Pik tapped the butt of his trident on the catwalk. Aadi swam next to him and took one end of the short rope that the Lizard Man carried.
The Wolfoids responded by tapping their lightning spears. Braden waved his bracelet and the hatch opened. He jumped back a half-step and reached for his blaster.
“They are on the grid,” Andy said calmly.
“You were supposed to let me know!” Braden yelled. “Remember that no surprises part? Those will get someone killed, mainly me, when I have a heart attack!”
“My apologies, Master Braden,” Holly said smoothly through the speaker beside the door. “I won’t let that happen again.”
“Your efforts to keep me alive are going to be the death of me.” Two orange shapes flashed by, followed closely by a white fur. “Hey! Where’s your armor?”
He turned to Micah. “Why do you always look at me?” she asked.
“Because you’re nice to look at?” Braden tried.
Micah raised one eyebrow.
“’Cats! Far be it from me to want no harm to come to you. Fine!” He bulled his way past the Android in the corridor and followed the three Hillcats. The rest of the companions fell in behind him. Andy hurried to be next to Braden while Betafor stayed at the end of the group.
“No surprises, Betafor,” Micah told the Android.
“No surprises,” it repeated.
When they reached the end of the corridor, Braden stopped and addressed the group. “For those of you who haven’t been here before, this is going to smell pretty bad. That goes away quickly, although you may want to cover your mouth and nose. It can be a bit shocking.”
Braden activated the door and it slid aside. The methane smell wafted past him and into the corridor, as if pulled by an exhaust fan. He held his sleeve in front of his face as he walked through and into the bright sunshine of the Livestock Level. He moved along the catwalk toward the stairs down. He appraised the area.
Bounder joined him at the railing. ‘It looks good,’ the Wolfoid said. ‘It feels good, too.’
The Hawkoids launched into the air and glided over the grasses before flying higher into the sky.
“I was worried that without the Wolfoids, the balance of life would change.”
Three ‘cats bounced down the stairs and disappeared into the tall grass. The group watched them cut a line toward something in the far distance. Micah hurried past and down the stairs, with Strider close on her heels.
‘Hot,’ Pik said.
“The creek runs over that way. Once we’re there, we can re-wet your suit,” Braden replied. “It’s not getting closer with us standing here.”
“Are we still on the ship?” Jocelyn asked.
Braden let the others pass so he could stand next to her. He pointed at the wall and the stairs climbing nearly a kilometer into the air, the central ramp, disguised as part of the deck and the curvature of the grazing land.
“This is all in space?”
“This is one of ten decks that are similar to this. Some are smaller, but we are in space. This is a massive ship.”
“How many people can live here?”
“Holly knows the answer. I think it was a hundred thousand, maybe a million. It was more than all the current population of Vii.”
“If there were more...” Jocelyn started before catching herself. “The civil war killed that many.”
“The civil war destroyed nearly all of humanity. The ancients had so much going for them, and that was what they chose to do. This is our chance, a way for us not to make the same mistakes.”
“I see,” Jocelyn replied, eyes brightening as if a light had been turned on. “I see everything that you’ve been doing and why. I want to be here, the governor of a new colony with my daughter and as many like us as we can find. Come up here and be the next generation of ancients. We have so much to re-learn.” She gripped Braden’s arm as if pleading.
“Relax, Jocelyn. I know it can be overwhelming, but what you want is exactly why we’re here. Reclaim space for humanity, become greater than what we are now. Maybe realize humanity’s full potential. Look out there!” Braden pointed at the others as they jogged across the grassland. “Our ancestors could build this ship, but they couldn’t live together. It’s on us to teach our kids to look at the sky, smile, and say, ‘we’re not afraid.’ We win together.”
Jocelyn smiled back. “We’ll be hungry together if we don’t catch up.” She walked down the stairs, still not completely steady in the moving ship, before starting to run across the field. Braden passed her and accelerated, knowing that he would never catch the others. The ‘cats had their prey in sight.
Braden leaned back and rubbed his stomach. The smoke from the fire drifted up and spiraled away.
‘I think that was the best boar hog I’ve ever tasted,’ Bounder said, his head between his paws as he lay on the ground. Strider was already asleep.
Jocelyn was engrossed with the neural implant, staring into the distance and chewing slowly.
The ‘cats had gone to the stream for a drink and sunning, even though there wasn’t any sun. Pik was in the stream, with his face barely out of the water. The Hawkoids perched in a nearby tree. Barely more than a bush, Braden was surprised it held their weight.
The two Androids stood to the side, unmoving, looking like statues.
Braden sliced off another piece and started to chew.
“I can’t eat another bite,” Micah said, eyes drifting slowly closed.
A light blinked before Braden’s eye. ‘Holly, I wondered when you’d interrupt our tranquility.’ Braden thought about what he said. ‘I’m sorry, that wasn’t very kind. What’s up?’
‘I lost contact with two Androids about an hour ago. I sent two more and have lost contact with them, too.’
Braden sat up straight. ‘What’s happening to the Androids?’
‘I don’t know. All digital access to that section has been cut off. I can’t look within. I suspect that rogue Androids have established a base. I’ve locked out the elevator and blocked off the section at each end. I thought you’d want to know this.’
‘This is what I expected we’d have more of. We’re on our way, Holly. Time to clean out the nest of vipers.’
Braden stood and started kicking dirt over the fire. “Time to go people. We have some renegade Androids that require our attention.”
“Huh?” Micah said sleepily.
“Time to go!” Braden shouted.
Bounder stood on wobbly legs. ‘Just don’t ask me to run.’
G-War appeared. ‘It’s about time, but maybe we can make it a couple naps from now?’
Braden huffed his displeasure. ‘Holly, is the section sealed? They aren’t going anywhere?’
‘Whoever they are, no. They aren’t going anywhere. According to the schematics, there are two ventilation shafts and one delivery portal besides the doors and the elevator. All six access points have been locked out.’
‘We will rest for a while, and then we’ll tackle this problem. Show me the map of where we need to go, and thank you, Holly.’ Braden looked at the image before his eye. He scanned backwards until he found where he was at the moment. The corridor was mid-level of Deck 8. They could take the elevator to the corridor below and access it from the Garden Deck’s catwalk.
Braden faced the group. “Holly has sealed everything up. Let’s digest that fine meal provided by our furry and armor-less friends. After we’ve rested, we’ll take care of business.”
‘Can you imagine us trying to run?’ G-War asked.
Fea laughed. Treetis flopped to the ground where he was.
‘I am happy that we are not going into the fight like this. I have eaten too much and have gone too long without sleep to be effective,’ Bounder replied.
Jocelyn never acknowledged that she’d heard anything. Braden poked her arm. She jerked in surprise at his touch. “Get some sleep. There’s a fight coming, and I think we’re going to need you and your blaster.”
> “What? What did I miss? I tell you this thing is addictive.” She tapped the side of her head, looking confused, seeing the fire as if for the first time, even though she’d eaten, just like everyone else.
“Shut it down and rest.”
‘Sleep well, Jocelyn,’ Treetis said over the mindlink. ‘I will keep you safe while you sleep in this strange place.’
“I remember when G-War would talk to me like that,” Braden lamented.
‘I remember when G-War would talk to me,’ the ‘cat mimicked. ‘I thought I made you tougher than that. I should have gotten myself a better human.’
“Hey! I’m a good human. How many times do I have to save your life, little man? ‘A bunch of times’ clearly isn’t the right answer.”
‘Don’t make me come over there,’ Fea said. Braden wasn’t sure who she was talking to. He wanted to believe that it wasn’t him.
“Boys and their way of bonding,” Micah suggested, rolling onto her back and closing her eyes. Braden decided to follow his own advice. It was time to get some sleep. The smell of the cooked pork tantalized his senses one last time before he drifted off.
The Fury
“Lead on, Andy,” Braden told the Android. The lights on the deck had been shut down for four hours, so the companions slept through that and woke with the new day. Much refreshed, they ate just enough to settle their stomachs and prepare for the new day. Braden felt better and felt better about the others, too. Why rush headlong into a battle?
The Androids started jogging toward the stairs, running side by side to carve a trail for the others to follow. Pik sounded squishy as he ran, having just pulled himself out of the creek after soaking through the night.
Aadi bounced along behind the shambling Lizard Man. The Hawkoids made short work of the trip and would be landing shortly on the railing of the catwalk. The Wolfoids dropped to all fours to run faster through the grass, slapping their lightning spears on the ground as they accelerated. The ‘cats refused to be outdone and charged ahead. Jocelyn ran alongside Pik as he maintained a pace she was most comfortable with, although by the time they reached the stairs, she was nearly doubled over and gasping for air.
“It’s easier to govern if you stay in shape,” Micah said.
“Point taken, President.” Jocelyn laced her fingers behind her head to help her chest draw in more air. “I am not used to anything like that.”
“Sorry. It’s how we get around up here.” Braden thought for a moment. “Andy, make sure there’s a hovercar waiting for us when we return.”
The Android remained motionless for a moment. “Holly says no problem.”
“There we go! We probably didn’t have to run, but we’re here now. Lead on, Andy. We have a corridor to clear.”
‘That’s the nice way of saying that we have Androids to kill?’ Micah asked. Braden nodded, close-mouthed. His hands rested easily on his blasters.
They headed up the stairs and for the door that would lead them to the elevator. From there, they’d go up in two groups and reassemble where the apparent gravity was more, making them feel heavier. Then they’d set up to assault the corridor where Holly couldn’t see.
The move was uneventful. The companions, twelve of them plus Andy and Betafor, waited at the door that would take them to the catwalk attached to the aft wall of the garden deck. They would be four hundred meters above the garden where the Rabbits and the bees lived.
“Don’t look down,” Braden cautioned. “Once we’re at the top, Micah and I and Bounder and Strider will open the door. It’s important to establish a position inside the corridor so we can see what’s going on. Andy and Betafor, you are coming with us. I can’t believe that Androids would fire on their own.”
“Then you don’t know Androids. We will do as you request. Our job is to serve,” Andy replied flatly.
Holly’s voice came from the speaker by the door. “There are two Androids on the catwalk at the top of the next stairs. They have been watching the door to make sure it remained secure until your arrival.”
“Thank you for the heads up, Holly.” Braden waved his bracelet and the door opened. The humidity of the Garden Deck made the air seem thick. The height didn’t help. Braden focused on the two Androids on the next landing up. He had both blasters out and walked slowly.
Treetis and Jocelyn froze the second they stepped outside. Jocelyn couldn’t look anywhere but down. G-War and Fea worked their way to each side of the stricken ‘cat and forced him to move. Micah took Jocelyn by the arm and guided her away from the rail. “Stay next to the wall.”
Jocelyn’s eyes shot wide as she saw someone fall. She gasped, until she realized it was only Skirill and Zyena flying in a circle.
‘The bees are coming,’ G warned.
“Open that hatch,” Braden told one of the new Androids. Bounder and Strider leveled their spears.
“Stay close and keep your head down,” Micah ordered Jocelyn. In one hand, Micah carried her sword, in the other, a blaster.
“Dial to a mid-beam,” Braden called over his shoulder. Micah immediately thumbed the setting on her weapon. Braden checked his and waited as the Android cut the small weld holding the door closed. Pik shuffled up the steps, gripping his trident firmly in both hands.
Aadi stayed closed to the wall as he swam upward. He found it harder and harder to move, until he stopped. The rotation of the deck kept him from catching up. He grabbed onto the railing with his beak-like mouth.
“Are you okay?” Jocelyn asked, trying to get past her own fear.
‘I am not,’ Aadi replied. ‘As we approach what may be renegade Androids, I am reminded of my last trip to the ship. I must admit that I have an unnatural and unhealthy amount of fear holding me back.’
“I’m with you, Master Aadi. I know the fear, too, but not from the Androids. I’ve never been this high above anything before, and my legs refuse to obey me.”
‘Then we shall power forward together. Focus on those we need to protect.’ Aadi kept his eyes on the landing in front of them where Braden, Micah, Bounder, and Strider stood ready with Betafor and Andy.
Betafor looked to Braden, who nodded back. The Android opened the door. The lights inside were off and the darkness impenetrable for those first crucial moments.
With the sound of air rushing by, something flew out the door and hit Betafor in the chest, throwing him back. He skimmed past Strider, hit the rail, and went over before anyone could move to grab him. The Android didn’t make a sound as he plunged four hundred meters to the deck below.
Bounder was the first to react by sending a lightning bolt through the doorway. He held the lever on his spear for multiple heartbeats. Strider started to fire as soon as Bounder stopped.
Braden stepped back and fired his blaster into the opening. Micah didn’t have a clean shot. She vibrated with anticipation waiting for her turn.
“Cease fire,” Braden shouted. He signaled to Micah to follow him. Strider’s lightning crackled through the doorway then stopped. Braden jumped into the gap and dove to the deck, rolling to the side and coming up to one knee, ready to fire.
Micah mirrored his movement, ending up on the other side of the corridor.
A shadow detached itself from the other shadows. Braden fired at it. Micah fired at a different target. Bounder and Strider came through the doorway and started to fire over Braden and Micah’s heads.
“Cease fire!” Braden tried to listen but the sound of the lightning spears so close to his head kept him from hearing the subtle sounds of furtive movement.
When the dust and smoke cleared, the corridor remained dark, impenetrable. A barricade had been set up a short way down the corridor. Braden motioned to Micah. He fired a couple short bursts with his blaster and Micah scampered forward until she was behind cover.
She reached up and fired haphazardly over the top of the barrier. Braden threw himself down the corridor, landing heavily on the deck. He grunted before pushing himself into a crouch.
Th
e air cleared once again and from the darkness, a dozen Android lasers lanced toward them. Bounder and Strider were peppered with beams. They dropped and crawled out the doorway.
Braden reached over the barricade, pulling the trigger and washing the corridor with the blaster’s flame.
‘We’re okay,’ Bounder said, pain in his thought voice.
Andy stepped inside and the door closed, cutting off Braden and Micah from the others. The corridor plunged into darkness.
“Andy, turn on the lights, please,” Braden said as calmly as he could manage. Braden heard a voice inside his head. He ducked. Andy’s laser cut a line across the side of his head. Braden unleashed the fury of his blaster at point-blank range. The smoking hulk of what used to be Andy toppled slowly against the wall, then fell to the deck.
“Good effort, human, but you must know that you can’t defeat us. We are everywhere,” a voice said from the darkness beyond the barricade.
“Nah,” Braden replied. “You’re only in here. Once we scrub this deck clean of you and your type, then you won’t be anywhere. You’ll be erased from history.”
Micah pointed to her eyes and shook her head. She couldn’t see the enemy. Braden was happy that the ‘cats hadn’t made it in before Andy was turned.
He couldn’t see his armor to know how many times he’d been hit in the brief times he’d been exposed to Android lasers.
“I think you have it backwards. It is humanity that will be erased from history.”
“I really hate Androids. Smug. Scumbags. You don’t sound like the typical machine. I guess that you’re the smart one. And you can reprogram the Androids that get close to you. But we aren’t them, and you don’t know how to deal with us. Maybe you should study us, but it’ll be too bad that you never get a chance.”
Braden reached over the barricade and fired. A cold hand reached from the other side and grabbed his wrist. Micah bounced to her feet and fired a narrow beam into the mechanical arm. She jumped forward and fired again, then dropped to the deck as Android lasers sliced the air where her head had just been.
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