by Alex Guerra
“Report,” I struggled to say beneath the harness before it started to ease off slightly.
“Shields are down, and the hull is intact. It will take three minutes to cycle the shields,” said Dotty.
We wouldn’t have enough time to get the shields up before another salvo of missiles would come at us again. The enemy ship maintained a steady pace towards us.
“Fire our weapons, take that ship out!” I ordered. As much as I didn’t want to blow through our newfound energy, I wasn’t going to die out here—I didn’t care how much power it took now.
A deep hum ran through the ship, as our weapons spun up. This was different than the green balls of energy we used previously—this was larger—its menacing build-up shook the entire ship slightly.
The high-pitched whine of woop woop woop sounded before a giant line of green energy struck out at the enemy ship. There was no time for them to evade; dodging the speed of light at a distance of a few miles was impossible.
The beam struck the front of the enemy ship and cored it as easy as an olive. The secondary explosion threw out chunks of hull radially in a sunburst pattern. The decrescendo of the squealing sounds fell steadily, reverting the bridge to its dead silence until the only sounds were a mixture of the consoles occasional beeping and the shocked breathing of the team.
“Gods…” said Kayton, releasing the death grip she had on her seat.
Double-checking the spherical radar next to my chair, there were no other contacts within the solar system.
“Is everyone alright?” I asked my team.
Tal lightly smacked the trooper next to her, and Bon woke in a startled jolt. “We’re good,” said Tal, chuckling.
“Seya?” I asked, glancing over at the Darkkon woman who wearily dipped her head in response.
“Ellar is everything alright down there?” I asked over the comms.
“Let’s…not do that again,” he replied. “Del and Garvo are in the pods now.”
“Take us to Fengar,” I said. The ship slowly oriented itself to the proper vector, enabling the subroutine to open the wormhole. I got out of my seat and limped to the main screen where Garos hung in the distance along with the blue smear that was previously the enemy ship. I took off my sweat soaked helmet and breathed in the dry air of the ship. “Tal, Bon, please show Entosh and Piki to one of the vacant rooms and place Feylan in the other. I need the bridge with Seya and Kayton.”
The two troopers nodded, leading the Yau out of the room as the bridge’s doors slid shut behind them. Two troopers were down, and most of us sustained minor injuries. Before we made landfall on the capital world, I needed to speak with Seya and Kayton in private. Something was not right, and I needed answers.
“Get us off this damned planet, Dotty,” I muttered under my breath, my brow pinched with anger.
FIFTEEN
As The Pillar slipped through the wormhole into Fengar space, I studied the two women before me. Their faces were sweaty, haggard and an air of exhaustion permeated between the three of us.
“What’s going on, Art?” asked Seya.
I set my helmet down on one of the console desks and crossed my arms. I narrowed my eyes at the two. “The reason I asked you to stay behind is that I trust you completely.” The women looked at each other for a moment. “Is there anyone aboard this ship you do not trust?”
“What’s this about?” asked Kayton. “Of course, I trust everyone here.”
“So do I, but I am becoming suspicious. I need to rule some things out before we go to the planet, just to be on the safe side,” I said. “I suspect that there is an agent of the empire working against us. Even if the Empire has access to Yau technology, you know as well as I do that we cannot track their movements as the enemy did on Garos.”
“That’s true…” said Seya. “I can see how the Darkkon intercepted us the first time since there were only so many reasonable combinations of starlane paths we would take back to Fengar, after all. It was an obvious destination to get a message back to the conglomerate and wouldn’t take much time to figure out where we were with a wormhole manipulator,” said Seya.
“My thoughts exactly, but there’s no way the Empire would have known where we were going with these coordinates. Only a handful of people knew where the coordinates were—all of whom are aboard this ship right now,” I said, hooking a thumb into my chest harness.
“My troopers would never give out something like that. Art, we’re talking about sabotage here,” said Kayton.
“I don’t expect it to be any of us, but we still need to discuss all possibilities. Did anyone act suspicious right before we left Fengar?” I asked.
“Not that I noticed. Although, I was with Lena often,” said Seya.
“I kept a close eye on the team and saw nothing unusual. They all behaved the same,” said Kayton.
“Dotty, has there been anyone on Dagger besides the team while we were on Fengar?”
“There were only a few who helped bring some of your belongings to your rooms when you arrived. No one else has had access to the ship since then, Arthur,” said Dotty.
“How much do you trust Lena?” I asked Seya.
She swept damp bangs across her forehead. “She’s one of the few people I can trust in the galaxy. I see no reason why she would do anything to put us in danger,” she said furrowing her brow.
“Then there’s a possibility that a spy is on Fengar, maybe more than one. We need to be more careful who we speak to and, Dotty,” I said to the A.I., “don’t let anyone, other than the people on this ship right now, have access to the Dagger without my authorization.”
“Parameters set, Arthur,” replied Dotty.
“I want you both to follow me to the hangar bay. We need to look at Dagger a bit closer. There must be a way the enemy tracked our movements so precisely, possibly a tracker in someone’s uniform or one of the bags?” I suggested, pulling my mouth into a tight line.
“You’re acting a bit paranoid, if I may say so,” said Kayton.
“I just want to be safe. How else do you explain what happened down there?” I asked.
She thought about it for a moment. “Okay, maybe you’re right. But it seems so far-fetched,” said the Codari woman, crossing her arms.
“I know, but I have no other explanation for this right now.” I walked past the two, beckoning them to follow with a nod of my head. “Come, we have a lot to do before we land. Dotty, stay in orbit around Fengar. You may address the receiving ships on my behalf if they say anything.”
“Yes Arthur,” said Dotty.
*****
In the hangar, we combed over Dagger with increasing scrutiny. We checked the outside of the ship first and finding nothing foreign attached to the fuselage or anything that looked out of place, we moved to the inside. The trooper’s blood was still there and had since congealed into wet clumps or dried entirely. We would need to scrub it out soon. We checked beneath the seats, the multiple compartments, and looked around the cockpit but still didn’t find anything of note. There was no way of telling what we were looking for. I had familiarized myself with everything inside the ship over the past few months, and it all still looked the same. After searching for an hour, we gave up.
“I’ve got nothing,” I said with a sigh.
“Same here,” said Kayton. Seya shook her head. We had to be missing something.
“Dotty, is there a way you can scan the ship?” I asked.
“I’m sorry, but I do not have such a capability at this time,” said the A.I.
“Can the ship’s fabricator make it, like Ellar’s medical scanner?” asked Kayton.
“The fabricator can make it, but it will take approximately twelve hours,” replied the A.I.
“Damn…” I said. “Alright, let’s wait until Dotty makes the scanner and then take another look. Let the team relax, and don’t mention this to anyone for now.”
“Sure,” said Kayton, wiping a hand across her dusty armor. “I need a show
er anyway.”
I looked over my ragged uniform as well. “Same here,” I said.
“I noticed your limp, you were shot, weren’t you?” said Seya with a look of concern.
“Yeah…I was, but it’s not a big deal,” I said, turning to show her the severely bruised leg and shoulder.
“Are you alright?” asked Kayton with the realization.
“I’m fine. It’s a little sore, but thanks to Dotty’s serum, nothing is broken, only bruised.” The two gave me a look of disbelief. Raising my hands, I protested, “I’m fine, really.”
“Have Ellar take a look when you’re back from your shower,” said Seya. “Just to be sure.”
Their concern dissipated, and they turned to leave the hangar. I took one more look inside the belly of Dagger, acknowledging the small remnants of gore for a moment then left.
*****
The two injured troopers floated in their tanks, the familiar breathing apparatus attached to their faces. The pod’s sizes weren’t apparent until we placed Garvo inside of one. The hulking Okkar squeezed into the pod, and his shoulders retained just a hair’s breadth from the walls. I leaned in to see the tank at work on his stomach. The ancient technology’s magical healing properties closed the large entry wound quickly.
Del was beside him. Crouching to see the extent of the injury, the missing leg stitched itself back together one fiber at a time around the exposed bone. Several other pieces of shrapnel found a home in the remaining leg, along with his left side and hand. He was a mess. If The Pillar weren’t readily available, the man would have most likely died.
“Dotty, is he going to grow a new leg?” I asked.
“No, Arthur, that is unfortunately beyond the medical pod’s capabilities.” replied the A.I. over the room’s speakers.
“He’s going to have a stump then?” I asked.
“For now, yes,” confirmed Dotty.
“Well shit…” I said, biting the inside of my cheek. It was impossible for anyone else on the team to get enhancements because there was only a single dose of the original serums—one for my physical enhancements and another for the combat mind. Who owned this ship before us, and why did they only have a single dose?
We would most likely never uncover the answer. I crossed my arms, studying the man in front of me. At least we could heal people more efficiently than anywhere in the galaxy, so having enhancements were just a bonus. I wondered if I were to transfer Dotty to Del, would Dotty be able to replicate the serum to make Del whole again?
Linked to my inner thoughts, Dotty interrupted them by saying, “Arthur, there is also something else I would like to discuss with you. Since you have received the combat mind, if you were to transfer me to someone else, a part of me would still remain inside you, always.”
“I am not sure I follow…” I replied, the hairs on my neck rising up slightly.
“With the physical enhancements you possess, and now with the addition of the combat mind, the transfer would be detrimental to your wellbeing,” said the A.I. “Because you received the combat mind serum while integrated with me, it has synchronized deeply within your mind.”
“Wait, are you telling me I can’t transfer you?” I asked, raising my voice slightly.
“No, I am saying that it would be unpleasant for you to do so.”
“Unpleasant how?” I asked as my mouth grew dry and my ears turned hot.
“The transfer process will still work, but it is supposed to be for emergencies more than passing me among to the team, or in the event of your death, the process can start over again. If you were to transfer me now, there would be a conflict between the nodes implanted into your body and your mind. You wouldn’t be able to process the information correctly, causing your memories to distort and your actions to become increasingly irrational,” explained Dotty.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I had two choices—live with this thing in my head for the rest of my life or go crazy. “You lied to me! You said that when I finished everything, I could transfer you to someone else and be on my way. You didn’t say anything about a withdrawal or disability in doing so!” I shouted.
“I never lied to you, Arthur, and the combat mind has assisted you greatly already. You accepted the serum to help save Seya, and you succeeded. I have monitored your mind for thoughts of your planet. My data shows that you haven’t thought of home for nearly a month now. By my observation, going home is not at the forefront of your mind any longer. You’ve focused on the task at hand and have benefitted the conglomerate by doing so. Do not deviate from the course. Earth is still there, and you may yet return someday, but not before you fulfill your task here” said the A.I. in its cold, yet soothing tone.
“I—that’s a dirty move, Dotty,” I fumed. Not only because I couldn’t make the transfer now without screwing myself up in the process, but because it was right. The thought left a sour taste in my mouth. There was no way I could just leave suddenly, nor would I, but the option wasn’t even available.
“If we continue to work with each other as we have, I see no reason to think we won’t see this through to the end, regardless of the result. You already know if you die, I will try my best to continue on with someone else. If you live to see the end of this conflict, you may still live a normal life afterward with me,” said the A.I.
“I really hate your logic sometimes, you know that?” I said, hanging my head in resignation.
“I do, and yet the logic is sound just the same. For what it is worth, I am sorry,” said the A.I.
I scoffed. “Sorry? You’re sorry? You don’t even understand the meaning, Dotty, so save it,” I said, waving a dismissing hand.
Despite the A.I.’s words, it was true, I hadn’t thought of home for a long time. Dotty clearly saw that. When I thought of home, family, or safety, my mind didn’t wander back to Earth, my parents or sister, or my house. It was the conglomerate, The Pillar, and the team. I hated to admit it, but I had grown so accustomed to this strange new life that I felt I was losing the identity I once had.
Before I could lament further, the door opened, and Ellar walked in.
“Captain, I didn’t know you were in here. Is everything okay?” asked the medic.
“Just checking on the two. Are they going to be alright?” I asked, wanting to appear normal from the argument I just had—with myself.
“Garvo will be out first, but the bullet played havoc on his intestines. He should eat only soft foods for a while. Del will be out in a day or so after, but Dotty tells me prosthetics aren’t available on this ship. Not to worry,” he said with a smirk and raised a finger “I can get him set up with a new leg when we go planetside. I spoke with some of the medical staff while we were in Kestar, and they have incredibly advanced labs that can grow his leg back,” he said with a hint of excitement to his voice.
“They can regrow the leg?” I asked in awe.
“Sure, well, it’s nothing new. The technology has been around for a long time now, but you should’ve seen these labs,” he said with a grin and a wondrous look in his eye “They were incredible, Art. There is zero chance of rejection, and some patients even claim that their new appendages are better than the old ones—no surprise there, they are new after all.” Ellar smiled. “Captain, if I may be so bold, I know you took some hits. May I take a quick look at you?”
“You saw that, huh? Yeah, why not?” I shrugged, allowing the medic to do his work. Del wouldn’t be entirely out of the fight, which brought me some comfort. The unfortunate reality was that we’d been fortunate, but we were not invulnerable. Including myself.
*****
After Ellar gave me a topical ointment which numbed my injuries instantly, I went to see Entosh and his daughter. Reaching their quarters, I knocked, and seconds later the door slid open with a customary shik. Entosh stood in front of me, startled by its sudden speed.
“Oh, that’s going to need time to get used to. Hello, Arthur,” he said.
“Hey, Entosh,
I’m sorry I haven’t come down to see you all sooner,” I said, looking over his shoulder at Piki, who was sitting at the edge of the bed, bouncing up and down. “I can give Piki her own room next to yours since there’s only one bed in there. If that’s okay with you, of course.”
“My own room!” exclaimed Piki as she ran beside her father. “Can I really have my own?” she asked, her large eyes alternating between looking up at me and pleading with her father.
“I don’t see why not.” I shrugged, looking down the hallway at the plenty of other vacant rooms. “We’re not exactly at full capacity. Although, I’m just saying we have extra rooms available. Ultimately, it’s up to your dad and what he’s comfortable with,” I said.
“Well…she’s never had her own place. Our encampment was small, as you no doubt noticed. I don’t see why not.”
“Yes!” yelled Piki, excitedly, jumping up and down on the bed.
“Feylan is in this next room, right?” I said, pointing to the next room on the other side.
“Yes, if that’s alright.”
“Of course,” I said. “You said she doesn’t need anything right?”
“Correct. She is fine as she is,” said Entosh.
“Okay, she will stay in there for now, but I will see if we can secure her just in case we encounter another enemy ship. I wouldn’t want her flying around or getting injured.” I was trying to wrap my head around how anything could be in stasis for so long.
“That sounds reasonable,” said the red Yau.
“We’ll get Piki situated after I give you two a brief tour of the ship. I like to orient everyone with the ship’s functions and layout while they are aboard. Will you join me for a walk?” I asked.
“Of course,” said the man. “Come on, Piki,” said the man, offering his hand to the girl, who was still bouncing with joy at the thought of getting her own room still.
SIXTEEN
The pair of surprised Yau took in their new surroundings. This was the first time they saw anything outside the suffocating tunnels they had previously known. I’d given them new bodygloves to replace their dirty, tattered clothes their parents—and in Piki’s case, grandparents—wore, all long ago. This was a very welcoming change for the two.
