by Maksim Malik
“Astromancer SM522-16A, what are you doing? You are ordered to dock on Koyanagi immediately,” Nadani heard over the com. Koyanagi was the JUS dreadnought. She grimaced and ignored the message.
Our shields are forty percent, Adan said. We won’t make it to the Squito ship.
Nadani yelled out a string of curses fouler than anything she had said before in her life. She felt glad the com was off.
I’m sorry, Adan said. We have a bigger chance of making it back to Koyanagi. Maybe once the other ships are dealt with, they can disable the big one and send in a rescue team.
Without a word, Nadani flipped the ship around, nearly crashing into one of their pursuers. She wanted to make a beeline to the dreadnought but knew every shot that missed would increase their chances of making it without hull damage—or worse.
It took several long minutes of zig-zagging, corkscrewing, combining the two, and more to close the distance to the dreadnought Koyanagi. The ship dwarfed what had been Zarzycki station.
“Docking pad fourteen, Astromancer. One four,” docking control broadcasted without Nadani contacting them first. When they reached the docks, they had eight percent shields remaining. Nadani rubbed her forehead with one hand for a few moments before exiting the pilot’s pit.
Good job with the shields, Adan, she said without much enthusiasm.
Thank you, it responded. We will have another chance. Possibly even a better chance now that we’ve come aboard a JUS dreadnought.
I suppose, Nadani said, downtrodden.
“You look tired,” Dr. Tysgan observed from where he sat in the bridge.
“The flight exhausted me some,” Nadani replied.
“I see,” Dr. Tysgan said.
“We should see what is going on outside the ship,” Park said over the intercom.
“Yes, yes, good idea,” Dr. Tysgan said.
“That would be good. Adan?” Nadani asked.
“I’ll have to patch in through Koyanagi’s camera network,” Adan said.
“You mean hack,” Dr. Tysgan chortled.
“Is hacking a JUS ship a good idea?” Nadani asked.
“It’s easy to get the signals and view,” Adan said. “It’d be different if I was attempting something malicious and actually tinkering with the cameras themselves—but this should be undetectable.”
“Adan is correct,” Park said.
“Then we should do it,” Nadani said. “I hate being kept in the dark. They’re still fighting out there, and I think we deserve to know how it’s going.”
“Agree, yes, would like to see,” Dr. Tysgan said.
“I am in favor as well,” Park said.
“That settles it,” Adan said. “Watch the viewscreens in a moment,” it paused. “There.”
At its word, all the viewscreens lit up with various camera feeds showing Koyanagi’s exterior camera views.
“I didn’t include interior cameras for obvious reasons,” Adan said. “And we can’t control any of these—that would be a more invasive hack.”
“No, let’s not do that,” Nadani said. “I see the armada. What’s going on?
“The Squito fighters are retreating,” Park said. “Ours will not stray too close to the full armada, but it looks like the armada has stopped firing upon our ships.”
The Koyanagi still fired on the armada, for it was within range. The Squito ships still exploded occasionally, but they assumed formation, or docked with the larger ship instead of taking evasive maneuvers. Once the last stragglers were back into formation, the armada disappeared.
“They have folded,” Park said. “Impressive to fold instantly synchronized, but they lost many ships waiting to do such a maneuver.”
“Yes, interesting,” Adan said. “And—one moment.”
“What is it?” Nadani asked after a long silence.
“A message,” Adan said. “Civilian ships are free to launch—except for Astromancer M522-16A.”
“Uh-oh,” Nadani said. Her first thought was they were caught hacking. “Let me get in contact with someone and see what’s going on.”
We aren’t caught because of the hack. That is impossible, Adan said. This must be something else.
“Commander Jagi from Astromancer M522-16A requesting information pertaining to why we are grounded,” Nadani said after opening a com channel with the larger ship.
“Commander Jagi and crew,” the response came through the ship’s com, “you are ordered off your ship and will follow the detail assigned to you.”
“Now?” Nadani asked, surprised. Maybe it really was about the hack.
“Affirmative,” the com channel closed.
“I guess we’re getting off the ship,” Nadani said to Dr. Tysgan.
“Curious,” Dr. Tysgan said.
I dislike this, Adan said.
Me too, Nadani said. But if we don’t comply, they might try to break into the ship and they certainly have the resources to physically rip her apart.
“I wonder what they want,” Nadani said aloud. “Adan assured me it isn’t about the hack.”
“I think not about that,” Dr. Tysgan said.
Nadani exited the bridge with Dr. Tysgan at her side and behind her. When they left the ship through the airlock, they were greeted by two navy officers—one on either side of the doorway. While they were armed, their weapons weren’t drawn, so that was a good thing at least.
“Please follow me,” the one on the left said. Tall and lanky, Nadani wondered if he grew up in less than standard grav. He took the lead, and the smaller, nondescript man took the rear. Nadani and Dr. Tysgan continued to walk side by side.
Ask them what this is about, Adan suggested.
“What is this about?” Nadani asked.
“I’m sorry—I don’t know,” the taller man answered. The man in the rear stayed quiet.
Worth a try, Nadani thought to Adan to which she received a wordless agreement.
The tall man led them out of the docks and into the ship proper, taking a lift to one of the top levels of the ship. Most other military personnel ignored them as they walked past, but some gave curious glances. They stopped for nothing though, and the tall man set a rather brisk pace. Finally they reached a door. The two men situated themselves on either side of the doorway.
“Please go inside,” the taller one said.
Nadani shrugged to herself and went into the room. She imagined if she was in trouble then she would be treated a little differently than this, so her worries lessened, but her curiosity deepened at the same time. Dr. Tysgan followed behind her.
She found a plush office with what looked like a real wooden desk, comfortable cushioned chairs, and shelves of keepsakes lining the walls. Seated behind the desk was a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties, but actual age could not be discerned from apparent age with age treatments becoming more common. Nadani, unfamiliar with military uniforms, knew she faced someone of high rank from his demeanor.
“Commander Jagi, Dr. Tysgan, please have a seat,” he said, motioning at them from where he sat.
That’s Admiral Adalric Bryer, Adan said and flashed the man’s ident.
“Thank you, Admiral,” Dr. Tysgan said and took initiative by sitting first. Either he knew military uniforms better than she, or Park told him the man’s ident the same as Adan told her. Nadani followed suit and sat in the plush chair next to Dr. Tysgan.
“I’d like this to remain brief, as I’m sure you would,” the Admiral said. “So I’ll fold to the point. You’re the ones who brought the warning to Zarzycki station, aren’t you? One Aishwarya Latessa says you had data deciphered with information on where the Squitoes would strike.”
“There is quite a bit of data we have yet to decipher,” Nadani said, shifting in her seat.
“Where did you acquire this data?” the Admiral asked before she could continue.
“We hacked a ship that came back to attack us after Jehlengen was destroyed,” Nadani said. “We were there for that.”
“It’s all stored on Astromancer,” she said and kept her face as impassive as possible, but worried about her ship suddenly.
“How much data are we talking about? Storage-wise?” the Admiral asked, leaning over the desk.
“Far more than a few crystal storage drives,” Nadani admitted.
“We think most is noise,” Dr. Tysgan added. “But to sift through noise for information is tricky.”
It’ll take at the most two super-storage crystals, Adan said. Super-storage crystals were large drives the size of a fist used for ship data storage—keeping and calculating updated navmaps required a massive amount of space. Usually any ship with a foldspace system had one of these, although some were smaller for those ships designed to travel shorter distances.
“Two super-storage crystals’ worth,” Nadani said.
“That’s an awfully large amount of data storage available on your ship,” the Admiral said, looking her in the eye.
“Yes, it is,” Nadani said, meeting his gaze. “It comes in handy once in a while.”
“Hmm, yes,” Admiral Bryer said. “Luckily we have plenty of empty crystals, so we can get copies of the data should you comply—and I don’t see any reason why you would not.”
“Of course,” Nadani said. The sooner the military had their hands on the data the better she would feel. They could decipher the info and act accordingly. “The ship is on lockdown right now, so we’ll need to be there to oversee the transfer.” She did not want military types—or anyone—snooping around her ship unwatched.
“Excellent,” Admiral Bryer said, glanced between the two of them, and grinned. “I would like to take the opportunity to thank both of you for your efforts in saving the lives of the people of Zarzycki station.”
“Thank you,” Nadani said.
“Yes, thanks,” Dr. Tysgan said.
Should I ask him about the prisoners? Nadani asked Adan.
Now might be your only chance, Adan said. There would be no harm in asking at any rate.
“Now if you don’t mind, I have a lot to plan. The two outside will take you to the ship so the transfer can be done,” Admiral Bryer said.
“I beg your pardon—uh, sir—but can you tell me if anything will be done to rescue the prisoners taken by the Squitoes?” Nadani asked. Dr. Tysgan stopped in mid-turn and turned back around to face Bryer.
“I’m afraid I can’t go into specifics with a civilian,” he said. “But we haven’t forgotten about them.”
The Admiral focused on his desk, poking it occasionally as he selected parts of the holographic UI, already back to work. Nadani and Dr. Tysgan left the office, found their escort remained, and soon went on their way back to Astromancer.
Neither Nadani nor Dr. Tysgan spoke on the way back to the ship.
I thought he’d want to confiscate Astromancer before he talked about transferring the information, Nadani said to Adan.
A possibility, yes. One that I do not think we could have disagreed to, Adan said. The JUS does as it pleases and bends the law in creative ways to do such things. All-in-all things went well. The transfer will take around an hour to perform once the crew have plugged in the extra crystals. And we now know there is some sort of plan being hatched to rescue the imprisoned from the Squitoes.
I hoped to have been a part of that plan, Nadani said, somewhat frustrated. There’s no trace of you in the ship’s computers, is there? No trace of Park? Nadani asked, worried about revealing the AIs.
No, Park and I scrubbed it clean of everything but the Squito data to better examine it already, Adan said. Using the computer to speak leaves no trace of ourselves behind either.
Okay, good, Nadani replied. She didn’t know what would happen if the JUS discovered Adan or Park here, but she loathed to find out.
When they arrived back at the ship, two techs awaited them. One, a thin man with short-cropped brown hair, stood around average height and the other, a slender woman with blonde hair pulled into a tail, stood a little taller than Nadani.
“I’m Kadek, this is Calise,” the wiry man said.
“Hello!” Calise said in a bright tone.
“Dr. Tysgan,” said Dr. Tysgan. “And Commander Nadani,” he added, indicating Nadani before she could open her mouth to say anything. The two escorts, having directed them to the ship, turned and left without saying a word.
“Call me Nadani,” she said.
“We’ll get this done quickly,” Calise said, grinning brightly. “Crystal drive data transfers hardly require two people, but everyone works in a team here. We’ll get them connected to your ship fast enough.”
“And then we wait for an hour,” Kadek said. “Easy job—I’m all for it.”
Nadani used her mental overlay to open both airlock doors of the ship—having Adan do it might give away Adan to the two technicians. Entering the ship first, Nadani beckoned the techs to come inside so she could show them to the engineering room.
“Nice ship,” Calise said. “Much more space inside than the ones we usually get to work with.”
“Thanks,” Nadani said.
The two crystals, housed in their own device, connected to a port in the ship’s engineering room. Nadani stayed where she could keep watch. Engineering had so many important systems she wanted to make certain nothing went awry—not to mention she was too paranoid to leave the room.
Everything is by the book so far, Adan said, putting her at ease.
What is Dr. Tysgan doing? she asked.
He’s in the lounge on the couch—reading I think, Adan said.
I’ll be happy once they’re gone and we can discuss our next move, Nadani said.
#
“This is a massive amount of data for one ship to hold,” commented Kadek to Calise as they walked back into the ship after about an hour had past.
“Yeah, but I bet it can simulate a bunch of foldpoints at the same time. Maybe it’s for exploring too,” Calise said.
“Oh, Nadani,” Kadek said as he and Calise entered the engineering room. “The transfer is finished. We’ve just disconnected the crystals.”
“Good—I take it everything transferred without issue?” Nadani asked.
“Yep, we have the ship’s data—no errors,” Calise said.
“Just a few minutes and we’ll be out of your hair,” Kadek said.
Calise glared daggers at Kadek and Nadani wanted to laugh aloud at their sudden awkwardness.
“Sure, sounds good,” Nadani said as a trace of a smile graced her lips, pretending she didn’t notice anything about Kadek’s remark and her own lack of hair.
#
When the two techs finally left the ship, Nadani went to check on Dr. Tysgan. He sat on the couch in the lounge, but he didn’t notice her come in, so he either slept with his eyes open, or read something.
“They’re gone,” Nadani said gently so she wouldn’t startle Dr. Tysgan.
“Oh, what?” Dr. Tysgan asked, looking at Nadani belatedly.
“The techs left,” Nadani said and sat on the other side of the couch and sighed, relieving built-up tension she didn’t even realize she had.
“What now?” Dr. Tysgan asked.
Nadani leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees, and put her hands on her face. She took a deep breath.
“I don’t know,” she said. “If the JUS is doing something to get the abducted back, then that’s what we have to pin our hope on,” Nadani said, her words muffled through her hands.
But is there even hope? she wondered.
Foldspace
Nadani slipped into the pilot’s pit, or pod, like Trisha used to call it, and plugged in her suit. She didn’t know if the JUS docking control could check to see if she plugged in properly or not, but she did not want to take the unnecessary risk. Astromancer came to life as she powered on various systems, getting ready for flight.
What endpoint do you have in mind? Adan asked
.
I don’t know, Nadani said. Anywhere but here.
We could go to a safe location in nullspace, Adan said. Nullspace meant a spot in space with nothing around for hundreds of light years.
Are there any more locations in the data? she asked, hopeful to have another chance at making it to the ship with Trisha and the others.
Nothing we have found as of yet, Adan said. But the data is difficult to sift through, so there is a chance we could come across something else. Finding a list would be perfect.
So you and Park work on the data and we can stay put until we need supplies, Nadani said. There’s no sense in folding randomly when we don’t know where to go.
The JUS or Gershani military might rescue the captives by the time we decipher the data, Adan suggested.
That would be wonderful, Nadani said. Speaking of the JUS, let’s get off this thing.
“Astromancer SM522-16A to docking control, requesting clearance for takeoff,” she said, opening a channel to docking control.
“Negative, Astromancer. That is negative,” came the swift, stern reply. “Koyanagi is in foldspace. It is impossible to undock now.”
“Foldspace!” Nadani exclaimed, cursing to herself. “Where is Koyanagi going?”
“I do not know that information, Astromancer,” docking control said. “Have a pleasant afternoon. Docking control, out.”
Nadani climbed out of the pit, fuming. Dr. Tysgan took one look at her and raised an eyebrow.
“What is wrong? Why do we not fly?” he asked.
“We’re in foldspace!” she replied. “They started folding with us still aboard. That had to be on purpose.”
“Why need us?” Dr. Tysgan asked.
“Yeah, we did give them the data,” Nadani said.
“You might be needed because you are the ones who deciphered the location of the third target,” Adan said over the com.
“Ah, yes, possible,” Dr. Tysgan said.
“We forgot about giving them the data crystal we recovered too,” Nadani said, suddenly remembering about the green crystal.
