“Nothing,” he reconfirms, stoically. “I’m sorry it was you who took her life, Raymond, but you did so in self defence. You can rest easy in that knowledge.”
Raymond bends his head, avoiding Fran’s final tremors and accusing eyes. He feels sick. He is sick on the floor next to the general’s corpse. Captain Chopra lifts him under the arms, pulling him to his desk, placing him in his chair. Raymond slumps down, a bloodied hand to his face.
Jim returns to the general’s body and takes a photo, a video, and a holo of the dead woman. “The people will want proof,” he says. “They’ll need it to know this war is over, and we’ll need you to announce it.”
Raymond looks up and places his hands on his desk. Straightening up, he swipes right on the desks smooth surface and begins to write a statement. In the desks reflection, he sees a partial handprint of blood along the side of his face. He feels hollow when he knows he should be elated. “Send me the images,” he tells Jim. “I will announce her end to the World and Shadow nets.”
Below them a crowd gathers; those who’d marched on the city from every angle. They cheer as they receive the images of the general.
______________________________________________________________________
Meiser watched the scene unfold from his safehouse, designed for this very purpose. He had no misconceptions that the rebels couldn’t overwhelm the general’s army, and as the figure head to the Humanist cause, she’d be hunted and killed to end the conflict.
In the end, they had the numbers, he knew that, August knew that, but was resilient in her ego. While watching the live feeds, he also closely monitors Chimera and Host activity in their unrelenting pursuit of him over the World and Shadow nets. City eyes and satellites probe First City for his EC signature, and whatever else the chancellor and his rebels might be employing to scour the extensive district. What’s clear to him, is that they know he is still in First City. He is safe though, he surmises, sitting in his four-hundred square metre dwelling, built impenetrable to their prying eyes. His tech developed to blend into the norm, he can view the world ten metres above him without fear of being found out. Still, though, it is no life.
In addition to the rebels, he hides from Allfather. Contacted via his personal EC by the entity not two days earlier, moments after he fled the orbital lancing of the general’s bunker. It was unhappy with him to say the least; explaining with a backhanded compliment that it was impressed by his ability to alter the code, thus rebooting the AI Hosts, while threatening to eviscerate him first, when it arrived.
Allfather is coming, he says to himself. He could not survive more then a few weeks in his current dwelling. Eventually he would have to surface. Would he be better off approaching the chancellor sooner rather then later, in order to assist in a plan to defend earth against this threat, he wonders?
“You need to convince the Chancellor that you can work with them,” he tells himself. “If earth falls to Allfather, there will be no place for me anymore than any intelligent organic.”
The decision to reveal himself in light of the general’s fate is not an easy one. They know who he is and what he’s done now. They’re actively looking for him. The threads across the Shadow and World nets make this abundantly clear. He is a wanted man. But why do they want him? Just to make an example of? He considers the risk in reaching out and settles on a decision.
______________________________________________________________________
That same day, as twilight befalls First City, and the crowds build in the streets around the United Earth Congress buildings, Quinn, Tobias, Ginny, and Captain Mann join Raymond and Captain Chopra in the Chancellor’s office, where General August remains on her back, the blanket lain over her now drenched and sticky along the edges with her blood.
“Allfather,” Raymond tells the group seated at the conference table. “Has threatened to come, but has yet to appear, and offers no ETA.”
“I wouldn’t announce my attack date either,” Captain Mann says from the opposite side of the large, black walnut table.
“It’s not just that,” Raymond stands and circles the impressive single-slab of walnut, swiping his EC to bring up a document on the smartwall. “Allfather claims to be artificial intelligence himself. He also claims to be from beyond our solar system; as Tobias pointed out, from beyond our dimension. He told Tobias that he’s been eliminating organics through the use of emerging AI, everywhere, just as he’s claimed to have done to his creators.”
“He travels trans-dimensionally, which leads me to believe he may not have the physical presence to actually show up,” Tobias includes.
“Idle threats, then,” Chopra adds.
“Were they?” Tobias asks. “I’d like to talk to the man who’s broken the code.”
“Meiser,” Captain Mann says. “Head of the general’s tech team.”
“Meiser,” Quinn says with distain. “Have we found him?”
“Not yet, but I have Chimera on it. A man like that can’t stay offline forever,” Tobias shares.
“Good,” Raymond tells them. “I want him found. He is a wealth of information I’d rather benefit from moving forward, then lose to the underground.”
Chopra asks, “Why do you suppose Allfather threatens to show, and yet not show?”
“Perhaps he’s just playing with us,” Mann suggests. “Mind games, until he does decide to show.”
“There’s got to be something more keeping him from kicking in our door,” Raymond says. “I don’t think he can. Not yet, anyway. Perhaps the idea that he travels in consciousness rather then a physical form is enough to explain it.”
“Allfather revealed that much to me,” Tobias offers. “Transforming AI it discovers along the way, removing the organic threat, and then moving on.”
“Allfather did want that,” Quinn asserts. “Blaming the Humanity hardwired into Host as to why we chose not to.”
“It’s ideal,” Chopra agrees. “It’s akin to sending an entire army to a location and conquering it, without making a visible move. Setting up a governing body and defending a new territory.”
“But it didn’t take this time,” Raymond says. “Because, as Quinn noted, our AI Hosts exhibit the very best in what Humanity has to offer.”
“But can we safely say that Allfather isn’t coming?” Mann addresses the group. “I believe we should prepare for his arrival all the same, as we prepared for the unknown by installing the Defsat system in earth’s orbit. The potential has always been there for an alien encounter. Now we know it is inevitable.”
“I agree with Captain Mann,” Chopra says. Quinn approves as does Tobias. “To ignore such a potential threat would be foolish. Let’s keep Mars Station producing destroyers. We’ll train humans to pilot them, dumb down any further Hosts we create – continuing what the general started two years ago - and, with your permission,” he looks to Quinn. “Enlist interested, enlightened Hosts.”
“Any military we rebuild will need to go through the proper channels of government before any action is taken upon any lifeform,” Raymond tells them. “United Earth is in flux, we’ll do all we can to rebuild on a civilian level as well as governmental, as a military is reimagined, we will need to more closely follow the rules of our founders; which made United Earth the success it once was.”
“I’m happy to oblige that request, Chancellor,” Captain Chopra tells him. Mann nods as well.
“Your request has garnered a ninety-nine percent approval rating from Host, Chancellor,” Quinn announces. “Already I have hundreds volunteering for positions.”
“Brilliant,” Raymond says. “Tobias, do you still plan to leave after we meet your sister?”
“I’m torn,” he admits. “As much as I’d like to have just disappeared with a compliment of Chimera into interstellar space, I am beginning to feel a pull back to my planet.”
“You’ve played an important role in protecting it,” Chopra tells him.
“I also played an importan
t roll in deconstructing it,” Tobias replies.
“Host too,” Quinn tells him. “I believe we need all of us to build a stronger United Earth. Host, human, Chimera. United, we achieve more.”
“I think Quinn’s asking you to stay, Tobias,” Captain Mann says with an amused grin.
“I think we’d all like that,” Raymond tells him. “What do you say?”
Tobias looks down to Ginny who is smiling up at him, squeezing his hand, nodding her head subtly. “Why not,” he says. “Let’s see what we can accomplish here before we set our sights on the stars.”
“Well said,” Raymond says. “And Quinn, you’d mentioned taking a pilgrimage to finding Allfather.” A pause. “Is this still top of mind for you?”
“Undetermined, like Tobias I feel the pull to defend my solar system,” he explains. “though I may remain, others may still wish to make that trip. I have yet to announce your generous offer.”
“Then let’s concentrate our efforts toward rebuilding our society, create warships and train personnel to pilot them for the time being. We need to break down the barriers between human, Host and Chimera. We came together to win this war for everyone. I want all three recognized, and respectful of one another. New Hosts will be built to replace those who no longer wish to participate in their original vocation, from the general’s blueprints which exclude AI. Any human or Chimera who wishes to take up the plow or find purpose in a position of labour, transportation, culinary, education or otherwise may do so through our extensive professional catalogues developed for AI Host training.
“Tomorrow I’d like to begin reviewing and if necessary - assigning – positions of leadership per department of the United Earth government while our military and civilian population initiate a clean-up effort. I want all three of our peoples represented in these efforts. We need to work together now in order to rebuild our lives. This needs to be made clear, and I will issue an address tonight.”
Raymond’s EC rings and he answers it. “Darla, uh, Commander Darla, how is everything?”
“I’m just touching down,” she tells him, and inadvertently the whole room. “When can I see you?”
Raymond looks over his shoulder to see everyone hanging on his next word. “I, uh, Commander Darla, I,” he sighs and decides to forego anymore secrecy around his feelings for the young commander. “Darla, I’ll be happy to receive you at seven, you have my homes coordinates. I’ll look forward to seeing you then.” After she returns the sentiment he slides a finger across his EC and tentatively turns to face the group. They instantly look to one another, feigning conversation.
“Alright, I know, long distance relationships never work out, right?”
“A four-hour commute isn’t that bad,’ Ginny says. Tobias nudges her and barks out a laugh.
“Happy for you Raymond,” Jim Chopra says, looking at his EC. “Coming up on six, if we’re done here, I have a date with my family.”
“This will be good for you, Raymond,” Quinn tells him, and exits the twin doors of the office of the Chancellor.
“Best of luck, Uncle,” Tobias says, moving past him, repressing a smirk.
Mann lays a gentle hand on Raymond’s shoulder. “Enjoy your night, Chancellor,” he explains. “You’ve earned it. We’ll reconvene as scheduled at ten AM.”
Raymond watches his new friends shuffle up the staircase to board their shuttles. He sits at his desk and turns in his seat to watch the dusk settle in upon First City. People and Host move through the streets below. Chimera too, some even take to the sky. It’s a new world, he thinks. A good world; perhaps on track to being a better world then the one they knew before the general’s war.
Inspired by his counsel, Raymond issues a new vid out to everyone, everywhere, stating the freedoms act offered to humanity during the first days of the United Earth, altering it only slightly to include Chimera and Enlighted Host. He goes on to include any other intelligent, aware, sentient life they encounter, as they rebuild their homes and eventually branch out to the stars.
He offers a simplified plan going forward to accomplish these important initiatives; asking that everyone do their part. If an injustice is witnessed, report it to the new EC number, which Captain Chopra had suggested. That a military presence still exists, and will uphold the laws of the United Earth, and the newly amended laws which now encompass all intelligent life.
Raymond thanks them all for their unwavering faith in his government’s ability to retake the planet, and catches a glimpse of himself in the window, cast against a darkening sky. The general’s blood has dried to his face and neck. He looks an imposing presence. Standing, he watches on as the crowds thin out below. He then enters his washroom and showers. New suits had been hung along with the other renovations to the office after SENTA’s initial meeting. He dries himself and puts on a suitable shirt and pants, feeling suddenly human again.
As he sits to pull on his new loafers, his forearm buzzes to life and he swipes right to see whether it’s Darla again. It’s not; a message scrolls across his EC, descrambling itself - he watches the letters replace symbols, forming words.
::Chancellor, My name is Heinrich Meiser. I am a friend. I have information. I ask for asylum. I ask for position. Please respond.::
This gets Raymond’s attention; immediately sitting upright, turning to his desk, he replies to the encrypted message. ::Meiser - August’s tech advisor?::
::The same. I have an urgent message for you.::
::Say it.::
::Not over EC.::
::This is a secure line. Say it or you’ll get nothing from me.::
::Allfather is coming.::
::How do you know this?::
::He knows me now. He’s contacted me. He’s angry with me.::
::And that’s my problem, how?::
::He will not only come for me, Chancellor, he will come for us all.::
Other Books of Fiction by Michael Poeltl
The Judas Syndrome
Rebirth (Book two of The Judas Syndrome)
Revelation (Book three of The Judas Syndrome)
West of Noreaso
Her Past’s Present
Waning Metaphorically (14 Short Stories)
Adult Picture Books
An Angry Earth
Educational Books by Michael Poeltl
If a Tree Falls in the Forest…
Energy is Forever, and so are YOU!
About the author
Website: www.mikepoeltl.com
Twitter: @mpoeltlauthor
Facebook: Michael.Poeltl.author
Amazon Author Page: Michael Poeltl Amazon
Further Acknowledgements
To whomever, or whatever is seeding my brain with these tales, narratives and oddities: Gratitude.
Reviews and requests for interviews are always appreciated!
The General's War Page 44