Chapter 17: Nasty Reality

Orma Chatzke kissed Horti on the cheek and then hugged her. “You are looking worried little one; tell me what is happening. Please sit down, both of you; I will send for refreshments. I understand you have a grave matter to discuss. I have cleared my schedule, so we have ample time.”

“I prepared a condensed presentation to show you what I have observed and discovered. I will give you a copy,” said Horti.

She showed a summarized version of her first meeting with her professor and the project he gave her. She demonstrated the OCD symptoms of the General and then a diagram of the laborious process the AI went through to move the product from manufacture to delivery. She told Orma Chatzke about Kemel and then showed Kemel in action, kicking then crushing the head of the migloo. She summarized her subsequent discussion with Craig and his sons, then a highly summarized meeting with Professor Kareg Grikolok, the database guru recently returning from Porquenta.

“Jason ordered our scientists to return home due to the growing Gazronnaas threat. Kareg helped Jason with a database problem years ago. He has been learning about Dinnion and Uzliumbax AIs, and he has almost finished a radically new Database AI,” said Brecht.

“Yes, he told us. We will be back to see it next week. He won’t say more but guarantees he will surprise us,” said Craig.

“He is a lovely man,” said Horti. “He loves challenges. He wants to introduce us to Porquenta. Craig is taking me to see Porquenta tomorrow if we can. I also hope to catch up with Merken this evening to see if she can guide me in her unique way.”

“You are so much like Jason I can hardly believe it,” said Brecht. “You identified a major problem, and unlike your predecessors, you understood the problem, and you know there are ways of cutting off critical supply in the case of a coup. Merken will tell you if that is correct,” said Brecht.

“Do you have any suggestions about how I can approach the problem, assuming the Naturalista has infested Dinnion intelligence?” Asked Horti.

“Do not delve into the system to find out. You will place a target in front of your head. This is not advice. It is an unequivocal instruction. Basarab and I have work to do. We must decontaminate the Dinnion’s intelligence. I cannot help her for another month as my people are helping do the same exercise for the Uzliumbax and are hunting criminals. I must advise you to be especially careful this coming month as you will be without support. Set up your investigation, finish the manuals, and fiddle with your antennae but stay out of the Dinnion AI,” said Brecht. “These people are dangerous, and you have no training. I know what you can do. How many days can you spend here next week?”

“Three and a half days,” said Horti.

“Can you arrange for your hacking friend Aubrey, Charlie, the investigator, Harry, Sean, and Craig to accompany you? I want to give you some training in intelligence methods. We have the latest equipment from the Zaos, Uzliumbax, and Dinnion. Confirm with your people while I set it up,” said Brecht.

“Heather works in Intelligence and is frustrated to only work with propaganda. Can I bring her?” Horti asked.

Brecht nodded and picked up her communicator.

Horti called her friends, while Craig contacted his sons. “Horti and I will meet with Kareg on Wednesday. I forgot we have a half-term short week next week. The boys can come and are enthusiastic.”

“I confirmed, Charlie, Aubrey, and Heather. It is not appropriate for Sammy, and he has hospital obligations.”

“Hi, Kram and Zanta; it is lovely to see you again,” said Horti. “Thanks for offering to accommodate us next week.”

“Our mother says you have important but dangerous work to do. Horti you must speak to Merken. Jason often called her a student and was involved with complex problems. You are remarkably like him,” said Zanta. “Merken is happy to help you. She believes in you as she does Jason and will do everything she can to keep you safe.”

“I look forward to meeting Jason. Many have said we are alike. As you know, I can only meet him once the Gazronnaas threat is over. Zanta, isn’t it inconvenient to accommodate us again so soon?” Horti asked.

“We love having you all here. Your friends are charming and easy to entertain,” said Kram. “We get bored with our own company. We have drones who do the housework, so entertaining you is not a problem. Merken enjoys cooking for company.”

“I want to get some exercise before dinner. I love flying and playing games with the young ones.”

“My mother is due here for dinner. Merken will wait until she arrives before talking to you. She tells me she can answer your most important question, but you must look in another direction.”

Horti shook her head.

Orma Chatzke arrived a few minutes before they were due to eat. “I will tell you about some of the goings elsewhere at dinner, and then Merken will address your issues.”

“I am interested in hearing about what is going on,” said Heather. “Back home the news is all about the Dinnion. We hear little to nothing about what happens elsewhere.”

“The Dinnion is, regretfully, a self-preoccupied civilization; however, that will change far faster than you know. I could wax on about changes in civilizations, but we must move on. I discovered today Jason battled to learn the runes and then discovered he could see energy as you do, Horti. He is learning to use his powers. He nearly blew himself up the first time he tried. Today the Gazronnaas attacked him in the palace, but he and his friends fought them off. The Azloc spiderlings helped defend him and his friends. Many spiderlings died. Jason will go through a portal to an unknown world or even another universe to learn magic. We don’t know his destination, but the dragons have traveled to the unknown destination for a long time.”

“Was Dad hurt?” Asked Craig.

“That is a stupid question,” said Harry. “Grandpa is always in the front and gets hurt. He will be fine.”

“You are correct, Harry. No one can change him. His people discovered the Gazronnaas use level 3 power, the power you see Horti, the power he calls magic. The Gazronnaas are capturing and occupying people. The hosts die soon after the Gazronnaas enter them.

“Following Jason’s request, the Dragons accelerated the teaching process and concentrated on the energy streams. Incidentally, the Gromelix can detect Gazronnaas in people and remove them. The Azloc also can sense the Gazronnaas but they have no method of removing them.”

“Where are the Gazronnaas attacking from?” Horti asked.

“The Gazronnaas create bases we can’t detect deep under the ground. Their magic protects them from detection and traps the dogs and boars Jason uses for underground assaults. If Jason had learned from you and known of your game, he would not have risked going through a portal. There must be something important he must find. He wants to find ways of fighting the Gazronnaas and is prepared to take risks and spend time in this unknown place. I know he is concerned about going through, but Merken is not and says he will find lost Uzliumbax and Gazronnaas and find someone and some things of great value to him and you, Horti.”

“Merken, thank you and Mazzod for a great meal. How are you?”

“Horti, I am getting old and tired,” said Merken, “I rely on Mazzod much more than in the past.”

Merken folded her arms into her apron, and her eyes glazed. She looked blankly over Horti’s head.

“The evil one likes you and will offer you an opportunity to work for her. Thank her but do not accept. Say you are a primitive and need more experience before you can be useful to her. You want to see similar AI implementations elsewhere, so you will have more to offer her. You have several sabbaticals in your fifteenth year of training. If she offers to help your career, I suggest you accept what she offers and thank her,” said Merken. “She will introduce you to the AI and permit you to ask it questions. She is a dangerous woman. It is a trap. Never ask the AI any important questions. The general built it, and it regards her as her mother. Her mother has her loyalty. You have a question?”

“Can she sabotage the supplies and sabotage the military?”

“She can sabotage the supplies for the soldiers much as you and Craig suspected. You should not be the one to pursue things further. No one expects you to work quickly. Do not be tempted to be a hero. Do not give in to your curiosity. Your people rely on you. Spend time with Kareg. You will work well together and produce something enabling you to buy what you wish and half a kingdom. You have found the chief cockroach. She and her aide are the most dangerous beings you have yet encountered. They are more than they seem. I know it as I know that we orbit around the sun.”

Merken laughed. “As you would say, you and Jason are like peas in a pod. You both attract trouble and money. You will have Craig, and he will be good for you and you for him. Craig, your friends, and the intelligence service must pursue these evil ones. The path begins with the evil one and leads to her committee of five. They are the leaders behind all the plots to kill the leaders of all the civilizations.”

Merken paused and canted her head to the side as if listening. “They are exploding bombs as we speak, and there is carnage in several capital cities in the wider empire. The Naturalista will find a way to blame it on the Gazronnaas. They wish to distract us from pursuing them. Brecht, your people are yet to discover the leaders of those they captured. They must work faster and harder. Use Horti’s method of interrogating the crystals. Extract the crystals of our people and interrogate them directly. It is faster and requires less effort and expertise. The leaders will provide crucial links you must find to those working with Horti.”