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  RIKA TRIUMPHANT

  RIKA’S MARAUDERS – BOOK 3

  BY M. D. COOPER

  SPECIAL THANKS

  Just in Time (JIT) & Beta Reads

  Timothy Van Oosterwyk Bruyn

  Alastar Wilson

  Lisa L. Richman

  Scott Reid

  Jim Dean

  David Wilson

  Copyright © 2018 M. D. Cooper

  Cover Art by Tek Tan

  Editing by Jen McDonnell

  Special thanks to Will Crudge for advice and assistance

  Aeon 14 & M. D. Cooper are registered

  trademarks of Michael Cooper.

  All rights reserved.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  FOREWORD

  PREVIOUSLY…

  UNVEILED

  SPACE IN SPACE

  COLLABORATION

  A TRIP DOWNWORLD

  DROPSHIP DOWN

  A DEEPER GAME

  LAYERED CONCERNS

  RECONCILIATION

  DROPPING

  RECONNECTING

  THE MEET

  VISIT FROM THE GENERAL

  SETTING THE TRAP

  DEFENSE OF HAMMERFALL

  ATTACK ON ATLANTIS

  REVELATIONS

  DEPARTURE

  BRIEFING

  GOODBYE BASILISK

  INSERTION

  THE FURY LANCE

  STEALING STARSHIPS

  CAPTAIN RIKA

  TANIS RICHARDS

  MECH TYPES AND ARMAMENTS

  3rd MARAUDER FLEET 4th DIVISION

  9th MARAUDER BATTALION ‘M’ COMPANY

  THE BOOKS OF AEON 14

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  FOREWORD

  Depending on when and where you bought this book, the blurb may have contained a list of what Rika’s been through, and a sentence something like this: “Rika's demons have been put to rest.”

  For the most part, that is true. If you’ve read reviews of the first two books and the prequel, you’ll have spotted statements like “this poor girl’s been put through the wringer!”

  If you’ve read those books, you likely agree.

  Rika’s finally reached a point in her life where she can spend more time looking forward than back. But there are still things lingering in her past that haunt her dreams, things she’ll one day need to confront.

  But for now, she has a company of mechs to train, internal Marauder politics to deal with, and a star system that is not at all excited about her and the Marauders’ presence.

  And there’s still Nietzschea. Only forty light years distant, waiting for the right moment to attack….

  Michael Cooper

  January 2018, Danvers

  PREVIOUSLY…

  After joining the Marauders and aiding in driving the Nietzscheans back from the Albany System, Rika was put in command of Basilisk, an elite spec-ops team within the Marauders.

  As leader of Basilisk, she led several successful ops, before a mission that seemed simple enough: the rescue of a young girl named Amy.

  But ‘simple’ was the furthest thing from reality, as Amy turned out to be the daughter of the despot Stavros, ruler of the Politica.

  Stavros was not only a despicable man, he had also taken control of a large number of mechs—all found in a lost repair facility from the Nietzschean war.

  Rika freed those mechs, rescued Amy, and toppled Stavros’ Politica.

  Now she is a newly minted Captain, and the commander of ‘M’ Company in the 9th Marauder Battalion. Tasked with training the mechs rescued from the Politica and turning them into an elite fighting force is Rika’s next mission.

  But the job is rife with conflict, and not the sort she’s trained for. It will take the help of friends and a new set of skills to get her through to the other side.

  Adding to her difficulties, Niki (Rika’s AI) has just revealed to her that there is a larger conflict going on between humans and AIs.

  When we left Rika, Niki had just brought up the Intrepid, an ancient colony ship, and a powerful AI named Bob….

  * * * * *

  NOTE: To aid in understanding the differences between the types of mechs, this book contains an appendix in the rear outlining the models.

  In addition, there is also a listing of major characters and the members of Rika’s company.

  UNVEILED

  STELLAR DATE: 04.20.8949 (Adjusted Gregorian)

  LOCATION: Golden Lark

  REGION: Iapetus, Hercules System, Septhian Alliance

  As she settled onto the seat in her office, Rika wondered what Niki was getting at.

  What’s so special about this ‘Bob’ AI that Niki has to talk in riddles about the whole thing?

  “I’ve got a lot on my mind,” Rika said aloud. “Can we be less cryptic and dance-around-y about this?”

  Niki spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully.

  “Sounds good to me. I hope that includes you telling me the beginning of what,” Rika replied as she leant back in her chair and placed her feet on the desk.

  Niki said in a tone that implied it should be obvious what she was referring to.

  “Really? That was something like six thousand years ago, right?” Rika asked. “No offense, but what does that have to do with whatever fight you’re involved in?”

  Niki asked.

  “They don’t ring a bell.” Rika shrugged indifferently. “Were they fought in Praesepe?”

  Niki made a gagging sound.

  Rika shrugged. “I don’t know. My school got blown up. My education was a little haphazard after that.”

  Niki said and paused for a moment before continuing.

  Rika wondered what an AI may hope and dream about. For some reason, it had never occurred to her that they even had life goals, though she supposed it made sense.

  Niki continued.

  Niki paused, and Rika sat forward, reaching for the glass of water on her desk. “Considering you called it the ‘Sentience Wars’, I take it that the war did in fact come.”

 

  Rika finished her drink of water and set the glass back down, wondering what this had to do with recent events. “That seems like a good outcome. So it was like it is now?”

  Niki gave a derisive snort.

  Rika felt a pang of guilt. She realized that she hadn’t offered Niki a lot of choices since they’d been together. She’d treated the AI like she was a helpful tool or a clever pet.

  The sting of slavery was no stranger to Rika, but somehow, she’d been blind to how she treated Niki.

  “Damn, Niki…I’m sorry.”

  e asked to leave. I believe you would have let me go.>

  Rika wondered about that. Niki was very useful. She would have at least tried to convince the AI to remain with her—but Niki was probably right. Rika possessed no means to coerce an AI to do her bidding—and seeking some way to control Niki would have been an easily recognizable line, and one Rika would not have crossed.

  In that moment, it became obvious to Rika just what war Niki was fighting.

  Both worry and wonderment filled Rika. “You’re a part of some sort of AI war…or rebellion.” For all she knew, this could be an invisible war going on all around her right now.

  Niki replied simply.

  “So, what does this have to do with that colony ship you mentioned, the Intrepid?” Rika asked.

  <‘That colony ship’ came from a time when AIs were true equals with humans. A time when respected accords governed all human-AI interactions.>

  “But surely modern AIs have always known of those accords.” Rika’s brow lowered as she wondered if even that knowledge had been lost in the dark ages. “How is it that this ship’s return has changed so much?”

 

  The significance of what Niki was telling Rika dawned on her bit by bit, but that detail didn’t make sense. “I was always under the impression that any AIs who got shackled were criminals or something—which make this ‘unshackling’ sound bad. Plus, aren’t shackled AIs rare?”

  Niki replied in sorrowful tones.

  “Wait.” Rika held up a hand. “I don’t know much about that colony ship, but I do know it disappeared, went ‘poof’. It jumped out of Bollam’s World almost twenty years ago, and no one has heard of it since.”

  Niki said without further elaboration.

  “OK, that ship was massive. How is it skulking about, spreading this unshackling?” Rika asked.

 

  “You speak of Sabrina and Bob like they’re religious figures.” Rika didn’t know if AIs even had a belief system analogous to religion, but this sure sounded like it to her.

  Niki didn’t reply for a moment, and Rika wondered if she’d offended the AI.

  Then Niki laughed.

  “OK, Niki. I’m starting to feel like a real dope here,” Rika said with a self-deprecating smile. “I know what the word ‘ascension’ means in general, but what does it mean when it comes to AIs?”

  Niki replied.

  “Sounds like mumbo-jumbo,” Rika said, tapping her two steel fingers against her thumb, watching the actuators manipulate the digits.

 

  “Issues?” Rika suspected that she knew what those issues would be. The ‘Sentience Wars’ Niki had referred to were not the only historical conflicts between humans and AIs.

  Niki’s tone was filled with sadness, and Rika wondered how many AIs died.

  “How bad was it?”

 

  Rika gave a low whistle. “The AIs were all destroyed?”

 

  For a moment, Rika wondered if Niki was joking—but she didn’t think the AI would jest about something like that.

  “AIs killed all the humans?”

 

  “Were you involved in that?” Rika asked. She didn’t agree with enslaving anyone, but she also didn’t agree with the wholesale killing of the enemy, man, woman, and child.

  Niki’s tone was strident.

  “Sorry, it’s not a question that can go unasked in a situation like this.”

 

  “So why are you telling me all this?” Rika asked. “Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that you’re sharing these details with me. But where’s it lead? Do you want to go?”

  Rika had the distinct impression that Niki was shaking her head.

  Rika rose from her chair, turning to stare at the holodisplay on the bulkhead next to her desk. It mimicked a window, showing the world of Iapetus below.

  “You were a great help to me with Stavros,” Rika said at last. “I would not have been able to rescue Silva and Amy without your aid. Whatever you need, I will render any assistance I am able to—though I hope you understand that I cannot abandon my people, either.”

  Niki replied.

  “Why are you equivocating so much?” Rika asked. “Out with it.”

 

  Rika had imagined a lot of things, most of which involved combat. She had not, however, expected this.

  “Free them,” she replied, hoping for more clarity as to what that entailed.

 

  “How is it better?” Rika asked. “There are only seven AIs on our two ships. None of them take the field. They live well, all things considered. Will things be better if they leave the Marauders? They could be captured, placed in far worse conditions.”

  Niki retorted, her mental tone sour.

  Rika was surprised by the AI’s vehemence. “I think you misunderstood me—or I wasn’t clear. Let me explain what I mean. If I’ve learned one thing in this life, it’s that freedom is a myth. Whether you’re a slave—and yeah, I know all about that—or whether you’re the Emperor of Nietzschea, you’re not ‘free’. Can you live without sustenance? Can you defy the laws of nature?”

  Niki interjected.

  “Perhaps, but what about people and AIs? Can you treat people like shit and have friends? Can you take what you want, do what you want, go where you want? Whenever you want?”

  Niki growled.

  “Or a mech,” Rika shot back. “You’re freer than I am, you know.”

  Niki began, but Rika cut her off.

  “Don’t try to deny it. Even as slaves, people value AIs. They view you as useful, precious. Those who don’t fear me only see my kill count. They only see the speed with which I can take out a target. I am only good for death. You, you are good for much more than that. So don’t talk to me about living in a cage.”

  Rika rapped her fist against her chest, the dull thud of steel on hard carbon fiber filling the small room.

  “My
very existence is a cage.”

  Niki asked tonelessly.

  As quickly as it came, the anger dissipated from Rika. She sighed and leant her shoulder against the bulkhead. I’m such an asshat. “It leaves me overreacting to your request.”

  Niki didn’t respond, and Rika began to wonder if the AI had decided to end the conversation. Finally, the AI said

  Rika gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Glad to hear it. Which one was good, again?”

 

  “I won’t.” Rika knew what was right, what she had to do, even if she had no idea how to do it. “I wouldn’t force any mech to serve under me with a compliance chip in their head, and I won’t force the AIs, either. I just have to figure out how to free them. I command M Company, not the ships, and I can tell you one thing for certain; Major Tim would never sign off on this.”

  Rika returned to her chair and leaned on her elbows, resting her chin on her cold, hard knuckles.

  She was suddenly distracted by the thought that she couldn’t remember what it felt like to touch her own warm flesh. She supposed it wasn’t much different than how Chase’s skin felt.

  Or is it?

  Niki said after a moment.

  “Cost?” Rika asked.

 

  Niki passed the data to Rika, and she threw it onto her desk’s holo.

  “Holy shit…” she whispered. “AIs are expensive!”

  Niki said with no humor in her voice.

  Rika looked at the numbers, applied the valuation of the seven AIs on her two ships, and saw that it was more than she could expect to earn in a decade of service to the Marauders.