Asimov's Ghost - Chapter 31 - Memory Boot Initialised

From its position on the crest of the hill it had a clear view of both plains separated by the steep escarpment.

On one side it watched the six advancing squads that it had earlier relayed its reconnaissance findings to, moving in rapid formation through the low dark green, molehill-like hillocks scattered about the plain. Every now and again the advancing mechanisms would throw in random scatter patterns to confuse any potential hostiles.

In the visible light spectrum the plain appeared to be moss-covered, but was in actual fact a two centimetre thick layer of bottle-green glass, which despite the lack of direct sunlight glinted in the afternoon gloom.

The glass having been laid down during countless battles with nuclear and energy weapons, was dusted with a silver/grey coating of particulates mainly made up of microscopic quartz particles.

JG-012 saw that the green hillocks, were actually bubbles that had been created during the massive heat differentials during epic battles that would have wiped out any organic life for hundreds of kilometres around.

It observed how the bubbles seemed to fractalize down to the micrometre scale, giving rise to some quite stupendous internal crystalline structures.

It paused to appreciate that the silver-green lumpy floor of the plain, juxtaposed against the sodden grey sky and jagged black clouds, set a dramatic and stunning scene for the advancing invaders.

The green and blacks soon to be joined by the reds and molten whites of multiple energy weapons, and radioactive explosions.

JG-012 calculated that the first squad would take almost four seconds before engagement distance was reached.

It decided to kill the time by analysing the scatter patterns the advancing squadrons had been executing, to see if there was some predictability to their movements.

Using the scatter data, It formulated six new battle formations which it instantly fed into the hive-collective.

It still had another three point 2 seconds to kill, whilst keeping a sensor on the advancing squads, it switched its main attention to the other side of the hill, down in the valley around two hundred metres below.

It recounted the twenty seven enemy personnel and took account of their positions.

It ran another set of battle scenarios, the enemy were not aware of the jamming tech it was using, hence they would not act until the squad descended on them in a pincer movement. It would provide sniper cover to prevent the enemy gaining high ground.

It modified two of the sixty eight scenarios and sent a thinCast update to the advancing squads.

Two point eight seconds to go, the lead exojets were due to move to their low altitude positions, providing covering fire for the skirmishers.

It checked one last time for –

It paused.

Hesitation . . . confusion.

It zoomed in on a particular enemy-bot moving slowly at the back of the pack.

It recalibrated the Operational-Viewing-Range of one of its sensors down to between four hundred and seven hundred nanometres.

It looked at the enemy-bot using visible light only . . .

It felt something, something beyond it’s parameters . . .

One point three two seconds till engagement, exojets moving to position one.

It fed the picture of the enemy-bot into its still corrupted repository.

Returned string.

Amorphia.

It didn’t understand . . . but it did . . .

Point three six seconds till engagement, skirmishers seventy five metres from first way point, sniper protocol-2783# initiated . . .

It ran another search Amorphia – Rox – Asimov, view.

Returned string.

File unknown.

Open.

File corrupted.

Repair.

Repair initiated.

4% complete, est finish time 18 hours solstan standard.

Returned string.

Isaac.Asimov.

Engagement initiated, battle scenarios 1, 3, 5, invalid, scenarios 7-45 priority. Send.

It watched as the first kinetic missiles rained down on the leading edge of the camp.

It fired twelve nanomite missiles to its left, providing cover for the heavy tanks.

It watched the enemy-bot Amorphia, it was the last to react to the incoming attack.

JG-012 felt the flutter of electrons breeze over its carapace, as the locator drone’s scan identified its position.

It watched as the enemy-bot Amorphia finally moved, a full three tenths of a second after the first shots had been fired.

JG-012 tracked the Amorphia-bot as it sprung away with blinding speed and agility towards the forest edge, its tail lashing viciously behind it, its four legs bounding in perfect time.

As it set off after the bot, it sent a bundle of new scenarios to the battling squadrons, none of which required JG-012 to provide sniper cover.

It moved at speed, circling round so as to avoid engaging with the rest of the enemy.

It wondered idly why it was so obsessed with this one enemy-bot, there was zero tactical advantage in doing so, in fact it had probably compromised the complete success of the engagement.

However it didn’t seem to bother it.

“How odd.” It thought to itself.

It realised that it was suddenly thinking in a human language.

“How strange.”

Previous Chapters

Asimov's Ghost Summary And Chapter links 21-30

Asimov's Ghost Summary And Chapter Links 11-20

Asimov's Ghost Summary And Chapter Links 1-10

Original artwork by @fr3eze

Original words by Cryptogee