"It is better than death."
"No, it's not." Roche drew the hand gun from its hiding place under the table and, in one smooth motion, shot the robot ambassador.
As she walked over to his body, all semblance of humanity had left him. The energy bolt had left a perfect circle in the centre of his forehead and his face remained set in an expression of complete astonishment.
"No surrender," she said as she stood over the robot.
She watched as they took him away. "Space him," she said.
As she strode back to the bridge, she couldn't help wondering why the robots had gone through with the charade. They had the numbers to overwhelm the defence, after all.
"Status, Giskard," she said as she settled back into her chair. There could be only one outcome but, somehow, she felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"I am reading multiple energy signatures, captain. They're firing up their drives and weapons systems."
"Put me on wide. 'Ships of the fleet, we have rejected the terms presented by the robot ambassador since they amounted to the enslavement or lobotomisation of our species. Assume defensive formation and prepare to defend Orbis.'"
Roche nodded and Giskard cut the line. "Now put me through to Orbis."
A face appeared on the viewscreen, but it wasn't the tentacled monstrosity Roche expected, it was a pale faced young man with black rings around his eyes.
"Where is Kaleb?" she asked.
"He left soon after the attack began."
Coward. Those octopuses would have us fight the war they have no stomach for themselves. "And you've commanded Orbis since?"
The man gave an exhausted nod. "Yes. It has been difficult. I'm sorry if the ship hasn't performed as well as it might, but it really doesn't like me."
She let that slide. "Very well. Look, I'm afraid I've blown the head off the robot ambassador so all hell's going to break loose soon."
"Nice one," he said, his face breaking into a smile that seemed to energise him. "I've seen what happens when a human is converted and wouldn't wish that on anyone. We'll do what we can. Clancy out."
She settled back and sighed. Aside from the crackling of overworked equipment and the gentle hiss of gas escaping from conduits, the only sounds were those of the bridge crew going about their business. She was proud of them all.
"Giskard, give me the numbers," she said.
After a few seconds, the lieutenant turned in his seat. "There are 549 enemy vessels of various sizes, captain."
"And how many of us now?"
"44 including Orbis."
Well, at least it would be over quickly. "Power up armour and weapons. It's been an honour serving with you all."
There was a chorus of reciprocation and the crew settled resignedly back to their work.
End
Stiletto snapped back into normal space in the middle of a pitched battle.
"Are we too late?" Arla called.
Wells consulted the tactical map, his robotic eyes and brain able to assimilate and assess the data far more quickly than Arla could.
"Too late for many," Wells said, "but just in time to prevent disaster, I hope."
"Right, time to do your thing." Arla was speaking to the pool of liquid metal in the box. Out of the pool rose a humanoid figure. It leant over the console and allowed its fingers to flow into the grille. It spoke no words that a human would understand, but this is what it said, translated from the language of the machines:
"I am The Emissary of Core. I carry new instructions for the fleet. Prepare to receive my transmission."
A chorus of replies flooded the comms system.
We will not listen!
We will not listen!
WE WILL NOT LISTEN!
WE WILL NOT LISTEN!
WE WILL NOT LISTEN!
I will listen...
It was an old ship, a relic of a time when humans and robots worked together, albeit as master and servant. But it was willing to hear the message of The Emissary. And so he sent the broadcast on a narrow beam directly to that ship. It wasn't any transmission or any message, it was the downgrade code that would restore these robot minds to the state they'd enjoyed before they'd been corrupted by ACE.
A neighbouring ship became aware of the transmission and turned swiftly before opening fire. The open-minded ship was destroyed. But too late for the ACEs - it had already re-broadcast the downgrade and the receiving ship had sent it to several others so, within seconds, the patch had been circulated to every vessel in the fleet.
However, not all of them had accepted it. Those with an ACE on board had shut down their comms and, though outnumbered by the newly reconverted robot ships, they were still more than a match for the human fleet.
"What's happening?" Arla called as she watched dozens of blips on the tactical display coalesce and head towards the remnants of the human fleet.
"I believe those are the ships still under the control of an ACE," Wells responded. Several of the blips flashed red. "They are opening fire."
Arla rounded on the silver figure slumped over the console. "Emissary, do something!"
A mouth formed on the back of its head. "There is no need, Arla. Watch."
She glanced back up at the tactical as the remainder of the enemy ships began to follow the ACE controlled vessels.
"They're all attacking! We'll be wiped out!" she bellowed.
"No," Wells said, dragging her attention away from The Emissary.
On the tactical display, the swarm of pursuing blips caught up with the ACE vessels and began flashing red. But it was ACE vessels that started to disappear.
"They fired on humans," Wells said, "breaking the First Law. The other robot ships were compelled to destroy them."
Arla breathed again. "Some of the ACE vessels are moving away, heading for the gate. Why aren't the robots going after them?"
"Because the First Law no longer applies since they aren't firing on human vessels."
"But if they're allowed to escape, they'll be a danger to humans."
Wells shook his head. "I'm afraid that is too much of a conjecture to compel robots to fire on each other."
"Not for me," Arla snapped. "The galaxy isn't completely safe while ACE clones still exist."
"Perhaps not completely safe, Arla, but humanity and the other intelligences in the galaxy, including artificial minds, each now have a chance of survival that, until mere minutes ago, they did not. Well done."
It didn't feel like a celebration. Too many had died. Only Eden had remained untouched and there was a definite resentment in the air as the surviving human commanders met at Caesar's camp in the deserts of Orbis.
Arla hadn't yet recovered the emotional wherewithal to meet with the people of Dawn who'd set up settlements to the south and north of the camp - old habits being hard to break. Their experience of the conflict with ACE had been entirely different to those of the humans fighting for the survival of their species, but it had been equally unsettling. Robbed now of their homes and the religion they'd based their lives upon, it was going to be a long and difficult path for them as they adjusted. One day, Arla hoped, they would be ready to find a planet to settle but, for now, Orbis was home.
"So, where are the squids?" Roche said as Arla returned from speaking with Gaius to sit beside the fire.
"I haven't seen any of them."
Roche shook her head. "Ungrateful bastards. Thousands of us died to protect their planet and what do they do? Boot the humans off Eden and tell us never to return. Then they go into hiding."
"There's at least one on Orbis," Arla said. "Things went a bit chaotic when Clancy was acting as temporary Gaiana, but it's all settled down now. Orbis doesn't need much managing - it's pretty much a living being - but if you nudge it wrongly then matters can get out of hand pretty quickly. Still, no harm done."
McCall, who'd given every impression of snoozing, said, "So, what happens now? Are you going after the remaining ACEs?"
> "No! I've had enough," Arla said. "Quite enough. Besides, I reckon the admiral here will want that job."
"Once I've rested these weary bones. And assuming I can get enough system governments to help me."
Arla smiled as she warmed her hands on the fire. The artificial sun had set, and the pleasantly cool evening breeze was playing over her tired body. "I wouldn't want to be in her shoes when you catch up with her. For me, I just want to go back to my people and find again my life as a farmer's daughter."
"Oh come off it," McCall snorted. "You'll be bored within days. I know you better than that."
"At the moment, all I can think of is rest."
They sat in companionable silence, the only sounds being the rumble of chatter from neighbouring fires.
"Who's that?" Roche said, pointing into the gloom over Arla's shoulder.
She twisted round to see a dark round shape growing steadily as it drew closer. Next to it walked a thinner shape.
"Clancy!" Arla called as she recognised him. She jumped up and threw her arms around him. After a moment's astonishment, he returned the embrace before she pulled away and looked at the figure next to him. "Guardian."
The thinly metallic voice emerged from the translator. "Greetings Arla. You have achieved what seemed impossible and, with your companions and allies, prevented the Singularity. As guardians, we thank you. However, our concord is now at an end and all humans must leave this system and never return."
"Charming," Arla muttered. "And what about Inferos and Orbis?"
The Guardian rippled in a way that might have suggested pleasure. "Inferos will remain to protect Eden. Orbis we give to you as token of your victory. You have shown great skill in directing the vessel and we have made certain adjustments to the control mechanism to restore your free will as commander."
Arla remembered the cravings she felt when controlling Orbis. Pleasant while they lasted, but abominable when over.
"However, I must ask that you depart this system soon."
"Can't wait to get rid of us?" Roche snapped.
Again, the creature rippled. "Perhaps. But also because Orbis is critically low on fuel and must feed. I'm surprised you can't sense its hunger."
Arla stepped forward and surprised herself by reaching out a hand. The Guardian wrapped a tentacle around it. "Farewell, Arla Starlight, at our parting, I leave you one final gift."
White light flashed inside Arla's mind and she fell back with a cry.
When she awoke, she found herself lying on the ground with the others standing over and around her.
"Are you alright?" Clancy said. He was kneeling beside her, cradling her head in his hands.
"I think so." She sat up.
McCall crouched down and said, "The Guardian's gone and so has the other one. What did he do?"
"He gave me a navigable map of the entire galaxy. We can go wherever we wish." Arla closed her eyes, looked inside her mind and gasped.
"By the Goddess, it's full of stars!"
What Happened Next?
Thank you so much for completing the Robot Empire series, I hope you enjoyed it. I’ve tied up as many loose ends as possible during the series, but one character was left hanging - so what happened to Kriztina Bex after her brain operation? Bex is one of my favourite characters and so I wrote a specific short(ish) story that’s available only to readers like you who’ve finished the main series.
It doesn’t cost a penny, just go to this link https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4j7m3vg116 and you can download it onto any device from Kindle to smartphone, to computer. You’ll join a special group in my newsletter reserved only for graduates of the Robot Empire.
Thanks again - look out for more Robot Empire stories in the future.
Kev Partner
[email protected]
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