“My word,” Aldous reacted, surprised and impressed by the sheer size of the explosion.
“Are the Purists actually fighting back?” Rich said, shocked.
“It would seem so,” Aldous replied. “How they’re doing it is another question.”
“I know James gave the planet a force-field,” Rich offered, “but…”
“It looks like he provided them with more than that,” Aldous said with a grimace.
Rich narrowed his eyes at what he perceived to be Aldous actually appearing perturbed that the Purists were able to resist. Or was he just pensively considering the difficulty of maneuvering through the surrounding android ships? It was impossible to tell, and impossible to ask James for his opinion, since their connection was only aural and without his connection to the mainframe, he couldn’t scan him for signs of insincerity.
Aldous gestured to the explosion that was still pluming and getting larger by the second as Venus and the dramatic battle that surrounded it quickly became more clear. “Apparently James has provided them with some sort of military means.”
“No kidding,” Rich replied as a second giant plume erupted from a second vast android vessel. The explosions were still a long way off, but it was almost unfathomable that the Purists, who’d been limited on Earth to weapons that were barely worthy of early twenty-first-century warfare, were managing to stage such a dramatic and effective stand against the android collective. “They’re doing better than we did on Earth. What the hell is that thing they’re shooting at them?”
“It’s a death ray,” James informed Rich. “I’m glad to hear it’s working. It’s a particle beam weapon—the entirety of the natural electrical power of Venus is charging tiny particles, and the Purists are firing them at nearly the speed of light at the androids. That should keep them at bay.”
“Chief Gibson, this is Governor Wong of the Purist Colony,” the gravelly voice spoke again, this time through less interference. “We believe we can create a path for you through the blockade. Follow the coordinates we’re sending to you. We’ll do the rest. Let us take control of your trajectory once you’ve made it past our force-field, and we’ll guide you to the surface.”
Aldous and Rich exchanged shocked expressions before Aldous replied, “Thank you, Governor.”
“We’ll see you on the ground soon. Wong out.”
“They’re taking control of our flight path?” Rich reacted in near disbelief. “The Purists? I thought only the A.I. mainframe could—”
Aldous nodded. “So did I.”
“And create a path for us? With that big mother of a—”
Before Rich could finish his thought, the sea of androids that surrounded the damaged android ships seemed to suddenly part; a domino effect waved them all aside, as though they were a swarm of fruit flies, the invisible force cutting through them like a fly swatter. The power of the force became clear quickly, however, as it whizzed right by their vessel, the force of it so strong that it seemed to create turbulence in space itself.
“Uh...gun?” Rich finished, astonished.
“It is quite clear,” Aldous began, “that the Purists have a few tricks up their sleeves, courtesy of Commander Keats.” He closed his eyes for a moment as he considered this unexpected turn and then bowed his head to look at the small hard drive, still hanging at his waist. “James, what have you been up to?” he asked rhetorically, having no idea that James could, in reality, hear him.
“More than you’re ready for, old man,” James replied anyway, though only Rich was privy to both ends of the repartee.
Rich smiled. “I told you, Chief.”
Aldous turned to him. “Oh?”
“James always thinks of something.”
12
“We’ve almost reached the location of your friends,” Jules informed Old-timer.
“I know,” Old-timer replied. “I’m seeing everything you’re seeing, remember?”
“How could I forget?” Jules returned. “It’s not like I don’t have a splitting headache.”
Old-timer’s only reply was a disinterested grunt; his mind was busy elsewhere.
“You’re a real charmer,” Jules observed. “Anyone ever tell you that? I can’t believe I thought you had game.”
“Why are you helping me?” Old-timer asked.
“What?” Jules responded. “Are you serious? I’m your hostage. You murdered Anisim right before my—”
“That’s bull, and we both know it,” Old-timer cut her off. “I’m not as dumb as you might believe. You live in a ship that replicates android bodies. Your people attack planets, with no regard for their bodily safety. It’s a simple equation. Your mind files are backed up and sent back to the collective if your bodies are damaged or destroyed. So, again, why are you helping me?”