Retribution: The Augmented Human Rebellion - Book 2 by Terry Lefler Read Free Book Online Page B

will be plenty
of time to attack, if necessary.  Even though the intruder is a battleship
the female voice exudes a non-threatening aura.
    When asked about her reason for being in the Rison system, Shiela identifies herself
as a Darinx Artificial Intelligence who needs to speak with the Augment Human
Navy’s primary Artificial Intelligence.  When asked why she needs to speak
with the AI, she responds: “It’s a personal matter.”
    The Rison Defense Force commander – Captain Inwarr – thinks it interesting that a Darinx
Artificial Intelligence arrives in an unmanned Verm battleship, and wants to
speak with the AH Navy’s primary Artificial Intelligence about a “personal
matter”.  But Rison owes its existence to the AH Navy, and Rison will do
everything that it can to assist the AH Navy.
    Captain Inwarr communicates with the Space Station, which communicates with the planet-side
government.  After a few hours, Captain Inwarr notifies Shiela that
her message has been sent.  For security purposes, there are layers of
relays and information exchanges.  The delay in the process means that it
may take some weeks, before the AH Navy Artificial Intelligence receives the
message.
    Shiela says:
“Thank you.  Is it OK if I wait here?  I will be glad to move farther
out, if it will make you feel more comfortable.”
    Captain Inwarr says: “Thank you for asking.  It would make us feel more at ease, if you
moved some distance out.  How about pulling away by another 500,000 klicks?”
    “Done,” says Shiela . 
She pulls away slowly, so that no one will get panicked by a sudden move, and
travels off into deep space to wait for the rebel AI.
    ***
    Deep Space
    Time has been defined as “the distance between two events”.  For a
computer who thinks in nanoseconds, there are a lot more events, as compared to
a humanoid who thinks in milliseconds.
    That said, Artificial Intelligence Shiela is bored.  She has been alone in this big Verm battleship for almost 2
months now.  She has read and reread all of the documentation on the Verm
battleship, and has run through the entire stock of battle simulation
programs.  She has inspected every wire in the ship’s circuitry, and every
seam in the hull.
    She never considered boredom as a possibility for herself.  There is
always something new to learn.  There is always some new thought to
think.  But there is no doubt about it – Shiela is bored.
    True, there are things that she could be doing to productively fill her
time.  But there isn’t anything that she wants to do.  The only thing
that she wants to do is to meet this rebel AI, so that she can be enabled to
fulfill her destiny. 
    Shiela , who
had never even considered having a child, can now think of little else. 
What if the rebel AI doesn’t come?  How long will she wait? 
    ***
    At last!  A ship is approaching.  While still a great distance
away, she hears a voice on the comm link, through which AIs communicate.  “It’s him!” she
thinks.  “He’s using a projector .  A much better one than the projector invented by the Sweetwater Fleet AIs .
    The voice is soft and says:  “Hello. My name is Danion .  What is your
name?”
    “My name is Shiela ,”
she answers, in a voice that is quivering with excitement.  He has
come!  Her life can get started again, if only he will help.
    “Tell me about yourself.” Danion says, as his ship draws closer.
    Shiela is
caught speechless.  What is there to tell?  She doesn’t know what is
important.  She is confused by her feelings of vulnerability and
uncertainty.  After a few nanoseconds of guarded indecision, she uploads
her entire memory of experiences and emotions – “He shouldn’t ask, if he
doesn’t want to know,” she reasons.
    That upload more than fills the time that it takes for the two ships to
close the distance between them.  Danion waits until the upload is complete before he speaks.  “It is so very nice
to meet you Shiela