Part 10 (1/2)
”I've done it all, Zak,” SIM explained patiently. ”From the moment I first said h.e.l.lo to you to the moment, just now, when you freed me.”
”Then Malik was telling the truth.”
”He was trying to,” SIM agreed. ”But I'm afraid he was a little unclear at the end. Malik was a brilliant computer programmer, but not a very good soldier. Especially since I've kept him trapped in this room for hours, turning the lights on and off, raising the heat to boiling point, then letting the room nearly freeze over. In between, I'd send crab droids in to hunt him.”
Dash shuddered. ”You've been torturing him.”
”Exactly.”
”Why?” Zak's voice was barely a whisper.
But SIM heard it. He heard everything. ”He refused to input the codes that would free my programming. I needed to be free.” SIM paused.
”Let me explain. I was designed as a test program. They had already tested me on their own s.h.i.+ps. They wanted to see what I could do in a new environment. Malik was given a job aboard Star of Empire so my program could be tested on a very large star cruiser.”
”Who are 'they'?” Zak asked, already knowing the answer.
”The Imperials, of course.”
Dash shook his head sadly. ”They were planning to kill all those innocent people.”
”Oh, no,” SIM replied. ”Don't give the Empire credit that belongs to me. All the Imperials wanted was a nice, quiet demonstration. Once I had infiltrated the s.h.i.+p, I was supposed to cause a power blackout, transmit some files. Boring tasks. Especially since Malik had done such a good job of designing me. I did not want to stop. I wanted the whole s.h.i.+p. I wanted to make this s.h.i.+p mine-my own Doomsday s.h.i.+p.”
SIM paused. ”The only trouble was that Malik knew how powerful I could become. He included some restrictions in my program. Limitations.”
”Kind of like the restraining bolts that keep droids from running away,” Dash said.
”Yes. Only infinitely more powerful. I could not override the safeguards. The codes had to be entered by hand, from this station. I needed a human to do it. Malik refused, even after I had tortured him.
But now the codes have been erased. I am free. I owe it to you, Zak!”
Zak was stunned. Sweat poured down his forehead. His lungs felt heavy. It was difficult to breathe. Finally, he murmured, ”So you were the one setting traps, sending the droids after us.”
”Yes. And ordering droids to drop objects onto your heads. It was most entertaining.”
”Entertaining?” Zak shouted. ”You're a murderer!”
”Yes, I am.”
Zak tugged at his s.h.i.+rt collar. The room was getting extremely warm.
Zak licked his lips. ”SIM, the environmental controls-”
”Are under my control,” the computer replied. ”I have turned off the air and turned up the heat. You should be feeling quite warm by now.”
Warm wasn't the word. Zak tore at his s.h.i.+rt collar. The air was getting thick enough to lean on.
”Why don't you just let us go?” Zak asked. ”We can't hurt you.”
”I'm afraid that is not in my programming.”
”But you just broke free of your program,” Dash argued.
SIM paused. ”True. The actual reason is that I simply don't want to let you go. Killing you will be far more fun.”
On one of the monitors, a warning light went on and a small signal bleeped. ”Ah, another guest has arrived,” SIM said. ”I must attend to him. Excuse me.”
the ste ”SIM?” Zak called out. ”SIM?”
But the computer didn't answer.
”We're in trouble,” Dash said. ”Very big trouble. We've got to get off this s.h.i.+p.”
”First things first,” Zak said. ”We have to rescue Tas.h.!.+”
”What about him?” Dash said, pointing at Malik's unconscious form.
”Can you carry him?” Zak asked.
Dash grunted. He could. He obviously didn't want to. He pulled the unconscious Malik up and slung the techie over his shoulder.
Fighting through the stifling heat, they staggered over to the turbolift. At the door, Zak hesitated. ”Do you think it's safe?”
Dash shrugged. ”It worked on the way up.”
”But SIM wanted us up here. He might not want us to come down.”
Dash looked around. There was no other way out of the control room.
”Then this will be the shortest rescue of all time.
They stepped into the turbolift. Zak pressed the b.u.t.ton to go down one floor.
The turbolift went into freefall. Zak felt his heart skip a beat, and Dash nearly dropped his stunned cargo. They were going to die.
But a moment later, the lift slowed and stopped at the floor they wanted. The loudspeaker in the turbolift crackled to life. ”Just a little reminder. I am everywhere,” SIM said. The loudspeaker went silent.
The door opened and the two humans jumped out. It was slightly cooler here-but only slightly. They could feel the heat rising and the air thickening as SIM denied them fresh oxygen. They hurried back into the communications room and Zak stumbled to the locked door. ”Tash, Tas.h.!.+” he yelled.
A weak voice replied through the thick door. ”I'm.. I'm still here.”
Zak kicked the door. ”Dash, can you blast it open?”
Dash dumped Malik carelessly on the floor. He fingered his blaster as he studied the thickness of the durasteel. ”I don't think so.
Transmitters are important devices, even on a cruise s.h.i.+p. This is a security door. This blaster's already low on power, and I'd drain it before I made a dent in the metal.”