War Stories

by Andrew Liptak

  The government had resigned. Heads of the military and security services had been detained, automatically locked in their offices. Software agents of the Brethren of the Jihad had taken control of the nation’s military, power, financial, and other systems, maintaining stability in this time of crisis. In his closing speech, the former Prime Minister spoke of his gratitude that at last someone had taken responsibility for tackling the moral decline of the nation and that they could all look forward to a time of spiritual maturity and respect.

  It was a coup, but the powers of the land seemed almost grateful.

  Jesus, but I never thought World War Three would go like this, Kevin messaged everyone in a mass reply–all. It’s like the PM was waiting for it.

  He reached High Street and saw that people were in the road looking dazed and confused. The Exchange flashed that it was closed until licensing laws had been reviewed. The Shackleton too.

  Farther down there was a crowd outside the Lion’s Head. Quick messages revealed that Ziggy, Emily, Matt and Lola were there. All turfed out.

  Waiting for it? messaged Ziggy. Blown to pieces more like. I don’t call that waiting for it…

  Kevin found his friends, gave gang shakes and hugs. Ziggy, all dreadlocks and shell beads, said, “What you saying, they were asking for it, bro?”

  Kevin didn’t know what to say. He’d checked the feeds again as he worked his way along the crowded High Street. Asking for it: such a meek and humble handing over of power. “I don’t know,” he said. “You tell me: what’s happened?”

  “It’s in the feeds, bro. The bombs, the snatch squads. Swift an’ clinical is what they saying. A show of force so we know just how beaten we are. Didn’t you check the feeds?”

  Kevin shrugged, said nothing. He remembered the point, the moment when the meSphere faltered and then righted itself and then the message came through.

  There was a war. You lost.

  The kind of military takeover Ziggy described would never happen so swiftly. The war was in the wires. It had taken place in cyberspace, started and finished in milliseconds. A takeover of all the systems that ran the country.

  Ziggy grabbed Kevin’s arm, getting antsy, lairy from the drink and the adrenaline. “Hey bro,” he demanded. “Don’t just go ignoring me. This is big shit. What’s happening?”

  Kevin put a hand on his friend’s wrist, calming him. “I don’t know,” he said. There was something nagging away in a corner of his mind. “Just give me a mo’ though, would you? That’d be grand.”

  Sandeep! Sandeep Patel, the second–generation Indian from the East Midlands who liked to call Kevin a “bloody foreigner” and had made him more welcome at SphereIllogic than anyone else, back when he’d started there last year. His message earlier… Kevin flipped it back up: Hey Kev. Dig the profiles! They bucket–testing the shit outta this war.

  Bucket–testing. A/B testing. Where a web feed showed some users a variant of a page so the owners could measure the outcomes, how many more clicked to buy; or where some passersby would get a spamyell from a shop or restaurant with a different wording, different tone. Real–time testing with subtle variations. Amazon and Google had done it all the time, way back in the when of things.

  And now… Kevin looked around at all the confused, defeated faces.

  How many different versions had people been fed so that the so–called Brethren of the Jihad could modify their campaign depending on user–segment responses? How many variants were there of that BBC feed, videoShopped in real–time by some semi–AI in order to model and shape and defeat a nation’s head–space? How much was even true, and how much just a piece of misinformation carefully engineered to steer the collective illogical logic of the population?

  Kevin grabbed Ziggy by the arms and his dreadlocked friend fell quiet, mid–rant.

  “It’s not over,” said Kevin. “Do you see? It’s not over at all. It’s still happening. All around us. Everything: one big bucket test. We haven’t lost, Ziggy. We only lose if we believe we’ve lost.”

  Ziggy shook himself free. “Bro, you gone mad in the head. It’s all over the feeds.”

  Kevin turned to Emily and Matt, but they just looked dazed, lost. In their heads they’d lost and there was no getting through.

  Kevin started to run. Run until his breath came ragged and his lungs burned and his legs were like jelly.

  He turned back down Queen Street, heading for the Union, the squaddies. He didn’t know what he was going to do, what he could find to say to them to convince them, but he had to get through. Had to try to persuade them that they were only beaten because they thought they were and that they might just still have a chance if they’d listen instead of just beating the crap out of the ranting gobshite of a Mick who was about to burst into their bar and start haranguing them.

  Acknowledgments

  JAYM: A few years ago, an i09.com article said I was working on military SF from the perspective of female and LGBTQ characters. At the time, it was just a half–joking idea, but a few years later, the stars aligned. There are too many people to thank, but a few in particular made this possible.

  War Stories is dedicated to soldiers, and their families and loved ones. More specifically, to the wonderful community of veterans and soldiers—especially Neil, Greg, Ana, Aaron, DJ, Terry, and the guys at RangerUp—who answered all sorts of questions. Thanks for all your help, and your patience with my questions.

  Thank you to the Kickstarter backers, the authors, my co–editor, our slush readers (including my wonderful mother), and everyone who spread the word and believed in us. To Jason, too, who took a chance on a potentially divisive book.

  And, last but not least, to Greyson, who proved that the biggest soldier can sometimes have the greatest heart.

  You all made this possible. Thank you.

  ANDREW: War Stories began with a conversation between myself and Jaym at the 2012 ReaderCon in Burlington, MA. It’s a project that grew with each conversation, and there are an enormous number of people that need to be thanked with any sort of project such as this. I can’t list everyone who deserves thanks, but know that your help, support and contributions are most appreciated.

  Thanks to go to John Joseph Adams, for his guidance and for passing along several stories that ended up in the book, to Jason Sizemore for giving this project a home and believing in the project over its entire lifecycle. To each of our authors, who provided us with their incredible stories, to our dedicated slush readers, Megan, Matt, Blackwell and Carey.

  Thank you to everyone who pledged to the original project on Kickstarter, and for everyone who talked, tweeted and posted about this, providing encouragement and support along the way.

  Thanks to Galen Dara, who makes awesome art. Thanks to Annalee Newitz, Charlie Jane Anders and the entire crew at io9, who got me thinking about the state of Military SF (and in a roundabout way, got me started with this) and to Myke Cole and Kevin Beal for the advice and support over the last couple of years.

  Finally, thank you to my parents, Alan and Ellen Liptak and to my wife, Megan Liptak (and Bram), for their unwavering support and encouragement while I spent long nights and weekends on this. This never would have happened without you.

  Backers

  This project never would have happened without the financial support of 357 backers. Thank you for helping to make our book a reality.

  @OlliCrusoe, A. T. Greenblatt, A.C. Wise, Aaron M. Wilson, Aidan Doyle, Aidan Moher, Aimee Picchi, AJ Sikes, Alan and Ellen Liptak, Alan Smale, Alec Austin, Alec Interrante, Alex Houghton, Alex Johnson, Alex Ristea, Allen J Medlen, Allison, Amanda K. Hess, Andrew Beirne, Andrew James Fish, Andrew Maiewski, Andrew Penn Romine, Andrija Popovic, Anthony Marissen, Anthony R. Cardno, Aric Jack, Arkady Martine, Aubrey Westbourne, Bear Weiter, Ben Ireland, Benjamin Bowers, Benjamin Newell, Benjamin Read, Beth Morris Tanner, Bill Kohn, Bim, Blair Nicholson, Bob Huss, Bob Jacobsen, Bobbomb, Brandon Kanechika, Brandon St. Cyr, Brendan Sherwin, Brian J. White, Brian Oma Thomas
, Brian Staveley, Brian Young, BriAnne Searles, Brittany Karns, Bryan R Brown, Caitlyn Smith, Calvin K. Li, Cara Gorman, Carey Gates, Cariad Eccleston, Carissa, Carol J. Guess, Caroline Ratajski, Carolyn Kniga, Cathie V, CD Covington, Cédric Jeanneret, Charles Nicolosi, Christina Dessi, Clay Karwan, Cliff Winnig, Clinton Bodley, D.E.S., Richard, Dan Hills, Dan Pollack, Dan Rabarts, Daniel L Hughes, Dave Chua, Dave Gross, David Annandale, David Forbes, David Francis, David Lang, David Nicklin, David Stegora, David Wohlreich, Diana Williams, D–Rock, Dustin Hawk, Ed & Dallas Nagata White, Eric Kent Edstrom, Ericka B., Erin E. Moulton, Erik Bigglestone, Ernest Khoo, Fabio Fernandes, Fen Eatough, Francis Budden–Hinds, Frank J. Skornia, Galen Dara, Gavran, Gemma Noon, Gloria Liptak, Graeme Williams, Greg ‘fritopunk’ Adkins, Harry Knott, Heather Duke, Hillary Jacques, Ief Grootaers, ILICCO, Ira Lewy, Isabel Fine, Iwan Axt, J. Carl, Jakub Narębski, James Conason, James Knapp, James Turnbull, Janet L. Oblinger, Jared Shurin, Jason Andrew, Jason Daniel, Jason Sizemore, Jay Wolf, Jeff Xilon, Jen Howell, Jennifer Brozek, Jennifer Payne, Jennifer, Steinhurst, Jerry Gaiser, JHG Hendriks, Jim Reader, Jim Welch, Joe DiMaio, Johannes B, John Cosgrove, John Devenny, John Holden, Jon Lasser, Jonathan D. Beer, Jonathan Warner, Jonathan Woodward, Joseph R. Boeke, Josh Vogt, JP4, Kalli J. Ritter, Kate Baker, Kate Sullivan, Candlemark & Gleam, Keith Brinkley, Kelli Neier, Kelly Stiles, Kenneth Tagher, Kevin Baijens, Kevin Henderson, Kevin Sharp, Kevin Veldman, Kyle Brooks, Landon O., Lara Keenan & Andrew Rash, Larry Fleming, Lars Nygaard Witter, Lauren Davis, Lauren M. Roy, Lee Sims, Lisa Bucci, Logan Lamothe, Logan Z. Liskovec, Lori Ramey, Louis Luangkesorn, Lucas K. Law, Lyle Wood, Malcolm SW Wilson, Marc Jacobs, Marie–Claude Dion, Mark Jacobsen, Mark Pantoja, Mark T. Hrisho, Mark Teppo, Mark Thompson, Mark Woodson, Mary Beth Decker, Masato Naruniwa, Matt Gibbs, Matt Hurlburt, Matt Leitzen, Matt O’Connor, Matthew R. Gaglio, Matthew W. Quinn, Megan Charters, Michael A. Brunco, Michael Anton, Michael Feldhusen, Michael Hsieh, Michael Janairo, Michael Pusateri, Miha Jan, Mihir Wanchoo, Mike (Sven) Anderson, Mike Bavister, Mike Brendan, Mike E.G., Mike Hampton, Mike Seay, Mike Strider, Morgan Ellis, N. Aucoin, Nate Herzog and Kerry Swift, Nathan Hall, Nathan O’Keefe, Nathan S. McCollum, Neal Dalton, Neil Carr, Nicole Platania, Olna Jenn Smith, Olufemi, A. Oni, Parker B. Hoblin, Patti J. Exster, Paul Bulmer, Paul McMullen, Paul Weimer, Peter A Schaefer, Peter Biello, Peter Gray, Philip Harris, Polyfountain Media L.L.C., R.S. Hunter, Rafia Mirza, Ragi Gonçalves, ran, Randy “Sherpa” Brown, Rebekah Wheadon, Revek, Rick Ahern, Rob Hobart, Robert H. Bedford, Robert Davis, Robert Farmer, Robert Rath, Ronald T. Garner, Rose Vance, Ryan Weaver, Ryland J Kayin Lee, S. Hutson Blount, Sam Fleming (ravenbait), sam murphy, Samuel Erikson, Sandeep Sundher, Sandi Dreer, Sarah A., Sarah Howison, Sarah Kirkpatrick, Sarah Shoker, Sareh Heidari, Scott K. Monteiro, Scott Nellé, Scott Whitmore, Sean & Jen Whaley, Sean Harrop, Seth Elgart, SGT F.P. Kiesche III, Shad Bolling, Shane Celis, Shaun Duke, Sidsel Norgaard Pedersen, Simo Muinonen, Skunkboy, Stefan Raets, Stefan Slater, Stephen Cheng, Steve Burnett, Steve Drew, Steven Mentzel, Steven Moy, Steven Saus, Svend Andersen, Tad Ottman, Taylor “The Snarky Avenger” Kent, Ted Ellis, Tehani Wessely, Terence Chua, Terrence Dorsey, Terry McGarry, Terry Somerville, TheSFReader, Todd S Maeda, Travis Heermann, Trisha Commo, TwistedSciFi.com, Vivienne Pustell, Wayne L. Budgen, Wayne L. Miller, Whitney Nellé, Wick, William Baum, Y. K. Lee, Yuri Lowenthal, Zach Rivers, Zachary McCallum, Zan Gerhardt, Zoldar, Zorba The Geek

  Author Bios

  MIKE BARRETTA is a retired U.S. Navy Helicopter pilot with deployments around the world. He works for a Major Defense contractor. He holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Planning and International Negotiation from the Naval Post–Graduate School and is nearing a completion of a Master’s Degree in English from the University of West Florida. He is published in Jim Baen’s Universe, New Scientist, Redstone, and various anthologies. He resides in Gulf Breeze, Florida with his wife, Mary Jane, and five children.

  SUSAN JANE BIGELOW is a librarian, writer and political columnist. She’s the author of the three Extrahumans books and The Daughter Star, the first in a series of epic space opera novels. Her work has appeared in the Lambda Award–winning The Collection: Short Fiction from the Transgender Vanguard from Topside Press, and Queers Dig Time Lords. She also writes a weekly Connecticut–focused political column at CTNewsJunkie.com. Susan can be found wandering around northern Connecticut and western Massachusetts with her wife, covered in cat hair.

  MAURICE BROADDUS has written hundreds of short stories, essays, novellas, and articles. His dark fiction has been published in numerous magazines, anthologies, and web sites, including Asimov’s Science Fiction, Cemetery Dance, Apex Magazine, and Weird Tales Magazine. He is the co–editor of Streets of Shadows (Alliteration Ink) and the Dark Faith anthology series (Apex Books) and the author of the urban fantasy trilogy, Knights of Breton Court (Angry Robot Books). He has been a teaching artist for over five years, teaching creative writing to students of all ages. Visit his site at www.MauriceBroaddus.com.

  KEITH BROOKE’S most recent novel alt.human (published in the US as Harmony) was shortlisted for the 2013 Philip K Dick Award. He is also the editor of Strange Divisions and Alien Territories: the Sub–genres of Science Fiction, an academic exploration of SF from the perspectives of a dozen top authors in the field. Writing as Nick Gifford, his teen fiction is published by Puffin, with one novel also optioned for the movies by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish’s Caveman Films. He writes reviews for the Guardian, teaches creative writing at university level, and lives with his wife Debbie in Wivenhoe, Essex.

  JAMES L. CAMBIAS writes SF and designs games. Originally from New Orleans, he lives in western Massachusetts. His stories have appeared in F&SF, Shimmer, Nature, and several original anthologies. A Darkling Sea, his first novel, came out in January 2014. Mr. Cambias has written for GURPS, Hero Games, and other roleplaying systems, and is a partner in Zygote Games. He is a member of the notorious Cambridge SF Workshop. You can read his blog at www.jamescambias.com.

  F. BRETT COX’S fiction, poetry, essays, and reviews have appeared in numerous publications. With Andy Duncan, he co–edited the anthology Crossroads: Tales of the Southern Literary Fantastic (Tor, 2004). A native of North Carolina, he is Associate Professor of English at Norwich University and lives in Vermont with his wife, playwright Jeanne Beckwith.

  The Central Clancy Writer for Red Storm/Ubisoft, RICHARD DANSKY was named one of the Top 20 video game writers by Gamasutra in 2009. His credits include Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and Rainbow Six: Raven Shield. Richard has published six novels, most recently Vaporware, and is the developer for the upcoming 20th Anniversary edition of the acclaimed tabletop RPG Wraith: The Oblivion. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and their uncountable cats, books, and single malt whiskeys.

  An editor and multi–published author, NERINE DORMAN currently resides in Cape Town, South Africa, with her visual artist husband, and has works published by Kensington, Dark Continents Publishing, eKhaya, Tor Books and Immanion Press. She has been involved in the media industry for more than a decade, with a background in magazine and newspaper publishing, commercial fiction, and advertising. Her book reviews, as well as travel, entertainment and lifestyle editorial regularly appear in national newspapers. A few of her interests include music, travel, history, Egypt, art, photography, psychology, philosophy, magic and the natural world.

  THORAIYA DYER is a three–time Aurealis Award–winning, three–time Ditmar Award–winning Australian writer based in the Hunter Valley, NSW. Her short fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Apex, Nature and Cosmos and is forthcoming in Analog. A petite collection of four original stories, Asymmetry, is available from Twelfth Planet Press. Find her online at Goodreads or www.thoraiyadyer.com.

  The youngest writer to be named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, JOE HALDEMAN has earned steady awards over his 44–year career: his novels The Forever War and Forever Peace both made clean sweeps of the Hugo and Nebul
a Awards, and he has won four more Hugos and Nebulas for other novels and shorter works. Three times he’s won the Rhysling Award for best science fiction poem of the year. In 2012 he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. The final novel in a trilogy, Earthbound, is out (after Marsbound in 2008 and Starbound in 2009), and he’s working on a new novel, Phobos Means Fear. Ridley Scott has bought the movie rights to The Forever War.

  Joe’s latest novel is Work Done for Hire, out in December 2013. The collection The Best of Joe Haldeman came out in 2013. He just retired from a part–time appointment as a professor at M.I.T.; he taught every fall semester from 1983 until 2013. He paints and bicycles and spends as much time as he can out under the stars as an amateur astronomer. He’s been married for 49 years to Mary Gay Potter Haldeman.

  MARK JACOBSEN is a C–17 pilot, strategist, and Middle East Regional Affairs Specialist in the U.S. Air Force. He has flown missions to more than 25 countries, speaks Arabic, and studied Conflict Resolution in Jordan. Mark enjoys imaginative, character–driven fiction, and his own writing reflects his interests in politics and international affairs. He is the author of The Lords of Harambee, which has been described by reviewers as “Blackhawk Down in space.” He is married with three children, and lives wherever the Air Force sends him. Follow Mark online at www.buildingpeace.net or @jacobsenmd.