Gharlane moved through the various holo-images, feeling majestic, akin to a god. His left shoulder passed through holographic Jupiter and he eyed Io, turned and passed a hand through icy Europa.
Gharlane understood that the Jupiter Web-Mind—his master—did not approve of these emotions or his present actions. The Web-Mind only allowed them for a precise reason. To eradicate the emotions that compelled these actions might well eradicate Gharlane’s higher genius functions.
Gharlane was all too aware that after the successful conclusion of the stealth-assault he would have to go under the psycho-scanner. It was unavoidable, and he accepted the inevitably. However, that was a time far in the future. For now, he focused on a holographic image of Athena Station.
“Zoom in,” he said.
Athena expanded before him. The surface was brightly lit, with hundreds of low domes, towers, antenna-clusters, sensor stations and interferometers. There were repair docks, supply depots, laser bunkers, and missile sites. It also had girders dug into rock, stretching into space and attached to various spacecraft.
Athena Station had been the heart of the Guardian Fleet and the second most heavily defended location in the Jovian System. The defense satellites around Callisto and the laser bunkers on the surface were considered three times as powerful as the weaponry on Athena.
In the last few months, a non-Jovian installation had been added. It was buried half a kilometer under the surface and it churned throughout the cycles. Horrified, naked, freshly-scrubbed humans entered the complex on a conveyer. After a thorough tearing down and intricate rebuilding, shiny new cyborgs exited the machine. These cyborgs then joined the ongoing campaign.
Unfortunately, the conversion process was too slow, and they had failed to achieve the timetable set for them by the Prime Web-Mind in the Neptune System. The problems had begun several months ago, as the stealth-capsules entered the system. A zealous Force-Leader had burnt two of the seven capsules and damaged three others. The Jovian Force-Leader had almost ended the Jupiter Assault before it had commenced. The same Force-Leader presently captained the Rousseau, but as a converted cyborg known as CR37.
“Resume normal imaging,” Gharlane said.
The holographic of Athena Station became a small dot again in the greater Jupiter System.
Before Gharlane could give another command, a panel in the wall opened. He turned and regarded two basic-type cyborgs.
They were taller than he was, with elongated torsos. Each was a composite of flesh, steel, plastic and graphite bones. Each had been a Jovian less than four months ago. They had dead eyes now, incurious eyes, with immobile features.
“Yes?” Gharlane asked.
“The Web-Mind wishes an immediate link,” the foremost cyborg said in a mechanical voice.
Gharlane was aghast. He had suppressed an impulse from the Web-Mind. Now he noticed a blinking red pinpoint. It represented the Rousseau. Obviously, the Web-Mind had sent these two to check on him.
Gharlane opened his internal link. Immediately, the two cyborgs departed and the panel closed.
“I will run a self-evaluation,” Gharlane told the Web-Mind. They spoke via a tight-link radio-signal.
You must not spend any more time in the holographic command room, the Web-Mind told him.
“Noted,” said Gharlane.
The Descartes deviates from its heading. It moves toward the disabled dreadnaught.
“I have already ordered the Hobbes to the disabled ship,” Gharlane said.
Our vessel will not arrive until much later. And one-to-one combat ratios are poor odds. Send… the two nearest patrol boats in conjunction with the Hobbes.
“I wish to point out,” said Gharlane, “that there is a high probability that members of the Mayflower’s crew reached the Descartes.”
The bearing on combat ratios—
“The files show that the Mayflower is from Mars, containing survivors from the latest conflict there. They have shown high survival capabilities.”
The combat ratios—
“Battle is not all ratios and mathematical computations. There is a chaos factor involved.”
Metaphysical ramblings are further indication of anomalies, Cyborg Gharlane. That bodes ill for your continued use.
“I use logic to deduce factors beyond my perception,” Gharlane explained. “Metaphysics has no bearing on that. Continual success against the odds indicates high-level chaos factors. I will order the Hobbes to rendezvous with the Kepler. Together, they will engage and overcome the enemy meteor-ship.”
That will delay the engagement with the Descartes. You thereby risk losing the remnants of the dreadnaught. We need the crews and we need the vessels, particularly the engines.
“Your objection is noted. And I have reevaluated the situation as we’ve talked. My conclusions have changed. Our presence has already likely been discovered. We must switch from stealth tactics to first-strike attacks. Let the crippled Rousseau do what it can against the approaching ship. I will use our two meteor-ships with others on a mass strike against Callisto. We must assault the heavily-guarded planetoid before their guardians are alerted.”
You are premature. We should continue to subvert the Guardian Fleet.
“The meteor-ship heading for the Rousseau indicates the Jovians know about our presence. Thus, stealth no longer aids but hinders us. It is time for massive strikes.”
Negative.
“If you will examine—”
Further argumentation will push your anomalies to rogue-level status. You will undergo immediate and full systems overhaul.
Gharlane hesitated for a fraction of a millisecond. Then he said, “The two meteor-ships will unite and defeat the Descartes. Any survivors there will face interrogation and conversion as we continue with the stealth assault.”
That is acceptable. On another matter, the cyborg converter needs….
As the Web-Mind continued to communicate with him, Gharlane glanced around the darkened room. The red pinpoint of light indicating the Rousseau blinked wildly. He wanted to remain and walk through the holographic Jupiter System like a divine being. With something akin to a sigh, Gharlane headed for the panel. They should strike Callisto now. He knew it was the wiser course. But the controlling Web-Mind held the final decision. He would prefer to launch missiles at this meteor-ship, but the vessel’s crew would detect the missiles and broadcast the attack throughout the system. No. A close approach by other warships was still the best way to capture the enemy vessel and crew.
Gharlane paused. Maybe there was a third way. Yes, he needed to consider this carefully.
-11-
Omi rolled his shoulders. “A gun would be better.”
“If you’d rather go back and sit in the cell with Osadar…” Marten said.
“No,” Omi said. “I started with knives.” He gripped a stainless steel blade with a razor’s edge on one side and a deadly point on the end.
They floated down a hall, moving toward the myrmidon chamber. Ten feet behind them were three Jovians. They were smaller men, but tough-looking and determined, if scared.
Ship personnel had received face-to-face orders to report to their station or remain locked in their sleep quarters. It meant the passageways were clear. According to Yakov, Octagon, his myrmidons and Tan had not received such orders.
“You remember Stick?” asked Omi.