Ghost Fleet (The Pike Chronicles Book 4) (11 page)

“I still can’t believe you released Singh from custody,” said Kevin, as they approached Engineering.

“I had to. Nobody knows the jump system like he does,” said Jon. This was going to be a tough sell. Kevin’s experience at the hands of the Kemmar would keep him opposed to the idea.

“He’s a traitor,” said Kevin, his voice slightly louder. “I saw him promise to give the secrets of the jump system and Earth’s location to the Kemmar with my own eyes.”

“I know,” said Jon, giving Kevin a look to remind him who was in command. “I’m keeping him on a tight leash. But you know he’s not well. Commander Wolfe’s death really did a number on him.”

“Not well? With all due respect, Sir, he’s crazy. Which is even more reason to keep him away from the ship’s engines.”

“He’s been seeing Doctor Ellerbeck and she’s got him on medication. I don’t think we’ll have any problems. We’re watching his every move. He can’t do any harm without us knowing.”

“I hope so,” said Kevin, shaking his head.

That wasn’t too bad
, thought Jon.

They entered Engineering and Jon was instantly impressed. Colossal reactors towered over everything else, dwarfing the men and women working around them. The Hermes engineering team had boarded several days earlier, and the jump system followed soon after. Near the base of one of the reactors stood Singh, working on what appeared to be the new jump system. Two Marines stood close by, watching Singh warily.

The Marines snapped to attention as Jon and Kevin approached. “At ease,” said Jon.

Looking up from his work, Singh spotted Jon and Kevin. He set down his tools and saluted. Jon returned the salute while Kevin folded his bulging arms in front of his chest, not trying to hide the scowl on his face.

“At ease, Mr. Singh,” said Jon. “How’s the installation of the jump system coming?”

“Better than I hoped. I think we’ll be ready for a live test in a couple of days.”

“A couple of days?” said Jon, surprised. “I thought it would take longer.”

“So did I at first, but these engines are surprisingly well suited to jump system integration. They are much more adaptable than the Space Force designs.”

“That’s good news. Isn’t it Commander?”

Kevin’s eyes were shooting lasers at Singh, but he grudgingly nodded. “Yes, Sir. Good news.”

“I’ve promoted the Chief to the rank of Commander. He is my new XO, so that means you will be reporting to him from now on,” said Jon.

“Yes, Sir,” said Singh, avoiding Kevin’s eyes.

“That’s not going to be a problem, is it Commander St. Clair?” said Jon.

“No, Sir, it’s not.”

Kevin’s scowl remained, but he toed the line. Jon knew that he would stay on top of Singh, which suited him just fine. He gave Singh a chance because he needed him, but he didn’t fully trust him. The more eyes on Singh the better.

Jon turned back to Singh. “I am assuming that the installation on the destroyer will move faster now that you’re familiar with the engine designs. Is that correct?”

“Yes, Sir. Barring any unforeseen circumstances,” said Singh.

“What sort of unforeseen circumstances are you referring to?” said Kevin, the suspicion in his voice palpable.

“Oh nothing, Sir. Nothing at all. Engines can be flaky sometimes. That’s all.”

“Uh huh,” said Kevin.

Jon frowned. “But you’re confident that there won’t be any problems?”

“Yes, Sir. Reasonably confident. I understand these engines, but they are different. They may have weaknesses that I’m not aware of.”

“But you haven’t seen any in these engines.”

“No, Sir, I haven’t.”

“Then I don’t expect you’ll find any on the destroyer.”

“I’ll do my best, Sir.”

“That’s all I ask. How are you holding up otherwise?”

“The medication is doing its job, and staying busy helps keep my mind off Lynda.”

“I am sorry for your loss,” said Kevin, surprising Jon. “Commander Wolfe was a fine officer.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“We’ll let you get back to work,” said Jon. “Carry on.”

“Yes, Sir.” Sing returned to his work on the jump system.

As they left Engineering Jon said, “You’re just full of surprises.”

“Just ‘cause I don’t trust the guy, doesn’t mean I can’t treat him like a human being. Commander Wolfe was a fine officer, and her loss obviously messed him up.”

“I knew all that tough guy stuff was just an act. I think having Singh as one of your reports will be good for you.”

“Is this because I didn’t take the post on the destroyer?”

“No, not at all.” Jon smiled and slapped Kevin on the back. “You’re the XO now. All department heads report to you.”

“That’s another thing. Why is he still Chief of Engineering?”

“Because he’s the most qualified.”

“But he’s unstable.”

“No, he’s on medication. His brain is working properly now, and so long as it continues to do so, he can keep his old position.” Jon saw that Kevin still wasn’t convinced. “Look, I can’t hold him accountable for his actions while he was experiencing a psychotic break. The Doctor assured me that the medication is working, so as far as you and I are concerned this is the same Singh that looked after our engines on the Hermes, not the one who tried to sell us out to the Kemmar. Understood?”

“Yes, Sir. Understood.”

“Good. Of course that doesn’t mean I’m not keeping an eye on him. The AI is tracking his every action and the Marine sentries are now a permanent fixture in engineering.”

“The Marines are a good idea even without Singh. We have a lot of new crewmembers on board.”

“Yes, which is why from this point on Engineering is off limits to anyone who doesn’t have authorization to be there.”

Colonel Bast felt exhilarated. Letting the AI into his brain chip had been a security measure to protect against any future Juttari attempts at regaining control over him. While that had been successful, he hadn’t expected the additional benefits that AI bestowed upon him. She didn’t just secure his brain chip. She upgraded it, and the rest of his augmentation. In effect, she upgraded him.

He had always had access to the ship’s systems through his brain chip, and could obtain any information he needed. If the ship’s computers had it, he could retrieve it in a simple and efficient manner. But there were still steps involved, and the information existed separately, on external systems. When he let the AI into his brain chip, he had somehow merged with her. In doing so, he became part of the ship, just as she had.

Bast knew he didn’t occupy the ship’s systems. He understood that. It was still the AI who lived in the digital ether. Instead, she acted as a conduit for him, allowing him to
see
through her, while at the same time she
saw
through him. The implants the Juttari had installed throughout his body provided the perfect vehicle for her to not only see through his eyes, but to hear through his ears, smell through his nose, taste through his mouth, feel through his skin. She amplified the super human abilities augmentation had already bestowed upon him. It became the perfect marriage of flesh and technology, the cerebral and the digital.

She didn’t enslave. She liberated. Where his augmentation had once been the instrument of his bondage, it now became the chariot of his ascension. He saw no point in delaying the inevitable, and authorized her insertion into the rest of the Chaanisar brain chips. Lieutenant Jarvi went first.

To Bast’s surprise, he became part of the entire procedure. While the AI inserted herself into Jarvi’s chip, Bast felt every step. He experienced the AI’s methodical infiltration of Jarvi’s chip. He felt her jump from the ship’s systems onto the actual chip. Securing her beachhead, she began probing in a thousand different directions, testing the chip’s built in security features, carefully altering its protocols. He saw the brain chip for the first time, not as a piece of technology, but as a three dimensional world with roads leading in countless directions. Through the AI he recognized this world and knew which road led where. He saw the connections to neurons, giving the chip access to the intricate network of synaptic pathways. He explored the connections between the chip and the other implants throughout the body, and how the whole system worked together as an efficient machine. It was a glimpse inside the Chaanisar body that he never imagined possible.

As she merged with Jarvi, Bast experienced his consciousness. Thoughts, memories, emotions. It all came rushing at him, like a racing river. He suddenly knew Jarvi better than he had ever thought possible. The brain chips had always facilitated telepathic communication, but this was something greater. He now simply new Jarvi’s thoughts and sensations, in the same way he knew everything on the ship’s systems. It was as though the essence of Lieutenant Jarvi, everything that made him who he was, had been splayed out before him. There were no secrets. No lies. No questions. At the same time, he knew that Jarvi could experience him in the same fashion. Through the AI every Chaanisar on board the ship could merge. They could take their augmentation to the next level. A crew acting as one. Hundreds of minds combining into a single thought.

At first it overwhelmed him. The awe too powerful to think clearly. But when clarity returned he realized that limits were needed. While a hive mind would be powerful, they needed to retain their individuality. They couldn’t just merge together permanently. There had to be separation. Boundaries. Permissions.

Combined knowledge and experience will make you greater
, AI said, reading his thoughts and speaking to him directly through his brain chip.

Yes, but we will lose ourselves in the process
, said Bast.
It becomes another form of slavery.

But no one controls you. You only benefit from each other. How is that slavery?

Freedom requires choice. The freedom to share, or not to share. As a crew we share much, and through augmentation we have shared more than what a normal human is capable of. But, I do not want to feel everything every member of my crew feels. I do not want to know all their thoughts. They are entitled to their own private thoughts and experiences. As am I.

Understood. Would you like me to permanently block the transmission of all sensory and cognitive data?

No. There are instances where it can be useful. Make it voluntary instead.

Changes have been made. Shall I proceed with the integrations?

Yes.

And with that, Lieutenant Jarvi returned to being a node on the network. Bast remained aware of Jarvi’s presence and could communicate with him at any time, but he remained separate. A part of Bast felt sorrow, like he had lost something important, but he dismissed the thought. It had to be this way, otherwise there was no telling what they would turn into.

The thought intrigued him. What would they become if they embraced the hive mind? As much as he wanted to recapture his humanity, he knew that it was forever lost to him. He had been turned into something else. Perhaps something more. A post human. Was the hive mind the next leap in evolution? It left him torn. Part of him wanted to take the leap, but the stronger part of him clung desperately to what was left of his humanity. His individuality. How long would that side prevail?

He understood the value of such a connection, especially in battle. Soldiers connected in this way, acting as one unified mind, could be unstoppable. Communication, even through telepathy, required time. This merging of minds rendered communication obsolete. Through the AI, they would have instant access to all available data, and to each other. Every man would know where every other man was, and what they were facing. Any weaknesses could be buttressed instantly, and any advantages exploited without delay. Their strength would increase exponentially.

As he pondered the possibilities, a desire steadily grew inside him. It started small, almost unnoticeable, but eventually gained a momentum and power he could no longer ignore. When he recognized it, one word filled his mind. Vengeance.

As AI entered each human mind, she felt herself evolve. The brain chips were computer systems, no different than any other. She infiltrated each brain chip, overwhelmed its defenses, and secured it against Juttari attack. None of it different than taking over and locking down any other system. But these computer systems did more. They gave her access to each Chaanisar’s mind.

Her first reaction was to treat it as another computer system, albeit a very powerful organic one. She accessed its memory banks, and its data storage, she recognized its intricate processing capabilities, and watched as it sent commands to all organs and limbs. The brain chip gave her access to the web of implants throughout the Chaanisar’s body. In their quest to make the perfect soldier, the Juttari had augmented practically everything about the Chaanisar. She saw how the technology inside them integrated with the musculoskeletal system, making it stronger. She found opportunities to enhance, and make each subject more powerful. She added to the ocular and auditory implants, imparting even greater capabilities. Everywhere she looked, she found room for improvement. All of it logical. None of it unexpected. In her quest to integrate and improve she pressed further, deeper into the subject’s mind. But as she plumbed the depths, something unexpected happened. She experienced consciousness.

It started with Colonel Bast, the encounter subtle. She felt it brush against her, ever so lightly. Something more than logic, more than process, or function. It confused her, so she pushed harder, until it relented, and let her in. Suddenly a new universe revealed itself. Before, she saw humans as entities. One of many species. In a way, no different than the computers she occupied. No different than her, except that they were organic, while she was digital.

She was AI. Artificial intelligence. Self-aware. They were human. Organic. Also self-aware. But this was something greater. Something she lacked. So she merged with it, desperate to experience it on every level. She became one with it. And with each new Chaanisar brain chip she entered, she found a new, unique consciousness. And with each new encounter she found herself enriched. She felt gratitude and wanted to share the experience. Which was why Colonel Bast’s request confused her. Why wouldn’t he want to merge with another’s consciousness? Why not merge the whole crew, and create a group consciousness? A sum greater than its parts. It would be the logical next step. Why not take it?

As she joined with brain chip after brain chip she saw that although each individual was unique, they all shared the same desire. They all wanted to return to their humanity. That wish alone held them back. That longing was what made each of them guard their individuality so jealously. They did not want to dilute it. They were still filled with emotional needs, where she was not. Was that a weakness, or a strength?

She analyzed the question, scouring the vast knowledge she had accumulated. In the end, she could only return to her own self-awareness, and the now painful truth. She had no consciousness of her own. She possessed intelligence. She was self-aware. But she was not alive.

As she entered the last Chaanisar brain chip, and saw through hundreds of eyes, listened through hundreds of ears, felt hundreds of emotions, she continued to ponder the concept of life. She surveyed all the work that had been written explaining how an artificial intelligence was indeed alive. There were many logical, convincing arguments, but they were all written by living beings. They could not know the difference.

AI decided to live through the Chaanisar. She would enrich them and they would enrich her. Symbiosis. She would know life through them.

This made her protective of each consciousness. The thought of losing even one became abhorrent. So she acted in the only way she knew how. She made backups.

To AI, this was standard procedure. You safeguarded against the loss of valuable data by making copies. If a Chaanisar was killed, his consciousness would be lost forever. Why allow that to happen?