Work Text:
We had been on Albion-C12 site for 8 cycles on our regular contract work to do maintenance and expansion of the terraformed facilities around the mines when we received a message packet from Marek, the technical contract officer of the Albion systems. He was at a remote support outpost where they had observed some irregularities in its atmospheric regulation systems. While it was not immediately life-threatening, they could not find out what was causing the anomalous readings and asked if we could assist them. They also sent the log files.
Janne, our senior engineering expert looked at the data and commented that the sensor data didn’t match expected values, which didn’t make sense. But it might be resolved by changing the filters, and/or re-calibrating the regulator systems. They asked if we had a spare filter and Janne could bring it and take a look at the systems, as their engineer had taken ill and not available.
The Albion Systems is an independent mining consortium from multiple non-corporate governance bodies, but they had always paid promptly at a reasonable rate, and they offered to pay for consultation and the parts they might need. Albion-C12 still required at least another 20 cycles of work, but while it was labour intensive, they could spare a senior engineer for a few cycles. So, it was agreed that Janne would take the local shuttle hopper to visit Outpost Theta with his intern Sharl.
As the arrangement was being made among our captain Vanya, Janne, Marek, and myself (I am the second in command for this mission), Three was also in the feed as a temporary Security Consultant. I sensed that Three wanted to say something, but when Vanya asked if it had anything to say, it answered in the negative. However, once Marek was out of the communication group, it requested a secure feed talk among the four of us.
Then, after a short hesitation, Three said, My risk assessment suggests that there is a 53 percent chance that this could be dangerous, which is higher than the chance of being here which is 37 percent. I suggest I accompany Janne and Sharl to the outpost.
Vanya, who was aboard me, said, “How are you calculating the risk? Are you familiar with terraform support facilities?”
Only what Holism has provided me in the information packet, admitted Three who was at Albion-C12 site with Janne and the rest of my crew, as well as local workers. The risk was calculated by my assessment module taking account of additional factors, such as the data Marek sent us, the schematics we have, and also his expressions which showed a level of nervousness.
“Under the circumstances, perhaps, it is not surprising that Marek is nervous,” pointed out Vanya. “They have a problem with unknown cause.”
That may be so. Still his tension seems higher than the current status data of the atmospheric regulation system warrants, Three replied. The probability of Marek not disclosing the real level of risk there is 41 percent.
Janne said, We have known Marek over three years, and he’s always been a bit tense like that, Three. It’s the way he is – he overreacts. Their system is old, but they are not using the reactor known to be dangerous. Sharl and I can sort it out, no problem. We are more likely to have problems with the tunnel extension here, so it’s better if Three stays here. What do you say, Holi?
I replied, I concur. There is only negligible risk at the outpost, so Three’s expertise as a security specialist is better employed at the construction site.
There was a very brief pause, probably not detectable to humans, then Three said Acknowledged, but I could tell it was still worried.
As it turned out, we should have listened to Three. (I also wished Three had insisted more firmly, although I’m aware that as a new member to my crew, it was probably finding it difficult to speak up more than it had tried.)
Two hours after we received a message from Janne that they had arrived at Outpost Theta, we lost contact with them. The communication between the main site and the outpost had been done via a satellite, but the satellite seemed to have abruptly stopped working. While satellites could fail, the timing made me feel uneasy.
When I shared that information with Three, it did not say, I told you so, which someone like Perihelion would have done, for which I was grateful. Instead, it said, The satellite is still responding to the automated pings, and it appears that only the communication channels for the outpost seemed to be disabled. There is a 62 percent probability that there is a major problem at the outpost that has the primary control over the satellite. SecUnit would be able to hack and verify the satellite control system, but unfortunately, I do not have the module to interface with it, and can’t hack it without potentially causing further problems.
Confused, Vanya asked, “What do you mean? You are a SecUnit.”
I told her, Three is referring to Perihelion’s SecUnit friend who used to be owned by a bond company that rented out their SecUnits to clients. Their units regularly interface with various systems, thus, have higher capacity for hacking in general than units like Three owned by one corporate.
Three said, SecUnit has an extraordinary ability to hack systems above and beyond that of standard bond company SecUnits, a little defensively. If it’s here, we could compare our risk assessment stats, but I strongly fear that something has happened at the outpost which prevents Janne and Sharl to contact us.
Vanya asked me, “Holi, do you know the current location of the Perihelion? I thought it was scheduled to pass through this system around now.”
Reluctantly, I replied, Yes, I picked up its beacon earlier, and it’s about 3.6 hours away. It’s doing the usual unmanned cargo run, but I believe its SecUnit is onboard.
“Send them the data on our current situation and ask them to assist us.”, commanded Captain Vanya. “We might be worrying over nothing, but we cannot risk losing Janne and Sharl if they are having problems at Outpost Theta.”
She was right, of course. Perihelion can be annoyingly competitive but I’d rather tolerate that than potentially risking my crew members’ lives.
I sent the message. Perihelion’s response was quick.
We are on our way. ETA 3 hours 21.33 minutes.
It also added a private message to me that read, Don’t be an ass and listen to your security consultant. It is a security expert.
Wiseass.
Still, for once, it was right. Even though Three didn’t hold any official position among my crew at the moment, it was a security expert, and I was wrong to dismiss its advice. I could see Perihelion was going to be insufferable.
As it turned out Perihelion became sympathetic which felt worse. Forty-two minutes before the Perihelion’s arrival, we received a message via a slow, relay system bypassing the satellite. It said there was a catastrophic accident at the secondary terraforming engine, resulting in serious structural damage. Janne and Sharl were examining the engine when it happened and buried under the rabble. There were no vital signs detected when the others tried to call their feed interfaces. They feared that both of them were now dead, along with two of their workers there.
I was devastated. I wanted to go to the outpost myself immediately to look for Janne and Sharl, but instability at the outpost meant the atmospheric regulation could be affected at the Albion-C12 construction site, too. We needed to evacuate my crew and the workers until the situation was properly assessed and confirmed to be under control. I could not leave until that was done.
Three had left as soon as we received the ETA from Perihelion. On their arrival, Perihelion positioned itself closer to the outpost and they could soon confirm that Three was just arriving at Outpost Theta. Perihelion’s SecUnit examined the communication satellite’s log and suggested that it was likely that the communication signal to the outpost had been selectively disrupted as Three seemed to have suspected. We had agreed that Three and SecUnit would enter the outpost and look for Janne and Sharl with Perihelion overseeing their activities while I continued to assist with evacuation procedures at Alibion-C12. Even with the satellite unusable, once Perihelion and its pathfinders had been strategically positioned, we managed to create a feed channel for the four of us, which was a relief. Both SecUnits started sharing their visual and audio data in the group feed.
As we watched the two SecUnits entering the outpost, Perihelion said to me, Holism, we don’t want to alarm you unduly but SecUnit and I have been examining the satellite communication record for Outpost Theta and found that there had been frequent exchange of communication between the outpost and a regular supply ship from TranXenonHaven starting from 96 cycles ago. The communications were encrypted but there is a 52.7 percent chance that there have been communications between Outpost Theta and some corporates that they want to keep quiet about. Do you have any theories as to the nature of their communication?
I quickly scanned my database for Albion System’s dealings with companies from the Corporation Rim. There have been transactions with three companies over the years since the consortium here was established. None of them would take the route from or via TranXenonHaven. Unless.
There is a private corporation that took possession of a set of asteroids in the neighbouring system that has an office in TranXenonHaven, I said slowly.
You mean ZucMetha, said Perihelion. They started off as a rare metal mining but recently have been trying to establish itself as a mineral refinery developer.
Yes, I said. They have storage facilities on this planet, but that’s nearly 7,000 kilometres away from any of the Albion System’s sites, and there have been no dealings here. However, there was an expo on mineral use at TranXenonHaven between 128 and 134 cycles ago and I believe several people from the Albion System participated, and it is possible that they came across ZucMetha while there. There has been some interest in the new equipment here that we were helping to develop – but it’s in the equipment storage unit at Albion-C12, not at the outpost.
SecUnit said, If they wanted to steal the equipment, they might create diversion that would evacuate the site, like the one we are dealing with now, as it entered Outpost Theta following Three from the northern entrance, closest to the terraforming engine reportedly to have failed. Can you monitor the site for any potential break-in after the completion of the evacuation?
I left my drones there, said Three. With the satellite down, I cannot get their inputs now, but Holism can use them to monitor the site.
It sent me the access codes for the scouting drones, so I moved two of them to see if anybody tried accessing the equipment storage area. There was no sign of attempted entry so far.
By then, the SecUnits had reached the outer set of doors to the engine room which were locked following the incident, with the warning lamp was flashing above. SecUnit managed to unlock it in 40 seconds and they opened the doors, faced by another set of doors. The frame was distorted, indicating significant structural damage beyond. When they have managed to go through, there was a slope going down towards the engine room which was buried under rabbles from parts of the walls and the ceiling. Automated warning audio was telling people to evacuate immediately.
The SecUnits carefully proceeded towards the engine control room. It was still operating at abnormal parameters.
SecUnit was using a scanner to look for any signs of life under the rabble near the doorway, but said, Three, can you shut that down or whatever that is required to stop causing further damage?
Yes, I believe so, said Three. It had been with us for over a year now, and proved to be a fast learner. It quickly copied the log files, shared them with me, and asked if its diagnostic was correct. It was. I sent approval ping to use Repair Protocol M-13 and Q-21 and it started the reinitialization process. The loud noise of warning and the quakes stopped abruptly. Some of the tensions in the SecUnits’ shoulders seemed to leave as the panic-inducing noise and structural vibrations ceased. Only for a short time, because 11.48 seconds later, SecUnit found the first body of a dead human, and then soon another.
Anyone you recognise? Asked Perihelion, its tone of concern carefully controlled. Perihelion had met Janne, but it was not familiar with Sharl, or anybody from the Albion Systems.
I carefully looked at the images of the bodies that SecUnit was transmitting, but did not recognise either of them. We knew some of the people working here, but only those who had had direct contact with my crew. They had not given us a complete list of all the workers/residents here. It was a relief no to find my crew dead there, but we still didn’t know where they were.
Three said, “I can’t leave here until the reboot is complete to make sure the engine is safe. Can you go to the medical in case they had found Janne and Sharl and taken them there?”
SecUnit acknowledged and departed immediately. The feed and comm systems in the outpost were dead. Using the schematics of the outpost, SecUnit went towards the office quarters at the end of which was a medical room. Its scout drones showed some cracks on the walls, but otherwise this part of the building seemed undamaged.
In the medical, there was a young, small human lying on a gurney with a wound pack wrapped around his head. He looked up blearily at SecUnit as it entered.
“Who are you? Where is Marek?”
Ignoring the questions, SecUnit asked, “Where are Janne and Sharl, the people from the University of Mihira and New Tideland? Are they alive?”
The human looked confused. “What?”
“We have received communication from Marek that they had been involved in the accident at the secondary engine and presumed dead. We came for their recovery, but did not see them in the engine room. Were they taken somewhere?”
“They were not there when the secondary engine failed,” said the human. “Marek sent me and my two colleagues to recalibrate the engine while he was in the primary engine room with your people, sending us instructions over the feed. They came to help us – though I was the only one that survived. They dug me out, sealed the secondary engine room and took me here. Then they went out again, saying that they would go to the sample storage vault to get out the workers there, and then send out a signal to ask for assistance as the satellite was down.”
There was a brief pause as we collectively took a metaphorical breath to digest this.
They are alive? said Three, with excitement detectable in the feed.
That’s good news, but the message you received indicates somebody was lying, rather than being confused with the accident, said Perihelion.
Agreed, I said. The question is which humans at Outpost Theta were involved in this deception. The human in the medical seems ignorant.
We need a head count, said Perihelion. SecUnit, find out how many were here at the time of the accident. If that was indeed an accident.
SecUnit was already doing so, as if reading Perihelion’s mind before it spoke.
“Before your people Janne and Sharl arrived, there were Marek, two interns from the consortium, Nazira and Temir, then, Jing and Aino who got killed in the engine room, and myself. I am Helgi,” said the human on the gurney. “There were also four workers in the storage vault, but its’s in the annex so I never met them, and don’t know who they are.”
“The interns – do you take them regularly?” asked SecUnit. “How long have they been here?”
“I can’t remember for sure,” said Helgi. “I think the initial talk of taking on interns happened at the expo in TranXenonHaven about 3 or 4 months go.”
Well, shit, said SecUnit in our feed. If they have been here that long, the probabilities of your crew being here when this happened by chance are not high. I think Janne and Sharl were meant to be entangled in this whole incident, not as collateral.
With a horrible realisation dawning, I said, Sharl could be a collateral, but Janne must be their target all along. Janne is known as a highly skilled engineer in both academia and industry. The equipment that they showed at the expo – he was only partially credited as co-developer, but it was almost entirely his ideas. They don’t need to steal the equipment from Albion-C12. They only need Janne, if they can force him to cooperate.
That explains Sharl, said SecUnit grimly. They can force cooperation from Janne by threatening to hurt Sharl.
Three asked, Where would they have taken Janne and Sharl? Both of their shuttles were here when we arrived, and if they had used a ground vehicle, Perihelion would have spotted it by now.
I think I have found an answer to that question, said Perihelion, pushing data in our group feed. As the terraforming engine temporarily down before reinitialization, it could use its pathfinders to scan the area without interference. Perihelion said, There seem to be discrepancies between the schematics you have sent us and the reconstructed images from my pathfinders. There is a large structure adjacent to the primary terraforming engine site, expanded from a natural cave.
Examining the data, I said with an increasing alarm, That’s a hanger, and this heat signal must be their shuttle. I need to stop them.
“Shit,” SecUnit said aloud, startling Helgi. Then it switched to the feed and said, We need to hurry. Meet me there, Three, shoving a marked map in the group feed.
By then both SecUnits had started running.
Hold your position, Holism, said Perihelion. Your other crew need your presence to complete the evacuation and safety evaluation there. I will intervene here, if necessary, but let the SecUnits do their work.
Since when are you so patient? I argued, frustrated. Are you taking the risk because they are my crew and not yours? You would be threatening them with your guns by now if it was Iris that had been taken.
There was a flash of temper in the feed but it was immediately suppressed.
I will pretend you did not say that, it said stiffly. SecUnit has a plan that we should help implement. It will work.
What plan? I demanded.
More of an idea than a proper plan, SecUnit said, as it sprinted down the empty corridor towards the hidden hanger. It sent its ideas as a data file into our shared feed.
You didn’t know it had a plan – you only expected it to have a plan, I muttered, as I looked at the file which looked ridiculously risky.
Three said, Oh but it knew, as it also raced down the corridors. SecUnit and Perihelion maintain close feed connections and a shared workspace, allowing instant communications, as if they read each other’s mind.
True. But I don’t always need a feed connection to know what SecUnit is thinking about, said Perihelion.
Fuck you, too, ART, said SecUnit. And Three, stop making it sound weird.
Even in this time of crisis, the way Perihelion and SecUnit seemed to communicate with such ease struck me as both somewhat enviable and a little inappropriate. Afterall, the way machine intelligence of our kind operates is supposed to be kept strictly confidential and the idea of dropping most of our walls to a SecUnit seems potentially dangerous. I like Three and we maintain feed connections but I don’t allow it access my security systems. Instead, we have come up with protocols like the ones Three used for repairing the engine. Some of the protocols we use are known to my crew, but most of them were created for our private communication. Our private protocols system is secure, as it’s not known to outsiders, quicker to communicate, and it has an additional benefit of keeping Three more at ease.
While I was musing on this, both SecUnits had reached the hanger. There were two unfamiliar humans loading cases onto a shuttle, but there was no sign of Janne, Sharl or Marek. The shuttle was registered with ZucMetha, as we had suspected.
The SecUnits could easily overpower these two humans and board the shuttle by force, but that could result in hostage situations depending on the states of Janne and Sharl. We couldn’t be sure that they were indeed aboard this shuttle. So, SecUnit had proposed a plan where they would be asked to board the shuttle.
As they approached, the humans whipped around to look at the SecUnits. One of them had a projectile weapon and the other one took out an energy weapon.
“Who are you? You are not authorised to be here.”, said the taller one with thick, dark beard, slowly lifting the projectile weapon. Then his eyes narrowed, “Are these SecUnits?”
Three wore an environmental suit in my dark green colour, and SecUnit wore the one in Perihelion’s dark blue colour, with our respective logos. Both had dropped the codes to mimic human motion, and stood perfectly still with neutral expressions that betrayed nothing.
Three said, “We are SecUnits tasked to retrieve Janne who is my client, and Sharl, his assistant. Please tell us where they are.”
The humans were understandably nervous, as they could not beat a single SecUnit without particularly powerful projectile weapons or a combat bot on their side. But they also knew that they could take control over SecUnits as long as they could overpower the human that is the designated controller.
“Your client is Janne of the university, you say,” asked the smaller human with the energy weapon. Calculating looks passed between the humans.
“That is correct,” said Three, still maintaining a neutral expression, while SecUnit stood perfectly still with its gaze kept straight ahead.
The human spoke something under his breath, presumably talking to someone inside the shuttle over the feed. Then he motioned the SecUnits to enter the shuttle.
Marek met them inside with a tight expression, and led them down the corridor, without a word. The shuttle was of a smaller class, but had a SecSystem and a HubSystem, indicating that they could be deploying their SecUnits. Fortunately, by the time they reached the compartment where they held Janne, SecUnit had wrestled control over their systems, and could confirm there was no SecUnit or a combat bot there.
The compartment had padded bench seating against the walls, facing low tables and there were floating displays. Janne sat in one of them with an augmented human whose feed name indicated her as Nazira sitting opposite. Janne appeared to be unharmed and unrestrained, and looked up with surprise, quickly followed by confusion as the two SecUnits followed Marek into the room. Janne had never seen Three or SecUnit acting like a SecUnit with the intact governor module before.
With their SecSystem hacked, we could establish private feed connections without being detected by them. So, I told Janne that we were there to help them, but he’d need to follow the SecUnits’ lead. Carefully hiding relief from his expressions, he just tapped in acknowledgement.
Nazira said to Janne coldly, “Tell your units to stand down.”
Janne hesitated. He knew SecUnits were to obey commands given by the designated client, he wasn’t sure how to do so.
Three said in the private feed, Just say aloud to us to stand down.
Obediently, Janne said aloud, “SecUnits, stand down,” a little theatrically gesturing towards the walls. Then he said in our private group feed, Sharl had been hit in the head when he resisted being taken here, and got concussed. He’s in the medical with Temir. They told me that he’s still unconscious but they would make sure he’d be ok if I cooperated.
Ugh, I hate hostage situations, said SecUnit, to which Three tapped the feed in agreement. Both of them outwardly obeyed Janne and now stood by the walls, staring straight ahead.
“Good work,” Nazira said to the taller human who had been loading the shuttle outside earlier but now walked into the compartment. SecUnit had their SecSystem under control and we could see through their cameras and the lock had cycled and the shuttle was now sliding out of the hanger. “The boss would be pleased to get two SecUnits for free in addition to the engineers. They could be useful at Zelma-2451.”
I recognised that name. I said in the feed, That’s the largest asteroid in the Zelma system recently reclaimed by Echsse, a private mining research group. There has been rumour that Echsse might be a front for a corporate, now it looks like it was ZucMetha behind that.
Of course, Perihelion was keeping up with all the rumours involving illegal corporate activities. It said, ZucMetha got its license for asteroid mining suspended since its reckless operation caused catastrophic explosion a year ago, which explains the need for using non-corporates as their front. With new evidence of their illegal activities, we can get their license more permanently suspended.
Yes, but can we do that after we have retrieved Janne and Sharl safely? I said impatiently. But before I could finish saying so, the second armed human appeared behind the tall one, and the two SecUnits moved fast and disarmed both of them before anybody could react. Nazira, alarmed, tried to whip out her energy weapon, but Three reached her in two steps, quickly twisted her wrist. She screamed in pain and dropped the weapon.
ART, said SecUnit, as it moved towards Marek who stood petrified by the second door at the back of the compartment.
Done, replied Perihelion.
I realised that Perihelion had just used SecUnit as a bridge to enter the shuttle’s systems, disengaged its bot pilot from the helm, and was now in control.
“Order your units to stand down, or I’ll get Sharl killed!”, screamed Nazira, her eyes dilated with fear.
“You can’t do that,” said Three quietly, as it covered her mouth with its hand. “You are disconnected from the feed, and you can’t shout, either.”
Perihelion had indeed disconnected her feed from the shuttle’s comm channels almost as soon as it took control of the shuttle.
How did it learn to do a thing like that? I knew Perihelion and its crew did more dangerous anti-corporate activities than the most of us, but that did not include taking over corporate vessels like that. I had not had the time to clarify, but SecUnit’s ‘plan’ had included cryptic keywords like Tlacey, non-lethal. Perhaps it’s their version of protocols.
“I didn’t do anything!”, exclaimed Marek, cowing at SecUnit towering over him. “I was just doing this for currency! I’d been underpaid when that involved…”
SecUnit interrupted him, “Just tell me where the fuck Sharl is held. They’d better not be harmed.”
Marek clamped his mouth shut, and led the way to the medical.
It took SecUnit 7.612 seconds to overwhelm Temir, recover the data device that Marek had been clutching in his hand in his pocket, and half carry Sharl who appeared still woozy back to the compartment.
Where do you want me to deliver the shuttle? Perihelion asked. Is there any need for them to return to Outpost Theta, or shall I deliver it to you?
I considered it briefly and then said, My crew and the workers are now in the prep and management building in the Albion System’s main site. Their life support system has been confirmed to be operating normally, and unaffected by the malfunctions of the outpost engines. Now that they have repaired the satellite comm system, they’ve dispatched the security teams to the C12 site from the Albion Security Office. You can bring the shuttle to the platform by the management building.
Janne cleared his throat, saw Marek blankly staring at him, and then said in the feed, We still have people left in the outpost who needs medical attention, and we also need to make sure that the four workers have managed to get out of the storage vault. Perihelion, please take us back to the outpost.
Perihelion pinged in acknowledgement and set the shuttle’s course back to the hanger of Outpost Theta.
Once back at the hanger, the SecUnits locked the four humans from ZucMetha in one of the cabins without their weapons. Thinking that SecUnits are guarding outside, they would not attempt to escape. Sharl remained in the shuttle with their weapons, as they were not fully recovered from the concussion yet.
Janne and the SecUnits got Marek to take them back to the medical at the quickest route to pick up Helgi whose complexion had improved since last seen. When asked where the storage vault was, Marek looked stricken.
“Why would you want to go there?”, he asked.
“Because when you kidnapped us earlier, the system in the annex was down and the workers were trapped inside,” said Janne.
“We unlocked it before we left. The workers must have got out ages ago,” insisted Marek.
“That can’t be true”, Helgi said. “The low air warning for the vault was still flashing on the monitor in the office next to the medical when you just came in.”
“Shut the fuck up Helgi, you know nothing about the control system! The monitor is wrong,” snapped Marek, turning to go back to the hanger, but SecUnit grabbed him by his neck.
“You shut the fuck up, Marek,” it said, lowering its head to make a deliberate eye contact with the human. “Take us to the storage vault right the fuck now.”
“Fine! Just let go of me,” Marek said. As he turned in the other direction and started walking down the corridor he said to Janne, “Is that really a SecUnit? Where did it learn to talk like that?”
I must say, I have been wondering about the same thing, I muttered.
Fuck off, Holism, it’s effectively confusing the human, snapped Perihelion. Hmmm.
SecUnit ignored us and asked Marek, “According to the schematics of this place, the vault is in the annex and it’s in the opposite direction. Why are you going this way?”
Marek irritably said, “This is the way to the main control room which is closer. We can remotely unlock and open the vault doors from there more quickly.”
Helgi nodded in agreement to Janne’s questioning look.
After walking about 3.5 minutes, they reached the office with the sign Control Room under which ‘authorised personnel only’ written in the bright colour.
Marek took out a key fob from his trouser pocket and opened the door. Then pointing to the sign, he said, “Wait here,” and slipped into the room, closing the door behind him.
Barely one minute later, alarms went off making Janne jump, and Marek burst out of the room, looking stricken. (SecUnits didn’t react overtly, as neither of them had restarted their human mimicry codes.)
“The bastards!”, shouted Marek. “Nazira and Temir had been seen by the workers there, and had no intention of letting them leave alive. The emergency release procedure triggered explosives there. They will go off in 10 minutes, and we have no time to go to the vault. Everybody will die, including Sharl in the shuttle if we don’t leave immediately.”
Shit, said Perihelion and SecUnit simultaneously.
Shit, indeed. There was no time to lose.
I said, Return to the shuttle right now. Marek could be lying and might have started the bombs deliberately to hide his tracks, but take him with you anyway.
The control room was diagonally above the secret hanger, and Marek could lead them down a hidden staircase not in the public schematics. They got to the shuttle under minutes. But once the humans boarded the shuttle, SecUnit stepped back.
ART, I will get the humans out of the vault. Don’t wait up and just go, it said, turned around and sprinted away towards the annex.
Perihelion said, My shuttle is still at the north side. Don’t use the upper gangway when getting away from the vault, as the structure is connected to the annex and may collapse.
I was aghast. Why was it letting its SecUnit do something so suicidal.
Three was handing Marek back to Janne and Sharl inside, but it came out of the shuttle again, trying to follow SecUnit.
Three, Stop, I said urgently. Do not go. Remember Protocol A-02 (always prioritise saving our clients and then itself).
I didn’t say “That’s an order from me as second-in-command after our captain”, but it was implied and Three knew this.
It hesitated for 0.4 seconds but started running after SecUnit.
Sorry, Holism. I want to save the four humans, too, and SecUnit cannot carry all of them if they are not in a fit state to move fast. Three said.
Perihelion lifted the ZucMetha shuttle out of the hanger and handed over its control to me.
Take them back to the main site, it said to me. I will bring back both SecUnits and the workers in my shuttle.
I was getting angry. Perihelion, tell the Units to head straight to your shuttle immediately. The explosives are going off in seven minutes. There is no way they can unlock the vault and save the workers in time.
Perihelion said, SecUnit had found access to the mainframe for this outpost and is now trying to crack the code for the vault doors. It can do this. With Three’s help, they can save the humans.
They don’t even know these humans, I said, as I flew the ZucMetha shuttle towards the Albion System’s main site. While it is tragic if they died, but it is not our responsibility to save them at our cost.
I know, said Perihelion, but that’s the way SecUnit is. It cannot stand letting helpless humans suffer or die. It sounded a little exasperated, but also fond.
Perihelion is no fool. It would not have allowed its friend that it famously cared about so much to be blown up. It was accepting the calculated risks no matter how its instinct as the transport was to bring its crew back to safety as quickly as possible, because it trusted SecUnit. This was astounding, knowing how much Perihelion liked micromanaging its crew wherever possible – as much as I did. That’s how we were programmed and developed.
SecUnit managed to open the vault with 3 minutes to spare, and both of them rushed in. The air had been low and the workers appeared semiconscious. Three has a protocol for addressing strange humans, but even it ditched it at emergency.
“This place is about to be blown up under 3 minutes, so you must evacuate immediately. Can you run to the shuttle platform by the north entrance to the main building?”, it said.
Two of the humans reacted immediately, and shot up to their feet, but the other two looked too weak to move.
“Let me assist you by carrying…,” Three started to address one of them while SecUnit unceremoniously picked up the other one and slang them around its shoulders.
“No time to lose if you want to live,” it said, and sprinted out of the vault. The human Three was addressing wrapped their arm around Three’s neck, indicating readiness to be carried. Everybody ran after them.
ART, ETA update, said SecUnit, as it ran.
Perihelion replied, I am moving the shuttle closer to the annex. So, your ETA is 2.52 minutes. And it sent the new position in the feed. Both SecUnits pinged in acknowledgement, too busy to respond.
One of Perihelion’s pathfinders was transmitting video images of the shuttle as we tensely watched when we saw the SecUnits carrying one human each, closely followed by two more humans burst into view, and they jumped on the shuttle. Immediately, the annex went up in explosion, taking down a part of the main building, too. The narrow path that they came round to the shuttle was buried under the rabble.
I said, Three, SecUnit, status report.
SecUnit said, status, humans have hypothermia, no major damage.
Perihelion said, You mean hypoxia, symptoms associated with low oxygen.
Yeah, whatever, said SecUnit shrugging. Looks like it got its human mimicry codes going again.
Perihelion said, Holism meant your status, not the human’s
Three said, I am fine, Holism. Thanks for asking. I am sorry that I went against your directive.
I felt proud of Three for its actions, and about to give it compliment when, of course, Perihelion butted in with, Your manners are commendable, Three. You could have told it to fuck off many times when it was ignoring your assessment as a security expert. We both know SecUnit would have done. With rude gestures to my cameras.
Promptly, SecUnit made rude gestures to Perihelion’s cameras. I realised that SecUnit had the awareness of all of its cameras, including the ones that we usually keep hidden from our passengers.
From the SecUnits’ drone images, I thought I detected a slight change of expression on Three’s face. It looked a little envious.
Or maybe I was projecting.
I sent a private message to Three. I was wrong not to trust your judgement as a security expert. From now on, I’d like to rely on you as my security consultant and … a friend. Would you like to have access to my cameras and security system when you return to me so that you can exert your expertise?
Three responded in the affirmative and sent a private message of its own to me. Thank you, Holism. I’d like that very much.
A nosy bot like Perihelion could have read our messages if it tried, but it was already busy bickering with its SecUnit over which media to watch next. Perhaps, watching something with Three might be interesting. I put that in my private note for reminder to suggest to it later.