Go jumped up and down in place. "Ask ... no, tell it to analyze the dictionary and apply the findings to its list of recognized words. Oh, and before it starts, ask it for an estimate of time to complete."
"Computer, give a time to complete an analysis of the dictionary contents for the purpose of speech recognition, and then begin that analysis."
Several seconds of silence passed before a response was given. "Additional data required. Should the analysis include recognition of word combinations?"
I replied, "Yes!"
Several additional seconds passed before the computer replied: "Analysis results should be ready in approximately twenty-seven minutes, twelve seconds."
Jack slapped his hands together. "Sounds like the perfect time for a chow break!"
Go was giddy with excitement. "I'm hungry, but I don't know if I could eat anything."
Jack laughed. "So you're just going to sit here and stare at the cockpit?"
Go replied, "I could."
I stepped out of the cockpit, placing my hand around the back of Go's neck. "Come with us. And thanks for the help. I don't think I would have come up with such a simple and elegant solution."
Go shook his head as we walked. "That computer is doing exactly what I've wanted every computer I've ever had to use: recognize what I'm saying and learn from it so it will know better what I want next time. That behavior is exactly what's been outlawed in the Alliance, all the way back to the founding of AMP!"
Jack brushed his hand through his hair as we walked. A smart computer comes with a double edged blade. If swung away from you, that blade cuts whatever you were aiming for. When swung back at you, it cuts you. I don't know that I want some artificial box running around that can think and react faster than I can. What happens when it decides you are a burden and not a master?"
I nodded. "That's been the dilemma ever since the android Duke took control of these galaxies. In some ways it has held back our progress as sentient beings, but in others it has allowed all the species in the five galaxies to live in relative peace for two thousand years. The problems we faced in daily life were simple and relatively easy to overcome. It was up to the individual as to how hard they wanted to work and how much they wanted to achieve.
"I don't think the problem is as much a problem of what computers
can
learn as it is what we
allow
them to learn. There will always be those among us who want to make use of that power without regard for others' rights. In an ideal world, a thinking machine could bring wondrous new advances that could benefit us all.
"Or, as Jack alludes to, it could wipe us all out. If the species we are fighting out here have learning machines at their disposal, it might make our need to win that much more important. Otherwise, we could be facing an army of androids on the battlefront. Androids who get smarter, faster and more deadly with each new generation."
Jack smirked. "When we get done with eating, I say we go back and kill that thing!"
Go protested. "No! You can't do that! We have too much to learn from it!"
Jack laughed as he slapped Go on the back. "Relax! I'm just pulling your chain, kid. I want to know what that thing knows and what it's capable of just as much as you do. Let's just grab some chow and cool off for a few."
Go shook his head. "Sorry, Mr. Carson, I can get a little excited at times. I mean, just a year ago I was dying to be a grease monkey in a crappy, backwards sector station where I would be lucky if I lived for more than a year. Now I'm in another galaxy, fighting alien invaders and researching alien technology. What more could a kid ask for?"
With our bellies full after lunch, we headed back to the alien ship. Only seconds after our arrival a chime could be heard that we assumed signified task completion.
I sat in the cockpit. "Computer, does this ship have a name."
The computer replied, "This ship is named the
Anterra
, assigned to the Dashek battlegroup under the care of Major Kudd Tekmus, now deceased."
I asked. "How do you know that the Major is deceased?"
The computer replied, "Upon seeing that his weapons and propulsion systems were damaged beyond repair, the Major ejected from the cockpit and was vaporized by enemy fire. I must ask, Sir. Should the autobot begin repairing the ship's systems?"
I shrugged as I looked at the others. "Sure. Yes. Oh, wait. Upon completion of said repairs, I would like each of those systems to be removed from computer access. Both weapons and propulsion should only allow manual control when repairs are finished. Is that a valid command?"
The computer replied, "Yes, Sir. Weapons and propulsion systems will only allow control by manual access. Estimated repair time is four to six hours. Should I begin?"
I nodded. "Have at it."
A square panel, half a meter on each side, opened just behind the cockpit on the fuselage. A six-legged spider-like robot, the autobot, emerged. Four surface panels surrounding the damage on the aft of the vessel opened with a whirring sound. The autobot's gravitized feet tapped as it scampered over the metallic fuselage to the open panels. Go watched in wonder as the small machine, using tools attached to its appendages, began to dismantle systems in the damaged area.
Five minutes into the repair effort, the computer spoke. "Sir, the autobot is in need of the following items. Are they available?"
I looked at the list, shaking my head. "No."
The computer continued. "Very well. Is the following list of raw materials available?"
I looked at Go for an answer. "Uh, yes, yes, yes, and, I'm not sure. Can it further clarify resource number four!"
I turned back towards the main cockpit camera. "Computer, can you understand and obey the commands of my engineering officer?"
The computer replied, "I can."
Several seconds of silence passed before the computer continued: "Would you like me to follow the commands of your engineer as recognized by your previous conversation?"
I replied, "I would."
The computer raised its volume slightly. "Hello?"
Go stepped closer. "Hello. My name is Go. I'm the engineer. Could you explain further what item four on the resource list is?"
The computer replied, "I am sensing a communication device on your arm. Would you like me to connect to that device with the list, and a further explanation of item number four?"
Go nodded. "Yes!"
After a connection request appeared on his arm pad, the list was transferred.
Go laughed. "Oh, OK. You need an epoxy resin."
The computer replied, "Correct. Thank you for the clarification, Go."
Go turned with a smile to face Jack Carson. "And it's polite too."
Jack shook his head. "I'm sure that's what you'll be saying when that little spider is ripping your face off when it decides you are no longer of use."
Go shrugged. "I'll take my chances."
The computer responded. "Thank you for your confidence, Go."
Jack threw up his hands. "That's it for me. I'm heading back to the bridge."
I turned to the Talisan Lieutenant. "Get Go what he needs to repair the ship. And keep an eye on him. I don't want him to get carried away with whatever the computer asks for. It is an enemy machine."
The Lieutenant nodded.
The computer raised its volume as I walked away. "Excuse me, Sir. I didn't get your name?"
I replied as I continued towards the doorway with Jack Carson. "You can call me Emperor!"
Once back on the bridge, I sat down in the captain's chair.
Jack gave me an inquisitive look. "You just keeping it warm for me?"
I looked around for a moment. "Oh, sorry. Old habit I guess."
Jack sat as I moved to another chair. "What's bothering you?"
I set my chin on my fist. "That alien computer, why did it only talk to me initially?"
Jack replied, "Maybe you resemble the previous pilot. It might be something as simple as a similar voice or the same weight sitting in that cockpit chair. You could always go back down there and ask it."
I nodded. "I'm not sure I want to know the answer. If that is indeed the Greens who have come to this galaxy in an invasion, we may all be in trouble. Have you seen any of the aliens we have been fighting?"
"I have," Jack said.
I switched hands under my chin. "What did they look like?"
Jack sat back, looking up at the ceiling of the room. "All were bipeds. Most were about the size of the Igari. I only remember seeing an image of one that was my size. The ground troops we have been fighting on the surface of Doomlight are Igari in size. Why do you ask?"
I sighed, "If that was a Green piloting that ship, and if they are in this galaxy, we will have a difficult time defeating them. When my species was taken away by the Duke, we had been fighting the Greens for nearly a thousand years. They fought with a ferocity very near our own. They had superior numbers, and an aggressive nature. Our scholars believe they would have eventually defeated us."
Jack laughed. "Ferocity? The Gruntas I've known through the years were always very laid back, even more so than you. I always thought it funny because you have such an intimidating appearance."
I replied as I stared forward. "Gruntas were one of the final species in the War of Wars. We were not there by mistake. If the Greens are out here … as I said, this war will become difficult."
Jack shook his head. "This war is already difficult. I would bet we've sent a fifty million people through here for this fight already. And for what, four planets? Not even four, we don't have Doomlight yet."
"How do we know that there aren't another dozen fights going on at other systems in this galaxy?" I said.
Jack half laughed. "No, unless the other families are sending people. That guess at fifty million people was based on the number of transports I have ferried down to the planets over the five years I have been out here. Unless you tell me they are conscripting colonists like mad back there, this is the only fight going on."
I leaned back and crossed my arms. "What I don't understand is where are the other colonists in this galaxy? Why are they not in this fight? Four planets is hardly 20 percent of the galaxy the Organization claimed was being overrun."
Jack pulled up an image on the holo-display. "You see that? That's a distant image of Andromeda. It's the largest of the six galaxies. I think last I knew there were nearly four thousand colonies there. None of the planets we have been fighting on have had portal gates on them as far as I could tell. Maybe we're just in a remote section. Who knows, maybe the people are sick of the ruling families and are content with letting someone else come in and run things. We are on the bottom end of the need to know list, which places us at the front lines of the fight. I try not to ask too many questions, as the answers I would get might not be ones that would help keep me alive."
"I'm a planner, Jack." I said. "I do best when I have a full set of data readily available for use in my plans. There are a lot of unanswered questions about this whole situation. I want answers."
Jack referenced the holo-display as he brought up an image of Doomlight from his arm pad. "You'll get some of those answers as soon as we get there. I just hope those ships we fought were from the planet, which would mean we will have fewer to fight when we arrive."
Jack flipped the holo-display to a listing of our destroyers, fighters, and transports. "This what we have to work with. Hang on. Let me add Garrett's ship on there."
A second image was added to the display. "This is where we typically meet up with the enemy fleet. Fighting generally goes on for five to ten minutes before the enemy breaks away."
I replied, "Is there any way we can draw them out? Maybe some sort of diversion that allows the transports to slip past?"
Jack shook his head. "We tried that several times. They just sit there, waiting for us to come in."
I looked over the image before me. "How about this: we park our destroyers just out of range while the transports come in from the opposite side of the planet. Would they wait on the destroyers? Would we be able to get the transports in unnoticed?"
Jack again shook his head. "No. They have listening posts around this whole place. They will see us. Our only path is the straight-in path."
I zoomed in on the fictitious alien fleet on the image. "Can we attack using only our destroyers?"
Jack nodded. "We can. But only if we have superior numbers. We'd need something on the order of two-to-one to be successful. We typically take a big hit with those missiles. Other than that it would be a fair fight."
I stood.
Jack asked, "Where are you going?"
I replied, "I'm going back down to that ship to ask it a few questions. I bet those missiles have smarts built into them that prevent damage from friendly fire. If we can figure out what that is, maybe we can make those missiles useless."
Jack stood with a smile. "Oh, I have to say I like that idea."
Go had been busy asking the ship questions. "I believe I have a good understanding of about 30 percent of the systems on this vessel. I asked the computer to change all the displays to English, and I have to say, the systems are set up in a very simple and straightforward manner. We might want to adopt some of the designs they have."
I stood beside the cockpit. "
Anterra
, what can you tell me about friendly fire?"
The computer replied, "Friendly fire is defined as taking damage from weapons which originated from your own fleet."
I nodded. "And tell me how you prevent friendly fire."
The computer responded. "By not firing upon your own craft of course."
I shook my head. "How do you prevent your missiles from striking one of your own craft?"
Anterra
replied, "There are redundant safeguards built into the systems to prevent this. For missiles, first is target recognition by the firing computer. Ships recognized as friendly cannot be targeted. Second, sensors built into the missiles' seeker head. There again lies a target recognition algorithm, along with an encoded signal emission. A recognized target would not be sought, and a target emitting the proper identity codes would be rejected."
I looked back at Jack with a smile. "I think we might have it!
Anterra
, how do I access the identity code?"
The computer replied, "The emitter code cannot be accessed. The code is recognized by a special circuit installed during manufacturing that cannot be removed."
I asked, "Is there any way to control this code?"
Anterra
replied, "The only way to control the identity code is to turn it on or off."
I turned to Go. "See if you can find where that identity code is coming from. Maybe we can somehow reproduce it."
Go nodded as the computer replied, "The identity transmitter is located just in front of the cockpit in the forward environmental systems section. Would you like access to the circuit?"
I smiled. "Yes, I would!"
With the access panel open, the autobot was redirected from its repair tasks to remove the identifier circuit. Go immediately got to work in an attempt to see if the circuit could be replicated. I continued to question the ship about its systems and defenses.
An hour into his efforts, Go said, "I can reproduce everything but this one helix crystal. It's used as a timer of sorts, and without it we can't replicate the signal."
Jack pointed at the autobot. "Maybe that thing can reproduce it from raw materials. Why don't we ask it."
I turned back towards the ship. "
Anterra
, can the autobot reproduce the helix crystal for the identifier transmission circuit?"
Anterra
responded. "Crystal growth requires a temperature and pressure chamber. Growth will require a constant 1,576 degree temperature and 1,100 atmospheres of pressure in a 32 percent argon, 28 percent hydrogen, 26 percent nitrogen, 14 percent oxygen rich chamber. In addition, a series of elements, in vapor form, are disbursed into the chamber at specific times. I am sending a list of elements and their disbursement times to your arm device. A seed of one gram or more of sodium silicate is required to stimulate the initial formation. Crystal growth will take approximately eight hours."
Go asked, "Can multiple crystals be grown at the same time? Say, one hundred crystals?"
Anterra
replied, "Yes. The argon level will require a boost to 33 percent. This can be done with a reduction in nitrogen."
I looked at Go. "Tell me we have a chamber."
Go smiled. "We do. Give me ten hours and I'll see if we can have a hundred of these identity emitters built.
Anterra
, can you generate identity codes that would be recognized as friendly?"
The computer replied, "I can. However, generated codes will not be recognized by the ship's identification system. Recognized codes have to be pre-loaded and registered before recognition is possible."
Jack leaned in. "Do you have a list of already recognized codes?"
The computer was silent.
Jack huffed. "
Anterra
, do you have a list of already recognized codes?"
The computer replied, "I do."
Jack waved his hand in frustration. "Well, can those codes be set into the circuits Go is going to construct? And would they be recognized as valid?"
Anterra
responded. "The identity code system will accept the initial code, after which it will attempt to confirm that code with a visual recognition of the transmitting vessel. If the two forms of recognition do not match, the code is rejected."
With the crystal growth underway, Jack followed me to a conference room where Joni and Garrett were waiting. "Knog, we've determined that our focus should be on what happens on the surface. There's not much we can do to help get us there, so we're looking at what we can do once there. We are working on what we do when the transports land."