things about places we’ve been in the past?”
“That’s an intriguing question, Colonel Riggs,” Marvin said brightly. “According to research I’ve been conducting on human neurological patterns, I believe the human brain is structured to behave in this fashion. The mammalian brain—in particular, the anterior cingulate—has a number of unusual mood-inducing properties not found in—”
“Marvin,” I interrupted, “it was a rhetorical question.”
“Oh. I see, sir.”
He finally shut up, and we all watched as the Worm ships flew steadily closer.
“Shouldn’t we prepare for the worst, Colonel?” Jasmine asked.
“Like what?”
“We could open our missile ports and prime the warheads. We could lock-on with our weapons systems.”
“Are they coming in with live guns?”
“Not that I can detect, sir. But it is a security breach to let a potential enemy get this close. We don’t know their weaponry all that well.”
“Given what we do know, put a cone of fire up.”
She did so, and I was immediately alarmed. We were already under their guns.
“Put up their trajectory. Are they slowing down?”
“Not much, sir. But Worm behavior is often like that. They tend not to slow down until the last possible second.”
I watched as she tapped the screen, and I saw the projected path displayed. As I suspected, it intercepted my ship perfectly.
“Not slowing down…” I said thoughtfully. “They drive like kids in a Porsche.”
Marvin watched us closely with a single camera trained on Jasmine’s face and mine. Most of his stalks and electronic eyes were focused on the screens. I thought this was odd. He really didn’t need to look at the screens at all. Since he was linked in with the computers directly, he could see the data in his own mind the way the computer saw it. Maybe he liked getting our limited, angled version too. Maybe it gave him a more human perspective. As always, I found myself wondering what he was thinking. All too often during a crisis, it turned out later that Marvin knew more than he had been letting on about the nature of it.
“So, we’re already within range of their particle beam weaponry,” I said. “They’re heading directly toward this ship, and they haven’t applied braking jets.”
Without being told, Jasmine displayed a timer. We had ninety seconds to go before they rammed us.
I knew I should fire on the Worms, change course, or at least warn them off. I chose none of these options.
“Marvin, transmit a set of pictograms,” I said. “Tell them we welcome them on the field of honor.”
Suddenly, I had the majority of his cameras on me. A few more swooped close to Jasmine to get her reaction.
“That might not be wise, Colonel,” Jasmine said. “They might take the response as meaning their challenge has been accepted and that a duel should begin.”
“Objection noted, Captain Sarin,” I told her. “But that is exactly what I mean to say to them. Transmit the message, Marvin.”
I heard a gargling sound somewhere behind me. I turned to see Admiral Newcome. He’d snuck in behind me and had apparently been watching the proceedings in horror. His face, normally florid, was nearly as white as his hair.
“Ah, hello, Admiral. Glad you could meet me here. Someone must have alerted you that we might be having a crisis.”
I gave Jasmine a reproachful glance, which she dodged artfully, keeping her eyes down on the console.
“Colonel,” Jasmine said. “The CAG aboard Elixir is requesting operational authority to launch his fighters.”
“Request denied. There are only three Worm ships.”
“Our protocols have been breached, Colonel,” Newcome said, speaking up for the first time. “They are in too close. We are within our rights to defend ourselves.”
“What you’re seeing here isn’t a battle, Admiral. It’s a political negotiation.”
“Then I request permission to engage in evasive maneuvers.”
“Request denied.”
“They’re
“That’s an intriguing question, Colonel Riggs,” Marvin said brightly. “According to research I’ve been conducting on human neurological patterns, I believe the human brain is structured to behave in this fashion. The mammalian brain—in particular, the anterior cingulate—has a number of unusual mood-inducing properties not found in—”
“Marvin,” I interrupted, “it was a rhetorical question.”
“Oh. I see, sir.”
He finally shut up, and we all watched as the Worm ships flew steadily closer.
“Shouldn’t we prepare for the worst, Colonel?” Jasmine asked.
“Like what?”
“We could open our missile ports and prime the warheads. We could lock-on with our weapons systems.”
“Are they coming in with live guns?”
“Not that I can detect, sir. But it is a security breach to let a potential enemy get this close. We don’t know their weaponry all that well.”
“Given what we do know, put a cone of fire up.”
She did so, and I was immediately alarmed. We were already under their guns.
“Put up their trajectory. Are they slowing down?”
“Not much, sir. But Worm behavior is often like that. They tend not to slow down until the last possible second.”
I watched as she tapped the screen, and I saw the projected path displayed. As I suspected, it intercepted my ship perfectly.
“Not slowing down…” I said thoughtfully. “They drive like kids in a Porsche.”
Marvin watched us closely with a single camera trained on Jasmine’s face and mine. Most of his stalks and electronic eyes were focused on the screens. I thought this was odd. He really didn’t need to look at the screens at all. Since he was linked in with the computers directly, he could see the data in his own mind the way the computer saw it. Maybe he liked getting our limited, angled version too. Maybe it gave him a more human perspective. As always, I found myself wondering what he was thinking. All too often during a crisis, it turned out later that Marvin knew more than he had been letting on about the nature of it.
“So, we’re already within range of their particle beam weaponry,” I said. “They’re heading directly toward this ship, and they haven’t applied braking jets.”
Without being told, Jasmine displayed a timer. We had ninety seconds to go before they rammed us.
I knew I should fire on the Worms, change course, or at least warn them off. I chose none of these options.
“Marvin, transmit a set of pictograms,” I said. “Tell them we welcome them on the field of honor.”
Suddenly, I had the majority of his cameras on me. A few more swooped close to Jasmine to get her reaction.
“That might not be wise, Colonel,” Jasmine said. “They might take the response as meaning their challenge has been accepted and that a duel should begin.”
“Objection noted, Captain Sarin,” I told her. “But that is exactly what I mean to say to them. Transmit the message, Marvin.”
I heard a gargling sound somewhere behind me. I turned to see Admiral Newcome. He’d snuck in behind me and had apparently been watching the proceedings in horror. His face, normally florid, was nearly as white as his hair.
“Ah, hello, Admiral. Glad you could meet me here. Someone must have alerted you that we might be having a crisis.”
I gave Jasmine a reproachful glance, which she dodged artfully, keeping her eyes down on the console.
“Colonel,” Jasmine said. “The CAG aboard Elixir is requesting operational authority to launch his fighters.”
“Request denied. There are only three Worm ships.”
“Our protocols have been breached, Colonel,” Newcome said, speaking up for the first time. “They are in too close. We are within our rights to defend ourselves.”
“What you’re seeing here isn’t a battle, Admiral. It’s a political negotiation.”
“Then I request permission to engage in evasive maneuvers.”
“Request denied.”
“They’re
Similar Books
