Vortex incursion, p.28
Vortex Incursion, page 28
The inquisitor’s momentary silence told Deckus that Tarbar had gotten the message.
“Here’s the part I really don’t like,” Deckus continued. “Killian said that dispersing the nanites was an uncontrollable process. He said we might recall our transports to offload much of our crews, but the danger was that the transports could be taking the nanites aboard. Do you realize what that means?”
“Yes, you could survive the attack,” Tarbar replied, trying to sound confident. However, he didn’t expect to hear Deckus gurgle nearly uncontrollably. “Calm down, Imperator,” he requested firmly.
“Apologies, Inquisitor,” Deckus said, containing his fear. “I find it difficult to believe that Imperium appointees are unaware of fleet protocols.”
“Educate me,” Tarbar requested hotly. He was feeling insulted, and that didn’t sit well with him.
“I’ll inform the fleet of the nature of the potential attack,” Deckus explained, his voice going cold in resignation. “The fleet will separate to put distance between them and the targeted ships. When it’s observed that our ships are deteriorating, none of the possibly infected transports will be allowed aboard the safe ships. The imperators will wait one or two cycles to ensure our transports don’t infect their ships.”
“We could close and transfer in suits,” Tarbar suggested.
“How do you inspect a suit to ensure that it doesn’t carry nanotechnology?” Deckus asked rhetorically.
Tarbar went quiet again.
Deckus allowed the inquisitor time to think. He was desperately hoping that Tarbar would order the blockade removed. The thought of overriding an inquisitor scared him. It would end his career. The executors might believe that he’d done the right thing to save the fleet’s assets, but they couldn’t allow the infraction to stand. If he was fortunate, they would allow him to retire with his honors and his stipend intact.
As for Tarbar, he was conflicted. He hated the thought of backing down, but Deckus had made some good points. Belatedly, it occurred to him that the Krackus might have met their match. The fleet was having difficulty dealing with one small alien ship. He imagined his ship dissolving from under him, and the imperators refusing to let him board their peacekeepers.
In the end, fear of the unknown won.
“Order the blockade cleared,” Tarbar said. “If the possibility arises to launch another missile barrage at the visitors’ ship, take it.”
“Understood,” Deckus replied. He quickly hung up before Tarbar could change his mind. Then his command chair’s comms panel activated. Unlike Tarbar, Deckus was relieved to see that there was no ship ID. “Can I take it that you heard?” he asked.
“Did we have a choice?” Deckus said, not appreciating Killian’s statement.
“You’ll hear what I order,” Deckus said, and he switched his comms panel to a fleetwide setting.
The crew aboard the Reflection listened to Deckus order the recall of the peacekeepers guarding the vortex.
The Krackus fleet crews breathed sighs of relief. Unlike the inquisitor, who was convinced of Krackus superiority, the crews had witnessed the sophistication and power of the visitors’ ship. As far as they were concerned, the recall meant that disaster had been averted.
Killian waited for the peacekeepers to be well underway before he signaled Trium to make for the anomaly. It wasn’t long before the Reflection slipped into the space-time tunnel.
22: QASAP Report
DEVONA, BASYAT SYSTEM
QUELLER HOME WORLD
A Queller tech accepted the download from the arriving QASAP, the Queller Automated Search and Protect ship. When the download completed, he would place it in the queue for the elders to consider. In the midst of the data streaming, his chronometer signaled him that his shift was over.
As was the case for the entire department, the techs stopped what they were doing. Each individual rose, shook apart the quills that festooned the back, and left the workstation.
While making for the department’s exit, most had evening meals on their minds. After leaving work, the Queller techs wouldn’t give their duties second thoughts until they sat again at their workstations.
The Quellers were an ancient race. Their home planet, Devona, occupied a system hosted by twin stars. They could be characterized as slow-moving, purposeful, and thoughtful. While they were typically passive, they evinced a high degree of protective instinct.
The race occupied a relatively small area of space. After the Quellers spread to several bountiful systems, they chose to cease their expansion and put their efforts into securing their borders.
Not wishing to sail for extended periods of time, the Quellers chose to build automated ships, the QASAPs. Machine intelligence controlled the QASAPs and executed the programs embedded within their operating systems.
Throughout the centuries, the Quellers constructed improved models of their QASAP ships that could respond to the varying conditions reported by the returning ships. In each case, the Quellers outfitted the massive ships with service bots, construction vehicles, and huge masses of supplies to handle expected and unexpected encounters.
The QASAP ships resembled giant ovoids.
On the following morning, the Queller techs returned to work and resumed operations right where they’d left off.
At the workstation of the tech who’d abandoned the QASAP ship’s download, the data stream had finished, and it contained a warning. There was no attempt by the tech to read the warning’s details. That wasn’t his business. Instead, as per his job’s requirement, he placed the QASAP’s report at the top of the elders’ queue. Then he proceeded to the next job.
Despite the QASAP ship’s warning, it was another week, in Omnian time, before the Queller elders saw the report. The summary, which the ship’s operating system had generated, was reviewed.
“Criminals,” an elder declared, rattling his quills.
“Thieves,” another elder announced.
“Contradiction,” one of the younger members interjected. “QASAP details note a detonation at a nearby star soon after the continuum vanquisher was taken.”
“Details,” a companion of the younger elder added. “The detonation was commensurate with the power of the vanquisher.”
“Supposition,” the seniormost elder requested of the two younger members who had spoken.
“Nonaggression,” one junior elder replied.
“Preposterous,” an elder exclaimed.
“Warships present, but QASAP undamaged,” the junior elder replied.
“Actions?” the senior elder requested. He’d heard several elders echo, “Second attempt,” which seemed doomed to fail. As most elders remained silent, he added, “Solution requires thought.” Then he moved on to the next order of business.
At the end of the elders’ session, the junior elders headed for the chambers’ exit, but they were halted by an attendant of the senior elder.
“Elder Wymron requests you attend him,” the attendant said and indicated the way with a wave of her arm.
Inside Wymron’s office, the juniors waited patiently to be recognized. Several attendants continually offered information to the elder to review. Then he either acknowledged or denied the request. Finally, Wymron waved away the attendants, whose line had never diminished.
When the energy screen obscured the office entrance, Wymron turned his attention to the junior elders. “Ergatisa, Lemtaca, sit,” he requested. “Thoughts on QASAP ship’s. Intervention intriguing. Continue.”
“Technologically advanced race,” Ergatisa said.
“Considered approach,” Lemtaca added.
Wymron motioned with a hand to Lemtaca to expound on his thought.
“QASAP ship notes small alien ship,” Lemtaca explained. “Ship leaves and returns with fleet.”
“QASAP ship left unharmed,” Ergatisa added.
“As noted earlier,” Wymron said. It was a mild rebuke about repetition. The Quellers had truly detailed memories.
Wymron shuffled his quills to straighten them and relieve the pressure on his back from his chair. He indicated his comm device on the desk and said, “Elder messages. Launch QASAP ship. Second continuum vanquisher.”
“Useless,” Ergatisa offered.
“Concur,” Lemtaca added.
“Alternatives,” Wymron requested.
“Consider interfering race,” Ergatisa offered.
“Response?” Wymron queried.
“Yes,” Ergatisa replied. “Protective.”
Wymron sat thoughtfully considering the junior elders’ opinions. They had a point. The race who had absconded with the vanquisher would take additional steps to protect the continuum. “Manner?” he asked.
“Nonaggressive,” Lemtaca offered.
“Observation,” Ergatisa added.
“Comm station,” Lemtaca said, expounding on their thoughts.
“Reports QASAP ship’s return,” Wymron reasoned. “Probable.”
Wymron tapped his comm device. The energy screen dropped, and an attendant hurried through the open doorway.
“Time for Elders Ergatisa and Lemtaca. Two cycles,” Wymron requested.
“Difficult,” the attendant replied, after consulting his device.
“Create opening,” Wymron replied, and he shooed the attendant away. “Think. New race. Possibilities.” Then he dismissed the junior elders.
With a rustle of quills, which grew longer with a Queller’s age, Ergatisa and Lemtaca left Wymron’s presence.
The junior elders sought a private garden in which to talk about the senior elder’s final statements.
“Possibilities?” Ergatisa echoed dubiously.
“Not inconceivable,” Lemtaca noted.
“Alliance?” Ergatisa queried.
“Fundamental societal shift,” Lemtaca noted.
“Contact required,” Ergatisa said.
“Method?” Lemtaca inquired.
“Depends,” Ergatisa replied.
“Too many options,” Lemtaca concurred.
In a rarity for Quellers, the junior elders said simultaneously, “QASAP.”
The QASAP tech department was astounded to receive a visit from two elders. Immediately, the nearest tech jumped up, greeted the illustrious Quellers, and asked how he could help.
“Department manager,” Lemtaca replied.
The tech indicated the exit, and he led the elders to a lower level and a small auditorium. A female Queller was leading a training session for new techs.
“Manager Iltaft,” the tech said quietly, indicating the female at the front.
The seated individuals nearest the auditorium’s entrance spotted the elders and jumped up, which caught Iltaft’s attention.
“Welcome, honored Elders Lemtaca and Ergatisa,” Iltaft said, and the entire class rose. “Touring or another reason?”
“Queries,” Ergatisa replied.
“Learning experience,” Iltaft said to her class and motioned them to be seated. “State request,” she said to the elders.
“Contact QASAP ship three-eight-four,” Lemtaca responded.
Iltaft blinked. Her department routinely downloaded and processed the QASAP reports. She hadn’t been party to a reverse contact. Although, she’d heard it had been done by managers long ago. She approached her training station and queried the ship in question.
On Iltaft’s screen, text stated that QASAP three-eight-four was online.
“Data requested,” Iltaft said, ready to enter the query.
“Conversation,” Ergatisa requested.
Murmurs could be heard from the class. They were witnessing a first for their generation.
Iltaft gently shook her quills and entered the request.
The machine intelligence of three-eight-four unpacked code that hadn’t been used since its launch. Applications were swiftly installed and tested for performance. When the processes were determined to be ready, Iltaft’s speakers came to life.
“QASAP ship three-eight-four is prepared to commence a conversation.”
Iltaft regarded the elders and, with a hand, she indicated her training system.
Lemtaca and Ergatisa approached Iltaft’s equipment, and the class heard the rustling whispers of long quills.
“Last mission,” Lemtaca said.
“Specificity required,” the ship replied.
“Elders,” Iltaft interrupted, “the machine intelligence of a QASAP ship doesn’t handle the shorthand style of senior Quellers. You’ll need to elucidate your questions.”
Lemtaca and Ergatisa briefly glanced at each other. Then they shook their quills to help them adjust their thinking.
“Three-eight-four, aliens captured your continuum vanquisher,” Lemtaca stated, which stunned Iltaft and her class. Information such as this wasn’t readily available to them.
“Confirmed,” the ship replied.
“State,” Ergatisa began. Then he halted, rephrased his question, and asked, “Were exchanges between the alien ships recorded?”
“Confirmed,” the ship replied.
“Play one of the recordings,” Lemtaca requested.
The elders and the class listened to alien speech that they couldn’t comprehend, but they could discern that biologicals, not machines, were speaking.
“May I, Elders?” Iltaft interrupted, pointing at the audio output, and Lemtaca and Ergatisa nodded. Actually, they were hopeful that the department manager was more adept at speaking with a QASAP ship.
“QASAP, could you identify terms within the exchange?” Iltaft queried.
“Affirmative,” the ship replied. “References to this ship, the vanquisher, and the alien ships were easily identified.”
“Any other terms?” Iltaft continued.
“Others aren’t assured but have a high value of accuracy,” the ship replied. “References to the continuum and the races.”
“The conversation sounded as if it was between biologicals. Can you confirm?” Iltaft queried.
“Probability is high,” the QASAP ship replied. “Other conversations are in doubt.”
“Why?” Ergatisa asked.
“Exchanges were at a rate too high for biologicals to absorb,” three-eight-four replied. “Estimations are that machine intelligence exists among the biologicals.”
Lemtaca and Ergatisa considered the response, but it seemed in contrast to the actions taken by the aliens.
“Three-eight-four, postulate the probability that you’ve misidentified the machine intelligences,” Lemtaca requested.
Iltaft frowned, but she remained quiet.
“Offer alternate conjectures,” the QASAP ship sent.
“Could the entities whom you recorded and who operated at a high transmission rate have been sentient digital intelligences?” Lemtaca offered.
“Three-eight-four doesn’t possess the information required to assess this conjecture,” the ship replied. “In the absence of comparative data, the query must stand as possible.”
“Digital sentients?” Iltaft whispered dubiously to the elders.
“We would speak with you privately, Manager Iltaft,” the elders said. “Please complete the class. We’ll wait in the building’s central atrium.”
With a rustle of quills, the elders left, and Iltaft dutifully ended her connection with three-eight-four. Then she turned to regard her class. She hoped her eyes weren’t as wide as theirs.
With difficulty, Iltaft finished her lessons, and the training class was dismissed. The new techs waited to question Iltaft, but she waved them off. “The elders wait for me,” she said.
Iltaft found the elders conversing on a bench beside a fountain, which disguised their conversation. She waited at a respectful distance to be included in their discussion.
Finally, the elders rose, waved to Iltaft, and the trio made their way to a curved seating arrangement.
“Manager Iltaft, we’ll speak in an elongated method to ensure that we’re understood with regard to the QASAP ship,” Ergatisa began. “We’re to report to Elder Wymron in two days and offer a solution to the taking of our vanquisher.”
When Iltaft frowned, Lemtaca briefly explained the original ship report that detailed the actions at the continuum.
“The QASAP ship is incapable of fighting the aliens,” Iltaft said, before she considered her response. That the elders sat quietly regarding her reminded her of her patriarch, who would do the same thing when she spoke without thinking.
“The aliens didn’t attack three-eight-four,” Iltaft reasoned. “Therefore, antagonistic contact isn’t expected.” Her eyes narrowed as she sought the appropriate conclusion. When the answer occurred to her, she clapped her hands softly. “You want to talk to the aliens, or, rather, you want the QASAP ship to speak to them.”
“Now our thoughts are in sync,” Lemtaca said.
“You’ll need extensive additional programming of three-eight-four to deal with the exchange,” Iltaft ventured. “How and where is the expected contact to take place, and what’s the anticipated outcome?”
Lemtaca and Ergatisa chuckled. They were raspy sounds, and they were rarely heard from elders.
“There is little information to guide us,” Ergatisa admitted. “As to your last question, that will be determined by Elder Wymron.”
“It’s believed that the aliens will guard the continuum against a QASAP ship’s return,” Lemtaca said. “That might take the form of ships or some sort of comm station.”
“Three-eight-four could accommodate either method,” Iltaft said. “Why did you ask the ship to postulate about sentient digitals?”
“How the aliens operated seemed to eliminate machine intelligence being dominant,” Ergatisa explained. “Yet, three-eight-four recorded high-speed comm transfers that were attributed to entities. That left only one conceivable answer.”
