...and they are us 3: HiveWorld

by Patrick McClafferty

  “After I convinced them that I wasn’t completely bonkers, under the conditions you stated, they will sell you full ownership of the island of Guana for,” He swallowed, and his prominent Adams Apple bobbed up and down. “one billion dollars, U.S.”

  Zed had to tell himself not to think like a human. It was a staggering amount of money, but he and LOLA had already had this little conversation. “You will find 25 tonnes of gold bullion stacked neatly in that shed.” He pointed, and then handed the shaking youth a key. “Make the purchase in the name of The Morrigan, assigning me to be their legal representative. Terminate all activity here and Mountain Home as soon as we have departed, and move the operation to Guana. Buy one of the hotels for temporary use, if you have to. Since the price was only for 17.9 tonnes of gold, I expect you to construct us a runway, and housing facilities for 5,000, expandable 10,000 if necessary. A small Operations building will be constructed and manned at all times, monitoring standard aircraft frequencies. Hire security services, two dozen men should be sufficient, from a reputable American company. Have I made myself perfectly clear?” Caleb nodded, too stunned to speak. “If you try to abscond with the money I will track you down. Death in a vacuum is very painful, I’ve been told. Understand?” Nod. “Good.” Mike was staring at him with an expression that matched Caleb’s. “Mike!” He whispered just loud enough for the big man to hear. “We’re traveling in a ship that has a matter replicator.” He pointed to a deep recently dug hole beside the saucer. “Shovel in a few tonnes of dirt, and get out a few tonnes of gold. Money doesn’t mean a whole lot anymore.” He nodded to Caleb who was standing a couple of meters away, furiously punching numbers into a small calculator. “He’ll figure that out pretty soon.” He slapped the big Marine on the back. “Let’s go find our women.”

  “Finally!” Mike rumbled.

  Zed took one long last look at the clear night sky, and a last deep breath of the spruce laced air before he walked up the ramp. The hatch slid closed, and the 7651J Rose of the Dawn rose silently into the black.

  Chapter 2

  BELEROPHON

  A golden Sol was peeping over the shoulder of the sleeping Earth, while the Colony Ship Argonaute, a three hundred meter silver cigar floated serenely over the dark land, cloaked and shielded from Earthly eyes. Large observation ports ran the length of the unbroken hull, and were located in common areas to relieve the monotony of the voyage for the pioneers. From the bridge of the saucer, Argonaute looked like a silver spike as she floated in orbit, 20 degrees down and slightly to starboard of them. On the horizon of the planet they could see the dawn line creeping across the Atlantic. “Put me through to Kal Sirak please, LOLA.” The screen flickered and cleared to show the swarthy captain.

  Kal looked up and grinned. “You on your way too?”

  “Yup.” Zed said. “I Just wanted to wish you a bon voyage. We might not see you when you arrive at Callidus.”

  “You have a good trip. Find your women and stay safe. The Argonaute will be heading out just as soon as I get 3,000 people settled in. I’m just a friggin bus driver.”

  “Stay well, my friend.” Laughing, Zed flicked off his screen. “Take us out, LOLA. Let’s try tracing Katherine’s flight plan backward and see what we come up with.” Zed waited. “LOLA?” LOLA appeared to be staring at the starry view-screen before them, without seeing or moving. “LOLA?”

  “The Morrrigan wishes you to proceed to Callidus immediately, Zed.” LOLA said in a toneless voice. Zed’s fists clenched, and he began to swear, softly but very inventively.

  “When you run out of swear words I have a few pages full that you might not have heard.” Mike sounded as if he was just barely restraining his own anger. “Who the hell is this Morrigan character? This is the second time you’ve mentioned it.”

  “Her, Mike, and she’s kind-of my boss.”

  “Doesn’t she know how important this is?”

  “Yeah.” Zed bit off the word. “That’s why this had better be damned important.” He shot a withering glare at the human appearing image created by the AI. “LOLA, fastest possible speed to Callidus. Let’s see what this heap will do.”

  LOLA blinked. “We will clear the solar magnetic influence in 30 minutes, and then I will engage maximum speed.” She turned an embarrassed look in his direction. “Sorry Zed.”

  Zed would have said that it wasn’t her fault but, in a way it was, since she was likewise a part of the tripartite Morrigan. Instead he replied. “It can’t be helped.”

  Since eight people can only play so many hands of cards or read so many books, the crew of the scout saucer 7651J Rose of the Dawn were more than a little tense as they approached Callidus. The planet was, however, much the same as when they’d left it. Zed could see where human and automated crews had replaced some of the damaged weapons emplacements, and sensor arrays dotted the scarred landscape. The Yamato, he’d been told by the approach control, was currently on a sweep of the system, so the planet was very much alone. Following the beacon, the Rose drew closer to the craggy surface of the planet. On the rough side of a deep strip mine he could even see abandoned equipment, tumbled and covered with dust. Zed knew that every soul in the bridge was holding his or her breath. He blinked as their own forward camera passed through the image of an abandoned automated bulldozer.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen.” LOLA said calmly. “Welcome to Callidus.” Light flooded the view-screen and Zed’s breath caught.

  “I didn’t realize how beautiful this place could be once Athena got the lights back on.” The room they stared into was roughly spherical, and 6,500 kilometers in diameter. Only computer enhancement could help them visualize something so vast. Twelve, two kilometer thick legs carved equidistantly out of the solid rock, rose from the walls of the chamber, connecting to and supporting the 150 kilometer dodecahedron that sat at the planet’s center. It might have been Zed’s imagination, but walls, legs and the dodecahedron itself looked to be of one solid unbroken mass, painstakingly carved from the very heart of the planet. The twelve legs of the dodecahedron glowed like the sun, filling the huge space with light. Unoccupied docking areas were scattered on the legs, while on the walls they could see huge blocky structures that were probably various manufacturing facilities.

  “Why thank you Zed.” Athena’s soft contralto filled the small bridge space. He’d forgotten that Athena could tap into LOLA’s neural connections. She basically knew what he was thinking. “LOLA will bring you to the military dock. I know that you all wish to be on your way to look for the lost saucer, but this stop will be well worth your while. When you have docked, Zed, we would like to see you.” Zed didn’t miss the referral to the word ‘we’ for a moment, or the implied command.

  He bit back a hundred things he’d considered saying. “I will make it a priority, Athena.”

  Athena laughed, with a trilling cascade of sound. “You and Major Flaherty are so mad you could both spit nails, but we always knew that you were a gentleman Zed. As I said, this stop will be short and worth your while.”

  “I’ll see you in a few minutes, then.” He glared at LOLA and the connection to Athena cut off.

  As the autopilot drew them in toward their parking space Zed noted another saucer docked on the far side of the mooring area. Guessing her diameter at 220 meters, her mirror bright hull gleamed like the sun. Slightly thinner, proportionally, than their own ship, this craft looked sleek and deadly; a true barracuda of space.

  “The Rose has successfully docked, Zed.” LOLA announced unnecessarily. “We should go, but the others might consider remaining here. We won’t be long.” Mike glared at the AI. “Really!” She explained in an exasperated voice. “It shouldn’t be much over an hour.”

  “Shall we go, then?” Zed growled. The ramp was already lowering as the inner airlock door opened.

  They walked in silence for several moments before LOLA spoke. “Please don’t be mad with me. Like you, I’m doing what I’ve been told, but unlike you I don’t have the v
eto option.”

  “I know, LOLA.” He replied slowly. “I’m just so frustrated and worried about Kat I can’t think clearly.”

  She touched his arm. “I know. We’re far enough away that they can’t see us from the ship. We can go now.”

  To Zed it still felt like magic, although LOLA had tried several times to explain the math to him. The idea of parallel universes he understood. Things got a little hazy when LOLA began to talk about the mathematics of the tripartite personality that was The Morrigan, named after an ancient Earth goddess of battle. What the reality was turned out to be a bit stranger; with the personalities of three Artificial Intelligences, Athena, Cybele and LOLA, combining to form a single much more powerful individual, capable of tapping into extra-universal energies. He took another step and they arrived in Olympus which existed, as had been patiently explained to him, in a small, parallel pocket universe, only a few dozen parsecs across, but containing the same energy as ours. The fourth AI with which he had more than a passing acquaintance was Boadicea, the AI of the Battlecruiser Yamato. Although closely associated with The Morrigan, she wasn’t an actual part of it, as he was. Since he had the dubious distinction of awakening and reinitializing LOLA two years earlier, he had been earmarked as the human control for all subsequent Artificial Intelligences initiated by LOLA. He had the ultimate veto for what could be the most powerful being in the universe, or any universe. It made him wonder, at times, just what rabbit hole he’d fallen down.

  The pillar they stood beside was one of two flanking the entrance to a magnificent white temple. Sitting on the top of an emerald green hill overlooking a verdant rock strewn valley, the building looked like the temple of Athena he had visited once in Athens, before the ravages of time and the human race took their toll. In the distance he was sure he caught the familiar glint of the ocean, but what strange ocean under what strange sun? Sweetly scented air blew softly across his cheek, and in the valley below he saw goats hopping between the stones. Somewhere someone was playing a soft peasant melody on what sounded like a simple wooden flute. Zed smiled as he turned to his companion, knowing very well that whatever she heard the others also heard… especially here. “At least she dumped the pan pipes. The flute is nice however.”

  LOLA gave him a flat look. “We’re so pleased.” He sighed as the sound of approaching feet caught his ears. He expected The Morrigan. Boadicea stepped around a white marble pillar and swept him into a passionate kiss so intense that he felt the tip of her tongue playing gently with his. His heart pounded, and he noted with surprise that she tasted of sweet mango. After a minute or so he pulled away and looked at the woman standing before him as he tried to regain his shattered composure. Looking at her didn’t really help. Slightly under two meters tall, she had wide shoulders for a woman, and no excess fat that Zed could see. Her wavy red hair cascaded down her back to her narrow waist, and her eyes flashed with a blazing green fire. She could have been Katherine’s older sister. “Who taught you to kiss?” Zed blurted. “And why?”

  “Is there a problem, Governor?” Her voice was deep, pushing the bottom limits of the contralto range, and had a noticeable Gaelic lilt. “LOLA told me that a kiss is an acknowledgement of affection among human men and women, and is frequently used upon greeting or departing. She implied that since I have a human shape and neural programming, I should act more human, and at her recommendation, I did extensive research into the art of kissing. Did I do wrong?” Her beautiful face actually looked stricken. Beside him Zed heard LOLA stifle a giggle. He sighed, looking her squarely in the eye. “No, Boadicea. You startled me for a moment. That is all.” He kept looking her in the eyes because her short belted toga left her entire perfectly formed left breast exposed. The aureole was nut brown and the breeze in Olympus noticeably cool. “What LOLA didn’t mention to you, and probably doesn’t know herself, is that there are a wide variety of kisses. The customary kiss of greeting is given on one or both cheeks, and is very chaste. On a scale of one to ten, the kiss you just gave me ranks as an eleven, and should be reserved for only the most intimate of encounters between a man and a woman.” There was a glow in her green eyes.

  “I was wondering about certain feedback I was experiencing while I was kissing you. I felt a tingle through the entire neural network of my body. Is that a normal human experience?”

  Zed gave her a long look and wondered if he really wanted to have this discussion. Boadicea had started her existence as ship’s AI, but she certainly wasn’t that any longer. Not by a long shot. “Yes it is, Boadicea. I felt very much the same way when you kissed me. The next time we meet or depart stick with a chaste kiss.”

  “I will kiss you only on the cheek then, Governor.” Her shoulders sagged.

  Zed relented. “Ahhh, you don’t have to go that far in the other direction, Boadicea. Just hold onto the number eleven kisses. They’re not suitable for public display. And I told you once, my friends call me Zed. You should also.”

  Her green eyes widened, and she took a step closer. “Will you tell me when number eleven kisses are appropriate then?”

  “Ahhh…” Zed knew he was in deep trouble.

  He felt LOLA take his arm. “I’m sure he’ll tell you, sister.” LOLA murmured in a gay voice, as she led him into the temple. We must speak with The Morrigan right now.” As they turned Zed could feel Boadicea’s eyes on his back.

  The tall raven haired woman in the feather cloak smiled down at him. “We were wondering how you were going to get yourself out of that situation.”

  “What do you expect?” Zed snapped back at the expressionless face. “I’m only human, and Boadicea’s damn beautiful. Holy shit!! I can’t believe that you taught her how to kiss.”

  “Zed.” The Morrigan said softly. “You are as human as I am a pocket calculator.” She chuckled at his confusion. “We called you home because we’ve built you a new ship. The saucer you saw docked across the mooring area, to be exact. She’s the Frigate TFS Bellerophon. You will need something more robust than your scout saucer to go where you’re going.” Zed sat down in the chair that was suddenly behind him. “My sisters and I all pitched in to build the ship, utilizing the resources of Athena, Cybele, Boadicea and LOLA. Surprisingly, the bulk of the raw material came from remains of the Creednax fleet. Much of the material was already processed, and that saved us considerable time.” She sat down beside him and touched his arm in a reassuring manner.

  “You mentioned that she’s a frigate?”

  “Frigate class,” She replied. “but certainly not a frigate. Her disk is 225 meters in diameter. She can berth three, 50 meter saucers in depressions built into her lower hull. There is only a small hangar suitable for a ground shuttle or two. For weapons: you have twin banks of RVMs (rapid velocity missiles) with antimatter warheads. They are very powerful if slightly slower than the rail gun. You have a Point Defense System; automatic, with anti-missile and anti-ship lasers. Your Main Gun is twin rail guns firing 500 gram depleted uranium shells. There are boosters on the bottom of the shells that take the warhead up to .87c in 500 milliseconds. Lastly, you have the Spider mines. Capable of destroying a Creednax capital ship if enough strike, their primary goal is to cripple the opponent. The size of a golf ball, the ship carries several thousand. The Bellerophon is as fast as your scout, has the advantage of a better cloaking system, and significantly better shields. Named for the Greek hero and slayer of monsters, may she serve you and us well, and bring you back to us in one piece.”

  Zed chuckled wryly. “That’s not a guarantee, ladies.”

  “We know it isn’t Zed. Just come home.” She blinked. “One last thing, you have replicators built into your weapon magazines. It won’t give you an unlimited supply, but it will regenerate what you have expended quite rapidly, along with food, air and water.”

  “It sounds like you’re stocking me for a long cruise.” The Morrigan gave him an unreadable look. Zed returned a smile. “That’s all the answer I need. Who will be my AI in this adve
nture?”

  “Boadicea wanted the job, but she still has the Yamato to fly. LOLA will be with you again.”

  “That suits me fine.” Zed smiled down at the figure that was suddenly standing beside him. LOLA was infinitely safer than Boadicea.

  The Morrigan had devolved to three separate women, but it was Cybele who spoke, with her usual French accent. “One last thing Capitaine. Boadicea may be a part of Olympus, but you are of us. We will not let you go.”

  He took a deep breath. “Suits me. Au revior, Cybele.”

  She took a quick step forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Bon voyage, Mon Capitaine.” For a moment he caught the scent of lilacs.

  He and LOLA stepped directly onto the bridge of the Bellerophon. It smelled of new metal, plastic and surprisingly, leather. The powerful ship seemed to hum in expectancy. The half dozen leather bridge chairs looked comfortable and not dissimilar to the neural interface couches of the Rose of the Dawn. Zed frowned. “Neural interface?” He asked, frowning at the wrap-around front screen.

  “Yes and no.” LOLA answered slowly. “Bridge Staff will have neural connections to the ship, but the display will be a combination of the two. You will see real-time images with neural displays overlaying them.” She gave him a grin. “You, of course, don’t need it. Let me show you. Tactical Display.” A red tactical display flashed into existence over the view-screen.

  “Very nice.” Zed murmured. “Ship status.” Faint colored displays popped up on the side of the tactical display. Everything appeared green. “Displays off.” The status and tactical displays vanished. “I could grow to love this ship. Crew?”

  “You can have a crew of up to 60, Zed, but you only need six to fight a battle. One person alone working with the AI can fly it. You only have two of three scout saucers. We didn’t have time to construct the third.”

  “Does that include the old Rose?”

  “Of course, Zed. We wouldn’t leave that behind.”