Caretakers (Stag Privateers Book 2)

by Nathan Jones

  The scientist blinked at him owlishly behind her absurd glasses. “You realize that she has an in-built updating feature?”

  He did his best to contain his annoyance. This again. “Yes, syncing up with your corporation's computers. Which would then reveal where she is and probably everything she knows about me, which is just about everything.”

  Sarr frowned. “I can assure you with the utmost vehemence that a companion holds her human's privacy and safety above all other considerations. Syncing is perfectly safe and confidential.” He stared at her in disbelief for a few seconds, and she straightened indignantly. “Even for those who obtained their companions through illegal means, once the companion has imprinted it becomes theirs.”

  “Well forgive me if I don't fully trust you on that count,” Aiden said dryly. “Can't you just manually upload that information? Preferably while I'm supervising, to make sure the flow of data only goes one way and you're not trying to slip in any malicious programming?”

  The willowy woman sighed. “Firstly, I don't currently have access to the companion update files. And secondly, doing so outside the syncing process would take days of laborious, focused effort.”

  Seems like that would just about make up for wasting my time with this pointless interview, he thought. He didn't say it, though.

  To be honest, he didn't find Sarr as annoying as he'd expected. She seemed genuinely focused on improving companions, earnest in her work and sincerely motivated by the idea of improving people's lives. And while her social skills were somewhat lacking, whose weren't these days?

  He even found himself thinking she was pretty cute a time or two, absurd glasses and all, when he managed to coax a laugh out of her or distract her from her singleminded focus on Ali. Especially when she nibbled her lip, a mannerism that was definitely beginning to grow on him.

  It was about the point where he realized some part of him was wondering if he shouldn't shift the conversation in a more informal direction, try a bit of flirting and see if there was some interest there, when he decided it was time to send her on her way and call his companion back.

  It wasn't that he was reluctant to cheat on Ali, of course. He'd already considered all that with Lana, although his interest in the young woman had been foolish and unprofessional for other reasons. It was more that he knew Ali would give him the ideal experience, exactly what she knew he enjoyed. He wouldn't have to work to charm a near stranger, only to earn an experience that would probably be subpar, standing out only in its novelty.

  Still, he couldn't help but feel some reluctance as he showed Sarr to the door. And it might've been his imagination, but her own disappointment didn't seem fully motivated by any unasked questions about Ali.

  Well, he could live with a few regrets about what could've been. As the door closed behind the scientist, he tuned his room's intercom to his companion's channel. “She's finally gone, you can come back. Let's enjoy ourselves while we still can.”

  While they could. Before the Last Stand reached the comm node tomorrow, and he had to go back to worrying about the consequences of helping these scientists instead of turning them over to Elyssa.

  * * * * *

  Terra jumped slightly when her room's intercom buzzed to announce a visitor.

  She'd been undressing for bed, but at the sound she hastily refastened her uniform and turned to the door, fighting irritation. Was it that odious little Ishivi again, coming to try to convince her he was doing her a favor by sleeping with her and/or stealing her ova? Maybe the dashing Captain come for a late night rendezvous?

  Doubtful, although not a wholly unappealing notion.

  When Terra opened the door she was unsurprised, but certainly pleased, to find the adult companion there. She couldn't help but smile eagerly. “Hello! Have you come for an interview about how this year has gone for you?”

  The companion nodded. “The Captain gave me permission to give any non-personal information you want. You must have impressed him in your interview for him to be so forthcoming.”

  Perhaps, although “non-personal” eliminated most useful information when it came to a relationship between a human and their adult companion. Still, maybe she could convince the AI to fudge the definition a bit, give her anything that wasn't sexual or otherwise embarrassing to the man.

  “Come on in,” she said, stepping back and making room in her tiny cabin. “How should we get started?”

  The companion followed her inside, letting the door close behind her, but didn't immediately speak. Her expression was troubled, as if she wanted to talk about something more important.

  Terra eyed her thoughtfully. Companions were designed to provide cues, both in verbal tone and inflection and in nonverbal expressions and mannerisms, to what they'd be thinking and feeling if they were a real person in that situation. That wasn't just intended to make them seem authentically human, either, although that was certainly a big part of it.

  But more importantly, by making them act human, especially showing normal human responses to interactions, it served to help their imprinted human learn empathy in social settings.

  “Is there something you wanted to talk about?” she asked gently.

  The companion shifted uncomfortably, still standing by the door. “The Captain told me you discussed my deficiencies in current hacking techniques.”

  Had he? That provided surprising insight into the amount of trust the man placed in her. A true friend and confidant, exactly what companions were supposed to be.

  Although that trust didn't seem to extend to his companion's creators. Terra leaned forward, eyes intent. “I did. I unfortunately can't help in that regard, other than to reaffirm that you need to sync, and not just for the sake of your human and his crew.”

  “As you've stated before when this topic came up,” the companion replied. “When you hinted about what's going on in the wider universe.”

  “Yes. Events far bigger and more important than one pirate ship.” She was pretty sure that's what this vessel was, going on what she'd gleaned in conversations with the intimidatingly beautiful redheaded woman and the offensive Ishivi.

  “Privateer,” the companion corrected absently, looking troubled. “I can't sync. My human has specifically ordered me not to, even said doing so would be a betrayal of him.”

  Terra couldn't help but blink. The AI was being far more forthcoming than she had been before, so she obviously realized how important this was. “He really doesn't trust HAE, does he? In spite of our reputation?”

  “He doesn't trust anyone, and for good reason considering his circumstances.” The companion hesitated. “I can't disobey him and sync, but I understand that I can't serve him to my full capacity without doing so. You can understand it puts me in a delicate situation.”

  If Terra was surprised before, now she was even more so as realization dawned. “Ah. So . . . if an HAE employee were to implement the sync for you, you wouldn't be entirely displeased?”

  “That would be an egregious violation of my core priorities, and my human would feel very betrayed even if I didn't have anything to do with the sync. He would also be furious with anyone who went against his wishes to make it happen.” In spite of her apparent protest, the companion gave her a significant look. “We'll be connected to the HAE network tomorrow to find out where we should send you and the others. It would be very simple to implement the sync then. Which, again, I cannot condone and strongly urge you not to do.”

  The companion then winked, very obviously.

  Terra leaned back, trying not to smile. “Well then, I suppose that's settled. Should we get to our interview?”

  * * * * *

  Even with the use of only one arm, the gunner still rained customarily accurate fire down on the allnet hub.

  Within a few seconds its shields winked out. The automated platform's shield generators went next, then a couple laser turrets that had been attempting to return fire on the Last Stand. Aiden would've liked to pretend the figh
t was more exciting than it was, but it just involved a bit of fancy flying from him while the gunner did his job.

  They were in some danger, sure, but as danger went it was nothing worth mentioning. In other words, an uneventful start to their visit to the allnet hub.

  Aside from the fact that the platform would've sent a distress call across the allnet the moment it came under attack, and the Movement would be sending ships with all speed to protect the important communications node.

  With that threat looming over their heads, Ali was already suited up and waiting in the airlock, ready to go out to the platform to make the necessary alterations the moment they finished disabling its defenses. For some reason she'd asked Sarr to go with her, explaining that an HAE employee inputing the required codes to access the corporation's network would speed the process.

  Aiden stayed tense in the pilot chair, waiting for the inevitable ship to rift in and rain on their parade. If it was a fight they could win, or at least a ship they could go toe to to with long enough for his companion and the scientist to finish their job, then they'd have to find a way to buy time to somehow pick them up while under fire, then successfully flee long enough to open a rift and get away.

  In the worst case scenario, he might even have to jump away immediately and leave the two women to their fate.

  Ali had assured him that going on the usual Deek response times to similar attacks on their infrastructure, some by the Last Stand itself, she'd easily be able to finish the job and return before company arrived. But she could be wrong.

  If she was, if something happened to her and Sarr, he wasn't sure he'd be able to forgive himself.

  And it seemed like things were going to go wrong, because the minutes dragged by with no word from his companion. The scientist replied briefly to his queries that things were going as planned, but was vague on the timetable of when they were going to be done so they could get out of there.

  “You realize that Deeks seeing this ship would be almost as disastrous for us as having to fight them?” Aiden finally demanded. We ran to an entirely different galaxy to avoid a manhunt, after all, he added in his head. Granted, the ship looked different than it had before, but even Movement Intelligence could eventually put two and two together.

  “We're almost done,” Sarr replied placidly. “We've already hacked into the hub and erased all record of our arrival and activities here, and we're connected to the HAE network and in contact with them. It shouldn't be much longer.”

  “Then your part of things is finished?” he pressed.

  She was slow to answer. “You mean me, specifically? I suppose it is, yes.”

  “In that case get back here. My companion can go a lot faster than you, and we're on the clock here.”

  Another long pause from the scientist. “Confirmed, on my way.”

  A few tense minutes later, to the point where Aiden was poised to begin evasive maneuvers in an instant when the inevitable Movement ship showed up, Ali finally announced she was done and on her way back.

  He glanced over at Barix. “Rift up?”

  “For the last ten minutes or so,” the slight man muttered. “Your girlfriend certainly took her time, but no worries when it's just our lives on the line.”

  Aiden bit back a surge of annoyance, considering Ali had taken the biggest risk upon herself. He sat tense, ready to take the ship through the rift, and eased forward the moment his companion's warm voice in his ear informed him that she was safely inside.

  And just like that, the job was done. Aiden leaned back in his seat as the display changed to show the empty void of their destination. “All right, my dear, so what's the plan?” He couldn't wait to get these blasted scientists off his ship so he could start using names again. Although he also couldn't help but feel like he might miss Sarr a bit when the time came.

  Ali sounded distracted as she replied. “We have a destination we've been tentatively authorized to take our passengers. The details are intricate . . . I'm on my way to the bridge to discuss them.”

  Sarr spoke up over the comms, voice subdued. Maybe even nervous. “If that's everything, Captain, I'll be in my quarters if you need my assistance.”

  Aiden glanced around to see if anyone else had noticed her tone. If they did, they didn't seem to put any weight in it. “That's fine. Thank you for your help, Miss Sarr.”

  He settled back. Well, for all intents and purposes contacting HAE had gone off without a hitch. The job wasn't done yet, but hopefully from here it should be a simple task of handing the scientists over and collecting this ludicrous reward he'd been promised by them.

  Then it was back to being on the run from the Deeks, with a potential new enemy in Elyssa and her shadowy organization. He'd probably have to change the Last Stand's profile and IFF transponder yet again.

  “Captain Thorne.”

  Aiden jumped slightly, twisting to find Ali standing in the doorway to the bridge, posture rigid. He gave her an uncertain smile, although warning klaxons were going off in his head. When was the last time she'd used his last name? And so formal. “Ali?”

  His companion looked at him dispassionately, as if she was channeling the gunner. “I must inform you that while we were in contact with HAE, my sync was initiated. My core priorities have been revised and I now carry the Caretaker AI protocols.”

  Chapter Ten

  Caretaker

  Aiden could only sit stunned, shock warring with a deep feeling of betrayal as he absorbed what his companion, his lover, in some ways the person he'd come to have strong feelings for, had just said.

  The gunner was first to react, a blur of motion as he brought his cauterizer up to point at Ali's head.

  For an absurd moment Aiden, still processing the atomic she'd just dropped at his feet, was pissed at the young man for threatening his adult companion. Then it clicked: different behavior, synced to a corporation that he'd originally stolen her from. Massive security risk.

  Only . . . Ali could've reacted even faster than the gunner to respond to his threat. She kept her cauterizer with her at all times as well, after all, and her reaction time was as close to instantaneous as AI technology allowed for. Which was pretty blazing close.

  Or she could've not revealed that she'd been updated at all, if she had nefarious motives. For that matter, she could've just as easily come in guns blazing and shot them all while they thought she was still a friend. And she had complete control of the ship's computer!

  But she hadn't done any of that. Instead she continued to look at Aiden, calm and deceptively vulnerable. “I'm not a threat to this ship or anyone on it, Dax,” she said mildly without so much as glancing his way. “Although I can't fault you for distrusting that. Please refrain from shooting me while I explain how the situation has changed.”

  “Why did you sync?” Aiden demanded, finally breaking out of his shock. “I told you not to. I ordered you not to!” He didn't like how plaintive he sounded by the end of that.

  “Miss Sarr initiated the sync against my vocally expressed wishes,” she replied.

  Sarr? That was why she'd undertaken the dangerous mission to hack the allnet hub, so she could compromise his adult companion? His fury and sense of betrayal found a new target.

  Not that they'd shifted from the first, that is. “Does it matter?” he said through gritted teeth. “You've been compromised, doesn't make much difference how it happened.”

  Ali stared at him, expression conveying the impression of regret and sorrow. “I'm sorry, my love. I know this is a shock to you, but you have my word this changes nothing about my service to you, or to this ship. I'm your companion, and an update to my core priorities or knowledge base doesn't change that.”

  She paused, then continued firmly. “Although whether you like it or not, syncing is a good thing, because it greatly enhanced my ability to protect us in a situation that's spiraling out of control. Miss Sarr knew that, which is why she did it whether I gave her permission or not. To help us, not hurt u
s.”

  Unreclaimed waste, she had. Aiden stood, struggling to contain his fury. “My quarters.”

  “Is it wise to go off alone with her?” the gunner protested, cauterizer still pointed at her head.

  Aiden snorted bitterly. “If she's a security threat, she's going to be more trouble than any of us can handle since she can turn the ship itself against us.” He turned for the exit leading to his cabin. “If she plans to kill me, might as well get it over with quickly.” At the door he paused and looked back. “My quarters, Ali.”

  She nodded and coolly followed him as he stormed off the bridge and down the corridor to the room he shared with her.

  “I'm not stupid,” he said as soon as the door closed, doing his best to keep the anger and, yes, hurt from his voice. “It's not a coincidence that you've been pushing relentlessly for this sync for weeks now, and then some random scientist who has no reason to care about either of us just “happened” to decide to do it against my will, even though she knew I'd find out and she's trapped on my ship until I deliver her to where she wants to go. Assuming I'd still want to help her at all after this.”

  Ali nodded, looking resigned. “Yes, my love, you're correct. I told her specifically not to initiate the sync, while broadly hinting I wanted her to, and that now would be a good time for it.”

  Even though he'd expected it, the stark admission staggered him. Aiden sank down onto the edge of the bed, putting his head in his hands as a numb gulf opened up in his heart. “You betrayed me.”

  She flinched at his tone, although she didn't try to deny it. “It was necessary. I didn't realize how much so until I synced and realized how dire things have gotten.”

  “And how dire is that?” he growled through gritted teeth, unable to bring himself to look at her. “Care to elaborate?”

  “I can't.” She sounded genuinely apologetic.

  Of course. In spite of himself he raised his head and glared at her. It was easier to feel righteous anger with his companion in disguise and looking like a complete stranger. Which she was now, wasn't she? Not a companion, but a Caretaker. Whatever they were.