Solar Singularity by Peter J. Wacks

Author:Peter J. Wacks [Vogt, Peter J. Wacks, Guy Anthony De Marco, and Josh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Artificial intelligence, Interface Zero, Gunmetal Games, genes, apocalyptic, futuristic, robot, android, military, troop, war, cyborg, game, space, weapons, survival
Publisher: WordFire Press
Published: 2017-01-10T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Raider

“We’ve lost the drone feed, sir.”

Raider detected the slightest flinch from Chu as he fixed his baleful eye on the sub commander. “Then get it back,” he said flatly.

Chu slumped in his seat straps and looked up from the laptop. “I’m afraid that’s impossible, sir. By lost, I mean the drone self-destructed.”

“It … what?” Raider tapped a fingertip against his faceplate.

“It self-destructed, sir. I saw the red command flash, then an … uh … insult flashed at me right before the point-to-point feed dropped.”

“Hmm. I don’t … An insult? Did that drone, by any chance, have an AI in its guidance system?”

“Er … yes, sir. Do any drones made in the last forty years not have them?” Chu realized he had overstepped himself and quickly finished his reply. “I was tracking our target just fine and then feedback became erratic. Not ten seconds later, the drone told me I could go fuck myself and then, um, dove into the nearest antennae array and exploded.”

“I thought AI was supposed to eliminate the weakness of a human operator?”

“It is, sir. It’s only speculation but maybe the hacker collective found a way to hack the drone?” Chu looked perplexed.

“With GENIE down? No.” Raider leaned over until he could look out of the transport window. “And I suppose it doesn’t matter, since it is done. Highlight Anansi’s last confirmed location.”

Chu transferred the data, which Raider relayed to the pilot. He marked a spot a quarter of a mile out from the target, a four-way junction near a shopping center. “Take us down there,” he said. “We’ll go into the madhouse by foot.”

Raider unbuckled and waited by the door while the rest of the squad detached to join him. He liked to perch in the open door on take-off and landing, giving his unit a morale boost by playing the part of the strong commander. Always lead by example. Never show uncertainty. The best thing a leader could do for morale is be decisive and act.

As soon as the transport touched down, before the engines could even begin cycling, he opened the hatch and jumped out. Poised in an athletic gun stance, half for show, he swept his barrel through the area for hostiles. He had known that the area was clear by the time his feet hit the pavement. The show was to bolster the courage of the unit.

Squad members landed all around him and fanned out in a pyramid formation. The second transport remained in the air with units waiting as backup. Once they secured the position, Raider signaled the pilot, who peeled off to survey from the skies. Onboard point-to-point would allow the VTOLs to update Raider and his team.

He split his team of twelve into three groups, sending two of them in flanking directions. The third he led north, where the transports would circle around and meet them at the edge of the central Galaxy district. Relying only a little on luck, they’d flush their quarry out of hiding along the way.

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