Daria 2 Read online

  D.A.R.I.A.

  Book Two

  By

  Martin E. Silenus

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  Martin E. Silenus

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  Table of Contents

  Introduction

  Previously

  Chapter 1: Music

  Chapter 2: The Daesh Camp

  Chapter 3: Setting Sail

  Chapter 4: Dae Sun

  Chapter 5: Kevin

  Chapter 6: Quiet Night Chats

  Chapter 7: Dangerous Waters

  Chapter 8: Pirates

  Chapter 9: Goodbye Cheryl

  Chapter 10: Landfall at Rabat

  Chapter 11: On the Road

  Chapter 12: The Desert

  Chapter 13: The SSW Device

  Chapter 14: The Wave

  Chapter 15: More Contracts

  Chapter 16: Monster

  Chapter 17: Sidi Bel Abbes

  Chapter 18: France

  Chapter 19: Scania

  Chapter 20: Monsieur Devereux

  Chapter 21: Neuilly Sur Seine

  Chapter 22: A Strawman and the Enforcer

  Chapter 23: The Plan

  Chapter 24: Game On

  Chapter 25: Discussion and Confession

  Chapter 26: Juthamah

  Chapter 27: Brussels

  Chapter 28: Kukri

  Chapter 29: SHAPE

  Chapter 30: Op Time

  Chapter 31: Deviation from Plan

  Chapter 32: Stress and Strain

  Chapter 33: Switzerland

  Chapter 34: Trouble in Paradise

  Chapter 35: The Details

  Chapter 36: The Ugly Stuff

  Chapter 37: Childhood Revenge

  Chapter 38: Gang War

  Chapter 39: Street Skids

  Chapter 40: Re-engineering

  Chapter 41: Virtual Reality Sex

  Introduction

  I am a vigorous supporter of G.R.I.N. Specifically, Genetics, Robotics, Information Tech, and Nanotechnology. Yes, a vigorous supporter of human evolution and development utilizing all of the tools we currently have at our disposal. Why would a human be any other? Our role is to learn, propagate and contribute back into the society which made us. To further mankind, advance our evolutionary existence and take life to the next level.

  In my lifetime alone we have made exciting strides forward in Medicine, Computers, Internet, and global instantaneous communications. We have so much more information, more data, to base our opinions and decisions on now. It is hard to believe it has been achieved over the short span of less than a lifetime, how remarkable and wonderful.

  I do not bode fools well, nor do I bode well those who stand in the way of human evolution. Braying like frightened donkeys at the thought of human change. Struggling to keep us locked in the medieval non-relevant grip of various flavored antiquated religions.

  It is true due diligence, best business practices, and industry standards must be employed to move forward in a controlled informed and calculated fashion. To ensure such practices are followed more resource research dollars need to be committed.

  Our collective intelligence is to be cultivated and nurtured to further our evolution including human/genetic/technology/robotic/nanotechnology integration and augmentation. We must move forward with proper process, resources and vigor!

  Martin E. Silenus

  Previously in Book One of D.A.R.I.A.

  Mathew G. Southam, an unemployed veteran of the Afghanistan conflict, runs across an Army buddy of his by the name of Frosty while pursuing an interest in technology and artificial intelligence. He and Frosty had worked together on a very smart AI system called D.A.R.I.A, an acronym for Digital Attack & Recon Information Access, used by the military in Afghanistan. It turns out Frosty “liberated” a copy of the AI code when he was discharged and has been upgrading and improving it. The two get together and over some libations discuss the new and improved D.A.R.I.A. Frosty boasts about the AI capabilities, Matt figures it is too good to be true and calls bullshit. Frosty challenges Matt to use his AI system to nick a bottle of expensive wine from a Liquor Store just down the street and across the block. Matt is skeptical but humors Frosty and accepts the challenge. What he finds is an extremely smart seemingly sentient AI system with more capabilities than he can imagine. Upon successfully stealing the expensive wine Matt and Frosty drink the wine and discuss joining forces to locate, capture, deliver to police, and collect the bounty on Bail Bond jumpers. They reach an agreement and Matt meets D.A.R.I.A for the first time. He is stunned by her beautiful holograph. She is thirty something, maybe five foot six inches tall, 110 lbs. or so, soft blond shoulder length hair, wearing a dark blue business suit, looking very healthy and fit. D.A.R.I.A or “D” as he nicknames her blows him away as he not only finds her very attractive but also brilliant as she introduces him to some of their super tech weapons which Frosty and her have developed. An alliance is formed between Matt, Frosty and D to “collect bad guys and get bounty money”. The arrangement is very successful and soon covert government opportunities manifest themselves and the stakes increase tremendously. Accordingly the three of them find themselves performing some extremely secure covert black operations. Frosty has cash to buy more sophisticated computer hardware and software, Matt is making money hand over fist, and D has a partner in Matt who can discuss the nature of humans with her so she can attempt to satisfy her thirst for learning. Matt soon forgets D is a sentient AI system and becomes emotionally attracted to and increasingly dependent on D.

  Matt, Frosty, and D are relaxing in their secluded mountain camp and beginning to plan and make preparation on the logistics for transportation and how to attack an Islamic Muslin terrorist camp in the North African desert.

  Chapter 1: Music

  It’s late at night, there’s a pine smell in the cool mountain air, and a light breeze is sighing in the evergreen trees. Moonlight makes shapes and surroundings look fuzzy, a dream world at peace and resting. In the distance a pack of coyotes yip and yodel.

  I have awakened from a light sleep, I don’t know why as I am very comfortable, but I sense someone has been in the dream state with me and has been watching me. Not malevolent you understand, just watching and providing a sense of comfort.

  “Matt, are you sleeping...?” asks DARIA?

  Her soft voice speaks in my head via nanotechnology, as she is physically on the other side of our hidden encampment some fifty yards away.

  “Hmm, not really D, just kind of drifting and dreaming, why?”

  “Do you like music?”

  “Yup, for the most part, it’s very powerful.”

  “Do all humans like music?”

  “Most do, but some way more than others.”

  “I’ve been listening to The Eagles, do you like the Eagles?”

  “I do, a wonderful group, though for the longest time I had trouble understanding their music.”

  “Why was that?”

  “I think perhaps the music was speaking to things I had yet to experience.”

  “Like what?”

  “Hmm, things like lost lovers, broken hearts, excitement of new loves, affairs of the heart, and those sorts of things.”

  “Why do you call it, affairs of the heart?”

  “Well, human emotions are very powerful, and severe loss or intense love can be felt physically in the chest area and so these sensory feelings are referred to as “affairs of the heart”. And it’s the nature of humans to classify and categorize such things for easy reference.” I reply.

  “I like the piece of music called Desperado; I like the phrasing, the tones, notes, and chord structure and particularly the h
armonies. It seems sad, but I don’t understand some of the words. What are they singing about?” asks D.

  “Yeah, I can see why you would ask as there are some subtleties in the song. Well D I’m sure no authority on such things but as best I can explain it the song is about a person who has been hurt very badly by a love gone wrong and has vowed not to let it happen to them again. They have become guarded and perhaps jaded. In addition they tend to try to undo the past as in “mending fences”. The song suggests they should reconsider their position before it is too late and move on with life and let someone else love them.”

  “Humans are so complex in these matters Matt, and so difficult to understand as the logic is not evident in their speech and dialogue.”

  “No question about it D. People also struggle to understand and come to grips with the emotions which relationships generate. And they don’t necessarily express themselves clearly as they are not sure how to. Sometimes the music itself and the emotions the music invoke in people is the best way they can express themselves.”

  “Thanks Matt, I appreciate the insights and clarity.

  “No problem D, anytime.” I reply as I roll over and get comfy.

  It’s quiet, the pine smell, the sigh of the breeze; I’m drifting off to sleep again.

  “Matt, another question I have is around the music of Georges Bizet?

  “Good grief D, that’s a long way from the Eagles.”

  “Is it? Well it appears there are human emotional similarities, though once again I don’t clearly understand.”

  “D honey, the only Bizet music I know is “Je Croix Entendre Encore” from the opera The Palefishes, as performed by the English dude from Pink Floyd, what’s his name, ahh, David Gilmore.”

  “Yes that’s the one, it’s a lovely piece of music, can you explain it?”

  I hear the music playing in my head, along with D’s questions.

  “I’ve always enjoyed Pink Floyd, its beautiful isn’t it, notice how the cello and oboe are used to create the sense of tension in the opening passages. This is a classic story of human tragedy, as opera’s often are, it deals with one of humanities most dangerous relationship types, the love triangle, where two men love the same woman, or two women love the same man. In this particular instance it is two male friends who are both in love with the same woman. The singer is bemoaning the fact he will lose either a friend or lover before this tragedy is over. Of course he desperately wants the woman to love him, but is terribly saddened it will destroy his friend and thereby a valued friendship. Accordingly it is called a tragedy as none of the protagonists will win without suffering a dreadful loss. Do you enjoy the choir D?”

  “I do, very much. It just seems humans spend an enormous amount of time attempting to initiate and maintain relationships with the opposite sex don’t they?”

  “Yes they do, it is hardwired into the genetic makeup of humans to establish relationships, pair and multiply, and to raise the next generation. It seems humanity has but two tasks, one, to contribute as best they can to the current society collective, and two, to multiply and raise the next generation.”

  “How do you know about such things in this degree of detail Matt?”

  “Well D I am human, and have lived for a while and experienced life. And I ... um, took some classes to help me understand.”

  “Why have you not paired and multiplied Matt?”

  “Jeez D, well I ... um, I haven’t found the correct woman to spend my life with and to raise our children.”

  “I want to be the woman Matt, I want to spend my life with you and raise our children.”

  “Very sweet of you to say D, but there are some obvious difficulties with your plan seeing as how you are an AI with a hologram.”

  “I know, and I am working on that. Good night Matt.”

  “Good night D.”

  Chapter 2: The Daesh Camp

  “I’m confused, is it called ISIS, ISIL, IS or Daesh?” I ask.

  “Originally it was ISIL, then after 2014 it was IS, or ISIS, and most recently the acronym Daesh has been used as it is an insult and the group hates its use.” chuckles Frosty.

  “Hey guys, check this out.” says D.

  We are sprawled comfortably in chairs in the computer facility with D who is standing on her holographic projection pedestal, pointing at the wall of linked monitors.

  The monitor wall lights up with a first person view from a drone, looking down on the Daesh camp in North Africa.

  “Now that’s impressive. How in the world did you get that?” I ask.

  “The signals are all out there, you just need to know where to look. I knew the US Military would be monitoring the camp because they asked us to destroy it. So it is a target of particular interest to them. I searched until I found the signal, unencrypted it and got this. Not too shabby eh, notice it is real time surveillance.” chuckles D.

  The view is amazingly clear, when zoomed in you can identify people by their facial features. Incredible considering the drone is at least six miles up in the sky.

  The Daesh base is huge, like a small town, not as perfectly uniform as US bases are, but a town all the same. Tents, trailers and sea-cans, interspersed with temporary barracks buildings as used in mining, lumbering, oil camps all over the world.

  There are men and women involved in physical training over at the obstacle course, firearms training over there, bomb making and testing at the remote tent off from the rest beyond the small dune. Army trucks lumbering in from the trail leading off into the dunes hauling supplies from the closest port I suppose. An occasional SUV comes roaring in out of the dunes, bodyguards jump out and carefully form a ring around some cleric and escort him into a building.

  Satellite dishes canted skyward, forests of antennas on a clutch of temporary housing units. Apparently this is the command and control center of the camp installation.

  “Jeez, and how do you propose to make all this lot disappear D?” I ask.

  “Hmm, got some ideas,” was all D would say with a smile.

  Frosty just chuckles.

  Chapter 3: Setting Sail

  Frosty has been in contact with some of his old military buddies who are involved in working at the Virginia dock yards. The correct people have been notified, the correct bribes paid, arrangements made, and the process understood. D has thoroughly investigated how to obtain the paperwork to transport a sea-can container through the docks and onto a ship bound for North Africa. And of course passage for two humans, to look after the so called Oil Geo-Survey equipment in the sea-can. I’ve been uneasy about the whole thing; this uber stealth stuff is fraught with peril. Anyone person involved can roll over under sufficient pressure and derail the whole damn exercise. Leaving us stuck in a world of shit.

  Both Frosty and I have grown shaggy beards; we looked like terrorists, how sweet is that?

  It’s been a very busy time, researching and fabricating specialized equipment, packing gear, preparing the semi for the trip to the Virginia port dock yards. Not to mention the long road trip across central USA. We finally find our way there, though I doubt we could have without D’s amazing navigational programs. The semi is parked in long term storage area, the huge dockyard forklifts have moved D’s sea-can to the staging area, where the gantry cranes will pick her up and set her on the ship’s deck. Frosty and I have boarded under false passports posing as Liberian Oil Geo-Survey technicians and been assigned to cabins on the medium sized container cargo ship called Dae Sun. Our voyage will take us to the port of Rabat in Morocco. It’s a relatively inconspicuous place to dock, and make final preparations to set out for the remainder of the journey to the Daesh encampment.

  Chapter 4: Dae Sun

  The ship is some eight hundred feet in length, blue hull, with white superstructure projecting upward six decks, positioned three quarters of the way to the stern of the ship. The very top deck is the bridge and it protrudes out farther each side than the lower decks. The roof of the bridge is adorned in
rotating dishes, satellite dishes, radar dishes and antennae, and more antennae. Rear and forward main decks are stacked four to five layers deep in sealed Sea Containers containing lord knows what all; electronics, produce, automobiles, agriculture equipment, furniture, you name it and it’s likely in a container on the deck of the ship. D’s container is positioned second stack back from the bow of the ship up on the second layer. She will have an unrestricted view forward of the ocean.

  The ship is orderly and neat, not fancy, just well cared for and very functional. The crew is wearing clean uniforms and moving about to their respective assigned task with an air of efficiency. The Dae Sun exudes an air of effectiveness and confidence as does her crew. It calms my somewhat jagged nerves.

  Captain Stevens is an amiable sort, with thoughtful eyes, a well-trimmed beard, and only one arm, the other ending just above his elbow. He would stroke his beard slowly while pondering you, weighing your credibility. I doubt very much he believes for a minute we are Liberians, but he never questions and keeps his peace. He had been in the US Navy for years and so we have a common military bond to provide us with hours of conversation and fellowship. For the most part we were careful to stay out of the crew’s way, but on occasion the Captain invites us to the bridge and we quite enjoy learning the operation of the ship, the various instruments, and attempting to understand how it all works. In addition we enjoy the Chief Engineer giving us a tour of the engine room. Massive, just massive, it is so hard to grasp the scope of its size, and how immaculately clean everything is. The Chief is very proud of his facilities and we make sure we are very complementary to him, he beams.

  Cheryl is the First Officer, a bit unusual I suppose but professional women sailors are not rare. The love of the sea and travel are a sirens call to many people. Cheryl is very attractive, well I found her attractive, Frosty was politely indifferent, and D immediately hates Cheryl’s guts. She is tall and very well built, but doesn’t flaunt it, reddish short hair, symmetrical face, green eyes, carries herself with poise and professionalism, and has a smile that can illuminate a room. As both Frosty and I are linked very closely to D via nanotechnology D is privy to conversations perhaps she should not have been. As Cheryl and I began to flirt D is aware of what is going on and potentially developing. It is not a short trip from Virginia to Rabat and Cheryl and I have plenty of time to get acquainted. Privately acquainted actually, particularly when we are on the lower decks of the ship close to the engine room. The amount of insulating steel, electronic noise, and mechanical vibration served to partially block D from some of Cheryl’s and mine more intimate moments, of which there will be plenty.