Exploration

by Beery, Andrew

  "The Mador and her sixteen frigates are the closest. They are just encountering the primary wave now. They should be clear in another four minutes."

  "Captain!" Martinescu yelled. "Sensors are detecting another hyperfield conduit opening up. Good Lord sir...it's practically right on top of them! Less than a tenth of an AU out."

  "On top of who?"

  "The Mador, Sir. Their shields are already fully engaged. They are blind right now. They will never know what hit them!"

  "Comm, signal the Mador. Let them know they are about to have their butts handed to them in a bag."

  Jason unconsciously gripped the edge of his seat. The Modos had used the first exit event to shield the second. It was brilliant and required a degree of coordination he had not expected.

  "Signal the fleet. Engage the enemy at will. I want a microjump solution. Get me between those two waves of ships. Signal the Harold-White and Alcubierre groups to provide cover for the Mador!"

  On the forward view screen the holo-emitters faithfully reproduced the battle occurring near the Mador. Several of the nearby frigates flared and disappeared from his screen as their shields proved inadequate for the massive particle wave that enveloped them.

  The Mador herself hung dead in space. Her hull pitted and charred as her shields were overloaded. The Modos fleet, now a full sixty ships strong, surged forward. Their plasma beams lashed out at any ship that showed any sign of life.

  The Broadchurch, a heavy Bowman frigate, had the good sense to deploy a full round of Sandys. For a moment the Modos attack was stalled as a number of their ships began to dissolve into shimmering metallic clouds.

  The Modos fleet, however, soon learned that a wide sweep with a plasma beam could eliminate the threat. While Jason watched yet another hyperfield conduit formed.

  He signaled Admiral Faragon. "Sir, it looks like the Modos have fully engaged. We are a GO to implement the second part of your plan."

  The holographic image of the Fleet Admiral fluttered into view. "Very good, Captain. I'll signal the others. Continue to keep them busy while we get in position. Timing is going to be critical. Faragon, out."

  ***

  A universe away, Captain Muddog of the Dreadnaught MS Divine Retribution blinked twice. The Syndicate task force had arrived at the last known position of the MS Deepdive. What they found boggled the mind. The Deepdive was an expanding cloud of debris! The cause was apparently in orbit around an intersystem moon. It was a massive weapons platform of alien construction. The orbit was shared by a damaged slaver matching the description of the suspected rebel ship called the Bluefin.

  A quick search of the debris field found a heavily damaged but perfectly readable log buoy. The story it told was damning and frightening. The Deepdive had attacked the larger ship with virtually no warning. By all accounts the weapons platform was not even in a defensive posture. It's shielding and weapons systems seemed to be in standby. The Deepdive had fully engaged with absolutely everything in its arsenal. The alien craft seemingly shrugged off the attack and reflected it straight back at the Deepdive. The Deepdive was destroyed and the alien craft hadn't even brought its weapon systems online!

  Aware that the Chairman did not tolerate failure and that his mission was to sterilize this system, he made a snap decision. "Put me on fleet-wide," he yelled.

  "Channel open, Captain," a young ensign barked back smartly.

  "This is Muddog. I want each of the three Dreadnaughts and their frigates to split off. Moontide assemble your group and take out what is left of the Bluefin. Storm Wind will engage the weapons platform. Kinetic and nuclear weapons only. No beam weapons. Moontide will assist as soon as their primary goal is accomplished. My team will sterilize the moon with our nukes. That big ship is powerful. Keep your distance. Your job is not to beat it, but to keep it busy. Once the Retribution has slagged the moon we will regroup and consider our options."

  "Captain!"

  Muddog turned to glare at his sensor officer. How dare he interrupt him while he was giving orders!

  The officer in question gulped but continued. "Sir, There has been a launch from the target moon's surface. It's a starship sir...and it's big!"

  ***

  Cat sat in the command chair of SXS 4400. The Suhtii Expatriation Ship was designated by a simple sequential number in its computer logs. Ken, with the help of Sassi and the Bluefin engineering team, had checked the ship from stem to stern. A handful of minor circuits failed to come back online when the ship's power systems were restored. The WhimPy platform helped to custom fabricate replacement components, and now the ship was completely deemed operational.

  The computer core had been updated with a Heshe Encounter Unit. The HEU provided realtime translation to all interfaces. In addition, the HEU overrode numerous internal security measures, apparently designed to prevent a Modos crew from running or even traveling on the ship. Yhsif had been badly burned when a Bridge sensor came online during power up. Only Cat's lightning reflexes had saved him from a more serious fate. A member of the Bluefin security team had not been so lucky.

  Cat scanned the bridge. Running Stream was familiarizing himself with the navigational systems. They seemed to be a slightly more complex version of what he was used to working with on the Bluefin. This seemed to give credence to the thought that Modos technology was based on Suhtii prior work.

  "Any luck with that lockout?" Cat asked the Modos captain.

  "The damn thing seems hardwired," Running Stream grunted in disgust.

  He had been fiddling with the navigation console for the better part of a day. Sassi had been called in at one point to do a computer diagnostic, to no avail. It seemed this ship was designed to launch and hyperjump to a predetermined point in space. The system would not allow a deviation from the designated destination, nor would it actually indicate where the destination was.

  Cat supposed this system had been devised so that a captured ship could not easily be used to follow the fleeing Suhtii. Despite this, that is essentially exactly what Cat was hoping to do. The original crew had aborted their mission because the device used to cloak launches had failed. In Cat's mind that was no longer an issue, as there were currently no hostile Modos in system to watch a launch. At least that had been the case when she had given the order to initiate launch.

  "Engines powering up Admiral," Ben reported from his station.

  "Sensors are indicating an opening in the caldera's roof," Ken added.

  Lieutenant Sassi fluttered his low frequency antenna and then turned towards Cat. "Ma'am, we are now under full automation control. The ship's computer has locked us out as expected."

  "OK everyone..." Cat announced on a ship-wide channel. "We are officially committed. May God grant us 'fair winds and following seas.'"

  Regrettably it was not to be. No sooner were the words out of Cat's mouth, than WhimPy-101 sent her and the entire GCP contingent a priority alert. A large task force consisting of almost thirty ships had just jumped into system, and even now was making for the moon base.

  "Can we abort?" Cat yelled. "The neighborhood just got a whole lot less friendly."

  At Running Stream's questioning look she added "It looks like the Modos Syndicate has sent about thirty ships to find out what happened to that Dreadnaught."

  Sassi and Running Stream fought with their respective controls but the computer lockout was complete. They would be seen leaving, and there was nothing they could do about it.

  "Can your big friend in orbit neutralize them?" Running Stream said while continuing to frantically work his board.

  "WhimPy's are defensive platforms. Their ethical subroutines won't permit them to take offensive action."

  "Whose crazy idea was it to add an ethical subroutine to a weapon of war?"

  Cat bit her lip before answering her friend. "My home world was almost destroyed by them before those routines were added by their creators. Trust me...you do not want to meet an angry WhimPy."

  Sassi interupted.
"It's a moot point now, Admiral. We've been seen. A Dreadnaught and about nine smaller ships are now on an intercept course."

  Cat toggled her commlink. "WhimPy...we are locked out of navigation here. I can't even go to evasive maneuvers. Is there any way you can shield us?"

  "I will microjump between the pursuing vessels and your ship. At that point I'll erect a hyperfield that should effectively shield you from any potential attacks," the Heshe AI responded.

  "Are you at risk from so many ships?" Cat asked.

  WhimPy-101 did something Cat rarely heard. He laughed. "To be honest Admiral, I'm more concerned about your ship than the Modos fleet. I've analyzed the energy signature of their armaments and engines. I do not believe they will pose a significant threat. Your ship on the other hand is a different matter."

  "Explain?"

  "I am unfamiliar with your hyperfield generator's configuration. I am currently running simulations and the results are...troubling."

  "OK, now you've got me worried."

  "Your ship's engines seem to be designed to handle about 10^4 times more power than they should ever need. If it were to fully employ that much power, then potentially everything within a five hundred kilometer radius would translocate with you."

  ***

  Seeing the big ship dwarfed by the weapons platform that suddenly appeared next to it was sobering. Muddog had amended his previous orders and engaged in an immediate pursuit of the new ship. He wanted to disable them before they could crawl far enough out of the planet's gravity well to initiate a hyperfield.

  "Helm!" Captain Muddog yelled. "I want a random short jump in the buffers ready to go at my command."

  "Aye, Sir. Where to?"

  "Damn it! I don't care. That's why I said random! It doesn’t have to be far, a couple of planetary widths at most. As soon as we execute a jump reload the buffer with another jump."

  "Aye, Sir. First jump loaded."

  "Weapons, I want rail-guns and torpedoes locked on the bigger ship. Plasma and lasers are to target the smaller ship. Fire simultaneously as soon as you have a firing solution. Helm, as soon as you feel the rail-guns fire you are to jump this ship. Is that clear?"

  Both officers acknowledged the command.

  "Weapons firing!"

  "Jump initiated!"

  "Reset! Get ready to do it again as fast as possible," he barked.

  On the forward viewscreen the crew of the Divine Retribution watched as the energy beams fired at the fleeing ship simply struck the larger ship's extended shields and were reflected back towards a position the Retribution had previously occupied.

  "Open a channel to the fleet. New engagement protocols. Fire weapons and immediately jump no less than one hundred kilometers in a random direction. No ship is to fire in place."

  "Sensors...get me a reading on those shields. Are we having an effect?"

  "Negligible, Captain. Those shields are off the scale."

  Muddog cursed. "Signal the SilverFin. Have them ram those shields while engaging their jump nodes."

  The Retribution's First Officer leaned forward to speak privately with his captain. "Sir, that's a risky maneuver for the SilverFin. Ships have been ripped apart when hyperfields entangle."

  "It's our best chance to destabilize their shields. If we fail the Chairman will indenture our families for seven generations. Captain Dorsal knows this, and she has more experience using that technique to breach a hyperfield shield than anyone in the fleet."

  He looked up at his First Officer. "If it works we all may be doing it..."

  Chapter Nineteen: Destination Unknown...

  "Admiral, we are getting ready to jump," Ken informed Cat. He paused to examine a readout and confirm the display's translation. "There seems to have been a sudden surge of energy into the secondary ultra-capacitor array feeding the hyperjump nodes."

  Yhsif, who was monitoring the sensor station, suddenly spoke up in alarm. "Ma'am, the WhimPy's shields are beginning to destabilize. One of the syndicate ships just rammed it with their drive nodes energized. It's only a fraction of a percent but if they hit it again before it stabilizes there could be breach points."

  Cat opened a link to WhimPy-101. "Everything OK there, big guy?"

  "I have my proverbial hands full. The Modos fleet has adopted an unusual form of attack. They are trying to destabilize my active shielding by intertwining their shields with mine."

  "Are you in danger?"

  "No, not really, but they are. I'd prefer not to fire on ships this weak but I may not have a choice. I suppose I can target their engines and leave life support functioning. It's safer for them then what they are doing now. An overloaded jump drive is indiscriminate about what it destroys."

  Suddenly the lights on the SXS 4400 dimmed and were replaced by an orange-red glow from recessed lighting panels.

  "101, I think we are about to jump..."

  "I concur, Admiral. The energy density of your hyperfield is astronomical. It is possible your destination is trans-temporal or trans-dimensional, not just spatial."

  "That would..." Cat began just before the bridge shook wildly, the ship groaned, and the world went dark.

  WhimPy-101 watched in a strangely detached awe as three things happened simultaneously. First, the Suhtii ship began to enter a truly massive hyperfold of its own making. Second, sixteen Modos ships micro-jumped into his shields as a unit and in the process breached them. Third, and perhaps most concerning, his shredded shields interacted with the Suhtii hyperfield, causing a large contingent of Modos fighters to enter the same hyperfold as the Admiral.

  ***

  Ricky and Honey sat on the bridge of their modified survey shuttle, the GCP Honey Dipper, and played Euchre. Ricky threw down a card. Honey smiled and Ricky knew he was in trouble. Trying to win a game of cards when you are playing an AI with an intellect measured just north of a thousand had to be the height of stupidity. Her continuous offer to make it strip-Euchre was just down-right distracting.

  He and Honey had made their way back to the now fully restored shuttle after the automated repair systems had successfully—and covertly—harvested sufficient raw materials from the MS Vengeance's hold. In addition, Honey's nanites had completely usurped computer control of the Vengeance. The best part of the takeover, from Ricky's perspective, was that the captain and crew were completely unaware that control of their ship had been taken from them.

  Logs had been changed to reflect a transfer from medical to a slaver barge. The result was, no one was looking them.

  With control of the computers Honey had been able to download the access codes for each of the other ships in the Vengeance's battle group. With these codes Honey was able to program and upload custom routines that gave her exclusive control of each of the ships in question. In essence Honey had effective command of all twenty-four ships in the task force.

  "Admiral Faragon is relaying a message through Cat's pet WhimPy," Honey cooed seductively as she played her right bower.

  Seizing the opportunity, Ricky quickly threw down his cards. "Lucky for you...I had you on the ropes..."

  "Dreamer," Honey snorted.

  "What can I say? I'm a man of vision."

  Honey began to gather up the cards while shaking her head.

  "Well?"

  "Well what?"

  "The Admiral?"

  "Oh, right," Honey said as she brought up a hologram of Admiral Faragon.

  "How can I help you sir?"

  Admiral Faragon sipped his holographic coffee before responding. "Been a long night over here, son. The Modos armada had a few tricks up their sleeves. We were not able to completely contain them. I could use some good news. Is our little surprise ready?"

  Ricky looked at Honey and she nodded. His face split in a wide grin.

  "Admiral we were born ready—just let us know when you want the fun to start."

  "Very good," Faragon leaned back cradling his coffee cup. "We are pulling away from SgA, ostensibly to chase down the ships th
at have broken through our blockade. If our analysis of their tactics is correct they will have a monitoring probe watching our fleet deployment. As soon as they realize the bulk of our forces are leaving the area that probe will like make the jump back to the beta-verse with that information."

  "So…" Ricky grinned. "...unless the syndicate knows how to duplicate Cat's temporal manipulations, we should expect to hear from the aforementioned probe in about eleven hours."

  "Our guess," the holographic image of Admiral Faragon said, "is that is when the main Modos fleet will make the jump to our space. As your battle group will be part of that force, we will need you to keep things interesting for them. Misinformation, misdirection...that sort of thing."