James P Hogan. Giant’s Star. Giant Series #3

“Explain this, JR VEX,” he demanded in a strangled voice. “What forces were those primitives talking about? What were those weapons?”

“My respects, Excellency, but it would appear to be self-explanatory,” JEVEX answered. “The strategic forces that Earth has been building for some time. The weapons referred to are typical of those deployed by the various nations of Earth at the present time.”

Broghuiio’s brow knotted, and his beard quivered. He scowled at the nervous faces around him as if seized by the sudden suspicion that only he among all of them might be sane. “Typical of what weapons deployed by Earth at the present time? You have never informed us of such weapons.”

Invisible fingers raced through JEVEX’s memory, interchanging hundreds of thousands of record descriptors in a fraction of a second. “I regret that I must dispute the statement, Excellency. I have reported the details consistently.”

The color of Broghuilio’s face darkened even further. “What are you talking about? Reported details of what?”

“The sophisticated interplanetary offensive and defensive capabilities that Earth has been developing for several decades,” JEVEX informed him.

“JEVEX, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?” Broghui

lb exploded. “Earth disarmed years ago. You have reported that consistently. Explain this.”

“There is nothing to explain. I have always reported what I have just said.”

Broghuilio brought his hands up to massage his eyes, then wheeled around suddenly to throw out his hands in an imploring gesture to those around him. “Am I going mad, or is that idiot machine having some kind of a fit?” he demanded. “Will somebody tell me that I have been seeing and hearing what I think I have been seeing and hearing for all these years. Have I been imagining things? Were we told that Earth had disarmed, or were we not? Do those weapons that we just heard about exist, or do they not? Am I the only sane person in this room, or am I not? Somebody tell me what’s happening.”

“JEVEX reports the facts,” Estordu said lamely, as if that explained everything.

“HOW CAN IT BE REPORTING FACTS?” Broghuillo shouted. “It’s contradicting itself. Facts are facts. They can’t contradict.”

“I have contradicted nothing,” JEVEX Objected. “My records all indicated that-”

“Shut up! Speak when you are spoken to.”

“My apologies, Excellency.”

“What Verikoff said about VISAR must be true,” Estordu muttered in a worried voice. “vis~ could have been manipulating JEVEX when they were coupled together, before JEVEX disconnected-for years, maybe. Now that JEVEX is isolated, possibly we’re receiving the truth for the first time.” A ripple of alarmed voices ran around the War Room.

Broghuilio licked his lips and looked suddenly less sure of himself. “~uvnx,” he commanded.

“Excellency?”

“Those reports-they were received direct from the surveillance system?”

“Of course, Excellency.”

“Those weapons exist? They are being mobilized now?”

“Yes, Excellency.”

Wylott was looking uncertain. “How can we be sure?” he objected. “JEVEX says first one thing and then another. How do we know what is true?”

“So, do we do nothing?” Broghullio asked him. “Would you just sit there and hope that the Terran assault force doesn’t exist? What would it take to convince you-a hundred thousand of them coming for your throat? And what would you do then? Imbecile!” Wylott fell silent. The others around the War Room looked at one another with apprehension.

Broghuilio clasped his hands behind his back and began pacing slowly. “We still have a card up our sleeve,” he said after a few seconds. “We have decoded their top-level secure communications, and we know their plans. We may have fewer weapons, but we are immeasurably ahead of Earth technically. We command a vastly superior firepower.” He looked up, and his eyes began to gleam. “You heard those primitives-the main advantage they were counting on was surprise. Well, they no longer have that advantage. So, Verikoff calls us a rabble, does he? Let him send in his horde of Terran primitives. We will be waiting for them. He will find out who are the rabble when they come up against Jevlenese weapons.”

Broghuilio turned back to face Wylott. “The operation at Thurien must be suspended for the time being,” he declared. “Recall our forces at once and redeploy them for defense of Jevien. This is not a time to be concerned about upsetting orbits at Gistar. Project the transfer ports in to where the ships are now, and get them back here as soon as possible. I want them in position by this time tomorrow.”

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