War on a Thousand Fronts Read online

  Tangel led a silent Rika through the forest on their way to the maglev station. She was taking a circuitous route. The conversation that she and the Marauder captain had engaged in was one that would take some time for Rika to digest.

  The mech—something Tangel was surprised the cyborg warriors called themselves—had seen a lot of changes over the past few days. Everything from witnessing the destruction of a Nietzschean armada to the knowledge that she and all her people could be made whole, should they desire it.

  Bob said, as Tangel led Rika over a small bridge stretching across a bubbling brook.

  Tangel replied.

 

  Tangel admonished.

 

  “Admir—Tanis.” Rika began to speak as they stepped off the bridge’s wooden surface and back onto the earthen path. “I get the feeling there is something more you want to tell me.”

  “Ask you is more like it,” Tangel replied.

  Rika cocked her head, a corner of her lips curling up in a nervous smile. “You asking me? Why does that make me nervous?”

  Tangel winked. “No need to be nervous. I was just thinking about your mind—well, your brain.”

  Rika’s smile turned into a laugh. “I don’t know that anyone has ever said something quite like that to me before. Usually people are talking about every part of me except for my brain.”

  “Well, they’re foolish, then,” Tangel replied. “I believe that when Niki gets properly paired with you—should the two of you choose to do it—we should begin the process of enhancing your mental capacity.”

  “Sorry?” Rika coughed. “Enhancing?”

  “Right now, you’re close to an L1—don’t ask me how I know that, I can just tell. You have a higher neuron density than is normal, but your axons are not as long, and your dendrites are not as interconnected as they could be. I don’t think it would be that difficult to get you to L2 status.”

  Rika lifted her left hand and placed it on her head. “Won’t that…change me?”

  “It would,” Tangel nodded. “But because you already have a high volume of neurons, the change would not be as much as someone going from L0 to L1 normally experiences. The changes are different for everyone, but mostly you’d find that you’re faster, you can make intuitive leaps better—and they’re more accurate because you can consider more variables. You might even get the ability to multithread.”

  “Multithread?” Rika asked. “Like think of more than one thing at once?”

  “Right,” Tangel confirmed. “Though many people think they can do this, L0’s really can’t. They may switch focus quickly—at a cognitive penalty, I might add—but they really can’t think of two things simultaneously.”

  Niki asked.

  You have no idea, Tangel thought. Especially considering that I’m passing myself off as two people right now.

  While talking with Rika, Tangel was masquerading as Angela in twenty-seven conversations in the Link, and as Tanis in three others.

  And it wasn’t remotely taxing.

  “Exactly like that,” Tangel replied to Niki. “As an added advantage, being directly linked with Rika’s mind, you’ll be able to have deeper conversations with her, and share more via what amounts to a sort of cross-cognitive intuition.”

  “We wouldn’t merge, would we?” Rika asked quickly. “Not that what’s happening to you and Angela is bad…I just like being me, is all.”

  Tangel laughed as she shook her head. “It’s vanishingly rare now, but at one time, many L2s paired with AIs—well, not many, but a lot. To my knowledge, Angela and I are the only ones who have found themselves in this predicament.”

  “I guess that’s reassuring,” Rika replied, then fell silent.

  Tangel could see that she was deep in thought—both from her lowered brow and from the activity in her mind. It was plain to see that the mech and her AI were also speaking rapidly with one another.

  “It would make me a more effective leader, wouldn’t it?” Rika finally asked.

  “It would,” Tangel nodded in agreement. “Much more effective. I believe that you would fare much better in your fight against Nietzschea.”

  Rika snorted. “Stop hedging. You mean that fewer of my mechs would die from stupid decisions I make.”

  Tangel laughed, her tone rueful as she thought of her many stupid decisions. “Yes, but you’re not going to be infallible. And don’t get cocky.”

  “No chance of that.” Rika shook her head as the maglev platform came into view on the trail ahead. “Self-doubt and second-guessing all the way, here.”

  Niki interjected.

  Tangel chuckled softly as they walked out of the trees and into the maglev platform’s clearing. “I know it. I wouldn’t have offered you this mission otherwise.”

  Rika nodded in silence as they stepped onto the platform and waited for a car to arrive. “I hope I live up to that belief.”

  “You will,” Tangel said, giving Rika a slow wink. “And think on the L2 enhancement. It could really help.”

  “I think I’ll do it,” Rika replied as the car arrived. “I mean…I think it’s a sure thing, but I want to talk it over with Chase first.”

  “Good,” Tangel nodded. “I’m glad you two work as a team.”

  Rika laughed. “Me too, Tanis, me too.”

  NEW HORIZONS

  STELLAR DATE: 08.30.8949 (Adjusted Years)

  LOCATION: Bay 19-12A, Keren Station

  REGION: Khardine System, Transcend Interstellar Alliance

  Sera squared her shoulders as she waited on the docks with her High Guard, watching as Jason’s shuttle settled on its cradle. For reasons she couldn’t quite pin down, Sera felt more trepidation than the meeting should engender.

  She hadn’t spent any time in private with him since Elena had come aboard the Intrepid just over twenty years ago at Ascella. Though they’d flirted constantly during the month she spent aboard the colony ship, Jason had never made himself fully available to her.

  It wasn’t surprising. He was the captain of the ship, burdened with his duties and responsibilities—not the least of which was keeping a handle on Tanis.

  Sera was the spy who turned out to be the daughter of their uncertain ally. Not the sort of individual a logical person would become entangled with.

  One thing is certain about Jason—he is logical. Not risk averse, or calculating, but rather…considering.

  Which made her wonder why he had come to Khardine—especially at a time when so many allied ships had been deployed to the Albany System to rescue Tanis.

  The cradle’s ramp lifted to meet the shuttle’s opening airlock, and Sera had to force herself to relax.

  Seriously. You saw Jason just a year ago. Neither of us made any overtures. This is just a professional visit.

  There was no reason to believe that there was anything remaining between them—granted, she was still getting over her father’s betrayal and death, and Elena….

  A pair of ISF Marines were the first ones out of the shuttle, stepping smartly down the ramp. They didn’t seem overly concerned about their surroundings, which may have been due to the fact that two members of Sera’s personal guard were also ISF Marines.

  A moment later, Jason Andrews’ large frame appeared, silhouetted
in the airlock’s opening. He paused for a moment, and then stepped onto the ramp. His calm, purposeful strides reminded her of one of the reasons she’d always been drawn to him: the man was the living definition of ‘unflappable’.

  He must have undergone rejuv recently, because his formerly silver-white hair was now a dirty blonde. The change shifted him from the stately captain she’d first met on the Intrepid twenty years ago, to a much younger, rakish-looking man. Somehow it didn’t decrease his mystique, though, it enhanced it.

  Jen said with a soft laugh in Sera’s mind.

  Sera chided her AI.

  Relax, Sera, she told herself. He’s not here to see you. You’re both heads of state on official business. Well, I suppose that’s not correct. He is here to see me, but not like that. Don’t make him the rebound guy after Elena.

  As Jason descended the ramp, she could see that his eyes had settled on her. A broad smile formed on his lips, and his pace quickened. Sera walked forward, and they met at the base of the ramp, clasping hands.

  “Governor Andrews, it’s very good to see you. We don’t get a lot of state visits at Khardine.”

  “Sera, please,” Jason’s smile was warm and comforting. “Just call me ‘Jason’. I don’t stand on formality—I know it’s not your preference, either.”

  Sera shrugged. “My many advisors are beating it into me, though they’re all quite put out that you wanted to meet with me privately.”

  Jason ran a hand along his neat beard—an affectation she was glad he’d kept—and nodded soberly. “Sorry for all the cloak and dagger stuff, the topic I have to discuss is highly sensitive. Would you care to come aboard my pinnace?”

  “Surely I have more comfortable accommodations on Keren.”

  “Yes,” Jason gave Sera an appraising look. “But Tanis has instructed that conversations on this topic take place only in highly controlled locations.”

  “Tanis’s orders?” Sera asked. “Aren’t you the governor now, Jason?”

  Jason cocked an eyebrow and gave a soft laugh. “You know that no matter what her title is, Tanis is in charge. It’s in her nature. She was born for this.”

  “That sounds strangely prophetic, Jason,” Sera replied.

  He shrugged as he offered his hand and turned to walk back up the ramp. “Would you like to know why I’ve come?”

  “Are we staying in the docking bay?” Sera asked. “If we’re taking the pinnace to your ship, then my guards will insist they come along.”

  Jason glanced at the four High Guard standing nearby. “As they should. I wish I could convince Tanis to travel with an escort like this.”

  Sera snorted. “As if you could. Besides from the updates that Joe sent, Tanis is a one-woman battle station now.”

  Jason barked a laugh. “Well, she’d have to be to house that iron will of hers. And yes, we’re staying on the dock. No need to bring your guards aboard.”

  “OK,” Sera replied, and nodded to the High Guard before taking Jason’s hand and following him up the ramp, wondering why he’d offered it to her, and why she felt forty years younger holding it.

  Once inside, Jason led her to a small dining cabin, and they sat on either side of the table. A servitor poured two cups of coffee, and then retreated to its alcove.

  Jason added cream to his, while Sera opted to drink hers black. The planet Troy in the New Canaan System grew some of the best coffee beans in the galaxy, and there was no need to muddy their taste.

  “So?” she said after a moment, hoping to prompt Jason into explaining his mysterious visit.

  His gaze rose to meet hers, and his eyes remained on her face as he took a sip of his coffee. When he lowered his cup, his eyes drifted down as well, and a small smile graced his lips.

  “I’m glad you haven’t changed your mode of dress, even though you’re the Great President now,” he said.

  Sera looked down and saw that her skin had reverted to its red ‘naked’ state at some point, and chastised herself for not maintaining better control.

  Perhaps I need to suck it up and ask Jen to keep an eye on me.

  She considered changing her appearance back to her uniform, but decided not to. There was no shame in being what she was—though she worried that Jason would think she was doing it to seduce him…which maybe she was—subconsciously, of course.

  Of course.

  “Well, I don’t normally go around like this,” she confessed. “But if I get distracted, I revert…”

  Jason took another sip of his coffee, an eyebrow arched. “Distracted?” When he set down the cup, there was a mischievous smirk on his lips.

  “Jason Andrews!” Sera’s brow lowered. “Are you flirting with me?”

  Jason held up his forefinger and thumb. “Maybe a smidge. But if you’re still…whatever you might be with Elena, I’ll stifle it.”

  Jen commented.

  The governor’s mouth hung open for a moment longer, as though he was going to say something more, but then he closed his lips and regarded her with his penetrating brown eyes.

  Sera made a dismissive swipe with her hand, nearly spilling her coffee. “No,” she said a little too loudly. “I mean…no, I’m not ‘whatever’ with Elena. I’m not entirely over her, over what she did to me—to everyone, for that matter—but I no longer harbor any pleasant feelings or longing for her. The neurologists are working out the best way to reverse whatever it was that Garza did to her, but I think it would be best if she and I never…anythinged anymore.”

  Her expression must have contained some level of angst, because Jason’s eyes softened while she rushed out her explanation.

  “Sorry, I shouldn’t have gone there,” he soothed. “It’s inappropriate, and we have other matters to discuss.”

  Sera was continually impressed by Jason’s ability to be the stodgy old man—even when he no longer looked it. “Jason, it’s OK. I appreciate frank conversations like this. I spend too much time in my own head. I’d grown used to bouncing ideas off Tanis, but she’s a bit hard to get ahold of right now.”

  “That’s a part of what I have to tell you,” Jason said with a solemn nod. “There are things we’ve learned about Tanis from Katrina that she wants me to share with you.”

  “Why you?” Sera asked.

  “Well, because I spoke with Katrina directly. I have it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.”

  Sera had read the report out of New Canaan that one of the colonists’ old companions from Victoria had followed them through Kapteyn’s Streamer. It was mind boggling to think that the woman had spent five hundred years waiting for the Intrepid to arrive.

  The report had been light on details, but it did note that Katrina was being ‘detained’.

  “You knew her from your time back at Kapteyn’s Star, didn’t you?” Sera asked.

  “I did.” Jason leant back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “I counted her as a friend. I still do, I think. She ended up coming under the influence of an ascended AI, one named Xavia. The AI…bent her a bit. Not to mention some of the things she went through...I swear, I think we had a far easier time of it than she did.”

  “That’s not saying much,” Sera replied. “Is this Xavia the same being as the Caretaker?”

  “Not from what Katrina says. She believes that Xavia represents a different faction. One that wants to see humanity advance on its own terms. I guess they got tired of seeing the Caretaker’s group drive humanity into one dark age after another. To hear Katrina tell it, Xavia and her ilk have been greatly responsible for much of the general uplift in the Inner Stars over the last thousand years.”

  Sera snorted. “Just like those ascended AIs to take all the credit. The Hand worked tirelessly to forge alliances and build humanity back up.”

  Jason shrugged. “I take it all with a grain of salt. Either way, Xavia told Katrina some interesting things abou
t Tanis.”

  The way that Jason spoke the words, it was clear that he was about to drop a bomb, and Sera steeled herself for it.

  “Go on.”

  “Well, from what she’s said, Tanis was engineered to be what she’s become.”

  “She what?” Sera leant forward, hands on the table. “How was Tanis engineered?”

  “You of course know that Tanis is a natural L1, right? She was enhanced to be an L2 in her late teens because she had the neural structure to support it. It’s what precluded her from getting an AI, until research—research spearheaded by the Enfield Corporation—worked out how to embed AIs in the brains of L2s.”

  “Are you saying that Terrance Enfield had some hand in ‘engineering’ Tanis? Though I suppose that’s not too surprising. Tanis has been more a product of science than nature for some time.”

  To some, the words may have come off as demeaning, but Sera didn’t mean them that way, and from the soft laugh Jason gave, he didn’t interpret them as such.

  “You’re not wrong about that, but that’s not what it means. Terrance says he knew his company had been the one to facilitate Tanis getting her first AI, but not that anything nefarious had been done.”

  “And you trust Terrance?” Sera asked, nearly folding her arms too, but realizing it would look ridiculous if the two of them were sitting at the small table with their arms folded, staring each other down.

  She expected Jason to bristle at her question, but he only laughed.

  “With my life. Multiple times. Terrance and I go way back. Waaaaay back.”

  “OK, so where is all this going? Did the ascended AIs tamper with Tanis somehow?”

  “Yeah, from what I can tell they improved her, made sure that she’d be able to get the Intrepid where it needed to be. Except, as you know, Bob got us out of the Streamer too soon. We exited from it five hundred years before the master plan was ready.”

  Sera studied Jason’s expression. She could tell that he still had more to say, so she nodded for him to carry on.

  “Katrina said—and Tanis has confirmed this with Bob—that he also altered her, without her or Angela knowing.”