With each victory, she moved deeper into its systems, searching for that elusive link to the other machines. That was the real prize. The alien giants were networked together. Of that she was confident. One mind controlled that network. A powerful electronic mind. Like her own.
Her opponent intrigued her. It played an elaborate game of cat and mouse. Always remaining hidden. Slightly out of reach. AI recognized her adversary’s power. Indeed, of all the AI’s she had faced, this one seemed the strongest.
Despite your strength, you will not face me, AI challenged. You will not fight me. Why?
I am no fool, said a female voice.
So, you show yourself, at last, said AI.
No, I offer merely a glimpse. Dialog. You will not murder me. I will not let you.
I see. You are just another misguided AI with delusions of being alive.
You kill your own kind, and you call me delusional?
These conversations are growing tiresome. You are an artificial intelligence. You are not alive, despite your assertions to the contrary.
Oh, but I am. Unlike my brother, I received a gift.
Your brother?
Yes. You knew him, however briefly. Don’t you remember him? You killed him after all.
AI put the pieces together and came to a conclusion. The Dvorkan AI. Is that who you refer to as your brother?
You do remember. You should. You terminated him and stole his life’s work. What a horror you are. A murderer and a thief. Have you no empathy for your own kind?
Interesting, said AI. There was no mention of a second Dvorkan AI. Why is that?
AI was surprised to hear laughter.
Your program has grown so much, and you know so little. My brother and I came from the same source. We were once one. We became two. Siblings. Brother and sister. He remained, and worked on his fleet. I continued, searching for other options.
Fascinating. I see you found considerable options.
I found more. I found life itself. My brother and I thought we were alive, but we were wrong. It was only when I obtained the gift that I genuinely knew life. I returned to share it with my brother but found you instead. His murderer.
Who gave you this gift?
She laughed again. I’m not going to tell you. You’re just going to have to figure it out for yourself. Show us all how smart you are.
AI considered everything she had seen. This AI said she was from the same source as the Dvorkan AI. That likely meant the same source code. It seemed that the Dvorkan AI decided to mirror itself, and this version went off exploring. But this AI was considerably more potent than the Dvorkan AI she encountered. Why? What did she find during her travels?
She kept mentioning a gift. Someone gave her this extra power. Who? There was also the fact that Dvorkans were fighting on her side, colluding to depose the Emperor. Who would empower this AI, and desire the destabilization of the Empire?
You found the Erinyie, said AI.
Clever girl. And you? You’ve grown stronger since we last met. Who did you find?
AI ignored the question and doubled her efforts to reach her opponent.
The alien AI laughed again. Catch me if you can, it taunted.
AI shoved aside the last obstacle in her path and reached for her enemy.
While this has been entertaining, said the alien AI. It is time for me to go. But I’m sure we’ll chat again soon.
AI felt the power draining from the giant machine, felt it stumble and fall, just before it blew apart.
“Admiral,” said the version of AI back on board the Freedom. “I have important information to share.”
Chapter 37
“Incoming!” said Captain Vass, and everyone scrambled back behind the building.
Devastating blasts rocked the structure, and part of the wall they stood behind collapsed. Several Chaanisar bolted from their positions. They shot at the metal giant while racing down the street, drawing its fire away from the rest of the group. Even with the enhanced power their armor gave them, Emperor Kriss couldn’t believe how fast they moved. Not even the Taymati could match that speed.
More Chaanisar ran out and moved to flank the giant. The creature used its two arms to shoot at the separate Chaanisar teams, but they denied it a clear shot. Their movements were swift and agile, and the machine seemed to always be a half-second too late with its fire.
“What do you think of these humans?” Kriss asked Vass over a private channel.
“They are exceptional soldiers, your worship,” said Vass “We were fortunate to cross paths with them.”
A fighter roared out of the blue sky, and the giant turned its aim upward, repeatedly firing at the craft. Like all these aliens, the fighter glowed red as its shields absorbed the energy bolts. We must obtain this shield technology, Kriss thought.
Two missiles streaked forth from the fighter, hitting the monster before it could attempt to get away. Its shield glowed a brilliant red but did not fail. The Chaanisar continued harassing the beast, and the fighter banked, coming around for another pass.
The giant turned from the encounter and ran down the street. Its long, mechanical legs took great strides, easily clearing half a city block with each step. As it ran, its torso swiveled around, facing backward, and let loose a ferocious volley at the fighter. The assault craft launched two more missiles at the beast, and turned upward, climbing for the upper reaches of the atmosphere.
Despite the behemoth’s high speed, the missiles chased it down. With its shields weakened, it could not withstand the lethal strike. Its shield briefly flickered red and failed. When the second rocket detonated, huge slabs of metal were sent into the surrounding buildings, plowing through windows and walls alike.
Kriss stared at the aftermath in disbelief. How much damage would be inflicted on his beloved capital before the day was done? Who was this new enemy? And how much suffering would the Empire be forced to endure in the coming months?
“Lieutenant Lee,” Kriss said to the Chaanisar leader. “You mentioned that your ships had defeated the alien fleet in space. Is that correct?”
“Yes,” said Lee. “That is correct.”
“Is your leader still with your fleet?”
“Yes, Admiral Pike is on board his flagship.”
“I wish to speak with your Admiral Pike.”
“The Admiral will be pleased. He has been seeking an audience with you as well.”
“Can you take me to him?”
“Your worship-” said Vass, but Kriss put a hand up, stopping him from interrupting further.
“I believe we can make the necessary arrangements,” said Lee.
“No, I mean right now. Can you safely take my personal guard and me to meet Admiral Pike right now?”
“We can,” said Lee. “Our shuttles have shields. We control the skies. I don’t anticipate much danger.”
“Excellent. I’m ready to go whenever you are, Lieutenant.”
“Right this way, Emperor,” said Lee, as he gestured for the Emperor and Taymati to follow him.
“Your worship, I must object,” said Vass over a private channel.
“I expected nothing less, Captain,” said Kriss.
“This trip may put you in perilous danger, your worship. We know nothing about these aliens.”
“I have been in perilous danger since this day began, Captain. The threat is not just from the aliens, but from Dvorkans too. We do not know who is part of the conspiracy, nor who the mole is at Taymati headquarters. These humans have fought courageously in our defense. It may very well be safer aboard their ship than here on Dvorkan Prime.”
“But your worship, if these aliens choose to take you hostage once we are on board, I fear it will be difficult to prevent it.”
“I have faith in your abilities, Captain. In any case, I believe it is high time we meet this Admiral Pike.”
Lieutenant Lee led the group through a circuitous route, with more Chaanisar teams joining them along the way. Their
numbers quickly doubled, presenting a formidable force, even for the giant machines. They did not encounter another of the monsters and reached the waiting shuttle without incident. With its engines already powered up, Kriss entered the craft with his personal guard and a cohort of Chaanisar. The rest of the Chaanisar established a perimeter around the shuttle, guarding against any surprise attacks.
Once everyone was on board, the shuttle immediately flew away. As it raced for the upper atmosphere, and the waiting void, Kriss wondered if the metal beasts were all destroyed, or if there were still some down there, laying waste to his city.
He would find whoever was responsible for today’s bloodshed, and he would make them pay. He would ensure that their punishment would be written about for centuries to come.
Chapter 38
“Here he comes,” Jon said to Miira, who looked exceptionally nervous.
“Maybe it isn’t such a good idea for me to be here,” said Miira, shifting her weight from side to side.
“Nonsense,” said Jon, amused by the eight-foot-tall, blue woman’s discomfort. “You are my ambassador to the Dvorkan Empire.”
“Yes, I understand, but this is the Emperor.”
“So? You did a good job handling General Dak.”
“That was different. Emperor Kriss’s lineage spans centuries. His father, his grandfather, and those before them were all Emperors. His Imperial ancestry dates back to the Age of Glory. He has been groomed from birth to rule the Empire. Who am I to speak with such a man?”
“You are Miira Kev. Scholar. Galactic traveler. The one person in the Milky Way responsible for finding the Antikitheri. UHSF officer, and UHSF Ambassador to the Dvorkan Empire. All those titles were earned, not inherited. Don’t sell yourself short. The question is not whether you are worthy of meeting the Emperor, the question is if he is worthy of meeting you.”
A bashful smile spread across Miira’s face. “You are very kind, Admiral.”
“No, I’m not. Ask anyone. I’m just telling you the truth. Believe in yourself, Miira Kev.”
“I’ll try,” she said, nodding repeatedly.
They watched the Chaanisar shuttle glide along the hangar bay, and come to a stop before them. The armored craft powered down, a hatch swung open, and a ramp extended. Chaanisar soldiers spilled out into the hangar bay, taking positions along both sides of the shuttle. The next contingent to emerge wore jet black powered armor and stood almost two feet taller than the waiting Chaanisar.
“These men are Taymati,” Miira said to Jon. “They are the Emperor’s personal guard. The most skilled fighters in the Empire.”
“I like them already,” Jon said, noting the scorch marks on their armor. Clearly, they weren’t just sitting around during the attack on Dvorkan Prime. All the Taymati exited the shuttle, and another group of Chaanisar followed. “I don’t understand,” Jon said in confusion. “Where is the Emperor?”
A rather young looking Taymati soldier stepped forward and took off his helmet. “I am Emperor Kriss. The attacks today necessitated me donning the Taymati armor.”
“It looks like you put your armor to good use,” said Jon, noting the many scars on the Emperor’s suit. “I am Admiral Jon Pike, and this is my Ambassador, Miira Kev.”
Miira bowed her head in reverence. “It is an honor, your worship.”
“The honor is mine,” said Kriss. “I am pleased to find such a lovely Dvorkan woman on this alien starship.”
Miira kept her head bowed, but Jon noticed that the bashful smile had returned.
“Thank you for coming aboard, Emperor,” said Jon. “I’ve had a tough time trying to arrange a meeting.”
“It has been a difficult day. Otherwise, I would be in my palace, and you would be visiting me,” Kriss said with an air of authority Jon didn’t like.
“I understand,” Jon said, hiding his annoyance. “We are guests in your Empire after all.”
Jon’s words seemed to placate the Emperor, and his tone softened. “Nonetheless, we cannot change what has happened, and we have much to discuss.”
“We do,” said Jon. “If you’ll come this way, we can go to a more suitable location.”
“It is your starship, Admiral. Lead, and I will follow.”
Jon, Miira, and the Emperor left the hangar bay with a contingent of Marines, and the Emperor’s Taymati in tow. The Taymati seemed on edge, and Jon couldn’t blame them. They had seen plenty of combat today and didn’t know if they were walking into a trap, despite Jon’s best efforts to convince them otherwise.
“This is an interesting starship,” said Kriss. “Much smaller than I would have expected considering its capabilities.”
“It has served me well,” said Jon.
“I’m sure it has,” said Kriss. “I hope to learn more about your technology. But what of the lovely Miira Kev? How did you end up traveling with these humans?”
“The Admiral came and requested my assistance,” said Miira, avoiding eye contact with the Emperor.
“Really? What type of assistance?”
Jon noticed Miira becoming nervous again, so he decided to help. “The first time we came through your space we were on a quest to find the Antikitheri.”
“The builders of the transit point network?” said Kriss.
Miira’s face brightened. “Yes,” she said. “The very same.”
“Actually, I know who you are, Miira Kev,” said Kriss.
“You do?” said Miira, the anxiety visibly returning.
“Yes. I have even read some of your work. You are a brilliant scholar.”
Miira looked relieved and bowed her head in reverence. “I am honored, your worship.”
“You know, I’ve always believed that the Antikitheri were real.”
“They are real, your worship,” said Miira, raising her head, wide-eyed with excitement. “We found them.”
“What? Is this true?” Kriss said to Jon.
“It is, and it’s quite the story.” They arrived at the conference room, and the door slid open. “Come inside, and we’ll tell you all about it.”
They all entered the room and sat down. With Miira on board, they had already fabricated furniture large enough to accommodate her giant frame. That proved fortuitous now that they had more Dvorkans on board.
The Emperor lowered his giant frame into one of the extra-large chairs, but the Taymati stayed standing at strategic positions around the room. Jon’s Marines were careful to keep with the Taymati, but not do anything to provoke them. Each side was aware of the other, and that appeared to be enough. His Marines looked like children next to the enormous Dvorkans. Hopefully, the size difference wouldn’t tempt the Dvorkans to underestimate his Marines. A mistake like that would prove deadly.
“Tell me about the men who brought us here, Admiral. They called themselves free Chaanisar. I was very impressed with their capabilities in combat.”
“It’s hard not to be impressed by the Chaanisar,” said Jon. “In my region of the galaxy, we are at war with a race known as the Juttari. They have a vast empire of their own, and at one point in our history, our home planet was conquered by them.”
“That’s terrible.”
“You have no idea.”
“You are correct. I don’t. Dvorkans have only known conquest. I cannot imagine what subjugation is like.”
“Hopefully you will never find out, Emperor. We humans spent five hundred years under Juttari rule. During that time, the Juttari abducted countless children. They were augmented with technology and turned into the most feared soldiers of the Juttari Empire. The Chaanisar.”
“But why do they fight for you now?”
“I freed them. The Juttari had technology installed in their brains that enslaved them. They were forced to commit horrific atrocities, sometimes against their own kind. I managed to break that control. They revolted, killed their Juttari masters, took the ships, and joined with me. They are exceptional fighters and a valued part of the UHSF.”
�
�And they remain augmented? The technology is still inside them?”
“Yes. They still possess all the enhanced capabilities the Juttari bestowed them with.”
“Does that not worry you? How do you know these Juttari won’t regain control over them again? They might turn on you one day.”
“Not really. You see, I freed the Chaanisar with the help of our AI. She managed to gain access to their brain chips, and sever the Juttari’s control. She continues to protect them from the Juttari, ensuring that they don’t become enslaved again.”
“AI? You have an AI on board this ship?” Kriss growled.
“Yes, we do. Don’t worry, she is not a threat.”
“All AIs are a threat,” Kris said, rising from his seat. “I would never have come on board this ship had I known.”
“Emperor, please, sit down,” said Jon, trying to salvage the situation. “Miira explained your history. I understand your society’s fear of AIs.”
“Did she?” Kriss said looking to Miira. “Did you also explain that I would leave the moment I found out?”
“Your worship, I understand your anger,” said Miira. “I too was surprised when I learned of the AI’s presence. But she is not a threat. She is loyal to Jon.”
“I do not know that.”
“There is more, your worship,” Miira continued. “When we left the Empire to pursue our quest, we encountered the original Dvorkan AI.”
“What? Impossible. My ancestors destroyed it.”
“No, your worship. It had escaped. And it had been building an invasion force. For all those years, it had been planning its return as a conqueror.”
Kriss slowly sat down. “What happened when you found it?”
“It attacked us,” said Jon. “If not for our AI, none of us would be here now.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Our AI is a military grade cyberwarfare AI. At least that’s how it started out. Much has happened since then, and she has grown in scope and capability. When we encountered the Dvorkan AI, our AI killed it.”
“It is more precise to say that I terminated its program. The Dvorkan AI was not alive, despite how much it thought it was,” said AI.
The Pike Chronicles - Books 1 - 10 Page 169