Shadows of Mars (Broken Stars Book 1)

by I. O. Adler

  Now that introductions were out of the way, she wanted to ask, “How about letting me go and helping me rescue my mom?”

  But she didn’t want to put too much stock in Ovo’s politeness. He was one of the Melded. They were about to screw the Cordice and everyone else who belonged to the Framework by taking the harvester away. It was the key to fighting the enemy. She didn’t know enough to understand what losing it might mean for Jenna and her family back home.

  A new pictograph appeared with a rough mock-up of his face, hers, and then a multi-armed slug or worm along with a four-armed humanoid and a few of the other soldiers she had seen. He made noises for each that she couldn’t replicate, but she got the point. They were all individuals with names even if she couldn’t pronounce them.

  She pointed at the worm, then at Ovo’s nose and the dried blood. “Your boss. Asshole.” She then touched his arm device plugged into the carbon-black surface of his artificial limb.

  “So how do I get one of those so we can talk better?”

  He again jutted his chin and made more sounds. Four Arms called.

  “Diplomacy session over?” she asked.

  He took her hand and brought her to the door. Four Arms led the way into the hall. The worm was coming with She Who Waits following behind. Barrett and Metal Voice weren’t with them and the floating cylinder with her mother was no longer in the hallway.

  She Who Waits had a fresh spiderweb of cracks on her clear shell along with a tiny hockey puck glued to her suit’s surface with a blue light in it. “Designate Primary Executive has directed me to instruct you to follow. We are going to the medical bay. Once there, I am commanded to relate that your sister will relinquish the ship into his care or you will suffer the consequences.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Carmen kept trying to look at She Who Waits as they headed towards the medical bay. Whatever abuse she had suffered seemed superficial, but what would happen if her suit was destroyed? And what was the blinking puck attached to her?

  She felt a chill at the thought of what it might be.

  The Primary Executive wanted the harvester bad enough that it was willing to hurt others, be they neutral or allies or a being like She Who Waits, who was by all indications sworn to provide service to all who requested it.

  Green Eye led her along as she struggled to keep up. Apparently they weren’t going fast enough. The Primary Executive grunted and Four Arms took over, hauling her by the arm and not caring that her legs weren’t keeping up as she tripped over her feet. Whatever poison was in her system wasn’t totally gone.

  “What did they do to you?” Carmen asked She Who Waits.

  She Who Waits’ tone remained as calm and pleasant as ever. “Designate Primary Executive reminded me of my duty and that my delays in service weren’t to be tolerated.”

  “So he hit you? And what’s fixed to your suit?”

  “A bomb.”

  As matter of fact as if she had just told Carmen that lunch was ready.

  Four Arms clicked at her. He was practically dragging her along now. The slug led the way and appeared to know where it was going. It stopped at the med bay door. It wasn’t opening. Perhaps Jenna still had control. But her heart sank as the door hissed open, no hacking required.

  Had the Cordice resumed control of their home ship or had it only returned to its standard automated functions?

  Jenna lay in the medical bed where they had left her. The Primary Executive slid over and opened it. The worm puffed twin gusts of stinking steam as it looked Jenna over before cutting loose with a sharp belch.

  She Who Waits glided towards them. “Designate Primary Executive demands control of the harvester.”

  Jenna blinked sleepily. Her eyes went wide when she saw the monster crouching above her.

  The demand was repeated and She Who Waits translated, adding, “This is not a request. There will be consequences if you fail to cooperate.”

  When Jenna hesitated to answer, the worm made the smallest gesture. Four Arms pressed down on Carmen’s neck, forcing her to kneel. She felt the barrel of the weapon press cold against the back of her neck.

  Jenna gripped the sides of the bed and began to sit up. “Don’t hurt her!”

  The worm blurped. She Who Waits translated. “Relinquish the encryption to me. My link is waiting on the harvester’s communication node. I demand access.”

  “I will, I will. Just give me a minute. Carmen?”

  The worm grumbled a command. Four Arms fired, the weapon uttering a sharp cough. Something impacted on the floor before her with a sharp smak! A round dent appeared in the metal tile, dusted with traces of a white powder.

  Carmen trembled but waved a hand at Jenna. “I’m okay.”

  “Release access now. The next shot won’t miss.”

  Jenna let out a flustered cry as she settled in the bed. “I’m doing it. Don’t hurt her.”

  She Who Waits made wet sounds as she relayed the message to the worm. The Primary Executive continued to loom over Jenna as the weapon’s barrel tapped Carmen’s head.

  Carmen didn’t want to move a muscle. Tried to control her panicked breathing. “She Who Waits…can I speak to my sister without you translating?”

  The telltale second red light appeared next to She Who Waits. The Primary Executive chuffed and glanced their way. With two red lights there was no hiding the fact that Carmen was talking to the translator.

  “It is my duty to render translation when requested.”

  Carmen felt a rising frustration that was equal to anything she’d felt when arguing with her mother. “Then do what you have to do. Jen, listen. Don’t do what the worm told you. I want you to link back in with the harvester. And then I need you to find the Melded ship and do whatever you can to get Mom out of there.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  That was it.

  The worm had heard Carmen tell her sister to attack the Melded ship, and she’d be gunned down. Jenna too. Their mom would be a prisoner in body to the Melded and in soul with the Cordice.

  But maybe some good would come out of demonstrating to the Cordice that not every human was a thief. Maybe they’d show Earth a kindness in return and at least warn them about the enemy before lighting off to whatever galaxies lay beyond the Milky Way.

  Assuming they could get their own ship in order.

  She exhaled sharply and wanted nothing more than to hold her sister’s hands in their final moments.

  She Who Waits was edging away from the Primary Executive. The worm was shouting again and badgering her. Both lights had vanished. Had the Melded leader not received the translation of what Carmen had asked Jenna?

  The other Melded got out of the way as the Primary Executive clobbered the translator, smashing She Who Waits with a sharp crack that sent her careening into a stack of machines. The worm massaged its knuckles as it closed in on her, then punched her again. She Who Waits bobbed as bands of bright purple appeared in the sands beneath the clear surface of her shell. A high-pitched mewling erupted from her. The Primary Executive reared up and tapped one of its augmentations. The bomb blinked more rapidly.

  A red light wavered into existence between them. The worm growled. A second light blinked to life.

  She Who Waits spoke crisply. “Designate Primary Executive wishes to know what you said.”

  “Did that monster hurt you?” Carmen asked.

  “My injuries are minor. The Primary’s query should be answered.”

  “It’s got the guns. It’s got the power. Tell it we’re giving it everything it deserves.”

  “Does designate Carmen Vincent wish for me to include the sarcastic tone modifier?”

  “Let’s let the worm figure that out.”

  She Who Waits began to communicate with the Primary Executive. It was a short conversation. The worm exhaled more gas before busying itself with a new floating interface. Four Arms relaxed, the barrel no longer pointing at her.

  After a minute the worm clos
ed its displays. “Why haven’t we received access yet?”

  “My sister’s not a pilot or astronaut. Give her time!”

  “And why is the harvester moving? It’s detaching from the Cordice ship. Tell her to stop.” The worm hurried to Jenna’s bed. “Stop! Our sensors show the ship reconfiguring itself. One of the harvester spheres is separating and approaching our frigate. Do not bring it closer. Do you understand?”

  A small tremor ran through the medical bay.

  “This is the last time I repeat myself. Cede access now.”

  The room shuddered as a second wave of vibrations rolled through the ship. Several displays on the Primary Executive’s devices lit up. The worm scanned them and began furiously tapping and swiping at multiple screens. The Melded leader began shouting again but it was nothing that She Who Waits translated.

  The meaning was clear.

  Jenna was moving the harvester. A distant shriek of tearing metal was followed by a sharp crash and more shaking. A series of pings and chirps echoed through the halls. The pale lights above shifted to orange.

  She Who Waits translated the warning message. “Designate Cordice home ship computer’s automated warning states a hull breach.”

  As if punctuating her declaration, the ship heaved. Was Jenna trying to destroy the Cordice ship?

  The worm tore Jenna from her bed. It shook her and shouted before casting her to the floor. It then pointed its weapon at her.

  “Recall the harvester.”

  Jenna raised her hand. “Wait, I’m disconnected—”

  The worm’s weapon popped. Jenna yelped and collapsed. Carmen got up to run to her but was clubbed down by Four Arms. He and Green Eye began shouting, first at the worm and then at each other as Green Eye moved to shield Carmen.

  The Primary Executive ignored all of it as it slid past Jenna’s body and began to plug a wire from its helmet into the hospital bed.

  No one stopped Carmen as she crawled for Jenna. “Jen? Jen? Oh god, no, please.”

  Her sister wasn’t moving. Blood pooled beneath her. She was still naked except for the weblike dressing on her leg stump. Carmen pulled Jenna onto her lap and wiped hair from her face. Pink spittle foamed from her mouth. The few bits of first aid knowledge in her head were a blur. Shouldn’t move her. Call 911. Signal for help. But all Carmen could do was stare as Jenna gasped.

  Her sister was dying.

  Green Eye crouched next to her. Burped a word. Repeated it. Began to assemble an animated infographic. But Jenna ignored him. If they were going to be executed, then she wasn’t moving from her sister’s side.

  She Who Waits translated. “Designate Melded Ovo of the Onoman tribe wishes to provide medical aid and requests for you to move.”

  “We need to put her in a bed. The bots can heal her.”

  “Designate Primary Executive forbids it. Ovo’s tone is sincere, Carmen Vincent. Please allow him to help.”

  Carmen was numb as she rose to allow Ovo to come to Jenna’s side. He took her head and laid her out on her back. Carmen had to lean on She Who Waits to not sink to her knees. She felt helpless as the Melded soldier began to touch her sister with one of his devices. A multitude of screens appeared and he took a moment to consult them.

  “Please do something.”

  The wound was below her sternum. He produced a small tube and pressed it to her skin. A dark oil seeped out and spread across her belly and chest and raced into her wound. Jenna convulsed.

  “What is he doing?”

  Green Eye spoke without looking up. “These are microdroplet machines which will close the wound. They will repair the damage as best as possible for now until we can access one of our automated doctors on our frigate or the medical bed here.”

  The red light next to She Who Waits flickered as Four Arms snipped a comment that didn’t get translated.

  “Tell him to be careful,” Carmen said. “Tell him to ask his boss to let her onto the bed. The harvester is his.”

  “He won’t,” Green Eye replied. “The medical bed has an information and communication node and she could once again access the harvester, at least until the Cordice home ship’s link is disabled or the encryption key is changed. Be patient; your sister will live.”

  The worm belched. A steady plume of gas rose from its helmet. But it wasn’t talking to anyone, and to Carmen it sounded like a string of expletives. Whether the Primary Executive was able to connect to the harvester wasn’t certain, but it wasn’t liking what it found. Green Eye continued to busy himself with her sister. Four Arms was checking his wrist. The skull-like features of his face looked perpetually angry. But for the moment he wasn’t paying her any attention.

  Carmen let go of She Who Waits and moved to the bank of machines. The two newly assembled medical beds lay at the far end of the room. She rolled her feet as she walked, cursing the soft squeak one of her sneakers made with every step. Four Arms remained distracted. Green Eye glanced up at her, but whether he understood what she was doing, she couldn’t tell, and he returned his attention to Jenna. She made it to the first of the beds and climbed inside.

  A jolt ran through her. It felt like an electric pulse surging down her spine and nothing as seamless as when she had taken her position on the couch inside the harvester. The home ship was older tech, she reminded herself. Still miraculous, by Earth standards. But the harvester was the piece of cutting-edge design that everyone wanted.

  She relaxed her mind. Cursed Agent Barrett as she looked for the virtual connection. If he hadn’t revealed that Jenna was the one in control, her sister wouldn’t be dying. But he had left out one key piece of information.

  Sylvia Vincent had given the key to the harvester to both of her daughters.

  The linkup to the Cordice network hung in the virtual space like a neon sign. The harvester node lay just beyond it, prominent next to what she knew was the gateway to the Cordice simulation. An unlabeled new connection was trying to attach to the harvester without success. With a thought Carmen reached past the failing linkup. She guessed this was the Primary Executive trying to crack the encryption. If the Melded could breach the doors on the Cordice ship, no doubt he’d breach the harvester’s virtual lock if given enough time.

  Carmen grabbed hold of the node. She didn’t have to do anything else. The encryption key didn’t require anything as mundane as a password. It was her, her mind, her being, something about her that Mom had set into place, which unlocked the harvester and handed the controls over.

  She was in.

  Now all she had to do was rescue her mom, save her sister, and get the Melded to surrender their claim to the harvester before she was discovered and executed.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Having one’s mind shoved into the virtual cockpit of a spaceship was like having a thousand television screens flickering on at once.

  Jenna had called it overwhelming. The sensation was like drinking from a firehose. Scores of systems on a ship that could separate into a hundred independent vessels. Data feeds. Sensor inputs. Vaults of records that could take a lifetime to understand and process, from a ship which had been active for hundreds of years. Every selection on the virtual controls took a precious second to comprehend, as a daemon assisted with a rough translation that informed her of what each might do.

  When she had logged into the ship the first time she had experienced a time disconnect. But now every moment counted. Even the smallest distraction might cost her minutes in real time, and at any second the Primary Executive would realize she had swiped the ship away before he could hack it.

  The harvester continued to shadow the Cordice home ship. But a pair of spheres had detached. One followed so close it was almost touching the rear section of the home ship’s spine. The second one was larger and had done the heavy lifting. Or, in this case, the crashing. It remained lodged between the home ship and the Melded vessel.

  How much damage had Jenna done?

  Carmen wanted a better view. The trailing sp
here obliged.

  The Melded ship was a giant lumpy cigar box fixed with too many spokes and arrays, making it look like something made up of spare parts in a machine head’s garage. Her nephews had built neater spaceships with their knockoff Lego sets. Its front appeared to have suffered damage, as a small cloud of debris drifted from it. It still was connected to the Cordice home ship by a membrane attached to its front. The harvester’s gray sphere lay wedged against its bow. Frozen clouds of crystals floated off, no doubt vented air from the crash. The Cordice vessel had suffered as well, as the surface of a section of its spine was bent in and cracked.

  She could withdraw the spheres and send the harvester off somewhere where she could find a way to shut off its data nodes to keep the Melded out. But it wouldn’t be enough to only deprive them of the ship. Her mom remained aboard their vessel. And Jenna…

  She didn’t want to think about her sister. So much blood. Carmen focused on the ship and what she might do.

  The crashed sphere was too big. How to utilize something the size of a freight train engine to perform a rescue?

  The harvester instantly wanted her to understand how to better use the ship, but the detour for a crash course in gathering hydrogen for the reactor would take too long. She fought to stay focused and found what she needed inside the sphere.

  What had Mom called it?

  A spindlebot.

  She didn’t hesitate. With a thought she was in the waiting machine.

  The prickling heat across her “skin” made her want to gasp. But she didn’t have lungs or a mouth to cry out with, or skin for that matter, only sensors and displays and a speaker. This time she didn’t lose her balance as she asserted control. She focused on what the bot could feel and see and hear.

  The interior of the sphere was perfect silence. No lights, but the spindlebot could see everything. The floor was solid beneath her and there was a slight pull downward as the ship moved and turned along with the Cordice vessel now that they were attached.

  The home ship rotated vertically on its axis as its rings turned. But even without the benefit of the simulated gravity, her bot’s feet clung to the floor with magnetic attachments that caused each step to clack as if she were wearing tap shoes.