“Did you hear that, Father? You will be here within a month.”
“That is fabulous, Little Fire. I may not be looking forward to the trip, but I am looking forward to visiting the origination of one of our major religions.”
“See you soon, Father. Give Mother my love.”
“I will, Anyl”
Princess Analyn looked at Igaklay. He broke the connection.
“So, what, Syn-Gal. we just sit here and wait for Buster to climb into his box?”
“Yes, Wrenchy. We wait.”
“Well, I’m hungry. Lassie? Iggy? Anyone?”
For the rest of the afternoon, everyone did busy work, getting through time, accomplishing very little. Just before sunset, everyone got pinged.
“Buster has been downloaded. He is heading out to the jump ship.”
“Thank you, Vidhee. Have you communicated with the backup? Are you sure that it is Buster?”
“Yes, I have, Captain Marston. The backup is an exact duplicate, down to the very byte.”
“Thank you, Vidhee. Have Buster wait to board until we all get there.”
“Yes, Captain.”
As the four Humans, Princess Analyn and Master Varrini approached the giant Jump ship, they saw Vidhee standing directly in front of Buster, looking through her electronic eyes into his. They stood frozen that way for almost a minute.
“Hey, Tinman. What was that all about?”
“Vidhee and I have decided to utilize a human-speed communication for certain areas of interaction. We were communicating at that very slow speed.”
“Oh. Well. I have nothing to say about that, Tinman.”
“Are you ready, Buster?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Well, um, we’re here to see you off.”
“Thank you.”
“Vidhee. Once more. You are one hundred percent satisfied that Buster’s backup will be safe?”
“Yes, Captain Marston.”
Keiko wrapped her small hand as far around Krag’s forearm as she could.
“Krag. Trust your people. They won’t let anything happen to Buster.”
“Mack? You are sure Buster is safe on that rocket?”
“As we can make him, Cap.”
“Igaklay?”
“We Ballisonians have been flying ships like this all over Orion’s arm for centuries. Buster will be perfectly safe.”
“You are sure?”
“I would never put one of my den mates in danger, Captain Marston. I am sure.”
“Well, then, Buster. You’re off.”
Everyone stepped back and watched Buster climb the towering jump drive, lay flat on its top and pull the lid shut on his safety compartment.
“He looks really small, up there. His shelter looks like an over-sized coffin.”
“Ya, Lassie. That’s all he needs. Just a little, cozy box to stay warm. Inside, he has all ne needs at his physical and electronic fingertips. He’ll do fine.”
“I hope so. I miss him, already.”
“Me to, Sue,” Keiko chimed in.
They all watched as the mass negator kicked in, the control thrusters lifted the nose and the giant jump drive pointed to the sky. For less than a second, it was there. Then it was gone. Everyone just stood and stared at nothing.
Chapter 16
Onboard Wisdom Seeker
“Captain, the ship from Ballison has arrived.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant Lumahani. Please contact Legate Buster and offer our help.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The Elonian Synthetic turned back to his console and pinged the Human one.
“Legate Buster, this is Lieutenant Lumahani of Wisdom Seeker.”
“Hello, Lieutenant Lumahani.”
“How may we be of help?”
As a first step, would you please select an area in which I may come aboard? A meeting place where we can discuss the installation?
”One moment, please, Legate Buster.”
The synthetic lieutenant turned towards his captain.
“Sir?”
“Deck five. We have set up a conference room for the installation.”
“Deck five, Legate Buster. Port side. I will send you the location of the entry port.”
Buster, using the control thrusters, maneuvered the giant jump drive to the left side of the ship and located the entry port. Popping open the lid to his coffin-sized compartment, Buster released his anchors and pushed up. Once he floated free, he use the built-in thrusters of his robot body and slowly jetted over to the lock.
Waiting at the closed hatch, Buster stared through the portal and watched as the atmosphere was vacated from the lock and the external hatch opened. Buster entered. After it closed, the atmosphere was introduced. The inner door opened.
Buster saw three Royal Guardsmen, with gravity guns, standing at attention. Commander Tarunga stepped forward.
“Welcome to Wisdom Seeker, Legate Buster.”
“I am not a threat, Commander Tarunga.”
“I understand, Sir. However, my responsibility is the safety of my Lordship and Wisdom Seeker.” Commander Tarunga emphasized his statement with a determined furrow and pointing of his ears towards Buster.
“And I am a Human Synthetic with battle algorithms.”
“Precisely, Legate Buster. If you will follow me?”
The Kaporine Commander moved down the hallway and towards the hub of the fifth floor. Buster followed with the three Guardsmen trailing. Upon reaching the hub, the Commander led his charges down another hall, stopped at a hatch, released latches and placed his paw on the security pad. The hatch swung open. Everyone entered.
“Please remain here.”
“Would you please have Dame Srilin join us? I have something for her and a command from Her Lady Analyn.”
“Certainly, Legate.”
Commander Tarunga performed the now-familiar freeze and unfroze.
“The interested parties will arrive shortly. Please remain here.”
Buster looked at his three guards. “I am here to help.”
Tarunga missed the sarcasm.
The five waited. Ex-King Kaporine arrived first.
“Oh, for Bashia’s Light. Have your guards put away their weapons. This is Buster.”
“A Synthetic with battle algorithms.”
“My daughter’s friend. And here to save our Clan.”
Commander Tarunga scowled
“Buster, are these three guards a threat to you?”
“No, Your Lordship.”
“Please demonstrate.”
“I do not want to instill anymore fear in them, Your Lordship.”
The three guards tensed up.
“I order you to display a very low-level capability of your skills.”
Buster moved. The guards didn’t have time to even flinch. One guard dangled against the wall, held high by Buster’s hand on his throat. Buster’s other hand held the gravity gun, pointed at the other two guards.
“You may put him down, Legate Buster.”
“Certainly, Your Lordship.”
After watching the guard returned to the deck and his weapon returned to his paws, Lord Kaporine turned to Commander Tarunga.
“If Legate Buster decided to take this ship apart, along with anyone in it, we have nothing which could stop him. But he is an honored friend and ally of the Kaporine Clan. And he will be treated as such. Am I understood?”
“Yes, My Lord.”
“Good. Now. I want you to retask your Guardsmen. These three are to be personal bodyguards for Legate Buster. It will be your responsibility to insure that no one or anything attempts to harm Legate Buster or interferes with the installation of the Ballisonian jump drive.”
“Yes, My Lord,” the chastised Commander responded.
“Good. Buster. How is my daughter?’
“Still burning hot, Your Lordship.”
“Pretty upset at her brother?”
“If her anger had heat, she wou
ld melt your palace.”
“Not my palace, anymore. My son’s. Oh, well. Griffin Den?”
“All healthy and progressing towards flying to Yeni Persia.”
“Where these aliens attacked.”
“First attacked. We believe that it is an ongoing campaign.”
“Bad.”
Everyone responded to the commotion at the hatch as it opened and five Elonians, with one Synthetic, entered. Captain Kakkarna entered first.
“Lord Kaporine.” Wisdom Seeker’s Captain bowed.
“Captain.”
“Legate Buster.”
“Captain.”
“May I introduce the lead team to support your installation of the Ballisonian jump drive.”
The Synthetic stepped forward.
“This is Veelo. Vidhee’s replacement as Wisdom Seeker’s A.I.”
“I am pleased to meet you, Veelo.”
Buster held out his hand. Veelo looked at it.
“That is a Human greeting Veelo. Please place you right paw in his hand.”
Veelo followed her captain’s command.
“Now, one rise and fall.”
“Again, she followed his command.
“Now, release his hand.”
For a third time, she followed her captain’s order.
“You will perform this task whenever a Human or Elonian holds out his or her paw in this fashion.”
“This procedure is stored, Captain.”
“Thank you, Veelo. As you can see, Buster, a Third-Level A.I. does not have the creative or intuitive capabilities of Vidhee. But she is very good at performing her tasks. Veelo has been a very capable stand-in.”
“I understand, Captain. Is Veelo upgradable to a First-Level A.I.?”
“Technically, she is. But that will not happen without the approval of the Counsel for Synthetic Administration.”
“I see.”
“You know Dame Srilin.”
“Yes. Hello, Dame Srilin.”
“How is Dame Benton?”
“Very fine. I believe she is extremely engulfed in her work on Ballison.”
“And, Sir Mack? Did those two ever bond?”
“Yes, Dame Srilin. They have pair bonded.”
“Well, I know who rules that den.”
“If you mean Sue, then you are correct. I have something for you. From Master Varrini. And a missive from Lady Analyn.”
Buster removed a small box from his work belt and a sealed letter from another pouch. After handing them to Srilin, he continued.
“The box contains a quantum entanglement communicator. It is identical to the one in the armrest of Lord Kaporine’s throne chair.”
Dame Srilin held the box and opened the letter.
“Lady Analyn requests that we take the orb and place it on the communication console of Wisdom Seeker. Captain?”
“This is Lord Kaporine’s ship. My Lord?”
“If it works as well as mine, then we are better off. Go ahead, Dame Srilin.”
They watched the Elonian computer specialist leave the room.
“This is Assistant Cansina. He is the lead assistant to Master Varrini. He will lead our engineers in the installation of the jump drive.”
“Did you receive Master Varrini’s instructions?”
“Yes, we did, Legate Buster,” a nervous Cansina answered.
“They require us to remove the flex rod. Is that correct?”
“Yes, Cansina. Your gravitational pull drive is no longer required. The new jump drive is all that you need. That and a very accurate navigation system.”
“When would you like us to start?”
“Whenever you are ready.”
“Buster?”
Everyone heard Igaklay speak Elonian over Wisdom Seeker’s intercom.
“Yes, Igaklay,” Buster answered in kind.
“You can hear me?”
“I can hear you fine.”
“Father?”
“Hello, Little Fire.”
“Buster got there safely. I’m so glad. Captain Marston has been horrible to be around these last two days.”
“I am fine, Lady Analyn. You can tell Cap that everything is copasetic.”
“You box of bolts. You are not going to do something like that, again.
“Of course not, oh Captain, my Captain. Our fearful trip is done.”
“Whitman?”
“You read poetry?” everyone heard in the background.
“Yes, Keiko. I’ve read a poem or two. I prefer Old Earth literature. The new stuff? Not really.”
“So, Tinman. Flight hunky-dory?”
“Yes, Wrenchy. Hunky-dory.”
“Now the fun part.”
Onboard Griffin
“Well, Iggy. You got some nice juicy asteroids picked out? So Gopai can play ‘shoot-um-up’?”
“Yes, Mack.”
“Igaklay, Buster, Vidhee. What are your appraisals of the upgrades and soundness of Griffin?”
“Your ship is ready to go!”
“We knew you’d say that, Iggy. Did you recheck everything?”
“Two whole minutes, Mack. Every board, every circuit. The entire jump drive. I like that name. And every particle of the collector coating.”
“Two whole minutes. A very deep dive.”
“Buster? Damn! No Buster. Vidhee?”
“Not having the processing power of Igaklay, I took seven minutes, Captain. And that was without checking the collector coating.”
“Now that is a major deep dive, Syn-Gal,” Mack interrupted, receiving something equal to a stare from Vidhee.
“I believe that Griffin is ready for a test flight, Captain Marston.”
“And our dark matter collector?”
“It’s full, Captain Marston.”
“Igaklay, is there a gauge somewhere that we can read?”
“The fill meter on the storage canister.”
“But, Iggy. That’s on the hull. We need something on a tablet, or console.”
“Why? No one ever did before. I was always connected to every ship, everywhere. Whenever they needed a reading, they just asked me.”
“Yes, Iggy.” Mack looked at Krag, who gave him a ‘go ahead’ nod.
“Well, you know us Humans. We worry a lot. So, we need a gauge on our consoles.”
“Igaklay, if you run a signal down one of the connections, I can simply grab it and put the resultant on the consoles.”
“Oh, alright, Mz. Sue. But we will need to re-reroute one of the extra cables we installed.”
“This is exactly why we ran more cabling than we needed, Iggy. For these unanticipated needs.”
“Yes, Sue. Now?”
“Captain?”
“No. it can wait until after the test. Master Varrini, Mack, Sue. All good?”
“As Vidhee said, Captain Marston, everything checks out.”
“Thank you Master Varrini. Mack? Sue?”
“Right as rain,” Mack responded after getting an affirmative nod from Sue.
“Everyone strapped in?”
Krag, from his command chair, looked over the three other humans and Vidhee. Vidhee stood in her familiar spot, emphasizing the empty one where Buster usually stood. Igaklay’s avatar took his spot.
“Keiko. Let’s take her up.”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Keiko responded with a smile on her lips and in her eyes.
Using Griffin’s original engines and control jets, Keiko lifted Griffin off of her landing pad, angled towards space and jetted through the atmosphere. Between the gravity chairs and Keiko’s smooth handling, the quick flight to the dark of space proved to be nothing more than a comfortable, short ride.
“Well done, Keiko. How did it handle?”
“Because we don’t have the primary engine, a little sluggish, Captain. I needed to push the engines a little harder. But not bad.”
“Fuel burn curve, Mack?”
“With the engines overworking, a little higher. Not much, Cap.”<
br />
“Igaklay, would you please transfer the coordinates for the three asteroids to Sue’s console?”
“It is done, Captain Marston.”
“Sue, please select a target point halfway between us and the closest asteroid.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Now in Griffin and in work mode, everyone assumed the formality of professionalism.
“Plotted and ready for your order, Captain.”
“Thank you, Sue. Igaklay, Buster. Damn. Igaklay, Vidhee. Please verify the plot.”
“Igaklay and I agree, Captain. Sue’s calculations are correct.”
“Thank you, Vidhee. Keiko. You may fire the jump drive.”
Nervously, Keiko pressed the drive access icon, keyed in her access code and, when the jump drive icon appeared, pressed it.
With no apparent passage of time and with only minor headaches, everyone looked around.
“Sue, location?”
“Not where we are supposed to be, Captain.”
Inside Krag tightened up. Thoughts of ending up in an asteroid or moon flashed across his mind. Outside, he forced an image of relaxed control.
“Where did we end up, Sue?”
“A quarter of a light-year beyond,” Sue dejectedly responded. “My fault.”
“No, Sue. Fault implies blame. There is no blame here.”
“But, Keiko, it is a software error.”
“Yes, Sue. An error. Nothing to beat yourself up about. Work the problem. Fix the error. What’s the solution?”
“It’s easy, Captain. The time lapse between when the engine kicks in and when the mass negator kicks in. The acceleration curve ended up being steeper than I anticipated, so our launch speed was too high.”
“So the answer is?”
“One moment.”
No one had seen this deepness of Sue’s scowl before. Everyone worried that she would chew through her lip. Or pull out her tuft of hair. She flashed the code up on the screen, scrolled through it faster than any other non-synthetic being could read and stopped the code at a certain spot. Popping a calculator up in a side window, she worked some very long algebraic equations, took the result and inserted it into the complex calculus equation and tapped the ‘save’ icon.
“Done. But we need to test it, Captain.”
“Igaklay. Could you point us in a direction with nothing in front or to the sides of us? Give us a large safety range of space?”
Battle in the Stars (Marston Chronicles Book 4) Page 27
