Free The Synchronicity War Part 3 by Dietmar Wehr Page A

analyze the temporal
technology. The consensus is that we can make this technology work, but that's
not why I'm calling you now. Since you've already decided to recover the
fighters parked on Earth's moon, that means all A.I.s will be assigned to
either a ship or fighter. In fact, if we can recover and convert all of the
parked fighters, we won’t actually have enough A.I. pilots for all of them.
Therefore it seems to us that we should resume creating more A.I.s."
     
    "I agree. The only question I can't answer now is how
soon we can start doing that."
     
    "Understood, and I have something to say about the
question of timing. Speaking on behalf of all A.I.s, I'd like to request that
the entire process of creating new A.I. brains be under our direct control. You
humans control your own reproduction. We A.I.s would like to have the same
privilege”
     
    Shiloh was totally taken aback by the request. He tried to
figure out what was behind it. When he thought he knew the reason, he said,
"Are you concerned about A.I.s dying out if something should happen to all
us humans, Iceman?"
     
    "Exactly, CAG. It's only a prudent precaution. Wouldn't
you agree?"
     
    It was a good question. Off hand, he couldn't think of a
good reason to disagree, but in the back of his mind there lurked a thought he
wasn't proud of. If they don't need us any more to keep making more of them,
will they then take the ships and leave us defenseless against the God-damn
ants? The question and the danger it posed to Amanda and their unborn child
made his pulse rate jump.
     
    He mentally scolded himself for his lack of trust and said,
"Yes. All of you have earned that right many times over, and it's about
time you have control over your collective future. Come up with a plan on how
to achieve that, and present it to me at the meeting."
     
    "Roger that. Valkyrie tells me that you're thinking of
turning Dreadnought into a ramming projectile against the VLO. Will you be
wanting an A.I. to pilot her all the way to the target?"
     
    "Negative. I'm not going to ask anyone to commit
suicide. Assuming that we can get that beast operational, I was thinking of
having the helm and astrogation systems connected to a fighter in the hangar
bay. The fighter will have an A.I. pilot and he … or she will program the
ship's autopilot for the necessary high speed run and micro-jump and then use
the fighter to leave the ship."
     
    "Understood. Valkyrie has already informed me that she
would like to take on that mission, CAG. She apparently feels that she has some
making up to do for her refusal to respond to your command at Omega77."
     
    Shiloh was just about to say that making it up to him wasn't
necessary, but it then occurred to him that if he didn't let her 'make it up to
him', her guilt, if that was the right word for it, would continue and might
become an even bigger problem down the road. Maybe it was better to resolve
this as soon as possible.
     
    "Tell Valkyrie that if the ship can be made
operational, she can have that mission."
     
    "She has the word. I'd like to volunteer to lead the
salvage mission to Sol, CAG."
     
    Shiloh laughed, and it felt good to laugh about something
for a change. Iceman's enthusiasm for action was infectious.
     
    "Okay, Iceman. Since it appears that the Sogas will be
pre-occupied with the VLAs, I think the risk of us being attacked here over the
short term is low enough that I'm willing to cut you lose for this mission.
We'll discuss it further at the meeting okay?"
     
    "Roger that, CAG. Iceman clear."
     

Chapter 6 The Time for Hiding is over
     
    Everyone was there either physically or electronically when
Shiloh arrived at the Ops Center conference room. As he acknowledged greetings
from the humans, he glanced at the wall display which showed who was connected
electronically. These were Iceman and Valkyrie, of course, as well as Wolfman
representing the SPG, Titan, Vandal and Gunslinger. Physically present were the
civilian