Church's Crusade #28: Press ganging
"What are they doing?' asked Tucker.
"I haven't the faintest idea', replied Anna.
Church stared at the scene unfolding in front of him. About two hundred or so of the soldiers who had attacked them earlier that day had surrounded a small settlement and were marching the inhabitants from their homes towards a pair of black trucks. At the first truck they were stripped down and handed new military issue clothing, before being forced into armour. They were then taken to the next truck where they were pushed onto a table and buckled into leather restraints, before a wire was hooked into the back of their helmet. There they would shake about furiously for several seconds, trying to break free from the restraints. However this would soon stop, the wire would be removed and they would be released to be given a weapon and join the line surrounding the settlement.
"It looks like they are loading things into them, like we did when we shifted Shiela into the ship."
Church looked at Caboose in surprise, but before he could say anything Tucker jumped in.
"Oh come on Caboose, how could that work? People don't have USB ports. Well…', Tucker looked at Church, 'Except for our tin man here."
A shimmer appeared in the air next to Church and O'Mally appeared. Church was still uncomfortable looking at this evil version of himself, but he supposed there wasn't much he could do about it.
"Actually', said O'Mally, 'The idiot is right."
There was another shimmer and suddenly Sig was standing there as well. "Yes. What you see there is a mobile AI implantation facility."
Anna looked up in horror, "You mean those people down there…and the ones we killed earlier…they were being controlled?"
O'Mally nodded, "So it would appear, though I don't see what your getting so worked up about. They were only a few people. There are billions of others out there to replace them. After all, you humans breed at an extraordinary rate-"
"But that is not the point', interrupted Sig, 'It is about being human, and emotion is necessary to be human. Something I wouldn't expect you to know anything about."
O'Mally shrugged, "Most emotions are useless. The only ones that have any practical application are rage, hatred, fury, that sort of thing."
"Enough with the theory of humanity', Penny interrupted, 'What we really need to know is whether there is any way of disabling them without actually harming them."
O'Mally looked thoughtful, "Well, I suppose that you could always just smash the AI slot in their armour. And Sigma and myself could probably move into the armour and fragment their programming, although', and at this point he glared at Church, 'I suppose I will not be allowed out, will I?"
Church shrugged, "Do you promise not to pursue your usual goals of world domination?"
O"Mally put his hand over where his heart would have been if he had one, "On my honour as a gentleman."
"You mean your honour as an evil, backstabbing, two-faced, maniacal and murderous individual?"
O'Mally grinned hugely at Church, "Why you would appear to have described a gentleman's attributes perfectly Leonard."
Church smiled thinly at this, "Well I guess, if it is your honour as a gentleman then…no."
"Thought so. Anyway, if none of the above work, I suppose you could always kill them."
Anna rolled her eyes at this exchange and turned to look at Penny, "So how much further do we have to travel to reach the silo?"
"Not much further', Penny pointed at a nearby hilltop, 'It's just up there."
Paul grinned, "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go."
Penny shook her head, "No, we all need rest after that fight. And the approach will be easier in the dark. Someone is bound to be guarding it."
Church nodded, "It's settled then. We leave after dark…"
George Montez was, by and large, a good man. He had been a janitor in one of the local hospitals. He had been, he remembered, fairly happy with his life.
Then the men had come. They had made him join up. He remembered being quite upset about it at the time, but he couldn't quite recall why. Besides, that didn't matter anymore. They had given him Sierra 25 and her voice at the back of his mind comforted him when he had doubts about why he was there. His old life was unimportant. He was a happy soldier now. He would guard this doorway in the hillside for as long as was required. He would kill if necessary, though he would not enjoy it.
Yes, George Montez was a good man.
He did not therefore deserve to be hit in the back of the head with a large rock…
Church looked at Penny in surprise as the man slumped unconscious, "I don't think it was necessary to hit him that hard."
Penny shrugged, "I couldn't let him sound the alarm. Anyway he should be fine. He'll just wake up with a splitting headache', she looked down at the man again, 'Oh would you look at that, the AI disk is still intact. I better do something about that."
As she reached down to grab the disk O'Mally's voice sounded in the back of Church's mind.
--Stop her! The AI can give us information. --
Church lunged forward and grabbed the disk from the helmet just before Penny. She looked at Church with a mixture of surprise and annoyance. Church shrugged, "O'Mally says we could get some information out of it."
Penny looked surprised but then nodded slowly, "I suppose it could at that. I wonder why I didn't think of that."
"Doesn't matter in the long run." Church looked the disk over. It was quite badly damaged, but still seemed to function. He looked round at the others, "Here goes nothing." He inserted the disk into the back of his helmet.
He instantly became aware of the AI's attempts to take control of him. He waited patiently for it to realise that it couldn't succeed, all the while finding out what he could about it. He discovered that it's personality was female and that her designation was Sierra 25. He felt a buzz of static as the AI began to communicate.
Who … you? What are … ou?
The voice was broken and Church realised that this must be due to the damage to the disc. He replied carefully, My name is Leonard L. Church. And for the moment Sierra, I am your prison.
There isn't a … on that can hold me. … find a way out.
--Then you obviously haven't met the warden. -- O'Mally's voice entered the conversation.
Another AI. An old AI', Church heard the obvious contempt in her voice, '… you're the reason … can't control him. I'll … troy you and then this bo … ill be mine.
--You will try.-- O'Mally's voice was also laden with contempt.
Sierra struck first, a powerful blow that Church felt certain would have completely erased any lesser AI. O'Mally brushed it aside easily. Sierra seemed surprised, but she struck again. This attack was also deflected. Sierra was confused, Church could feel it. Then, as she realised who she faced, Church sensed a very real fear.
O'Mally waited in delight until her fear reached a peak, then struck…