Line War by Neal Asher Page B

now?’
     
    In the cold emotionless place Orlandine presently occupied, she felt no urge to plan anything. However, she was a haiman, and having sought and found the synergy of the human and the machine, she could not totally deny her human side. Still remaining analytically cold, she reasoned that if she verified those images, upon re-establishing normal emotion she would grieve - and then grow angry, appallingly angry. All other thoughts and aims would be swept aside.
     
    ‘You could easily be some agent of Erebus sent to manipulate me again,’ she said.
     
    ‘Yes, I could.’
     
    ‘How can you help me?’
     
    ‘That depends on what you intend to do.’
     
    ‘If these images really show the truth, then I believe I intend to destroy Erebus.’ But of course she already understood that Randal knew this would be her answer.
     
    ‘Okay, that being the case, I can show you in detail how Erebus intends to bring down the Polity. Or at least I can show you what his plans were just before I transmitted myself to you.’
     
    ‘So you’re a copy of the original version of yourself still existing within Erebus,’ Orlandine observed. ‘Surely you would do better to give this information to the AI Jerusalem, who I understand is in command of the present defence?’
     
    ‘It is the nature of all Erebus’s plans that they contain a glaring flaw ready to be exploited by an enemy. I should know because I am always the cause of that flaw, just as I am the flaw within Erebus.’
     
    Orlandine wasn’t quite sure what to make of that. ‘Do go on.’
     
    ‘Unfortunately, were I to inform Jerusalem of Erebus’s present plan, it would then be countered, but in such a way that Erebus would escape mostly unharmed. However, if its present attack plan is carried through, someone else exploiting that flaw could, with sufficient resources, obliterate Erebus. You must understand that there are those who welcome Erebus’s aggression and its . . . consequences.’
     
    Orlandine pondered that statement for a moment. ‘You’re saying there are those within the Polity who are on Erebus’s side?’
     
    ‘It’s not a case of sides. Erebus’s present aggression is considered useful by some very high-up Polity AIs. But you don’t want to know exactly who - trust me on this.’
     
    This was not so surprising, Orlandine supposed. There had often been AI rebels in the past.
     
    ‘Then show me this attack plan,’ Orlandine instructed.
     
    Randal made a packet of information available to her. After taking sufficient precautions she opened it and absorbed all it contained.
     
    ‘You see where, with a suitable weapon, you can bring Erebus down?’ Randal pointed out.
     
    ‘I do,’ Orlandine replied.
     
    ‘But when the time comes for this, you’ll need the updated codes to enable you to configure your chameleonware to Erebus’s scanning format - to hide yourself.’
     
    ‘You’ll provide these?’
     
    ‘I cannot here and now, because they’ll have changed, and I am no longer in contact with my other selves.’
     
    ‘So how do I obtain them?’
     
    ‘In my estimation you cannot, since your task will take all of your own resources,’ Randal replied. ‘However, I have prepared for this, and another individual will bring these codes to you at a prearranged rendezvous.’
     
    ‘This individual is?’
     
    ‘Highly capable and . . . motivated. And more than able, with the technology he possesses, to take on elements of Erebus’s forces even without the codes and chameleonware to conceal him. He will follow a predicted and vengeful course sure to eventually bring him into contact with one of those elements, somewhere, whereupon one of my other selves will contact him.’
     
    ‘Who is this individuAI?’
     
    Randal told her.
     
    ‘That is . . . dubious.’
     
    ‘It is the best I can offer,’ Randal supplied firmly, and Orlandine had to be content with that.
     
    Later, after taking many precautions,