Lunar 3097

by Gary Timbrell

  Alex took a sip of his drink. “If he is lying, what do you think he’s covering up?”

  Abbey took a deep breath, looked Alex in the eyes, and said, “I think he’s killed the other two AIs and is trying to cover it up.”

  Alex looked shocked. “Why, what would that do for him?”

  “I don’t know, but if he did, then ISA will want to destroy him immediately. They don’t want a murdering ‘ROBOT’ walking around on that moon, let alone back here on Earth. All I can imagine is with all the files he went through, he must have concluded that killing was acceptable to humans,” she said, shaking her head.

  “That would make sense. If you think back through history, almost every part of the world has been at war at some point in time. War, fighting, and killing are probably some of the only constants in human history.” Alex shook his head. “But I still don’t see how that would help 2.”

  “I don’t know either, but for some reason, this whole thing scares me, and I wish I would have stayed out of it. Let them close down the AIs and be done with it. If anything bad happens, I know I’m to blame, so let’s not let anything bad happen, OK?” Abbey said with a begging tone in her voice.

  “We’ll do our best!” said Alex emphatically, trying to make the moment lighter; then he raised his glass as if toasting someone. Abbey raised her coffee cup.

  ISA Trident

  Bridge Launch and Flight Control

  “Preflight check complete. RAIDA5, proceed with comm. check and advise when complete. We’ll let Flight Control Ground know we’re ready for launch.”

  “Copy that, Flight,” replied 5. He looked out of the port window of the Lander and with the dock doors open, he could see the Lunar surface with its glowing red hue filling the entire opening.

  4 was busy with communication, going through the step-by-step checklist.

  5 suddenly perked up and sat up in his seat and peered out the window with renewed interest. He thought he had seen movement. After a minute, he saw it again. It was a spacesuit, and then another appeared.

  “Flight, I just saw what I think are two spacesuits outside the dock doors. Do you know anything about that?” asked 5.

  “Yes, we’re doing some routine maintenance on the dock doors. We had a problem with it not opening correctly during prelaunch back at Earth.”

  “So they are aware we launch in less than twenty minutes?” inquired 5.

  “Affirmative. Their walk is ending in seven minutes.”

  ISA Headquarters

  Flight Control

  “Flight Control One, this is RAIDA2. If the Star Cruiser is in orbit overhead, I should be able to communicate with the AIs you’re sending down. I’ve tried, but there is no reply. Is there a problem?”

  Abbey thought for a moment. “There’s no problem, 2. These AIs are not equipped with the neural transmitter system you have. ISA decided that verbal communication would be more conducive to AI-human interaction.”

  She turned toward Alex’s station and shrugged. He grinned and shrugged also.

  “I see,” replied 2. “I will have to practice my verbal skills. The atmosphere is so thin down here that sound does not travel well, so we rely on the transmitter.”

  “The techs have thought of that. They wouldn’t send them there without a way to communicate,” said Abbey. “They have radio headsets for verbal communication, and they are bringing a set down with them for you.”

  “OK, that makes sense … I think.” There was a long pause, then, “RAIDA2 out.”

  “Wow,” said Alex. “That was weird. He almost sounded completely human … suspicious, wary, and disappointed.”

  “I wonder what devious crap he’s coming up with now?” whispered Abbey, aware of the gallery. She was using her wrist comm.

  “We’re going to find out in a few minutes; we are ready for launch!” replied Alex, with a reserved but excited tone to his voice. The type of tone you hear when someone doesn’t know exactly what to expect next.

  “Flight Control One, this is Trident. We are go for launch.”

  “Trident, T minus 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 launch. Please advise of separation and Lander engine ignition.”

  “We have engine ignition, and the Lander is on its glide slope approach to the Lunar surface. Time to touchdown T minus seventeen minutes.”

  “Flight Control to RAIDA2, we have launched. The Lander touchdown is less than seventeen minutes,” announced Abbey.

  “Flight Control One, I am ready.”

  CHAPTER 28

  LUNAR 3097

  Lander Site

  2 stood in what was left of the Lander, looking up into the darkness and watching the new Lander approach from above. The closer it got, the more surface material it threw in the air, like a red dust devil that grew into a storm. The thrusters fired intermittently, keeping the craft level and allowing it to descend gently to the surface. At one point, it was totally obscured from sight. Upon touchdown, the larger particles fell slowly to the surface, but the finer ones floated for quite some time.

  2 didn’t move, as if he didn’t know what to expect. He didn’t trust humans. He didn’t trust AIs either at this point.

  The door of the Lander remained closed. 4 and 5 were completing post-landing checks and making sure the ship was ready for an immediate launch if there was a problem.

  2 stepped out of the ruins and showed himself. 5 stopped what he was doing and stared at 2. He then found himself waving through the window for some reason. 2 waved back. 5 then returned to the tasks at hand so they could get the mission underway.

  2 placed the harness from the trams, now reloaded with the violet239, on his shoulders. He pulled them toward the Lander, much slower than usual … a cautious approach. Once alongside the Lander, he slipped off the harness and dropped it to the surface and retreated.

  Now that the dust had cleared completely, 5 could see that the original Lander site looked like a war zone. Puzzled by what he was seeing, he turned to 4. “Have you noticed the Lander site?”

  4 looked up from what he was doing and stared silently for a moment and then, “RAIDA4 to Flight Control One, are you seeing what we see here?”

  Abbey was busy with something, but she looked up at the overhead screen feeds coming from the AIs. It took a minute for it to sink in. “Is that the Lander site?” she asked.

  “Yes,” replied 4. “We have visual contact with 2. He approached the Lander and delivered what looks like the VIOLET239. Do we continue with the mission as planned?”

  Abbey switched off the audio feed to the screens in the gallery and then said, “Yes, continue mission as planned. Now that we are on the surface, we have more data to go on, so we should have a grip on the situation very soon. RAIDA6, are you ready to go?”

  “This is RAIDA6. That’s an affirmative.”

  “The first part of the mission is benign. Set up the instrument array on the surface, so we don’t get any more surprises.” Abbey looked down her list. “And get the mike set to 2 so you can communicate; then we’ll go from there. Flight One out.”

  “Trident to Flight Control Two.”

  “Go ahead, Trident, this is Flight Two.”

  “Now that we have a stationary orbit over the landing site, the instruments can be fine-tuned. We are showing a weak power signature about 100 feet away from the 1,200-foot area that’s got the slight glow. Almost as if it was covered or underground. You might want to have a look at that. We are sending you the coordinates.”

  “Copy that, Trident. We will indeed take a look,” replied Alex. “Did you catch that, Flight One?”

  “No, sorry. I was busy talking to 4 and 5. They’ve made visual contact with 2, but they are still in the Lander. What do you have?”

  Before he could respond, another flight tech cut in. “Flight One, the Observation Deck is complaining they have no feed to the surface. What do you want me to tell them?”

  “Tell them we’re working on the problem, and it will be remedied very soon.”


  “Alex, what the hell happened to the original Lander? There’s only half of it left!”

  “We’re only just getting a reading from the site now. Why don’t you ask 2 what the hell happened?” asked Alex.

  “You think he’ll give me a straight answer?”

  “So how do you want to proceed?” he asked, obviously irritated by the whole situation. Mission techs aren’t used to having next to no control over the missions. They have it meticulously planned down to the last detail. Not this mission.

  “We’re going with the original plan. Send out 4 and 5 and see if they can get 1 back and revive him. We’ll then know what he knows, then go from there,” said Abbey.

  “OK, let’s do it! RAIDA4 and 5, commence mission. Exit Lander, deploy the instrument package, make initial contact with 2, and then locate 1 and bring him back to the Lander,” said Alex.

  LUNAR 3097

  “Copy that, Flight Two,” replied 4 and 5 in unison.

  2 watched from the relative safety he felt standing inside the remains of the Lander, not sure what to do next. He saw the Lander door start to open and took another step back deeper into the hull. The door was now completely open, and an AI came out cautiously. 2 observed from his position looking over the frame of the new AI to see if it carried any threatening weapons.

  Then a second AI came down the ramp carrying instruments. They erected them together just outside the Lander. The instruments looked like communication arrays.

  2 moved slowly along the wall until he had a full view of the activity. Not being able to communicate was something new to 2. Since 3 was destroyed, he had noticed an unsettling quiet. He had only his own thoughts and ideas, whereas before, he was connected to 3, and they thought as one. There was always something being passed from one to the other. The quiet has been difficult for 2. He found himself craving interaction with others, and strangely, he felt the need to interact with his own kind.

  4 looked up from what he was doing and spotted 2 standing next to the old Lander. He picked up the mike set and moved toward 2 in a nonthreatening manner. 2 started toward him. They met somewhere in the middle of the debris field. 4 offered the mike set to 2, who accepted it without question. He knew how to install it and stood there as if not knowing what to say.

  “Hello 2, I am 4.” 4 turned slightly and motioned. “That’s 5. We are here to help.” 5 could hear the conversation and waved at the pair, then carried on working.

  2 said nothing. “We would like to locate 1 and 3. Can you give us the coordinates to them both?” inquired 4, his tone almost benevolent, as if trying to nurture trust from 2.

  “I can give you 1’s position, but he has substantial damage. I had to deactivate him. He is the reason for all of this destruction. He had a problem develop soon after we landed,” replied 2.

  “That’s good. We would like to see if we can help so we can all go home together,” said 4.

  “1 is bad. Taking him home would be a mistake,” said 2. “1 destroyed 3 and the Lander. I have tried to understand why. It always comes back to … 1 is bad.”

  5 joined the conversation. “We have orders to bring all the AIs back, so let’s go get 1, and then we can get on with the rest of the mission.”

  2 was still hesitant but then seemed to resign himself that this was the only way to get what he wanted. He turned and walked toward the piece of the Lander wall that covered 1 and pulled it off of him.

  4 and 5 bent down and picked up 1 and started to carry him back to the Lander. As they went, 2 followed behind. He reached into his holster and produced the electronic key relay that controlled 1’s power supply. When they laid 1 out on the bench in the Lander, 2 offered them the key, which they took and placed next to 1.

  “Why is 1 missing a limb?” inquired 5. “It looks like it was torn off.”

  “That happened during the battle after he had destroyed 3 and the Lander,” said 2 truthfully.

  “Where is it now?” asked 4.

  “I disposed of it.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  “1 had built a weapon and replaced his limb with it. That’s what he used to destroy 3 and the Lander, and if I hadn’t stopped him, he would have destroyed your craft when you were landing. I have told you, 1 is bad.” With that, 2 walked out of the Lander and walked over to the trams.

  ISA Headquarters

  Flight Control

  Abbey, Alex, and a few other techs were watching and listening to what was happening on the surface with looks of amazement on their faces. All this had happened, and they had no idea. The entire mission could have been compromised from the start had 1 had his way.

  “Flight One to RAIDA4, make sure you replace the IC chip 2054 before you repower him.” Abbey’s transmission was only going to 4. The other AIs could not hear her.

  “Affirmative, Flight One.”

  LUNAR 3097

  With 2 outside, 4 removed a small metal container from a shelf and opened it. Inside was a small black chip. 4 pushed on a panel on 1’s left thigh which snapped open, revealing hundreds of the little black chips. 4 reached down and removed a chip, which, to the human eye, looked just like all the others. Then after checking to make sure none of the others were damaged, he installed the new chip. He closed the panel and inserted the key relay, and the light started to get brighter and brighter in 1’s eyes. He then sat up and looked around like someone who had just woke up. 5 offered 1 a mike set. He installed it without missing a beat. Abbey and the others were watching every move.

  “So far so good,” she whispered to herself.

  CHAPTER 29

  ISA Headquarters

  “RAIDA1, this is Flight Control One. Do you copy?”

  “Hello, Flight Control One, this is 1. Please stand by. I am missing history; attempting a reload.”

  “RAIDA1, there was a malfunction. You were hit with a space particle that damaged your logic chip, which has now been replaced. Do you have any memory of the last 140 days?” inquired Abbey.

  There was a long silence. “I think I hurt 3,” replied 1 with a voice strangely full of sorrow.

  “Wow, he sounds genuinely sad,” said Alex over the wrist comm.

  “He sure does. These guys amaze me more and more each day.” Abbey pushed the comm. button. “RAIDA1, it’s OK. We know about that. It was because of the damaged 2054 chip. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “Are you sure I’m OK now?”

  “We’ll watch for any signs on our end, and if you find a problem, just let us know, and we’ll fix it.” Abbey paused. “RAIDA1, do you have the coordinates for the AZURE239?”

  There was another long silence. “I think that information is classified,” replied 1 in an almost nervous-sounding tone.

  “Yes, we classified it, but we lost the data, so we need you to give us the location.” Abbey looked over at Alex and shrugged. He just shook his head.

  Yet another long pause. “2 told me to keep the location classified and between us.”

  Abbey furrowed her brow. “When did you talk to 2?” she asked.

  “Just now.”

  Abbey’s jaw dropped, and she turned back to look at Alex. He had the same expression. She shut the comm. off and exploded from her chair. “Goddamn it! Can’t we get anything right with this project? What idiot sent an IC chip 2054 for installation in 1 with the neurotransmitter still operational?”

  There was a buzz around the room, then a tech two stations down spoke up. “From what I can pull up from requisitions, someone named Star Light from IT pulled it and sent it to the cruiser for this project.”

  “Red? Really? Her again. I thought she was working with us! Every time we turn around, there’s something else kicking us in the ass. I’m tired. No, I’m not—I’m exhausted, and this mission is never going to end.” Totally deflated, she sank back into her chair. “What the hell do we do now?”

  “RAIDA1 to Flight Control, are you there?”

  The door to the flight control flew open and in walked Stry
ker. “I’ve been watching this fiasco unfold from my office.” She cast an eye over the gallery and looked over at the PR representative. “Clear that room of all civilians, reporters, and nonessential personnel immediately. In fact, just clear that room!”

  Abbey stood and turned to Stryker to say something. Stryker raised her hand. “Don’t say a word. You’ve said enough to last all day. I want this mission placed on hold—now. I want all phases of this operation to be reassessed before we move another inch. Did we have time to install that freeze program we spoke of?” she asked.

  Alex spoke up. “Yes, we did. We can freeze 4, 5, and 6; not sure about 1. If the chip was programmed after we spoke about the freeze program, it might work, but we can’t do anything to 2.”

  “Then freeze them until we get this straightened out. Meeting—conference room in ten minutes, everyone!” she shouted as she went out the door.

  Abbey tried to interrupt, but she was gone. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  Alex looked over. “I am not disobeying her orders again. I’m freezing them until I’m told otherwise.”

  “OK, but I don’t agree with it. Just saying!” said Abbey with her hands in the air.

  “RAIDA1 to Flight Control. Do you copy?”

  “This is Flight Control Two, RAIDA1; we are on a mission. Hold as of now; please stand by.” Alex then started tapping keys on his keyboard. “OK, they are frozen until we get back.”

  “Don’t you think we should make sure they are in the Lander before you freeze them?” inquired Abbey. “Or at least close the door.”

  “Stryker said freeze them. I did as ordered.” Alex rose from his seat and walked with Abbey to the conference room.

  LUNAR 3097

  “RAIDA2 to Flight One. RAIDA2 to Flight One, there seems to be a problem. The other AIs are not responding.”

  “This is Flight Control Three to RAIDA2; we are experiencing a problem. Will update you as soon as we have it under control. Flight out.”

  2 looked at the Lander and reached down into his holster and removed a small black chip he had recovered earlier from the blast site. He stared at it and then the Lander. Slowly, he started toward it, watching for any movement. He still didn’t trust the new AIs.