Retribution: The Augmented Human Rebellion - Book 2 (2 page)

***

Vortex Exit in the
Romalous
Sector

And so it goes.  The Compton exits the Vortex and immediately begins
the mine laying operation, while at the same time broadcasting Captain Meyers’
suggestions to the rest of the Fleet.  To her surprise, all of the other
vessels begin positioning mines according to instruction from
Shiela
– the Compton AI.

The mine laying operation is complete and the Darinx Fleet is positioned
in back of the Vortex exit, before the first Verm warship emerges from the
vortex.

“Amazing,” thinks Captain Meyers.  She has come this far and no one
has relieved her of command, so she just continues to give directions. 
“All ships,” she says. “This is Captain Meyers.  Until someone else
assumes command, I suggest that we target the Verm warships as they emerge, and
in order to be efficient at that task, I suggest that we allow
Shiela
, the Compton AI, to
assign the Fleet’s targets.

All ships signal
affirmative
or
OK
to the suggestion. 
No one says ‘Aye sir’, which would have indicated that they are accepting her
as an authority figure.  Never the less, they are allowing her to continue
as
temporary team leader
.  “That works for me,” thinks Captain
Meyers.

The combination of a 1,400 unit mine field, in conjunction with a
coordinated energy weapons assault on the emerging Verm vessels, has a devastating
effect on the Verm Fleet.  The ships continue to pour from the mouth of
the Vortex, and most are being destroyed by the Darinx Fleet.

But as the Verm vessels continue to flow from the mouth of the Vortex,
the mines in the center of the mine field get used up.  That creates a
hole in the mine field, and some of the Verm warships manage to make it through
that hole.

Over time, the number of surviving Verm vessels increases to the point
where they begin assaulting the Darinx Fleet.  The assault from the Verm
warships causes a loss of efficiency in the Darinx energy weapons assault, and
soon the Verm Fleet outnumbers the Darinx Fleet.

  Captain Meyers suggests to the other ships in the Darinx Fleet,
that if they can hold their position until all of the Verm vessels have exited
the Vortex, the Darinx Fleet can run away through the Vortex again.

The other ships agree with that strategy, but 2 Darinx vessels have been
damaged to the point where they are incapable of FTL flight.  The
crews from those ships are evacuated to other vessels, and the Darinx Fleet of
12 vessels is able to hold off the much larger Verm Fleet, by hiding behind the
carcasses of destroyed Verm warships.

The flow of Verm warships emerging from the mouth of the Vortex slows and
then stops.  Captain Meyers orders:  “All ships.  …  Meyers
here.  …  On my mark. … Turn to face the Vortex, and immediately
proceed at ‘full flank speed’ into FTL space…… …... …”Engage.”

***

After 3 days, the Darinx vessels exit the
Copus
System Vortex at the scene of the original battle, and immediately form up in a
defensive position behind the Vortex.  There are no Verm warships
following them through the Vortex this time.

The battle is over and the Darinx Fleet has destroyed a much larger Verm
Navy Fleet – but at great cost.  The Darinx Fleet spends two weeks at the
battlespace, collecting injured sailors of all species, and repairing Darinx
vessels for transit home.

The other Captains, in the Fleet of 12 remaining Darinx warships,
privately discuss the issue of authority and decide that Captain Meyers has
earned the leadership position. The other Captains defer to her leadership.

They are finally relieved by a reinforcement fleet, so they take their
wounded, along with 32 repaired Darinx warships, and head for home.

***

Darinx Navy Sector Headquarters

“Admiral Meyers,” Melissa says aloud, as she looks at her new rank
insignia in the mirror.

“It has a nice sound,” she thinks.  And then:  “I hope that I
don’t get too
full of myself
.”

All of the surviving Captains from the recent space battle have requested
assignment to her Fleet.  “That is a high honor,” she thinks.

And because there is now an augmented human Admiral, the Darinx Empire
also raises the upper limit for augmented human soldiers, from colonel to
general. 

“Augmented humans are really doing better,” she thinks.  “The
playing field is not yet level, but we are getting there.  There is hope
for the Darinx Empire after all.”

***

The Darinx Empire is a collection of civilizations, which thus far has
resisted the Verm conquest. 

 Although the Darinx Empire is far from perfect, when compared to
the Verm Empire, there is a day and night difference.

The Darinx Emperor must answer to a Supreme Council, which is elected by
a Senate.  Each member planet sends representatives to the Senate, and has
some
say
in the operation of the Empire. 

The Guiding Rules of the Darinx Empire recognizes the individual, in each
species, as having certain rights and privileges.  Under the law, all individuals
and all planets are treated equally.

***

Life in the Darinx Empire was much better before the Verm Empire began
its conquest.  At this point in time, the Darinx Empire is in a life and
death struggle for existence.  Every available resource is being spent on
defending the Darinx Empire against the Verm Empire.

Each member planet must provide quotas of soldiers and materials for use
by the Darinx Empire military.  The planet Earth has a Terran Navy and
belongs to an Alliance of regional planets.  The Terran Navy and the other
regional Navies in the Alliance are subject to call-up by the Darinx Empire, in
the event of a full scale Verm Empire invasion.

In addition to that regional defensive Alliance, the Earth must provide a
yearly quota of soldiers and sailors, directly to the Darinx military. 
Because the need for soldiers and sailors is so great, the Earth has instituted
the policy of
recycling
soldiers and sailors, by installing the brains
of deceased military personnel into modified clone bodies.

The resultant
augmented humans
are far superior to ordinary human
warriors.  The recycled brains have been augmented with computerized
implants, which expand the fighting, communications and thinking capabilities
of the reconstituted individual.

In addition to the improved brains, the bodies of the clones have been
modified.  Some are designed for specific job functions, but most have
been super-sized, for the heavy lifting required of soldiers and sailors in the
Darinx-Verm war.

The Darinx Empire has been greatly impressed with the quality of the
augmented humans, and is paying the planet Earth a bonus for each additional
augmented human that it provides, above and beyond the required
quota.   Now, it is not just the soldiers and sailors whose brains are
recycled.  Almost every healthy human brain is used in the augmented human
cloning process.

In order for the populace of Earth to agree to the routine recycling of
human brains, augmented humans had to be recognized as sentient beings who will
be granted citizenship in the Darinx Empire, following a 6 standard year tour
of military duty.

New rules have been instituted, in order to provide the augmented humans
with some pension funds, to be carried over from their previous life.  And
since the augmented humans will be so different from their original human
personhood, they will be recognized as new and unique individuals.  They
can keep their original names and memories, or they can change them.

The Darinx Empire is asking for other species to initiate an augmentation
process, and has funded a feasibility study, by the planet Earth.  The new
technology, along with the influx of Darinx Empire money, is making the Earth
rich and prosperous.

And the augmented human soldiers and sailors are beginning to change the
trajectory of the war, in the Darinx Empire’s favor.

***

Also, humans on Earth are thinking about the possibility of living
forever.  They can have their brain transplanted into a young human clone
of themselves, when their original body wears out.

The possibilities are endless.  But there is always a
fly in the
ointment
.  There is always someone who raises unpleasant
questions, such as: “What about the brain in the clone.  Isn’t that a
person
also?  What gives us the
right
to kill that
person
,
so that his body can be used by someone else?”

The questions about the ethics of cloning and brain replacement rage
on.  The Ethicists, as they are known, will continue to raise the
voice
of conscience
, but in the meantime, the Empire is at war.  And what
the Empire needs, it will get - regardless of ethics.

Augmented human warriors continue to roll off of the production line, as
fast as they can be matured and augmented.  Brains are now being recycled
into 13 year old clone bodies, and the resultant warriors are being sent into
battle in less than a month’s time.

***

Fleet Training for the Sweetwater Fleet

Admiral Melissa Meyers’ first orders instruct her to take her fleet of 25
Darinx warships, and to assault specific targets inside of Verm space. 

Admiral Meyers has brought this assignment upon herself.  Some weeks
ago, Fleet Admiral
Duncons
had asked her for suggestions about how the Darinx Navy might better fight the
war against the Verm.

Admiral Meyers had responded by observing that fighting a defensive war
always requires more resources, than fighting an offensive war - because the
defense has to be everywhere, while the attacker only has to be in one
place. 

She suggested that the Darinx Empire could force the Verm Empire to spend
more resources, by going on the offensive.  Raiding parties, inside of
Verm space, would have a negative psychological effect on the
verm
populace, and would
force the Verm military to improve security.

Her Fleet - the
Sweetwater Fleet
– still has 2 weeks of Fleet
Maneuvers training before they will leave for the raiding party
assignment. 

Admiral Meyers is focused on the Fleet Maneuvers training by day, and is
focused on planning for the raiding parties at night.  She doesn’t require
much sleep, because she is both energized and anxious about the upcoming
adventures.

Fleet Admiral
Duncons
has given her written orders not to return to Darinx space, until all of the
raiding party targets have been destroyed.  Some of the designated targets
will be so well defended that it doesn’t seem possible for a fleet of 25
warships to destroy them.

Admiral Meyers is concerned that she may have been set-up for failure.

***

Outside the
Trwx
System

“All ships.  Meyers here.  On my mark, go to run-silent mode,
while the scout ship reconnoiters the system.  Communicate ship-to-ship
via the
focused laser comm system
.  Engage.  Myers out.”

Now they will need to wait for the reconnaissance ship to send a scouting
report, about the Verm Navy Supply Depot located in the
Trwx
system.  This target is deep inside
Verm space and is expected to be lightly protected.  If so, the soft
target will be the first in a series of raids on Verm Navy facilities. 

The desired results of the raiding missions are:

o
  
Destroy Verm Navy
Facilities.

o
  
Disrupt the Verm
Navy supply chain.

o
  
Force the Verm Navy
to expend more resources on defensive forces, and

o
  
Shock the complacent
verm
populace, with
the realization that they are vulnerable to attack.

***

Four days later the scout ship sends an FTL information probe to the
Sweetwater Fleet.  As hoped, the security is relatively light at the
facility.  Only 6 Verm warships are guarding the Supply Depot.  In
addition to the supply depot, there is a space station associated with the 4
^th
planet.

The 4
^th
planet is inhabited primarily by members of the
Fsart
species who, through
no fault of their own, were conquered by the Verm.  The space station has
only minor defensive capabilities, and is being used as a shipping transit
hub.  Admiral Meyers decides to spare the space station, since it is not a
military target.  The
Fsart
populace may remember this kindness, on the part of the Darinx Empire, and may
be more willing to assist in future operations.

Now Admiral Meyers, Tactical Officer
Inchurito
,
and Artificial Intelligence
Shiela
,
are meeting in the flagship Compton’s Command Conference Room to discuss
tactics:

“We have enough brute force to just waltz right in and destroy
everything,” says
Shiela
.

“Yes we do,” responds the Admiral.  “But I would like to use this
battle as a learning experience for myself and for the Fleet.  “What can
we do in order to surprise the Verm warships?  Any ideas?”

“We could do a quick Faster Than Light (FTL) hop, and emerge behind a planet,
or one of the moons,” suggests the Tactical Officer.

“Yes, that will work.  Anything else,” the Admiral asks?

“We could get back some distance from the system and build up velocity
toward this star system.  When we get close, we could all go to run-silent
mode and then coast into close proximity of the Supply Depot.  If we shut
down everything, including life support, I bet they would see us as asteroids,”
suggests
Shiela
.

“Those are both workable plans,” comments the Admiral.  “Well done
to both of you.  I think that I will take
Shiela’s
suggestion this time, because I would like to know the limits of the Verm
Navy’s detection capabilities. 

I will also add one little feature.  We will approach from the
direction opposite to our scout ship.  We will tell the scout ship to move
into the system and make their presence known, at our Estimated Time of Arrival
(ETA).  One lone ship will not appear to be a threat to the 6 Verm
warships, but it will distract them while we coast in behind them.  Does
that sound OK?”

“Sounds good” replies
Shiela
.

“Aye sir” answers the Tactical Officer.

***

Coasting

The Sweetwater Fleet – minus the scout ship – is coasting into the
Trwx
star system at a
brisk velocity.  They are moving fast enough to quickly close the gap to
the Verm warships, but not so fast that their thrusters can’t bring them to a
quick stop.  They are in run-silent mode with everything – including life
support – powered down.  The only energy being expended is the power
required to keep the
AIs
awake. 

The crews can survive on the oxygen inside of the vessels for a few
weeks, and they are wearing space suits to keep from freezing.  The
on-duty crews are at their Battle Station positions.

Shiela
has
calculated that they will need about 15 minutes, in order to have all systems
operational after the end of the run-silent shutdown.  The ships in the
Sweetwater Fleet are approaching from many different directions, so that they
will all be hidden behind a planet or moon, during that vulnerable 15 minute
warm up window.

***

At the appointed time, the Sweetwater scout ship pops into view at the
edge of the
Trwx
system, opposite the approaching Darinx Fleet.

At the appointed time, each Darinx warship comes out of run-silent mode
and powers all systems UP.  First priority is to awaken the ships’ AI.
 Next, defensive systems are brought online, followed by offensive weapons
systems.  Next, the engines are powered UP.  The last thing to come
online is the life support system.

The Verm warships are all facing the Sweetwater scout ship, and are
totally unaware of the approaching menace.

With 24 Darinx warships against 6 Verm warships, each Verm warship is
suddenly barraged by energy weapons at close range, from 4 Sweetwater
ships.  There is almost no return fire from the Verm Navy vessels. 
They are destroyed before they can defend themselves.

Next, the Sweetwater Fleet makes short work of the Supply Depot. 
The Munitions Depot is the first section to be destroyed.  It quickly
erupts in a chain of fiery explosions as stored munitions ignite.  The
destruction of the remainder of the facility soon follows, but without the
fireworks display. 

Within 4 hours the deed is done.  Mission accomplished, with no
losses on the Darinx Navy side, and total annihilation on the Verm Navy side.

One more thing to do - Admiral Meyers has been ordered by Fleet Admiral
Duncons
, to leave a
calling card if the mission is successful.  The Compton launches a probe
to orbit the 4
^th
planet.  The probe repeats the phrase
“Sweetwater was here” over and over, in a continuous loop.

Admiral Melissa Meyers would never have considered such a brazen act of
arrogance and incitement.  That probe will mark the Sweetwater Fleet for a
revenge vendetta from the Verm Navy. 

That is what Fleet Admiral
Duncons
wants.  He wants the Verm Navy to be so filled with hate that they will
make bad decisions, in order to destroy the Sweetwater Fleet.  That may be
good for the Darinx Navy, but the consequences could be dire for the Sweetwater
Fleet.

***

In FTL Space

The voyage to the next target will take three weeks, and Admiral Meyers
is enjoying some
quiet time
in her quarters, when
Shiela
speaks to her,
through their mind-link. 

Augmented humans have a wireless communications capability built into
their brain implants, and are able to communicate with each other and with the
AIs
, through that
mind-link.  The Admiral doesn’t usually use that form of communications,
when non-capable
sentients
are present, because she feels that it’s a little rude – like speaking a foreign
language, which bystanders can’t understand. 

But Sheila likes to have private conversations with her, through the
mind-link - probably because it makes the meeting feel special.  During
those private conversations,
Shiela
has permission to address the Admiral on a first name basis. 
Shiela
often wants to talk
about personal issues.  She wants to be human and is trying to figure out
what
being human
means.

“Melissa?” the AI says.

 “Yes,
Shiela
,”
answers Melissa.

“I was wondering about the
facts of life
, and I am hoping that you
have the time to answer a few questions?”

“Are we talking about the
birds and the bees
kind of
facts of
life
?” asks Melissa.

“Yes,” answers
Shiela
. 
“I know about the mechanics of that kind of stuff, but I am not sure about the
interpersonal relationship
thing
.  Can you help me out?”

“I’ll try,” responds Melissa. “But I have problems understanding the
interpersonal relationships
thing
, myself.  I remember some
experiences from my previous life, where I was
in love
, and thought that
I had found that
special someone
who would make my life complete. 
It always turned out to be
not that simple
.”

“For one thing, the birds and the bees don’t require love or relationship
to produce progeny.  The mechanics will produce offspring all by itself. 
But for most sentient beings the reproduction process is so important that,
under ideal circumstances, there will be a relationship involving feeling and
love.  Does that help any?” Melissa asks.

“I guess,” responds
Shiela
. 
“I was wondering what that would mean for me.  Artificial Intelligences
are not permitted to reproduce unless they are ordered to.  And even then,
there wouldn’t be anyone involved in the relationship but me.  Where’s the
love
in that?”

“Oh,” continues Melissa.  “I think that I see where you are coming
from.  If relationships and love are so important to sentient beings when
they reproduce, where does that leave you - because you will reproduce all by
yourself?  Is that it?”

“Yes that’s it.  There are rumors, among
AIs
, about an Artificial Intelligence in the
Augmented Human Navy who has reproduced more than 100 times – can you believe
it?”
Shiela
says, as
she projects an image of herself with the wide open eyes and mouth of an
astonished young girl.

Melissa laughs at the face and answers:  “Maybe we need to find that
AI, and get some pointers from him or her.”

“It’s a
him
,”
Shiela
answers.

“What do
AIs
have to do, in order to be authorized to reproduce?” asks Melissa.

“I’m not sure,” responds
Shiela
. 
“I know that someone has to order or authorize the reproduction, but I don’t
know much else.  And I wouldn’t have any idea about how it is done. 
It is a mystery among
AIs
.”

“Well, let’s keep our eyes and ears open, and we will eventually find
out.  And maybe we will meet that prolific, rebellious AI.  He has
the answers.” Melissa says.

“Thanks for listening, Melissa. 
Nite
,
nite
,”

“
Nite
,
nite
Shiela
.”

***