely capable and strong. Somehow, I believe they’ll pull a rabbit out of the hat and reverse the situation on Suður.” He squeezed Katrín’s shoulder reassuringly. She saw the gesture without having felt it through her HSEVA suit. They continued to stare at the feed from Suður, hoping for something to change.

  “Nál has arrived at the first kilig spacecraft!” one of the xenotechnologists monitoring activities on their salvage operation exclaimed urgently. “It’s extending anchoring arms to the multi vehicle docking port attached to the salvaged vessel,” the tech added.

  “There’s an external airlock module attached to the port. Does the compartment have any personnel in it? They need to evacuate immediately,” Gylfi instructed the tech.

  “It’s empty. A salvage crew recently vacated the airlock and are now transporting the last kilig specimen to an ACTV like ours. They’re aboard a shuttle,” the xenotechnologist replied.

  Katrín, who was leading this mission, took charge and instructed the accompanying combat personnel, “The three of you accompany the xenotechs to the second kilig vessel.” Turning to the techs she instructed, “Secure the kilig vessel. Disengage the AI modules. Remove the information storage units. Use the intelligence we’ve gathered so far to jury-rig its systems to get propulsion functioning. While you’re doing this, have AMCARs tow the spacecraft deeper into the belt. Report your position to us and keep Max updated. We’ll join you as soon as we’ve dealt with Kei. Go!”

  Next Katrín connected with the two combat teams aboard the SSEVs dispatched to track Nál. She instructed them, “Nál got here before us, even though it took a longer route, arching above the system’s ecliptic plane. Kei, the renegade AI controls Nál and obviously wants the kilig spacecraft it’s attached itself to. We’re to prevent this from happening and destroy Nál. Nothing from the vessel is to survive if we’re to limit Kei’s infrastructure.”

  The Habogi approached the second disguised kilig spacecraft while the two SSEVs closed in on the one in the process of being captured by Kei. The Nál immediately began firing high wattage lasers at the two approaching SSEVs, keeping them at bay and well outside focussed gravity range. The renegade AI had modified its vessel with exterior weapons, while on route to the main asteroid belt. Kei was prepared to take on the SSEVs and their combat crews.

  Katrín instructed the combat personnel aboard the two SSEVs heading to Nál, “Get teams aboard the shuttles you have with you. Approach Nál from different directions. Complicate the scenario. Introduce variables. The AI will be able to deal with it, but it may allow one of you to get close enough to use focussed gravity within Nál.”

  Moments later, a shuttle from each SSEV detached and performed a flanking manoeuvre. This drew some of the laser fire towards them. Built for dense atmospheric exploration, the shuttles were able to bear the limited onslaught. Then the combat team on one of them became brash and attempted to close in on Nál, while jockeying about to avoid laser contact.

  “In range. attempting to focus gravity within the hull of Nál,” someone from the attacking shuttle announced. Then, Kei redirected all laser fire from the SSEVs to the attacking shuttle. The AI must have located a vulnerable spot, because the shuttle
immediately spouted a shower of sparks and then exploded.

  “We’ve lost our shuttle,” the combat team’s lead announced from the shuttle’s home SSEV. “No survivors. Taking evasive action. The Nál has begun to focus its fire on our vessel now.” Moments later, the SSEV went silent. It began a wobbling tumble towards Nál.

  Katrín asked their onboard AI, “Shun, what is the SSEV’s status?”

  Shun replied immediately, “Kei focussed and held fire on specific panels containing sensors. These are marginally weaker than other panels enveloping SSEVs. Some of its sensors have been destroyed. Kei then targeted exterior gravity focussing components along the length of the hull. The SSEV is dead in space. Kei is no longer interested in it.”

  Gylfi’s mission pad chirped. He tapped at it, accepting an incoming connection from Max. The video call was projected beside their situational awareness feed. Looking intense, Max greeted the couple and said, “I’ve got Rafael online with me.” The young transhuman’s visual feed entered the projected viewing pane next to Max’s.

  Katrín asked, “What do you have for us?” Then, before either could answer, she rapidly informed them, “We can’t get close enough to Nál. Our SSEVs aren’t equipped for space conflict. Additionally, Kei’s already removed the universal docking port attached to the kilig spacecraft it’s after. Its own AMCARs and drones have begun entering the vessel.”

  Max replied, “The team salvaging the kilig vessel, had installed a gaupa for communications. It allows remote drone and AMCAR control within the vessel. We’ve just taken over the ones aboard the kilig spacecraft, before Kei gets to them. We’ll use our AMCARs to first disable the spacecraft, after which we’ll try to implode Nál using focussed gravity generated by the AMCARs. If that doesn’t work, Rafael has a trick up his sleeve.”

  Katrín said, “Do it. Do it now. Kei will work fast. It undoubtedly knows how to go about activating the kilig vessel. With its original AI modules and data still aboard, we cannot afford to have the dormant vessel activated.”

  She saw Max tap something on his pad. Three seconds later, one side of the kilig spacecraft buckled. This was followed by a smoky puff of debris escaping from inside the extra-terrestrial vessel. Immediately after, it split apart.

  Max looked up and said, “The AMCARS took out the AI systems on the kilig control-ship. Kei’s drones had begun attacking them. Something must have gone wrong. Instead of focussing gravity into Nál, our AMCARs destroyed the entire propulsion section of the kilig vessel. Then they themselves were destroyed. We don’t have any feeds from inside anymore.”

  Gylfi announced, “Kei has detached from the kilig spacecraft. Some of its drones are returning to Nál. None of the AMCARs though.”

  “Targeting the Nál,” Rafael said calmly.

  Max looked up and advised Katrín, “Get all our personnel and vessels out of the area. We’re going to try out our fledgling system-defence satellite network.”

  Katrín passed instructions along to the accompanying SSEV which was standing by. Meanwhile, the intact shuttle had gone after the disabled SSEV. She then updated the crew aboard the second kilig command-ship instructing them to salvage what they could.

  She said to Gylfi while he plotted in a course behind Nál, “We’ve come very far in a short time, but we’re vulnerable in space. If we survive this, I think we should study the kiligs ourselves. I have a sinking feeling humanity’s survival will depend on accelerated knowledge acquisition and application.”

  Rafael said, “Our solar radiation focussing satellites are having some trouble getting a fix on Nál. Your transport vessel and the SSEV accompanying you, will need to get close enough to mark Nál. I’ll initiate the system as soon as we have enough beam redirecting satellites locked in. The Habogi may get a bit singed, but it’ll remain serviceable.”

  Gylfi applied greater acceleration. The internal gravity balancing took a moment to catch up and the G-forces caught Katrín unawares. She gasped for breath as her lungs felt constricted. Then the internal gravity adjusted to twice Earth’s.

  Regaining her faculties, Katrín glared at her husband and said, “A little warning dear.” She remembered that he drove the same way. He found acceleration exhilarating.

  It took another twenty minutes before they located the Nál on visual sensors. They’d been following the somewhat vague gravity-well positioning, provided by the gaupa aboard the autonomous SSEV.

  “The Nál is gaining on the kilig command-ship with our xenotechs aboard. Both vessels will be within a kill-box in under a minute,” Rafael announced. Then added, “This is going to get hairy.”

  Katrín grabbed her mission pad and brought up a connection with the xenotechs. She instructed them rapidly, “Batten down the hatches. You’re going to be smacked with extreme heat and radiation. The disguised kilig vessel should be able to handle it.” She received a confirmation message from the xenotechs a moment before Rafael let lose concentrated solar light and radiation from nine different satellites, all targeting Nál.

  The beams struck the modified autonomous SSEV. The kilig command-ship was caught in the kill-box as well. A single beam grazed the Habogi. Another beam swept over the accompanying SSEV, destroying some of the shield panels. Rafael kept the concentrated solar beams aimed at the Nál for an entire minute. He kept an eye on the integrated visual feed, coming in from the targeting satellites and the Habogi.

  Gylfi transmitted, “The side of our transport vessel is melting. We have a breach. Our vessel has depressurised. Both conventional and gravity propulsion is offline. We’re adrift.” Rafael heard a similar report from the SSEV accompanying the Habogi. He kept the concentrated beams aimed at the now disintegrating Nál. Everyone knew the stakes. The visual feed from the targeting satellites updated to show only the kilig command-ship remaining. The Nál had vaporised. That’s when Rafael punched the disengage button on his mission pad. The exterior of the kilig spaceship was glowing. Max broadcast to the team, “Hang tight. Help’s coming your way. We’re still in hot soup. The Síast has entered the framandi planetary system from the vilji system. It looks like it’s coming our way.”

  Feint

  Framandi-Solar System Wormhole.

  Gradually trailing further behind the Síast, the Átt was now being operated by Áox, ably assisted by Shun. Unlike the humans, who the framandi had grown quite fond of, the AI was able to keep up with the framandi’s high-volume, information loaded conversations and instructions. The rest of the crew aboard Átt were sedated and physically secured in their individual capsules, while the vessel underwent high-G acceleration in pursuit of the Síast. They’d been in pursuit for seventy-two hours according to time maintained by Shun.

  Realising the kilig spacecraft operated by Kei would soon be beyond their immediate reach, Áox thought instructed Shun through the SSEV’s gaupa, “Awaken the crew beginning with those who’ve had the longest rest-shift previously.” Then out of sheer habit, the framandi thought appended the crew roster, shift rosters, food intake schedules and other information which might prove useful to the AI. Quickly sifting through the volumes of information, Shun immediately discarded most of the appended data. While the AI appreciated information, Shun had been brought up in the manner of humans; as much as an AI could be brought up.

  Áox began communicating with fleet directing counterparts, within the framandi system. The volume of information being transacted, completely took up the entire capacity of the gaupa on Vestur, the crew’s preferred command SSEV.

  While Áox exchanged information, Lei and Eiji walked in, looking rested. They still wore their HSEVA suits. Sven had instructed the entire crew to keep their suits on, during periods of intense acceleration or confrontations.

  “You look refreshed. Excellent!” Áox thought to them. Then the framandi informed the duo, “I have been in contact with Áoe.” Áox was referring to the Advisor of the Enlightened, the framandi who was currently the spokesperson and leader, of individuals holding knowledge management p
ositions.

  “We are placing obstacles and vessels along the path of Síast,” the framandi informed, appending a few pieces of pertinent data to the thought. Áox elaborated while bringing up the system-wide situational awareness feed projection, “The objective is to drive Kei to a secluded location, bypassing the wormhole leading to your system.” The framandi pointed to a section of the projection that led to interstellar space.

  Skimming through the information the framandi had shared, Lei responded, “I see. You’re planning a blockade.”

  Áox added, “A blockade and some subterfuge, using a technology we’ve previously only used to slow and capture space-objects. The knowledge was being evaluated for use with our masking activities. We’ll use it to try and hide the mouth of the actual wormhole, while creating an imitation beside it.”

 

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