The Trilisk AI by Michael McCloskey Page B

the tortuous landscape. Telisa and
Magnus walked carefully over the rocks, keeping well behind Scout. Magnus
routed Scout’s sensors into his PV as they’d practiced on the ship.
    The
machine ahead walked up to a huge pipe rising from the ground. The entire thing
was black and scarred. Pieces of debris lay all around among the rocks. The
gaping opening was large enough to accept a car.
    “There
it is. Shiny’s module describes how to open it,” Telisa said. “But it looks
like the destroyers made it here ahead of us.”
    “You
must have spent a lot of time studying his house,” Magnus said.
    “Of
course. Didn’t you? I guess it’s more up my alley.”
    “Well,
I was putting the finishing touches on Scout here. You just watch.”
    The
machine walked slowly up to the ragged edge of the pipe and looked down. Magnus
saw the tunnel in several different sections of the spectrum: infrared, visual,
and an ultraviolet band. It looked cold and dead. There was wreckage lying
about. Nothing caught his eye as either valuable or dangerous.
    Scout’s
tail grew a smart rope. The rope’s end found a strong purchase point outside
the entrance and wrapped itself around it. Then Scout jumped over the edge. The
machine reeled down rapidly, dropping like a spider from a strand of webbing. Telisa
and Magnus were arriving at the opening as Scout settled onto a surface thirty
meters below the ground. The smart rope released its hold above and reeled back
into Scout’s body. Then the machine started to scan its new surroundings.
    “Impressive!”
Telisa said. Magnus could tell from her tone she was only a little impressed
but hamming it up for him, so he played along.
    “Of
course! Who built it?”
    “Now
it’s our turn.”
    Magnus
scanned Scout’s vision in his own PV. “Looks clear enough. I agree.”
    “So
nice to have him down there, and know we’re not about to be ambushed. We need
more robots!”
    “Yeah.
Next time,” he said. He handed her a smart rope.
    “I
have my own, thanks,” she said, digging into her pack. Magnus smiled. She
wanted to prove she’d come properly prepared. Of course he hadn’t insinuated
otherwise. It was just her way.
    Magnus
chose the same spot Scout had used to anchor his rope. He simultaneously
monitored the feed from Scout, showing a wrecked chamber filled with dust and
garbage. The machine caught a bit of movement to one side.
    “What
is it? Did I miss something?”
    “Something
down there,” Magnus said. “It was small. Must be a critter.”
    “Great.
A critter,” she said flatly. They stood for a moment as Scout rooted about
more, looking for the source of the movement.
    “Should
be fine. Just keep practicing. Learn to watch both at once.”
    “While
I’m climbing down a pit?”
    “Gravity
and the rope are doing all the work for us,” Magnus pointed out. “Doesn’t
matter what you’re doing, we need to see what he sees.”
    Magnus
swung out over the pit on his line. The smart rope had controllers that
responded to link commands. Each end had artificial muscles and retractable
claws that could wrap around and latch onto objects, then release themselves at
the top once a climber had slid down the rope. Magnus also had a launcher that
could shoot the rope to high targets, and even a pair of climbing insect
devices that could carry a rope up into areas where it could not be shot with
the launcher.
    Scout
continued to patrol in a small circle as Magnus slid down his line. Telisa
followed close behind. At the bottom, they told their ropes to release. The
lines fell gently and rolled themselves back up.
    “Sand
everywhere,” Magnus noted. A large beam had smashed through the wall of the tunnel,
sitting at an angle. The grit covered everything.
    “Remember
the Vovokan habitat in the Trilisk trap? The tunnels used some kind of sand as
a self-cleaning carpet and transport system.”
    “I
doubt it’s either anymore. Whatever system was in place has probably