Rykon
Four Thousand Club
I don't know if Alan would know enough to reach this conclusion, but just thinking out loud from experience... Normally software wouldn't be transferred physically. VPN tunnels and heavy encryption are a bit of a thing, Unless there is a setting assumption of encryption being less effective, I wouldn't think that integrity of the code base would be an issue. That said... if the program is massive and/or installed on a specifically customized hardware architecture, it would make sense. Also, for something that would give a substantial edge in battle, over the targeting systems that are likely already in place, it sounds like it would be an Artificial Intelligence.
I am somewhat skeptical of the Zentraedi's ability to use humanity's computing assets without a major project to integrate it into their alien methods of computer processing. That said, I believe one of the big setting plot points is that we (humanity) reversed engineered Zentraedi tech a few decades ago, so compatibility wouldn't be a complete wash, but I would imagine it would give their engineers one hell of a headache.
So long story short, my best guess off the cuff is that they stole an AI with advanced targeting protocols. Given some expected technical difficulties on their side, we may have a little time to get it back before they turn it against us in a real bad way. Then again, they've been here awhile and it might not take that long. Let's just hope we don't get slaughtered by the new robot overlords.
