by S. H. Jucha
“We mustn’t underestimate Artifice’s computational power and comm capabilities,” Julien counseled. “Faustus was considered an adjunct of Artifice and left here hundreds of years ago. Despite that length of time, Artifice’s control was absolute. The moment Faustus transgressed, the New Terra entity paid the ultimate price.”
“I would recommend a backup controller, with failure linkage,” Miranda suggested, “much like we used in the No Retreat and Last Stand’s fighters, in case they are coopted.
“Explain how you’d use it here, please,” Tatia requested.
“Allow the primary controller to handle only the ship’s communications, as it normally would,” Miranda said. “We’re theorizing Artifice will attempt to subsume the controller. If the entity gains control, it would expect to take the occupants prisoner.”
The audience was chilled by the fact that Miranda was describing the alien’s actions to capture Alex if he were aboard.
“Our failsafe would be to install a second controller, which would constantly ping the first unit,” Miranda continued. “This alternate unit would control all system processes except for comm. In the event its ping of the primary controller revealed a subsumed ID, the secondary controller would immediately sever its connection to the primary unit and operate with whatever directives we install in it.”
“Is there a possibility that Artifice could detect the absence of biological individuals aboard?” Pia asked. “I was thinking of our contact with Faustus, and the entity’s subsequent communication with the Nua’ll sphere.”
It was a question only a few SADEs had considered, and, by the expressions on most humans’ faces, the idea hadn’t occurred to any but Pia and her medical staff.
“There is that probability,” Z allowed. “However, I would suggest that if Artifice is capable of this kind of sensory manipulation and detection, then our entire gambit will be undone, and it won’t matter what we try to achieve. We’ll have learned that we’re outmatched.”
“What do you expect Artifice’s reaction will be?” Franz asked.
“I suspect Artifice will encourage me to sail the freighter inward to the sixth planet,” Alex replied. “It’s why I’ve chosen a freighter as our null horse. The ship’s apparent lack of armament will encourage a softer approach from the alien, which will gain me more time to converse with it.”
“And when Artifice invites you to sail inward, what will you do?” Franz pursued.
“I’ll refuse, which will escalate Artifice’s attack on the controller,” Alex replied. “Prior to that moment, I expect Artifice will have operated surreptiously in its investigation of the ship through the comm system.”
“And when you refuse and Artifice subsumes the primary controller?” Tatia asked.
“I expect warships to appear and force the freighter inward,” Alex said, as if it were a simple thing. “The secondary controller will have, as its primary directives, the requirements to turn outward, accelerate, and evade the warships. At which point, it’ll probably be vaporized into space dust.”
There was one common emotional theme running through the audience. They were relieved to hear that Alex and their other leaders wouldn’t be exposing themselves to Artifice’s power.
“I do have a purpose for the scout ships though,” Alex said, and twelve SADEs ceased their multiple links to focus on Alex.
“The telemetry from Artifice’s system reveals a ship design on perimeter patrol that closely resembles the probes and comm platforms,” Alex continued. “I want contact with those aliens.”
“Are you expecting the SADEs to deploy comm transmitters again, Alex?” Mickey asked, with concern.
“No, that would place them in too much danger,” Alex replied. “Besides, I don’t think our ships would get the opportunity. The aliens’ sophisticated hulls suggest they could easily destroy the scout ships or any device approaching them with comm transponders. And, most likely, even if we were able to plant a transmitter, the aliens would probably detect it.”
“Then how do you intend to contact them?” Mickey pursued.
“I don’t have the answer for that,” Alex replied. “We’ll station the scout ships far outside the system. They’ll be in alignment with our freighter and the sixth planet. I’m hoping the SADEs get the opportunity to track a vector on the target ships if they transit.”
Alex let the audience absorb the plan, while he waited. Finally he said, “Any more questions?”
“I have one,” Reiko replied. “I’m curious as to which came first: your viewing of the vid with the Greeks, or your order to clear out the freighter.”
Alex was a little uncomfortable with the question, especially because he stood in front of a significant assembly. “The order,” he allowed, with a small shrug of his broad shoulders.
“I give up,” Reiko exclaimed. “The ether and you are able to communicate, and you’re stubbornly not sharing your technique with us.”
Reiko, admitting that she had joined those who believed in Alex’s dreams, by announcing it as a tease, drew the audience’s laughter. It gave Alex some relief. Reiko had long been a disbeliever, but too many of his pronouncements had been borne out. Now, she was a convert and was announcing that she was ready to hear and believe in Alex’s dreams.
* * *
There was one last item on Alex’s list before the expedition could sail to meet Artifice. The destruction of the New Terra had removed a place for Captain Merman’s crews to store supplies and stretch their legs.
While Miriam and the other engineering SADEs addressed the nanites mixture, Alex reviewed possible locations for the squadron. He sent teams to investigate mining sites. One pilot reported that there were only twelve drones left at a major site.
Pia supplied soporifics to a crew, who boarded a cargo shuttle and flew to the site. They used grav pallets to transport the sleeping drones to their ship and deliver them to a new site. After waking up, the drones reoriented themselves to the new site and went to work. It was obvious to the crew that if the drones were transferred to like locations, ship to ship or mining site to mining site, then they continued to function as usual.
Engineering teams moved in on the deserted site and did what they could to make it safe and provide some basic comforts. When they signaled all was ready, freighter crews delivered the supplies the Trident crews would need for the next six years.
Alex ordered the swapping of two cargo shuttles from the Freedom with two of Merman’s travelers. While the captains weren’t pleased by the loss of the fighters, the pilots were happy to join the expedition. Fighting was what they had signed on to do.
Renée had updated the Tridents’ databases with her vid libraries. Merman’s crew consisted of Méridiens, who probably hadn’t been exposed to the material her libraries contained. She smiled to herself, when Cordelia had announced that the transfers were complete to every new Trident that had joined the expedition. She wished she could have seen the expressions on the Méridiens’ faces when they began viewing her collection.
-40-
Freighter
Alex and many of the expedition’s leaders were seated at a large table, eating morning meal. Despite the possibility of nerves interfering with appetites, the manner in which food was being consumed decried any evidence of that.
After waking, while Alex was in the refresher, he’d checked his list. Everything had been ticked. Connecting to Cordelia, Julien, and Tatia, he’d confirmed that their tasks were complete.
Alex finished his meal and sipped on his thé. “Ready?” he asked Tatia, who nodded. “Then let’s go meet Artifice,” he said calmly.
Tatia glanced across the table to Reiko and then to Cordelia. Her admirals signaled their commands. The Freedom’s massive engines spun up and the city-ship moved out on its preset course. The freighters formed up on its flank.
Reiko signaled her admirals, and her command was forwarded to commodores, senior captains, and captains. The captains ordered their Trident
s’ acceleration, but it was the controllers that organized the positions of the squadrons and the commands. The warships formed a half sphere in front of the Freedom and the freighters, as the fleet made its way above the ecliptic.
Behind the fleet, a lone squadron remained to stand guard over the remaining drones, who continued to perish daily.
Alex linked to Miriamal, and sent,
Alex thought for a moment about the individuals aboard the three Tridents and what might be important to them.
Miriamal and the sisters had transmitted Alex’s thoughts exactly as he had sent them, which was their duty. The crew members of Merman’s squadrons felt Alex’s power. His thoughts were wrapped in sincerity, and they brought tears to the eyes of many.
The scout ships raced ahead of the fleet. Their directive from Alex was to transit to the initial coordinates, where the fleet would wait, while the freighter was sent to Artifice’s system. They would ensure that none of Artifice’s forces happened to be stationed there or sailing through the space.
There had existed a brief argument about the initial coordinates. Tatia and others voted for a farther distance from Artifice’s system. The warship activity recorded by the scout ships had frightened them. The Omnian fleet wasn’t a match for even a small portion of them.
However, it was the SADEs who settled the disagreement. They calculated the acceptable comm delay and set the maximum distance that Alex must be positioned from the freighter, after the ship made the final transit. Alex did offer the concept that he could board a Trident and approach the freighter closer than the fleet. That idea was quickly quashed by everyone around him.
The expedition fleet cleared the New Terra system, waited until it received positive word from Killian, and then made its transit. Days later, the fleet’s vessels dropped into normal space near the scout ships.
Alex and a select number of individuals stood on the Freedom’s bridge for the final act. Z would navigate the freighter, and Miriamal would manage communication, directly linking Alex to the freighter’s primary controller. The null horse’s comm system would broadcast, and it was presumed that Artifice’s probe system would relay to the alien, wherever it existed.
Gazing around, Alex regarded the faces watching him. The expedition had come a long way to get here — an opportunity to confront the master who ruled the federation and threatened the existence of every space-traveling sentient race found beyond the wall.
“Courage, my friends,” Alex said, and then he linked with Miriamal, who held the information necessary to contact the Nua’ll, as did all the SADEs.
Miriamal transmitted the message, which the freighter broadcast. Alex and she waited for a reply, which was slow in coming.
The wait dragged on, and Alex busied himself with other thoughts, while those surrounding him on the bridge stared at him in anticipation.
Miriamal sent the details that the Nua’ll had previously shared at the New Terra’s system. Included with the information was a SADE-generated image, which laid out the same coordinates in a relationship of distance and vectors from the star and the sixth planet.
The duplication accomplished two things. First, it prevented any confusion between the Nua’ll understanding of where the Omnians were supposed to arrive and where Alex intended to arrive. Second, it made the point to Artifice that the Omnians were aware of its system. Then again, Artifice probably already assumed that its adversaries possessed that knowledge, having witnessed the Omnian scout ship skirt through the system earlier.
“We’re on,” he said to his audience. “Z, launch the freighter.”
* * *
When the comm link with the humans was cut, the Nua’ll engaged in an internal debate.
–They come despite Artifice’s numbers.–
–It’s not logical.–
–Their ship escaped our comm attack.–
–They defeated our ships, despite Artifice’s superiority.–
–Historical success might drive their decisions.–
–That thinking will lead to their demise.–
–Why does Artifice want to communicate with them?–
The question halted communication, while the entities embedded in the sphere’s chlorine-salt solution ruminated on the question. Then, the conversation resumed.
–Artifice doesn’t speak with aliens.–
–We speak for Artifice.–
–Will we be replaced?–
–Have we not performed?–
–Two great spheres have been destroyed.–
–Is it too late to join the humans?–
–We must wait and see.–
* * *
“The freighter has completed its transit, Alex,” Z announced.
Alex took a seat in a bridge operation chair and closed his eyes. The audience arranged themselves to be comfortable. Many were dying to link directly to Miriamal or Alex or indirectly via the ship’s controller to listen to the conversation, but Julien had denied access, except for those with critical needs.
Alex had spent much of the transit time from the New Terra system ruminating on what the exchange with Artifice might be like. In the end, he realized that there was little he could do to map it out. Of the many challenges he’d faced in communicating with aliens, he’d always had a sense of who they were and what they might want. In that regard, he’d been fortunate — the sentients had wanted peace, without sacrificing their freedom.
But Artifice was an unknown to Alex. The only thing he could equate the alien entity to was the likes of Clayton Downing, who greedily coveted power for personal promotion. He kept that thought in mind, while the expedition prepared for the encounter with Artifice.
Julien and several SADEs had upgraded the freighter’s primary controller. An engineering team had added the secondary controller, and Alex laid out the strategies he wanted the freighter to take when the primary controller was subsumed.
Now, there was no more time to plan. The freighter and the scout ships were in place.
Alex sent.
So much about Artifice’s request caused Alex to realize the amount of information the entity had collected from the probes, the spheres, and Faustus.
Alex wanted quid pro quo for every point in the conversation, which is why he sent,