Birthright: Battle for the Confederation- Pursuit (5 page)

"You think this is an easy job,
don't you?" Dennix scoffed.  "Just wait until you find out for
yourself.  It's not easy at all."

There was silence in the Prowler; the
only sound was the distant crash of the waves on the beach, echoes making their
way to the ship and bouncing around inside.  Loren mused that the waves didn't
care what was going on in the galaxy at large, didn't care who was in charge. 
They performed their task, rushing in and out at the urgings of weather and the
moon's gravitational pull, pounding big rocks into small rocks, small rocks
into sand. 

Finally, Loren found his voice. 
"You understand that seems like a somewhat daunting task," he said
softly.

"No doubt," admitted Admiral
Bak.  "To be honest with you, this isn't the first time the subject has
come up for us.  We've been looking into the histories and legends since the
Primans invaded.  Obviously, somebody beat them soundly once.  We want to know
how, but a thousand years is a long time to forget.  There's also no reason to
think that everyone else in the galaxy isn't thinking the same thing, Primans
included."     

"I hope this is where you tell us
you know something everyone else doesn't," asked Cory hopefully.

Admiral Bak allowed the faintest of
grins.  Not even a grin, really, but more of a transient smirk.  "I think
I can make that claim," he said with an air of satisfaction.

"The anticipation tortures me,
sir," Web ventured.

Admiral Bak folded his hands together and
rested them on the tabletop.  He took a deep breath and began, looking at each
of them as he talked.  "We started by learning what we could about the
cultures and empires still around now that were present back when the Primans
were at the height of their power.  Frankly, there weren't many.  It's widely
speculated that many planets, entire civilizations in fact, were wiped out in
the fight for control of the galaxy.  There was nothing new there, so we moved
on.  After several months of sorting data, one minor, very junior and by her
own account under-appreciated analyst made a startling discovery: throughout
the conflict, there were always present, in some form, accounts of androids and
cyborgs that were there during key moments.  They never seemed to be fighting
or in fact taking sides in any way, but their presence is woven through the
conflict.  Every major data entry will inevitably reveal some sort of AI
presence."

Admiral Bak let that hang in the air to
see what Loren's people said.

Loren was the first to make the
connection.  "So you think there were AIs cataloging the fight?"

"I believe they were," Bak
replied matter-of-factly.

"AIs were illegal," Cory added,
"even way back then, right?"

"Correct," Bak confirmed. 
"Fully sentient AI systems have been forbidden across the majority of the
galaxy for almost fifteen hundred years.  There are enough intact records to
confirm
that
fact, at least."

"Yes," added Loren
sarcastically, "there was that awkward period where people kept creating artificial
intelligences and then had the computers try to wipe out the biologicals."

"And they succeeded more often than
not," confirmed the admiral, nodding in agreement.  "Entire planets
were laid bare, cultures wiped out of existence.  It was only after a few
hundred years of the cycle repeating itself all over the galaxy that early
spacefaring civilizations started to band together.  In fact, historians credit
that type of crisis as one of the major stepping stones toward the trade,
commerce, and standardization we have in the galaxy today.  We had to talk to
each other and sometimes even facilitate contact just to see if they were about
to get themselves blown up by their own computers.  So while people had been
exploring the stars for a long time before that, one of the first common
threads was a distrust of turning over decisions to the machines."

"And so you think there are some AIs
still on the loose out there?" asked Loren.  "Maybe even keeping tabs
on us?"

"That's mildly unsettling,"
admitted Web.

"We know not all of them were
destroyed," said the admiral.  "A handful of groups remain
unaccounted for, and while there have been exactly zero confirmed reports about
their presence as far back as the Confederation has records, that's no reason
to believe they're not out there.  There are also plenty of people who are
downright fans of them and their technology; there are probably biologicals
that communicate with them as well.  We just need to look in the right place
for the right things."

"So what exactly
are
we looking for?" asked Merritt.

"I've picked out a selection of
likely places where the AIs would have a presence," Admiral Bak began. 
"Some are groups or individuals known to embrace and support an AI
return.  Others are people or corporations that are leaders in their field when
it comes to advanced artificial intelligence; the most advanced systems you can
buy and still be legal.  It's possible the real AIs would be monitoring these
locations to see if anyone has made a breakthrough.  There are also two planets
whose inhabitants fought and won against AI systems before the first Priman
war.  It also stands to reason the AIs would want to keep tabs on their
creators."

Loren just chewed his lip for a minute,
then spoke candidly and hoped for the best.  "But we don't really have
anything solid, do we Admiral?  If we did, we wouldn't be having this
conversation."

Bak just returned Loren's gaze as the
rest of the Avenger officers tried to not make eye contact with their superior
officer.  "No, Loren, we don't, unfortunately.  Avenger has the latitude
to explore these or any other targets at her discretion.  Just make sure to
check in on an embassy or two so we can prove to the senators that you're
waving the Confed flag and staying off the front lines.  We don't have a firm
timetable for this op, but you understand that at the macro level the clock is
still ticking."

With that, Admiral Bak sat up straight in
his chair and tugged his tunic down, then repeated the gesture with his cuffs. 
"I've already sent the relevant data to each of your buffers on Avenger. 
We need to get started as soon as possible, so if you have no further
questions, I'll wish you good luck and be on my way."

As Loren and the rest stood up, Admiral
Bak did the same, then made it a point to approach and shake hands with each
officer as they prepared to leave his small ship.

"Good luck, Loren," Admiral Bak
said quietly when it was just the two of them left.  He placed a data cube in
Loren's hand and inclined his head towards it.  "Those are my expanded
orders for Captain Elco.  Unofficial, of course; if the powers that be thought
we might actually be trying to win this war they'd throw us all in jail." 
Then he fixed Loren with a stare and turned serious.  "Not to put too much
pressure on you, but I desperately need you to bring me back a weapon that we
can use to shift the odds."

Loren just nodded grimly.  "No
pressure."

By the time Loren, Cory, Merritt and Web
returned to Avenger, things were already happening.

As soon as they disembarked, Web was
greeted by an aircraft handler and told that another Freedom class transport
was spotted on the launch cat in the Warbirds' hangar and it would leave when
he was ready.  Web just looked at Loren.

"Did I miss a memo?" he asked
lightly, then looked back at the crewer.

"No, sir," the woman replied. 
"Orders just came through from the captain.  We were told to have a
transport warmed up and ready, and to grab you as soon as you were aboard.  The
flight plan's in the computer and apparently your orders pick up there."

"You live a life of adventure,
Web," Cory admitted with a smile as Web snapped off salutes to everyone. 

"Send us a message from wherever
you're going," Merritt called out, and Web replied with a rude gesture as
he jogged off to catch up with the deck crewer who had already started walking
away.

"I guess I'll go tell the captain
about our mysterious conversation with the admiral," said Loren in a
resigned tone.

"And I didn't even get time to see
you in a swimsuit," Merritt said sullenly to Cory.

Enric Shae waited patiently in the
parking garage for his hoverlimo to appear.  As a senior staffer to the man who
headed the Governing Committee, he was allowed the use of a chauffeured vehicle
and he took advantage when he could.

The black vehicle slid into place in
front of the armored airlock where the passengers waited and the vehicle was
scanned as it bobbed gently on its repulsor fields.  Having determined it was
clear of any chemical, biological, or mechanical threats, the security detail
pulled back while one husky Trin opened the door for Shae.

"All clear, sir," he said as
Enric made his way across the small gap between vestibule and door.  The
underground garage was usually a hive of activity for the monstrous government
center, so in addition to the courtesy of holding the door, it was also a
subtle prod to get on his way so the next person could get their ride as well.

Enric settled into the back seat and was
only mildly surprised to see a woman in the seat opposite him, her back to the
driver that was out of sight due to the privacy partition being raised.

"Mr. Shae," she began,
"your driver and myself are both employees of our mutual friend."

She didn't look Priman, but Enric
supposed that was the point.  As the template for most humanoids in this entire
part of the galaxy, it was a relatively easy matter for them to blend in just
about anywhere with the right prosthetics.  He had to admit she was attractive
and carried herself with confidence.  Another time and place and he might have
considered trying to bed the woman, but he had too much at stake to act so
recklessly at this point in the plan.  Besides, she was only a cutout; a
mid-level operative who he'd never see again.  She'd return directly to Priman
space to personally brief the Commander and he didn't want any of his actions
to appear troublesome.    

"And how would I confirm that?"
he asked as he tried to remember the correct pass phrases for the location,
type of meet, time since last communication and number of people present.  The
Primans were nothing if not thorough.

"Polar, seventeen, able
yellow," she replied smoothly.

It was what Enric was expecting to hear. 
"So what can I do for you today?"

"The Commander is asking for an
update on your internal moves," she continued without fanfare.

Enric thought about that.  He had made it
very clear to the Primans that, if put in charge, he just wanted his own sphere
of influence and he'd be happy to let them run rampant across the rest of the
galaxy.  Apparently they were still comfortable with the arrangement. 
"The senator has implemented the first of four new appointments," he
began.  "He's created planning committees and filled them with people who
owe us.  They'll use these to gradually consolidate various authorities and
powers under our umbrella, and while they will by all appearances be separate,
by the time it's over the senator will have direct access to every power and
authority the Confederation government has."

"No backlash yet?" the woman
prodded.                  

"None," replied Enric proudly. 
"The committees have been formed for what we call the general welfare and
security of society.  We really don't even have any long term stated goals,
just procedures and rules for the people to follow.  As per your request, one
of these committees will start by recommending certain military cuts and
increased security measures towards the general population.  The plan is still
on schedule."

"Excellent.  And what of the
troublemakers we've asked you to deal with?"

Enric grimaced.  She was referring to a
handful of ships and crews that had caused the Primans no end of pain, and in
turn the Primans had needled and micromanaged him about the units in question. 
"All out of the theater of operations," he reported. "A few are
doing training cruises, some personnel have been reassigned, and two of our
more ambitious ships have been dispatched on diplomatic missions far from home."

The nameless Priman woman paused, seeming
to digest the information before continuing.  "Is one of these ships
Avenger?"

"Yes," Enric bit out.

"I will need her itinerary."      

Loren and Captain Elco sat in the day
room attached to the captain's quarters, each holding a small glass with two
fingers of the brandy they both favored.

"So," Elco began, "I
browsed the admiral's orders while you were on the way up.  I've already put
into motion his orders for Web, and saw the official communication regarding
our impending goodwill tour."  He looked Loren in the eyes.  "So
what's this really about?"

Loren only smiled and retrieved the data
cube from a front breast pocket.  He held it up and Elco gestured for him to
toss it over, which he did.  The captain set it down on a scanning plate on the
table next to him, transferring the data to his personal buffer.