A short story by R.A. "Doc" Correa
The U. S. Army pursues the technologies “improving”
Soldier-Machine Interface for Future Combat Systems. What are the consequences
for humans?
May 28, 2073, South of Merida, Spain
We exist to serve.
With that imperative implanted in its mind, Mk-17D unit
AA00000487 becomes “active”, or so the main control panel in the M-73A3 Heavy
Assault and Command Carrier indicates. But unit AA00000487 has a secret none of
the J.A.C.K.S. suspect. Unit AA00000487 is always “active” because it thinks on
its own, fully aware it was once a he—a man named Michael Andrew
Stevens.
It does not show on their control panel, but Michael Andrew
Stevens‘ brain works without their direction, though it’s not supposed to
operate outside of established parameters. His mind is only supposed to process
directives from the division chain of command, or execute those of tactical
significance, and should operate independently only when directive 17 is
initiated.
But he does think his own thoughts; they bypass the
specially developed neuropathways all W.I.D.G.E.T.S’ brain activity is supposed
to follow. If the function varies from set parameters, it would be noticed.
Yet he sees, hears, smells, and feels. Mostly, he feels
desperation. When will this nightmare end? When will I escape this living
hell?
All of this is not possible. When Michael Andrew Stevens was
first upgraded to a cyborg, his ability to think as an individual was
supposedly engineered out of him. Neuropathways were constructed by implanted
viruses, directing thoughts in very specific ways. Chip implants were inserted
into his brain to generate only approved signals. Locations in the brain
generating emotions like love, fear, and compassion were all bypassed. Only
anger remains linked in, helping make the unit a more effective killing machine.
With his upgrade to Mk-17D, when he became a Wholly Integrated Directable
General Engagement Tactical System, all remaining humanity was supposed to have
been removed from unit AA00000487. Any sign of humanity makes the unit less
efficient.
Something else that isn’t possible is happening in the free
part of his mind. Michael “sees” an image, the image of a young blond woman.
She wears an officer’s uniform, that of a third lieutenant, a cadet. Her arms
are open, she beckons for him to come to her, then she is gone. Is it a
memory, or a vision? It can’t be a memory; I’ve never seen this woman
before.
Unit AA00000487 moves to the parking area for its company.
The unit is a Sergeant, a platoon leader. The forty other units of 1st
Platoon, Dog Company, 1st BN, 327th Infantry Regiment
Cyborg, 82nd ABN Div Cyborg park around it in platoon pre-assault
formation.
Unit AA00000487 sees a near perfect formation, all units are
in the correct location, in the proper order. The Mk-17D units are all armed
and in standby mode. Power is at reaction level; the med readout shows all bio
indicators in “normal” range. They are ready. It reports affirmative to the
company commander.
Michael “looks” at the terrain map grid display in his mind.
All Michael sees are those for which he’s responsible.
The leader’s data download begins, a massive amount of
information is shoved into the neuropathways of his brain. Though the
instruments in the command carrier will not register a physical reaction, he
feels it. It hurts… it hurts like hell! The pain is excruciating; if he
could, he’d vomit. In a millisecond, it’s over.
Now the chips in his brain parse the data, directing smaller
data streams to the units of his platoon. In his mind he says, I’m sorry
guys.
Unit AA00000487 reviews the platoon’s assigned tasks. Dog
company is being held in reserve as part of the exploitation force. Unless
there is a change in plan, when ordered 1st platoon will move by air
to a location south of Guadalajara and seize the bridges over the Rio Tajo in
and around the town of Sacedón, severing the road and rail lines northwest to
Madrid from Cuenca, and the north-south lines between Guadalajara and Cuenca.
Once that is accomplished, the platoon will hold the thirty by forty-kilometer
region around these bridges from “yard” counterattack. The platoon is to hold
this area until link up with the rest of the division is complete.
Until deployment, the cyborg part of him will do everything
required. It will move, it will load onto the UV-123 Locust, it will direct the
other units to move and load with it. Michael now has several hours to think,
to remember. How the hell did I end up like this?
Michael thinks back on what he didn’t know at the time was
his last day of “freedom”.
It was June 12th, 2042, he was just eighteen.
This was his third time before “The Judge”. “The Judge” was a holographic
projection of A.S.I.N.M.
During the chaos of the 2020s, people lost trust in their
institutions. The police, the courts, and the governments all came under
scrutiny—and fell short. The political parties went from opposing each other’s
policies to open hatred and hostility. Violence, riots, and open rebellion
enveloped the nations of the planet.
Then came the pandemics. Three variations of the virus
linked to S.A.R.S. swept the planet. These were followed by a reappearance of
the Plague, but this Plague was antibiotic resistant.
When they were fully analyzed, it was determined that the
first of the virus strains was genetically modified by the Chinese military.
The other two mutated from the first. And the Plague, the Plague was
genetically manipulated by the Iranian Takavar.
Analysis indicated the Chinese modified virus escaped from
one of their research facilities. It devastated them as much as everyone else.
All indicators show the modified Plague was deliberately released by the
Iranian Takavar in order to bring back the Twelfth Imam. All reports state the
Takavar were unsuccessful in their attempt to fulfill prophecy.
The diseases killed millions, but the panic caused by them
killed tens of millions more. Much of that panic was caused by news agencies
attempting to use the pandemics to push political changes and assign blame on
those they opposed. In the aftermath of the pandemics, and the propaganda
campaigns that ensued, war and terrorism enveloped the planet.
The young blond woman appears in his mind again. Is she
crying?
The National governments all reacted in different ways to
restore order. In the United States they turned to technology, they turned to
A.S.I.N.M.
A.S.I.N.M., Artificial Super Intelligent Network Manager,
did such a great job of restoring economic confidence and prosperity that many
local governments submitted to it to manage the police, the recovery projects,
and the courts. Defendants would appear before a totally neutral bench to plead
their case. No human bias, no compassion, no anger, no fear, just the cold
logic of artificial super intelligence.
Continue reading in the Anthology
