The Civilian Specialist

Prokhorov is a senior developer of artificial intelligence systems for ground combat equipment. His company is taking part in a competition to supply the Federation’s Ministry of Defense with mini-walking tanks intended for battles on terraformed planets. But it’s by no means certain that the competition will be fair. Lobbyists for the competing corporations—who have access to the highest headquarters—are doing everything to ensure Roman’s corporation fails spectacularly the tests conducted during large-scale exercises organized by the army and navy. The preparation timeline is artificially cut short, and the combat machines—still very raw and not fully developed in their control system—can’t be trusted to professional military pilots. No one except Roman understands the interface that still isn’t ready for combat use; and as a civilian specialist, who has never led a heavy armored vehicle in battle, he has to take the seat of the control module in order to try to prevent the tests’ failure, which threatens his company with major financial and reputational losses.