Predictive by L.V. Lane

Author:L.V. Lane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: L.V. Lane

“In Eric’s absence, who is the highest-ranking officer here?” I asked. My mind still lumbered in the chaotic stage that often followed a prediction, and I dragged my focus back to the worn chair I sat on in the conference room. Jax sat opposite. There were no windows in the room, and yet I could sense a threat coming from outside. Jax had just asked LUC to locate Rachel, who was now on her way to join us.

“Capon,” Jax said. “He took a team to recon the Federation base. He ordered communication silence. No one can talk to him until he returns.”

He paused like he wanted to say more—trigger.

Predictive insight: Jax had been ordered to stay here and watch me, probably at Montgomery’s orders. Had Sven not left with Landon, I thought they would have already forced my exit from this embattled corner of the Empire.

“Has anyone tried to notify Landon?”

“He will know if Montgomery has told him. We’re not allowed to contact him.” He shrugged and his eyes became shifty. “I tried anyway, but they must have locked his communicator.”

That brought fresh concerns. Would I be locked out, too? A problem for later. “I want to be updated on everything you know about the operation, but first, I need to know how many androids are here.”

“Androids?” Jax asked, confused. “None.”

“That’s unusual?” My interest piqued.

“Their faux skin doesn’t cope with the Nammu environment, or so I heard. Breaks down the integrity and causes the android equivalent of brain disease.”

That interested me further. Had this detail saved this base from suffering a similar fate to Edson-46? Assuming it was to do with the Federation and subsequent destruction of the moon base. But what about Irra, what about elsewhere? And there were many other options. The base here would be easy to destroy should the Federation put their mind to it, but they had no fleet presence here. Was the lack of support holding them back?

Rachel entered as I was pondering this new piece of information. “You’ve heard the news?” she said as she joined us at the table, then nodded to herself and added softly, “Yes, of course, you have.”

“LUC, activate privacy,” I said.

The AI confirmed.

Privacy? Is there such a thing as privacy in a world full of AI, where every room has automatic monitoring, even if that monitoring is not by humans? AI had access to everything; privacy simply meant the recording would be deleted near real-time unless events in the room triggered an emergency. AI was considered safer even than androids. The Federation had never hacked an AI, and there was no reason to suspect that they might. There was a first time for everything, though, and if it had been compromised, then whatever was disclosed within privacy would make little difference.

If the AI were compromised, we would soon be dead, I reasoned. That was not a comforting thought.

The room tilted, and I felt another prediction fall into place. They were part of it, both Rachel and Jax, and I could trust them.

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