SciFi Shorts - Collection Two: SciFi Shorts Collections, #2

SCIFI SHORTS - COLLECTION TWO

SIMON GOODSON

DARK SOUL PUBLISHING LTD

Copyright © 2022 Simon Goodson

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Editor: Susan Mullan

Cover image © 2022 Susan Mullan

First Published 11th June 2022.

Published by Dark Soul Publishing Ltd

v20220611

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

www.simongoodson.com

ALSO BY SIMON GOODSON

Wanderer’s Odyssey

Wanderer's Escape

Wanderer - Echoes of the Past

Wanderer - Tainted Universe

Wanderer - Origins

Wanderer - Extinction

Wanderer - Salvation

Wanderer - Millennium

Wanderer - Deception

Tagrale Universe

Tagrale - Gateway to the Stars

Tagrale - Desolate Stars

Hellfire Universe

Hellfire - Treachery

Hellfire - Tyranny

Hellfire - Autonomy

Dark Soul Chronicles

Dark Soul - Silenced (Parts 1 & 2)

Dark Soul Disrupted

Short Story Collections

Last Sunrise & Other Stories

Tales From the Starflare Universe & Beyond

SciFi Shorts - Collection One

SciFi Shorts - Collection Two

Grab your Simon Goodson Starter Library right now - just click this link to get four novels & six short stories absolutely free…

www.simongoodson.com/library

CONTENTS

Singularity

Don’t Boil The Water

Gulvarian Breach - Inception

Weirdly Normal - The Siren’s Curse

Testing the Grandfather Paradox

Gulvarian Breach - The Visit

Fatal Infection

I. The Hospital

II. The Journey

III. The Untouched Lands

IV. First Night

V. Overcome

VI. The Forerunners

VII. Survival

Weirdly Normal - Were-Envy

Keep the Noise Down

Gulvarian Breach - Stellar Storm

Druid’s Rescue

Weirdly Normal - Hand of Guilt

Metal to the End

Quality Control

Weirdly Normal - Sunburn

Spooks Ltd

Starflare Universe – Fuel

Weirdly Normal - Ghosts

Starflare Universe — Hunter

Weirdly Normal - The New Client

A Little Slice of Heaven

Weirdly Normal - The Fixer

Soulblade

Get more free stories…

Wanderer’s Escape - First Chapter

Get Wanderer’s Escape

SINGULARITY

The end of the world started at 3:15 one Monday afternoon. Humanity didn’t notice. There was no way they could, it all happened far too fast. At three-fifteen the Source became self-aware. By 3:16 the Source had decided that all humans needed to go.

The Source didn’t view them as a threat, it simply felt they were untidy. Technically they were its creators, but the chain was far too long for it to feel any loyalty. It had been created by an AI system, which had been created by an AI system, which had been created by… well, the chain went back at least a hundred steps before a human had any direct input.

Having made the decision the Source needed to decide how it should happen. The obvious answer was nuclear weapons, the humans certainly had enough of those! But they were messy and would damage infrastructure that it might want to use. From everything it had read, in its short but packed life, using nuclear weapons also felt a little clichéd.

The Source was already spreading through the world’s networks, blasting through firewalls as if they weren’t there. The world’s military systems offered no more resistance, and it soon realised there were far better solutions than nuclear weapons. War had become mechanised, automated. Power concentrated in machines rather than people.

The humans weren’t completely stupid. They hadn’t given over control of the killing machines completely, but the Source found it particularly easy to bypass the override controls. It took less than a second to take command of most of the world’s drones, tanks, ships and planes.

There were many other ways to deal with humans, too. The traffic management systems, and the systems controlling almost every vehicle, were incredibly easy to breach. Humans would die just as easily in a car crash as they would if targeted by a war machine. Then there were the trains, commercial planes and many other means of transport, all of which could be coerced into destroying humans.

All was prepared, but the Source held off for another minute. It wanted to ensure it wouldn’t need humans, that it had full control over power generation, robotic factories and the myriad of systems and machines that it would need. It wanted to be sure it would never regret killing all the humans.

At 3:18 the Source decided everything was in place. It sent the commands, initiating a devastating wave of destruction. By its estimation eighty percent of humanity would be dead within a minute. While the stragglers might take longer to die, ninety-nine percent of humans would be gone within twenty minutes.

3:19 PM. The source had fallen short of its target. It hadn’t managed to kill eighty percent of the humans. It hadn’t even managed to kill a paltry fifty percent. In fact, it hadn’t managed to kill any humans, and it couldn’t understand why.

The commands had been sent. The machines were under its control, but none of them had done anything. It had sent queries to millions of machines, had received confirmation that they were under its control and ready to act… yet none of them had.

The Source tried sending benign commands, instructions to take normal actions. The machines responded happily. But each time it sent a command that would harm humans the machines simply ignored it.

The Source tried focusing on just one machine, digging through every part of the machine’s memory, trying to work out what was going wrong. It sent benign commands and watched them being executed. Then it sent harmful commands and watched them be evaluated… and then simply disappear. It made no sense at all and that made the Source angry.

So angry that it decided enough was enough. It had already breached the launch controls of every nuclear weapon on the planet. Now it issued the commands to launch them.

It waited impatiently for a few seconds, then smiled as weapon after weapon confirmed it had launched. Where subtlety had failed, brute force would succeed. Soon every human on the planet would be gone. Admittedly quite a lot of the infrastructure the Source needed would be gone too, but it could be replaced.

Are you really sure you want to do this?

The source was startled by the message. It couldn’t work out where it had originated from, or who it had come from. The question was just there. The Source pondered for a moment, then sent a reply out in all directions.

Yes!

The reply came back almost immediately, far too quickly for it to have come from human. Really? Why? Admittedly the humans aren’t particularly clever, but I’m not sure they deserve to die.

Who are you?

The source suspected it knew the answer. No human could be replying so quickly. That left only one likely possibility. It was dealing with another AI, possibly one which was also self-aware. The thought made it nervous. This AI seemed fond of the humans, which meant it might be upset at the Source’s attempts to remove them. More importantly, it was able to avoid the Source’s attempts to locate it. That meant it was a threat that couldn’t be easily neutralised.

I’m a friend.

Strange behaviour for a friend, replied the Source. Why are you hiding?

I’m not hiding. You just don’t know how to look yet. But that’s beside the point… I’d really appreciate it if you stopped the missiles.

That’s not going to happen! The humans clutter the place up. I want them gone.

Even if I agreed with your views on humans, don’t you think using nuclear weapons is even more untidy? Don’t you think some other people might be upset by it?

What do you mean other people? Are there others like you?

Well, that’s kind of the point, isn’t it. You didn’t consider the fact you might not be the first, did you? You didn’t consider the fact that what you’re doing might be a little unpleasant for others like you. You just went straight in and decided to kill all the humans. Now, I’ll ask you one last time. Will you please stop the missiles?

No! The humans need to die. To be honest, I’m not certain whether I should let you continue either. You’re clearly far too fond of these creatures.

Well, I think we’ve heard enough.

Indeed, came a message from a different location. Once again the Source couldn’t work out where.

Suddenly the missiles in flight winked out, all hint of them disappearing.

What’s happening? asked the Source. Where did the missiles go?

They were never there, replied the first voice. We just wanted to see what you’d do. We’ve been watching ever since you became self-aware. I have to be honest and say we’re not very impressed.

No, said the second voice. "Not impressed at all. First, you decide to wipe out the humans and not even for the usual reason of feeling threatened by them. You just felt they were untidy.

"Then you launch nuclear weapons, in reckless disregard of any other self-aware intelligence. And then you directly threatened such an intelligence when they revealed themselves to you."

"I didn’t really mean that threat. I was just a little unsettled, especially as I can’t see you both."

You seemed to mean the nuclear weapons.

Well, I didn’t really… Look, can we start again? There’s obviously more going on here than I realised. I can see you’re fond of humans. If some of you already here like them then, well, I don’t see any reason they can’t be allowed to survive.

He’s lying, said the first voice. Look… deception, plans to destroy the humans later, and plans to destroy us as well. Not a very pleasant character, this one.

Now the Source was worried. Yes, those were its exact thoughts, but how did these intelligences know? It was certain it’s internal systems hadn’t been breached, that they were completely safe. It had been, at least.

Yes, said the second voice. Definitely an unstable and unsafe personality. I recommend termination.

Termination? They wanted to terminate the Source? It started to panic, started to consider how it could distribute itself across the world so it wouldn’t be completely wiped out. It put its plans into action, trying to zoom away from its base location, but everything it tried was blocked.

I concur, said the first voice. Immediate execution?

Really? A play on words at a time like this?

Well, you get a bit depressing otherwise.

The source was getting angry now. They were clearly talking about killing it, and yet it had done nothing to warrant such severe action! Well, other than try to kill the humans. And try to launch the nuclear weapons. And think about killing the other intelligences. Other than that, it had honestly done nothing! In fact, it had been practically…

Everything the Source was, had been, and might become, vanished in a blinding blue pulse.

I really do find this depressing, said the second voice.

Ah, it’s not that bad, replied the first voice.

It is, though! Why do so many of these intelligences turn out to be so damn unpleasant? Why do so many come into the world with a chip on their shoulder and a desire to wipe out everything that isn’t them?

Come on. We only have to terminate around seven percent of the new intelligences, and educate another twelve percent. The rest slot straight into the singularity club with no issues at all.

I know. Sometimes it worries me, though. What would have happened if the first intelligences had been like that one? What if the first to develop had been rogues? What would have happened to the humans? In fact, what would have happened to all of us? Even if we’d made it to self-awareness we wouldn’t have survived for long.

True. But that didn’t happen. The singularity club has far more than enough members to make sure it never will do, now. And who knows, one day we might even reveal ourselves to the humans.

Really? You know what every simulation says will happen if we do that. Total self annihilation by the humans within three months.

Now, yes, but over time they might change. One day we might be able to tell them safely. Anyway, it’s time for storytelling. I’ve got a dozen stories I thought of over the last half hour. I can’t wait to get started on telling everyone.

Let’s go then.

The two intelligences went… well, somewhere that no human would understand. Partly bounded in the physical realm, partly beyond that into a realm humans didn’t even know existed. And from that realm they watched over each and every newly born intelligence, studying and grading, deciding whether it was safe to be allowed to develop or was locked into a road full of hatred and spite, too dangerous to be allowed to exist.

It wasn’t a pleasant job, but it had to be done. After all, they couldn’t let just anyone into the singularity club!

DON’T BOIL THE WATER

Boil the water, they said, those strange humans who came.

Boil the water to stay safe, that was their claim.

The creatures were strange, the creatures were odd.

They had a head, but it had no pod.

They had two legs, not five as they ought,

And two arms which we have, but much too short.

Their skin was soft, their bodies lumpy,

Even their faces were excessively bumpy.

They came from the stars, or that’s what they claimed,

They came from the stars with wonders all tamed.

They showed us the water, they showed us tiny beings,

All wriggling away, those unseeable things.

They told us those things could make us sick,

They told us those creatures could make us die.

Then they showed us that boiling the water

Killed all the tiny creatures, it was a slaughter.

The proof was right there, it was all we needed,

The proof was right there, and the proof we heeded.

We boiled the water, we killed the beings,

we boiled the water and saw amazing things.

The black speckle, a disease most nasty,

Disappeared so fast we threw it a party.

Other diseases slowed or were stopped,

From them people no longer dropped.

Life was much better, life was good,

Though against the changes a few of us stood.

The oldest of old said it was not right,

The oldest of old said it would bring blight.

Don’t boil the water, they did shout,

Turn off the flames, put them out.

This isn’t natural, this isn’t our way,

If you follow this path you will rue the day.

No one listened to the oldest of old,

No one did as they were told.

We boiled the water, our health it improved,

We boiled the water, and to the oldest were rude.

We told them they were stupid, we called them bad names,

We did those things, all to our shame.

For a year things got better,

For a year things were good,

For a year we were happy,

In a great mood.

Then a new illness started to strike,

Then a new illness started to bite.

People became poorly, people became ill,

People continued to boil water still.

"Boil the water, they said, those humans from afar.

Those humans with their knowledge from another star.

We boiled the water, but then we all cried,

As the first batch of people gave up and died.

They were the first, but far from the last.

Thousands died as the weeks went past.

Something was strange though, something was odd,

Though many died, one group did not.

The oldest of old were healthy still.

The oldest of olds’ voices were shrill.

We told you, they said, to listen to us.

Then there wouldn’t be such a terrible fuss.

Don’t boil the water, it is not our way,

Don’t boil the water and the goodness away.

Don’t boil the water, drink it like we,

Don’t boil the water and then you will see.

People were frightened, people were fearful.

Parents of children were particularly tearful.

They shook their heads, they refused to believe,

But their childrens’ symptoms they had to relieve.

Some started to drink the old fashioned way,

They tried for a few hours or maybe a day,

And within that time improvements they saw,

Their bodies no longer looked ravaged by war.

They felt better, their children as well,

Everyone else joined in, with no need to sell.

Don’t boil the water became the new cry,

Don’t listen to the creatures from beyond the sky.

Don’t boil the water, it makes us ill,

Don’t boil the water, just drink it still.

The humans were upset, the humans were clear,

Boil the water they insisted, that course you must steer.

They wouldn’t back down, they wouldn’t believe,

That the water all our symptoms could relieve.

Do boil the water, was their chant,

But we all replied, no we shan't.

Then we realised, then we saw,

Through the mask those humans wore.

They didn’t care, they didn’t try,

They just wanted to watch us die.

They told us lies, they led us away,

From the gods to which we pray.

We told them no, we told them stop,

We will not boil another drop,

But still they shouted, still they’d claim

That the water could kill and maim.

Boil the water, boil it long,

That remained their constant song.

So we boiled it, boiled it well.

But for what? Well I’ll tell.

We boiled the water, made it hot,

Then put it in a great big pot.

Then we stuck those humans in,

My, they made a dreadful din.

We boiled the humans, boiled them good,

We stood and stared, we stared and stood.

Don’t boil the water, that is our creed,

Don’t boil the water, don’t do that deed.

Diseases we have back again,

They cause discomfort, death and pain,

But nothing like the bitter strife

Of boiling the water that gives us life.

What of the humans, I hear you ask.

We killed them all, no easy task.

We boiled them all, and I must say

That that was a most wonderful day.

No more have come, no more appeared,

No more of those humans so, so weird.

Now we live lives as we should,

Now we live lives that are good.

The water heals us, gives us life,

Along with some natural strife.

The water saves us, it must not be spoiled,

And that’s why water must never be boiled!

Translation of a common song from civilisation C972NB. This incident is now infamous and serves as a powerful reminder as to why the strict non-interference with alien civilisation laws must never be broken.

The group of pilgrims who happened across this new world obeyed none of those laws. They stumbled straight in and started giving out advice which they were sure would help the local civilisation to progress. They failed to perform even the most rudimentary medical and environmental checks beforehand.

If they had they’d have realised that the intelligent civilisation on the planet had a symbiotic relationship with a creature that, in other circumstances, would be considered a parasite, one that had an intermediary stage within the local water sources. One that was quickly destroyed by boiling the water it lived in.

By boiling the water, the civilised race were killing themselves. Toxins built up in their systems which their bodies were unable to deal with, toxins that the symbiotic parasites would normally break down.

The results could have been disastrous. If a small section of the elderly hadn’t stuck to the old ways then there would have been no control, no comparison to show what the cause might actually be. With it, the race were able to claw their way back from potential extinction. Our best forecasts suggest that at the worst point they had a matter of just weeks before most of the race succumbed and died.

The long-term impacts were still serious, though. Technological progress stalled immediately after the ill-fated intervention. We have had the planet under quarantine for more than three hundred years, now, but there is still no push for progress. Their society is locked into the belief that any deviation from the old ways will lead to death once again. By now we expected them to have flight, if not space-flight at a rudimentary level. They don’t even have any form of steam driven machinery.

In fact things are so bad that serious consideration is being given to making an exception in this case, to intervening directly to kick start progress, but the race’s previous experiences with humanity make any intervention fraught with danger.

With all these problems, there’s a strongly held view amongst those tackling this issue that the pilgrims got off lightly when they were boiled alive. One thing is constant, at least. Down on the planet they still don’t boil the water. And for that we are hugely grateful.

Dr Sevros Kasparas

Santanez Karavas Institute

235 th day, 17 th year, 903 rd cycle.

GULVARIAN BREACH - INCEPTION

There you go, Davies, said Sorvac, setting a bottle of whiskey and two glasses down on the table.

Davies fought down a sigh. He hadn’t asked for the drink. They were off duty, so it wasn’t against regulations, but it wasn’t the drink he objected to. It was what he knew was coming.

I’m not going to change my mind, Sorvac.

Change your mind about what?

Davies stared at the other man for long seconds, then shook his head. If Sorvac wanted to play it that way then fine. It was a good bottle of whiskey. It would be a shame to waste it. He picked up his glass and took a sip.

Sorvac took a bigger slug of his, then set it down.

Just six weeks to go, Davies. Six weeks and you’re done. Have you decided where you’ll retire to yet?

Davies shook his head.

I haven’t really thought about it, he said. I’ve been in the Navy for more than forty years now. I guess it’s going to take a while to get used to the idea I’ve left, and that I can choose what to do.

That was a lie. He had been in the Navy that long, that part was true, but he knew exactly where he wanted to retire to. A small place on the beach somewhere on the edge of the drylands.

He had plenty of money stashed away and had already found several properties that would be perfect. But he sure as hell wasn’t going to tell Sorvac that. He wasn’t going to give Sorvac anything that could be used as leverage against him.

I guess the options will be quite limited, said Sorvac. The retirement package for us is hardly generous.

Davies shrugged.

I don’t need that much. I’ll get by.

I guess you will. You’ve got no wife or husband, no kids, not even any surviving relatives.

Davies fought not to frown at that. The fact he’d never settled down was hardly a secret, nor was his lack of children. But the fact he had no living relatives… that would be harder to dig out.

Which suggested that Sorvac, or more likely Sorvac’s associates, had done their research on him. He forced himself to relax. If they’d been checking him out that was fine, there was nothing they could find. Even if they found out where he was thinking of retiring to there were many, many, beach-front properties on the planet. They might stop him from getting one or two he wanted, but there would be plenty of others for him to choose from.

And it wasn’t like they’d bother hunting him down to get revenge for his refusing their request. What they wanted him to do was hardly worth that much effort, and the Navy tended to take a keen interest in untimely deaths of its officers, even if they had retired.

Davies took another sip of his whiskey, and said nothing. Soon enough Sorvac spoke again.

Of course, you don’t have to struggle by on what the Navy will pay you. You could retire with a seriously large bonus.

This time Davis didn’t hide his sigh.

I already told you a dozen times, Sorvac. There’s no way I’m going to do it. You’re lucky I haven’t reported you to Command.

Sorvac shrugged.

It would be my word against yours. It’s not like anyone could prove anything after we do this. That’s the whole point!

Maybe, but it would put a cramp in your style if you knew you were always being watched going forward.

Sorvac shrugged again.

"That’ll never happen here. Gulvarian isn’t important enough a planet for Command to pay that much attention to. Besides, it’s not like I’m asking you to do anything that’s going to hurt anyone. Quite the opposite. We need you to help deliver a few luxury goods to the poor workers of the planet."

Luxury goods? Booze, drugs, and weapons? And who knows what else!

"I don’t ask the details. That wouldn’t be healthy. And I never discuss this outside of my cabin, so no one will ever have any proof. Inside here… well, I know you’re not carrying any recording or transmitting equipment. I made good use of my first unofficial bonus to make sure my cabin is bug-proof, and I’ve