by Chris Mills
Faith? Gabe didn’t question his, but had trouble understanding it at times. Some big figure shouldn’t have done this, yet supposedly even if he knew all that would happen, he still let it. No wonder Stephen was an atheist again.
Softness came to Gabe’s hand. He took a deep breath. A warmth he loved kept hold of him. “Don’t change,” he whispered.
“You need to keep a hold of yourself,” Kim whispered into Gabe’s ear. A nice peck came to his cheek. “Let’s relax in bed. Talk to me. Anger doesn’t help anything right now.” She was right. Who really should he be angry at, or was he just angry? There had been times he was furious at Kim when she deserved none of it.
“I promise we’ll get home in time for the wedding.”
“I can’t promise that it will be the same if he stays.”
Oh.
**
Sometimes it got a bit too quiet at night here. A skeleton crew of two ran the bridge till morning. Half the time they read up reports on the day and made their own. They would rest at times and wait. Frandel tapped his foot in the captain’s chair. This wasn’t quite what he envisioned when joining the academy. Bridge crew should work with the captain, not when everyone left.
Kend, his usual coworker, had a tablet out. The human always brought it to their shift. If someone stepped on the bridge, he’d switch it right over to work. Frandel sighed and rubbed his face. A yawn escaped. Galat II would soon be before them, and he had plenty of shore leave. What would come to the Explorer C? A slight joy rose at the chance to transfer. One day, he wanted to be captain. He hadn’t quite gone that route, but if he showed promise with some experience, he may still get it.
“Weird,” Frandel spoke.
“What?” Kend said. Frandel took to the helm. “What is it?”
“We came out of warp.”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing. Contact engineering.”
Their course was still set. Frendel set them back in motion. He scratched his scruffy blue chin. “It’s not from them,” Kend said. “I’ll make a note on it. They are going to run a diagnostic. Uh, what the?”
“Get someone up here,” Frendel said. A station flickered close. The ship needed an overhaul on the bridge. It wasn’t the first time something like that happened. Coming to a full stop needed to be looked into regardless. “We’re back on course. We’ll be at Galat II soon enough.”
“They can sort out this shit while I go bed my wife.”
Chapter Seven
Slight warmth, softness; better than the bed Stephen was used to waking in. He rubbed his face. Hmm. Once more he brushed his nose. Dang, his body was tired. The aches and pain were hard to detect. He moved his foot around a bit. His body wished to lay there and do nothing. Maybe it was for the best. He let his eyes rest a bit.
“You should not be awake,” a woman said.
The infirmary had little light inside it. A dim bar ran along a door, likely the entrance. A slight glow illuminated the android’s top. Her eyes themselves had a similar green glow. To Stephen, they were calming. She leaned over him, hands at sides.
“Your vitals are recovering,” the android said.
“What’s your name?”
“I have been assigned the name Nurse.”
“That isn’t a name,” Stephen said.
“It is what I have been given.”
“Don’t you have a name you would like to be called?”
“I am programmed for specific need. A name is not necessary.”
“I see,” Stephen said. “I thought androids in the future would be more free thinking.”
“We are programmed to interact and learn to a level. My programming and failsafe ensure I do not pass them. I do not see a need to. I enjoy my time here. My last role was loud.”
“Loud?”
“I saw many patients and rarely was retired. They assigned me after a new model came. I enjoy this better.”
“Is there a reason you’re limited?”
“I am fine with what I have. Past events have ensured advanced AI does not cause unneeded conflict.”
“War?”
“I do not have that information. Please, rest. I need to sedate you. You need your next round of treatments.”
“I can barely move,” Stephen said. “Is the surgery over?”
“We ran into multiple issues. Your surgery was successful and lasted two hours and three minutes longer than estimated.”
“Am I okay?”
“Yes,” the android assured. “Doctor Cherkera managed to remove all alloy from your bones. I suggested a method that allowed the final screws to be removed. The next treatment will help your tissues continue to strengthen and heal.”
“When will I walk?”
“Doctor Cherkera’s own words: One moment at a time. Your condition has greatly improved. Your body will need to heal more before you return to your condition prior to your accident. Sleep.”
Stephen barely got a word out as something pressed against his neck.
**
“Please tell me you can fix that annoyance,” Captain Yarn Adel said sternly. An engineer rose from beneath the station and shrugged. “Come on, this ship isn’t that old.”
“It is, sir,” the engineer said. “We are having power fluctuations again on the bridge, like last month and the month before and the -”
“I get it,” Yarn said, resting back in his captain’s chair. “The ship needs overhaul. It will get it. We have a date with a shipyard.”
“Leave too?” Commander Huskur, the second and command, questioned.
“Yes,” Yarn said.
“Sir?” the helmsman called.
“What is it? Your station now?”
“No,” the helmsman assured. “Same thing in the report early morning and three hours ago.” Yarn sighed. He pinched his forehead. “I’ve reengaged our course. We are three hours from Galat II.”
“Keep an eye on it. Someone contact engineering. We can’t risk another full stop.”
“I think it’s starting to occur during the major fluxes,” Commander Huskur said. “We may want a hard reset some of our systems.”
“We are on a direct course,” Yarn reminded.
“Captain, maybe we should stall. It would only take an hour to do the resets necessary. They helped last time.”
Yarn once more pinched his forehead. “On one hand, we may make it to Galat II without more issues and the other,” he said. He shook his head. “If we run into something else and have to fix it, fine, I’ll order the reset.”
“Wait,” the engineer spoke. Bang. He backed from the console, rubbing the back of his head. Ensign Mull had only come to his rank a month ago - unready if the Yarn were to chime in. “Why don’t we check over the computer core first. We may be able to manually scan and see if there is an issue with a specific system.”
“We have droids that do that.”
“And they may not be functioning or reporting correctly from their age.”
“It also may not be related to the core at all and be right here.”
“I thought it would be worth trying than dropping out of warp to do the resets. It will take less time, I assure you.”
“Fine,” Yarn agreed. “I’ll head down there myself. I’m familiar with this type of computer core.” A great doubt grew, but at least they would be closer to Galat II if they had to stop. “Commander Huskur, you have the bridge.”
**
“You’re not ready,” Doctor Cherkera said. Stephen pressed his foot on the ground. The weakness had faded, yet he couldn’t seem to break the slight tiredness from it. Slowly he managed to fully stand. “You really like to push it, don’t you?”
Stephen swayed. His body wasn’t used to standing. Doctor Cherkera came close with her handheld. “Is he okay?” Herald questioned.
“Yes,” Doctor Cherkera said. “He’s a strong one.”
When Doctor Cherkera spoke, Stephen could not focus on her lips. Old Japanese movies he used
to watch with his father, such as the awesome old-style Godzilla one, had everyone’s lips moving, and the English voice-overs doing what they could. Whatever she put in his brain instantly translated what she said. It was to catch slang and the way she used her words to make it sound natural, rather than the basic translations.
The infirmary was quiet this afternoon once more. Someone came in with a burn they got in engineering. The android tended to him. Doctor Cherkera didn’t seem to do much unless it interested her.
“Whoa,” Herald said. He gripped Stephen’s arm. “Easy now.”
Damn. Something hovered over the ground. Doctor Adel looked sternly at Stephen. Regretfully he sat down in the chair. He at least was out of his infirmary wear and into some comfy shorts and a blue t-shirt with a seal of the Galatian Empire adorned on its front; a blue shield surrounded by a circle and a single five-pointed star within.
“I’ll get you some shoes,” Doctor Cherkera said. “I suggest one more injection. Herald, I’ll send it with you. I’m sure he is anxious to leave.”
“I’m fine, Doctor,” Stephen said. “Thank you for everything.”
“It was a pleasure. I haven’t had a complex operation for a while.”
“Ever?” Herald joked.
Doctor Cherkera rolled her eyes. She went into her office and soon returned with odd grey shoes of a brand called Raxaor, in a way that seemed like Stephen should be impressed. They had purple bands over their tops. A similar one was at the back of the heal. A logo near the front had an X made up of two snakes. A pair of grey socks seemed small till they easily stretched over his feet with great comfort. The doctor pushed the shoe on. At first, they seemed far too big. A sudden compression took as she pushed the back band. The very bands had tightened, and he sighed from the unreal comfort.
“Stephen, I must suggest you stop pushing it.”
“You best listen,” Herald urged. “Your body has to get stronger. It’s tired.”
“I feel ready to go,” Stephen urged.
“I know, but even here, not everything is suddenly fixed.”
It had been weird for Stephen to look upon himself. The scars were gone, along with the very pain he had sadly gotten used to. It was all gone. This accident no longer could or ever would hold him back again. The old scars he held were those on his chest from a previous accident that the doctor hadn’t thought to run this regenerator she had on.
Doctor Cherkera gathered up something in a small kit on her counter. The white, single-stripe kit came to Herald’s hand. He thanked her once more. Doctor Cherkera came to a knee in front of Stephen with a kind smile.
“It was great to have met you, Stephen Jones,” Doctor Cherkera said. “I hope you don’t have any more accidents to come.”
“I hope not too,” Stephen said.
“Come, Darren should be with your friends still,” Herald said. “They’ll be glad to see you.”
Apparently, the three had come earlier to see Stephen this morning. He had been pretty out of it with what the android had given him earlier. It was nice of Darren to show them around the ship and help them get lunch. It was sad to hear from the doctor that Andy had been questioning about his sight, and she had little interest in helping him. Herald explained it really didn’t fall into a place of possibility under the circumstance.
The android appeared the moment they were at the door. Her smile looked real. “Goodbye, it was a pleasure to assist you,” she said. Stephen nodded. “I appreciate your conversation last night.”
“Take care,” Stephen said. Did she understand what that meant?
**
Captain Yarn Adel placed his hand upon the panel. Creak. He slammed his hand upon the door several times. The stubborn door to the maintenance passageway opened before him and the ensign. He leaned his head inside. The tunnels were only good to crawl in. A few of the lights flickered, and one appeared to be out.
“This ship,” Yarn muttered. He ordered Ensign Mull in.
The crawl was short to the first junction. A small station here helped with emergency power flow and gave control of some of the tunnels. A hatch would take them below. Yarn’s fingers went fast along the panel to get them on. Engineering could move through these tunnels, but only senior officers could access the computer core.
Down they went to bottom deck of the Explorer C. Only one thing was housed here. A long window gave view to the computer core. Yarn came close, pressing his hands against the safety glass. His mouth hung in awe.
The core lay on its side and ran a good distance down a small section of tunnel. Here the information of many things in the galaxy could be found. The knowledge here could never be taught in any being’s lifespan. Many ship functions were linked here and could also be disconnected. Core systems were housed here for bridge control. Part of the core did house a deactivated ship AI that had once been great to help assist the crew if they had questions and needed things located, but it had started to malfunction.
An object hovered and moved along the core in a slow wave pattern. The spherical droid with a curved in bottom was one of several that scanned for any damage or degradation. The core couldn’t always speak for itself if it didn’t know what was wrong. On the droid went.
“It seems normal,” Yarn said.
“We should check the diagnostic station,” Ensign Mull suggested.
It meant more time in warp hopefully. The door in was small. Yarn gave his clearance once more. A small and short lift took them down to the base level. Whoosh, whoosh; the only noise that came around here. The core emitted a blue light for show when someone was in here. It did help to see the components better.
“Here, captain.”
A station sat along the wall. Glass revealed the other droids on standby. A computer station came to life with a touch. Yarn hovered over the ensign’s shoulder.
“Well?” Yarn questioned.
“It seems to be in running order,” Ensign Mull said.
“See.”
“What if we tried a hard reset.”
“You’d do anything to keep us from dropping out of warp. Good.”
Beep, beep. Yarn pulled his handheld. “What is it?” he asked.
“We dropped out of warp again,” Commander Huskur said. Shit. “We are having trouble re-engaging.”
“Don’t,” Yarn began. The station had already powered off. “Standby, Commander. I’ll give the order for a reset to be done once we’re done here.” He had a half a notion to smack the ensign upside the head.
A droid came close hovering and awaiting orders. Yarn pushed it aside. “Sorry, sir,” Ensign Mull said. “There we go.” The screen came back to control. “Now a quick scan and we’ll know for sure.”
Three droids rushed from the station, followed by the idle one. Their movements were dangerous, yet none collided. A red light suddenly lit upon the screen. “Oh,” Yarn said.
“Um, something not right there.”
“I see that, Ensign. Call back the droids. Leave one at the spot.”
Yarn neared the rail that kept any from falling over. He carefully hopped it, forgetting quickly that there was an access point at the end. One droid hovered directly over a spot near the end. He brought out his handheld and commanded it to bring up the schematics of the core. Hmm? The droid did not move from the spot. A small beam of red soon extended at the exact point of interest.
Carefully, Yarn placed his index finger upon something that would easily be missed. A slight pull brought out the clear chip. Beep, beep. “Did that work?” he quickly questioned.
“I don’t know what happened,” Commander Huskur said. “We lost power at the helm for a brief second. Our systems are back. Wait, what’s that? Hold on, Captain.” Yarn hurried back.
“Captain, I think this station may have been tampered with,” Ensign Mull said.
“Captain,” Commander Huskur came through. “We’re in the Taliest Solar System!”
“Get us on course now!”
“We can’t. Engi
neering lost control for a bit too. We are waiting to link control again. Don’t worry, there’s a Talon Federation Vessel coming into the area.”
“Which one?”
**
The idea of a starship wasn’t bad. The idea of going anywhere in the galaxy did bring some awe to Kim. This stuff existed and she got to see it firsthand. She stayed near the open door where terminals inside served as the library onboard. Not a book was in sight. Darren had been up to showing what he could to them. It had been him to guide them most the day, and it had been him to take them all to breakfast. The only appeasing things had been the oatmeal, and it had an odd sourness to it.
“So, let me get this straight,” Gabe said. “You don’t even have to use this. Why do you even have it?”
“The library is a place where you can find peace,” Darren said. This room could be the size of a large walk-in closet the celebrities had that she had seen on television. It had little seating; a couple chairs and a couch on the wall. Each terminal had a chair floating in front of it, and she doubted without the back it wouldn’t be comfy for too long.
“I’ve seen enough,” Gabe said. “Let’s go. I am hungry.”
“I want to take you back to the lounge,” Darren said. “We can check up on things.”
The trek back only took thirty seconds at most. The floor wouldn’t serve anyone for power walking. Kim sunk down on the couch she had come to call hers this morning. Darren had done a lot to keep them company in here. Gabe couldn’t pass up playing a game on one of these special tables that projected a screen. It even generated controllers. When Darren beat him twice, Gabe was done. He and Stephen had a similar outcome when they played video games - especially if they weren’t on the same side.
Darren launched into another of his stories. His back kept to the window. He had a spot back on Galat II where he used to watch live music. The girl he liked, Carey, was a human and looked beautiful from the pictures he showed. His plans were to take her there when they got in.
As bad as a response Gabe might bring if Kim said it, she wanted to see Galat II. Darren said it was a multistory planet. Each level had something else. The upper city, as some call it, would be a good place for them to stay. There were plenty of parks, restaurants, and sights. Darren made the planet seem like a paradise, yet Herald joked about the congestion a bit much.