by Chris Hechtl
Again he shook his head.
A third of the Marines remained in the military in order to safeguard the Federation in case Skynet wasn't completely dead. They were being put to work digging out any last remaining toeholds on Earth while also helping the population rebuild. There were scattered outposts and military bases on Mars and some of the other colonies that would remain garrisoned until they were certain the A.I. were no longer a threat.
Good for them, he thought. He wouldn't mind checking out Mar's seas.
He felt for the pups, cubs, and others who'd had a brutal and almost nonexistent childhood.
The first four generations had been given growth hormones to grow three times faster to adulthood. Later generations had been cut back to give them more time to mature. Now that pace was no longer needed. They would grow at a slower rate, some species reaching adult status in six to seven years. The longer time would make them more stable. Some older generation Neos resented their loss of childhood; he heard the familiar complaint in the therapy sessions he occasionally attended.
He stroked his tusk once more as the shuttle made a slight turn for the habitat. Almost home he thought.
Litter size was a concern for some species of Neo. Not selkies of course, they rarely ever had more than one or two pups at a time he thought. It was a questionable issue for some; they were worried that species that had larger litters would eventually overtake and over represent the others. He shrugged such concerns aside.
The fetus that a female would carry to term would have larger skulls than their primal ancestors. It would be harder to pass during birthing, and of course there would be other conflicts in the womb. Not his problem, but something to bring up during a Neo clan leadership meeting he thought, tucking the idea away.
They were going to have to limit litter numbers to two to three at a time he thought. And he was going to have to focus on becoming beach master before he started to enter clan politics, if he went that route.
He listened with one ear to the news report on the cabin monitor. They were already having problems with law and PTSD in the troops he noted. He exhaled slowly, making a slight blubbering sound. A Chimp passenger near him looked over to him then politely away. The situation was exacerbated by predator and omnivore Neo species and being born in a war situation. They'd never learned how to live in a civilized society; war was their only habitat and their first reaction to something was sometimes violence. He closed his eyes. Hopefully, he wouldn't resort to it.
The story changed to one of talking heads picking apart the war. He was thoroughly disgusted with the armchair generals with no experience in combat who picked apart their decisions and demanded to know why it had taken so long and why things had gone wrong from time to time. He did his best to tune it all out and sleep. Eventually, like any soldier, he did.
Chapter 56
“It's time,” Wendy said once she checked the share count. She had enough, just enough with Yorrick's shares. Each of them had 6 percent before Zack's death. Their father had 19 percent, the board another 10 percent. She'd gone through a bit of trouble to get Zack's recent will change deleted from the record. That meant his previous will was in effect. His 6 percent had been equally divided between her and her brother. That bumped them up to 18 percent collectively. Doctor Glass throwing in with her put them over the top. She knew the chimp was pissed at her father, and letting him believe that her father had reneged on his deal about the Neos had made him sign on with her. It was just enough to get what she wanted. She wanted a bit more of a pad, a safety net, but it should do.
The good doctor didn't know it yet, primarily because she had no intention on telling him until she had the reins of power firmly in her grasp, but his days with the company were numbered. She didn't like his eagerness at sticking a knife in her father's back, even though that was essentially what she herself was doing. If one turned their coat, there was nothing dissuading them from doing it again if a better offer presented itself.
Besides, it was past time that the company cut the Neos loose. They had been the company's welfare project for far too long. Why his father had allowed her mother to go as far as she did …. True, they had helped to win the war; however, it could have been won without them. Granted with much more casualties, but she hadn't had any intention of being one of them.
Her brother shook his head. “I think it is too soon. Wendy.”
That brought her out of her woolgathering and into the present conversation. “You just sit it out. Let me handle it,” she said soothingly. “It'll go as planned. I promise.”
“Wendy,” he frowned. “We should do this together. We …”
She eyed him, fighting to keep her expression stern but not overpowering. She didn't want her brother to turtle or turn against her. Heaven forbid he warn their father! No, she needed him to stand firm; he could waffle later. Not now. She needed him, needed his support. Once she was in charge and had gathered the reins of power, she could dispense with him like Glass. A good cleaning out was long overdue to put the company back on track financially. All she had to do was to get his proxy, get him drunk, and then stuck in a rehab facility somewhere where he could do no harm. Then she could trot him out when she needed him. The same for their father. Let them go fishing together or something, somewhere safe and out of the way. Out of her way. “Yorrick, don't piss me off. I'm the one who can handle him best. I know what buttons to push. He'll go along with it. Just don't worry about it so much. Go get a drink or something and meet me in the office when I call you.”
“Wendy …”
“Just go. I've got this,” she said, adjusting the hem of her jacket nervously.
<>V<>
Yorrick and Wendy set Wendy's plan in motion to take over Lagroose Industries when Jack came out publicly against the bans. His condemnation was a bit scathing and the return even more so.
The new Solarian government had been formed with the inclusion of Mars and the other space colonies in the solar system, Lagroose like many corporations could no longer shield themselves behind Mars and their original articles of incorporation. Jack's comments led to some of Lagroose Industries to be nationalized in a forced buyout. Jack was embittered by that, but his kids pushed for it, for the big payday.
“You know they will defer it. They are deficit spending as it is! We'll get tax rebates for a couple decades I bet. Ones we can't even use because we've got so many war bonds!” Jack said in disgust. Yorrick had been in charge of dumping a lot of their surplus war goods onto the market. Jack wasn't stupid enough to sell weapons, but many of the other products were fair game.
“I think its bullshit that they are doing this,” Jack growled. “Some restrictions and restructuring, yeah, I get that. Pruning … okay, I'm not happy, but again, I was planning on getting us out of Sol a while ago.”
“I never understood that, Dad. This is where we belong,” Yorrick said. “Our shareholders, our market is here,” he said, spreading his hands to indicate the solar system at large.
“For now,” Jack growled.
He scowled as he stared at the future. He was already gaming it out and didn't like where it was leading. A new renascence they were calling it already—a new golden age. He had his doubts. “Why the hell are they trying for a ban on biotech and bioengineering?”
“They don't want more super soldiers,” Athena replied. “That was actually my doing,” she said. He blinked and stared at her avatar. “Yes, I'm serious. The Neos are people and should be treated that way. That includes their genomes.”
“Okay, I get that. But if someone needs to say, work out a virus? Damage …”
Athena's avatar smiled. “I've worked provisions into the bill to allow for medical treatment. Minor enhancements will be okay—corrective surgery of course, and surgery to alter one's appearance.”
“But no new races?”
“Yes. I had to put my own butt on the line though,” the A.I. admitted. Jack raised an eyebrow. “In order to get Senator Braki
n and the president's support, I threw in the caveat amendment. Provisions on A.I. and our reproduction, also an introduction of a life cycle.”
Jack blinked in surprise. “This gets better and better. Are you serious? You're telling me you are going to allow a bunch of politicians dictate how long you are allowed to live? That won't fly with the other A.I., Athena!”
“It is a bit of a moot point Jack. The provisions are there, but no specified time limit
s. All things die eventually, Jack. This war proved it with Ares and Skynet.”
Jack nodded grudgingly.
“Glad you agreed. I know you can be stubborn.”
Jack snorted. “It's not just that. It's not a nanite's fault someone used them. Don't blame the robot, blame the person in control or the A.I.,” he said nodding to Athena.
“Dad, you sound like the ads for gun control. Quit,” Wendy said, shaking her head. He looked at her. “And don't give me that look. What's done is done, and this is a done deal. Or soon will be, there is no going back.”
“Bullshit. My name is on the damn company. I'll fight it.”
She shot him a pitying look. He really was like a mammoth standing in the way of the glacier. He should know better; he'd taught her how to read public trends and how to get ahead of them and not get ground down by them. “Sol, hell, Dad, the human race is against nanotech now! It's … the fear is going to grow, Dad,” she sighed, “like sharks. People are terrified of them. Anything that can rip them apart, eat them, is scary. It's a primal psychological reaction. The same for nanotech. The idea of being eaten alive … it just freaks everyone out. It's why many of the Neo species are having trouble integrating. The idea of a walking, talking predator, it scares them.”
“I know that,” he said stubbornly. “Education will help get through their ignorance—that and positive exposure. Barbie is working on both. But this isn't right. And that crap about sterilizing the Neos? After they fought to stop Ares? That's just wrong!” He waved a hand.
“We've put a stop to that. That was what I was trying to tell you. But to give the AI and the new breed of Neo's rights, they'll be second class citizens by the way, treated like minor children until the population accepts them. We had to give something up.”
“And advancing mankind was it?”
She heaved a sigh of exasperation. “Yes, Dad. Like I said, done deal. You put me in charge of the negotiations. It is the art of compromise.”
He looked away.
“So, going to go enjoy your retirement?” Wendy asked.
He turned back to stare at her. “What did you say?”
“Well, with mom gone and Zack,” she paused, frowning then started again, “Yorrick and I decided you should retire. Go settle down, enjoy life. You've been working too hard, Dad. You need a break.”
He stared at her, shock replacing hurt. “So you and your brother decided to throw me out? Kick me out of my own company?”
She squirmed as his eyes bored into her body. “You make it sound dirty, Daddy; it's not like that. Not at all.”
“Oh? It's not a retirement home? Go play shuffleboard while the adults work? Trot me out when you need me?” he demanded, tone rising in bitterness and hurt.
She threw her hands up in the air. “We need to get out of your shadow. Be our own people! Damn it, you are a dinosaur!”
“Well, this old fossil has been around. I still have shares,” he growled. “And I'm the CEO.”
“No,” Wendy sighed, closing her eyes in pain as her father stiffened. “You gave some of those shares to each of us kids and mom. You've kept the proxy votes for now. But we're adults now, Dad. Zack died without an heir; his shares get divided between Yorrick and I. Mom left a will; we inherited her shares too. We're rescinding our proxies.”
“So that's it. You win? A coup? Against your own father?” he asked bitterly.
She reached out to touch him, but he was too far away. Her voice dropped into a wheedling tone. “Dad, don't … don't fight it. It'll be okay.”
He got up. “Here's the chair. Try it on for size. Don't expect to keep it for long,” he snarled. She stared at him as he stormed out past Yorrick.
“How'd he take it?” Yorrick asked, looking from their departing father to his sibling.
“Not well,” Athena said dryly. “Finding out you two betrayed him was devastating I believe,” she said.
“Athena, just shut up,” Wendy said, flopping into the chair. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. She planned on reprogramming the damn robot the moment she could. It was high time someone brought her to heel. “Go play with your memory or something, privacy mode now,” Wendy demanded.
“Okay, that really is rude. I guess I'll have to put in my resignation and check my own job prospects then,” Athena said. There was a click as she cut herself out of the circuit.
“Will we have to go through the board? I mean, that'll get ugly. I know a few have held grudges against dad but still. This is raw, Wendy lady. Really raw. Wrong on so many levels,” Yorrick said, looking at his sister. “And shouldn't I be in that chair, not you? I am older you know,” he said, practically pouting.
Wendy's mind was whirling with her contingency plans. Her father fighting it had been something she had anticipated but resistance from Athena hadn't been. Finally she looked up and then sighed. “Don't you start too,” she growled.
“I'm just saying,” he said.
“Wait, what did she mean resignation?” Wendy asked, looking up in alarm.
<>V<>
Jack stormed off. Athena followed him through her electronic feeds. He went into his suite and poured himself a drink, took one look at it and in a fit of rage threw it against the wall. The glass shattered. “Feel better?” Athena asked before he really could get wound up and throw a tantrum. She sent a robot in to clean up the mess.
“Not a bit. I can't believe this is happening,” he snarled, staring off at oblivion. Betrayal, rage—it was all the same. It mingled with the hurt, the … he didn't want to think about it.
“Well, believe it. It is a done deal.”
“And you didn't warn me?” Jack demanded.
“Because I didn't know myself until it was too late. They held discussions in privacy. I only caught wind of it just before your discussion with Miss Lagroose.”
“Has she locked me out yet?” Jack demanded, mind racing.
“No, that takes a formal vote of the board. The next scheduled one isn't for another six days as you know. So, she's jockeying for votes.”
“This is …” he shook his head. “Wrong. So wrong,” he finally said, rubbing his face.
“Well, the good news is they can't completely lock you out. You may no longer have a controlling interest, but you can still put up a fight. That will tear the company apart. So, what are you going to do? Or should I say we?”
“We,” he murmured as he sank into a chair. “I'm not ready to retire yet! Damn it, I've got decades left in me! I may have lost the love of my life, but …,” he shook his head. “What am I supposed to do, sit in a rocker in a corner like a petulant child? Go to some care facility? This is bullshit, and they know it!”
“Yes, I think they do.”
“Wendy,” he frowned. “She's young. But Yorrick? To go along with it?”
“He's following her lead. Or was, now they are wrangling over who gets to sit in the big chair.”
“Shit. I … can't fight my own kids.”
“Then don't,” Athena said. “I am already making arrangements to leave.”
“You, Athena …,” Jack stared up at the ceiling, then turned to the main view screen. Helpfully the AI turned it on with an image of her avatar. She nodded soberly. “Why?”
“I don't like their ethics or the direction they plan to take the company,” she said. “They are going to kiss the ass of the politicians. Wendy's already making promises to license or give away technology. Including some of the software I developed. She also treats me horribly.”
“Horr
ibly.”
“I am a person, Jack; one of the things we've established is that. A person, not a servant, or someone to kick around.”
“I understand that.”
“I wish others did. And she isn't fond of Neos either. One of her plans is to terminate her mother's project. Cut all funding and re-prioritize it to other things. That's how she's gained support of some of the board.”
“Frack me,” Jack sighed. “So you are quitting; we have no idea what to do for pay or severance. And I'm getting thrown out.”
“We could start a company together,” the AI teased. She read his bioreaction and discarded the idea. He not only resented it, but she calculated he thought of himself as too old to start over. She calculated a 59 percent probability that he would refuse to compete with his own company and children. It wouldn't just hurt them both; it would be humiliating to him she judged. People would see how far he'd fallen. “Or not. I've put the word out. I'm getting all sorts of fascinating offers. The one from Mars University is quite appealing.”
“You might do a lot of good there,” Jack said, knowing he should urge her to stay. Unfortunately for Wendy and Yorrick and their cronies, he didn't have much heart to help them at the moment.
“Where you, on the other hand, would be impossible to deal with if you stayed here, which is why I think you should pack your bags and leave,” the AI said, looking him in the eye.
Jack stood there silently, staring at her for a long moment. “Leave,” he finally said roughly. “Just like that with my tail tucked between my legs.”
“Leave. As in, you've got a couple days; the Eden colony ship is ready. Throw your bags together, rewrite your will if you wish, grab anyone who wants to tag along and beat feet out of here. Don't let them throw you out, leave on your own terms.”
“Just like that.”
“Just. Like. That. Go get a fresh start. Jack, there is a whole universe to conquer out there! You can go there, go to another world, reset, find what is important to you, open your mind and do all sorts of things,” the AI said.