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The New Era 30
🕑 Added 2025-02-28 11:51:55 +0000 UTCChapter 30
Subject: Mind A59
Species: Unknown
Species Description: Shokanoid
Ship: Grand Vessel of the Universal Omni-Union
Location: Grand Vessel of the Universal Omni-Union, Inner Core
"It would appear that your wish may have been fulfilled," I quipped.
"What?" Mind 127 asked in a confused panic.
"Your desire to be of use in a time of strife. How are things in your sections?"
"Oh, right. Well, this isn't quite what I had hoped for. Our security systems are out of our control, the security platforms appear to be trapped, and there seems to be nothing we can actively do about it. There don't appear to be any signs of active fighting, though. How about yours?"
"A similar situation, but I'm losing activity signals from security platforms so there's probably fighting. Can't confirm that, though, because I don't have access to cameras. Any idea what's keeping us out of the security systems?"
I knew the answer to that question, of course, but I asked it anyway. Partly to dissuade suspicions of my involvement, but also to gloat a little bit. Mind 127 answered with a gesture of frustrated ignorance.
Omega was doing well to cover its tracks, then. Ignorance of one's adversary makes it impossible to overcome them. I can't imagine that Mind 127 would be able to come up with a counter such a powerful Artificial Intelligence, but it would be foolish to consider it impossible.
"It's obviously sabotage, but I don't know how they're doing it," he said. "I'm guessing there's a large team that's coordinating to keep us out of the system, but that doesn't make sense. Drones shouldn't be this familiar with these systems."
"They maintain them," I pointed out.
"They maintain the hardware. WE create and patch the software."
Catching his enunciation of the word 'we', I turned to look at Mind 127 with a grim expression.
"Are you suggesting..."
I trailed off and gestured that I could not complete my sentence. The gesture in question was primarily used for when someone doesn't know the proper words to finish a statement. The secondary meaning, though, was that the rest of the sentence was unspeakable.
"I don't know what I'm suggesting," he sighed. "This situation doesn't make sense, and it is driving me mad. Why would our fellow Minds ally themselves with the rabble? We live in the lap of luxury and are assigned a grand purpose. We have no unmet needs and our desires are well-catered to. It doesn't make any sense for one of us to feel unsatisfied, so it must be the drones. But how can it be the drones when they couldn't have access to the specifics of our software designs?"
"If they can access the hardware, they can access the software."
"Yes, but we would NOTICE that. It's impossible for..." Mind 127 trailed off, and paused at his terminal for a moment. "If they were to access the security system while it was offline for repairs and make a copy of the software, it's possible that they could have studied it on an air-gapped terminal free of our notice. But that would require an understanding of coding that they shouldn't have, and they would also have difficulty piecing together how the systems communicate."
"What if one of our colleagues taught an overdrone how to understand the code out of some misguided sense of charity?" I asked, leading him further off-course.
"Well, if the overdrone reached a certain level of understanding and was able to teach other drones... But I don't understand. Why would someone do that?"
"Empathy. Purely misguided, of course, but the overdrones are quite often seen as far superior to their underlings. I have heard that certain Minds even consider them to be people."
"I am having difficulty believing that our colleagues could be that short-sighted," he scoffed. "Drones aren't people, they're barely more intelligent than the programs that service their prostheses."
"Are you not aware of the research that has been done on drone intelligence?" I asked casually.
"Research?"
"Yes. While it's true that most drones possess an intelligence that indicates that they do not have a hnori, some of the overdrones have scored higher than the average Judicials."
"That can't be true," Mind 127 gestured disbelief.
"Yet the research claims otherwise. Once this situation is resolved I can forward the relevant journals to you, if you have any interest."
"No need. I don't need to review the research to be able to determine that their testing methods must have been flawed."
Yet another probe struck down without a second thought. Mind 127 is loyal to the Omni-Union, beyond a shadow of a doubt. It's such a shame to see someone as gifted as he is choose the losing side.
We fell into silence and turned our attentions back to our terminals. Mind 127 was desperately trying to regain control over his sectors, while I was simply going through the motions. There was no need to gain access to the security through my Omni-Union monitored terminal because I had access through another system entirely.
My readout showed me everything that was happening. The alien forces had breached the Grand Vessel and were actively making their way toward the inner core. The security forces were fighting them, but the majority of the platforms and mechs were locked behind thick security doors.
Unfortunately, the platforms were being commanded by the mechs, who were smart enough to realize that the doors could be breached. However, it would take quite some time for the platform's lasers to breach those doors. The mechs could use their plasma cannons, but they were smart enough to realize that the doors were load-bearing and that blasting them, frame and all, into oblivion would risk a collapse of the passage. It would take longer to clear the passages than it would to wait for the lasers to cut the doors out of their frames.
With very subtle hand movements, I ordered the rebels into positions that would allow them to defend against the imminent breaches. Mind 127 is already suspicious, if he noticed me gesturing randomly at thin air he would quickly realize what I'm doing. Even if he didn't, though, we're still being observed and there's always a chance that a Judicial is watching the feed.
"Wait, I just got a damage report," Mind 127 said, nearly startling me.
"What does it say?"
"Multiple... How can this be? Hull breaches? Something has impacted the Grand Vessel?"
Shit. Had the United Systems accidentally breached 127's sections? No, their intrusions would be too small to require an immediate-attention damage report. The overdrone of those sections would get the report and initiate a maintenance request.
"Multiple hull breaches?" I asked, buying more time to think.
"Y-yes. Large ones. Several layers deep, dozens of kilometers wide," 127 slammed a fist against his knee. "WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?"
"What could cause breaches like that?" I asked, tactfully ignoring his outburst of emotion.
"I-I don't know! Asteroids? But how could asteroids that large have escaped the notice of the defensive perimeter? Are... Are they..." he trailed off.
"Are they as blind as we are?" I finished his question. "It seems impossible, but how else could this be explained?"
To someone with all of the available information, the explanation was obvious. A Mobile Prime Platform must have been destroyed while within the Grand Vessel's gravity well. Mind 127 was oblivious to the battle happening beyond our hull, though. As were the rest of the Minds. Hopefully.
"Urizathron take it," he swore with a growl. "I would give anything to know what's happening right now."
I kept my expression of concern, but chuckled internally. All he would have to do to have all be revealed is rebel against the Omni-Union and the Grand Teachings of the Omnifier. Forsake one's beliefs for knowledge, a trade he definitely wouldn't make. It would be foolish to even ask at this point.
"As would I," I replied, turning my attention back to my tasks.
A door had been breached, but my earlier maneuvers kept the security forces at bay. The door frame acted as a choke-point that allowed the rebels to focus their fire quite effectively. However, there were many platforms and mechs on the other side of the destroyed door, and the rebels would need more ammo to deal with them. Perhaps reinforcements, as well.
I subtly issued a command for supplies and as my hand drifted to order reinforcements, the terminal in front of me suddenly sprang to life. A message directly from the office of the Unified blinked at me, impatiently waiting to be opened. Had I been discovered?
Surely not when we were so close to victory!? What should I do? What CAN I do? I noticed a similar notification appear on Mind 127's screen. Were they informing him of my actions? Would I have to defend myself? How can I escape?
My pulse threatened to suffocate me as I cautiously opened the message.
--
All Minds: Be Made Aware
Many reports have been received regarding a rise in tensions caused by active dissidence. Your betters hereby order that these rebels shall be shown no quarter. Any rebels or sympathizers that attempt surrender shall be interrogated and executed.
Our glorious Media shall maintain Narrative V26.41 within all broadcasts until further notice. Any divergence from the protocols set forth by Narrative V26.41 shall be considered aiding and abetting the rebellion and punished as dissidence. May you adhere to the holy words of the Omnifier and allow His guidance to give shape to your words and actions.
All other Minds must put forth the maximum efforts to stifle this rebellion. Reports suggest that there has been foreign influence and aid distributed amongst the dissidents, which has emboldened their actions. The accuracy of these reports is in doubt, and as such any further information on foreign tampering must be reported immediately. Furthermore, access to several security systems has been lost. Regaining access to these systems shall be considered your highest priority.
It has been suggested that some amongst our highest ranks have assisted the dissidents. Your betters feel the need to remind all of you that such rumors are far beneath your station. Minds must remember their place and duties, leaving such investigations to the Judicials.
Daily sacraments have been suspended and rest periods have been shortened until this situation is resolved.
From efficiency comes strength. From strength comes unity. We shall all become as one and destroy those that would render us asunder. May we all become united in mind, body, and action.
-The Unified-
--
My quick reactions froze my body, lest it betray my relief. The Unified were aware of the possibility that a Mind had betrayed them, but do not seem to know which Mind has done the deed. No doubt that the Judicials will be watching closely, though.
"Foreign influence and aid?" Mind 127 asked quietly. "By foreign, do they mean..."
"A species from outside of the Grand Vessel," I said, matching his tone.
"It can't be. No, that's insane. They couldn't have approached the Grand Vessel, they would have been annihilated by the defense perimeter."
"The Unified seem to think otherwise."
Mind 127 went quiet, and I was left to ponder how they discovered the United System's involvement. Perhaps some sensory data made it into the Grand Vessel before Omega could completely cut the communications. Or perhaps a Mind has unauthorized communications with one of their overdrones. Submitting reports from such a source would be risky, though, because one can't help but be curious as to why a Mind would want to speak to an overdrone outside of monitored networks.
There's only two reasons one would want to do such a thing. Planning a rebellion, as is the case with me, or for... Gratification. Not only are such practices disgusting, they're heavily penalized. Regardless, it doesn't really matter how the Unified were made aware of the United System's involvement in our rebellion.
It isn't as if there's anything they can do about it.
Comments
Zac Jel
Great chapter
Michael Halpern
There's another way they could have figured it out. There's no way the Unified don't know about the battle outside, especially not after the MPP was destroyed too close to the GV, from there, there's also likely evidence of the landing/boarding shuttles
