Swarm

by Devon C Ford

  ~

  The dissection went on, exposing a filament in the exoskeleton that both absorbs and reflects low-intensity light. Theories about the gravitational effects on the earth during the times around a full moon were banded around until they ended up with more questions than answers.

  “However it boils down,” Anderson said, “these things are being controlled, and—stop me if I’m wrong, Doctor-that means there’s a nest or a hive where all these things go back to… to recharge or whatever they need to do.”

  “Excuse me,” Hendricks said, “recharge?”

  “Yes,” Herbert said, “there appears to be an organic sack inside that acts as a kind of power storage unit.”

  “Right, this thing just got one step too weird for me,” Hendricks said. “Where are the rest of them and how do we kill them?”

  “I would not be so hasty to want this new species extinct,” Herbert said, “we do not know the effect this could have on the ecosystem. What if they are pollenating the local fauna? We could cause our own extinction if we act too hastily.”

  “Well,” Amir said, “this is all fascinating. Keep up the good work, Doctors.” With that he left abruptly, like the whole conversation was boring him and he had stayed for as long as his manners had allowed.

  ~

  “Are you there, Annie?” Amir muttered toward his radio without pressing any buttons.

  “I’m here,” she responded immediately.

  “We need to get to the Charlie site soon,” he told her, “and I need your help to convince the others.”

  “For what purpose?” Annie asked.

  “Annie, you know why. We need to see if the site still contains what I showed you before. There’s the real possibility we can learn more about The Swarm, about the tech needed to control them because I think it could only have come from Charlie Annie. But remember, you agreed to keep what may be in there secret until we can be sure it’s still there.”

  “Of course, Mister Weatherby, I apologize. However, lying is something I am new to and it may take me a few attempts to perfect it.”

  Amir smiled. “Annie you’re not lying… just omitting to tell all the details. That’s all.”

  Annie gave a dull tone as though thinking before going silent for a few seconds.

  “I believe that the difference between an intentionally told untruth and the omission of prevalent facts in order to deceive or mislead people is effectively the same thing,” she said finally. Amir smiled to himself.

  “And you never studied law. That’s where you need to trust me, Annie,” he said with a smirk, “business and politics are my arena.”

  CHAPTER 7

  Show of Strength

  Annie kept Amir connected so he could hear as she opened what Hendricks automatically assumed was a private communication.

  “For me to analyze the data we have further,” she said, “I need to gain access to the Charlie site artificial intelligence interface. There could be data there I can use to find out more about The Swarm.”

  Amir listened as Hendricks responded immediately, noting with curiosity that she distanced herself as far as she could from the other Annie.

  “Understood. How long will it take, and how do I get you there?” he asked. “We’ve got a lot of other things happening and splitting our forces between two sites is something I’ll struggle with right now.”

  Annie had a tone of amusement in her voice as she responded. “Mister Hendricks,” she said, “from studies of your physique and facial structure, I am sure that if I was not just an artificially created voice evolved over billions of lines of coding, but a human female as my voice suggests, I would certainly enjoy being carried by you. But that pleasure will be denied to me as a simple remote uplink between this location and the site will be sufficient for me to access the other Annie.”

  It was Hendricks’ turn to chuckle. “Annie, are you flirting with me?”

  “Perhaps. Was my attempt effective? I am learning to try and be more human in how I interact as I calculate that will give me better results and speed up response times by shortening future communications.”

  Amir didn’t need his earpiece in to hear Hendricks laughing from across the compound as he responded. “Annie, you were doing just great until you told me you were playing me,” he said, pausing to gather himself. “Yes, I understand your need to plug into the other Annie and I know that the information you might gain could be useful in learning about The Swarm, but what’ll that do to help us given the current situation? The talk in the lab was about a hive or queen or whatever you call it controlling them. Surely the priority should be to find that if we’re going to protect ourselves?”

  “You are correct, but as we now know, the bugs are artificially created and if you apply a logical thought process to the facts then it follows that The Swarm may be controlled by some higher-level technology. I believe the human equivalent for this would be arrogance, but I doubt that anything on the planet fits that description better than my own program, or that of the lesser versions of me. Logic dictates that if that was the case, Charlie site Annie would have relevant data stored in her memory.” She paused, some self-created algorithm designed to see if the counterparts in her conversation had anything to add or question. “Also,” she continued as no interruption came, “on a logistical level we expended approximately fifteen percent of our munitions last night. If the same event occurs again, which logic also dictates it will, we will run out of ammunition halfway through the seventh attack.”

  Hendricks sighed. “Okay, Annie. You’re very persuasive and as you’ve put it so succinctly, I cannot argue with your irrefutably logical conclusions, so I’ll start to plan a mission to the site. And wait,” he said, “approximately?”

  “Yes, Doctor Anderson told me a very long time ago to use contractions when conversing with humans as they do not appreciate accuracy, believing it to be excessive. That is a potential flaw in human logic as it provides a less complete picture, but the exact figure is fourteen point six-eight-six-seven percent.”

  Hendricks paused as he thought for a moment.

  “I know which team members I’d take and who I’d leave behind, but who else do you suggest we need?”

  Annie responded immediately. “Mister Weatherby needs to be included as he is the only one of us to have visited the site and will know the location of what we need to access. Also, Doctor Anderson, as we will most likely require his expertise with any hardware issues we find in attempting to connect me to... it. No one else would be mission critical, but I am open to suggestions.”

  “I’ll think about it, Annie, but at the moment I imagine keeping the numbers down would be my preferred optio—”

  “Drones have detected three people emerging from the trees facing the gate,” Annie interrupted urgently. “One of them is confirmed to be Tanaka by facial recognition. Many more are hidden in the tree line. Please hold whilst I perform an accurate count.”

  Hendricks didn’t wait for her answer, immediately turning and running, asking for the location of his team as he moved

  “Weber and Geiger are on the walls,” Annie told him. “Stevens, Nathalie, Jones and Magda are in the armory rearranging the supplies after rearming the automated gun system.”

  “Open a channel to them now.”

  “Done.”

  “Weber, Geiger. We have potential hostiles approaching the gate. One of you cover the gate, the other maintain position and watch the tree line. Annie has detected an unknown amount in the trees to our north.

  The rest of you meet me by the gates. Annie, launch all remaining drones and keep me informed of anything else.”

  Before Annie replied, the buzzing whine of electric motors and rotor blades spinning cut through the air as three more drones leaped into action from their charging stations. Hendricks didn’t wait for confirmation of the launch before saying, “Thank you, Annie.”

  A bleep sounded in his ear acknowledging his response.

 
Annie’s voice in Hendricks’ ear now carried a level of urgency as she spoke to the team. “The drones have detected more people to the east, south and west. My initial count is just under a hundred surrounding us on all sides.”

  Hendricks stopped dead in his tracks and spoke urgently into his radio. “Change of plan. We’ve a hundred unknowns surrounding us on all sides. All Sierra team on the walls evenly spaced out. Intentions are not clear, but my guess is that you don’t bring this many people to say hello.”

  He listened as one by one his team acknowledged the order. He was standing behind the closed gates adjusting his equipment when Amir jogged up to him. Hendricks looked at him sharply, but he nodded his head indicating that he understood who was now in charge.

  “What can we do?” Amir asked.

  Hendricks stood thinking for a few seconds. “You’ve met him, do you think he’ll have brought a bottle? I have my own opinion, but I’d value yours right now.” He barked a short, mirthless laugh. “I’m paid to expect the worst from people and act accordingly; you may have a different angle.”

  Amir nodded and brushed his fingers through the two-day growth of stubble on his chin he was uncharacteristically letting grow.

  “I’ve met enough of his type before in boardrooms. They think authority comes from controlling every one of your underlings and not allowing another power base to become strong enough to challenge your leadership, no matter how inept it is. But we’re not talking boardrooms here. I wouldn’t trust a word he says, as all he wants is—”he spread his hands, indicating everything around them“—what we have. He won’t accept sharing power as that’ll erode his own position and make him appear weaker. I don’t think negotiation will work, as his ego and the position he has won’t allow him to. The only takeover he’s capable of understanding is a hostile one and in business if you’re preparing for a hostile takeover there’s no nice way to go about it.”

  “Thank you, that’s confirmed my position. If he wants to get into a pissing contest, then I think we need to give him a show of strength. Can you organize issuing every gun we have in the armory and get every single last one of us ready to line the walls? Give the ones who don’t have guns anything that looks like a weapon. I’ll talk to him, but when I give the signal I want everyone lining the walls.” Amir nodded and turned away to make it happen. Hendricks could hear him giving instructions for every adult member of the community to gather at the armory.

  “Three of them, two hundred yards and closing,” Weber said via radio.

  “Open the gates on my command, Annie,” Hendricks ordered, “but close them as soon as I step outside. The last thing I want him to see is the inside of the compound. I’ll meet him alone and see what he has to say. Keep the channel clear,” he added for the benefit of everyone. She gave her now familiar bleep of acknowledgment in reply.

  He looked around the compound, seeing the Sierra team members standing visible on the walls all holding their main weapons ready, scanning the surrounding tree line for any movement.

  “Is everyone in position?”

  When all his team had checked in one by one, he looked over and saw Amir, helped by Hayley Cole standing at the entrance to the armory handing out every weapon they had available to the community members, who had all responded to Annie’s request without delay.

  Nodding in satisfaction, he said, “Annie, open the gates, please.”

  With a metallic clunk the locking mechanism was released, and the gates opened just enough for him to squeeze through the gap. He waited, using his body to block the entrance until he heard the gate closing and the locks engaging.

  Whispering, “It’s game time,” to himself, he walked twenty meters from the walls and stood still. He held his rifle in the low ready position where it would only take a split second to raise it to his shoulder and fire if the need arose, watching as Tanaka and two of his people approached to deliver what he suspected would be an ultimatum.

  Chapter 8

  Blink and You Lose

  As Tanaka and his two henchmen approached, Annie bleeped in Hendricks’ ear.

  “Jimmy, I have completed a drone sweep. There are eighty-six others in the trees surrounding us; thermal imaging indicates they are all holding a melee weapon of varying design.”

  Hendricks spoke quietly. “Thanks, Annie. Let’s see what he has to say for himself. Keep me informed if anything changes.”

  “Of course, Jimmy, stay safe. I’ll be listening.” She bleeped her down-tone.

  Hendricks waited, standing strong and resolute as he forced the nerves in his body to remain still and allowing himself the small victory of having Tanaka come to him.

  As he neared, Tanaka’s face broke into a broad grin and he spread his arms in an expansive welcoming gesture.

  “Hello, my friend,” he said with as much genuine kindness as a snake would regard a rat with. He looked at the destroyed remains of bugs that littered the ground around the walls, his eyes following where lines of gore were sprayed high up the barrier and where the impact of the bullets had churned the ground making some areas resemble a ploughed field. “I see you had a visit last night. I hope you all managed to stay safe. I just thought I would come by and see if we can offer you any assistance.”

  Hendricks returned the smile and waved his hands at the destruction the automated guns had caused. “Oh, that lot? They disturbed our sleep a little, but they were no match for our defense systems.” He placed a hand on his chest, his acting just as good and equally as false as Tanaka’s. “I thank you for your concern.”

  Still smiling, Tanaka answered, “Yes, I can see you managed to defend yourselves for now. I know about the things you call guns and how my ancestors used them to protect themselves, but legends tell of the dreadful massacres that happened when the bullets ran out.” He smiled even more broadly and raised his voice. “For your own safety I must insist you all come under my protection at the Springs. If they breach the walls in greater numbers next time you may not be so luc—”

  “How do you know any breached our walls?” Hendricks snapped, interrupting Tanaka’s flow. His face hardened and he changed the grip on his assault rifle. It was a small change, hardly noticeable, but he was now ready to strike.

  Tanaka quickly tried to brush over his error. “My friend,” he crooned, “I know the power of The Swarm and what they can do. Numbers as great as you encountered last night would surely have reached the top of your puny walls.” He laughed trying to ease the tension that had suddenly arisen. “It is why our walls are so high. No matter how many come, we know we will be safe. It’s why I know you will be safer under my protection.”

  With a smile that still showed no genuine friendliness he stared at Hendricks, trying to judge if he had recovered the situation. As benevolent as he tried to seem to Hendricks, he and his companions couldn’t tear their gazes away from the weapons he carried.

  Hendricks stared back for a few seconds. With an effort he didn’t let show, he relaxed his grip on his weapon and forced a smile back onto his face.

  “I thank you for your concern, a few did breach our walls, but we easily dealt with them.” Tanaka eyed the few people that stood within his sight, lining the walls.

  He chuckled in mock disbelief. “I don’t see many warriors,” he said, sounding more relieved than concerned, then tried to play the hand he thought would bring his new enemy to their knees. “I thought you may need some protection, so I have brought my best warriors to help escort you back and carry any equipment you might want to bring with you.” He paused, smiling, and raised a hand high in the air.

  Annie bleeped and began speaking in Hendricks’ ear, but he didn’t need to listen to what she was going to tell him as he could see clearly enough. He couldn’t see the entire perimeter from his position, but the tree line in his line of sight darkened as a line of warriors emerged to stand silently facing him.

  “How very thoughtful of you,” Hendricks said flatly, keeping his face devoid of any emotion. �
�Thanks for the invite but we’re not moving. We’re happy, and as you can see, secure in our little compound.”

  Tanaka snorted in disgust, his anger showing for the first time.

  “I think you misunderstand me,” he snarled, all feigned affability vanishing from his face, “I insist you come with us.” He turned and waved at the warriors in view before turning back. With a sneer, he looked at the few Sierra team members on the walls and said, “One command from me and my men will come and take it from you. You and your few warriors will not be able to stop me.”

  Hendricks laughed briefly and then hardened his voice. “Do you really want to try that?” He spoke into his radio loud enough for the enemy to hear. “Soldiers to the walls.”

  Tanaka tried to hide his shock as the walls surrounding the compound filled with people, all carrying a weapon or from the distance he was at, what looked like a weapon. He staggered backwards an involuntary pace; his face turned red with anger and spittle flew from his mouth as he shouted, “How dare you defy me! I’ll crush you like a bug under my foot. I am The Tanaka.”

  Hendricks whispered, “Annie, fire one single burst twenty yards from the tree line in front of me. Don’t hit anyone.”

  Tanaka was stopped from spewing any more impotent rhetoric as one of the automated guns on the gate raised its barrels and barked a thrumming, percussive one-second burst over their heads. He fell back in shock at the noise and spitting flames which sent a glowing red stream of bullets to stich a line in the ground just yards from the feet of the exposed warriors. The whirr of the barrels spinning drowned out the sounds of their panic as they fled back to the trees.

  Tanaka, regaining some of his composure, stared for a few seconds at the chaos and flew into a rage. “I will kill you for that. No one defies The Tanaka and lives…” His voice turned into a shrill scream as he shouted at the men standing either side of him. “GET HIM!”

  The men flanking him, in shock themselves at what they had seen, looked at Tanaka, silently questioning the command and only moved when he saw their hesitation and screamed again, “NOW, or you die too.”