Stephen Berry - The AI War

"Tal?" said K'Raoda sharply.

"Tal," said the colonel. "I had reason to believe… no, that's not right. I sensed S'Cotar traces up among the lifepods. We were checking the lifepods out. Then I woke up here."

"Take this," said Q'Nil, handing R'Gal a cup of chalk-colored liquid. "It'll help."

"We lost a lifepod about the time you must have been searching," said K'Raoda. "And Tal is missing. Were you searching the same lifepod?"

"No," said R'Gal, handing the empty cup to Q'Nil. "She was checking the even numbers, I was checking the odd. Anything from D'Trelna?" he added.

"Nothing," said K'Raoda.

"Are you aware, Colonel," he continued, "that ship's computer is being subverted by a stasis algorithm?" R'Gal frowned. "Supposedly, there's no such thing."

"You've heard of it, then?" said K'Raoda. "Yes."

"And do you believe it?" asked K'Raoda.

R'Gal smiled. "I'm a sensitive who hunts tall, green telepathic insectoids, Commander. It requires an open mind. What is this stasis algorithm doing to ship's computer?"

"Making it try to kill us through wild alterations in life systems' parameters."

R'Gal looked around. The complink status light glowed green, the diagnostic panel flickered with activity. "Not here," he said.

"Not yet," said Q'Nil. "It's a bit disappointing-we don't seem to be a priority."

"It's also after the command, control and communications systems," said K'Raoda. "Neutralizing them for later takeover."

"It's that damned slaver computer, isn't it?" said the colonel. He stood, ignoring Q'Nil's outstretched hand.

"How did you know about Egg?" said K'Raoda.

"Egg?" said R'Gal.

"For its shape," said K'Raoda. "How did you know about it? You'd left the bridge by the time it arrived."

"There's not much you can hide from a CIC officer," said R'Gal. "And if we ever get out of this…"

"Not very likely," said Q'Nil, turning off the medcot's monitor.

"If we get out of this," continued R'Gal, "whoever brought that machine on board and then activated it without authorization… I'll tell you, K'Raoda, I'd rather not be in his extra large uniform."

"About the stasis algorithm…" began K'Raoda.

"Look, Commander," said R'Gal. "I've felt better, I'm tired and there's nothing I can do about the stasis algorithm. Could we continue this after I get some rest?"

"Just one small thing you could do first, sir," said the commander.

"What?"

"Give me either the stasis algorithm or its antidote," he said, as if asking for t'ata.

R'Gal was silent for a moment, then he sat down on the bed. "What is it you think you know, Commander?"

K'Raoda nodded to Q'Nil. Opening a drawer, the medtech removed two large transparencies and handed them to R'Gal.

The colonel looked at them for a moment, compared them, then gave them back. "Is this a game?"

"No," said K'Raoda.

"Very well," said R'Gal. "Those are identical lifestats. The chart in your left hand has my name on it, the other has no name. Therefore, they are both my lifestats. That is," he said to Q'Nil, "if my understanding's correct-no two people have identical lifestats."

"Correct," said the Q'Nil. "No two people do." He carefully removed a piece of tape made of the same synthetic as the transparencies, and handed the previously unnamed chart back to R'Gal. Expressionless, the colonel read the name: T'Lan, S'Tyr [Commander].

"Interesting, isn't it?" said K'Raoda.

The R'Actolians struck as John stepped through an archway. A cone of white light swept down-and stopped, hovering a meter above his head. Stasis field, he thought, then looked at the pistol in his hand.

Thank you, Guan-Sharick, he said, then moved on. The cone winked off.

A few feet farther and blaster fire spat at him-a stream of red bolts from half a dozen overhead firing points. Again, something stopped them a meter away. Feeling only a faint warmth, John stepped onto the ramp leading to the command tier.

T'Lan had just entered a white commwand into a port on a command console. He was calling up its message when a faint, dry voice interrupted him.

"Excuse us." i

"What?" said the AI, not looking up from his task.

"The Terran has penetrated the bridge."

"Kill him."

"We've tried. He continues to advance."

"Actually," said John, "he's here." T'Lan was out of the chair, facing John in less than a second.

The Terran shook his head, amazed. "Not even your lads on Terra Two moved that fast."

"On Terra Two, Harrison," said the AI, "you fought and won against a pickup force of limited-purpose units under a second-rate commander. Not so here."

"What do you want with this mindslaver?" demanded John. "Your ships are just as good-better, maybe."

"I'm going to kill you, ape," said T'Lan. "And enjoy it."

"You can't enjoy it," said John, backing from the advancing AI. "You're a machine."

"I'm a very complex machine," said T'Lan, reaching for him.

"Back off!" snapped John, raising his pistol.

"Your weapons can't…" T'Lan stopped, staring at the pistol for the first time.

"Problem, robot?" smiled John.

"Those weapons no longer exist," said the AI slowly, as if trying to convince himself. "All who bore them are dust. Dust," he repeated, unable to take his eyes from the pistol.

"Back off," repeated John. "Or I'll kill you."

"That weapon does worse than kill," said T'Lan, stepping back.

"Fine. Move again, and we'll have a demonstration," said the Terran. "Now, what do you want with this ship?"

T'Lan looked up. "You recall the entity unleashed on Terra Two? That sapient energy field spawned by those moronic S'Cotar?"

"Vividly." More like a flaming green hell, thought John.

Raiding that S'Cotar nest, the K'Ronarins and John had torched the insectoids' subterranean breeding chambers. The mix of fire and an unstable growth accelerant had awakened a unitary consciousness-a consciousness that had risen like a flaming green star from Terra Two, out into space, destroying the first ship of the AIs' Fleet of the One as it emerged from an alternate reality. Passing into that alternate reality, the green fire had destroyed the AIs' access portal even as it disappeared from the universe of Terra Two.

"That thing attacked our Fleet, Harrison," said T'Lan. "It wreaked havoc before it was driven off. The radiation it emitted is slowly destroying vital parts of our ships' drives. Those drives will be operable just long enough for most of the Fleet to traverse the Rift-the portal now opening into this universe."

"This is the official portal?" asked John. "The one closed by the Trel and warned of by Pocsym?"

"Yes."

"What good is a crippled fleet?" asked John.

The AI shook his head. "By the time it leaves rendezvous point, it won't be crippled anymore, Harrison. With the knowledge and equipment gained here, and the ongoing work at a certain planet, our faulty cybernetics will have organic replacements-human brains."

"You're converting your ships to mindslavers?" said the Terran, appalled.

"Only partially, and only until we have time to make further repairs," said T'Lan. "Which we will after we wipe your pathetic forces."

"Why this eternal antipathy," said the Terran, "this psychotic hatred of mankind?"

"My turn," said T'Lan. "There should be a number on the grip of that weapon. What is it?"

As John looked down, T'Lan's blue eyes flashed red, rapier thin beams thrusting for John's heart, only to vanish halfway there, intercepted by the weapon.

John pulled the trigger.

T'Lan froze, half turned toward the rail and a desperate jump for freedom. Guan-Sharick's side arm hadn't made a sound.

John stared at T'Lan, then looked carefully around, lowering the weapon. Equipment tiers chirped and blinked, continuing their unending esoteric tasks.