by C H Gideon
A little disturbed by that idea, Geroux called San Roche down.
The Pod landed behind them a few moments later and Asya herded the emperor’s sister inside, turning her over to San Roche for the time being.
Once the Pod’s hatch had closed and Asya was sure Aht Gow couldn’t overhear them, she started to explain.
“Zrrr here,” she pointed to the nearest alien, “and that’s Xuu,” she said, indicating the other, “apparently followed Phraim-‘Eh’s cult to Muultar, much like we did. They’ve been around for about a year now, right?” Asya asked the aliens.
“That is correct,” Zrrr answered. “We tracked several representatives of the cult to the planet after an attack on another world, Volora, in the Voloran System. Phraim-‘Eh took over the planet shortly after and sent his minions out to conquer more. We arrived too late to stop them, so we chose to follow them instead.”
“These people are taking over planets?” Geroux asked.
“It is their goal to turn them against the Etheric Federation or, at the very least, to provide the cult with supplies and soldiers for their war,” Xuu explained.
“Chaos follows them everywhere they go,” Zrrr said.
“And you are trying to stop that here?” Geroux asked.
“We are,” Zrrr replied. “And beyond.”
“Care to clarify?”
“We had hoped to infiltrate the cult at a remote location and introduce a sociological virus of a sort,” Xuu told them. “This would allow us to perhaps contain and control the cult or, if nothing else, provide us with factual intel with which to decide on our course of action when dealing with them.”
“And how did you hope to accomplish that?” Asya asked.
Zrrr wiggled a tendril in the direction of the church. “We provided the locals with access to a hidden communication tether through our agent Kul Hu. This allowed them to reach out to each other over vast distances, but it also provided us with access to their every message, since the tether is tied into our systems.”
“That’s why you showed up instead of the real cult when the signal was sent by Aht Gow,” Geroux realized.
“Yes,” Xuu told her. “We had to make her believe she was sending a message to Jora’nal, reporting your presence on the planet.”
“Since Phraim-‘Eh rules with fear, we had Kul Hu force her to do it to put the burden of your arrival on her shoulders rather than his, as would be expected. The computer he gave her to use was pre-programmed to direct the signal to us, not the cult. We did not, however, expect her to return here after she sent the message. She was to go back to the compound and await further orders.”
“Except I kidnapped her and dragged her out here.” Geroux sighed. “Sorry.”
Asya grinned and patted her on the shoulder. “You did good.”
“Absolutely,” Ka’nak confirmed. “You snatched the emperor’s sister and dragged her here to trade for Asya and me. Can’t fault you for doing all that for us.”
Geroux’s cheeks reddened at the praise, but Asya could tell she was still bothered by what she’d done.
“You did the right thing,” Asya assured her. “We’ll figure it out from here, don’t worry.”
“Okay.” Geroux sighed. “At least all this,” she motioned to the church and the mountain at the back, then to the aliens and fake cultists, “explains all the Kurtherian energy signatures floating around this place.”
The aliens stiffened, their electrical pulses stalling in their bodies.
“What Kurtherian signatures?” Zrrr asked.
Jiya had returned to the bridge after Reynolds disappeared. The crew filled her in on what happened, and her head spun.
“First the crew comes back to life, then these aliens snatch Reynolds off the bridge right out from under our noses? What other crazy stuff will happen?” Jiya asked.
“Those aren’t the types of questions to ask unless you want to tempt fate,” Maddox muttered. “Never tempt fate. She’s spiteful on the best of days.”
“Sounds like fate has already gone off the rails. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad everyone is alive and on their way to being well, but none of this makes any sense. Why would they take Reynolds, and why wouldn’t he reach out to us?”
“Not that this is going to make you feel any better, but maybe he can’t,” Maddox said.
“No, that definitely doesn’t make me feel better,” Jiya admitted.
“These ships are moving fast,” Ria exclaimed. “I’m able to keep up, but just barely.”
“The fact that they allowed us close before going through the Gate makes it clear that they don’t care if we follow them,” XO explained. “Though it would have been nice to receive an invitation, or at least some indication that they’re not going to turn around and start blasting again.”
“The aliens didn’t seem angry once they were able to communicate better with us,” Ria stated.
“That doesn’t make them our friends,” Jiya argued. “These guys opened up on us as soon as we arrived, and they kidnapped Reynolds without warning. They apparently also have a history of attacking anyone else who comes to the planet. I’m not exactly sold on their goodness yet.”
She turned to look at Tactical’s station. She’d gotten used to seeing no one, the console empty, but she kind of wanted someone there to interact with directly and pictured a number of androids spread across the bridge. It would make everything so much easier.
“What are you looking at?” Tactical snapped.
And then he opened his mouth to speak again.
“Stay on high alert,” she warned. “I don’t trust these people.”
“No shit, Sherlock,” Tactical told her.
“I don’t know if that’s some Earth insult or you’re becoming senile and can’t remember my name, but now’s not the time for it,” Jiya returned.
“It never is,” Comm added with a laugh.
“It’s clear where they’re going, people,” Tactical went on. “You see those two ships out there?”
“You want us to follow them?” Jiya asked sarcastically. “You mean like we already are?”
The viewscreen flickered and a more detailed view appeared, overlapping the images of the ships. Energy signatures trailed behind them, disappearing into the distance, with another leading them.
“What the hell is that?” Jiya wondered.
“It’s what Reynolds noticed when the two ships came after us,” Tactical explained. “I don’t know what you’d call it, but it’s a kind of communication leash.”
“A leash?”
“Best I can come up with,” Tactical answered, and Jiya could practically hear him shrug. “The only reason we can pick it up is because it’s similar to the frequency that the Loranian ship used to highjack Gorad’s destroyers, although not the same, exactly. Reynolds followed the original signal back and plucked at pieces of the coding, which made it so we can adjust our scanners and detect it. This one is just close enough for us to see because it has hints of Kurtherian code attached to it. We’d have missed it if it hadn’t.”
“Wait, so you’re saying these two ships here are remotely operated?” Jiya asked.
“That seems to be the case, based on this transmission,” Tactical said. “Which means Reynolds is likely at the end of this beam.”
“Given its trajectory, that would place him just off Mu,” Ria stated, examining the numbers. “Right where—”
“At about the same coordinates as the alien ship we blasted,” Tactical finished.
“They took Reynolds to the wrecked ship?” Jiya asked. “Why?”
Then it clicked.
“It wasn’t that ship, but their command ship,” she answered herself. “If these other ships are controlled remotely, that’s probably their home base in this system. Tactical, replay the moment we fired the ESD.”
The screen showed the attack on the enemy superdreadnought.
“There you are,” Jiya said, noting the shape behind their target.
/>
“A second ship.”
“That still doesn’t explain why this leash thing is constantly visible, though,” Maddox mused. “If it’s a communication link, why is it so steady? Shouldn’t it be active only when transmitting or receiving?”
“That why I called it a leash, since it appears that it’s always on,” Tactical replied. “It’s not meant to be seen, though, and I doubt anyone else can track it because it would take an understanding of both Gorad’s coding and the Kurtherians’ in order for their systems to pick it out of the ether,” Tactical explained. “We’re able to see it because we’ve already dealt with both.”
“We’re closing on Mu,” Ria reported. “The two alien superdreadnoughts are settling into a defensive position around their command ship.”
“Any sign of weapons or shields being engaged?” Jiya asked.
“Weapon systems are not powered,” Ria said, “and there is only standard shielding. They don’t appear to be gearing up for war.”
Jiya nodded. “Just keep watching them. I don’t trust these guys.”
“Incoming message,” Comm called.
“About damn time,” Jiya complained. “That has to be Reynolds, telling us what’s going on. Patch him through.”
“Uh, it’s actually Geroux,” Comm said.
“What? How?”
“You should probably ask her,” Comm replied, opening the channel.
“Hey, Geroux,” Jiya greeted her friend. “How are you managing to contact us way out here?”
“I’m hitching a ride on the alien communication network,” Geroux answered.
“On the leash thing?” Jiya questioned.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Geroux replied, “but there’s a communication tether that reaches from the planet all the way up to the energy aliens’ ships.”
“Same thing.” Jiya chuckled. “We were just discussing that very construct. It’s kind of a creepy coincidence that you’re bringing it up.”
“It’s more than that, I’m afraid,” Geroux went on.
“What do you mean?” Jiya asked.
“The communication tether that the Gulg use—that’s what the energy aliens call themselves—stretches between all of their ships, allowing for the small crew of Gulg on their command ship to control the superdreadnoughts and their other assets in the system.”
“We already figured that out, tiny meatbag,” Tactical sniped. “We’ve had our own run-in with the Gulg up here, so get on with your point before my circuits rust.”
Geroux swallowed hard enough over the connection that Jiya heard her. “Well, it appears the beam has been hacked into and corrupted.”
“How so?” Jiya asked.
“The Kurtherian energy signal that allowed us to pick up the tether on scanners and for Reynolds to track it to the Pillar back when they took over Gorad’s ships? Well, that’s not supposed to be there, according to the Gulg here on Muultar,” Geroux explained. “It’s how I’m reaching out to you, and a similar hack is how Jora’nal piggybacked on Gorad’s remote signal to get his destroyers to come after us.”
“Wait, you mean Jora’nal or some other cultist can access this beam to take over the remote alien superdreadnoughts?” Jiya questioned.
“Actually, I’m saying someone already has,” Geroux stated. “The signal is being hijacked as we speak.”
Jiya’s gaze snapped to the viewscreen and zoomed in on the three alien ships hovering near the planet Mu. One of the superdreadnoughts was coming about in an unnatural manner.
“Gulg weapons coming online on that ship,” Tactical shouted. “That superdreadnought is alive, people.”
“Of course it is,” Jiya groaned. “Battlestations!”
Aboard the Gulg command ship, Xyxl raised a hand to calm Reynolds. “There is nothing to worry about,” he told the AI. “My people on Muultar have come across yours, and have explained the situation to them. Nothing untoward will occur.”
“You don’t know my crew,” Reynolds replied with a laugh.
“My people are explaining the situation, and—”
Alarms sounded on the bridge, bathing the ship in a deep, ugly crimson.
“Nothing to worry about, huh? Famous last words,” Reynolds snarked, shaking his head. “What’s going on?
Eyes wide, Xyxl groaned. “We’ve lost control of one of our ships, and my crew cannot wrest command back,” the alien explained. He trembled, surprise clear in his expression as he received a communication from his crew on Muultar, the sound a screeching crackle to Reynolds. “It appears there is some sort of malicious code attached to our communication tether, which connects our assets and allows us to control them from here.”
Reynolds groaned. “It’s that damn Kurtherian code,” the AI remarked. “I noticed it earlier. That’s what’s doing this.”
“There isn’t supposed to be any Kurtherian coding connected to the tether,” Xyxl stated. “In fact, our systems continue to read that there is nothing of the kind, and my crew cannot explain how our systems are being overwhelmed.”
Reynolds started toward the nearest console to show them the coding, only to stop when he remembered the alien nature of the ship and its controls. He hadn’t yet pieced together the vaguest idea as to how to operate any of the systems.
Instead, he transmitted the code into the air using a basic radio signal, so the Gulg could grab it and introduce it to their system on their own.
Before he could say anything about it, the wounded ship trembled as the first salvo of weapons fire from the controlled superdreadnought struck home. What little shields remained to the ship buckled and fell away under the merciless assault.
“Our defenses are down!” one of the aliens called.
“That signal I just sent contains a decryption program that will allow you to see the code they’re using to highjack your systems,” Reynolds announced, grabbing a console to keep from being knocked over.
When the enemy superdreadnought moved into a better attack position, Reynolds could only watch helplessly.
The second superdreadnought slipped between the two combatants, taking the blows meant for the wounded ship. Reynolds saw its hull flare and knew that if it had had atmosphere, it would be venting from the damage.
The Qqhrt engaged its engines and began to pull away slowly, warning sensors going off all over the bridge.
“This bucket is barely mobile,” Reynolds commented, seeing the Gulg crewmembers frantically darting about the bridge, bouncing from station to station as they tried to keep the ship from being destroyed.
“We have little choice but to run, Reynolds,” Xyxl said with a shrug. “We can fight this battle by proxy, but our weapon systems are down since our battle with you, as are our shields now. If we remain in place, it will take only one solid strike to lay us low.”
“To kill us all, you mean,” Reynolds corrected.
Xyxl nodded.
“Why not teleport us all to the other superdreadnought so we can fight directly?” Reynolds asked. “Better yet, why not send us to the enemy-controlled one so we can take it back?”
“Our transport system, while advanced, has its limitations,” Xyxl explained as the Qqhrt fled. “In full defensive posture, the shields of the superdreadnoughts up and on alert, you would either re-form at the last instant, bounce off the shields, and end up floating in space, or the defensive barrier would tear your component molecules apart, leaving you little more than dust, incapable of being reassembled.”
“I notice you only said you,” Reynolds commented.
Xyxl shrugged. “Our shields are attuned to us. We can travel back and forth between our assets without issue.”
“Then why don’t you teleport over to your ship and fight from there?” Reynolds wondered.
“It would change nothing,” Xyxl admitted. “We can operate the craft from here as well as we can aboard it. Besides, that first blow the enemy struck wounded the command ship since we were unprepared for such tre
achery and had not fully prepared its defenses before using it as a makeshift shield.”
Reynolds looked back to the screen to see the defending superdreadnought continuing to take damage as it used its bulk to shield the fleeing Qqhrt.
“I’ve severed the communication tether,” one of the other Gulg reported, although Reynolds couldn’t tell which.
The controlled superdreadnought continued its assault, and the other SD looked to be getting the worst of their exchanges. Caught off-guard by the first attack, Reynolds understood it was fighting a deficit it would never recover from without creative assistance.
Another alarm sounded then.
“The Federation ship is closing on us,” a Gulg reported.
Reynolds realized what needed to be done.
“Open a channel to my ship,” he called. “And pack up your databases as fast as you can, folks. We’re getting out of here.”
Xyxl stared at Reynolds for a moment before signaling to another of the Gulg to do as Reynold said. A comm channel was opened seconds later.
“Reynolds?” Jiya’s voice rang out over the connection.
“No time for chit chat, Jiya,” Reynolds told her, getting straight to the point. “What are the SD Reynolds’ shields at?”
“Thirty-eight percent,” she replied. “Why?”
Reynolds turned to look at Xyxl. “Will that do?”
The alien nodded.
“Just clear a spot on the bridge,” he answered. “We’ll be there in a minute.”
“We?”
“Get ready to engage the superdreadnought that’s firing on the others, but wait until we’re aboard,” he ordered, ignoring her question.
“Yes, sir,” she shot back, all business.
Reynolds looked at Xyxl. “How much longer do you need?”
“A moment,” the alien replied.
“The enemy-controlled ship has made it past our defending superdreadnought,” a Gulg called. “We’re being targeted.”
“Now would be a good time to get out of here,” Reynolds pressed.
Xyxl nodded. “I agree. Here we go,” he warned.
Reynolds felt energy roll over him, and his vision went black for an instant, then cleared. When it did, he and the whole crew of the alien Qqhrt, all fourteen of them, stood on the bridge of the SD Reynolds, squeezed together into the forward section by the viewscreen.
