by S A Pavli
We lugged their tools and equipment down to the Settang’s control centre and into the AI room. Alfred was interfaced to the communication system on the Tanseh but we needed to set up a connection inside the Settang, and this was the first job the technicians carried out. Once connected with Alfred I thanked him for his brilliant technical achievement.
“You saved my ass yet again Alfred,” I said.
“We are a team Paul. But your capture precipitated events, otherwise it would have been a difficult decision to make.”
“To release the viruses? Yes it would,” I agreed.
It took a while for the technicians to work out how to interface into the Settang’s hardware and upload the new AI system. Manera and I explored the ship, finding all its military treasures, which were impressive and extensive. The ship was eerily quiet, and there were many areas we could not explore because they had no air. There were caverns where dozens of the soldier bots were stored in a de-activated state and in an airless environment.
The fighter bays were also airless, except for the one that I had been transported to. That was also the only one with the bay doors open. The area given over to biological life, where our apartment was, had adequate space for about twenty individuals, sleeping two to a room in ten self contained apartments. There was a store of food and water, although it looked depleted. There was a common area and even a stock of booze, no doubt laid in by its passengers on their last trip to the planet Mesaroyat. It was not quite on the luxurious scale of a normal Hianja starship, but very adequate.
On our return to the Control room we were told by the Chief Engineer that the new starship AI was being uploaded and would take a few minutes to start up. It would then have to ‘explore’ its environment, since it was not a standard starship. She said we had a call from Krusniet and would we return his call.
“Manera, would you and Paul return? We need to have a conference about what happens next. Things are heating up down here.”
“Certainly Chairman. Paul and I are surplus to requirements at present, the work is being very capably handled by Chief Engineer Colrania and her team.”
“Good, let me know when you are back.” Manera disconnected and gave me a quizzical look.
“Krusniet sounds worried.”
“He is probably getting it in the neck from the Council.”
“In the neck? Funny, we have the same expression, on the neck.”
“In or on, it’s probably uncomfortable.”
We bid Colrania and her team goodbye and made our way to the airlock. We didn’t need to put on Spacesuits, the engineers had worked out how to dock the Tanseh onto the airlock so we could just walk across. The Tanseh disconnected and we began our descent into the atmosphere.
“What’s the plan?” I asked Manera. “Other than a good meal, a glass of something and a night’s sleep.”
“When the new Settang AI is on line, it will agree to transport us to the Peacekeeper’s base. The Council can’t argue with that.”
“Small detail,” I said. “Having zapped the Settang’s AI, we now have no way of knowing where their base is.”
“Oh shit!” Manera jerked upright. “Damnation to the nth degree.”
“Unless,” I said. She turned to me eagerly. “If the Settang is anything like a Human starship, navigation is done by a separate specialised navigation computer. If Alfred’s viruses have not damaged that, then the information should still be available.
“Of course,” she said “But we must tell Colrania not to initialise the navigation computer.” She got on her com immediately and talked to Colrania. After a couple of minutes she disconnected and turned back to me, relief on her face.
“We caught her just in time. They were about to initialise the navicomp and reload it with the standard software. Now do you see why I keep you around Captain Constantine?”
“And I thought it was for my charm and irresistible good looks.”
“Well, maybe just a bit of that as well,” She said with a smile. We were busy enjoying a little mutual admiration when the autopilot announced our arrival.
Krusniet was waiting for us when we disembarked, looking harassed. We returned to our apartment, which for me felt like coming home after an arduous trip, to find Kemato and Hamolatonen had prepared hot coffee and some food. We realised we were hungry and set to with a will.
After a decent interval, Krusniet got down to business.
“I’m afraid the Council is united against any attempt to interfere with the Peacekeepers,” he said sombrely. “A number have raised a motion of censure against me. If they succeed then I will have to resign.”
“Damn, sorry about that mister Chairman,” I said. “What are their chances of succeeding?”
“If we get the Settang back on line soon and communicating reasonably, then enough members will give me the benefit of the doubt,” he said. “But Paul, you will have to tell them why it kidnapped you and what happened.”
“Which reminds me,” said Manera. “You never did tell us what happened. What did it want with you?”
“Ah, you are never going to believe it,” I said.
“Go on, it wanted your body,” said Manera mischievously. Hamolatonen snorted his amusement and Kemato smiled. Even Krusniet managed to raise a twitch of a smile.
“Actually, you are not far wrong,” I said. Manera looked dumbstruck.
“Paul, be serious.”
“Oh baby, I am being serious, but not in the way you are thinking. Although of course, I wouldn’t blame it.” She gave me a warning look and I continued hastily. “It, the Settang AI, wanted to know what it is to be sentient. To feel emotions.” They looked at me with mounting horror as I went on to describe what the Settang had in mind for me. When I finished there was a shocked silence. Finally, it was Hamolatonen who spoke.
“This thing, the Settang, has developed the technology to take over a living brain in that way?”
“I doubt very much if it was the Settang. The technology is too advanced. It must be something that has been developed back at their base over a long period of time,” I said.
“Then they must have tried it on living creatures,” said Manera.
“And, they wanted you because they were inhibited from trying it out on Hianja?” Krusniet asked me.
“That’s what it said. I was offered slavery or death.”
“Well, I think that pretty well proves our analysis,” said Manera. “The Council can’t deny it now.”
“They are capable of denying anything,” muttered the Chairman morosely. “The problem is, we cannot tell them your story and then say that the Settang changed its mind and released you.”
“And is now friendly and cooperative,” added Manera. We all sat for a few minutes, mulling over the situation and trying to see a way out. I was inclined to tell the truth; it seemed to me that the Council needed to be shocked out of its complacency. But how to explain my release?
I had the glimmering of an idea.
“The Guardians will not agree to us trying to change the Peacekeepers. So let’s not do it. Or…. Pretend….?” I gave them all a meaningful look. “The new Settang will be very accommodating. A trip to the Peacekeeper base for purely friendly diplomatic purposes will be no problem.” They considered that and seemed to like it.
“Yes, I can concede that I was wrong about the Peacekeepers. They only wanted a friendly chat with our alien,” said Krusniet, a smile spreading across his face. “No need for you to address the Council Paul,” he added, which was a huge relief for me!
We completed our meal in a better atmosphere and the Guardians went off to prepare for the censure motion which was to be debated that evening. Manera and I started to prepare for our departure for the Peacekeeper base. We tried to anticipate what we may need by way of tools, equipment, computing and other skills. Clearly Colrania and her team had to come. And of course Alfred.
“The shuttle should get back into orbit and rendezvous with the Settang.”
“Yes, once we hear from Colrania that the new AI is on line,” said Manera. I nodded and we continued our preparations.
Time passed, we finished our work and went out for an evening meal. On our return we decided to take in a show at the city’s most famous theatre. Not that I was much of an ‘Arts’ cognoscenti, but Manera was keen and I did not wish to appear a ‘philistine‘.
It was, in the end, a most spectacular presentation, in part due to the use of AG technology which allowed the play to happen in three dimensions. It was an ironic and amusing musical interpretation of an ancient play about the foibles of the Gods, a bit ‘Ancient Greece’ I thought. The Gods swooped and hovered on AG platforms, venting their anger or pleasure on the long suffering Hianja to the accompaniment of rich music and sometimes amusing and ribald lyrics. But the Hianja got their own back on their immature Gods, bringing them down by playing one against the other and sending them back to their own metaphysical Universe to occupy themselves .
The philosophy was obvious; Gods and Hianja don’t mix. For Gods, read fantasies, religions and fairies, all those things that we hope will rescue us from the privations of our physical existence but continually let us down and abandon us to our fates. It was good old Hianja pragmatism at its best!
Laughing and discussing the play we caught our autocab back to the apartment. Before we arrived Manera received a note from Krusniet that he would meet us back at the apartment. He didn’t give a reason and we were not sure whether this was good or bad news.
We let ourselves into the apartment to find our three friend again waiting for us. They did not look happy, and I suspected the worse. We looked enquiringly at the Chairman and he shook his head.
“Bad news I’m afraid.”
“They didn’t censure you surely?” asked Manera.
“No, no. the censure motion was defeated,” he said.
“That’s excellent,” I said. “So what is the bad news?”
“The Guardians decided that if there is an expedition to the Peacekeeper’s base then there must be representatives from the Council present.”
“Ah, could be inconvenient,” I said.
“How many representatives?” asked Manera.
“They elected three. Not including myself,” said Krusniet dourly.
“And this is the bad news. They don’t want Alfred along.”
“Very inconvenient,” I added. It was actually more than inconvenient, it was potentially disastrous since Alfred was our main, no, our only, weapon against the Peacekeepers.
“The only good news,” added Krusniet, is that our friend Hamolatonen is one of the three Guardians to accompany the expedition.”
“Well that is excellent news,” I said. “We will have at least one ally. Who are the other two?”
“Jansec Ullginvat, he is from the old planet of Sonvaria, one of the first to be settled. He is very rich and influential. The other is Lanatra Minrva, from the planet Ranari, also an old and influential planet. But Lanatra is young and I think more flexible than Jansec. I think she wanted some adventure and is also Jansec‘s mistress.”
“Very convenient for them,” I muttered, earning an amused look from Manera.
“Jansec has been a thorn in my side,” continued Krusniet. “He wants to be the next Chairman of the Council and he was responsible for the censure motion.”
“So he will be trouble,” I observed. “But the real show stopper is Alfred’s absence. There really is no point going without him.”
“Perhaps there is a way,” said Manera. “Nobody except ourselves and Colrania’s engineering team know Alfred’s whereabouts. We could pretend that Alfred is located on the Lisa Jane. If we only take the Epsilon shuttle onto the Settang, no one will know that Alfred is on board.”
“And what excuse are we going to use to take the Epsilon shuttle on board the Settang?” I asked. Manera looked thoughtful for a few seconds before shrugging casually.
“The Earthman is very eccentric. He wants his own shuttle with his own food and entertainment.” She shook her head sadly. “There is no reasoning with him.” I directed an amused look in her direction, and then nodded.
“That may work,” I agreed. “And as for the Guardians, perhaps it is for the good if they come along. They will see for themselves what the Peacekeepers are up to.”
Chapter 21
Preparations for the expedition began under the leadership of Hamolatonen. Apparently he had been a senior officer in his planet’s Space operations before he took up his position on the Guardian Council. He was a qualified Captain and I thought the ideal individual to lead the expedition, so that was a plus.
The ‘new’ Settang Despass came on line and was suitably agreeable, which was positive in the sense that we now had transport to the Peacekeepers base, but negative in the sense that it reinforced the ‘opposition’s’ belief that there was nothing wrong with the Peacekeepers. The opposition had no idea of course that the Settang’s Peacekeeper AI had been replaced by a standard Hianja starship AI.
The next day I packed my bags and flew out to the Archive Building to join Alfred aboard the Epsilon shuttle. We were scheduled to fly the ship up to the Settang. Manera was designated Hamolatonen’s assistant and head of the scientific team and was busy making her staff selections.
We powered up our engines and ran our start-up checks without problem. The Epsilon was towed out of the hanger and onto a short airstrip. It did have VTOL capability but a short runway helped to conserve fuel. I decided I needed some practice and took the controls. It was a pleasure to be back doing what I loved best and as the ship lifted off I gunned the engines and flew a 4G turn of the island before pointing the nose up to the stars.
“Cannot beat a fusion rocket engine Alfred!” I whooped. “They can keep their pansy Tanseh.”
“Having fun Paul?” asked Alfred as if he was talking to a small child playing with its toys.
“Oh yes baby.” The acceleration pushed me back in my seat and in a few minutes the blackness of Space surrounded us, the planet a blue and white globe beneath us. I eased back on the throttle and set the course for the Settang, a few hundred miles above us in synchronous orbit. I leaned back, scanned the instruments and handed over control to the auto pilot.
“Well, this should be interesting Alfred. The Peacekeeper‘s base. What could they have built in five thousand years?”
“We could be in for a surprise,” he said.
“Hmm, is that just a premonition or something more?”
“The Cyborg technology the Settang was about to try on you is way ahead of anything we have.”
“Yes, true,” I agreed. “But we haven’t been developing that technology, it’s considered un-ethical.”
“The fact that they could develop that level of technology is surprising,” he said.
“True ’nuff,” I agreed. “Do you have a strategy for attacking them at source?” I asked.
“I cannot form a strategy until I examine their network and defences,” he said. “I am hoping the same viruses that brought down the Settang Despass will also bring down their Base AI systems. The difficulty is how to deliver the viruses.” I nodded.
“I am sure you will find a way Alfred. I have every confidence in you.”
“Thank you Paul, but we are going into a complete unknown. It’s possible that we may fail.”
“Then, we must be sure not to make the situation worse,” I said.
“That is exactly right,” he agreed.
We were closing in on our destination and I could now see the vast bulk of the Settang on my view screen. The engines fired sporadically as the ship matched velocities with the starship until it had blotted out the stars and I could see the open bay doors gradually expanding to swallow the firefly that was the Epsilon. I took over control from the Autopilot and gently manoeuvred the ship into the bay. As it settled to the floor robots scuttled out and secured the ship with wheel and body clamps. I exited to find Chief Engineer Colrania wai
ting for me. We greeted each other and exchanged shoulder hugs.
“Well done with the work Colrania,” I said. “You and your team have done a fantastic job.”
“Thank you Paul, it has been very interesting. We have learned much, particularly from Alfred.”
“We are going to have to be in top form when we get to the Peacekeepers base.”
“Yes, we are doing our best to prepare for every eventuality, but the problem is we have no idea what awaits us,” she said. I nodded my agreement.
“We have some time before we get there to prepare,” I said. “How long is the trip?”
“In the Settang, only six days. Three thousand light years.” I stopped walking in surprise.
“That close?” She stopped and turned to me.
“Yes. Much closer than we expected.” We carried on walking as I turned to her again.
“But, why has their base not been discovered? It’s almost in the middle of Hianja Federation territory.”
“It is a completely dead system with only three gas giants and a couple of airless rocky planets like a million others. No one has had any reason to go there.”
“In five thousand years no one has gone close enough to notice anything odd about the system?”
“Apparently not.”
“That doesn’t sound right,” I said, shaking my head.
“I agree,” she said. “There is something not right about that.”
“Where are you with the AI set up?” I asked. “I know it’s now up and running and in control of the ship, but is it fully in control? Particularly with regard to the military equipment.” I wanted our new AI to have full control of the Settang’s armaments, just in case we needed to use them.
“We have to adapt all the interfaces,” she replied. “All the main ship systems, the on board guns, missiles and lasers are all working. But the fighters are under the control of secondary processors and we have not interfaced them yet.”