En Route

by Maksim Malik

  “I wish I could feel as excited as you,” Nadani admitted.

  “Oh, come now,” Dr. Tysgan said, stopping his pacing. “It will be an interesting meeting! He will want to know all about you and Adan. I might even speak to him of Park!”

  “Well, let’s go meet him,” Nadani said after a pause. “I’m sure our arrival has already been noticed.”

  Nadani beckoned Dr. Tysgan to follow her. She walked out of the bridge and past the lounge and her bedroom, hesitating a moment to decide whether to wear a wig. Dr. Feckwell knew she had no hair. He would leave markings on her head to prep for the surgery, which she covered up by wearing different wigs. She had no hair anywhere, liked how she looked, and especially liked swapping wigs. Trisha especially liked how she looked.

  Passing on the wig, they left the ship through the airlock. Nadani took a deep breath after stepping outside. The wind whipped at her body and she smelled a distinct plantlike odor from all the grass.

  “It’s lovely, yes,” Dr. Tysgan said, traipsing in front of her, heading toward the entrance.

  “It is,” Nadani said and followed him. She could count the planets she visited on one hand still.

  Reminds me of the smell from hydroponics, though tenfold, Adan said.

  Yeah, it is something like that, Nadani said.

  “How many planets have you been on?” she asked.

  “Oh, many planets, yes,” Dr. Tysgan said. “Perhaps as near to twenty.”

  Nadani wondered if they were in JUS space or in his home space, but they came upon the entrance and she stuffed the question away for later.

  The pristine, extra-wide hallways awed her as they entered the labs building. She had been in a few labs before but none of them had halls this wide. Eight or nine people could walk side-by-side, if not more. Dr. Tysgan led the way, walking faster than usual.

  “Do you know where we’re going?” Nadani asked.

  “I have map,” Dr. Tysgan said.

  They passed a few people wearing white lab coats, and Nadani felt out of place in her plugsuit.

  Maybe I should have changed before coming in, she thought.

  I think it is fine, Adan said. It sounded nervous.

  Too late now anyway, she said. Don’t worry so much. I’m sure he’ll like you.

  They took a few turns and walked for around two more minutes before they stood before a closed set of double doors. Her mental overlay labeled it as “Dr. Feckwell’s Laboratory.” Before she could even take a deep breath, Dr. Tysgan pressed the button to open the doors and stepped inside. She followed suit. The well-organized lab, larger than she expected, brimmed with specialty equipment, viewscreens, and even a few MediScans. Standing in the middle of the room she saw Dr. Feckwell with a welcoming smile, beckoning them to come toward him.

  Dr. Tysgan stepped toward her old professor, so she did too. The doors closed behind them as they went farther into the room.

  The tiniest pinprick came from the side of her neck. She reached up to her neck and found a needle sticking out of it. She pulled it out while a severe lightheadedness threatened to overwhelm her.

  Poison! Adan exclaimed. I’m reconfiguring your nanobot colony to deal with it. You’re going to feel some effects while they fight it.

  “What’s this, a needle?” Dr. Tysgan said.

  Nadani’s head felt worse, and she had a pounding headache. Her limbs were on fire. The needle fell to the ground, making a quiet metallic clatter. She dropped to her hands and knees as the poison threatened her strength entirely.

  “I’m so sorry,” Dr. Feckwell said, sounding distraught.

  “You both should be on the floor! I know those hit!” a woman yelled.

  Nadani looked from the floor to Dr. Feckwell and saw a woman next to him. She could not make her out clearly with her vision blurring and unblurring all the time. Her mental overlay read Annabella Summerlin.

  Needles! Adan shouted into her mind so loud it hurt her head. Or maybe that was the poison.

  Oh, shit, Nadani said, her fear solidifying in the pit of her stomach. Needles had captured her before and the resulting torture left her scared of needles to this sol.

  I told Park about Needles, Adan said. Dr. Tysgan is immune to the poison it seems.

  Nadani caught a blur in her peripheral vision and looked at Dr. Tysgan.

  Or what she assumed was Dr. Tysgan.

  In place of the short, tottering man she saw a gigantic man, naked, and strongly muscled. As the man—Dr. Tysgan—sprang at Needles, Dr. Feckwell ran to the back corner of the lab.

  “What the fuck?” Needles exclaimed.

  The large Dr. Tysgan collided with her and they went down in a tumble. Nadani watched as Needles managed to gain her feet and backed out of the way of Dr. Tysgan. Dr. Tysgan rose to his feet slower than Needles and attacked her this time with punches and kicks, of which Needles avoided or defended against.

  Nadani’s head began to clear. The nanobots worked on removing the poison, and she struggled to an upright position on her knees. The fight did not go well for Dr. Tysgan. It became obvious to her Dr. Tysgan had little martial arts training and relied on strength and mass to overcome Needles.

  We’ve deciphered the image text! Adan gleefully exclaimed.

  Not now. Can you take over my body to help Dr. Tysgan? she asked.

  No, this poison affects the muscles physically and nothing I can do will override it, Adan said.

  Damn, Nadani thought.

  Dr. Tysgan, now a good distance away from Needles, charged at her, aiming for her lower torso. Needles grabbed one of the devices from the nearby table and hefted it above her head. As soon as Dr. Tysgan connected with her, she brought down the device onto his head and they both skidded to the ground.

  “No!” Nadani yelled, hoping Dr. Tysgan didn’t get hurt too badly. She struggled to her feet, muscles screaming for her to stop and started to walk to where the two laid, feeling better with each step. Needles stood up before Nadani got there and raised the lab equipment to smash at Dr. Tysgan again. Nadani hurried the last few steps and shoved Needles as hard as she could with both hands.

  Needles lost her balance, stumbling a little to the right, and dropped the device. She turned to Nadani and advanced.

  The nanobots have almost eradicated all the poison, Adan said.

  Nadani noticed the difference. Her head no longer light and muscles aching a little, she blocked the first punch. Needles followed with a swift kick, aimed at Nadani’s head. Nadani dodged it.

  I’m detecting another AI, Adan said. One of similar design to me. Needles has it.

  So he did do the procedure on someone else, Nadani said.

  “Armored plugsuit,” Needles sneered. “Afraid of someone?”

  Needles did drive her fear like no other could. Outwardly she put on a calm visage but inwardly she experienced a mix of anger and fear. The urge to run back to the ship almost overwhelmed her.

  Nadani deigned to keep her mouth shut rather than rise to the bait and instead leapt forward, snapping a kick at Needles’ head, and followed with a sidekick afterward. The sidekick connected and drove Needles back. Nadani pressed her advantage but found her attacks avoided or blocked. She noticed the needles sticking out from Needles’ fingertips on her left hand and blocked the swipe at Nadani’s face with the armored part of the forearm of her plugsuit.

  Another spin kick attempt connected to Needles’ head, and hard. Needles fell over a table and onto the floor. She stood before Nadani could get around the table to reach her. Blood marred her angelic face. Nadani’s plugsuit had armor at the feet and shins, so it must have cut Needles when the kick struck.

  Are you sure she has an AI? Nadani said. An AI would’ve dodged that—it wasn’t that great of a kick.

  Ah, she is probably still in the adjusting phase, Adan said. It will take at least a week for her AI to be able to control her body.

  Makes sense, Nadani said, dodging a sidekick and darting forward to punch Needles in the midd
le of the chest. Needles staggered backward.

  “Bitch,” she wheezed. “How about we play with some needles again? That was fun.”

  Again, Nadani kept quiet, but her memories stirred: this same angelic face peered down at her as she tortured Nadani with needles. She almost shook but Adan’s calm presence helped keep her calm—or at least shove the fear away for the moment. Nadani moved closer to Needles and tested her with a few feints. Needles responded but with erratic movements. Suddenly Needles lashed out with her needled fingertips, but Nadani caught her arm by the wrist, stepped close to Needles and put her right leg behind Needles’ leg, grabbed Needles’ neck, and forced her backward over Nadani’s leg. Needles lost her footing and her balance and collapsed to the ground.

  Nadani, about to finish Needles for good, became distracted by the doors opening. Six men entered, all carrying rifles in a firing stance.

  “Stay where you are!” one of them yelled.

  Nadani complied, standing over Needles, her face painted with surprise.

  “Fake ident on the one on the ground,” another one of the men said. “And private ident on the other.”

  “Take them both,” the first man said. “Leave the others.”

  The world erupted into an explosion of white light and sound.

  Tysgan and Park

  Zarek, wake up, the voice insisted.

  He hurt too much to wake up. The top of his head pulsed and pounded, combining with a constant sharp pain. Zarek knew it would go away soon if he slept. Perhaps a sol or so of rest and his body’s regenerative capabilities would heal him.

  There isn’t time for that! the voice exclaimed. He knew the voice. Searching through the haze he remembered the name. Park. His AI. Park spoke to him.

  Park, he said. Is it bad?

  No, you will be fine, Park said. It will hurt as such until you heal though. But there is no time for a regenerative rest! Nadani and Adan are in danger!

  It took him another moment to remember those names. When he did it all came flooding back to him. The trip to visit Dr. Feckwell—a trap for Nadani! He remembered breaking the law and shapeshifting to try to help, tackling the one called Needles, and then nothing.

  Help me wake, Park, Zarek said, urgency replacing his need for rest.

  Zarek’s eyes opened and he squinted as he adjusted to the bright lights of the laboratory. Above him to the left he saw Dr. Feckwell. Zarek, bereft of clothes, realized he laid on the bed of a MediScan device.

  “You’re awake!” Dr. Feckwell said with nervous undertone. “My MediScans don’t know how to work with a kahelek. I tried, but I’m sorry.”

  “Is okay,” Zarek said. He sat up in a fast movement, looked around, and regretted the action, for now he felt nauseated. “Where is Nadani?” he asked sharply.

  “She was taken,” Dr. Feckwell said. “She had Annabella and suddenly there were armed men in my lab! Armed men!”

  I don’t know exactly what happened, Park said. I need you to be conscious to see. I only know what I heard.

  “Where did they go?” Zarek asked, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

  “They went to a shuttle outside,” Dr. Feckwell said. “You need to be careful. You have a concussion. Anyway, the shuttle went to a capital vessel in orbit called Humanity’s Grace. It’s still there.”

  “And you know how?” Zarek asked, tenderly touching the back of his head.

  “I have a drone and I had it follow them,” he replied somewhat smugly.

  “Drone to fly to space?” Zarek asked.

  “Annabella didn’t seem to care what I bought so long as she would get what she wanted,” Dr. Feckwell said.

  “Needles, yes,” Zarek said.

  Safe to shift back to small form? he asked Park. It had been many years since he last shapeshifted—before he entered JUS space.

  Yes, but you will still have a wounded head, Park said. That cannot be avoided.

  Fine, good, Zarek replied. Fit back into clothes is good.

  “The ship is still there,” Dr. Feckwell added after the brief silence.

  Zarek nodded and closed his eyes and shifted. His head hurt even more during the process, but it finished in a few seconds.

  “Whoa!” Dr. Feckwell exclaimed. “That is simply amazing.”

  “Yes, yes,” Zarek said and got off the MediScan, holding onto it with one hand until he satisfied himself with his balance.

  “What are you going to do?” Dr. Feckwell asked.

  “Much as conversation is wanted, I must get to them,” Zarek said and walked to his torn clothes. He put on what he could and didn’t look back as he opened the lab’s doors, exiting into the hallway.

  We must hack Astromancer’s security, Zarek said to Park.

  I am confident I can do such a task. If Adan were there to help defend then I would not be so confident, Park said. I have never flown a ship before. I will look up the parameters of this ship type and details of ship flight mechanics now.

  Excellent, Zarek said. I hope she will forgive for breaking security.

  If we rescue her then she will forgive anything I believe, Park said. If not, then we may not see her again.

  Harsh truth, Zarek said, frowning as he walked. The state of his clothing caused him to get several stares and odd glances on the way out, but he kept his head straight and continued as though it bothered him none at all.

  Now who would take her? Park asked.

  CAAI, Zarek said. They are the only ones with motivation; they know about her. Why would they take Needles?

  I overheard them say she had a fake ident, and Nadani’s ident was private, Park said. They didn’t know which to take, so they took both.

  Lucky I am they did not view my ident, Zarek said.

  Yes, but it’s better not to think about that, Park warned.

  They exited the labs and Zarek had to hold his clothes for fear of the wind ripping them right off him. He jogged the last length of the journey to the spaceship. Stopping at the airlock, he waited for Park to perform its task.

  This might take a couple minutes, Park said.

  Yes, she purchased good security, Zarek said. The star is setting here. How cold will it get?

  Three degrees Celsius with the wind chill, Park said. But do not worry, I will have this open before then.

  Zarek waited and noticed the temperature drop. Soon the star would disappear. His pounding head and shifting twice in a single sol made him exhausted. He needed to sit soon.

  In, Park said, and the airlock door opened. Zarek wasted no time in entering Astromancer. The outer airlock closed, the inner airlock opened, and he went straight to the lounge to sit on the couch, heaving a sigh of relief.

  Flight soon? he asked.

  Yes, I’m turning on systems now, Park said.

  In less than a minute the ship lurched a little and Zarek watched the cameras in the viewscreen as the lab grew farther and farther away. He felt a little sadness he didn’t get to speak to Dr. Feckwell as he had expected. Perhaps he would return to speak with him sometime.

  The capital vessel is still in orbit like Dr. Feckwell said, Park informed. I wonder why they have not gone into foldspace. Perhaps they are in a parking orbit.

  We will send message to Adan to prepare to remove us from capital vessel’s contact list, Zarek said. And move to fly beside ship. There is an idea.

  Humanity’s Grace

  Nadani awoke with a weight over her midsection and as soon as she opened her eyes Needles’ face hovered mere centimeters from hers. She shook in brief surprise. The blood on Needles’ forehead, streaking down the side of her face, had dried. Needles straddled her midsection and Nadani attempted to slap Needles but found her arms tied together behind her back.

  “I thought about killing you,” Needles said in a soft voice. “Snuffing you out as you laid there unconscious,” she added with a sweet but sickening smile. “But that would be too easy, wouldn’t it? Too fast. It’s going to be long and painful when it happens
. I promise you that.” Needles leaned even closer and touched her lips to Nadani’s. Nadani kept her lips shut while Needles kissed and licked at her mouth before pulling away. Nadani’s disgust outweighed her fear but not by much.

  We’re on a capital vessel called Humanity’s Grace, Adan said. I’m certain you can guess the owners.

  CAAI, Nadani said, glad to have the slight distraction.

  Correct, Adan said.

  Needles withdrew and shuffled up Nadani’s body until her thighs went on either side of Nadani’s neck.

  “No sense in not wasting time with a little fun though,” Needles said and squeezed her legs together hard.

  Nadani struggled to no avail to free herself even using her lower body and legs to try to dislodge Needles. Needles moaned softly as though she got off on choking Nadani.

  She probably is, Adan said, fuming.

  When the darkness became nearly complete, Needles released the vicelike grip and allowed Nadani to breathe again.

  “Ah, that’s so wonderful, isn’t it?” Needles said, grinding herself on top of Nadani.

  Once Nadani stopped coughing and gasping for air, Needles squeezed again. Nadani tried arching her back, pushing at the ground hard, but it didn’t work. Her vision faded, and her movements became more erratic and weaker.

  “Enough of that!” a man’s voice yelled. Suddenly the weight on top of Nadani lifted and she could breathe once more.

  When her vision returned, she saw a man in simple trousers and a t-shirt standing over her on the left. To the right she saw Needles on her side, struggling in an awkward manner to sit upright.

  The person must have knocked her off you, Adan said.

  “If I see you doing anything like that again, I’ll keep you stunned,” the man said. He turned around, stepped away, and a translucent door slid in place behind him.

  While you were out, I received a message from Park and Dr. Tysgan, Adan said.

  How? I thought Park had to be relatively close to talk to you, Nadani said.

  Exanet. They didn’t block your access until it came close to you waking up, Adan said.

  Okay, what’s the message? Nadani asked, excitement mixed with her roiled fear and anger.