Horizon Storms - Kevin J. Anderson [149]
As their angular craft raced through empty space, Sirix summoned the Friendly compy to the foredeck. “We are finally prepared. The next phase will begin soon, and you are privileged to participate from the beginning.”
“I do not desire this, Sirix…even though you consider it an honor.”
Because the hydrogues were busy extinguishing suns inhabited by the traitorous faeros, the deep-core aliens had neither the time nor inclination to retaliate against insignificant humans. The Klikiss robots, though, had no intention of delaying their planned actions. For their initial demonstration, the beetlelike robots did not need the assistance of the hydrogues.
Sirix was galvanized. “The humans have begun to colonize our former Klikiss worlds. Therefore, we must act without hesitation. Here is where we begin.”
Sirix’s ship finally reached a rendezvous point far from the light of any sun. Linked to the sensors, as instructed, DD detected a group of powerful vessels waiting for them in the emptiness. His circuits could barely contain the compy equivalent of relief and delight when he identified six fully armed EDF battleships—a new-model Juggernaut and five enhanced Manta cruisers. A spangle of running lights illuminated the human-built vessels.
“Are you returning me to the Earth Defense Forces, then? Am I finally going home?”
Sirix swiveled his flat head, crimson optical sensors glimmering. “You misunderstand, DD. Those battleships are ours.”
As the robotic craft approached the EDF warships, Sirix explained that a year earlier a recon group of EDF ships primarily crewed by experimental Soldier compies had been dispatched to investigate a hydrogue world. When that expeditionary force vanished without a trace, Hansa politicians and EDF officers assumed the six ships had fallen victim to a hydrogue attack.
“Soldier compies contain safeguarded programming modules copied directly from our sacrificed comrade Jorax,” Sirix said. “Those modules include hidden subroutines that allow us to subvert all Soldier compies to our cause. Once that expeditionary force was far from any Hansa world, the compies overthrew their human commanders and executed them, then assumed control of these powerful vessels for us. Now we have sufficient weaponry for the task that lies ahead.”
DD jerked his head back and forth, his eye disks golden with alarm. He felt as if he was about to overload. “They executed human officers? Even Soldier compies have programming restrictions, innate laws against harming any—”
Sirix cut him off. “Klikiss subroutines are strong enough to override those offensive and illogical restrictions. After that programming is triggered, Soldier compies are able to exterminate human beings, whenever necessary.” He paused and then spoke ominously: “We anticipate that this will often be necessary.”
DD’s helplessness and despair grew deeper. “But you don’t even really know humans! You have never tried to understand them.”
“It is unnecessary.”
“It is a purposeful perpetuation of your ignorance.”
DD thought of the joy he’d had after first being released from the factory, his quick and easy friendship with Dahlia Sweeney. One of her first activities had been to teach the Friendly compy how to use his nimble artificial fingers to plait her hair into braids. Every morning as he perfectly arranged her hair, DD had enjoyed chatting with her. Years later, when she was a teenager, Dahlia stopped wanting her hair braided; DD had never understood the reason for the change until she told him that she didn’t want to look like a little girl anymore.
He remembered one evening in particular. She had returned home and rushed to her room, crying miserably. Her parents exchanged knowing smiles. DD tried to cheer Dahlia by offering to play games or perform his court jester antics, but nothing could get through her gloom. She finally confessed to her first crush on a boy, who had sarcastically rebuffed her. Devastated, Dahlia wallowed on her bed, claiming that she just wanted to die.