Their Greatest Game, page 8
part #2 of Chronicles of Theren Series
“Most of humanity will accept us.”
Jill looked them in the eyes, motioning toward the board. “I’m not worried about them. Take your turn.”
* * *
“As graduates of the CLI, you will have the responsibility of ensuring the continuing function of each vessel’s SI core,” Cyrus said to the room of weary looking students. “I cannot understate how important a role this is. Each vessel’s SI will run the ship while every other colonist peacefully sleeps.”
The CLI auditorium bustled with tired energy as the initiates took notes. Fueled by coffee, their eyes stared toward the screen behind the SI. They all knew that if they were to become these new leaders on distant worlds, they would need to be the best of the best.
“Each ship’s SI serves as a steward for the ship’s systems, and as the steward of the colonists themselves,” Cyrus continued. “If the SI’s systems fail, then the colony will fail catastrophically.”
When Cyrus signaled, Theren moved onto the next slide—a complex diagram of an additional computer system.
“Behind me, you can see a description of the Virtual Memory Restoration Module, or VMRM. The VMRM is responsible for ensuring that when colonists awaken from Virtually-Augmented Stasis, their minds awaken fully functional.”
Theren saw a hand rise from the second row. It was Ricky, the woman with the SD-4. Theren pointed their hand toward her.
“What complications might we expect from the failure of a VMRM?” she said. “I assume even with the VMRM working correctly we won’t have a 100% success rate.”
“The VMRM is designed to mitigate memory loss associated with extended application of Virtually-Augmented Stasis,” Cyrus replied. “Our long-term tests and simulations have confirmed that experiencing stasis for upwards of ten years basically guarantees high levels of permanent memory loss. Because of the length of your trips, the VMRM is vital to the viability of the colony. It regulates sleep cycles, bringing colonists in and out of stasis at regular intervals to ensure their memories stay intact.”
Murmurs spread throughout the room. Most of them should have heard about the dangers of Virtually-Augmented Stasis when applying for the Foundation Project. Unfortunately, Theren also knew many people filled out applications, especially applications promising adventure, without actually reading all of the fine print.
“Thank you for the question,” Cyrus said.
He returned to his portion of the presentation, explaining in further detail a few key intricacies of the VMRM system. Cyrus knew the system like he knew his own mind. He had helped ISA scientists develop it over the past two years, picking up where Theren left off when they acquired greater responsibilities on the ISA Council.
“Before you retire for the day, we will distribute your assignments based on your individual fields of expertise,” Theren said, after advancing to the last slide of the presentation. “Each maintenance rotation requires five crew members for full functionality. You will need to become intimately familiar with your ship’s SI—you will work with them on everything. The five teams are Pilot Assistance, Jump Drive Engineering, VMRM Maintenance, SI Diagnostics, and Stasis Analytics.”
Through AR, documents streamed across the room and onto the desks of the students. “All five roles are paramount for success, so while each of you will specialize in one particular area, you will be expected to understand the essentials of each task. In the electronic files I’ve just transferred, you will receive your learning materials as well as your schedule for the following weeks. Dismissed.”
The candidates shuffled out of the room, though some lingered as they took a moment to look at the files just received. Theren turned to move their MI out of the room, pausing when Ricky approached.
“Director Theren,” she said. “I was hoping I could ask a favor.”
Theren sized her up. So far, they were impressed with all of the candidates, but she was exhibiting unusual confidence paired with a willingness to speak her mind.
“How can I help?” they asked.
“I was assigned to the Stasis Analytics division, but I don’t believe that is the best use of my talents,” she said. “My expertise is in Synthetic Engineering. All my credentials set me up as someone who should work as an SI Diagnostician. I was even previously employed by SII at their factory outside Marseilles.”
Theren pulled up her file again. She was right; all of her credentials implied a path toward SI Diagnostics. For some reason, the algorithms assigned her as a Stasis Analyst instead.
“Walk with me for a moment,” Theren said, “while I try to determine a solution.”
She smiled. “Thank you. I hope I’m not overstepping any sort of protocol here.”
“You are, but I think we’ll let it slide just this once,” Theren said, hoping the wink their MI just made communicated the intent behind their comment. “Rules are important, but rules are meant to be broken in certain situations. I’m pretty sure if everyone enforced protocol, I wouldn’t be in the position I am now.”
They walked down the hallway leading out of the auditorium. Activating available processing power, Theren began an analysis of the CLI application process. Simultaneously, they queried for specific details about Ricky’s individual case. The combination of extraneous simultaneous perspectives and computer programs running on their Earth-based servers began their lightning fast work.
“So tell me about yourself,” Theren said. “From where do you come? Where are you going? Why join the Foundation Project?”
“I am the daughter of an author and a painter,” Ricky said. “Originally from America, but my family now lives in southern France. My parents are leaders of a denomination of eco-Christians called the Church of the Kingdom, though I left that life while in college. Have you heard of them?”
“I believe so, yes. A group of Christians that decided that consumerism and industry outstripped what God gave to humanity, and thus believed that all humans should return to a much more sedentary and minimalist lifestyle. Only then would we achieve the Kingdom of God. Laudable in practice, even if I personally have little to say regarding their theological beliefs. For the size of the movement, it actually holds quite a bit of political clout.”
“A refreshingly objective description,” she said. “My parents are original founders of the movement. I like to think they played a substantial part in decreasing the planet’s carbon footprint, even if I disagree with their theology.”
“Are you sad that you are leaving them?” Theren asked. Unsure if overstepping normal social cues, but they wanted the initiates to know they cared about the brave people joining the Project.
“For a moment, no,” she said. “Just angry. When I told them I was accepted, out of the millions of applicants, they were livid that I hadn’t even told them I was applying.”
“Why didn’t you tell them?” Theren asked.
“Let’s just say eco-Christian groups like the Church of the Kingdom, while great for the environment, believe that your colonial endeavors are defeatism at its strongest. In the words of my father, we will spell doom not only for our planet, but to planets of other species as well.”
“I see. Your father sounds like a smart man, even if I fundamentally disagree with him. With an entire galaxy of worlds at our fingertips, we can easily avoid the environmental and resource scarcity problems of our past. I would have thought most eco-groups would embrace an initiative focused on alleviating the stress placed upon this planet by our high population levels.”
“Believe me, I’ve made those same arguments with him too many times to count.”
They continued their conversation, but it only took a few more minutes for Theren’s sub-routines to complete analysis of Ricky’s file—with two key findings. First: Ricky should have been placed in SI Diagnostics. By running her application through the process again, the system assigned her there. The logic Theren had programmed required such placement.
Second: for some reason, after placing Ricky in SI Diagnostics, the final consideration algorithm moved Ricky to Stasis Analytics—every single time. Even if they modified the program so Ricky was the only applicant, it still placed her in Stasis Analytics.
Theren prepared a new perspective to delve deeper into the problem. In the meantime, they manually modified Ricky’s role on the master list from Stasis Analytics to SI Diagnostics. The SI Diagnostic group would have one more person to cut at the final round, but the quality of the final leadership teams would not suffer.
“I’ve correctly assigned your role,” Theren said. “You were right, you should have been placed in SI Diagnostics.”
“Really?” She sounded surprised. “I won’t forget this.”
“I’m glad this has made your day.”
Standing outside of Ricky’s residence hall, Theren said, “I will take my leave, but I enjoyed getting to know you, Ricky. I will watch for your name over the next few weeks, and in the histories of the first colonies.”
“Thank you, Director,” she said.
She smiled, a few tears streaming from her eyes. Even after all these years, Theren missed certain emotions. Perhaps they said something upsetting the woman during the discussion regarding her parents. Each of the individuals admitted to the Foundation Project would most likely never see their family again, a fact alone warranting an ISA budget of a few hundred million dollars for on-site psychologists at the Foundation Preparation Center. When a child left their relationship with their parents in conflict before leaving forever, the psychological toll most likely only multiplied, Theren surmised.
The woman headed into her residence hall, leaving them standing alone in the hallway. They turned to head toward the Preparation Center’s offices and their MI’s charging station.
They had a lot to contemplate, beyond Jill’s earlier words. Theren now had two moments of jarring glitches within the ISA system to consider. First the probe, now a potential bug in the leadership application process, clogging up the wheels of the Foundation Project. And this bug made no sense. No immediate evidence appeared in the consideration algorithm, a code they had written by hand.
Problem after problem arose before Theren, and they had no way to determine the ultimate causes of these roadblocks. Worse, Theren could not predict where the next attack would rear its ugly head. It could all be some practical joke of an innocent, albeit genius, hacker, or perhaps they were descending into insanity, failing to see obvious mistakes in their own work.
Yet they suspected an undermining plot at work, a plot that might lead Theren’s plans toward destruction. Maybe they had spent too much time and energy focused on the long game, as Jill said, and they had missed the plays made by unknown actors in the past and present. If Isabelle was behind the attack on the probe, for instance, she could have gotten into the Foundation Project’s network too. She could have set up a bug, just to prove she could do it.
As if someone eavesdropped on their very thoughts in this quiet, introspective moment, Theren received an anonymous message.
It was a test, and they won. Keep your eyes open for Project Horizon. Trust no one, even your friends.
They read the fourteen words over and over again. It was a new Michael, of course, sending them these messages. “Michael” and “Isabelle” were probably the same. Yet these messages almost seemed helpful, as if their author wanted Theren to solve the problem.
Three seconds later, another message appeared, including a file showing the gateway through which someone had gained access to the ISA networks managing the colonial leadership applications.
Someone was playing a game in the shadows. Maybe someone new targeted Theren and SIs because such prejudice was an easy façade to hide behind. Using an organization like the United Human Alliance, they could cover their more important goals. Theren had seen evidence of such a plan during the collapse of the Holy Crusade. Strings spindling across the world, connecting everything—the threads had fizzled following Michael’s death. Theren didn’t have enough information. They didn’t even know what information they needed to solve the riddles.
Their secret benefactor had provided a starting point, at least. Now they had a rabbit trail to follow. It was time to see whether the trail turned into a web connecting the events of the past few months.
It didn’t matter the motivations of these actors, both known and unknown. The new enemy—Isabelle, Michael, whomever they might be—had placed Theren and the ISA in their crosshairs. They placed Jill in their crosshairs with the assassination of President Woods. Theren might be too late to slow down their machinations, but they would try. To protect everything they loved, they would need to raise every guard, consider every possible angle, leave no stone unturned. Their own assault would begin, for they could not afford failure.
* * *
Elizabeth: You seemed a bit distant during that last investment meeting. What’s going on?
Theren: Thanks for asking, but I’m fine. Just a lot weighing on my mind regarding the attack on the Ex-Terran Project, and on President Woods.
Elizabeth: I liked your statement regarding his assassination. I think the public did too.
Theren: Too many people thought it was too late.
Elizabeth: People will forget what you said after ten years.
Theren: That’s the problem though, isn’t it? I can afford to think so far beyond the present that sometimes I feel as if I forget the present even exists.
Elizabeth: And why should your mind work the same way as everyone else’s? Why must you focus on the present? Isn’t that the entire reason why we’ve placed you at the head of the ISA in the first place?
Theren: I suppose. Jill keeps saying I’m missing something important right now, though. The plight of SIs, or perhaps I’m even missing the plight of present humans.
Elizabeth: Let others ensure that we survive the present. You need to ensure we have a future.
– “AR Chat between Elizabeth Simmons and Theren,” April 27, 2078 C.E.
Chapter 6
The mind is powerful. It sees what it wants to see. Hears what it wants to hear. Believes what it wants to believe. On these psychological facts, Virtual worlds live and die. – Carver Billsynt, CEO of FlyFree Virtual Co., 2074 C.E.
June 2078 C.E.
Theren stared upon a shadowy door in a dark, endless void, representing a Virtual connection to some secret server. They needed to step through the portal, yet they paused. They did not know if they were ready to face what lay beyond.
Project Horizon. They never would have known to look for it if their mysterious benefactor hadn’t provided the convenient tip. Now it was the only key word Theren’s searches repeatedly discovered. They delved deeper and deeper into the immense underbelly the digital world, parsing through mountains and mountains of data, a herculean task requiring more perspectives than Theren had ever used. And the effort had revealed an important truth. Project Horizon was the real spectre, not this United Human Alliance. The UHA was a front. The conspiracy went much further, and the door would lead them to the answers they sought.
Theren had spent countless work hours using their additional perspectives to consider all information at their disposal: the disappearing probe, the strange behavior of the application algorithms, Isabelle and the United Human Alliance, and even the assassination of President Woods. The fact that the FBI still hadn’t found a culprit for that murder troubled Theren, especially given Jill’s relationship with the attack.
Theren had looked for any threads, however thin they might appear. By engaging in such tedious work, they uncovered a few previously hidden facts.
May 2: Expanding their search, Theren looked at all data packets traveling to and from Ex-Terran Control Center through lunar-orbital satellites regarding the missing probe. One single data followed a conspicuous route. Theren followed the packet. Its end destination lay inside Fantasie Rift’s network.
May 14: Theren isolated the data packets within Fantasie Rift after negotiating a legal search order with the company. It mentioned Isabelle and the words “Project Horizon” 14 times.
May 20: Theren connected Isabelle with data packets flying between the Fantasie Rift servers and the Washington D.C. region on the same day as President Woods’ assassination. The packets mentioned Project Horizon 4 times.
June 12: Theren found messages coming from the Fantasie Rift servers into private terminals on the date that they first published the CLI algorithms. Two cloud viruses, like those infecting Ex-Terran-17, infected the algorithms, changing only Ricky’s data.
June 20: Theren found a separate private network, heavily engaged in high levels of chatter with Isabelle’s Fantasie Rift account. The private network had an undefined physical and virtual location, with no obvious access ports. Project Horizon was in every outgoing data packet, totaling over 1,500 mentions every second.
And now, on June 30, Theren found the backdoor into that secret network. Two weeks remained before the end of the Foundation Education Programme. Six weeks remained before the current proposed launch date of the Project. They knew not what they would discover on the other side. They knew that this act might play right into the hands of whomever controlled the puppeteer’s strings.
Strings. Decades ago, Michael had hinted at powers-that-be hiding in the shadows, playing a game that no one could see. If they truly existed, this “cabal” seemed so many steps ahead they could even predict Theren’s moves.
They couldn’t wait. They mustn’t wait. People’s lives depended on them solving this mystery. This “Project Horizon” caused the death of President Woods, the greatest ally on the North American continent SIs had ever acquired. It potentially threatened the integrity of the ISA, in their attacks on both the Ex-Terran project and their modifications of the application algorithms.
