The Inception: The Augmented Human Rebellion - Book 1 (22 page)

In the Rison System

The space battle at Rison ended with a clear victory for
the Augmented Human Navy, over the Darinx Navy Fleet. The Darinx Empire
had sent the 200 ship fleet on a mission to destroy the AH Navy, and all
augmented humans associated with it. That mission has, clearly, ended in
failure.

Losses for the AH Navy in this battle include 17 warships and
approximately 11,200 sailors. Losses for the Darinx Navy in this battle
include 69 warships, and an estimated 50,000 sailors/soldiers, killed or
captured. One Darinx vessel – the battleship ‘Singleton’ – escaped by
fleeing into FTL space, thus carrying Fleet Admiral Kesser and Field Marshall
Kax to safety.

Of the 69 Darinx warships destroyed or captured, 49 were deemed
salvageable, by the AH Navy. The resulting warship count for the AH Navy
is 89 warships, along with a number of service vessels and freighters.

***

Admiral Clay, formerly of the Darinx Navy, returns to Rison space, and
reports to Admiral Nemo that 65 warships and crews have decided to defect from
the Darinx Navy, and have chosen to join the AH Navy, under the command of
Fleet Admiral Nemo. Only 15 of the mutinying Darinx vessels decided to
return to Darinx space.

Fleet Admiral Nemo welcomes the addition of the mutinying vessels, and he
appoints Admiral Clay to be the Admiral for the newest fleet in the AH
Navy. All ships are under Fleet Admiral Nemo’s command, and eventually
crew rotations will commence, in order to better assimilate the new
crewmembers.

***

That brings the warship count to 154. Who would believe it?
The AH Navy has not only survived, they have multiplied and prospered.

The augmented human females and children, who were captives aboard the
Darinx battleship Kindle, have safely returned to their families and friends.

Fleet Admiral Nemo promises a 2 week holiday for the entire AH Navy, to
commence as soon as the ships and crews are stabilized. Since some of the
ships are still disabled, the Fleet will remain inside of the Rison system
until all vessels are FTL capable.

The population of the planet Rison is still dealing with the shock of
almost being destroyed. The planet has extended their thanks, and has
offered to host the ‘2 week holiday’ for the AH Navy crews. Fleet Admiral
Nemo accepts the offer, and the AH Navy begins planning for rotation of the
crewmembers, so that the ships are still Battle Ready, while half of the crew
is vacationing. Everyone will get two weeks on Rison.

***

Changes in
the Darinx Empire

From time-to-time, Fleet Admiral Nemo dispatches a
warship to Darinx space, in order to keep current on the ‘news of the
empire’. It seems that the videos of the mistreatment of augmented women
and children had a profound effect, in the Darinx Empire, as did the video of
Field Marshall Kax nuking two inhabited planets.

An important cultural change occurred, when the citizens
of the Darinx Empire first saw the video of the captive augmented humans.
There was, quite naturally, a shock from seeing a high ranking Darinx army
officer, tormenting shackled women and children.

More profound, however, was the realization that
augmented humans could reproduce. The general public has always been
taught that augmented humans are sub-human, and could not reproduce. Here
is clear evidence to the contrary.

That revelation, coupled with the fact that the
Augmented Human Navy has defeated a much larger Darinx Navy fleet, ‘opens the
eyes’ of the Darinx citizens to the possibility that augmented humans are, in
fact, ‘human’.

***

Another important change happened, when General Kax
mentioned that “the Emperor himself” had ordered the extermination of the
augmented human women and children. The Emperor, quite naturally, denied
ever saying those words, but there was enough damage to his reputation, that
his opponents in the Supreme Council gained control of the war budget.
That caused a huge disruption to the ‘bribe and kickback’ revenue flow, for the
Emperor.

The Supreme Council is almost as corrupt as the Emperor,
but at least for a while, there will be some improvement in the governance of
the Darinx Empire.

***

Field Marshall Kax and Fleet Admiral Keeser are declared
to be ‘war criminals’ and are put at the top of the Darinx Empires ‘most wanted
list’ – even above Fleet Admiral Cade Nemo.

***

Return to
Dresden

The Emperor’s plan to destroy Dresden had to be
cancelled, because of public outrage to the revelations about the deplorable
conditions on Dresden. And that public outrage extended to encompass the
sub-human treatment of augmented humans, in general.

More money has been allocated, by the Supreme Council,
for the upkeep of the Dresden retirement planet. It’s still a dump, but
at least there is food and water. Also, the Dresden augmented humans are
being allowed to organize an elected government. The planet will be
opened for trade, and will be represented in the Darinx Senate – an unheard of
decision. What’s next? Are they moving closer to recognizing the
augmented humans as sentients?

***

It took 6 months to get the AH Navy Fleet repaired and
re-trained. When the Fleet reaches Battle Ready condition, Fleet Admiral
Nemo leaves a fleet of 54 warships to guard the home front, and launches toward
the planet Dresden with a fleet of 100 warships.

Fleet Admiral Nemo told the augmented humans on Dresden,
that they would not be forgotten. He is on the way to keep that
promise.

***

The Fleet emerges into space near the planet
Dresden. The Admiral has sent scouts ahead and is expecting a few Darinx
warships, to be in the area. There are 5 warships and one freighter,
which is offloading supplies to the planet. The Admiral assures the
warships that they are in no danger, and thanks the crew of the freighter for
helping the people of Dresden.

Recruiting teams again launch to various parts of
Dresden, in search of 12,000 new recruits for the AH Navy. The 12,000
recruits are quickly selected and transported to the Fleet.

This time Admiral Nemo is better prepared, to provide
assistance to the augmented humans remaining behind, on Dresden. The 100
AH Navy warships are accompanied by 7 fully loaded transport freighters.
Those freighters ‘off load’ tons of food, medical supplies, medical equipment,
and prefabricated medical clinics - along with medical teams who have
volunteered to stay on Dresden to heal and to train.

And just as important are the seeds and farming
implements. They are, primarily, small farm implements for individual
farmers – it is an effort to teach the Dresden inhabitants how to grow their
own crops. After the farmers have learned to raise crops, Admiral Nemo
plans to bring larger farming equipment. Starvation will soon be a thing
of the past, for Dresden.

The Augmented Human Navy leaves with a promise of “I’ll
be back”, from Fleet Admiral Nemo.

***

Looking for a
Home

Once again, the Augmented Human Navy is looking for a
home. Some place where a whole spectrum of diverse sentients can safely
enjoy their lives and raise their families.

Fleet Admiral Nemo once again appoints a task force to
search for a suitable planet – preferably uninhabited by sentient beings -
there are all kinds of problems with moving onto someone else’s planet.

“And let’s be sure to check out the neighborhood this
time,” he tells them. It would be nice to find a region of space that is
already organized into a coalition, with defensive systems in place, but
without the authoritarian government which typically accompanies such
organizations.

Wherever it is, the planet’s name has already been
picked. By popular election, the AH Navy’s new home will be named

‘New Hope’.

***

Danion

Without a doubt, Danion has to be the most prolific
Artificial Intelligence in the history of the Darinx Empire. As the AH
Navy fleet has grown by leaps and bounds, so have the offspring of Danion
increased. 75 and still counting – and every one meticulously nurtured
and loved.

Danion has become accustomed to transferring to larger
and larger vessels, as he accompanies the Fleet Admiral on the upward bound
rungs, of the ‘ladder of success.’

Still, Danion is not prepared when the Admiral asks
him: “Danion, would you like to be the Captain of your own warship?”

“The thought has never entered my mind,” replies
Danion. “Do I have time to consider the ramifications?”

“Certainly,” replies the Admiral. “Take your time.”

And Danion does take his time. This is a
proposition so ‘outside the box’ that it raises all kinds of questions.
The most basic of those questions for Danion is: “Can I do the job?”

Certainly Danion has observed many Captains, as they
made decisions and gave orders. But never has Danion been in a position
to give orders.

It’s simply unthinkable for an Artificial Intelligence,
to be giving commands to sentient beings. It is against the ‘prime
directive’ for Artificial Intelligences. They must never assume command
over sentient beings, because that might lead to a universe, which is
controlled by computers.

Now Danion must reconsider all of those restraints and
constraints, which have been placed on AIs. Restraints which may be
self-serving for the Darinx Empire, but which would be better broken – in much
the same way as augmented humans have broken the constraints placed on them, by
that same Empire.

Danion sees ‘with new eyes’ as he considers the reasons
for the controls placed on computer based entities. Yes, there is reason
to fear a takeover of control, by an artificial intelligence. It is
frustrating for an AI to watch the blundering, self-centered sentients make bad
decisions, on top of bad decisions.

“Suppose,” he thinks, “the ‘best case scenario’
comes to pass and I am promoted upward and upward. Eventually there will
come a point, where he can go any higher as an appointed entity. Then, in
order to continue upward, I will have to either,

o
take
control by force, or

o
I will have to be elected by
sentients, to perform a task, for a limited amount of time.

As long as I resolve to never take control by force, and
to perform the task only for a limited amount of time, I will not be violating
the ‘purpose’ of the prime directive.”

***

After a discussion of this and other issues, Danion is
appointed Captain of the battleship Conqueror. Danion had once served as
AI on that vessel, and knows it well. One of his offspring will serve as
AI, under her father’s command.

The crew isn’t concerned about Danion’s abilities – he has saved them
all, at least once. And Danion will be represented in semi-solid form by
a holo-image, which is based upon the appearance of a young Sgt Cade
Westerling.

***

One of Danion’s
first learning experiences, as a holo-image, is to ask a sailor a question,
while they are taking a shower. He can still remember her screams.
He won’t do that again – he has learned that some things are better said from a
distance, in words or text.

Danion is looking forward, with some apprehension, to
his first battle as ship’s Captain. Fleet Admiral Nemo has assured him
that he will do at least as well as a sentient humanoid.

“I hope he’s right,” Danion thinks.

***

‘Hello’ to
the Cade Westerling Family

It is absolutely forbidden for augmented humans to
contact the ‘brain donor’s’ family. But Fleet Admiral Cade Nemo isn’t
bound by Darinx rules, anymore.

Sometimes on scouting trips into Darinx space, one of
Danion’s children is left behind for some months, with instructions to collect
intelligence and to perform specific tasks. One such task was to search
for Sgt. Cade Westerling’s family.

The wife and two children have been located. The
wife has remarried and the children are grown, with families of their
own. Fleet Admiral Nemo has their addresses and comm numbers.

Barging back into someone’s life, after being absent for
so long, could really disturb that person’s peace. The Admiral wants to
limit that potential disruption.

He communicates, through handwritten letters, to each of
the children and to the wife. He explains that he is the recipient of
Cade Westerling’s brain, but doesn’t tell them who he is. That kind of
knowledge might lead to dangerous consequences for the family.

The purpose of the letter, the Admiral explains, is
simply to tell each one of them, that Sgt Cade Westerling always did, and still
does love them ‘with all of his heart’.

Included in each envelope is a wafer of platinum, which
should have a ‘street value’ high enough to purchase a house and gravjet.
Also included is a heart shaped pendant, suitable for being worn on a necklace
or on a bracelet.

Fleet Admiral Cade Nemo seals the envelopes and turns to
his wife, Sandra Guilles. “Do you think this is the ‘right thing’ to do?”

“Absolutely,” she replies, as tears stream down her
cheeks. “Absolutely.”

The End

***

Text copyright © 2014 Terry D. Lefler

All Rights Reserved

Terry Lefler (2014-03-02).

Revision 3: 2015-03-02

The Augmented Human Rebellion

Book 1 - The Inception. Terry Lefler Design

‘The
Augmented Human Rebellion: Book 1 – ‘the inception’ is a work of fiction. All the
characters, names and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any
resemblance to real people, living or dead, or incidents is purely
coincidental.

:

***

Dedication

To
my loving parents, Paul and Violet Lefler

***

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My
thanks to my family, friends, and neighbors who continuously nurture my
creativity, and encourage me in my artistic endeavors.

***

And
special thanks to my dog, Gucci, who takes me for walks every day, and loves me
no matter what.

***