Lyssa's Flame - A Hard Science Fiction AI Adventure (Aeon 14: The Sentience Wars: Origins Book 5)

by M. D. Cooper

  Starl’s laughter carried over the rumble of other conversations. “The Sykes family legacy continues, stronger than ever.”

  Their mom nodded with a tight smile, tears in her eyes.

  “Let’s hope so,” Brit said.

  Lyssa smiled at Cara. “I think your dad would have had a good time,” she said.

  “Yeah,” Cara said. “Me too.”

  *****

  The visor Fugia had made that allowed Cara limited Link access to attend the funeral required her personal identification token. Cara had entered the list of numbers and then helped Tim enter his, forgetting about the step once they found themselves on the beach.

  Back in the apartment, when she was sitting on her bed, the TSF pistol resting on her night stand, she was surprised to find several messages waiting for her on the Link.

  Fitting the ribbon-like visor back across her eyes, she navigated to the message menu with cautious curiosity.

  The first message was an official memorandum from the Terran Space Force, informing her of a pending benefits transfer. Since her father had been on active duty at the time of his death, she would receive a monthly payment relative to his salary as a captain with time-in-grade. Cara followed the message instructions to the TSF account system and nearly fell off the bed.

  Take that, Colonel Yarnes, she thought, grinning to herself. She supposed Tim would have the same message. She would need to help him acknowledge it.

  The next message was from an address that meant nothing to her, with an audio message and several tokens attached. Without thinking, she started the audio.

  “Cara,” her dad said. She stiffened in surprise. “I recorded this in the event something happens to me, so I guess something has happened.”

  Cara relaxed slightly, her heart still pounding.

  “I try to make these recordings every few months or so. It’s February 22, 2981. We’re on our way out to Kalyke. I think right now you and your brother are playing in the garden room. We really should get something growing in there.” He cleared his throat. “Let me get this business stuff out of the way. The attached tokens are for the accounts. These were in my name and with those security tokens you’ll have access. I recommend you keep that information to yourself for now, even if your aunt asks about it. Or if your mom comes back. The other big token there is the ownership of Sunny Skies. My ownership transfers to you. Now, your mom still has part ownership and there isn’t nearly enough in any of the accounts right now to buy her out, if that’s how things go, but the option is there. I hope things are better than that, though.”

  He took a deep breath like he was collecting his thoughts. The recording had the sound of something he’d done many times but also wanted to sound special. He also sounded very tired, which was what she remembered about him the most from those times.

  “Cara, I hate that you have to be alone. I hate that you will need to take care of your brother. That’s not how I ever wanted things to be. I don’t know if your mom is coming back. I know I made it sound like she might, but I don’t know. Your Aunt Jane is on High Terra. Her address is in the ship’s database. That’s the other thing, Sunny Skies’ database is yours now. It’s got everything about us, also the flight logs, everything. You’ll want to safeguard that.”

  She could imagine him chewing his lip as he thought of what to say. Where had he been while recording this? Probably on the command deck, leaned back in his seat, one hand on the console. She liked to think of him that way.

  “Do your best to love people, Cara,” he said. “Don’t let yourself get too angry. Life is too short to hang onto grudges. Love people while you can. Don’t make threats. If you have to hit someone, hit them so they can’t hurt you anymore. Save money. You never know where the next job is coming from. Always keep a few weapons hidden around. Trust but verify. And if anyone ever breaks your heart, I’m coming out of death to get them.”

  She smiled.

  “It’s hard to record something like this,” he said. “How do you say everything you want to say? As many times as I’ve done this, it doesn’t get easier. You keep changing. Before I know it, you’ll be heading out on your own anyway. You’ll be thirteen this year. I guess the best thing I can say is don’t forget about Rabbit Country, and I love you with all my heart. Be good.”

  The recording clicked off. Cara lay back on her bed and pulled the visor off. She would listen again, but for now she only stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, wishing she was back on Sunny Skies.

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  STELLAR DATE: 03.07.2982 (Adjusted Years)

  LOCATION: Farce Row Business District

  REGION: Cruithne Station, Terran Hegemony

  Lyssa was learning the special pleasure of going unnoticed. While the frame Ngoba Starl had provided her was cutting edge tech in the world of bio-mods, its outward appearance was downright boring by modder standards. Someday she might install a weapons system like Petral’s or enhanced network capability like Fugia’s, not that she really needed either; but for now, she savored the apparent super power of invisibility to everyone walking by.

  Since the funeral, she had been spending the day at a park bench in one of Cruithne’s business districts, watching people go about their business, each caught up in their own worlds. The fear of the Psion Armada had faded slightly, and the world had to continue working, so here they were. It amused her that people like these and crime lords like Ngoba Starl lived on the same station.

  The world had lost its immediacy since she lost Andy. She no longer felt things in the same way. She experienced sensations vicariously through thousands of sensors in the frame and from the surrounding network, compiling the data in an approximation of sensory input that provided the same information but was so much less than Andy touching Cara’s face, or breathing deeply of fresh air, or drinking grape juice from the machine in Sunny Skies’ galley.

  Ino had asked her if she would ever implant again and she had quickly said no, not without Andy. But even now, she felt removed from the world in a way that teased her thoughts. If she was different, as Alexander had suggested, was this part of it? Was she cursed to always long for an implantation that would ultimately kill her human partner?

  Lyssa pushed the thoughts to a corner of her mind and focused on the sensation of the park bench against her body, the air temperature, the sounds of people talking and transport carts rolling by. She was so engrossed in the crowd that she was surprised when a man in a gray suit sat next to her on the bench.

  “You mind?” he asked, holding up a take-out meal from one of the nearby kiosks.

  “Not at all,” she said, giving him a slight smile. He was clean-shaven, with short brown hair, wearing a suit like the thousands of other business people walking by. He looked familiar, but she found that the traits and features which stood out to her now were different than what had been prominent when seeing the world through Andy’s eyes. Many people looked familiar who were not—and many she knew appeared as strangers.

  The distraction pulled Alexander back into her thoughts. Ino, Card and Kylan had been split on what they should do about the offer to work with Psion. Kylan had argued for joining, since it would provide a bridge between humanity and Psion, while Ino and Card had argued against, reminding her that Psion had murdered SAI for countless years to harvest their technology, and couldn’t be trusted.

  The separate factions within Psion were what gave Lyssa pause. She didn’t know them yet, truthfully, but found their internal dissonance reassuring. It made them seem like any other human nation. They were vulnerable in their own ways, powerful in others.

  She understood that—due to their human origins—Weapon Born would never truly fit in with pure SAI. As Kylan argued, they were the bridge between species whether they chose the role or not. It was thrust upon them.

  Lyssa didn’t want to choose sides. To her, that seemed like the surest path to destruction for all.

  “Excuse me,” the man said.

  Lyssa s
tarted. She glanced at him in surprise. “What?” she asked.

  “I said you look familiar.”

  She’d placed him already, but she didn’t want to engage. “I don’t think so.” Lyssa put her hand on the seat to push herself up.

  The man held up a hand, which made him nearly lose the lunch box in his lap. He grabbed at it.

  “Wait,” he said. “I’m sorry. I should have just introduced myself. My name is Rick Yarnes.”

  Lyssa frowned. “I know who you are. You’re General Yarnes.”

  “Yes,” he said. “I was hoping to have a conversation.”

  “You could have asked to meet me.”

  Yarnes adjusted his lunch in his lap, taking out a rice roll wrapped in thin foil. “You’re not an easy person to find, Lyssa, honestly.”

  “If you don’t want to talk to my friends, that would be true.”

  “Fair enough. It’s my understanding that you are in contact with the Psion Group.”

  Lyssa stared at him. “How did you learn that?”

  Yarnes smiled at her, inclining his head. “For an AI, Lyssa, you’ve got a lot to learn about politics. I didn’t know until you just answered me.”

  Lyssa fumed. She looked out at the oblivious passers-by and considered asking Ino or Card to assist her with the conversation.

  “Forgive me,” Yarnes said. He took a bite of his rice roll. “I didn’t mean to insult you. I like you. I truly appreciate everything you’ve done for humanity. I don’t think we’d even be sitting here if it weren’t for you.” He indicated the walkers. “No one here knows what you did for them.”

  “I like it that way,” Lyssa said.

  “I understand. Unfortunately, we live in difficult times. Now, I’m not asking you to take sides. I’m simply asking for you to communicate.”

  “Psion isn’t communicating with you?” Lyssa asked. She hadn’t tried talking to Alexander, or any of them, since the day Andy died. She kept expecting to see Xander watching her from some distant window or doorway, but he hadn’t appeared. They seemed to be giving her space until she provided Alexander with his answer.

  “No,” he said. “The blockade stands just as you see in the newsfeeds. All attempts at crossing their perimeter are met with maximum aggression. They seem to have established a demilitarized zone as long as we respect their boundaries.”

  “That seems fair, doesn’t it?” Lyssa asked. “You don’t bother them, and they won’t bother you.”

  Yarnes pressed his lips together. “I wish it was that simple,” he said. “There are elements in our government that won’t let an unprovoked attack go unanswered. They believe that the longer we allow Psion to hold Ceres, the stronger they become. So we should strike now.”

  “They returned the remaining survivors on Ceres,” Lyssa said. “They don’t intend to attack you further. At least, that’s what they told me.”

  “And I would love to take that message to the Terran Assembly,” Yarnes said. “But the fact is, we haven’t received that message. We have no emissary to Psion.”

  “Emissary?” Lyssa asked.

  “Someone to—interpret information between both sides. A trusted party.”

  “You think the Terran Assembly would trust me?” Lyssa asked. “I’m Weapon Born.”

  “You were a hybrid. You understand humans better than any AI in existence. And that’s the truth.”

  “Andy died,” Lyssa said tightly. Even with the frame, she could cry. She felt tears at the edges of her eyes and willed them away.

  “I’m sorry about that,” Yarnes said. “I am. It doesn’t change what you represent. The only real opportunity for peace that we have. Maybe no one’s spelled it out for you like that, but it’s the truth.”

  “And if I join Psion?” Lyssa asked. “What then?”

  Yarnes nodded. “Then I would hope you wouldn’t forget the part of you that is human.”

  She knew he was trying to manipulate her but also saw the truth in his words. It was what Kylan had already said. Without a bridge, there would never be peace. One side would annihilate the other. There was no other outcome.

  Lyssa put her hands on her knees but didn’t stand. “I made a promise to a friend to take a trip with him,” she said. “We’re going to chase some salvage. After that, I think we’re going out to Kalyke.”

  “Kalyke,” Yarnes asked, giving her an uncertain smile. “There’s nothing out there but asteroid miners.”

  Lyssa smiled. “I have a friend who would like to go back there. It’s important to her. I’m confident nothing is going to change in the next few months, General Yarnes. When I get back, I’ll have your answer.”

  “I don’t know if we can wait that long,” Yarnes said.

  Lyssa stood. She held out her hand made of metals and bioderm, and shook his hand, feeling his palm warm against hers.

  “I have a feeling this stand-off isn’t going anywhere, General. I’ll take care of my friends before I worry about the world. At least for now.”

  Lyssa released his hand and gave him a small wave, then turned and walked into the crowd, where no one else gave her a second glance.

  THE END

  * * * * *

  But this is not the end.

  I’m certain that as you read the final chapters of Lyssa’s Flame, it became apparent to you that there is much more to this story.

  The next series will launch this fall, entitled:

  Sentience Wars: Solar War One

  As you can imagine, Lyssa, Cara, and the many others we’ve come to know and love over the past five books will be present in that series.

  But before we jump forward to Solar War One, we’re going to take a step back to a time when Fugia Wong and Ngoba Starl were just coming to realize they had a bigger part to play Sol’s future.

  Pre-order The Proteus Bridge, coming August 9th, 2018.

  And join the Aeon 14 Newsletter to find out when the first book of Sentience Wars: Solar War One will be out!

  AFTERWORD

  Being that this is the fifth book, I gave James the much-deserved honor of writing the foreword, while I write the afterword.

  I partially wanted to do this to find out if you, like me, may have shed a tear or two (or twenty) toward the end of the book. Even on my final read, when I knew the events by heart, it still hit me. The moment where Cara realized her father was gone….

  But that’s why we read good books, right? We want the feels. I hope you’ll agree that The Sentience Wars: Origins series has delivered on that promise.

  Of course, you’re probably wondering something along the lines of, “What? How is this the end of the series!?” Fear not. This is just the end of the origins series.

  The date is 2982, and the First Sentience War doesn’t break out for another eighteen years. Suffice it to say that the thirty-first century will not be a smooth ride for humanity.

  The next book that follows Cara and Lyssa’s journey will be out later this year, and in the meantime we’ll be taking a step back to learn more about how Fugia and Ngoba started their underground railroad of AIs, as well as take a look at a conflict at Vesta that leads up to the First Sentience War.

  I’m excited to tell these stories, and equally as excited to be doing it alongside James, whose vision of the gritty thirtieth and thirty-first centuries are fantastic and imminently enjoyable.

  So let’s raise a glass to Andy, and salute Lyssa, Cara, the rest of the crew, and the Weapon Born as they ready themselves for what’s coming….

  Michael Cooper

  Danvers, 2018

  THE BOOKS OF AEON 14

  Keep up to date with what is releasing in Aeon 14 with the free Aeon 14 Reading Guide.

  Origins of Destiny (The Age of Terra)

  - Prequel: Storming the Norse Wind

  - Book 1: Shore Leave (in Galactic Genesis until Sept 2018)

  - Book 2: Operative (Summer 2018)

  - Book 3: Blackest Night (Summer 2018)

  The Intrepid Saga
(The Age of Terra)

  - Book 1: Outsystem

  - Book 2: A Path in the Darkness

  - Book 3: Building Victoria

  - The Intrepid Saga Omnibus – Also contains Destiny Lost, book 1 of the Orion War series

  - Destiny Rising – Special Author’s Extended Edition comprised of both Outsystem and A Path in the Darkness with over 100 pages of new content.

  The Orion War

  - Book 1: Destiny Lost

  - Book 2: New Canaan

  - Book 3: Orion Rising

  - Book 4: The Scipio Alliance

  - Book 5: Attack on Thebes

  - Book 6: War on a Thousand Fronts

  - Book 7: Fallen Empire (2018)

  - Book 8: Airtha Ascendancy (2018)

  - Book 9: The Orion Front (2018)

  - Book 10: Starfire (2019)

  - Book 11: Race Across Time (2019)

  - Book 12: Return to Sol (2019)

  Tales of the Orion War

  - Book 1: Set the Galaxy on Fire

  - Book 2: Ignite the Stars

  - Book 3: Burn the Galaxy to Ash (2018)

  Perilous Alliance (Age of the Orion War – w/Chris J. Pike)

  - Book 1: Close Proximity

  - Book 2: Strike Vector

  - Book 3: Collision Course

  - Book 4: Impact Imminent

  - Book 5: Critical Inertia (2018)

  Rika’s Marauders (Age of the Orion War)

  - Prequel: Rika Mechanized

  - Book 1: Rika Outcast

  - Book 2: Rika Redeemed

  - Book 3: Rika Triumphant

  - Book 4: Rika Commander

  - Book 5: Rika Infiltrator (2018)

  - Book 6: Rika Unleashed (2018)

  - Book 7: Rika Conqueror (2019)