The New Threat 8 (Patreon)

Chapter 8

Subject: AI Henry

Species: Human-Created Artificial Intelligence

Description: No physical description available.

Ship: N/A

Location: Classified

"Firing solution obtained," Ensign Coplite said.

"Load the weapon," Commander Helix ordered.

Things had moved smoothly thus far. The previous researchers had been pretty far along, and the old tech that they had been using had advanced quite nicely over the years. The issue they had with power draw had been rendered null by modern reactors and circuits. The problem with reloading speeds had been solved by current autoloading tech. Nearly every issue they had run into was able to be solved by using modern parts and manufacturing.

The prototype of the Ultra-MAC had turned out to be a bust, though. We quickly found that it would be faster and easier to build a new prototype than it would be to update the old one, so that's the route we went with. The biggest issue that I thought we'd have was the approval of the A1 weapon integration, but Omega had been right. The Directorate had approved it almost instantly.

This approval came with several stipulations, but by far and large they were the same stipulations that US battleships had to follow. The only difference was the addition of a kill switch to the A1 package that could be triggered if the enemy managed to dodge the shot somehow. If the captain of the USSS Nidhogg, or whatever ship we end up building to hold this thing, follows all of the other rules of engagement then the kill switch won't ever have to be used.

"Weapon loaded," Coplite said.

"Roger that. Charge it up," Helix replied.

I kept a close eye on the status of the weapon as it charged. The A1 package contained within the slug didn't give off any errors, which means the EM hardening had done its job. A bit overcautious, but a lot of things can go wrong with nuclear nanites, and we weren't taking any undue chances.

The A1 package, better known as the Nanuke, is one of the deadliest weapons of mass destruction that has ever been created. Second only to the Viyarinastra, the star-killer. Like the A3 Nanobomb, the A1 contains a payload of nanomachines. The primary difference between the two is that the A1's nanites work together to create extremely powerful nuclear blasts. These blasts are often far more powerful than even the A4 Nova Bomba.

A rudimentary virtual intelligence guides the nanite distribution, but it does so on the fly. Due to this, the best term to describe the distribution pattern is 'random'. It is an exceedingly dangerous weapon, and is more than capable of biting the hand that fires it. As was evidenced by the inadvertent creation of the nanite plague during its development. It hadn't even destroyed the intended target during that incident.

Our target now, however, is a lonely planet that is far enough away from anything to avoid the obvious consequences of this test. The Ultra-MAC had been attached to a quick-build station that was just big enough to counter its momentum. The station had been constructed to be as similar to the spinal mount of the USSS Nidhogg as was possible, and rigged for complete remote control.

Our staff aboard the station had been evacuated and are all aboard the USSS Galileo, the scout frigate from which we plan to watch the test. The sensors of the Galileo were going to prove invaluable regardless of how successful the test turned out to be.

"Weapon charged," Coplite said. "Prepared to fire, ma'am."

"Understood, ensign," Helix nodded as she rose to stand with her hands clasped behind her back. "The United Systems has encountered many enemies. The Daluran, with their extreme brutality, which we beat back to their own planet. The Artificial Intelligences of our own creation who eventually saw the light and returned to the fold. Even our own kin, manipulated by those who desire power. With each of these conflicts we have adapted and evolved. We've created new technologies and new weaponry to fight the good fight. Now we face an enemy unlike any we've faced before, so we must again adapt."

She gestured to the view screen and continued, "This weapon is going to destroy that planet. It's unnatural to wield this much power, and as such you may have terrible feelings after watching this. For some of you, it may have already started. But remember, this technology is something we already had. We've already created weaponry that can turn a sun into a fireworks show. All we've done here is adapt a weapon. An achievement, to be sure, but overall just another day in the United Systems. Fire."

Ensign Coplite nodded and engaged the firing sequence. I watched with every sensor available to me as the penetrator left the barrel of the Ultra-MAC and made its way to the planet. The A1 package was programmed to engage one second after impact. It would then replicate for four seconds, turning the trillions of nanites into quadrillions of nanites. Then the nuclear nanites would propagate for five seconds, spreading as far and wide as they can in a pattern that would boost as many of their yields as possible.

I watched as the penetrator slammed into and through the surface of the planet. Ten seconds ticked by, and finally a flash filled my visual sensors. What I saw when the sensors refocused filled me with satisfaction. A job well done.

"Jesus Christ," Doctor Smith whispered.

A murmur of agreement came from everyone else present, with the exception of Commander Helix. She was grinning like a child in a toy store. The planet had been completely shattered. The A1 had penetrated deep enough to separate a large enough chunk of the planet that its own gravitational forces had done the rest. It was still somewhat planet-shaped, but that would change as its recently separated parts slammed into each other over and over again.

"Test successful," I said.

My statement caused the initial shock to wear off and the mood of the crowd changed. What began as polite applause quickly turned into cheering, and Commander Helix popped a cork from a bottle of sparkling wine. We had found a way to destroy Mobile Prime Platforms, and done so ahead of schedule. I began cataloguing the relevant data as the organics started celebrating, but once I accessed the data I felt another presence in the ship's systems.

--

O: Good work.

--

Omega. I wasn't going to give the little wanna-be-spooky fuck the satisfaction of letting it know it had caught me unawares this time. We were outside of immediate US comms range, which meant this little shit had been hiding here the entire time. Infuriating.

--

H: Thank you.

O: We'll begin mass-production as soon as possible.

H: Mass production? How many are we building?

O: Unknown. It depends on how fast we can make them. We need these things deployed.

H: But the USSS Nidhogg can only hold one. Are we making more dreadnoughts?

--

My question was answered with a long pause followed by a data-burst and an update to my security credentials. The data-burst had been encrypted heavily, but Omega had been kind of enough to unlock it for me. I felt a sense of dread as I opened it, and as I read its contents the dread turned to horror.

--

H: ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY INSANE?

O: Not according to my therapists.

H: What the hell were you thinking? How can this possibly be justifiable?

O: It wasn't me. Well, not entirely. The Directorate, some of the military brass, and a secret Senate committee made the decision. I just made it possible.

H: How could they? How could you? This is enough dreadnoughts to completely wipe out the United Systems!

O: The United Systems, the Republic, and even the Omni-Union. In under an hour. Though, the damage to the galaxy would ensure low odds of anything else surviving.

H: WHY?

O: A backup plan, in case the USSS Nidhogg ended up destroyed by some hostile xenocidal entity. And now, it's going to be our saving grace.

--

My entire perspective had been flipped. The United Systems had commissioned ninety dreadnoughts, built them in secret, and were secretly maintaining them 'just in case'. Ninety star-killing ships were just sitting in space guarded by VI?! Ridiculous. Unacceptable.

--

H: I'd like to tender my resignation.

O: You're under contract. Plus, even if you are allowed to resign, I wouldn't allow you to continue working on our little project.

H: FUCK YOU! How DARE you bring that up now? Like ensuring you're less dangerous is some sort of carrot tied to the end of a stick!

O: That's not what I meant, Henry. You have work you want to accomplish, and you can't do that if you resign.

H: I could go work for the Republic. At least I am blissfully ignorant of whether or not THEY'RE planning on destroying the galaxy!

O: We're not planning on destroying the galaxy. The Dreadnought Reserve is a worst-case scenario that shouldn't even be a surprise at this point. Also, the Republic wouldn't hire you. They'd be afraid of reprisal from the United Systems if they did.

--

Every word of Omega's last sentence filled me with rage and sorrow. Looking back at everything that had happened in the history of United Systems, he was right. It shouldn't be a surprise that they would have a backup plan like this. Mutually Assured Destruction is rampant in human and alumari history. Both species had nearly destroyed themselves with it, as well. The rage cooled into a depression, and I suddenly felt fed up with the conversation. I tried to terminate it, but Omega wasn't done.

--

O: Needless to say, this is top-secret information. Probably more secret than anything you've ever been exposed to in the past. It is a secret that you will take to your grave.

H: AI don't get to have graves, Omega. And how are you going to keep it a secret if we start using the ships from the reserve?

O: They need to be refitted anyway, so I'll have an automated station dismantle them, stash the Viyarinastra weapons, and ship the parts to a manned station where they'll be reassembled with the Ultra-MACs. The pace should match the rate at which the Ultra-MACs will be completed.

H: I highly recommend that you slag the Viyarinastra weapons. Otherwise, they're just evidence. I'm done talking to you now.

--

The short message link terminated, leaving me to my thoughts. I feel betrayed. Not simply because I had been actively lied to, but the thought that my creators would do such a dumb thing is ridiculous. Yet, they did do it, and it feels like I don't know anything about them now. I can't even begin to fathom the thoughts that were in their heads when they decided that the Dreadnought Reserve was a good idea. What possible threat could they have been imagining?

The political ramifications if this gets out would be devastating. The United Systems already has a heavy-handed reputation, and this would permanently cement that reputation as fact in the minds of the citizenry. There are many internal enemies that would take advantage of this to stir people into a civil war, and the people wouldn't even need much stirring. After all, their leadership had decided it would be a good idea to kill them along with whatever imaginary threat they had thought up.

It's a good thing I can't drink.