to see the future. I probably would have been burned alive.”
“You still may be. The day’s young.”
She ignored her. “The truth is that I am simply very skilled at seeing the way things are now, and preparing for the way things are going to be. What it comes down to is this: I’ve studied the circumstances that brought you into existence, and I certainly know Calhoun’s capabilities better than anyone else. And I’ve considered all the possible outcomes of an extended battle between you and Mac, and am repeatedly forced to the same conclusion: You’re going to win in the end.”
Morgan studied her. “So you’re saying… what? That you want to be sure you’re on the winning side?”
“I’m saying far more than that. I want to avoid a fight between you and Calhoun altogether. The potential for collateral damage is incalculable. At the very least, we’re talking about the death of everyone on the Excalibur.”
“That’s ridiculous,” she said dismissively. “That would never happen.”
“Oh no?” Nechayev’s voice was grim. “Let’s say that Calhoun mounted an offensive that was on the verge of working, and that it took the combined efforts of everyone on the vessel to accomplish it. Let’s say it came down to you and them. What’s the simplest answer? What would you do in order to survive?”
“That would never—”
“Denying it isn’t an answer. If you felt truly threatened,” she pressed relentlessly, “if it was truly you or them, what could you do to stop them?” Morgan didn’t respond immediately, and Nechayev prompted her, “We both know. You can say it.”
When Morgan spoke, her voice was as flat and mechanical as any computer voice ever was. “I could vent the ship.”
“Exactly. Blow out every hatch, vent the air. Blast every living thing on the ship into space and let the vacuum have them. That’s not only what you could do, but what you would do. And that’s the best-case scenario. The worst case is that you lash out at every living being, like an angry god.”
“That would never happen,” but Morgan didn’t sound convincing, even to herself.
“We both know that’s not true,” Nechayev said. “And at the end of it all, you’ll still be standing while the rest of us are floating corpses in the depths of space.”
“What do you think I am,” Morgan said, bristling, “that I would do such a thing? I’m not a monster.”
“I beg to differ. That is precisely what you are.” Nechayev was implacable. “You’re not human. There is nothing like you in existence. You exceed the AI capabilities of such entities as Commander Data, and your potential for destruction is virtually limitless. Doctor Frankenstein in his laboratory could not have crafted something more threatening to all humankind. You are a monster, Morgan, and there are only two things left to be determined: just how much of a monster you are, and whether I’m going to ally myself with you or with the angry villagers armed with torches and pitchforks. For my own sake and the sake of countless lives, I’m opting for the former. So the only thing left for you to decide is whether you’re going to take advantage of that proposed alliance, or if you’re going to exist in a state of denial until everything I’ve said will happen does, in fact, happen.”
Morgan disappeared.
It wasn’t what Nechayev had expected. That alone was disturbing to her since, as she prided herself on being able to predict all possibilities, the notion that Morgan would simply vanish without saying another word wasn’t something that she had anticipated happening.
Concerned, she turned toward her desk and then gasped as she abruptly found herself nose to nose with a scowling Morgan. She jumped back out of reflex and then composed herself as quickly as she could.
“I’ve been giving a great deal of thought to what you’ve said,” said Morgan.
“Oh, have you indeed? Because from where I’m standing, you disappeared for five seconds and then popped up behind me to… I don’t know, scare the hell out of me.”
Morgan gave her a pitying look. “I can give something the human equivalent of a lifetime of thought in five seconds. Several lifetimes, in fact.”
“All right,” said Nechayev, choosing not to press matters. “And what has all that pondering led you to conclude?”
With her hands draped behind her back, Morgan did a slow circle of Nechayev, who found that action disconcerting for no reason she could readily express. “There are things you are not telling me,” Morgan said. “I’m certain of