15
Anna looked out the shaded window of her limousine hovercraft and smiled. All of those people who dared to defy her now lived out here, in the desolate wastelands that used to be the beautiful Midwest in the United States a mere few centuries ago. At one time, the waves of grass along the prairie morphed into a deadly, dusty desert. The exiles didn’t have the strength or the will to defy her anymore. They just crawled under a rock, like all good insects.
Toni, sitting across from her, was scrolling through a report on her tablet.
“Why do you use that thing?” Anna asked. “Your modified brain is capable of so much more.”
Toni looked up. “I want to still feel some humanity in me.”
“As long as your implant is still working, that’s fine.”
The limo slowed down as it approached the only modern structure within five hundred miles. The direct energy wall surrounding the facility had a faint purple glow. A titanium archway opened up, permitting the vehicle to enter.
This was the first time Anna had been to the BEDAGS (Benton Enterprises Defense and Government Server Farm). Sure, GIS and the other AI programs were software, nothing more, but they had to be housed somewhere. The strange misconception was that software-only based AI would be impossible to destroy because it could be run on private platforms, and no adversary could destroy them all. Well, that’s how she’d sold GIS to the previous administration. Anna smiled at the memory of the former president’s face when GIS recommended that she take over as president. The anger. The rage. What a horrible little man he was. Her first act as president was to execute the lot of them. Yes, that was a good day. Perhaps—
Toni shook Anna’s shoulder. “Ma’am, we’re here.”
Anna blinked. “Oh, right.” As soon as the door opened, Anna hurried outside. Her nose wrinkled as the stench of death enveloped her. A huge pillar of smoke from behind the three-story building rose high into the air. It almost looked ceremonial.
“Welcome to BEDAG,” Captain John Polanski said. His brown hair was littered with gray highlights. The hot midday sun emphasized the premature wrinkles on his face. He was obviously a well-built man underneath the dusty camouflage uniform.
“What’s that?” Toni asked as she pointed to the smoke.
“That? That’s an act of mercy.”
“Mercy?” Anna asked.
John nodded. “Every month some of the residents out here come to us for a merciful killing. That smoke is where we’re burning the bodies.”
Toni’s face went white. “How many?”
John shrugged. “I don’t know, fifty maybe?”
“Oh my.”
“How did you ease their suffering?” Anna inquired.
“Bullet in the head. It’s quick enough to not cause them any pain,” John said.
“And the fire?”
John cocked an eye towards her. “Plasma. Why?”
Anna pushed her way past him. “Why not skip the bullets and go right to the plasma?”
John’s jaw dropped. “Burn them alive? Are you serious?”
Anna glared at him. “Resources are in short supply. Would you like to join them next time?”
“I—no, no, ma’am.” John cleared his throat. “This way. The colonel’s waiting for you.”
Anna followed John down a concrete path to the only opening in the plain three-story building. A solid steel door slid open as they approached. Unlike the inhospitable outside, the interior of the facility was more modern than the fleet HQ. The steel grate flooring had a green resin coating with a nonslip surface. Control panels, monitors, and security panels decorated the walls. “Where’s the colonel?”
“In the server room, ma’am,” John replied.
Anna followed John through the maze of corridors and downward ramps. They must have gone down at least four floors, but she wasn’t sure. Why couldn’t they just have a lift? Anna thought.
John approached transparent double doors labeled 2B. Two armed androids guarded the server room. “We’re here to visit the colonel.”
Anna stared at the silvery artificial beings. They had small, round scanners were a human’s eyeball would be. The six-foot creatures looked her up and down, as if they were some kind of perverts.
“Identity verified,” one of them said.
“Proceed,” the other added.
Anna sniffed. “About time.” She pushed her way past them as the doors slid open. Inside stood racks upon racks upon racks upon racks of quantum servers. Anna spun around. “Where is he?”
“He’s coming,” John said.
“I made him, dammit! He’d better come when I call him, not a second later.”
A six-foot-five android with silver skin wearing a camouflage uniform stepped into view. “I’m right here.”
Anna smiled. “I’m pleased to see you again, Colonel.” The colonel was her first self-aware AI android and the prototypes for Benton Enterprise’s MCU line. In truth, he was too independent, and the others had to have their capabilities toned down.
“The same. I wasn’t told why you came all the way out here. Is it because of the failed attack against the jump station?”
Anna blinked. “What do you mean, failed attack?” Her fiery stare bore through the last of Toni’s will. “GIS, can you hear me?”
“Of course,” GIS said over the speakers within her implant.
“Tell me about the attack.”
“Captain McKenna attacked the jump station with the Mao, Stalin, and the Baton Rouge. Unfortunately, the aliens have some technology that interferes with our scanners.”
“So?”
“When they attacked, there was a sizable force instead of the single ship guarding the jump station. They were destroyed.”
“All of them?”
“No, Captain McKenna’s ship survived, barely. They’re making repairs now for another attempt. MCU-9 requested to replace her in command,” GIS said. “The recommendation is at fleet HQ now. We are awaiting the final decision by Admiral Lyons.”
The colonel shook his head. “Those MCU units aren’t capable of command, unless you take off the logical inhibitors.”
Anna frowned. “What would stop them from turning on us?”
“Nothing. But, if the humans fail, we may not have a choice.” The colonel smiled at Toni. “How come you didn’t tell her? Afraid she wouldn’t like the bad news?”
Toni backed away. “No, I was just … making sure the report was accurate. That’s all. I swear.”
Anna frowned. “Anything else you didn’t tell me?”
Toni shook her head as the blood drained from her face.
“I never liked you anyways.” Anna smiled at her. “GIS, kill her.”
“No!” Toni started to run.
“Yes, ma’am,” GIS said. “Shorting out the nervous now.”
John wrenched Toni to the ground.
Anna beamed at her. “Now you understand why I demanded that everyone get an implant.”
Toni spat at her. “Fuck you! I hope you—” Her body arched back.
“Ouch!” John screamed as he jumped back.
High voltage electricity raced throughout her body, shredding her nervous system. Toni’s eyes rolled back.
Anna kicked her. “No, fuck you!” She straightened up. “GIS, I need a new assistant. Please let human resources know my requirements.”
“Done,” GIS replied.
Anna sighed. “Now what? It’s bad enough to have people like that slow me down, but an alien invasion could ruin everything.”
“We’re close to nullifying the virus,” the colonel said. “Besides, a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”
Anna’s thin lips stretched across her face. “What do you have in mind?”
I hate memorial services, Lea thought. She and Cain stood on the catwalk above the missile tubes. Her eyes welled up as the bodies were sealed up in the missile case coffins, where her unlucky crew members would spend eternity. On either side of the belt-drive
n loading mechanisms stood the crew, ready to bid their comrades farewell until the next life.
Kyle looked up after he sealed the last coffin. “Ready, ma’am.”
Lea nodded. “My friends, we stand together to say good-bye to our brave fellow sailors and marines who gave their very lives to save the planet that still is our home. Sure, we may have disagreements from time to time, but it’s still our home. We’re going to continue on with the mission so our dear friends do not die in vain. Anyone have anything they wish to add before we set them free?”
A private raised her hand. “Ma’am?”
Lea tried to smile. “Go ahead.”
“After we kill the aliens, aren’t they going to send us back to those camps? Wouldn’t we better honor our compatriots by starting over somewhere else?”
Nine stepped forward, next to Lea. “Private, you are noted for treason. Arrest her!”
“No!” Lea commanded. “It’s a valid question. They promised us they wouldn’t.” How could she lie to them, of all people? Her stomach wrenched as her forked tongue sharpened. “I won’t let that happen to you.”
“She still needs to be tried for treason.”
“It’s taken care of.” Lea slammed Nine into the wall. “You have a lot to learn about humans.” Her face reddened. The fire in her eyes almost scared the android.
“It’s taken care of,” Nine said. “I understand now.”
“Good!” Lea knocked Nine to the ground before she stormed out.
Why did I lie to her? Lea thought. Ever since she’d made it back to the captain’s quarters, Lea had mulled that question over and over and over again. She poured herself a scotch.
“You okay?” Cain asked as he came through the door.
“Yeah, I guess. Want one?”
“Sure.”
Lea poured another glass and handed it to her husband. “I feel the same way.”
“As what?”
“Your private.” Lea moved over to the couch. She took a sip. “She’s right, you know. They probably will.”
Cain attempted to smile, but failed. “The admiral thinks differently. Besides, we complete the mission, and all of us start over somewhere else. Hell, they’ll probably want us to get out of their hair after the mission.”
“We need to finish repairs first.”
“Bill found a space station not too far away. It’s a civilian one and … well, we know it’s not government-owned.” Cain took a sip.
“How’s that?”
Cain smiled. “Let’s just say that the rule of law doesn’t completely apply there.”
“A pirate space station?”
“No, an outworld space station.”
“We can’t show our faces there, they’ll kill us!”
“Maybe, but I doubt it. If we keep to ourselves and just fix our ship, we’ll be fine. I think if the crew changes into civilian attire before leaving the ship, they’ll be okay,” Cain said.
“Okay. I guess we don’t have much of a choice.”
“We don’t.”
“Tell Liz to set a course.”
“Already did.”
Lea kissed him. “You know me too well.”
“I do.” He hugged her.
Nothing else could go wrong, right? Lea thought.
16
Cain’s naked body was wrapped tightly around Lea’s. His warmth made her smile. Cain always knew how to take away her stress.
An audible alert sounded from her desk.
Now? Lea thought. She crawled out from underneath Cain, exposing her fit, naked body in the starlight coming through the porthole.
The alert sounded again.
She tossed her pink robe over her shoulders as she sat down. Lea tapped the control on her desk. “This is the captain.”
“Ma’am, we picked up the spaceport on long-range scanners. I think you should come up here,” Bill said.
“Understood. Out.” Lea dropped her robe over the desk chair and walked over to the bed. Cain’s toned body glistened in the light. Their twenty minutes of pure passion left her wanting more, but there was not time. She touched his shoulder. “Cain. Cain, wake up.”
Cain’s eyes fluttered open. “Round three? You’re going to kill me,” he said as he rolled over to face her.
Lea beamed at him. Yeah, he’d do anything for her, always had. Her heart belonged to him. “I’d love to.” She bent over and kissed him. “But, we’ve got to get up. We’re needed on the bridge.”
“We can always find an excuse to leave the bridge after the crises is over.”
Lea giggled. “I’d like that.” She slapped his butt. “Come on, Colonel, let’s move.”
Cain stood up, yanking her closer to his heart. “Yes, Captain,” he said as he kissed her.
Lea playfully broke away. “You’re terrible.” She tossed him his shirt from the floor. “They’re waiting on us.”
Cain sighed. “You always knew how to kill the moment.”
Lea frowned.
“I’m just kidding.”
Lea broke out into a laugh. “So was I.”
Cain whipped Lea’s top at her head. “Get dressed already.”
“Yes, sir.”
After a few more quips, they finally got dressed and headed out onto the bridge. The repairs en route to the space station were taking shape, especially on the bridge. Singed consoles and melted control panels had already been replaced. Lea smiled. Yeah, her crew did an outstanding job. Sure, everyone worked two shifts and “rested” for one. She slid into the captain’s chair and Cain sat next to her. “Bill, what have we got?”
Bill’s fingers tapped the controls on the communication console and the three-dimensional monitor came to life. A large space station orbited a tiny dwarf planet. It was ten times longer than it was wide. Small docking stations protruded from the cucumber-like space station from top to bottom on every side. “They see us, but haven’t made contact yet.”
Cain rubbed his chin. “They probably want to make sure that we don’t mean them any harm. After all, the Renault is a warship.”
Lea pressed the communicator on her chair. “Engineering, this is the captain.”
“Jake here, ma’am.”
“Is your repair parts list complete yet?”
“Yes, ma’am. We’ve been able to do most of the repairs already, but our stores are completely depleted.”
Lea nodded. “Get your team together.”
“Aye, ma’am. Engineering out.”
Cain leaned over. “My marines could use a couple hours to get their morale up. Your crew could use it, too.”
Lea frowned. “I want to get the repairs done and get out.”
“We are able to comfort each other, but most of the crew doesn’t have that luxury. They need a few hours to unwind.” Cain took her hand into his. “Besides, we can have dinner on the station.”
“Okay, tell the crew. But no drinking.”
“I’ll tell them.” Cain rose from his chair and left the bridge.
“Bill, get the space station on the line. No sense waiting anymore,” Lea said.
“Yes, ma’am,” Bill said as he punched the controls.
The three-dimensional monitor flashed and a man wearing unkempt civilian clothing appeared. His long, brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. The dark stubble must have been from not shaving for at least a week. Yeah, he was nasty. “This is Tiberius Station. Please identify yourself.”
“I’m Captain Lea McKenna of the battle cruiser Renault.”
The man leaned towards the camera. “We don’t have room for your ship. Sorry, find another station.”
“But you have at least eight docking stations empty. I saw them on our scanners.”
“They’re … reserved—that’s it—they’re reserved,” he said.
“I see,” Lea said as she leaned back into her chair. This wasn’t a pirate station, but civilian stations weren’t much friendlier to the military. “How’s your supply of dark matter?”
His eyes lit up. “Dark matter? We could always use some more.”
“Let us dock and repair our vessel and I will give you four kilos of dark matter,” Lea said.
Liz turned around. “Ma’am, we can’t do that. That’s our fuel.”
Lea glared at her. The daggers flying from her eyes silenced the navigator. “We can afford that much.”
“How long are you going to be here?” he asked.
“Less than a day, I hope. Maybe two.”
The man smiled. “Very well, proceed to docking station 17. I’m sending you the coordinates as we speak.”
“Got them,” Liz said.
Lea nodded. “Proceed.” She looked up at the man. “Can my crew take a few hours of shore leave? They won’t be a problem and they have plenty of credits.”
A thin smile stretched across his face. “Of course, but you have to leave our station in two days.”
“Understood. Out,” Lea said. The three-dimensional monitor flashed and the space station reappeared.
Later, the inside of the space station complex looked like a small city. Artificial grass and tress lined the crowded metal streets. A holographic Earth sky covered the enormous ceiling. A cool evening breeze topped it all off. Restaurants, bars, and places for lonely space travelers lined the marketplace.
Lea smiled as the aroma of beef over open flames invaded her nostrils. Cain’s love extended through his hand’s grasp straight into her heart. She could probably count on one hand how many people were happy to see the battle cruiser Renault parked just outside. Yeah, the military had few friends this far out into space, but it wasn’t completely unjustified. Who cares? Lea cleared her mind, focusing on her lifelong companion. “Smell that?”
Cain beamed at her. “Yeah, reminds me of when I took you to that steakhouse on the moon.” He sighed. “Things were so different then.”
Lea leaned into his shoulder. “They were. We were, too. So young.”
Cain laughed. “With unending stamina.”
She giggled. “Not anymore.”
“I guess that comes with age.”
“Hungry?” Lea asked.
Cain pulled her in close and kissed her. “I thought you’d never ask.” He led Lea across the street to the Martian Cowboy. It was an open-air steakhouse with tables outside on a patio.
Cyber Invasion (The A.I. Conspiracy Book 1) Page 11