Earth Fall_To the Stars

by Raymond L. Weil

  “I understand the five of you have been doing research on a quantum computer.” Erickson understood what a quantum computer was from his briefings on the technologies found on the crashed Jelnoid scout ship.

  “It’s Derek’s primary field of research,” Lisa explained. “He brought an experimental model on board the ship, and we’ve been helping him with it ever since we left on this mission.”

  “Lieutenant Keys,” said Erickson, looking in Derek’s direction. “Care to explain?”

  -

  Derek took a deep breath and spent the next hour talking about quantum computers and their uses. He also explained in detail the new algorithms they were using as well as Professor Weir’s help in creating them to begin with.

  -

  “So, you want to install this computer in the Command Center,” said Lieutenant Commander Barrington. “How safe will that be?”

  “Perfectly safe,” Derek replied. “The computer will not have access to any of the ship’s systems other than for monitoring purposes. At some point in time, when we’ve grown more confident in its functioning, we can add more responsibilities to it.”

  Captain Erickson leaned forward, his forehead creasing in a deep frown. “You speak as if this computer will be alive.”

  Derek hesitated. “We still don’t know a lot about quantum computers. The way they interact using quantum entanglement is almost like a Human brain. There is a chance the computer, after it continues to develop, will become a sentient AI.”

  -

  Lisa’s eyes opened wide. Derek had not mentioned this before. Was it possible the quantum computer could become an actual AI? Taking a deep breath, Lisa decided, when they got back to the computer lab, she would question Derek in depth about this. She was a little aggravated Derek hadn’t mentioned this before.

  -

  Captain Erickson looked at Derek as the captain considered the lieutenant’s request. “There was a quantum computer on the scout ship,” he said. Erickson had spent some time studying the records of the crashed vessel. “As a matter of fact the quantum computer on the scout ship controlled all the vessel’s functions.”

  “The one we’re installing won’t have any control unless you authorize it,” said Derek hastily. “But it could find solutions much faster than the other computers we have on the ship. It could even be useful against the Trellixians by predicting where their ships might show up.”

  Erickson’s eyes narrowed sharply. “That alone might make it useful to have the computer in the Command Center. How long to install it, if I give the okay?”

  Derek looked at the other lieutenants. “Maybe two work shifts.”

  “We’ll drop out of Fold Space in three more days at our next target star system,” said Lieutenant Commander Barrington.

  Captain Erickson thought for several moments and then nodded. “Go ahead. However, I want to be kept informed of your progress on the quantum computer during its installation. Once it’s installed, I want a demonstration of its capabilities.”

  “We can do that,” replied Derek, with a pleased look in his eyes.

  “Is there any way we can send the information about this quantum computer back to Earth?” asked Major Dolan. Professor Wilkens would be highly interested in this breakthrough.

  Lieutenant Commander Barrington shook his head. “No, we do have a hyperspace communicator, but we’re out of range of Earth.”

  “Professor Weir helped design the new algorithms we’re using, though we’ve made some modifications,” said Derek. “It’s possible they can develop a working quantum computer on their own, knowing the direction our research was taking us.”

  “Very well,” Captain Erickson said. “Get it installed and keep me informed.”

  -

  After the meeting the five lieutenants returned to the computer lab to get everything ready to install the computer in the Command Center.

  “That meeting went well,” said Derek, pleased with how everything had gone.

  “Yes, it did,” replied Lisa, staring at Derek. “Derek, what did you mean when you said the quantum computer could become an AI?” Lisa was really curious about this. “Why didn’t you mention this earlier?” She was supposed to be in charge of the group and didn’t like the idea of being left out of the loop on this. Constructing a functioning AI was big news.

  Derek sighed as he sat down in front of his workstation. “We’ve never built a computer like this before. Because of its capacity and its use of quantum entanglement to function, it has a very good possibility of developing into a sentient AI, unless we put safeguards into the algorithms to prevent this. If we do, it could limit the computer’s performance.”

  “Is there any danger?” asked Kia, her eyes focused on Derek.

  Derek shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. If I thought there was, I would have mentioned it earlier.”

  Lisa walked over to stand next to Derek with her arms folded across her chest. If they wanted Major Dolan and Captain Erickson to continue to listen to their suggestions, they could not afford a screw up on this computer. “Can you build in a cutoff so, if something goes wrong, we can deactivate the computer from my console?”

  The others looked at Lisa. They all recognized her as the leader of the group because of her association with Professor Wilkens.

  Derek looked thoughtful and finally nodded. “Yeah, I can do that.”

  “It’s a wise decision,” Brett added. “This computer can be a good thing, but, until we see it function for a period of time, it has the potential to be dangerous as well—particularly if it develops into an AI with a personality. That part does concern me some.”

  “Then we’re all in agreement,” said Lisa, looking around and seeing everyone nod. “Just before our next duty shift we’ll come here and take some of this equipment to the Command Center. Derek, make a list of everything we might need. I can get some crew personnel to help move it if necessary.” She could always get Corporals Hambridge and Peterson to help.

  Lisa sat down in front of her own workstation to study some of the scans she had taken of the different star systems the Vengeance had passed through. As she worked, she couldn’t help but think about Derek’s quantum computer. She wondered how it would influence the mission, and, if it did become a sentient AI, what it would be like. The next few days promised to be interesting, to say the least.

  Chapter Eleven

  Voltrex Fleet Commander Kamuss was confused by the latest intelligence reports from their scout ships and other planets in the Voltrex Federation. In the last several days all attacks had ceased, and the enemy fleets had pulled back from Voltrex space. There was no sound explanation for this sudden cessation of hostilities. However, it gave the Voltrex worlds time to strengthen the defenses around all twenty-eight primary worlds as well as to repair ships damaged in the battles with the Trellixians.

  “Can this be a trick of some kind?” asked Lieutenant Commander LeLath, her whiskers quivering slightly.

  Kamuss frowned, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t know. There has to be an explanation.” He picked up another report from a scout ship, which reported a Trellixian fleet breaking up into small squadrons of four to eight vessels and turning back toward Trellixian space. This report was similar to many others. Almost as if something had spooked the lizards.

  LeLath stepped to the large holographic display where she was plotting the movements of the Trellixian ships. “It’s the same everywhere. The Trellixian fleets are breaking up into smaller units and pulling back. There has been no reported contact in the past seventy hours near our space.”

  The Voltrex had 110 small scout ships trying to keep track of the Trellixians. It was a dangerous job, and, more often than not, reports came in of scout ships being discovered and destroyed. When that happened, more were sent out. There was no shortage of volunteers for the dangerous scouting missions. Every Voltrex knew what was at stake.

  “At least this behavior allows us to rebuild the defensive grid a
round Bator Seven, and also Fleet Commander Masurl has arrived with his full fleet.”

  This was a huge relief as Masurl’s fleet consisted of six battleships, twenty-eight battlecruisers, and fifty-three support ships. In addition, replacement ships had been rushed to Bator to replace those lost in the recent battle. Every day cargo ships loaded with defensive satellites arrived. Defense Commander Kallon expected a new attack any time, but the current and mysterious activity of the Trellixians confused everyone. Fleet Command had no idea what was going on.

  LeLath took a step back and made some adjustments to the holographic display. “It’s almost as if they’re searching for something. Some of the reports from the scout ships indicate the Trellixians are jumping from star system to star system.”

  Fleet Commander Kamuss looked at the holographic display, showing only the known locations of Trellixians ships. He was certain there were others their scout ships had not found. It almost seemed as if the Trellixians were creating a barrier between Trellixian space and Voltrex space. It made no sense.

  “What if they’re trying to stop a ship or ships?” suggested LeLath. “What if they’re at war with another race, and they don’t want one of their ships to reach us?”

  Kamuss almost dismissed that possibility, until he looked closer at the holographic display. If he were attempting to intercept a ship or even a small fleet, the current disposition of Trellixian forces would be exactly what he would do. A chill suddenly ran down his back, making his fur stand up. LeLath might be right. The Trellixians were trying to stop someone from reaching Voltrex space.

  “I’ll speak with Commander Kallon. If you’re right about this, we need to find those ships the Trellixians are searching for before they do. The commander can contact the High Command and inform them of our suspicions.”

  “An ally,” said LeLath, her eyes brightening. “Someone who is fighting the Trellixians, just as we are.”

  “Perhaps, or the last survivors fleeing some world the Trellixians have conquered.”

  LeLath drew in a sharp breath. “How will we find them?”

  Kamuss gestured toward the holographic display. “We use the Trellixians’ own ship deployments against them. It should give us a general idea where they expect these ships to appear, if they are, indeed, spacecraft fleeing the Trellixians.” Kamuss paused as he turned away from the holographic display. “Make my shuttle ready. Perhaps among Commander Kallon, Fleet Commanders Zolmar and Masurl, and me, we can come up with a plan.”

  “Do you think it’s that important?”

  Kamuss hesitated. “The Trellixians have stopped their advance into our space. They’ve redeployed all their fleets into this search pattern. They must think it’s important to stop these ships from reaching us. That alone justifies us finding them first.”

  “Assuming we’re right they’re searching for ships,” said LeLath with suspicious eyes. “This could also be an elaborate ruse to get us to lower our defenses.”

  “It’s possible but unlikely,” Kamuss replied as he looked once more at the display. He stood there, studying the hologram, taking it all in. “No, they’re trying to stop someone from reaching us. That’s the only logical explanation. I’ll suggest that Commander Kallon allow part of our fleet to try to find these ships first.”

  “How many ships would we take? We’ll be going into space controlled by the Trellixians, and that will be very dangerous. We won’t be able to call for reinforcements.”

  “We would need to move fast. Support ships would be useless. I also don’t want to weaken our defenses here in the Bator System. We’ll take two battleships and eight battlecruisers.”

  LeLath’s expression showed concern. “That’s not much of a fleet if we have to fight the Trellixians.”

  “I know,” replied Kamuss. “I hope to find the vessels the Trellixians are searching for and then jump away before the Trellixians can launch an attack.”

  “I’ll get the ships ready.”

  Kamuss nodded. “We’ll leave as soon as I get back from speaking with Commander Kallon and the other two fleet commanders.”

  Kamuss felt a stir of excitement. If this was a ship or fleet of ships fleeing the Trellixians, and, if they could be found, their technology could be useful. It might just be the edge the Voltrex needed to keep the Trellixians away from Voltrex space.

  -

  Lisa was busy in the Command Center of the Vengeance. They had just finished installing the quantum computer and were in the process of activating it.

  “All computer systems are normal,” reported Derek as he slowly brought the new computer system online. He pressed various icons, and, every so often, he would stop and enter some complicated computer coding.

  Lisa observed everything via her science computer, which had a secure link with the new system. It also had a small red icon with a skull and crossbones on it. That icon, if pressed, would immediately disable the quantum computer, shutting it down. It was a fail-safe option Lisa hoped they would never need, but one she felt was necessary.

  “It’s ready,” said Derek, pressing a small blinking green icon on his computer screen.

  Lisa saw Lieutenant Commander Barrington tense up, as if he expected a cataclysm to happen. “It’s only a computer,” Lisa said, grinning. “We can turn it off just as easily as we can turn it on.”

  “I’m still leery of this entire project,” replied Barrington as he watched Lieutenant Keys. “No one’s ever built a quantum computer before.”

  “The Jelnoids did,” Derek replied.

  “Yeah, and they’re all dead.”

  “There’s nothing to worry about,” Lisa reassured the lieutenant commander. She gestured toward the skull and crossbones on her computer screen. “I can shut it down at any time by simply pressing this icon.”

  “That’s what worries me,” said Barrington worriedly. “The fact we installed such a fail-safe.”

  Lisa did not reply. This quantum computer had been designed based on what they knew of Jelnoid technology. While the computer on the scout ship had been destroyed, the Jelnoid database did have some schematics as well as programming for the computer. Those schematics had been followed, but the programming had been changed since this was now a human computer and not a Jelnoid one.

  “System’s online,” reported Derek with a satisfied look. “Everything seems to be functioning normally.”

  “Is it an AI?” asked Barrington suspiciously.

  “That development will take a while,” Derek replied. “The computer is capable of learning. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

  “How long until we arrive at our next destination?” Captain Erickson asked Brett.

  “Fourteen hours,” Brett replied. “It’s a G-type star very similar to Sol.”

  “Let’s hope we’re out past Trellixian space,” added Lieutenant Commander Barrington. “I don’t want to run into any more Trellixian battlecruisers.”

  Lisa had to agree. Their last encounter with the two Trellixian battlecruisers had been frightening. Lisa still wondered if it had been a coincidence or if Trellixian space extended farther than they had originally believed.

  -

  Time flew by rapidly, and they neared their next target. On the main viewscreen, a small star was centered.

  “It’s slightly smaller than Sol with a habitable zone from seventy million kilometers to ninety-six million,” reported Lisa.

  “Anything on the sensors?” asked Captain Erickson. With their one-half light-year range, the sensors should pick up any vessels in the system.

  “Nothing,” reported Kia. “Of course we can’t see behind the planets or the star. Ships could hide in other areas in the system as well, where we cannot detect them.”

  “Take us to Condition One,” ordered Captain Erickson.

  Lieutenant Commander Barrington watched the viewscreen as the red lights flashed, and the alert klaxons sounded. “I have a bad feeling about this.” The ship had been at Condition Two, s
o the crew was already at their battlestations.

  Captain Erickson didn’t reply as the Vengeance and the Constellation dropped out of Fold Space.

  The viewscreens instantly cleared, showing unrestricted views of the stars. On one screen, the Constellation was visible.

  “All weapon systems are online, and the energy shield is fully activated,” reported Major Dolan.

  “All stations report normal operations,” added Lieutenant Commander Barrington as the different departments on the ship reported in.

  “Sensors are scanning the system,” reported Kia. “Six planets detected with two in the liquid water zone. One is a gas giant and too large to harbor life as we know it or to be of interest to the Trellixians. The second planet is the size of Mars but does show water vapor in its atmosphere.”

  “Taking additional scans,” Lisa said as she activated a set of specialized sensors and focused them on the planet.

  “What about other spacecraft?” asked Lieutenant Commander Barrington. “What do the sensors show?”

  Kia shook her head. “None detected.”

  From the Vengeance the special sensors reached out, scanning the new planet, seeking any hints of life. Lisa watched expectantly as the data came in. She was disappointed when she saw the results.

  “The planet is barely habitable. I’m not sure even the Trellixians would be interested. It’s rotating very rapidly, spinning on its axis every six hours. Liquid water is on the surface in small lakes and in one medium-size ocean. However, there are massive storms and extremely powerful winds. The planet has lost most of its magnetic field, which could be the reason for the atmospheric conditions.”

  “In a few thousand years the planet will have lost all its water and be more like a windswept desert,” added Brett.

  “This is what happened to Mars,” said Brenda. “Millions of years ago Mars may well have been like Earth is today. The same with this planet here.”

  The main viewscreen was turned to its fullest magnification, and the planet appeared in greater detail. The world had a reddish tinge to it. Swirling clouds were visible in the atmosphere and what appeared to be a small ocean. Vegetation seemed to be absent.