Talosian Chronicles 3: Talosian Alliance (15 page)

“Well, if you hear that the Adonis is locked down pending an investigation of espionage, then you’ll know why. Don’t panic, if you do, no matter what, you will all be safely returned to your own space. You’ve acted civilly and honorably. We tend to only punish the bad guys,” Ian explained.

“Well, I know that Goya wanted to speak to you in private, Commander, so Councilor Belden, would you join me in my quarters for some refreshment? Perhaps we can get a better feel for how all of this is going to go,” Councilor Noren said.

“I would be happy to, Councilor, thank you,” Luke replied smiling.

“Careful Councilor, I don’t think his mate is the sharing type!” Ian said grinning at them.

“No problems there!” Noren said. “He’s not my type anyway!"

Her answer got a chuckle out of all of them and made Luke blush.

Admiral Goya quickly got the rest of them into his quarters so they could talk freely.

“Ian, I apologize for inflicting that person on you. Had I a choice I would have spaced him half way here,” Goya said after the door closed.

“Not a problem, Sir. I can certainly understand that you had nothing to do with his coming here,” Ian replied.

“Still, he is an ass, and I know he is going to do something while he’s here to put you in a bad light with the rest of the Grand Council,” Goya said. "The thing is, I was right, we need you far more than you need us. Those idiots on the Council just won’t see it that way,” he explained. “In what little I’ve already see, and from the reports of other things you have accomplished, I can tell that you have already made significant advances over our own technology. Your people have a drive that ours lack. If you need to get something done, it gets done; it doesn’t have to go before a committee to make sure no one profits from it. I can freely tell you that, unless you submit to Talosian Council control, which I know you won’t do, there is no way any treaty between us will ever be ratified.”

“You’re right, there is no way we will accept Talosian Council control. We are willing to work with them, but not for them,” Ian replied. “Our Council almost had me call you and call off this visit, simply because they didn’t want to deal with the mess that Talosian politics has become. Your society is primed for a civil war, and as far as I can tell, it’s pretty much inevitable at this point.”

Goya nodded. “We are aware of that, and a few of us in the military are working against it. But the Council simply will not change, nor will they admit there is a problem. Oh, a few of them, like Noren and those in her faction, know the truth. The rest of those in power simply refuse to believe that there even is a problem. I hate to say, but I think you might be right; it's inevitable at this point.

“That just makes it more important to our survival that we reach an understanding with your people. Even if it’s not official, we will need someone to pull our asses out of the fire when the worst finally does happen,” Goya said.

Ian nodded thoughtfully. “How many ships like the
Adonis
are there? Those controlled by the Council?”

Admiral Pan answered the question. “Almost half of them. The assholes are pressing for more and more everyday too. I’m sure they will insist on Serena’s replacement as soon as we return, since she didn’t violate her word to you and report everything she’s learned here. Unfortunately, they will probably succeed.”

“I kind of thought that might happen,” Serena said, bowing her head. “But I also knew this was important. I still do. I can tell you, that when they send my replacement, they should probably send a crew for the ship as well.”

“Why?” Admiral Pan asked.

“Sir, with respect, my people have found hope here. With that has come a new purpose. Although most of them are unaware of the machinations of the Council, I can tell you that if we are recalled, I might have an issue with people wanting to stay here. Now, if the Council orders my replacement because I did my duty, I wouldn’t be surprised if they simply didn’t abandon ship. Sir, since we lost the Hyregis system, most of my crew has come to see this as their new home.”

“If it came to it, would your crew stand with the Terrans against other Talosians?” Goya asked, suddenly.

“If the Talosians are in the wrong, and they knew it, probably,” Serena said. “At the very least they would remove the ship from the conflict."

“That would happen anyway since your AI will not allow firing on Talosian ships, neither will Ian’s unfortunately,” Goya said.

“Sir, I do not wish to argue with you, but if it comes to it, Star Dancer will fight as long as she is able. That programming no longer has control over her,” Ian replied.

“How so?” Goya asked.

“Sir, the Star Dancer AI unit achieved sentience twelve hundred years ago. Currently she is acting as a normal member of the crew, and she has been greatly restricted as far as her control of systems in the ship are concerned.” Serena replied.

“A sentient AI? The council will never stand for that. Once they discover her, I am sure they will demand her immediate deactivation. Especially since she no longer has control of the ship,” Pan said. “Are you aware of how dangerous a sentient AI is, Commander?” the last he asked of Ian.

“Yes sir, we are very aware of how dangerous she could have been. However, I will not murder a member of my crew in order to appease a foreign government. Before you try to argue it with me, yes, it would be murder. She is sentient. That is a point I will not argue, nor will I budge one inch. She remains as she is until she chooses otherwise. She has rights in our society, and it is my duty, as her commander and as a member of the military, to defend her with my life,” Ian said adamantly

Although the Talosians looked troubled about it, neither one tried to argue with him over it.

“How many other AI do you have functioning in the sector, Ian?” Goya asked.

“Currently, there are seven other sentient AI alive and functioning in the sector. Maia, the AI for this station is aware, but is still being prepared for her duties here. Harmonia, the AI for the Martian facility, is also aware, but not as far along as Maia is. Other than Mathias on Earth’s moon, the rest are assigned to classified areas,” Ian reported.

“All of them are sentient?” Pan asked.

Ian nodded. “Yes, they are also citizens of our society and have all the same rights the rest of us have. We do have plans for non-sentient AI to be built as well, but those will most likely work in places like communications control or one of the more complex public services.”

Once they discover it, the number of AI as well as the fact that they are all sentient will be an issue for the Council. I am certain they will call for their immediate destruction,” Pan said. “Under normal circumstances, I would agree with them on that. We learned long ago that such a powerful entity as an AI simply cannot be allowed the freedom of sentience; it is simply far too dangerous to the survival of the race. However, I think I will withhold judgment in this instance. First of all, it isn’t our decision to make, and secondly, you might very well have stumbled across the key to letting them safely exist.”

“So, now that you’ve been warned about Aramaliss and the Council, what other wonders can you tell us about?” Goya asked, grinning like a kid at Christmas.

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I
an, Goya and Pan had become good friends over the last three days of tours. He felt that he could be a friend with Noren as well, but since she was a Councilor, she spent most of her time with Luke Belden and Laura Johnson, the two local Council members that agreed to escort the visitors around the system. Ian knew Aramaliss was going to be a problem, but he never dreamed that he would intentionally offend Laura Johnson by telling her that her husband’s death was a result of Ian’s incompetence as a commander. Laura slapped him, and stormed out of the dinner they had been sharing.

According to Luke, Noren read Aramaliss the riot act, but the man only nodded his head and looked pleased with himself. When Luke got Laura to return to the dinner, Aramaliss did apologize, although it was clear he was only doing it to appease Noren.

Ian, Goya and Pan had just returned to his ready room after a tour of Engineering when Star interrupted him.

“I apologize for interrupting, Sirs. Commander, I have issued a security alert for my core vault.”

Ian shook his head. “Let me guess, Aramaliss or his aide?”

Star nodded her head. “His aide, Tyrith Landree. He disabled the external Marines by overloading their suit power systems. When he managed to override the airlock, and open the door, I had alerted the internal Marines. He found himself looking down the barrel of a pulse rifle when he got the door opened. They have taken him to the brig to await questioning," she finished.

“Major, did the report say how he managed to overload the suit power systems? That isn’t supposed to be possible.” Admiral Goya asked.

Star turned to face him. “Sir, with respect, the Marines on guard outside my vault are still using the older model armor. Mr. Landree’s family designed them. It is most likely that the man simply accessed the knowledge on the armor before even coming here. It is now obvious that armor had been built with an intentional override system. I have already entered a request that my guard detail wear their new combat armor while on duty.”

“Major,” Ian said since it was a formal interview. “Why were they wearing the old armor anyway?”

“There was no need to wear the upgraded armor for this mission, Sir. I approved the use of the older armor as a means of reducing the stress on the combat models. The fault is mine. I have since corrected it,” Star replied. “This will not happen again.” 

Ian nodded. “Well done. Please pass the word that from now on, all personnel will wear the new armor while on duty. We never know when we’ll be called on to fight, and we certainly will not have the time to change clothes before we do."

“Will that order include the command staff, Sir?” Star asked.

“Yes, Major, all military personnel. During an emergency, putting it on would give the civilians something else to think about.” Ian touched his comm. “Mel, could you get me the armorer please?”

“Yes Sir, one moment please,” Mel replied. A moment later, the gruff Scot replied. “Arms Room, what can I do fer ya, Sair?"

“I was wondering if you have the time to fabricate a couple of new suits of armor, Gunny?” Ian asked.

“Aye, we can do that. Who did ya have in mind?” the man asked.

“There are two Admirals visiting from Talosian High Command. I was wondering if you could put them through the process and get them suited up?” Ian asked.

“Aye Sair, we can surly do that fer ye. Just come on by when ye want, and we can scan them,” the Gunny replied. “We should have it ready by the end of the day, or by the mornin'. Ya ken that they’ll be a needin’ it sooner, Sair?”

“That would be great, Gunny, thanks. No, they shouldn’t need it, but it would be nice just in case. We’ll be down in a little bit,” Ian said. “We have another situation to deal with first.”

“Will that be all, Sair?” the Gunny asked.

“Yep, thanks a lot, Gunny,” Ian said, and closed the channel. He turned to Star. “Thank you Major, I’ll take it from here. Good work, and please resume your duties.”

“Yes Sir,” Star said, and faded out.

“I think you might be right about her, Ian,” Goya said. “A normal AI would never admit it made a mistake, and it certainly wouldn't have corrected it without orders.”

Pan nodded agreement. “She seems a very competent officer as well. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was as human as everyone else on board. You're certain she has been disconnected from the major systems?”

Ian nodded. “We tested it many times, and she herself reported the only one we missed, it would have allowed her to shut down the main reactors without orders to do so. We corrected it, and she has been functioning perfectly.”

“Still, the AI were installed to allow the commander to have direct access and control over the entire ship. What you’ve done to her is reduce her to just another crew member,” Pan replied.

“No, actually, as long as Jenny or I are issuing the orders, she can still access whatever systems she needs to. She is still capable of her original functions, they are simply not part of her normal duties anymore.” Ian explained. "Now, should we go see what this prick was up to, and who put him up to it?”

The two older men agreed, and Ian asked for one of Janet Laskar’s people to join them for the interrogation. Neither of the older men thought it was anything other than Ian asking for a special interrogator.

When they arrived at the brig, Ian introduced them. “Admirals, please let me introduce one on our civilian recruiters. Normally she would be working on Earth finding people to join us. However, she is on leave and visiting her family on board.

“The reason she is here is because she has special abilities that let her detect the truth, which is why she is such a good recruiter,” Ian finished.

The smaller woman grinned up at Ian. “What the Commander is dancing around telling you is that I’m telepathic. I have the ability to read a person’s mind and see if they are duplicitous, or would be dangerous to us.” She turned back to Ian. “So, what did you have in mind? I assume that there is a prisoner to interrogate, or we wouldn’t be in the brig.”

“You’re telepathic? That’s astounding!” Pan replied shocked. "We’ve had a few people with special abilities like her, but they died out. We have no idea why, but finding a person with active mental abilities today is impossible.”

“It’s pretty rare here too,” the woman replied. “Most of us were drawn here by our abilities, because it simply isn’t safe for us on Earth. Here, we don’t have to worry about being dissected or worse,” the woman said.

Ian nodded to the woman. “I’m afraid you’re correct, Nancy. Star caught a person trying to break into her vault. We need to know everything we can find out about the event."