Remember the Starfighter

by Michael Kan

***

  The android’s suit was more than just metal. As Julian recalled, it had been forged out of nano-technology, the armor entirely fabricated from an army of microscopic machines.

  Those machines had begun analyzing the Lightning’s systems. Touching the hull, the android had placed her hand against the an inner power node, letting the work begin. Julian could see lines of metal stretching out from her fingers and into the ship’s wall.

  “Power transfer is ready,” she said. “Commencing.”

  Immediately, the ship’s computer responded, the display and lights in the cockpit’s command console all powering on. Gradually, other systems went back online, as Julian could feel the gravity return to the ship.

  Stepping onto the floor, he moved to seat himself in the pilot’s chair.

  “Computer, gravity, and life-support, are all functioning normal,” Julian said. “The quantum charge is fully optimal.”

  The android had been right; she did contain the power to return critical systems online. However, as Julian read the computer’s status, he began to see something odd.

  “The computer says we also have enough power for shields, engines and weapons,” he continued.

  Julian rose from his seat, staring at the android as she sat attached to the ship’s wall.

  “How is that possible?”

  The android, unfeigned by his reaction, answered coldly.

  “My systems have more than enough power to accommodate the Lightning’s energy needs.”

  “But the Lightning’s power core alone weighs almost three tons. And even that has limits. How much power are you using right now?”

  “Currently, this is less than 17 percent of my total power systems. But normally when my body’s at optimal operational capacity, it would amount to less than 1 percent,” she said.

  “You mean, your body has enough power to run a fleet?” Julian asked, wide-eyed.

  “That is conceivable,” she said, knowing that it was more than just that.

  “But with that kind of power, you should be generating an immense amount of heat,” he said. “Yet you’re clearly not.”

  “My power system is unique,” she simply said.

  Julian stared harder, wondering if the android understood his disbelief. She only stood there silent, completely unaffected, as her systems continued to supply what were vast amounts of power to the Lightning.

  Julian didn’t have time to ask anymore. A ship alert had gone off.

  It was a coded message, one that was being detected on all frequencies.

  “Is it the attacker?” the android asked.

  “Not sure,” Julian replied. “The Lightning has traced the message to less than 0.16 light-years away. It’s coming from an object.”

  Julian returned to the pilot’s seat, wanting to see the scans for himself. The display showed a heat signature of a vessel moving at high-speeds, but in a direction opposite of the Lightning.

  “My guess is they’re looking for us,” he said

  As the ship’s computer processed the message, Julian could see that the encryption was based on Alliance-SpaceCore codes.

  “That doesn’t make sense.”

  Julian pulled the message up on display, wanting to know why the message was being catered to their frequency codes. What he read alarmed him.

  Surrender Julian Nverson. And you will not be harmed.

  Chapter 30

  The being was not what some might consider alive, at least not in the traditional sense. Such terms could never sufficiently describe or encapsulate what it had become. Like billions of others, the being had discarded the organic form long ago, moving on to what it believed was the next stage of evolution. Described as liberation by some, while abhorred by others, the state of existence had gone to encompass one of the great powers of the Alliance — the vast and powerful Ouryan Union.

  It would be far too simple to call them sentient machines, or ghosts. It was true members of the Union had essentially abandoned their physical bodies, and converted their minds into data. But the transformation was not a reduction, as some had criticized. No, it was an uplifting, turning their kind into what they described as “energy,” unbounded by the physical constructs that so limited them before. Here in the Union, one could know all, and be all, living in virtual universes that could never exist in reality. And still, they could inhabit physical constructs, taking the form of not just one body, but many and all simultaneously, if they so wished.

  Hundreds of different races had joined the cause. But there was no need for names. Not when entire collectives of people within the Union responded beyond speech, sounds or touch. However, when dealing with so-called “organics” the being in question, simply referred to itself as the Ouryan agent, one of the many clandestine representatives in the galaxy that operated both as an individual, but spoke as one for the Union.

  The agent, specializing in tactics and strategy, had come to its current position relatively recently, only operating in the field for the last century. However, in that time, the enforcer had been repeatedly deployed. Not so much for warfare, but to ensure stability within both the Union and the Alliance itself. When diplomacy was no longer an option, the agent had authority to sabotage, coerce and when necessary, to even kill.

  Lately, there had been a lot of killing. Assassinations of every kind.

  In fact, the body count was so high, that the agent no longer cared to keep tally. It merely needed to serve, hoping to one day regain its status, and take its rightful place among the Unity.

  As for its latest mission, the agent had been tasked with something more delicate, and nuanced. It involved the capture of a target. An android of all things. And from a Terran world called Earth, a planet under Endervar dominion.

  The agent had consumed all available data relating to the mission, and immediately understood the importance. Unfortunately, the Union had failed in its last two attempts to apprehend the subject. The tactics and perhaps “tenacity” of some within the Alliance had prevented her capture. But this had all been a temporary setback, as the agent had now proven. Hours ago, its ship had managed to disable the starfighter escorting the android. Now, it was only a matter of time before the Union would find it, the agent doing well yet again to satisfy the whole of the collective.

  Appearing out of hyperspace, the agent’s vessel had pinpointed the approximate location of the Lightning. So far, the scans and deployed probes had found nothing, barely a heat signature or energy trail seen in the vastness of space. According to calculations, the Lightning was likely in an area measuring in about a quarter of a light-year in diameter. The time needed to fully scan the entire area: three days.

  While the agent’s vessel continued its scans, the Union had sent a transmission over faster-than-light N-wave frequency. A dead body of a New Terran operative found on Alliance Command had been “extracted,” the deceased brain scanned for any vital information. Re-constructed memories revealed where the android was being taken, and already twenty additional Ouryan ships had been dispatched to intercept any vessels heading toward the New Terran fleet of Amredies Prime. What the agent had found more compelling, however, was the pilot escorting the android. A hacked SpaceCore file had shown the man to be named Julian Nverson, his military rank starfighter captain. Previously, Alliance files had shown him to be de-commissioned and en route to a colony called Isen. Obviously, they had been fabricated, with his military status reactivated by the Terran Hegemony under some unique confidential order.

  The agent thought of the human, wondering about his current condition. It had killed hundreds, perhaps thousands in its career. Some had died by its own hands. Others had been killed off with a remote order. But as always, the terminations had been done only when necessary. This was not one of those times. By deploying an enhanced disrupter beam, the agent’s vessel had been able to quickly disable the Lightning. The being concluded that the pilot had only a few more hours of oxygen left. Perhaps, the captain could prolong hi
s life for several hours more if he had access to a spacesuit. But eventually, he would have to surrender, or allow himself to die. The agent saw no need for any of this.

  After deploying the signal calling for his surrender, the SpaceCore captain had yet to respond. Maybe this was because the human was stubborn, as so many often were. Or perhaps even his emergency distress beacon was disabled. However, minutes later, the agent’s vessel detected a heat signature in the distance, located in quadrant 051. The object was moving fast. Somehow, the agent surmised, the captain had been able to restore power to his starship. An intercept course was plotted immediately.

  Open N-Wave frequencies, the agent ordered, as his ship began to transmit its message in universal code.

  “Captain Julian Nverson. I see that you are trying to run. But you will find it is of no use,” the agent said. “This vessel will be within weapon’s range in 12 standard minutes. And I assure you, your craft is outmatched by us in both speed and weaponry.”

  Following the agent’s hail, the target sent a new coded transmission through space. It was not recorded sound, but words. Basic and rudimentary.

  “Who are you?” the translated message said.

  “I am of the Ouryan Union. We have come to claim the android. Do not resist, or I will be forced to disable your ship again.”

  “Why?” a new message read back.

  “It is true, the android marks a political threat to the deployment of the Ouryan collapser. Yet we do not wish to destroy the android, at least not completely. No, there is indeed great value in the android.”

  “Explain.”

  “I expect you already know. That is why you were able to power your ship, isn’t it?” the agent asked. “While studying the android, Alliance scientists had discovered a strange and unparalleled energy source powering its systems. The technology is beyond anything ever developed. We believe it to be of Endervar origin.”

  “Do you wish to claim it?’

  “Indeed. The Ouryan Union wishes to dismantle the android immediately, and study its power source. The New Terrans and their allies, however, are more concerned with the destruction of their former homeworlds. I understand their priorities, but we can no longer stand by and watch world after world be conquered by the enemy.”

  In that moment, the Ouryan vessel began to gain on the Lightning, the ship almost in scanning range.

  “A starfighter pilot like you, Captain Nverson, should know how futile this is. The Ouryan Collapser will be deployed regardless of any political maneuvering by your people. Furthermore, the android is just a drone, holding technology crucial to the war. With such power, we can end this war more quickly than we thought possible. You know this Captain Nverson. Do not deny it.”

  The agent had seen the captain’s military record. Nverson was the last surviving member of his former squadron. All 27 others were now dead or missing. Surely, he would understand the stakes, and that the Ouryan collapser was the only option for victory?

  The captain neither agreed nor disagreed. In fact, the Ouryan agent had never even spoken to the human. As the Ouryan vessel reached closer to its target, scans showed it to not be the Lightning, but to be a cluster of drones flying together in close formation. Now suddenly, the drones had turned around their trajectory, in an attempt to target the Ouryan vessel.

  It would not matter. In minutes, the drones would all be completely destroyed, crushed by the Ouryan vessel’s own long-range weapons and automated fighter craft.

  The agent could only conclude that the transmissions it had received were simply a decoy produced from an A.I. on board one of the drones. No doubt the captain had been listening in, trying to understand his enemy — a cunning, though pointless tactic. The pilot must now realize the hopelessness of his situation, the agent surmised.

  Soon the Ouryan vessel would detect another energy signature appearing on the sensors. In quadrant 058, a hyperspace portal had opened, only to close seconds later. It seemed the human captain would not give up.

  Pleased, the agent plotted a new course to intercept.

  Chapter 31

  Ouryan vessels were well-known in the galaxy for being some of most powerful and fastest ships of the Alliance. To fight one head-on, piloting a lone starfighter, would certainly not end well. Making matters worse, the vessel behind them possessed some kind of stealth technology. It would not be long before the enemy would trail them again, approaching undetected with its weapons ready to fire. This he knew.

  Even as they had safely made the jump back into hyperspace, Julian wrestled with what to do now. The Ouryan had known his name and rank, as it tried to convince him to give up the android. What else did it know? He looked at their current course to the New Terran fleet at Amredies Prime, and wondered if their destination had already been compromised. Accessing the different star charts, Julian weighed his options, trying to devise a new plan. But unknown to him, there was a more pressing problem, one he could not avoid.

  “What is the Ouryan collapser?”

  The android was still connected to the ship’s power node. More metallic veins had extended from her arm, taking root in the ship’s wall. He looked at the android startled. According to the Ouryan, she contained inside her a power of possible Endervar origin. It began to explain why she could so easily funnel energy to the ship.

  “Answer my question,” the android demanded.

  Julian hesitated. He knew very well the dangers of revealing too much. But he had to say something.

  “The collapser is a weapon,” he answered. “It’s so powerful it can destroy an entire star system.”

  “And I am a threat to it?” she said. “How?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “I demand an explanation,” she replied, her voice growing louder.

  Julian tried to be patient, thinking of how to best explain it.

  “By using the collapser, the Alliance can stop the Endervars,” he said.

  “You mean it can destroy entire star systems controlled by the enemy?”

  “Yes,” he admitted. “It’s the only weapon capable of destroying a shielded planet. As I understand it, the plans were nearly finalized, but—”

  “You would destroy your own people?” the android asked in disbelief. “You would kill billions of lives?”

  “It’s not that simple. Things are different now. Before you came, we thought no one could have survived on worlds lost to the Endervars. It just didn’t seem possible.”

  “But the Alliance, they are moving forward with this plan to deploy the collapser?”

  “I don’t know, I really don’t.”

  “According to that transmission, it seems so,” she said. “This is unacceptable. This cannot happen.”

  “Listen, I know you are concerned, but you have to trust me on this—”

  “I apologize,” the android said. “But you must understand captain that I have few reasons to trust this situation, or you.”

  “I’m here to protect you,” Julian said. “That’s all I’ve been doing this whole time.”

  But the android was unconvinced.

  “I can protect myself,” she said, her words laced with anger.

  She was done talking. The android moved her gaze away and toward the cockpit window. Julian could hear the engines rumble, a sign that the ship’s acceleration was changing.

  “What’s happening?” he said, returning to the control console. Julian inputted the commands, expecting the vessel to reply. Every button and dial, however, had become unresponsive.

  “I have fully synched with the Lightning and taken control over the ship,” she said, the veins from her hand growing in thickness.

  “What?”

  Julian looked at the ship’s display. Across one of the glass monitors, he could see that their hyperspace route was now being recalibrated. Numbers flashed over the coordinates, dozens of different locations cycling over through the database. Finally, the new destination had been set, as the engines stabilized. Th
e ship’s trajectory was now headed to the Alpha sector, more than 7,000 light-years away, a yellow star, deep inside Endervar territory. Formally, it was known by the Alliance simply as 387-3M. But to all of humanity it was better known as the Sol system.

  ***

  It was clear that the galaxy was far different than what she had imagined. Little peace or cooperation seemed to exist anywhere, the Endervars controlling one section of the galaxy, while desperate people fought amongst themselves in what was the rest. The android had become embroiled in a political dispute that held her both captive and threatened her existence. Minutes ago, she had just been told, the very people tasked with protecting her cared little about life. They much rather destroy her homeworld, defying every directive core to her own being.

  In the end, she felt she had no choice — not only was her own safety in danger, but that of Earth itself. Within seconds, the ship became a part of her. The android’s nano-machines had gone beyond supplying power, and moved to control the ship’s core systems, already having embedded themselves into the computerized architecture and quickly undoing the once secure command protocols. Full access had been turned over to her, as the android’s data streams fed through the ship’s inner-workings.

  She looked at the human pilot now, only feeling anger. He could not be trusted, nor could anyone else from the Alliance. They had already decided to commit genocide and threatened to disassemble her. Why had her creator ever believed in humanity? They were weak and violent. She would never admit it, and would even try to shun the thought. But within her so-called emotions, she hated them, wishing she had never been a part of them. Whether it was a product of her errant subroutines, or something genuine, she could not say. However, the feeling was there, if only temporarily, stirring behind every process, as she looked to find a way out of this disaster.

  “Arendi,” the man said. “Please. You have to listen to me.”

  “There is nothing else for you to say,” she replied, analyzing the pilot’s behavioral patterns. He had become distressed, finding that nothing on the ship was in his control. His heart rate had become elevated, as sweat began to appear on his forehead. He took off the outer layer to his uniform, and threw the clothing down on the floor.