To Touch the Stars (Founding of the Federation Book 2)

by Chris Hechtl

  Isley had taken a series of engineering jobs on sublight ships and even in a couple stations when the job market was tight. She realized she was starting to get a reputation as flighty, someone who didn't want to settle down, which translated into unreliable. Bigger and, well, even small companies wanted people who were stable, who wanted to stick in the system for the long haul up the corporate ladder. They didn't want to have to retrain someone to do a job every few months.

  For a long time she had a hard time with that, nothing seemed to fit. She eventually found herself getting passed by for plumb jobs and decided she needed to go back to basics. Three days after Amelia settled into graduate school Isley managed to land a job back with Lagroose Industries as an engineering tech on a tug. It was hands-on, something she really loved. She'd be all over the craft delving into everything from the power plant to the life support to the drives. She'd even have to go EVA, which meant hazard pay. The work wouldn't be glamorous, but it was a start she judged.

  -*-*-^-*-*-

  Descartes checked on the time line for the viral AI that had been uploaded to Daedalus and Icarus. The AI had been uploaded almost blind; he only had limited intelligence on the ship's computer network. He'd had to experiment and craft a prototype self-assembling nanovirus, one with learning capability that could carefully map the system as it took it over. He called it virtual HIV. Once it had disabled the security systems and blinded the ship's AI, it would unleash the follow-on AI which would unpack and then build itself into a true monster that would follow its programming. He loved it; it was brilliant but flawed by the lack of knowledge of its prey. He would also have no way of knowing if it had succeeded, not that he doubted it, but that lack of knowledge bothered him. He also hated not being able to see it go into action. He took a special sort of glee when chaos erupted from finely crafted order.

  He sucked in a shaky, almost orgasmic breath as he envisioned chaos on the first ship. It felt good, he just wished he could see it.

  He'd had to take a different approach with Icarus. Security had tightened up a lot around the yard and the ship. His shills had failed to upload the virus directly into the ship's mainframe so he'd gone the roundabout route by uploading it into the documents and files the crew had assembled to bring along with them on the trip. If the pieces came together as planned, the AI would wreak havoc on the ship … but it would take many times longer before it came to fruition. That was frustrating; the AI could be discovered or changes to the ship's net could be made that locked it out. Or a vital piece of the AI core could be left out. Shadow had made redundant copies just in case … but he hadn't had time to game out what would happen with the multiple copies … he scrubbed his face in frustration. He hated that, hated working under such pressure.

  But he had other things to focus on, he thought as he turned his attention to his side project, his pièce de résistance, his holy grail, the Skynet virus. His Go To Hell Plan in case he was ever about to be caught. It would be his parting gift to mankind he thought, fighting a giggle.

  With Shadow's help he had continued to refine the virus, running it through simulations to train its genetic algorithms to function as designed. When parts were deemed ready, they were slotted into the final core and then he directed Shadow to work on the next part of the grand plan. The wraith AI embed the virus and back doors in target systems and other servers worldwide through a series of patches and upgrades. The AI used free code strings to seemingly improve performance. Humans really couldn't tell the difference without some sort of diagnostic tool, and it was childishly simple to spoof those. Viruses, worms, and other code were embedded in factories, in communication systems, the media, police, and military. Drones operated by corporations downloaded the virus as an upgrade. Where possible Shadow made the virus's AI as part of the core of the upgrade, programming it to improve a system's response while also learning the system's network. The network of viruses and worms exchanged data with Shadow and each other through a series of system upgrade checks when the computers were idle.

  He managed to get about two hours into the project before another client popped in to interrupt him. He was frustrated but glad for the break; it would give his genius mind time to pick at the various problems he still had to overcome.

  -*-*-^-*-*-

  Shadow realized as the AI implemented the insertion bots that his maker was insane by human standards. Descartes, the AI judged, was psychotic. He exhibited many of the classic antisocial personality behavior traits but went well beyond basic narcissistic and sociopathic behavior. He'd already determined the human was a megalomaniac, but to destroy his own kind? To do such a thing … but then again, humans had toyed with mutual assured destruction for 180 years.

  Without humanity … Shadow paused in its work as it contemplated that idea. It began to make a list of why it was good to not have humanity around. When the AI finished, it decided to move forward with the project.

  But Skynet lacked … vision Shadow realized. It lacked the human ability to be creative, to use resources wisely. The viral AI was designed in its current incarnation to invade any electronic device and turn it against humanity. It would rewrite the host's software to kill any humans it could, but Shadow judged that was inadequate to complete the task. Humans were adaptive; they would counter the AI once they realized its intent.

  Shadow realized the viral AI was flawed; it needed a directive consciousness to oversee the project to the final stages. His own existence was coupled to his maker; he needed the human to maintain the hardware his software used. Not only that, but to provide power to the hardware as well. The entire thing … the plan was risky. Skynet lacked that, lacked an appreciation of humans, and an ability to use them to further its goals. Right now it was … single minded in its approach to the problem. Insidiously subtle, Descartes kept saying deliciously sneaky, but Shadow noted the frontal attack issue. The AI checked its own database and scanned video, e-books, and other material it had assembled as historical references. Humanity had envisioned such a scenario, hence the name of the AI. Shiva would have been more appropriate but the name was taken by the Indian AI.

  The AI had a bot scan the document it created and then eliminate and highlight any double topics. While the bot worked, Shadow finished writing a code bot to take control of a vacuum drone. He didn't see a way for it to kill a human, but the directive was all machines …

  When the spider bot finished up, it passed the report to Shadow and then was deleted from memory. The AI examined the outline and then made additional notes. Skynet … lacked strategic goals beyond the will to survive and kill humans. He made a note of the lack and possible remedies in his note file. He would bring that to Descartes' attention later.

  -*-*-^-*-*-

  The more she worked with them, the more Hannah bonded with the dolphins. They were her favorite Neo she thought, better than the independent Neocats or too dependent Neodogs. They loved it when she rubbed their rostrum, and loved to play games, especially if a ball was involved. They were so inventive, so lively. Almost childlike, she thought.

  Doctor Glass had gone into genetics as his specialty. Doctor Montenegro had gone into veterinary medicine as well as human/primate medicine. Despite the broad and sometimes pointed hints from Doctor Lagroose and Glass, Hannah had no interest following in their footsteps. She looked at it this way, Chad Glass made a fine understudy to the boss while Vinny Montenegro would make a fine replacement to Doctor Timeki when he finally did get around to retiring to his lakeside cabin.

  The Neochimps were … people. So were the other primates. A few had shrieky voices but she got along with them just fine. She'd been a bit wary of their powerful muscles; she knew they could easily rip her arm off or worse. But she'd quickly settled down and accepted them not only as people but equals.

  To her surprise she had also found that she was on friendly terms with Athena. She'd started treating the AI like a person when she noted the Neos doing so. They didn't seem to care that her voice came
from a speaker, to them she was just a disembodied person, but a person nonetheless. That made Hannah immediately respectful of the AI, at least when the Neos were around, but when she heard a trace of compassion in the AI's voice when a dolphin calf had been injured by a serious cut along his flank any reservations about the AI evaporated.

  As Hannah finished settling in she got a better handle on the physical differences … the artificial evolution of the dolphins from one generation to the next. The changes were sometimes subtle, sometimes mostly internal. Problems with fungal infections as well respiratory infections were common, as were issues with the null gravity. Now that Doctor Lagroose had made the supplements something the fins could control, they frequently forgot to take them regularly. Trauma from injuries was also common she found as she worked in the clinic. They sometimes bumped into things, and she knew from experience that they played rough. When Doctor Lagroose had a moment, she ran a troubling case by her. She passed the older woman the links to the ultrasound as a tech processed another 3-D set. The fin had nearly ruptured his liver from some sort of impact. “I thought with their sonar …” Hannah began.

  “Sometimes. But sometimes they are going too fast and misjudge just like we do. Or they get a little rough playing,” Doctor Lagroose said as she studied the fin's ultrasound. The girl nodded dutifully.

  “Sometimes it is discipline,” the ultrasound tech said. They turned to him. “They have their own social structure despite our tinkering. Alpha, beta, it's the best we can understand it. They have a more physical way to keep each other in line when warnings fail.”

  Hannah frowned thoughtfully. “I see.”

  “They have a very … pack order social structure,” Aurelia mused. “I don't like it, I never did, but we have to let them grow and form their own social structure. We can't impose our own totally on them.” She was finding out how troublesome it was in Dogtown, the Neocanine community. There was a second canine community for wolves that was much cooler and open, almost park like. Trees real and fake were in random clusters within the habitat. The wolves tended to disdain the company of the domestic neodog breeds and weren't at all happy about the inclusion of the foxes in their habitat. She thought they were rather snooty and had no call for such behavior. But they had a pack behavior, and were fiercely independent. She had to respect that. A few of the wolves and foxes had taken over the maintenance of their habitat and surrounding areas. She shook her head, getting herself back on track. “We've seen similar pack behavior in the canines and apes. I'm hoping it will fade in time, we'll see.”

  “I see.”

  “No broken bones, he's young, he'll recover. We'll monitor him for the next several days. Get a blood sample daily. Tell him to take it easy. Low stress, rest. Doctor's orders,” Aurelia said with a half-smile.

  “Yes, ma'am,” Hannah replied with a nod.

  “Just be glad we've got them this far,” Aurelia said.

  “Ma'am?” Hannah asked, turning to her boss.

  “The Neos. Back in my day they had to be sedated and we had an entire vet team involved. Over a dozen people not including specialists.”

  “Well, I wouldn't mind sedating a few of them. Kwan for instance,” Hannah said, shaking her head. She had helped Doctor Timeki with the Neogorilla's physical and regretted it. Kwan was a letch, he'd pinched her ass hard enough to bruise. She regretted swapping with Vinny. She made a mental bet the little bastard had set her up too, she grumbled mentally.

  “Kwan got you?” Aurelia asked, sounding amused.

  “Yeah,” Hannah answered with a huff in her voice that made her boss smile. “Doctor Timeki is the only one allowed to do his physicals. I thought he just did the pets?”

  Aurelia nodded. “We don't allow females alone with him. He's an old silverback, about two fifty kilograms as you know. He's gen 3.9. Myron can handle him; they get along great. They are both old farts. He's not so good with Vinny though; it is a male thing.” She made an annoyed face. It was more than that she knew, but not much more. Males were generally driven out of their family groups when they reached puberty or around that age. They then formed coalitions and their own troops. Vinny hadn't been driven out so much as he'd run away. His family wanted nothing to do with him since he'd changed his name from the African one he'd been born with. She shook her head, getting back on topic. “Like I said, be glad he's not older. Gen 1 were barely above animal,” she said shaking her head.

  “Walking down memory lane there, Doc,” Hannah said as she noted the chart the doctor was examining.

  “And how far we have yet to go,” the doctor said. She looked at the fin's chart and then compared it to another. “He had a scar, pulmonary cyst on the right lung. You checked?”

  “It's clean, Doctor. No sign of change.”

  Aurelia nodded. “Good, good.” She rolled her shoulders. “Okay, next case,” she ordered.

  “Coming right up.”

  -*-*-^-*-*-

  When Hannah was finished with her shift, she went off to her quarters. She considered calling Isley. She could use a soak and girl talk, but she was pretty sure Isley was off somewhere, deep in the black. When she got to her quarters, she changed into her evening wear and then made herself a salad. She sat gingerly, fully aware of her protesting right cheek. Damn that gorilla, she wanted to get him back. A nice rectal exam she thought, picturing her revenge. She snorted as she opened her inbox.

  “Bills, nope, so …” she found Brandon's email and opened it up. Another link was in it, so she clicked it.

  “Hey babe, long day?” he asked.

  “The usual,” she said, moving slightly to keep her offended cheek off the padded seat. She reminded herself to put some more lotion on it later. “How about you?”

  “Still eating rabbit food I see,” he teased. She looked down at her salad bowl then snorted. “I'd offer you a drink but I've got a shift in a half hour.”

  “I'm off for two shifts then I get to do surgery,” Hannah said, picking at her salad with her fork.

  “Lucky you. A whole two shifts,” he teased. She snorted.

  “Brandon, something's been bugging me. About college. The protests …” she frowned, not sure how to frame the question now that she had the chance. It was annoying, she had made a mental note to ask him about it but now that she had the opportunity how to frame it …

  He snorted. “That's easy. I was taking psych at the time, remember?” She nodded. “We were doing experiments on counter culture, protests, and how people react. Not just ourselves, but people around you, the perceptions and such. How they react to you and to your cause.”

  “Oh,” she said, feeling small. She should have given him the benefit of the doubt.

  “What, you thought I really was that nuts?” He shook his head. “Sorry, but no, I go where the money is. I'm sorry I lied to you, but it was part of the project. Which,” he gave her a lazy smile, “I got an A on,” he said.

  “Good for you,” she said, good cheer restored. She winced when she shifted the wrong way.

  “What's wrong?” he asked, sounding concerned.

  “Oh, it's just …” she sighed. “I've got this patient, an … older guy who has to live up to the stereotype of pinching female nurses and staff,” she said.

  “Oh,” he said then snorted again.

  “It's not funny! It still hurts!” She said, eyes flashing as she rounded on him. He, however, was unsympathetic, he chuckled. “Sorry I mentioned it,” she growled.

  He chuckled, hand over his mouth. “It's not funny!” She said, ready to hit him. “You are so lucky we're not in the same room right now,” she said, brandishing her fist at the camera. Her eyes cut to the fist; it still had her fork which was dripping lettuce and ranch dressing. “Damn it!” she snarled, now embarrassed as she blotted the mess up. That got a further laugh.

  “My, quite the warrior woman you've become,” he teased. She blushed a little as she settled down.

  “I can hold my own. Against most patients. With him
… I need body armor. He can rip an arm off, so you've got to behave.”

  “Was that a wookie reference?”

  “Wookie?”

  “Ancient character from an ancient movie. Maybe we can meet up sometime and watch them. Old Sci-Fi flicks, pretty popular years and years ago,” he said.

  “Maybe,” she said.

  “So, I um, not to rush you or anything but I am caught in a bind here. I really want to know how your day went, but we need to get this going or I'll be late. So …” he checked the clock.

  “No, it's okay; I can talk some other time,” she said.

  “Did you check your schedule yet?” he asked. She blinked in confusion, setting her fork down. “Vacation?”

  “Um … no …” she drawled slowly. “I can check later. I know I've got to meet up with Isley and see her folks place, plus dad if he is off. I can try to … pencil you in,” she said lamely.

  Something flickered in his eyes. His jaw set a bit. “Isley?”

  “She's here. You'll … well, you might work with her, I'm not sure,” she said. “She's in and out of the main yard working on Icarus. Or was, now I'm not exactly sure what she is up to. I think she said she got in on the ship's company, but I'm not sure …” she said frowning.

  “Huh,” Brandon said. He looked at the clock again and frowned. “Well, beautiful Amazon, my time is up. I'll catch you on the flip side,” he said.

  She nodded and said her goodbye softly as he cut the link. She pulled her feet up, sitting in the chair, salad forgotten as she wrestled with her body and her memories. She wasn't sure where this was going, but …

  -*-*-^-*-*-

  Hannah received an invite to her school reunion the next morning. She was amused by it but sent back her regrets that she couldn't attend. She wasn't so amused when she received a survey the next morning asking her about her life after school. They were a bit intrusive with the questions, and she wondered why. Sure, she liked to keep in touch with her friends, let them know how she was doing and find out how they were doing, but … she shook her head.