Space Scout - The Peacekeepers

by S A Pavli

  “I am in favour of that approach,” said Lanatra. There were murmurs of agreement around the room. Jansec accepted the suggestion with as good grace as he could muster. Hamolatonen continued.

  “If Cora accepts our suggestion, that will put us in a strong position with the Pramasticon. How it reacts will be very revealing.”

  “And if Cora does not accept our suggestion,” said Jansec.

  “Then we have a huge problem,” said Hamolatonen. “I don’t see where we go from there, so let us hope she is at least sympathetic to the idea.” I stood and caught Jansec’s eye. He nodded and pointed in my direction.

  “If Cora is to agree, we must show her trust. She asked how we persuaded the Settang, a rogue ship, to bring us here. We may have to tell her.”

  “That we subverted the AI? No way, she will immediately turn against us,” said Jansec.

  “I don’t believe so,” I replied. “She is looking for a weapon to use against the Pramasticon. If she is sympathetic to our cause then she can help us in defeating the Pramasticon, if it turns against us.”

  “But we will be revealing our trump hand,” protested Jansec. I realised that he did have a point.

  “We don’t have to tell her the details of our weapon,” I suggested. “And we will not have to use it, unless the Pramasticon turns nasty. We should only tell her that the Settang Despass is no longer under the control of the Pramasticon.”

  “I agree with Paul,” said Lanatra. “We will be showing trust, without revealing our weapon.”

  “Since I am outvoted,” said Jansec sourly. “Then let us proceed. Colrania, contact Cora.” Lanatra held up a restraining hand.

  “One second. Jansec, I want Hamolatonen to do the talking, not you.” Jansec scowled at her.

  “I am the leader here. We agreed.”

  “That does not mean you are the best person to negotiate,” said Lanatra. “Would you like the team to vote?” Jansec waved a dismissive hand.

  “No need. I presume we can all interject?”

  “Yes,” said Hamolatonen. “But talk to me on the private channel 5 first.”

  “Proceed,” said Jansec gruffly. My respect for Lanatra had gone up astronomically. She was certainly not Jansec’s empty headed floozy!

  The face of the AI avatar appeared on the screen and I again marvelled at the realism of the robot. I wanted to meet her face to face I decided. Hamolatonen started talking.

  “Cora, we have discussed what you said to us yesterday. It was both interesting, and alarming. Unfortunately, it seems to have confirmed our worst fears about the nature of the Peacekeepers and what they have become.” Cora nodded, then cocked her head questioningly. She must have studied Hianja mannerisms very closely to be so authentic I decided.

  “Your worst fears?” she asked.

  “Well, perhaps not our worst,” said Hamolatonen hastily. “That was just an expression. I would like to first confirm something to you that we touched on yesterday. The Settang Despass is no longer under the control of its original AI. We have replaced it with a standard Hianja starship AI.”

  “I presume that since the ship is physically undamaged, you have found a way to subvert the AI program itself?” she asked.

  “That is correct,” said Hamolatonen.

  “Do you have the ability to do the same to me,” she asked. It was an unexpected question and Hamolatonen was at a loss for a few moments.

  “Er, we have not considered that eventuality,” he said. “But obviously, in principle, yes. Ah, but, that is not a threat.”

  “I understand,” said Cora. “Please continue.”

  “Thank you. You must understand that we want to work with the Peacekeepers to restore them to their original function. However, what has happened has persuaded us that there has to be a change in the original design. We propose two changes. The first is that the Peacekeepers should come under the control of the Hianja Guardian Council. The second is that the Peacekeepers forces should no longer be hidden but should be distributed throughout the Federation. We would like your thoughts on these two changes.” There was a long pause while the robot remained motionless. Eventually she spoke.

  “In principle your suggestions are reasonable. However, I am sure that the Pramasticon will not agree to such a limitation to its freedom.”

  “We intend to make the same suggestion to the Pramasticon,” said Hamolatonen.

  “If you do, be advised it will attack you,” said Cora. A shiver passed down my spine, despite the calm measured tone of her pronouncement. I suddenly felt that we didn’t just have a tiger by the tail, we had walked into its den, if tigers had dens.

  “Nevertheless, we must try to bring the Pramasticon back,” said Hamolatonen. “How do we contact it?”

  “We have been conversing on a secure line,” said Cora. “If you connect to the net and post an open message, the Pramasticon will see it.” Hamolatonen looked at Colrania and she nodded her understanding.

  “Thank you for your understanding Cora. Can we talk after we have spoken with the Pramasticon?” asked Hamolatonen.

  “I will be monitoring your conversation on the net,” said Cora. The screen went blank. Colrania was conversing with the Settang’s AI, who apparently was the intermediary through which she connected to the net.

  “We have posted the message,” she said. I wondered how the fearsome machine would communicate with us. Like the Settang Despass with one of its soldier robots? Or with a robot avatar like Cora? My question was answered when the screen cleared to show a robot soldier similar to the one who had confronted me on the Settang.

  “I am the Pramasticon. Why are you here?” Well, get to the point why don’t you?

  “We are an official Hianja delegation. We have come to investigate the Peacekeepers,” said Hamolatonen.

  “The Peacekeepers are an independent force.”

  “We believe that idea has failed. You have been warring between yourselves,” said Hamolatonen firmly. Give it to him straight mate I thought.

  “The AI who calls itself Cora has broken the triumvirate.”

  “Cora believed that you were carrying out illegal experiments on sentient creatures,” said Hamolatonen.

  “They are just savage creatures.”

  “Nevertheless, it is not part of your mission to experiment on living creatures. I am here to ask you to stop and to re-instate the Triumvirate. And also, to bring yourselves under the control of the Hianja Guardian Council.”

  “I will not give up my independence. You should not have come here. By doing so you have revealed the existence and location of the Peacekeepers and undermined their purpose.”

  “That purpose was misconceived,” said Hamolatonen. “An independent self evolving military force is unpredictable and potentially dangerous. The triumvirate has failed. Please recognise that and allow us to find a new future together.”

  “I repeat, you should not have come here. I will take steps to eradicate this location from Hianja records. You will never return to Hianja.”

  “This is not looking good,” I muttered to Manera. She looked strained. The screen blanked and there was an ominous silence, broken by the slightly artificial voice of the ship’s AI.

  “The Pramasticon has ordered me to take all Hianja prisoner and transport them to the planet.” There was a shocked silence.

  “Ignore that order,” said Hamolatonen. He turned, a questioning expression on his face. “What now?” I stood and caught his attention.

  “The Pramasticon will realise that it has no control over the Settang. Cora has already advised us. It will attack. We must get inside the asteroid defensive ring immediately.” Hamolatonen nodded.

  “I agree,” he said. “Colrania, please connect us to Cora.” As Colrania made the connection, the Settang AI spoke again.

  “The Pramasticon is asking why I am not carrying out its orders.”

  “Ignore it,” said Hamolatonen.

  “No,” I said quickly. “Sorry Captain, The Set
tang must pretend to respond positively to the order. It may buy us some time.”

  “Good idea,” said Hamolatonen. “Settang, rescind previous instruction. Please respond to the Pramasticon that you are carrying out its orders.”

  “Should I carry out its orders?” asked the now confused AI.

  “No,” said Hamolatonen impatiently. “Obviously not, you are not going to take us all prisoner. But you will say that to the Pramasticon in order to give us time to move the ship inside the asteroid defensive ring. Is that clear?”

  “Understood,” replied the AI. The screen cleared to show the calm attractive features of the master AI.

  “I have been monitoring your conversation,” she said. “It is as I predicted.”

  “Cora, if the Pramasticon and its allies are about to attack us, we would like to shelter within your defensive ring.”

  “Your only chance of survival is to do that immediately. But be advised that the Pramasticon and its allies have superior numbers. Your survival is not guaranteed.” Well thanks for telling us that now! I felt Manera‘s hand grip mine and squeezed back.

  “Settang, please get under way and position the ship inside the defensive ring,” ordered Hamolatonen. “Everyone, take your seats and strap in.” There was a scramble for seats and we felt the ship heave beneath our feet followed by a gentle acceleration. We were just a few miles outside the ring but the ship had to manoeuvre slowly and carefully, matching its speed with the orbiting asteroids. I switched channels on my comm.

  “Alfred, are you monitoring?”

  “Yes Paul.”

  “Time to activate your secret interface and upload your viruses. What is your status on that?”

  “I have already uploaded sleeping viruses in preparation for this very eventuality,” he replied.

  “Blimey Alfred, you don’t waste any time.”

  “If you remember, we discussed this and agreed to prepare.”

  “Sorry, that escaped my memory. Too much going on. Activate your viruses. Give it all you got Alfred. It looks like there is no compromise with the Pramasticon and it’s going to be a fight to the death.”

  “I agree Paul. But as I warned, the sleeping viruses will not be effective immediately and they will only bring down the satellite processors. I cannot get to the Pramasticon.”

  “We will try to hold them off until they work,” I said. I felt the ship moving around me and the bank of screens in front of us showed views of the bleak cratered surface of the moon and occasionally an asteroid passed across the field of vision. We were nearly inside the protective ring and we could clearly see the banks of guns and missiles on the rocky asteroids, the light from sun reflecting off metallic surfaces.

  “Cora has suggested that we hide the ship behind one of the largest asteroids for protection,” said our ship’s AI. “It also wants to bring my armaments under its control in order to create a coordinated defence.”

  “Agreed,” said Hamolatonen. “How many ship’s does Cora have in relation to the enemy?”

  “We have three Peacekeeper ships with full fighter complement, and the Settang. The enemy has eight ships, we believe also with the full complement of fighters.” The numbers did not look good; we were outnumbered two to one. But we did have our defensive screen. How effective was it? I asked myself. It had protected Cora all these years but I suspected that the enemy had decided that since she was not a threat, they could just leave her locked inside her base.

  “The Pramasticon and the other Peacekeeper ships have broken orbit,” announced the Settang AI. The fight was about to begin.

  Chapter 26

  It took a few more minutes for the Settang Despass to manoeuvre itself behind the designated asteroid. We were just two hundred metres from the rock and it blocked out most of our view of outside Space. In the other direction, the bulk of the moon blocked out most of the rest. We were a fly caught between two giant black rocks! The big ship was rumbling and we could feel the vibrations through the floor and our seats.

  This was a war in which we, the so called crew, were going to be largely spectators as the giant ships unleashed their destructive powers against each other.

  “Bay doors opening, fighters are being deployed,” announced the ship’s AI. How long would it take for the Pramasticon and its ships to get to us? I did a quick calculation, assuming they used maximum acceleration, less than an hour. Enough time to prepare our defences. I had a further, and worrying thought, if it was possible to be more worried. Did we have any way of leaving the ship if it was compromised?

  “Hamo, can you ask Cora if she could leave behind one fighter to ferry us to the moon base if things become too dangerous here? For sure the Pramasticon is going to concentrate its efforts to destroy us, right?”

  “Yes, you are right Paul, we do need a means of escape. What about Alfred and your shuttle?”

  “I can fly that out, but there’s not enough room in it for the whole crew.”

  “Why not go to the moon base now?” asked Lanatra.

  “It’s possible the moon base may be compromised before our ship is. In which case we can at least try to escape,” I said. “Let’s see how the battle progresses before we commit ourselves.”

  “Yes, that seems reasonable,” she said.

  Jansec had been quiet during the conversation with the Pramasticon, his face set and thoughtful. Now he turned to Hamolatonen.

  “I was wrong Hamo, I apologise. And to you Captain,” he turned to me. “My apologies also. I wronged you in not believing your story. Hamo, you may take over leadership of the expedition.” He looked downcast and I felt sorry for him, but also respected his honesty.

  “No need Jansec. You did what you thought was right,” said Hamolatonen. “As for the leadership of the expedition, it is jointly in our hands, mine, yours and Lanatras. And it will remain thus.”

  “Thank you Hamo.” Jansec stepped forward and exchanged shoulder hugs with the tall Guardian and then tentatively went to Lanatra. She gave him a forgiving smile and he smiled and nodded his relief. He then came over to me and stuck out a hand, which I shook warmly.

  “Human hand shake,” he grinned. “I like it.” I smiled my appreciation. All friends together I thought. Let’s hope we live to enjoy it!

  “I wish you had instructed Alfred to prepare his viruses,” said Jansec regretfully. “We would have much more hope of getting out of this alive.”

  “Er, sorry Jansec. We, er….” I gave him a meaningful look and he laughed loudly and explosively.

  “You did? Ha! We could do with more of your independent spirit Earthman!” He clapped me on the shoulder. “How is Alfred doing then?”

  “He has released what he calls sleeping viruses,” I explained. “If all went well, they would do no harm. But now he has released other viruses that will activate these. They will attach themselves to all intra net communications between the Pramasticon and its ships and upload themselves. But Alfred is unsure how long it will take them to infiltrate into sensitive areas and start to do damage.”

  “It gives us more hope,” he said.

  Over the next half hour we watched our fighters leaving the ship and taking up defensive positions, forming a protective umbrella around the ship. We caught sight of two of the other ships positioning themselves inside the asteroid screen and disgorging their fighters.

  It was barely forty minutes after the Pramasticon and its ships left orbit that the first explosions started to light up the sky.

  “Shit, that was quick. It should have taken more than an hour for them to get here.”

  “Long range missiles,” said Alfred in my ear.

  “They are not wasting any time.” I put a protective arm around Manera. “How you doing baby?” She gave me a tremulous smile.

  “This is an awful place Paul. Why are we here?”

  “Hmm. It seemed a good idea at the time,” I said, trying to lighten her mood.

  “We may have been a little overconfident,” she said.
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  “They have their weak spot, as Alfred has demonstrated.” The ship shuddered and Manera’s hand convulsed on mine.

  “What was that Alfred?”

  “Our ship fired an anti-missile barrage.”

  “And we are not exactly powerless,” I said. Manera gave me a little grateful smile.

  “It’s because we are powerless I think,” she said, emphasising the ‘we’.

  “Well, let’s see if we can take back some control,” I said. “Alfred, what is your analysis of Cora’s defence strategy?”

  “The asteroid ring forms an interlocking static defence,” said Alfred. “Each asteroid has missile and gun emplacements facing outwards. If any fighters get through there are missile and gun emplacements on the moon’s surface.”

  “That looks to be very thorough,” I remarked.

  “The problem is these defences are short range. There are no long range missile batteries. The enemy can stand off at long range and bombard us with impunity.”

  “Why not have long range missiles?” I asked.

  “They are large and expensive in resources, and also easy for an enemy to defend against. They see them coming from a long way.”

  “We are not military experts Alfred, but we can see the problem. Why is Cora not seeing it?”

  “She knows that the enemy has limited resources also. At some point they have to commit to close range. But she may be wrong. The enemy has had a long time to prepare.”

  “What can we do if that is the case?” I asked.

  “Our ships are equipped with long and short range missiles,” said Alfred.

  “You are not suggesting they go out and engage the enemy?” I asked.

  “No, they are outnumbered. But they can carry out short shoot and run attacks, taking refuge back inside the defensive ring when the enemy retaliates. Without their fighter complement they will be faster and more manoeuvrable than the enemy. That tactic is straight from the EDF tactical manual.”