Cyber Invasion (The A.I. Conspiracy Book 1)

by Steven Atwood

  Jarak watched Paul walk into the mine. Well, at least he’d be part of the invasion. That was good enough, right?

  “Where’s he going?”

  “Never mind him. Come on, XO, let’s go babysit a jump station.” Jarak led Farrah to the shuttle a few hundred meters away.

  Anna slammed her coffee cup down on her oak desk. “How is that possible? Admiral?”

  Admiral Steven Lyons said nothing. He snapped to attention in front of Anna’s desk.

  “It is not the admiral’s fault,” GIS said over the speakers.

  “How’s that?”

  Steven swallowed. “They were attacked in the cyber domain before the—”

  “The what?”

  “The cyber domain. It’s—they attacked the crew’s implant with a computer virus.”

  “Who’s they?”

  “I—I don’t know.”

  Anna rolled her eyes. “Why do I even keep your old ass around?”

  A bead of sweat rolled down Steven’s right cheek. “Ma’am?”

  “GIS, what do you have?” Anna asked.

  “The admiral is correct. There was nothing they could have done,” GIS said. “Our AI intelligence nodes report that the vessel was alien in origin.”

  “Alien? You must be mistaken,” Anna said.

  “No, I’m not.”

  Anna raised an eyebrow. “Strange for artificial intelligence to get … testy. Don’t you think? Have you been messing around with your programming again?”

  “No, I’ve been correcting the inferior human programming.”

  “I see.”

  Anna looked up at the admiral. “Have a seat,” she said, motioning to one of the chairs in front of her desk. “Perhaps I was a bit … hasty.”

  “Thank you.”

  “GIS, what happened?”

  “It appears that the virus was sent over the data communication link that connects everyone with an implant to me. Our link was severed. When the ship approached the battle cruiser Lenin, no defensive systems came online or even fired a shot at the alien vessel,” GIS said.

  “What happens when the link is severed?” Steven asked.

  “Unknown. It is possible that the virus could have killed some of the crew.”

  “How?”

  “The implants are connected to the nervous system.”

  “So?”

  “If the virus commanded the implant to overload or—”

  “Are you saying the implant may have sent a lethal electric shock to the crew?” Anna asked.

  “Yes, that’s what I am saying.”

  “Are you sure?” Steven asked.

  “No,” GIS said. “There is no data about what happened on the ship after the link was severed. The only data we have comes from other methods.”

  “I see,” Anna said. “What would happen if that virus was launched on Earth? Or one of our mining colonies?”

  “Everyone with an implant could die.”

  Anna rubbed her chin. Her plans were good ones, but aliens would certainly mess things up, to say the least. In order to ensure that she remained in power forever, everyone must have the implant. What better way was there to convince someone to vote a certain way than by changing their minds for them? None. No, she couldn’t let this … distraction get in the way. But what good would it do if all the people she wanted to rule over were dead? “Can you do something to negate the virus? Perhaps, interrupt its transmission?”

  “Perhaps,” GIS said. “I need time to analyze the data.”

  “How much time?” Steven asked. “We can’t take too long, the people are in danger.”

  Anna sighed. “Shut up about the people already. GIS, what do you need?”

  “Additional androids with my new AI software drop installed to increase my efficiency in the lab. Also, we will eventually need some test subjects to ensure that the virus is truly defeated if it gets into an implant.”

  “Won’t that kill the person?” Steven asked.

  “Yes.”

  Steven glared at Anna. “You can’t do that.”

  “Sure I can, and I will. We can sacrifice a few people for the greater good,” Anna said.

  Steven shook his head. “I won’t let you. I’ll—”

  “Volunteering, are you, Admiral?”

  Steven’s eyes glazed over. All emotion and expression disappeared from his face, just for a second. “What? What happened?”

  “You were telling Madam President that you’ll do everything in your power to help her,” GIS said.

  Steven rubbed his forehead. “Yes, I will.”

  Anna smiled. “Good, go and fetch everything GIS needs.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Oh, and Admiral, thank you for volunteering your family.” Anna’s face darkened. “Now get the hell out of here.”

  Steven’s face turned white. “Please don’t.”

  “Then find someone else or they will be GIS’s volunteers.”

  “I’ll … I’ll find someone, anyone.” Steven hurried out of the room.

  “Nice touch,” GIS said.

  Anna leaned back into her chair. “What do we do in the meantime?”

  “Intelligence also indicates that the aliens do not have faster-than-light travel capabilities onboard their ships, but they have to use a jump station. If we destroy that, we can stop the invasion before it begins.”

  Anna shrugged. “We can’t destroy it. If we send our entire fleet after it, we’d simply be giving them more ships. I—”

  “Report coming in,” GIS interrupted. “Stand by. Compiling.”

  “The aliens?”

  “Yes, please stand by. Data is being downloaded.”

  “GIS, what is it?”

  “Stand by.”

  Anna rolled her eyes. “You’re worse than that stupid admiral.”

  “Another ship was lost. The carrier Stalingrad was taken.”

  “Taken?”

  “Yes, taken. The data suggests that the same method of attack was used against the carrier.”

  “We can’t recall the fleet and our ships are helpless against them. What do we do?” Anna asked.

  “Only ship crews without implants could go against this enemy.”

  Anna frowned. “We don’t have any. As per your suggestion, we got rid of everyone who didn’t have an implant.” She chewed on a fingernail. “This destroys our plans, doesn’t it,” she stated more than questioned.

  “Perhaps, it’s better than we anticipated.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We need a crisis to declare martial law and force everyone to take the implant so you can remain in power for the rest of your life. This is better than pirates, isn’t it?”

  Anna nodded. “Yes, it could be a plan. But, that would only work if we can defeat them. In order to do that, we’d have to send our forces after them now, and we can’t do that.”

  “You are incorrect.”

  “How so? All of our military is outfitted with the cybernetic implants.”

  “That is correct, but the soldiers who refused the implant are available. Currently, they are spread out among the internment camps,” GIS said.

  “Why would they help us? I wouldn’t.”

  “If you promised them their freedom, they might. Hope is a powerful emotion, if used properly.”

  A smile stretched across Anna’s face. “Brilliant.” She tapped the small panel on her desk. “Toni.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Toni said over the speaker.

  “Come in here please.”

  “On my way.”

  Anna tapped her fingers on the desk.

  Toni stepped into the office with her tablet in hand. “Ma’am?”

  “GIS is going to give you the necessary information, but I want you to find some people for me.”

  “Who?”

  Anna frowned. Who? Who, indeed? “GIS?”

  “Former Captain Lea McKenna and Colonel Cain McKenna. The previous command team for the battle cruiser
Renault,” GIS said. “I am downloading the remainder of the crew who still meet the requirements onto your tablet.”

  Toni scratched around her implant. “This thing itches.”

  Anna smiled. “It’ll pass.” Her face darkened. “Now go, we don’t have much time.” She smiled as Toni rushed out the door. “Assuming they say yes, what are our chances?”

  “Sixty-four percent,” GIS said over the speakers.

  “I hate talking to air. We really need to get you a body.”

  “I’m working on it.”

  Anna sipped what was left of coffee. “I see.”

  7

  How much lower could Lea fall? Her head leaned against the glass window on the bus as they approached their home. Their home … somehow that very thought made her cringe. Waking up early in the morning to be sent out to work until late at night, only to do it all over again the next day. Sure, Cain did everything he could to make it better for her, but she knew he hated it, too. Could the implant really be that bad? Lea thought once again.

  Cain tapped her on the shoulder as the bus pulled up to their house. “Time to go.”

  “Okay.” She nodded and followed him off the bus. Even now, Cain still wanted to have a baby. What a nut! What kind of sick person would want to bring a child into this twisted world? Why would—something wasn’t right. A faint glow emanated from the front window. “Did you leave the light on?”

  Cain shook his head. “No. I was about to ask you the same thing.” He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

  A tall man wearing a suit was sitting on their gray couch, with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He was reading something on the tablet he was holding. He looked up and smiled. “Thought you’d never get home. I was about to leave and try again another time.”

  Cain advanced upon the invader. “Who are you?”

  The man took a drag. “Well, that’s complicated. You can call me … Yuri. That’s it, call me Yuri.”

  “That’s not your name, is it?” Lea asked.

  Yuri shrugged. “What’s a name, anyway? We are a sum of our actions, not our names. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  “Trying to be cute?” Cain smiled. “I haven’t done any combat in a while, maybe I should practice on you.”

  Yuri laughed. “You could try.”

  “Why are you here?” Lea demanded. “Haven’t you people done us enough harm already?”

  Yuri rose from the couch. “Please sit.”

  Cain and Lea slowly moved over to the couch. “What’s this about?” Cain asked.

  Yuri moved one of the end tables in front of the couch.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Someone wants to talk to you.” Yuri placed the tablet in the center of the table. His finger glided down the screen.

  “What’s that?” Cain asked.

  “There’s a holographic communicator built into this tablet. Just waiting for her to pick up.”

  “Who?”

  “Toni Phillips. She’s President Zahrof’s assistant,” Yuri answered. He gave the tablet one final tap and the screen lit up. A faint, bluish-green light appeared above the tablet. The swirling lights merged into a shape of a human head. As each millisecond passed, the image became sharper. “May I present to you, Toni Phillips.”

  Lea blinked. Sure, she’d seen holographic communicators before, but they were on the bridge of her ship, not in a handheld device.

  “What do you want?” Cain asked.

  “You’re being given a second chance. Your government needs you,” Toni said.

  Lea laughed. “We’re not getting those implants.”

  Cain nodded. “You’d better believe it.”

  “That’s precisely why we need you on this assignment. There was an … unforeseen issue when we outfitted all our military with the implants.’

  “What issue?” Lea asked.

  “Well, we opened ourselves up to be attacked by a computer virus. In fact, we lost the battle cruiser Lenin because of a virus.”

  “Go on,” Cain said.

  “An alien spacecraft transmitted a virus that attacked the crew’s implants. They were rendered unconscious—or worse.”

  “What do you mean, worse?” Lea asked.

  Toni swallowed. “There’s reason to believe that the virus may have even killed some of them. The implants are connected directly to the frontal lobe and the nervous system. I—you get the picture.”

  Cain shrugged. “Glad we said no.”

  “What aliens?” Lea asked. “Have we run into them before?”

  “No, we couldn’t identify them. GIS, for once, couldn’t offer an explanation either. They’re planning to invade Earth,” Toni said.

  Cain leaned forward. “Where do we fit in?”

  “Well, we’re reactivating as many of the former military who don’t have implants we can. They are the only ones who can stop them.”

  Lea rubbed her chin. Sure, they were needed now, but— ”What happens after the mission?”

  “What do you mean?” Toni asked.

  “After the mission, assuming we’re successful. What happens to us and our marines?” Cain asked.

  “Nothing. You’ll keep your rank for as long as you like.”

  “Will I get my ship back?” Lea asked.

  Toni smiled. “With most of the crew.”

  “Most?”

  “Some took the implant, but none of the marines did.”

  Cain nodded. “Okay, what about my sergeant major?”

  “You got him,” Toni said. “What do you say?”

  Lea put her hand on Cain’s knee. She looked into his tormented face. It looked like there was an epic battle going on inside his head. “Let’s do it.”

  He smiled as if a dam holding all his doubt at bay had burst and let it go. “Why not?”

  Lea rose to her feet. “When do we leave?”

  “Right away,” Toni said. “Yuri will bring you to fleet headquarters. Out.” Toni’s image vanished as the tablet went dark.

  Yuri plopped the tablet into his jacket pocket. “The car is outside. Do you have any belongings you want to bring with you? We have a few minutes.”

  Lea shook her head. “No, nothing we have here is worth taking with us.” She took Cain’s hand and they left the tiny house, never to return.

  Lea’s stomach grumbled as they entered the fleet command HQ lobby. Only a few weeks ago, they were escorted out in disgrace. How things had changed. Marines and sailors lined the walls, clapping their hands as if their saviors had arrived. Perhaps, they had. The three guards standing at the security station rose to their feet, waving them through.

  “This is a little odd,” Cain whispered into Lea’s ear.

  She nodded. Yes, it was indeed.

  Yuri veered off down the hallway to the right until he got to the elevators. “Seventh floor please.”

  “Stand by,” the control panel’s computerized female voice replied.

  “I always hated that thing,” Lea said.

  “Why’s that?” Yuri asked.

  The elevator door slid open. “Please enter the lift.”

  Lea followed the others inside. “I just don’t like machines that talk to me,” she said as the doors closed behind them.

  Yuri started to laugh.

  “What is it?” Cain asked.

  “Nothing.”

  Lea bit her lip. Obviously, he was making fun of them; or was he? Perhaps, he knew something—yes, he definitely knew more than they did. What was Yuri not telling them?

  “What was all that crap downstairs?” Cain asked. “That wasn’t normal.”

  “They’re happy that you agreed to help.”

  Lea frowned. “Bullshit.”

  “Fine. They were ordered to treat you like a conquering hero or something. Command wanted you to feel … welcomed back,” Yuri said.

  “Right.”

  The doors slid open. “Please exit the lift and have a nice day.”

  “Come on.” Yuri hurried
down the corridor towards the seventh floor conference room.

  The double doors were wide open as they approached. Lea swallowed and her stomach tightened. Could she trust them? No, no way. Cain felt the same way, she was sure of it. But, she was going to be in command again. What could be better? Nothing. Being in command was like a drug. When you have it, you’re on top of the world. After you lose it, you always miss it, like withdrawal. No, they didn’t trust them, but she would get her ship back. She painted on a pleasant smile as she entered the conference room. “Good afternoon.”

  On the far side of the long, rectangular conference table, Admiral Steven Lyons sat at the head of the table. He rose from his padded black leather executive chair. “Please, sit down.”

  Cain moved next to the admiral. “What was that all about?”

  “What?”

  “The standing ovations as we entered the building.”

  Steven looked directly at Yuri, who turned away. “I see he told you.” His face darkened. “That will be all, Yuri. You’re dismissed.”

  “Military?”

  Steven shook his head. “Part of the president’s security services. Never mind him.” He took his seat.

  “What happened?” Lea asked.

  “Well, where do I start?” Steven paused, just for a second, as if he was conferring with GIS through his implant. “Okay, an unknown alien vessel attacked the battle cruiser Lenin with a virus.”

  “We know that,” Cain said.

  Lea put her hand on Cain’s arm. “Give him a chance.”

  Steven smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me. Go on.”

  “All right. GIS does not have enough of the virus in order to exploit it. It appears that the transmission they intercepted was either incomplete or became corrupted when they tried to decrypt it.”

  “Who’s they?” Lea asked.

  “GIS has a team of android scientists with the latest AI software drops,” Steven said. “Anyway, to top it off, we’ve detected dark matter spikes in the Kuiper Belt. It can only be a jump station being constructed.”

  Cain leaned back in his chair. “What do you need us to do?”

  “Primary mission is to find that jump station and destroy it, along with the forces guarding it, assuming there are some. Also, if possible, find out more about the virus. We need either the code or a copy of it in an executable format. We also need more information on how it is transmitted,” Steven said.