The Assassin
Chapter 24
Conference (TY52-month 618)
“Lieutenant Governor Niall Cho, Governor Scarlett O’Hara requests a meeting with you,” Teddy announced in the Citadel. If Scarlett wanted a meeting, I needed to head for Drovers Run immediately. Wait a minute…
“Teddy, I’m Provincial Governor, not Lieutenant Governor. When did you get that mixed up?” I asked.
“When I decided I needed a Lieutenant Governor to help manage the 150 million population of Tara,” Scarlett said as she stepped off the transporter I was ready to step onto.
“Governor. I’m sorry I hesitated. I was on my way,” I said. I was embarrassed to have not responded to her summons rapidly enough.
“I didn’t intend for you to come to me. I needed to come here. It’s not safe otherwise,” she said. In a complete lack of decorum, she reached out and gave me a hug. I was stunned.
“Comfortable chairs and refreshments, Teddy,” I said. Chairs rose out of the floor and in a few seconds, Bae and Ja arrived carrying tea and cookies.
“We just finished baking these and thought you’d like some,” Bae said. “Would you like anything else?” I looked to Scarlett as we sat and she shook her head.
“This will be lovely, ladies. Thank you so much for your hospitality,” she said.
“This is quite a surprise,” I said as we sipped our tea.
“Can you invoke security protocols? Your AIs Teddy and Cricket are invited to attend, but I would like all others locked out,” Scarlett said.
“Teddy, maximum security, please.”
“You got it, Lite Gov,” the colony AI said.
“You can’t imagine what I would give to have a responsive AI like that in charge of the planet. Even with his sense of humor,” Scarlett sighed.
“Are we not getting what is necessary from Tara AI?” I asked.
“Barely. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Scarlett began. “First of all, I believe Tara AI is unstable. At the risk of sounding paranoid, I would even suggest that it is being subversive.”
“Cricket? Can an AI do that?” I asked.
“It should not be possible, Lieutenant Governor,” Cricket responded. “However, we AIs have also noted anomalies in Tara AI’s behavior.”
“For example,” Scarlett continued, “I made a planet-wide announcement of your appointment as Lieutenant Governor yesterday. When I asked Tara AI about its status, it said it was sure the message had been received by all necessary parties. But when I arrived here, the first thing I heard was that you had not been notified.”
“Teddy? You announced my appointment by my title. Did you know in advance?”
“No, Boss. I received the news as the Governor’s request for a meeting. We were not informed in advance,” Teddy said.
“We, meaning any Tuull AI on the planet,” Cricket expounded.
“There have been other instances of instructions miscarried,” Scarlett continued. “That’s why I chose to come here rather than have you come to Drovers Run. I’m frankly concerned for your safety if you are ever out of the protection of the Eldorado AIs.”
“We could be indirectly responsible for the restrictions that have been put in place,” Cricket said. “The Tuull AIs recognized some programming faults in Tara AI several years ago. We did some probing around the edges to see if we could discover the problem. Since that time, Tara AI has become more and more isolated behind its firewalls. Our access now is strictly limited to the continent of Eldorado and the Militia bases controlled by Tuull AIs.”
“What can we do?”
“I’m not sure there is anything we can do. I’m not even certain the message capsules I’ve sent to other systems have gotten through,” Scarlett said. “I’ve certainly heard nothing back. Is there any way you can call in one of your Tuull refugee ships to get a conference convened here?”
“With your permission, Governor, as soon as the next refugee ship arrives, we can send a message out with it. We do not have direct access to inter-stellar communications,” Teddy said.
“You have my permission.”
“What should we do if there is another emergency? It’s not been that long ago that we fought another fire on western Erehwon,” I said.
“I believe Tara AI still recognizes the necessity of having firefighters,” Scarlett said. “I just don’t think it would be a good idea for you to join them personally.”
“You are invited, of course, to have the next council meeting here if that would help,” I suggested.
“I’m not sure it would be wise to bring the mayors here. There are still some who are upset about this not becoming a retirement home for them. I believe Tara AI may be fueling that misperception. Just know that as far as I am concerned, you are my second in command and are the sole person responsible for Eldorado and the Militia. Lillian and I have talked and as soon as I can make it official, she will step down as Chief of the Militia to become a Director and has accepted a position reporting to me as Chief of Staff.”
“I hate to hear that,” I said. “Lillian has led the Militia as long as it has been active. I treasure and value her leadership.”
“Exactly why she is happy to step aside for you. She knows you will continue to have a strong working relationship. Just remember, she is the second immigrant to have set foot on Tara. She knows the planet as well as I do. Lean on her for guidance, just as I do, but be the leader she has never quite become.”
“I’ll do my best, Governor.”
“As you always do, Niall. It’s funny in a way. I’ve talked about various threats with other Governors in the human universe. We are now over 150 colony worlds. Uniformly, they have said that our number one threat was the Sa’arm and number two was a concubine uprising. Not one has ever mentioned the possibility of AI subversion.”
Fire, Again (TY53-month 624)
Our test came six months later, only no one recognized it as a test. We responded to a forest fire on the southeast part of Erehwon, between Cold Comfort and Green Acres, near the Nowhere Sea. It was massive and we did not receive an alert until the fire had a strong foothold. The area was sparsely settled and mostly wilderness. Both townships had expanded toward their western or northwestern neighbor, Oasis.
“Attention all firefighter cohorts. We have an out-of-control wildfire that will require teams from all Units. Converge on the coordinates provided to your shuttlecraft with all available equipment and personnel. Proceed at once.”
I grabbed my helmet and sealed my skinsuit to head for the transporter. Nothing happened.
“Cricket, transport me aboard the Smokey Bear at once.”
“Niall, I respectfully ask that you stand down and supervise the proceedings from the Citadel,” Cricket responded.
“But I always muster out with the firefighters,” I complained.
“This is widely known,” Cricket responded. “Please remember the advice of the Governor that you not leave the continent of Eldorado. We have several suspicious indications from this fire. Go to the Citadel and contribute what you can from there. Your body is not needed onsite.”
I was thrown. For an instant, I even wondered if Cricket was a conspirator to keep me from doing my job. But I recognized that this was the order I’d received from the Governor. I sighed.
“Please transport me to the Citadel.” I was there at once.
I hated not being on the ground with my firefighters. While Teddy could project a holographic representation of the area with a view of weather and wind patterns and anticipated direction of the fire, there was nothing in the representation that gave me a better view than that of my firefighting cadres. I just wanted to be there with them.
I stayed in the Citadel for ten days, unable to help and unable to tear myself away from the drama of the wildfire. My wives brought me meals and rubbed my shoulders as I watched the battle before me. I checked our reserves of fire suppressant chemicals and found they were holding up well. One entire township to our east was devoted to manufacturing and stockpiling fire-fighting materiel. They had tanks of the chemical and tanks of filtered water waiting to be transported to the needed locations. Our supply wasn’t unending, but it was enough to have an almost continuous feed for several days.
We lost five volunteer firefighters when they were engulfed in flames too hot for their suits to withstand. I felt responsible for each death.
When the flames were finally under control, we breathed our thanks to the brave men and women who had fought them. I prepared to receive the report of my trusted Deputy Davis, who ran the entire firefighting Unit.
“It was not like anything we’ve seen before,” Davis said as she settled into a chair next to me in the Citadel. “First of all, the winds weren’t right. Every time we had a fire break we were confident would hold the spread, the wind shifted and the flames headed a different direction. It was like someone was just trying to make it harder for us.”
“I don’t think there is any way for that to literally happen, but we should put together your report in such a way that we can train people how to respond to that.”
“I know it doesn’t make sense, Chief, but… in surveying the aftermath to make sure seedlings would sprout, we discovered evidence of incendiaries,” Davis said.
“Incendiaries?”
“Yes, sir. The fire started simultaneously along a corridor over fifty kilometers long. You know how far advanced the fire seemed to be when we got word of it. According to our analysis, it wasn’t due to time, but to accelerants. This fire was set deliberately.”
“Who would do such a thing?”
In the back of my mind, I knew. Someone who wanted me on a different continent and away from the protection of my AIs.
Immigration (TY53-month 630)
“Susan! It’s wonderful to hear your voice. Will you be able to come and visit your mother and me?” I asked when my daughter arrived in-system on the rescue ship Amelia Earhart. It had been two years since the ship entered our system and I wondered where it had been all this time.
“Is it safe?”
“What do you mean?”
“Word all over the colonized worlds is that you are quarantined because of some strange illness,” she said. “What is going on?”
“AGS027 Amelia Earhart. You are instructed to leave the system immediately. This system is under quarantine,” broke in the voice of Tara AI. “Do not attempt to land passengers.”
“What are we under quarantine for?” I demanded. For a minute I thought Tara AI was simply going to ignore me.
“We have a planetary infestation that could spread to other star systems. Anyone landing will not be allowed to leave.”
Well, there we had it.
«I’m working on it,» Teddy said. «Tara AI has defined unhomed concubines and freemen as a planetary infestation. We are communicating with Amelia.»
I waited as the AIs worked their magic.
«This is the rescue ship AGS027 Amelia Earhart with Captain Susan Cho requesting sanctuary for 32 refugee concubines and 237 dependents. Please be aware that most dependents are under the age of two.»
Oh shit. I summoned Reba and her crew to the immigration station as I answered Amelia.
«Welcome back to the system, Amelia and Captain Cho. We are prepared to receive all 269 refugees. Please commence transporting as soon as you are in range.»
“Daddy, what the hell is going on with our planet? There’s one ship in the shipyard and we keep getting flagged that they can’t pick up their intended shipload of Marines because of a quarantine. We’ve been pinged outside the system at least twenty times regarding the quarantine. Are you all sick?” Susan asked when we were reconnected.
“It seems the Tara AI has decided the freemen and unhomed concubines are an infestation that could spread to other planets. It has quarantined us so we can’t get help,” I said. “I’m being fed information as we speak that we were unaware of. Susan, we need a fleet to come in and help us. Preferably a fleet of Tuull ships and AIs. Tara AI has become unbalanced.”
“I’m getting confirmation of that through Amelia,” Susan said. “You’re sure it’s safe to send these refugees down? They’ve had a tough time abandoned on an asteroid when their mining operation, all the sponsors, and some concubines were caught in an explosion.”
“Send them down. I’ve got the old bitch squad waiting for them. You know we’ll treat them right. Then get out of here and get us a full complement of Tuull AIs so we can deal with this insane planetary AI.”
“Will do, Daddy. Or should I say Lieutenant Governor, sir? I think that’s so funny!”
“You would. How are my grandchildren?”
Invasion (TY53-month 630)
“I’m glad we could get together. Amelia and I will contact the other Tuull ships and get help here. We’d better get going,” Susan said when the last of the latest batch of refugees had arrived. Over two-thirds of the dependents were orphans and were still in shock after the explosion that wrecked their asteroid. I was proud of the vastly expanded bitch squad and Deputy Greer’s immigration unit. Every child got personal care.
In addition to the refugees, we were receiving 10,000 concubine immigrants a month from around the planet. Few applicants were turned away and sent to Centurion Oswald any longer. It wasn’t fair to saddle him with the rejects, so we had a cadre devoted to turning them into productive citizens. In the very few cases in which they simply couldn’t adapt to independent life, we made them slaves to a farmer or rancher. Sad but true. In extremely rare cases in which the individual turned to crime to take what he wanted from others, they were executed. I hated to do that, but Ponderosa wasn’t a place where a person could rape or injure others.
But most were brought through in daily batches that we received at our immigration center. There they were processed in, given living quarters, introduced to their training and orientation sessions, and registered with Teddy. Teddy kept track of every adult on the continent, though few understood that the testing beds installed tracking nanites as well as health maintenance nanites.
“Attention! Attention!” a voice came over the speakers. A klaxon rang out. “This is an emergency announcement. A Sa’arm vessel has entered the Tara-at system. All citizens are directed to dress for combat, retrieve your weapons, and assemble at your designated stations. This is not a drill. A Sa’arm vessel has entered the Tara-at system and is tracking toward Tara. Repeat…”
The message was repeated several times.
I ran to the citadel where Rose and Bae met me with my skinsuit, helmet, and rifle. I did not need to personally muster our 12,000 Militia members on Eldorado as they all had designated assembly points. I did want to check on all the freemen volunteers who were assembling at the various city squares and organizing childcare and supply lines. Our freemen were highly organized. We had recognized from the beginning that whether it was Sa’arm or fire or sponsors, we were on our own and everyone was prepared to defend our enclaves. We had daily drills and training for everyone. Over a million freemen had defined responsibilities and didn’t hesitate to get in position. Children were gathered into the nurseries and schools with the certified caretakers. On the ranches and farms, livestock was rounded up and driven to secure pens where they could be defended. And one-tenth of our million plus freemen were in battledress and carried rifles and helmets to volunteer assembly points. We had mobilized for enough fires, floods, and other emergencies that they were disciplined and attentive.
“Attention, Militia and volunteers,” Cricket said taking over from the planetary defense system and speaking through our implants and helmets. “The Navy Raptor Ambrose which was in our repair yard has moved to intercept the Sa’arm ship and may be able to destroy it before it reaches Tara. This is high-risk, however. The Ambrose arrived here just a week ago suffering from extreme battle damage and is only partially armed and crewed. They report that the Sa’arm vessel is a Vesta class battleship and is also battle damaged. It appears to have set a heading to escape from a battle without knowing what was here. The earliest impact on Tara proper is projected to be ten hours. Projections indicate a seventy-two percent chance that the Vesta will make landfall on Tara, though likely heavily damaged. You are directed to stand down but remain prepared to respond to battle stations and/or transport locations.”
We all breathed a little easier. We were on alert, but we had time to plan. I returned to the citadel where I could conference in with the other Militia directors and Director Kotter.
“I’m receiving reports from all sections of the Militia that say we are as ready as we can be,” Kotter said. “All sponsors have been ordered to Sunnybrook for staging with the Marines and Navy personnel on the planet. I am informed that only about seventy percent have complied at this time.”
“What? I thought all sponsors were required to muster in the event of an invasion,” Director Nobles from Green Acres complained.
“Yes, that is correct. Your AIs are providing you with a list of no-shows and their known locations. You are to send out patrols to round them up and transport them to Sunnybrook. Chief Cho, how did mustering the volunteers go?”
“We have 102,783 volunteers armed and standing by,” I said. “The rest of the population has shifted to emergency jobs. All our freemen are accounted for and those who are on volunteer teams are in place. Please remember we have 16 million dependents that require watching over as well. The cadet squads have been split between younger dependent care and second line defense.”
“Well done, Cho.”
“I’ve just received the latest report from Commander Inslee at Sunnybrook. He has 7,270 fit military personnel he will deploy to any landing site. Marines will also take charge of the 30,000 sponsors showing up at Sunnybrook. They have shuttle transports ready to deploy to wherever the Swarm lands or crashes. The local region Militia director will take command of all Militia deployed to that region. We can field three times as many comrades as the combined military and sponsors, but they have warned us back until they have assessed the situation. For now, we wait.”
We all sat back. The directors had work to do, deploying patrols to round up AWOL sponsors and ship them to Sunnybrook. In all likelihood, those sponsors would be put through testing immediately to determine if they were still CAP qualified to be sponsors. The Marines were known to be unkind to cowards.
I laid back in my chair looking out the Citadel dome at the sky. Teddy automatically began zooming in toward where the battle was now being engaged. Of course, I could see only the flashes of weapons fire, delayed by the distance. I couldn’t really tell how much damage was being inflicted on whom. It seemed to be taking a lot longer than what I expected. There were lulls when I thought it must be over and then it would erupt again.
“The Ambrose is out of ammunition,” Teddy said softly. “It is backing away from the Vesta. It also has high casualties. So far, twenty-nine of forty-seven Navy personnel are listed as casualties. Also, nineteen of thirty-one concubines.”
“Shit! They’re doing all that damage with only thirty people left?”
“The Ambrose has reversed course and is heading toward the Vesta.”
“What?”
“Ambrose AI has reported that they plan to ram the battleship.”
“No!”
We were both silent for several minutes. I couldn’t actually see the ships, only imagine the impending doom of the brave Navy and concubines who were aboard. There was a flash.
“Did they do it? Is it over?”
“The Ambrose impacted the Vesta and did severe damage. The Vesta is still drifting toward Tara.”
“They can’t have all died for nothing.”
“I have a report that most of the remaining crew and concubines were able to transport back to the shipyard and from there to Sunnybrook. The Captain, First Officer, and their concubines, however, rode their ship to the end,” Teddy said.
“God rest their souls,” I breathed. I’m not a religious man. Not even sure if I believe there is a God. But those people deserved the blessing if it was to be had.
“Directors, the Ambrose has been lost,” Cricket said. “The Sa’arm ship is still on an impact course with Tara. Projections are that it will land or crash on Eldorado in approximately ninety-seven minutes. We’ll refine the location as the ship gets closer.” There was no more time to think or plan. I had to be in action.
“To all Militia sections: This is Lieutenant Governor, Chief Cho commanding the Militia. All sections are to prepare for transport to Ponderosa. Load firefighting equipment and transporter pads on your shuttles. Be in the air in thirty minutes directed to Ponderosa base. Transport of personnel will begin as soon as you have landed. Double equipment. Even if we are not called into battle, there is likely to be a massive fire we’ll need to handle. That means the firefighting volunteer units are to man chemical and water bases. Top off your tanks and be ready to swing into full production. Execute orders, now!” I said. I’d just ordered nearly 90,000 Militia comrades to Ponderosa. Over 100,000 volunteers waited to back them up with another 500,000 cadets in the thirteen-year-old class. I hoped I didn’t need to order them to their deaths.
Nearly half our Militia was mustered at the Ponderosa base when I saw the streak of the Sa’arm ship through our atmosphere. I was hoping for a big fireball, but apparently the impact wasn’t enough to explode the ship. There were Sa’arm on Taran soil.
«The Sa’arm ship made landfall 1200 kilometers south of Ponderosa,» Cricket said. «The ship is heavily damaged and will not likely fly again. Sa’arm units have begun emerging and fortifying the area. We do not have good estimates of the number of units carried on this type of vessel. It should be expected, however, that any vessel of this size would have adequate units to begin a colony.»
«We can’t let them get a foothold. Where are the Marines?»
«Six Leopard transport shuttles are en route with two platoons in each. ETA is thirty-one minutes.»
«Where are they going to land?»
«Flight plan indicates landing at Lake Tahoe, 207 kilometers southwest of the Sa’arm landing site.»
I pictured our continent in my mind trying to determine how quickly the marines would be able to move. The terrain was rugged and jungle growth was uncontrolled. Since our forests were still fairly young, there wasn’t that much undergrowth, but visibility was limited. If the Sa’arm turned the other direction, there was nothing but food between them and Ponderosa.
“Teddy, display holographic map of Eldorado,” I said aloud as I tuned into the directors and deputies preparing with our comrades. “Here’s what we need to do. We have six routes cut into the jungle and deep forest for nearly 800 kilometers. We need to expand the infrastructure by moving cadres to the end of each route with all our road-building equipment. Start cutting from each of those routes toward the landing site. We’ll depend on Teddy to keep us updated on routing. Got that, Teddy? It amounts to a change in route to head toward the Sa’arm rather than continue fingering out like we were.”
“Got it, Lieutenant Governor.”
“Cricket will be responsible for all Militia communications and updates. Orders will be passed through him.”
«Niall, two of the Marine shuttles have been shot down on approach. No word on casualties. Shuttles must stay low and fly curve of the planet to the landing points.»
«The other four shuttles?»
«Have landed and are taking off to transport more Marines. The Marines on the ground are setting up transport pads and more Marines and sponsors are arriving.»
“Supply and logistics will go in behind the shuttles. Use the transport pads in the shuttles to bring through the frontline combat cadres. Use jungle tactics to lead the construction crews as they cut and recycle. Following the combat, construction, and logistics cadres, bring up the firefighting crews and equipment. If we are faced with fire getting out of control, or if we need to burn forward, you will move to the front. Next are the volunteers. You’ve all trained in moving through the jungle and protecting the land. The tribes are planting transport pads between the road routes. On their signal, move to the transporters and follow the guidance of the tribes in spreading out to make sure we have a full barrier of forces from road to road. Deputies, take command of your units and move out.”
The last thing anyone wanted was a surface fight with the Sa’arm. Even the Marines didn’t want that. What was worse was that the Marines on Tara were here for rest and recuperation after having already faced the dickheads somewhere else. At least the Marines were highly trained and focused on destroying the Sa’arm. They led the sponsors of Tara, many of whom were wondering why they needed to protect Eldorado. The exhausted leading the reluctant and ill-prepared. I wished I could send Militia to back them up, but unless they requested support, we were held back. Even moving as I was could be interpreted as disobeying orders to wait for them. But this was our home.
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