The thermals reveal their movements. The satellites in geosynchronous orbit and the array of terrestrial cameras overlink to form a mosaic of realtime events splashed out in false colour. The aggressors, whatever they might be, are quite a lot cooler than humans, so the dials are wound up to bring them out across the grey planescape of the world, which by contrast makes the humans shine brightly in the dark. I watch as they are snuffed out in their hundreds. Soon their thousands.
The Commander watches all this with an analytical neutrality. 'Scorch everything north of lateral nine. Nuclear launches approved.'
I tear my gaze from the consoles to him. 'But all those civilians, we won't be able to evacuate in time.'
The Commander doesn't turn from the consoles. 'I know.'
A nauseating sensation tickles my throat. 'But- we have to at least try to save them? I mean, that's hundreds of thousands of people in the blast radius.'
'I know,' the Commander repeats. 'Do you have anything to add that isn't already well understood?'
My mind reaches for words that elude me in the following tide of emotion. 'You… you'd really kill all those people, just like that? Just to stop whatever they are?'
'Stop?' The Commander frowns. 'This action will stop nothing. It will merely provide us with additional time and data to better prepare against our enemy.'
It should not come as a surprise. We designed him to safeguard humanity and in his own way, that is all he is doing. He is an order of magnitude more intelligent than any living human, past or present. I should not question him. But something about his impassiveness to slaughter makes my skin crawl. Not because of his inhumanity, but rather his expression remains all too human.
Paddy Dobson
25th April 2022