Paige tried to hide her grin. “Her ladyship is jonesing for a mocha! Of all times!”
Joel grinned as he started checking his weapons and strapping on the additional pieces of body armor that had been sitting one seat over from he and Jack. “I thought it made her nauseous?”
Paige shook her head. “So did I. But, apparently, she wants some.”
Paige strode past the group and over into the far corner of the lounge where there was a custom-built mocha machine. In all their time training and performing simulations, it had become apparent that any time spent on the ship was going to require mochination of the highest quality. And so, Brock was instructed to install a state-of-the-art mocha machine, which didn’t rely on gravity for it to work.
“I mean, you wouldn’t expect us to go without restrooms, would you?” Molly had justified when she broached the subject in one of their team meetings.
Back in the cockpit, Sean and Crash remained focused on the flying. Crash had clocked about 40 hours on The Empress in the last week, but wasn’t feeling confident enough to take primary. Sitting next to Sean, his attention now on the controls of the ship — rather than the navigation he’d managed to help with — his attention was unyielding.
Sean pointed to another holo representation. “Okay, now we want to drop out of warp,” he told Crash, waving his finger at the dial next to a graphic of some kind of warp engine, before knocking the dial down.
He paused for a moment, thinking. “And then, we want to maintain our course, which means…?” He glanced over at Crash for an answer, pausing his actions so as not to give away the next move.
Crash thought fast. “Which means… we need to kick in with the boosters on automatic course correction, to counter the directionality of falling out of warp drive.”
Sean made the necessary switch, and slowly brought the boosters online, engaging them at 80%.
Crash sighed in relief, realizing only then that he had been holding his breath.
Sean glanced over to him briefly before looking back at the console. “It’s okay. You’re doing great, mate.”
Crash bobbed his head, his wrinkled forehead showing how uncertain he still felt. Flying had always been his superpower. He’d been flying the weirdest and most dangerous ships and missions all his grown up life. And yet, navigating The Empress was a challenge he never thought he’d face.
A female voice interrupted their conversation over the audio feed. “Sean, are you ready for an update on maneuvering into orbit?”
Sean flicked another switch without taking his eyes from his panel. “Yes, please, Emma” he replied.
“Okay then,” Emma responded. A new screen overlaid the main window in the space ahead of them. “We are sixteen minutes from joining their orbit. The planet has fifteen space lifts, and there are twenty-three satellites in orbit. Plus one space station. I have plotted the optimal route which will bypass their normal routes into orbit, so we will mostly avoid contact with any other vessel.”
Sean frowned. “Mostly?” he clarified.
“77% mostly,” Emma replied.
Sean’s frown deepened. “Is that the best we can do?” he asked.
Emma’s voice was firm. “Given the parameters, yes.”
Sean wasn’t convinced. “So if we end up colliding with another vessel in orbit, or on approach…?” he asked.
Emma responded immediately. “Envelope maneuvers, baby,” she told him. “I know it’s what you like.”
Sean grinned to himself as Crash watched him. “Oh, Emma, you little minx. You know me so well.”
Emma’s face came onto the video feed in the corner of his console. “Well, I find it helps with keeping you in line. And FYI, I shared my heuristics of you with Ozymandeus for his people-behavior project.”
Sean shook his head in disbelief. “Women! Can’t you ever keep your secrets to yourselves?”
Emma smiled on the video feed and responded calmly. “Not when it comes to our fellow entity intelligences, no.”
Sean grinned. “Right, I’m going to make sure that these rogues out back are ready to jump. Crash, can you keep Emma company for me, please?”
Crash was still deep in concentration. He woke himself, breaking his gaze from the panel he had been watching. “Sure,” he agreed, his face just as expressionless as ever.
Sean left the cockpit and wandered through the narrow passageway into the lounge area. He arrived in the doorway to see Joel and Jack doing their final prep. “Someone told Molly it’s time?” he checked, mild concern on his face; he was worried that she might be sleeping.
Paige looked up from her holo. “She’s-”
“Right here,” Molly finished her sentence, appearing at the back of the lounge. She was in full combat gear, ready to go, holding her wooden baton. Her face was eerily peaceful, and her manner relaxed.
Paige spun around in her chair to look at her. “Mocha is just brewing,” she told her, indicating over to the machine.
Sean looked at Molly, then at the mocha machine. “Will you never learn?” he asked her. His tone resembled how a parent would talk to a child.
Molly held his gaze as she strode deliberately through the lounge. Sean suddenly felt strangely intimidated by her presence and her quietness. Give him geeky Molly. Give him matter-of-fact Molly. Give him amped-up, kicking-his-ass-across-the-gym Molly. But meditating Molly… He couldn’t get a read on her.
She got close to where he had planted himself at the end of one of the aisles. Feeling her come closer, he was unable to stay where he was. He took a couple of paces backwards, and Molly walked straight past him to the mocha machine.
It had stopped pouring mocha into the antigrav mug beneath, and she picked it up, taking in the aroma and savoring the smell. Joel and Jack had turned to look at her, and were watching her enjoy the moment of her first mocha after a long meditation session. She breathed it in, and then gently took a sip. She exhaled slowly in pleasure.
Turning around, she smiled at the crew. “So, what are we doing standing around, bitches? Don’t we have a mission to complete?”
Joel and Jack snapped into action and headed straight toward the back of the ship. Paige looked flustered. “Are you okay?” she asked.
Molly was midway through another sip of mocha. She nodded, her nose still in the mug. She finished her sip, and pulled her talisman from around her neck, showing it to Paige. “Thanks to this, I am,” she smiled.
Paige’s face relaxed a little. “And no shifting while you were back there?”
Molly shook her head. “Nope. All mundane and grounded in this reality,” she confirmed. She took another gulp of mocha before setting the mug to the side. Molly looked back at Sean. “Look after that for me?” she asked him.
Sean nodded. “Sure. Just get your ass back up here, pronto,” he said, relaxing a little now that she was returning to her normal self.
“I’ll do my best,” she said, smiling at him before taking off to join Jack and Joel down at the drop point.
Paige watched her leave. As soon as she was out of earshot, she turned back to Sean. “Please tell me this is a good idea? Letting her go down there like this. In her condition.”
Sean shrugged. “She’s the boss. I can’t stop her.”
Paige frowned, looking anxious again. “What about the General?”
Sean shook his head slowly. “He made a judgment call. She’s in better physical shape than any of us. She’s sharper than she’s ever been, and he can’t see that the pod doc would have done anything bad to her. They’ve got a few hundred years of data to back up the concept that it only enhances, so we’ve got to believe that whatever she’s going through is an… enhancement.”
Paige folded her arms. “An enhancement that might just get her - and everyone down there with her - killed.”
Sean took a deep breath. “I’m sure they’ll be fine; Joel is with her. And besides, since the meditating has been helping her control
the realm jumping, she’s probably got a few hours before she’s at risk again.”
Paige slumped back into her seat with a ‘humph’. “Let’s hope so,” she said, looking pointedly at Sean like it was his fault.
Sean shook his head in defeat, knowing better than to argue with her. “I’m going to make sure they get away okay,” he said. “Pieter, let me know when you guys are online. I’ll come and sit with you for the next piece.”
Pieter grunted his agreement as Sean strode away. Paige turned in her seat to talk to Pieter, whose eyes remained glued to his holo. Seeing he was mission-focused, she thought better of airing her grievances with him, and turned back to sit in her seat quietly.
ArchAngel, Main Lecture Theater
Giles completed his lecture. “Thank you,” he said, and paused. “Class dismissed!” He waved his hand and bowed subserviently to his audience.
A round of applause erupted from the theater. Though they had some of the best minds in the Empire assembled here, the scientific and student communities were always moved by the charisma and charm exuded by this strange professor who would duck in with a guest lecture series every few years.
There were rumors that he was commissioned by the General to research the paranormal. Other whispers suggested that the anthropology was just a cover so that he could go off traveling and exploring. Some thought that he was a spy, looking out for the Empire’s interests, deftly protecting them while pretending to be this middle-aged geek with oddities; the tweed jacket with arm patches was all part of his act to appear non-threatening.
Right now, though, no one cared. Several audience members were already on their feet applauding. The younger generations were cheering and whooping, wondering why the heck their regular professors couldn’t be so damn interesting.
Giles raised a hand in thanks and bowed again. Eventually, the cheering and clapping subsided; but no one moved, apart from a few students in the front rows, who were scrambling to gather their things and line up to talk with him. Giles ignored them for a moment and informally addressed the theater. “Alright, folks, that’s all I got. Class dismissed!”
Still no one moved. “That means bugger off to the bar! I’ll be right behind you. Mine is a tequila,” he told them. “Neat. No ice.”
There was a ripple of laughter, and finally people started gathering their things and filing out through the doors at the back.
Giles sighed, smiling contentedly to himself. His holo buzzed, and he held up his index finger to the student who was first in line to speak with him.
The message was from ADAM.
THE GENERAL WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR YOUR NEXT ‘EXCURSION’.
Giles smiled and typed his response back.
WHAT’S WITH THE FUCKING QUOTATION MARKS?!! >> SEND.
An instant later, another message came through from ADAM.
COME ON. WE ALL KNOW THAT YOUR ‘RESEARCH’ IS JUST AN EXCUSE TO JOLLY AROUND THE GALAXY UNDER DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES. ;) ANYWAY, WOULD DINNER TOMORROW EVENING WORK FOR YOU?
Giles grinned, a flush of humor bubbling up as laughter in his throat. He was aware of his students watching him, so he hurried his response.
OF COURSE. I’D BE HONORED. LET ME KNOW WHERE AND WHEN AND I’LL MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE. >> SEND
Giles looked up at the first expectant student in the queue, and then along the line that had formed. There were at least twenty people he needed to talk to.
“Hi,” he said to the first one, as the student pulled up his holo notes to ask their question.
Chapter 3
On Board The Empress, Koin Star System, In orbit around Planet Kurilia
Joel grunted as he put the hatch into manual mode. “Forcefield is still intact, so we should be okay to open her up and drop through whenever we’re ready,” he told Jack.
Jack watched in awe as the hatch began to open up to reveal space beneath them. The hatch was about four feet by four feet: plenty big enough for them just to fit through. As it opened, a frame came down from above, dropping beyond the hole in the ship and extending by a few feet. She pointed at it. “What’s that for?” she asked Joel.
Emma came online. “That’s to help you navigate down through the hole.”
Jack frowned. “In the Space Marines, they just had us jump.”
Emma’s tone was matter-of-fact. “That is fine when you’re using an antigrav suit, or when you have a whole field to land in; but when you’re trying to hit an elevator lift deck, it’s prudent to move more precisely.”
Jack and Joel exchanged looks, and Jack smiled. “Well, that’s me told!” she exclaimed.
Just then Molly walked in, followed closely by Sean. “Wow, we have a climbing frame!” she grinned. “This ship just gets better and better.” She started arranging her body armor, and closing up the straps and pockets. “There I was, thinking we were going to have to do the trust jump like in Space Cadets.”
Jack smiled back at her. “Yes, better we have a more precise landing, given that the elevator platform is so small.”
Joel looked at Jack with humor in his eyes. He remained silent.
Molly turned to Sean as he followed her into the room. “Is this ship going to get us close enough to the platform?” she asked him.
Sean raised his voice a little, and looked across the room. “Emma? How close can you get us?”
Emma’s audio cracked on again. “Within five feet, plus or minus two feet tolerance.”
Sean looked at Molly with the answer. Molly nodded. “Perfect; barely a drop at all. As long as nothing moves.”
Joel moved over to the climbing frame. “Right, all looks good. Is Oz ready?” he asked, glancing up at Molly.
Yes. Ready to rock.
Molly nodded. “He’s all kinds of ready,” she smiled, peering over the edge of the hatch into the blackness.
Emma chimed into the conversation. “Okay, we’re decreasing our altitude. You should see the platform come into view within the next forty seconds.”
The team started to feel the effects of the gravity of the planet as their orbit changed, and they approached the sky lift. Just then, the platform came into one corner of the view the hatch afforded them.
Joel looked up. “Alright folks, listen up.” He was in ops mode. “Jack, you’re up first. Then Molly. Then I’ll follow you both down.”
He looked up at Sean. “Sean, you do your one orbit, and then expect us back here, at this same lift. If we’re not there, you know the next one to check. If we’re not there, and you can’t reach us through Oz or the quantum comm, then you need to get The Empress out of here, and leave us.”
Sean nodded. “Got it. Just make sure you don’t put me in that position,” he told Joel seriously. Sean leaned forward and shook Joel’s hand, clamping him on the shoulder firmly.
Jack was holding onto the frame with both hands, ready to start her descent. Sean moved past her out of the way, but patted her on the back, too. She turned her head to acknowledge him. “You be careful down there,” he told her. “And if you can’t be careful, be ruthless.”
She nodded. “See you in one orbit,” she said, pursing her lips. With that, she swung underneath the bar she was holding onto, and put her feet on a rung opposite her before turning herself around and climbing down.
The platform was coming closer.
Emma made another announcement. “Okay, we’re at our slowest rate now. We will continue to cruise at this speed, and by my calculations you have about five seconds to get onto the platform before we move out of range.
Molly swung herself onto the frame. “We’ve all got to go at once,” she declared.
Joel swung down onto the frame, too. “Looks like,” he agreed. “Okay, stay close. We can do this.” The three of them looked at each other in solidarity as the platform came closer.
Sean squatted down next to Molly. She had one arm wrapped around the frame, just a few feet off the basement floor.
Sean put his hand on her arm. “You be extra careful,” he told her. “Remember your breathing, and stay focused. We need you back in one piece.”
Molly nodded. “I will. I promise.”
The metal platform with the tiny hut that housed the skylift now blocked out the view of the planet and the clouds beneath.
Joel took hold of a bar in the middle of the hatch’s frame, and shouted to the other two. “Okay, let’s move. Go! GO! GO!”
Jack disappeared from the frame first. She landed, and rolled on the platform before scrambling up and out of the way. Molly dropped next. Then Joel. Sean saw them each land, and watched as long as he could before they were obscured behind the little building. He watched the whole structure disappear from view of the hatch.
“Okay, Emma, they’re gone. Let’s close her up, and keep an eye out for their comm signal,” he told her. “And let me know as soon as you have them.”
The frame retracted, and the hatch started to close.
“You’ll be the first to know, Sean,” Emma assured him.
Sean stood up and stepped away from the closing hatch. He had been wearing his ops face, but now, finding himself alone in the bowels of the ship, his mask dropped, and the anxiety became evident around his eyes.
He rubbed his face with both hands, and stood staring into space for a moment, hoping that Molly really was going to be okay.
On Board The Empress
Crash sat back in his console chair, watching the screen Emma had just pulled up. “So when you get a comm connection with them, it will show up as a signal here?”
“Exactly,” Emma replied. “It’s just a matter of time.” Her EI voice filled the spacious clinical-looking cockpit as Crash grappled to try and understand the extensive functionality on the ship. For starters, he was still getting used to Emma; Sean had introduced her as the Entity Intelligence, or EI, that ran The Empress.
“The quantum connection,” Emma explained, “means that it’s location independent; there’s nothing to interfere. It just takes a little while for it to come online; but its accuracy is much better once the comms are away from the quantum field created by the gate generator. That’s why we don’t activate them while they’re still on board.”
The Ascension Myth Box Set Page 90