by Matt Verish
“I’d say so,” Cole agreed as he aligned the ship to accept the AI. “At least he had the wherewithal to jump ship when he did.” He let go the flight stick once he was satisfied with the ship’s positioning.
“And one of these days you’ll have the wherewithal to factor some commons sense into your madness,” Emmerich said, resurrecting the issue.
Cole could only shake his head. She’s like an instructional human resource video on indefinite loop. Maybe she’ll go away if I ignore her. “You in position, Rig?”
The mechanic grunted.
“Some days I miss being properly addressed as a superior officer,” he muttered under his breath. “You still with us, Cain?”
the AI said.
Great. At this rate, she’ll reenlist in Military just so she can file a proper report on me.
“Hang in there, buddy. Rig’s about to lend you a helping hand. You’ll be back inside your subzero brain jar soon enough.” He pushed up from his chair and turned to Lin. “Well, Doc, looks like we’re gonna get your boy and the android back...” He stared across the nearly empty bridge. “Doc?”
“She left shortly after you took her place,” Emmerich said.
“Jaded by the pirate lifestyle already.” Cole sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. “Alright. Let’s go get him.”
~
“Wow! You look like a half-melted, sexually confused, cross-dressing, amputee.”
“You forgot to mention ‘skewered,’ ” Rig added as he used the tip of his steel-toed boot to nudge the large metal shard lodged in the android’s body.
Cole shook his head as he and the mechanic stared at CAIN on the cargo bay floor. “Shish kabob.”
CAIN said.
“It’s only for us humans to get,” Rig explained. He slapped the piece of metal a couple times, chuckling. “You really took one for the team.”
“Yeah,” Cole agreed, grabbing one end of the frigid debris. Once again, he was glad for his heavy duty leather gloves. “One right through the gut. Grab the other end, Rig.”
“Ain’t this just gonna tear him, her...it up?”
“He survived the loading arm. Besides, how else are we going to get him down into the server?” Cole asked. He jostled the metal to see how loose it was. It wasn’t. Tear him up? More like, in half.
“Don’t worry, buddy,” Cole said, studying the jagged piece of metal. “You’re in good hands now. Sort of.” He took a firm grip once he realized which direction would inflict the least amount of damage to the torso. “Alright, Rigsy. You pull, and I’ll push. On three.”
The mechanic placed a hefty boot onto CAIN’s scorched breast for leverage. “You don’t mind if I put my foot there, do you, ma’am?”
CAIN was silent, staring ahead absently.
Cole shook his head, holding back laughter. It’s like we’re starring in some sadistic android-bondage porno. “Three...two...one...go!”
Both men grunted and threw their weight and muscle into the effort. It was too much. The twisted shard passed through the android body frame far easier than either of them anticipated, and the three of them collapsed onto the floor along with the debris.
Cole found his hand inside the android’s gaping “wound” as he pushed up from the floor. He didn’t immediately notice his glove had slipped off as he stood, and Rig’s eyes fell upon the exposed appendage and widened. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Emmerich.
“I should’ve known you two idiots couldn’t handle this task by yourselves.”
Cole used the opportunity to swipe the glove from inside CAIN and slip it back on. He turned to her and smiled. “You do realize that no one is flying this ship, right?” He indicated both himself and the AI, who was still on the floor, struggling to rise. “Who’s the bigger idiot? Me, or the grumpy co-pilot-in-training who feels comfortable enough to trust the untested, backup auto-pilot on a prototype cargo vessel?”
Emmerich scowled. “All systems were functioning properly according to the given coordinates before I left. Can you say the same for yourself?”
Cole shrugged and knelt down beside the now-sitting AI. “You alive, Cain?”
CAIN hesitated, seemingly considering the question.
Cole raised his hands, victorious. “There’s your answer. The band’s back together, and it’s all because of my ‘reckless actions.’ No one got left behind, we completed the job, and we survived that damn Sentinel.”
Emmerich folded her arms across her breasts, her scowl softening. “I have to hand it to you; you’re something else. I only hope your string of luck continues.”
“Chrys, in my experience, there’s no such thing as luck.”
“Well, since you’re here, you might as well witness as we drop the keystone into place,” Cole said to Chrys. He nodded to Rig, and they obliged CAIN by assisting the android to its feet. Neither seemed prepared for the heavy weight.
“Shit, where’s she hiding the fat on this scrawny frame?” Rig asked, strained.
Cole grunted. He pretended not to hear Emmerich’s vindictive chortling. The short walk to the hatch leading to the server room was agonizingly slow and painful. More than once they had to lower the android to the floor on account of his injured arm. Emmerich had been kind enough to open the door which revealed the ladder leading down. Cole and Rig stopped short of falling in.
Cole glanced down into the tight corridor and tried to judge the distance. He recalled clinging to this very ladder when Emmerich had kicked him in the face and knocked him to the floor. He had survived the hard fall, and he was human. “Cain, buddy, since you can’t feel pain, I gotta ask....”
“No time,” Rig said, pulling CAIN from Cole’s loose grip and allowing the android to plummet to the bottom.
The trio stared down at the twisted form of the android. Cole sighed. “I was trying to warn him first, dick. You know he’s sensitive. He might be nothing more than a program to you, but he is self-aware. And I’m pretty sure he’ll be keeping this little gem of a memory tucked away in a file for a time when you need his help most. You better hope he doesn’t decide to return the favor.”
Rig swatted Cole on the back, nearly knocking him down as well. “That’s why you get to go down first, Nugget. To apologize on my behalf and make sure it ain’t holdin’ a grudge.”
Emmerich nodded her support. “That thing’s your friend,” she said, arms crossed. “Not mine.”
Cole blinked and climbed onto the ladder. “Don’t forget it was Cain who entered that drone and started the ball rolling toward our escape. If it weren’t for him....”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Rig interrupted. “Shout yer yap, and get down there already. You ain’t gonna be able to lift it without me anyway.”
“Captain, my ass,” Cole said, grumbling. “I feel more like a spaceman recruit.”
At the bottom, Cole knelt beside the AI. CAIN was attempting to push itself upright with its remaining arm. With a mighty heft, Cole managed to lift half and lean it against the wall at an awkward angle. It was the best he could do. “You alright, buddy?”
He cringed at the word “fall,” though was glad that someone still respected his title. “Um, sorry about that little ordeal. It wasn’t my idea to drop you.” His eye twitched at the sound
of the culprit’s approach from above. “You ready to take the last few steps to the server?”
<...I am>
Was that hesitation? “Alright. I’m just waiting on your assailant.”
The mechanic finished descending the ladder and assisted Cole hauling the limp android down the narrow passage and to the server wall. Once there, neither of them knew what to do next.
“So, Cain,” Cole began, trying to ignore the sweet beading on his neck and brow, “isn’t there something you need to do?”
CAIN said.
Rig looked nervously over his shoulder as though another android would approach at that moment. Cole knew better. The Sentinel was still inside the Icarus mainframe, infecting the entire ship despite the severed connection to its host.
The buzzing noise emanating from within the sever wall was beginning to penetrate Cole’s skull. “Can you override it?” he asked, hopeful.
The AI hesitated longer this time. It responded by slowly raising its remaining arm to touch the waist-high disc embedded in the wall. Green light was streaming out from the seam, and Cole could swear it was glowing brighter as the android’s hand neared it. Just as CAIN’s fingers grazed the surface, they pulled away, the hand dropping to its side.
Cole blinked. “Is that all?”
Those penetrating amber eyes met Cole’s gaze, and though no emotional change was reflected within them, he knew all was not well.
5
COMPROMISED
Cole dragged his index finger across the scorch mark where Emmerich’s rifle blast had damaged the crate and the stolen cargo within. It was a stain in an otherwise successful haul. He sighed, knowing Jude wasn’t going to be happy.
“Has Dartmouth been able to assist CAIN with accessing the mainframe?”
Cole wasn’t ready to discuss business with Emmerich at the moment. “No.”
“And what about the status of the android?”
Cole turned and gestured toward the hatch where Lin resided with the trapped AI. “Still down there, slowly dying and unable to take a single step on his own. Doc’s working with him, but it doesn’t look promising. Don’t ask me to go into specifics regarding this ‘virus’ left behind by the Sentinel either. I don’t know anything other than it’s keeping CAIN from linking back up with the ship. I’d say to go down and talk with Lin about it, but she can’t talk, and she probably wouldn’t discuss the issue with you even if she could.”
“I’ve nothing to say to her.”
Heluva conversation. Cole flicked the damaged crate, wishing she would go away. “Something else?”
“How long before we lose favor with your brother?”
Cole cocked an eyebrow. “Why? You anticipating a family falling out?”
Emmerich nodded. “Whether it be today or ten missions down the line, the tension between the two of you will eventually come to a head.”
I’m surprised it hasn’t already happened, but there’s no need to tell her that. “Well, being that you’re my number two, I’ll ask your opinion. What do you propose I do to avoid a brotherly collision?”
He had expected the question to take her by surprise, but those cold, serious eyes softened ever so slightly, disclosing her eagerness to answer. “Convince him to promote you within the organization.”
Organization? That’s cute. “I asked you for a solution, not advice on career advancement.” He gently pounded the meat of his fist on the crate and began to walk toward lift.
Emmerich followed at his side. “This is a solution, Musgrave. He’s your brother—”
“Half brother,” he reminded.
“Regardless, the two of you are related by blood, and he respects and trusts you.”
Cole rounded on her. “And you know this how? Have the two of you been schmoozing when we’re not risking our lives smuggling contraband?”
“Why else would he continue to rely on you to execute these absurd missions?” Emmerich asked.
Cole sighed. “I’m not sure how to break this to you, Chrys, but he’s not ‘relying’ on us for anything. ‘Blackmail’ would be more appropriate. ‘Using us,’ is more like it. We depend on him not to reveal our location to those looking for us. Which is pretty much everyone. The only thing Jude relies on is his ability to bend to his will those he crushes beneath his thumb. And he’s got a big thumb.”
“We no longer carry any debt with him, and we’ve done all that was asked of us,” Emmerich said, unswayed. “We’ve accomplished tasks no one in their right mind would ever attempt. I understand that your brother is an infamous criminal, but he would be foolish not to hear you out.”
“And following your logic,” Cole said, rubbing his brow, “you believe Jude will consider offering me a promotion.”
“I do. His organization would benefit—”
“Stop using that word!” Cole snapped. He closed the gap so there was only a few inches between them. “We’re inexperienced pirates working for a psychotic, murderous crime lord with little patience for screw-ups. This most recent ‘mission’, falls into the screw-up category. And while you’re at it, stop pretending that what we’re doing can ever be considered anything other than crime, organized or not.”
Emmerich breathed a sharp, angry breath. “Have you even considered your future?”
“I’m living it!” He could feel the blood pooling into his face. “We’re all living it. There’s nothing to consider. Not when it comes to our situation. There are no options for us. The entire System is hunting us, and the one person bold enough to harbor us won’t bat an eye to cut all ties if we in any way compromise his beloved underworld ventures. Without his help, we’re done. The sooner you realize all of this, the sooner we can pretend that all is well.”
Emmerich took a step back and straightened. “I never took you for a coward.”
“Keep pushing.”
“Brash and arrogant, yes. But not one to give up in the face of adversity.”
“What more do you want from me?” He threw up his arms, exasperated. “We’re fortunate to have made it this far. Stop looking at every situation as though we have options aplenty. This isn’t Military. It’s the goddamn meat grinder. And we each have one foot in the hopper.” Cole turned and walked away.
“If you won’t do anything to protect the crew, then I will.”
“Fine. See how far that gets you. But don’t expect me to put you back together once you come out the other end in tiny pieces.”
~
Cole sat alone at the flight controls for the very first time. Emmerich was purposely avoiding him, Rig was remotely piloting the repair drone they’d recovered from UniSys to inspect the damage below the ship, and he assumed Lin was still with CAIN in the server room. He decided it was probably in their best interest to steer clear of him while he sorted things out. And there was no better time to gather his wits than when flying solo.
He could almost envision he was back on the job as an interstellar cargo pilot for SolEx. A part of him missed the simplicity of following a daily scheduled route and delivering to eager recipients. While it had been a far cry from serving as executive officer under a beloved admiral on the Asterius, being an insignificant employee held some merit as well. If for no other reason than to fade into obscurity—which was exactly what he had wanted at the time. He’d escaped the initial oppressive limelight cast upon the infamous Musgrave name by accepting his transgressions and becoming completely ordinary. He’d been anything but ordinary while serving in Military. And while overall enormously satisfying, being the youngest XO in history had also brought unimaginable strife. An image of his mother flashed in his mind, and he forced himself to block out his painful past. He sighed with a glance at his gloved hands. “Gonna need a new pair soon.”
I had not expected to find you all alone.
Cole straightened in his chair as Lin’s words appeared in his vis
ion. He turned to face the approaching engineer. Her slender hands slid up along his shoulders, and slowly, seductively, began working out the kinks in his neck. He was surprised how strong those little hands were as they performed their magic. A new message appeared, and he was struggling to stay awake to read it.
You might not verbally express your troubles, but I can feel them lodged in your body.
“You’re gonna need a hammer and chisel to loosen this blockade.”
You carry the entire weight of this crew’s safety on your shoulders. It’s to be expected. She dug in harder, drawing from him a moan. Don’t worry. I’m up to the challenge.
“Oh yeah?” Cole asked, his voice drowsy. “In that case, maybe you can take your magic fingers and wrap them around Chrys’s neck.”
She paused a moment before resuming his massage. Her relentless inquisitions are tiring and counterintuitive. Must she confront you at every turn?
Cole shrugged, relieved how loose he felt. “I welcome differing opinions. Keeps me on my toes.”
Emmerich has been training you to become a ballerina, then.
“Ha!” Cole legitimately smiled, pleased with her attempt at comedy. He reached over to collect her hand. “You’ve been hanging around me too long. Shouldn’t you have made some sort of overly technical metaphor?”
Contrary to popular belief, there is only one artificially intelligent mind aboard the Icarus.
“Yeah,” Cole said, his mood dimming. “So intelligent, he was overtaken by an inferior AI. How does that happen?”
Whether or not your question was rhetorical, I may have an answer.
“Will your answer be dumbed down enough for my simple mind?”
She flicked his ear. I believe CAIN is becoming complacent.
Cole frowned. “You telling me my buddy’s cocky? I mean, he may be a bit eccentric, but I never took him for an egoist.”
She flicked his ear harder, eliciting a feigned ouch. Unknowingly so. Don’t confuse this with conceit. My hypothesis is that as CAIN continues to transition into a fully autonomous being, certain anomalies are surfacing.
“Such as laziness,” Cole surmised.
