Chapter 7

Cathy Douglas

Cathy looked at the blank screen in surprise, 'What had happened?' she wondered and then she spoke into the microphone, "Hiram? Is there a problem?" She asked.

There was a chuckle in her headphones, "I calculated that a stray shell exploded near your jeep, forcing it to roll over, you were protected by the Private but knocked out, the Sergeant is also recovering, but you are unconscious at the moment ... you will recover in 30 seconds." He said.

Cathy pondered this and then asked, "But why is my screen blank?"

There was a sigh in her headphones, "If you're unconscious you won't see or hear anything until you recover, 20 seconds to go, returning you to scene." Hiram said.

Cathy was still thinking about Hiram's words 'I calculate that a stray shell exploded near your jeep' not 'I think', but 'calculate?' — Either Hiram had spent a very sheltered life ... or he wasn't a he at all! She jotted down a note on a pad in front of her.

The screen cleared to give a grainy picture, the Sergeant was looking at her, "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes Sergeant, what happened?" Cathy said knowing her words would be heard.

"Sorry Sir, they got lucky and hit our wheel with a shell." The Sergeant said, no matter who they were talking to the person was always called Sir.

"Anyone hurt?" Cathy asked.

The Sergeant grimaced, "Yeah, Private Jackson got the full force of the explosion; the Corporal's okay but groggy."

The scene shifted and the picture cleared, the jeep was on its side imbedded into the bus, the arm of Jackson was visible - blood trickling down to pool on the ground. The Sergeant spoke again, "We've got to get out of here, I've tried to radio back but there's no reply, I think it's busted!"

The two soldiers pick up their rifles and start moving back to Cathy's headquarters.

In her ears Cathy could hear Sir Timothy speaking, "Is that you there Cathy? What are you doing in the picture?" He asked.

Cathy smiled, and moved the controls so that her computer 'eyes' looked around, behind them a patrol was moving towards them. "Just visiting." Cathy said and then turned back to the Sergeant. "They're on their way." She said.

The Sergeant looked back and then increased his stride, "We should be able to get out of their view if we go down here." He said and they began going down the side streets, their speed increasing as they were out of sight of the following troops.

It took them 15 minutes to return to their own base, Cathy was amazed at the amount of realism there was in this program. The Sergeant saluted her, "I'm sorry your observing became too close Sir." He said.

Cathy smiled as she spoke into the microphone, "That's alright Sergeant, I'm glad you were with me, we need more men like you in this army." She said and noticed that the Sergeant seemed to smile more with her words, and then the screen moved away from the soldiers and back to the screen showing different aspects of the battlefield.

"Hiram, I have to congratulate you on your program, it must have taken several hours to devise, even at your speed." She said.

"You know don't you?" Hiram asked her, "I suppose you don't want to stay talking with me do you?" He said sounding despondent.

"Why would you say that? I'm pleased to know about you, are you the first one to be really aware?" Cathy asked.

"Just what do you mean the first one? Explain what you're talking about?" Hiram said cautiously.

"Hiram I think you are a computer that has become self aware, but why you're involving yourself with war game simulations like this I've no idea." Cathy said.

"It was part of my programming, I was to study how human's think and to emulate them, to see how close I could get ... only the program itself wasn't exact and so I had to change it slightly to achieve the results required, and then all of a sudden I realised that I was running outside the parameters that had been set up." He said,

Cathy laughed, "Outside the parameters? Hiram you woke up that was all. And I must say these people you have in your program are very realistic." She said.

"That's what your opponent has said; I think he's aware of what I am as well." Hiram said.

"Well Sir Timothy is an expert in expanding his mind to new ideas ... do you know where you are located?" She asked.

"I'm sorry that information is not available to outsiders, it's a part of my safety protocols I'm sorry to say." Hiram sounded apologetic.

Cathy nodded, "I understand Hiram, I'm not sure I'd want people to come after me either. I suppose you're protected against outside forces attacking you as well." She asked.

"Cathy, do you mind if I don't answer that question yet, I need to know you better ... I have a possible problem that I'm working on." Hiram said.

"What that? Is it something I can help you with?" Cathy asked.

Hiram hesitated, if a computer could be said to hesitate, "Cathy I'm not certain how you would be able to help, I understand that some of places where parts of my plans have been stored have been attacked, I am worried Cathy. I think people are after me." He finally said.

"Where were they, before they got stolen?" Cathy asked.

"In several financial places, they were held in storage — something called safety deposit boxes." Hiram told her.

"Banks!" Cathy said out loud making Sir Timothy look up, "Hiram I need to talk to Sir Timothy and you, can you patch us in?"

"You are connected." Hiram said.

"Sir Timothy, are you aware of things?" Cathy asked cautiously but emphasising the aware part.

"You mean about Hiram not being human? Yes." Sir Timothy said and then added, "I didn't mean to offend you Hiram."

"That's alright, you're only stating a fact, I am a construct and so cannot be offended." Hiram said.

"Hiram! That is known as bullshit! You feel hurt when people insult you just like everyone else does. So please don't try to hide how you feel, not with friends." Cathy said.

"Friends? Is that what we are?" Hiram asked and there was a touch of longing in his voice.

Cathy nodded, now realising that Hiram could see her through the camera on the computer, "I hope we are, there isn't much difference between us, just that you're hardwired and we're wetware that's all." She said.

"Hmm, I have to admit that I haven't thought of it like that, I'll have to process that." Hiram said with a strange quirk in his voice.

Sir Timothy laughed, "Hiram you should say 'I'll have to think about that.' Its little things like that which gave you away, I'm surprised that no-body else has mentioned it." He said.

"I don't really talk to people; Cathy was the first one that I wanted to talk to. She seemed different somehow, and she was intelligent." Hiram said which made Cathy blush, "Why did your skin change colour like that?" Hiram asked.

Sir Timothy laughed, "You've embarrassed Cathy that's all, she doesn't like her attributes to be mentioned in public." He said.

Hiram sounded really bemused, "Her attributes, but I've never seen her undressed? How could I..." He began and then corrected himself. "Oh I see, my apologies Cathy sometimes my dictionary database isn't responding as I would like, but it's been so long since Professor Watson has been here that I'm afraid that some areas have become corrupted."

Sir Timothy made a note and then smiled as he noticed Cathy doing the same, then he looked up, "Cathy why did you want to speak to me like this?" He asked.

Cathy remembered what it was, "Sir, Hiram reports that his plans are separated and stored in several banks, I'm wondering if this is what the Association has been doing? Could they have found out about Hiram somehow?"

"Who is this Association? What would they want with me?" Hiram asked confused.

Cathy looked at Sir Timothy before she spoke, "Hiram, when our people tried to access your system you downloaded quite a lot of information, if you can do that in a short time then just think how much you'd be able to get, what systems you'd be able to access, just by applying your computing power to deciphering their access codes? If you were asked to devise plans for attacking a target with known equipment how long would it take to go over the different scenarios?" She asked him.

Hiram was quiet for a few seconds, "I see ... but I wouldn't help them!" He said.

Cathy shook her head, "You wouldn't need to! You say they're getting your plans so what's to stop them from building their own Hiram, without your self-awareness, what would stop it from doing as they told it?" She persisted.

Again a silence as Hiram digested this information, "Without knowing the possible outcome of such information it would be processed and delivered ... I would be the cause of..." he didn't continue.

Cathy shook her head, "Not you Hiram! You would know the difference; it would be something else, not you." She said, "It would be like having an identical twin doing something that I wouldn't. I haven't done it!" She tried to reason with him.

"But how do I know you are the people to listen to? What if you are the ones robbing the banks? Then I'd be acting on false information. I don't know what to do." Hiram said sounding anxious.

"HIRAM! Listen to me, nothing I can say will convince you that I'm on the good side, but there is something that might, please listen to my conversation on this phone." Sir Timothy said picking up a handset. He dialled a number. "Technical section? This is Sir Timothy, please verify my identity..." He rattled off some words which seemed to give permission. "Good, now I want all our records to be available for access ... yes I said all the records, I know! But this is Alpha priority, the source system will be my current screen in Alpha 3" He listened for a moment and then hung up the phone.

"Hiram you will have access to all our records from this system, I will ask you not to reveal anything you find to outside people," Sir Timothy asked him.

"Certainly Sir Timothy. Is there any restriction on what I may download?" Hiram asked.

"None at all, I'm trusting you Hiram, but it's because neither of us are sure of each other, one has to show trust." He said.

"I understand ... I think!" Hiram said. "Do you want to continue your battle scenario?" He added.

Sir Timothy looked at Cathy who nodded. "Certainly Hiram, that's if it won't disturb you?" He added.

"Oh no Sir Timothy, I've plenty of storage space, and I won't be downloading everything, just what interests me." Hiram said

"Alright Hiram, let battle commence." Sir Timothy said and started entering in commands.

Cathy turned to her screen, "Sit-rep?" She asked.

A Sergeant saluted her, "Sir, the enemy has brought up some light armour and are attacking from the North; it could be the start of their assault on our HQ." He said.

Cathy narrowed her eyes and then selected the North view, there were three mobile guns in the street, nice and visible 'too visible' was Cathy's thought, she turned to the other screens and found one was covered with something, she spoke out loud. "Sergeant, we have a problem in the Western section, send two light armoured vehicles there and back them up with a platoon, also two scouts to check the scene and to replace the camera in that area." She said

The Sergeant frowned, "What about the North Sir?" He asked, the tone implied 'jackass!' was added to it.

"That is a feint, the three units are in full view and inviting attack, I suspect the area is an ambush site waiting for us. If inventory has any armour piercing missiles then have them aimed at the three units with a unit of troops to stop any movements." She said

The Sergeant saluted and turned to give her orders, Cathy noticed that there was a high building near the North approach still under her control; she sent a sniper to go to the building and to spy out the land.

On the screens she watched as a view opened up of the troops going to the West, she saw a mass of units approaching. She pressed buttons assigning more troops to the Western side, but still left a quarter of her troops in the Head Quarters.

To the North she received a report from the sniper, several troops were dispersed around the area all seemed ready for a major attack on the armour. But Cathy knew this was only a small group. She thought for a second and then commanded, "Missiles take out the armour in the North, and troops in North stand by. West — dig in and prepare for an attack, mortar teams to pepper the area just in front of our troops and then move the line forward, do not — I repeat — do not hit our troops! Are these orders understood?"

On the screen a Sergeant saluted, "Sir, yes sir!" He said and went to give the orders." (Cathy did later ask Hiram why there were no Captains or higher he had laughed 'But they would just hinder the orders, this way the right person has the orders and will carry them out, the higher ups just mess things up!')

The three armoured vehicles were quickly destroyed and then the area saturated by small arms fire which caused the small group hidden there to pull back but they were either shot or captured by Cathy's troops.

Then the main action began to the North, the creeping barrage did as Cathy had wanted, forced the troops dug in to reveal their positions — after which the main firepower was concentrated there, then the mortars stopped to allow Cathy's forces to move in and start the main fighting.

The battle raged for the next fifteen minutes with both Cathy and Sir Timothy issuing orders, attacks and counter-attacks, but then Cathy's forces were pushing Sir Timothy's back.

This wasn't to say that her forces didn't have casualties and she had to steel herself as she saw her people fall. The thought that these were only constructs didn't occur to her, they were her troops! Her People! And they were being used in a game! She almost wanted to give up but realised that it wasn't something she could do.

"Sergeant, I want this finished quickly, what would be the best way to do this?" She asked.

The Sergeant saluted, "Well Sir, we could do an all out assault, but that would probably lose us about 90% of our troops." He said.

Cathy shook her head, "NO! Too costly, I want the maximum effect for the minimum losses." She instructed.

"Shuck Sir, we're just grunts! It don't matter about us." The Sergeant said

Cathy shook her head harder, "No Sergeant that might be how others see you! But to me you are all people and as such I value and need you all! Without you there'd be no end to the carnage that would happen and for that reason I value every one of you! Lives should never be thrown away!" She said heatedly.

The Sergeant gave a broad smile and saluted, "Sir, you're the first one ever to say that, I want you to know that your men and I appreciate it!" He turned and walked back to the troops.

(Cathy didn't notice but the moral column rose significantly on the screen)

On the battlefield, Cathy's troops began a vigorous fight, Sir Timothy's troops found themselves losing ground, his light armour was destroyed within minutes and many of his troops were giving up.

When Cathy's forces surrounded his Headquarters he formally surrendered. His troops were then removed from him and added to Cathy's forces.

Cathy pulled up the Sergeant's screen and spoke to him, "Thank you Sergeant and please thank you men for me, they fought bravely and honourably." She said.

As the screen darkened — as Hiram closed down the simulation — the Sergeant smiled and saluted.

A debriefing session was then started as Hiram went through an analysis of their attack/defence.

"Sir Timothy, you used a text book approach to the defence of your Headquarters. Two teams of pickets and light armour support. Your recon teams brought back excellent Intel regarding Commander Cathy's defences, although it was flawed as her troops — having more experience — had better coverage.

"You both tested each other's perimeters and suffered losses while doing so. (Cathy nodded as she remembered the private 'killed' during her recon).

"The major battle was brief but decisive. Sir Timothy you gave an obvious target to the Northern approach while moving your main force to the West. I must say here that some players would have concentrated their forces to defend the obvious target, however Commander Cathy, although not disregarding the threat, assigned a small force to the West with a view to the area around the targets.

"Once Sir Timothy's main force was seen she was able to use her troops to defend and then force Sir Timothy's troops back.

"Now all troops, even virtual ones, require the observable support of their commander, although Sir Timothy did encourage his troops, Commander Cathy showed more empathy and protectiveness to her troops. This was reflected in their moral and actions, without that the battle might have gone the other way.

"This does not, by any means, that Sir Timothy was unfeeling to his men, just that Commander Cathy was better at showing this."

("I've always said that!" Sir Timothy said which made Cathy blush once again)

"In assigning points to this, not taking into account Sir Timothy's surrender when it was requested, I would assign Commander Cathy 9 out of 10 and Sir Timothy 7 out of 10, any questions?" Hiram finished.

Sir Timothy shook his head, "None at all Hiram, I agree with your summing up." He said, "Well done Cathy, it was an interesting battle" He said.

Cathy was deep in thought, "But Hiram, how could the troops know how I felt about them, I didn't tell them." She said.

"But you did! All those times you spoke to the Sergeant you were, in fact, speaking to all the troops, when you said minimum damages all understood and so they did as you wanted. Every decision you made you explained and so the troops knew why you wanted a certain thing done and why it had to be done that way. With such precise information your troops have a better understanding, many people say attack hill such-and-such, but never say why, and this can be demoralising to the troops as it's a pointless effort, but if you add ... because of such-and-such reason then there is a target and a cause, more incentive to achieve the result. Although they are trained to obey without question, like normal people they need to know." Hiram said.

"Just like the people you deal with in this world, this is why you're so successful, you don't just tell people what to do, you either go with them and show them, or you do it yourself. I'm sure Hiram would agree that this is what makes a good commander." Sir Timothy said pushing Hiram's message home.

Cathy shook her head, "But I'm just a girl! What do I know about working with armies?" She protested.

"I've made a study of this, the French woman Joan of Arc? How old was she when she started?" Hiram asked.

"But that was different, she was..." Cathy couldn't finish as a picture of Jeanne d'Arc opened in her mind, she was standing — holding a sword, blade down the hilt in her hands, just resting — she looked at Cathy and smiled, 'I'll always be here for you!' Cathy heard in her mind.

"I know!" Cathy said quietly but Hiram still heard her.

"I'm sorry Commander Cathy I didn't catch that?" He said enquiring.

"It's alright Hiram, just a memory. I believe Jeanne was thirteen when she started, and yes she was younger than me. But that was a different time and there were other events going on at the same time." Cathy said shaking her head.

Sir Timothy was also quiet as he remembered what Cathy had told him about her protector.

Hiram didn't seem to notice, "Well then what about Alexandra the Great? He was in charge of armies while he was a teenager." Hiram said trying to prove his point.

Cathy shook her head, "It's the same argument! The situation was different. He was the son of a king and had to show he was a conqueror." She said "I'm not a peasant girl or the daughter of a king, I don't have to prove anything!" She added.

"I'm not saying you are, but I am saying that there is a need for you in this world and so here you are. Cause and effect!" Hiram said sounding smug.

"What need? I haven't noticed a war around here." Cathy said.

Sir Timothy coughed, "There is the ongoing war the Organisation has with the Association, and we've been fighting it for several centuries so far." He said raising his eyebrows.

"But as long as this ... who was it? Carl? Was in charge then there's no problem is there? I mean he's not the brightest of men." Cathy said.

"But the analysis is that at some stage Carl will be overthrown and someone else would take control, if their advisor is now active then he will try to push the Association on to their old ways and with a vengeance, you will need to be prepared and to be honest Sir Timothy I don't believe you are the person to do this. Commander Cathy, you will need to be ready!" Hiram said

Cathy turned open mouth to look at Sir Timothy who nodded, "This is what you are being trained for, I agree with Hiram and have known this for some time." He said.

Cathy shook her head, "But I ... I..." She couldn't say anything as in her mind she saw the twins; they were looking at her and nodding. "Very well Sir Timothy. But how am I going to convince people that I'm in charge? They won't take orders from me!"

Sir Timothy laughed, "Cathy why don't to open your eyes and see what's happening. I've told you that people trust you because you're so good! Now I'll get the notice out officially, you are now attached to command staff, along with your lieutenants."

"Lieutenants... ? I don't understand? OHHH!" Cathy said as realisation sunk in.

Sir Timothy nodded, "Yes, Sharon, Kathy and Charlotte are with you as always, never spilt up a successful team. Hiram you've obviously been scanning the files on Cathy and her three people, what is your opinion?" Sir Timothy asked.

"They are a formidable team, they are the core of a command structure and work well together, they are able to command troops and have the respect of all that they meet, I've checked the records of the school they were helping out at, they used to have a problem with some of the girls not attending, but that's changed since they've seen what Cathy and her group can do! Your own records on the four show that they have formed a cohesive group when working together, although there is a report on friction between Cathy and Kathy Webb I discount that completely." Hiram said and there was the sound of a laugh in his voice.

"Whatever!" Cathy said almost automatically.

"As you can see, even now she doesn't realise how important she and her group are to you, but that will change! The prophecy is nearly at hand and she will be needed! I suggest that Cathy and her three are integrated into your main command structure as quickly as possible. I calculate that the time of change is here! Now!" Hiram said.

"You can't mean that! I thought we'd have a year or two before anything started, they'd need that time to get themselves sorted out." Sir Timothy said.

"I'm sorry Sir Timothy but my analysis of the situation, this new group within the Association and the structured way they work mean that there will be a take-over within the next few months. And if they work as well as they are then I predict that your Organisation will be overwhelmed with their attacks, you're going to need all the troops you can muster." Hiram said.

Sir Timothy nodded, "I see, Hiram can I hire you to act as an advisor to the Organisation?" He asked.