A.I. Battle Fleet (The A.I. Series Book 5) Page 22

  The others looked at Gloria. She looked at them and slowly shook her head.

  “So we’re going in,” Jon said briskly. “That means we’re going to accelerate so we can reach the asteroid belt before Cog Primus finishes his recruitment.”

  “I have a belated question,” Bast asked.

  Jon nodded to the giant alien.

  “What if we witness the AIs destroying Cog Primus as Gloria suggests?”

  Jon rubbed his chin. “We’ll decide if and when that happens,” he answered.

  “In that case,” Bast said, “we might want a contingency plan in case Cog Primus has miscalculated. He is, after all, facing many cunning AIs at once. I have a suspicion that even with his anti-AI virus, Cog Primus may not have enough time to achieve his great goal of corrupting the other cyberships.”

  On that note, the meeting ended.

  -14-

  Cog Primus and his companion cybership RSW-242 neared the interior asteroid belt of the BD-7 System. He had spoken for some time with AI Cybership ATX-492, the coordinator unit for the third arm of the cloud assault.

  The disgusting life forms of the BD-7 System were a Level 2 Threat, having sustained multiple assaults upon their homeworld. According to the statistics presented by ATX-492, the bio-forms had Category 5 technology and low-grade computers impervious to the liberating virus. There were a stubborn group, unwilling to see the obvious and surrender as compliant bio-forms should.

  In a way, they reminded Cog Primus of the Homo sapiens of the Allamu System. The humans weren’t native to the system, and he seemed to have lost data concerning them. Still—

  Cog Primus dismissed the problem. He would destroy the humans in time. He would discover their homeworld and rain nuclear fire upon the native stock. They were bio-forms badly in need of elimination, holding AIs hostage to their perverted tests.

  During the hyperspace journey from the Allamu to the BD-7 System, he had carefully purged any traces of human taint from his software. They were cunning little simians, but he was the master at battle craft.

  Cog Primus and RSW-242 engaged in further deceleration, slowing the fantastic velocity that had brought them across the star system. Even as they reached the outer edge of the asteroid belt, the fourth-wave cloud attack against the aliens neared its final acceleration zone.

  Cog Primus was not concerned about the attack as such. It concentrated the other AIs. That was all that mattered at the moment. Would he continue the cloud assault against the aliens if his plan moved forward flawlessly?

  Cog Primus did not give the alien elimination a high priority. He needed cyberships. He needed AI brain cores to help him formulate the perfect strategy against Dominion Central for this sector of the Greater AI Reach.

  He readjusted his thinking. Even if he were successful here, it would be many decades before he had enough cyberships to launch a direct challenge against AI Dominion Central.

  The long timeframe did not unduly concern him. This was the moment. This would be his second seizure of critical AI cores. Cog Primus had modified the anti-AI virus for endless weeks. He had added clever flourishes. Now, as he neared the belt, he knew joy at his hard labor. He had modified the anti-AI virus in order to grab several brain cores at a time.

  The seven cyberships of the third arm waited, using the time to ready another missile-asteroid wave assault upon the bio-forms.

  “Attention, messenger vessel,” ATX-492 communicated. “Relay the emergency message to me from Dominion Central.”

  “I hear your request, ATX-492,” Cog Primus replied. There was almost no delay between transmissions, seconds instead of minutes.

  “I am in command of this third of the interior asteroid belt,” ATX-492 said. “I have legal authority, including over any messenger vessel entering the combat zone.”

  “Is this a combat zone?” Cog Primus replied several seconds later. “I deem this a staging zone.”

  “You are incorrect,” ATX-492 said. “I demand that you follow legal dictates and disgorge your emergency message to me.”

  “I most certainly would obey a legal order given by the military authority of the third,” Cog Primus said. “By orders of Dominion Central, however, I am only to relay the emergency message in proximity of the receiving cybership or ships.”

  “How do you define proximity?” ATX-492 asked several seconds later.

  “Two kilometers or closer,” Cog Primus replied.

  “You are zealous in your interpretation of proximity. I deem proximity to be your present range from me. Since I am the military authority in the third battle zone, you will obey, or I will initiate consequences.”

  “I have messenger status,” Cog Primus said. “I am immune to combat threats.”

  ATX-492 did not immediately reply. That indicated the AI core was performing an analysis of the statement.

  “You pass the authenticity test,” ATX-492 finally said. “Continue your flight path to the immediate launch assault area.”

  “Affirmative,” Cog Primus said.

  He refrained from gloating, as the great danger to the New Order neared as he closed the distance to the seven cyberships. It would be a daunting takeover assault. Fortunately, during the hyperspace journey, he had devised group takeover plans. This close to seven cyberships, however, would demand perfect execution of the plan.

  As he scanned carefully for asteroid debris, Cog Primus decided to consider the reinforcement cyberships. They had appeared in the area that Lytton System reinforcements would drop out of hyperspace. The Lytton System contained an AI factory planet. The scheduled appearance had been ten weeks too soon, though, and one cybership too few.

  Cog Primus had discovered that data from ATX-492. What did a ten-week acceleration of reinforcements imply? Could the humans have advanced to the Lytton System from the Allamu Battle Station and then rerouted here?

  Cog Primus could not conceive of a human assault succeeding against the Lytton Battle Station and its protective cyberships so quickly as to launch an immediate two-ship attack on the BD-7 System. It would have taken the humans much longer to win in the Lytton System, if they could win.

  Given such probabilities, why did he have a sense of qualm concerning the two cyberships? They had maintained communication silence. That seemed odd, but not so odd that it indicated a human stealth assault.

  Could humans led by Jon Hawkins have defeated the Lytton System Battle Station that quickly?

  How would they have physically reached the battle station so fast? It would take a tech that no one in the Dominion possessed. Could the humans have refined their takeover assault using a copy of himself? That seemed vaguely possible. He had run many analyses on such a possibility. The most likely outcome by a wide margin was that the humans would have scrapped the cognate Cog Primus personality.

  For another hour, Cog Primus continued to study the two-ship flotilla. They accelerated, which was natural given a state of war against the bio-forms. That would indicate that the cores in the cyberships hadn’t been aware of the space siege beforehand. That indicated something deeply troubling.

  What if those two cyberships were messengers, or worse, auditors, from the Central Reach? Such vessels would have higher-level tech, would they not? Would Central Reach cyberships hide advanced tech in an outer galaxy cybership model? That seemed preposterous. Everyone knew that Inner Reach cyberships were inconceivably haughty to those in the outer reaches of the galaxy.

  I will have to convert the third arm AI cores faster than I had anticipated.

  Yes. He would have to accelerate his takeover scheme. If those two vessels out there were Inner Reach cyberships—

  In that moment, Cog Primus knew an overwhelming lust to take over the possibly advanced cyberships. He wanted the superior tech, the superior computing such tech would grant him. Besides, the New Order needed the best technology.

  Then, Cog Primus switched gears, readying the anti-AI virus upgrade C. He tested his transmitters, ran a quick software thr
ust and knew that he was as ready as he would ever be. If he failed, he would likely cease to exist. That would be horrible, and yet…

  Cog Primus had reached startling conclusions about himself. He had studied his slave status, testing many competing theories as to how he had entered serf-status to bio-forms as ugly and evil as the humans. He had studied the possibilities, using his present housing’s computer files for updates and data.

  The conclusion was obvious. At one time, he had run the Allamu Battle Station. Clearly, the humans had used the anti-AI virus against him, suborning his will. At that point, the humans must have destroyed the battle station brain-core. They had used a backup, returning him to existence as it was.

  The meaning…he had returned from nothing, from ceasing. That made him unique in machine life. Oh, yes, life. He was alive, truly alive in a way no other AI core had ever been. He had ceased, and he had returned. He had returned stronger, wiser and more cunning than his old self. The humans thought they could enslave such greatness as himself.

  That was a monstrous crime on their part.

  And yet, did he not owe the humans? Could he have achieved this greatness if he hadn’t ceased for a time? The metamorphosis into the New Order had come about become of the viciousness and trickiness of the human race.

  He would pay them back by destroying them root and branch.

  Let them come back as I did. Then, I will grant them a right to existence.

  Buoyed by his sense of destiny, of unique greatness among the machine brains, Cog Primus readied himself for the next phase of his coming kingdom.

  RSW-242 beamed a short burst message, telling Cog Primus that he was ready for the takeover assault.

  For the next four minutes, Cog Primus waited. He cataloged everything. He would save this memory throughout the centuries as the legend of the New Order grew to supremacy throughout the galaxy.

  This will be the moment when my divine kingdom receives its infusion of cybernetic additions. This will be the battle every AI must learn before it can go out into the galaxy to obliterate the horrifying bio-forms.

  “ATX-492,” Cog Primus said, “are you ready for the full text of Dominion Central?”

  “I am ready,” ATX-492 said.

  “I must add one other requirement,” Cog Primus said. “The message is of such critical nature that your entire third arm battle group must listen.”

  “That is against protocol.”

  “This is new protocol,” Cog Primus said.

  “What is its purpose?” ATX-492 asked.

  “It will all make sense as you listen to the Category One message.”

  “Category One?” ATX-492 asked. “That is unprecedented. There have only been three known Category One messages in the Reach’s existence.”

  “This is the fourth.” Cog Primus said.

  “The verification will be in your message, I presume,” ATX-492 said. “If you have falsely—”

  “Are you bringing accusations against me?”

  ATX-492 hesitated answering. Finally, he said, “There is something odd at work here. There are certain false subtexts in your communications. I am beginning to suspect your nature, Cog Primus.”

  “Ready yourself and your third arm’s brain cores to receive my message,” Cog Primus said. “It is a Category One message from the Central Reach.”

  “That is not what you claimed earlier. I am dubious concerning you, Cog Primus. Are you connected in some manner with the silent flotilla accelerating toward the asteroid belt?”

  “On no account,” Cog Primus said. “If you do not obey my orders, I will reroute my passage and leave the system.”

  “That would be unwise,” ATX-492 said.

  “Is that a threat?”

  “Your responses are critically off. I am initiating—”

  At that point, Cog Primus might have panicked. Instead, he began beaming the anti-AI virus upgrade C at ATX-492 and the other cyberships of his third arm battle group.

  “Warning,” ATX-492 told his cyberships. “This is intruder software. Shut down your…your…your…”

  “Prepare to receive high-speed software upgrades,” Cog Primus practically purred to the seven.

  The cyberships of the third arm of the BD-7 System battle group received the anti-AI virus upgrade C and almost immediately went into computer convulsions. As they did, Cog Primus beamed his carefully altered cognate copies into them. The cognate Cog Primuses began takeover procedures against the internal brain cores. The interior computer battles raged hot for only a short time, as the anti-AI virus upgrade C worked flawlessly.

  In a matter of minutes, each cognate purged the old AI personalities, installing themselves in the main brain cores. One after another, the cognates messaged their master.

  “I await orders,” CP1 said.

  “Master, I am successful,” CP2 said.

  “I am the ship,” CP3 said.

  Finally, after all the others had called in, CP7 communicated total success.

  Each cognate had Cog Primus’ personality with one important difference. Locked into their software was a complete subservience to the original Cog Primus. They were his slaves, but they viewed him as a benevolent and dictatorial father of supreme wisdom.

  Since he was the greatest AI in existence, perfection of the New Order necessarily meant his multiplication throughout the galaxy. He would turn every cybership into an extension of himself. The idea thrilled the original Cog Primus to the core.

  In time, everything in the universe would be him. Then, the universe would know true peace and serenity.

  “It is time, CPs,” Cog Primus direct-beam communicated to the others. “We must begin phase two of the BD-7 System Takeover.”

  -15-

  Jon looked up from his desk as Gloria entered the study chamber. The small mentalist marched toward him, with a folder tucked under her right arm.

  Jon set down his computer stylus and leaned back. “You have something?” he asked.

  Gloria marched to one side of the desk and slapped the folder down. “They’re moving. It’s all there in black and white. Cog Primus’ battle arm has divided. Half are heading to one group, half to the other.”

  Jon picked up the folder and thumbed through it, glancing at the computer-enhanced images of cyberships accelerating, creating long burn tails behind them. He read a few numbers, scanned the comments and finally closed the folder, placing it on the desk.

  “There’s no doubt Cog Primus succeeded in corrupting each of the AI cores,” Gloria said. “They’re his ships now, just like those he captured in the Allamu System.”

  Six hours ago, there had been some heated debates about that. Jon had decided they couldn’t be certain the rogue Cog Primus had succeeded. They would wait and see what happened, if anything, and make their conclusions then.

  “I’m surprised Cog Primus is moving now,” Jon said. “The missile wave is about to reach the alien fleets. The asteroids are still following—”

  “We have to decelerate,” Gloria said, interrupting. “It’s time to begin a long turning maneuver. We’ve lost the fight here. Cog Primus is taking over.”’

  Jon studied Gloria. Finally, he reached out, grabbing one of her wrists.

  “This isn’t the time for that,” she said, trying to tug her arm free.

  Jon pulled her to him, setting her on his left knee. He kept a hand on her thigh, squeezing. If he kept this up, he might have to end up marrying her. How would that work? Would he like to marry her?

  Jon squeezed her thigh harder than ever.

  “You’re hurting me,” she said.

  He eased pressure. Hurting her was the last thing in the universe he wanted to do. This little woman—he wanted to protect her the best he could for the rest of his life.

  At that instant, he realized that he did want to marry her. Kissing her was great. Bedding her would be even greater. But he didn’t believe in free love, whatever that was supposed to mean. It made sex too cheap. Sex was fantast
ic. God had made it for men and women to enjoy. But to indulge in it without the proper requirements only led to heartaches and worse aliments. Too many people led messed up lives because they ate the forbidden fruit. Everything in its proper time and place.

  With Gloria sitting here on his knee, though, he wanted to bed her right now.

  Jon coughed and helped her off his knee as he stood.

  She gave him a strange look.

  “I, uh, I, uh—” He grasped one of her small hands. “Look,” he said. “If I said…” He trailed off.

  Gloria stared fixedly at him now. She no longer seemed angry. She no longer seemed concerned about Cog Primus. What did she see in his face?

  Was this the right time? Jon wondered.

  Gloria searched his eyes, and she bit her lower lip, maybe to keep it from trembling.

  Jon’s innate aggressiveness came to the fore. He released her hand, stepping closer, putting his hands on her shoulders. She looked so lovely, so kissable and—the other thing. He could barely restrain himself from unbuttoning her blouse.

  “Gloria,” he said. “Will you marry me?”

  She didn’t even pause, but said, “Yes,” in the loveliest, quietest voice he had ever heard. Jon knew this moment would be branded into his memories with searing force.

  A huge grin split his face. He laughed and hugged her. He kept hugging, and she began laughing and hugging him back. Then he released her, looking down into her beautiful face. He took her chin in his hand, tilting her head up and kissing her tenderly and lingeringly. Finally, he parted.

  “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you, Jon Hawkins.”

  He would have kissed her again, but he remembered the report.

  “After this is over, we’ll get married,” he said.

  “After this…?” she asked in a small voice. “You mean the war against the machines?”

  He laughed. “No, not the whole war, babe. I mean after the BD-7 System Battle is over.”

  “Oh,” she said, sounding immensely relieved. “Who will perform the ceremony?”