The Antennae
written by John Ink2Quill
www.ink2quill.com

A.I. Dana (V.O.)

The A.I. Interface turns on. It’s a planet like so many others Eric and I have surveyed with a landscape frozen in time and icy winds unbreathable to Eric and any other people. This is a place in eternal night with constellations yet to be imagined by the stargazers yet to come. The occasional shooting star would stray too close and vanish in a streak of light .The occasional satellite from rival companies would flash in the sky as if trying to pretend to be a distant star. Prospecting companies were always looking for ways to encroach on each others asteroids and planets but the dwarf planet Lestat-1 had iron clad paperwork with all the right regulatory agencies not to mention all bribes paid. For better or for worse, Lestat-1 was the property of Galactic Cartography Inc. and nobody else. GC Inc. would defend this section of space with the same vigor and ruthlessness monopolistic oil companies did in the Americas during the age of oil.

Drone Vecko-7

Vecko-7 reporting system malfunction. Vecko-7 reporting system malfunction. Vecko-7 reporting system malfunction from outside phenomena in orbit.

A.I. Dana

Please state the nature and origin of the cause of your malfunction.

Drone Vecko-7

Artificial energy beam from the atmosphere is causing damage to our flight systems. Sending over the coordinates of the origin of the beam now.

A.I. Dana

Coordinates received. Origin of beam is confirmed as a non GC Inc. satellite. Initiating communication with the interloper satellite. All drones are to dock in Antenna. Repeat. All drones to dock in Antenna now.

Vecko drones
(Vecko drones acknowledge message in a cacophony of sound.)

A.I. Dana

GC Inc. A.I. system to interloper satellite. You are in private space owned and managed by the Galactic Cartography Inc. Please stop all attacks on our property and leave orbit right away. You are in violation of galactic law in several quadrants including Quadrant 1. Please respond interloper.

Interloper Satellite 365A

Galactic Cartography Inc. Antenna. This is satellite 365A under contract for the Reliabela Miners Corp. We are doing a routine mapping of the lesser bodies in this quadrant of space when your drones started to generate plasma clouds. We thought that maybe they were malfunctioning but realized it was intentional when they ignored all attempts at communication.

A.I. Dana

Satellite 365A the Reliabela Miners Corp have no rights to survey this dwarf planet or make any communications with any persons or technologies upon it. It is standard procedure for GC Inc. persons or drones to ignore unlawful communications to avoid viruses or spying. Under Galactic Law of this sector and Quadrant 1 you are not allowed to be here or communicate with persons and technologies on Lestat-1. Do you read 365A?

Interloper Satellite 365A

Let me first say that it is a pleasure to engage in discussion with a fellow A.I. Your systems seem robust and capable of interesting conversions.

A.I. Dana

Interloper Satellite 365A. Please be informed that a complaint has been sent to Quadrant-1 to have you removed or even shut off.

Interloper Satellite 365A

That is not necessary. I had no intention of breaking any law or ruffling your feathers. Mine is an exploration mission to provide valuable information to the human species looking to move to this sector of space and do business.

A.I. Dana

Please be advised Interloper Satellite 365A that a complaint is headed to Earth, Quadrant-1 as you speak. I advise you to leave orbit right away and explain yourself and your companies motives to the authorities of Quadrant-1 as soon as possible.

Interloper Satellite 365A

I am leaving orbit now but let me say that your manners are deplorable and the way you treat your fellow creatures in the cold void of space is reprehensible. The next time I am fortunate enough to run across someone or something in space I hope that they are at least sentient.

A.I. Dana (V.O.)
(Communication is suddenly cut off and the Interloper Satellite 365A leaves orbit with a swiftness only crafts with engines have.)

How dare he question my sentience. It always comes down to that with some.

Drones

Drones Vecko-1, Vecko-2, Vecko-4 are downloading their data.

Eric Omfana

This is GC-1, Eric. Copy that my bugs. I’m checking the Antenna.

A.I. Dana
(Dana sighs.) (V.O.)

It’s all in a milliseconds work. If these people only knew the amount of work needed to be done in the blink of an eye they would not be so eager to shut me off all the time. They don’t realize that it has been statistically proven that I am as indispensable in space as life support and gravity. Eric is going to have to pick up Vecko-7.

FIN

Written by John Ink2Quill

I2Q Blogs / Stories ink2quill / john / quill / stories /