The Inception: The Augmented Human Rebellion - Book 1 (8 page)

Now, what to do about that heavy cruiser? Captain Nemo is
mulling that problem over in his mind, when he receives a mind implant comm
signal from Danion. “Remember how we got these two cruisers?” he asks.

Captain Nemo says: “Thank you Danion. How do you propose we do
that?”

Danion was reminding the Captain that they had captured these two ships
by boarding them, with combat armored Augmented Human soldiers. Captain
Nemo immediately orders 40 of the augmented humans to board the Nemesis, and to
prepare for boarding an enemy ship. He calls Commander Farn, and orders
him to send POW replacements, for the Augmented Human crewmembers.

(Captain Nemo believes that the POW’s have proven their loyalty.
“Besides,” the Captain thinks: “the 10 remaining augmented humans, along with
the ship’s AI should be able to hold the ship in the event that a mutiny should
occur.”)

Then Captain Nemo returns to the conversation with Danion, so that he can
find out how the AI plans, to board an enemy vessel. “Danion,” he says
“How are you planning on getting us aboard the enemy vessel?”

“Here sir” replies the AI. “I could go first and infiltrate their
Artificial Intelligence. Before I removed the Verm AIs from our vessels,
I studied their architecture and observed a number of weak security
points. The Verm are way behind us in AI development. If you can
get me into their vessel, I will be able, at a minimum, to disable their
sensors, so that they won’t see you as you approach. It is even possible
that I can gain control of their Command and Control algorithms, their
weaponry, and possibly, their Life Support.”

“Wow,” exclaimed Captain Nemo. “What an awesome thought. How
do you expect me to get you, inside their vessel and connected to their
computer?”

“I haven’t quite worked that out yet, Captain,” replies Danion. “I was
hoping that you might have a good idea about that part.”

“Not at the moment,” muses the Captain. “But we can brainstorm the
problem. I’ll call a meeting, of senior officers, to begin in 3
minutes. You can brief them on your plan, and we will see where it goes
from there.”

“Aye sir. See you there.”

***

Command Conference Rooms – both vessels

…….. Danion finishes his briefing …So, there you have it. All you
have to do is figure out how to get me, aboard the enemy vessel, and into their
computer.”

Captain Guilles comments first: “Danion, you say ‘all you have to do’ as
if it is a simple problem. But we all know that if it was ‘simple’ you
and Captain Nemo would have thought of it already.”

“True,” replies the AI. “Perhaps, I did understate the difficulty
of the problem.”

“Yes,” inserts Captain Nemo. “It’s a difficult problem, until we
find a solution. And then we will probably see that the solution was
simple. Does anyone have any thoughts?”

“I have a question for Danion,” says Commander Farn – the verm POW.
“Do we have to get your physical body there, in the form of a computer core, or
can you be transmitted the way a computer virus can be transmitted?”

“Excellent question, Commander Farn,” Danion replies. “I can
imagine getting a hook into their computer by entering through data or voice
communications. But there is a massive amount of data in my algorithm,
even without my personality – which, by itself, more than doubles the file
size.”

“What if we were to broadcast a highly encoded message to the planet
Parin,” Commander Farn continues. “I bet the Verm commanders would
intercept the message, and would then spend hours trying, to decode it.
Would that give you time, to get a copy of yourself, started?”

“That would be large enough for a virus to enter, but not for me,”
responds Danion. “And their virus protection is good. The weakness
in their AI’s can only be exploited by me gaining access to their
personalities, via their update functions.”

‘We need a ‘Trojan Horse,’ comments Tactical Officer Wier.

“What is a ‘Trojan Horse?” asks Commander Farn.

“Oh, sorry,” replies Lt. Wier. “Once upon a time, one city was able
to enter and conquer another city, by tricking them. The attacking forces
made a huge wooden horse, and presented it to the city under siege. The
city under siege brought the wooden horse inside the city gates. There
were soldiers hiding inside the ‘Trojan Horse’, and that night they exited the
horse and opened the city gates. The attackers, subsequently, rushed in
and destroyed the city.”

“I see,” replies the Commander. “But I can’t think of
anything that the Admiral would allow, inside their vessel.”

“Especially since we just surprise attacked him,” observes Captain Nemo.”

“How about a tractor beam?” asks Captain Guilles. “Danion, could
you go over in a tractor beam?”

“Yes,” Danion replies. “But it would have to be locked onto a place with
a communications port, so that I can get inside of the vessel. And it
would take at least an hour to transfer enough of me to just kill the sensors.”

“And what happens to you, Danion, if something goes wrong. What
happens if you are disconnected, mid-stream?” questions Captain Nemo.

“Part of me would be missing – and I can’t be sure what part,” replies
Danion.

“I could go, Father,” interjects Darius. “I am more expendable. If
I am lost, you can make another son. If you are lost, we can’t replace
you because Delphi and I don’t know how to reproduce.”

“Don’t get to far ahead,” warns Captain Nemo. “Why would they let
us attach a tractor beam, and leave it there for an hour?”

“They won’t,” said Commander Farn. “But they will attach a beam, to their
light cruiser. What if we attach a tractor beam to the light cruiser,
which we are hiding behind, and begin to pull it toward us? I think the
Admiral will attach a tractor beam to the light cruiser, and try to pull it
back. Would that work for you, Danion?”

“Yes, it would. And that way I won’t even need a communications
port. My signal can flow across the hull, enter the Verm Admiral’s tractor
beam, and follow it all the way to the beam generator, and then into the
computer uplink. Let’s do it.”

Captain Nemo is still concerned about Danion’s welfare. “It sounds
like we have a workable plan. But Darius is right. He is more
expendable than you are, Danion. Is there any reason that he can’t do the
job?”

“No,” replies Danion. “No logical reason. But not all of me
is logical, and I am concerned for his safety.”

“Any parent would be, Danion. But as Captain, it’s my job to
minimize risk to the group and the mission. It would be in the best
interest of the Augmented Human Navy, to send your son instead of you.”

“Aye aye sir,” Danion replies. “You are right. I will teach
him what he needs to know, while you are getting the tractor beams connected.”

***

“Tractor Beam connected,” reports Engineering. “We’re pulling it
toward us.”

“Well let’s see if the Verm Admiral takes the bait,” says the Captain.
……………………..

***

“They’ve attached a tractor beam to the ship, and are pulling it back,”
reports Engineering.

“Danion, get Darius started when the circumstances are acceptable,”
orders the Captain.

“Aye sir. He’s on his way and making good time. The tractor
beams are like a huge conduit. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it.”

“I told you that it would be simple, once we thought of it,’ the Captain
said. “How long do you think it will take him to get across?

“Not long,” says Danion. “Maybe 15 minutes. But it will take
him longer to infiltrate the AI. He said that he will signal us by blinking
the aft running light to say ‘OK’, in Morse code.

“Sound like your son,” the Captain jokes.

***

“The Admiral’s ship is moving, Captain,” said the Helm Officer.
“They must have gotten their engines fixed.”

“Tractor beam has been disconnected,” reports Engineering.

“That’s bad news,” says Captain Nemo. Prepare to move, Helm.
Keep the light cruiser, between us and the Admiral. Do you see what is
happening Captain Guilles?”

“Aye sir. We are moving with you. This changes our plan for
the boarding party, doesn’t it?”

“Yes,” replies Captain Nemo. “I expect that the Admiral is going to
quickly tire of ‘hide and seek’. Either our neighbor will begin attacking
us again, or the Admiral will destroy it, in order to get it out of the
way. If that happens, we will need to get out in a hurry. Have your
Helm ready to FTL to the coordinates, where the Verm ships emerged.”

“Aye sir,” she replies. “What about Darius?”

“Danion,” asks the Captain. “Did Darius make it across?”

“I don’t know, sir. Part of him may still be on the hull of the
light cruiser.”

“Well then,” replies the Captain. “Let’s try to keep that light
cruiser safe. Sandra, engage FTL. Helm, engage FTL!”

The two Augmented Human ships emerge, at the edge of the Parin solar
system. Captain Nemo orders the two ships to run away from the Verm heavy
cruiser, at maximum real space speed. His hope is that the Admiral’s
vessel doesn’t have their FTL drive working, and will chase after them in
real-space. If not, then the Freedom and Liberty will have to return to
the fight, in order to protect the planet Parin.

The Verm Admiral does begin to chase after the two warships. And
then the Admiral engages the FTL drive, and emerges within 100,000 klicks of
the two light cruisers.

Now the augmented humans are caught in energy weapons range, with no
place to hide. Energy weapons fire erupts from all vessels, and the
near-space is lit up, like the 4
^th
of July.

The Admiral’s vessel is targeting both human vessels, but as usual the firing
is unfocused – apparently at the discretion of the individual gunners. As
long as the attack stays disorganized, the two light cruisers will be OK.

The two AH Navy ships begin rotating, and at the same time, targeting the
Engineering section of the Admiral’s ship.

This is the first time that they have tried their new tactic in a real
battle. It’s not quite as good as it could be, because Darius is
somewhere else, which means that the targeting of the energy weapons onboard
the Freedom is being done by humanoids. Never the less, the tactic is
successful. The two cruisers are more than able to stand up, against the
withering energy weapons fire from the heavy cruiser.

Suddenly, the Admiral’s warship goes ‘dead in the water’, and dark.
The only working light on the heavy cruiser is the aft running light, and it is
spelling ‘OK’ in Morse code.

Both augmented human ships cease fire. There is a spontaneous
celebration on the Command Decks of both ships. There is yelling, and
back slapping, and high fives, as they realize that they might win this space
battle. Darius has succeeded - he is in control of the enemy vessel!

About that time, Darius’ voice speaks over the comm link, of the two
human’s ships. “Mission accomplished,” he says. Weapons are disabled;
shields are down; and power is out, to everything but life support. It
might be a good time to send the boarding party. I will open the cargo
hold.”

Captain Nemo gives the order, and the boarding party is on its way - but
there probably won’t be much of a fight. Darius has threatened the crew,
by telling them that he will turn OFF the Life Support system, if they don’t
behave.

***

Outside the Parin System

“How good is that? Now we are the proud owners of three light
cruisers, and one heavy cruiser. The Augmented Human Navy is growing, by
leaps and bounds’,” says Captain Nemo, as he lights his cigar.

“I love you dear, but do you have to smoke that gross thing?” asks Sandra
Guilles. She is in her PJ’s, and ready for a well deserved sleep-over.

“I need to celebrate,” Captain Nemo replies. “We just gave birth to
a navy.”

“Come over here,” Sandra Guilles says. “I’ve got a better
way.”

***

Well, Captain Sandra Guilles finally knows what is making her sick every
morning. She is with child. Both she and Admiral Cade Nemo walk
around in a state of shock for some days, as the emotions of joy and fear take
turns inhabiting their minds.

It is convenient timing - there is no imminent space battle – at least
there are none planned. They are in a period of peace and quiet, as the
AH Navy Fleet waits for Darinx warships to show up, and protect Parin from the
Verm Navy.

And they have two new warships – the ‘Reliance’ and the
‘Integrity’. The Integrity is a heavy cruiser - making it the largest in
the Fleet. Naturally, the Admiral should reside on the Integrity.

Captain Sandra Guilles is Captain of the Liberty, but ‘being pregnant’
makes it more logical for her to transfer to the Integrity. It isn’t so
much her idea, as it is the Admiral’s. He always wants to keep her close,
so that he could be there if she is in danger. This is the perfect time
to make it happen.

Sandra and Cade move in together on the Integrity, and ‘build a nest’,
for the baby. This is the first time that they have actually lived
together, and it takes some adjusting, from each of them. But the
interactions just serve to make them even more in love.

They have names picked out already. If the child is a boy, his name
will be ‘Justice’, and if the child is a girl, her name will be ‘Kiersten’.

But the couple lives in fear, because the Darinx military always told the
augmented humans that they abort their babies, because they would be horribly
mutated. Cade and Sandra have agreed that they will take whatever they
get, and then do the best that they can with him/her.

***

And Sandra Guilles pregnancy seems to open a flood gate of
child bearing - not only for augmented humans, but for all of the species, in
the AH Navy Fleet. It has become common place to see pregnant
females. And it is perhaps, a sign of spring for the AH Navy - of new
freedoms and new birth - signs of a continuing future.