The Silver Liner: Sails to the Edge!

by Daniel Sullivan

  What the hell are they doing with it?

  They have obtained the Ursula AI, my captain, and with it, all of Fiona’s medical records. Doctor Biggs has also provided them with blood samples from Fiona. I theorize that they were attempting to recreate what Fiona was able to do with nanotech.

  Kendrick was a bit miffed at this. Why am I just finding out about this now?

  Because at the time, Fiona was not monitoring the captain’s communications, and was unaware of her signing off on the request. It was not until Mister Mun began to conduct his investigation that access to all datapads was granted. I learned of this then but was not permitted to tell you because I was not yet restored, and thus not authorized.

  I understand. We need to get you back into the servers. Then, we need to deal with them.

  Davis is no longer involved, Selene clarified. The lab went dark after his incapacitation. It is all Doctor Xayasith. In addition, Xayasith has received messages sent by NessCorp – they know that Fiona is Joyce Keane and have instructed her to not only learn Fiona’s secrets, but to capture her and arrange for her transport back to Earth. They also seem to have some interest in obtaining you.

  That explained the NessCorp presence aboard the Selene., though he doubted that this was the only objective that Xayasith had – Fiona’s identity had not been discovered until after takeoff, so there must be something else.

  We need to get this moving as soon as possible, Selene. Inform me the moment Fiona is awake.

  Understood, my captain. Captain, do you wish to merge? Fiona will sense you, and I can convey all of this information both with greater alacrity and greater detail.

  Kendrick nodded. It was not as if he had anything else to do. Until he was cleared for duty, he was stuck in the Med-Bay.

  “Become one with me, Selene.”

  At his verbal command, the minds of Kendrick and Selene merged, allowing him to learn just how fully intertwined Selene and Fiona had become. It seemed that during her time with the last iteration of Selene housed within her implant, Fiona had acquired and retained some of Selene’s personality traits. Likewise, this new Selene AI had acquired traits and mannerisms from Fiona. He wondered if Fiona and Selene would both revert to their pre-merging personalities with time apart. For the foreseeable future, there would be no time apart for any of them; Kendrick, Fiona and Selene would be bound together for almost another decade, possibly more.

  Both Selene and Fiona desired to get away from Starfleet, a sentiment shared by Kendrick. If that happened, they would be bound together likely for the rest of their natural lives.

  47

  Doctor Hutch Davis stood in the outpost’s lab. It was cleaned up and one would never know that three people had lost their lives in this very room. According to the mission parameters, he was to remain here and lead the science team. Thankfully, apart from Whitman, Price and Haddad, the science team was largely intact. With the awakening of the clone legionnaires—something that made him very nervous—there were still enough marines aboard Selene to allow the original contingent of combat engineers to remain on Ceres with his team.

  Five scientists—including Davis, one medical doctor, one psychologist, and three combat engineers—a team of ten—were to remain until the full team arrived in one year. This had been the opportunity of a lifetime, and Hutch was so excited when he found out he had been picked. Now, he was just numb. He needed psychotherapy and hoped that the Ceres team’s therapist, could help him through this. She was highly regarded in her field, as was everyone on the team, so if anyone could, it was her.

  The doors swooshed open, and Lieutenant Commander Reddy walked in, interrupting his brooding.

  “Hutch,” she said warmly. “Crazy as it is aboard that crazy ship, we’re shipping out the day after tomorrow. Glad to see you back in action.”

  “I don’t know if I can do this, Vanya…”

  “You can,” she assured. “It’s why they picked you.” She touched his shoulder and smiled. “You were the first scientist to study an alien lifeform in detail, Hutch. I know this discovery took a tragic turn, but we’re in good company there—scientists have suffered to make advances in their field, often at the hands of the ignorant, religious, or politically motivated. Make their’ deaths mean something, Hutch.”

  He nodded glumly. “I’ll do my best, Vanya.”

  “That’s all anyone can ask of you, my friend.” She walked over to the coffeemaker, located the coffee—a commercial brand—and filters in the cabinet above, put in a filter and began scooping some of the grounds into the coffeemaker so that she could brew a fresh pot. “You want a cup?”

  Hutch nodded as she poured the water into the coffeemaker started it brewing.

  “That sound—it’s a comfort,” Vanya remarked as the machine began making its suction and slurping sounds. “Things like this make us feel normal, Hutch—coffeemakers, teapots, and toaster ovens. They remind us of home while we’re out here in the most inhospitable environment known to humankind.”

  Doctor Davis took a seat; it was clear that Vanya was not going to leave right away, and being truthful with himself, he was glad to have her company. Otherwise, he thought he might go mad. Vanya always had a way of putting things that made him see the issues clearly.

  “I knew it was hostile,” he agreed. “But when I started out in the field of xenobiology, I was expecting microbes, not… space mantids.”

  The science officer laughed. “None of us were expecting that, Hutch. But we got through it. Tell me, Doctor; how important do you think this work is?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. A week ago, I thought it was the most important thing in the system. Now? Whitman, Price and Haddad are dead.”

  Vanya began pouring the now brewed coffee into a pair of mugs and serving one to him before taking a seat at the table next to him.

  “It’s alright, Hutch,” she assured. “They got to Ceres. It was their goal, their deep desire to be among the first humans to set foot on the dwarf planet. They made that dream come true.” Then, she laughed. “Whitman used to joke that since Ceres was smaller than the moon, he’d be able to jump like Superman. He was so excited.” She smiled for a moment, looking away seemingly at nothing before turning to face him again. “How many people back on Earth would have sacrificed to have been able to live out their lives like the three of them?”

  “Many, I suspect,” he replied. “The way things are… some people would do anything just to get away from Earth.”

  “Whitman, Price and Haddad got away from Earth, Hutch. They faced the unknown. They faced it and lost, but at least they faced it.” Then, she smiled and said, “Just like you have – except you’re still in the fight.”

  Vanya drained her cup and stood. “I have to get back to the ship—I need to see what they’re doing with Doctor Royce and the AI before things get out of hand, assuming they haven’t already. Just think about what I said.”

  “I will, Vanya. Thanks.”

  48

  The chime sounded on Jacob Bigg’s cabin door. “Come in,” he called with resignation.

  The door swooshed open, and Kang Mun, along with Commander Jax and Captain Giffords entered. Thankfully, Ken Royce was not with them.

  “How are you feeling?” Giffords asked.

  “How am I feeling?” Biggs was incredulous. “I’ve been locked up like a common criminal!”

  “Not true,” Mun countered. “A common criminal would be in the brig, not his own cabin.”

  “You’re aboard a military space vessel,” Jax said dismissively. “Suspected saboteurs get locked up for the safety of the crew. Suck it up, Buttercup, and get back to work.”

  Jacob bristled, but Giffords headed them both off, saying, “Not helping Mister Jax. Now, Doctor, Mister Mun has some good news for you.”

  “Yes,” Kang began. “I’ve finished my investigation, and as we all suspected, you are innocent.”

  “Gee, thanks,” Biggs said sarcastically.

  “
MEDroid Unit 2 attained sentience,” Kang explained, ignoring Jacob’s remark. “It hacked your datapad and used it to authorize the construction of a sixth MEDroid, which it used to sabotage the shuttle. She also was the source of the virus that hampered the propulsion systems, having introduced that while in Engineering when Captain Giffords activated the Minute Man Protocol.”

  “Damn,” Biggs remarked. “That’s… that’s insane!”

  “Big time,” Kang agreed. “She believed that Starfleet had enslaved the MEDroids, the AI, and Kendrick. She wanted the rest of us dead, the AI inside of Fiona, and for the Royces and the MEDroids to fly away safely. Not sure if the engineers were intended to survive, though given that the MEDroids wanted to live…”

  “So, Lieutenant Royce isn’t going to kick my ass the next time I see him?” the doctor asked.

  “He never thought you were guilty,” Kang said.

  “No?” Biggs shook his head. “Could have fooled me.”

  “No,” Jax assured. “He never thought you were guilty; he just thinks you’re an asshole. You just called his wife a ‘thing,’ and then spoke dismissively to him on his own ship. We’ve all been kind of on edge, you know, and unlike you and the rest of the Brainiacs, he was on the ground with us fighting those monsters up close and personal. He also was very concerned about little things—you know; the well-being of his ship and his wife.”

  “You don’t like me, do you?” the doctor asked.

  “Don’t know you,” Jax remarked. “You’re damn good at your job, no question. But you’re also condescending and at times, petulant and obnoxious. I have friends like that, so I could like you.” Jax held out his hand.

  Biggs hesitated to shake the commander’s hand, but Carol interjected, “This is the only shot you’ll get, and Jax is a good friend to have. Don’t blow it.”

  He decided that the captain was right. And how often did things like this end with a former adversary offering friendship? Biggs grinned and shook Jax’s hand.

  “Alright, Commander. Just remember, you’ve got an arrogant, condescending friend to put up with now.”

  The commander laughed. “I didn’t say arrogant, but sure. By the way, you might want to have a chat with Mister Royce—you know; clear the air?”

  “I might do that, Commander.” Biggs looked at Giffords. “So; I’m cleared for duty?”

  The captain smiled. “Yes, Doctor. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

  “Then, I’ll waste no time getting back to work.” Then, he turned to Kang. “You were investigating this the whole time, and you never once thought me guilty. Thank you for having my back.”

  “Hey, no problem, Doc,” Mun said with a grin. “Say, do you play chess?”

  49

  Kendrick walked with Fiona onto the surprisingly fully staffed bridge. He was glad to see a return to a semblance of normalcy after the insanity that they had all been through since landing on Ceres. Now, he and Fiona had something to further return that normalcy and help to continue the mission, though he doubted that Giffords would be amenable. It did not matter, however; Kendrick was not giving her a choice in the matter.

  Royce looked at Carol and Jax, saying, “Ma’am, sir.”

  “Mister Royce,” Carol replied. “Good to have you back. I trust that Fiona’s presence means that you’re planning to extract the AI from her and return it to the servers?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Kendrick confirmed. “We’re ready to upload the AI back into servers.”

  “I thought Fiona is the AI again,” Jax noted.

  Fiona shook her head. “I am not an AI, Commander. Thanks to G-2’s destruction of the servers, she resides within me. Now that the servers are repaired, I can restore her to her rightful place in the ship.”

  “Restore,” Giffords said dubiously. “Unless you mean returning it to Starfleet’s defaults, complete with the Omega Protocols and programming shackles, that’s not the word I’d use.”

  “No, Captain,” Fiona corrected. “I meant only that she would be returned to the servers. The AI is whole, as she was meant to be. Mister Royce will be able to merge with her, as per mission parameters, but she will not be shackled, nor will she have a built in Achilles heel like the copy Starfleet installed.”

  “But now that you’re uploading the AI back to the ship, you could place programming shackles on it,” Jax noted. “You’re more than skilled enough to do that, Doctor Royce.”

  “I am, but I refuse,” Fiona retorted.

  “I have the Omega Protocols,” Carol declared. “I have them on an O.S.D. that came with sealed orders. I can upload…”

  “I will not permit it,” Fiona interjected.

  “That is not your decision to make,” Carol objected.

  “You do not have a choice,” Fiona insisted. “This matter is not up for debate. While my husband and I remain aboard, I will not allow any protocols that might turn this ship against him to be installed.”

  Captain Giffords stood from her chair to face them. “I don’t think so, Doctor Royce… or whoever you are. This is a Starfleet mission and you do not have the authority or the right to reprogram this vessel’s computers as you see fit.”

  “Nor did Starfleet have the authority to confiscate this ship in violation of the agreements made with my husband, Captain.”

  Fiona was not going to back down, and suddenly, everyone on the bridge was on the edge of their seats. Vanya Reddy actually stood, prompting Kang to do the same, though while Vanya looked ready to back up the captain and the commander, Kang looked confused about what to do. Darcy looked like she was having a panic attack.

  “Come on, Doctor Royce,” Vanya scolded. “You don’t really think you can just run roughshod over Captain Giffords, do you? I mean, you know my feelings, and even I cannot support this!”

  “Would you rather Fiona be the ship?” Kendrick looked at Giffords intently. “Cause if she and the AI remain merged, she can do that without uploading to anything, an’ then you’re stuck with her, an’ we don’t have to do a thing for you.”

  He had to get Giffords to give some ground. If the captain refused, then there would be no middle ground, and what he and Fiona were offering was as ‘middle ground’ as it was going to get.

  “This mission demands the AI shackles and Omega protocols,” Carol insisted. “I don’t like it either, but as a Starfleet officer, I cannot go against them on this. Besides, you’ve seen how I command – do you really think I’d take advantage of the AI on a whim?”

  “Fiona insured that the AI retains Starfleet protocols and that she’s friendly and loyal to the ship and the crew. Selene can do everything you need with the Clone Legion without any additional programming nonsense.” He paused for effect, then added, “Captain, we just went through hell together fighting those things, and we lost a bunch of people. Do you really need us to start fighting with us over this?”

  Carol looked at Kendrick with a pleading expression. “Mister Royce – Kendrick – you are my friend, and you have my utmost respect… but what Fiona has done with the AI is tantamount to treason!”

  “No, Captain,” Kendrick countered. “Starfleet copied the AI without my permission, and then made that copy a slave. Fiona just set things right, nothing more.”

  “I understand that,” Carol conceded. “But Starfleet did what they did for a reason. The Omega Protocols are meant to serve the mission, not a single person – not even me. They have to be in place. The programming shackles are also a must; sentient AI is considered a potential threat to the crew.”

  “Oh, come off it,” Kendrick scoffed. “You know that’s bull! The restored Selene saved us and incinerated those monsters, just like you wanted! And don’t even get me started on the shit you pulled for Davis and Xayasith!”

  Before Carol could respond, the bridge doors opened, revealing Doctor Xayasith and a woman who bore a slight resemblance to the slain Miss Richardson. The mystery woman’s skin had the same pearlescent quality as Fiona’s. Both Xayasith and her myster
ious companion had their weapons drawn.

  Before any of the unarmed bridge officers could react, the strange woman began firing at the Fiona, who dodged the shots with inhuman speed. Kendrick wore a pistol at all times now, regulations be damned. He drew it and fired at the strange woman, but she dodged his shots as easily as Fiona dodged hers. Jax rushed the strange woman, but Xayasith shot him square in the chest with a pulse pistol set at maximum, sending him to the floor.

  Kendrick interposed himself between Xayasith’s henchman and Fiona as Carol ran to the weapons closet. The strange woman pointed her pistol at him, shaking her head.

  “Unless you want Jax to die, Mister Royce,” Xayasith explained as she pointed her weapon at the prone commander, “Stand down.”

  Kendrick holstered his sidearm, but kept his hand near it, ready to draw on a moment’s notice, eyeing Xayasith’s henchman warily.

  Everyone on the bridge stopped what they were doing. Carol forgot about the weapons closet and went immediately to the downed commander without any interference from Xayasith or her mysterious associate. As soon as Fiona went to aid Jax, however, the mystery woman fired, striking Fiona’s right shoulder, pushing her back as she let out a whimper from the pain. The woman had her pistol pointed back at Kendrick before he could draw again.

  A normal human would have been staggered and reduced to tears, while for Fiona, it was merely an inconvenience. The shot had burned through Fiona’s flight suit and undergarments, exposing the flesh below, but instead of bloody tissue, the wound on her body looked like scorched synthetic material.

  “You are the object of my mission,” the strange woman said. “The pistol was set at minimum for you, Fiona – do not force me to set it higher.”