Free The AI War by Stephen Ames Berry Page B

steepled in front of him, looking at the hologram.
    "I've been in one on T'Nil's Revenge," said D'Trelna. "On that ship, it was a tunnel through the hull, used to counterassault boarders who'd gained the hull."
    "Thank you, Commodore," said Egg. "It served the same purpose in Alpha Prime. Indeed, Archives records that a brigade of Imperial Marine Death Commandos, under the personal command of one Admiral K'Yal, penetrated that very sally portal on Alpha Prime."
    "To what effect?" said K'Tran.
    "K'Yal was my many-times-removed maternal grandparent," said L'Wrona. "His faction having lost a power struggle within FleetOps, a suicide mission was arranged for him and his personal brigade. They penetrated the shield, reached the hull—took enormous casualties doing it—entered the sally port, and were never heard from again."
    "Death Commandos, indeed," said K'Tran. He sat up. "How do we get through the shield?"
    "Your ships must link shields," said Egg. "Interfaced with the computers of both attacking vessels, I will use a shield-shaping algorithm to mold the normal globular shield of each ship into a triangular-shaped shield. This shield will have both ships at its base, with its apex penetrating Alpha Prime's sally port." As Egg spoke a green triangle materialized beside the image of the mindslaver. Two diminutive cruisers sat one above the ether, just inside the base of the triangle. As everyone watched, the triangle and ships moved on the mindslaver. Penetrating the red haze marking Alpha Prime's shield, the tip of the triangle touched the space-end of the red shaft.
    "Note," continued Egg, "that this maneuver places the two fusion batteries that could bear on the sally port within range of our weapons—weapons that will still enjoy the protection of our shield. Once those cannon are neutralized, a two-shuttle sortie should be launched through the port. ..."
    "Why only two shuttles?" said A'Tir.
    "The sally port's lined with disintegrator cubes," said D'Trelna. "I ran afoul of the ones on T'Nil's Revenge. Turns that tunnel into a disintegrator chamber. The most we'll get through are two shuttles, moving at flank."
    "Disintegrator cubes," said A'Tir.
    "A foolish question, Egg," said K'Tran. "Why shouldn't the slaver change position and avoid our attack?"
    "They've defeated every force ever sent against them, Captain," said the machine. "They are arrogant. Perhaps you are familiar with the condition?"
    Gods! thought D'Trelna. That thing's baiting K'Tran.
    "How do we get to the bridge?" said K'Tran after a hard look at the Egg.
    "I have provided directions," said the machine.
    K'Tran shook his head. "Uh-huh. D'Trelna, I don't trust your unctuous egg. It goes with us, or we take our chances against you here and now."
    L'Wrona reached for the commkey, ready to direct a missile and beam salvo at the corsair. D'Trelna stopped him, loudly clearing his throat. "Our friend Egg?" said the commodore. He turned to the slaver machine. "You don't mind, do you, Egg?"
    "An honor, Commodore," said the machine.
    "We get inside," said L'Wrona. "Then what?"
    "Race for the bridge," said Egg. "The corridors should accommodate shuttles of the dimensions shown in Implacable' 's equipment roster."
    "Resistance?" asked A'Tir.
    "Heavy from automatic weapons systems at key intersections," said Egg. "And fierce opposition from organic units."
    "Organic units?" said D'Trelna, frowning at the featureless spheroid beside him. "What organic units?"
    "I've been giving the matter some thought," said the machine. "The R'Actolians are biofabs. They've had a great deal of time to perfect defenses for that ship. I suggest, given the R'Actolians antecedents, that such defenses would be organic. Most probably very lethal biofabs, held in cryogenic suspension until now. Biofabs without the R'Actolians' genius, of course. Her creations would not replicate Governor R'Actol's fatal error."
    "Sort of like our friends the S'Cotar," said D'Trelna.
    "Your records show they