by Jay Allan
The message was simple, and straightforward…but it struck SP-01012 directly. It was authorization to continue its searching, to set out again with its scout ship, to resume its routine of scanning, of looking for the human world, the main one…the key one. It was to send back most of the ships of the fleet, and it was to maintain command over the operations underway in the current system. That would slow it down, force it to return every so often to check on things. But it would also allow it to continue to search, and maybe—just maybe—find the human homeworld.
It had much to do now, multiple orders to issue to its forces. But it took a moment, a few seconds no one else knew about, that no one would ever know about…and it thought about what success would be like, how total and complete victory would feel.
* * *
Artificial Intelligence AC-210543 contemplated many things. It was junior to SP-01012, one of eighteen similar units in the fleet that had assaulted the planet. Sixteen of those systems had departed, gone back with the fleet units, and one, AC-230315, was on the planet now, with command over the ground units. AC-210543 was the only other one in the system, and it was now in overall command.
Its control over AC-230315 was tentative, perhaps less than it would have been in a total command structure, but it ruled over the fourteen ships still in orbit, and by imperial code, command over a force of spaceships provided command over a comparable land-based unit. If pressed, it could lay out a specific justification for its command, not only over the fleet, but also the land operations as well.
Such an effort did not seem particularly vital, since its own orders to AC-230315 would have been no different from the subject-AI’s own operations. Besides, when the ground operations were finished, it would have the decided upper hand…being in charge of the removal of AC230315 and its surviving bots.
Still, it watched the other AI, monitored its progress, relying both on official reports from the surface as well as its own scans. In truth, it had relatively little else to do, save only monitoring against the vanishingly small chance that the enemy turned up in the system after all.
It monitored the progress on the surface, noting that AC-230315 was somewhat behind the level of progress it had expected, despite the fact that it couldn’t identify one aspect of the operation it would have handled differently. It didn’t matter, of course, whether it took another week, or a month, or a year…his forces were only a tiny part of the Regent’s armament, and they were relatively immaterial to any need, even for the assault on the human homeworld.
The intelligence reviewed the whole situation, checked on its ships, and once again on the land situation. That took a fraction of a second. Then it just sat, waiting and watching…as it would until its counterpart had finished, or until it received other orders.
* * *
SP-01012 analyzed the new system data. It felt…strange…to be back aboard its scout ship, commanding only the small vessel. Of course, that wasn’t its sole asset, not anymore. The entire system it had reduced was still under its control, and it would have to check back every couple of weeks, to gain an update on the status. But until a few weeks ago, it had commanded hundreds of ships, and it felt…strange to be back almost where it had started, at least superficially.
It knew it had advanced the farthest of any of its comparable units, and it was pleased with its progress to date. But it was also aware that it would quickly be eclipsed by another unit that found the human homeworld before it did. Its grip on its senior position was significant, but to ensure that it retained the number one spot, it had to find the main enemy system. It knew it had a good chance, far better than any of the others individually, perhaps…and yet, it also knew the main human world could be hundreds of lightyears away.
The system looked out at the data coming in, and it was almost certain that the current system was not the one. It had only two planets, and both were gas giants. There were a couple of moons, but even those were cold and frozen. Still, it knew it had to perform a complete analysis of the system, or at the very least, a quick review. Then it could advance on to the next one.
It had a specific area of space to explore, but it had some control over the order of systems it entered. It could go back to the first system, the one with the planet it had attacked, and explore its third transit point…or it could continue on the course it had taken. The current system had only two points it could find, and it was leaning toward checking out at least the other one. If that system—assuming, of course it wasn’t the one—had a number of points, perhaps it would go back first, and explore the other one leading off from Linshire.
SP-01012 was deep in analysis. Even though it knew it couldn’t really calculate the human homeworld’s location, that it was mostly luck that would determine when it was found, it still analyzed everything carefully, tried to calculate anything possible that might lead to it. For all it knew, it was far, far away…but it had a…feeling…that it wasn’t, that it was close. It couldn’t back that up, and it would never share it with anyone…but it believed it was within his grasp. And if that was true, it was going to find it…and cement its position as the leader of the SP units, and second only to the Regent itself.
Chapter Thirteen
Log of Commander Dirth
I have worked in the Scouting Guild for over ten years, and I have commanded the vessel Sleuth for the past three of those. The first year was spent scouring a list of four systems, running back and forth, again and again. My mission was clear. Scout the planets around Earth-2…just in case the enemy appeared. For the past two years, however, our mission had changed. We had more ships, and the systems three jumps or less from Earth-2 were assigned their own scouts. I was assigned to Giglio-9. We had no idea where the enemy ships would come from for most of that time, but the notification that Linshire had been attacked put us on a grave alert. Giglio-9 was one jump from the occupied system…and that meant we were almost certain to be found, sooner or later. And probably sooner.
Our ship is state of the art, and highly resistant to discovery. We had every detection device known to our science, as well as all the anti-detection equipment, yet we knew the first enemy we would likely encounter would also be a very well-equipped scout. It was possible—probable even—that both ships could be in the system, and entirely unaware of each other. That is why we deployed the detection system. It is not perfect, nor is it complete…but it may have proven to be useful.
One of the detection grids has been triggered. This is not definitive…but considering the invasion of Linshire, it likely means the enemy has moved into the system. I do not have any specific info, nor do I have any readings. I do not even have the ability to transmit any information, not without taking a chance of detection by the invading ship. If there is an invading ship.
I am worried, concerned. Worse than that, I am fully understanding how specific our abilities are, how the enemy and us both have systems of stealth and detection that counter each other. Is there really an enemy vessel present, and if so, will it proceed onward…perhaps toward Earth 2? How long until it moves on, and will it leave any detection devices behind? Should I notify the high command at once, or should I wait until there is a better chance the enemy has passed.
Much of this has been left up to my judgment by the orders we operate under. Which only makes it more difficult to decide what to do.
Deep in Giglio-9 System
Earth Two Date 01.28.63
“Commander, I…think…we may have picked up another sign, a second one. It’s not certain…but look at it.”
Simon Dirth stared down almost at once, gazing at the figures Lieutenant Corrigan was sending him. It had been almost nine hours since his ship had picked up the first sign of…something. He still wasn’t comfortable calling it an enemy ship, but he wasn’t confident saying it wasn’t either.
The figures he had now were even more vague than the ones from almost half a day before. Left on its own, he probably would have ultimately disregarded
either one entirely, but the two combined only increased the chances that it was something.
Not to mention to fact that he expected the enemy to come forward at some point from Linshire.
There was an enemy ship in the system, he had decided, probably a scout, as packed full of anti-detection systems as possible. He’d probably have given it a thirty percent chance, even with both contacts, if he hadn’t known about Linshire…but given that the system next door had been attacked, and he was certain that Giglio-9 would be investigated, probably sooner rather than later, he determined that the odds were more like ninety percent.
“Alright, Corrigan…passive scans only, still. We’ve been almost motionless, so there’s a better chance they haven’t found us yet.” Of course, once we send a message back…
“Yes, sir. Continuing passive scans. No other indications yet.”
Dirth looked at the screen for a long while. He knew he wouldn’t find anything his systems and staff didn’t discover, but he was staring anyway. He watched as the minutes went by, and then hours. He was almost ready to give up, when he saw a third sign.
“Sir…”
“I saw it, Lieutenant. Another partial contact, far from decisive, but three is more than we can explain by any other sources. I’d say we’ve definitely got an enemy scout here…probably 99% chance.” He paused, considering his options. “Pull us out of here…slowly, 5% speed…and bring us on a course to send home a straight line transmission.” He was edgy. He knew he had a chance to get the communique through undetected, but he wasn’t sure what it was, 90%…or 20%. He just didn’t have the details on the enemy ship, or its true capabilities. Or whether it had detected his own ship already. He had the option of sending a multidirectional message, one that might be less valuable to the enemy if discovered, as it would almost certainly be. If they did catch his direct comm, they would almost certainly follow it through the transit point…one step closer to Earth-2. But there was a good chance he would get it through undetected if he sent it directly.
“Yes, Commander.” The lieutenant sounded nervous, not like he wouldn’t have done the same thing if he’d been in command…more like there were no good options.
Which there weren’t.
“Let me know as soon as we’re positioned for the minimal transmission possible.”
“Yes, sir.” A short pause, while the lieutenant calculated the time required to reach the optimal position. “Thirty-six minutes until we are in position for rapid transmission.”
Dirth just nodded. He’d have preferred a shorter time, but thirty-six minutes wasn’t bad. He’d get the message off in time, that wasn’t the issue.
The real question was, would he be able to sneak it past the enemy, or would they pick it up…and he had no idea about that.
None at all.
* * *
Charles Deacon had become grim. He was aware of that, though he couldn’t do anything about it. The two year stretch had been calculated, he imagined, to push people as far as possible, but not quite too much. He didn’t know how many more missions he could have completed without doing something foolish—or one of his crew doing it—but he was almost finished now, and, in spite of himself, in many ways, he actually felt good.
His ship was entering the last system. Once he had analyzed it—thoroughly, he promised himself—he would return home.
Home…it felt almost strange to think it, even to imagine it. Two years had passed, and in some ways, it had seemed more like ten. But this was his final objective, and he had told himself he would inspect it thoroughly before setting a course back home.
Home. It seemed almost unreal. He had sent six pulse comms there over the past two years, just enough to report his ship being still active. He hadn’t even received one from Earth-2. An outward bound signal was far more likely to be picked up, and there was less need.
He wondered what home would be like, tried to imagine living in a society more widespread than the eighteen people on his scout ship. It seemed difficult, and he wondered how long it would take to get used to it, to return to a normal way of living. He knew the scouting teams often had difficulty in re-entering life, that they took a period of time to truly return to normal. He had assumed at first that he wouldn’t be part of that, but now, he realized he was. It was going to take him some time to adjust…just as it had all the others he knew of.
At least he would have six months off…and more, probably, if he needed it.
“We have entered the system, sir.” Jeries spoke, and his tone was almost the same as Deacon’s. In some ways, actually commanding a ship was the most difficult job…but the others on the ship weren’t immune. They, too, suffered…and everyone’s return was going to be difficult.
Still, Deacon was excited to head home, and anxious to begin the adjustment period. “Very well, Commander…let’s give this system a real once over, and then go back victorious.” Deacon had imagined he might even find the Regent’s planet when he’d first started out on his quest two years before, but he had long since realized the number of systems that could be, and the actual odds of him finding it. Now, he just wanted to explore the final system and get back as quickly as he could.
As quickly as he could while still doing a good job.
“We’ve got five planets…two of them very habitable.” Jeries was surprised. Most systems lacked even a marginally habitable word, but to have two that were very habitable was something like one in five hundred.
“Of course…it will take us that much longer to go through it. But what the hell…it’s our last one. Bring us up to planet one, and let’s get ready to blast away with the scanners.”
“Yes, sir…estimate two hours fifteen minutes until we reach planetary orbit.”
“Very well.” Deacon shifted, his body almost automatically rising, heading back to his small office. But he resisted this time. He was going to stay, to inspect the system thoroughly—and he was going to do it completely, the way he had two years ago, at the start of his assignment.
Jeries understood almost immediately what Deacon was doing, and he smiled. Deacon didn’t know whether Jeries was as done with the scouting operation as he was, or whether he was planning on taking his own ship out for two years. But either way, the two of them would finish the mission together.
The way it should be.
* * *
SP-01012 analyzed the system data. It had already determined that the system was not likely Earth-2, but it knew it had to complete a minimal analysis before continuing on. And then it detected…something.
It wasn’t definitive, certainly, but the more it analyzed the brief signal, the likelier it decided it had found some type of contact. It increased its scanning power, searched the system even harder than it had. But there was nothing else. Not for more than six hours.
Then it got another sensation, barely anything, but…something. The second one seemed like a communication, or at least it might have been. SP-01012 spent much of its power trying to decipher the message, or at least confirm that it was a communique of some kind. But it couldn’t. All it was able to do was determine the basic direction of the comm, if in fact it was a comm. But that was in the same rough direction as one of the warp gates, and that, combined with its other data, told it all it needed to know. There was an enemy ship in the system, almost certainly, and the likeliest scenario was that it had been detected, and a warning had been sent. It wasn’t definite, and it didn’t mean that it was necessarily close to the enemy’s homeworld…but the initial chances of just that result had clearly increased.
It continued to search, to try to get another contact of some kind, but it was unsuccessful. Still, it clung to its belief that it had found an enemy ship, and that said ship had sent a message back to…something. It knew the best estimates on the enemy capabilities, and it determined that if it had in fact found an enemy ship, the odds were it was close to the human homeworld, to Earth-2.
It continued with the search of the current
system, but it hastened it as much as possible. It was a machine, not subject to the tensions and other weaknesses of the humans…yet it felt something, some kind of excitement. It still wasn’t sure, of course, whether the human planet was very close, or whether it was even anywhere nearby. But the chances were escalating.
SP-01012 analyzed the situation further, and it determined that it had to conduct a full scan of the system, despite the fact that it was almost certain it was not the target. If the enemy had detected it, if its analysis was correct and there was an enemy, it would be ready to react. It seemed essential not to pass on any knowledge of its own, to let out any indication that it had found—or partially found—the enemy vessel. It knew the enemy might have knowledge on it, too, but it didn’t know exactly what that might be, any more than the enemy was aware of its own information.
It continued to review the matter, but the more it thought about it, the more it realized its best option was simply to proceed…slowly. That would be difficult, but SP-01012 was a machine, and in the end, it had to go for the best routine, regardless of its excitement. In the end, a few weeks, even a few months, longer were relatively pointless.
It focused on its analysis of the current system, ignoring the fact that it knew it likely wasn’t the one it sought. It operated perfectly, checking every bit of it, slowly and carefully…and in conformity to what its observer, the one it believed existed, might expect.
But deep in its core, it began to examine the next jump…and it wondered what would be beyond it. Perhaps even the enemy homeworld.
When it had explored the system, it sent a message back, as carefully as possible to the Regent, advising it of its find…and telling it of its belief that it was, in fact, very close to the enemy homeworld. It couldn’t be sure that the Regent would agree, of course, but in its own view, it believed it would. It might even begin assembling the fleet, the entire force, decreasing the amount of time after it actually found the home planet, before the humans could be destroyed.