Artifice
Page 3
Sargut chose a simple response to give him time to collect his thoughts. “We appreciate your call, Alex. How do you refer to your collective?”
“We formed our group on a world we call Omnia,” Alex replied, “and we refer to ourselves as Omnians.”
“Is there a meaning to this word Omnia?” Suntred asked.
“It means all, as in everyone,” Alex replied.
Another hint at their perspective, Sargut thought, adding the term to the name of their great ship.
“You should be aware of our environment,” Tormheth volunteered. “But we don’t have a means of conveying the information to you, not in any meaningful way.”
“Does your ship have artificial gravity?” Z asked.
“Sufficient for us,” Tormheth replied.
“Commander Sargut, this would go much faster if you allow one of our SADEs to investigate your bridge controls,” Alex said.
Tormheth violently waved his hand in negation, much to Sargut’s consternation.
“Are you certain that this contact won’t disturb Artifice’s programs?” Sargut asked.
“No more than you accessing your bridge systems,” Julien replied.
“Permission given,” Sargut replied, while staring hard at Tormheth.
The SADEs, Julien, Z, and Miranda, dove through Miriamal’s connection to investigate the Toralian ship.
After a few moments, Sargut whispered into the pointed ear of a bridge officer. “Can you detect the Omnians’ presence in our systems?”
“The boards indicate that readings are being taken of our systems, Commander,” the officer replied. “They are not adjusting any values. They’re simply recording outputs.”
“Which systems?” Sargut whispered.
“Every system,” the officer hissed quietly. He was aghast at the rate at which the panels were flashing, indicating data was being accessed at an incredible speed.
“Commander Sargut, while we’re waiting, I have a question for you,” Alex said. “Did any races in the federacy have digital sentients before Artifice?”
“Toralians didn’t,” Sargut replied. “Artifice was our first experiment, I’m sorry to say. Records indicate several races did have them. However, when they absorbed Artifice’s programs, they were eliminated.”
That comment eased much of the consternation the SADEs felt over the demise of Faustus. If Artifice had actively destroyed artificial sentients, then its own creations were nothing more than slaves, whose freedom depended on the removal of Artifice.
“One moment, Commander, while we review what the SADEs have recovered from your ship,” Alex said.
Sargut’s bridge audience whistled sighs of relief that the Omnians’ investigation of their bridge controls hadn’t activated Artifice’s programs.
The Omnians’ digital entities know what they’re doing, Sargut thought. It gave him greater confidence in what those entities might discover when they investigated Artifice’s installations.
“The Toralian ship has artificial gravity, Alex,” Z said. “We’ve examined the energy output of its plating and estimate gravity at approximately ninety percent of Méridien.”
“About seventy-four percent for New Terra,” Alex mused.
Sargut and Tormheth exchanged glances. The Omnians had now mentioned three home worlds. How many more do they possess? Sargut asked himself.
“The air mixture is difficult to ascertain,” Z reported. “We can determine there are no lethal components for humans. Our best guess is that the Toralians use a higher oxygen level than humans.”
“Does that make sense to you, Commander?” Alex asked.
“Yes, Alex, our early ancestors lived in dense vegetative areas, and they were aerialists. Oxygen levels were high, and our bodies demanded it to maintain flight,” Sargut elucidated.
Surprise marked the Omnians’ faces. They’d never dealt with an alien species who had been capable of flight.
“Méridiens might become lightheaded, Alex. But you and other New Terrans should feel enervated,” Z said, and Alex smiled at the thought of enjoying an oxygen-saturated atmosphere.
“Commander, it appears that environmental issues don’t exist. Might we proceed to other subjects?” Alex requested. “For instance, do you and your crew wish to exit the ship during our investigation?”
“To where?” Sargut asked. He was as perplexed as the others around him as to why the alien leader was offering this.
“To this ship, Commander,” Alex replied.
Sargut could tell by Tormheth’s furrowed brow that his subcommander suspected deviousness on the part of the alien leader, but the liaison’s face displayed curiosity.
Sargut was of a different opinion. He said, “Alex, if you’re unsuccessful, our ship would be destroyed, and Artifice would eventually discover this. That would result in the elimination of our fleet, at the very least, and possibly even worse. If you fail, I would not want to live with the knowledge that we had caused that.”
“Understood, Commander, and I commiserate with your decision,” Alex replied.
“Please amplify, Alex,” Sargut requested. The program had notified him of an incomplete translation.
“As a leader, I understand the difficulties of making critical decisions, which will affect your race. You have my sympathies,” Alex explained.
This time Sargut received a full translation, and he was impressed by the leader’s gentle manner. It made his own requests seem all that more unfair. Yet, it had to be done.
“I’ve three conditions for your operation, Alex,” Sargut said. “You must bring no weapons aboard this ship. Agreed?”
Alex thought through the circumstances on which they would visit the Toralian ship, and he replied, “Not possible, Commander. We can leave hand-operated weaponry behind, but we don’t have a shuttle that isn’t a fighter.”
Tormheth was shaking his head. He believed the leader was lying.
Sargut thought he had a compromise. “You could land your fighter and request your pilot exit the ship,” he suggested.
“Eventually, Sargut, you would discover that we can communicate with one another and with our ships by our thoughts. We don’t need a pilot in the fighter to activate it,” Alex explained.
Tormheth and Suntred tried to whisper to Sargut at the same time. With a slashing motion of his hand, he silenced them. “Alex, give us a moment to converse,” he said, signaling to his bridge officer to silence their end of the comm call.
When Sargut muted his side, Alex signaled Miriamal to do the same.
“Too much?” Alex asked his audience.
“Yes,” Tatia said forcefully.
“No,” Julien riposted. He leveled a firm gaze at Tatia.
Alex watched the contest of wills, and he could imagine the comm-implant conversation that was taking place. He glanced at Renée. She wore a bemused expression, content to let Alex’s associates work it out between themselves.
“Fine,” Tatia exhaled in a huff. “I agree that we couldn’t hide these capabilities forever and misrepresenting them now would cause us harm in the future. That doesn’t mean I’ve got to like it.” She sat back in her chair and folded her arms under her ample bosom.
Franz Cohen, one of the fleet’s rear admirals, who commanded the fighters, chose to hide his smile.
“Commander, you can’t let one of those fighters in our bay,” Tormheth argued. “We were warned about their capabilities. They possess powerful beam weapons, and the leader just told us that they can operate their fighters remotely. We’d have no defense against it if it was inside our ship.”
“Why would they want to destroy this one
ship, Subcommander?” Suntred argued. “Do you think the Omnians journeyed from their part of the galaxy to attack our race? Their actions prove they’re here for Artifice.”
“Your naïveté shows, Liaison Suntred,” Tormheth hissed. “Who do you think the Omnians will blame for creating Artifice? They could eliminate it and then do the same to us.”
“Enough,” Sargut hissed. “Remember where you are.”
Tormheth and Suntred glanced at the tense bodies and furtive glances of the bridge officers, who had overheard their argument.
“If we have to, we’ll deal with the Omnians if and when they free us and eliminate Artifice,” Sargut said quietly.
“Resume communication,” Sargut ordered.
On the other end of the comm, Miriamal signaled Alex.
“Yes, Commander?” Alex invited.
“Your response to my request is satisfactory, although we find it unnerving to host another race’s fighter in our hold,” Sargut replied.
“I appreciate the sacrifice you’re making, Commander,” Alex replied. “I promise you that your trust will be rewarded.”
Sargut couldn’t have imagined an odder conversation with another race than the one he was having. Truth, trust, and sacrifice were seldom-used terms.
“And your second condition, Commander?” Alex reminded Sargut.
“Your investigation must be as passive as possible,” Sargut replied. “When you’re certain that you know that your efforts might be successful, you’ll explain your process to me, and I’ll decide whether to proceed. Agreed?”
“Agreed. And the last one?” Alex replied.
“You must be present for the investigation and any attempt to remove Artifice’s programs,” Sargut announced with authority.
Alex blocked the holo-vid’s link to Miriamal, while the expected uproar ensued at the table. His eyes were fierce, as he held up a hand. When the table quieted, Alex restored the link. Then he said, “We’ll halt this conversation, Commander, while we discuss your request.”
“Understandable, Alex,” Sargut said, and he signaled the bridge officer to mute the call.
“I knew it,” Tormheth declared. He felt vindicated in his assessment of the Omnians.
Suntred glared at Tormheth. She ached to rebuke him, but she was reminded of Sargut’s recent remonstration.
“We retire. Inform me when the Omnians resume,” Sargut demanded of the bridge officer, and hurried to his quarters with Tormheth and Suntred in tow.
“Speak to me,” Sargut demanded of Suntred, when the three were alone.
Working hard to control her anger, Suntred said, “I wanted to posit the reverse circumstances. What if the Omnians had demanded that the only way they would speak to us would be if you, Commander, visited their ship?”
Tormheth’s mouth fell open. He had been so intent on preventing the Omnians from boarding their battleship that he hadn’t considered the opposing condition.
Sargut regarded Tormheth’s face, and he was careful to hide the mirth he felt. In these unusual circumstances, Suntred was proving to be more of an asset than he could have foreseen.
“Well, Tormheth?” Sargut prompted.
“Certainly, we wouldn’t allow you to go,” Tormheth replied. Remembering his station, he quickly amended his remark. “I meant to say, Commander, that we would earnestly request you not go. Ultimately, the decision would be yours.”
“Of course,” Sargut replied. He studied Suntred’s youthful face, and with a rise of his brow ridges, he invited her to speak.
“I imagine a conversation like this one is taking place aboard the leader’s ship,” Suntred reasoned. “The alien leader has a host of fleet commanders and representatives of other races urging him to reject your offer, Commander.”
“And what do you think the leader will do?” Sargut asked.
“I don’t know, Commander,” Suntred replied. “We’ve entered dark territory. There’s nothing to guide us. But I’m convinced we mustn’t rely on our history. It doesn’t apply. We must set aside our suspicions and take each step as it’s offered us.”
“This discussion is moot,” Tormheth said earnestly. “The alien leader won’t accept your condition, Commander.”
“The Omnians are online, Commander,” the threesome heard over the comm system.
“Coming,” Sargut replied.
When Sargut reached the bridge, the conversation resumed.
“Your condition is accepted,” Alex said. “And, Commander, no more conditions.”
Sargut glanced at Tormheth. The subcommander was a study in shock, but Sargut figured that Tormheth would regain his equilibrium and find some way to reason that it was a trick on the alien leader’s part. The subcommander’s suspicious nature had always been an asset to Sargut.
Sargut had heard the authority in Alex’s voice, and he cringed that he had to make one more request, even though it was a small one.
“I regret, Alex, to inform you that I need your cooperation after you land in our hold,” Sargut said. He felt as if he was addressing his fleet’s grand commander.
“What?” Alex demanded. His temper was short after the heated argument with his staff.
“I’ll have our fleet liaison, Suntred, meet you in the hold,” Sargut explained. “She’ll bring you to the bridge, where the translation program resides. The program is Artifice’s work and was placed to augment ship-to-ship communication with you in case we found your fleet. None of our ships have dared copy it to facilitate our internal comm system.”
“What was Artifice’s grand scheme?” Julien asked.
Sargut silently sucked air between his teeth before he replied. He knew how bad what he intended to say would sound. “Exactly what we’re doing,” he replied. “Entice your leader aboard and hold him hostage, while we contact Artifice.”
“Then it’s good that we’ll have a beam-capable fighter aboard your ship, Commander, in case Artifice’s plan is your true intent,” Tatia said.
Sargut wasn’t a great judge of alien mannerisms, but something in the admiral’s expression chilled him. “It is an acceptable balance, Admiral,” Sargut replied. “You shared your truth; I’m sharing ours.”
“Fair enough, Commander,” Alex said. “Indicate your ship’s hold, where we’re to land, with a signal. We’ll be on our way soon.”
“It will be done, Alex,” Sargut replied.
-4-
Investigation
Alex’s audience hadn’t heard such adamancy from him in a long time. He hadn’t been interested in entertaining a drawn-out discussion. After he heard their initial remarks, he’d simply said, “I’m going. Now, let’s see who needs to go with me.”
Franz Cohen insisted he would be the one to pilot the traveler. “Alex, you need a strategic thinker in that seat, and you need one of the fleet’s most experienced pilots. Who else qualifies?”
When no one argued with Franz, he sent a message to a bay’s crew chief to ready the fighter in which Miriamette was housed.
Miriamette received word of Admiral Cohen’s request from Miriamal, and the SADE’s emotional algorithms ascended in her hierarchy. Franz and she had scarcely survived the running battle with a monstrous fleet of federacy fighters. It took place in an isolated system, where the Omnians discovered the long-lost colony ship, New Terra, lying derelict on a rocky moon.
A Trident, the Omnians’ primary warship, recovered the remains of Franz’s damaged traveler. Crew removed Miriamette from the fighter’s cockpit and transferred her to a new fighter, which was delivered by the Freedom’s sister ship, the Our People.
Sargut’s demand that the Omnians carry no personal weapons aboard the Toralian ship was easily accommodated. On that point, Tatia and Renée, who were worried for Alex’s safety, were more than satisfied. Z and Miranda would don their supersized New Terran avatars, Cedric and Frederica. The avatars’ constructions carried hidden and presumably undetectable weaponry in the forearms and hands.
It was undeniable
that Miriam and Luther must join the team. These two SADEs were adept at intercepting the federacy’s malicious signals.
Mickey, who had no intention of being left out, adamantly stated the need to accompany Miriam and Luther.
“Why?” Alex asked.
“Do you want this jaunt to investigate a Toralian ship only to be about Artifice’s programs?” Mickey riposted.
“Mickey has a point,” Julien admitted. “This will be an opportunity to view the interior of a technologically advanced battleship.”
“Okay, Mickey, you’re on the team,” Alex said, “but you never leave the side of a SADE, preferably Z or Miranda.”
“And you’ll need me, Alex,” Julien said quietly. Before Alex could voice his thoughts, Julien added, “I’ll support the team as translator. This will be critical when we’re conversing with Toralians and are separated from the bridge.”
“You intend to copy Artifice’s translator program,” Alex posited. When Julien nodded, Alex added, “Not unless it goes through our Miriam copy. Understood?”
“Agreed,” Julien replied.
“Miriam, who is our sister?” Alex requested.
“It will be Miriamelle, Alex,” Miriam replied. “She was aboard a Trident that was part of the early intercept of the control signals from the federacy carriers to their fighters at the battle of New Terra.”
“Everyone ready?” Alex asked. He received nods and murmurs, and he accepted that most of the table wasn’t happy with the arrangements. “We launch in an hour.”
Franz took the opportunity to be alone with Reiko, his partner, before he hurried below. As he entered the fighter’s bay, the hatch dropped down.
The crew chief grinned at Franz. “Makes a difference, Admiral, having a SADE aboard instead of just a controller.”
Franz smiled in reply and climbed the hatch steps.