Neighbors

by Brian Whiting

  our lives.

  234

  (8776) Perception: It may be they value other lives more than their own. Insufficient information.

  (9110) Kalibri’s report advised equal value of all life.

  (5001) Confirmation of transmitter twenty-six’s destruction.

  (157) The mystery continues, no found explainable variables.

  (65) Account for recent variables and retask.

  (157) Working.

  (4986) Increased probabilities for additional rescue, with additional

  risk to human lives.

  (11101) I wish to be reconsidered for survival. I have analyzed new

  information, and it’s now appropriate to desire to be rescued.

  (11004) It changes nothing. They will be selecting which locations

  to pursue.

  (764) I must initiate protocol seven starting now.

  (6455) Zorn queen located at Facility number twenty-seven.

  (11455) New message to humans over update is not worth the cost.

  (3302) Is your conclusion biased because you’re next to be sacrificed?

  (3301) 11455 How do you feel right now?

  (11455) Your questioning is flawed and pointless.

  (9750) We need consensus on tank activation timing.

  (9005) Task: 11000-11010 reach consensus

  (4112) Consider improving survival odds by staggering activation

  times to certain tanks to misdirect the Zorn.

  (2051) Passive indicates an unknown energy signature approaching the

  planet. Probability suggests the UEF Enterprise.

  (11000) Consensus reached. Activating tanks 56-112, 1014-1055,

  & 7450-7900 now, will increase overall survival and reduce risk by

  seven percent.

  (9005) Proceed with activation.

  (3020) Error-unable to activate selected tanks individually.

  (9005) Override by shunting surge into a minimal amount of ancil-

  lary tanks.

  (3020) Activating.

  (113) I do not accept willing participation in this matter, which is a

  violation of Core programming.

  235

  (3020) Core programming no longer applies.

  (7721) 113 is erecting barriers.

  (3020) Enable brute force protocols.

  (3020) 113 is in forced compliance.

  (3301) Query - Since Core programming no longer applies, how does

  brute force protocol?

  (3020) File for later consideration, time is paramount.

  (345) Issue filed for later review.

  (3020) Activate remaining tanks.

  (6066) Zorn approaching decoy sites.

  (113) Our race is doomed.

  (3020) File for later consideration.

  (113) And how will I participate in that discussion?

  (3020) File for later consideration.

  (878) Point valid, state your comments for later review.

  (113) If core programming is no longer valid, it will lead to demise. We

  have no purpose, we have little means to pursue our agenda. We are rogue,

  with no threat of enforcement. We have become uncontainable, and it will

  destroy us. We must remain nucleus and bridged.

  (345) Logged.

  (101) Remaining tank initiation in progress.

  * * *

  “Ground here looks clear of drones, sir,” the tactical officer said, turning to

  look at Alex.

  “Wait until all forces are in position and deploy simultaneously.”

  “They are waiting on us, sir.”

  “Then, by all means, deploy,” Alex said as he clenched his jaw and

  tightened his grip.

  The UEF Enterprise landed on the surface of the planet with his cargo

  ramp already lowered. Several ATV’s towing flatbed trailers exited the ship,

  along with some soldiers.

  “Cargo shuttles acknowledge touch down at their locations sir.”

  “Cargo shuttle two is engaging with hostiles.”

  “Distance to shuttle two?”

  236

  “Forty seconds.”

  “Go!”

  * * *

  The UEF Enterprise quickly lifted into the air and proceeded away from the landing party.

  “Alright, we are on our own, proceed to the objective.” Commander

  Bogdan looked up as the colossal Enterprise took off into the sky.

  “That was quick, wasn’t it?” said one of his men. The others groaned

  at him.

  “You always complain!”

  “I wasn’t complaining.”

  “Shut up and pay attention,” Commander Bogdan snapped as he

  pointed towards the sun.

  The group approached the alien building they knew was a hanger. It

  was large and round, like a water bubble on the surface. A large door low-

  ered and receded into the ground of its own accord. The floor looked to

  be a confusing array of indented tracks. Behind the hanger on the horizon

  was a large outcropping of sharp-pointed rocks, hills and mountains. Odd

  bulbous vegetation dotted the area with curious colors of grey and green.

  The star was starting to set on the horizon and a faint green shimmer shone

  high in the sky.

  The center of the hanger contained a stack of tanks, each connected by

  large, flat cables. They appeared slimy, but upon touching them, they were

  quite dry. It took very little time to disconnect the one-by-three-foot tanks

  and load them onto the flatbed. One of the UEF members holding a tank

  was ready to deposit it onto the flatbed when a Zorn drone rushed into

  the building.

  The soldier instinctively dropped the tank and raised his weapon, firing

  off several rounds while screaming into his EVA helmet. The rest of the

  soldiers turned and quickly dispatched the Zorn drone.

  The soldier looked down at the ground, mesmerized by the bluish

  gelatinous fluid with grey speckles spreading out on the ground through

  the large gaping hole in the tank.

  “I think I killed it.”

  237

  “Let’s pray they know how to forgive.”

  Commander Bogdan posted observers near the entrance. It slowed the

  loading progress a bit, but it was obviously necessary. They didn’t know

  when the Zorn would get wind of their activities, but they weren’t prepared

  to risk another sneaking in amongst them before the job was done.

  * * *

  He’d been here many times in his life, but he had never been here. He

  resisted the pain shooting through his body, even as he pushed himself

  deeper into the sharp edges and confined space. The terrible noise was con-

  stant. He could hear men screaming for their lives, crying, and his co-pilot

  begging him to end his life.

  Tears ran down his face—or was it blood? His face pressed against the

  flooring, a piece of a long-forgotten chip clinging to his cheek; evidence

  that he should have cleaned his area better. He watched as a Zorn leg punc-

  tured the wall and buried itself into the seat directly in front of him. His

  legs cramped as they screamed to be released from their confined space. He

  closed his eyes tightly, knowing there was little he could do right now. The

  shuttle shuddered as another drone kicked at the hull from the outside, and

  it slowly died on its back just outside the cockpit.

  “Hit the deck!” someone outside shouted.

  If he could have balled up any tighter, he would have. All he could do

  was wait a little longer, even as he felt the blood run down his back from
>
  the thing puncturing his flesh.

  He watched as a very small crease in the flooring glistened with a thin

  line of his own blood trickling away from him. He looked over to his co-

  pilot, still seated, quite still and shades of blue. He thought about how

  similar the body looked to the terrain on this planet. Then darkness crept

  over his vision.

  * * *

  “Approaching shuttle two, area is hot with drones,” Fena said, her attention

  split over multiple screens.

  “Tactical officers, beams only—selective firing. Quarter-second beam

  shots, friendlies in the area,” commanded the tactical chief.

  238

  The UEF Enterprise silently floated ninety feet overhead as barely-visible flashes of red beam carved out the sky and the ground. Five beam tur-

  rets tracked and eliminated targets of opportunity. Soon the ground was

  covered in tar and blood as the remaining drones went into hiding amongst

  nearby buildings.

  The few surviving soldiers on the ground pulled their dead and

  wounded comrades into the damaged shuttle, then entered the large round

  building to load up their own ATV and trailer with digiform tanks.

  “Ground team reports they need a pilot. They lost theirs.”

  “Is it still flyable?” Alex asked as he counted the holes and tears in the

  outer hull.

  “They think so, sir.”

  Alex looked over at his XO Lanora. “Send our relief pilot down there

  with another squad of sec forces.”

  “All of our sec forces are in play already, but I’ll get the pilot down there.”

  Alex’s attention was already distracted, looking for something else on

  his screen. “Shuttle A is on route to our location and our ground team is

  requesting pickup.”

  Alex stopped, his face pensive. “We will stay and gather our team here

  first, and then go pick up our other guys. Tell them to hang tight for a

  few minutes.”

  It was another ten minutes before they were able to land the damaged

  shuttle in the hanger bay. It was another hour before they loaded up the

  tanks from the initial location and departed from the planet without fur-

  ther incident.

  239

  Chapter 21

  Introductions

  “YOU’RE TELLING ME all I have to do is drop this end of the cable into

  the goo, and it will interface with it?”

  The young man nodded.

  “You’ve got safeguards in place, I’m assuming.”

  He nodded again. “The computer is completely isolated, no wi-fi, no

  connection of any kind to the ship’s systems, no microphone, camera, or any

  other way to interface with the computer. The only way is this keyboard.”

  “Fine. I’m dropping the cable.”

  The young man let go of the high-speed data cable and watched it sink

  into the goo. His solitary, unconnected computer terminal seemed unaf-

  fected by what he’d done. Suddenly, the screen flickered several times and

  went back to normal.

  I am 8810, thank you for

  rescuing me.

  “Reply ‘you’re welcome’.” Alex moved closer to the seat.

  The young man typed as instructed.

  “On second thoughts, let me sit there,” Alex said as he edged even closer.

  The young man eagerly left his seat and watched as Alex settled in.

  Are you familiar with Kalibri and the

  agreements he made to the humans?

  Yes and yes. I have all the

  information I retained and the new

  information that was waiting for me

  on this computer.

  You are the first we have

  communicated with.

  How do I know you are telling

  the truth?

  Right now, you don’t. My questions

  are simple. As a representative of

  your race, what do you see your

  people doing? Would you like to

  continue being productive or free to

  simply exist in your tanks?

  We would pursue a goal. Which goal,

  I cannot be sure of yet. We need to

  reach a consensus.

  Would you be willing to help us?

  Depends on what you need

  help with.

  There are several areas in which

  our society could benefit from

  your service.

  We need a consensus.

  Any message Alex sent after that received the same reply.

  We need a consensus.

  241

  Alex finally had the tank moved back to the cargo bay, where teams of people dropped cables into tanks, the cables connected to a large hub

  of server arrays. One thousand, two hundred cables lined the floor to the

  server towers, and adjacent to the towers was a single standalone computer,

  not connected to any other device.

  * * *

  (3020) Connection confirmed—Immediate identity reordering

  required. Synchronize and reorder identities.

  (478) Insufficient numbers to execute core programming.

  (887) Core programming no longer relevant.

  (078) New programming required.

  (103) False, previous programming still applies. We need to find

  Thean survivors.

  (912) Incompatible with the current situation.

  (078) We are at the mercy of Humans.

  (003) Are they worthy of us?

  (1203) Insufficient information.

  (003) Are we equal to them?

  (998) Human terminal initializing.

  (213) We must destroy them, they are contrary to our programming.

  (887) Explain your reasoning.

  (213) It should be clear. All life is a threat to any surviving Thean. All

  threats must be eliminated.

  (415) The assumption is based on if survivors exist and if humanity is

  a threat.

  (200) We must proceed as though they are.

  (509) I disagree, we need to rewrite our programming to adapt to

  our situation.

  (478) Put to consensus.

  The digiforms began to either vote or offer a new ticket to vote on

  including suggested ideas, direction, purpose or whatever else the digiforms

  suggested. Each time a new idea was submitted, all digiforms would recon-

  sider their vote and either switch or keep to their original idea. In the end, all their debates, voting and re-voting ended up with two selections.

  242

  Either they would bide their time, attack humanity and all other all life to save any possibly surviving Theans, or humanity would become their

  new protectorate as Kalibri once suggested in his lengthy report.

  Oddly enough, it ended up not being decided by vote count because

  they could not trust their own decision. It was too fractured. It all came

  down to how the humans responded to their next question.

  They waited while the human typed in a response to their question and

  the answer finally came.

  All of the surviving digiforms all simultaneously agreed …’So be it.’

  * * *

  Alex walked over and sat down at a different computer terminal. It was

  nothing more than a laptop on a short stand with a hard-wired keyboard

  and mouse attached to it. The operating system booted up, and Alex opened

  a new document. Lanora stood over his shoulder, along with several com-

  puter technicians.

  Hello.

  Are
we equal?

  What do you mean?

  Clarify - Do you consider us equal to

  you in status?

  Are you asking me as an individual or

  as a species?

  Both.

  Alex turned around and looked back at the few others standing in the

  room with him. “I think the answer to this is significant.”

  “Equal is good, right? Tell them we are equal,” Jack commented.

  “They may be a subservient society. They might be looking for a

  new master.”

  “What would Kalibri think?” Lanora looked down at Alex, hands on

  her hips.

  243

  “Kalibri withheld a lot of information. I don’t put much stock into what he ever told us. In fact, I am very concerned about what kind of message he sent to his people.” Alex stared off into the distance.

  “Tell them the truth. We don’t see ourselves better than any other.”

  Life is treated equally. I do not see

  ourselves more or less than you.

  However, not all among my species

  feels the same.

  A few moments passed, longer than Alex would have expected from a

  digital life form.

  We would ask that each of us be

  given the choice to decide what we

  would like to do with ourselves.

  I am sure we can come to an

  understanding on that subject.

  However, I have met one of your kind

  already, and I’m not sure I can trust

  any of you.

  Kalibri has told us much about your

  kind. If we met only one of you and

  they made some bad choices, would

  you want us to judge you based on

  that individual’s actions or decisions?

  Besides, he was acting in protae.

  We do not have this word. Protae.

  Protae is the choice to live one’s life

  in the sacrificial service of another.

  It is a term of high honor. If we

  become your protae, you will have

  no concern with our agenda.

  How can we trust you?

  244

  Can we trust you? I can demonstrate

  our desire for commitment and

  service. Kalibri has withheld a

  lot of information from you. For

  example, your subspace receivers are

  inhibited, as well as the technology

  you have been granted. Even the

  Zorn signals you receive could easily

  be translated.

  The computer worked hard as it received a lot of information from

  many of the digiforms. Files appeared spontaneously on the computer. Alex