Vigilante (8 page)
“But now we find that Parmet will be at Priamos. It’s too dangerous for
you, Ari.”
you, Ari.”
She drew a deep breath. “I figured we could run into him. I know that
Maria Guillotte’s already there managing contractors who, not surprisingly, have strong
connections to the Terran Space Forces. I can handle it.”
Maria Guillotte’s already there managing contractors who, not surprisingly, have strong
connections to the Terran Space Forces. I can handle it.”
“No. They tortured you, Ari.” Matt looked for support from Joyce, but
didn’t get any. The sergeant’s face closed and he crossed his arms as he leaned against the
wall. He was staying out of this discussion. Matt added, “I thought Parmet hinted that if he
saw you again—well, he’d do something.”
didn’t get any. The sergeant’s face closed and he crossed his arms as he leaned against the
wall. He was staying out of this discussion. Matt added, “I thought Parmet hinted that if he
saw you again—well, he’d do something.”
“I’m not going to let his threats rule my life, or
yours
. We need to be able to go about our business.” She was adamant, or at
least she could
act
resolute, as Matt looked searchingly into her
face. Internally, she was less sure. What would she do when she ran into Maria or Parmet? Smile
brightly and say,
Hey, remember me? A couple months ago you pumped me full
of mind-altering drugs and pain enhancers, then beat me up, broke my legs, blackmailed me, and
dumped me in an addict commons
.
yours
. We need to be able to go about our business.” She was adamant, or at
least she could
act
resolute, as Matt looked searchingly into her
face. Internally, she was less sure. What would she do when she ran into Maria or Parmet? Smile
brightly and say,
Hey, remember me? A couple months ago you pumped me full
of mind-altering drugs and pain enhancers, then beat me up, broke my legs, blackmailed me, and
dumped me in an addict commons
.
“You could end up sitting across a conference table from them.” As he
watched her, Matt looked less doubtful.
watched her, Matt looked less doubtful.
“Sure. But the Terran leases depend upon my silence and they know that.
I doubt they’ll attempt to mug me in the station halls.”
I doubt they’ll attempt to mug me in the station halls.”
Relief and worry battled on Matt’s face, but cleared when she smiled at
him. Sure, she’d love to shun the stuffy business briefings, but Matt and his leases had saved
her life.
him. Sure, she’d love to shun the stuffy business briefings, but Matt and his leases had saved
her life.
So it was settled. Well, maybe not.
“What about
my
schedule?” Joyce asked. “It
takes around ten hours to get to Beta Priamos—”
my
schedule?” Joyce asked. “It
takes around ten hours to get to Beta Priamos—”
“Nine point five hours in
Aether’s Touch
,”
Ariane said.
Aether’s Touch
,”
Ariane said.
“Fine. To make your meeting, Ms. Kedros, you don’t need to leave for
another eight hours, but I should get to Beta Priamos as soon as possible.”
another eight hours, but I should get to Beta Priamos as soon as possible.”
Matt was seriously considering Joyce’s words. He locked glances with
her. This was unlike Matt, violating crew rest guidelines by making her turn around the ship so
fast, but his eyes asked her to do it. He knew something. What was so important about Joyce
getting to Priamos? She sighed, knowing how this would play out, and agreed.
her. This was unlike Matt, violating crew rest guidelines by making her turn around the ship so
fast, but his eyes asked her to do it. He knew something. What was so important about Joyce
getting to Priamos? She sighed, knowing how this would play out, and agreed.
“I’ll follow you out to Priamos when
Venture’s
Way
gets here,” Matt said.
Venture’s
Way
gets here,” Matt said.
After he left, she frowned at Joyce. “Tell me you didn’t do that just to
get out of dinner on the
Pilgrimage
.”
get out of dinner on the
Pilgrimage
.”
Joyce smiled.
CHAPTER 5
The College of History is at fever pitch: We’re finally get ting data
surrounding the Ura-Guinn detonation. What
happened to the inhabitants and how did they cope?
We’re analyzing the signals broadcasted soon after
the detonation. The chaotic fragments and the signal to-noise ratio make this nearly
impossible, but this is
why we built the Epsilon Eridani deep-space, high-gain
antenna.
Journal of Marcus Alexander
, Sophist
at Konstantinople
Prime University, 2105.326.09.15 UT, indexed by
Democritus 9
under Cause and Effect Imperative
A
riane got the ship serviced, undocked, and in
a boost toward Priamos. For their safety and comfort, she turned on the gravity generator. Then
she slept.
riane got the ship serviced, undocked, and in
a boost toward Priamos. For their safety and comfort, she turned on the gravity generator. Then
she slept.
“You look better,” Joyce said when she reappeared on the control deck.
He had minded the consoles while she slept for a couple hours.
He had minded the consoles while she slept for a couple hours.
She plopped down onto the secondary control seat and looked at their
position. They’d recently passed by a relay, which used the Minoan time buoy to shuttle faster
than light communications around the solar system. “Is the comm forwarding up?”
position. They’d recently passed by a relay, which used the Minoan time buoy to shuttle faster
than light communications around the solar system. “Is the comm forwarding up?”
“I pinged the relay and it’s not operational yet. Perhaps it’s time to
complain to the Pilgrimage staff. However, we did get a light-speed message from Mr. Journey.
He said he’d be talking to a lawyer ’bout the time we arrive at Beta Priamos.”
complain to the Pilgrimage staff. However, we did get a light-speed message from Mr. Journey.
He said he’d be talking to a lawyer ’bout the time we arrive at Beta Priamos.”
“Thanks for copiloting,” she added, running her fingers through her
hair. As usual, her short, loose curls arranged themselves obediently; she’d been lucky to get
her mother’s dark hair, eyes, and complexion. She felt a pang of guilt as she thought of her
mother and father, both passing away while she was on active duty during the war. Then, before
she could take leave and visit their graves, the Ura-Guinn event occurred and her new identity
barred her from visiting that crypt in a little town on the shore of Nuovo Adriatico
Estes.
hair. As usual, her short, loose curls arranged themselves obediently; she’d been lucky to get
her mother’s dark hair, eyes, and complexion. She felt a pang of guilt as she thought of her
mother and father, both passing away while she was on active duty during the war. Then, before
she could take leave and visit their graves, the Ura-Guinn event occurred and her new identity
barred her from visiting that crypt in a little town on the shore of Nuovo Adriatico
Estes.
“I wouldn’t worry,” Joyce said.
“Huh?”
“Don’t worry about Parmet. The Terran leases depend upon your silence,
so I doubt he’ll even acknowledge your presence.”
so I doubt he’ll even acknowledge your presence.”
She recalled the hazy memory she had of Parmet leaning over her. At the
time, he was the only other person in the small hold where she’d been bound to a stretcher and
tortured. He talked to her, and acknowledged she’d saved his life.
After I
pay this debt
, he had said,
if we see each other again, don’t
expect the same mercy
. She pictured his face, his hatred.
time, he was the only other person in the small hold where she’d been bound to a stretcher and
tortured. He talked to her, and acknowledged she’d saved his life.
After I
pay this debt
, he had said,
if we see each other again, don’t
expect the same mercy
. She pictured his face, his hatred.
“I plan to avoid him and his family,” she said.
“Don’t waste the gray cells. Sometimes you think too much, Major. You’re
best when you’re acting off the cuff.” Joyce looked sideways at her, his expression neutral.
“As for Mr. Journey, he needs some acting lessons. I can tell he’s hiding something.”
best when you’re acting off the cuff.” Joyce looked sideways at her, his expression neutral.
“As for Mr. Journey, he needs some acting lessons. I can tell he’s hiding something.”
Muse 3 had remained quiet, per Matt’s cautions, since Joyce’s
appearance. She wondered how much Joyce and Edones had already surmised, since Nestor had
obviously dabbled in illicit AI. Muse 3 wasn’t registered and Matt didn’t want to give anyone
the justification for tearing the AI apart in an effort to analyze its rulesets. She hoped he
could work something out with the Pilgrimage legal office.
appearance. She wondered how much Joyce and Edones had already surmised, since Nestor had
obviously dabbled in illicit AI. Muse 3 wasn’t registered and Matt didn’t want to give anyone
the justification for tearing the AI apart in an effort to analyze its rulesets. She hoped he
could work something out with the Pilgrimage legal office.
“Matt is probably covering for your mission. What did you tell him that
he has to hide from
me
?” She went on the offensive to deflect
Joyce’s curiosity.
he has to hide from
me
?” She went on the offensive to deflect
Joyce’s curiosity.
“You think he’s keeping something from you?”
“There could be plenty of reasons for you to visit Priamos or its
station, and you could have convinced Matt that it’d be in
my
interest. Maria used to be an operative for TEBI and Parmet used to run that organization, so
who would you be—”
station, and you could have convinced Matt that it’d be in
my
interest. Maria used to be an operative for TEBI and Parmet used to run that organization, so
who would you be—”
“That’s enough speculation. When will you get approach vectors for Beta
Priamos?” Joyce looked away.
Priamos?” Joyce looked away.
She grinned.
So many secrets
.
So many secrets
.
Matt hated seeing his ship leave without him.
“I need an appointment with the Office of General Counsel,” Matt said to
Charlene, after he watched
Aether’s Touch
separate from the
Pilgrimage III
.
Charlene, after he watched
Aether’s Touch
separate from the
Pilgrimage III
.
“With the counsel himself, or the legal staff?” She didn’t bat an eyelid
at his request. Matt was a generational orphan from the Journey line, but he still counted as
one of them. She was happy to extend their services to him, although he wouldn’t get them for
free.
at his request. Matt was a generational orphan from the Journey line, but he still counted as
one of them. She was happy to extend their services to him, although he wouldn’t get them for
free.
The first appointment he could get was late in the next shift, giving
him time to apply for a seat on the
Venture’s Way
. After getting on
the standby list, he went to dinner at the commander’s table. Four other people dined at the
table this shift, including Senior Commander Meredith and Commander Charlene, two of the three
commanders on the
Pilgrimage
.
him time to apply for a seat on the
Venture’s Way
. After getting on
the standby list, he went to dinner at the commander’s table. Four other people dined at the
table this shift, including Senior Commander Meredith and Commander Charlene, two of the three
commanders on the
Pilgrimage
.
Matt had previously met Senior Commander Meredith, a quiet and
conservative gentleman, on his first prospecting mission to G-145. After shaking Meredith’s
hand and digging into his favorite noodle dish, Matt had a warm, satisfying feeling of coming
home
. Perhaps the old adage was true: “You can orphan the man from
his ship, but you’ll never remove the ship from his blood.” The ship was the generational crew
member’s protection, society, home, and family. The
Journey IV
had
been Matt’s entire world until he was sixteen years old and had opted off it.
conservative gentleman, on his first prospecting mission to G-145. After shaking Meredith’s
hand and digging into his favorite noodle dish, Matt had a warm, satisfying feeling of coming
home
. Perhaps the old adage was true: “You can orphan the man from
his ship, but you’ll never remove the ship from his blood.” The ship was the generational crew
member’s protection, society, home, and family. The
Journey IV
had
been Matt’s entire world until he was sixteen years old and had opted off it.
After dining and sending a message to
Aether’s
Touch
, Matt prepared for his meeting. Pilgrimage’s general counsel was a man known
across all the ship lines as an eclectic expert on Autonomist and Terran law, Minoan contracts
and treaties, and the obscure field of artificial intelligence rights. Just what he
needed.
Aether’s
Touch
, Matt prepared for his meeting. Pilgrimage’s general counsel was a man known
across all the ship lines as an eclectic expert on Autonomist and Terran law, Minoan contracts
and treaties, and the obscure field of artificial intelligence rights. Just what he
needed.
“David Ray, general counsel.”The counselor shook Matt’s hand and
gestured for him to take a seat in one of the ship’s ancillary conference rooms. His hair was a
layer of mere fuzz about his skull, making the gray difficult to discern. He could be anywhere
between thirty and three hundred absolute UT years of age. The use of two names indicated there
was another David Pilgrimage running around on the ship.
gestured for him to take a seat in one of the ship’s ancillary conference rooms. His hair was a
layer of mere fuzz about his skull, making the gray difficult to discern. He could be anywhere
between thirty and three hundred absolute UT years of age. The use of two names indicated there
was another David Pilgrimage running around on the ship.
“Matthew Journey. I go by Matt.”
“Yes. Owner of Aether Exploration, the major claim holder on Priamos,
where everything’s happening in this system. I’ve looked into your leases—good work. There’s
not much I’d change.”
where everything’s happening in this system. I’ve looked into your leases—good work. There’s
not much I’d change.”
“My leases were drawn up by Nestor Expedition, who was murdered several
months ago. He was a friend.” Matt shifted uncomfortably; this was going to be harder than he’d
anticipated.
months ago. He was a friend.” Matt shifted uncomfortably; this was going to be harder than he’d
anticipated.
“My condolences. That’s information I haven’t seen yet.” David Ray’s
eyebrows went up and his fingers tapped quickly. Reports and feeds regarding Nestor’s murder
were displayed on the wall and David Ray skimmed through them. Matt waited quietly,
understanding how much generational crews had to absorb between each mission.
eyebrows went up and his fingers tapped quickly. Reports and feeds regarding Nestor’s murder
were displayed on the wall and David Ray skimmed through them. Matt waited quietly,
understanding how much generational crews had to absorb between each mission.
“Ah.” David Ray’s light gray eyes were objective and professional. “It
appears both Expedition and Journey legal representatives are involved. Expedition counsel is
locked in a struggle with Leukos Industries over the release of records. You’ve hired Journey
counsel to protect your intellectual property during execution of Nestor’s estate.” There was
the rise of a question in the attorney’s voice.
appears both Expedition and Journey legal representatives are involved. Expedition counsel is
locked in a struggle with Leukos Industries over the release of records. You’ve hired Journey
counsel to protect your intellectual property during execution of Nestor’s estate.” There was
the rise of a question in the attorney’s voice.
“When we arrived in-system, I opened a subpoena from Athens Point LEF.”
Matt raised his slate, but he wasn’t going to show the subpoena to the counselor until he had
established client confidentiality.
Matt raised his slate, but he wasn’t going to show the subpoena to the counselor until he had
established client confidentiality.
“
Subpoena duces tecum
, remotely served.”
David Ray nodded. “Once you proved your identity, the subpoena was served. So why do you need
us?”
Subpoena duces tecum
, remotely served.”
David Ray nodded. “Once you proved your identity, the subpoena was served. So why do you need
us?”
“I don’t have any problem with the statement, or affidavit, or whatever,
but the LEF is also asking for material that isn’t relevant, that I don’t want to hand
over.”
but the LEF is also asking for material that isn’t relevant, that I don’t want to hand
over.”
“Such as?” This time, only one eyebrow rose slightly.
“Nestor may have been involved with—well, perhaps he dabbled in—” He
floundered under the attorney’s gaze and managed to get back on track. “This involves
artificial intelligence law, like proof of original rulesets and rights of
individuality.”
floundered under the attorney’s gaze and managed to get back on track. “This involves
artificial intelligence law, like proof of original rulesets and rights of
individuality.”
David Ray tapped a command on his desktop. “This is now a privileged
session. Go on.”
session. Go on.”
The story came out in a rush, the words merging as Matt tried to prevent
certain memories from building inside his mind. He told David Ray about the package he
received, probably the result of Nestor’s last voluntary action, and how he’d accepted the
transfer of what appeared to be a full-fledged artificial intelligence entity. Before he got to
the worst part, the part where he discovered Nestor’s body, David Ray interrupted.
certain memories from building inside his mind. He told David Ray about the package he
received, probably the result of Nestor’s last voluntary action, and how he’d accepted the
transfer of what appeared to be a full-fledged artificial intelligence entity. Before he got to
the worst part, the part where he discovered Nestor’s body, David Ray interrupted.
“This AI resides in
crystal
? Installed on
your ship?”
crystal
? Installed on
your ship?”
“I didn’t have enough temporary memory at the time. There were also
other reports in the package and I didn’t want to take the chance of losing whatever Nestor
sent.”
other reports in the package and I didn’t want to take the chance of losing whatever Nestor
sent.”
“This may complicate matters. AI rulesets must be validated as original
before they’re put in crystal.” David Ray rubbed his jaw. “AIs are also prohibited from
controlling space vehicles. Can you remove the crystal from your ship?”
before they’re put in crystal.” David Ray rubbed his jaw. “AIs are also prohibited from
controlling space vehicles. Can you remove the crystal from your ship?”
“Yes, of course. I’m speaking of the data array in my prospecting ship.
What’s
more
worrisome is that Nestor lived on the outskirts of the
law, and he may have bought illicit code and rulesets. If I give Athens Point LEF access to the
AI, they’ll insist upon dissection.” Matt took a deep breath. “Look, I don’t want to lose Muse
Three. It’s all I have left of Nestor.”
What’s
more
worrisome is that Nestor lived on the outskirts of the
law, and he may have bought illicit code and rulesets. If I give Athens Point LEF access to the
AI, they’ll insist upon dissection.” Matt took a deep breath. “Look, I don’t want to lose Muse
Three. It’s all I have left of Nestor.”
David Ray rested his chin on clasped hands, his elbows on his desk. He
didn’t respond immediately, but rather watched Matt in a searching manner until he squirmed in
his seat.
didn’t respond immediately, but rather watched Matt in a searching manner until he squirmed in
his seat.
“It has a name and unique model number. You’re already emotionally
attached to it, even seeing a representation of your friend. That indicates clever programming,
at the least,” David Ray said.
attached to it, even seeing a representation of your friend. That indicates clever programming,
at the least,” David Ray said.
“Nestor was good. Muse Three
might
be
original and even qualify for individuality. It’d be a shame to dissect it merely to protect
commercial interests.”
might
be
original and even qualify for individuality. It’d be a shame to dissect it merely to protect
commercial interests.”
“Matt, perhaps you don’t know the roots of AI law.” David Ray’s voice
was quiet and powerful. “The development of artificial intelligence is highly constrained, as
you know, but those constraints resulted from the Phaistos Protocols.”
was quiet and powerful. “The development of artificial intelligence is highly constrained, as
you know, but those constraints resulted from the Phaistos Protocols.”
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