by Dave Bara
“I know,” he replied.
“Explain it to me,” she said. He sighed and lay back down, staring at the ceiling.
“It’s a tribal custom, left over from some more traditional time. Probably reintroduced during the regression,” he said. “I was too far into the negotiations and too focused on getting help from the En’obli fleet. I missed the signals. I’m trained for this, I should have seen it coming, but I didn’t. It’s completely my fault”
“Yes,” Yan said. Then she went silent again for a moment, thinking. “Have you slept with her?”
“No.”
“That’s good,” she said. Then she looked down at him. “Will you?” He turned to her and shook his head negative.
“No.”
She stood to go. “I think I understand more now,” she said.
“Yan,” he said to her as she reached for the door.
“Yes?”
“I wish you would stay,” he said. She turned halfway back towards him.
“I want to,” she said. He slid the blanket off of his body and slid over in the small bunk, his back against the cold wall. She came and laid next to him. He put his arms around her, over her shoulders, embracing and protecting her.
“It’s hard for me,” she said, speaking softly. “It was always hard. But now I find myself on a mission I never bargained for, in a mechanical body I never wanted, and yet the feelings I have are just as strong as if I were real.”
“You are real, Yan,” he said. She shook her head.
“No, I’m not. That girl across the hall, she’s real. Makera is real. I’m a fake, a composite of digital files and mechanical constructs, made to look, act, and feel like a real woman. But I’m not real, Renwick. I’m not,” she said. He held her even more tightly.
“You’re very real to me,” he said reassuringly.
“Real enough for you to marry?” she asked. He sat up on one elbow and rolled her over on her back so he could look into her face.
“I’ve had dozens of women on just as many worlds, Captain Yan. Out of all of them you’re the most real woman I’ve ever met. You’re warm, you’re brilliant, you are intriguing in every possible way. And I wouldn’t hesitate to marry you, given half the chance,” he said. She smiled slightly.
“But you’re already married,” she pointed out.
“Well, we’ll just have to go to Deseret or one of the other polygamous colonies where it’s legal then,” he said.
“Either I’m the one, or I’m not, Senator.”
“You are the one, madam,” he said. Then he kissed her. They lingered at each other for a moment, then she pulled back.
“Seriously, what are you going to do?” she asked. He sighed.
“Well, assuming we make it to the emitter station, find a way to shut it off or destroy it, and disable the other Void ships, stop the Soloth fleet, deter an invasion-”
“All right, there’s a lot to accomplish before we run off to live in the country and have children, I’ll give you that. But really-“
“The marriage is not official, she already told me that,” he said. Now Yan sat up.
“What? Really?” he nodded.
“Yes, really. They didn’t have time to find a priest so a military advisor to her father masqueraded as one. But we’re keeping that on the down-low, so as not to endanger the alliance,” he said. She laughed out loud.
“You are a terrible man, Senator Renwick,” she said.
“You’re the one who wants to marry me,” he retorted. They kissed again for several moments, then she rolled onto her side again, her back to him.
“I’m worried Renwick,” she said. “About the station.” He pulled her close.
“What about?” She stayed silent for a moment, then,
“There are things I remember about being there, at the station, but there are other things that I don’t. Tactical things. Layout, defenses, vulnerabilities. Based on the time I spent there, almost three years, I should know those things. And with digital files I should be able to recall everything. But I don’t. It’s like my memory has been blacked out in certain places and then patched back together.”
He thought about her words for a moment. “Do you think your memories have been tampered with?” he said.
“I don’t know. But it’s a concern,” she admitted.
“Who would have the power to do that?” he asked.
“Only two people that I can think of,” she replied. “My corporeal self, three centuries ago, or...” she trailed off.
“Or who?”
“Amanda,” she said.
“The androids?” he said, surprised. “But they’ve been helping us all along. Why would they do something like that?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But it worries me.”
“It should,” he said. “If they aren’t trustworthy, then this whole mission could be a flight to disaster. But honestly, I can’t understand what their motivation could be.”
“Their androids, Renwick, built by an alien civilization. We can’t possibly know what their motivations are and it would be a mistake to think we can understand them just because they were designed to look like us,” she said.
“Point taken.”
Yan was quiet again for a minute, thinking.
“We have to get to the station, Renwick. I have to find... myself. Find out why she would hold back information from me, the current me, and find out what happened three centuries ago,” she said.
He had no response for her as he contemplated what she had said. After a few moments he pulled her close once again, and closed his eyes to sleep.
YAN OF COURSE DIDN’T need to sleep, but she did shut down her cognizant functions to simulate sleep. They both woke hours later and she joined him in the shower, purely for the pleasure of it. Afterwards, they met up with Aybar and Reya in the common galley area for breakfast. Kish and Mischa were on station.
Reya insisted on sitting next to her ‘husband’, and Yan insisted on sitting on his other side. So they sat like that, Renwick sandwiched between the two women while they glared at each other, Reya and Renwick eating their meals while Yan simply held her ground.
“Don’t you eat?” said Reya while munching on a piece of fruit.
“I don’t have to,” said Yan.
“Why?” Yan picked up a thick metal plate and effortlessly bent it into a small ball.
“That’s why,” said Yan, rolling the ball at Reya. Aybar cleared her throat, obviously feeling the tension in the room.
“I think I’ll go relieve Lieutenant Cain at navigation,” she said, abandoning her morning coffee in a rush to leave the galley.
“I should probably go as well and check in with Amanda,” said Yan, finally conceding and standing to leave.
“I thought you were linked to her through the Kali’s main computer?” said Renwick. Yan stopped and gave him and annoyed look.
“I am. And she keeps me updated on our status constantly. But it’s always good to have a face-to-face, don’t you think?” she said with exaggerated pleasantness, smiling a fake smile. Renwick, clueing in that she wanted to leave, nodded.
“Of course, Captain.” He stood like a gentleman should and she departed. A few moments later Mischa Cain came into the galley.
“What’s our status, navigator?” said Renwick as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
“Yan didn’t tell you?” she said as she sat down opposite the newlywed couple.
“Um, no,” Renwick said. Mischa sighed.
“Let’s see. We’re four-point five light-hours ahead of the main Soloth fleet and our lead is growing,” said Mischa. “But those HuK’s are closing again, back to twenty-one light minutes out. And we’re still a solid eighteen hours from the location of the emitter station.”
“We’re not going to make it before the HuK’s catch us, are we?” said Renwick. Mischa shook her head.
“I think we’re going have to fight them here, in the Void,” she said.
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“That’s not good,” said Renwick, concerned.
“Why don’t we stand and fight?” asked Reya. “We have three Gataan ships full of En’obli warriors down in your hold just waiting for the chance.” Renwick put down his coffee.
“Believe it or not, fighting isn’t always the best tactic. We have other goals in mind,” he said to his wife.
“Such as?”
“Such as destroying the station that caused the Void in the first place,” he replied, “and disabling the Kali’s sister ships before Zueros can get to them.”
“So you will destroy the only resources that can end the Void and restore our worlds to keep them from falling into the hands of your enemies?” she asked.
He nodded. “If we have to, yes.” Reya contemplated this a moment.
“You humans use strange tactics,” she said. He nodded as he finished his coffee.
“We do indeed,” he said.
AN HOUR LATER AND RENWICK was off on a side console, deep into analysis of the DNA test that Amanda had run on Zueros, looking for markers that might indicate the test was tampered with, but he had found none. He failed to notice at first when the android came up next to him.
“I see you are reviewing the DNA test findings from the Skondar station,” Amanda said. He looked up swiftly, startled. “Is there anything I can help you find?”
“Not just at the moment, thank you Amanda,” he said, turning and blocking her view of his display to keep her from seeing what he was reviewing. She could probably monitor his actions without having to see the display, he reasoned, but why give her any advantage he didn’t have to?
“Perhaps if I knew what it was you were looking for, I could assist you?” she asked. He looked at her but said nothing for a moment, then said:
“Markers indicating tampering.”
“You’ll find none,” she said.
“That’s what I’ve noticed so far,” he said, then turned back to his screen, uncomfortable with her watching him.
“The analysis was very thorough. His DNA was complementary to the other samples provided,” Amanda said.
“I’m aware of that.”
“So what concerns you?” she persisted. He swiveled back towards her.
“I’d rather not say,” he finally said, seeking to end the conversation.
“You’d rather not say to an android, you mean,” she replied. He looked at her again, contemplating her anew. What she had just said was a challenge, and that was something new and heretofore unseen in her personality.
“I’d rather not say,” he repeated, “and I’d like to just leave it at that.”
“Very well,” she said, then turned and departed without another word.
Renwick summoned Yan on his com. She came up a few minutes later.
“What do you need?” she asked.
“I just had a very strange conversation with our primary android,” he said.
“Amanda? What about?”
“About my reviewing of the DNA test files,” he said. Yan crossed her arms.
“What about it? Did she complain?”
“No, but I got the distinct feeling she doesn’t think I trust her completely,” Renwick said.
“Well do you?” replied Yan. Renwick shook his head.
“No, but that’s not the point,” he said.
“Then what is the point?” Renwick rolled his seat towards Yan and pulled in close to her.
“She challenged me. Challenged my decision not to disclose my thoughts to her. I got the feeling that perhaps she sees me as a potential threat,” he said.
“Threat to what?” said Yan. Renwick shrugged.
“I don’t know. Her mission?” he said.
“She’s an android, a servant, how could this supposed mission of hers could be different from our mission?” Renwick thought about that for a second.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. Yan pushed her hair back from her face in frustration at the conversation.
“Well you’re full of straight answers today,” she said. He turned back to the display.
“There is something here, Yan. In the DNA, I mean, I just haven’t found it yet,” he said.
“Well let me know when you do,” she replied. “And for now, I’d appreciate it if you kept your paranoid android suspicions to yourself.” She was about to end the conversation and walk away when an alert claxon sounded.
“This is Yan,” she said over her com.
Kish answered. “We’ve got a malfunction in the scoops, sir,” he said. “And we’re slowing.” Then Aybar cut in.
“Weapons console indicating those HuK’s are accelerating,” she said. “Looks like they detected our decreased scoop rate and jumped on the attack.” Renwick ripped out his earpiece com and whispered to Yan.
“I find the timing of this very suspicious,” he said. “Just after Amanda gets upset at my prying.”
“Noted,” she whispered back, then she went back on the com.
“Shut down the scoops, and prep those Gataan frigates. Looks like we have ourselves a fight whether we want one or not,” she said, then she turned and made for the bridge.
“Are you coming, Senator?” she called over her shoulder. Renwick was already out of his seat.
“Right behind you,” he said.
YAN WATCHED THE MAIN tactical display as the Soloth HuK’s closed to within firing range. Renwick stood at his station to her right, and Reya was next to him.
“Are our Gataan ships deployed?” Reya asked of Aybar.
“Deployed and reporting ready,” Aybar said to her. Reya nodded.
“Good,” said Yan. “Time and distance to the enemy, captain?”
“Two minutes to firing range, sixty-four thousand kilometers distance,” replied Aybar.
“One of the HuK’s is slowing, falling behind the others,” said Renwick. “And I’m betting I know who’s on board.”
“Zueros?” said Yan. Renwick nodded.
“If I’m right, yes. I think he’s much more than just an agent for the Soloth. I think he’s behind everything regarding this invasion,” he said. “And I don’t think he’ll get close enough for us to take a shot at him. He wants us to reach the station ahead of the fleet. He has some other agenda.”
“Which is?” asked Yan. Renwick looked up at her.
“If I knew that, Captain, I’d tell you,” he said.
“That’s what I was afraid you’d say.”
At this Amanda came up and took her customary position next to Yan.
“Report, Amanda,” said Yan.
“The scoops have fallen to forty-one percent efficiency. Indications are that the main diffuser modules have suffered a complete system breakdown. The units will have to be replaced manually via an EVA by one of the crew,” she said.
“You mean crawl up on the scoop and replace one of the main pieces of equipment that makes this ship what it is, by hand?” said Renwick, incredulous. “How long will the repair take?”
“Ninety minutes, estimated, if one of the androids does the EVA,” she replied.
“We don’t have ninety minutes to sit here and make that kind of repair. Plus you may have noticed we do have an impending space battle on our hands,” he said.
“The repair can be done in transit,” said Amanda in her flat android tone.
“You mean, while we’re clearing Void space?” asked Yan.
“Yes,” Amanda acknowledged.
“Thirty seconds to engagement range,” called Aybar from Weapons.
“We’ll talk about this later,” said Yan. “Right now I have a battle to win. Mr. Kish, bring the scoops to zero. Lieutenant Cain, turn the Kali and engage our defensive systems,” she ordered.
They counted down the seconds, watching the tactical display as the two forward Soloth HuK’s closed to firing distance. The third hung back, just out of the Kali’s weapons range.
“Do our frigates stand a chance against those HuK’s?” Yan asked Renwick.
; “Possibly. If we can provide them enough cover,” he said. “HuK’s are designed as high-risk attack ships with exceptional speed and minimal defense. They are designed to run down and destroy an enemy target, but they don’t last long in prolonged battles.”
Yan’s eyes ran over her board swiftly, making her final pre-battle assessments.
“Suppressing fire with the coil cannon on those HuK’s, Captain Aybar. On my mark,” she ordered. “Three... two... one... mark!” The Kali shook with the report of the coil cannon firing.
“No hits,” reported Aybar. “HuK’s closing to attack range.”
On the display, Renwick watched as the Gataan frigates arranged themselves in a defensive triangle, one to port of the Kali, one to starboard, and the third protecting her crown.
The twin profiles of the HuK’s darted swiftly around the main display, then made their run straight at the Kali, breaking away at the last second and firing at the port frigate, which managed only a single cannon shot in its own defense. The frigate absorbed two huge hits, its shields overloading and collapsing, orange fire erupting on its hull. The other two frigates pivoted and fired, but were far too late, the HuK’s were gone and already making a turn to start their next run.
“Gataan frigate has sustained eighty-one percent damage,” reported Amanda. “EV systems have collapsed. Main hull has been breached and she is venting environment to space. Her command bridge is still sealed and she has one working torpedo launcher. Her impellers are gone and she is drifting.”
“Bastards!” said Reya, slamming her fist on the console. Renwick and Yan both turned to her, surprised by her use of a very human curse, but she was oblivious.
“Order them to withdraw,” said Yan to Amanda. Amanda nodded, conveying the message.
“They are refusing to withdraw. They insist they are still battle-worthy,” said Amanda.
“Are you sure that torpedo launcher is still operable?” asked Yan.
“Ninety-four percent operational,” confirmed Amanda.
“Advise them they stay in at their own discretion,” said Yan.
“Aye captain,” said Amanda. Yan turned back to the tactical screen.
“They’re going to cut those frigates to pieces, one by one,” warned Renwick.
