by Frank Carey
Frowning, Dex pointed down the corridor. "Renfrew with me. Trudy, down the hall until you come to a corridor." After a brief walk, Dex stopped in front of a store room. Turning toward the bow, Dex found a fire extinguisher hanging on a wall. Meanwhile, Trudy signaled she found a lengthwise corridor at the centerline of the ship. Dex relayed the data to Fala.
"Impossible. You should see a corridor with a handcart parked near the starboard-aft corner."
Dex looked down and saw a handcart wheel and part of a frame sticking out from the wall. He turned on his shoulder camera and aimed it at his finds. "Amelia, Galagu, are you getting this?"
"Dex, is that a..."
"Handcart wheel? Yep. Captain Fala, any idea how long it would take to remove two corridors from a ship this size and replace it with one running along the center line?"
"Months," he replied.
"And this took hours..." Dex heard a bleep warning that his comm had switched to a private channel only he and Rayna could hear. "Yes, Rayna?"
"Get the plark out of there."
"I can't. My hackles are rising which means I need to check this out."
"You and your damn premonitions. Leave the bots behind and get out."
"Stop worrying. There are no threats, just a couple of missing corridors and a handcart embedded in a wall, so instead of worrying, get into the database and see if there are any technologies which have self-modifying ship designs."
"Fine! If you get killed, I will kill you again. Got it?"
"Yessss...? I think so. Dex out."
With Renfrew in tow, Dex headed to where Trudy waited for them.
CHAPTER SIX
Bart arrived at Trudy's location and found her waiting at the intersection of their transverse corridor with a longitudinal corridor stretching forward to the bow and abaft to the stern. Choosing the latter direction, the human and two bots headed toward where the bulkhead that divided the ship sat blocking the way of the salvage crew. Dex sent Renfrew ahead to check for threats and ordered Trudy to scan the walls for any sign of how the corridor had been made so quickly. Trudy's scans showed nothing amiss and no signs of nanorobots, at least none they could detect. The mystery deepened when Renfrew sent a video from the location of the large hatch.
There was no hatch. The corridor continued past the bulkhead into the center section of the ship. "Captain Fala, not to sound like a broken record, but are you seeing this?"
Bart swore he heard Fala do a face palm. "Captain Corrigan, any idea what the hell is going on?"
"Frankly, no, though a ship that can reconfigure itself could be handy. I'm moving into the center of the ship. Corrigan out. Trudy! Take point. Renfrew, bring up the rear." They headed down the corridor. About ten minutes in, both bots went to defensive poses as their scans picked up something. Seeing this, Dex checked their readout. "Rayna, I'm not alone," he reported.
"I see that," she replied. "The computer is drawing a blank, but whatever it is, it’s approaching from port using a side corridor. Get the hell out of there, Dex..." she yelled, but it was too late. With the two bots flanking him, Dex watched as an ethereal form emerged from a side passage and took position ahead of them at the center of the corridor. It was big, about the size of large conveyance, but it was hard to see, as if it were not completely in real-space. It stood there, staring at him while phasing in and out of this continuum.
"Rayna, assume for the moment that I'm staying. Any suggestions?"
"Since you insist on being stubborn, try talking to it," she suggested
"Ok. Hey! You with a less than firm grasp on reality! My name is Captain Dex Corrigan of Space Patrol. What's yours?"
The specter--there was no other term for it--continued to stare silently at Dex.
"Parlez-vous français?"
"Dex! You don't speak French!" Rayna reminded him.
"Yeah, right." He thought for a moment. "Cover me," he told the bots as he stepped toward the apparition.
"Dex! Have you lost mind?" Rayna yelled.
"Probably. Stand by." He walked up to the apparition. "Look, I really need to know your intentions, so speak up! Who and what the hell are you?"
The wraith leaned over so that an upper part of it was almost in his face. This "head" leaned left, then right, before disappearing along with its "body." Dex found himself alone except for the bots.
"Rayna, how are the scans?"
"Clear. I can't believe you yelled at it."
"Yeah, me and my short temper." He aimed his wrist-mounted scanner abaft. "I'm picking up an energy source near the center of the ship. It's faint, but it's definitely there."
"I'm sending in our complement of probe bots to map the ship and keep an eye on you."
"Keep an eye on me? Do you think it's really necessary to keep an eye on me?"
"Yes. If you think I'm breaking in another pilot, you have another think coming, mister."
"Yes, mother. Send in the bots if you must. Did you want me to wait for my escorts or can I proceed?"
"Wait!"
He looked at Trudy. "I think I've made her cross. "She returned the look with a tilt of her head. She and Renfrew were programmed to mimic a combination of dogs and chimps, and this was the dog in her.
After a brief wait. Several rat-bots and snake-bots appeared and while two rats joined Dex, the rest of the herd spread out to map the ship.
"Bots have arrived, and I'm now safely in their hands, excuse me, their paws. Permission to proceed to next location."
Rayna sighed. "Sorry. It's just that I'm spooked by all this?"
Dex chuckled. "The unflappable Captain Rayna Meer spooked by a ship that might be haunted? No!"
"You're not angry?"
"Hell no, girlfriend. You're right, we have to take this careful-like."
"Thanks. Now, get going. I'll have the probes follow behind you and map the ship as you go."
"Roger that. Heading out. Trudy and Renfrew, take point. Rats, flanking positions. Scanners up, set defensive condition. Move out."
The five of them headed aft toward the source of the energy signatures.
Shortly, they came to a large open room. Surrounded by a circular hallway was a metal bulkhead which stretched from floor to ceiling. There were no doors and no windows, just a blank, circular, steel wall. He aimed his scanner at it and took a reading. "Rayna, I found the source of the signal. It's a circular room." He took some readings. "And it's at the exact center of the ship."
"Dex, we've got five incoming twins to that ship. They're not answering hails and I can't detect any life signs."
"I'm on my..." He stopped when he found himself in a sealed room. The corridor was gone.
"What's wrong?"
"The corridor is sealed. Bots! Find a way out of here." They returned moments later with bad news. "Rayna, there's no way out. I'm trapped in here."
###
In the Galagu’s communications room, Rayna sat in her seat, tilting her head back with her eyes closed as she tried to shut out the world for just a second. "Mistress, are you all right?" a voice asked. She turned and saw a young Canuran woman holding a tray of tea. Rayna recalled the woman's name was Calraya.
"Calraya, is that tea for me?"
She nodded and brought Rayna a cup. Sipping it, Rayna thanked the girl. "I'm fine, Cal, just worried about Dex. He has a tendency to run off half-cocked."
"Men can be that way," the young lady said as she launched into a Canuran thought storm. Canurans had a tendency to talk in run-on sentences, and Cal was no exception. Knowing this, Rayna let her continue knowing she would soon run out of words, which she did. "Sorry, mistress. I ramble when I get nervous."
"You're doing fine. I'll let you in on a little secret. I get a little pushy when I'm nervous. Lucky for me, Dex lets it slide until I get it out of my system..."
Her comm bleeped.
"I have to take this," she said.
Cal smiled and nodded.
Rayna tapped her ear comm which was slaved to the Amelia's comm system. "G
o for Rayna."
"Rayna, it's Shasta. I need a sitrep."
Rayna filled her in. "Shasta, we have no idea what we're dealing with here."
"Unfortunately, it's only likely to get worse. Long-range scans show five tangos heading your way. We were able to get visuals using a nearby probe and your new friends look an awful lot like the ship Captain Fala's family found."
"Any idea if they're hostile?"
"No, and their drive energy signatures correspond to nothing we've ever seen. We recommend you and the Pela family get the hell out of there. We're sending four patrol ships to assist, over."
"Roger that, Command. Stand by. Cal, I need your father, now!"
"Yes, mistress," Cal said as she hurried out of the room."
The comm bleeped. It was Dex
"Rayna, I found the source of the signal. It's a circular room." Dex paused. "And it's at the exact center of the ship."
"Dex, we've got five incoming twins to that ship. They're not answering hails, and I can't detect any life signs."
"I'm on my..." He suddenly stopped talking.
"What's wrong?"
"The corridor is sealed. Bots! Find a way out of here." A few moments later, he told her the bad news. "Rayna, there's no way out. I'm trapped."
CHAPTER SEVEN
Captain Fala entered the room just as Dex gave Rayna the bad news. "Mistress, what can we do?" the Canurran asked.
"Leave, Captain," Dex said from the comm. "I know that you're not military, and that Rayna and I are just here to help, but the situation has changed. You are to take Rayna and get the hell out of here. I suggest you take the Galagu to the edge of the system and wait for help to arrive. Rayna, leave the Amelia in case I find a way out of this. Scram the database and InterWeb connections but leave comm and use it as a relay."
"Dex, I can't just leave you in a bind, dammit!" Rayna interjected.
"Lieutenant, you are to protect the Pela family at all costs, so bug out, now! That's an order."
"Be careful, mister. Understand me?"
"Yes, ma'am. Now get."
Rayna looked at Captain Fala. "We need to leave."
Fala nodded. "Captain to the Bridge! We are leaving. Take us to the edge of this system and find a place to hold up until help arrives."
"Captain, this is Samdal. Take this ship to edge of system and wait, aye!" The ship shuddered as it got underway.
"I need to confab with Space Patrol Command," Rayna said as she tried to suppress her inner turmoil.
"Let us know if you need anything," Captain Fala said. "If you have no objections, Cal would like to stay and help."
"That would be wonderful," Rayna replied as she flicked switches. "I can use as much help as I can get."
Fala nodded, then headed to the Bridge, Leaving Rayna and Cal to deal with interfacing with Space Patrol.
"Space Patrol Command, this is Lieutenant Meer on priority channel. I am declaring an emergency, over," she said calmly.
"Rayna, this is Shasta responding to your emergency. Sitrep!"
Rayna recounted the events of the last hour.
"Understood. Space Command has rerouted two cruisers to your location. Four Space Patrol ships will be waiting for you at the following coordinates." She reeled-off a set of numbers which Cal wrote down, then relayed to the Bridge.
"Rayna, I just got word that you should stand by for visitors."
"You mean the Space Patrol ships we're supposed to meet?"
"I don't think so..."
Cal choked back a scream as three Necrue appeared in the room. "Cal, it's all right. These are my friends, Murphy, Maddy, and Nova." She walked over and put her hands on Cal's shoulders. "This is Cal, my Aide. What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were on assignment with EMEF Stryker Team One."
"We were until pictures of that ship hit the InterWeb," Maddy replied while Murph brought images of the alien ship up on the monitors. Meanwhile, Nova walked over to where Cal was standing. "Heck of a day."
"Yes, mistress."
"Could I impose on you to get us some tea?"
"Yes, mistress, of course."
"And if you have those little Canurran confections?"
"Scrumpets? Yes, mistress." Cal hurried from the room.
"I like her," Nova said.
"What the hell is going on?" Rayna demanded.
Murph found a seat in the cramped room and sat down in it. "Rayna, you were part of the last birthing, correct?"
"Yes."
"The three of us were part of a much earlier birthing. In our time, there were two Necrue races, ours, the Chroma, and the others which we call the Lumas. No one knows why there are two breeds of Necrue, but two there are. A very stupid civil war broke out between the two races..."
"Something your human friend's ancestors would be familiar with," Maddy added.
"A civil war which led to millions of deaths on both sides," Murphy continued.
"Necrue killing Necrue?" Rayna asked, her face filled with shock and disbelief.
Murph nodded. "Not one of our finest moments," Murph said. "The civil war ended when the Lumas boarded ships and left this part of the universe in search of a home sans Chromas. That is the last we heard of them, until now. That ship is of Luma design. In fact, it's an arena ship."
"I don't like the sound of that. What is an arena ship?" Rayna asked.
"It is a place where champions from two sides of a dispute fight to the death to end a vendetta," Nova explained. "Two walk in; one walks out."
"It detected living beings when the Canurans entered it, so it tested them to see if they were Necrue. Eventually, it would have gone back to sleep, but it must have sensed you when you and Dex arrived. Detecting Necrue life signs, it called in the aggrieved party to oversee the death battle," Murph continued. "Dex probably got trapped when the ship got confused. You and he share a ship, so traces of you can be found on him and vice versa."
"Wait, Dex has to fight a Necrue to the death?"
"No. It would serve no purpose," Murph said. "When they don't see any of our kind running around, they'll reset the system and leave."
"I better brief Dex." She flipped a switch. "Dex, are still there?"
"Where would I go?" he asked. "Any update?"
She filled him in.
"Great. I guess I should bone up on looking harmless while I wait for them to arrive. Any suggestions?"
"Captain, this is Murphy. Just don't antagonize them and assume they don't have any sense of humor."
Right. Thanks. Wish me luck."
"Just be careful. Your mother and aunt would have my hide if anything happens to you."
"Roger that. Dex standing by."
Rayna got up and paced the room while her three companions watched with tilted heads. "What's up, sister?" Maddy asked. "You're acting a little strange."
"I am not acting strange. I'm just worried about Dex."
Nova glanced at Murph. He thought for a moment, then nodded back. "Why worry about a lessor life form?" she asked while checking her nails. "He's only human..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Rayna had her pinned against the wall with her blaster pointed at her heart. "Go ahead. Finish that thought."
Murph walked over and put his hand on Rayna's shoulder while taking her weapon and deactivating it. Rayna stepped back, confused. "I'm sorry. I... I don't know why I did that."
"Rayna, how many mates have you had in the last thousand centuries?" Maddy asked."
"None. You know I'm too young for that."
“You’re too young to take a Necrue mate," Murph said. "All other species are fair game. It's a thing for us. Procreation is wired while recreation is a free-for-all."
"What are you saying?" Maddy asked, fearing the answer.
"You, my dear, are in love with Captain Dex 'Stargazer' Corrigan of the Space Patrol," Nova explained.
"Free-for-all," Maddy added.
Rayna plopped back down in her seat and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Mi
stress, it will be fine," Cal said. "Love is a wonderful thing."
"Right. Wonderful. That's a much better word than the ones I was thinking."
CHAPTER EIGHT
Dex placed his comm on standby, then paced the corridor as he waited for Rayna to get back to him. He looked over as the circular inner wall dropped into the floor to reveal a glass cylinder, perhaps four-feet in diameter and stretching from floor to ceiling. Inside the cylinder was a figure shrouded by mist.
As the wall disappeared four figures materialized around it, each wearing what looked like dark leather boots, dark leather pants, dark blouses, and black leather jackets to finish off their ensembles. They were Necrue, but Necrue unlike any he had ever met. Unlike Rayna, whose coloration was mottled patches of color overlaid on an opaque white background, these Necrue's coloration was mottled patches of grey overlaid on a coal black background. Not black like human black skin pigment, this black was almost totally non-reflective. More striking then their skin were their eyes. Unlike the Necrue Dex knew, these Necrue had white eyes with tiny black pupils. They reminded Dex of the eyes of praying mantises.
One of the four walked toward Dex while Trudy and Renfrew watched intently. "Identify yourself and your species," it said when it stopped inches away from him.
"Captain Dexter Corrigan of League Space Patrol. I am a human."
"Where is the Chroma we detected?"
"What's a Chroma?" Dex asked as he feigned ignorance.
"Like us, a race of Necrue, but their skin is white with patches of color while their eyes are large and black. They favor wearing white robes," one of its companions replied.
"Now that I would remember. Sorry, we've got no Chromas laying around. Perhaps I can interest you in a nice, hungry, juvenile wombat?"
It was the Luma's turn to be ignorant. "What is this wombat you speak of?"
"Wombats are carnivores found on several planets. The young are non-sentient and run about ten meters long with six legs, each terminating in a six-clawed hand with each claw dripping poison. There motto is to eat first and not bother with questions. The adults are sentient and spend most of their time keeping away from the young. So, who and what are you?"
