Ghrroaqq wasn’t sure what to make of the whole situation. The reprogrammer was not working as it should. He knew what was supposed to happen, based on the transcribed records, but those records were ancient and may not be accurate. The technician who had done the testing also didn’t know how or why the diagnostic programs claimed the AI’s core was protected. AIs were incapable of modifying their core, or at least current AIs were.
He couldn’t recall any record of Concord Imperium AI’s having that capability either. It would have been suicidally stupid to do so. Since their own AIs didn’t bring them down, he had to assume they had proper checks and balances on them. So what the hell was going on?
Ghrroaqq had approached this mission assuming the worst: a rogue or dangerous AI under the command of an unknown force. If Captain Jacob’s words to the technician were to be believed, this entire operation had been overkill from the start. That being said, he would prefer to overreact to the danger rather than underestimate it. History showed that if you didn’t deal with rogue AIs the first time around, the costs in lives and ships grew exponentially with each following attempt.
Thankfully, those events were few and far between, with the last having happened over two centuries ago. He was jostled from his thoughts as the pilot touched down.
“Area is clear, sir. There’s an airlock on the far side of the hangar, and the Commander has it secured.”
“Thank you, pilot. Keep the shuttle prepped for takeoff,” Ghrroaqq replied through the radio.
The pilot confirmed the order, and Judicator Ghrroaqq joined his suited guards inside the unpressurized hangar. He had picked this one specifically because it had an airlock. He didn’t want to wait for the hangar to pressurize or risk being stuck inside if Captain Jacob or the ship AI somehow had access to the station’s systems. It shouldn’t have, thanks to the Sovard Accords, but so much wasn’t right about this operation that it was best to be cautious. He wouldn’t have even set foot aboard the station if the void bomb hadn’t still been sitting next to the ship’s core.
Ghrroaqq switched to the commander’s channel. “Any movement from the AI or Captain Jacob?”
“No, Judicator. The AI appears well and truly dead, and Captain Jacob is still waiting inside the holding cell for you.”
“If anything looks suspicious, don’t hesitate to activate the void bomb.”
The commander confirmed the order.
Using void weapons always made him wary. Their destructive potential far outstripped even current energy weapons on anything that wasn’t shielded. Most of his peers considered the weapons as relics from the past, and only useful in very specific and controlled circumstances. While that was true to some extent, it was shortsighted and dismissive. Void weapons had allowed the Concord Imperium to impose its rule over many for a long time.
As an example, the small device his people deployed in the core was capable of ripping away a thirty-meter section of the ship and dumping it into the chaotic energies of sub-space. If Captain Jacob tried sneaking something into the chamber now that his people were off the vessel, the bomb would immediately get triggered.
It may not kill the AI outright if it was still active, but it would temporarily stun it, allowing the troops aboard to clear the station so the fleet could pummel the vessel into space dust.
The airlock opened, and the commander and his team saluted. “This way, Judicator.”
“Have you located any other bio-signs on the station or ship?” Ghrroaqq asked as they made their way to the holding area.
“No, sir,” the Commander said in consternation.
Chalto might have been right in his analysis of the situation. Captain Jacob was not present at the station. Then where was he? The blanket jamming would have cut off any external communications, even if they were remotely interfacing with machines.
For him to still be connected meant a very powerful local connection.
More questions.
He would have answers soon enough.
The group turned the corner and met up with the soldiers guarding the holding area. “My guards will accompany me inside. Commander, your group can take up guard positions outside. The rest of you head back to the ship.”
The group that had been guarding all saluted and hurried off while the commander and his people took up positions. Ghrroaqq reached up to his helmet and popped the faceplate open.
His people looked ready to argue, but they kept silent. The station’s atmosphere was safe; they knew it was safe because Chalto and his people had been aboard without suits. His people were just overprotective. That being said, Ghrroaqq could snap the faceplate closed in a moment.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
With the faceplate open, he strode into the room. The suited figure standing toward the far end of the room turned at his approach.
“Judicator Ghrroaqq, I assume?”
“Captain Jacob. I figured we could talk face-to-face? Or is that not possible?”
“Suit yourself,” the man said, reaching up to twist his helmet, then remove it.
“So Chalto was correct. You are merged with a machine. This conversation would go a whole lot smoother if you came to me and spoke in person.”
“What makes you think I’m not just remotely controlling the drone?”
Ghrroaqq smiled and glanced toward the woman in the cell who was watching the entire exchange quietly. “Please, Captain. We are both intelligent people. Let’s drop the pretense.”
“Fair enough,” Captain Jacob said. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have to decline your other request.”
“Oh? And why is that?”
“The same reason you left the void bomb inside the core chamber. There is a lack of trust between the two of us. I certainly haven’t done anything to earn this level of mistrust, but your people certainly have. A simple conversation could have solved this whole situation, but instead, you violently boarded my station, caused massive damage, and even now still threaten to cause further damage. How would you respond to that?”
“My actions may seem heavy-handed to you, but it was unavoidable. And despite what you claim, you knew what was coming, or you wouldn’t have secured all the routes to the ship. If the vessel’s AI was truly dead, as you say, why bother?”
***
Jacob had to be very careful with what he shared. He didn’t want to be turned into some sort of science experiment.
“If you don’t believe me that the AI is dead and has been for months, ask Xing’che. She has no reason to lie on my behalf, considering I locked her up for murder.”
“Anything to add to this conversation, Adjunct?” the judicator asked.
The woman’s lip twitched minutely. She knew Jacob had just thrown her to the wolves. She could either side with him or hope the Astryx would be merciful.
With reluctance, she spoke. “Captain Jacob is telling the truth. I sent a sleeper cell out here a few months ago to try to get control of the ship and station, but their efforts destroyed the AI that was in control of the vessel.”
Jacob wasn’t surprised she sided with him, but he was stunned that she went into any actual details.
The judicator narrowed his large eyes at her. “So, you were behind the uprising.”
“No,” she said. “I had nothing to do with those idiots.”
“We’ll see about that,” the judicator said before turning back to Jacob. “So, if you weren’t protecting the AI, what were you protecting?”
“Does it matter?”
“It depends on what it is. If you won’t tell me, I’ll have to have my people scour the entire vessel to ensure you aren’t hiding something that could harm the Astryx.”
Jacob had hoped the question wouldn’t come up, but it seemed like the judicator wasn’t going to give up until he got an answer.
“Myself,” Jacob replied.
“Explain,” the judicator demanded.
Jacob went into vague details about how he got plucked off his pre-FTL world by the AI, then essentially forced into servitude. When the judicator asked how that was possible, Jacob told him. “I’m no longer alive. My mind is stored somewhere aboard the ship.”
The judicator seemed taken aback by that. “How is that possible?”
“Beats me,” Jacob said. “Can you see why I might not want you destroying a part of the ship?”
The Judicator looked skeptical. “That doesn’t explain why the AI’s core is data-protected.”
“It did that when the eiraxins tried to replace it, probably in an effort to preserve its mission, whatever that was. I don’t honestly know. The thing wasn’t all there when it plucked me from my planet, and it only grew worse as time went on.”
“Yet you assisted it.”
“You act as if I had a choice. It was either help the damaged AI or die, at least until I figured out how to get free. I was working on that last part before you bashed your way aboard my station and started causing a ruckus.”
“I’m not sure I entirely believe this tall tale of yours, but my mission was to disable the AI, and I have done that. I’m going to leave a few ships here to monitor the situation, just to ensure the AI is dead. You can never be too careful with rogue AI’s, I’m sure you understand.”
“Not really,” Jacob admitted. “My people don’t have anything like AIs.” Technically true, even though there were plenty of fictional stories about them turning on humanity. The judicator didn’t need to know that.
Having the Astryx hang around was less than ideal, but it was honestly more of a concession than he expected. He thought the Astryx would demand the station. If they had, there was nothing Jacob could have done about it. It might also be a bonus, since it would keep anyone else from showing up and getting funny ideas until he finished the station’s defenses.
“And the bomb?” Jacob asked pointedly. He knew he was pushing his luck, but having the weapon sitting so close to the core freaked him out.
“It will be deactivated and removed. It’s too dangerous to leave lying around. Now, we can discuss the adjunct.”
Another win.
“What about her?” Jacob asked.
The fact that they were discussing her, while she was right there, made a vein on the side of Xing’che’s head throb in irritation. That made Jacob feel all warm and fuzzy.
“Will you be releasing her to my custody?”
“No. She will remain where she is to serve out her time for murdering someone aboard the station,” Jacob replied. He also had more questions for her, and if the judicator took her, none of those would get answered.
The judicator nodded. “I assumed as much, but I was required to ask. I guess that’s all the business we had.”
“That’s it?” Jacob asked.
“Yes. My job is complete; I leave the political ramifications to people more qualified for that. I wish you luck with the mess you seem to have found yourself in, Captain Jacob.”
The judicator gave one final nod, then turned and strode for the door. He paused, then turned back to Jacob. “Oh, there is one last thing. You have illegally seized a diplomatic vessel.”
Jacob winced at that. Losing the vessel would be difficult, but he could build a new one once the merchants started arriving. “The representative can have it back.”
“Oh, the representative doesn’t want it back. He knows you broke into it somehow. But you will be receiving a bill for the vessel. I do suggest you pay the bill, or the matter will be turned over to a higher court to issue a bounty for your arrest. I’m not sure how that would go, considering your situation, but probably not well. You’re actually lucky that Representative Chalto chose to forgo that option immediately.”
“Thanks,” Jacob replied flatly.
The Judicator gave a big grin before vanishing out the door, followed by the rest of his people.