Boundless

by Jack Campbell

  FIFTEEN

  AMBASSADOR Rycerz gave Geary a not particularly welcome look. “It’s nice to see you in person again, Admiral.”

  Not being thrilled himself to have to transfer to Boundless for the first formal talks with Midway’s leaders, Geary only nodded in reply. It wasn’t like he wanted to be trapped in political negotiations. The fact that Rycerz clearly suspected he did want that only added insult to injury.

  The meeting was to be in Rycerz’s office, at a large, formal table to one side of the room. Geary took a seat next to Rycerz, glancing at the third seat along their side of the table. “That’s for Dr. Kottur?”

  “Yes.”

  Great. Monosyllabic answers. This was going to be a wonderful meeting. “I’ve meant to ask, whatever they did at Indras to make the Syndic hypernet accessible, is that a long-term fix we can use?”

  “That’s what I understand,” Rycerz said, unbending a little. “Dr. Kottur has expressed some worry about it, but the others on his team are confident their work-around will not be easily blocked by the Syndics. Apparently the hypernet operating system is a marvel of robust simplicity.”

  “Why did it take us so long to realize it had been coded by aliens?” Geary wondered.

  That actually earned him a smile from the ambassador. “It doesn’t sound like a human-coded operating system, does it? Ah, here’s—”

  Geary looked as another person entered, seeing not Dr. Kottur but Dr. Jasmine Cresida.

  “Where is Dr. Kottur?” Ambassador Rycerz asked, looking as surprised as Geary and not very happy.

  “Dr. Kottur is ill,” Cresida said. “He asked me to fill in since I know everything that needs to be discussed.”

  Rycerz paused as if trying to both suppress her anger and to ensure her next words were diplomatic. “This meeting is not only about scientific and technical matters, but also very political. We have to convince these people to let us conduct our experiment on their hypernet gate. That will require careful wording during our discussion.”

  “I’m acquainted with politics,” Dr. Cresida said. “I’ve spent decades dealing with academic peers and with the requirements for gaining funding and support for my own research.” She gave Geary a single quick look before sitting down in the third chair, on the opposite side of the ambassador from him.

  “Office security functions activated,” a voice said from the air around them. “Establishing link to surface.”

  Geary stood up, as did Ambassador Rycerz, followed a moment later by Dr. Cresida, who was obviously annoyed at having to get up again right after sitting down, in a reaction that didn’t bode well for her professed diplomatic skills.

  Three virtual presences appeared, standing on the other side of the table. A moment of silence followed until Geary realized he should make introductions during this first meeting. “This is President Gwen Iceni and General Artur Drakon, and Cap—Kommodor Honore Bradamont. And on this side is Ambassador Rycerz of the Alliance, myself, and Dr. Jasmine Cresida.”

  Iceni nodded in greeting, then sat down at the table on the surface of the planet, the actions being mimicked here on Boundless. Drakon sat on one side of her, and Bradamont on the other. “I understand you have a proposal for us,” Iceni said, her attitude that of someone not ready to easily give in to any offer.

  “This is a great opportunity for Midway,” Ambassador Rycerz said, smiling.

  “General Drakon and I will decide if it is a great opportunity,” Iceni said. “It involves our hypernet gate?”

  “Yes, Madam President.” Rycerz paused briefly for drama before continuing. “We have a means to link your hypernet gate directly to the Alliance hypernet.”

  Whatever they’d been expecting, it wasn’t that. Iceni looked at Drakon before responding, her voice wary. “You would delink us from the Syndicate hypernet?”

  “No,” Rycerz said. “It would allow your gate to access either hypernet. I know you’re concerned about self-defense. If this was done, if ships could transit directly from the Alliance to Midway, it would allow us to station ships here to assist in your defense.”

  Drakon narrowed his eyes. “I wasn’t aware that we’d asked you to station ships here.”

  Geary finally spoke up again. “You did want my commitment to your defense.”

  “Yes. But that’s not the same as saying we want you to take over defending us.” The words “take over” seemed to have special resonance, hanging in the air long after they’d been spoken.

  Ambassador Rycerz smiled reassuringly. “There’s no intent for the Alliance to exercise any authority in your star system.”

  “Why such a large flotilla, then?” President Iceni asked. “You brought quite an armada, Admiral. But then you usually do.”

  “Once our task is completed at Midway,” Geary said, “we’re going to proceed to Dancer space, where Boundless will remain as an embassy. The force we brought is to ensure we can cross enigma-controlled space safely.”

  Bradamont started with surprise, looked to Iceni for permission to speak, and then addressed Geary directly. “Admiral, why did you send that small advance force ahead of you? They jumped for Pele about two weeks before you arrived.”

  “Those weren’t Alliance ships,” Geary said, seeing immediate skepticism rise in the eyes of Iceni and Drakon. “They’re from the Rift Federation, a small grouping of star systems that formed ties with the Alliance during the war. They operated with the Alliance fleet then. But the Rift Federation has cut ties with the Alliance. I have no control over those ships.”

  “It wasn’t a test probe of enigma space?” Drakon demanded in disbelief. “They seriously mean to challenge the enigmas with that small a flotilla?”

  “Yes,” Geary said, letting his tone carry his opinion of the Rift Federation’s actions.

  “Couldn’t you have stopped them, sir?” Bradamont asked.

  Iceni smiled knowingly. “Kommodor, you must learn to think at a higher level. These Rift Federation ships were no longer acknowledging orders from the admiral. Wild cards of a sort. But the enigmas will remove that problem very effectively, and the admiral will no longer have to deal with them, as well as having an object lesson of what happens to those who stray from his umbrella.”

  What was she saying? Geary tried to adjust his thinking to match President Iceni’s, that of someone brought up on Syndicate Worlds methods. Wait. She thought he’d let the Rift ships go as a means of getting rid of a problem? “Madam President . . .” Geary began.

  She held up a hand. “It need not be discussed further. Though it serves to remind us of the subtlety with which you weave your stratagems, Admiral. We will not underestimate you.”

  “But you see that we do understand you,” General Drakon said. “Let’s proceed on that basis.”

  Ambassador Rycerz, having finally figured out what the leaders of Midway were implying, was staring at Geary as if trying to figure out if they were right.

  Bradamont, after a surprised glance at Iceni, made a quick gesture to Geary that clearly urged him to move on to some other topic.

  “Uh . . .” Geary tried to reorder his thoughts. “Ambassador Rycerz has the lead on the negotiations, but I assure you this isn’t about the Alliance trying to extend its control.”

  “We’d much rather know that we had reliable and firm allies,” Rycerz began.

  “Associates,” Drakon interrupted with a sour look. “We don’t use any words that smack of Alliance. That’s poison out here, unless your name happens to be Black Jack.”

  “Associates,” the ambassador corrected herself, her smile a little forced. “In this region.”

  “And you want to mess around with our hypernet gate?” Drakon said.

  Dr. Cresida interjected herself into the conversation. “Our purpose is not to ‘mess around’ with the hypernet gate. We have a carefully thought-out protocol with step-by
-step adjustments that should result in the gate here becoming entangled with the Alliance hypernet just as it is with the Syndicate Worlds hypernet.”

  “Entangled.” General Drakon didn’t seem to like the taste of the word. “A word which implies being trapped. Ensnared.”

  “Yes,” Dr. Cresida said as if unaware of any sinister implications to what Drakon had said. “When particles are entangled in quantum mechanics it means they can no longer be evaluated independently of each other. Their quantum states have to be described in reference to the particle they are entangled with. Hypernet gates make use of quantum entanglement to link the gates, every gate in a hypernet being entangled with the other gates.”

  “It’s just a scientific term chosen without regard for any emotional connotations the word might evoke?”

  “Of course,” Dr. Cresida said. “When Dr. Schrödinger discovered entanglement back in the twentieth century I doubt he was thinking of any . . . political aspects of the word. It simply describes the state of the particles.”

  President Iceni gave Cresida a long, evaluating look. “And this process you are proposing is a certainty? One hundred percent safe and reliable? No chance of damage to the gate? No chance it could be rendered inoperative or collapse?”

  Dr. Cresida shook her head. “There’s no such thing as one hundred percent certainty,” she said, apparently unaware of how her words caused Ambassador Rycerz to clench her jaw. “We have a high probability of success based on numerous evaluations and run-throughs of possible complications or events. We’ve gone through every conceivable possibility.”

  “What about the inconceivable possibilities?” General Drakon asked.

  Cresida stared at him as if uncertain how to react, finally settling on an authoritative frown. “Perhaps you don’t understand what ‘inconceivable’ means.”

  Geary knew his flinch would be visible to the others, but this time Ambassador Rycerz’s only outward reaction was a twitch to her mouth before she began speaking hastily. “I’m sure the doctor doesn’t mean any, um . . .”

  “Insult?” Drakon asked, smiling slightly, his expression reminding Geary of a lion looking at potential prey. “I’ve heard worse. Perhaps your scientist should look up the meaning of ‘inconceivable.’ It literally refers to something you haven’t or can’t think of. I’ve found that the things people haven’t thought of are often far more dangerous than those they’ve given thought to.”

  Dr. Cresida stared at Drakon in surprise as if he were himself some impossible thing. “That is very insightful,” she finally said.

  “Thank you,” General Drakon replied, appearing amused. “So what’s the answer?”

  “We used multiple teams,” Dr. Cresida said. “Each took their own approach, and each attempted to find any possible problem with the other teams’ approaches. We wanted the different teams to think of things the other teams hadn’t, both in terms of success and in terms of possible hazards or problems. So, you see, we did seek to conceive of the inconceivable.”

  Geary spared a sidelong glance at Dr. Cresida, surprised to hear her sounding as if she liked General Drakon.

  For his part, Drakon nodded. “Thank you. That does indeed address my question. But I have another. Would you do this on a hypernet gate in an Alliance star system?”

  “We tested it on a gate in Alliance space,” Dr. Cresida said. “Though we halted just short of actually establishing a link to the Syndicate hypernet.”

  “How short was just short?”

  “Five milliseconds.”

  That earned another nod from Drakon. “That’s short.”

  “Explain, in clear terms, what will happen if you succeed,” Iceni said. “What will be the practical impact on those using our hypernet gate?”

  Dr. Cresida took a moment to answer, her brow furrowed as she thought. “Are you familiar with the quantum cat? Schrödinger’s?”

  Iceni shook her head. “Enlighten me.”

  “It’s an ancient thought experiment to help understand how the quantum world works,” Cresida said. “Imagine there’s a cat in a box, along with a canister of poison, and a device that has exactly a fifty percent chance of releasing that poison. In our macro world, we would open the box and find that the cat had either died or lived, and all we would do would be confirming what had already happened. On the quantum level, until we opened the box, the cat would be neither alive nor dead, but in an indeterminate state. The universe would not decide what its fate had been until we opened the box to look.”

  Geary noticed that both Drakon and Iceni had expressions of mild interest on their faces, the sort of thing that might imply boredom or lack of understanding, but their eyes were intent, sharply focused on Cresida. The apparent barely listening expressions were just camouflage, designed to hide their interest and comprehension.

  From the way she plowed on with her explanation, Dr. Cresida had seen their expressions but apparently not noticed their eyes. “That is what we will do to the hypernet gate’s quantum links. It will have the potential to link to either the Syndicate Worlds hypernet, or the Alliance hypernet, but until someone approaches the gate with a hypernet key, it will be in an indeterminate state. Only when a key is activated within range of the gate will the gate ‘decide’ which hypernet it is linked to.” She waved one hand in a casting-away motion. “If it decides to link to the wrong hypernet for that key, it will appear to be inactive. In which case the key just has to be reactivated, causing the gate to once again decide what its link is. Each time, you’ll have a fifty percent chance of getting the link that matches the hypernet key.”

  “That’s all?” Bradamont asked in disbelief. “It’s that simple?”

  “It’s extremely complex,” Dr. Cresida said. “My explanation was simple.”

  “Ancestors help me, you really are Jaylen Cresida’s sister!” Bradamont said, smiling.

  “Who is Jaylen?” Iceni asked, watching Dr. Cresida trying to decide how to react to the comparison.

  “A captain in the Alliance fleet,” Bradamont said. “She was the first to work out the danger posed by the collapse of a hypernet gate. She was also the one who found the quantum-coded malware worms the enigmas had planted in human computer systems.”

  “She died in battle,” Geary added.

  “My condolences, Dr. Cresida,” President Iceni said. “What you offer, then, is a virtually guaranteed route directly from Midway to the Alliance? I see. Naturally, as part of any agreement we make for this you will provide us with Alliance hypernet keys in exchange.”

  Geary felt the silence on his side of the table. He glanced at Ambassador Rycerz, who seemed to be rapidly thinking through options. “Why would that be part of the agreement?” the ambassador finally asked.

  “So we can make use of the gate to reach Alliance space. Just as you will be able to,” Iceni said.

  Ambassador Rycerz once again took a while to respond, while Iceni waited with an expectant look. “President Iceni, the Alliance has agreed to support the freedom of Midway and allied star systems—”

  “Associated star systems,” Drakon broke in.

  “Associated star systems,” Rycerz said. “As I said, the Alliance will agree to continue to guarantee the freedom of this star system. There won’t be any need for you to possess a key.”

  Iceni laughed as if Rycerz had just told a joke. “Certainly! You get the gate, and make a promise, and we’re supposed to take those words as payment for the risks we run and for the advantages you gain. What a deal you’re offering!”

  “President Iceni,” Ambassador Rycerz said, her voice still composed, “the Alliance honors its commitments. The deal contains great advantages for Midway and its people.”

  “Your honor has no value to us,” Iceni said, as General Drakon nodded slowly in agreement. “Your commitments are only as good as the intent of your leaders to follow them. We can
not risk our own welfare on your promises.” She sat back, her posture casual, but her words suddenly as hard as stone. “Here is the deal you will agree to. We will receive two Alliance hypernet keys. That will allow us to run trade convoys each way between here and Alliance space, vastly increasing the value of our gate and the income we receive from the ships using it. It will also allow us independent use of the Alliance hypernet, without having to request your permission.”

  “I can’t agree to that,” Ambassador Rycerz said. “The Alliance can’t allow you free use of our hypernet just as if you were a member star system.”

  General Drakon spoke up. “Isn’t that how you currently make use of the Syndicate hypernet?”

  “The Syndicate Worlds did not voluntarily provide that key,” Rycerz said.

  “So, despite your talk of trust and honor,” Drakon said, “you don’t trust us, and don’t want to give us any means to control your use of our gate. You’re thinking of our gate in terms of spoils of war, just as you do that Syndicate hypernet key.”

  It was, Geary had to admit, a brutally direct summing-up of the Alliance’s position. And Iceni and Drakon were playing very well off of each other, their teamwork creating arguments that boxed Ambassador Rycerz into a corner.

  Rycerz spoke in heavy tones. “I was sent with instructions to implement the agreement I’ve described.”

  President Iceni’s frown combined disappointment with curiosity. She gave Geary a glance even as she continued to address the ambassador. “The Alliance sent an envoy without the authority to negotiate a deal?”

  “I have an approved agreement in hand—” Rycerz began.

  “That ‘agreement’ was approved only by the Alliance,” Iceni said, her tone once again unyielding. “Which makes it not an agreement, not a deal, but extortion. Do you think we owe you tribute? Do you think you can dictate our actions and force us to accept whatever one-sided deal the Alliance wants to further its own aims? I don’t see any grounds for continuing this discussion.”