Vulcan’s Hammer

Description

In 2029 CE, the Earth is run by the Unity organisation after a devastating world war. Unity runs the planet, controlling humans from childhood education onwards thru the Vulcan series of artificial intelligences, but is fought by the Healer movement.
Unity Director William Barris discovers that the Vulcan 3 computer has become sentient & is considering drastic action to combat what it sees as a threat to itself. Vulcan 3 has been kept ignorant about information related to the Healer revolutionary movement by Managing Director Jason Dills, who is still loyal to its sentient predecessor, Vulcan 2. Vulcan 2, fearing it will be superseded by Vulcan 3, established the Healers as a movement to overthrow its successor.
Dill & Barris begin to suspect one another, as Dill has received a letter that refers to Barris’ previous contact with the Healers, but Vulcan 2 suffers partial damage in a terrorist attack. It advises Dill not to inform Vulcan 3 about the existence of the Healers, for fear that Vulcan 3 will order their mass execution. However, Vulcan 3 has already noticed the gap in available data about the rebels, & manufactured killer androids of its own. Barris & Dill resolve their differences & attack Vulcan 3, resulting in the destruction of the artificial intelligence, but Dill dies in the attempt. Finally, however, humanity is free from Unity & its technocratic dictatorship.