Jack did not understand as much as feel her hurt looks as she backed away from him. “I, I promise to be good Jack.”
“That is Captain, Dumont.”
Turning, he walked up to the Ensign. “Are you alright Love?”
The Ensign’s colors changed several times confusingly as she reached out and slapped him across the face then buried herself in his arms before pushing him away. Then taking a deep breath “I am fine Captain.”
Mr. Weaver walked out of the Assault Boat whistling with a smile. Helmet in her hand. “I can’t believe I am going to be a fighter pilot! Wow.” She said to herself some 50 feet away as Jack marveled at hearing every word clearly. “A Spider Fighter pilot at that. Can you believe that one?” Looking up she spotted Jack and the Dumonts being dragged off still hanging out of their cans. “Oh. Shit!” She said to herself.” Then. “Captain!” She spoke up loud enough for everyone to hear her clearly. “I am ready anytime you are sir. Sorry I took so long. I did not know you were waiting for me.” And started walking toward them.
Jack smiled at her good mood washing over him. “That is quite all right Lieutenant.” Turning to Pan. “Let’s go Pan. No more fucking mind games or I will shoot you myself.” Suddenly feeling guilty since he knew that she had done her best to protect him shunting the attack from the base raw emotion parts of his brain that would have turned against himself devouring the rest of his mind. Diverting the attack to his thinking and reasoning centers he could control and fight back and learn with. No he could hear her talking to herself trying to reason out why she had failed to turn her nephew from the dark side and how to turn the rest into the light and back onto the path of the enlightened.
Jack started walking toward the elevator at the side of the Lock. Not needing to turn to see if anyone was following him or not. He seemed to be able to see them in his mind’s eye. At least well enough to tell where they were and how far away they were. He still could not tell who each blob feeling was except for the Ensign or maybe Pan as he concentrated, but somehow he knew in time it would get easier as was his sight for all the energy waves around him had improved with practice. Even the Apes were becoming more distinct with Gutner Dank the brightest of them all but then he had already surmised that during the first battle on that first Spider ship he tried to strip to learn about the (up until then) secret phantom enemy that was swallowing up Republic planets as fast as their vast fleet could travel across the star systems. Using his energy sight ability to look through bulkheads and decks to first know where to go and what to strip and then when the attacks started, to stay one step ahead of the hordes of enemy troops.
Shaking his head he wondered if this mind shit was something else that was in his genes and man had forgotten in the distant past. He suddenly felt Pans image in his mind brighten. Turning around he saw her facing toward her nephews and nieces as they were being pushed across the hanger in another direction. What he had realized was the energy of her mind seemed to be beaming out of her eyes toward the other Dumonts’ telling them to relax and not try anything stupid that would get themselves killed by either the collars or the Apes. She would be back to talk with each of them to show them the path of light away from the dark side.
While he studied her ability to focus her mind he realized that her nephews where quite out of it still asleep. But then she had to know that. So was she implanting the thoughts into their heads for when they woke up? Shaking his own head he studied how the shape of her head seamed to focus her mind into two separate beams focused through the shape of her eye sockets. Then Jack realized that it was the shape of the two halves of her brain in her scull that allowed the two beams to focus through each eye socket. Two halves just like the human brain. Jack realized that the farther away from Pan he got, the harder it was to see and hear her open spoken thoughts. Jack stopped, letting the others continue on as Pan finely turned and followed. Pan caught up and passed him without seeming to notice as she kept looking back over her shoulder at the other Dumonts.
Turning as Pan passed, Jack looked at the Ensign and realized that her head was shaped almost exactly like Pans with the light of her mind focused onto and a little brighter on her eyes though she did not seem to be aware of the energy. The Ensign turned to look at Jack and he suddenly could hear her ask herself what the fuck was wrong with him before she turned back away embarrassed at him looking at her. Her spoken thoughts faded as she turned. Jack smiled as he watched them walk and slide toward the elevator.
“God this is so strange.” He said to himself more mouthing than spoken.
Pan turned to him as she kept sliding away. “What was that Captain?” Her head moved back and forth a little to center onto Jack.
“Oh just talking to myself Pan.” He said with a smile as Pan’s mind spoken thoughts to herself flooded back into his mind until she turned away again. He had to catch up to her again as he look directly at her before he could again hear her mind spoken words as she talked to herself. Telling herself that she could turn the other Dumonts back to the light away from the darkness of greed and corruptness. And then started chanting to herself. Reciting the creed of the mind enlightened to help others and not thy selves. To find peace and salvation in doing what was right and proper for her charges.
Jack had to look away as they entered the elevator car. His eyes fell on the Ensign as he stepped up next to her at the back of the car. Pan tapping on the screen at the front beside the hatch as it closed. Jack noticed the flames licking from the emotion enraged section of the Ensigns mind trying to overwhelm the bright soothing mind of reason as she stared at Pan. Part fear but mostly jealousy was trying to rage across her entire mind.
Jack smiled as he watched the flames growing stronger and stronger flooding across her mind. Slipping his arm around her shoulders and hugging her he leaned into whisper into her ear so only she could hear. “I love you Ensign and only you so stop getting jealous. I have quite the discovery to tell you about later when I ravage you.”
The Ensign turned and pushed Jack away. “What makes you think I will ever let you touch me again…?” She whispered back trying to lash out at him while part of her brain tried to control herself.
Jack watched the love, passion and reason slowly win out over the dark side beating down the flames of hate and jealousy. Not that he could read her thoughts but the different emotions were readily apparent. Hate and jealousy were raging flames licking here and there uncontrollably while the analytical thought waves were much calmer and ordered. Slowly beating back the uncontrolled flickering flames. Jack stood leaning back against the bulkhead of the elevator car and smiled at her. He could feel the love taking back control of her mind with his own feelings of love and wellbeing seaming to help. She finally turned to look at Jack as a little smile fleetingly appeared on her face before she could hide it as the last of the flames died down though they still smoldered as she turned away from Jack in embarrassment to look at Pan again and then away from her as the flames threatened to rise again. The Ensign turning to look into the corner of the elevator at nothing only to glance over her shoulder at Jack staring at her before returning to the corner as a smile came to her face smothering the coals of hate some more. She slowly moved closer to stand beside him barely touching his side with hers.
Pan turned to Jack. “Captain, do you wish to stop by the torpedo deck before going to the flight deck?”
“Aaa.” Jack had to drag his mind away from the Ensign. “Aaa. Let’s get the pilots training on the fighters. We can look at the torpedoes later.”
The decks flashed past rapidly eating their way up the ship. Jack now not only getting a picture of the energy sources, wiring, and equipment across the ship along the way but the previously dull energy blobs showing body heat and blood pumping around each body with little traces of the nerves across the limbs and up through the brain that were beings (human and alien alike) where now somewhat bright as their minds’ radiation glowed deferent colors depending on species. Which was a new fact to Jack as w
ell. Different colors for different species. Very strange.
As he sat back to relax he found himself wondering if the Dumonts that had attacked him was right and that if he was killed, the humans would abandon the hulks and the bubble and run back to The Rock leaving behind any chance Humanity had for winning the war against slavery and possible extinction. He would have to do something about that soon just in case he did get wacked.
Suddenly the elevator was sliding up through the some 300 feet of blasted destroyed God Officer and Bridge area of the ship where the God Guns the Red Pepper had stolen from the first hulk Jack had assaulted, (acquired the first batch of slaves including Pan and the Red Apes) had crossed beams to create one hell of a large explosion doing many more times the damage as the beams by themselves could do simply punching holes clear through and out the back side of the ship. Only Jack realized that even two days before he had been forced to climb up through the damaged area to get to and from the upper decks since the elevator along with the decks had been destroyed. Now not only had the wreckage been cleared out and the elevator along with the core shaft had been replaced but he could see that many of the decks were back in place with most of the rest part way across the open area. The decks did not have any compartments in them other than the ring of airtight bulkheads but he was still amazed at what all had been accomplished in such a short time. He started to ask Pan why she was wasting effort on rebuilding the decks when he had ordered the engines repaired and then realized that few workers where in evidence. That most of the construction was robotic machines following programming. But that left another question. “Pan where is all the material coming from for replacing the decks in this Command section?”
Pan glanced at Jack and then at the hatch in front of her. “We are cannibalizing the shield deck we will disconnect from tomorrow Captain.” Her mind did not feel happy as she talked facing away from Jack with the expression on her face and crossed arms suddenly understandable to Jack when before he was only puzzled making him smile as he wondered what her problem was. And then she blurted out. “We could use another couple of weeks to finish mining the material to replace our reserves.” The shock on her face was now clear as well as her mind as she started again talking to herself trying to figure out how she could have dared to question a Godofficer. ‘NO not Godofficer.’ He heard her mind speak clearly. ‘Captain Turner had told me to tell him about problems that cropped up concerning orders he had given so I should not be in danger of being killed.’ But she turned to Jack as she fought the fear that flooded over her. Not expecting to be cut down but not sure either.
“No Pan. Relax, that is what I want and need you to do. To keep me filled in on possible problems. No one in the Republic will hurt or chastise you for volunteering information and facts. Fact is, just the opposite is true. Withholding facts is what can get you in trouble and even executed if those withheld facts could have saved lives. Do you understand what I am saying?”
Pan glanced at Jack again. “Yes Captain. I believe I do. Thank you.” And then to herself disgustedly. ‘Ya but you aren’t going to let us finish mining the shield are you.’
Jack smiled as he chuckled at that. “You can leave the machines and needed personnel behind to continue mining the shield and we will send ships back to pick up the material every couple of days and even recover the equipment and personnel when it is finished. Be a good test for the Destroyers with the new cargo pods.”
Relief flooded across her mind as she relaxed a little and then became worried as she started talking to herself in her mind. ‘Did I say something to him out loud about my doubts? No I did not. Is he reading my mind?’
Jack felt Pan’s mind wash over him as she searched for an answer. He quickly blanked his mind keeping his thoughts low keyed and waited. Pan started talking to herself again. ‘Why did he not at least pass out like the others? Glad he is not dead and seems to be alright without the hate and fear that could have consumed him to death and should have left some trace. Some strong lingering emotions. But something is not right? I could not have blunted that much power totally from his primeval mind. There still should be massive waves of hate and fear washing through his mind but I see nothing like what was washing over the Ensigns mind and she was not even the point of attack. That much power even shunted to his reasoning mind should have changed something in him with some lasting effects but I cannot see any obvious mental changes. I see no lingering hate or fear. Just a blank wall like a Dumont protecting itself but now that is impossible. Though he did threaten to kill me if I tried what he said was mind games and what does he mean by mind games.’ Puzzlement flooded out of her mind.
Jack tried not to smile or react to what she said to herself but decided it was time to change the subject. So he said out loud. “Pan, can you save your Nephews and Nieces or do you need to bring over some of the Dumonts from the refugees we took off the other ships to help. We have plenty at the station. Most of them seem to be quite capable.”
Jack heard her mind go blank as she thought about it. Watching waves of emotions rising and falling across her mind as he waited. Jack breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he did not have to worry about having to listen to all her thoughts all the time or that his every thought was going to be broadcasted to all the Dumonts insight or across the ship for that matter. Evidentially they or he had to think speak to be heard. Thanking Goldstar that the range seemed to be limited as he remembered her having to use her pad to comm the other Dumonts when they were out of the compartments she was in.
Then she continued. It took a half second to realize that she was speaking out loud and not just in his mind. He was going to have to be careful to differentiate the two. “I have never had to deal personally with Dumonts this black before. Though I have thousands of years of records to help once I get time to go through them. At this time I am hesitant to bring over other Dumonts for fear these would contaminate the others. I need to talk with and study these for a few days Captain to be sure even if we do not have to terminate some or all of them. I will bring over several to help if I can find volunteers that want to come. Though the ship this size needs a dozen Dumonts to run efficiently.” Then shaking her head as she turned away with what Jack now knew for certain was a frown after only guessing before about the strange facial contortions. She started talking to herself again in her mind. ‘Fact is there is no reason to take any risks concerning these Dumonts rejecting, infecting others or simply turning back to the dark side when my mind is turned away again. We should terminate them immediately but I cannot bring myself to do that without at least trying to turn them.’
Jack saw the turmoil going on in Pans mind. Taking a deep breath. He had glimpsed the mind that was attacking him and that mind included most of the others helping. They had used their own experiences and what they had learned attacking and killing the other Dumonts they had replaced, to attack his mind. Dredging and magnifying the terror in their victims lower primeval minds to unimaginable heights and when that failed they tried to overwhelm his mind with facts in an attempt to overload and burn out his mind. An attack that would have then been turned to strip Pan of her own will into being their slave to control the Apes and get the humans off their ship. He had been lucky they feared him more than they feared Pan. Or they would have taken care of Pan first and he would have been helpless. He had also been lucky that most of them had shut down when the collar they had on was about to blow their heads off instead of continuing their help or he would not have been able to pull Pans head back before the collar blew her face and half her brains off. But then there would have not been any of the Dumonts left to worry about.
Shaking his head. “Pan. A great Admiral once told me that a time may come when Command required Captains to sacrifice crewmen for the good of the ship and to save the rest of the crew. These monster Dumonts working together almost killed me and would have enslaved or killed you. They may succeed if given another chance.” Jack raised his wrist comm. “Gutner Dank I want you
to terminate all...” He could hear her mind suddenly burst open at the thought of simply executing them. She did not understand the military mind and simply could not accept killing anyone without trying to save them first. It was too much like the Godofficers reasonless executions. Jack took a sudden breath. He knew if he took the safe road he would lose Pan’s help in the long run. He had to give her the chance to save the unsaveable, even if it cost her, her life. He would just have to figure out some way to keep the ship and crew safe even if she died or became a slave. “Ahh Belay that order Gutner. Just make sure the Dumonts are separated as far apart from each other as possible with absolutely no communication between them and leave the collars on. Oh and make sure you have remote viewing that can execute each or all of them if anything out of the ordinary happens including their guards acting strange or passing out or look like they are in pain.”
Gutner smiled back at Jack. “Yes Captain, we have been dealing with Overseers for millenniums. I will institute extreme maximum protocols immediately.”
“Very well Gutner. Aaa, I want you to personally stay away from them as well. They seem to have more effect on the more intelligent beings. The ability to influence, maybe enslave and even kill.”
“Yes Captain Sir.” Gutner’s face scrounged up for a second. “Captain, could you tell me why we are not simply executing them. I believe they tried to kill you earlier.”
“That is a good question Gutner.” Jack turned to look at Pan as her face and mind turned to horror. Jack shook his head. “I have Pan here and she would like to try to save them from themselves. To rehabilitate them if possible. I have decided to give her that chance even if they turn around and stab her in the back killing her. Something I hope does not happen but human experience tells me it will.” Jack remembered the two remaining Dumonts that had stared open eyed defiantly at him just before the attack had started. He suspected he would have to at least kill those two to save Pan but he could not just out right kill them. “Give me a report later on your procedures and precautions and we will talk more. Out.”
Battleship Destroyer 2 (Battleship Destoryer) Page 13
