Free Winds of Vengeance by Jay Allan Page B

done.
     

Chapter Six
    Report from Unit 3A6502 to Vengeance One
     
    All units continue to pursue enemy communications drones. Seven destroyed as of this transmission. Estimate 2-3 more have escaped our initial search area. Enemy stealth technology is nearly a match for our own. This is making the detection of the final units difficult.
    Analysis suggests we cannot rely upon one hundred percent interception. The original plan for a multi-year systematic sweep of nearby systems may be compromised by the possibility the enemy vessel’s warning will reach their home world. I must therefore develop a secondary strategy…one designed to intercept and destroy any rescue or retaliatory force the enemy may send after their scout vessel.
     
    Cutter Research Compound (Home of the Mules)
    Ten Kilometers West of Victory City, Earth Two
    Earth Two Date 10.30.30
     
    “How were you able to complete this so quickly, Achilles? And in secret.” Peleus stared at the underground chamber that stretched almost out of sight in the dimly lit gloom.
    “Do you recall the ‘delay’ we encountered delivering the new prototype worker robots about three months ago?”
    Peleus smiled. “You faked that?” He looked out over the massive room and then back to Achilles. “My compliments, my friend. Even I was fooled.”
    “I would have told you, but I thought it was best to maintain maximum secrecy.” Achilles smiled. The extreme automation of the Mules’ massive research and production facility had made it relatively easy to hide his activities from the others. Only Callisto had known he had diverted the new robots to his own purposes.
    Achilles gestured toward the room. “This is what ten of the bots can do in two months, my friend. Not just excavation, but the construction of ventilation systems, production equipment…everything we need. I was able to requisition the required supplies by adding it to our weekly manifests gradually. I was concerned someone would question the increase in supplies, but no one said anything.” Achilles paused. “The hardest thing was hiding this from Dr. Cutter…and of course, H2.”
    “Yes, the doctor is only a human, but he is the most intelligent of them all…and not to be underestimated. And H2 has been poking around, asking questions. It appears Dr. Cutter is at least suspicious enough to send his clone to spy on us.” Peleus hesitated. “Achilles…Dr. Cutter will try to stop us if he finds out what we are planning. It is my hope that none of this comes to violence, but if the NBs and the Tanks insist on opposing us, I am prepared for what comes. But Dr. Cutter…”
    “Yes.” Achilles looked back at his friend. “I share your concerns, Peleus. If the doctor tries to interfere, we must prevent him from stopping us…but he cannot be harmed. Nor H2, nor Dr. Zhukov. Doctors Cutter and Zhukov created us…and however much more capable we have become than they, we cannot be the instruments of their death or injury. And, while H2 may be inferior in many ways, he is still one of us. Indeed, if we are successful in resuming the creation of more of our number, our new brethren will benefit from twenty-five years of continued research. The new generation will almost certainly surpass us, even as we did H2…and H2 did the humans.”
    Achilles paused. “Our clandestine activities, what some would call treason…we take these steps to preserve our future, but in our actions we create our own obsolescence. We are dedicated to the pursuit of improving the human species, and when the new generation is created, and when it has reached adulthood, it will be our place to willingly accept the roles of inferiors. We strive now to make ourselves obsolete, to spawn a new generation that will take humanity into the future.”
    “I confess, my friend, I had my doubts…but seeing this, I begin to believe. When can we begin production?”
    Achilles smiled. “We can start producing security bots in less than a