by Marc Stevens
Everyone yelled out at the same time. “KLUTCH!”
The frown on his face turned to a smirk. “Commander, I saw it move!”
“Justice, it that thing still alive?”
“Yes, Commander. It is attempting to bargain for its existence.”
“Oh, really? It wants the vermin to stop destroying it. What is it offering us?”
“It is not offering us anything. It is offering me a share in the rule of this galaxy when they return to end the biological infestation.”
The beast in me roared its displeasure and without conscious thought I threw my arm up and blew its only remaining legs to pieces. I yelled out at the machine. “IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO BEG THE BIOLOGICALS IN THIS CESSPOOL FOR YOUR WORTHLESS EXISTENCE!”
“Commander, your attack has breached its containment dome and has destroyed a number of its processing entities.”
“Is it going to die?”
“No, as long as it still possesses active processing entities, it will survive.”
“How many are in there?”
“It has not revealed the actual number, but I surmise more the a million.”
We all jumped when Klutch unexpectedly beam shot the Hivemind’s base structure, blowing a large piece off and sending it crashing once more into the side wall. We all stared at him with shocked looks on our faces.
The big lug had a huge toothy grin on his face. “HAH! How many are in there now, Justice?”
“KLUTCH! Hold your fire!”
Sael was on the verge of blowing her top. “Nathan, you need to put a leash on that mutinous Tibor before he destroys more irreplaceable data!”
“Sael, do me a favor and SHUT UP! I do not need you adding your input. Do you understand?”
Tria grabbed ahold of my arm and I took a deep breath. I gave Klutch the worst stink eye I could muster and pointed a finger at him. The smile disappeared from his face and he gave the Operative a stern look. The vent covers were blown off the back of his armor and the vents were sending a steamy, non-stop stream of stench into the void. The Operative stormed to the hole in the vault door and stood there with all her arms crossed. I waved my crew over and we put some distance between us and her. We huddled and Coonts let us know what he thought should happen. I had to agree with the little Grawl’s assessment.
“Commander, we should let the Chaalt take the Hivemind, but tell them on one condition: they must take a scientist and an engineer from our science team with them. Make it understood our people will share in all information and research. We are to have unfettered access and a dedicated IST to transmit the findings back to Alpha base. If they don’t agree to that, tell them we don’t need their help.”
It was an excellent idea and we had to give the little Grawl his due. He was definitely using his high IQ to our advantage. I clasped him on the shoulders. “Coonts, why don’t you inform the Operative what we have decided.”
That put a big smile on his face. He turned to where Sael was standing and headed in her direction with a noticeable strut. Tria got us back to business.
“Nathan, we have a tremendous amount of tech in and around this ship. We need to take steps to secure as much of it as possible.”
I heard a few choice Chaalt oaths and the Operative stalked in my direction. I shut her down. “Sael, if that doesn’t work for you, then option number two is your people can send one scientist and one engineer to Alpha base. They can study the Hivemind under the watchful eyes of my science team.”
Justice interrupted our parley. “Commander, Sushi is on station just outside of the nebula with four Sig combat fleets. They are moving to encircle our location.”
“Thanks Justice, open a comms channel I can link with him.”
“Comms active!”
“Sushi, thank you for your assistance. We have stumbled across a large quantity of artifacts and technology. We need you to secure the area so we can collect as much of it as possible. Can you send a message to Tam Lin that we have need of immediate freighter service?”
“Freighter service into the nebula?”
“Yes, how many do you have available?”
“We have two that are capable of holding a ship the size of the Legacy in their holds and six additional sized down to slightly larger than what you purchased from us. One of our largest is presently offloading supplies and military hardware at our new base of operations. It can be available in one work cycle if that will help you. Will that be sufficient?”
“It will be a start, but we will need all of them.”
“Did I correctly hear you say you need all of our available freighters?”
“Yes, the sooner they can arrive the better.”
Now my brain was working overtime. The ex-Scrun base that the Sig took over was a single one hour and twenty-minute jump from our present location. It would be an excellent relay point and storage area for the materials we were going to strip off of the ship. I would call Broza and get my new freighter involved as well. It would only cost me crew time to pay him and Hylet.
“OK Sushi, send the freighter when it is available and as many tugs as you can spare. I would like to make a proposal that will pay for all the upkeep on your new base.”
“I like the sound of that, Nathan Myers. What do you have in mind?”
“I would like to rent storage space at your facility. I want to store all of the recovered artifacts at your location and keep them under your protection. I will, of course, share some of the artifacts after they have been properly cataloged and sorted. How does that sound to you?”
“That is most agreeable to me and my people. How much space will you need?”
“Based on my previous visit, I would say all of it. Name your price.”
“Nathan Myers, if it were not for you, we would not have a base of operations in this sector. I have a suggestion. You pay us for the use of our freighters and pay us standard shipping fees for the distance traveled. Once everything is moved, we will supply secure storage and personnel to watch over it for twenty percent of the artifacts after you catalog the merchandise.”
I was speechless because I was going to offer thirty percent and two million credits every forty work cycles. “Sushi, you have a deal. You and your people will also net additional considerations as they become available.”
His booming laugh filled my helmet. “Nathan Myers, we have not spent the profits from our previous dealings. You have made a large number of my people extremely happy. You have made lifelong friends with the Sig! May you grow inordinately old and wealthy!”
“You too, my friend!”
My crew seemed jubilant, and it was catching on until I turned and saw the look Sael was giving me. Tria gave me a nudge in the Operative’s direction. I frowned at her and she gave me her golden smile. There was no bitchin’ about it after that.
“What’s it going to be Sael, your place or mine?”
The look on her face darkened another shade. “Save your fancy play on words for someone who gives a scat. After all we have been through and the wealth of tech I have turned over to you, this was the last thing I expected.”
“What may I ask were you expecting?”
“Not to be treated like a Throgg, but as a partner!”
“Now who’s full of scat? You have been playing both sides against each other since we’ve met.”
The grimace on her face said loads. Her silence verified the truth of the matter.
“I don’t know why you are so down in the dumps. You are about to be the most famous Principal Investigator the Chaalt people has ever known. You are going to bring home a live Prule Hivemind. Nobody that I know of has ever managed a feat like that. You will be able to write your own ticket from now on, and nobody, with the exception of myself, will ever question your orders.”
She chewed on my words with gritted teeth and the frown eased from her face. “You might be correct in your assumption that I may finally be given untethered freedom from the council.”
; “You know the deal. Make the call. As a special gift just for you, I will throw in the whole Prule ship when we have everything we want.”
Her voice was laced with sarcasm. “You are so generous!”
“OK, I take it back, I will give it to the Sig instead.”
“NO! I didn’t say I did not want it!”
I smiled and turned my back on her. “Let me know when your people arrive. I will have Justice let the Sig know so they will let them pass.”
Sael made a very unladylike sound, but no further comments.
“Justice, we are going to need an opening in the next chamber over. Use your tow beam to fill the hangar and cargo bay with as much of the salvage in there as possible.”
“I have been discussing the matter with engineer Coonts. We have already determined the best course of action. I will remove the remains of the lift tube where Klutch detonated an anti-matter munition. It will require several strikes from the Legacy’s rail cannons. I suggest you assemble in the far end of the Hivemind’s chamber. I also recommend you make yourself comfortable on the deck to avoid the adverse effects generated by the shockwaves.”
“Have you located any more of the cyborgs that were attacking us?”
“Most had gathered behind the larger heat signatures. The Troop Master’s anti-matter round exploded right in the middle of the formation. The hostile combatants were either disintegrated or blown out the bottom of the tube into the void. The discharge enabled me to locate your position.”
“Roger that. I will let you know when we are ready.”
“Acknowledged, Commander. I am maneuvering to that location now.”
The crew had listened in to my conversation and was already moving to the back of the chamber. Sael was still talking to the powers that be and was making wild gyrations with her arms. I would have loved to hear the story she was laying on them. I shook my head and walked over and looped my arm in one of hers and led her to the back of the chamber. That netted me a frown and her trying to tug free. I refused to let go until were in a group once more. We sat down and she gave us a funny look and turned her back to continue her report. Tria leaned into me and held on. I smiled at her.
“Ready when you are, Justice.”
45
The Operative picked herself up off the deck with a look of disbelief on her face. “IS THAT DEFECTIVE A.I. TRYING TO KILL US ALL!”
I tried to warn her to sit down, but she chose to rage on, only to be toppled again. This time she was smart enough to stay seated. Justice made his third and final strike.
“Commander, the opening is of sufficient size I can begin loading.”
“OK, Justice. Starting with the Oolaran power generator, I want everything that hasn’t been demolished loaded onto the Legacy. If the Hivemind thought it was important enough to load onto its lifeboat, I want it.”
“Affirmative, Commander.”
We got to our feet and moved to the hole in the door. Sael was still pissed about being knocked on her ass and was giving me a withering stare.
“Come on Sael, we are going to the Legacy.”
“Are you mad!? We must stand guard over the Hivemind!”
“Be my guest. As far as I am concerned, if that shit sack can sprout a new set of legs and crawl out of here without Justice reducing it to atoms, it can carry on.”
My crew disappeared through the hole and I turned to look back at Sael. She decided to join us after all. There was no longer gravity on the back side of the door and the crap floating around was being swirled around by Justice pulling the Oolaran power plant from its pedestal and out the huge opening he had made.
“Justice, is the Hivemind capable of repairing its battle damage?”
“Negative, Commander. It would require assistance from other Prule assets and all have been eliminated. I have cautioned the Operative on the need to keep unprotected personnel and A.I. operated machinery away from the area to avoid possible subjugation attempts by the Hivemind.”
“What did she say to that?”
“She was insulting and claimed her people were capable of handling the situation.”
“Let it go. It’s just Sael being Sael.”
“She will find when she returns to the Fury that the sanitary facilities in her personal quarters are not as intelligent as she claims.”
Oh man! The squabbles Justice has with Coonts were irritating enough, but this thing with Sael was turning into a full-blown feud. I needed to change the subject before I got dragged into it.
“What do you make of the Oolaran powerplant being here?”
“It shows signs of battle damage that was not inflicted upon it during your assault on the Hivemind’s lair. I suspect it was taken as salvage from a battle involving Oolaran warships. It was a battle the Prule obviously won. I believe it was the Hivemind’s intent to take it back to its home galaxy to reverse engineer the device and incorporate into the Prule arsenal. Many of the pieces of machinery are similar in design but some appear to be parts of weapons. I believe our scientists will be able to properly assess the nature of your discoveries.”
The crew and I boarded the legacy and exchanged our combat armor for the lighter Chaalt recon armor. We spent several hours exploring parts of the ship that were not totally wrecked. It was determined that a large quantity of the salvage was collected from the races that stumbled across the Prule ship. The collection was an accumulation from almost three hundred years. Tria, Coonts and the Operative described much of the clutter as junk and we assumed it was being collected for the materials.
Justice informed us a fleet of forty Chaalt warships transitioned into the sector and were in route to our location. Sael’s flagship was already working its way through the rock fields and would join up with us shortly. Justice moved the Legacy well away from the Prule ship to rendezvous with the Fury. We were glad to be able to get the Operative off the Legacy; her irritating behavior was getting on everybody’s nerves. When the Fury closed with the Legacy, I escorted Sael to the hangar door, waiting for it to come alongside. In a pretentious display of indifference, she extracted herself from her armor and stood naked waiting for a boarding tube to be extended into the Legacy’s hangar. She gave me a sneer. “Tell the defective A.I. I no longer have use for his services and he can keep the armor.”
Man, was she ever going to have a meltdown when she finds out she was right about Justice inhabiting her ship. She stepped into the tube and it was retracted into the Fury. I laughed out loud because I wondered what she would tell her crew when they opened the boarding tube to find their Captain battered, bruised and naked. I was glad Tria was with Xul and Coonts inspecting the Oolaran powerplant. I was pretty sure she would not have appreciated what just took place.
A huge Chaalt research vessel maneuvered over the Prule ship and engineers cut an opening into the top of the Hivemind’s control room. They lowered an isolation chamber big enough to contain the Hivemind down into the hole. A specially prepared containment team with manually operated gravity jacks loaded the Prule into the chamber and hauled it up to the research vessel. The ship rapidly moved away with a thirty-warship escort surrounding it and quickly jumped out of the system. Ten of the Chaalt warships took up station around the nebula to await the Chaalt salvage armada that was on its way to our location.
I once again enlisted Sushi’s aid in speeding up our salvage efforts. I offered up another large quantity of credits and he happily volunteered a large number of his fleet’s engineers to aid us. By the time the freighters started showing up, we had a good idea what we would take with us and what we would leave to the Chaalt. We spent more than a week methodically picking apart the massive junkyard, only taking enough time to eat and sleep for short periods. We were exhausted but were nearing the end of the project.
During my short rest periods, I was thinking hard about the mining site on the sterilized planet. If we could get some work crews started on the tunnel entrance, we could get the cavern decontaminated and cleaned out.
I was thinking a visit with Tam Lin might get the ball rolling. Our current salvage operation was costing upwards of one-hundred billion credits. The value of our salvage should easily pay that figure back with dividends. The mining operation could make huge profits if I was to get it back up and running. There was already a large quantity of valuable material just sitting there for the taking. We would need to decontaminate the containers and find the right person to sell it to. I suspected Tria’s people would take great interest in the material, but Tam Lin’s outlets would probably bring in higher profits. At some point I would consider buying a larger, more modern freighter.
We were in the tenth day of our salvage operation and I was dead tired. At the end of the work period we would be turning over the remains of the Prule ship to the Chaalt. Their salvage fleet was orbiting the wreck like a flock of buzzards circling a carcass. I couldn’t wait to get out of the nebula and had promised my crew we would take a vacation. They had never heard of such a thing and knew nothing of the concept. After explaining it to them, they gave me funny looks. Laying around aimlessly wasting time doing nothing while squandering credits did not seem to appeal to them. I assured them I would pick up the tab but was voted down by the majority. We would be returning to Alpha Base to make modifications and improvements to the Legacy and our battle armor. Flight testing the Daggers was also high on our list of agendas.
The salvage operation was now complete. The Sig returned to their base with the final shipments of artifacts. I paid Broza and Hylet for their time and sent them on their way to take care of clan business. I found it interesting that we had heard nothing from the Operative. When the Chaalt salvage fleet showed up, she disappeared without a word. I guess her new-found fame was enough to keep her occupied and she could find no spare time to annoy me.
The crew and I were sitting in the galley picking at our food, trying not to fall asleep. If it were not for Klutch’s unique eating habits, we might have. Justice gave us a sitrep that opened all our eyes.
