Koban

by Stephen W Bennett

  “How did they get to your computer, and who do you think it was?” Mirikami asked.

  “Two people came over to join me for lunch, something Primes don’t do all that often with us. A man and a woman, and they sat real friendly and close. The man’s first name was Caltron, if I heard it correctly, and he talked and acted like a studious geek type, like those we have walking all around the Fancy. No offense Mam,” he added looking to Maggi.

  “We are geeks, and proud of it, so don’t worry about it.” She patted his arm.

  “Anyway, the woman had probably been really attractive before Koban worked on her, and still looked pretty good. She said she had been here over four years, and her name was Arless.”

  “How do you think they did it?” The Captain asked.

  “They sat on each side of me, and the woman got flirtatious. The social standards here have slipped a lot, but she was acting just like some women do at home when a Spacer comes to port. Fresh male genes, no attachment or contract, you know the type Sir.”

  “I do.”

  “My pocket comp was in my left pocket of my vest, sticking out slightly, like this,” He used his uninjured left hand to slide it into the pocket, where an inch protruded. “I’ve been carrying it like that because digging it out of my right leg computer pocket is awkward, not being a lefty.”

  “The woman got more physical, rubbing the inside of my right thigh, and suddenly asked to see my bandaged hand, which had been used to ‘fight off the wolfbat’ she said, like it was heroic instead of self-defense. You know, flattering me. That means she knew something about me already, so I guess I was set up.

  “The man made a comment that sounded like he was jealous of the attention I was getting from her, and jostled me as he stood up to leave. The woman also pulled my face over and kissed me on the cheek just then, which I now think was to distract me from feeling him lift the computer.”

  “Obviously they got it back to you.”

  “Yes Sir. Several minutes later, the man returned with three of those green fruit drinks for all of us. He apologized for his bad manners, saying being away from polite society had changed everyone here. I don’t know where he found those drinks so fast now that I think about that. That juice is hoarded so it must have been ready for him.” He shrugged.

  “In hind sight I think he returned the computer then, and must have copied the folder I had in standby mode into another unit he probably had with him. They left as soon as the drinks were gone, and I’ve not seen them since, so they may be avoiding me.”

  “Mel I think you narrowed down who could have done it, and when.” Thank you.

  Maggi shook her head. “Why does anyone want to get rid of people working with us? The list tampering probably has gone undetected for some time, and this clumsy move has only revealed it.”

  Noreen said, “Survival instinct can explain trying to save oneself. But choosing whom to send is the same as murder. They weren’t content to let random picks fill in the blanks, leaving their own names out of the list. They arranged for names to be picked.

  “Maggi, who told you how they get notified of a Training Day, and how are names selected and printed?” she asked.

  “Multiple people told me,” she replied. “The Krall computer is in the north maintenance bay. No one knows for sure what it was originally used for, but a couple of years ago a Krall programmed it to randomly sort through a list, and pull up however many names are selected when the program starts.

  “There are Standard characters pasted on the computer keys that were reprogrammed to display in Standard on the screen. New names are inserted in the list at that keyboard, and once a name is printed for a Training Day list, it is removed from the computer. After that you either have immunity or you are dead,”

  “It is supposedly set to randomly run through however many names are in the computer file. They print two lists of selected names. They post one here and give one to the Krall so they know which humans are going.”

  “We can’t absolutely rule out Krall involvement, but it seems farfetched they’d hide that or care if we knew. There has to be at least those two humans involved, since that’s the only way Mel’s list could be copied.”

  Noreen wanted to know how the Krall computer method even started. “Why not a human made computer that juggles the names? We have a thousand simple AIs on the Flight of Fancy that can do that. There must have been some pocket computers like Mel’s that made it to here.”

  Maggi had already inquired. “Originally the Krall grabbed one or two random people a day out of just a couple of hundred, and took them to the arena upstairs, handed them a weapon, and then basically killed them. The other poor souls had to clean up the bloody messes.

  “When a lot more captives arrived, the outdoor hunts were devised, with eight or more taken at a time each week or two. Everyone started hiding to avoid being grabbed. It pissed the Krall off, so they killed the hiders when they found them, and picked someone else. Twice the carnage.

  “Those early prisoners decided a lottery was better, so you could have some degree of order in your life until you were picked. At first they didn’t have any computers because the first thousand or so captives came here completely empty handed in Clanships.

  “The first lotteries were drawings out of a container of names on paper. The drawing system wasn’t trusted after a cheater replaced his name with someone else’s. All of those original people are dead now, but the current Krall computer system was considered tamper proof by humans because it was Krall made. That has been disproved today.”

  “What a mess,” the Chief said. “How do they know how many names are in the complete list, and how many the Krall want selected?”

  “There is a scroll, or printed list, of everyone’s name made anytime new names are added to or removed from the computer. You can bet that scroll is checked thoroughly. Today a warrior announced they wanted ‘four hands’ to fight in four days, and announced it right here in this hall. Sometimes a translator makes the announcement. The Krall don’t much care about the selections, except those with immunity, like Thad, are excluded.”

  “Maggi, Telour granted some people immunity in trade for their help,” pointed out Noreen. “Like he did for Doushan, which the other people here called collaborators. Who takes those names out of the list?”

  “I spoke to Thad about that. His name was not removed from the list originally because he volunteered to join two of his men when they were selected. I’ll bet none of you knew that.” She looked around.

  They shook their heads. Thad wasn’t the type to advertise something like that.

  “Anyway, after he returned alive he told me his name did come up months later. That time they called for one more random name to replace his, without much dissent. They also selected new names when it happened for those given immunity by Telour for their help. Those replacement folks raised a ruckus, because unlike Thad, Doushan and the others had never faced death by combat.

  “The names don’t come off of the main list until they pop up on their own, when used.” She had a thought.

  “If the Krall tinker with the list, why wouldn’t they simply pull out the name of anyone they gave immunity right away? Maybe they aren’t involved.”

  “Valid point,” Mirikami conceded. “In addition, it might explain why resentment would have built so high against Doushan when his name came up and someone else had to be picked to replace him. It’s a problem we need to consider before we ask Telour for immunity for anyone.”

  “Who do we tell about the lottery fix?” The Chief asked.

  “Before we announce that the lottery is rigged we need some evidence. Let’s take a look at the computer at the north entrance.” Mirikami proposed.

  “And find Caltron and Arless,” Rigson reminded them.

  “We can check what we have now in our records. Any names like Mister Rigson said in the list?” Mirikami asked.

  Jake said, “Sir, there is one man with a last name of
Carltron that is similar, and none with a first name similar to that. His name was listed as Talbert Carltron. There are two women with Arless as a first name, and none with a similar last name. Their names are listed as Arless Blythe, and Arless Moffet.”

  “Do you have more information on any of them, such as a picture or their ages, or a physical description?”

  “No Sir.”

  Maggi reminded them, “We got all of the names from the long printed Krall scroll, which has no other details. We have added details from time to time when we learn them, as we did for our volunteers.”

  “Alright Mel,” Mirikami said, excusing him, “head back to the ship. And thanks for your information. The rest of us will go see the magic box.”

  He paused as he stood up and added, with a mischievous grin, “Except those of us that can’t walk and need Noreen to babysit them.” Mirikami looked at Dillon still sitting on the floor, looking annoyed and embarrassed at the same time.

  The Chief, Maggi, Chack, and Ricco followed Mirikami to the north entrance to take a look at the Krall computer.

  Noreen helped Dillon sit at a table when he regained some motor control of his lower extremities. He told her the pins and needle feeling was like when you cut off circulation for a time and a limb “goes to sleep,” but far more intense.

  “I need to think of a really clever way to get back at her,” Dillon said brightly, as he hobbled to his feet.

  “You had better not try to top this last one,” she warned, shaking her head, smiling. “We don’t have a full surgery ward you know. I for one would miss that overused groin,” and for some reason her laughter wasn’t quite as delightful to him as it was normally.

  The Chief was right, Dillon thought, my balls do feel like they’re on fire. Right then he wasn’t sure if he was grateful Maggi carried the smaller Jazzer, or if it would have been more merciful if she packed the standard Krall pistol. He was going to have to get an athletic cup or give up being a smart ass around her. Considering her Jazzer, getting pants with mesh shielding might be another good idea.

  31. To Catch a Cheat

  They were looking at the Krall computer keyboard and screen in the north entrance maintenance bay. It was on a chest high table (for a human), in a back corner. There was a slot in the wall where printed material was extruded. Hard copies of data had also never been fully eliminated by humans. People sometimes “liked” a printed version, or a bound book. Apparently, the Krall also preferred that option sometimes.

  The bay was nearly full today with subdued discussions in isolated pockets of people that couldn’t help but think about a time when their own names would be spit out. They watched the group from the Flight of Fancy with a mixture of resentment and suspicion as they briefly looked at the discarded old full list of names, and briefly glanced at the new list that was always generated after a Testing Day.

  It would be another four weeks before the Fancies had their names added, per Telour’s orders. Six weeks was not an unheard of wait for muscles to adjust, but some Krall left in charge of the compound had chosen four weeks, or even three in early years.

  The keyboard’s Standard characters were hard plastic overlays, apparently taken from some human equipment, which were glued over the original Krall characters. They included the alphabetical letters, numbers, space key, with an enter key, a print key, a backspace, and some possible function keys whose use wasn’t obvious at a glance. Someone had modified an alien system for human use. That required knowledge of the Krall and human technology and language.

  Mirikami was told by some of the assembled people that there were always extra people on door watch here because of its more frequent use, at least until the Flight of Fancy had arrived by the east door. Moreover, because they also watched over the computer like it was some kind of oracle. It actually was the herald of who would face death next.

  With a few objections voiced, they were told that they would be permitted to watch the computer as it was activated, but all they could request was another copy of the full list of names. They had already sent that list to Jake via the Captain’s camera. Deciding he didn’t want to create any more tension or suspicion than already felt from the hundred or so people watching, Mirikami politely declined.

  The human residents used the north entrance the most since it was closer to the animal corral holding Earth origin animals taken from Rim worlds. These were carefully protected from Koban wildlife. The north side was also used to reach the edge of a forest area five miles away, where they drove to collect native fruits and berries, and sometimes hunted small animals.

  Motioning the others to follow him back into the corridor for privacy, Mirikami asked, “Maggi, are there other keyboards and screens like this one in each of the maintenance bays? I never noticed when I was there.”

  “I was told there aren’t, but I actually looked for them after I saw this one. The Krall seem to follow a common pattern repeatedly in construction and equipment. There were high tables in the exact same locations with dirt or dust outlines where the keyboards or screens had been. There are slots in the walls in the same place as here, for printer paper output.”

  “The Krall could have removed the computers when they left, since they didn’t leave a lot of other stuff behind, like furniture.” Mirikami guessed.

  Maggi told him, “Could be, but there is Krall furniture left inside a handful of their old quarters, but it isn’t comfortable for humans; high tables and no chairs, a few wide slots instead of drawers, and no beds naturally.”

  Cocking her head in thought, “They must have taken most of that when the clan moved out, so they could have taken the computers as well.” She acknowledged.

  Mirikami scratched his head in frustration. “This hasn’t given me a clue of how the list could have been manipulated by a human. The one in there is pretty well watched. Chack, Ricco, you’ve both been seeing and hearing the same things we have, but I’ve heard no comments. Do you have any? Don’t hold back.”

  The two cargo specialists had been largely quiet, except when describing with amusement Dillon’s goofy expression when Maggi had zapped him.

  Chack shook his head no, and shrugged. However, Ricco made a tentative comment. “I’m not one of the big brains on the ship Sir, and I don’t know squat about computers unless I can tell ‘em what I want, like we do with the AI’s.” He hesitated a moment, then said what was on his mind.

  “I wonder who worked with a Krall to set this computer up in the first place Sir. With computers, even for humans, it’s only a technician or a programmer that works on them. Why would any Krall care enough to change one of their own computers do something like this for people? This machine picks who goes out to fight them. I’d think a Krall would expect us to pick the strongest or the best fighters, not just anybody at random. What kind of advantage is there for one of them to go to this trouble?”

  Midway through Ricco’s remark, Mirikami had started tugging at his lower lip. Maggi and the Chief recognized that gesture. The Captain had an idea he was mulling over in his mind.

  “Ricco, I don’t have the answers to the things that struck you as odd, but your questions may have cut to the heart of how the tampering is done. What indeed would be the advantage for a Krall, probably a K’Tal, to do this for humans?” He liked the idea better, as he repeated Ricco’s question.

  “A Krall won’t do anything for us, so far as I can tell, unless it offers some gain to their personal breeding status. Exactly like Telour offered me advantages in exchange for increasing his status if I can make his humans fight harder. He doesn’t care about me or any of us in the slightest, just what we can do for him, and he offered me what seems valueless to him in exchange.”

  He pointed at the keyboard through the window. “The agreement for that could be to teach a Krall some of the human numbers and alphabet and probably information about our computer use, and our technology. That particular Krall would gain a specialized advantage in learning about an enemy that employ
s much wider use of computers than the Krall seem to do.

  “What would be his offer to the human that has no value to a Krall, but might be priceless to that person? I’d think it would be to shield the person’s name from ever being selected for combat, a hidden form of immunity. It would be kept from the other Krall, just like Telour hid his agreement with me.”

  Maggi said, “But there were two people that worked to pick Mel’s pocket. In addition, there were ten people deliberately put on the list today. It’s more than providing just hidden immunity for one person. They can manipulate the list, add or delete names.”

  The Chief expanded the idea some more. “Could that K’Tal have let a human learn enough to figure out how to alter the program, or use it better than he expected? We already know they don’t have a keen sense of security when it concerns humans, and we may have an edge in computer use since they prefer to do more things manually. The guy may have outsmarted his teacher.”

  He looked at his Captain with a wink. “It’s been done before.”

  “Chief, I’d put my money on it. When we talk to those two pickpockets, I’ll bet that at least one of them knows software, and that they have been around for quite some time, staying ‘lucky’ with the lottery. This computer has been in use for at least four years, longer than most of the people here have been held captive.

  “Mel said the woman mentioned spending more than four years here, there’s a lot of luck involved in that feat. The man was also a ‘studious geek type’ as he described him. He’s probably the programmer, and she perhaps gets protection if she sleeps with him.”

  “Tet, let’s go back to the Great Hall. Our volunteers will know everyone here, and perhaps their backgrounds and longevity. Certainly no one has more incentive to identify them.”

  “Noreen and Cal are already there. I’ll Link to them as we walk, to see if they can gather them up for us.” He tactfully didn’t mention Dillon, who was probably just feeling his legs again.