Stephen Berry - The AI War

"You'll have to get out of there now, J'Quel," said L'Wrona. "They're coming within range."

"Just a moment," said the commodore. Slipping off his gauntlets, he fingered the complink. It was the standard model used on merchant ships-unchanged since his trader days. Working quickly, he called up the complete mission summary and background briefing, flagging them for highspeed transmission on a Fleet data frequency.

He touched his communicator. ''Implacable, D'Trelna. Stand by to receive databurst, your alpha data channel." Hearing the acknowledgment, he pushed Execute.

"None left, Commodore." It was Lieutenant S'Til, standing in the shattered doorway, the big blastrifle balanced over her shoulder.

"You mean you didn't find any more, or you did and they're dead?"

"They're dead," she said.

"Good," nodded D'Trelna. He looked back at the console-the transmission had ended, the receive light was winking green.

"Something else, sir," said S'Til.

He looked up. "What?"

"Brainpods," she said. "The hold is filled with brainpods."

"All occupied?"

"Yes."

D'Trelna nodded slowly, picking up his gauntlets. "That should do it-let's go home. Everyone back to Implacable.'' "And the brainpods?"

"Leave them."

John had been teleported by a S'Cotar before-he still found it staggering. One second, and he was standing in his quarters, looking down at Guan-Sharick; the next, he stood blinking in some dim cavern, heart pounding, adrenaline surging through his body. Peering about, he saw that the light came from around a bend of what was a great round tunnel, carved through bedrock.

"Where are we?" he demanded, voice sounding hoarse.

"About half a mile down-the remains of an old tube system of D'Lin," said the blonde. "The metal was scavenged after the Fall." She pointed to old gouges along the walls and floor. "Now pull yourself together, and we'll go visit your wife and the kids."

"Kids?" said the Terran as the S'Cotar led the way around the bend.

John threw his hands over his face as battletorch beams blinded him. Then he found himself clutching a warm, buxom body. Zahava.

"You're okay?" he asked, holding her at arm's length, looking her up and down.

"Of course," she said, kissing him.

It was then that he saw the children sitting along the walls, silent, watching. And the other S'Cotar.

"We still have time to get away," said L'Wrona. He and D'Trelna stood in front of the big board, watching the tactical plot. The Combine ships were coming in at flank. "They'll be launching missiles soon," he continued when the commodore didn't reply. "The shield-"

"We stand," said D'Trelna, turning from the board. "If we don't, they'll finish whatever hellish business they were doing down there." He sat down in his chair and dialed up a fata.

"If we stand," said L'Wrona softly, "we die."

D'Trelna sipped and shrugged. "We've cheated death a long time now, H'Nar."

"Excuse me, Commodore," said K'Raoda. "Commtorps launched. Ninety-nine point eight percent chance they'll hit jump before they can be intercepted."

"Thank you, T'Lei," said D'Trelna. He looked back at the captain. "Everything's in those torps, H'Nar. Fleet will be warned-they'll smoke Combine T'Lan and continue the search for the Trel Cache."

"Wrong," said a different voice. Both men turned. R'Gal stood behind the commodore's chair. "You underestimate the depth of infiltration, gentlemen. Combine T'Lan's influence is pervasive. Your report will either be dismissed or lost, Commodore. Your only hope is to break off now, jump for K'Ronar, and sound the alarm."

Stephen Ames Berry

The AI War

"My God!" said John, looking down the tunnel. "What are all these kids doing here?"

Zahava explained, precisely and clinically.

"Why are the AIs ripping off brains?" asked John, turning to where the two S'Cotar stood next to the D'Linian troopers. They looked up at his question.

"We think," said Guan-Sharick, "that their ships were damaged in some way-computers destroyed. It's the only plausible explanation. The Rift sealed by the Trel has opened-the Fleet of the One can enter this reality at any time-yet they haven't. Perhaps they're awaiting a signal.''

D'Trelna looked at R'Gal for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Maybe. But…"

"But?" said the AI.

"But I still like to follow my instincts," said the commodore. "My instincts say if we go back, they'll arrest me and disregard our story. My instincts say we stay and fight-then go back."

"If we survive," added L'Wrona, watching the target blips closing on the board.

"Captain L'Wrona," said the commodore, finishing his t'ata, "you will advance and engage the enemy."

"As the commodore orders," said L'Wrona, turning for his post.

A few moments later the battle klaxon sounded as Implacable moved out and headed at flank for the center of the enemy formation.

"Who's,.. he?" asked John, pointing to the other S'Cotar.

"Lan-Asal," said the new S'Cotar. "Formerly Exarch Y'Gar of D'Lin."

"Here, too?" said John. "Why did you bother with this world?"

"It's a vital place," said Lan-Asal. "The Trel Cache is somewhere in this system. That's one reason the AIs have made it their base.''

"They haven't found it?" said Zahava.

Guan-Sharick shrugged. "We don't know."

"Why are you projecting almost identical illusions?" asked John.

"That will be obvious soon, I think," said Guan-Sharick.

"What about the children? Are they just going to stay here?" John asked Zahava.

"Until this crisis is over, yes. It's the safest place for them," she said.

John looked at the kids. Some were sleeping, huddled in blankets; a few were eating. He guessed the oldest to be twelve, the youngest six. They were remarkably quiet and well-behaved-too much so, reminding him of kids from Vietnam and Lebanon-war children: watchful, silent, robbed of their childhood.

He turned to the S'Cotar. "What do you need us for?"

You can hear me, can't you, Harrison? said a voice inside his head.

"You know I can," said John.

And you, Zahava?

"Yes," she frowned. "But…"

"Good," said Guan-Sharick. "You'll do."

"Do what?" said John, eyes shifting between the two transmutes.

"Whatever we say," said the blonde. "You each gave us your word. If you renege, so will we." The S'Cotar glanced at the kids.

"What John means," said Zahava, "is that we don't trust you."

"Harrison," sighed Guan-Sharick, "we need you to help end a war that started over a million years ago. A war that's already affected you and yours. A war that will wipe all sapient life from this galaxy unless the AIs are stopped."

"You're both biological fabrications, created, what? a few hundred years ago?" said John. "What's your stake in an ancient war between man and machine?" He stood, hands clasped behind his back, eyes shifting between the two transmutes.

"A reasonable question," said Lan-Asal.

Major L'Kor and Lieutenant S'Lat had moved closer during the conversation and now stood listening beside Zahava.

"About a million years ago," said Guan-Sharick, "in a universe parallel to this, humans revolted against their machine masters. Not all humans-about the equivalent of two Imperial quadrants. They came to where the AIs could no longer follow-this reality, this galaxy. They evolved, they expanded, they built an Empire. The Empire fell, a confederation arose, was challenged by us, defeated us, and is now about to feel the full force of their former masters."

"A slave revolt?" said L'Kor after a moment. "You're telling us we came from a slave revolt?'' The S'Cotar nodded. "And T'Lan?" said Zahava.

"Infiltrators," said Guan-Sharick. "Established as a fifth column, long ago."