KamiKazi… 

By Len Morgan 

   Carlie punched the air, “Yes!”  She’d just won ten matches in a row, and the crowd roared their delight.   In just three days she’d won the ‘human Drone pilot’ world championships.  She’d beaten ten contestants in single combat.  She’d also won the Pairs.  

   Now came the final challenge against the winner of the AI class.  The top Artificial Intelligence contestant was Majik.  It was just another game, that Carlie didn’t expect to win, AI had won ‘Final Conflict’ 10/0 over the last five years, and Majik had won three years running.  So, there was no shame in coming second. 

   She’d been so confident she could win, that she spent her downtime analyzing the attacks employed by all the AI competitors, but Majik in particular.  Majik was swift and ruthless, but Carlie detected a little predictability in the attacks.  The more she played the video clips the more she felt it would be possible to win!  However, Majik won the ‘Final Conflict’ 7/3.  Carlie felt deflated, she'd fought her best fights but she was just not good enough.  She brightened up when she realised she was the first human ever to beat Majik in competition mode. 

   She visited the restaurant area but left in a hurry after being mobbed by fans, wanting selfies and autographs…  

“If you’ll follow me I think we can escape this attention,” a young man in uniform led her into a private room. They sat at a convenient table, where a waitress left them with a pair of ornate looking menu’s.  

She gazed at the prices in disbelief, “I can’t afford anything listed here.” 

He smiled, “My name is lieutenant David Crosby.  Your meal will be on the RAF, we have a proposal for you but whatever you decide you can walk away without obligation.” 

“I could, if I knew what you were talking about…” 

“Let’s order and eat first.”  They ordered and ate in silence. “More wine Carlie?” 

“Please.  Let’s sit over there,” she indicated a snug seating area near the window.

“An unidentified group from the Eastern block have infiltrated our security and have intercepted and destroyed a number of our surveillance drones.  Once could be luck, twice coincidence?  But, it happened again yesterday…” 

“Was it a missile or a drone that attacked?”

“It was a drone, but the attack pattern didn’t match with any AI profile we’ve ever met.  The nerds are convinced the attack was from a drone driven by a human operator.” 

“Then they should be able to identify its origin.” 

“They have a general location, within a three mile radius.  We tried sending in a killer drone, but it was shot down before it even entered the area.  We need to fight fire with fire; we need a piloted drone and a pilot who’s better than him.  You are our best hope!” 

“When will your next drone be launched?” 

“According to the schedule I’ve been given, tomorrow, at noon.”

“I need to get some quality time piloting that drone.” 

“You’ll do it?” 

.-…-. 

Eight hours later, Carlie felt she had mastered the drone.  “I want two drones David, one with an AI in control, preferably Majik and one with dual controls, Majik and Me.  If it goes according to plan, I could override Majik if necessary…” 

She reviewed the unsuccessful drone flights a dozen times each, I think I have his measure she thought, his mode of attack and techniques put me in mind of ‘IvanO20’ he nearly beat me in the semi’s six months ago. I think your gook is a pilot with the handle ‘IvanO20’ and he's good."

“You know him.  But, can you beat him?” 

“I’ll have a damned good try…” 

“There’s something I didn’t tell you Carlie, one of the best drone pilots in the RAF, Guy Overton went up against him.  He destroyed our drone and honed in on Guy’s location…” 

“Did he…”

“Guy is in intensive care, we don’t know if he will pull through.”

“Wo~ah this is starting to sound serious, if he can locate me can you locate  ‘IvanO20’?”

“We can pigg-a-bak on his signal and locate him as soon as he attacks our AI drone.  But, be warned, I’ve looked him up, he is the Russian drone champion…” 

“I know, I beat him in ‘The World’s’, but my life wasn’t on the line then.” 

“We’d understand if you changed your mind.  Is there anything you want that would persuade you to stay?” 

She thought a while, poured herself more coffee, and took one of the fancies from the tray on offer. 

“I think it would be nice to learn to pilot a real jet, what would you say to that?” 

“Mmm, you know it would take you three years to graduate flying school…” 

“And…?” 

“You would still have to do basic training first.  Are you sure that is what you want?” 

“That’s what I want.  Look on the bright side, I may lose the fight…’ 

“There is that…  I’ll see what I can arrange.” 

.-…-. 

“You’ve been enrolled provisionally in an ‘RAF fighter training program’.  It’ll cost the taxpayers a fortune because I’m convinced you can nab Ivan.” 

“Will I be in a position to take him down?” 

“Of course, as soon as we have his coordinates they will be sent to the drones navcon.”  Do you want to eat first?

“No, I fight better on an empty stomach, let’s go!”

She strapped herself into the drone pilot’s seat, and both drones took off on their pre-planned route.  She would interfere as little as possible, letting them both behave as standard AI-driven drones.    

Two hours later as they approached the area where they thought Ivan0 was located, a third drone appeared in the sky.  

“So you return for another lesson in drone fighting ‘GuyFox’!  I’m gonna give you another beating…” 

“Ivan, is that you?  This is ‘Carlie.  Guy won’t be coming anytime soon your last drone followed his carrier signal and crashed on his location…” 

“I didn’t know, they never told me it was for real, he was an excellent opponent, he was almost as good as you…” 

Majik's drone zero’ed in on Ivan, Carlie tried to take over control of the drone but failed. 

“Ivan, get out of there, you’re about to be bombed for real!”  Seconds later, there was an explosion and the contact was broken.  

“He never knew it was for real, I’ve taken out an innocent man,” she thought as she closed down her connection. 

That evening she was in a low state, “how could I have been so gullible,” she thought. 

Then her Laptop announced ‘YOU HAVE MAIL’:

Thank you for the warning Carlie, I got out just in time.  I was up for taking out spy drones, but not harming fellow DP's, No sport in that! I plan to resign from the ‘Counter Espionage Program’.  So I’ll see you in the ‘Worlds’ next year.  

Carlie smiled, so she wouldn’t be going to the ‘RAF fighter training program’ after all, but she’d made a new BF in Ivan0.