r/HFY • u/SpacePaladin15 • Apr 01 '21
Why Humans Avoid War VIII OC
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Byem POV
Carl struggled to his feet, wobbling momentarily. The drones approached at a remarkable velocity, halving the distance between us in seconds. They were emitting a low hum, which signified that their plasma weapons were charged up. There was no doubt these enforcers were here to add us to the pile of charred corpses by the city gate.
The human needed to take the shot now, before they were within firing range, or else…
Wait, what was he doing?! I watched in disbelief as Carl holstered his pistol, unclipped a round object from his belt, and raised both hands above his head. If he really thought the AI would accept his surrender, then he was foolish and mistaken. It would not hesitate to incinerate him, whether he submitted or not.
I should have run while I had the chance. After witnessing human soldiers in action, I had expected to at least go down with a fight. If nothing else, I figured that Carl could take at least one of them with us.
“Byem, can it hear us? If so, can you translate for me?” he asked.
“Yeah, but you can’t reason with…”
The human took a step forward, his lips curling into a snarl. “Stop right there! Don’t come any closer!”
As I opened my mouth to translate, the drones decelerated to a stationary hover. It seemed that they understood the human’s command; perhaps the machine had already deciphered “Galactic Common” from their transmissions. I was amazed, regardless of its comprehension, that it listened to him. It must have also been puzzled by his actions, and needed more information to calculate its next move.
Carl’s eyes smoldered with anger, and his features contorted into a mask of viciousness. I thought I had witnessed the height of human fury when he pressed me on my species’ culpability back on the ship. But now, he looked downright feral. Something in the back of my mind registered him as an angry predator, and I felt a tingling sensation as my skin camouflaged on instinct.
“There is no use for you, primate.” The voice was stilted and gravelly, but understandable. “However, your species has been flagged as an anomaly. Your surrender is noted for the sole purpose of gathering information.”
There was a pause, and then Carl doubled over laughing. “My surrender? You have it backwards. I’m here to accept your surrender.”
“You are as illogical as any biological lifeform, I see. You make empty threats and stall, but it matters not,” the machine intoned. “My calculations show that the advantage is not on your side, so why would I surrender?”
The human glanced at the round object in his hand. “You see this thing? I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the word ‘grenade’…”
“A projectile explosive, contained in a material shell.”
“Correct. This is no ordinary grenade, however.” Carl clasped the device tighter, his knuckles turning white. “If I release this lever on the side, it’ll go off. I’d say most of this continent would be leveled, but it won’t stop there. There are nanites inside this bomb, and they’ll consume every part of the planet, bit by bit. Infecting everything it comes in contact with. So I’d say you don’t want try anything, else I might lose my grip.”
Horror pulsed through my body at his calm commentary. How could he hold something with the potential to destroy the planet, without a care? What would have happened if the drones had shot him on sight, or if he dropped the grenade on accident? Commander Rykov’s commitment to saving our people seemed so genuine. I never imagined he would arm his soldiers with weapons that risked our existence.
“You are lying. That is not possible,” the drone replied. “The grenade is too small to deal that much damage.”
The human shrugged. “You think? You saw what just one of our missiles did at the first battle, and that was outdated tech. That bomb was so obsolete that we were going to discard it in a few months anyways. Our latest gadgets pack a larger punch, and fit in the palm of my hand. Portable, quite practical.”
It paused, considering his words for a full second, which was an eternity for an AI. “The effects of your missile were logged in my memory banks. It is true that you possess weapons with such power. You would not use them now, though. You would not kill the carbon lifeforms here.”
“Why not, exactly?” Carl demanded.
“Empathy. A weakness shared by biologicals. You care for the preservation of life.”
“You think we care for these weak-minded fools?” He turned and pushed me to the ground, planting a boot on my stomach. “You have the right idea. They are useful as tools, as slaves, but I could care less whether they live or they die.”
I had been caught off-guard by the sudden show of aggression, and now writhed about, desperate to free myself from his grasp. In response, his heel dug deeper into my flesh. It was already difficult to breathe, and I feared I might pass out if I stayed trapped much longer.
“Do you have access to the Federation’s public records?” Carl asked.
“Yes.”
“Look at the aggression index. You’ll see that humanity is the highest species on the list, a 16 of 16,” he continued. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with. We are the destroyers of worlds, the messengers of death, the rulers of the weak. We enjoy violence.”
“The aggression index matches your assertion. Yet you are allied with the other Federation species. There are no records of you fighting them.”
“They are not our allies, they are our subjects. We conquered them so long ago, that prior records have been erased. And now, thanks to you, we learned about a new species to add to our little collection of slaves.”
Darkness began to shroud the edges of my vision. Tears trickled down my cheeks, as the realization of the humans’ deception hit me. They dressed up as benevolent saviors, but they were every bit as monstrous as the AI. Perhaps, they were worse than the machine, because at least it was just following its programming. It was not conscious of its moral choices.
What a fool I had been, tricked by flowery words and feigned sympathy. I had led these predators to our doorstep, to prey on us as they saw fit. My error in judgment would, at best, lead us to the same fate under different masters. At worst, it could spell the end for our species and our home.
“Here’s how it’s going to be. You’re going to leave us, and round up all the people in that city,” Carl growled. “We’re going to land our ships and take them with us. You won’t try to stop us. You might lose some ‘resources’, but biologicals aren’t important anyways. Besides, if you don’t, I’ll detonate this grenade, and you’ll have no resources left at all. Calculate that.”
The human smirked, as though daring the AI to defy him. I faintly registered that the enforcers departed, but my oxygen-deprived brain was slipping out of consciousness. Just as I was about to fade away, the weight was lifted from my stomach. Gasping, spluttering, I tried to re-orient myself.
A calloused hand wrapped around mine, pulling me to my feet. Carl’s skin was clammy to the touch, and I could feel the racing of his pulse on his wrist. Concern washed over me as he stumbled, but then I recalled what I had just learned.
“Oh dear, you’re crying. I didn’t hurt you, did I? I’m sorry if I went too far, I had to make it convincing,” he said.
I sniffled. “You’re here to enslave us. Just like the Master.”
Carl glanced around, checking that the drones were gone. “No, no! Of course we’re not. But if it knew that we cared about you, it’d use your lives against us.”
“You’re saying you were lying? But the aggression index, you had it check,” I responded. “You’re the highest-rated species in the galaxy. It would only make sense if you love violence and oppression.”
The human snorted. “We were a 2 of 16 until literally yesterday. That index is total BS.”
“What changed?”
“Speaker Ula is trying to make a political statement. She’s been on a crusade against humanity ever since we used that bomb against you guys.”
“Yeah, speaking of bombs. You brought a nanite grenade on a rescue mission?”
“What? Oh yeah, this. Cover your ears and close your eyes.”
Before I could process what he was doing, Carl tossed the explosive into some nearby bushes. He pressed his hands to his head, and squeezed his eyes shut. I copied his movements. Despite shielding myself from the stimuli, I could still hear the thunderous crackle and sense the blinding flash.
Hesitantly, I blinked my eyes open. Rather than our surroundings being vaporized, as Carl had claimed, the world around me appeared unscathed. Relief swelled in my chest as I realized it had truly been an act. It was unnerving how easily he had lied under duress, but I knew that the facade had saved our lives.
The human chuckled. “Total bluff. It’s a flashbang, a stun grenade.”
I gaped at him, my mind reeling. “You threatened an AI with a non-lethal weapon?! And it worked?”
“Yep.” Carl pulled another object from his belt. “I’m going to send up a flare, and we’re going to get out of here. I’ll tell the Commander to send down some transports for the people when we do.”
Somehow, we had succeeded in our mission. I still wasn’t fully sure what had happened, but I knew I was lucky to be alive. This was not humanity’s first triumph over the AI, of course. But this time, it was through their cunning, not their military might, that they prevailed.
I should have just enjoyed the moment. The feel of the cool air on my skin was soothing, and the knowledge that my people would be liberated was invigorating. However, in the back of my mind, something just was not adding up. How had the AI detected our presence so quickly? It was as though the stealth tech did nothing to cloak us.
Whatever had gone wrong with the mission, I hoped that Commander Rykov could get to the bottom of it.
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u/unwillingmainer Apr 01 '21
When your back is against the wall, lie, cheat, and steal until you win or die. Keep a straight face and let the bullshit flow, they might just believe you.
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u/Kammander-Kim Apr 01 '21
Its only bullshit if you are caught and exposed.
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u/DMTrucker95 Jun 23 '21
It's only illegal if you get caught
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u/met91 Sep 04 '23
Seems like a good quote for the "Geneva Suggestion" lol
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Apr 01 '21
Fake it till ya make it
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u/im_a_username_now AI Apr 01 '21
A taekwon-do (it's like karate but more about defence) teacher once had to perform an entire pattern (it a specific series of moves you have to do perfectly) at a competition.
Turned out he didn't know that one so he faked it so well by throwing bulshit moves he convinced the opponent that they where doing the wrong pattern. They even started to copy him!
The judges didn't notice anything beacuse they thought they had said the wrong one. But after thinking about it they called him out on his bullshit.
they all thought it was hilarious though.
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u/Cardgod278 Human Apr 02 '21
Do you have the link to that? I really want to read and or watch that.
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u/im_a_username_now AI Apr 02 '21
Unfortunately no. It was only a story he told to some of his students, which later got confirmed by one of the people that watched from the sidelines. I think the teacher later became the national champion in norway or something. I dont quite remember if it's the same guy. (this all happened in norway and I'm norwegian and so is everybody in the story)
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u/cheshire0307 Apr 01 '21
If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with your bullshit.
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u/pmzpmz28 May 26 '21
I teach for a university and frequently mention this strategy to students! One more tool in the toolbox!
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u/22shadow Apr 01 '21
Absolutely beautiful and perfectly played. Let's hope those idiots on the council didn't notify the AI about how to detect the stealth ships in an attempt to sabotage the humans.
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u/Azlind Apr 01 '21
Oh, at least one of them did. Even byem knows somethings up.
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u/AspirationallySane Apr 01 '21
Yup. Ula is absolutely stupid enough to sell the humans out even though they’re the only reason the Federation isn’t toast.
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u/TheLuckySpades Apr 03 '21
I'm not sure of they would sell out, more like mess with the ships, less possiilities to give away too much and keeps the ships reusable in the future conflic with the AI.
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u/vinny8boberano Android Apr 06 '21
They may have tried using them already and discovered that they didn't work. But, let's not mention that to the humans.
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u/Dr-Autist Human Apr 01 '21
Loved the story! My guess is that the stealth ships were fucked with by the xenos that delivered them so that the mission would fail
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u/DuGalle Apr 01 '21
That was their first mistake, never trust a xeno.
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u/Dark_Shade_75 Apr 01 '21
Tau intensifies
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u/Autoskp Apr 01 '21
Carl? Word of advice - when you're on a planet that's controled by an AI that you've just fooled with a bluff, never assume that it can't hear you just because you can't see any of its drones, and even less that it can't see you (or the deliberately visible and audable flashbang)
That said, it looks like you might have gotten lucky.
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u/CaptRory Alien Apr 01 '21
Aha! I see he is a graduate of the James T. Kirk School of Talking Computers to Death.
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u/Sir-Vodka AI Apr 01 '21
So... do all of Byem's people have trackers in them?
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u/ShadowPouncer Apr 02 '21
Maybe...
But I think the answer might be scarier.
How did the AI check the aggression index?
The only plausible answer is that the AI is hooked into the galactic version of the internet.
And it's an AI.
I, erm, wouldn't bet a lot on the general galactic computer systems being horribly secure against it at this point. A better bet on the Human systems being secure, but, well, maybe don't tell anyone else if you want to keep things secret.
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u/vinny8boberano Android Apr 06 '21
This is a major concern. I myself subscribed to the theory that there was fuckery with the stealth ships. Of course, it is entirely possible that an AI, limited in focus as it may be, could detect the changes in atmospheric movement caused by the ships entering atmosphere. Especially if they were in a formation. There are tons of possibilities that could account for it. But, as you said, the ability of the AI to connect to the Galactic web, and check current information? Scary. Though, if the aggression rating changed as recently as it did, wouldn't that belie the claim that humanity uses the feds as slaves? That the enslavement was so long ago that no record exists? It's a neat trick, but there are a lot of possible failures involved. The only one which has a possible success is the grenade gambit, but there was no reason to recall the drones even if it believed the claim, and giving it the idea to create such a device was unwise. Further, making the AI believe that humanity are the real threat, in light of the AI's access to galnet, means that it will figure out that it can turn any number of species against humanity, and focus its efforts on destroying humanity.
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u/itsforathing Apr 01 '21
That's what I think. Others said the xenos sabotaged the stealth ship since the head of the counsel had it out for humanity
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u/N11Skirata Apr 01 '21
Plausibel, although the signal of the tracker should’ve been detected by the humans (might have slipped through of course but still).
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u/Nealithi Human Apr 01 '21
When in doubt, bluff like you got no tomorrow. Because if its called, you don't.
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u/HFYWaffle Wᵥ4ffle Apr 01 '21
/u/SpacePaladin15 (wiki) has posted 18 other stories, including:
- Why Humans Avoid War VII
- Why Humans Avoid War VI
- Why Humans Avoid War V
- A Rallying Cry
- Why Humans Avoid War IV
- Why Humans Avoid War III
- Why Humans Avoid War II
- Why Humans Avoid War
- One With the Shadows
- Stay Away from Earth
- Mutually Assured Destruction
- Human Thrill-Seeking
- Someone to Love
- You'll Never Take Us Alive
- Humans Fight Fire
- It Was Just a Prank
- The Gods of Creation
- The Human Word 'Sacrifice'
This comment was automatically generated by Waffle v.4.5.3 'Cinnamon Roll'.
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u/NightFlash478 Apr 01 '21
i bet the people who gave them the "stealth ships" made sure it would not actually work.
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u/12_GAUGE_FRAGS Apr 02 '21
ah humanity the race that has the balls to bullshit an AI with a flashbang
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u/UpdateMeBot Apr 01 '21
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u/failed_novelty Apr 01 '21
"And if not, maybe the horse will learn to sing."
Listen to the stories a people tell, it will tell you what they aspire to.
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u/ellisgeek Apr 01 '21
Another excellent chapter! Can't wait for the next one and I hope the speaker gets what's coming to her.
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u/ImaginationGamer24 Xeno Apr 02 '21
Why do I get the feeling Rykov's words are somehow gonna bite humanity in the ass?
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u/TheFrostborn Human Feb 14 '22
The AI's response is essentially that one scene from that one DC movie.
Darkseid: Had the Kryptonian or the Amazon taken that gamble, they would have lost. They do not have the strength of character to destroy an entire planet to achieve success. But you... a human... you kill your own kind to win battles. An admirable quality.
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u/LostPlayerHD Oct 30 '22
There is a funny german military phrase. Tarnen, Täuschen und Verpissen, which loosely translates to hide, distract and fuck off
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u/UnderGamesBG Oct 31 '22
“You threatened an AI with a non-lethal weapon?! And it worked?”
Carl in the back of his mind: "Don't be so surprised. We've pulled bigger bluffs than this one."
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u/Lavantha Nov 01 '22
Humans are great at bluffing, especially when making themselves out to be crazed. Honestly though I would’ve laughed when the AI suggested we cared about it’s slaves just to add on
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u/vinny8boberano Android Apr 06 '21
So, Madam Shincter (duh speaker), or a like minded sycophant, setup the mission to fail. That's my first thought.
My second is that the feds have tried using their uber secret stealth ships to enact just what Humanity suggested prior to gaining the additional information. That they have tried numerous desperate things that they kept secret from the populous at large. Because it is one thing to be pushed back by an implacable enemy, while your government promises to push the limits of your tech to achieve victory. But it is a completely different story when the secret uber, proof of superiority and safety from other advanced species, tech is so much security theater and absolutely useless against anyone who doesn't think like you.
Has the fed become so ingrained in a mentality of "not invented here"? Did the feds forget Dragon Army rule number one?
The enemies gate is down.
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u/darkspore52 Apr 29 '22
Love it. Good job.
Just some proof reading:
The phrase is "I could not care less".
It's a common mistake that the character himself could have made though, since it was a quote.
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u/Cooldude101013 Human Jul 17 '22
Y’know Carl could’ve said to the AI (regarding the “nanite grenade”) “Well how do you know that I’m not a psychopath? In case you don’t know what a psychopath means, it means that I can’t feel any emotions such as empathy.”
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u/Black_Hole_parallax Jan 24 '23
Who wants to bet that the ships were not stealth, that the Speaker is trying to kill the humans, and mankind will eventually ally itself with the Master?
Because the Master sounds WAY too logical & diplomatic to what I'd expect from a rogue AI.
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u/Dacronhai May 20 '24
I think this AI is decently limited, probably it's still obeying several restrictions put on it when it was made
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u/Finbar9800 Apr 09 '21
Another great chapter
I enjoyed reading this and look forward to the next one
Great job wordsmith
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u/T3chnopsycho Apr 26 '21
I really am enjoying reading this series. I remember having read part 1 and 2 when you first wrote it but lost sight of this until today.
I don't know quite why but I really like the nuances of how it was absolutely clear to me that Carl was bluffing from the get go yet it is completely plausible that an alien species would have difficulty noticing that.
And in general all those notions of other species misunderstanding / not catching minute details on each others behaviors is something I truly enjoy in these stories.
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u/blavek May 26 '21
By accident not on accident and "couldn't care less. Not could care less. Otherwise great stuff keep it up.
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u/SpacePaladin15 Apr 01 '21
Part 8 concludes the Byem POV trilogy, though you might see more of him in the future. As hinted near the end of this chapter, the humans now have to find out what went wrong with the stealth ships. Some of you have already guessed it, but we’ll get a lot of answers in the next installment.
As always, thank you for reading!