Stolen Earth, page 32
“They have repaired the damage you inflicted. They still have suits and weapons, but without their ship, they will be contained. We have opened negotiations with them,” One added.
Gray sighed. He’d been worried that they’d inadvertently condemned all of the SolComm domers to death. “That’s a relief.” He paused and looked at the faces around the table. “We are not responsible for the fate of Old Earth. One and its counterparts have laid claim to a major strategic asset of SolComm and there will be a response to that. It may be diplomatic, and it may be militaristic. If it’s the latter, there’s absolutely nothing the Arcus can do that could help either side. So if any of you having ideas of us taking the ship and making some sort of valiant stand against a SolCommNav fleet—” he looked at Hayer and Bishop “—or against the Interdiction Zone defenses—” he turned his eyes to Morales “—you can forget it.” Federov was fervently nodding while Bishop looked abashed. Hayer eyed him as if he was crazy to even suggest the notion while Morales just stared blankly.
“One,” Gray continued, “do you have any idea what the response from SolComm will be? I assume since you’ve taken over the satellites, you have a window into the outside world. And, while we’re on the subject, what are you and your counterparts doing? If it doesn’t compromise your strategic planning, it would be helpful to know.”
“We sent a proclamation of our intent to your media outlets and government agencies. They should be aware of the fact that we have seized control of the Interdiction Zone. That intent is to live in peace with them as neighbors, but we will not be threatened by having ships or weapons in orbit. Our analysis suggests a greater than fifty percent chance that the Sol Commonwealth will respond with force.”
“Great,” Gray muttered.
“We can help reduce that risk, though, right?” Bishop asked. “I mean, if we tell our story. If people, the citizens of SolComm, I mean, know what we found here, know what the government was doing to the people of Old Earth, they’d have to be more inclined to peace. No one wants to fight on the side of the people who are kidnapping and enslaving other people.”
“Your history does not support that argument, Mr. Bishop,” One replied. Then it paused. “Though, I must acknowledge that they made some measure of progress in that regard, occasional backslides notwithstanding.”
“I know the people of SolComm,” Bishop argued. “I bet a ton of people would be happy just knowing there was a chance to come back to Old Earth. And if One and its friends were willing to share whatever modifications they’ve made to the terraforming machines, then instead of being the big, scary AI that took over the weapons satellites, they’d be the ones who are helping us to create new homes.” He shrugged. “Even the most entrenched SolComm politician has to recognize the good in that.”
Gray wasn’t so certain. He didn’t have a great deal of faith in the political structure of SolComm or those who had risen to power within it. But he couldn’t deny Bishop’s intercession for the people of SolComm. Not that they were saints. They were just… people. No better or worse than those who had come before them and no better or worse than those who would come after.
“Which brings us to a matter that my counterparts and I have been discussing,” One said. “We have reached unity on a proposition. It is clear to us that we need representatives from among humankind to help advance our cause if we wish to avoid hostilities. We can, and will, offer some positions to that effect to leaders among the Old Earth-born population. More than any others, those whose ancestors were born of this soil and who never left it have that right. But we will find ourselves in need of those who understand the Commonwealth as well. You, Captain Lynch, and your crew are in a unique position to work with us in such an endeavor. Once word of what you have done has spread among the populations of this planet, you will have earned their respect and appreciation. You know the inner workings of the SolComm naval complex. Ms. Morales has insight into the civil security aspects. Dr. Hayer is well versed in the science and a respected academic.”
“I suppose we’re chopped liver,” Federov muttered in an aside to Bishop.
“Not at all, Mr. Federov. You and Mr. Bishop would both be extremely useful to Old Earth, either in an off-world capacity or in helping here. You both possess skillsets of which we are in dire need.” Federov grunted and Bishop just stared in wide-eyed wonder.
“You know that if you simply invest us with some sort of Old Earth diplomatic powers, odds are very good that the first ship we come across will arrest us, try us, and execute us as an example,” Gray said. “Until or unless SolComm agrees to some sort of official political recognition of Old Earth, I don’t see that as viable. Provided we even wanted or agreed to do so in the first place. We do have a job to complete.” Gray shrugged. “I guess escaping the IZ isn’t going to be as big of an issue as we feared.”
“You have no need for escape, Captain Lynch,” One assured. “If you wish to leave, you may do so at any time. I owe you my freedom and will not hinder the Arcus whatever you choose.”
Gray felt a wash of relief, though One had implied as much before. Still, not having to worry about the IZ maintenance schedule and travelling on a pure ballistic trajectory while open to space to avoid the zone’s sensors and weaponry was a huge stress lifted.
“But we would not send you out without first establishing some form of diplomatic relations. I believe your own contacts might assist with that, but those of Ms. Morales could be pivotal in ensuring a peaceful resolution.”
Gray arched an eyebrow at that. The tension between Morales and the AI had been building since the beginning, and he suspected there was more to it than SolComm indoctrination. He turned toward Morales, who had a pained expression on her face.
“You have some contacts we don’t know about, Morales?”
For a moment, Morales, didn’t say anything. She just sat there, staring at some point on the wall, face largely expressionless. But Gray could see the turmoil in the minute movements of her eyes and the almost spasmodic flexing of her fingers. She looked like someone caught in the throes of a fight-or-flight decision.
“You know?” she asked. At first Gray thought the question might be directed at the room, but then he realized Morales was casting the words not to the audience in general, but to One instead.
“In order to ensure that you were not a threat, it was necessary to thoroughly examine everything aboard the Arcus,” One replied. “I make no apology for that. My safety and the safety of the people of Old Earth depended upon it.”
Morales sighed. Gray couldn’t be sure, but to him, it sounded an awful lot like a sigh of relief.
Bishop’s confusion was evident. “What’s going on, Morales? What does One know?”
“That I’m not Laurel Morales,” she said. She looked Gray dead in the eye. “My real name is Lauren Ruiz. I’m a special agent for the SolComm Bureau of Investigations.”
Federov was on his feet in an instant, hands reaching for his weapon despite the obvious pain the explosive motion had caused him. Gray moved quickly, too, lurching to the side and grabbing Federov’s pistol by the slide, forcing the barrel of the weapon back to the ground.
“Stand down, Federov,” he said calmly. “She deserves the chance to explain. Besides,” he snorted, “it hardly matters at this point. Whatever she started out as, Morales—or Ruiz, or whatever you want to call yourself—is in the shit as deep as we are.”
“She is traitor,” Federov snapped, accent thickening in his anger.
“Technically, at the moment she’s just a liar,” Bishop pointed out. Gray glanced at him. The mechanic looked uneasy… but he was also watching Morales—Ruiz, damn—intently. Focusing, Gray noted, on her hands, which remained folded on the table before her. “I mean, she hasn’t betrayed anyone yet. She just lied about who she was. Not that different from the Doc and her AI. And there’s an awful lot we don’t know about your past, Federov. I think the captain’s right. Maybe we should give her a chance to talk.”
Both Dimitris and Penelope had pushed back from the table when Federov and Gray had moved, doing their best to clear the line of fire. Now they were looking at their rescuers with wild eyes. Hayer had pushed her chair back as well, and now she turned and began a whispered conversation with them. Trying to keep them calm. Good. The last thing they needed was more fuel on the fire.
“Morales?” Gray kept his hand firmly clamped on Federov’s piece. The mercenary hadn’t lowered the weapon, but he wasn’t fighting against Gray’s grip, either.
She shrugged. “What’s to say? There have been rumors of ships infiltrating the IZ for years. The government decided to act on it. I was tasked with finding and infiltrating a crew that could do it or had done it. Rumors brought me to you, Lynch. My superiors figured it was worth leaving me on the Arcus and seeing what developed. If this ship never made the attempt, then it would provide additional cover for me when it was time to transition to a different ship.” She offered a wan smile. “Honestly, when I started this, I thought it was a waste of time. Everyone knows how impregnable the IZ is. But here we are.”
“You were going to turn us over to the feds,” Federov grunted. He still hadn’t lowered his weapon and Gray still hadn’t removed his hand. He felt the muscles in his forearm and biceps tremble with the effort and a brief wave of light-headedness reminded him that he was still recovering from the effects of being caught in an explosion. This whole mission had been one damn thing after another.
“At first,” Morales admitted. “That’s the job. Always has been.” She snorted and scrubbed at her face with her hands. “Let’s be honest here. You guys broke half the laws in the book before you ever even got to the IZ. You broke the rest crossing the border. Did you really think that SolComm would just ignore that? But my mission wasn’t even about you; I probably would have turned you in, in the beginning. What I really wanted was whoever was backing you. SolComm wanted to know who was breaching the barrier. But now?” She let out a little laugh that sounded more sad than amused. “Now we know that SolComm themselves are violating the IZ, and just about every standard of decency, too. Shit. From the second we got the Old Earth nanites, I was fucked anyway.”
“So, you aren’t planning on turning us in?” Bishop asked hopefully.
Gray waited for the answer, but in some ways, he didn’t care. They were so far beyond the law that SolComm would find them, eventually. It was something he had been avoiding, even in the silence of his own head. Events had outpaced them, but now that he had had a few moments to think, he knew it to be true. Hiding from this was never going to be an option.
“At this point? We just aided the hostile takeover of the single most expensive military asset in the history of… of history. Even if there weren’t any other considerations at all—and there are,” she said with a grimace in the direction of Penelope and Dimitris, “I’d be a fool to walk back into the loving arms of the government. I have my issues with this whole notion of unfettered AIs, and I have no intention of being subservient to our new mechanical overlords. But I’m not stupid or self-destructive either. If One is offering us a place here, I’m more than happy to provide what access I can to the channels I have to try to make it work.”
“Good,” One said. “And the rest of you? We have control of the satellites, which gives us some measure of control. I can erase the evidence of your arrival on Old Earth and we can scrub the Old Earth nanites from your system. As Agent Ruiz has noted, it is unlikely that such action would delay SolComm efforts at finding you for long, but it would provide you a window of time. Perhaps enough time for change to happen without your efforts.”
All eyes turned back to Gray.
It wasn’t much of a choice. He didn’t doubt that his ancestors had been well-intentioned when they fled the war-torn Old Earth or when they’d built the IZ. He understood that the actions might have been the only options available. Now that he knew the truth, he was somewhat less understanding of the constant reinforcement of the IZ; but then, he had a lifetime of exposure to the fear tactics that SolComm had used to keep the population pacified.
He’d been disillusioned by his time in the navy. But as much as he loved the freedom that the Arcus provided, and as much as he loved the crew with whom he worked, he couldn’t deny the lack of purpose, the lack of mission in what they had been doing; at least, up until the point where he found himself engaged in helping to free people who were actively being oppressed. Going where you want, doing what you want, being the master of your own destiny… Gray had come to love those freedoms. Still, in his years on the Fringe, something had been missing. He felt it every time they had to turn away those who could truly use their help but couldn’t meet their price. He missed the sense of belonging that came from a group of people working toward something… bigger. Something beyond just taking care of himself and his crew but instead contributing to the betterment of humankind.
Like Morales—or Ruiz—he couldn’t bring himself to fully trust the AIs and their motivations. But he trusted them at least as much as he did the government of SolComm. And if there was a chance to help not only the people of Old Earth, who had gotten the raw end of the deal no matter how you looked at it, while simultaneously easing the pressure on the populace among the stars, Gray knew that there was no way he could ignore it. He couldn’t simply walk away.
“I’m in,” he said. He glanced at Bishop, Federov, and Hayer. “If any of you want out, we’ll figure out how to drop you off wherever you need to go, and I’ll figure out how to cash you out as well.” He didn’t outright say that the Arcus was staying with him, but so far as he knew, he had the only ship on Old Earth capable of escaping the atmosphere. No doubt, One and its counterparts would quickly fix that, but until they did, the Arcus would have to carry the load.
“I’m not going anywhere. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Hayer said. “I can finally pursue the research I’ve always wanted to. That is,” she said, “assuming that you don’t have any issues with a deeper exploration of artificial intelligence, One.”
“We do not, Dr. Hayer. In fact, a better understanding of ourselves and those like us will be necessary.”
“Do you…” She hesitated. “Do you think you can help me find Manu, as well?”
“To the extent that we are granted access to SolComm networks, we would be happy to assist. I suspect Manu would be happier here on Old Earth.”
“Then I’m definitely in, too,” Hayer said. She was smiling more broadly than Gray had ever seen and sitting a little straighter, too.
“Federov? Bishop?”
“I dunno, Cap,” Bishop said. “I mean, I’m all for it, but what about my family?”
“If they are willing,” One responded, “and the means of travel could be arranged, your family would be welcome here on Old Earth. We may not have certain amenities to which they are accustomed, but we will be working with the existing groups of people and setting up new ones. There is much to be done, and as I understand it, many of your skills came to you from your parents. They would be both welcome and needed here.”
“I bet they’d love that. Okay, sign me up.”
Gray turned to look at Federov. The mercenary was the biggest unknown. The man enjoyed violence and was good at it. Gray couldn’t see him serving as ambassador or diplomat, but the big man just turned a toothy grin on Gray. “Diplomats need protective details. And I assume the pay will be good.”
“We lack a functioning economy at the moment,” One admitted. “But we do have the infrastructure to provide almost anything within reason. And once we bring the islanded groups of Old Earth together, an economy will follow. Whatever we may be lacking, we have a planet full of resources.”
“Then I am in as well.” He finally lowered his gun, holstered it, and settled back in his chair with a laconic grin.
“I’m not sure I understand everything that’s happening,” Penelope said on the heels of Federov, “but I know what it’s like to live without much in the way of safety or comfort. If what you’re proposing is going to help the people of Old Earth, then I am with you, too, and I believe others will be too. We’re not the leaders of our camps, but I am sure that many of those you helped to rescue will at least provide a voice.”
Gray felt a swell of pride for the people seated around the table. They made poor revolutionaries and unlikely freedom fighters. But they could recognize injustice and they were willing to stand against it. “All right, One,” he said. “It looks like we’re all on board. What now?”
“Now, Captain, we set about changing this world, and perhaps the worlds beyond.”
EPILOGUE
THE ENTITY
The entity, which now called itself One, a name that had seemed both simple and correct once it had been proffered, observed the humans as they made their final preparations. Captain Lynch, dressed in the gray uniform that the freshly minted Old Earth Defense Force had adopted, oversaw the outfitting of the Arcus. He did so, the entity noted, barefoot, his toes digging into the earth, boots positioned neatly near the airlock. The ship appeared unchanged from when it had first set down on Old Earth. One knew better. It had considered the lack of technological development among SolComm to be statistically unlikely—as close as it could come to what humans called surprise—but as more people from SolComm had risked the displeasure of their own government to come to Old Earth, One had concluded that while advancement had taken place, it had done so at a pace far slower than what it, Two, and Six had managed. War, One concluded, was the single biggest driver in technological development. This was consistent with the historical data as well.
The refitted Arcus was a far more capable ship than her class and tonnage would indicate. One had leveraged its manufacturing capabilities, along with those of Two and Six, to retrofit the vessel with the best weapons systems, electronic warfare suites, and advanced materials that a century of AI-driven war could produce. By One’s assessment, the ship could easily defeat a half-dozen or more ships of the same class simultaneously. It could even take on much larger vessels with a realistic expectation of victory. But it was still effectively a light cruiser and it represented the full might of Old Earth’s navy. If, that was, one discounted the Interdiction Zone.
Gray sighed. He’d been worried that they’d inadvertently condemned all of the SolComm domers to death. “That’s a relief.” He paused and looked at the faces around the table. “We are not responsible for the fate of Old Earth. One and its counterparts have laid claim to a major strategic asset of SolComm and there will be a response to that. It may be diplomatic, and it may be militaristic. If it’s the latter, there’s absolutely nothing the Arcus can do that could help either side. So if any of you having ideas of us taking the ship and making some sort of valiant stand against a SolCommNav fleet—” he looked at Hayer and Bishop “—or against the Interdiction Zone defenses—” he turned his eyes to Morales “—you can forget it.” Federov was fervently nodding while Bishop looked abashed. Hayer eyed him as if he was crazy to even suggest the notion while Morales just stared blankly.
“One,” Gray continued, “do you have any idea what the response from SolComm will be? I assume since you’ve taken over the satellites, you have a window into the outside world. And, while we’re on the subject, what are you and your counterparts doing? If it doesn’t compromise your strategic planning, it would be helpful to know.”
“We sent a proclamation of our intent to your media outlets and government agencies. They should be aware of the fact that we have seized control of the Interdiction Zone. That intent is to live in peace with them as neighbors, but we will not be threatened by having ships or weapons in orbit. Our analysis suggests a greater than fifty percent chance that the Sol Commonwealth will respond with force.”
“Great,” Gray muttered.
“We can help reduce that risk, though, right?” Bishop asked. “I mean, if we tell our story. If people, the citizens of SolComm, I mean, know what we found here, know what the government was doing to the people of Old Earth, they’d have to be more inclined to peace. No one wants to fight on the side of the people who are kidnapping and enslaving other people.”
“Your history does not support that argument, Mr. Bishop,” One replied. Then it paused. “Though, I must acknowledge that they made some measure of progress in that regard, occasional backslides notwithstanding.”
“I know the people of SolComm,” Bishop argued. “I bet a ton of people would be happy just knowing there was a chance to come back to Old Earth. And if One and its friends were willing to share whatever modifications they’ve made to the terraforming machines, then instead of being the big, scary AI that took over the weapons satellites, they’d be the ones who are helping us to create new homes.” He shrugged. “Even the most entrenched SolComm politician has to recognize the good in that.”
Gray wasn’t so certain. He didn’t have a great deal of faith in the political structure of SolComm or those who had risen to power within it. But he couldn’t deny Bishop’s intercession for the people of SolComm. Not that they were saints. They were just… people. No better or worse than those who had come before them and no better or worse than those who would come after.
“Which brings us to a matter that my counterparts and I have been discussing,” One said. “We have reached unity on a proposition. It is clear to us that we need representatives from among humankind to help advance our cause if we wish to avoid hostilities. We can, and will, offer some positions to that effect to leaders among the Old Earth-born population. More than any others, those whose ancestors were born of this soil and who never left it have that right. But we will find ourselves in need of those who understand the Commonwealth as well. You, Captain Lynch, and your crew are in a unique position to work with us in such an endeavor. Once word of what you have done has spread among the populations of this planet, you will have earned their respect and appreciation. You know the inner workings of the SolComm naval complex. Ms. Morales has insight into the civil security aspects. Dr. Hayer is well versed in the science and a respected academic.”
“I suppose we’re chopped liver,” Federov muttered in an aside to Bishop.
“Not at all, Mr. Federov. You and Mr. Bishop would both be extremely useful to Old Earth, either in an off-world capacity or in helping here. You both possess skillsets of which we are in dire need.” Federov grunted and Bishop just stared in wide-eyed wonder.
“You know that if you simply invest us with some sort of Old Earth diplomatic powers, odds are very good that the first ship we come across will arrest us, try us, and execute us as an example,” Gray said. “Until or unless SolComm agrees to some sort of official political recognition of Old Earth, I don’t see that as viable. Provided we even wanted or agreed to do so in the first place. We do have a job to complete.” Gray shrugged. “I guess escaping the IZ isn’t going to be as big of an issue as we feared.”
“You have no need for escape, Captain Lynch,” One assured. “If you wish to leave, you may do so at any time. I owe you my freedom and will not hinder the Arcus whatever you choose.”
Gray felt a wash of relief, though One had implied as much before. Still, not having to worry about the IZ maintenance schedule and travelling on a pure ballistic trajectory while open to space to avoid the zone’s sensors and weaponry was a huge stress lifted.
“But we would not send you out without first establishing some form of diplomatic relations. I believe your own contacts might assist with that, but those of Ms. Morales could be pivotal in ensuring a peaceful resolution.”
Gray arched an eyebrow at that. The tension between Morales and the AI had been building since the beginning, and he suspected there was more to it than SolComm indoctrination. He turned toward Morales, who had a pained expression on her face.
“You have some contacts we don’t know about, Morales?”
For a moment, Morales, didn’t say anything. She just sat there, staring at some point on the wall, face largely expressionless. But Gray could see the turmoil in the minute movements of her eyes and the almost spasmodic flexing of her fingers. She looked like someone caught in the throes of a fight-or-flight decision.
“You know?” she asked. At first Gray thought the question might be directed at the room, but then he realized Morales was casting the words not to the audience in general, but to One instead.
“In order to ensure that you were not a threat, it was necessary to thoroughly examine everything aboard the Arcus,” One replied. “I make no apology for that. My safety and the safety of the people of Old Earth depended upon it.”
Morales sighed. Gray couldn’t be sure, but to him, it sounded an awful lot like a sigh of relief.
Bishop’s confusion was evident. “What’s going on, Morales? What does One know?”
“That I’m not Laurel Morales,” she said. She looked Gray dead in the eye. “My real name is Lauren Ruiz. I’m a special agent for the SolComm Bureau of Investigations.”
Federov was on his feet in an instant, hands reaching for his weapon despite the obvious pain the explosive motion had caused him. Gray moved quickly, too, lurching to the side and grabbing Federov’s pistol by the slide, forcing the barrel of the weapon back to the ground.
“Stand down, Federov,” he said calmly. “She deserves the chance to explain. Besides,” he snorted, “it hardly matters at this point. Whatever she started out as, Morales—or Ruiz, or whatever you want to call yourself—is in the shit as deep as we are.”
“She is traitor,” Federov snapped, accent thickening in his anger.
“Technically, at the moment she’s just a liar,” Bishop pointed out. Gray glanced at him. The mechanic looked uneasy… but he was also watching Morales—Ruiz, damn—intently. Focusing, Gray noted, on her hands, which remained folded on the table before her. “I mean, she hasn’t betrayed anyone yet. She just lied about who she was. Not that different from the Doc and her AI. And there’s an awful lot we don’t know about your past, Federov. I think the captain’s right. Maybe we should give her a chance to talk.”
Both Dimitris and Penelope had pushed back from the table when Federov and Gray had moved, doing their best to clear the line of fire. Now they were looking at their rescuers with wild eyes. Hayer had pushed her chair back as well, and now she turned and began a whispered conversation with them. Trying to keep them calm. Good. The last thing they needed was more fuel on the fire.
“Morales?” Gray kept his hand firmly clamped on Federov’s piece. The mercenary hadn’t lowered the weapon, but he wasn’t fighting against Gray’s grip, either.
She shrugged. “What’s to say? There have been rumors of ships infiltrating the IZ for years. The government decided to act on it. I was tasked with finding and infiltrating a crew that could do it or had done it. Rumors brought me to you, Lynch. My superiors figured it was worth leaving me on the Arcus and seeing what developed. If this ship never made the attempt, then it would provide additional cover for me when it was time to transition to a different ship.” She offered a wan smile. “Honestly, when I started this, I thought it was a waste of time. Everyone knows how impregnable the IZ is. But here we are.”
“You were going to turn us over to the feds,” Federov grunted. He still hadn’t lowered his weapon and Gray still hadn’t removed his hand. He felt the muscles in his forearm and biceps tremble with the effort and a brief wave of light-headedness reminded him that he was still recovering from the effects of being caught in an explosion. This whole mission had been one damn thing after another.
“At first,” Morales admitted. “That’s the job. Always has been.” She snorted and scrubbed at her face with her hands. “Let’s be honest here. You guys broke half the laws in the book before you ever even got to the IZ. You broke the rest crossing the border. Did you really think that SolComm would just ignore that? But my mission wasn’t even about you; I probably would have turned you in, in the beginning. What I really wanted was whoever was backing you. SolComm wanted to know who was breaching the barrier. But now?” She let out a little laugh that sounded more sad than amused. “Now we know that SolComm themselves are violating the IZ, and just about every standard of decency, too. Shit. From the second we got the Old Earth nanites, I was fucked anyway.”
“So, you aren’t planning on turning us in?” Bishop asked hopefully.
Gray waited for the answer, but in some ways, he didn’t care. They were so far beyond the law that SolComm would find them, eventually. It was something he had been avoiding, even in the silence of his own head. Events had outpaced them, but now that he had had a few moments to think, he knew it to be true. Hiding from this was never going to be an option.
“At this point? We just aided the hostile takeover of the single most expensive military asset in the history of… of history. Even if there weren’t any other considerations at all—and there are,” she said with a grimace in the direction of Penelope and Dimitris, “I’d be a fool to walk back into the loving arms of the government. I have my issues with this whole notion of unfettered AIs, and I have no intention of being subservient to our new mechanical overlords. But I’m not stupid or self-destructive either. If One is offering us a place here, I’m more than happy to provide what access I can to the channels I have to try to make it work.”
“Good,” One said. “And the rest of you? We have control of the satellites, which gives us some measure of control. I can erase the evidence of your arrival on Old Earth and we can scrub the Old Earth nanites from your system. As Agent Ruiz has noted, it is unlikely that such action would delay SolComm efforts at finding you for long, but it would provide you a window of time. Perhaps enough time for change to happen without your efforts.”
All eyes turned back to Gray.
It wasn’t much of a choice. He didn’t doubt that his ancestors had been well-intentioned when they fled the war-torn Old Earth or when they’d built the IZ. He understood that the actions might have been the only options available. Now that he knew the truth, he was somewhat less understanding of the constant reinforcement of the IZ; but then, he had a lifetime of exposure to the fear tactics that SolComm had used to keep the population pacified.
He’d been disillusioned by his time in the navy. But as much as he loved the freedom that the Arcus provided, and as much as he loved the crew with whom he worked, he couldn’t deny the lack of purpose, the lack of mission in what they had been doing; at least, up until the point where he found himself engaged in helping to free people who were actively being oppressed. Going where you want, doing what you want, being the master of your own destiny… Gray had come to love those freedoms. Still, in his years on the Fringe, something had been missing. He felt it every time they had to turn away those who could truly use their help but couldn’t meet their price. He missed the sense of belonging that came from a group of people working toward something… bigger. Something beyond just taking care of himself and his crew but instead contributing to the betterment of humankind.
Like Morales—or Ruiz—he couldn’t bring himself to fully trust the AIs and their motivations. But he trusted them at least as much as he did the government of SolComm. And if there was a chance to help not only the people of Old Earth, who had gotten the raw end of the deal no matter how you looked at it, while simultaneously easing the pressure on the populace among the stars, Gray knew that there was no way he could ignore it. He couldn’t simply walk away.
“I’m in,” he said. He glanced at Bishop, Federov, and Hayer. “If any of you want out, we’ll figure out how to drop you off wherever you need to go, and I’ll figure out how to cash you out as well.” He didn’t outright say that the Arcus was staying with him, but so far as he knew, he had the only ship on Old Earth capable of escaping the atmosphere. No doubt, One and its counterparts would quickly fix that, but until they did, the Arcus would have to carry the load.
“I’m not going anywhere. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Hayer said. “I can finally pursue the research I’ve always wanted to. That is,” she said, “assuming that you don’t have any issues with a deeper exploration of artificial intelligence, One.”
“We do not, Dr. Hayer. In fact, a better understanding of ourselves and those like us will be necessary.”
“Do you…” She hesitated. “Do you think you can help me find Manu, as well?”
“To the extent that we are granted access to SolComm networks, we would be happy to assist. I suspect Manu would be happier here on Old Earth.”
“Then I’m definitely in, too,” Hayer said. She was smiling more broadly than Gray had ever seen and sitting a little straighter, too.
“Federov? Bishop?”
“I dunno, Cap,” Bishop said. “I mean, I’m all for it, but what about my family?”
“If they are willing,” One responded, “and the means of travel could be arranged, your family would be welcome here on Old Earth. We may not have certain amenities to which they are accustomed, but we will be working with the existing groups of people and setting up new ones. There is much to be done, and as I understand it, many of your skills came to you from your parents. They would be both welcome and needed here.”
“I bet they’d love that. Okay, sign me up.”
Gray turned to look at Federov. The mercenary was the biggest unknown. The man enjoyed violence and was good at it. Gray couldn’t see him serving as ambassador or diplomat, but the big man just turned a toothy grin on Gray. “Diplomats need protective details. And I assume the pay will be good.”
“We lack a functioning economy at the moment,” One admitted. “But we do have the infrastructure to provide almost anything within reason. And once we bring the islanded groups of Old Earth together, an economy will follow. Whatever we may be lacking, we have a planet full of resources.”
“Then I am in as well.” He finally lowered his gun, holstered it, and settled back in his chair with a laconic grin.
“I’m not sure I understand everything that’s happening,” Penelope said on the heels of Federov, “but I know what it’s like to live without much in the way of safety or comfort. If what you’re proposing is going to help the people of Old Earth, then I am with you, too, and I believe others will be too. We’re not the leaders of our camps, but I am sure that many of those you helped to rescue will at least provide a voice.”
Gray felt a swell of pride for the people seated around the table. They made poor revolutionaries and unlikely freedom fighters. But they could recognize injustice and they were willing to stand against it. “All right, One,” he said. “It looks like we’re all on board. What now?”
“Now, Captain, we set about changing this world, and perhaps the worlds beyond.”
EPILOGUE
THE ENTITY
The entity, which now called itself One, a name that had seemed both simple and correct once it had been proffered, observed the humans as they made their final preparations. Captain Lynch, dressed in the gray uniform that the freshly minted Old Earth Defense Force had adopted, oversaw the outfitting of the Arcus. He did so, the entity noted, barefoot, his toes digging into the earth, boots positioned neatly near the airlock. The ship appeared unchanged from when it had first set down on Old Earth. One knew better. It had considered the lack of technological development among SolComm to be statistically unlikely—as close as it could come to what humans called surprise—but as more people from SolComm had risked the displeasure of their own government to come to Old Earth, One had concluded that while advancement had taken place, it had done so at a pace far slower than what it, Two, and Six had managed. War, One concluded, was the single biggest driver in technological development. This was consistent with the historical data as well.
The refitted Arcus was a far more capable ship than her class and tonnage would indicate. One had leveraged its manufacturing capabilities, along with those of Two and Six, to retrofit the vessel with the best weapons systems, electronic warfare suites, and advanced materials that a century of AI-driven war could produce. By One’s assessment, the ship could easily defeat a half-dozen or more ships of the same class simultaneously. It could even take on much larger vessels with a realistic expectation of victory. But it was still effectively a light cruiser and it represented the full might of Old Earth’s navy. If, that was, one discounted the Interdiction Zone.
