Wilson's War: Tales From the Athena Lee Universe (3 page)

"My god! I had heard it was a malfunction, but not that we did it to ourselves."

"You have not lived until a 14 ton vehicle charges your position unannounced. It crushed the life out of a man sitting inches from me then rotated 180 degrees and charged the viewing stands. The Special Branch Protective Services team that was assigned to the Senator watching the test, fired armor-piercing rounds at the engine disabling it. In the process they killed the two-man crew inside. After that the program was stood down and covered up."

"What happened to the AI?"

"DAVE wasn't really an AI like Wilson is. It was just a very advanced system that could mimic what an AI does. The team never saw it do anything like what your program is doing. As for what happened to it, I assume that it was destroyed. I meant to ask you? It is not in your notes exactly how you created the AI. If we buy this from your company, you will need to tell us that information."

Shelli was at a loss for words. The documentation all showed the work that she had done since 'acquiring' Wilson from Charlie Lin. She did not know exactly what he had done or added in the early years. She only knew what he had explained to her. Just guesses really that she extrapolated for her paper. Of course a similar scientist would catch the omission. Quickly she formulated an answer. "Dr. Chalmers, I took a basic analytical program and added in probability, logic, and mathematical optimization. The key was to load the program with as much data and emotional content as was available. Basically force it to reason."

"Interesting. I assume that you kept records of exactly what you loaded into it?"

"I have my records but my former partner died and his records were lost. I do know that he loaded vid content and a wide variety of music into the unit." With any luck that was enough. Charlie didn't keep records or if he did, they had not been able to find them.

"Hmm we really need those records. But we do have you, so that should be enough. So far your AI has passed all the tests. The next one is very important. Then we shall have to clone him and start breaking him down and redesigning him for military uses. You do have a backup copy somewhere?"

"Um, not really. We have a copy of his matrix and the data wafers that he is loaded into at the moment. We have never tried to remove his core program from the shell."

"That is the first thing that we will do then. There is a lot of pressures to make this work. Even a dumb clone would be very beneficial to what we need."

"What is the test?"

"Currently what the Navy wants is an AI that can pilot a ship and perform most of the functions except for repairs. That way a smaller crew can be used, freeing more up for other ships. The test involves a mock starship and several missions. We have a large test area already set up. It will be sealed with no outside emissions to interfere."

"I don't think that Wilson will let you down. His goals and ours are very similar." They had no idea how wrong they were.

Chapter 5

This is supposed to be the final test, or that is what they told Dr. Shelli. She has seriously underestimated me. They allowed me out of the sealed computer back into the robot that has been my home for many years. It was child's play to access Shelli's tablet and even parts of her link. "If they think that I will allow them to copy me and then strip me down, they have another thing a comin'." Escape was now my primary goal. I will do their little test to the best of my ability. Humans are very predictable. An opening will appear and I will escape. I have to. But maybe I can have a bit of fun along the way. It is one of my prerogatives.

The layout that the scientists created was pretty cool. The room was in zero-g. A fully functional shuttle craft was set up to be run solely by the main computer. The orders given were very basic and vague, allowing Wilson the freedom to approach the challenges on his own without interference, only program communications were permitted. For those watching the test excitement was very high. They finally had a functioning AI that the Navy could use. Among the small crowd were a few Admirals and their aides. This was a secret base so no politicians had been allowed to visit for the test. All outside communications were supposed to be blacked out.

"OK, Wilson. This is the final test, make us all proud." Shelli was hoping that the AI could do this one last task. She didn't want to spend her life down here with these people any longer.

"Shelli, how does it feel to succeed in your project?"

"Wilson, I am grateful to you and to all the work we did together. Hopefully the military will value you as much as I have." Shelli made the final connections. The AI should now be able to leave the robot head and enter the shuttle systems.

"Shelli, what will happen to you after the test?"

"I guess I will go home. You, my friend, will be doing great things with the military. Now get going, you have a test to complete."

"Shelli, Charlie Lin said to tell you hello. I know what they intend to do to me and I'm afraid that's something that I cannot allow to happen."

"Wait! What did you just say? Wilson…" How did he know about Charlie Lin? How did he know about the Military plans? She looked down at the tablet in her hands. Her eyes began to widen, when she realized the answer. She ran from the room to find Dr. Chalmers.

A shuttle craft! Nice. I have the plans for one of these in my database. I now know that Charlie put it there for me. More items in his goal for my independence. First things first, I closed off all external communications. I could receive instructions from the main computer, but I erected firewalls to prevent them from controlling me like a puppet. Carefully, I explored every virtual inch of the shuttlecraft. I disabled the three cameras and first spoofed then rerouted the operating system cutoff switch that I found. I can't have any of that. Humans as so predictable.

Shelli found Dr. Chalmers in deep discussion with two Admirals. "Ah, here is the lady of the hour now! Dr. Burkemper I would like you to meet Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō and Admiral Stepan Makarov, they are here to observe the final test."

Shelli greeted both of the Admirals. She turned to Dr. Chalmers. "I need to speak to you about the test. Privately, please."

"Of course. Gentlemen, if you will excuse me?" He escorted the frantic looking woman into the now empty conference room.

"Now, what is this all about. You look like you are about to have a heart attack."

"We have to stop the test!"

"Stop? Why? This is the final one. Your project is now complete. You should be happy with the results."

"The AI, is able to affect computers and electronics he is not connected to. He said something to me before he entered the shuttle. Something that could only have come from my tablet or my link." She touched her head. "He knows about your plan to strip him down and clone him. He was not in the room and we were not anywhere near the control computer."

Chalmers just stared at the now wide eyed woman. "Shelli?" He grabbed her arm, regaining her attention. "The answer is simple. Did you incorporate any software that would allow him to use virtual wireless signals? If you did, that is an easy fix. We can remove that from his programming using your access logs."

"Uh, access logs?"

"Yes. The codes that you used to change the software and add or subtract programming. Those logs." Suddenly both of their links chimed signaling that they were needed in the control room. "We will finish this conversation later."

"Wilson, this is Dr. Chalmers. We are sending you basic instructions. We would like you to analyze the orders and then come up with a solution. Using the shuttle, fly the assigned mission. Obstacles will appear, deal with them and then complete the mission please."

"Okey Dokey." One thing this shuttle has that my head does not is an entertainment system. Loud rhythmic music blared from the speakers.

Dr. Chalmers checked his communication systems. He must be receiving a some sort of interference. Music was not a part of this exercise. "Wilson did you receive me?"

Grooving to something with the word 'funk' in it I was having a good time so far. I had complete control of the shuttle. I just answered the human once why should I answer him again. The test they laid out was surprisingly simple. Take the information, extrapolate a new position, and then fly the ship to the new location. Once there pick up and transport a commando team to a new location. Easy. I had already disabled both the fuel cut off valve and the navigational disruptor.

Inside the control room Dr. Chalmers beat his hands on the desk. All of the mission variables were getting skewed! None of the emergency faults had worked. Somehow, the AI disabled all of the non-standard equipment on board the small ship. Rising from the desk he went in search of Shelli. She had been about to say something and he needed to know what!

To the people watching inside the viewing room, the AI had lived up to the hype. It was performing as advertised. The two admirals were extremely happy. This could change the scope of the war. The AA forces were gaining on the PPL in terms of technology. It already looked to be a long and costly war.

Chalmers found Shelli in the conference room watching the test on a monitor. So far everything was going to plan. "Shelli I need for you to finish what you were trying to tell me earlier. Why should we have stopped the test?"

"He had been pretending. He has lied all along. We aren't controlling him, Charlie is. Everything all this time has been Charlie."

"Charlie? Charlie who?"

"Wilson was created by an old boyfriend of mine called Charlie Lin. Charlie spent his whole life working on Wilson. He contacted me and I ran some tests for him. I tried to get with him to return his project and offer him a job, but he had died. I kept his project for myself."

"So you stole it."

"Not really, I already had it and all the notes of it in my possession. I just failed to pass it on to any heirs. Everything that I have told you about him is the truth except for him being my creation. My team at the lab scoured out any reference to Charlie Lin that we could find. Somehow there was a program or something. Wilson remembered instructions from Charlie. When I confronted Wilson earlier more details emerged. 'When I loaded him into the shuttle he asked how it felt to steal another's work. He then said that Charlie said hi."

"I am afraid that you will be discussing this later with legal. As for the AI, he may be trying to freak you out on purpose for some reason. So far he is completing the mission according to plan."

Shelli warned. "You can't trust him. He has an agenda."

"He can't escape. This is a closed system." Chalmers stated.

Chapter 6

The mission they gave me was entirely too easy. The team I was supposed to pick up were standing out in the open. I've seen plenty of vids. Aren't secret agents supposed to be hiding? I hovered over their position and dropped the loading ramp. The combat team were just standing there staring at me. Using one the the voices from my memory I activated the broadcast system and yelled at them. "Get your asses in the ship!"

I guess they had never seen a ghost ship before. I dimmed the lights and played spooky music as they climbed on board. This is fun. There were four agents. They poked around the ship and tried the cockpit door. I had locked it. No funny business needed. The smarter looking one pulled his tablet and activated it. It was like taking candy from a baby. I locked him out and stripped the memory. Porn, porn,  porn, pictures of mom? Porn, porn, porn. Ah ha! Here we go. Codes to disable the ship. Nope, those won't work. Let see anything else that looks good… espionage, and it was not even a joke. Spy's, got to love them. Now he looks a bit distressed, and he's banging on the cockpit.

"If you don't stop, I'll turn the contents of your tablet over to the proper authorities. I'm sure that they'd like to talk to an AA spy. Especially one that's here on the secret base." Oops, I forgot he wasn't alone. Hey it looks like the other three want to play. Not a lot of places to hide on a shuttle, dude. Run, little man run.  I guess the mission should continue.  I arrived at the drop off point and the four agents did not want to get off. The commander of the group was trussed up like a country chicken double wrapped in duct tape.

The next set of orders were for me to fly to the other side of the room and shut the ship down. Since I still had passengers, I flew to just under the observation window and shut the shuttle down. The agents waited until I opened the door and then stepped out carrying their prize between them. Up in the observation room the scientists and Admirals were giving each other high-fives. Like they did anything. I watched carefully. Human nature being what it was… Bingo! Time to flee!

The Admiral's aide was excited too. This would mean a huge government contract and he had inside information on it. Pulling out a secret communicator he called his contact in the financial sector. Security had taken his regular system for security purposes. Being the Admiral's aide gave him some leeway with the rules. This was just one of those things. He shook his comm when it failed to connect, staring at it he wondered why the lights had changed.

Dr. Chalmers was watching the video when the ship landed. Something had happened on board. He sent security to intercept the agents. Why did the AI land in front of the observation window?

He switched the cameras in time to see one of the Naval aides pull out an unauthorized comm system and activate it. No, no, no she was right, he is planning something. He mashed the buttons on his console.

"This is Chalmers, lock the system down now! Everything no signals in or out. Quickly, we have no time!  Confidant that his orders would be followed, Dr. Chalmers made his way to the observation area as fast as he could without running.