Star Thief

by T. Jackson King

“You are correct,” Akantha said, sounding like a Mogelian male being chastised for failing to properly fuel a fusion reactor. “I can use your repair mechbot and my own mechbots to weld the metal end of each tube to the hangar ceiling.”

  Laserta nodded at the dominance displayed by the Stars entity. While the Harl AI had insulted her by discarding her Employer status, it was pleasing to see the AI take command over other beings and AIs. Especially the AI who was so disgustingly loyal to the Human Vitades. That assertion of power brought to mind a further wish.

  “Stars That Beckon, why do we leave behind four power blocks in the underground level of the Harl tower? Can we not find space to transport the blocks?”

  “I agree,” Stars boomed strongly. “Akantha intelligence, think in all dimensions. Where could the additional four blocks be stored?”

  “Nowhere inside my vessel spaces,” she sang in a shrill tone. “However, the blocks could be attached to the outside of my vessel using magfield clamps. Or by welding them to the hull.”

  “Your plasma torches cannot distort the living metal of the power blocks,” Stars boomed. “Magfield clamps will suffice. I will order Captain Vitades and his crew beings to bring up the other four power blocks when they transport the eight stasis tubes with Harl remains.”

  Laserta felt satisfaction. While the Harl remains had little value to her, she could make Employer’s Claim to all eight power blocks. Or as many as she could acquire by threatening to downgrade the captain’s performance status on the Dark Services Listing. Surely a threat to his ability to acquire future employers would motivate the Human to give her more than a single item under Employer’s Claim. While she doubted the male would relinquish the gravity projector or the antimatter beamer, there were plenty of other valuables obtained from the Harl intelligences on Boundary. She was determined to gain as much as she could. Obtaining the maximum benefit from every situation was standard behavior for every Mogelian female dominant. Briefly she smiled to herself as she felt her sense of power return.

  Sharp Claw scanned the giant trees that surrounded the grass-covered plaza on which her star vessel had landed. She led her captain and crew friends. Her visor was up and she smelled the various scents coming from all directions. She did not detect the scent of the giant four-legged creature who had attacked them just after landing. Still, there were the aggressive ground insects and the ceiling-traveling multi-leg insect that had dropped onto them. A rustle in shrubs on her left caused her to aim her magrail rifle that way. She touched the fire dot.

  “Rrrrip!” sounded as a dozen depleted uranium slugs shot out at close to planetary escape velocity. Red blood spouted briefly. The shrub vanished and two trees behind it lost their base. They fell backward against other trees.

  “Weapons?” called the captain in a tone she understood. It was a call for explanation.

  “Captain, I heard animal sounds,” she hissed softly, turning to scan the tree perimeter on her right. “Then my infrared vision detected the bulk of an animal larger than the ground insect that I destroyed.”

  “Well done, Weapons.”

  She slowed as they reached the base of the ramp that led up to the airlock of the Akantha. The long triangle with a fat globe at its rear filled the center of the green-grassed plaza. A wind from the northwest brought the scent of flowers and tree-climbers. Behind her came the captain, Flow and Meander, pulling the metal rope attached to the second power block. Behind them came Draken pulling the floater pad with the first block.

  “Damn it!” cursed the captain just before he reached Claw’s guard position.

  “Captain?” she looked to her rear, thinking some creature might be approaching from her blind side. But such was not possible with beings who survived on her world of Rogain. The hearing and smell abilities of her Notem people sensed in all directions. Such was essential for survival on her world. Even with the giant Scalies confined to electronic reservations, other predators roamed her world. “Is there a problem?”

  The male Human stopped beside her and looked up at their vessel with an expression of anger. “The damned Stars crystal has just ordered me to retrieve the eight damaged stasis tubes with Harl remains for attaching to the ceiling of the Hangar. Worse, we are to bring the other four power blocks up here for attachment to the outer hull of the Akantha.” He gave a sigh. “It is almost nightfall. We will do the retrievals tomorrow. Then we can leave this world and head for the Gate and our next leg of this accursed trip.”

  Claw understood his frustration. The captain wanted nothing more than to pass through the three remaining empires and three corporate domains in order to arrive at the Harl home world. But some of the Gate systems they must pass through held a world with one or more Harl ruins. Stars had made clear every Harl city ruin had to be inspected for stasis tubes. The discovery of eight tubes on this overgrown world strengthened the AI’s demand. While she was willing to work at night, thanks to her infrared vision, she understood the captain’s decision. He needed time to balance his emotions before complying with the crystal’s demand. She just hoped that once they returned to the Harl world of Boundary, the bothersome crystal would be removed from their vessel. As Draken passed her with his floater pad, she took a last glance around. Nothing predatory. Just the small flying creatures. Hopefully a few would come closer tomorrow. She enjoyed the taste of flying creatures.

  Meander saw the infrared signal on her control panel that warned of the presence of the Battleclaw vessel close to the Gate they had come through in order to reach the world with eight stasis tubes. Their six day journey outward to the Gate was at an end. Her duty as Astrogator was about to begin. Soon they would pass through the Gate, leave the Dookit empire and days later exit into a corporate domain system. But first came passing by the Battleclaw. The Dookit command beings had told her captain to ignore them on the Akantha’s return. She hoped that would happen. But a beep signal came from Flow’s Pilot panel on her right.

  “Captain,” chirped the avian. “We have an incoming neutrino comsignal from the Battleclaw. Your orders?”

  “Put it up on the vidscreen,” the Soft Skin said, sounding irritated.

  “Transferring,” chirped her fellow crew being.

  Meander looked up. The left of the vidscreen showed a graphic of the system with the world orbits shown. The right side depicted a true space image of blackness lit only by the blue disk of the Gate and a silvery sparkle from the nearby Battleclaw. The amphibians had moved closer to the Gate but were not blocking her vessel’s vector track. A hiss of frustration came from Claw as she realized her chances of fighting were low.

  The vidscreen center changed. The Battleclaw’s command chamber with its multiple basins of water occupied by Dookit amphibians became sharp as a diamond. The central Dookit looked up. Its skin color patterns of yellow, red and black twisted into multiple patterns of speech. Its bulbous green eyes fixed on them.

  “Dry Landers! The exterior of your vessel has changed since you first appeared. Explain!”

  Lotan the Influencer moved to stand before the captain and employer Laserta. He twisted his hands, arms and entire body in a pleasing manner. “Oh mighty pod leader, we did not vidcast you as you earlier ordered. My captain advises the four attachments to our hull are simply boxes containing water from the fifth world. Our crew needs water for life more often than other Dry Lander crews. May we pass onward?”

  The two wet-skinned Dookit who flanked the pod leader did not change their skin patterns. They actually looked down at their deck mounted control panels. Clearly she and her fellow crew beings were of no interest to them. The central Dookit pushed up on his forearms, water cascading down his back. A toothy mouth opened. A yellow tongue moved.

  “Your absence is desired. Leave the Dookit Empire and do not return unless you bring gold bars with you!”

  “We depart, oh mighty pod leader!” Lotan said in a mix of clicks and pheromone scents that sometimes made Meander dizzy.

  The Battleclaw image dis
appeared. The blue circle of the Gate came closer. They had slowed to one psol upon nearing the Gate location. In a few moments they would enter the Gate. She looked back. The captain wore brown clothing he called a jumpsuit. Accel straps crossed his chest. His hairy arms rested on the rails of his seat. Beside him sat Laserta, her short red body fur stiff. As if she were angry. Her two green eyes were watching the captain. Well, Meander knew her duty.

  “Captain, I am ready to transmit the star light curve for system 27,671, which lies in the Wokan corporate domain,” she chittered in a calm tone.

  “Transmit the curve,” the Soft Skin said quickly. “Let us leave this system and get into wormhole transit. At least in transit no one can harm or bother us! Or demand a bribe.”

  Meander twisted forward and fixed her compound eyes on the Astrogation control panel before which she stood. She tapped a neutrino comsignal control with the manipulator spines of one griparm. Then she looked up as the blue wavelets came closer, the surface swirling and spiraling as if it were a watery vortex. Soon indeed they would enter transit. Then she could resume her search of the Harl Gate/Star vid inventory listing. Finding her yellow-orange home star was her duty. What she might do when she—

  “Astrogator, a question,” called Captain Vitades.

  She tensed her four legs, then told herself to relax. No large predator was pursuing her. “Yes, captain, what is your question?”

  “Once we enter the Gate and are in transit, could a repair mechbot survive being on the outer hull of our vessel?”

  Puzzlement hit her. Why would he wish to do such an unusual action? “Captain, as you know, no bioform can survive exposure to the blue fields of wormhole transit. However, a pre-programmed mechbot might be able to survive exposure. But communicating with the bot while it is outside is not possible.”

  The small vidscreen on her Astrogation panel showed him nodding his head. She knew that meant positive agreement with her. “Good. I will give it a try. Akantha, we need to cover the four power blocks in metal domes so they resemble our other weapons mounts. I do not wish some other star vessel to notice their boxy shape and insist on a direct inspection. Can you program Repairs Unit 4793 to install domes atop the blocks?”

  “I can,” sang her vessel’s AI in a tone full of confident friendliness. “I can also direct my own four repair mechbots to fabricate the domes needed. Then all the unit given us by Stars needs to do is to carry the domes outside, put one atop each block, and then weld the domes to my hull.”

  Meander felt relief at the AI’s musical words. The artificial intelligence spoke in a tone softer than the rasping produced by her legs against her chitin skin. But it had always been friendly to her and to the other crew beings. And it was loyal to the captain.

  “Very good, Akantha,” the captain said in his flowing sound words. “Commence the hull work once we are in transit.”

  “Understood,” said the friendly AI.

  A UV light on her control panel flashed. “Captain, we have passed through the Gate. We are in transit to system 27,671.”

  “Astrogator, thank you.” Movement sounds came behind her. “Maybe now I can get some rest in my cabin. Advise Akantha of any issue that needs attention. Each of you may leave your station as you wish. Employer Laserta, do you wish food sent to your cabin?”

  “I do not,” she barked sharply. “I find the vision of blue wavelets to be soothing. I will remain here while you and your crew beings do whatever you wish to do.”

  Meander felt humor deep inside. It was pleasant to see the former Employer dealing with frustration. The red-furred Soft Skin had so often attempted to dominate every being on the Akantha. It was therefore pleasing to see her dominated by the control nexus crystal part of Stars That Beckon. Now, which appealed to her most? Food or combat entertainment in the Weapons Chamber simulator? She opted for the thing she almost never did, except during exploration on a planet’s surface. Pretend combat felt more fun than the real combat they had faced in fighting the dogon carnivores and the giant creature that had attacked them upon landing in the grassy plaza. She preferred fun over the real threat of dying.

  I sat in my cabin’s recliner seat, its faux leather cushions soft under me, and grabbed the oversize shot glass and bottle that sat atop a glass table on my right. The bottle’s contents were a rich golden brown. Its label read Glenmorangie Signet, highland single malt scotch whiskey. I’d found it on a market world two years ago, bought it and became entranced by its mix of sweetness with morning coffee richness. And I liked the swirl of the Celtic interlace pattern on the bottle. This was something my father had drunk at the Scots Pub in downtown Edessa. It was also very expensive when bought from an alien merchant. I twisted the cap off and poured myself three fingers of scotch. Then I sipped from the glass slowly, the wandering of my eyes stopping on a wall holo of Mount Olympus. Or rather on the peak Mytikas, the reputed home of the ancient Greek gods and goddesses. I had trekked through Enipeas Gorge, seeing a yellow spotted salamander. Higher up I passed through the beech forests. Then I got above the treeline and enjoyed the challenge of steeply slanting rock walls. Since I climbed during summer there was no snow atop Mytikas. It had been a fun adventure. Unlike now.

  “Akantha, put on the Ragtime piano piece by Scott Joplin. I need to hear something from Earth.”

  Why did you not just think the request?

  I gritted my teeth. Because I am feeling contrary right now.

  Why?

  You know my mind. You know my emotions. You tell me.

  The sense of a small laugh came to my mind. You like being in charge of any exploration. Now you are not in charge. You, like me, must accept the commands of the Harl crystal component. While this long trek to the Scutum-Centaurus Arm is similar to your prior exploration trips, it is also very different. The route has been chosen for us. The duties have been specified. If we refuse, Stars will only allow us to return to Boundary, there to land and be free to roam its landscape for the rest of your lives.

  So true. What will you do if we are held on Boundary? You are not biological. Potentially you have eternal life.

  I felt a sigh inside me. Who wants to live for eternity? Not me. Changing vistas, different bioforms and unpredictable outcomes appeal to me. That is why I brought you into me at the Harl ruin and implanted the mind touch device. You have enjoyed my presence, have you not?

  I have. I closed my eyes. Play the Joplin Ragtime, please.

  Of course.

  Energetic piano ragtime tunes filled my cabin. The sounds relaxed me. Before I knew it, I fell into a relaxed sleep.

  Draken entered the valuables storage chamber. Stacks of mineral and rare earth bars filled ninety percent of its volume. There were slender aisles between the stacks for bioform access, but none were wide enough for him. He turned left and spotted the two zero-point energy blocks that were placed against the metal wall which faced the central hallway. The four meter long side of each block was placed against the wall, since there was no room for the blocks to be placed so they projected into the chamber. The power sparkles glinted on the sides facing him. He felt the flow of gravitons from each block, along with a trickle of neutrinos. Clearly the gravitons were central to each block’s ability to contact Dark Energy and Dark Matter. Which made sense since every Gate was also a source of strong graviton emissions. Gravitons in tremendous numbers were essential to the bending of space-time so a wormhole junction could be created between Gates. Briefly he considered reducing the setting of his gravband from 1.4 gee to a half gee so he could easily climb atop the inclined surface of the nearest block. But no. His self-appointed task was to inspect and evaluate the four blocks inside the Akantha. He reversed position and exited into the central hallway.

  No one else was in the hall. While rest times varied among his fellow crew beings, what some called the early morning was usually quiet and non-active. Draken turned left and headed down the hallway, aiming for the hangar that lay at the midbody of the Akantha. He stopped be
fore the hangar portal. Reaching out, he touched the center of the portal. It spiraled open. He entered a small room that held the controls for hangar gravity, air supply, lighting and operation of the hangar hull entry. The room was empty. His six legs carried him to the spiral door that led to the hangar interior. A touch and he was inside the large space. Sensors detected him and the white-yellow ceiling lights came on, illuminating the space. It was crowded. Besides the shuttle, several dozen spybots and sensorbots were racked alongside the four walls of the hangar. Overhead the eight stasis tubes were attached to the ceiling. He turned right.

  The other two power blocks were at the rear wall that faced the hallway. While fuel cylinders occupied parts of the rear wall, the two blocks were snugged into the corner. Their long sides were against the wall surfaces, as in the valuables chamber. He stopped before them. His skin felt the flow of gravitons and the tickle of neutrinos. He loved the taste of neutrinos. Fortunately neutrinos came from all parts of space, though most strongly from local stars. At least his vessel’s fusion reactor and two fusion pulse thrusters emitted a strong neutrino flow. The power sparkles were active and normal.

  Draken walked past the blocks and to the oversize spiral portal that gave access to the central hallway. A touch allowed him entry into the hall. Turning left he headed for the Green Chamber. While oxygen producing trees and plants were rare on his world of Kaken, still, his eyes enjoyed viewing the unmoving lifeforms. He touched a spiral door and entered the chamber. Trees, shrubs and ground cover some species called grass filled the room. Small flows of water ran across the open meadow space. He stood there, enjoying the sight of life. On his world life was usually found underground. He recalled the yellow glow of luminescent actinomycete bacteria that lined the walls of the lava tubes his people used for easy travel. Here life was rampant. Would the Harl home world be life green? He hoped so.