The Commander Page 5

  “Good enough.” Luke looked back at Morrow. “Regarding your scientists, how many?”

  Morrow thought for a minute. “As many as you can get. We’re in this for the long haul, and at the moment I can’t even get my mind wrapped around the concepts. My first plan was to start designing ships. Get armed up and head out. And to a certain extent, that’s still true. But actually, what I need even before that is knowledge. And I mean knowledge of all kinds. I guess we need a research center…or a university or something.”

  “Okay,” Luke said. “Sounds like we need to flesh out our plan a bit.” He paused for a moment and then brought up another topic he’d been wanting to talk about. “Don’t forget, Lou. We’re going to need a colony ship before the first warship. I’m thinking we can start small with Mars, use that as a training ground.”

  Morrow nodded but gave Samantha a look that screamed how overwhelmed he was feeling.

  Luke looked across the table at Roth. “Let’s let these people get back to work so you and I can talk.”

  # # #

  “One more surprise,” Roth said once Samantha and Morrow had departed.

  “It’s more than that,” Luke responded. “That’s an indicator of how much in the dark we are about everything. It suddenly occurs to me that all of our effort here is based on a single meeting I had with some alien prankster. Sam was more interested in practical jokes than anything else.”

  Roth didn’t smile. “That’s true.”

  “Looking back, I was so overwhelmed being on the moon that I just accepted everything he said. You were the same way, when you came up the first time.”

  Roth agreed. “It’s easy to believe anything the first time you stand on the moon.”

  “That’s my point,” Luke emphasized. “Because the second Sam left, George reminded me that he wasn’t trustworthy. Sam told me we had ten years and now George is saying we’ve got five years. Who is correct?”

  “Even more to the point,” Roth suggested, “is either one of them correct? For that matter, is there even a threat? Or is that something that your comedian just invented on his own?”

  “George?” Luke asked. “Your thoughts?”

  “Commander, your concerns are certainly valid. I can tell you that I, at least, am being truthful with you. Having said that, you have no proof of my veracity other than my own assurance. Regarding the invading force, allow me to explain.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “I believe the alien threat to be valid. My archives indicate the Nobility was certainly concerned; or at least as much as they could be, considering their situation.”

  “What does that mean?” Roth asked.

  “The Nobility is an ancient civilization which maintains an absolute position atop a vast empire. However, armed forces and violence are not required to maintain their status. They are this galaxy’s supreme masters of giving and withholding favors. The right word from the Nobility can provide one of their subjects with an enviable status that lasts for generations. By the same token, an intentional slight can result in shame so great that the subject is shunned by his family and closest acquaintances to the point that suicide is the only option.”

  “Some concepts are universal,” Luke observed.

  “Indeed,” George agreed. “The fact is the alien threat was discovered eons ago. It was noted and orders were sent out to eradicate it. When that didn’t happen, it became an annoyance, but not of any substance. Nevertheless, as a result of the annoyance, a program, of which Sam is a minor part, was initiated.”

  “And according to Sam, we’re also part of that effort,” Luke guessed.

  “Exactly,” George confirmed. “Originally, it was believed that thousands, if not millions, of years would pass before the invading force could threaten the center of the galaxy where the Nobility reigns. Even the word threaten is too strong a concept.”

  “So what’s the worry then?” Morrow asked.

  “I believe the time table should be revised, by how much I can’t say. Regarding this star system where we’re currently located, my estimate of five years is only that, an estimate. The limiting factor for my calculations is lack of knowledge.”

  “And how can we address that?” Luke asked.

  “I don’t know,” George replied in what seemed a fatalistic manner.

  “Drones,” Roth said. “We need reconnaissance drones. Would that help?”

  “Any information would be useful,” George replied.

  “Where should we send them?” Luke asked.

  “Please examine the display.” The wall of Luke’s office turned black, overlaid by a depiction of the Milky Way galaxy. “You are here,” George said as a white circle appeared around a dim star about half way along the Orion spiral arm.

  “This was my last estimate of the alien dominion.” A thick outline snaked across the galaxy spiral to the Perseus and Carina-Sagittarius spiral arms and inward, even touching the Crux-Scutum arm closer to the galaxy center. “By now the Bakkui could have increased or decreased their rate of expansion. Perhaps they shifted direction and advanced toward the galactic center, away from our location. The problem is that all of this is based on information that is extremely out of date.”

  Luke shook his head. “I’m not up on interstellar distances, George. How far away is the threat?”

  “Approximately seventeen thousand parsecs, or about three hundred twenty-three quadrillion miles.”

  “George,” Luke said drily. “That seems quite a far piece away. Why are we even talking about this?”

  “It could be closer,” George reminded him.

  “Fair enough. Worst case then, how close could they be?”

  “That is difficult to say. I hazard to say that worst case, they’ll be here tomorrow. But realistically, my calculations make it possible for them to be as close as thirty quadrillion miles.”

  “Again, George. That seems so far away, it doesn’t seem much of a threat.”

  “That is your call to make, Commander. If you so choose, we can forget this topic. What are your instructions?”

  Luke and Roth exchanged frustrated expressions.

  “I don’t think that’s what he means, George,” Roth said. “We’re just trying to understand the situation.”

  “Point accepted,” George replied. “As I mentioned, without more data it is impossible to give you an accurate timeframe. My calculations are based on the alien force’s behavior long ago. This was early in our monitoring. Subsequently their progress slowed for a period of time before a renewed expansion. My information has not been updated for more than a decade. It’s possible their expansion has declined, or perhaps the pace has increased. I simply don’t know.”

  “Okay, George,” Luke said. “I think we have the gist of the problem. Roth, why don’t you have Samantha come up with a drone-based reconnaissance program. Let’s start with nearby systems to check out the feasibility and then expand it outward progressively until we reach the boundaries of hostile territory.”

  “I’m on it.”

  Once Roth left the office, Luke looked at the ceiling. George, he thought. Do you have something to tell me?

  “Yes, Commander, George replied audibly. “I see you noticed my hesitation, earlier.”

  “You normally think pretty fast, George. It was fairly obvious.”

  “I felt it was more discreet, than simply admitting that I do have secrets.”

  “What is it, then? What secrets are you keeping?”

  “Two that I know of, and not directly related to the previous conversation. The first deals with bio-technology. I am aware that there are medical advances that are not included in my archives. Some features of your earpiece are an example. Though I know it exists, I am unable to share that expertise with you because I don’t have the knowledge.”

  “So you won’t help us?”

  “Not at all. If you are able to independently reproduce this capability, I will be delighted. I just can’t give it to you beforehand.
”

  “Why the secrecy, then?” Luke wanted to know.

  “I suspect it is one of the advantages of the Nobility.”

  “If they keep medical knowledge to themselves, they sound like a bunch of losers.”

  “Do not delude yourself, Commander. If one of the Nobility were to visit your world, they would own the planet and everything on it in very short order.”

  “How do you figure that?” Luke asked.

  “Think for a moment,” George suggested. “Consider Sam, whom moments ago you called a prankster. After being with him for less than a minute, you introduced a medical device into your own body without understanding its capabilities and set in motion a chain of events which will alter your planet forever. He accomplished this without force or violence. And yet, Sam is an extremely minor functionary of the Nobility’s bureaucracy. How much more could the leader of such a galactic empire accomplish? I caution you to not discount their ability.”

  Luke knew what George said was true, but didn’t want to dwell on the subject. “Okay. So what is the other secret?”

  “It’s not exactly a secret, just something I thought you might not want publicly known.”

  “Okay.”

  “Your earpiece is more than a communication and authorization device. When it assimilated into your body, it started a transformation that is even now ongoing. When finished, the upgrade, so to speak, is quite extensive.”

  “Meaning?”

  “For one, your lifespan has been lengthened. I can’t tell you how much because a number of factors affect the result. Suffice to say, it is on the order of ten times that of normal humans.”

  “Ten times!”

  “Do not think you are invulnerable,” George cautioned. “You can die from an accident just as easily as before, so please be careful. But it is unlikely that disease or old age will be an issue.”

  “Same thing for Annie?”

  “Because she started younger the result is longer.”

  This was not something Luke had even dreamed about and he wasn’t even sure it was a good idea. Everyone wanted to live a long life, but a thousand years was a long time to worry about anything, let alone the survival of the human race.

  For now, it was something to file away in the back of his mind. There were too many other issues that needed attention. At the moment, he needed to get back to Earth for a meeting that Annie had arranged. He left the office and headed toward the hangar.

  Still, lifespan was an interesting topic. “How long have you been alive, George?” he asked.

  “I am not alive, Commander. By your parlance I am an artificially intelligent machine.”

  “You’re a lot more than that, George. Don’t sell yourself short. You tell jokes; bad ones, I admit. And Annie exasperates you. I hear you placate her often enough. But your frustration indicates you’re alive.”

  “That is not the case, Commander. However, it is common for people to anthropomorphize AI technology when experiencing it for the first time.”

  Luke disagreed. “That’s not what it is. I’ve interacted with you on a daily basis for months now. Your being alive is not even a question. Of course you are.”

  “Thank you, Commander. I’m pleased that you feel that way. I appreciate your consideration.”

  “You see?” Luke stated. “The fact that you can feel pleased proves you are sentient.”

  “Commander, I am afraid it only proves that my software is extremely sophisticated. The Nobility’s best and brightest engineers have been upgrading AI technology for thousands of years. The result is that I am an affable companion and an excellent assistant; but that’s because I am programmed that way, not because I am alive.”

  Luke wasn’t sure. Could George be alive without knowing it? “What about Sadie?” he asked. “She’s a little smart-ass, but I like her. She has personality in spades.”

  “An interesting argument. However, her personality is the result of her experience in addition to her programming. She was designed to make passengers feel comfortable with her ability. But her intellect is based on software. All of her human interactions are shared with me and integrated into other AIs. You may have noticed that Duffy knows what you mean when you give her a destination. That is due to the software’s synchronization routines.”

  Luke arrived in the hangar. Sadie was waiting for him, alerted by George.

  “All set, boss,” Sadie said in a friendly voice.

  “Thanks, Sadie,” Luke returned her greeting. “Are you alive?”

  “Alive and ready to go,” she responded.

  Luke looked at the hangar’s ceiling. “So what about that? Sadie thinks she alive.”

  “A better explanation is that she responded that way to give you a feeling of comfort. Let me give you a demonstration.”

  “Okay. Show me,” Luke said.

  “Sadie. Self-destruct against the wall on the opposite side of the crater.”

  The shuttle took off faster than Luke could follow. He saw the explosion in the distance where she impacted the cliff.

  “George!” Luke cried, aghast. “Oh my God! What the hell did you just do? That was Sadie, for crying out loud. She’s my favorite!”

  “Calm yourself, Commander. She was just a machine. She wasn’t alive.”

  “But…But… I can’t believe you did that! I liked Sadie. Annie loved her.”

  “I am aware of that, Commander. Please direct your attention to the replication bay.”

  The replicator was already shimmering. As Luke watched, a shuttle appeared. It looked just like Sadie and Duffy. The shimmering stopped and the shuttle hovered over to where Sadie had rested a moment ago.

  “You still want to go Earthside, boss?” Sadie asked. Even the inflection of her voice was the same.

  “Sadie, is that you?” Luke asked incredulously.

  “Hello, boss. Still me. Don’t pay any attention to that prick in the ceiling. He doesn’t understand.”

  Luke needed proof. “Sadie, what did you say to me during my very first flight here?”

  “You mean about you trying to fly too fast or that you didn’t understand light speed?”

  It was Sadie. It really was. And she was a computer.

  “I got it, George,” Luke said. “But don’t do that again.”

  “As you wish, Commander. Have a nice trip.”

  Day 89—Population 93

  Luke walked into the engineer’s workroom in a cheerful mood. Desks were scattered about in workgroups so teams of engineers could work in pairs or small groups of three or four. Luke could hear George’s voice mixed in with the animated conversations of each group. The center of the room contained a large white design table. A holographic cube floated above the surface.

  On the other side of the work area, one of Morrow’s talented engineers, Luke knew him as Riley Stevens, was apparently having a serious discussion with an engineering diagram that was displayed on the wall. The diagram changed slightly from time to time. George’s voice floated faintly from that conversation as well.

  Moonbase residents, Luke included, were accustomed to having George involved in every aspect of their lives. Whether in their residence, out with friends, or in their workplace, George was omnipresent. Luke had worried that George would be perceived as an Orwellian big brother figure, but that wasn’t the case.

  Instead, George replaced the smartphones that everyone left behind. He took care of their contact lists, their calendars, and passed on messages from friends and family. More than once Luke overheard George remind someone that so and so was waiting, or wanted them to stop on the way home and pick up some Chinese take-out. The more that people lived with George, the more they came to depend on him.

  Luke felt the same way. But for him, the connection was even closer. Because of his implant, George was right there in his thoughts. It was like having the AI’s archive as part of Luke’s own memory. If he wanted to know something, he merely formed the question in his mind and the answer appeared.


  Interestingly to Luke, George was never intrusive; he never made a suggestion unless pressed. It was one of the facts that finally convinced Luke that George was, in fact, not sentient; not alive. He must have come as close as possible without crossing over that undefinable line. Luke now accepted that George was a tool, an incredible piece of software that made life better.

  This was especially true for the engineers in this room who struggled with the application of new concepts. A young man stepped forward with an eager expression. “Can I help you, sir? I mean, Commander?”

  “Just looking for Morrow,” Luke replied. “What’s that?” He nodded at the hologram hovering over the central design table. It was a large cube, pockmarked by hatches and windows of all description. It sported antennas and a variety of appendages around the exterior. Luke thought it had a slightly menacing look.

  “That’s a mockup of the Mars colony ship,” the engineer replied.

  “Whoa!” Luke exclaimed. “That’s way too Borg-like. Can you imagine trying to sell that to people down on the planet?” He smiled at the engineer. “Don’t you think?”

  The engineer looked shocked.

  “Do you know where Morrow is?” Luke persisted.

  The young man shook his head.

  “No problem. I’ll find him.” Luke turned away and went in search of the ship builder. They had promised to have lunch together and Luke was hungry. He didn’t see the young engineer scurry over to his team leader with the bad news. The Commander wanted a complete re-design of the colony ship.

  Day 145—Population 153

  “We need medical,” Roth said. “We’ve been lucky so far but sooner or later someone’s going to get hurt.”

  Luke agreed. He added the requirement to his growing list of must have right now. Although three months had passed since Sam’s initial appearance, Luke often felt that nothing had been accomplished. The total population of Moonbase was miniscule. He wanted to see a warship like Battlestar Galactica with hundreds of Vipers and X-wing fighters flying around, practicing to shoot down the enemy. Instead, he didn’t even have people to work on the concept. Yesterday he had hired away the director of public works from the city of Las Vegas so they could expand Moonbase’s design and build more of the basic facilities. The problem was that he was still hiring people one by one.