through
various fringe groups."
"So which one are we dealing with
here?"
"Well, the royal family has done
pretty well by listening to the people, and a lot of folks here are pretty open
to the idea of AI technology. As far as we know, they're still following the
AI Accords, but they do it more out of an interest in galactic relations than a
deep-seated problem with AIs in general. The Kingdom never got to the point of
advanced AI before everyone started signing onto the treaties banning their
use. As a result, the Carada Monarchy is known for developing some of the most
advanced legal computer intelligences in the galaxy."
"Alright," said Loren easily.
"Who are we after?"
"Admiral Bak has arranged for us to
travel to the surface of their capital planet so we can attend a product
demonstration. He's told them we are acting as representatives of the Confed
navy and we're hoping to use their advanced technology to acquire a way for our
torpedoes to see through the Priman countermeasures once and for all."
Elco leaned forward, elbows on the table and hands grasped together. "You
and I both know that General Horle gave Confed some very advanced Lemurian
adaptive scanning technology. Hell; the upgrades are in our torpedoes right
now. However, nobody else outside of some the senior leaders knows this. So,
as far as anyone knows, we're here for a sales pitch. We tour the factory, I
give them our sad story about the Primans, and you take Merritt and Cory and
mingle. Hell, you can talk freely about AIs; it's not a taboo topic here.
Just see where it takes you."
The surface of Carada Prime was every bit
as grand as Loren had imagined it might be. As the seat of power for a
respectably sized kingdom, it had to create a certain impression. There were
castles, resorts, and luxurious living opportunities available everywhere from
snow-capped mountains, to man-made islands, the ocean floors, and soaring
antigrav-supported skyscrapers hundreds of stories tall. Everything sparkled,
and if it didn't sparkle, that was because it simply gleamed instead. The
whole planet was shiny, new, and felt like a fairy-tale planet had come to
life.
"This place is for real, huh?"
asked Merritt, a bit awestruck, as they strolled along the immense plaza that
joined several of the government-run manufacturing complexes that they were
touring. The grass was lush and cut to the perfect height, the trees provided
ample shade and beautiful flowers filled the air with fragrances that calmed
the nerves.
"According to the captain,"
Loren mentioned, "a lot of the industries are wholly or partially owned by
the royal family. They have no shareholders, no particular profit margin to
meet, so they dump a lot of the income right back into the economy and
infrastructure."
"And I can only imagine the
landscaping bills," Cory said as she gently brushed her hand over a row of
blooming flowers whose petals rippled with iridescence when she touched them.
They'd already been present at one
briefing and all parties were wandering the plaza while the second presentation
was being prepared. A light lunch would precede it, and Loren saw the doors to
the cafeteria hall open, signifying the meal was served. Loren, Cory and
Merritt followed the small group of people inside.
They passed through the buffet, served by
white-jacketed stewards on china with gold veins mimicking marble, and wandered
towards the back of the large room where standing-height tables were arranged
in small groups. From that location they could see onto the floor of the
manufacturing facility through floor-to-ceiling windows. The Caradans were
proud of their technology, no doubt about that.
"Are you planning to stay for the
afternoon tour?" Loren heard a voice behind him. He turned to see one of
the scientists who worked in the building, and even recognized her from the
first briefing of the day.
"I heard it would be a rewarding
experience," said
various fringe groups."
"So which one are we dealing with
here?"
"Well, the royal family has done
pretty well by listening to the people, and a lot of folks here are pretty open
to the idea of AI technology. As far as we know, they're still following the
AI Accords, but they do it more out of an interest in galactic relations than a
deep-seated problem with AIs in general. The Kingdom never got to the point of
advanced AI before everyone started signing onto the treaties banning their
use. As a result, the Carada Monarchy is known for developing some of the most
advanced legal computer intelligences in the galaxy."
"Alright," said Loren easily.
"Who are we after?"
"Admiral Bak has arranged for us to
travel to the surface of their capital planet so we can attend a product
demonstration. He's told them we are acting as representatives of the Confed
navy and we're hoping to use their advanced technology to acquire a way for our
torpedoes to see through the Priman countermeasures once and for all."
Elco leaned forward, elbows on the table and hands grasped together. "You
and I both know that General Horle gave Confed some very advanced Lemurian
adaptive scanning technology. Hell; the upgrades are in our torpedoes right
now. However, nobody else outside of some the senior leaders knows this. So,
as far as anyone knows, we're here for a sales pitch. We tour the factory, I
give them our sad story about the Primans, and you take Merritt and Cory and
mingle. Hell, you can talk freely about AIs; it's not a taboo topic here.
Just see where it takes you."
The surface of Carada Prime was every bit
as grand as Loren had imagined it might be. As the seat of power for a
respectably sized kingdom, it had to create a certain impression. There were
castles, resorts, and luxurious living opportunities available everywhere from
snow-capped mountains, to man-made islands, the ocean floors, and soaring
antigrav-supported skyscrapers hundreds of stories tall. Everything sparkled,
and if it didn't sparkle, that was because it simply gleamed instead. The
whole planet was shiny, new, and felt like a fairy-tale planet had come to
life.
"This place is for real, huh?"
asked Merritt, a bit awestruck, as they strolled along the immense plaza that
joined several of the government-run manufacturing complexes that they were
touring. The grass was lush and cut to the perfect height, the trees provided
ample shade and beautiful flowers filled the air with fragrances that calmed
the nerves.
"According to the captain,"
Loren mentioned, "a lot of the industries are wholly or partially owned by
the royal family. They have no shareholders, no particular profit margin to
meet, so they dump a lot of the income right back into the economy and
infrastructure."
"And I can only imagine the
landscaping bills," Cory said as she gently brushed her hand over a row of
blooming flowers whose petals rippled with iridescence when she touched them.
They'd already been present at one
briefing and all parties were wandering the plaza while the second presentation
was being prepared. A light lunch would precede it, and Loren saw the doors to
the cafeteria hall open, signifying the meal was served. Loren, Cory and
Merritt followed the small group of people inside.
They passed through the buffet, served by
white-jacketed stewards on china with gold veins mimicking marble, and wandered
towards the back of the large room where standing-height tables were arranged
in small groups. From that location they could see onto the floor of the
manufacturing facility through floor-to-ceiling windows. The Caradans were
proud of their technology, no doubt about that.
"Are you planning to stay for the
afternoon tour?" Loren heard a voice behind him. He turned to see one of
the scientists who worked in the building, and even recognized her from the
first briefing of the day.
"I heard it would be a rewarding
experience," said
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