Chapter 153

The Daedalus Academy

Y: 2143 – 1 week until Southern Europe regional inter-academy first round.

Daedalus Financial Position: <5.23M> bitcreds

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Daedo was deep in the coastal mountain range outside Caracas. He had run and climbed to a place that was inaccessible to mag vehicles and covered in dense temperate forest. He was not alone; he had his constant companion, Myrmidon.

Daedo: This is a good a place as any.

Myrmidon: Svarski’s encryption protocols is ready. Agreed time for call is in one hour and seventeen minutes.

Daedo: We’ll wait. Place the call at the appointed time.

His companions were hundreds of kilometres away by now, but they would not emerge in Brasil until after his call to Svarski. At which time they would purchase the best craft available to make it back to the Eye of the Sahara or to Ocean Base One. His preference was the ocean base, but a suitable craft might be hard to find. While air craft were plentiful in type and number, submarine vehicles were not.

Daedo relaxed while he waited and contemplated the future for Daedalus.

Daedo: we need to go to space.

Myrmidon: it is possible to send Dex with bots. He is not needed here, Aemo can manage our ground operations.

Daedo: Dex won’t mind being separated from Aemo and you?

Myrmidon: we are not human and there is no need for proximity. It is enough that communication links are established and we exchange information at regular intervals.

Daedo: That’s good. Can Dex handle space operations?

Myrmidon: It is better to research and add it to his functionality than to create a new AI. Dex is experienced and is known to us. He is older than your biological parents.

Daedo: I know. I agree, it is better to use a known entity. And it will not risk our people. Bots do not need life support or water. Space is much less dangerous for them and we can work through all the bugs like we did in the Ocean Base.

Myrmidon: The Ocean Base is more difficult than space. We will launch or use an elevator.

Daedo: No, we won’t wait for an elevator and we have enough Arkenite for one more Troika reactor. Dex can have a ship with a Troika as its power core.

Myrmidon: Will Dex have to combat aliens or companies?

Daedo: No. He is not capable. But he will build a base we can use. We can design bots to fight Huawei in low orbit. It is too much of an advantage to allow it to continue.

Myrmidon: we will use bots for combat? This is a change in tactic.

Daedo: our soldiers need time to grow. It was a mistake to bring them into combat so early.

Myrmidon: I do not agree. But you place a high value on their lives which changes the assessment.

Daedo: if we are to die. It should be fighting an alien threat to the planet. Fighting each other is stupid. Beyond stupid.

Myrmidon: Our history studies show that this is what makes humans stronger. It is a catalyst for human progress.

Daedo: that is true. It is sad but true that we make the most progress during times of adversity and conflict.

Myrmidon: 120 seconds.

Daedo: warn me of any encroachment during the call. Do not hesitate to interrupt.

Myrmidon: Understood.

At the agreed time Myrmidon made the call to Ulrich, the Chief Intelligence Officer (CIO) from Svarski. The AI navigated its way through Svarski’s systems and flagged the executive that Daedo was requesting a protected communication channel. After a few minutes the CIO responded.

Ulrich: You’ve been busy.

Daedo: I’m calling for a reason. We want to de-escalate.

Ulrich: Why are you calling Svarski? We’re not involved.

Daedo: Talking directly to Huawei is not optimal. Can you assist in talks?

Ulrich: I see. You expect us to assist you because it's in our best interest that we didn’t enter into a worldwide conflict. We just past the two-hundred-year anniversary of the last worldwide conflict. Did you know this?

Daedo: Thanks for the history lesson, but we are more concerned about the use of nuclear weapons.

Ulrich: You can hardly protest the possession of such weapons when six months ago you threatened blowing up the planet with anti-matter. Nuclear fission is quite modest in comparison.

Daedo was pleased he brought up the anti-matter threat.

Daedo: We are headed down this path now and it is my understanding that Svarski have limited resources and personnel off world.

Ulrich: You don’t need to worry about our situation you have enough of your own problems.

Daedo: What would have happened if Huawei were successful and killed me? Would Daedalus cease to be a threat to them? Or would something disastrous happen? The people who have control over the troika reactor at our base are my father and aunt. It’s possible that the future became so bleak they decided to end it.

Ulrich: It appears Huawei are comfortable calling your bluff.

Daedo: But they are doing it on your behalf as well.

Ulrich: Where are you right now? My dashboard shows somewhere in South America.

Daedo: the blast was in Panama - I headed south.

Ulrich: You were at their elevator construction site when they attacked. What were you doing there?

Daedo: We were responding to their continual attacks. I wanted to bring their focus to what is important - getting off the planet.

Ulrich: If we were to assist you in talks, what can you do for us in return.

Daedo: Not blow up the planet.

Ulrich: Let’s pretend we’re willing to call your bluff.

Daedo: what do you want?

Ulrich: Arkernite. Enough to build our own Troika.

Daedo: I explained that we utilised everything we found to maximise our Troika’s potential.

Ulrich: I don’t believe you.

Daedo: It doesn’t matter what you believe. We have none to give.

Ulrich: then we want your reactor.

Daedo: you are asking for everything and offering very little.

Ulrich: in exchange for your reactor. We would offer our protection and you would cease to be seen as a threat to Huawei. What they fear is the monopoly of anti-matter, which you currently hold. And if a solution isn’t found soon, it could be lost forever.

Daedo: But we know Arkernite exists in. You, Huawei and everyone else must do more to find it.

Ulrich: We have bases on the Moon, Mars and are building a station in the Asteroid Belt. We are searching for Arkernite throughout the solar system.

Daedo: But space is vast.

Ulrich: I am not the expert – we have our best people on this project with no results thus far.

Daedo: We gave you enough anti-matter to last a decade. You can reach another solar system with this energy.

Ulrich: it is a finite amount and there are no guarantees we will find more Arkernite.

Daedo: that’s ten years to find another way to produce anti-matter. You have our patent.

Ulrich: You have our offer. Do you need time to consider?

Daedo: Give me 24 hours.

Ulrich: Very well. Good luck with DaVinci.

The last barb did not affect Daedo. It was Ulrich showing Daedo he could predict his next move.

He had no one to talk to, which wasn’t a major issue he usually kept his own counsel and had Myrmidon look for flaws in his plans. However, this was his weak area, where he normally leaned on Vannier and others for help. To give away the Troika was a major setback for Daedalus. Ulrich was right about one thing. They had enough Arkernite to build a second Troika. And they could easily store up enough anti-matter for a dozen years. The fuel to create antimatter was cheap and plentiful, deuterium and antimatter itself had an energy density factor in the order of 104 greater than its closest alternative.

He was decided. It was not such a huge price to pay to give their reactor away. Especially if benefit was a calming of political tensions on earth allowing Daedalus to focus on preparation for the war that really mattered.

Daedo: Contact Mr Vardy from DaVinci.

Myrmidon: I’m in their system and placing the request. No signs of a security breach from Huawei.

Daedo looked at his scanners and then the darkened sky. It was quiet here. The coastal mountain range had no air traffic that was visible. It was one of the few places in South America protected as a World Park. The Amazon was one of the largest World Parks but according to historical records it was only a small portion of its former glory.

Vardy: You caused a right mess son.

Daedo: I wasn’t the one who dropped a weapon that has been banned for a century killing millions of innocent people.

Vardy: But it’s a mess and you’re at the centre of the storm.

Daedo: They had those nukes ready. If I attended the first-round next week would they have dropped them on the inter-academy arena?

Vardy: It’s a valid point, but we will never know. They will deny it of course.

Daedo: Svarski think if I hand over the Troika that Huawei will back down.

Vardy: Hmm, that’s not a bad idea. They obviously asked you for the Troika and thought that up as a benefit, but it doesn’t discount the logic. Can you make two Troikas and send me one?

Daedo: No. But I could put it on the spiral.

Vardy: The Spiral won't last son. It's got the same destiny as this planet.

Daedo: What will you give us for the Troika?

Vardy: How do you know we haven’t found enough Arkernite to build our own?

Daedo: Because you recently handed over billions worth of assets for a tonne of antimatter.

Vardy: Still, we could have uncovered a deposit yesterday.

Daedo: Then you leave me no choice. I will sell it to Svarski.

Vardy: Hahaha. Okay. We will give you everything Svarski offered and all our Spiral assets one year after we complete our elevator.

Daedo: when is your elevator due for completion.

Vardy: Less than six months, we will need another six months to complete our hub on the spiral and six months to finish our vital operations. We only need to haul enough precious metals and equipment to reach critical mass.

Daedo: And people.

Vardy: Yes, yes and people. They won’t take long at all.

Daedo: So, eighteen months from now the panic will begin.

Vardy: I doubt it. We are just beginning our brave new adventure. No one will miss our key people. This is a problem for another day, and it’s your problem, not mine. Why don’t you focus on today’s shitshow?

Daedo: I agree to your terms. Svarski offered Daedalus full protection from Huawei. Military, Financial, PR and sovereign risk. And anything I am missing, basically stop them messing with our mission.

Vardy: I see.

Daedo: The Troika is worth double to you. Not only are you gaining it you are denying Svarski and Huawei possession.

Vardy: Son. I am four times your age; I know this. Fine – I agree to your terms in principle making this is a verbal contract between DaVinci and Daedalus once you agree as well. Our robolawyers can haggle over the details in the next 24 hours.

Daedo: I agree to the verbal contract in principle.

Vardy: I guess I have work to do. Do you need me to assist you personally? Are you safe?

Daedo: I need safe passage back to our base in the Sahara. I will send you my coordinates.

Vardy: Don’t worry. They won’t dare bomb our fleet. I’ll send a squadron to pick you up.

Daedo was not happy that Huawei would not move against DaVinci but were willing to kill millions of civilians just to take him out.

Daedo: Thanks. You have my location. I will end the call so you can get to work.

Vardy: Nice doing business with you kid.

Daedo looked up at the sky and hoped the next VTOL he saw was DaVinci and not Huawei. It was only a matter of time before they tracked his comms no matter what Myrmidon was able to do. He contemplated how Vardy was less formal when they talked alone compared to the combined meetings they had. He preferred the more formal Vardy.

An hour later several craft came into view. It was night; the sky was dark with no stars visible. But the lights of several VTOLs blinked brightly as they flew under the debris cloud which stretched thousands of kilometres from ground zero.