... and they are us

by Patrick McClafferty

  Several bridge members made to leave but Katherine stopped them in their tracks. “If you do not have a weapon then-sit-down. Run out into the hallway and you will just be in the way of those that do. We have our own battle to fight. Lola, ship status.”

  “The number of intruders is down to forty seven, Captain.” An energy weapon flashed in the main screen as Lola vaporized a drifting piece of debris. “The second Creednax cruiser has been destroyed. Damage caused by the debris was minimal and has been fully repaired. Rose of the Dawn is fully operational.”

  “Thank you. Please inform the rest of the fleet about our infestation, and about the cats.”

  “Yes Captain. Jer Bentax is waiting for the go signal on the second run. Time is of the essence, Captain.”

  Kat’s voice was tight with tension. “Give him the signal, Lola.” On the far side of the bridge the door slid shut behind Zed and the other two defenders as they raced into the corridor.

  The green spider jumped at him from three meters away, and it was only a lucky shot that struck two of its eight legs, flipping it onto its back. Zed stomped on it, splashing the corridor walls with green ichor. A dark blur passed him, and then another. The small cats tore into the wave of spiders with no thought for themselves, and bits of the alien arachnids flew everywhere. One of the cats yowled in pain, and Zed saw it fall. He used his energy weapon to sweep the floor clear as he raced to the fallen cat. The second small cat was fighting valiantly, but steadily losing ground. Zed grabbed the cat and tossed it behind him, into the relatively bug free corridor. Crisping another spider, he scooped up the injured cat. Something stung his leg and he stumbled. He pulled the spider off, and a marble sized chunk of his flesh came with it. Cradling the cat, he fired again and again. The gun clicked empty, the small energy reservoir discharged. Picking up the gun to throw, a red energy bolt passed over his head. Then another and another.

  “Keep your head down, Zed.” Dimitri shouted. We’ll take it from here. Zed sagged, and the world went black.

  The shaking bed woke him. He blinked several times before the world finally came back into focus. Doctor Sienna Culchett was looking down into his face. “Welcome back to the world of the living.”

  “Was I somewhere else?” He tried to sit up and she easily put her hand on his chest and held him down.

  “For a while there you were on the shady side of dead. I understand that you single-handedly prevented those things from swarming the bridge staff under.”

  “Nonsense.” Zed scoffed. “There were several of us fighting.”

  “Security said that there was only you and the cats.”

  “Cats!” Zed remembered. “One of the cats was hurt. Did you…?”

  Sienna shook her head sadly. “He was already gone. The other one may limp for a while from the throw you gave it, but it will live.”

  “How about the crew?”

  Sienna sighed. “Eighteen dead, thirty recovering. Lucy Hollingberry from your bridge crew is expected to survive. Li Tong didn’t. I’ve never seen a neurotoxin so deadly. You were very lucky.”

  The ship shook again, and Zed swung his legs off the bed. “I’ve got to go.”

  “Are you insane?” Sienna gave him a sharp look as Zed held up a hand, thumb and index fingers two centimeters apart.

  He stood, and the walls swayed dangerously. “Insane or not, I still have to go.” He wobbled out of the door. “How are we doing, Lola?”

  She might have been an Artificial Intelligence, but he could still hear the relief in her voice. “Thank god you are all right. I saw you fall and then…”

  “The ship Lola.”

  “Jer Bentax made his second run. The Creednax sent two cruisers after him this time.”

  “Two??” Zed stopped and held the wall—stunned.

  “They came into the asteroid belt nose to tail. Our fleet hit the first cruiser and stopped it dead in its tracks. The second cruiser couldn’t stop in time and rammed the first. Those cruisers are tough, Zed. Even after colliding with the first cruiser, the second was only slightly damaged.”

  “The first one?”

  “The second cruiser punched a hole clean through it.” The ship shuddered again. “Shields are at fifty percent and holding, for now.”

  Zed took a deep breath and continued his journey to the bridge. Katherine was on her feet as soon as he entered the room. On the viewscreen the battle raged but on the bridge, for a moment, it was forgotten. “I heard you were injured.” Kat whispered, holding his hands and looking into his eyes. He saw Atsuo Tanaka look their way. Her eyes were red from crying.

  Zed shrugged. “Yeah, well I got this itty bitty spider bite, and everyone got all excited.” He looked up into Kat’s green eyes. “Daiyu died, along with eighteen crewmembers.”

  The young woman looked stricken. “I know.” He saw her swallow. “The Constellation is gone. She tried to engage the second cruiser. They didn’t have a chance. I’m so sorry. I know that you liked her.”

  Zed closed his eyes to hide the tears. He would miss the beautiful, intelligent and vivacious Sindiix Tran. She had been a brave young woman with an overabundance of enthusiasm. “Damn, damn, damn!” He opened his eyes. “Well, let’s finish this job.” He limped to his seat and more-or-less collapsed onto it. “How is the Creednax Cruiser holding up Lola?”

  “Their screens are at ten percent.”

  “Weak spots?” He stared at the screen.

  “Aft, port side. Just astern of the last energy cannon. Her Screens are down to three percent right now in that spot.”

  “Coordinate everything you have from both the Rose and the Formidable, and punch it through. Do whatever it takes.”

  “Ready Fleet Captain.” Lola replied after a moment.

  “Fire.”

  The screen blazed sun bright. “I’m detecting containment failure in the Creednax Cruiser, Zed.”

  “Get the fleet out of here, Lola. As fast as they can go. NOW!!” The stars spun. In the departure screen the asteroid belt dwindled. Zed held his breath. Behind them, in the darkness a new sun grew, spawned by matter/antimatter collisions, enveloping all it touched, and then it slowly faded. Zed sagged in his chair. “Recall the fleet to point Epsilon, Lola, and launch a drone or two to keep an eye on our friends. Then we’ll see how badly they hurt us.”

  “As you wish, Fleet Captain. Best and safest speed will bring us there in forty seven hours.”

  “Make it so.” Zed whispered. “I think I need to lie d…” The world slipped away from him and he slid out of his seat.

  Chief Medical Officer Helen Sutherland was glaring down at him when he opened his eyes this time. “If I have to strap you to the bed I will, Fleet Captain or no Fleet Captain. One more stunt like that and you might die.”

  “If I hadn’t pulled that stunt we all might have died, Doctor.” Zed rasped out in a shaky voice.

  Doctor Sutherland paled as she recognized the truth behind his words. “Just don’t do it again.” She reached down and took his pulse. “You’ve been unconscious for eighteen hours. I’ve boosted the number of nanites in your system. They should have you right as rain—in a month.”

  Zed laughed, and winced. His whole body hurt. “In a month, Doctor, it won’t matter one way or another. The next week will decide the fate of Dramul, Chamdar and Earth; and us too.” He looked at the ceiling. “How are we doing, Lola?”

  “The Rose of the Dawn is seventy eight percent operational Zed. The Cruiser hit us hard. Three sections are still open to space. Sixty two people were killed, and another twenty two injured. Weapons are at eighty eight percent, shields at eighty one. Formidable is fully operational now. Eight people were killed during the battle, and ten more wounded. Most of the wounded have returned to duty.” Lola paused. “The Frigate Chesapeake is fifty five percent operational, the Frigate Constitution sixty two percent, and the Frigate Bonhomme Richard forty seven percent operational. The Frigates attacked after the Constellation was destroyed. There are a total of
eighty two dead on the frigates, not including the crew of the Constellation. If you hadn’t taken charge there at the end we would have lost all the Frigates, and possibly the Rose of the Dawn as well.”

  “How is the Frigate Ba-sing?”

  “The Ba-sing is ninety four percent operational. Four crewmen were killed during her attack run. Jer Bentax followed your orders and withdrew after our own attack started. He isn’t happy about what happened afterward.”

  Zed looked up at the doctor and saw pain there that was reflected in his own eyes as well. “Are we at the rendezvous yet?”

  “No Zed. We have another twenty four hours to go until we reach rendezvous point Epsilon.”

  “And the Creednax?”

  “Are currently orbiting the red supergiant.” Lola answered quickly. “They probably have sent back to their homeworld for reinforcements. The battleships and the smaller warships have gone into a defensive formation around QX’an tril Station. There is nothing you can do at the moment, Zed. I recommend that you sleep, and give your nanites a chance to do their jobs.”

  “But I should go to the bridge to talk with…”

  “She is doing fine Zed. You saved the bridge crew and you saved the fleet. Now concentrate on saving yourself.” Zed’s eyes rolled back as she turned him off like a light switch, and his head fell onto the pillow. “It may be up to you to save us all again.” Lola whispered as Doctor Sutherland dimmed the lights, and left the room.

  The room still had a tendency to swim if he turned quickly, but Zed was feeling much better when he arrived at the bridge twenty two hours later, shaved and in a fresh uniform. The long sleep, followed by a hot shower, clean clothes and a hot meal made him feel like a new man. Almost.

  The room was dim, and he stood in the doorway for a moment, to let his eyes adjust. From the movement of the stars on the screen, Lola had them creeping along on sub-light engines. The tactical display showed the small cone-shaped formation spreading out behind the two big warships. He leaned over and gave Katherine’s cheek a soft kiss.

  She spun in her seat, eyes big and shining. “You’re back…”

  Zed grinned at the young woman who was rapidly becoming very important in his life. “I suppose I should have had Lola tell you that…” She was in his arms, and her kisses were like lightning bolts to his heart. Someone in the bridge let out a low laugh. “We shouldn’t…” He began again.

  “Nonsense.” She dismissed his objections “Everyone here knows about our feelings for each other.

  “But you’re only…”

  “Fourteen and a half.” She finished for him, a smug look on her face. “You have exactly eighteen months, buster.” Her face became serious. “I know that things will get dangerous before this is all over, but whatever happens, plan on me being at your side.”

  He thought about arguing with her, explaining how he didn’t want to put her in harm’s way, like Sindiix Tran, but he couldn’t do it. He kissed her instead.

  Zed sat at his chair in the bridge, sipping his coffee and staring idly at the swirling golden patterns in the forward screen. Rendezvous point Epsilon was just a point in space that happened to be inside a small gaseous nebula. Everything within the nebula would be virtually invisible to any sort of sensor. The small fleet sat powered down, licking their wounds and thinking.

  “Fleet status Lola?”

  “Rose of the Dawn is eighty eight percent operational. We need a shipyard like Thal’ark Station to finish repairs within a reasonable time. Formidable is fully operational. The Frigate Chesapeake is seventy five percent operational, the Frigate Constitution eighty one percent, and the Frigate Bonhomme Richard sixty four percent operational. Further repairs outside a shipyard would be pointless, especially considering crew depletion. The Dramul Frigate Ba-sing is ninety seven percent operational, and expects one hundred percent within twenty four hours. Ship captains are waiting in the conference room for you and Captain Johansen.”

  Zed groaned as he stood. “Tell them I’m on my way.”

  “As you wish, Fleet Captain.” Zed sighed.

  The room was quiet as Zed and Katherine entered, and much to his embarrassment, everyone stood and saluted. He looked at each face, studied the tired, pain-filled features before he returned the salute and sat.

  “Before you begin.” Lola said quietly to the gathering. “What you have all achieved is an unqualified victory against overwhelming odds. You destroyed four Creednax capital ships that each massed more tonnage and firepower than all the ships of your small fleet – put together, at the loss of one frigate. Whatever may happen in the days to come, I, and all the other ship’s AIs down through history, salute you.”

  Zed swallowed. “How can I follow a lead-in like that?” He looked up at a pale-faced Jerlan Bentax, noting the dark circles under his eyes and his shaking hands. “Are you all right, Jer?”

  Looking up with haunted eyes, the ex-Dramul officer grimaced. “Sindiix Tran and I were close.” He whispered to the room in a scratchy voice. “Very close.” Zed didn’t have to ask what the man meant. “She was—enthusiastic.” He looked up at Zed. “She was also more than a little taken with you, Zed.” Kat frowned at that comment. “But she wasn’t stupid and she could see which way the wind was blowing in the romance department.” A small sad little smile flickered across his face as he glanced at Katherine. “She had agreed to be my Second in Command when this was all over, and after that…” The young man with the old eyes man stared into space. “God I miss her.” Atsuo, sitting next to him put a comforting hand on his shoulder, and he turned thankful eyes to her. “I thought you should all know how it stood between us.” His gaze fell to the table.

  Zed cleared a throat that was suddenly thick with emotion. “Thank you for sharing that, Jer.” He looked at the other faces. “Lola was right. What we did qualifies as a tremendous victory, but it will mean nothing if the Creednax win in the end. At this point in time I don’t know what we can do, but one thing I do know… we can’t let the Creednax get back to their homeworld with that station. We have to keep them here, somehow, in orbit around this sun. We’ll never have a chance like this again.” Zed stared into the intent faces. “Go back to your ships tonight, and get a good night sleep. Tomorrow we can discuss our options, and maybe come up with a plan.” Jer Bentax held his handshake for several long moments as the meeting broke up, staring into his eyes.

  “Goodbye Zed.” He said simply before he turned and walked away, back to the Frigate Ba-sing. Zed stared at the retreating back until it disappeared down the long corridor.

  “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” He murmured to Lola.

  “Bad feeling or not, you need another good meal and sleep. Back to your quarters. I’ll serve you dinner there.”

  “You’re such a bully.” Zed chuckled.

  “Don’t be a baby.” Zed fell asleep half way through his meal, crumbling sideways onto his couch. Lola had a service robot pick him up gently, deposit him in his bed and clean up the remains of the meal.

  Six hours and twenty seven minutes later: “Zed! Wake up!” He grumbled something obscene. “Wake up!”

  Katherine, still in her pajamas walked through the bedroom door and shook him. “Wake up Zed.” Her voice was scared. “Something’s happening on the Ba-sing.”

  Zed’s eyes opened. “What time is it?”

  “Three a.m.”

  “What’s going on, and why are you in my bedroom?” He sat up and the room swayed. Kat caught his flailing arm.

  Lola’s voice was crisp. “It looks as though the crew are abandoning the Ba-sing. All the lifeboats and cutters are heading for the Constitution.”

  Zed struggled into his uniform, pausing only to give Kat a passing kiss. “Call the Ba-sing, and find out what’s going on.” He fastened his boots and headed for the door.

  “I already tried that Zed, there was no answer.”

  “Damn!” Despite his wavering senses, Zed ran. The bridge door hissed open, and in the tactical
display he could see the swarm of lifeboats departing the Ba-sing. “Patch me through to the Ba-Sing, Lola, and put it on screen.”

  “Done.” The screen flickered to show the bridge of the Frigate Ba-sing. Jerlan Bentax was sitting in his command chair in his full dress uniform. His bridge lights glinted off his many medals and decorations.

  “Jer… what do you think you’re doing?” Zed was surprised at how even his voice sounded.

  “I was waiting for your call.” Jerlan’s voice held a trace of amusement, and on the screen he sipped a steaming cup of coffee. “Sorry about waking you up so early. I knew that if I waited any longer you would come up with a plan that would probably endanger everyone equally, but you especially.” He sighed and put his cup down. “This time it’s the Ba-sing’s turn. I know how to nail the Creednax feet to the floor for you, Zed. I’m going to take the Ba-sing out a half light year, turn, and run up my conventional drives to just below light speed. At ninety percent c, I’ll be on the Creednax before they can do a thing.” The tactical display in front of Zed wheeled, showing a close-up of the enemy fleet. An arrow pointed to a single battleship. “That’s the one I’ll hit.” He looked up at Zed, and the Fleet Captain could see the resolve in Jer Bentax’s eyes. “I mean that literally Zed. The Ba-sing will come in fast from astern, launch and fire everything we have. I only need their shields to flicker for a moment. The mass of the Ba-sing will impact the engines of the battleship, and damage them enough to force the Creednax fleet to wait for repairs or for help from their homeworld. You’ll still be woefully outgunned, but that will give you a chance to destroy the damned station.” Jer leaned forward in his command chair. “Do it for Dramul and Chamdar Zed; or do it for the Ba-sing, or do it for me and for her — but DO IT!” Zed could see Jer glance down at his own tactical display. “Ahhh, good. My crew is clear.” He gave Zed a salute, his face strangely calm. “Goodbye Zed.”