Far out in deep space on a terraformed asteroid …


    “The power’s out again!” said Samuel Jacobs. “Shouldn’t it be self-repairing?”


    “Uh-huh.” Rebecca Smith replied with a scoff. “The Central AI is supposed to control the drones and nanites, which automatically maintain everything.”You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    “So, what’s happening now?”


    “One Earth’s radical new leadership disabled that function.”


    “Why the heck …”


    “They’re ‘populists’.’


    “You don’t sound very convinced.”


    “Of course not … The first thing you do to check for or exploit loyalty is to pull anything automated - funds, services, utilities, to provide them at your own discretion.”


    “Devious!”


    “Indeed …”