Lunar 3097

by Gary Timbrell

  Now, all that was left was to get close enough to render the weapon useless and then incapacitate 1.

  Just as 2 started toward the stockpile, 1 moved. He turned and looked out over the horizon. Maybe an intuitive thought, maybe just coincidental, but he turned enough that 2 could see he wasn’t wearing the instrument on his chest. 2 looked around the pile and spotted it just to the east of 1 on the surface below.

  This was 2’s chance. He sprang from his hiding place and leaped to the top of the pile and landed on his feet inches behind 1. He grabbed the weaponized arm and pulled back on it. A flash of green light swept just inches past 2’s head. He then jammed the weapon into 1’s rib structure. 1 pulled up on the arm but could not break it free. In a frantic state of what could only be described as panic, 1 became unstable and rolled down the pile with 2 still attached.

  Now lying on the Lunar surface, 1 started beating 2 with both feet, still trying to get the weapon free. 2 stood and smashed 1 so hard that he sent 1 back up the stockpile.

  1 was stunned and lying still. 2 was taking no chances. He jumped and landed on top of 1, then commenced to hit him as hard as possible, taking care not to damage the frame, just trying to send 1 into distress and enabling 2 to shut him down.

  1 came to from the sensory overload and kicked 2 with both feet. 2 went flying through the air. The low gravity helped with the distance 2 traveled but also gave him time to orientate himself. He landed on his feet.

  The second his feet hit the ground, he rocketed back and landed on top of 1 again. They continued this for another two hours, but eventually, only having the use of one arm cost 1 the war. 2 reached under 1’s rib cage and pulled down and out an iridescent cell. 1’s eyes slowly dimmed.

  2 stood over 1 and removed the armored jacket. As soon as it hit the ground, the instrument started beeping loudly. 2 walked down the pile and stamped on it until it was nothing but shattered pieces. He then returned to 1 and began dismantling the cannon from his arm.

  ISA Headquarters

  RAIDA Project Conference Room

  Stryker was standing at the head of the table. Addison was noticeably absent. “We are two days out from Lunar orbit. Has anybody got any concerns?” she said.

  A full half of the room put their hands in the air.

  “Well, that’s very disconcerting. Let’s narrow this down. How many are concerned with the AIs causing problems?”

  Every hand in the room stayed up; then a few more raised their hands also.

  “Great, so we have a mission run by a team that thinks the mission is doomed from the start.” Stryker shook her head. “Never in all of my career have I been involved in a mission that there was zero confidence in its success … until today.”

  “Is there a reason we can’t send humans to complete the mission?” asked a tech.

  Stryker looked at Abbey and gestured for her to answer.

  “There are several reasons. The Lander is only equipped for an AI to pilot it back. A human pilot would not be able to handle the forces created by light speed. There wouldn’t be enough oxygen on board a Lander to make the return trip. A human going down to the Lunar surface is possible, but we didn’t send the Blue Star space suits; we only sent Green Stars. They are good for short excursions and space walks, but for any length of stay on the surface, they would deteriorate very quickly. Plus, it has only a quarter of the air supply that the Blue Stars have.

  “I could go on, but that should be enough to show humans are not the way to go.”

  “Thank you, Abbey. I know that we have had problems, but we should have it under control now. I need everyone to think and act positively, or this mission will fail!” said Stryker with a concerned look on her face.

  “Let’s go over the plan one more time. We only have one chance to get this right, so let’s start from the beginning, and if anything jumps out at you, please shout out. This mission was put together very quickly, and things could have been missed.”

  Lunar 3097

  2 made a sling from a piece of wire he had picked up from the Lander site so the cannon could be carried on his back. He picked up 1’s limp frame and positioned it on his shoulder, then bent down and picked up the armored jacket, turned to face the way he had come, and took off at a trot toward the horizon.

  When he was out of sight of the stockpile, he stopped, put 1 down, and started digging a hole. After a few minutes, he placed the weapon down inside the hole and proceeded to cover it up.

  When this was complete, he picked up 1 again and the jacket and took off toward the Lander. About thirty yards out from the blast area, 2 put 1 down and continued into the blast area alone. He picked up a large section of the Lander wall and carried it to 1. He then took the jacket and wrapped it around 1’s chest and laid him down on his back, then covered him with the piece of the Lander.

  2 then went back to the blast area and started looking very intently over the surface. He was obviously looking for something very small. He would pick up something only to drop it after inspection.

  This continued for hours. Then he picked up a piece and stared at for a long while checking it for damage. Printed plainly but too small for human vision without a magnifying glass to see was IC 2054. 2 placed the chip in his left side hip pouch.

  He then started to clean up the violet239 and place it back in the now righted trams. He still found himself stopping and looking out to the horizon now and then. Strange how habits form so quickly.

  ISA Trident

  Bridge

  “This is Steel.”

  “Good morning, Captain, this is Flight Two. Just an update to the plan. Upon established Lunar orbit, conduct a thorough surface scan. You should be able at that close a range to pick up the signatures of the power supplies from the AIs,” said Alex. “We need the exact location of all three, if possible. Once they have been located, keep them under surveillance and report any strange movements.”

  “Will do, Flight Two, Steel out.”

  “Quite the chatterbox our Captain Steel,” mused Alex to nobody in particular.

  “Now we just sit back and wait,” said Abbey with tension in her voice.

  “All team members that are not needed until orbit is established please go home and get some rest. I need everyone well rested and ready to go when we get there. There’s no telling how long your shift will be during the surface part of the mission, so make the most of these next twenty-four hours,” announced Stryker from her station on the flight deck. “We’re going to make this happen.”

  CHAPTER 26

  ISA Headquarters

  Flight Control

  “This is Trident, ISA. We have just established orbit around LUNAR 3097. We are starting the Lunar surface scan as requested. Will forward you the results as soon as we have them.”

  “Copy that, Trident,” replied Alex. “Here we go!”

  Flight control had been quiet up until that point. The room was dark because most of the station monitors had gone dark due to no input. But now, the screens started, one by one, to slowly come to life, bringing the ambient light up to the normal operations level. With it came all of the sounds associated with that. The volume rose to a muted mumble as each operator in each station conducted their part of the mission.

  The viewing gallery was now full of techs from downstairs. A few of the upper echelon from upstairs and then the civilians that always showed up during the most interesting parts of the mission. The gallery was soundproof, so if need be, they could be cut off at any time if sensitive data is being shared.

  “This is Flight One to RAIDA2. Do you copy?” said Abbey in her most authoritative-sounding voice. She used this when there was an audience. She was just about to try again when 2 answered.

  “This is 2. Hello, Flight One.”

  The crowd in the gallery immediately started to move around, talking to each other with excited expressions. Another reason to make the room soundproof.

  “Mission update, RAIDA2. Trident has established orbi
t around LUNAR 3097. We will advise when they achieve geosynchronous orbit with the Lander site. Flight out.” Abbey didn’t want to give 2 the chance to start up one of his confrontational conversations with an audience in the gallery.

  “Flight One, this is Flight Two. We have incoming requests from RAIDA4 for mission status. Do you want me to give him that?”

  “Not at this time. We haven’t completed the orbital scan, so that part of the immediate plan is still in flux. Please advise RAIDA4 that we will contact him as soon as we are ready to deploy.”

  “Copy that, Flight One.”

  “RAIDA4, we will update you at the end of the orbital scan. Flight Control Two out.”

  ISA Trident

  Ready Room

  Steel was standing next to the long table in the room with his hands behind his back. “Now that we are in orbit, I want the dock doors opened and locked, then I want those charges set as we discussed on the outer hinges. When the Lander launches for the surface, I want charges placed on the Lander clamps. They will need to be installed so the clamps can work for the Lander’s return with the first mineral. I then want the second Lander to be readied for immediate launch, and the sole control will be the bridge. All controls on the Lander itself will be rendered inoperative until it has left the ship. Any questions?”

  The chief stepped forward. “Why do we need the charges now, Captain? The robots are doing the right thing.”

  “Because they have a habit of doing the wrong thing, Chief. Do you really want to take that chance?”

  “No, sir. Sorry. I wasn’t questioning your orders, just trying to understand the situation as best I can,” replied the chief.

  Just then, the captain’s wrist comm. alerted him. “Yes, comm. what is it?”

  “Sir we have just completed the surface scan. You might want to take a look before we send this data to flight control.”

  “I’ll be right there.” Steel hesitated. “On second thought, bring the data to the ready room. Ask Ted, the mission control specialist, to come too, please.”

  “Yes, sir, right away.”

  “That can’t be right. Where are the other two signals?” asked Steel.

  “We don’t know, sir. Maybe underground and the power source signals are too weak for us to pick up, or they don’t exist anymore,” said the specialist.

  “That doesn’t make sense. Even if you blew the robots up, they would still have left a signature. What’s this area here that seems to be slightly lit up?” asked Steel.

  “We’re not sure, sir. It has the same type of signal as the robots, but it’s spread out over a very large area.”

  “You mean like if it had exploded?” he asked.

  “If a robot had exploded, you would expect to see evidence of a nuclear explosion. This is more like … just radiation,” replied the specialist. “The problem is that’s the Lander site … The very spot we are sending our robots.”

  Steel was deep in thought. “So, we should have three signals on the surface, but we only have one. We have no idea where the other two are. I see that the one we do have is situated in the glowing Lander area. Are we to assume that’s 2?”

  “I would say yes, sir. The signal is moving around; very hard to see from this distance, but it does move,” replied the specialist.

  Steel sat down at the head of the table and thought for a moment. “Send the data to flight control and then contact them. Explain what we think is going on and then let them tell us what they want to do next. In the meantime, let’s get the ship into geosynchronous orbit with the Lander site. Let me know when we are. Chief, have one of the techs contact the geo department and see if they have any data on underground caverns or tunnels on this rock. Dismissed.”

  ISA Headquarters

  Flight Control

  “Why can’t anything go right with this damn mission!” exclaimed Stryker. “Every time we think we have control, something else happens to prove us wrong. What do we do in this situation? Send the new robots down to the surface and hope it goes well? We’re sure nothing is living on this planet, right? Nothing that could take out our robots, so where the hell are they?”

  “Ahem,” Abbey said quietly. Then again louder.

  “Something stuck in your throat?” asked Stryker.

  Abbey just looked at her and pointed her thumb over her shoulder toward the gallery.

  “Shiiiiit,” said Stryker in a hushed tone. “My office in five. Bring every good idea you’ve ever had with you. We’re going to need them.” She tapped her wrist comm. “Bring Red to my office stat.” She left the flight control room like she was fired from a railgun.

  Stryker’s Office

  “We have to assume that the power signature is from 2, right?” asked Abbey.

  “That’s what I’m getting from this data, and from what I’ve been told, it has to be 2,” replied Red.

  “So why don’t we just ask 2?” inquired Abbey.

  “Don’t you think if 2 wanted us to know what was happening down there, he would have told us?” asked Stryker. “Besides, I wouldn’t trust a thing that robot had to say.”

  “Then we have no choice. We have to send the Lander down and act like the mission is as it was when we planned it. Then see what happens when we get there.” Abbey turned to the vid screen. It had the countdown in the top corner showing the last day the Excelsior can launch. “We’re running out of time.”

  “The AIs are well aware that the mission may change once they are on the surface,” said Red. “They are trained to assess every situation and come up with the best scenario to get the mission to completion. We just have to put our trust in them, as Abbey said. We don’t have any other choice.”

  “OK,” said Stryker. “Contact Trident and tell them they are a go for launch. Contact the robots on board and tweak their plan. I want them to understand that they must do whatever it takes to complete the mission. Then contact that bastard on the surface and tell it we’re coming!”

  CHAPTER 27

  Flight Control

  “This is Flight One, RAIDA2. Do you copy?”

  “Go ahead, Flight One, this is RAIDA2.”

  “We are in geosynchronous orbit overhead. We’ll be launching the Lander in three hours from now. Mark.” Abbey hesitated then she asked, “Are 1 and 3 with you at the Lander site?”

  There was a long pause, and then 2 replied, “1 is not recoverable; 3 is not at this location.”

  “Will 3 be joining you back to Earth?” she asked

  “Yes.”

  “OK, we’ll see you in three hours. Flight One out.” Abbey switched on the three monitors above her desk. They were numbered 4, 5, and 6. As they slowly came to life, the images all looked similar. These were the video feeds from the three AIs.

  Meanwhile, on the Trident …

  You could hear the heavy thuds of their feet on the deck of the Star Cruiser. They were walking toward the Lander in the dock area.

  They were very quiet. No talking, no waving of their hands. It was very different than when she first met them. The farther they walked together, the closer their steps became until they reached unison. Everyone in the dock stopped and turned to watch the three seven-foot frames moving together with a thunderous boom at each step, an awesome sight to behold. No one could be close to that and not feel a little insecure.

  “This is Flight One, RAIDAs 4, 5, and 6. Please stand by for mission update data pack. All actions to be completed before Lander launch. For information purposes only, you will encounter only one AI upon landing. Be advised from recent information gathered, there are two active AIs on the surface.”

  All three spoke as one. “Copy that, Flight One.”

  They made their way onto the Lander. 6 walked to the back and opened a bright orange steel cage door, reached inside, and removed one of the weapons Red had designed for them.

  This wasn’t like the weapon 1 built. This version fit over the existing arm and became one as soon as it was in place. This was done by pushi
ng on the weapon like a glove, or more precisely, a gauntlet, then twisting the top cuff to the right, so the fiber optic controls were connected. A flashing red word “INACTIVE” appeared on the forearm and on the weapon. The weapon was sensing the magnetic field, a built-in safety measure insisted upon by Addison.

  After the weapon was installed, 6 walked over to what looked like a wall. He pushed a button on his arm, and a concealed panel appeared as if from nowhere. When it was fully open, there was room for just one AI.

  6 turned and backed into the wall and closed the door.

  4 and 5 took their respective flight restraint seats and strapped in, ready for the flight.

  “Flight One, this is RAIDA5. We are secured and ready to commence preflight checks.”

  “RAIDA5, please initiate preflight check through mission specialist on the bridge,” replied Abbey. “Advise when complete. Launch is in T-two hours and eleven minutes.”

  Abbey tapped her wrist comm. “You want to go get coffee? We have over an hour before we’re needed.”

  Alex answered, “Sure, if you don’t mind if I have a Coke instead. Coffee, this time of the day, doesn’t agree with me.”

  Abbey looked over at his station and shook her head.

  “What?”

  “It was an invitation, not an order. You can drink whatever you want,” she said with a smile. Standing up, she walked out not waiting for him.

  Alex walked up to Abbey. He was carrying a small tray of food and a large glass of soda. “So what did you want to talk about?”

  Abbey looked puzzled.

  “Oh, come on. I’ve known you long enough to know when you’ve got something to say.”

  “Well, I think 2 just lied to me, and I don’t know how I feel about that.”

  Alex looked puzzled. “You think this is the first time he’s lied?”

  “Actually, yes, I do, or at least it’s the first time I have questioned him. There was just something in the way he answered my questions that was calculated. It left me with an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it won’t go away.”