by JD Clarke
“Thank you, Noomi. Continue your attack.”
I turned to the admiral’s image still on my display. “Call off your invasion, Admiral. Save the rest of your men, and I will tell my warship not to destroy your entire fleet, including your ship.”
The admiral was red with anger, but he controlled his voice well. “Very well, Commander Hauptman. I will instruct my troops to return to our fleet. We will withdraw.”
“No, Admiral, you will withdraw all your ships except one. They will return to Earth. Captain Stevens and his ship may remain and escort us to Earth. Your marines will be our guests. Have them put down their weapons and surrender. They will be returned unharmed to Earth.”
The admiral seethed in anger, and I think I made an enemy for life that day, but he had no choice. He gave a curt nod and turned off his transmission. The screen before me went blank and then displayed a view of space outside the Defiant.
“Stop, cease all actions against the humans,” I ordered my people below. “Mako, are you all right? What is happening in the forward section?”
“Sorry, Jason, I was too busy to contact you. We were having to withdraw until Sasha showed up with her two T. rex nightmares. They were very effective against the invaders. Then the enemy troops dropped their weapons and held up their hands in surrender.”
“How many are there, Mako?” I asked him.
“Over one hundred left standing, I’d guess. Dozens more injured.”
“OK, Mako. Escort them to the First Ring. We’ll hold them there until we can take them back to Earth. Tell Sasha to treat them kindly and tell the wounded we will transport them to one of the Earth ships for medical treatment. Secure all their weapons and those armored ponchos. We’ll want to take a closer look at those.”
“Right, Jason. Is everyone there all right?”
“Yes, we’re OK here. Legion is going to be black-and-blue for several days, but I think he’s fine.”
I looked down on the hangar bay just as the three females came charging out of the air lock doors, waving swords and screaming a war cry. They stopped suddenly, confused by the lack of battle, and then meekly walked toward Legion.
Mars
Our trajectory took us by Mars, and we were all on the newly rebuilt main bridge to enjoy the view as we circled the planet before resuming our course to Earth. Captain Stevens was my guest aboard the Defiant. His own ship had taken the wounded marines back to Earth.
The lights of the colony shone brightly on the dark side of Mars as we hung high overhead in a geosynchronous orbit. The Defiant would be visible to the naked eye from the ground. In addition to treating ourselves to the view, I thought it would be a good piece of PR to show off the size of the Defiant to the people below.
“Thank you for allowing me to treat the wounded aboard my ship and for allowing the release of the marine prisoners. It was a gesture that will not be forgotten.”
“It was my pleasure, Captain Stevens. I was pleased that so many of your marines accepted my offer to remain on the Defiant as our guests, not as prisoners. It feels good to see the ship’s mess hall so full for a change. I’m sure you don’t object to my insisting that they always have an android chaperone as they explore the ship.”
“Certainly not, and I understand the engine room and weapons systems being off-limits as well. You have extended far more freedom to the men than I would have done myself.”
“You will excuse me, Jason,” Legion said to me as he turned from the forward view screen. “I have invited a trio of marines to accompany me on a hunt on the Fifth Ring. I am anxious to see how well they perform with only a spear against the wild beasts native to our ring. Give the captain my parting words for me also.” Legion left the bridge. He still had a slight limp from the beating he had taken in the battle.
“Legion asked me to bid you adieu. He will be spending some time with your marines.”
“Fighting men enjoy one another’s company.” The captain paused. “How will they communicate?”
“With gestures and grunts, I imagine.”
Jackson came over with Noomi. “I am returning to the lab, Jason. We will be working replicating and improving the defensive cloaks of the marines. Noomi has some ideas on how to combine the organic components to self-healing nanobot technology and rigid reflexive technology to make them impervious to even crushing forces. It would be great to replace our bulky armor with such a flexible system.” He looked over to our guest. “Good day, Captain Stevens. Enjoy the view.”
Sybil stepped up to the captain. “How will we be received on Earth, Captain Stevens? Will the humans there make another attempt at procuring the Defiant?”
“I dare say they will not attempt a forcible takeover of the Defiant. There are still too many things that they do not know about your capabilities and resources. Your surprises for them will be remembered, and they will not want to make that mistake again. You can expect other attempts to gain control of the Defiant, I’m afraid. Politics and dirty tricks are still very much a part of Earth’s ruling elite. I hope you are as ready to deal with them as you were with the marines.”
“I shall endeavor to monitor and predict human behavior so that I may advise Commander Hauptman of all possible threats to the Defiant.”
“Thank you, Sybil. You see, Captain, I have a very capable and valuable crew. They are far more than I deserve.”
“Their loyalty to you is a testament to your leadership, Commander Hauptman. I wish that all our captains were so deserving.” Captain Stevens raised his glass in salute. I felt very flattered and undeserving at the same time. I had lost more of my crew than I had saved.
“You’ll excuse me, Reginald. I have some other matters to attend to.” I excused myself from the bridge and headed for my quarters. I needed some time alone to think.
“Commander.” Sybil had left as well and was following me down the hallway.
I stopped to wait for her. “Yes, Sybil, is there something on your mind?”
“I wanted to remind you that I did make a recording of Dena’s brain configuration and neural net data before she died. I could construct an android body for her. It would look identical to her if you wished to duplicate her memories and personality into it. I know your bond with her was very strong, and I have sensed that you miss her greatly.”
“At first, I did want to, very much. But being with Jackson made me very aware of the fact that he is not me. He is just a copy of me, like a twin, sort of. We are already becoming less similar as he goes down his own path. Seeing Dena again would be very painful. I saw her die. Her ship exploded right before me. I would know that she was not Dena, only a copy of her. She would sound like Dena, look like Dena, and even move like Dena—but she wouldn’t be Dena. Maybe it’s selfish of me, but I’m not ready for that.”
We walked together for a distance before I continued. “Jackson awoke knowing that he was a copy. He had full memory of the plan and what had happened. I think that helped him orient himself and adjust to not being Jason Hauptman. Dena would have no such memory. She would awaken in an android body thinking she was Dena. I would always see her as just a copy, an imposter. It wouldn’t be fair to her either. I don’t know, Sybil. I really don’t know how it would work out.”
“But you could not learn to love her again, even though she was an android? Is it so hard for a human to love an android?”
I stopped in the middle of the hallway. “No, it’s not that. I could love an android. I just couldn’t love a copy of someone. I don’t know how to explain it to you, Sybil. Perhaps when I have sorted out in my own mind, I can share it with you.”
“I have enjoyed the time we shared, Commander, very much. I will look forward to doing so again if you would like.”
Our conversation was interrupted by Sasha bounding down the hallway. “Hey, Jason, Sybil, I’m going to Mars. Isn’t that cool? I contacted the planetary governor and requested an extended stay on the planet in order to install a fabrication facility for producing c
omputers based on the ones we have here on the Defiant. I also offered to produce digging machines like the ones we found on the Fourth Ring. It would be excellent for use in their mining and underground habitat construction. I’m so excited.”
“That’s great, Sasha. Does this mean you’ve given up looking for the Ancient Ones and their colonies?” I asked.
“No, of course not, but after I explore Mars a bit. I can always come back to the Defiant and continue my search through the data in the archive, can’t I?”
“Of course you can. You’ll always be welcome on board the Defiant as long as she is under my command.”
“What about you, Sybil? Want to come along?”
“No, Sasha. I will remain on the Defiant. My place is here. The commander needs me.”
“Even if Mako goes to Earth? He’s talking to Captain Stevens about getting a laboratory on Earth to continue his materials research and its practical application. He says he misses his homeland and its people very much. I don’t know why. Everybody he ever knew is long gone, but he said he wanted a family, and he was curious to meet his great-great-great-grandchildren too. Whatever.”
I knew Sybil better than anyone else did, even Mako, and I could not see what she was thinking. Sasha shrugged and rushed on down the hallway to her quarters to get ready for the next big adventure.
“Looks like you have a lot to think over too.”
“So it would seem, Commander. But I believe my place is here, aboard Defiant.”
I only smiled. I looked forward to the future.
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