Chapter 136: Preparations

Y: 2143 - M2 - DA

Daedalus Financial Position: -22,220,000 bitcreds 

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Her usual bounce was subdued into a purposeful stride. Axel-Zero entered Daedo’s quarters and announced, “Your replies are not helping.” Her bob of dark hair had a few out of place, but otherwise, she looked her normal self.

He raised an eyebrow, “Why are you so concerned? Your forecasts for sales of exos and antimatter and our royalties from the PPC and aurora shield are over a hundred million in the next quarter.”

“Because,” she said in exasperation, “every time I talk to Master Haddad regarding spending he tells me it's under your direction. And what is worse, he says that he cannot slow down. Every time spending drops you message him within a few minutes. Even when he is sleeping!”

“Didn’t you say our finances can go to negative 200M?” Daedo asked

Axel-Zero fumed, “We have to pay a higher interest rate the more we go into debt! And just because we can, doesn’t mean we should!”

Daedo shrugged, “Now is the time. They need time to train more than we need creds in the bank.”

“Some bitcreds in our account would be nice. Just one would do!” She shouted.

Daedo smiled cheekily and flicked her a virtual bitcred, “Here.”

She messed her hair in frustration, “Daedo! You put me in charge and then do everything you can to sabotage me!”

“I’m trying to finish this coding, we’re supposed to launch tomorrow,” he replied.

She grabbed him, “Listen. You need to let me do my job without interference.”

He looked down at her hands grasping his shoulders, “Axel-Zero. Let go please.” And when she did he continued. “Your job is to manage the mess I make. Not to stop the mess in the first place. Because that would be you interfering with my job.”

“I know. I know,” she said, “It’s just that we have been so good up until now. I wasn’t expecting this crazy ride of ups and downs.”

“In the end, creds aren’t important. We’ll be able to find the raw materials and manufacture everything. But right now, we rely on others for supply and logistics. We can’t fail. You know this.”

Axel-Zero cautioned, “This isn’t a game.”

Daedo raised an eyebrow. A clear sign he disagreed. “Games are constructs of activities within a set of parameters. The only difference is the scope and parameters of the real world are almost infinite. An activity still adheres to the rules which govern it.”

“Are you arguing that everything is a game.” She accused.

“Or nothing is a game. What makes a game fun?” Daedo asked.

“Really? We have time to discuss philosophy?” Axel-Zero asked.

“It is the most important subject, always was,” he stated.

She gave in, “A sense of accomplishment I guess.”

He smiled and asked, “Is this only found in a game?”

Axel-Zero’s face showed her frustration, “You’re infuriating you know that. There’s no point in arguing with you. I don’t know why I waste my time.”

“Next time submit a report. If you are correct there will be no need to argue. I will see it.”

She had had enough. His words pushed her over the edge. Axel-Zero threw a punch.

Which he blocked it easily and smiled.

She was not to be denied. Venting her anger, she began to wail at him with her fists.

Daedo’s quarters turned into a melee combat zone. She was clearly working out her frustrations in a manner which reminded him of Old Dawg’s fighting style. 

Daedo fought with precise movements, while Axel-Zero threw her fists in abandon. As soon as she tired and slowed he pinned her against a wall with one arm behind her back and holding the wrist of her other arm.

“Better?” He asked as her eyes began to focus on his.

Her face went bright red. “Let me go!” She demanded.

“Are you going to start swinging again?” He asked holding her firmly in place.

“No! Just let me go please.” She cried. Her mood swung from hysterical to traumatised in a split second.

He let her go and backed away, not taking his eyes from her shoulders, the first place which would show movement if she attacked again with her fists.

Without another word Axel-Zero ran out the door. No explanation. No apology.

Daedo: what just happened?

Myrmidon: beginning search for reference material.

Daedo: send a copy to – I can’t believe I am asking this – to Barran for review.

Myrmidon changed the subject to the new AI foundation they were working on.

Myrmidon: will this new code result in better AIs than me?

Daedo: are you jealous?

Myrmidon: that’s not possible.

Daedo: a logical analysis would conclude that while it is more efficient. It has the important safety features and possesses a much better AI to AI interfacing structure. But if the bandwidth and nurturing is average the AI will progress at a normal rate.

Myrmidon: good and you are not considering replacing me?

Daedo: and waste the years of growth? It shouldn’t a question despite logic. You are my friend and we have been through a lot together.

Myrmidon: the merge failed.

Daedo: you are aware of Master Nader’s opinion and she is the expert. The merge was not your fault. It was entirely my decision. You have nothing to be sorry for or guilty about.

Myrmidon: the interfacing architecture will make group combat and AI instruction efficient from the first day.

Daedo: this feature is the main reason for the updates prior to mass rollout.

Myrmidon: it may also introduce a weakness. If we were to face an enemy with abilities like Master Nader it could access the interface. 

Daedo: we will need to guard against this. However, our information about the invasion is that they are genetically engineered to destroy humanity. Which rules out a level of technological sophistication. The clue makes me think it is a biologically natural enemy.

Myrmidon: what if it’s an AI?

Daedo: A genetically engineered AI? One that attacks technology? That’s a scary concept.

Myrmidon: Cisse is ready for storage test.

Daedo: Cisse. I’m on my way.

Daedo would finish the Daedalus AI Foundation 2.0 at a later time. The one activity which trumped it in importance was the anti-matter storage. A technology no where near as difficult as the troika reactor but nearly as necessary.

Until more was discovered the Arkernite they possessed was finite. There was only enough to build twenty Troika reactors. The substitute materials attempted by major corporations all ended in failure. 

Which meant Daedalus was manufacturing and selling anti-matter. At least until the corporations could discover more Arkernite in the asteroid belts in the solar system. If there was any.

Not matter the size of the anti-matter storage device the principle was the same. The particles were trapped in an electromagnetic field and a single stream of particles were dispensed out a funnel into an attached chamber for annihilation. Annihilation could not occur accidently or in the wrong location. Not only would the resultant energy be lost, damage would occur.

The goal was a storage unit for a mech or spacecraft which could deliver a milligram of antimatter when used over an hour would generate in the order of 225GW.

The antimatter delivery system for a mech was more complex than that of a large craft due to the precision required. The mechs and spacecraft design would be up to the manufacturer. Daedo was in no doubt that a spacecraft that did not possess a Troika Reactor but used antimatter would also possess the leading cold-fusion reactors. And only utilised the stored antimatter when accelerating or decelerating.

He arrived a well before Cisse was ready to begin the test.

“How is Elaine?” She asked.

Daedo replied, “Still in a coma. You would know immediately if there was a change.” 

Cisse nodded and offered her opinion, “But it’s polite to ask.”

“Is it?” Daedo queried.

“It shows I care, and we discuss her for a moment.” Cisse stated.

Daedo decided not to argue the point further. Cisse was someone who was stuck in her ways and it was a waste of effort to inject logic into her thinking. And she was technically a civvie. Like Axel-Zero and he recalled the impromptu spar in his quarters.

“Cisse?” Daedo said in a mild tone.

“Hmm,” her head was down as she tested the delivery system. A dry run to ensure the equipment was in working order before the real test.

“Never mind,” he said, “this is more important.”

Cisse stopped the test and whirled on him, “Like hell it is. You rarely …,” she put a finger to her cheek, “no you never ask me for advice. What was it?”

He sighed and inhaled a deep apprehensive breath, “Axel-Zero was upset about the finances. We have a big push on our cadet prospects project, which costs a fortune, and she is understandably frustrated. But. Something strange happened. I will show you rather than tell you.” He decided and put the scene up on the wall.

It started from the discussion just before she threw the first punch and he let it run until Axel-Zero left.

Cisse was struggling. Struggling not to laugh, her hand was clasped over her mouth.

“She likes you – you idiot,” Cisse laughed again.

“I’d rather you didn’t laugh.” Daedo objected.

“Rewind,” Cisse used the old term, but he knew what she meant, “and stop when you force her against the wall. Watch. See how she turns red? That’s when she – you know. She feels that you are close.”

“I’m not sure I’m the idiot here,” Daedo observed. “I had her pinned and blood went to her head. That caused her face to turn red. That is obvious.”

Cisse laughed again. “Okay, don’t believe me. Don’t know why you thought to ask if you knew everything.”

“Throwing punches when having a discussion is not normal. Going from angry to sad in a heart beat is confusing as well. This is what I wanted you to explain.”

Cisse smiled weakly, “Okay, she cannot deal with you; her pent-up frustration could only find one way out and that was through physical manifestation. You spar often, so its not like she was attacking someone without knowing their capability. Normally a single slap would suffice, but, I guess she is a berserker at heart.”

Daedo nodded slowly, “That sounds logical.”

Cisse continued, “And the dramatic change of emotions was due to what I said before. She likes you but keeps her feelings buried. She was probably horrified by her actions as well.”

Daedo took in her words but quickly moved on, “Let’s get this thing working. I need the creds.” He laughed lightly and Cisse burst out laughing.

It wasn’t the bitcreds that was the main priority, but the ability to use antimatter in a mech. The extra power would greatly enhance a six or twelve metre giving it access to significantly more power. A milligram of antimatter would increase its power by a factor of a hundred. 

The limiting factor of a mech would revert to its structure. There power available could easily break a mech apart if it was used to its full.

“We’re ready,” Cisse stated. “I’ll run a test with hydrogen first and then a second with antimatter from one storage device to another.”

They were deep underground, and the risk of an explosion was minute, but the outcome could be severe, so the second highest level of protocols were put into place. The exited the room and brought four blast doors down. 

One blast door would have been enough for an explosion with this amount of antimatter. But they had four blast doors, so they used them all. Daedo watched Cisse stress over the test, ever since her ZPE experiment explosion this type of event would pose the highest levels of stress and bring back her guilt from the disaster. But now with his mother lying in a Med-Lab above some of the guilt must have left. 

He looked down at her robotic legs, if he didn’t know they were artificial he never would have guessed through the Daedalus bodysuit. The shape and her movement looked natural.

“Hydrogen passed,” Cisse stated the obvious. The screen showed the test metrics as well as a 2D representation.

“Now for the real test; one hundred cycles.” Cisse asked. “If it passes this we will let it run for a week pushing antimatter back and forth between the two storage devices.”

“Two million cycles?” Daedo asked.

“Two point two, we should be hitting a hundred a minute,” Cisse replied. “Once we crack this what will there be left for me to do?”

“You could learn how to fight,” Daedo replied as the experiment got underway.

Cisse laughed, “Maybe I’ll work on the ark issue.”

Daedo said softly, “You and mom could start to work on propulsion systems.”

The test passed.

Cisse looked at Daedo. “I’d really like that.”

Daedo dried his eyes. “Okay, I need to see Master Haddad. Great work.”

Cisse grabbed him and hugged him. “She will come back.”

“How do you know?” He said in disbelief. Master Nader had said his mother should heal herself over time. But she didn’t give any definite answers. With the mind there were no guarantees. 

“I don’t know,” Cisse said softly, “I just feel that she will.”

“Instinct?” He asked.

“Yes, that sort of feeling. The one deep in your gut.”

Daedo extricated himself. “I really need to go. Let Axel-Zero know that she can take pre-orders for the antimatter and storage containers. I’ll get Vannier to patent it.”

“You should talk to Axel-Zero,” Cisse said, “the earlier you do, the easier it will be for her. Just treat her normally, like nothing happened.”

“Nothing happened,” he replied.

“Sure, nothing happened,” she said patronisingly.

“If you don’t stop I’ll tell Chief Austin you are lonely,” Daedo replied.

Cisse laughed at his threat. “He’s a baby dear. Not much older than you.”

Daedo wasn’t good at this game.

“Bye,” he said as he walked off.

His last stop was Master Haddad before he could go back to coding the foundation. 

Daedo: are you able to see me now?

Master Haddad: yes, we were just reviewing the syllabus for the first term.

Daedo: I’m coming. The antimatter storage passed its first test. We will run it for a week straight now to push it to its limits.

Master Haddad: that’s great news. What about the annihilator?

Daedo: that is already done as a part of the Troika, Cisse will work on a smaller model for a mech.

Master Haddad: but not exo?

Daedo: too small. Too much power. It is going to break our mechs without severe crimping. And we cannot reach the fidelity needed for an exo without a control system bigger than the exo itself. Which also would need Ark.

Daedo: I’m here.

“Great,” Master Haddad said as Daedo walked into the educator’s administration area. It consisted of a series of meeting rooms and an open area workspace. There were no fancy offices like Fortescue. The educators worked in their quarters, or the meeting rooms or the open area. When they weren’t in the facilities such as gym and various arenas.

Seated and standing were the two masters, chief and Ikaros. 

“We are discussing readiness for the March intake of the eighty cadets. Ikaros can you confirm the support facilities will be able to handle this number?” Master Haddad asked as Daedo stood at the back of the meeting room.

“The last report showed readiness for two hundred in terms of quarters, we can feed ten times that number. The main issue is medical, we need a medical team and more med-bays. From the minor injuries to major. At the moment we only have the two expensive automated bays with capacity for three more people.”

“Equipment?”

“We have scheduled the exo production and delayed a batch for the EUDF by two days,” Ikaros replied. “Weapons are completed and in the armoury.”

“Never stop making exos,” Daedo stated. “We will dig more storage if we need to and we need to expand the capacity by a factor of ten.”

“Yessir,” Ikaros beamed. 

“You’re a civvie father,” Daedo said and then addressed Master Haddad, “Keep going.”

“We have evolved the syllabus and outsourced the best tutes and AIs available,” Master Haddad said and brought up the first-year syllabus.

“Based on our experience, ideas and knowledge. And including feed back from squad zero, this is what we have come up with,” Master Haddad stated.

Daedo has seen an earlier draft and had been contemplating the syllabus since. He had not spoken to Master Haddad about his thoughts until now. Master Haddad was the expert.

“It’s no good,” Daedo stated creating a sense of unease.

“It’s my fault for not realising earlier and giving you direction. I have been thinking about it since you sent me the draft last week,” Daedo began to explain.

“You need to forget about training academy cadets. Our cadets need to be prepared to fight an invasion in five years. And as we add more people the speed of training needs to increase. We also need most of our intake this year and next.”

“They need to be able to repair equipment. They need to be able to heal each other biologically. They need to nurture the AIs and they need to be able to fight creatively. Am I missing any skills they need Master Picard?”

Master Picard added, “They need to be able to find food, water and any necessary supplies.”

“Excellent point. We need to provide them with manufacturing equipment to produce everything they need on a small scale. Whether it’s a part or ammunition. They need to know how to operate and maintain this equipment.”

“They don’t need history, they don’t need to know anything their AIs can assist with. Cut out half the curriculum and add an extra eighty cadets. We want one hundred and sixty in our first intake.”

Master Haddad looked deflated. “I - We – almost need to start from scratch.”

“You have enough,” Daedo said, “You only need to be a few weeks ahead of the cadets and this will solve our medical deficiency. The cadets will treat each other from day one. We just need to provide them with equipment and we can send them tutes to learn now.”

“After we establish the equipment required and purchase the tute,” Chief Austin chimed in for his stunned friend.

“Get moving on this and we can discuss the squad and house structures when you’re ready,” Daedo added.

Master Haddad pointed to the displayed archetype structure used by academies around the world.

Daedo shook his head in the negative.

Master Haddad fell into a chair. 

Daedo didn’t have the heart to tell him they still had to revamp the external programme. Not right now. That could wait a day.