by Scott Baron
“Excellent,” she said. “And where are Daisy and Freya? They’ve been awfully silent these last few hours.”
“They went after some runaway ships yesterday. My guess, they’re tracking down the last of them and picking them off. It’s Freya we’re talking about, here. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
Freya was most certainly not fine. Not even close.
With no power beyond her conventional drive systems––which were substantial, no doubt, but not anywhere near as powerful as a warp orb––they found themselves stuck far from their friends, alone in the middle of nowhere.
“Any ideas?” Daisy asked as she re-read a systems analysis for the umpteenth time.
“Same as before, Daisy. I don’t know for sure what happened,” Freya replied, frustration obvious in her voice. “It’s just a hypothesis, but looking at the readings from the warp orb, I think––given how much we’ve been using it these last few weeks––that we somehow drained it beyond a safe capacity.”
“But it was supposed to be this near-limitless power source,” Sarah griped.
“The key word is near, Sarah,” Freya noted. “It’s like a battery, sort of. You can damage it if you drain it too far. And we’ve been really taxing the thing, ferrying Chithiid all over the place, while also searching for the Ra’az homeworld. I mean, it’s still unknown tech, for the most part, despite the fact we’ve been able to make it work.”
“Do you think the time jumps may have played a part in the orb’s failure?” Daisy asked.
“Good point, Sis. I bet that sucks a lot more juice than a simple spatial warp.”
“Sarah’s right,” Freya agreed. “We almost certainly pulled far more power than it was designed to produce when we made not one but multiple jumps in time.”
“But they got smaller each time,” Daisy said.
“Yeah, but it’s still a massive bending of spacetime, Daisy. I mean, the power required could very realistically have drained the orb. We were just doing such smaller jumps after that, it wasn’t readily apparent.”
“So, can you fix it?”
“There’s nothing to fix,” Freya replied. “It’s fully intact and functional. It just needs time to recharge, is all.”
“So how long are we talking, here?” Sarah asked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.
“How long? Hell if I know. This is a first for me, too, you know,” Freya said. “I mean, it could be weeks, or months, or longer.”
“We can tough it out a few weeks if we have to, I suppose,” Sarah grumbled.
“I said it could be. But realistically, based on my very preliminary power measurements, balanced with the incredibly slow rate the orb seems to be recharging, I think it could be much, much longer.”
Daisy felt the blood drain from her face as her stomach did a somersault. She did not like the way her normally chipper AI sounded.
“How much longer, Freya?”
The mighty machine paused a long moment.
“Well, don’t quote me on it,” she began, “but by the looks of things, I’d say the orb should be back at functional capacity in, oh, about two thousand years.”
Chapter Sixteen
Preparation for the assault to retake the Chithiid homeworld of Taangaar was well underway, with forces from the victorious battle against the Ra’az fleet––as well as those that had been seeding their rebel forces the other direction across space––were gathering around Earth once more.
A good many ships were not present, however, and their loss was felt sharply by their surviving friends. War was hell, they all knew it, but the reality of just how many had been lost in a single battle was staggering.
“They did good,” Sergeant Franklin said as he helped Vince carry another crate of pulse rifles aboard the Váli, where she sat parked in Hangar Two.
“They did,” Vince agreed. “I just wish we were there with them.”
“I hear ya, brother, believe me. But there wasn’t much we could do in that situation. I mean, kick-ass as your ship is, she wasn’t really designed for that type of space battle.”
“Mal can handle herself,” Vince countered.
“I wasn’t saying she can’t. What I mean is this was an infiltration op, and anything non-Ra’az or Chithiid would have stood out like a sore thumb.”
“Not during the second stage.”
“Well, of course not,” George agreed. “But, again, that’s not this ship’s strong suit, and properly prepping her to do what she is good at––like carrying a bunch of armed rebels to the surface of their old planet––is crucial.”
“I know,” Vince admitted. “It’s just hard letting the others do all the fighting.”
“Hell, man. They’ll be sitting back patching up their hurt while we’re deep in the shit, next time, so consider it a little trade-off.”
The pair stowed their cargo aboard the ship and made for the hangar once more. Tamara and Duke were carrying a pair of stacked crates as they passed them in the corridor.
“Don’t overdo it, you guys. Wouldn’t want to pull a muscle before the fight even starts,” Vince joked, eyeing their heavy load.
“Come on, Vince. You know this meat body isn’t what’s doing the heavy lifting,” Duke said. “It’s what’s inside that counts.”
“Yeah. Like a piñata,” Tamara said with a laugh as she strained a bit under the heavy load.
“Sure, except only one of you has a cybernetic endoskeleton as their toy surprise inside. The other one should probably be careful not to wreck herself,” Vince joked.
“Hey, I’m a piñata too,” Tamara griped.
“Uh-huh,” Duke said. “I know you, Tamara, and––nothing personal––you’d fit right in more with what I like to call ‘Piñata Roulette.’”
“Why do I think I’m going to regret asking this?” Vince said. “What’s piñata roulette?”
“Funny you should ask,” Duke replied with a grin.
“Oh man, here he goes again,” George said with a sigh.
“Don’t mind him. He’s just jealous he didn’t think of it.”
“Aaaand?”
“Oh, right. Piñata roulette is just like Russian roulette, only with six piñatas instead of six chambers on an old-timey pistol. The trick is, you fill up five of the six with candy and toys.”
“And the sixth?” Tamara asked.
“That’s the good part. The sixth is filled with bees,” Duke said with a chuckle. “Awesome, right?”
“So you’re saying I’m a bee-filled piñata?” Tamara said, flashing him a sarcastic glare.
“If the shoe fits.”
“You two are ridiculous,” Vince said as he watched Tamara and Duke make their way past them down the corridor. “Come on, George, let’s grab the next one.”
They were walking down the lower pod gangplank toward the stacks of gear for the upcoming mission when Vince paused and looked around the hangar.
“Still not back yet,” he noted. “Where the heck is Freya? Daisy was supposed to be back a while ago.”
“You know how she is, man. If she was off on a hunting run, I’ll bet they lost track of time and are having a blast––literally––tracking down those runaway Ra’az ships,” George said, hefting another crate.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m just being clingy.”
“Not at all, Vince. I mean, you two went through a lot and came out the other side stronger for it. Not everyone would be so lucky, and you’re particularly fortunate. That’s a good woman you have there, and I’ll tell ya, any fella’d be damn lucky to have one like her.”
Vince grabbed the other end of the crate and the two began the walk back into the ship’s lower pods.
“Hey, George.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve noticed, you kinda talk about women a lot.”
“Well, we’re men. It’s what we do, am I right?” he said with a hearty chuckle. “The fairer sex. Ya gotta love ’em.”
“I totally agree, but––and
please don’t take this the wrong way––but you’re a cyborg.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate women,” George replied. “And besides, do you think any of us would have fit in with our trash-talking human counterparts in the military if we didn’t?”
“I hadn’t thought about that,” Vince replied. “So––and I know this is weird to ask––there’s one thing I’ve always wondered. Well, not always, but it has come to mind on occasion.”
“Shoot,” George said.
“Well, you present as a man.”
“Very observant, Vince. We’ll make a spy of you yet!”
“Ha-ha, very funny,” he said. “But seriously, you’re a man, and now you’ve got a flesh body again.”
“Yep, back to my old self, and it feels damn good.”
“I can imagine. But what I was wondering––man, this is so weird––what I was wondering is when you guys have flesh bodies, are you, uh, anatomically correct?”
George burst out laughing.
“Oh, man. You mean am I packing more weapons than meet the eye?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Priceless,” the cyborg said with a chuckle.
“Sorry for asking. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Offend me? Shit, I don’t think you could if you tried. Why, there was this one night in Bangkok––well, I’ll save that for another time. But no, I’m not offended, Vince. Amused? Yes. Offended? Not so much.”
“What are you two yammering about now?” Tamara asked as she and Duke passed them in the corridor heading the other way.
“Vince was wondering if I was a real man, if you know what I mean.”
“Jesus, Vince. Seriously?” Tamara said with an amused sigh.
“Hey, I was just curious how they function. I mean, they have flesh bodies again, ya know?”
“We’ve seen cyborgs before, Vince.”
“Barry?” he said with a laugh. “That dude’s so proper I doubt he even knows if he’s got one. It would probably offend him to even look in his trousers to check.”
“Well, to answer your question, Vince, genitalia is an option for many of the more advanced models. The ones with more powerful AI processors to allow them to be more than walking toasters, that is,” George informed him.
“So it actually is an option?” Vince marveled. “Trippy.”
“What about you, George?” Tamara asked with a wicked grin.
“Oh, me? I like to keep the ladies guessing,” he replied with a twinkle in his eye.
“Are you gonna keep talking about your junk, or are you gonna load those crates, Sarge?” Duke said with a laugh.
“Why can’t we do both?” the amused cyborg replied, hefting the crate into the air.
“Hey, George,” Vince said as he grabbed the other end of the crate. “I’ve got a lot to get finished up here with the work crews. Are you going to be making a run to the surface anytime soon?”
“Yeah, I’m actually running a small training session later today down in Virginia. Why?”
“I was wondering if you could pick up a little something for me while you’re there.”
Vince told him what he wanted, and a big smile spread across the jovial cyborg’s face.
“Oh, man,” George said. “That’s brilliant.”
Light years away, Daisy and her sister sat quietly aboard their brilliant ship. Stranded. Out of touch. And very much alone.
Freya had found a small moon orbiting a gas giant to set down on once she sussed out their exact location on her star charts. They had traveled a vast distance from the battle with the fleet, but had fallen laughably short of their intended destination.
As it stood, they weren’t exactly lost, but they might as well have been.
“So, to get back to where our fleet engaged the Ra’az?” Daisy asked as she pored over warp orb schematics.
“At top speed, with conventional drive capabilities it looks like about five years of travel,” Freya replied. “Give or take, a few months.”
Daisy slumped in her seat.
“It’ll all be long over by then.”
“I know.”
“And they’ve probably already begun warping back to Dark Side to stage for the assault on Taangaar.”
“I know, Daisy,” Freya said. “Saying it over and over doesn’t make the problem go away. It just makes you fixate on the negative.”
“Wow, she’s starting to sound like Fatima,” Sarah joked.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Freya replied.
“You’re growing up fast, hon.”
“It’s not about growing up, it’s about focusing on what we can do to resolve this situation without dwelling on the negatives,” the powerful AI replied. “I mean, if you were an AI, Daisy, you’d be running the risk of falling into a negative feedback loop.”
Daisy looked up from her work, the stress of the situation clear in her eyes.
“I know, I really do. And I appreciate you looking out for me, kiddo. But we’re one of only two stealth craft in the entire fleet. We are a vital part of this operation, and while Sarah and I could go into cryo for the trip, it’d be five years just to make it to where the fleet engaged the Ra’az. Getting back to Earth would take a hell of a lot longer.”
“I know, and I’m really sorry,” Freya said, softly.
“No, you misunderstand me. It’s so not your fault, Freya. It’s just that the whole thing will be over by the time we get back. Without warp, we’ll miss it all.”
“Maybe after seeing what our combined forces were capable of the Ra’az will finally stop fighting. Maybe they’ll change. Maybe they’ll just be excellent to each other for once.”
“What did you say?” Daisy asked, perking up in her seat.
“I said maybe they’ll change.”
“No, after that. You said maybe they’ll be excellent to each other.”
“Yeah. So?”
An inspired gleam shone in Daisy’s eye. “So, strange things are afoot at the Circle-K,” she said as her spirits rapidly lifted.
“Okay, Sis, you’ve totally lost me, here.”
“Me too, and I’m inside of your head,” Sarah added.
“It’s the Bill and Ted theory,” Daisy clarified. “Holy shit, now that’s a mind-fuck. But could it actually work?”
“What are you talking about, Daze?”
“Time travel,” she replied.
“Yeah, we’ve done it in the past, but in case you’ve forgotten, our warp orb is down for the count for, oh, the next couple of millennia.”
“I have to agree with Sarah on that point,” Freya added.
“No, you guys don’t see,” Daisy said. “Freya, you’ve watched all of Harkaway’s old movies.”
“Yeah.”
“So you’re the supercomputer. The one Vince and I watched not too long ago. Bill and Ted. In need. What am I thinking?”
“Oh, damn,” Freya gasped. “That’s good. That’s real good.”
“I know, right? But do you think it might work?”
“One way to find out,” Freya replied.
“Hey, geniuses. There are those of us who still don’t know what the hell you’re going on about,” Sarah griped.
“Yeah. What she said.”
“Sorry. It’s something that––while presented in a pop-culture classic––was actually a curious examination of the intricacies of time travel.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning maybe we can save ourselves from this mess,” Daisy said with a huge grin. “All we have to do is remember to come back at some point in the future once we have a functional warp orb and leave it here for ourselves in the past.”
“Wait, what?”
“We need a warp orb,” Daisy stated. “We had three total. Two of them we stole in the Ra’az warp research facility when we jumped back in time to before the main assault, and then there was the one I took during the raid, which is the drained unit we have with us right now. That’s three.�
�
“I installed the spare one in the small craft you saw during the battle with the Ra’az fleet,” Freya informed them, a note of sadness tinging her voice. “There are only two warp orbs remaining.”
“And we gave one to Chu to study,” Daisy added. “So at some point in the future, all we need to do is go get that orb from Chu’s lab and do a time warp back to before we get stuck here to leave it here for ourselves.”
“But then we’d be stuck in the past again,” Sarah said. “We’d only have one functional warp orb, and once we left it here for ourselves, we couldn’t get back. Paradox.”
“Shit, you’re right.”
Daisy thought long and hard, but it was Freya who came up with the solution.
“If we have time travel at our fingertips again, what if we jump back far––I mean really far––and leave the drained warp orb in a sealed, protective container. It’s recharging on its own, after all. It just needs a lot of time.”
“Oh, damn. That’s brilliant,” Daisy said. “We stow it here a few thousand years ago and let it charge back full to capacity so it will be ready for us now, when we need it. Freya, you’re the best!”
“Do you think that will even work?” Sarah asked. “Is there any sort of paradox issue that would prevent it?”
“There’s only one way to find out,” the other Sarah said, looking out the window. “So, where would we leave it for ourselves?”
Daisy joined her at the window and surveyed the rocky surface.
“Freya, hit the exterior lights, would ya?”
The small moon was illuminated, the ship’s lights casting long shadows across the area.
“I’d leave it right there,” Daisy said, pointing to an extremely weathered and faded sealed container stowed under a pile of rocks.
It had been bright orange at one time, many, many years ago, but many years in space, subjected to cosmic rays and moon dust, had dulled it immensely.
Daisy quickly began climbing into her EVA suit.
“Okay, we also need to find that bright orange container in the future,” she said.
“I actually have one in my storage compartment. It’s an air-tight and impact-resistant munitions housing, but it will work perfectly for our purposes,” Freya said. “Actually, I guess it already did.”
