by Maksim Malik
“I should be fine on my own,” Trisha said, entering the room.
“Sorry, I felt a little,” she paused a moment, “overwhelmed, I think. Your friend seems to have everything under control even though one of those meatheads could use some discipline.”
Trisha smiled, but didn’t laugh, at the term meatheads. Surely the one fit the word, but she didn’t think the other did necessarily.
“This won’t take long,” Trisha said.
Trisha made her way to the shield generator and manually powered it down. She used her multitool to pop the casing off and went to work. Though the easy task would take a small amount of time, she still felt pressured to do it faster than normal due to the chances of being bombarded.
She found the small chip she needed to remove—it controlled the shield’s frequency via hardware and what Nadani planned would be using software to control the frequency, but the software couldn’t control anything with this chip in place. As soon as the chip came out, she secured the casing and turned on the generator.
“Generator is back on,” she said over the ship’s com. “Feed it some extra power and it’ll get the shields recharged pretty fast.”
The tiny chip she stored in a small plastisteel box in one of the maintenance drawers, so it wouldn’t get lost. She had technically voided the warranty, but she could put it back and nobody would be the wiser.
“So what exactly did you do?” Jana asked.
“I removed the frequency module from the shield generator, so the AIs can control our frequency manually. That’s the only way we can match shield frequencies with the Royal’s fleet.” Trisha stopped talking when she noticed the look on Jana’s face, one filled with surprise and curiosity.
“AIs?” she asked.
“Ah, yes,” Trisha started, face turning hot, and feeling flabbergasted. “I didn’t mention it before as we were trying to keep it a secret—for obvious reasons—but there is another AI involved. It’s not the same type of AI as Nadani’s, but they are similar in nature.” After a beat she said, “Please don’t let the others know. I don’t want many people to know or else word will spread.”
“I can keep a secret,” Jana said, nodding her head. “I heard about that group, CAAI. Fanatics. But thank you for trusting me.”
“We should get seated for takeoff,” Trisha said after a long moment of silence. Jana’s pensive expression made Trisha think the little slip-up provoked some internal dialog. Trisha hoped Jana approved of those merged with AIs, or at least tolerated the idea.
Trisha led Jana down the ship’s single corridor to the bridge where she took her usual seat to the left of the closed pod—Nadani securely inside already. Jana took the seat behind Trisha and Hafeez sat in the remaining spot. Kress, she supposed, remained in the lounge on the couch. She felt glad of that—something about him brushed her the wrong way.
“Thirty seconds until launch,” Nadani’s voice came through the ship-wide intercom.
“I hope this idea works,” Hafeez said with the softest edge of nervousness to his voice.
“It will. Nakamara knows what she’s doing and so do Jagi and Tysgan,” Jana said.
“Please just call me Trisha,” she said.
“Sorry, Trisha then,” Jana replied.
“What makes you so certain?” Hafeez asked.
“I don’t know if you realized, but Jagi and Tysgan are the leading researchers on the bug alien technology since they hacked a ship and stole data in the middle of combat with the ship no less, which they won, and then later decoded some of the data,” Jana said emphatically. Trisha couldn’t remember if she told Jana all that or not, but their arrival on the planet was hardly secret.
“Shit, that’s a helluva record,” Hafeez said and took a deep breath. “My apologies for the bad language,” he said.
“That’s okay,” Trisha said. She couldn’t help but wonder at how informed Jana was. She hoped word hadn’t spread about Nadani even farther.
Nadani’s voice came through the ship’s com.
“3… 2… 1… Blast-off!”
Through Chaos
The chaos of the airfield battle surrounded Astromancer. Three enemy ships in formation headed straight toward them.
Prime and aim at the enemy? Adan asked.
No, that might give away our ruse, Nadani answered.
If ruse it is, Adan said. We still don’t know if it works.
Well, we’re about to find out, Nadani said, biting her lower lip as the ships neared. They all had the same design: one-person fighters which looked like smooth flattened stones suitable for skipping across lakes—except armed with beam blasters.
The three ships whizzed by, ignoring Astromancer altogether.
“Phew,” Nadani said aloud even though nobody but Adan heard her.
I am just as relieved, Adan said.
“Heading to the Royalship,” Nadani said over the com. “We’ll be there in about four and a half minutes.”
That long? Adan asked, surprised. We could be there in one and a half.
I’m trying not to draw attention to our ship, Nadani said. The top speed of those rocks seems like it would take them four and half. The Royalship is quite a distance away.
That’s right, of course, Adan said, surprise turning to happiness and a warm affection emanating from it to Nadani. Though I wonder why I did not think of it.
You’re a living, intelligent AI, not omniscient, Nadani said.
True enough, Adan replied.
Nadani sent her own feelings to the AI: joy and love at the forefront.
They past several other enemy ships, all which went around and back to their own business. Nadani had the urge to take potshots since their business happened to be attacking the local and JUS military on the ground as well as the JUS fleet in the air. She forced herself to focus on her own destination instead: the Royalship. Its design was like the smaller fighters but on a larger scale; Nadani saw differences. The Royalship’s hull was not as smooth and the hangar bay door near the bottom of the ship remained opened even though no more ships flew out of it. It gave Nadani hope their plan to fly in and land would work.
Q-com call coming in, Adan said. It’s the Admiral.
Oh, now he calls, Nadani said. This better be quick.
“What in the stars are you doing, young lady?” Admiral Adalric Bryer raised his voice and, although he was not yelling, sounded like a parent about to chide their child.
“We’re headed to take out the Royal on the Royalship,” Nadani said casually. “I tried contacting you earlier with the information, but the messages and calls weren’t going through.”
“Land that ship! Once they see where you’re headed, they’ll swarm you!” Bryer exclaimed.
“Actually, no,” Nadani replied, smirking to herself. “We set our shields to the same frequency as theirs and they’re ignoring us because of it. These things aren’t intelligent on their own. They’re hive-minded and only follow the Royal’s commands—we don’t know if it’s a Queen, a King, or something else, therefore: Royal,” she explained.
“They won’t ignore you when you land,” Bryer said.
“We have a few military on board to help,” Nadani said. “We’re getting close to the thirty second mark, so this q-com needs to end quick,” she added, anxious now the Royalship loomed before them, at least twice the size of Koyanagi. She could see clearly into the hangar. Inside she saw a few ships, but none of the Squitoes. The turrets she saw didn’t even track Astromancer as they neared.
“Too bad that trick won’t work on our fighters,” Bryer said, sounding resigned. “It’s too late to stop you at this point, isn’t it? Good luck.”
The q-com ended.
“Two minutes until we enter the docking bay,” Nadani updated the team. Her team. It might not be official, but she felt responsible for all of them, even Kress who she knew harbored ill feelings toward her. Then there was Trisha—she wished Trisha did not have to be here but at the same time needed her
to be at her side.
Trisha isn’t helpless in a fight, Adan said. You know that.
Nadani took a deep breath and the knot in her stomach loosened by smidges.
“Thirty seconds until hangar entry. Everything is fine so far,” Nadani said. Nothing gave her any indication the ship targeted her, or any alarms went off. She imagined the hangar would have the Royal’s pawns waiting for them should something go amiss.
Does the Royal see what its pawns see? Nadani asked Adan.
I don’t know for certain, but I would guess it does—otherwise it would never adapt and change strategy on a battlefield, Adan said.
That makes sense, she said.
“Landing,” she said over the com. “Be ready at the airlocks, please.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Jana said from the other end.
“Prepared,” Dr. Tysgan said.
“We’re ready,” Trisha said, her voice the tiniest bit shaky.
“All points down and secure,” Nadani said and opened the pit. As she stood, she saw Trisha there holding a rifle in each hand, one of which she offered Nadani when she stood. Then she leaned in and kissed Nadani on the lips—an almost chaste kiss but it sent tingles throughout Nadani’s body regardless. A beat of silence followed the kiss.
“We should go,” Nadani whispered.
Trisha nodded her head and brought her rifle from one hand into both, pointed upward.
Nadani did the same and walked to the airlock where Kress, Hafeez, and Jana stood, in that order. They looked ready for anything. Nadani felt mildly surprised Kress wanted to take point but said nothing about it.
Park tells me Hafeez wanted point, but Kress talked him out of it, Adan said.
Interesting, she responded. I wonder why. Oh, well, now is not the time for wondering.
Indeed, Adan agreed.
Trisha looked paler than usual—which said something—but grim and determined. Jana’s blank face lacked any sign of emotion.
“Pressure and air mix outside the ship is fine for humans,” Dr. Tysgan said.
“Open the inner airlock,” she said aloud to give a cue to everyone of what she did in her head.
As soon as the inner airlock door opened, the line of people pressed forward to the outer door.
“Opening,” Dr. Tysgan said. “I will stay behind. Set up turrets to shoot Squitoes only.”
“Be safe,” Nadani said to Dr. Tysgan, giving him a firm nod of approval.
Nadani had to override the normal airlock process to keep both airlock doors open at the same time, but all of them couldn’t fit in the airlock room simultaneously and with the air and pressure being livable there lacked a need for the usual caution.
I have a map of the ship, Adan said. Easy to hack since I hacked their fighter and with a better understanding of their data and imagery it was easy to find.
“There’s nobody here,” Kress said quietly. “Which way do we go?”
Straight ahead and to the right is the exit from the hangar. I think I know which room the Royal is in. By process of elimination, there is only one spot suitable for a bridge or command room. It has one way in and is central to the ship, Adan said. After we enter the corridor, take the third left.
“Go straight from where we are then we’ll see a corridor on the right. We go through there,” Nadani said.
“How do you know that?” Hafeez said, puzzled.
“We have a map of this place already,” Nadani said, keeping it vague. “Let’s move.”
Kress moved, forestalling any questions Hafeez had. Jana still looked stoic as she looked around the hangar. Trisha followed close to Jana, and Nadani followed close to Trisha.
“I think this is a different ship than the one I was on,” Trisha said. “The docking bay is laid out differently.”
“I wonder how many Royalships they have then,” Nadani said.
“You were on one of these?” Kress asked.
“Yes,” Trisha answered.
They met no resistance in the docking bay which surprised Nadani. She didn’t see the slightest evidence of any of the Squito attackers. There, along the walls, and scattered around crates, barrels, and other objects were tools and spaceship parts. The area lacked anyone to operate such items although with most of the ships deployed in an all-or-nothing attack there was little need to have any staff on hand.
All the walls and floors were made of the same substance—a hard, greenish material which shone like marble in the light. The green-hued corridor they entered, lined with dim yellow lighting at the base of the curved walls, only increased Nadani’s nervousness due to the lack of enemy sightings. The corridor laid straight and long before them with several passageways connecting to either side.
Take the third left and it leads to an elevator, or a lift of some sort, Adan said, showing her the map on her overlay. There were two lefts and two rights to pass to make it to the third left. She panned the map around and saw one of the right-side corridors ending shortly into a large circular room.
I think that’s one of the bunks, Adan said. Probably for all the pilots considering the proximity to the hangar.
So we should be okay, Nadani mused. Not that we won’t treat it with caution anyway.
Of course, Adan said.
“Third left leads to an elevator—that’s the one we want,” Nadani said, keeping her voice low. “Watch the second right-hand corridor—it leads to what might be a bunk.”
“Got it,” Kress said quietly.
Trisha nodded.
Hafeez’s furrowed brow and concerned visage made Nadani think he wanted to say something, but he stayed quiet and nodded his head instead.
No matter how slow they moved Nadani could hear their footsteps on the strange material. She hoped the Squito pawns were hard of hearing or would think the footsteps were of their kind. She wanted to urge Kress to move faster, for she felt a pressure inside to do this as fast as possible. They proceeded with Kress in the front followed by Trisha, Jana, and Nadani side-by-side with Hafeez bringing up the rear. Everything went well as they made their way toward their destination.
They past the turn for the bunk, Nadani’s heart pounding heavily in her chest, without any issue and continued onward. She couldn’t help but feel exposed and vulnerable with so many possible entry-points for the Squitoes.
A blaster shot went off behind her, startling her enough she let out a small squeaking noise. They were halfway between the second and third corridors on the left. As she whirled around to ascertain the situation, Hafeez fired again.
“Contact!” he yelled. His blaster rifle fired sporadically as Nadani assessed the situation.
Squitoes were filing out of the bunk area. Nadani brought her rifle to bear, Adan taking over her body for brief moments to fire.
Are you okay? Adan asked.
Just startled a bit, Nadani replied. I’ll be fine.
All right, it said.
“Hafeez! Get down!” Jana yelled. Hafeez knelt to one knee and Jana had clearance to fire over him.
Trisha seems to be doing okay, Nadani thought as she noticed the blaster shots coming from her.
“We need cover! Fast!” Kress yelled. “Jana, Hafeez, cover us while we make a run for it! And follow close behind if you can.”
“Got it,” Hafeez said calmly.
Jana said nothing and continued to fire upon the enemy coming from the bunk corridor. The small width of the hall gave them an advantage in that only two aliens could come out at a time. The bodies piled up, making it even more difficult for the Squitoes to exit the bunk area safely.
Both Trisha and Nadani turned to run with Kress. The sound of Hafeez and Jana firing at the Squitoes as they ran eased her mind. It meant those two were still alive. They made it to the hallway leading to the lift and found it to be empty. The short hallway led to a central room which branched off to several other corridors, making it an unsafe area to remain in for long.
We need to go up two flights and we’ll be on the same level
as the Royal, Adan remarked.
“Two flights up and we’ll be on the right level,” Nadani said loud enough to be heard. Yelling might warn enemies ahead of them of their arrival.
They met no resistance as they ran to the lift’s room. When they arrived, Nadani looked around, puzzled.
“This isn’t an elevator, much less a simple lift,” she said. What ran through the center of the room was a vertical tunnel, essentially a tube, with notches every so often.
Do the aliens climb to get to a new level? she wondered.
It seems like it, Adan said. I’d guess the tube is zero gee too.
“The tube is zero grav,” Nadani said. “It’ll be easy to use those notches to climb up a few levels.” Nadani examined the notches and could see how they would be easy handholds for a zero-gravity climb.
“How do you know that?” Kress asked.
“An educated guess but I can say with certainty that’s how it works,” Nadani said. “Those handholds aren’t good enough for even the Squitoes to climb in standard grav. Well, the ship is set to a little less than standard grav.”
Trisha moved to the entrance of the tube and stuck her foot inside and smiled.
“Definitely zero gee,” she said. “I’ll go first.”
“No, I’ll go first,” Kress said. “There might be something waiting at the top.”
“Fair enough,” Trisha said and stepped back.
“We’re here!” Jana yelled.
Nadani turned to look toward the source of her voice and saw Jana and Hafeez entering the room. She tried to peer behind them to see if they had pursuers but saw nothing.
“What happened?” Nadani asked.
“They just stopped coming,” Jana said.
“I think we killed the entire room,” Hafeez said. “They are none too bright and all too eager to charge into battle rather than use caution or tactics.”
“What is this?” Jana said, coming to stand next to the tube.
“A way up,” Trisha said. “It’s zero grav inside, so we climb.”
