Jethro 3: No Place Like Home (36 page)

“Exactly.” Both AI turned to the Admiral who cocked his head then sighed. “She's served well?”

The ship AI nodded. “As well as to be expected. She didn't have our background or training but she's made every effort to overcome that handicap. She's a new generation, Admiral.”

“Besides, with a bootstrapped Captain's board in Pyrax and Firefly as an acting flag officer, they can finish Prometheus.” Sprite said, smiling. “Something I believe you wanted to happen.”

“I did.” Irons grimaced. “We'll do this by the book though. Formal promotions board. Full inquiry into each and every action she had been in over the years.”

“Understood.”

“Me and my big mouth.” Sprite said shaking her head. “More paperwork and red tape you’re imposing on yourself ,Admiral.”

“No, just dotting every I and crossing every T. Attention to detail remember?” He asked. She snorted.

Chapter 16

Jethro smelled the Admiral coming before he rounded the corner. It wasn't anything distinct; it was actually the lack of smell that alerted him. That and the familiar soft tread of his boots on the deck. The combination screamed the Admiral.

“Ah, Sergeant,” the Admiral said, nodding to the panther as the panther saluted. The Admiral returned the salute briefly. “Did you consider the transfer?”

“I did, sir,” Jethro said. “I'm going to have to decline, sir, sorry. I have three squads under my eye right now; that's a lot of people to keep in line.”

“I see,” the Admiral said nodding.

“If you've got a moment, I would appreciate it if you looked at my suit sir. It has been acting up. Now that it has locked down. I keep feeling... I don't know, like it's sulking.”

“Suit? A suit that can sulk?” Sprite asked from the Admiral's shoulder.

Jethro flicked his ears. “Yes, ma’am. The suit AI. Or should I say, AI in the suit and in me,” he said grimacing slightly.

“An AI in you?” Sprite asked, now curious and confused. “Is that what I sensed when I scanned you?” she asked.

“Classified, Commander,” Irons said, turning his head to the right.

“I know, you said that. You were also the person who pointed out Admiral, that classified is flexible right now since it's been seven centuries and the laws on information declassification...”

“Unfortunately, does not apply in the Sergeant's case,” the Admiral finished. “It sucks, I know,” the Admiral replied.

“Sir, I know it's a cadre suit,” Jethro said quietly. “I know it's doing something to me. If you can't explain, that's fine. If I don't get answers I'll walk when my contract is up in six months. That is all there is too it,” he said quietly.

“You...” The Admiral stared at him. “Young man, I don't like being blackmailed,” he growled.

Jethro's ears flicked. He forced them to remain upright, despite every instinct for them to flatten. “I'm sorry, sir, but it is
my
body. And my honor. I don't like the idea that I can't be trusted about knowledge about my own body.”

The Admiral cocked his head and studied him with hard eyes for a long moment. Jethro felt the challenge there and met it without bristling or giving in. “Sun Tzu,” Irons said softly.

“Know yourself,” Sprite paraphrased just as Jethro noted his relief approach behind him.

“Something like that, Commander,” Irons replied. He tossed his head. “Commander, clear my schedule for a couple of hours. Come on, Sergeant; let's have a chat with your suit. Along the way, maybe you can fill me in on what you know. I can't give you too much; the laws on this subject are specific and have harsh penalties. But I can...hopefully ease your mind a bit,” he said.

Jethro nodded. He turned to the other Marine nearby. “I relieve you,” the corporal said.

“I stand relieved. No issues to report.”

“Understood. Good luck, Sergeant,” the corporal said quietly.

“We make our own.”

---( | ) --- ( | )---

As they walked to the armory, Jethro felt a ping. Cautiously he opened the channel.

“It is a pleasure to see you again, Sergeant,” Sprite said over the link. Her image hovered like a ghost in his field of view.

“Mine as well, ma'am. In a manner of speaking,” he said.

The Admiral turned to glance his way and then snorted softly.

“So, how have you been?” Sprite asked as they entered the lift.

“Fine, ma'am. I've had a few scares, but I'm fine.”

“I heard about your rocket pack scare,” Sprite said, voicing her sympathy. “I am surprised you used it again,” she said.

“What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, ma'am,” Jethro replied. “And it wasn't the rocket pack that failed, ma'am, it was the sled. I'm just glad it wasn't armed.”

“True,” Sprite replied. “Did they ever get to the bottom of it?”

“A series of failures, ma'am. Postmortem said that there were several stuck and frozen valves in the fuel assembly. Ox was a bit embarrassed by it all. We live and learn,” he said.

“A wise saying,” the AI replied. “So, how did you know your suit is a cadre suit?” she asked.

“My ancestor Tobias. He left messages for his descendants and the clan.”

“Really?” Sprite asked. She hesitated to search for them in his database. She felt Defender surge to prevent her access.

“Do you mind?” She growled at the other AI.

“Who...what is that?” Jethro said, stopping in his tracks. The Admiral turned, looking at him.

“That would be Lieutenant Defender. Busy body. He's trying to block me from asking for access.”

“Well, ma'am, the files are on the Marine net for anyone to access,” Jethro said, now confused.

“They are?” Sprite asked. She said, twisting his tail. She ran a search and found the file. “Damn! How did I miss that!” Again Defender blocked her from viewing the files.

“They are?” the Admiral echoed.

Jethro nodded, eyes wide. “Yes, sir. Major Forth and the other officers showed an interest in the life lessons my ancestor had to offer so they asked for permission to distribute it. I agreed.”

“I see,” Sprite said triumphantly. She turned a glare on Defender. “So, thousands of military personnel, and possibly civilians can gain access to this information but I can't? It seems the secret is out,” the AI said.

The Admiral frowned thoughtfully.

“It has been out for seven centuries, ma'am,” Jethro said. “The cadre was an open secret even before the war. I know of several video shows about them and Seal Team Six. They even did a documentary on the Cadre.”

“I see,” the Admiral said. “And you've seen it?”

“No, sir, but my ancestor Tobias McLintock did refer to it briefly. I searched for it but I couldn't find it.”

“Ah,” the Admiral replied as the lift jerked softly to a halt. The doors opened. A group of crewmen went to enter but then stopped when they recognized the Admiral. Swiftly they stepped aside, making a hole as they straightened to attention and saluted.

“Carry on,” the Admiral said, saluting as he walked past.

“Recon, Cadre...it seems the classification is a bit of a paper tiger,” Sprite said with a grin in her voice.

“Perhaps,” the Admiral said.

“I'm scanning the files now,” Sprite said, brushing past Defender. The other AI hesitated. She copied the file and then scanned it. Slowly she whistled in awe.

The Admiral winced. He knew Sprite was insatiable when it came to a secret. She, like all smart AI, loved to ferret them out. She had the programming to curtail it, but apparently that had been partially suborned by the release of the data.

“Let's see the suit,” Irons said.

“Aye, sir, this way to the armory,” Jethro said with a nod.

---( | ) --- ( | )---

In the armory the Admiral nodded to Ox and Riley. Both Marines tried to get to their feet but he waved them back down. “As you were. Carry on even. Sergeant...” He paused as Sprite gave him an ID. “Riley. I need to see Sergeant McLintock's suit,” he said, motioning to Jethro.

“Sergeant... oh, Jethro,” the human said, blinking. He looked over to the Admiral's shoulder to Jethro and then shrugged. “Sure. Do you want me to unpack it or just bring you the crate sir?”

“Unpack it. And secure the fitting room. We'll be in there for a few hours,” the Admiral said, waving to the room.

“Yes, sir,” Riley replied as he nodded and punched up the orders. “It will be a minute or two. I put it in the back when she started getting buggy.”

“No problem,” the Admiral said. He turned to Ox. “I'm glad to see a Tauren on board.”

“Aye, sir.”

“Are you...?” Sprite fed him a brief bio. He nodded. “Ah, from Port a Prince. You have my sympathies, Sergeant Ox.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Did anyone tell you I ran into some Taurens on Kiev 221? Some remained behind in Antigua,” the Admiral said.

“Yes, sir, I know. I met Gwen and Riff. Torg was unfortunately killed when we retook Prime,” Ox said.

The Admiral sighed softly. “I'm sorry again son. War.”

“I know,” Ox rumbled. “By all accounts he died a hero. He gave his life to save the others,” he said.

“A good man. I remember him briefly. I wish now I'd had the chance to get to know him better,” the Admiral said. “I'm taking a force to Antigua; do you wish to return?”

“No sir,” Ox said, indicating Jethro. “My place is here,” he said.

“Very well,” the Admiral said, nodding as he looked at the panther. “I see you make good comrades. I'm glad.”

“War brothers, sir,” Ox said.

“Indeed.

---( | ) --- ( | )---

When the armor was up Jethro followed the Admiral into the fitting compartment. “Shut the hatch, Sergeant,” the Admiral ordered as he studied the suit. It was hanging in pieces from the various robotic arms in the room. There was a mechanical air of expectancy to the taboo. Also a smell of grease and hydraulics.

Expert eyes studied the suit. “Recon I thought at first, but you are correct, it is a Cadre suit. Recon Cadre,” the Admiral said. He touched the back plate and then traced his fingers over the weld lines. “It looks like someone took the antimatter power pack out and replaced it with a micro fusion reactor. Any trouble running it?” he asked.

“Now that you mention it, no, sir. I thought that was because Firefly...excuse me, sir, Commander Firefly,” Jethro said, looking up in apology. Firefly wasn't snippy about being talked about so he didn't respond. “Worked with Lieutenant Veber, Ox, and Riley to get it sorted out.”

“A lot of hands went into restoring it?” the Admiral asked, running his hands over the suit. Jethro felt odd, like data was moving, swimming around him.

“Some sir. She was in a sorry state I'm afraid to say. My ancestors tried to use her and she seemingly fried. So they cannibalized her for parts over the years. She was little more than the reactor, shell, and main components when we got to her,” he said. He flicked his ears as the data solidified. He could now see it on his HUD.

“Sir, the data...” he asked.

“I see it too,” Sprite said softly, to him alone.

“No, it's not me. Your suit is reacting to my presence,” the Admiral replied. He paused with his hand on the breastplate. “It is the AI.”

“AI, sir?”

“I think you know it has an AI right?”

“Yes, sir. We've established that. A nanite layer embedded in the armor. It can self-repair the armor to a degree. It also linked to me.”

“It brought the suit the rest of the way for you. And it's running the cloak and reactor. The AI forms the bridge between you and the suit, interpreting your actions for you. It hasn't spoken to you though?” he asked, turning his head to look at the panther.

Jethro shook his head no. “Once, sir, but most of the time I get...I don't know, feelings. Emotions that aren't my own. Mood swings sometimes.”

The Admiral smiled. “Your body isn't quite your own anymore young man. I know. It never was; you just never knew.”

“I looked into synthetic biology. I know about the things growing inside me,” Jethro said. “I know they are computers.”

“Organic computers,” Sprite said. “Fascinating,” she said, looking at the Admiral.

Irons for his part merely nodded.

“I'm guessing that the AI in the suit is interacting with the computers in me when I jack in and suit up. I was getting urges to suit up a lot. And well,” he shifted uncomfortably, “to retake my ancestors’ surname,” he said.

“I see,” the Admiral replied quietly. “Dreams?”

“Sometimes, sir. And well,” Jethro related the incident when the suit went rogue. The Admiral listened impassively.

When the panther stopped he frowned and then sent a ping to the suit. It responded, but an echo came from the panther. Then he felt data stream from the suit to him. It was incoherent. But there was an underlying thing he felt, an emotion. Relief. Interest. Joy. That was dampened by an attentiveness.