New snippet from the Upcoming new Series - Shades of Learning.

Progress on the new book is good. I have 15 chapters written and should be done by the end of the week. My beta readers and editors are working like little worker bees and are rushing as much as I to get this one finished and off my computer so I can get started on the next Athena Lee book! Check out this snippet:

“Sir, are those CATTs some kind of AI?”

“Cadet Eberly why do you say that?”

“We watched one enter the cafeteria. It independently did something. I have worked with Military AI’s and they are too stupid to do something like that.”

“Yes they are some kind of AI. You two just joined the secrets act. Expect paperwork on that soon. For now talk about this and go directly to jail and not the fun kind. Understand?” He looked intently at the both of us.

“There is at least one true AI in the galaxy. Commander Athena Lee has possession of one that she acquired a few years ago. He, the AI, agreed to make dumber copies of himself and allow us to use them. The new RAM robots and the CATTs are products of this. They follow instructions but have independent thought. The CATTs more than the RAMs, those are more like the classic droids. We don’t know about the CATTs so far they take instructions. So far.”

We sat there in silence for a moment. There were Super Cats on the planet after all.

“This is what we are going to do. The two of you will keep your mouths shut about this whole incident. Cadet Tisiphone promise to keep your name out of as much of this as we can. If you see a CATT ignore it. They have a job to do and so far are doing a good job. Go back to the dorms. Dismissed.”

Lena gave me another hug as we left the office. She was so happy I was OK. I promised myself that I would fight the next time that someone tried to arrest me.

We kept our word and did not seek out the CATTs. I did catch movement from time-to-time out of the corner of my eye so I knew they were still around. The possible scandal of the security group never came to light. Rumor had it they stepped over the line and gave a ticket it the commandant. If only people knew. The new Militia guards were very nice and in some cases grandfatherly. Being old did not stop them from putting the hammer down on a neck or two if cadets got too rowdy. Old does not mean stupid.

It was almost two weeks to the day when we saw a CATT again.

The day was very long. The obstacle course class was kicking my ass. I had gotten my time down to forty-five minutes so I was getting there. Weapons and tactics had progressed to actual tactics. Using one of the courses we now played paintball during class. I was dead on my feet when I returned to the dorm. Lena was sitting at her desk staring at me when I walked in.

“Are you OK? You look paler than usual.” She pointed at my side of the room.

“Meow!”