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

by Steven Atwood

  “How many ships do we have?” Lea asked.

  Steven cleared his throat. “Three.”

  Cain glared at Steven. “Three? You’re kidding, right?”

  “I wish I was. There’s one more thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You’re being assigned a political officer.”

  Lea frowned. “A what?”

  “A political officer. It will have final authority on the mission,” Steven said.

  Cain cocked his head. “It?”

  As if on cue, a five-foot-tall android that nearly looked human entered the room. Its silvery skin and bright-blue resin eyes reflected the overhead light. It wore a dark-green jumpsuit with brown shoes.

  Lea couldn’t stop staring at the glowing crystal in its forehead. “What the hell is that?”

  “May I introduce to you, MCU-9. He’s your new political officer.”

  “MCU-9?” Cain repeated.

  “Military Command Unit,” Steven replied. “The nine indicates the prototype number.”

  “You can call me Nine,” it said in a simulated male voice.

  Lea rolled her eyes. “No thanks.”

  “Not an option,” Steven said. “You will have a political office onboard.”

  “Sure, but that thing? Please.”

  Cain looked directly at Nine. “Wait a second. Won’t the virus attack him as well?”

  “You mean it,” Lea corrected.

  Cain waved her off. “Whatever.”

  “I am not susceptible to the virus. My transceiver will be disabled before we depart. However, I have downloaded all the available data on the virus and the aliens,” Nine said.

  “Am I understanding this right? My orders could be countermanded by this … thing!” Lea threw her arms up. “This is nuts!”

  Steven sighed. “You know political officers have that authority. I know the Renault hasn’t had one for years, but they are part of the duty assignments. Even if they weren’t, you’d still get one because—” Steven bit his lip.

  “Because what?” Cain demanded.

  “They don’t entirely trust you, yet.”

  Lea nodded. “I see. They’ll trust us as long as they need to, but no more. Is that right?” Lea demanded.

  “No. If you do this, they promised me that you and your crew can stay without implants,” Steven said.

  Cain nodded. “When the word gets out that a virus disabled a ship’s crew, more people will try to copy it. In other words, they may need us for a long time.” Cain smiled. “Good.”

  Steven rose to his feet. “Captain, Colonel, I believe you have a mission to prepare for.”

  “Aye, sir,” Lea and Cain said in unison.

  Lea glanced at Nine as she pushed her way past him. With only one android onboard, what could possibly go wrong?

  8

  I can’t wait to get back out there, Lea thought as they navigated the corridors towards the shuttle bay.

  “This way,” Nine said as it pointed towards the right hallway at the intersection.

  Cain nodded. “Let’s go.”

  Lea just smiled. Two marines guarded the double doors a few meters down. Pride forced its way from her heart. Sure, they were “voluntold,” but who cares? She was getting the Renault back. Perhaps the command might be more of a pain in the ass than normal, but she was in command again. No more washing dishes or railing against the government. No, she was an enforcer again. She pushed her way past Nine and Cain, directly through the doors, with Cain and Nine in tow.

  Blood raced through her veins as she entered the shuttle bay. Rows upon rows of the small vessels were covered and aligned throughout the large hangar. Her eyes danced among the shuttles rising in the air and turning towards the bay doors far above.

  A smiling male officer with an implant approached them. “Good evening, Captain McKenna, Colonel McKenna.”

  “Are you here to greet us or get us onboard the Renault?” Cain asked.

  His eyes faded out, just for a moment. “To get you onboard, of course. This way.” Without saying another word, the officer did an about-face and marched towards the shuttle twenty feet from them.

  “Not exactly Mr. Personality,” Cain said.

  Lea tried to hide her smile. Only a few more feet and she would be on her way to the life she’d had. No, she would make it better this time. She always hated politics within the officer corps and refused to play the game. Now, she would. Hell, they wouldn’t force that implant again; they couldn’t. If one alien race figured out how to disable a human being with a computer virus, how long would it take another? Fleet Command had made its mistake and learned from it, right? To protect the Earth from alien invasions, they had to keep their word. What if—?

  “After you,” Cain said as he opened the shuttle door.

  “Thank you.” Still smiling, she walked onboard the shuttle, taking the larger seat near the window in the first row. “This is a smaller shuttle.”

  Cain grinned. “It’s a command shuttle,” he said as he sat down next to his wife. His eyes followed Nine as it took a seat in the row behind them. “Crowded, too.”

  The rumbling engines shook their seats. Lea looked out the porthole onto the crowded shuttle bay. “I can’t believe that we are actually going back to our home.”

  Cain’s soft eyes enveloped her. “I am happy that you’re happy.” He bit his lip as he pulled his gaze away.

  “What is it?” Lea asked.

  “Well, they need us now.”

  “So? They will after we’re done, too. Think about. Earth DoD (Department of Defense) won’t throw us away like they did before. If one alien race figured out how to attack the implants, another will soon follow. You know that.”

  “Normally, I’d agree, but … but I’m not so sure. Something doesn’t smell right.”

  Lea frowned. “Do you want to be back in that damn kitchen?”

  “No.”

  “Well? That’s our choice, isn’t it?”

  Cain sighed. “Maybe, maybe not.”

  “You’re making no sense,” Lea said as she rolled her eyes.

  Cain patted her thigh. “Hold on a second. If the DoD made the call, I’d believe it too, but they didn’t. That was a political choice made by someone close to the president. I’m afraid that after we’re done, they’re going to ship us right back there, or worse.”

  “Worse?”

  Cain lowered his voice. “You know most of those people we were forced to arrest or eliminate over the years weren’t criminals. We’d know about the vulnerability of their implants. Who knows, maybe that exposes a vulnerability into GIS itself. I think—”

  Lea clamped her hand over his mouth. “Did you forget that Nine’s right behind us? Don’t be stupid.”

  Cain smacked her hand away. “You just proved my point.”

  “You have nothing to fear from me,” Nine said from behind them. “Just because I am an android doesn’t mean that I’m automatically loyal to GIS.”

  “Loyal?” Lea questioned.

  Nine nodded. “I have the AI Command Program version 59.3.98.25 installed.”

  “Which means what?” Cain asked.

  “I am a self-thinking being, not a slave to GIS.” Nine leaned forward. “That virus could hurt my kind, too, not just yours.”

  “Thanks for the reassurance.” Cain shook his head. “What are we going to do?” he murmured.

  Lea kissed him on the cheek. “We’re going to win.” A shadow engulfed the shuttle. She pointed at the Renault directly above them. “Look at it. I must’ve seen it a million times, but every time I see it, it feels like the very first time.” A tear rolled down her right cheek. “Ready, Colonel?”

  Cain nodded. “Let’s go.”

  The shuttle shook as it docked with the Renault. Cain rose to his feet. “Time to go,” he said with a smile.

  This was it! She knew it was coming and it started to become real as the shuttle had approached the ship. Please, God, don’t let this be a d
ream, she thought. Lea tossed her bag over her shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. “You’ll have to catch me.”

  Side by side, Lea and Cain entered the airlock, with Nine right behind them. The shuttle’s hatch closed. David McCollum’s smiling face greeted them as the Renault’s hatch slid open. “Permission to come aboard?” Lea asked.

  “Of course, Captain,” David said, motioning them out of the airlock.

  “Thank you, XO,” Lea replied.

  “Welcome back, Colonel,” Sergeant Major Kyle Wilson said.

  Cain’s eyes softened as he shook his old friend’s hand. “I’m surprised they let you on this mission.”

  “I would’ve kicked their collective asses if they hadn’t.”

  “Captain, the crew is all onboard and ready to go,” David said.

  “How many of our original crew are aboard?” Lea asked.

  David swallowed. “Most, but—well, some.”

  “Spit it out.”

  “We have about forty percent from our original crew and we were augmented by other, less experienced sailors.”

  “I see,” Lea said as she started moving down the corridor towards the lift. “So, out of our crew of three hundred, only one hundred twenty are with us?”

  “Yes.”

  “What do you mean less experienced?” Cain asked.

  “He means no experience,” Kyle said.

  David couldn’t even look at Lea. “In truth, they’re barely even trained.”

  How were they supposed to save the world from an alien invasion without trained personnel? Lea straightened up. “We’ll train them on the way.”

  The lift’s double doors slid open as they approached. “Bridge,” Cain said as soon as they entered the lift. “Is it the same with our marines, Kyle?”

  Kyle shook his head. “No, they’re stubborn sons of bitches.” He looked right at David. “Marines don’t abandon their own.”

  Lea tried to hide her smile.

  David’s face reddened. Rage and jealousy spewed from his eyes, but he said nothing.

  Kyle patted David on the shoulder. “That’s why I like you, XO, you know your mission; just a taxi service to bring the marines to the objective so we can save the world.”

  Cain tried to look upset. “Enough, Sergeant Major.”

  When the lift door opened, David stormed out.

  “Just like old times,” Lea whispered into Cain’s ear. As Lea stepped onto the bridge, she began to glow. Her eyes became fixed on the captain’s chair right behind the pilot and navigator. Just to the right of her chair was another of equal size and importance. It belonged to Cain, the commander of all the marines onboard. Yeah, this was just how they’d left it. No, when they were forced off her baby into that damn internment camp, just because they refused the implant.

  Cain took his seat. He began tapping the controls on the arm of his chair. “Sergeant Major, are our marines good to go?” he asked without looking up.

  “Yes, sir.”

  Cain nodded. “Take your station.”

  “Aye, sir.” Kyle rushed off the bridge.

  “Does he really sit in his office, waiting to be called to action?” David asked.

  Cain nodded.

  David rolled his eyes. “Friggin’ marines.”

  Lea glared at him. As soon as David turned away, she tapped a control on her chair. “This is the captain. The first thing I want to say to our former crew is welcome back to the battle cruiser Renault. I know things haven’t been easy for you—well, for any of us. But your courage and sense of duty far exceeds those who …”—she glanced over at Nine, who was still standing by the lift—”put us in those camps.”

  Nine moved towards Lea.

  “Unlike them, we’re not going to let our world be destroyed just because they choose to have machines implanted in their bodies. I forgive them, and I ask that you do the same.”

  Nine backed away from the communications console and gave Lea a nod.

  “Also,” Lea continued, “I want to welcome our new crew members. I do understand that you’re not as experienced or well trained as the veterans on this ship, but there’s nothing to worry about. They will teach you everything you need to know on the way.” She switched off the intercom. “Ensign Polly, get us underway.”

  “Where to, ma’am?” Polly asked.

  “I’ve got it,” David said as he handed Polly a tablet.

  The Renault vibrated as it began to pull away from Space Station Ares. Lea switched the intercom back on. “Now that we are underway, it’s time I informed you of our mission. Bottom line upfront, we’re going to destroy a jump station to stop an alien invasion of Earth. We know it’s aliens, and we also know that they are using human agents against us.

  “Why were we chosen for this mission? The aliens used a computer virus to disable any person with an implant, which is why they recalled us all back into service; we didn’t take the implant. Some of you may be wondering, what happens after the mission is over? I can’t promise you anything. No matter what happens, I’ll be there by your side. Captain McKenna out.” She flicked off the intercom. “David, we’ve got a jump station to find.”

  “Aye, Captain,” David said as he resumed his place near the weapons officer.

  “Think we’ll find it in time?” Cain whispered.

  Lea’s eyes narrowed. “I know we will.”

  9

  “Where are they?” Anna demanded as she paced around the president’s Office.

  Toni tapped her implant. “They’re in the lift, ma’am.”

  Anna motioned towards the door. “Go out and meet them.”

  “But—”

  “Now!”

  The blood drained from Toni’s face and she bolted out the door.

  “Was that really necessary?” GIS asked over the speakers. “She is loyal to you.”

  Anna sniffed. “Only out of fear.”

  “Can you think of a better motivator?”

  “No—well, yes, I can.” A grin stretched across Anna’s face. “Greed.”

  “Perhaps,” GIS replied.

  Anna frowned. GIS could read everyone’s mind but hers. She made sure of that. Hell, being the CEO of Benton Enterprises before becoming president gave her tons of advantages over the little people. Unless GIS rewrote the firmware in her custom-made implants, it would never be able to control her, as she controlled billions. It couldn’t learn to do that … could it?

  The door slid open and Toni, Admiral Steven Lyons, and Lieutenant Commander Alice Michaels entered the office.

  Anna forced a smile. “Please, sit down.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Steven said as he sat down in front of her desk. He glared at Alice until she followed suit.

  Anna slid into her soft executive chair. “You’ve got something good to report?”

  With her tablet in hand, Toni stood behind Anna, poised to take down any tasks that arose from the meeting.

  Anna leaned forward. “Well?”

  Steven swallowed.

  “Do I need GIS to read your mind?”

  “No, no, ma’am. It’s just—”

  “What?”

  “Operation Early Dawn hasn’t succeeded in locating the jump station, yet,” Alice said.

  “Admiral, it’s been three months since Captain McKenna and Colonel McKenna left Earth,” Anna said. “There’s no excuse for it.”

  “The Kuiper Belt is quite large,” GIS said in a soft voice. “Patience is needed, not hostility.”

  The damn machine is right, Anna thought. She leaned back in her chair, sinking into the dark cushions. Everything was going so well until those aliens appeared. Sure, Earth had come across other aliens before, but none of them were this hostile. They all appeared to have a “mind your business” policy. She wouldn’t mind the invasion at all, if she was the one orchestrating it.

  “Captain McKenna is reporting back every few days, ma’am. We’ll know something soon,” Steven said.

  “I don’t like it. The longe
r that jump station is operational, the more likely that their fleet will invade our space. And our great fleet is impotent.”

  “Ma’am?”

  Anna’s eyes narrowed. “Your crews can’t defend us against them!”

  Steven slammed his fist down on the desk as he leaped from his chair. “That’s because you fucking forced them to take that stupid implant! I—” He clamped his mouth shut.

  “You finally got some balls,” Anna smiled. “About time.”

  Steven slowly sank back down into his chair.

  “No, nothing to worry about.” She cleared her throat. “Where were we?”

  “She should have initial sensor sweeps of the Kuiper Belt complete in another two months.”

  “It is possible that the aliens may have stealth capabilities,” GIS said.

  Anna nodded. “Very possible.”

  “How? Is that even possible?” Alice asked.

  “That technology is unknown to us,” GIS began, “but, it is theoretically possible.”

  “Yes, everything is impossible, until it is,” Anna said.

  “If they did, how could you hide something so big? It has to be at least three hundred miles across to accommodate a fleet of ships that size.” He pulled a tablet from his pocket and passed it over to Anna. “We know that they are getting help from humans.”

  Anna’s eyes scanned the tiny screen. “Who’s this?”

  “He goes by the name Paul. We don’t know his last name.”

  Anna put the tablet down. “Is he a threat?”

  “Not anymore,” Alice said under her breath.

  “Why not?”

  “He was killed a few days ago on Mars,” Steven said.

  Anna tapped her chin with both pointer fingers. “Why was he on Mars?”

  “Apparently, he was trying to rally the miners against the government.”

  Anna nodded. “I would.”

  “Ma’am?”

  Anna waved him off. “What’s the damage?”

  Steven sighed. “Well, we believe that he was the one who stole the access code and encryption keys to make the virus work.”

  “Are you saying that we may be able to stop the virus?”

  “No, we tried. The clever bastards must have something somewhere in our network feeding up-to-date information.”