by C H Gideon
“Yes, sir!” Ria replied, immediately maneuvering the SD Reynolds back, opening up space between the defense rig and the ship and pulling them out of orbit.
“Do it, Tactical,” Reynolds shouted.
The lights on the bridge dimmed, half of the viewscreens going dark as the SD Reynolds lowered its ship-wide energy usage to minimize the impact of firing the ESD.
Everything around him seemed to hum as the weapon was ramped up to full again, the system recovering from the long process of idling as they covered the Pillar while the crew was dirtside.
That the weapon had been prepared was both a good and bad thing, and Reynolds wasn’t completely sure how it would affect the weapon’s performance, having had it on for so long.
As it turned out, he didn’t need to worry.
The weapon reached critical mass and sent deadly beams of energy racing through the SD Reynolds’ systems. Insulated against the energy as well as possible, Reynolds still felt the drain on the ship, but what he felt more was satisfaction.
As the energy surged and spilled from the SD Reynolds, he felt the ESD’s power running true and pure.
The beam erupted and ripped through the shields of the Pillar as though they weren’t there. There was a brilliant flash as the shields gave way and the blast slammed into the vulnerable hull of the enemy superdreadnought.
“Fuck, yeah!” Tactical shouted as he angled the ESD to do as much damage as possible.
The beam trailed along the hull of the Pillar, wreaking havoc everywhere it touched and beyond.
Several sections of the Asparian defense rig were shredded by the weapon, great slabs of steel melting and peeling away from the whole.
The Pillar listed, appearing to split in half horizontally. Brilliant flares went off along its length, and then it exploded.
Debris erupted in all directions, shredding the dock and many of the ships berthed there, creating a chain reaction of destruction.
Since the SD Reynolds was too strained to Gate, Reynolds called for Ensign Alcott to put as much distance between them and the planet as possible.
“On it!” she replied.
Debris and enemy weapons fire pelted the gravitic shields, each blow causing the ship’s lights to flicker.
“Turn the weapons on those pirate ships,” Reynolds ordered.
“Already done,” Tactical shouted back as the SD Reynolds’ energy slowly climbed toward normal.
The viewscreens showed three of the local ships headed their way, shields up and firing.
It was a bold move given what they’d just witnessed, Reynolds felt.
“Angling shields forward to deflect their attacks,” Ria called. “All primary systems are online, and secondary are recycling, coming back up. We’ve got about sixty seconds before all systems are operational.”
Tactical blew one of the alien ships away and turned the railguns on another. Flashes of light peppered their shields as the enemy ship careened toward them.
A few seconds later, the second ship lost its shields. The entire forward section wasn’t far behind as Tactical lit it up, tearing it open as if it were a tin can. Atmosphere vented in a rush, and the ship tumbled end over end into the bleakness of space.
The SD Reynolds’ guns were turned on the last of the ships brave enough to come after them, and that seemed to be enough of a deterrent for it to call off its attack.
Its shields flared as it retreated, Tactical not letting them off the hook that easily. He fired on it until it reached the cover of the Asparian dock.
Ria turned the SD Reynolds about and shot off into space as the ship recovered from the use of the ESD.
Once they were clear and it was determined that no other ships from the planet were approaching to challenge them, Reynolds turned to the crew.
He was proud of them.
“Excellent work, people,” he said, smiling. “Part of our objective is complete. We blew the fuck out of that piece of shit superdreadnought—”
“And by we, he means me,” Tactical clarified with a chuckle.
“And we captured Jora’nal,” the AI went on, ignoring Tactical. “Now, all we need to do is get that weaselly scumbag to tell us where Phraim-’Eh is, and we’ve completed our mission.”
“You think he’ll talk to us?” XO wondered.
“Maybe,” Reynolds replied, although he had his doubts. “The guy wants to live, that much is clear. If we can assure him that we’re going to take out his master, and Jora’nal won’t have to answer for being a disloyal piece of shit, I think there’s a good chance we can get him to spill his master’s location.”
“We might not need him to,” Geroux said, interrupting.
The AI spun to her, eyes narrow as he considered what she meant.
She held up the small computer Jiya had taken from Jora’nal.
“This is a multipurpose device,” she started to explain. “It’s got a ton of stuff in its memory, and it looks well-used. I’m betting everything we need is hidden inside.”
“Can you access it?” Jiya asked.
“It’s encrypted,” Geroux admitted, “but it’s hardly on the level of the Gulg coding. I’ll be able to break it,” she assured them.
“How long?” Reynolds asked.
Geroux shrugged. “Already working on breaking the encryption, but you never know with this kind of thing. There are no self-destructs on it, so unless the defenses become more difficult as I go along, I should have this whole drive mapped out in a day or two at most.”
Reynolds nodded. “Okay, you focus on that. Take it to the lab and get Takal to help, if you need it. I want to know everything that computer holds.”
“Yes, sir,” Geroux replied, hopping up and leaving the bridge, whistling. The doors hissed shut behind her.
“Jiya, come with me,” Reynolds told her. “We’re going to go have a talk with Jora’nal now that we have him locked up. Can’t hurt to work both angles, the computer and the asshole.”
“That sounds a bit perverse.” Jiya chuckled.
“What do you want the rest of us to do?” XO asked.
“Ensign Alcott, set a course for Grindlevik 3,” he answered. “Comm, let Gorad know we’re stopping in for a visit and not to shoot us.”
“We’re going to see that old AI?” Tactical muttered.
“It’s as good a place as any to bide our time while we ready our next move,” Reynolds replied. “Besides, we can look in and see how things have progressed since we were there last.”
“I guess.” Reynolds could almost hear Tactical shrug.
“You think Phraim-’Eh is going to come looking for Jora’nal?” XO wondered.
“Doesn’t seem like the type of thing a god would do,” Reynolds replied, shrugging, “but who the fuck knows with this guy? He hasn’t exactly shown himself to be sane so far.”
“I’ll drop a cloaked probe to monitor the activity in the system and to scan for Kurtherian energy signatures,” XO said. “Doubt we’ll be able to assess much if one or two ships show up, but I’m thinking Phraim-’Eh’s going to bring an army with him if he nuts up enough to come at us in person.”
“Do that,” Reynolds told him. “And use the Gulg system to keep us linked to it, so we’re not showing our hand and giving off Federation energy signals showing that we’re monitoring the system.”
“Roger that,” XO replied.
Reynolds turned to Jiya and ushered her toward the doors, which opened at his gesture.
“Let’s go chat up our new friend.”
The pair left the bridge and made their way to the brig, which was where Maddox and Ka’nak had taken Jora’nal. They were waiting outside his cell.
The alien sulked in the corner, crusted blood covering his nose and mouth and coloring his chin red.
“We had Dr. Reynolds check him out,” Maddox reported as they arrived. “Other than a shattered nose and a busted ego, he’s uninjured. Doc wouldn’t even bother to clean him up.”
Reynolds la
ughed at his other personality. He would have done the same.
Jora’nal looked up at the sound of Reynolds’ amusement. He sneered, which started his nose bleeding again. He let it drip on his chest without so much as a glance.
“So, you have me,” he said with a shrug. “It’s hardly a victory, especially since you claim you are unwilling to torture a combatant. Surely you don’t expect me to hand over the location of my master simply because you ask nicely, do you?” He chuckled, bits of crusty blood falling to the ground before him.
“You’re right, I don’t intend to torture you,” Reynolds agreed.
He dismissed Maddox and Ka’nak with a wave. The two left the brig, heading back to the bridge.
“The truth is, if you know anything, you’ll gladly tell us without us ever having to harm so much as an ass-hair on you,” Reynolds continued after he and Jiya were alone with the alien.
Jora’nal’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the AI. “Unlike those fools on Muultar, I will not turn on my master. I am a loyal servant to my lord, Phraim—”
“Blah, blah, Phraim-’Eh, fucking blah,” Reynolds said, interrupting his pledge of fealty to his would-be god. “Phraim-’Eh isn’t here, and I can’t imagine he would be all that happy with you if he were. I’m fairly certain this failure to take us out has burned the last bridge between you and your master. Am I right?”
Jora’nal stiffened in his seat, but he was unwilling to admit to anything.
Reynolds hadn’t really expected him to, though.
“Not only did you fail to kill us, but you also got your ship, the Pillar, destroyed,” Jiya said with a grin. “That leaves you zero for two, not even counting letting us off the hook the first time we tangled. Your boss is going to be seriously pissed with you.”
“He understands—”
“That you’re an idiot?” Reynolds asked.
“A moron?” Jiya added.
“A total fucking abject failure?” Reynolds went on.
“Utterly worthless?” Jiya said with a smile. “Pathetic?” she added.
Jora’nal leapt to his feet, growling. “I am Jora’nal, disciple of Phraim-’Eh, and I will not—”
“You won’t survive this,” Reynolds told him bluntly, cutting him off. “You know you won’t.”
“We kill you, or your master does,” Jiya explained. “Either way, your part in all of this is done. You’re done.”
They let that sink in for a moment.
Jora’nal stood his ground, glaring at the pair for several quiet minutes, then he slumped onto the hard, metal bench, the only luxury provided him in the cell.
“Unless…” Reynolds teased.
“Unless I turn on my master and tell you where he is?” Jora’nal scoffed. “Do you think I would do that?”
“I think you’re a survivor,” Reynolds countered. “I think you’d do almost anything to survive, or you wouldn’t be in the position you’re in now.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” Jora’nal argued.
Reynolds shrugged. “Maybe not, but I’ve met a ton of assholes like you,” he explained. “You brag and you bluster and threaten, but at the end of the day, all you want to do is get out in one piece.”
“We can make that happen,” Jiya pressed.
“And all I need to do is betray my god and all my convictions,” he replied, shaking his head.
“Convictions don’t mean shit when you’re dead,” Jiya shot back.
“Besides, it’s not as if you’re our only option,” Reynolds told him.
Jora’nal straightened in his seat, pressing his back against the wall, eyes wide. “What do you mean?”
“When Jiya here plowed into you back on Aspar, she grabbed your computer as well as you,” Reynold explained.
“No! That’s not—”
“Believe it or not, but you weren’t conscious enough to know for a fact one way or the other,” Jiya goaded. “We’re working on decrypting it as we speak, and I have a pretty good idea that we’ll find everything we need on there.”
“That means we won’t need you, in case that wasn’t clear,” Reynolds went on.
Jora’nal swallowed loud enough for them to hear him. He clambered to his feet.
“There is nothing on that device that will help you,” he said.
It was obvious he was lying.
Reynolds shrugged. “If nothing else, the hardline call you made will give us a damn good starting location, seeing as how you can’t encrypt information like that while using such old low-tech systems.”
Jora’nal stiffened. Beads of sweat appeared on his brow.
“You have until this time tomorrow, or until we finish breaking the encryption on your device, before we decide what to do with you,” Reynolds warned. “Be smart, and I’ll find some compassion deep inside my metallic heart. We’ll dump you off at the ass-end of the universe and you can start your pitiful life over. Stay loyal to your god, and you better hope there’s some sort of Heaven awaiting you after all this.”
Reynolds spun on his heel and marched out of the brig. Jiya looked at the cultist, offering him one last chance to cave before she left.
When he didn’t start talking, she shrugged and waved. “See you soon.”
She left the brig, the door hissing shut behind her.
She and Reynolds headed back toward the bridge.
“You think he’ll crack?” Jiya asked as they walked.
“Probably not,” Reynolds admitted. “He’s as much a zealot as any of Phraim-’Eh’s cult. He probably thinks there’s redemption for him if he stays loyal and his master kills us.”
“He can’t be that stupid, can he?” Jiya asked.
“It’s more that he’s been brainwashed to believe this Phraim-’Eh is really a god,” Reynolds told her. “Despite all our successes against them, Jora’nal can’t yet picture that we can win out against his master.”
“Then why not give up the guy’s location if we’re just going to die there?” Jiya wondered.
“Catch-22,” Reynolds answered. “If he tells us where Phraim-’Eh is, he betrays his master, regardless of the outcome. His only hope is that Phraim-’Eh takes us out and Jora’nal manages to survive the encounter, which he expects to happen on his master’s terms.”
Jiya grunted. “That is kind of a slim hope to be dangling from.”
“It’s the kind of thing zealots believe in,” the AI told her. “He’s expecting a miracle.”
“He better be ready for disappointment.” Jiya chuckled.
Reynolds nodded.
“Go get some rest,” he told her. “We’ll be in the Grindlevik System soon, and we really can’t do much until Jora’nal caves or Geroux hacks his computer. Either way, this is likely to be the only downtime we have anytime soon.”
Jiya nodded and started toward her quarters. “Beep me if anything interesting happens.”
Reynolds waved to her and kept walking.
Today had been a great success, capturing Jora’nal and destroying the Pillar, but there was still more to come, and he needed to be ready.
For now, though, he had an AI to visit.
Chapter Eight
The SD Reynolds slipped into Grindlevik space, and Ria gasped at how different the planet looked.
“Wow!” she muttered. “That’s amazing.”
Where the old defensive perimeter had been, there was now a shiny new one. It looked ominous.
Unlike before, when the defense ring was flanked by destroyers, the ring pulsed with energy, projecting what appeared to be a force field over the entirety of the planet.
The ring had numerous weapons installations apparent across its breadth, and the SD Reynolds’ scanners picked up its threat as soon as they popped into the system.
“The old boy’s gone and upgraded,” Tactical said.
“Looks that way,” Reynolds replied, examining the energy signatures and grinning as he noted they no longer put off the same kind of Kurtherian identifiers as
the last rig had.
Just beyond the barrier loomed what Reynolds knew could only be a Gate under construction.
It was far from finished, not even the frame entirely constructed yet, but Reynolds could see automated bots and ships circling it, a slow but relentless push of effort being put into the creation.
It would be years before it was finished, but Reynolds was impressed by how far the AI had come already.
“Gorad’s evolving,” Reynolds commented.
“Speaking of Gorad, he’s hailing us,” XO announced.
“Onscreen,” Reynolds replied.
A second later, the viewscreen flickered and a familiar android face appeared.
“Back so soon, Reynolds?” Gorad asked. “You run out of universe to explore already?”
“And here you thought he wouldn’t be happy to see us,” Tactical joked. “You were clearly wrong.”
“Figured we’d drop in and hang out for a bit, “Reynolds replied. “I recall us making an agreement regarding our stopping by and being provided safe haven and supplies.” He raised an eyebrow, jokingly questioning Gorad’s commitment.
“To be fair, I’d hoped it was only lip service I was providing,” Gorad replied, showing metallic teeth as he grinned.
Reynolds chuckled. “Sorry to ruin your day.”
Gorad waved the sarcasm off. “You are, of course, always welcome here. Follow the prompts my people send you, and we’ll bring you down to the planet in style.”
“Your people?” Jiya asked, surprised.
Gorad smiled. “Much has changed here,” he answered. “You’ll see it all soon enough.”
Reynolds motioned for Ria to take them in once they received the coordinates.
“See you soon,” he told Gorad.
The other AI nodded and cut the link.
Seconds later, a Grindlovian voice came over the speakers, providing the coordinates.
Jiya smiled at hearing an authentic voice rather than Gorad’s android one.
“Guess he was right about the place changing,” she exclaimed.
