Artifice

by S. H. Jucha

  “Artifice never supplies those details,” Tranimus replied.

  “What do you mean oversee?” Julien asked.

  “A newly acquired race is being tested,” Sargut explained. “Its fleet will have been ordered to effect the termination. Our ships will be there to see that its conduct of the task is thorough.”

  The thought that one race was being forced to exterminate another galled Alex. His decision was made, and he paused to consider how best to execute his plan.

  “Who’ll be in charge of the Toralian ships?” Alex asked. The Toralians were suddenly witnessing Alex’s command posture and voice.

  “Another battleship has a commander, who is senior to Sargut,” a fleet officer explained.

  “I want Commander Sargut to lead,” Alex said forcefully. “Will that be a problem?”

  “Not at all, Alex,” Tranimus replied, when he heard the request from Julien. He could feel his hearts beating rapidly with the excitement building in the room. The Omnians’ relaxed postures were gone the moment they heard the voice of their leader strengthen. Now, they stood alert and awaiting Alex’s commands.

  “Julien, Miriam, and Luther, to the bridge,” Alex ordered. “Work with the bridge crew to determine a means of transferring the location of the Chistorlan system to our fleet.”

  The SADEs left the room swiftly, and the Toralians were taken aback by their speed.

  “Are they as strong as they are swift, Alex?” Sargut asked.

  “They are much more of everything, Commander,” Alex replied, staring fondly at Miranda, who winked at him.

  Suntred made a mental note to talk with Miranda. She was fascinated that a female SADE had chosen to appear in such an enormous container, and she wanted to know more about her.

  “Miranda, connect me to Franz,” Alex requested.

  Miranda determined Alex was vocalizing his request for the benefit of the Toralians, and she chose to emulate him.

  “Yes, Alex,” Franz said, his voice issuing from Miranda’s mouth.

  “Admiral, send a message to the fleet admiral,” Alex said. “The SADEs will be sending a means of locating a system of a race called the Chistorlans. Admiral Tachenko is to proceed there with all haste. She’s to defend the home world against any attacking fleet. If she can stall the attackers, so much the better. We’ll be there shortly with three Toralian battleships. Understood?”

  “Understood, Alex,” Franz replied, cutting the comm.

  “We must hurry,” Tranimus said, leaving his stand.

  “We’ll talk on the way to your bay,” Alex said. “How will your ships converse with the attacking fleet and the home world race?”

  “If Artifice wishes us to have the translation programs, our ships will receive them when they demonstrate the proper response to its orders,” Suntred replied instead. She wanted to save Tranimus the combined exertion of walking and talking.

  “Commander Sargut, will your ships arrive before the attacking fleet?” Miranda asked for Alex.

  “Hard to say, Alex, the new race will travel from the fringe, the latest area of conquest for Artifice,” Sargut replied. “The Chistorlan system is approximately midway between this system and theirs.”

  “Expansion of the federacy has been curtailed in the direction where spheres and probes have been eliminated. That’s why the newest races are found quite far from here,” Suntred added, and Alex and Mickey shared evil grins.

  “I thought as much,” Tranimus said, when he saw the predator-like display of the Omnians’ teeth. His wheezing turned into coughing, and the group halted, while he recovered.

  When a fleet officer examined a chronometer device, Miranda calculated that time was wasting, and she made her move. She swept the grand commander gently into her arms and marched off down the corridor. Sargut hurried to get ahead of her and guide them.

  “I noticed you were careful of my useless wings, Miranda. Most considerate of you,” Tranimus said quietly.

  “A small detail to a SADE, Grand Commander,” Miranda replied.

  Tranimus appreciated the ride. He expected a solid jarring through his body from the impact of the SADE’s feet on the decking. Instead, he felt as if he was floating.

  “Commander Sargut,” Alex said, catching up to him, “why isn’t a Nua’ll comm sphere sent to observe?”

  “The great spheres are employed to eliminate nascent cultures on worlds that will be used for expansion,” Sargut explained. He glanced worriedly at Tranimus and was relieved to see a peaceful expression on the grand commander’s face. “These worlds are often gifts to Artifice’s most aggressive races that are eager to do its bidding. The comm spheres, as you call them, are few and precious assets to Artifice. It won’t risk them.”

  “What if the new race’s fleet doesn’t show or refuses to exterminate the Chistorlan home world?” Mickey asked.

  “Then we travel to the home system of the new race and broadcast Artifice’s codes, which we’ll receive as we exit, Mickey,” Sargut replied.

  “Black space,” Mickey swore. “We need to get aboard the other two Toralian ships and clean them. That way the new race can’t be eliminated.”

  “One step at a time, Mickey,” Alex said. Then he sent,

  Miranda cycled into the bay with Tranimus and gently deposited him on the deck next to his shuttle.

  “You’re kind, Miranda. It does my hearts good to know that digital entities have that capability,” Tranimus said, and two fleet officers helped him climb the shuttle’s ramp.

  When Miranda joined the others in the corridor, Sargut accessed a comm device on the bulkhead and ordered the senior bridge officer to execute Artifice’s orders.

  The other two battleships had already separated themselves from the fleet, and their commanders were living in fear that the third ship hadn’t responded. When they saw it rotate and fire its massive engines, they whistled sighs of relief.

  -7-

  Sargut’s Command

  Tatia received the message from Franz, relayed via the Vivian’s Mirror. She ordered the fleet to stand ready to sail and waited for the second message.

  “We have the SADEs’ information, Admiral,” Cordelia reported.

  “Why are you smiling?” Tatia asked.

  “A personal message from Julien was included,” Cordelia replied.

  Cordelia laid the visual into the Freedom’s star database. Several SADEs joined her in orienting the imagery captured from the Toralian displays to the Omnian star maps. Within ticks, they realized they were failing to match the usual Méridien charts.

  Immediately, Cordelia directed the SADEs, who were helping her, to the extensive star database given to Alex and Julien by Jupiter, the SADE on Haraken’s observatory platform. It was Jupiter’s data that aided Alex and Julien in identifying the spheres and probes by their telltale communication signals.

  “We have it, Admiral,” Cordelia stated. There was a lift in her voice that communicated her relief. The thought that her partner, Julien, would sail inside an alien ship to a star unknown to the Omnians had disturbed her.

  “Is the location shared with the sisters and the fleet’s controllers?” Tatia asked.

  “It is, Admiral,” Cordelia acknowledged.

  “Launch the scout ships in front of the fleet, Reiko,” Tatia ordered. “They’re to survey the system from its periphery. I’m not rushing into the system unprepared.”

  “The Vivian’s Mirror has been notified, and the other three scout ships are preparing to launch now,” Reiko confirmed.

  “Cordelia, calculate the travel time differential between our local scout ships and Killian’s ship, please,” Tatia requested.

  “The Vivian’s Mirror will arrive at the Chistorlan system a little more than a half day in advance of the other scouts, Admiral,” Cordelia replied.


  Tatia sent to the Freedom’s embedded sister,

  Tatia wasn’t sure that Killian would follow her order, but he’d think twice before he ventured off on his own.

  “Get the fleet underway, Cordelia,” Tatia said.

  The fleet’s ships oriented toward the distant star. Cordelia sent the coordinates for the transits. It would take two of them. When all ships reported ready, she signaled their controllers via the sisters. The fleet accelerated and traveled the deep dark.

  * * *

  Aboard Sargut’s battleship, the Omnians made themselves at home. With six SADEs, of which five were mobile, speakers were always available for the three humans. Franz had received permission from Alex to join the team.

  Word circulated among the Toralians of Miranda’s tender care for the aging grand commander. It garnered appreciative whistles when she passed by the ship’s crew members.

  Alex was speaking with a bridge officer, when Tormheth entered through the hatch. Miranda was to the left of Alex, and Tormheth approached Alex from the rear and his right side. Casually, Miranda moved to intercede between the two males.

  “Why do you always accompany Alex so closely, Miranda? Is it because you don’t trust us?” Tormheth accused.

  Alex ignored the conversation between Miranda and Tormheth, even while his implant recorded it for later review.

  “Why are you always glaring at Alex, Subcommander? Is it because you don’t trust us?” Miranda riposted. She smiled sweetly at Tormheth, but the expression was lost on him.

  Sargut overheard and didn’t ignore the discussion. Instead, he decided it was time to talk with Tormheth. “Subcommander, accompany me to my quarters,” Sargut directed.

  “Tormheth, you’ve been a loyal second to me for many annuals,” Sargut began, after they were alone. “This has served us well, when we faced races that lived in fear, as we did. But these are not the same circumstances. We’re working with an ally.”

  “We only think they’re allies, Commander,” Tormheth objected. “What if what they’ve done with Artifice’s codes was for their benefit and not ours? They might intend to be rid of Artifice only to make Alex the new overseer of the alliance.”

  “You think they crossed light-years of space with this single fleet to take on the federacy, not knowing what they would face?” Sargut asked. It was a rhetorical question, and he couldn’t believe he had to propose it to Tormheth. It occurred to him that it might be better for the budding relationship with the Omnians to transfer Tormheth to another ship. But he chose to ignore that idea. Once Tormheth was out of his sight, he wouldn’t know what trouble he might foment.

  “I don’t wish to confine you to your quarters, Subcommander,” Sargut said sternly. “However, I will if you can’t behave more civilly to the Omnians than you have been.”

  Tormheth’s blood coursed in his cheek and brow ridges. It darkened them. In ancient times, this had been the warning of one Toralian male to another.

  Sargut gave Tormheth time to control his temper. When he saw the ridges lose some of their tint, he asked, “Well, Subcommander, do I have your word?”

  Tormheth seethed with anger, and he fought to control his temper. He was sure the Omnians’ plans would ultimately mean the worst for the Toralians, if not the entire federacy. Cold, hard darkness cooled the heat in his blood. He knew it was up to him to save his race, and he would do so by biding his time and acting the part that Sargut requested.

  “You have my word, Commander,” Tormheth said. “Forgive my rudeness to our guests. I will moderate my behavior.”

  “You’re excused, Tormheth,” Sargut said crisply. He stared at the door after it closed behind Tormheth. Sargut knew his subcommander well and wasn’t fooled by the response he’d received. He debated whether to warn the Omnians or not. Then he whistled in amusement. Tormheth, if you’re foolish enough to test the Omnians, you deserve whatever you get, he thought.

  However, Sargut did have one concern, and he contacted his arms master. “All hand weapons are to remain in lockdown,” Sargut ordered. “Only a commander may give the order to release them. Is that understood?”

  The arms master responded respectfully. After the comm exchange ended, he puzzled over the reason for such an order, but he couldn’t find one that fit.

  After communicating with the arms master, Sargut decided he had another conversation that needed to take place, and it needed to be private.

  Sargut donned his earpiece and connected to his quarter’s comm unit. He called the bridge and requested a conference call with the two ships accompanying him to the Chistorlan system. While he waited, he eased into his stand.

  “The commanders are ready,” the bridge comms officer relayed to Sargut.

  “Per the grand commander’s directive, we await your orders,” Taralum, the senior commander, said sharply.

  “If you’ll be patient with me, Commander Taralum, I can explain Grand Commander Tranimus’ decision,” Sargut replied. “It has nothing to do with your competence.”

  “We’re listening,” Taralum said. She was a seasoned veteran and was determined to follow her grand commander’s bidding, despite her ire at the temporary placement of Sargut over her.

  “We found the aliens and their leader, Alex,” Sargut explained.

  “Where are they?” Sugatar, the junior commander, asked in surprise.

  “Their fleet is following us to the Chistorlan system,” Sargut replied, “but that’s not the reason I’m leading this command. Alex and some of his Omnians are aboard my ship.”

  “In what manner?” Taralum inquired.

  “As allies, Taralum,” Sargut replied. He deliberately dropped her title. He thought his dominant position might as well be established sooner than later.

  “Why should they deserve that designation?” Taralum demanded.

  “What would you call the Omnians, Taralum, if they cleared your battleship of every element of Artifice’s code?” Sargut shot back.

  “But the updates,” Sugatar objected. “You’ll be infected again.”

  “You would think so, wouldn’t you, Sugatar?” Sargut posited. “Then again, we’re not the Omnians. Artifice delivered an update just before we sailed, as you know, but my ship isn’t infected.”

  “How?” Taralum asked.

  Sargut could detect the shift in Taralum’s voice. She was known for her canniness, and he had piqued her interest. The issue of command was relegated to second place to learn what the Omnians had to offer the Toralians.

  “The Omnians have digital sentients they call SADEs,” Sargut responded. “One of them was implanted on our bridge and removed Artifice’s programs. Later, she intercepted its update.”

  “That implies the SADE must remain aboard your ship to protect it from Artifice,” Taralum reasoned.

  “Correct, Commander,” Sargut replied, happy to employ Taralum’s title. “Miriamelle, the SADE, has been dedicated to my ship by the Omnians.”

  “Do these SADEs rival Artifice’s power?” Sugatar asked hopefully.

  “I don’t know the answer to that question, Sugatar,” Sargut replied. “In many ways, the Omnians are much more advanced than us.”

  “Name some,” Taralum requested.

  “The humans, like Alex, can pass their thoughts among themselves and to the SADEs,” Sargut replied. “Their shuttles are fighters that don’t consume reaction mass. Liaison Suntred sat in one of their shuttle seats —”

  “She didn’t,” Sugatar interrupted.

  “Commander Sugatar, it’s proper to let the senior commander finish his words,” Taralum reprimanded. Tranimus’ choice was evident to her now. Sargut had contacted the Omnians and established a bond with them. For that, he had her admiration.

  “Your pardon, Senior Commander,” Sugatar said contritely.

  “Your surprise is understandable, Sugatar,” Sargut replied. “Suntred told me that she had to be coa
xed into sitting and leaning back by the Omnian leader.”

  Taralum burned with her own questions, and she waited for Sargut to finish. After remonstrating Sugatar, it wouldn’t behoove her to behave as he did.

  “Apparently, the Omnians have seats that adjust to the form of the individual sitting in them,” Sargut explained.

  “How could they know our shape?” Taralum asked.

  “Suntred learned the Omnians use nanites,” Sargut replied. “She said the bottom seat and the backrest didn’t move mechanically but seemed to search out her form. As she eased into the backrest, the nanites moved out of the way of her wings and braced her shoulders, sides, and lower back.”

  “We could use technology like that,” Sugatar said wistfully.

  “And that remarks brings me to the best part of my report,” Sargut said. “Alex told Suntred that the Omnians were ready to share their technology with peaceful races.”

  “How big is the Omnians’ fleet?” Sugatar asked. He envisioned the Omnians sweeping into the Talus system, destroying Artifice, and eliminating aggressor fleets.

  “It’s significant, but no match for what protects Artifice,” Sargut replied.

  “What’s Alex like?” Taralum asked. She was anxious to know what type of leader he was and what he could bring to the Toralians.

  “If you can get past their bland appearance, you’ll find the Omnians likable, especially Alex,” Sargut replied. “He speaks what’s on his mind. If there’s deviousness in his manner, I haven’t seen it, although I might not know how it would appear when coming from a human.”

  “Do you have a plan?” Taralum asked.

  “While I’d like to take credit for one, I can’t. We’ll be following Alex’s plan,” Sargut replied.

  Taralum heard Sargut’s voice falter. “A good senior commander does not take credit for the efforts of others,” she said. “What is Alex’s plan?”

  “Alex doesn’t want any harm to come to the Chistorlans,” Sargut replied. “How he intends to accomplish that is unclear. I do know that after we arrive in the Chistorlan system, the Omnians will install SADEs, called sisters, aboard your ships. They’ll reside in boxes on your bridge and remove Artifice’s programs. It’s imperative that you take the utmost care to protect these entities. The Omnians regard their SADEs as equal to biologicals.”