“Okay,” I said, “let’s assume they buy it and take me back into the fold. What then?”
“We can tell you how to find their main quantum computer, the one the Federation supplied. It’s in a subterranean level of Brad’s San Diego headquarters. We’d need you to bide your time, find a way to get into physical proximity, and insert a device we’ll give you.
“Think of it as an alien flash drive, a thousand times more advanced than anything we have. One with a skeleton key that can unlock anything. It will absorb the contents of the computer. More importantly, it will hack every last password, command code, and encryption the Federation uses to control its AI, control its ships, and so on.”
“Really?” I said. “A hack that requires proximity? Seems awfully primitive.”
“Not at all. The Federation has poured every last ounce of their tech know-how to prevent remote hacking. But they keep this physical backdoor in case they need it. They’re certain no outside agent can breach the underground levels of their facility. They aren’t worried about an inside job, either, because they watch all their people like a hawk. They scan for mind tampering too, in case a faction member tries to manipulate a human into raiding the quantum-computer cookie jar.”
Nick paused. “Finally,” he continued, “only a few trusted personnel are authorized to get anywhere near the computer. If anyone else is detected approaching, the approaching party will be warned. If they continue to approach, they’ll be vaporized by lasers so strong they can all but cut a hole in space-time itself. Lasers powerful enough to kill anyone, even if they’re using one of the Benefactors’ personal force shields.”
I swallowed hard. “And you’re sure that I’m authorized?”
“Positive. Like I said, they don’t know why you’re important, so they’ve given you full carte blanche. You’ve become an almost mythical figure to them. Whatever you do must be the right thing to do, or you wouldn’t be doing it. So you’re the golden ticket.”
“Won’t they just change the codes once you have them?”
He shook his head. “We’ll change them first—immediately—so they no longer have access. They’ll be just as locked out of their own systems as we are now. And once we’re in, we can do anything we want. Take control of their ships, kill their shields, and wield their offensive weapons as if they were ours.”
“Allowing you to take their asteroid?”
“That’s the idea.”
“They’ll send a frantic alarm back home.”
“Let them. Reinforcements can’t get here for a hundred years. In that time we’ll be ready. But we doubt they’ll even come. We’ll have to go after them. Which is why we’ll make sure their asteroid ship is left functional, so we can use it to reach them. And as a bonus, we’ll confiscate their ninety-eight thousand zip-craft.”
I had to admit, the plan didn’t lack for ambition. Or flair.
“Trust me,” said the captain, “with their asteroid ship, humanity’s best warriors, and this many zip-craft, they do not want to see us showing up at their doorstep. The Zetas are the most aggressive member of the Federation, and its leader, but we’ll roll over them like a tidal wave. They’ll be begging to surrender.”
“That’s quite the plan,” I said.
“There are a few other things we’d like you to do, and a few other details to iron out, but this is the gist of it. You, Jason Ramsey, can turn the tide. We’re sure of it. But only you.
“So if you give us your word that you’re in,” he continued, “I’ll see to it that you have carte blanche with us as well. We’ll equal what the Federation is willing to do for you. You can have the run of our facilities. The AIs and all personnel will carry out any order you give. You’ll have full control, full access, with no questions asked.”
“All this based just on my word?” I said in disbelief.
“That’s right.”
“What if I decide to double-cross you?”
“You won’t. But if you do, so what? We have no choice but to trust you. The way we see it, you’re the only hope now anyway. So either we trust you to be humanity’s savior, and hope you don’t screw us over, or we’re toast anyway.”
I shook my head in amusement. “You know, between you and the Federation, I just might get a messiah complex. If I wasn’t my own harshest critic, I might start feeling important about now.”
Nick smiled. “Then I’m glad I didn’t tell you we plan to give you tech that changes water into wine,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
I laughed. “So who are you in all this, Nick?”
“You’re wondering why, if you’re so important, your handler is a mere captain.”
“I never said that.”
“I know, but I’d be thinking it if I were you. I’m Kussmann’s second-in-command. Don’t let the captain title fool you, I’m the equivalent of a general in this organization. Kussmann and I both still use the ranks we had when we left the military.
“Our third-in-command, Lori Carver, was a major in the US Marines. All three of us are based here, and are first, second, and third in command of the facility—even though it’s mostly civilian. In that sense, at least as far as the civilians are concerned, we’re more like governor, lieutenant governor, and . . . well, whatever the third bureaucrat/administrator in a city might be.”
“Interesting,” I said. “Still, given the importance of this mission, why didn’t your boss take point?”
“Good question,” said Nick with a grin. “The answer is that Kussmann knows he doesn’t have my winning personality.” He raised his eyebrows. “He thought I was likable and trustworthy enough to win you over.”
“Well, he wasn’t wrong . . . mate.”
“You sure it isn’t just the accent? I’m told you yanks seem to really like it.”
I smiled, but I knew that it was time to get serious again.