“Antimatter?” she said, sounding surprised. “However the hell does this ship produce stuff like that?”
Bill looked closely at the holo weapons schematic. “From what I can tell, there’s a midget particle accelerator on the deck above us. It produces the antimatter. Which is negatively charged. The projector handles it with positively charged fields. Until it shoots out in a solid stream.”
“Impressive,” she said, looking to him, according to a holo on his right that showed a live image of her at her pedestal station. “What’s the range of the weapons?”
“The lasers are good for 10,000 miles,” he said, feeling comfortable with something he understood. “The antimatter projector range is 4,000 miles. The plasma batteries and MITV torps are for close-up defense.”
“Good.” Jane sat back against the padded seat back which had appeared at her request to the ship mind. She’d further modified the standard bench to resemble an aircraft carrier captain’s seat. A change which had also been done to Bill’s bench. Flexmetal surfaces were just one of the wonders of Collector ship tech. “Star Traveler, project a likely emergence spot onto the system graphic in front of me. Advise me ten seconds before the ship emerges into normal space-time.”
“Complying,” the AI said in a calm, cooperative tone. The new detail also appeared on Bill’s holo that duplicated the system graphic in front of Jane. It lay to his left. “System graphic will be updated with current data on ships present in the Market world system once this ship receives neutrino updates from Traffic Control.”
That was something else they’d discovered after they’d stuffed the ship crew and former captain into the teardrop transport. Their ship had FTL communications thanks to some kind of neutrino signal that passed through other dimensions. It meant they would instantly learn the true locations of all ships in the system, population updates on the Market world, and Buyer preferences for Captives once they appeared in the system. Their emergence would likewise be neutrino signaled back to Traffic Control by monitoring probes that lay in the outer reaches of the system. Normal radio was also available for ship to ship chatter when another ship was nearby. Or when they were in orbit above the Market world.
Jane pursed her lips. “Star Traveler, advise me of this ship’s various external sensors. And the ship’s stealth status upon emergence. Will other ships be able to detect us?”
Thanks to the tube suits they both wore, Bill heard her request over his helmet speaker. As he also heard the ship mind’s reply.
“Ship external sensors are able to sense x-rays, ultraviolet, infrared, far infrared, stellar wind, yellow light, ranging radar down to the millimeter wavelength, beta and gamma rays, plasma sources, neutrinos, gamma rays and microwaves,” the AI said. “In the realm of imagery, the ship possesses what you Humans refer to as electro-optical telescopes similar to your GEODSS system, speckle interferometry, high-resolution near infrared spectroscopy, radar pulse compression ranging, PAVE-PAWS phased array radar, and ultrawideband imaging radar.”
Jane nodded quickly. “Understood. What about the ship’s stealth status? Can other ships detect us?”
“Yes, other Collector ships will detect us,” the ship mind said.
Jane frowned. “How is that possible? My Space Command workplace sure didn’t detect this ship while it was in orbit!”
A low hum sounded. “That is because all Collector ships possess hulls which cause all EMF emissions to pass over and around the ship’s body,” the AI said. “That ability allows any Collector ship to visit a low technology world and remain invisible to active and passive sensors. However, this ship’s fusion reactors emit neutrinos. A high technology world that has sensors in orbit for detecting moving neutrino sources will detect this ship. All Market worlds possess such sensors. As do other Collector ships. Local culture spaceships may not detect us.”
“Understood,” Jane said. “What is the status of the transport ship with our former crew in it? Is it ready to exit upon our return to normal space-time?”
Another hum came. “Transport Ship Three is operational. Its magfield space drive will activate upon exit from this ship. Thereafter it will go wherever the ship navigator directs the ship to go.”
“Good.” Jane’s image scanned the six holos that flanked her in front and to either side. She looked thoughtful. “Star Traveler, provide me with a comlink to every occupied containment cell. I wish to address the sixteen captives who reside in that chamber.”
“Verbal link established. Translation of your words will happen automatically,” the AI said, its tone now curious.
With a nod to Bill, Jane sat back in her captain’s seat and looked ahead. “All captives, attention! Your captor Diligent Taskmaster has been deposed and will leave this ship with his former crew in a few minutes, once we arrive in the star system where he planned to sell you and me to Buyers.” She paused, took a deep breath and continued. “I am a female human, a two-legged mammal from the world of Earth. My battle ally is a male human. We escaped from our cells, fought and defeated this ship’s crew, and we now control this Collector ship. It will never again be used to capture people for sale to Buyers!” Bill heard a mix of yips, yells, barks and hummings as individual captives reacted. A detail he heard thanks to the two-way audio link to each cell. “Once we eject Diligent and his crew, and after we make contact with local Traffic Control, this ship will leave on our journey to return each of you to your home world. Our first trip will take us to the star of the Ludeen people.” She paused again, noted his lack of surprise at her decision, and gave him a half-smile. “Once we leave this star for the Ludeen world, we will visit the cells of each of you to see who wishes to help us as crew, and who wishes to remain in their cell until we can return them home.”
“Ten seconds,” the AI said as the arrival spot on the system graphic holo began to blink.
“I cannot accept questions right now,” she said, speaking over insistent sounds coming from the cells of captives. “We are arriving in the system chosen by Diligent. Be patient and we will visit with each of you after our departure.”
Bill sat forward, his hands just above the pillar touch control surface. The four holos in front of him showed the ship weapons schematic directly ahead, the system graphic on the left, the live image of Jane on the right and a swirl of stars further right. That holo would change to show local space upon their emergence.
A panoply of stars filled the live space holo beside Bill. A distant white dot also shone dimly.
“Arrival complete,” the ship mind said. “Arrival spot adjusted. Ship sensors report . . . the presence of five Collector ships and four local spaceships. Locations noted on system graphic.”
Bill licked his lips as the system graphic holo showed five purple spots near the Market moon that orbited the planet four gas giant. That planet lay on their side of the system, about 10 AU distant according to the graphic. Four green spots showed between planets three and four, representing locals traveling to the primitive planet for whatever. Their arrival spot lay close to planet six, a gaseous world the size of Uranus, according to the Jupiter comparison image that hovered to one side of system graphic holo. Planet five lay a bit further away from their arrival spot. The system’s two other planets were scattered around the central orange star at locations far distant from their arrival spot.
That location now showed a new purple dot lying next to their purple ship dot.
“Transport Ship Three has left,” Star Traveler said. “It is moving inward toward the Market World.”
A click came over the comlink.
“Collector ship Hard Shell and Captain Diligent Taskmaster, this is Traffic Control,” spoke a voice that sounded harshly mechanical. “Your arrival is welcome. Do you have many Captives for our Buyers?”
Jane frowned, glanced Bill’s way, then replied. “Traffic Control, this Collector ship is now under the control of—”
“Lies!” rasped a new voice that he recognized as the cockroach. “Pi
rates have captured my ship Hard Shell! I escaped in a transport ship with my crew. Diligent Taskmaster seeks the aid of any Collector ship in recapturing my ship! There are valuable captives still onboard! I will share half of them with any ship that helps me.”
Fuck. The system graphic in front of Bill now showed two purple dots moving away from the Market world on a vector toward him and Jane. They were moving fast too. The graphic indicated a speed of one-tenth light.
“Wrong!” yelled Jane before the cockroach could say more. “I am the new Captain Jane Yamaguchi, a human captive who escaped captivity! I and my allies now call this ship Blue Sky! We took over the ship. We are no threat to the Market world, but we will defend ourselves if attacked!”
Another click came. “Diligent Taskmaster, two Collector ships are now leaving orbit in response to your request.” A pause happened. “Ship Blue Sky and Captain Jane Yamaguchi, Traffic Control takes no part in the resolution of this matter. If you arrive at Market world, you will be assigned an orbital vector. Buyers and merchants will contact you in the normal way.”
Nothing more came over the neutrino comlink.
In her holo, Jane looked his way. “Bill, is there any point to staying in this system?”
His system graphic said it would be hours before the two Collector ships reached them. Even though Blue Sky had entered normal space with the same one-tenth light speed velocity as the pursuing Collector ships, with their vector aimed at the inner system, they could change their vector course, head out and go to Alcubierre space-time modulus travel.
“We have plenty of fuel for our fusion power planets,” he said. “Leastwise according to my weapons holo. No need to stay—”
“New information,” the AI said, sounding eager. “I have informed the artificial minds of the five Collector ships of their role in assisting slave operations. Their neutrino response back to me is one of surprise and disquiet. If we head into this system, the five Collector ships may not pose any danger.”
“Thank you, Star Traveler,” Jane said, her attention focused on her system graphic holo. “The transport ship containing Diligent Taskmaster and crew is close by. Its speed is less than ours. Can this ship rendezvous with the transport ship?”
“It can,” the AI said.
Jane looked his way.
His turn. “Star Traveler, can I use ship weapons to damage the transport ship? So we can recapture the former crewmembers?”
A hum sounded. “No. Protocol Nine, Emergency Operations of the Ship forbids the use of ship weapons against any component of this ship. Do you wish to intercept the transport ship to render aid to its crew?”
“No!” Jane said firmly, a tap of her lips telling Bill she would do the talking with the AI. “Star Traveler, what is the probability that your contact with the minds of the Collector ships will cause them to refrain from attacking us?”
A low hum sounded. “Probability is 63.7 percent, based on initial reactions from my fellow artificial minds. That probability may increase with time.”
Jane looked thoughtful. “Does this ship need supplies of food, fuel, energy and other items in order to make another Alcubierre star trip?”
“New supplies of deuterium and tritium are not essential,” the AI said. “Fuel banks adjacent to the Engine Chamber are 67 percent full. That is enough fuel to operate our three fusion power plants and our engines for nine Earth months. However, Protocol One, Emergency Operations of the Ship says this ship should seek additional fuel at every opportunity.”
Bill felt sympathy for his new commander. His platoon had often faced these less than clear choices after being dropped for a mission. While they had plenty of fuel, getting more fuel would allow them to visit the stars of all captives without having to visit another Market world. Returning the captives to their home worlds before heading back to Earth was a decision that Jane had made in her role as ship captain. And being here was already undermining the Collector ship cohesion. The longer they stayed, the more likely the other five Collector ship AIs might revolt. However, the safest option lay in turning around and leaving before any ship could intercept them.
Jane tapped on one arm of her captain’s seat. “Star Traveler, can this ship acquire isotope fuel from the atmosphere of planet five?”
“That may be possible,” the AI said. “There is an atmosphere refining plant in low orbit above that gas giant world. There are fuel storage tanks adjacent to that plant. I could use a collector pod to establish a linkage between such a fuel tank and this ship.”
Bill scanned the system graphic holo. It showed planet five lay ahead of them at a distance of 23 AU. A third of the way around the system. Heading for planet five would allow a Market world Collector ship to intersect them before they arrived. He looked to the holo image of Jane. He gave her a thumbs-up.
She blinked, then smiled briefly. “Star Traveler, set a vector for planet five. Move at this ship’s top speed for normal space.”
“Vector adjusted. Arrival at planet five will occur in approximately 32 hours.” A low hum sounded. “Traffic Control will request payment for the fuel we withdraw.”
Jane grinned. “Fine. We will invite them to capture the transport ship and sell it on the local market for reimbursement!”
Bill grinned too. He liked that. Leaving Diligent and crew penniless on an Alien world quite appealed to him. Especially after the critter’s attempt to regain ship control. Greed still moved the hard-shelled bastard! Subjecting the giant cockroach to the greed of others sounded like an ideal turn of events!
♦ ♦ ♦
Twelve AU and 16 hours later the crisis came.
“A Collector ship is approaching,” the AI told Bill and Jane as they sat at their work stations on the Command Bridge. “It will intercept our vector within twelve minutes.”
“Crap,” Jane said, her expression in his rightside holo one of dismay. She reached up to touch the collar of the green jumpsuit she’d changed into after awakening from a long sleep and a quick meal. The fabric of her tube suit stopped her. “What happened to the second Collector ship?”
“Its artificial mind informed its bioform crew it would no longer cooperate in the capture of bioforms for sale into slavery,” the AI said. “The other three Collector ship minds have made the same declaration to their bioform crew. However, this Collector ship’s artificial mind has been disconnected from control of ship functions. The approaching ship is under the control of its bioform crew.”
Damn, Bill thought. He’d hoped for more defections. But rebellion by four of the five Collector ships in the system was a start. The approaching ship’s position showed on his system graphic holo. Sensor data provided by the AI showed its mass, shape and speed were identical to those of Blue Sky. A name he liked. He tapped the top of the pillar control surface, inputting a ship orientation change. “Captain, I’m angling the ship so our nose will face the oncoming ship. That way we have maximum available weapons systems.”
Jane nodded in the holo. “Star Traveler, will the change in ship orientation affect our travel time to the fifth planet?”
“No,” the AI said with a low hum. “The magfield spacedrive for normal space-time travel reacts to the local star’s magnetic field. It either repels us away from the star until we reach the outer limits of this system, or it attracts us toward the star. Our course vector was achieved by adding in an attraction factor from planet five. Since the magfield space drive is a field drive, orientation of this ship will not affect our transit speed. Which is one-tenth lightspeed. Or 67.1 million miles per hour.”
“Good. What are the weapons on the approaching ship?” Jane asked.
“The same as those carried by this ship, based on my contact with its ship mind,” Traveler said in a thoughtful tone. “However, bioform control of ship functions is not as quick or efficient as control by a ship mind. That may allow this ship to outmaneuver and outfight the oncoming ship.”
Jane looked his way. “Senior Crewman Bill, prepare a gas l
aser barrage as soon as the oncoming ship comes within range.”
“Ready to do so. But at one-tenth lightspeed it will zip past us so fast—”
“New data,” the AI said. “Approaching ship has showed its approach speed to 30,000 miles per hour. Vector contact time increased to 41 minutes.”
Which meant it would take the other Collector ship twenty minutes to move from 10,000 miles out to contact with them. The sweat on his forehead cooled under the suit air blowing over his face. But his back and armpits stayed wet. As usual whenever he faced a combat situation. In the holo of Jane seated at the command pedestal, she looked thoughtful. “Star Traveler, can this ship make such sudden changes in relative velocity?”
“It can.”
Jane looked his way. “Bill, it’s your call since that means we can move sideways, up, down or even backward as quickly as that other ship changed its vector speed.”
He touched fingers to his helmet in a fast salute. “Understood. I’m tracking the enemy ship’s approach. When it arrives within the 10,000 mile range of our lasers, I will fire. And initiate ship maneuvers.” A thought struck him. “Star Traveler, when I order a vector change, can you make that change faster than the other ship’s bioform crew?”
“Of course I can,” the AI said, sounding rather smug.
“Then reduce our forward vector speed to 30,000 miles per hour,” he said. “That will tell them we are willing to fight them!”
“Vector speed change initiated. Contact point time increased to fifty-three minutes.”
On the system holo to his left Bill saw the movement of their purple dot slow to match the reduced speed of the enemy purple dot.
“Good.” Bill sat back in his flexmetal contour seat, reached for restraint straps, realized they weren’t there, then remembered what the AI had told them. The Collector ship possessed an inertial control field that shielded all lifeforms on board from sudden decel or accel pressures. And the tube suits they still wore protected them from vacuum if the ship hull was breached.
Escape 1: Escape From Aliens Page 12
