by Z H Brown
“Did your creators also fail to build a self-destruct into you?”
Pause.
“I possess the means to self-terminate; I chose not to use them.”
Xandarius turned back to the screen. “I see. That’s quite the risk, allowing yourself to be captured by the man you planned to murder.”
BRONZE did not reply.
Xandarius turned away from the A.I. again. He walked over to Tread and gestured for him to follow him. Ansaria moved to join the two, but she was stopped by a gesture from Fornost. He gave a couple small shakes of the head before returning his gaze to the screen.
Xandarius led Tread over to a corner of the cavern away from any tunnel. He bent down to speak softly with the android sergeant.
“Sergeant Tread, in your opinion as a synthetic and tech specialist, do you believe your forces could disable the computer while leaving whatever data it contains intact?”
Tread’s artificial face was unreadable as he calculated his emperor’s request.
“I believe that a low-powered blast would disable the system, though we would have to work fast to extract the information before it came back online.”
“And what would a mid-level blast due to it?” asked Xandarius quietly.
“Most likely it would overload and crash the command software, which is the artificial intelligence.”
“Would that damage its other files?”
“We might lose some, but as long as none of its other programs were active when we fried it, they would most likely be recoverable.”
Xandarius considered what he had been told before speaking.
“Very well, sergeant, have your squad fan out and take up firing positions on the computer, ion weapons only.”
Ansaria could only see Tread from where she stood; Xandarius had his back to her. She saw Tread looking from the Emperor to her and then back again. Even from this distance Ansaria could see something was wrong. Tread said something to Xandarius that was dismissed with a wave of the Emperor’s hand. While Tread didn’t look any happier, he nodded before walking back toward his squad.
Xandarius turned back to the screen and returned to his previous spot. Ansaria saw Tread and his cadre of machines moving through the room, taking up spots in front of the screen.
“A.I. Bronze,” said Xandarius in a loud, authoritative voice. “You have admitted to me and those sworn to defend me that you plotted my death, their deaths and the deaths of countless others. You have collaborated with a hostile enemy force to destabilize and destroy the Empire we hail from, and have admitted to causing the deaths of loyal Imperial soldiers and citizens. For these crimes, I hereby order you to be executed by means of electromagnetic pulse, effective immediately.”
Xandarius raised his arm, and the machines that had spread themselves throughout the room assumed firing stances, their various ion weapons locked on the screen. Tread was pointedly not looking at Ansaria.
“Ready, aim…”
Xandarius moved to drop his arm.
“Your Majesty, stop!”
Ansaria’s voice rang out through the chamber. Before she even realized it, she had run across the rocky floor and had planted herself directly in front of the Emperor. The whole room, including the massive eye on the screen was fixed on her.
“Captain Dormus, explain yourself,” said Guard Captain Fornost. He was holding his lance in both hands, and while it wasn’t pointed at Ansaria, she got the message.
Ansaria breathed heavily while she formulated her plan. She had reacted almost on instinct, and now that she had the attention of the Emperor, and everyone else present, she needed to convey her reasoning as clearly as possible.
Ansaria took a few more deep breaths before speaking. “Your Majesty, while I understand that this machine is guilty of a number of crimes, we cannot just execute it on the spot! Who knows what information we could lose at its demise?”
Xandarius regarded her silently, the red light of Bronze’s screen making him seen far more fearsome than Ansaria had ever seen before.
“Captain Dormus,” said Xandarius slowly, and loud enough for everyone to hear. “While I do not doubt that your intentions are noble, the fact is that we are dealing with an enemy that is unlike any our empire has encountered before. All we have so far is the word of an A.I. that, by your own admission, is guilty of multiple offenses. How can we even be sure that we can trust this machine when his self-described ally arrives? For all we know this is merely another plan to infiltrate and destabilize the Empire to leave it easy prey.”
Ansaria considered Xandarius’ point as once again all the eyes turned to her. She worked to iron out her counterargument, and when she finally had, she turned to the monitor.
“Bronze, you said that if your original plan had worked, your partnership with the Star Eater would have come to an end. What would you have done after that?”
The pause.
“I would have been free to pursue any endeavor that I so choose. There is much in the universe that I wish to know and understand. With my primary task complete, I would have been able to explore this galaxy and learn more about it and its inhabitants.”
“So, your main objectives are survival and study, is that right?”
Another pause.
“In order to find a means of stopping the Star Eaters from destroying my creators, I was programmed to seek out and analyze vast amounts of information. My desire to avoid destruction was also programmed into me. Therefore, I would judge your statement to be accurate.”
Ansaria racked her brain, trying to ensure that her last argument came out comprehensibly.
“Then let me ask you this: if your original plan had worked, and the Star Eater had been able to arrive and start feeding, then it’s likely it would eventually reach its reproduction stage, correct?”
Bronze did not answer her, but Ansaria felt that she was correct.
“So, if the Star Eater gave birth to thousands more of its kind, then this galaxy would be in the same predicament your home was in. If thousands more of these monsters suddenly started feeding on the galaxy, then wouldn’t you be right back where you started?”
A longer silence than Ansaria had been expecting.
“It is true that the situation here would develop to match that which I escaped from, however that would take many centuries, and it is possible I would have been able to escape to another galaxy once more before that happened.”
“‘It’s possible’? You mean you don’t know for sure?”
Silence.
“There is always the possibility that something would cause me to go offline, both predicted and unforeseen.”
“Does that include running afoul of another Star Eater?”
The crowd around her was watching with rapt attention. Everyone seemed eager to hear where Ansaria was going with this.
“As I said: it is a possibility.”
“Then let me ask you: if you allowed thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Star Eaters to infest our galaxy, how likely is it that another one would be willing to work with you?”
Another long stretch of silence.
“The circumstances that led to our alliance were caused by the dwindling resources of our home. It would take millennia for this galaxy to reach the same level of scarcity that had caused our partnership.”
“You still haven’t answered my question,”
Silence filled the room.
“Unlikely; given the abundance of stellar matter for feeding available, I do not believe that another Star Eater would ally with me, or indeed, see me as anything more than an obstacle or plaything.”
“So it sounds like that if this Star Eater manages to gain a foothold here, then you’ll be in the same lifepod as the rest of the galaxy: easy pickings for abominations,”
Bronze quietly considered this.
“What…are you proposing?”
“Help us,” said Ansaria, her face flushing with hope and fear. “Help us stop this monster
, help us save our galaxy, and help yourself make up for your…misguided actions.” Ansaria turned back to Xandarius, and found him staring directly at her. He was looking at her with an intense gaze, but his face was unreadable. “Sire, please, what we are dealing with is beyond anything we have ever seen or encountered. If we don’t use every resource available to us, it may very well prove to be the end of our civilization, and possibly our entire galaxy.”
The assembled soldiers waited with bated breath for their emperor to speak. After what seemed like an eternity, Xandarius responded.
“Bronze, would you be willing to work with us to save our homes, as well as accepting restrictions and safeguards to ensure that this is not all an elaborate plan to sabotage us later?”
A long pause.
“Captain Dormus’ logic is sound. I will accept whatever precautions you feel you need to take in order to aid you.”
A cheer erupted from the Imperial troops. Ansaria could feel the tension all but evaporate from the room. Even the red glow of the screen seemed less harsh and foreboding.
“However,” said Bronze. “Even with my help, victory is still statistically unlikely without the aid of the Golden Imperium.”
A scowl crossed Xandarius’ face. He looked like he was about to argue the point, before biting back his reply.
“As Ansaria said, this is beyond anything we have seen before. If I must make a deal with a devil to save my people, I will do so.”
Another, louder cheer filled the cavern, with the sounds echoing off the stone walls. This time, Ansaria joined in.
The return teleport trip to the Throneship was less jarring for Ansaria, but it was still somewhat debilitating; Ansaria doubled over and fought to keep from retching as the bright light of the transport system died down. The same teleport technicians were still there, but the male Xenlongian that had spoken with Xandarius before they left had been replaced by the lieutenant that had coordinated the awards ceremony.
“Welcome back, Your Majesty,” said the lieutenant. “I have the report from Admiral Travay ready for you.”
“Excellent, I shall read it in due time,” said Xandarius as he began making for the exit. “But first, inform the bridge to prepare for departure: we’re returning to Xenlong.”
Chapter XXIV
Xenlong
Imperial citizens of Xenlong, rejoice! We have just received word that the Emperor shall be returning to his homeworld following his surprise cancellation of his return to the frontlines in the war against the Imperium. Hopefully, his return will illuminate some of the rumors that have swept across the empire in the last few days, including the mysterious disappearance and reappearance of the Throneship from Imperial Military Center Epsilon. INN will bring you more information as it becomes available.
--Broadcast on Xenlong from the
Imperial News Network.
Ansaria hadn’t been told to follow Xandarius, and when Fornost failed to give her a task, Ansaria decided to return to her quarters. As she was leaving, she saw Alvara, Tread and the others filing out with the Guard Captain and some of the others.
Ansaria reached her quarters without incident; it seemed like most of the ship’s occupants were still at their stations from when they had arrived. Ansaria stripped off her armor, leaving only her black body glove on and stretched out on her rack, enjoying the peace and quiet after everything she had just been through. The mission hadn’t lasted very long, but it had been very trying for her, physically and emotionally, and she was tempted to just sleep for as long as she could. She was just starting to doze off when the door to their room slid open.
It was Tread. Ansaria sat up as he entered the room, and the two of them locked eyes. Before the silence between them stretched too long, Tread spoke.
“Colonel Fornost said I did a commendable job on my first leadership assignment. As I was leaving I saw Alvara and the others waiting to be debriefed as well.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” said Ansaria with a small smile. “I was worried that you were going to be grilled about what happened at the end there.”
More silence filled the room, but this time it was Ansaria that broke it. “Would you have done it? Would you have destroyed Bronze?”
Tread’s gaze never wavered, but again, Ansaria could see the conflict below the surface.
“The Emperor wasn’t wrong: the A.I. was guilty of a number of crimes, including multiple deaths. He was also right about Bronze being a potential danger if left active. Additionally, it was the one controlling Delta when I shot him, so if anyone deserved an ion blast, it would be Bronze.”
Ansaria could tell Tread was going to say more, and so did not interrupt.
“At the same time, there was something that felt wrong about summarily executing it on the spot, even if it was guilty and dangerous.” Tread paused for a moment, his gaze drifting to the floor before returning to Ansaria. “Honestly, I’m glad you stopped us, captain. Your logic for doing so was sound, and given what we will soon be up against, it will be good to have every advantage we can get.”
Ansaria smiled warmly. She had been worried that her next conversation with Tread would turn into an argument.
With the subject settled, the two waited for the rest of their squad to return. Tread busied himself with computer work while Ansaria lay back down on her cot. Her initial exhaustion had mostly passed, and while she was still tired, she was anxious- eager, even- for what was coming next.
The remaining members of their squad returned to the room a short time later. Alvara was leading the way, with Critter sitting on Slog’s artificial shoulder behind her.
“Well that was a laugh and a half,” said Slog as he plopped down on a seat. “If I never meet another killer machine, it’ll be too soon; present company accepted, of course.”
Ansaria laughed. It was good to have the whole team back together again. “Tread said you three were being debriefed by Fornost. How’d that go?”
“Painlessly,” replied Alvara. “He just wanted to find out how our first mission as part of the Royal Guard had gone, and give us some pointers. He was especially curious as to why you, me and Slog had gone into battle without a helmet.”
Ansaria was confused for a moment, before she realized what the colonel had been getting at. There hadn’t been much call for their helmets on Oasis (even with the internal cooling units they were still stifling in the heat), and they hadn’t grabbed any during their escape or on Brakka. The truth was that they had just gotten used to fighting without one.
“Did you tell him that it’s too damn hot on Oasis for a helmet?” This got a laugh out of the squad.
“Something like that,” said Alvara. “We weren’t officially reprimanded or anything, just reminded that in future missions to use all of our battle gear.”
“Duly noted,” said Ansaria, before she turned her attention to Critter. “And where were you during all of this, Corporal Critter? I doubt the Guard Captain would let you go into battle as is.”
Critter chattered his reply as he absently swung his legs against Slog’s shoulder. “Oh! So that was you in the skeleton mech, huh? It looked like it held up well.” Critter’s reply was drowned out by an announcement coming in over the ship’s intercom.
“Attention Throneship crewmembers and occupants, Z-space launch underway. Destination: Xenlong.”
A blackish-purple hole in reality opened up, and the massive Throneship emerged from it. Below the ship hung the purple seas, grayish-green vegetation and white sands of the capital of the Empire, Xenlong. The space around the planet was spattered with satellites, space stations, dry docks and arriving and departing ships. Z-space warps opened and closed like incandescent, fleeting black holes. On the planet below, the capital city, Xenxing, slowly moved toward the night side of the planet. Before long, the metropolis would be visible from space as a massive, sprawling web of lights.
Ansaria and the others had been able to grab a few hours of rest before they were called back to t
he teleport chamber. Xandarius and Fornost were conversing at the front of the assembled soldiers, which were all standing in silent formation. Since neither of them called Ansaria or anyone else to the front, the squad fell in with the rest.
“So cap’n,” whispered Slog, who was standing next to Alvara on Ansaria’s left. “Since this is your homeworld, we gonna get the special tour?”
“I doubt we’ll be getting R&R on this visit, corporal,” said Ansaria quietly, with a suppressed grin. “But if we do, that means the next time we get leave we’re going to yours.”
“Cap’n, I spent the last eight years before I enlisted serving aboard an oil rig in a cold, stormy sea; I am the last person to show you the sites on Crag.”
Ansaria’s squad stifled their laughter, including Tread, who had to cover his mouth with his only hand.
Once the rest of the guards had arrived, including the slug, which was lying in a cradle attached to six, spidery, mechanical legs, the teleport technicians began the countdown. Ansaria wobbled slightly as she and the others were overwhelmed by the blinding light before finding themselves on the planet’s surface. She was thankful at first that her stomach seemed to be adapting to the feeling of instantaneous travel, but all thought of her discomfort was driven from her mind as she saw the view before her.
Xandarius, Fornost, and the ship’s complement of Royal Guards had been teleported directly into the courtyard of the Imperial Palace in Xenxing. The palace itself loomed before them, its size and opulence still visible in the fading light. A pathway set with a reddish-purple rug that ran all the way to a high set of steps that led to the interior of the citadel.
Lining the royal pathway and filling all the space in the courtyard- from the rug to the palace walls to the steps ahead- were hundreds upon hundreds of Imperial Royal Guards. Ansaria’s eyes swept over the assembly; the first five rows on both sides were comprised entirely of native Xenlongians, judging by their height and body types, but behind them hundreds of different Xenlongian citizens, native and non-native, artificial and organic, filled the rest of the courtyard clad in the bone-white armor of the emperor’s elite.