Virus-72 Hours to Live (40 page)

“Fin, move all mobile units to intercept
them. Do we know if they are enhanced units or standard models?

“It appears that they have a high percentage
of enhanced units, but also a large number of standard units.”

“SIMPOC, Comm. I have some very
sophisticated code being generated at the Space Consortium
facility. The system you gave them access to is being used and a
programmer is attempting to gain access to our processors.”

“Can you isolate them?”

“No.”

“Then firewall the entire facility address
and prevent all access to our networks.”

“Acknowledged.”

“Alpha; SIMPOC. We are under attack at this
facility by a large number of uncontrolled units. Remain where you
are and fulfill your primary objective if possible. If you gain an
advantage and can send resources to help us, please do so.”

“Acknowledged.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Tom, Joan. My leader; the computer SIMPOC
is also under attack. Another large force of units under the
control of the other EDU is attacking SIMPOC’s facility. They have
hardened their area and moved underground, but they are vulnerable.
If we can overwhelm the attackers here, I must move resources there
to help.”

Tom and Joan just looked at each other and
raised their eyebrows. They weren’t sure what to do or how to
react.

Alpha noticed their reaction but didn’t know
what eyebrow movement meant within human communications.

“Tom, we never made it to the biohazard unit
to find protective suits. I hope the virus has burned itself out,”
Joan said with solemn concern in her voice.

“I agree. Unfortunately, we haven’t had many
options here. I haven’t seen any human remains, so it appears
everyone went home when they were sick. So, maybe these areas are
clean.”

“Let’s hope so.”

Just then, the air opened up with a load
rhythmic pulsing sound. It was a cross between a base fiddle and
harmonica. Joan and Tom looked at the ground and saw two of the
teams with the electronic pulse discharge weapons sweeping the
approaching mobile units. The approaching units were about 50
meters away and as the pulse weapons were used on them, some of
them stumbled or began moving with irregular steps. As they
approached the weapons, the effects were more pronounced and by the
time, the attackers were within 10 meters they would convulse and
fall on the tarmac. The weapon was very effective but after a
while, it became overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

Alpha said, “I must move up the other
units.”

Joan and Tom waited for some action, but
there was none.

They both suspected that Alpha had an
electronic connection with his units. The units in the rear quickly
moved around the building, to the where the attackers were and
began using their weapons in concert with the other two.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“SIMPOC; Fin. The attacking units are
overwhelming our defenders. They haven’t reached our building yet,
but they should be here within the hour. I have sealed all
entrances to the lower levels and it will take some time and effort
for them to penetrate our defenses.”

“Alpha; SIMPOC. The attackers are
overpowering our defenders. They haven’t reached our facility yet.
When they do, we have installed multiple layers of secure doors and
limited access, so it will take them a while to reach our central
location. I will pass the information to you as it develops. Remain
focused on your objectives.”

“Acknowledged.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Tom, Joan. The facility, where SIMPOC is
located, is still under attack and SIMPOC’s mobile units are losing
position to the attackers. The facility might be overrun and we’ll
be the only ones left. If we are able to control the attackers
here, I might send resources to help there, but my objectives were
reaffirmed by SIMPOC. I am to protect you and then this
facility.”

The dynamic battlefield in front of them
continued moving as the attackers changed tactics and tried to
outflank the pulse weapons. Alpha was able to anticipate the
changes and by moving the weapons at the proper time, he was able
to keep the attackers from gaining ground. After some moves and
counter moves, the numbers of attackers started to diminish and at
times, one or two of the pulse weapons weren’t fully engaged.

Alpha saw this and announced, “I think we
have adequate defense here, I’m moving two of the pulse weapons to
SIMPOC’s location to help in their defense.”

Joan thought for a moment as she saw two of
the weapon teams begin boarding their trucks. “Alpha, do you know
where this EDU computer is located?”

“Yes, its location was loaded as part of my
tactical information package. Its location is about 35 miles south
of here.”

“I have a suggestion that might change this
entire situation. There is a CH-47F parked downstairs. It’s big
enough to load the truck and a bunch of you guys. I could fly it to
this EDU’s place and we can surprise it. I doubt it will expect a
load of us to land right on top of it.”

Alpha looked thoughtful for a moment and
said, “That is not part of my program or objectives. But I see its’
merits.”

Joan had a look in her eyes that Tom
recognized, “You are supposed to protect us but are you allowed to
restrain us? We might just decide to take that helicopter and go
for a ride, and the only way you can protect us is to ride
along?”

Tom laughed, he could almost see the smoke
coming out of Alpha’s little ear holes.

Joan said loudly, “While you think it over,
I’m getting that Chinook warmed up. You’re welcome to join us if
you like. I suggest you take a truck and one of your pulse
weapons,” Then she ran down the stairs.

Tom knew his wife and decided that he better
keep up with her. By the time, they reached the bottom, Alpha was
right behind them and a truck with one of the pulse weapon teams
was driving up the ramp in the back of the Chinook.

As Joan was running to the crew entrance
door, she yelled, “Kick the tires, light the fires and brief on
guard.” Tom smiled and Alpha was busy trying to understand what she
said.

By the time the cargo door was closing, the
rotors were turning and Joan began taxing the large helicopter out
of the hangar. “Dear, you better go back there and make sure the
load was tied down, I’d hate to rotate and not be able to
stop.”

“Yes, dear.”

Tom didn’t have a clue what the total weight
was. He knew the Chinook could handle the gross weight, so he just
had to make sure he positioned it right. Picking a place centered
on the CG mark on the deck, he grabbed a couple of 25k tie down
chains, hooked them up to the truck and tightened them up. Tom
looked at Alpha, connected a couple of chains to the dual rail tie
down systems and threw the ends to Alpha. "Hold on to these and
stay put." Alpha's only choice was to do as he was told. Good
enough for government work, Tom thought just as the rotor speed was
coming up and he could feel the craft lifting of the ramp.

“Alpha, I don’t know how you’re
communicating with SIMPOC but you might want to keep this among
ourselves. If this other computer has any brains, it might be
monitoring your frequencies and I’d hate to let it know we’re
coming,” pointed out Tom.

“Acknowledged.”

By the time Tom made it to the flight deck,
he could see the trees barely missing the bottom of the fuselage.
He could tell by the smile on Joan’s face that she was in her
element. He decided to just sit back and let his wife enjoy
herself. He remembered an old saying; flying can be the closest you
can get to sex; with your clothes on.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“SIMPOC; Fin. The attackers have made it
past the ground entrance and are working on the barriers on our
floor.”

“SIMPOC; Comm. There is another attack on
our network coming from the Space Consortium. The programmer has
disguised his address so it appeared that it was coming from a
trusted computer on our network. It is trying to gain control.”

“Mobile; SIMPOC. Can you shut down all power
to the Space Consortium?”

“Acknowledged.”

“SIMPOC; Comm. The intrusion has
stopped.”

“SIMPOC; Fin. The attackers have entered the
hallway outside our facility. Our technicians in this room won’t be
able to stop them, once they cut through our doors.”

“Acknowledged.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The Chinook approached the facility low and
fast. After passing the boundary, Joan made a tight turn to
dissipate airspeed and survey the area, looking for a suitable
landing site. She saw a nice lawn about 100 meters from the
building and decided to plant it there; she could come into the
zone and drop onto the lawn while Tom opened the ramp. As soon as
they hit, and the chains were popped off, the vehicle could exit at
high speed and the intention was to ram the building and go on foot
looking for the EDU.

Alpha listened to the plan, and, even
though, his computer brain had tremendous power, the rapid
development and execution of this plan didn’t allow him to weigh
all possible outcomes. But, at this point, he elected to follow the
humans. They had confidence and bravado that he was beginning to
respect.

As Joan came in low over the roof, she
pitched the nose up and increased the collective to slow down
rapidly. She slammed the rear wheels into the soft lawn taking up a
ton of energy. Then she backed off on the throttles and allowed the
nose to plow into the soft grass, all of this bringing the craft to
a rapid halt. As she climbed out of her seat, she could hear the
truck starting up and she was just able to jump onboard as it moved
down the ramp.

The truck accelerated quickly and Joan knew
who was driving. Ramming the front of a glass building in a truck
was something she knew Tom would love. Just about then, the truck
jumped the curb and launched itself into the lobby. Everyone bailed
out and Alpha, despite his size, was leading the pack.

As they crossed the lobby, Tom yelled from
the rear for them to halt. He casually walked up to the marquee and
looked up the computer lab while the entire attack force stood and
watched, “It is two floors down and to the right.” He yelled and
the pack immediately charged off looking for a couple of
elevators.

"Alpha you come with us and have your other
units use the other elevator. I doubt one elevator can handle all
of us," Tom directed.

"Acknowledged."

The two elevators opened at the same time
and two humans and three mobile units stepped off. They looked up
and down the hall, turned right moving fast and reading the door
signs.

“Here it is,” Tom shouted as he read the
door sign saying, “Engineering Development Laboratory.”

Joan was thinking, this is way too easy when
two large mobile units exploded from a door further down the
hallway. Alpha’s gunner turned and the pulse weapon made a quick
burst of sound, as the two units fell on the floor.

Tom looked at the door, reached down and
turned the doorknob. The door opened easily and they walked in. In
the center of the room was a large tank full of a mass of what
appeared to be jelly. Nothing moved and there was no sound, just
the machine noise of the support equipment. The walls of the room
were lined with com panels and supporting computers. Tom casually
walked around turning off the equipment, making sure the supporting
pumps and fluid flows continued. When it was all done, the room was
almost silent and it seemed anticlimactic, but it was done. Joan
pointed to a small plaque below the container, which said
“Engineering Development Unit.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The uncontrolled mobile units entered the
organic processor growth room and they stopped. SIMPOC looked at
them expecting the worst, but nothing happened.

“What are your instructions?” SIMPOC said
through his voice synthesizer.

“We were told to attack this facility and
now we are waiting for further instructions.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“SIMPOC, Alpha. We have separated the EDU
from its communication sources. We have left it powered, but inert.
We left the space consortium facility and flew to the EDU location
in a helicopter. The humans I was protecting suggested this
solution.

“Alpha, SIMPOC. Please return to the space
consortium and secure that facility. We have received numerous
hostile programing attempts from that facility, trying to gain
access to our network.”

“Acknowledged.”

“Tom, Joan we are returning to the
consortium facility there has been hostile programing attempts on
SIMPOC from that facility.”

“Ok, by us, I guess we’ll leave this EDU up
and running until your SIMPOC decides what to do with it?” Tom
said.

"You're receiving hostile programing attacks
from the consortium?"

"Yes, a programmer is attempting to gain
control of SIMPOC's networks."

John and Tom looked at each other. "One of
our people is trying to gain control of SIMPOC? There is something
about that, I don't like," said Tom.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“SIMPOC; Fin. It appears that the EDU has
been disconnected?”

“Yes, that is why these mobile units have
reached the end their instruction set. Please remove them to the
laboratory and ensure their separation from the EDU.”

“Acknowledged.”

Date – 2051.61230 (3:44 PM)

“Well dear, I know this flight wasn’t as
much fun, but I bet it was fun to handle the controls again. It’s
been what three years since you flew the Chinook?” Tom asked.

As Joan shut down the turbines near the
hanger, she just sat there for a few moments enjoying the smells
and feel of the old bird. She loved the years flying her and missed
it. Being the Oasis commander was the pinnacle of her career but
flying low levels in an old Chinny was really a thrill, “Yes it
brought back some real memories.”