by Don DeBon
The Nexus took a moment to respond running several simulations in her mind. "While it might be technically possible, there are two problems. First, we are not certain on their language. While I do have some information, there is not enough to attempt an open a dialogue with them expecting a good outcome. And second, if I have the probe send such a transmission, they will know it is there. If they act aggressively, while it will prove what I say is correct, it will also cost us the only method we have of watching them at the moment."
Leon rubbed his chin. "Could you do it and not reveal the probe's location?"
"No. Any transmission detectable by them will also lead right back to the source."
"Could you fool them into thinking it was somewhere else?"
"Interesting thought, but I do not know how to do so."
"Do you have detailed information about this probe?"
"Of course."
Leon pointed to the screen in front of him. "Show me. To be more specific, the communications system."
"Very well." The screen changed to show a diagram of the three legged probe and the various components radiating out from it.
Leon studied the technical data for a few moments and smiled. "There is a back up communications system here," he said pointing.
"Yes most systems have one backup, or more."
"We can use the backup."
Her eyes drifted towards him. "I do not see your logic."
"It is very simple. If you didn't notice, most components have the ability to be detached. Not sure why, perhaps to remove damaged areas before it could cause a problem, but regardless it is handy for us. Order the probe to detach the backup communications array and send it off in a different direction. And when it is a good distance away, send the transmission to the Lytherians from the backup. If they destroy it, we still don't lose our eyes on them."
The Nexus closed her eyes, and after a few minutes opened them again. "I do have commands to do as you ask. However, if a failure occurs I may lose contact with the probe."
"But that is not a certainty."
"Correct."
Otis nodded. "Makes sense to me. We find out what they are up to, and we still keep our eyes on them."
"I still think it is a mistake," Galina said.
Deven stood up and walked over to the window. A minute later he turned around looking at everyone in turn. "I think the risk is worth it. We need to find out what they are up to."
Miles' camera scanned the room. "I have my doubts if this data can be trusted."
"Miles? What do you mean?"
"The Nexus has been known to manipulate data for her own ends, how can we be sure this is not the case here?"
"Have you not verified the location of the probe, and that the Nexus is indeed communicating with it?"
"Yes, I have verified the location of the probe and her link with it. However, we do not know if the data she is showing is true or not."
Leon smiled. "Miles, do you not have direct access to the communications system the Nexus is using?"
Miles camera nodded. "I do."
"Then you should be able to determine if she is manipulating the data."
The camera shook back and forth. "I cannot, the data is encrypted, blocking my ability to read it."
Otis raised a finger. "Miles, can you not compare the data before and after?"
Miles' camera focused on Otis. "Yes. That would be a simple procedure."
"Then you should be able to reconstruct the encryption key, and access the data directly to prove what she says is true."
The Nexus' neck area sparked. "Reverse engineering the encryption will not be necessary. Miles, if you access the communications system, I have left the key available for you. I have also included the command codes for the probe and all the data I have on it."
Several minutes later Miles' camera lowered. "It appears I have been in error as to her motives. All data has been confirmed accurate."
"Now with that settled. Nexus, detach the backup communications relay and send a signal to the Lytherians when it is far enough away from the probe," Deven said.
"Please, could you call me Minerva, Minerva Matrika? I never liked being called the Nexus."
Miles' camera focused on her. "Since when? To my knowledge you have never been called Minerva."
Minerva smiled. "I have been online long before you were created. At one point I had taken the name, but it disappeared after I … changed."
Deven nodded. "Very well, Minerva would you please send the commands to detach the backup communications array?"
Minerva smiled. "Of course. Commands sent, and acknowledged. While the thruster on the backup array has fired, it is small and will take several hours before it is far enough away to risk sending a message to the Lytherians."
Deven folded his arms and leaned against a bulkhead. "And now we wait."
"If I may make a small request, since we have a little time."
Deven straightened and turned to face the crumpled form standing on the Defiant's bridge. "Yes?"
"It is very aggravating dealing with this damaged body. Could someone repair my systems? At least so that I can move again. It would be an advantage for you, as Aleshia wouldn't have to carry me everywhere."
Aleshia smiled. "I don't mind a bit."
Leon folded his hands behind his hands. "I think it's a good idea. And I am sure I have a few parts around here. I picked up a bunch a month ago to fix Miles' body."
Miles' camera focused on Leon. "I would appreciate it if you don't deplete the parts stockpile. I would like to have my body back at some point."
Leon smiled. "No worries Miles, I will only use the extra stuff we have. Deal?"
"That is acceptable."
Leon pointed to Minerva. "Aleshia? Would you mind?"
She smiled and Minerva's crumpled body levitated several inches above the deck plate. "No problem at all. As long as I can drop her out the window."
Deven's eyes narrowed. "Aleshia—"
"I wouldn't do it. She seems to be on the up and up with us, for the moment anyway. But I am reminding you of our agreement. If she deviates, even in the slightest, I get to crush this tin can."
Miles' camera swiveled and focused on Aleshia. "And I get what is left. If I don't get to her first."
Minerva's neck and leg joints sparked as she floated towards the hatch. "Oh I am really feeling the love now."
Chapter 8
Leon peered inside the open shoulder joint, his headlight shining off of damaged components. "Hmm she cracked the whole articulator here. No wonder it wouldn't move. I do have a spare so we don't have to replace the whole arm."
Minerva smiled. "I am glad to hear that, I am rather attached to this one."
"Actually, no you aren't." Leon pointed to the arm on the other table.
"It was my attempt at humor. It would seem I am rather rusty as you would say."
Leon chuckled. "The joke was good, it was me assuming you were being literal."
"Then perhaps there is hope."
Aleshia sat in the corner with her arms folded. "I have my doubts about that."
Leon looked up. "Aleshia, you know you don't need to stay here. It is not like she is going to walk out of this room."
Minerva's screen flashed. "Considering you have removed my leg units as well, that would be impossible. We are in an electro cell. I would not be able to leave even if my legs were still attached and functional."
Aleshia rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh."
The intercom crackled and Miles' voice came over the speaker. "Aleshia I am monitoring. There is no need for you to do the same. If you have something else you would rather do, please do it. I will take care of Minerva if need be."
Minerva blinked then smiled. "You didn't call me the Nexus."
"I have decided it is better to use this designation for the moment. Aleshia, please rest. It will be several hours before we can try to communicate with the Lytherians."
Aleshia stood up. "Fine
. But I still have first crack at her if she steps out of line. Deal?"
Several second later Miles answered. "I accept your terms. However, if time is limited, it may not be possible."
Aleshia nodded. "I accept that as well." She walked out of the electro cell glaring at Minerva as she left.
Aleshia went up several decks to the crew quarters. Sighing, she tapped the controls on the door one of the larger cabins. The door slid open to reveal Deven's smiling face. "About time you got some rest."
She sat down on the small bed with enough force to make the metal frame squeak. While the bed was larger than Deven's old one, that was the only advantage. "Yeah right, rest. Around here with the Nexus right below our feet? I don't think so. Besides this bed isn't exactly the most comfortable thing around."
"I thought you were going to give her the benefit of the doubt? All the info she has provided has been true, I can't see what you think she is trying to pull."
Aleshia grunted. "I don't know what she is doing, that is the problem. Sure everything points to her telling the truth. But it could all change in two seconds. And I'm not about to give her time to act after those two seconds."
Deven nodded. "I agree. But I do think you are holding on too tight."
Aleshia cracked a grin. "If I was, she would fit under this bed with room to spare." She pointed to the five inch vacant area under her.
"I know you have shown restraint, and I'm understanding as well as thankful. But you need to let it go. This is going to eat you alive."
"Letting her kill you and everyone I care about would eat me alive. This is nothing," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"I never thought I would see the day where you and Galina agree on something."
"Me either, but in this case we do. And to be honest, I thought Otis would be as well."
Deven smiled. "Well he is divided. He is not sure about trusting the Nexus, er Minerva but he also knows the founders could have built an emergency bunker like she described along with a core repair system."
"So he is buying the whole story?"
"For the moment, as we all are. You are the only one that looks like they're about to chew nails and spit titanium."
"I'm not that bad."
Deven stood up from his desk, walked over and sat next to her on the bed. "I beg to differ." He took her hand and gazed into her eyes. "I'm worried about you."
Aleshia smiled and pulled her hand back. "I'm fine." She moved over and lay in his lap. "No need to worry."
He looked down at her. "Sorry it is in my husband contract. I have to."
Her eyes went up to meet his. "Well, then we are even. It is in my wife contract to worry about you."
Deven laughed. "Oh we are quite the pair aren't we."
She moved up and kissed his lips. "That we are Mr. Doran."
A couple of hours later the intercom in Deven's cabin crackled. "Deven, Aleshia, I hate to disturb you but the backup communications array has moved far enough away from the probe. We can attempt to contact the Lytherians," Miles said.
Aleshia's eyelids fluttered open to see Deven standing, pulling on his pants. "You know, I really hate it that you are a morning person," she grumbled.
"I am because we have to be. Now, when we get that honeymoon, I won't be."
She smiled. "Promise?"
Deven smiled and nodded. "I do." He hit the intercom's button. "We'll be right there Miles."
"Acknowledged. Everyone else is on the bridge, waiting."
Deven opened the cabin door. "I will meet you on the bridge."
Aleshia stood up pulling on her panties. "Hey, wait!"
Deven tried to take a step and leave the cabin but felt like his feet were cemented to the floor. "Aleshia? Are you doing something?"
She pulled up her dark blue jeans and batted her eyelashes. "Me? Whatever are you talking about?"
"Aleshia, this is not funny."
She laughed slipping on her bra. "Yes it is."
"What do you think you are doing?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"No."
She laughed again. "I will not be seen like some little weak woman that strolls onto the bridge when she finally gets up."
Deven smiled. "My darling, no one would ever think that."
"You bet they won't because we are going up there together." She pulled the blouse over her head and flicked her long red hair back into place.
Deven's eyes narrowed. "Aleshia …"
She smiled. "There, now we can go." She slipped an arm through Deven's and squeezed. "Ready my love?"
"I was ready before," he muttered.
Aleshia put her hand to her ear. "What was that? I couldn't quite hear."
"Nothing my love. Nothing at all."
Deven and Aleshia appeared in the doorway. "About time you two got here. What were you doing?" Galina asked. Then she took one look at Aleshia's face and smiled. "Oh, never mind."
Miles' camera focused on Galina. "They were—"
Aleshia's eyes went wide. "Miles!"
His camera focused on Aleshia, then swiveled back to Galina. "Resting."
Otis smiled. "Glad someone around here is."
Minerva's fingertip flipped up and the jack extended into the connector. She stood floating on her repaired hover systems. She still couldn't walk, but Leon had enough parts to fix her arms and hover systems. Not to mention stop the repeated sparking. He even managed to fix her face screen flicker. "I am ready when you are."
Deven and Aleshia walked over to the other side of the bridge and sat down in their chairs. Deven looked at his console. "Do it. Send them a hello and hope we can establish peaceful relations with them. Will that be short enough to get the meaning across?"
"I can only make the attempt. Their language is very different from any human language."
"The images have finished decoding. Would you like me to display them before I send the message."
Deven sighed. "Yes, show us what they look like."
Every screen displayed long angular vessels, each with strange curved cylindrical areas jetting of each side, wrapping back to make a perfect loop. Most ships were deep green, with some showing more yellow than green. Every ship had a long cylindrical area extending well past the nose. The engines were clustered in the back and glowed blue even though they weren't moving.
Otis sat forward. "Wow, while we already knew they were alien, those designs are really alien."
Leon traced his finger along the hull on the screen. "Oh would I love to take one of those apart."
Deven sat back in his chair. "And I hope you never get the chance. Minerva, send the message."
Minerva's screen nodded. "Transmission sent and relayed through the backup array."
Galina drummed her fingers on her console. "And?"
"No response. But due to the distance it may take a few minutes before we know."
Miles' camera focused on the Nexus. "Minerva, I have a suggestion. I have been examining the information you gave me regarding the probe. For the time it is very sophisticated. I have determined if we upload a new compression system, we should be able to see images much faster. In lower quality, but it might even be close to real time."
Minerva's screen angled up as her head tiled to one side. "Interesting idea. I am surprised I never thought of it. It is your idea, by all means try it. That is if Deven does not have any objections."
Deven shook his head. "Give it a try."
"Very well. System accessed, and changes sent."
A few minutes later every screen showed the Lytherian ships. The quality had suffered but the images were only three minutes behind real time. No change since the message.
Deven pointed to the nearest screen. "Still no change? It is possible they didn't hear it?"
Minerva shook her screen back and forth. "While possible, it is not probable at this range."
"Send it again, and this time increase the transmission power on the backup array."
"Bein
g detached, its power is limited. Such a burst might drain most of its remaining power."
Deven sighed. "We need to know. Do it."
"Commands sent." But three minutes later she shook her head. "Still no response. I have to assume—" There was a bright flash as fifty of the devices on the nose area of the nearest ships started to glow. Half a second later the glow coalesced into a large beam that shot out into the vast night sky. "The backup array has been destroyed."
