“If they were laying a trap,” she said softly, “then they wanted a captive. Information. My God— We’ve got to get Gonner.”
“He can’t fight.”
“He’s the best we’ve got!”
Brad glanced at the crippled dog at their feet. Pain filled his eyes.
“Let’s take him to Mom first,” Kalima decided. “If anyone can help him, Mom can. I’ll bring the . . . the Deng’s body. We’re going to need proof. Then we’ll warn Gonner.”
Kalima tucked the shattered Deng infantryman under her belt, so that it dangled by half its broken legs, then scooped up Shiva without asking. Brad was armed. She wasn’t. He couldn’t afford to have his hands encumbered with anything but his weapon. Sufi, limping but alert, brought up rear guard. They ran most of the way.
“Sufi,” she gasped, as they jolted past Brad’s house, “go get Hal Chin. I don’t care what he’s doing, get him here. We’ve got to inform Sector and the Navy . . .”
The dog bounded away. Brad held the door for Kalima.
“Mom! Mom, we got big trouble!”
—14—
I become aware of an energy pattern which does not fit the configuration of colony transmissions. I compare it with known patterns in my Experience Section data banks. I find a damaged memory cell where the information I seek should be stored. This energy source functions on W-Band radiation. There is a reason this puts me on heightened alert status, but I can no longer retrieve the information which would tell me why.
I broaden the range of my sensor scan. A thousand-meter, 360 degree sweep reveals more such energy transmissions, all in the W-Band. This is sufficiently disturbing to place myself on Battle Reflex Alert Status. I call my Commander. There is no answer on the Base receiver which she has rigged to communicate with my Action/Command center. I am now alarmed. My previous Commander died in action due to my failure. I will not repeat this error. My engines have been repaired. I move forward and pull free of concrete debris without difficulty. My treads are rusted but functional. I swivel my turret scanners and pick up further sources of W-Band transmissions.
I move in the direction of these transmission sources. I will discover the cause of my heightened alert status. I call my Commander again and receive no reply. Alarm deepens in my Introspection Complex ego-gestalt circuitry. I fear for my young Commander’s life and I fear the return of shame and failure.
A forest has grown on the ridge during the time I have spent guarding the former compound gates. I push aside sixty-foot trees and grind their branches under my treads. It is good to move again. I seek the cause of the W-Band transmissions. My long-range sensors pick up metallic shapes. I zoom-focus. Enemy! I identify Deng Class One Yavac Heavy units in the valley behind the former Base. I see Deng Class C Yavac Scouts in the forest. The Class C Scouts move on jointed appendages. They resemble their makers, moving quickly on multiple legs. The forest proves no barrier to their mode of transportation and offers concealment. They are followed closely by Class B Light-Armored Yavac units.
These units do not enter the forest. I analyze their battle formation and interpret their plan of attack. They will wait until the lightly armored Class C Scout units strike in a diversionary force through the forest. Once the colony’s attention is diverted, the heavier Class B and Class One Yavacs will cut through the forest in a swathe that will flank the colony and encircle it. I attempt to turn my guns and they rotate out of control. I cannot bring my weapons to bear. I call my Commander again.
“Unit Six Seven Zero GWN to Base. Report.”
“Gonner! Where are you? We found a Deng infantry probe in the forest!”
“Affirmative. I observe a force of six Class One Yavac Heavy Units, fifteen Class B Light-Armor Yavac Units, eleven Class C Yavac Scouts and approximately seven hundred infantry and forward infantry probes forming classic wedge-shaped attack formation seven hundred yards west of the former Base. I anticipate a diversionary attack on vector 085 by the Class C Yavac Scouts. The main attack force will then flank on vector 097 and encircle the colony. I have taken position a thousand yards south of the main attack force. My weapons systems remain inoperational. I await orders.”
I do not recognize my Commander’s next words. She speaks briefly in a language for which I have not been programmed. She then says, “I don’t know how to fix you, Gonner.”
“There is a 27.35 percent possibility that I have discovered a way to bypass my damaged fire-control circuits, using a cybernetic biological replacement unit.”
My Commander does not answer.
“Unit Six Seven Zero GWN of the Line, awaiting orders, Commander Tennyson.”
“Uh, Unit Six Seven Zero GWN, report to Base immediately. That’s, uh, my house. Can you find it?”
“Affirmative.”
I pivot and retrace my route. I use Emergency speed to reach the edge of the new colony. A crowd of humans has gathered in the street. I have never seen this town, but my data banks contain information uploaded from my Commander. I find her house and assume a guard position beyond the door.
“Unit Six Seven Zero GWN, reporting as ordered.”
The door opens. I know my Commander. I know Dault. I know the dog Sufi. I do not see the other dog, Shiva. I do not know the woman who follows my Commander into the street.
“Unit Six Seven Zero GWN, report. What is the procedure you mentioned that might fix you?”
I give my Commander a full report.
“Unthinkable!” This is the other woman. ” ‘Lima, this is madness—”
“Those are Deng warriors out there, Mother! I don’t intend us to become another Donner’s Party! You heard the Navy’s response—we’re on our own out here! No one can get to us in time.”
Another voice I do not know speaks from my left flank. ” ‘Lima, Donner had this Bolo and lost. And it’s crippled. There’s not much we can do.”
Dault speaks. I hear stress in his voice. “You filthy coward! You can beat up on a kid half your size, but a real fight’s too much for you? You’d better get your surgery ready, then. You’re going to be busy.”
The other man departs, in haste.
“Mom, can you do it?”
“I will not dissect a human being—”
“Gonner, does it have to be a human being?”
My Commander’s question is a valid one. There is another suitable sentient being besides humans in the colony. I calculate the odds.
“Probability drops to 25.89 percent if a genetically enhanced dog is used in place of a human being. I cannot fight under current conditions. If I cannot fight, the Deng will eliminate this colony.”
Again, I detect stress in Dault’s voice. “Use Shiva. He’s crippled. We’ll need the other dogs.”
“Mom?”
I detect no audible answer. My Commander’s parent enters the house. I await further commands.
“Gonner, what do we do while you’re in surgery? We’ve got to stall, buy enough time for Mom to try this.”
I review archival information my Commander has provided.
“Agricultural and earth-moving equipment will not withstand direct hits. They may slow down the Yavac Heavy and Light-Armored Units. They should provide a barrier against infantry. Dig pits and fill them with ore-cleaning acid. Cover the pits. There will be very little time before the diversionary strike begins. The main assault will follow in approximately 5.03 minutes after the diversionary strike. You will need to situate most of your forces to counter the main attack, in case the surgical procedure on my fire-control circuits fails. Commander Tennyson, Deng are methodical. They will follow battle plans to the death. If the surgical procedure is a success, I will attack the main assault force from the rear. This will not be expected. It is our best chance of defeating a Deng force of this size.”
“You heard him. Dickson, get that earth-moving equipment going. We need pits, pronto. Sally, how much of that acid does your plant have in stock?”
“Five hundred thousand gallons, give or take.”
“Commandeer any heavy equipment you need to move it. There isn’t much time. Sufi, you’re pretty vulnerable without armor, but you can take out their advance infantry scouts and you can form ambushes in places too small for us. Take your pups and their pups and position yourselves here, here, and all along here.”
My Commander points to a map of the colony. Her decisions are tactically sound. My new data tells me her father is a war hero. I am proud to serve under his daughter.
“Gonner, I’ve got to go. I’ll stay in touch over your Command Link. Mom’s going to have to enter your personnel hatch. Brad will go with her. He’s a good surgeon and he loves Shiva.”