The Lost Destroyer (Lost Starship Series Book 3) by Vaughn Heppner

Author:Vaughn Heppner [Heppner, Vaughn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2015-05-25T05:00:00+00:00

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Standing in the conference chamber with Captain Maddox, the holoimage Driving Force Galyan felt a faint stir of unease but also excitement. It recognized that it was unique in the universe. The Adoks who had created it were long dead. The AI only had the faintest recollection of that era. In the last hours of battle against the Swarm, the last Adoks had done something profound. They had brought the dying driving force to the core chamber, sealing him into a special unit. The computer system had “read” the driving force’s engrams and imprinted them onto the AI core system. From that moment forward, the personality of the driving force had begun to change the artificial intelligence centers.

That had happened six thousand years ago, by human time units. Much had deteriorated on the starship since then. Some ship systems had survived the ages. Still others had completely failed. Now, the captain spoke about a resurgence of computing power, maybe an addition of personality and a ship understanding of what the vessel and its components had lost.

“I comprehend the situation quite well, Captain. Why, then, are we meeting like this?”

“The crew is worried,” the captain said.

“About me, I take it?”

“Yes. Why did Professor Ludendorff keep some systems turned off? Was it for our protection? Why did the Adoks keep an entire computing chamber offline?”

“I will not harm any of you,” Galyan said. “I have made my choice on the matter and made it known to you. Do you not remember when I spoke thus?”

“I remember. The point is that the ‘you’ in your present state has chosen this. Will you feel the same way once the ‘lost’ systems are engaged?”

“Why should my decision change because of that?”

“I don’t know why,” Maddox admitted. “Maybe the engagement will elevate your IQ to untold heights, and you will view us with disgust and wish to eliminate us.”

“I have said I will not. I am Driving Force Galyan, an Adok of the highest honor.”

“That’s good to know,” Maddox said. “Yet, we still hesitate to do this.”

“Are you asking for greater assurances?”

“No. You can’t give us any because you don’t know what you’re going to be like later.”

“Then why are we having this conversation?” Galyan asked.

“To calm my fears, perhaps.”

“I do not believe that is the reason, Captain. Throughout my time with you, you have proven yourself well able to submerge your fears.”

Maddox nodded. “I want you to remember this conversation if you find yourself desiring our deaths or imprisonment.”

“I do not think you understand the Adoks,” Galyan said.

“Do you?”

“Of course. I am an Adok.”

“That’s conceit,” Maddox said. “You are not an Adok but a derivative of Adok technology.”

“I am the deified Driving Force Galyan.”

Maddox stared at the alien holoimage. He had come to trust and like Galyan. Still, Galyan wasn’t alive, but was a machine, albeit an extremely complex one with an artificial personality.

“Captain, I assure you—”

“We’re going to do it,” Maddox said, interrupting the holoimage. “You don’t have to convince me to try. The hour is dark, and we’ve lost the professor’s services.

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