Captain Dan Saves Beta Earth

by Jeffrey Henning

  “Captain, your foot should start to feel numb in a few moments.” Twang said, monitoring the entire process.

  After a few moments, a claw extended downwards and grabbed hold of the implant, while two small lasers came down on either side and started their delicate work.

  “Captain, I know you asked us to never ask about your past, but I am very curious how you came by so many advanced implants, and why you want them removed. I've attempted to search multiple databases and have concluded they are more advanced that anything in the UPA. Almost all of them are functional and could help you in many ways.” Twang told him while he typed on the surgical kit's keyboard.

  Dan shook his head as he took one of the smaller, portable, datapads and started working on it. If he couldn’t physically work on his ship, he could work on the functionality of it. He had decided to upgrade his sensor’s software while he was laid up. “It’s a long story.” He said as he typed.

  “We do have one hour, fourteen minutes, and twenty seconds before the procedure is complete.” Twang told him.

  Dan thought about it for a few minutes. Only two other people knew what he had undergone. “Can you give me the box on the dresser?” he asked.

  His room wasn’t that glamorous. It had a very large bed, a dresser, a small closet, a desk, and a separate room for a full bathroom with an overly large tub in it. He had a few photos - one of him with the now Space Admiral Amaya. It also contained another man in it. He had a model of the Heatseeker on one shelf, and a bunch of books filling the rest of the shelves. The closet also had books piled on the floor to knee level.

  Twang brought him the box. It wasn’t anything special, just a plain old ornamental box that held two really old-looking pocket watches. He took it and gently pulled the pocket watches out and set them on his bed. Then he moved the velvet lining a little bit, and in a certain way, and a slot opened on the side of the box. He pulled out a crystal disk from it and put it in his datapad.

  “Behold, Project Cyber-Hercules.” Dan said as he set up the hologram to display full size next to his bed. Dan’s naked body was shown with his arms outstretched.

  “I don’t understand.” Twang said.

  “Phase one. Find a candidate in peak physical and mental condition. Me.”

  The image changed with an overlay of implants on his body.

  “Phase two. Enhance the candidate. One-hundred and seventy-eight implants, each designed to be activated by a certain electrical impulse.”

  The image changed to have words scrolling by with an arrow pointing to each implant.

  “Phase three. The United Planetary Alliance has a spy that can move faster, think quicker, and hack any computer in the known universe.”

  “That doesn’t sound like it’s the worst thing in the galaxy.” Twang said.

  “Yeah, it’s great. Did I mention the implants also allow the UPA to control my every move?” Dan said angrily.

  “I can see why you wouldn’t want the implants in your body anymore.”

  “Yeah.” Dan said. He pulled the disk out and put it back in the box, being careful to put the pocket watches in the same space they were before. He handed it to Twang who put it back exactly where it was before. “I hope you’ll keep this quiet.” Dan told him as he came back to the surgical station.

  “I will tell no one, Captain.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I do have one question though, if you’ll permit it?” Twang asked.

  “Sure.”

  “Did they let you go? I would think that if they invested that much into you, they would not let you go so easily.”

  “They didn’t. We planned an escape while the new Space Admiral was touring the facility. We were pretty sure that our section wasn’t on the tour.” Dan said. “Only two of us made it to her. Once we told her what the UPA was doing to us, she shut them down and jailed everyone responsible. She set us up with some money, new credentials, a ship, you name it.”

  “That is how you know Space Admiral Amaya, is it not?”

  “Yeah, she was the new Space Admiral.”

  “I see.”

  Dan looked down at his foot. The surgical robot had removed the biggest part and was now working on the metal that wrapped around the bones. “How much longer?”

  “Forty-eight minutes and thirty seconds.” Twang said.

  Dan laid back on the bed and closed his eyes. “If I fall asleep, wake me up when it’s done.”

  “Of course, Captain.”

  Chapter 3

  The surgical kit did it’s work extremely well. Dan had virtually no pain, and no scar thanks to the Skin Regenerator he had acquired. He put his sock and boot on with ease, stood up, and almost fell over.

  “Careful Captain, your foot will be numb for around twenty more minutes from the anesthetic.” Twang said as he powered down the surgical kit and carefully put it in the back of Dan’s closet. “We should be able to remove three more implants before we need to refill the anesthetic in the surgical kit.” He added.

  Dan took out the Dopsusophene pills and took two. They were the only thing keeping him alive until he could remove the cheaper implants from his body. Fifteen years ago, the UPA didn’t even think the metal from the cheap implants would break off and go straight into his bloodstream. The pills would dissolve any metal coursing through his veins, and they worked for a month at a time, so he had enough for two years.

  “Do you require anything else Captain?” Twang asked after he had finished packing up the Skin Regenerator and storing it near the surgical kit.

  “No.” he said.

  “Very well, Captain. I shall see you on the bridge.” Twang said and started to leave.

  “Twang,” Dan said quickly, before the door opened.

  “Yes, Captain?”

  Dan had a hard time thanking people since Project Cyber-Hercules. “Thanks for your help. You’re a good friend.”

  Twang cocked his head. “I am your friend?” He asked genuinely.

  “Yeah, why wouldn’t you be?” Dan said, attempting to stand and testing his sort of numb foot.

  “I am an android, Captain. Do androids have friends?” Twang asked as he cocked his head - a human trait programmed in to make him fit in better.

  “You do, so yes.” Dan said, limping slowly across the room unassisted.

  Twang didn’t say anything for a moment.

  “You okay?”

  “If I do indeed have friends, I was going through past experiences to see who else would be my friend. Would Watts be my friend also?”

  “Yes. More than a friend, actually. Probably more like a father, since he built you and all.” He told the android as he leaned against the wall near the door.

  “And Belladi?”

  Dan laughed. “I’m not sure she has any friends. Maybe beneficial partners!” He said with another laugh. “Have you and her… had any private time together?”

  “No, should I ask her for some ‘private time’?”

  “No, probably not!” Dan said quickly. He wasn't sure how twang and Belladi would even pull off one of her "counselling" sessions, and he wasn't eager to find out.

  “Very well. Is Too’Zer my friend?”

  “Too’Zer has allies, not friends. Though in this sense, I suppose you would be his friend, yes.”

  “What about Bort and Dort? I hardly interact with them.”

  “Yeah, that makes two of us. But they are very good at their jobs. So yes, the entire crew are your friends, Twang.”

  Twang stood silent for a moment, then resumed his path to the bridge. He stopped at the door. “Thank you, Captain.” He said over his shoulder.

  “Anytime.” Dan said as he left his room. “Now if only I could feel my foot." He said as he repeatedly tapped it on the floor of his room after making it back to his bed.

  * * * * *

  After another twenty minutes sitting on his bed trying to work feeling into his foot, Dan was finally able to make it to the bridge. Unfortunately, he fo
und it occupied by Commander Andrews and five of her giant-sized human security guards with their pistols drawn. They had them aimed at both Too’Zer and Twang.

  The bridge of the Heatseeker could easily fit a dozen people on it, but only had seating for five. The Captain’s chair sat in the middle and was on a small dais. Monitors and consoles could be found around it. In the front left of the bridge was Twang’s position. There were so many monitors and consoles around his seat that he could barely be seen. On the front left was Too’Zer’s seat, where all the weapons and defense consoles were located. There was also an engineering seat in the back left of the bridge, but Watts was always in the engine room. In the back right was where Belladi sat. She could control almost anything, but usually only handled the ship-wide gambling and communications.

  “Commander.” Dan said, making his way to the captain’s chair. The security team that Commander Andrews brought with her definitely looked confused at Dan’s lack of noticing them. “Care to tell me why you and your officers are on my bridge?”

  “Under order sixty-four seventeen, I hereby commandeer this ship. It will serve the UPA well.” She said loudly.

  "Why would you want to do that?" Dan asked, pulling a datapad out of the mesh holder in the arm of his chair.

  “This ship has the fastest engine in the fleet. We need it.” She told him.

  He still never looked at her or her henchmen. “And here I thought our mission was a secret.” He stopped a moment when a broadcast came over the ship.

  “Captain! UPA officers are trying to take the engine room! I’ve locked them out, but it looks like their bringing in a plasma torch to open the bulkhead door.” Watts shouted over intercom.

  “I would suggest not cutting into that door, unless you want me to cut into you and your men.” Dan said nonchalantly.

  “My men have all your people covered, and your weapons lockers will be ours soon enough. You have no other choice but to give me your ship, or I’ll start to… how did you say it? ‘Cut into your men’?”

  Dan glared daggers at her the moment she threatened his men. Then he smiled. “Arm internal ship-wide defenses.” He said loudly.

  Five lasers mounted on retractable arms lowered themselves from the ceiling of the bridge. He tapped a few buttons and put up pictures of similar lasers being lowered in front of the weapons locker, the engine room, all of the corridors, the cargo bay, the small kitchen and dining room, and even their private rooms.

  A loud female voice sounded over every intercom in the ship.

  " TWELVE HOSTILES DETECTED. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT TARGETED FOR MORTAL WOUNDS."

  “I would suggest dropping your weapons, and quickly.” Dan said, looking over at Too’Zer. “Add their weapons to our collection, please.”

  “I don’t believe you’d kill any of us.” Commander Andrews said.

  “What you believe is irrelevant-“ Dan said before being cut off by the ships computerized voice.

  "TWELVE HOSTILES DETECTED. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT TARGETED FOR MORTAL WOUNDS. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO LOWER YOUR WEAPONS AND SURRENDER TO THE CREW OF THE HEATSEEKER."

  Dan raised his console to check the time. “As I was saying. My ship has a mind of its own and won’t stand down unless you comply.”

  “Captain!” Belladi yelled as she ran onto the bridge. “Captain! Oh…” She said as she stopped herself right behind Dan’s chair.

  The henchmen were smiling wide and nodding towards her. Dan had to look behind him to find her in an almost naked stated, wearing nothing but a bra, panties, and a see-through number.

  “Go get some clothes on. You don’t want to be here in twenty-two seconds.” Dan said as he checked his wrist console. “Commander, I’m well within my rights to kill you all for attempted hijacking of my ship. Drop your weapons and raise your arms in surrender and we can talk this over – else you and your men will be breathing through a few extra holes.

  "ELEVEN HOSTILES DETECTED. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT TARGETED FOR MORTAL WOUNDS. YOU HAVE TEN SECONDS TO LOWER YOUR WEAPONS AND SURRENDER TO THE CREW OF THE HEATSEEKER."

  “Looks like one of your men was smart.” He said as he watched the man in the kitchen throw down his weapon and raise his arms.

  "FIVE SECONDS UNTIL HOSTILE THREAT ELIMINATED."

  Commander Andrews looked into Dan’s eyes. What she found there was only known to her.

  "FOUR."

  "THREE."

  "TWO."

  But she threw down her weapon and quickly touched her wrist console. “Throw down your weapons and surrender quickly!”

  "ONE."

  A scream could be heard from the hallway leading to the engine room.

  "HOSTILES THREAT ELIMINATED. INTERNAL WEAPONS IN PASSIVE PROTECTION OF HEATSEEKER CREW."

  “Too’Zer.” Dan said.

  Too’Zer walked around the bridge and collected six UPA Elite pistols. These were not the pistols of normal officers like Lieutenant Melton, these were pistols of Elite soldiers and spies of the UPA. Too’Zer disappeared behind Dan and walked down the hallway.

  Dan smiled when he returned with a small crate of weapons collected from Commander Andrews’ personnel. He also collected her men from the other parts of the ship and escorted them to the airlock. Dan waived at the five men Too’Zer escorted from the bridge. Commander Andrews remained.

  “What’s all this fuss about?” Dan asked.

  Commander Andrews slowly reached one of her hand that were still in the air down to her pocket and brought out a crystal disk. She walked towards Dan’s chair and handed it to him, putting her hand back in the air.

  Too’Zer made it back to the bridge and searched the Commander for any other weapons. “She’s clean Cap’n.” He said.

  “Disarm internal ship-wide defenses.” Dan said loudly.

  The mounted lasers all retracted quickly, and all panels slid over their positions clicked into place across the ship.

  "INTERNAL SHIP-WIDE DEFENSES DEACTIVATED."

  Dan slid the disk into a slot on the arm of his chair and looked up to the multitude of monitors at the front of the bridge.

  Twang pushed a button and the lights on the bridge dimmed. Light burst from a projector mounted on the ceiling near Dan.

  Space Admiral Amaya popped up on front of them, though her hair was a mess and she was very dirty. She was also asleep. The voice was computerized. “To anyone receiving this message. My name is Space Admiral Raquel Amaya, leader of the United Planetary Alliance. Beta sector has been lost. The men, or man, responsible is unknown at this time, though I have confirmed them to be aboard Beta Earth Station One. All UPA equipment, including computers and engines failed in Beta Sector – the cause is unknown. At last count, seventeen UPA ships were disabled. Three were destroyed by Beta Station One’s weapons, four were lost in the gravitational pull of Beta, and ten float lifelessly in Beta Sector. The terrorists have full command of all UPA devices and can turn off their life support at any time.”

  “I am currently in a LifePod that is heading towards the sun at a slow rate. I’m not sure which will happen first, hitting the sun or running out of air."

  “If you are receiving this message, re-group at five-alpha-seventeen.”

  “Space Admiral Amaya, out.”

  * * * * *

  Dan looked at his crew, plus the two UPA officers, which were gathered in one of his two cargo holds. He nodded to Twang, who walked in front of the assembly and face the large blank wall. A small projector popped out of his head and played Space Admiral Amaya’s message for them, while his mouth acted as the speakers.

  “I owe Space Admiral Amaya a personal debt. I’m going to rescue her.” Dan told them. “If you don’t want to come with me, Zeta Station is your new home.” He told them solemnly.

  “I’m with you, Captain.” Twang said as he turned around. The camera had receded into the top of his head.

  “I am with you as well.” Belladi said, coming to stand next to Twang.

  “I go where my engine room go
es.” Watts said as he crossed his three arms. The Wrist Console on his fourth arm hung to his side.

  “We’re with ya, Captain! Plenty of salvaging from war!” Bort and Dort said.

  Too’Zer just nodded his large rock head and grunted. He was already standing next to Captain Dan.

  The two UPA officers, Lieutenant Melton and Commander Andrews stood at the back of where the group was standing prior to siding with their Captain.

  “I am legally required to accompany the test engine.” The Lieutenant told them with his arms crossed. “Regardless of if I like it or not.” He said as he looked to the Commander.

  “I’ll provide you with whatever you need – whether it’s equipment or personnel.” The Commander told Dan. “…but I have a station to run.”

  “Understood.” Dan told her. “Everyone get your gear requests to the Commander within the next twenty minutes. Watts, Lieutenant Melton, fire up the new engine. Belladi, Too’Zer, I want you to re-wire some of the long-range scanners to use anything but UPA equipment. Twang, you and I are going to plot a course that will hopefully keep us out of range.” He walked past his crew. “We leave in an hour, be ready!” He said as he walked out of the cargo hold.

  “Hmmm, he takes charge like some of the best UPA Captains I’ve ever seen.” The Commander said quietly.

  “He’s better than every other Captain, even the ones in the UPA.” Belladi said as she walked past her.

  “He’ll get your Space Admiral. When Captain Dan wants something, he gets it.” Watts said with a toothy grin as he used his arms and legs to walk past her.

  “Lieutenant, a word.” The Commander told Melton as he was leaving. She waited until everyone else had left.

  “Yes Commander?” he asked.

  “I want logs from this mission. Every log you can get a hold of.” She told him.

  “That could be difficult. They’ve only granted me access to the new engine logs, and their engineering monkey keeps a watchful eye.” He told her quietly, while looking over his shoulder to make sure Watts wasn’t around to hear him.

  “Use this.” She told him as she handed him a small circular device. “Just plug it into the main computer. It’ll do the rest. Just make sure you grab it before they find it.” She told him and walked off.