Quest for the Conestoga (Colony Ship Conestoga Book 1) (5 page)

Jerome’s eyes widened as he observed what happened. “This is an official recording? Sorry.  Forgive me for doubting.  Of course this is genuine. Cammarry, you would not show it to me, if it were not true. This is horrific.  I am appalled.”

“It appears that all the adventurers received this recording. Faraday should have told you about it.” Cammarry wiped her eyes. “Poor Karen.”

“Faraday? Did you receive this recording?” Jerome was puzzled.

The artificial intelligence system Faraday was slower to respond than Jerome expected. When it finally did reply it stated, “I did not receive that recording. There are newly placed blockages in part of my processing system. I am inhibited from receiving any information which does not come through the artificial intelligence system named Artificial Intelligence.”

“Committee member Jubal’s AI?”  Cammarry asked.

“That is correct. I am under chastisement,” the AI Faraday replied. “The unauthorized and illicit monitoring system you established at this location was discovered. I am being held partially responsible for that.”

“My personal AI is hobbled and handcuffed, and the Committee does not even tell me about it. I assume none in the monitoring equipment here will function.”

Cammarry placed a hand on Jerome’s shoulder. “You do not know that it was the entire committee. It could just be Jubal. Since your AI Faraday was not deactivated, decommissioned, or reassigned, I believe the action is from only one of the Committee members.  Winchell? Run a conjecture on the blockages and restrictions which were placed on Faraday.”

“Unable to comply. Sorry. There is a security boundary established around Faraday. I am unable to assess anything beyond the security boundary.”

Cammarry hugged Jerome. “We should return to authorize areas. We also need to discuss that recording from Dome 3, gruesome as it is, and find out how much trouble you are in.”

“Agreed. Something strange has happened.  It looks like Jubal is exercising his power, and hindering my activities by restricting Faraday, however, that visual recording from Dome 3 should only have been shared at an official meeting.  Especially in light of the death of Karen. Distributing it covertly to the AIs is bizarre.  Why do that?  It does not seem to have been authorized by the Committee for distribution.  So something is amiss.”

“Why indeed?  I also need to speak to Jamie and Paul. After what they went through, they need our friendship.” Cammarry took Jerome by the hand and together they went back to the maintenance shaft and down to the authorized areas of Dome 17.

They stepped from the small closet where the concealed entrance was located. No one was in the hallway. Jerome turned to Cammarry and said, “My AI has been compromised. I know it was due to my going into restricted areas, but it galls me that my personal AI would be altered without my notification. I am going to bring this up with Committee member Jubal. It is his artificial intelligence system which is now screening everything going to Faraday.”

“Jerome? With Karen’s death I believe there are more important things to be discussing with the Committee rather than your excursions into unauthorized parts of the dome. Perhaps you can just wait until the more important matters are settled?”

“You might be right, but I am angry.  Cammarry, I was cut out of receiving those recordings. It is almost as if I have been excised from being an adventurer. Jubal is compromising my AI, and that compromises my ability to be an adventurer.  I cannot change Karen’s death, but I can confront Jubal about my AI, and his behavior.”

“Jerome? When we go on missions our personal AIs do not come along,” Cammarry replied. “I understand you are upset; I am upset too.  However, even if the Committee took Winchell away from me I would not be as upset as you are now about Faraday. Honestly, your anger seems misplaced. I am far more troubled that Karen died.  And consider the horrors of what was happening in Dome 3.  Those things bother me greatly.”

Jerome did not reply. He and Cammarry seldom argued and so he pondered what she had said while he looked into her beautiful eyes.

“Jerome I can see this is very important to you.  I could be wrong, but I am going to look for Paul and Jamie to see if there is anything I can do to help them. If you need to go see Jubal, I accept that, even if it is not the choice I would make. I do agree something unusual is happening.  What with Jubal restricting your AI Faraday, and that ghastly recording coming out in the manner it did. I would have expected a major briefing with all the adventurers gathered where we all saw that information together at the same time. Instead we all, except for you apparently, got it individually. That is sneaky and strange and not at all within the established protocol.  What has the Committee been doing?”

“Two selected, one elected,” Jerome replied quoting an idiom about the leadership on the Committee.  “I think I know where Jubal stands, but was it Lorna or Murial who distributed the information about the Dome 3 mission and the manner in which it came out?”

“I want to ask Jamie and Paul about that as well. It looks like the recording was distributed while they were both still in the decontamination process. So neither of them did it. Unless somehow they were able to do it from the decontamination chambers?” Cammarry rubbed her nose a bit and pursed her lips. “Both of them were traumatized severely. Jamie is headstrong, and Paul is moody, but…… Winchell? Is it possible for someone going through decontamination to send information from a data stick and distribute it to all the adventurers?”

Cammarry’s AI replied.  “No.  That is not possible.  Under the current configuration the decontamination chambers only allow for one access point for the information from a data stick to be transferred into the Dome 17 systems and that is via nonphysical contacts.  The data stick itself is incinerated after the information is transferred, and that data stick never actually enters Dome 17 areas, as the transfer point is on the rim of the decontamination system.  Therefore, no person within the decontamination chambers can alter that procedure.  The information from the data stick is directly rendered into the filtering and analysis system which is overseen by the Committee.  There is no other known way to transmit a message during decontamination.”

“What about before?  Could a signal of some kind have come from outside and carried that recording?”  Cammarry pressed. 

“Not by any known system,” Winchell replied.  “What you suggest is theoretically possible, but I have no indications any system like that is operational at this time.”

“Thank you Winchell. That is what I thought.” Cammarry kissed Jerome on the cheek. “I am going to find Jamie and Paul. If you need my help with Jubal or any other Committee member I will be there for you, but first I seek them out to help.  What a thing to experience!”

Jerome nodded as Cammarry walked away.  He was angered, frustrated, confused, and somewhat annoyed by the whole situation. He cared deeply about what happened to Karen, and her death troubled him. He also had concerns about how Jamie and Paul would respond to that death. However, the alteration of his personal artificial intelligence system, Faraday, was even more of a concern.  It was a personal affront he could not ignore. He set his mind on confronting Jubal immediately.

Marching through the hallways Jerome made his way to the living quarters of Jubal. The Committee members had apartments which were basically no different from anyone else in Dome 17.  Approaching the door to that apartment, Jerome anticipated being questioned by Jubal’s artificial intelligence system.  Before it could initiate conversation Jerome stated, “I wish to speak did Jubal immediately.”

A light by the side of the door lit up and the mechanical voice responded. “This is Artificial Intelligence; I will relay your request.”

On any other occasion Jerome may have chuckled at the fact that Jubal’s personal AI had given itself the formal name Artificial Intelligence, however Jerome was in no mood for any type of mirth. “Tell Jubal I know what he has done about my personal AI.”

The door opened and Jubal stepped into the hallway. Jubal’s dark face was severe and his nearly black eyes glared at Jerome. “Yes, I chastised your AI Faraday. Now is not the time to discuss this. There are much more important issues of real substance. The adventurer team that went to Dome 3 has returned, as you are aware.”

Jerome interrupted him.  The words carrying his lie sprang forth before he consciously thought of them. “Dome 3? I have no idea what you are talking about.  You shut down my monitors, and made me technologically blind. Faraday has been shackled by you and I want to know why.”

The lines on Jubal’s face softened as he heard the words. “Artificial Intelligence?  Did Faraday receive the recent unauthorized transmission about Dome 3?”

“No.  I did not allow that message to proceed to Faraday.  The restrictions you desired be placed on the AI Faraday restrict all messages.”

Jubal’s countenance changed.  His eyes quit glaring. “That does make a difference.”  Jubal turned to Jerome. “The team suffered a death in Dome 3.  Karen died.”

“Karen died?” Jerome asked. His facial expressions matched the surprise in his tone, even though it was all deception.

“Yes.  And an unauthorized recording was transmitted to the adventurers which graphically showed the raw conditions within Dome 3.  You are fortunate not to have seen it.” Jubal placed both of his hands over his eyes. He then rubbed his short black hair which was receding from his balding head.  “Jamie has a meeting with me and she should be here momentarily. You and I can discuss your unauthorized expeditions to restricted areas of our dome later. For now, Faraday will remain at 50 percent functioning under the supervision of my AI, Artificial Intelligence.”

“Indeed, a death of one of the adventurers takes precedence. Sorry to have disturbed you,” Jerome said. His mind was bouncing back and forth between the looks he had seen on Jubal’s face, and his words.  Jubal had admitted his involvement in hindering Faraday, but was not responsible for the distribution of the Dome 3 account.  Jerome had witnessed that awful record with Cammarry, but its transmission was not Jubal’s doing.  “I assume there will be an official briefing where I can learn more?”

“I am not sure on that score.  This violation of briefing protocol is unprecedented. I see Jamie coming now, we will discuss your transgressions at another time.”  Jubal’s dismissal was rude and abrupt. 

Jerome looked up and indeed Jamie was walking toward them. Her short red hair bounced in its usual manner, but her freckled face looked weary. Normally her walk was buoyant and sprightly, but now she looked more worn and defeated.

Jubal retreated into his apartment, while Jamie walked past Jerome. Her Hazel eyes looked like they were carrying an immense load of emotion. Jerome reached out for her and she shifted her walk so she could pat him on the shoulder as she walked by.  Their eyes met and she gave him a slight shake of her head.

“I just heard,” Jerome muttered, unsure exactly what to say.

“So word has already spread?” Jamie asked with heaviness in her voice. “No surprises.  Cammarry is certainly effective about spreading news.”

Jubal spoke up from the inside of his apartment. “Cammarry is not the culprit in this matter. Jamie please come inside. Artificial Intelligence? Close and lock the door.  We are not to be disturbed.”

The door sealed and Jerome walked away.  He felt he must now be in the presence of Cammarry and share what he had learned.

“Faraday?  Are you functional enough to locate Cammarry?” 

“Yes.  She is speaking to several adventurers near the recycling corridor,” the AI replied.  “The bindings placed on my operations do not restrict that function.”

“How badly restrained are you?”  Jerome was angry, but felt unsure what to do next about the AI.  He considered Jubal’s word about a fifty percent decrease in function.

“I am not allowed to describe the full extent of my limitations.”

“Perhaps I was barking up the wrong tree?”  Jerome said quietly.  He walked briskly to find Cammarry. 

“Metaphorical or literal?  Are you sure you are using that idiom correctly?”  Faraday asked.  “Trees with bark and creatures that make barking sounds have been extinct for several generations.  The idiom is generally recorded as meaning something like ‘accusing the wrong person’ or ‘searching in the wrong location’ neither of which you did.  Jubal admitted he was responsible for the limits placed upon me.”