Chapter 11: The Big Day

“Well, guys today’s the day,” said Beth in the Empire Intelligence Meeting Room, University of Cassiopeia standing in front of both groups. “The course was excellent, thank you very much Jason for organizing that for us all. Just having a source for all of the new generation surveillance stuff is in itself a priceless benefit. We have our plan for the day, we have our equipment ready?” Beth asked.

“I can’t seem to get my insect drones to launch,” said Mandy Fritzell. “Can you have a quick look at my micro-controller?”

“Remember to check for surveillance before you do anything. Now Mandy let me have a look at that thing before you guys go,” said Beth and put out her hand to take the controller.

“It’s not working, Mandy, I have another set and micro-controller spare which I will give you. Leave the defective set with me and I’ll send it back. Set up your new activity maskers so that they can collect data during the times you are busy on the terminals. Your tasks shouldn’t take more than an hour and a half. Best of luck and good hunting!” Beth said as they walked out of the door.

“Okay guys, the shuttle is waiting for us. Be very careful what you say when we get back. Assume they are keeping us under surveillance and we don’t know it. After today all hell will break loose, so be careful. Alana also warns of a bomb so be super alert,” said Jason.

“Julia and Cyril are going to head for legal,” said Razza. “Mandy and Stinger are going to People Assets or whatever that garbage department is, Jason is going to visit and hypnotize Etta, Heinrich is going to talk to Tania, the rest of us are going to set up and then we are going to the canteen, where we will spread our joy around. We have practiced all of this quite a few times so it should be second nature. It is important that the Collective data collectors are on the data runs but are not close to the others that we have placed. Don’t put yourself at risk if you’re being watched.”

“We know where the main trunk lines are, thanks to Alex. We do not want to reveal yet what we know. Cyril has agreed to be kept out of the loop so be careful what you say in front of him as he is going to be called to report. Be careful what you leave in the room, it is going to be searched and we will be under intense surveillance. Remember loose lips blow up ships,” said Razza commandingly as they boarded the shuttle.

“How did you go with Philippa, Razza?” Jason asked.

“It was pretty heavy to start with. She saw me as a threat. We had a full and frank discussion. She admits that she is emotional because of the baby, but she is also concerned I am putting you in danger. What could I say? I am putting you in danger. It was a good idea to get us to talk. I don’t think there is anything more that you could’ve said. She also did spend a bit of time with Julia. Nobatia is settling down, helps a lot and it is more secure than it ever was. She said her sisters are getting better at controlling their tendency to panic and are making better decisions. She said she’s doing with them pretty much as her mother did with her.

“She wanted to know a lot about my background and my family and I think that helped a lot. She very much likes the sound of my parents and their galaxy view corresponds with those in the Collective. I think you should return every few weekends to Charassa and spend some time with her and her sisters. The gates between Charassa and Cassiopeia will be operating next week, so you will be able to travel very quickly between galaxies. She also tells me that she gets on very well with Julia and she knows her feelings about me are irrational, but I think we did a lot to settle things down. She remains reserved but she is not angry,” Razza said thoughtfully. “I must say I do like her, and I think that at the end of the day we are pretty similar. It helped her explain some of the threat she feels and her anger.”

“Well, we have arrived,” Razza said and sighed deeply, “let’s get on with it as it’s going to be a busy afternoon. We will meet at your place for dinner at seven?” Razza asked rhetorically.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let me propose a toast to a successful day. My only regret is that Cyril cannot be with us with us as we debrief,” Jason said as he raised his glass in the large dining room at his house. The room could easily seat fifty. Both groups were there along with Beth and her team of intelligence operatives, as well as Jonathan, Gamma and Sheila. They all raised their glasses. White liveried drones supervised by Gamma handed snacks around and refilled drinks. Jason indicated to Beth to begin.

“The data collection is proceeding at great speed. We have a shuttle parked outside which is re-boosting the signal directly here to the AIs in the pockets of Jason, Julia and Razza and also directly to Porquenta. Cyril is having dinner with his grandfather who invited him to his home at our instigation. The Collective computer is simultaneously launching all the queries that you have been queuing and has instructed all the client systems to allocate at least forty percent of their resources to the tasks,” Beth elaborated.

“Porquenta is undertaking his own investigations to complement yours,” Sheila said. “He will extract all the suspects found on all the systems for the intelligence services as time will be of the essence to apprehend those he identifies. He will also try to find any information that will help us locate Cyril’s parents or his current controllers.”

“Porquenta has been through all the work you have done and says that you have succeeded in the task. He is very proud of you,” Sheila said smiling. “He is pleased you insisted on doing it yourselves and says that you acquitted yourselves outstandingly well. He has prepared and sent a report to both universities about the work that was done as he is the final arbiter for both universities. He has written to the data specialist in Charassa who created the computer and he has praised the computer in glowing terms and has invited the professor to work with him on Porquenta,” Sheila added as she indicated to Beth to continue.

“The new generation of insect surveillance devices are truly excellent. At long last they were able to get through the door shields that knocked out our own ones. They have also penetrated all the offices on that floor. Now all we have to do is to wait to find out what is going on,” said Beth excitedly.

“Practically these guys have completed their university project and they have created the opportunity to find out what is going on in the company. The risky time starts tomorrow. Shouldn’t we simply pull them out?” Jonathan asked.

“This will force the criminals to speed up their own plans and try and make the last great hit. From a safety point of view, you would pull them out but practically, I suspect that it will reduce the chance to find out a hell of a lot more,” said Gamma. “What do you think Beth?”

“We had some pretty heavy discussions while we were in Sennar about this precise situation. The groups agreed to stay in and finish it as there is significant value in so doing. We can bring in our people very quickly. Tomorrow they are due to be at work until three and then we are going to the University to get their project signed off. Make sure you pack away the Collective computer at the end of the day. You can’t afford to leave it there,” said Beth. “By tomorrow morning they will be dealing with flags and alarms and this will take all their attention. I don’t think you will be in immediate danger as they are going to have to decide what they do first. They will then wonder what you were doing yesterday running around the building. You will discover their plan within days, or less.”

“Etta I am very busy, I hope this ‘urgent meeting’ is as urgent as you say,” said Abel Satora a he sat at his desk and switched on his hologram. “I have a busy day ahead of me and a lot to do.”

“This ‘urgent meeting’ is as urgent as I say. This company is facing a disaster. I had clients screaming at me on the phone at five in the morning, and I see warnings flagging extraordinary AI activity in the company and our clients. I shall begin with the clients first as they were the most demanding and woke me. Our clients are upset about us commandeering their resources for nearly the whole night. Planetary Entry/Exit or whatever they are called services are complaining the loudest as their computers are still busy and are running. They can barely use their own system. I had to physically cut our connection to them when I finally got to the office at eight, before they could regain control of their own systems. Even health lost forty percent of the utilization of the administration AI. Every single government department that we have anything to do with contacted me between five and seven this morning.

“When I came in, I found that we are bleeding data from multiple departments and from every office on this floor. I have called in, every single one of our technicians to track where the data is bleeding from and where it is going.

“Every single query and more was launched both in our company and in our clients overnight and the data has disappeared into a mysterious black hole. Our data runs are the thickest and the fattest in the whole empire. They ran to capacity from seven last night until nearly midnight and then they were intermittently busy for the rest of the night. I can tell you Abel that enough data went through those lines to download every single data base on every single AI repository both in this building and from our clients. I believe we have been hacked like we have never been hacked before by top flight experts. They are also in a league of their own. They blocked every single shut down mechanism we have to protect against such intrusions.

“We are bringing in our programmers to look at what is going on in our own AIs. They are operating at twice the normal level, but for the life of me I cannot see why and how this is happening. I have called the AI departments of every single one of our clients in the last half hour and I have found that the same situation is being faced by them,” said Etta her voice tight.

“Do you think our students were involved?” Abel asked looking at both Etta and then at Tania.

“Let us assume that despite their apparent appearance they are a lot cleverer than we suspect. They only have terminal access. They have nothing that could accept this level of data at the speed it is being received,” Etta said.

“What is that funny table that they brought in?” Abel asked.

“The tabletop looks the same as one I have in my apartment,” said Tania, “but the base was not one that I saw in any of the shops when I searched for such a table. I suppose there is a rare chance it is some kind of device which receives the data and sends it on somewhere else?”

“My thought is that they may be plants for some agency that is investigating us,” said Abel. “How can we remove them from the equation?”

“I don’t think they have the ability to do any more damage,” said Etta. “I have contained the threat and shut down all the unwanted activity.”

“Why don’t you send the technicians to have a look at the cube?” Abel suggested.

“Let’s look at the student’s timetable” Abel fiddled with his hologram - “Here it is, they are here for the whole day. Perhaps you or Tania can take them out for lunch and the technicians can have a look at that cube and search the room thoroughly,” said Abel.

“I know a place where the service is pretty slow and the meals are quite leisurely,” said Tania. “Etta I am sure you are busy, I can get them out of the way.”

“Guys we need to keep everyone off our backs for at least another two weeks and preferably for the next month. We have two big deliveries that are due that will set us up for the rest of our lives and then we can disappear. I have three quarters of the four thousand people for the first delivery and I have lined up to receive the same in children for the second delivery.” Abel said seriously. “In some ways, I think we should cut our losses sooner than later, but the second deal is oh so sweet. The intermediary for the Dhoom spoke to me last night and increased his offer. How much immediate danger do you think we are in and how quickly will our situation be unviable and we will be at risk? What you think?” Abel asked Etta.

“The queries I saw are the questions intelligence have been asking for some time and we have been temporizing and delivering half-baked information. It is very difficult to frame the appropriate query as our AIs are poorly adapted for the task and for the subsequent continuing analysis and comparison that is required between agencies.

“I think optimistically it will take them four or five months to put the information together. They don’t have the AIs to do it faster. Maybe they will have some ideas in two months, if they put every resource they have into the task.

“Now we know about them we can put further safeguards into the AI to virtually fragment the data from the perspective of an outsider. I’ve done that for every query that I know was launched today which meant that they ended up with sweet nothing at all,” said Etta.

“Abel you need to speak to your Coven friends and warn them about what has happened. Despite what I have just said to you, I am worried. I had a sinking feeling start when I met the eyes of Jason Kargo. I have the sense he is a lot more than we think he is. I have no logical reason to say this, but I had the feeling that those two women that he came to my office with were formidable. They were both pleasant and very attractive young women, but there was a sense of something else.” Etta said worriedly. “Please ask the cockroaches if the Collective have computers that could be helping the Empire do the task faster.”