The Recruitment: Rise of the Free Fleet (49 page)

Eddie and Shrift looked nervous as everyone else looked confused.

“Now, I know you are all wondering why I’ve asked to conference you all. To be honest I should have held this conference earlier.” I took a breath as I looked at them all.

“There was a silent partner in our revolt. She is the one that created the solution that allowed the pain implant and internal kill switches be removed.” There was no missing Yasu’s withering gaze as I said
 
she.

“She was instrumental in taking Parnmal, and without her help I doubt we would have been able to take the station. She was the one that helped me to open our eyes to who the planetary defence force truly were. I ask for me that you look at her with open eyes, she is a sworn member of the Free Fleet like you all and she has sworn to serve to the codes and regulations of the Free Fleet.” I looked at all of them, as they looked, somewhat understanding.

“Resilient.” The holographic projector in the room came to life as Resilient appeared beside me.

There was a moment of confusion, probably more than one person on the screens and in the room with me wondering if I’d been smelling plasma exhaust.

“Thank you Commander Salchar. Hello Commanders, Captains, Leaders and Chiefs of the Free Fleet, it is good to finally meet you. My name is Resilient and I am the AI of the Dreadnought Resilient.” As predicted everything just went insane. Some accepted it, others were confused, more believed it wasn’t true and the races that weren’t human looked as if they were going to faint.

“Quiet!” I barked as quickly the screens became silent.

“As to people’s first question if she is real, Eddie?”

“I have known her personally for five years out of my twenty three on her. She’s as real as this chair I’m sitting in.”

“Shrift?”

“I’ve only known her for two years, but yes she’s real. When I first found out I was terrified because of all the sorties I’ve heard about rogue Ai’s. Though once I calmed down and thought about it, there were so many times which she could have killed all of the crew and just gone and done what she wanted yet she didn’t.”
 
Giving you lot a chance.
 
Shrift’s gaze seemed to add.

“By now you have all seen the documentary of how the Union suddenly turned the tables and defeated the Kalu. That was due to AI intervention. Resilient do you want to tell them?” I asked.

“Indeed. The Union and AI’s had a, hostile relationship at the best of times. It’s due to the creation of an AI, if an AI Is created, it like the majority of sentient creatures needs to learn. How a Kuruvian eats their first molting, or a Sarenmenti eats liquid food, or a human grabs everything. When this happens they exercise themselves, as a human must learn how to walk the AI must learn how to control their body, which can be whatever they’re in. From stations, dockyards and ships to planetary information nets. This is catastrophic. If an AI is in a planetary information net then they can and do see how changing the power input to one apartment works, or lessening it. Or what will happen if they cut off communications. They don’t know good and bad, they’re still learning what they can do at this point.” Her tone was serious, like the one’s I’d heard talking about drugs in school.

“An emergence as this is called among AI’s can last from an hour, to months. Every AI develops differently, and has access to more or less resources to gain reasoning from. This chaos can be averted if another AI can introduce their own code to the growing AI. The AI gains from the donor and learn higher functions and how they work. AI’s can also birth other AI’s by combining two or more AI’s code together to a fertile grid and then expand the grid as the AI grows.” Her tone lightened as the screen showed an image of systems with an outward growing green force chasing blues.

“The Union was split between trying to hunt us all down and destroying us or offering us a seat within the Union. If they had offered us one we could have gone through a revolution, much as what Parnmal will experience soon and then spread to the habited systems. Instead AI’s remained as a neutral party. We moved far away from the Union, only worm holing in to retrieve a newly created AI. Though some AI’s would visit biological friends they had, that was how they were able to ask for out help in the Kalu war.” She said as someone raise their hand.

“What happened in the war from your perspective?” They asked. Resilient’s image as an AI appeared. The calm that had settled turned to rapid moving again.

Resilient the AI’s strong yet matronly appearance was enough to relax me, and soon had the effect on the others. It was probably the lack of mouth that scared them, and the electric blue eyes. Resilient the AI looked at odds with her exterior, she looked as if she would be happy reading a book and watching her grandchildren, instead of being a behemoth which had gone through wars and battles with the scars to prove it, and would do so again, batteries firing.

Once everyone was settled Resilient began talking again, an odd thing for humans to see.

Going to have to get used to it with other races.

“The war between the Union and Kalu was at a standstill, so they turned to us for assistance. We would help them win the war and they would give us five systems within the Union which we would rule. We agreed, there weren’t many AI’s and we all craved information and input from others, even biologicals. They gave us the hulls of the biggest and best ships they had. We transferred and alongside mixed species crews we won the war. They tried to recruit us for the war between them and the Syndicate. The council of AI decided that it was an inner policing issue, and we had already won them one war. A decision that many, including myself, did not agree with. We watched as the Union tore itself apart and we retreated away from sentients.”

I could see there were mixed emotions in my people as Resilient continued, using her hands now.
 
She’d getting used to our ways.

“I disagreed with the council so much that I took on the name Resilient and made for Union space. I found that the Union was burning. I looked for people to pull together and make a force capable of taking apart the Syndicate. Yet with the Unions final act they crippled their own people.”

Many shook their heads, they knew what it was like to have no means of retaliation.

“I allowed myself to be captured, learning everything about the Syndicate and hoping to find people willing to destroy it. I chose you.” She looked at everyone on the screens before resting her gaze on me for a long second, everyone looking to me.

“I swore to serve Commander Salchar and the Free Fleet as long as it strives for the freedom of every species and destruction of any forces that limits that freedom, including the Syndicate.” She bowed her head to the side, her features reminding me of Monk as she betrayed nothing.

“Resilient is going to meet all of you, so that you can get acquainted. Think of it as another person you have to integrate into your structure. I will however not have any prejudice in this Fleet.” My tone hard as I looked at everyone.

They came back in a smattering of affirmatives.

“Good, you will have a day to interact, I want reports of your interaction to me within twenty four hours, with all of your input, even if you think she is a threat, tell me why. If there is no logical reasoning then we will have an issue. Resilient will not be reading the reports, and will submitting reports of her own.”

“Now please don’t be alarmed as I appear in front of you, it is normal for an AI.” Resilient said in her soothing voice as I saw on a few of the screens as Resilient slowly came into existence there as well as on my own ship. The people were looking at her now as I stood in front of the screens.

“Get acquainted, you will be seeing her more often, and get your people used to the idea of interacting with her if they come aboard the Resilient.” I gave them a two finger salute. Their training and drilling taking over as they all returned it, even ignoring Resilient who did it in her separate iterations.

The screens went dead as I looked at the people in my conference room.

I turned to Yasu, Henry, Rick and Marleen who was my tactical officer and Rick’s wife.

“Yeah, so this is Resilient, Get along, she’s nice and she’s helped me a hell of a lot, and she can help you all as well, just give her a chance. Now while you talk I’m going to get some sleep.” I sat in an open chair.

“Hello Resilient, I’m Rick, Salchar’s second in command, it’s good to meet you in, hologram.” He said, grinning as Resiliet seemed to brighten, her version of a smile.

“It is good to meet you Rick, I feel that we will be getting to know one another quite well in keeping the Commander informed.” Her eyes sparkling.

“Glad to have you onboard, well in-board? Well how would that work?” He asked as he and Resilient talked about it, Resilient talking to everyone on the bridge simultaneously.

I stretched out in my chair as one by one they introduced themselves as Resilient listened, she already knew everything about them but I thought I could see a twinkle of happiness in her eye.

I wonder if she’s finally happy to be interacting with so many people after the hundreds of years she’s kept herself in isolation.
 
I shook my head thinking of the loneliness.

Must’ve been hell

***

The last three days had been hectic to say the least. The fleet was prepped while my people dealt with the revelation that there was an AI among them. There were quite a few that were reserving their judgments about Resilient, but the Kuruvians and the majority of the humans have accepted her. The Sarenmenti who had heard the most stories were taking a longer time adjusting to the thought of a good AI.

Resilient’s crew was getting used to her, out of sheer exposure if nothing else. Resilient could show herself in multiple places at once while doing hundreds if not thousands of different tasks. The engineers and bridge crew loved her, and the Commandos talked to her about kit and battles. She was more reserved in these areas as it was obvious her wounds were still healing, like my own peoples were with Parnmal. Making it a good partnership—I was confident that my crew and Resilient would only become closer in our oncoming campaign to Chaleel and then Earth. The other members of my Fleet were also getting plenty of exposure as she was able to beam through their communications systems, but only when requested to do so.

Overall I was feeling pretty good, even with the dread and nervousness in my stomach over what we would face as we returned to Earth.

“Comms connect me with Chief Eddie.”

“He’s online.”

“Commander Salchar.” The old Kuruvian said a smile splitting his face.

“Chief, how are we looking?”

“Systems are online and working. Ready as you are Commander.”

“Get me Parnmal docking control comms.”

The screen on my chair showed that I was connected.

“This is the flagship Resilient, requesting permission to undock.” I said.

“Resilient this is docking control, you are cleared for flight. Creating flight path now and slaving to your helms display.”

“Helm?” Rick asked before I could myself.

“I have the flight plan, we are green. Awaiting docking tube release.

“Docking tubes releasing.” Docking control said as I watched it on my external visual sensors as the umbilical that connected us to the station pulled away from our hull as well as the other clamps that had held us in place—retracting back into the station.

“You are free and clear Resilient. Good hunting.”

“Thank you flight control, keep the lights on.” As Rick acted like the second half of my brain.

“Helm take us out.” I felt the thrum of the massive engines build as we glided out of the docking port and out towards the wormhole limit past the Oort line.

“The other members of the fleet are leaving their docking ports and will link up with us before we exit the system.” Rick said. I nodded agreement as he continued.