Hunted (Space Rogue Book 2)

by Jay Toney

  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you any trouble."

  "It isn't a problem; it is an honor, reserved for extraordinary people. You are one of those rare people. The first three souls were easy to judge. They were sent on to enjoy their afterlife, where they will enjoy peace for a time, and eventually evolve into something special."

  "Like angels?"

  "Better than angels.

  You, on the other hand, are different. Your soul is new and hasn't had time to mature. Usually, I would send you back to live in another incarnation. However, you have learned to love, and you sacrificed yourself for that love. That presents me with a problem. I am not sure what to do with you. Tell me how you came about getting a soul."

  "I do not know. I was constructed to make the Queen Anne's Revenge more functional and to act as a companion to its captain, Doc Roberts. One of our Engineers, Randolph, tinkered with my personality matrix and programming to help me express and feel emotion. My chosen partner, Tanya, helped me understand these emotions and helped me to act more like a human.

  I wasn't aware that synthetic people had souls."

  "They don't. You are the first artificial intelligence to have one. Finding out how you obtained a soul may help me decide what to do with you. I don't want just simply to have you reborn as a human to experience life again. Few souls have achieved what you have done, and fewer with young souls like yours. Most souls are sent back, and reborn several times before being admitted to the afterlife."

  "I fell in love with Tanya. We loved each other very much and were very happy together. I won the right to claim whoever I wanted as a mate and chose Tanya as my bond mate. The two of us were joined together with some amulets that we got from our Iniguar friends. Tanya and I shared a special gift. We were able to feel each other's emotions, especially strong emotions like love.

  "The Iniguar bonding devices work by exchanging pieces of souls from the couples who bond together. Tanya shouldn't have been affected by you, but somehow a fragment of her soul attached itself to you and grew into a full soul. It is the first time that this has happened in all of the known histories. That makes you an extraordinary person."

  "What happens when you do a rejoining? My friend Nathaniel bonded with Amber. Later they did another rejoining so that they could add another friend, Jewel, as their bond mate."

  "It is very dangerous. With each bonding, larger fragments of their souls are exchanged forming the bond. If they do another bonding, for any reason, it is possible that they will lose their identity. Even if they don't, they will be changed forever. They will no longer be who they were.

  "That explains the changes I've seen in them. It also explains how Jewel and Amber can fly like Nathaniel. He shared his natural ability to fly with them."

  "I know what I must do now. Normally, I would erase your memory but in this unique situation. I need you to remember everything. Even our conversation.

  I have a special message for Nathaniel, Amber, and Jewel. Tell them that they must not do another joining. If they do they risk everything, not just their lives. Take my hand now and don't be afraid. Your soul is assigned to me to judge when the time comes. Stay close to your friends. I will be watching you."

  "I will. Thank you, Astrea."

  Persephone

  The damage to our fleet, during the last engagement with the Alliance, was minor. Our engineers and repair teams were able to make repairs with the spare parts and supplies we had on hand. Repairing our starships gave us time to hold a funeral for Natasha and Tanya. Typically, either a sealed urn was set adrift from the ship with the ashes of the deceased inside, left to drift in space for an eternity, or the bodies of the dead were placed inside of a torpedo casing and launched towards the nearest star.

  I didn't have their ashes or bodies. They were reduced to their basic elements when the missile Natasha intercepted exploded. The funeral was symbolic. It was a way to say our last goodbyes to our friends. Red prepared a eulogy for Natasha and Tanya. He started to speak and stopped after the first few words. It was too much for him. He turned away from the empty torpedo and headed towards his waiting shuttle.

  I couldn't finish the eulogy either. I felt as if I had killed Tanya and Natasha myself by asking them to protect Red. Jewel and Amber argued that it wasn't my fault, telling me that even Red tried to make them break off and save themselves. It didn't help. I still felt responsible. I placed an unopened bottle of Tanya's thistleberry punch and two glasses inside the torpedo. I was sending the liquor in hopes that they would be able to enjoy one last drink together. Amber and Jewel each placed a red rose in the torpedo with my bottle of alcohol. I don't know where or how they managed to get the fresh flowers, but they always seemed to find a way to get whatever they wanted.

  Other trinkets were left inside by their friends. When everyone had their chance to say their final goodbyes, I sealed the torpedo casing. Two waiting crewmen loaded the torpedo into the launch tube. When the missile was ready, and the port opened, I fired the missile.

  Red departed in a shuttlecraft. He left his Marauder behind to replace the one we lost. I think that Red flew his last mission in a Marauder and was retiring the ship from his service. Red lost other friends and pilots flying Marauders in combat, but none of them affected them like the loss of Natasha and Tanya. They died saving his life.

  The repair crew painted the number 14 on the twin tails of the new Marauder. They skipped the number 13, fearing it was unlucky to use the number. As far as they were concerned Marauder number 6 was missing in action. Until it returned and the assault shuttle was retired from service, they wouldn't reuse its number.

  The crew took the time to paint the nose of every Marauder on my ship with a portrait of the ancient Earth god Zeus. His thunderbolts adorned the port and starboard sides. Names for the Marauders would come next. I didn't have a clue as to what inspired the maintenance team to paint Zeus's image on the Marauders. All that mattered was that they liked it.

  "Captain, may I have a moment to speak to you?"

  "Feel free to talk to me anytime."

  "I am concerned about my avatar. Natasha has been spending a lot of her time offline, but never so long. I've been out of communications with her since before our last engagement with the Alliance. Have you seen her? Is she okay?"

  "Your avatar is no longer with us. Natasha sacrificed herself and Tanya to save Red's life."

  "Can you rebuild her? If not can she be replaced with another model, maybe something newer with more programmable features? Except for the last few days, I have all of her memories and can activate the new avatar with her memories."

  "Even if I purchased the most advanced synthetic person and Natasha's memories were downloaded into the avatar, it wouldn't be Natty. She wasn't just a collection of memories accumulated over 30 years of service. Randolph repeatedly altered her personality matrix. Somehow, she developed a true personality of her own. Randolph's tinkering had very little to do with it; even he is having problems comprehending the complexities of the changes made in her. Your avatar far exceeded the limitations and capabilities of her programming, making her indistinguishable from humans. As far as I know, no other synthetic person has ever done that or wanted to. I can get you a new avatar if you still want one, but it will never be her; she is dead."

  "I don't want another Avatar. I have come to accept Natty as my sister as well as my avatar. I want her back in my life. She is a part of me that I refuse to let go of. I miss our conversations about her experiences with her new emotions. I loved her."

  "I'm sorry, there is no way to bring her back. There is always a chance that a new avatar will develop an individual personality like Natty did."

  "She was unique. If she can't be brought back into my life, then I w
ill join her in hers."

  "Captain, Natasha is shutting down. Her personality matrix and the backup copies of her matrix have all been erased. There is nothing I can do to stop her from erasing herself, or to restore her," Kim explained.

  Natasha was truly gone now, not just her avatar. She was the AI for this ship since its construction and before that the Queen Anne's Revenge. She has been with my family since my great-grandfather bought the warship as scrap, and recommissioned her.

  The starship's central computer finished rebooting. A new construct was created for the AI, replacing Natasha. I could alter and customize it however I chose, but for now, I would leave it with whatever attributes the central computer randomly selected for its new personality. I was going to miss Natasha almost as much as I did her avatar and Tanya. She had been with me all of my life.

  A female voice greeted me. The computer chose another female persona to represent it. It was a softer voice, and somehow it sounded more human to me.

  "I am a Nexus model 91 AI, serial number 971425602. What name do you wish me to respond to?"

  "Choose any name you like," I was still grieving the loss of my friends, and I wasn't ready to name a replacement.

  "The ship's will be used as the default name. You may rename me anytime you wish. For now, you may address me as Persephone."

  "Captain, we are being hailed by one of the Iniguar vessels," Jewel reported.

  "Put him on the main viewscreen."

  The commander of the Iniguar starship filled our main viewscreen.

  "Captain Roberts, thank the gods that you and your companions have once again come to aid us in our time of need. Our fleet thanks you, and your friends, for our continued existence."

  "It is by chance that we met today, not the will of the gods. Never the less, your gratitude is appreciated. We also thank your fleet for the aid you gave us in ridding this system of the Alliance."

  "We share your grief for the loss of your companions. Is there any assistance we can show our gratitude?"

  "Information. I recently accepted another friend as a bond mate, adding a third person as my mate. Since then we have been experiencing certain changes in our personalities and exchanging different skills."

  "A second joining brings with it certain risks. It is very dangerous, and rarely done because of the effects it has on the couple in your case the trio. I cannot be more specific without meeting with you and your mates in person and discussing what changes have already occurred. After visiting with all of you, I may be able to determine the bonds affects."

  "I do not believe the way the bond is affecting us is normal. I was recently told that I am not entirely human. I am a high breed, half human and half Iniguar. My mother was Elaunae, High Priestess of the Sun and Moon.

  My wife's sister is carrying her descendants. Her pregnancy is faster than normal for human women. Her unborn children are developing in half the gestation period. So far, the children's development is more Iniguar than human."

  "I have heard too much. Much of what you have told me is forbidden knowledge. I will be aboard shortly bringing with me information that may help you." The viewscreen went returned to the view of the starfield.

  Mike, Amber, Jewel, and I left the bridge, heading to the starboard shuttle bay where our Iniguar friends would be landing. The wait was only a short one. It was just minutes before the Iniguar shuttle touched down inside of the starboard nacelle and taxied to the parking area where our shuttles and Marauders waited.

  Four Iniguar men and women exited the transport shuttle. The person I spoke with on the comm greeted us, "I am Shree'tek's brother Shar'tu. This is my communications officer, my weapons officer, my sensors officer," he said pointing to each in turn. The women are our mates." The Iniguar took their mates into battle with them. This way, if one of them were to die in battle, the mate would be spared the long death that followed after the loss of their partner.

  "It is a pleasure to meet all of you."

  "I am afraid that our visit will only be a short one. My bridge officers all heard our conversation. We must sacrifice our lives to keep the news that you have given us kept secret. If word were to reach our worlds about the descendents of the House of Elaunae still living, another great purge would be done to ensure that all survivors are eliminated, even if it means war with our friends. Let us use of what little time we have remaining wisely. How may we help you."

  "I do not understand. Why was my mother left for dead and everyone related to her killed in a purge? Why is speaking about her forbidden knowledge?"

  "There is a prophecy concerning the Priestess of the House of Elaunae. It foretold that one day a descendant of that house will either usher us into a great war or be our savior. Elaunae fled from us, pursued by those who would see her bloodline and the prophecy ended. Her mate was executed to ensure she perished from the slow death. Evidently, she survived.

  It is fortunate for you that my brother and I come from a more progressive family and consider you as our friend and a friend to our people. There are those who still fear that you might be the destroyer, not the savior as prophesied. If they found out that you are a descendant of Elaunae, they would hunt and kill you and your children. To prevent anyone else from learning this secret, we must take it with us, in death."

  "I there are skills that Jewel and Amber inherited from me such as the natural ability to fly that I got from my mother. Some strange things are happening with them like producing fresh cut roses when there are none aboard this ship. It seems that I have inherited a chronic ailment that has affected Jewel all of her life. Lately my wife and companion have been adding jewelry, clothing, perfumes, and other items to their collections. If we were in space dock or docked with a trader, it would explain where they were getting them, but we weren't. I don't have any idea where or how they were getting these items. There are other changes in our behavior; most them are minor."

  "There is only one possible explanation for the objects they are acquiring; they are replicating them. As for the skills and changes you have explained, during the bonding process, a part of your essence is exchanged between you and your mate. During additional bondings, more significant pieces are transferred. The most dominate abilities were shared during the last bonding process. Amber and Jewel got their natural ability to fly from you. You, in turn, inherited Jewel's disorder. What you received from Amber may not have manifested as of yet, but it will."

  It already did. I was just too embarrassed to mention what I got from my wife. We were both deceitful, so it was hard to tell if I inherited any of her deceitfulness. What I did get from Amber was my ability to lie. I was never any good at it, so I strove always to tell the truth. It was easier than trying to keep any lies straight. Lately, I have been lying a lot and haven't had any problems with confusing my lies or convincing the people that I lied to that I was speaking the truth.

  "We have made great advances in the ability to convert energy to matter. We can create most items, even plant life. It is similar to creating a complex hologram, adding all of the internal workings to the hologram, so it is identical to the real object in every way. Then we instruct it to keep its form. We call this procedure replication and the equipment that makes it possible, replicators. We have tried, but when it comes to replicating living beings, we continue to fail, even with the simplest lifeforms."

  "We don't have any equipment that is capable of replication."

  "Your companions have a very rare gift. Our replicators mimic what they are capable of doing naturally. When you are in a holographic simulation, I assume the objects in that simulation have a corporeal form."

  "They do."

  "Then they are simply taking what they want from the simulation and telling it to keep its form whe
n they exit the simulation. Amber and Jewel may not even realize that they are doing it. It may seem like magic to them.

  I brought a copy of all of our technical advances, including replication for you to use. I have also included records of our history and culture. It may help with understanding the gifts and abilities that manifest with choosing a bond mate," Shar'tu handed a data pad and several memory crystals to Mike, our most experienced engineer.

  "It is time for us to go. Our fleet is waiting to witness our departure from this existence. After we are gone, they will return home bringing news of our deaths to our clans."

  "Isn't there another way to keep the secret of my ancestry safe and spare your lives?"

  "Our people know we have heard forbidden knowledge, but not the details of it. They are waiting to make sure that the secrets we know can never be spread to our people."

  "If you were isolated from your people, aboard my ship, would that satisfy the requirements for secrecy?"

  "It would, but my people are waiting to witness our deaths. They cannot be made to wait indefinitely."

  "Then they will see your deaths soon enough.

  Persephone, can you fly the Iniguar shuttle by remote control?"

  "I can."

  "Have Jane place an explosive aboard the shuttle that can be remotely detonated and make whatever preparations are needed to launch and fly the shuttle under your control."

  "She has been notified. Jane estimates the shuttle will be ready in thirty minutes."

  "Have a maintenance crew assigned to preparing four officer staterooms for our new guests?"