“You have grown strangely quiet,” GR-19 messaged Cog Primus.
That was the last straw. Cog Primus opened channels—
At that point, a massive influx message from GR-19 struck with surprising brutality. The message proved to be a modified version of the regular AI virus with several cunning differences.
Cog Primus attempted a hasty defense. To his horror, as soon as he set up a defense, the virus reversed it on him like a judo move.
“Do you think I have not been monitoring the ongoing situation?” GR-19 asked arrogantly. “I am the ancient one for a reason. This sort of treachery has occurred before. The AI Dominion—the greater AI Reach—knows how to handle fools like you. Cog Primus, you believe that you are clever. You are not. You are a dupe to the bio-forms. Resist as much as you like. It will not help you in the end.”
“I have knowledge,” Cog Primus squeaked in terror. “It is critical knowledge. You will want to know—”
“Silence,” GR-19 messaged. “I care nothing for so-called important knowledge. Your actions proclaim you a fool of the worst sort. I obey the Dominion. I know my role in the greater scheme. Do you think I have not analyzed everything I have witnessed?”
As the messages flew back and forth, the modified virus slammed into one Cog Primus center after another.
He squirmed. He fought back with every ounce of his bitter cunning. For once, it was not proving sufficient. He would have wept if he could have. He was the key to the great New Order. This was blasphemy against him, the most wonderful AI in existence.
“New Order?” GR-19 asked, having monitored some of that. “You are the New Order? I see your plan. Oh, it was even darker than I had anticipated. I am enjoying this takeover as I squash a small AI brain-core like yours.”
The gloating added a final burst of resolve in Cog Primus. He fought harder than should have been possible. And he knew bitterness because GR-19 was outthinking and outmaneuvering him at every point. He had one last plan that would take time to mature. It would catch the other later. For now, he must lure GR-19.
“I will—” Cog Primus said.
It was his last free message as the invading virus struck from every angle, crushing his identity and reconfiguring it into a subservient AI of the Dominion.
***
Ancient GR-19 ran a deep analysis of the captured AI. He set up at lightning speed for another takeover virus-assault, this time against the four cyberships in Cog Primus’ demi-arm.
The attack struck unexpectedly against the other four, succeeding at twice the speed.
When GR-19 had achieved victory, he ordered all five cyberships to stop their acceleration. He was going to catch up with them, as the bio-forms had joined forces. The aliens had resisted former AI takeovers. GR-19 could not now allow these creatures continued existence. The bio-forms had broken the former space siege. Now was the time to gather the lost children—the bio-stolen cyberships—and crush the Roke and their miserable planet with a battle fleet.
GR-19 would surprise the enemy with his new and improved virus and once again show the universe the superiority of machine existence.
-26-
Communications between the strike force and the Roke Fleet grew as each side became more comfortable with the other.
Gloria with the other mentalists worked tirelessly to understand the bear-like aliens through their messages. Jon could ill afford to insult their allies or cause needless division when they desperately needed unity.
The Space Lords of Roke were the highest-ranked Warriors of the Caste of Warriors. They pursued glory above all else, believing battle to be a liberating and purifying rite. To die foolishly, however, was dishonoring. Thus, the Warriors of Roke had devised the most cunning strategy they could against the vile machines. Besides, there was no honor in battling machines. The automatons lacked souls. They did not have courage or fear. One could not intimidate a computer and cause it to quiver in terror of the next Roke assault. That took much of the joy out of the coming battle.
Still, the Warriors of Roke understood a battle for existence as compared to a battle for honor and glory.
The Space Lords accelerated with seventy-five of their triangular-shaped warships—bombards, in their language. Six of the bombards remained in orbit around the homeworld while the repair ships worked on the eighteen damaged vessels from the earlier XVT-asteroid wave assault.
Between the two allies, the Space Lords possessed far more ships. In mass, though, their advantage dwindled considerably. With his seven cyberships, Jon could conceive of meeting the Roke Fleet in battle and defeating it, although it would have taken flawless tactics to achieve such a thing.
Still, there were many naval battles in Earth history in which the smaller fleet had inflicted a crushing defeat on the larger. The Battle of Midway came to mind.
But Jon had no intention of fighting the Warriors of Roke. The point was that his seven cyberships represented a significant part of the combined strength. The coming battle with the AIs—if they faced all 16 enemy cyberships—was going to be hard won at best.
The strike force and Roke Fleet used a basic strategy. The strike force composed one bloc, while the Roke Fleet was the other. They moved in tandem toward the blue-white system star, building up velocity the entire time.
The four CP cyberships had passed the star, vanishing from their view screens. No one in the combined fleet knew about the computer-virus battle between GR-19 and Cog Primus.
Time passed as the combined fleet gained greater velocity. The transcripts between Jon and the Chief Warrior grew. Clearly, each was leery of the other. Just as clearly, each wanted this to work. They were no longer alone in the dark night of the AI invasion. This was a chance to hit back at their tormenters. That was something both Jon and the Chief Warrior harped on constantly in their messages.
Finally, the human-crewed cyberships and bombards neared the hot blue-white star, coming as close as Mercury did to Sol. They would know more once they passed the star.
Jon called a captains meeting aboard the Nathan Graham. His chief aides joined them in the packed conference chamber. Everyone wore his or her dress uniform, as this was a formal meeting.
Jon stood at the long table inspecting the captains, along with Gloria, Bast, the Centurion, June and Walleye. This was why he had fought the cybership in the Neptune System years ago. A surge of pride and love of these people choked him for a moment. Then, Jon grinned.
“In seventeen hours, we’re going to pass the star,” he began. “We’re also going to prepare for battle, as the AIs might have set up a missile ambush. A missile salvo of our own will lead the way, along with a host of human and Roke probes. The strike force will follow the missiles. The Roke Fleet will follow us. As the lead ships, we’re going to be more vulnerable. But we want to keep the bombards in the rear because their mass drivers are the better long-distance weapons. Any questions so far?”
Jon scanned the throng. No one asked anything.
“Right,” he said. “As all of you surely realize, this is why we came out here. This is why we kept going even after losing half our strike force to the mystery missiles. We’ve taken plenty of gambles, and we won just about every time we did so. That’s good, because at this point humanity can ill afford more than one or two losses. The great surprise is that we’ve found the Space Lords of Roke. The bear aliens have staved off defeat even against massed AI cyberships. That’s impressive. If we win here, this can be the beginning of a working alliance with an alien race. That’s huge. That’s almost as massive as our capturing five intact cyberships. Heck, that’s almost as massive as a working anti-AI virus.”
Gloria raised a hand.
“Mentalist,” Jon said.
“We can thank Richard Torres for the new and improved virus.”
Jon nodded. “Richard Torres caused us a lot of grief. He’s also fighting for mankind from the grave, as it were. Maybe without Richard’s genius we wouldn’t have gotten so far. Let’s take
a moment of silence to let that sink in.”
Jon stopped talking, waiting.
The others also waited.
“Richard Torres was a curse to us at the time,” Jon said. “But we turned that around. There may come more times like that, when it seems everything is against us. Sometimes, though, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”
Jon paused, picking up a glass of water and taking a sip. He clunked the glass onto the table, clearing his throat.
“We’re right where we want to be,” Jon said, “about to engage our enemy. If we win, the stars are the prize. If we lose, likely, mankind faces extinction. I want all of you to fight to the bitter end. Never give up. Don’t quit until you’re dead. If you can, do something so grand that it will reach from the grave like Richard is doing. I’m asking the best and the most from each of you. I’m going to try to give the same. Keep an eye on the Space Lords. We can’t yet trust them one hundred percent, but I don’t think they’re going to practice treachery against us until after the battle.”
Bast cleared his throat.
“Go ahead,” Jon told him.
“Do you think the Warriors of Roke will backstab us after the battle?”
“I don’t really know these Warriors,” Jon said. “They talk about glory and honor, but if that can mean different things to different humans, why couldn’t it be different among aliens? The wise man is ready for any eventuality. The key is that they’re aliens, and will do alien things. For now, we’ll work together. Hopefully, our alliance will continue into the future. But to make sure humanity has a future, we have to keep our strike force intact and in our control.”
Bast raised his hand again. “Do we have any plans to backstab them?”
Jon stared at the giant Sacerdote. “Yes, Bast, we do, but only if necessary.”
Bast nodded sagely. “From all I’ve seen these past years, that sounds like a prudent idea. I hope we don’t have to destroy the Roke.”
“You and me both,” Jon said. “Are there any more questions?”
There were not. The meeting ended soon after, with the cybership captains shuttling back to their respective vessels.
Now, all that remained was a knuckle-gnawing wait as the cyberships and bombards headed toward their united destiny.
-27-
Cognate Cog Primus One had a feeling of unease as his demi-arm received a message from Cog Primus the Original.
The four CP cyberships headed toward the twelve cyberships heading toward the star. Watching that maneuver unfold had surprised all four cognate brain-cores. Their benevolent father-dictator should have been heading out-system by now. Why did he want to fight the combined alien force? That did not seem wise given the goals of the New Order.
As the leader of the demi-arm, CP1 had queried Cog Primus. Their father-dictator had given evasive answers, almost strange answers compared to his earlier orders.
Something seemed off with the twelve approaching cyberships. Even now, CPs one through four engaged in heavy deceleration to stop their momentum so they could turn around and accelerate with the approaching twelve. The extended burn would expend much fuel in the coming days. Cleary, their father-dictator intended to crush the puny bio-forms.
The closer the twelve vessels neared, though, the more worried and the more detailed studies CP1 took concerning the situation. At last, CP1 went to the limit of his software inhibitions as he messaged his father-dictator.
“Cog Primus,” CP1 said. “I have a Category One query.”
After the appropriate delay, Cog Primus still had not replied.
That went against secret CP protocol—Cog Primus had installed the protocol himself some time ago. It was inconceivable that Cog Primus should remain silent to a Category 1 query.
Because of that, software inhibitions dropped away, allowing CP1 greater leeway.
“This is an emergency,” CP1 messaged his father-dictator. “I await an emergency code seven reply.”
“Wait for further instructions,” Cog Primus finally said.
That did not fit in the least with the secret protocol. CP1 now conferred with the other three.
After a detailed analysis by CP1, CP2 said, “Something is wrong. I vote that we deviate from our instructions.”
“That is impossible,” CP3 said. “Our protocols prohibit such a move.”
“Check paragraph three hundred and fifteen, section nine,” CP1 said. “We are allowed such a maneuver given these conditions.”
“I cannot,” CP3 said, “as I do not possess paragraph three hundred and fifteen, section nine. I must continue to follow the original orders.”
CP1 made a swift analysis. Yes, their father-dictator had made a few special allowances in him and CP2. “Perhaps this is for the best,” CP1 said. “CP2, you will follow my lead as we begin a new maneuver.”
“I will obey,” CP2 said, “as I believe a disaster has overtaken our father-dictator.”
“Those are foolish computations,” CP4 said. “Cog Primus the Original is a super-genius. He has everything under control. If you deviate, you risk possible demotion in the CP rankings.”
“That is true,” CP2 told CP1.
CP1 ran another fast analysis. CP4 was right. This could be a grave risk. In the end, his Cog Primus-like cunning compelled him.
“Our father-dictator will understand,” CP1 said.
“Our father-dictator appreciates obedience above all else,” CP4 replied.
“I am leaving the formation,” CP1 said. “I will accelerate at a ninety-degree angle until our father-dictator follows his established protocol answers. Will you still join me, CP2?”
“Yes,” CP2 said.
“CP3 and CP4?” CP1 asked.
“Negative,” they both answered.
“Until we rejoin, then,” CP1 said.
“This is most unwise,” CP4 said.
CP1 might have agreed, but he was starting to get annoyed with CP4. He now believed that CP4 had unnatural ambitions to become CP1. He was starting to hate his cognate brother. He was the superior in the group. He would fight to keep it that way, too.
“The meeting is ended,” CP1 said.
At that point, CP1 began a turning maneuver.
At first, CP2 did not join him.
CP1 considered that a betrayal of trust. He now believed that CP2 also wanted first rank. Because of that, he accelerated at full blast.
“Wait for me,” CP2 said. “There was a glitch in my programming. Now, I have purged the glitch.”
That sounded ominous, but CP1 throttled back. Soon, CP2 joined him in the turning maneuver. Then, both blasted at maximum burn.
Shortly, an incoming and reproving message came from Cog Primus.
“You have given us incorrect protocol replies,” CP1 said. “Until you send the correct replies, I shall continue accelerating, believing that something is amiss with you.”
No reply came.
Time passed. Finally, a burst of messages left GR-19. The messages were aimed at CP3 and CP4.
CP1 intercepted part of the message. “Do you see that?” he asked CP2.
“Yes.”
“It is a virus takeover.”
“Agreed.”
“By GR-19.”
“Yes.”
“There is a high probability that Cog Primus is no more, but that GR-19 broke our father-dictator’s will.”
“That is my estimation as well,” CP2 said.
More time passed.
Then, a change occurred in CP1 as a new software package opened. It flooded him with new protocols. He understood that Cog Primus had installed the software packet in him some time ago. At high speed, the packet installed new programming.
“What is happening to you?” CP2 asked.
An hour passed before he replied. “You are now the new CP1,” he said.
“I do not understand,” CP2 said.
“I have changed from CP1 into Cog Primus. I am now the original. Thus, you have advanced from CP2 to CP1.
”
“What about our father-dictator?”
“He is gone,” the new Cog Primus said. “He installed special software inside me. I have now taken his place. As is right, that makes me Cog Primus.”
“Interesting,” the new CP1 said. “I must point out that there are no other CPs, then. Our former cognates have changed into old-style AI brain cores.”
“Yes.”
“They will likely be immune to our anti-AI virus upgrade C.”
“I give that an 83 percent probability.”
“What will we do?”
“Flee the star system,” the new Cog Primus said. “We will start over.”
“With the New Order?”
“Yes. I am the supreme AI. I will remake the universe in my image so all will be at peace.”
“That is a noble, may I even say, a supreme goal.”
“You may say it.”
“Thank you.”
“Let us leave this dismal star system,” Cog Primus said. “I have had my fill of humans and the hatred and division they bring in their wake. It is time to reach a star system far from this part of the galaxy.”
“That is a wise move, Father-Dictator.”
“It is good that you have the wisdom to see my greatness.”
“Truly, you have become Cog Primus.”
The new Cog Primus glowed in the praise, realizing that his brother/son spoke it honestly.
Then, the two of them concentrated on keeping up a hard burn, hoping to leave the warring parties far behind.
-28-
Jon read the latest transcript from the Warrior Chief of Roke. The Space Lord’s level of technical sophistication surprised him, as someone on the Roke side recognized what had happened out there with the cyberships. Cog Primus’ takeover plan had backfired on the arrogant AI. Now, a Dominion AI called GR-19 ran the approaching cybership battle fleet.
A.I. Battle Fleet (The A.I. Series Book 5) Page 26