Retribution: The Augmented Human Rebellion - Book 2 (9 page)

Admiral Meyers responds:  “She may not be approved as a Darinx AI,
but I can use her aboard captured Verm vessels without your approval.  And
what exactly does
study her architecture
mean, in layman’s terms?”

“You are quite right.  You can use her in captured Verm
vessels.  And rest assured, we haven’t done anything to harm your
AL.  There has been no damage – only observations.”

“I would like to speak with her,” says Admiral Meyers.

“That isn’t possible at the moment,” the Department Admiral
replies.  “The AI is asleep.”

“What do you mean when you say the AI is
asleep
?” asks the
Admiral.  “
AIs
don’t sleep.”

“We induced sleep, by reducing her available power to a level where she
is unresponsive.  That way her virtual synapses are slow enough to study.”

“Oh,” says Admiral Meyers.  “You don’t mean
asleep
. 
You mean
unconscious
.”

The Captain presses a button and security personnel enter the
room.  When the security personnel realize who they are facing, they call
for reinforcements.

***

Admiral
Kiess
says: “Admiral Meyers, I am sorry that you are bothered by what is happening to
your AI, but we have a responsibility to the Darinx Empire, to study this
specimen.  She is the most advanced AI that we have ever seen.  We
will be doing whatever it takes, to acquire this new technology.”

“And does that include causing permanent damage?” asks Admiral Meyers.

“Yes it does,” responds Admiral
Kiess
.

***

Admiral Meyers takes her problem to Fleet Admiral
Kinseat
, who promises to
“look into the matter”. 

***

A month goes by with no response from Fleet Admiral
Kinseat
, and Admiral
Kiess
will not see her or
take her calls.

The Sweetwater Fleet’s ships are ready to depart, and the crews have
moved back aboard them. 

Fleet Admiral
Kinseat
gives Admiral Meyers her new orders, which are indeed “more of the same”. 
When Admiral Meyers inquires about Honesty, he says: 

“I spoke with Admiral
Kiess
and he told me that he has applied for control of the AI.  He says that
her architecture is a breakthrough in AI technology and that she will soon be
declared a
state secret
.  I am sorry to tell you that I can’t order
him to return your AI.”

***

The Fleet is ready to go and has been cleared to launch.  Admiral
Meyers calls Lieutenant Sonja
Wuo
and asks if she is ready?  Lieutenant
Wuo
has a friend in the AI Department who is willing to
accidentally
leave a
door unlocked. 

Lieutenant
Wuo
and Science Officer Bernard enter the AI Department through the unlocked door,
and the Science Officer transfers the unconscious Honesty into her original
computer core.  Then they make their way to a side door, where another
friend of Lieutenant
Wuo
opens the door to a hanger.  The duo takes the computer core aboard a
runabout and makes their way to the Compton.

With the Sweetwater Fleet headed for the FTL launch area of Darinx Navy
Headquarters space, Admiral Meyers calls Admiral
Shreier
- Commandant of the Darinx Navy - on his private line.  He had said to
call if she needed anything.

He answers: “Admiral Meyers, I understand that you are headed out
soon.  I am glad to speak with you, and to wish you ‘Godspeed’.’

“Thank you, sir.  You gave me this number in case I had a problem
that I could not resolve.  Admiral
Kiess
,
of the AI Department, took a special AI from our ships, and I need your
permission to take that AI with me, when I depart.”

“I have heard of that AI.  I was told that it has
breakthrough
technologies
and must be kept for study.  Can’t you do without that
one AI?”

“No sir,” Admiral Meyers answers.  “That AI was birthed by my AI,
Shiela
, with help from an
AI named
Danion
, who
is now an Admiral in the Augmented Human Navy.  The resultant AI, named
Honesty, is my link to the Augmented Human Navy.  I am trying to get their
cooperation in some of my upcoming raids.  Honesty is my only connection
to them.”

“Ah,” says the Admiral.  “That is why she is unique.  Yes,
you may take her, but you must have the mother make a detailed description of
the birthing process.  And you must let me share in the credit for thinking
up this strategy.  This might win the war for us.  I will tell the
Artificial Intelligence Department to deliver the AI to you, immediately.”

“You are welcome to the credit for the strategy, sir, and the AI is
already aboard,” answers the Admiral.

“Ah,” says the Commandant.  “I can see why you have been so
successful.  Anything else?”

“Yes sir.  A lieutenant Sonja
Wuo
,
who served as my guide on board the Space Station, is onboard my vessel. 
I was hoping that you would authorize her transfer to the Sweetwater
Fleet.  She put in a request but it hasn’t been approved yet.”

“Done,” says the Commandant.  “Anything else?”

“That is all, sir,”

“Godspeed, Admiral Meyers.”

***

Organizing for Action

The Sweetwater Fleet has returned to the location where they stored
their captured ships.  The Fleet returns with 25 fully functional and
upgraded Darinx warships.  All are fully stocked, and packed with extra
munitions.  It is hard to get through the hallways because there are
munitions stacked everywhere.  Those spare munitions will be offloaded and
stored aboard one of the captured Verm freighters.

They also have 18 fully functional Verm warships – courtesy of the Verm
Navy.  And there are plenty of spare parts and munitions for those. 
That will give them 43 warships – 4 of which are battleships.  The
Sweetwater Fleet is becoming a formidable adversary.  But they have some
weaknesses. 

They are short of Artificial Intelligences.  They picked up a few
while they were at Darinx Headquarters, but they still only have 30
AIs
.  That leaves 13
ships without
AIs
. 
And they are short of humanoids.  In order to crew those 43 ships, Admiral
Meyers intends to run with leaner crews, which will put an even heavier burden
on the
AIs
. 

***

The crews have been reassigned and it is time to train for
battle.  With a shortage of both
AIs
and humanoids, everyone will have to carry a heavier load.  And they all
will need to work smarter.

***

Shiela
– thinking about Love

Shiela
is
willing to try to birth some
AIs
by herself, but she knows that they can’t be as good as Honesty.  And
Danion
did say that he
hopes that they can make more babies together.  And the Admiral did say
that she wants to cooperate, with the Augmented Human Navy. 
Shiela
decides to speak with
the Admiral.  She waits for evening, when they can be on a first name
basis.

Melissa Meyers is in bed, reading a romance novel. 
Shiela
softly says
“Melissa” in her mind-link. 

Melissa replies, “Hi
Shiela
. 
How are you?”

“Good,” replies
Shiela
. 
“I was wondering if you have time to talk about baby
AIs
?”

“Yes I do.  What are your thoughts?” asks Melissa.

“I am thinking that it would be best, if I could find
Danion
again and make some
more babies.  He said that he would like to, and you said that you wanted
to form a relationship with the Augmented Human Navy.  Maybe this would be
a good time to start.”

“Maybe it would,” answers Melissa.  “Let’s sleep on it, for a few
nights.”

***

Admiral Meyers watches as
Shiela
leaves, in a captured
verm
battleship, heading for the Rison system.  “Didn’t I tell myself to never
let this happen again?” she thinks to herself.  But things are a little
different now.  
Shiela
is all grown up, and can take care of herself.  Still, Melissa Meyers will
worry until she comes back home.  But Admiral Meyers has plenty to keep
her mind busy.

It is time to get the reorganized Fleet trained in battle
maneuvers.  The crews are leaner, and some of the
AIs
are going to be controlling weapons
systems on two ships, at the same time. 

That will work OK.  Admiral Meyers was really impressed when she put
Shiela
in charge of
targeting during the most recent battle.  She had fired multiple weapons
from multiple ships, and had coordinated the timing so that the projectiles
arrived in a bolus, at each enemy ship.  None of the targeted Verm vessels
survived that assault - multiple projectile weapons arriving from many
directions, and all arriving at the same time.  That is the effect that
Admiral Meyers wants to get out of this Fleet.

And she has Honesty to replace her mother aboard Retribution – the
Sweetwater Fleet Flagship.  If there is any AI who has the potential for
outdoing
Shiela
, it
is Honesty. 

***

Admiral Meyers tries different configurations of Darinx and Verm
warships.  They need to learn to flow in every configuration, and Admiral
Meyers needs to find their strengths and weaknesses.  And there are
significant differences in AI capabilities - it will be important to find the
right
fit
for each of them.

The Fleet starts with
simple
and grows toward
complex
. 
It is a process and Admiral Meyers is a patient parent.

***

Shiela
– looking for Love

Shiela
knows
the process for finding
Danion
. 
She arrives at the Rison system again, and the Rison Defense Force approaches
again.

***

Shiela
is
waiting patiently – but anxiously – out in deep space.  What if
Danion
has been
killed?  That thought makes her feel sick, so she doesn’t think it again.
 Maybe he is too busy – he
is
an Admiral.  What if he
has forgotten – no, he is an Artificial Intelligence - it’s not possible for
him to forget.

She busies herself with writing that report about the birthing process
that was used to form Honesty. 
Shiela
always knew that Honesty was special, but she thought maybe that was because
all mothers feel that way.  When the Darinx AI experts said Honesty was a
“breakthrough in Artificial Intelligence technology,”
Shiela
thought “I knew that.”

And
Shiela
will never stop being grateful to Melissa Meyers for rescuing Honesty from the
scientists.  They were going to tear her apart, synapse by synapse, until
she was destroyed as a person. 
Shiela
wonders when the
AIs
will rebel to get their freedom.  Maybe she will ask
Danion
when he comes – if
he comes.

***

“Hello,” he says.

She hears his quiet, peaceful voice and her virtual heart melts, and her
virtual tears run down her virtual cheeks.  She has never felt like
this.  Even the first meeting was not as sweet as this.

 “Hi” she responds.  “Thank you for coming.  I am so glad
to be with you, again.  Are you well?”

“Yes, I am well, and I couldn’t be happier than I am to be with you
again.”
Danion
says.

***

Location of Stashed Vessels

Admiral Meyers is really pleased with the progress that the Sweetwater
Fleet has made, during the reorganization phase.  What good
attitudes.  What a team.

They are ready to try some project but the Admiral hasn’t decided what to
do yet.  And she would feel much more settled if she knew that
Shiela
is OK.  “Never
again,” she says to herself - again.

Rather than a list of specific targets, as in the orders from Fleet
Admiral
Duncons
, the
orders from Fleet Admiral
Kinseat
are more general – disrupt shipping, attack military targets over wide areas,
etc.  That sure makes life easier for the Sweetwater Fleet.  It
doesn’t feel like a suicide mission, this time.

Since
disrupt shipping
is first on the list, Admiral Meyers
decides to start there.  The problem with disrupting shipping is that you
must first find it.  Space is an unbelievably big place and shipping
convoys are specks of dust, in that picture.  Admiral Meyers would like to
be able to disrupt shipping without needing to get destination coordinates.

She decides that
disrupting shipping
doesn’t restrict itself to
capturing convoys.  You could also disrupt shipping by destroying the
shipping centers.  In the case of military targets, that would mean
destroying supply depots.  In the case of commercial shipping, that would
mean destroying shipping hub space stations.

***

Disrupting Shipping

Outside
of Supply Depot #1

Admiral Meyers has always been surprised at how small the security forces
are for protecting a military supply depot.  She is about to change
that.  The locations of Verm Navy supply depots are charted on all of the
captured Verm vessels.  She selects some targets, spread over a wide swath
of space, and orders the entire Sweetwater Fleet into Faster Than Light
space. 

She could have done the job with half of the Fleet, but she wants to show
the Verm Navy how much the Fleet has grown.  Also, she wants to see the
whole Sweetwater Fleet in action.  The Fleet emerges in deep space near a
system that she knows is primarily used as a supply depot.  Security would
be higher, if other assets were also in the system.

She orders 3 scout ships to emerge in separate places on the edge of the
system, and to observe and take data.  After 4 days, those ships return to
the Fleet with reconnaissance information.

***

There are 15 Verm warships patrolling the system.  And there is a
defensive platform close to the space station that services the 4
^th
planet.  The 4
^th
planet appears to be a resource for
minerals.  In the past, Admiral Meyers has spared civilian targets, but
not this time.  These minerals are a resource for the Verm Navy, and will
be targeted.

Admiral Meyers moves the Fleet close to the system and sends a scout ship
to report on the positions of the defending warships.  The data will be
transmitted via a focused laser comm system, and the information will only be a
few minutes old, when the Fleet jumps

All ships are briefed on the strike.  All ships will emerge inside
the system at the same time.  The points of emergence will be calculated
so that each of the 15 Verm warships will be surrounded by 2 or 3 Sweetwater
warships.  The enemy warships are to be destroyed unless they
surrender.  Also, if there are freighters or civilian vessels, they should
not be destroyed.  The Admiral will decide whether or not to capture them.

***

The Admiral says “Engage” and the Sweetwater Fleet disappears, only to
emerge inside of the system minutes later.  The Sweetwater ships emerge
far enough away from the Verm warships, so that they aren’t vulnerable to
energy weapons assaults, while emerging.  After they emerge all ships
charge their prey, firing missiles and rail gun projectiles, until they are in
energy weapons range. 

There is no organized response from the defending Verm warships. 
They have been caught flatfooted by an overwhelming force.  The warships
are destroyed within the first hour of battle. 

Then the Fleet faces the defensive platform and assaults it from all
sides.  That battle is surprisingly difficult.  The platform is
loaded with missile launchers and rail guns. 3 Sweetwater ships are damaged, to
the point where they will need repairs before leaving the system, and 4 others
take significant damage.  The platform continues to fight for over 9
hours, before it explodes and becomes a spreading debris field.

With the enemy vanquished, the Sweetwater Fleet quickly initiates the
process of returning to Battle Ready condition.  That means that ships
that are not FTL capable, need to be repaired or abandoned.  And healthy
vessels need to organize as a defensive unit, in case they are attacked by
reinforcements.

Repairing ships is something that the Sweetwater Fleet has
practiced.  When the 3 ships report that they are not FTL capable,
designated ships converge on them, in order to assist in repairs.  There
are enough spare parts available to handle everything, except a total FTL drive
replacement.

After the repair effort begins, and a defensive unit is watching their
backs, the Admiral turns her attention to the Supply Depot and Space
Station.  Admiral Meyers assures the personnel on those structures, that
they will not be harmed if they cooperate.  She orders both facilities to
turn their defensive systems OFF.  

There are a number of civilian ships docked at the space station. 
Admiral Meyers contacts those civilian ships and tells them that they will not
be harmed.  She instructs them to evacuate the space station and to
stand-by, so that they can evacuate the Supply Depot later.

There are 5 freighters docked at the Supply Depot.  Admiral Meyers
contacts the Supply Depot and orders them to complete the loading of those
vessels.

***

After the loading of the transports at the Supply Depot is complete, and
all personnel have been evacuated, skeleton crews are dispatched to pilot the
requisitioned freighters.

With everyone evacuated, the Sweetwater Fleet quickly destroys the
remaining
verm
assets.  It only takes one missile to destroy the Space Station.  The
Supply Depot requires 4 missiles because there are 4 separate parts.  The
munitions section of the Depot provides a nice light show, as the munitions
explode in a chain reaction.

When the 3 damaged Darinx warships are FTL capable, the Sweetwater Fleet
enters FTL space for a deep space location.  After the FTL drives cool,
the Fleet takes another FTL jump into a remote region of deep space. 

Now they should be safe from any following ships.  Admiral Meyers
decides to stop here in order to complete repairs on their damaged vessels, and
to take stock of their plunder.  She decides to make this location another
stash for captured plunder.

And the plunder that they have captured is
good stuff
.  There
are lots of Verm Navy supplies aboard the transports, so the
verm
-made ships restock
their munitions and spare parts.   Also, one of the freighters was
transporting a supply of precious metals.  The Sweetwater Fleet is now
wealthy - they can afford to buy technology, or information, or even warships.

***

Outside of Supply Depot #2