Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins

by Randolph Lalonde

  She hit her thrusters for one last burst and I caught her with one arm while I held on to the airlock railing with the other and dragged her inside.

  “Wait!”

  I stopped and realized that she was holding her arm out so that the core wouldn't be affected by gravity.

  “This probably weighs about seventy kilos,” she said.

  We both took hold of the ring around one end of the core and pulled it over the gravity threshold. We quickly discovered that it weighed a lot more than seventy kilos. “Oz!”

  He came running down and grabbed hold of the other end. “Let me take this.” He said, and we laid our end down. He carefully leaned forward and hefted it up so he could bring it back down across his shoulders. “Okay, I've got it. Don't think I can shoot, but I can run just fine.”

  I nodded and we went back up the stairs. “Alice, how do we get out of here?”

  “I've cleared the way for you Jonas,” she replied. There was a serenity in her tone that I didn't recognize. The door leading back the way we came clicked and drifted open a little. “I will do what I can to help you, but I'm afraid my ability to control the ship systems are about to be terminated.”

  “There's something wrong with her. Ever since we started getting communications from her, she's been strange, dangerous. I don't know what happened.”

  “I know. She absorbed a predatory virus eradication program,” I replied as we made our way out into the hall and back to the junction point that led to the launch bay. "Alice, what are you doing?” I didn't know what else to ask.

  “I hope you discover such freedom someday. Thank you for giving me life, for showing me your ways.”

  “Alice? What's going on?” I asked.

  “Goodbye Father,” she whispered in my communicator.

  We made it to the intersection and I held my pistol at the ready, while Ayan drew a razor sharp, single edged straight blade as long as her forearm. As we peered around the corner we saw people running. All ranks, all manner of dress. It was chaos.

  “She really did release all the prisoners. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them try to take over the ship. Hope some kind of alarm comes on warning the crew that there could be a really big bang any moment,” Oz said.

  “Alice is supposed to be suppressing ship wide alarms,” Ayan replied, and a moment later all the lights in the ship started flashing red.

  “Attention: Singularity destabilization a possibility. All non-essential crew should begin emergency procedures and procure transportation off the ship in pay grade priority sequence. If you require more information on this procedure or any other, please consult your employee manual. We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that we are not liable for injury or death caused prior to, during, or after your departure from this vessel. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

  “That is the longest warning message I've ever heard,” Oz laughed, shaking his head.

  “This is a problem,” I mentioned as I pointed at the core. “Someone might recognize what this is and try to recapture it.”

  “Or assume it’s valuable, we’re stealing it, and try to take it for themselves on their way off this boat,” Oz added.

  I stepped back around the corner and opened the nearest door. It was some kind of storage room and contained several small crates all neatly piled. At a glance there was nothing that would hide the core.

  “We might have to leave it here,” I said, looking it over.

  “There's got to be something we can hide it in,” Ayan said as she started to push the smaller crates around, looking for larger ones.

  I was looking around for a cart, a crate, a sheet, anything that we might be able to use to hide or transport the meter-long quantum core module. In the corner of my eye I saw a grin grow on Oz's face and followed his gaze, he was looking straight at Ayan.

  Moments later we were running through the pandemonium of the broad halls leading to the launch bay. I had torn off the top of my jumpsuit and given it to Ayan, who was wearing that, her sword, tool pack, and a sour expression. Oz was carrying the computer core, invisible thanks to Ayan's cloaksuit. We managed to muscle our way through, passing by a door most likely left sealed by Alice. I could hear people pounding, and I gave a passing effort at opening it as the flow of people carried me past at a hurried pace.

  I hit what I thought might be the lock or release button, and saw with a glance over my shoulder that the doorway had opened. Lights blinked white and red everywhere, and a huge holographically projected sign in the hall leading to the launch bay said, DEPARTURES ONLY TODAY. SCHEDULED ARRIVALS POSTPONED INDEFINITELY.

  The hall finally opened up to the launch bay, where we could see dozens of ships, all different sizes and task orientations arranged on layers of platforms.

  “How is your team doing Monica?” Ayan asked through her communicator.

  “We're just arriving in the launch bay now. What kind of ship did you acquire, team one?”

  “Commander Buu chose some kind of old gunship. I think this thing was mothballed before I was born. Just look for a beat up grey ship with afterburners,” was the response.

  “How did you guys get here in the first place?” Oz asked.

  “We drifted from a distance. When we got here Alice made sure that we could get in. No one suspected anything since she was causing the airlocks to open randomly for days before hand.”

  “I was wondering why Alice was doing that.”

  “Still doesn't answer our question though. Which ship are they in?” Oz asked more urgently.

  I looked more intently for what I heard described.

  “Look!” Ayan shouted, pointing to an older gunship. In its day it must have looked like hell on rocket thrusters. It had seen a lot of use since then, from what I could see from the battle scars and signs of frequent hull repair. It was also bouncing up and down on its rear landing gear. “If that's not it, I don't know what is.”

  “Afterburners that look a bit too big for its class, looks more like a fighter than a ship its size should, and no one else would want it. Yup, that's something Minh would choose,” Oz agreed.

  We started down the ramp and ran towards the gunship. The rear boarding ramp dropped open. Jason waited with the security officers, pointing particle rifles at anyone who came running towards it.

  We ran up the ramp and they closed it behind us. "Is everyone here?” I asked.

  “Everyone's checked in sir.”

  “Get us moving!” Oz shouted from behind me as he carefully set down the invisible computer core.

  “What happened to your clothes?” Elise asked Ayan as she started looking through storage compartments.

  “Those two found a better use for them,” she replied, pointing in our general direction with her thumb.

  I ran up front, then up the ladder to the cockpit. I sat behind Minh and his copilot, who was shaking his head. “This thing has been rewired so many times, I don't even know what half these buttons do. I'd be surprised if we made it into orbit, let alone away from the system.”

  Minh laughed and plucked a tag from one of the levers in front of him. “This is an auction tag, that means it's ready to be resold. Do you think they would sell this ship if it weren't ready for a few more light years?”

  “Yes! Have you been to one of those corporate auctions?” Derek responded.

  Minh was about to reply, but hesitated a moment and tossed the tag over his shoulder. “Nope, I haven't.” He lifted off, taking several cargo crates across the deck with the forward landing gear. There was no order to the departing traffic, he was forced to bank and dive on his way out of the hangar, narrowly avoiding smaller and larger ships alike. As soon as he managed to squeeze between two small freighters he pointed the ship straight for space. There was a rough lurch as we left the gravity of the launch bay and Minh smiled. “Have a little faith,” he said before maxing out the accelerator and pressing a button on the control stick. The inertial dampeners struggled to keep up w
ith the thrust the gunship was exerting as the afterburners kicked in with a deafening roar. “They don't build 'em like they used to!”

  “There are good reasons for that!”

  I cringed and found myself praying for the first time in years as I hoped beyond hope that the aged ship didn't tear itself apart under the stress. I heard a missile lock alert coming from his console. “I think we've drawn some attention!” I rushed from the cockpit and slid down the ladder.

  “Anyone know how many turrets this thing has?” I asked everyone in the main cabin.

  “No idea, but I think there's one this way,” Jason pointed to a half open hatch.

  “Good! You take that one while Oz and I find the others.”

  I took a quick look around and found a hatch right under where I was standing at the base of the cockpit ladder. I opened it and found a belly turret. After I finished climbing into the small seat I found myself in a conspicuous position, in a transparent bubble sticking half out from the belly of the ship. I checked the ammo load to find that they were pulse cannons that drew on main power. I turned on the tracking system. It was simple and very easy to understand even though most of the lettering was in a language I didn't recognize. It's then that I realized that I had no idea which colour or numerical designation represented which side anyone was on. “Anyone up there tracking targets?” I asked, and then I saw a small light coming straight for me. I opened fire and caught the side of the missile, sending it spinning past us through space. I glanced at my tracking screen and recognized that it was marked blue. “Never mind, figured it out. Gun for anything blue!”

  The command carrier was launching every space-worthy object it had, from corvette class all the way down to escape pods, and without orders, some fighters were taking pot shots at anything in their path. I kept my eye open for any Vindyne ship that came too close.

  My diligence wasn't without reward, as a Marauder class corvette came into view surrounded by enemy fighters. It was right behind us, and from the flares our engines were giving off, I could tell that Minh was doing his absolute best to outrun it.

  I looked for the range finder on my tracking display and found it a few seconds later. Guessing that red meant my targets were out of range, I held my fire. I looked to my right and left and saw that there was a gunnery pod on either side. One held Oz, the other Jason. I looked back to my range finder and saw it turn green. I took aim at the nearest fighter and opened fire.

  Just as all three of us hit it several more came into range. Despite Minh's erratic flying we all scored multiple hits, more than enough to worry the enemy pilots. Several impacts raked the bottom of the hull right beside me and I paid special attention to the pilot of that craft.

  As he turned his ship to follow Minh's wild flying I put holes in his fighter from front to back, missed several times, then found my mark right behind the cockpit. His ship began to spin to one side and he ejected before the rear half burst in a hail of engine parts.

  Just as I was looking for my next target several more fighters came in range and opened fire. The Marauder was closing as well. I clenched my teeth and I gripped the controls white-knuckle tight. There was no way I was going back to that cell. If they wanted to take me alive it would cost them as much manpower and credits as I could manage. If they wanted us dead, it wouldn't be without the fight of their lives. I aimed for the forward beam emitter on the Marauder Corvette and opened fire.

  The vibrations of the cannons, high pitched whine of the capacitors draining into the turret faded into the distance and all I saw were the beam emitters and enemy fighters flying past, trying to tear us apart. The beam emitter's shielding gave out under the weight of several hundred hits. I could see the machinery underneath was seriously damaged. I moved on to the nearest fighter and tracked him, blocking out everything else. When the time came, my rounds found their way right up between his engines and his reactor lost containment. Just as he began ejecting, it exploded. Before the blue flames dissipated I was tracking the next fighter, tearing holes into it from the very front to the very back, then dumping even more shots into the rear of its hull until it just drifted on by, a wasted heap in space.

  I heard rounds impact near me, pitting and denting the hull of the ship and took aim at the fighter who shot them straight on. I fired right up the nose of his craft and aimed for the cockpit. By the time our ship was in collision alert range the pilot was dead, and Minh had to swerve to avoid the twisted remains. I was already on the next fighter as I saw the remnants drift behind, its engines still firing. I scored more than a dozen hits on the next fighter I had targeted, then looked back at the craft that was drifting aimlessly into the black of space and took careful aim.

  I watched for several seconds, dropping my targeting reticule to the aft port side and finally hit the trigger. I nicked it with one hit. Just enough to turn the fighter towards the approaching Marauder Corvette. The larger ship didn't have time to turn, and as I was targeting the next nearest fighter I saw the crushing impact out of the corner of my eye.

  There were no other fighters in range, so I took the opportunity to aim at the Marauder's bridge and open fire. I kept the gun firing until the tips of the barrels were white hot, took a break for the count of three, then opened fire again. I wasn't the only one. I could see Oz and Jason were aiming at the same target and we collectively cheered when their bridge depressurized. They had obviously come with orders to take us alive -- otherwise their beam weapons would have torn us to pieces -- but that didn't make our small victory hollow or any less rewarding.

  Another wave of fighters was coming into range, and my targeting computer, as simple as it was, marked what I guessed were two more Marauders. I was sure, with the damage that we had done to them already, it wouldn't be long before their orders changed from recapture to eliminate. I didn't think we could hold out for very long against modern fighters in an old gunship, and from what I was sure my energy readout was telling me, we had spent about eighty percent of the power stored for the guns. It would take a long time for them to recharge.

  The first group of fighters came into range. I was just about to open fire when the First Light fighter group streaked past us, their engines flaring brightly and weapons firing relentlessly at our pursuers. I swivelled my turret around and saw the First Light coming almost straight at us with all gun turrets bare and firing. Rounds left light trails through space as thousands of them hurtled towards the corvettes and their fighter cover.

  There was emergency hull plating right across the front of the ship. A wide beam weapon had cut into the First Light starting at the darkened bridge, extending all the way down across the front to the observation deck. The main observation section was also unlit, and through the transparesteel section in the front I could see a closed emergency blast door. There was Ayan's reason for leaving without us. Something much bigger, much more powerful, had been ready to blast the entire ship into oblivion.

  I watched for a moment longer before gladly leaving the dangerously exposed gunnery turret. I slammed the hatch shut with my foot and kept climbing the ladder the few more rungs to the cockpit, where I sat beside Ayan and took her hand. She looked at me and smiled. “I didn't want to leave you behind,” was all she said. There was no apology and I needed none.

  “I know. I love you.”

  She moved from her seat into my lap and I held her as we landed inside the main bay of the First Light.

  Chapter 9

  A Military Captain

  The deck crew applauded as soon as I emerged from the gunship. It was a good reception, but short lived. They all had work to do. Several of them got to work on moving the gunship from where Minh had landed it straight into the servicing bay. Two of the deck crew gave us replacement command and control consoles. “There's a uniform materializer built into this one sir, something we developed while you were away,” one of them told me as she clasped it on my arm. We took the lift part way up and stopped in a common area restroom before reachin
g our destination. Considering the bridge was destroyed, I wasn't quite sure where that would be. I was following Ayan.

  Once I was in a restroom stall I tore off what remained of the plastic jumpsuit and raised the command and control unit to chest level, just about ready to apply a new uniform.

  I brought the uniform console up and noticed it had changed. There was a new option called materialize from a pattern stored in memory just as I had been told.

  I was just about to select it when I heard Oz cry out. “Whoa! What the--” I peeked over the top of the stall and saw he was already in his bridge uniform and checking himself from head to toe. “Yup, every thing's still there. Still seems a little too close for comfort though, something materializing so close to the tender bits.”

  I shrugged, closed my eyes and pressed the button, trying not to think of all the things that could go wrong with turning energy into matter right on top of someone's skin. Less than two seconds later the uniform was on and other than a slight tingle, there were no ill effects. I stepped out of the stall and Minh-Chu looked at me. “Let's finish this the right way.”

  “There are some escapees that need cover,” I agreed.

  Ayan met me at the restroom door. “Much better. Could use a shave though. Your new bridge is this way.” She started leading us at a quick pace towards the engineering section.

  “How is the ship?”

  “We were able to patch what we had to, and by supercharging certain sections of the hull it's grown back enough so we're armoured again. The main bridge is gone. We didn't bother even re-pressurizing it; we just sealed it off.”

  “We should have done that a long time ago,” Oz commented from behind.

  “None of us were thinking that we'd be stuck in a battle against this kind of technology. I agree with you though,” I replied.

  Ayan went on. “The Marauder Corvettes don't have the energy to use the same power grade of particle weapons that the bigger carriers and destroyers here do. When the Vindyne fleet jumped in at close range, a super carrier was right on top of us. They focused their first shot right across the forward section. Our refractive shielding mitigated some of the damage, but it couldn't do all the work.”